Pastry Fiends

It took a moment for the Abyssal to process what Wakasagihime had called the plane, having never heard the word before, though it resembled another she'd picked up along the Japanese coast before. Nodding proudly to herself after completing the bare minimum of inference, Rei looked back at the princess with a gleeful flash of her fangs. "Ya don't get to see Abyssal flyers very often, do ya? They're usually shot down 'fore they can do much 'round here. When I was still plenty wild, my squadrons would terrify entire battle groups and ships would turn tail gettin' a hint that I was out there watchin' them! 'Course I use them now to scout for meals, n' whenever the Admiral need somethin' done." Her eyes caught the occasional sparkle from the mermaid's tail, a brilliant ripple of silvery blue-elegant, as every part of her new company was. A twinge of jealousy bubbled up in the monstrous ship's thoughts, but it wasn't the normal wave of negative emotion that fueled Abyssals fresh from the depths. No, this thought was strangely positive, a brief acknowledgement of beauty compared to her clammy expanse. If Waggy had been cursed, she'd certainly had one that reflected her natural charms. The small bit of self-reflection was interrupted a few moments later as Rei received a transmission from her scout plane, her grin widening devilishly at the news. "...'Preciate the words, I do. Thankfully 'round here, I'm no longer shoot on sight! Think a few of the Admiral's lackeys would rather have it that way though, the way they glare at me on patrol. So, as thanks, we got ourselves a lunch stop~ Turn slightly t' port n' follow me. Our meal ticket should show up shortly~" True to her announcement, a gleaming white fishing boat appeared on the horizon, growing larger every moment as they approached. The taste of the seawater was changing, with a weird temper that told her they were getting close to a river's mouth, too. The perfect stop for her newfound friend.

"Lot of things have changed from ah...that place yer from. S'cut off, right? So it's like me not knowin' what a missile was n' gettin' smacked with quite a few 'fore I started shootin' them down! What makes me up is from the last era of gunships n' torpedoes, none of this fancy junk. They found out if you shape it right and it's thin enough, metal floats." Her fat face broke out into a toothy grin as she rolled over to face her mermaid friend, tubby hands rubbing together as the devilish plot formed. If there was one thing a Re-class was good at, it was thinking on the fly, and when it came to feeding her massive self, none were more motivated than Rei. "Don't worry~ I got a wonderful little idea..." - - - - - For the fishermen, it had been a normal day. The trawling crane was out, dredging its net through the waters below for a piscine bounty, and picture-perfect weather with not a cloud in the sky. A deckmate, peering out over the ocean as the ship gently bobbed along, spent a few moments admiring the glistening waters before turning back to his work. His attention was ripped away from his task as he caught sight of some black and pale mass out of the corner of his eye, only for the ripples of the ocean's surface to greet him. He briefly wondered if there'd been an orca pod sighting somewhere, though a sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise. Something else lurked beneath the water, angling for their rigging, and as he peeked over the ship's railing- "Hey! Enough sightseeing already, we're about to pull the catch in." The call of the foreman banished the thoughts almost immediately. As long as whatever it was didn't bother the boat, it was fine. If it was Abyssal-related, the local naval port could easily dispatch a few Kanmusu to deal with whatever it was. On the far side of the deck near the bridge, the rigging operator started up the winch and the boat lurched ever so slightly, the sure sign of a fine dredge. Then the winch seized. Their vessel lurched heavily to port, much more than usual. These things happened-all they would need to do is pay out some line, it probably got snagged on a rock somewhere. A bell mounted to the rigging mast clattered as the ship sagged again, the list obvious to all those on the deck as loose gear began to slide away. The net line was drawn taut, the crane arm bending slightly as something massive kept the net pinned. Panic set in among the crew, but even as the winch payed out more line for life-saving slack, the list worsened, sending buckets and tackle over the edge and into the drink. The deckmate let himself slide to the railing and peered over the edge once more, trying to see what manner of sea beast could manage to bring their fine ship to its knees- A ghastly, wolfish grin; glowing eyes peering over cheeks round as melons but pale as death; a cloak of darkness trying in vain to cover the swollen, blubberous bulk hanging from the net's line; and a monstrous tail almost unbelievably thick, its plated head swinging around as best as it could with a trio of cannon turrets. He stared in shock as the behemothic anomaly heaved herself downward below the surface and the boat groaned in agony, this strange beast taxing its rigging to the limits as it slipped even further into its dangerous list. "Now that I got yer attention, fine gentlemen...how about we cut a deal?" the monster gurgled, her grin never leaving the huge cheeks that spilled from her hood. - - - - - - - "A little scare goes a long way, wouldn'tcha say? Got ourselves a lovely feast for our trouble!" Rei cheered, showing off the great armful of salmon she'd managed to score for them. Having decided to swim a bit closer to the river mouth as the trawler packed up and puttered away from the pair of aquatic lasses, Rei offered the bounty to Wakasagahime first, practically beaming at her mischief. "Princess gets first pick!"

"I don't take that drinkin' fresh water helps...more like a fish where ya can't put most river and lake fish out to sea," Rei muttered, nodding to herself. Knowing that there wasn't much time, the Abyssal grabbed one of her backpack straps and yanked out a strange, triangular-shaped creature from the depths of the bag with her other hand, a tongue lapping at the teeth that form its underside. Thankfully, unlike the rest of her, the aviation facilities of her hybrid nature remained wholly intact. "First sortie ye've gotten in a while! Find the closest river and check for trawlers. The Princess's only got a little bit of time out here n' I want to give her the good stuff!" She jabbed a fat finger at its shiny black carapace and it wheezed back something that only she could understand, before wheeling back her chunky arm and giving it a surprisingly powerful toss. Tumbling through the air, it righted itself eventually and began to putter around, Re-class holding a palm to her ear. "Ah-hnnn...keep scannin' and I'll give you a brush scrub later." Going off the general direction of the strange little creature, she looked over her shoulder at the green-haired mermaid and raised an eyebrow. "Very few have called me anythin' other than monster, so interestin's a good start. I think yer pretty interestin' too...maybe not a princess anymore, but you were one. Better than all of those stuffy brats who hold the title for us."

It took a moment for the Abyssal to process what Wakasagihime had called the plane, having never heard the word before, though it resembled another she'd picked up along the Japanese coast before. Nodding proudly to herself after completing the bare minimum of inference, Rei looked back at the princess with a gleeful flash of her fangs. "Ya don't get to see Abyssal flyers very often, do ya? They're usually shot down 'fore they can do much 'round here. When I was still plenty wild, my squadrons would terrify entire battle groups and ships would turn tail gettin' a hint that I was out there watchin' them! 'Course I use them now to scout for meals, n' whenever the Admiral need somethin' done." Her eyes caught the occasional sparkle from the mermaid's tail, a brilliant ripple of silvery blue-elegant, as every part of her new company was. A twinge of jealousy bubbled up in the monstrous ship's thoughts, but it wasn't the normal wave of negative emotion that fueled Abyssals fresh from the depths. No, this thought was strangely positive, a brief acknowledgement of beauty compared to her clammy expanse. If Waggy had been cursed, she'd certainly had one that reflected her natural charms. The small bit of self-reflection was interrupted a few moments later as Rei received a transmission from her scout plane, her grin widening devilishly at the news. "...'Preciate the words, I do. Thankfully 'round here, I'm no longer shoot on sight! Think a few of the Admiral's lackeys would rather have it that way though, the way they glare at me on patrol. So, as thanks, we got ourselves a lunch stop~ Turn slightly t' port n' follow me. Our meal ticket should show up shortly~" True to her announcement, a gleaming white fishing boat appeared on the horizon, growing larger every moment as they approached. The taste of the seawater was changing, with a weird temper that told her they were getting close to a river's mouth, too. The perfect stop for her newfound friend.

Hamakaze needn't offer any more encouragement. Tubby fingers snaking along her oh-so-skinny figure, simply waiting for the moment when all of it would be swallowed underneath a few hundred pounds' worth of softness. It would be a journey to match the other Ishigaki, but it was one she was eager to slip down the rabbit hole for. Sinking into the white-haired kanmusu's plush side and snuggling in deeper all the same, her trim hands reached forward and latched onto one of the half-pound burgers filling the first tray, all propriety out the window as her maw opened wide and she took her first hearty chomp into its greasy deliciousness. Her eyes glimmered with mischievous delight as she tore into the sandwich, cheeks bulging as her jaw worked relentlessly to get her next meal down into the awaiting pits of her belly. She obeyed the command happily, attempting to calculate the building calorie density in her head to spur herself onwards.

The mutant ship snorted amusedly, turning about towards a local bay. "There ain't a damn thing about them that's distinguished, as high as they try to hold themselves." Should the mermaid princess-former princess-be envious of Rei's legs? Well, as bloated as they were, strange as they were shaped(no mere human limbs, something awkward by her creation), they were at least...legs. Legs that Wakasagihime could gander at for a little while longer as Rei slipped forward, monstrously thick tail waving lazily back and forth in a mockery of propulsion, but clearly more than enough for her to cruise along with ease. Waggy should rejoice though-her analysis is quite correct. None may compare to her shimmering scales with their vibrant colors, or her perfectly preserved skin in the warm glow of life. Rei's vastness is cold and clammy, warm as hugging her might actually be, with the texture found on a remora or eel while waterbound. She glows ghastly white in the waves, a reminder of her inhuman nature. "Crucible! That's it! I have a hard time remembering weird words. N' don't go callin' me Lady. I don't have noble blood or anythin' like that. Just Rei." The Abyssal furrowed her brow, scratching at her head as the mermaid mentioned her time limit. Only an hour? Not much for lunch, that's for sure. She hadn't been all around Hokkaido yet, but she did remember there was a river mouth... "Might be gatherin' there...Oi, does brackish water help with that at all? Can't enjoy a meal when you're pressed fer time."

"I don't take that drinkin' fresh water helps...more like a fish where ya can't put most river and lake fish out to sea," Rei muttered, nodding to herself. Knowing that there wasn't much time, the Abyssal grabbed one of her backpack straps and yanked out a strange, triangular-shaped creature from the depths of the bag with her other hand, a tongue lapping at the teeth that form its underside. Thankfully, unlike the rest of her, the aviation facilities of her hybrid nature remained wholly intact. "First sortie ye've gotten in a while! Find the closest river and check for trawlers. The Princess's only got a little bit of time out here n' I want to give her the good stuff!" She jabbed a fat finger at its shiny black carapace and it wheezed back something that only she could understand, before wheeling back her chunky arm and giving it a surprisingly powerful toss. Tumbling through the air, it righted itself eventually and began to putter around, Re-class holding a palm to her ear. "Ah-hnnn...keep scannin' and I'll give you a brush scrub later." Going off the general direction of the strange little creature, she looked over her shoulder at the green-haired mermaid and raised an eyebrow. "Very few have called me anythin' other than monster, so interestin's a good start. I think yer pretty interestin' too...maybe not a princess anymore, but you were one. Better than all of those stuffy brats who hold the title for us."

The brief touch of their gargantuan guts sent an electric tingle up her spine, bicolored eyes drinking in every ripple, every bounce of the blonde's massively overfed flesh. She had heard and known of idols from many different spaces, their colorful outfits, dance numbers, and carefully curated personalities in many cases being the draw of millions. By some metric, they wielded unfathomable power in the public consciousness. Before Altair stood a monument to indulgence by comparison, a body built by unstoppable rapacity that had little intent on arresting her overwhelming growth. To defy norms, to satisfy herself above all else and then share that freedom with others who managed to make their way to her hotel was worthy of admiration. "So, you reject the chains placed on you, and hollow out a kingdom fit for exemplars of your lifestyle. Such contemptuous disregard for the image your title projects! Ah, if she had known such a wondrous place existed...I'm sure my spiral into gluttonous bliss would've been deliciously average." Her back arched, and the twintailed beauty bounced her bountiful apron against Mari's, savoring the satisfying smack that came with their overfed frames. "And I take it, you never intend to slow down, hm~? If I wanted to bring my...content, this niche I've carved out myself to this hotel of yours, what would I have to do?"

"Altair." The silver-haired blimp brushed one of her trailing pigtails aside with a self-satisfied smirk at Mari's declaration. Her casual appearance and heft did nothing to dampen her countenance-if anything, the command she had of her girth positively radiated her own assured superiority. "It's only natural for those who devote themselves to their desires to recognize kindred spirits. Yours is positively infectious. I have been looking for a...more appropriate venue you could say. This place has outlived its usefulness, and while my coffers have been filled, 'tis nowhere near enough as much as our kind indulges." Walking over to her streaming table, she ran a fat hand across its surface tenderly, brushing away the dust and crumbs of meals past. "So if you're so willing and generous a hostess, Miss Ohara...would it be too much for me to ask for a room~?"

You never know the danger you're in, until the pincers wrap around your neck.