Hook, Line, and Scrapper

"Got a big one!"

Theo whooped in celebration, wiggling Homunculus Heir like a very stretchy tentacle. On its twisting appendage of muscles and bone was a giant eel, skewered and now coiling to the tune of the fleshy blade. It started from a whim of boredom: a visit to the market had revealed something big was cutting the fishermen's catches. The designation of Urban Nightmare was tantalizing enough, but only a single question retained her interest: could the flesh odachi be used to fish?

A rather immature train of thought, but the human drive works in strange ways. And now it had landed her on District 21's coastline, spearing eels and looking out for the creature behind the disturbance.

She wasn't the first to do so, however. The myriad of weapons stuffed in a nearby barrel spoke levels. The pile of clothes she was laying on spoke even more. She wondered who could be brave enough to stay at the pier, collecting the spoils of dead Fixers while the cruel sea lashed at them. The waves roared; the sky remained dim. From behind her, the scrapping of wood grew louder.

She turned back to find the source: a white-haired woman, dragging a coffin behind her. Something about her was mesmerizing. The way her pale skin and hair stood out in view, the latter swaying in the wind. Her black dress grazing her dainty hands, adorned with a striking blue and gold coat. Her equally blue eyes, piercing the gray clouds. That tiny smile, so sweet and sincere and exuding an aura of peace itself.

Was someone like that really human at all?

"Are you the one responsible for this collection?" a gentle voice emanated from her.

"Was here when I arrived." the Artificer replied in a tone dried by experience.

"Then perhaps I could take some rest before the preparations." came the reply.

The newcomer lay down, setting the coffin on the floor. Then she delicately pulled its lid agape. The sweet smell of incense wafted through the salty air as bundles of white lilies were placed around her position. Soon, the intensity of the waters beyond them had faded, an atmosphere of calm shooing it away.

"You said preparations just now," Theo asked, perplexed by her new companion's answer. "But for what? What exactly is there to do other than stake out?"

She was quick to answer, "The dead lay plentiful around us. They shouldn't be cast away like that." her cool eyes glanced at the pile supporting Theo's back, "I came here to give them the rest they needed."

A smirk escaped her lips with the next statement, "And I came here for some quality fishing. Care to try before you get going?"

The pale woman hid a small chuckle at the sudden joke. For a moment, her serenity was replaced by a quiet yet profound joy. A slight blush crossed her cheeks, her eyes wrinkling as if to capture the lightness of the joke. In that moment, a new feeling washed over Theo. One of bliss and nervousness and pure energy. Her heart was beating madly. Her eyes were transfixed on the beautiful: she wanted more of that. She almost sparkled on sight. It was too much.

"Your joy and kindness, how beautiful. I'd like to see more like this." accompanied with a bigger smile than before.

The new feeling shot through her, she craved more of that. Her face was flushed red with passion. Yes, that charming look, the grace and beauty and peace. All rolled into one sweet package. Theo's only answer was clear: "I need her so bad!". She wanted to embrace her and stay by her side forever. Oh God, for a feeling like that to be trapped in a simple body of flesh, must such beauty be tragically confined?

But wasn't that a bit too far? Theo nervously coughed into her hand as her companion looked slightly perplexed. "Uhhh... thanks. Thanksies. T-t-t-thank. Nice. Good."

"OH FUCK, SHE'S MAKING ME FEEL SO MUCH" her thoughts screamed.

"Are you unwell? Perhaps I can help." the woman said with a slight tinge of concern.

Not a single reply was reached before a dark shape erupted from the sea, drenching the to-be couple in briny water. A snaking colossus of an eel soared up to the sky before arching down towards the pier. Hateful eyes gathered at the catch on Theo's blade, then at the flustered Artificer herself and her pale partner. Both startled and then sobered and focused. At last, the source of the fishing disruptions had been found and it was not happy with its spawn dead.

"Got ya, you fish-stealing bastard!" yelled the ponytail Artificer, fleshy odachi primed and poised for a wide slash. But not before shaking off the baby eel staked on.

"May the souls of your prey find peace" called the pale woman, who had somehow unfurled a scythe from her right arm and was positioning it on her right side.

In an instant, both women leaped towards their humongous target. Theo unfurled her left arm, the tissues of Homunculus Heir bulging and coalescing for a sickening slash at its eye. Meanwhile, her companion directed her swing towards its forehead, as if guided by some otherwordly force. The sword cut the serpent's head from eye to jaw, the scythe severed its brain from the nerves of its body. Both women landed back on the pier, the corpse of the eel sinking back into the water.

The adrenaline of their combined attack slowly wearing off, Theo darted back to her surprising teammate. "Hot damn, that was amazing! We really need to do stuff like this together!", those excited words would result in a flare of embarrassment as she realized the outreach of her feelings. "Uhhh I mean! That was nice!"

"Your help was quite appreciated", the woman replied, beaming slightly, "Now, would you like to join me in paying our respects to the dead?"

An offer? To follow the one who had hooked her heart?

"Why the hell not?"

The air felt lighter, between Theo's exuberant look and the other woman's calm demeanor as they headed off to say goodbye to the Fixers before them.

"By the way, I forgot to ask? What's your name?"

"Oh, just call me Fun. That's what my sisters did."

(sometime later)

"Well, wonder what my assistant was thinking, sending me that monster eel bounty. Wouldn't hurt to try though, slimy bastard's having a world of pain coming fo-"

An infamous bloodthirsty Fixer stands at the nearby beach in disbelief. In front of him lies the corpse of the legendary Mother Coil, infamous for preying upon U Corp's seaside towns. Its formerly glowing skin, a sign of great devastation and consumption, is now utterly muted. A deep gouging wound and a wide gash have dealt the finishing blow, rendering what would have been earthshaking roars pitch silent.

In short, he has been thoroughly cucked from his prized hunt.

A resounding "GODAMMIT, CASEY!" and a set of pouty footsteps are all that the coast receives from him.

(even more time later)

An old man weeps at the corpse of the Mother Coil. The greatest being he knew, in all her terrifying grandeur, rendered into a bleeding carcass. How dare, how dare they disgrace her beautiful form and leave it as scrap for the beasts of men! To fatten their bellies, oil their gears and grind the sanctity of life!

The old man stares at the clouds. For a moment, his weeping stops, an eerie calm overtaking his eyes. The calm before a stormy light surges violently.

Then he howls, a resounding cry of rage and grief that shakes the sky.

The air growls in sync, slowly coalescing into a coil of light and darkness. Six eyes sprout from its head as a serpentine shape forms from the gray expanse, teeth and other organs of its head taking form. The beast keeps growing until even the corpse below is but a speck. Finally, it roars, a trembling screeching that fits its master's turmoil.

Cold determination drips into the man's eye. No more will the Church of the Mother Coil rest on their fertile soils. For those who sully their glorious Mother, vengeance awaits in the form of crashing waves.