Radiance Ch. 86

Chapter 86: Bring the Thunder.

Seven headed over to the mine with Thundertail in tow who was still doing her little bouncing jig as she walked which he couldn't help but smile at, for something so massive and vicious looking she really was a gentle sweetheart who was as innocent as a newborn lamb in her ways despite how she looked.

Though as soon as they met up with Sherriff Hawk and he directed them into the mines Seven found out pretty quickly that angry Thundertail was not someone with which you wished to fuck, power armour or not.

They'd barely even gotten inside before they encountered the first of the blood worms and it was obvious to him that this was where the nest was located as they were all over the place and they seemed to be both protecting something and bringing food to it by the way he watched two of them dragging what appeared to be a dead radstag along.

It was like someone crossed worms with ants somewhere along the line, but the moment she saw them Thundertail let loose a low-frequency bellow that vibrated through Seven's power armour like he'd suddenly sat his metal arse on a giant washing machine.

"Me kills all the nasty worms! Then friend Seven takes Thundertail to meet other friends!!" she bellowed right after her war cry and hell even her run made the whole place bounce but then it was kinda like watching an angry dump truck deciding to beat the ever-loving shit out of something.

So as Seven covered her Thundertail tore into the worms like a force of nature, when she brought that tail of hers down on some unlucky worm's head not only did it turn into paste but it had the side effect of sending a miniature shock wave out in all directions that sent any near to her flying.

This resulted in the worms bouncing around inside the hollow passage like fleshy pin balls as Thundertail put her side and considerable strength to very effective use, though Seven did begin to worry about the integrity of the mine shaft itself if she kept doing that, it might not be such a good idea to let her go hell for leather further in as it might collapse the place right down on their heads.

Once they'd cleared the entrance Seven walked up to the big Gator girl and patted her on the back, "Nice job Thundertail you really showed them whose boss," he said chuckling as she wiped worm paste off her massive tail.

Thundertail gave him a huge toothy smile that was full of joy at the praise and it was obvious as that toothy smile on her face that she wasn't used to compliments, a fact he was sure would change as soon as they found someone brave enough to take her on.

"Alright, we're gonna need to go further in to make sure we wipe out every last one of these fuckers now you're gonna need to be careful as we go deeper, try not to slam your tail down on them as the shockwave could cause the place to collapse, kicks and punches hell even bites yes, but no tail smashes ok?" he said tapping a beam to make it shower dust down on them to prove his point.

Thundertail looked at the falling stones and dust as Seven tapped the support beam and nodded her massive head, "Thundertail will be careful, not want to die now she has a friend," she said making Seven's heart lurch somewhat, despite their simpleness there was serious power and weight in those words, it was like she'd waited her entire life just to meet him so he could show her the way to be who she wanted to be.

So as they proceeded further in and encountered more worms she kept to her word and used her clawed hands and feet to great effect, when she did resort to her tail it was to do long sweeping flicks and strikes rather than downward smashes, but as it turned out these strikes carried just as much power to them a point that was driven home by one worm that was hit into another by one of her strikes and the sheer force turned the pair into a paste on impact.

It took them a couple of hours to clean through the place because of its size but eventually, they made it through to what appeared to be the queen's chamber, this was blatantly obvious by not only the huge number of small ball-like red coloured worms eggs laid absolutely everywhere, but by the massive fifty-foot long worm that sat right in the middle of it all.

The queen rose up and flexed her massive mouth at them showing off the perfect circle made up of jagged teeth as she swayed back and forth somehow able to see them despite not appearing to have any kind of eyes.

"That is a big ugly worm, might have to use tail for this one," Thundertail said looking the worm up and down and that's when an idea struck Seven and he grinned inside his suit.

He stepped forwards and patted Thundertail on the massive thigh, "Don't worry big girl I got this, got something real special for this fucker," he said and instantly he could see the worry on Thundertail's surprisingly handsome face.

But before she could say a word or shout a warning the worm shot forwards with blinding speed heading right for Seven only to get stopped in mid-air as it collided with an invisible wall, this confused it as it tried again only to have the same thing happen, it also confused Thundertail who grew even more confused when the worm decided to try and strike her inside only to hit yet another wall.

"You picked the wrong fight today fucker," Seven said and with that, he lifted his hands out to his sides as he focused his anger towards the creature that while innocent in the fact that it was a simple creature and had no concept of right or wrong angered him by the sheer amount of equally innocent sentient lives it had ended.

As his anger grew the smokey fire-like wings appeared out of his back through his armour like it simply was an illusion, he lifted off the floor and hovered as he focused because he wanted to do this in one hit and not have to refocus, energy crackled around him as Thundertail stood staring at him with her massive mouth hanging open, until in one single movement and with a snap of his fingers every egg in the chamber flew right at the queen all at once.

The queen was instantly buried under an avalanche of her own offspring but Seven wasn't done, he focused his power and with a bellowing roar that would have made a Claw proud he unleashed his power crushing the invisible net that held all the eggs and queen inplace like a shrinking snow globe the whole lot began to crush and pop like overripe zits under the pressure, sending jets of puke green ichor into the invisible bubble until with one last bellow Seven crushed the whole thing down to the size of a soccer ball.

Once Seven released his grip the whole thing dropped to the floor with a heavy and very sticky-sounding thud and he gently floated down to the ground letting his wings evaporate along with his rage though it still made him kinda dizzy and still filled his head with a bag of broken glass, but at least he didn't pass out from it, he was really starting to get better in his resistance control now.

Thundertail was still standing there with her mouth hanging open as he turned towards her, "Looks like we got em big girl, now all we gotta do is tell Sherriff Hawk and we can start sending freed slaves here when we start getting rid of the bad humans," he said with few breathless pants thrown in amongst his words.

"F-F-Friend Seven is an A-A-Angel!!" Thundertail exclaimed.

Seven shook his head, "Not an angel just a human although just a different kind to the ones you are used to," he said.

"B-B-But friend Seven has wings! Wings like Angels from Miss Eve's books! Me's sees them with own eyes!" she exclaimed.

"I'm just different is all no need to worry Thundertail, think about it in a way I'm just like you," he said and now she cocked her massive head to one side.

"How so?" she asked.

"Well you're a Gatorclaw who looks like a Gatorclaw, talks like a Gatorclaw walks like a Gatorclaw so is a gatorclaw, but likes different things to a Gatorclaw, so you are different, I'm a human who looks like a human, talks like a human, walks like a human but not only likes different things i.e. my lovely Visa but also has different abilities to a regular human, doesn't make me any less of a human just a different one is all," he said smiling under his mask.

Thundertail seemed to consider this carefully, "Friend Seven is right, just because Thundertail likes different things to normal Gatorclaw does not mean she is less of Gatorclaw just different Gatorclaw, just like friend Seven is different human, is still a pretty human but likes different things like lucky Claw Visa," she said and Seven nodded.

"Exactly, now come on we gotta sheriff to reprogram," Seven said and with that he waved her to follow him and the pair headed back out of the mines.

They found the protectron known as Sheriff Hawk still outside waiting for them when they appeared out of the entrance and they waved to him causing the droid to turn and plod over to them.

"Tarnations you fellas sure cooked up a storm in there, I could hear the bangs and crashes from all the way up here, but I'm assuming because of the fact you're here that you were successful?" he asked.

"Sure were, the worms are toast and the queen and her brood is dead, so no more worms to worry about now you can get back on with protecting the town," Seven said.

"Well I'll be a groundhogs uncle you only gone and done it, good work there deputy, " the sheriff said and Seven noticed an access port on the back of the protectron that he figured was for their personality type, now he wasn't exactly a computer whizzkid but he had been learning some things from Gregory along their travels so he figured this was as good a time as any to try them out.

So with a quick flick of Telekinesis he spun the droid around on the spot, "What in tarnation!!?" the protectron exclaimed but Seven was already flipping the shut down switch in the back of the droid causing it to go limp and freeze up.

"You's killed him!" Thundertail exclaimed.

"Nah he's not dead just sleeping, we're going to make him better he's going to help us protect people," he said.

Pulling an extension lead from his suit he was able to plug in his pip boy through his suit's interface and from there he was able to access the personality protocols, with some tweaking he was able to program it into law enforcement mode and also gave it a file to look at which told it what a raider looked like to give it a reference to build off.

When he powered it back up it was like it switched on a totally different person, "Potectron on duty, beginning patrol!" it announced and began walking off much to Thundertail's amaze.

Over the next half, an hour Seven and Thundertail walked around the settlement finding the other protectrons and reprograming them as well so now rather than being in friendly western cowboy characters they were all in protection mode patrolling the place.

"Alright now that that's sorted out we should head back to meet up with my friends, hopefully, they've had some luck as well, though thanks to you I get the feeling we might have a way in with the local Gatorclaws and hopefully you can introduce us to Miss Eve as well I'd rather like to speak to her," Seven said.

The walk back was rather quiet though Seven was aware of Thundertail looking at him almost constantly, she seemed truly fascinated by him, to say the least, but then given the display he just put on in the mines he wasn't all that surprised, how oftern do you see a human wearing power armour grow smoke-like wings and crush things without even touching them.

Finally, she spoke showing that she'd obviously been thinking about it aswell, "Me now sees one other thing that luck Claw Visa must like about friend Seven, friend Seven is able to handle big Claw girl thanks to strange power," she said and Seven smiled and chuckled.

"Yeah, I can see that I suppose it's not every human guy who can throw his Claw girl over his shoulder and cop a feel under her oh-so-pretty tail as he carts her off to the bedroom, usually it's going to be the other way around," Seven said jokingly but when he glanced at her he could actually see the gears whirring in her head as he obviously tried to picture that image in her head.

"Thundertail wishes she would find a human strong enough to do this for her," she said and Seven chuckled but gave her arm a reassuring pat.

"Don't you worry big girl I'm sure we'll find you, someone who can look at you the same way I look at my Visa and will see the big beautiful and amazing woman you truly are, I've got no doubt in my mind that right now a human is looking up at the sky and wondering where their big beautiful Claw girl who can come in sweep them off their feet and love and protect them is hiding?" he said and the smile that lit up Thundertail's face was truly glorious.

"Me's thinks me's found another thing that lucky Claw Visa will like about friend Seven, he has beautiful words that make heart happy," she said and Seven smiled.

"Thank you Thundertail and trust me when I say I think you'll like the rest of my group just as much they all think like me," he said.

When they arrived back at the Safari zone they found both Via and Vess waiting for them with the kills they had made and collected to present to the Gatorclaws as a peace offering, no sooner had he entered the pump house via flew to him and nearly wrapped herself around him.

"I have missed you so my beautiful human, it did not feel right being so far from you," she purred stroking his suit with her claws.

"Missed you too my big scaly angel but I've been busy too I've met someone who might be able to turn a few things in our favour, come on in here Thundertail," Seven said and they all turned just in time to see the massive Gatorclaw girl duck under the door frame and squeeze herself through the doorway.

It wasn't often that Seven got to see either Visa or vess look up at someone but both of them looked truly amazed as they saw the huge and somewhat nervous-looking Gatorclaw girl.

"Greetings lucky Claw Visa and Matriarch Claw Vess me's is Thundertail of the Gatorclaws of the Safari zone pack," she said looking at both of them as they both blinked and then turned to Seven for an explanation.

"Well as it turns out Gatorclaws are far better at stealth than one would have imagined, this big girl followed me all the way out to the wild west exhibit they got going on here, turns out she's a human-loving Claw and after seeing me and Visa last night she wanted to see what I was about, well that was until a Bloodworm got hold of her tail that is," Seven said chuckling softly as he saw Thundertail cradle her tail somewhat defensively and protectively.

"Nasty worms bite hard," she said.

"Yeah, so we got to talking and I explained to her who we are and why we're here, I also explained to her the nature of the group and how we operate and well she wants in, in exchange for us helping her o find a human like me who knows a damn fine Claw girl when he sees one," Seven said stroking Visa's large thigh and making her purr slightly, though she never took her somewhat suspicious eyes of Thundertail.

"Did she try it on with you?" Visa asked flatly and Seven sighed, he knew that was coming.

"Well yes...." he began and he heard Visa's growl rising and he saw her scales shifting as her anger rose.

"BUT," he said loud enough to snap her attention back to him.

"But she soon realised her mistake as soon as I set her right about me being a one Claw boy, gotta cut her some slack there Visa you know as bad as I do how love and attraction can both make fools of us and make us do silly things without thinking, she saw a human boy that likes Claws, thought her dreams had come true and thought that hopefully, I would share it with her too, I set her straight on how we are and how it works, she's very sorry that she tried it on with me aren't you Thundertail?" Seven said and the big Gatorclaw was nodding her massive head.

"Me's is very sorry to lucky Claw Visa, me's no wanted to steal precious human, me's thought me's could share him but me's see's nw that this is wrong and humans not share Claws, humans have one Claw and one Claw only and they's keeps that Claw happy for life as Claw keeps precious human happy for life," she said in her deep rumbling voice.

"You better believe it, this human here is mine and only mine and you are damn lucky I was not there to see you lay a hand on him or I'd have torn it from your shoulder and beat you with it, but as it happens my human is both devoted and loyal, so if as your apology seems genuine I will forgive this once as I know the power of his beauty and the lure of his sensuality only too well, so I can see why a fellow enlightened Claw would be drawn to him but know this my forgiveness is a one time deal, if you ever lay an unwanted Claw upon him you will answer to me and it will be the shortest conversation I promise you that," Visa said her voice lowering to a snarl towards the end.

Thundertail nodded her massive head, "Me's no wants to steal other Claw's human, me's knows how hard it is to get human to look at Claw and see not monster but someone who is different but same, no different to them inside just outside, wants same things, food, home, warm nest and pretty human to fill it and heart with joy and love," Thundertail said and both Visa and Vess nodded approvingly.

"It seems she is indeed an enlightened Claw who has seen the joys of humanity," Vess said and Thundertail nodded before essentially jamming her massive tail right in her oversized gob.

"Oh yes me's see's joys first hand, me's see's how happy friend Seven make's lucky Claw Visa last night, me's hears how she growls, snarls and howls his joys to heavens, me's also sees the happy she has afterwards and me's needs this, me's needs this so badly, friend Seven explains to Thundertail what love is and now is all me's can think about," she said and Visa's mouth dropped open.

"Y-You saw us?" she exclaimed and Thundertail nodded her expression turning a little guilty before pointing to the window high up above where Seven and she slept last night.

"Me's hears funny noises comes to see if is thing tasty to eat but what me's see's is most beautiful things me's ever see's, for whole life Thundertail believes there is something wrong with her for looking at humans the was me's does, but last night me's see's a human make a Claw so happy in most beautiful way and me's realises, there is nothing wrong with Thundertail, Thundertail was right, humans can be with Claw's in ways me's always hoped they could, now friend Seven promises to help me's find human for me who love me like he loves lucky Claw Visa!" Thundertail said happily before doing a little jig and slamming her massive tail on the ground a few times sending a shockwave through the building and making both Visa and vess clamp their hands over their ears.

"I see why she's called Thundertail now and appears you must have put on quite the show to impress so dear niece," Vess said with a teasing grin at her mortified neice.

Seven could also see the conflict going on in Visa's head, on one hand, she was furious at being spied on on the other she was obviously both proud and flattered that her love for him was described as the most beautiful thing someone had ever seen, so he decided to intercede and head off her anger before it started to burn itself up.

He simply walked over and embraced her, "Like I said she's sorry she did that but now she just wants our help to find her own human and I'm pretty sure as this group Alpha matriarch Claw it kinda falls to you to take her under your wing and teach her how to be a proper human loving Claw doesn't it?" he said tickling her ego a little bit which worked wonders as no sooner had the words left his mouth than he saw her puff out her chest and throw her shoulders back with a nod.