Steampunk Harlots Ch. 46

Liddy descended down through the glass tube on the platform surrounded by armed women. Hannah, who had put on her combat uniform and carried her trench gun loaded with ice ammunition, stood beside her. They had all chosen the special ammunition due to the absolute panic their host had shown when he bravely tried to stop them from coming into the city with lead bullets. Vile crouched to fit in the centre of the platform cramping everyone else to the edges -- except for Liddy and Hannah who were under her chin. Neither of them particularly enjoyed feeling the massive breasts against their back with their minds focused on what their host had told them.

Meanwhile, high above the departing shore party,Ving flew her racer in circles, trying to keep the angle just right for Laurel in the back who was holding her rifle ready to fire. They were both scanning the water for signs of Leira or anything else. The cannon trigger under her thumb on the new controls was locked; Ving didn't trust herself not to fire it by mistake and send shells off into the distance. She scanned the empty water, desperate to see Leira almost as much as she was to keep the feeling of dread at bay.

Inky walked between the gun crew on the platform, composed of Astra and Juno, and the one on the ship crewed by Oda and Paje. It was imperfect coverage since there were a lot of angles to cover on the water. However, if Leira came up, in front of the platform and ship was the most likely spot for her to reappear. Inky watched Foxy patrolling the deck looking everywhere else and listening intently. The handful of local workers milled about on the platform trying to look like they were working while checking out the women, but one of them took his work seriously. Inky had all but welded him to the side of the elevator where the hardline connected to the bottom so they could call messages back and forth over the wire. He was to answer and relay any messages to the surface, and Inky waited for the call to indicate that the rest of the girls were safely at the bottom.

Tonna was on the lowest deck. In fact, they had taken out some floorboards so she could rest her tail on the curved hull, the idea being that if Leira were to bang on the hull from underwater, her snake body would sense it. Tonna had learned a lot more about snakes from reading and from Ela; her curse felt so much less like one now that it was potentially helping save a friend.

Mari and Easy kept an eye out the cargo bay doors opposite the platform, ready to pull Leira in if she surfaced. They both looked at each other across the hull and wished they could have been cuddling instead. They were told not to talk since Foxy wanted as little distraction as possible, so they weakly smiled when their eyes met. They were also mindful that a monster could come out of the water to eat them at any moment and both had ropes tied to their waists.

Cat watched the radio, just in case Ving called in a sighting. She occasionally saw her fly by but there was nothing to report. The waiting was brutally painful. She was startled when Inky came in to report the others had reached the bottom and entered the city safely. Her report to Ving was not the message Ving had wanted, but she acknowledged and resumed her duties.

Down in the city, the girls spread out to give Vile room while she stretched out. The elevator may have been cramped but the city was not. Had they not been so keyed up they might have noticed the sprawling city around them. They weren't so deep that the sun couldn't reach, though the ride down felt like they had descended kilometres. The park in front of the elevator had a massive glass window that held a commanding view of that quarter of the city. Had they gone around the elevator, they would have seen three more just like it. Again despite the technological marvel of the underwater city, they weren't really looking at it. Seeing their host suddenly go pale and faint after gasping, they whirled around to look in the direction he had been looking. The monster they were looking for was right in front of them. However, it wasn't the glass between them holding back the water that kept the girls from shooting after they raised their weapons, it was the fact that Leira was in its grasp against the glass.

****

Leira plunged into the water. A bath was one thing but being able to swim in deep fresh water was another altogether. She would have prefered to go in naked but knew Liddy would probably be annoyed if she started pressing up against windows naked to frighten or excite the local folk. Of course, she could still do all that in her rather limited bathing suit. Knowing eventually she would be swimming again, she had purchased swimwear in the eighth city and hacked away all the extra fabric, leaving only the snug black liner. It was absolutely scandalous, acting as a waterproof bra and underwear in a single piece. It contrasted with her fine fish-scale skin that sparkled in the water as her hair shifted colours in her excitement.

Going deeper she could start to see the city at the bottom of the lake from all the lights in the windows. She couldn't fathom why anyone would bother building such a place but loved it all the same. All she worried about was if there was a way inside once she got to the bottom. Leira assumed there had to be since someone would need to fix things or do outside work. Since the surface lacked any kind of activity, they wouldn't have come up to the surface to just dive back down every time they had to clean a window.

So distracted by taking in the view she almost missed the vibrations in the water around her. First, she looked towards the glass tube off to the side that connected the city to the surface. However, nothing looked to be moving inside it. Then she felt the vibrations again, this time behind her and she spun around to look. Again nothing, but she knew well enough how quickly things could be in the water so she decided to test whatever it was. Leira went deeper. The webbing between her fingers and toes that she normally kept deflated and invisible when she wasn't swimming let her move faster than any human could in the water. However, it was slightly unsightly, and after all the jokes made about her growing up, she simply wasn't in the habit of showing them to anyone. She could feel something moving behind her and closing in slowly. Turning would have ruined her profile and slowed her down. Her breasts were smaller than she ever felt them go before as they deflated to help streamline her body.

The idle curiosity of doors of some kind letting people enter and exit the water from the city below suddenly became very important as she searched for such a door on any of the buildings coming into clearer view. Her gills were getting sore from the speed of the water pushing through them but didn't want to be exerting herself and holding her breath at the same time. For a dash, sure, but it was becoming an endurance trial for her as she pushed deeper into the water.

Whatever was following her, she guessed was only a few meters away when something suddenly brushed against her ankle. Adrenaline surged through her, letting her tap into strength normally limited in humans. The vibrations behind her got stronger, showing it was working harder to keep up with her. Leira went right towards the base of the shaft leading to the surface because it had the biggest windows and she knew someone had to clean them. The problem for her was that she couldn't make out any access points when she reached the bottom. Turning was a risk but she had no choice. She took a glance as she did to see if she could spot her pursuer.

She did.

****

"What do we do?" Hannah asked Liddy as she lowered her useless weapon.

"I don't know."

"I can try my hand," Emma suggested. "But I don't know if it works through glass or under water."

"Try it. My magic certainly won't," Vile replied, wishing she could actually do something.

****

It cut her off and forced her back. Leira came to a rest on the bottom of the lake, standing in front of the massive window. She braced herself to kick off from the rocks under her feet if she needed to. The question was if she should go forwards or back. If it lunged, she would dash past and get a bit of a lead -- but the thing had tentacles that could grab in any direction. Trying to swim away first seemed like the best option, it could start swimming as soon as she did and she knew it was faster. It seemed to be studying her as she studied it, so she had time to weigh her options. Just as Leira was about to kick away and make a run for it, past her white hair floating in the water she saw it raise two of the tentacles. One made a loop, the other moved back and forth through it.

"You're a fucking Emberborn!" Leira shouted into the water despite there being no air in her lungs to make the sound.

Relief flooded through her body, she could see the human shape under the mass of tentacles. The top was obviously the head and she could make out the eyes looking at her. Despite it being the least human-looking person she had ever seen, the look in its eyes and the penetrative gesture it was making was absolutely something she was familiar with. Her hair changed to a passionate bright red and her breasts inflated to stretch the fabric that contained them.

It got closer and reached out to touch Leira, who felt the caressing touch of the long arms running over her body. One rubbed against the inside of her thigh while another went around her hips. It was testing her, to make sure she understood and didn't feel threatened. Seeing her breasts inflate as it slithered another tentacle down between them was a clear enough signal to wrap the rest around her. Slowly, and after a bit of study, it removed the swimsuit from her without tearing it. Under all his monstrous appearance was a man who didn't want to fuck up with the first woman that could live in the water with him.

Leira felt her body lift slightly as her limbs were wrapped with the soft touch of the tentacles. The puckers on the inside of them felt like soft kisses along her body, including ones on the tip of two arms teasing her nipples in a way she had never felt before. The bigger her breasts got, the tighter the arms wrapped around them. Leira moaned into the water as she felt one slither up between her legs and push inside her. It kept going until it felt like it coiled inside her womb and had nowhere else left to go. Of course, it hadn't actually gotten that deep at all -- but it felt that way to Leira. Despite the alien feeling of being held by so many arms, the rhythmic thrusting into her felt very human and she realised that the part inside her wasn't just another arm but his manhood. Leira shuddered hard as her new friend got more enthusiastic and teased her breasts hard enough to make her climax. She was suddenly pushed up against the window, her breasts pushed up against the glass, trapping the tentacles still sucking on her tits. When she looked through it and saw her friends, she understood why and smiled, managing a wave with one hand.

****

"There isn't a lot I can do, even if it worked," Emma explained. "Everything is already getting touched."

"Oh, well," Liddy sighed. "Just kick that asshole on the ground who made us fret over all this."

"I'll tell Inky to relax." Hannah slowly backed up towards the line to the surface, not wanting to lose sight of the show.

****

"So apparently," Cat started with a relieved tone over the radio, "some Emberborn squid-creature is the monster and it's fucking Leira against the main window. So everyone is standing down and relaxing. Local idiot confirmed he is 'the monster' or whatever."

"Well, fuck," Ving replied before turning to Laurel and telling her the good news.

****

Leira had climaxed again, seeing her friends watch her and cheer her on. Then suddenly everything went dark as she felt her body being pumped full of seed. The inky blackness enveloped her and the water tasted like ink and a man's seed.

****

"Did he just..." Blaze couldn't finish her question.

"I think he did," Hannah replied as she returned from making the call. "Kind of a show-ruiner, but I suppose it made for a... climactic ending?"

"God damn it, Hannah, I have reason enough to throttle you without you starting to make puns as well." Liddy glared at the reflection of Hannah on the window that was clearer now that nothing behind it could be seen.

****

Leira felt a bit embarrassed when she was face to face with her friends. Her skin was blackened by the ink.

"Well, clearly we need a new name for Inky. Leira just stole the title," Hannah commented.

"That depends on how long it lasts, I am rather fond of it," Inky replied, having come down with the rest once the all-clear had been sent.

"I'm sorry! I mean, sort of. Sorry I worried everyone, not so much with the sex." Leira looked off towards the moon pool where the 'monster' waited, patiently eyeing everyone.

A voice came from the Emberborn emerging from the water. "In my defence, these people tossed me out when I was young. So I have no regrets scaring the shit out of them."

Liddy looked at him and then to the man who had met them on the platform. "You knew?"

He looked at Vile and Tonna with a frightened expression on his face before replying. "Well, we thought he was a monster." After speaking he cowered away from the two giant women who could crush him easily.

Liddy shook her head, she already deduced their logic and didn't need to hear anymore. She turned back to the moonpool. "Gregory, I am sorry about all of this. Though I suppose it could have been worse if Leira hadn't gone in on her own like that."

"Oh, don't worry about it. People have been trying to kill me for years down here. I doubt you would have succeeded before figuring it out," Gregory replied. "My parents still worked in the water so I had plenty of love and attention to keep me sane. Plus, lots of kids my age were perfectly happy to have a window monster as a friend to talk to. I needed to live outside anyway, so aside from the occasional incompetent hunt commissioned by the nobility, I was rather accepted by the people here."

Liddy gave a flick of the hand to get rid of their host. Once Foxy had tossed him out of the room Liddy asked her question. "So, you have no problems with human women?"

Gregory was about to clarify what she meant with a question until he saw the yellow dress fall off Liddy to reveal her matching yellow underwear that didn't actually cover anything. "Oh, yes. I am okay with human women."

****

Despite the fact they all wanted to test to see how many women Gregory could satisfy at once with his many arms, they had clients to see and didn't want to do it covered in ink stains. Liddy had to satisfy her fetish without letting him finish inside her or even on her. It was a disappointment but necessary. That didn't stop girls from sneaking off when they had time as long as they kept themselves clean enough to work. Leira, on the other hand, spent the most time with him since she was already stained, and they both liked to watch through the guestroom windows as the girls worked. No clients noticed the spying eyes watching them.

Mari laid back in her bed, glad they had permission to do paid work off the ship to avoid long transits back and forth that would have been annoying for everyone. Her client had finished and trotted off, leaving her to satisfy herself since he hadn't been up to the task. She felt her fingers slick with the seed she had been given and smiled as she worked them inside her, occasionally tasting them to amuse her aquatic onlookers. Her purple hair had lost its hold and was damp on the pillow as the humidity was insane in the city.

"That's supposed to be mine!" Easy accused angrily as she rushed over to the bed and lept to land between Mari's legs.

"All yours." Mari gripped Easy by her hair and pulled it between her legs. "Maybe you can get me off."

"I'll try." Easy faked her uncertain tone as she mumbled into Mari's flesh.

****

Gregory couldn't talk underwater any more than Leira could unless he put his mouth to the glass, so he admired in silence as he thrust into Leira harder at the sight of two women together on the bed. He watched as the purple haired woman yanked her own breasts and wrapped her legs around the fairy until he felt her scream through the glass. He could hear another voice calling into the room and the fairy left after dressing the woman covered in ink. A few moments later, another man came in and pulled out his manhood to be sucked on by the woman with purple hair. He burst inside Leira again, and he felt her shaking in his grip from her own climax.

****

Ving was having a hard time controlling the racer she piloted. It was turning so slowly under the water, she wondered how anyone could have possibly found it thrilling. The top speed was many times faster than what most people used to get around in the city but it was still painfully slow to anyone who spent years flying in the air. It was entirely unnecessary for her breasts to be gripped as tightly as they were to keep her safe. Though she knew that was hardly the reason. Her client massaged her breasts under her shirt from behind her where he thrust into her body as it crouched over the controls. Unlike her racer, it was more like riding a bicycle in an enclosed can.

"How's it feel?" he asked, kissing her neck before licking it.

"Real good," she lied. Ving didn't care much for the racer and the man inside her could hardly muster the force she preferred.

He tapped the brake handle and it jolted the submersible.

Ving was pinned into place by the man behind and inside her, but he pushed forward hard and made Ving moan hard. It didn't take long for her to understand the physics; she opened up the throttle and tapped the brakes herself. Ving didn't care exactly how underwater brakes worked, just that it made his thrusts hard and she liked it that way. Experimenting with speed and stopping, she got it just right and worked the rhythm of the thrusts herself instead of letting him do it.

Had anyone been able to look at them through the forward portal they would have seen Ving moaning hard as she worked herself to climax hard enough not to notice him doing the same. He collapsed on top of her when they had finished, pressing her breasts hard against the leather seat and almost pushing them out of her top.

****

Inky had quite forgotten that her encounter with her client had been cut short, the message he had received being far more important. The messenger had spoken to him, hardly sparing her a glance despite being a naked woman -- a sign showing how serious the message was. Inky left the lushly decorated room the general had brought her to, scarcely pausing to redress. The wide curved hallways that functioned as streets were full of people yet unaware of the news as they went about their day. Some may have tried speaking to her, she didn't know. All that mattered was getting to the rest of the girls quickly. She spotted Juno and Paje at one of the market stalls as she passed through.

"Quick, rally to me!" Inky barked her order over the murmur of the crowd.

The girls were surprised but snapped to attention after dropping the trinkets they had been browsing. The next moment, they were running with Inky.

"Anyone else out and about?" Inky needed to know if she had to go looking for anyone.

"Ving is out with some underwater racer. Cat and Liddy got invited to meet with the duke," Juno responded sharply.

"Juno, get the captain and Cat. Don't waste time waiting, just barge in and get them. Paje, find wherever Ving launched from and see if you can get a hold of her. Everyone else needs to get back to the ship and ready to go as soon as possible."