Reel them in (Open)

[Player 1]

Fwip! ... Sploosh... tug tug WRRRRRRRRRRRR tug tug tug WRRRRR splish splish splish SPLOOSH!!

A tiny body has taken residence on a dock out by the waterfront. Who is this tiny person? Could it possibly not be Player 1?

The answer is no, it's definitely Player 1. And today is a restock day! Time to sit out by the waterfront and fish up everything in the water. I mean, the ocean is a big place. You don't have to worry about overfishing the ocean. At least, not with fishing rods. Although hey, if you can pull that off? Kudos.

Nothing says rarity increase like forcing an animal to extinction!

What better way to spend a few hours than with a bucket of chum and a good seat on the dock under the big blue sky and the ocean breeze anyways.

[Lucien DeChain]

{Insert coin! Player two: Wedge!}

It had been a rather lonely couple of days for Wedge. With Luc gone for extended periods of time, policing Hermosa had to be passed down to the squad. Sure, he was around for most of the time, but it was kind of strange not seeing him here, patrolling, keeping his watchful eyes on everything...

Brig and Eyes had gone around the long way, which left Wedge on his own momentarily, until they met up in the middle of the beach. He was just approaching the halfway point, when he heard some splashing noises from the dock.

A little girl was there, fishing. Looked to be about 10 years old, and she was having the time of her life. Which, Wedge hoped was the case, because it was about to be cut short.

He approached the dock, and called to the girl.

"Uh, hello? You're not allowed to fish here, little girl."

He pointed to a wooden sign not ten feet from him, which read in glossy red paint, 'No Fishing'.

[Player 1]

Player 1 looks back at the person who shouted, matching Wedge's I-just-pooed-myself squint. "Whaaaaat?" It is really hard to tell if P1 is in fact a little girl, for the little time they're looking back at Wedge. Androgyny is an amazing thing. Almost immediately after the display of whatitude, there's a tug on the line before it snags taut! Player 1 jumps backwards up onto dock, getting tugged forwards again! "Ah, big one! Big one!"

They start trying to reel, timing their pulls with the moments of slack and squealing like the small child engaged in a battle of physical fortitude with any animal.

[Lucien DeChain]

Wedge frowned. Maybe the... whatever it was... just didn't hear him. At any rate, it didn't seem to be ceasing its fishing related activities. In fact, it seemed to be catching something as he was just standing there, thinking about what he was going to do. I mean, they obviously had to stop fishing, but he didn't want to hurt them.

He approached the girl, coming about halfway up the dock before stopping and speaking again. "I said, you can't fish here. Stop fishing."

From this range, unless the child had some sort of hearing problem, they'd be sure to hear him, even over the giggling cries.

[Player 1]

"Dude, don't just stand there, help me out here! I'm trying, but it's pulling too hard!" Player 1 does not stop fishing, still trying to pull in the line. When the fish pulls though it looks like the tiny person is going to get yanked right off the dock, feet scuffling hard against the wood.

The fishing battle is underway, and Player 1 is in it to win it even as they get pulled closer and closer to the edge!

"Hurry!" They yell back at Wedge.

[Lucien DeChain]

Wedge grimaced. The kid could hear, alright. It was just being ignorant. He thought momentarily about walking away, just leaving her there to get pulled in to the ocean. Oh, how easy it would be...

But, there was that small voice in the back of his mind, the one that said 'hey, dude, that's not how Crows do'. And that tended to win out in the end.

"If I help you, will you stop fishing?" He sighed, exasperated. Still not moving until he had a clear answer, though.

[Player 1]

Player 1 has its feet against the edge of the dock, leaning back as much as it can. "YEAH, WHATEVER!!"

Gosh, what a hard butt! The line was going to snap long before he helped it at this rate! And Player 1 didn't want to lose any lures or bait! Those things are hard to get.

[Lucien DeChain]

That was all he needed.

Rushing forward, he would take a solid stance behind the kid and grab hold of the fishing rod. Putting his weight behind it, he would pull with all his might to try and displace the apparently large fish out of the relatively shallow water. Something didn't seem quite right about that, but he didn't think too much about it.

[Player 1]

Player 1 lifts up too with all the vague amount of strength it has! Man this thing is heavy, and every time they stop pulling it seems to go right back down! But with Player 1 and Wedge pulling with all their weight and strength, their quarry soon yields, soaring out of the water! And they cauuuught...!

A tire! That is coming with great force towards them since they both yanked right on that to beat the waters hold on it. The weak yet technically not weak tire sails forth with a vengeance. If tires were capable of rage, like in that one movie where the tire kills everyone telepathically by making their heads explode, this tire would be hulking out.

Tire, sploosh, pchoo.

[Lucien DeChain]

And out of the water came... A tire.

A freaking tire.

A freaking tire that was hurtling towards him and the kid with a pretty high speed.

Wedge sidestepped and turned his body, bringing himself to the side of the dock just in time to have the tire hurtle past the place where he was. That was close! Wedge thought, and looked to the kid.

Whether or not the kid had been hit with the tire, Wedge would come over to them and say a few simple words.

"Okay, I helped you with that tire. Stop fishing and go home."

And he waited for the boy/girl/thing/whatever to leave, crossing his arms like a stern parent.

[Player 1]

Player 1 totally gets hit, his tiny body sent sailing back with her rod and the tire, landing with a flop on its back. What a catch! And speaking of catch, he needs to catch their breath after getting wind knocked out of her.

And of course while they're recovering Wedge has to come over and be a big buttface. Or should I say... pooface? Player 1 totally makes that face after what all has happened, coughing a lot before sitting up, cradling its rod and tire.

"Oooooogh, one second. Good catch though, buddy!" Gotta get the congratulations out of the way first and foremost. The tiny person gets to their feet rather shakily, before leading off from the compliment. "But you're sign's totally no good!"

Player 1 hobbles over to it quickly, wobbling slightly as they skid to a stop in front of the sign, pointing at it with the fishing rod. "Seriously! It just says No Fishing, that's it! Anyone coulda put this here! Is there no fishing because it's private property? Is there some kind of conservation authority out here? You gotta have that info!"

That simply could not fly. Fish.

[Lucien DeChain]

Wedge watched the little something wobble over to the sign after just being hit by a tire. To the Wedge who wasn't a Crow, that was hilarious. But, this Wedge was on duty, and of course he had his poo GAME FACE on.

He sighed. "There's no fishing allowed because this is Crow Territory, and this beach is controlled by the Crows. Fishing that is not authorized by the Crows is treated as stealing from the Crows, which is an offense."

"Would you prefer if the sign said 'No Fishing because Crows will kill you'?" He chuckled.

[Player 1]

Players 1's eyes grew wide at the words coming out of this dudes mouth, especially that last part.

"There are murderous birds here? Oh dude, thanks for warning me! That's really serious!" Player 1 goes to pick up the tire. "Here, I'll even let you have this for the info! Geez, if the birds get that possessive over fish here no wonder they don't want people to fish! Wait, is it just crows that get like that, or gulls too?"

Player 1 eyes some gulls off a ways. They were birds, and they now knew birds were not to be trusted. For they were a crafty and murderous sort and-

BUT THERE'S A BIRD AT HOME. OH NOOOOOOOOOOO.

Player 1 has an internal fearfest going on.

2spooky. 3spooky even.

[Lucien DeChain]

Wedge couldn't even. He really couldn't.

Facepalming, he reached for the tire and received it.

"Thanks. And no, it's just Crows. Yeah those birds, they're kinda crazy. Better get outta here, yeah kid?"

[Player 1]

"You know what, you're pretty alright! Do you know what made those crows go murderous? Cause normally animals don't do that, especially birds!" Player ones nods at their assessment. They didn't get the Wildlife Conservation pin and belt loop, or the Fish and Wildlife Management badge for nothing! It nodded at those gulls. They were safe, for now. But now there was definitely something wrong with the crows if they were going after people!

"That's serious! Super serious! Yeah, now I definitely gotta do something about that!" Hardcore resolve over here. Whatever was causing these crows to go nuts, Player 1 was going to fix it!