11.03

Chapter 11.3: The Merchants

Skitter, resting in her lair, focused her attention on the two groups of Merchants that had entered her territory. She had been tracking her ‘subjects’ with her bugs, using them to monitor their movements and gather information. The Merchants, a total of thirty-two individuals armed with various weapons, were clearly responding to her claim of territory.

She decided to use a tactic reminiscent of Bakuda’s, aiming to scare them off rather than simply defeat them. Forming her swarm into a humanoid shape, she attacked the first group, causing panic and chaos among them. They were quickly overwhelmed, with many falling victim to the swarm. Only one managed to find an escape route, but Skitter had anticipated this and trapped him in an alleyway with two swarm figures, ultimately defeating him.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Sierra approached Skitter, asking for help in finding her brother, Bryce, who had been taken by the Merchants. Sierra, clearly distressed, shared her tragic story of loss and suffering since Leviathan’s attack. Her family had fallen ill due to toxic mold exposure after their home was destroyed, and her uncle had died. She had been working long hours at a shelter when the Merchants attacked a church where she and her brother were staying. Bryce was kidnapped, and another man, Derrick, was brutally assaulted.

Sierra, despite considering herself a pacifist, urged Skitter to hurt the Merchants, emphasizing her deep hatred for them. Skitter, still struggling to navigate social interactions as a villain, assured Sierra that she would handle the situation. Sierra provided a photo of Bryce, describing him as a skinny teenager with blue eyes and spiky black hair. She also described some of the Merchants involved in the attack, mentioning a fat, bearded man, a middle-aged woman with bleached blond hair, and a tall black man with a scar on his lip who had a lot of colorful plastic bands on his wrists.

Skitter offered Sierra shelter in her lair, which had electricity and running water. She made tea and prepared some snacks, finding Sierra asleep when she returned with the refreshments.

While monitoring the second group of Merchants, Skitter used her bugs to ignite matches and set fire to a woman who had spilled gasoline on herself. The psychological effect of the swarm carrying tiny flames was significant, and the group scattered. Skitter took them down one by one, using her human-shaped swarms to maximize the psychological impact.

After dealing with the Merchants, Skitter contacted Coil to request medical assistance for the burn victim and then called Tattletale. Tattletale was gathering intel on enemies in her territory and helping Grue identify Merchants hiding in his area. Skitter asked for Tattletale’s help in finding Bryce. Tattletale explained that the colorful bands worn by the Merchants were like “boy scout badges,” earned for attending their events and signifying loyalty.

Tattletale invited Skitter to join her in investigating a Merchant party that night, suggesting that it was unlikely the Merchants would attack her territory while the event was taking place. She also mentioned that Grue and Imp could defend Skitter’s territory in her absence. Skitter, initially hesitant to leave her territory, was eventually convinced by Tattletale’s reasoning.