The Trials of a Conflicted Gaian

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 40

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 20

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 20

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

It was no mystery that Tasn was a fan of the insane, greedy billionaire known as Johnny K. Gambino. However, apparently his adoration for the man didn't extend to clemency from being attacked that dawn.

He didn't understand why grunnies were unleashed, but it didn't take a fan like him to know that the assault of Gambino's doing. To make things worse, it just had to happen right when Modmas (an event he'd always wanted to take part of) was to begin!

Normally he'd have rings to deal with creatures like the grunnies, but he'd unfortunately sent them off for cleaning, which meant the best weapon he had to deal with a snarling, green grunny was a...shovel.

He thanked the Heavens that none of his usual clan mates or crew members were there to see him defend himself against a cute, rabid creature on what was supposed to be their few weeks off from fending off the animated. He hardly struck an intimidating figure standing there in front of his Barton porch with a snow-crusted shovel.

If he'd wanted to go back into his house, lock the door, and not come back out until the attack was over, such an option was taken away from him when the little green monster leaped at his face.

With agility gifted upon him from endless months of fighting off animated, he was able to smack the grunny square in the face and send it flying backward, tumbling into the unshoveled snow with a whimper. Tasn thought it would run off by now, but instead, the creature righted itself up moments later, snarling even worse than before, but looking more cautious.

This was going to be a long morning...  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 20

Rolled AC: 18
Rolled damage: 6

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 14

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

The grunny was now cautious, which made Tasn uneasy. Clearly he wasn't going to be able to make it go away as quickly as he'd intended. If he were to be truthful with himself, he should've probably hit harder and knocked the thing unconscious on the first try. No way he'd be able to get such a lucky shot again.

But then again, he could always just go back into...

Again his thoughts about returning to the warm, comfy confines of his home were interrupted by the creature that darted right at his leg. How funny that the grunny seemed to only attack when he was having thoughts about going back in. It had to be a coincidence, though. As far as he knew, grunnies weren't mind-readers.

Dodging, he used the shovel like a broom and swept at the little grunny, throwing a shovelful of snow into its eyes. There was a whimper and the little thing ran back to a safe distance, shaking its furry face free of snow. Tasn noted with annoyance, though, that the thing was still there.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 14

Rolled AC: 15
Rolled damage: 10

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 4

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

The whole confrontation just got more embarrassing as time went on. He was certain that if he didn't get rid of the little green monster soon, his neighbours would poke their heads out and start watching and judging him. No doubt some of the pacifists will think he was some cruel baby animal-killer ("I knew you used those rings of yours to kill senselessly to loot and pillage poor gnomes and dolls, but now you even hurt animals like grunnies?!").

Deciding not to wait, he marched up to the trembling critter and scooped it up with the shovel before flinging it as far as he could. He watched with a hopeful gleam in his eye as he saw the green thing hit a tree with a hearty "thump." Was it at least unconscious now?  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 4

Rolled AC: 15
Rolled damage: 3

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 1

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

You have got to be kidding me... He thought as he watched the little grunny get back onto its feet. By now, the thing was staggering like a drunkard with one eye closed. Tasn started feeling a little more than bad for the thing, but what could he do? The creature wasn't going away!

Stabbing his shovel into the snow, he marched over to the creature and simply kicked it.

The grunny did a dramatic flip and fell onto its back, twitching in agony...but still not unconscious.

"Great...a resilient one," he grumbled. No doubt there would be those dreaded judgmental glances soon.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 1

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 8

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 0

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

Now even a guy like Tasn, who was known to return to various areas in Gaia just to off a few more animated for practice and enjoyment (despite the fact that these said animated seem to have...feelings and a community), had to admit that his assaults on the poor creature were getting just plain cruel. Standing over the twitching mass, he wondered what he could do to effectively stop it from attacking him again once it regained breath.

A pacifist might tell him to nurse it back to health, but why in the world would he do that? He was rarely home to begin with and had great adventurers and challenges to conquer with his clan and rings! So, that left one thing to do...

Striking his shovel into a deep mass of snow, he quickly and efficiently dug a small grunny-sized hole and then used his shovel to dump the shivering creature inside.

Glancing cautiously over both shoulders, he made sure no one was looking out of their windows before quickly refilling the newly made hole. There, the thing wouldn't bother him again! An elegant and permanent solution for a hero like him!  

[Tasn Zheng]

Nothing here. Forgot to roll.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 40

Rolled AC: 18
Rolled damage: 8

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 32

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

The early morning sun lit the sky by the time he'd finished packing down the snow on his makeshift grunny grave and he was about to pat himself on the back for a job-well-done when he heard a growl. Turning quickly, Tasn found himself at the receiving end of a vicious, foaming-at-mouth, furious-looking grunny with...an eye-patch.

Glancing back down at the little grave, he wondered for a moment if his first grunny friend had managed to burrow back out, recover, and buy itself an eyepatch before coming back to him. It seemed unlikely, but you never knew with G-Corp creations! It was one of the many reasons why Tasn admired Mr. Gambino, after all! Such a brilliant corporation!

His thoughts, though, were not to remain praise-worthy when he found one of his new rubber boots the victim of a vicious grunny chomp. Annoyed, he shook and shook at the grunny that clung to his boot and found his attempts futile.

While he didn't fancy having to bury another little green monster, he was looking a little ridiculous now in the snow, hopping on one foot with a grunny attached to his wellies. Panicking for the sake of his reputation, Tasn finally decided to smash his boot against the tree, sending large plops of snow crashing down onto him and the grunny who loosened its tenacious grip and fell to the ground in a whimper.

Backing away with his shovel in front, he slowly made his way back over to his own porch. Hopefully this thing would run away now rather than have another go at his rubbers.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 32

Rolled AC: 17
Rolled damage: 15

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 17

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

Retreating was a bad idea. This was made known to Tasn as soon as the creature got back up and launched itself at his face (he'd forgotten how alarmingly high grunnies could jump!).

Jerking back, he sidestepped the assault and gave the falling creature a hard, sound smack with his shovel. Unlike the other one, this one gave a loud, bone-chilling shriek upon contact, which made him stumble back. He hoped it was just his imagination when he heard curtains getting drawn back...  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 17

Rolled AC: 2
Rolled damage: 1

Attack unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 17

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

When the grunny didn't seem to get up, Tasn hazarded a look around and noticed that his neighbours were now definitely staring at him (albeit blearily) from the comforts of their homes. He looked at his stained shovel to the grunny and then back at those confused faces, unable to figure out just what to do with himself.

The grunny didn't give him much time to think as it slowly got back up. Tasn made a discreet kick of snow at the belligerent creature's direction, but he didn't give it a second look as he stared down his neighbours, willing them to shut the damned curtains.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Grunnies
AC: 10
HP: 17

Rolled AC: 19
Rolled damage: 20

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 0

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

His battle of wills with the curious onlookers was a losing one as more curtains parted and more eyes landed on him and his shovel. It was clear he wasn't shoveling snow, so why was he out there? Why was he still standing when he could be inside?

They knew Tasn wasn't a normal Gaian, but he also didn't seem like the type that savoured attention.

He managed to read all these thoughts from each pair of curious eyes as the seconds ticked by, but he refused to show any sign of weakness or retreating. Surely they would stop staring soon and go back to their business, right? Right.

Too bad it didn't come sooner as he felt something start an attempt to scramble up his ruined boot.

Glancing down with alarm, he saw the eye-patch creature glaring and snarling at him. Self-preservation kicked in and he quickly grabbed his shovel and pried the thing away from his boot. No way he was going to let that thing sink its teeth into him! It was foaming at the mouth! It probably had rabies or grombie-creating toxins!

Once it was on his shovel, Tasn didn't give a second thought to slamming it onto the snow-crusted ground with all his might.

A whimper was heard, but then nothing.

Cautiously, he lifted his shovel onto to find bits of grunny gore, but the grunny remained silent on the ground. Well...he was certain his staring neighbours would have another nickname for him soon.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Labtech
AC: 12
HP: 60

Rolled AC: 9
Rolled damage: 9

Attack unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 60

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

Just when he thought his troubles were over, he heard a crunch of snow behind him. Turning and readying himself for some animal-lover to give him the usual lectures, he wasn't prepared at all when a vial came flying his direction. He barely managed to duck it and heard it crash against his door with an unpleasant thunk.

Wait, 'thunk'? Turning back around, Tasn's jaw dropped. Instead of shattering, the vial had sunk into the wood of his door!

A grunt from behind reminded him that the very dangerous thrower was still behind him, Whirling back around with his shovel defensively in front of him, Tasn finally got a good look at his vial-throwing attacker.

A labtech.

But not just any labtech, he noted as he looked the man up and down. While still scrawny, there was an unnatural tinge to the man's face and the hollowed cheeks and dead eyes reminded Tasn of a zombie or even a grombie...but that couldn't be it. No grombie he knew could do that with vials!

Well crap. Now he really wished he had his rings with him.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Labtech
AC: 12
HP: 60

Rolled AC: 10
Rolled damage: 14

Attack unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 60

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

Tasn had hoped the Labtech would be slow like the zombies from Night of the Living Dead (complete with the corny heartbeat-emulating music!), but the hope was crushed just as soundly as the metal head of his shovel a second later.

He had brought the shovel down the moment he saw movement from the labtech, hoping to stall the mutant scientist, but apparently that was not to be.

Letting out a decidedly unmanly squeak, he stumbled back, pale eyes dilated in shock and horror as he looked at his long stick (formerly a shovel) to the crumbled remains of the metallic head of his sole weapon in the labtech's gloved hands. The man didn't even bleed from where the metal had cut through the latex! What was going on?!  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Labtech
AC: 12
HP: 60

Rolled AC: 4
Rolled damage: 1

Attack unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 60

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

Bewildered, he almost didn't see the next assault coming. However, from months honed by going into lairs full of mobs of animated (Otami came prominently to mind), his reflexes were quicker than his brain.

Unluckily, he had no magical rings or powers of any sort to strengthen his stick from the oncoming assault and heard a sickening crack as he swung it at the labtech.

Stepping backward, he saw that his stick was now reduced to half its size while his opponent lowered his forearm. Well crap. How much longer could he do this?  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Labtech
AC: 12
HP: 60

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 6

Attack successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 54

Remaining daily attacks: 1

--

The labtech looked ready to lunge and rip Tasn's head right off his neck when there was a shout from a neighbour. It wasn't a manly "HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" shout, but more of a girly shriek of panic from a robust, six feet tall man. The type that would stun even a superhuman in his tracks.

Having faced creatures like Feathered Coatls and dying grunnies, Tasn was the first to recover and he used the time to his advantage by tossing his broken stick right at the labtech's stunned head.

It hit the man's nose, bruising it and making the other recoil. Good to know even superhuman labtechs were unused to the pains that came with combat.

Tasn smiled thinly at his small victory, well-aware that he was now unarmed. He had to find a new defense weapon and soon. And after, he would have to treat his neighbour to a cup of coffee and ask him to train him in the art of hair-splitting shrieks. It seemed to be rather useful.  

[Tasn Zheng]

Enemy: Labtech
AC: 12
HP: 54

Rolled AC: 1
Rolled damage: 12

Attack unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 54

Remaining daily attacks: 0

--

Time was short and without anything aside from snow around him, Tasn made up his mind quickly. Bending down and scooping up a handful of snow, he packed it hastily and tossed it at the cringing labtech, hoping to temporarily blind the man so he could buy some more time to get another weapon...

Too bad it only served to bring the labtech back to awareness.