Saving Modmas!

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 58

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 16

Attack Successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 42

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
"I take it that's a yes?"

"How . . . how dare you suggest such a thing." Gambino growled.

"Blood pressure, sir!" 1337 said, stepping out of the car and standing next to it.

"My blood pressure is fine, thank you!" Gambino snapped. He then turned to the girl. "My dear, do you realize all that I, Johnny K. Gambino has done for these Gaians? Do you realize all I have given, all I have sacrified? Is it wrong for me to wish for a little bit of thanks in return?"

"That doesn't mean you need to ruin Modmas and hurt all those people!"

"Foolish child, you don't understand. No matter. Step aside now and let the adults handle things."

He moved to walk past her. The whip snapped in front of him, slashing the middle of his outfit and piercing his flesh lightly. "No. I won't let you ruin Modmas. And I'm not a child, I'm freakin' 22 already!"  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 42

Rolled AC: 12
Rolled damage: 18

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 42

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
Gambino reached down, pressing his hand against his chest at the fresh wound there. Then, he turned and looked over at the girl. But there was a new anger in his eyes. She could tell that he didn't appreciate her attack. What was worse, it was clear to her that he was not quite stable at this moment.

"Foolish girl!" he growled. He swung his hand out and slapped her cheek with the back of his open palm. She went sprawling into the ground by the impact. Her cheek throbbed and soon began to puff up. She clasped it with her free hand, glaring at the man.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 42

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 12

Attack Successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 30

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
The two of them simply glared at each other for a time. It was harder to tell her was truly the more furious out of the two.

"You hit a girl!" the lab tech finally cried. "I mean, she's just a girl! How could you do that?" He moved to help her up, but Gambino motioned for him to stop.

"That is what happens to those who stand before Gambino and dare to challenge him. Come, we have a holiday celebration to crash." With that, he turned and started toward the town.

The girl was sore and aching. But more than that, her heart ached at the idea that Modmas would be destroyed by the selfish desires of one man. No, she didn't want that. Didn't want the rest of the Gaians to suffer.

"No!" she cried, standing up and snapping the whip forward. It circled around his hand, gripping it as the barbs bit down into his flesh. "I won't let you ruin Modmas!"  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 30

Rolled AC: 1
Rolled damage: 17

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 30

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
He stared at the whip wrapped around his hand, as though shocked by it's very existence. An anime styled vein pulsing appeared on his forehead. With a jerk of his hand he pulled the whip away from the girl. He tore it off and tossed it aside before turning to face the girl.

"Again, it's Modmas this and Modmas that. You really think you can save it?"

The girl didn't answer other than a cold glare.

"Foolish girl. This is but a silly holiday. It's not real, like I am. Real like the work I've done. Yet you insist on trying to protect this . . . this . . . this childish excuse of a celebration!" He walked closer to the girl, kneeling down before her. "Why?"  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 30

Rolled AC: 11
Rolled damage: 20

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 30

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
The question too her off guard. "Why try and protect this silly custom that has only just began? Why risk your life and dignity in trying to stop my actions against it? Why do you care so much about them instead of about things that are right in front of you?"

"Because . . . ." and she stopped. What answer did she have to give him? It was insanity to try and fight in general, let alone the great Gambino himself. Why was she trying to do so then?

Slowly, Gambino started to raise back up. But he was stopped as the girl began to talk again.

"Because . . . it's not about me. It's not about my dignity, my life, what I care about. It's about Gaia. It's about sharing, giving, and being with one another." She turned to look up at him, a new determination in her eyes. "And I won't let one man's selfish desires ruin that for everyone."  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 30

Rolled AC: 20
Rolled damage: 15

Attack Successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 15

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
"Selfish desires? Ha!" Despite the laugh, the man's eyes were still very cold as they looked at the girl. He stood up, towering over her fallen form. "Is it really so selfish to ask for a little bit of appreciation once in a while? After all that I've done? After all that I've been through?"

"Yes!" The girl cried out defiantly. She then lifted her body up to spin it around, kicking Gambino in the leg and causing it to fall slightly. The two stood up at the same time, keeping eye contact.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," Labtech 1337 muttered to himself.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 15

Rolled AC: 9
Rolled damage: 11

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 15

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
The two simply stood and stared at each other as the minutes ticked onward ever so slowly. Even the lab tech had fallen slightly as his weary glaze darted from the tall blond man then to the smaller black haired girl, then back again. In the distance, the Modmas celebration could be heard going on although it seemed miles away at this point.

"Do you realize who you are facing now?" Johnny K. Gambino asked softly, although no less coldly. But as he talked, his words grew more frantic, as though trying to convince her of his reasoning. Or, perhaps to convince himself. "Do you realize how much I gave, how much I had to scrap to get to where I am? To go from living on the streets like some filthy mutt to having a decent place to live! To be able to feed myself! And did those foolish mods and their friends help out any? Did they give to me then? No, I tell you! How they play favorites while letting the others fend for themselves! Is that what you wish to celebrate? This . . . this holiday of selfish giving to those they believe is better than anyone else!" At this, he spat at the ground.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 15

Rolled AC: 1
Rolled damage: 13

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 15

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
All the while that Gambino rambled, the girl kept quiet. If she felt sympathy toward him, it did not show on her face. Indeed, she did feel sympathy toward the large man. It was clear that he had been through a lot, more than she had realized and could imagine going through.

Still, her expression was hard toward him. "Yes, you have been through a lot. But what right does that further give you to hurt others? Since when does one man's suffering justify another's? Just because you have suffered, why should others do the same?"  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 15

Rolled AC: 10
Rolled damage: 20

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 15

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
Slowly, he shook his head. His long blond bangs hung over his eyes. For a moment, he seemed genuinely saddened by the girl's response, although she had refused a precious gift. He sighed slowly. "You do not understand, child."

He rose his head to face her once more and it was clear that the fire had returned to his eyes again. "You do not understand. And I am tired of trying to reason with you. Now, BE GONE!" He shouted.

Once more, Gambino thrust his arm out to strike her to the ground. This time she dodged, falling to the ground again but rolling back to her feet and for the most part unharmed by his attack. Yet she could not help but give a wench as pain shot up from her legs, again bleeding from the multiple bite marks that had opened up again.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 15

Rolled AC: 19
Rolled damage: 12

Attack Successful.

Remaining enemy HP: 3

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
What Gambino didn't see, however, was that the girl had fallen next to her whip. As she rolled she reached out and grabbed the handle. She stood up and flicked the handle, sending the barbed rope toward Gambino once more. He lifted his arm up to defend himself, his sleeve getting shredded and small cat-like scratches appearing on his arm. Slowly, blood bubbled up and began to run down it's length.

"I won't just leave. Gaia should be allowed to celebrate the joy of giving however they choose."

"Withing the limits of the ToS and such," the lab tech interjected.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 3

Rolled AC: 5
Rolled damage: 17

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 3

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
Gambino snarled, his eyes now more red than purple as the whip bit into his flesh. It was clear that the mighty aristocrat was at a point of delicate mental balance and was at great risk of tipping over into a rather scary side of the scale. His body was trembling as rage grew in his heart.

Unfortunately, this was for the most part unnoticed by the girl. Adrenaline pounded through her body. Her heart pounded in her ears. Endorphins released from the pain in her legs was slowly sending her into a strange high where thought was growing harder to do but actions were all the more easier because of it.

All in all, the two made a surprisingly scary sight. Despite the man's well dressed attire (other then the multiple rips caused by the whip of the lightening blade) and the girl's petite and festive gown, it was more as though two feral beasts were facing once another.

At this point, the lab tech merely watched in silence. It was as though he was scared to utter a sound although his lips still quivered in terror. It was as though if he merely breathed wrong, the world would end. Instead, he slowly crept his way toward the car and crawled inside, closing the door with as soft a thud as he could.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 3

Rolled AC: 3
Rolled damage: 9

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP:3

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
The two stood there, facing each other once more. Then Gambino made his move. With a speed that hardly seemed to match his muscular physique, he dashed toward the young girl. She tried to flick the whip toward him again, but she was too slow in her reaction. He rammed against her, sending her flying and plummeting into the ground once more.

She cried out while skidding against the rough terrain. This was all the reaction she was able to get time for as Gambino had approached her again and sent a strong kick to her stomach. The air fled from her lungs in a loud gasp as she instinctive fell into a fetal position.

What's worse, the handsome man's lips seemed to have curled up slightly on one end as his inner scale began to tip.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 3

Rolled AC: 14
Rolled damage: 13

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 3

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
While the two were locked in combat, the lone lab tech was left huddled in the passenger seat. He knew that none of this was a good idea. But what could he do? He heard what happened to the other lab techs who had gotten involved in this matter. Lab tech 1337 was not very keen on joining the ranks of getting his butt kicked - from either one of them!

Then, his inner light bulb went off. There was something he could do! Never taking his eyes off the two fighters, he pulled out his state of the art cell phone. Almost instantly the phone sounded off the busy tone. Each one nearly crushed the man's heart in desperation.

Finally, it clicked. "Hello. Yes, this is Lab Tech 1337. It's about Mister Gambino. Yes. Yes. As soon as possible! Yes, and thank you!" At that last sentence, the phone clicked off. Now all that was left was to wait. Even if that wait ached.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 3

Rolled AC: 8
Rolled damage: 18

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 3

Remaining daily attacks: 1

~*~*~*~*~*~
He saw her, curled up below him and struggling for breath. Although it was hard to tell if he truly saw her or not. Did he really see the girl that he was attacking? Or did he only see that there was yet another obstacle in front of him. Instead of a person did he see only that once again something tried to stand between him and his goals? That once again, he was forced to try and fight for his needs and desires?

In those dark fiery eyes it was hard to say. Another swift kick was sent to the girl, forcing her to roll over and moan. It was truly hard to say what exactly was going through the strange man's mind.  

[nightwolf714]

Enemy: Gambino
AC: 16
HP: 3

Rolled AC: 13
Rolled damage: 5

Attack Unsuccessful.

Remaining enemy HP: 3

Remaining daily attacks: 0

~*~*~*~*~*~
Slowly, the smirk faded from his face. His eyes faded back to their deep red. And for just an instance, there looked as though there might be a hint of panic in his features. But if it was truly there at all, it was gone in nearly the same instant that it had appeared in.

He took a step back, looking over the beaten and bruised girl. She lifted part of her body up, panting hard. She didn't try to get up at first. Instead, she concentrated on trying to reclaim a steady breathing rhythm.

"Now then, I have a celebration to attend to." Gambino spoke softly, coolly as though nothing had happened.