Freddie watched Frogdo eye the spike and stapler combo with growing frustration. Seeing a need to mediate between the warring states of Stapler and Frogdo, the impartial nation of Freddie stepped in to try and settle a peace agreement.
He placed both hands firmly on the spike, took a deep breath and gave it a tug. The spike resisted any attempts at diplomacy. Freddie gritted his teeth and cracked his knuckles, gripping the metal spike with and tugged with all he had. And yet still the spike refused to budge on the issue, still stuck smugly in the wall.
Freddie took a step back and stared at the spike, cracking his knuckles. The world faded around him until there was nothing but him and the spike. Everything else was noise, static, junk, and not important. The spike had refused his attempts to dislodge it twice no, but no more. Fingers white and trembling with exertion, knuckles strained and pushing taunt against the skin, Freddie latched onto the spike and yanked with all he had. The strength surprised even himself, but more importantly he felt the spike shift towards him with a deep, dull creak.
He continued to pull, not going to give up now. The creak was followed with a louder crack, then an even louder still snap and groan, finally ending in a cacophonous crash. Freddie was on his back on the other side of the room, covered in bits of stone and drywall, hands still holding on tightly to the spike. In front of him was a large trail of rubble, stone, wood, and metal that led all the way to a gaping hole in the wall where light shone in from the garage, revealing the carrier. Leaning in front of Freddie was a metal pole with a warped hole in the center of it, the edges of the hole splayed outwards.
As to whether this was a testament to Freddie's surprising strength or to the terrible building codes of governmental buildings would of probably been the topic of debate for weeks afterwards, were anyone except the two able to witness this event.
Freddie looked at the spike blankly, the event of what just happened still sinking in. He brought out his mace and looked at the spike, then the mace, then the spike again. Some half-formed ideas entered his head but ultimately nothing came about of it, a touch distracted by his body still screamed at him from the prior exertion. Even though he's probably going to feel sore for weeks, he's feels... Better than he did before actually.
Frogdo was covered in bits of stone and dust, a pile of rubble covering his feet. But his eyes were wide open and staring at a small bit of shiny metal in the middle of a pile of rubble, his prize, his source of unending anger. In one swift movement he brought out his club and practically leaps across the building to it, swinging the mace up and then down in a resounding hit, the dirge of his anger taking form. One hit was followed by two, then three as his arms worked like clockwork, and his voice echoing out his displeasure with the stapler in a rather loud and nonsensical way.
Just as quickly as it started, however, the hits and screaming stopped. Frogdo admired his handiwork as he examined the considerably smaller pile or rubble in front of him. Only bits of dull black metal lay scattered in the pile, all that remained of the poor stapler. It shall serve as a warning to any who might dare follow in its footsteps of defiance against its superiors.
Strength (Freddie): [6!; 6!] CRITICAL!
Crafting (Freddie): [2]
FROGDO SMASH! (Frogdo): [5]
"Y-Yes, you are in, provided you haven't had any contact with t-those things. I-I hope that whatever was following us had already given up."Randall explained to Wilmer, the man perking up and seeming ecstatic after hearing the good news.
"I doubt it's one of those damn things, they aren't active much in the day. Not sure why really, maybe they don't like the light much, but who gives a damn--I don't have to deal with them anymore now!"He practically did a little dance, he was so happy it seems. He was terrible at it though, and it wasn't pleasant to watch, more awkward than anything really. The man was clearly lost in his own envisioning of what the bunker must be like.
Randall cautiously led Wilmer, who was walking with considerably less caution, back to the bunker. Nothing seemed to change from the looks of it, no ominous figure, no looming monstrosities, no more gunshots... Nothing at all really. The alleyway the prior sound came from was quiet as well, not a soul in sight.
The pair made their way past the cars and back into the squat, concrete building. The huge metal portal that served as the entrance to the bunker loomed before them in greeting.
Randall contacted the bunker and the monotone-voiced woman answered again, requesting to be let in.
"C.U. Four, we will comply with your request in a moment. Timed lock is disengaged, we require that you state your purpose for entering along with any persons that may accompany you."Before he could however, Randall heard movement behind him. Something padding along on four limbs: quiet, measured, and... Panting? He looked behind him to see Wilmer much too distracted with the door to care about any odd noise, and within a short amount of time something four legged and furry entered the view from the doorway into the building.
The wheat-colored dog looked at Randall, then Wilmer, barking happily at having found people. Wilmer jumped as his thoughts were disturbed, looking at the dog and scowling before looking back ahead, not paying it anymore mind as he muttered something about a blocker to himself. Randall's perceptive eyes noticed something strange about the dog however, a slight shimmer surrounding it that gives it a kind of fuzzy look.
Perception (Randall): [5]
Claudius kicked his feet out as he tried to gain more ground from the beast, his rifle in both hands, and the man himself scowling at the creature.
The four-armed monstrosity pushed itself up on its wounded legs, two of the long arms slithered forward on its mutable body, acting as stabilizers for its elongated, snake-like body. The other two arms coiled and uncoiled, the beast looking like it was growling yet not a sound emanated from its body. The two human faces on opposite sides of its heads took on two different expressions, one of fury, the other of smug confidence.
It reared back one arm into a coil, and
Samuel knew that it was about to strike the gun shop owner. He wasn't about to let that happen though, not on his watch. He raced forward, knives at ready to carve his mark on its hide and hopefully disrupt its assault.
But he was too slow, the fleshy whip unfurling with a force as the multitude of hands groped for any hold that might be given. The limb struck Claudius on the head, the limb wrapping around his face and neck, the clawed hands and bony spikes jutting from its flesh digging into him. A look of understanding overtook the man, knowing what was to come.
"My jacket pocke--"With a bloody squelch followed by a crack that could only be bone, the arm flung away from the man, sending him flying into the wall. He hit the wall with a loud thud, and slumped to the ground. His neck was twisted roughly over ninety degrees, his throat torn, and his face shredded, his rifle clutched uselessly in a death grip.
The monster shook lightly at the scene, its mouth opening wide and closing rapidly. It was laughing, the human faces joining in its mirthful guffaw at Claudius' fate.
The conductor didn't stop his charge however, running at the creature and sinking one of his blades into the creature's torso, stopping its laughter in its tracks. He dragged it down roughly, the putrid smell intensifying as the wound widened, and the creature shuddering as he twisted it out. With his other, he took a quick stab, but the creature leaped back after the first blow, the sharpened metal slicing only but air.
Harvey moved past Samuel, pressing the attack and trying not to give the monster any rest. His blades dove forward towards the beasts' gut. Both blows were more speed than accuracy however, the first one being dodged easily yet the second one found purchase, ranking its side to no visible effect however.
The creature turned its attention in full to the two of them, the faces on both sides of its head displaying amusement.
Speed (): [2 + 1 = 3]
Speed (Samuel): [2]
Attack (): [6]
Dodge (Claudius): [4 - 1 = 3]
Soak: [2]
Attack (Samuel): [6 - 1 - 1 = 4]
Dodge (): [3 + 1 - 1 - 1 = 2]
Soak: [2 + 1 = 3]
Atk (Sa): [3 - 1 - 1 = 1]
Dge (): [4 - 1 = 3]
Aim Atk (Ha): [2 - 1 - 1 = 0]
Dge (): [6 - 1 = 5]
Aim Atk (Ha): [3 - 1 - 1 = 1]
Dge (): [1 - 1 = 0]
Soak: [5 + 1 = 6]