View source for 3777/Seriously, Smell This For Me

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/02/05
|Location=Strait of the Americas
|Synopsis=Kazuko's been feeling a little down. What better way to get her mind off of her troubles than a trip to Anaheim? I mean, a creeping, assimilating, acidic plant monster trying to eat Anaheim?
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=165, 942
|Tinyplot=
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|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is My Spoon - Murray Gold<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doctor Who - Series 9<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjWaJpVPxQ4<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Previously, in the Strait of the Americas...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You ever been to Anaheim before?" Ren Tanaka asks, stepping out of the warpgate into the sunny west coat city- this one is Anaheim-57, specifically. It's a pleasant twenty-nine degrees, with a fair amount of breeze that carries the scent of... well, not an awful lot, really. Isn't this Orange County?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's Disneyland, Downtown Disney and California Adventure to visit, the Angel Stadium, Anaheim Convention Centre, and of course, you can't miss the Battle of the Dance dinner theater.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren adjusts his sunglasses and casts his overjacket across his shoulder. "Plenty to do, even if we're not looking for trouble."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Giant foam finger on her naginata to keep anyone from suspecting what it really is? Check. Local sportsball team hat to blend in? Check. Tourist-y fanny pack with nothing inside it to actually limit movement? Check. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Nope! Uhm... Wait. Does Canada count?" Kazuko's just lumping in all of North America together, isn't she? "Or.. Ooh! Is this the place where they filmed that movie about hockey-playing ducks?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She's got a hell of a selfie-stick, at least. If only it could actually hold things. Well, that's what the pockets on her school uniform are for, right? Right.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Two women walk past- one is a redhead, the other blonde with a pink visor covering her eyes. Both of them have beaks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well, I don't know about movies..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Later:<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So, for a place that's in orange county, you'd think there'd be orange on every part of the menu," Ren grumps, as the two of them sit at Blake's Place and he gives a sour look at the menu, which has a surprisingly large amount of things listed today as out of stock. When you've been going around town in weather like this, hot links and ribs aren't going to help. Grummmble. "Didn't you say you had a knack with your nose? Maybe you could sniff us out something citrus."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "That's too much orange. You need to balance everything if you're eating a lot, so you need meat to go with it!" Kazuko's just using that as an excuse to get ribs. She'll eat plenty of broccoli to go with, at least! But... Meat first. "And grapes aren't too bad... But it is kinda weird, yeah." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Too bad she didn't order any grapes. Is she really planning on just inhaling meat and vegetables here? "Aw, but we just got here. We can look for oranges after we finish, right?" She's pouting. It's been over three hours since she had any meat to eat, after all, and how's a girl like her supposed to catch up with the rest of her classmates without eating enough?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Broccoli? Do we have any broccoli? Apparently not, or so says the server. No grapes either. No tomatoes or peas or apples or beans or raspberries or sweet potatoes or...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They all just disappeared over the course of a day.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...I don't know about you, but I think I smell a mystery."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So after we've finished... well, where do we look? What do you look for when apparently half of Anaheim is suffering from a puzzling shortage of produce? Do you really just follow your nose? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Kazuko, how do you feel?" Ren asks, as they briskly walk down Ball Road. "I took you chasing after the first good lead for the chance to do something different... but what if there's danger? Are you ready for the possibility that we could be walking down a rocky road?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How's Kazuko supposed to get a balanced meal with no vegetables? Not that she'd complain about eating nothing but meat, but... Still! "That is pretty weird... Mmrph. Maybe there's a... Nomf. Veggie thief somewhere?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's certainly not stopping her from eating nothing but meat, at least. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I'm feeling fine. Why?" She gives Ren a curious look at that first question, a small grin appearing on her face a moment later. "I can still work! And fight, even. I mean, even though all that... Stuff happened." Her expression sours a bit, but she's trying not to let it get to her too much. "I still gotta work hard so I don't drag anyone else down. Now!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She rests the foam finger'd naginata against her shoulder. "... Where do we start? Yamato's usually the one that figures out this kinda stuff."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ren Tanaka takes a deep breath. "Do you know what's unusual about this city right now, Kazuko?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It's strange. I can't smell anything. Even when we were in that restaurant, things were ever so... bland."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unless, that is, you have senses that are even stronger than normal people. In a situation like this, we need a bloodhound... someone who has a supernal ability not just to be able to find a needle in a haystack, but to find a trail of needles in an empty convention centre. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What kind of challenge is this? When Kazuko Kawakami goes on the search, where does it take her? How does she navigate the city of Anaheim?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How does she navigate it when the trees begin to rumble? When the blades of grass, say, become razor blades? When creepers creep from storm drains? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What happens when the plants begin to make it obvious they don't appreciate someone trying to track them down, as they get closer and closer to the University?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Really? But I can smell things just..." Kazuko stops as she pauses to sniff the air. Now that she's actually conscious of it, things do seem a little muted. Like the wind isn't blowing the right way, and the grilled burgers don't smell quite like beef.. "...You're right! This is really weird weird..." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And yet, her eyes light up like she's found something new and shiny full of all sorts of snacks. She still waits until she's done with her food, of course, but once she is? It's time to investigate! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kazuko lets her nose lead her more than her eyes, the former being somewhat harder to trick than the latter in a new and alien environment. Without being familiar with Anaheim, she can't rely solely on what she sees, after all! Rumbling trees might just be a regular occurrence. Literal blades of grass might just be a trick of the light. Creepers... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Well, she's hoping they're not the same as those obscene from Flat Earth. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And once they reach the University? She's scouting anyone passing by or wandering inside. "It's getting really strong over here... You think we should call for backup?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ren Tanaka is... rather worried! He is making worried noises! He's more aware of the fact that something seems to be agitating what basic plant life is just here in the city- and that might be too mild a way of putting it!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Indeed, when the two of them get in front of the boxy white, window-clad clump of buildings that make up the University of Anaheim, things are getting rather excited. The nearby trees are sprouting out randomly- first into apples, then oranges, then brown spongey outcroppings that don't quite look terrestrial. The asphalt is cracking at a fantastic rate- it's been said that blades of grass can push through pavement but not really this fast!- and people are definitely heading OUT- which, of course, makes Ren want to head /in/.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It may be a little late for that," he says back to Kazuko, with a frightened expression on his face. "Something very wrong is happening... eurh, poor choice of words, no one wants to think about Shyamalan at a time like this."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We should head inside and find out what's going on. I don't think there's any time to explain."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hello Earth We Have A Terrible Decision To Make - Murray Gold<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doctor Who - Series 9<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkqYlx7RREI<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That's enough to get Kazuko to ditch the foam finger. If whatever's causing the plants to go this nuts is inside, she's not about to get caught off guard trying to take that silly-looking thing off! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She just needs to remember to pick it back up later. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Shymoohuh? Er.. Right! Then we'll just have to take care of this ourselves!" That reference was lost on her, sadly. Still, at least she's still showing some spirit in heading inside towards the largest-looking building, side-stepping and pushing her way through the various people trying to get out despite her small size. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Holding a freaking bladed stick over her head might have something to do with that. "Outta the way! Coming through! We're here to help, so... Geh... Clear a path already!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"(It's a bad movie, later we'll ... sit down on a big sofa and watch it and heckle it.)"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Kazuko," Ren says, as they make their way inside. "What do you know about plants? Let's say, oh, I don't know, chemically. Biologically?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Something strange is going on inside the University- woody plant tendrils have begun to spread through the corridoors, marked occasionally by distinctly oval leaves and immature orange fruit, and everywhere they begin to turn, electronic locks are locking the doors down. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What's the best way of dealing with pervasive plants?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Ren looks around a corner, he watches in shock as an orange swells on the side of a plant tendril, and explodes against a door hinge in a shower of metal-corroding acid.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ren's hit on several wrong questions in a row! There's a long, drawn out "uhh" from Kazuko when he asks her about her scientific knowledge of plants before she just shrugs. "I... Know they're good for you! But you can't eat too much of one type, or it's still bad for you." Everything in balance. That's the way of the balanced diet! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Or balanced enough to offset eating way too much meat. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Cutting them down might do it. But..." The martial artist holds a hand up to keep Ren from moving too far as the orange changes size and explodes, watching the juice disassemble part of the door before taking a deep breath. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "... We'll need to clear a way through. Do you have anything that can help with that?" Turning back to the plants again, Kazuko starts advancing down the hellish hallway carefully and thrusting her weapon at the tendrils themselves, trying to separate the fruits from their sources to make it easier to progress.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I didn't expect I'd need to bring a machete to the urban jungle," Ren replies, "Which I'm beginning to regret..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thankfully, from a distance, it's easy to 'disarm' these things, but they seem to be a) diverse and b) pervasive. The plant tendrils, which seem to be some sort of combination of stem, vine AND branch, are widely spread among the walls. They're also beginning to try and penetrate INTO the walls. Wherever they go, the paint and carpet seem to be collapsing. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Have you noticed that? These plants are soaking up chemicals like a sponge. That's why there was so little to smell in the city."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Soon they'll start sucking up all of those big, walking clumps of chemicals in Anaheim." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren grabs a bundle of converging vines spreading out of an elevator shaft, giving them a yank. "If we could figure out a way to get them to absorb something that they - gh!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's when the vines decide to yank back! The ground starts to split and tear as something even bigger begins to move under their feet!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I thought this was just gonna be a free food day, too... Aah, but the training'll be good, too." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When Ren puts the explanation of what the plants are doing into simpler terms, she nods quickly and grins. "So we just need to take out the plants, then! And.. Oh, we're gonna need a lot of weedkillers for that." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Could those plants absorb that sort of stuff? Would it have any adverse effects on the city? Hell, would it have /good/ effects on the city? "It didn't small that great outside, but... No, you're right. We should-" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seeing those vines moving on their own, Kazuko's instincts kick in, and she moves over to grab Ren by the waist and start yanking him away from the tears in the ground. "We gotta move! If there's something strong down there... We'll need to find a better spot to fight it!" She already has that naginata strapped to her back, but will that even work in this sort of space?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Weedkiller, yes. Better spot, also yes. What's your suggestion?" Ren asks, breathless. He's actually rather surprised by being picked up and manhandled like this, Wanko's got a lot more lifting strength than he expected! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Behind them, rearing up in the wake of the vines, is something very unpleasant-looking. Like the world's worst batch of guacamole, what Frankenstein's Monster would look like if the doc was a vegetarian, an enormous, shambling conglomerate begins to spread up from the elevator shaft. It's not human but it is mobile...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Denature. Dissolve. Absorb. Assimilate... you will not elude the Gnohuet!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We keep running!" Simple, but effective! Kazuko seems to have no intention of stopping to actually face the plantbeast just yet, although she does set Ren down to let him run on his own feet once the two are on mostly solid ground again. She may be strong for someone her size, but even she has her limits. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "It's kinda slow, right? Then if we can get it outside, it'll be easier for us to fight it!" That's all the martial artist really has planned. She's not botanist, but she does at least know that it'd be more to her advantage to fight where she can take advantage of her mobility and Ren's... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "... What's your specialty, anyway? Maybe we can use that!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ren Tanaka facefaults. Well, at least he can run on his own two feet now. "Well, usually I flipflop between getting beaten up an enormous lot and surviving or doing something terribly clever with my brain. The former's not going to work very well against old salad bar back there, so it'll have to be the other one. Except..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well, chemistry never was my best subject... oh."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Automatic doors start closing. They're fast enough to move through them- the creature less so. But...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When they get to a door- any door- to the outside, they're just in time to see it rolling closed, metal shutters sliding down to reinforce them. The floor continues to shake as more plant tendrils start to push their way up from underground- clearly, part of that thing must be in the basement. <br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At least we've managed to put some distance between the two of them. Ren scowls as he tries to look at a reception computer desk- the message on the screen says 'TOTAL FACILITY LOCKDOWN: SEE SCIENCE DIVISION NANOTECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.'<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the oranges on a nearby sprig rattles, and the creature's voice- even though what seems to be its body is still elsewhere in the building, trapped behind doors- emits from it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I will shake this building apart to get at what I desire."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren's face crumples up. He turns away from the computer. "Kazuko. Do you know what we're dealing with, here? I just want you to know if you're planning to fight it."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Getting beaten up's not a great idea here, no... I'll leave the clever planning to you, then!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Running is easy for Kazuko. Speed is her specialty, after all, but that only goes so far when that door still ends up locking in front of them. Her first instinct is to try and just pull the shutters up, of course, but she's not nearly as strong as her sister. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (She'd have probably just blown the door wide open or the plant monster itself by now.) <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "What you desire...?" Turning from the door to the plant monster, Kazuko glances over at Ren when he speaks. She grins brightly as she takes that naginata off her back, readying herself for combat as she bends down slightly to give her legs a little more of a boost for later. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "A big plant, right? So that means if it doesn't want to let us go, then we'll just have to find it and turn it into salad!" The straightforward approach. Of course. And with that, she starts running about looking for a stairwell leading to the basement afterwards, the naginata trailing behind her. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "What do you want, then?!" She's not attacking the orange just yet, though, but she's certainly ready to! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She's also talking to an ORANGE.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(Hey, kids! If you're reading this log, imagine less 'annoying orange', more http://tinyurl.com/hntzhol . And thanks for reading the log!)<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The dust that feeds..." is what the orange says, if you believe it.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...he's talking about nanomachines," Ren explains. "I'd heard the University was working on something like that."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Absorb and grow. The herbal collective will consume the animal life."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, not today," Ren replies, looking back at Kazuko. "Kazuko, this thing- Gnohuet- it's a... an elemental being, a plant creature I've heard of before. Uproots and assimilates things. Well, unless you're an animal, then it just tends to... eat you. If it can find nanomachines in the science department, it'll get hundreds of times stronger."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He strums his fingers on the desk. "But that thing's also filled to the brim with acids... Kazuko, Kazuko. If you've got acid reflux, what is it you do?" Tap tap, slap the table. "What kind of things do you need to get into your system to neutralize it?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Like in those future shows? But it also wants to eat... Meat? Then this is the wrong way to do it!" Kazuko growls at the orange, although rather than sounding combative, she actually sounds more like she's... Scolding it. "If you're hungry, then ask for food and work it off, not break everything!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She slows down in her running, moving back to where Ren's working while still scanning the area. The basement entrance and entrance to the science lab have to be somewhere around here, right? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We can't let it get to those sceince machines, no... Eh? Acid reflux?" Kazuko furrows her brow, a thoughtful look crossing her face. Not that she's forgotten about the ravenous plant monster, but... It's hard to multi-task in these sorts of situations! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I know a few of the teachers had to bring these pills with them sometimes... They mixed 'em with water and it got all fizzy! But they wouldn't let me drink any...." She's... Pouting a little recalling that.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ren Tanaka shrugs. "This is 2016, the future is now. Magicbands, nanomachines, man-eating plants."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Although this one has been around for a long time in my world... no real time to think about how it got here."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Alright then. Fizzing tablets..." Off to Gooble. "Calcium and magnesium carbonate! Found in... ah."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Found in science departments." Ren scowls from behind the computer screen. "Alright, Kazuko... excuse me. Out, vile orange-jello." And he walks over, pulls the orange off of the stalk and tosses it over his shoulder. "We've got one shot at this." Imagine a snap cut to a map of the building as he says this, with a dotted line marking out lines to the science department and the emergency basement floor access. "I can get us into the science department so I can whip something up, but if we can get in, so can it. We'll have to tread carefully and quickly, mix up some antacid and then use it before it finds what it wants."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"One shot to save Anaheim. You ready?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "So this is something from your...?" All the questions popping up in Kazuko's head are starting to make her head hurt. "Aah, I'll ask later! For now, let's take care of this thing first!" Luckily, the martial artist is more than prepared to work with more direct orders, and she gives him a confident grin while readying her naginata once more. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I'll just have to keep it out, then. It'll be just like gardening!" Plus, it keeps her from having to do the complicated science-y stuff. Just because she's a genius of hard work doesn't mean she's actually genius! The fact that this is their only shot doesn't seem to bother her in the slightest. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If anything, that's just spurring her on even harder as she leads the charge, clearing a path and slicing at any of the offending plant substance that gets too close. "Let's do it. Let's save Canada!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ... Close enough.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Well, we're going to be doing some more running across campus, so while we do that it's a good time for Ren to answer that buildup of questions. Among those is: yes, wood elemental: conflict between the people of his world and elemental spirits happen often, so many of them grow up destructive and homicidal. It's not the first time he's encountered creatures from his world outside of... his world.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even if it's not reassuring, it would be remiss to mention that the ground is definitely creaking and cracking in more places. And the Gnohuet is going to be right behind them soon enough! It's only a matter of time before the orange-festooned 'salad bar' is behind them, and Ren has to manually hack through the security on whatever doors are in the way. So it'll be up to Kazuko to watch his back.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The creature they encounter is more like a limb than anything else- and Kazuko'd better fight carefully if she's attached to that blade, because we saw that it can melt through metal with its fruits. She'll have to hack through stem and tendril to keep it away, until they finally get through the double doors into the Science department and it'll be room raiding time!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Even though Kazuko might not be the sharpest spoon in the crayon box, she can still understand the gist of what Ren gets at regarding his world's elemental spirits. It'd almost be sad if she wasn't busy trying to keep said plant elemental from trying to eat them both, too! Luckily, she doesn't have any qualms about hacking away at the encroaching limbs, taking advantage of the reach of her naginata to keep herself out of their grabbing range as much as possible. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, the great thing about cutting weapons is that not a lot of power is needed to make them work, and that works for Kazuko just fine! She's still careful with her swings, though, trying to avoid the acidic oranges as much as possible. Even though she can replace the naginata, it's still rather expensive on a high schooler's budget! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Y-you almost got that, Ren? This thing isn't stopping at all...!" As much as she's enjoying the fight, it is starting to take a toll on her stamina and ki reserves, not to mention getting some orange splatter on her uniform. That'll still cost her some money to fix, too, and she still needs to stay decent if she wants to walk out of this place without borrowing a lab coat or soemthing!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yes, this is what we call a practical chemistry lesson!" Ren shouts back at her, busily just grabbing big glass bottles full of chemicals and pouring them into the biggest storage receptacle he can find- which just so happens to look like one of those big metal milk containers. You know the ones. One bottle, two bottle, three... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh, hey, what do you know," he quips, finding a box of Tums and tossing them in as well. Yes, the whole box.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Gnohuet is giving Kazuko what for. Fighting a big ball of assorted vines and amalgamated fruits and vegetables has its upsides and downsides- for the upsides, almost everything you hit is going to successfully lop some of its body mass off, but the downside is that with no vitals and the fact that every part of its body is a weapon, the thing is relentless. And there might be close calls if she gets entangled.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Let's just hope that while this happens, Kazuko isn't going to get any unfortunate flashbacks to Momoyo's proclamation... or, on the other hand, what if she does? Has the fate of an entire city ever rested on her sister's shoulders before?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You cannot last forever," the plant elemental rumbles somehow, even though it's much more of a leaking, bleeding mass than her. "You are so much smaller and weaker..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Is it? Idon't do that good in school!" Just enough to pass her classes, really, but that's not too hard with cramming tips and only a few tests each year. Genius of hard work indeed! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kazuko's attention is focused on the Gnohuet, anyway, and she's even stepping up her swings a notch. Although they're not getting any more precise, they are getting faster as ki lingers around her in a faint yellow aura. She needs to make sure they don't get anywhere near the lab Ren's working in, after all, and just dodging all the time won't cut it. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To say that the gravity of the situation isn't weighing on her mind would be a lie, but it's different from the same pressure that was on her mind some days ago. At least here, people's lives are on the line, and she doesn't have the time to pity herself or worry about the future. Here, she's only able to focus on the present. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The martial yelps loudly as one of those tendrils slamms right into her leg, even managing to pull her up by the leg and keep her suspended in midair. It's a good thing she's wearing shorts under that skirt! "Maybe I am... But so what? I don't need to be bigger and stronger than you. I just need to beat you!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She shifts her hold on the naginata to the center and starts spinning it rapidly, the mass looking not unlike helicopter blades in motion! If they were painted red and only sharp enough to cut anything at the ends, anyway. Still, even a blunt object moving that quickly is bound to cause some damage, and she starts thrashing about with that wild polearm spinning!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some lawnmowers and weed whackers are fitted with a length of plastic, which is rotated at high speed to cut down plants. This is an economical, replaceable option, which is different to many sorts which use a heavy double-sided blade.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You can tell which sort Kazuko emulates as she channels ki into her weapon, going spare on the many-limbed creature's body- until, with one superb spinning slash, she cuts through the branch at the back, causing the entire thing to fall to pieces!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Alright, I'm finished!" Ren shouts, running out of the room with the huge metal canister. "How are you- woooah!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The flooring between the two of them begins to split apart! Walls and wiring that part the basement from the ground floor give way, parts of the floor collapse-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's when you find out that that problem was MUCH bigger. Having absorbed and integrated produce from all over the city, the full mass of the Gnohuet is finally revealed, enough to overflow multiple rooms in the basement! One huge cluster of orange eyes looks up from the central core at Wanko, you could swear it has enormous venus flytrap teeth, and it's ready to just rip right through the walls keeping it from the nanomachine labs!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Kazuko!" Ren shouts. He throws the can to her!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Quantity over quality! That's the strategy Kazuko's using here with as big of a target as that plant beast is, and she just barely manages to land on her feet once she's broken free. "Finished...? Oh! The... Science stuff!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She almost forgot about that. Turning to Ren as he comes running, she lets out a small yelp when the floor breaks, hopping back to stay on more stable ground. When she sees the true body of the Gnohuet, however, all she can do is just stare at it blankly for a moment. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Things were so much simple just a few weeks ago. Some classroom rivalries, naps in class, the occasional atheletic challenge. But this... This was just getting weird! Hearing Ren shouting towards her, she jumps to catch it deftly with her free hand, then takes aim at the plant monster that seems to be growing bigger by the second. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Except... It's not growing bigger. She just fell off at it. "Crap...! Aah... Hey, you hungry? Eat this and quit whining, then!" Only one hope left: Throw the can at the gaping maw and hope it stops Gnohuet before she gets eaten!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is one of Those Moments. The moments when the entire multiverse is all around you- city in peril, ground collapsing, unspeakable monster mostly made of eyes and teeth and tentacles approaching you at frightening speed. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The moments that pretty much define life.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Kazuko plummets towards the centre of the Gnohuet elemental, the payload gets there first- a thoroughly blended mass of alkaline chemicals designed to have hideously severe reactions to a mostly-acid monstrosity. The spongelike qualities of the Gnohuet absorb all of it like, well, water to a sponge- and with a hideous sound like pouring a thousand mentos into a running blender full of coke, the core of the elemental MELTS spectacularly! It roars in spectacularly short fashion as its conciousness explodes, the essence reservoir rupturing and causing Kazuko to fall into, well, it really just looks like a room full of guacamole for real now.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With the centre destroyed, the tendrils all through the building wither and die, the shaking subsides, and the whole thing is kaput.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But you'll be cleaning your hair for hours.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a martial artist, Kazuko's prepared to die every time she gets into a fight. That's the nature of the beast, really: It's not for the faint of heart, and anything can go wrong in an instant. Even as she's falling at the Gnohuet, she's already preparing herself to have to smash through some teeth, plant guts, whatever it's made of should the concoction not work. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Luckily for her, the concoction does work! Her landing's not too painful, either, more or less just making a loud squishing noise when she lands in the mass of multicolored plant mush. It's disgusting, sure, but it could certianly be a lot owrse. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "... Eww. Uh. I... I think it's dead!" Stumbling a bit as she pushes herself upright, Kazuko looks up at the hole in the floor.. Ceiling? Where she had last seen Ren. "Looks like we're all done here! Good work R-GYAH!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some of it lands right on her neck. Having anything slimy like that going down your shirt is never pleasant.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ah, but to live would be an awfully big adventure.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren peers down quickly, as it happened very fast. He knows from the enormous explosion of horrible plant goo that everything's okay, but you HAVE to look. And he also whistles, that happens too.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...well, that's ... ha ha, yes, that worked very well. Good throw, there, Kazuko, good reaction. Remember to breathe through your mouth down there, trust me. Seriously."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...let's call in the Union and uhm... ask them to bring a portable shower, maybe."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pause.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh! I thought of a quip. It took me ten seconds but here. A-hem. So I guess you could say you passed the acid test."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He makes a poor badump-tish sound.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Through my mouth? Why, does it...?" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ren just had to bring it up, didn't he? Kazuko stands stock still for a few seconds before the color starts draining from her face and tears tug at the corners of her eyes. She can't even begin to describe the smell, especially with her extra-sensitive nose, but whatever it is can't be good if /that's/ her reaction to it. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At least the pun goes right over her head. She just gives Ren a blank stare for a few moments before nodding. "... 'kay. Yeah, showers'll be good after all.. All /that/."<br> <br>


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