Spruce Yee takes some damage and counters the punch he parried with a turn and a chop to Karol's back, continuing his momentum forward and causing him to stumble a little. Spruce Yee spins and winds up a hook kick. [Rolled 5] Spruce Yee releases a powerful kiai as his heel nails Karol hard in the temple and sends him spinning to the mat! Knowing Karol can't see him, Spruce Yee frowns slightly, lingering on his grounded leg with his leg still raised.

Karol was seeing stars after a beautiful kick to the head. He knew that he wasn't going to be able to take to many more shots like that. He knew that he would have to do something swift and soon. Karol noticed that he had all his weight focused on one foot so he went for the leg sweep. [Rolled 1] Karol rushed into making his move and didn't fully recover his sight and hadn't noticed the pool of water on the ground. Karol missed the leg sweep and landed on the ground.

With a fatalistic sigh, Spruce Yee raises his already raised leg above his head and thrusts it down in an ax kick. [Rolled 1] But he had not noticed the water on the mat either. Spruce Yee's leg swung down and the momentum carried back as his grounded foot slipped in the water, and he did a dramatic double front flip in the air before landing hard on his face!

Karol thought he was done looking at the bottom of that foot coming down at him, Karol was going to attempt something that he had been reading about on his spare time. Desperate times called for desperate measures, he was going to attempt to choke out his opponent with a rear naked choke. [Rolled 4] It was a perfect opportunity since he was face down after his face plant. he made a transition roll onto his opponents back and placed his right arm under his neck.

Spruce Yee choked on the arm around his neck and moved to thrust his elbow into Karol's side. But just then, the plot arrived a huge spruce tree (coincidence!) burst through the ground below Spruce Yee, sending Spruce Yee and Karol flying. The spruce tree continued growing upward through the ceiling, scattering debris everywhere and leaving the dojo in shambles. Out the glass entryway of Karol's dojo, they could see that more evergreen trees were also growing up in other places throughout the Megamall. Most astonishing of all, pinecone-like creatures with arms and legs started dropping off of some of the branches and walking around the newly-forested mall. It all happened so fast, and the activity died down as fast as it started, leaving a silent forest-decorated mall bathed in bright moonlight. "Well that's something you don't see every day," Spruce Yee said, unable to hide his shock, "I guess this fight is over. We should get out of here right now!" The Karol earns 5 experience points.

What do you mean "Well that's something you don't see every day." This ... damn ... tree ...(4 second pause between dots) destroyed-my-beloved-dojo! (Very rapidly with no breaks in between words) Karol was now swinging his fists at the base of the tree still filled with adrenaline. Don't get me wrong Karol was surprised by this turn of events but he was equally as furious because his pride and joy as now destroyed infested with a giant tree. The only thing that made him feel a little better was that it wasn't just his story that was demolished by this catastrotree. Karol kicked the tree swiftly and turned his back heading towards the door where he grabbed his backpack along the way. What do you propose now opponent ... I mean ... actually how should I address you anyway?

"Well, seeing as how we are now equals because of this odd situation, I suppose you can call me Spruce. I will continue to call you Karol." Spruce moved to stand, but winced, looking down and finding a sizable piece of the ceiling where his left leg ought to have been. "No... No no no!" He tossed the heavy chunk of ceiling aside only to find his leg crushed. "Dammit no!" He cried out in pain as he tried futilely to move his destroyed leg. Just then, one of the pinecone creatures was walking by the glass entryway of the former dojo, and upon hearing Spruce's cry, it turned to look inside. It's hard to tell a pinecone's expression, but it somehow seemed clear that this one was hungry when it started scratching against the glass so much that the glass started to crack.

Karol could see that Spruces leg was beyond repair at the moment and there was nothing that he could do for him. He wondered if he could manage to bring Spruce to the hospital. If he was lucky anyway, what if it wasn't just the mall that these giant trees developed in. Karol could hear breaking glass even though he didn't have any more overhead that the tree in the middle of his dojo didn't already destroy. Karol looked to the exit There was a little ... pinecone trying to break through his front door. We can't stay here, come take my shoulder to take pressure off of your injured leg Karol was trying to stay positive I might have to put you down every now and again to fight some of these ... pinecones Karol still found it odd to be seeing a pinecone walking around, let alone breaking his door.

The approximately waist-high pine cone's hungry banging and the cracking of glass started attracting more pine cones in a zombie-like fashion until the glass finally shattered and three came clomping in. Glass shards had become trapped in the open scales of the first pine cone that had started breaking the glass. The other two pinecones were younger, their scales not yet opened (pine cone reference—left: closed, right: open). In another zombie-comparable fashion, the pine cones had their little twiggy arms outstretched and were moaning. As they got closer, Karol could see a pair of unsettling extremely bloodshot eyes between some of the scale openings near the top of the open pine cone. To make matters worse, Karol also started feeling the ground shift beneath his feet as the pine cones entered. He heard the sound of concrete crumbling near the tree trunk as a tiny bit of the ground around that area started to fall as a result of the heavy stomps of the pine cones.

Guess it is time to mess these little guys up!

Karol places Spruce on the ground and took four steps in front of him to keep a small distance to protect draw the attention of the pine cones but close enough that he could reach him if need be. Karol spit towards the pine cones and took a offensive stance.

Bring it!

Name: Open Pineconer
Stats:

• Speed: 2
• Strength: 2
• Guts: 0
• Wits: 0
• Pointiness: 2

Name: Closed Pineconer α
Stats:

• Speed: 1
• Strength: 2
• Guts: 0
• Wits: 0
• Armor: 3
• Blindness: 10

Name: Closed Pineconer ß
Stats:

• Speed: 1
• Strength: 2
• Guts: 0
• Wits: 0
• Armor: 3
• Blindness: 10

• 1. Karol
• 2. Open Pineconer
• 3. Closed Pineconer α
• 4. Closed Pineconer ß

Dice for Action Checks

Please specify which enemy you are attacking when you make your attempts.

This was Karols first multiple opponent fight since it has always been one versus one in kickboxing. Who to focus on, who to focus on. He didn't like the way the open pine cone was looking at him and he figured that he might be tougher than the other two, Karol turned towards the open pine cone and bounced on his toes closing the gap between them. Karol was going to launch a two jab combo to see test his range while seeing how the monster pine cone ... well felt. Didn't want to injure himself. Two injured people wouldn't fair out very well here.

[Rolled 2]

Even with his training gloves on Karol took one jab against the pine cone and immediately realized that it wasn't an excellent idea ... and why would it. Normal pine cones were pretty tough so why would a monster version be any different.

Even though the punch hurt Karol's hand, the Open Pineconer stumbled back from the impact and fell on its backside.
[Rolled 4]
It landed on a corner of the former dojo's training mat and did not make much noise as it fell. It rocked back and forth for a moment before getting back up to its feet.

Closed Pineconer α is shuffling around.
[Rolled 3]
But it can't hear anything to walk toward, so it just stands there.

Closed Pineconer ß starts moaning slightly.
[Rolled 2]
Its moaning is muffled by its closed scales.

Weird question Spruce ummm have you ever ... fought pine cones before ?

A simple jab was enough to throw the pine cone off of balance so he wondered what a kick would do. Karol took a deep breathe and bent his knees prepared to give this pine cone a leaping kick. While Karol was taking his breathe he realized how ridiculous his statement to Spruce sounded.

I mean a monstrous pine cone like this ... or even anything weird like this

There now that he didn't seem like a complete fool he could focus on the strike.

[Rolled 6]

Karol propelled as high was possible from a standing two feet jump and just imagined that he was attacking a wooden training dummy. SMAAAAAASH Karol brought down his accelerating body mass and kicked the pine cone as hard as possible without breaking any bones.

AHHHHH take thaaaaaat!

"In all my experience fighting..." Spruce smirked, "I must say, no, I have never fought a pine cone, inanimate or otherwise!" He almost laughed, but instead winced at the pain his attempted laughter caused him.

Karol's kick connected hard and the Open Pineconer went flying away! It slammed into a wall and its scales exploded outward!
[Rolled 5]
Two of the scales flew straight at Karol and continued straight past him. A sharp edge of one of the scales sliced Karol's left side, tearing his gi and leaving a half-inch-deep cut. The second scale grazed Karol's right cheek, leaving nothing but a light scratch. Both injuries cause a stinging pain, but there is no blood because some kind of sticky, sweet-smelling sap coats the cuts. The sap is not harmful and actually helps soothe the pain when Karol is not moving.

The Open Pineconer stopped moving.


The sound of the Open Pineconer exploding against the wall draws Closed Pineconer α to the wall.
[Rolled 3]
As Closed Pineconer α waddles toward the source of the noise, one of the Open Pineconer's scales flies at Closed Pineconer α's legs, causing it to trip and fall onto what would have been its face.


Closed Pineconer ß was instead drawn to the sound of Karol's cries and comes running!
[Rolled 5]
It jumps and slams its "head" into Karol's stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of him!

Karol was lying on the ground gasping for air while holding his stomach.

god ... darn ... pine ... cone
Ahhhh jeez!

Karol was on the ground having no knowledge about this pine cone, what if the thing is a carnivore and is going to chew on him. Karol started flailing his legs to maintain distance between them.

[Rolled 6]

Karol was kicking his legs in an upward motion creating enough distance to get back on his two feet.

Closed Pineconer α is flailing around, apparently unable to push itself back to its feet with its stubby arms. The sound of muffled crying can be heard coming from where its mouth would have been if it had one.


Closed Pineconer ß tries to keep running toward where it hears Karol!
[Rolled 2]
Closed Pineconer ß trips over some debris and falls flat on its face just like Closed Pineconer α! Its stubby arms are also too short to reach the ground, and it just kind of wiggles there on the ground!

Karol had regained his breathe enough to laugh at the pine cones.

haha look at them, they flail like I imagine little alcoholic babies would!

Guess I should try and take this battle from a two versus one to one versus one! Taste my foot pine cone

Karol was going to pretend that he was taking a free kick in soccer and boot him out the door, so they wouldn't explode and shoot any more pieces every where. Hopefully it worked out since the only time he ever tried soccer was when he was in school.

[Rolled 4]

Karol gave The pineconer α a good shoot in the direction of the cracked door of the dojo.

Closed Pineconer α flew out the door and over the railings, falling to the hard granite on the first floor of the Megamall. A faraway crunch could be heard as it hit the ground hard.
Closed Pineconer α (presumably) stopped moving.

Closed Pineconer ß had been rocking back and forth to try to get back to its feet...
[Rolled 2]
It rocked and rocked, but eventually turned over sideways, ending up on its back, its little arms wriggling around like an overturned turtle!

Karol was starting to get a slight bit tired, the fight with Spruce followed by this interesting battle have taken a small toll on Karol but he must persevere.

Karol looked at the final pine cone and thought that this battle might soon be over. He glared at the pine cone and got ready to swing away at him.

[Rolled 5]

Karol punched the pine cone twice, where a head would typically be.