Tunnel Rat

Chapter 133: Different Like Me!

Larry had had a fun day. Bleusnout had made puffcakes for dinner! They were like pancakes, but so much better. One puffcake filled up Larry's belly as much as three regular pancakes. This was very good. A rumbly tummy made it hard for Larry to think about anything but eating, and the more rumbly, the better everything smelled.

And two sneaky-guys made friends and promised to be not-sneaky. That made them into not-prey, and Larry didn't feel like chasing them anymore. That was good, Larry wasn't sure what he was supposed to do when he caught someone, but he was pretty sure it wasn't good. And running and chasing made him hungry, and prey always smelled good. He would have to ask Tallsqueak about that.

Larry was walking home to Larry's house when he heard fighting noises coming from the arena. And Larry's nose smelled his friend Tallsqueak! He had so much to tell Tallsqueak. Jellybeans, new friends, and his new Blue Box.

You have taught three new people to Dance. You have earned the new skill: Dance Instructor.

Dance Instructor is an INT based skill.

You have earned 150 experience in Dance Instructor. Dance Instructor has reached Rank 2

You have earned 150 experience in INT. INT has been raised by +1 to a total of 1.

Larry wanted to go find Tallsqueak, but he remembered that he wasn't supposed to go to the arena. Maybe if no one saw him? The Weasel Slippers had told him that if no one saw you doing something, it didn't count. Larry was unsure of that, but he tried to be quiet, just the same. Carefully, very carefully, he took little steps and didn't fall down or make any noise. It was easy to not make noise when you didn't fall down as much.

It was easiest for Larry to move with both hands and feet on the ground, but Larry didn't like that and people looked at him funny. So he only walked with feet and fell down a lot. Only now he didn't!

As he was almost to the arena, he got another Blue Box. So many Blue Boxes! Larry hadn't seen Blue Boxes since...well, since before he was so big. But the last few days he had seen a lot.

Under the careful instruction of your Adorable Baby Weasel Slippers, you have learned the skill: Stealth.

Stealth is what Hero's do when they don't want Bad Guys and Sneaky Guys to know they are close by doing hero things.

Stealth is an AGI based skill

This made sense to Larry. Skulking is what sneaky-guys did. Stealth was for Heroes. Stealth helped him find his friend Tallsqueak. He almost didn't recognize him!

Tallsqueak had a new tail. It was long and boney. And he had new claws! And bones on his arms and legs. He was different.

Larry had always thought that different was bad. Everyone said Larry being different was bad. All of Larry's friends went away. Different Larry was a bad Larry. But Tallsqueak was good. A good fighter. A good dancer. A good friend. And now he was different. Different like Larry was different?

Master Gilad was helping him fight better by hitting him and knocking him down. Larry understood fighting. He used to fight a lot. He fought in this arena. He took extra classes. He wanted to be the best fighter and grow up to be like big brother Justin. He had liked fighting...

Larry didn't get to fight now. Bleusnout said it was because he was 'different'. But Tallsqueak was different now, and he was fighting with the best fighter in the Hollow.

Larry had a big idea. Tallsqueak was different like Larry was different! That was probably why Tallsqueak was Larry's best friend. He knew what different meant. He went down to tell Tallsqueak about Jellybeans, and being different. Maybe Larry would get to fight?

Milo turned as his danger sense was telling him something was sneaking up on him, only to find Larry slowly walking towards the arena. Larry looked happy. Gilad had paused, eyes on Larry as the Cheese Fiend almost walked into the arena. Larry stopped when he got to the area's edge, and carefully kneeled down, almost pitching forward but managing to balance.

Gilad noticed with happiness that Larry remembered the rules, and didn't enter the arena until told to. "Greetings Larry. Are you here to watch us spar?"

Larry nodded both up, and side to side. "Larry would like to watch you fight. And Larry brought Jelly Beans. Would you like one?"

He held out two of his precious Jelly Beans.

Gilad walked over to Larry, thanked him, and took the two candies, handing one to Tallsqueak. Milo looked at the small, red, oblong candy in his hand. "This is a bean? Do they grow on plants."

Larry didn't know. But he wanted to find out. He would plant Jelly Bean Bushes all around Larry's house. "Larry got them from Tweedle and Ringtail. They are hero food, and very tasty." Milo ate his and agreed.

Gilad turned to Tallsqueak. "One more round, if you please. I wish to see...something." Milo saw the small nod to Larry and didn't mind one more fight. It was a slower fight, with Gilad throwing basic claw attacks that Milo blocked easily. They fell into a rhythm, moving around the arena using claws and tails in basic attacks, Milo following Gilad's lead. It ended when Gilad's tail slapped hard on Tallsqueak's thigh as he mistimed his dodge.

Larry clapped and looked excited. "Good fight! Can Larry fight too?"

Gilad looked at Tallsqueak as he spoke. "Larry is Tremendously strong, and has Fiendishly Sharp Claws. They are easily equal to my claws or yours, but backed by his huge strength. So be very careful, and block every blow. Do not worry about Larry. His Mutant Regeneration can absorb damage that would kill ten of you or I. Keep the pace slow. We don't want him getting excited."

Milo looked over to where Larry was bouncing up and down on his toes, and clapping his hands. "Not excited. Got it."

Gilad spoke to Larry, keeping his tone slow and talking low so Larry had to pay attention. "Larry can fight a little bit. Do you remember your basic claw and tail attacks Larry?"

Larry did. It was like a little rhyme. "Step and strike/ Step and strike. Hop and spin. Tail slaps, step back. Block and attack."

Larry had tried to do his fighting exercises before, but he always fell over on the first strike. But now he had Weasel Slippers!"

Gilad motioned for Larry to enter the ring, and where to stand. "We will go slow and I will help you with the movements. You have to remember how big you are now." Larry stepped forward and swung a claw. Tallsqueak blocked with an armored forearm. Even warned, he nearly got knocked over. Just how strong was Larry?

The next step Larry had trouble with, but he recovered and stepped a little further, giving himself a wider base. Tallsqueak braced and blocked the next attack. Then Larry hopped in the air, spun, and his tail knocked down both Tallsqueak and Gilad both, the move had been so fast.

Tallsqueak got up, shaking his head. Gilad rolled to his feet, but one of his eyes was swelling. "Tell me what you did, to move so fast Larry. Think carefully."

Larry repeated his steps, with no one in front of him. Step, strike. Then another step and strike with the other claw. Then a hop...oooh! "Larry hopped! Larry is good at hopping now. Larry is good at dancing."

Milo understood. "Larry. You should dance instead of stepping. Make it a dance." He took a further step back, and prepared himself. Gilad held his breath. Larry began to dance.

His first step towards Tallsqueak was powerful and balanced, he swung a claw as he spun a bit and took a second step. Tallsqueak ducked that first attack, and blocked the second with both hands, deflecting it and not letting the full force of the blow impact him. As Larry hopped and spun, he leaped high in the air. His own tail would have hit Larry on the snout, but somehow, Larry ducked and took a step backwards after his spin. The two fighters were back in their starting positions and Gilad called a halt.

Gilad had trained a young Larry. He had been good. Very good. He practiced constantly, and only his small size had kept him from guard training, his full growth not having arrived yet. Now? Now he was better. The speed of a fiend with a strange grace that used constant movement. He was immediately pressing Tallsqueak, forcing him to fight at least as hard as he had against Gilad himself.

"How did that feel, Larry?"

The cheese fiend was breathing a little fast, but not from exertion. "It feels good. Exciting. Not falling over is exciting."

Gilad was conflicted, to say the least. Letting Larry fight could let lose the berserk fiend that lived inside of him. But not letting him fight would be a travesty. Fiends didn't fight like this. They plowed into a line of foes, slashing with claws and teeth like animals, running on all fours and eating what they killed. Gilad wanted...no, he needed!... to see if Larry could fight with claws and tail. Could he train a fiend to be a fighter, and not an animal? And how could he deny Larry a chance to regain part of himself. It was unthinkable.

He clapped his hands. "Larry. Tallsqueak. I think this is good for both of you. You are both tough, and regenerate quickly. You both need practice and better opponents. We will all fight together, the three of us. Two hours each night. 10th bell to 12th bell. And then we will have an extra breakfast. Fighters need extra calories."

He stepped into the ring. "You may rest Tallsqueak. I will take the next bout with Larry."

Milo sat down. He was tired, but happy. And hungry. He hoped that Bleusnout still had food left from dinner. He could smell the puffcakes as he walked by earlier. Delicious."

Larry has learned Dance of the Claw and the Tail

Dance of the Claw and the Tail is a DEX based skill.

Milo (Tallsqueak)

Dancing has reached Rank 1

Claws of Alta-Viator has reached Rank 7

Spine of Volat-Repat has reached Rank 7

Rune Carving has reached rank 6

Bone Carving has reached rank 6

Weak Poison Resistance has reached rank 10

Strong Poison Resistance has reached rank 3

Stealthy Skulking has reached rank 8

Climbing has reached rank 7