Ch. 4 - Planned Defense*_The Deadliest Blade of Grass

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Damage control mode activated!

…

That did nothing. Maybe…. Preservation mode on!? Save me please!? Sorry?

…

Ok. Brief insanity is over. Now what do I do? I don’t see any options in my abilities that can save or revert me now. Zzzzzzzzzz. Once that glorious ball of fire hit my leaves, my instincts took over. That’s really dangerous. It feels exactly like morphine is injected straight into my veins. That surge of energy influx, along with the blissful warmth of the sun, drove my mind over the edge. If I’m not careful, I’ll become like an addict. IF I live more than another day.

Thinking about survival, better categorize the dangers I might face.

Tier 3: Minimal Threat to life, or time delayed. I have time to plan and react to these threats.

Blocked sunlight, Animal piss & shit, Drought, Season changes

Tier 2: Harmful to life. Can be repulsed, though damage will most likely take place before measures can be taken.

Insects, Grubs, Slugs, Harmful plant invasion, Herbivores, Wind, Volcanic Ash

Tier 1: Death Tier. No responses can be adequately formed without prior planning. Even then, death is likely imminent.

Humans, Loss of environment, Fire, God’s Wrath, Meteors, Galaxy Destruction

Maybe I went a little bit overboard in listing for Tier 1, but it’s important to know all of the options here! If I find myself with plenty of points in the future, I’ll try to plan for these troubles.

Tier 3 dangers are mostly self-resolving. Reduced sunlight isn’t death. I can always grow towards the light. Animal waste will wash away with rain and may even be good for me. Drought sucks if it is combined with heat. May hurt, but I can survive. Changing seasons will be tough, but I can stockpile resources/make do somehow.

Let’s see….. from my previous life, to prevent death from tier 2, various measures could be taken.

For insects, I could start generating a small amount of pesticides that would make insects avoid me, or use some of the more badass ones that Monsanto integrated into their plants. I feel like I can somehow, now that I think about it. What changed?

Titles:[Destined to Die], [Reincarnator], [Martyr], [Boundless], [Late Bloomer], [One of Many]

Name: --- Age: 2 Days Gender: ♂/♀ Level: 1 Class: Plant Sage Race: Bermuda Grass HP: 2/2 Mana: 0/0 Growth Points: 0.95 Growth Rate: 0.25 pts/hour Strength: 1 Vitality: 1 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 115 Roots: 2 (+0.1 pts/hour) Leaves: 13 Abilities: , , , , ,

Ooh, two changes showed up. So <Inner Mind> ranked up it looks like, from rank C to rank B.

Rank: B Passive: Due to your intellect exceeding a predetermined amount, allows the user to know in-depth knowledge of oneself. Applied intelligence to upgrade ability. Now grants modification of self with ability [Genetic Mutation].

And it unlocked something else too, something that looks very handy.

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Rank: S Active: Using your knowledge of genes and chromosomes, alter your D.N.A. Changes take effect immediately. Cost is based on level of complexity of change of the genetic code. Specific changes, if fully understood, will cost less than generic changes.

With this, I can rule the world!!!!!! Muahahahahahahah! Ugh, I wish. I barely have any points left. And I have no idea how to alter my genetic code to change into another lifeform. All I really know is how to add, subtract, and change what I already have in cells.

So, let’s see. From what I can tell, from my current (assumed) appearance, I’ll be eaten alive tomorrow. I need to plan against the worst. Tier 1 are a no go. Even if I didn’t mess-up, it would take too long to fortify myself against those. Tier 3 aren’t an immediate concern, thankfully I should be able to live at least through the day.

I should focus on Tier 2 enemies.

Tier 2: Harmful to life. Can be repulsed, though damage will most likely take place before measures can be taken.

Insects, Grubs, Slugs, Harmful plant invasion, Herbivores, Wind, Volcanic Ash

Since most of those won’t kill the whole plant, let’s try to dissuade herbivores. From my knowledge, goats and the like rip the roots out along with the plant. If I dissuade them, no matter what I’ll win!

Woohoo! O.k., I have a goal, and a way to do it! The goats I know of eat prickly pears, and their red fruits on top. So thorns are out. And so is just coloring myself fully red to simulate poisonous. But maybe if I take an excretion from the salamander/toad family, I might be good! Now I need to choose between secreting a toxin, or a bitter taste to ward off animals that can taste! I know birds have evolved to ignore taste for the most part, so who’s to say something else had too. Let’s try my <Genetic Mutation> ability.

Genetic Mutation – Poison I (25)

Secrete a poison enough to dissuade a certain category of herbivores. Will cause irritation in the throat and tongue. Has a small chance to kill small herbivores instantly.

Genetic Mutation – Bitterness (10)

Hold a bitter tasting compound inside of your structure. Will attract certain herbivores and intelligent species for its unique tastes. Will repulse many herbivores since many animals have an instinct to avoid bitter tasting fruits due to its similarity to poison.

….. Neither of those will work for what I’m looking for. Poison I would be perfect, except for the cost. It’s way too much at the moment, while I’m getting a bad premonition from the description of bitterness. Attracts intelligent species…. Yea right, with my title [Destined to Die], I think I’ll die even quicker than before.

Direct approaches aren’t working. Ok, what’s left?

Think, Think!!!!!

Nothing’s coming up. What If I designate the type of poison? Or the bitterness compound?

Let’s check it out now.

Genetic Mutation – Poison I* (15)

Secrete a protein that causes insects to die after eating.

Genetic Mutation – Bitterness* (7.5)

Genetic Mutation – Bitter Poison I* (20)

Creates a bitter tasting poison. Kills insects after eating. Will repel herbivores. Intelligent species will regard you as a good deterrent for insects and herbivores.

Improvements! Just, not in the way I hoped. It appears that knowing what you’re doing does decrease the cost of mutation, but it also makes it more specific. Except for bitterness. I know the compounds that make plants bitter, and even the poisonous ones, again I have to reject the options I currently have. I just want to be passed up by intelligent species, and avoided by the rest. A cool neutral, thank you very much, that will silently kill anyone that tries to kill me. At least for now.

Huh, I’m fine with killing? I think I’m going a little crazy here with no one to talk to.

Back on topic!

Let’s nix bitterness and poison for now. What else…. Camouflage!!!! That’s it! Since I’m not [One of Many] anymore, if I just act like I’m one of many, I should be golden! I might get my title back temporarily! Yes!!!!!!

Ok, let’s check what is normal, and what I can influence for camouflage.

Genetic Mutation – Camouflage (5)

Can slightly disguise oneself as another plant. Cannot change shape.

Genetic Mutation – Pigment Alteration* (50)

Alters the relative density of pigment in the structure of your outer layer.

Genetic Mutation – Bioluminescence* (10)

Lights up various parts of your body to confuse prey. May be attractive to certain species.

Genetic Mutation – Reflectivity* (3.5)

Changes color of various parts of your body dependent on the various light waves that you reflect. Can attract or repel various species.

Sweet! Two useful abilities that can help right away!

Hmmm, something for thought though. Pigment alteration shouldn’t cost that much, I don’t think. True, I never tried it in a plant, since plants don’t really have the ability to change pigments at will, but animals do. It must be because exactly that, the difference between plant and animal is slightly bridged with that ability so it costs more.

Now I know a lot of plants in my old world, but not many in this world. Let’s look around and see what plants I can see.

Oops. Forgot I couldn’t. But maybe if I strain myself, I can unlock another ability? Or maybe it’ll cost too much.

The sun is coming up soon, I can feel it. Man, time flies by fast! Or maybe I’m just slow. Zzzzzzz.

Ok, something I know for sure I can do, my stat total right now it 3.55, so let’s buy Reflectivity!

…

Ok, I might have been forced to buy it anyways haha. It was the only one I could afford.

Zzzzzzz. I’m judging myself now.

Now that I have that unlocked and feel drained, I need to quickly choose something that will make me be avoided by herbivores. How about red and purple spots, with a tinge of grey to simulate a sickness? Muahahahah, perfect. Fear my nonexistent toxins and evil fake fungi!

….

Ouch!

…. What was that? …. Ouch!!!!

What the fuuuuuuck! This hurts so much!!!! Bear it, bear it…..

Aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!

I’m being eaten alive, it hurts so much!!!!

Please just kill me!!!!! What’s doing this?!?!?!?!?! Who’s doing this to me!!!???

Ch. 4 - Planned Defense*

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