HOME | DD

Description
Sex: None

Species: Hyper-evolved amalgamated plant

Location of origin: Everglades, Florida

Date encountered: May 19th, 1978

Total height: 14 meters (48ft)

Total weight: 558 metric tons

Threat level: High

Aggression level: High

Known mutations:

-Retractable tongue-like stems ending in a snapping set of jaws. Acquired from Soldier segment.

-Large beak-like jaws made of a thick bark. Can exert over 700 tons of force in a single bite. Evolved from Soldier segment.

-Enhanced sensory organs on both sides of head. Work in an identical fashion as those of the Sentry segment it once used.

-Thin sheets of bark armor along it's back. Acquired from Soldier segment.

-Flexible legs that can be used as tentacles to snare enemies. Legs are lined with sharp thorns to cut into snared prey.

-Able to fire several barbed vines from holes in it's sides. Functionally identical to those on the Soldier segment.

-Can release a stream of highly irritating pollen from mouth. Pollen causes severe itching of the eyes and skin, and can cause respiratory difficulties. Used to blind and disorient enemies. Believed to be an adaptation of the Hijacker's spore pods.

-Able to burrow through the ground in a corkscrew fashion by using it's thorns and beak. Can tunnel through loose dirt at approximately 45 miles per hour.

-Short tail lined with sharp spines.

-Advanced regeneration.

-Able to influence rapid plant growth.

-Can enter a short period of suspended animation to heal and evolve

-Able to spew an adhesive resin that dries on contact.

History:

After the destruction of the original Raxycodium, the threat of the super-intelligent plant seemed to finally be over. However though the brain of the creature had been destroyed, the hive consciousness of the mutant had survived by transferring itself into the body of one of it's minions: a single Soldier segment served as a vessel for the beast's consciousness. Detaching itself from the umbilical root that connected it to it's old body, the creature escaped into the Everglades. The mutant had anticipated that the humans would return to this area to make sure that it was dead as well as to salvage what they could of it.

In order to restore itself to a stronger, more survivable state, it would need time to grow. Not only this, but it would also need to radically alter it's physical form in order to survive. It's original stationary form was too vulnerable despite the multitude of segments at it's disposal. It would need a body that could defend itself without outside help and move at will if need be. The beast rooted itself into the ground and hid among thick foliage to avoid detection if the humans happened to come this way, which it didn't expect them to. Slowly but surely, the roots it planted into the ground would begin to rapidly grow and take on the form of a hulking, four-legged body.

Vines twisted, wrapped and joined together to give it's body shape and structure. Plant tissue liquified and reshaped itself into forms both new and familiar to it. This process occurred rapidly over the course of several days, and within that timeframe it had already grown to a deceptively immense size: The head was barely visible on the surface, but the rest of the body was underground, waiting for the chemical impulses to activate and emerge. Not sensing any threats in the area and thus no immediate need to leave, the reborn mutant remained in the dense swamps where it absorbed water and sunlight like any plant for the time being.

This rest would soon be disrupted by the presence of another mutant being pursued by the US Military. An enormous mutant alligator had been carving a path of destruction though several towns and cities in search of food, causing immense damage wherever it went. The creature would seek refuge in the huge swamps of the Everglades, which would hopefully hamper it's human pursuers in their search. However it wouldn't be long before the humans caught up with it and re-engaged their target. The loud commotion of the battle would awaken the dormant Raxycodium that was still rooted nearby, it's massive body releasing chemical signals to spur it back into action.

The plant life around the humans and their mutant for suddenly took on a life of their own, grasping and lashing out at their perceived enemies. Several swamp vines coiled around the alligator's mouth to prevent it from biting as well as it's limbs to keep it from moving. Several more vines attempted to sequester the human's weapons from them, but were met with gunfire that blasted them apart. In an attempt to free itself, the alligator entered a death roll to tear the vines out from the ground. The reptile thrashed and flailed as one by one the vines tore apart. The ground began to tremble, knocking the human soldiers off balance and onto the ground and causing the water to jump violently.

The Raxycodium's head emerged from the foliage from which it was hiding and hovered in the air, casting a shadow over the onlooking humans. The ground split open, water flooding into the cracks as the creature's hulking form revealed itself in full caked in mud and dirt. The plant-beast stood on four thick limbs resembling masses of fused vines. Several holes lined the sides of the creature's torso surrounded by soft, violet colored flesh. Branching sensory organs of a neon yellow color flanked both sides of it's armored head, the structures taking in the chemical signatures of both the alligator and the humans.

It was very much acquainted with the smell of humans; it had underestimated these tiny beings once, but it was now fully aware of the true threat they posed. However the other smell was so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. It was similar to a type of creature it had consumed before, adding desirable traits from it into it's own genome. The mutant reptile seemed to be aware of this vague connection, sensing it's own kind within the newcomer. The reptile hesitated for a moment, confused and unsure as to what it what stood before it. The Raxycodium had no interest in bonding over a distant relation to one another and lashed out with one of it's forelimbs, using the thick appendage like a club to batter the reptile over the head with.

The blow snapped the reptile out of it's curious state and thrust it into a berserk rage, galloping towards it's attacker at surprising speed for something it's size. Quickly noting chemical disturbances in the air, the Raxycodium opened it's beak-like jaws and exposed the multi-hued inside of it's mouth that dripped with foul liquids. Once the alligator was close enough, the Raxycodium released a blast of orange pollen from the back of it's threat that engulfed the alligator entirely. The effects were immediate; the reptile's eyes and nostrils burned incessantly, it's lungs grew taxed as it inhaled large quantities of the pollen with each breath. The pollen made the creature's lungs burn and itch, sending the creature into a thrashing frenzy as it was unable to comprehend what was happening to it. Pressing it's advantage, the plant lashed out with it's forelimbs like a whip, striking the reptile in the side of the head and smashing it's face into the ground.

The plant attacked again, coiling it's fingers together and flushing fluids into it's forelimbs to increase it in size like a sponge absorbing water. With it's new club-like limb, the mutant brought the appendage down on the alligator right as it was lifting it's head out of the mud. The blow send the creature's face smashing into the mud once again, but now the creature was genuinely irritated by this attacker. Blinded and enraged, the alligator opened it's jaws and lunged at the plant as it attempted to strike again. The reptile's jaws found their mark and clamped down hard on the mutant's limb; so hard in fact, that the Raxycodium's limb utterly exploded from the sheer force of the bite. Pale green fluids showered the ground below as the Raxycodium recoiled from the loss of it's limb.

Not letting it's opponent take a moment of rest, the alligator galloped forward and rammed into the plant creature and knocking it off it's feet and sending it crashing into the watery mud of the swamp. The reptile's immense weight prevented the Raxycodium from standing back up, flailing it's thorny limbs like whips at the creature in an attempt to get it off. The alligator's thick armor ensured that such feeble attempts would not deter it from it's assault; it tilted it's head at an angle and bit down on the Raxycodium's torso with a wet crunch that sprayed chlorophyll onto the ground. The plant's body held firm for now, allowing the creature to retaliate by launching numerous vines from pulsating holes in it's sides; each vine tipped with barbed points.

The pointed vines slithered through the air on their own accord, guided by the controlling intelligence of the Raxycodium itself as it sought out a soft spot in it's enemy's armor. The probing fingers became a balled fist as the tendrils found exposed, mutated tissue where the sharp barbs deeply imbedded themselves into the flesh and immediately began to drain vital fluids from it's enemy. The mutated reptile could feel it's life being sucked away from it, but it had surprises of it's own; the alligator lifted it's forked tail and the end split open to reveal another set of crocodilians jaws. With a flex of it's powerful tail, the mutant launched the appendage forward and the jaws bit down on the vampiric vines and snapped them off easily.

Changing it's target, the secondary jaws bit into the holes in the sides of the mutant plant, crunching into the soft flesh of it's enemy and pulling away a huge slab of tissue that dripped with ichor. The jaws continued to bite and tear into the reptile's plant-based foe. The Raxycodium understood that the fight was quickly turning against it, and it would need to quickly flee the area to recover and calculate it's next move. The Raxycodium spat out another stream of pollen at the alligator right as the beast was about to take another bite, filling it's mouth and lungs with the irritating pollen. The alligator immediately reacted to the burning substance, rolling off of the Raxycodium.

As the alligator thrashed around in the mud as it's eyes once again burned with the pollen, the Raxycodium pushed it's head into the mud and began to rotate it's body in a corkscrew fashion in order to quickly tunnel through the ground. The massive reptile recovered from the searing spores just in time to see the Raxycodium disappear underground. The beast lunged and snapped at the plant's thorny tail, severing it from the creature's body with spurts of ichor. The creature swallowed the appendage whole and dug at the hole created by it's enemy in an attempt to dig the creature out, but quickly loses interest and heading deeper into the swamp.

The Raxycodium had not anticipated the presence of another large organism like itself, let alone one that was so much stronger. It had expected to run into more human resistance as it had before, to which it was more that prepared to handle. However this encounter had been a valuable learning experience, as now it was aware of other organisms aside from humans that posed a threat to it. To this end, it would need to evolve once more, this time to fight an enemy with thick armor and a powerful bite, as well as immense strength. And so it's cells began to change and divide; DNA was altered or rewritten to accommodate new features it could use to combat this reptilian foe.

It's smooth green outer layer wrinkled and hardened into segmented bark plates to allow for greater protection without sacrificing mobility. To supplant this armor, sharp thorns grew from the rigid plates to add an offensive edge. The missing appendage quickly regenerated and also donned this new bark armor as well as other damage inflicted to it's body. Having acquired some genetic information on this enemy from when it briefly drained it, the Raxycodium determined that it could use this foe's main weapon against it: the muscle-like fibers lining the edges of it's mouth swelled in size to allow for a more devastating bite, along with the edges of it's beak-like jaws sharpening and hardening with a secreted resin.

With in 24 hours this process was complete and the Raxycodium was ready to face this threat to it's continued existence once more. The huge plant tunneled through the earth while releasing pheromones in hopes that if it couldn't find it's quarry, perhaps the creature would come to it instead. It wouldn't be long before the Raxycodium would get a chance to redeem itself: the mutant alligator was rampaging through Miami after having come in through the beach before making landfall. The enormous reptile smashed through buildings and vehicles in a berserk rage, snapping up any hapless victims that were unfortunate enough to cross it's path.

As this paradise city burned at the hands of this mutant, the ground below it began to crack and expand outward, geysers of dirt and dust spewing out into the air. The startled reptile hastily moved away from the buckling ground. Suddenly a huge armored head burst from the ground followed by two thick forelimbs covered in segmented bark plates. With one final heave, the Raxycodium pulled it's massive body out of the ground with a bellowing roar, to which the alligator responded with a threatening, guttural growl. The Raxycodium answered this challenge with a deafening growl of it's own as it firmly stood it's ground.

Predictably, the alligator made the first move and galloped towards it's armored foe with jaws wide open and ready to taste Raxycodium flesh once more. The plant had anticipated this move however, and lashed out with one of it's armored forelimbs, striking the alligator in the side of the head and sending it off course. The huge reptile smashed head first into a glass office building, shattering the elegant structure in a shower of shards. The Raxycodium followed up this attack with a stream of thick resin sap that hardened instantly on contact with the Alligator's skin, locking it's left hindlimb in place in shackles of glittering resin.

Again the Raxycodium attacked, charging forward and plowing into the reptile, demolishing the rest of the glass building and pushing it into the next street. The sheer weight of these creatures carved enormous trenches in the asphalt as they collided with one another. The alligator finally retaliated by biting down on one of the Raxycodium's forelimbs; small splinters and chunks of bark were thrown into the air from the bite, however aside from this superficial damage the armor held firm. The Raxycodium retaliated with a bite of it's own, opening it's beaked mouth and clamping down on the alligator's neck with enough force to break through it's armored hide and send rivers of blood trickling from the wound. The alligator bellowed in pain as the plant bit down harder, flesh and osteoderms crunching under the pressure the mutant's jaws were exerting.

The reptile thrashed wildly, snapping it's jaws at any part of the Raxycodium it could reach until finally, it bit down on a large wooden protrusion on the Raxycodium's left flank. With a twist of it's neck, the beast broke the protrusion off along with a chunk of armor on the Raxycodium. However in doing so, it made the Raxycodium's beak tear an even deeper gash into it's neck. The reptile lashed out with it's tail and used it's secondary jaws to clamp down on the plant-beast's hind limb, which it then used to pull the leg out from under the plant and knock it off balance. The plant finally let go as the alligator charged in as it's enemy fell, knocking aside vehicles and traffic lights. The Raxycodium blasted the beast with a cloud of pollen that stopped the reptile in it's tracks.

The plant opened it's jaws once again and unraveled several thick vines ending in snapping jaws that struck like serpents, as though they had minds of their own. These hideous extensions of the Raxycodium bit down into the gash on the reptile's neck and began ripping away more and more flesh from the weeping wound. The alligator whined in pain before using it's secondary set of jaws to bite down on these pseudo-tongues and pulping them in a single bite. The jaw pulled away and tore them away from the Raxycodium as bright orange blood sprayed out from the plant's jaws and showered the pavement below. The alligator blindly galloped towards the rising Raxycodium, it's eyes barely recovering and only able to perceive it's enemy as a blurry silhouette.

The two beasts collided with enough force to create a shockwave that made glass shatter and cars jump in the air. The mutant beasts tumbled across the ground before crashing into a massive apartment building and coming to a stop. The beasts bit and struck at one another, causing heavy damage to the apartment building they fought in front of. At last the foundations gave way and the building came crashing down onto the two mutants with a metallic groan. The beasts shrieked as the thousands of tons of steel and concrete buried them alive. No sooner had the building collapsed did the rubble already stir with violent activity. Within moments both creatures erupted from the rubble: the Raxycodium with it's jaws wide open for a bite and the alligator with it's tail poised to strike. With a flex of it's powerful tail muscles, the beast hit the incoming Raxycodium with enough raw force to crack the creature's bark beak and fling it's body into the next apartment block in the complex.

The Raxycodium collided with the apartment building with enough force to carve an immense hole in the side of the building. Right as it was about to get up, it's chemical sensor detected it's enemy right on top of it, but it was far too late: the alligator mustered all it's strength into a devastating bite to the Raxycodium's midsection. No amount of armor could protect this vulnerable point as the alligator entered a death roll, carving a huge trench in the concrete and asphalt as the Raxycodium was flung wildly by the maneuver. The plant attempted to us it's finger-like vines to try and stop the attack by grabbing onto the ground or buildings, but was unsuccessful. There was a sickening wet crunch followed by the tearing of flesh as the alligator literally ripped the Raxycodium in half at the waist.

In a spastic reflex, the bisected mutant lashed out with one it's thick forelimbs like a morning star, landing a crippling blow to the alligator's jaw that fractured bone and dislocated it. Pale green ichor flooded the streets from the Raxycodium's severed lower half and upper half. The plant's regenerative properties kicked in and quickly began to seal the wound with transparent tissue that turned an opaque green. The alligator weakly attempted to open it's now limp, crooked jaws to hiss but found it barely responsive. Both creatures were heavily injured, but neither was willing to back down even as their bodies were wracked with oozing wounds.

The Raxycodium released a blast of pollen at the alligator, who turned it's head to the side and closed it's eyes to avoid getting the irritating substance in them. With it's enemy looking away, the plant discharged it's draining tendrils that poked into wounds and exposed flesh on the reptile. The vines began sapping the already exhausted creature of more energy, fat and muscle reserves quickly draining away as the reptile writhed in agony. It made one last ditch attempt to use it's secondary jaws to try and sever the vines, but even this act required more energy than the alligator had at it's disposal. Second by second the reptile began to look more and more skeletal and it's movements gradually ceased. The beast's heart rate slowed and slowed until finally, it beat one last time before going silent.

The Raxycodium reeled it's vines back into it's body, tearing them free from the desiccated corpse of the alligator which was now little more than an empty husk; it's eyes dried out and sunken into their sockets and it's bones visible beneath it's armored hide. The wounded Raxycodium dragged itself towards the beaches where the ground was softer before burrowing into the sand and disappearing underground. The corpse of the alligator and lower half of the Raxycodium were removed from the devastated areas of Miami and destroyed via napalm. Interestingly, the green ichor of the Raxycodium seemed to encourage plant growth wherever it fell. Mosses, lichens, weeds and vines rapidly grew in these areas and proved to be exceedingly difficult to remove save for incineration.

Description
Sex: None

Species: Hyper-evolved amalgamated plant

Location of origin: Everglades, Florida

Date encountered: May 19th, 1978

Total height: 14 meters (48ft)

Total weight: 558 metric tons

Threat level: High

Aggression level: High

Known mutations:

-Retractable tongue-like stems ending in a snapping set of jaws. Acquired from Soldier segment.

-Large beak-like jaws made of a thick bark. Can exert over 700 tons of force in a single bite. Evolved from Soldier segment.

-Enhanced sensory organs on both sides of head. Work in an identical fashion as those of the Sentry segment it once used.

-Thin sheets of bark armor along it's back. Acquired from Soldier segment.

-Flexible legs that can be used as tentacles to snare enemies. Legs are lined with sharp thorns to cut into snared prey.

-Able to fire several barbed vines from holes in it's sides. Functionally identical to those on the Soldier segment.

-Can release a stream of highly irritating pollen from mouth. Pollen causes severe itching of the eyes and skin, and can cause respiratory difficulties. Used to blind and disorient enemies. Believed to be an adaptation of the Hijacker's spore pods.

-Able to burrow through the ground in a corkscrew fashion by using it's thorns and beak. Can tunnel through loose dirt at approximately 45 miles per hour.

-Short tail lined with sharp spines.

-Advanced regeneration.

-Able to influence rapid plant growth.

-Can enter a short period of suspended animation to heal and evolve

-Able to spew an adhesive resin that dries on contact.

History:

After the destruction of the original Raxycodium, the threat of the super-intelligent plant seemed to finally be over. However though the brain of the creature had been destroyed, the hive consciousness of the mutant had survived by transferring itself into the body of one of it's minions: a single Soldier segment served as a vessel for the beast's consciousness. Detaching itself from the umbilical root that connected it to it's old body, the creature escaped into the Everglades. The mutant had anticipated that the humans would return to this area to make sure that it was dead as well as to salvage what they could of it.

In order to restore itself to a stronger, more survivable state, it would need time to grow. Not only this, but it would also need to radically alter it's physical form in order to survive. It's original stationary form was too vulnerable despite the multitude of segments at it's disposal. It would need a body that could defend itself without outside help and move at will if need be. The beast rooted itself into the ground and hid among thick foliage to avoid detection if the humans happened to come this way, which it didn't expect them to. Slowly but surely, the roots it planted into the ground would begin to rapidly grow and take on the form of a hulking, four-legged body.

Vines twisted, wrapped and joined together to give it's body shape and structure. Plant tissue liquified and reshaped itself into forms both new and familiar to it. This process occurred rapidly over the course of several days, and within that timeframe it had already grown to a deceptively immense size: The head was barely visible on the surface, but the rest of the body was underground, waiting for the chemical impulses to activate and emerge. Not sensing any threats in the area and thus no immediate need to leave, the reborn mutant remained in the dense swamps where it absorbed water and sunlight like any plant for the time being.

This rest would soon be disrupted by the presence of another mutant being pursued by the US Military. An enormous mutant alligator had been carving a path of destruction though several towns and cities in search of food, causing immense damage wherever it went. The creature would seek refuge in the huge swamps of the Everglades, which would hopefully hamper it's human pursuers in their search. However it wouldn't be long before the humans caught up with it and re-engaged their target. The loud commotion of the battle would awaken the dormant Raxycodium that was still rooted nearby, it's massive body releasing chemical signals to spur it back into action.

The plant life around the humans and their mutant for suddenly took on a life of their own, grasping and lashing out at their perceived enemies. Several swamp vines coiled around the alligator's mouth to prevent it from biting as well as it's limbs to keep it from moving. Several more vines attempted to sequester the human's weapons from them, but were met with gunfire that blasted them apart. In an attempt to free itself, the alligator entered a death roll to tear the vines out from the ground. The reptile thrashed and flailed as one by one the vines tore apart. The ground began to tremble, knocking the human soldiers off balance and onto the ground and causing the water to jump violently.

The Raxycodium's head emerged from the foliage from which it was hiding and hovered in the air, casting a shadow over the onlooking humans. The ground split open, water flooding into the cracks as the creature's hulking form revealed itself in full caked in mud and dirt. The plant-beast stood on four thick limbs resembling masses of fused vines. Several holes lined the sides of the creature's torso surrounded by soft, violet colored flesh. Branching sensory organs of a neon yellow color flanked both sides of it's armored head, the structures taking in the chemical signatures of both the alligator and the humans.

It was very much acquainted with the smell of humans; it had underestimated these tiny beings once, but it was now fully aware of the true threat they posed. However the other smell was so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. It was similar to a type of creature it had consumed before, adding desirable traits from it into it's own genome. The mutant reptile seemed to be aware of this vague connection, sensing it's own kind within the newcomer. The reptile hesitated for a moment, confused and unsure as to what it what stood before it. The Raxycodium had no interest in bonding over a distant relation to one another and lashed out with one of it's forelimbs, using the thick appendage like a club to batter the reptile over the head with.

The blow snapped the reptile out of it's curious state and thrust it into a berserk rage, galloping towards it's attacker at surprising speed for something it's size. Quickly noting chemical disturbances in the air, the Raxycodium opened it's beak-like jaws and exposed the multi-hued inside of it's mouth that dripped with foul liquids. Once the alligator was close enough, the Raxycodium released a blast of orange pollen from the back of it's threat that engulfed the alligator entirely. The effects were immediate; the reptile's eyes and nostrils burned incessantly, it's lungs grew taxed as it inhaled large quantities of the pollen with each breath. The pollen made the creature's lungs burn and itch, sending the creature into a thrashing frenzy as it was unable to comprehend what was happening to it. Pressing it's advantage, the plant lashed out with it's forelimbs like a whip, striking the reptile in the side of the head and smashing it's face into the ground.

The plant attacked again, coiling it's fingers together and flushing fluids into it's forelimbs to increase it in size like a sponge absorbing water. With it's new club-like limb, the mutant brought the appendage down on the alligator right as it was lifting it's head out of the mud. The blow send the creature's face smashing into the mud once again, but now the creature was genuinely irritated by this attacker. Blinded and enraged, the alligator opened it's jaws and lunged at the plant as it attempted to strike again. The reptile's jaws found their mark and clamped down hard on the mutant's limb; so hard in fact, that the Raxycodium's limb utterly exploded from the sheer force of the bite. Pale green fluids showered the ground below as the Raxycodium recoiled from the loss of it's limb.

Not letting it's opponent take a moment of rest, the alligator galloped forward and rammed into the plant creature and knocking it off it's feet and sending it crashing into the watery mud of the swamp. The reptile's immense weight prevented the Raxycodium from standing back up, flailing it's thorny limbs like whips at the creature in an attempt to get it off. The alligator's thick armor ensured that such feeble attempts would not deter it from it's assault; it tilted it's head at an angle and bit down on the Raxycodium's torso with a wet crunch that sprayed chlorophyll onto the ground. The plant's body held firm for now, allowing the creature to retaliate by launching numerous vines from pulsating holes in it's sides; each vine tipped with barbed points.

The pointed vines slithered through the air on their own accord, guided by the controlling intelligence of the Raxycodium itself as it sought out a soft spot in it's enemy's armor. The probing fingers became a balled fist as the tendrils found exposed, mutated tissue where the sharp barbs deeply imbedded themselves into the flesh and immediately began to drain vital fluids from it's enemy. The mutated reptile could feel it's life being sucked away from it, but it had surprises of it's own; the alligator lifted it's forked tail and the end split open to reveal another set of crocodilians jaws. With a flex of it's powerful tail, the mutant launched the appendage forward and the jaws bit down on the vampiric vines and snapped them off easily.

Changing it's target, the secondary jaws bit into the holes in the sides of the mutant plant, crunching into the soft flesh of it's enemy and pulling away a huge slab of tissue that dripped with ichor. The jaws continued to bite and tear into the reptile's plant-based foe. The Raxycodium understood that the fight was quickly turning against it, and it would need to quickly flee the area to recover and calculate it's next move. The Raxycodium spat out another stream of pollen at the alligator right as the beast was about to take another bite, filling it's mouth and lungs with the irritating pollen. The alligator immediately reacted to the burning substance, rolling off of the Raxycodium.

As the alligator thrashed around in the mud as it's eyes once again burned with the pollen, the Raxycodium pushed it's head into the mud and began to rotate it's body in a corkscrew fashion in order to quickly tunnel through the ground. The massive reptile recovered from the searing spores just in time to see the Raxycodium disappear underground. The beast lunged and snapped at the plant's thorny tail, severing it from the creature's body with spurts of ichor. The creature swallowed the appendage whole and dug at the hole created by it's enemy in an attempt to dig the creature out, but quickly loses interest and heading deeper into the swamp.

The Raxycodium had not anticipated the presence of another large organism like itself, let alone one that was so much stronger. It had expected to run into more human resistance as it had before, to which it was more that prepared to handle. However this encounter had been a valuable learning experience, as now it was aware of other organisms aside from humans that posed a threat to it. To this end, it would need to evolve once more, this time to fight an enemy with thick armor and a powerful bite, as well as immense strength. And so it's cells began to change and divide; DNA was altered or rewritten to accommodate new features it could use to combat this reptilian foe.

It's smooth green outer layer wrinkled and hardened into segmented bark plates to allow for greater protection without sacrificing mobility. To supplant this armor, sharp thorns grew from the rigid plates to add an offensive edge. The missing appendage quickly regenerated and also donned this new bark armor as well as other damage inflicted to it's body. Having acquired some genetic information on this enemy from when it briefly drained it, the Raxycodium determined that it could use this foe's main weapon against it: the muscle-like fibers lining the edges of it's mouth swelled in size to allow for a more devastating bite, along with the edges of it's beak-like jaws sharpening and hardening with a secreted resin.

With in 24 hours this process was complete and the Raxycodium was ready to face this threat to it's continued existence once more. The huge plant tunneled through the earth while releasing pheromones in hopes that if it couldn't find it's quarry, perhaps the creature would come to it instead. It wouldn't be long before the Raxycodium would get a chance to redeem itself: the mutant alligator was rampaging through Miami after having come in through the beach before making landfall. The enormous reptile smashed through buildings and vehicles in a berserk rage, snapping up any hapless victims that were unfortunate enough to cross it's path.

As this paradise city burned at the hands of this mutant, the ground below it began to crack and expand outward, geysers of dirt and dust spewing out into the air. The startled reptile hastily moved away from the buckling ground. Suddenly a huge armored head burst from the ground followed by two thick forelimbs covered in segmented bark plates. With one final heave, the Raxycodium pulled it's massive body out of the ground with a bellowing roar, to which the alligator responded with a threatening, guttural growl. The Raxycodium answered this challenge with a deafening growl of it's own as it firmly stood it's ground.

Predictably, the alligator made the first move and galloped towards it's armored foe with jaws wide open and ready to taste Raxycodium flesh once more. The plant had anticipated this move however, and lashed out with one of it's armored forelimbs, striking the alligator in the side of the head and sending it off course. The huge reptile smashed head first into a glass office building, shattering the elegant structure in a shower of shards. The Raxycodium followed up this attack with a stream of thick resin sap that hardened instantly on contact with the Alligator's skin, locking it's left hindlimb in place in shackles of glittering resin.

Again the Raxycodium attacked, charging forward and plowing into the reptile, demolishing the rest of the glass building and pushing it into the next street. The sheer weight of these creatures carved enormous trenches in the asphalt as they collided with one another. The alligator finally retaliated by biting down on one of the Raxycodium's forelimbs; small splinters and chunks of bark were thrown into the air from the bite, however aside from this superficial damage the armor held firm. The Raxycodium retaliated with a bite of it's own, opening it's beaked mouth and clamping down on the alligator's neck with enough force to break through it's armored hide and send rivers of blood trickling from the wound. The alligator bellowed in pain as the plant bit down harder, flesh and osteoderms crunching under the pressure the mutant's jaws were exerting.

The reptile thrashed wildly, snapping it's jaws at any part of the Raxycodium it could reach until finally, it bit down on a large wooden protrusion on the Raxycodium's left flank. With a twist of it's neck, the beast broke the protrusion off along with a chunk of armor on the Raxycodium. However in doing so, it made the Raxycodium's beak tear an even deeper gash into it's neck. The reptile lashed out with it's tail and used it's secondary jaws to clamp down on the plant-beast's hind limb, which it then used to pull the leg out from under the plant and knock it off balance. The plant finally let go as the alligator charged in as it's enemy fell, knocking aside vehicles and traffic lights. The Raxycodium blasted the beast with a cloud of pollen that stopped the reptile in it's tracks.

The plant opened it's jaws once again and unraveled several thick vines ending in snapping jaws that struck like serpents, as though they had minds of their own. These hideous extensions of the Raxycodium bit down into the gash on the reptile's neck and began ripping away more and more flesh from the weeping wound. The alligator whined in pain before using it's secondary set of jaws to bite down on these pseudo-tongues and pulping them in a single bite. The jaw pulled away and tore them away from the Raxycodium as bright orange blood sprayed out from the plant's jaws and showered the pavement below. The alligator blindly galloped towards the rising Raxycodium, it's eyes barely recovering and only able to perceive it's enemy as a blurry silhouette.

The two beasts collided with enough force to create a shockwave that made glass shatter and cars jump in the air. The mutant beasts tumbled across the ground before crashing into a massive apartment building and coming to a stop. The beasts bit and struck at one another, causing heavy damage to the apartment building they fought in front of. At last the foundations gave way and the building came crashing down onto the two mutants with a metallic groan. The beasts shrieked as the thousands of tons of steel and concrete buried them alive. No sooner had the building collapsed did the rubble already stir with violent activity. Within moments both creatures erupted from the rubble: the Raxycodium with it's jaws wide open for a bite and the alligator with it's tail poised to strike. With a flex of it's powerful tail muscles, the beast hit the incoming Raxycodium with enough raw force to crack the creature's bark beak and fling it's body into the next apartment block in the complex.

The Raxycodium collided with the apartment building with enough force to carve an immense hole in the side of the building. Right as it was about to get up, it's chemical sensor detected it's enemy right on top of it, but it was far too late: the alligator mustered all it's strength into a devastating bite to the Raxycodium's midsection. No amount of armor could protect this vulnerable point as the alligator entered a death roll, carving a huge trench in the concrete and asphalt as the Raxycodium was flung wildly by the maneuver. The plant attempted to us it's finger-like vines to try and stop the attack by grabbing onto the ground or buildings, but was unsuccessful. There was a sickening wet crunch followed by the tearing of flesh as the alligator literally ripped the Raxycodium in half at the waist.

In a spastic reflex, the bisected mutant lashed out with one it's thick forelimbs like a morning star, landing a crippling blow to the alligator's jaw that fractured bone and dislocated it. Pale green ichor flooded the streets from the Raxycodium's severed lower half and upper half. The plant's regenerative properties kicked in and quickly began to seal the wound with transparent tissue that turned an opaque green. The alligator weakly attempted to open it's now limp, crooked jaws to hiss but found it barely responsive. Both creatures were heavily injured, but neither was willing to back down even as their bodies were wracked with oozing wounds.

The Raxycodium released a blast of pollen at the alligator, who turned it's head to the side and closed it's eyes to avoid getting the irritating substance in them. With it's enemy looking away, the plant discharged it's draining tendrils that poked into wounds and exposed flesh on the reptile. The vines began sapping the already exhausted creature of more energy, fat and muscle reserves quickly draining away as the reptile writhed in agony. It made one last ditch attempt to use it's secondary jaws to try and sever the vines, but even this act required more energy than the alligator had at it's disposal. Second by second the reptile began to look more and more skeletal and it's movements gradually ceased. The beast's heart rate slowed and slowed until finally, it beat one last time before going silent.

The Raxycodium reeled it's vines back into it's body, tearing them free from the desiccated corpse of the alligator which was now little more than an empty husk; it's eyes dried out and sunken into their sockets and it's bones visible beneath it's armored hide. The wounded Raxycodium dragged itself towards the beaches where the ground was softer before burrowing into the sand and disappearing underground. The corpse of the alligator and lower half of the Raxycodium were removed from the devastated areas of Miami and destroyed via napalm. Interestingly, the green ichor of the Raxycodium seemed to encourage plant growth wherever it fell. Mosses, lichens, weeds and vines rapidly grew in these areas and proved to be exceedingly difficult to remove save for incineration.