Gangreen's Muscle Soldiers 5

Scene 7
New Home
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The repainted dump truck was parked discreetly at a quiet campground, located amongst towering redwood trees. The cook, a Large man named Kevin, Busy around a portable propane stove, the sizzle of frying food filling the crisp morning air.

Professor Gangreen, Igor, and a still somewhat quiet Jason sat at a weathered outdoor dining bench. Walter, the nit-picky housekeeper who also doubled as their cleaner, brought over a hearty breakfast: plates piled high with fluffy scrambled eggs, sizzling sausages, golden pancakes, and bottles of maple syrup. Noticeably absent were any tomatoes or ketchup.

Barry, the quiet gardener, and Arthur, the ever-efficient cleaner, had already eaten and were working on repainting the dump truck a less obvious shade of brown, their brushes moving with practiced strokes.

"Professor," Igor announced, his voice hushed with excitement, "I think I've found the perfect place." He presented a frayed map on the table. "A ranch. Way out in the countryside, far from any major city. It's cheap – practically giving it away. Apparently, the property's been sitting there for decades, no one willing to buy it because the location is… inconvenient." He tapped a remote spot on the map with a thick finger. "But for us, Professor, that's a plus!"

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Breakfast was finished in reasonable silence, the only sounds the clinking of silverware and the chirping of birds in the nearby trees. Jason ate quietly; his gaze distant. Once the newly applied brown paint on the dump truck was dry enough to travel, they packed up their light belongings, ready to leave the campground and meet the real estate agent who held the keys to their potential new hideout.

The transaction was swift and ordinary. The agent, an overweight man with a relieved smile, seemed almost overjoyed to finally get rid of the forgotten property. Papers were signed, cash exchanged, and a set of rusty keys changed hands. It was clear he considered this a lucky escape.

The drive to the ranch took them down winding country roads, far from any signs of civilization. When they finally arrived, the property was a harsh contrast to the manicured campground. A large pond shimmered under the afternoon sun, surrounded by stretched-out, untamed fields dotted with mature trees. The landscape possessed a wild, natural beauty, yet the ranch itself was clearly run-down and unmaintained.

Dominating the scene was the manor house, a structure as large as a castle but with the decaying air of a haunted house. Broken windows stared out like empty eyes, and wide doorways indicated at missing doors. Maintaining such a vast estate would typically cost a fortune, but Professor Gangreen likely already had plans to utilize his unusual staff, tasking the enhanced tomato beings with the endless labor of upkeep.

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The first order of business for Professor Gangreen was establishing a new base of operations. "Igor!" he barked, gesturing towards the vast, dust-filled rooms of the manor. "With Walter and Kevin, find a suitable space for a temporary laboratory. Somewhere with decent light, if such a thing exists in this wreck." His mind was already racing with the calculations for creating a new batch of his unique workforce.

He turned to Barry and Arthur. "You two will assist them in setting up. Efficiency is key! We need four more… assistants… and they need to be operational quickly." His plan was to double their workforce, ensuring tasks could be completed at an even faster pace.

As the tomato-based staff, guided by Igor, began the initial sweep of the decaying manor, clearing away debris and spiderwebs, Igor himself climbed back into the newly repainted dump truck. "Supplies!" Gangreen called after him. "Get what we need to make this place habitable! Lumber, glass, tools… and for heaven's sake, something to board up those wide doorways!" The work of reclaiming the forgotten ranch had begun.

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Restoration

The eight tomato-based staff moved with an unnatural, tireless efficiency. By the time Igor returned a few hours later, the interior of the decaying manor had already undergone a significant transformation. Dust and debris were cleared, spiderwebs banished, and the vast, echoing rooms coming back to life. Igor unloaded the supplies – stacks of lumber, panes of glass, boxes of nails, and various tools – as Kevin, the cook, prepared a late meal on a portable stove.

After a quick, silent meal, the tomato staff resumed their work on the broken manor, their movements fluid and tireless under the dim light filtering through the remaining windows. As darkness deepened, Professor Gangreen, Igor, and Jason retreated outside. They setup a small tent on a reasonably clear patch of ground. It was an unusual anomaly that Jason, despite his own tomato-based origins, possessed the human need for sleep, a biological oddity that set him apart from the tireless drones. As the others continued their work within the shadowy confines of the manor, Jason drifted off to sleep in the tent, the sounds of the tireless cleaning echoing softly in the night.

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The morning sun, rising over the untamed landscape, greeted Professor Gangreen and a still-sleepy Jason with the aroma of Kevin's cooking. Breakfast was ready – a simple but healthy spread laid out on a temporary table. A few of the tomato-based staff paused in their tireless work to partake in their nutrient paste, while the others continued their renovations with determined focus.

The progress was already taking shape. Broken windows were now replaced with salvaged glass, and rough, temporary doors hung in the wide doorways, offering an appearance of security. Several of the staff were actively working on the manor's decaying plumbing and gutter system, their movements precise and efficient.

One of the more… organized… tomato staff had even taken the ambition to sketch out floor plans of the stretched-out manor. Using charcoal salvaged from the old fireplace, he presented the various design options to Professor Gangreen, laying the rough drawings on a dusty table.

However, Gangreen barely glanced at the proposed layouts. His mind was entirely occupied with the planning of his next experiments. "The aesthetics are irrelevant," he declared, waving a dismissive hand. "My only concern is identifying a suitable location for the new laboratory. Somewhere secure, well-ventilated… and with ample space for… expansion." He then gestured towards Jason, who was quietly eating his breakfast. "Let the boy decide on the design. His… human sensibilities… are better suited for such unimportant matters."

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Jason carefully studied the floor plans, his brow wrinkled in thought. Finally, he pointed a small finger at the area designated for the garden and greenhouse. "The greenhouse needs to be much bigger," he stated with a surprising firmness.

New designs were quickly drafted by the busy tomato staff, incorporating Jason's request. When presented with the revisions, Jason's eyes lit up as he pointed to a section of the manor's vast layout. "And this," he declared, circling a large area with his finger, "should have extra-large bathtubs. For when the really big soldiers come later. They'll need them."

Then, a new idea sparked in his mind. He looked up at Professor Gangreen with a serious expression. "Professor, this place is huge! Why don't we make it like a fortress? Can we have a moat all around the house? Like in the fairytales?" He pointed to the vast open area in the center, already designated for the expanded garden and greenhouse. "And a big gate with a bridge in front! It would be so cool!"

Professor Gangreen stroked his chin, a sparkle of amusement in his eye. "A moat, you say? And a drawbridge? Hmm. strange, but certainly… impressive. Very well, Jason. You have my green light. It will certainly add another layer of defense."

Igor gathered three of the tomato assistants. "Alright, you three! Let's go. We need to find a supplier for… fortress-building materials," he grumbled, clearly anticipating a much more complicated shopping trip than their previous lumber run.
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New Soldiers

Meanwhile, unaware to Jason's grand architectural plans, Professor Gangreen remained occupied in his research within the temporary laboratory. His latest creations stood silently in a corner: two imposing figures, slightly smaller in stature than the "horny" soldiers but still powerfully built. They wore camouflage military pants without shirts, their muscular chests and arms bare, and heavy boots. Each carried an intimidating machine gun, with an collection of additional weaponry strapped to their legs and backs. For now, Gangreen could only produce these two, their construction less resource-intensive than their more durable, libido-driven counterparts. Though their toughness might be lower, their sheer muscularity was undeniably intimidating, and their handsome, almost chiseled features added an unsettling element to their imposing presence. Gangreen had them begin patrolling the perimeter of the property, a silent, heavily armed vanguard.

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The transformation of the decaying ranch into a functional, although somewhat unusual, fortress progressed steadily. The tireless efforts of the eight tomato-based staff made sure that most of the living areas were now clean and surprisingly comfortable. Temporary repairs had given way to more permanent fixes, and the house began to regain an appearance of its former glory. Modern convenience, powered by a generator Igor had acquired, were slowly being integrated.

Professor Gangreen, ever focused on his research, relocated his laboratory to a more secure, underground section of the manor, accessible only through a reinforced steel door. Here, shielded from prying eyes, he continued his experiments.

Outside, the silhouette of their expanding fortress began to take shape. Two sturdy guard towers had been erected on top of the fortress, manned by the two handsome, muscular soldiers, their machine guns held at the ready. Plans for two additional towers were drawn up, awaiting the arrival of more construction materials.

During a quiet dinner, consisting of simple rations prepared by Kevin, Jason spoke up, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Professor, I planted some of the seeds… you know… from the other soldiers… in the greenhouse today." He looked optimistically at Gangreen. "I hope something will grow soon." A strange mix of curiosity and perhaps a touch of innocent ambition shined in his eyes.

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New Tomatoes

Eager to see the results of his planting, Jason actively watered the garden and, remembering the unusual properties of the "horny" soldiers, decided to use some of their leftover white fluid as fertilizer for a section of the greenhouse.

Within a week, a surprising number of tomato plants had sprung up – nearly a dozen, their growth unnaturally rapid. Among the healthy, standard-looking tomato vines, one plant stood out. It produces a bizarre collection of fruit. Instead of the familiar round shape, these tomatoes came in a variety of strange geometric forms: sharp triangles, perfect squares, stretched cylinders. Yet, despite their unusual shapes, they all shared the same striking characteristic – a metallic sheen to their deep red surfaces.

Excited by this unexpected progress, Jason carefully harvested a few of the strange tomatoes and rushed to Professor Gangreen's underground laboratory. "Professor! Look what grew!" he exclaimed, presenting the odd, metallic fruit.

Gangreen's eyes widened, a spark of intense excitement igniting within them. He snatched one of the triangular tomatoes, turning it over in his gloved hands, his usual disinterest in gardening completely forgotten. "Incredible!" he muttered, his voice filled with a newfound enthusiasm. "The… genetic material… it's far more potent and unpredictable than I anticipated!" He looked at Jason, a rare smile spreading across his face. "This, my boy, this is a breakthrough!"

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Professor Gangreen, his original disappointment fading into a renewed scientific curiosity, barked orders at Igor. "The squarish one! Dip it!" Igor, without question, submerged one of the geometrically shaped, metallic-red tomatoes into a bubbling container of green toxic waste. Gangreen then carefully placed the tomato into the transformation chamber, the humming of its machinery filling the underground lab. He inserted a quarter into the old jukebox, and the sounds of loud rock music filled the air as the transformation process began.

When the chamber hissed open, the result was undeniably strange. A miniature, metallic replica of heavy machinery sat on the platform. It was the size of a child's toy, yet incredibly  detailed, complete with tiny gears and articulated parts. Gangreen examined it with a serious eye, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Hmmph. Strange."

Unconvinced, he pointed to one of the triangular tomatoes. "Try this one, Igor!" The process was repeated – toxic dip, chamber, rock music. This time, the transformation yielded a similarly scaled-down object: a detailed, metallic model of a military missile system, featuring multiple launch slots. It looked like a child's toy version of a fearsome weapon. Gangreen's disappointment was evident.

Finally, he selected one of the cylindrical tomatoes. "The long one now!" The transformation chamber whirred once more, the rock music providing its bizarre soundtrack. The resulting object was even more mysterious – a miniature, metallic device that seemed ripped straight from the pages of a science fiction novel, some kind of futuristic weapon with glowing tubes and complicated, energy emitters, all scaled down to the size of a child's plaything.

With a sigh, Gangreen gathered the three miniature metallic objects. "Useless for my purposes," he muttered, handing them to Jason. "Here, boy. Play with these."

Jason's face lit up with delight. He carefully took the strange, toy-like creations and hurried off to his room, where he proudly arranged them on a shelf along the wall, adding them to his growing collection of oddities.

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The following day, the silhouette of the fortified ranch was even more pronounced. The final two guard towers now stood sentinel at the corners of the fortress, an evidence to the tireless work of the tomato-based staff. Following Gangreen's orders, Igor had created two more of the handsome, muscular soldiers, and they now stood guard in the newly erected towers, their machine guns held at the ready.

These soldiers, unlike their constantly aroused counterparts, required no rest. Jason actively took care of their needs, bringing them water, nutrient paste prepared by Kevin, and a specialized cocktail made by the Professor. They were far easier to manage than the "horny" ones, their behavior more strict and focused.

However, Jason couldn't help but notice that even these disciplined soldiers displayed a physical response to his presence. As he approached with their rations, a noticeable protrusion would appear in their camouflage pants. While their erections were not on the same colossal scale as the others, they were still undeniably large. The soldiers maintained a professional distance, offering only a flex of their impressive biceps or a nod of gratitude to Jason, which often caused the boy to blush. Jason couldn't help but wonder if they, too, possessed the same invulnerability when aroused.

Later that day, while tending to the strangely productive metallic tomato plant in the greenhouse, Jason discovered a new anomaly. This metallic tomato was significantly larger than the others, and its shape was obvious diamond-like. Its metallic red surface gleamed under the greenhouse lights, and it felt surprisingly heavy in his hand. His curiosity rises, Jason carefully plucked it from the vine, eager to show his unusual find to Professor Gangreen.

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Professor Gangreen's reaction to the diamond-shaped metallic tomato was a great disinterest. Jason's hopeful expression, hinting at a grand, toy-like creation, went unnoticed. "Igor," Gangreen grumbled, already turning back to his research notes, "just process it. Get it over with."

Igor dipped the unusual tomato into the bubbling toxic waste and placed it within the transformation chamber. The familiar sound of rock music filled the underground lab as the process commenced.

When the chamber hissed open, Jason's eyes widened with excitement, while Gangreen simply glanced over his shoulder with a sigh. A children's playset sat on the platform – a detailed miniature of a military G.I. Joe command outpost, complete with tiny bunkers and communication equipment. However, upon closer inspection, a strange anomaly became apparent. The playset featured a complex network of blinking lights, far beyond pure decoration. It seemed to possess some kind of functional radar system.

Gangreen, unimpressed, simply handed the playset to Jason. "There you go, boy. Have fun." He shook his head, muttering, "Kids."

Jason, thrilled with his new toy, carefully carried the surprisingly heavy playset back to his room. As he began to arrange the tiny figures and explore its features, the blinking lights caught his attention. Something about their pattern seemed intentional, not random. Curious, he found a magnifying glass and examined the surface of the playset more closely. To his astonishment, the blinking lights weren't just lights. Under magnification, they look like tiny illuminated points on a highly detailed map fixed onto the playset's surface. It appeared to be a real, functional tracking system. Excited by this discovery, Jason looked for Igor. "Igor," he asked, "when you go shopping next, can you get me some modeling supplies? Tweezers, tiny brushes, and stuff?" His mind was already buzzing with the possibilities of this extraordinary new toy.

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Impatient for his modeling tools, Jason carefully began manipulating the tiny dials and buttons on the playset with a thin dental floss pick. He noticed one particular blinking light on the complex map that seemed to follow a consistent pattern, unlike the others that flickered randomly. He couldn't decipher its meaning.

Deciding he needed expert insight, Jason approached Professor Gangreen in his underground lab. "Professor," he asked hesitantly, "can I borrow one of the soldiers for a little bit?"

Gangreen looked up from his experiments, his brow wrinkled. "Borrow? Why on earth would you need one of them?"

"I… I need some military knowledge," Jason explained, holding up the playset. "And some advice."

Gangreen sighed. "Fine, fine. Just don't bring him down here, and for heaven's sake, don't get him… excited."

Jason, relieved, hurried to where the two handsome soldiers stood guard. He led one of them to his room and eagerly presented the playset, handing him the magnifying glass. "Do you know what this blinking light means?" he asked, pointing to the repeated dot of light on the tiny map.

The soldier, unable to speak, could only offer a low growl. His facial expressions were limited, primarily designed for intimidation, and smiling was clearly not within his skills. He attempted to answer using military hand gestures, a series of sharp movements and pointed fingers.

Jason struggled to interpret the silent communication. He frowned in concentration, trying to match the gestures to any military language he might have overheard. Finally, he pointed at the blinking light again. "This… this is showing something very important on the map, right?"

The soldier, seemingly frustrated by the communication barrier, gave up on the gestures. Instead, he struck a classic double bicep pose, his impressive muscles bulging. A noticeable straining appeared in the fabric of his camouflage pants.

Understanding the non-verbal confirmation, Jason led the soldier back to Professor Gangreen. He tried to explain the blinking light and the soldier's reaction, but the professor was equally confused by the silent military signals.

"Damn it," Gangreen muttered, rubbing his temples. "Igor isn't busy. Igor! Assist the boy with his… military toys." Igor, ever the dutiful assistant, shuffled over, a look of mild confusion on his face.

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Jason eagerly handed the magnifying glass to Igor, pointing out the consistently blinking light on the complicated map of the playset. The soldier, with a series of nods and husky confirmations, made it clear that the blinking light signified something significant on the tiny map.

"It's important, Igor!" Jason exclaimed, his voice filled with a newfound urgency. "Something's at the place where that light is blinking!" He then looked hopefully at Igor. "Can you take one of the soldiers with you to go search that area?"

Professor Gangreen, who had been observing the exchange with a mixture of annoyance and faint curiosity, interrupted. "Absolutely not! The soldiers are here to guard the property. We can't just send them off on some wild goose chase based on a child's toy."

He then turned to Igor. "However… perhaps there's no harm in a quick investigation. Igor, take three of the… less serious… staff members with you. And," he added, his gaze hardening slightly, "take some of the weaponry. Just in case you encounter any… unforeseen resistance." He gestured towards a rack of rough but functional weapons the tomato staff had fashioned from scrap metal. "Be discreet, and report back puntually."

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As Igor and the three tomato staff prepared to depart, Jason slipped the guarding soldier a few extra portions of the special plant food, a silent gesture of thanks for his non-verbal assistance. The soldier responded with a low rumble of what Jason interpreted as gratitude before returning to his post in the guard tower.

Jason watched the repainted dump truck rolling down the long driveway and disappear beyond the trees. Then, his curiosity light up once more, he headed back inside the manor towards the greenhouse.

He discovered several more of the oddly shaped metallic tomatoes, each one distinct from the others he had previously harvested. This time, he carefully picked five, each with a unique and unusual shape.

Jason arrived at Professor Gangreen's underground laboratory. "Professor," he asked hesitantly, holding up the metallic tomatoes, "can I use the transformation chamber?"

Gangreen, occupied in his research, looked up with a scowl. He wasn't thrilled with the interruption, but a resentful agreement escaped his lips. Perhaps, he thought, it would be beneficial for the boy to learn the basics of operating the machinery. "Fine, fine. Just don't break anything."

One by one, Jason repeated the familiar process: toxic dip, placement in the chamber, a quarter in the jukebox, and the loud acoustics of rock music filling the lab. Five times the chamber hummed and hissed, and five times Jason retrieved a new, miniature metallic creation.

His latest acquisitions were even more diverse: a tiny but detailed boring machine, a miniature excavator with articulated arm, a scaled-down heavy artillery cannon, a toy-like modern pickup truck, and a small bulldozer with functional treads.

Excited by his growing collection, Jason hurried back to his room, carefully carrying his new treasures. Professor Gangreen, meanwhile, could only shake his head in irritated silence, muttering about the boy's silly pursuits.

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