[open] monstas!

[amberhearted]

Who: Alexander, open!
When: March 29th through the first week of April.
Where: Various locations in Locke City.
What: Encounters with the no-longer-quite-so-mundane item monsters both on and off the clock.
Warnings: tba!

Various prompts in the comments!

A: Playing cards versus Starbucks
B: Answering a monster-related 911 call
C: Bring your own adventure

Prompts are in prose, but it doesn't matter which format you use. I'll match!

Comments

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Fil wasn't stupid and as soon as he saw the opening Alex gave him he took it. He lunged forward, punting he King in the head with an upwards strike before dropping the metal mallet he was using and grabbing the axe-handle instead. Just in time too, to block another halberd strike from taking a swipe at his chest.

"Thanks!" He called out, feeling much better at having a weapon that he knew how to use properly in his hands.

[amberhearted]

In an attempt to avoid the tail end of the sweeping halberd strike, Alex leans backwards, but not enough. Still, the injury is superficial -- nothing impairing beyond the acute sting from receiving it.

Since he's adequately 'hydrated', the cut bleeds as one would expect -- not at all like the darker, thicker blood that resulted from the stab wound when Alex had been ravenous.

A shame about the shirt, though.

"No problem!" he calls back, intercepting the last Diamond aside from the Jack. "Now you can-- strut your stuff!"

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Fil wasn't even feeling his injuries anymore and later one he'll probably think it due to adrenaline. "Hell yeah!" With one clean stroke he beheaded the King before turning to herd Jack away from Alex; it was probably overkill, but he didn't one that one to get up again.

Darting quickly from left to right, he went down low for a strike against the Jack's legs, hoping to hamstring it permanently.

[amberhearted]

Well, Fil certainly wasted no time.

The axe cleaves through the Jack's legs like a warm knife through butter. The Jack immediately flops to the ground; the halberd clatters after him.

Meanwhile, Alex is holding his own against the final Diamond. Taking a cue from Fil, he ducks and swings the metal pipe into one of the Diamond's legs. The card goes down, struck unbalanced.

Chest heaving with heavy breaths, Alex lowers his weapon and takes a step back to catch his breath. He glances at Fil, automatically visually assessing his status. Blood on his arm and his leg.

"I got a- a first-aid kit in the back," he says, looking up at Fil's face.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Fil follows up with a strike on the back of both the Jack and the last Diamond doubly make sure they don't get back up.

He lowers his own weapon and meets Alex's eyes before nodding. "Yeah, sure, that'll be great." The wounds stings as he moves but otherwise doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore. "You should probably use it on yourself too. I know you got hit at least once yourself."

[amberhearted]

He lets out a drawn out, noncommittal noise from the back of his throat. No, that injury is already on the mend.

Rather than explain, he starts walking towards where his truck is parked, bidding Fil to follow with a wave of his free hand. "You got anywhere to be?" he asks a little loudly, to make up for the fact that he's faced away from Fil.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"Nah. It's Sunday. Normally I'd be sleeping in but..." Fil answered, giving a shrug. He didn't think anything of Alex facing away from him, too busy examining his own wounds.

"I really hope early morning attacks like these don't become the norm."

[amberhearted]

"You think Starbucks would hire some bodyguards? They got the money for it."

Having reached his truck, Sir Binklesworth, bless his soul, Alex lowers the metal pipe into the truck bed (because it isn't valuable and rare enough like yesterday's sword and spear to keep in the truck's interior) and opens one of the cab's doors to the backseat. His first aid kit is there, as is his sword -- previously, his other self's sword, hey -- in its leather sheathe, worn, but in decent condition.

For a human-made sword in the middle ages/early Renaissance, anyway.

"You wanna sit inside and I'll help you out," he says, motioning to the backseat. "I'm a paramedic, so theoretically, you're in good hands."

Smile!

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"More likely they'd provide self-defence lessons to their employees. Cheaper than hiring full-time body guards."

Fil leaned the axe in his hands against one of the tires of the truck. It wasn't a bad axe so he was definitely keeping that. Not that they lack bladed weapons in the house but another one won't cause too many raised eyebrows.

"Sure. And thanks. I've only got basic first-aid myself." He answered easily with a cheery grin and took the offered seat. "Nice sword you've got there.

[amberhearted]

"A relic from the middle ages or the Renaissance. I'm not sure which," he says, snaking an arm around Fil to grab the kit. "Let's get your sleeve rolled up and..."

He hesitates at the slash on Fil's leg. Hm.

"... we can clean up the one on your leg and put a pressure bandage on it-- same with your arm-- neither of them look very serious..." He begins removing the appropriate items as he speaks, handing some of the antiseptic wipes to Fil. "You start on your arm, I'll get your leg, and we can make like a drag team and get out of here in no time flat!"

Alex still has work, after all. He's fine with clocking in late, though. Being attacked by another wave of playing cards is a pretty legitimate reason for tardiness.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"I've got a matched set of swords at home myself. Found it underneath my bed one day." Fil admitted as he rolled up his sleeve as requested.

"Sounds good to me. You've got work to get to?" He began to clean the wound with the wipes, hissing a bit at the sting. After he finished. He took some of the offered bandage and began wrapping his arm.

"Hey, do you think Starbucks will make me another coffee for free?"

[amberhearted]

"Wh- Oh! You dropped yours, that's right... Dude, they totally will." Actually, Alex has proof to back up his claims (gut instinct and expectations don't cut it). Regardless, he continues, "How can they not? We fought on their behalf."

And with that, Fil is all patched up. Alex lightly slaps the back of his hand against Fil's uninjured leg to signal first-aid completion.

"T'was a glorious battle, and all such battles require merriment afterwards."

Merriment, in this case, means caffeine.

"I'll head back inside with you," he says, putting his kit away. "They got my coffee and, hopefully, not a bill for that chair..."

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"Great! I'm trying to cut down on Starbucks to three times a week rather than every day so if I miss this one I'll have to wait for two more days." Fil replied, visibly cheered by the news.

He finished the packing on his arm and rotated the shoulder experimentally.

"Don't worry, if they bill you for the chair, I'll pay half. I was involved, after all."

[amberhearted]

Alex let out a little chuckle. "Yeah? You're a pal, man."

After Fil hopped out of the truck, Alex locked it, saying, "I'm Alex, by the way."

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"Fair's fair." Fil answered with a shrug. "I'm Fil. Nice to meet you, even if it's the first time I had to fight off a pack of overgrown playing cards armed to the teeth." He shook his head wryly and reached the door of the Starbucks first, holding it open for Alex.