[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

[chalicejoker]

Hajime doesn't really know how one properly kills a playing card like this, so he pops a wheelie and just sort of bounces up and down on it, while trying to rub it out like it's a cigarette butt. "Not at all. They're not...I don't know, they're not right. Not monster enough."

[amberhearted]

An incognito Lord of the Bugmen bouncing up and down a playing card with his motorcycle. Even with all the hard-to-believe experiences and sights Alex has witnessed, the one before him is odd enough for him to pause and appreciate the absurdity of this situation.

He lifts a brow at Hajime's answer. "Not monster enough?" His gaze slides down to the felled cards again. After a brief moment of consideration, he says, "I guess so... They're more 'what the fuck-y' than 'monster-y'."

The observation is accompanied by a hand wiggle.

[chalicejoker]

"Yeah. They're...kind of offensive, actually." He sounds appropriately sheepish about that as he finishes snuffing the card out, because, really, getting this worked up over playing card monsters is just not right. But at least it doesn't look like the card's moving anymore. He can stop with the bouncing. "Probably better that than some of what I'm remembering...less collateral damage."

[amberhearted]

He starts gathering up the now-discarded weapons from the parking lot as Hajime answers, eyes narrowing in slight confusion.

With another sword in his other hand and a crowbar held in the crook of his elbow against his chest, he glances at Hajime over his shoulder and asks, "Why are less dangerous cards offensive to you?"

Less dangerous cards sounds great!

[chalicejoker]

"I...don't really know." Because that sounds really reassuring, right? Hajime is not at all reassured by it. "Like it's making me look bad, I think..."

He's watching Alex pick up the weapons. Weapons are a good distraction from the implications of relating oneself to walking playing cards. "What are you going to do with those, anyway?"

[amberhearted]

Maybe Hajime's other self was really proud to be a dangerous badass...?

Before Alex can voice his thought, Hajime continues forward to another topic. He shrugs, letting the transition run smoothly. "Keep 'em. As backup," he adds, lightly swinging the King's sword up, "since swords aren't exactly easy to come by in this day and age."

He nods towards the fallen spear. "You mind grabbing that one?"

[chalicejoker]

"Not a bad idea. Here's hoping they can't be traced to anyone..." He bent to pick up the spear before getting back on his motorcycle. "But do you know anything about fighting with spears?"

[amberhearted]

"Not a bit," he says lightly. Clearly, this lack of knowledge doesn't seem to faze him. "But someone else might. It won't hurt to have it on the ready."

Satisfied, he walks back to his truck, just assuming that Hajime will follow since he's got the spear. He opens the back door and carefully lays the weapons one by one onto the floor, keeping his own sword for last so he can re-sheathe it.

Belatedly, he asks, "Do you?"

[chalicejoker]

"Some sort of numbered armory?" Not that a spear and a crowbar and a baseball bat would be good for that much, but better than nothing.

"Nah. Right now, it's just the bike when I'm like this or my own two fists when I'm the...other way. It's all I need." He gave the bike a pat.

[amberhearted]

At that, he chuckles and holds his hand out for the spear. "You're a full on superhero, you know that? Not American-style, but you got the powers, the disguises, and the vehicle."

A pause.

"The bug-mobile. Bug-bike. Roachercycle."

[chalicejoker]

"Yeah, I guess so..." Being a superhero felt kind of silly, for the most part, though secretly pretty cool if Hajime stopped being so serious about everything. he was about to say something else, but then Alex had to go and name the bike.

"...Roachercycle." With the way Hajime is flatly repeating that, he does not seem to be amused by the name.

[amberhearted]

"Roachercycle."

Said like it ain't no thang as he slides the spear with the other weapons and swings the cab door shut. He holds out his hand for a handshake, continuing, "Thanks for your help, man. Things could've been a lot different if you hadn't popped in."

[chalicejoker]

No, Hajime should not dignify the word "Roachercycle" with a further response. Maybe he'd get lucky and Alex would forget about that. He did, however, accept that handshake. "Glad to do it--I don't like creatures like this running around terrorizing people any more than you do."

[amberhearted]

Alex tends to be bad with names. His assigned nicknames, however?

Hajime will be in for some disappointment.

After the handshake, he lifts his hand in a wave. "See you around, yeah?"

[chalicejoker]

Hajime can only hope the name of Roachercycle will be forgotten as he gets back on said Roachercycle. He gives Alex a lazy wave in return. Getting out of there before the cops arrive seems like a good idea. "Take care." With that, he sped off.