Like Many Who Have Come Before (OPEN)

[bardbarous]

Who: Tachome Dhaume bardbarous and YOU!
What: Tuck is doing a moody set at a local bar and running the hell away from the ifrit prowling the streets at night looking to steal children.
When: Throughout October
Where: Trench bars and back alleys in the night
Content Warnings: Implied child endangerment

The Ghosts of Childhood Trauma Past

[ There comes a scream in the middle of the night that breaks the tenuous peace between the Trenchies and the shapes that lurk and plot in the shadows. Then, as suddenly as it began, it ceases. In the few hair-raising seconds that follow—nothing. But then another scream starts. A wailing that only grows when its owner sees what little's been left behind of their friend.

"What is it? Where'd it go?! Ahmar?"

"Ahmar's gone! Something took him!"

"Cecily? Cecily!"

Street by street the same song and dance plays over and over; always in pairs. Something is raiding the alleyways terrorizing the street urchins open to the elements.

Tuck knows exactly what that "something" is. He knew the second he heard that blood-curdling scream. It transports him right back to his childhood years as he clutched his bag of saffron that kept him safe from the demons.

He's headed in the opposite direction of the wailing, his long strides sending tremors through the sidewalks with every heavy step. ]

Get off the streets! There's ifrit! They'll steal your children!

[ Whether you heard those screams or not, you'll definitely see this giant mountain of a man storming your way. ]

Comments

[bardbarous]

[ Well, that personal problem is about to become Loki's. Tuck's on a terrified war path, and he won't be changing trajectory for some pencil-neck standing in his way. Like a charging bull, he lowers his head and easily hefts the man onto his shoulder like a nerdy bag of dirt. ]

Are you fucking deaf? Get off the street!

[ He's, uh, not letting go. You're here for the duration, dude, until he finds a wooden bridge. ]

[destabilizing]

[ Of all the things Loki might have expected, being picked up just isn't one of them and as he braces himself to be crashed into, he is instead swept up with a startled and undignified yelp. ]

Put me down, you oaf!

[ He won't make this easy for Tuck, either, so he's a wiggling and struggling bundle on the man's broad shoulders and he might just be getting a little cold to the touch as well. ]

[bardbarous]

[ Wiggle all you want, nerd! These pythons are made of steel! And his skin is worn leather! And his beard... probably has cracker crumbs still stuck in it. ]

I'm saving your life! I'm... I'm helping...! [ Ohhh man, he's starting to get winded. Oh fuck. He's still running, but Tuck is starting to slow down from a stitch in his side. ] We gotta... gotta get on a wood bridge.

[destabilizing]

What? Why wood?

[ He'll actually stop wiggling now, because he's just curious. Also very few people have ever put so much effort into saving his life, mistaken or not. ]

Are these things afraid of wood?

[bardbarous]

They can't pass it! [ He's wheezing at this point, each stepping growing more and more sluggish. ] Ohhh fuck! Ohhh, I'm cramping. Ffuuu— Gimme a second.

[ With all his strength and intimidating presence, he has no skill in cardio. ]

Fuuuck me!

[destabilizing]

Tell you what: Why don't you put me down and we can walk to a bridge. I don't think anything is following that closely.

[ Though it's hard to see flung over the big man's shoulder like this. ]

Also neither of us are children, but your concern for my well-being is noted.

[bardbarous]

Listen, if they run out of kids, they'll come for us. They don't care who they grab!

[ Thankfully for Loki, Tuck does put him down so he can put his head between his knees and breathe. ]


We should... we should be okay! [ It'd be easier just to tell the other man why, but words are hard when you're dying, so instead Tuck pulls out a small pouch from inside his loincloth. Better believe it's warm and sweaty. ]

[destabilizing]

[ Loki glances at the pouch. He is not touching that. ]

Well, I think anything dumb enough to try to grab me will be in for more than they bargained for.

[ He brushes his clothes off and pretends that Tuck hadn't literally just grabbed him and carried him off. ]

You seem a little misguided, though. I am a god.

[bardbarous]

Oh, cool. [ Yep, that's the best reaction he can give. He's busy opening his little pouch and taking out a pinch of something vibrantly red. ] I'm something of a rock god myself... .... ..... In, uh, certain circles.

I wrote Allison. So. [ NO BIG DEAL it was only a huge hit all across the principalities nbd nbd. ]

[destabilizing]

Are you? You don't appear to be made of stone. Are you under an illusion of some sort?

[ He reaches out to poke at Tuck's fleshy arm. ]

Or perhaps a delusion?

[bardbarous]

[ Touch away, nerd. Tuck flexes his biceps for the string bean to give him a little gun show. Pew pew!! ]

No, like music! Heavy metal, rock. Although stone is my bitch now! [ Behind his back, he pulls off the giant axe that glows a beautiful amethyst light. ] This axe basically shreds stone, so.

[ NO BIG DEAL, but he's really awesome. Tell him he's awesome. ]