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

[destabilizing]

[ Screams aren't very concerning for Loki, at least not lately. It seems that everyone takes this season very seriously and between that and the fact that there do seem to be monsters about, Loki isn't going to do much more than glance up when he hears yelling or screaming or crashing. At worst, he'll slip away if he sees danger. ]

Well, it's a good thing I haven't got any children then, isn't it?

[ So he's just going to stand there calmly and let Tuck yell his head off. It really does seem like a personal problem. ]

[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. ]

[schoolingfish]

I...but what about...

[There's a small, pale and terrified kid, and yet defying all logic he's taking a few steps in the direction of the screams.]

Maybe we can still help them!

[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.

[bardbarous]

[ The little boy is scooped up like a fumbled football under one of Tuck's arms. He continues barreling forward deflecting other Trenchies in his way. Any professional linebacker would be proud of the barbarian's technique. ]

It's too late! They're gone! We gotta get to 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.

[schoolingfish]

[Luca lets him scoop him up and doesn't struggle. He figures if there's a monster out there, there's not much he's going to be able to do about it so he should probably stick with this guy. He does have questions, though.]

A wood bridge? How's that going to help?

[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. ]

[bardbarous]

Look, trust me! It's part of the nursery rhyme! Ifrit can't cross 'em.

[ The problem is, Tuck's got no clue where the closest bridge is, let alone if it's wood. Plus all the lumbering numbnuts in his way don't aren't giving much line of sight past a few meters. He'll have to employ the tiny kid under his arm for help. Hefting Luca up above him by his waist at over eight feet, Tuck uses him like a periscope prop. ]

See anything wood-y?!

[schoolingfish]

[Luca shakes his head.]

Just trees! Is there anything else that stops it?

[Because Luca can't remember any bridges, which doesn't mean there aren't any, but he doesn't want to wander aimlessly looking for a bridge that might not exist.]

[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. ]

[justoscar]

[Oscar definitely heard those screams-- and he was certainly a young farm lad out in an inappropriate place for someone so young and relatively small. He barely had time to register the sheer mountainous presence that was Tuck before the Barbarian was upon him-- and, bewildered, he couldn't help but owlishly stare up at him with hazel eyes that were wide with confusion.]

Are you sure?

[There was a noticeable limp as he moved, as if he clearly favored one leg over another, and a subtle but audible cling of glass upon glass from his jacket pockets. He had been out gathering oddities for bartering, and the evidence of it was clear from the mud on his hands and the length of his pants.]

I don't know what an Ifrit is... but if they're like Grimm, then I don't think this is it...

[Another scream sounded from the darkened alleyway-- causing the boy to visibly jump.]

We should get inside anyway, [He added quickly.] I don't think anyone's safe.

[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. ]