Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Mar 26, 2021 17:19:14 GMT -8
Linden groaned, hand over their heart, as Wayland destroyed their lead. "Yeowch, that stung." But they gave the other Ogre a bow, acknowledging their mastery at bottle-tossing.
At the idea of Alecto sitting out a challenge, Linden tried to get a read on their friend but couldn't quite pin her down. Was she bored, annoyed, actually fine with sitting out? Who knew, but the Ogre didn't like the idea. "Nah, you shouldn't be sidelined, we can figure something else out. Wayland and I can have a chin-up rematch later." They looked to Wayland for confirmation, assuming the smith wouldn't mind.
"After all, you brought up wrestling- what are the rules, what's the format? I also wouldn't mind just watching you wreck shop for a few, I haven't seen you in action." Hands out, palm up, to either side, Linden did their best to lure Alecto into saying yes to one of them.
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Post by Wayland on Mar 26, 2021 17:47:45 GMT -8
Is something wrong? It seems like something's wrong, but Wayland has no idea what it is. She'd been about to tell Linden that the sting of the bottle-breaking loss would be gone after they wiped the floor with her, but Alecto wants to sit out now? Weird. The Beast looks like she's still having a good time.
At Linden's question, Wayland just shrugs and nods. Rain-check on the chin-ups, for whatever reason, no big deal. But then the Metalflesh mentions wrecking shop, which piques her interest. She doubts they'd deal out praise lightly for hand-to-hand skills. "That sounds like fun." A general statement, applicable to either the wrestling or the spectating, but said with a small, enthused smile.
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Post by Alecto on Mar 26, 2021 18:13:29 GMT -8
Alecto's smile wavered for a moment. Oh shit, they were serious?
"Sparring? Uh..." her nails clicked around the bottle, pupils dilating behind the shades. "No super powers is a good call, I think. I'm not as good with my fists than my manicure, but that shit just seems irresponsible."
Her head tilts as she regards the space, "Or I could zoom around like a jackass. It's not like I can get tired anymore." She chuckled at an idea,
"...Do you want to try and hit me?"
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Mar 30, 2021 19:59:01 GMT -8
Chin tilted up, Linden took a long, thoughtful look at Alecto's nails. Honestly they were scary enough as-was, no super powers needed. It was so tempting to just say 'go for it,' but it was also easy to see that going wrong very quickly. Getting eviscerated by a friend in a warehouse wasn't the catharsis they were looking for, and hopefully neither was Alecto. "No super powers, done. I try, Wayland tries," they glanced back at the other Ogre, "And if neither of us can, you win. But we will need some kind of tie breaker, unless Wayland wins both. Maybe we can do a coin toss for the sake of everyone's limbs." They grinned, a touch too much excitement in their eyes.
Soon as it was clear that they weren't attacking Alecto out of the blue, they lunged. Despite the big talk, the blow aimed at the tense beast lacked the full force of the Ogre's strength.
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Post by Wayland on Mar 30, 2021 20:30:13 GMT -8
'Want to try and hit me' sounds kinda bad. Like, this is what somebody says before they get hurt, right? Or when they want to get hurt? But it also sounds kind of interesting, that Alecto is that confident. Summer is a competitive season. They're driven to test each other. So Wayland stretches out her neck with a soft pop as she waits for her turn.
When Linden finishes their attempt, she steps up to take her own. It's clear that Wayland has had some training, maybe even some first-hand experience, from the way she moves and reaches and strikes. But is it going to be enough against the zephyr that is Alecto?
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Post by Alecto on Mar 31, 2021 20:17:53 GMT -8
Linden's fist connected with a sheen of gold, the second split into quarters as they realized the Beast had shifted just enough for them to whiff. Alecto snorted, trying not to smirk through the liquor. Not for any direspect to the Ogre; their punch cause her hair to stir, but by the time she snapped her neck back to fake out Wayland's sharp focus, the towering pair started to realize what they were dealing with.
Defense 10 + 1
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Apr 4, 2021 11:25:19 GMT -8
"Oh shit! The exclamation was half-laughing and fully impressed. Their punch hadn't been incredible, but that dodge was something else. "You're fast!"
“Jesus,” Wayland mutters under her breath as she watches Alecto practically vanish not only out from under her hands, but from the much more experienced and deadly hands of Linden. There’s a note of awe in her voice. ‘Teach me to do that,’ she wants to say immediately. But doesn’t. Who knows what the Beast had to endure to acquire these skills.
Linden’s hands tensed and released a couple of times, unable to contain the excitement. "Try again?” Linden’s tone betrayed their eagerness, not at the idea of actually landing a hit on a friend but the challenge of trying to hit a lightning-quick target.
Wayland glances at Linden, sharing with them an impressed expression, before looking back to Alecto for the answer to their question. Is she interested in being target practice for two Ogres?
With Alecto’s consent the warehouse turned into an impromptu fighting arena. Linden’s attacks were to the point, lacking any real beauty beyond the way they flowed together- pressing forward in a wave of metal fists and sweat. The way they struck the empty air was telling: they weren’t pulling punches this time, each blow delivered with brutal intent and efficiency. The Ogre had learned how to give and take a punch the hard way, and it showed.
The Maker isn’t as skilled as the Metalflesh, that’s clear when she takes her turn. But Wayland is no slouch, and she gives it her all. In fact she maybe gives too much. Her first follow-up attempt ends with Wayland’s silver fist planting into an old shipping crate. “Fuck!” Wayland shouted, clutching her hand.
Linden couldn't hold back a small chuckle and raised their hands, a mixture of amused and contrite, to stop any incoming attacks as Wayland shot them a look. She kicked the crate in anger, but a cursory examination of her fist showed the damage was minimal. And she didn’t let her mistake stop her, she just took a pull from her beer, and went back on the attack.
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Post by Alecto on Apr 6, 2021 9:53:10 GMT -8
As both the Ogres try to swing with experienced precision, the Beast's pupils were blown, face twitching along with her reflexes. She moved on instinct to avoid being cornered, a nervous laugh escaping the exhilaration as she tried to boost Summer's perception of her after consistently missing with the bottles.
Blink.
Pop.
Pop.
Her hands wrapped shut the moment before she swiped, like a cat retracting their claws between the moment of Fight and Humanity. As her fist connected with the Maker's swirling scars, the flicker of jealousy felt satisfied, leg whipping with the momentum to kick Linden. Without the wraps, the Metalflesh noted the movement would have sliced their gut like a raptor digging for organs.
Alecto scurried backwards, crawling up the wall with supernatural abilities as she kept blinking from her perch. "S-sorry. Sorry- got a little out of it for a sec." She managed to force a disarming laugh, but the adrenaline made her sound giddy rather than apologetic.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Apr 6, 2021 15:00:56 GMT -8
The knowledge of what could have happened if this wasn't a friendly exchange was sobering as Linden absently touched where they'd been kicked. It hadn't hurt, but it was a good reminder that they might be pressing their luck. And that they didn't want to go up against Alecto in a fight with real stakes. The sheer competency exhibited was kinda hot- not that they were specifically into knowing someone could rip their guts out if they wanted, it was more like the way people found tigers compelling. As their friend skittered up the wall, though, they let out a half-laughing breath.
"I'm good," they called up, rubbing the back of their head. No harm done, at least not to them; but climbing the wall to get away, for her own or their sake, didn't feel like the energy they'd been trying to foster. The Ogre had let themself get carried away. "If anything it's my bad, got excited. Wanna come back down and eviscerate a piano? Or you good up there for now?"
Stepping to the side, they retrieved their bottle and knocked the end of it back, giving Wayland's shoulder a squeeze in solidarity.
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Post by Wayland on Apr 6, 2021 20:30:12 GMT -8
The hit is unexpected. Wayland had been so focused on trying to land even just a touch on Alecto that it hadn’t even occurred to her that Alecto might try to change the game and strike back. The Beast nails her right under the cheekbone, she can feel teeth cut against her cheek. There’s a hiss of air when she sucks on her teeth, and then clears her mouth, spitting to the side, blood amid the saliva.
“Hah hah hah,” The rumble of laughter is surprising, even to Wayland, and has a hint of elation to it. She licks her lips, and her teeth show as a grin splits her face, dimpling her cheeks. “Holy shit,” she says for the second time today, voice shaking with her mirth. She jabs an index finger up towards Alecto’s perch, full arm extended into the movement, “You are fucking amazing.” She declares with obvious admiration in her voice, and no shortage of envy.
God Wayland wishes she had moves like that.
The blacksmith whistles low and slow as she puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head in amazement, turning a brilliant grin on Linden when her fellow Ogre approaches to commiserate about their failure. And yet it hardly feels like a failure to be shown up by Alecto. Rather, it’s reassuring to know that there’s such a badass in the Iron Spear, who’ll have her back when the heat is on.
She feels like the atmosphere has changed. The air in the cannery warehouse feels electric. Ionized. Or perhaps that’s just the coppery scent of the blood in Wayland’s mouth. Like a sacrifice has been paid, a cost for entry. Maybe now, with a little adrenaline in their veins and a little blood on the floor, they can finally cut loose.
“Yeah, tear it up! You earned it!” She declares after Linden offers Alecto the piano to murder.
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Post by Alecto on Apr 13, 2021 18:58:12 GMT -8
Rather than scuttle, Alecto reoriented her sense of dimensions; standing up with the pride more fit for a queen as she walked down the wall like a vampire. As the Ogre's whooped, she bristled with excitement as the back of her mind needled that it was ill-deserved and they were patronizing her.
Mnh, no, you finally made someone proud.
Adding to their laughter, her hands blackened with connecting scales as the claws sprouted, long and black. She almost skipped, breaking into a light jog before sparkling dust blurred, sparked, and popped like a firework.
She was gone in a blink.
Blistering wood melted as if a blow torch had been taken to the piano, leaving long trenches in the wake of her superspeed. The weight groaned as it collapsed from her perching on the top, chuckling as she drunkenly stumbled back. Losing her balance, she rolled up the wall as if she were somersaulting on a flat surface.
"Smash it with something!" the Beast goaded the others, assuming they wanted to use the weapons they brought.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Apr 17, 2021 11:02:34 GMT -8
A thrill of adrenaline hit Linden as Alecto vanished, hands reflexively twitching to protect themself. It felt a bit like knowing there was assassin in the room and hoping they didn't pick you. Those claws- it really was a good thing they hadn't been out during the play-fight. The damage done to the piano drew another whoop from them, metal hands coming together in a couple of ringing claps. Their better sense told them to stay away: coming in close as they would need to put them in range of Alecto's hands, and accidents did happen. But those thoughts were easily smothered by beer and the promise of camaraderie: fun, destruction, bonding!
Draining their recently opened bottle, Linden tossed it aside before moving in, forgoing a weapon. Their hands went in to grab instead of hit, taking parts of the crumpled piano's frame and ripping them in opposite directions. Their intent seemed to be to unmake the piano, pulverizing its pieces but being careful not to grab a handful of the strings; the tension was gone from them, but they could still bite.
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Post by Wayland on Apr 17, 2021 20:46:45 GMT -8
Holy shit, Alecto is dangerous. Like something out of a comic book movie. It's terrifying, and thrilling. Wayland turns her brilliant grin on Linden again as their hands clang together, reaching out for her sledgehammer while the Metalflesh preceeds her to the already wounded piano. She follows behind them, surprised by Linden's choice of destruction. They're literally ripping the instrument apart. Fuck that's intimidating. And awesome. Is it getting warm in here? It feels like it's getting warm in here.
She takes the opportunity to drain her beer and open another while Linden pulls the piano apart like peanut brittle. But when the bouncer takes a break, the smith is eager to step forward and take her turn. "I've always wanted to do this," she confesses, smiling toothily, as she adjusts the safety glasses on her face before swinging her sledgehammer up onto her shoulder. Her target of choice? The burned wreck's already gap-toothed grin. With a grunt of effort Wayland brings the hammer up and smashes it down onto the keys, sending shattered ivories pinwheeling through the air with a discordant shriek of the instrument's old strings.
The keys are struck a second time, and then a third, the hammer crashing partway through the wooden bench supporting them. Then, with too few remaining to make a convenient target, Wayland scrapes the head of the hammer down that bench in a mighty swing to toss away most of the remainder. The ground around the piano is littered with the remains of black and white keys by the time she steps back, breath puffing with exertion and a huge grin on her face.
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Linden
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Presence (3) Steady
Posts: 325
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Post by Linden on Apr 22, 2021 11:13:26 GMT -8
The energy built and fed on itself, one act of collaborative destruction leading into another and another. By the time they began to slow the warehouse floor was littered with rubble: glass, splintered wood, the metal bases of lightbulbs, thick plastic that looked like it had gone through a woodchipper, and things rendered beyond recognition. The three drunk Summers had some superficial scratches, scrapes, a bruised knuckle or two, but it had felt good, to be violent without consequence beyond creating an abundance of hazardous trash. Trash that would be some other poor soul's problem, but at least they'd be paid to take care of it. With a final round of compliments, teasing, and overenthusiastic back slaps, they took off on foot to a more reasonable place to call for a ride.
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