[ The nights in Hadriel carried many dark corners and shadows to hide in. Malkus felt strangely at home, roaming the land. He'd thought he'd covered a brief look of every building, but there was one he hadn't approached yet. Positioned near the temple of Rage, the doctor thought it would be best to contact one of his friends. ]
Lad. Friend, are you awake?
[ The doctor's mask lens shone in the dark as he approached the armory. The feed brightened slightly with candle light to reveal the man curiously staring into the camera. ]
( he's actually used to late night calls. you can thank his weird friends for that sort of thing. but still, when his phone buzzes there's some fumbling before a glasses-less, messy-haired akira finally answers with a groggy— )
Mal... kus? ( waking up to that mask first thing was only slightly unsettling. )
[ Was Malkus loud-whispering? Wasn't the armory accessible to the public? Something about skulking around a building at night just called for hushed whispers and cat-like stealthing. ]
I've been thinking, my boy.
[ He held the phone in one hand as he pressed himself flat against a wall. ]
Many of my associates seem ready to protect themselves. Raidou has... demons. Others have teeth and magic. You and I, though, we need something more. Being just a doctor and a young studious looking man.
( yes... yes that's right, we're all just nice normal gentlemen here, malkus. rubbing at his eyes to free himself from the sleep in the corners of them— akira props himself up on an elbow, eyes finally adjusting better to the light of the phone's transmission. )
Wait, what— do you mean? ( he wasn't going to try a demon summoning ritual was he... ) Where are you? Do you need some kind of help?
No! No help, but I request your presence here. Southern portion of the city, there is a large imposing building near the temple of the parasite Rage. Contact me when you are near!
[ The sound of a large door opening creaked over the phone, as Malkus entered. He didn't pan the camera over just yet, but the doctor's eyes lit up with amazement at whatever he was seeing. ]
Oh- saints alive...
[ The map was correct. This... was an armory alright. Malkus let his arms drop, causing the view from the feed to quickly get muffled with darkness against his robe jacket. ]
A large imposing... ( having spent some time studying the map himself, he wondered if perhaps malkus might mean the armoury. akira hadn't braved into the building himself, seeing as how he had arrived still armed but... what could malkus be looking for in there? )
I'll be right there.
( and true to his word, akira takes no time at all to make it to the southern part of the cave. he doesn't know what might be lurking out there but all the same, akira approaches with a cautious... ) Malkus?
( as he approaches the armoury, laying a hand on the partially opened door as the creaky hinges announced his arrival better than he had. well malkus, here he is. the innoncent school lad you requested. )
[ Malkus initially had his back to Akira, seemingly busy with something. It's only apparent what the hell it was when the doctor staggered around to face the man. His CLANKs echoed as he struggled to support the weight of a large pair of gauntlets grasping a pair of long halberds.
He was strong! But uncoordinated, weapon-wise. So, of course, he looked like an idiot wielding two oversized polearms. The wooden buckler that he had leaned against this leg went skittering across the floor as he approached his friend. ]
Isn't this fantastic? The remnants of whatever society resided here must have had a militia.
( there's something quite unwholesome about this scene that akira finds himself stumbling into. he watches the shield roll by, following it until it topples over to a stop, then finally moving closer to malkus. )
Or they're still hoping for one... ( comes his own personal observation, under his breath. he speaks up finally, to address the good doctor, finding himself putting his arms up defensively— )
Umm, are you sure you know how to handle those? ( maybe it's those slightly-oversized limbs handling the weapons much like a child might, but the safety level in this room has dropped a couple of points at the sight of it. )
Of course I do! I've seen guards use these plenty. You just hit the baddies with the sharper ends.
[ Malkus held one arm out and slowly rotated it. Like a large, gangly propeller. Was he making those action sounds with his mouth? Of course Malkus was. Eventually... Rather quickly, actually, the man's arms became sore. ]
Ma-Maybe I'm more of a small arms type of man.
[ He'll just... kneel and set the weapons there on the ground. No need for cleaning up after himself, he figured. He'd be out of here in a jiffy! ]
( with as tall and spindly as malkus was, this great pun about small arms is not lost in akira, who can't help but chuckle to himself a little as he approaches even closer, but maintains a safe distance from all things spiky or pointy at the same time.
all right, those sound effects might have been a little funny, too. )
If you need help to practice, or to see what might suit you, I can lend a hand. ( but maybe he should specify... ) As long as we can guarantee they both stay attached, at least.
[ Thankfully, Malkus seemed satisfied with the large metal gauntlets covering his clawed hands. They were snug, and when he closed a fist he could feel the dense strength. ]
I didn't know you were one to know their way around a weapon. I suppose such topics are good things to study for a young man. Keep the mind and body sharp!
[ He swung his arms back and forth, hearing the rattle of metal joints clicking together. Maybe he was a pugilist at heart? Like an old timey boxer? ]
( stepping towards some of the weapons near the wall— and also away from those long swinging arms malkus pls— akiranunlatches a long knife, looking it over... and weighing it in his hand. )
It's never too late to learn, right? ( he means you. he's quite sure malkus is probably older than he is. one more glance at the blade he chose seems to see the thief satisfied, effortlessly tossing it upwards and catching it again at the handle. )
[ He was only thirty three! But in his world, that was pushin' it. Medieval ages had dudes kicking it in their 20's. Malkus considered himself pretty experienced. But not so much that he couldn't learn some new skills. ]
But one's never too old to learn to defend themselves. Let's see! Shouldn't be too different from my lancet. Bit larger.
we can fast forward to a post-spar after this, if you like! up to you!!
[ Malkus nodded and started off with quite a lot of pulled back tenacity. Though, when it became immediately obvious that Akira was much more capable than he seemed, the doctor ceased his reserved nature. He hadn't trained in a very long time, but his movements had an element of animalistic survival, gained from living in the plagued wilds.
After a period of play-fighting, shortened for time's sake, Malkus was much more winded than his partner might be. ]
I- hoh- Ehm- H-Hold, I yield-
[ He wanted to speak further, but opted to put a hand on his chest to catch his breath. ]
( akira was actually pleasantly surprised at the doctor's tenacity. coming from a place where it sounded like survival was the top priority, perhaps he should have guessed that malkus would be versed in combat— which is why he didn't hold back as the match went on.
as soon as the white flag was waved, the school-aged boy stopped mid-swing, settling back into a relaxes position with a grin, and straightening his glasses. )
Not bad, Malkus. Are you sure you weren't practising before I got here?
H-Hah! Maybe it's just the experience giving me an edge. I've seen a thing or two, where I'm from.
[ He laughed as he stretched his arms. While he didn't really need a proper weapon, given his claws, he browsed the wall once more. Malkus would certainly be keeping the gauntlets, at least. ]
( based on that glimpse of malkus' world... akira is sure that he has. examining the knife that he'd picked out again, he flips it once or twice more as he thinks. )
Why the sudden interest, though? The monsters have you worried or something?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[ Video ]
Lad. Friend, are you awake?
[ The doctor's mask lens shone in the dark as he approached the armory. The feed brightened slightly with candle light to reveal the man curiously staring into the camera. ]
( video )
Mal... kus? ( waking up to that mask first thing was only slightly unsettling. )
no subject
[ Was Malkus loud-whispering? Wasn't the armory accessible to the public? Something about skulking around a building at night just called for hushed whispers and cat-like stealthing. ]
I've been thinking, my boy.
[ He held the phone in one hand as he pressed himself flat against a wall. ]
Many of my associates seem ready to protect themselves. Raidou has... demons. Others have teeth and magic. You and I, though, we need something more. Being just a doctor and a young studious looking man.
no subject
rubbing at his eyes to free himself from the sleep in the corners of them— akira props himself up on an elbow, eyes finally adjusting better to the light of the phone's transmission. )
Wait, what— do you mean? ( he wasn't going to try a demon summoning ritual was he... ) Where are you? Do you need some kind of help?
no subject
[ The sound of a large door opening creaked over the phone, as Malkus entered. He didn't pan the camera over just yet, but the doctor's eyes lit up with amazement at whatever he was seeing. ]
Oh- saints alive...
[ The map was correct. This... was an armory alright. Malkus let his arms drop, causing the view from the feed to quickly get muffled with darkness against his robe jacket. ]
video → ( action )
I'll be right there.
( and true to his word, akira takes no time at all to make it to the southern part of the cave. he doesn't know what might be lurking out there but all the same, akira approaches with a cautious... ) Malkus?
( as he approaches the armoury, laying a hand on the partially opened door as the creaky hinges announced his arrival better than he had.
well malkus, here he is. the innoncent school lad you requested. )
no subject
He was strong! But uncoordinated, weapon-wise. So, of course, he looked like an idiot wielding two oversized polearms. The wooden buckler that he had leaned against this leg went skittering across the floor as he approached his friend. ]
Isn't this fantastic? The remnants of whatever society resided here must have had a militia.
no subject
Or they're still hoping for one... ( comes his own personal observation, under his breath. he speaks up finally, to address the good doctor, finding himself putting his arms up defensively— )
Umm, are you sure you know how to handle those? ( maybe it's those slightly-oversized limbs handling the weapons much like a child might, but the safety level in this room has dropped a couple of points at the sight of it. )
no subject
[ Malkus held one arm out and slowly rotated it. Like a large, gangly propeller. Was he making those action sounds with his mouth? Of course Malkus was. Eventually... Rather quickly, actually, the man's arms became sore. ]
Ma-Maybe I'm more of a small arms type of man.
[ He'll just... kneel and set the weapons there on the ground. No need for cleaning up after himself, he figured. He'd be out of here in a jiffy! ]
I do like these gauntlets, though...
no subject
all right, those sound effects might have been a little funny, too. )
If you need help to practice, or to see what might suit you, I can lend a hand. ( but maybe he should specify... ) As long as we can guarantee they both stay attached, at least.
no subject
I didn't know you were one to know their way around a weapon. I suppose such topics are good things to study for a young man. Keep the mind and body sharp!
[ He swung his arms back and forth, hearing the rattle of metal joints clicking together. Maybe he was a pugilist at heart? Like an old timey boxer? ]
no subject
malkus pls— akiranunlatches a long knife, looking it over... and weighing it in his hand. )It's never too late to learn, right? ( he means you. he's quite sure malkus is probably older than he is. one more glance at the blade he chose seems to see the thief satisfied, effortlessly tossing it upwards and catching it again at the handle. )
Care to try them out?
no subject
[ He was only thirty three! But in his world, that was pushin' it. Medieval ages had dudes kicking it in their 20's. Malkus considered himself pretty experienced. But not so much that he couldn't learn some new skills. ]
But one's never too old to learn to defend themselves. Let's see! Shouldn't be too different from my lancet. Bit larger.
we can fast forward to a post-spar after this, if you like! up to you!!
In that case, let's not go easy on one another, all right?
If that works!
After a period of play-fighting, shortened for time's sake, Malkus was much more winded than his partner might be. ]
I- hoh- Ehm- H-Hold, I yield-
[ He wanted to speak further, but opted to put a hand on his chest to catch his breath. ]
no subject
as soon as the white flag was waved, the school-aged boy stopped mid-swing, settling back into a relaxes position with a grin, and straightening his glasses. )
Not bad, Malkus. Are you sure you weren't practising before I got here?
no subject
[ He laughed as he stretched his arms. While he didn't really need a proper weapon, given his claws, he browsed the wall once more. Malkus would certainly be keeping the gauntlets, at least. ]
no subject
examining the knife that he'd picked out again, he flips it once or twice more as he thinks. )
Why the sudden interest, though? The monsters have you worried or something?