[Open] Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time

[tantailizing]

🧙 WHO: Zidane and You!
⚔️️ WHAT: May catch-all! Quests, Contests, and a Minotaur, oh my!
🕒 WHEN: All throughout May
🗺️ WHERE: In and out of Camelot City
⚠️ WARNINGS: Killing in one quest and cursing follows

[I. No Buccaing Out]

[The Silent Shore living up to its name tonight, but that didn't matter once they were in the water. It was funny in that way being underwater, how every motion from the current a noisy muted slosh heavy against the ear and yet still not loud enough to cover up every other sound below.]

[But they weren't here to wax poetics about the ocean; they were here about nudibranches.]

[... Hehe, funny name, but not a fun creature to deal with - mostly. They were fortunately slow, but on the other hand, there's a lot off them. Zidane can see why they were becoming a problem since, when he killed one, there were just three more to deal with inching towards the corpse he was going to dispose of. At least it worked as bait?]

It's like there's no end to these guys...

[II. Holo, Goodbye]

[It's a sentimental request and time was of the essence. Not only that, but he wouldn't mind seeing these holo rocks himself in-person. They've keep that visit short and grab one to take to grandma.]

Which rock do you think we should grab once we get there? I'm between saying the roundest one or the flattest we can find.

[They're almost there and this was obviously an important decision to make.]

[III. A Balanced Approach]

[A bug catching contest was not the next contest he expected to join, but what the hell? If it put them on better terms with Celliwig then why not give it a go? And at least the bugs they were catching looked much better than oglops, but then again, most things looked better than oglops.]

[It wasn't long in before Zidane's in competition with one of the members of the Frog Tribe. A promise of a fair match and they're off. The prize for the winner? Well, the frog would be any bugs that Zidane caught if they won, but if Zidane won, he'd get one of the frog's special treasures. What was that? Who the heck knew; probably a bug, but hey, it was on.]

[Caught up in his own match, another character competing might find themselves nearly crashed into by Zidane in pursuit of another catch.]

Whoops! Sorry about that!

[IV. A Stone's Throw from Revenge]

[From a friendly contest to Camelot being laid siege to by a minotaur. Well, this was putting a slight bump in the way of befriending Celliwig now, wasn't it? But it wasn't the time to think about that either. Buildings were being smashed, people were terrified and running whichever way they could find cover, but the rocks kept coming.]

Hey! Over here, you bastard!

[Zidane wasn't sure if the minotaur could hear him, but he was gonna get this guy's attention one way or another.]

[And one of those ways would be swapping the way one of those hurdled boulders was flying and reversing it back to the minotaur. Man, now he was glad he took several knocks to the head from his moogle practicing with rocks, but dammit, he had to work on his aim.]

Yeah! You heard me! C'mon, what's the matter? Suddenly can hit shit, can you!?

[V. There's Safety in Numbers]

[It would be his luck that the place he just started working for got hit. The owner hadn't been inside, but he guessed he was unemployed again until repairs were done... or something. He'd figure it out after... well...]

[Annoyingly, that minotaur had caused quite a bit of damage to Camelot. Zidane still hadn't heard why either, but that guy was gone after a few knocks to the head. Well deserved he thinks, but it hadn't happened soon enough. Ignoring his own scraps and developing bruises, he pressed on to find people that might need help. He could help get people out of rubble, be a second pair of hands for a medic, even run off to get food or water if needed; just as usual, he was ready to help out.]

[VI. Wildcard]

[Can't decide out of all the prompts? New player that rather continue a TDM thread here than on the drive? This is the option for you! Just hit me up at demidemonLove!]

Comments

[whirlwindthrust]

[ A good thing Xiao is small! Because he can duck to avoid that fist and boulder. Granted, Xiao is practically throwing himself onto the ground to dodge, but can quickly recover. ]

Then you had best come up with something to chase him off!

[tantailizing]

[Zidane's the next having to move as the minotaur turns on him next, swinging, but missing.]

Well, he didn't like being hit by that boulder I threw back earlier at his head. Maybe we need to go with heavy and blunt.

[whirlwindthrust]

Are you able to repeat the process if I provide an opening?

[ If Xiao can be a distraction, does Zidane have it in him to actually, you know... Lift and throw? ]

[tantailizing]

It'll take a little longer since I'll be picking it up, but yeah, leave it to me.

[It's easier to redirect a throw by using the current movement, but going from stop to go takes a little more effort and Zidane's not gonna hide that fact.]

You be careful though. One good hit from that minotaur could cause some real damage.

[whirlwindthrust]

I will be fine.

[ At least that's what he hopes anyway. The cut on his hand is still fairly fresh. So it's not that big of a deal to distract the creature with more little small blades being thrown. Xiao can maintain some distance that way! ]

Just prepare!

[tantailizing]

I'll try not to take too long!

[The little blades are enough to get the Minotaur's attention, but the goal would be to keep it. Zidane's going for the boulders and the Minotaur is very possessive. Maybe a reason behind this ordeal?]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Zidane better not! Xiao is quick on his feet so he is able, for the most part, to dodge the swings. The Yaksha must! With one mighty blow, he could take a serious hit or sustain equally serious injury. The minotaur doesn't seem to care about the blade of Xiao's spear either. It cuts through some of that tough hide, but not nearly enough to slow the beast down.

It does, however, prove to get the beast's pure attention. Forgotten is the crowd trying to escape. Even Zidane doesn't seem to register. The only thing that the minotaur seems to focus on now is Xiao and trying to plummet the Yaksha. ]

[tantailizing]

[Good, he doesn't have a minotaur looming over him and breathing down his neck. That gives Zidane the time he needs to pick out a hefty boulder and start getting it to rise.]

[It takes time he didn't want to spend getting it up, but needed to use all the same. Higher and higher until he had a good position to sling it at the minotaur. All he needed now was his target to stay still for just a second.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ A quick glance in Zidane's direction tells Xiao that the other is finally ready.

The Yaksha thinks that he can get the creature to sit still. Mostly. Next time that massive hand comes down? Xiao doesn't slash at it.

He full on bring his spear down and stabs it. ]

[tantailizing]

[That gets the minotaur hollering, but with its billowing, at least its head was motionless.]

[Good enough for Zidane to hurl the boulder he has into its head, the blunt force cutting the yell off and making its eyes spin. He stumbles aside, but recovers, and seems to take a few seconds to consider the two.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Xiao takes a couple of steps back. His spear is still out, ready to go. The Yaksha is waiting for the minotaur to decide...

Is it worth it to fight them? Or should the minotaur head to a different section of town and leave this one be? ]

[tantailizing]

[Zidane stands at the ready himself, one hand on a dagger, but in reality, he's ready to raise up another boulder if needed.]

[However, it looks like the minotaur's further considering it's prospects here... and soon, decides to lumber away, holding its hand. Where to? Who knows until it decided to attack again.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Xiao doesn't lower his spear until the minotaur decides to take its leave. Even then he's still on edge, grip on the polearm tight even after stepping back. ]

I doubt it will have learned its lesson. However it would appear we have been "let off of the hook" for the time being.

[tantailizing]

[Zidane cocks his head and looks at Xiao after he speaks. Did he... did he not use common phrases like that?]

... Yeah, looks like it. Time to lick our wounds while we can.

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Nope. Jargon and slang is typically beyond Xiao! He's been learning a lot of ways to say things since coming here. Though it does slide off of his tongue a bit awkwardly. ]

Suffice to say I think the city itself is in more need of repair than the people. Which... I will take that over the other.

[tantailizing]

[Well, he's getting there!]

Sure. I'll go between, but we outta make sure we get people to healers or the infirmary before doing any work.

[whirlwindthrust]

Ah. Healers...

[ Which he should, technically, be a part of. Yet Xiao hasn't made peace with that just yet. ]

Do you know where some would be located?

[tantailizing]

[Does he know where a bunch are located? No, but...!]

... Aerith knows healing magic. She might be at her flower shop. There's a chance she could know more people with healing magic, too.

[whirlwindthrust]

Who is this Aerith that you speak of?

[ Come on now. Xiao isn't the most social of individuals. He doesn't know people! ]

[tantailizing]

Aerith, brown-haired young woman, bright green eyes, red ribbon? She advertised opening her shop earlier this month...

[Taking out his phone, he shows Xiao the post in question.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Xiao is rather sporadic on the network at best. He doesn't always appear and converse nor does he always read. ]

So we should just take people to her ship?

[tantailizing]

[He thinks, but then nods.]

Yeah, but if her shop is safe. I'll send her a message and see if it's alright.

[whirlwindthrust]

Then I will leave this part of it to you.

[ Though he will... Linger. He's not the sort that would just walk off. No, the people are sort of his responsibility too. ]

[tantailizing]

Okay. It might be a while before she answers so we should start helping with what we can. Once she responds, I'll tell you.

[So let's do the things and not... awkwardly stand.]

[whirlwindthrust]

Helping... How exactly? I know nothing of putting homes and buildings back together.

[ Come on. Just let him stand as some silent guardian. That's what he's good for. ]