A Man Amongst Monsters (Open)

[NeonAzure]

((Tossing Linnea and Alphie into this cuz "Downpour" is Le Dead. XP))

---

The restaurant was really busy tonight, but despite that fact she'd still been demoted from serving to trash duty. She hadn't MEANT to spill a trayful of champagne all over that rich couple. It was an ACCIDENT! She had apologized and even tried to clean up the mess, but Monsieur Bouchard was still very displeased. So, here she was back in the kitchens, cleaning out the trash and leftovers.

Hauling the trash bins to the back entrance, she opened the door and stumbled out into the alleyway, depositing the bins in the usual place. Ugh, she hated trash duty. So smelly and disgusting!

Wiping her hands on her apron, Linnea looked up and noticed it had gotten quite a bit darker and foggier since the start of her shift. The small, quiet alley now seemed very spooky. Feeling rather unnerved suddenly, the young woman hurried back to the restaurant's back entrance. As she opened the door, she heard a sound from behind; a sort of chirping and rustling sound, like something digging through the garbage. She half-turned, glancing over her shoulder anxiously. Something had come out of the fog and begun scrounging through the food garbage she'd just thrown out. It looked like a small, homeless child covered from head-to-toe in layers of ragged clothing.

Turning fully, she approached the small figure. It stung her compassionate heart to see the poor child in such a state.

"Hello..." she called out softly, "Are you hungry? What's your name?"

The little figure jolted as if startled by her voice and looked about ready to jump up and run away. Worried that she had frightened the child, Linnea held up her hands in a non-threatening gesture and stopped approaching.

"No-no, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you..."

The small child chittered and tucked its hands back inside as something under the rags on its back fluttered. Wait--

Linnea took a step back. Something wasn't right.... And then she saw it. The... thing finally turned to look at her, and that face! Those giant green eyes and four twitching hands! She took another step back, stumbled, and turned to run back to the door, a scream forming in her throat. She fumbled with the door handle as the air slipped out of her in the form of a high squeal as she finally pulled open the door and quickly ducked inside.

The small green aphid stared after her with a soft, sad chirp. Why did they always run away making that high-pitched sound? Frightened, but still very hungry, he turned back to the rotting food pile. He was so hungry, but there wasn't a single plant to be found from which he could feed. All he could do was search for anything with that sweet smell, which so far hadn't been much.

Inside the restaurant, Linnea sat leaning against the door, panting and gasping. What was that thing?! She turned and pressed an ear against the door, listening. She could hear it rustling around in the garbage again... and that soft chittering sound. Finally, her curiosity got the best of her and she slowly opened the door and peeked out.

It was still there, alright. Still digging through the garbage. After watching it for a few minutes, she realized something... despite the fright it gave her, it really did just look like a lost little child. Gathering up her courage, she slipped back out into the alley, glancing around nervously before approaching the strange creature.

"H-Hello.."

He froze. The female was back! He peeked over his shoulder at her, stuffing another piece of rotten fruit into his mouth with a soft chirp. Linnea flinched when it looked at her, but steeled her nerves and stared back with gentle eyes.

"Y-You must be really hungry to want to eat that icky stuff..."

He whined softly and nodded, glancing back at the rancid pile. Linnea gasped and nearly stumbled.

"Y-You can understand me?!"

She saw it nod again and finally saw the intelligence in its large green eyes... and the innocence. It really was just a small lost child. Her compassion overcame her fear and she stepped closer, crouching down in front of the creature.

"Do you... Do you have a name?"

[Zenoah]

Basil arrived at the resturant after dropping Serena back off at the establishment.
He walked past the ally, looking into it. Maybe there would be some unfortunate person to mess with. Instead he saw one of them. One of the monster bugs! He quickly took out a gun he had gotten, aiming with shakey hands.

"Move, girl!" He barked, fireing a shot, hitting the trashcan close to the monsterous bug.

He tried again, trying to steady his hands as he shot another round.

[NeonAzure]

Linnea shrieked, throwing her arms protectively over her head as the sound of a gunshot went off in the alley. The small green creature scurried behind her and tried to crawl under her skirt as she shrieked again.

"Ahh! Nononono! Don't do that!" she squealed, trying to shake the creature out of her skirt as she glanced around the alleyway for the source of the gunshot.

She finally spotted a young man at the mouth of the alley and shrieked again as he fired off another round.

"MON DIEU!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, PLEASE DON'T SHOOT!!"

"Move, girl!" He barked, firing another shot. Thankfully his aim was terrible and the bullets hit the walls instead.

"STOP SHOOTING AT ME!"

[Zenoah]

"Im not aiming at you!" He snapped. "It's that...monster behind you!"

He watched as the green beast scurried around, trying to hide.
"Foul beast from hell! Go back to where you came from!" He aimed again. "Either move, girl, or I'll shoot right thru you to get to that demon!"

[NeonAzure]

"Monster?" She looked down at the small creature tucked under her skirts, shaking and whimpering. If this creature was a monster, then it was hardly a dangerous one. It was so much like a child... she couldn't bear the thought of this man killing it.

"Either move, girl, or I'll shoot right through you to get to that demon!" the man said.

She looked back at him with hard, stubborn eyes. "No. Y-You'll have to--to shoot me, too." she told him, tucking the creature deeper into the safety of her skirt.

[kinkachu]

Gunshots echoed across the night, the sound deafening and close. For a split second the giant beetle had flinched, his head spinning in every direction, wildly scanning the area for the source.

His wings thrummed behind his shell, beating hard to burst out but unable to with the chains still wrapped around his frame.

Min scowled, calming his nerves when he was unable to find any threat present. Not a soul was walking the street, save for that one human female from earlier. And by the looks of her fumbling for her keys, he highly doubted she had been the idiot firing.

His eyes swept over the street one last time, flowing over the buildings, scanning the windows, then the roofs, satisfied to see not a soul present. He waited a few seconds more in case the culprit was in hiding, ready to spring into action again should the need arise. Still, no one so much as peeked from behind their curtains.

Min snorted to himself. 'Fucking cowards.'

He let out one last heave, falling back between the buildings, pressing himself against a wall; resuming his efforts against the shackles.

He managed to pry two off with little effort. He studied the twisted scraps of metal, wondering how these oppressive things had held him down for so long. The morphine probably had something to do with that, he supposed, chucking the metal down the alley.

He took hold of his wrists, rubbing them with a hiss. Sighing deeply, he brought them up for closer inspection, growling fiercely. The outer shell (though incredibly tough) had been rubbed raw from weeks of grinding and straining against his imprisonment. They would heal, no doubt about that, but they would always hold the scars of how he earned them.

A sadistic smile flittered across his lips. The satisfaction would always outweighed the pain.

His inner musings ground to a sudden halt. He froze. Something was across the street, he had seen it! Out of the corner of his eye there had been movement. Someone was there. Someone was watching.

Was it the gun man?

No, no. If that were the case he would have fired. Or perhaps he had lost his nerve? Min watched as the figure sunk deeper into the opposite alley shadows, the turned to retreat in a dead out sprint; knocking over some trash cans along the way.

Yep, he had been spotted. And the last thing he needed was for that little piss ant to go shouting to the world what he saw.

Min flexed his claws, rising quickly to give chase, silently promising that that individual would never see the light of another day.

[badluckcat]

Oh Dear mother of the Hive!

Whatever he had spotted was following him. Cursing his lethargic movements due to malnourishment he ran around a corner and leaped up, using his clawed fingers and toes to cling to the wall.

The fear of being caught spurred his under fed frame to climb, he did not want to be caught by whatever was chasing him.

His antennas twitched nervously as he barely managed to pull himself to the edge of the roof.

Holding in his breathe he clung to the edge, his strength too sapped to pulling him over the edge and on to the roof, he only had enough left to cling to the edge, claws digging in to the stone surface beneath his grasp.

The heavy footsteps came closer and closer.

[kinkachu]

Now where could that clumsy shadow have gotten himself too?

Min gave an amused hum, tilting his head trying to listen. The city sounds were both foreign and familiar. It took a great deal of concentration to pick apart the noise, but no matter how hard he focused he couldn't locate the fleeing individual.

That person couldn't have gotten away. That was impossible! It dead ended after a right turn and the left stretched on far enough he would have seen a person still running.

"Hmmm." Min toppled a few dumpsters, finding no one hiding behind or inside them.

Further thought had his eyes scouring the area, checking and re-checking every place one might find a person cowering. Still no such luck. 'People don't just disappear into thin air.'

He flashed his fangs, an oily smile slithering in place. Lowering himself to all fours, his one remaining antennae twitched from side to side. A strange scent struck his senses, one that wasn't human nor any animal he had come across previously. It was similar to his own, only..... not.

"I know you're here." He wheezed, bobbing his head, trying to locate the strongest trail. "There's no need to be afraid. i don't bite." That almost made him laugh.

"Come out, come out where ever you are." Still there was no response. No matter.

His antennae narrowed in upon the building. His head lifted up, following the scent trail. And there, hanging by his claws, dangled the creature. Its fearful expression could be seen even from this distance.

Min stood back on his hind legs, wiggling a finger in a come-here fashion. The other shook his head, kicking his legs to find footing and escape.

This only intensified the giants amusement, placing his fist's on the brick wall, hissing, "Let's play."

[siffyleafylav]

Finaly in the safety of her home Siofra leaned against the door, her knees giving out and dragging her to the floor.

Her heart was going to jump out of her chest! The organ was thudding angrily agaisnt the restraining corset of her chalk-striped dress, it appeared unhappy with the unnesserary running and pararlyzing fear.

There was nothing to fear.

The sudden sounds of gunshot made her both start and freeze, then scramble to her feet to look though the tiny peek-hole in her door.
Outside it was dark, no sign of human's or creatures alike....however.

A shadow of something dashed past her house, turning the corner into her backyard alley. Dropping the tiny brass covering back over the hole Siofra legged it down her hallway, through her chilled kitchen - grabbing her best frying pan of 11 inches across- and within a moment she was sprinting the stair steps, ignoring the first and second landing, heading right to the ladder that would lead her too the roof.

[badluckcat]

"Come out, come out where ever you are."

Oh like hell he was coming down.

And then the thing beneath him spotted him and ohheneededtofleeFLEEnownownoNOW.

“Let’s Play.”

The beast below him hissed.

This. This right here? This was not going to end well for him, he just knew it.



Situs peered down at the giant insect, eyes wide with panic, his malnourished form clinging to the edge of the building.

“” I r-rather not, if you d-d-don’t mind…” He managed to speak before he made screech like noise as his grip on the wall began to slip.

[siffyleafylav]

The moment she heard the scream, she knew she was doing something either ridiculously stupid, or something absurdly brave AND stupid.

Both, if she was being honest.

Unlocking and opening the trapdoor was easy, and climbing out started okay; now to manueve to the otherside without dropping.

Oh yeah, easy.

Slipping and tumbling over the moist rooftop more than skirting over them Siofra fought to keep her balance and her poise, all the while wishing she wasn't so stupid to try and encounter whatever the devil that shadow was, and whom had screamed.

Kneeling down at the edge of the roof, she gripped the drainpipe that ran on the outside of the brick house, swinging her legs over the edge, shivering as the cold air ghosted over her legs.

Dangling by her handhold only, her weapon of choice still clutched in her spare hand, Siofra stopped and listened for a noise, hearing something over the sound of her heavy panting.

Laughter?

There was shout from below, and forgetting her position for a split second, Siofra looked down.

!!!!!!!

Time seemed to slow, and yet, it seemed to go so fast.
One moment she hung from the roof, frying pan in one hand, the rainpipe in the other, the next. She was falling.

Three stories down...

And all she could do was shout at the giant figure positioned threateningly over the smaller one.

" LEAVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[kinkachu]

The scrawny little ants fingers finally gave out, whether from fear or being malnourished he couldn't say, either way he was falling. Falling three stories. Falling to the monster down below... to his death.

Situs flailed his arms in every direction, looking for some leverage, for ANYTHING to break his fall. But no, he had no such luck.

His back collided hard with the ground, rendering him immobile, gasping for air. The pain was so intense, racking up and down his body. He curled into himself, fighting back the stinging tears as quietly as he could. But his fortitude broke when that sinister chuckle drifted from behind.

Situs locked in a deep breath, pushing all his strength into his arms; trying desperately to get up, to run.

He didn't even get to his knee's before his head became imprisoned in the monstrosities hold; Situs yelping in further pain, able to feel and hear his neck snap at the sudden jerk.

His blurry vision locked with that of the giants. "Uh I... I..." Situs tried to speak, squeezing his lids shut with a hiss when the other dug his claws into his scalp.

Min lifted the little pest eye level, purposely clenching and unclenching his hand, marveling at the pain he could inflict on those unable to stand against his might. "I never thought in a million years I'd run across another like myself." He brought the ant closer for observation, uncrossing his second pair of arms to further examine the other. He poked Situs a few times, curiously prodding. "Are you one of father's earlier creations.... or a more recent one?"

That inquisitive tone turned bitter all of a sudden, as if the thought of being "replaced" had suddenly twisted his emotions into something much darker.

His grip tightened, digging deep into the squirming ants head. "Uh, n-no... NO! Stop, please. I don't know. I don't know what your talking about! Just let me go, let me g- AAAAH!"

Min slammed the others head into a wall, pinning him there, heaving his thick, heavy breath into the terrified insects face. "You... you're hardly an improvement." The giant tilted his head, a deep rumble starting to build from his chest. "In fact, i could snap you in half right now. Prove how much better i'll always be."

"No! Don't do that. Please, mate. Y-you don't have to prove nothing. I get it. I get it."

Min sneered down at the whimpering little insect, chuckling darkly for every plea he made. "But does he?"

Situs stared up at him, tears streaming down his cheek. "w-who...?"

"FATHER!" His scream shook the window panes in the buildings and at that moment.... Situs knew he was going to die tonight. A horrible, horrible death.

That is.... until he heard a battle cry from above. "LEAVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Perhaps there was hope after all.

[badluckcat]

The voice was his saviour, he thanked the voice silently as the huge abomination of a beetle turned his attention away from him. He silently groaned, his body was damaged and if he been healthy, he would have been able to flee.

‘If I bloody survive this…’ he started to think when something caught his attention. ‘I think he broke me brain’

Watching the female land on the back of the giant beetle however, made him rethink he previous observation.

‘Bint’s gunna git ‘herself kill’d’

Scrambling away from the distracted Min, who didn't react favourably to the sudden weight on his back, Situs quickly dragged his bruised and almost broken body away from the odd pair’s confrontation.

Like hell, he was going stay around!

[Zenoah]

((bah sorry Azure. Been busy and unable to sleep..))


"Very well then..." He said. He was about to pull the trigger when a large feline lept up, causing Basil to fire into the wall. The bullet bounced off and grazed Basil's arm.
The cat ran up the bug and the girl.

"Follow me, hurry. I'll explain everything!" He said, bolting off past Basil, who was putting on dramatics over a scratch.

Basil looked up, seeing this large cat run past him. His eyes widened when he heard it call back to the girl and the aphid.
He was so stunned that he did'nt even get up to give chase.

The large cat ducked into an alley way, peeking out to make sure the other two have followed.

[NeonAzure]

It all happened so quickly!

The man was really going to shoot THROUGH her to get to the poor creature! She could hardly believe the audacity! But... then a very large cat suddenly leapt out and deflected the man's shot, the bullet ricocheting off the wall back at him.

The large feline then raced past the man and herself down the alleyway, and she could've sworn she heard it speak! She was so baffled she simply stared after the cat while the man with the gun fretted over his wounded arm.

Shaking off the shock, Linnea scooped up the small green creature-rags and all-and ran past the man in the same direction the cat had fled.

She rounded the corner and there was the cat, waiting for her it seemed. She glanced back at the young man who had shot at her before racing past the large cat. Linnea had no idea where she was going to go... but it seemed best to get away from the crazed young man.