Another day slinging brisket, another sunset carting some dinner home to his cabin for Halden. His civilian life had it's occasional trials and tribulations, but overall it was fairly fun and fulfilling. Cook huge slabs of meat for ravenous carnivores, fill frothing mugs of alcohol, and spend his weekends sparring and smithing with the occasional joyride. Thus did the knight-in-training savor his meal and newscast at dusk when he handed the longhouse BBQ restaurant over to Ned for the evening.

Today's news seemed to be touching on the viral video about the so-called "lizard man" that had been taped trying to break into an emergency exit in some dark alleyway. Halden had seen the footage of course, but was highly skeptical of the claims of demi-humans walking amongst the denizens of Destiny City. There was every chance the creature could've been a youma, but it hadn't seemed to have been hunting anyone. The page wasn't worried about it either way. He watched the newscast with half an eye and finished his meal in peace, enjoying the familiar ritual.

It wasn't until a short while later that the restauranteur had a sudden groan-inducing realization: he'd forgotten to go into the city that morning to stock up on a few supplies. Business had been bustling this week, and stores of essentials had been running low. There was nothing for it, he'd have to ride into Destiny City proper. Training for the evening could wait a bit. Perhaps he'd even run into some Chaos something or another in the urban jungle and it'd save him the trouble. One could hope.

A few minutes later found Halden astride Tanngrisnir, kicking the beast of a motorcycle awake with a rumbling cry. Flicking on the headlamp, he guided the bike out of the barn and onto the dirt route that connected his little slice of heaven to the main country road. Opening the engine up, the large man was soon just a red taillight far in the distance toward the glimmering lights of the city.

Thankfully the suppliers didn't close very early even on weekdays, and Halden was spared trying to scrimp and save napkins and condiments the next day. It was only two or three stops, and the pit master found his errands done just within an hour. Nice and quick, which was rather satisfying. It was while he was packing a few bottles of mustard into his saddlebag that the noise alerted him. He had parked his Tanngrisnir just off the corner to the restaurant supply warehouse, somewhat near the yawning mouth of a dark alleyway that ran behind most buildings along the entire street.

It was a scuffling, skittering sound. Halden didn't detect any Chaos signatures, but that didn't necessarily mean there wouldn't be trouble. Opting to stay calm, he didn't power up but was determined to investigate. If there was a lizard man, well then he'd apologize to all the tinfoil hatters about. If it was a youma, he could still call upon his wonder so as to smite it with his strengthened bare fists. Honestly the page was hoping it would be the latter.

Stepping confidently into the inky blackness of the alleyway, the large blonde followed the echoing sounds of the scraping footsteps. It sounded like there could have been more than one, with the pattern of the noise. Rounding a bend in the cramped path, Halden beheld a security door not unlock the one from the lizard man video. The skittering had stopped as well.

Slowing to a careful walk, the page cast a wary eye about. There were quite a few stacks of boxes and dumpsters one could use to hide behind. As if it could hear his thoughts, a hooded figure suddenly jumped out from behind a nearby bin.

"Boo!" the scaly-faced assaulter yelled.

Said ambusher was promptly punched in his lizard face. And that was how Halden spent the rest of his evening down at the police station, explaining that the only reason he'd decked some punk in a rubber mask while his friend recorded it was because they'd thought it'd be funny to scare some guy who'd followed them. Not his proudest moment, but at least he wasn't the one wearing a black eye.