Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was the first night that he’d gone out to patrol since the Giant Snake Incident. Xibalba would have preferred a visit to his wonder or even staying home to play with the kids. Instead, a nagging sense of responsibility had gotten him to power up and wander the city.

Maybe it had something to do with how close they’d come to not having a city to come back to.

At any rate, the burly knight had decided to stalk the area near the hospital. He thought that for one of the negaverse, the temptation to steal from someone truly helpless would be a draw. And he would be there to make them regret it. Pausing behind a tree, he leaned his back against the trunk and sighed. Then, he stretched out slowly and carefully unless he could feel the muscles through his chest and shoulders pop and twang. He’d have to start working out more regularly if his muscles protested simple stretching that much.

Before he could follow that thought much further, he felt a slimy aura nearby and allowed himself a tight, humorless smile. Right on schedule.

“Ach,” he growled into the darkness. “Grow some balls and come oot, y’wee numpty.”

He wasn’t terribly worried about whoever it was skulking in the dark being bigger than him. Frankly, there weren’t many people bigger than him around in general. Besides, as far as he was concerned, anyone who worked willingly with the Negaverse was very small indeed. As he scanned the area, he hummed to himself and casually summoned his weapon. Hell, a fight might be just what he needed to get over the lingering sense of dread he’d carried ever since the Hallow.

Doing some eyeing up of his own, Xibalba noted the way the officer shifted and decided that he probably had a concealed weapon on his person. Well, that was fine. Hell, he’d been a bouncer for how many years? Jackasses hiding weapons was nothing new. Still, he made a mental note to keep half an eye on how the officer moved.

Just to be safe.

Still smiling the same humorless smile, the Mars knight snorted and began wrapping part of the sling around his wrist. If he had to start throwing fireballs, he wanted to be sure he couldn’t lose his weapon. Besides, it was a tiny action that rather loudly screamed that he didn’t consider the officer to be much of a threat or concern.

“Ah’m nae so craven that Ah’d attack unprovoked, daftie,” he answered, making sure to pour amusement into his voice. It wasn’t surprising that the other fellow wouldn’t understand what numpty meant. But by heaping similar insults, Xibalba rather thought the guy would figure it out. Nothing conveyed such utter non-concern and dismissiveness as regional insults. Or, well. Any insults really. Sometimes, the words didn’t matter so much as the delivery. How people reacted always told Xibalba more than a simple conversation could. “Best be gettin’ home then, m’wee laddie. Y’want tae avoid the blackenin’ of an eye after all.”

Tonal implications of the officers bravery, or lack thereof, would probably rile a bit. And at this point, just the presence of an officer near the damn hospital was more than enough to make Xibalba pound his face in. But no, he’d give the man a chance to do the right thing and leave.

Keeping a thoroughly pleasant smile on his face, Xibalba actually laughed at the officer’s rejoinder. Okay, he might feel a little guilty if he punched the guy’s teeth in. But probably not.

“Ah dinnae like skulkin’,” he said amiably. “You’re goin’ tae prowl, at least be open about it. Y’lot are supposed to be so proud o’servin’ that Queen of yours, aye? Hardly seems that way with how so many of ye skulk about.”

Inside, Xibalba was beyond delighted. The officer was reacting and letting himself be riled. Not that this would make the knight any less cautious. This was still a member of the Negaverse, after all. Dirty tricks and nasty surprises were what they were all about. And after what he’d seen Laurelite do in the Hallow’s prison, he was never going to take what one of these bastards could do for granted again. Still, that didn’t stop his eyes from lighting up as the officer revealed what weapon he carried. Wrist mounted crossbow. Probably quite proficient given how he was fiddling with the thing. Though Xibalba would be hanged if he thought the officer wasn’t keeping a close watch on him as well.

Wouldn’t this be fun?

Showing keen interest, he nodded and laughed again. Time to attempt more mindgames.

“Crossbow is it? Nae a bad weapon, but fiddly at times. Nae doubt you’ve figured all that oot. Well, well, well,” Xibalba began laughing again as he cracked his neck loudly and stretched out his arms before cracking his knuckles. Though the knight continued to smile, something had changed and his smile now seemed to show almost too many teeth. “Laddie, if that’s meant tae be a threat, y’really must find someone to workshop it with. Ye’re about as threatenin’ as a soggy, bedraggled kitten.”

Mentally, the Mars knight was calculating his chances of escaping unharmed. Probably not great. He had more reach than the officer, but the little rat probably could teleport. Still, all he needed was a couple of really good hits.

“Saints preserve an’ protect,” Xibalba muttered, making a show of rolling his eyes. “Are ye truly that daft, m’boy? It’s all in the phrasin’! Allow me tae explain, ‘I’m going to have some fun’. Mildly threatenin’, implies that the other person might be in for a bad time. Certainly makes ye come across as a bit of an edgelord and a git.”

Looking downright disdainful and unconcerned as the crossbow was pointed directly at him, the knight continued to speak, even as he called up his knightly aspect to swath him like a cozy blanket. He had zero doubts that this little scrap of a man would hurt him badly if he could. Therefore, he had to make sure that no matter what was done to him, he wouldn’t break. He had a family to get home to after all.

“Now,” he continued in a tone that implied velvet over venom coated steel. “Ye want to actually sound like a Force tae be reckoned with, ye have tae put in a bit of actual effort. If I may demonstrate?”

Without waiting for an answer, he adjusted his posture slightly, facing the officer directly, still smiling, though now with a hint of bloodthirst. Placing his hands on his hips, he stood, watching the officer unblinkingly.

“Make it count, laddie, if’n y’can. Because ye get one chance. And then? Ach, my wee laddie, you an’ me? We’re goin’ tae dance.”

He was taking a risk and he knew it. But he figured it was a calculated one. He hadn’t seen a physical bolt and given the officer’s own pose, it would be damn difficult to pull his arm back in fast enough to mount a bolt and re-extend. Now, magic could hurt just as much as the real thing, but he didn’t think whatever magic this fellow possessed was capable of shredding flesh the way a real bolt could.

Still keeping eye contact, he shook the arm his sling was wrapped around lightly, loosening the cords. Once this started, he wanted to waste as little time as possible.

Ah, there it was. Xibalba kept his eyes focused on the officer’s face, on his eyes. Eyes would always tell more than hands or feet when it came to direction. It was definitely interesting that the fellow had chosen to go for the headshot rather than the heart. He’d have to think about that more in depth later.

But for now… The Mars knight began to laugh, face cracking into an enormous, gleeful smile as the bolt of energy came at him. But, rather than trying to dodge, he ducked slightly. Moving quickly so that the strike would hit where the bone was slightly thicker. It still hurt. Oh boy, did it hurt. But at least, he wouldn’t be going home with a shattered face. He’d just be going home resembling a goth raccoon. But the pain was instructive and as it pulsed through his face, his laughter took on a mildly demented edge.

Surging forward, sling forgotten for now, he roared, “Ach! That wee toy won’t stop me, laddie!”

For someone as large and bulky as he was, Xibalba moved with alarming speed, fist already swinging for the officer. Face, chest, gut. Where it landed didn’t matter. He’d even settle for gently whiffling over the b*****d’s head and ruffling his hair. Hell, that might be more disconcerting than outright hitting him. If he was very lucky indeed, he’d be able to grab onto the slippery little ******** and the dance could begin in earnest.

Spineless little ********, Xibalba thought as his fist crashed so satisfyingly into the wee weasel’s shoulder. All talk, no fight. Well. At least he’d had the absolute joy of seeing the shock on the fellow’s face when his little toy did absolutely nothing. But, before Xibalba could follow up, the officer not only teleported out of reach, he managed to stay just out of reach. Still laughing through the pain, he could feel his face bruising and swelling.

He’d shaken out his sling, preparing to launch a few fireballs into the weasel’s face when, quite suddenly, the officer grinned, waved and popped out of existence. Okay, okay, he amended mentally, just out of the immediate area. Still breathing hard from adrenaline, Xibalba closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down. Maybe he hadn’t turned the officer into a fine paste, but he’d at least succeeded in chasing him away from the hospital grounds. That was something. Taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment before releasing, Xibalba considered his options.

The officer was unlikely to return tonight. Hell, he might stay away for a few nights if he thought that there was a crazed Mars knight keeping watch. It was probably safe enough now to go home and slap some ice on his aching skull. As much as Xibalba hated to leave something unfinished, he knew that he wouldn’t be much good with a swollen face impeding his vision.

“Shortest fight Ah’ve ever had,” he muttered as he set off for home. He wasn’t sure, now, if he was disappointed or relieved by that. Ultimately, he thought he’d settle on relieved. Now, he could only hope that his wife wouldn’t scold too much.