nysalogs | A Guarded Surprise

Who: King Richard (

tummyflowers) & Magnus Burnsides (

ruffboi) & The Royal Guard!
What: Magnus and Richard have concocted a plan to train the new trainees. It's worked so well, why not try it on the other newbies?
When: This week
Where: Throughout Olympia, along several patrol routes
Warning(s): idk, maybe language and blood?

[It starts with an idea. Every great moment does, when two minds come together and realize that they can accomplish great deeds together. This is what had happened to Richard and Magnus some days ago. Now it was time for them to put that brainstorming effort to work. Since being assigned responsibility of the armory, Richard had been lending a hand in helping outfit and train some of the new recruits drawn in from the Olympian natives. They'd been young and keen lads who didn't entirely seem to grasp Richard's lessons, but they were still trying their hardest. And finally, after all the drills and strange parables of heroic valor, they were off on their first real patrols throughout the city. Richard had kindly volunteered to accompany them, even though he was very likely less equipped to do the job than they were.

Only once they were in the heart of the city did their real training begin, because Richard had enlisted the help of the swolest man he knew, a musclebound ginger with a brawny, hairy chest and an axe to match. He'd play the part of the violent criminal and give a chance to give the recruits some real hands on experience. Richard couldn't be more proud!]

OPEN PROMPT

[After some success(??) with the recruits, the two decide that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to help their fellow refugees who are equally new to the guards. It's a bit of a boring job, so something like this would surely spice things up and provide some motivation. So using his access to the patrol schedule, Richard has gone out to the city to join some of his fellow guards on their patrols all while a silent, lurking figure waits in the shadows... ready to strike.]

(tl;dr: fellow guards can have Richard show up on their normal patrols, only for Magnus to jump out and attack them! They're more than welcome to fight back and even beat up the poor guy! And yell at Richard too! It's for morale, right?)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Hey, doofuses, what's happening here. While your good friend (?) Taako had previously been hanging out kind of on the sidelines, enjoying a frozen marg and taking bets on who gets a beatdown. He'd run out of drink and patience for the whole thing earlier and wandered off, citing important appointments like washing his hair to attend to.

Not that Taako has anything to do with this situation, where your good boss (?) Ashti has just come round the corner, sizing Richard up and down with a clearly disapproving look. ]

Yo, what's happening here? What's up with this situation, my [ what the fuck do royal guards talk like ] good . . . fellow? Guardsman.

[ Something about that voice seems a little weird though. ]

[Richard really hadn't expected the commander to make an appearance. Worse yet, she has all the insignia of the royal guard that Richard had pointed out to Magnus. He was not an especially cunning man, but Richard knew that there was no good justification whatsoever that involved jumping her.

He smiled uneasily. Even though she sounded a bit off. And maybe not as freakishly tall as he remembered?]

Oh ahh... good evening, commander. Nice of you to drop by?

[Magnus is also not an especially cunning man. The opportunity to test the reflexes of the captain of the guards is a temptation he can't resist.

He slowly begins to creep up behind Ashti, winking at Richard as he does so.]

[ You've both failed your perception checks and should be ashamed of yourselves. Be better. Taashti (for clarification purposes and so I don't get sued for fraud) continues to stand exactly in the firing line of the Magnus cannon, seemingly oblivious to the danger. She puts a hand on her hip, then realizing that's probably not exactly Guard-like, crosses her arms sternly instead. ]

Oh sure, sure, no problem, muchacho. Still haven't answered my question, what's the haps? What's hip-happening on this here street corner? You nervous about something?

[Wow this is REALLY a different side of her. Could it be that Ashti has finally come around? Started to get with the whole Richard groove? There's no way he can mess this up now! He can't afford to lose that promotion!]

Oh, just guarding and such! [He nearly bulges his eyes out as he looks at Magnus, trying to shake his head only to then to stroke his hair with his hand to make it natural... which he then follows with a line at his throat to indicate to KILL the plan. Then, abruptly, smile at the boss.] But I mean, hey don't you look good! How nice of you to STOP here and see me. I can't believe you found time to CEASE your important royal protection duties to come down here. You sure that won't bring things to a HALT with the ah, important fancy folk? I'd hate for you to FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T DO IT- um, miss out on important things.

[If Richard is trying to speak in some sort of secret code, Magnus hasn't caught on. Or maybe he doesn't want to catch on - he's too excited to test himself against the captain.

He creeps up closely behind her, and then leaps, attempting to tackle her to the ground.]

Sneak attack!

[ And at the sudden annoucement of a sneak attack (which, you know, gives him a heads up to get out of the way), she disappears in the blink of an eye - and reappears a few feet over to the left. But also not as the extremelyintimidating guardswoman, and instead just the (dazzling? radiant?) familiar figure of Taako everyone knows and loves. At least Magnus knows him, Richard may not have been sold on a shirt quite yet.

He shoots off a magic missile right at his attacker though, so, incoming pal.]

Taak-- Don't you normally yell Magnus?

[And just like that, Richard watched his entire career vanish in a poof of smoke. Except, wait a moment, where did she go!?

And who was this jerk!? Hadn't he been here earlier?]

I- err. What happened to? I'm sorry, what the hell is going on here?

[Taking that magic missile right to the gut! He gives a little oof, bangs a fist on the armor of his stomach, and seems to get over it. It's a first level spell.]

Taako! You cheated! You got us good, though! The guard hunter...becomes the guard hunted.

[ Taking a very dramatic bow, complete with removing his hat and blowing kisses to an adoring invisible audience that surrounds them, mouthing a few thank you, thank yous. ]

Cheating: no. Perfectly within the rules of, uh, whatever it is you're doing here. Jumping people. Winning the Oscar: yes. [ And turning to Richard in particular. ] I mean, you looked pretty swept away by my performance, right darling?

[... darling? Wow. That was... pretty sweet. No one had ever called him darling. So that was nice-ish. Richard recovers from his own alarm and perks up a bit.]

Wow, I have to say, I was completely taken in. A spot on impersonation. I don't know how you did it. I mean, I know we'll get snubbed at the Emmies, but you totally earned that one.

You cheated by blinking away, though. You didn't let me jump you and fight you.

[He really wanted to fight the captain of the guard.]

Just a little of the old Transmutation, my man. So forget the Emmys, I'm working with Golden Globe material here.

[Richard should know Taako has never ever sincerely meant it when he called someone darling, but this guy is actually not so bad. He's very complimentary. Waving off Magnus' sadness at not getting to punch him in the face.]

Yeah, wasn't really feeling up to getting socked in the face and losing half my health for funsies? You'll be fine. Are you gonna introduce me to your homeboy here or what?

Oh, I'm Richard. This is Magnus. [Because... he doesn't realize those two know each other already.] He's my guard consultant for today. But you know, I feel like this is a perfect third act. We had our pun battle, the musical number, and the stinger surprise ending. Kind of really wraps up the whole thing, don't you think?

[They might have to cut out some material later... like Theon, but otherwise it was pretty solid material.]

Yeah, what he said. I'm Magnus, and this is Richard, and this is Taako.

[Putting an arm around both of their shoulders.]

Yeah, I think that's about right. We met our goals, trained a few guards, had a few near scrapes, and all became closer as friends. I think it's good Taako interrupted us and ruined all our plans.

A Guarded Surprise

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject