Fantasy Fire Emblem Divide: Lloyd x Melnax

[Hachi Machi]

Lloyd x Melnax

Time: Before Chapter 1
Location: Campfire Near Melnax's Tent
Support Level: C

Link to the Group RP: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/fire-emblem-divide-table-of-contents.346801/#post-8061703

Midnight Paragon Hachi Machi

 

[Hachi Machi]

Lloyd Grimmer savored his meal, since he was one of the members to help with food preparation. His prior skills working at a café aided him well in creating delicious dishes. After his meal, he decided to take a short walk outside the dining halls. He wore his usual blue robes, which helped him against the late chilly weather. Despite being at peace time for now, he still kept his sword sheathed at ready, in case of any surprise attacks. There was no telling when the enemy would strike. He knew far too well that man or centaur, no one would miss the opportunity to completely surprise their foe.

While on his stroll, he smelled burning wood, and soon found himself near Melnax's campsite. He didn't actively pursue the place, he was just intrigued someone dared to camp out in the woods, when barracks clearly offered more comfort. After contemplation, he sat down on the ground to warm himself near the fire. He wondered if anyone was nearby, but that matter didn't bother him. He wanted to enjoy the warmth of the fire first.

Midnight Paragon

 

[Midnight Paragon]

"Camp is back that way, you know."
Melnax emerged from the nearby trees that surrounded his campsite, two large rabbits hanging on his shoulder. He walked towards his fire and set his bounty on the ground near it, giving his uninvited guest a scowl.
"Unless you're here to bring me some seasoning for these, i'd suggest you skedaddle back to the barracks. More than one bear has been known to wander in here from time to time."
He stepped inside his tent for a moment in search of something, then came back out with a rather large knife. Paying no attention to the man stealing the warmth of his blaze, he set about to skinning his game, carefully inserting the knife into one of the rabbits and running it down.

Hachi Machi

 

[Hachi Machi]

Lloyd sat comfortably, until he was startled by a man's voice. This directed Lloyd to view the man carrying two dead rabbits, which followed with the man's scowl. Lloyd thought the comment hypocritical, "Yeah, camp is back that way. So why are you out here?" Wanting to one up this stranger, Lloyd produced a scowl of his own. Yet what really boiled up Lloyd was the man's second comment. He scoffed at the mention of a bear, "Pfft..as if a bear could harm me? A measly bear would fall to my blade easily enough. I've fought Centaurs before." However, the man simply ignored Lloyd in favor of preparing his meat. Realizing the argument would go nowhere, Lloyd reached into his pocket and offered up some seasonings, "Thanks for the fire, you dolt. Here." The way Lloyd offered the spice was with a quick pitch, as if he were aiming to hit Melnax's left hand hard.

Midnight Paragon

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Too engrossed with preparing his dinner, Melnax did not move from his position as the other man threw the pouch at him. It sailed through the air and bounced harmlessly off of Melnax's hand, to which he paused and picked it up, placing his knife next to his half skinned trophy and opening it up.
"I don't like you all that much. I prefer sleeping by myself. I'd fix that attitude of yours too. You're certainly not going to be making friends that way. Or at least the bears won't be showing any mercy, anyway."
He dug around the small leather pouch and picked up a pinch of the spices inside, taking a small taste of them before placing them back on the ground and returning to his two rabbits. He picked his knife back up and wiped it on a rag before continuing to skin the creature.
"Thanks for the spices, oh mighty swordsman. I trust your skill with a pointy metal stick will you see back to camp safely? You don't need an actual warrior to hold your hand on the way back and make sure no scary beasties get you?"
He chuckled, his focus still entirely on skinning and preparing his future dinner.

 

[Hachi Machi]

While watching the man pick up the thrown spice, Lloyd smirked, confident that he insulted the man. The man's next comment certainly portrayed a sense of dislike, but yet again Lloyd was ticked off by the man's insistence that Lloyd would lose to a couple of bears. He replied, "A couple of bears showing me mercy? You really know how to irk someone, you...you," Lloyd struggled to come up with an insult, "you rabbit skinner." His face turned red, realizing he failed at his own insult. He was too riled to focus on anything intelligible. Then, the last statement the man spoke to Lloyd hurt Lloyd's pride. He quickly stood up from his spot and he wrapped his hands around his blade while shouting, "You got a problem with me? I'll show you how a swordsman handles bears." He threateningly demonstrated his intentions by firmly grasping the hilt of his blade. He wondered how the man would react, but before anything further occurred, a bear stumbled upon the campsite. The bear seemed rapid and hungry, since the scent of dead rabbit meat allured the bear.

Midnight Paragon

 

[Midnight Paragon]

It was pretty obvious that the man stealing the warmth of his fire was now grabbing at straws. As he struggled for an insult and finally decided on 'rabbit skinner', Melnax looked up with a condescending look on his face.
"Really? 'Rabbit skinner'? That's the best you could come up with? Not even something basic as mercenary scum or something? Huh. I really hope you're better with a blade than insults, otherwise I might just bet on you dying tommorow and make a fortune."
He chuckled to himself once more before raising an eyebrow as the man stood up, blade in hand, shouting something about showing him that he could handle a bear. A guy as skinny as him with a sword as small as that? The only thing he could handle was probably an old, sick dog that he had annoyed from his constant shouting. As he was about to point that out, rustling from the nearby bushes gave him pause. After a minute or two, a large brown bear stuck it's head out, foam dripping at it's mouth, perhaps from the meal Melnax was preparing. Speak of the devil, he supposed. He laughed as he stood up and pulled an iron broadsword from his side, but instead of charging forward, merely placed it into the dirt next to him and began to lean on it like a crutch, gesturing from the man to the bear.
"Prove me wrong, then."

 

[Hachi Machi]

From Lloyd's perspective, the two were at extreme odds with one another. This influenced Lloyd to assume that the man only sought to shame his pride as a trained swordsman. However, Lloyd's thoughts disappeared when a bear presented itself in a hostile manner on the campsite. Immediately, Lloyd unsheathed his iron sword, and he readied himself in a fighting stance. A scene of two men bickering transitioned into a battle. Lloyd charged towards the bear, while shouting, "I'll show you how a real warrior fights." The bear didn't move out of the way, and instead held its ground. Realizing the bear's intentions, Lloyd shuffled his body to the side, allowing the momentum of his weight to drag him onto the ground. This allowed Lloyd to dodge the bear's sharp claws that lunged into the empty air that Lloyd previously occupied. With the advantage, Lloyd pierced the bear's thighs, causing the bear to erupt in a bellowing roar, "Raaaawr!" Now satisfied, Lloyd let off a smug expression, taunting the man, "Too scared to attack first?"

Midnight Paragon

 

[Midnight Paragon]

Melnax watched the guy fight the bear with little interest. He was speedy, and that was ultimately what he relied on. Even as he zigzagged past the bear and managed to strike it, Melnax was unimpressed. The man turned to him in an odd pose, with a grin on his face, back turned towards the bear. He asked him if he was scared, and he felt like his eyes could roll out of their sockets.
"It's more along the lines of saving you the embarrassment."
The bear was, as expected, infuriated by the slash. It turned and let out a savage roar and lunged towards the man closest to it. Melnax was already on his way, and the bears mouth closed around sharp steel. Melnax and the bear fought for the ground beneath their feet, till he shot a fist forward and slammed it right on the bears head. It stumbled back, freeing Melnax's sword. He dashed forward carefully, and swiped at the bears leg, giving it a nasty gash as it fell to the ground but steadily got back up, turning it's back to the other man and focusing on Melnax. Now was their chance! He began slowly backing up as he called to the other man.
"Now! Finish it!"

 

[Hachi Machi]

After landing a devastating blow, Lloyd used his back to fling his feet back onto the ground. Now standing, Lloyd viewed the bear's terrifying claws, as the bear attempted to lunge at Lloyd's face. Fortunately, Melnax stopped the bear's attack by placing his blade into the bear's mouth. It seemed the bear and Melnax were fighting to keep their ground. Lloyd watched as Melnax attracted the attention of the bear. Despite the two's difference, they were equals when it came to combat, so when Lloyd heard the words from Melnax, "Now! Finish it!," Lloyd rushed forward to strike the bear. When he reached the bear close range, he ducked under the bear to face the bear's underbelly, which Lloyd then pierced with an upward sword strike. The bear's blood spurted onto Lloyd's face, causing Lloyd to feel disgusted. As the bear weakened in power, Lloyd rolled away from the bear's wound in order to escape an additional drench of blood. The sight was unbearable for Lloyd, and he spitted onto the ground, hoping to remove any bear blood. Still, the bear had some strength left in its system, since It remained standing. However, It was only a matter of time before the bear succumbed to blood loss. All Lloyd had to do was wait for the bear to fall. He yelled at the other man, "Well, there you go. Ta dah! The finishing blow."

Midnight Paragon