Infiltration [Lucien v Ironskull, Day Two]

His fingers scale up and down the arms of the mechanical suits as he tries to get some rest. They are like mountains: rigid, cold, uneven, and sharp at the points. District Six always took at least some interest in science, but Lucien had never seen or heard of any scientific study that might hint that the Capitol was interested in making their tributes cyborgs. The shipping container he rests in is long and empty aside from a few wooden boxes with nothing inside. His breath, once in a while growing heavier than he may have liked it to, echoes against the dark walls and darker ceiling. Nighttime comes and Lucien huddles between crates. Surprisingly, the suit isn't difficult to sleep in; better than tossing around on the chilled steel floor. The smell of copper and nickel reigns as he drifts off to sleep.

Dawn brings a sense of exhaustion. Lucien couldn't find anything to eat or drink the entire day prior, and it was felt as he struggled to rise from his position on the ground. The container, opened just barely, presents a sunburnt orange light up against the eroding and rusting entryway. Lucien picks himself up and draws closer, throwing his ear toward the light. Any noise? Silence speaks in the way of a hushed ringing in his ear. He needs to get further away from where they started. A few of the tributes had warned him to watch out, or they'd kill him. The suit is heavy, but Lucien is accustomed enough to pull forward and race away from his first nightly resting place.

The light already seemed to fade in the arena, but darkness looms around each corner as only dim light transitions into dominance. He chooses an alley as the most discrete path. Redd Wilson does not exist here to stab him in the dark. Although the tributes seem to be fine with stabbing Lucien in broad daylight. Lines of rusting red and ill-ridden white appear to dare collapse upon him. But ahead lies a larger building. An invitation, or perhaps a warning, is drawn in the next entryway: Sheriff. The Games have turned further from swords and axes and more to guns recently. Just look at the last Games, they practically encouraged the use of firearms for all of the tributes. Lucien pulls forward, looking both waits in case there are any tributes nearby looking to strike an unsuspecting foe.

Lucien drags the door open. With one foot in, he can already tell that any chance for stealth has been diminished. The power of the suit's footwear will be lucky if they don't chip and crack every ounce of the tile. Room by room, Lucien hunts for treasure. When one room is gone, he pulls into the next hallway. And the next, and-

The sounds of a groan echo as he searches one of the rooms. Immediately, he presses a button in the suit and his dagger becomes exposed. The fuck? The groan releases again, this time with one or two others accompanying it. Lucien holds his breath. The sounds appear to be uncomfortable, a lingering throat full of rage or pain waiting to be released. His gut tells him to hide (no, his gut tells him something is wrong, something doesn't feel right…) But he peers out the doorway to see a hoard of creatures, with necks practically the size of his whole body alone, rushing toward him. One of them leaps toward him, knocking Lucien down onto the ground. A sharp pain surges just to the inside of his hip. The creature spits against the tile while it roars. Lucien tries to back up, but his hands and feet can't get a firm grip on the smooth tile floor. The giraffe's head flails toward him, as sharp spikes in the form of a crown slash at his bent leg. Using his dagger, Lucien returns the favor.

Fight back, this time.

It's all he has.

[lucien grey attacks pristine the ironskull; dagger/knife]
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2071 -- Deep Gash on Right Forearm -- 8.0 damage + 1.0 Blades

There's more than just one of them. Lucien swings his robotic arm in the direction of the one who lashed out on his leg. One, two, three… they leave him nervous. In the past, it felt as if the Game Makers would allow for just one or two mutts to go after a tribute all on their own. Their brutality grows as his stomach rumbles. The giraffes challenge one another, though, instead of Lucien, almost as if they're squabbling matters more than his flesh (or nuts and bolts, if that's what they believe he is.

Lucien's dagger cuts at the side of one of their legs. He feels the blade chip bone as it follows through, leaving blood, flesh, and skin against the dull tiles.

"I could use a little help!" A human voice booms out from one of the hallways. Lucien pulls himself back, further away from the corner where the echoes originated. "Caught up in a bit of my own shit right now…" he mutters, but surely the groggy shrieks from the giraffe mutts block out his response. The sharp edges from the giraffe fall down upon him again, tearing at the mech suit. Lucien pulls his head and neck backwards, banging them against the back of the suit. Even though he knows it'll protect him for the time being, each one of his instincts warns him not to take any chances.

"Help, help, help!"

If he could wait a few moments, maybe. But for now, Lucien needs to help himself. He takes another swing at the giraffes, careful not to let his suit get damaged by the shards above their heads.

[lucien grey attacks Perfection the ironskull; dagger/knife]
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2015 -- Deep Gash on Right Thigh -- 8.0 damage + 1.0 Blades

They continue to bicker with one another as Lucien chips away at the gems surrounding their bodies. His stomach yelps in fear as they slam the shards of pristine gemstones across the suit. Lions roar in the background, whoever else is here must have a different breed of a battle. Where there's one, there's likely to be more. The dagger retracts to the suit as he continues to pick at their bones. Lucien can't be caught off guard like this again. With his shifts in posture, he can feel the pieces and gears within the suit rattle as if a little less secure than before.

The groans among the three creatures grow louder and more severe. It's almost as if they're a group of siblings fighting over the family's plans for the day. But family always protects family, and just as he readies his arm for another slice at the giraffes, they turn back to him, necks craning. They swing and Lucien surges back, leaving them to cut into the forearm of the suit.

He returns the favor, looking past them to see if he might be able to catch them off guard and escape.

[lucien grey attacks Pristine the ironskull; dagger/knife]
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2150 -- Shallow Cut on Chest -- 4.0 damage