[Open] Hunter becomes the prey

[tantailizing]

🧙 WHO: Zidane and you!
⚔️️ WHAT: Catch-all for August
🕒 WHEN: August (until events and stuff)
🗺️ WHERE: Around Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: Culling and fighting, mainly vigilante stuff

I. Don't Treep, Man

Warm out today, but Zidane continued trudging about, working on this bit of fence or tilling this other section of land. For a few, he'd been left to water, but only up until more materials had been brought. Honestly, he was surprised just how much damage the zombies made, but their response to their numbers? Could've been better, but oh well.

"Ready to get back to the fence?" he asked the other worker nearby, not paying much heed to the fact they could currently either occupied by a task or looking for something more to do. If they hadn't been helping with the fence before, this might be slightly confusing.

II. Invasive Species

Ehehe, well, he'd say the season served the local wildlife well - and maybe too well like the task had said, but he wasn't going to be mature about it.

Anyway, cull some of the older animals, spare the ones that just had offspring or raised in a community (then it was open game), and also get the Carcinuses back. That second part might be the bigger challenge really, but maybe using one part to lead to the second, they could make good progress.

He'll think of a few more plans if that fell through.

"How you doing over there?"

His companion on this task could handle themselves, right? No issues with a few woodland critters?

III. Open House

He didn't know what to expect of Camelot's castle, but it was definitely dolled up for company. At least, he doesn't think the public bath normally has a water slide - not that he was really feeling a bath right now. Instead, he decided to stalk away and have a look around further; he could be found briefly having a taste of some new foods, seeing what books would be in this royal library, curiously watching the magician perform as he strolled by, and then heading out to the gardens.

Hm... roses had been one of her mother's favorites.

He could be found there soon too, lying around near the roses and pretty much chilling.

IV. Animal Mage Hunt - Reverse Card

Zidane had an animal tail, big whoop, wanted to fight about it?

Apparently, someone does - someone did, and it was the same someone that was going after others with Animal Magic once he got someone to squawk. Making them spill further details, the barely tech-savvy young man checked the Dark Web and found the posting, and was immediately both unimpressed and actually angered.

It was one thing to basically put a bounty on him, but any Animal Mage, huh? Worse, he'd heard about the murders happening and he didn't know if they were related. Even if they weren't, the knights were likely occupied by them instead.

So, he'll make himself look quite conspicuous donning his cloak and mask from home. Hood drawn, he thought he looked like a suspicious mage type; and with enough of his tail just appearing from beneath, that outta do it. He doesn't really mind how it might look to others - he had to figure out how to track down the guy behind the Dark Web post.

[OOC: Note that this is open for him to aid characters being attacked, for people looking to attack a supposed animal mage, or wondering what the hell he's doing at all. Maybe they'd like to come along, he's open to forming a party.]

[V. Wildcard]

[OOC: As always, want another prompt not present? Hit me up at demidemonLove and we can write something new out!]

Comments

IV

[flamekthunder]

[Conspicuous indeed. After being attacked a few times, Eustace has gone out to try and hunt down the mage hunters with varying success. It's during one of these hunts that he spots the cloaked figure that looks similar to the one he had been following previously, so he immediately keys in. Of course anyone could wear similar hooded cloaks, but this was acting suspicious enough to make him suddenly jump down from the rooftop he had been watching from, Flamek drawn and pointed at him.]

Hold it.

[His voice is ice cold, glare hard and hostile. It's just unfortunate that from his initial perch he couldn't see the bit of tail poking out from the behind the cloak to indicate he had been mistaken.]

[tantailizing]

[Not the first time Zidane's been accosted because of the cloak, and it wouldn't be the last either. Friend or foe, everyone's just on edge. He could probably learn to raise his hands when a gun's pointed at him because it's another weapon, but it's a friend so he's not gonna. At least he did stop walking to look back at him.]

Hey Eustace. On the roof for lookout or travel... or both?

[Nonchalant as usual and his tail sways more under his cloak.]

[flamekthunder]

[He blinks and stares for a moment before he lowers his gun.]

Zidane?

[tantailizing]

[He raises a hand and grins wide.]

Hey! How's it going? Well, aside from all the people hunting mages trouble...

[flamekthunder]

Is that why you're dressed like that?

[tantailizing]

Eh, kinda? I mean, the tail already caught their attention, but when I started doing this, I started getting it more often. Which is good - I gotta find the guy behind this and someone has to know who it is.

Also, I don't want them to remember who I am. If they're dumb enough to do this, they'll be dumb enough to think about retaliating later.

[flamekthunder]

[...A small sigh as he holsters Flamek and runs a hand through his hair.]

I would tell you off for doing something so reckless... But this is you I'm dealing with.

Any leads?

[tantailizing]

[He laughs.]

You know me well by now, Eustace! I can't let them hurt my friends without trying to do something about it.

Ugh, no. Since it's a post on the Dark Web, it's anonymous. I thought about checking places where employees are skipping work since they mentioned not being able to go to work, but there's people calling out because of the curse affecting them, too. I can't even try the usual spots for info because this guy sounds repressed enough so he's not about to go to a bar or visit a 'nightclub'.

[flamekthunder]

[Just a small click of his tongue.]

Same. Even though I know it's a long shot, I question the hunters I catch, but they don't know anything, of course. For now the best we can do is stop the ones who've joined in this farce, but if you do learning anything...

[A very sharp, hard glare.]

Don't do anything on your own and contact me first.

[tantailizing]

There's gotta be someone who knows this guy. Even if they're just laughing at him from the sidelines somewhere.

[Probably not one of the hunters... hell, they might be a mage themselves. Zidane blinks when Eustace glares at him again and he just... nods back.]

Hey, I get it. You wanna get this guy even more than I do. You'll be the first I tell.

[flamekthunder]

[He just eyes Zidane for a moment before he nods and then glances around.]

That said, the real reason why I confronted you is because I thought you were someone else. I'm tailing a hunter and they had similar garb like yours.

[tantailizing]

Oh really? Need some help tracking them down?

[He's game if Eustace is open to the assist.]

[flamekthunder]

[It almost looks like Eustace is going to reject the offer, but in the end he ends up closing his eyes and looking back down towards the alley.]

He shouldn't be too far from here.

[tantailizing]

[He nods.]

Back to the rooftop then? Give 'em the old drop in like you meant to get here?

[flamekthunder]

[Hmph.]

It makes scouting easier, though I was thinking of turning into bird.

[tantailizing]

I think you want to do less transforming right now, not more...

[Because if these hunters gang up and network, one of them seeing him shift would confirm he was a mage to target.]

[flamekthunder]

[He can see Zidane's worry and just shrugs.]

Too late for that. I've already had to handle several. Being a target is easier for me as well.

[tantailizing]

Hopefully it stays easy...

[Eustace, he's kind of worried about you, okay?]

I'll meet ya on the roof then.

[flamekthunder]

[He'll be fiiiiine he's Mr. Top Elite Soldier, he can handle anything.

Eustace just gives Zidane a small nod before he suddenly transforms into a small falcon, shooting up into the air.]

[tantailizing]

[Yeah, yeah, keep thinking that. Zidane takes off at a run and follows Eustace, running up the wall with the aid of his own magic.]

[flamekthunder]

[It's totally not foreshadowing anything at all. At all.

Anyway, Eustace will be perched up on the edge, watching Zidane's ascent. ...Hmm.]

So you can basically run up walls and essentially defy gravity using your magic.

[tantailizing]

[Nope, nothing tragic is going to happen. Nothing at all that'd probably make Zidane legitimately pissed. Good thing he can't Trance either.]

[Landing on the roof after Eustace, Zidane nodded.]

Yeah! Pretty cool, right? Could use some more work, but someone said I can teleport too.

[And then nowhere is safe~]

[flamekthunder]

...

[Even as a falcon Zidane can feel that flat stare of his at the thought of Zidane literally popping here, there, and everywhere...]

Just don't go overboard.

[And with that he flaps his wings and takes off back into the air.]

Now follow me—the last I saw him was a block over, but he's likely moved elsewhere by now.

[tantailizing]

[Oh yeah, he feels it and it only makes him laugh a bit.]

I won't! I still have to practice anyway.

[Staring up at the Eustace bird, his grin becomes a smirk.]

No problem. If he's got a cloak almost like mine, he's not getting away.

[flamekthunder]

[He only gives one final glance back before he flies upward and then over. He didn't even ask if Zidane could jump big gaps with his kinetic magic—he just assumed he can if not he'll figure out a way. That said, he'll at least keep Zidane's path doable, flying over the buildings and sticking towards back alleyways. He chose a falcon for a reason, and when he catches a glimpse of the familiar cloak, he suddenly swoops down past Zidane, the only hint he'll get before Eustace swerves in the direction the person disappeared to.]