DuckQuests [Open]

[flapsin]

🧙 WHO: Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck and whoever!
⚔️️ WHAT: An open log with each of this month's Top Tasks!
🕒 WHEN: Throughout the first half of the month
🗺️ WHERE: Throughout Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: Probably some level of nsfw stuff for the Hot Knights prompt (but no smut); possible mentions of and attempted murder/violence for the Cult Classic prompt.

A. A Sheepish Request [Shear Determination - Drake]

[Drake Mallard is ready to undergo some quests! And the first one he chooses seems simple enough. Just shear some sheep! A... fire-breathing sheep. He doesn't have much experience with this, but how hard could it be?

Armed with a blade for shearing, he starts to approach the sheep with his partner.]

It's... easy, right? Nice, quick and easy, right? [He better hope that his own nervousness doesn't make the sheep too nervous too...!]

B. A Knight to Remember [Hot Knights - "Howard"]

[This request seems a bit more risque than his usual work! But still, there's someone to be saved, and he's here to do the saving. He decides to go undercover to complete the work. So he puts on a rental suit and tries to slick back his hair... feathers... hair-feathers, whatever they are. Once at the club, he's quickly weirded out by seeing all these scantily-clad humans. Regardless, he tries to act natural as he makes his way to the bar and introduces himself.]

The name's... Howard. [A beat.] Howard, uh, McDuck. That's right! [He snaps his fingers, ordering a drink.] I'll have it shaken, then stirred!

[There could be someone else nearby - either someone along with him on this quest or is running into him while doing his separately!]

C. Duck Flick [Cult Classic - Darkwing]

[This feels like a quest he absolutely cannot overlook. As a crimefighter, this is one eccentric and dangerous villain who needs to be taken down! And as an actor, he feels like he has the know-how to corner this villain! And so, in the guise of Darkwing Duck, he finds someone to act out a movie scene with.]

...Okay. Are you ready for this?

[ooc: Details about the kind of movie being done will be set on a thread-by-thread basis! If you have a specific movie idea in mind, you can establish that in your tag-in! If not, leave your tag-in vague about the specifics and I'll pick something. Or feel free to contact me to hash out specifics!

D. Wildcard

[Feel free to come up with an alternate prompt or hit me up for plotting! Non-quest-related prompts are also welcome!]

Comments

a!!

[starshower]

[How hard could some simple sheep shearing be? Tifa had to wonder if she was in over her head, especially after remembering that the job posting had mentioned that they breathe fire, but sheep aren't easily startled... are they? She hasn't spent a lot of time around the animals besides those in a petting zoo, but it can't be as bad as she's making it out to be...

So, armed with her own shears, Tifa is approaching alongside Drake, and when one of them turns their heads, she stops and slides them behind their back. It baaah's at them but remains still otherwise.]

Hello... [She starts with a nervous laugh, and she looks between it and Drake, her expression urging him to play along.] We're not here to hurt you. Just gonna borrow some of that wool...

[flapsin]

[It should be something nice and easy! But unfortunately, it also looks easy to end up roasted with fire.

He's nervously contemplating his next move when the human girl speaks up. He nods along and puts on a sheepish smile as he tries to play off of her.]

R-right! Yeah. It won't hurt at all. We're like your barbers! Just gonna take a little off the top. ...And the back. ...And the sides. And, and pretty much everywhere?

[starshower]

[The sheep bleats again in response, but it continues to stare at them before it taps its hind legs against the ground—in warning or in excitement??—and Tifa isn't quite sure what to make of the reaction. She doesn't speak sheep and she doesn't think a duck would know either.]

Hey... [she offers carefully to Drake, taking a single step back from the sheep.] Think if we gave it some of that grass they like, it won't notice we're here?

[The grass on the ground doesn't look as appetizing as it should for some fire-breathing sheep, and it appears some of it has already been burned away, unfortunately for them.]

[flapsin]

[Drake could speak to a sheep... if it was a sheep person rather than just an animal! As it is, Drake is just as baffled as Tifa and rubs at his head as he tries to make heads or tails of the sheep's response. Then he looks towards the woman at her suggestion.]

That could work! Giving it food could definitely ease its mood and make it less wary of it. It's only a question of finding just the right grass to offer it! [He frets as he looks down at the ground.] Some of this grass is burned... [He's hoping it's the only thing here that's burned today!] How do you figure out which grass is the real gourmet stuff?

[starshower]

Uhh...

[Again, she isn't someone who's well-versed in plants, not having much of a green thumb herself. Where's Aerith when she needs her!? Tifa's looking around for a sign of anything greener than what's under their feet, and spots a planter nearby.]

Ah, over there! Wonder if we can... get him to come with us somehow?

[Because no way in hell is she making either of them pick it up while it's still tapping its feet on the dirt.

There are some other sheep grazing at the planter of what appear to be clovers, but they're munching on it as if it's the first meal they've had in a while. Good enough to distract this one from the shears she's still holding in her hands!?]

[flapsin]

[Drake looks towards the planter and then back towards the sheep. Then the duck nods.]

Hmmm... You know, I think I have just the idea. This could use a light, magic touch!

[With that, Drake focuses his light magic to make an illusion of another sheep! One that draws the other sheep's attention and lures it over towards the planter.]

[starshower]

Oh...?

[Tifa's initial idea was to just pluck some clovers from the planter and bring them over, but then it's plodding away towards this new illusion sheep that she's created. It bleats at it, and does it bleat back? At any rate, the magic seems to be working, and alongside its new imaginary friend, it sniffs at the clovers in the planter and digs right in.]

Well, that was easy. She can get behind this! How'd you manage that!?

[flapsin]

[That would have been... probably a much simpler idea! But now Drake got to show off.]

With a "light, magic touch" like I said. Or rather, a touch of light magic! I've been working on my illusions. [It's definitely something that will come in handy with crimefighting! And this is one other good use.]

And now that our woolly ward is chowing down, I think we have our opening! [Assuming this sheep doesn't mind being shaved while it eats...]

[starshower]

I think we do. Nicely done!

[The real sheep pauses every now and then to sniff at its new friend, almost as if it isn't sure whether or not it's real, but after its tiny bleat, it goes right back to eating... thank Gaia.

Mentioning light magic does spark an interest in Tifa, and she does have some questions given the nature of her own magic, but they have a job to do first. She'll get to all that later. For now, she kneels next to the sheep.]

Alright, one of us'll have to hold him still. I don't want him trying to run while we've got shears in our hands...

[flapsin]

[At least now that the sheep has that food to keep its attention! Drake will just have the illusion sheep casually step out of sight and then dissipate it.

He nods along with her latest thought.]

Yeah, that sounds like the strategy. It's just a matter of who does what! I mean, I could probably do either.

[He feels fairly confident about holding the sheep in place! The human does look pretty muscular herself, so he feels like she could handle it too.]

Which do you feel better about?

[starshower]

[Tifa isn't particularly picky about what part of this she does, but she knows that it won't be a very helpful answer to echo what he's already said, so she holds her shears out for him to take from her.]

I'll hold onto him, and we'll see how that goes. Seems he's pretty interested in the food anyway, so it might not even be a big deal.

[Or necessary. He's really digging into that grass and those clovers...!]

Just make sure you've got a steady hand with those things. Wouldn't wanna spook him. I think they can sense when people start getting anxious.

[She's already getting into position, kneeling next to the small sheep and placing her hands above and below its belly. It pauses in eating, and Tifa slows her movements, but it simply wiggles its ears at her before going back to the food.]

[flapsin]

[Drake accepts the shears and mentally prepares himself. He'll have to keep himself shearly focused on not disturbing the munching creature.]

Good, then we are set to go. [He watches as she holds onto the lamb and smiles as it wiggles its ears.]

Aww... Alright little friend, it's time for a little off the top! Now to employ the delicate touch of a seasoned shearing shepherd...

[With that he gets to work ahd starts to carefully clip off the wool! He looks very intent as he does so, as if he's trying to disarm a bomb!]

[starshower]

[Maybe it tickles the sheep, or maybe it doesn't like the way the air suddenly bites at its skin where larger pieces of the wool have come off, but every now and then, it twitches or bleats in surprise, and Tifa does what she can to try and calm it back down, pushing more food towards it.]

See? It's not so bad.

[She could be talking to either of them.]

So, are you a seasoned... shearing shepherd?

[Is that a thing???]

[flapsin]

[Drake tries to maintain a cool and composed confidence as he does his work, but he's still nervous and sweating a little. And every twitch or surprised bleat gets him to slow down or pause his shearing! But at least the human woman does help him to keep the nerves under control.

He gives a little chuckle in response to her question.]

No, I can't say that I am! As alluringly alliterative as that phrase is. But I am trying my best to be like one, for sure! And with luck, I won't end up being seasoned... by flames. [A quick gulp.] We've got this, though.

[starshower]

I think he liked your joke.

[She laughs at the pun, soft and quiet so as not to startle the sheep, but it turns its head and looks up at Drake with its small, beady, black eyes.

Tifa can still sense his nervousness and is trying to lighten the mood as much as she can, but she'd be remiss to say that she wasn't a little anxious, too. Best that they keep talking... She puts on her warmest smile, but there's an air of genuine curiosity and intrigue in it.]

So, I bet you get this a lot, but... you're a duck, yeah?

[flapsin]

I didn't think our little friend had such a strong sense of humor. Well as long as it's helping him to stay happy, I'm not complaining!

[He gives a little chuckle as he continues his work. The sheep and the human both seem to like his sense of humor! That's a good track record. And it does help his nerves to calm down, as he carefully continues his shearing.

Her question gets a sigh out of him, but it's one that's presented light-heartedly.]

How'd you guess? Yep, I'm a duck alright. A duck who's a person. Not the small kind you might be familiar with! I'm a fully capable person named Drake Mallard.

[starshower]

[She heard that sigh, Drake! Tifa gives him an apologetic smile, and the sheep bleats at him. Don't sigh!]

It's not as strange for me as you might think.

[This isn't the first time she's met "animals" capable of doing things she never expected, but it's better to confirm things before making any assumptions about him, or anyone, for that matter!]

Have you met Red XIII? Or maybe you'd know him as Nanaki.

[flapsin]

[Just a little sigh, that's all!

While carefully clipping through another patch of wool, he does raise a curious bow as she speaks.]

You don't say? I don't think I've met the guy. Neither name rings a bell. [He pauses a bit as he wonders.] What, is he a duck too?

[starshower]

Not a duck, no.

[Tifa tilts her head, realizing now that she isn't entirely sure what Red is. Is he a dog? A cat? A rat? A lab rat dog cat...]

I think he's like... a big cat. I'm not really sure. [Tifa's smile is warm and fond, but a little crooked with uncertainty.] He can talk, though. We were all pretty surprised at first that he could. He's pretty good on the battlefield, too.

[She respects the fact that he called himself a person, though. Not a duck. He is a duck-shaped person!]

I think it's pretty neat, to be honest.

[flapsin]

Thet's fair. [One doesn't have to know by someone's exact species! But now he knows to look out for a cat. He has to get to know as many non-humans as he can!

He is a duck-shaped person, though. That's a good way to sum it up! It's a distinction he has to make clear, especially because here, unlike back home where the difference between duck people and duck animals is such a basic fact of life that they don't even think about it.]

Sounds like a nice person to know! I'll keep my eyes peeled for any cat people around town for sure. But it took you by surprise that he could talk? So it's not a... super-common thing were you're from.

[starshower]

No, not at all! My guess is that it's common among his species, but he's the only one I've met so far.

[She's never had the chance to run into any of his brothers before him, so it's just an educated guess. She'd like to think so, and that it wasn't some accident caused by Hojo's many experiments on him in the labs... but they're not going to talk about that.

Tifa is about to continue when the sheep wriggles under her grip, and with its half-shaven body, it manages to free itself just enough to—]

Oh!

[Leap right into the food trough!]

[flapsin]

[That seems to be enough to satisfy Drake! It's a natural thing for him, after all. He doesn't get to continue the subject anyway, because now their little charge has made itself the center of attention;

He almost panics when the sheep gets loose! But with no fire accompanying it, he's able to quickly calm himself. And he laughs a little.]

This one's really hungry! Are you sure we have a sheep, or a pig? [He lowers the shears for a moment as he looks towards it.] Maybe I can just try to... shave around it while it's there...

[starshower]

[The sheep is really in there, buried halfway in lettuce and all kinds of other things that are already getting caught in its wool, and Tifa can't help but fall back a bit in a laugh.]

You think so? If you can manage, you might just actually become... what was it? A seasoned shearing shepherd?

[Tifa reaches into the trough and starts to spread the food around, giving them the space they'll need to work... That should do it, except the sheep noms on her fingers instead now.]

Quick, before it realizes it's got me instead!

[flapsin]

[Rest in pieces of lettuce, sheep... It is a pretty comical sight, and Tifa's comment gets a laugh out of him.]

I- I think that was it! You're good at remembering some improvised alliteration...

[He cautiously approaches the sheep... and watches in alarm as it chows down on his fingers.]

You - you sure about that? Those definitely aren't carrots...! [Despite that, he does move forward immediately and quickly tries to get to work on the remaining patches of wool, while there's still some of Tifa left!]

[starshower]

[It feels a little strange, but not painful—not with their little itty bitty teeth that can barely puncture through her leather gloves. She is, however, going to try finding a carrot to replace her finger with, because she can promise that it will be much tastier than her.

That, and she'd rather not singe her hand should the sheep overeat and feel the need to burp...

While Drake hurries to finish the sheep off, Tifa makes herself comfortable. Might as well if she can't go anywhere.]

You know, these little guys are kind of cute. I wouldn't mind taking one home with me...