seventh shot ⊗ open october log

[flamekthunder]

🧙 WHO: Eustace and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: various quests
🕒 WHEN: throughout October
🗺️ WHERE: various
⚠️ WARNINGS: none except depictions of death for headless horseman task and any potential violence that might happen in the combat oriented prompts

⊗ a: task - pumpkin mayhem

[It's only by chance that Eustace narrowly dodges a pumpkin that just whizzes by his head, frowning as he stares at the flying gourd. At first he thought someone recklessly threw it, but then he sees it actually stop in mid-air and fling itself back towards him. Realizing it's moving on its own, he once again rolls out of the way, unholstering his gun as he does before quickly aiming and firing a bolt of lightning. It's a perfect shot, hitting it squarely in the center to cause it to explode into smaller pieces and fall to the ground below.]

...Was it cursed?

[Somehow he wouldn't be surprised if so, but hearing some shouts as more pumpkins roll and fly about disrupts his thoughts and he heads over to try and help take care of them. He doesn't necessarily want to shoot them given the mess they can make, but he sometimes doesn't have much of a choice. So hopefully no one gets too much pumpkin splatter on them.

BONUS: When not dealing with the pumpkins, if he is managed to get dragged into a patch he may be persuaded to decorate one (though he'll be wary and suspicious if he's learned that the pumpkins might come to life from there). But if he does decorate one, it'll be dog themed.]

⊗ b: task - don't lose your head

[Hearing about the Headless Horseman prompts Eustace to head back, a trip made easier thanks to having received the Celliwig totem earlier. Since it's difficult to track its movements, Eustace takes an area to help cover.

1. Helping...Paw? Although he could just stick to a perch and be ready to snipe, it leaves a bad taste in his mouth when he could also be helping. So when someone else is on guard, he drops down to do what he can, be it just clearing out rubble and debris or transporting the dead. That includes turning into a dog and try to help sniff out or dig out any remains. It's not the most pleasant work and it would be better if there weren't any, but he's fairly immune to the sad, grisly aspect of it.

2. Fighting the Horseman. When the Horseman does arrive, should he be at his perch he'll instantly fire a few shots of lightning down at it in attempts to deal damage as well as stun it, but he can't be too sure if his lightning will have that kind of effect. Regardless, he'll provide cover fire for anyone fighting on the ground.]

⊗ c: tdm - not quite puppy parade

[It's probably not too surprising to find Eustace making a small stop to look at the adoption fair. And as an animal mage, he figures he could help out if needed.

For now, he just looks over the pens with a curious eye when one he spots one of those hamsters toddling about. It doesn't take long for him to catch up to it and pick it up. But then there's another. ...And another one.

...

At some point, Eustace has an armful of hamsters including a few that managed to climb up on top of his head and shoulders.]

...Those wings won't save you if you fall, you know.

[Just a small sigh as he carefully makes his way through the crowd to try and bring them back. Anyone want to help???]

⊗ d: wildcard

[He'll also be hunting the forests to help bring in extra meat and other resources, so could have some run ins there! Considered the Forest of Fachan prompt line but might be better as dedicated with one or two people. Can do the other quests, and it's likely he might end up getting involved in the Suns out, Guns out task in the sense of trying to intervene any unnecessary violence, so that's another option. If interested in anything else not included here, just hit me up on laenavesse or discord and we can work something out!]

Comments

[flamekthunder]

[The scent is getting stronger, and just as he's about to answer he feels something against his paws. After a bit more digging, a hand is revealed, unmoving.]

...Found one. We'll need to move the rest of the debris on top.

[At this point he transforms back to his original form and stares down at the hand for a moment before moving towards the heavier debris covering the location.]

[apshot]

Got it.

[ They'll still need a bit of help, right? Or, rather, assistance in the form of leverage. Hence Katsuki using his elemental magics to make a thick shaft of ice to shove into the embedded debris.

By pressing down he should be able to at least make it easier to move and get out of the way. ]

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace waits for Katsuki to get the ice shaft in place, and once he starts pressing down Eustace will pull and push the piece off. However, when he feels the ground loosen beneath them, he calls out.]

Hold on.

[...Hm. It's his turn to use elemental magic, this time using earth to help solidify some of the ground as well as even it out a bit to make it easier to move.]

Okay, start again.

[apshot]

Right.

[ He pauses when given that signal. Bakugou doesn't want to cause any structural damage or potentially sacrifice stability here. ]

Got it?

[ Because he'll press again. Honestly Katsuki wants to retrieve the body first. They can clean up the debris after. ]

Can you get 'em?

[flamekthunder]

Got it.

[When the piece lifts, Eustace sees the body beneath. There's no hesitation as he reaches down, pushing away a bit more dirt and debris before carefully extracting them, lifting and then pulling it all the way.]

...Looks to be a young male, mid-twenties, early thirties.

[Now to get a body bag and tag it.]

[apshot]

[ At around 16-17 years of age, should he really be so numb seeing a dead body? Probably not. Bakugou just assists Eustace in the retrieval. Because he'll fetch the body bag and a gurney for transport. ]

Better see if we can't find something to help identify.

[flamekthunder]

[After the prompt, Eustace searches the pockets before pulling out a wallet. Inside there are a few cards and photos, enough for solid identification.]

Wallet. Everything is here.

[He then slowly and respectfully replaces it before looking over the debris.]

After we load him up, take him down to the others and I'll keep looking here—there could be others.

[apshot]

[ He gives Eustace a nod. Understood. They have everything that they need then. The family, if the person has one, will be at least relieved to know... Able to mourn freely and all. ]

Got it. Let me know if you find someone else or any other objects to help identify the missing.

[ Going to use magic to help him get the gurney down to where they are taking the dead to be identified. ]

[flamekthunder]

Will do.

[And he'll wait a moment to make sure Bakugou doesn't need any assistance before transforming first into a dog to sniff around...and then into a mouse to dive into the small crevices between the debris, digging into the earth when needed.

When Bakugou returns, he won't see Eustace at first and it's only a few moments before there's a gray mouse scuttling around him.]

[apshot]

[ It doesn't take too long. There are a few questions that need to be answered from the volunteers. Where did they find this person? Were there any others found? Bakugou takes the time to explain that they are still looking and will let them know what else they will find. That's when he goes and returns to the site...

To find a little mouse scurrying around. Bakugou then crouches, unsure if this is some guy or a real mouse. Katsuki figures that something will be said to him to indicate one way or another. ]

[flamekthunder]

[Indeed, the mouse will start speaking.

In a very strangely deep voice because somehow Eustace's voice doesn't change regardless of what animal form he's in, so it's going to sound even stranger than if it were a squeaky one.]

Over here. I didn't find any other remains, but I found a bag with personal contents. It could be his or someone else who occupied this building.

[apshot]

[ Ah that explains a lot. So it might look weird that Katsuki is literally talking to a mouse, but he sure doesn't think anything of it. ]

There's really only one way to know. Gotta take it back with the rest. Someone might be able to identify just that.

[ Bakugou rubs the back of his neck. ]

No other signs?

[flamekthunder]

Unfortunately. This building doesn't appear to be a place of residence and more of a store. The man must have been trying to get some belongings before it collapsed.

[And Eustace will be leading the way to where he found the bag. Gonna have to do some more heavy lifting again, so he won't turn back until they've reached the spot.]

[apshot]

[ Bakugou wants to say that it is a stupid move, but he's learned a bit from failing his initial provisional license exam. ]

Tch. Instead of that, should we move onto the next one instead?

[ Because personal items can be recovered in time. What's important is finding people to help bring families some closure. Even this brat knows that. ]

[flamekthunder]

If that's what you want, I have no preference.

[Now back in his normal form, Eustace looks for a moment before using a loose stake of wood to mark the location. He then uses a colorful torn piece of fabric to serve as a ribbon.]

That should help find it later. Do you know where the next location is?

[apshot]

[ It's a smart idea. Tying a ribbon definitely would mean that this place has been searched if they had been working in grid-fashion. Maybe Katsuki should bring that up. Different colored ribbons meaning different things. An idea, at any rate. ]

Yeah. About a block down. Two story building.

[ Half collapsed. ]

[flamekthunder]

[It would be a good one, so he definitely should!]

Got it. [He takes one last look before determining everything is settled.] Let's go.

[And heading down, letting Katsuki take the lead... Though they don't get too far past the house before Eustace glances at him.]

You seem too used to doing this kind of work.

[apshot]

[ Well Bakugou figures he probably does seem a little too comfortable with it, huh? Esepcially for someone his age. ]

Ah, yeah. First time I've really had to. Hero course back home goes over shit like rescue and recovery efforts.

[ So he has a pretty basic book knowledge of what to do. ]

[flamekthunder]

Hero course, huh... [He vaguely remembers hearing about the whole hero thing.] Even if you know beforehand, most would still feel uneasy handling a dead body.

[apshot]

[ To that, Eustace receives a shrug. No, it's not really normal to just roll with it, right? But that's what sets heroes apart from civilians, you know? ]

It has to be done. If I shy away from this then i don't deserve to be a hero at all.

[flamekthunder]

...Hm. I suppose there's some merit, but there's nothing wrong in feeling something about it.

No need to put up a tough front when it comes to this.

[apshot]

[ Yeah there probably should be some emotions. However... The thing is? In Katsuki it incites a lot of different feelings. Anger at not being able to prevent this. So that bleeds into feeling like a failure. Inadequate.

So there's really only one thing that he can do: Push all that down and focus on: ]

I'd rather focus on what I'm capable of doing right now.

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace eyes him for a long a moment before continuing on.]

As long as you're not overdoing it and holding in things you shouldn't.

[apshot]

Yeah wow. Okay dad. Thanks for that lecture.

[ Okay so he is the type that holds shit in. Until he doesn't. Don't worry too much about him Eustace, he's learning to open up bit by bit. There are good people around him. ]

[flamekthunder]

I don't remember raising a son like you.

[Said with a straight face.]