凶 seasons change

[liveandforgive]

🧙 WHO: Cloud Strife & You!
⚔️️ WHAT: Catch-All; Quests from the QuestBoard (Don't Lose Your Head & BUNKER DOWN). Will add future prompt(s) for the end-of-month event.
🕒 WHEN: Throughout October
🗺️ WHERE: Around Camelot (Celliwig for the "Don't Lose Your Head" quest)
⚠️ WARNINGS: Inevitable fighting in the "Don't Lose Your Head" prompt

Don't Lose Your Head • Celliwig

[ It didn't take much convincing for Cloud to make his choice; he was going to Celliwig. What very little remained of it after the catastrophic damage was done. Was it dangerous? Yes, if only for the task he'd opted to sign up for through QuestBoard. Many of the jobs he took on were odds & ends within the city of Camelot and just outside its borders. So when reports of darker Fae shrouding the ruins of Celliwig in deepened anxiety became public knowledge, tales of a Headless Horseman taking...well, the heads of those who lingered too long, also came with. By the time Cloud arrives in the once ethereal city, it's all he can do to suppress the sense of dread that creeps up his spine.

He's here as hired muscle, fending off the Fae, especially this supposed Headless Horseman whose been culling the unfortunate souls scrambling to pick up the pieces of a fallen home. Despite his job... ]

Ready? On three...

[ That didn't mean he wasn't going to lend a hand whilst waiting for trouble to start. Volunteers that struggled to move glassed rubble from a destroyed home were aided by the blond swordsman, moving hefty slabs out of the way alongside them so they can do their job and either find survivors inside...or more likely, those who couldn't make it. Besides aiding in the movement of rubble or standing guard around groups who exhausted themselves digging and cleaning up, Cloud keeps his distance. His expression was stoic, but the morose in those faded blue eyes of his was palpable.

For all the headway he's made in elemental spellcasting and awakened kinetic magic... Could he have made a difference if he were as strong as he was before? It's a thought, fleeting despite it coming and going from time to time. Something that he can't afford to dwell on for long. ]

No time for doubt.

[ Said to no one in particular as he surveys the damage and keeps his attention both on his surroundings and device for any updates on the Headless Horseman. Night was falling soon, which meant it was only a matter of time... ]

BUNKER DOWN • Broceliande

[ Cloud may not have much to concern himself with for space, living out on a farm with Weiss for as long as he has been, but that didn't mean the problems stopped for the populous as a whole. Another task through QuestBoard, something closer to home, and it's...something he's not exactly skilled in. Carpentry. He wasn't about to go preparing the most illustrious beds, but he's no stranger to following instructions. Somebody was gonna hafta carry all this lumber too, right? So... ]

S'cuse me.

[ Cloud returns to the woodworking site just outside Broceliande, but not emptyhanded. In fact, he's...carrying an excessive amount of wood over his shoulder. Long planks of sturdy wood stacked at the base of the arc of his arm. At least ten of them. Stacked atop those? Sizable logs waiting to be cut down and carved for bedposts. He wasn't the biggest, musclebound laborer out there, but it looked like he was carrying at least triple the amount that others were (or should be) carrying. Cloud's strength was absurd!!

...is what he wishes he could say. But he doesn't have access to that monstrous strength he once possessed on Gaia thanks to the mako enhancements made by Shinra. And as he approaches the unloading area, sighing with relief as he starts to kneel down, some of the logs atop the pile of his shoulder almost slide off. ]

!

[ Suddenly, the wood stops halfway off the end of one of the planks he's carrying. Yup. That's Kinetic magic alright. He's totally cheating. Still... ]

Hoo boy. Almost there...

[ One wrong move or his concentration slips, he's gonna lose his focus over the wood he's lifting with his magic. Maybe there's such a thing as working too smart instead of working hard. ]

Wildcard

( ooc; This prompt is for anything you wanna play out that's not above! Got any other prompts or ideas in mind, either from the TDM or QuestBoards, or even just something unique altogether? Go ahead and ping me either at my journal here, Discord (Kuraudo@0214) or PM me on Plurk at Clandon. )

Comments

weiss

[liveandforgive]

[ Not for a lack of trying, there's been one particular mission he's set for himself ever since waking up in this world. And that? Is to get himself a proper motorcycle. Renting horses, taking carriages or setting out on foot is all fine and dandy, but ever since he started riding on Fenrir and Sköll on Prismatica, it's been difficult going back. It also doesn't help that he still occasionally finds his dreams drifting back to actually having a bike again. That being said? There's the problem of fuel...and the fact that as far as he's seen, cars just don't exist here despite the blend of magic and technology.

Maybe Arthurian legend can't deviate too far from the stories. Despite this, that hasn't prevented him from trying, or letting ideas spin. If he can't buy a motorcycle...maybe he could make one? He'd need to introduce the concept to someone that can provide him the materials whilst he figured out the fuel problem. So far, nothing's bore any meaningful fruit.

That being said... ]

I'm out back in the shed. Case you're wondering.

[ Cloud didn't come back emptyhanded. Instead of heading inside upon coming home, whether Weiss was at the house or not, with a rusty, busted up bicycle over his shoulder, he started working on restoring it. It needs a new chain, and the seat was barely hanging on by rusted nails... Sitting with the back of the bike upright between his legs, he keeps the back of it held up as he spins the wheel, clicking but...surprisingly? ]

Smoother than I thought it'd be...

[schmisse]

[ Weiss was actually out, doing groceries for the two of them! And Elaine, of course. It's only when she gets back to the farm that she manages to read what messages she might have received while she was away. One of the nearby farmers let her ride his cart on the way back, which definitely helped a lot so she didn't have to carry anything by herself. That also meant having to carry a conversation throughout the ride!

Once the groceries are in the kitchens, she figures to sort everything out later on. Cloud sent her a message telling her where he is, so she may as well check on him, right? And he might want a snack... so she'll bring some leftover lemon madelleines from her trip to the city earlier. A bottle of water, too!

She can't see him clearly from their porch, but she does see his hair, standing out the most, moving around. What is he doing? While she doesn't run to the shed, she does walk over there briskly, curious to see what he's up to. ]

Cloud? Oh— [ '^'!!! He's working on something!! She knows what it is, but... why does it look so old? This would have been trash in Weiss' book. ] What are you doing?

[liveandforgive]

[ He doesn't hear her approaching, too intent and focused on what he's working on as he gives the back wheel a jerk and manages to loosen it from the frame. Blinking, he looks up from where he's now kneeling, he prepares to roll it off to the side as he looks up to her. ]

Restoring this bike I got off someone for cheap.

[ Like. Really cheap. Like if pennies existed in this world (or his. ...or hers for that matter afkdsjh.) ]

Thought it'd make things a little easier to get around before winter hits.

[ That's not the entire reason, but for now, it's a start. ]

Oh. You know if we still got baking soda or limes?

[ He knows there's vinegar in the house! ]

[schmisse]

[ That's an odd combination. Things just get curiouser and curiouser! And it prompts her to look at the snacks she brought for him, mentally telling herself that she should have brought something else. Like baking soda and lime! Maybe Cloud would have liked that better...

She places her hands behind her right away. No need for the pastries and water! ]

Oh, I can go get some. I don't think they would taste good together, though.

[ Here is Weiss Schnee, clueless about how baking soda tastes and how it isn't supposed to be eaten like a condiment in the first place akdjakd ]

[liveandforgive]

[ He doesn't clue into her...well, cluelessness until she mentions their taste. But rather than laugh at her, he smiles earnestly up at her before correcting her. ...he won't bother with the logistics of eating baking soda. Just that he hopes she never tries it. KFJSAHD ]

It's not for eating. Can you bring me a bowl, those two things and vinegar? I'll show you a trick.

[ He's going to keep dismantling this rusty old bike. If she does so, he'll have that same old, rusty wheel on the workbench as he waits for her. ]

[schmisse]

Right. [ With a nod, she takes a step forward and bends down a little so she can give him the snacks she brought for him. That settles that! ] Here, then. These are for you.

[ Madelleines and water! It's nothing fancy, but it was something Weiss continued to nibble on while on the way back to the farm. ]

How big should the bowl be?

[ Don't wanna get a tiny one if he needs something huge, after all! ]

[liveandforgive]

Thanks, Weiss.

[ With a light grunt, he's back to his feet as he sets the Madelleines and water aside for a second. ]

Just one of the regular bowls is fine.

[ Like the ones they use for cereal, soup or rice or something! There's already a roll of paper towel out here so cleanup won't be a problem. ]

[schmisse]

I'll be back.

[ Weiss doesn't use her magic for supersonic speed or anything, but she does run back to their house so she can go get what Cloud needs right away. It doesn't take long for it, either. She's back in less than three minutes, a small bowl in hand, and the lime, pack of baking soda, and bottle of vinegar in the bowl. ]

Here you go. I hope I got it right.

[ The pack actually says baking soda!!! And not flour or sugar or anything. She did good! ]

[liveandforgive]

[ By the time Weiss is back, the bike no longer looks like, well, a bike anymore. Completely disassembled with pieces like the chain and gears set out on the tabletop, he finishes a sip of water by the time Weiss comes back. Seeing her return with everything, her huffs with a smile. Whether he's back first, or she's the one waiting for him... Seeing her again just sends a warm wave of contentment through him. She did great. More than great. Leaning in as they close the distance together, as he grabs the bowl with the ingredients he asked for, he makes sure to steal a quick kiss before taking it and setting it on the table. ]

Thanks.

[ And welcome home.

On the bench is a couple steel wool pads for later, along with an smaller, old bristle brush. Those are going to come in handy later. For now, he makes room for Weiss to come see what he's doing if she's interested, already unscrewing the lid on the bottle of vinegar, pouring some of it into the now empty bowl. ]

This'll de-rust metal on a bike in a pinch. [ Next is the baking soda. There's no recipe to this, just use a sensible mixture of both! ] Combine vinegar and baking soda with a little lime juice, brush it over and let it sit for ten minutes...

[schmisse]

[ She watches him intently, curious as to what he's doing. And she's also listening when he does his explanation. The things come together as he speaks. While she doesn't interrupt him, she does respond right away. She gets it! ]

One is base, and one is acid!

[ She's more used to other elements and mixing reactions together given her knowledge of Dust, but she knows these things, still! She's not top of the class for nothing, after all. ]

Don't Lose Your Head

[catfax]

[ Izutsumi had no idea what had happened in Celliwig, and no one seemed particularly eager to gossip to her about it. For her part, she felt no need to try and wrest details from the unwilling -- that was for the likes of her nosier companions.

Besides, she was here to fend off any hostile creatures, wasn't she? So long as those around her were able to keep working, she was doing her job! ]

Huh? Did you say something?

[ This tall-man looked out of place among the others. She didn't know his name. ]

[liveandforgive]

[ The stern, determined expression on Cloud's face cracks a little when Izutsumi calls him out, blinking as he turns towards the young woman. At first, the cat ears barely register with him, recovering from being caught basically psyching himself up for this job. It was a force of habit, quipping to himself to stave off anxiety. And with night falling and the chances of this 'Headless Horseman' showing itself rising, he has to be prepared.

He should have remembered that he wasn't the only one on the job though. ]

No- Sorry. [ A soft shake of his head, the tension in his shoulders laxing a little. ] Musta been thinking aloud again.

[ Speaking of "out of place", he gestures to her with an open hand at his side before asking, ]

You part of the cleanup crew?

[catfax]

[ Ah, if only she still had her old cat-hearing. Its loss felt like listening to people with cotton in her ears. ]

I'm here to beat up the... [ A brief pause, as she remembered what had happened the last time her party had tangled with a headless semi-horseman. ] Dullahan.

He sounds pretty nasty, taking people's heads. [ NOT THAT THAT WOULD STOP HER, APPARENTLY. In fact, she didn't seem worried at all -- yet. "I'll deal with it when it happens", that was her motto. ]

[liveandforgive]

[ Dullahan? He subtly tilts his head. ]

That what they call them?

[ It's less descriptive than being called the "Headless Horseman", but then again, why was Fenrir called Fenrir instead of "Giant Wolf"? It's more or less a rhetorical question. ]

Yeah... [ Cloud doesn't outright frown, but he can't help but reflect on the abilities he's lost since coming here. Suffice to say, whether it was out of confidence or cockiness, he was confident that many of the obstacles that came their way in this world would be a nonissue if he were as strong as he once was. All he can do is focus on what he does have. And work with those who've accepted their own new skills. ] That's why it's our job to knock him off his high horse.

[ ... That pun wasn't on purpose. ]

[catfax]

That's what they're called back home. Maybe it's different here?

[ She wasn't a huge monster freak or anything, only knew a particularly annoying one, but she did remember those little bits and pieces that seemed useful. Namely, the best way to deal with them before someone lost a couple fingers. Or, you know, worse.

For a second, she regarded Cloud, as if trying to figure out if the pun was a joke.

(squint)



She couldn't tell. ]

If we do, maybe we can bargain with him. Spirits are a pain in the butt.

[liveandforgive]

I'll take your word for it.

[ Besides, Dullahan was easier and quicker to say than "The Headless Horseman". With a shrug, he's prepared to move on when she regards him a little oddly. As she squints...he kind of just blinks innocently(?) back at her. Was there...something on his face? Or was it something he said? ]

Ghosts aren't my thing. But... [ Lifting his hand up to tap the handle of the broadsword strapped to his back, he gestures to it. ] A job's a job.

[ Speaking of which, and working together... ]

You got a name? I'm Cloud.

[catfax]

Izutsumi.

[ Come to think of it... ]

There are people around who deal with spirits, right? Magic dealing with dead people?

[ Lbr, she hadn't been listening with both ears when someone had started explaining about different types of magic, but she was pretty sure she'd heard something like that. Otherwise, who would deal with all the unrestful spirits? The untoward possessions?

She sure as hell didn't want to end up all weird and possessed! ]

[liveandforgive]

[ He commits the name to memory with a small "Mm" and nod. ]

Something like that... But, [ Casually, having spent nearly a year in this world by now, he holds up his open palm, a swirling sphere of powdery snow taking form but not quite turning to full-on ice as he lowkey shows off kfasdjh demonstrates. ] Best I got work with is elemental spells and Kinetic magic.

[ He closes his hand on the floating snow, dissipating the spell as he brushes his glove off. ]

I'm more of a direct negotiator.

[ And by direct, he means "use that sword for unspeakable things" direct. ]

And you? You know what your magic is yet?

[catfax]

[ In answer, Izutsumi drew her knife. It sat on her palm flat for a moment before it lifted a little into the air and began to spin, like the needle of a particularly haunted compass. Weeee ]

You don't sound too happy about it. Don't you like blowing things up with fireballs?

[ THAT'S WHAT ELEMENTAL MAGES DID, RIGHT? THAT WAS WHAT MARCILLE ALWAYS DID. ]

Don't lose your head

[wherethewindtakesme]

[Cloud's going on a mission so of course Gaius will go if he needs the help. Their lessons might be a bit infrequent but Gaius always picks up valuable advice from every fight they have.

And that surprise wind launch that technically won their first bout? Gaius has been working on that and has gained enough accuracy to lend speed to him or someone else. He does have varying levels of skill with other elements but he's always been the best with wind.]

If this is something that appears on a horse and we aren't, I feel like getting the rider off the horse is the smartest plan. Put him on our level.

[liveandforgive]

[ Gaius has come a long way from their first fateful encounter at the training grounds. Despite the infrequency of their training and lessons, he's excelled exponentially since then. Enough so that as far as elemental magic is concerned? Cloud's not going to attempt getting into a 'Wind' contest with the young man. Suffice to say, he's more than content with having him on this job with him. ]

Question is, will it react to Kinetic magic or not. [ Because attempting to outright shove the dark spirit off his horse? Something that crossed his mind if he wasn't going to try and clashing with it. ] Otherwise, we might hafta stop him in his tracks with spells.

[wherethewindtakesme]

Well...maybe we should think about what would work.

I've tried a bit with earth. Maybe just have enough to stop his horse from moving so that you can leap in and try either your Kinetic magic or just the direct approach.

[The Buster Sword is an impressive blade, even heavier than his Astra Hawk spear. So having that much punch will be necessary.]

[liveandforgive]

[ For all his tactics and stratagem, Gaius' commentary about using Earth magic to immobilize the horse catches him by surprise. If only because he hadn't thought of doing that himself. Fire, Wind, Lightning and Ice magic were his specialties admittedly... But manipulating the field itself... ]

That could work. All we need is one good hit to send it packing.

[wherethewindtakesme]

I think I might be able to do enough to make the ground uncertain and uneven if I know where it's going to be. Or we could direct it to the ground that's unstable if that would work.

[As he says his idea out loud, the latter idea sounds more promising.]

[liveandforgive]

So box 'em in somewhere... If we can get it on the run, that is.

[ All in all? ]

Alright. We'll go with your plan.