eighth shot ⊗ open november log

[flamekthunder]

🧙 WHO: Eustace and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: various things
🕒 WHEN: throughout November
🗺️ WHERE: various
⚠️ WARNINGS: none except any potential violence against lettuce

⊗ a: task - flappy veg

[Guarding flying lettuce....is certainly something Eustace never would have found himself doing, yet here he was in one of the known locations where some have landed from their migration. Whether they're technically animals or not, Eustace couldn't understand them through animal magic regardless, but he's able to at least communicate that he's there to help and not harm. They seem a bit jittery with all the poaching around.

a. updrafts. The place they landed in is mostly a clearing, but there are a few "obstacles" scattered around in the form of tall rocks and small trees. While most of the Butterfly Lettuce remain on the ground vibing, some also choose to perch on the trees to prune their leaves. However, due to their physique and unreliable drafts at this time, they end up either flopping about or plummeting to the ground. Fortunately none are too bruised, but it's hard to just sit still when nothing much is happening.]

...Hold on, let me help.

[Either by picking them or using wind magic to create some wind to help the lettuce, Eustace can give them a boost up. It's still not perfect, but it works.

Some of the younger lettuce realize they have an on demand draft maker, and Eustace can also be found creating wind streams to help the smaller Butterfly Lettuce "flap" over a mini obstacle course as they play a game while also practicing their skills. It's good practice for him as well. For anyone who might there also guarding him, they can either assist or just watch out for any stray Butterfly Lettuce that flap in the wrong direction—or help catch any that might fall from their perches.

b. poachers. Of course not everything is peaceful. Eventually poachers will arrive. If Eustace is able to sense something amiss soon enough he could send out a warning shot before they enter into the area. If not, he's fully prepared to fight and bring on the thunder, er lightning. Help keep the lettuce out of the way or assisting Eustace in fighting the poachers!]

⊗ b: cure on cloud nine

[Having managed to avoid the basilisks and already wearing gloves, Eustace is prepared to help in retrieving the mysterious Nimbus flower deep within the Forest of the Felled. Having a lot of experience in infiltrating and dealing with traps, including those out in the wild, also helps. So while traversing through a particular are, his suddenly looks up and holds his arm to stop whoever he's with.]

Careful. The branches here have been cut and the ground looks it had once been cleared away. Better to go around.

[Although there are leaves and growth all over the ground, if one looks carefully there's a small patch that looks thinner compared to the rest, indicating that at some point it had been disturbed and recovered. Most likely a pit trap, but no need to try and find out.]

⊗ c: floor is lava

[Although he had (for some reason he still can't comprehend) been granted the both the knight and noble titles, he still hasn't accepted the new grant since it seems too much of a hassle and not really his thing. But he does go out to check on the new townships being built out of curiosity...and also because of the little prank that had occurred. This had to be the most ridiculous thing he's seen yet, though he feels he thinks that every month... After hearing about it and seeing it with his own eyes, Eustace just sighs as he first notes the affected buildings.]

...Rather than play this farce, wouldn't it be easier if I just transformed into a bird and fly directly to the circles to destroy them? Or shoot them down from a higher enough point.

[His hand is already on his holster. He just has to get up to a building and aim, and he has elemental magic on his side it should be easy right??? But will he be allowed is a different matter—

If anyone manages to convince him to do it properly, they better be prepared to join in and expect a riveting platform game where nothing is stable and teamwork is key!]

⊗ d: wildcard

[Although I only picked the cure part of the basilisk questline, I'm open to the other parts! If interested in anything else not included here, just hit me up on laenavesse or discord and we can work something out!]

Comments

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace looks over and notes the positioning before an odd glint catches his eye not far from it.]

There's some kind blade hidden in the trees near it as well. It could be connected or separate, but better be careful. [...Hmmm.]

We might need to look for another way around.

[flamekthunder]

[It's been a while since he's seen A2, so there's a small look of surprise and recognition before he looks at the Butterfly Lettuce in her hands.]

Thanks. Bring it... Over there with the rest of the main group. [He nods to where a large number of the Butterfly Lettuce are either roosting in the trees or hopping along the ground.] There's not too much wind so it won't be able to "fly off" so easily.

[yorhaberserker]

[She takes the creature over to where he directs her and sets it down, smiling softly up at him. It was nice seeing him again. She had thought about him.]

Looks like you're having fun with them. How have you been? It's been a while since we last saw each other. Has everything been treating you well?

[She pats one of the strange butterfly lettuce's gently.]

[doctorintern]

[ Honestly, Fenton doesn't mind either way. It does take a bit of concentration, though, just to make the wind gentle enough and steady enough for the lettuce to play around in without risk of them getting hurt.

He manages, though, much to the butterfly lettuce delight, as they immediately begin to hop and flutter, taking turns to use the draft to lift them into the air. ]

[feralhumanity]

You are not wrong. Playtime is how many young learn the skills to survive.

[Nanaki watches the lettuce stuck in the wind... and how it just ends up spinning in circles. Welp...]

Hmm. At least, most learn...

[theleadingman]

[He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.]

A bit of overkill, isn't it? It's not as though we're raiding a royal tomb.

[Even some of those are less guarded than this. He knows.]

[flamekthunder]

[Jeez, Zidane, just go off on ahead!! ...Since he's so spirited it wouldn't be the worse thing to just let him do the rest. Kid has higher agility stats than him, anyway. Well, as long as he gets the job done, Eustace will take off on another path, destroying circles as he goes.

Except he has to stop due to encountering someone who got trapped in the game and is now clinging for dear life on a steel beam. Clicking his tongue he makes his way towards the person, mindful of the rising lava and the platforms behind them starting to fall away.]

[flamekthunder]

It'll get there in time... But how does it look? Sense anyone approaching?

[Although it's fun and games right now, Eustace hasn't forgotten the real purpose of their being there.]

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace has taken a perch up in the trees, one of the butterfly lettuce following to perch on his lap. With an idle hand petting it, he glances over at Fenton and his progress.]

Looks like you got the hang of it.

[flamekthunder]

Who knows. They could have just had a surplus and decided to use them all.

[A joke? If so it's said with his usual neutral, deadpan delivery as his eyes roam the trees. He could use wind magic to try and reveal more, but that risks setting off a trigger.]

See anything on your side?

[flamekthunder]

If you mean this, it's just some practice that benefits the both of us.

[That said, he's clearly maintaining it in such a way that the adolescents are having fun as they flap in and out, up and down, tumbling about in the air.]

But I've been well. You?

[luciing]

[ The fall is jarring, but they make it with an uncomfortable lurch. Somnus grips the side of the car, and with some magical effort on his part, manages to stabilize it from tipping to far. ]

It flees. [ --the cart ahead of them, that is, and they'll have to pick up speed somehow in order to catch up with it.

Their other new problem?

A colony of bats, disturbed from the ruckus and adding a cacophony of screeching all around. ]

[tantailizing]

[With the cart stabilized, Zidane keeps his hold on the cart.]

Got it, keep an eye on the track...!

[Because he needs to duck down so the bats don't interfere while he concentrates on the cart and makes it speed up.]

[tantailizing]

[He gets the job done just fine thank you very much. In fact, he finds another circle and takes a moment to destroy it. Any other circles he finds from his vantage point or from climbing into abnormal locations, it's gone. He wonders how Eustace is doing on his side while moving on to the next one.]

[flamekthunder]

[All right, time to pull out the big guns.



Literally, Eustace is pulling out his gun.]

I'll take care of the bats, Somnus help Zidane and watch the track!

[However, he's going to try something different. Instead of his normal elemental shots, he can also channel his animal magic into it. Crazy, yes, but he's done a few tests and amplifying sounds through air blasts seem to work fairly effectively. So he's going to aim up at the bats and channel his magic so that it emits a sonic wave that will disrupt their flight and make them fly around them, like an auditory shield that effectively is yelling "STAY BACK."

Of course if some decide to get vicious, he's prepared to shoot them as well, but he'd rather not if it can be avoided.]

[theleadingman]

[Is that humor? It's difficult to tell, but Balthier seems to accept it as such, giving a bemused sort of snort in response.]

Well, that's one way to handle excess.

[Ridiculous. He visually picks out the path that seems to safely skirt the most recent trap, shaking his head as he ventures forward a few steps.]

Clear on this side, though given their frequency, it will be mere steps before the next. The brush here makes it a prime spot for pit traps, especially.

[And snares. And nets. And triggered projectiles hidden within the trees.

He hates nature.]

[feralhumanity]

[Nanaki goes quiet and lifts his head, sniffing the air and raising his ears. There's a myriad of scents in the air, and initially it doesn't seem as though there is anything... but then he catches a scent that makes him pause.]

...hmm.

[He rises to his paws and walks over to the edge of their clearing, ears twitching. It could be nothing, but... something smells off. And he hasn't missed how the birds seem to have grown quiet.]

[luciing]

[ Both of their efforts seem to work. The carts zooms forward on Zidane's kinetic propulsion, and Eustace's augmented gunshot scatters the bats from their path.

Now the runaway dynamite-heavy minecart ahead of them is within their sights again. More importantly, it is within his magic's reach.


Somnus extends his hand outward, turning his arm and then making a fist, as if grasping at the end of the cart itself. Sparks sputter beneath its rusted wheels, showering them in a vicious amber light, but it's working, screeching and slowing further. Clenching his jaw, Somnus strengthens his focus upon the cart to hamper it further. ]

[tantailizing]

[While Eustace deals with the bats and Somnus finally gets a hold on the cart, Zidane will peek out and wait until the right moment to begin slowing down their own cart. He needs to make sure the other cart was within a range, but also begin slowing down so they didn't ram into it.]

[And considering how he boosted their speed, it meant only a few seconds before he had to reverse his magic to begin grinding their cart to yield. If they didn't get this just right, they better get the dynamite out of the cart instead then!]

[doctorintern]

[ He allows himself a grin, pleased with the results. ] It seems so!

[ It also seems he could alter the force to the wind just enough, making each draft slightly stronger or weaker and sending the butterfly lettuce up at different heights. When they catch on, it becomes a game of who ends up flying higher, and more start joining in. ]

[yorhaberserker]

Still looks like you're having fun. Who said practice couldn't be fun after all?

[She laughs softly at that looking at him.]

I've been alright. I think I'm finally adjusting to things, at least mostly. There are certainly situations and events that throw me off guard though.

[flamekthunder]

[He's a bit behind, but at the moment getting this person in the clear is more important.

Which he succeeds! Carrying them on his back, he manages to climb up to the next platform that leads to the circle, allowing the individual to port away before he destroys it. However, because he had to take extra time, the lava is a lot closer to him that is comfortable. He has to do a series of quick jumps and even grab up a scaffolding to pull himself up before running over beams with the lava just a few short feet beneath him.

And then when he's about to be in the clear—]

Mew!

[DAMMIT WHO PUT A CAT IN HERE?? Is he on challenge mode is that what it is— Anyway, Zidane will get a good view of Eustace having to backtrack and grab the cat before having to make a huge leap of faith to reach the next platform.]

[flamekthunder]

[At least the bats are now clear, so now all Eustace can do is just brace himself, not wanting to interfere with the other two's efforts.

It seems like eternity as, the screeching metal and sparks flying from both carts resounding through the tunnel. And they better get it done fast, he can see the end of the tracks ahead!]

[flamekthunder]

[He watches Nanaki carefully, picking up on the cues.]

...I'll gather them and then cover you from behind.

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace takes a moment to check their surroundings, listening to any reports from the nearby animals who live around as well as any birds passing by. Sensing nothing, he then turns back to watch the butterfly lettuce and grins a bit.]

See if you can help them keep their balance with this.

[And now he makes things difficult by adding another draft that pushes them around a bit.]