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]

[Just swearing under his breath as he continues to jump up and climb up the numerous scaffolding. He can handle it fine on his own, but it would be so much faster and easier if he could change into another animal. But it's likely he won't be able to use his magic correctly like before, so he just continues.

One circle, then another level to the next, until he eventually finds himself running parallel with Zidane leading to the same circle.[

[tantailizing]

[The circles fortunately delay the rising lava, but they still had to destroy them all to make this dumb game end. And man, for as athletic as Eustace can be, apparently it did not extend to platforming so much. Eventually, he does join Zidane, but there wasn't much headway made. Despite delay, the issues with catching up had the rising lava pretty level with Eustace just as it had been below.]

I'll head on to find the next circle...!

[And once again, Zidane leaves Eustace to destroy the one before him while he bounds off and climbs away.]

[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.]

[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]

[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.]

[tantailizing]

Was that a cat?

[That's perhaps the only reason that Zidane looks back to check on Eustace because he can take care of himself. Still, now that he looks back to check on Eustace, he's... wincing. There were less platforms now and the lava was gradually taking away more.]

Hey, do you need help?

[flamekthunder]

[You know he would gladly accept it.]

Grab the cat.

[Because it is. Definitely. Not helping. With it meowing and hissing and scrambling all over his head as he pulls himself up onto the platform.]

[tantailizing]

Got it.

[Looks like it's being a fussy thing, but as a Lindblum citizen himself, cats are kind of important. And he does have the advantage of being able to quickly climb across support rope, and hanging upside down is pretty easy for him to do to, taking the cat off of Eustace's hand. Cat can scratch, but again... gloves.]

[flamekthunder]

[It's a good thing Eustace is used to this kind of thing while dealing with Clover... And there will be relief when Zidane has the cat who is not happy at all with the sudden change. Ignoring the swearing that he can perfectly understand, Eustace pulls himself up so that he's on the same level with Zidane.

And once they're off again—]

Have you not run into anyone while going through? I've had to help a few. [Including the cat.]

[tantailizing]

[Guess when a cat's grumpy like this, it didn't matter if an animal mage was speaking to them. Zidane kind of has to hold it by the scruff until he can get back over to secure land and set it down.]

Better find another place to nap until the lava's gone...

[But he doesn't expect it to do that either. Turning to Eustace, he shrugs.]

Not really. No one seems to climb as fast as I can.

[flamekthunder]

That's fortunate. I think the ones I've run into were stranded rather than trying to willingly participate. Were you able to see how many were left?6

[tantailizing]

Yeah, that makes sense. We were here to help with construction not... this. [He shakes his head.]

Hm? I saw maybe five more?

[flamekthunder]

[He thinks for a moment.]

Since you're faster, go ahead and deal with them. Having already encountered more than I like, I'll check and make sure there aren't any others stranded or placed themselves in dangerous situations because of this so-called "game." Once the spell is broken, it'll be easier to handle the rest.

[Since Zidane has proven to be agile and fast, he'll be able to do more getting rid of the circles while Eustace focuses on starting to find any who trapped themselves.]

[tantailizing]

Sure, gimme a moment~ Oh, and be careful if you find more cats.

[Eustace should be good from here on out, right? Right. But it wasn't like they'd find dogs up here... oh those poor dogs that might've been around. Either way, Zidane zips off to find the circles.]

[flamekthunder]

[Thankfully no dogs. ...But cats...probably a couple more. However since he's leaving it to Zidane, he'll be able to take more time as he makes a sweep through, listening carefully for any sounds or cries. He'll have to rescue at least one more person and perhaps another animal or two, and can only hope Zidane will get through it before he has to deal with too much more.]

[tantailizing]

[And while Eustace continues to help out folks on the roof *mainly those cats), Zidane could be seen going about overhead between those last circles he sees and destroying them. Soon enough, he calls...]

Okay! I think that was the last one!

[flamekthunder]

[And as if to prove it, the "lava" disappears and there are cheers from below as everyone can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Eustace has three cats clinging onto him in some manner.]

Thanks... Now help me out here.

[Should he just transform into a big cat now? Or maybe a bird. Let them feel what it's like—]

[tantailizing]

[Good, no more 'lava'. And hopefully it stuck that way so they could get this place set up for people to live in before it gets too cold.]

[Getting back over to Eustace, Zidane stares.]

Maybe I should be asking you how you get into these situations instead...

[Because normally, everyone's asking Zidane, but he chuckles and begins taking the cats off one-by-one carefully.]

You're okay guys; lava's gone~

[flamekthunder]

[Just a disgruntled grunt in response. It would have been easier if he could have used his magic okay!! (Maybe.) One cat will stubbornly cling onto Eustace, but one cat is more manageable than three. So he just lets out a small sigh when he's finally freed of his "heroic burdens."]

They're all worse than Clover...

[tantailizing]

[Zidane'll go ahead and hold onto at least one cat and give it a few pets... and a scratch beneath its chin.]

Clover? You adopted a cat?

[flamekthunder]

Ah... Sort of.

[A small pause as he readjusts the cats so he can hold them better. Well. One refuses to leave his shoulder, the other will at least be quiet in his arms.

...Maybe they perceive him more like a dog and that's why they're less cooperative—]

I found her in Celliwig. [And that's all he needs to say about that situation.] I don't have time to take care of any real pet...so I took her to Tifa since I knew she had raised a cat before.

[tantailizing]

[Though left waiting for an answer, it's amusing to watch Eustace try to wrangle cats. He doesn't know which is more uncomfortable... but he's pretty sure the one on his shoulder has its claws out.]

Ah... [Yeah, he doesn't have to say more in regards to Celliwig.] Okay, that makes sense. ... Congrats on the new kit.

[Opportunity was right there.]

[flamekthunder]

[After dealing with Clover he's used to it. Having tough leather on helps, too, but it's still not comfortable.

.....And also shooting him a look he caught that.]

Don't get weird ideas.

[tantailizing]

I might not be the one to worry about.

[But don't mind if he's also getting ideas.]

[flamekthunder]

[Just another roll of his eyes.]

Enough, let's get out of here.