isleofavalon | eighth shot ⊗ open november log

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eighth shot ⊗ open november log

🧙 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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She can't see it, but there's a soft smile as he looks down at her.]

I don't mind. If anything it's only fair since it would be unfair to you to not know about the guy you're dating.

[A light, wry grin. "Dating." They've had one fake date, but saying it again like this still sounds weird...yet also gives a strange feeling of warmth stirring in his chest.]

There are some things I might not be able to tell you...but I don't want to keep secrets from you, either. So go ahead—ask whatever you'd like.

[He figures it would be better if she picked a starting point rather than him trying to recount everything. Especially since they are in the tub and there are some topics that might be more...depressing to talk about here right now.]

[Dating.

Not even she could put a name to it yet. How bold of him, but it makes Tifa smile too. She wasn't sure if they would take that step so soon to say that, but it would be silly not to, wouldn't it? They aren't teenagers, and they've both made it quite clear to one another that this isn't just some stupid crush. It makes no sense to keep dancing around it—not after what they've been through.

Tifa is careful with her next words, though. There are some things that she doesn't think would make a great topic right now. Maybe over lunch, or after they've gone back to Camelot and could find somewhere quiet. So, there's a very deliberate silence that follows, with the only sound being the water shifting when she grabs him and wraps his arms tighter around her.]

Let's start with something easy. [Well, hopefully.] What did you do before you got whisked away to a new place?

[Clearly a soldier of some kind, but that's about all she knows.]

[If anyone is going to lead in this relationship and make things clear, it might as well be him. Even if he had been very hesitant, now that it's settled there's no point in ambiguity.

But her question... Where in the world would he even begin... Well no matter how he does this, Tifa is going to have a lot of questions so he's just going to be kind of. A troll a bit and just answer her question as directly as possible.]

Fought against an organization from the moon to prevent from destroying the Sky Realm, my world.

[Yep. That's what he said.]

[Easy is a bit of a stretch there, given his answer.

Tifa arches a brow, turning only slightly to look at him before she nods. It really isn't all that strange, all things considered. Most people have the same reaction when she tells them about Midgar and mako... It's not like she doesn't get it—it was just a bit surprising.

Although what kinds of people live on the moon?]

Military, then?

Something like that. The organization I work for, Society, is more of a secretive group in the sense that while we have a public face our missions are classified and deal with higher threats such as the Primal Beasts, powerful entities that some may consider to have god-like powers, and another organization called the Foe, a group who deliberately incite violence to cause conflict. We do not work for any government and our greater purpose is protecting the safety of the skies...

...Or so it was supposed to be.

[His voice lowers a bit as he thinks of all the recent revelations and conflicts, topics that would be far too complicated to bring up here in full unless Tifa really wanted a giant history lesson.]

[Tifa sits forward again, idly running her hands over her arms and her shoulders, bringing with them the soap and vanilla and lavender scented bubbles over her skin while she listens. So, more like military spies or something is the impression that she's getting from his explanation. Whatever they were, she understands. Sort of like SOLDIER, in some ways. Higher ranked individuals—first class—would deal with the more classified and dangerous missions that threatened Gaia...

And just like SOLDIER, who were supposed to be used to protect the people of the Planet, they weren't without ill intent or failure, either...

She tries to bite back the sharp sigh that escapes her, her brow furrowing uncomfortably at the similarities. Again, it strikes her how he and Cloud aren't so different after all, and it's an unsettling feeling that she wants to shake...

She peers behind her again, and that feeling is immediately eased away when she sees him, and how somber he looks as he finishes his explanation, and she looks forward again. A touchy subject?]

That organization... Foe? Were they the ones who attacked your home?

...

[He's silent for a moment as he recalls what he told her that night about his history, of how his home had been destroyed. He had left out specifics because it's...just a lot, but now he just nods.]

...Yes. They were the group that had splintered from Society and started doing their own things undetected until recently.

And those were the ones you trained to fight against...

[Tifa nods too, and she picks up a rose petal to turn it over between her fingers, thinking back to what he'd told her.

How he had joined that group when he was only nine years old, after his home had been destroyed in some sort of strange societal experiment... It was messed up and reminded her too much of the demise of her own home that the thought once again lodges a breath in her chest.]

You said you were able to get them back for what they did before coming here, I remember. How'd that go?

It was...

[There's a small sound like a bitter laugh as he thinks about everything that led up to it.]

Complicated.

[He leans forward, forehead pressed against the back of her shoulder as his arms wrap around her. He didn't necessarily need that sense of comfort, but this is the first time he's telling someone about that moment, about what he was thinking and feeling at that time.]

The way I figured it out... [His grip tightens for a moment.] I wanted to kill him the moment I put the pieces together.

[She's taken by surprise when she feels his forehead bump against her shoulder, and there's the breath of a gasp when his arms find their place around her, but Tifa can only lean into it, leaning her head to the side of his, her expression muted, yet patient.]

What do you mean, the way you figured it out?

[What happened? What did he do? How did it end? Her question encompasses all of that, and he can answer as much or as little as he's comfortable with, her voice making that clear, and how she threads her fingers through his.]

[He's silent for a few moments before he answers, his position unchanging.]

...Remember how I told you how about the organization I work for... That it had the splintered factions with one going rogue to do their own thing? They were the Foe. The very ones we were fighting against were right under our noses...

Once we figured it out and who the leader was, I was assigned to find and capture him. This was on top of the impending Moon attack... [A small sigh.] Anyway, I managed to track him down and confront him, but it wasn't until he showed me a device they had developed that I realized he was the one who led the operation that led to my home's destruction.

And he didn't realize who I was until then, either.

[She doesn't want him to move.

Tifa swallows past the growing lump in her throat—the one that reminds her, always in the back of her mind, of Avalanche and what they stood for, and the measures they took to get to where they are, and for a fleeting moment, she feels... afraid, and her own grip on his hands tighten while she holds onto him.]

... You didn't know who he was until you found him, did you? That he was the one?

No.

[His voice is a little cold, hollow.]

Learning one of our superior commanding leaders was actually the leader of the Foe had been shocking and infuriating enough, but to think I had been working in the same building, taking orders from him...

[His grip tightens for a moment, but feeling her soft warmth reminds him who he's with and he quickly loosens, not wanting to hurt her.]

Fortunately he wasn't my direct superior so interaction between us was minimal. But I never would have guessed... The ones I had been hunting for were within my grasp my whole life.

[There's a harsh chill in his voice. When he first learned about how the Foe had been part of Society all along, that alone had already set him reeling back to his past. But he still had his objectives, important missions, a better outlook on life—and support from colleagues and friends. He hadn't known what group could have destroyed his home, barely having any clues whenever he tried to look into it. He never expected to find the main perpetrators. He wanted to, but enough years had passed where just taking down the organization as a whole and stopping others from suffering the same fate he did would have been enough.

But then on that day... Even after learning that Heisenberg was part of it, he still never thought of making the connection. Until he heard that sound, that flash. It had sent him all the way back to that day, memories still so clear and vivid.

Even if he doesn't share these details, by how tightly he holds onto Tifa and presses his forehead against her, she can get a sense that he's thinking about it all over again.]

I wanted to strangle him with my bare hands, shove Flamek's barrel down his throat and destroy him the same way he destroyed my family.

[He doesn't need to say it for her to know how painful this memory is—how heavy it still weighs on him, even now. With the way his muscles tense, and his arms tighten, how his forehead digs into her shoulder, she can feel it bearing down on her, too, as she tries to take some of that from him and share the pain. She wishes she could do more than just sit there and bend an ear—she wishes she could take every ounce of his pain and wash it away.

She can understand that feeling. The fire of vengeance is a tempting one, so she can't exactly blame him... If she were in his position, what would she have done if she had the chance? The first time she tried, Sephiroth cut her down, but the second... She had come so close that she could taste it...

Tifa's fingers run over her scar, feeling a reminiscent burn through it, before they reach back to comb through his hair. It's as much comfort as she can offer in this position, but it doesn't feel like enough. She wants to hold him, properly in her arms, but she doesn't want to move and shake whatever he's seeking from her.

Her own voice has taken a darker, cooler edge to it to match his.]

... Did you do it?

...No, I was stopped.

[A heavy sigh.]

But...it was for the best. My former superior officer stopped me, reminding me that I was no longer living for revenge and that I had others to protect. Despite their methods, the Foe were working to "train us up" and find ways to defend against the Moon, which is exactly what was happening. Thus as much as I was loathe to it, we needed him for his information...and the device they managed to build.

...It was a device that was developed from the results of what happened to my village... The sound it made...the flash of light when it activated...there was no way I could have forgotten...

[It's been months since he had to think about this, but it didn't sting any less. Even if he knew it had been the right thing, that didn't mean he had to like it. He takes a few haggard breaths as he continues.]

...But it was necessary. Our world was at stake, innocent lives at risk if we didn't use this weapon. I had to set aside my own personal feelings because Ronan was right—I still wanted vengeance, but I wanted to protect everyone more.

And the weapon worked, though the purpose was changed due to unforeseen circumstances.

...And as much as I hate how it happened, that encounter allowed me to deal with a problem that was setting us back.

[She can still hear the strain in his voice, and the quake in his breath, and Tifa heaves out a sigh. She can't keep sitting here doing nothing... her hands almost ache with the need to reach out for him as she—very slowly and carefully—turns herself around to settle on his lap, sliding close so that she's able to pull him into an embrace. No teasing, no playfulness, just a sincere gesture of comfort and affection.

It won't take away the pain he's had to endure, nor will it make up for anything that's happened in his past, but she can at last let him know that here, things are okay. He's safe from it, and there are no prying ears should he ever want to get these things off his chest. He has nothing to worry about, as long as she's here with him...

She's relieved that he'd been stopped. That he could fight against his need for vengeance even after that means that he didn't let it turn him into someone else, and that maybe when that day came, Tifa could too. Once you act on that, there's hardly ever a way to come back from it, and although he had suffered plenty in the years leading up to it, the agony that could follow is a different sort of beast—one that he would have to live with forever, but he hadn't let it consume him in the end.]

I'm glad you didn't.

[She mutters quietly into his shoulder, shutting her eyes against his skin.]

[When she turns, she'll find that he just looks...tired, worn out, a little somber. It's a good thing he had been taken into this world first before this happened and then regained his memories after everything was finished. If it had been anytime inbetween... So while there is still a shadow of resentment and hatred for what happened, that's all it is: a shadow. And a small one at that, only appearing when he thought back to that time. It's much different compared to the past when he would think back to that horrific day and would have those flashes of heated anger and anguish.

Now...

Now he really could move on. Now he no longer needed to keep everything to himself, no longer needed to hesitate. To be able to more freely express himself.

And, as he looks at Tifa before he feels that comforting warmth of her embrace, be able to..."love" someone else, or at the very least to care deeply about someone so much that he can finally feel peace and quiet like this. To finally open his heart enough to let others in and allow them to become close. Of course not easily, but at least the door is finally unlocked and cracked open.

So he closes his eyes as he lets out a long breath, nuzzling her a little before continues softly.]

Because of that, I was finally able to confront everything I was trying to do on my own and tell everyone about the truth of myself. At that time I had been stuck in a place where I had started to worry and care about people again, but I was also afraid of losing them so I would still keep them at a distance. Because I wasn't being honest about how I felt, Flamek wasn't responding and awakening to its full potential. But after learning the truth and realizing I no longer had to carry everything alone... I was finally able to acknowledge everything and open up. I could place my trust in everyone.

[Not just in general loyalty, but to also get out of harm's way. That he didn't have to keep holding himself and Flamek back, didn't have to remain on the defensive when around others. Even if he could be ruthless, he was still cautious and ultimately keeps everyone's safety in mind. To think his attempts to dampen Flamek's power would almost cost them...

He pulls back slightly so he could look at her, his expression softer than before.]

That's what I meant when I said if we had met before we likely wouldn't be like this... I kept people at arm's length and didn't want to become close to anyone.

Edited 2021-11-28 10:24 (UTC)

[When he pulls back, Tifa brushes the hair out of his face, combing the strands back from over his right eye.]

Bet I still could've found a way.

[Her smile is as gentle as her voice. It's an attempt, albeit not a great one, to bring back some levity to their morning. Who knows, though. He could be right, or completely wrong, and neither of them would ever know. They'd come together under circumstances that allowed them both to confront their feelings in some way, and perhaps it could have ended differently if he hadn't accepted that he could open up, or if she hadn't realized that he had been the one always at her side.

Hell, one small change and it could have all fallen down a different path, but the one that they did take lead here, and that should be all that matters, right?]

I know how hard it is, looking back on all that, but... it really did make you into a better person.

[Even without this, without her, he could still open up to others, and that beats being alone.]

So you beat Foe, in the end, because of that?

[There's just a small laugh at her assertion.]

Maybe so.

[If he didn't drive her away with how cold and rough he used to be.]

But... No, not entirely.

[A small sigh as he thinks back to everything that's still ongoing.]

Although we've taken out the main leaders, there are still small sects remaining, and the battle against the Moon will only embolden their cause, citing it as proof that the world needs to bolster their defenses and "training" for the inevitable attack in the future. However, we'll root out the main members so that they don't cause anymore problems. Now we have something else to deal with... But we'll manage.

[He's already told Tifa a lot about what's happened, he doesn't want to overshare with things that are only now developing. Really he's probably already spoken more than he needed to...but most of the matters are either publicly known or resolved. Not to mention it doesn't matter since they're in a completely different world, so it should be fine. There are still details he hasn't mentioned, either, but while somewhat relevant they aren't important for this line discussion either.

...Should he tell her about what happened to Heisenberg in the end... She knows he's a soldier of sorts so it shouldn't bother her that he has blood on his hands...would it? He casts aside the slightly troubling thought.]

At least the Moon won't be a threat anytime soon, at least as far as we know.

[She knows. He doesn't need to tell Tifa for her to know that all of this wouldn't have happened without him getting blood on his hands. War is never won without loss on either side, and change can't happen without it. After spending so long fighting against it, she had the ways of war the hard way. No matter what you do to prevent it, there will always be those that lose their lives, regardless of if they had any part in the war or not.

...

Tifa lets out another sigh, pushing those thoughts back down into the deepest depths of her mind where they belong. She's not ready for Eustace to know the things she's done. Not yet. Although hearing all of this, she's starting to think he might... understand.

Her smile has a small crook to it, one side pulling up.]

Even if they are, I know you'll be able to do something about it. ... At least you don't have to worry much here.

[None of it matters here, it's true, if that can bring either of them any peace of mind. If what she's heard is real about the state of their worlds back home, then things will return right back to the way they were when they left... So at least the Moon really won't be a threat while he's gone.

There's a beat of silence while she looks at him, her eyes roaming over his face, her hands pushing those stubborn hairs back from it when they fall forward again, and Tifa's head droops forward, her forehead bumping against his.]

I'm sorry for asking so many questions. I know this is a touchy subject, but... thank you... for sharing that with me.

[She can at least say that she knows a little more about him now. They may not be happy memories, but they're memories nonetheless. Little pieces of his past that she tucks away with the rest for safekeeping.]

[He's a little amused at her efforts to keep his bangs back, but he just lets her. Although it certainly wasn't a great topic, his expression is soft as he briefly closes his eyes.]

...It's fine. It was bound to come up one way or another. ...Though I suppose it might have better while not in the bath.

[Just a light chuckle as his arms wrap around her, the water starting to cool a little.]

Hm. Not sure there'd ever be a good time for it to come up.

[Over food? Before they go to sleep? First thing in the morning? None of them seem that much more or less appealing than this. She would have brought it up last night when he mentioned it first, but that position was definitely far less appealing than in the bath the morning after.]

But I guess I could save the rest of my questions for some other time. Water's getting kind of cold.

[She leans into him a little further, seeking his warmth to balance out the more moderate temperature of the water.]

Hmm...

[Just a soft, low hum from deep within his throat as his voice lowers a tad, lips by her ear as keeps her firmly in his hold.]

I can think of a few ways to warm you up.

[There's a hint of mischief and a lot of suggestive undertone in his words. Especially when he says "you" instead of the water.]

[She splashes him with some of the water, her hands working to warm his skin up after it runs over his back, a small giggle ringing from her chest and echoing off the ripples that form around them. Dabbing her fingers in the bubbles, she pulls away only far enough that she can watch as she blots them on his nose.]

Here I was thinking we could just turn on the tap.

[But if he's got better ideas...! Although... Her gaze moves across the room.]

I could use a hot rinse in the shower before breakfast.

[He just lightly shakes his head before he leans forward as if advancing towards her but not quite.]

First you'll need a reason to need a rinse... And not sure if we'll make breakfast.

[What a rare, mischievous smirk he wears.]

eighth shot ⊗ open november log

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