[Open] Hit the Ground Running

[tantailizing]

🧙 WHO: Zidane and anyone who wants in!
⚔️️ WHAT: New arrival and open log for the month!
🕒 WHEN: Whenever arrivals get dropped in and forward
🗺️ WHERE: Red Spring, CameCon, Brocéliande and beyooond
⚠️ WARNINGS: Nooo? ... No... will update if needed.


[I. The Red Spring - Training Grounds]

[His world had magic so figuring it out wasn't difficult, but the application was different and limited. Or maybe he was out of practice? Quickly figuring out it had nothing to do with elemental or healing, it seemed physical again. Honestly, fine with him.]

[At the training grounds, he had one ability down already: speeding up. If he knew what else could be done with it, he would probably try it out, but instead, others might see him running the obstacle course, taking a break after completing it, and then repeating, steadily increasing his speed. However, he's still new, and it's evident he's exhausting himself at some point. His familiar - a moogle - tugged his tail to stop him with a 'kupo!', but he stood up, waved it off, and took to the course again.]

[Maybe intervene?]


[II. It Figures... Flood/Blackout]

[Only coming to the CameCon out of curiosity, he's only semi-surprised when the flood began? Like, it happened at the hot springs and spoiled that so why not spoil another event?]

[Helping people who wanted out of the water was all fine and dandy if ridiculous. The water wouldn't damage everything they bought that bad; living was more important than losing that apparent limited edition pillow. And then, of course the lights had to go out.]

... Alright, unless anyone's got a candle on them or the right magic, I'm gonna need some dry table cloth and a chair leg!

[He'd find it himself, but rattling tables and chairs with his magic might not help keep panic down.]


[III. Keep Your Vines to Yourself]

[Zidane's really in this forest due to the reports of missing people since he'd rather not be here. It reminded him plenty of another stint in a forest that he'd rather not repeat, and not without the medicine to counteract things going south.]

[Fortunately, the vines were friendly - unfortunately, too friendly.]

[Not that he doesn't manage to slink his way from plenty attempts to grab him, but he knew he lost some fur. Of course, he's lucky; other people that came into the woods? Maybe not so much and he's listening out for anyone who might find themselves in a predicament.]


[IV. Selfies with Selkies]

So... you wanna try talking to him, or should I go?

[Holding his basket in his tail, Zidane raised his arms behind his head and tilted his head. He's not human, but who between the two of them would be better? The Selkie looked like a cool enough guy, but Zidane's also not here to listen to another guy attempt to flirt should his companion be a woman.]

[The Cereus de Anima was kind of a pressing matter they should deal with sooner rather than later.]


[V. Wildcard]

[OOC: Putting this option here as a more general exploration of Camelot without making a sixth prompt so he can be encountered in various locations about the City. Look, he's very good at getting into places and curious enough right now. If you wanna plot in more details, hit me up at plurk: demidemonLove. Also, if you'd rather some prompts on his TDM, that's still available here and open to being carried over!]

Comments

[sparkstrikes]

[With one last sharp tug, his hands are tied tight behind his back, and she makes certain to keep the bindings so taut that they dig into the skin on his wrists. He does seem to be a little too relaxed for Lightning's liking too, and she makes note of it, but leaves him be for now.

That is, until he opens his mouth again just as she's about to answer Zidane.]

"This is a bad idea. My men will know where to find me."

Your men are unconscious on the dock. I doubt they'll wake up before we can get you back to the city.

[And even if they did somehow catch up, they were easy enough for her to take out. And with that, she does exactly as Zidane suggests and gives him a swift blow over the head with the blunt end of her sword, knocking him out cold.]

Doesn't matter now. How long d'you think it'll take to get back?

[tantailizing]

[Their men finding the Captain was going to be the problem of their contact, not the two of them. Though, it would be fun to see them try. Staring at the Captain once he's knocked out, he looks at Lightning.]

If this ship had an engine, I'd say 'in no time', but we're relying on the wind here. It's in our favor right now, but it'll shift closer to our destination. I might be able to keep things moving, but that'll be the limit of my magic.

[And that's being bold. He hasn't really tried moving a whole ship so he's hoping to just power the movement it still has. So how long would that take then...? Hm...]

I'd say thirty minutes if we're lucky, an hour or longer if something really goes wrong.

[sparkstrikes]

That's fine. [She nudges the captain with her foot to make sure that he's still unconscious, and when he slumps over to lay down, she nods.] I can keep him out as long as I have to.

[The sail flaps, as if responding to Zidane's musings, and she glances skyward. The sky is as clear as ever, so hopefully the wind keeps up. She'd hoped for something a bit more... stormy tonight... but when has Mother Nature ever cooperated?]

Don't overdo it. Last thing I need is a tired partner. We can just ride the wind and see what happens.

[And until then, she does have to ask:]

You're pretty new around here. Surprised you got your magic working.

[More like jealous.]

[tantailizing]

Hehe, sounds good to me.

[Captain can stay slumped there. Meanwhile, Zidane's gonna get this ship (and the others) to launch.]

You got it, Ma'am! [Something about his partner in crime, now that he thinks about it, kinda reminds him of the General. Welp, everything's in order; time to get to the wheel.]

[He blinks, but keeps on steering while he explains.]

Magic's pretty common in my world. Of course, someone called me a moron when it came to actually using it, but it doesn't feel that different from using one of my normal skills here. Still, magic uses up energy way faster... I have to work on that part.

[sparkstrikes]

[Ah, someone else who's familiar with magic.

She can't help but wonder what it is that's so different about her compared to some of the others she's talked to about it, or perhaps it's something she'd rather not admit to herself, but... one day, she'll figure that shit out.

For now, she'll just have to be thankful that others have managed to pick it up so easily.]

Yeah. Tough to find a balance between using too much and making sure you use up enough. Heard that if you don't, it starts to build up inside you.

[tantailizing]

[Still keeping his attention forward, his tail waves as he considers a thought.]

I'm sure the fastest way to use up your magic would be to try a spell you can't even complete. Buuut if you don't wanna end up fainting, small spells through the day should do it.

[Meanwhile, there's something else he considers.]

... So, no magic in your world either?

[sparkstrikes]

Not for everyone, no.

[Lightning's arms fold as she wanders up near the wheel and claims a spot on the edge of the ship to lean against. She keeps her gaze forward as well. Eyes on the prize that is the city lights glimmering in the distance.]

People are afraid of the ones who have it. If you've got it, you're basically screwed. Hunted down by the military.

[That's the nicest way of putting it.]

[tantailizing]

[He glances back to check on the other ships to see if this was actually working. It was, but they weren't sailing as fast. Something might've gotten stuck or some work was different. Either way, it was something that needed to be looked at by hand, but he couldn't do that right now... and point was, they were moving still.]

What? People who use magic are still people. What'd they do to get a bad wrap?

[Like, he'd get it if a mage screwed over everyone else, but one bad mage did not mean everyone else deserved being hunted by the military.]

[sparkstrikes]

Nothing. They were still people.

[Misunderstood people. Lightning had been one of them—a soldier whose job was to hunt down the l'Cie and take them out, no matter the cost. She had misunderstood them so much that she threatened her sister, regardless of how much of that was out of anger... At one point, she would have pulled the trigger on them without a second thought.

Until she became one.]

The military saw them as monsters created to do the gods bidding. That's why they had magic. Don't do it, and you get turned into a monster for real... Maybe that was why they were so scared.

[It was all just Cocoon brainwashing. Not even Lightning could figure out why people had to fear them. It was an order, not a choice.]

[tantailizing]

[Looking her way, it's almost weird to hear her say 'gods', and he doesn't know if she's being literal or what? But that second part, he can get why she might worry a little bit more about not using magic here.]

Sounds like they're damned either way. Reason enough to be scared when they have no support on either side - and other magic users would want the heat off them.

[So they probably wouldn't be buddying up that easily.]

[sparkstrikes]

Mm. Better to just hope it doesn't happen to you.

[Lightning hums to herself, and a wave that gently rocks against the side of the boat pulls her out of her thoughts. It's a bit of a heavy subject, especially one to be talking about while they're kidnapping a pirate, but it was topical. There's probably a part of her that doesn't want to use her magic here because of that, or worries that if she does, it'll do something to the l'Cie tattoo still inked across her chest.

Deep down, maybe, in a place she'd rather not go.

So she laughs it off, and motions to the city up ahead.]

Almost there. Sorry I can't do much to speed things up.

[tantailizing]

I mean, the chances of that happening to me? No. Has it happened to some? Yes, but for other reasons.

[But they're not talking about that right now - they are sailing. Glancing over at their bounty, he's still out which was completely acceptable. He's still wondering the Captain's warning, but again, a jailbreak or whatever happened to him later wasn't their problem. And if the crew tracked them down for revenge? Cool, free loot.]

Hey, don't worry about it. You took care of the sailors; it's my turn to show off.

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning casts him a smile, and even a laugh under her breath. Not a bad kid at all.

She's quiet for most of the ride back to shore. The captain remains out cold for most of it, only stirring once before she knocks him over the head again. The sailing feels almost too smooth, and she too wonders to herself if there's something they should be worried about. He'd given them a warning, but so far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

... That is until there's a crash that comes from one of the other ships, followed by the sound of wood cracking. A deafening blast echoes through the air, and then the same thing happens: a crash and wood splintering. It startles Lightning, and she ducks low, keeping her gun handy in case the captain wakes up, but she looks up at Zidane.]

Did they have another ship!?

[There must have been one not at the docks? Because she only counted three!?]

[tantailizing]

[Taking a quick look back, Zidane curses slightly under his breath.]

I'm guessing these ones are the three main ships, but we can only guess how big their actual fleet might be...!

[So if they lose that one, there's no real replacing it unless another ship would do! He grumbles.]

Why do these have to be sea-bound ships? Avoiding more fire is gonna be hell...