first shot ⊗ open april log

[flamekthunder]

🧙 WHO: Eustace and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: intro log + any TDM carryovers
🕒 WHEN: throughout April
🗺️ WHERE: various
⚠️ WARNINGS: mostly none? some of the prompts include the combat tasks like the spider one, so those have the potential to get grisly/graphic depending on how things shake out. ...and maybe some really bad dog puns—

⊗ a: who let the dogs out

[Eustace is continuing to train and improve on his animal magic training throughout the month, with varying success and failures. For now he's focused on communication and transformation, specifically with one group of animals: dogs. The path to all that, however, is an...interesting one. Anyone with dogs, likes dogs, afraid of dogs, whatever the case is THERE ARE DOGS. And most likely Eustace trying to reach out and pet one with either the dog accepting or hiding away. All while his own snow wolf familiar just hangs out off to the side and watch his attempts, offering no help whatsoever except to laugh at some of his efforts.

1. Bark bark woof woof. It could be at a park, in an alley, a quiet corner on the street—the locations will vary but they all have a common theme and scenario: it's a relatively quiet area and there are two figures in a seemingly serious staring contest. Eustace crouches on the ground about two feet away from a dog sitting in front of him. Big, small, fluffy, skinny, collared, stray—he's trying this on any he comes across so it all varies. But the two are staring at each other for what seems likes an intense staring contest before one of them breaking off, either by the dog barking and wagging its tail or Eustace clicking his tongue and running a hand through his hair in some frustration.]

I only understood half of that... What does a shoe have anything to do with a squirrel?

[Like. Okay, yes, dogs like those things but whatever the dog was trying to tell him, Eustace couldn't get a clear message from it.]

One more time.

[The dog stares at him with a flat look before "hrumphing," as if this isn't the first "one more time." Some comply, others might just walk off, but Eustace is determined to understand them dammit.

2. Straaaaaay. StraaAaaaaYayay— Closer to the end of the month or, Eustace can more reliably transform into a something of a mix between husky and wolf, however only for a very short time (like a few minutes) before he has to change out or risk turning into a puppy for expending too much energy. He uses whatever opportunities he has to practice both the process of changing and how to function in the form. So in the interim, he actually tries to find stray dogs and if they're wary of his normal form, he'll try changing to get them to open up that way. Of course sometimes going about as a sizable wolf leads to problems, like a passerby shouting in surprise, forcing him to run before changing out. Even jumping out in front of you, so hope not afraid of large canines.

If he does accidentally overdo it, then he's stuck as a very fluffy, very grumpy pup for a while until enough energy returns for him to change out. Sometimes he's able to voice out the truth of the situation, but sometimes he's unable to speak at all and can only grunt and whine like a real pup. Anyone who tries to take him home will be nipped at furiously.]

⊗ b: target practice

[Once he's gotten a better grasp on his animal magic, Eustace dabbles a little in his secondary, the elementals. It's a bit tougher, but he's also more determined to master it as he wants to share this magic with his weapon, Flamek. After trying the various elements, Eustace has found he has a strong inclination towards lightning magic, the electricity coming forth more easily than others. He's also managed a very faint dusting of frost, but it disappears quickly like breath into air. He'll have to try and work on that later after he's had more mastery on lightning. But even that will take a bit of work.

1. Test shots. To try and gain better control over something as unwieldy as lightning, Eustace releases small, concentrated bolts of electricity over a small distance. It's somewhat successful, mostly because trying to create small concentrations is a hit or miss, especially in the beginning. Sometimes it's just a fizzle of static, sometimes it's a large surge that fries the target. Then there's the matter of energy, and unlike animal magic he finds it takes more out of him and more quickly. But if anyone is around the test dummies, they'll hear the occasional bzzt as small amounts (and occasional large burst) electricity is discharged.

2. Flamek. Very early on Eustace learns that he can't obtain bullets except through a certain trader and for a high price. He has some that carried over, but it's still a very small, limited stock, meaning he can only use his gun under extreme circumstances. He was never one to waste his bullets to begin with, but the thought unsettles him to some degree, especially with Flamek already seemingly asleep.

He fingers the bullet that had still been in Flamek upon arrival before loading it back into the gun. There's a hum of electricity as he tries to recreate the feeling that usually happens when he brushes against the barrel, only this time it's from him instead of the gun. A complicated, troubled expression forms as he can only feel a very faint quiet "pulse" in return before he sighs and aims at the target ahead of him one-handed, a sight that is surely strange given that his gun is really more of a rifle. He pulls the trigger and the bullet hits cleanly through the center, a perfect bulls-eye.

But Eustace looks far from satisfied or pleased, instead drawing back his weapon to almost cradle it in his hands. He flicks the trigger mechanism that normally activates the weapon's charge, but there's only a dull click followed by silence. It works fine otherwise so that's some relief, but...it almost seems lifeless and it perplexes him. So when he's taking a break, he'll just be in some quiet corner brooding over his weapon as he wipes it down.]

⊗ c: task - humilibees

[This is an...odd problem for sure, but since this is supposedly where they're supposed to live, he might as well try. Especially since he might be able to do something about them. ...It just might be a little unorthodox. So there are three potential options posed to whoever he's working with:

1. Stunning them? Eustace is already familiar in using electricity to stun and paralyze his opponents, so he looks at the hive from a distance and postures a question to whoever he's working with:]

What if they're stunned by electrocution?

[MAYBE A LITTLE TOO DIRECT OF A QUESTION.

2. Bzz bzz? ...Okay. This is a little crazy. But although he's had most success with dogs, he has been able to catch bits and pieces of other animals here and there. Birds are particularly chatty so he tunes them out. But...what about insects? Can't hurt to try, right?

So he'll try to listen in and see if he can at least understand them, maybe figure out why they're there to begin with, but the moment he does he just flinches, a hand going to one of his ears.]

.......Nevermind... I can't understand a single thing from that noisy hive.

[And now that he's tried to tune in he can't seem to tune it out by the primals make it stop—!!

3. Your turn. Eustace is willing to listen any possible ideas his partner might have. Whether he'll accept it or not will of course depend on that idea.]

⊗ d: task - spiders

[Once he feels more comfortable with his magic and the world in general, he'll volunteer to help with the spider venom collection. However, he's not sure if he has the appropriate magic to collect the venom directly, he could offer some support, such as using his lightning magic to try and stun them or against the webs if someone is caught.

Just don't ask him to try and communicate with the spiders. After the bees, that's a hard no.]

⊗ e: wildcard + tdm

[I also considered the labyrinth quest but not sure if Eustace is ready to tackle that one yet. There is also the TDM prompts that can be carried over. I didn't stick any vines one in because of being used in the TDM, but those are also fair game! If interested in anything not included here, just hit me up on laenavesse or discord and we can work something out!]

Comments

D

[everydayeveryway]

[Spiders. Adelle is making a face at them.

But she wants to help with the spiders. She wants to help in general; thus, Adelle is here with Eustace, and looking at a cave in the hillside. This, they know, is one of the caves with oh so many spiders inside. She glances sideways at Eustace -- nods once -- then looks ahead.]

I can move pretty fast with my magic! I could go in, get them chasing me, then we could lure them into... a trap? To carry them back?

[flamekthunder]

[All right, Adelle, time to prove your worth.]

Then we'd have to make a trap for them.

[...Hm. Otherwise not a bad plan since they need to take them back alive. Of course that's assuming she can really move fast enough and he's looking at her a little skeptically since he's never seen her in action before.]

[everydayeveryway]

[Adelle taps a finger against her cheek. She thinks about this for a second.]

A pit trap -- or a net -- would be best. I'm not sure if we could get or make a net big enough. Though... I do have a few sacks. If I could lead them somewhere, then we somehow stun them at the right moment...

A2 - Wolf's Rain

[gunlord]

[While he wasn't scared of dogs, and had gotten used to his own Fanged Wolf familiar, it was still a bit of a surprise for a wolf to suddenly jump in front of him. He stumbled backward with a yelp, dropping his cup of coffee and it splattered on the ground. Still, it was better than him falling over or something.

He sighed, a hand on his chest to calm his heart.]

Easy there, big guy. [He took a good look at the wolf. It seemed a like a big dog rather than a pure wolf. He didn't see on a collar on it though.] Hm... a stray?

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace just stares at the young man and opens his mouth to say something—

But the only that comes out is a low growl.

Surprised his head tilts in confusion but another attempt to speak just ends in another low rumble.

.......Fantastic.

He just sighs and shakes his head. It would be easier if he just transformed out—BUT EVEN THAT ISN'T HAPPENING FOR SOME REASON and now he's really growling in frustration because it had been going fine otherwise.]

[gunlord]

[Machias's eyebrows went up at the low growl. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? He couldn't help the hesitation because the last thing he wanted was to get bitten.

His own familiar was a wolf, which is why he wasn't too nervous, and speaking of it was padded over to tilt his head at the other canine. He made an inquiring noise. What's wrong? it seemed to say.]

I guess having a wolf for a familiar comes in handy sometimes.

[It was honestly weird having a monster from home be a familiar but it was quite amiable and nice, with a bit of a teasing streak sometimes. He sighed, lamenting his spilled coffee all the same. But what to do now? It seemed confused but not really aggressive. Was it hungry?]

A2 - Gotta do it

[tantailizing]

[Dog or wolf pup, if it's in town, it's probably not a danger to anyone - at least, that's his logic. So, seeing a puppy in the middle of town, he wonders if someone just misplaced him. Maybe it wandered in from the forest?]

Are you lost, little guy?

yes good

[flamekthunder]

[This...is so more than mildly frustrating. He thought he had paced himself, but he had needed to use more magic than intended and it resulted him stuck as a puppy. Fortunately he doesn't feel too exhausted so a bit of rest should be enough for him to replenish and change back. But as he's wandering back towards the inn, he ends up running into someone who seems to be showing concern for him.

Which is ultimately a good thing, he would appreciate anyone showing care for a potentially lost pup. Just a bit less when it's him. And his familiar is doing him no favors by deliberately hiding to make the truth less obvious. At least she won't let him get into any real harm, but seriously. Not helpful.

Anyway, he just stares at the teen with...a tail? Another animal magic user? And just shakes his head, already knowing he can't speak (which is also a bit frustrating but he's long accepted and just deals with it).

[tantailizing]

No?

[Weird that the puppy shook its head at all, but if it understands him, that's better. Raising a hand to his chin, he ponders. If it's not lost then... it would probably be heading somewhere, right?]

... Alright, where you headed? Maybe I can help you get there?

C1

[rotacalamitas]

[Electrocution, huh? Well, Bennett's definitely no expert in using electricity. He hasn't even figured he can use other elements besides fire here yet. He's hoping Eustace can handle that...]

It's worth a shot, at least. If you can handle shocking them, I can distract them so you can do the thing.

[flamekthunder]

[Electricity should naturally stun anything it hits, right? Unless somehow the way electric/lightning magic works differently.]

It should be worth noting I haven't tried this kind of tactic in this world, let alone with bees... But at worst I accidentally kill them or anger them to attack.

[Hmmmm. Staring at the bees with a scrutinizing gaze, it's a risk, but if they can stun them it would make things easier to move them.]

What magic do you use?

[rotacalamitas]

I can heal and shoot fire! Well, I'm not all that good at the "shooting" part, yet. It's more like punching with fire right now, heh.

[Sorry, Eustace. Bennett's a talker.]

A1

[doctorintern]

[ While Fenton hasn't had a huge problem with dogs lately, he has noticed that a few follow him every once in a while. He isn't sure why, other than maybe dogs here also aren't used to Duck people, and just want to chase him a little.

He doesn't usually mind, because he isn't scared afraid, so they don't really bother him. But sometimes he'll find a few dogs sitting around, as if they're waiting for something. Like today, as he's eating a small lunch with a small pack of dogs sitting nearby. ]

...Please go away.

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace had just finished his "session" with another dog with.......mixed results, but it was time for him to take a break. So he happens to be walking through the area when he first notices the dogs gathered by someone.

...?

Stepping closer, he realizes that someone is some...duck? And they may be bothering him? His familiar is tagging along beside him as usual and it also seems to be curious by the sight.]

...Are they bothering you?

[...Duck...]

[doctorintern]

[ Still trying to get the dogs to leave, Fenton glances up. ]

Uh...well, I wouldn't say they're bothering me exactly but, I can't...seem to get them to leave me alone.

[ And all of them staring at him is starting to make him feel a little nervous. ]

A-2 EEEEVERRR STRAY!!

[blackabyss]

[Tokoyami's shadow magic is quite similar to his old Quirk powers, and such he gets the hang of it fairly quickly. His secondary magic, Animal Magic, needs a little more practice for him to understand, and so it's not uncommon to find him trying to communicate with the local wildlife around Camelot.]

[However, while out on an errand, he notices the small, fluffy puppy by itself on the street. Curious... what was such a small animal doing by itself? And then he gets the idea to try and use his magic to ask it.]

[So, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, he kneels down before the fluffy puppy and tries to channel some of his magic.]

What are you doing all by yourself?

[flamekthunder]

[Despite Tokyoami's efforts, when Eustace notices his presence and approaches, he immediately tenses, hackles raised as there's a low growl, the message loud and clear even if one couldn't communicate with animals:

Back off.

Given his weakened form, Eustace has to remain more guarded than usual, and he's already had some close calls. Seeing a giant bird person thing? Yeah he can't help but be a little wary.]

[blackabyss]

Ah...

[Oh, he hears that growl as clear as any words. How curious... but that still doesn't solve the matter about the lone puppy. He clears his throat and slowly kneels down, offering a hand for it to sniff.]

My apologies if I startled you. I only wish to help you, if there is any way I can.

E

[roseeclair]

[[Continued from here.]]

[Wait, wha-- oh. Ohhhh man there's that flush on her cheeks. A few weeks ago she'd be very much along for the ride, but now...]

GAH! A--wait wait wait, I-I really appreciate this, b-but just so you know, I-I'm kind of seeing someone right now, okay?

[flamekthunder]

[Eustace just looks at her confused.]

And?

[What does that have anything to do with this? He has no idea what she's getting so he just moves, taking long strides as he makes his way over the roots.]

[roseeclair]

[A choke and a few blinks... right... right, he's probably just being nice and helpful.]

R-Right... [Set her down then, good boy.]

B2

[konpeito_aji]

[Eustace had to know it was coming!]

[The second he decided to use the gun, Nobunaga was going to appear out of the bushes or something like an absolute lunatic (because he is!)]

[AND HE DOES. Sort of.]

[He's actually sitting up in a tree, watching the targets. And he jumps down with glee (he's still wearing almost full armor mind you!!!) and you just know the questions are COMING:]

Why did you use one hand? You seem down again, what's wrong? Even Mitsuhide couldn't be mad about that shot, it was perfect!

[flamekthunder]

. . .

[Eustace had sensed a presence nearby, but to think it was this guy...he really had been too preoccupied with Flamek's current state to notice anything more. So there's just a very long and hard stare up at Nobunaga, not really in the mood to deal with a loud chatterbox like him. Should he just leave? That would be the typical response, and in fact he's prepared to do just that.]

That's none of your concern.

[Tsk, terse as always.]

tdm cont'd ⚡

[sparkstrikes]

( ⮀ )

[At first, she thinks that he's asking her to move away, and she pauses her wiggling to shoot him a dirt-covered frown, but she realizes upon seeing him that the two of them are far enough that he hasn't quite entered her personal space. So, she tries to move, and...]

Nngh... Not really.

[The vines are adamant at making friends with her, moving again around her legs and binding them together so she can't get up or shake them off. She tries with her hands, but they latch onto those too. The most she can do is start moving towards him like a worm, which is exactly what she does..... and yes, it looks as stupid as you think it might.]

Do it again. The magic.

[flamekthunder]

[...........If they weren't in a serious situation he'd probably find this ridiculous. But, well, he can't fault her attempts.]

...I'm going to target around your hands, but you might get shocked so be prepared. Otherwise, push against them to help break it apart once they've been damaged.

[He's not going to use as much energy as he did with that initial blast, but electricity travels. Still, if the magic doesn't burn through the vines completely, it should weaken them enough for her to break them on her own.]

Ready?