songerein | closed 🌠 i will be chasing a starlight

[That day Tifa spent in the tree fending off Eustace's enchantments and helping the dogs had been one of the longest and most draining she could remember in a long time, so when he had asked for assistance in finding cures for the magic, she didn't think twice about offering her help in whatever way she could. She could offer tales of home, or to go out to the forest to find the honey he needed, but when she'd seen the ice fishing job posted, it was like a blessing in disguise. If they were smart about it, they could kill two birds with one stone.

That, and a hearty meal of fish was never a bad thing, was it?

Huddled up in what winter gear she could find, the pair had set out to the lake with their gear. She had left most of that up to Eustace, not knowing the first thing about fishing herself, and instead had packed away her own items into a bag for the trip outside town.

And when they arrive, she's the first to pause at the edges of the lake to look it over. It should be thick enough, or else they wouldn't have posted those jobs, but just to be sure... Tifa presses her toe against the ice to test it.]

Well... [She swings the bag from her shoulder and hugs it in front of her, patting it.] Brought skates, just in case.

[Or not just in case. Just for fun, more like. Because why come all the way out to the lake and not take advantage of this naturally made skating rink!? But she knows how he can be...]

Edited 2021-12-04 05:14 (UTC)

[Despite whatever awkwardness there might have been remaining after everything that happened at the treehouse, Eustace wasn't going to turn down Tifa's offer. If anything, he felt like he owed her and needed to make it up to her...which just makes her assistance meaning he now will owe her twice.

Used to walking through so much snow and snowfall, he only wears...well he's stuck in the ugly sweater "curse" (blessing???) going on, and while his isn't bad... ... ...He's just going to pretend there is nothing strange about it. Nope. And it curiously already had the shoulders and a portion of the lower back cut out, how considerate. It does contrast a bit against his usual cloak, boots, and weapon, but—whatever, he's not dressed to impress anyone and is as practical as possible.

Behind him he pulls a small sled containing necessary gear. Two large buckets smaller sacks inside make the bulk of it. While it wouldn't be bad to bring in some catches, who knows what kind of fish there will be out there and if some will willingly part with their scales, might as well be prepared. In another neatly packed bag are the fishing equipment, from rods and nets to tools to break through the ice if needed, and a smaller pouch that has all knives and wares for treating the fish on site. In another bag are some extra towels, blankets, and a change of clothes. One never knows what might happen while out there, especially at a frozen lake. So really it looks as if he's prepared for a camping trip than just an outing to catch fish.

When they arrive, he finds a spot to drive in a stake and tie the sled before he looks over at Tifa.

...]

...In case of what?

[Sadly, no, he can't imagine them having time to skate for leisure. He's deep in "mission mode."]

I don't know. In case we get bored waiting for some bites.

[Tifa's trying hard to fight back the glint that tries to surface in her eyes. There's that deep mission mode Eustace she's grown so used to back in Camelot, but it's hard to take him seriously when he's wearing that sweater of his—less so now that she knows its back is cut out as if the magic had tailor made it just for him. Tifa lucked out with her own, the one she'd been given this morning one of her favourites so far, but at least it goes with the rest of her!

Not trying to be so mission focused! They'll get the job done, she isn't worried about that!]

We don't have to now, but maybe after we get set up! ... Unless you don't know how to skate?

[She's one to talk! She can hardly remember how, but he doesn't need to know that to put them on.]

Edited 2021-12-04 15:54 (UTC)

[The corgis are going to be on the forefront of his mind for most of the time, okay, whether he realizes it or not he has officially adopted them and clearly the sweater fairy or whatever gifted his sweater recognizes that—

As starts to unload their gear from the sled, he just gives her a flat look.]

Does it matter?

[As if implying he wasn't going to skate whether he knew or not.]

Does it?

[Her tone is almost playful, contrary to the look of disappointment she gives him. She figured he would put up a fight... so, she has something else in mind.]

Wouldn't it be easier to move around on the ice with skates? It's pretty slippery out there, and at least they'd have some grip. We could skate to the middle of the lake and start there.

My boots are more than enough to work on the ice.

[And he continues to just ruin all her fun.]

We also don't know how thick the ice is out there so it would be dangerous to skate blindly.

[Pouting more at him now before she looks out to the ice. Stop being such a spoil sport!]

Same thing as walking out there blindly, but alright.

[Although she's not moving from her spot just yet!]

Only if you promise to put them on after we set up... if it's thick enough.

[Let her have a little bit of fun! Tifa wants to have some good memories with him, like they had back in Camelot. All of the ones she's had so far have all gone horribly wrong in some way and she wants to work at fixing that!]

Who said I would walk out blindly?

[Why does it seems like he ends up in some kind of ~~bickering~~ disagreement with this woman often... But when she mentions making a "good memory," he feels a strange prick of guilt. It's not his fault he lost his twice, yet after the lengths she went through back at the corgi tree, he can't help but feel a little guilty each time.

So there's a slight conflicted look before he relents.]

...After we set up and catch a few fish.

I'll hold you to it.

[Tifa adjusts the bag on her shoulder, her pout turning into a pleased grin as she just casually steps onto the ice as if she hadn't just been making a big deal out of it only a few seconds before. It's surprisingly thick, and she's even more surprisingly nimble on her feet as she maneuvers her way over it to a center spot on the lake with delicate steps.]

This looks like a good spot, yeah?

[She points a finger at the ice, and then to the gear he's brought. She'll leave it to the pro to carve into it!]

[Hmmmmmmm.]

Hold on.

[He grabs one of the tool bags and walks with more surefooted steps over the ice to the spot she indicated. Once there he crouches down, opens the bag, and pulls out a small core drill he had received from a craftsman in preparation for this trip. It's fortunate that many have already quickly prepared prior to that quest posting. It only takes him a few seconds to grind it down into the ice and pull a thin but long cylinder of ice, about half a foot.]

All right, it should be safe. Grab one of the buckets and the black duffel bag and bring it over.

[And he'll get to work making the hole for them to fish through.]

[Half a foot should be good enough.

Tifa looks back to the sled on shore and her brow wrinkles at him, before she sighs and wanders back without protest, but not before she sets her own bag down on the ice so that she can sling the black bag over her shoulder instead.

And wandering back, she hands him the bucket and gets to work on unzipping the bag.]

Guess there's no real way for us to keep warm while we wait...

[The deal was they fish first and then skate! So she needs to do her part!

By the time she joins him, he'll have cut through the ice to create a large enough hole and cleared off the surface so there wasn't any snow in the way. As he takes the bucket to set it aside and then get the gear, he glances at her.]

I brought a few extra blankets, but there are also some heat backs you can use. They just require some dreamotion energy to adjust the warmth.

[Crouching near the hole, Tifa removes her glove and dips the very tip of her finger into the water, and a shiver of cold immediately shoots up her arm. She had been expecting it, but it's still startling just how cold the water actually is underneath the ice. How the fish survive beneath it is anyone's guess.]

I should be okay for now, but good to know. Might take you up on the blankets if we're out here too long.

[Standing, she helps him to take the gear out of the bag, examining one of the rods.]

Hmm. Never been fishing before so you'll have to teach me the basics. I'm a quick learner though, promise!

It's not too different from normal fishing, but here.

[And cue quick fishing lesson as he tells her how to attach the bait, set the rod, let down the line, and then how to move the line to create the bait's movement that will try to attract the fish.]

Since this is our first time here and there's not really much known, we may not catching anything at first. I have some other techniques and traps that I can set up as well.

[Fishing lesson montage! Fishing lesson montage! Just as promised, she picks it up fairly quickly, and is holding her own rod with the line and bait hovering just over the water.]

Why not set them up from the get-go?

[If it'll make this go quicker... Then again, he's the expert, not her, but she wants to learn!]

Normally I would, but since I don't really know what we're dealing with it would be a waste to set them up in useless place. I hope we might get a feel for what's out there here.

But I may just set them up after a few minutes regardless of what happens.

[And then a side glance.]

And then we can skate around.

[YEAH HE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S AFTER.]

[Hey! Don't call her out like that!! Yes, she wants to skate, and yes, she wants to be done with the fishing quick so that they could get right to the fun part, but who's to say that the fishing itself won't be fun? She's learning, and still has plenty left to learn, but...

Okay, maybe he's a little bit right...]

It's a lake. There's bound to be plenty of fish in it.

[And down into the hole her line goes, slowly and gently so as not to spook any fish that might be flitting around nearby.

...

It's almost as if she had willed them into existence then, because there's a low, musical hum beneath them. It's quiet, muffled, and she barely registers it herself, but Eustace's ears might be able to pick it up...]

[He just casts her a glance, knowing full well what she really wants to do.

But just then there is that...sound. Eustace frowns as he focuses because it was coming from.... Underwater? Like a hum...

......

...................

His face is already darkening as the humming grows louder, but any hope that the fish will move on is dashed when sparkly bubbles float up through the fishing hole and pop in a musical sequence, the la la la~'s crystal clear.

Just as he' s giving Tifa a dark look because surely she cursed them somehow, their good ol' friends the singing fish start popping their heads out for a choral greeting.]

[When she said fish, she hadn't meant the singing fish!

Tifa can feel him staring daggers into the side of her head, and all she can offer him is a rueful look and a roll of her shoulders in return. She knows what chaos they brought with them the last time they swam nearby, but she isn't as angry to see them as he is. Only a bit wary as they start popping their heads out one by one from the water, and diving in and out over her fishing rod, as if to taunt them.

All while singing.]

... See? I told you.

[Except this isn't what either of them had in mind, it's... better than nothing?]

Think any of them will take the bait?

[One of them leaps up and splashes water all over Eustace.]

[Things were already feeling a bit frostier as the temperature begins to drop, but when he's splashed with the frigid water, part of the ice somewhere cracks and small arcs of lightning start buzzing off around him, some of the water that had soaked him instantly turning into steam.

Given how Eustace then reaches down to grab his gun with more electricity sparking off, it's safe to say no he isn't going to ask and wants to not only shoot them but fry them instead.]

[Ahh...!

Tifa almost drops her fishing rod when she rushes to Eustace's side, and grabs him by the arm before he can draw his gun, gloved fingers wrapping around it tight. She understands his frustration, and feels it herself, but they're going to get nowhere by shooting the fish! Or breaking the ice...

Lowering her voice, Tifa eyes the fish as their faces bob in and out of the water, almost as if teasing Eustace as they hum a random tune.]

We might be able to use their scales...

[She stops him, but barely. Those little arcs of lightning is still buzzing around them, actually intensifying the moment she grabs him as he continues to glare at the fish.]

I'd rather cut off their heads.

[HE'S PISSED.

But the fish aren't bothered by the threat and instead look at Tifa. The one that splashed Eustace asks in its singsong voice:

"Our scales~?"

"We know our scales~!"

"Do re mi fa so la ti doOooOooo~~~!"]

The dogs need them, remember?

[She's still whispering to Eustace, hand remaining where it is on his arm, but her eyes are fixed warily on the fish. Please don't start singing your weird songs... She'd much rather they just stick with the humming that they do.

And then, she's looking to the swimming creatures, her lips turning up into a sheepish smile.]

Think we can get a couple of scales from you? Please?

[The fish pause and look at one another, and giggle in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, our dear girl~ Why not give fishing a whirl~ If you can make the catch, then we may give you a batch~"

......

Okay, this is a little frustrating.]

[He is giving her such a hard look along with a hard jerk of his head as if to say, "See? Useless."]

If I shoot you all with lightning right now that should count.

[MORE LIGHTNING CRACKLING. And those are definitely storm clouds forming.]

[She gives him a tug this time, the lightning not doing much to deter her, or the fish, who only continue to watch them with amusement before they disappear beneath the water's surface.]

Come on. Let's just do this right, okay? There's still a lot you have to teach me.

[Another tug for him to join her with their rods near the hole in the ice before things get out of hand. They are standing near water! Put that electricity away!!!]

eustace.

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