songerein | eighth shot ⊗ open may log

Who: Eustace and anyone
Which: Open May Log
Where: Various
What: Bookkeeping; flower blossom owls; giant flower jungle; rat infestation
Warnings: None just shenanigans

⊗ a: quest 501: bookeeping

[While checking out the new Tree of Stories both for the eggs and just the tree in general, Eustace will be browsing through the shelves to see what kinds of books there and if anything from his world might have popped up... Never hurts to check.

But on occasion he'll hear the strange rustling of papers and see a book moving around. Sometimes crawling over the floors, but mostly flying around. For the most part he stays out of the way if he sees others trying to get a handle on them, but he also some assistance if one is near.

Such as zapping a book that's being too rambunctious.]

Noisy...

[It's basically a library, so keep it down. But don't worry, no harm is done to the book. His dreamotion control has developed so that his lightning is more like an electric stun, thus the book will have basically been electrocuted so that it falls to the floor and twitches a little.

And if there are several getting rowdy, he creates ice walls around a small area to trap them in.]

Go and grab them—or I'll freeze them, too.

⊗ b: quest 503: flower blossom owls

[Although the trees had taken some damage, it didn't take long for them to flourish again. And hearing about the owls...as long as it's like one or two it should be fine to use their trees right? And didn't the Corgi Tree have an owl in it...where'd it go, anyway?

Well, whatever. He can at least try and lure the owls away first, and what better way to find fresh flowers than using the Flower dogs who can also try to help herd the birds. So while working around the neighborhood gardens, if he sees anyone nearby also trying to help he'll call out to them.]

If you need some flowers, just ask the dogs nicely and they'll shed a few for you to use. But it's better to bring these owls out of the neighborhood...

[Unless residents actually want them??]

⊗ c: quest 504: giant flower jungle

[Okay, now he can destroy plants, right—

Armed with his ~~rifle~~ gun, Flamek, Eustace ventures into the jungle with a wary eye, and it isn't long before gunshots and bolts of lightning can be heard and seen as he fights again some assortment of mushroom monsters along with the other large carnivorous plants. Lightning is particularly effective in stunning and burning the monsters so that he can finish them off while also maintaining good range—and for good reason.]

Don't get too close, it can release toxic spores.

[The mushrooms in particular are more agile than they look, especially the ones that like to latch onto living hosts to try and control them. It's even worse if they're working in tandem with any plants that have vines to try and trap anyone caught unawares, so watch out!]

⊗ d: quest 506: ~~eraser rat infestation~~ (learning bass guitar)

Damn pests...

[It's always one thing or another, and these rats are too quick for him to try and shoot without resorting to do an area attack. But after learning they need music to be lured out, he's become a bit uncertain. Should he just let others handle it? But a group of musicians who have tasked themselves in helping with the rat problem suddenly shove a bass guitar in his hands.

"Just try and pluck some strings!" they encourage cheerfully before getting to work.]

...

[But he's...never played before??? Does he even look like someone who would— He's seen it done, sure, but not closely and all he knows is he pushes down on the strings like this and then strum his fingers over the strings like—

He cringes from the off key notes. One can actually see broken notes appearing above the bass.]

...This is ridiculous, I don't have time for this.

[He has nothing against music, he enjoys the classics and some rock pieces, but he really doesn't have time to try and learn playing an instrument just to get rid of some Erasers that could cause trouble later on. Like damaging his home with Tifa since apparently the rats have been sighted around the neighborhood.

...

......

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

An hour later, Eustace can be found sitting against a tree with the bass guitar still in his hands and a beginner's instruction book on the floor as he frowns.]

...So the scale in this key is like this...

[He is by no means an expert, but he is a quick learner and he is currently fiddling by strumming out scales and a few basic notes and chords, occasionally clicking his tongue if he does it wrong only to work on it more. He just needs something basic to lure those damn rats out with!!!

Although strangely, as he's playing broken music notes will sometimes appear when he goes off key. They have a bit of a static electric charge to them, so hopefully no one gets shocked. When he gets a nice melody or string of notes, soft music notes with a calm wind appear instead.

And once he's gotten at least some kind of simple melody he can play over on a loop, he'll try and see how effective it is on the rats. Maybe those more musically inclined can give him advice or suggestions.]

⊗ e: wildcard

[Open to other prompts! Some other things he'd be interested in but I didn't write up prompts for are helping with Quest 507: Bank Robberies and going to the Observatory to see what changes were made compared to when it was around fro the dreamshift last month. Feel free to hit me up on discord, PM, or

laenavesse for questions or further discussion!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[.............Ah.

Eustace will just. Kindly glance away.]

The bubbles seem to reflect your emotions.

[He probably could have mentioned that but saying beforehand that the bubbles turn into hearts would bring up the question of why he knows that and he is not going to let that slip nope.]

[ Look, it's not like it's some big secret that he's keeping. So it's just... Pretty obvious once it's pointed out to him.

Which, in turn, makes him embarrassed. That's when the bubbles just start going out of control. Like a thick wall of tons of bubbles moving around rapidly. ]

[He won't make fun of it him at least, he knows the feeling.]

...Do you need to step away?

[For him to calm down.]

No! I can manage without needing to step away.

[ Don't insult him like that, Eustace. Vanitas is more than capable of controlling himself!

It's just. This is still. A new thing. To feel? ]

[.....Hah. Eustace tries not to grin in amusement and just nods.]

It might be easier if you just accept it and not mind how it appears in public.

[ Those hearts? Suddenly turn a little into spiky balls instead.

Vanitas turns. Looks at Eustace. ]

Yeah? Are you saying you would just accept it?

[And now he's really amused. He can tell what that emotion is.]

Depending on the circumstances.

[ Because Eustace isn't at all defensive himself? Vanitas sure is.

But at least he does hit a bubble with a dart. Lucky shot, really. ]

Just what sort of circumstances would those be?

How desperate I want to win. Or if the person in question is around.

[ A pause. The bubbles start to slow and return to their shape. ]

...So there is a person even for you.

[ Uh oh Eustace! ]

[...

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

Yeah whatever.]

Yes.

[Given how often they're together and how they don't really try to hide it (least of al him), it's bound to come out eventually so yeah, sure.]

[ Vanitas throws a dart and does manage to pop it. Looks like teasing helps him get things under control.

He pauses to look over at Eustace. That admission... ]

I didn't think you would actually come out and say it.

I don't really see the point in hiding it when we don't really make an effort to do so. I just don't go around announcing it, either.

You just don't seem the type. That's all.

[ He seems like a "lone wolf" sort of dude. ]

I won't disagree. I also wouldn't have expected it.

Though I can also say the same for yourself.

[ He scoffs at that. Scoffs, but doesn't say that it's an untrue or unfair statement. Instead he focuses again on the bubbles. All of that seemed to have worked in getting his emotions back under control.

The bubbles are exactly the speed and size he needs. ]

Yeah you could say that it just happened one day.

Here or your own world?

[May or may not be recalling that unintended conversation they had back when he was asking for dating advice.]

...Neither. It was someplace else. For a while, I didn't understand my own emotions. Or his. It didn't make any sense to me.

[ Nor did having someone that he realized he could trust completely. ]

[Someplace else? Like another world before arriving here? Interesting...]

But now you do.

But now I do. There's no turning back from it either. I've found that maybe I can continue existing.

[ Now there's a pretty bold, if not depressing, statement. ]

[...Very bold and depressing statement indeed.

Eustace is silent as he studies him before he just nods slightly. Were Vanitas not holding a bunch of darts he'd pat his shoulder, but this is more than enough from the usually taciturn Erune, anyway.]

Then I hope it continues...and I'm glad you found something.

[ He just hums at that, electing to keep throwing the darts. ]

What about you. I told you mine now you tell me yours.

What do you want to know?

What the experience was like for you, obviously.

[ What changed him... What made him consider? ]

...Hm.

[He crosses his arms in thought as he thinks back to everything that led up to him and Tifa getting together.]

...Complicated.

[That is honestly the best word he can think of.]

Rather, I had two separate experiences but only recently remembered the first. And each time was unexpected.

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