songerein | [OPEN] Now Please Excuse My Sudden Interest

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[OPEN] Now Please Excuse My Sudden Interest

Who: Alastor and you!
Which: Log or Interactive Dream depending on prompt, Open
Where: Depends on prompt
What: Open log for August.
Warnings: It's Alastor who is a literal demon from Hell which is not a nice place. Also potential sensitive issues if people decide to grab the "Nightmare Walking" prompt.

[Nightmare Walking]

Nightmares truly were fascinating things. They allowed a peek into the deepest, most private thoughts of the dreamer. Like how a Hellish demon's body reflected what had been hidden beneath the skin in life along with their punishments.

It was one more reason why Alastor enjoyed walking in others' nightmares, the dark and twisted "fantasies" an unending source of entertainment. But if the game started to get dull, he would step in. Where was the fun of a broken performer, after all?

[Glitching]

The glitching had slowed down some thanks to the Moon Crystals, but he was needing to go to the kirin oases at least twice a week now to cleanse them.

It was getting louder and more noticeable, too. The high-pitched whining started at near-maximum volume nowadays. He took slow, shuddering breaths as he fought the urge to be sick. The sound threatened to split his skull in two. He sat in the darkest corner he could find, his shadow friends trying desperately to further block out the light as he held a Moon Crystal between his palms, doing his best to pour the noise and glitch into it.

He wasn't even sure where he was right now. All that mattered was trying to ease the pain.

[Spicy Foods/Spicy Food Challenge]

"Oh, these are absolutely delightful!"

Alastor deliberately scooped up another of the Devil's peppers directly into his mouth before turning back to his bowl of...what had they called it again? "Raw men?" (What a silly name! There clearly weren't any people in this dish, men or women!) He was using a spoon and fork since chopsticks weren't exactly easy with his claws.

He finished the bowl and daintily wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Delicious! My complements to the chef! Quite frankly, I'm tempted to order another bowl!" He turned to the person next to him. "What do you think?"

[Sharktopusnado]

Alastor's ears flattened with irritation and disappointment as he loomed over the director. "What do you mean 'illusions'? There are real sharktopi out there ready for the taking! I'm sure they'd be thrilled to help with the realism!"

[Stalker Corgi]

Alastor was used to having eyes on him but there was something very unnerving watching him. If he turned around quick enough, he'd spot the source watching, waiting, biding its time. The vile creature had selected him as its prey. It would only be a matter of time before it chose to claim its victim.

To everyone else? It was just Aerona, a little red corgi, who'd apparently decided that the deer demon was the most friend-shaped thing she'd ever seen. The little darling was sneaking about, just trying to get close.

[Wildcard]
((OOC: Bring your own prompt!))

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Aerona trotted happily after the smell of her new friend. (He just needed time to adjust!) She gave a little yip at her name, looking back to wag her tail at the nice lady.

Hello, nice lady!

Susato would have been forgiven for getting it wrong. There are several corgis, and they don't have the distinctive flowers that the other pups she babysat do, but no, that's definitely Aerona. She grins, closing the distance between them to give Aerona will deserved pats and scritches.

"It is you," she says in a giggle. "What are you doing here? Chasing a new toy...?"

She looks up pointedly at Alastor, who by now, she's recognized.

Yay! Pats and scritches! Aerona's favorite!

She yipped in answer to the question, happily bounding over to yip at Alastor. Nice lady, meet her new friend!

Alastor, on the other hand, was not particularly glad to see the dog. He danced out of the way of Aerona barreling towards him. His smile never left his face, but his ears twitched backwards in irritation.

"Where do you even keep coming from?!"

"Oh, yes," she says to Aerona, as if she can understand. (She can't.) "Don't worry, we've met."

She stands up straight, smoothing out her kimono slightly. She notes the irritation in Alastor's voice, even through his smile. How long as Aerona been at this? More importantly, do Tifa or Eustance know about this?

"She likes you, silly. You should feel honoured."

"If she were anything else, I might."

He took a step back as the dog leaned against his leg, making her almost fall over.

He turned his gaze up towards Susato. "And how are you this fine day, Miss Susato?"

What does he mean, anything else?!

Well, the question is an easy enough one to answer. She does so pleasantly as always: "Fine. I am just on a short break away from the kitchen." Her voice trails slightly with guilt. They must be busy. "...How long has she been following you?"

Poor Aerona had the misfortune of being a dog. Not that she'd accept that her favorite person wasn't as in love with her as she was with him.

"Not unreasonable! Why, you wouldn't be able to cook properly if you were worn out, now would you?"

He heard that guilt, Susano.

Though his grin widens in his form of a grimace. "At least a month."

A month. Putting all thoughts aside of being worn out, tired, Susato's eyes widen, as if wanting to protest. Her mouth opens, but then closes again, shaking her head. "Why?"

A pause. Better yet...

"Have you tried to return her?"

"Several times but she keeps coming back. I'm wondering if she thinks it's some sort of game."

His ears twitched as his grin widened in irritation.

"Though I suspect she's hunting me."

Because, y'know, deer demon.

Susato blinks, eying Aerona. Seeing her, 'hunting' wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind, but obviously, she does know that some dogs specialize in such skills. Now that she thinks about it, perhaps it's time to search for more books on the subject from the Tree of Stories...

"I think she just wants to play. A month is rather excessive, however. I'm concerned."

For the pup.

Look, Alastor had...issues...with dogs. He wasn't afraid of them, but he wasn't fond of them either.

"She has been going back to the tree she came from periodically, so she is being fed and taken care of. She just refuses to let me be despite my best efforts."

Aerona gave a little yip, startling Alastor into a full-body twitch.

Alastor's body language seems to imply something different. Susato herself has more of a visible reaction to his twitch than Aerona's happy yip. That explains why neither Eustace nor Tifa didn't say anything about her being missing, though.

Makes sense.

"I see," Susato says. "Why her and not the others, I wonder?"

"I don't know why but when I first met her, she tried to give me a flower. Which I gave back to her. She seemed to like the gesture. The other...creatures...she lives with didn't seem to like my presence as much."

The feeling was mutual.

Susato is watching him as he speaks, as if looking for a tell, noting the disgust she can hear behind the word creatures. Maybe this is what he deserves, truly, but she'll come straight out and ask.

"Are you afraid of her?"

"I'm not afraid of dogs!" Yeah, that grin was going to sharpen as his static buzzed in warning. "And I'm sure she's a lovely lady, but I simply have no love for her kind!"

And yet Aerona didn't care. She slunk closer to lean against his leg.

Knowing what Alastor was, it makes her a little nervous to see Aerona getting cozy with him. She'd cared for the girl, even if it was only for a few days, and unlike the radio demon, she'd grown quite attached. She bends down with a smile for Aerona, petting her as if trying to coax her away from him.

"Even so, I suppose she thinks you've bonded, because of the flower. Perhaps I should give her one."

"So how do we un-bond?"

Surprisingly, Alastor only stiffened but didn't kick the animal. She wasn't trying to hurt him ~~yet~~, after all.

He was a monster but he did have a few limits.

"I'd rather not have her hunting me constantly anymore."

There was that word again: "hunting".

Hunting... He's so dramatic.

She does seem to consider his question for a moment. There's the flower idea, but having just come from a restaurant, maybe there's something even better that would distract a corgi. Maybe she'll do both. Either way, a hand taps her chin as she glances at Aerona.

"Hmm. What if I distract her with pupcakes?"

Well...not wrong. But he does have a reason for it.

"...With what now?"

What was a "pupcake"? He knew cupcakes but pupcakes? Was she planning to serve the dog its fallen brethren? ~~Fitting.~~

"Pupcakes." Susato's voice may seem a tad too cheerful for the implications, but luckily, they go over her head. To her, it's just a cute play on words. Cheesy, perhaps, but... she thinks it's clever. "Dogs cannot eat chocolate, so 76 and I decided to also make some cupcakes with pet-safe ingredients. Bananas... peanut butter..."

Hence: pupcakes!

Oh that was no fun. However, Alastor swallowed his disappointment. She was giving him some respite from the dogs, after all.

"You know that actually sounds tasty even for those of us not of the canine persuasion!"

"...Well, I suppose you could try one," Susato offers after some thought. "Somehow I thought you would be more interested in the spicy food made with devil's peppers we introduced this month, however. There's a whole challenge in place with a reward for those who can finish."

"Perhaps another time. I'd hate to deprive the little...creatures...of their treat. And if I want to avoid being swarmed by them again, I suppose I'd best be on my way."

He gave her a sweeping bow.

"Thank you again, my dear!"

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[OPEN] Now Please Excuse My Sudden Interest

Sounds good!

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Sorry for the delay. Got pretty sick for a bit.

No worries! Sorry for the slowness on my end too /o\ I fell behind

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