flamekthunder: (ϟ 012)
Eustace ([personal profile] flamekthunder) wrote in [community profile] songerein2021-11-09 01:52 am

second shot ⊗ open november log

Who: Anyone!
Which: Open November Log
Where: Various locations in and out of town
What: A general open log with prompts that all feature dogs because I somehow could: helping chase squirrels away from the treehouses; assisting the farmers in orchards and herding; special "save Eustace from corgis quest" featuring Alice
Warnings: None


⊗ a: chasing treehouse squirrels
[The squirrels are certainly a menace for everyone living in the treehouses, and Eustace is no exception. He's been tempted to actually shoot them at this point, they've been such a disruption to his otherwise peaceful, quiet home. But they're not the only problem.

Barks and the sound of thundering paws can be heard all through the community as the fairy dogs Eustace had brought in previous start chasing the squirrels. On the one hand, they do help in driving them out. On the other hand...they are puppies and thus chaos will assuredly ensue.]


Dahlia, watch it!

[Eustace can only try and warn the young pup before she rushes up the stairs of someone's home and tries to jump at a squirrel that was taunting her. Not only will she probably surprise anyone who might be around, but she bumps into one of the tender fruits hanging from it. While it won't explode, it does threaten to fall so some quick action may be needed to either stop it or catch it without making it burst.

The other pups aren't that much better, barking and running up and down the trees, sometimes entering in homes with open doors. Yep this will be...quite the scene unless the pups are caught. They're fast little buggers, too.

Side note, the fairy dogs have names that match the flowers blossoming on their back for easier identification (from oldest to youngest): Dahlia (female), Edelweiss (Del for short; male), Iris (female), Valerian (male). They all have other flowers blooming on their coats, but those particular flowers stand out the most. The mother is named Rose.

Anyway, have fun with chaotic pups and squirrels with a side of exploding fruit.]


⊗ b: farm help
[Out on the farms, Eustace can be found in several places doing a variety of chores.

1. Clearing out pests. Out in the orchards, Eustace takes the opportunity to try and develop his abilities while dealing some of the pests...in this current situation, a mix between horned rabbits and giant insects. Although he will kill if he must, he will try to drive them away first.

Focusing on his keeping a steady and calm mind, he feels the air around him, the wind a stalwart breeze. Tapping into it, he tries to put in a bit more control and...woosh! A strong gust forms and blows away some of the large flies that were hovering around a tree.]


...A bit weak, but better than expected.

[Continuing with the calm mindset, he then focuses on the ground. He's used to creating mental and emotional walls, what about physical ones? In an attempt to trap a rabbit, he tries to raise the ground...but only succeeds in creating a small bump and just scaring it away instead.]

Hm... Practice is needed, but it's getting somewhere.

[2. Herding Livestock. With some trained farm dogs, Eustace joins a group in attempting to herd some captured Cotton Candy Sheep and fairy cows back to their corral. Of course Eustace really had just wanted to watch the dogs in action from afar...but he needs to work and this would be a good opportunity to learn some tips to help train those pesky pups. So with an experienced hound in tow and the basics in mind, he heads out. Of course it won't be easy, and a young sheep or cow will manage to slip out of the herd and run right towards another person.]

Hey, stop it before it gets too far!

[Or, you know, run over the person instead.]


⊗ c: special edition - fairy corgis (rescue eustace)
[A while back, Eustace and Alice had discovered a tree out in the forest of the Wildlands that looked like it had an entrance. They recently returned and when inspecting the tree Eustace picks up some sounds inside. Dog sounds. So perhaps against better judgment he tells Alice he's going in and when he does, a large group of corgis runs up to the door barking at them, but not stepping out. As if following some kind of impulse, Eustace is suddenly drawn in and steps inside despite Alice's warning. The corgis immediately surround him and are clearly distressed. After that, Eustace refuses to leave. Of course this could be something due to his love for dogs, but his behavior is more like someone under a trance. And now after Alice calls for help, it's up to everyone else to try and convince him to leave.

1. Warning Shot. Upon entering the clearing surrounding the tree, a bolt of lightning will suddenly strike the ground just inches before them. Looking up, they will find Eustace glaring down at them before aiming his gun at them, electricity crackling around the barrel.]


Leave. That was your only warning.

[Anyone is free to try and fight back, but Eustace will remain up in the tree and will never set foot outside of it. It's actually bad if he does, but...well, better to try and see what happens.

2. Memory Loss. It will become immediately clear that Eustace has no memory of his own life or about Songerein. But a "little bird" will appear and give a helpful hint: Eustace needs to recover his memories and he will be able to leave. Talking to him and trying to remind him of either something from his personal life or just Songerein will help as he won't even remember the dream world they are currently in, believing they are somewhere else. Finding a certain flower and making Eustace drink the nectar will also help clear his mind.

3. Beware the Corgis. It should be noted that Alice is the "gateway" to let people inside as she's currently the only one Eustace and the corgis "trust." So it can be assumed those who enter the house got approved by Alice. A group of seven corgis from old to adolescent will immediately "greet" and be wary, grumbling at the "visitor." They look like Pembroke corgis, but are unique with their leafy neck floofs. The interior of the tree itself is larger on the inside than the outside with a large open floor concept like a rustic cottage. There are spiral stairs that lead up to the second floor where a small bedroom and further up leads the various perches Eustace positions himself. The corgis will guard the bottom of the stairs and they are fierce. They may be short and long flufflebutts but they are heavy and can body slam anyone to the ground and know how to bite. Nipping ankles will be common.

The corgis will be very protective of Eustace and will not let him leave. Should anyone try to shove him out, bad things will happen and the corgis will freak out. Finally, should anyone try to harm the corgis, not only will they feel the wrath of Eustace and get shot with lightning, they will also be forcibly flung out of the tree and land far away deep in the forest. The corgis cannot leave, and will resist any attempts. They will also be stopped as if there is an invisible barrier.

4. Endear to the Corgis. It is possible to gain their trust, though it will be difficult. The corgis are distressed and while there appears to be a good stock of fresh food and they are not malnourished, they look as if they haven't seen a brush in months, perhaps years. Who knows when they last had a bath. So much hair everywhere... Finding the treat box might get their attention and a good brushing session to rid them of dust, old leaves on their neck floods, and excess hair will do wonders to calm them. Tidying up the place in general will help improve the mood as well. This may also help loosen the enchantment on Eustace, who will be watching and assisting, moving about as if he's always lived there.

Alice also has a toplevel that features other relevant tasks for this endeavor that also provides clues as to what the heck is going on. There is a sad story behind all this.]


⊗ d: wildcard
[Always up for anything else! Feel free to hit me up on discord or on [plurk.com profile] laenavesse for any other plotting.]
starshower: (temp 236)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-20 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
Hmm.

[There's... something.

When he collapses slightly over the table, his breath quickening, Tifa rushes over to him, finally putting a very tentative hand on his arm. She doesn't want him to suffer through this, but how else is she supposed to break this spell? Whatever else she'd been trying to do, and dancing around the subject wasn't working, but the more direct questions... seem to...

Her fingers grip a little tighter, if he'll let her.]


And Alice... [There's something heavier in her voice again when she says her name, but she shakes it off.] You two know each other, yeah? She's a friend? How do you know her?
starshower: (temp 182)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-20 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Follow the foxes, Eustace. Follow the foxes.

When he shoots her that sharp glance, and she feels him tense, her hand lingers for a few moments before she slowly withdraws, pressing it to her chest instead. She looks at him hopefully, and then leans against the table, anchoring on her hands so that she can look across at him.]


There was a bag? Was there something in it?
starshower: (temp 152)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-20 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Eustace...!?

[When he takes off, all Tifa can do for a moment is watch him disappear down the stairs, dumbfounded by the sudden change, and she chases after him, catching up easily as she follows suit, taking each one a couple at a time. She skids to a halt next to him, watching him while his gaze flits about the room.

And when he grabs the bag, she comes up in front of him to examine its contents. A rag and some fluid...? She lifts a hand, fingers almost touching the bottle before he's sliding them back into the bag with a warning. Those look like something he might carry on him for his own gun, so why...?]


Are those yours then?

[Or were they some kind of lure placed there for him? Are the dogs even that smart?]
starshower: (temp 178)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-21 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[She thinks she knows, but she wants him to figure it all out on his own.]

Found what? The dogs, or something else?

[Tifa wonders, briefly, if taking him to have a look at the outside of the tree would be a good idea. He doesn't seem to be doing too well handling the small pieces falling into place, and the remains outside feel like something much, much bigger. Not sure she wants to deal with the Vitty situation again. She's fresh out of lilies and nectar, and that stupid owl is nowhere to be found.]
starshower: (temp 216)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-23 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Even Tifa can sense that there's something... off about the way the corgis seem to guard the door, and there's a sinking feeling in her stomach as it all starts to slowly click into place. The pile of bones out front, the man in the dusty old photo, the look of fear that flickers across Eustace's face when he looks to the door...

She wishes so much that she could speak to the corgis and ask them what it is they're trying to keep him from or what it is they sense about it that has them so on edge, or what will happen if he passes through that door. If he can't, then... what is she supposed to do? Live here forever in this pretend world he's made up for himself? But he can't keep living this lie of a life inside this stupid tree and end up like the man in the photo, alone and forever keeping his silent vigil as the cruel world around him eats away at him until there's nothing left.

Only for someone else to possibly stumble on this place later and meet the same fate...

No, this isn't right.

Time to stop dancing around the whole issue, and just be as forward as possible. If he comes down with another piercing headache, then fine. She'll go out and search for more of those lilies, but this is getting ridiculous, and is testing what used to be a boundless sea of patience.

So, she swings open the door herself and takes a step outside. Nothing will happen to her, but...

Her hand reaches over the threshold, stretching open for him to take...]
starshower: (temp 190)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-23 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tifa watches, her own guilt and sadness all too clear across her face, while Eustace pats the dogs, reassuring them that he'll help. She doesn't interrupt, but only nods along with him. If these dogs are in need of help, then he isn't going to be able to help him in the state that he's in, and if he can remember the reasons why he had come here in the first place and was kept here, then maybe more than just Eustace will be able to help them.

So Tifa waits, diving deep into that thinning reservoir of patience, until he finally reaches out to grab her hand, and when he does, she'll give his hand her own reassuring squeeze before gently tugging him past the threshold of the door where, much to her relief, nothing happens. Just the sun beating down on him, the wind rustling his hair, and Tifa lets go of him with a light sigh.]


See? I told... you...?

[Her voice fades when she sees them—the tiny lights that start to lift off his body when he staggers back towards the tree, clutching his head the same way he did upstairs, except this time, it looks so much worse. She steels herself a little while longer, waiting to see if he's able to ride this out on his own, but her panic sets in much faster than she wanted it to, and she's shoving him back under the arch of the door, the dogs scattering away from his feet as she keeps pushing until they're both through.

She isn't sure when the tears had started to form in the corners of her eyes again, but she blinks back the burn as she looks to the dogs, her voice shaking with urgency again.]


Please. Just let him go... We can bring help back for you, I promise.
Edited 2021-11-23 17:06 (UTC)
starshower: (temp 205)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-23 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[She'll allow him to take her hand, her other one coming to rest over them both, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze again, even as her own quiver within his grip. Still, she tries to be as reassuring as possible, reigning her patience back in when she sees that he's finally made some progress. As terrifying as that was to be standing out there with him like that, it looks like it had done... something...?]

Take it easy. Just go slow and try to remember. They're from another world...

[She confirms that last part, as if trying to gently provoke the next. The magic that what...? Keeps them rooted in this universe?

Do they want to go home, or is that what that man had tried to do? Return back, and this is how it ended...? She has a million questions and hardly any answers but slowly, they'll find them... together.

And Tifa beckons for the dogs to come closer, to gather around him with the hope that their nearby presence will help.]
starshower: (temp 067)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-23 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hearing that, Tifa's hand darts up to her face to wipe the tear that streaks over her cheek, the dog laying against her whining when she fights back a sniffle. This is so much worse than she thought.

With the dogs surrounding them, Tifa looks down at them all, her free hand coming to rest on one of their heads.]


So, none of you can leave.

[Her eyes move up to look at the room around them, and to the spiral stairs leading to the upper floors, then to the door, the windows, and the sun that filters in through them, highlighting the specks dust that's accumulated and idly filling the air, waiting for someone to clean it. She'd blamed the dogs this whole time, but now she understands that it was never them to begin with.]

How long were they in here for? If time caught up to him and he just...

[Her voice falls quiet for a moment, not able to finish the thought. He hadn't died. He had just... withered away with no way to stop it and left his family behind.]

That must have been... a while...
starshower: (temp 152)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-24 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Tifa rises first, her hand remaining in his to help pull him back to his feet should he want it, and takes another scan of the place, studying every inch and crevice that's filled with dust and who knows what else. They've been living in such poor conditions for Gaia knows how long, and although Eustace's memories are still her first priority, she'll do what she can.

There's a broom sitting up in one of the corners of the room, covered in cobwebs that Tifa scurries to, kicking them away so that she can shake it off.]


I can take care of down here, if you wanna take upstairs. Then, we can worry about getting the dogs cleaned up. Baths, brushing, whatever they need...? No point cleaning them just so they can get dirty again walking around in here.

[She isn't well-versed in dog maintenance, but with the amount of dust and dirt in here, she at least knows that their fur is just going to catch everything again.]

... Unless there's something else you need me to do?
starshower: (temp 230)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-24 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
I'll be fine. Don't worry about me.

[She's a lot stronger than she looks! But she'll be careful, her smile appreciative of his warning nonetheless before she turns with the broom in hand to start sweeping away, underneath the tables and chairs, and she'll be sure to get every corner shining as if this place had always been brand new.

It's the dusting that gives her the most trouble, with trying to be careful to not touch anything that might put her under the same spell, but when she comes across a small side table to dust off, she can't help but pull open the drawers, curiosity getting the best of her when the dog that's been at her heel whimpers at it. And when she pulls out what looks to be an old and tattered leather journal, the dog barks.]


You know what this is?

[Another bark, which should be enough to get Eustace's attention, but just in case, Tifa calls to the foot of the stairs.]

... I think I found something.
starshower: (temp 153)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-24 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tifa meets him at the bottom, setting the rags down on the table on her way over so that she can offer the closed journal to him. There are some torn pages jutting out of it, corners of what look to be faded photos from what she can see, and the book is so old that the bindings have started to come apart. Her fingers wipe the dust away from the brown leather cover, and she tugs at the small ropes that tie it shut.]

A journal, I think. Was put away in that side table drawer.

[She looks up at him, concerned. Should they be looking at this?]

Feels a little personal, but... might have some answers about where they're from, or how they got here.
starshower: (temp 050)

[personal profile] starshower 2021-11-24 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tifa takes one of the photos from the small pile to examine it herself, looking between the dogs in the picture and the ones surrounding them. Puppies, these ones are... And she furrows her brow.]

So, if some of them were born here, then...

[Her gaze flits to the door, and the one sitting at her ankles whines at her, and she offers it a reassuring smile in return.]

I wonder if that means those ones wouldn't be affected by the magic...

[But with them being too afraid to leave, it makes sense that none of them would have tried. And she isn't insinuating that they do, unless Eustace thinks it might reveal something, but no way is she going to go tossing them out the door to test her theory without knowing...

And then, another thought occurs to her.]


What happened to the others?

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