songerein | second shot ⊗ open november log

Entry tags:

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

laenavesse for any other plotting.]

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[In the moments where she's still against him, he keeps having this sense of deja vu, so surely it must be a memory? It puzzles him as he tries to think and as he looks down in contemplation, he inadvertently looks down and sees her neck.

Now. That's not unusual—or it shouldn't be. But he ends up fixated on it, brows furrowing as he continues to feel something that he should be remembering. Like there's something missing or...

The moment she moves away, his arms jerk back as if burned, though the timing is enough that she might not notice the haste in his movements to release her. Immediately after he staggers a few steps back, his hand clasped over his mouth as he stares at her wide-eyed in horror.

That's right. During that dreamscape in Halloween. How could he have forgotten something so... ...In some respects maybe it was better if he forgot that, but now that he has recalled it, there's no going back. And did he ever apologize? Did he ever get the chance?

No, all the memories of Tifa he has from Songerein have filled into place, other memories tangentially related starting to flow out as if like a chain reaction. And instead of reaching out they had kept their understandable distance because you know, sometimes it's better to just let things be and that was such a weird circumstance that he's not sure if it was worse or not than how he behaved on their first meeting.

His head is now spinning for a different reason, wondering if she realized he's finally remembered and what he should do about it.]

Tifa—

[His voice is oddly strained because if this had been done properly it wouldn't have been as awkward. But since he's recalling the memory right in this moment, it's as if what occurred happened just yesterday or even a few moments ago.]

[There's something in his voice that sends an oddly familiar chill up the back of her neck—the very same kind that she felt that Halloween night, and she's almost afraid to look back at him and find out exactly what it is that brought on that strain in it. She does anyway, having noticed how he had practically stumbled himself, but only through the corners of her eyes first before she turns fully to face him, her brows knitting with worry.

...

Then, with a soft exhale, she finally understands.]

You remember, don't you?

[She tries to keep her voice steady. This had been the memory that she'd been most afraid of him having back, and frankly, she would have been just fine with it being stuck somewhere in the enchanted void of memories. It was something they were going to talk about, but the longer time stretched on, the more she reconsidered, and the more she would have just preferred to leave it be. There really are some things that you leave alone... bury into the depths of one's mind forever and never touch it again.

But here it is, resurfacing, and neither of them have anywhere to run.]

Guess it was only a matter of time.

[It still takes him several moments, and in the end he can only avert his gaze before he nods.]

...I remember everything about us now, however....

[He's managed to regain his composure, but that feeling of when he was a vampire was still still fresh and intense. It's fortunately fading since after all, it's just a memory, and he desperately tries to think of something else. Though remembering how adorable Tifa had been as a pup isn't too much better given his behavior then as well.

Ugh.

In the end he can only close his eyes and sigh.]

I'm sorry.

[Why is he always apologizing to this woman.]

[Tifa visibly tenses when the apology leaves him, her eyes darting around the room for the first sign of danger, whether it be the dogs, or the owl swooping back in, or the tree snapping in half, or—

For the first time, everything seems... calm, for once. No singing fish, no leaping dogs, no curses that will transform them into animals. Just them, and the dogs, all still happily wagging their tails as if they're proud of what they've done.

Can Tifa finally free the air from her lungs...? Another stretch goes by before she finally exhales.]

No. It's fine. We can put it behind us.

[She thought that maybe she had wanted to discuss it—to find out what had come over him that night at the very least, but on second thought... it's probably best they don't.]

[He'd rather not, there's no way he'd be able to explain it without it just sounding....very wrong. Sure it was the whole vampire thing but it's because it's the vampire thing. So yes, if she's willing to just set it aside, so is he.]

In that case... ...

[He was already a man of few words, but now he really has nothing. And so he's just... Going to awkwardly... Go. To the other side of the room to give them both some space.

~~Eustace used flee!~~]

[Wh—

Tifa watches him walk away with a dumbfounded look, her mouth hanging open in surprise as he just turns and leaves her without another word.]

That doesn't mean walk away from me.

[It was awkward, yes, but this is only making it worse! She didn't want to talk about that, specifically, but she still had plenty of things to say!]

[~~Flee was ineffective.~~]

I'm not—!

[It is very, very rare that he gets flustered over anything, but right now his head is still a mess.]

Just—give me a moment.

[She won't push him, but don't just leave her standing in the middle of the room like that thinking that was that!

Rather than press or scold him again, Tifa wanders a little closer to his side of the room, her steps slow as she approaches.]

Listen. It's fine. What matters is you got your memories back... Or... most of them?

[She isn't entirely sure what else he was able to remember in all of that, but clearly plenty.]

Now you can focus on helping them.

[He gives her a wary glance as he keeps his distance. On the plus side, instead of a giant rush of memories, it's as if it's all unlocking with his awareness so he's not seeing everything as it comes. Rather everything will just be there and he just no longer feels uncertain or "empty" about things. Of course time will tell if he encounters a gap or not, but at least for now he has a better grounding for himself.]

At least enough to feel more whole again.

[A small sigh before he pulls out a chair and sits, head pressed against his forehead.]

It's just...overwhelming. Things that occurred weeks and months ago feel as if they happened yesterday. [Hence his strong reaction earlier. She can take a good guess what kind of memory he was reeling from then.] It's settling down, but I just need a few moments to process it all.

Edited 2021-12-12 04:19 (UTC)

[Oh, she already knows the memory that got him acting that way.]

Whatever you need.

[Tifa will give him the time that he needs, if that's what he wants. Space, on the other hand? She isn't sure she's prepared to leave him on his own just yet. She trusts that he would be fine, but it's the tree itself that she's concerned about, and the enchantment. If she were to step foot outside and go home, her biggest fear is that it will happen all over again, and they'll have to do the same song and dance again tomorrow.

Speaking of that...

As she wanders back to the heater, she peers over at him.]

But when you're ready, you should try leaving again...

[His body tenses as nails suddenly dig into his palms as he feels a strange, strong feeling of fear and rejection at her words, but he recognizes it for the remnants of the spell still on him. Letting out a long breath, he cools his nerves a s shifts his gaze to the door. Wariness is clear in his eyes, but she's right.]

It's still not completely gone, but staying here is likely helping it keep hold.

[His gaze shifts to her.]

What exactly happened the last time?

Last time you what? Tried to go outside?

[Does he... really not remember what it did to him? Better that way, maybe, but still especially concerning. Had it really been that bad that his mind had just blocked it out completely?]

Yes. The pain was so intense I can't remember what happened exactly.

[ ... ]

That's what happened. You were in a lot of pain, and...

[Not to mention the way he started to disappear, or whatever that was. If she hadn't gotten him back inside, who knows how that might have ended...

She contemplates, for a moment, whether she should tell him that, but... with the way she feels her frown deepen, he can likely already read that there was more than just the pain. That, and he at least deserves to know before he tries to step outside again.]

You started... I don't know. Disappearing? I'm not sure what happened, but I got you back inside before I could find out.

Disappear...

[He frowns as he gazes back towards the door, but more in the directions where the remains had been found just outside it. They don't have their corporeal bodies here. Rather than death was his connection to this world almost severed? Or was it something else? And why when he hadn't been exposed to the spell for that long...

...

Regardless, it's concerning.]

We'll only have to see for ourselves. At worst I won't die but instead my connection to this world is broken and I return to mine.

[Something lodges itself in the back of Tifa's throat and tightens in her chest at that, and visibly so with how her entire body tenses in that moment. Why would the idea of anyone returning to their worlds be something to make her feel so... sad? And why him, specifically? It's not as if, in their time together here, they've grown that much closer, but... maybe that was why? Maybe Tifa had wanted a chance to reconcile with their mismatched memories before then?

But that's a selfish thing to ask for...

So, she nods.]

If things start to get bad, you could always come back inside, too.

[To help the corgis!!!]

[He notices her tensing, but he doesn't think too deeply on it. The idea alone would make anyone nervous—or excited if they wanted to leave this place. He's personally ambivalent, but...]

Of course. I don't plan on leaving so abruptly and with unfinished business left.

[He then stares at his hand, curling his fingers as if flexing them, envisioning the spell still holding him back before he stands.]

Let's go ahead and try. This feeling won't go away anytime soon and it may be better if we do it now.

[Tifa immediately moves to his side then, her arm wrapping around his and pulling herself close, as if letting him go then will be what causes him to disappear. Her grip is tight, obvious that she won't be freeing him, even should he ask.]

Okay, but... if it happens again, then we're coming back inside.

[...??? ??? ?????

He isn't sure what he is expecting, but Tifa grabbing tightly to his arm is not it. So he stares at her in some surprise, more so at the intensity of her hold than the action itself.]

...At least wait until I'm at the door.

[He sort of gets what she's doing but this is going to make walking a hassle if she clings to his side like this!!]

Edited 2021-12-15 06:46 (UTC)

[It's fine—they can walk perfectly fine just like this, but Tifa isn't going to let go, no matter how much he protests. Not this time. The only thing that might impede them are the dogs that are whining at their feet now, clearly worried over what they're about to do...]

Let's just... get this over with, okay?

[She sounds more afraid of what might happen than he does, with the way her voice shakes, or how her fingers clutch his arm tighter...]

If you're going to do it, then let's go.

[Standing around is only making her more nervous. More importantly, how is he not more afraid!?]

[How can he when he has someone else this afraid for him? Which...is honestly strange for him. He's had people worry about him before, but not to this extent and it makes him feel a little uncomfortable. Why should she care so much if he disappears? It didn't sound like they had that close of a relationship... Or is it just the idea of someone disappearing before her eyes no matter who it is? It's not like he would die, just return to his world...

The dogs gathering around them don't help him, either. At least he can understand that they don't want to lose someone else even if he hasn't made that deep of a bond with them. But they're simpler... Is she like them, maybe? Immediately the memory of her when she was a werewolf followed by when she transformed into a pup comes to mind and he immediately has to glance away because he remembers how adorable she had been. Dammit.

So rather than protest any further, he just swallows the sigh and makes a sound of acknowledgment before stepping to the door. The dogs are quick to follow and whine when they stop short, front paws hopping in unease as their barks grow louder. Eustace ignores them and steels himself, ignoring the pull to step back and steps forward through the door instead.

By now it's later in the afternoon, but the air that fills his lungs is so refreshing, freeing...and spurs more memories to return. He looks in the direction where he and Alice had come through, the once blurred memory now more clear as he recalls more of what happened. And although he can feel the presence of the remains behind him, he keeps his back to them, knowing they'll be an unnecessary trigger and he can't let that happen yet.

Although he feels...wary and a force trying to pull him back, it's significantly less painful than it was before. At most he feels something like an odd prick every now and then, but for the most part...]

...So far I feel fine.

Edited 2021-12-16 01:59 (UTC)

[The longer they stand outside, the looser Tifa's arm will become. Slowly but surely, she begins to let up, but not enough that she'll free him completely from the grip her arm has on his. She watches him carefully, eyes fixed on his expression, and she can sense those odd pricks on his memory when they happen, the air around him growing strangely tense with each passing moment that it makes her stomach turn over from nerves.

But nothing like what she saw before is happening, so... she takes half a step back, her fingers now curled around his arm, still holding onto something, and trying to keep him grounded while the dogs continue to whine on the other side of the door. She offers them a reassuring nod before turning back to Eustace.]

No headaches?

...Only minor, nothing as intense as before. I can now clearly remember the day Alice and I first discovered this place and this morning, and it feels like my memory is backtracking and spreading out from there.

[He still keeps his back to the tree, not wanting to ruin whatever focus he has right now.]

Let's keep walking further, try to get past the clearing. I can feel the spell still tied to me like a chain, so perhaps if we stretch it out far enough it'll break.

[Unlike him, Tifa does look back at the tree, and to the dogs at the door, all of their eyes switching to look at her as she smiles back before helping to urge Eustace forward.]

... Okay, but if you start feeling anything else, we're turning back around.

[There will be no disappearing on her watch.

Step by step, she'll walk with him, still clinging on as the sound from the dogs gets further and further away, her gaze never once leaving his face, watching for even the smallest signs of change...]

[The sound of the dogs barking and whines do pull at him, stronger than the spell that still tries to bind him, but he resists. He has to. If he falters now he might not be able to do this again. So his expression remains rigid, teeth clenching occasionally as he continues to walk forward.

Strangely enough, having Tifa there to hold onto him like some long of anchor or lifeline helps give him another focus. Another reminder that what's next to him and the memories shared between them are real. Not the ones from the tree.

But as they near the edge of the clearing, as if trying one last desperate attempt the spell strengthens. Like a warning flash, he feels a strong heat wear through him, a loud thrumming in his mind as he gasps and staggers, a hand going to his head as the pain pierces through him. He half wonders if its the tree itself that's responsible for trying to bring him back, as I'd trying to tell him that he's safer there inside.

But he knows that's a lie.

Forcing an eye open be can see flecks of light rising from his arms, as giving the illusion of him disappearing or breaking apart. But unlike the original guardian, his time was never frozen.

So he turns to Tifa and orders in a low, strained voice.]

Pull me out.

[It probably doesn't make much sense, but he means pull him out of the area.]

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