semi-open.

[lockedon]

WHO: Eustace, various
WHAT: Post-event/August/DEFECTION catch-all
WHERE: Achamoth
WHEN: 26th of Soviseri onwards.
WARNINGS: Will add as they come up.

There will be one open prompt available to any Kenoma interested, otherwise I'll be sticking mostly to closed starters. Feel free to ping me in the Discord if you'd like to plan out anything specific!

---

soviseri 27 through firaseri 3 — achamoth

[ After he arrives back in Achamoth, after he's taken a day to sleep and shower and assess his mental and physical condition, after he's sat down with too many people to go over debriefs and upcoming preparations....he goes out.

Out of the Citadel and into the city proper, across one intersection and then left at another, towards a small park some distance away from the main hustle and bustle of downtown. It's not a particularly glamorous park by any means, with scattered patches of grass and one sturdy oak tree shading half of the left side, but he's not there for the ambience, he's there for the inhabitants.

Namely: the assorted stray dogs that have learned to congregate there after he's started feeding them. There's a small shelter off to one side, and a few bowls of water and toys scattered across the grassy lawn. Sort of a pet (hah, get it) project during his downtime, something to keep his mind occupied as the days in Achamoth become more and more stifling.

He feeds the dogs that have gathered that day before taking a seat at the base of the oak tree, smiling when a few of his four-footed friends clamber ungracefully into his lap and make themselves comfortable. There's been a strange emptiness inside him the past few days, a lack of something he can't fully identify, but for now he's content to fill that void with a warm (furry) presence and a makeshift semblance of peace and quiet away from the oppressive halls of the Citadel.

Eventually his lack of sleep ends up catching up to him and he nods off, back propped up against the tree trunk and one arm slung loosely over the dogs piled in his lap. The rest of the dogs amble nearby and frolic nearby, though they all look up attentively whenever someone passes by. ]

Comments

ernesto.

[lockedon]

[ The day after his mission officially ends in Venera, Eustace opts to stay behind, citing a desire to do one last sweep of the city in case there are any lingering rebels still hiding out somewhere. It's half-truth half-lie; while he's certainly is interested in making sure they haven't missed anything, especially with how many Kenoma have gone rogue, there's another reason he needs to avoid Achamoth for the time being, wrapped in layers of fabric and carefully stashed inside his pack.

Who knows how much of a beacon a Pleroma shard will be in the center of the Citadel, where the Regent's eyes see all?

He waits until everyone else has left before trekking to the outskirts of town and pulling out his shard. ]

We need to talk.

[ It's not uncommon for him to start his Communion messages this way, blunt and without preamble, but there's a harshness to his words this time around that implies the gravity of the situation to be much, much heavier than usual. ]

It's about Dokja.

[goldendeceiver]

[ The Pleroma had a much more resounding success in Godsblood than the mixed results their allies had when they rushed Venera to help the people there, and Ernesto has had several days to hole up inside his own house and lay low while a small number of Kenoma lingered in the city.

He's theoretically rested and recovered from his recent ordeals, but he does still sound weary as he takes Eustace's call.

With their last meeting, and his knowledge of Dokja's extremely poor decision making abilities, he does not like the sound of this at all. ]

... Did something happen to Mr. Dokja?

[lockedon]

He's dead.

[ There were probably a thousand better ways to say this, both in terms of tone and phrasing, but he trusts Ernesto to be (mostly) level-headed about this sort of thing and softening the blow won't change what's happened. Whether or not Ernesto is willing to hear him out is another matter, but all he can do now is try. ]

I have his shard.

[goldendeceiver]

[ Mostly level-headed, but not so even keel that there isn't a palpable feeling of shock and concern the minute Eustace bluntly lays out that fact. It probably is better to get right to the point than it is to dance around the topic, but damn if this doesn't make Ernesto's heart sink into his stomach.

He knows that Eustace watched after Dokja in the past, and even asked Ernesto himself to keep an eye on the man, but that doesn't tell him what the Kenoma's actually planning. He tries not to let himself get his hopes up too high that Eustace reaching out to him is a good sign, though it's hard not to. Besides one single interaction, Eustace has been consistent in bucking the Regent's desire for conflict between the Pleroma and Kenoma, so maybe...

And despite himself, that little bit of hope bleeds through their connection too. For a guy so good at hiding his outward emotions, he's pretty shit at keeping them in check when talking through shards. ]

What do you plan to do with it...?

[baltimores]

[ It's through dumb luck that Amos finds him.

He's still pretty fucked up from Godsblood, still exhausted and sore all over and working on getting used to what life is now. What it's going to be for probably forever. They are officially at war; losses and casualties and injuries are only going to rack up, and it's... fine.

It's fine. He doesn't have a problem with it. It's on one of his first days back that he decides to go out for a traditional drink, ends up wandering the city a bit, ends up in a part of town he doesn't think he's ever been before. But there is something nice about the tree — and that's how he discovers Eustace is there.

... Surrounded by dogs, but that's fine, too. Amos doesn't mind them as they sniff at him, as a couple of them start barking as he makes his way through the park. He doesn't reach out to pet them or anything, they're just... there, and Eustace is there, and he hasn't seen him since before all of this, so here he is now. ]

Hey. [ If the dogs didn't wake Eustace up already, Amos figures him nudging at his foot with the toe of his boot'll do it. ] That actually looks kinda comfy. Is it?

[lockedon]

[ He's rustled out of his shallow nap by the sound of footsteps, eyes cracking open as the dogs around him shuffle and slither out of his lap to go greet this newly arrived friend.

Eustace's own greeting is more subdued but just as genuine, a small smile settling on his lips as he looks up at Amos. ]

It is. You should try it some time.

[ The lingering good cheer from his nap and his company quickly fades, his gaze rising automatically towards Amos's neck in search of any trace of the injury he'd sustained in Godsblood. As expected, Amos looks outwardly fine otherwise, as solid and calm as Eustace remembers, though he knows better to assume that outward health correlates to inward mental health. ]

How are you doing? Ciel and Misa both mentioned that you ran into some trouble in Godsblood.

[ Though maybe 'some' is a little bit of an understatement. ]

[baltimores]

[ It isn't like he's making an effort to hide any of his recent injuries, so yeah, Eustace should see a scar on his throat. Still in the healing stages, but definitely there. It itches sometimes — in moments that he'd classify as low, makes it hard to breathe — but that's about it, really.

It's not like almost dying has to be a whole thing.

Amos cocks his head slightly at Eustace's greeting, the way some of that cheer fades, and he doesn't know what that's about. He's still in a pretty good mood. So it's at Eustace's invitation that he lowers himself to the ground, his back to the tree as well. He's at a slight angle compared to Eustace, but all it takes is a small turn of his head to reestablish eye contact.

If any dogs come up to him, he ignores them. Doesn't shy away from them; doesn't encourage them. They're just... there, and that's fine by him, especially if Eustace is comfortable. ]

I'm alright. Made it out a bit worse for the wear — [ and he frowns slightly at his right hand, resting on his lap; the missing fingers there — ] but nothing too bad.

[ He remains as honest as ever. ]

You? Venera go alright?

[lockedon]

[ As always, Eustace listens attentively while Amos settles down and talks, his gaze following the lead of Amos's own to the missing fingers on his hand. It's one thing to hear about an injury through the grapevine but far more grounding to see it in actuality, and he feels another small pinprick of unhappiness. Even if injury (and even death) is a necessary risk they all take by fighting in this war, it doesn't mean he has to be - or even can be - happy about it.

He grimaces faintly at the mention of Venera, too many memories flooding back into his mind. Kaeya's bloodied body, bereft of his shard. The heartstopping pulse of pain he'd felt from getting speared right through by the entity. Gen's body limp in his arms as he'd run as fast as he could towards the nearest (the only) healer present. And in between all that had been his own misgivings, his uncertainty over whether or not what they'd been sent out to accomplish in Venera was the right thing to do.

But he pushes all those thoughts down and takes care to keep his voice even, though some small amount of his dissatisfaction bleeds through. ]

It could have been better. [ A lot better. ] How much did you hear about it already?

[ He doesn't want to retread old ground if Amos has already been debriefed by someone else. ]

ernesto, pt 2.

[lockedon]

[ He leaves in the early morning, supplies stuffed into a bag and a traveling cloak looped around his shoulders. It might have been a rash decision, to decide to leave so soon, but he knows he has no power and influence here, and knows even more acutely that the Regent's eyes are on everything and everyone in Achamoth. The best he can do is leave the city while he can and try to find someone sympathetic to his pleas, even if it means putting his life in risk.

At least that way he won't drag anyone else into his mess if it fails.

The teleportation spell is second nature to him now, and the sigil he draws on the piece of paper before him familiar. It doesn't take too long before he arrives at his destination, the lush fields and cheery birdsong also familiar to his eyes and ears. This time though, they do nothing to comfort him.

From there, it's a simple matter of taking out his shard and sending a quick message. ]

Are you busy?

[ Unlike all the times they've communioned before, there's a new emotion present in his tone: an uncertainty that bleeds into the cracks of his usual composure. For once in his life, he doesn't have a perfectly detailed game plan to follow, or backup plans A, C, and F in case this one doesn't pan out. All he has now is a single thought and a determination to make it happen as best he can, and it'll simply have to be good enough. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Is he busy? Yes… yes he has been pretty busy for awhile now, trying to deal with the fallout of everything that the Kenoma have wrought, including the capture of two of the Pleroma. It’s been taking up a lot of Ernesto’s time as he tries to plot and plan, and to get ready for the next drastic steps the Pleroma will have to take in order to save their friends.

The thing is that whichever Kenoma it was that nabbed Himeka and Abel? Ernesto is almost certain it wasn’t Eustace. The man went out of his way at risk of his own safety to return Dokja’s shard to him. He might be on the other side of this fight, but he’s proven himself strangely reliable and trustworthy.

More importantly, Eustace has proven himself to have some compassion buried under all that gruff, even if he’s a man who soldiers on when he’s given orders. He doesn’t know what’s happening to his friends right now, or if it’s common knowledge among all the Kenoma, but he can’t imagine that it’s a pretty picture whatever is going on. So the fact that Eustace is contacting him now has Ernesto’s keen interest, because this might be a step forward in order to save his allies.

And because Ernesto isn’t at all expecting what’s actually about to come next.

Either way, even if he’s busy, Eustace has more than earned Ernesto setting side time for him. ]

I can make some time. Did you need something, Mr. Eustace?

[ His tone is friendly, if not curious, but the nervous buzz can surely be felt through their connection. ]

[lockedon]

[ Being away from the immediate vicinity of Achamoth means that he's a little more willing to let his tongue fly free and to speak about things he wouldn't normally feel so comfortable speaking about while the Regent is so close by. ]

I was hoping to talk to you about something. [ There's a half second lull before he adds: ] About Abel.

[ Specifically about freeing Abel from the Citadel prison (and by proxy Himeka). He keeps his voice casual, unhurried. As serious as this is, there's no point in immediately sounding any sort of alarm. They'll both need their minds clear for this. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Eustace already had Ernesto's full attention the minute he reached out to him, but there's this feeling, this sharpening of Ernesto's focus the minute that Abel's name is mentioned. The hope that can be felt is tenuous at best, but it's clear that Ernesto is very, very interested in talking about Abel.

He isn't entirely certain what Eustace plans to tell him, but given the risk he's already taken to help protect one Pleroma in the past, and the vaguely friendly banter Ernesto had witnessed happening between the two at his spice booth, he can't help but think that Eustace generally means to help.

He's grateful too, though he hopes this man isn't about to get himself in some serious trouble for doing this. ]

I'm all ears.

[ Four of them, in fact. ]

dextera.

[lockedon]

[ He stays in the valley even after Ernesto leaves. Given what he still is - a once-loyal Kenoma Aion having turned tail and fled from Achamoth - he's bound to be met with resistence if he runs into any Pleroma other than Ernesto, and while he has enough funds to travel all the way to Godsblood, if he wants to return to Achamoth at any point to help free Abel he can't afford to go too far.

It doesn't feel quite right to do any sort of weapons maintenence in the Valley of the Innocent, even the precursor to potential violence being too much of a taboo, so he sits at the base of one particularly large oak tree, head tilted upwards through the cluster of branches and leaves to peer at the blue sky above. It's a similar blue sky to the one he'd always seen and wanted to protect back in the skydoms. The people here are similar to those in the skydoms, wanting nothing more than to live a life of joy with their friends and loved ones.

At what point had his priorities shifted so much, from wanting to protect such a thing to wanting to destroy it?

Sighing, he pulls his gaze back down—only for it to land on a figure not too far away. He tenses reflexively, hand going to his waist, before remembering where he is and also recognizing that particular lean of the man nearby.

Hi. Fancy meeting you here. ]

[passio]

[ dextera hadn’t been able to fully appreciate the splendor of the valley the last time he was here. they had all been hungry and miserably exhausted, everyone’s bodies practically lead in the way one gets after the adrenaline fades. he’s in a significantly better space for his second proper camping trip, although that doesn’t mean the aches of his heart have completely settled.

there are hundreds of things left to do, and hundreds more that will make themselves known in the coming days. when something in his periphery pulls his attention, he notes that one new task has already appeared. ]

…?

[ had eustace’s shine always been so weak? dextera hadn’t gained this power until recently, but he would have assumed eustace was far more powerful than he is.

he doesn’t immediately go for his sword, knowing the rules of the valley, and instead raises a cautious hand in greeting. meeting here, on forcibly neutral ground, isn’t it fine? or was their last encounter the one that ruined their tentative friendship? ]

[lockedon]

[ Eustace doesn't wave back, because he's just not that kind of guy, but he does give Dextera a small nod of acknowledgment, his body relaxing back against the trunk of the tree as he lets his hand drop back down. ]

Sorry. I won't be in your hair for too long. I just need a place to think.

[ A place that isn't the oppressive cityscape of Achamoth, where there are too many eyes and ears trained on him at all times. Not that there aren't plenty of things -critters, mostly - watching him here, but out of a gentle curiosity rather than malicious intent. ]

[passio]

[ dextera can understand that, even without knowing all the potential circumstances that might have led to eustace coming out here. any other member of the kenoma and he might be tense, but if it’s eustace, that’s surely one of the few people that can appreciate the peace of the valley. ]

…

[ he hesitates, but he soon steps forward with an inquisitive little cant to his head—they’ve sat together like this once before, but dextera wonders if he’s allowed to do it again. ]

communion; The Thing

[expiera]

[The newcomers are more or less accounted for, it's about time to bring everyone up to speed soon. Eustace did help her last time, but Ciel's spoken to Emet-Selch since, and the Ascian had agreed to fill in for the communion address instead. She knows Eustace isn't fond of doing that sort of thing to begin with, so it was with a twinge of amusement that she wondered if he'd find any relief in knowing he would be spared for the upcoming one.

And truthfully, she considered flagging him down in person first. He still kept a relatively consistent routine, and is exceedingly easy to track even throughout Acamoth if one is familiar with all the spots that the stray dogs tend to congregate in.

Yet he's nowhere to be found after a few days of casual looking around, so she already has her suspicions before finally reaching out. It's late at night, somewhere before or close to midnight. Wherever he is now, he'll naturally, immediately, know who the call is coming from.

...Well?]

[lockedon]

[ Can Ciel please pick a better time for these Communion calls, a man needs his sleep.

But he hasn't been able to sleep well these past few days, the gears in his mind constantly spinning as he tries to map out the best plan of attack for what he (and Ernesto) need to do. So he is awake when Ciel calls, made even more awake by the small jolt of adrenaline that surges through his body at receiving a message from his once former teammate.

He picks up though, because Ciel deserves that much from him. ]

Ciel.

[ His (mind) voice is guarded even moreso than usual, Eustace extra careful to make sure as little of his emotions and personal thoughts bleed through. If Ciel wants to learn anything, she'll have to take the initiative and ask. ]

[expiera]

[Pretty sure he's NOT sleeping if her hunch is any justified, actually? She can just buy him lunch again to make up for it if it was really a bother, right,

It doesn't take him long, she notes that much. He's on edge too, because for better or worse, they've dealt with each other enough since their arrival to Achamoth for her to be able to tell. Granted, there's plenty of reasons to be on edge these days, but...]

Are you okay, Eustace?

[Let's start with the most basic and obvious thing, then: his well-being, it goes without say.]

[gravings]

[ While Gray is more of a cat person, dogs are very cute too. When she sees a whole flock of them loitering about with their tails a-wagging, she sees no reason why she shouldn't pay them a visit.

She draws from the pouch of dried meat treats (normally reserved for cats) squirreled away in her cloak and gently beckons for the nearest pup to come closer. It's a sweet dog, and probably sensing the complete lack of threat she poses, it eagerly laps the treat out of her fingers. Soon the other dogs take notice. They begin to crowd around her curiously, smelling treasured meat on her person, until like magic, their movement reveals an unexpected member of their pack fast asleep against a tree.

Gray creeps over quietly, handing out treats to nosy and needy dogs along the way, until she can crouch near Eustace with a smile. He looks cute covered in dogs... She doesn't want to wake him up, just satisfy her curiosity and get a good (totally not creepy) look at him at a rare moment.

Meanwhile, the dogs demand more from their new walking treat dispenser. They begin to nose at her more insistently, and then it becomes clear that she's made a fatal mistake by crouching down. It's easy for them to begin sticking their noses deep into her cloak in search of the delicious prizes nestled within. ]

Ah...

[ That's about all she gets out before she becomes covered in dogs too, a mass of excited tails whipping in the air. ]

[lockedon]

[ Totally not creepy huh....

It's fine, he's dozing a little more heavily than usual (by the power of RP magic), the shuffle of dogs across his person not enough to rouse him from his slumber. It's not actually until one of those whiplike tails smacks him in the cheek that he blinks awake, entire body jolting upwards (and upending a few more poor dogs in the process) in search of whatever threat has entered his immediate vicinity.

There's no threat though as far as he can see, only a small sea of dogs all converged on one point (no longer him, sad) and a strangely familiar shade of gray fabric.

Wait a minute... ]

Gray?

[ u ok there girl ]

[gravings]

I'm here...

[ (muffled)

But she manages to crawl her way over to him so that the sea of dogs follows along, her hooded head sticking up like a periscope, and soon they are both covered in dogs. ]

I'm sorry if I woke you up.

firaseri....in that nebulous time after newbies but when eustace EXISTS - godsblood

[pyojeol]

[Sooyoung returns to Godsblood.

Not to stay, as much as she'd like to. She's always been more of a city gal than an outdoors one, but Dokja is in Greentruth now, which means that's where she has to be now. She wishes someone told Dokja that before he left her to go gods know where -- camping? Why camp when they're already in the boondocks????? God, she hates him so much. MEN. And then he came back, and now they have to do some kind of dramatic rescue? She hates the Pleroma too. SHE HATES LIFE.

She stomps around the town, fuming. She stomps through the marketplace, along the canals... Even as she peruses a stall selling leather bound notebooks... Well actually, she calms down at this stall, interest fueling her...

The notebooks are a little pricey for someone who doesn't have much on hand, so she bargains for a loose sheaf of papers instead. She pays in the scant coin she has and the promise to write down the merchant's family's history -- to memorialize it in a story. it's the latter that helps cinch the deal, and sooyoung walks away from the stall feeling lighter in weeks.

except then a particularly sharp wind blows by, ripping some of the pages from her hand and sending them flying -- perhaps in the direction of an unfortunate pedestrian?]

Oh -- shit! My paper!

[val you know that scene in sailor moon when usagi crumples up her flunked test and throws it in darien's face, that's the vibe]

apparently he's existed all this time.....but now he EXTRA exists

[lockedon]

[ Unfortunately for everyone involved, the paper smacks Eustace right in the face.

This is not actually the worst thing that's happened to him in his various travels to Godsblood - and we don't talk about how he made it here this time around because I don't actually know - but it is kind of annoying to just be walking down the sidewalk one minute and then suddenly getting slapped the next.

Carefully, he peels the (blank, if only there was a fun story already written on it to read) paper away from his face, his now unobstructed gaze immediately going towards the woman shouting in front of him. ]

This is yours?

[ At least he's being nice about it and handing it over. ]

also for some reason i thought eustace was DEDA

[pyojeol]

[oh thank GOD her paper hit this guy in the face, now she can get it back, maybe life is finally looking up?

She immediately makes a grabby hand for it as he passes it over, lifting it up to see if it's more or less fine after hitting an ikemen. for law of funny eustace will see that there's something written on the back, a line of writing that almost spills to the end of the page, except it's just the same three words repeated:

bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja bastard kim dokja BASTARD KIM DOKJA BASTARD KIM DOKJA bastard yoo joonghyuk bastard yoo joonghyuk BASTARD YOO JOONGHYUK]

Whew...! It's still good. Thanks. Good thing your face was in the way.

[she noticeably doesn't say sorry??? but you know what, the wind was at fault]