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[flamekthunder]

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[stillarhino]

I was just messin' with ya.

[Is that a dumb grin growing on his face? Yes. Yes, it is.]

[flamekthunder]

[Beat.

There is no grins on his face.

If anything there's a sudden drop of temperature as a bolt of lightning suddenly strikes a few feet away from them.]

A joke?

[stillarhino]

Yeah, thought I could help get that stick outta your ass, you know? Lighten up a little.

[He makes a gesture back into his house.]

The rings are jus' inside, safe and sound.

[flamekthunder]

[HE'S NOT EVEN GOING TO DIGNIFY THAT SORRY EXCUSE WITH AN ANSWER, just another crackle of lightning that ripples through the thunder clouds hanging low above them to accompany that bone chilling, frosty glare.

And then he's just walking right on in.]

1/3

[stillarhino]

[Though it took a lot to actually scare Beat, that look that Eustace gives him before he walks by was enough to make his heart drop to his stomach.

Beat's going to have to get used to Eustace barging in like this, isn't he? He runs past Eustace and stands in front of him again.]

Look, yo! Jus' wait here, I'mma go get it and prove to you that they okay.

[stillarhino]

[Without waiting for a reply, Beat runs into his bedroom, leaving the door open as he rummages for the rings. It takes longer than it should, considering Beat says that he should just have them lying around. A ruckus is heard from inside the room, and then suddenly silence.]

[stillarhino]

[From inside, Eustace will hear Beat call out:] ...Wolfie, don't freak out.

[flamekthunder]

[Again Beat is only met with silence. Is that a bit of frost starting to creep in on the floor....????? Yes, but Eustace will only cross his arms and stare at Beat's retreating back. He trusts Beat, he really does, but this... Perhaps if he hadn't had gone through the trauma experience of losing Tifa's engagement ring so many times back at the dragon castle, he'd be less pissed mad about this, though he would never think it funny in the slightest.

So he waits.

...And waits.

If Beat is trying to drag this out on purpose he swears—















THAT WOULD BE A HOUSE RATTLING BOOM OF THUNDER before Eustace just seems to appear at his door.]

Explain.

[What happened to the lights?? Why are they flickering?? Why is it so suddenly dark and cold—]

[stillarhino]

[Eustace hadn't seen it the first time he invited himself into Beat's home, but the room was already a mess before it had been turned upside down. The mattress was askew, drawers were open and left that way, and all manner of clothing littered the floor.

He straightens up visibly from the sudden chill before pointing at the table by his bedside.]

I swear it was right here, yo! I placed it here after you gave 'em to me and I didn't touch it or nothin'!

[Though his eyes were wide, his voice is serious. Whatever amusement it held earlier is now gone.]

[flamekthunder]

You just left them on the table?

[In the box no doubt, but really? Just on the table?? No even in the drawer???

The fact that Beat seems to actually be serious this time may be making things worse.


NOCSTACE 2.0????]

[stillarhino]

Yeah, right there! [Which makes sense in his head as he was the only one living in this treehouse.] It ain't like there's no one else 'sides me here, you know? Look, I even got your note here an' everything.

[Which he does rip off from the bedside. Written on it in Eustace's own script was the phrase DO NOT FORGET in capital letters.]

I wouldn't fuck 'round with somethin' this important.

[He says after fucking around with something this important just moments ago. But it is also at this very moment that a red-haired corgi peeks into the room, watching both Beat and Eustace in the middle of this stand-off.]

[flamekthunder]

[The air is so cold, the pressure so high, it feels as if just one wrong move could bring everything down. His eyes only move to the note, the proof that Beat at least was indeed taking his job seriously. ...And in truth, Eustace knows this. He wouldn't have given Beat this important job if he didn't think he could trust the guy.




Doesn't change the fact that something happened—]

Then what, did something come here and take it?

[LOOK BEAT HE'S TRYING TO WRESTLE HIS TEMPER!!]

[stillarhino]

[AND HE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WTF HAPPENED!]

Naw, yo! Ain't no one's been here. We left Ol' Ghostie back in the cabin, didn't we? An' I ain't gone out all day! It jus' been me, the squirrel an' Sonic.

[Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't seen the squirrel around all day. Maybe he was out getting more nuts or something.]

[flamekthunder]

Squirrel?

[He hasn't quite noticed Idris, yet he wouldn't suspect the corgi at this point. Instead he focuses on the squirrel.]

[stillarhino]

[Right, only Susato knows about the squirrel so far.]

One a' the squirrels followed me bavk after the hotpot. He's been hangin' 'round a bit more but I ain't seen him today.

[Why is Eustace even asking about the squirrel? Wait—]

You don't think he's got it, do ya?

[flamekthunder]

Who else would it be? Those damn things are a lot smarter than normal ones.

[And he had a t i m e dealing with them back at their house so he isn't really looking favorably at squirrels in general right now.]

[stillarhino]

Bwuh? No way he woulda gotten it, yo! [Not his newfound, furry friend!] 'Sides, ain't the box too big for him to lug 'round?

[Meanwhile, Idris has since left the room and come back with one of his toys. There's a bit of a whine as he watches the two, hoping one of them would notice him so they could play.]

[flamekthunder]

Never underestimate any creature in this world. It could have been part fae and used magic, or called one of its friends to help.

[Is this Eustace talking seriously about a squirrel? Yes. Yes it is.

Also ignoring Idris for now.]

[stillarhino]

If it coulda done any a' that, why'd it have to come to me when coulda jus' got its own food?

[Even Beat can't help but feel like this squirrel should be smarter than him.

Seeing that Eustace didn't seem to want to be bothered, Idris moves over to wear Beat stands, pawing at his leg, holding up the toy to his hand.]

Not now, yo.

[flamekthunder]

Because why work for it when it could just stay with someone who could feed and house it instead? Where's its nest?

[...He might be giving this squirrel away more credit than he needs to, BUT HIS RINGS ARE GONE HE'S A BIT STRESSED AND NOT QUITE RIGHT IN HIS MIND RIGHT NOW—

Seeing Beat ignore him, Idris tries Eustace to show the toy in his hand.]

Not now, Idris.

[Idris is not pleased.]

[stillarhino]

I ain't always feedin' it! [A lie. Ish. He only feeds it most of the time.] But I dunno. Somewhere up in the tree, I guess?

[He hasn't really looked for it considering the squirrel only seemed to make itself known every now and then, only giving him some trouble at times.]

But I still don't think it's got it, yo! It was still right here jus' before you come 'round.

[There's a low growl and a thump as Idris, finally having enough, drops the toy on the ground and starts barking at the two of them. Loudly.]

The hell's up with Sonic. Yo, we kinda in the middle of somethin' here!

[flamekthunder]

[Before he can retort, Idris is acting up and he just clicks his tongue.]

Idris, I said not now.

[His voice actually rises a bit, taking on a harder, harsher tone that makes the pup shrink back a little, ears pinning back briefly. Dad...dad got mad...! (...Uh oh—!!)]

1/3

[stillarhino]

[The way Eustace raises his voice is enough for Idris to let out a whimper, tail tucked between his legs. Out of fear that things would get worse, he begins to make his way back to the door, nudging at it with his nose, causing its hinges to creak as he makes his way back to the living area.]

He's prob'ly whinin' 'cause me and him was I playin' before you got here.

[stillarhino]

[...]

[stillarhino]

Yo, wait. Hold up! [Beat then looks towards the door.] You don't think—?