bopbay | 004 ⟡ JULY TEST DRIVE

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004 ⟡ JULY TEST DRIVE

⋆✩ test drive 04 ✩⋆

The day begins like any other.

Routines, eventful scenes, and boring errands — no matter what you were in the middle of, there's a moment where everything begins to feel wrong. A searing pain tears through your body, so intense that it feels like every nerve has been struck at once. Muscles spasm, joints scream in protest, and as you double over, you find yourself clawing or clinging at anything within your reach. As your attempts to maintain composure fail you, your bones begin to twist with an agonizing force, the pain rising in a crescendo until it becomes unbearable to even breathe. Then, as quickly as it began, everything stops.

For a single, terrifying moment, there's nothing. No sight, no sound, no touch, no taste, no smell — just the weight of nothingness swallowing you whole. The absence of sensation might even be worse than the pain, leaving you adrift in a void you can't escape. Hopelessness threatens every fiber of your existence, and try as you might to fight it, your darkest thoughts begin to surface, flooding your mind in an onslaught of suffocating feelings and ideas.

In the darkness, you hear a voice.

It's faint, a gentle flashing of something warm along the edges of your mind, like sunlight itself. It's a voice, but you can't identify who or what it comes from, how it sounds, or what it means — still, you know it's directed at you. Something tugs at your heart, a powerful ache that throbs once and ripples outwards. You can feel the aches again, like fresh sores throughout your body. You feel off, like something isn't quite right, like you're not where you should be, or who you should be. But the voice continues, whispered just beyond your understanding. The sound is warm like hope, and it wraps around you, distant yet intent, before you wake up.

i. arrivals

STRANDED ON A BEACH

Beneath your body is wet, thick, sand. In the early dawn hours, one would think all color drained from the world. Eyes open to the shadows of distant buildings, with massive cliffs looming ever closely in the faint twinkling of sunlight. Water, for those particularly unlucky, laps at the body to leave a persisting chill — sinking into bones that no longer feel familiar.

It’s impossible to tell how you got here. All you have is those last moments before it felt as if your entire being was being broken down and stretched into this uncanny shape, this thing that doesn’t feel like you. Even the ground itself seems to agree. It shifts, and rumbles. Gathers into mounds, rising up and over with the sounds of dying gasps. But wait.

That isn’t normal sand. That sand is alive. That sand, gathering into shades of pink, of blue, of green, it all forms faces before your very eyes. An enemy, you may think? A monster? A threat?

“OhhhHHhHH…What has happened to us..?”

Or perhaps, someone in the same predicament as you?

“Someone…Someone get Mightyena!!”

Albeit someone who clearly knows more than you do here, on this beach that slowly regains its color.

CASTLES OF SAND⟡ Severity of dysphoria and disorientation symptoms are entirely up to the player, as is the duration of time these symptoms last.

⟡ The Sandygasts on the beach of Bottlecap Bay are in fact residents of the town by proxy. They are at their most active during the summer, and can thus act as helpful NPCs to help player characters toward the town.

⟡ These Sandygasts are very strange in color. The colors they appear in include — Pink with lilac stones and a blue shovel; Moss green with brown stones and a black shovel; Deep red with black stones and a cyan shovel; Dark purple with white stones and a black shovel. They don’t know how their colors changed either, but they certainly remember being normal Sandygast before everyone arrived.

ii. see the sunset

COPPERAJAH-TONE

With newly arrived Pokemon settling in from the beach, the town quickly moves to adjust existing plans until they’re certain the shores are clear. It only takes a few days before they’re back on schedule however, and every Pokemon including those same arrivals will find themselves with an open invitation to the shoreline.

With the recent successes of Bottlecap Bay, public opinion is at an all time high, which is reflected in the activities pulled together in response. Through much of the Summer season, the beach of Bottlecap Bay becomes a literal hotspot of activity. Beach activities that many will find familiar take part at all hours, with equipment set up at small stands for public use.

A volleyball net is a particularly popular feature of the beach, with a particularly spooky form of gameplay spotted in the evening hours where Ghost types reign. Multicolored buoys float out to section off a safe zone of the water for Pokemon capable of it to swim at their leisure as well, with Bottlecap’s very own Dondozo and Tatsugiri acting as lifeguard.

The most popular game by far however is sand sculpting. Tools of wood and stone can be gathered up to shape the sand into any number of shapes, and some Pokemon may even offer small rewards to those who make especially impressive ones.

Be sure not to accidentally use the sand of one of those colorful Sandygasts however.

Beach Day Breakdown⟡ During the entirety of July, beginning on the 15th, the beach is open for public summer games.

⟡ While examples listed above are available, Players are encouraged to include their own Beach traditions within reason. If you are unsure, please ask under questions.

⟡ Beach fun will happen during the day and night alike. During the day, the beach is far more active; Pokemon are livelier, and enjoy much more cheerful activities. At night, while many Ghost and Dark type Pokemon enjoy the games, there are also often small campfires where quieter traditions such as apple roasting and scary stories happen.

⟡ Alcohol may be present at the campfires of the evening. Please be sure to mark threads including alcohol with a warning, and remember that characters under the age of 21 may not partake.

iii. mentorship methods

BUDDY SYSTEMS

A whole host of new Pokemon arriving is no longer a fully unanticipated scenario for Bottlecap Bay. While the town has persistently done their best to seek a solution to so many displaced new citizens, they have also come to recognize a growing pattern in their arrival. Every other month, these new Pokemon have appeared.

Therefore, the combination of their recent peace and the local nature of these particular arrivals has given them an easy option for guiding these lost new souls. Rather than any of the Guild leaders seeking out ideal Pokemon among their ranks, those who have arrived from other worlds themselves are tasked with a new assignment. Help their fellow interlopers!

At minimum, each Guild Leader suggests a few basics to cover, but the methods with which they do this is ultimately left up to them. A tour of the local sights? A chance to test their mettle with brand new powers? Or perhaps simply a listening ear from one who understands the strangeness of these new bodies. The world is truly their Cloyster.

A MENTOR MINDSET⟡ Each of the Guild Leaders will offer to their existing members few points they consider most vital to teach to the newcomers. Mightyena focuses on making sure the new Pokemon have a place to sleep, and insists that they be taught how best to fight. Ribombee emphasizes a need to show the necessary work ethic of the community, so that an understanding of how much they need to work together is understood. Polteageist in turn, gives a list of necessary establishments to familiarize themselves with, beginning with the Clinic, Archives, and Questboard.

⟡ During much of the month, various Pokemon maintaining stores and eateries within Bottlecap Bay will be offering their own helpful advice to guides and their charges. This trivia is minor, but typically focused on what the food is like, or what the benefits of certain articles of clothing might be.

⟡ Any Pokemon who helps another newcomer will earn 50 points for their Guild! As well, newly arrived Pokemon who put up with the guidance will receive a voucher for a custom, non-magical accessory, such as a hat or scarf.

ADVANCE TRAINING

After considerable research and effort, Polteageist has once again teamed up with Dr. Denne to craft a series of ever popular escape rooms, hinting that participating in them will be very useful in the future. Joining the effort is none other than Cheri and Oran's own Ribombee and Mightyena as well, making it a truly unified project. With so much investment going into these exercises, it's no wonder that every Pokemon from another world, new and old alike, is offered the chance to try at least one when they have the chance.

THE NORTH⟡ Located just between the Canopy and the beginnings of Bottlecap Bay’s southern coastline, the lush greenery of the Northern Forest's entry has been sectioned off into a training ground. Pokemon are grouped into random pairs, and tasked with finding the end of a hand-crafted maze within this early area of woods.

⟡ While many threats within the Northern Forest are well documented, some may still come as a surprise. Wild Pokemon such as Bug and Grass Types may still be encountered, as well as mushrooms releasing rage spores.

⟡ The Forest itself is also a threat — though it seems to understand these Pokemon mean no true harm, vines and plants will move when not directly looked at, creating added navigational challenges.

⟡ Pokemon who show no signs of escaping on their own after a certain point will find themselves retrieved by a local Grafaiai or Mankey, as enlisted by Bottlecap Bay.

THE MIDDLE⟡ Located a good distance down the southern coastline of the Bay, a section of the Middle Forest's entry has been carefully sectioned for a training ground. Supervised in part by a recently recruited Bloodmoon Usaluna, Pokemon will be grouped into random pairs, and tasked with finding the end of a hand-crafted maze in this early area of woods.

⟡ Due to the presence of heavy supernatural fog, Pokemon participants are warned heavily in advance of what to expect. The fog is known to literally reach into others, creating visions and hallucinations, as well as a deep loss of identity the longer they're exposed.

⟡ The end of the maze does not lead out of the Middle Forest. Instead, Pokemon must find their way back from the uniquely marked bone pile; because of the fog, this return is far shorter than the journey in.

⟡ Pokemon who spend too long within the Middle Forest while showing no signs of successfully escaping will quickly be retrieved by Ursaluna, whose Mind's Eye grants relative immunity to the Fog's effects.

THE SOUTH⟡ Far to the south of Bottlecap Bay, beyond the farthest stretch of wooded coastline, the Southern Forest lies shrouded in darkness. While there is no longer a thick haze of fog, its unique dangers mean that numerous Ghost Pokemon have been recruited to monitor a simple challenge within the woods. Specifically, two Pokemon will be paired at random, led a short ways in, and told to find their way out.

⟡ Due to the mechanics of the Southern Forest, nothing within this 'maze' has been crafted personally. Pokemon are sufficiently disoriented by the forest's own ability to alter its surroundings when none are looking directly at them, as well as the significant time dilation that occurs here.

⟡ Local Ghosts who have entered an agreement with Bottlecap's recently recruited Spiritomb will be available as both obstacles, and guides. As obstacles, they will intentionally lead Pokemon astray by joining the team in disguise, playing on the Forest's ability to create inconsistencies in memory and experience both.

⟡ Any Pokemon who spend too long within the Southern Forest with no signs of being able to return on their own will be led home by Ghost Pokemon acting as guides. These Pokemon take care to not shapeshift into anything other than themselves.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: Disorientation, Dissociation (Escape Room Prompts), Body Dysmorphia, Possible Pokemon Injury

⟡ TDMs are game canon and act as events for the month they are posted.

⟡ New characters can link to their top level beneath the NEWBIE DIRECTORY

⟡ All new arrivals are not assigned to any one guild. However, they may assume themselves to share rooms within any one of them during the course of the TDM.

⟡ Remember that at least one thread for your application must come from the TDM! There is no comment minimum, but we will be looking for engagement, as well as for players and characters who take the time to delve into things like character thoughts, emotions, morality, and other deep themes. Take this time to engage with the setting as you would in game!

⟡ As a reminder, reserves and applications are permanently opened. Please see their respective pages for details on processing time.

⟡ Have any questions related to the TDM? Ask here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!

FULL NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Firoza! [ Now who could that be, trotting along on the beach toward her. He takes a sit by her near the campfire, tail wagging all the while. ] I've been looking for you all over. There's something I wanted to show you.

[ He noses through the satchel hanging off him before pulling out a charming little agate, greenish-blue in color with speckles all over, almost like Firoza herself. ]

Remember? When we were talking about gemstones? I think I found yours. [ He's joking, in his own way, but the similarities are at least somewhat there. His expression suddenly falters though, ears flicking at some of the mutterings from the other Pokémon around the fire. That's right, this is the spot for storytelling. ] O-oh, did I interrupt? Sorry, I can just, um. [ And he goes quiet, smiling at Firoza sheepishly, waiting for her to continue now. ]

Laios...!

[Thankfully, she had taken a break from her own stories (not scary enough, apparently - but their tales aren't scary to her?) to listen to a native from the Cheri Berries recount the terrible suspense of disappearing Pokepuffs and a Munchlax's effort to clear their name, when they clearly saw the Haunter taunting them with its stolen spoils. They, at least, give the others around the bonfire a smile when they notice both guildmates' excitement upon seeing each other. Almost as if to say, no worries, you're fine.

'Tis likely no secret that Firoza finds her fellow outsiders very, very dear. And if there was a list - because she could never bear to make such a thing - Laios would be very near the top.]

No, it's fine - the stone is beautiful...[In the firelight she can only tell it's some kind of agate, but the colors are excellent, and...] If I could ask you to hold it for me until we retire for the night, I would appreciate it. Hm...

[Give her a second...oh, there's another bonfire sort of on a low burn, no Pokemon having claimed a seat there. Might be too spoopy.]

We can speak privately there, if you wish. I - I know I wish it, certainly, but if you do not, I cannot force you...

[She just. He found a pretty rock! Just for her! And oh she ought to tell him what she promised she would about her name, and...and maybe swap a tale or two, ones that might be easier with just one listener. If he is in need of that.]

[ His tail gives a quick little wag. Laios is clearly more focused on her than whatever story might be going around at the moment; scary stories, he realized, might not be for him when most usually end with a ghost being at the center of it. Nature can be far scarier, but no one else wanted to get into the intricacies of how parasites work. Their loss. ]

Of course. I'll take care of it till we're back at the Canopy. [ He picks it up gently, stashing it away again before following her gaze. His eyes are practically glowing at the prospect alone. ] R-really? You'd want to? I mean, of course I do! If you don't mind missing anything here... [ He glances at the other Pokémon. They all seem too invested in the current tale to pay them much mind, but he remembers to keep his voice a little more hushed than usual. ]

It is the perfect night to finally catch up like we said we would, right? [ He smiles down at her, then moves to grab two of the roasted apples, because of course he wouldn't leave those behind. Now he's more than ready to follow her lead over to the other campfire. ]

[The biggest smile!] It would be my pleasure! Please, let's catch up.

[She'll start over to the abandoned bonfire, appreciating that he's bringing snacks along. Their presence won't be missed, it's fine.]

Ah, but where even to start? It'd be silly to start with small talk, wouldn't it...

[She's trying to give him the option to choose - do you want to talk first, or should she? They likely could both go on for quite a bit if allowed, and the other...well, Firoza loved to listen, and Laios was good at it, too, from her experience. He was just good company in her eyes.]

[ Her excitement is his excitement, if the way he's bounding over to their new spot is any indication. He's careful to place the snacks back firmly into the ground, so as to avoid any unfortunate sandy mishaps. Not that that would really stop him from still eating it. He laughs a little, shaking his head. ]

No... I think we're allowed to skip right to the dessert this time. Like... like these apples.

[ He's really trying to nail down these terrible jokes lately. Maybe he's just in an extra good mood tonight, or he's been spending too much time with pun-masters like Siffrin. ]

I've actually been wanting to ask again, about all your friends. But also, maybe, tell you a little bit more about mine, if you'd like to swap back and forth. [ His tail wags idly against the sand before he slides to lay down and get a bit more cozy. ] So which of them did you party up with first? That must have been a story, right? Heh, especially since I can't picture you as a beginner adventurer...

[ Adventurer Senpai is too cool and experienced! She could have never started as a simple sprout! ]

[Dessert first! Hehe, she did like the sound of that. She settles in the sand with ease, reaching over to a discarded pile of driftwood to grasp a piece in her mouth and toss it onto their bonfire. It doesn't crackle or roar to life, but the embers there seem to appreciate it.]

I do like the idea of swapping between us. [She closes her eyes for a brief moment, thinking back.] You'd be surprised to know just how green I was in those days. And though I had made full many friends in those times, I suppose...for the friends who yet persist, it would have been Thancred Waters.

[Their personalities were not what one would call compatible by any means, and the man yet frustrated her with some of his actions, but still.]

He was the Scions' man in Ul'dah, so to speak - they kept members of the order in each of the open city-states of Eorzea to monitor various threats and assist with blade and spellcraft if needed, with words more often than not. To search for adventurers with particular skills that...I happened to bumble into for myself.

[A sigh. The Echo had been an incredible boon to the realm, in those days. She is all the more relieved it is not the only means to combat certain threats, now.]

Back then, he thought himself a very smooth sort of talker. Charming, and whatnot. But that was something I sort of, erm, boggled at? Boggled...that's the right word for it. And I think he picked up on that, because he never did try flirting with me. He's grown up considerably since then. [Says it like she's the elder of the two...he's two years her senior in the flesh, and an additional five in the mind.] Ended up with a ward of his own, for a time. It helped him considerably. Gave him...a peace, it seems, that he hadn't let himself have before.

[She looks at Laios expectantly.] So, then, who was your first companion on the long road of adventure?

[ As Firoza starts, he tilts his head curiously, nodding along as she recounts Thancred's story. Silently, he also tries to remember him from before, the mental image of a white-haired tallman coming into view. ] Heh. It's a bit funny to imagine you bumbling into anything, Firoza. [ His tail wags at the thought alone. ] But Thancred sounds like an interesting person. Perceptive, maybe? Clever enough to see something in you even back then, at least!

[ He laughs a little hearing his own question come back to him. Not unexpected, but a bit of an unfair advantage, considering his first companion is also the closest person he knows. It's hard for him not to sound delighted, simply talking about her. ] Ah, my little sister, actually! Falin. I visited her at the magic academy while my caravan was in the same town. [ He pauses, humming. ] I think it must've been... about eight years since we last saw each other then. [ There's a tinge of sadness there mixed with a small amount of guilt. ]

Mm. She joined along after that, and we were able to travel far enough to find a boat to the Island. The dungeon was still pretty new back then, and with just the two of us, we joined a gold-stripping party for a while until we had enough money and experience to form a group of our own. [ He sighs a little, having forgotten just how long ago that feels now. ] But Falin... she's incredibly sweet and gentle. I was surprised she came with me to the dungeon, but I'm so grateful she did. Even if our last adventure wasn't exactly... ordinary.

[ A lot to unpack there, but he keeps going. ] She always knew how to find the silver linings in things. People too. That's probably why she was the best at healing and dealing with ghosts. If she didn't come with me, I'm sure she would've been a perfect exorcist! I think you would like her.

He did study the art of subterfuge. Part of that is being perceptive.

[But she smiles with a shake of her head.] It's true! I still bumble even now. No one is perfect, Laios, I must stress that.

[It's not chiding, it's just. Her being honest. No one, no matter what great things they've done, can ever be perfect. That's what makes people so great.

She listens as he discusses Falin, and oh, she can't deny that her heart soars at the care and pride in his voice, all for his sister. Was she as unique as he was? Clever in ways one wouldn't expect, her own sort of perceptive? If she was a conjuror by trade, she would definitely have to be kind.]

I should very much like to meet her, if ever the opportunity arises.

[Whether if Falin arrives in this strange world, or they can somehow travel to each other's...yes. Yes, Firoza wants to see the land of Laios's dungeon. Very much so.]

So then, for me...hm. It feels a little unfair to group them together, but I met them all at the same time. If - if more yet remained, it'd be a much longer list. [Leaves that open ended for now. People died, people left to follow other dreams...a parting is always a sad thing in some fashion. She keeps them in her heart for now, perhaps to bring them to light another day.] So, if this is a bit much at once, you're more than welcome to counter.

[Alright. Close your eyes, Firoza. Bring to mind the faces of friends when you first met them, and how they had become what you know now.]

Thancred was the one to offer his hand to bring me into the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. And there were others my senior, there, that I still look to. Y'shtola for one. She is a Miqo'te, which are a feline sort of people, they have the ears and tail...many of the ladies can be rather cutesty, but not her. Y'shtola is the kind of woman who can and will make you reconsider your life choices with a piercing glare if you dared imply such a thing of her. [Gods, the Nixie Incident. She stifles a giggle. Nope, respects her too much to reveal that.] She studied conjury among other things under her teacher, Master Matoya, and now more destructive magicks. As well as...ah, well, we'll describe it as "travel to other worlds beyond our own", because the entire concept is...very complicated. [And she'd bungle explaining the concept of Shards and the Source without dropping a thousand concepts that needed their own definition.] The pursuit of knowledge, even if it shakes her to her core and upends all she knew before, ever drives her forward.

That same day is also when I met Urianger. He's an Elezen, so, very tall, pointed ears...the man speaks in riddles befitting a soothsayer in a play, but I've known him long enough that I can follow a conversation and respond in turn. [The amount of purple prose this man could drop on you is incredible.] His specialty was in the study of prophecy, and while he often kept much to his chest, sometimes it would be secrets so heavy...he ought not have felt he needed to carry them on his own. But he has ever done whatever is possible to help. He is a healer too, though he uses...cards? Special cards to channel his spells, based off of Eorzean astronomy. Far too complicated for me to understand, but it's got a flair of the dramatic to it. He took that on and suddenly he was able to bare his face to us, and for that, I'm glad.

[He really did insist upon the goggles and popoto sack for so long. It's so good, to know a friend's face for true.]

Oh! And I mustn't forget Tataru. Tataru is wonderful. [A name and face Laios doesn't know! But someone that cannot be ignored. That'd be rude.] She is no fighter, but she is no less a formidable person. Our coinkeeper and secretary, yes, but also quite handy with so many crafting endeavors...she can make connections and friends so easily, you would say her true power is...hm. What's the word? 'Networking'? I think that's it. I may be a weaver fully capable of making my own clothes, but I always treasure that which she makes me. Even if it doesn't always suit me, I love it regardless.

[She misses the ear cuff and necklace Tataru gave her, when they took tea after the Final Days were no more. She misses them a lot.]

...Goodness, alright, that's. I yield the floor to you, Laios, please.

[SHE DIDN'T MEAN TO RAMBLE FOR SO LONG........]

[ It warms his heart, hearing Firoza speak of the Scions so fondly as she does. All of them sound so unique, so full of stories of their own, and yet she still manages to find a place to cherish each of them just as they are. How lucky they must be, to have known her for so long, to call her a trusted ally and dearest friend.

It's not often he gets to express just how much he adores his own companions, to them or others. He'd make a mess of it, one way or another, enough to not do his own feelings justice much less accurately highlight their own qualities. Firoza going first, however, gives him enough courage to run with, even if she herself sounds flustered at having had a long go of it. ] —oh, I was getting really invested! Sounds like a perfect mix of people all in one group. [ He sighs, wistful. ] It just makes me think about my own party. The one that went into the dungeon with me the last time. We were all so different, but somehow we made it work.

[ Perhaps that speaks to his own leadership skills, in some roundabout way. But he would never be so bold to think that, not when they all had their own talents to boast of instead. ] Hm. Where should I start then... [ His head tilts in thought, tail thwapping against the sand as he does. ] Well, there's Marcille! Pointed ears. Blonde. Um, an Elf, but maybe a bit like an Elezen? She started as a friend of my sister's, from magic school. For a while, she could be a little stern, especially with me. She thought I took Falin away from school by force...

[ He hesitates with a small, awkward laugh. ] But really, she was just worried about her, so I can't blame her for that. She's always been really smart, too. Researched a lot of magic spells before ever even using them in the dungeon and still managed to make them powerful without much experience. [ His tail sways gently, the more he recalls. ] Also, she's a bit of a picky eater, but finding her stuff she could still enjoy was my favorite. I always loved seeing how excited she could get when something tasted good!

[ He beams as he moves onto the next. ] Then, ah, Chilchuck. A Half-foot. One of the smaller human races in my world. They age the fastest, too. So, I think of him a bit as my senior, now that I know how old he is. He can be pretty blunt sometimes, but he knows his stuff more than anyone I've met and takes his job as a locksmith really seriously. There's a reason why he had to get paid upfront! [ That reminds him: ] ... Actually, most Half-foots like him aren't treated that well by adventurers. He helped start a union for them on the Island, to make sure they get paid what they're owed. [ A whole thing, to be sure, but it shows how much the guy was willing to stand up for what's right. ]

On my last adventure, it was just us three at first, but we got lucky running into Senshi on the first floor. He's a Dwarf, so... Short. Stout. Really big beard. But, he's a bit different, too. He doesn't care about mining or weapons all that much. [ Nodding to himself. That does seem to be a commonality among Dwarves, at least as far as he knows. ] What he did care about was good nutrition. He lived in there for a while, so he knew how to be resourceful while also respecting the dungeon's ecosystem. I learned a lot from him, more than I would ever know otherwise. [ He licks his lips a little, the more he thinks about it. ] And he knew how to make delicious meals in the dungeon, using all sorts of ingredients from monsters! I wouldn't have been able to experience that without him, either! [ ~~Ah, dungeon food.~~

But, he blinks, wondering if that's all too much at once from him as well. ] F-for a while, it was just us four, but we met a few others, the further we went down. [ Izutsumi, for one. But how does he get into her introduction without talking about Shuro and their spat over... Falin's situation at the time. ] The dungeon attracted all sorts of adventurers, you see. For the treasure, mostly, among other things... but luckily we never did run into anyone overly interested in all that.

[She just...a conversation is a two way street! She has to be sure she's fair!

With that being said, she very obviously delights in hearing of Laios's close companions. Some of the terms are unknown to her, while some have parallels, and the people associated...they sound good. Like a good bunch, with their own skills and goals. United in that final push into the dungeon to do...whatever it was for Laios to have a chimera as a cape, in the end. She feels like, somehow, that such a thing hadn't been the end goal at all.

'Tis the way of adventures, though. You go in with one expectation and emerge with something completely different.]

They all sound like kindred spirits to you, in a way. Now you've got me curious about food made from what's in a dungeon, too!

[Sure would be useful in one of those deep dungeons where you just Keep Going.]

Ah, I hope you don't mind, I do have...I-I have more people I'd like to share with you. If you're amicable? And...ready to sit in for a couple more ramblings.

[Gods, she has to tell him of the twins still, to say the least.]

[ Luckily for Firoza, Laios is not beholden to what a normal conversations should be like. For as much as she's currently enjoying herself listening to him ramble, he is also just as happy to do so when it's about what he loves, and more importantly, vice versa.

He smiles a little at her comment about dungeon food in particular, knowing she would understand the practicality behind it, at the very least. Even experienced adventurers back home turned their noses up at the idea, but Firoza hardly gave him a reason to think she would be the same. ]

There's way more to it than you would think, too! I had this book called The Dungeon Gourmet Guide for the longest time, but actually tasting them for real was something else. We got really lucky meeting someone with experience cooking most monsters... [ He pauses again, ears perking up as he quickly nods over at his companion. ]

O-oh, of course, Firoza! I would love to hear more. [ About her friends, about her home and far-off lands—any and all of it. ]

A culinarian would envy that kind of hands on experience! I'm glad you got to try it first hand.

[Still wouldn't eat a dragon, but anything else? Sounds like a fun time.]

Okay, so - I'll tell you some more, and then you tell me...what sort of foods you liked best in your dungeon adventure. You don't have to pick one if you can't.

[There, that makes it fair.]

So...after I joined, we had a few newer Scions that came to the group. Alphinaud and Alisaie Leveilleur are twins, the grandchildren of a man named Louisouix who had gathered many of the initial Scions in Eorzea before my time. They're sixteen, but they're both so talented...Alphinaud has grown into a diplomat as well as an incredible healer, and Alisaie is fierce and brave, always eager to protect others. They're accomplished mages in their own right, and...hah, well, I can't imagine any of my journeys without one or both by my side.

[She would absolutely adopt them both if she could.]

Then there's Krile...she has the same power I do, the Echo - it's like when we traded memories. But hers is much stronger, extraordinarily so. And she's younger than I, but seems...there is a wisdom to her that puts me in mind of an elder sister. She puts her all into everything she does and isn't afraid to try something new to find the answers she seeks.

[She did so good in Tural! So good!!]

And then there's Estinien, he is more like myself. More a fighter than a scholar - the former Azure Dragon of Ishgard. He spent his life fighting dragons to seek revenge...it very nearly cost him his life. If Alphinaud hadn't been so keen to save him - if I hadn't trusted his judgement and followed him to do so - he wouldn't be with us. But now Estinien is as free as the wind. And he's...more at ease, I think. Happier, to lend his lance to a new cause. It also helps to have someone else around who is also not the most learned of scholars.

[Estinien is smart, of course - most likely better educated than Firoza just by virtue of his life in Ishgard. But neither of them are on the same level as their Sharlayan compatriots.]

-Ah! But I had to save G'raha for last, his is a very long story. He's quite dear to me. [Good Gods that smile she makes...anyone else would be teasing her for it. Probably not Laios though.] He always wanted to be an adventurer, but for a lot of reasons when we first met, he couldn't. And then he found himself with a solemn duty...I was certain that I would never get to see him again but I did. Because of his duty...he was able to save us all from a cataclysmic fate. And I was able to bring him home, and let him be that adventurer he dreamed of being.

[She'd like it if he was here. He would have so, so much fun.]

So, he's quite curious, and can get excited over many things, but I have met few others who are as earnest and willing to do whatever it takes to do the right thing. He can overexert himself, and I wish he would take better care of his health, but...for his kindness and wisdom, his companionship, I would have no other.

[Firoza is not shipped with anyone in DWRP continuity. But Elaine has favorites.]

That sounds like a good idea to me!

[ It warms his heart, knowing that other worlds might have more of an appreciation for fine dungeon dining than his own (even if dragons continue to be off the table). If only he could share some of the best with Firoza now, though the roasted apples still provide a comforting snack, despite their relative simplicity. Carefully, he begins to chomp on one, trying hard not to interrupt his friend with too much chewing.

Alphinaud and Alisaie, Krile, Estinien — all fascinating in their own right — and then there's G'raha. His head tilts curiously, a bit of apple sticking from the corner of his mouth. Solemn duty, cataclysmic fate... Laios can't help but wonder what could have happened. At least, despite everything, he found his way to becoming the adventurer he always wanted to be. He smiles softly, understanding the feeling well.

Of course, he'll have to ask about the others, but first: ] So G'raha... how's he been getting used to being a new adventurer? [ A part of him can't help but want to live vicariously through this stranger, especially after remembering his own start fondly despite the hurdles. ]

Oh, but my favorite meals... there were so many, it's almost hard to pick! I think the most exciting was Living Armor. No one really knew how those worked. Everyone thought they were controlled by some magic, but that wasn't it at all! It was a kind of mollusks all along! Cute little things, all locked up together in colonies, moving armor around so perfectly. Grilled was the tastiest, but Marcille seemed to enjoy them boiled in a soup, and actually they didn't have the usual saltiness you'd expect, since they're not from the sea. It was more of a mushroom kind of flavor...

[ He licks his lips with a little smile. ] That's actually how I met my sword, Kensuke! But, ah, then there was Ghost Sorbet — that was surprisingly good! Harpy-egg Omelet, Phoenix Confit... [ He can keep going, you know. ]

[Look, there's a good reason dragons are a no-go! Trust her! Please Laios she doesn't want anyone to be afraid you're literally going to turn into a dragon, even if you personally would think that was awesome. It's not nearly as awesome as it sounds.

Hahah, but moving on...her eyes brighten a bit at the prompt. Someone wants to know about G'raha Tia? Oh, she will tell them about G'raha Tia.]

He's been thriving, truly! You see, G'raha can fill multiple roles in a party - he can defend, like I can, similar to a paladin, but he can also wield the magics of both Black and White Mages, so he can deal destruction as well as heal in equal measure. He used to be able to call upon a near limitless supply of aether for his spells...er, back when he was working to save us. It's complicated. But, he doesn't have access to that anymore, so he has to rely on his own aether. It took him a while to learn that balance of wielding power without completely exhausting himself, but he's gotten so much better at it. He didn't collapse once when he finally joined us in Tural! He even made a whole train disappear with us on it as a surprise battering ram!

[So think Marcille after totally blowing through her reserves of magic, only a catboy. A catboy who can has cheeseburger.]

So, as far as combat goes, he's doing well. We all learn as we go no matter how long we've been at it, and he takes to learning like a duck to water. And...gods, he'll do the silliest things to help someone, if he must. But sometimes, he's very thoughtful...and sad. Those long ago days of upholding his duty yet weigh heavily on his heart, for many reasons. Often he can wield that wisdom for good, and - he sort of, he steps into that old role of an adjudicator and...he can find it in himself to guide people. He can speak, and they listen. It's finding that presence within the self, or...something like it. [It's hard to explain "It's like he's the Exarch again, in spirit" without having to double back and go over all of Shadowbringers.] Or maybe it's more that he has a way with words, when spoken from the heart. Which he always does. Gods, when he doesn't do that, he's a terrible liar.

[Literally the only reason he got away with lying to her face for so long was because she took his words as honesty. Was too distressed at losing her friends, and then possibly losing herself, to see the now very obvious gaps in his tale.]

But I am so proud of him, truly I am. I'm so...it is...for once, I didn't have to lose someone. For once, I could bring them home, all by myself. We got very lucky with Estinien - Alphinaud and I had no idea if what we were doing would work - but G'raha? I...doubt I could have handled it, if I had failed. [The sparkle in her eyes dims.] I've lost too many people I'd come to love. After all he did, after all he gave, I couldn't...my heart wouldn't be able to bear it.

[It's still not a crush, I yell from beyond the fourth wall]

[Ah, but there's yet more to speak of. Firoza shakes the tender memories to the side, puts them back on the shelf of her mind, and settles in to hear of Laios's dungeon foods.

And oh, she is not disappointed. Her gaze brightens again at the description of Living Armor - not just what it really was, but that he and his friends had discovered their secret on accident, when no one else had ever thought to try! And he had one of those little guys in his sword? It was just his buddy?! She - well, no, apparently there were ways of imbuing one's weapon with a soul, but who has time to grind relic weapons when the world is begging to be saved all seven days of the week? This was different, this was a whole living organism!

And the idea of sorbet made...from ghosts? By ghosts? With the help of ghosts? Omelets made with harpy eggs - which kind of harpy she cannot decide, the Source and the First called different beings harpies - and then phoenix? Actual, honest-to-gods phoenix?! The only phoenixes she'd heard of were considered a legend in the Far East, not real in any sense of the word...unless Suzaku counted. Either that, or the Primal Phoenix, of course. She can't think of eating either, but who's to say a phoenix in another world would be the same as its cousins in hers?

That lil stubby, funny Nidoran tail of hers is wagging excitedly.]

See? I'm glad I didn't insist you pick a favorite! The fact that you were all able to do such things with the resources available really speaks of - augh, what's the word? Resourceful...no, not...oh! Ingenuity!

[Who was in charge of the Archon Marks in Sharlayan. If Laios wrote a fucking paper on this shit, he'd have to be inducted. Clearly. She'd vouch for him on the spot.]

So, then, a different question - what out of all of it was the most unique? I know that's got to be a hard one...

[ (Okay, but what if turning into a dragon might actually be awesome just this one time. He’s built different.)

His eyes widen mid-bite on his apple, tail loudly thwapping against the sand as he listens to Firoa retell the feats of one miraculous catboy. While barely a magic-user himself, he sure knows how to appreciate when it’s used to its full potential. Aether, he assumes, might not be so far off from the mana of his world, though he does mentally note the distinction between White and Black magic. ]

So not that big of a transition after all! What a perfect party member... like combining my sister and Marcille into one person... [ Weird take, but whatever. He adores both of them, too. ] But sounds like there must be a lot to learn from him, even outside of adventuring. Is he a scholar, too? I mean, duty aside... [ From what Firoza has mentioned so far, G’raha’s past responsibilities sound like a heavy burden all on their own, not to mention grave enough to keep one more than just preoccupied. His smile falters just a bit. ]

I’m glad you both made it through together, though. He must be really grateful, to have had you there when he needed you most. [ In spite of everything, knowing that his party made it out of their last adventure relatively unscathed is something he himself realizes is incredibly fortunate. ] I... I know what it’s like to almost lose someone, too. I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done with myself, either.

[ But he doesn’t linger on that thought for too long, instead switching his focus back to dungeon meals once again. ] Honestly, most of it was really tasty, so I wouldn’t have been able to pick a favorite anyway! But the most unique... [ He trails off. Dragon — and more specially, that dragon — might not be the best choice here, despite all the effort going into making that feast happen. Instead, another idea quickly springs up. ]

A bit deeper into the dungeon, we ran into these mushrooms called Changelings. They’re very rare on the surface, but there’s been a lot of myths surrounding them. Basically, walking through a ring of them releases spores that alter your appearance. It’s all part of its lifecycle in nature, you see. [ As much as he wants to go down that tangent, he’s determined to stay on point. ]

But anyway, we used those spores to turn a bunch of dumplings into different things, too! They all had different shapes and fillings at the end. Sweet, savory, even some unknown flavors... [ His ears flick as he gives a hesitant grin. ] But I enjoyed it! Most people probably wouldn’t even think to try using Changeling spores for food, so the fact that even worked was amazing!

[You are going to send every Ishgardian within a fifty malm radius into a panic,

But yes, if Laios describes mana, the aether similarity will be very clear to her.]

Mhm, he is a scholar. He's part of a particular group of them, like Krile is - the Students of Baldesion. Their order is nowhere near the size it used to be, so they've been working to build it up again. [A pause, and a little bit of sadness to her expression.] Krile really is the heir to the organization. She's Galuf Baldesion's adopted...daughter, granddaughter...she calls him grandfather, but essentially, he raised her. But, part of why we ventured to Tural was to help her find out his past business there, when he'd never mentioned such an expedition before. G'raha loves adventure - frankly, I find myself enjoying them even more when he is with me, to have a fresh perspective on things. But for Krile's sake, he stayed behind to mind their order, until we had to call on him for his particular expertise.

[She would have liked it if he was there from the start. Always. But there's no bitter feelings in her heart about it. Krile, too, deserved to set out on her own and experience an adventure. Everyone does. Adventure is just good for the soul.

Her gaze softens when Laios speaks of loss. She wants to know...she'd like to know. Who were you able to bring home despite everything? Did it involve the slaying of that chimera? But she doesn't know how to ask.]

If you wish to speak of that...of that almost-loss. Know I will ever lend an ear. Alright?

[All she can do is offer to listen.

But the mention of dumplings - oh dang, her mouth falls open and her eyes go so so wide.] The mushroom spores could change anything that entered their circle? That's incredible...! Ah, I'd love to try different kinds of dumplings, I've been lucky enough to have a few...

[Her mother's, of course, were by far the very best, even if they could only have them on rare occasions, filled with popoto and cheese and onion and sometimes a little bacon too. They never could quite get things in order to make sweet versions. But the Far East had gyoza and those soup-filled dumplings, shumai...did steamed buns and buuz count? Aaah...that stubby Nidoran tail is going nuts.]

Edited 2025-08-17 22:58 (UTC)

I see! So people of different disciplines can join together, then. Almost like an academic party... [ Somehow, Laios manages to pick up on that change in expression, his brows knitting slightly as he looks over at her. Perhaps a slight redirection would help. ]

It’s funny, actually. Did I ever tell you that I thought about becoming a scholar, too? It was only for a little bit when I was younger, until I realized I could never know half as much as they do! All the research those specialists can put out every year is amazing. [ He’s selling himself a little short, if only because keeping up with studying is definitely a feat all on its own. ] And, to be honest... I think adventuring suits me better anyway. I’d rather learn from experience than a book, if I can help it, so I get how your friend must feel.

[ As a companion, G’raha does sound like one he’d miss just as much as Firoza does. Laios can only imagine the knowledge he’d have to share on an adventure together. ]

Oh, you also have dumplings back home! Which have you tried so far? We were stuck eating the same kind for a while, so Izutsumi was getting tired of them until we got lucky with those spores. Somehow, we didn’t even need the actual mushrooms! Just the spores we were spreading around wound up being enough. Shows how persistent their lifecycle is. [ A beat. He didn’t mention Izutsumi before or the fact that they also transformed for a bit, too. ] Oh, yeah. We were also dealing with the spores ourselves at that point. I got to feel what it’s like to be a dwarf, can you believe it?

[ All their shared tail wagging is going to launch them up into the air at some point. He hopes Firoza knows just how much he adores this, being able to share even the most silliest of experiences with someone who just gets it. ] But, that other thing... It’s kind of a long story, but it has to do with my sister. [ He pauses to look at her, smile faltering again as he hesitates to keep going. ] It wound up being okay, obviously! But I don’t want to bring down the mood either...

They go adventuring, too. The thing that sets them apart from other Sharlayan scholars is that they are often out in the field, discovering and learning things in person. Not that they don't stray towards obscene amounts of tomes when the opportunity arises...

[Sharlayans love their books. Firoza doesn't mind them herself, but she never did get into the habit of reading for pleasure. Maybe if it was a storybook that could stir the heart and soul, rather than an academic piece, she might like it. Ooh, or something on textiles? Sword techniques and makes? Yes please!]

Well, that just means you'd fit in with them very well - at least in my opinion. [She really does like that they're similar in that way, she and Laios. Going, and experiencing, and growing from the experience.] Much that I've learned, I've done so first-hand, too. And if it works best for you, then it's the best way to do it. Much better than trying to push yourself to follow the methods of others.

[Oooh...so these spores were very, very powerful, then. Not just changing objects, but people as well. And Itsuzumi, that's a new name.] Well! I got to try a lot of kinds in Kugane and Doma. Gyoza, and shumai, and - and they make these funny little dumplings with soup in them, I don't know how it's done but it is...you have to be careful not to burn your mouth. And then, my Mother made some of the best...

[A sigh, as she closes her eyes. More Firoza lore for you!] We didn't always have a lot, so actually making the dumplings was reserved for special occasions. Mother was very in tune with nature, you see. A lot more than our neighbors. What we couldn't buy, we'd forage, so usually if she made the dumplings they'd have mushrooms and herbs in them, maybe wild onions if we found some. But if we could get our hands on popotoes and cheese? Bacon, even? [She giggles, ducking her head to put her paws in front of her lil snoot. It's such a...such a light, sweet sound, coming from her. You'd never think a grown adult who'd gone through so much could make such a sound.] The best! Simply the best. I wish we'd had the time and money to make sweet versions, apparently that's possible...

[Gods. She never gets to talk about her childhood. About Mother. Even back home, the topic was still new, having been kept close to the chest out of caution and worry. After all, how do you explain that you were adopted and raised in the mountainous heart of a sinister and power hungry empire? Laios, you're a special person to get this sort of backstory.]

[But the mention of the other thing, of Laios's sister...that gets her to sober up, ears perked, eyes alert. She notices that faltering smile. It makes her brow crinkle slightly in concern.]

...It wouldn't bring down the mood. If it would help you to speak of it, please do. But if you'd rather keep it to yourself, I will not force you.

[She wants to know, but at the same time...it's nice to give people the option to keep their secrets. Especially since the Echo won't force their hand for them, here.]

They do sound like the sort of group I'd join, if I could! A lot scholars back home hired help with adventuring, especially down any dungeons, but I bet they could get a lot more done without having to worry about recruiting the right people. [ Oh, to be a scholar and an adventurer. It's a nice thought to imagine, and perhaps not to out of his reach now to establish something similar. Natural dungeons still exist, after all, but actually convincing his roundtable to let him lead those expeditions is another matter entirely. Someone in his position has other responsibilities to tend to. He gives a wistful sigh, appreciative that Firoza understands. ]

Yeah, the stuff I've read was all helpful, I can't deny that, but there was always more to discover in practice, too. Seeing all those monsters as actual living, breathing creatures outside of books — there's no other feeling like it. [ Well, there might be one, but he'll get to that. ] Oh, but I bet it'd be like you finding a new sword technique in-person! Getting to practice with real experts in new places, try out what weapons they use... [ Unfortunate, that her new form makes it hard for Firoza to show him all that she knows, but she managed weaving so far! Maybe one day!

But for now, back to dumplings. These apples might not keep him full for long, if they keep talking about food. (Though, dumplings filled with spiced apples. Maybe even fried. He should remember to mention this to Sanji.) ] Isn't it great how so many places make them in so many different ways? Almost like trying them for the first time wherever you go. Well, not that I travelled far for them, technically, but still! [ Suddenly, his head perks way up. New Firoza lore has his full attention. Not to mention her laugh — he can't help but match it with his, far less sweet sounding, but endearing in its own way. ]

Really? She sounds so resourceful. Like my friend Senshi, actually. He made a lot with what the dungeon could offer. [ A bit of his tongue sticks out as he imagines how they must have tasted. ] Mmm. Potatoes and cheese were the common filling in my hometown, too! Actually, I had... quite a bit of those growing up. [ Huh. That feels weird to say, after just hearing that she had to scrape by. Being the son of a village chief did have its privileges, some he hasn't even thought much about at all. ] B-but I bet wild veggies and herbs tasted way better! Much more fresh then what you can get from the farms, anyway! [ Did that save it? No? ]

... Besides, it probably meant a lot that she went through all the trouble to make sure you could have something tasty.

[ The invitation to speak further about his sister isn't unwelcome, especially from Firoza. A very different experience than having it all spilled out during the rain to Flowey, of all people. He tilts his head, eyes closing, but his soft smile still there. A happy ending is still a happy ending, he reminds himself, even if it is bittersweet. ]

No, no... you're not forcing me to talk about it at all. I'm just still not really sure how to think about it... it still felt a little fresh when I first got here, is all. [ His ears flick. He tilts his head with a soft hum. ] The whole reason I went on that last adventure... it was to save her. Falin.

[ His voice cracks a little. It really shouldn't have happened the way it did. ] We were up against a red dragon, one of the stronger monsters in the dungeon. Honestly, my original party... we could have taken it down easily, but we were tired. Hungry. Me, especially. She pushed me out of the way before it could grab me, and she still managed to transport us back to the surface. [ His ears start to droop again. ]

But the thing about that dungeon is... resurrection is still possible, as long as we could get her back in time. Marcille and Chilchuck came down with me, and that's how we wound up meeting Senshi. We didn't have time to get more money for rations, but like I said, he knew how to prepare food made from monsters. It was kind of perfect, actually.

[ He sighs in between his words. A lucky coincidence during a difficult time. ] Eventually, we made it back down and managed to find the red dragon that ate her. Even with just us four, we figured out how to slay it, but... it'd been too active that whole time. Usually they rest for a while after a meal. It helps slows their digestion. So by the time we could open it up, Falin, she... all it had in its stomach were bones. [ He lingers a bit on that, remembering the pit in his stomach at realizing what had happened, at seeing what was left of her, his sister. ]

A resurrection like that isn't usually possible, but Marcille knew a lot more about magic than most do. Ancient magic. [ Some might call it black magic, but he respects her enough to know better. ] Marcille used the dragon meat to reconstruct her, practically the same as she used to be... and then we had her back. [ An almost-loss, indeed. But the way he hesitates with his last words is an easy indication that the story has a bit more to it than that. ]

[He'll never know if he doesn't ask his roundtable! And look, when it comes to certain things...who's better to lead an expedition into an unknown dungeon than the man who spearheaded the conquering of a truly dangerous one?

Even if, as it turns out, it didn't start that way.

But we'll get to that! For now, Firoza nods about sword techniques.] I haven't had the time to really go and learn some properly, but I always make sure to watch, and pay attention. To actually take up a new vocation would require a job stone, and they don't exactly grow on trees...they're sort of, they pass down the knowledge of their previous holders? So they aren't especially common. But the more you hold onto it yourself, the more you learn, the more your experiences add to it, too, for the next person. I like to think some of the techniques I've come to hone will pass down to whoever takes up mine.

[It won't be for a long while yet. And hells, who knows, maybe she'd be buried with her job stone. Maybe she'd get to have children, and pass it down to one of them, the one who was drawn to swords and shields as she was. Maybe she'd have an apprentice someday. Who could say? It is hers for now, and hers it shall stay until the time comes. That's all there is to it.]

...Er, so, things like learning the proper swordplay of Red Mages or Samurai or even Vipers...if I'm just learning through observation and experience, it's going about it the hard way. But it's really heartening to be able to pull off something someone doesn't expect of you in the middle of battle. [Like being nimble and doing a gotdang Red Mage flip in her spar with Flowey...] I think it's worth it to learn that way, when you can't actually get proper experience in the role itself.

[Oh! He'd had it easier, then! That's good! Firoza smiles warmly at Laios's laugh, it's a good sound.] We probably would have had more popotoes around if the growing season was longer...and the earth more hospitable. We were far off from the capitol, so it wasn't as if we had access to all the convenient workarounds they had for produce and the like. [Heck, her mother had never gotten a proper heating system installed, relying on a fireplace all Firoza's life. It had been perfectly cozy in her opinion, but others would have balked at the lack of a ceruleum heater in a Garlean house. Shit's expensive though, especially when you're having it hauled out and up into the mountains, and then to keep it fueled, or to have a fuel line run up and installed...who had the funds for that? Not them.] Where I grew up...mm. It's not easy to say, even after all this time, but. They were...covetous, in a way, of the warmer lands. I can't blame them for that.

[A really nice way to describe a ravenous empire, it's true. But even after all this time, Firoza can't hate the people of Garlemald. She cannot.]

...It always meant a lot. Everything she ever did, all she continues to do - she is still alive, after all. Eighty-three summers strong. But we've gotten her out of the mountains and somewhere a bit easier to visit, and live in.

[And now is the time for Laios's story.

Firoza is silent as she listens. There is no judgement in her expression, only curiosity and patience, and a touch of empathy, a bit of relief and awe, that she was being trusted with the tale. Even this bit doesn't seem like all of it, though one would argue that delving into a dungeon and conquering a dragon, and reviving someone through difficult and arcane means, is a whole tale on its own. That last bit especially is something she can't help but feel a tug on her heart about, in the kindest way, for who hasn't wanted to bring back those they've lost? Who didn't wish there was a way? How lucky they were, that the dungeon seemed to be an impossible place with impossible attributes...

She certainly wouldn't be the type to look down on Marcille for her magic. Not when she'd seen the magic of the Ancients of her own star do far, far more.

Not when the Alexandrians worked so hard to preserve the memories of their dead, in a golden fantasy.

But Laios's tale isn't like that. It isn't generations upon generations of souls being kept in a limbo of paradise, drinking deep of aether until all that was left for the living was a shriveled husk. It's like Ultima Thule. It's like forging onward, not knowing if she'd ever be reunited with her friends as they sacrificed themselves one by one, at first unaware of the gravity of their actions, then accepting it wholeheartedly, for the sake of the universe. For her to have just one chance to make things right.]

...There are those where I am from who would do anything, to work such magic. And there were those who could do so without nearly as much sacrifice, in days far beyond our ken. But we can speak of that later - that's not where your story ends, is it?

[ His head tilts at the mention of job stones, wondering just how such things could manifest. Passing down knowledge like transferring mana — it seems almost too foreign a concept for him to imagine. Marcille, he thinks, would be more curious about its mechanics, but to him, the tradition alone is enough to hold his interest. Instead, Laios wonders where Firoza's may have come from, but his head perks back up as she speaks of her mother again. ]

Oh, but that's good at least! Someone that age should be comfortable! I grew up near mountains too, so I think I know how it is. The barbarians around there would raid my village a lot. It got pretty bad sometimes.

[ (He doesn't think that, maybe, there might be some implications there, especially in contrast to Firoza's very mindful way of describing Garlemald's people.)

It’s also a shame he doesn’t think to speak of the Golden Country, of the reason why this dungeon in particular kept the dead from moving on so easily. There’s much to be said about those who love their people too much to let them go. His gaze drifts toward the fire. Firoza's words strike a chord. ]

Mm. The sort of magic Marcille used... people don't exactly look at it all that favorably in my world. [ He supposes there's a reason to be wary of that kind of power, and yet... ] But, no. It's not. That dragon was part of the dungeon, and using it to bring my sister back... made her part of the dungeon, too. Something like that, anyway. Enough for the dungeon lord at the time to take notice.

[ He shakes his head, remembering that night, remembering the mix of fear and something else in his sister's eyes. ] We killed his dragon and used it to bring back Falin, then he used her to make his chimera. A red dragon with feathered wings, with incredible strength and the ability to cast magic. Greedy, but... there was nothing else like her. [ He doesn't sound as upset as he should be, describing the monstrosity she became, but his tone does shift to something a bit more expected as he continues. ] When the dungeon lord took control of her, we had to keep going deeper, to find her and to put a stop to him. It was all we could do at that point, really.

b.

MY BOY!!!!

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cracks open the list of meals in FF14...

i have the cookbook still somewhere....almond croissant (extreme) always on my mind

I have it! I gotta make more than the coffee biscuits sometime... 1/2

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maybe i should make coffee biscuits this long weekend actually mmmm (1/2)

just broadly: spoiler territory time (1/2)

WOO SPOILER TIME YAAAY 1/2

also YEAH GO FOR IT MAKE THE COFFEE BISCUITS 2/2 (also ff14 spoilers)

UNFORTUNATELY i did not pick up the ingredients in time but it is now on my sept to-do list!!!