Star Lin

John Waterstrike knew, in that one moment before darkness claim him, that he had push himself too much. It shouldn’t have surprise him, from worrying himself sick as Kit and the others climb down the ledge to Maril Hawker and Ruran Vas. The pain from the corruption as the darkness the group face, grabbing the rope to pull Ruran and Athil Thorne up even as they pair climb up it. It was probably a good thing that he wouldn’t feel the pain as he head it the path, leaving him in painless and dreamless/nightmareless darkness for hours. The aetherstones in the cover of the book reacted, releasing a just as exhausted Kit from it’s hold. ‘John?’ she asks in worry. She place two fingers against his neck, feeling the low aether in him. She look around but there was no one about at this time of day and she bites her bottom lip. She didn’t want to leave him in this state but she had no idea on where the others were at. She didn’t want to do it, this spell, but there was no choice. She move her hands, forming the pattern that her Master had done, the first time that he use her for their first big heal together. But she push the fear that she had felt for herself that first time. She focus on the love and hope, that fuel her to be beside John and attack as her partner ability awoke the dragon, Ryuuga within Howl’s memories. Remember that moment when John push himself trying to help a soul that was so damage that it was two instead of one. How strange even now to see the world through John’s eyes. ‘John’ stood up, stumbling forward, and pressing up ‘his/her’ hands to the door. Kit shook John’s head. This spell…she remember how dangerous it is, especially if either of them was low on aether. Pushing the door open, she check the surrounding but there was no one in the room. She move to the hall, quickly finding John’s room, and ducking them both inside. She stumble them both into a chair as she tried to get John to the bed. It took a minute but she finally ended the spell. Kit hover about John’s still body for a moment before settling against John’s neck. She lean against his neck, taking exhausted comfort in that low but steady beat of aether. She close her eyes, ‘love…you…’ she murmur, the fairy finally giving in to her exhaustion as well. (Blog post can be found here.)

John step out of the bathing tub, having use the long soak to wash away the nightmares of blood and Howl's broken body from his mind. Howl was fine and well but yet the nightmares still continue to come. With towel wrap around his lower body, he quickly slip into his room at the Dusk, and spotted Kit unfolding the paper. "Anything new?" he ask, reaching for the clean set of clothes. 'Nothing new...someone dating someone new, talk about the end of the conflict in Ala...oh...' the fairy trail off, finding the article about the Viper. 'John...' Finishing button up his shirt, he move over to look at the piece. "Wait..." he frown, heart tightening at what look to be another life taken by the Viper. "But he's dead." Could it be someone else. He would need to find his notes and maybe speak with Inspector Desmond again. He started to search throw the drawer, pulling out the clippings and notes, and move to the door, Kit catching hold of his collar. He had just set his hand on the door handle...freezing for a moment, and remembering the promise he made to himself. That he wouldn't put himself in danger for risk that Howl or the others had to step in to take his place...like Howl had done. 'John?' John shook away the feel of wings beating in the back of his mind. "I won't get involve but I'll go and check the sight. Perhaps if I find anything, I can send it of to Inspector Desmond for him to use." He slip out the door and heading for the airship landing so he could get to the Mist before too much was lost.

The red head woman walk into the area that Samuel's unit has taken over when they arrived in Ala Ghiri. Before she could go and speak to him, she was tackle by the blue hair and purple highlights miqo'te. "Tanya, I need your help." Even as she protested, and watching the amusement of the other soldiers in the unit, she was drag to the far wall, away from anyone that might overheard them. "I need you to get this to Warren when you get home." Tanya Waterstrike shook her head. "John...little brother, you can send this by post moggle..." and trail off when she realize John was shaking his head. Her eyes narrow at her brother. John blush a little then pass the letter to her. "Open it." he said, eyes watching as she unfolded the letter. Green eyes moving over the lines of the letter. Warren, I regret to let you know that I was unable to get a spot on the supply train. I'm sorry I'm not going to be there to help you and the others at the Grindstone. We have arrive safely into Ala Ghiri and have set up camp here. Captain Robinton is with the other Flame Captains, working on the last details of the attack that the Alliance plan for Specula Imperatoris. It is the one last gate before we move on to reach Castrum Abania and hopefully take out the massive cannon that could be aim at the troops as we try to push into the Lochs. It will be only a matter of time from entering The Lochs that we we'll soon set to work on regaining Ala Mhigo. I know that you and the others will be worried but with their own troops in Specula Imperatoris, they won't use the cannon on us during the fight. Please make sure that Howl doesn't try to do anything rash. I'll and the others will do our best to stay alive. I promise, Warren, that I’ll help free your and Hannah’s home from the Garleans. I hope to be home soon and miss you all, John Waterstrike Tanya look up at John. "Are you sure you should be sending this?" "It's why I'm giving it to you." John said, tugging at his glove. "I know you will get it to him. And if you are attack...I know that you would destroy the letter before anyone could get a hold of it." "I just worry. This is war and we don't know what they will do with the cannon at Abania." John shook his head. "I have to believe that they are monsters...no matter what they did to me and Kit at that one Castrum." He lean in as familiar yet not familiar arms wrap around him. "They wouldn't attack their own people?" he said, though to Tanya's ears, it seem more a question to her. "I'm sure they won't but still...please be careful. It will still be very fierce fighting at Imperatoris. Do not over use your aether, John...though, I'm sure that Howl wouldn't mind letting you sleep on his shoulder." She pride herself with not giggling as she saw the inside of John's ears turn pink, and a muffle "Tanya!" came from her chest. She release him from her hug and brush some of his hair away from his eyes. "I'll make sure that Warren gets this, John. You just stay safe." "Eagle...come on, Cap is back!" the Ala Mhigan call out. "I'm on my way, Pathfinder." John gave her another quick hug before running off to join up with his unit. Tanya shook her head, slipping the letter into her pack, and getting ready to make her way to say goodby to Samuel when a figure melt out of the shadow. "Ack...." she said, staff already coming around to hit the head of the figure, only to be stop by a single dagger. "I really hate that," she said, once she realize who it was. Shun "Blade" Sanada lower his dagger before bowing deeply. "Forgive me, I did not mean to over hear your and Eagle's conversation," he said. "I was returning from my scouting when I saw you both." His eyes focus on the miqo'te as he was lost into the crowd of other soldiers. The pair began to move in the same direction as John. "You need not worry. Dagger unit will watch over him and each other." Tanya smile. "I know...yet, I just want him to come back home, safe." "Then we will make sure he does." Blade said, bowing. "The supply train will be leaving soon. I think you should go ahead and say your farewells to Cap." And with that, he was gone, disappearing into the crowd. She move in a slightly different direction, making for Samuel. Perhaps, once she reach Ul'dah, she should speak with that Captain Erik Mynhier. John did speak highly of him and had heard from one of his members...Kestloan...Kestlona that they might be in need of healers for their unit.

The postmoggle set flew into the Duskbreak, setting the letter on the table. On the outside of the letter was Howl's name, as well as Warren's and Sei. Once the postmoggle left, the letter would sit there to it was open by one of the others of the Dusk. The others that would open it would find this letter inside. Dear Howl, Warren, Sei, and the others, We arrived at Castrum Oriens early yesterday morning and the unit is settling in right now. No word yet on what Dagger unit will be doing and if we knew, I could not send word back to you and the others for fear of the Garleans getting their hands on the letter. Sam...I mean Captain Robinton said that until they have a mission for us, we will mostly do patrols around the Castrum. He is allowing some of us to return to Ul'dah to pick up some supplies. I hope that I'll be able to return with the group to at least help with one more Grindstone before we are assign our next mission. I also think that Sam and Tanya, as she is here with the Adders, are worried over the last flashback I had from when I was last held in a Castrum. It didn't help that Fabrellet was in it for some ungodly reason. I'm fine, really...I just miss you and the others. I hope you are doing well, Howl, and I hope the next time that we see each other that I'll have a gift for you. Please take care of yourself and the others. I and Kit miss you and the others. Love John Waterstrike

Sorry about missing out on those last few fights. Pretty much fell across my bed once I was off the computer. Still feel like I didn't get a wink of sleep though.

John rush out of weapon practice, making his way for the Goldsmith guild. He shook damp hair out of his eyes as he threw open the door, and rush to the front desk. "Please, I need to have these made," he said to the person at the desk, showing the drawing to him. "Gils no object. How soon can you have there designs done?" The drawing was taken from his hands, as the hyur look over it. "Hm, it depends on when you require it and what gems and metal you want used in it." Looking over it again, "What gems do you wish in them?" John pointed at the one design. "Blue for this one..." then his ears fell. "I...I am unsure which color to do for the other. I never thought to ask what color to might be his favorite." "I can hold on to the design until you have a chance to speak with the other person to find out what color gem to use." "Then I'll have to be careful of the wait that I ask him. This is to be a surprise gift for my Howl and it would not be much of a surprise if he realize what I'm planning." He place a small sack of gil on the counter. "A down payment to get the work started and I'll have the rest to cover for the finally detail work." "Of course, Sir. I'll have one of our best Goldsmith's get started on the work." John smile brightly then quickly made his way out of the Goldsmith guild. Now, he needed to see about the chocolates for the others. "Lemon creme...no, perhaps orange and a vanilla cream..."

A flash of light across the clashing blades, hair becoming wet with sweat as the fight became more heated from his opponent, and he turn the blade again to dislodge the dagger from the other fighter's right hand. "WHY YOU DAMD..." the Roe threw a punch at him and he drop down, sweeping his leg out to send the other tumbling across the battle and he is on him again, bring the handle of the dagger down only to stop just at the point of the skull that would have knock the Roe out. "Eagle wins," Ax call out, and John move to replace the daggers when he found himself flying across the room, landing hard on his back. "That's enough, Kid. Eagle won the practice match." "Won...WON? He didn't even fight. I want a rematch and I want him to actually...urk..." Kid began ranting, only to drop as a well place hit of a lance knock him out. "It would seem..." Slayer said, "That I'll have to be the one to work on Kid's anger issue." John tune them out, focusing on getting air back into his lungs. A slight shadow cut out the light and he crack an eye open to look up at Shun/Blade. "You did well, Eagle." he said, dropping down beside him and holding out a bottle of water. "You still blunt you talons but you are growing quicker with your attack." John sat up, taking a drink of water, and taking the daggers from Bandit's hand. "Why should I cause blood with only a practice match?" John ask. "It's not like we won't be having to deal with far too much blood being spill soon." John hung his head. Bandit laugh, before the lalafell grin cheekly. "You have time but I should head back and rejoin Cap and the others on the front now that I've brought the message." He did turn sober, "Though not as much as I'm sure you'll like or that they..." he nods over to the recruits "need." He ruffle John's hair. "Back I'm off to the line." John watch Bandit move over to Ax, the pair speaking quietly, and John glance over at the hyur beside him. "I know you saw the letter...how bad?" he asked quietly. "Not as bad as you think. They been some fighting but there is word of a major operation soon. Cap didn't give the details to it but he said that he'll call us in a few weeks." John glance at the next pair that were practicing, now understanding why Ax had take these practices more often. "I'll need to get the others something to remember me by before leave out. Something to show them that they shouldn't have to worry about me." He also wanted to make sure that what he gave Howl would be especially meaningful. He thought for a moment, eyes lighting up as he thought of what to give. Now he just had to get someone at the Goldsmith guild to craft it for him.

Hi, um, not applying for the retainer job but I am interested if you're ever in Ul'dah or Lisma, to maybe RP with you with either John Waterstrike or his sister Tanya. John has a partner with the Nym fairy, Kit, who has been teaching him some of the magic from that time. Kit can be sassy at times and love apples (in part from John best friend/love interest, Howl when John was only able to give her a carbuncle form). He is a keeper of the moon adoptive by some Ul'dah nobles. Tanya is John's hyur sister from the family that adoptive him. She know white magic, from her time learning conjury, as well as thaumaturgy, and red magic from her and John's father. She actually lost her life at Carteneau only to be brought back 6 or so years later when John and a voidsent hunter by the name of Ruran Vas ended the life of the void sent that had set up a spell/curse amoung her group. I hope that if you're interested and would enjoy doing some research rp with you if you want to. I do plan to try and update John's Wiki and get Tanya's up while I'm on vacation this coming week.

Error code 2002: 2 Playing John Waterstrike: 0 Still getting 2002 error for the queue. I'm not sure if this will ever get fix for me. :cry: :frustrated:

So I pick one of the new servers on Aether (bonus exp and all that) and it was fine...until I got Fetal DirectX error. Not sure what is going on with the game now and why I'm getting it. Am I going to have to uninstall and reinstall it because to the DirectX error?

Good luck, Chachan. Wish I had more luck myself. Still getting 2002 error code while waiting in Queue that is 1k or more long and having it happen after 20 minutes from start of queue. I've done everything that I can think of to try and bypass it but from what I've been told in discord chat, DDOS attacks are still going on so it's nothing on my side of the client or even SE either. *sigh* I'm going to be so far behind when this mess is finally clear up.

So post came up on the client launcher. Looks like from June 16 the NA servers are being hit by a DDOS attack by 3rd party. http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/news/detail/dd506077db314182ddc2dc15b1d033d72da5630c

Got loaded in today, and went about trying to get the aethercurrents in Gyr once I finish lv 50 RDM solo trail. 90k twice as I was doing it. Went to try and load in again and had the same issue as a couple of days go where I got the lobby error (2002 code) while waiting to connect with the datacenter. Not even going to try it tonight, since not only do I close my store tonight but anything higher then 600 queue has had me getting the 2002 error.

Sorry John missed out on Grindstone last night. Looks like the error code (2002) I was having issue with during queue is now not letting past the start screen. Not sure when or if I'll be able to get back into game again.

Well, looks like I'm not going to be playing anytime soon. Yesterday while trying to get into Balmung, I kept getting 2002 lobby error code during the queue. Now, I'm getting it while waiting for the start page to connect with the datacenter. Even try switching to Chaos Datacenter to see if that would work and I still got 2002 before it could connect to that datacenter. I'm out of ideas on what to do and will have to probably wait till tomorrow before I can do a support ticket about the issue.