05-15-2014, 02:17 PM
((Incase anyone isn't picking up on it, the bit between the lines is a flashback))
~2 years after the events in "The Red Eye of the Twin Adder | Ja' is now 20 years old~
Ja'ren was inside the Alchemist's hut, dressed in, rather flashy attire - it was a bard outfit, multicolored and vibrant. It was designed to draw attention, or so Ja' assumed. He hated the thing. Pinks and purples made him look like some sort of..flamingo trying to attract a mate. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable within the confines of this hideous outfit, and annoyed that Big Red and the old elezen had laughed when he came through the door.
"You done laughing yet, you two? I know it looks ridiculous, but I -had- to wear it."
He huffed, crossing his arms at the two, and when neither stopped giggling, or in Red's case, squeek'n, he rolled his eyes and made to leave. "Sit down, lad. I want to hear about yer year-walk, and from the harp-bow on your back ye've got quite the story to tell."
Ja' glared at the elezen, but sat back down, his expression looking slightly relieved that he didn't have to go outside in this outfit. "Aight, well, lemme back up a bit first, you know how that bard came into town two years ago, right?"
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Ja'ren was sitting on a rock next to the spring at Apkallu Falls deep within Old Gridania, he was humming quietly as he strummed a very small, very old, harp. It was the one Ja'ren Tia had given him when they were boys, despite it's age it was still perfectly sound, as Ja' had taken extra good care of it, carefully repairing it or having it repaired whenever it needed. He was in his usual working attire, except the shirt he had on sported the Twin Adder crest on one shoulder.
Normally, he'd be out completing some odd task or another, either for the Alchemist or the Adders, but this was a rare moment where he had no new jobs, so he was quietly playing one of the songs he used to play for Ja'ren Tia. He had chosen this spot because most of Gridania's inhabitants didn't walk back this way often, seeing as it was one of the more round-about ways of reaching the markets, and he'd be able to clearly see anyone coming. He didn't like it when people overheard him playing, they always tried to come over and get him to sing or perform for them. This made him uncomfortable. He wasn't used to that kind of attention, and usually just gave the person a sidelong glance before stalking off to find another spot to play.
Ja' paused, glancing up at the sky in a mournful reverie as his childhood memories flashed through his mind's eye - one after the other in rapid succession. Ja'teeh diving in-front of him, Min'iah crying, Ja'ren slowly whithering away into nothing..
Then he blinked, snapping himself out of the memories of his past. He couldn't afford to dwell on those emotions now, and his fingers twitched, hitting a few jarring cords that made him jump. "Ugh. Out of sync."
He exhaled, trying to relax, placed his fingers at their proper positions on the strings, and played, long and hard, short and fast. Not stopping, his fingers a whirlwind over the tiny harp as a mournful melody echo'd through the falls. His face contorted, his focus absolute, and a small tear slowly made its descent down his face. Â Â
He was so engrossed in his playing, that for once, he did not notice the Adder in uniform bolt up to him, saluting upon reaching his side. "Sir!" The small lalafell stood at attention, waiting for acknowledgement.Â
Ja'ren jumped, his fingers once again hitting the wrong strings, making a horrible -twang- which caused his ears to flatten against his head. He turned, glaring at the Cadet, his tail twitching irritably, "What?!"
"Sergeant requests your assistance, sir! Right away, sir!" The little lalafell saluted once more, before turning to scamper back to the nest, he paused, and mentioned, quietly, over his shoulder, "Um. By the way, sir, there's a bard in town, you should go see him! You play quiet well and he might..be able to teach you some things."
Ja' nodded, "I'll think about it, thank you." As the lala ran off, he climbed to his feet, returning the little harp to his pack, and stretched. He wondered quietly to himself what the Sergeant wanted. Far as Ja' knew, there weren't supposed to be any new jobs until tomorrow.
~Moments later~
Ja'ren strolled up to the nest, arriving a few minutes after the lalafell who had summoned him, to see the Sergeant talking to another tall elezen, who looked even older than the Alchemist. The man was dressed in traveling attire, with a large harp-bow upon his back. Ja' stared for a moment, letting his brain register what he was seeing, then shook his head and walked up to the pair, giving a light salute to the Sergeant. "You called, sir?"
"Ah! Red Eye! Yes, I wanted you to meet my friend here, Roderic, meet Ja'ren, he's the boy I mentioned in my letters."
The old elezen peered down at Ja' - scrutinizing the boy with eyes that looked like they had seen so much, then smiled and stuck out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, Ja'ren. I hear you're quite the archer."
Ja'ren grinned in reply, grabbing the man's hand and giving it a firm shake, "I dunno about that." He released the man's hand and glanced up at the Sergeant, "So no horrible monsters attacking the locals? No odd jobs to perform? Just meeting a friend? Seems a bit tame, boss."
The Sergeant laughed, but it was the bard who jumped in with, "After hearing of your abilities, I might've requested to meet you. You sound like you'd make a fine bard, assuming you're willing to learn how to play instruments."
Ja'ren gave a half grin, cocking his head to one side, "I dunno that I'd be any good, uh, what's a bard do anyway?" The man grinned, "We channel aether, much like a healer or mage, but we use our songs to imbue our comrades with strength. Some can call upon the wind to speed their steps, others can call upon the elements to grant mana to a person, the list goes on."
"Eh, sorry to say I'm not really that good at instruments, thanks all the same." As Ja' turned to say a polite farewell, a trio of recruits at the back of the nest shouted, ""DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. HE'S FANTASTIC." Ja' froze, his ears slowly lowering until they were flat against his head, "Been eavesdropping, have we?" He called to the back of the nest, and the recruits who had hollared looked sheepish and turned away from the annoyed mi'qote.
The bard chuckled, "The secretive sort, are ye?" Ja'ren turned back to face the man, and nodded, slowly, "It's not..something I wish to broadcast to everyone. I prefer..playing for myself. Not for others."
"At least try, boy, let me teach you. At the very least you'd be able to help around here even more than you do now." The man was earnest, sincere in his plea to teach the boy - something Ja' was picking up from the man's aura. He closed his eyes for a moment, Ja'ren Tia's face flashing through his mind, before blurting out, "Alright."
The bard smiled, spreading his arms wide, "Let's go then! Come, we'll go into the forest and see what you can do."
~A year later~
"Today is the day, boy. Today you start your year-walk. You ready?"
Ja'ren, Roderic, the Alchemist, and Big Red were standing on the porch of the Alchemist's shack. Ja'ren was outfitted in traveling gear, a bow on his back and a harp at his side. He was about to set out with Roderic on a walk-about throughout Eorzea. They would be going from place-to-place, playing songs and learning new ones along the way. Roderic claimed this was how all bards perfected their art - by picking up on the soul of the land, through the songs of it's people.Â
He nodded, grinning, as Big Red and the Alchemist said their goodbyes to him. "Ye' be careful, lad. I don' want my gopher-boy coming back battered and worn." Ja' smirked, "Pfft. You know me, I avoid danger. I'll be fine. Thanks, old man."
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"And I went around with Roderic, we played so many songs I'm surprised I can remember them all. Oh! I learned how to change my voice too, watch!" Ja'ren's expression changed as he attempted to look as much like Roderic as he could, "C'mon boy! Louder! The audience cannot hear you when you whisper!"
The Alchemist's eyes widened in shock, before he began laughing, "That's an interesting skill ye've picked up, lad! Careful it don' get ye' into trouble one day!"
"Tch. I'll be careful, but I -may- have some fun with it later on."
Ja'ren was inside the Alchemist's hut, dressed in, rather flashy attire - it was a bard outfit, multicolored and vibrant. It was designed to draw attention, or so Ja' assumed. He hated the thing. Pinks and purples made him look like some sort of..flamingo trying to attract a mate. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable within the confines of this hideous outfit, and annoyed that Big Red and the old elezen had laughed when he came through the door.
"You done laughing yet, you two? I know it looks ridiculous, but I -had- to wear it."
He huffed, crossing his arms at the two, and when neither stopped giggling, or in Red's case, squeek'n, he rolled his eyes and made to leave. "Sit down, lad. I want to hear about yer year-walk, and from the harp-bow on your back ye've got quite the story to tell."
Ja' glared at the elezen, but sat back down, his expression looking slightly relieved that he didn't have to go outside in this outfit. "Aight, well, lemme back up a bit first, you know how that bard came into town two years ago, right?"
-------------------------------------------------
Ja'ren was sitting on a rock next to the spring at Apkallu Falls deep within Old Gridania, he was humming quietly as he strummed a very small, very old, harp. It was the one Ja'ren Tia had given him when they were boys, despite it's age it was still perfectly sound, as Ja' had taken extra good care of it, carefully repairing it or having it repaired whenever it needed. He was in his usual working attire, except the shirt he had on sported the Twin Adder crest on one shoulder.
Normally, he'd be out completing some odd task or another, either for the Alchemist or the Adders, but this was a rare moment where he had no new jobs, so he was quietly playing one of the songs he used to play for Ja'ren Tia. He had chosen this spot because most of Gridania's inhabitants didn't walk back this way often, seeing as it was one of the more round-about ways of reaching the markets, and he'd be able to clearly see anyone coming. He didn't like it when people overheard him playing, they always tried to come over and get him to sing or perform for them. This made him uncomfortable. He wasn't used to that kind of attention, and usually just gave the person a sidelong glance before stalking off to find another spot to play.
Ja' paused, glancing up at the sky in a mournful reverie as his childhood memories flashed through his mind's eye - one after the other in rapid succession. Ja'teeh diving in-front of him, Min'iah crying, Ja'ren slowly whithering away into nothing..
Then he blinked, snapping himself out of the memories of his past. He couldn't afford to dwell on those emotions now, and his fingers twitched, hitting a few jarring cords that made him jump. "Ugh. Out of sync."
He exhaled, trying to relax, placed his fingers at their proper positions on the strings, and played, long and hard, short and fast. Not stopping, his fingers a whirlwind over the tiny harp as a mournful melody echo'd through the falls. His face contorted, his focus absolute, and a small tear slowly made its descent down his face. Â Â
He was so engrossed in his playing, that for once, he did not notice the Adder in uniform bolt up to him, saluting upon reaching his side. "Sir!" The small lalafell stood at attention, waiting for acknowledgement.Â
Ja'ren jumped, his fingers once again hitting the wrong strings, making a horrible -twang- which caused his ears to flatten against his head. He turned, glaring at the Cadet, his tail twitching irritably, "What?!"
"Sergeant requests your assistance, sir! Right away, sir!" The little lalafell saluted once more, before turning to scamper back to the nest, he paused, and mentioned, quietly, over his shoulder, "Um. By the way, sir, there's a bard in town, you should go see him! You play quiet well and he might..be able to teach you some things."
Ja' nodded, "I'll think about it, thank you." As the lala ran off, he climbed to his feet, returning the little harp to his pack, and stretched. He wondered quietly to himself what the Sergeant wanted. Far as Ja' knew, there weren't supposed to be any new jobs until tomorrow.
~Moments later~
Ja'ren strolled up to the nest, arriving a few minutes after the lalafell who had summoned him, to see the Sergeant talking to another tall elezen, who looked even older than the Alchemist. The man was dressed in traveling attire, with a large harp-bow upon his back. Ja' stared for a moment, letting his brain register what he was seeing, then shook his head and walked up to the pair, giving a light salute to the Sergeant. "You called, sir?"
"Ah! Red Eye! Yes, I wanted you to meet my friend here, Roderic, meet Ja'ren, he's the boy I mentioned in my letters."
The old elezen peered down at Ja' - scrutinizing the boy with eyes that looked like they had seen so much, then smiled and stuck out a hand. "Pleased to meet you, Ja'ren. I hear you're quite the archer."
Ja'ren grinned in reply, grabbing the man's hand and giving it a firm shake, "I dunno about that." He released the man's hand and glanced up at the Sergeant, "So no horrible monsters attacking the locals? No odd jobs to perform? Just meeting a friend? Seems a bit tame, boss."
The Sergeant laughed, but it was the bard who jumped in with, "After hearing of your abilities, I might've requested to meet you. You sound like you'd make a fine bard, assuming you're willing to learn how to play instruments."
Ja'ren gave a half grin, cocking his head to one side, "I dunno that I'd be any good, uh, what's a bard do anyway?" The man grinned, "We channel aether, much like a healer or mage, but we use our songs to imbue our comrades with strength. Some can call upon the wind to speed their steps, others can call upon the elements to grant mana to a person, the list goes on."
"Eh, sorry to say I'm not really that good at instruments, thanks all the same." As Ja' turned to say a polite farewell, a trio of recruits at the back of the nest shouted, ""DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. HE'S FANTASTIC." Ja' froze, his ears slowly lowering until they were flat against his head, "Been eavesdropping, have we?" He called to the back of the nest, and the recruits who had hollared looked sheepish and turned away from the annoyed mi'qote.
The bard chuckled, "The secretive sort, are ye?" Ja'ren turned back to face the man, and nodded, slowly, "It's not..something I wish to broadcast to everyone. I prefer..playing for myself. Not for others."
"At least try, boy, let me teach you. At the very least you'd be able to help around here even more than you do now." The man was earnest, sincere in his plea to teach the boy - something Ja' was picking up from the man's aura. He closed his eyes for a moment, Ja'ren Tia's face flashing through his mind, before blurting out, "Alright."
The bard smiled, spreading his arms wide, "Let's go then! Come, we'll go into the forest and see what you can do."
~A year later~
"Today is the day, boy. Today you start your year-walk. You ready?"
Ja'ren, Roderic, the Alchemist, and Big Red were standing on the porch of the Alchemist's shack. Ja'ren was outfitted in traveling gear, a bow on his back and a harp at his side. He was about to set out with Roderic on a walk-about throughout Eorzea. They would be going from place-to-place, playing songs and learning new ones along the way. Roderic claimed this was how all bards perfected their art - by picking up on the soul of the land, through the songs of it's people.Â
He nodded, grinning, as Big Red and the Alchemist said their goodbyes to him. "Ye' be careful, lad. I don' want my gopher-boy coming back battered and worn." Ja' smirked, "Pfft. You know me, I avoid danger. I'll be fine. Thanks, old man."
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"And I went around with Roderic, we played so many songs I'm surprised I can remember them all. Oh! I learned how to change my voice too, watch!" Ja'ren's expression changed as he attempted to look as much like Roderic as he could, "C'mon boy! Louder! The audience cannot hear you when you whisper!"
The Alchemist's eyes widened in shock, before he began laughing, "That's an interesting skill ye've picked up, lad! Careful it don' get ye' into trouble one day!"
"Tch. I'll be careful, but I -may- have some fun with it later on."