Natalie stretched her arms high above her head. The morning sun always felt so good: the way it swept away the chill of the desert night, burning it away with a radiance befitting the Sultana herself. It was a wonderful Ul'dahn day, of course it was always a wonderful Ul'dahn day for Natalie, and she had things to do: like wipe the grin off of her face, or maybe bask in the sun all day.
Oh, she wanted to, of course, but there was such good reason for the grin! She couldn't help but think of all the people there were to see, and all of the days there were to ruin! So many plans to hatch, and even more fun, to foil! Rather than diminish, the Cheshire-like grin grew more and more as her mind meandered back through the last few days: memories of weddings called off, babies left crying, and Miqo'te children now afraid of milk. It was like a special blend of catnip for the soul, a special elixir that reached deep into the heart of Clan McBeef, warming the heart, and satisfying the soul.
Look, things had kind of sucked for McBeef and Company latley, but really none of that should matter when there were smiles to wipe away, and good feelings to quash! She reached back and scratched her rear idly. Then a little more ~ it felt really good! "What a perfect day to be Sultan Sworn!" she thought to herself beaming that infectious grin across the court yard. But in an instant, the grin suddenly became a look of confusion as she tilted her head, scratching a little harder. "Or was it a Brass Blade..." she blinked, then tilted her head the other way. "It doesn't really matter does it? There are so many people who's days I can ruin!" The grin returned!
She'd strapped on her finest red armor, and then added, for flair, her favorite masked beret pulled over her head and eyes, it always seemed to help clear up the confusion. Natalie looked back over her shoulder, spotting the smiling blue-haired Miqo'te man in the window. She grinned, kicking her foot back and offering a little finger-wave. Kage smiled a smile filled with the warmth of a dutiful certainty: the whole city might love Ser Natalie, but he loved her the most! She turned back down the road into the goblet, beginning to merrily skip along her way into town.
*******
"How better to start a day!?" Natalie thought to herself, as she grinned from ear-to-ear with a delightful mischief. The small Miqo'te boy looked up at the woman bent over him; his eyes swelled with fright. "You shouldn't play with that stuff - don't you know catnip is poisonous?" she exclaimed in such a tone of serious alarm. The boy screamed, staring at the clump of plants squeezed so tightly in his little fist. In a moment he had dropped them, and scampered away. Natalie picked up the leaves, shoving them in her face, and rubbing her nose and cheeks against them with a sense of thrill and delight. "ITS SUCH AN AMAZING DAY!" she yelled for anyone within hearing distance.
It was hard enough to avoid running into things while wearing the mask. Having her face stuffed full of delicious, wonderful, and all-around amazing catnip made it that much harder. She barely noticed as her hips and tail bumped into the cart, though her thoughts sprang into characteristically rapid action: "Oh what wa... I LOVE CATNIP!"
The little wheeled flower cart had been bumped loose, and began rolling down the hill. The flower girl let out a little yelp as it raced away from her, her ire immediately turning to Ser Oblivious McBeef. The cart rumbled, and trundled down a path, heading into the city. And Oblivious McBeef stayed true to her name. "CATNIP!"
*******
Before the Gate of Nald, the shadows of the day seemed to grow deeper and longer. An unnatural chill filled the air as a small, black tear in reality popped into existence. It stretched and wobbled, growing slowly taller, and taller, until a dark shadowy-figure emerged from within, a visage of pure enmity, with an enveloping aura growing to monstrous proportion.
His voice roared with malevolence, uttered at Unicronian depths, causing the massive opened doors of the gate to quake and tremor, "I...." The eyes of the visage shot open, sewing terror among the guards, who clattered and clamored from their posts as quickly as their legs would carry them, "Am Jin'li... and this time, I shall not fail!"Â The voice began to laugh, a maniacal menace that seemed to echo throughout ever alley, every street, every courtyard and hallway of the city.Â
The Sultana suddenly shot up from her morning manicure. "Did you hear that?!" she cried to her Vizier, her eyes were startled, her lips trembled in fear. Her vizier, ever stoic and secure, nodded with solemnity, "Do not worry, Your Grace, I am sure General Aldynn will have Ser McBeef on it, immediately." The Sultana let out a deep breath, her content smile returning.Â
The shadowy visage of the resurrected Jin'li fell to silence, as the horrible, bellowing, roar of a laugh drew to an end. He grinned with confidence, his eyes falling back to earth, resting upon the open, unguarded gate. The only sound in the darkened air was the light rattle of wood upon paving stones. The sound grew strangely louder, as Jin'li's eyes narrowed in curiosity, his celebration of imminent victory paused for a moment.
*******
The Sultan Blade, Brass Sworn giggled maniacally as she popped the chocolate into her mouth. She chewed the delicious confection with an earnest affection, taking in the luscious flavors of the delicacy as they rushed through her body with a tingling energy. She quickly popped another into her mouth, before rubbing her cheek against the ill-gotten catnip, purring with a contentment that the sound of wailing lovers walking their separate ways could not seem to penetrate.
*******
The shadow watched in amazement as the small flower cart trundled forward. It had gained speed steadily as it made its way down every hill in the city, having spilled most of its contents of flowers it found itself filled now with an assortment of every variety of good available in the bazaar. From linens, to jewelery, weapons, food, a large barrel of liquor, and a pot filled with gold.Â
Jin'li rose to laugh once more, all of the might of Ul'dah, when faced with the power of the voidsent, could summon only a single lonely flower cart against him! Just out of sight, as he reveled in the certainty of victory, a torch dropped by a fleeing guard rolled back and forth along the ramparts. Pushed a little further by the monstrosity's wind-like guffaw, it plummeted, turning slowly in the air.
In the distance a woman was running toward the gate, passing through crowds of fleeing guards, she had tried to cut through the current, moving more quickly than a woman on heels should, long blonde hair trailing behind her. A distinguished looking, white-haired Duskwight had just given up the chase. Through ragged breaths, he sighed for his lost fortune, "My... imitation... fool's gold..."
"Noooooo! That's Ma'am's ruuuuum....!" the blonde girl cried desperately, hand outstretched as if she could mentally stop the runaway cart in mid-flight. In that instant her eye's opened wide with terror; not at the sight of the shadowy monstrosity threatening to envelope the entire gate, but instead at the bright flash of light, an eruption of fire as the torch fell squarely into the rambling cart, creating a veritable inferno as every flammable item within burst alight.
Jin'li's shade caught sight of the sudden threat at the very last moment. His laugh ended with a throaty, "Uh... oh..." that shook the very ground. As the cart reached him, the overheating barrel of Momodi's rum burst into a tremendous fireball. The resulting cloud of smoke dissipated into the air, leaving behind only a badly scorched flower cart, carrying on its way out into the desert sands of Thanalan.
The blonde girl fell to her knees, crying in despair. "Where will I ever get the gil to pay for this...."
******
The rug merchant let out a horrible cry of anguish as the billy club cracked against the back of his skull, "What do you think you're doing?! That hurt!!!"
"Just saying hello!" purred the grinning McBeef. She shoved her face back into the mass of catnip with a satisfied grin. "I really am the best Sultan Sworn..."
"I mean Brass Blade..."
"Best whatever.. I am just the best!" She grinned manically, purring into the catnip.Â
The Sultana, then the city itself, sighed in relief, "Thank the Twelve for Ser McBeef..."
Oh, she wanted to, of course, but there was such good reason for the grin! She couldn't help but think of all the people there were to see, and all of the days there were to ruin! So many plans to hatch, and even more fun, to foil! Rather than diminish, the Cheshire-like grin grew more and more as her mind meandered back through the last few days: memories of weddings called off, babies left crying, and Miqo'te children now afraid of milk. It was like a special blend of catnip for the soul, a special elixir that reached deep into the heart of Clan McBeef, warming the heart, and satisfying the soul.
Look, things had kind of sucked for McBeef and Company latley, but really none of that should matter when there were smiles to wipe away, and good feelings to quash! She reached back and scratched her rear idly. Then a little more ~ it felt really good! "What a perfect day to be Sultan Sworn!" she thought to herself beaming that infectious grin across the court yard. But in an instant, the grin suddenly became a look of confusion as she tilted her head, scratching a little harder. "Or was it a Brass Blade..." she blinked, then tilted her head the other way. "It doesn't really matter does it? There are so many people who's days I can ruin!" The grin returned!
She'd strapped on her finest red armor, and then added, for flair, her favorite masked beret pulled over her head and eyes, it always seemed to help clear up the confusion. Natalie looked back over her shoulder, spotting the smiling blue-haired Miqo'te man in the window. She grinned, kicking her foot back and offering a little finger-wave. Kage smiled a smile filled with the warmth of a dutiful certainty: the whole city might love Ser Natalie, but he loved her the most! She turned back down the road into the goblet, beginning to merrily skip along her way into town.
*******
"How better to start a day!?" Natalie thought to herself, as she grinned from ear-to-ear with a delightful mischief. The small Miqo'te boy looked up at the woman bent over him; his eyes swelled with fright. "You shouldn't play with that stuff - don't you know catnip is poisonous?" she exclaimed in such a tone of serious alarm. The boy screamed, staring at the clump of plants squeezed so tightly in his little fist. In a moment he had dropped them, and scampered away. Natalie picked up the leaves, shoving them in her face, and rubbing her nose and cheeks against them with a sense of thrill and delight. "ITS SUCH AN AMAZING DAY!" she yelled for anyone within hearing distance.
It was hard enough to avoid running into things while wearing the mask. Having her face stuffed full of delicious, wonderful, and all-around amazing catnip made it that much harder. She barely noticed as her hips and tail bumped into the cart, though her thoughts sprang into characteristically rapid action: "Oh what wa... I LOVE CATNIP!"
The little wheeled flower cart had been bumped loose, and began rolling down the hill. The flower girl let out a little yelp as it raced away from her, her ire immediately turning to Ser Oblivious McBeef. The cart rumbled, and trundled down a path, heading into the city. And Oblivious McBeef stayed true to her name. "CATNIP!"
*******
Before the Gate of Nald, the shadows of the day seemed to grow deeper and longer. An unnatural chill filled the air as a small, black tear in reality popped into existence. It stretched and wobbled, growing slowly taller, and taller, until a dark shadowy-figure emerged from within, a visage of pure enmity, with an enveloping aura growing to monstrous proportion.
His voice roared with malevolence, uttered at Unicronian depths, causing the massive opened doors of the gate to quake and tremor, "I...." The eyes of the visage shot open, sewing terror among the guards, who clattered and clamored from their posts as quickly as their legs would carry them, "Am Jin'li... and this time, I shall not fail!"Â The voice began to laugh, a maniacal menace that seemed to echo throughout ever alley, every street, every courtyard and hallway of the city.Â
The Sultana suddenly shot up from her morning manicure. "Did you hear that?!" she cried to her Vizier, her eyes were startled, her lips trembled in fear. Her vizier, ever stoic and secure, nodded with solemnity, "Do not worry, Your Grace, I am sure General Aldynn will have Ser McBeef on it, immediately." The Sultana let out a deep breath, her content smile returning.Â
The shadowy visage of the resurrected Jin'li fell to silence, as the horrible, bellowing, roar of a laugh drew to an end. He grinned with confidence, his eyes falling back to earth, resting upon the open, unguarded gate. The only sound in the darkened air was the light rattle of wood upon paving stones. The sound grew strangely louder, as Jin'li's eyes narrowed in curiosity, his celebration of imminent victory paused for a moment.
*******
The Sultan Blade, Brass Sworn giggled maniacally as she popped the chocolate into her mouth. She chewed the delicious confection with an earnest affection, taking in the luscious flavors of the delicacy as they rushed through her body with a tingling energy. She quickly popped another into her mouth, before rubbing her cheek against the ill-gotten catnip, purring with a contentment that the sound of wailing lovers walking their separate ways could not seem to penetrate.
*******
The shadow watched in amazement as the small flower cart trundled forward. It had gained speed steadily as it made its way down every hill in the city, having spilled most of its contents of flowers it found itself filled now with an assortment of every variety of good available in the bazaar. From linens, to jewelery, weapons, food, a large barrel of liquor, and a pot filled with gold.Â
Jin'li rose to laugh once more, all of the might of Ul'dah, when faced with the power of the voidsent, could summon only a single lonely flower cart against him! Just out of sight, as he reveled in the certainty of victory, a torch dropped by a fleeing guard rolled back and forth along the ramparts. Pushed a little further by the monstrosity's wind-like guffaw, it plummeted, turning slowly in the air.
In the distance a woman was running toward the gate, passing through crowds of fleeing guards, she had tried to cut through the current, moving more quickly than a woman on heels should, long blonde hair trailing behind her. A distinguished looking, white-haired Duskwight had just given up the chase. Through ragged breaths, he sighed for his lost fortune, "My... imitation... fool's gold..."
"Noooooo! That's Ma'am's ruuuuum....!" the blonde girl cried desperately, hand outstretched as if she could mentally stop the runaway cart in mid-flight. In that instant her eye's opened wide with terror; not at the sight of the shadowy monstrosity threatening to envelope the entire gate, but instead at the bright flash of light, an eruption of fire as the torch fell squarely into the rambling cart, creating a veritable inferno as every flammable item within burst alight.
Jin'li's shade caught sight of the sudden threat at the very last moment. His laugh ended with a throaty, "Uh... oh..." that shook the very ground. As the cart reached him, the overheating barrel of Momodi's rum burst into a tremendous fireball. The resulting cloud of smoke dissipated into the air, leaving behind only a badly scorched flower cart, carrying on its way out into the desert sands of Thanalan.
The blonde girl fell to her knees, crying in despair. "Where will I ever get the gil to pay for this...."
******
The rug merchant let out a horrible cry of anguish as the billy club cracked against the back of his skull, "What do you think you're doing?! That hurt!!!"
"Just saying hello!" purred the grinning McBeef. She shoved her face back into the mass of catnip with a satisfied grin. "I really am the best Sultan Sworn..."
"I mean Brass Blade..."
"Best whatever.. I am just the best!" She grinned manically, purring into the catnip.Â
The Sultana, then the city itself, sighed in relief, "Thank the Twelve for Ser McBeef..."
![[Image: 21282370099_a814a08664_o.png]](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/590/21282370099_a814a08664_o.png)
