D'hein Tia -- or was he Nunh now? He hadn't been payingattention at the party, but now that he thought about it he did make appearance there, so may technically be... Well, regardless...
Â
D'hein Nunh-until-someone-told-him-otherwise-because-hey-why-notthought that the Quicksand was an appropriate name for the place that here was going, as the weight of his legs and feet made him feel like the streets were made of clinging sand. He would not admit to an inability to sleep, or maybe he would if asked, as he thought he had become unpredictable since D'ahl's death. He did not feel psychologically stable, and he was unusually numb.
Â
Taking a deep breath as he prepared to climb the steps,D'hein Nunh-as-far-as-anyone-could-say forced himself to stand straight and lift his shoulders, putting his hands on his hips. Dodoes do not plod, no matter how little sleep they've had or how tragic their lot. As heavy as his ears and eyelids were, he forced them to open and rise. One of his ears was a laggard, but he failed to notice.
Â
He looked back on Antimony, having said nothing for theentirety of the walk back from the desert. "I apologize for my dire behavior. If I've said anything offensive, I pray you forgive me as I am not myself. If I've said anything heartfelt and sensitive, I pray you'll see it as my being charmingly vulnerable and unusually honest."
Â
This city really was horribly filthy, Antimony thought asthey returned to Ul'dah's walls and approached the Quicksand - and not just in appearance. Its very spirit was stained, and it seemed to stain everyone who spent time within it. She wondered if that was why D'ahl had behaved as she did, why all the Dodos behaved the way they did. Were they just victims of Ul'dah's inescapable corruption?
Â
Antimony watched the back of D'hein's head as they walkedand was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't catch most of his words, or really notice he'd stopped. She managed to pull herself short before colliding, however, and then blinked rapidly at him. "Ah, well..." Her lips pursed. Quickly, respond! "Don't... worry about such things."
Â
One side of his lips curled upwards, in more bemusement thanhumor. "If you say so." His tail swung idly as he turned away, brushing her arm, though he failed to notice. He began up the steps to head inside. "Is there a place where she will look for you?"
Â
Antimony fidgeted a bit at the bottom of the stairs, earstwitching about, before following hurriedly. "Perhaps... we've had meals in the main hall a number of times?"
Â
"Perhaps you have? Where else might you have hadthem?"
Â
She scratched at one ear, then stilled her hand by foldingit deliberately over D'ahl's journal. "Ah, well... my room, I suppose."
Â
D'hein Nunh-probably-but-maybe-not turned to face her,walking backwards up the stairs. He spread his arms, "So there are two possible locations. Does she only find you at places you've shared meals? How then did she find you in the first place, before you'd ever shared any meals?" His heal hit a step and he fell backwards, but turned and took the last few steps like nothing had happened. then they were going inside.
Â
Antimony sputtered a bit as D'hein tripped, then twisted hertail in thought. "Of course those aren't the only... That is, we've met at other... Well, she found me on a bench outside the Quicksand. And in the courtyard near the Drowning Wench in Limsa. And at the fountain here in Ul'dah. And at the Arcanists' Guild. And at Black Br.. er, well that one doesn't matter. And..." She trailed off, wringing her hands. "None of those are very likely, though!"
Â
As soon as they entered, the first thing they saw was allthe adventurers that always crowded the tavern. The second thing, though, might have been a small blond figure sitting in the closest table to the entrance, wearing white, with a white hat as big as its owner resting on the table right next to a large plate of meat with a side serving of olives. Or, rather, olives with a side serving of olives with some meat below it.
Â
D'hein didn’t see the figure. He smelled the olives, but thoughtthem unpleasant and turned away from them with a shiver of his tail. "Well if we chose to wait in your inn room at least we could take a nap. It's difficult to know to rest during the hard parts of life, but important."
Â
Her ears laid back as she cleared her throat, eyes shiftingaway from D'hein in part because of the Tia-turned-Nunh'ssuggestion and in part to scan the tavern's open seating area. She, too, caught the scent of olives almost immediately, but they were happily familiar, so she let her eyes follow it to the white-robed figure. A faint, relieved smile crossed her face. "Ulanan!" Lifting one arm to wave it in greeting, she turned to angle towards the woman, flicking her tail at D'hein in gesture.
Â
The lalafell answered by raising one hand and waving itslightly, smiling but saying nothing as her mouth was busy munching on her meal. She gestured to the empty chairs around her table.
Â
The Nunh-like Tia continued walking, stretching his armshigh to keep himself awake. "I haven't forgotten about Ulanan. We may just have to hope she has not forgotten about you, though."
Â
Antimony halted, grimaced in a way that made her bruisedface ache, spun towards him, "D'hein, she is here!"
Â
Ulanan stared between them, swallowed and, understandingthey were looking for her, she said out loud: "Hello, Antimony!"
Â
D'hein paused. One ear twitched, and then the other. He backpedaledthree steps and then spun on his toes, spreading his arms dramatically and whacking some poor lalafell in the ear. The tiny person dashed off as though he'd done something wrong; maybe he was a pickpocket or something. D'hein didn't notice what he'd done.
Â
"Of course she's here." he could only musterenough energy for half a grin. "She's always present when we have need of her most."
Â
"Yes, it's a wonder." Antimony sighed, brushedsome hair from her face, and then turned to continue over towards Ulanan. There was a brief worry over whether or not the lalafell would ask about her face, but there wasn't really much to be done about it. She would just distract her. "Ulanan," she walked up to the much smaller woman. "I never got to ask after you when you left after... Aijeen."
Â
"I lost her not long after leaving the commune."came the answer, flat in tone. "Are you alright? You both look...tired." she asked with some diplomacy.
Â
"There have been some unfortunate events." D'heinapproached the table that Ulanan occupied. "Aijeen killed D'ahl that night. Are we sitting?" He dropped himself into a chair.
Â
Antimony winced. "We haven't yet--" She cut offher protest, though, not wishing to restart that particular argument, and then just furrowed her brow at Ulanan. "You are fine, though? I worried for you, when I heard what happened."
Â
Ulanan stopped all movements for about three seconds,holding a handful of olives in her hand. "Yes, I am." she answered, glancing at her food. Then she looked at the man, letting her head drop slightly. "I'm sorry, D'hein."
Â
His mouth opened to respond, but D'hein found an absence ofwords. Instead of letting it hang vapidly open, he clicked it shut. His mane of blonde hair shook as he simply nodded back and turned his gaze to his shoes.
Â
"I..." Antimony hesitated, fidgeted with the bookin her hands, and then sighed, eyes shifting at a downward angle towards D'hein. "Sit, and we can get something to eat." There was another pause, then towards Ulanan, "I suppose... you've no knowledge as to where Aijeen has fled to?"
Â
She shook her head. "No." There was a pause as sheate another olive. "But K'airos went to Horizon in a rented chocobo and later left towards Vesper Bay on foot."
Â
One of D'hein's ears twitched, though his expression didn'tchange. He leaned an elbow on the table and closed his eyes. "I suppose we can expect a negative response from Drybone, then."
Â
Antimony's own ears drooped to either side, furrowed browdeepening. "Vesper... Vesper Bay?" Worry leaked into her voice. "Why?"
Â
Another handful of olives got in the way of Ulanan's speech,though she stopped chewing to roll them to her right cheek. "Nobody there saw any Miqo'te Brass Blades arriving when I searched for her there." She found that way of speaking very unlady-like, so she swallowed. "She either got into town without the uniform, went south to Crescent Cove or set up a camp somewhere along the way to wait for D'aijeen."
Â
"They left, when?" D'hein leaned forward, shookhis head, glanced around. "We need to get food."
Â
"And why?" Antimony murmured again, earsshivering.
Â
"The chocobo keeper wasn't very precise about the time,but it was sometime before meeting in the commune." the lalafell replied. Then she shrugged. "I don't know why. K'airos was crying loudly when she rented the transport, and that was the only reason the keeper could identify her."
Â
"Crying. Excellent." He massaged his forehead."But that was before Aijeen had cause to be upset about anything, wasn't it? This is all stemming from her fighting with D'ahl... We need to get food."
Â
Ulanan's offer was inevitable. "Olives?"
Â
Ulanan's words only served to further distress Antimony."Crying," she repeated. And she could do nothing to assuage it here... The thought of her daughter hurting made her heart wrench. She swallowed. "Is there... Aijeen is with her surely... aah, we must go to her immediately!"
Â
"No," D'hein frowned. "As I just said, weneed food. You can't care for anyone if you don't care for yourself. That is simplicity itself." He flicked his eyes to Ulanan. "And, no. Olives will not fill our bellies. We need actual, honest food."
Â
"I think they are perfectly honest." Megiddoreached over Ulanan's shoulder and plucked an olive from the pile. The old man was particularly dilapidated. "Thank you, Ulanan."
Â
The lalafell didn't have time to protest to D'hein's words,and then barely had time to shake and look behind her with a stabbing glare.
Â
Antimony flinched, performing some strange backwardstwitch-hop, her tail fuzzing out, at Megiddo's unexpected entrance. "That--they--olives are... Where did you come from??"
Â
Megiddo gestured in a general unspecific direction,"Oh, somewhere over there."
Â
D'hein just groaned at the man's presence.
Â
Ulanan frowned. "Who taught you to intrude rudely atother people's conversations?" The frown was followed with some squinting and smiling. "Wait, this is actually great! You can go keep an eye on K'airos while these two rest."
Â
"What? No, I've rested!" Antimony protested."Now I can't speak for D'hein, of course, but... I can't just sit by while something is upsetting Airos, and while Aijeen is still missing...!"
Â
Megiddo frowned at Ulanan. "And I suppose you have away to get me to Crescent Cove in the time it takes for two Miqo'te to take a nap? I find it unlikely." And then, to Antimony, he said, "The more problematic of your two daughters has gone to Crescent Cove as well. At least, she left for the Silver Bazaar, which has a ferry going that way, if I remember correctly."
Â
Eyes widening, Antimony lashed her tail about behind her,whacking the chair D'hein sat in. "Then you... that... Ah, thank you, Megiddo! You are always such an incredible help to me, I don't..." She spun on D'hein. "There is no telling how long she'll remain there!"
Â
Ulanan turned around and looked at the Duskwight as if hehad just personally insulted all of her family at once. Then she turned back at her plate, huffing. "Don't act as if you didn't know what an aetheryte is, or as if you didn't have the wealth to pay the fees."
Â
Much calmer, she looked at the two Miqo'te. "CrescentCove only has two exits. Meggido and me will be enough to cover both. One or the other will eventually run into them if they leave."
Â
Finally, D'hein spoke up. "Old man, I suppose the firstperson you told about this was that demented roegadyn friend of yours?"
Â
"No. She threatened Antimony's child, and so has notbeen informed. However, I'm afraid that my skills for observation are matched only by my necessity for inaction. I cannot help in the way that Ulanan imagines, for you see, I am currently incarcerated."
Â
"Of course you are." D'hein hid his face behindone hand again.
Â
Antimony twisted back to Megiddo, blinking in confusion."Incarcerated? But you're here."
Â
"It's jargon for 'I should be in prison but I'mactually not'." Ulanan explained with a huff. Her tiny arms crossed over each other and rested over the table. "Did you hire him to look for D'aijeen?" she asked D'hein.
Â
D'hein lifted his gaze to Ulanan, sounding offended, "Iam well above employing the homeless to search for my daughter! What kind of terrible parents must you have had!"
Â
The Duskwight ignored the exchange between the two,answering Antimony instead. "I took your chiding regarding my granddaughter to heart and have made myself helpful. She killed four men yesterday morning and was arrested. Therefore, I turned myself in for the crime, securing her release. Theoretically, I am currently in jail. Though I confess I am wandering a bit."
Â
Antimony's mouth dropped slightly, ears shifting back."Oh," she murmured. "Why is everyone..." Her tail shivered and then she dropped her gaze. "That was very... kind of you. But Miss Loughree? She killed... ah. This whole city bears a terrible curse!"
Â
Ignoring Antimony's outburst towards the city, Ulananoffered an alternative. "You need to rest. Do you still have that Agency linkpearl? If D'hein can lend me one, I can go to the Cove from Horizon right now and keep you informed. Will that tranquilize you enough to rest?"
Â
Still glaring, D'hein growled, "I'm not sure I want youaround Aijeen considering what you did to D'ahl." One of his eyes was flat on his head, both twitching. "That kind of violence is exactly what started all this."
Â
Ulanan didn't waste time to growl back, except hers was amuch higher, pathetic pitch coming from a tiny frame. "I wasn't asking you."
Â
"IF!" Antimony shouted very suddenly, throwing herarms up between the two, one hand still clutching the journal. She paused, cleared her throat, shrunk a bit and repeated, "If... everyone can stop killing--or... talking about killing.. or thinking about killing, or hurting or--just stop, for more than half a second! I am... going to get D'hein some food." She didn't wait for a response, giving a distressed huff and spinning on her heel to hurry towards the bar.
Â
Watching Antimony retreat with wide-eyes, D'hein spun onUlanan and said, "That's no way to talk to a woman! You're much too rough with her! Attacking people all the time, bringing violence into her family."
Â
Ulanan threw her hands to the airs "Who suggestedviolence!" she asked, though it was more of an exclamation. She followed this by pointing at him rudely. "Maybe you forgot that D'ahl threw a dagger at her. Maybe you also forgot you stood uselessly while she had all the intention to murder her."
Â
D'hein slammed his hands on the table and stood to his fullheight. "D'ahl intended no such thing! If she wanted her dead, she would be dead! D'ahl would never murder someone undeservedly!"
Â
Taking another olive and stepping back, Megiddo watched theexchange with mild interest before turning to follow Antimony.
Â
Antimony's tail bristled as she wove her way through themild crowd. She caught D'hein's shouting, his words setting her ears flat against her head, but she didn't alter course. Once at the bar, she waited for some ambitious patron to finish his drink order, and tried not to think of K'airos crying, or D'aijeen killing anyone, or Loughree killing anyone, or D'hein defending D'ahl's attack on her, or any such thing.
Â
Ulanan also stood up, but she did so on her chair and with ajump. Her feet stomped on the chair in imitation of the man's slam. "It was a dagger! She threw a dagger. Not a slap to the face. Not mean words. A dagger!"Â She jumped again, thistime to the floor. Another stomp accompanied her. It was louder this time. "I won't sit here while you justify D'ahl's action. I'm sorry she's gone, but her actions weren't justified." She stood on her toes and swept her arm to take her huge hat with her. In the same movement, it was on her head.
Â
"Have a good day!" and she walked off to followMegiddo. Or perhaps to follow Antimony.
Â
D'hein shook his head, dumbfounded. "How in the sevenhells am I supposed to have a good day? Are you paying any attention to what's going on at all?"
Â
Megiddo ghosted behind Antimony, his small footsteps andunsteady balance allowing him to keep up with her against all reason. After she had paused for a time at the bar, he ventured, "My condolences for your experiences. But days such as these do pass."
Â
Antimony jumped for the second of Megiddo's appearances thatafternoon, then sighed. "I would believe that, I think, if these days did not seem to happen with increasing frequency."
Â
Ulanan threw some words at D'hein while she left him behind"It's a manner of speech. And I'm still sorry about this!"
Â
She zig-zagged between the patrons and usuals of theQuicksand before reaching the other two, walking past the Duskwight and standing next to Antimony. Looking up, she wasted little time in speaking. "I'm sorry," she started. "I did not intend to harm anyone. I just wanted to help."
Â
"Even when helpful, violence is regrettable. It doesnot mean that you should regret it." Megiddo wedged himself between two patrons so he could relax against the bar. The patrons seemed put off by the sudden intrusion of the filthy man, and vacated their seats. The Duskwight gestured to them, "Perhaps you should sit."
Â
Antimony spared the lalafell a brief, anxious glance beforereturning her attention to the bartender. "I'm fine, thank you," she murmured to Megiddo. "This should only take a moment."
Â
"D'hein is currently a sad man." Ulanan said,looking back towards where she left him. All she saw were many legs of tall people. "I still offer myself to go ahead to Crescent Cove while the two of you rest. I can use the aetherytes to come and go if they rest at Horizon or if they decide to come back to Ul'dah. Or to Drybone."
Â
A pause. Then she added: "That way we won't losethem."
Â
Megiddo stood where he was, his eyes half-lidded and staringat nothing, listening. D'hein evidently had remained at the table.
Â
Resting the journal on the bartop, and her hands on top ofthe journal, Antimony leaned forward slightly, frowning. "I... suppose I can't object." Her ears shifted out, tail curling against one leg. "That Airos was so upset, over... I can't fathom, but I must get to both of them as quickly as possible." She hesitated, glanced towards Ulanan. "Can you... take people along with you on the aetherytes?"
Â
"No, that's not possible." she shook her head."You'd need to be attuned to Horizon's aetheryte. And even then it isn't that close to Crescent Cove. So make sure to rest. I'll let you know if they move."
Â
"In the meantime," Megiddo spoke with a quietbreath, but the grating of his voice made it audible. "Antimony, if you see my granddaughter, be considerate. She is in a bit of a spiral, I'm sure you can imagine."
Â
"Considerate," Antimony echoed, lifted her handdistractedly as the bartender finished with his ambitious patron. Considerate of a woman who had murdered four people? She'd tried to support Loughree when the young woman was troubled, but this... She felt herself deflate as the bartender approached. When he asked what she'd like, she found herself unable to settle and so, in rush of anxiety and a wish to just make things better again, hastily ordered a bit of everything.
Â
She could share it with Ulanan and Megiddo, if need be, shethought faintly.
Â
"I... worry what drove her to such acts," shefinally managed, after the bartender had left looking bewildered.
Â
"I wonder if she actually did anything." Ulananpondered.
Â
"Worry and wonder." Megiddo stood away from thebar, looking sideways at the two. "These are the proper emotions. Worry and wonder are what she would need. That you feel such is why I am confident asking you thus." His shifted her head away, greasy hair laying over his features. "I need to return to my cell before my absence is discovered."
Â
Antimony really wasn't sure what to make of Megiddo'simplications - arrested for murders he didn't commit, somehow sneaking out to walk the streets as though he were on a midsummer stroll. Still, she had to admire the old man for what he'd done, even if thinking about Loughree now left her stomach churning. "I... will do what I can for her," she muttered, bowing her head.
Â
Ulanan tipped her hat in no particular direction. "Ishould go, too." she said. Afterwards, she added a confident smile and looked at the woman. "Don't worry! I'm sure K'airos was just crying over fighting with her boyfriend or something like that. I'll let you know where they are!"
Â
Antimony looked unhappy at the prospect of letting Ulanan goon without her, but her protests would continue to fall on deaf ears she knew, and there wasn't much else she could do. Silently she vowed to make haste to Crescent Cove as soon as possible, and then just forced a smile to first Megiddo and then Ulanan.
Â
With a smirk on his placid features, Megiddo walked ontowards the exit. "I wish you better luck, Antimony. And Ulanan, I recommend you be more on the cautious side than the blunt side. But you will do as you will.
Â
Ulanan huffed, walking towards the exit with him."People need to stop thinking I'm blunt. I'm not!" She stopped halfway to turn around and head towards another, different exit. Good thing the Quicksand had three. "Actually, it's best if I leave that way. Goodbye!"
Â
D'hein Nunh-until-someone-told-him-otherwise-because-hey-why-notthought that the Quicksand was an appropriate name for the place that here was going, as the weight of his legs and feet made him feel like the streets were made of clinging sand. He would not admit to an inability to sleep, or maybe he would if asked, as he thought he had become unpredictable since D'ahl's death. He did not feel psychologically stable, and he was unusually numb.
Â
Taking a deep breath as he prepared to climb the steps,D'hein Nunh-as-far-as-anyone-could-say forced himself to stand straight and lift his shoulders, putting his hands on his hips. Dodoes do not plod, no matter how little sleep they've had or how tragic their lot. As heavy as his ears and eyelids were, he forced them to open and rise. One of his ears was a laggard, but he failed to notice.
Â
He looked back on Antimony, having said nothing for theentirety of the walk back from the desert. "I apologize for my dire behavior. If I've said anything offensive, I pray you forgive me as I am not myself. If I've said anything heartfelt and sensitive, I pray you'll see it as my being charmingly vulnerable and unusually honest."
Â
This city really was horribly filthy, Antimony thought asthey returned to Ul'dah's walls and approached the Quicksand - and not just in appearance. Its very spirit was stained, and it seemed to stain everyone who spent time within it. She wondered if that was why D'ahl had behaved as she did, why all the Dodos behaved the way they did. Were they just victims of Ul'dah's inescapable corruption?
Â
Antimony watched the back of D'hein's head as they walkedand was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't catch most of his words, or really notice he'd stopped. She managed to pull herself short before colliding, however, and then blinked rapidly at him. "Ah, well..." Her lips pursed. Quickly, respond! "Don't... worry about such things."
Â
One side of his lips curled upwards, in more bemusement thanhumor. "If you say so." His tail swung idly as he turned away, brushing her arm, though he failed to notice. He began up the steps to head inside. "Is there a place where she will look for you?"
Â
Antimony fidgeted a bit at the bottom of the stairs, earstwitching about, before following hurriedly. "Perhaps... we've had meals in the main hall a number of times?"
Â
"Perhaps you have? Where else might you have hadthem?"
Â
She scratched at one ear, then stilled her hand by foldingit deliberately over D'ahl's journal. "Ah, well... my room, I suppose."
Â
D'hein Nunh-probably-but-maybe-not turned to face her,walking backwards up the stairs. He spread his arms, "So there are two possible locations. Does she only find you at places you've shared meals? How then did she find you in the first place, before you'd ever shared any meals?" His heal hit a step and he fell backwards, but turned and took the last few steps like nothing had happened. then they were going inside.
Â
Antimony sputtered a bit as D'hein tripped, then twisted hertail in thought. "Of course those aren't the only... That is, we've met at other... Well, she found me on a bench outside the Quicksand. And in the courtyard near the Drowning Wench in Limsa. And at the fountain here in Ul'dah. And at the Arcanists' Guild. And at Black Br.. er, well that one doesn't matter. And..." She trailed off, wringing her hands. "None of those are very likely, though!"
Â
As soon as they entered, the first thing they saw was allthe adventurers that always crowded the tavern. The second thing, though, might have been a small blond figure sitting in the closest table to the entrance, wearing white, with a white hat as big as its owner resting on the table right next to a large plate of meat with a side serving of olives. Or, rather, olives with a side serving of olives with some meat below it.
Â
D'hein didn’t see the figure. He smelled the olives, but thoughtthem unpleasant and turned away from them with a shiver of his tail. "Well if we chose to wait in your inn room at least we could take a nap. It's difficult to know to rest during the hard parts of life, but important."
Â
Her ears laid back as she cleared her throat, eyes shiftingaway from D'hein in part because of the Tia-turned-Nunh'ssuggestion and in part to scan the tavern's open seating area. She, too, caught the scent of olives almost immediately, but they were happily familiar, so she let her eyes follow it to the white-robed figure. A faint, relieved smile crossed her face. "Ulanan!" Lifting one arm to wave it in greeting, she turned to angle towards the woman, flicking her tail at D'hein in gesture.
Â
The lalafell answered by raising one hand and waving itslightly, smiling but saying nothing as her mouth was busy munching on her meal. She gestured to the empty chairs around her table.
Â
The Nunh-like Tia continued walking, stretching his armshigh to keep himself awake. "I haven't forgotten about Ulanan. We may just have to hope she has not forgotten about you, though."
Â
Antimony halted, grimaced in a way that made her bruisedface ache, spun towards him, "D'hein, she is here!"
Â
Ulanan stared between them, swallowed and, understandingthey were looking for her, she said out loud: "Hello, Antimony!"
Â
D'hein paused. One ear twitched, and then the other. He backpedaledthree steps and then spun on his toes, spreading his arms dramatically and whacking some poor lalafell in the ear. The tiny person dashed off as though he'd done something wrong; maybe he was a pickpocket or something. D'hein didn't notice what he'd done.
Â
"Of course she's here." he could only musterenough energy for half a grin. "She's always present when we have need of her most."
Â
"Yes, it's a wonder." Antimony sighed, brushedsome hair from her face, and then turned to continue over towards Ulanan. There was a brief worry over whether or not the lalafell would ask about her face, but there wasn't really much to be done about it. She would just distract her. "Ulanan," she walked up to the much smaller woman. "I never got to ask after you when you left after... Aijeen."
Â
"I lost her not long after leaving the commune."came the answer, flat in tone. "Are you alright? You both look...tired." she asked with some diplomacy.
Â
"There have been some unfortunate events." D'heinapproached the table that Ulanan occupied. "Aijeen killed D'ahl that night. Are we sitting?" He dropped himself into a chair.
Â
Antimony winced. "We haven't yet--" She cut offher protest, though, not wishing to restart that particular argument, and then just furrowed her brow at Ulanan. "You are fine, though? I worried for you, when I heard what happened."
Â
Ulanan stopped all movements for about three seconds,holding a handful of olives in her hand. "Yes, I am." she answered, glancing at her food. Then she looked at the man, letting her head drop slightly. "I'm sorry, D'hein."
Â
His mouth opened to respond, but D'hein found an absence ofwords. Instead of letting it hang vapidly open, he clicked it shut. His mane of blonde hair shook as he simply nodded back and turned his gaze to his shoes.
Â
"I..." Antimony hesitated, fidgeted with the bookin her hands, and then sighed, eyes shifting at a downward angle towards D'hein. "Sit, and we can get something to eat." There was another pause, then towards Ulanan, "I suppose... you've no knowledge as to where Aijeen has fled to?"
Â
She shook her head. "No." There was a pause as sheate another olive. "But K'airos went to Horizon in a rented chocobo and later left towards Vesper Bay on foot."
Â
One of D'hein's ears twitched, though his expression didn'tchange. He leaned an elbow on the table and closed his eyes. "I suppose we can expect a negative response from Drybone, then."
Â
Antimony's own ears drooped to either side, furrowed browdeepening. "Vesper... Vesper Bay?" Worry leaked into her voice. "Why?"
Â
Another handful of olives got in the way of Ulanan's speech,though she stopped chewing to roll them to her right cheek. "Nobody there saw any Miqo'te Brass Blades arriving when I searched for her there." She found that way of speaking very unlady-like, so she swallowed. "She either got into town without the uniform, went south to Crescent Cove or set up a camp somewhere along the way to wait for D'aijeen."
Â
"They left, when?" D'hein leaned forward, shookhis head, glanced around. "We need to get food."
Â
"And why?" Antimony murmured again, earsshivering.
Â
"The chocobo keeper wasn't very precise about the time,but it was sometime before meeting in the commune." the lalafell replied. Then she shrugged. "I don't know why. K'airos was crying loudly when she rented the transport, and that was the only reason the keeper could identify her."
Â
"Crying. Excellent." He massaged his forehead."But that was before Aijeen had cause to be upset about anything, wasn't it? This is all stemming from her fighting with D'ahl... We need to get food."
Â
Ulanan's offer was inevitable. "Olives?"
Â
Ulanan's words only served to further distress Antimony."Crying," she repeated. And she could do nothing to assuage it here... The thought of her daughter hurting made her heart wrench. She swallowed. "Is there... Aijeen is with her surely... aah, we must go to her immediately!"
Â
"No," D'hein frowned. "As I just said, weneed food. You can't care for anyone if you don't care for yourself. That is simplicity itself." He flicked his eyes to Ulanan. "And, no. Olives will not fill our bellies. We need actual, honest food."
Â
"I think they are perfectly honest." Megiddoreached over Ulanan's shoulder and plucked an olive from the pile. The old man was particularly dilapidated. "Thank you, Ulanan."
Â
The lalafell didn't have time to protest to D'hein's words,and then barely had time to shake and look behind her with a stabbing glare.
Â
Antimony flinched, performing some strange backwardstwitch-hop, her tail fuzzing out, at Megiddo's unexpected entrance. "That--they--olives are... Where did you come from??"
Â
Megiddo gestured in a general unspecific direction,"Oh, somewhere over there."
Â
D'hein just groaned at the man's presence.
Â
Ulanan frowned. "Who taught you to intrude rudely atother people's conversations?" The frown was followed with some squinting and smiling. "Wait, this is actually great! You can go keep an eye on K'airos while these two rest."
Â
"What? No, I've rested!" Antimony protested."Now I can't speak for D'hein, of course, but... I can't just sit by while something is upsetting Airos, and while Aijeen is still missing...!"
Â
Megiddo frowned at Ulanan. "And I suppose you have away to get me to Crescent Cove in the time it takes for two Miqo'te to take a nap? I find it unlikely." And then, to Antimony, he said, "The more problematic of your two daughters has gone to Crescent Cove as well. At least, she left for the Silver Bazaar, which has a ferry going that way, if I remember correctly."
Â
Eyes widening, Antimony lashed her tail about behind her,whacking the chair D'hein sat in. "Then you... that... Ah, thank you, Megiddo! You are always such an incredible help to me, I don't..." She spun on D'hein. "There is no telling how long she'll remain there!"
Â
Ulanan turned around and looked at the Duskwight as if hehad just personally insulted all of her family at once. Then she turned back at her plate, huffing. "Don't act as if you didn't know what an aetheryte is, or as if you didn't have the wealth to pay the fees."
Â
Much calmer, she looked at the two Miqo'te. "CrescentCove only has two exits. Meggido and me will be enough to cover both. One or the other will eventually run into them if they leave."
Â
Finally, D'hein spoke up. "Old man, I suppose the firstperson you told about this was that demented roegadyn friend of yours?"
Â
"No. She threatened Antimony's child, and so has notbeen informed. However, I'm afraid that my skills for observation are matched only by my necessity for inaction. I cannot help in the way that Ulanan imagines, for you see, I am currently incarcerated."
Â
"Of course you are." D'hein hid his face behindone hand again.
Â
Antimony twisted back to Megiddo, blinking in confusion."Incarcerated? But you're here."
Â
"It's jargon for 'I should be in prison but I'mactually not'." Ulanan explained with a huff. Her tiny arms crossed over each other and rested over the table. "Did you hire him to look for D'aijeen?" she asked D'hein.
Â
D'hein lifted his gaze to Ulanan, sounding offended, "Iam well above employing the homeless to search for my daughter! What kind of terrible parents must you have had!"
Â
The Duskwight ignored the exchange between the two,answering Antimony instead. "I took your chiding regarding my granddaughter to heart and have made myself helpful. She killed four men yesterday morning and was arrested. Therefore, I turned myself in for the crime, securing her release. Theoretically, I am currently in jail. Though I confess I am wandering a bit."
Â
Antimony's mouth dropped slightly, ears shifting back."Oh," she murmured. "Why is everyone..." Her tail shivered and then she dropped her gaze. "That was very... kind of you. But Miss Loughree? She killed... ah. This whole city bears a terrible curse!"
Â
Ignoring Antimony's outburst towards the city, Ulananoffered an alternative. "You need to rest. Do you still have that Agency linkpearl? If D'hein can lend me one, I can go to the Cove from Horizon right now and keep you informed. Will that tranquilize you enough to rest?"
Â
Still glaring, D'hein growled, "I'm not sure I want youaround Aijeen considering what you did to D'ahl." One of his eyes was flat on his head, both twitching. "That kind of violence is exactly what started all this."
Â
Ulanan didn't waste time to growl back, except hers was amuch higher, pathetic pitch coming from a tiny frame. "I wasn't asking you."
Â
"IF!" Antimony shouted very suddenly, throwing herarms up between the two, one hand still clutching the journal. She paused, cleared her throat, shrunk a bit and repeated, "If... everyone can stop killing--or... talking about killing.. or thinking about killing, or hurting or--just stop, for more than half a second! I am... going to get D'hein some food." She didn't wait for a response, giving a distressed huff and spinning on her heel to hurry towards the bar.
Â
Watching Antimony retreat with wide-eyes, D'hein spun onUlanan and said, "That's no way to talk to a woman! You're much too rough with her! Attacking people all the time, bringing violence into her family."
Â
Ulanan threw her hands to the airs "Who suggestedviolence!" she asked, though it was more of an exclamation. She followed this by pointing at him rudely. "Maybe you forgot that D'ahl threw a dagger at her. Maybe you also forgot you stood uselessly while she had all the intention to murder her."
Â
D'hein slammed his hands on the table and stood to his fullheight. "D'ahl intended no such thing! If she wanted her dead, she would be dead! D'ahl would never murder someone undeservedly!"
Â
Taking another olive and stepping back, Megiddo watched theexchange with mild interest before turning to follow Antimony.
Â
Antimony's tail bristled as she wove her way through themild crowd. She caught D'hein's shouting, his words setting her ears flat against her head, but she didn't alter course. Once at the bar, she waited for some ambitious patron to finish his drink order, and tried not to think of K'airos crying, or D'aijeen killing anyone, or Loughree killing anyone, or D'hein defending D'ahl's attack on her, or any such thing.
Â
Ulanan also stood up, but she did so on her chair and with ajump. Her feet stomped on the chair in imitation of the man's slam. "It was a dagger! She threw a dagger. Not a slap to the face. Not mean words. A dagger!"Â She jumped again, thistime to the floor. Another stomp accompanied her. It was louder this time. "I won't sit here while you justify D'ahl's action. I'm sorry she's gone, but her actions weren't justified." She stood on her toes and swept her arm to take her huge hat with her. In the same movement, it was on her head.
Â
"Have a good day!" and she walked off to followMegiddo. Or perhaps to follow Antimony.
Â
D'hein shook his head, dumbfounded. "How in the sevenhells am I supposed to have a good day? Are you paying any attention to what's going on at all?"
Â
Megiddo ghosted behind Antimony, his small footsteps andunsteady balance allowing him to keep up with her against all reason. After she had paused for a time at the bar, he ventured, "My condolences for your experiences. But days such as these do pass."
Â
Antimony jumped for the second of Megiddo's appearances thatafternoon, then sighed. "I would believe that, I think, if these days did not seem to happen with increasing frequency."
Â
Ulanan threw some words at D'hein while she left him behind"It's a manner of speech. And I'm still sorry about this!"
Â
She zig-zagged between the patrons and usuals of theQuicksand before reaching the other two, walking past the Duskwight and standing next to Antimony. Looking up, she wasted little time in speaking. "I'm sorry," she started. "I did not intend to harm anyone. I just wanted to help."
Â
"Even when helpful, violence is regrettable. It doesnot mean that you should regret it." Megiddo wedged himself between two patrons so he could relax against the bar. The patrons seemed put off by the sudden intrusion of the filthy man, and vacated their seats. The Duskwight gestured to them, "Perhaps you should sit."
Â
Antimony spared the lalafell a brief, anxious glance beforereturning her attention to the bartender. "I'm fine, thank you," she murmured to Megiddo. "This should only take a moment."
Â
"D'hein is currently a sad man." Ulanan said,looking back towards where she left him. All she saw were many legs of tall people. "I still offer myself to go ahead to Crescent Cove while the two of you rest. I can use the aetherytes to come and go if they rest at Horizon or if they decide to come back to Ul'dah. Or to Drybone."
Â
A pause. Then she added: "That way we won't losethem."
Â
Megiddo stood where he was, his eyes half-lidded and staringat nothing, listening. D'hein evidently had remained at the table.
Â
Resting the journal on the bartop, and her hands on top ofthe journal, Antimony leaned forward slightly, frowning. "I... suppose I can't object." Her ears shifted out, tail curling against one leg. "That Airos was so upset, over... I can't fathom, but I must get to both of them as quickly as possible." She hesitated, glanced towards Ulanan. "Can you... take people along with you on the aetherytes?"
Â
"No, that's not possible." she shook her head."You'd need to be attuned to Horizon's aetheryte. And even then it isn't that close to Crescent Cove. So make sure to rest. I'll let you know if they move."
Â
"In the meantime," Megiddo spoke with a quietbreath, but the grating of his voice made it audible. "Antimony, if you see my granddaughter, be considerate. She is in a bit of a spiral, I'm sure you can imagine."
Â
"Considerate," Antimony echoed, lifted her handdistractedly as the bartender finished with his ambitious patron. Considerate of a woman who had murdered four people? She'd tried to support Loughree when the young woman was troubled, but this... She felt herself deflate as the bartender approached. When he asked what she'd like, she found herself unable to settle and so, in rush of anxiety and a wish to just make things better again, hastily ordered a bit of everything.
Â
She could share it with Ulanan and Megiddo, if need be, shethought faintly.
Â
"I... worry what drove her to such acts," shefinally managed, after the bartender had left looking bewildered.
Â
"I wonder if she actually did anything." Ulananpondered.
Â
"Worry and wonder." Megiddo stood away from thebar, looking sideways at the two. "These are the proper emotions. Worry and wonder are what she would need. That you feel such is why I am confident asking you thus." His shifted her head away, greasy hair laying over his features. "I need to return to my cell before my absence is discovered."
Â
Antimony really wasn't sure what to make of Megiddo'simplications - arrested for murders he didn't commit, somehow sneaking out to walk the streets as though he were on a midsummer stroll. Still, she had to admire the old man for what he'd done, even if thinking about Loughree now left her stomach churning. "I... will do what I can for her," she muttered, bowing her head.
Â
Ulanan tipped her hat in no particular direction. "Ishould go, too." she said. Afterwards, she added a confident smile and looked at the woman. "Don't worry! I'm sure K'airos was just crying over fighting with her boyfriend or something like that. I'll let you know where they are!"
Â
Antimony looked unhappy at the prospect of letting Ulanan goon without her, but her protests would continue to fall on deaf ears she knew, and there wasn't much else she could do. Silently she vowed to make haste to Crescent Cove as soon as possible, and then just forced a smile to first Megiddo and then Ulanan.
Â
With a smirk on his placid features, Megiddo walked ontowards the exit. "I wish you better luck, Antimony. And Ulanan, I recommend you be more on the cautious side than the blunt side. But you will do as you will.
Â
Ulanan huffed, walking towards the exit with him."People need to stop thinking I'm blunt. I'm not!" She stopped halfway to turn around and head towards another, different exit. Good thing the Quicksand had three. "Actually, it's best if I leave that way. Goodbye!"
![[Image: AntiThalSig.png]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/179079766/AntiThalSig.png)
"Song dogs barking at the break of dawn, lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm; and these streets, quiet as a sleeping army, send their battered dreams to heaven."
Hipparion Tribe (Sagolii)Â - Â Antimony Jhanhi's Wiki
