Naunet

Good news! Torvhan is amazing.

Ah, that is awesome! I had managed to find this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5EPSxNlyNA&feature=youtu.be&t=59m5s But the size is far too large to convert and I have no idea how to chop up the video so it's only Dalamud's Answer. The quality is a bit clearer in that one, so if I could figure out a way to work it... *saves your link just in case*

Shot in the dark, but I really wanted to get myself an mp3 of the distorted version of "Answers" that played up to the shut down of 1.0. It used to be up on youtube, but Squeenix apparently hates free advertising. Does anyone happen to have a copy of the file? I would love you forever.

MND is +healing; PIE (piety) is +mana.

((Set no more than a week after Mothers Make the Best Stew.)) *** In the midst of barkers and pushy shoppers, Antimony did stuff that was, like, shopping stuff. Eyeing foods critically. Poking at produce. She was in an open air market down in the lower decks, and the selection was limited but still good. With all the farmland in La Noscea, it was no wonder. After some time meandering about, she paused to consider a crate of oranges then, and was now stooped over them. When she spoke, it was probably the most boring thing ever, "Ulanan, how do you feel about oranges?" Ulanan didn't answer right away. Her mind drifted like a ship that had been bombarded with so many cannons in such a short time that it was a wonder that it hadn't sunk to the bottom of the ocean yet. But the lalafell's mind was not attacked by literal cannons but by a simple question: Why were there so many people wearing linen cloth, the most evil and terrible of fabrics? She pondered about this for a long while, perhaps too long. At the end, something in her mind made a connection and she remembered Antimony had just asked her a question. "Oranges are fine." she smiled. Her tail flicked behind her in a subconscious gesture of thought. "I don't really know any recipes with oranges... I wonder how quickly they rot." A dark grey hand would offer a basket of oranges to Antimony from behind one of the stalls, a straw hat casting a dark face in shadow. "If you're looking for oranges, I know of the best grove in La Noscea." The voice was deep and neutral, but the man leaned his head back a bit so there was light on his broad, old smile. Antimony blinked at the basket, then at the arm extending it, and then at the face beneath the hat, and only then did she startle upright in surprise, dropping the orange she'd been experimentally poking at. "Ah! What? Ah--Megiddo!" Green eyes wrinkled as she processed his words again and then, "I didn't notice you there... I'm sorry." Ulanan turned her head until she could see Megiddo sideways. She frowned for a moment before returning to her usual, more neutral gaze. "What a coincidence." she commented with the enthusiasm of a rock. Picking up the orange she dropped, ears flicking apologetically at the merchant nearby, Antimony took a moment to calm her heart from Megiddo's surprise. "Well. It is indeed. But... ah, you like oranges as well?" Still wearing his smile, Megiddo greeted Ulanan with a nod (both his hands were fixed to the basket of oranges he carried). "I'm sure there's some wine around here if you'd like to make good on your previous offer." Looking then to Antimony, "A hermit learns a certain appreciation for fruit, free or otherwise. Oranges last a day or so in a pocket, so it helps to learn to love them." "You could keep them fresh for a few days if you pile them around a water sprite core and place them all in a box," Ulanan suggested. "A day or so," she pursed her lips in thought. At Ulanan's words, her expression brightened, "Ah, of course! Ever resourceful, Ulanan. Though... I don't think I've access to such a thing." Setting down the basket, Megiddo said, "They're using them to preserve the fruits for sail, actually. I'm sure we could get hold of one." Ulanan raised a brow. "We?" "Oh, but I couldn't ask for one they're using! And... well, bluntly put, I'm sure I don't have the purchasing power they do." Antimony chuckled a bit wryly at that. "They have several," he said, arranging a few oranges. "And once the food is sold, they don't serve as much use. They also tend to expire." He glanced at Ulanan, a bit bemused, "Well, if I'm helping, then yes, we." "They should not be as expensive as they are in Ul'dah." the lalafell remarked. She kept looking at some point over Megiddo. "I'm quite surprised to see you are still in La Noscea. It was already quite odd to meet you in Wineport." His bemusement giving way to amusement, Megiddo smiled over at Ulanan, "You notice the working of Oschon, one of the most confounding of the Twelve." Furrowing her brow, Antimony turned back to the oranges, muttering to herself, "I suppose if we got some fish... That seems light enough? Hm, and they would be a nice breakfast..." Her tail twitched at Megiddo's words and she added, "I do not blame you for not returning to Gridania." Ulanan raised a finger. "Oschon isn't the only one who can give direction to feet." Then the finger dropped and she turned to Antimony. "We could make some juice with them. Or pudding." "A pudding... Oh! I heard something the other day about... what was it... preserves!" "Ah, if you start pairing things up for meals and pudding, you've exceeded anything I know about food," he said to Antimony, juggling that well with a response to Ulanan, "The Twelve often co-opt our intentions, though I suppose what you say is true." Ulanan stood on the tip of her toes, her hands pulling Megiddo's basket down to her eye level. "I wonder if they just sent you to us now so we could decide between pudding or...preserves?" Laughing, Megiddo looked at Antimony and says, "If that's so, I'm beginning to suspect Oschon is very like Ulanan in personality." "That would be an odd task of the gods, if they did guide actions at all." She left off the 'but they don't' and eyed a crate of leeks across the way. Ulanan followed Antimony's gaze. "They do all sorts of strange things. But there is a difference between divine guidance and mortal malice. A thin one." Megiddo didn’t seem to have anything to say about that, so he instead indicated the oranges, "These are the best I was able to find in the orchard, being unhurried. I picked only the single basket." Antimony pulled her eyes from the crate of leeks to the basket in his hands. "Oh! Then... well, I'm sure you will enjoy them! But that seems far too many for you to eat in a couple days." "Oh, they're not for me. This vendor is selling them. I just helped them to pick them." Ulanan took a peek inside Megiddo's basket. She squinted at the oranges, her enormous hat blocking most of them from the view of the others. "We have to buy some leeks and make some leeway in our load for the leeks we will be making leeway for." "That was kind of you," Antimony smiled briefly, then frowned. "I've never made neither pudding nor preserves, Ulanan. Do you know how...?" "We'll need eggs, butter, lemons and sugar." she added. Antimony winced at the list. "Sugar... That may be a bit out of my, ah, budget." She leaned forward, trying to see the oranges around Ulanan's hat. "You'd likely have to buy it from the Culinarians at the Bismarck," Megiddo said amicably. "Well, we do not have the power to produce pudding without sugar. So we should seek to secure a source of sugar." She then looked up to Antimony, her hat no longing obscuring the oranges. "Unless we skip the dessert." Glancing first briefly at Megiddo before looking down at Ulanan's up-turned face, Antimony sighed. "I suppose that would depend on... other decisions affecting my finances," she said vaguely and then frowned at the oranges. Ulanan blinked at that, looking confused. Spreading his arms, Megiddo says warmly, "Are you still concerned about that? I thought the other night at the Drowning Wench would reassure you." She blinked at Megiddo before half-smiling and shaking her head, "Oh, no, not that. Don't worry." A pause and then a change of subject, "Ah, oranges qualify as sweet on their own, certainly?" "I can buy the sugar." Ulanan said, moving her hands out of the basket's borders. "We won't need much anyway." "That's awfully generous. Are you sure you're from Ul'dah, Ulanan?" Megiddo smiled. "You are awfully friendly. Are you sure you are a Duskwight?" At that, Megiddo laughed loudly, his old voice dropping away into silent laughter after a few seconds. "I can't possibly ask that of you, Ulanan. Why, I'm not even sure how you'd get the money! You've never spoken of work." Antimony shook her head. "Oschon shall show me to the gil, where I shall shamelessly shear some shells and shape them into sheer gil. " She smiled and added: "Or maybe I'm a good gil saver." Greyed ears shifted flat out form the sides of her head and, after a moment, she relented, "If you insist. It would be nice..." She turned then to Megiddo on a sudden thought, "Ah, you should stay to share this pudding!" Catching Anti's glance with his pale eyes, Megiddo frowned vaguely. "Seldom does a Duskwight doubt his ears..." "What? Is that a strange thing to do?" Her brow furrowed. "I assure you it won't be poisoned." The lalafell smiled casually. Megiddo hummed at a thought, and then gestures to the market around them, "Seldom you will find a Duskwight in places such as this, and when one does, it is not usual to request that one stays for dessert. My instincts would normally warn me away from such an invitation, but I wouldn't expect any ill intent from either of you." "Well, I simply thought... with your apparent, I mean, I am making assumptions so I suppose I could be stepping on toes, but you do seem fond of oranges, and while I can't guarantee the quality of this pudding, since I've never attempted it before, Ulanan does seem to know what she's talking about, and certainly neither of us would try to harm you! Well, except for that one time and ooh I'm not going to speak of that!" Antimony finished looking a bit flustered. Chuckling at Antimony’s outburst, Megiddo looked down to Ulanan, "What do you think, hm?" Ulanan's hands curled into fists, which she placed under her chin, letting her head rest against them. "Maybe Oschon just wanted you to get some pudding." With a nod, Megiddo smiled, "Yes, I do think that Oschon and Ulanan do think alike. While I'm not fond of the city, if I'm willing to come here to pass a meal with Ildur, I suppose I can try some pudding." "Excellent!" The creases around her eyes and mouth deepened in a smile. She eyed the basket Megiddo still carried then, "I don't think we'll need quite so many, but..." Ulanan clapped her hands together before looking to Antimony. "I suggest we divide our efforts. If you don't have already, you should get some flour. Then head back and prepare the oven. It has to be quite hot for the pudding to be made! Me and Megiddo will take care of acquiring the sugar." Antimony pursed her lips in thought for a moment, then nearly protested leaving the two of them alone, before finally nodding assent, "That would seem most efficient. I may need to pick up some more kindling on the way..." She turns away from Ulanan and Megiddo, losing herself quickly in planning, enough so that she forgets to even say good bye. With a static smile on his face, Megiddo quietly pocketed a few oranges. Antimony walked away, weaving through the other shoppers in the market and the crates of produce, quickly disappearing from view. Ulanan looked up to the Duskwight and declared that, "The sugar is this way." She turned and moved in the opposite direction Antimony had gone. She stopped a few yalms ahead and turned around to see if he was following her. Before departing, Megiddo positioned the basket of oranges alongside a few others, turned to some nearby Hyur who were near the booth and dismissed himself by stating, "I am being lead elsewhere. Good sales." He received rather little by way of gratitude for whatever help he'd proffered, but didn’t linger to receive any either. He slipped out into the main walkway in the market, his spindly, rickety body swaying as he turned to follow Ulanan. The lalafell wandered aimlessly and silently across the street before stopping in front of a pile of crates by the entrance of the market area. She climbed on top of one and turned around, waving her hands to beckon the Duskwight. With a look of curiosity, Megiddo briefly paused when he saw Ulanan climbing the crates. After a moment, he paces over, observing, "I doubt they sell sugar here." Ulanan raised a finger. "Crates certainly have no capacity to sell sugar. Now come closer." Megiddo got as close as he was likely to, perhaps a half meter away, and awaited an explanation. She looked at him, disappointment all over her eyes, and crossed her arms. "Tell me, what are your intentions with Antimony?" Megiddo blinked at that, frowning, and stated after a moment, "To taste pudding, I believe." "Don't bring Oschon and his pudding into this." She moved her left hand towards him and extended the fingers out. "Too many times we have ran into you since you tried to kill her." The other hand moved over her left and pointed at each finger while she added: "After your competitors failed. At the winery. At the Drowning Wench. And just now!" She seemingly ignored the fifth finger and crossed her arms again. "Don't try to blame this on Oschon." As Ulanan spoke, Megiddo glanced over his shoulder to note if they were being watched or not. The few looks he did notice were the typical disapproving glares that Duskwight tend to get. "If you think about it," he said, looking back, expression flat, "It makes perfect sense. Antimony's new employer is an old friend of mine. That isn't coincidence." "That only justifies one time you met her. Are you implying they hired you to follow her?" Ulanan's eyes widen and she gapes, perhaps as if she just had an epiphany. "Was it D'hein?" A bit taken aback by that, Megiddo shook his head, "No, nothing like that. You've got it backwards." "That's exactly what someone of your profession would say if I had gotten it right!" Ulanan took a short jump off the crate, the meeting of her tiny feet and the floor muffled by her boots and small size. Megiddo put one hand on his hip, "That's ridiculous. What are your intentions with Antimony?" She straightened her posture, looking up at him with a frown. "You can't judge me. I'm not the professional assassin." "We don't know what you are," Megiddo stated, "Except very dangerous when threatened, and fond of olives." Ulanan shook both hands in the air. "You will not judge the merits of olives!" she exclaimed, completely missing the point. She calmed down immediately and added in a much calmer tone: "I don't care if Oschon or your own malicious feet are bringing you to her. If I get the feeling that you will hurt her I won't just burn you alive." His eyes took in the scope of their surroundings again, and noted gazes that lingered on the Duskwight who stood out of the way, speaking with the irate Lalafel. A private thought deepened the crags on his visage, and he said in a tone a few degrees cooler than he'd been speaking with before, "There is no sense in such a threat, considering all the chances I've already turned down, and the money besides. Did you want to get sugar, or was that simply a ruse?" "I don't expect murderers to have logic." Then she smiled. "Yes, sugar. We can't make the pudding without it!" Megiddo hummed at an unsavory taste in his mouth. He exhaled, "Then go and retrieve it. I'm sure you know the way. I'm going to walk alone for a time." Ulanan nodded, saying "May Oschon guide your steps." And then she walked away as if they had not spoken about anything for the past few minutes. For a few moments, he watched Ulanan's back, and a scowl tugged at his lips. Then, he found another person to scowl at, someone in the market who'd been eyeing his back earlier.

((Follow up to Lost and Found and occurring some time after Judgement.)) *** The soft patting of tiny feet tracked Ulanan’s movements as she wandered around the small flat, restless. She kept looking under the furniture – what there was of it – and other things that didn’t need much effort from her, and looking suspiciously inside the vases and flower pots scattered haphazardly around the area. At the far wall, which was consumed by a small kitchenette and shelving with food and other supplies, Antimony, dressed in a simple dress and pants and a worn apron, distractedly stirred a boiling pot filled mostly vegetables of various kinds. She kept her eyes on the wall in front of her, though her thin ears swiveled back occasionally at the rustling of Ulanan in her home. "There are no vermin here to worry about, Ulanan," she spoke after minutes of silence broken only by the shuffling of objects. Ulanan knocked on one of the cabinets, listening to the hollow thud of her knuckles as though it spoke some secret message. "I'm not looking for vermin," she said, placing an ear against the wood and knocking again. Antimony winced, eyes shifting to one corner of the counter, where a copy of the latest Tonberry's Lantern lay face-down, and then bent to rummage in a cabinet below the stove. “Ah, treasure, then?” “In a way. I lost my hat.” The be-robed lalafell moved closer to the kitchenette and stretched up to peer into a vase again. “No, it's not there.” Pausing in her actions with the pot, Antimony glanced towards Ulanan with a small frown. “I don't think it'd be in a flower pot then. Where... did you see it last?” “It was on my head. Then it wasn't!” Antimony turned from the pot, her ears shifting about as she scanned the small flat. There weren’t many places for things to get lost here, save for the cluttered corners near the alcove that held her bed. "And where were you when it was on your head?" Ulanan climbed up into the chair next to the modest, round-topped dining table that doubled as Antimony’s usual work-space. "I was right here. Then I leant down because I thought- oh, here it is!" With a happy flourish, she reacquired her hat. It had been under the chair the whole time. Antimony tilted her head slightly and gave Ulanan a small smile. "Not that it could've gone very far here. You're lucky you didn't tip it over the edge of Limsa and into the sea." As she spoke, a faint voice sounded from somewhere across the room, echoing distantly as though speaking from inside something: “Pardon the intrusion, everyone. Antimony! Have you your linkpearl near you?” “That would have been a good excuse to buy a fancier one, though,” Ulanan was saying. Antimony blinked rapidly, her ears twitching in confusion for several seconds as she looks around for the sudden, muffled voice. “What was... oh.” “I will make sure your vegetables don't explode due to overheating!” Abandoning her cooking for the time being, Antimony crossed to a low, wide cabinet and frowned down at it for a moment before picking up a round object that shone with a pearlescent finish. The item rolled about in the palm of her hand. "Thank you, Ulanan," she offered to the lalafell and then held the object awkwardly in front of her. She'd clearly not used a device like this often in the past. “What... Ah, is there something I can help you with...?” “Ah, there you are!” That voice again, and Antimony recognized it this time as the ever-difficult D’hein. Her boss. “A brief inquiry for the moment! Have you been sent of on another job yet? Perhaps from Illira or that older fellow?” Ulanan clambered up the kitchen counter until she was perched atop the stove. Arming herself with a spoon, she stabbed the soup and stirred it slowly. Antimony glanced briefly Ulanan's way and called out, "Please be careful up there!" before returning her attention to the linkpearl. “Oh, well, no, not yet. Was there something that needed doing? It's rather late to be giving an assignment, is it not? I won't be able to start on it until tomorrow morning…” Ulanan gave Antimony a lazy nod while continuing her idle cooking. “Business needs to be done when the work is fresh!” D’hein spoke through the linkpearl in a sing-song voice. “That being beside the point, though. I'm afraid I'm abusing the linkpearl for personal reasons. There's something that we must needs discuss, you and I. I'll visit you very soon!” Antimony's frown deepened at that. "Personal--" she began in an annoyed tone, and then cleared her throat before forcing out, “I thank you for the, ah, warning, I suppose.” “I always do what I can to accommodate! See you soon!” Ulanan's ears twitched and she retired the spoon from the pot and pondered about taking a sip from its steaming hot contents. Antimony did not reply to the voice on the linkpearl, instead setting it down firmly and pursing her lips. Barely a few seconds had passed before a sharp knock sounded on the door. Starting, Antimony's ears flick back to press against her skull. "Oh for all that is... Soon! That may as well be immediately." Ulanan left the spoon on the counter and climbed down. “Perhaps it's just a coincidence? It could be someone else.” Antimony cast a furrowed glance at Ulanan. "I highly doubt we would be so fortunate, but..." One hand came up to pinch at the bridge of her nose. "Do you mind answering for me? Just in case." The lalafell smiled, “I don't,” and swaggered over to the door, swinging the door open with an authoritative gesture. On the other side of the entryway, D’hein stood with a straight face, though as Ulanan answered his knock, he donned a happy smile. With her friend taking care of the door, Antimony moved over to the single table in the flat and leaned her weight down on her hands against it. She could feel the beginnings of a headache at the base of her skull. “Oh, hello!” Ulanan declared. “I think we are expecting you.” “Evening to you, Ulanan!” D'hein closed his eyes for a moment, and his ears twitched in opposite directions, "Ah, I smell cooking! I hope I haven't interrupted a meal." Ulanan moved to a side to let D'hein enter. "If you had arrived any later, you would have. Please come in." D'hein clapped his hands in front of him, "Ah, then my coming was well-timed! I was right to hurry! Thank you." And he entered. Antimony closed her eyes briefly at the miqo’te’s voice, though she looked up as he entered. Waiting for D’hein to pass through, Ulanan closed the door behind him. He stopped as though confronted with a wall the moment he stepped in, and looked about in a state of confusion. It was in this state that he noticed Antimony and took in the image of the aproned woman, as though she were bizarre and misshapen. Antimony pressed her lips together. "Is this the protocol in Ul'dah for house guests - to arrive with less than a minute's warning?" “In Ul'dah, you announce yourself at the door. Then you bribe the guard and enter,” Ulanan offered helpfully. D'hein blinked, gave his mind a moment to catch up, and around then he realized Antimony had spoken, and his mind recited the words to him. He smiled, closed his eyes, and appeared sincerely embarrassed. "Ah, perhaps I was over-eager! My apologies. If I'm being overly inconvenient." He blinked again, then muttered, "Oh, and yes! Ulanan is quite correct." Antimony glanced briefly at Ulanan and nearly smiled. But, she was too annoyed at D'hein for that, so she pursed her lips instead. "I suppose it's... alright. Though really, the use of official channels like that seems... improper." Ulanan Ulan just frowned. “Perhaps,” D’hein mused. “I've always believed it to be a waste if one does not use resources one has access to. Now, perhaps I should cut to the chase if I'm not to interrupt your meal, hm?” Antimony sighed and took a moment to try and let go of some of her frustration. She was only partially successful. "I apologize, I've not been one for visitors today." She blinked and then stepped back, gesturing to the chair nearby. "Please, sit down." “I will keep watch over the soup, so that you can have her full attention,” Ulanan announced. D'hein turned and smiled, "I am sorry, but if I sit it may cause me to sediment, somewhat, and I've no intention to impose.” Antimony's tail twitched behind her, and she smoothed down the front of her apron and dress. "I'm sorry," she said to Ulanan. "I'm sure whatever this is won't take long." And then to D'hein, "Very well. What is it?" D'hein clapped his hands together, "What indeed! Perhaps you haven't seen..." He began to search his pockets only to realize he didn’t have any, "... Oh dear. I believe I left it in my other halfrobe. Or my fullrobe. Likely the latter! Is there a copy of the Tonberry's Lantern about by chance?" Antimony's tail shivered unconsciously. "... Yes. Whatever for?" Ulanan climbed up the counter once more. Picking up the spoon once more, she pointed towards one corner of the kitchenette while looking at D'hein, directly towards the journal. She said nothing while doing this, however. D’hein noticed Ulanan’s indication when it may have been wiser to notice Antimony's body language. But that was D'hein, and he jaunted right over to the counter to grab it. "Ah, here we are! There was a call-for-help type of entry I wished to draw your attention to." “Charity?” Ulanan questioned from her spot near the pot. Antimony watched D'hein's back as he picked up the paper, her tail quivering behind her and her ears swiveling back. She couldn’t seem to find words, so she remained quiet as D'hein looked through the paper. "Ah, no," he muttered, and when he found the advert placed by K'mana, he showed it to Ulanan, "More a missing person thing. Recognize anyone?" Antimony stepped forward then and reached out to try and snatch the paper from D'hein's hand. "That is none of your business," she spoke suddenly and with vehemence. Ulanan had not managed to even squint at the list before it was snatched away. Her eyes widened at Antimony's reaction. D'hein absently watched the paper being torn from his hand, and afterwards, let his arms drop to his side. He observed afterward, "So you're aware of it, then." Antimony turned away from them both, holding the paper tightly in both hands before promptly crumpling it in a vicious gesture, as though crushing bone. Ulanan thought for a moment, tapping the spoon against her chin a few times before noticing that it was not a very bright idea to do that as it was covered in stew-stuff. “What is it that you want, D'hein?” Antimony stood stiffly with her back to both D'hein and Ulanan. Her tail had curled down against one leg and she moved one hand to rest it against the table as though suddenly weary of her own weight. D'hein inhaled deeply before speaking with as piteous a voice as can, "I believe there's rather an uncomfortable reality come to light. A very personal matter between Antimony and I, and perhaps another party or two who are not present." Antimony spoke through a tight throat, without looking up, "I don't see how this is in any way business of yours." “Maybe you ought to elaborate,” Ulanan encouraged. Antimony said nothing in response, though her posture did not become any more inviting. D'hein cast his eyes at the back of Antimony's head, "Perhaps. It puts me in an awkward position. As a... Well, it's a father obligation of mine to do something!" Antimony's tail lashed, whacking against the back of her leg, and she bit out, "Do not speak of a /father's obligation/ to me." Ulanan crossed her arms, the spoon protruding out of her hand at a low angle. “Please, elaborate an expedient explanation of the elements you expect to exhibit.” Looking at Ulanan, D’hein said, "I think you wouldn't be instructing me to be blunt if you fully conceived of the situation I'm attempting to segway into." He blinked, and looked at the pot, "Or, wait. Is my extended presence causing your stew to burn?" Ulanan looked at the pot. "It's a soup." She declared, blinking once. Then, she turned to Antimony. "Or is it a stew?" “I'm unsure of the difference to be honest,” he admitted. Antimony leaned a bit heavier against the table and simply forced out, "If you're going to banter about food, I'd like it if you left. Now." D'hein blinked at Ulanan, then seemed to suspect that it was not Ulanan who spoke and looked at Antimony. "Eh? I apologize if I offended. Ulanan may be right. Let's try: I need to discuss K'airos and D'aijeen specifically." Ulanan returned to warily being a potwatch. At the man’s words, Antimony flinched, and her hand shook against the table. "Do not do this. Please. I can't--" a pause, "... D'aijeen..?" She turned her head slightly, though not enough to see D'hein or Ulanan, and her features trembled. D'hein didn’t appear to understand the question. His tail seemed to search for an answer, drawing circles in the air behind him, but he ended up responding with a mere nod and, "Yes, I think." Antimony turned around then and glares at D'hein. "I have nothing to say to you about either of them. It is none of your business, and it would be in your best interest to simply leave." D'hein frowned, and one of his ears droop. Only one. "That’s very disappointing. You don't strike me as a selfish sort, and while I can forgive the girls' reluctance to discuss their mother, it's another thing entirely to so thoroughly disown one's own progeny." Antimony leaned back as though D'hein had struck her, eyes widening, and she blinked rapidly against a sudden burning behind them. Her tail shivered behind her in distress. "How dare you--I've done no such thing...!" She looked away and closed her eyes tightly. "I don't expect you to understand what it is like to lose... If you've any heart at all, you would leave this be." Ulanan opened her mouth and tilted her body slightly as if she was about to say something, but chose not to. Instead, she kept stirring the pot distractedly. D'hein quirked his expression a bit, and his tail went limp. "How is it possible for a mother's heart to so darken at the mention of her children?" Antimony's ears drooped along with her spirit. "What purpose did you have in this?" she asked quietly, despondent. "Just to declare that you know my great secret?" “Calm down, please,” Ulanan cajoled. “You are doing this wrong.” D'hein looked at Ulanan and conceded, "I'm afraid I must be." Antimony turned then and moved around the table very carefully to drop into the chair as though her legs had decided not to support her anymore. Ulanan nodded at her, "Wise choice! All the stress of this situation surely sailed from your skull down to your..." she paused, holding one finger up in the air for a moment before adding "...feet." Then she looked at D'hein. The miqo’te watched the lalafell, waiting patiently. “She needs to be less angry at you, and you need to be less obtuse. State what you came to say in the simplest form possible,” she finished her fake motivational speech with a nod. Antimony did not look up as the lalafell spoke, instead dropping her gaze to the crumpled wad of the Lantern in her lap, her posture slumped in the chair. “Fine,” D’hein nodded. “I'm rather responsible for K'airos and D'aijeen in a fatherly way and thought that we should discuss this very sudden and awkward personal connection.” “See? That was much quicker.” Antimony blinked once and finally looked up at D'hein, visibly paling, and when she spoke her voice shook, "You... I didn't think you would be so cruel as to pretend..." The thin wrinkles in the creases of her face deepened from strain in the lamplight. Without a word, Ulanan dropped down from the counter, still carrying the spoon, and moved closer to her. D'hein sighed in exasperation, "What would I be pretending? I don't understand!" Shaking her head, Antimony muttered weakly to herself, "Why would they do this... they know. They know they're dead..." And up at D'hein then, with a glare barely holding back grief, "Do not joke around with matters you don't understand!" D'hein looked at Antimony with twitching ears, and his tail flipped about in confusion, "They know who? What?" Ulanan placed one hand over Antimony in a soothing gesture and then looked to the other miqo’te, “Please, I would ask you to step outside for a moment. Antimony needs to collect her thoughts.” Antimony wrung the paper in her hands and then suddenly leaned forward, slamming the wadded periodical against the table, "Dead! You want to know? They're all dead! And I could do nothing--nothing to save... my own..." She hunched her shoulders forward and dropped her head to the table with a ragged gasp for air. "Please just leave. This is... the cruelest joke," she whimpered. D'hein pondered, and then pulled on an ear and muttered, "Very well. I suppose that is the least I can do, consider the strangeness of the situation. Take the time you need," and then he turned to leave, "And don't let the soup... stew. Food burn." Ulanan nodded at D'hein, clearly approving his priorities. At the table, Antimony did not look up, only choking on a sob. Once the man had disappeared through the door, the wood of it clicking shut, Ulanan spoke to the older woman, “Are you...? No, of course you are not alright. Can you tell me what's wrong? Do you know the people he mentioned?” Antimony sagged in the chair, quite clearly crying, and just nodded against her arm after a long moment. “And they are...gone?” Shuddering, Antimony’s tail curled tight around her thigh. "My children," she replied in a low, choked tone. "My girls... and--" She couldn’t finish that thought and just went quiet, forehead resting against her forearm, face down-turned. Ulanan grimaced. "I see." she let out, rubbing one palm against Antimony's shoulder. She kept quiet for a few moments. "I will take care of D'hein," she said finally with conviction, and turned around to head to the oven. Carefully, she opened the grates and puts off the fire, before making her way towards the door. Antimony did not move during this, continuing to slump against the table. Outside, D'hein was milling about, looking rather anxious. “D'hein,” Ulanan spoke his name gravely as she exited the flat. He turned to the lalafell and grew a smile, "Ah, Ulanan! How did it go?" There was no beating around the bush, "She says her daughters are dead." D'hein blinked, and his ears shifted, and he thought. When he spoke, it was with a certain bemusement, "Well, there's obviously been some kind of falling out, but 'dead' is a cruel way to put it. Very heavy." “By the way she is crying, she is not speaking metaphorically.” D'hein looked suddenly greatly, distressed, "Crying? Why would she be-? I had no intention of- I wasn't so rude was I?" He tugged on an ear to compose himself, but the gesture was too odd to achieve the intended goal, "Surely she couldn't think K'airos and D'aijeen deceased!" “She does. I did not press the matter to know why. And you shouldn't until you can bring her some proof of it...” Ulanan gave the miqo’te across from her a heavily thoughtful look. “Uhm,” D’hein paused. “I'm not sure that would be the best idea.” “Which? Not pressing the idea, or bringing proof?” D'hein chuckled at that for some reason, "The latter. You see, D'aijeen has shown every indication of holding something against her mother. So much that I never even broached the subject with K'airos! I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to..." He stopped, and thought some more. Ulanan sighed, looking at the floor. "You did not think this through very well, did you?" “I was emotionally motivated to act swiftly,” he defended. “Though, let’s think it this way: if a mother believes her children dead, is it not cruel to allow that mistake to continue? I believe it would be cruel, and so, I make it my mission to unite this woman with her children! Even if I must first cure their hate!” Ulanan nodded. “I agree. But reverse the order. She has a right to know they are alive. Then we - or you - can worry about the hate part.” “Well how am I to prove their existence, then?” Ulanan gestured vaguely with one hand. "You can't. She won't trust you." “Ah, excellent! I'll just do that, then, and we'll be ri- Oh, wait.” He very quickly deflated. Ulanan avoided chuckling, just shaking her head. “You place me in an unfair position, Lalafel.” “You placed yourself there by following her the other day, and now with this. But it is no matter! I have an alternative!” D'hein seemed to struggle with that for a moment, ears turning down, tail twitching, but he forced his expression to brighten, "Well, wherever there is a way, I will succeed. Tell me of your alternative!" “Tell me where to find them. If it is someone she trusts who tells her that they are alive, she will be more open to the idea that they are indeed so.” “Ul'dah is where one would start looking,” he nodded. “K'airos is a member of the Brass Blades, a noble calling, and profitable as well! Given the chance, I'm sure I could find where in the city or outlying regions she may be presently.” She gave him a thoughtful look. “You should do that. You should also find an excuse to send Antimony to Ul'dah. I will go with her and nudge her in the right direction.” “Yes, that's a good thought. I can find work for her to do there. And I can inform you of where to go looking once you're there! And then I can prepare the girls for such a meeting. And the reunion will be beautiful!” Ulanan nodded. “You did mention one of them had a...grudge against her?” He bobbed his head emphatically, "The younger of the two. D'aijeen. Dropped the K-tribe label altogether but won't talk about it. I'm sure there's love in there somewhere, though. I'll find it!" Ulanan turned around halfway back towards the house, looking at the door. “I think we have a plan. I will talk with Antimony to calm her down. I will let you know if she becomes open to discussing this with you.” “Thank you, but given her impression of me, I find it unlikely. As long as I can help return happiness to the grieving mother and distant children, though, I will be content!” “How noble!” She smiled at D'hein. “I've left her alone for long enough.” “Oh, you are far nobler than me. Good evening!” Ulanan raised one hand in goodbye, not turning around to D'hein nor stopping as she moved back inside the house. Antimony was sitting up now, and at some point she had uncrumpled the paper. It now lays as flat as it could get on the table, the article with its list of names and pictures face up. She did not look at it, though, rather staring across the room towards the pot wearily. Ulanan moved close to Antimony and stood there for some time, quietly. Finally, she spoke up, “Are you feeling better?” Antimony closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a breath, and then nodded slightly. Several seconds ticked by before she added in a quiet tone, "I will be alright." “Shall we continue preparing supper? You look like you should eat. And yes, I know your feelings are probably strangling your stomach right now. But we'll change that!” Antimony stood slowly after a moment's hesitation, limbs moving as though weighed down. "Yes, you're right," she said to Ulanan and drew another, careful breath. "I also think..." Her eyes shifted down to the paper briefly and then back to the pot. "I should submit a... resignation notice tomorrow." The lalafell startled and thrust her arms about in vehement disagreement. “What? No! That's terrible!” Antimony's ears dropped low along the sides of her head. "I don't think I can work under that man after... what he just did. I'm sorry, Ulanan. Certainly there will be others..." She moved towards the stove. Ulanan followed Antimony with her head. “I spoke to him. He affirms that your daughters are alive.” The woman flinched and she deliberately turned her face away from the lalafell. "Why would you--" she started in a small, thin voice, and then cut herself off. She picked up the wooden spoon and mechanically began to stir the stew-soup-food. “I know. I know!” Ulanan took off her hat, keeping it against her chest. "D'hein’s a creep and would probably do whatever to get you in his bed. But...! I think this deserves investigation. I told him to go away, but I will look into it. Just in case. Alright?” Antimony did not speak for nearly a minute, just stirring the soup far more than it probably needed. Her hand shook around the spoon. Eventually, "... It should be done now. If you'll get the bowls..." “Bowls!” Dutifully, Ulanan proceeded to get the bowls. *** Ulanan Ulan and Antimony had a great time battling a puddling monster that came out of their stew! After that, they decided to order some pizza instead. THE END!

((Follows both Gibbering Fishes and Wineport Shenanigans.)) *** Antimony Jhanhi tilted her head to peek at Ulanan under the lalafell's wide-brimmed hat. "I'm surprised you aren't tucked away with more books at this time of day." She smiled. Ulanan Ulan watched the people come and go through the Aftcastle from where she and Antimony sat beneath a low-boughed tree. The throughfare of Limsa was bustling but in their little corner there was at least some peace and quiet, even some privacy. She didn’t really turn to address Antimony, though she did lean her head slightly, "Books break observational ability." Antimony furrowed her brow. "Observational? Are you carrying out some kind of experiment now?" ”I am discretely discerning deceitful disguises.” Antimony gave Ulanan a perplexed look. “I suppose that's... admirable. Though disguises in Limsa... I think you may have your work cut out for you. At least we're not in the lower decks.” She cast green eyes out across the plaza. The variety of peoples who moved into and out of this city still left Antimony feeling disoriented at times. She wasn’t sure she would ever get used to it. “Defining the individuals is easy.” Ulanan pointed at a random person over yonder. "That's a pirate." Then pointed at another one. "And so is that one." Antimony followed Ulanan's gesture and quirked her lips in amusement. "Those are hardly disguises." As they spoke, an armoed wildwood strode down the stairs into the little alcove the pair had claimed. The elezen glanced down to the bench, noting their presence, and bowed slightly on her approach towards the two. Ulanan looked up at the elezen and pointed at her. “That's not a pirate.” Antimony 's ears tilt briefly in confusion, and she turned her head to follow Ulanan's finger. Upon seeing Illira, her posture straightened subtly and her ears flicked forward. “Ah, Miss... Carceri! I didn't... see you there!” Illira shook her head slightly, "That is because I have simply come as of this moment. I see that you are enjoying company at the moment." She looked pointedly towards Ulanan. “Ah, well, yes. It's...” The miqo’te sought words for a moment and then gave a curt little nod, "You should have received my report regarding Byrglaent's ventures in Wineport early this morning. I'm simply awaiting my next assignment." During this exchange, Ulanan remained thankfully quiet. Illira Carceri nodded her head, "Of course. Though I am not in charge of such assignments as of the current moments. So looking to me for favor will do you no good." Antimony cleared her throat, her tail shifting to curl against her leg in a subtle display of embarrassment. "Yes, well, I was simply informing you, considering our last... well. Anyroad! Pleasant evening!" She laughed a bit faintly and offered a hopefully pleasant smile towards Illira. “Hmm. Indeed. My own report on the outing was received as well. Ildur will go over them in his own time,” she nodded. “And I do believe that D'hein had his own additions... but that is no matter.” Illira smiled briefly in the woman’s direction. Antimony's expression faltered only briefly at Illira's addendum before she looked away, fingers twisting in her lap. "Ah, well I suppose I should let you be on your way..." Illira Carceri walks a few steps to take a seat by Antimony. "In time." “Ah! Wait! Don't start yet!” Following the new exclamation, a young-ish miqo’te man dressed in a short robe and tight, white leggings came running towards Illira. He didn’t see the steps, however, and so tripped down them and hit his knee really hard, but rolled back to his feet and presented himself as though nothing had happened. "Hah. Not late." Ulanan squinted at the miqo’te’s outfit. By her eyes, one could tell she thought he has excellent taste. Antimony startled a bit, first at Illira's approach to the bench, and then at the sudden exclamation and appearance of the unmistakable D'hein. The tip of her tail shivered. “I would... I'm sorry, start?” D'hein was busy throwing each person a smile in turn, multiple times, when Antimony spoke, and he corrected his gaze towards her with an awkward swivel of his ears and a questioning look, "Yes! Start! You haven't yet, have you?" Antimony's brow wrinkled behind her glasses, and she cast a concerned look down at Ulanan. Illira looked over as she sat down, hearing D’hein’s voice. "Oh. He came just in time. Excellent." She said a little louder, "No. You are quite alright D'hein. Although you could have hurried more.” Ulanan just shrugged at Antimony. D'hein held up a hand and said happily, "If I'd hurried more, I might've hurt myself. I'm rather fragile, you may know." “Well... that is no fault of my own,” Illira shook her head. “I have rather encouraged you to get more exercise that you have seen fit to pursue.” “Do you require some privacy with Antimony?” Ulanan questioned. Antimony pressed her lips together and attempted to control the expression of her ears and tail, tucking the latter tightly against one leg. The former rest stiffly at a backwards angle from her head as she turned her worried look to Illira, and then D'hein. “Oh no,” D’hein declared. “Anything Illira and I have to say to her can be said in the open!” “Are you sure of that?” Illira cautioned. “I, as you know D'hein, have no love of Lalafels.” Ulanan smiled at Illira. “Good. Now I feel justified to have spilled wine over your person the last time. “Yes, you're racist against many, many people,” the miqo’te nodded. “You'll just have to deal with that handicap and remain professional nonetheless.” Antimony pressed her hands, one over the other, into her lap. "Might I, ah, inquire as to what exactly is... going on?" “Now, yes then. As to what's going on! What... Ah, Illira, you're the mean one. Please.” Illira glanced at Antimony, "Nothing you need to worry about..." Antimony's eyes widen slightly. Clearly she was worried anyway. Ulanan looked idly around between those gathered around her and sometimes beyond them, to the passersby. “Its just that certain events surrounding your person have raised concern amongst ourselves,” the elezen began neutrally. “We, meaning, D'hein and I, wished to give you a chance to talk it over with us.” Antimony blinked once. "Certain events." There's a pause. "... Ah." “Are you blaming her for the wine I spilled over you?” Ulanan frowned. “I've never seen Illira put something so gently,” D’hein marveled. “I can tell you know what she's talking about, though, so we might as well cut the the chase!” Antimony held up both hands at Illira in a hopefully soothing gesture, "If you mean the whole incident in Wineport, you should know I never once intended for such horrible things to happen to you. I didn't even know Megiddo was there! Or Ulanan, for that matter. Much less that Byrglaent would be so reluctant to speak with me or hand over his financial records or that I'd waste so much time - and yes, yes, I know, it was wasting! - and you know I was able to get everything I needed the very next— “I do have some self-reservation D'hein. One of us needs it.” “--morning and he was very accommodating, surprisingly so after what he witnessed the night before, I hardly had to wait even half a bell and his assistant provided me with everything I asked for and I brought it back to the office as quickly as I could manage and I am so very sorry for staining your shirt!” Antimony dragged her words to a halt looking ragged, as though she were about to faint by the end of all of that. D'hein looked a bit put out. "Did I miss something?" “I threw some wine on your associate's dress the other evening,” Ulanan explained with a shrug. Illira raised her winged brows, "It does not turn back events, Miss Jhanhi." She turned back to D'hein. "Hmm. She seems to take poor choice in friends, and recognizes even less control over them." Antimony's ears flicked forward and then back as she turned sharply towards D'hein. "Oh!" “...because friends are to be controlled. Interesting.” Ulanan hummed. “When friends are intefering with business matters, sure!” D’hein nodded toward Illira. “Honestly, if someone's trying to accomplish something, friends should help. If they do not, are they really friends?” Antimony furrowed her brow deeper. Ulanan, on the other hand, protested vocally, “Your associate was sabotaging her own employee. I defused the situation by scaring her away with the strategic placement of wine and public shame over her person.” “That is not... well,” Antimony hesitated, a line of anxiety in her voice, “I'm certain Miss Carceri was doing her very best work, certainly!” D'hein looked Ulanan over and pondered, "Hrm. That does sound very Ul'dah-flavored savvy." Illira laughed softly, "Ul'dah flavored. I think not. Ul'dah, as rotten as it is, likes to cover its tracks." Ulanan shrugged. "I did what was best." “Ulanan, please,” Antimony murmured. “I'll not have you incriminate yourself in this! It wouldn't be right.” “Rather,” Illira continued, “what the Lalafel sought to do was interrupt business. It was a rather nasty business, even going so far as to imply that she herself, worked for the CRA.” The elezen laughed roughly. D'hein smiled suddenly, and his ears shifted about in an excited gesture. "Ah, I've an idea! This entire conversation will go better if we forgot all specific incidents! Everyone did what they thought was best, so let's discuss the occurences no further." “Did you not say that you have a matter to discuss, D'hein?” Illira suggested archly. Ulanan looked at the miqo'te woman, then past her to Illira. "Oh, now you are making things up." Antimony had opened her mouth to protest Illira's words when D'hein's own declaration caught her off guard. Her ears twitched in uncertain confusion. Illira narrowed her eyes at Ulanan. "No. I would not do such thing, Lalafell." D’hein continued, “I mean to say we forget all about past occurrences, including what happened between Antimony and I a few nights past, and just move on. So that we can move on.” “And what was that?” Illira pushed. “I do not believe that I heard the full story. Merely that you met her at a tavern.” Antimony's tail curled about itself and she bowed her head deeply. "Yes, yes, that sounds like an excellent idea." At Illira's words, however, she cringed. D'hein Tia held a finger up towards Illira and wagged it back and forth, smiling at her, "Oh, no. Don't try to cheat. We are forgetting all about it." Illira cockd her head, "Cheating? Your accusations are unfounded and unwarranted sir." “I determine this discrete diplomacy dearly to a distinguished degree,” spoke Ulanan with grave finality. D’hein took a new angle, “Now, if we're all agreed to leave the past in the past, the new body of the conversation is all middle-management. Thus, mostly Illira's duty. But I'll help us start! Undoubtedly Antimony realizes that we aren't sure she's conducting herself in a way the best represents the interests and intentions of the Agency.” Antimony's ears twitched anxiously against her head, but she frowned at D'heins words in opposite of that tell and declared, "That is an all-together inaccurate assessment! I have done my duties and done them well, that I have received." Illira narrowed her eyes at D'hein, before turning her attention over to Antimony, "You're starting performance in Wineport is not a testament to that." “Of course not,” Ulanan interjected. “You were sabotaging it.” D'hein snapped, "Illira! Past examples are not permissible!" “Is it?” Antimony drew herself up somewhat in her spot on the bench. “You received my report in all due haste, well within the deadline - that... evening notwithstanding!” “D'hein! If past evidence is not permissible, then why are we here?” the elezen woman directed her annoyance at the man. “As for your report, Antimony, It may have been received on time, but there is far more that matters in performance than simply meeting a deadline.” “I'm just saying that if you keep picking on the one thing all you're doing is arguing about the one thing. It is more effective to discuss the composure of a professional agent than to dwell on details of one specific example of unprofessional behavior.” D'hein nodded after speaking to punctuate his point. Ulanan kept quiet for the moment, moving her head back and forth as the others spoke. Antimony frowned, her tail curling tightly against her thigh, and she drew a deep breath before, "I approached Byrglaent with all the professionality as suiting the task, and his assistants as well. If you speak to them, I'm certain you'll hear exactly that." “From my corner, it did not seem as if you pressed the matter nearly enough,” Illira countered. “Byrglaent is very liable to ignore anything that does not directly benefit himself. But I will let the matter lie for the moment in favor of a discussion around other reports of your deportment. D'hein filed a piece about your... association with the Gibbering Fish, yes?” “Did you not listen when I spoke of returning to him when he was in a more amenable mood and position?” Antimony grew exasperated. “And as I did, so he relented! This is... this interrogation is all rather... it's absurd!” She stilled then, catching onto Illira’s words, and blinked. "My association..?" Ulanan looked at D'hein. "And so we keep going back to specific past events." D'hein balked, looked around as if expecting someone to be spying on him, and then cast disapproval towards Illira, "What I report on and the contents of such reports is in confidence until I've stated otherwise." Antimony's brow furrowed deeper. Illira scoffed, "What you report is part of the direct basis for this conversation, and is thus highly relevant, D'hein." Antimony cast a worried look back at Ulanan. Ulanan only shrugged back, shaking her head with an expression of mild annoyance across her face. D'hein Tia quirked his ears and frowned, speaking as if to an inferior, "You and I envision very different kinds of conversations. Now," his expression opened, and he spread his arms, "If you want my much more vague and case-sensitive report... I find lacking in Antimony a certain composure that we in the Agency expect to permeate all manner of public interactions. No agent of the Agency should be seen sharing ale with a known carouser in the slums, for instance. “A... I was delivering a gift! To a man who tried to help me,” Antimony protested. “Not some rude carouser.” She huffed. “It was a hypothetical.” Illira chuckled, "Hmm. That may have been your intention, but it should not be ignored that the incident rather ignited." “That wasn't her fault!” “Although you should know,” D’hein continued, “that soon after you left he did he rather maim and rob that poor, industrious Duskwight woman!” “Industrious! She was lewd and insulting!” Antimony narrowed her eyes at D'hein, "And you were paying her to goad things along!" D'hein chuckled, "You were in a pirate slum, Antimony. I hardly had to goad anything. Rude and insulting is the language they speak." “And yet the man I visited... Al... Alcor, was quite appreciative and polite - prior to your appearance. I refuse to be judged negatively in this, not when you intruded upon my privacy so horribly.” Illira spoke up then, “But... did you pay her to do so D'hein? Such actions are not fit for one of in your position.” Antimony crossed her arms, her posture giving off the effect of, were she standing, a mother chiding an impetuous child with hand-on-hip finger wagging. D'hein tossed Illira a sneer, "You a not helping my point," and then gesturing towards Antimony, "Do you note that she has no faculties to understand our objectives and stubbornly insists that she knows better than we? You shouldn't encourage such behavior, Illira.” “I dare say I do know better than you in this,” Antimony huffed. “It's not right to follow someone around after hours and interrupt their personal meetings as you did!” “Don't you take a moral high-ground with me, missy,” D’hein shot back, an annoyed expression of his own pulling on his face. Antimony pushed from the bench to her feet and this time her hands did find her hips. “I do not seek to encourage behavior,” Illira said after a moment. “Merely to assess the truth, D'hein. I may have my own worries concerning Antimony, but you do not seem blameless in this matter of moral impropeity.” Ulanan squinted, her eyes glaring at D'hein. "I now understand your needed invitation intentionally neglected the identification of antecedents." Antimony did not actually blow up D'hein's head, as the ferocity of her glare might suggest. She did, however, level him with a rather firm look, the kind she had used... "If you do not know how to respect another's personal boundaries, I am only left to wonder what other lessons you missed when you were young! Even K'ai--" she caught herself then and pursed her lips. D'hein crossed his arms defiantly, "I won't be ganged up on by an Elezen, a Lalafel and a new hire who hasn't noticed her new bosses like to do things a little differently! Half of you, I take your disdain as a compliment. The others shouldn't like to be siding with them." D'hein paused to count the people in front of him, then muttered distractedly, "Well, I suppose that's technically an acceptable approximate." Antimony just pressed her lips together and frowned at D'hein, her tail twitching agitatedly behind her. “You are a stalker,” Ulanan declared, pointing at D’hein. “You are sabotaging your own Agency worse than any other employee ever could.” Illira turned her head towards the Lalafel, "Now... I do not believe that any of this is your business, Lalafel." D'hein threw an obnoxious, "Hah!" towards Ulanan, following it up with, "Now you've got the Elezen." Antimony closed her eyes briefly, letting out a short breath before resuming her frown at D'hein. Her ears still lay pressed against her head, her tail lashing to and fro. "If you wish to reprimand me, then do so. I maintain that I've done nothing ill-fitting for my position." Ulanan shook her finger towards Illira. "But it is. As Antimony's friend I have a responsibility to give her counsel. Right now, two of the two members of the Agency I've met are sabotaging their own interests." “Being a friend has no bearing in this instance, Lala,” Illira replied with a touch of derision. “This is between employer and employee.” “You shouldn't be having this conversation in the open,” Ulanan chided. “And you should have asked me to leave before I presented arguments in her favor.” D'hein put his hands on his hips, and said to Antimony, "Ah, but recall, you chose to undergo a short evaluationary period and then renegotiate your employment contract. Your excessive confidence during that negotiation has left you without job security, and now it's easier for me to not renew the contract than to do the paperwork to reprimand you." Antimony's eyes widened briefly. D'hein noticed he was standing in the same pose as Antimony then and snapped out of it, letting his arms hang out his sides and looking rather dumb for a few seconds. “Except that you were involved in one of the incidents, Lala,” Illira was saying, “and thus already have intimate knowledge. But that does not mean that I will stand to let you run your mouth.” Antimony looked briefly back over her shoulder at Ulanan, expression suddenly worried. D'hein too was a bit distracted by the tone taken in the back, and his expression turned a bit unsettled, "Now, Illira, don't go being racist in front of everyone. It's hardly professional." Ulanan tipped her hat back. "Except that you allowed me to be here, Ele, and thus have accepted my involvement in this discussion. You are just angry that you can't deny my arguments!" “You can't-” Antimony began in a quiet voice, still staring at D’hein, “Well, no, I suppose you can. It's your right. And I suppose I did agree to--but I've done nothing deserving of... such a thing.” Illira continued, “It’s not a matter of racism, its a matter of respect. And the Lala has none of it like most of her kind.” D'hein chuckled at Illira, "To be fair, I've met very few people who respect you." Then, he looked back to Antimony, "Hm? What?" Antimony shook herself and turned her frown on Illira, "Look here, I'll not have you treating Ulanan with such disrespect." D'hein turned back to Illira almost as if his gaze were pulled by gravity. Ulanan tossed her head defiantly. "Her arguments are asinine attacks due to the absence of any abstraction." She smiled at Antimony's back. "Forget about it." Antimony pursed her lips at Ulanan's words but didn’t press the matter further. “As if the Lala has never displayed an inkling of boorish action and words? I merely defend my person and organization.” Illira Carceri directed an annoyed frown at the tiny individual. “What you're doing is legitimizing her points, actually.” D'hein looked back to Antimony and said, "Hrm. I trust that our point has been more than made by now." Antimony inclined her head slightly, features tense. "I suppose you have.” Ulanan leaned towards Illira, looked at Antimony's back and, not being able to see D'hein because of it, she turned her head again and poked her tongue out at Illira. “If I see you again, Lala, it will still be far too soon. I think we are all done here,” the elezen spoke after a time. “Good, good,” D’hein nodded. “That wasn't exactly the productive discussion I was hoping for, but at least we got a lesson from Illira on how to make friends and act as an Agency professional.” D'hein offered an awkward smile. Antimony did not smile back. She did, however, bring one hand up to rub at her temple and half turned to Ulanan. The lalafell dropped down from her seat, her boots muffling the noise of her weight meeting the stone below. “I am very sorry you had to hear all of this, dear,” Antimony murmured. “It's alright. I've heard worse in my father's business meetings.” The tiny woman smiled. Illira redirected her attention to D'hein. "We should have words, D'hein. Throwing me under the cart does not wipe away your own transgressions." D'hein quirked his ears and whips his tail about, smiling at Illira, "Ah, without your disapproval how would I know to be proud of myself?" Antimony rested her hand on the wall and leaned against it slightly, her ears drooping a bit. "Regardless," she replied to Ulanan, but couldn’t really find any more words to try and excuse the situation for once. Ulanan pointed at D’hein. “If there's nothing else, we should depart. These two seem to have matters to discuss. Probably hairs to pull and teeth to show, too.” D'hein growled at Illira, showing his teeth, as a service to Ulanan. Antimony nodded slightly, "Of course," and straightened. Ulanan beamed with delight at D’hein’s display. “I am rather more civilized than that,” Illira commented airily. “Though of course, D'hein is rather more animalistic than myself.” At that she let out a short burst of laughter at the aforementioned miqo’te. “You say that like civilization has anything to be proud of,” he waved it off. “We in Ul'dah know better than that.” “You forget that I am from there.” Antimony hesitated and glanced sideways at D'hein. "Should... I expect any more assignments in the future?" “Well you don't show it. You should know better!” He was saying and then looked at Antimony, "Of course you should! One will likely be set up shortly. As it stands, you aren't even being reprimanded." Antimony let out a faint sigh and her tail dropped low and limp in relief. "Alright then. Good evening." And she moved to walk off. Illira stiffly moved off of the bench, her back ram-rod straight. Taking this as her cue, Ulanan nodded her head in goodbye. "D'hein." She looked at Illira and repeated the motion. "Ele." Then she followed Antimony. Illira watched the pair walk off, before stepping up to D'hein. The miqo’te in turn directed his gaze back to Illira, smiling, "You know as well as I do how crooked this 'civilization' is. 'Civilized' won't be a compliment until that's changed." “Yes, well,” she chuffed. “We are working to scrub it clean. Or at least I am. You seem to be falling off the cause.” “That's a joke. You weren't actually at the last board meeting, were you?” Illira ignored that, "And yet you have apparently been paying ruffians to set bother to one of our own employees, if only indirectly." Pausing at the top of the stairs, where Antimony yet loitered, Ulanan looked up at Antimony. She spoke somewhat lowly, "Are we...spying on them?" Antimony folded her hands in front of her, frowned over Ulanan's head, and then said, "No. I think I'll return home, if you want to join me for a meal...?" “That's a personal matter,” D’hein countered. “And you're assuming a lot for someone who wasn't present. Tell me, do you know exactly what was paid to whom in what context and for what specific purpose?” From just beyond the stairs, Ulanan shouted suddenly: "LAVENDER TABLETOPS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!" She immediately brought both hands to her mouth and, after a pause, she said in a much, much lower tone: "I- I mean...meal sounds nice." Antimony Jhanhi blinked rapidly at Ulanan, but she recovered quick enough and smiled before gesturing and continuing on, "Good then." “Good! Good!” The lalafell nodded. “Perfect! Let's...let's move on...!” Illira shook her head, "No. But I do believe that I understand the basics well enough to understand that you far crossed the border of appropriate behavior." D'hein exhaled laughter at Illira, but composed himself quickly. "Illira, let's say I appreciate the concern and am glad you are applying your conscience to my presentation if not to your own. However, you're far off the mark, and I've no want to correct you. If you've a point, pray expedite its delivery that I might ignore it sooner." Illira smiled tightly, "The point is: Watch yourself, D'hein. I certainly am and if you fall to corruption like the rest of the rabble, well... You would like even less to see me.” “You've grown bitter, Illira, and begun to view all things which you dislike as corrupt,” the miqo’te observed somberly. “That is very sad, for without focus the conviction loses its effectiveness. I hope that while you are busy watching me, that which you aught have noticed does not elude you.” “Do not worry about me. I am always vigilant in my watch.” “With all things but yourself. So like the Elezen of Gridania, assured of the superiority of their trees and rocks. Not a cute imitation.” “You question my efforts, then?” She drew herself up to an intimidating height. “Ah, don't put what I'm saying in your language. I'm just saying: if you watch anyone, watch yourself.” “And you should practice what you preach, D'hein.” D'hein smiled broadly, "Ah ha! That's-" his ears went askew, and he looked a bit confused, "That's what I just said?" “Excatly.” Illira smiled at him. “Doesn't that make it cyclical? Like you watching me, and I said you should watch you, but now I'm doing what I said which is me watching you while watching me. So we're both watching both of us!” “Hmm. Now you are just being purposefully obtuse. “No!” Came the abrupt protest. D'hein flicked his ears about, and worked his arms to either side of himself too, "I'm just trying to understand! What you said didn't make sense! You can’t just repeat what I say regardless of meaning and then pretend it’s some kind of secret Elezen wisdom! That's what Ishgardians do!" “It’s simple really,” Illira inclined her head. “Watch yourself on that slippery slope, to make sure you don't fall down, because if you do I will not stand idly by to let you further the spread of bile amidst the masses.” D'hein looked very frustrated, "Yeah I know that's what you think but it's not what you said! You're doing this all wrong!" “I'm doing it wrong? No. You merely have issues in comprehension.” D'hein seemed to fume, eyes closed, "No, this is ridiculous! You're horrible at talking! You are-" he cut himself off and suddenly became composed. Within seconds, he was smiling at Illira again, "Well, you did finally get your point across nonetheless." “Then we are done here? I have other to attend.” “You're the one who wanted to be all intimidating. Go, I'm sure you've an ego to polish or some such.” Illira only shrugged at D'hein. “Hmm. I am sure that we will meet again in not long.” With that, she turned and walked away. D'hein did not watch Illira walk off; he just threw his frown at the sea instead of the woman.

((Occurs some time after Interview with the Third.)) *** Antimony Jhanhi brushed water off the shoulders and front of her robe as she stepped into the winery nestled at the center of the very aptly named town of Wineport, her ears flicking up and down in an unconscious attempt to free them of rain drops. “Mm, just my luck with this rain,” she muttered to herself. “Clear all day and now this…” Sighing, she checked a satchel at her hip carefully. The leather had been waterproof, so the papers inside were thankfully dry. A tall, tan-skinned elezen stepped into the inn only a few minutes behind Antimony. Her steps were rather heavy on the old floor boards for her kind, authoritative. She took a brief glance around, surveying the crowd before walking up behind the older Miqo'te. Unknowing, Antimony continued shuffling through a few of the papers in her satchel before turning to the green-skinned roegadyn wine-master surveying his work from a near corner. She offered him a polite smile and, "Excuse me, if you have a moment, I am from the Commerce Regulation Agency and I'm here to look over your--oh, you're... ah, yes, I'm sure you're very busy.” Gestures and sharp words interrupted her attempted consolation and she could only try to interject, “But this is important--now look here--" The elezen remained a few feet away, merely watching Antimony approach the man. After a time the miqo’te fell silent in the face of a lecture about how Byrglaent was a Very Important Man and he couldn’t possibly be interrupted and why should the CRA be interested in his finances anyway, he will just send in copies at a later date, blah blah blah. Eventually, the miqo'te held up a hand. “Say no more, please. No, I do understand, your wine is very--yes, highly valued by the elite, I know. If you'll only... aah... I'll just be... over here if you get a chance...” She turned around, a huffy look on her face that fell as soon as she saw the elezen behind her. “Ah! Uhm... how long have you been there...?” Her features tightened in sudden worry. The elzen had been watching the contact, with a rather solemn appearance, though a slight smile drew across her face as Antimony turned towards her. "Oh. Quite long enough, I'm sure. You should be rather more insistent with the man if you want to get your job done." The elezen, whom Antimony recognized immediately as Illira Carceria, one of the board members of the CRA, stepped towards the other woman and the chef. Antimony Jhanhi pursed her lips, "I can certainly handle it." Illira Carceri looked as if she were about to talk to the man herself, "Oh? You can? Then please. Setup a time in which you may speak promptly with Mr..." She paused to catch the man briefly saying his name in response, "Byrgaent." She turned back towards Antimony, "Otherwise I suspect that he may continue about his own work undisturbed." Antimony's tail twitched behind her a bit agitatedly. “What is... you're interrupting my work!” The other woman gestured away from the chef, indicating that they might speak away from him. Antimony continued, “You're interrupting my... oh. Oh dear. You're here. Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? I assure you, I made certain to complete all requisite travel paperwork before making my way to Wineport!” Illira shook her head slightly, "No. Nothing like that. You do recall that you are under probation, yes? As this is one of your first business trips for the CRA, I am here to oversee. Though from the looks of things..." Her tone and expression both spoke to disappointment. Antimony 's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. Of... of course. Yes. Well, he's a rather, ah, difficult... You shouldn't worry about this. I've pulled papers from firmer grips before..!" Illira Carceri smirks, "I am sure. Nonetheless, Byreglaent is a rather intimidating man. No one faults you for having issue." She delivered a confident smirk. Antimony cleared her throat. "Well. He's simply... busy at the moment. I'll just wait a time until there are no more, ah, pressing matters.” Looking away from Illira, her ears twitched a bit anxiously and she scanned the seating area of the wine bar. Illira nodded her head in a seemingly pleasant agreement, small smirk still present. "This is your case. You are of course welcome to handle as you see fit. Simply pay me little mind. I may as be a fish on the wall." Antimony 's ears swooped back against her head. "If I'd known you were to attend, I would have... well. Oh, I feel so underprepared..." She trailed off in a mutter and moved to one of the nearby seats, settling into it carefully. Illira followed Antimony to a seat just across from the table. “If only Wildwood were capable of so well imitating a fish, but I've never seen one do so,” came a sudden, deep, and aged voice from a distance close enough that one was left wondering how they had not noticed the speaker before. Antimony, for her part, jumped in her seat, ears flicking forward. "What is--who--oh!" Her eyes went to the door where a towering, withered form stood just inside, blue skin shadowed from the lights set into the ceiling, and she reached up to adjust her glasses. There was no mistaking that wrinkled face and posture. Illira glanced up at the voice, "Hmm? Imitating a fish? Now why would I ever do such a thing?" The elezen Antimony recognized as Megiddo pulled his floppy hat off and smacked it, sending a tumult of raindrops to the floor. "You just said. You might as well be a fish on the wall, didn't you? Forgive the rudeness of my having overheard. I sometimes forget others do not hear as well as Duskwight." Illira squinted her eyes slightly, "Fish on the wall? Now why would I say... Oh. You mean when I said painting on the wall. Your hearing is abysmal old man...." She let out a laugh at Elder Megiddo. Antimony looked between Illira and Megiddo and ventured, "I... ah, distinctly recall you saying you were a fish." Elder Megiddo shook his head, "Well, I am old, as you noticed. Then again," he gestured to Antimony, and smiled. "I do trust this one's ears." Antimony opened her mouth to respond, and then seemed to get rather confused by some thought and so simply frowned at a vague spot in front of her. Illira Carceri seemed lost in thought for a time and then, “No... I seem to recall that I did not say fish. Now... let us not dwell on such trivial matters as fish or paintings.” “Well, yes, it is a rather unimportant thing to debate,” the duskwight conceded. “May I sit? These old joints don't take to the rain very well.” Antimony 's ears lilted a little sideways at a thought and then seemed to straighten very suddenly, looking at Megiddo. "Ah yes! Please, of course. Sit, I don't know how long you've been walking, but certainly it's been some time and it's raining what's more, and I couldn't forgive myself if you collapsed from exhaustion or weakness or just… Please, sit!” Illira narrowed her eyes slightly at the man, "There are plenty of other seats around to which you could avail yourself..." Megiddo chuckled, giving Antimony a fond smile before setting his hat on the table and easing into the last available seat, his movements slow and his grunt showing the great effort this took. He looked up at Illira after settling in, and his gaze was not unfriendly, "I'm sorry. My father once taught me that as I Duskwight I should never presume to share a Wildwood's table. Do you take offense?" Antimony's brow lifted. "What? What is that. Offense? Nonsense! You will sit here and that is... that is that!" Illira narrowed her eyes even more, giving her a slightly squinty appearance. "You have no business with us. And thus it stands to reason that you should occupy another venue." Antimony's tail curled, her ears twitching as she turned to Illira, “Why would you say such things! To an old man, and a friend. Shameful! In that moment, a fourth visitor entered the winery: a short, almost pudgy form instantly recognizeable as lalafell, with wide ears poking out from under an even wider-brimmed hat. Ulanan Ulan stepped into the winery as all lalafellin enter a winery, or any place, really: using her feet. She stopped at the door and squinted at the three people gathered there. Megiddo threw Antimony a smile, "Now, Antimony, I'm absolutely not worth picking a fight over." Illira turned her attention to Antimony, "He is no friend of mine. So he is one of yours? Along for a joyride while you visit the vineyards?" The lalafell with the monstrous hat turned to look up at Megiddo in his chair and said simply, "This brings back memories." “Of course you are,” Antimony responded to Megiddo first, and then more directed towards Illira, “I'll not stand for rudeness, not in a place like this - well, not in any place, really, but it's difficult to manage other people's behavior in certain settings, and I certainly can't expect everyone to just listen to me, as much as they should or--what was that?” Antimony blinked at Illira. "Joyride? I told you! This is strictly a business venture! I filled out all of the required paperwork." Megiddo very gradually noticed the miniature person next to him, and threw a smile down her way, "Ah, I shouldn't be surprised to see you still following Antimony. Thank you for that. I hope she hasn't been trouble." “Yes,” Illira nodded, not having noticed their lalafell visitor just yet, “You filled out paperwork, but you have yet to do any actual work.” Ulanan spoke lowly, trying to not interrupt the argument on the other side of the table, "Apparently she only gets in trouble with her employers." Antimony wrinkled her brow behind her glasses. "What accusations are... I am waiting for an opportunity to speak with Mister Byrglaent when he is not otherwise occupied!" Her ears seem to disappear into her hair. Megiddo nodded, "That... would follow the pattern. They argued initially about my presence. I don't mean to be trouble, but how do I avoid it when I cause conflict simply by saying hello?" Illira quirked her eyebrow slightly, "And when will that be? You don't seem to have gathered any such information or promises from him..." Antimony cast an extremely anxious look over towards Byrglaent. “I'd say it's a matter of proper attire. Is that linen cloth?” the lalefell queried. “Not enough time has--Ulanan!” the older woman cut herself off to exclaim in great shock, “What are you doing here?” Megiddo pawed at his sleeve, "Well, yes. Is this inappropriate for hermiting in?" Ulanan raised a hand to greet Antimony. "Could I convince you this is clearly a coincidence?" “Did you finish those new books already?” Antimony’s brow knit together in thought, “Oh, I knew I should have spent more time at the arcanists' guild, but they already were growing tired of me, and I so wanted to bring you back something useful, but why should I expect you to remain cooped up all day! How presumptuous of me, I'm terribly sorry, I'll never do so again and—“ Megiddo turned his attention to Illira, and said, "You see, Antimony has a rather magnetic quality about her. If you sit at a table with her, you're very likely to have several visitors. Oschon favors her in that way." Illira followed Antimony's turn of attention, letting out of large exasperated sigh. "And is that supposed to be a good thing, Duskwright?" Antimony had paused her rant towards Ulanan to seemingly catch her breath and waved a hand dismissively at Megiddo's words, "Oschon has nothing to do with it, I'm sure.." “Well. She is never wanting for company,” the duskwight shrugged. “Many wish for such fortune.” “There are times I wish it would leave me be...” Antimony shrunk suddenly, "Oh, that was horrible of me to say..." “Poor Oschon!” Ulanan declared. “All he wants is to drop a pile of strangers at your doorstep. You should try teaching them mathematics, if you want to scare them off. “Ah, it certainly hasn't frightened you off... Not that I wanted to! Certainly not…” Illira sighed again before leaning back into her seat. "Well. If the insistence is on being unproductive... Perhaps one of you should make yourself even slightly useful and fetch drinks." “ Melting my mind requires much more than maths,” Ulanan comforted and then looked at Illira, but found a lantern, bottle and other random platery in the way. So she tilted her head various ways until she decided to just walk over to the other side. Illira watched the lalafel walk around towards her, "Yes?" Antimony looked anxious again, "I assure you, I wholly intend for my stay here to be both brief and productive!" Ulanan lifted a hand, one finger extended and shook it. "Make yourself useful, woman! Fetch us some drinks!" She then proceeded to smile at the wildwood. Antimony seemed to want to both hide and flee and explode at Ulanan's words. Instead she just sat in her seat and looked as though she was waiting for the world to end. “Me?” Illira raised one brow. “I am rather the only one here dong work at the moment, actually. So no." “What are you doing?” Megiddo interjected, perhaps wisely. Illira turned her attention towards the duskwright and said briefly, "Observing her work." At this Antimony bowed her head. “Ah. Yes,” Megiddo nodded, “That does sound very...” “Tiring?” Ulanan suggested. Megiddo cleared his throat and muttered, "Well. I suppose I'll just get my rickety self up and get the drinks, then." Antimony looked up suddenly and said with much vehemence, "No!" There's a pause, and she cleared her throat. “It can be, when the...” Whatever response Illira had intended towards Megiddo was stilled at Antimony’s outburst, and the woman raised her brows, "Hmm?" Ulanan continued Antimony's shout with strange naturality: "She's right. They would never serve wine to someone dressed like that." “No. Don't, ah, please, don't bother yourself with such things. Miss Carceri is my boss, and so I should... well, I will do this! I shall. I'll just go... request... some drinks. Please, just stay seated…” The besieged woman swayed almost imperceptibly in her seat and trailed with drooping shoulders. Elder Megiddo inclined his head towards Antimony, "If you insist, thank you." “Oh. So you'll get drinks, but not the work. Noted.” Illira smirked at the miqo’te. Bowing slightly towards Megiddo, Antimony then cringed at Illira's words, casting a glance in Byrglaent's direction. “I will do such things when the time is proper.” Standing next to Antimony, Ulanan addressed Illira suddenly, “Excuse my effrontery and examination, but is your perception and position of this situation properly placed?” “Are you asking me?” Illira scoffed. “I am not the one avoiding my duty.” “I'm certain I'm doing no such thing!” Antimony protested. “Of course. You are sitting on it,” Ulanan nodded. Antimony Jhanhi huffs to herself and stood then, hesitating a moment before moving towards the bar. Ulanan Ulan smiled at the wildwood who now had her full attention. Illira’s thick brows drew together, "Excuse me? I am sitting on what?" “On your duty. Because you are observing. Yet you are sitting. Therefore, I have to conclude your duty, observation, requires or implies, directly or intrinsically, sitting.” Illira Carceri 's brows relax slightly at that, "Sitting is not a requirement. It is merely easier too at this present time." Meanwhile, Antimony caught the attention of the roegadyn tending the bar and began to deliberate over wine selection. The roegadyn was patient, at first. “Ah!” Ulanan Ulan made a pause, then added, "How is that different from what Antimony was doing?" “Because she is not doing what she came here to do,” Illira stated plainly. At the bar Antimony 's tail twitched, her ears shifting about in indecision. The chef was growing less patient. Eventually she just exclaimed, "This one!" pointed to something on the list she'd been pondering, and then wilted as though the decision had somehow been insufficient. Two fingers moved up to pinch the bridge of her nose beneath her glasses. “But what she's not doing is extremely dissimilar to what you are doing,” Ulanan countered smoothly. “Hmm,” Illira pretended to give that some thought, though her expression belied her lack of humor towards the lalafell. “That is because I am taking mental notes for a report on how she conducts her work. Hence the observation.” Megiddo seemed content not to comment on the conversation between Illira and Ulanan, for the moment, listening instead to Antimony struggling to order some wine. “Couldn't she be doing the same about her task?” Ulanan pointed out. Illira smiled at Ulanan Ulan. “Her work is rather different in nature.” Finally, Antimony returned to the table with three glasses of something red. The age lines in her features had perhaps deepened during this time, and it was possible she now had a few more grey hairs. She set the tray containing the glasses down and then took her seat silently, folding her hands in her lap. Having paused her conversation at the miqo’te’s return, Illira reached forward with long arms to pluck a glass from the tray, bringing it over to herself and holding it delicately in one hand. “Are they going to serve you some red meat?” Ulanan questioned, glancing at the wine. Megiddo peered at the drinks for a moment, then to Illira, "I'm curious, wildwood. Why does it not sit well with you that Antimony does her job in a way that you would not? Is it because the results she achieves will be different, and you believe the results you achieve to be the best possible?" Antimony chuckles a bit faintly and, rather than focus on Megiddo's question to Illira, turns instead to look down at Ulanan, “Red meat..? Whyever would they do such a thing?" “Red wine,” the lalafell explained. “That means red meat or hard cheese.” Illira swirled the glass a little, taking a small sip from it before responding to the duskwight, "I worry that she will not complete her work in a timely and efficient manner. There is no reason that she should not have dug herself into it by now." She looked askance at Antimony. Noticing the stare, the woman pulled down into herself for several seconds before letting out a breath and straightening her posture somewhat. “None that you can discern, anyway. I believe that answers my question, though, thank you.” Megiddo leaned back slightly then, seemingly satisfied. Ulanan Ulan commented casually and apropos, "Have you observed you are occupying butchered barrels?" “Hmm. Happy to be of service, Mr....?” Illira trailed off in a questioning voice. Perhaps Ulanan’s statement had not been distracting enough, for when Antimony spoke it was to speak on something more daring, “Perhaps I would have gotten to my work had I not been interrupted by your judgment, Miss Carceri.” She said this while staring rather hard at the tray that contained the wine glasses. Megiddo responded smoothly to Illira, "I am Megiddo Defosse," and then fell silent, to allow Antimony's statement to have its full effect. At Antimony’s interjection, Illira looked over at the woman, responding, "You had already made your decision to wait simply wait for the man." Antimony turned a frown on the wildwood. "And you presume me so incompetent as to not be keeping tabs on the business of Mister Byrglaent whilst /trying/ to entertain your apparent need to interrogate me!” Perhaps it had been the adventure of ordering wine, or perhaps something had simply snapped, but she grew bold suddenly, “And to interrogate my friends, what's more. Rudeness is never appropriate. There was silence for a moment and then Illira burst out laughing at the puffed up miqo’te, against which the woman visibly steeled herself and continued frowning at Illira. Ulanan Ulan remained awfully quiet, but Megiddo eyed the wine, then looked to Ulanan, talking beneath the conversation, "Not a wine-drinker?" Illira spoke firmly after letting out a laugh, "I call things as I see them Miss Antimony. Your specialty is numbers, and yet you have no ledgers from which to work from because you let Old Byrglaent bully you away. You have a seeming posse of characters following you about to distract you and insist that they take precedence over your work." “I have insisted no such thing..!” “I do not have it out for you as you seem to think, but I should like to see tangible progress on this case.” Ulanan looked at Megiddo. "Mm? Oh, wine." She reached for the glass of wine still on the table and then looked at Illira, confusedly. "Progress!" she yelled, and threw the contents of the wine at Illira very suddenly. “You've hardly given me an opportu--aah! Ulanan!” Antimony reeled back, expression horrified. Megiddo smiled very briefly at Ulanan, before looking completely stoic. Illira saw the stream of wine splashing towards her but was unable to react quickly enough to dodge the mess. It splattered across the front of her shirt in a burgundy spray, a few drops spraying across her chin. Antimony reached out a bit desperately as though to stop the wine, or take hold of the glass in Ulanan's hand, or just do something to prevent this from ending in disaster. But of course, there was nothing to be done. Very calmly Illira set her wine glass down and shook her arms, attempting to rid herself of some of the deeply staining wine. “Observation!” Ulanan declared, “You do not drink red wine without a loaf of hard cheese or a plate of red meat! That's rude in eighteen different societies.” Antimony Jhanhi brought both her hands to her face finally and slumped in her chair with a weary groan, giving up. Megiddo stood with some effort, cleared his throat again, muttered, "I'll retrieve a towel," and headed to the bar. Still seeking to clean herself, Illira stared down coldy at the lalafell, "And it is universally abhorrent to throw wine at someone." ”Lalafellin families throw things at each other all the time. It's a sign of brotherly love and mutual respect. Whatsmore!” Ulanan took a breath and continued, “You also don't stare at your employees while they do their work. That will just make them commit mistakes or overreact in their tasks, resulting in a large probability of failure in their given task! That's not only impolite in every society. It's also bad business!” Antimony attempted to become one with her barrel-seat. Illira stepped towards the pair, with her linen shirt dripping wine onto the floor. "And that is not your business, Lalafel. You should Leave. Now. Before you find yourself facing charges." Megiddo made his way back to the table, walking over to Illira and holding a towel out to her, "For what good it will do. At least you are wearing a red shirt." Antimony Jhanhi groans and then wobbled to her feet, turning to face Illira. Her features were drawn tight. "Please accept my humblest apologies for my friend's behavior." Ulanan Ulan said only, "Nonsense!" to Antimony, then repeated it to Illira before adding: "I'm acting at the behest of /your/ business. See, for the reasons I have mentioned, I concluded and observed that the greatest hazard to Antimony's work is yourself! You are sabotaging your own business!" Antimony held out a hand to Ulanan, "Please, you mean well, but this is not going to better the situation, Ulanan..." Illira reached behind her to take the towel offered to her by the duskwright, patting it down over the front of her shirt and exposed skin. "No. Now you are more than a rude and uncouth being. You are an imposter." Antimony looked a little alarmed at that. “No, this has gotten--this has gotten far too out of hand. Ulanan means no harm, only... well...” Megiddo deftly took a glass of wine in-hand and walked around to stand equidistant to Illira and Ulanan, off to one side, innocuous. He swirled the wine in the glass, though the gesture was obviously one he was unused to and a few drops escape. “My arguments are mathematically undeniable,” Ulanan asserted energetically. “Proof of this is that you have seen fit to answer them with petty unfounded observations about my person. Which only brings further question to your expertise as an observer in the first place!” “Ulanan, please,” Antimony begged. “This won't get you, or me, or anyone anywhere! Ah, Miss Carceri, I am terribly sorry!” Megiddo stepped forward then and removed Ulanan's hat. "Excuse me, miss Ulanan." The lalafell just blinks at the Duskwight, thoroughly confused by the action. Without warning, Megiddo poured win on Ulanan's head, "In accordance with your culture, I express that I respect you deeply." He then dropped her hat back on her head. Antimony went very quiet and very wide-eyed at this. Illira only clenched her jaw tightly, watching the two in front of her, obviously fuming inside. Ulanan dropped her head as the wine splashed all over her hair. When the hat was back in position, she looked up to the Duskwight. Antimony muttered a faint, "Oh dear," and half-collapsed back into her seat. Silence ticked by until, “...thank you,” the small voice perked up. “Remind me to pour a whole barrel of wine on your head next time we meet.” Ulanan's upper body was now quite soaked in wine. While for other people a glass of wine is just a fancy stain, for a lalafell it is half a bath. Megiddo grinned, "Considering our past, I'll take that as a high compliment. Now, I believe Miss Carceri has further beratement for you." A glance to Ilira, "My apologies for the interruption." Antimony dropped her head to her hands. Illira hummed to herself. “I think I am rather done here for the moment. I find myself having to acquire a new set of clothes and a report to write.” The woman nodded to the miqo’te sinking deeper into her chair, "I shall catch up with you later Antimony." Antimony couldn’t bear to look at Illira in that moment and so merely nodded into her hands. Megiddo chuckled as he stepped around Ulanan, "A report to write on what? You're quitting early after having not done your job? Color me surprised." He set a hand on Antimony's shoulder, "If you yet live, I believe your contact stands aghast at our misuse of one of his better wines. This may be the ideal moment to engage him." “Oh. I'm not done yet,” Illira warned. “I merely have the first notes to write. As I said. I shall catch up with Antimony later. I rather doubt she is in the present position to... carry on with her business." Piece apparently having been said, the wine-drenched wildwood turned towards the door and left the winery in a huff. Ulanan looked suspiciously at Megiddo's hand. It looked as though she were trying to stab it with her sight. Antimony 's ears drooped at Illira's exit, and she didn’t immediately look up, but Megiddo looked past Antimony to Ulanan, "You were quite heroic." “Heroism requires danger. This was only a strategical decision!” Ulanan looked at Antimony and added a quick, "I'm sorry for that. But now you can continue your work unhindered!” A pause. “...and avoid drinking this awful red wine with no cheese or meat.” Antimony Jhanhi mumbled into her hands after a moment, "Oh yes. Quite. So heroic that this, on top of the report they've already surely received of me assaulting a superior... I suppose I should accustom myself to living on the street! Or... in trees!" “There are worse things that could happen,” Megiddo mused. “Don't many Miqo'te still live in tribes out in the wild? Surely I'm not so old that that's fallen out of fashion since my youth.” “You wouldn't want to work with an Agency that sabotages its own employees, anyway,” Ulanan shrugged. Antimony stilled and then, a moment later, just buried her face in her hands further. At this, Ulanan brow creased, her eyes wrinkled, and her lip trembled in tearful worry. “Oh, Ulanan. I'm sure she's fine,” Megiddo assuaged. “If the Wildwood had ever given anything other than a negative report, I'd be surprised.” Ulanan placed both hands on Antimony's knee and started to push and pull from it intermittently. "Come on! It will be fine! You'll see! Just like when you though they'd fire you but then they didn't.” Ulanan was very motivational! Antimony sighed and, eyes downcast, took a moment to adjust her hair, her ears laid flat and her tail curling against her leg. "Well, she was right of one thing. There will be no work done today. Not after this... mess in his winery." She sighed again. "I'll need to return tomorrow to set things straight." “Will you feel better if I show you my respect by throwing copious amounts of wine on you?” Ulanan looked up at Megiddo. "Apparently it's a thing my kind does." Antimony cringed. "I would truly rather you did not, Ulanan, though that's not to disparage any... traditions." Megiddo gestured to Ulanan, "I guess the wine thing was over-the-top. You probably should not do it again." “And by that you mean I should practice my aim, correct?” Ulanan smiled at the duskwight. “As long as you do so outside.” “Outside!” The lalafell suddenly spun as though showing herself off to Megiddo. “I'm drenched in awful grape juice of fine quality! I need to wash myself!” Antimony looked at the empty tray. "Perhaps I should have gotten one for myself... well, no matter." She smiled slightly at Ulanan. “You do smell rather strongly.” That was putting it lightly. The scent of spilt wine practically burned her nose. “It wouldn't hurt,” Megiddo acknowledged. “There should be plenty of water outside, since it just rained.” Ulanan did not wait. Without another moment’s pause, she ran off out of the building exclaiming something about wine, rotten fabric, swarms of fleshflies and ruined weddings. “... I wish I had been around to attend that poor woman's wedding. It must've been something,” Megiddo commented upon her exit. Antimony wrinkled her brow concernedly. "I am... not certain you would have survived." “I've survived worse. My work can often be dangerous, as you might guess.” Antimony 's posture slumped slightly again. "Indeed," she let out a sigh. "I suppose I should hope you were at least entertained by... what has happened tonight." “Well, I'll be honest and say I was, but I very much doubt you have anything to worry about.” Antimony shook her head. "You have not seen what a mess I've made of every opportunity so far." Her face perhaps showed a bit more of its age than usual when she looked up and slowly pushed to her feet. “All that matters is that you get the job done, and I've confidence you will.” Antimony pursed her lips. "Oh, I've no doubt of that. Though it will needs wait until tomorrow now." “I hope they have accommodations here, in that case. Otherwise you could end up sleeping in a tree.” Antimony looked to Megiddo and gave him a small smile. "Perhaps, though I'm not sure that is something my body would appreciate. It is not quite so accustomed to hermiting as your's." “One does not adapt their body to hermiting. One adapts to the act. I could build you a nest more comfortable than any bed, and about half as comfortable as that I find for myself.” Megiddo chuckled at something, then turns to move towards the door, "I think they'd appreciate us not standing in the wine, that they may clean it before it stains." Antimony started and looked down at her feet, at the small puddles of wine splashed across the wood, and, with an anxious glance Byrglaent's way, nodded and followed Megiddo. "Of course, right you are..." Once outside, the pair were greeted with cool evening air and clearing clouds giving way to starlight. “It seems the rain has subsided. Hermitting's easier in that case.” Antimony chuckled faintly. “I don't believe this is much of a tourist town. But... I will figure something out.” “And I will sleep among the vines, I believe.” Antimony cast a briefly worried look in Megiddo's direction, and he lifted his gloves, the berry-picking gloves, visibly stained with the juice of berries, "Don't mention it to anyone. They guard their grapes like Gridanians guard their wildlife." She brought one hand up to her mouth to hide a somewhat shocked smile. "Of course. Not a word." “Goodnight, then. It was good seeing you again. Try not to let any Wildwood get the best of you, hm?” A smile at Elder Megiddo. “Don't worry about me. I will... manage.” She looked skyward for a moment and then moved off to try and find a place to sleep.

((Takes place a day or two after Boardroom Secrets.)) *** Antimony bent slightly in front of a bookshelf, her tail sticking almost straight out behind her and twitching in thought as she perused a row of spines with various titles. "You're tearing through what I have at an astonishing rate," she spoke over one shoulder to the lalafell somewhere behind her doing who-knew-what. Around her were the modest furnishings of her small flat - a table that was both for eating at and, apparently, studying, judging by the papers and ink well scattered on its surface, a rocking chair and quilt nearby, a smaller, wooden chair closer to the front door, below a few shelves that held a rather uncomfortable number of unlit candles, all in varying stages of use. Ulanan was sitting under the table, a book opened on it about half her size opened right outside of the shadow. Her explanation for sitting down there involved 'spontaneous combustion' and a random yell about linen clothes that interrupted her. At Antimony's words, she nodded to the book. "Mathematics are easier when drawings are involved." The miqo'te scratched behind one greyed ear with a finger and then hummed to herself, tapping that finger against the spine of one of the tomes. "I suppose that's true. Ah, 'Shaping the Aether: A Carbuncle as the Sum of its Parts.'" She chuckled at the title. "Does that sound about right?" Illira walked down the cobbled street, periodically glancing between the buildings and the scrap of paper in her hand. She eventually came to a stop outside of one of them, double checking the address, before tucking the paper away into the pocket of her coat. She moved up the front steps towards the door, pausing briefly before knocking. She made a stiff figure on the stoop, her long black coat is sharply cut to her figure, the double breasted closure only opening slightly at the collar. Ulanan opened her mouth to speak at about the same moment the door was knocked, so she said nothing while directing her sight to the door. Antimony's ears swiveled back towards the door at the knock well before she turned from the bookcase. She did straighten, however, and stood stiffly at the far side of the room for several seconds before saying, "That's odd. I wasn't expecting visitors." "Ask who is it?" She half-turned to look down at Ulanan beneath the table, and her brow furrowed. "Oh... what if it's that Vaernian man come to tell me I'm out of a job!" "I don't think not-opening the door will do anything but convince him further that his decision was right." Her tail drooped and she sighed, "Right... of course." Ears twitching uncomfortably, she stepped around the table, past the offset kitchenette on her right, and up to the short entryway where she stood before the door for several more seconds before reaching out to cautiously open it. Not for the first time, she found herself blinking at a coated abdomen and adjusted her gaze so her neck craned upward. "How may I help... you...?" Illira looked down at the middle-aged Mi'qote, her braids hanging down into the air, instead of framing her face as a result of the forced angle. Her face was rather stern as she asked, "That depends, are you Antimony Jhanhi?" The lanky elf's hands were buried in her coat pockets as a guard against the chilly afternoon. Her elbows bent at a curiously regular and symmetrical angle. Antimony adjusted her glasses habitually, blinked, and then leaned back slightly. Her ears swept back in a display of nerves. "That is me..?" She added after a pause, "Ah, you look familiar. Do I...?" Ulanan tilted her head and leant her body to a side. She couldn't see a thing anyway, but kept that awkward position anyway. "Excellent. I wished to speak with you concerning your business with your previous employers, to be sure that... business is behind us all." Her eyebrows rose slightly at Antimony's question. "I doubt that you know me. I have only relocated to Limsa within the past year." She paused slightly before continuing, " I suppose the polite thing to do would be to introduce myself. I am Illira Carceri, of the Commerce Regulation Agency." Antimony's eyes widened slightly. "Speak with me about Perelon and... ah, the CRA! You're not firing me?" Her tail lashed out then, ears splaying to either side of her head in sudden embarrassment. "I mean... That's not what I meant. That is, if you're here to speak with me about Perelon and Ernafalk, then certainly Ildur and D'hein haven't decided to let me go. Right? Not! Not that such a thing was ever an issue; I'm very sure my work can benefit the CRA and I've nothing but good things to say of your colleagues, but one can't be too cautious now so I was just asking to be certain because--" A slight line drew itself between Illira's eyebrows as she listened to Antimony's rant. She broke into the middle of it as it appeared that it wasn't going to end, "Why do we do we not discuss this inside? Where there aren't prying ears." Antimony shut her mouth with a click of teeth and ducked her head briefly. "Yes, of course. Ah..." She turned then, to look into the flat and stepped to one side enough that Illira should have room to pass through. "Ulanan, I hope you don't mind. I--well, we have some company." The lalafell closed the book. "Oh!" she exclaimed, raising up and leaving her hideout under the table, book between the hands and hiding a good part of her torso. Illira removes her hands from her pockets, stepping forward to enter the flat, brushing past Antimony into the entry area. "So there also ears inside as well then?" "Oh, Ulanan is a friend. It's alright." Antimony hurried to close the door behind her, locking it in two different ways before following after Illira. She cast a glance towards the shelves with their dozens of candles but then reminded herself that it was midday and there was still plenty of light filling the flat. No shadows for evil to hide in yet. Clearing her throat, she gestured to a chair next to the dining/work table. "Please, sit. Ah, well, if you want. You can stand as well, if that's your wish, I'm just as accommodating either way but you walked all the way here, or at least it looks like you did, so I thought I'd offer you a place to sit and--" Her tail lashed behind her and she forced her words to slow down, "I can make us some tea?" Ulanan smiled slightly to the elezen, then looked at Antimony. "I can make the tea while you two speak." Antimony folded her hands very deliberately in front of her. "Or that. Yes. That'd be fine." Nodding her head, Illira moved towards the table, tucking herself into the chair, "Hopefully this intrusion will not be long. I learned only of your new status in our agency last night and wished to speak with you myself, as I do not always see eye to eye with the others." The lalafell placed the book on the chair next to the entrance door before heading towards the recessed wall that made up the kitchen of the Miqo'te's house. Antimony's head bobbed. "Yes, ah, of course. I'll... well, I'm happy to oblige! Whatever you may wish to know." She smiled, the wrinkles in her face deepening briefly. "Let us start from the beginning then. Paqirelon and Ernafalk. You worked for them for... a substantial period of time. What sort of work did you do for them? And please do not simply say numbers. I already know that you work with financial accounts." The lanky Elezen rested her hands in front of her on the table, clasped together. Grey brows furrowed. "Is this an investigation...? I never did--oh! Oh no, I should've just gone to the Maelstrom, I completely forget, with everything happening so quickly and--" She stopped herself sharply, biting her tongue, and then took a breath, composing her features. "There's not much to tell. I investigated accounts - sometimes on special notice, sometimes routinely. Perelon was especially interested in finding any, ah, irregularities." She shook her head. "I would do my work and then take the findings back to them." "These... special notices and irregularities... what was their nature?" asked Illira firmly. Ulanan was climbing along the kitchen furniture, looking for the tea. She was sure she had seen Antimony get some at some point before, but she couldn't remember where. So, she explored the kitchen carefully while the water boiled. Antimony cleared her throat. "Well, you know. Money getting shuffled through dummy accounts. Unreported or underreported assets. Forged assets. Misplaced decimals - not all irregularities are deliberate! The, well, the usual things one looks for when checking accounts." "And all of these accounts were for... clients of your employer? What was the follow up like on these, special notice accounts?" Illira leaned slightly forward as she asked the question. Antimony shifted her weight a bit uncomfortably. "I'm not sure of the protocol... what expectations of privacy still remain with the firms dissolution." A pause. "They were all clients, yes. With varying economic interests. The follow up, I... well, I gave them my reports and they dealt with the rest." Her ears twitched. "If this is about--I still think it is a /horrid/ misunderstanding. Perelon and Ernafalk never seemed the type to just order someone to... well, to die!" She sounded more like she was trying to convince herself of that than anyone else. Ulanan piled a number of cookies on a plate artistically, forming a house. Or that's what she would say if asked; in reality, the cookies were piled on top of each other. She walked towards the two women, holding the plate high above her head, as she barely reached the top of the table. "I brought cookies, because I can't find the tea. But don't worry! I'll find it." Leaning back once more into the chair, looking slightly less rigid in her posture, Illira responded with a small smile on her lips, "But the thought has obviously occurred to you? You are the one to bring up the subject. One of your last assignments was in the Shroud, before your employers met their... end, yes?" Illira’s brow crinkled down the middle, as if she were trying to wrangle with a thought. The miqo'te's mouth hung open silently until Ulanan approached, at which point she twisted her head around to smile at the lalafell a bit stiffly. "The cabinet on the far left. And thank you! I... didn't know I had cookies." She looked confused for a moment before forcing herself to look back at Illira and she finally found something to say, "Of course it occurred to me - someone's tried to kill me!" She stated this with great emphasis and distress and took several seconds to collect herself before nodding and stating in a quieter tone, "Yes, in Gridania." Ulanan clapped both hands together while letting a faint "oh!" escape her mouth. She turned around and went straight to the left cabinet to retrieve the tea. Illira's eye glanced up towards the plate of cookies, before training her steely gaze back on Antimony, "Hmm. And you traveled on foot I suppose. Before I came to Limsa, I worked as a guard in a small outpost in the Southern Shroud. I recall a... Mi'qote that claimed to simply be passing through on accounting business. But she was rather nervous. Twittery even. Did you travel through that often?" "Twittery? I'm not twittery! Am I twittery?" Antimony looked to Ulanan's back and then back to Illira, blinking at the elezen for several seconds before both brows lifted up over the rims of her glasses. "Oh. Oh! I thought you looked familiar. You were the rude and pushy guard who kept insisting on questioning me and drove me out of town!" She went very quiet at her words then, and her ears suddenly pressed backwards, flat against her head. "Not that... I'm sure you were doing your job," she added in a quieter voice. The lalafell was busy serving the tea and pouring sugar in a small cup. The Elezen's lips took on a slight smirk, "Indeed I was. And apparently I was right to have suspicion, considering our current meeting and topic of conversation." "I've done nothing wrong! This entire mess has just... it's been horrible. Ask Ulanan - horrible!" The distressed tone was back, and her worried expression emphasized the age lines in her face. Ulanan approached the table once again, this time holding one empty cup on each hand along with their spoons. "It was." she said, placing them on the table and turning around to look for the actual tea. "I am merely emphasizing that circumstances under which you were working were not normal, and even an outsider saw as such. You should endeavor to gain more awareness so that you do not find yourself in such... compromising situations in the future." Illira reached for her cup of tea, sipping at it, her eyes squinting momentarily at the sweetness of it. Antimony turned her anxious look to Ulanan, wrapping her hands around the cup and bringing it to her mouth before realizing it was empty. Her ears drooped. "Yes, I will endeavor to not attract assassins to myself and my friend." Green eyes blinked and then looked briefly towards the ceiling, "Perelon and Ernafalk - they were so good to me, and now they're gone! I'm certain it was the same people who tried to kill me. Absolutely certain." There's a bit of a quiver in her voice, though she reigns it in quickly. Ulanan came back with the teapot and a third cup, filled with sugar. She let them on the table. "An aberrant affair." she commented. "Yes. That matter is being taken care of. You do not need to worry about it." Illira set her cup down, barely having touched it. She pushed it a little away from her. "Appearances can be deceiving. There are many that simply put on a mask for others to see so that they may go about their business undisturbed. Be glad that you do not live in Ul'dah." "Ah, it's been reported to the Maelstrom then? Good! Good, I'll... I should probably seek them out to make a statement..." She trailed off and gave an uncertain smile to Illira. "Well, I am glad of that, for many reasons." The lalafell woman moved to the chair by the entrance, climbing up onto it and picking up the book she had left on it back when Illira had just arrived. Shaking her head slightly, Illira's braids swung with the motion. "The Maelstrom is keeping a special eye out eye for suspicious activity, as they have been made aware of the possibility that there may be more assassins lurking about your person. But the Twin Adders shall be the ones to bring the one primarily responsible to justice. He would not strike again so soon anyway. It would bring more undue attention towards his person. The investigation is being kept quiet for the moment so as not to... scare him away." The Elezen all but spat out those last couple of words. Green eyes flicked towards Ulanan and the stool she perched upon. "Ah. Of course. Well... if there's anything I can do to help." She blinked and left the sentence hanging, glancing down at her tea with a small frown. Ulanan opened the book before her and sit in her chair with a somewhat loud 'thump'. She made no other sound, trying to not interrupt the two women. "Then I will be sure to let you know. Do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything that you need. Ildur seemed to think rather highly of you. I hope that you will live up to his expectations." Illira started to move herself away from the table and out of her chair. Still holding her tea, Antimony did a kind of lean that moved with Illira, her body predicting motion without yet following through. She bowed her head towards the elezen. "Of course. Thank you. I always do my best with my work." Ulanan kept quiet, eyes peeking from behind her book. Illira smiled slightly, "And I with mine. As I said before. You may rest easy concerning the assassination matter. It is being laid to rest." She pushed her chair back in place, and smoothed the slight wrinkles out of her wool coat. "Shall I see myself out then?" Antimony kept her head bowed for a moment longer before straightening in a hurry. "Oh! No, I'll... here--" She moved to the door and, after a bit of fumbling with the locks, opened it for Illira, casting a brief smile towards Ulanan on the way before gesturing towards the elezen. "I'm glad I could be of help today. Please, have a safe trip home. Or, wherever it is you're going!" "May you have a nice day." Ulanan ventured, looking at the Elezen. Casting her gaze on the Lalafel, she said, "And you as well." She walked towards the door and out onto the stoop. She turned precisely on her heel to look back on Antimony, "Thank you for your time and cooperation. I am sure we will meet again soon." She turned again and walked back the direction that she had originally come from. Antimony ventured a smile and a small wave before letting the door click shut. A moment later, she let out a long sigh of relief. "That... did not go quite so horribly. Did it?" "See? They did not fire you." "No." She blinked and then smiled. "No, they did not." Her tail swished behind her as she made her way back into the apartment, grabbing a few candles from the shelf above Ulanan as she went. "Now then, about that book..."

((Yay for RP)) *** A letter had come with the CRA's seal a few days past, assuring her that the source of the assassins had been found and dealt with. Inside she found another, very brief missive from the Twin Adders corroborating this reassurance, and so Antimony had felt, finally, reassured. Though if she still looked over her shoulder a touch more often than she once had, one really had no place to comment. It was soon after this letter that Antimony recalled the scarred hyur who had assisted her at the Bismarck, along with her promise to provide some sort of thank you. And so it was that Antimony, thinking money too crass an offer, had spent a day preparing a variety of baked goods – mostly rolls stuffed with various meats and vegetables and cheeses – that now sat still warm in a basket slung on one arm as she wove her way through rapidly thinning crowds down to the lower docks of Limsa. She’d left Ulanan at her home with a pile of books to keep her occupied and a brief, distracted, “I’m off to meet with a friend. I’ll return later this evening!” The lalafell had apparently already been distracted, for she hadn’t had much reply. Limsa’s lower docks were not a place Antimony visited regularly, but she had, on rare occasion, made requisite trips to certain merchant shops along the port city’s more crime-ridden streets on errands for her former employers. For this reason, she knew to keep her money well out of sight and her posture straight and confident. Still, she kept her tail close, and her ears twitched about anxiously as her feet struck wooden planks and the ocean sloshed mere feet below her. She recalled the hyur had mentioned a tavern he was often at, and so set her path in that direction until she was standing in front of a shabby hole-in-the-wall with a run down sign that labeled it as “The Gibbering Fish”. A roegadyn and his lalafell companion skulked nearby – or rather, argued vehemently and silently. Antimony did her best to ignore them, not wanting to get involved in anything that could end poorly for her, though they did cast her sideways looks as she approached the door. *** The Gibbering Fish was a busy place in the late nights despite its rather... worn appearance. It rather seemed to hold the smell of the fish it was named after. Its patrons seemed to either not notice or forgive that particular transgression. At the moment it was comparatively quiet, holding only a smattering of regulars. But it was still early in the night yet. Alcor sat at the bar, where he nursed a large mug of ale. The rough looking man was actually rather quiet, though his silence was occasionally broken with bouts of banter with the bartender or other patrons who were nearby. There was a duskwight woman, sitting at the bar as well, her upper torso and head dropped and resting against it. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say she was lying on the bar. She was holding her left hand against a half-empty bottle, keeping it close to her face. Her other hand hanged lazily to her side. One of the regulars stared at her from the corner, holding his hands against his bloodied nose. Everyone else was sitting at least two chairs away from her. *** Outside, Antimony wrinkled her nose, breathing several times through her mouth in reaction to the nearly overwhelming (to her miqo'te senses at least) scent of fish before pushing forward, past the arguing pair and into the tavern. She shifted the basket so that it was cradled in front of her in her arms and furrowed her brow while peering around in the dimly lit room. A few dirty men - regulars likely - looked up at her entrance and gave her a suspicious eye. She didn't look back at them, her tail swishing anxiously. A fish out of water was what she was here. Everyone looked the same, and Antimony wondered how she had thought to actually find this hyur. Moving through the few scattered tables, she settled on heading towards the bar and stood awkwardly at one end, attempting to catch the eye of the bartender. *** As one of those who was seated just down the bar from the slumped Elezen, Alcor was seemingly ignoring the woman, or at least he didn't seem too concerned by her state of being. Though he did glance her way every now and then. His broad back was facing the windowless room, not the most welcoming of postures, though he had been talking to the barkeep until the man decided to attempt to wipe down the counter. The only signs of life Thiereia gave were the raising of her head and straightening of her posture somewhat to take a look at the newcomer. A single eye watched the Miqo'te move awkwardly towards teh bar. Her interest lasted about two seconds, at which point she raised her bottle and drank from it before dropping her head back on the bar. Antimony's eyes flicked away from the bartender to those seated in the tall benches along the bar - not that there were many. In fact, it took only moments for her gaze to pass over, return, and then settle on the somewhat hunched and greyed form of a hyur who she /thought/ looked familiar. Maybe? Well, it couldn't hurt to... Stepping away from the bar, she sidestepped until she was behind him and then cleared her throat, "Ah, Al...by? Albus? Al--oh darn it all." *** Shortly after Antimony's entrance into the bar, she would be followed by an overtly enigmatic, robed man whose hood hid his identity fairly well. The robe a dark merlot in color, bound with black linen. The man would stand still for a moment before taking the first open chair off to one side and trying to look unimportant. *** Craning his head around at the voice, the Hyur turns a blind eye to the woman. Quite literally actually, "Eh? And who be askin?" He moves slightly to the side, so that he can actually see the nervous individual.He braces his unsleeved, muscled arm against the back of the bar stool, looking the Miqo'te over. "I've seen you before... have I?" "Have you?" Antimony replied a bit stupidly before shaking her head, ears flopping as though trying to clear it. "I mean--yes! I believe so, at least. You were at the Bismarck! I think? I was there to meet a business associate, and you helped me locate him and there was this /horrid/ misunderstanding and I truly felt awful for putting you through the whole ordeal, and I never did get to properly thank you, but I recalled that you'd mentioned you spent time down here, so I thought that now that I am not quite so worried about my safety, I could perhaps spare some time to find you and offer you something in exchange for having to deal with the man who is still my boss and hasn't fired me, though I truly thought he would after all that and--!"Her words stopped suddenly, and she drew in a deep breath. The Duskwight on the other side of the bar made a sound that came out as a snort. She drank from her bottle, throwing her head back and keeping her eye on a random point of the ceiling. The man though, stares at Antimony for a long moment, before bursting out into a barking laughter, yellowed teeth showing broadly glinting with an occasional bit of shiny gold. "Aye. Yea. I be remembering you now. Didn't think for an actual moment you'd actually seek little ol' me out. I must be a terrible judge of character... Ah well, what was your name again hun? Sorry that its a slipping my mind." The edge of her Antimony’s twitched and curled around her ankle as she ventured a small smile, adjusting her wire-framed glasses with one hand while holding onto the basket with the other and responding, "Antimony Jhanhi. And I've... well, I've right forgotten your's as well, I think." The Elezen hand waved suddenly, letting out a loud dry chuckle without changing her posture. "From the Bismark!" she yelled towards them, as if she was both part of the conversation from the beginning and catching up to it. She smiled and pointed a finger to the Miqo'te, without letting her bottle go or moving her other arm to do so. "You should pay a round of wine for everyone, miss too-important-to-remember -names lady." Not paying attention to the Elezen just a couple seats over, Alcor makes to stand, pushing himself off of his barstool and leans slightly against the bar putting weight on his left elbow that he perches on the counter. He holds out his other hand, "Alcor Baen, at your service little lady." He winks out of his good eye. Now that he isn't hunched over, its pretty apparent that the vest he is wearing is seems to be distinctly missing a real shirt underneath, but it looks sturdy enough. Appropriate for a hot day on the docks, perhaps. "Ya be sayin' that you came by to thank me? I ain't done nothing that needs thankin'. Glad that that... boss of yours wasn't... too inappropriate for you?" He glances over briefly in the Elezen's direction who just spouted some words, "Ignore her, she ain't been up to anything good tonight." "Uhm," Antimony blinked once at the elezen, her ears swiveling in confusion before clearing her throat a bit uncomfortably. "I don't think I brought... enough..." She trailed off, catching on to Alcor's words and glanced back up at him before drawing her >shoulders up tight. "It's not necessarily for anything you did - though I did appreciate the assistance. Simply... well, I did not intend to get a stranger drawn into such confusion and an argument over identities! So, consider this a thank you, and an apology." At that she lifted the basket slightly in front of her, towards Alcor, and looked at him expectantly. "Uhh... sure. I don't think I could turn such a good lookin' spread if I tried. Ya bake it all yerself?" He reaches out to take the basket from Antimony's grasp. Thiereia rose from her chair. Still holding her wine, she turned and walked towards the Miqo'te, placing her other hand against the bar and shifting part of her weight on it as she moved. From her movements, it was easy to deduct she was, at least, mildly drunk. "Bread? That's such a lousy gift. Men don't like bread unless it's to use it as a spoon for their soups." she chuckled. Her only eye looked at the Hyur; the other was hidden behind an eyepatch. "Are you a soup man? You don't look like one. But perhaps you don't have enough teeth to bite on any real food!" Antimony had nodded primly at Alcor's words and began, "Of course. What kind of an apology would it be if I--" She cut herself off as the elezen sidled over and leaned slightly away from the woman, her brow furrowing. "Rolls," she corrected archly. "Filled rolls, to be exact." Her ears suddenly perked up, "Oh, but I don't know if you have any allergies! What was I thinking, I could kill you..!" Chuckling slightly, Alcor shakes his head, "Nah. I ain't run into anything I can't eat yet." He takes the basket gently from Antimony and sets it down on the stool beside him, and notably away from the drunk Elezen. Thiereia tilted her head. "Are you going to eat all that on your lonesome? That's sad." She took a drink. "Really sad. You are a sad man with a basket full of edibles." Antimony frowned at that. "You're rather rude, aren't you." "You are even sadder, because you had to bake for a man living in the slums even though you met him in the Bismark." The Elezen squinted, thinking she was making a great amount of sense. "That tells me the men of your social level don't want you." Sitting at a chair by the door, the hooded figure released a single bark of loud laughter before catching himself and slamming his forehead down on the table with an audible whud. His tale shifts about wildly under his robe. Grey ears pressed back against Antimony’s head and in an affronted tone, "Excuse me?" A pause. "That--no, this is not like that at all." And she whirls around to glare behind her in the general direction of the laughter, "Did your mother teach you to laugh at others in such a way?!" The hooded figure waves apologetically without lifting his head. Antimony huffs, folds her arms, and turns back around to Alcor. Alcor furrows his brow, a deep crease forming in his aged face as he looks towards the Elezen, "Hey now. I been leaving ya be. Show me and the lady the same courtesy, yeah?" He doesn't seem to have noticed the exchange between the Miqo'te’s. Thiereia held a hand towards him, the palm facing upwards. "How rude of you!" she said. "All I was asking was a little charity from the wealthier. Charity is a good thing, isn't it? You should show some." "Well," Antimony smoothed down the front of her robe a bit distractedly. "I suppose it's up to you what you do with the gift." Her tone suggested she wasn't feeling particularly charitable towards the elezen, though. "Not charity you're askin' fer. That man with the bleeding nose?" Alcor points to such a man in the corner, "He ain't done nothing but refuse ta buy you a drink." He turns away from the woman and back to Antimony, "I'll surely enjoy them greatly for break-fast." He smiles slightly, as he crosses his arms angling himself slightly between the two women, but still leaning against the bar. Thiereia shook her bottle, the liquid inside making some tingling noises when clashing against the inside. "Nonsense!" she exclaimed. "I hit him because he was undressing me with his eyes. I just missed them because he has a huge nose." She looked back at the bloodied man, tilting her head. "Now it's much smaller. I made him a favor!" Antimony fixed a disapproving frown on the elezen for several seconds, "Violence is not the answer to such things." "And not all folks'll take it lyin' down," Alcor almost growls over his shoulder. Thiereia barked out a laugh. "So you would keep all your bread and start a fight instead of sharing some of it." She pointed an accusatory finger to Alcor. "We have a name for that: Gluttony." "Now, no one is attempting to start a fight," Antimony interjected, brow creasing deeper as she leveled a chiding look the elezen's way. "You entered into this exchange entirely uninvited. I'm certain the protocols of elezen are not so far removed from those I'm familiar with that such a thing is welcome - especially not when you go making demands!" "Oh. I'll share it. But not with a beggar." He pauses slightly, before saying to Anti, "We could be going elsewhere where gnats don't jitter about." "There's no need for name-calling," Antimony turned her tone to Alcor, though only briefly, and then hesitated, ears flicking. "Going?" "Oh, let me teach you about Duskwight protocols." she said, adopting a mocking voice for the last word. "Our...ettiquette says we Duskwights should kill people for having things we want." She smiled, shaking her bottle and looking at it, frowning. "I'm being plenty polite, as you see!" At that, Antimony's tail shivered behind her. "Well." The hooded man surreptitiously shuffles over to the bar, keeping his distance. The bartender is busy frowning at the Duskwight and Hyur, but the hooded man gets his attention to place a whispered order. Alcor turns at that, brushing past Antimony to stand before the dark skinned woman without a stool in the way. The woman is actually a fair bit taller than the Highlander's sturdy frame. "Etiquette? Fancy word fer a gnat to use." Lifting both her hands in a conciliatory gesture, Antimony tried to force calm into her words, "Perhaps we should all simply start over, hm..?" The hooded man receives a glass of milk from the bartender. He nods and thanks and retreats back to his seat, humming happily. "I have plenty of fancy words, you impecunious decrepit simpleton." said Thiereia, smiling and pushing her bottle against Alcor's chest in a strangely playful way. The man looks down at the bottle being thrust into his chest. He grasps it just above the woman's hand, pushing it firmly away from himself as he laughs. "Aw. Yer just lonely. Go get a puppy or something." "That is not starting over," Antimony protested. The bottle almost fell out of the Elezen hand. In fact, it did fell out, but it was promptly catched by the other hand. "Well, it looks like your puppy doesn't want to see you with a bleeding everything!" she joked. She took a long gulp, emptying her bottle and leaving it on the bar with a loud noise. "If you want to fight for a piece of bread that's fine by me. I'm a Duskwight. I fight for bread all the time. No shame about it on my side!" Antimony’s frown returned, paired with a pointed clearing of her throat, "I am not a puppy. And you can't honestly wish to fight over... this is absurd!" The man glances back towards Antimony saying, "I ain't the one fighting over it. Just standing ground, sorry yeh got involved in this mess." "I know what this is." Thiereia raised a finger. "You hate Duskwights. You Duskwight hater." Antimony's tail lashed behind her, and she straightened her spine to her fullest height - not exactly an impressive height, but it was the intent that counted here. She brought one hand up and shook a finger in the elezen's direction. "Now you, he has said nothing of the sort, and I've grown rather tired of your antagonizing. It's childish and I worry what kind of environment you must have grown up in to think this behavior appropriate. You will calm down and speak reasonably, or return to your drink.” Alcor just shakes his head, letting out a mix of an exasperated snort and laugh. Thiereia did not look very impressed by those words. She shrugged. "I'm reasonable! I can get some food from him or from you, and I'll leave! Giving me what I want is better than your friend getting a new eye-hole, right?" "You'll do no such thing or I'll call the authorities," Antimony retorted, and though her ears shifted about uncomfortably, she maintained her authoritative stance. Thiereia looked at Alcor. "Hey, Highlander." she said. "Do you need the authorities or this woman to solve your fights for you?" "Ey now. I'll toss yeh out on yer ass myself. Bartram'll thank me." He reaches up to grab the woman's collar, pulling her towards him firmly towards him, before giving her a shove. Antimony cringed and then exclaimed, "What are you doing? That will only make things worse!" She looked to the bartender then, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring the little scuffle, and recalled exactly where this tavern was located. This wasn't the Bismarck. The Elezen was successfully grabbed and pulled by the collar. She moved her right hand between the man and herself, her fingers curled outwards, and attempted to quickly hit the Highlander in the chin with the lower side of her palm. In a sudden flourish, the robed man jumped from his chair and spun to his feet. He did this so quickly that when his tail caught between the legs of the chair he'd been sitting in, the chair was thrown across the bar and smashed a poor little Lalafel that nobody had noticed yet! The small man collapsed soundlessly and continued to be unnoticed. Now revealed, D'hein thrust his hand into the air theatrically (throwing milk on the wall behind him), and proclaimed loudly, "And it is as I said! There is naught be greed, violence and seduction in the man which Antimony followed, and now he has brought danger upon us! Cease fighting immediately, for I have brought peace and safety with me!" Alcor’s head was thrust back by the impact of the woman's strike, as unexpected as it was. His grip tightened reflexively on Thiereia's shirt. Antimony nearly missed the commotion of the chair, so caught up was she in attempting to soothe what had so suddenly become a fist-fight. "Stop this immediately!" she demanded, and then there came the great exaltation behind her and she froze, arms still outstretched as though to stop Alcor and Thiereia. The Elezen got distracted by the strange milkdrinker Miqo'te on the other side of the tavern, who yelled something but who, more importantly for her, was drinking milk and not alcohol. She only managed to instinctively grab Alcor's wrists and stop there, judging turning her head to acknowledge D'hein more important than her current fight. "What?" she shouted to him. D'hein nodded, smiling, and his ears flipped up and down a few times, "Yes, there's nothing left to fight over!" Antimony dropped her arms and turned to look behind her, at the robed miqo'te with an expression torn between disbelief, horror, and annoyance. It settled on simply confused. Letting out a small groan of pain, Alcor wrenches his hand back and away from the Elezen. "What are you... doing here?" Antimony managed after several seconds, and then blinked, shook her head, and frowned. Thiereia took a step back from Alcor, growling in annoyance. She raised her hand to point at D'hein. "Is that your Nunh?" She turned to look at Alcor. "Your puppy has another puppy of her own! He looks more dangerous, frankly." D'hein waved off Antimony's question, smiling and taking on a tone as though accepting an award, "In a moment. For now I must make peace between these quarreling dregs, outcast from society. I find the plight of the Duskwight woman quite pathetic, and so would offer to buy her a drink, if she would accept." He cast his beneficent expression towards the drunken woman. Pursing her lips, Antimony watched him flatly. The Hyur though, merely scoffed, as to whom specifically that is uncertain. "Ain't yer business to be messin' in." He says to D'hein. "Did you just use the word -pathetic- on me?" Thiereia inquired angrily. She slammed her feet against the floor, adopting a better posture for combat and raised a fist towards Alcor. She kept her sight on D'hein as she added, Yes. After I'm done making this Hyur spit his lungs out, I'll make you spit out your tongue." "That--none of that is necessary at all!" Antimony protested vehemently. "This isn't how you get anything you may want!" "Now don't take offense, I'm saying I empathize with you." He wagged a finger at Thiereia, "I'll buy you alcohol, but only if you adopt a policy of non-violence until the end of the night. Peace will get you further than strength this evening!" "Yes, precisely," she added with some measure of exasperation, and no small amount of disbelief that she was agreeing with D'hein. Alcor stepped back away from the raised fist and Tia to stand next to Antimony, he reached for his previously abandoned ale, taking a large swig band bared his teeth slightly in annoyance at the situation. "With a bargain like that, we could have solved this from the beginning!" Thereia commented. She relaxed her posture and tilted her head, smiling at Alcor. "Drinking has a priority in my life. You lucky scoundrel!" "Ah, see. A little peace is just a bit of charity away,” reasoned the D’hein. Ears swooped back against her greyed hair, Antimony looked between D'hein and Thiereia as though not quite sure what to make of things, and then to Alcor with a half-hearted, "Are you alright?" Taking a suddenly less beneficent tone, and in fact a rather angered one, though no less haughty, D'hein said, "Now, Antimony, don't show that man any concern. he's quite fine and a punch to the jaw is the least he deserves for what he was trying to do." Shrugging his shoulders, Alcor responded, "Yeh. Just a little knock. No worries 'bout me." He threw a slight wink down to Antimony and then turned slightly towards the Tia, "What I was doin'? Wasn't doin' nothing. Ain't my fault the damn woman just can't keep to herself." Thiereia tried to go back to her bottle and steal a drink from it, but she found it empty. She grimaced and stared at it as if it would somehow fill it up again. After doing that, she immediately tried to drink again. Of course it was still empty. "What in all of Eorzea are you talking about?" Her head swiveled back around to frown at D'hein. "You speak of him doing things, but are you--are you following me?" "Why, I'm watching out for you." He took on his very high tone again as he swaggered over to the bar, tossing a few coins upon it and gesturing the bartender towards Thiereia, "I warned you against seeking this man out, that he was a plotter who would take advantage of you. And here I am confirmed." "Yer one to talk..." Alcor takes another pull from his ale. "You are out of your mind," Antimony said simply. Thiereia kept happily silent, making signs to the bartender to give her various bottles of their cheapest wine. Taken aback, his ears laying flat against his head, D’hein began with a "Eh?" and then, said, "Didn't you hear him saying he was going to take you somewhere? I heard it clear! So did she!" He gestured to Thiereia, "Which is likely why she intervened!" Alcor scoffed, "Go somewhere? Yeh. So the lady ain't needin' ta be involved in the mess that just happened." "Of course." nodded the Elezen, opening one of her newly acquired bottles and taking what was probably the longest gulp given by any man or woman in all of Eorzea. Antimony closed her eyes, tail shivering agitatedly behind her. "Now, I mean this with all respect due to your position, but... Certainly that's not what happened at all." "Of course it is! In all his cunning, he's convinced you to come here, with free food no doubt. And what would he take next? Why, your body of course! This man is..." He points in accusatory finger at Alcor, "A creep!" Antimony looked at Alcor, and then to D'hein. "I brought the food. And you are the one who followed me down here without my knowledge." She was rather impressed she managed to say that without exploding from anxiety. Alcor chuckled, "I'm the creep? Was just having a drink. Usual habit of mine." D’hein continued on as if Alcor had not spoken,"If I hadn't done so he would not have revealed his true motives so blatantly. I was protecting you, see. It all makes sense now, doesn't it?" "Yes, it does." Ears drooping, Antimony turned towards Alcor before bowing her head. "I apologize again. It seems even this apology is causing you trouble. I should return to check on Ulanan, and then my, ah, boss will have no reason to bother you." Thiereia nodded distractedly, chiming in, "I wouldn't argue with this man." she said to Antimony, shaking her already half-emptied bottle in her direction. "His logic is completely flawless." D'hein accepted that his explanation has been fully accepted, and so he crossed his arms and nodded in self-satisfaction, "I'm glad I was able to intervene before anything happened." Thiereia laughs sarcastically. "I'm glad too!" Alcor rolls eyes slightly, raising his brow briefly at D'hein, before looking down at Antimony. "No need to be apologizin' so much. Not yer fault the man is sufferin' from delusions. Yeh be wantin' an escort out of the area?" Pursing her lips, Antimony considered for a moment, then glanced sideways at D'hein and finally nodded, "Yes. I would appreciate that. It's gotten dark, I'm sure, and there's no telling who may try to follow me home." Blinking in confusion, D'hein said, "Now, I won't have any of that. This man won't be escorting you anywhere! Not while I'm responsible for you!" Thiereia turned around, elbows placed upon the bar, her body weight shifting to rest on them. "I can escort her if you are feeling charitable again." she said with a slight smile. Her tail whipping behind her, Antimony turned on D'hein. "You are not responsible for me. I never gave you such a duty, and I would most appreciate it if you simply left me be. I am fully capable of making my own decisions." "I am quite aware of that!" D'hein said, taking on a scolding, fatherly tone, "In fact you may remember I said as much to that man when he masqueraded as your protector previously! However, your choice to come here and expose yourself to danger has left me with grave concerns!" Picking up the basket of contention, Alcor let out a bark of laughter, interjecting, "Controllin' er ain't the way to get up good will man." "Don't you lecture me on such things," Antimony retorted, placing her hands on her hips. The thin wrinkles in her face creased deeper with her frown and narrowed green eyes. "You've deluded yourself into seeing problems that are simply not there." Fixing first Alcor and then Thiereia with a look, D'hein said quite commandingly, "I won't be taking advice from either of you on this matter. This is between Antimony and myself. Now!" He walked towards Antimony with a hand on his hip and his opposite finger pointing towards the ceiling, "You might say I'm not responsible for you, but I take my role as your employer very seriously." The finger began to wag, "I'll not have you walking home protected by a pirate who in the very least has demonstrated that his pride is of higher priority than your well-being!" Thiereia kept on drinking, emptying one bottle and starting on another. Her body lent to one side as she shrugged at D'hein. "I was just sayin'!" Antimony's eyes widened for just a second before one hand left her hip as he approached, and then there was a great smack of flesh on flesh. "I will not have you intruding into my personal life in such a manner," she spoke firmly, though her expression was halfway into disbelief at her own actions. "I am leaving now." And she turned away. Dhein's ears and tail spazzed wildly at the smack, though his facial expression just went slack and his other movements ceased. Smiling slightly, Alcor says, "Lady has spoken. Better clean the wax out yer ears." He turned as if to follow Antimony out. The woman took a few steps before pausing to compulsively adjust the sleeves of her robe, taking a moment to collect herself before she would continue towards the door. Pausing only briefly, D'hein shifted to block Alcor's path, "She might determine her own business, and she's right to that, but you and I are another thing entirely." Thiereia just chuckled, considering something in the scene amusing. Probably that she had more wine now than she had before. Alcor stopped as the Miqo'te stepped in front of him, hemming him in. "Oh? We are, are we? Hadn't been aware of any relations a'tween us. Yeh, mightin' be wantin' ta step aside." Antimony's steps slowed and she stopped with her hand on the door, ears flicked back towards Alcor and D'hein uncertainty. Smiling, D'hein says, "Oh, I don't think that will be necessary. For you see," he gestures to Thiereia, "In the miniature economy of this tavern, if you make trouble, the winner is the Duskwight. As long as she's willing to throw a punch in exchange for alcohol, I've no need for fisticuffs." "I can't carry that many bottles, but I can carry the coin needed to buy them," smiled the Elezen. "Of course," D'hein tossed Thiereia an amused smile, "That's quite agreeable." Antimony's jaw tightened and she turned to frown at D'hein then, saying, "You are horribly misguided here," and then to Alcor stiffly, "Please don't get yourself hurt. I will walk home on my own." To punctuate this statement, she turned and moved to exit. The Highlander grins tightly, his muttonchops moving a little with the expression. "Don't think its 'bout that hon..." he paused for a second. "Out with it Tia. Would like ta be gettin' on with mah day." Thiereia left the bar, walking toward the two men. Her steps showed that she was considerably more drunk than before. She wasn't close to falling down, but she looked highly unstable. "Please do something stupid." she said to Alcor, waving the hand that was holding the bottle of wine. "Please, so I can break some of your bones. I'll let you chose which one!" Turning his smiling face towards Alcor, D’hein was silent for a moment, and then shrugged, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's all there is. I think you're one to harm others, and as a father, my instincts won't allow me to let you escort my employee home." When Thiereia moved up towards Alcor, he held up a hand, "Now, now, let's give the man a chance to have his seat." The sound that came from the Duskwight woman when hearing that was akin to a disappointed 'aw', followed immediately by some drinking. "Nah. I be fine standin'. Yer the one threatening harm, some father, yeah?" Alcor looks down at the other man, one eye sickly green, the other clouded and scarred. Looking proud, D'hein turns his back on Alcor, "Any father worth a grain of sand would come to the defense of those he's responsible for with every fang and claw he has. Granted, Antimony's not my child, nor a child at all, but I have my instincts. And what's a Miqo'te without his instincts? Poor and alone, that's what he is." Thiereia nodded sagely. For the expression of her face, it was obvious she wasn't really nodding at what D'hein was saying but to some internal thought instead. At some point during all of this, Antimony had left the tavern and now made her way back through the now dark streets of Limsa's lower docks, already working up in her head a rant for Ulanan. Letting out of snort of annoyance. "Daddy of the year, yeh smother them. At least mah boy don't need no one and wants to know me. I be doubting the same be said of yeh." D'hein hummed at that, and then, turning to look at Alcor, he says, "Two mistakes you've made: calling me Tia, and talking about 'my boy'. And that's two payments for my dear Duskwight friend." He deftly portioned out some money, put it on the bar near where Thiereia had been drinking, and took some steps away from both the Duskwight and the Hyur, "I think that sounds reasonable, doesn't it?" Thiereia smiled. "Plenty reasonable," She took one flimsy step towards Alcor, bottle still in her hand. "So which bone do you want broken today, Highlander?" "Eh. Don't break that easy. Tia... on the other hand? Migh' be made of glass..." He shook his head, "Yeh think this'll score points with the little lady?" He set the basket down on the table next to him. "No I don't," D'hein said, and took up a stance near the door, crossing his arms. Without much of a warning, the Elezen simply rushed towards the Hyur, body inclined towards her left, and threw a very straightforward punch to his stomach. The punch caught Alcor in the stomach, causing a loud breath to emit from him in a distinct, "Oof". He grabbed for her wrist at his stomach. Thiereia didn't remove her hand fast enough to avoid the grab. In response, she shifted her weight violently to a side and tried to place her foot behind the man's ankle, pushing in the opposite direction to drop him to the ground. Seeing the violence, D'hein simply nodded to himself and exits the tavern.

Jezreel Desfosse is in need of an invite to the linkshell, whoever has that power.

It's on an in game timer. It only opens up at nighttime (Eorzean clock). >_> Does that mean it's only doable at night? Hngh.

Miqo'te are not cats.

Urgh. This would pretty much destroy the structure we've developed for the Hipparion tribe over the past several months. Honestly I think I may just ignore/handwave it. It's vague enough... >_>

The lore states that it's possible for tribes to have multiple nunhs. It's also reasonable to assume that there isn't just a single K tribe, or a single U tribe. Rather, there are numerous groups that live separately and may or may not interact with one another on a regular basis. Nope! Source: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threads/61150-Miqo-te-Naming-Conventions

That would be the Hipparion Tribe! We've got a whole desert nomad society and culture worked up for ourselves. It's been a blast.

I was unaware you had tried to contact me. o.0

Not sure if I should feel loved or frightened!

That's how I read it, and honestly? That sounds like a really fun video game.

No, it's Cure I spam with Cure II when it procs or if there's an emergency... Every so often you get to hit Medica II. Healing in this game is a complete snoozefest. >_< As a 50 WHM, I don't think I've come across anything in this game that I would describe as "absolutely brutal", least of all trash packs. Half the time I'm running ahead training mobs on the tank just to give myself something to do.

I really like how Rift does support souls. That said, there's no actual delineation of a support role in XIV (unlike in, say, Rift), so I really don't know if we'll ever get true support classes/jobs.

*pats* My condolences.

Your entire post basically said what I was trying to communicate but ten thousand times better, but these lines in particular I must say: yes, yes, this forever and always.

What, I'm not allowed to think it silly to use the term "noble" without the actual historical context of it? It's not like I'm disavowing the lore. I just wish Squee had used a different term to distinguish it from actual noble social systems like in Ishgard.

The primals can be found anywhere there is a wish for them to be, Eorzea or elsewhere. The Garlean Empire's spread across the other continents of Hydaelyn is largely motivated by the desire to eliminate the primals.