Franz made his way from the Airship Landing Station down into the hustle and bustle of Ul’dah. Even though the morning had just begun, one could already see merchants setting up shop, selling goods, and maybe trying to make an extra coin or fifty. It was hectic, but it had been what he called a temporary ‘home’ for the last few moons. As he walked through the city, he wondered who he might encounter on his way to the Goblet.
It was a strange feeling, as if all of the people he had known were simply hiding. Not a single familiar face had been seen. Nor had any voices been heard. Even more odd was coming back to a home only to see a sign posted, saying it would be up for sale or repossession. Kage had abandoned his house.
Franz grumbled a little, looking at the sign. “The little shite couldn’t have at least told us personally?â€
He wouldn’t wonder when it had occurred or whether anyone else knew. They were nearly as much strangers to him as he was to them. He hadn’t seen Honzo in ages, Iron Sea was in Limsa Lominsa, and Natalie was dead. And Franz would not be taking legal ownership of something he couldn’t even legally buy.
“It would appear I am without a home once again.†The words stung a little, but he’d managed. He would need to manage.
He hadn’t returned to the house more than a handful of times himself, due to the feeling in it after everything had happened. In a way, perhaps the Garlean was happy to have seen Kage give up. Leave. Run away. Act like expected. Franz had already made his resolve by the time he had opened the door to the house. It wasn’t -his- home, and he felt he had overstayed his welcome. So what was another person leaving then? He had plenty of gil to find somewhere else if wanted, and there was always the key to a room at the Mizzenmast inn that Jancis had lent to him.
“Might as well pack my belongings and leave something for the others.†The was a sad smile. Likely, anyone who remained in the house would have returned to collect their belongings by the time the house was either transferred to their ownership, or given back to the markets.
Looking at the few items that mattered, he cleared all personal effects from his room: his clothing, some tools he had used for various crafts, Frhanz’s tools, a collection of various tomes in various languages he had not yet attempted to read. And then he saw it. The mask. THe same one he’d worn just a few suns prior at a lively event. It’s worn red hues looked the same as the first day he could remember in Eorzea. The inscription carved upon its backside in the ever familiar Garlean script. It was no wonder he had felt odd at the  event. THe he had initially brought had been assumed to just be a simple red mask. But this one. This mask. This was the one he used in darker times. Days that blended together. Endless nightmare.
The mask he wore as an Unnamed Mercenary.
“Hadn’t I lost this on that day?†he wondered out loud, holding the mask again, a feeling of dread. He had pushed those feelings away. Or rather, had begun to feel at the mask's removal. It was not a time he’d want to return to. The one possession he came to Eorzea with would be left in the house. There was no reason for it.
As he finished packing what he could carry, he decided he would leave the well-crafted furnishing behind. After all, it could always be used by another to offset a cost, or to drive up the value of the house. And where would he store it anyways? It didn’t take long to gather everything into something suitable to transport. He quietly closed the door to the room, removing the nameplate affixed to the door.
“It’s not -my- room any more than the others.â€
Returning to the main room from the hallway of personal rooms, he left the mask on the living room table and took out some parchment and a quill to write with. Inscribed in proper penmanship, was the letter he would leave informing the remaining members of the house.
![[Image: x5ORgGf.png]](http://i.imgur.com/x5ORgGf.png)
Holding the short letter down was a small plate a bittersweet cookies. Only half the sugar was used, and the chocolate unsweetened. A small indicator of his feelings while leaving, but a final gift to the house nonetheless. Not far from either was the mask. He no longer cared if the people there found it. Maybe one would seek him out instead.
With that, he left the three items on the main room’s center table by the couches and closed the main door behind him. The house, guarded by its imaginary dangers by the multiple cannons Kage and Natalie had purchased continued to point in their previous positions. Franz couldn’t help but smirk a little. “Still a waste money, if I ever saw them.â€. He began to walk towards Ul’dah to catch the first airship he could.
edit/update:
((I should note, that the mask is just your ordinary, Eorzean, Ash Mask, dyed a lovely shade of Dalamud Red. The only Garlean indicator of it is the text incribed on the backside. If worn, one would never know.))
((And think of the cookies as almost like crackers or biscuits with bittersweet chocolate. Certainly not...sweet, but more bland than bitter.))
It was a strange feeling, as if all of the people he had known were simply hiding. Not a single familiar face had been seen. Nor had any voices been heard. Even more odd was coming back to a home only to see a sign posted, saying it would be up for sale or repossession. Kage had abandoned his house.
Franz grumbled a little, looking at the sign. “The little shite couldn’t have at least told us personally?â€
He wouldn’t wonder when it had occurred or whether anyone else knew. They were nearly as much strangers to him as he was to them. He hadn’t seen Honzo in ages, Iron Sea was in Limsa Lominsa, and Natalie was dead. And Franz would not be taking legal ownership of something he couldn’t even legally buy.
“It would appear I am without a home once again.†The words stung a little, but he’d managed. He would need to manage.
He hadn’t returned to the house more than a handful of times himself, due to the feeling in it after everything had happened. In a way, perhaps the Garlean was happy to have seen Kage give up. Leave. Run away. Act like expected. Franz had already made his resolve by the time he had opened the door to the house. It wasn’t -his- home, and he felt he had overstayed his welcome. So what was another person leaving then? He had plenty of gil to find somewhere else if wanted, and there was always the key to a room at the Mizzenmast inn that Jancis had lent to him.
“Might as well pack my belongings and leave something for the others.†The was a sad smile. Likely, anyone who remained in the house would have returned to collect their belongings by the time the house was either transferred to their ownership, or given back to the markets.
Looking at the few items that mattered, he cleared all personal effects from his room: his clothing, some tools he had used for various crafts, Frhanz’s tools, a collection of various tomes in various languages he had not yet attempted to read. And then he saw it. The mask. THe same one he’d worn just a few suns prior at a lively event. It’s worn red hues looked the same as the first day he could remember in Eorzea. The inscription carved upon its backside in the ever familiar Garlean script. It was no wonder he had felt odd at the  event. THe he had initially brought had been assumed to just be a simple red mask. But this one. This mask. This was the one he used in darker times. Days that blended together. Endless nightmare.
The mask he wore as an Unnamed Mercenary.
“Hadn’t I lost this on that day?†he wondered out loud, holding the mask again, a feeling of dread. He had pushed those feelings away. Or rather, had begun to feel at the mask's removal. It was not a time he’d want to return to. The one possession he came to Eorzea with would be left in the house. There was no reason for it.
As he finished packing what he could carry, he decided he would leave the well-crafted furnishing behind. After all, it could always be used by another to offset a cost, or to drive up the value of the house. And where would he store it anyways? It didn’t take long to gather everything into something suitable to transport. He quietly closed the door to the room, removing the nameplate affixed to the door.
“It’s not -my- room any more than the others.â€
Returning to the main room from the hallway of personal rooms, he left the mask on the living room table and took out some parchment and a quill to write with. Inscribed in proper penmanship, was the letter he would leave informing the remaining members of the house.
Holding the short letter down was a small plate a bittersweet cookies. Only half the sugar was used, and the chocolate unsweetened. A small indicator of his feelings while leaving, but a final gift to the house nonetheless. Not far from either was the mask. He no longer cared if the people there found it. Maybe one would seek him out instead.
With that, he left the three items on the main room’s center table by the couches and closed the main door behind him. The house, guarded by its imaginary dangers by the multiple cannons Kage and Natalie had purchased continued to point in their previous positions. Franz couldn’t help but smirk a little. “Still a waste money, if I ever saw them.â€. He began to walk towards Ul’dah to catch the first airship he could.
edit/update:
((I should note, that the mask is just your ordinary, Eorzean, Ash Mask, dyed a lovely shade of Dalamud Red. The only Garlean indicator of it is the text incribed on the backside. If worn, one would never know.))
((And think of the cookies as almost like crackers or biscuits with bittersweet chocolate. Certainly not...sweet, but more bland than bitter.))
