Antimony Jhanhi emerged from the inn rooms at the back of the Quicksand alongside Mitari, eyeing him carefully and critically as they went and rattling off a series of pointed questions, "And you're certain you feel balanced for walking? How are the lights affecting you? Any more signs of dizziness?"
Mitari sighed as he followed Antimony out into the quiet tavern. He pushed his hands into his pockets, smiling a bit wryly. "Good enough." he replied casually as he glanced around. "It'll be fine."
Antimony narrowd her eyes, not quite convinced. "I want you to eat something first. If you can keep it down, then you will be fine."
Mitari smiled again at Anti and rubbed the back of his head. "Really, you don't need to make a fuss over some hobo like me you know."
“You say that as though "some hobo" means your health doesn't matter,†she huffed.
Mitari shrugged. “Doesn't really.â€
Antimony folded her arms across her chest, frowning. Then she would try another approach. "If that is the way you want to see it, then alright. I spent all night ensuring you didn't fall into a coma on accident. The least you can do is make sure my efforts weren't for naught. Or are you that thankless?"
The miqo’te’s skin flushed deeply at that. “That's... I mean... not... n-no. I'm not. Thank you.â€
Antimony lifted her chin slightly. "Good. In that case, you'll see about eating, and /then/ you can go pretend your health doesn't matter."
Ulanan very rudely, yet with a very polite demeanor and smile, stood between the two Miqo'te. Not close enough to be between them, but close enough to invade their field of views. “Hello!â€
Mitari grinned faintly, his ears flattening to his head with embarrassment. "Ah.. yes. Okay then." he agreed, completely and totally missing the fact that a Lalafell had stepped between them. At least until it spoke, at which point he staggered with shock.
Antimony also hadn't noticed Ulanan - poor lalas! - until she spoke, at which point her ears twitched rather strangely before she looked down. “Ah, Ulanan! When did you... well. You're quiet today...†Mitari gave Ulanan a thoughtful look.
“I'd say the city is seemingly siezed by sizzling. Who's your friend?†Ulanan smiled at Mitari.
Mitari recognized the name Ulanan after a few moments and looked nervously towards Anti for an explanation.
“Siezed by... what? Oh, ah, this is...†Antimony seemed to struggle for a moment before exclaiming, "Mitari! Yes. Good morning, Ulanan."
“Pleased to meet you, mister Mitari.†Ulanan raised one hand in greeting.
Mitari Xerxes cleared his throat faintly and raised his own hand in greeting. "Uh, pleasure to meet you too Ulanan..."
Antimony looked between them both for a moment before saying a bit uselessly, "She is a friend. She came to Ul'dah with me."
“So you said before.â€
Ulanan looked at Antimony. “I came to invite you to have breakfast with me, if you are not busy.â€
Antimony's tail shifted behind her and she smiled. "Oh, perfect. I'd just been impressing upon Mitari the importance of eating." A pause. "Ah, that is, if you don't mind a third...?"
“Well, do you like olives, Mitari?â€
“Eh? Olivies? Erm... I suppose so.â€
Antimony gained an odd look and stifled something that could've been a laugh. Ulanan Ulan clapped her hands together once, despite what the universe might convey. Mitari looked suspiciously between the two but said nothing.
“Then it's no trouble at all. Shall we find a table?†Ulanan declared, and Mitari stepped back and motioned for the ladies to go first.
Antimony clasped her hands behind her, looking pleased, and nodded. A moment later, she moved forward, towards the seating area. She managed to snag a table that's relatively isolated from the main tavern area and took a seat after a moment, watching Mitari with a critical eye once more. Ulanan walked around the table and, after nodding pleasingly at its shape and materials, she climbed on it. Mitari looked from Antimony to Ulanan and dragged a third chair to the table before sitting down himself.
Antimony's ears tilted as Mitari sat down. "Still no dizziness? Any weakness in you extremities?"
“Eh? Oh um. No.†Mitari was not a very good liar and something was bothering him, but he didn’t move to say anything about it.
“Is he ill?†Ulanan questioned.
Antimony frowned and didn’t respond to Ulanan's question immediately, instead insisting, "You realize if you strain yourself too quickly, you could die?" She said this with a very straight, serious face.
Ulanan raised both brows and looked at Mitari with curiosity. The miqo’te's ears flattened against his head again and he looked past Antimony instead of at her. "So you said. All night long."
“All night long?†Ulanan echoed.
“Precisely. And I was correct every time.â€
“...every time?†Ulanan looked throughly confused.
“I didn't say you weren't  right. You were. Just that I already know it since you said it all night,†came the somewhat grumpy reply.
Antimony blinked at Ulanan. "What?"
After a moment, the lalafell tried another route, “Ahm...we should order food. I recommend tea, bread, butter and olives. Or deep fried bread sticks! Fried in olive oil, naturally.â€
“Um,†Mitari began, “I hate to be the freeloader here but... I'm a freeloader. I don't have any gil on me.â€
“It's alright,†Antimony assured. “There's enough in my budget for incidentals.†She just would have to fudge exactly what this incidental was.
“Ah... thank you.â€
Antimony thought for a moment and then added to Mitari, "If you do not feel alright, you must tell me."
Mitari frowned faintly and shook his head no. "I will tell you. But i'm fine right now."
Ulanan got the attention of an invisible waitress by standing on the chair and raising a hand. She ordered two toasts, two fried sticks, three teas and a "big sized bowl of olives". The invisible waitress wrote down the order and left with a nod. “What is exactly your ailment, mister Mitari?†She questioned afterward.
Antimony frowned at Mitari for several more seconds, though not a mean frown, more of a worried one. Then she sighed and offered a small smile at Ulanan, "Ah, thank you. I was a little distracted." Catching Ulanan’s question, she looked strangely conflicted.
Mitari's ears once again pressed back against his head. What was he going to say about this? "I got hit in the head. Antimony has been nice enough to take care of me." he finally settled on. Nice and vague.
“Ah, yes. Just a bit of an accident. Nothing to worry about!†Antimony grimaced.
“And you nursed him all night?â€
“Head injuries require a great deal of attention early on.†Antimony pressed her lips together briefly, her tail whacking against her chair. Mitari sat awkwardly between the two women and said nothing.
“Right! I don't know anything about medicine. But that's very kind of you!â€
Antimony nodded at that, then hesitated and added, "It was the least I could do." A pause. "Not... that I would only be interested in doing the least... ah, curse that saying..."
Mitari laughed. “It's fine. You've done a lot for me already. Thanks.â€
Antimony sighed, fidgeting her hands in her lap. Ulanan rubbed the bridge of her nose and after a moment, “So what do you dedicate yourself to, mister Mitari?â€
Mitari flicked his ears up and back down, trying get to comfortable. At least before immediately becoming uncomfortable. "Uh... well... I had dedicated it to becoming a full-fledged dragoon. But I finally accomplished that a few months ago and now I'm just... wandering."
“A what?†Antimony furrowed her brow in confusion.
“A dragoon,†Mitari repeated.
“That sounds quite interesting!†Ulanan offered. “Why don't you tell us more about that?†She smiled.
Antimony's ears swooped back in mild embarrassment. "Ah, I don't think I've ever heard of..."
Ulanan smiled at Mitari again. “Dragoons are some kind of knight from Ishgard. Are you Ishgardian?â€
Antimony blinked at Ulanan, then at Mitari. "Eh?"
Mitari blinked in surprise. Had people really never heard of them? “Well when I was a kid, my sister and I were rescued by a Dragoon. So I decided I wanted to be one. They're elite soilders of Ishguard. Hard to become one when you're not Ishguardian but, I managed.â€
Antimony's ears went lopsided. "Well, I suppose that stick you carry around is a rather fancy thing, but it still looks just like a spear, and... well, I know these Ishgardians aren't the only ones who know how to use spears!"
Mitari smirked a bit and stood up from his chair. "Yes, but most people can't jump like I can." And as if to demonstrate, he jumped clear to the ceiling and almost across the room before jumping back.
Antimony Jhanhi yelps in surprise, leaning back in her chair at the sudden action. "That is..."
“If you do that in here they'll throw you out,†came a new voice from somewhere behind Antimony.
Ulanan was about to say something about jumping and dragon hunting, but Mitari's jump intercepted her words.
Mitari caught sight of an elderly Duskwight a short distance away and blushed with embarrassment. “Oh, right. Erk. Well.. too late now.†He sat down and tried to look very small and unassuming as if he hadn't just jumped about the entire room. Ulanan leaned to a side to look at the intruding Duskwight, holding her beret with one hand. She frownd.
Antimony straightened very sharply at that voice and looked suddenly uncomfortable.
The Duskwight smiled. "I understand the temptation of young men with able legs to jump. But temperance is far more difficult to obtain, and better-appreciated."
Mitari coughed awkwardly, sensing some strangeness with the ladies at the table. "Um... yes well. Sorry. I'll g-go then. Stop being a bother I guess..." he mumbled, standing and scooting away from the table.
Antimony's eyes widened then and she turned towards Mitari, "What? No! You can't go yet!"
The miqo’te flinched. “E-erm... okay. Right then...â€
“We haven't had breakfast yet,†Ulanan explained. “Don't let a man ruin your appetite.â€
Antimony Jhanhi winced.
Mitari mumbled something as he sat about going without eating being the usual breakfast but let it drop quickly and said nothing.
The old Duskwight stepped up and leaned on the partition to his right, musing to himself, "Did I lecture? I must be getting old."
Antimony managed after a moment a somewhat weak, "Ah, good morning to you, as well, Megiddo.â€
Mitari looked to Antimony. She knew him? Did everyone know one another here or something? He felt very odd and somewhat like an outsider... although, he mused that he was always an outsider as the only people he was 'in' with were dead.
Ulanan pointed at Megiddo. “You are getting old. Want some breakfast?â€
Megiddo let the smile slip back onto his face and replied to Ulanan, "Only if there are olives. Which, knowing you..." He paced over towards the table, guiding his old, hunched frame along the partition. He put a hand on Antimony's chair, "Good morning, Antimony. You sound troubled."
Antimony frowned, ears pressing back. "Ah, it's... well." Whatever she was trying to say failed her, so she just went silent for a moment.
“You should find a chair Megiddo,†Ulanan offered. “Oh, and this is Mitari. Mitari, Megiddo. Megiddo, Mitari. Don't mind all the ems in your names.†She gestured to each in turn.
Megiddo moved over between the table and the partition, leaning back. "If I sit down, there's no telling if I'll be able to get back up." He looked over at Mitari, "Good morning. You jump quite high for an injured man."
Mitari grinned awkwardly at Megiddo and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah well. Yeah."
Antimony folded her hands in her lap, weaving her fingers together, then unweaving them, then weaving them again. She looked sideways at Megiddo, offered a brief smile, and then, "Shouldn't the food have gotten here by now?"
“You need to work on the art of sitting and getting up, Megiddo.†Ulanan shrugged.
“Some arts are much too grand for me to master in the time I've left, Ulanan. Such as, sitting. Furthermore, though, getting up.â€
Mitari Xerxes quietly noticed a somehow nervous static around Antimony. He wondered what would have caused it, and he could only think he was caused by Megiddo. Although, he had no idea why or what.
“In any case...do you like toasts?†Ulanan waved again to the waitress, making some obscure hand gestures and frowning heavily at her. Probably because of the delayed food.
Eventually, the invisible waitress returned! She served the invisible food. Toasts, a bowl of olives, some fried bread sticks and some butter. Then she left, invisible as she was.
“Well...enjoy! And don't eat too fast,†the lalafell cautioned.
Megiddo took a peice of toast and three olives. "I hope I took the poisoned one."
Antimony looked over the food for a moment before also retrieving a piece of toast for herself, and a small pat of butter. At Megiddo's words, she winced. "Why, ah, why would you hope that?"
Mitari carefully looked to the small feast on the table. It all smelled so good... he reached for a breakstick and carefully ate it, making sure it was okay to do so and that he wasn't getting dirty looks. Ulanan was too worried about placing olives on her own food to throw dirty, or clean, looks at anyone.
“I can't tell if you are saying we are trying to poison you or that someone is trying to poison us. Both of them would be strange,†the lalafell commented.
Megiddo offered Antimony one of those good-natured wry old man smiles. "It's a joke. I'm hoping for an especially bitter olive."
Antimony took a careful breath and then just replied, "Oh."
Ulanan bit into her toast. "What brought you to Ul'dah, mister Mitari? I don't think dragoons are common around these ceruleum and blood stained lands."
Mitari bit into a breakshit and paused when Ulanan addressed him. "Oh.." he quickly finished munching and swallowed. "No. They're not. Mostly up north but... just... wandering I suppose." He shrugged at Ulanan.
“It seems a very, ah, common past time,†Antimony noted uncertainly.Â
“Oschon has a broad selection of wanderers across the world,†said Ulanan with a smile.
“What I wonder,†Megiddo mused, “is why someone who succeeds at becoming a dragoon is not otherwise employed or conscripted for his many obvious uses.â€
“Too many adventurers running around stealing all the work,†he shrugged. “That and I don't really look to terribly reputable. Heh. No one seems interested in hiring someone like me long term. It's a struggle.â€
Megiddo shook his head, and observed, "Nno. A Miqo'te does not become an honored knight of the most racist nation in Eorzea and then get put out of work by adventurers."
“Maybe if you liberated your limbs from that loathsome linen...†Ulanan muttered.
Mitari coughed awkwardly as his ears flattened against his head. "Well... more like... It's just... you know... Not ALL of the houses like me. I'm only a Dragoon Knight for one of them. What's wrong with my clothing?â€
“It's linen!†Ulanan gestured in annoyance.
Megiddo took an olive on a ride aboard the toast, straight to his mouth. Mmmm olives.
“What's wrong with linen?â€
Antimony blinked at that, gave Mitari a curious look, and ventured, "Why couldn't this... house provide you with work?"
“What house?†He looked to her. “The Ishgardian house? Oh. Well simply put, I'm an outsider. They don't want me there as much as possible.â€
Ulanan let her hate of linen drop, though she frowned heavily at the matter. Her head turned to face forward and focused on biting her toast with disguised anger.
“I'm more like a knight of honor than an actual knight. But I got the soulstone and training and armor which was all good enough for me.†At his words, Antimony frowned.
Megiddo chewed for a disproportionate amount of time and then said, "I do not mean to interrogate. I believe that Oschon brings people to me that I might get to know them. You story is odd, Mitari."
“Eh well... I'm odd I guess.â€
“Not... not too much so! In a bad way. You're fine,†Antimony hastily reassured, looking anxious.
“Except for the linen,†Ulanan Ulan muttere while chewing.
Antimony paused and then added out of the blue to Mitari, "Eat more."
Mitari muttered something about his clothing being fine and his armor being much better looking before munching on another piece of bread.
Megiddo bent the toast around the remaining olives. "The part that doesn't make sense, is where you, alone, against type, become an honored knight of Ishgard. And are sent away. It doesn't make sense."
Mitari thought for a moment while eating. True. It didn't really make sense. Then again... "Well.. not really honored knight. And not really of Ishguard. More like... honoary Knight of a house of Ishguard to make me get the hell away from camping outside their door. Also for helping them with an ambush."
“Ishgardians are a complex people,†Ulanan offered. “They hate outsiders, but relly on them more often than they'd like. I'm not surprised they would train a man and then abandon him once he is no longer useful. Or until they need him again.â€
Megiddo hummed. After a moment, he said, "You are not a dragoon. How disappointing."
Antimony gave Megiddo a sharp look, "That wasn't called for."
Mitari opened his mouth to argue but shut it again and let his ears flatten againt his head. "I'm as close to one as I can get..." he mumbled mostly to himself before standing. "I'm going to get some... fresh air. I'll be back..."
“Wha... Ah, Mitari! You shouldn't--†Antimony stood suddenly, turning as though to follow him.
Megiddo hummed, a bit in confusion, and muttered, "He took that a great deal differently than I expected him to."
“That was mean, Megiddo,†Ulanan said with some disapproval.
“Hnn! He still isn't--I haven't yet--gah!†With a gesture of frustration, Antimony hastened to go after the retreating miqo'te.
Megiddo looked over at Antimony as she left, saying quickly, "Yes, perhaps. I didn’t mean... Good, chase after him. Offense was not my intention."
Ulanan frowned at the situation and stuffed more olives on top of a toast, then placed a toast on top of that one. “I guess sitting and getting up is not the only thing you are too old to train for.â€
***
By the time Antimony made it outside of the Quicksand, there was no sign of Mitari in its immediate vicinity. Wringing her hands, she looked up and down the street, even – after recalling the wild way he’d jumped about – up towards the roof of the tavern, but he was nowhere to be found. This unsettled her for a number of reasons, and she found herself entirely unwilling to return to the table with Ulanan and Megiddo. Especially the latter.
She felt awful over just about everything and so instead decided to take a walk.
***
Megiddo pondered, and dropped into the seat in front of Ulanan, toast still in-hand. "I've also been wondering, Ulanan. What you do to keep busy."
Ulanan smiled at Megiddo. “I joined the Adventurer's Guild. I sometimes drop by and take jobs from them when I'm in need of money or to keep me busy.â€
“An unexpected job for such a tiny, harmless creature. I'm sure they never run out of work for you.â€
“I'm sure your line of work has an endless amount of tasks to be taken care of, too.â€
Megiddo sighed and leaned forward, "I try to avoid work, which is fine. I've been all but unemployable since Gridania, you see. My time is now spent pursuing personal interests more befitting my age."
Ulanan bit the improvised toast-olive-sandwich. She took a tiny bite out of it; the rest basically crumbles. “Running into Antimony constantly is befitting to your age?â€
Megiddo chuckled, smiling, "More on the side of wandering aimlessly. You'll have to blame Oschon for that. And besides. How do you know it is not you that Oschon is constantly pulling me towards."
“That is an interesting theory. We should run an experiment on it.â€
“What kind of experiment, Ulanan?â€
“It's an easy one,†the lalafell nodded. “At some point in time, I will have to leave Antimony's side. When that happens, we'll see where your feet lead you to.â€
Megiddo laughed at that. "Hm. I find it interesting that you never do leave her side. Why is it that you follow her so obsessively?"
“It's not an obsession.†Ulanan did not hold back in expressing clear annoyance with Megiddo. “She's just in the road I take, so why not?â€
“Hm. Sounds familiar.†Megiddo stood from the table, the process taking great effort. "Thank you for breakfast. I'll leave so that Antimony may return and keep you company."
Ulanan looked towards the exit. She sighed. “I don't think she'll be coming back. Have a good day, Megiddo!â€
Megiddo hummed in response, but said nothing, and walked off, hunched over like a poorly-supported scarecrow.
Mitari sighed as he followed Antimony out into the quiet tavern. He pushed his hands into his pockets, smiling a bit wryly. "Good enough." he replied casually as he glanced around. "It'll be fine."
Antimony narrowd her eyes, not quite convinced. "I want you to eat something first. If you can keep it down, then you will be fine."
Mitari smiled again at Anti and rubbed the back of his head. "Really, you don't need to make a fuss over some hobo like me you know."
“You say that as though "some hobo" means your health doesn't matter,†she huffed.
Mitari shrugged. “Doesn't really.â€
Antimony folded her arms across her chest, frowning. Then she would try another approach. "If that is the way you want to see it, then alright. I spent all night ensuring you didn't fall into a coma on accident. The least you can do is make sure my efforts weren't for naught. Or are you that thankless?"
The miqo’te’s skin flushed deeply at that. “That's... I mean... not... n-no. I'm not. Thank you.â€
Antimony lifted her chin slightly. "Good. In that case, you'll see about eating, and /then/ you can go pretend your health doesn't matter."
Ulanan very rudely, yet with a very polite demeanor and smile, stood between the two Miqo'te. Not close enough to be between them, but close enough to invade their field of views. “Hello!â€
Mitari grinned faintly, his ears flattening to his head with embarrassment. "Ah.. yes. Okay then." he agreed, completely and totally missing the fact that a Lalafell had stepped between them. At least until it spoke, at which point he staggered with shock.
Antimony also hadn't noticed Ulanan - poor lalas! - until she spoke, at which point her ears twitched rather strangely before she looked down. “Ah, Ulanan! When did you... well. You're quiet today...†Mitari gave Ulanan a thoughtful look.
“I'd say the city is seemingly siezed by sizzling. Who's your friend?†Ulanan smiled at Mitari.
Mitari recognized the name Ulanan after a few moments and looked nervously towards Anti for an explanation.
“Siezed by... what? Oh, ah, this is...†Antimony seemed to struggle for a moment before exclaiming, "Mitari! Yes. Good morning, Ulanan."
“Pleased to meet you, mister Mitari.†Ulanan raised one hand in greeting.
Mitari Xerxes cleared his throat faintly and raised his own hand in greeting. "Uh, pleasure to meet you too Ulanan..."
Antimony looked between them both for a moment before saying a bit uselessly, "She is a friend. She came to Ul'dah with me."
“So you said before.â€
Ulanan looked at Antimony. “I came to invite you to have breakfast with me, if you are not busy.â€
Antimony's tail shifted behind her and she smiled. "Oh, perfect. I'd just been impressing upon Mitari the importance of eating." A pause. "Ah, that is, if you don't mind a third...?"
“Well, do you like olives, Mitari?â€
“Eh? Olivies? Erm... I suppose so.â€
Antimony gained an odd look and stifled something that could've been a laugh. Ulanan Ulan clapped her hands together once, despite what the universe might convey. Mitari looked suspiciously between the two but said nothing.
“Then it's no trouble at all. Shall we find a table?†Ulanan declared, and Mitari stepped back and motioned for the ladies to go first.
Antimony clasped her hands behind her, looking pleased, and nodded. A moment later, she moved forward, towards the seating area. She managed to snag a table that's relatively isolated from the main tavern area and took a seat after a moment, watching Mitari with a critical eye once more. Ulanan walked around the table and, after nodding pleasingly at its shape and materials, she climbed on it. Mitari looked from Antimony to Ulanan and dragged a third chair to the table before sitting down himself.
Antimony's ears tilted as Mitari sat down. "Still no dizziness? Any weakness in you extremities?"
“Eh? Oh um. No.†Mitari was not a very good liar and something was bothering him, but he didn’t move to say anything about it.
“Is he ill?†Ulanan questioned.
Antimony frowned and didn’t respond to Ulanan's question immediately, instead insisting, "You realize if you strain yourself too quickly, you could die?" She said this with a very straight, serious face.
Ulanan raised both brows and looked at Mitari with curiosity. The miqo’te's ears flattened against his head again and he looked past Antimony instead of at her. "So you said. All night long."
“All night long?†Ulanan echoed.
“Precisely. And I was correct every time.â€
“...every time?†Ulanan looked throughly confused.
“I didn't say you weren't  right. You were. Just that I already know it since you said it all night,†came the somewhat grumpy reply.
Antimony blinked at Ulanan. "What?"
After a moment, the lalafell tried another route, “Ahm...we should order food. I recommend tea, bread, butter and olives. Or deep fried bread sticks! Fried in olive oil, naturally.â€
“Um,†Mitari began, “I hate to be the freeloader here but... I'm a freeloader. I don't have any gil on me.â€
“It's alright,†Antimony assured. “There's enough in my budget for incidentals.†She just would have to fudge exactly what this incidental was.
“Ah... thank you.â€
Antimony thought for a moment and then added to Mitari, "If you do not feel alright, you must tell me."
Mitari frowned faintly and shook his head no. "I will tell you. But i'm fine right now."
Ulanan got the attention of an invisible waitress by standing on the chair and raising a hand. She ordered two toasts, two fried sticks, three teas and a "big sized bowl of olives". The invisible waitress wrote down the order and left with a nod. “What is exactly your ailment, mister Mitari?†She questioned afterward.
Antimony frowned at Mitari for several more seconds, though not a mean frown, more of a worried one. Then she sighed and offered a small smile at Ulanan, "Ah, thank you. I was a little distracted." Catching Ulanan’s question, she looked strangely conflicted.
Mitari's ears once again pressed back against his head. What was he going to say about this? "I got hit in the head. Antimony has been nice enough to take care of me." he finally settled on. Nice and vague.
“Ah, yes. Just a bit of an accident. Nothing to worry about!†Antimony grimaced.
“And you nursed him all night?â€
“Head injuries require a great deal of attention early on.†Antimony pressed her lips together briefly, her tail whacking against her chair. Mitari sat awkwardly between the two women and said nothing.
“Right! I don't know anything about medicine. But that's very kind of you!â€
Antimony nodded at that, then hesitated and added, "It was the least I could do." A pause. "Not... that I would only be interested in doing the least... ah, curse that saying..."
Mitari laughed. “It's fine. You've done a lot for me already. Thanks.â€
Antimony sighed, fidgeting her hands in her lap. Ulanan rubbed the bridge of her nose and after a moment, “So what do you dedicate yourself to, mister Mitari?â€
Mitari flicked his ears up and back down, trying get to comfortable. At least before immediately becoming uncomfortable. "Uh... well... I had dedicated it to becoming a full-fledged dragoon. But I finally accomplished that a few months ago and now I'm just... wandering."
“A what?†Antimony furrowed her brow in confusion.
“A dragoon,†Mitari repeated.
“That sounds quite interesting!†Ulanan offered. “Why don't you tell us more about that?†She smiled.
Antimony's ears swooped back in mild embarrassment. "Ah, I don't think I've ever heard of..."
Ulanan smiled at Mitari again. “Dragoons are some kind of knight from Ishgard. Are you Ishgardian?â€
Antimony blinked at Ulanan, then at Mitari. "Eh?"
Mitari blinked in surprise. Had people really never heard of them? “Well when I was a kid, my sister and I were rescued by a Dragoon. So I decided I wanted to be one. They're elite soilders of Ishguard. Hard to become one when you're not Ishguardian but, I managed.â€
Antimony's ears went lopsided. "Well, I suppose that stick you carry around is a rather fancy thing, but it still looks just like a spear, and... well, I know these Ishgardians aren't the only ones who know how to use spears!"
Mitari smirked a bit and stood up from his chair. "Yes, but most people can't jump like I can." And as if to demonstrate, he jumped clear to the ceiling and almost across the room before jumping back.
Antimony Jhanhi yelps in surprise, leaning back in her chair at the sudden action. "That is..."
“If you do that in here they'll throw you out,†came a new voice from somewhere behind Antimony.
Ulanan was about to say something about jumping and dragon hunting, but Mitari's jump intercepted her words.
Mitari caught sight of an elderly Duskwight a short distance away and blushed with embarrassment. “Oh, right. Erk. Well.. too late now.†He sat down and tried to look very small and unassuming as if he hadn't just jumped about the entire room. Ulanan leaned to a side to look at the intruding Duskwight, holding her beret with one hand. She frownd.
Antimony straightened very sharply at that voice and looked suddenly uncomfortable.
The Duskwight smiled. "I understand the temptation of young men with able legs to jump. But temperance is far more difficult to obtain, and better-appreciated."
Mitari coughed awkwardly, sensing some strangeness with the ladies at the table. "Um... yes well. Sorry. I'll g-go then. Stop being a bother I guess..." he mumbled, standing and scooting away from the table.
Antimony's eyes widened then and she turned towards Mitari, "What? No! You can't go yet!"
The miqo’te flinched. “E-erm... okay. Right then...â€
“We haven't had breakfast yet,†Ulanan explained. “Don't let a man ruin your appetite.â€
Antimony Jhanhi winced.
Mitari mumbled something as he sat about going without eating being the usual breakfast but let it drop quickly and said nothing.
The old Duskwight stepped up and leaned on the partition to his right, musing to himself, "Did I lecture? I must be getting old."
Antimony managed after a moment a somewhat weak, "Ah, good morning to you, as well, Megiddo.â€
Mitari looked to Antimony. She knew him? Did everyone know one another here or something? He felt very odd and somewhat like an outsider... although, he mused that he was always an outsider as the only people he was 'in' with were dead.
Ulanan pointed at Megiddo. “You are getting old. Want some breakfast?â€
Megiddo let the smile slip back onto his face and replied to Ulanan, "Only if there are olives. Which, knowing you..." He paced over towards the table, guiding his old, hunched frame along the partition. He put a hand on Antimony's chair, "Good morning, Antimony. You sound troubled."
Antimony frowned, ears pressing back. "Ah, it's... well." Whatever she was trying to say failed her, so she just went silent for a moment.
“You should find a chair Megiddo,†Ulanan offered. “Oh, and this is Mitari. Mitari, Megiddo. Megiddo, Mitari. Don't mind all the ems in your names.†She gestured to each in turn.
Megiddo moved over between the table and the partition, leaning back. "If I sit down, there's no telling if I'll be able to get back up." He looked over at Mitari, "Good morning. You jump quite high for an injured man."
Mitari grinned awkwardly at Megiddo and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah well. Yeah."
Antimony folded her hands in her lap, weaving her fingers together, then unweaving them, then weaving them again. She looked sideways at Megiddo, offered a brief smile, and then, "Shouldn't the food have gotten here by now?"
“You need to work on the art of sitting and getting up, Megiddo.†Ulanan shrugged.
“Some arts are much too grand for me to master in the time I've left, Ulanan. Such as, sitting. Furthermore, though, getting up.â€
Mitari Xerxes quietly noticed a somehow nervous static around Antimony. He wondered what would have caused it, and he could only think he was caused by Megiddo. Although, he had no idea why or what.
“In any case...do you like toasts?†Ulanan waved again to the waitress, making some obscure hand gestures and frowning heavily at her. Probably because of the delayed food.
Eventually, the invisible waitress returned! She served the invisible food. Toasts, a bowl of olives, some fried bread sticks and some butter. Then she left, invisible as she was.
“Well...enjoy! And don't eat too fast,†the lalafell cautioned.
Megiddo took a peice of toast and three olives. "I hope I took the poisoned one."
Antimony looked over the food for a moment before also retrieving a piece of toast for herself, and a small pat of butter. At Megiddo's words, she winced. "Why, ah, why would you hope that?"
Mitari carefully looked to the small feast on the table. It all smelled so good... he reached for a breakstick and carefully ate it, making sure it was okay to do so and that he wasn't getting dirty looks. Ulanan was too worried about placing olives on her own food to throw dirty, or clean, looks at anyone.
“I can't tell if you are saying we are trying to poison you or that someone is trying to poison us. Both of them would be strange,†the lalafell commented.
Megiddo offered Antimony one of those good-natured wry old man smiles. "It's a joke. I'm hoping for an especially bitter olive."
Antimony took a careful breath and then just replied, "Oh."
Ulanan bit into her toast. "What brought you to Ul'dah, mister Mitari? I don't think dragoons are common around these ceruleum and blood stained lands."
Mitari bit into a breakshit and paused when Ulanan addressed him. "Oh.." he quickly finished munching and swallowed. "No. They're not. Mostly up north but... just... wandering I suppose." He shrugged at Ulanan.
“It seems a very, ah, common past time,†Antimony noted uncertainly.Â
“Oschon has a broad selection of wanderers across the world,†said Ulanan with a smile.
“What I wonder,†Megiddo mused, “is why someone who succeeds at becoming a dragoon is not otherwise employed or conscripted for his many obvious uses.â€
“Too many adventurers running around stealing all the work,†he shrugged. “That and I don't really look to terribly reputable. Heh. No one seems interested in hiring someone like me long term. It's a struggle.â€
Megiddo shook his head, and observed, "Nno. A Miqo'te does not become an honored knight of the most racist nation in Eorzea and then get put out of work by adventurers."
“Maybe if you liberated your limbs from that loathsome linen...†Ulanan muttered.
Mitari coughed awkwardly as his ears flattened against his head. "Well... more like... It's just... you know... Not ALL of the houses like me. I'm only a Dragoon Knight for one of them. What's wrong with my clothing?â€
“It's linen!†Ulanan gestured in annoyance.
Megiddo took an olive on a ride aboard the toast, straight to his mouth. Mmmm olives.
“What's wrong with linen?â€
Antimony blinked at that, gave Mitari a curious look, and ventured, "Why couldn't this... house provide you with work?"
“What house?†He looked to her. “The Ishgardian house? Oh. Well simply put, I'm an outsider. They don't want me there as much as possible.â€
Ulanan let her hate of linen drop, though she frowned heavily at the matter. Her head turned to face forward and focused on biting her toast with disguised anger.
“I'm more like a knight of honor than an actual knight. But I got the soulstone and training and armor which was all good enough for me.†At his words, Antimony frowned.
Megiddo chewed for a disproportionate amount of time and then said, "I do not mean to interrogate. I believe that Oschon brings people to me that I might get to know them. You story is odd, Mitari."
“Eh well... I'm odd I guess.â€
“Not... not too much so! In a bad way. You're fine,†Antimony hastily reassured, looking anxious.
“Except for the linen,†Ulanan Ulan muttere while chewing.
Antimony paused and then added out of the blue to Mitari, "Eat more."
Mitari muttered something about his clothing being fine and his armor being much better looking before munching on another piece of bread.
Megiddo bent the toast around the remaining olives. "The part that doesn't make sense, is where you, alone, against type, become an honored knight of Ishgard. And are sent away. It doesn't make sense."
Mitari thought for a moment while eating. True. It didn't really make sense. Then again... "Well.. not really honored knight. And not really of Ishguard. More like... honoary Knight of a house of Ishguard to make me get the hell away from camping outside their door. Also for helping them with an ambush."
“Ishgardians are a complex people,†Ulanan offered. “They hate outsiders, but relly on them more often than they'd like. I'm not surprised they would train a man and then abandon him once he is no longer useful. Or until they need him again.â€
Megiddo hummed. After a moment, he said, "You are not a dragoon. How disappointing."
Antimony gave Megiddo a sharp look, "That wasn't called for."
Mitari opened his mouth to argue but shut it again and let his ears flatten againt his head. "I'm as close to one as I can get..." he mumbled mostly to himself before standing. "I'm going to get some... fresh air. I'll be back..."
“Wha... Ah, Mitari! You shouldn't--†Antimony stood suddenly, turning as though to follow him.
Megiddo hummed, a bit in confusion, and muttered, "He took that a great deal differently than I expected him to."
“That was mean, Megiddo,†Ulanan said with some disapproval.
“Hnn! He still isn't--I haven't yet--gah!†With a gesture of frustration, Antimony hastened to go after the retreating miqo'te.
Megiddo looked over at Antimony as she left, saying quickly, "Yes, perhaps. I didn’t mean... Good, chase after him. Offense was not my intention."
Ulanan frowned at the situation and stuffed more olives on top of a toast, then placed a toast on top of that one. “I guess sitting and getting up is not the only thing you are too old to train for.â€
***
By the time Antimony made it outside of the Quicksand, there was no sign of Mitari in its immediate vicinity. Wringing her hands, she looked up and down the street, even – after recalling the wild way he’d jumped about – up towards the roof of the tavern, but he was nowhere to be found. This unsettled her for a number of reasons, and she found herself entirely unwilling to return to the table with Ulanan and Megiddo. Especially the latter.
She felt awful over just about everything and so instead decided to take a walk.
***
Megiddo pondered, and dropped into the seat in front of Ulanan, toast still in-hand. "I've also been wondering, Ulanan. What you do to keep busy."
Ulanan smiled at Megiddo. “I joined the Adventurer's Guild. I sometimes drop by and take jobs from them when I'm in need of money or to keep me busy.â€
“An unexpected job for such a tiny, harmless creature. I'm sure they never run out of work for you.â€
“I'm sure your line of work has an endless amount of tasks to be taken care of, too.â€
Megiddo sighed and leaned forward, "I try to avoid work, which is fine. I've been all but unemployable since Gridania, you see. My time is now spent pursuing personal interests more befitting my age."
Ulanan bit the improvised toast-olive-sandwich. She took a tiny bite out of it; the rest basically crumbles. “Running into Antimony constantly is befitting to your age?â€
Megiddo chuckled, smiling, "More on the side of wandering aimlessly. You'll have to blame Oschon for that. And besides. How do you know it is not you that Oschon is constantly pulling me towards."
“That is an interesting theory. We should run an experiment on it.â€
“What kind of experiment, Ulanan?â€
“It's an easy one,†the lalafell nodded. “At some point in time, I will have to leave Antimony's side. When that happens, we'll see where your feet lead you to.â€
Megiddo laughed at that. "Hm. I find it interesting that you never do leave her side. Why is it that you follow her so obsessively?"
“It's not an obsession.†Ulanan did not hold back in expressing clear annoyance with Megiddo. “She's just in the road I take, so why not?â€
“Hm. Sounds familiar.†Megiddo stood from the table, the process taking great effort. "Thank you for breakfast. I'll leave so that Antimony may return and keep you company."
Ulanan looked towards the exit. She sighed. “I don't think she'll be coming back. Have a good day, Megiddo!â€
Megiddo hummed in response, but said nothing, and walked off, hunched over like a poorly-supported scarecrow.
![[Image: AntiThalSig.png]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/179079766/AntiThalSig.png)
"Song dogs barking at the break of dawn, lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm; and these streets, quiet as a sleeping army, send their battered dreams to heaven."
Hipparion Tribe (Sagolii)Â - Â Antimony Jhanhi's Wiki
