Advertisement: STALLION CREAM

[111]

The box of glass vials clatters as the shopkeeper heaves it onto the counter, "That's the last of them... but I have to ask, why do you need so many?"

 

Evangeline grins and holds up a vial full of a white, milky solution. Globules of slightly different tones shift around disconcertingly inside as it is jiggled. "Business my friend! There is a new market to be had, and a chance for Ishgard to make a fortune."

 

She grabs a hold of the box, "After all, they're so many advertisements for it, lot's of people must be buying!"

 

Later that day a new set of posters and fliers can be seen alongside the now familiar 'Bronco Grease' advertisements.

 

 

STALLION CREAM

 

 

Eorzea's most powerful Energy Serum!

 

Live harder, live longer, live better.

 

Don't trust inferior Southern products, buy local!

 

Five Gil at the Forgotten Knight, all sales benefit starving orphans in the Brume. 

 

 

The Eorzean Revolutionary Council is not responsible for any adverse physical, mental or aetherial effects caused by consumption of Stallion Cream Energy Serum. Contains no Stallion. 

[Eliane Dufresne]

The fifth evening bell at last rang, and the day finally relented. Menelline and Antinaud mopped the grease and sweat from their brow, gathered their tools, and left the foundry's smoldering maw behind. The blast of winter air that greeted them outside was welcome after eight bells beside a furnace. Payday wasn't for another two suns, but they still had ample coin for supper, and tucked their newly-bought groceries carefully away in their toolboxes before making their way home to the Brume.

 

They descended the rickety steps the same way they always did, and moved to turn the corner, when a flash of bright orange caught Menelline's eye. She paused and stared dumbfounded at the pictures plastered to the wall like makeshift wallpaper; no doubt they'd all be kindling by the end of the night.

 

"What's it say, Anti?"

 

He squinted. "S-uh...Stallion? Stallion Creme?"

 

"What's a Stallion?"

 

"S'like a male unicorn, I think."

 

"Oh." She blinked. "E'nt that the knight what been escorting Miss Ellie around?"

 

"Think so. Saw'm go in the office once."

 

The two stared at the picture. Church bells clamored from somewhere up in the pillars.

 

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

 

"Yeeeeeeep."

 

Antinaud snatched a flier from the wall, and the two raced back toward the foundry.

[Askier]

Jin'li calmly strolled the street, his cane clacking as he moved with a steady pace.

 

Whatever thoughts he was allowing to run through his mind were undiscernable behind his emotionless visage.  But whatever these thoughts were, they immediately stopped as he paused and looked at the new ad.

 

The wind rustled his hair and tugged as his black as night coat.  His onyx black eyes read the ad again.

 

"Hard as Ishgard's walls. . ." The miqo'te repeated the slogan as he cocked his head to one side and thought aloud to himself.

 

"Why would you want to be as hard as something material? With the second law of thermodynamics in effect, this elezen is effectively saying he wants to only be hard temporarily; because, with time, the wall will crumble and decay into ruin and, therefore, his hardness shall also fall into ruin and be rendered a disappointment. "

 

The miqo'te turned and resumed his walk, certain he would not buy the product.

[Dat Oni]

There were no words spoken that day, by Koporo.

 

Just the sounds of his head bashing against the table.