Assault on an Officer [ooc welcome]

[Naunet]

((More plots afoot! Occurs after Soften them Up in time, though doesn't really follow it thematically.))

 

***

 

A young miqo’te man of white hair and humble clothing yawned as he walked into the courtyard in the heart of Ul’dah. It was all sorts of a dull and boring day, but he was alright with that today. Lance strapped to his back he flopped down on a bench and yawned again. "Hmm..." he hummed to himself, thinking what he should eat for dinner.

 

Antimony kind of meandered towards the fountain, eyes on the water but thoughts at least several malms away. It's for this reason that when she went to take a seat, she didn’t bother to check if it was free or not. She did, at least, jump back in time to avoid, uh, embarrassing lap violation. Her tail fluffed out from surprise and the first thing she managed was a sputtered, "I am so sorry!"

 

The man was rather busy laying back against the stone and staring up at the ceiling emptily. Food, food... what kind of delicious food should he eat? Maybe... hm. No. The question was a good one for him, and he almost didn't notice the woman walking towards him. At least until she was directly in front of him and nearly sat on him. He blinked and sat up looking to the women with a chuckle. "It's fine." He laughed.

 

Antimony wove her fingers together - an awkward feat, for she carried a rather thick envelope in hand as well - and pressed her ears back. "No, oh, no, you don't have to brush off that... well, that was quite possibly the most humiliating... mph!" Closing her eyes, she drew a deep breath, straightened her posture, and then, "Apologies, I was just going to... in fact, I'll sit over... there!"

 

The miqo’te man chuckled again at her response. Well. She certainly was a high-strung one. He carefully stood and brushed some of the dust off himself before offering his seat. "No need. A lady like yourself should sit where she likes. I'll move for you."

 

Antimony's brows inched up towards her hairline from behind the frames of her glasses and she gestured with both hands, "Oh, no, please don't bother to--that is, oh no, you've already stood and it would be rude now to say no, wouldn't it, but I never intended to dislocate anyone, so you must..." She trailed off, blinking, and then looked down at the envelope that had, in her gesturing, dropped from her grip. She sighed. "Very well."

 

He chuckled again. Really, that was quite cute of her. She seemed a bit frazzled, although he supposed he might be as well if he almost sat on a strange shady looking male's lap. So instead, he simply kneeled down to pick up her envelope and handed it back to her. "You alright there Miss?"

 

Antimony accepted the envelope with a purse of her lips and a compulsive smoothing of the front of her robe. Her ears shifted out to point away from her skull, though still remained low set. “It's fine. I'm fine. You are... whoever you are, you seem fine. Ah, don't mind me, it's just the stress of work.” She chuckled faintly.

 

Yellow eyes blinked blinked. First she was really cold and then direct and now laughing? He blinked, somewhat confused and gave a nervously laugh of his own. "Um... Mitari. You can call me Mitari."

 

“Ah there! Mitari. I should feel better for knowing the name of the stranger I nearly... sat on.” She grimaced.

 

Letting out a laugh, “It's quite alright. I guess I do blend in with the bench.”

 

Antimony shifted the envelope around in her hands for a moment before nodding and extending one towards him with a hopefully more composed look, "A pleasure to meet you."

 

Mitari took her hand carefully before leaning in to kiss the top of her palm. "It's my pleasure, Miss...?"

 

Antimony blinked at her hand as though not really sure how to react to the gesture. "... Antimony," she replied belatedly, shaking her ears as though dispelling a thought, which she chuckled faintly at.

 

Mitari grinned at the lady and straightened himself up. "Nice to meet you Ms. Antimony. Coming to this part of Ul'dah to relieve some stress? Or maybe just stress out some more?"

 

Antimony pulled her hand back, folding it over the envelope and looks around as though just noticing her surroundings. “Is this... oh! Good, I'd begun to think I'd wandered a bit too far south of... ah, no! The former, to answer your question. A busy day demands at least one quiet walk, don't you think?”

 

Without warning, a blonde miqo’te dressed in the garb of the Brass Blades walked right up and poked Mitari in the back, "Hey you."

 

Antimony blinked past Mitari. "Miss Loughree?"

 

Mitari nodded thoughtfully at Anti's response. "Yes, I would think-" He jumped lightly when something poked his back. He sharply turned around and looked at the other woman. "Uh, hello?"

 

Loughree ignored Antimony for a moment, keeping her gaze on Mitari, "Ain't I seen you round Pearl Lane?"

 

Antimony frowned slightly in thought, perhaps considering the other woman's question, or just considering her presence, or who knew what else. Mitari, for his part, looked thoughtfully at the intruder, his ears flickering up and down as he thought. "Well.. yeah. I usually hang out over there to look for work..."

 

Loughree nodded, "Uh huh. 'Look for work'. I know what that means." She looked towards Antimony and walked up to her, "What're you doing out here? You've got no business uptown."

 

Mitari frowned again, his ears flattening on his head. "Hey, what does that mean!? Don't-" He shut up as she promptly ignored him to talk to Anti.

 

Antimony frowned between Loughree and Mitari and then, "I'm sure she meant nothing by it. You look like a fine... well, you look fine! And what do you mean no business?"

 

“Unless you do. At which point I'm curious...” Without another word, the Blade lieutenant snatched the envelope out of Antimony's hand with a quick, harsh motion, and turned away, "What's this?"

 

Mitari scowled and moved forward, moving to put a hand on the intruder's shoulder. "Hey now, what's with this? Don't go looking through people's private things. I would ask you give that back to Miss Antimony."

 

Antimony's eyes widened and she reached out to try and take the envelope back. "What are you doing? You're not authorized to view those documents, Miss Loughree."

 

Loughree looked sideways at Mitari and said, "Brass. Blades. Business. Don't be inserting yourself. Unless you're involved?" Her features pulled down in annoyance.

 

“I am. So how about you hand it over? It's none of the business of the Brass Blades.”

 

Antimony attempted again to reach around Loughree and extricate the envelope, "You really cannot be looking through those. It could jeopardize the entire.."

 

Loughree pulled the envelope away from Antimony and knocked Mitari's hand off her shoulder, "Let me do my job, scab. Especially if you're involved." She tried to step away from them.

 

“Name calling isn't necessary. I must demand you give that envelope back, or... I'll speak to your superiors!”

 

Mitari fumed at being called a scab, the hair on his ears and tails bristling. "What did you call me you no good rusting tin can?" he hissed, stepping at her again. "You tryin' to pick a fight!?"

 

Antimony cringed at the sudden aggression and lifted both hands in front of her in a hopefully soothing gesture. It likely didn’t do much good. Loughree narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Maybe. I bet a scab like you can't even bully the refugees out of their meals, right?"

 

“I think we should all take a step back and calm down, yes? We don't want to be... ah, starting fights or... violating privacy clauses or anything of the sort!”

 

Mitari bristled again, his face turning an angry red a few seconds before he shot a short punch at her face. "Don't insult my pride! I get my meals off beating people like you down!"

 

Loughree caught the punch and tried to throw him down. Basic dodge-and-subdue stuff that a cop might do to arrest someone. If she succeeded, though, he'd probably end up kissing the bench none too kindly. Antimony yelped and jumped back away from them both, not wanting to get caught in the middle of anything.

 

Mitari indeed ate the bench with his face none too kindly, but he wasn't a pushover. He was a mofo dragoon. And thus he swiped his leg across the woman's legs to try and knock her over. Loughree didn't expect none of that so she flopped very unpoetically right onto her back, dropping Antimony's envelope. Antimony brought both hands up to her mouth, looked around for someone who might intervene, and then started inching around towards where the envelope had been dropped.

 

Mitari sharply scrambled to his feet and turned around. Spying the envelope he made a dash to grab it, and Anti's hand, and tried to run for it. "Let's go!" Antimony squawked in surprise and kind of stumbled along, not really expecting to be dragged off as though running from a crime scene.

 

Loughree found her own feet surprisingly quick for all that heavy armor, but was too slow to grab Mitari before he got away.

 

It all happened so suddenly that they were down and around a number of flights of stairs and other paths before Antimony finally gathered her thoughts enough to drag on Mitari's grip and pant out a, "Wait! This isn't... we shouldn't be running like this!"

 

Mitari skidded to a stop on the stairwell and looked back to Anti. Well, it was a little incriminating. He stopped and handed Anti her envelope back. "Yeah, well she was going to take it and rummage through it you know. We can sort it out with the Brass Blades later. Just make sure you get that envelope somewhere safe if it's so important, right?"

 

Antimony grimaced and bent over somewhat as she tried to catch her breath. "That... I never expected... you shouldn't have... ah! We're all criminals now!" That last bit was wailed out a bit sadly.

 

Mitari smiled weakly and squatted down in front of her. He gave a soft pat to her shoulder. "We're not. Just get your stuff somewhere safe. I got this. It won't be the first time I spent in a cell anyway." He shrugged a bit and laughed nervously. "But you should know I only stole food before and that's why! I'm not really a criminal!"

 

Antimony gathered both her breath and at least a sliver of her composure after several seconds, ears drooping and tail twitching anxiously. “You shouldn't have intruded in... you don't even know me! I'm certain I could have gotten her to hand it back. I am working with her boss and... Ah!”

 

Mitari looked away from her, sulking, to which Antimony pursed her lips and gave him a worried look. Still sulking, Mitari’s ears pressed to his head. "Oh, she just... I mean... I'm sorry. Looks like I made a lot of trouble for you. Didn't mean to..."

 

Antimony blinked at Mitari, then at the envelope, and then kind of wilted. "I didn't mean to... well, that is, I was trying... Well! I'm the one who should be sorry, that there was ever any incident to... involve yourself in..." She winced.

 

Mitari disagreed vehemently, “No, no. I made trouble for you and I'm sorry for that. It's fine. We'll get it sorted out, ok?”

 

Antimony shook her head, then sighed and nodded instead. The wrinkles about her eyes deepened in worry as her hands fidget with the envelope. "What does one do when they run from the law like that...? Do we need to turn ourselves in?"

 

Mitari looked thoughtful. “Well.. normally you just... try not to get found or yeah... turn yourself in. Although, you didn't actually do anything. I'm the one who assaulted a.. officer of peace.”

 

Antimony's eyes widened. "No! No, I'll... I will vouch for your character! It was all just a misunderstanding." She nodded firmly, gripping the envelope tight. "I will sort this all out, and you won't have to spend even a single night in a cell."

 

It took several seconds for Mitari to calm himself down from a sudden bout of laughter to look at Anti properly. "That's really kind of you, but I don't think they're going to be so understanding. If anything, let's just try to keep you out of one, okay?"

 

Antimony winced, looking away before eyeing Mitari sideways. "I can't believe that. It really was a misunderstanding! Miss Loughree just... well, she assumed all the wrong things, and you can't be blamed for coming to my defense and... I will make this right!"

 

Mitari smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "You're a really kind person Miss Antimony. I hope that we can."

 

“Can?”

 

“That we're able to, rather. I just don't think the Brass Blades will be very cooperative.”

 

“Ah... perhaps not, but... Well. I will try. I can't stand for someone like you going to jail over something so minor.” She nodded again, with some finality. They would understand. Miss Loughree would be reasonable.

 

Mitari smiled awkwardly and sighed, dropping his hands to his pockets. "Eh, well. I guess we should go turn ourselves in then?"

 

Antimony frowned, looked back down the stairs, then back up at Mitari. Her tail swished low behind her. "Let me see what can be done first before you... do anything rash."

 

Mitari raised his hands in surrender and shrugged a little. "Alright, I'll be quiet and follow your lead then."

 

Antimony half-smiled at that. "First I should take care of these papers."

 

Mitari nodded. “I can wait here for you.”

 

Antimony blinked. "Right here...?" Then flicked her ears, "Ah, well. Alright. Just... stay out of trouble!"

 

“Heh. I'll try.”

 

Antimony pursed her lips, looking only half-convinced, before sighing and turning to move back down the stairs - at a significantly slower pace than what they had run up at.

 

***

 

Antimony returned up the stairs after some time. The envelope she had previously held was no where in sight - presumably deposited somewhere secure. She frownsed as she made her way up the stairs.

 

Mitari yawned where he sat on the steps, leaning against the wall and waiting for Anti's return. Maybe he should have put his lance away somewhere as well...

 

Antimony looked briefly surprised at Mitari's continued presence, but she smiled quickly upon seeing him. The expression was only somewhat tense. "Ah! Now that that's all taken care of..."

 

Mitari glanced up to Anti and stood. "That's good. Got it somewhere safe?" He stretched, a shiver traveling down his tail with the action.

 

Antimony watched Mitari for a moment before nodding. This gesture was swiftly followed up with a frown, "I can't believe Miss Loughree would seek to intrude upon the investigation like that... she must understand her actions endanger her situation..." Trailing off she offered a smile again to the young man. “It will all be fine. You'll see.”

 

He just shrugged muscled shoulders. “I'll just let you do the talking. Heh. After you Miss Antimony.”

 

Antimony spent a few, suddenly frenzied moments straightening her robe before drawing a breath. "Yes, of course. I'm certainly not leading you--ah, us to legal doom..."

 

Mitari could only laugh as Antimony headed on down the stairs, ears pressed flat against her skull, though she maintained a ramrod straight posture.

[Naunet]

Antimony forced herself to take unhurried, even steps back down the winding stairs of Ul'dah's inner walls. Her tail twitched every so often in display of her anxiety, but she kept it close to her body so as to not whack the miqo'te, Mitari, with it. She frowned as she walked, thinking of the envelope and the gathered files it had contained - data on several key "businesses" along Pearl Lane that had turned out to be not true businesses at all. The names attached to them were even more incriminating, and the idea of the Blade lieutenant Loughree rifling through them was none to pleasing.

 

It was fortunate that had not happened, thanks to the seemingly well-meaning if ill-advised actions of a stranger.

 

"She will listen to reason," Antimony said as they walked, approaching an open area at the center of which sat a tall fountain. The water bubbled and echoed pleasantly against the round walls. Antimony found the set up odd, considering no natural light reached this area, only the yellow glow of the lanterns lining the city-cavern's walls. But it had been, until perhaps today, the most relaxing corner of Ul'dah.

 

With this verbal reassurance, meant for both herself and Mitari following silently behind, Antimony stepped into the open space and glanced around in hopes of locating the rather intimidating person of Loughree.

 

Mitari followed wordlessly, his hands in his pockets while he shuffled along after Anti's perfect steps. She was really graceful. That was the first thing he noticed as they walked. A clumsily graceful girl? Well, woman it seemed more like than a girl. He was only twenty four after all. He probably still looked like a little kid. 

 

And like a little kid, he followed Anti around and shrugged. Jail didn't scare him too much. He could make his way through it if he needed to. And that other brat brass blade? Someday he'd take her down a notch. 

 

As they entered the main around and looked around, MItari wondered why they came back here. No way a Brass Blade would stay put after they. They always went back to report at the office. "Umm... Miss Antimony? She'd probably be back at the main office...?" he suggestioned.

 

Her ears swiveled back and then twitched, going a bit lopsided in some strange display of emotion. "... Ah. Yes! Yes, of course you're right." She shook her head, turning half way to look back at Mitari and smiling apologetically. "I'm not sure why I thought she'd still be here. I suppose I wasn't really thinking at all..."

 

Shaking her head, she turned again, this time towards one of the branching halls leading away from the circular courtyard. "At least we will have the benefit of familiarity. Or I will. Ah... don't worry!" She added in a hurry, "I'll make this right," and made to move on.

 

Mitari chuckled faintly at her cute flustered behavior. For being so serious, she didn't really think did she? Or perhaps it was just that her mind was on other things. He turned on his heel to follow her down the hallway towards, well he assumed she knew where it was, the Brass Blade's Main Office.

 

"Don't worry about it Miss Antimony. I already fucked things up so it's no problem if I take the heat for it. Just make sure to come visit once in a while okay?" he chuckled awkwardly, keeping a leisurely pace behind her.

 

The Pearl Lane offices couldn't exactly be called a headquarters. The Brass Blades had a sparse few rooms and one long hallway, with a pair of holding cells that were little more than rusty old cages far in the back of the building. But when Captain Lamandu was away, it was comfortable enough for Lieutenant Loughree Desfosse, especially since she tended to while away her time in the Captain's office.

 

He liked to keep things orderly, so Lou would knock everything on his desk over, shovel his paperwork and then kick back in his chair. It was the only room in the building with a window, fogged as it was, and Lou liked how the black officer's chainmail caught the light.

 

It didn't take too terribly long to cross the Steps of Thal out into the open-air market place of Pearl Lane. The lesser cousin of Sapphire Avenue, the place was lined with boarded up buildings. Most merchants here kept their wares on blankets spread out on the street; a few could afford stalls, usually little more than stacks of crates; fewer still managed to lease out some of the buildings.

 

Antimony made her way down the lane with a brisk familiarity, worrying her hands in front of her, down by her waist. Her tail grew increasingly active the closer they got to their destination.

 

Eventually, she stopped outside an office marked with the seal of the Brass Blades, and she paused to half turn towards Mitari, giving him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "No talk of visiting jails now. As I said, it was all a misunderstanding. A simple talk will clear it right up!" She only half believed her own encouraging words, having seen the lieutenant's nasty side on more than one occasion now, but she said them all the same.

 

With that, she turned to push into the office, smiling at the pair of lalafell manning the front desk and questioning, "Is Captain Tyremandu in?"

 

One of them responded with a negative, but gestured her towards his office nonetheless, informing them that Loughree was watching things while he was gone. Mitari they gave a shrewd look, to which Antimony replied, "We're here on business," with a pleasant, if mildly strained, smile.

 

The pair of desk jockeys either didn't particularly care or accepted her excuse and again waved them on to a door off to one side. Sparing a glance at Mitari, Antimony hesitated a moment longer before knocking out of habit and then opening the door to slip inside.

 

Mitari followed, not paying too terribly much attention as they walked. He'd spent the last month or so hanging out in Ul'dah, looking for work and coin pretty much wherever he could get it. He'd been lucky to fight some strange Lalafell that furnished him with good coin awhile back for being 'stronger' but, other than that he hadn't had too much luck with jobs. There were so many adventurers and mercenaries that getting a job for yet another one was filled with competition. 

 

As they entered the Brass Blade's officer on Pearl Lane Mitari paused to glance around. He wasn't too familiar with their officers yet, and overtime he entered there was the faintest smell off... rust. Or at least, he thought it was rust. He wasn't totally sure yet. 

 

Still, he meandered in after Antimony and kept his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. He tried not to growl as the strangers at the desk gave him funny looks, but instead smiled like Antimony and followed her away towards the office. Supposed office. If worse came to worse, he was pretty sure he could break the door down and use his lance to charge through and run for it. Or just Aetheryte to like... Limsa or something.

 

The legs of the chair Lou had been leaning back in slammed down as she rose quickly to her feet, ears and eyes wide to watch Antimony enter. Her chain mail clattered against her sword and sheild, which remained where they were even as the chair swayed on the verge of falling.

 

"Well," Lou exhaled, at first too surprised to express anything else. When she realized that bum from earlier was there as well, her lips dipped down and her eyelids drooped into a threatening glare. "This is kind of bold."

 

Taking the glare in stride as best she could - that was, hesitating just a second as her tail shivered behind her before she gathered her wits - Antimony pursed her lips and lifted her chin, giving a short nod.

 

"Perhaps, but I firmly believe misunderstandings as what just occurred shouldn't be left to fester."

 

Mitari let his ears flicker at the sight of the... woman member of the Brass Blades. Bold? Ah well. Maybe. He bit his bottom lip and kept his mouth shut for now, his tail swaying behind him low under his coat. His lance still rested on his back, ready in case he needed to use it.

 

"Sit down," Loughree instructed firmly, pointing at the chairs that sat in front of Captain Lamandu's messed-up desk. "Both of you."

 

Mitari sat as instructed, taking the lance from his back and holding it across his lap instead.

 

With a shake of her ears, Antimony looked first between Loughree and Mitari before folding her hands in front of her and moving to take the remaining chair alongside the latter. "I'm sure we've all had time to think over what happened, yes? And certainly, Miss Loughree, you realize you were out of bounds attempting to handle private documents. Likewise my, ah, friend did not react in a very positive manner, but... well, we were all rather agitated."

 

Loughree steped out from behind the desk and walked over to the door to the office, closing it and throwing the latch, locking them all in the room together. Arms crossed, back against the door, Lieutenant Loughree Desfosse said very plainly, "I've got three months on the scab for assaulting an officer plus more for resisting arrest and maybe some on the side for interfering with an investigation. A week on you, Antimony, for assosciation. That's me being nice. You want to make a deal?"

 

"Ain't no scabs here lady." Mitari hissed at the woman as she turned to lock them all in the room. There was still a window and he was still crazy enough to jump through it if he had to. "Better go look outside if you’re looking' for them. Or better yet, check a mirror."

 

Antimony blinked hard as the door latched shut but  kept her gaze firmly forward while Loughree delivered her... well, it certainly sounded like an ultimatum more than any kind of deal. And that was assuming-- "It's my hope we can talk this out as three reasonable people," she began, weaving her fingers together in her lap tensely. "Not deal making, just people coming to an understanding that no one dealt with the situation well. Might I remind you, that you attempted to take documents related to my investigation from me? That doesn't reflect well back on you."

 

Ignoring Mitari's retort, Loughree sighed and spoke as though explaining something simple to a child. "I had reason to be suspicious, which gives me a responsibility to investigate. I don't go around looking to make enemies, Antimony. Now, listen, because you don't get it." She pointed at Mitari, "I'm going to try to arrest him, and he's going to run away. Then you, Antimony, are going to get pinned with aiding him. You'll be arrested. You'll lose your job. You'll fail." She crossed her arms again. "Do you want to make a deal or not?"

 

"Could have fooled me, running around grabbing things from people like it's your own property. Disrespecting the law like you're above it. You're just like that rest of those scumbag Blades." Mitari scowled before picking his lance off his lap and placing it in Antimony's lap instead. "I want you to hold onto that for me, okay? It's special to me and I don't want them taking it. So please keep it safe for me while I'm in jail." he smiled cheerfully at Anti, not really wanting her to worry about some vagabond like himself.

 

Antimony started as the weapon was placed in her lap, lifting her hands up above it as though afraid to touch the thing. She frowned at it, then at Mitari, and lastly the surly Blade lieutenant. She didn't quite understand Loughree's words. "No one needs to go to jail," she insisted, "Not over something as silly as a misunderstanding! This ma--ah, Mitari was not involving himself in any part of the investigation. I don't even... well! There was no need for you to take liberties with my materials."

 

"Throwing a punch isn't a misunderstaning," Loughree replied. "It's assault, and it's a crime. So is running away from me when you know I'm talking to you." She opened the door and turned her gaze to Mitari, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on. I'll take some time off because you're coming nicely. No cuffs if you're a good boy."

 

Mitari gave a somber smile at Antimony. "I told you she wasn't going to listen. They never do." And with a sigh and stood and trudged over to the door, moving to follow instructions for the time being. No point in arguing really. It would just agitate the situation and get Antimony into more trouble, which was the last thing he wanted.

 

Her ears and tail shivering, Antimony made as though to stand but was stopped as the lance threatened to fall to the ground. She held it awkwardly, as though it would bite. "No, this can't be right. Blows were thrown, certainly, but... it was all over nothing - both of you! Miss Loughree, I will be speaking to Captain Tyremandu regarding your disrespect towards the privacy of the investigation!"

 

Leaving the door open, Loughree said, "Walk with us, Antimony. We can talk." And turned to lead Mitari towards the very short hall that would take them to the holding cells. She weeathered the confused gazes of those who worked the office, and when one was about to speak to her, she silenced them with a glare.

 

Lame. Jail again, huh? Mitari couldn't say he was disappointed really. He had been bored but now he was just going to be... well honestly he couldn't decide how he felt about it all. His tail swishing behind him, he followed wordlessly the women to the holding cells, following directions as prompted.

 

Antimony wavered, torn between a need to protest further or protect her own livelihood. Not knowing what to do with the spear, she clutched it in both hands and stood with an unsatisfied frown to follow Loughree. "Talk of what? You made a mistake, and now you take it out on this man. That doesn't... well, it doesn't seem becoming of an officer of the law."

 

The holding cells were a simple place: two rusty cages with a hallway in between. The things look like they might crumble if hit hard enough, but that probably just meant a lot of very disappointed inmates who had gotten their hopes up and failed. She led Mitari to a cell and opened it, gesturing for him to enter.

 

She spoke to Antimony, "I'll let Lamandu know what happened. I don't even have the authority to pardon people. Especially for assaulting a Blade."

 

Rusty cages? Mitari crinkled his nose. No wonder the place smelled of rust. Eck. Did they ever bother to clean these things? Distastefully, he entered the cell and glanced around at the 'amenities' if you could call them that. More like a rusty place for a makeshift bed and a rusting toilet Mitari didn't want to get anywhere near. 

 

"Seriously. This cell is going to kill me. Don't you guys ever clean this crap?" he huffed, moving to sit on the metal deathtrap of a makeshift cot.

 

Antimony kept a healthy distance from the cell, eyeing it uncertainly as Mitari entered. His calm at the situation baffled her and did nothing to assuage the measure of guilt she felt towards getting him, a hapless stranger, into this situation. She didn't like what she could smell in this short hall, even if she couldn't identify all of it, and she wasn't comfortable leaving such a seemingly kind man alone here.

 

"I never intended for you to end up..." she trailed off, pursed her lips, and then sighed. Her ears and tail drooped somewhat. "I suppose it was too much to hope, that we could simply talk things out."

 

Slamming the cell shut, Loughree crossed her arms and walked over to Antimony, standing very close. "Talk is worthless. I offered to make a deal and you didn't. he gets three months for assaulting and officer, two more for resisting arrest, another three for interfering with an investigation. What is that, eight months? You just cost your friend eight months of his life because you didn't want to talk business."

 

Antimony's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open slightly as her composure retreated. "I... what? What are you talking about, business!"

 

Mitari frowned at the officer again. Really. What a colossal bitch. Eight months? What a waste of eight months. He hoped he wasn't stuck in THIS particular cell for eight months. Because that would REALLY suck. 

 

"Hey, leave her alone. She didn't tell me to do any of that so it's not her fault." Mitari scowled at Loughree, his ears flattening on his head. Eight months... wow. Sucks.

 

"I meant a bribe, Antimony. Anyway." She grabbed Antimony by her collar. "I'm keeping you at least overnight. Like I said, I don't have the authority to pardon people, and that includes you." With her other hand she harshly struck the lance to try and knock it out of her hands, and began to pull Antimony back towards the other cell.

 

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Mitari hissed, immediately getting up from his seat although he could do nothing to interfere.

 

Attempting to lunge after the dislodged lance only jarred Antimony against Loughree's grip on her collar. She brought one hand up to try and loosen the grip but was rather helpless to resist the Blade officer's not so gentle urging along. Dragging, really. "W-wait!" She yelped, suddenly frightened, and tried to dig her heels in. "What are you--I've done nothing! What are you doing?"

 

"You resisted my investigation and fled with a criminal who you knew had attacked me. You convinced him to turn himself in, and hey, you're a friend, so I won't keep you long. But I've still got to keep you." She opened the door to the cell and thrust Antimony into it. The act was neither kind nor cruel, but was very forceful.

 

Not a particularly physically adept individual, Antimony stumbled towards the back of the cell with the force of Loughree's shove, catching herself on the far wall in time to keep herself from falling. Her tail was puffed out to an almost comical size, her ears pressed so tightly against her skull that they all but disappeared into her hair. She took several moments to recover before turning to cast a wide-eyed look Loughree's way.

 

"I didn't intend to run!" She pleaded, keenly scared for the security of her job and, perhaps, her person. Antimony wasn't one to break even the smallest of rules, so to stand at the back of a jail cell as a criminal - it was too much.

 

"Hey!" Mitari hissed again, grabbing at the cage of the cell and rattling it furiously. "She didn't run! I grabbed her! She never did anything wrong!"

 

Chuckling, Loughree closed Antimony's cell and turned to Mitari. She smiled at him meanly and stretched, "Keep it up. I know some guys who'll pay good money to ride feisty ass. Feel like making some money while you're in there? I'll take a cut, of course."

 

Antimony brought both hands to her mouth at that, staring at the back of Loughree's head in shock.

 

Mitari reddened furiously and hissed at the girl baring his fang. With far more strength than any normal being had, as the cell door had never seen the tremendous strength of a dragoon, Mitari rammed his side into the steel cage and made a sizable dent, bending the bars apart enough to leave if he had chosen to do so.

 

Her smile fleeing quickly, Loughree didn't miss a beat. She warned, "Just say no. If you start acting up, I might have to take my offers to Antimony."

 

Mitari could form no words and only hissed hostility at the woman before turning his back to her and stalking to the back of his cage. The older woman made a small sound in the back of her throat and just watched Loughree's back with disbelieving eyes.

 

Her smile returning, Loughree cooed, "That's right. I might like a ride myself if you want to take a month or two off." Humming pleasantly to herself, Loughree picked up the fallen lance and eyed it briefly before moving as if to exit. Her steps are paused, though, when she notices a strange thing on the ground in front of her.

 

A doll. Made mostly of dirty white rags, it has yellow thread for hair, a thick strand of yarn for a tail and small paper flaps that imitate a Miqo'te's ears. It sat, posed cutely with its legs crossed and its arms in its lap, staring up at her. Spying such an out-of-place thing, undisturbed in the middle of the hall, she frowned and approached it curiously. It was only after a few seconds that she noticed several thin, black needles sticking out of the things face. Her eyes widening with confusion, she cringed at the disturbing sight. "... The hell?"

 

Mitari banged his fist angrily into the ground and shifted to sit on the filthy floor. It was all filth and grime there anyway. What difference did it make? Still, he couldn't believe he had gotten such a nice women in such a bad predicament. And his lance... that bitch would probably sell it. 

 

"Sorry Antimony..." he called lightly towards the other cell, not noting the other's reaction to a doll he couldn't see.

 

Antimony had flinched at the Blade officer's final insinuation towards Mitari, cringing and turning herself away as though to hide from the entire situation. The words left a sick feeling in her gut.

 

Her dwelling on what she vainly hoped was a nightmare was interrupted first by a strange declaration of confusion from Loughree, and then by an apology from the unfortunate soul Mitari. She looked between the two, blinked with an odd expression at Loughree, and inched forward.

 

"It's not your fault," she mumbled a bit faintly Mitari's way as she shuffled toward one side of the cell. "I am sorry I couldn't... I thought I could fix this." She kept her movements hesitant as though fearing some sort of retribution, but curious. She thought she'd seen... She blinked. "The doll...? How did..."

 

Loughree spun on Antimony and pointed towards the doll, "Hey! Did you put this here?" She looked around. Her normally very fuzzy tail seemed a bit puffed out, though not nearly as much as Antimony's was. Her ears stood up and swivled around alertly. She saw the door to the hall was shut. had she shut it when she came in here? She couldn't remember. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed at the air; something didn't smell right.

 

Turning back to Antimony, she said, " Explain this!"

 

Antimony leaned away from the bars of the cell, stumbling two steps backwards. She cast a worried, helpless look in Mitari's direction, then back to Loughree. "I don't... I didn't! It just--I've seen--" She hesitated, blinking rapidly, and suddenly questioned the wisdom of saying more.

 

Mitari really hadn't expected anything other than the worst situation to happen... damnit. He should have put his lance somewhere safe, but he had totally forgotten when he promised not to leave that spot for Antimony. He tried not to pay much attention to the apparent distress of the Blade member responsible for their imprisonment, but when she turned on Anti he quirked his ears up to listen more intently. A doll...? Strange.

 

With a growl on her lips, Loughree said, "You've seen what? You've seen this?" She spun back to the doll and bent down, closing a plated fist around the dolls neck. The thing's head immediately burst, and the thin black needles flew directly into Loughree's face. She screamed, a hideous, crackling sound from her unprepared throat, and threw herself backwards. The now headless doll and the lance both went flying. Loughree's scream was silenced when her back hit the ground, but moments later was replaced by a sicker sound, an almost impossible screech as she plucked bloodied needles from herr features.

 

One of the needles was stick. The single needle that had buried itself in her right eye was far too deep for her to get out. She writhed and scraped her face with her armored hands, leaving red marks in her own flesh.

 

Antimony let out a cry of her own and fell back away from the bars of the cell, dropping to the ground in shock and fear at the sight. She brought her hands up as though to ward against something and shook as her gaze tore between the now headless doll on the ground and the writhing form of Loughree.

 

Seen what? Mitari frowned wondering what it was she was talking about and where Anti had seen it before. He wasn't going to really look until Loughree screamed. It sent shivers down his spine in a terrible way and he sharply got to his feet and peered through the bent bars to see what was happening. 

 

Indeed there was some sort of strange doll but it was headless and nearby his lance. Mitari went a bit pale as Loughree's second screech, something of a sickening sound he had heard a few times before. He watched somewhat horror-stricken for a moment as she pulled the... needles!? from her face and scratched at her eye for another one. 

 

"Hey, hey, hey! You're making it worse! Stop!" Mitari yelled before taking a few steps back and ramming into the bent bars again with his full strength. The bars groaned before cracking finally, and letting Mitari crawl his way out of them. "Stop pulling at it!" he yelled again at Loghree. He was a Dragoon, but he was also a healer. Something his mother had taught him a long time ago. Something he had treasured and held close to him, trying not to let others know about his talent for it. 

 

But he couldn't just let her scream and suffer in front of him, even if she was kind of a corrupted bitch that had tried to get him to sell his body for time out of jail. So he knelt down next to her and tried to pin her arms down to the ground so she couldn't hurt herself any further. "You're going to blind yourself! Stop it!" he ordered fiercely.

 

Loughree was a powerful person. But she was just a person, and she couldn't resist Mitari's strength, try as she may. She writhed under him, making desperate sounds, kicking her legs and digging her armoed heels into the old floor of the building. When she did manage words, it was only to cough out, "My eye... it's...!"

 

"In your eye!? Okay, I got it! But you gotta hold still! I can't get it out if you're flailing and trying to grab it out with those gloved hands!" Mitari shot back irritably. "So don't move and I'm going to let go with a hand to get it, okay? I can push it out with some magic, but it will probably hurt. So I need you to not move, got it? Or you're gonna blind yourself."

 

When Mitari had come bursting out through the cell, Antimony had cringed away at the force of it. When he came down on Loughree and began to bark out rough, clear orders to the woman, she curled her arms over her head and found she couldn't watch any further.

 

Shielding her view from Loughree on the ground, Antimony found her panicked eyes drawn to the doll on the floor, tatters of stuffing poking out where its head should have been. Its familiarity was chilling.

 

Unable to manage a verbal response, Loughree nodded and went mostly still. Only mostly, though. She still writhed slightly, her body riddled with adrenaline and panic. Every muscle in her body was tense, and she almost felt like she was trying to hold herself down instead of just laying still. She was a pathetic image on the ground. Obviously terrified, breathing fast and barely restraining herself from sobbing and screaming.

 

"Okay, good." Mitari coo'd gently, trying to get the woman to calm down. His task would be utterly impossible if she wasn't calm enough to hold still without him pinning her down. He leaned close to her face to examine her eyes, looking for the needle. And indeed after a few minutes of searching his eyes fell on where he believed it to be. "Alright, I'm going to try and use a spell to have your skin push the needle out far enough so I can grab it. Okay? I need you to bear with the pain for a bit so I can get it out. Okay? I'm going to start." he breathed out slowly, trying to calm himself down in an effort to keep the girl calm as well. It wasn't as easy to keep calm when people around you were panicking. With a careful movement he placed his hand over the afflicted eye and allowed aether to gather for a few moments. His hand glowed a soft gee and borrowing the life energy in the Aether around him, he used it to try and regenerate the cells beneath the needle, in an effort to have the regrowing cells force it upwards and outwards.

 

Essentially, the flesh inside of Loughree's eye was pushing back against the very sharp point of the needle. To Loughree, this felt as though the needle was being driven deeper into her eye, very slowly, and very painfully. Even besides the screeching sound drawn from her by the pain, there was the instinctive need to stop the needle. It was almost overpowering. Her fists closed tight enough to make the metal of her gauntlets keen, and very slowly her arms lifted to lay against Mitari's body and squeeze him, a expression of desperation she couldn't stop.

 

Her vision shook and blurred, went dark and returned. All of her senses fired and went flat as though electricity were firing into her brain. Flecks of light and darkness stormed in front of her, and for a moment, she was honestly convinced that Mitari was actually killing her. There on the floor, of the cells, she was going to die.

 

Mitari didn't pay much mind to the screaming nor the desperate squeeze. He was too focused, all of his energies settled on getting that damn needle out of her eye. The process was slow and imprecise. At first the needle just kept piercing through the newly grown flesh again and again. Mitari attempted a slightly different tactic by pumping more Aether to regenerate cells even more quickly. The needle's point pierced through some but by rapidly accelerating their regeneration process, he began to made a little headway with the needle. He could feel the aether begin to push it back, and then he could see it more clearly. A thin black needle point lodged in the corner of her eye. Mitari focused harder, trying to push it further out through the clumsy process he had been using. He was positive it hurt terrible and wouldn't be great for her vision, but it was either that or losing it so he was doing his best not to damage surrounding tissues too badly. 

 

Finally enough of the needle remerged that he stopped trying heal her and simply reached his hand down to grab the fine point and pull it gently out. Of course, grabbing such a fine point by and eye wasn't terrible easy and it took a lot of trying to even grab the dam thing in the first place. "Almost got it..." he mumbled, biting his lower lip as he tried to grasp it again.

 

Her eye wanted desperately to blink, and so Loughree stared wide-eyed at Mitari as she shook. When he stopped channeling whatever spell he had been using, the pain largely subsided, as did the fear of death and the instincitve need to stop what was happening to her. She still waited, in a panic, but had enough control of it to bark at him, "Just get it out!"

 

"Trying!" He barked back loudly as his nails finally managed a grip on the needle. "Got it!" And with a swift pull he managed to get the damn thing finally out of her eye. "Finally!" Mitari sighed heavily and examined the small black needle. Where had it come from in the first place? And why? He hated the Brass Blades, but not that much.

 

At the exclamation of success, Antimony peeked out from behind her arms just slightly.

 

She could definitely feel the needle leave her eye. The feeling was inexplicably powerful despite the slightness of it, very right that it happened though it left her feeling very wrong. The pain lingered, and her vision from just that eye was dim and blurry.

 

Loughree closed her eye and pitched her entire body up at once to knock Mitari aside, her legs churning and arms scrabbling against the ground. "Get off me! Get away from me!" She tried to get away from Mitari, and would throw herself against the hallway's back wall if she could.

 

Finally. Finally he'd gotten it out. That was really... difficult. He wished he knew an easier spell for something like that, but he really only knew what his mother taught him. And that was definitely not something his mother taught him. Still, he held the small needle in his hand, looking it over. At least for a moment before Loughree so gratefully decided to throw all her weight giants him and try to buck him off. As he was unprepared, Mitari flipped over backwards and landed with a thud, the needle he had just pulled out of Loughree immediately imbedding itself in his hand with his ungracefully landing. 

 

Mitari hissed, his head throbbing with its sudden throwback against the gross cell floor. "What was that for!?" Mita growled, nursing his aching head with his now injured hand.

 

Loughree hit the wall like a fleeing animal suddenly cornered. She'd pulled her shield from her back without even realizing it, and found herself hiding behind it in a humiliating posture she couldn't help. "I don't..." Her unwounded eye was open wise and flicking about in a panicked searh, her ears turning this way and that, her tail puffed up to be as thick as her leg and wrapped around one of her thighs.

 

"I don't know!" She shouted. "I don't know! Is he gone? How did he get in!"

 

"What the fuck are you on about? He? Who's he? I didn't smell anyone else in here." Mitari ground, slowly sitting up and nursing his injured head, which game with a series of angry growls and grunts of course.

 

Spurred by Loughree's own fear, Antimony sat upright and darted her eyes about the jail hall. She thought it was strange that she wasn't worried so much about where he was as she was the whys. Still, she huddled away from the bars of the cell, unwilling to risk exploration after the booby trapped doll.

 

"I don't... understand," she muttered faintly under her breath. "It wasn't like that before.."

 

Shivering against the wall, hiding behind her shield, Loughree muttered in response to Mitari's question, "...Grandfather." Not even a second after she'd said that, she lurched to her feet and pounced on the door to Antimony's cell. Her hands moved on the lock clumsily, shivering so much that she had difficulty working the mechanism. Eventually she got it open, and pulled it with such force that it creaked and slammed loudly.

 

"I wasn't going to-" she began, and choked on a displaced sob, which she swallowed. "I wasn't going to keep you here. I was just being mean. You two need to leave." She stumbled over to Mitari's lance and picked it up, almost tripping on her own tail. The weapon shook visibly in her hands as she walked it to the man's cell. "You need to leave or he'll kill you too."

 

Antimony stared at Loughree with no small amount of confusion, which flashed into baffled understanding, and then went almost immediately back to confused disbelief. She stood only after several seconds, when Loughree moved to return the lance to its rightful owner, and her legs wobbled for a time, shock draining their strength.

 

"He wouldn't..." she started, then thought better of it and stepped hesitantly out of the cell. The doll lay nearby, and she frowned at it before kneeling to pick up its tattered remains.

 

Mitari was too busy hissing on the floor and holding his head, which now had a migraine thanks to the blow. Leave? Now? But hadn't she been the one who...? Why was her grandfather trying to kill her? And Antimony knew the grandfather it sounded like? Too confusing. The male miq'ote simply hissed again and pressed his head to his knees. "Ow ow ow ow ow."

 

Briefly staring at Mitari, looking more confused than anything, Loughree flexed her hands on the lance and turned to look over at Antimony. She blinked at her. "What? He wouldn't..." Her lips moved, her ears swivled. One hand fell and tried unsuccessfully to pull her tail out from where it wrapped her thigh. "Help him." She gestured to Mitari, looked at Antimony. "Help him. This isn't... It's dangerous. You need to leave."

 

Holding the doll in one hand and keeping her eyes averted from Loughree's cowed form, Antimony moved wordlessly to Mitari, bringing her other up to his head, fingers seeking to feel out the skull beneath his hair. They shook noticeably, but that didn't stop her.

 

"You should be alright to stand," she said after a moment, voice quiet. "I'll help you up. There are some supplies back in my room..."

 

Mita felt a warm hand run over the back of his head and let his own hand drop to his lap so she could feel the ever growing bump on the back of his head. The softness of her words were appreciated with the raging headache and he carefully moved to start standing. "Lance." Mitari remembered abruptly and reached out, groping with a blind hand to find it.

 

Loughree deposited the lance in his hand, made sure he had it, and then retreated as though she were afraid of him. One eye still wide open and one hand still trying to get her tail under control, she lurched across the hallway to Antimony's empty cell, through the door, and closed it behind her. She locked herself in the cell.

 

Frowning, Antimony hovered close, acting on instincts borne from decades of training to lend support in Mitari's efforts to stand. She spared Loughree a concerned look but couldn't manage much more than that. The doll in her left hand seemed to carry an unnatural weight to it, though she knew that to be only her imagination, and the hall with its pair of cells seemed even more unwelcoming than it had minutes ago. As though the walls themselves were trying to push her out.

 

"Not too fast," she cautioned Mitari and made as though to guide him out of the hall.

 

Mitari grabbed his lance and the cool feeling of the metal on his hand gave him some much need comfort. The lance also acted very well as a sort of walking stick to help him keep his balance. Antimony also helped that whole process as she made an excellent guide and aide for standing. Still, his head was absolutely killing him and he couldn't way to lay down somewhere quiet and dark to sleep.

 

Warily watching the pair leave, Loughree said, "Find somewhere safe. Don't come back," while she moved around in the cell. She took the cot and laid it sideways against the door with a heavy metallic crack. Her sword and shield both were in her hands then. She paced the cell.

[Naunet]

Antimony took her time guiding Mitari to the Quicksand. It occurred to her that it might make more sense to find a local physician instead, but she had never quite trusted the medicine of the city-folk. Their practices were strange and, in her view, not nearly as thorough, and so rather than wander about Ul'dah with a potentially concussed Mitari, she took him directly to the room she'd been renting out for over a week now at the Quicksand.

 

She only hoped Ulanan did not stop by for a visit right now. It would necessitate some rather awkward explanations.

 

Getting the door open was a challenge, as her arms were busy both helping Mitari stay upright, as well as maintain a hold on the tattered doll. Thinking of the deadly object left her tail shivering in disturbed confusion, and the door swung open with a bit more force than intended, revealing a basic, one-bed room with a small desk table and two chairs on one side, and a sink on the other. The table was covered in numerous papers, including the envelope she had been carrying earlier. At the foot of hte bed, there lay a pack with the various supplies she'd brought with her for travel.

 

"Easy now, I'm going to help you lay down," she broke the silence that had settled over the both of them for the duration of the trip. She kept her voice low and quiet, as soothing as possible, as she guided Mitari to the bed. "No sudden movements."

 

If he were being completely honest, Mitari had no idea what was really happening as his head was hurting far too much for him to care about it. If he were being the somewhat cocky guy he usually was, he would just saying he was getting a free trip to a lady's room. Luckily, he was the former rather than the latter. 

 

Mitari half-helped hold himself up, using his lance like a walking stick. It was particularly useful for that at least. The shift from bright daylight to a colder darker room was a welcome one, and he could only grumble something unintelligible to even himself as she spoke to him. 

 

Laying himself down was fairly easily, although probably less smooth than Anti would have liked as the moment his head was securely on the bed he pretty much went limp and flopped the rest of the way down. Still, his hand gripped his lance tightly and refused to let it go, holding it like a crutch or a child holding their blanket.

 

Antimony wince, hovering by the bed for a moment before stepping over to the table. She considered trying to gather everything up - almost all of it was classified to some degree - but hearing Mitari's faint shifting on the bed dragged her to a different action. Instead, she set the headless doll down at the edge of the table, eyeing it uncomfortably for several seconds, before moving over to her pack at the foot of the bed.

 

"Do not allow yourself to sleep," she cautioned as she rummaged around. From the bottom of the pack, she pulled out a small, flat-ish wooden box that rattled when she lifted it. This she set to the side before crossing the room to the sink and wetting the rag hung nearby. She sighed as she wrung it out, ears drooping. "I'm sorry all of... this happened. I never thought... well." She smoothed over her anxious features as she turned back to Mitari and moved over to his bed, picking up the box along the way and then sitting down on the edge next to him.

 

"Roll onto your side, if you can. You hit the back of your head, yes?"

 

Far before Anti warned not to let himself sleep, he was already half-way there. He fell asleep easily on comfortable beds and dark rooms after all. It was only natural to start falling asleep whne he was finally laying down. 

 

He heard a muffled demand not to sleep and faintly roused himself, but not very much. There was some sort of muffled apology of some sorts as well and a silence hung between them after she stopped speaking. It really wasn't her fault. He wasn't sure why she insisted it was. 

 

Regardless, he carelessly rolled himself over further onto the bed and groaned at the movement. He didn't deal very well with head pain. Needless dramatics probably, but for him, any pain in his head felt like the end of the world. He simply didn't know a good way to deal with it. 

 

With his back to Antimony, he pulled his lance close to his body and hugged it. It was his lance damnit. That stupid lady couldn't have it.

 

Antimony frowned vaguely at the miqo'te's grip on the lance, but it wasn't getting in the way just yet, so she didn't comment. Instead, she shifted on the edge of the bed until she could reach over him, moving her fingers through his hair at the back of his head and searching for any open wounds. Closing her eyes, she let out a slow breath and focused on something she hadn't really looked for in five years: another person's aether. She couldn't manipulate it, but she had learned to sense it, and it helped guide her search to an angry knot at the base of his skull. His aether, a warm, tingling sense, was agitated there, but not disrupted - a very minor concussion at worst.

 

Her touch was practiced and gentle, that of a mother well used to dealing with bumps and bruises and scrapes. "No bleeding, at least," and she forced a small smile at that. "A pretty sizeable bump, though. I can prepare something that will reduce the swelling." She pulled her hands from his head and moved to try and pry his hands from the lance. "One of the needles got you, didn't they?" She suppressed a shiver, recalling the way the doll's head had exploded, peppering Loughree's face with dark metal.

 

It had been a very long time since he felt that kind of touch. A mother's touch, searching for bruises and small injuries to make them better. The way Antimony moved her hands through his hair like that, for a moment, he remembered his own mother. But soft memories of her were always sharply polluted by her death. By her last words, words he was failing to live up to. 

 

"No, it was when I was pushed." Mitari interrupted his dark thoughts of an ancient time with Anti's question. He still held right to his lance, but shifted his hand so she could see the needle that had cleanly pierced though his palm. The skin around it was red and agitated, but nothing else.

 

Antimony's chest ached for a moment, for a reason she was not willing to face, and so in retaliation to the feeling she smiled again and said simply, "Oh, that's not so bad. Can you move your fingers?" A pause and then lower, "I hope Miss Loughree is alright." As she spoke, she took his hand in her own, dabbing at the skin around the entry and exit point with the damp cloth to soften the skin there and clean up the bits of blood. The needle wasn't very wide in diameter, so the wound itself was not small, but removing it would still hurt.

 

She frowned at the needle, again thinking back to the doll, only this time, she remembered it in the blue, wrinkled hands of an old Duskwight. A friend. Her tail twitched against the bed.

 

Mitari unfurled his hand and curled it back open, showing that he indeed could move it with relative ease. It opened it again as Anti set upon cleaning the wound and presumably removing the needle. He wasn't sure where it had even come from. Something about a doll was all he heard both those screams... 

 

Mitari frowned and cast a hazy eye towards Antimony. "You don't need to do this." He mumbled.

 

"Of course I do," Antimony replied, almost defensively. She did not give Mitari warning when she removed the needle, pulling it out swiftly in a single motion and then pressing down on the small wound with the cloth. She tugged at his other hand with a, "Hold this here for now," and opened the box she'd set aside. Inside there came multi-layered scents of herbs of various kinds. Resting atop them was a small pillar of bone that had been carved into the rough likeness of a miqo'te.

 

The carving she took in one hand, looked at it for some time, before letting out a low sigh. "I'm sure Ulanan would call me foolish for bringing a stranger back here, but.. you wouldn't be hurt if I hadn't insisted on attempting to reason with Miss Loughree. It's the least I could do." There was a pause and then, "May I take a strand of your hair?"

 

She really didn't. Mitari was insistent on that idea, but he didn't get the option to argue it as she swiftly pulled the needle out. Mitari bit his lip and muttered a stream of foul words before falling silent again.

 

He did as she pused his arm to do, yet kept the lance close to his form. 

 

"Ulanan...?" Mitari pondered aloud before a short and confused, "Sure."

 

She frowned for a moment longer at the bone carving, running her thumb along the fine grooves marking certain details of the figure. She hadn't made use of this since...

 

"A friend who came to Ul'dah with me," she explained, shaking her ears and turning back to Mitari. In as straightforward and swift and action as she'd taken when removing the needle, she reached out and plucked a couple strands of hair from the other miqo'te's head. Hair and carving in hand, she then picked out a couple leaves bearing a pungent, bitter aroma. "I'm sorry, I don't have everything for a complete ritual, but... this should do." Using the hairs as though they were string, she tied one of the leaves to the carving's head, set it down next to Mitari, and then stood to make her way back to the sink, the other leave pinched between her fingers.

 

Mita winced at the pull of his hair. What did she need hair for anyway? 

 

So this Ulanan thing was a friend of hers? That was nice. Then again, friends were supposed to be nice. Mitari deflated thinking of that man. Someone he had thought to be a friend but in the end...

 

He blinked wearily and looked towards Antimony. "Ritual...?" He questioned, wondering what the hell she was doing.

 

"You do want to feel better, don't you?" She reminded, as though what she were doing was the most obvious thing in the world - which it really wasn't, but that fact didn't really cross her mind, so ingrained was the habit. 

 

There was a cup next to the sink, which she took and filled with water before crushing the leaf between her fingers and dropping it in.

 

Feel better? How did anything she was doing equate with feeling better? But he shut his mouth and just let her do it. It would be rude to do otherwise.

 

"So...when am I supposed to feel better? I've never had a... Uh... Ritual for healing before." Mitari asked very awkwardly.

 

Antimony frowned at the cup, thinking it really should be heated slowly for at least ten minutes, but... she didn't have that kind of equipment. With a sigh she turned around and made her way back to Mitari, offering him a reassuring smile as well as the cup. "Drink this - then just hold the leaf in your mouth for a time. It will ease the headache."

 

"Ummm... Kay." Mita mumbled before sitting up slowly and taking the cup. He gulped down the water and left the leave awkwardly on this tongue.

 

Watching his face closely, Antimony sat down again on the edge of the bed. After several seconds, she seemed satisfied with whatever she was looking for and shifted her attention to his hand. Her own moved to the cloth, seeking to peel it back. "Luckily you won't need stitches," she sighed and added, "But you really shouldn't move around much for at least a day or two."

 

"Pft. And where will I go to not move for that long? If I don't move I don't work and then I don't eat. You think starving to death is better?" Mitari huffed back defensively. He had been a drifter for so long. Sitting still was nice, but it was for people who had Gil. He wasn't one of those people.

 

"It's only for a day or two," Antimony huffed and then hesitated. "I... can cover your meals. It's the least I can do, after what I got you into."

 

Mitari grumbled again and forced himself to try and stand. "No. I can't ask that of you. Not when I was the one who got involved in the first place. It's fine. Thanks for your help." He shot his best cheery smile at Antimony and tried to head for the door.

 

Antimony winced, then as he started to move, launched into a flurry herself, hands going to his shoulders to try and hold him back. "No, I won't abide it! You'll hurt yourself more, and then it will truly be my fault. No, you're not to move!"

 

Mitari winced and fell back onto the bed with a soft 'ooph' when Antimony threw herself at him like a raging... cat. Less like throw and more like grab his shoulder so suddenly his lost his balance and flopped lazily onto the bed. 

 

"Oh, come on. I'm the one who got myself into this mess to begin with and you know it. You don't have to cover for me." he grumbled, laying on his side on the bed again, although this time he was half on and half off it.

 

Flinching as he fell back - not quite expecting such a violent result - Antimony looked away and then, after another beat of hesitation, dropped back. "I am sorry," she mumbled. "I was only trying to help, and look at what I've done..." She sighed and forced her posture a bit straighter. "At the very least please try to rest for the remainder of the night - but do not sleep."

 

Mitari grumbled again and sat up, setting his land down on the floor at the edge of the bed. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Stop apologzing! You've done nothing but be nice to me. So thank you." he smiled somehow grumpily.

 

Her tail twitched anxiously, and she spared a glance towards the table with its mutilated doll, then to the bed. She blinked and dropped to her knees suddenly with a, "Oh no, where did it--" and felt around on the floor beneath the bed.

 

Mitari blinked. What? Somehow this really... killed the non exsistant mood?

 

Her search didn't last long as her groping fingers bumped into something small and vaguely cylindrical. Gripping it, she carefully got to her feet, using the edge of the bed as support. Her tail swished with relief as her hand opened to reveal the small bone carving of the miqo'te. "At the very least, this will help. I will keep you on its mind for a time."

 

"It's...?" Mitari looked utterly confused for a few moments. What was with that little figurine. It was really... creepy.

 

Antimony didn't seem to noticed Mitari's creeped-out-ness, for she just nodded simply. "As I said, I don't have the supplies for a proper ritual, but..."

 

"What does it... do? Precisely...?" Mitari asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure he reallyl even wanted to know. Maybe he should have said no to the hair thing.

 

Blinking at Mitari, Antimony was silent for a moment and then, "... Oh. Right. This would seem..." She chuckled a bit faintly before gesturing to the figure. "It's a representation of your body - well, mine originally, but your hair should give it enough connection that it should work..."

 

"Like a... " Mitari tried to think of something it related to. But he had nothing. "That's... creepy." he coughed awkwardly at it and scoot away from Anti subtly. "So you could literally do anything to me with it and I would feel it or something like that?"

 

Antimony frowned. "Not... exactly. It's more of a.. hm, a resonating chamber? It echoes the treatment of your physical body and can pull your spirit's--ah." She grimaced then, going quiet before, "I'm sorry, I forgot how you... everyone would see things such as this"

 

"N-no, I'm grateful for the treatment just... confused. My mum was a healer but she never taught me anything like... well like this." he grinned sheepishly and coughed, trying to break the tension

 

"This is the right way," Antimony replied firmly. "The best way. You heal from both ends."

 

"Eh? Both.. ends?" Mitari questioned, immediately confused again. Maybe he shouldn't be trying to learn with a conconussion. Maybe.

 

"Body and spirit," Antimony replied, as though this were the simplest thing in the world. She smiled. "Don't worry. It won't hurt you."

 

"Ah... ok..." Mitari blushed faintly before shutting up and laying down. He was tired, and if Antimony didn't mind... he thought he might spend the night at least.

 

She gave him a satisfied look and then moved to place the bone figure atop one of the bedposts. "No sleeping," she reminded, folding her arms and looking down at Mitari.

 

"And how are you gonna stop me from sleeping?" Mitari chuckled faintly, closing his eyes and getting ready to sleep anyway.

 

At this, Antimony frowned and reached out to pull on his ear warningly. The gesture was familiar. "You have a concussion. It is a mild one, yes, but if you sleep now, you may not wake up."

 

Mitari grumbled at his ear being pulled on and lightly batted at her hand so she would move it. "I know." he finally answered before leaving his eyes half-open so he wouldn't sleep. "How much longer until I can sleep then?"

 

"This one night should be enough to keep you out of danger,"  Antimony pulled her hand away, then turned to drag one of the chairs at the desk around before settling into it. "I understand this might be awkward," she added.

 

"More for you than me, right?" Mitari retorted, ears flipping back and forth to adjust themselves comfortably.

 

Antimony blinked and then chuckled, mildly embarrassed, "I've taken care of more than my fair share of sick and injured. Though... I suppose none of them were ever strangers before."

 

"It kind of looked like it with how quick you were to take me here and not to a healer somewhere." He smirked faintly, tail curling around his leg while he looked Antimony over. "And we're fast becoming not so strangers hanging out this long you know. You're going to have a hobo for a friend if we keep this up."

 

There was a pause. Another embarrassed laugh. "I think... that is becoming a habit of mine."

 

"Making friends with hobos?" Mitari question, somehow concerned that was a habit of hers.

 

Fidgeting with her dress, Antimony's ears went a bit lopsided as she shrugged. "Megiddo would call it the will of Oschon, but..." She trailed off and frowned, eyes moving to the doll on the table.

 

"Will of Oschon...?" Mitari blinked again. This women was... endlessly confusing apparently.

 

"To meet so many people like this." She waved one hand dismissively, "It's silly, of course. As though Oschon could have a will."

 

Mitari shrugged again. Too confusing. Head pain. Fuck it. "Can I take this leaf out of my mouth yet?"

 

Her eyes widened in mild surprise. "What? Oh! No. How does your head feel?"

 

"Painful and headachy. Why not? It's weird talking with a leaf in my mouth."

 

"Have you never taken medicine before?" Antimony gave him a knowing look. "Much of it was leeched into the water you drank, but keeping it in your mouth will pull out what is left into your system."

 

"Not really, no." Mitari replied before sighing. "So don't sleep and keep a leaf in my mouth all night? "

 

"Well, yes. Though not all night. An hour should give it enough time to take effect." She smiled then a bit apologetically. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything for... entertainment, really."

 

"S'fine. You could tell me something about yourself maybe?" Mitari suggested. "That might be entertaining."

 

"What? Oh, I don't think... There's nothing all that interesting about a simple accountant," Antimony chuckled and waved off the question. "How about yourself? Talking will keep you awake."

 

"Hey, I can't do accounting. That's more intereting than someone with depressing history." Mitari countered, lightly lifted a hand to wave it about dismissively.

 

There was a lull after Mitari's words where Antimony watched him with a quiet expression, and then her gaze shifted away towards one wall, though she smiled. "Ah, well, it does no good to dwell on 'depressing histories'." A pause. "I find it enjoyable. Organizing and aligning numbers. Though Ul'dah's regulations are new to me." She chuckled a bit faintly. "Ul'dah overall is new."

 

"Ul'dah's not really new to me." Mitari countered, agreeing quietly against talking about depressing histories. "I've been wandering around for... a long time." Mitari looked faintly distressed when he actually thought about how long he'd been homeless. Ever since it happened... He shook his head wearily. "Are you sure I can't sleep?"

 

"Do you want to end up in a coma?" Antimony leveled an arched brow at him. "Head injuries are a delicate matter. When my niece..." She blinked, stopped herself short, and then just cleared her throat. "The point is, you need to be careful or you could end up in a much worse state than you are now."

[Naunet]

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.”

 

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.”

 

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!”

 

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.”

 

Ulanan looked at Antimony. “I came to invite you to have breakfast with me, if you are not busy.”

 

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?”

 

“Eh? Olivies? Erm... I suppose so.”

 

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.”

 

“...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.”

 

“Um,” Mitari began, “I hate to be the freeloader here but... I'm a freeloader. I don't have any gil on me.”

 

“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.”

 

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?”

 

“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!”

 

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.”

 

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?”

 

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?”

 

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.”

 

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...”

 

“We haven't had breakfast yet,” Ulanan explained. “Don't let a man ruin your appetite.”

 

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.”

 

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?”

 

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.”

 

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. 

“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.”

 

“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.”

 

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?”

 

“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?”

 

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.”

 

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.”

 

“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.”

 

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.”

 

***

 

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.”

 

“An unexpected job for such a tiny, harmless creature. I'm sure they never run out of work for you.”

 

“I'm sure your line of work has an endless amount of tasks to be taken care of, too.”

 

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?”

 

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.”

 

“What kind of experiment, Ulanan?”

 

“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.”

 

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?”

 

“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!”

 

Megiddo hummed in response, but said nothing, and walked off, hunched over like a poorly-supported scarecrow.

[Naunet]

The following day…

 

Antimony walked with her head down, carrying yet another one of those ubiquitous envelopes. She was either watching it or her feet, but either way she wasn’t paying particular attention to where she was going, and a small frown pulled at her features.

 

A heavily armored man stepped forward towards the inn. At least he hoped. He had meant to catch a certain woman there to apologize for his sudden vanishing act yesterday. But he had something he had to do now. As he stepped up, he almost completely missed the very kitten he was going to miss. He almost bumped into her and sharply stepped out of the walk, looking to the woman. "Antimony?" he questioned, surprised to have run into her.

 

Antimony paused mid-step, which looked rather comical, and angled her head to glance curiously to her left. "Mm? Ah... hello? Can I help you?"

 

Mitari chuckled faintly and pulled his helmet off. With a small shake of his head he tucked the helmet under his arm, mindful of the horns and spikey bits and gave a little wave. "I was looking for you just now."

 

Antimony's eyes widened as she did a rather obvious double-take, looking Mitari over from head to toe. "What! How are you... what are you wearing?"

 

Mitari took a moment to show himself off. “It's uh... well it's a dragoon's armor. This is the typical armor set. You didn't think I went around doing mercenary work in those linens did you?” He laughed.

 

Antimony flicked one ear back and kind of chuckled along with Mitari for a second before amending, "Well, I... you did say you were having trouble finding work."

 

Mitari grinned sheepishly in return and gave a little shrug. "Ah, well. Yes. Doesn't mean I get no work either."

 

Antimony hugged the envelope to her chest and cleared her throat. "I, ah, apologize for the assumption. Or... well." She hesitated. "... How are you feeling?"

 

Mitari frowned at the question and looked to the ground. "Well enough... but I think... I am going to go back to Coerthas."

 

Antimony's ears pricked up. "Already?" She blinked. "I mean, that's wonderful! I... think? You found work then?"

 

Mitari looked away, sulking. “Not... quite.”

 

Antimony winced. “Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... well, I'm sure you have very good reasons!”

 

“N-no I mean... just... your um... friend... I want to go back and become more than just an honorary knight.”

 

Antimony watched Mitari for a moment and then smiled sadly. "I see. I'm... sorry, he shouldn't have said that. It wasn't... well, it was a judgment that was unfair of him to make."

 

Mitari’s ears flattened a bit, his tail swishing irritably behind him. "No I.. I'm not... I'm just as good. Even better than a real dragoon but... I don't... I don't officially have the title. They're just... so stubborn. No matter how I prove myself they won't admit I could be one. " Mitari explained, frustration clear in his voice.

 

Antimony frowned and stepped forward, lifting one arm to rest her hand a bit awkwardly on Mitari's shoulder - or, a spot on it that wasn't too pointy. The miqo’te blinked and looked to her hand, and then to her face. “Do not place your own value below the approval of others,” she began, expression soft. “Especially those who have so far been unkind.”

 

Mitari smiled weakly at Anti and gave a sort of half-hearted laugh. "Ah but... even your friend was so quick to..." He paused, ears falling and face turning away sadly.

 

Antimony half smiled and then chuckled a bit embarrassed, "Besides, with the way you leapt about the other morning, I'm sure you have nothing to prove to them that they don't already know. Their own stubbornness doesn't deserve your worry."

 

Mitari blushed faintly, a bit embarrassed but happy for the praise. "Ah... thanks. I've been learning ever since I was a kit."

 

“It showed! I've never seen anything like it.”

 

“You'd be amazed at what some of the others can do. And there's nothing in Eorzea quite like fighting a dragon.”

 

Antimony paused, and her features softened again. "You should go to Coerthas only if it's for yourself. Those Ish... whoever they are--" she waved her other hand holding the envelope, "they don't matter."

 

“I... it... it is for me. I have to... I have a promise I have to fufill there. I had thought I had done it but... maybe not.”

 

Antimony smiled at that. “There. That's a fine reason! Just... take care of yourself, yes?”

 

Mitari nodded, “I'll try. And, can you do me just one more favor?”

 

Antimony's ears quirked curiously. "Of course."

 

“I had... have... maybe, a sister. When I lost my family, I don't know what happened to her. I never found a body. She might have been captured or sold off. I don't know but. Her name was Cherishen. She looks similar to me with white hair and gold eyes. If you hear anything about someone with that description...”

 

Antimony's brow furrowed with a pensive look and then, rather without warning, she tightened her grip on Mitari's shoulder and pulled him in for a - somewhat awkward with the armor - hug, patting him with one hand. "I certainly will. I'm so sorry something like that happened to you." Mitari Xerxes awkwardly blinked as he was pulled into a somehow... maternal hug? He smiled weakly after a second and tried not to stab her with his armor. "It's okay. It happened a long time ago now. But... if she didn't die before or in the Calamity, she might have been freed so... I stopped looking a few years back but... I think I will start my search again. So just send me a letter to Coerthas if you hear anything." Antimony Jhanhi pulls back somewhat and nods, then, with a look of confusion, "How would I get a letter to you all the way up in Coerthas?" Antimony Jhanhi: Do you have a... well, is there somewhere you stay? Mitari looked thoughtful for a moment. “You could send it to the Observatorium. There's an inn there I've made use of before. So, that's probably where I'll be again.”

 

Antimony smiled and squeezed his shoulder, realized he probably couldn't feel that through the armor, and so let her hand drop to his elbow. "The Observatorium," she committed it to memory, lingered with a sad look for a moment, and then, "Very well. I wish you the best of luck in fulfilling your promise, whatever it is."

 

Mitari nodded. “Thank you for all your help. I um... hope we could keep in touch. Is there somewhere I could send you letters?”

 

Antimony returned her arms to her own personal space, folding them across the envelope. “Ah, well, I've got some time before I finish this work in Ul'dah, I think. After that, I'll be returning home, to Limsa.”

 

“Do you have a home in Limsa?”

 

Antimony nodded and smiled. "It's not much, but yes! You're... well, I suppose if you ever are around, you're welcome to visit."

 

Mitari blushed. “Ah, a-alright. Maybe I'll stop by if I'm ever in Limsa.”

 

“I'll put some real food in you, for once. If your eating habits I've seen so far are anything to go by...”

 

Mitari laughed. “They're pretty bad.”

 

Antimony pursed her lips disapprovingly. "So I've observed. I've heard it's quite cold up north. You must promise to take better care of yourself in those elements."

 

Mitari motioned to himself. “This armor is surprisingly warm. But I'll try. Sometime you'll have to come up and make sure a dragon didn't eat me.” He let out a laugh.

 

Antimony's eyes widened. "A... dragon?"

 

Mitari nodded. “Of course. That's what I'll be fighting up north.”

 

Antimony's fingers twitched around the envelope she held, her ears swooping back worriedly. For a long moment, she looked conflicted over something and then, finally, sighed. "If you must."

 

“Of course. A dragoon fights dragons. If I want to ever fufill my promise, I need to fight them.”

 

Antimony's tail swished behind her in agitation, and she added, "Then you must make doubly--no, triply sure to take care of yourself. And... perhaps don't rush the journey, while your head recovers."

 

Mitari chuckled a bit and knocked on the top of his head lightly. "It's fine. I'll be wearing a helmet. I'll be fine."

 

Antimony just sighed again and nodded. "Very well."

 

Mitari carefully put his helmet back and and knocked up the visor. "You take care too. I have a feeling you worry so much about others you forget to take care of yourself. So don't forgot to take some time for you too."

 

“Oh, I'll be alright. I've got Ulanan and... well. As long as I don't die of olive poisoning, I will be fine!” She chuckled faintly.

 

“Why are all your friends so obsessed with olives by the way?”

 

Antimony waved one hand. "It's only Ulanan, and I'm... not exactly sure. But there it is."

 

Mitari shrugged. “Well, take care to eat some other things besides olives and bread okay?”

 

Antimony smiled warmly. "I will." A pause, and then, "I... should be on my way. Unfortunately my work... well, schedules are unforgiving."

 

Mitari nodded. “Thank you. For everything. Take care Antimony...”

 

“And you.” Antimony turned as Mitari bid a quiet farewell, and continued on the direction she'd been heading, tail hanging low.

[Naunet]

Later that evening…

 

Antimony idled by the table near her inn room's bed. In her hand, she fiddled with a small, bone-carved figure. On the table there rested a strangely headless doll. She frowned at the doll in thought. Not long after this scene began, a knock sounded from the door shortly before it opened.

 

"Hello!" Came a small voice from near the floor.

 

Looking up, relief briefly flashed across Antimony's features before she turned and headed to the door, opening it with an uncertain smile. She remembered to look down this time and caught sight of Ulanan.

 

The lalafell was, as expected, basically a big bump in the entrance. She looked up and smiled. "Hello. How are you today?"

 

Antimony’s own smile remained for several seconds before it fell to the same thoughtful frown she'd been wearing just prior. "I... am not entirely certain, Ulanan. Though, I suppose I'm glad you're here."

 

"Something happened?" 

 

"Mm," Antimony replied and stepped back, gesturing for Ulanan to make herself at home - or at least as at home as one can make themselves in an inn room. "That... Well." She remembered suddenly the object she held in her hand and spun around, hastening to the bed where a small box sat and placing it inside.

 

Ulanan closed the door behind her, stepping forward into the room. "Work woes?" she asked.

 

Antimony shut the box carefully and gave it a considering look before she turned back around to Ulanan. Her forehead wrinkled with sudden worry. "No, it's not that. Well, at least it appears unrelated, but..." She pursed her lips, tail swishing behind her, and then made for the table she'd stood at before. She took the headless doll in one hand and proceeded to show it to Ulanan. "Does this look familiar to you?"

 

The lalafell got closer to take a look. She squinted at the doll, extending one hand towards it. "It doesn't. What's so special about it?"

 

"Well." She paused, frowned at the thing and shook it for no apparent reason. "Did not Megiddo purchase one that looked like this? On Pearl Lane, that night we ran into him while I was investigating."

 

"I can't say I was paying attention. Maybe?" One hand tapped against her chin. "Even then, I'm sure there are lots of dolls like the one he got."

 

Antimony frowned at that, her ears swiveling around as though searching for some sound. "Perhaps, but..." She grimaced, hesitated again, and then finally, "Well, there's nothing for it. Something did happen, Ulanan, but I don't want you fretting. I'm just... concerned about certain implications."

 

She frowned. "I will fret anyway. So tell me."

 

Antimony sighed, "I know you will." Her ears twitched; her tail followed suit. The fingers that held the headless doll fidgeted. "The details are not entirely relevant, so... Well. Miss Loughree had arrested me. I think. I'm not entirely--I mean, I was in a cell and it was--!" She coughed, cleared her throat, but only for half a second before rushing forward: "This doll appeared out of nowhere, but when Miss Loughree picked it up, it... it exploded! As though demon-possessed! Except... I do not think it was a demon."

 

Ulanan did not seem surprised in any shape or form about Antimony being in jail. She extended her left hand, with the palm facing upwards. "It exploded? With fire and sparks?"

 

For a moment, Antimony looked as though she were about to be ill as she recalled those dreadful minutes in jail. "... No. In needles. They... Well, it was not a pleasant surprise for Miss Loughree."

 

Ulanan shook her still raised hand. "May I see it?"

 

Antimony's tail shivered and she looked around the inn room as though expecting something before settling her gaze back on Ulanan. "Hm? Ah, yes. Of... of course." She held the doll out to the lalafell. Frowned. "Megiddo, he... only a few days before the... incident, I ran into him on the streets. He showed me a doll that... well, it was identical to the one I saw in jail, when it was whole. He'd fashioned it to look like a miqo'te."

 

Ulanan took the doll with one hand and examined it. Mostly by poking and looking inside the hole where the head was. "What did he say? About the doll."

 

"Oh, nothing particularly, erm, incriminating," she coughed, one ear flicking. "It was a pleasante enough conversation. He said it was for his granddaughter."

 

She looked down at the doll on her hand. She looked unsure. "Next time you see him, ask him if he gave her the doll." 

 

"Do you... I suppose it's too much to hope that he simply misplaced it?" Once again, Antimony looked worried.

 

A vicious knocking shakes the door, but aborts quickly. After a moment of silence, it's replaced by a much more timid knocking. 

 

Antimony blinked, looked up sharply, and then just looked confused. "Who..?" She headed towards the door. Ulanan turns to look at the door for a moment before returning her eyes to Antimony.

 

"Were you expecting someone?"

 

"No, but... Ah, perhaps it's just the cleaning lady." Opening the door, her ears cocked to one side as she peered out.

 

When the door opened, Loughree flinched heavily, like a cat ready to bolt. Her ears stood up tall and swiveled, eyes wide taking Antimony in. She didn’t speak, just looks around. Very quickly she was looking over Antimony's shoulders, and when she saw Ulanan, she flinched again. She remained, though. The lalafell raised one hand in greeting. She didn't say anything, but added a smile for a greater friendly effect.

 

For a moment, Antimony was silent as she looked across at Loughree. Then, with her tail twitching, she let out a faint, "Oh. Hello?"

 

Flinching again when Antimny spoke, Lou looked suddenly to the side said, "I wanted...". She looksed back, examining Antimony's room again. "Is everything okay?"

 

Antimony frowned, took a hesitant step back from the door, continuing to hold it open. "Ah, well..." She glanced back at Ulanan. "... Yes? May I, ah, ask what you're... well."

 

Ulanan walked closer, stopping once she was slightly behind Antimony. She kept quiet.

 

Loughree spat out, "I wanted to apologize. I wasn't going to arrest you or that man, for real. I was just trying to squeeze a bribe out of the situation."

 

Blinking, Antimony pursed her lips. "Well. That's... rather forward. At least you're apologizing, I suppose."

 

Ulanan realized she was holding the headless doll and decided to carefully hide it behind her back with both hands. "It's a very important step!"

 

Standing awkwardly still for another moment, Loughree spoke carefully, "Where did that man go? You know. The one who... helped me."

 

Furrowing her brow, Antimony seemed to weigh something in her mind before speaking, "Against my better judgment, he left."

 

Ulanan was confused. "There was a man?" she asked Antimony.

 

Starting, Antimony blinked down at Ulanan. "Eh? Oh, yes! Mi... Mitari. You met him. A very sweet young man."

 

Ulanan lips became a circle. "Oh! Yes."

 

Lourghree's ears twitched. "I see." And then she stepped forward into the doorway, pushing a hand against the door to hold it open. "What do you know?"

 

A slight frown returned to Antimony’s face, more curious or confused than concerned though. "Know? About what?" Ulanan said nothing.

 

Seeming to struggle with something inwardly, Loughree ducked her head. Her eyes flicked about the room. "About." Her head snapped up, ears swiveling in search of some distant sound. Finally she growled, "About what happened! The cells! That... doll!"

 

"Uhm." Antimony took a step back. "I don't... think I know much more than you, I'm afraid."

 

Ulanan tilted her head to a side. "This doll, you mean?" she said, and held the doll out between her hands.

 

Loughree dropped into a square stance, gaze focusing on Ulanan fiercely and ears standing on end. Her tail puffed up to double its normal size, and in a moment, her sword was in her hand. "YOU TOOK IT!"

 

The lalafell remained static. "I was examining it. It still has some needles inside."

 

"I, ah..." Antimony's own tail shivered and she held both hands up in a soothing gesture. "I have to ask you to put your weapon away!"

 

Loughree snapped at Antimony, "Why! I think having my weapon out is a perfect idea ever since a got a NEEDLE in my fucking eye!”

 

"It's perfectly harmless now," Antimony countered anxiously, eyeing the sword in the other miqo'te's hand. "Please, just calm down."

 

Ulanan spoke as normally as she could, which was quite normal. "Calm down. We are not your enemy." She added a nod to her words. "I was just examining it."

 

Loughree spoke, at once guardingly and warningly. "What do you know?"

 

Antimony sighed, gave Loughree a careful look. "Could you please just put your weapon away. It's not... well, it's rather hard to hold any kind of conversation like that."

 

"With the looming threat of your sword cutting our heads. Yes, quite hard indeed!" Ulanan said.

 

With a huff, Loughree complied, sheathing her sword but keeping her hand on it. Her shield remained on her arm, though.

 

Antimony's ears, which had been pressed back nervously, relaxed away from her head as Loughree sheathed her sword. She ventured a small smile. "There. That's better. Now... ah." She hesitated. "I'm sorry to say, but my answer is still the same. I don't know much more than you, I'm sure."

 

The lalafell pointed one finger to the doll. "There are too many people who could prepare a doll to work like this one did. Any thaumaturge could have done it easily."

 

Scowling, Loughree bit, "You're lying. You're lying to me."

 

"I am not," Antimony huffed, and folded her arms.

 

"Why do you think Antimony knows anything more than you do?"

 

"I didn't expect this from you," Loughree muttered. Her hand flexed on the hilt of the sword. "He won't get me. He can't hurt me. If he leaves me alone, I'll leave you alone. Deal?"

 

Antimony blinked and then stilled. "I'm unsure... why you would tell me this, and not 'him'," she said slowly.

 

"He who? Mitari? I don't think he's smart enough to make this..." Ulanan pondered, looking at the doll.

 

Frowning sharply, Antimony shook her head. "No, it couldn't possibly be Mitari."

 

Loughree shook her head, "Idiots! Why would I blame the person who pulled the needle out of my eye?"

 

"I was correcting Ulanan," Antimony said, frown not moving. "But truly, I don't think threatening me will do you any good. I..." She licked her lips and then sighed. "I've no control over whoever did this."

 

Ulanan pouted. "Why so mysterious? If we 'know' who 'he' is, then use his name. It will be less confusing."

 

Barks at Ulanan, "Don't mock me! Megiddo! Grandfather!"

 

Well, that got Antimony's attention. Her eyes widened, her ears twitched, and her tail fluffed out slightly behind her in surprise. "Grand...father?" She blinked. "But..."

 

Ulanan threw her head back and then frowned. "See? That was clarifying."

 

Loughree looked up to Antimony, her agression plain. But as she blinked at the woman, watching her, her expression softened, if only a modicum. "... You didn't know."

 

Antimony remained silent for some time, looking troubled at a thought. Eventually, she simply stated, "No. I did not." Ulanan added nothing to that.

 

Turns her glare on Ulanan, "And you didn't either?"

 

"I discovered this development just a few moments before you appeared on this door," Ulanan said after a moment.

 

Throwing one last look down the hallway, Loughree stepped into the inn room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it. In the same motion, she dropped her shield, and it thudded loudly to the ground.

 

Despite her earlier ease, Antimony frowned uncertainly as Loughree let herself fully in. "I... am sorry that happened to you, Miss Loughree."

 

Ulanan followed the shield's trajectory and its collision with the ground. She was not impressed by it, and quickly returned here yes to the Brass Blade.

 

Eyes on the floor, Loughree asked neutrally -- her voice no longer threatening or demanding at all -- "Why did you take the doll?"

 

Looking briefly down at Ulanan, Antimony pressed her lips together. She hesitated a moment before, "I... thought I recognized it and wanted it on hand."

 

Ulanan simply looked between the two Miqo'te women.

 

Loughree cursed under her breath. She covered her face with her hands and slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.

 

For a moment, Antimony stood still, tail swinging indecisively. Then, whatever she had been considering seemed to resolve itself, for she nodded and turned to make for the sink across the room and filled a nearby glass with water.

 

Ulanan felt awkward. What was the social norm for crying people? She quickly remembered. "Why did he do this?" Apparently, she quickly forgot, too. Glass of water in hand, Antimony returned to Loughree and slowly knelt before her.

 

Loughree was quiet for a few moments, just hiding her face. When Ulanan spoke, she said, "It's... complicated. Stupid. You don't know anything? Nothing at all?"

 

"I'm not sure what you expect us to know, Miss Loughree," Antimony replied, doing her best to keep her tone calm, soothing. She held the glass in front of Loughree. "Here. Take a moment."

 

“I'm afraid we don't. I'm sorry." Ulanan said.

 

Keeping one hand over her eye, she reached out with the other and took the water, muttering a "Thank you," and then saying, "I don't know. I thought... It would've been convenient."

 

Watching Loughree for a moment, Antimony nodded slowly. "I understand." A pause. "Ah, it's just... I don't quite know what I can do for you now, Miss Loughree." She frowned at a thought and then added with some disbelief, "Granddaughter."

 

She held the water in one armored hand, but just held it. He lay her head back against the door, hand on her face, and said, "If I could just sit here for a minute. I haven't been sleeping since... This isn't the first time this has happened."

 

Antimony's ears twitched and she managed a soft smile to the other woman. "Alright. Though, I don't think you have anything to worry about here."

 

"Take your time. Would you like me to lend you my room? I reckon it will be more comfortable than the Blades' barracks, and you can sleep without worry there."

 

"It doesn't matter where I sleep," Loughree groaned. "He'll find me when I'm alone, and that's when... It doesn't matter if I'm home, or at an inn, or even apparently how far I go. He'll find me."

 

"Try not to work yourself up," Antimony soothed, placing a hand on Loughree's shoulder. Her features are also worried, though, expression directed inward. "Perhaps... Ah, if I had thought to ask him earlier..." She sighed.

 

"There's no sense in worrying about what could have been done." Ulanan interjected. She looked at Loughree. "The Quicksand is filled with adventurers and mercenaries. Your gradnfather would be a fool to strike you here without preparation. You should be able to be safe here for at least a day."

 

Looking through the fingers of her gauntlet with one teary, blood-shot eye, Loughree gave Antimony a suspicious glare for a moment. Then she hid her face again, muttering to Ulanan, "I'm not betting my life on it." And then, to Antimony, "Ask who? What?"

 

"I don't think you'd have to. You will be safe here for a time." Then Antimony paused, catching the other miqo'te's final questions. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "Megiddo, of course."

 

Ulanan folded her arms.

 

Lifting her head from the door and dropped her hand from her gaze, Loughree growled, "What?"

 

Her ears shifted back somewhat as Antimony echoed, "What?"

 

Ulanan grimaced at the ensuing confusion. "We met a man named Megiddo. A duskwight" she explained. "In Pearl Lane, when he was buying a doll from one of the merchants. He said it was for his granddaughter." A hand raised, gesturing to Antimony. "That's why she thought she had seen the doll before."

 

The Brass Blade seemed to spasm, knocking the glass of water off her lap and to the floor. She pulls her shield up to chest-level, both hands on it. A stream of tears that had been contained behind her eyepatch broke loose in a torrent down her cheek. She leveled Ulanan with a fierce glare, "You said you didn't know anything!" And then she turned that glare on Antimony, "That's what you said!"

 

"I didn't!" Antimony exclaimed, leaning back slightly from the violent explosion on Lough's part. Her tail sweeps anxiously behind her. "I mean--I didn't know that... I had no way of knowing it was related until... well."

 

"When a Duskwight speaks of family, you imagine other duskwights." Ulanan started. "We didn't know until you mentioned him by name just a moment ago."

 

"Bullshit!" Loughree barked, pushing herself to her feet, "You're lying! What do you know!"

 

"We are not lying," Antimony stated firmly and got to her feet as well, crossing her arms. Her tail gave away her nerves, but she kept her posture stubborn. "You see that we've only helped you here."

 

Ulanan kept her arms folded, but was otherwise relaxed. "I'm sorry, but it's true. There's nothing else we can tell you about him because we don't know.."

 

Trembling where she stood, Loughree's face scrunched up in anger, showing her teeth to Ulanan, "That's shit!" She took a few breaths, shouted at Antimony, "It's shit!" A deep growl began in her chest, build for a brief moment, and when it broke free, the tall Miqote threw her shiled at the legs of a table across the room, far past Antimony and Ulanan. There was a loud crash of metal and wood. Loughree threw her hands over her face and fell back against the door, dropping to the floor again. She wailed, "I just want to be left alone!"

 

Antimony flinched as the shield crashed past them and, most likely, caused some serious damage to her room that she didn't want to think about paying for just yet. At least it hadn't been aimed at her head, or Ulanan's. Something in Loughree's tone caused her ears to twitch and she leaned forward and slightly to one side so that she could look at Loughree's profile, swallowed once, and then said with a reasonable smile, "As I said, you're welcome to stay here for the time. No one will hurt you."

 

"I can keep watch." Ulanan offered. "And if I see him, I will have some very stern words with him."

 

Loughree sat wordlessly with her hands clutching at her head, hiding her face from view. Her tail was puffed up so it was wider than her leg, and it shivered when Ulanan spoke. Loughree laughed and said, "Yes, tell him that he's being rude and I'm sure he'll apologize and just go away!"

 

"It has worked before," Antimony mused to herself, humorless. She shook her head. "Regardless, I've every confidence you will be alright in this room, at least for now." She let her expression soften, and she bent down to set a hand on Loughree's shoulder. "It will give you a chance to sleep, and with sleep you will feel better."

 

Ulanan said nothing more. She just frowned and gave a passive-agressive disapproving gaze to the floor.

 

Not reacting to Antimony's hand on her shoulder in any meaningful way, Loughree hummed, "Only if I trust you."

 

"You've no reason not to," Antimony replied in a measured tone. "I, ah, apologize for the incident at the fountain earlier."

 

Loughree hummed and let her hands fall into her lap again. "Whatever. If he wanted to run off with me I'd have gone with him, too. Sorry I put you in a cell and then almost died in front of you. I bet that was annoying."

 

Ulanan nodded sagely.

 

Pushing out a rather weak chuckle, Antimony gave Loughree's shoulder a soft pat. "It seems you've recovered at least, which is encouraging. Now, do you wish to stay here for now? I will get us all some food if so."

 

Loughree frowned at Ulanan, "Only if she doesn't try to pick any fights with me this time."

 

Ulanan smiled. "I won't."

 

"I don't know if I trust you," Lou muttered, before averting her gaze to the door. "Alright, I'll stay here. One night. But don't think I'm just going to let you be charitable. I'll pay you back."

 

"Good," Antimony straightened with a short, matter-of-fact nod. "The food will simply go on my tab for now, so don't worry." She cast a brief, apologetic smile at Ulanan. "You don't need to stay, if you don't wish, once I've returned." Then she slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind her.

 

Lou, who had been leaning against the door, scooted out of its way rather pathetically.

 

"What can you tell me about your grandfather?" Ulanan asked once Antimony was out of the room.

 

Watching the door close, Lou turned her gaze back to Ulanan and frowned at her. Her one exposed eye narrowed in suspicion, and she said, "Why?"

 

"I am curious about what kind of person would try to murder his own family." the lalafell answered flatly.

 

Scoffing, Loughree stood up. "It's a family tradition." She looked around, and balked at the sight of the mess she made. Cursing, she knelt to pick up the glass of water she'd thrown down.

[Naunet]

Louree busied herself with cleaning up the mess she made as best she could. She had destroyed a table in the corner with her shield, so she now stacked slivers of wood on her shield, which sat on the floor. A pile of sticks was near it. She knelt, sagging pathetically, and her movements were slow and clumsy.

 

Antimony entered her room with a short, polite knock first, pushing the door open with one shoulder. In her hands was a broad platter with a small loaf of bread, three small halves of what looks like some kind of gourd steaming hot, and yes - olives. She flashed an uncertain smile at Loughree's back. "I hope you like pumpkin... It, ah, seems to have been today's special."

 

Ulanan watched the young Miqo'te's cleaning antics with great attention, expecting her to throw a tantrum and sharp wooden bits everywhere. She barely paid Antimony's entrance any attention.

 

Lou flinched heavily when Anti entered the room, her tail still fluffed up wider than her leg suddenly sticking straight out behind her. She only lost a few splinters of wood as she turned back to look at Antimony, seeming to be half-expecting some kind of monster. When it's only Anti, though, she quickly tried to finish her cleaning. "I... yes. I'm almost done."

 

Her brow furrowing, Antimony moved to set the platter down on the small nightstand at the foot of the bed to her left. "You don't... well, the staff here could have handled it."

 

"I didn't want to be rude," Loughree answered, her tone clipped and fast. She pushed the wood out of the way and stood with a slight sway.

 

Worry flashed in Antimony's eyes. "Sit. And eat. Ah..." She glanced towards Ulanan. "There isn't much in the way of chairs now, but the bed will do."

 

"Cleaning is a course to comfort the consciousness." Ulanan nodded sagely. "And eating eases the inculpation!"

 

Loughree turned to look at the food wearily, pausing for a moment. She then walked over to the door and pushed on it, making sure its locked and testing the strength of the knob.

 

Antimony turned slightly to follow Loughree's movements, pressing her lips together as the miqo'te checked the door. "You're safe here," she reiterated. Ulanan did not add anything to that.

 

"I've thought that before. Just hedging my bets." Loughree turned from the door quickly, and as she walked over towards the bed, she began to un-fasten the various bindings that hold her gauntlets in place. I don't know how armor works.

 

Antimony stood awkwardly to one side for several seconds before moving to pick up a small plate on the tray and holding it towards Ulanan. It's piled with olives. She forces a smile. "I thought you might appreciate these."

 

"I do! Thank you." she smiled, taking a few steps forward and taking the plate.

 

Loughree snagged an olive of the plate and pops it in her mouth as she walks around Ulanan. Her gauntlets come off her hands and fall near the pile of ood off to the side. She speaks around the olive in her teeth, "I don't know why you're taking care of me."

 

Attention pulled from Ulanan and the olives, Antimony looked up to Loughree and blinked. "Why wouldn't I? You're in need, and, ah... I can't help but feel a little responsible.."

 

"What?" She looked over her shoulder, "The only reason you're involved is because I was busy arresting you when someone tried to off me. How does that make you responsible?"

 

Ulanan pondered about that but found no good answer. So she chose to munch on some olives instead. Antimony winced. "Well, if it is Megiddo, I... ah. But regardless, it's... not as though I hold anything against you."

 

"You don't owe me anything either. As far as you can tell I'm just some crooked Blade and a hiseous mess besides."

 

Antimony frowned suddenly, looked away, and huffed. "That is hardly the point. You should be a bit more grateful if, as you say, I should have no reason to do this."

 

"We are not expecting you to repay us in any shape or form, if that is what worries you,” Ulanan stated.

 

Loughree spun to face the others, "I'm not ungrateful. Altruism is suspicious. I am going to repay you whether you like it or not, somehow."

 

Antimony's expression softened slightly and she gestured towards the platter. "The first thing you can do for me is eat. It will help, I assure you."

 

Ulanan nodded. "Start by accepting our altruism, then! There's no better reward for the kind than to see their kindness accepted.”

 

Uttering a somewhat unconvinced huff, Loughree sat on the bed and began the process of removing her greaves. "I'll eat in a second. Not if I'm the only person eating, though."

 

"I'm eating." Ulanan declared, raising her plate of olives at chin level and taking some with her free hand.

 

"You're not eating it." Lou managed her greaves from her feet and then carried the heavy things over to lay next to her gauntlets.

 

"It... I'm waiting for you to be ready. That's... well, it's polite," Antimony huffed.

 

"I, on the other hand, have no manners!" And four more olives went into Ulanan’s mouth.

 

"Different people have different manners. I was raised in the woods, so I guess I don't get it." She finally walked over and looked down at the plates of food Antimony brought in.

 

"Then we can affirm that each one of us is being polite in their own unique way."

 

"How else to ensure you get your--ah, just eat it!" She hesitated and then sighed, "Please," before moving to pick up one of the pumpkin halves and a spoon.

 

Loughree grabbed herself some pumpkin and a spoon, sat on the bed, and went to town.

 

Ulanan waited, watching Loughree go to town. After a moment, she frowned, for the Miqo'te woman did not go to town at all! She tried to strike a conversation, though: "So how did a woods-woman end in the Brass Blades?"

 

Antimony paused at Ulanan's question, spoon stuck in her mouth. Her ears tilted towards Loughree.

 

Pausing long enough to swallow what's in her mouth, Lou stabbed the spoon into the pumpkin and straightened her posture. She answered, "I grew up in the Shroud. I didn't like my life there. When the Calamity killed everyone I decided it was a good time to relocate. And I wanted to get very far away from Grandfather. I ran."

 

Antimony frowned as she swallowed a bite of pumkin. "Grandfather. Why--" Her frown deepened. "I don't understand why he would... try to kill you."

 

"Maybe he did not take it kindly that she would run away from him. Such is the logic of cruel men," Ulanan suggested.

 

"Megiddo isn't cruel," Antimony protested and then looked very uncomfortable, either at her assertion, or the situation, or something else.

 

Loughree looked sideways at Antimony, and said gravely, "And how would you know if he's cruel or not?"

 

Hovering her spoon over her pumpkin, Antimony blinked towards Loughree. "I... well, he's never... except for the one time--but he didn't actually...! Ah..."

 

Ulanan looked down to her almost empty plate of olives, shaking her head. "Antimony isn't very good at judging old men in the street, as you can see." She chuckled. At this, Antimony frowned, unsure if she should feel offended.

 

Lou's tail shivered, her gaze remaining on Antimony. "He killed my mother. She was a good woman. He killed lots of my family, actually. And lots and lots of strangers."

 

Antimony stilled, even her tail ceasing its slow swaying, and went very quiet for a time. Her eyes shifted down to the gourd in her hand, discomfort evident in her expression. "I... am sorry. I didn't intend to--that is to say, I... did not know."

 

Dropping her gaze to Ulanan, she said, "I don't know why he's after me. I'm supposed to be safe in Ul'dah. It's been years. He isn't supposed to know I'm here."

 

Antimony's ears drooped suddenly, her eyes shifting guiltily towards Ulanan. The lalafell raised one olive between two fingers. "The important thing is that he found you. What will you do?"

 

"I don't know," she answered, taking the spoon and carving into the pumpkin. "Get rid of him somehow. I can't run again. I have... roots in Ul'dah."

 

"Get rid of..." Antimony's ears hung lower; she rolled her spoon between her fingers. "I... still don't understand why he - or you - would... do any of this."

 

Snapping her gaze to Antimony, Loughree shouted, "I'm not doing anything! I ahve to protect myself! I have mouths to feed who are counting on me! What am I supposed to do!?"

 

"Sometimes the past catches up to you and tries to butcher you. And for no good reason,” Ulanan said to Antimony.

 

Flinching, Antimony shook her head hastily, "That's not what I--I did not mean you were..." She looks up towards the ceiling, tail flicking as the lines in her face deepened with distress. "I don't understand how family could hurt one another in such a way."

 

Going back to her pumpkin with angry motions, Loughree muttered, "You must have a really nice family, then."

 

Antimony's fingers curled tense around her pumpkin, gaze locked away from Loughree. "That... is not a reason," she uttered lowly.

 

Ulanan walked over the table and left her empty plate on it. Looking at Loughree, she said: "I imagine you have discarded telling the authorities about this?"

 

"I am the authorities. Do you have any idea how humiliating it would be to ask Lamandu or the Flames for help? They can't do a damn thing."

 

The lalafell frowned. "Then who can?"

 

"It is not humiliating to ask for help," Antimony said firmly. "Perhaps there... if someone could talk to him..." She sighed and shook her head.

 

Ignoring Antimony for the moment, Loughree grudgingly considers Ulanan. "Nobody I know of. I can't afford to hire anyone..."

 

"I'm sure a solution will present itself sooner or later."

 

Loughree frowned and put her food aside, "That's comforting," but of course she meant this sarcasticly. She rose and turned her back on the two, pulling at the buckles on her chainmail to make it fall slack.

 

"There's..." Antimony worried at her food a bit, looking uncomfortable, and then, "It... would be better to simply rest tonight. We, ah, can't do anything from here." She hesitated a moment and then, "You... mentioned you have... mouths to feed. May I ask...?"

 

"You can ask," Loughree said as she knelt near the bed. She began to shirk her chain-mail over her head, an obviously laborious task with all this heavy metal in one single piece.

 

Antimony frowned, ears laying flat briefly. "Well." Her tail twitched. "Who are you referring to? Are children involved? Would Me--would he go after...?"

 

Throwing her chainmail down heavily, Loughree answered tonelessly, "Yes." As she stood full again, posture rigid.

 

At this, Antimony's eyes widened, her eyes darting towards the door. "What! N--where?? I should--they should be taken some place safe!"

 

Ulanan kept quiet.

 

"I already did!" Loughree shouted without looking behind her. She crossed her arms over her stomach and glared at the wall, silencing herself to mutter, "I sent her away It was the first thing I did. She didn't understand. I couldn't tell her that..."

 

Brow furrowing in a mix of worry, confusion, and empathy, Antimony pressed her lips together into a tight line. Her tail shook behind her in agitation. "Children," she breathed. "He would really...?" Shaking her head furiously, she set her food back down on the platter. "I... am sorry. I told you to try and rest. This... does not help." Ulanan failed at words.

 

Looking at the bed, Loughree said, "Someone was going to watch...?"

 

"I will."

 

Antimony nodded at Ulanan's words. "You will not be harmed here."

 

"I won't rest too long, so you don't have to watch for too long."

 

"Don't worry about it. Take whatever time you need. Right, Antimony?" Ulanan followed this with a smile.

 

"Of course," Antimony agreed solemnly, features pulled into a slight frown.

 

Loughree lowered herself to her knees. "Alright

 

"You may, ah, use the bed," Antimony offered after a moment.

 

"I'm not sleeping in your bed."

 

Ulanan blinked once. "Will you accept at least some blankets?"

 

Antimony blinked as well, off-put. "... Oh. Well, it's not my bed; it belongs to the Quicksand. But... ah, yes! You can borrow a blanket. And a pillow."

 

Loughree took hold of the blanket on the bed and pulled it towards herself, observing, "This blanket smells like the guy who pulled the needle out of my eye," as she wrapped herself up in it, covering her head and much of her face as well as her body before flopping over on her side.

 

Antimony winced. "Ah, yes, well... You did... he was injured, so I helped him as well."

 

Ulanan smirked briefly and once she was done with that she took Antimony's sleeve and pulled her. "Don't chit chat when she's about to rest. Out we go!"

 

Her voice muffled by the blanket, Loughree said quickly, "Antimony needs to stay in here with me. I can't be left alone."

 

Ulanan just stated: "I shall be right outside the door," before turning around and leaving the room.

 

Antimony blinked, took a step as though to follow Ulanan before processing Loughree's words and kind of wobbling between actions for a second. Finally she settled back into place and turned a concerned look on Loughree's back.

 

Lou added after Ulanan left, "Just because you don't see him come in doesn't mean he isn't here. Don't leave me alone."

 

Clasping her hands together, Antimony sighed. "I understand. I won't leave." She crossed the room to the table then, with its myriad papers, and settled into the chair.

 

Loughree didn't respond. Her puffed-out tail had been thinning down for awhile and was now it's typical degree of fuziness. It lifted and fell as Loughree lay in silence on the floor, undled up as though it were frigidly cold. Antimony did not have much she could think of to say, but did have much to think about. She maintained an uneasy silence. That fuzzy blonde tail continued to swing up and down even after Loughree fell asleep.