Thoughts from the Otherworld

 
 
Ellanore stomped her feet on the ground. It was getting quite chilly, and she was really getting quite annoyed at her one remaining Starlight greeting card. A galka. Seriously, a galka adventurer! In San d'Oria! She tried to remind herself that others had completed their card distribution with honor. Like that mithra from before, Rii Kalira. She had actually talked quite a bit with her before, although maybe that wasn't something to be glad over as now she still hadn't distributed all her cards. You could never know too many people in this line of business, though.

That was one of her shortcomings. She just couldn't seem to befriend enough people, and going out all by herself was quite dangerous at her experience levels. While she had learned a lot since autumn, there was still so much more left to learn. Traveling at farthest to Bastok and back wasn't exactly her idea of adventure, especially when she had mostly clung to the well-trodden paths while doing it.

Rii Kalira apparently adventured with a San d'Orian elvaan, and while she was a healer-type herself the man was good enough of a fighter that the two balanced each other out on their travels. Ellanore wondered if she couldn't do much better if she teamed up with a healer as well. She could heal somewhat, traveling long ways alone had taught her the necessity of that, but she wasn't too fond of using too much magic. She'd much prefer to physically fight her adversaries. It felt more honorable somehow, although she wouldn't for the life of her call fighting with magic dishonorable, exactly. It just wasn't something for her.

That was when she noticed a shape in the crowd, one bigger than the rest. A quick assessment confirmed the shape to be a galka, wearing full chainmail and heading out towards Ranperre's Gate. Ellanore felt so relieved she could cried if she was another type of person. She wouldn't have to give up after all, and could distribute all her cards.
"Excuse me!" She made her way through the crowd. "Mr galka there, please wait a moment!" The galka finally heard her and stopped when she was within a couple meters of him.
"Can I help you..?" The strong face was filled with polite curiosity.
"Yes, you've helped a lot in fact. Starlight greetings!" She smiled brightly and handed over the card. The confused galka took it from her.
"Ah, thank you." He looked at the card curiously. "Is this by any chance one of them moogle shenanigans of this year? Saw them making a ruckus earlier today."
Ellanore nodded. "Took me the whole day to track down a fitting recipient too. I keep wondering if it wouldn't be better for them to plan their events more cleanly beforehands."
The galka barked a laugh. "You don't say. No matter what the damn buggers do, it's always up to us to get their behinds out of trouble! Exactly why I was trying to avoid them this time."
"You have experience with this kind of events?"
"Do I ever. Guiding wayward actors and buffaloes filled up my tolerance for MHMU events for this year for sure." Ellanore nodded sympathetically. While she hadn't been around for either event, she'd heard rumors of wayward actors last summer, and the buffalo thing would have certainly been hard to avoid hearing about. "I'm Grundan by the way. Nice to meetcha."
"Ah.." Ellanore started and bowed lightly. "Forgive me my rudeness, I completely forgot to introduce myself. Ellanore Delouvien, at your service."
 
 
Ellanore wondered what she'd gotten herself into. This year's Starlight Celebration was a mess for her. It was her first since she'd left home and started adventuring - not that said adventuring had been all that adventurous for her - and a couple days before the event her moogle had hinted at her that the MHMU might have something for idle adventurers to do. She hadn't known what exactly it would be, but it had soon become clear enough the day before when she'd wandered into the Parade Square and gotten hooked up by Smilebringers to deliver gifts, and MHMU to deliver cards. She didn't even have clear instructions for either of these, just vague words in the effect of "make people happy". She looked at the four Starlight greeting cards she had left and sighed. At least the presents had been easy, kids were delighted to receive anything.

She looked around. The next card described the recipient as a fierce but beautiful mithra, and praised the glories of her bushy tail of all things. Ellanore looked at it, disgusted. Why did she have to find a mithra adventurer in San d'Oria? In San d'Oria, the city known for its inhospitality to other races! She was just pondering about the merits of giving up and returning the rest of the cards to the moogle when she saw it. A mithra skulking by the side of the road, her tail switching back and forth furiously.

Ellanore didn't waste any time. Annoyed that adventurer might be, but she wanted to get this card off her hands. And it's not like the mithra was annoyed at her, so it shouldn't matter too much. "Excuse me." The mithra turned around, and Ellanore had the card ready. "Starlight greetings!"
 
 

Nightingale sat at the edge of the Firewater Circle. For once, he wasn't here to perform. He was here to think. Recently, he had had the feeling that Bastok was simply too small for him.
He'd been here for over a year now, and this had never been meant to be a permanent solution. He looked at the mid-day buzz around the circle. It hadn't all been bad, not even close. He'd come here alone and friendless, but had soon been followed by Endahren. Nightingale smiled at all the memories that thought brought. The two of them had had a good year. It lacked the excitement his life in San d'Oria had had, but it also lacked the pain.

He closed his eyes. The air smelled of city and rain. Maybe it was time for him to move on. See the world a bit. Maybe write a song or two or three. There were bound to be many subjects for songs out there, with the numbers of adventurers he'd been witnessing in Bastok and San d'Oria these past few years. Already rumors of deeds done were reaching Bastok. Rumors of disturbing events, too, rumors of beastmen rising again and the number of monsters in the increase. What kind of a bard would he be, not going out there and finding those stories to make songs from? He'd only come up with melodies for now, never words. There was nothing to write about than his own life, really, and that did not make for good song material. For the kind of song he wanted, anyway.

Endahren had said a while ago that all his loves seemed to be eager to go out there. That was quite possibly true. Nightingale wondered sometimes how he would take it, him leaving too. He seemed to encourage Nightingale to leave if that was what he wanted. He'd encouraged Ellanore too, and he was engaged to her. He seemed to genuinely want for the happiness of the people close to him. Nightingale stood up. He still wasn't sure what to do, but he guessed that was alright. There was time, plenty of it. At least until Endahren finished his business in Bastok.

 
 

Ellanore looked up. The area was unfamiliar to her. Most the buildings here were either relatively new or recently renovated. There were normal houses too, but most of the buildings in the area were mog houses.
The Mog House Management Union was a relatively new thing in San d'Oria. They were a union representing moogles, and giving out housing and rental rooms for adventurers. Ellanore felt something she couldn't quite define, standing there. In the recent years, more and more adventurers had been appearing all over Vana'diel, fighting back beastmen and other threats where national armies wouldn't or couldn't go.
"Is the house to your liking, kupo?" The cheery voice came from beside her. She looked down. A moogle. She still wasn't quite sure how to treat them, she had never talked to a one before today.
"Yes, it appears fine."
"Let's go check the room then! I'm sure you'll be pleased, kupo!" She nodded calmly and marched in after the moogle. She wondered if they really didn't have any marks that defined them as individuals. All the moogles she had seen had looked the same. Or perhaps she just needed to look more carefully. She stared hard at the moogle's back and his - her? - flapping wings, trying to notice something that could be defined as an individual trait. She found nothing.
"Here we are, kupo!" The moogle flew excitedly around the empty room. Ellanore looked around. It didn't appear half bad. She wondered how much furniture cost. She had never paid attention to such things, she had never needed to. But if she was going to do this, she would probably need something here, at least a bed.
She walked to the window and looked down. There was a small garden yard below, green in mid-summer light. "Do you happen to know where one can buy furniture?"
"Oh yes, it's easy kupo. Just head to one of the auction houses." The moogle flew beside her. Ellanore got the sudden feeling that he - she? - looked like he was about to land on her shoulder. Then the moment passed.
"I think... I've decided. I want it. Starting next month. Is that good?"
"Absolutely-kupo!" The moogle started flying around the room again. It looked excited. "I'm so happy! If Master needs to know anything else, Master can ask me!" Ellanore looked at the moogle carefully. She wasn't quite sure if this had been a good idea after all. It wasn't as if she was afraid exactly - many adventurers left the details of their daily lives in the hands of the moogles, she'd heard - but all this excitement wasn't really inspiring any confidence in her.
Well, at least it was done now. She was leaving, no matter what her parents said. She glanced down at the yard again. There was a good chance they wouldn't even be able to find her, once she set out. She had been planning this for a long time now, and wanted it for much longer. She would have her own life now.