Red Mage in Tycoon (Open)

"Rrrrow, rarf, rarf!" Large padded feet pattered across the cobblestone street in the royal city of Tycoon as a red-furred lion-dog of about three feet in height bounded across. He was wearing a fancy coat with gold buttons and white decorative braid over rich blue fabric to contrast with his red fur. He paused as he reached the other side of the street, rising up on his hind feet to stand upright as any man and turned back to look at those coming up behind him.

A woman followed him, white hair hanging loose and slightly over one eye, her clothing as red as the beast's fur where it wasn't gold or white. Her eyes were a brilliant piercing green, the same green as the crystal that she wore on a mythril chain hanging from her neck. The crystal drew no small amount of attention from bystanders, but no one seemed to think it sinister.

She watched her furry friend with a small smile on her face and a laugh dancing in her eyes. "What is it, Commodore?" She asked as she started across the street to follow him. "Are you afraid I'll get lost?"

The red beast yipped at her and lolled his tongue out in a clearly canine expression of delight and humor when there was the sound of clawed feet on the cobblestones, moving quickly, and she looked up to see a running chocobo coming straight at her.

The red beast was moving immediately. He dashed back across the street and wrapped his furred arms around her midsection, pushing her backwards and into a bystander. The chocobo passed and then slowed and turned around as his rider stopped to make sure that the woman he'd nearly run over was alright.

In fact, quite a few people were drawn to be certain that there weren't any injuries, mostly because the Commodore was crooning at his friend like he was worried, putting his head against her midsection and making a comforting sound of worry. The woman tried to laugh it off as just something he did, but it did make a quite a scene.

"Are you alright, Miss?" the chocobo rider asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." She sighed. "Commodore, I'm fine, let me up," she tried to push the red beast off her long enough for her to regain her footing. She addressed the rider again. "Do you know a good place to sit and just rest a while? I think my friend here isn't going to calm down until I sit down."

He nodded. "If you go that way there's a square. There's shops and cafes if you're interested. New in town?"

"Visiting, really. Just taking a look at different places."

He nodded sagely. "Ahh, Offworlder. We get a few now and then. Where're you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

She smiled. "I don't mind the question, I ask it enough when I'm at home. The World of One." She finally had her balance back and put a fond hand on her friend's mane, patting it down. "Yes, yes, Commodore, no harm done." She looked up again. "Thank you, sir."

"No problem, Miss. Have a good day." He turned and rode off as the woman and beast found their way to the square and a seat at one of the outdoor cafes, to watch the crowds pass.

“Just who is that?”

“I don’t know…must be an off worlder.”

“Could he be dangerous? Just look at him.”

“Quiet…you’ll draw his attention…then we could be in trouble.”

“Oh right, right…come on…let’s just avoid him.”

The man in question was dressed from head to toe in colors of black, red, and blue. He was wearing a long, black trench coat that went down to his ankles with blue flames designed and etched at the bottom of the coat that came back up to his waist. He also wore a pair of black jeans that covered part of the black army boots. Over his chest he wore a dark red shirt that was covered up with a black chest plate that went over only his chest that had a few interlinking chains. On his right arm, over the sleeve of the coat, was a black and reddish looking gauntlet that was made up of several scales. Of what was unable to be determined without asking the owner.

The man was pale of flesh, but two things naturally stood out against the snow like appearance. First was the vibrant blue hair that was fashioned up in spikes that went down to the middle of his back. Second were his intense yellow eyes. It was the eyes that had people staring at him in the first place, so intense were their gaze that many people backed off after he made eye contact. On some levels, he quite enjoyed the effect…on others; it just made him feel more alone.

He was currently walking alone towards the royal capital city of Tycoon. Why he was headed there, he wasn’t entirely sure, but it was certainly better than being stuck in that ship any longer. He had left Gohrick in charge and said he would be back in a few days…that had been about a week ago. Still, they knew not to worry about him…he could handle himself.

Once he had gotten into the city, the stares and the mutterings became more frequent. It amused him to some extent that they were so focused on his appearance that they never noticed or talked about the large scythe that he had attacked to his back.

“Did you see that weapon…he looks like the Grim…”

Scratch that…now they had noticed it. Well, with its bright red appearance, it was hard not to see it unless you were blind. He was hungry, and he was slowly growing tired again. He was planning on stopping by an inn when some drunken rider on a Chocobo nearly ran into him on the cobble stoned road.

“Do watch where you are going,” Cypher spoke in a soft, but powerful voice, causing the rider to start cursing his luck about off worlders as he rode off again after apologizing.

‘Hm…seems I’m not the only one roaming…’ he thought to himself, before making his way further down the road. He wasn’t too sure exactly what he wanted, but figured any café or restaurant would do. He took a seat outside to enjoy the fresh air and ordered a cup of coffee while his eyes scanned the area, seeing some wandering warriors, some civilians, and a small section of red? He stared for a moment longer then was needed as he saw a red creature wearing white and a woman in red. He simply raised an eyebrow at the sight, before sipping his coffee.

The young woman in red and gold sat carefully in one of the chairs of the outdoor café and smiled at the waitress as she walked up to take their orders. The red-furred creature at her side drew quite a bit of attention, from onlookers and he seemed to be fully aware of the curiosity, adding a little prance to his step.

"Miss, is there anything I can get for you?" The girl was maybe sixteen, with soft pink hair and a gentle smile.

Telira nodded to her with a smile of her own. "Yes, I'll take a glass of lemonade, please, and a sandwich on toast."

The girl nodded. "And your friend?"

She looked over to see the Commodore with his eyes locked on a small child who was peeking over the back of his chair to stare at him. As she watched, the Moomba slowly waved one paw as if he was sharing a secret with the child and was rewarded by a giggle from the little boy who then waved back. Telira chuckled softly and then looked back at the waitress. "The Commodore will have a sandwich, too, and a glass of water, if you don't mind."

Once the waitress had left to take the order back to the kitchen, the Commodore turned back to Telira and yipped happily. He liked the attention he was given by those around him. He pranced a little bit more and even gave the crowd a few dance moves to the sound of muted laughter. He walked over to a nearby planter and gently pulled a single flower from a blooming bush and then walked over to where a young mother sat with her tiny daughter in her arms and offered her the flower with a flourished bow.

The mother blushed, but accepted the flower to the sound of laughter and even slight applause.

Telira had to smile, herself. The Commodore was definitely in his element. She glanced around at the square and couldn't help but notice the stranger in his distinctive armor and manner. Something about his appearance caused her to shiver slightly, though she wasn't entirely certain why. She smiled at him, though, from her seat with a nod of greeting.

The movement caught the Commodore's attention and he looked up at her to follow her gaze over to the stranger. Once he realized that Telira was nodding to a person, he was moving, capering over to greet the man with a squeak and an encouraging wave, inviting him over to sit with her at the open seat at her table.

This, of course, caused Telira to color in momentary shy embarrassment. She had no idea why the Commodore would do such a thing, though she knew that he was very intelligent. It was entirely possible that he was trying to set her up or something, but at the least she could use the conversation. After all, that was what she was here for, to see the world and meet the people, hopefully without shouting out that she was the Lady of the World of One. She hadn't yet made her condition public knowledge with a formal announcement or anything, but she was quickly running out of time before something had to be said, especially since courtiers had started asking about it.

Cypher closed his eyes for a few moments, enjoying the soft breeze that was blowing through the city and the moment of peace it ensured. It hadn’t been a hard journey, per say, but Cypher hadn’t slept properly in several days. Still, the few weapons he had picked up, as well as the connections he had been making within the World of Five would be invaluable in the future. If he were to take the word of his summons, something big was coming…

He was shaken from his thoughts as the sound of laughter and clapping rang through the air. He slowly opened his eyes and took in the scene in front of him. Children were laughing, and a few adults were clapping as the red furred creature danced and seemed to be entertaining the crowd. Such a simple pleasure, but it caused a small smile to form over his thin lips. As he was watching the creature dancing, he caught the eye of the woman behind it, simply giving a slight nod back.

‘Your improving quite a bit…there was a time not long ago that you would have ignored such a simple greeting between warriors,’ came a voice from within his head. His summon, the Ambassador of the White Flames, Nycon, had taken a liking to talking to him telepathically, as some summons did in the world of 8, only there was no junction involved.

Cypher didn’t comment, as he didn’t quite have a chance to. He apparently had caught the attention of yet another, as the red furred creature came over to him and squeaked. Cypher stared into its eyes instinctually, as if searching for some rhyme or reason why it would come so close to him, when even the guards of the city had given him a wide space.

‘I think he wants you to join him and the lady in red over there…’Nycon said with what could only sound like a giggle. Odd, Nycon had about as much sense of humor as her brother, but just wasn’t as violent. He continued to stare down at the small fur ball before simply nodding his head. He gathered his coffee and slowly stood up, adjusting the scythe on his back.

“Well then, lead the way,” he said with a small smile, before following where the Moomba had indicated he should move to. He sipped on his coffee as he made his way to the woman’s table, before placing his cup down and lightly bowing his head once more in greeting.

“Seems your companion found it fit that you needed additional company…I am Cypherous Montarous…Please, feel free to call me Cypher,” he said, his voice soft, yet with a hint of strength, like the gentle breeze before a storm. His yellow eyes had locked on to hers almost right away after he bowed his head, just as they had on the Moomba’s.

The on lookers, who had been quite enjoying the show, all seemed to fidget and shuffle away slowly as Cypher had made his appearance. This was something he was quite used to…he didn’t exactly exhibit an aura of warmth or joy…quite the opposite in fact. It was a presence that he had developed quite on accident…being the only survivor and walking in darkness tended to have this kind of effect on people. Add to that his fiend like eyes and even his demeanor for brooding…he wasn’t exactly a nice looking person. Though, what many failed to do was judge past his looks…under it all, he wasn’t quite as dark as he first appeared.

Bala stepped out of the shuttle she had paid for by offering her services on board as a steward for the time being. As her feet touched uneven cobble stone, she stumbled on her geta like a small child who was not used to the black sandals.

The breeze met her kimono sleeves and caused a flash of dark blue to be seen. Maybe I made this one a little too flashy? A sigh passed through her lips as she looked up to the sky. There was little sun, and it was rather gray and dismal. It could have just been her idea about the town, though.

Bala turned and looked around at all the little quaint houses, and people milling about their day. She wondered how people could be so in love with the idea that there were no trees or real landscapes around. There was a castle in the middle of the town, sort of, it was more of in the middle and to the back of the town. It seemed to loom in the fog above Bala’s head, but she just looked at it with awe and meekness.

Hate to live there, she thought sorely. Castles and riches were not exactly her thing. She preferred to live her life off the land that was provided to her. She shook her head slightly and began walking down a random street.

The feeling of being lost had soon developed in Bala’s mind, but she pressed onward with her exploration. The town itself was quite intriguing to the young samurai. For once, there was a place that did not smell of the dead or the sight of people dying. The Guado liked some of the new smells she was encountering, such as fresh bread coming from the bakery to her left, which was oddly positioned next to something that produced a sweet, yet strong odor.

The sign above the open air booth read “Café”, which got the young one wondering what kind of place a café was. She decided to sit at one of the stools and observe. She heard the lady behind the booth say things like “coffee” and “espresso”. Her head tilted at such words with a child like curiosity, but she did not dare bring attention to herself. She had no money to pay the lady with, and she was afraid that she might just get tossed off her stool if she offered to work to make up for her lack of funds.

She kept her head bent low, but she managed to observe two people far away who seemed to be enjoying themselves. A small smile was on her lips as she watched the two interact, but her head swiveled back to the front. Horror came across her face as she noted a bubbly, young waitress smile and wave at her with a spring in her step.

Sighing, Bala rose to leave, but something seemed to push her back down into her seat. She looked around and didn’t see much of anything, and there were no spirits toying with her at the moment, so she just sat in her chair dumbfounded.

A voice behind her shocked her, and it was then that she noticed a big, swarthy, heavy hand on her shoulder. It was a good thing Teruyoshi was with her, because things might get dicey pretty soon.

A sea green eye looked menacingly at the man behind her. She said nothing, but went back to staring at the counter top as though it was the most interesting thing about this “café”.

“Hey, lady…won’t’cha hand meh over yous’s purse?” The thug tightened his grip on Bala’s shoulder to make his point perfectly clear.
Saying nothing, Bala started to unsheathe her blade. In one fluid motion, she drew it and had slashed at the man’s arm. The blade stopped right at the man’s arm and then slid calmly back into its sheath. The bubbly waitress screamed, and the man was so shocked that he fell to the ground.

“I’m…I’m sorry!” he screamed terrified as he scrambled to his feet and ran away. Some of the guards riding the Chocobo looked at Bala suspiciously, but went back to their patrols.

Sighing, she stood from her stool and bowed to the frightened waitress. “I am terribly sorry for frightening you. Please, allow me to work for a bit to restore your honor.”
The waitress looked a little confused, but she nodded her head slowly. “Sure…I guess, and…it’s quite alright, Miss.” She opened a part of the booth and let Bala in, giving her a maid’s outfit like the one she had donned. She gestured where the changing room was and went back to her work.

Bala eyed the strange garb with a grimace, but doffed her kimono and Teruyoshi and donned the uniform. When she came walking back out, the bubbly waitress handed her a tray and a little booklet of order sheets. “Write down the orders and give them to the lady standing at the machine. Don’t take too long, or the customers might not tip you.”

“Tip?” Bala muttered to herself, sighing yet again as she began the task of writing down orders that needed to be filled. Once the girl had four or five orders, she handed them to a particularly grumpy lady who replaced her sheets of paper with cups filled with steaming drinks. The young samurai had no problem balancing the tray and walking to her customers. Once she had placed all the orders in front of the customers, they handed her a few gil each.

Bala was shocked by the small round, cool coins in her hand, but she managed to bow in front of the customers and smile a little. Seeing her happy must have made a few of them happy too, because they smiled back.

Tapping the bubbly waitress on the shoulder, she proffered over her tips. The bubbly waitress laughed. “No, no, you keep that.” The young waitress placed the money in Bala’s pouch. After a few more orders, the young samurai thanked the waitress and donned her kimono once more, along with Teruyoshi. She slipped her gil into her sleeve and exited the café. The waitress had a cup of creamy coffee waiting for her. Bala thanked the waitress and offered her the tips once more, but the waitress refused again, saying that the drink was free.

Bala bobbed her head. Hands lifted the warm cup to her lips. Her tongue liked the sensation of sweet yet bitter flowing across it, but the after taste was horridly sharp. Bala finished the drink with a slight grimace and left the waitress a few gil as thanks.

Telira blushed almost as red as her cloak at the Commodore's forwardness, but there wasn't much she could do once the opinionated creature had dragged his target over to her table. She smiled at Cypherous as he sat down, still blushing madly with embarrassment. "It's good to make your acquaintance," she said, smiling slightly, "I'm Telira," she paused again slightly and then pushed forward, "Telira LeNaen. My furred friend there is the Commodore."

The Commodore waved his paw in greeting, giving Cypher a friendly yip. He seemed quite at ease with the sinister seeming man, no matter what his appearance might be. But then, as something other than human, his basis for judgment was something a bit more ephemeral than simple appearances.

In all honesty, Telira wasn't bothered by the unusual color of Cypher's eyes. She still saw amber-yellow eyes in her dreams, though sometimes they were in a feminine face and sometimes they were in a masculine one. As much as she'd started to remember about the journey that had been undone by the sacrifice she and her friends had made… there was much she still didn't know for certain, and wasn't sure that she would ever know the whole truth.

She was the only one of her friends to have survived, as near as she could tell, other than Warrior wherever he was. She wasn't even sure which of the nameless figures she saw in her dreams were the real ones. There were always four of them walking the path, but which four were the four… changed from dream to dream.

"So what brings you to Tycoon this day?"

The waitress brought over the sandwiches and the two drinks for her and the Commodore and Telira gave her the necessary coins for the meal plus a few as a tip. She took a careful bite, making sure that her stomach wasn't going to give her problems since she was still having occasional bouts of nausea as her body adjusted to the changes, as unexpected as they were. The Commodore, though, was not so refined and made quick work of the sandwich, though he was still very respectable with his table manners.

The disturbance of the would-be thief and the response by the young samurai-girl caught Telira's attention and she went very still as she watched the situation unfold, afraid that she would have to intervene. Luckily, though, matters were settled quickly and Tel had to hide a gentle smile at the willingness of the girl to help out as reparation.

She set the sandwich down for a moment, making certain that it would stay down. The last thing she wanted was to lose her lunch all over someone's shoes… again. She was still mortified that she had done that to Angeal... and grateful for his good-humored understanding. She still couldn't believe what was happening inside her, though. It was all so unbelievable.

"Myself," she said, "I'm on something of an exploratory journey. With all these worlds opening up to each other, I thought it would be a good thing to see what was out there, and take a look at all that was possible. So many new things to see. So many impossible things made commonplace."

Cypherous simply stared into the red mage’s eyes, even as she blushed as red as her class, not realizing that such a thing could be considered rude. It just went back to how unused he was to interacting with people. “A pleasure to meet you Lady LeNaen,” he said softly, giving his head a slight bow, finally breaking the eye contact with her. However, it was with that slight bow of his head that his eyes locked on to the small crystal hanging around her neck.

There was something about it that radiated power, but it looked so…simple.
‘Do not judge by looks alone…you of all should realize that Cypher…’

His gaze might have lasted just a bit longer then intended, as he slight shook his head and looked back down at the red furred creature. “And a pleasure meeting you as well Commodore,” he said softly, thinking that Commodore and Gohrick would get along quite well. He sat up straight as he took another soft sip of his drink, thinking back to another friend, who he hadn’t seen since exploring Mt. Gagazet in Spira…Emerald. It was thanks to her that he was even able to hold a small semblance of conversation with anyone…and it was thanks to her that he realized that he wasn’t perhaps as damaged as he thought he was.

Cypher tilted his head slightly, a habit formed from being teamed with a Mithra for far too long, as she seemed mildly lost in thought for a few moments, before he opened his mouth to answer her question.

“It was just were the wind blew me today. I have no official business in Tycoon…or in the world to be quite frank. I just…wanted to see what else there was,” he said softly, before taking another sip of his drink. He paused as the waitress delivered the sandwiches to the pair, placing an order of a sandwich himself, after seeing how good they looked.

Again, his head slightly tilted as he watched Telira take such a small bite of her sandwich, as if she was expecting something to happen. Now, Cypher might be horrifically socially inapt, but he wasn’t stupid. And he was slowly having things click in his head, however quiet he kept about his observations.

However, all observations were thrown out the window as the disturbance happened with the would be thug. Even though it had been handled quite quickly, and the thug ran away, there was still a flicker of black flames that ran over his left arm. Wyrmfire. His eyes narrowed before he shook his head.

“Vile scum…” he muttered, before the flames on his arm completely vanished, not leaving a single mark on the coat. Preparation, as it were, should things have gotten quickly out of hand. He stared at the swords woman for a few moments, hearing small parts of the conversation about restoring honor. That that was a concept he had long ago dismissed from most intelligent life. A dying code, as it were…it was good to know that such things weren’t entirely dead.

“Well…I see, on some level, we are both seeking the same thing. Something new…something that we don’t have…I to see what can make me whole once more…,” he said, realizing his sandwich had come in and taking a small bite of it while taking another sip of his coffee.

Telira felt Cypher's gaze fall to the crystal she wore. It was a somewhat familiar move, as most people she met looked at it, some in curiosity, some in concern. She knew from her brief conversation with Simon, so long ago, that crystals could be considered sinister in some places. It was still a concept she wasn't certain how she was supposed to feel about, since the Crystals were the guardians over her world, the source of life and the keepers of balance.

Still, it wasn't that case in all worlds, as she was starting to realize. From the way Cypher looked at her crystal, though, she wondered what he thought about it, whether it was something he feared or whether it was something he admired.

She pulled the chain over her head that held the crystal shard and set the necklace on the table in front of her. "It's an heirloom, of a sort, if you're curious. It marks me, after a fashion, though I'm not entirely certain how that works. I know that this crystal is the reason that I was chosen to … well, to follow a path not of my own making. I am a champion, really, for my whole world. There were four of us, at one time. One for Fire, one for Water, one for Earth, and me, for Wind. We… we sacrificed everything for our world, even our lives."

She sighed and put the necklace back around her neck, letting the crystal shard fall again to rest against her vest. "We shouldn't have survived, any of us. I don't know why I'm still here, other than a seer's fever dream that the world needs a champion again. I'd even forgotten about the other journey, outside of recurring dreams, until I started meeting people from other worlds. You see… to restore balance to the world, we unmade ourselves, and our history."

She took another careful bite from the sandwich, grateful that her stomach was cooperating with her today. It gave her hope that she'd eventually be done with the daily illness that had plagued her for a couple months now. Still… she knew that it would only lead to other, more dramatic changes.

She thought for a moment as she chewed. Once she had swallowed, she looked up at Cypher and took a deep breath. "One of our number was a Warrior, a Knight who held to honor. He carried the crystal of Water. I have heard that he survived the unmaking of our journey, but he is in a dimension that I cannot reach, locked in combat to defend the balance. I have seen nothing of either the crystal of Fire or of Earth. If you… if you know of any who might carry them, I would ask that you tell me."

She sighed and shook her head at herself. "But this is solemn and not at all what I wished for today. Why don't you tell me about yourself, Cypher. It would be rude of me to monopolize the conversation with me and my concerns when you, doubtless, have some of your own."

She kept part of her attention on the Samurai girl, wondering if she would join them as well. She admired the girl for being so honorable. In a way… it reminded her of Warrior.

He watched through amber eyes as she fingered the chain holding the crystal, focusing on how the light hit the gem and seemed to radiate power without causing alarm. If anything, a sense of peace seemed to fill Cypher as he continued to watch the gem, before looking back up in Telira’s eyes. He sensed there was a large story behind that small gem, and as she started to recount her tale, he knew he had been correct.

He listened to her, watching her eyes as she spoke of the four of them, how they have braved such perils, how they had defeated such a grave evil at such a heavy cost. It was a farfetched story, but the way she told it, the way here eyes watered ever so slightly as she spoke of each of her friends, he knew this story was anything but false. No one could replicate such a feeling of emotion behind their words, nor could they have such a detailed account of what happened or who was there.

Even as he listened and watched her, he knew there was so much more behind the short version she gave, and yes, he knew it was a short version, and now he understood just who he was talking to. Telira LeNaen, Leader of the World of One. How such a unique name didn’t alert him right away, he was unsure. Perhaps it was just her humble appearance, perhaps her down to earth manner. Regardless of the fact, she was here in Tycoon, meaning she probably didn’t want such a finding to become loudly express.

As she wrapped up her story and asked of him to inform her of any information of the wielders of the Earth or Fire crystal, he slowly nodded his head.

“You have my word, that if such information becomes available to me, I’ll be more than willing to inform you Lady LeNaen,” he said softly with a light bow of his head.

“Such an expression is unfitting of a lady of your status, and I am afraid that if I were to share my story, a more grievous expression would overcome an already solemn look,” he admitted while taking another sip of his drink.

“However, ask you did, and since you shared such a personal concern with me, it is only fair. I can only apologize now for my story,” he said, putting down the coffee cup with a small sigh.

“My story is not as grandiose as your own, for I am no hero. I am simply a man who turned to the darkness when all light had faded from my world. I was born in Spira as the Calm began. The Calm, or as now is called the Eternal Calm, was when Sin was defeated by one of the High Summoners. Sin was a fiend, a monster of great power and destructive measures that the world has yet to ever see again. I hope it never happens. I was…about ten or so, when Sin destroyed my home village, taking with it my family; my mother, father, and older sister. I had, by pure chance, been spared because I was visiting with my aunt…

From there, I found myself lost in the darkness, joining up with a military group at the age of around 14 or so, learning to fight, training to have my vengeance against that which took everything from me. For over ten years, I trained through that Calm, disregarding everything else. I became…short of a machine. I ate, trained, slept, and repeated the process. I pushed everyone away. I did what so many others have done…I lived only for my vengeance. I forgot how to live; I forgot how to interact with people…

And then everything I had trained my whole life for was taken away. I look back on that day and find myself disgusted with how I handled it…I won’t go into the full details, but light became as foreign to me as ice is in a desert. So, I wandered…Lost and completely unaware of what was going on around me for two years or so…

Then I met someone…who helped me realize what it was like to live, laugh…perhaps love…I’m quite unsure of that last one…but she helped me find a bit of light in the sea of darkness…”

He paused in his story and took a sip with a shake of his head.

“I’m sorry…speaking of monopolizing the conversation…I do apologize Lady LeNean. I’m afraid my story is no less solemn or depressing. I’m quite sure this isn’t what you had planned when you stopped by to have lunch,” he said with a soft smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Bala had hardly noticed the two sitting at the same table had looked at her while she was working, but then again, she had maintained her strict notion of what was considered polite in her village and only looked up at someone when they were speaking with her. She felt better after she had repaid what she had “owed” the small café. Plus, it was more natural for her to be in her kimono.

The girl wandered dangerously close to the couple at the same table and had tried hard to block out their conversation without much luck and instead caught little bits here and there at the end of the male’s speech. Realizing that they had both noticed the theft and her working, a steady heat rose to her cheeks, and her head bowed low, her eyes focused entirely on the ground.

Bala wondered why her feet would not listen to her. She wanted desperately to move, but for some reason she found her eyes rudely fixed on the lady. Her features were astonishing to say the least, and the lady seemed to carry herself with an air of confidence and poise that seemed to parallel that of a noble person or a monarch of sorts. The lady’s crystal seemed to glisten brightly to the young Guado samurai, and it only seemed to add to the lady’s beauty. While wondering childishly if there could really be a lady so magnificent in a strange new land such as this, Bala quickly averted her gaze back to the ground.

Somehow her mouth found a way to awkwardly move, though at first, no sound came forth. The girl knew she was only shaming herself further by not apologized for her error, but this time, it was her mouth that would not obey. Somehow, she found within herself the tiniest grain of courage despite her nervousness and fear that allowed her to pay no more heed to her frozen physical body. “I’m sorry for rudely staring, ma’am.” The words seemed to ring loudly through the calmness of the place, despite the small groups that were milling about, making their own little disturbances to the serenity of the café.

Now Bala seemed shocked that her voice had been much louder than she had anticipated and the male at the table had probably heard her. She fumbled with a bow from the waist to him and managed to whisper more softly, “I am ever so sorry, sir, for interrupting your space.” Once she had finished her apologies, the samurai turned to walk away, though she found herself still hesitating.

Her hands fidgeted uncomfortably at her waist and she was staring at the ground for a bit longer. No doubt to a passerby it looked as though some strange young lady was studying the ground, trying to decipher whether or not it held any type of wisdom unseen. A sigh echoed through the air softly.

How strange it must seem to them all, the girl silently mused. I once said I wanted to broaden my horizons and find a cure for my people, as well as prove the Guado not to be so proud, but all I’ve found and proven is that my customs are so different from others…

Telira listened to Cypherous tell his tale and held a sympathetic look in her expression. At his apology, she merely smiled and tilted her head to the side. "Life rarely turns out the way we planned, and usually the surest way to prevent something is to plan for it to happen." There was a strange glimmer in her eyes as she spoke, like the words were coming from a place very close to her heart and soul. "Or in my case… fail to plan against it."

She was aware of the attention from the young Samurai girl and her heart went out to the girl, attempting to make her way in a world and a culture that was doubtless painfully confusing to her. She knew how different some of the worlds were from each other and those who chose to travel between them… well, culture shock was becoming much more commonplace and was causing problems even for those who never chose to venture past the villages of their birth.

She really didn't know what she was going to do about that very issue back on the World of One. There were all sorts of resentments starting to fester and she wanted to nip the problems before they became too bad, but it was difficult to do without making things worse on everyone. She sighed as her thoughts turned to the difficulties of politics, something she really had never wanted to become involved in to begin with. But when a too-interfering Seer told her that her world needed her, and that she was chosen because of the crystal she carried… well, like an idiot she jumped off the cliff again.

Her friends, wherever they were, would understand. Though Thief would still say she was an idiot for doing it. Not that he hadn't gone to certain destruction with the rest of them… he'd just had more than a few words to say about how stupid it was.

The Commodore looked up at the Guado girl and made a trilling sound of welcome, combined with a raow-ing sound that was singularly feline in nature. He stood up and scampered over to her, taking her hand with the innocent forwardness that is allowed for young children and beasts. He pulled on her to lead her over to the unclaimed seat beside the other two, plainly inviting her to join them.

Telira had to smile at his antics, and then her eyes misted over slightly as her attention was abruptly turned inwards, her hand falling from the table to rest over her abdomen, her expression open and vulnerable for a moment. A wavering smile touched her lips as they quivered in something akin to disbelief.

She fell back out of the daze in a moment and flushed slightly as she couldn't meet the eyes of those around her. "I'm sorry… some things still… still seem impossibly miraculous. I don't know if I'll ever… ever get used to that feeling." She forced herself to look up at the Guado girl. "Please, join us if you wish. We don't mind at all."

Cypher heard her simple words and gave her a slight smile as he closed his eyes, bringing his drink to his lips and sipping. “Damned if we do, and Damned if we don't, and in the end, Damned none the less. Tis the story of all living beings with the curse of thought and free will. In the end though, it is what we do with those plans and failed plans that define just who we are,” he said, before opening his yellow eyes and staring straight into Telira's eyes with an almost more intense stare.

He was broken from his thoughts, however, as the Samurai frittered around and got a few tables their drinks. A Guado, a kin of the wood. More importantly, a kin of Spira. He watched her for a few moments, curious as to what could have caused her to leave Macalania Woods. He took another sip, before setting the glass down. He had seen her move with her blade on that fool, and had heard some of what she had said to the waitress.

'Something about this strikes me the wrong way...since when did the Guado leave the woods. And since when did they start to serve anyone other then Yevon and themselves? I know things have changed, but for someone of her age and stature, I wouldn't be surprised if she had left some time ago and avoided the whole civil disturbance...' he thought to himself, staring at the woman, before turning his attention back to Telira.

He saw her watching her pet trying to invite the Guado almost in the same manor as he had been invited, and it caused him to lightly chuckle. However, that was cut short as he watched Telira's eyes once again, and saw her hand rest over her stomach.

'Ah...the lady is expecting...' he thought, reading the subtle movements for what they were, as well as remembering his, albeit brief, internship with his mother at the clinic. He listened to her again and nodded his head, however, before he could speak, a beeping noise was heard from his coat, causing him to sigh slightly.

“Ah, pardon me Lady Telira, but this is something I have to contend with...Give me a few moments please,” he said, standing up and walking away a bit, but passing right by the Guado girl and whispering softly by her.

“The wars are over...Spira is welcoming back her children.”

That was all he said as he reached into his coat and pulled out a small, black device and held it up to his ear. He was still within vision distance of both ladies as he spoke.

“This is Cypher...I see...Of course, handle it as you see fit. And the research? Ah...that is quite some progress my friend. There is a reason your in charge, I trust in your choices. Of course of course...Aye...Alright. No, my business here is nearly completed.

I've visited two of the shrines already, and found some interested readings, but nothing that I could fully understand. I'll be sending you the results by Nycon. Alright, I have three more shrines according to the files, and I'm realitively close to one. I'll be checking it out, and with three readings, should be more then enough.

No, I'll be damned if I'm going to that underwater shrine. I don't care if you want the special readings. If you so desire, I can arrange for you to come here yourself...That's what I thought. Alright, goodbye.”

Cypher sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, before turning back and heading back to Telira, taking his seat and staring back up at her.

“My apologies. R&D never seems to have enough patience,” he said with a slight smile, before taking another sip of his drink.

Bala stared at the lady who insisted that she join them. She started to hesitate, and it was only after the man had mentioned something to her that she decided to sit with them. “Thank you kindly, ma’am,” she said with a slight bow and took an empty seat beside Telira and the other man. The café felt slightly different from the point of view of a customer. While she had been working, this small place seemed to be bustling and busy, but from this angle, it was more relaxed.

Despite the calming feel, what the man had said was disturbing her. ‘The wars are over. Spira is welcoming back her children.’ There was something about that statement that made her cringe while her anger uncharacteristically flared toward the man, who now appeared to be talking into a small black device. Curiosity chimed in with her other feelings. What exactly was that device? Were there lands out there that had such technologies? She had thought about asking the man, but first she had matters to discuss with the man in order to clear up his misunderstanding. However, would this person be accepting to the explanation she had to give? The young girl supposed it did not really matter either way. Truth, after all, was the truth.

Bala ordered a cup of tea and stared into it as she wondered where to begin with her explanation. Spira does not accept this child back…at least, the Guado probably never will, but…how would he know that? Further, how does he know where I’m from? Does he know what I am?

Bala shrugged her thoughts away, though the pain of the past still felt very real. The girl raised her cup to her mouth and took a sip. The warm liquid calmed her after it had slid smoothly down her throat. After taking a few breaths, she had regained her calm demeanor. Bala noticed that the man was coming back from his business and she tried to think of something to say. Not wanting to be rude and be a complete stranger in the company of others, she rose silently and bowed to both the woman and the man. “Thank you both for inviting me to sit with you. My name is Bala. Bala Choukichi.” She straightened her body as soon as the last syllable had fallen from her mouth. Before she had seated herself again, she awkwardly extended her right hand to each person at the table with her. She had read somewhere that many people from different cultures had accepted this form of greeting.

As she sat down once more, she leaned close to Cypher and whispered, “Thank you, sir, for informing me, but I’m afraid the wars took my parents, and my people have named me an outcast. I refuse their customs of acting so high above others.” Her explanation was brief, but it was the best she had come up with, considering the time that she had. She took another sip of her tea and hoped that the man would at the very least, not hate her for being different.

Telira was curious about what conversation could pull Cypher's attention away, and though she couldn't hear what he was saying, she did hear enough to know that there was some matter of research discussed, readings of some sort, and an unwillingness to approach an underwater shrine. She knew that there were some astounding similarities between the worlds, and sometimes some even more astounding variances. Technology alone was one point, but the Crystals and the presence of shrines.

She had some sympathy for the complications of visiting Water Shrines. The past might have been unwritten, but she still remembered going to the Water Crystal in a vessel made of nothing less than a wooden barrel with a glass plate in the side for seeing out of. Only the oxyale made the journey possible. Interestingly enough… she still had the oxyale.

She smiled at Cypher as he returned to the table. "Yes, I'm certain that Research continues. I have a friend who is continually curious about the ways of the different worlds and the devices they use in daily life. You see, the World of One is somewhat backwards in that regard. We lost so much over the centuries of the decay of the Lufeine." She paused, remembering Soren's constant tinkering with the remains that could be gathered of the soldier machines from the Wind Tower or his delight when he finally got the mechanical wings working. "I couldn't help but hear you speak about an 'underwater shrine', is it a place to be afraid of? Or is it simply that reaching it is problematic?"

She bowed her head in slight embarrassment. Yes, she was curious. It was one of her failings, and had led almost directly to her being on the World of Five in the first place this particular day. "You see, on the World of One, we also have an 'underwater shrine' and it is not the easiest place to get to. The mermaids live there and without the ability to breathe underwater as they do… well, I'm sure you can see the problems. When I had to go there, I procured something called 'oxyale'," she showed him the small vial that she carried, "It produces breathable air constantly. Truly amazing, actually."

When Bala sat down with them she smiled at the Guado girl welcomingly. "Greetings, Miss Choukichi." She accepted the offered hand with her own, shaking her hand. "I'm Telira LeNaen, of the World of One. It is a pleasure to meet you." With a brief wave she indicated her Moomba friend. "This is Commodore Fluffy Paws. He's a friend of mine, though I'm not entirely certain where his family hails from. He found his way to the World of One, though, and that's where I met him. He's quite the friendly sort."

As if to prove her words, the Commodore barked in greeting, waving one oversized paw at her. He obviously didn't care if she was a Guado or a Gizamaluke. She was good enough for him, and he had excellent taste in people, even if it wasn't readily apparent.

Cypher placed his drink back down on the table as the young Guado joined them at the table, knowing on some level he had offended her with his welcoming gesture. He wasn't a hundred percent sure how, but he planned to nip that in the bud the first chance he got, even if this needed to be a private conversation.

As she introduced herself as Bala Choukichi, he stood up as well and bowed back to her, his blue/black hair falling over his piercing yellow eyes briefly as he stared back up into her eyes.

“A pleasure to meet you Madam Choukichi. I am Cypherous Montarus of Spira. Please, feel free to call me Cypher,” he said, taking her hand and offering a gentle handshake in return, before reclaiming his seat. As he reached for his drink, he felt her leaning in closely and listened carefully to her words, earning a solemn nod of his head.

“I am sorry for your loss Madam Choukichi, but things have changed over the past few months. The Guado grew fewer in number after the war with the Ronso, as well as the persecution they suffered due to following a mad man named Seymour. Your race is slowly recovering, and under Tromell's leadership, have come back to friendly relationships with the rest of Spira,” he said, taking a sip of his drink after speaking softly back to her.

“I am merely stating that, at this point, there is a place for you, should you ever decide to return to Spira, and not just in Macalania Woods... “ he concluded, giving her a small smile, before taking another sip of his drink.

“And if anyone were to give you troubles, just tell them to come talk to me...as the Leader of Spira, I have some pull to handle such...close minded views,” he concluded, before turning his head towards Telira and giving her a soft smile.

“It wouldn't be so bad if I could find some solid people for the job, but as it is, I handle most of the field work myself, or send my friend Gohrick when he isn't too busy in Gaea ( with his...friend,” he said, shaking his head slightly at such an odd pair, but to each their own as it was stated.

“Spira has gone through similar losses. It was a large metropolis, with cities that glowed as brightly as the sun in the middle of the night, machina everywhere the eye could see, air ships...then came the Machina War. And with that, came Sin, who plagued our world for 1000 years, in addition to the several holy wars that Yevon brought down on anyone who opposed them. It was quite a major set back for our world technology wise,” he said, before finishing up his cup and staring Telira right in the eye with a slight smile.

“Eavesdropping, Madam LeNaen?” he asked teasingly when she questioned him about the underwater shrine, before gently stopping a passing waitress and asking for a glass of water, slipping her three gold coins as she nodded happily to get it for him.

“The Underwater Shrine, the Sealed Shrine, the unknown cave. It goes by many names here in the world of Five, also called Planet R if my department of Research has done their job properly. It is both a place to be careful of as well as a place of great promise in our R&D department because of just how powerful the fiends are in there. It is said that the greatest of the 26 crystal shards were homed there before being taken by the heroes in this world's time of need.

However, such a venture is not on my list of things to do. While I do not mind a fight every once in a while, I would much rather not have the world's strongest beasts breathing down my neck while trying to get a few simple readings. As such, I've visited the Fire and Earth shrines, with a plan to stop by the Wind shrine not too far from here later on, perhaps tomorrow,” he wrapped up before reaching over and gently examining the Oxyale in Telira's hands. Remarkable really, as it looked similar to the device that some Blitzball players used who couldn't hold their breath as long as it took, or rather, sometimes when they had the wind knocked out of them by a vicious tackle.

“Quite amazing indeed,” he agreed with a warmer smile, before taking a sip of his drink.