Happy Rising 2024 y’all! May the memories of past journeys fill everyone with wonderful thoughts, and here’s to many more adventures to look forward to ahead!
The event this year was lovely as always and the fireworks were just so as well. We ended up hanging around to watch the entirety of the show, and a bard behind us started to play ‘Answers’ on their harp. It’s always nice/emotional to hear that song, and it felt very fitting to hear it during such a time. They did a fantastic performance, but before we could turn to listen more closely, they had already headed out. Thank you for such a wonderful performance.
Along with the event itself, the little bonus visitors at the end of it were a nice touch too. To a journey filled with many adventurous moments with wonderful memories ahead. Until next Rising~!
Was taking care of a hunt the other week, and happened upon seeing a very lovely sunrise just outside of Costa del Sol. Always nice to take a quick breather between all the tasks to enjoy the scenery every once and a while.
Speaking of mornings, good morning y’all! Kick some tail today – y’all got this!!
I decided to work on another airship to help the now rank 41 U.S.S. Voyager with surveying the skies. Miss Laureine was around to work on some woodworking quests, so she as well as Juli assisted with acquiring materials to get the first section underway!
This new one will be airborne in no time and soaring the skies in no time!
Was a quieter evening the other day; Miss Laureine and I needed to meet up briefly for EOCA-related tasks, but also just to see how things have been. We ended up heading out to the Moon for some survey research in regards to upcoming content that may or may not revolve around one of Aikirees’ past lives.
The result was unfortunately inconclusive, but even with that setback, the scenery along was worth the trip. It’s been a very long time since either of us had stepped foot up there, and with the whole view of home visible, it made it all the more wonderful.
The view and moment were sweetened even greater when Hun came up to spend the remaining part of the evening alongside us in just basking out into the cosmos discussing how the day went. It was a nice way to end the day for certain, and one we hadn’t done in quite some time.
With Miss Laureine quickly approaching the end of her Heavensward woodworking journey, with the assistance of Miss Lizz, the two take a bit of time to enjoy the sun setting over the Sea of Clouds after a long day’s work of acquiring materials for the upcoming process.
~This was prior to Aikirees’ journey~ Episode XLVI! – “How does Miss Laureine comfortably wear this so much?” I ask myself as Aikirees and I rush down the corridor with signals going off around us of an impending attack. While not exactly certain as to the details, Laureine has assured us we’ll know up ahead – for better or for worse.
This wasn’t planned, more like a coincidence that the cousins would end up in Solution Nine for some R&R time as well. During their journey through Dawntrail, the cafe over in Solution Nine piqued Lizz’s interest, but Laureine insisted that it wasn’t a necessary stop at the time promising to return later.
After an evening of the two working on getting Laureine through woodworking quests in Ishgard, the promise came into fruition and the two headed out that way to finally check out and take part in what the cafe had to offer.
Sounds like, from hearing back, they had a really nice and relaxing time there; noting the coffee & tea was very delightful.
Knowing Miss Laureine, she’ll sometimes remind Lizz to be mindful of her attire, but I don’t recall hearing from her in this regard. My assumption is she gave her a break after all the assist she was given throughout the woodworking excursions.
Regardless of the case it may be, it was good to hear the two of them were finally able to get some downtime from all of their running around and happenings lately as well.
After the trip to Shaaloani the other night, another thought came to mind that we’ve been forgetting to do as well and that was explore more of Solution Nine. We don’t tend to head there very often due to how far out of the way it is from where we usually are. So, we finally get that chance and even bought the appropriate attire for the occasion.
It was fun, we mostly lounged and chatted, at one of the local spots with massive screens on the wall, but later on found a neat hideaway spot that had a nice large semi-circular couch. This could be a really nice place to come with the rest of EOCA one evening for certain!
While we did celebrate every 10 levels after level 50 for Dragoon, that tradition dates back to when we started our Gladiator’s journey during Shadowbringers. Even with actually liking the class, tanking has never really been our strong suit, so it did have us stepping out of our comfort zone by quite a bit. Hitting each of those tenth level milestones felt like another long leg of this journey really felt like we accomplished something, and with it came a mixture of feelings.
As such, over the weekend we accomplished said new milestone and attained level 100 Paladin! Wherever the road takes us, the journey will continue~
Something we’ve been really wanting to do is just head back to Shaaloani, but more specifically the saloon located there. The town in general has such a great ‘old western’ vibe to it, but at night, it’s really something to behold. We’ve been meaning to carve out a moment or two to head back there, and with luck after a fairly turbulent weekend, we were able to check it out once again at our leisure.
~This was prior to Aikirees’ journey~ Episode XLV! – Some weeks, like this one, we just, well, really do not know what to make of our outcomes. This is even more compounded when we both return from our chambers to see the other has taken a far different approach to the report.
Aikirees and I spent some time around HQ in the early hours of the night. Not necessarily saying much, but just basking in the cool Empyreum night hearing the Moonfire Faire fireworks going off in the distance. I think the last time we had a moment to even remotely try to do this was well before heading to Tural and even working on our islands.
It was brief as it usually is, but felt longer. I think Aikirees just being there was support enough without having to say anything. The poor cats are having a rough go at things right now, and my old map desk’s papers seem unending even now. Of course, Miss Laureine assists when she can and I know Miss Lizicus tries to keep everyone in high spirits with her carefree approach to everything, but my rock has always been Aikirees. I’ve always been the one to look over and protect her, but now I really don’t think she needs all that much protection – perhaps she’s trying to do the same for me and the rest of us now.
I ended up dozing off into her shoulder at the sound of distant fireworks, with her fuzzy warm shoulder being a comfort for such tired ears. Once the moon had reached directly above us, I felt a gentle nuzzle on one of them and awoke as our sign that it was time to head to sleep.
We head into HQ and warm up next to the entry fireplace, but before proceeding down to the bunk behind the office, I head into The Archives for a moment. Meandering back to the far end of it, with an eerily glowing fireplace and rows upon rows of shelves littered with any sort of notes or loose maps that one could think of, are two mannequins I placed in there moons ago.
One was of my wedding dress to my dear Sirena almost a full year ago now, while the other is of my old Burgundy Room dress. I haven’t worn it in over a year, and I don’t know if I ever will again. Just gazing at it in the near-silence of the Archives brought back so many fond memories of that time.
I really don’t know how much time had passed, but in the crackling of the fireplace, I could hear the footsteps of Aikirees. She’s by no means sneaky, but her approach caught the attention of my ears as they angled towards her. I didn’t look away from the dress, but the next thing I knew was two fuzzy arms had wrapped themselves around me. As derpy as she can be, she always means well, and to all of the souls she has touched or met, they can also attest to this of her being as well.
She embraced me like that for a moment, not overly-tight but just enough to let me know she was there. Her newfound Hrothgar growl/purrs were a more obvious giveaway, but that was beside the point. I grasped and rested my chin into one of her paws for a moment, before we headed out of the Archives and to the bunks below.
“Thank you, Little One. We got this, as we always have.”
As for anyone out there reading this that might be having a tough spot; you got this. You kick so much tail, and you’ll continue to. Sometimes all it takes is that little reminder, but even if it looks like a lot of dark and no light, it’ll pass and that light will be back in full force. Just keep your light going, and keep kicking tail. I’ve had my malms of darkness as well, so it might not be the same sort of turbulent, but it will be light again.
Continue to be ‘zee awesome’sies,’ and y’all got this!
There’s a lot of unique things that the cousins have seen on their journeys, especially Lizicus. However, even they were completely perplexed upon seeing someone incredibly inebriated sleeping in a rubbish bin while exploring Solution Nine.
This poor soul is definitely going to feel that upon waking up in the morning…
These two, who rarely are together, we able to manage a successful hunt that they both were trying to find together while traveling the First one evening. It’s really surprising to see just how much Aikirees now dwarfs even the cousins.
Wishing everyone the absolute best and wonderful Moonfire Faire this year! Y’all enjoy the fireworks, the obstacle course challenge, and all of the wonderful festivities that come with it!
~This was prior to Aikirees’ journey~ Episode XLIV! – While out spell practicing, Aikirees has once again thought about proper protection in the most creative ways.
While having some final moments of an evening with Aikirees at the HQ’s Gazebo that is very much not a notorious monster, the tiredness of everything finally caught up to me. I nodded off and rested my weary head onto Aikirees’ shoulder, which is something I thought I’d never do.
Her fuzzy, warm shoulder was such a comfort, and from the subtle sounds she was emitting upon sleeping, could tell she didn’t mind me resting there. It was a feeling I hadn’t felt in such a long time.
Summers prior, in the early days of HQ when we were crafting like no tomorrow, Aikirees would fall asleep on my shoulder just so. It must’ve reminded her of those days and the comfort it gave her. I’m not sure I’ll ever personally get used to her being so tall now, but she’ll always be that little Miqo’te that I’ve care for before her journey and always now thereafter as well.
There she was, just sitting atop the Dawn Throne, on a clear starry night. Stargazing off into the distance with not a care in the world. Well, rather that’s what she would like any onlookers to think, but I knew better. Aikirees does have a softer side through her unrelenting optimism.
I watched over her that night, while she just gazed it away. I think she needed it, as a lot has happened and none of which even I’m sure of yet. She hasn’t stated what happened on her journey just yet, only the fact she was spared the loss of another life. Assuming that is the case, that doesn’t make me feel better as to what transpired.
I suppose only time will tell when she wants to talk about it. I just know that this moment of her doing this in Azim Steppe is important to her. She loves watching the stars, and I knew of a time before all of this, even before our journey onto the First, she did this very thing in this very spot, and looked outwards into the cosmos.
Once the dawn broke over the Steppe, I approached her not saying a word. Her ear flinched in the direction of my boots, but she didn’t look away from the rising morning light. Still not saying a word, I just hugged her, and continued to.
“It’s alright, Little One. you’re alright and you’ll continue to be. I’ll still watch over you and continue to protect you as much as I can.”
Aikirees was in the workshop attending to the U.S.S. Voyager when Sirena popped in to check on things, only to see not only that Aikirees was ecstatic to see her, but that our little airship had been making strides while we were all away adventuring.
