Just a fun one the two of them wanted to do in the intermission time during maintenance. I do have some sort of conclusion to Island Sanctuary to write up as well, but that might be delayed now due to Dawntrail.
*ahem*… Anyway, Lizicus and Laureine did some attire updates during our last weekend scramble to be ready for heading to Tural. Most notably to distinct themselves a lot more than they did for Endwalker, as they had a tendency to figure out how to ‘twinsie’ without it being nearly identical. The only two remaining are their White Mage & Black Mage outfits since it works rather well.
With that, on with the fashion show!
Tanks, Dragoons, and Bards – Laureine sticking with her tride and true technological weapon, and armory. Meanwhile Lizicus heading a bit of a different direction, much different in certain ways.
White & Black Mages are their classic opposites that they have seemed to coin as far back as 6.2, but their Summoner and Scholar looks have reflected their personalities a lot more now.
They had fun doing that, and as for Aiki and I, ours haven’t really changed all that much in the last 4 years or so. Mine took a few new curves in Endwalker but nothing this drastic. We’ll see what Dawntrail holds for us, especially for Aikirees when she returns from her journey.
We decided to get together in the Lavender Beds, an old spot we used to relax and just enjoy the tranquil scenery from time to time before we had HQ. It was a cool misty morning, and all that could be heard was the rustling of the leaves with the waterfall off in the distance as the only sounds.
We sat there on that rock for what felt like an eternity in time. I knew what was coming, and I just wanted time to stop if only for a moment. “You know, you don’t have to do this, Little One.” Finally speaking up, breaking the tranquility, but really not looking away from the waterfall. I didn’t get a response, just a pause and the light brushing of Aikirees’ shoulder onto mine. Her tail swished and curled up to my back.
She was trying to comfort me.
I let out a sigh; not of despair, but of acceptance of what was to come. I looked over at her, and tried my best to give a happy and supportive smile. Aikirees just beamed the brightest of smile, such that it could pierce even the thickest of misty mornings, right back at me. “I’sies zee know’sies.” She replied, before laying her head into my shoulder comfortably. “But’sies yew zee know’sies we has hadeded dish zee talk’sies already. I’sies want’sies tew dew dish tew get zee stronger’sies and have mi’s own adventurrrre’sies fur zee once’sies.” I put my arm around her, and give her a gentle hug. “I know, and I know I’ve brought this up numerous times. Sirena and Juli seem very supportive as well, so I just need to as well. I am you big sister still, so I’m always going to worry regardless.” I let her go, and she springs back up smiling all the same still.
We spend a few bells there, mostly reminiscing about the last two summers or so of all the things we’ve done. The good, and the not so; from heading to Sharlyean for the first time, and when we returned after such a long journey. We really have done a lot in what feels like such a short time.
Once the afternoon sun was upon us, she hopped up and went to change real quick, but before long she was back in more traveling attire with a large knapsack on her back. “I’sies should’sies get zee gewing’sies, zee Big Sissy’sies.” I nodded back at her. “Alright, I suppose I should head back to HQ and make sure I have everything packed for the journey as well…”
Aikirees smiles warmly. “Promise me, you’ll make it to Tural safely. Still planning on meeting near the port once we arrive?” She nods at my inquiry, and leans in to give a hug while I just sit there on the rock still. “Zee yup yup! I’ll’sies be zee der’sies!! Yew’sies zee see’sies! I’ll’sies be strrrrronger’sies and zee talk’sies zee bettah’sies!” Without pause, I just simply laugh. “Alright! Deal! Safe travels, Little One; I’ll see you there.”
With that, we exchange our farewells, and I watch her walk off to parts unknown. The last time I watched her doe this was in Kugane many, many summers ago. I had a similar fear back then, but we did finally reunite and I was very hearkened to see how well she had been fairing.
After what felt like days, I finally got up from the rock, and head back to HQ to proceed with making sure HQ’s orders were all in affair before departing myself.
HQ felt so quiet and empty. The cats were all packed and ready to go themselves and were off getting their final rests in before heading out. Lizicus and Laureine had already embarked themselves, much to Lizicus’ chagrin. I make my way to the office, gather some notes from my messy desk and begin to head out.
Glancing at our bunk beds, with all of Aikirees’ carbuncles still lying around at the foot of the bed, a somber feeling washes over me. I shake my head, gather the rest of what I want to take to Tural, and begin to head there myself. Having Aryiah look over HQ with all of us away shouldn’t have me worried at all. She’s done it all before and she’ll keep everything in check, I just know it.
I just truly fear that this will be the last time I see Aikirees the way she is and has always been…
Some screenshots were taken from the Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail official benchmark program!
Aikirees, tired after another day of adventuring and working on her island, retires to her top bunk bed within the lower floor of EOCA HQ. Tuckered out as she is, she almost immediately heads off into dreamland. For a time now, Aikirees has been planning a journey of self-reflecting, a journey to become stronger and to try and communicate more like her elder sisters. She wishes to be more helpful to her dear older sister who has protected her for so long now, and she wants to protect her back so badly…
Her dream starts off like any other, but with the thoughts of her impending journey on her mind, her dream skews towards those thoughts. Since she’s partially quantum and has lost two lives already, she can sense things in the Aetherical flow that extend beyond the boundaries of Etheirys, even without the assist of her beloved Carbuncles. The dream starts off like any other though, her disembarking from Ishgard to begin her journey.
However… soon thereafter, she see’s flashes of a red-haired figure. “T-Terrestia zee Sissy?!” She thinks to herself in the dream. But it doesn’t add up as this figure doesn’t seem to have long Vieran ears, or she can’t make them out. All she can vaguely see are flashes of fiery green eyes from within the figure. A gush of wind, and a flash of red & white, the land goes black for a moment, but the faintness of the Aetherical Sea can be seen around her.
She looks down at her hand, and her eyes widen. Something is off, but she can’t understand why this is…
Aikirees appears to not quite be herself. “Dish has to be’sies zee dream’sies trying’sies tew trick’sies mi’s.” She ponders and comes to that conclusion. Aikirees begins to walk through this Aetherial Sea; the red figure flickers in front of her once again.
“Zee Tess Sissy’sies…?” She shouts out, her voice is not the same as it echoes through the sea. The figure doesn’t say anything, but it begins to mover closer towards Aikirees aggressively.
Aikirees readies her newly discovered claws to defend herself only for the red figure to rush clean through her body revealing vivid visions.
One vision shows her off in a faraway land, on chocobo’s back instead of her beloved shadow wolf. Hearing things growl and howl off into the distance. Her ears far keener on hearing such sounds much farther away almost as well as her sisters can with their Vieran ears! Another vision flashes before her fighting with comrades against incredibly ferocious foes! She sees faraway lands not familiar to her, but some familiar faces alongside for the journey. Her dear elder Sister with her as well, fighting side by side nearly equal in strength and power!
In the final visions, she is back in familiar lands: The Black Shroud, very close to Gridania to be exact. All tired out, even in a dream, she slowly makes her way back to the City-State in preparations to return to Ishgard…
Aikirees stirs from her slumber for a spell. Looks at herself, grasps her tail, ears, and feels her face. “Dat wash’sies some zee dream’sies…” She says in a whisper outloud, and wonders who or what the red figure was with the fiery green eyes. Could it have been Terrestia, or someone far worse..?
What will her journey of reflection behold? Is her Seventh Life in danger? Is Terrestia really and truly the one out to get her now that the protection barrier has been broken? Only time will tell what’s in store for the Little One, and that time draws all the ever closer…
