"Ah, shite... where the bloody hell is it..." Robin muttered to herself as she rummaged through the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Alex asked.
"I've misplaced my favourite mug that i.. y'know.. drink with.." replied Robin.
"Why not just buy another one?" The dark haired hyur man wandered over towards his friend.
"Heh, i suppose that's true. I've broken.. plenty of things in the past.. like beds-" Robin's words were cut off as a loud voice entered the kitchen.
"I don't know what's going on here but i won't ask. Anyways! It's mission time!" Anna smiled proudly, pointing her finger out like a pistol.
"Err... i'm sorry little missy but i think she's wasted. She's looking for a mug in well.. the utensil draw. I'm probably gonna be busy with the cooking soon so count me out too." Alex sighed at Robin, who was now looking under the fridge.
"Ah.. i see. Ciao then!" Anna ran off immediately, in search of some members of the Dragon's Scales that weren't occupied with other tasks.
"Helloooo?" Anna peered into Juria's room.
"Oh.. hi there Anna." Juria turned around and smiled.
"Are you busy right now?" the pink haired hyur replied.
"Um, not at all. I just finished writing my new song.. well not finished, more like practicing.. it's probably got some mistakes i-i mean... never mind." Juria blushed and jumbled up her words.
"Great! come with me!" Anna grabbed Juria's arm and pulled her into the hallway.
"A-ah! Where are you taking me?!" Juria said with utter confusion.
"The boss says he has something for two people to handle, so its just gonna be you and me tonight Ju. I need you to watch my back!" Anna playfully winked at the auri girl.
"I'll do my best!" Juria blurted out.
The two began making their way through an incredibly dense forest. In the far distance, there was remnants of what appeared to be an abandoned village. All of the wildlife in the forest seemingly avoided this area like it contained some kind of plague. As the girls came closer to their destination, the trees surrounding them began to thin out and everything had this deathlike feel to it.
"It's alright if you're scared, y'know. I'm always scared." Anna's tone suddenly became serious. "But what's worse is sitting around doing nothing to help the ones you care about. Ju, surely you have a good reason to fight?"
"Yes... i do.. i fight for my family and to prove my worth." Juria said as she gripped the handle on her bow.
"That was really badass. We are gonna be a great team." Anna laughed.
"I don't know why but.. i feel like i've been here before." said Juria.
"Quiet. I think someone is watching us." Anna quickly grabbed Juria's hand and they both rushed to hide behind a collapsed building.
"Anna are you sure? Did Gaius send someone to keep an eye out while we explored the area?" Juria asked.
"I could've sworn i heard something... with magical power..? or maybe i felt it?" Anna was completely confused.
"Well. Look what the cat dragged in." A mysterious young woman's voice echoed through the area.
"Hey! show yourself!" Anna shouted back.
"Boo." The woman whispered into Anna's ear and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Aahhh!" Anna yelped and fell backwards, losing her balance.
"Oh my. You lose something?" The woman snickered.
"A young... miqo'te?" Juria was standing there in disbelief.
"Yes, so what do you want from here? Maybe i have the answers you seek. Or perhaps you want something i can't offer... Hmph. Now that would be a sorely disappointing day for me." The miqo'te sarcastically shook her head and sighed.
Anna lifted herself off the ground and cringed at the muddy stain on her shorts.
"Well, first of all. What the heck kind of weapon is that?" Anna stared at the floating object, levitating above the girl's hand.
"Ah.. I'm what you people call a red mage. But in my world, i'm the queen of the dead and this abandoned graveyard is my source of energy!" The miqo'te dramatically flipped her rapier high into the sky, and the two girls stared in awe as it plummeted back down and landed perfectly into her grasp.
"The... uh.. queen of what now?" Juria questioned.
"Are... you like.. doing okay? Mental wise?" Anna added.
"My, my! These new guests appear to be quite entertained with my presence. I shall reveal my identity to both of you mortals. I am called Jessika Thorn!" Jessika proudly posed, waiting for some kind of reaction.
"Remind me why your cousin asked me to find people willing to deal with this.. although she is kinda adorable.. minus her weird language.." said Anna.
"It's weird but it seems like she's having fun i guess?" Juria shrugged.
"Janice, hey i found you!" an auri man with large spiky blonde hair was running towards the group of girls, waving his arms.
"Rei... you know i dislike this Janice woman you speak of." The miqo'te suddenly went bright red and turned away.
"Oh right, sorry um.. queen... of the dead." the auri boy who appeared to be named Rei, sighed at his friend's reply.
"This here is my accomplice, a demon in training. He has memory loss, so don't ever listen when he refers to me as Janice."
"I don't have memory loss, i'm not a demon and Janice Smith is your real na-" Rei was cut off as Jessika put her hand on top of his mouth.
"H-he speaks nonsense! ha.. haha... Anyway what do you two want?"
"We were sent here to check out the area.. it seems like this part of the forest is dying? Is it reacting to something?" asked Anna.
"Yeah, the dead are here. Like i said before, it's a graveyard. Totally scary and stuff." Jessika replied.
"Oh.. she's acting a little more normal now.." Juria said.
"Hey Juria, why don't we just leave and let these two handle it?" Anna sighed.
"Did you just say her name is Juria? as in Juria Blake? Hey! it's me, Rei! i lived next door to you when we were younger! We used to come to this village and play together.. well, back when it was actually a village... you seemed like such a lonely, timid little thing. I also remember your mother. She was a real piece of work... her blindness is the only reason why i was able to get away with spending time with you."
"Rei..." Juria's eyes began to well up. "I thought i'd never see you again when i moved away with my cousin.. after my aunt and mother's passing."
"Ouch, both your mother and aunt are dead? are their graves around here?" Jessika asked.
"No... my aunt's grave is at the school that she and her husband owned. He actually died too not that long ago.. my friend here was the one to witness it." Juria sadly looked at Anna, who was holding her head down. "My mother's grave on the other hand, might actually be here."
"What did your mother.. die from? if you don't mind me asking of course." Rei awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"She was blind and didn't have a tail thanks to a childhood accident but also dying from a rare cancer that can only affect the au ra race, as it grows on the inside of their horns. My mother was a very cruel woman, so i felt no sadness watching her deteriorate. My cousin's mother- her twin was kind and caring. Gaius says that i remind him of Jennifa sometimes... and thats why he's so protective over me." Juria looked up and smiled.
"Your mother.. maybe she was a demon of some sort." Jessika said.
"You... believe in demons and all that stuff?" Anna asked.
"Of course! and i can also control the dead!" Jessika dramatically raised her rapier, beginning to chant some kind of ritual.
"That's... not going to work. Sometimes i really do wonder if you'll ever grow out of this weird phase." Rei sighed loudly then leaned over towards Anna and Juria. "Trust me, don't ever walk into her private quarters."
"Come on, let's find the source of this dead feeling so i can go home and feed my face. Plus i need to have a little chat with you and possibly the new kid." Anna beckoned for the others to follow her into the village ruins.
"Wait, do you mean me and N'athys?" Juria said as she scurried to catch up with the others.
"Ohh... this feeling.. oh! the dreadfulness! It's unbearable and toxic for eorzeans to inhale!" Jessika said as she pretended to look sick. "But there's nothing to fear, i'm the queen of the dead! This is nothing! In fact, this feeling makes my powers grow!" The miqo'te laughed and then began to skip around the area.
"Seven hells, i left all my equipment at home. I hope there's nothing dangerous out here.." a shiver went up Rei's spine.
"Aw, don't worry bud, we all have our weapons so we'll protect you." Anna grinned.
"The fact that Janice has a weapon is what worries me the most honestly.." replied Rei.
"JESSIKA. MY NAME IS JESSIKA THORN! YOU SHALL SUCCUMB TO THE PRICK OF MY THORN!" The miqo'te yelled and made a stabbing gesture with her rapier in Rei's direction.
"Woah, is that a gravestone over there?" Anna said, while completely ignoring Jessika's outburst.
"Let's check it out." said Rei.
Juria followed behind reluctantly, and cringed as she began to think about her mother.
"Ah hem." Jessika cleared her throat. "Okay, the thingy-ma-jig says: Here lies Jennifa Blake. A Loving Wife, Mother of two. Rest in Peace."
"Wait, what? Isn't this supposed to be my mother's grave? her name was Jacqueline. Why does it say my aunt's name? Gaius says he doesn't have any siblings on his mother's side.."
"Oh. My. God." Jessika dropped her rapier and grabbed Juria by her shoulders.
"Your aunt... was living a double life! Jacqueline never existed! A truly demonic act that only a twin could accomplish."
"Jess please.. It clearly just says: Jacqueline Blake. Rest in Peace. There's literally nothing here about being a loving wife or any kids." Rei shrugged.
"No... kids? What about me?" Juria sadly frowned.
"Are... you completely sure that Jacqueline is actually the woman that gave birth to you?" Anna asked Juria.
"I... honestly.. u-um.. i dont know.. All i remember from my childhood is growing up alongside her and playing with Rei. I knew Jacqueline had a lot of health issues but i never considered the fact she could have adopted me.. Now that i think about it, she never told me anything about my father. I asked her so many times.. but she refused to answer my questions." Juria replied.
"Hey, does anyone feel like the dead aura from this place just lifted? Or are my powers weakening?! Did we solve the dead person's problem and it walked into the light?!" Jessika began to freak out.
"Seven hells.. this is far too much for my brain to handle.." said Rei, with an incredibly tired tone.
"Rei, do you still fight with a bow and arrow?" Juria asked.
"Sorta. Although these days i like to spend my time fishing. I do see that you've become a talented bard, judging from that massive bow on your tiny back." Rei replied, laughing at the size comparison.
"Let's head back. We have important matters to discuss." Anna said as she immediately turned around and started walking unusually fast.
"I apologise for being judgemental but is there someone that she likes back at your home?" Rei whispered to Juria.
"I think so.. and she's probably going to make me help her since myself and this boy are close friends..." replied Juria as she awkwardly giggled.
"Hold one moment, Little miss pigtails. I'm receiving a message from the spirit we helped." said Jessika.
"Juria. She actually can speak with the dead, this is one weird power that she has that isn't fake. It worked for me when my partner passed away. He was actually Jessika's older brother and that's why we know eachother so well. We met after you left the village... and i knew in my heart that if you were still there, you would've liked him too..." Rei looked down, trying to hide the pain in his eyes.
"Alright, here it is. The spirit we helped was... your aunt. Jennifa says that you must learn the truth. She pointed out that Gaius will deny everything at first, because of an old promise herself and Gaius made when you were born." Jessika explained, as she tried to ignore her crushed feelings over her brother's death.
"You know... the reason why i was here in the first place.. before i found you two girls.. i was trying to get my brother Aaron to speak to me again."
"The reason why i believe this power is real is because Jess told me what Aaron said, and it was true things that he or myself never personally told her about. You probably realise now that message from Jennifa was something that Jess couldn't possibly have known. You'll get confirmation once you ask Gaius." said Rei.
Juria looked around and noticed that Anna was nowhere to be seen.
"Seems like Anna went ahead... would you two like to come see my new home? We as a group are called the Dragon's Scales."
Juria lightly knocked on the front door, and Leo answered. "Ju. is that you out there?"
"Yes, i've returned and i've brought some important guests that i want everyone to meet."
"Um, hey there. My name is Rei Mathis. I was Juria's childhood friend and this here is Jani- i mean.. Jessika Thorn.." Rei said as he awkwardly entered the building and laughed at himself.
"Wow he's like the complete opposite of Gaius.." Leona whispered to Robyn.
"Yeah, i always thought all those big scary looking auri men had the same personality." Robyn snickered as she felt Paris' eyes burning into the back of her skull.
"H-hey... hey... hi..." Robin slowly blurted out. She was face down and half asleep on the counter, holding a broken mug in her hand.
"What did you give her to drink? Demons have possessed her body!" Jessika screeched.
"Reeelax, she's fine! More than fine actually. She's great. Amazing in fact. This is Robin on a good day. Yep." Miles grinned, and Zaren buried his face in disbelief.
"I swear i heard you and Robin yelling in her room earlier, is that supposed to be a good thing?" Laris asked.
"I think maybe dinner needs some help being prepared!" Zaren quickly got out of his chair and grabbed the blonde miqo'te, dragging him into the kitchen.
"Uh... interesting bunch you live with here.." Rei looked at Juria.
"Well, at least it's never dull in this place.." Juria awkwardly smiled. "Anyways i really need to find N'athys.. i'm worried that Anna is.. being Anna."
"I saw her outside in the chocobo stable earlier." said Gaius as he finally emerged from his room.
"O-oh.. Gaius.. that's right. I need to talk to you first." Juria walked over towards the auri man and lead him back into the room.
"Juria, who are these people? Why have you welcomed them into my building?" Gaius asked.
"This man here is Rei. I knew him back in my home village, where i lived with my mother. This is his friend Jessika.. she has a special gift you see.. the skill to speak with the dead. She spoke with your mother, her unsent spirit was actually the thing that was affecting that forest. This isn't her first time experiencing this either, she has also spoken with her dead brother and even got confirmation from Rei that she wasn't making it up." Juria explained.
"And what did my mother say to you exactly?" Gaius sat down in his chair and was now focused on Jessika.
"That it's okay to tell the truth now. She wants Juria to know what happened. I believe her spirit couldn't leave the realm until this was dealt with." Jessika replied.
"I.. don't know what you're talking about." Gaius turned away, and adjusted his glasses.
"Jennifa told me that you'd deny it for her sake. it was an old promise." said Jessika.
"Sir, i know this probably sounds ridiculous but she's definitely telling the truth.." Rei took a few steps forward.
"How did you know i'd deny- i mean.. ugh. Seven hells." Gaius sighed heavily. "Ju, i'm so sorry."
"It's alright, you did it for your mother." said Juria.
"Our... mother. Jennifa was your mother as well. I'm not actually your cousin, i'm your older brother. Jacqueline desperately wanted her own child, but could never find a man that loved her due to her multiple disabilities. As a young girl, Jacqueline was nice and caring, just like her twin. After the childhood accident that caused her to go blind and lose her tail.. everything changed. Her loneliness mixed with illness and self hatred gave her severe depression, and Jennifa wanted to help her more than anything. So our parents decided to have another child, and let Jacqueline adopt. That child was you, Juria."
"I... can't believe this..." Juria said. "Then why was Jacqueline so horrible to me after the adoption?"
"Because shortly after you were sent to that village, Jacqueline discovered that she was beginning to suffer from another kind of sickness. Cancer, deep inside her left horn. She was going to die within ten years. She knew there was no cure, and thought that you being sent to her as a gift must have been the thing that triggered this bad luck. She began to hate everything and everyone, especially Jennifa for attempting such an idea." Gaius painfully admitted. "Mother didn't want you to know who your real parents were, because she feared you'd blame yourself for Jacqueline's death." Gaius replied.
"I suppose that she couldn't bear with leaving this realm until i knew the truth, no matter how much it hurt." Juria forced herself to smile. "She's been dead for years now, she waited longer to leave so i was old enough to understand.."
"Juria if you hate me, i-" Gaius' words were cut off as Juria ran towards her brother, wrapping her arms around him.
"No! don't ever say anything so stupid! I could never hate you!" Juria blurted out.
Rei and Jessika both looked at eachother and smiled, then Anna barges through the door.
"Oh hey, found ya." Anna chuckled at Juria, then her face suddenly dropped. "Am I... interrupting something?"
"N-no.. you're okay. I just wanted to give Gaius.. a uh... hug?" Juria stuttered. "And i was actually looking for you too!"
"Sweet. Well, i'm stealing Ju from you guys now." Anna smiled and led Juria out of the room.
"So... about your friend.. y'know.. the blue haired miqo'te that you like to play your music with.." Anna began.
"...Y-yes?" Juria looked a bit scared.
"Does he know who i am?" Anna asked.
"He um.. knows everyone here i assume.." replied Juria.
"I meant like, on a more personal level. Kinda like you two but... i want to go further than that." Anna blushed. "Can you help me get closer to him?"
"I can try.." Juria went red. "But.. i've never done this kind of thing before for someone else.."
"He knows you're a married woman, right?" asked Anna.
"Yes of course, I speak to him about more than just music. He's a good listener.. maybe if you tell him your story, perhaps he'll open up to you? He probably only sees you as the loud pink haired girl with the gun right now." Juria replied.
"I considered asking Zaren and Laris for advice about boys but well... they are both nothing like N'athys and have their own issues to deal with. Zaren is sweet and a great friend yet he's struggling to figure himself out, then Laris is just plain clueless even when love is basically hitting him in the face." Anna laughed.
"You have a point.. Okay, i'll help you.. but starting tomorrow because it's getting late." Juria yawned.
"Sure. Ahh, i'm so excited! oh by the way, aren't Rei and Jessika still here?" Anna asked.
"Yeah. I'll go grab them and send them home so Gaius can get some rest." Juria smiled at Anna and went to go find the two visitors.
"YES! THIS SHALL GIVE ME THE POWER TO VANQUISH ALL PURITY!" Jessika yelled, as she climbed up onto the table.
"Seven hells, Sir i am so sorry about this.." Rei said, while trying to grab Jessika. "Janice please i need to go home and check on so many things but i need to know if you'll be safe here without me."
"Jessika Thorn does not require any protection from a demon or mortals. Maybe Janice does, i guess. She is a weakling after all." Jessika replied.
"What are you talking about?" Juria asked.
"I just made a contract with your master, Mr Nassau. The queen of the dead is joining the Dragon's Scales. Hahaha!" Jessika loudly cackled.
"Sir... please reconsider.." Rei looked at Gaius.
"But i believe she has talent, I welcome anyone into my company that has some kind of skill and willingness to learn. Or i guess.. for some its their way of a new life." Gaius replied. "Don't worry yourself Mr. Mathis, i'll take good care of your friend."
"I would suggest myself to join as well, but you see... the only thing im good for is fishing and harvesting crops. I'll visit and bring some really great stuff every now and then. It'll be my way of saying thanks." Rei smiled.
"It was so nice to see him again." said Juria.
"I think he's a wonderful person, even if he has no talent on the battlefield. That's probably the one thing i never thought i'd admit about any individual. Perhaps i still have much to learn. Ju, you made a very good friend. Anyways, i'm immensely curious to see how all of this goes, but we both must rest. See you tomorrow." Gaius softly petted Juria on the head, and watched as she quietly closed the door.
"Goodnight, little sister."