Happy Thanksgiving, to those of us in the United States, and a good November 26th to the rest of you guys. Fair warning, this update is NOT meant as a good estimate for average update time, Thanksgiving is just when it was most convenient for me to sit down and go through the cutscenes again due to my being off from school. The plan is still once a month until 2.55, but every so often I may write more as time allows and you'll get chapters early, such as now. In other news, as of the start of this writing (the 18th) patch 3.1 of Final Fantasy XIV has been out for about eight days now, and boy did it bring a lot. Fun fact, did you know Krile's japanese CV is also the current singer for FripSide and plays Eli Ayase in Love Live? I'm more of a boatgrill man over an idols man myself, but I did find it interesting. Anyways, onto something relevant.
Some of you may have noticed that Shirou's hair was described as orange last chapter, when by all descriptions he should be a redhead. The thing is, if you were to try and make a character with as many possible traits as Mr. "People Die When They Are Killed/Just Because You're Right Doesn't Make You Correct" in FFXIV, you'll find that to get the hair color closest to that depicted in Type-Moon's colored illustrations, you'll have to actually choose a color closer to orange in the hair-color selection screen, as the red options are a more realistic reddish-brown color (think Derplander). Also, as a friendly reminder, please keep in mind that Shirou here is mentally twelve-years old, as well as having just been zapped to Eorzea straight from Kerry's funeral. Not exactly the high-functioning sociopath/distortion that we know and love/hate from the timeline of the Fifth Fuyuki Grail War, and as such will be much more immature until the character development I have planned for him comes through. So just make sure you know that the Shirou you're reading about here is (to my reasoning) in the height of his idealism, boosted by scraps of childish innocence and naivety he still had leftover from when the fire happened, as he wouldn't have had the 5 years or so to go through life a bit more and realize that the world isn't exactly a peaceful place.
Ability-wise, this means that while he'll still have learned Nasuverse magecraft by replacing his nerves with circuits, he won't have been doing it long enough that it would be hard to unlearn outside of a life-or-death situation. This also means that his circuits, while not active, won't have atrophied as much from disuse. He's still not gonna pull out fancy-schmancy projection magic or reinforcing however. After all, this is Eorzea he's in after all, and since he doesn't have a third eye like a pure-blooded Garlean national, it'll be assumed that he can perform Eorzean magic, such as conjury, arcanics, and (heh) thaumaturgy. For easy reference, Nasuverse hocus-pocus will be referred to exclusively as magecraft while each of the branch of Eorzean magic studied in Ul'dah will be known as thaumaturgy.
Now, I've gone on a long enough spiel about the mechanics in this crossover, so I'll wrap this note off with an announcement.
Anyone willing to put up my unreliable writing schedule and beta this story is free to send me a PM. The only requirements are that you have good grammar. Completion of FFXIV's storyline up to 2.0 and/or basic knowledge of Nasuverse mechanics are welcome, but not necessarily required.
And without further ado, enjoy the story.
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"Oi, 'venturer! Over here! Aye, I mean you. Fresh off the carriage, by any chance?" Nodding in the affirmative to the ash-haired man with impeccable shades, Shirou began to ask the man how he knew when he answered for him. "Eh? How can I tell? Heh! Name's Wymond, an' my business is knowin' every bugger else's! Now then, what if I was to offer you some invaluable advice by way of welcome to our fair city? Free of charge, even–just this once, like."
At this Shirou knew that he was no longer a friendly-seeming man with cool shades, but instead a suspicious stranger with eye-obscuring sunglasses, and Kiritsugu had always told him about men like that being liable to kidnap young children into the back of unmarked vans and molesting them or being drug dealers who were probably too high on their own product to realize they were selling it to a small child, and promptly began walking off before Wymond could cause harm to himself or others in the vicinity. Without even getting ten meters away, he heard him call back to him. "Don't be like that, friend! I promise I'll make it worth your while!" Deciding to humor the man, Shirou turned back and stood before Wymond once more, this time wary of his stylish shaded lenses.
"'Tis plain to anyone with eyes that you don't know your way around here. If I let you go wanderin' off down the nearest dark alley you're certain to get mugged or worse, an' I don't want that on my conscience. So before you do anythin' else, you'll want to head over to the Quicksand, an' speak with Momodi. She's the master of the Adventurers' Guild, an' can set you on the right path. Just take those steps over yonder"– here Wymond pointed to a pair of stairs that curved up to a large round door– "an' pass through the double doors. You'll find her inside. ...An' that's as much as you're gettin' for free. Good luck with the adventurin', adventurer."
Evidently, Wymond's slick shades weren't evidence of a shady personnage after all, and were in fact reflective of the fact that he was in possession of a heart of gold. Or at least, that's what Shirou thought Wymond wanted him to think. Thanking him for the advice, Shirou started walking towards the stairs, and when Wymond turned away, made for the nearest well-lit alleyway he could find. Or at least, he made five steps in the general direction of one before he walked into someone. Apologizing, Shirou made to continue on his way before the person he crashed into firmly grasped his arm.
"Hey, weren't you on the carriage that just arrived? All new adventurers are required to register at the guild before wandering off into the city. Head to the Quicksand, just past those doors above the stairs over there."
Thanking the one who had almost given him a heart-attack when he grabbed him, Shirou finally heeded Wymond's (now proven honest) advice and entered the establishment known as the Quicksand. From the outside, it seemed like a lavish inn and restaurant in addition to apparently being the headquarters of the local adventurer's guild. He was starkly disappointed. It was nothing more than a tavern. At a table by the entrance, there was a trio of adventurers arguing over their next destination. One of them, an Elezen male, according to the chart Brendt provided him, was giving naught much else but snark while a female Miqo'te complained about the snark. Deep in thought (at least Shirou thought so, as their eyes looked glazed over) sitting on the other side of the Elezen was a male Hyur midlander, evidently the party's leader. Moving on, Shirou spotted a female potato Lalafell speaking with some other adventurers. Evidently the Momodi Wymond had spoken of, Shirou went to introduce himself.
"Why, hello there! Who might you be? If you're lookin' to join the Adventurers' Guild, you've come to the right place. Name's Momodi, and I own this fine establishment, if it please you. I also manage the Adventurers' Guild here in Ul'dah. So you might say that lookin' after green adventurers like yourself is my vocation. And lucky for you that it is. Without someone like me to steer you right, you'd soon find yourself out in the middle of nowhere, caught up in business you don't understand. Like our conflict with the Amalj'aa, for example. They've been plaguin' the sultanate for nigh on,"–here Momodi made an exaggerated thinking motion–"oooh...forever now. Then there's the Garlean Empire. None can say for sure what they're plottin' these days, only that they are." Nodding to herself in her apparent wisdom, Momodi continued, with a sad, knowing smile on her face now. "Aye, the people drink and make merry...but underneath it all, there's worry. Worry and a lingerin' feelin' of loss. And little wonder. It's scarce been five years since the lesser moon cracked open like a giant egg, releasin' an abomination intent on turnin' the realm into an eighth hell...So much was lost in the blink of an eye. 'Twas like the end of the world had come at last." Momodi's sad smile turned nostalgic, and she tilted her head to the ceiling. "But then things begin to get foggy. Everyone's got their own version of what happened next–some of 'em, two or three...You'd think people would remember somethin' like that–but the fact is, they don't. Nobody does. There is one thing the survivors agree on, though: the part played by a band of adventurers who laid down their lives for a realm that wasn't their own. They fought valiantly, and like so many others, they never returned. Deeds worth rememberin', I'm sure you'll agree." Having had the thought on his mind, Shirou interrupted Momodi's speech with the question in his heart. "So then, they were heroes then?" A bit put-off that a newbie adventurer had interrupted her customary expository speech, Momodi nodded and continued on. "It's just a shame our recollections of those brave heroes are as jumbled as those of the Calamity itself. Whenever we try to call their faces to mind, it's like they're standin' between us and the midday sun, permanently silhouetted...I'll bet that sounds poetic to you, doesn't it?" Shirou nodded, and Momodi harrumphed. "Well it's not. It's bloody infuriatin'. But even if we can't remember them, we'll not let 'em be forgotten, and so we call 'em the Warriors of Light. And they'll forever stand as a shinin' example of what adventurers can achieve. That's why I welcome new arrivals like yourself to our fair city. All I ask is that you lend a helpin' hand, and try to leave Ul'dah in a better state than you found her. If you can promise that, I'd be happy to let you join the guild." Within a heartbeat, Shirou replied that he would not only do just that, he'd also aspire to be a hero just like the Warriors of Light Momodi had mentioned. However, Momodi simply gave a small smile at his response. "While that's great and all, do try to not die now, alright? Being a hero's great an' all but it don't mean a single gil if you're not around to do some more hero-in'." Perking up, Momodi continued. "All right, then! A promise is a promise now, hero portion notwithstandin'. I'm countin' on your help to put the past behind us. We need people workin' and spendin' and bickerin' like the old days! And a happy and prosperous Ul'dah means more business for the Quicksand, too! Anyroad, let's make this official. Go ahead and write your name in the register–neat as you can, surname last." At this Shirou, panicked, remembering that he hadn't learned this world's language, before he looked at the parchment and found that it looked remarkably similar to English, a language Kiritsugu had taught him due to its practicality and ubiquitous use on Earth, barring a few letters that looked like they had been rotated. Looking for each equivalent letter of his name on the parchment, Shirou copied them down in the order of his name, before handing the register back to Momodi.
"...Shirou Emiya. Well, ain't that a charmin' name. Just rolls off the tongue, it does, even if it does seem a bit Doman to me. All right, Mister Emiya! On behalf of the Adventurers' Guild, I officially–" whatever Momodi was about to say was cut off as a horrified cry rang out behind Shirou.
"Please, sir, be merciful! Twelve as my witness, I swear to you, I'll bring you your money!"
What appeared to be a gullible gambler was lying on the floor, having been knocked down by the two men on either side of a male lalafell, evidently their boss, as well as a debt collector. "In the East, it is said that even a merciful god might be driven to vengeance if thrice blasphemed. Be grateful you were given a fourth chance to offend. You two, attend to this scum."
Motioning at the man, the diminutive debt collector turned and left the Quicksand, while his two lackeys dragged the gambler behind him, the man's cries of mercy trailing behind them as the doors closed on their exit of the building.
Shirou made to follow them before a hand reached out and grabbed him with surprising force. Turning, he saw that it was Momodi, looking between Shirou and the man being dragged out of the Quicksand before firmly shaking her head. "Now I know you want to be a hero an' all, but legally that ain't a problem you can do anythin' about unless you got gil, and I'm pretty sure you don't have anywhere near enough that you'll need to pay that man's debt off. It's a sorry sight for sure, but neither is it an uncommon one, if I'm honest. Don't worry, though–if you work hard, I doubt you'll end up like him." Letting go of Shirou now that it would be impossible for him to track them in the throng of people in a heavily populated city like Ul'dah outside, Momodi turned to look straight at Shirou. "Just the same, if you ever need a bit of advice about one thing or another, pay me a visit. Just don't go botherin' me every time you stub your bloody toe, all right?" Although upset he hadn't been able to save the man, legality be damned, Shirou couldn't help but break a small smile upon Momodi's remark. Momodi herself simply leaned in closer to Shirou and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "'Course, I do enjoy hearin' tell of a gentlemen's woes with the womenfolk from time to time..." Shirou, not understanding her implications, simply stared blankly back at her. Seeing the lack of response, Momodi returned to her previous position and continued on. "Anyroad, welcome to Ul'dah, Shirou! Take a moment to catch your breath, and I'll teach you a little about our fair city." Nodding, Shirou made a mental note to one day carry enough gil that he could pay off any debt some poor unfortunate sap had accrued while in Ul'dah, before motioning that Momodi could continue on.
"Before you go chargin' off to find your fortune, or in your case, saving some poor sod who would sooner rob you blind than repay the favor, I've a few basic tasks I'd like you to perform so as to help you get to know the place. First of all, I want you to visit the Aetheryte Plaza. To get there..." Momodi went on to describe directions to the plaza, before telling him to also visit the Gladiator's Guild, by the Coliseum, and a man named Seseroga at the Sapphire Avenue Exchange, both on the Steps of Thal. Thanking her for the information, Shirou was about to turn before Momodi spoke up again. "Oh, but before you go, a word of advice: while there're more than a few unsavory characters out there who'll try to take advantage of you, there are also some with honest-to-goodness problems who you should consider offerin' a helpin' hand to. A lot of folk are lured to this city by the promise of wealth and power. Just don't go offerin' your help to just anyone because they seem like they need savin', okay Shirou? A lot of folk are lured to this city by the promise of wealth and power. What many of 'em fail to realize is that instead of chasin' after the gil the moment they get here, they ought to be makin' friends. Let it be known that you're willin' to give as much as you get, and opportunities will come your way. And that means funding for whatever heroin' projects you got goin on. And that's all from me. It's past time you got goin'. Oh, and let me know when you've finished, will you? That way, I won't spend my days worryin' that you're down to your smallclothes without a gil to your name." Thanking Momodi once more for her advice and concern, Shirou left the Quicksand and made for the Aetheryte Plaza first, as it would no doubt be an important form of transportation into and around the city eventually.
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And I'll be stopping it here for now. Next chapter is the end of the tutorial and should be up by Christmas.
