FINAL FANTASY XI
CHAPTER IV
Errands done and errands begun
The trip had come to no surprise to Elarisa as uneventful; she simply met a somewhat charming samurai and found herself heading back to town already. The companion she'd made, so formal that he might even have fit in with the Elvaan culture, was not quite on her agenda of things to do and people to meet for the day; however she had no objections to having such company. He was obviously strong, but he also seemed of strong will, and very sincere. Those words of his, "Just need to be shown to town", they stuck with her as not something of a pickup line, but honesty. It was nice quality in a world that sometimes seemed to go downhill.
Downhill... She could almost consider it an understatement. The three factions that made of the primary diversity of the world, save for the artisans and engineers of the great Jueno cities, were at a silent war with each other. Forces lay waste to a slew of monsters and occupy the lands, until chased out and replaced by another supreme army of an opposing faction. While the three governments known as the Republic of Bastok, the Kingdom of San D'oria, and the Federation of Windurst, had not dared attack each other they all waged a silent war of simple occupation. It was a cold war, similar to that of previous history before the Great War 20 years ago.
The Great War, another account she put much thought. She hadn't been introduced to the world and already dark militaristic evils bound for conquest swarmed the planet. She herself almost never saw the light, Elarisa's parents gravely considering not having any children with such dark times. However there she was, on her way to pick up something she had ordered from a correspondent out in the land of Ronfaure. It was a key ingredient to another compound she had in the works: A panacea of sorts that would cure all, heal all. Thus would not be of her own sole efforts, so she ordered possible ingredients from across the globe from others like herself. They were Chemists, but more importantly the ranks of elusive Blue Mages, such as the unsung hero of modern medicine Torukoishi.
The city seemed to bustle as normal, the only thing out of the ordinary she had perceived was a set of wounded Galka shouting curses to each other about some fierce opponent. She assumed they had taken on some kind of beast out in the Saruta Baruta deserts, something quite friendly about the feel of heat in the city. It was humid, and a bit warm, much unlike the cool wet feeling she experienced in the Taru Taru forests in Ronfaure. That is where she had met Osamu.
Her mind wandered everywhere, she was gathering as many facts and deliberating on as much as she possibly could, even if there was no decision to be made. There was knowledge to be obtained and deciphered from the world around her, and that was a good enough reason to think things through. Finally she'd made it, her shop at last. The glass seemed untouched, not a stain of finger print or any such marking from spilled water or such. The window was just a passage in which to check the interior of the market place, still in perfect condition just as she had left it. She smiled; it wasn't as if this wasn't the usual state of her palace of medicine, but it was still nice to see it the way it was meant to have been seen.
She'd fish a key from the inner pockets of her long blue gown like outfit, and reach back through the sleeve to place such golden object in the interior workings of the door. Scarcely had she turned the lock mechanism and heard the clicking sound that signified it was open to the public, was she targeted by the words of a youthful male.
"Hey, are you Elarisa Borethiel?" The voice did in fact seem to be searching her out, but why? Perhaps Torukoishi had sent a delivery person of sorts. While reputable, the man did take in many years and probably was not able to come in person. An apprentice perhaps? Time went by so much, she found herself struck by lightning twice; she was slow to giving a reply so the man repeated himself.
"Hey, are you Elarisa Borethiel?" She would turn around to see of which it came... A man suited in all black, nothing fancy to Elarisa's knowledge so the one attempting to gain such little information such as her designation couldn't be of any rank. She scanned him once over again behind the dark blue panes of glass she sported. A dark cape only so low to the ground, and a violet tear on his cheek that must've been dawn by ink. Besides that she could she nothing to be cautious of, so she would only simply nod to him whilst opening the door to her boutique of chemicals.
The Samurai would follow, and then the youth dressed all in black, a third set of footsteps keyed Elarisa in to pay more attention; she had not noticed a third amidst her company. After shutting a wooden barrier that separated herself and the far area of the shop along with any valuables from customers and thieves, she leaned over the counter tilting her head a bit in a silent question that was intended to be read as "Well?" The black clad youth extended an arm from beneath his black cloth surrounding, with it a neat cube held out and covered in light canvas tied down with small rope. The package she had ordered had come at last.
She took it from him, offering no consolation other than a nod while she placed it in a shelf under the counter. There too followed the briefcase of chemicals she had mixed in the presence of, as he called himself, Osamu. The fourth person in the shop was an Elvaan girl she could recall seeing occasionally watching her at the cafe across the cobblestone road, a Dragoon and to add to the rarity of the person's occupation, a female Dragoon. She wasn't sure how to ward off the delivery boy other than emitting words of thanks, but a thought had occurred to her.
"Thank you... but, where is Torukoishi?" It was apt; once again she had captured her words well. The youth seemed to understand, as his reply was to raise a hand in an explanative gesture up to his lips to think a bit for the best answer. Perhaps something had happened to Torukoishi, but she decided for once to hear someone out instead of diving into the depths of her mind, even if she did know best.
"Torukoishi couldn't make the trip, so he sent his apprentice instead." He would smile, the dark youth seemingly proud to be under the teachings of the Blue Mage he had just mentioned. Then, as if it was drastically needed to accent the statement he would tighten his grip on each end of the pair of gloves he sported. "My name is Magus Sekai. " A formal introduction must've been what he aimed for, even if it seemed to give off that feel of youthful exuberance. The Elvaan girl opposite the counter did not say a word, so Elarisa didn't pry. Perhaps she was as introverted as the Chemist herself, or perhaps there was something amiss. Dragoons had reputation for being a bit lost in thought anyway, although the way she walked didn't scream of silence.
The apprentice mage Magus would bow a bit and take leave of her, followed not too far off behind by the Elvaan Dragoon. Thus left only her and Osamu, which wasn't such a bad off position. Now that the delivery "staff" had left, customers were now invited in by the promise of her undivided attention. An empty chair used for customers who waited stationed in the corner of the room just became occupied. The sound of metal against wood that was vaguely familiar to Elarisa reminded her that they had been walking quite a distance, and Osamu may have wanted to take a break from keeping his legs well used.
"What's that box for?" Osamu broke the silence with his words; at least the train of Elarisa's thought had already stopped for the moment. She didn't have any choice but to answer him, even if she was quite willing to begin with. She pondered showing it to him, but it was simply a flash of a chemical that might not even be of use to him, keeping his profession in mind.
"It's a rare chemical called Ether. It's not exceptionally rare, just hard to generate outside of nature." She would unwrap the package at last just for visual, taking it from under the counter and undoing the gentle workings that Torukoishi had made to keep it safe. She relieved the box of it's top, and held before Osamu a container of a rather thin, teal fluid. She shook it back and forth twice just to make sure of it's consistency, then replaced the glass envelope back under the counter where the box had been, of which she threw away in a designated bin.
"It revitalizes the spirit, I'm using it for another potion I wish to create." Osamu seemed to smile at her words, and Elarisa decided that he admired her quiet ambition. Perhaps it was somewhat odd, there she was before him speaking of all her desires, and they were all far from being material whims. At least for the most part, she had wanted a better location in which to work, however she was doing quite well just in her shop in the Myst district of Rydia. And business was always well, especially with the need to supply one's self during this time of war against fiends and beasts. To brew a healing tonic would mean she had potentially saved a life. She'd had done her part to keep another life from being tossed away into the wind that was the cry of war and heroic deeds that were simply misinterpreted actions carried out by soldiers for the good of the mother country's current leader.
"I hate to run out on you, but there is some business I need to attend to while I'm here." Osamu would rise up from the chair, after such a short rest it was almost remarkable he was ready to be up and on the road again. Business however eluded Elarisa, what could he possibly have to do in a portion of the country he had never been to before. She dare not ask, afraid that he might become irrational in behavior, so she just nodded in understanding.
"I'll see you again then, Osamu?"
"Yes, I think so. It might take the fraction of today, though."
"That's fine, I have work to do myself."
"I hope to see you again sometime, I'll come back to the shop at the end of the day if I can."
"Hope? Is there a chance you won't?"
"I'm not sure."
***
CHAPTER IV
Errands done and errands begun
The trip had come to no surprise to Elarisa as uneventful; she simply met a somewhat charming samurai and found herself heading back to town already. The companion she'd made, so formal that he might even have fit in with the Elvaan culture, was not quite on her agenda of things to do and people to meet for the day; however she had no objections to having such company. He was obviously strong, but he also seemed of strong will, and very sincere. Those words of his, "Just need to be shown to town", they stuck with her as not something of a pickup line, but honesty. It was nice quality in a world that sometimes seemed to go downhill.
Downhill... She could almost consider it an understatement. The three factions that made of the primary diversity of the world, save for the artisans and engineers of the great Jueno cities, were at a silent war with each other. Forces lay waste to a slew of monsters and occupy the lands, until chased out and replaced by another supreme army of an opposing faction. While the three governments known as the Republic of Bastok, the Kingdom of San D'oria, and the Federation of Windurst, had not dared attack each other they all waged a silent war of simple occupation. It was a cold war, similar to that of previous history before the Great War 20 years ago.
The Great War, another account she put much thought. She hadn't been introduced to the world and already dark militaristic evils bound for conquest swarmed the planet. She herself almost never saw the light, Elarisa's parents gravely considering not having any children with such dark times. However there she was, on her way to pick up something she had ordered from a correspondent out in the land of Ronfaure. It was a key ingredient to another compound she had in the works: A panacea of sorts that would cure all, heal all. Thus would not be of her own sole efforts, so she ordered possible ingredients from across the globe from others like herself. They were Chemists, but more importantly the ranks of elusive Blue Mages, such as the unsung hero of modern medicine Torukoishi.
The city seemed to bustle as normal, the only thing out of the ordinary she had perceived was a set of wounded Galka shouting curses to each other about some fierce opponent. She assumed they had taken on some kind of beast out in the Saruta Baruta deserts, something quite friendly about the feel of heat in the city. It was humid, and a bit warm, much unlike the cool wet feeling she experienced in the Taru Taru forests in Ronfaure. That is where she had met Osamu.
Her mind wandered everywhere, she was gathering as many facts and deliberating on as much as she possibly could, even if there was no decision to be made. There was knowledge to be obtained and deciphered from the world around her, and that was a good enough reason to think things through. Finally she'd made it, her shop at last. The glass seemed untouched, not a stain of finger print or any such marking from spilled water or such. The window was just a passage in which to check the interior of the market place, still in perfect condition just as she had left it. She smiled; it wasn't as if this wasn't the usual state of her palace of medicine, but it was still nice to see it the way it was meant to have been seen.
She'd fish a key from the inner pockets of her long blue gown like outfit, and reach back through the sleeve to place such golden object in the interior workings of the door. Scarcely had she turned the lock mechanism and heard the clicking sound that signified it was open to the public, was she targeted by the words of a youthful male.
"Hey, are you Elarisa Borethiel?" The voice did in fact seem to be searching her out, but why? Perhaps Torukoishi had sent a delivery person of sorts. While reputable, the man did take in many years and probably was not able to come in person. An apprentice perhaps? Time went by so much, she found herself struck by lightning twice; she was slow to giving a reply so the man repeated himself.
"Hey, are you Elarisa Borethiel?" She would turn around to see of which it came... A man suited in all black, nothing fancy to Elarisa's knowledge so the one attempting to gain such little information such as her designation couldn't be of any rank. She scanned him once over again behind the dark blue panes of glass she sported. A dark cape only so low to the ground, and a violet tear on his cheek that must've been dawn by ink. Besides that she could she nothing to be cautious of, so she would only simply nod to him whilst opening the door to her boutique of chemicals.
The Samurai would follow, and then the youth dressed all in black, a third set of footsteps keyed Elarisa in to pay more attention; she had not noticed a third amidst her company. After shutting a wooden barrier that separated herself and the far area of the shop along with any valuables from customers and thieves, she leaned over the counter tilting her head a bit in a silent question that was intended to be read as "Well?" The black clad youth extended an arm from beneath his black cloth surrounding, with it a neat cube held out and covered in light canvas tied down with small rope. The package she had ordered had come at last.
She took it from him, offering no consolation other than a nod while she placed it in a shelf under the counter. There too followed the briefcase of chemicals she had mixed in the presence of, as he called himself, Osamu. The fourth person in the shop was an Elvaan girl she could recall seeing occasionally watching her at the cafe across the cobblestone road, a Dragoon and to add to the rarity of the person's occupation, a female Dragoon. She wasn't sure how to ward off the delivery boy other than emitting words of thanks, but a thought had occurred to her.
"Thank you... but, where is Torukoishi?" It was apt; once again she had captured her words well. The youth seemed to understand, as his reply was to raise a hand in an explanative gesture up to his lips to think a bit for the best answer. Perhaps something had happened to Torukoishi, but she decided for once to hear someone out instead of diving into the depths of her mind, even if she did know best.
"Torukoishi couldn't make the trip, so he sent his apprentice instead." He would smile, the dark youth seemingly proud to be under the teachings of the Blue Mage he had just mentioned. Then, as if it was drastically needed to accent the statement he would tighten his grip on each end of the pair of gloves he sported. "My name is Magus Sekai. " A formal introduction must've been what he aimed for, even if it seemed to give off that feel of youthful exuberance. The Elvaan girl opposite the counter did not say a word, so Elarisa didn't pry. Perhaps she was as introverted as the Chemist herself, or perhaps there was something amiss. Dragoons had reputation for being a bit lost in thought anyway, although the way she walked didn't scream of silence.
The apprentice mage Magus would bow a bit and take leave of her, followed not too far off behind by the Elvaan Dragoon. Thus left only her and Osamu, which wasn't such a bad off position. Now that the delivery "staff" had left, customers were now invited in by the promise of her undivided attention. An empty chair used for customers who waited stationed in the corner of the room just became occupied. The sound of metal against wood that was vaguely familiar to Elarisa reminded her that they had been walking quite a distance, and Osamu may have wanted to take a break from keeping his legs well used.
"What's that box for?" Osamu broke the silence with his words; at least the train of Elarisa's thought had already stopped for the moment. She didn't have any choice but to answer him, even if she was quite willing to begin with. She pondered showing it to him, but it was simply a flash of a chemical that might not even be of use to him, keeping his profession in mind.
"It's a rare chemical called Ether. It's not exceptionally rare, just hard to generate outside of nature." She would unwrap the package at last just for visual, taking it from under the counter and undoing the gentle workings that Torukoishi had made to keep it safe. She relieved the box of it's top, and held before Osamu a container of a rather thin, teal fluid. She shook it back and forth twice just to make sure of it's consistency, then replaced the glass envelope back under the counter where the box had been, of which she threw away in a designated bin.
"It revitalizes the spirit, I'm using it for another potion I wish to create." Osamu seemed to smile at her words, and Elarisa decided that he admired her quiet ambition. Perhaps it was somewhat odd, there she was before him speaking of all her desires, and they were all far from being material whims. At least for the most part, she had wanted a better location in which to work, however she was doing quite well just in her shop in the Myst district of Rydia. And business was always well, especially with the need to supply one's self during this time of war against fiends and beasts. To brew a healing tonic would mean she had potentially saved a life. She'd had done her part to keep another life from being tossed away into the wind that was the cry of war and heroic deeds that were simply misinterpreted actions carried out by soldiers for the good of the mother country's current leader.
"I hate to run out on you, but there is some business I need to attend to while I'm here." Osamu would rise up from the chair, after such a short rest it was almost remarkable he was ready to be up and on the road again. Business however eluded Elarisa, what could he possibly have to do in a portion of the country he had never been to before. She dare not ask, afraid that he might become irrational in behavior, so she just nodded in understanding.
"I'll see you again then, Osamu?"
"Yes, I think so. It might take the fraction of today, though."
"That's fine, I have work to do myself."
"I hope to see you again sometime, I'll come back to the shop at the end of the day if I can."
"Hope? Is there a chance you won't?"
"I'm not sure."
***