The Ocular bathed in light as Sari emerged from the mirror, stepping foot once more unto the First. The doors swung open as Zael entered the room, his pack slung over his shoulder. She glanced around, looking for G'raha, her gaze resting briefly on the far wall. She imagined Emet-Selch leaning against the wall, complaining about the light while barely sparing her a glance…

"You arrived just in time. I was about to leave for the Tempest," Zael said, dragging her back to reality. "How're the others doing? They haven't been causing too much trouble without me, have they?" he asked.

"That's...a long story. Suffice to say you might not believe it if I told you..."

"Really? It's not like you're talking to a living ghost who's travelled between worlds or anything," Zael retorted with a grin.

"Ugh, why do I even bother with you…" Sari muttered, pouting when Zael patted her head. She growled as Zael used her as an armrest, looking down at her with a smug grin "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" she asked, glaring up at him.

"Alright, alright, I know when I'm not wanted. There's no need to be nervous though…"

"Shu...shut up!" she growled as she smacked at his arm. Her attempt to remove it from her head only succeeded in sending pain shooting through her arm. Her brother's teasing laugh made her glare more intense as she massaged her arm.

"Alright, okay. I've had my fun," Zael said, petting her once more before taking his leave. "Be sure to give Miss Leveilleur my regards, little sister," he teased while waving over his shoulder.

"Son of a matanga!"

"Love you too!"


"How do you...whoa...walk in these?" Sari asked, taking a wobbly step towards the window. The sky outside the window was already fading into evening gold. Ryne and Gaia sat on the step, Ryne ready to leap into action while Gaia watched with amusement as Sari stumbled around in her shoes.

"Quite easily and ideally not for very long," Gaia teased. "I wonder, could you backflip in them?" she asked, smiling sweetly as Sari glared at her.

"Are you mad? She'd break her ankles if she tried that," Ryne said with a gasp.

"I think I'd break my ankles if I so much as skip in these," Sari muttered, slowly standing up straight. Once she regained her balance, she sent Gaia a triumphant smirk.

"Very impressive, you've mastered standing in them. I think it only took you a bell," Gaia teased, laughing when Sari pouted at her.

"I think you're doing very well. Not everyone can handle walking in high heels," Ryne said, smiling at Sari while Gaia shrugged.

"Thank you Ryne...wait…" Sari said, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Am I alright to come in?"

"Alphinaud! Come...argh!"

The door swung open as Sari crashed to the floor, crying out as her rear met the hard floor. Gaia struggled to contain her laughter as Ryne ran to Sari's side, the young Xaela muttering to herself in pain.

"Ah, I seem to have come at a bad time," Alphinaud said, bringing his hand to his mouth, his voice betraying his amusement.

"This is why I don't wear high heels," Sari grumbled, forcefully removing the boots before sliding them towards their original owner. "How was guard duty?" she asked as Ryne helped her to her feet.

"It was fairly quiet in the city. The odd drunkard here and there, nothing I couldn't handle," Alphinaud replied, stepping into the middle of the room. "Not as exciting as...shoe swapping?"

"It was her idea. I was only too happy to oblige," Gaia replied, glancing teasingly at Sari as she pouted at her.

"Of course you were," Sari muttered. She approached her bed, an array of clothes spread before her. She pulled together a pair of screens, hiding her from view as she changed.

"So what exactly are your plans with my sister? An evening at Clearmelt, perhaps?" Alphinaud asked.

"What about a nice dinner at the Wandering Stairs? They have some of the best deserts," Ryne suggested.

"I'm surprised you didn't mention coffee biscuits again," Gaia muttered.

"You say that as though you didn't enjoy them. Ryne, could you help me with this corset, please," Sari called out.

"You still haven't answered the question Sari. Personally, I'd recommend a night at the Beehive, though that might be a touch too...exciting for you...Hey!" Gaia shouted as a pillow collided with the back of her head. She turned to glare at Sari, the young Xaela sticking her tongue out in response from around the screen.

"If I didn't know better, I'd mistake you for sisters," Alphinaud muttered, watching the girl's antics with amusement. "Still, Gaia does make a good point. What are you planning?" he asked.

"Nothing fancy. Just watching the sunset at the lake, though dinner at the Stairs doesn't sound like a bad idea for afterwards," Sari replied as she pushed the screens apart. "Well, what do you think?" she asked while giving a twirl.

She'd changed from her adventuring attire into a purple shoulderless dress with a ruffled half-skirt, brown corset and a black leather collar. On her arms she wore detached purple sleeves with gold bracers on her lower arms that left her hands and shoulders exposed. She wore black trousers with a pair of criss-crossing brown leather strips above her left knee, while on her feet were a pair of dark leather boots with firebird like patterns embossed on either side.

"Very stylish," Alphinaud said, nodding in approval.

"Not bad. I think I might look into a dress like that…" Gaia mused with a smile.

"I'm sure Alisaie will love it," Ryne said, flashing Sari a bright smile.

"I hope so. And what about you?" she asked, staring out the window. The others followed her gaze to find a shoebill standing on the windowsill, staring in with an unblinking stare.

"You're asking a bird…" Gaia sighed, shaking her head.

"Hmm, I might be mad, but...why does this shoebill look...familiar?" Alphinaud asked, studying the bird as it turned its gaze on him.

"That can't be the same bird from the Tempest, can it?" Ryne wondered, wandering closer.

"I don't know. I just know that I've seen it or others like it during our travels, always watching…" Sari said, her gaze wandering towards the wall chronometer. "I'd better get going. I'll leave you to...birdwatching, I suppose?"


The rock next to the farthest pier of Lap. That was where Alisaie had said to meet and it was there that Sari found the young elezen, leaning against the rock while looking out over the lake. The gentle lapping of the waves helped calm her nerves as she approached.

"Good evening Miss Leveilleur."

"Good evening to you too, Miss Malqir," Alisaie replied, all but leaping to her feet. They briefly hugged until she noticed Sari's new attire. "Is that a new dress? It looks good on you."

"Oh, it is. I almost thought you didn't notice...I mean...thank you," Sari replied, rubbing the back of her neck while smiling sheepishly as Alisaie giggled. They sat down, Sari wincing as she descended.

"Are you alright? Did you get attacked on the way here?" Alisaie asked, her face darkening.

"No! No, nothing like that. I had a little...accident earlier. I was trying on Gaia's shoes and...well, I think you can guess," Sari muttered, looking away sheepishly.

"Good thing Zael wasn't there. You'd never hear the end of it," Alisaie said, her face softening.

"Oh he'll find out. Gaia will probably tell him when he returns," Sari grumbled, hugging her knees. "Besides, I'm sure I won't hear the end of it from her at least."

"Well if that ends up being the case, perhaps we could invite her to join us at the lake sometime. Maybe even encourage her to take a little dip," she mused, a devilish grin spreading across her lips.

"Speaking from experience, are we?" Sari asked, a similar smile crossing her face.

"Well there was considerably less make-up involved, but yes, I might have done the same thing once or twice to Alphinaud. He'd always get me back though," Alisaie explained.

"I wish I could do that to Zael sometimes. Stupid son of a matanga, too big and heavy to shove in a lake...though one time, Alphinaud and I painted on his face when he loudly returned from a night at the tavern. Even Ijepa got involved, if you can believe that," Sari explained.

"I'll bet he was surprised to find that when he woke up."

"I think he was. I didn't get to see it...because he had a training exercise at Camp Dragonhead the next morning…"

"He didn't…"

"He did. Walked right through Camp Dragonhead with his face painted. Didn't find out until Emmanellain gave him a mirror!" Sari said before the two of them burst into laughter. "I don't think he even knows Ijepa was involved."

"Well, remind me never to get on his bad side. I never thought he'd be capable of that sort of thing," Alisaie said, calming down to a chuckle.

Sari nodded, turning her gaze towards the lake as the sun touched the horizon, casting a beam of light across the water's amber surface as though seeking to part it. With a contented sigh, she rested her head on Alisaie's shoulder, smiling as she felt Alisaie's head rest on hers.

"This feels perfect," Sari whispered as she closed her eyes.

"Like we could spend eternity here," Alisaie replied, resting her hand on Sari's as the lapping of waves threatened to send them to slumber. They looked up, the sky slowly filling with stars as the sun sunk ever further beyond the horizon. Even now, Sari could imagine fewer more beautiful sights than Norvrandt's evening sky, the moment when light and darkness were in balance.

This moment in particular, she wished would last forever.