A/N: I've moved once again, though this time no files were lost thankfully. But since work has been hectic (got promoted, WOOT), this one took much longer than I wanted. Hopefully this and the coming chapters will provide a lot of clues connecting FF14 and FoZ, and soon the second member of Louise's party will choose a starting class.

Eleanor stood outside the main entrance to the guardhouse. Her shoulders were slumped forward, her eyes wide, and her mouth doing it's best imitation of her long deceased goldfish she kept as a pet as a preteen.

'She...yelled at me?' Her face now alternated between a serious thoughtful expression and an insulted pout, 'I'm not sure if I should be pissed...or proud...'

After taking a deep breath to regain some semblance of composure, Eleanor stood with her arms folded across her chest and exuded the stubborn and fierce aura she was well known for.

"Hrmm, what's keeping her!?" She began to tap her foot in impatience.

"Go on now, you shouldn't keep her waiting like this," Weston gently pushed Louise's shoulder towards the door.

Louise still wore the deep blue uniform, though now had a small government issued satchel slung over her shoulder to make carrying what little luggage she had that much easier to carry while leaving her hands free. She unconsciously resisted the push, her body reacting to years of borderline abuse and resentment that conflicted with the security she felt in the presence of the Guard Captain and his subordinates.

She stared at her feet, glancing sheepishly at Weston. The man scratched his head, torn between being annoyed and amused at the young lady's hesitation.

"Look, I get it. You're scared right? I take it from before you don't exactly have the best relationship with your sister and your...ordeal from yesterday hasn't exactly endeared you to the idea of traveling anymore."

Louise simply nodded, her eyes beginning to water, causing Weston to sigh and shake his head.

The Captain was at a loss. He never really dealt with anyone her age before outside of a military training setting, let alone a girl in Louise's condition.

'Augh, when in doubt, give the lady a gift and a compliment,' while not exactly appropriate, he recalled how he deals with his wife when she has her moments.

He desperately felt around his person for something to give the pinkette that would comfort her. Pulling the first item that was easily removable from his belt, he held it out in his palm.

It was his old weathered military issue dagger.

'Ah...shit...' Weston began to sweat.

"Uh, from what I understand, you handle a blade pretty well. Maybe this will make you feel safe?"

Louise looked at the dagger first, then up into Weston's eyes.

'Good job Weston...give a traumatized girl a weapon...fucking idiot,' He swallowed hard, wincing as he returned Louise's gaze.

"I-I can really have it?" To Weston, Louise's eyes looked disturbingly similar to that of a lost puppy's.

'Wait...what?'

"Of course, I wouldn't offer it otherwise now would I, young lady?" Weston grinned nervously.

Louise gently picked the dagger from Weston's outstretched hand, the feelings of familiarity and memories of the cat lady danced in the back of her mind. It was an incredibly comforting feeling. After carefully affixing the blade to her uniform's belt, she flashed a bright smile at the older man.

"Thank you Mr. Weston, I'll take good care of it," Louise said before promptly wrapping her arms around the Guard's stomach, the height difference making the hug rather awkward.

Hopping back a step from the hug, Louise smiled once more.

"Say good bye to Ellie and Jason for me, okay?" The young woman shyly waved as she pushed open the door and left. Leaving a somewhat stunned Weston behind.

"Huh," he placed his hands on his hips.

'Well, that was a thing. Maybe...maybe it's about time I gave the missus what she wanted for years now, I'm still young enough for it,' he turned to walk back to the common area of the Guardhouse, 'honestly, I wouldn't mind a daughter...'

"Really, what is wrong with you? First you scare me with that letter, then you defend that commoner...by yelling at me no less! And then you leave me waiting while you do Brimir knows what," Eleanor marched ahead of Louise, every couple steps taking quick glances back at the pinkette.

Louise didn't hear a word of Eleanor's continuing tirade. The sole reason being that her head felt as though it were about to burst as the voice in it wouldn't shut up.

'Wherefore doth thou ignore me?'

Louise massaged the bridge of her nose, gritting her teeth in frustration.

'Prithee hark, ye are the only one I can speak to!'

She didn't know why the voice persisted, or what it was. Could it be her imagination? If so she could have willed it away, or so she believed. Perhaps it was from the trauma of the assault on her person? Unlikely since she remembered clearly the first time she heard it. It was much too soon and now consistent for it to be a product, though she certainly was no expert on the subject so she could be wrong. Maybe the years of loneliness and rejection have finally made her crack. But she was much too lucid for that to be true...or could it be?

'Ye are making things harder f'r thy self. wherefore will thou not accept the gift?'

'Gift? If having a weird voice in my head is a gift, then Eleanor would make a wonderful mother,' Louise thought to herself, her eyes glazing over in fatigue.

'Ah, so thou agnize mine existence! And thy sister would certainly make a fine mother. . . she is just misunderstood.'

Louise stopped mid-step and ruffled her hair in frustration. She couldn't believe the voice in her head just defended the sister that antagonized her, abused her, and was overall a general bitch to her. Wasn't the voice a part of her own mind?

"Brimir damn it all! Just shut...the...hell...UP!" Louise screamed.

Eleanor turned on her heel, her face stuck in an expression of mortified indignation.

"LOUISE! What did you just say!?" The blonde sister pounced upon the pink headed girl, violently pinching her cheeks and toppling the two to the ground.

To Eleanor's surprise, the small puff of pink she had tackled wasn't within her grasp when she fell to her knees with her right arm supporting her weight. A sharp pain radiated from her left shoulder, looking back she found a shocked Louise that shook as a leaf in the wind...gripping the offending arm behind Eleanor's back in such a way that it couldn't be moved without causing excruciating pain.

"U-urk, how?" Eleanor started with a wince.

Louise quickly released Eleanor's arm with a gasp, backing away several paces before sitting down into a ball while covering her head in fear of retribution.

"I-I'm sorry! I d-don't know what came over me!" Louise squeaked.

The elder sister remained kneeling, observing her cowering younger sibling in amazement at the rapid shift from what seemed to be skillful defense to meek submission. A wave of guilt washed over Eleanor.

"It's alright, I shouldn't have been talking to you like that. You've been through a lot if that report is true," her words were uneasy, being unused to taking a gentle approach with Louise.

'If that was anything to go by...maybe Louise told the truth about the bandits...,' Eleanor massaged her aching shoulder.

Reaching out with her unharmed arm, Eleanor began to stroke Louise's head, causing the younger sister to flinch slightly at the touch. The cowering ceased and Louise shot Eleanor a wary glare.

'I-is this really so odd for her to react like that?' Eleanor gulped.

They remained as they were for only a few seconds before both sprung to their feet, each sporting as straight a face they could muster. The elder flushing slightly while the younger paled just the same. They continued in their original direction at a stilted pace, not quite determining a comfortable distance from each other.

"Uh, um...big sis Eleanor? Where are we going?" Louise stopped a moment before having to jog to catch up to her sister, having noticed that they had bypassed a carriage and were actually walking towards the far end of the city from the main gate they came from.

Eleanor crossed her arms as she walked, her heels once more clicked with conviction. A smile crept on her face.

"Well, I was actually notified of a fascinating find at a dig site being worked by the Institute before I received the letter from the Guard Captain and was about to make my way there," Eleanor stopped and sharply turned around as her eyes sparkled excitedly, "Would you believe, that this very city was built upon the ruins of another? That here of all places were not just one, but MANY other civilizations?"

It took all the willpower she could muster to hold back the derisive grin and giggle Louise felt coming at Eleanor's uncharacteristic outburst of enthusiasm. She failed.

"What? You wouldn't find it absolutely fascinating? I thought you were one of the more intellectual members of the family. I had some hope for you in that re-," Eleanor flushed as she caught herself praising the 'Zero'.

Thankfully, Louise seemed too busy alternating between stifling her laughter and looking frustrated as she mumbled to herself. Adjusting her glasses, Eleanor sharply turned away on her heel and continued on her way, making believe that nothing unusual has happened.

'Honestly, ever since that scare...what's come over me...really,' Eleanor sighed.

Louise had to jog every couple seconds to keep up with Eleanor's rather brisk pace, still occasionally becoming agitated and distracted. Behavior that Eleanor tried her best to ignore.

The dig site was in a long unpopulated district of the capitol. The entire district was cordoned off by the Institute for archaeological study, a rather under funded and unpopular field of study within the Institute as a whole. Though this particular branch of the Institute and Eleanor in particular found it absolutely intriguing and took to task at any leads for discovery.

Louise knew her eldest sister was some sort of researcher, but she did not know to what extent she was obsessed with her work. The dig site was enormous and Louise had difficulty keeping up with Eleanor as she darted from one section to another, marveling at some piece of pottery or random glyph of undecipherable chicken scratch etched in stone.

Finally the duo reached what seemed to be the main dig effort and approached a man wearing an odd apron over tan hempen clothes and some sort of hard hat with an enclosed candle lamp on the front of it. Said man addressed the women as they approached.

"Ah, Lady Eleanor! So good of you to come by. Your presence was missed greatly," the man bowed slightly to the blonde and smiled and waved at Louise, "and who would this be?"

"Oh! I nearly forgot she was with me! Michael, this is my youngest sister, Louise. Louise this is my assistant, Michael," Eleanor gestured to both in turn while adjusting her own hard hat...

'Wait...when did she get that?' Louise made to scratch her head in confusion, only to find her hand rubbing the smooth dome of padded metal on her head, 'WHAT? How did...?'

Eleanor and Michael continued to catch up with each other, oblivious to Louise's confusion as she examined the hard hat that appeared on her head and pondered just how she managed to have one on her head.

"Well Milady, we've finally gotten through several rock layers," Michael began to walk down a wooden catwalk while gesturing at the walls, "there were several layers of igneous rock formations as well as compressed ash...and oddly enough a layer of jagged glass..."

Eleanor kept pace behind Michael, studying the various layers intensely as they were pointed out.

"Some sort of cataclysmic event?" She adjusted her glasses as she gave Michael a curious look.

"Several, Milady. In fact we are still uncovering evidence for a series of such events that seem to be cyclical in nature, though the newest one seems to be the longest and potentially the most destructive," Michael nodded as he spoke and then wagged a finger at the head researcher, "But that is not the reason we sent for you, was in fact that we found something that may shake the very foundations of the history we know of today!"

The trio had made their decent to the base of the rather cavernous dig site, finding themselves standing on a patchwork of paved stonework and the shattered remnants thereof as well as in front of a large petrified wood double door. The surrounding area suggested that the paved area was actually enclosed in stone, more like a hallway than a road, and traces of salt stained the stonework.

Above the door was a worn plaque that was burnt and faded. Yet the symbol that was etched upon it seemed to still be visible. A strange globe on a stand with an oval and circle surrounding it.

"This is...," Eleanor's face lit up in excitement.

"Our first actual piece of ancient architecture, true evidence of a past civilization!" Michael all but yelled with his arms spread dramatically.

Eleanor, in her excited state, couldn't hold herself back and attempted to push open the petrified doors.

"Wait! We aren't sure of the structural inte-," Michael's warning was cut short as the long petrified doorway fell back and shattered in a massive, echoing bang.

Louise palmed her face and shook her head as Eleanor flushed and grinned sheepishly.

The light from the outside the doorway filtered through the thick clouds of dust stirred up, illuminating a circular room that seemed very much like some sort of lobby with counter tops with accompanying chairs. Behind the counters were shelves upon shelves of tomes of all sorts. Everything seemed to be in near pristine condition, with the door's petrification and igneous rock sealing the structure into an airtight state.

Coughs from Louise brought the two older scholars back to their senses.

"Honestly, I hadn't pegged you for being so impulsive," Louise deadpanned.

Eleanor took the observation in stride, not because she really didn't mind, but rather due to the mixture of amazement at the archaeological discovery and the continued surprise at the change in her youngest siblings demeanor distracting her.

Michael waved away dust from his face while he held a handkerchief to his mouth and nose.

"I'll...go fetch some of the team to catalog this area, I can trust that you two won't somehow get into trouble here then," the muffled voice of an annoyed Michael made Eleanor nervously laugh while Louise rolled her eyes.

Without the supervision of Michael, a wilder side of Eleanor emerged. Lost in a deep desire to learn, she delved into the massive collection of tomes and trinkets strewn about the 'lobby'. Not even the disappointment at being unable to read the tomes dampened her enthusiasm.

Unsure of how to respond to her sister's sudden hyperactive state, Louise decided to busy herself by taking a more...subdued...approach to studying the room.

Circling the room and ignoring her sister, she passed her hand over the dust and dirt of the counter top. Not once bothering to pick up a book or disturb some artifact. Instead she found herself in a state of introspection, the voice that had bothered her having since gone silent when she entered the building.

'How old is this place? WHAT is this place?' She rolled the dust between her index finger and thumb then rubbed her hands on her tunic.

Louise half expected the voice to chime in, yet no words were forthcoming. Only a sense of melancholy as she observed the dimly lit room, thinking how at one time this may have been a place full of people living their lives until for what ever reason...they simply were no longer. After pacing most of the outer edge of the room, she found another doorway hidden by the still floating dust and shadow. She peeked inside, finding a spiral staircase that curved down out of her view into darkness.

Looking back towards her sister, who still seemed hopelessly consumed in a lust for knowledge, Louise shook her head in defeat. Reasoning that there was nothing to worry about since the place was sealed up for Brimir knows how long, nothing could possibly be alive in here. As such she cautiously stepped into the stairwell, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. After turning upon itself twice, she could see a faint yellow flickering glow around the bend. Louise gulped and licked her lips.

Slowly descending further towards the light, a disturbing thought crossed her mind.

'Wait...if only myself and Eleanor are in here...then...,' Louise's throat went dry as she slowly peaked around the corner into the room connected to the stairwell.

What she found sent chills down her spine and cause her to freeze in place. The room was circular like the one above it, though this time it looked like a small lecture hall without the benches or desks, and almost like a make shift arena. In the center was a single small lantern that glowed with an ethereal light, and beside it sat a squat being in olive drab robes facing away from Louise. An odd finned tail protruded from its backside. Atop it's head it wore an antique looking mortar board hat.

Shivering out of her trance, Louise stumbled off the step she stood on and landed on her hands and knees. The noise from her fall echoed in the stairwell and room. When Louise recovered she found herself looking into the bright yellow eyes of the creature which had turned to face her. The creature held in it's thumbless hands...fins...things...an ornately decorated tome. Seconds passed before Louise and the creature let out a mutual scream. The creature scampered away, dropping the tome by the lantern.

The shock of the encounter faded quickly as Louise found herself alone and basking in the glow of the lantern. Bringing herself to her feet, she silently made her way to the lantern. Kneeling before the lantern she found a knife embedded in the stone beside it. She felt an absurd compulsion to grab it.

'Oh Brimir, what's becoming of me...I've a thing for small blades now,' Louise pinched her nose in frustration, but reached out with her other hand to the knife regardless.

Grasping the plain handle, a wave of pain surged within her head as her vision blurred. This time things were as vivid as her dreams, the sights, sounds, and even smells were so real. It was as though she was sent to another place all together. Looking around in panic, she recognized the surroundings. She had never left the circular room, though this time it was fully lit, as well as populated. Once more she was surrounded by a mixture of cat people, midgets, giants, elves, and humans alike. Each held a scholarly or learned air about them.

Finally she noticed the weird green creature. It seemed to be communicating with a giantess in green and white robes, as she wrote down every word in an animated fashion within a tome...the ornate tome the green creature dropped before running away earlier.

As sudden as the initial shift in vision was, the second she was even less prepared for. Now only a handful of people remained. The giantess from before stood beside the green thing, together stood before a small group of youths that all trembled behind them. They all stared intently at the stairwell, as if they were expecting something. A massive crash resounded above them followed by pained screams, shouts, and cursing. It seems a battle raged above, but only seconds passed before an eerie silence befell the building. And then the clicking started, then the beating of wings, chirps and screeches not belonging to anything human. The giantess and the green thing each took a guarded stance. The giantess with the tome and a feather pen she held just above it, as though such a thing was a weapon just as dangerous as a sword, musket, or spell. The green creature held the knife before itself, the lantern in the other hand.

Louise's vision faded once more, this time she believed the hallucination had ended and she had returned to the dark room with the lantern. Yet when she turned away from the stairwell she found the green creature only a couple feet from her, oblivious to her presence. It clutched to it's chest the tome the giantess held before. It stared longingly at the flame within the lantern as it rocked gently back and forth on it's behind. An odd...quiet...and sad... sound escaped from the creature.

'Is...it crying?' Louise looked at the creature in concern, catching a glimpse of something at the edge of her peripherals, just beyond the reach of the lanterns light.

It was a hand...palm down with a feather pen beneath it...in a long dried pool of blood.

"LOUISE?!"

"UWA~!" The pinkette's vision blurred for a moment as she twisted and turned on her heel, her other foot knocking the lantern over and shattering it. Plunging the room into full darkness.

"Gah! Louise, what happened, I hear the scream and now this!?" Eleanor's voice rang out.

Huffing and gasping for breath, Louise only now noticed that she had been in the midst of a cold sweat. She looked around in a panic, her eyes only now readjusting to the dark. She wanted nothing more than to leave this place.

Click

'What..,' Louise's eyes widened.

Click click click "SCREE~"

"Oh no...," Louise tightened her grip on the creature's knife as well as the Weston's dagger.