Someone Else's Dream
While the people of Ishgard enjoyed a brief respite from a thousand years of struggle, the Warrior of Light did not remain idle. The next adventure was already waiting for her in the Dravanian Hinterlands, where a primal had been awoken.
My knowledge of these events is limited to what she had told me after the fact, but though they might seem like a simple footnote, they were of no less consequence for not only Eorzea, but herself as well.
A weary sigh escaped S'eni as she rested on the grassy ground of Bigwest Shortstop, the back of her arm covering her eyes. She listened to the sounds all around her, eager talk mixed with the crackling of the fire as well as garbled Goblin-speak.
What a day.
When she had first arrived here, the first thing she had seen upon arriving in the Hinterlands had been this steel giant rising from the Thaliak, one of its legs having breached the dome above it and placing itself on solid ground, looking a bit like a drunkard trying to get back on his feet after stumbling.
It was not until she arrived in Idyllshire and talked to Slowfix and Y'shtola that she learned that this was the primal.
"The primal is bleeding the land dry. If it continues, this entire region will become a barren wasteland in a matter of moons," Y'shtola had told her.
So their course of action was all too clear, keep the primal in check and find a way to cut off the flow of aether. For the latter, her friend had immediately gone to enlist the help of Master Matoya, while she was to join Cid and discuss further matters with him.
As it turned out, it was the Goblin group called Illuminati that summoned the primal and if they were to stop them they needed to get inside the colossus and somehow shut it down. Which proved to be difficult already.
Thankfully, unexpected help arrived in the form of a treasure hunter called Mide who offered her assistance in exchange for something she was seeking inside.
Removing her arm, S'eni glanced over to the woman in question, having a pleasant conversation with Roundrox. At first, she had been surprised at seeing someone like Yugiri in the Dravanian Hinterlands, but that quickly shifted to amazement as the Au Ra managed to decipher the code the Illuminati were using and opened the way inside that way.
From there, things had become quite hectic as they ventured into the steel giant quite a few times until they found and shut down the core. And while the Illuminati had taken the chance to attack the Shortstop while they were inside, fortune had been on their side and what they were looking for was still secure, giving them a much-needed reprieve.
For now.
The sound of steps approaching her made her sit up to see Cid, Biggs, and Wedge walk towards her.
"You look tired," the Garlean engineer said with a little grin.
"Well, it was a busy day," S'eni replied, rising to her feet. A small throbbing started to form, just underneath her forehead, but she shook it off.
"It was," he said, his face then growing serious. "And we can't let our guard down. We may have stopped their primal and taken their prize, but they'll be back as long as this thing remains."
"Yeah, I agree."
The grin returned. "But until then, get some rest. You've earned it."
A chuckle escaped her. "As you wish, Master Garlond."
With a laugh, he clapped her on the shoulder and bid her good night, before leaving with the other two.
Closing her eyes, she stretched herself. Rest was sounding very appealing right about now. But she supposed it would be rude not to say good night to the other two members of their motley little crew.
As she approached Roundrox and Mide, the two turned towards her. The Au Ra had a little smile on her face and she could tell even through the mask that the Goblin girl was beaming.
"I see you're in high spirits," S'eni said.
"Pshkohhh... Roundrox is happy. Many friends worry, think of Roundrox. Uplander is one. Roundrox thanks kind uplander!"
The girl's cheer brought a smile to her face.
"Let me chime in as well, S'eni," Mide then said. She was a pretty woman, her face almost flawless apart from the scar marring her left cheek, and despite the woman's smile, it was like her eyes held a permanent sadness inside. "Roundrox's home needed protection and you provided it. Not many would do so, much less in the face of a primal, so you have my thanks as well."
"You could say taking care of primals is a bit of a calling." S'eni shrugged. "So all in a day's work, really."
"Mide helped Roundrox too! Uplanders have good hearts, and kind," the Goblin girl said, turning to look at the other woman.
"Only so many of us find machina pretty, my dear." Mide's smile grew and she knelt down to pat the girl's head. "We have to stick together, don't we?"
"Did Mide always like whirlycogs and bittybops?"
The Au Ra's expression fell and her hand went to touch the scar just below her left eye. "Not like you, Roundrox. My love, he adored these things. Inventing, building, and tinkering with them."
"...Mide always touches hurtmark when remembering," Roundrox noted.
"Do I?" Mide asked. "I suppose I do."
She watched as the Au Ra closed her eyes for a moment, before exhaling.
"Those times were something else. My friends and I, we were lost in our dream. We wanted to put back the pieces of our broken world with logic, reason and technology. And we were certain we could do it too," the other woman told them. "I hadn't much skill with thinking up things or making them, but I helped in my own small way. That feeling of aiding in someone else's dream, sharing it, washes over you like a wave of happiness. I've never felt that way since. Now it all seems so far away, even the memories feel like I dreamed them, rather than lived them..."
Hearing those words, S'eni couldn't help but frown as she felt something stirring deep inside her. To aid someone's dream...
But before she could dwell on it, Mide spoke up once more.
"Well enough of that. Roundrox is right, S'eni. You're a kind soul. Please, keep an eye on our girl until next time." Giving the Goblin girl another pat, the other woman rose to her feet, bid them good night, and left.
Mide... S'eni thought as she watched her walk away. Once the Au Ra was out of sight, she turned towards Roundrox, who was already busying herself with her collection again.
"Don't stay up too long," she told the Goblin girl, earning herself a little nod, before leaving as well.
Walking towards Idyllshire, she could feel the throbbing under her forehead starting to spread, making her grimace. Great, she thought to herself. Just what I needed. A headache.
She really needed to lie down. And get some food.
Upon arriving, S'eni spied a familiar figure, dressed in white, leaning against the Cenotaph. A smile formed on her lips, and for a moment she felt a little better.
"Taking a break?" she asked as she approached her.
"Actually, Matoya chased me away, saying something about how I shouldn't bother an old woman like her at this late an hour," Y'shtola replied with a little shrug.
S'eni chuckled. "Sounds like her."
Her first meeting with Master Matoya had been quite an eye-opener. Never in her life had she met someone as grouchy as her friend's old mentor. With a sharp tongue that was only rivalled by her intellect, it was clear as day where Y'shtola had picked up a lot of her qualities.
She liked her.
"So instead you decided to bother me?" The corner of her friend's lips curled up into a little smirk.
"In a manner of speaking. But yes, I was waiting for you, and in the meantime, taking a look at your work," Y'shtola said and nodded up ahead. Following her eyes, S'eni turned her head and looked out towards the Thaliak, where their current problem was sleeping. "I have heard you managed to stop it, if only temporarily."
"Yeah, no time to pat ourselves on the back," she replied. "Who knows when the Illuminati will become active again."
Her friend frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Indeed."
A moment of silence passed between them where they looked at the primal, half expecting it to jump up and run rampant now that they said it out loud. Thankfully, it remained still.
"You know," S'eni started. "I'd like to think I'm pretty experienced when it comes to primals now. I've fought a fiery demon, a giant water snake, a mad harpy, a stone giant, a protective thunder god, and a battle-loving...war bug?"
She shook her head. "And that's not even counting the Moogle king and a group of people turning into an ancient king and his knights. Yet this—"
S'eni pointed at the giant structure made of steel and gears. "—this really beats it all."
"And yet again, you persevered," Y'shtola said with obvious amusement in her voice, and a smile dancing on her lips as S'eni turned to look at her once more. "For now at least."
Oh, she was sure things were bound to get worse before they got better.
Their attention was drawn away from their primal problem by a growl coming from her stomach.
"Sorry," she said a little sheepishly. "It's been a while since I ate."
"Well, then I suppose supper is in order. As it happens I wanted to get some myself."
Together, they stepped through the gate and into Idyllshire proper where the day's work had come to an end, its residents having come together to celebrate the evening. She noticed Slowfix standing at his usual place, tinkering with something. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like nothing was out of the ordinary with him, but she could practically feel the worry resonating from him.
"He's still on edge," she noted.
"I can't really blame him. This place has become their home after all. And now it's being threatened," Y'shtola said. "All things considered, I would say he is surprisingly calm right now."
"Then perhaps we shouldn't mention that his daughter narrowly avoided an Illuminati raid earlier."
"I concur."
After receiving their meal which consisted of bread, sliced, dry sausage, cheese as well as a warm drink to keep the night's chill at bay, they sat down a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the evening.
Putting some sausage and cheese onto a slice of bread, she looked around. Idyllshire had come quite the way since their last visit. Ruins were slowly turned into homes and broken walls were replaced with new, sturdy ones. Even the Cenotaph was slowly being repaired.
"It's impressive," she said and took a bite out of her food.
"It is." Y'shtola nodded.
"I just wish Minfilia could see it. This was always what she wished for. For everyone to work together and create something lasting."
"We will find her and the others, don't worry," her friend said, raising her steaming cup to her lips. "I spoke with Tataru the other day, and we might already have a plan."
"Oh?" Her ears perked up at those words. "And what would that be?"
"We're trying to contact someone that might be able to help."
"Someone I know?"
"I doubt it. But we will let you know once we receive word back. Until then we have our work cut out for us," Y'shtola said and took a sip of her drink.
"Yeah." She nodded. "I want to show this place to Minfilia, so we better make sure it's still standing."
Silence setting over them, they quietly ate their supper, listening to the sound of someone playing a lute in the distance. S'eni was the first to finish, practically inhaling her food, yet she still felt rather hungry and found herself glancing at her friend's plate.
Something that did not go unnoticed by Y'shtola, who raised an eyebrow, then slowly pushed her plate forward. "You can have the rest, I'm not particularly hungry."
She looked at the plate, then towards Y'shtola's face, then back towards the plate. "A-are you sure?" she asked
The other Miqo'te gestured toward the food. "Go ahead."
And so she did. While she was happily eating, she missed the smile that Y'shtola was hiding behind her cup.
After they were done, the two of them decided to call it a night and headed towards Midnight Dew to be shown to the lodging they had been offered.
As much as a corner in a half-finished house with a simple partition giving some privacy could be called such.
In the middle of it all stood a singular cot.
"I'm sorry, but this is pretty much the best we can do," the Roegadyn woman said. "Most of us have to bunk together."
S'eni and Y'shtola looked at one another before the latter returned her gaze to Morning Dew. "It will suffice."
"Alright. Good night then." With a friendly little wave, the former treasure hunter left. Once they were left alone, S'eni released a sigh and rubbed her forehead.
"What's wrong?" Y'shtola asked. "I saw you touch your temple a few times on the way here. Are you having another vision?"
"It's just a headache." She shook her head, grimacing a little. "I was hoping getting some food would make it better but now that I'm winding down it's only getting worse."
"You should have said something," her friend chided and walked over to one side of the cot. "Sit down."
"It's alright. Nothing some sleep won't fix," she insisted.
"Eni. Sit down." The tone in Y'shtola's voice brooked no argument. Knowing that she had lost this particular battle, S'eni walked over and did as she was told.
"Honestly," her friend muttered and put her hands on either side of S'eni's head and tilted it upward, not unlike a hairdresser.
"Are you going to cut my hair now?" she asked with a little smirk dancing across her lips.
"Oh hush you."
Y'shtola's hand came to rest upon her forehead shortly followed by a soft glow emitting from her palm. Waves of warmth started to spread from her touch throughout S'eni's entire head, slowly washing away the pain and making her eyelids flutter shut.
A sigh of relief passed her lips as not only the pain, but all the stress built over the course of the last few days started to evaporate into a blissful feeling, like floating on a cloud caressed by the sun.
Silence set over them as the magic did its work and S'eni felt her thoughts drift to earlier tonight, Mide's words echoing in the back of her mind.
Aiding someone else's dream... In a way that was what the Scion's were doing with their shared dream of a peaceful Eorzea, a spark ignited in their hearts by Louisoix and Minfilia, something they believed in. Yet...was it truly what each of them dreamed, or did they have their own, much more personal goals?
"Shtola?" She found herself asking after a moment of contemplation.
"Yes?"
"What is it you dream of?"
"Where did that come from?" the other woman asked right back.
"I just realized I never really asked what it was you want out of your life," S'eni replied.
Y'shtola didn't respond immediately, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand. After a while, she finally said, "I wish to unravel our world's secrets. A rather lofty goal I suppose, but one I endeavor to stride towards nevertheless."
S'eni hummed. "I can't say I'm surprised."
"Yes, I'm remarkably predictable."
"That's not what I meant," she said, her lips curling into a smile. "It suits you. If anyone can do it, it's you."
"I will take that as a compliment then," Y'shtola replied. "How is your head feeling?"
"All better."
"Good."
The warmth started to recede before the hand resting on her forehead slipped off, leaving a tingling feeling in its wake. Slowly, she opened her eyes to come face to face with an upside-down Y'shtola, cherry pink looking into silvery white.
"Thanks," S'eni said after a moment of silence.
"No thanks necessary." The other Miqo'te's hand landed on her shoulder and gave it a small pat. "But I think it's time to call it a night."
"Agreed." She scooted forward, trying to make as much room as possible, and proceeded to lie down. The cot bumped a little as Y'shtola joined her and it took them a bit until they had found a way for both of them to be somewhat comfortable.
With her back resting against her friend's and her tail curled around herself, S'eni stared at the cracks in the wall and stifled a yawn as the fatigue finally started to catch up with her.
"Are you going to tell me as well?"
"Hm?"
"What you are dreaming of, I mean," Y'shtola clarified.
She had to think about that for a moment, but the answer was honestly all too clear.
"Go on adventures and see the world," she replied with a chuckle. The feeling of shaking shoulders against her back made her turn her head a little to try and glance at Y'shtola, but even without seeing her, S'eni could tell she was quietly laughing. "What?"
"Aren't you already living your dream then?"
She blinked once, then joined her friend in laughter. "I guess I am!"
"I hope that means I can rely on your future assistance then, O adventurer?" Y'shtola asked after their laughter subsided.
A warm smile formed on S'eni's lips and she gently bumped the back of her shoulder against the other woman's. "Like you have to ask."
"Hm, I suppose you're right." Shifting a little, Y'shtola rested her head on her forearm. "Good night."
"Good night," S'eni replied and closed her eyes, letting the soft breathing coming from behind her lull her slowly to sleep.