The Masters Matoya
In the end, getting our hands on Owen's research proved to be a little more difficult than I imagined, forcing us to employ the help of some old friends. Happy reunion aside, for which I was truly glad, the insight we received on the corruption was enough to create the cure we needed!
And soon after, we could also celebrate our first recovered patient: little Ga Bu.
Now came the challenge to apply it en masse and for that we needed more Porxies.
On Y'shtola's suggestion, we then set out to pay her erstwhile master a visit.
Bright and sunny, it was quite a beautiful day in the Dravanian Hinterlands. The cool breeze coming from the distant mountains mixing with the warmth of the sun above created just the right temperature to take a relaxing little walk and enjoy the scenery. Well, such as it was in the Answering Quarter, but at the very least it was teeming with far fewer monsters than in the past, so there was that.
But she wasn't really interested in her surroundings, had seen them enough times by now to know where what was. No, her attention was solely focused—
"Just say it so you can get it over with..."
—the woman next to her.
"You still haven't told her you're back." It wasn't a question.
"Oh?" Y'shtola raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you so sure about that?"
"The way your shoulders have stiffened ever since we arrived in Idyllshire." S'eni shrugged slightly, as if to make a point. Then she grinned. "And your tail."
Her eyes shifted down, where the other Miqo'te's tail too had stiffened almost into a straight line. Y'shtola followed her gaze and, with a deep sigh, forced herself to relax. "Honestly...Yes, I have not told her nor have I visited her, which she will take great pains to remind me of."
S'eni released a little hum and nodded, then let her grin turn into a smile. "But above all, she'll be happy to see you. In her own way."
Y'shtola mirrored her expression before narrowing her eyes ever so slightly. "Not a word."
"Hm?" she blinked. "What do you mean?"
Even as she asked that S'eni had trouble keeping herself from breaking into another grin again. Clearly not buying her act, Y'shtola's smile took on a sharp edge.
"You know exactly what I mean."
"Really? Whatever could you be—"
"Eni."
"Alright, alright," she chuckled, not bothering to hide it anymore. "I promise not to embarrass you in front of your former master by telling her you have been living under her name for the last two years."
"Thank you," her lover said.
"Now calm down. You two are going to hurl a few barely veiled insults at one another and it'll be just like you never left."
Y'shtola huffed out a little laugh. "Yes, I suppose you're right."
"Besides, chances are she'll rip into Raha for that botched summoning," S'eni said and looked over where he was walking together with the twins, his eyes firmly glued to Alexander in the distance.
After crossing the Quickspill Delta, and a short run-in with the local fauna, they soon stood in front of Matoya's hidden cave.
"So this is where the great Master Matoya lives," G'raha said as he looked at the wall of solid rock.
"Looking forward to meeting her?" she asked.
He nodded. "I do. She's something of a legend amongst Archons, you know."
More like a cautionary tale if you ask me... she thought as Y'shtola let them inside.
They had barely stepped into her cave when Matoya already greeted them in the most charming way possible. "I see a whole pack is barging into my home this time. Can't you just leave an old woman looking forward to her death in peace?"
"Do you have a moment to spare before going on your journey into Thal's realm? I would like to tell you something," Y'shtola replied, her lips quirking upward. "Thank you for watching over our bodies, Master Matoya."
The corners of Matoya's wrinkly lips curled upward. "Not at all, child. But I was really starting to wonder what kept you all in that other world for so long. Was the tea that good? Did you forget your home, Shtola?"
"The tea was quite good, thank you for asking. And I wouldn't have minded spending a few more years there. One seldom gets the chance to explore a different world, after all."
Alphinaud then spoke up. "Ever the scholar, Y'shtola dedicated herself to studying the ancient civilizations of the First, befriending a tribe known as the Night's Blessed in the process. There, she took on the name of Matoya, and won the respect of all the children of the forest."
In an instant, all sound left the room as everyone's heads snapped towards the young Elezen, looks ranging from surprise to shock on their faces. A couple of seconds ticked by until the stupor placed upon them by his words faded. S'eni bit the inside of her cheek.
Slowly, Y'shtola turned back towards her master, the smile on her face making it clear she was honestly thinking of hurling herself into the Lifestream yet again.
"Well, uhm..." She flicked her hair a little. "My hosts...they don't address one another with the names they were given at birth and...yours was the first that came to mind."
"Borrowing my name for your nonsense, child?" Matoya's perpetual scowl returned. "Did you hope some of my wisdom would rub off on you while gallivanting around with it?"
"Devoted student that I am, I simply wished to honor my Master. And the lessons she imparted on me. 'If the answer eludes you, look to the wisdom of your elders', isn't that right?"
"Hmpf." The old Archon's eyes shifted over the little crowd, stopping at S'eni for a brief moment and forcing her to bite down even harder, before coming to rest upon G'raha. "You there, were you going to introduce yourself?"
"Forgive my rudeness, Master Matoya. My name is G'raha Tia, and I'm proud to call myself a Scion," he said with a respectful bow. "I, too, wish to offer you my deepest gratitude for your invaluable aid in sustaining the Archon's bodies. It was my incomplete summoning spell that endangered their lives in the first place."
"Ah, the royal descendant of Allag. Old Galuf has told me about you. And Krile wrote me about your more recent exploits." Matoya released a snort. "My bones are too old and too weary for this, and I'm not in the mood to rip out your ears. So enough of that."
"Thank you. You are...too kind. And might I add, Galuf also told me much about you. It is an honor to finally meet you in person."
"Yes yes." She waved him off. "Now, with the pleasantries out of the way, what brings you here? Can't be a coincidence after all."
"Please allow me, Master Matoya," Alisaie said and called forth Angelo. The Porxie appeared out of thin air, doing a little flourish before coming to a stop in front of the old witch. Matoya stared into the familiar's eyes, then shifted her attention back to Alisaie, silently telling her to continue.
Listening intently to their plans of distributing a cure for the tempering all across Eorzea, the old Archon furrowed her brows in thought, causing the crow's feet around her eyes to deepen. "Hmm, I see," she said after Alisaie was done. "Yes, creating a familiar like this shouldn't prove to be too challenging. Now the matter of transferring one's memory? That is going to be difficult."
"Indeed." G'raha nodded. "And since the royal blood makes me the only one able to use it, we need to find a way to imbue the familiar with it."
"So you need old Matoya to conjure up a little piglet that is able to carry such a spell within it? Hmm, if it was only one or two...but what you're planning requires an entire herd..." She closed her eyes with a drawn-out hum, and S'eni could practically hear the gears turning in her head. With a smile, she raised her hand, finger extended. "Unless we get a familiar to create familiars, a...mother sow so to speak."
A mother sow... S'eni thought and looked towards G'raha. Imbued with the power of his blood.
Yes, that could actually work.
"Fine. I can't say no anyway. But there's still a small problem," Matoya said.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You'll see when we get to my old workshop. Everything required to make your familiar is there."
"That may be so." Y'shtola frowned. "But no one has set foot in there since the exodus. I dread to imagine what has become of it."
"Nothing to trouble the likes of you," the old witch replied. "Consider cleaning up that moldy old hole payment for my help."
"Fine. We'll do it," Alisaie said.
"Good girl. Now, if there are no other objections, I suggest you run along to the Makers' Quarter. I'll send one of my Poroggos ahead to let you into the workshop. Just tell him who you are. Now shoo!" she waved them away. "I'll join you when I'm ready."
With Matoya's more than clear dismissal, they left her cave again. The wall had just closed behind them, when Y'shtola turned towards S'eni. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get it over with."
S'eni burst into laughter.
While she was busy busting a gut, Alphinaud looked at G'raha, visible confusion on his face. "D-Did I say something wrong?" he asked. "I-It was not my intention to embarrass anyone."
"Ah, dear brother," Alisaie replied, letting her arm rest on his shoulder. "You really do have Mother's innocent streak. Sometimes it just makes me want to shake you."
Once she was calm enough again, she straightened herself, her shoulders still shaking slightly and her lips twitching as she looked her lover in the eye.
"Done?" Y'shtola raised a brow.
"Y-Yeah." A chuckle escaped her, making the other Miqo'te cross her arms in front of her chest, but she was able to keep it from turning into another bout of laughter. "N-No really. I'm done."
Taking a calming breath, she wiped tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes. "Hoo boy."
"I'm so very glad my misfortune managed to amuse you," Y'shtola said in a dry tone.
"Aww come on, don't be like that. At least it's out in the open now. There shouldn't be any secrets between master and s-s-stu—"
"I swear if you start laughing again I will turn you into a toad."
"I'm good! I'm good!"
"Honestly..." Y'shtola huffed and shook her head. "Can we go now?"
After taking another deep breath, she nodded. "Yeah, let's go. I want to see what her workshop has to offer."
"It was already quite unforgiving before the exodus," Y'shtola said as they began their track to the Makers' Quarter. "And I very much doubt the years of neglect have done it any favours."
"It can't be that bad."
"That was absolutely terrible!" S'eni said, pushing past the leaves covering the entrance. After putting enough distance between her and it, giving her friends space to leave as well, she wrung out part of her himation and glared at the building. From the outside, it didn't look any different than the rest, maybe a little overgrown, but by the gods the insides couldn't be further from that.
"I don't know," Y'shtola said while joining her outside. "I think it turned out quite refreshing, wouldn't you agree?"
She just glared at her and began drying her clothes with magic. Not that it would help a great deal with the dirt stains, but one thing at a time. "Aren't you going to tell me 'I told you so'?"
"No, I believe Nixie has done enough to make sure you understand now."
"Sure did...what in the hells were you thinking creating that?" she asked.
"Call it the eagerness and foolishness of youth?" Y'shtola offered with a smile. A strained look then entered her eyes and she stumbled forward.
"Whoa." S'eni swiftly stepped forward, taking hold of her shoulders. "You alright there?"
"Just a little dizzy spell. I suppose that took a lot more out of me than I thought."
"I'll say." But at least their special Porxie had been created successfully. One by one, the others were joining them outside, with Master Matoya being the last and quite adamantly refusing any aid offered to her.
"Well then, my friends," Alphinaud said after they all gathered outside. "With our task complete, I suggest we should make for Limsa Lominsa. Admiral Merlwyb will surely wish to hear of our success."
"My apologies, but I think I will stay here and rest for a while instead," Y'shtola said, a slightly weary tone in her voice now.
"Yes, you do look quite exhausted. Please, take all the time you need."
"In that case, why don't you go on ahead while I make sure these two ladies make it back in one piece?" S'eni asked. "If you don't mind, that is."
"Of course not." The young man smiled. "We shall deliver the good news in the meantime."
After exchanging good-byes, the three of them made their way back to Matoya's cave. About halfway there, the old Archon began to complain about her aching joints, only to fall silent again when S'eni offered to carry her. Soon enough though, they arrived.
"Sit down you two, I'll make some tea," she said as they stepped inside.
"Oh? You know your way around here that well already?" Y'shtola asked in clear amusement.
"Had to justify my continued presence here somehow." She sent her lover a quick wink before vanishing into the part of the cave where Matoya's small kitchen was, pointedly ignoring said witch's complaints about never having asked her to be here. Ushering out the two Poroggos on kitchen duty, she began to make the tea, lips curling into a smile as the earthy scent of herbs filled the air.
By the time she returned with a small tray, Y'shtola and Matoya were already deep in discussion.
"The Ronkan Empire...Fascinating..." Matoya said. "And you say their ruins are guarded by Viera?"
"Indeed. Though over there they are called Vii."
"Hmm. At least you didn't waste your time."
"Oh, she definitely hasn't," S'eni cut in, putting the tray down and placing the cups on the table. Once done with that, she poured the old Archon her tea. "In fact, I would say she's kept the busiest of all of us."
Taking her cup, Matoya gave the tea a little whiff before guiding it to her lips. "Hmpf. And caused you no end of trouble, I wager."
"Well..." Her eyes found silvery-white ones and she smiled warmly while pouring Y'shtola her cup. "Let's just say we caused each other quite some trouble but also pulled each other out of it."
The other Miqo'te just quietly mirrored her expression, not even looking away when S'eni moved on to her own cup. Matoya watched their silent exchange with a small roll of her eyes. "And I see you two still act like lovestruck fools."
"Oh, I don't know," she replied while sitting down next to Y'shtola. "I'd say we grew even more lovestruck."
She leaned over to plant a little kiss on her lover's cheek, making her ears perk in surprise. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Ugh."
S'eni grinned. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist."
Matoya shot her an unamused glare. But then again, it might also just be her regular expression. Hard to differentiate, really. "Just keep that behavior outside next time."
"Oh?" Y'shtola's lips rose. "So we are officially invited now?"
"Twelve strike me down..." the old woman pinched the bridge of her hooked nose.
S'eni released a giggle, but chose to refrain from further teasing and pulled the conversation back to the topic at hand. Silently drinking her tea, she listened to Y'shtola recounting more of their findings to her old master, an amused smile dancing on the edge of her lips as the two debated over them. Yes, those two really were two peas in a pot; like master, like student.
"Ah, that reminds me," she suddenly said, making the other two pause, and reached into her bag. She pulled out the tome bound in simple black leather. "I wanted to return this to you."
Matoya eyed her for a moment. "Finally finished?"
S'eni nodded. "And moved on to different study material."
She didn't notice the tiny, proud smile forming on Y'shtola's lips.
The old witch's eyes came to rest upon the book, looking at it for a few long seconds, before closing them. "Keep it."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "But I can't—I shouldn't—Are you sure?"
"Do I need to repeat myself!?" Matoya scowled, but swiftly softened up again. "I'm an old woman, very much in the twilight of my life. I've no need for it anymore. Perhaps one day, you will find someone who is wasting their potential and impart some of what is written inside it upon them."
"Master Matoya, I..." she pulled the tome close to her chest. "...Thank you."
Wrinkled lips curled upwards. "Don't mention it, child."
Y'shtola's hand came to rest on top of her shoulder and she turned her head to share a smile with her.
...
...
...
...then it turned into a smirk. "Does that mean I'm officially your student now?"
The old Archon's mood immediately soured again and she began to mutter something under her breath sounding suspiciously like "impertinent youngsters" before saying, "If you have time to mock me, then you have time to fill my cup!"
"Yes, Master!" she said and proceeded to do so.
"Hmpf. Now then, Shtola. Tell me about this land of Fae Urianger had taken residence in."
As Y'shtola recounted some of the things Urianger had told them about his time amongst the Pixies, S'eni found her fingers brushing across the book now resting on her lap; her book now.
And perhaps one day someone else's.
For wasn't it the duty of those who walked before to lead those who walk after?
We all love annoying good ol' Matoya, don't we?
Also fun stuff you can learn while running dungeons with Trusts wouldn't you agree?