3186/A Wild Rose by Any Other Name

A Wild Rose by Any Other Name
Date of Scene:	10 October 2015
Location:	Hydaelyn Reborn <ARR>
Synopsis:	Ten good reasons to ship Cirra and Thancred.
Cast of Characters:	255, 626, 627, 642, 675, 747, 815, N'raha Tia, 823, 826
Tinyplot:	The Six Crystals of Light

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Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Long weeks after the defeat of Ramuh, his slayer, and their allies, and other volunteers, have been summoned by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Heroes who can slay Primals aren't exactly common, and if Hydaelyn is to be saved from an encroaching darkness, those heroes must needs work together.

    Your summons take you to LIMSA LOMINSA, the port city, but your stay there once out of the Warp Gate is not long. An envoy from the Scions, a familiar Elezen (elf, tall) woman called LIAVINNE, in brown and green leather armor, bow and quiver on her back, awaits you with tickets to Limsa Lominsa's ferry.

    The ferry, in this case, turns out to be a boat. Not a big one, but plenty of room for a dozen of you. The trip isn't very long, as you reach VESPER BAY, a small coastal village in the WESTERN THANALAN desert. Surrounded by mountains and hills, Vesper Bay is kind of well nudged, an easily defended position. And though the Sun is still high enough to provide plenty of heat and lighting, the telltale glow of an Aetheryte Crystal is not visible here; nor is the signature of a Warp Gate.

    Once off the ferry, Liavinne motions towards one of the closest buildings, a two-story square house of gold and white aged stone, not marked by any particular sign. The Waking Sands, she calls it, is the secret headquarters of the Scions, and intentionally kept out of reach of the three primary city-states, as they don't feel they should be a 'weapon' that belongs to any one faction.

    Those who head inside find themselves in front of a large, occupied only by a short female Lalafell in a pink linen tunic, a red-brown cap with a feather, and an absolutely to die for smile.

    She's humming a song, wobbling back and forth as she sorts piles of papers and maps on the table. She does not notice people coming in.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    Mr. N'raha... was not on the boat with the rest of the people. Not surprising, actually, given that's he's local. He's been here for other reasons... that are entirely 'the fishing is good here' and 'I like watching the boats come in, okay'? Let it never be said he's not getting into the pirate life.

    That said, the miqo'te is relaxing a bit on the steps of the place as people saunter up from the docks.

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    A summons from the Scions, people who seem to know a fair bit about Primals and who provided their assistance in the Ramuh crisis, is not something Setsuko would be inclined to ignore even if she hadn't actually been part of the group that felled the Lord of Levin. Given that she was? It would be downright foolish of her not to come when they call. Liavinne gets a brief, hard stare, but nothing more than that; she's inclined to make her continued distaste known, but not beyond that.

    She spends more or less the whole trip out on the prow, feeling the wind in her face and watching the distance as they travel.

    On arrival in Vesper Bay, she gives the building which turns out to be the Waking Sands a brief, scrutinizing it before giving N'raha a nod of greeting and stepping in the door... to herself be greeted by the sight of something small, pink and adorable. Her choice of actions is to softly clear her throat, wait a second or two, and then speak. "We're here per the summons of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. About the Ramuh incident."

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
Along the trip, Bertram has been quietly thinking. Which is somewhawt unusual, normally he would talk when in groups, but so far he hasn't said a single word, not even a greeting. Even when they arrive he doesn't say a think, the others get polite and firm nods of greeting, but he just maintains folded arms and pure silence. Something is probably bothering him.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Kyra was kind of reluctant to show up for this. For one, she wasn't so much a slayer of anything, really, except for kitchen equipment. For another, that last battle against Ramuh had given off the distinct feeling that she was pretty unwelcome here.

    Eventually, she decides to come, if only to see if there was some kind of Quest Reward in being part of a party that defeated a Primal.

    After an uneventful ferry ride and a walk to an unmarked building, Kyra starts to grow a little suspicious. She tries to make small talk with the others out of nervousness but it ends up falling flat and the white mage eventually buries herself into her mPhone until they're escorted into the building. She seems...mildly interested in Lalafells since they /are/ cute. But they're not moogle-cute which makes all the difference.

    "Hey, yeah, so what's up with that?" Formalities for Kyra? Not today it seems.

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji was expecting the people od Hydaelyn to eventually notice what happened. Such a critical juncture of adventurer and Primal is not common, and the Primal losing is apparently even less common. When the request for a meeting arrives, Souji is sure to attend such a thing.

Opportunity strikes like lightning, as the saying goes.

Liavinne is basically handled with Souji's usual businesslike demeanor, and their trip to Vesper Bay is also faced with a seemingly endless well of patience. He doesn't speak on the trip, likely giving people a bit of deja vu as they might look between Souji and Setsuko.

The arrival in the Waking Sands causes Souji to watch the Lalafell at the table with a stoic, even gaze, giving him pause for a moment as the subject of their arrival is brought up.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    As people start to shuffle in, Mr. N'raha is shying away from looking at either Souji or Setsuko. Ears are drooping a little bit too as they come in. He waves at bit to Tataru, but sorta stays near the back.

Cirra Constantine (675) has posed:
    Stoic Person #3: Cirra Cosntantine remains quiet on the fairy ride. She does however constantly scan the horizon as the ship sails, generally keeping a deligent watch. Apon arrival at VESPER BAY, Cirra takes a mental note of the layout of the square and moves towards the indicted building. When faced with the Lalafell she somehow grows even more quiet at the humming ..girl? Woman. Until she coughs into her fist

    "Ahem."

Xiao Li Yu (823) has posed:
     Feeling a whole lot better than she did compared to the *last* time she'd set foot onto this world, Xiao took the time out to come and see just what the summons was for today. She stayed mostly quiet, humminga random tune to herself and teetering from side to side as she fiddled with an Mpad in her hands.

     The ferry ride was uneventful and they arrived at their destination in fairly good time. Once off the boat and up the stairs into the building, they find...ah, a Lalafell. "Aw, how cute." Xiao mumbled aloud to no one in particular. She never could take Lalafell seriously. She just wanted to hug all of them. All of them, all the time. It was a problem.

     Seriously.

     "So what are we here for today? Are we going to be blindsided by assassins lingering in the shadows? Oooh, how exciting! When do we start?"

     Xiao no.

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     "Ah, Cirra, come now. You're possessed of a lovely set of lips and the words with which to use them! If you're so brusque, soon people won't even see you - they'll just see the armor and a scowl!"

     The Prince of Ramuh had seen little need to interrupt until Cirra's cough, but he apparently takes great joy in doing so. The smile on his face is a good-natured one, matching the jovial tone of his voice and his stance.

     "A lovely day to you all, both those I have not met before and of course those I am most familiar with," Landon offers, a polite bow accompanying the words.

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    "WAH!"

    TATARU TARU's singing is interrupted, and the Lalafell's paperwork goes flying as she scrambles to keep hold of it in her jump. Maps and assorted reports stamped by the Maelstrom, the Twin Adder and the Immortal Flames slowly fall back onto the table or ground, as the small girls puffs her cheeks.

    "I would thank you not to sneak up on me like that! A-Ah, I mean, sorry, sorry! You're here for the meeting, yes?" On cue, Alwyn's pet whelp, Kain, pops up from under the table, holding a large book in its mouth and dumping it back onto the table. It helps Tataru clean up her mess.

    "One of your friends is already downstairs! The Antecedent is waiting for you all in the solar, along with the others. Here, here, this way!" On the way, she asides to Xiao: "A-Assassins?! I-I should hope not! Oooh, now that's kind of a scary thought..."

    Tataru does not walk-- it's more like prancing, right now, a happy stride towards stairs off to the side heading into the basement. As happy as she can be after Xiao's suggestion, anyway. Liavinne seems completely oblivious to Setsuko's hostility, or perhaps she just doesn't care. The actual truth is that she's already tipsy.

    To head downstairs is to find a basement indeed, a single long hallway splitting left into a side room, and ahead to a closed set of doors. Standing in this hallway are the SCIONS OF THE SEVENTH DAWN-- well, some of them. URIANGER stands in the doorwar headed left, arms crossed and leaning against the wall. The tale male Elezen is draped from head to toe in white and red robes, goggles hiding his eyes under the hood. Y'STHOLA is a white-haired Mi'qote (catgirl), wearing a simple if poofy white shirt and blue pants. Next to her is THANCRED, the ladykiller white-haired human in a cool black and white vest, knives sheathed to his side. YDA and PAPALYMO, the female human monk and small male blond Lalafell combination, stand to the right against the wall, talking with ALWYN HIGHWIND idly.

    It's not long because THANCRED is the one to break the ice. "My, you came in force! And hello there, if it isn't the researcher!" He sliiiides over towards Xiao, kneeling down to grab her hand and do the whole routine. Then he looks up towards Cirra. "And you brought some friends! Pray forgive my rudeness, my name is Thancred," he says towards Cirra.

    Y'shtola burries her face in one hand.

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Compared to the look she gave Liavinne, the stare Xiao Li Yu gets out of Setsuko is absolutely /withering/. It lasts just long enough to make the swordswoman's distrust and dislike abundantly clear, and then like a passing cloud, it is gone. Setsuko isn't here to cause problems today. But she is keeping a wary eye on Xiao, oh yes.

    Landon, meanwhile, gets a very very different sort of stare. Because Setsuko has never seen him in anywhere near this high a spirit. It's almost as if she doesn't know what to make of it.

    Meeting new people, however, is something she can handle easily, and she does exactly that, offering a bow to the collected Scions. "Think of it more as all of us individually deciding we should heed the summons," she replies to Thancred. "It's good to see you all well. You weren't exactly standing back in safety while we fought, after all." They had their own battles to fight just to make sure there was no interference with Ramuh. To Y'shtola, she turns and adds, "I don't believe we've properly met. Major Setsuko Kaminagi, Union Armed Forces."

N'raha Tia has posed:
    Oh hey we're all here and we're... all meeting the people that Bertram said he should be meeting... a long time ago.
    N'raha looks slightly less anxious seeing a miqo'te in the motley crew of the Scions, though Thancred gets a shake of his head. N'raha follows... if not at the side of Setsuko, then nearby at least as she heads over to Y'shtola. He waves a hand in greetings as well, and murmurs. "N'Raha. I'm with... well. The Guild, for now. Haven't decided if I'm going anywhere else at this point. I mean, besides helping here, cause I'm doing that. Hi."

    He holds his hand out slightly fitfully.

    (So cool.)

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "Whoops. Sorry about that." Kyra offers, inwardly giggling as she hears Landon wax poetic at Cirra, trying to entice her to cheer up. Quietly, she wishes Landon luck in these efforts and drifts out of arm's reach of the dark knight.

    Xiao's comment draws a funny look from Kyra. "That seems to have come out of nowhere, Xiao, are you being stalked by assassins now? Piss anyone else off lately?" Her barbs become distracted as Kyra notices Kain fetching a /book/ and it's just about the cutest thing she's seen. Very quietly and very quickly she sneaks a picture of this with her phone.

    Once lead downstairs, she sees a number of familiar faces, though she really hasn't had the chance to speak with the white-haired crew when they were around. She becomes miffed, as teenaged girls are wont to do, when the flirt of the bunch doesn't flirt with her and opts for ignoring Thancred. Instead she gravitates over to Urianger.

    "Hi! So what did you guys need to talk to us about regarding the Ramuh thing? Like, is there a way to reverse the damage that he was getting so pissed off about? I mean short of kicking Garleans out of the forest."

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
Right when Thancred starts being, well... Thancred, Bertram asks Xiao a simple question, "Gone on any more volatile rampages lately, miss Yu?" He's not being subtle about it, either. Though at least his voice sounds more concerned than hostile. Then he smiles at the others present, especially Yda and Papalymo. "Yda, have you been causing Papalymo any more entertaining grief lately?" The cheer in his voice sounds forced.

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji does not sigh outwardly when Tataru flails, but you can /feel/ a faint aura of disappointment emanating from him. Despite this, he follows the others into the basement, ignoring Xiao's shenanigans and letting Landon have his moment in the sun as they head into the basement towards the Solar.

When they are met by the Scions, Souji gives them a bow. "Greetings. It is an honor to have a chance to meet with you all in... less dire circumstances." Souji states. "We have answered your summons. Please, tell us how we can assist one another."

Cirra Constantine (675) has posed:
    Cirra looks over at Landon with a dry expression, when Tataru Taru's papers go flying she looks over and grasps three of the papers out of the air quickly and puts them back on the tabletop as the rest of the group walk down the stairs.

    "I'm not hear to talk for you, Prince Landon. You do more then enough of that for both of us." It's hard to tell if she's joking back or not.

    Once she enters the office though she blinks at the assembeled Scions. She thought there would be...more. Then THANCRED looks towards her, she just looks to the side without a word, but does toss her silver hair over her shoulder. "..."

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    "Y'shtola. Like ser Bertram, I am a conjurer of Gridania. Unlike him, I am no White Mage, but I strive to benefit the Scions with my craft as much as possible," the catgirl answers Setsuko, with her refined and polite tone. "Would that these circumstances were not such troublesome ones." She nods to N'raha, probably if only because seeing another Mi'qote is never a bad thing. "Please, do not sell yourself short. Few heroes challenge a Primal and walk away unchanged. You have done what many of us cannot."

    She looks towards Souji next, and nods. "Pray wait just a little bit longer. The Antecedent is discussing the matter with another one of us, to best present to you the whole picture. I fear we are required on four fronts, and the decision of which to tackle first will be yours to bear."

Xiao Li Yu (823) has posed:
     Setsuko's look was noted. In fact, she met the woman's gaze and smiled in return, as well as offered a short wave.

     Kyra's comment earned her a chuckle. "Assassins? Ah, perhaps. It comes with the territory. ...But don't we both know about, my bestest friend in the world~?"

     They all made their way downstairs after that. Aha, so this is where they all wer- "Ah-"

     And there it goes. ...what was his name again? MAN CRED? DAMN FRED? SAM BREAD? THAN...Oh! THANCRED! "-Thancred, right?" Xiao smiled pleasantly and nodded. "How nice to see you again. It's been weeks, no?" And immediately, her attention was stolen elsewhere. She observed all of the others, and watched as both groups began to mingle. "But my, what a varied little crew you have here. Have you all been faring well?"

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    The fact that Scarlet hadn't actually been there for the defeat of the Lord of Levin is beyond the point. Why would she put herself in such a position, after all? There are plenty of heroes and soldiers and warriors to do that instead. She has every right to be here due to the fact that the entire operation it was a part of was her idea to begin with. Mostly, at least. Plus, ghost crystal earth mom had spoken to her as well. Proof of legitimacy.

    This is her first time meeting a Lalafell, but Scarlet's initial reaction is to immediately mistrust anything which seems deliberately adorable. Nobody looks and acts that cute unless they plan to gain something from it. Fortunately the Lalafell appears to merely be the secretary here, and so it isn't long before she finds herself in amongst whom appear to be the real movers and shakers. At this point, it hardly takes much effort to distinguish them as important. Everything on this world is absolutely saturated with magic.

    "My my. I miss a day and you already have a suitor~" is her absolutely required remark to Setsuko. "You must be very popular by this point, after all." She does glance towards Cirra, apparently the first person to have initiated contact with this group, or at least this individual in particular, but she knows little to nothing about her at this point, so keeps her mouth shut. "A pleasure to meet you, Thancred, and no offense taken~ Showing consideration to a lady isn't something to apologize for." She might be teasing the Major a little, but more than anything, it comes off in exactly the kind of way she has determined the man will likely react most favourably to, through more than simple control of tone.

    "While we're introducing ourselves, Scarlet Everille, magus in training, and predictably also with the Union. Charmed~" She directs that more broadly to the rest of the Scions.

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     Landon's good mood can probably be attributed to a lot of things. The fact that Ramuh has all but won the Shivan War is probably a not-inconsiderable contributor. Such a weight off his shoulders has probably really helped him cut loose and relax a bit more. The Landon of a country under war is a very different man than the Prince of a country victorious. He may even have let down his hair (so to speak) and gone out for entertainment!

     The Prince's grin widens at Cirra, but he says nothing. He watches Thancred for a moment, his grin still wide, and, in a shocking display of the Prince's personal ability to keep a mask, it doesn't break.

     Landon does, however, get serious within an instant when business gets put on the table. The Prince's grin disappears as soon as serious matters appear. "I hope that I can offer you any aid I may personally be able to offer. Whether my nation can do the same is a matter of some debate, but I at least am unwilling to allow more tragedy to spread at the hands of those who hold the titles of our gods."

     Landon in Serious Face is perhaps a lot more reassuring for people who *haven't* seen the man relaxed.

     Landon also lowers his head politely to Scarlet, since she's just joining the group.

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Urianger perks up as he is approached, having been content until then to just loom in a corner like the absolutely trustworthy guy he is. The Elezen gives a stoic sigh, and then smiles at Kyra. "The damage to the Twelveswood will heal over time. Certainly if you have talents for healing magic, you may consider assisting the Conjurers of Gridania with their quest to restore the elements. It is true your time would be better spent terminating the threats at the root, though."

    It takes him a moment to register who Kyra is; when he goes, his expression seems to change for the better. "Hold. You are... from the Academy, correct? The world where all nations have contributed to a single grand school where one may pursue knowledge and learning? What is it like?"

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Cirra's cold treatment doesn't seem to discourage Thancred; he simply beams a smile, energy perhaps renewed by the interaction. Sometimes it pays to pursue the prize you CAN'T have. She answers Xiao, nonetheless, never missing a beat.

    "We've been well, just a bit overrun." Scarlet, though, is a new face, and the white-haired man grins, moving over towards her instead. "A magus, hm? I've not heard of that profession before. Perhaps you'd explain over a glass of wine, after this?" He has to try, it's in his job description somewhere, surely.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT N'RAHA THAT'S WHAT THE PRETTY LADY SAID. The message filters down into the young man's brain after a second or two and he takes a breath. "Right, no. Yes, Yes I did tdo that and you're welcome, then." Own it, cat man.
    THough, he glances to Setsuko and then Souji again, murmuring. "Not really sure I can say 'unchanged' but I'll take it." He manages a grin, even as the news is delivered. More work for the Free Company. Well, that's how it is, these days.

    A glance over his shoulder though at Thancred's very smooth delivery. How does he do that?

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    "Any help you wish to offer will be greatly appreciated," Papalymo says, walking towards Landon. Yda stays behind with Alwyn, for now, the two still chatting. "For I fear that was not the last Primal we must needs confront, and while I do not doubt our ability to, perhaps, battle one, I would think the damage upon us would write out the possibility of a second occurance of such a feat."

    As much as Yda would insist she CAN punch a Primal into submission if given a chance, Papalymo wouldn't take the chance if it can be helped.

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    "I long ago consigned myself to a life of troubling circumstances," Setsuko replies, the traces of a grim smile on her face briefly. "At the very least, I have the right to choose the ones with agreeable allies."

    Speaking of agreeable allies, there's Scarle-

    Wat.

    Setsuko turns around to face Scarlet Everille, only to be greeted with a bit of teasing that briefly has her looking utterly perplexed and perhaps just a touch awkward. She glances briefly at N'raha, then back at the magus with her eyebrows practically in the sky, before quietly turning herself back to the rest of the group - more specifically, Y'shtola, but even Urianger gets a brief glance of curiosity. "Four fronts... I hadn't realized the Scions were so pressed."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "Oh yes, yes we do~" Kyra replies in that sweet, saccharine YES YOU ARE TOTALLY MY BEST FRIEND voice to her BESTEST OF FRIENDS, Xiao. "It sure does come with the territory."

    Kyra grins back at Uriagner. "Oh yeah, Bertram took us to manage some corrupted water elementals. White magic does seem to be pretty effective at getting rid of the corruption but...hmm. What do you mean by terminating threats at the root, though? Do you know what the root is?"

    Eagerly, she nods. "Oh yeah, I'm from Alexander Academy. N'raha-" she gestures over at the Miq'ote, "-he's started taking classes there too. Me, I think it's pretty great." Not that people could really tell that from her class attendance records, "We get a place to learn and pactice stuff before going 'live' against things that can kill us! Great experience. Sometime the homework's kind of a pain though."

Cirra Constantine (675) has posed:
    As Landon put sonhis serious face, Cirra turns back to look at the Scions. "How many of these Primals are there currently active?" she asks, studiously avoiding eye contact with THANCRED and his flirtatious nature.

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Y'shtola smiles, approaching N'raha. "You seem to have trouble with your place in the world. Perhaps I might share advice I've received when I was still young? If ever you find yourself unknowing what to say, especially to a compliment, argue it not, simply smile, and nod."

    As she takes a step back, she hms. "But perhaps unchanged was indeed a wrong choice of words. Nonetheless, you all have not only met Ramuh's challenge, but gained his approval through judgment. That is no small feat."

    She turns to Setsuko, nodding. "We have word from all three Grand Companies that they have tracked activity hinting at the present of Primals on their land. Another of ours, Alphinaud, believes he may have found someone we must recruit and heal quickly. Thus, four fronts."

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     "Then I hope only that I will be up to the task of aiding you," Landon confirms.

     Landon nods at Cirra's question. "Further, which? And what do you know about them?"

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    Landon gets a coy little wave in return as acknowledgement from Scarlet. He's always been very courteous whenever she's seen him, so she's fairly well disposed towards him, even if not quite sharing in the princely air. Thancred she evaluates more carefully. It does come off as something of an obligatory gesture from him rather than real interest, but then, that's exactly what she's used to, isn't it? Rich people like to call this kind of pseudo-dating "networking" all the time, and with a fancy name like "Scions of the Seventh Dawn", it might actually be worth some time set aside. "Mmm, perhaps I will, provided we aren't here all night." Her smile is much less facetious than before, less intense so as not to appear flirty, but more genuine overall. "Presuming you have adequate taste in wine, of course~" That part might be a challenge though.

    She has to restrain herself from laughing at Setsuko's reaction, though she makes no attempt to hide the fact that she is doing so, concealing only her grin behind the back of her hand. Her conversational partner appears to be on a more serious subject though, and she didn't come here just to play around. "I can see why you'd make the call-in if you're dealing with three potential Primal situations at once. Do you happen to know which?"

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    "What a wondrous place that sounds like. I would very much like to visit, one day. Perhaps obtain a library card and make frequent use of your facilities if you would let me. I enjoy the company of books more than people, I must admit," Urianger answers Kyra, trying to excuse his behavior a bit. "As for the root of the problem, no, I know not its true identity. The Garleans are certainly prime suspects. Dealing with the Primals will no doubt help, as well."

    Yda frowns, crossing her arms as she turns her attention from Alwyn to Bertram. "Please! It's Papalymo who causes me grief. I could solve twice as many issues as we normally do if he'd just let me do it my way. He holds me back, that's what he does."

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"You cause eachother grief, Yda. It's just that the grief you cause Papalymo makes me smile, and the grief that Papalymo causes you is so boringly mundane." Bertram tries to sound upbeat and cheerful, but even teasing those two doesn't seem to do much for him today. So, he shrugs and instead focuses on the important bit. "As a healer, healing someone sounds along the lines of my strengths, but if these primals are active I fear they may take priority. Pray tell me, which ones are they?"

N'raha Tia has posed:
    N'raha....

    He smiles. And Nods. At Y'shtola. Okay. This is easy.

    That said, he finally catches 'suitor' out of the noise of the room and starts looking around confusedly until he spots both Scarlet and Setsuko. And then his ears pin back more than a little.

    Smile and nod? Meet 'hold thy tongue' and look grumpy.

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Papalymo frowns as Cirra cuts to the chase; he is about to answer her and Landon both, when the doors at the end of the hallway open. ALPHINAUD, a teenager Elezen with white hair, in black and white clothes, steps out of the office, blinking a moment at the crowd.

    "I see there was no exaggeration made as to your numbers. Please, come inside, we have readied our maps and information."

    As the group no doubt heads into the office, seeing MINFILIA, a blonde female young woman, behind her desk, Papalymo answers Landon, Cirra and Scarlet on the way. "We have reason to believe that Ifrit, Titan and Leviathan have been summoned into this world again, but no concrete proof yet. Agitation amongst their respective beastmen, merely. Matters that cannot be investigated solely through one's FISTS," he says, glaring towards Yda, who sticks her tongue out.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "Hmm, how about this..." Kyra lifts a finger, "You just give the word and I'll give you a personal tour of the campus. I don't think getting a library card would be a problem. You don't have to be a student to use the library but it helps. As long as you're registered and don't steal books, they're glad to accomodate." Her look sobers a little, "Despite certain unfortunate past problems, we're very welcoming of offworlders."

    Switching subjects, Kyra looks thoughtful. "So confronting the other Primals, should they appear again, is the best route to go? Taking on a whole Empire is kind of beyond the skillset of my friends. Well, except for one, but I don't think the Prince of Ramuh is going to declare Extradimensional War on the Garlean Empire, even if he dislikes environment-destroying tyrants."

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    "Recruit and heal...?" Setsuko echos, frowning. That's... a peculiar description, and also sounds urgent. "Perhaps that will be our first task, but that's not for me to decide on my own. And not until we hear more of the situation, for that matter." For the time being, she turns where she stands, falling into place next to Y'shtola as the door to the Solar opens. She's one of the most stoic Scions present, so she seems like the easiest one for Setsuko to hang out near. Alphinaud gets a curious look, but with the group being called in at last, the demigod heads in with a simple, brisk pace. There, at least, they meet the leader of the Scions, whom Setsuko scrutinizes before offering the same bow she'd given Y'shtola. "Setsuko Kaminagi, Major with the Union Armed Forces." Simple and serviceable; an easy introduction to give, when she expects to be giving introductions repeatedly.

Xiao Li Yu (823) has posed:
     Ah, finally.

     Information.

     Xiao stepped into the office with the others, eager to finally know what was going on. "Hmmn, so the other Primals have allegedly appeared, have they?" She mused aloud, listening in on certain tidbits as they moved. A creepy smile crossed her face.

     "...Fascinating."

     Fascinating for Reasons of course.

     Always Reasons.

     Always.

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
Souji has nothing to add to the conversation until they enter the Solar proper and the rest of the Scions make themselves apparent. He bows again, this time introducing himself properly. "Souji Murasame, of the Murasame Zaibatsu. At your service."

Papalymo provides additional data. "Ifrit, Titan, and Leviathan." Souji repeats. "A formidable situation even if it were one alone. Are any of the situations more critical than the others that would have us draw our attention to them, or would we be better off working to investigate and potentially stymie them with coordinated general action?"

Cirra Constantine (675) has posed:
    Cirra is a direct, to the point kind of person and it ends up paying back as MINFILIA arrives and they head into the library. "Ifrit, Titan and Leviathan... If they're anything like our stories of old, thne they'll be difficult to approach."

    She frowns briefly as she some how synchronizes with Souji.

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     "Landon al Cid, Prince of Ramuh," Landon greets the leader of the Scions with a formal bow, then straightens. His face twists into a frown at the names. Leviathan. Titan. Ifrit.

     All the Primals that had awakened so far bore the names of the First Divines. How twisted, how *sad*, that in this vast impossibility of worlds there would be a place where those whose blood ran through Galianda, where those whose bodies and souls were given up for their children, would be enemies of Humekind. Landon looks away, staring at the window. And Ramuh...he had acknowledged them, too. He had acknowledged the similarity, the blood. He had acknowledged that they were alike.

     That only served to make the tragedy deeper.

     "I pray only that they are not working together," Landon murmurs, and hates himself for it, "For one creature of such power alone is a nightmare, but scarce can I imagine the kind of power more than one might wield."

     The power to create a world?

     The power to destroy one?

N'raha Tia has posed:
    NOW WE ARE DOING FORMAL THINGS.

    N'raha puts aside thoughts of beign teased about his love life or lack there of, and instead gets to meet. Minfilia. There's a little hitch in the Miq's giddyup as he staggers to a stop. Not by 'oh hey she's pretty' but rather 'why does she feel so familiar?'.

    Landon gets a look though. "That's because they don't like each other. The beast tribes don't get to run into each other much any more, but they probably did a long long time ago, and a primal... well, they're really old."

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"So the Sahagin, Kobolds and Amaal'ja move. I must admit that from what I know, Leviathan and Ifrit are the cause of the most immediate worry. I thought the Kobolds and Limsa Lominsa had an understanding." Bertram sounds very serious, levity gone. He leans against the wall and seems to think to himself. "While I'm sure the Kobolds have their reasons for summoning Titan, I would assume Leviathan would prove a more immediate threat to Limsa Lominsa."

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    "Oh but the numbers are a good thing, wouldn't you think?" Scarlet says to the newly presented Alphinaud. "The more help the better, right~?" Next she has to listen to Papalymo, though she's more inclined to do so by virtue of the fact that he isn't trying to affect a kind of saccharine aura of harmlessness. "Those would be the... fire, earth and water aligned Primals, yes?" It's handy that Galiandan mythology shares some similarities with Hydaelyn. The former has an internet of sorts, which suits Scarlet much better. "Investigating across all three nations simultaneously would be something of an undertaking even for us. I'd like to hear the full details of each situation, or at least as much as you can offer, though I admit the specific use of the word "quickly" makes me believe the young man may be more deserving of immediate action with this... " she deliberately leaves the sentence open ended, clearly prompting him with her eyes.

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    As the group enters the solar-- really it's just a fancy word for office at this point, the room is pretty humble save the huge desk-- Minfilia beams a wide smile at each of them. The other Scions follow in, and likely a big circle forms around the table to look at what's on it. A map of Eorzea, with plenty of markers. Garlean movements are tracked and dated-- increasing, lately. Kobolds and Sahagans are being monitored in La Noscea, and the Amalj'aa in the Thanalans. There's a marker in the snowy North, untagged.

    "Welcome, all. I am Minfilia, the Antecedent of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. As the others have explained, we are facing quite the crisis. Primals and Garleans are the top of our concern list, but hardly is that all we face."

    No doubt Urianger uses a moment of silence to nod at Kyra, obviously anticipating this now.

    Alphinaud, briefly, takes a polite bow, as Minfilia introduces him too. "And that is Alphinaud; grandson of our former leader."

    "As as just been explained, we suspect three Primals are currently being summoned, or have been summoned. Fortunately, as ser N'raha explains, you won't be needing to fight all three at once. For all the Primals plague us, we are blessed they cannot seem coexist peacefully. Nonetheless, tales of your victory over Ramuh will have travelled, and they will no doubt be agitated and unhappy."

    She looks down at the map, explaining.

    "The Amalj'aa worshipping Ifrit have been kidnapping townsfolks in the Thanalans. The Immortal Flames don't know how the beastmen are managing to get past the various guards and patrols stationed around the area. As much as the beastmen must be stopped, the means they are using to capture innocents must be uncovered first."

    "The Kobold and Sahagin situations are linked. It would seem that something has greatly upset the Kobolds and caused them to move on Sahagin territory. In rebutal the Sahagins are braving the frontlines of the Maelstrom to expand their breeding grounds. In both cases, theft of crystals have been reported, hinting both tribes are attempting to summon their respective lord."

    "And finally, Alphinaud, if you would?"

    The teenager steps forward, nodding. "Some of you, like mister Murasame, may have heard of the Garlond Ironworks. Garlean defectors who assist our resistance. Years ago, their leader, Cid, went missing. I've managed to find him again; he goes by the name of Marques now, and remembers naught. We must convince him to assist us. If we could have his talents, and his airship, it would expand our capabilities greatly. He currently lives in a small church near Camp Drybone, conveniently, near Amalj'aa activity sites. You may be able to handle those two matters together."

Cirra Constantine (675) has posed:
    "Cid?" Cirra looks at Landon for a moment, then to Alphinaud. "Do the Garleans know of this Cid's survival? IF they do, they could be sending agents to perminantly neutralize him."

    "If we're to have the best chance of success in attaining his help - and preventing his demise we should move on that matter immediatly."

Souji Murasame (627) has posed:
"Indeed, I am quite familiar with the organization." He pauses. "I have assets in place in the Ul'dah area, so I will focus my own efforts upon investigating the loation of Cid and the encroaching Amal'jaa issue. Recovering the head of Garlond Ironworks would be a significant benefit to our overall efforts."

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     Cid. Of course. Landon's face is an impassive mask. It is not the same Cid, for this is a world away, but again, the echoes cannot help but provoke something in Landon's heart. Cid.

     "I would also like to assist in that," Landon surges in immediately, because anyone who didn't notice his last name PRESUMABLY noticed Cirra's glance at him when the name came up, "I will not allow harm to come to him."

Xiao Li Yu (823) has posed:
     "I am interested in seeing Ifrit..." Xiao tapped her cheek with a finger thoughtfully. "Handling this Cid matter, along with Amal'jaa would be the most efficient first step to take. Two cockatrice, one stone, as they say."

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    "My concerns exactly," Alphinaud answers Cirra with a nod. "A few Garleans have been caught sneaking about, but we weren't able to extract their goal out of them. It's not known if they know whether or not he lives, but the Ironworks is known to them, and they have much to gain in its destruction, as it gives us access to the same technology they have-- and more importantly, an inside look on how to defeat it."

    Minfilia steps in, showing concern. "As you can see, we face difficult choices. Whatever matter we prioritize will take time to resolve, and allow the remaining ones to become worse. If indeed the Primals are being called, each delay will strengthen them, as their worshippers collect more crystals. If you choose to address Ifrit and Cid first, steel yourselves well, for it gives Kobold and Sahagin both additional time to prepare."

Bertram Silent (826) has posed:
"Cid lives?" Bertram sounds pleasantly surprised to hear this good news about his fellow garlean defector. It's the first time so far he's sounded genuinely upbeat, "In that case I agree we ought to handle the matter of Ifrit and the Amal'jaa first. Cid Garlond's expertise could be a great boon to us all."

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    Setsuko listens in silence, taking in each topic in turn. The final matter, the one that interested her the most at first, ends up being the least urgent overall; or at least the least urgent in terms of cost to human life. It's also probably the task to which she's least suited, though if the others ask her help she'd likely join them without hesitating. More concerning, however, are the three beast tribes. As expected, the Kobolds seem to be the least urgent.

    But the most concerning, to the demigod's ear, is Ifrit and his Amalj'aa followers. "...worrying," the swordswoman muses. "If the Amalj'aa simply had secret methods of infiltrating and bypassing patrols, they would work once or twice and then tighter guard would render them less of an issue. If it's continuing, that suggests two things. Either the guard has not been strengthened, or someone inside is passing information. Foolishness, or treachery. I'd have to survey the patrol movements and organization myself, perhaps speak to a commanding officer, to know which. I believe I'll lend my blade to that situation."

    Besides. It will let her keep an eye on Xiao.

    To Minfilia, she has a reply as well. "Be that as it may, Ifrit's followers are of the most concern to me right now. If by taking injury later, I can save innocent lives now, I'm content with that price."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "I agree that Ifrit should be handled first!" Kyra speaks up suddenly, having been quiet for a while to process all of this new information concerning the Primals and their restless followers. "Kidnapping is deplorable and it should be stopped as soon as possible!"

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    Fortunately, Scarlet knows nothing important about any Cid or what relevance the name could have here. The details of the situation are far more important to her than parallels between worlds. Of course, she has to take the opportunity to greet Minfilia and Alphinaud now that she knows their names, and especially their respective ranks within this particular heirarchy, but good impressions will follow good results either way, so planning comes first.

    "Mmm, I see." is her oh-so-helpful first response. After all, she has to at least pretend she's still thinking. "I'd think the order of operations here seems quite obvious. As long as the Kobolds and Sahagin continue to fight each other for the use of shared resources needed to summon their respective Primals, they will serve as check and balance against one another, alerting us to the likelihood of a Primal summoning by any major shifts in the conflict favouring one or the other. Meanwhile, the Amal'jaa operating independently means that they could be ready to summon at any time without our express notice."

    "Furthermore, I'm not exactly inclined to ignore something involving innocent people in favour of protecting a commodity first. Their involvement in civilian populations immediately makes them my personal priority at least. The fact that this Cid is on our way only cements it. We're already close enough to the desert. With, specifically, a native airship, the rest should become much easier. I think Alphinaud has the right idea. We can work on his memories later. I at least have some methods that might help with that."

N'raha Tia has posed:
    N'raha grumbles a bit as they talk about Cid and the Amalj'aa. Lots of words floating around about the innocents as well. But he's a pirate cat now, and that's gotta be addressed. "Have the Kobolds and the Sahagin been getting rowdier than usual? If Leviathan gets riled up we could see the coastlines get battered by awful weather again. Maybe even another tsunami. That's... that's not nothing."

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Alphinaud momentarily stutters. "Of course, I meant not imply the lives of innocents are less valuable than Cid. Merely that if so many of you are here to help, splitting up to handle both issues may save us much time and many headaches."

    It's Papalymo who answers N'raha. "A disastrous quake from Titan, a tsunami from Leviathan. In either case, it isn't out of the question that Limsa Lominsa could fall. Would be best that we have to deal with neither, than try to judge which is more dangerous."

    To everyone, Minfilia finally gives a nod. "Very well. The Thanalan matters it is. I will send word to the Immortal Flames, they may be able to lend some assistance."

    She glances up from her map, especially towards Alwyn, Bertram and N'raha. "There is one more matter we must needs discuss. Yda and Papalymo have mentioned to me you have all been put in communication with Hydaelyn herself. The Echo, as it is called, is a rare blessing. Hydaelyn speaks through you now, and protects you as she does me. You must listen for her words, whenever you find yourselves astray in the darkness. Warriors of Light through the eras have used the Echo to combat evil. We had thought the last of them killed during the Calamity... but perhaps we should have looked for new ones, rather than the old."

    Urianger is the one to pick this up and bring it to a more practical line of thought. "In theory, the Echo should shield you from the Primals, would they attempt to Temper you. I would not put this to the test unless you have no choice. Perchance, what did she say to you all? I've long wished word with her, as the Antecedent has, but lacking the Echo I was not afforded that chance."

Setsuko Kaminagi (255) has posed:
    To Minfilia, Setsuko replies, "I don't believe that I have the Echo, in truth. I'm not of this world. Most of us aren't, in fact. But I have something similar enough as to serve the same purpose, I believe. I can explain more after this meeting comes to an end, if you'd like." She rests her left hand on Zanjintou's sheath. "Regardless, even though we focus first on Ifrit, it remains a possibility that one of the other two could become a more immediate crisis. If all else fails, I sleep quite literally once per week, and I'm almost constantly out on patrol as part of my Union duties. Others could come quickly as well. So don't hesitate to contact us." She glances over her shoulder at Bertram, N'raha and Alwyn. "We should probably give her access to our linkshell. Just in case."

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    "That's a complicated question." Scarlet says to Urianger. "She's supportive of our cause at least. I'm not really sure about being called a hero, but it's clear that the summoning of each Primal is as much a threat to her being as it is to your civilization. She seems... like she wish she could do more, I suppose, but like she isn't what she used to be. She's promised guidance, but not the ability to do much more than that. I'd consider her sympathetic, and a source of valuable help, but not a trump card." She pauses for an additional moment. "It was a little sad, actually..."

    Of course she sees absolutely no issue with Setsuko's suggestions. "That sounds perfect. The more lines of communication we have here, the better."

N'raha Tia has posed:
    N'raha seems to take that all in, and then perks up a bit. "Oh, hey, yeah, her being on the 'shell would be great! I mean, that would make getting to us a whole lot easier."
    That tail of his swishes a bit, before he looks to Urianger with a little bit of a grin. "Oh, she's said plenty. A lot of it is to remind us to See... Feel. Think. But she spoke to plenty of us when we got the Crystal from the sylphs. She's seen bits of the outside too, or at least, uh, whatI could see. She seems... interested... in us bringing back the light."
    A look to Scarlet. "And it's not sad. It's just... how things are. She's got us to handle things for her."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "I agree that splitting up to tackle the smaller issues is a good idea. We have enough people to do that. But when we need to confront another Primal I think we need as many people as possible to help with that." Kyra agrees with Alphinaud.

    N'raha seems to disagree, pointing out the problems of a raging Leviathan, which Kyra has to agree with given what she knows of things named 'Leviathan.' "I don't like holding off on any of them for very long either, N'raha." she murmurs but stops there.

    Kyra stiffens a little at the words 'warriors of light' before she realizes exactly what that was referring to and relaxes. It isn't after Minfilia and Urianger have spoken does she adds, "Yeah, we from Galianda would be happy to help too. And, hey, why not open the linkshell?"

Alwyn Highwind (815) has posed:
    Alwyn nods, producing a LINKPEARL. He hands it to Minfilia, who seems delighted at the fact. She goes on to precise:

    "I'm unsure if the Echo could manifest in people from other worlds; it'd be a first, if it did, but I keep my mind open." Implication being she mostly meant the three actual Warriors of Light present-- extracurricular group aside.

    Urianger nods, obviously making mental note of it all. Minfilia explains: "Yes... Hydaelyn, her strength wanes. She spoke to me of coming darkness, and of heroes who would bear lights powerful enough to ward it. I have no doubt now you are those heroes. The light of the Crystal will guide you ever forward, but it is your own lights that will pave the way. As she will help us, we must help her back."

    And that, likely, will be the end of that meeting. Preparations will be made to investigate the matters of the Amalj'aa and Cid. THANCRED will be your go-to for these missions, being most familiar with the Thanalan regions. He will contact you as soon as everything is in place.