#FxivWrite

[iwanomono]

Prompt #16: Third-rate

The crimson spear struck the beleaguered one eye beast, a bellow of rage answered the blue garbed spearman as it crashed inro the snowy path.

Peering in on the friendly rivalry and one-upmanship that almost half the team seems to be into left him bored. The creature had not caused any major injuries to her allies but it proved to him that they were definitely testing him by holding back their full strength in the interest of seeing how much he was willing to bring to the table beyond minimal effort and the supposedly misaimed and mistimed shots at their knight and lancer.

Golden eyes were on him, a flicker of fox ears and a hiss escaped the lips of foxy astrologian as she threw her mirror at him

It whizzed passed his nose by a hair breath and struck the empty air of the path a little ways back from him. A crackle of energy as a small barrier fizzled out of existence, revealing the guide and the exarch.

"Oh my" a nervous laugh escaped from the exarch. "This is awkward."

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Note – Tendonitis flare up sucks. Nothing major but the energy drain sucks. I am utterly amused that writing Emet’s laid back POV suits my energy level at the moment

[toadeyes-miqote]

Prompt #21: Grave

Note - 20 and 21 can actually swap/share prompts.

Time passes in the Central Circuit, artificial light slowly giving way to night. Estinien answered the door to the smile of Ameliance who was accompanied by Tataru and the three musicians. With a single hand gesture, a basket of fresh clothes was shoved into Estinien’s hands while Tataru alone entered the commandeered infirmary.

One by one, the trio handed baskets of food to him. The trio too were close to Hylnyan. Her brother and sister-in-arms and adoptive brother(-in-law). They had been most helpful fending off unwelcomed curious would-be visitors while having their representatives at the official debriefing party above to be their eyes and ears.

Stews and grilled food mostly recipes from the Northwestern Shrouds, Ishgard, Doma and the Steppes. The scent of flavourful food to lure the huntress back into their fold. The trio looked to Ameliance, who smiled at them with assurance, a polite nod of understanding and they retreated.

Ameliance had gotten an in dept report of what the group had went through from Alphinaud, she had put her weary son to bed and now she came for her daughter.

"Thancred? May I come in?" Mere formality to acknowledge the group dynamics that the physical fighters of the team had. She knew well who he was and the role he had taken on. Her father-in-law would have been proud of the chain of mentorship that the former urchin had established. That Alisaie had came to benefit.

"Please. My lady is ever welcome." He placed a comforting hand on Alisaie's shoulder to reassure her before attending to Ameliance.

When she near the sickbed, she noted that Thancred's coat had been neatly folded and placed beside the Miqo'te’s pillow, along with Alisaie's jacket, a set of gloves, scarf and one of Tataru's missing hat. A smile grew on Ameliance's face, she had trusted a hunch about the flavourful food that she brought and the Miqo'te hunter sense of smell.

"Thancred, please. For her sake get some rest and freshen up. It would hearten her to see you at your most dashing when she wakes."

He gave her a dazzling non-committal smile that might have worked on disarming the unsuspecting. But she deflected him with a hand on his arm, a firm grip. The warmth in her eyes that she knows what they had been through. He swallowed a non-existent lump in his throat and closed his eyes. Daring to hold her hand momentarily in thanks

"G'raha? Is the spell you are using mainly to ease Hylnyan's pain? Or is it something complex from your wealth of knowledge?”

The miqo'te ears perked up, at first he looked to Thancred for a cue. "Umm.. it is a basic spell."

"Would you mind that I hold Hylnyan's hand while you and Thancred refresh yourself?" "Uh no. I guess not."

"I'm not going home." Alisaie stated as Ameliance sat down on the floor beside her. Estinien had not follow the other two men but remain far enough from mother and child for privacy. He had Tataru for company instead.

"Not unless you wish to. " Her daughter slumped against her shoulder allowing her to sling her free arm around her shoulders. “I don’t want the cold comfort about Hylnyan's tales of heroics, mama. I don’t want glorifying of the what she has done when the why of it is more important.” Alisaie started while her mother gently rubbed her arm. “I want her hitting me with her tail to get my attention, to focus. I want her singing her silly Ishgardian songs about Estinien and goading him into taking it out the enemy.” “Hylnyan meant a lot to you?” “She’s different from the students here. She made it feel like life is not a chase for better academic results. That one must always compete to be the best. She doesn’t shoot down my ideas just because I’m younger. And she’s willing to find alternate solutions instead blindly following destiny. She makes me feel that I can get the best results when I shoulder part of the burdens of her responsibilities.... She recognise that I am not an extension of Alphi... ”

Her daughter had become much more people aware from her trip. She had no answers that could make her daughter feel better, the most she could do was sit with her for a while and see if brighter minds can come up with a solution. Someone would need to keep an eye on this lot to make sure they don’t hurt themselves in the process.

[apothecaryave]

The Fawn

Aveline couldn’t help the dumb smile on her face while she watched the little fawn splash about the lake’s edge. The adorable creature was small even for its age, some dwarf specimen with odd blue fur. Where it had come from she didn’t quite know except that it had been a gift and one that kept right on giving. There were few sounds more delightful than the click of her little hooves against the wooden floor of Aveline’s home, and sweeter still were its little mews for more pets once she settled herself in the hyur’s lap.

And now here they were by the Lavender Beds’ docks again, out for a walk and some of the Shroud’s tame sunlight. The little fawn, her Aster, never seemed to get tired of dancing in and out of the shallow water, taking delight in the bright splashes like any curious child might.

But she never strayed too far, no. There was no need for a leash with such a shy creature, more prone to hiding behind Aveline at the snap of a twig than nosing into new and unexplored brush. Even the approach of a stranger would —

Aster suddenly froze, large ears perked up as her head turned toward the movement of a small group stepping off a nearby ferry. One could practically see the gears turning in the little creature’s head as she made that life or death distinction: was it better not to move and attract attention, or should she run to safety before the strange mob of people came too close?

And then there it was, that soft bleat of fear as Aster hastily made her way back to Aveline’s side. Though it resulted in a damp skirt, Aveline could see the full appeal of the teasing she was so often subjected to. Having a helpless creature under her arm begging for sanctuary, its sweet head turned up toward her for reassurance — how could she not love being its big and protective doe?

With one hand gently petting the soft fur between Aster’s ears, her free hand waved toward the ferry-goers who were already making their way to the various shops and apartments of the housing ward. Perhaps someday she’d prove a better example of fearless confidence in the wake of new faces, but for the time being her solace also remained in the quiet lakeside and its shimmering shores.

[ffxivaltaholic]

FFXIVWrite2020 Masterlist

Now that I’m all caught up, here is the master list of all my FXIVWrite for 2020. This year has been a real struggle, and I’ve been having a hard time finding the desire to write and rp, so when this rolled around I wanted to do my best to complete it.  Last year I only got half way, this year I only missed one because I simply couldn’t think of what to write and I’m to tired to catch up on it, but regardless I’m really proud of myself for improving and next year I hope to complete every single one without having to catch up any!  Thank you so much @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast It was allot of fun!

#1: Crux | Jellal

#2: Sway | Makael

#3: Muster | Tsirae

#4: Clinch | Dalain

#5: Matter of Fact | Zhira

#6: Free Prompt | Burden | Isanii

#7: Nonagenarian |Tsirae

#8: Clamor | N’akani

#9: Lush | Ame

#10: Avail | Makael

#11: Ultracrepidarian | N’akani

#12: Tooth and Nail | N’akani

#13: Free Prompt | Compromise |  Makael

#14: Part | Jellal

#15: Ache | Isanii

#16: Lucubration | Ame

#17: Fade | Zhira

#18: Panglossian | Jellal

#19: Where the Heart Is | Dalain

#20: Free Prompt | Memories | Jellal

#21: Foibles | N’akani

#22: Argy-Bargy 

#23: Shuffle | Zhira

#24: Beam | Ame

#25: Wish | Makael

#26: When Pigs Fly | Dalain

#27: Free Prompt | Sunlight | Isanii

#28: Irenic | Tsirae

#29: Paternal | N’akani

#30: Splinter | Dalain

[the-wardens-torch]

Thoughts about the upcoming FFXIVwrite2022 that mostly devolved into me bitching about EW, so I’ll put them behind a cut out of courtesy.... Think of it as me sneezing into my sleeve instead of into your face.

I want to start by saying I LOVE FXIVWRITE SO MUCH HOLY SHIT. I’ve participated since 2018, and have nearly a hundred pieces of writing that I take genuine pride in to show for it. I’ve gone deeper into Fal’s backstory than I have for any OC I’ve ever had and both indulged my passions and taken myself out of my comfort zones along the way. Most of my followers found me through FFXIVwrite, and I found a bunch of talent to follow as well. I even got a kickass art prize.

2020 was my most productive year with 21 entries, annnd then I fell hard on my face in 2021. To be fair, its mostly because I was raising an orphaned kitten that required bottle feeding every 2-3 hours and was just too damn tired.

So what’s for 2022?  Well, about that... I’m a bit worried. Downright scared, actually. I have plenty of bits of Fal’s story I can finish (and a few alts with unexplored backstories of their own who would probably ADORE the attention) but I just haven’t had the wherewithal. Usually the spirit is willing but the mind and body (and time) are weak, but now the spirit seems gone as well. I don’t feel inspired at all. I know a big part of FFXIVwrite is pushing past obstacles and just writing, but for me I just feel like I’ve mined all the good stuff out of me, and I’m afraid I’ll hit rock bottom if I dig much further.

Why do I feel that way?  Well...

I've played FFXIV since late ARR, and Endwalker has been by far the most disappointing expansion for me. First and foremost, it killed SMN, which I’ve mained since mid-HW. I'm well aware I can just play a different class, write canon divergent and pretend nothing ever happened, but I really did kind of get my identity and Fal's caught up in pre-EW SMN, intentionally or not. And now its just... gone. Its been the better part of a year, and I’m still mad. Nothing else feels like the old SMN and I feel displaced.

I've tried really hard to like the story as well. It came with 8 years of baggage and the necessitated retconning some things and leaving some loose ends untied, but it just fell flat for me. The concept of dynamis was way too similar to pre-existing concepts in the game and Meteion/Hermes as antagonists felt like they came out of absolutely nowhere (though they were interesting characters in their own right.) The only part I really loved and felt the gravity of was the Garlemald arc, painfully clipped though it was. Putting us in a Garlean’s shoes was great storytelling, and the portrayal of refugees had a lot of care and nuance to it. The scene where Alisaie calls out Zenos, and the scene of Jullus crying into his mug of soup were probably my favorites of the whole expansion. If only they had done more with it.

Yes, I am being a whiny immature crybaby.  I sat down wanting to write about my beloved FFXIVwrite and my fears of disappointing it, and I just ended up bitching about EW. My apologies if you read all of this.

[iwanomono]

Prompt #10: Stable

Before ShB, the timey whimey timeline of an FGO-FFXIV crossover that got pruned

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Crystal Tower

It was a bold plan to try, to make for the Ocular. It felt like a trap but they were forced to trust his judgement on this. Granted he was working on a hunch that the Ocular should have some kind of control systems for the tower’s defence.

He was mildy disappointed that the Tower's defense system had not managed to cull the young summoner's entourage.

The Ocular provided the respite they sort. Rations would only last the ones who actually needed them for a few days at most. A locked door to side won’t budge by physical means but of which the spells that locked it was simple enough for him to undo.

Light spilled into the small room revealing a sleeping form huddled on a pile of fabric on the floor. The rowdy knight huffed and squatted down to poke the sleeping Miqo’te in the face with her gauntleted hand. A hiss of annoyance came from their Hingan Fox themed Miqo’te Astrologian.

“Oy.” The only response she received some unintelligible mumble and continuous slumber. She huffed and straightened up. Shooting the sorcerer that led them here with a questioning glare that held much judgement of him along with it. “Whoever dares suggest that I wake sleeping beauty with a kiss will get my boot in their face.” She snarled. Only to be answered with a couple of snickers by their spearman who had raise his hands up to pacify her. He had no intention of picking a verbal battle this time.

The sleeping furball looked familiar to him yet he couldn’t place an exact identity as to who. His long memories were somewhat fuzzy especially of the recent weeks before he met joined his current companions. A nagging feeling was eating at him even though he tried to push it down.

“No leave him, he would be more useful alive. Slumbering or not.” He may not know who sleeping beauty was but at least he figured out why he was here after prying open the closed eyelids to reveal red eyes.

Unceremoniously he dragged the sleeping cat boy by the arm towards the structure by the side, much to the raise eyebrows of those who were watching. Virtual screens popped opened in the air the moment he slapped the cat boy’s hand on the flat surface. He noted his companions lack of surprise to Allagan technology in action.

 Peering and swiping at the tabs on the virtual screen he came to one that met his needs and fiddle with it with a few beeps and boops. There was a click of sorts and some whirls and hums. The distinct feeling of the energy of the crystal tower settling down once more.

“We should leave within the time limit.” He said with a swish of his coat of robe and skirts as he turned. One last glance behind showed the shieldmaiden helping the sleeping Miqo’te into a comfortable sleeping position on the pile of fabrics.

He frowned. He had a feeling that allowing this one to live will come back and bite him in the behind one day.

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Note  - Due to gacha being fickle I have no control over who arrive when in FGO. My Mordred ended up working with a whole bunch of cat/fox/bird people for a long time before the rest of KotRT showed up. A lot of relationships in the game are more headcanon/with a dose of canon stuff than fandomcanon. Although some are loosely taken from Fragments of Chaldea. Can’t be helped since its more arrival order/ heavy material investments/ usage / favertism based.

[iwanomono]

Prompt #12: Quarry

After Daniffen Pass, along the route that connects Gates of Judgement and Whitebrim

Time might be on their side. Based on what scant information they had and what he could remember. There were only two locations that held potential. One was an Allegan project and the other contained Voidsent. That they had chosen the more isolated Daniffen Pass instead of through Camp Dragonhead would suggest they were avoiding attention even from her own allies. Still they must not be allowed to enter Ishgard proper, she had enough influence to hold the line there if not call for more backup.

Drinking up the last dregs of his soup appreciatively, he had to admit that the Archer had wasted a calling as a Culinarian. He would suppose it was the least he could do to pay the man back for the meals and to avoid eating tasteless rations in future.

Carefully he brushed of the debris that had gather upon his coat, he dodged a little as large boulder sailed over his head. Finally getting up to see what how the one-eyed beast that haunts the route was doing.

While It had failed to cull her entourage, none of them seem to have broken a sweat over it. He wondered if they were treating this creature as a warm up for the battle to come.

He had thought of the Summoner as nothing more than a useless mage but the way she manipulated shadowy spirits to compliment her team, had him changing his opinion of her.

Admittedly he could end their little training session with a mere snap of his fingers but there was no fun in doing things the easy way, he supposed.

And thus, he strutted into battle like the glorious radiant drama queen that he had became in his Solus’s guise. More to annoy the tiny blond knight who served as entertainment until the one who is worth his full attention comes on stage.

Note – Emet stole this little ficlet’s POV limelight and refuse to give it back. I’m rolling with it to see where it goes.

[iwanomono]

Prompt #11: Surrogate

It wasn’t long before they exit the tower and made their way back to Saint Coinach's Find. The White Mage and the Knight made their way to the overseer of the site to check the group in with them.

Mere formalities to ensure safety was accounted for the visitors who wished to visit the site. Quietly he had tagged along to observe and as well as annoy the knight with his presence.

The affable pair started conversation off well enough until they got to the part about some made up incident in the tower that caused them to be split off from the guide. While it saddened the overseer that something had happened to the guide, he was confident that she would turn up again. Being the hardy, stubborn type.

Further pleasantries painted their former guide as a decent professional hunter and adventurer belonging to a local group but had a messy love life of rogues and lesser noble Ishgardian sons.

If there were any information to be had from the seemingly aimless gossip he would have miss it, not having the chance to step into the region proper for some time. Retreating to their entourage the assassin was spotted reporting to young summoner. There was an amusing flurry of activity as the flustered White Mage held her quiet, anxiously waiting for her target to finish his report before rushing over to him and commence a fussing over, much to the embarrassment of the archer with them. The entire time the assassin kept an eye on the Sorcerer.

Something about the young summoner's team dynamics tickled Emet-Selch's memories.   

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Note - The one time I would love to have included Wodime for him reminding me of Lucius and Varis, And Atalanta for Hylnyan.

[iwanomono]

Prompt #9: Lend an Ear

Somewhat before ShB and timey whimey timeline that was eventually pruned off.

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“He stinks.” “Manners Mordred!” “What are you? My step-mom?” She tend to refer to dual wielding archer as her step-mother to annoy him. And yet he prefer it to the reverence shown to him by her fellow knights “Sigh… Just because the man is flamboyant and takes to exotic blends of fragrances doesn’t mean it stinks.” “No Mom.” The tiny blond knight growled. “He stinks the way Morgan stinks of magic. Pre-da-to-ry.” Her comparison drew an intake of breath from her partner. The duo were some ways off from the Sorcerer of Eld that had joined their team. They had met up to change guard shift when they spied their guest in attempt to start a conversation with their White Mage. To be caught unwary by their guest gave them some pause. The duo watched on in contemplation.

“I don’t know the details of how summoning works and whether or not a grail conduit retains memories of their previous summoning wholesale. But I don’t want to be the one to explain to your sisters and my Father if anything happens to Lady Iri on my watch.” “Duly noted.” “Considering how rat man hadn’t paid any one of us save Master any attention…” The Knight started to make her way down to the pair in conversation. The White Mage was clearly uncomfortable around the Sorcerer’s conversation and the uncouth knight’s noisy approach had brought on relief for her.

[iwanomono]

Prompt #7: Morsel

Somewhat before ShB and timey whimey timeline that was eventually pruned off.

———-

He was sorely tempted to visit Saint Coinach's Find as they quietly snuck by on a lower ridge. He could hear an almost nostalgic hubbub of activity. Granted it would be awkward to explain to anyone when he had woken up and why he looks the way he does. Very very awkward indeed.

Of course that is if they could pierce the spell enforced glamour of his hood. Which was just as well since he did c—

Instinctively he reached out to grab a hold of the crystal jutting out before he could lose his footing. A small zap made him almost yelp but his grip and his footing held firm.

Leaving behind the drained crystal without much of a thought, he scrambled to catch up with his companion.

[apothecaryave]

Of Moogles and Meadows

“I can still recall the first time I met a moogle. I was not yet eight summers old then, and prone to wandering away from the farm at every opportunity. My sense of adventure exasperated my mother to no end, as I was the only other feminine hand around the house to look after things whilst the boys worked the orchards. But the moment the dishes were done, the chocobos fed and the vegetable garden weeded, I was out to play beneath the trees of the Shroud.

“My brothers were hardly fit companions for my travels, being the rowdy sort who loved to tease me for my shy sensibilities. So I’d head off on my own with some pilfered snack from the kitchen — usually a slice of walnut bread or a corner of salmon pie.

“The quiet vistas I visited still remain close to my heart, dewy with wonder as I stared up at the massive branches spreading like webs over the sky. One creek in particular was my favorite to wander along, and at night one might even catch a glimpse of crystal shards glowing among the pebbles. Delicate buds of crested iris dipped into the water, their soft lavender hue bright against the overwhelming green we all dwelled in. T’was a road fit for faeries, and none would be surprised that young girl may be tempted to wander further and further along it until passing far beyond the safety of her village.

“One day the temptation of wild rolanberries drew me away from the stream, and as I ventured down that ripe meadow I found treasure after treasure to distract me — a fresh sprig of chicory here, a pebble of rose quartz there. Yes, I ever did love the scent of chicory, that rich aroma that smelled so much like the fancy coffees of adults who could afford the luxuries peddled by travelling merchants.

“It wasn’t until darkness started to fall that I began to realize I’d strayed too far from the path I’d known. I tried to fumble my way back, but darkness fell long before I found the stream leading me into that deep and sweetly secret meadow. With the true weight of solitude and helplessness upon me, I curled up in a patch of long grass and cried.

“T’was not long into my tears when a voice came at last, so guileless and mousy the surprise of it did not alarm me even in my frightened state. “Oh, I can’t take it anymore, kupo! Stop crying or I’ll start into the waterworks, too!”

“As it turned out, being the tricky and magical creatures moogles are, this particular fellow had been invisibly watching me play and fighting his better instinct not to join me in my innocent fun. When my despair had settled in, the kindness of his heart simply couldn’t bear to see a poor child suffer, or so he has told me since.

“The way he chided me, all while being adorable with his little arms and glowing pink pom, immediately brightened my wilting spirit. It wasn’t long before I puzzled him with my onset of mirth, and with my hand around his tiny paw, he led me back to the edge of the village.

“He’d told me then that I had to be more careful, that a helpful and brave moogle like himself surely wouldn’t be around a second time. Even in my youthful ignorance, however, I could tell there was a similar loneliness in him that had wandered him away from his own brothers and sisters. So, much to his dismay and delight, I returned to that meadow not a few days afterward despite all the scolding of my mother and father.

“No longer shy of my small hyuran presence, we danced and explored and wove flower bracelets together under the gentle afternoon suns. To this day, my heart often longs for that bright and innocent place where none but my gentle little friend and I wandered. The home of our childhood, after all, can be any place where the heart truly is.

[apothecaryave]

Panglossian Memories

Aveline had read her share of prose about the cruelly irresistible woman, the icon of promiscuity and dark delight that could make a man broke in a day. Oh, how poems loved to describe her beauty and rail against her wicked temptations, in equal parts obsessed with her pleasures and burning with hatred for her immutable hold over their authors!  

There was one man, however, about whom she could wax sympathetic with these lovelorn muses.

She could still feel the tingling warmth of his kiss, after all, as if the heat of his passion had singed that tender flesh and left it aching. The imprint of that last and desperate embrace was still on her delicate frame, her skin invisibly marked by long, loving fingers that hadn’t wanted to let go. For a moment, just a fleeting one, she’d been convinced he would stay. Despite the importance of all he had to do, despite the selfishness of wanting the whole of him for a day or longer, she’d thought he might indulge them.

But alas, he’d pulled away with that devilish gleam in his eye. Though his lingering touch described his own longing for her in great detail with every slip and squeeze, his delight in her puppy dog pouting was no less palpable. His voice had been near to a purr as he’d reassured her with the hot breakfast that awaited her, along with a warm bed she could return to — as if these things could substitute the pleasure of his company.

As she lay in their empty bed, cheek pressed to where his scent lingered on the pillow, she couldn’t help daydreaming about those Panglossian moments. If he had any faults, they were lost in the re-imagining, the ache of his absence softened just a touch by the tickle of his fingers through her hair and the sharp teases that had poked her sleepy mind awake.

If there was one thing she could say about the man (beyond the mindless praise she was prone to thrusting upon him when the passion between them was at its hottest), it was that he seemed to enjoy the messiness he imposed upon his partners and clients. Mussed hair and askew nightie straps, a sloppily drooped mouth and a squeak of surprise — he must prefer it because she was constantly in such a state during their time together and even afterward.

“Come home.” Aveline squeezed his pillow in her arms tighter, voice still scented with the sweet syrup of breakfast. “Gods, come home soon.”