[Blue]

Blue played with her linkpearl for a moment, musing on her recent conversations and her training. She sat at a small makeshift bridge that looked out on a small stream. A number of fireflies were out in full force, dancing above the water without a care. It was well into the night and while Blue was a ways away from the residence she'd taken up, she was confident she'd make it back there before Lami returned from her nightly drinking.

Listening to the trickling movement of water, the Xaela taps at her link pearl.

“How's it going over there, Love?”

[Tretesta]

Meanwhile, in the Shroud, it's a beautiful dawn. Over the pearl,There is a fumbling, scratching sound, and then a voice replied “Hey, Lovely! Give me just a sec!” There is silence, and then WREEEEEEEEEeeeeee… And a gurgle. “Heeeeey sorry, Blue. Doing a little gardening! Things are going well though. Been gearing up for the trip I'm taking, neh?

Tret used his spearshaft to punt and guide the plantkin corpse over towards the compost heap, then wiped both ends off on the dewy grass,.muttering something about goddamned ochus. He then spoke up again “how about you? Everything going well? No other creepy incidents?”

[Blue]

Blue has to pull the pearl away at the scream of plantkin DEATH in her ear, her eyes widening.

“You know you probably just coulda chased them away, right?” The Xaela who loves plants chastises. She liked Vinalo's planting methods better. ”..But thank you for keeping on the gardening. Can't take care of my plants proper from all the way over here.“

At the question, Blue shakes her head a bit. “Nothing too strange here. Lami had me fight some of those magitek things we always hear about. It was hard. I don't like metal monster things. Hopefully you don't come across any on your own adventure. It's with Astra, right? Who all is going with you?”

[Tretesta]

“Look, they made it past the traps. The least I could do was give them an honorable death by combat. Now it will ascent to glorious Vinehalla!” There was a grunt, and then a tired sigh as Tret returned to the little cabin's kitchen “Magitek though? The big evil looking robots? Yeah, much harder to deal with. They don't feel, they don't bleed, pain in the ass. Far as I know, Astra is leading, and I believe Luca and Rina are coming along.”

“I don't think I actually asked any of the three of them who all is actually going. Concerned for Luca, really. I don't know how much experience she has with field work so I hope she can listen to commands. Rina should be fine, she can certainly hold her own. Astra… I dunno. I've got a feeling about her. Something off, but I'm not sure what.”

[Blue]

Blue snorted softly and rolled her eyes. This guy…

“Yeah, and fighting them with daggers meant pretty much hopping on em and cutting away at wires and pipes and hoping it'd do something. Lami says during war time there'd be whole fleets of them in the thousands. I can't imagine…”

Her words drift off briefly, deep in thought before collecting herself and listening in as Tretesta described his adventuring buddies.

“I have faith in Luca and Carby. When we got into some trouble in Limsa, she listened to what I told her to do and Carby is a wonderful ally to have. They are a good team. Rina is tough, I know she can handle herself.”

Of Astra, the Xaela hummed to herself. “I mean, she was kind to me, so I don't know what to think of her other than nice things. She is no Green though.”

[Tretesta]

“No… Certainly not Lily… But her other side maybe… I'm sure we'll be fine enough. I've still got a head for this type of thing, you know? Just… Eh, I dunno. Probably nothing. I'll make sure to call you first thing when we get back to let you know how it went.”

“But you seem to be getting involved in a clear danger, rather than a possible one. Waiting is your friend. The things you're learning to do aren't meant for killing thousands, but one or a few at a time. Know what's around you, but focus entirely on the chance to take down your target without their friends knowing it was you.”

The serious tone brightened up suddenly as Tret was struck with an idea “You know what? I might have a game for the two of us when you get home for good. We can assassinate people around the Shroud! Well, not really of course. Stalk after them, watch them, and then sneak up and put a sticker on them without being noticed. Same idea, much less danger. Probably. Some Adders may not enjoy the game. But fuck em.”

[Blue]

Blue flicked her ears. “Yeah, Lami's been trying to show me how to sneak around better. There's a small village here and she tasked me with trying to play pranks on the people- or help 'em. Turns out I'm not as sneaky as I thought, but I did help a sad man find something he lost.”

Her tail wagged at the memory before she continued.

“These past few days Lami's been trying to show me how to be invisible with aether. Like, you're there and then you're not! It's really confusing but I'm trying. Veldi says I should work on not being noticed in general. You know, not bringing attention or standing out too much or things like that. I don't know which is harder, trying to make myself invisible or trying to make myself not noticeable.”

[Tretesta]

”….Actually invisible? with… huh. Now that…. makes me uncomfortable really. Need to add something to my packing list now. Ahem… But yeah, not being seen. It's like I was telling Na'vi and the others on that storeroom job. There is an art to it not being seen. Dark clothing at night, or colors that work well with the surroundings. Keeping things between yourself and whoever you're after. and then theres other things to do when the person is out among people… For you, don't forget your markings. A little mud on the face should help with that.“

[Blue]

Blue rubbed at her markings and frowned. “But I don't want to cover them up…” she complained lightly.

“But I wanted to learn this. Fighting in the Grindstone all this time has made me realize I don't take hits terribly well. If I can strike fast and not be seen, I can avoid some pain, you know?”

“I have grown a lil bit stronger though, at least I think so. And I know where Veldi is at and what she's working on. But it's in a dangerous place…in a war zone even.”

Blue pauses briefly, wriggling a bit and sitting up straight. “And I want to go help her.”

[Tretesta]

Tret fell silent for a few moments, pondering her words. Finally, he spoke up “Help her how, exactly?”

[Blue]

“I…I don't know. She's trying to find some leads….but it involves what's going on in Bozja right now and a lot of people are already hurting and dying just cause of war, but then there's extra going on and that could make things even worse for everybody and Veldi's taking this on all on her own and it's not right, she needs help and-”

Blue just barely manages to catch herself rambling and stops with a long sigh, dropping back against the little bridge to stare up at the night sky.

“I want to get back home to you safe and sound, but I can't just ignore what's happening and hope Veldi will be alright. Not this time.”

“I can fight, I can sneak around, if I've got to I can change. I can do things.”

[Tretesta]

Silence on Tret's end again. In a kitchen far far away, the man leaned on the sink, staring out the window, through the woods, into nothing. ”…Does she need help? You just said you don't know how you're going to help her, but you're dead set on being there anyway. What if she's pretending to be someone else? You yell her name and she turns. Now there are question-.“

Snapping out of his own reverie, he cuts himself off “Hold, hold… No. Of course you want to be there for her. I'd want to come to your rescue as well. But… I wouldn't unless I knew for certain how I was going to do it. If i fuck up, then you're still in trouble, and I'm dead or worse… Remember how much sleep I lost over Artemis? The books, the notes, the bomb… I stressed over him for a month before I was ready.”

[Blue]

Blue listens to the silence, closing her eyes as she nestles the link pearl a little closer to her ear.

“I trust her. She doesn't want me going there either.”

To his latter words the girl merely smiles softly. “Haven't you complained about me just diving into danger all the time? You plan and research but I've got to act because sometimes there is no time or sometimes I let my feelings get the better of me.”

“But I've had plenty of time to think on this, from the moment I met that weird lady. Whatever Veldi needs for her mission to succeed, I'll do it. I don't need to know the how. I'll find a way.”

“I lose more sleep over not knowing what's going to happen.”

“Maybe I will make things worse, maybe I'll make plenty of mistakes and get myself hurt or put Veldi and Lami in danger. I don't know, I can't know. I can only trust in myself that I've got what it takes to make a difference.”

[Tretesta]

“I'm not telling you to do nothing, Blue. I promise. I don't think I could. But its not enough to want to help. You're out there training to not be seen. Not run out and start swinging at anyone who looks like they need a punch. You have to make your hits count. I believe you can make a difference, Lovely. But please… make sure you know at least what her mission is, and what she is actually doing. Otherwise you may step on her toes and blow it all up. Then you aren't helping.”

[Blue]

“I'm training to be stronger,” The Xaela corrected. “And that means more than just sneaking around. Lami's taught me to be precise, to not swing wildly if I can help it.”

“I don't want to mess Veldi up, and I won't!” She insists. “I'll learn what I can so that doesn't happen.”

“Do you trust me?”

[Tretesta]

“Of course. Do you ever have to actually ask that?”

[Blue]

“Nope, but I like to hear your answer anyway.”

“When I get back home from this trip, do you think we could maybe do the bonding ceremony people keep talking about?”

“We never really got married before. It might be nice.”

[Tretesta]

“Know what? I'm mostly packed. I'll go see what I can find out today on how that works. It will absolutely be nice.”

[Blue]

“Make sure there are a bunch of flowers and all our friends are there too. I bet we can find some people who can cook up some food for the occasion. I definitely want Veldi to come, so there should probably be a lot of alcohol..”

[Tretesta]

“Haha, easy now, Dear. I said I'm just going to find out how it works. I'm not gonna plan the whole thing out! I'll wait for you to come home to actually start arranging things. I've got a few things I'm already working on before you come home!”

[Blue]

Blue gives a playful little huff. “But you love planning things out, silly. Alright, when I get home and after I get to see all the stuff you cooked up for me we can start thinking about celebrating proper!”

Blue smiles and pats at her link pearl. “I'd better get back to where we're staying and get some sleep in before tomorrow. I hope your adventuring goes well and you find oodles of riches!”

[Tretesta]

“I sure do, but I figure this is something you'll want to plan for too….You stay safe out there. I'm hoping I can too. I really really hope it goes alright. Boring almost. But I'll make sure I call right after I get home, promise. Sleep tight, lovely.”

[Blue]

“Love you Tret. Talk to you soon.” Blue gingerly clicks at the pearl until she can't hear anything on the other end any longer. Rather than stow it away, the Xaela keeps it cupped in the palm of one hand and begins to make her way back to where she and Lami had holed themselves up.

[Tretesta]

“Love you.” Tret smiled as the line went quiet, then reached up to remove and pocket the device

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