Ticket to Paradise (Kujo)

[ShadowVigilante1]

The Eorzean Frontier
December 11, 2880
12:09 pm

A bored Ryan was waiting around by the entrance to the strange gate that connected both Eorzea and Earth. While he has heard quite a bit from those who crossed the gate, he still of course has his worries for what he will find on the other side. But right now, that wasn’t on the top of his mind. What was on the top of his mind was when that CHORUS personnel would be arriving. He’s been sitting here for a couple hours at this point, thoughts moving towards that of food.

”This guy is taking forever. And now I’m going to miss out on that Bismarck promo for buy 1 take 1 sandwiches.”

He would sigh and look down at his watch, checking the time. Well if this guy was going to take his precious time, he might was well get those sandwiches he wants so badly. Either way, someone would have to do the waiting. He would begin walking in the direction of the famed Lominsan restaurant’s offshoot, wondering what kind of sandwiches they had prepared with Earth’s own fresh ingredients.

 

[Kujo]

A spartan yet grand stall had been set up some time ago and had made quite a reputation for itself. A brightly painted wooden board proclaiming the menu and the specials of the day had replaced the role of the Mi'qote girl who once did the same but now happily mans a smoker and rotisserie, meanwhile a pair of hearty, remarkably wide Roegadyn men deftly assembled meals and boomed out the customers' orders with commanding authority. A bustling crowd had formed around the stall, people mingling beyond the few dining areas dotted around or searching for a chance to insert themselves into the line to order.

Pushing through this crowd was a tall man laden with a bundle of long loaves loaded up with steaming meat and cheese, the wax paper around them only barely protecting his fine white shirt from the dripping juices and sauce of the sandwiches. Shouldering and bumping with apparent abandon, the man forcefully weaved out of the crowd and as he became apparent to Ryan the reason nobody seemed to have any problem with it would be seen. Hanging from the man's hip from a thick strap was a monolithically hefty looking longsword, the dark colored blade swinging behind the man despite its heavy duty rigging. Indeed his appearance was equally fine and noble as well as rough and aggressive. His clothing was as fine as the many mercantile types hanging around the area, but his long, disheveled hair and savage red eyes, which currently stared hungrily at his food, offset whatever fine air he could possibly put on without his brash behavior.

He craned his neck to take a bite out of one of his sandwiches, not bothering to wait and find somewhere to sit, but stopped as his eyes caught site of Ryan. Assessing him, the man reached into a pocket with his free hand and retrieved a slip of paper and held it up before his face as he seemed to look between it and Ryan. Nodding to himself, he put on a smile and approached.

"You must be the merc'. I'm your CHORUS liaison... Falkes," the man said, adding an odd pause and emphasis as he introduced himself.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

As Ryan approached the Bismarck run stall, he would encounter the lumbering man. His eyes would widen at the sight of the brutishly large sword. The hell was this guy? Some kind of black swordsman?

As the man stopped to look at a scrap of paper, he too stopped in his tracks. Taking a defensive stance as his intuition thought something felt off… Behind his pristine glasses, he squinted, the brows on his forehead furrowing at the man as he stared back. He felt no hostile intent for sure, but the way the man carried himself simply felt unnerving in a sense. That was the moment that the man spoke.

Ryan would soften his expression slightly, his lips soon moving to utter a sentence.

”You don’t seem like the type to be working with CHORUS, much less a Coordinator. What’s your business with them?”

The one thing working as a mercenary for half his lifetime has taught him, always verify your contacts. A quick questioning would always suffice, if there was even a hint of suspicion surrounding them. He decided to go with the direct conversation route, going off appearance alone he looks to be one who would appreciate that kind of speech.

”If you’re not with them, then I suggest you move along to someplace else, Falkes.”

He would place emphasis on his supposed contact’s name as well, as if to hint at a slight suspicion at the pause before uttering his name. He very much does not look trustworthy at first glance. But if he can prove that he works for CHORUS, a job’s a job.

 

[Kujo]

Falkes' hair shaded face soured as the accusation was presented. "Look here, Buddy," he said dryly, "looks ain't everything; if anything I'm exactly the type for CHORUS and a whole lot more, I'm more perfect than any other pod baby you'll ever meet." Falkes adjusted his posture which caused the perilous blade behind him to swing, as if emphasizing his boast. "I'm a merc just like you. CHORUS sure made it sound important but evidently investigating this little backwater world isn't a big enough deal to divert any actual personnel from whatever the hell they're supposed to be doing right now. You want the paper? Take it."

Falkes handed over the leaflet he had been looking at. By all marks it had all the bearings of an official SIGNS correspondence and was signed off by Indra Mu Seraph himself; attached was a short briefing on the locale as well as a photo and description of Ryan as per his SIGNS data.

"Here, from one wageslave to another I'll throw this in as an advance." He grinned as he offered one of his sandwiches.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Ryan would seemingly remain calm as Falkes approached slowly, was this quarry or simply a misunderstanding? As he brought out the document detailing the assignment, Ryan would take it. He would make sure every detail was right, nothing seemed off. He would nod in affirmation that nothing seemed wrong.

”Alright, that’s better. Best to know if you can trust someone you’re working with for a short time. Thank you, Falkes.”

His features would begin to soften as his eyes darted to the sandwich he was offering. Corned beef it seemed, it looked absolutely delicious just from this distance alone. The meat‘s juices simply dripping from the red luscious morsel, coupled with a nice helping of cabbage and oozing fresh mustard seed sauce. He would quickly swipe it away from the man and brought it up to his mouth before biting into it.

”Mmm… finally, lunch.”

A clear look of satisfaction was set upon his face. He couldn’t want anything more than a good lunch at the moment. Where would he be, without lunch?

 

[Kujo]

With introductions sorted out, Falkes would excuse himself to run off with his own food into a nearby inn. He would return after a few minutes and prompted the mercenary to head out. "Alright c'mon, this isn't just a lunch date," he said.

After checking in with the burly guards who were trying their best to look intimidating despite having to check with their Lalafell superior to confirm that the CHORUS papers were in order, the two were allowed through after a quick checking off of their personal belongings. The transport into the other realm was jarring but thankfully swift; one moment they were stepping into a bright stream of light inside of a spartan looking gatehouse and the next moment they were stepping onto a stone platform surrounded by a settlement much like the one they just left. A fading sense of rushing energy within the travelers was the only sense that anything had truly happened.

- - -
Eorzea
Mor Dhona, Allagan ruins outpost
12:15 PM

A well dressed attendant, at least in comparison to the rough and ready guards on the other side, waved the pair on in order to clear the platform for the next people in line on the other side. Falkes dawdled for a moment as he seemed to examine his person, not trusting the transportation magic. Beyond the uptick in native creatures and people of Eorzean races, the place was just about the same until they stepped out onto the road outside.

The pair were met with a veritable sea of glimmering crystals, the fields of shining blue only being subdued by stone paved roads haphazardly navigating the craggy surfaces. Small throngs of people and carts went up and down the roads interspersed with squads of varying armed men patrolling the edges of the highway. While much of the road was obscured by jagged outcroppings or crumbling, ruined structures, rising up at the very end was a solemn fortress set between the sharp peaks of the rocky range. Falkes eyed the strange weapons the patrols bore as they passed and muttered to himself, "Here I thought Kalamity was a dump. It's got its own charm I guess."

Passing through the gates, the blue light of Revenant's Toll's aetheryte beamed straight at the travelers as if in a glorious welcome. While major bustling came from the upper portion of the fortified town, the central square still contained a not insignificant number of people milling about and carrying out their own tasks. "We're supposed to meet with some envoy types- apparently delegation is like a national pastime around here. Now, how we're supposed to find them in a place like this is anyone's guess." Falkes eyed the crowd as he pulled out and read the papers he was given.

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

Ryan was just about finished with his sandwich, wiping off the excess sauce that stuck to his cheek with the wrapper that once held the luscious sandwich. He stood up from where he was sat as he slung his brand spanking new sword onto his back, courtesy of a blacksmith 2 blocks down. “Right, about time we head in then.” After taking a bit with a fast security check, they were given the go ahead to enter. Once in front of the gate, Ryan stepped through without a second thought. He’d done this before with Zector, surely it wouldn’t be any different. Thankfully it was a bit more pleasant than his first experience of teleportation, slowly easing him into a new more magical realm than the one he’s known for his entire life.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

At the other end of the gate, the bright light soon turned to shimmering sunlight. The ambient energy that surrounded this place made itself immediately clear to Ryan, this was a completely different place than the one he had just left. This was Eorzea. Walking along the paved roads, he stared in awe at the lake of Mor Dhona, how the calm surface reflected the light perfectly. Almost as if the lake itself were another gate, but that was merely an illusion, a trick of the eyes.

Soon they arrived in Revenant’s Toll, the center of the Adventurer’s Guild he’s heard so much about. The shining crystal at its center beaming him closer as they entered the main plaza. “It does, doesn’t it?”, he said in reply to Falkes’ comment. As Falkes took a moment to read, Ryan approached the crystal at the center. The radiant light beckoning him, the adventurers he’s met tell him of Aetherytes, crystals that allowed for instantaneous transportation wherever one was placed. All one need do was lay their hand upon it.

“Might wanna get a load of this first before anything else.” He reached his right hand out to the large crystal, a small resonance in the aether occurred as his attunement with the crystal began. It was a process that only took a few seconds, but once it was done, Ryan felt a slight tug as he became more familiar with the crystal. Well, even if he couldn’t access the leylines here with Zector, he at least had a secondary option.

“That’s better…” He lowered his hand as he turned around to Falkes before pointing back to the crystal. “Better have a look of your own, I hear it lets you teleport back here if need be. It’ll save us the walk back here later on.” He decided to give his temporary companion a bit of adventuring advice as some of the people he’s met called it. Though then came the matter of the envoys, Ryan looked around as immediately spotted the other two landmarks of Revenant’s Toll. A tall building to their left, the Seventh Heaven, a tavern for every passing adventurer to enjoy. To their right, an almost castle-like structure built into the cliffside, the House of Splendors. A business known for their large assortment of goods as well as some… unsavory business practices. He did however manage to spot what appeared to be some servers on the second floor, perhaps there were tables there too meant for dining services.

”Well… if those envoys aren’t here in the plaza and are waiting for us, it’ll either be in that tavern or up there.” He said whilst gesturing to the two locations he scouted out. Not entirely sure on the prospect of Falkes listening to his babbling.

 

[Kujo]

Falkes followed his associate's lead and attempted to interact with the glow of the aetheryte. With a bit of half hearted sifting through the air, he eventually felt an odd sense rush through his body before leaving as quickly as it came. 'So what, am I some kind of Diver now?' Shaking his hand as if to clear any remnants of the mysterious force clinging to him, Falkes regarded the two options before the pair of travelers.

"Well, you know what they say about not drinking the water. I'm not taking my chances with whatever they've got running through the tap in yon tavern. Besides, if we're looking for an envoy I doubt the first thing on their agenda is grabbing a pint."

Waving Ryan in to follow, Falks traipsed up the hill to the market district. The Eorzeans peddled their wares, various stalls hocking hunks of crystal much like the fields past the gate while others settled for more common goods. Off to the side, a crowd of what one could only assume were the so called "adventurers" passing odd, glowing tablets over the counter at a more permanent shop.

Looking around for some sign of official dress or nobility, Falkes made a remark without regarding Ryan. "You seem pretty invested in this place for a tourist, what's your deal?"

 

[Tyr]

"Whoever told you that bit of 'advice' about the aetherytes is no friend of yours." A cheerful voice kindly informed the two from behind them. "For those that can't manipulate aether 'tis just a pretty floating rock, and anyone who was not trying to get rid of you would tell you that a lot of people can't even use them due to lack of anima. Even for those that can, only rare individuals can make any regular use of them that aren't just short hops."

Behind them was a striking miqo'te with clothes more at home in an upper-class establishment than the streets of Revenant's Toll. Yet though her clothes were eye-catching, neither of the pair had seen so much as hide nor hair of her before hand, it was like she had melded out from the shadows. On her belt hung both a book and a dagger, and several of the presumed adventurers around them seemed to recognize her, giving her respectful nods. She waved a sign with 'Eartheans' written on it in both Eorzean and Latin alphabets at the two.

"Hi! You're the representatives of...Chorus? right? Did I say that right? Welcome to Eorzea! I'm Rhaya Qaatapoh of the Ul'dah Adventurer's Guild, and I am here on behalf of Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa to represent the Eorzean Alliance."

She grinned at the pair.

"Nice to meetcha!"

 

[ShadowVigilante1]

“Right, the House of Splendors it is. Hopefully it’s more than just glamorous appearances.” Ryan said as he followed behind Falkes. Hearing the curiosity in Falkes’ voice, he decided to indulge the man on why he has such knowledge of some of Eorzea’s landmarks.

”Well, I hang around the Eorzean Frontier quite a bit, so I’ve picked up a bit from conversations and hearsay about the place. Even got a map of the whole planet, you’d be surprised how similar it looks to Earth. Oh and that’s not to mention, I like staying informed. Who knows when those Garleans decide to knock on one of the other empires’ doors.”

Then came the voice from behind, that energetic tone caught him off guard. He was expecting one of those pencil pushers bored from their desk jobs, not an energetic tour guide. This was going to be quite the first venture into Eorzea for sure. He then turned to the Miqo’te addressing them, seeing the sign calling them “Eartheans”. Eartheans, huh? Well, at least it’s not the cliche of being called an Earthling, implying humanity’s diminutive status.

”Well, I’ll have you know I’ve got some experience with magic teleportation. So I don’t see why Aetherytes might be different. But I suppose I’ll be careful when using them.”

He watched as onlookers gave the Miqo’te woman looks of acknowledgement, clearly she must be quite the seasoned traveler herself. He was immediately drawn to the book upon her waist, an Arcanist of some kind it seemed. He wondered whether if this was one of the fabled Summoners, capable of calling forth those oh so fearsome Primals, or as the Garleans call them, Eikons. Regardless, it seemed this person had a reputation, one of respect for that matter. It will be paramount not to get on her bad side.

”Yep, you got it right. Nice to meet you, Miss Qaatapoh. I’m Ryan Kessler, but you can just call me Ryan.” His head then turned to Falkes with a bit of a smug look on his face. ”And this hunk of meat is Falkes, my temporary partner in crime.”

He was interested with Rhaya’s introduction however. Only an envoy of Ul’dah and Limsa? Something has already seemed to go awry in this situation. “I couldn’t help but notice you mentioned that you were an envoy for 2 of the great city states. Yet Gridania and Ishgard don’t seem to be on the same page. Did they… not agree with the suits at Chorus or something?”