Linguistic Hijinx

As you know, a lot of people of Vana'diel are bilingual. It is so important that all services provided by the three nations, as well as the Duchy of Jeuno, must be available in those two languages. However, our new generation of adventurers tends to speak only one of those two languages. Sadly, that means most of us can't get a job working for the government. I doubt any of us would want it otherwise, unless we want to retire our adventuring equipment for the dream desk job... Yah, like that'd ever happen to me.

I surprise lots of people when they learn I'm bilingual. However, that isn't exactly valorizing, since my native language isn't one of the two officially recognized by all nations. Moreover, those who speak French like me aren't exactly seen with a good eye. Nobody knows for sure why, but a drunk fishing Tarutaru throwing up in Chateau d'Oraguille's moat... while one of the princes passed by... followed by obscenities shouted without holding back...

It took a month to get San d'Oria's children to stop cussing in French. Some guards created a drinking game when you heard the words "calisse", "tabarnak" or "ostie". Sadly, three of them died from alcohol poisoning, which coincided with the day orcs threw all those mannequin parts over the wall. The number of kids going "ostie de calisse de tabarnak" was staggering. Ever since that day, "Frenchies" weren't exactly looked at with a good eye, especially in San d'Oria (where, ironically, most Elvann names are derived from french words.) Can't blame a single Tarutaru for that, had to blame all those who spoke the language...

Why mention that? It's mainely because I had a (not so) brilliant idea. I wanted to have a French-speaking guild. Somewhere I wouldn't have to hide my accent anymore, where I could be myself and speak with others who share the same linguistic inheritence I had. So off to get a Linkshell (8,000 Gil), and parked myself smack in the middle of Windurst Woods, by the fountain, to start advertising.

Note: I'll put all dialect spoken in french [in between brackets like these], seeing {those ones} are reserved for that *other* language.

Coeurl >> [Anyone interested in a french-speaking Linkshell?]
Coeurl >> [Please tell Coeurldelionne]
Adventurer1 >> lol! A frenchie!!!
Adventurer2 >> What, those backbone-deficient cowards?
Adventurer2 >> What hole did that one crawled out of?

Suffice to say, I already felt like that was going to be one of those experiences I wouldn't forget through my next 5 incarnations if I were a Galka. But as I felt melting from the cumulative shame, I had a glimmer of hope. Sadly, I don't remember that Elvann woman's name, so I'll call her 'Q' until I can remember.

Q >> [How many people are in your linkshell?]
Coeurl >> [Just me so far... Are you interested?]
Q >> [Not really...]

My heart sunk and my ears flopped down from deception.

Q >> [I'm already part of an established french-speaking linkshell]
Q >> [Would you like to join?]

I was soooo relieved! Sure, I got a bit of flak for coming out of the proverbial closet, but I was introduced to my first ever linkshell : Coureursdesbois ([Woodsmen], for a lack of a better translation.)

The welcome was rather... interesting, for lack of polite better words. I mean, I introduce myself to the crew, and already I was treated with such familiarity... I dunno why, it was quite uncomforting. Sexual innuendos abounded as they gladly welcomed the "sex bombshell" into their midst... They must have read *that* Tarutaru Times edition, I thought to myself. I was about to drop my pearl when the leader talked to me personnally.

Sinner >> [Don't mind them, they're just poking fun at you.]
Sinner >> [You're more than welcome if you can put up]
Sinner >> [with a few crazy Tarutarus and Galkas]
Coeurl >> [T.. thank you...]
Sinner >> [If any of them gives you trouble]
Sinner >> [give me a howler, I'll see what I can do.]

Thanks to Sinner, I didn't jump ship right away. Should I have? I dunno... I had some quite wild times with the Coureurdesbois crew, so it did compensate for those few times I was the bottom of the running gags. I never dared say anything about how uncomfortable those moments felt, as it seemed it would have been the same even in a "traditional language" guild.

Q >> [Actually, she's not THAT well endowed by nature]
Q >> ...mt?