CURRENTS : Damn neighbors...

You'd think that once you hit the Jeuno Residential Area, you'd finally have some peace and quiet, since it's situated far away enough from the busy streets of Jeuno. ...Think again.

I was in the middle of a nice night of catnap, when suddenly...

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHHHH!!!*

I wake up in panic from my dream, which involved being pursued by a horde of invincible crabs. I thought I just lost my tail. Falling off my bed and onto it helped me realize I was still in one piece.

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHHHH!!!*

Alright... Alright... What the heck was that? I gathered my thoughts back into a sufficiently cohesive whole so I would have the sense to put on at least some pants before checking outside my room what caused that noise. Poking my nose outside, I saw day hasn't broken yet, the torches cricling around the Residential Area tower being the best source of light.

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETHHHH!!!*

*BAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMM!!!*

I looked around, and spotted the source easily, in spite of my groggy state. Three doors down, a Hume was working on some project. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but it looked an awful lot like an automaton. I say it "looked like" since that would have been hardly recognizable, even in plain daylight. It did have the head, but the body was twice the size, the legs were replaced by some strange contraption, and two hexaguns replaced the arms. ...like I said, that's how it looked like in the dim light and dazed state I was.

*SCREEEE...*

I think you get the idea by now how annoyingly noisy his activities were.

Anyways, he was there, in the less-than-early hours of the morning, practicing an activity that could wake the dead. It made me wonder if that was the cause of the collapse of Gusgen Mines. Through the screeching and banging, I could see the guy trash his head, as if not paying any attention to his work, humming some hard song, the only words escaping his mouth being "Monster Garage", over and over again.

Now, I gotta say, I'm not against people modding their puppets to fit their needs, whether those needs are practical or aesthetic. Heck, if you feel like starting a new show called "Pimp my PUP", go right ahead. Whatever makes people happy... as long as it doesn't limit the happiness of others. And right there and then, my happiness wasn't exactly exhalted.

By this point, other people did come out of their rooms to see what was happening, and a small shout-fest started in the Residential Area. Yes!!! In the friggin' Residential Area!!! Even moogles got to participate in this event! Either the guy was too self-absorbed to pay heed to the concencus, or he didn't care. In any case, I decided action had to be enforced.

Coeurl >> Mogri, get my crossbow and acid bolts,
Coeurl >> and give me my Thief's practicing licence.

Mogri had a grin on his face (first time I ever saw his mouth under all that fur) as he fetched my tools. I leaned outside my door, took aim... then held back. This wasn't right.

Coeurl >> On second thought Mogri...
Coeurl >> ...give me my Ranger's practicing licence.

One {Barrage} and {Eagle Eye Shot} later, silence returned to the residential tower, so I returned to sleep. Evidently, a Grand Marshal came to pay me a visit a bit of an hour later. Apparently the guy gave them a call, saying some crazy mithra fired at him for no apparent reason, and wanted to hear my side of the story. So I told him: I was aiming at the machine he was working on, but I was too sleepy to aim with precision, or to think of preparing my onslaught with {Sharpshot}. And seeing how the guy got tons of complaints on his back for disturbing the peace, I got off with a simple warning, and I swear this, I'm sure the GM smiled at me in approval of my actions.

Hopefully, the guy learned three valuable lessons this morning.

1. Don't deprive a mithra out of her sleep;
2. There's a mithra sleeping three doors down from his room;
3. That mithra can get vindicative when pushed too far.

Birdfeed

Finally, it ended being shower, followed by catnap, then chocobo licence.

And off to...

Er...

Where do I apply for a licence?

Asking the locals, I was quickly given the lowdown on the different areas of Jeuno, from the port on the lowest level, to the political district at the top of the tower. Hmm... knowing I'm dealing with a bureaucrat matter, might as well check my embassy first.

...And knowing I was dealing with a bureaucrat matter, I steeled myself for hours of no-fun-at-all.

Deskclerk >> Hello-taru? How can I help you?
Coeurl >> Yes... I'd like to inquire about...
Coeurl >> ...wait up, I've got it on the tip of my tongue...
Deskclerk >> Chocobo Riding Licence registration form?

Coeurl is flabberghasted!

Coeurl >> How the heck did you guess that?
Deskclerk >> Well, it's not that hard, really.
Deskclerk >> Not a lot of people come up here
Deskclerk >> unless they are rank 3 adventurers on a mission
Deskclerk >> or fresh adventurers looking to acquire their licence.
Coeurl >> Alright, I'll take one registration form please!
Deskclerk >> I'm sorry, we don't have those on hand here.
Coeurl >> ...
Coeurl >> I am so not surprised...
Deskclerk >> Oh, don't worry-horry, it's not hard to get.
Deskclerk >> All you need to do is ask Brutus,
Deskclerk >> he's the caretaker at the Upper Jeuno stables.
Coeurl >> ...And then what?
Deskclerk >> And then I don't know, Brutus's in charge of the licences.
Deskclerk >> Why don't you go talk to him?
Coeurl >> Grrreat... Thanks for the 'help'
Deskclerk >> ...I hate my job...

And so began what I believed was a long trail of tracking down different people in order to get my licence. Oh, I so wish that was the case. Finding my way to Upper Jeuno wasn't too hard, though I started fearing having to run up and down those damned staircases all day long to get my due. It was a lively Brutus I met that day, peppy and full of energy. ...Sure beats having to deal with grumpy people when filing paperwork.

Brutus >> Hello there, young lady!
Coeurl >> Um... hi. I'm here for...
Brutus >> Chocobo Riding Licence, eh? You've come to the right place!
Coeurl >> Eh...
Brutus >> I'd be glad to give you one, but there's only one itch.
Coeurl >> ...I doubt that was unexpected.
Brutus >> Don't worry, my dear, it's a small formality.
Brutus >> You see, we've had a boom in business lately
Brutus >> so we had to acquire a lot of new chocobos.
Brutus >> However, some of them are... iffy at best.
Coeurl >> And that concerns me... how?
Brutus >> We need new adventurers to learn how to tame chocobos
Coeurl >> ...Wait! I ain't riding a wild one, am I?!
Brutus >> Hehehehe... I'm having nothing of the sort young lady.
Brutus >> We need new applicants to bond with chocobos.
Brutus >> That way, the birds tend to be less capricious.
Coeurl >> ...I suppose there's no other way to go about this, huh?
Brutus >> Well, there's that guy I know who'd like to get a date...

Coeurl coils back in shock!

Brutus >> Hehehe, just kiddin', young lady! Just kiddin'!
Brutus >> No, there's no getting around this exercise.
Coeurl >> ...okay... What do you have me do then?
Brutus >> See that chocobo in the corner over there?
Coeurl >> ...yah?
Brutus >> I want you to feed it 3 Gausebit Grass.
Coeurl >> ...and then what?
Brutus >> Then I issue you a riding licence!
Coeurl >> ...THAT'S IT?!?
Brutus >> Yup!
Coeurl >> I thought there would be more to it.
Brutus >> Oh, no worries there, that task is plenty enough.
Coeurl >> Bah, I remember feeding dhalmels back when I was young.
Coeurl >> How can feeding a chocobo be that more difficult?
Brutus >> Feel free to give it a try.
Coeurl >> Ok, so where's that Gausebit Grass I need to feed it?
Brutus >> ...Oh, about that... We're out of stock.
Coeurl >> WHAT!!!
Brutus >> I'm sure there are some on the Auction House
Brutus >> But our budget doesn't allow us to make purchases from there.

...What a wily way to get chocobos fed for free. And have less of a job to do around the stables as well. I mean, if adventurers are doing the job for them on a regular basis, and providing the food at their own expense... That means old man Brutus has nothing to do all day long. No wonder he's so cheery and peppy! ...But hey, if all it takes for me to get that licence is to feed three lousy Gausebit Grasses to that lousy chocobo, then that's what I'll do. Checking the Auction House, I saw plenty of those grasses on sale, though they weren't cheap. No wonder Brutus said that can't fit in his stables' budget.

So back to the stables I went, presenting the Gausebit Grass to the chocobo... Somehow, Brutus picked one of the worst chocobos of the bunch, as I was repetitively pecked at! I almost lost an eye that day! I ran back to my mog house, tending to my wounds. That was day 1.

Day 2 was much less painful. I was more careful when approaching the chocobo, learning from the previous day's lesson. Whenever I brought that grass underneath its beak, it turned its head away. That was rather disenhearting. I returned to see that chocobo four times that day, each time spending the best of twenty minutes trying to get the damned chicken to take a nip from my hands. On the third attempt, someone else came along to feed the same chocobo, and had no trouble doing so. Gosh, I was fuming at that point.

The third day started off much like the second. Still no positive outlook coming out of my first two attempts... I was about to retire from my third try that day, when...

Flaru >> Hiyataru!
Coeurl >> ...Do I know y...
Coeurl >> Hey! I *DO* know you!
Flaru >> How's it going kitty?

Coeurl collapses to the ground in exhaustion
Coeurl starts to cry

(Sidenote : had to edit this last part upon Flaru's request. Apparently I wasn't as well composed as I remembered.)

Coeurl >> I can't do it!!! It's too difficult!
Flaru >> ...Brutus got you on feeding duty, didn't he?
Coeurl >> YES!!! And it's unbearable!!!
Coeurl >> That rotten twat won't eat a thing from me!!!
Flaru >> Yah, that one looks a bit spoiled...
Coeurl >> This is so unfair!!!
Flaru >> Coeurly?
Coeurl >> *sniff* what?
Flaru >> Have you tried spoiling it?
Coeurl >> Isn't giving it expensive food enough spoiling already?
Flaru >> Nah, I'm not talking about that kind of spoiling.
Flaru >> I was more thinking about giving it more attention.
Coeurl >> ...How do I do that?
Flaru >> Oh, it's not much hard, watch me.

Flaru moved up to the chocobo, and started rubbing its belly. At first, the chocobo's eyes stayed glazed with boredom, but slowly it started to gain vitality, its neck stretching up, eyelids closing in pleasure, wings starting to bat, and letting out what seemed to be a happy wark.

Flaru >> There-there...

Flaru slowed down his rubbing while moving slowly up its belly as far as he could reach. At that moment, as responding to some obscure cue, the chocobo sat down on the ground, its head turning to the small Tarutaru giving him that gentle rubbing treatment. At that point, Flaru started scratching the yellow bird's head, which seemed to find that extremely pleasurable.

Flaru >> Okay Coeurly, take over.
Coeurl >> wh-what?
Flaru >> Look, he's feeling cuddly right now.
Flaru >> start rubbing his head softly here.
Coeurl >> Are you sure? You seem to handle it well.
Flaru >> Looky-here, you want to feed that chocky its grass?
Coeurl >> Yah, b-but...
Flaru >> C'm'on, try it! What's the worst that could happen?
Coeurl >> ...being pecked to death?
Flaru >> Oh, don't-ar-you worry about that, I'll be right here.
Flaru >> Now, start scratching it slowly right here.

As my trembling hand landed on top of the chocobo's head, I could feel the beast of burden tensing up.

Flaru >> Don't fret-aru, just scratch its head softly
Flaru >> and do it in the same direction as the feathers.

After a moment of uneasiness, the chocobo's tension faded away magically, as it didn't seem to mind the switch between me and Flaru. And the more the chocobo calmed down, the more I was doing the same.

Flaru >> Okay, now, don't stop rubbing its head,
Flaru >> and gently put the gausebit grass under its beak.
Flaru >> He might pinch your hand a bit while eating it,
Flaru >> but he's tamed right now, so don't worry about losing a finger.

Indeed, it felt pinchy a bit, as its beak did come into contact with my outstretched hand, but it did seem to know when to stop as if it was sensing when he was hurting me. It was like a bond had been made between me and it. I continued scratching it as it started licking the last crumps in my hand. I couldn't help but giggle a bit so much that felt tickly. Suddenly, the chocobo stood tall once more, batting its wings, warking in joy.

Flaru >> Best if you ruffle its neck a bit.

Coeurl ruffles the chocobo's neck feathers

Flaru >> Now say "There's a good girl!"
Coeurl >> ...You want me to talk to a chocobo?
Flaru >> Why not? They like the attention a lot.
Coeurl >> ...
Coeurl >> ...good girl, good girl.

Coeurl blushes in embarassment
Coeurl quickly looks around if no one saw her talking to an animal

Flaru >> See? It's not that hard!
Coeurl >> Gosh... I really don't know how to thank you...
Flaru >> There's an easy way.

Coeurl braces up for the impact

Flaru >> Just say "Thank you!"
Coeurl >> ...Thank you Flaru!
Flaru >> Like you mean it!
Coeurl >> But I did mean it!!

Flaru giggles uncontrollably

The next two days went without a hitch. Following Flaru's advice, it was much easier to get the chocobo in the mood for eating the grass right out of my hand. If only I could have done more than one feeding a day, that would have been much quicker. But it seems chocobos don't like eating from the same hand more than once a day, for some odd reason. After the third day, Brutus gave me my riding licence without adding any new tasks as prerequisites, as promised. He even seemed happy to give me that licence. I guess I'll never be able to understand those people with a natural inclination towards being positive all the time. I still wonder what gets him to keep a smile on his face from day to day...

...At least, I have my licence now! I can ride a chocobo!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! =^-^=

Currents : Flip-Flop

Ever gotten those annoying pamphlets delivered to you through Mog Mail?

"This week only: Free Goblin Doll with any order greater than 5,000 Gil"
"Love life? Join Salaheem's Sentinels!"
"Sign the petition for reversing the Ranger Nerf(tm) at your local ambassy!"

You know, that kind of junk.

But once in a while, I get more interesting pamphlets promoting less shameful plugs. Like my last one :

"Changes to the Samurai Training Program : Ready, Set, Hasso!"

I read the promotional material, which tried to incite adventurers into considering Samurai as a career choice, now that new abilities can be learned in dojos around Vana'diel. I admit, I had a fancy in Samurai previously, seeing some in action. If there's one thing that gets my blood pumping, it's whenever I learn a new weapon skill. I got all giggly when I learned Howling Fist a few weeks back. Gotta say, it's always fun to learn a new way to lay the smackdown on your prey.

But that's not all the advertisement I keep for further thoughts. I get some other promotional pamphlets about other jobs: Dark Knight, Bard, Warrior, Beastmaster... And I'm a very impressional gal, to be honest. So whenever I get one of those in the mail, or even see some awesome adventurer in action, I start daydreaming...

How would I fare as a Black Mage? Or as a Dragoon? What about Corsair? Wouldn't it be cool if I were also a Summoner?

As for proof, just ask Firewall. He's a salesman I've contracted in Jeuno for selling some of the stuff I gather on my journeys. He offered as an added service some storage space. I kid you not, he's currently holding stuff for me to go out as a White Mage, Blue Mage and Ninja right now, seeing how my own space is filled to the brim with Monk stuff, and recently, Paladin gear. And I'm seriously considering other jobs, but knowing how I suck at time management, I feel like I really should concentrate on at most two of them.

But which ones?

Obviously, I should keep at being a Monk. I'm doing a great job as it is, though for most of my career I've been outshone by well-equipped Dragoons. It's sad how so many people put those warriors of the spear down. However, ever since I've recently gotten my 61st level of achievement as a Monk, I've never seen my fists fly as fast as they are now before. Seriously, if I combine my Monk training with my Warrior lessons, I can send a flurry of blows in a very short lapse of time when the proper occasion arises. It's too bad I didn't have a chance to get back into some action ever since... Damn the overabundance of melee-oriented adventurers all wanting to get some training done at the same time.

For those days when it looks near impossible to get some training done, I've decided to learn a side-job to keep myself busy. Of all the jobs, I ended up picking Paladin. That felt a bit weird, to be honest. One moment, I'm out wailing my fists on various monsters, and the next, monsters keep wailing their beaks/claws/slimy bits at me. I won't lie, I really enjoy wielding the sword and shield. I might not be strong, nor sturdy, but I've got good gear to compensate for my lithe frame. And the best part... THAT GEAR'S CHEAP!!! ...at least in comparison to what I'm used to buy as a Monk. Sure, a few hundred thousands of gil for two rings might seem a lot, but compared to all the "standard" Monk attire... Much refreshing indeed.

Still, even with those two jobs, I still feel the itch to try out other stuff. Some I've already done before, others I can only wish I could try...

The amazing skillchaining of a Samurai...

The uncanny dodging of a Ninja...

The studious learnings of a Blue Mage...

The faithful companionship of a Dragoon...

The unforgiving wrath of a Black Mage...

The unending versatility of a Red Mage...

The soothing voice of a Bard...

The slick gambling of a Corsair...

Yah... Way too much on my mind at any given time. And yet, so little space in storage for it all. I can only wish I could get Monk done soon so I can start off another career. That, or get Paladin through a quick grind to make room for some new training. Too bad I have so many limitations keeping me from following my heart at any given time...

The Long Road to Jeuno

Can you imagine my surprise when I was turned down a rental at the chocobo stables in San d'Oria?

Coeurl >> Why can't I ride a chocobo?
Camereine >> Sorry m'am, but you need a chocobo licence.
Coeurl >> But I'm level 20 now!
Camereine >> You still need to apply for a licence m'am.
Coeurl >> Ok... Can you give me an application form?
Camereine >> No can do m'am. We don't stock those forms here.
Coeurl >> So... How do I go about getting an application form?
Camereine >> You might want the central office in Jeuno, m'am.
Coeurl >> ...But Jeuno's like a full-hour run from here!
Coeurl >> Can't I even ride a chocobo just for that?
Camereine >> Sorry m'am.
Coeurl >> B-But what if I die on the way, and lose my level 20?!
Camereine >> You won't be able to apply for a licence.
Coeurl >> ...HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET THERE WITHOUT DYING?!?
Coeurl >> I CAN BE BEATEN TO DEATH TENFOLD ON THE WAY!!!
Camereine >> I understand your frustration m'am.
Camereine >> I wish I could help you...
Camereine >> But I'm only doing my job.

Sweet. Just sweet. Now I'm stuck walking from point A to point B again. Why can't I get an application for a chocobo riding licence in a nation's capital? Why do I have to run to Jeuno for that? And why the heck should I be losing my latest grade in achievement in thievery skills if I die while running from point A to point B? It's not like I'm trying to sneak through a beastman's stronghold, why should I lose experience points for doing something that's not even related to my training?

Coeurl >> WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
Random >> What's wrong Coeurly?
Coeurl >> I WANT TO RIDE THE CHOCOBO!!!
Random >> Calm down!
Random >> Can you describe the problem to me?
Coeurl >> I need to run to Jeuno on foot to get my licence
Coeurl >> But I know I'll die on the way!
Coeurl >> And if that happens, I lose my level!
Coeurl >> And if I lose my level, I CAN'T GET A LICENCE!!!
Random >> Gosh... I wish I could come escort you...
Random >> But I'm a bit tied up at the moment.

Coeurl weeps uncontrollably

Sinner >> I think I have an idea.
Coeurl >> ..?
Sinner >> Can't you switch to another job?
Sinner >> That way you won't lose your level.
Coeurl >> ...But I won't be able to get a licence
Coeurl >> if I show up as a level 1 newbie!
Sinner >> ...Coeurl?
Sinner >> You know they have Rent-A-Rooms in Jeuno too, right?

I can't believe it took me a minute to put two and two together! Gosh, I truly deserved being a Rank 1 adventuress! Following the advice if my linkshell leader, I asked Mogri to set me up as a White Mage, and left San d'Oria, making my way towards La Theine Plateau... I failed to understand that now, lower level orcs would be most pleased to give me a beating. It wasn't long before I Home Pointed... in Selbina.

Coeurl >> I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!!!
Coeurl >> Can't believe I'm stuck in Selbina now!
Random >> What? Not like Jeuno's any further.
Random >> Even better, this can give you options.
Coeurl >> ...?
Random >> Going through Jugner Forest can be a bitch.
Random >> Why not try going through Pashhow Marshlands?

Following Random's advice, I headed towards the southeastern border of Valkurm Dunes, being careful while crossing the tunnel on the way, as I recognized the type of bats that like to dwell in such damp conditions, as well as feasting on poor souls threading in their dens.

Making my way past Konechat... Konchstats... Kornstatch... *THE* Highlands, and into Pashhow Marshlands, I came to a realization.

Coeurl >> OH NOES!!!
Random >> What now...
Coeurl >> I DUN HAVE A MAP!!!
Random >> ...
Random >> You know...
Random >> There's a road...
Coeurl >> ...
Random >> It may not be made of gold
Random >> But it does lead to Jeuno
Coeurl >> ...You sure?
Random >> Pretty much
Random >> Not like they'd built a road leading to nowhere
Random >> Just follow the road, and avoid beastmen and the like
Random >> And you should make it to the big city just fine.

And forth I went, on that beaten path, leading through a reekful marsh filled with turtle-beastmen. I was glad I was wearing boots for this journey, even though my socks got kinda soggy nonetheless as the humidity and transpiration found their way into my footwear.

Coeurl >> I got a bit of a pickle...
Random >> ...don't tell me you need a raise.
Coeurl >> No, not that.
Coeurl >> There's a fork in the road.
Random >> What's your position?
Coeurl >> Let me check my shard... (H-6)
Random >> Okay... what are the paths' directions?
Coeurl >> One leading west, and the other north-east.
Random >> ...And what direction were you going?
Coeurl >> I was going north until I got here.
Random >> Okay... Jeuno's to the north-east, so take that path.
Coeurl >> Are you sure?
Random >> Not 100%, but that's most likely the right direction.
Coeurl >> ...Your confidence comforts me...
Random >> You could always ask for local help
Coeurl >> ...ask which? The turtle-men or the goblins?

Seeing as I was standing in the middle of nowhere, no adventurers in the vicinity, and goblins roaming about, I felt I had better cut to the chase and chance it with the north-eastern path. After a few more dodging moments, I finally made it to the outpost... which was overrun by beastmen. Oh joy. Can't ask for more directions there. At least the northern path seemed to be leading somewhere. Wasn't I glad to finally take a sit in Rolanberry Fields, giving myself a good foot massage after squeezing the foul-smelling juicy mix that saturated my socks.

Note to self: take a bath once I get to Jeuno.

Correction : *IF* I make it to Jeuno.

Taking a deep breath, I started marching onto the clearly define path. I didn't stay on it for very long though, as there were more Quadavs strolling around there than there were Tarutarus in Windurst. You'd think there was a convention going on, with a free buffet of rolanberries and adventurers. Informing myself from Random and Sinner, I was told to mostly watch out for the beastmen on the way, that I should be safe as long as I don't go into Ochu Country. Still, those Quadavs were pretty much barricading the road. So I ran around, artfully dodging the poor-sighted turtle-beastmen as best I could.

Things went smoothly, as I finally saw the great city of Jeuno off in the far distance, towering above the hills. That sight renewed my hope, and I finally engaged the last leg of my run. I still made careful decisions on how to proceed, however the outer ruins made that last leg very treacherous. In fact, that landscapic feature nearly became my downfall, as I suddenly heard a familiar sound: black magic being given shape by a mage. I turned around to see the source, in hope it was some adventurer doing the casting, but my heart sank rapidly when I saw a goblin leering at me, thoughts of murder dancing in his eyes behind his mask. I knew I had no hope to survive this onslaught, but made a run for it anyways, crying sadly at the impending doom.

Goblin Shaman gains the effect of Blaze Spikes

...Did I say crying? I meant valiantly running away from doom! Yah, that's how it went! I made a dash for the city, in the hopes I could outrun my assaillant. So far I was lucky, but as I crossed the outer gates of the city, I heard that tell-tale sound again behind me.

Goblin Shaman starts casting Stonega

OH NO!!! I'M GONNA DIE!!! AND SO CLOSE TO THE CITY!!! I can't believe this is happening to me!!! ...AGAIN!!! I still kept running, the city is so close!! I suddenly felt the earth tremble, the spell was taking effect! There was a loud rumble, as I was projected forward, outside of the circle of the spell. I made it barely! I outdistanced the spell's range! YES!!! JEUNO HERE I COME!!!

And so I zoned in, and I got dizzy from the shift accompanying those annoying moments. I was entering the safety of the city!

...wait...

...Why am I being envelopped in darkness?

...No strength to speak...

Coeurl >> Uh...
Coeurl >> What happened?
Sinner >> I doubt I can answer that better than you Coeurl
Sinner >> Why don't you tell us what happened?
Coeurl >> I'm confused...
Coeurl >> I ran to the city, zoned...
Coeurl >> and now I'm taking a dirt nap.
Coeurl >> How's that possible?
Sinner >> Wait, was there something chasing you before you zoned?
Coeurl >> ...Yah, a black mage goblin.
Coeurl >> But I outran it.
Sinner >> Gosh... That sucks.
Coeurl >> You know what happened?
Sinner >> Not really...
Sinner >> Usually, when I get killed as I enter a zoneline
Sinner >> I end up dead in the zone I tried to leave.
Sinner >> You're telling me you still made it to Jeuno?
Coeurl >> ...According to my crystal, yah.
Coeurl >> This is a major bummer...
Coeurl >> I made it to the big city alright...
Coeurl >> Just not standing on my two feet.
Sinner >> ...For the love of Altanna, don't Home Point.
Sinner >> I'll look for a raise for you.
Coeurl >> ...You'd do that for me?
Sinner >> Hey, it's not like there aren't any White Mages in Jeuno.
Sinner >> ...I've got a friend in town, she's on her way.

I thanked the Star Sybil for that Raise. I'm sure I embarassed that White Mage so much I profusively bowed, kneeled and thanked her. Sure, I was exhausted, both from the long run to town and the raise sickness. But I finally made it to the great duchy of Jeuno. Now, to get registered to ride a chocobo!

...First, shower. Then, chocobo!

Yet Another Day at the Beach

...lesson learned: it's important to pick passwords that aren't easily guessed. Especially when you're talking about your first encounter with a friend who knows you well enough to make easy guesses.

So, back to where I was...

I just finished leveling Warrior to 15, worked hard on improving my sword handling, and switched back to my bread and butter at the time : Thief! =^-^= Being THF18/WAR9 was slightly enpowering. I felt a bit at a disadvantage ever since that Black Mage bursted a fuse because I didn't knew I could have a subjob. Moreover, I got myself a shiny Iron Sword for my troubles, as well as the Lizard set of armor. Finally, I purchased a stack of Meat Mithkabobs to help further improve my performance. Confident in having filled the holes in what was deemed 'da best', I journeyed back to the dunes.

Arrived at the dunes, marched towards Selbina, and put my 'flag' up. I had time to reach Selbina and loaf around town while waiting for an invitation. I was so bored I went to the fishing guild, bought a rod and a few lures and tried my luck. Guess it wasn't on my side, my rod broke on the 4th cast. I grumbily threw away the broken rod to the sea as a result. That meant more free time roaming about town while waiting for something to happen. The ferry had enough time to come and go twice before I finally got an invitation.

Leader >> Party?
Coeurl >> Sure!
Leader >> Ok, come to Secret Beach

Coeurl looks at the map

Coeurl >> I can see a Whitesand and a Siren Beach
Coeurl >> But where's that Secret Beach?
Leader >> It's not on the map
Leader >> That's why it's called Secret Beach
Coeurl >> ...Is it hard to get to?
Leader >> Not as long as you watch your way around Gobs
Leader >> See that spot at C-6?
Coeurl >> Uh... uh-huh?
Leader >> There's a passage there leading to the beach.
Leader >> Think you can make it?
Coeurl >> I'll sure try...

My lack of confidence conveniently reminded me to set my Home Point back in Selbina. Thank Mogri for telling me I had better set it into San d'Oria before leveling my Warrior subjob, otherwise I would have had fun making the Selbina - San d'Oria run at level 3. So getting out, I broke into a run towards the specified spot, being careful not to get killed on the way. Thank goodness the directions were simple and I had a map! It wasn't long before I got to the mouth of the cave leading to my next party. Coincidentally, that's also when I got invited to join them.

Whitemage >> Hello sweetie!
Warrior >> {Hello!}
Coeurl >> Hiya!
Coeurl >> Made it to the passage, now what?
Leader >> It's a straightforward path, you can't get lost.
Coeurl >> ...Okay, I'm coming then.
Warrior >> Charlie?
Leader >> Yes?
Warrior >> Did you warn Coeurl about the bats?

Coeurl gets hit by the Sand Bats for 19 damage

Coeurl >> EEEEEEEEEEK!!!
Coeurl >> Get them off me!!!
Leader >> Keep running! We'll take care of them!

And so I ran... into another bat, but I still ran as I believed that was what they wanted me to do. Thankfully, I noticed the goblin at the end of the tunnel just in time, and ran behind it. It wasn't long before I could see the beach, and my new party's front line drawing weapons as I made it barely alive. The White Mage threw a Cure II my way, while the melees took care of the rest. I proceeded to join in the fray of battle once I felt I wasn't going to have my first taste of the Secret Beach's sands. We made short work of them, seeing how everyone was well rested during their wait for a 6th member.

The party setup was pretty smooth. Thief, Ninja (Leader), Warrior, White Mage, Black Mage, Summonner. I was asked to pull, which wasn't too bad considering the layout of the place: everything that could attack us without provocation was away from the beach, which gave me plenty of room to run around safe from any unwanted aggressions. At first, they wanted me to bring to camp the flies and goblins. However, on the next few kills after the Warrior got to Level 19...

Whitemage >> ...those suck now.
Warrior >> ...damn...
Leader >> Think we're ready to bump up to Pugils?
Summonner >> I dunno... They were kinda iffy for me back when...
Coeurl >> Those fish got you scared? They don't look that tough.
Leader >> Coeurl...
Coeurl >> C'mon, they seem to have average defense and evasion.
Leader >> Coeurl...
Coeurl >> ...What?
Leader >> Those monsters have a move that can bring anyone to their knees.
Coeurl >> Oh, really?
Leader >> Yah. That's why I want to know if the party's ok with taking them on.
Coeurl >> Oh... Ok.

After a two minutes discussion, and the mages taking a full round of rest, we steeled ourselves for our first Beach Pugil.

Coeurl >> Pulling Beach Pugil!
Leader >> Bring it!

Damn he sounded pumped up. In the end, the fight wasn't as hard as against a fly or a goblin, but contrary to those two which's strongest move involves area damage, a Pugil's strongest attack was Screwdriver, which wasn't too pleasant for the Leader when he was caught without his Shadows. At least we had a Warrior who shared the tanking duties, and so we got through the fight with as much exhaustion as if we just got bombed by a goblin.

Leader >> So...
Whitemage >> I'm a bit worn out, but otherwise good.
Summonner >> I can always do a bit more backup healing.
Blackmage >> Gosh Charlie, you got me scared for a moment!
Leader >> ...Heh, that's the price for being a tank.
Coeurl >> ...Guess I can't say much...
Leader >> How so?
Coeurl >> Well... I don't get hit on much...
Coeurl >> And I don't have a mana pool...
Coeurl >> I kinda feel like I don't bring anything special to the team.
Leader >> Bah! You're dealing awesome damage,
Leader >> even if it's in bursts every minute.
Leader >> Just make sure Sneak Attack is ready before you pull.
Leader >> The fish was close to dead after your second attack.
Coeurl >> ...ok
Leader >> Don't confound "needs" with "contribution"
Leader >> Tanks need HPs, mages need MPs
Leader >> All you need is for us tanks to stand together
Leader >> so the mob doesn't turn around while you prepare Sneak Attack.
Warrior >> Which is already taken care of. =)
Coeurl >> Oh. Thanks.
Warrior >> np

And the party went on pretty well, especially as one by one we all made it to level 19. We agreed it would be great if we could all make it to 20 by the time we had to disband. However, fate would decide "doing pretty well" is "doing too well", as when I was short from the half-way point into level 20, two adventurers ventured onto the beach and silently approached us, stopping a short distance away. A quick search into the crystal network indicated they were under Anonymous mode, thus the only way to know what class they were was by checking them. Back then, I considered it odd for people to check me out, so I didn't bother checking them back. And besides, they must have been anonymous for some reason...

WhiteMage >> Isn't that the "oh my gawd Provoke will kill me" Warrior?
Leader >> Oh no... Not him again...
BlackMage >> Looks like he came back as a White Mage
BlackMage >> And his buddy's a high-level Ninja
Warrior >> Think he'll be killing the pugils?
Leader >> I don't care. Let's keep our groove on.

I didn't dare ask anything about whoever the guy was, and which one of the two they were reffering to. In any case, one of them grinned and leered at our Leader, before they went off to the far east end of the beach. I made no mind as I continued pulling as usual and brought a fresh Beach Pugil to camp. About 20 seconds later, he ran off to some cave at the end of the beach, while shortly after the other guy ran right into the middle of our camp, with some company...

One of MPKBuddy's Shadows disappears.

Blackmage >> HOLY SHIT!!!

Before anyone else would realize it...

MPKBuddy uses Mijin Gakure
Marchelute takes 244 damage

Warrior >> WHAT THE?!?
Whitemage >> WHAT AN ASS!!!
Leader >> RUN!!!

That's when my attention went from the Beach Pugil, to the still pulsing corpse of the self-detonated, chakra-diffused Ninja, to...

Coeurl >> Who the hell is that?!?

My hesitation in disbelieving the person in gray tunic was a real person cost me the chance to escape unscathed from this encounter.

Marchelute hits Coeurl for 341 damage
Marchelute defeats Coeurl

As the rest of my party safely moved to the end of the beach, the other guy who gave an evil snicker to our leader appeared, and snickered some more (from a safe distance, mind you), but this time at my lapidated body, while giving a Raise to the fallen Ninja.

MPKer >> U GOT SERVED!!!
MPKer >> Teach ya u asses!!!
Leader >> ...
Leader >> You know, you're not even proving any point doing this.
MPKer >> STFU U ASS!!!
MPKer >> How dare u ask me to use Provoke!
MPKer >> u already have nother WAR!
Leader >> ...I asked you if you could provoke the mob
Leader >> when the mob went for the mages.
Leader >> I expected at worst a "no"
Leader >> not a "Provoke will kill me u n00b"
MPKBuddy >> What the heck?
MPKBuddy >> You were kicked because you didn't want to use Provoke?
MPKer >> Why shuld I?
MPKer >> Day have nother WAR!
MPKBuddy >> ...you're more of an idiot that I thought.
MPKBuddy >> Sorry you guys, had I known...
Leader >> It's alright...
Leader >> ...Don't think we could ask him to raise our Thief?
MPKer >> WUT?!? EAT DIRT U SUCKY THF!!!
MPKBuddy >> ...you know, if you don't raise her...
MPKBuddy >> don't expect me and my friends to help you with your AFs
MPKer >> ...
MPKer >> ...
MPKBuddy >> You know you want that Healer's Briault...
MPKer >> ...
MPKer >> Ur lucky hez my big bro, u kitty beetch.

MPKer reluctantly casts Raise on Coeurl

...What an exciting way to get my first Raise... The Ninja continued to apologize profusively, while his little brother sulked away at how his plan for revenge turned back on him. He even went off to kill a pugil a bit further down the beach to vent his frustrations, after which his brother whispered something in his ear, which pushed the vindicative MPKer into a flurry of angry gestures before finally casting Teleport-Altep, thus leaving us with an (other than us) empty beach. We made a pact that we'd disband only once everyone's made it to level 20, seeing how that's when you can obtain your chocobo licence.

Yah... After all those adventures, can you really blame me if I shudder at the very thought of returning to that "vacation spot" ever since?

Rant : A Minimum of Presentation

Am I so wrong to turn down an invitation from someone who :

1. Sent me a blind invite;
2. Was a Warrior/White Mage;
3. Rank 3;
4. Still under the LFG status?

I mean, if the guy at least *asked* me, I would have asked back if White Mage was the subjob he intended to use for his training. Or if he had an appropriate subjob, I would have accepted and done a "wait-and-see" to witness if he had the organizational skills to build a balanced party.

In the end, he did, but had poor presentational skills. And when I told him I was still turning down his invitation because I live by my principles (even if I did want to join his exquisitely-built party.) I did advice him to not send blind invites to improve his chances of avoiding a rebuttal such as mine in the future. He didn't like my attitude and wished me good luck in finding a party, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

I know, I can be difficult at times. Still, I don't think I'm asking for much in the end. Just a minimum of presentation to gain my trust, that's all.

Flaru-Wuru : Blog Hijack

Yotaru! This is Flaru-Wuru, broadcasting his vibes from Port Windurst, yo!

...Sorry, got carried away!

Flaru blushes in embarassement

I couldn't help but feel my ears burning lately, especially when they caught wind that I was being described in such a bad light online. The first clue was when some LS mates started offering me Yagudo Drinks out of the blue. At first I kept turning them down, explaining that I wasn't training as a Beastmastaru anymore, thus didn't need to freshen my magic pool. But eventually, some wouldn't be able to keep a straigth face when they made their bogus offer. That's when I asked exactly what the joke was, and I was refered to Coeurl's blog.

Oh.
My.
Little.
Tarutaru feet.

Gosh, Coeurly-Woeurly sure knows how to screw up details. Sure, I wasn't exactly in a good mood that day... Courrier Carrie was in a foul mood about me having sent her to stall a monster while I warped to safety. Well, who could blame her? Beastmaster pets have feelings too. I didn't want to talk about it because it was quite humiliating to say I had "crab problems", so I kept it to myself.

About our first encounter, I was fishing for Cheval Salmon back when I was about L30 as a Beastmastaru. I wasn't very knowledgeable about how different bites meant whether it was a fish, item or monster I was reeling in, so I did pull out a few monsters. And since I planned to do an extended fishing session, I left all my gear home, save for the standard fishing attire. When I did pull a monster, I ended up fighting it bare-fisted, which wasn't exactly effective, so I ended up using Banish to deal with them instead.

That's about when Coeurl came in. Now imagine a mithra dressed in Bronze gear, trying to make herself look interesting, oblivious to how sexy she looks in that attire, leering at me for a good two minutes, checking me not once, not twice, but trice during that time... And the first thing you hear from her is:

Coeurl >> HEEEEEEEY!!!!
Coeurl >> R U fishing?

Can I say I had a right to be irritated for being disturbed? She had all the clues as to what I was doing, so yah, I decided to play the stupid card and told her I was mining, and threw a rock at her. That much was true. And at the end of the exchange, I did drink a leftover 'Yaggie' from my recent mini-avatar fight with Shiva. All that banishing had depleted my pool, and I was too lazy to take a rest. Besides, it has a nice tangy taste to it. So yah, that "drunk" accusation got under my skin, and I shoo'ed her away.

Might be best to note it again: I WAS NOT DRUNK!!!

Then, the night at the bar...

First off, it wasn't Grape Juice, but Orange Juice I was drinking. I never asked for anything but Orange Juice. I did complain about the quality of it, as it wasn't as fresh as the good ol' juice you can get in Windurst. I swear, the juice back home must be made from oranges freshly picked in Sarutabaruta. I told them to get a bottle on the AH to check if their juice truly sucked that much. But heh... I put up with the sour taste as it kept reminding me of my home...

Then she came in. My initial thought was definitely "Oh no, not that n00by Mithra again..." Next thing I knew, she sat in front of me and ordered two glasses of water. Did I feel like drinking water? Surely not. I wanted my Carrie back, she didn't answer my calls anymore. All I wanted was to make the trip home, thus my obsession with Saruta Orange Juice, even when of bad quality. Anyways, I tried to discourage her as much as I could from staying at the same table as I, but she was determined in getting an apology out of me.

Coeurl >> Do you have any idea how rude you were with me?
Coeurl >> I didn't deserve it!
Coeurl >> It's not like I know anything about fishing!
Coeurl >> Hey! Pay attention while I'm talking to you!

Eventually, I admitted to it and apologized, but watered it down by pointing out how her question hinted that she might have been a botchecker, and offered different questions to ask, like "is fishing hard?", or even more simply "how's the fishing?" Anything but question whether or not I'm doing what it looks like I'm doing. The conversation then derived to embarassing moments we each had and adventuring. I think I scared her out of her boots when I told her how often I failed to survive in the wild. She kept asking why I went adventuring alone instead of find safety in a group. I explained to her that Beastmasters weren't exactly viewed as "party friendly", thus we did our own thing. And the more we did our own thing, the more adventurers shunned us from regular training parties. In short, a vicious cycle never ending.

At least, that mentality endured until the Jeuno Adventurer Administrative Centre decreed that raising domesticated jug pets is part of our training, thus we shouldn't be suffering a cut in experience rewards when using them to fight with us. That pushed the 'Party-Beastmaster' agenda back on the scene and we started to get a better rep from then on. But back then, it was "we'll invite you if we're desperately seeking a Damage Dealer." Like that invite I got for a Garlaige Citadelle training party while I was killing crabs in Korroloka Tunnel.

So there you have it. The flip side of the coin. Oh, and one last thing, about my talking to my pets? Yah, I do that. But who the heck doesn't? The only difference is my pets are trained for battle, it doesn't mean I shouldn't be giving them any affection! I mean, I'm sure some of you are talking to your chocobos you're currently raising, no? Some in baby talk no less, right? And Coeurl's quote is actually accurate on that account, but the problem is that Mithra can't recognize a joke even if it spam-slapped her in the face!

Trust me, she's a bit dense and naive at times, but she's a good girl. She also have self-assertion issues, to the point she developped an allergy to leadership status, and yet she can get bossy at times during critical situations. You don't want to see how irritated she can get when she gets her fur ruffled the wrong way.

Anyways, Flaru-Wuru signing out! Happy adventuring! And vote for Beastmaster in all "which job is best" contests!

The Fishertaru, Part Deux

Poor little Flaru... I still remember that day we first met. Things sure went sour on our first meeting. There were other times that were just as bad or worse, but thankfully, our second meeting the same day has helped us bonding together.

Feeling I was missing out on good business opportunities in San d'Oria, I asked my linkshell about what could be done to make my training sessions more worthwhile. Hey, it's not like gear buys itself off at the Auction House, I still needed to plan out an upgrade before I set off again for the dunes: full Lizard armor set, and a sword. I was already following the advice of leveling Warrior with a sword as well, so I won't end up with a half-baked proficiency with that weapon comes the next time I hit the dunes.

Basically, I was told to hold onto my Fire Crystals and craft Copper and Brass ingots from the ore the worms dropped. Also have a few Winds on the side to turn Sheep Skin into Wool Threads. That sounded perfect to me, seeing how those materials take up lots of room easily in my gobbiebag. I was also told to save up on Flints and Bat Wings for a few townsfolks. And so began my Lvl 5-10 run.

After a long day of fighting outside of the city's walls, and trading inside, I figured I might as well get some rest. But as I walked towards the Residential Area, I've heard a loud whining coming from the nearby bar. I counted my flint stones... Heck, why not go in and trade some as an excuse to see what exactly's going on?

Inside was a sad spectacle. Flaru-Wuru was shouting at the barman to bring up more Grape Juice, all that while complaining about how they should have been holding Yagudo Drinks in the cellar. He went as far as ordering the barman to go buy some off the Auction House if he wanted his patronnage. Obviously, the owner didn't take too likely to that comment, and refused sending anyone out to fulfill that egocentric request. But he was making a killing off Grape Juices, so he didn't go as far as to get the drunk tarutaru kicked out of the place.

Somehow, that pity I half-felt back at the Chival River finally manifested itself to me. Gosh, I hated myself for being such a soft-hearted person. I know that makes me a big sucker for sob stories, and I knew that kind of amount of drinking meant such a story must be behind such a self-destructive behavior.

Coeurl >> Mind if I take a seat?
Flaru >> Shoo! Go away! You scare fishies!
Coeurl >> ...
Coeurl >> We're in a bar, the only fish here comes on a plate.
Flaru >> ...
Flaru >> Why you still here?
Coeurl >> I can't help but notice your heavy drinking.
Flaru >> No way! I only had a few Gwape Jooces.
Flaru >> 2-3 tops, I swear.

I playfully tipped my foot into the stacked up pile of empty bottles on the floor, bringing them to chime upon contact with each other. Flaru looked down at what he had consumed, then looked back at me, a confused look in his eyes, replacing the fury he had moments prior.

Coeurl >> Sounds like more than 2-3 to me.
Flaru >> But I only dwank a few...
Coeurl >> Well, you drank two since I got in
Coeurl >> and I haven't been here for more than 2 minutes.
Coeurl >> Add to that it takes a lot of juice to get in your state
Coeurl >> so I doubt that 'just a few' would make you that woozy.
Flaru >> I'M NOT A DWUNK!!!
Flaru >> ...DRUNK!!!

The other patrons burst in laughter!

Coeurl >> Listen... maybe it's best you drink something else
Flaru >> I know! But they won' get my Yaggie Dwink!!
Coeurl >> ...I was more thinking of water.
Flaru >> ARE YOU MAD?!? Water's for wussies!!!
Coeurl >> Then call me a furry wuss!
Flaru >> ...You make no sense...
Coeurl >> Bartender! Two glasses of water please!
Flaru >> ...I won dwink it...
Coeurl >> What can I say? I'm thirsty!

As the barman brought my two glasses of water, I gave him a wink. He smiled back, likely happy to see someone's trying to calm him down.

Coeurl takes a good gulp of water.

Coeurl >> Aaaaah! That hits the spot!
Flaru >> ...a kitty that' not afwaid of water...
Coeurl >> It's just a drink, not like I'm getting drowned in it.
Flaru >> ...Whadda ya want?
Coeurl >> Why, I'm just lonely tonight
Coeurl >> And I was wondering how your fishing session went.
Flaru >> ...it sucked.
Coeurl >> How so?
Flaru >> ...didn't impwove my skill at all.
Coeurl >> Is that why you were so rowdy with me earlier?
Flaru >> ...nah, I'm used to that...
Coeurl >> Oh? Why did you yell at me then?
Flaru >> ...
Flaru >> ...I'm sowry. I shunna have yelled at you.
Coeurl >> You're not mad at me?
Flaru >> Not rweally... Thought you were a botchecker.
Coeurl >> A botchamakallit?

Flaru-Wuru explained to me that some people in Vana'diel cheat. Instead of relying on natural abilities, they instead seek out the services of third parties to automate their actions through the use of curses. I personally suspect a certain Witch of Windurst to be behind most of that business, but I'm too attached to my life to mention her name. In short, that allows people to continue fishing even while they are sleeping. Just imagine someone standing next to a stream, throwing his line, reeling in fish regularely, while snoozing so loudly people at the other end of the zone can hear them. I suspect a strong sense of humor behind some of those curses, as some people ended up talking in their sleep, admitting to their guilt. Shows how it's important to tip the Witch.

Our conversation then lead to my initial inquiry, as to how was fishing like. He said he didn't knew much, but he was told to go fish in this area to improve his skills, and that he did that only when he had nothing better to do. When I asked why his reaction was so volatile when I interrupted him, I half-expected him to tell me because I was the umpteenth person to ask a seemingly stupid question that day. But rather, he told me that it was a personnal matter, and was very obscure about the amount of information about the source of that irkness. All I was able to deduce from the short answers he gave me was that he likely was fishing for the same reason as he was drinking : to help forget about whatever problem ailed him.

I decided not to pry any further into that topic, and instead started asking about adventuring. He told me about the life (and many deaths) of Beastmasters. I was astounded at the amounts of details he used to depict his adventures. Even more unsettling was the amount of details about how he repetitively died. He justified those grizzly tales by saying that's how he learned to become a better 'Beastmastaru'. He was able to give me pointers on monster behavior, both when idling in the wild and engaged in battle. Those tips stayed with me when I returned to adventuring, as I would be often asked to pull monsters.

That night, we simply exchanged contact information before we parted ways in the Residential Area. Little did I know we'd become the closest of friends. To give a rough idea, we're sharing the same crystal shard, ever since I lost mine in a rather unfortunate incident involving Lockpicking, a Mimic, Flee, and tripping over a sneaked/invisibled Tarutaru. I've filed the paperwork to the Jeuno Adventuring Administrative Centre, but they still haven't finished processing it, so we're stuck to going out one at a time. Flaru doesn't seem to mind though, he says the only regret he has is being unable to help me when I need some quest to be done. I wish I could help him out as well, though I'm quite more limited than he is in terms of means to reach those ends. Best I can do is become more self-sufficient, though I doubt I'll ever be as independant as any Beastmaster out there.