#datum lux lorimus

[driftward]

Title: FFXIV Write 2023 - 3. Soulmate Characters: Liana kir Vaux, Papanan kir Sosonan, Datum lux Lorimus Rating: Teen Summary: The Nyx Project has run into some problems, but its newest member may have found a solution. This happens approximately twenty years before ARR. Notes: Thanks to @yzeltia for the word prompt for today. CW: Mild gore, frank discussion of an autopsy-like activity

The dead body of another hybrid Allagan creation lay on the bench in the Garlean laboratory. It looked for all the world like a Miqo'te, a Keeper of the Moon, with rounded pupils and skin a shade of deep blue so dark it almost appeared black. Giving away its artificial nature was the pulling back of the flesh as rot had set in, and in those places where the flesh had pulled back far enough, one could see the dark goldish hue of what was presumably Allagan technology. Flesh wrapped around what had previously been an ambulatory metal skeleton, an automaton of some sort.

It had lasted for three days after activation. The rot had started at thin black lines on the creature's skin, initially too thin to be seen, but those lines were where the flesh had first pulled away from the skeleton as the thing degraded. And as its flesh rotted, so too seemed its mind. While it had initially been able to follow simple orders, it rapidly grew to misinterpret them, or to seem to not hear them at all. And then, at last, it had collapsed, twitching and flailing in violent seizure, as its body collapsed to the floor, and some hours later, stopped moving.

Three days, and those three days represented a new record for for how long those scientists working on the Nyx Project had managed to keep one of the creatures running. The project, overall, was an attempt by the Garlean empire to capitalize on their ownership of certain Allagan ruins to bring new technology to life for the empire.

It was not going well.

Liana kir Vaux and Papanan kir Sosonan were now looking the construct over, to see if they could determine what had gone wrong this time. Liana's hands traced over its body, her eyes half-lidded as she attempted to find any thread of aether that might still be coursing through the thing. Papanan in the meanwhile had peeled back layers of polymat skin and artificial muscle to now examine the fine lines of fibers and tiny workings of machinery and circuitry that existed deep within.

Neither of them looked up when the door to the area opened. The only people who came this far into the Castrum, who were even permitted into the space, were those working on the project. And neither of them paused in their work when the swearing started, followed by the exclamation of their fellow scientist.

"Emperor preserve, that smells awful. Find out why it failed yet?" Said Datum lux Lorimus.

Papanan just glanced up at Liana, who nodded and stood with a sigh, stretching her back out as she did so.

"Same as number six. Everything appears to be in order, but the organic components refuse to maintain their vitality. And I believe Papanan has found that the fiber harness is all intact, but with no signals, there's no motion."

Papanan harrumphed. "Going to have to crack this one open too, I suspect."

Liana looked over to Datum. "I thought you would still be working on translation."

Datum went over to the nearby console. "Not anymore. We're fortunate. There's been a breakthrough. Some original tomestones have been found that I believe are related to whatever work was being done here, and I came here to review them in the original Allagan. Whatever work it was that E'lan jen Tia did is practically a waste. He was translating a translation of a translation - others' interpretations of what they found when they came across these ruins over the eons."

"Too many layers removed, then, I take it?" asked Liana mildly. Papanan barked a laugh.

"Well, unless you want to try to wake up the next unit and find it a soulmate using a spiritual fishing hook. All we have to do is dangle it in the deep blue sea and wait, apparently, according to what E'lan had translated. Ah, if it was only that easy. Maybe I'd have stayed in dear sweet Thanalan and found myself a wife instead of a calling," said Papanan.

"Careful," warned Datum.

"Please. If the Frumentarium wants me gone, they know where to find me, and I'll hand them the noose."

"I just would rather not have anything happen to either of you," said Datum quietly, as he sat down at the console and connected the tomestone to its interface.

"Come around on us savages then?" asked Papanan.

"Don't antagonise him, Papanan," said Liana, to Papanan's shrug.

"...whatever happened to that E'lan fellow, anyroad?" asked Datum, gently shifting the topic as the tomestone loaded in.

"I rather suspect he found he could not stomach what we were doing to what looked rather uncomfortably like kin to him. This work is rather gruesome. Macabre, even. Morbid, if you will. Ghastly. Downright ghoulish."

Liana just sighed and Pananan chuckled to himself.

"You know," he continued, "It's interesting. Every single one of these we've dug up has looked like quite the fetching young Miqo'te woman. It's weird. It's like how, you know, most Spoken undead seem to be Hyurs for whatever reason."

"The running theory is that the Hyur constitution is balanced in such a way as to favor necromantic energies," said Liana. "I do not know that there is any truth to that. I think it's perhaps just bias. You can find Hyur almost anywhere, so you find plenty of Hyur undead. There are plenty of Duskwight undead in Gelmorran ruins, as a counterpoint, but you do not find my people far from there often."

"Hmn, just so, maybe."

Datum just nodded as the tomestone finished loading, and he began to read carefully through its output. Liana and Papanan returned to their work.

It was nearly a bell later when Datum sat up suddenly. Neither Liana nor Papanan noticed, both of them still deep in the work of disassembling the construct.

"What was that you said earlier. About a soulmate?" he asked.

"Eh?" replied Papanan, who had only been halfway paying attention. "Oops," he said a moment later, as he dropped a spinal linkage.

"Careful," admonished Liana quietly. "It won't hold as well now that we've detached the myomer."

"Soulmate. You mentioned earlier that E'lan thought that these constructs needed soulmates."

"Oh, right, that. No, it was really ridiculous. He thought we needed to attach a spiritual fishing hook into the main assembly, then dangle it into a deep blue sea until we got a soulmate for it."

Datum frowned, and he turned back to his console, rapidly flipping back and forth between different sections of his reading.

"Was that exactly what he said?"

"Hells if I remember."

"Close, as I remember it. Not just any sea - he specifically said the depths of the Azure sea," said Liana.

"Which is ridiculous. They're all blue."

"... oh, he was close," said Datum, a trace of excitement in his voice.

Liana and Papanan now both fully stopped in their work. "Datum?" asked Liana. "What have you found?"

Datum just turned and looked. "Can you get flip it over? Open up the back of its main chassis? I want to see something."

"...sure. Hang on, let's back up, it's heavy. Let the arm handle it," said Papanan.

Liana nodded, and went over to operate a big crane with a large hand at the end of it, flipping the construct over. Once it was flipped, the three scientists moved back in, and Liana reached her fingers in underneath the shoulder blades, and pulled off a large panel of muscle and skin off its back.

Datum covered his nose, and moved in closer, his fingers tracing over the exposed metal that had been hidden in the torso.

"Can we open that?"

"Sure, hang on," said Papanan, as he picked up a nearby tomestone and started connecting it to the construct using fiber cables.

Liana looked over at Datum and raised an eyebrow.

"You know that thing that's over in section three - the so-called Cauldron Boundary Unit?" said Datum.

Liana nodded. "We've had no luck making any use of it. It claims to be a forge, but anything we drop in it just gets dissolved into aether and byproduct."

Datum nodded to the construct as Papanan finished hooking up the wiring. "I think it was meant for these."

Liana frowned at Datum, but he ignored her as he just stepped forward to watch while Papanan thumbed some controls on his tomestone, opening the metal inner shell of the construct. The areas where its shoulder blades had been folded upward, revealing its inner workings. A deeply complicated nest of wiring and unrecognizable machinery, dominated by a central sphere that it all seemed to either be connected to or harnessed around, suspended in the chest cavity. Datum reached out, and touched a hand to it, glancing back and forth down at his own tomestone.

"Artifacted nethicite."

"E'lan was pretty sure that word was meant to be 'auracite'," said Papanan idly, and Datum just shook his head.

"We've no other translation for it, but the phonetics in the original Allagan are obvious. Whatever it is - that serves as a core for these things. Do we have access to the aether transfer array here? I want to try to charge it."

"I can take care of that," said Liana. "What are you trying to do?"

"I just want to see what will happen."

"Might want to see what will happen a bit further back, if you think this will get it going again," said Papanan. "You weren't there for the seizures, but don't be fooled - it looks like a little Miqo'te, but that thing's muscle density is way higher than it should be, and it's a fast bastard when it's up."

"It's got nerves different from we do," said Liana, explaining as she set up the aetheric array. "Faster or broader or something. When it moves, it really moves. Its twitch motion is nearly twice as fast as any other Spoken."

"I... think I shall be over here, then," said Datum nervously, and Papanan went with him. Liana ducked down from where she was standing.

"Ready when you are."

Datum took a deep breath, and nodded. "Fix release."

Liana triggered a switch, and a steady beam of aether flowed from a crystalline array in the ceiling, aimed at the torso of the construct. Rather than flowing around it or dissipating into nether, the aether seemed to just flow into the core and stop there.

For several long minutes, nothing further happened. Liana stuck her head up over the console, while Papanan leaned out from where he was hiding. Datum, however, just watched intensely.

"Can't keep this up much longer," said Liana, looking over her readouts. "We got another minute before I'll need to turn it off and let our stores refill and the system recharge."

"Keep at it," said Datum.

And then, the core gained the faintest glow, hard to see from around the aether stream pouring into it. The construct began to twitch violently, seeming to vibrate in place as its whole body twitched, its fingers and toes violently and rapidly curling and uncurling. It began to make a low, unsettling guttural groan.

Datum grimaced. "That's enough. Shut it down."

Liana did so, and as the aether stream faded away, so did the glow from the construct's core, and its body settled back down to become still.

Papanan put his hands on his hips, and nodded, looking to Datum. "Well well well! That's progress. What is it you've got, then?"

Datum stood up, and began to fiddle with the accoutrements to his lab coat. "Well. I think that has proven several things. We won't be able to get the core online with just aether alone. But I know what will, now."

He looked to the other two. "We don't need to find them soulmates. What we need is to mate a soul to them - to quicken their cores. E'lan's translations were from secondary sources, but I see how he got them. It's not a spiritual fishing hook. It's a soul gig, and it's part of the Cauldron Boundary Unit. It's called a cauldron because it's the last step in forging one of these to completion. As for the boundary part - the cauldron leads deep down, we know that much. How far down has been a matter of speculation, but I suspect I know now. Far enough down to reach the aetherial sea."

"That's preposterous," said Papanan, but Liana just frowned and looked thoughtful.

"And that's the last puzzle piece of E'lan's translation. Not a deep blue sea, but rather, into the Azure Sea - a common enough name for the aetherial sea by civilizations past, owing due to the nature of its color."

"I understand," said Liana. "By using the cauldron to go past the boundary of the material, the Allagans thought to perhaps attach a soul to it to help power and maintain it."

"Ridiculous," said Papanan, but there was no real dissent to his voice as he looked up at the crystal transfer idea. "The idea that we would be attaching a soul to this thing seems quite beyond what even the Allagans were capable of. But, we have one of the most powerful aetheric transfer systems that have ever been devised in the modern era. I propose instead that if this cauldron does lead to the sea, or even if it does not, it leads to somewhere with deep aetheric capability. I suspect what we will be doing instead is simply charging the core. Hardly needs a soul for explanation. We saw it start moving."

Liana crossed her arms. "Perhaps leave the theorizing on the nature of aether to the aetherlogical expert."

"Oh, sure, if you'll leave the machinery to the mechanical expert. I'm telling you, this thing doesn't need a soul, just some juice, and maybe something to keep it from rotting. A dense source of aether just might do the trick."

"In either case, we know what we have to do next," said Datum. "I shall inform Kyb mal Donos. Perhaps we can get another extension while we retrieve more of these... frames."

"It's just a body. No need to get prissy about it," said Papanan, grinning up at Datum. Datum just shook his head.

"Whatever the case is, we know what we need to do next."

"Do we?" asked Liana. "And what of the current experiment? We've not gotten one to start moving again before."

"It's still half rotted. You two may be used to the smell, but we'll need to show these things to the Legatus eventually. Once the system's recharged, try again, make sure we can replicate the findings. Liana, maybe try to see if you can bind a familiar to it, we'll see if that's enough to keep them moving without having to resort fully to trying to see if we can get the Cauldron Boundary Unit to do what we want. But when you're done, just consign it to the graveyard. I'm going to report back to Kyb. Any questions?"

"No questions." "Nothing from me."

Datum just nodded, and then looked down at the weird hybrid construct once more.

"We'll get one of you to life yet," he said.

[driftward]

Title: River Characters: Nyx Blackmoon, Klynt Gohtawyn Rating: Teen Summary: Klynt learns a new skill Notes: None

Klynt frowned, putting her hands on her hips as she looked out over the frozen river, before directing her gaze back to Nyx, who was standing nearby.

On the ice.

With those weird bladed boots on. Ice skates or whatever.

"You're swiving with me right now," she said.

"I assure you I am not," said Nyx, her tone ever flat.

Klynt rubbed her face.

"I am not going out on the ice," she said. "Good way to crack my head."

"I shall keep you safe," said Nyx. "And I am currently configured for restorative magicks."

Klynt looked dubiously at the ice.

"I have every confidence in your ability to perform this task," said Nyx. "You have a high level of athleticism and a confidence around water."

Klynt stuck a finger accusingly at the ice. "That is ice. Ice is not water. They are two different elements on the wheel for a reason." she protested.

Nyx stared at her from where she was.

"I do not wish to put undue pressure on you to do something you are uncomfortable doing," said Nyx. "If you wish, you may remain on the shore."

"...no, no, fine, I'm coming," groused Klynt. She crouched near the shore, and carefully waddled out onto the ice, one cautious step at a time.

-*-

Nyx and Datum lux Lorimus stood on the edge of the frozen river.

"Put these on," he said, handing them a pair of boots that appeared to have blades attached to their bottoms.

As she put them on, carefully lacing them up, he put his own on, talking while he did so.

"Alright, number 12," he said. "It is important that you be able to traverse any terrain type you may encounter, and do so to your utmost advantage.

"As such, it has fallen to me to show you how to use the ice for traveling."

Datum confidently moved out onto the ice, and as his first foot landed upon it, he crouched slightly, and then pushed outwards with one foot, and then the other, propelling himself along.

Nyx walked up to the edge and watched him for a while. He continued on his way, pushing off with one foot, and the other, until eventually he made a slow circle in the middle of the river. He stood straight once there, balancing on the odd knife boots, and stuck his hands in his pockets, looking up at the sky.

After a few moments, he shook his head, and turned his attention to Nyx.

"Follow," he said.

After a moment, she did.

-*-

Klynt tried to stand, and almost immediately, lost her footing. Before she could fall, however, Nyx was by her side, moving with her usual uncommon speed, somehow all the faster despite the ice.

Or maybe because of it, Klynt wasn't gonna think about it too much. She clung to the much smaller Nyx, trying desperately not to go to the ice.

"Bend your knees slightly," said Nyx. "Keep your weight centered over the skates. When you are able to do so, let go slowly. I shall be here."

Klynt followed her instructions, and got her feet under hear. She was wobbling on the skates, but with some effort, she was standing. Or something approximating standing, anyroad.

Nyx stayed nearby, arms held out, ready to catch her should she fall once more.

-*-

Nyx glided across the ice behind Datum, following his example. Tracking and mimicking the movements of others came easily to them, and she was able to adapt to the movements, despite differences in physicality and size. The scientists had often commented on how quickly Nyx seemed able to pick up new skills or abilities.

She did not know how to be any other way, however, and so when asked how she was able to do so, Nyx could not answer.

The time on the ice passed quietly, and Datum, once he was confident in their ability, began to move into more complicated movements, speeding up and slowing down, forming loops and circles on the ice, eventually even moving into leaps and backflips and others acts of physical prowess.

He was not always successful, but as the day went on, and he was pushing himself more and more, he was more frequently laughing at his failures, waving off Nyx when she came close to help him up to his feet.

Towards the end of the day, Nyx was aware of their aetherocompass leaning more towards the cryo pole. She would be fine, but too much colder, and the potential for ill effect on their companion would be a distinct possibility. Even with the warmth provided by physical exertion. She told him as such, and he nodded in response, and made his way slowly to the shore.

"Good job today," he said.

-*-

Klynt was gaining in confidence on the ice. Nyx was still hovering nearby, never more than a few yalms behind her, but she was giving Klynt more and more space, and Klynt was pushing her limits more and more.

They got off the ice for a bit to have a light lunch, which Nyx had provided. Cured meats and cheeses, sliced thin and rolled together, paired with salty-sweet cured Hingashi plums. Hot broth from a Garlond thermal jug warmed them from within and provided the necessary hydration for them to continue their activities.

"I believe you have learned a lot today," said Nyx as they were cleaning up. "I would like to show you more, if you are willing."

Klynt hesitated, but only just. She had been having fun towards the end, hadn't she.

"Sure, why not," she said.

And then they were back on the ice. Nyx led once more, this time staying in front of Klynt instead of behind where they could keep an eye on her. They picked up speed, and showed Klynt how to make shapes on the ice with their blades. They crouched, and showed Klynt how to execute a flip on the ice.

When Klynt crashed into the ice, it smarted, but she found she didn't mind it. She waved Nyx off before they could get close, and got backed up to their feet, wobbly and unsteady, but up all the same, and then she took off again.

She tried again. Each time, a crash, and a little more soreness, but she did not let Nyx get close until, at last, she managed to stick the landing. And when she did so, she stood to her feet, and threw her hands into the air, and let out a bellow of triumph.

As she did so, Nyx glided up next to her, their staff in their hands.

"Now may I administer restorative magicks?" they asked.

"Sure," said Klynt, grinning at her, all teeth and giddiness. "I just learn faster if it hurts a bit, s'all."

Nyx did not say anything in response to that, just focusing her magicks for a moment before letting loose a wave of refreshing healing aether that washed over Klynt and made her feel as though she was ready to do it all over again.

-*-

There was a river that went right through the middle of where the Ixal had set up their camp. It brought fresh water in the spring, and supplies in the summer, and the camp was on the verge of being a settlement. In the fall it had brought crystals, and that had alerted the Frumentarium to the potential risk.

And so in frozen winter, the river brought Nyx. She glided silently and quietly along it. She was ready to leave the river and continue on foot if she needed to, but as she approached, it became apparent that such would not be needed. With the river frozen, the Ixal had not thought to set sentries or watches to keep an eye on its path.

And so, once inside the perimeter of their camp, and under the eyes of those in the watch towers, Nyx left the river, and their blades left their scabbards, and the Ixal left their lives.

Returning was more difficult, being as it was mostly uphill, but Nyx went back the way she had arrived, and found the small contingent that had deployed with them. She reported their success to the radio operator, who began to to call it in, making his report and summoning the airship that would return them all home.

Datum looked unhappy, keeping his arms crossed as he kept an eye out over the tundra as Nyx approached him.

"Objectives met. Mission accomplished," she said.

He just nodded, not looking at her.

-*-

Klynt and Nyx were back on the ice again the next day. Nyx had asked, and Klynt had eagerly accepted. The ice was still no friend of hers, but she felt she was beginning to master it, and anyroad, it was a lot of fun.

There was a brief warmup period, and some light exercises, slowly swirling loops and spins, but now the two were on the ice, traveling along at a lazy pace before she found some other trick to attempt.

"If you are willing," said Nyx, "I am wondering if you can also use the flows of aether to assist your actions."

Klynt glanced sideways at her.

"What d' you have in mind?"

"I have monitored you as you have channeled your abilities, particularly those you have inherited from the dragons," said Nyx. "I believe it it similar enough to how I interact with them to attempt an explanation of how I operate. I would like to know if you can mimic it.

"As you know, I can sense the elemental poles. I am also connected to them, and can affect their flow, as well as convert them for various purposes. Here, on this river, I can feel the ice. I can also sense the connection between that element and water, as well as its conversion path. With some effort, I can connect them both to air. I will demonstrate."

Klynt just watched as Nyx skated along for a moment, holding their staff in their hands. She could see waves of aether flow up and down the staff, gentle white light tinged with blue.

And then suddenly Nyx was glowing just before she shot off. Ice crystals formed on top of the river in her wake, and a wave of water grew from them. A moment later, she was skating on the wave, moving impossibly fast, as a wave of water formed underneath her, frozen wherever her ice skates touched, falling away almost immediately as she left them.

And then she was airborne, in a graceful arc, twisting her body, snow flakes falling behind her as excess aether caused the air itself to crystalize behind her.

Klynt watched, dumbfounded, as Nyx landed neatly. Her magicks died down, and she turned around as she landed, moving into skating backwards away from Klynt.

Klynt blinked.

And then she grinned, and with a gesture, her lance came to her hands, and she slid to a stop on the ice, putting one hand down to touch its surface.

And she could feel it, there, deep underneath the water, under the glacier of the world. The song keened to her, and the ice was willing to answer it.

Klynt fixed Nyx with a challenging expression.

"I'm coming after you, Blackmoon," she said.

-*-

Nyx met Datum by the river bank. He was sitting on its edge, waiting for them where he said he would. She approached him, and stood at attention behind him, silently waiting for instruction.

He turned around, slowly, to look behind him at Nyx. He shook his head, and turned away, turning his attention back out to the river.

"Do you remember what I said when I taught you how to skate? About why?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," said Nyx. "You said that it was important that I learned to traverse any terrain type, and that it was your responsibility to teach me how to traverse ice."

He nodded, and then after a moment, his shoulders sagged.

"I lied," he said. "I needed an excuse, a reason, to have you out here at all. But... I just was feeling ... alone, I guess. Homesick. I wanted to teach you how to skate, so that I could show you how we dance... not to make you a better killing machine."

"I don't know," he said. "We didn't get to the dancing before it go too cold last time, but... I'd like it if you'd try. You don't have to say yes. This isn't an order. I just want - I just want to know that... maybe we put something out into this world, something other than more death."

"I am willing," said Nyx. It would be a new experience. Nyx valued those.

Datum nodded, and after a long moment, he stood up.

Nyx followed him onto the ice shortly thereafter.

This time, he showed her more than just simple movements and athletic tricks. He was quickly showing her acrobatics and other movements, leaps and twirls, spins and leaps into graceful arcs.

As they moved, Nyx attuned. She was not sure how else to explain it, but she could feel the elemental energies in the aether around her. She pulled on them to help propel herself, let them flow through and around her as she moved after Datum, following his movements. She had never been certain how to explain how she worked to the other scientists. Papanan did not seem to understand things without equations, and Liana seemed to think that interactions with aether required a conversation with the elements. Miki had once wondered out loud if she was some kind of kami, and had not spoken on the matter since.

But still. Whether she could describe it to them or not, she had learned how to interact with the aether around her. It came to her easily, and as Datum slid himself to a careful stop, breathing heavily, she swept past him, pulled on ice, converted it to water, and felt her aethercompass shift as she did so.

The energy was available to her if she wished it. And there had been a couple of tricks that Datum had performed that she had not quite been able to keep up with to her satisfaction.

And so, she pushed. Elements flowed and converged, and she was in movement, riding them. She could push to greater speeds, and launch to greater heights, and she could perform the feats Datum had, only more so. More spins in the air, more rotations on the jumps, more arcs in the leaps.

Datum was silent at first, but as she finished and came back to him, he was yelling, and jumping up and down on the ice, pumping his fist in the air.

When she came close, he grabbed Nyx. She was aware of tears on his face.

"We've found something beautiful," he said, his body trembling. "You are a solstice miracle."

-*-

Klynt was screaming along the ice, her legs pumping furiously, a trough of ice forming around her as she went, and she was pushing off of it. The energy of the dragon was roaring in her veins, and she was in the sweetness of her element, ice turning into water just long enough to snap upward before freezing again. As she picked up speed and she called out to the song, it called back, and the ethereal form of a sinewy sea serpent came into being, flowing along side her, twisting its body back and forth as it too traversed the path she was making.

And then with a powerful swipe of her lance, the ice formed a ramp in front of her, and she was airborne, levin crackling in her wake. She flipped end over end in the air, and she was flying, and she was alive, and she let out a holler at the sheer joy of it before she crashed back down in the ice. It shattered underneath her, and she was through, in the water, and she was soaked, but that was okay. She pulled it beneath her, and she twisted it to ice, and as it froze, it pushed at her, pushed behind her, and she shot up again once more. This time she twirled through the air, and landed on the ice, heavy but gracefully. Ice continued to form around her, but she spun as she went, bringing herself around.

As she did so, she saw Nyx nearby, racing alongside her, riding the ice as a wave as they were before. She circled, and Nyx circled with her, and they twirled and spun on the ice, Nyx with her magics and Klynt with her lance, and they danced, and the world spun, and Klynt laughed into the cold air, and she could not help but feel the sheer joy of it all.

At last, she skidded to a stop, still laughing, feeling the cold bite of the air deep in her chest and not caring. Nyx came to a slow stop near to her, and was content just to watch.

Klynt at last calmed, and leaned on her staff, and grinned at Nyx.

"What a rush," she said.

"I am glad you understood me," said Nyx.

Klynt nodded, and looked around. They had some hours yet.

"Wanna go again?" she asked.

"If you are willing," said Nyx.

Klynt grinned, and then they were off, dancing across the ice once more.

[driftward]

Title: All I Want For Starlight is You Characters: Nyx Blackmoon, Klynt Gohtawyn Rating: Teen Summary: Nyx would like some company this holiday season. Notes: None

It is the decree of the Imperial Office of Culture that the Garlean celebration of the midwinter's feast, which takes place on the shortest day, is suitable for celebration for citizen and colonial residents alike, despite similar events recognized in uncivilized lands. Local Tribuni are encouraged to determine which customs are suitable for their region, and report back their decrees to the Office of Culture. Long live the Empire.

-*-

Perhaps years in the past, or in the years yet to come...

-*-

Klynt was among those who woke up early in the morn.

Well, 'woke up' was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but she was one of the first ones to be moving in the morning, owing to a life lived aboard pirate vessels, and more recently, perhaps due to the tendency of one Zoissette Vauban to be awake and quite active at an early hour.

However, Zoissette was not around this morn, nor was much of her usual company. The Starlight season was upon Eorzea, and many of her comrades had made their plans and set out on their way, to visit home and family, leaving her and a scant skeleton crew to hold down the fort.

This suited her fine, as she had little affection for the holiday. A pirate's life did not lend itself to such, and Limsans were hardly a formally devout sort, instead living life freely and developing loose collections of beliefs and superstitions, each fit to each person for them alone. Zoissette was probably off praying to some saint or another, and each of her other coworkers had their own affairs to look after and beliefs to tend to. Such was not for her.

And so, she made her way to the kitchen, barely aware of her surrounds as she began to make her morning coffee.

She felt, more than she heard, a gentle presence approach from behind her. She ignored it, focusing on watching the hot water as she poured it over finely ground beans.

"Gohtawyn. Good morning."

"Blackmoon. Morn," mumbled Klynt.

"Do you have plans for breakfast?"

Klynt scowled, wincing an eye shut as she looked into her coffee cup, now full.

"No. Should I?"

"No. Are there any activities or rituals you observe for the Starlight season?"

"...no. Should I?"

"No. If you do not mind, and you have the patience, I would like to prepare a breakfast for you appropriate for the season, in keeping with traditions I am familiar with."

Klynt grunted. "...do I get to keep my coffee?"

"Yes. Though if I may, I would like to see it for a moment."

Klynt arched an eyebrow, and frowned over at the Miqo'te shaped person. However, after a moment, she begrudgingly handed her mug over to Nyx.

Nyx took it, and set it down on the counter, and began to rapidly reach for a variety of spices, pouring them in various amounts into the coffee. Klynt was not awake enough to watch them very carefully, and she generally trusted Nyx.

She did protest, however, when she saw Nyx put two spoonfuls of milk into it.

"Hey, what're you doing?"

Nyx just looked up at her, and after a moment, handed the coffee back.

Klynt looked at it, dubious, but then took a sip. The coffee was spiced, now, with a mixture of flavors she did not recognize, and a smooth creaminess she did not expect.

It was... good.

She glowered at it, then nodded, and headed off to the breakfast area. Behind her, she heard Nyx get to work in the kitchen.

-*-

Kyb mal Donos set the declaration down, and looked at his assembled team.

"So does that mean...? asked Miki kir Karou tentatively, carefully.

Datum lux Lorimus shrugged. "Cato cares little what we do in his absence. He has chosen to take the solstice with his family. So long as we do not gain the attention of the local Legatus, I suspect we'll be fine. Keep your traditions, but keep them -quietly-, and I won't say a word."

Liana kir Vaux looked thoughtful. "A feast, then, for the beginning of Starlight."

Papanan turned to Liana, and raised a finger in the air. "And how do you propose we prepare such a thing? I doubt a one of you know how to properly prepare dodo tenderloin, and I shall not carry the burden of preparing the rest of the meal alone, thank you very much."

Liana crossed her arms. "Is that what passes for a fitting meal in your home? I would choose a wide array of common vegetables, filling and pleasing. And if you are not up to the culinary challenge of tending to the cohort-"

Miki waved his hands in the air, attempting to soothe them both before the conversation before it got out of hand. "Please, my friends, there is no need to fight. In this, a compromise is easy. Many hands shall make light work. And being as we all hail from different places, perhaps we shall each prepare a singular item of our choosing, and create a harmonious whole that may not otherwise be achieved. And being as we have much work ahead of us, might I suggest that we begin with breaking our fast upon the first day, followed by..."

Miki explained his intentions, and the others saw the wisdom of his plan, and were quick to agree. While some argument occurred around the preparation of a main dish, the rest of the discussion went quickly.

Nyx watched, and listened, silently.

-*-

Klynt was barely awake in the breakfast area, enjoying her coffee, when Nyx came out with several plates, each of them heaping with food. She near boggled as each of them were set down in front of her.

Dodo tenderloin, seared to perfection. Some sort of sautéed sauce made of some kind of orange fruit. Thin slices of, if she had to guess, a truly large radish. Mashed popotoes, with little bits of green in them - onion most like, or perhaps laurel, or, well, she stopped trying to guess. Strips of what she suspected was pork belly, heavily salted and fried. Some kind of squash, cut into thin stripes and cooked in some manner she was not familiar with. Scrambled eggs, because of course scrambled eggs, why wouldn't there be. And other food besides.

All in all, while any individual item seemed like it could be a delight, the entire plate was a mess of foods.

"Nyx," said Klynt, slowly, carefully, "The hells is this?"

"First breakfast," said Nyx, as she set a similar plate down in front of themselves and began to eat in their way, rapidly yet carefully, as though the plate was an enemy to be attacked with precision munitions and worn down through rapid attrition.

Klynt scowled, and picked up a utensil, and tried her own food.

Well. As she might've guessed. The arrangement may have looked more like an accident of whatever was available in the cabinet rather than any sort of planned meal, but Nyx was a uniquely capable culinarian. The food was delicious, and filling, and Klynt felt herself waking up as she ate her meal.

"Gohtawyn. Are you generally available for the day?"

"...sure. Don't got much going on, and most everyone's gone. Can't stray too far though. We're needed in case some emergency or another happens."

"I understand and agree. We will not need to go very far, but there is some work I would like to get done today. I would like your help with it. In addition, I would appreciate your aesthetic input."

Klynt frowned at Nyx. Nyx was usually so quiet in the mornings, content to hang around in the rafters, responding when called upon, or leaving to go do her own things, whatever they happened to be.

"Whatever are you up to, Nyx."

Nyx told her.

-*-

"We'll need a tree," said Liana, thoughtfully.

"A tree?" asked Miki.

"To put the presents under," supplied Liana.

"And to decorate," said Papanan, waving a finger in the air.

Miki looked perplexed, and Datum frowned at the other two, putting his hands on his hips.

"If this is part of some kind of savage ritual..." he said, slowly, carefully.

Papanan grinned, and shook his head. "Sure, but not of the religious sort."

"Not in recent years, anyroad, despite efforts," said Liana with a groan.

"Pah. Overblown and ancient belly-aching. No, it's just nice little things. We go out and buy presents, and put them under the Starlight tree. On the day of, we go, see who got what, and open them up."

"A... gift exchange, then?" asked Datum.

Liana nodded. "If you want to know the history of it, legend holds that a Saint of the Goddess Nymeia holds vigil on Starlight, giving presents to children and ferrying their prayers to her afterwards."

Datum put a hand to his forehead. "...if you get me in trouble-" he began.

"Nothing of the sort!" Said Papanan. "A gift exchange seems appropriate for your traditions as well. We will just say that the gifts are part of the feast. Giving thanks between each of us. And to the host as well, of course."

"Of course," said Datum, sourly. "And the trees?"

"Well," said Liana, smiling beatifically in her own way, "The inside of the Castrum is... rather bleak. I have always felt it could use some sprucing up. Rather than a singular tree, we can gather several, and claim it is just part of... general improvement."

Datum crossed his arms and frowned.

"Fine," he agreed at last. "But no decorations."

-*-

It was late afternoon, and Klynt trailed behind Nyx. It was cold, and there was snow on the ground, and her time in Ishgard had taught her to have somewhat more respect for the elements. So she had heavy leather boots on with thick soles, and a coat of Ishgardian make that Zoissette had gotten for her, and thick woolen mittens courtesy of Zoissette's brother, Ement. She had her thumbs stuck in her waistband as she sauntered after Nyx.

Nyx, of course, was in their armor. Something of Allagan make. Klynt had never asked much after it, and Nyx was never the sort to volunteer information unless prompted. It didn't matter. The weather never seemed to bother Nyx one way or another.

They stopped in the middle of a forest of evergreens, and Nyx looked around, her ears rotating slowly as she swept her gaze back and forth over the forest.

"I do not fully understand the selection criteria for evergreen trees," said Nyx. "I know it is important that they be tall, but less tall than the room they are to occupy. And their appearance must be aesthetically pleasing in a uniform manner. If you would indicate some, I shall inspect them. If we both agree on a tree, we can cut it down and transport it back."

Klynt shrugged.

"So... I just pick some?" she asked.

Nyx nodded, and she sighed. She also didn't know the 'selection criteria' for trees, so she poked through the forest, Nyx following silently behind. The first and second one, Nyx shook her head, and so she moved on. The third one, however, Nyx had circled several times, looking it up and down in her curious manner, eyes always wide open and staring, rarely blinking, with no expression on her face.

Klynt waited patiently.

"This one shall suffice," they declared.

Klynt and Nyx then spent the rest of the afternoon hewing it down and hauling it back home. The work passed mostly in silence, a situation Klynt would have found aggravatingly intolerable with most people.

But then again, Nyx was not most people. Nyx was Nyx, and Klynt found their silence companionable these days.

They deposited the tree into a storeroom, and Nyx began to fashion a stand for it.

"The tree will need to stay out here overnight. This storeroom shall keep it above freezing. In the morning, we can inspect it for animal urine or fecal matter, as well as any vilekin or plantkin that we will wish to avoid bringing indoors."

"Sure," said Klynt easily.

"Thank you for your assistance," said Nyx. "I will need some time to perform my work. I would appreciate speaking to you before you go to sleep for the evening, however."

"...sure," said Klynt, less easily. "...you gonna explain what all this is about?"

"I can explain later," said Nyx.

Odd, thought Klynt, but she let it be as she ambled out of the storage shed and back to the main holdings.

-*-

The trees were put carefully in various places in the Castrum. Nyx had helped the project scientists select them and bring them back, and they had build the stands for them. There were no presents nor decorations yet, but Nyx had been told those would come in the days to come.

After the last tree had been set up, Liana had come up to Nyx, and smiled at her warmly as she did, holding out a hand. Nyx knew what that meant, and reached out to take the woman's hand in her own.

"This is your first Starlight," said Liana.

"It is. I understand that it is a ritual of some sort. But I do not know the details or significance."

Papanan approached now, looking thoughtful. "Few rituals, actually," he said conversationally. "Interesting that most peoples have something-or-another around this time of year, isn't it?"

Liana looked at him, and nodded. "...yes. The Garleans do not recognize Starlight, but they do traditionally have a feast on the winter solstice that is very important to them."

"And us Ul'dahns take the opportunity to exchange gifts. Good for making friends, pleasing family, and for the merchants to make decent coin," said Papanan, grinning.

"As for my people... we hold the twelve in high regard. This is a celebration in the name of Nymeia, and her appointed saint. Miki could say more about the Doman tradition - their people do not care for it the same as ours do, but that stands to reason, given the difference in climate. They refer to it as longest night, and reflect upon the importance of some of their so-called kami, I believe."

Nyx looked at Liana. "Kami are a kind of eikon," she said. "Our mission opposes them."

"And the gods of Eorzea as well," said Papanan. "So we aren't celebrating them, not this year, not around here."

"But the celebration continues," said Liana. "I think... that perhaps, in the coldest part of winter, when the day is at its shortest, almost too short to do anything useful - particularly in the far north of Garlemald, but also elsewhere - that people turn to each other, and keep one another company, and celebrate that the days will only get longer from here. So the details, we're making them up here. Miki was right to try to find a harmonious balance between our many traditions. And the significance, well."

Liana smiled at Nyx, squeezing their hand tightly.

"It is a chance for us to spend time together. And this Starlight, all I want is to spend time with you. I've more to teach you, if you like. And I think you've more to learn, if you are willing."

"I am," said Nyx reflexively, and Liana smiled broadly while Papanan laughed.

"Going to teach it the real meaning of Starlight, are you?" he said.

Liana shrugged at him, with a smile. "And why not? She can learn."

Miki came over, noticing the group gathered together. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Oh, just all of us displaced savages, getting together to try to teach an ancient artifact a dozen different conflicting stories, and hope it'll learn something out of it," said Papanan.

Miki looked at Nyx, and then between Liana and Papanan.

"Is that wise?" he asked.

"Let the Garleans teach her how to be a weapon," said Liana. "Our duty should be to teach her how to be a person."

"And also to make sure it's working right," said Papanan.

Miki just shrugged.

-*-

Klynt stayed out in the main room, her fingers toying lazily with her nhalisman, her eyes half-lidded as she considered sleep.

But, she told Nyx she would speak with her before going to bed, and so she was awake, at least for a little while longer.

At last, Nyx returned.

"Gohtawyn. I appreciate you staying here. I will not keep you long. I am wondering if you plan on staying in the area for the next twelve days."

Klynt frowned. "...through Starlight, I take it."

"Yes," said Nyx, and then after a moment, "I would appreciate your company. There are rituals I wish to observe, and I believe they would be more meaningful if they were shared with someone. I would like that someone to be you, if possible."

"...sure," said Klynt. She wanted to ask more, but she was tired, and she wanted to go to bed.

"Thank you," said Nyx. They turned away, and looked up into the ceiling. Klynt knew, given another moment, they would leap up to the rafters and vanish for the evening.

"Nyx, I wanna ask you a question," said Klynt.

Nyx turned towards her. Staring. Unblinking. Klynt sighed, and rubbed the back of her head.

"It's quiet around here," she said. "Not a lotta people. Pretty lonely at night. If you want me to stick around, no problem, but if it's alright - I'd like company. Snuggle buddy or something."

Nyx regarded her flatly for a moment, then nodded. "I find your proposal agreeable. I shall meet you in your room. I need to perform personal maintenance and change."

Klynt nodded.

It was about a bell later. Klynt had climbed into her bed, topless but with her pants on, arms wrapped around her head, contemplating the ceiling. She heard the door open and then close, but no other noise, which told her all she needed to hear. She did not even need to look to watch as Nyx approached.

Nyx was wearing just her skinsuit, some kind of skintight smooth material. Klynt had assumed it was, in fact, Nyx's skin for much of the early time they had known each other. However, she had seen Nyx out of it a few times, either while performing maintenance, or engaged in intimate activities, the few times the two had indulged in such. Klynt was not interested in that tonight, however, and apparently neither was Nyx, who simply helped herself into Klynt's bed and curled up tightly in a ball next to her.

Klynt remembered the first few times she had shared a bed with Nyx. It was during the disastrous aftermath of events in Ul'dah, while they were still making their way towards Ishgard. Klynt had not dressed for the climate, and had come to regret that decision bitterly. Nyx had spent much of the time riding on Klynt's back. The physical exercise of carrying her had helped keep Klynt warm, but so had the gentle heat that Nyx radiated.

And when they had stopped to make camp, Nyx had curled up next to Klynt, much as she was now, and had radiated that same gentle heat, staving off the cold and helping Klynt go to sleep.

Klynt wrapped her arms around Nyx, and closed her eyes. Next to her, she knew Nyx was already asleep, as she could not feel her breathing. Yet another one of their quirks. Klynt remembered panicking the first time she had discovered such, and smiled faintly.

Nyx was a weird little creature. And she did not often ask for anything for herself. She would often ask other questions, about the mission, about parameters for a task, or for support in the mission, but rarely things for herself, as a person. So if Nyx wanted company for Starlight, well, Klynt was inclined to be obliging.

As she drifted off, luxuriating in the gentle heat radiating from her friend, Klynt resolved to ask more after what it was Nyx wanted with Starlight. But for now, she was tired, and so she drifted off to sleep.