#x'kebhi

[belugabear]

I should have done this way sooner! The drawbacks of writing all of my prompts first thing in the morning while I'm still exhausted!

For the FFXIVWrite prompts, my roleplay partners are @kebbige who made the ever wonderful X'Kebhi, and @kollapsar who made the amazing Amille.

[kebbige]

I shoulda uploaded this forever ago lol whoops, but I got this wonderful art done of X’kebhi and Vannar (my WoL and @belugabear‘s WoL respectively) done a while back by the wonderful @kollapsar and it’s VERY GOOD LIKE HOLY SHIT LOOKIT THESE BEANS

This is the emotional support cats circa Shadowbringers, but obviously during some downtime when the plot isn’t kicking their teeth in xD

[amaro-knight]

Prompt #1: Voracious

Vanaar eyed the miqo’te in front of her. If they were to be traveling together while in Ishgard, she needed to make sure that the girl was up to her standards. Ul’dah still stained her memory with enough blood that the thought of starting over again, of re-forging that kind of connection, of pressing ahead with new companions as though she had not just confidently led all of her closest friends to their graves--it was all too much for her to even consider. 

And so she watched X’kebhi with a raised eyebrow and a cool scowl. Cid vouched for the girl, and after just a day lingering in her periphery, Vanaar could see why. The way she attacked knowledge as though it were a feast to be had at the end of a long fast was impressive to behold. Vanaar herself could hardly bring herself to sit still for even an hour’s worth of reading, and yet she never saw X’kebhi without a book, eagerly flipping through the pages at mealtimes or dividing her attention between paragraphs and repairs. She was truly a force to behold. Certainly having someone like her close by for all that was to come--it couldn’t hurt, could it? 

Vanaar tried to remember the last time she had felt so passionate about something. It had only been a few months since she had found the talent lying within her, since she had learned to conjure the elements themselves, but it felt like a lifetime ago. There had been passion in her then, moreso than she had ever felt wielding a lance or blade, it felt right to use the magic within her to help others. But when it truly mattered, when everyone she had cared about hung in the balance, she had been unable to save them. What good was hunger when everything you touch turns to ash? 

She had all but made up her mind to turn down X’kebhi entirely--too optimistic, too hopeful. Vanaar could not refuse her entirely, of course, that was beyond her sway, but she also could not in good conscience bring someone like her into the heart of battle at her side. Losing someone with as many prospects as X’kebhi had might be her own breaking point. She had decided to meet with Aymeric and discuss her misgivings after dinner when she felt a small tap on her shoulder. Ears perking to attention, she turned to see X’kebhi herself standing beside her. 

“You’ve been staring at me all day,” X’kebhi said, her tone gently probing, testing the interaction before it had even begun. “I take it Aymeric talked to you too?”

“Oh uh. . .” Vanaar bit her lip. She had not had enough wine yet to smooth her conversational skills, and found herself balking at such a direct approach. 

“I mean, it’s fine,” X’kebhi said. “I’m mostly just curious as to what you’ve found out about me.” 

“Right, well. . .” Vanaar would kill for a pint of ale, maybe something harder. “You seem very skilled. You’re good at what you do, there’s no denying.” 

“But?” For the first time, Vanaar noticed a hint of something in X’kebhi’s eyes, beneath the hunger, beneath the nonchalance. It was painfully familiar, resonating deeply within her.

“Why do you spend all your time researching?” Vanaar blurted. Tactless, she thought to herself. 

“Hm?” X’kebhi grinned, though there was no mistaking the look now. There was loss behind that smile. An achingly familiar sense of loss. “I guess it’s baffling that there’s so little we know about temporing, but our assumption that it’s impossible to cure is completely unchallenged. At least, that’s what I’m studying right now.” 

The picture was clear enough, Vanaar did not need to press further, though a part of her wanted to. 

“Well, if you’re as good a combatant as you are a researcher, I’ll be lucky to have you on our team.” 

X’kebhi belongs to @kebbige​

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

[gaaebolg]

12.10 . X'kebhi .  commissioned work done for the precious @kebbige thank you so much for the support! it’s been wonderful working with you!  ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 i absolutely love her skin color, and working on a FFXIV character felt nostalgic , aahh i miss my DRG/SCH so much rn XD

[amaro-knight]

Prompt #16: Jitter

“Chin up, sapling, there’s nothing for you to be nervous about.” Feo Ul stopped primping and fussing over Vanaar’s hair long enough to throw her a warm smile. 

“There’s just. . .a lot more people than I was expecting, really,” Vanaar said. She fought back a fleeting urge to break into the champagne early, kill the nerves with a bit of booze. Ultimately, she didn’t want to run the risk of forgetting a single moment of this day, no matter how stressful it was. 

Feo Ul laughed. “Well what do you expect? You saved their realm, child, their very existence. I’m sure the castle would be bursting at the seams if we let in everyone whose life you’ve touched.” 

“And they’re all going to be looking at me.” Vanaar rubbed the sparkling lace hem of her dress between her fingers. Other-worldly material, surely, if her fae patron had anything to do with it. 

“Good thing you look hot in that dress,” X’kebhi said. She stepped fully into the room from her post at the door--neither of them fully trusted Amille to not try to sneak a look at her before the ceremony, tradition and luck be damned--and sized Vanaar up with a faux-analytical gaze. Finally after her calculations were complete, she gave a curt, satisfied nod. “They’ll be talking about your radiance for centuries.” 

“Kebhi,” Vanaar managed before the emotion choked at her throat, cutting her thought off short. She pulled the miqo’te in for a hug. 

“You two deserve your moment, Vee.” X’kebhi’s own voice was thick. “We’ve had to fight a lot of sin eaters and garleans and politicians to get here.” 

Feo Ul tapped at Vanaar’s shoulder, pulling her back with soft grace. “There there, I’ll have no more of that, you two! I’d barely finished Vanaar’s make up and there you go getting all teary eyed and sentimental. Come now, look up and to the right--yes, that’s better.” 

The pixie fussed around for several minutes longer while X’kebhi gave Vanaar a look that could only mean relief at not being the one under their skeptical gaze. Finally, when they were satisfied, they gave a small nod, first to Vanaar, then to X’kebhi. 

“I think you’re all set then, sapling. Best not keep her waiting any longer.” 

X’kebhi held out her arm to Vanaar and together they walked towards the ballroom. Vanaar felt a moment of relief, giving way to giddy flutters. There was no one else she would want at her side for this moment.

--

My darling emotional support cat belongs to @kebbige, and the dashing broom to be belongs to @kollapsar

[amaro-knight]

Prompt #11: snuffle

“Go away, I’ve no food for you.” Vanaar turned to scowl at the small black shiba that had been following her through the streets of Ul’dah. It was cute, no doubt, sniffing at the ground around her feet, looking up at her with perked ears and cocked head. But her lifestyle did not afford her the luxury of pets.

“Go on, shoo.”

“Aww, you made a friend!” X’kebhi walked up to her from the crowded streets of the Sapphire Exchange, where they were supposed to meet before Vanaar got waylaid.

“He’s not a friend, he’s a scoundrel and a charlatan,” Vanaar replied, glaring at the small dog that had now grown so bold as to approach her and sniff her legs.

“You’re a white mage, aren’t you supposed to like nature and animals or something?” X’kebhi asked. She was doing a poor job of keeping the amusement out of her eyes.

Vanaar scowled. The puppy was now standing on his hind legs to sniff in her bag. Stooping, she scooped him up and stared in his eyes. “I have nothing for you, I can’t have a dog. Go bother one of the thousands of other people in this city and leave me alone.”

She knelt and gently placed the dog back on the ground, facing the markets, and gave a small push on his rear. He took a few hesitant steps forward, and just as Vanaar thought she might be free from the nuisance, he spun around and ran back to her, jumping back into her arms and licking at her face.

“Is this some kind of game to you, mongrel?” Vanaar squinted down at the dog’s happy face.

“I mean, you could at least keep him while we’re in Ul’dah,” X’kebhi said. “Maybe try to find a home for him. Raubahn seems lonely enough.”

The thought of someone as massive as Raubahn holding this small dog was enough to crack Vanaar’s scowl. She let out a small chuckle. “Perhaps we can find someone willing to take in a cur like this.”

The shiba gave an enthusiastic lick at her face before yipping excitedly. She firmly sat him back on the ground and stood, already regretting her decision. The dog danced at her heels running up against her legs as she walked. Annoying little monster, she thought.

“So what’re you gonna name him?” X’kebhi asked with a grin.

“I’m not keeping him, so he’s not getting a name.” Vanaar looked down at the dog, who continued to prance about, tongue lolling like a ribbon.

“Don’t you think he’ll be easier to give away if he has a name?”

“No.”

Vanaar pretended to examine the wares of the merchant stall in front of her with great vigor, if only to block out X’kebhi’s disappointed face. Of course she didn’t need a rug, but she examined the weave, the colors, the stitching, all with a very serious expression. Finally, she caved, turning to X’kebhi with an exasperated smile.

“Fine. He can be Daemon, because he was surely sent here to haunt me.”

If Daemon found any fault in his new name, it certainly didn’t show. He let out a yipping bark before spinning in a few quick circles after his tail. Vanaar hoped they’d be able to find a home for him soon.

--

I decided to go with the more adorable interpretation of today’s prompt, so here’s another one about puppies for @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​

X’kebhi belongs to the wonderful @kebbige​

[kebbige]

Forgiven Hubris [prompt #7]

Big spoils below for the Shadowbringers MSQ so be careful fam. (I'd put it under a cut but I'm on mobile)

As always Vanaar belongs to the best MSQ buddy in the world @belugabear and Amille belongs to the ever amazing @kollapsar

_________

The wind whipped back the Exarch’s hood to reveal what X'kebhi had known all along. Two sheepish ruby eyes stared back at her, fading in and out as the Light coursed through her and out towards him. 

"Raha, please...you can't do this to me again." Her grip on Vanaar beside her grew tighter, and she felt as her partner leaned in to support her. Tears had already been brimming in her eyes from the pain, but now they began to pour down her face in great volume.

He flinched at his name, and at least had the decency to look ashamed; glancing down at the ground with his lips pulled taut. "This can't be where your story ends. We both know this." He met her gaze with steel in his eyes despite the tears that fell. "Kebhi I have to do this, for the world and more importantly for you."

"This isn't what I want!" It took all her strength to get up on her shaky legs, to take one step forward. Vanaar continued to be the rock at her side, as the other miqo'te always was. "All I ever wanted was to pry open the doors of that goddamn tower and get you back." She dug down deep into herself for all the strength she had left. "You left me once already Raha I won't let you do it again!" And then, X'kebhi pulled.

The extra 100 years the Exarch had on her made it a difficult game of tug of war. No matter how strong she was or how much expertise she had in the studies of aether, the Exarch had a long time to prepare himself for this moment. The Light flowing between them came to a stand still, but it did not start flowing back to X'kebhi even a little. If she were being honest, X'kebhi had no idea how long the three stood there on that circle. Time seemed to stop as she tried to yank on the aether with all of her might. Which is likely why what happened next went so poorly.

She didn't hear the shot, all she saw was G'raha fall in front of her, as a primal scream of horror was torn from her throat. She saw Emet-Selch behind him, pistol drawn and sneering down at her and Vanaar. She saw as the circle around them began to fade, but that's when the Light surged back towards them. She'd been using all of her strength. Every onze. And the Light slammed back into her with a vengeance.

It almost felt blank.

She saw everything happening around her in a haze, numbbed by white. Flashes. Images. Amille had come to grab Vanaar, help her up, and X'kebhi remained lying on the ground. Was that Urianger next to G'raha? Where had Emet-Selch run off to? Was he still somewhere nearby? Vanaar was on her feet, eyes wide and hands covering her mouth. She tried to reach out to her partner, her best friend. She couldn't feel it. All she could feel was pain.

All she could do, the last thing she could give her friends, was her characteristic grin. "Take care of him for me," her very last whispered words. 

Then the change took hold of her.

[amaro-knight]

Prompt #5 Vault

Vanaar’s hands shook as she stirred the sugar into the hot mixture on the stove. As it simmered, she prepared two mugs. There was liquor in the cupboard, she kept it there herself for emergencies like this. The rim of the bottle clanked against the mug as she poured a generous amount of the drink into her mug. She took a long swig straight from the bottle before recorking it and slipping it into her bag. She then filled each of the mugs with the hot cocoa from the stove. 

It was a cloudy night in Ishgard, but her eyes were still blinded from the brightness of the vault. She wondered if she would ever be able to close her eyes again without seeing his face. Red slashed across her vision, his smile even in those last moments, even covered in blood, was radiant. 

X’kebhi sat alone at a table in the darkest corner of the Forgotten Knight. Vanaar didn’t have to ask to know that she, too, was still blinded by their experience. A bit of cocoa sloshed over the lip of the cup, onto the already grimy table. X’kebhi’s eyes remained transfixed on the table before her. 

“You shouldn’t drink alone,” Vanaar said softly. The words brought her some modicum of comfort as she took her seat. As though a drinking partner could ease the imprint that haunted her every time she closed her eyes. 

“The spear was aimed at us,” X’kebhi whispered. “It was going to kill one of us.” 

The cocoa burned Vanaar’s tongue, seared down her throat, she could track its painful journey all the way down to her belly. She felt none of it. A dull, familiar hollowness had taken root in her core. Another bright spark extinguished in service of her ever muddled goal. She wondered how many more would have to die before Hydaelyn would release her from her duty. 

“He was a good man,” Vanaar said. The words felt ashen in her mouth. He had always been there at the end, always been ready with a smile and a word of encouragement. He did not belong in the past tense. “He believed in us more than anyone. More than I believed in myself.” 

She took another long drink of cocoa, not sure as to why she was even here, why she had not sequestered herself to her room to drink alone. Was X’kebhi not also as likely to die at her side as the others? She should be protecting herself better. Just one. That was her rule, ever since the banquet. There was a warm hand on hers, and she brought her eyes up to meet X’kebhi’s intense gaze. 

“We have to finish this. Together.” 

Vanaar wanted to pull her hand away, but something kept her tied to X’kebhi in that moment. There was a painful spark of hope in her chest, one that seared through the careful nothingness that she had built. Maybe she didn’t have to continue on alone. It was what he would have wanted, too. All those years introducing her to people, surrounding her with a careful network of trust. Few remained, but X’kebhi. . .she had no right to deny X’kebhi the justice that she herself sought. 

Vanaar nodded, tears blurring her vision. “Together.” 

---

Wombo Combo as I try to get caught up while we’re still in the first week! As always, X’kebhi belongs to the lovely @kebbige

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

[kebbige]

Wax [prompt #13]

X’kebhi eagerly dug into the correspondence that had been forwarded to her from the Rising Stones. Mail was always so exciting, so much new research from her peers she’d been missing out on while off doing monumental deeds of heroism (which, as much as that was important and also sometimes exhilarating, would never hold a candle to good old fashioned research and knowledge in her eyes.). She had been getting frustrated with the Resonant files anyway. Garleans had no imagination once they found something that worked no matter how repulsive the methods.

In the piles of papers and reports she found a solitary letter with a wax seal. The insignia upon it wasn’t fancy, but one she knew well. Immediately she tossed aside everything and tore into the letter.

X’kebhi,

I’m hoping this letter finds you in good health, the news we’ve been hearing from Gyr Abania has been a little troubling lately. Nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure, but I always worry.

There have been a few interesting readings we’ve been gathering from the Crystal Tower lately, so I thought it best to send them along. I know you haven’t been able to come and help with our studies for a while, but hopefully a fresh eye might help see what we cannot.

I know how much this project still means to you my dear, don’t worry. I’ll be sending along any new developments we find.

Oh, and if you can spare a moment to slap Cid with a book I wouldn’t be opposed. I know he likely got himself drawn into a new all consuming project, but he’s still a part of NOAH and has many less life threatening matters on his plate than you do. It wouldn’t hurt him to take a break and stop by one in a while.

Stay safe out there my dear,

Rammbroes Zasertylsyn

X’kebhi had to wipe away a small tear when she was finished reading. “You know I’d rather be out there with you Ramm.” She held the letter close to her chest as she spoke.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to return someday soon.”

[kebbige]

Promise

Cid sent her away as soon as the swearing started.

“I don't care if you're one of the major authorities on Allagan technology” he had said, “broken machinery helps no one.”

He was right, of course, but that did very little to help the awful mood that had been hanging over X'kebhi since they'd landed the airship on the floating island of Azys Lla. So while she did eventually leave Cid alone to try and figure out the various machines they had found, it wasn't without many harsh words directed at anyone in the vicinity. 

(She did feel a little bad for the sad look on Wedge's face as she left to get away from everyone else)

She had wandered without seeing for about 15 minutes before stumbling upon her other companion. Vanaar was staring out from the edge of the floating isle into the empty expanse of sky below them. At least that's the direction her glassy eyes were pointed. How long had she been standing there?

X'kebhi walked towards Vanaar slowly, waiting to see if there was any reaction to her approach. Nothing. As she got closer she could see Vanaar clutching her staff, knuckles white. She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey.” It was barely a whisper.

“Hey.” Came the small burbling reply.

The two stared into the distance for a bit longer, X'kebhi's hand on Vanaar's shoulder, neither wanting to break the newborn silence. After a long while, Vanaar finally spoke.

"I can't…. I can't help if they won't let me." Her voice was almost inaudible over the sound of the wind around them. "It just keeps happening…...I’m so tired X’kebhi.”

And then, in an instant, the moment was gone. Vanaar shrugged away from the other miqo'te, and when she turned to face X'kebhi her expression was serious and focused. "I assume you came to get me because you and Cid figured out the terminal and we have a location." Her voice carried over the wind, now clear and strong. X'kebhi found herself still trying to catch up to her companion's switch in demeanor.

"The term-Oh!" She looked back in what she assumed was the direction she came from. "I, uh, no, actually…" she could feel her cheeks heat up as her voice trailed off. Vanaar just stared at her confused. "He…may have sent me away in fear that I may break something."

Vanaar pulled a face. "Afraid you'd break something? Weren't you on Cid's team that worked on the Crystal Tower? And super well versed in Allagan technology?"

"Yeah...well," X'kebhi scratched at the back of her neck, looking everywhere but at Vanaar, "he could tell that I wasn't….ah….focused." When she looked back Vanaar was still giving her a look. "And I may have started swearing and thrown something." She finally muttered. Vanaar snorted loudly at that, but her expression softened as X'kebhi grimaced at the ground. Then it fell as she noticed that X'kebhi's shoulders had begun to shake. In two quick strides she moved forward and wrapped the other miqo'te in a hug. X'kebhi's arms were still shaking as she clung to Vanaar, burying her face into the other's shoulder.

Silence hung between them again as they just held each other.

"Hey," X'kebhi was first to speak this time, "wanna make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" 

X'kebhi pulled back to face her companion. "I promise I won't die on you if you promise not to die on me?" 

Vanaar let out a huff. "I think I can get behind that."

"Good. Then it's a deal." They both finally smiled at each other before separating to look back out at the empty expanse before them. Finally, Vanaar took in a deep breath.

"Alright.....ready?"

"Yeah, let's do this."

______

I wrote this piece for mine and @belugabear ‘s WoLs like forever ago (when we were actually still clearing Heavensward so like at least 6 months probs) but I wanted it up on my blog since I’ve got all those other ones running around now. Plus I like it a lot, it captures one of the moments where X’kebhi and Vanaar started being super ride-or-die for each other~

[kebbige]

Parched [prompt #23]

"Th' two of you look thirsty." Amille plunked down two flagons of ale at the table when X'kebhi and Vanaar sat at the Forgotten Knight. "This round is on me, no need of repayment." She grinned at cats.

Neither miqo'te looked at the drinks placed in front of them favorably, and Amille's grin began to waver as time stretched on. Vanaar after a moment pulled the mug towards her, but continued to stare into the liquid with suspicion. X'kebhi just turned her gaze up to Amille as the highlander's smile finally fell.

"You are aware that alcohol is more likely to cause dehydration than any actual thirst quenching I hope." X'kebhi frowned up at the mercenary. Amille leveled her with a gaze.

"You really want to be pedantic about this?" She huffed out a breath. Glancing over she saw Vanaar still hadn't taken a single sip from her mug. Amille shook her head. "I would have thought the two of you would be over this by now."

"Never." The two responded at the same time, Vanaar looking up to give Amille a withering glare.

Amille raised an eyebrow. "Even here at the Knight, with me bringing you the drinks?" The both shook their heads. Amiile sighed, and began counting off on one hand. "I watched Gibrillont prepare them himself, no one else touched them behind the counter, and I brought the drinks straight to you. They never left my sight" She watched both miqo'te visibly relax as she said each point. X'kebhi even drew the tankard towards her.

The two looked at one another, and then took a drink at the same time. When they finished, Vanaar looked up to the highlander with that brilliant smile that messed with her insides. "Thanks for the drink Amille, we appreciate it."

As usual, Vanaar belongs to the amazing @belugabear and Amille belongs to the wonderful @kollapsar

[kebbige]

Crunch [prompt #21]

Digging at the malformed walls of the tower was harder than she had originally thought.

This was how G’raha found her: near the great open doors of Syrcus tower stabbing at a wall with one of her knives.The look on her face could only be described as determined.

“....I don’t know if I dare ask what it is you are doing.” there was a smirk threatening to overtake his mouth, indicating the mirth behind his more serious tone. X’kebhi barely spared him a glance from her task. She almost had enough of a chip to…

“AHA!” she pulled away from the wall suddenly, flopping into G’raha’s arms as she lost the fight to gravity. “I got it!” she tilted her head to look up at him, a large grin on her face, as he held her aloft from her upper arms. In her hand she held aloft a small chunk of crystal.

“A keepsake for the future.”

[kebbige]

Voracious [prompt #1]

Raubahn had asked if the Scion’s could help with the organization of the Resonatorium and it’s research expecting to get a scribe or a random adventurer to deal with the mass of research the Garleans had been forced to leave behind. He had not been expecting one of the Warriors of Light to show up herself to deal with the chore. Despite protests he watched as X’kebhi settled down for a long day of what most would consider busy work, and simply shook his head.

Far be it from him to question one of Ala Mhigo’s saviors about how she spent her time, even if he thought she could spend it on something much better.

He found himself quite shocked however when he returned to the facility later in the day. Sometime in the day, the miqo’te had moved herself onto the floor and created a large circle of papers and books around her. Each stack nearly blocked the girl from view they were so high, and yet he still could see her working through another stack of presumably unsorted materials beside her. He expected to see her tired and flagging, as she had been in the facility for at least half the day already, but as he approached he could see her eyes still rapidly scanning over page after page after page.

There was a glint he’d never seen in her eyes before, either on or off the battlefield. It was something closer to what could be found in a mess hall, and the light only grew with each new paper and report she grabbed. Men ate food slower than she consumed these reports, and definitely much less joy.

Later, when Vanaar came in to grab X’kebhi for some undoubtedly more important task, he saw the light fade, and the usual expression he was used to return to the warrior of light. It was honestly jarring after having seen X’kebhi truly in her element for the first time.

He was also certain he saw the cat snag and extra report on her way out.

First day of #FFxivWrite2019 and I already feel like I phoned this in That's what I get for procrastinating and playing DnD instead I guess. I had so many other ideas for this too @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

[kebbige]

Bargain [prompt #2]

X’kebhi’s ears perked up as she heard Vanaar’s voice somewhere near the entrance of the cafeteria that had been set up in the Ala Mhigan Quarter. She glanced up from her report, saw that the other cat was indeed headed her way, and stuck a note on the page so save her place. She actually had all of her papers packed away in her bag by the time Vanaar made it to her.

“Figured I’d find you here. It’s almost time to go meet Alphinaud and Arenvald out by the loch." Vanaar stuck her thumb out in the direction of Loch Seld as she came to rest in front of X'kebhi. 

"Sorry, I got lost in these reports from Abania." She gave her partner a sheepish look. "I did honestly mean to meet you out in the square this time."

Vanaar quickly waved her off. "I expected this honestly." Despite having to come fetch her, Vanaar still had a wide grin on her face. "You've only been able to dig into the Abania reports for what, like a week?"

"Yeah about that long." X'kebhi chuckled.

"Anyway," the other miqo'te continued, "we should port out to Porta Praetoria so we can get this adventure started on time." 

“For sure, let’s get going.” X’kebhi stood and made sure she had collected all of her things from the table before reaching out into the aether to sense for the aetheryte out to the west. It was strangely taking a while to get a lock on it, far longer than it should ever take to sense an aetheryte crystal only a few malms away. Her tail began to twitch nervously as she continued to scan through the area with her senses, and coming up with nothing. Which really lead to only one conclusion, one she was not looking forward to explaining to her partner and friends when she finally made it.

X’kebhi could not recall if she’d ever actually attuned to the aetheryte in Porta Praetoria.

She let out a small pained noise, that she was surprised to hear echoed next to her. She turned to see that Vanaar had not actually transported herself through the aether and was in fact still standing next to her.

Her eyes widened. “Wait don’t tell me...you too?”

“It sure seems that way” Vanaar gave her a wry smile.

The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, then they both burst out into laughter. “Twelve, there’s no way we’re gonna make it out there in time.” it was hard for X’kebhi to speak through the giggles. “Unless you’ve been getting used to the wind currents while I’ve been pouring over journals?”

Vanaar was gripping her sides. “Not even a little bit, I’ve been taking shifts in the infirmary.” 

Their chuckles died down finally after a bit, then at the same time they turned to look at each other. A knowing look in both their eyes, they gave each other a nod, and walked out of the cafeteria shoulder to shoulder. The solution was quite obvious once they thought about it.

____________

Amille looked down at the two miqo’te women that had suddenly approached her; both with wide, welcoming smiles on their faces. Normally this wouldn’t make her uneasy, especially with Vanaar, but she trusted her instincts on this one. “‘S there somethin’ I can do for you two?”

“Well,” Vanaar started, smile still wide on her face, “the two of us have been quite busy lately-”

“Really we haven’t had time to do basically anything” X’kebhi quipped

“And so neither of us had time to get used to the wind currents of the area at all.” Vanaar continued.

“And so many people have been telling us to take a break.” 

“So we were thinking maybe it’d be nice to have a nice scenic flight over the Lochs,”

“Multi-task both getting used to the winds and taking a break-”

“And who better to do that with than you Amille!” Vanaar graced her with a blindingly brilliant smile which seemed much more genuine than when the two showed up. Amille had to force herself to ignore the stuttering in her heart that it caused. She focused instead on the amused exasperation that normally accompanied the two cats when they got together to do something that wasn’t saving the world.

“You two could just ask for a ride, it’s not that difficult. Where are ya headed?” Amille could feel her eyebrows scrunching together as the two glanced at each other again before answering.

“We were hoping to just fly over to Porta Praetoria?” X’kebhi offered.

Amille raised her eyebrow. “Why don’t you jus-”

“For the reasons we already said of course!” The way Vanaar talked right over her just caused Amilled to arch her brow higher. She watched as both cats glanced at each other as she let the silence linger on.

“Alright I can take you, let’s head out.” She shook her head as she beckoned the two to follow her.

____________

As soon as they landed down both X’kebhi and Vanaar scrambled off Amille’s chocobo faster than the winds. Amille watched the two beeline over to the aetheryte and immediately slap their hands onto the giant crystal, and just put her face in her hands. 

“Thanks Amille!” Vanaar waved back to Amille as both of the miqo’te ran off towards the loch. Amille just gave them a half-hearted wave as they disappeared behind the different people and buildings.

The two saviours of the known world and they absolutely forgot to attune to a well traveled aetheryte.

____________ 

Vanaar belongs to the lovely @belugabear and Amille belongs to the ever handsome @kollapsar

[kebbige]

Unctuous [prompt #24]

Vanaar held the empty wine bottle closer to her chest as Hancock continued to speak, sharing a horrified look with Shamani Lohmani as the bespeckled hyur stared at them with a maniacal grin on his face. 

"Hancock, no." She couldn't help but grip the bottle tighter as means of protecting it from the man. "Gegeruju is insufferable at best, but to trick him like that is just abominable."

Hancock scoffed. "The man wouldn't know the difference between a Limsan red and a rosé from Gridania." At which point the man pulled another wine bottle from ...somewhere in his clothes? "I even have the perfect substitute right here, free of charge even!"

"Hancock no I-"

"Do it." X'kebhi, who had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire time they'd been in Wineport, spoke with enough force to cut off further protest from both Vanaar and the lala vinter. She looked to her partner, hand reaching out for the bottle Vanaar held close to her chest. Vanaar almost spoke again, but caught the look in X'kebhi's eyes. They looked empty, haunted, and a bit dangerous. She handed the bottle over without another word.

____

Back aboard the Prima Vista, Vanaar had to almost run as her partner flew through the ship to find the unfortunate dramaturge. She only caught up to her once X'kebhi had already found him. The other miqo'te had the man bracketed against the table he sat at, one hand holding the bottle of wine and in the other a knife which she had stabbed into the table. It was only a hair's breadth away from the man's elbow.

"You ever want to give me or my companions the run around like that again," X'kebhi's tone was low and dangerous, "and this knife won't be in the table." 

Message delivered, X'kebhi stood up and walked away, leaving both knife and bottle behind

Vanaar belongs to @belugabear

[kebbige]

First Steps [prompt #6]

X'kebhi wasn't sure how long she'd been kneeling next to the body. She had to think of it as a body, that was the only way she had been able to stop crying in the first place. If she thought about the fact that her father lay not a foot from her, charred bits of skin already flaking off, she wouldn't be able to stand up and go. Not that she knew where to go from here, she'd come to the mainland to look for him and now look at where they were.

X'suri Nunh had been reported missing after he'd left La Noscea to respond to a call to arms from Gridania. He'd had friends there, and of course as the strongest of the Lynx he would be a boon in any battle. Had X'kebhi only known what they'd be facing, maybe she could have stopped him. Unlikely, she wasn't the closest of his children by any stretch, but at least she could have tried.

Her knees felt stiff as she forced herself to stand. Her legs ached as she spun away from the scene before her and began to walk. Her mind continued to churn through data and information and anything to distract herself. Where was the nearest watchpost from here? She wasn't as familiar with the Thanalan deserts as she was with the Shroud.

She had read about the illness before, of course. During one of her regular visits to the Arcanist guild in Limsa. Having never found herself near beastmen territory- and most definitely never having seen what was called a "primal"- she had of course never seen it in action. Tempering, they called it. A forced servitude to whatever higher power had affected the victim. Nothing she had read about it prepared her for seeing it in action however.

X'kebhi remembered seeing a church on her way out here, and felt every muscle in her body protest as she began to run in that direction. She couldn't carry him alone. They would help her, right?

The man she found in Eastern Thanalan was not her father. Her sire had always fought with lances, not a long sword. He had always kept his long hair pulled back into a tail to keep it from his face, not unkempt and disheveled about his shoulders. He'd always have a warm smile and a kind gaze for his children, even those who he hadn't helped raise. Instead he stared at one of his daughters with only murder in his eyes.

In the books she read, it stated that there was no cure for tempering. The only way to help the victim was to end their suffering permanently.

That man had not been her father.

But that didn't change how it broke her heart as X'kebhi struck the killing blow.