#novrandt

[agender-pidgeon]

Tranquility.

[thefreelanceangel]

Visiting the Crystarium always involved a long afternoon of catching up with the man Summer considered her best friend. Almost nothing felt quite as good as hearing about his children, updating him on Kona's latest discovery in the Greatwood and sharing a few coffee biscuits.

Friends truly gave life the color it needed to be enjoyable.

[uuliinoted]

Prompt #1: Crux

Uulii sat up in the canopy of a tree, looking down at the creature waddling about in the flowers below. It had been a few days since she arrived here, and even less since she managed to finally win the game and convince the locals to tell her about it. Supposedly, it was the most mysterious, most unknown creature in the land. Yet, as she sat in the tree watching it, the look of disappointment could not be greater. Here she was, living the dream of all who studied beastkin. An entire new world full of creatures never seen of Eorzea, and yet... This creature. Of all things. Was the most mysterious.

A beaver.

Sighing, she threw her head back, staring up to the sky, happy for the lack of eternal brightness that previously had adorned it. If she wanted to finish her research, she needed to take as many notes as possible, about as many creatures as possible. Yet, here she was, facing her crux, and it was a gods damned beaver. She didn't understand anything about it. Why was it supposedly so mysterious? Why did nobody know anything about it? Was it another of the pixies pranks? It couldn't be, not with those expressions. Returning to her normal sitting position, she prepared to finish at least the drawing of it, but never got to that. Looking back to her notebook, she saw it sitting there, on her book. She had a thousands thoughts racing through her head, but the one that made it out first was the yelp of surprise, followed by the loss of balance. As she landed with a small thud in the flowerbed, she watched at the beaver hopped out of the tree, her notes in hand, and scurried off. Before she even could sit up, the little bugger was out of sight, long gone from the area.

Of all creatures, this was going to be her crux. A gods damned beaver.

[uuliinoted]

Prompt #4: Clinch

“I'm telling you, there's nothing.” Uulii said, lying flat on the floor, face covered. “I've searched far and wide, and I can't find out anything about these damn beavers!” 

With a small laugh, Urianger chimed in from the table where he was reading. “Well, mine friend. Perhaps you should be looking not far and wide, but close and near. After all, though art in a library, are you not?” As he spoke, he rose to his feet, moving over to Uulii and offering a hand, which she accepted. Looking about, she gave a defeated shrug.

“I... Well, I suppose, but what are the odds the answers are in here, when not even the pixies could give me a straight answer?”  As she spoke, she looked back to her friend. “Besides, aren't most of these older? Would they even have the information?”

With a quirked brow, Urianger responded. “Now, this is a sight not wont to be seen with you. So focused on a simple beaver, you forsake the chance to read. Is it truly that much of a hindrance to you?” A defeated not was his only response, prompting yet another answer. “Well, then why not, for brevity's sake, ask for help from a friend? Especially one more than willing to lend their aid.” With a soft smile, he walked to the nearby shelf, pulled a random book, and began to read. “Now, if thee wish for more excitement, we can clinch an agreement of sorts. If I find the information before thee, a favor is owed.” 

Uulii, having sat there and listened, now was the one with a quirked brow. “Oh? Then I take it if I win, the deal is reversed?” A nod from Urianger noted his approval. “Very well.” She said with a smile. “The deal is clinched.”