For a completely foreign place, it was stunning. The cerulean sea yawned wide, the sky above sat in repose, and the birds were fortunate enough to experience both. It had been a short time since the cadet came to beneath the palms, their leaves providing fickle shelter from the sun. Unbeknownst to Rem, the surrounding radius of sand had dipped and risen; a faint crest of a rising phoenix remained in the pale earth. She ambled in quiet shock at first, trying to gain her bearings.
A jarring realization was that none of her comrades were present. Rem's hands fidgeted, mind slowly digesting these facts. I'm alive... I have not met Etro yet. Fact. I'm not in Rubrum. Fact. I've no clue if the others are safe. Fact. I'm alone. Also fac--
"New to the Phon Coast, kupo?" She stiffened. The sudden question made her spin towards the source. Rem's gaze dropped. It was a diminutive creature, bipedal, large ears, bat-like wings--
Kupo? Is this a moogle? The more she mused, the more it held a vague likeness.This sliver of familiarity yielded a tiny smile from her. Hope could be gleaned from the simplest things.
"--ah, you could say that," came her reply, voice a bit stilted from the transition. Judging from context, Rem guessed this simulacrum hadn't seen how she arrived. If it did, the creature betrayed nothing. It was a small distance, after all. "Are you a moogle guide, by chance?" She tested the proverbial waters by merging two questions. The little greeter tilted its head an blinked, as if in thought. A nod soon followed, the puff sprouting from its crown bobbing.
It spoke of the area, the hunters that gathered for "marks," the different routes stemming from the region, giving due warnings. After acquiring more information, Rem voiced her thanks and set off.
