ACTIVE TIME MANUEVER

READYMore  P4wSized's arts, particularly the FF XIV flavored kind, means more stories to go with them. Simple as that!

FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT“Ahhh...” With a drawn out exhale the towering Hrothgar drank deeply of the salt stained air and the unfamiliar sights unfurling before her. “Just look at it! The Old World!”

“That's Sharlayan,” sighed the chocolate furred rabbit at her side. “Just Sharlayan.”

FWOOOOSH

White capped foam splashed over the sides of the vessel as their ship, its weather beaten planks crusted with barnacles, set anchor in Scholar's Harbor. Seagulls crooned overhead, their silhouettes darting between the streaks of pinks and yellows painted across the sky, while dock hands readied the gangways.

Erenville, a messy mop of black hair dangling over his forehead, grimaced when he spied his unwanted acquaintance leaning over the railing. “Patience, Wuk Lamat,” tutted the bedraggled rabbit. Clad in the rumpled uniform of a Gleaner, a leather backpack stuffed to the brim slung over his shoulders, he reached out to the Hrothgar-

CRRRRRK

Only to fumble at the open air. Vaulting over the rails, Wuk Lamat let slip a hearty laugh as she plummeted to the chalky white docks below. Dipping low to her knees, her banded tail flitting behind her, plumes of dust rose from the cracked tiles beneath her as she rose to her feet with nary a scratch.

“WUK!”

Flashing a toothy grin, Wuk Lamat playfully sashayed her hips. “Oh come now!” she said as she brushed back the waterfalls of braided brown hair trailing past her shoulders and ornate orange shawl. “If they can call Tural the New World why can't we call Eorzea the Old World?”

Ears drooped, and slouched over the railing, Erenville bitterly groaned. “You're...” The Gleaner, to his dismay, had nothing to retort with. “Look. Just remember what we came here for. Business first! Pleasure later. ”

Jogging in place, the sea slicked stone clapping noisily against her sandals, Wuk Lamat eeheeheed as her emerald eyes went wide. The Hrothgar could hardly contain herself. Such sights! Such sounds! Head lifted, and nostrils flared, she eagerly sampled the unfamiliar spices carrying along the breeze. Such smells even! To and fro the imposing feline paced about the docks, bathed in the warmth of the setting sun, as her black rimmed ears fwipped to attention.

Doling out pleasantries and paperwork at a rapid fire pace, Erenville disembarked as quickly as he was able. Stumbling up alongside her, his head held low, the rabbit slapped at his chest while he gathered his breath. “Behave yourself! Courteous as the Warrior of Light may be he is always at risk of being called away at a moment's notice. That he saw fit to answer your inquiry for an audience is nothing short of a-”

Lifting his head, and running a hand through his hair, Erenville turned to Wuk Lamat... or at least the dispersing dust cloud where she had been. “Every time...” he bitterly grumbled to himself as he picked up the pace and hustled after the Hrothgar.

---

“Paige! Paaaaiiiiiige!” Gloved hand cupped against the side of her snout, Morgan called out to her Rogue to no avail. “Now where could he have wandered off to?” the White Mage mused aloud. Letter in hand, a wax seal emblazoned with the signature of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn proudly stamped upon it, Morgan continued to pace about the Old Sharlayan Aetheryte Plaza. Past the Confluence. Past the Baldesion Annex. Past the the placid and peaceful cliff side paths, lined with wild flowers and conifers, that wound through The Silent Monopteros she wandered.

“Paige, please! It's not what you think it is! Promise!” Morgan pleaded. Tugging back the hood of her robe, the White Mage's rounded ears flopped flat against her skull. While she understood his desire to turn tail the instant a missive from the Scions rolled in, she herself had recoiled from it upon its arrival, the surprise had ultimately proven to be a pleasant one! Tataru, Gil pinching Tataru of all people, had approved a vacation for the both of them!

Letter clasped tight to her chest, her red gloved fingers protectively cupped against it, Morgan couldn't help but purse her lips. An all expense paid trip to Costa del Sol with the strictest of orders to indulge and enjoy themselves! Shaking her head, Morgan wouldn't let this opportunity pass them by! He simply had to know! “Paige! Paiiiiiiiiiiiige!”

THUMP

FWUMP

WHUMP

As Morgan wandered away, her open toed boots noisily clapping against the marble tiled path winding through the wilderness, the sneakiest of specks peeked out from beneath a thicket of grass. Whew. Dragging an arm across his brow, the Rogue breathed easy. “The Scions have properly disbanded! Act like it will ya?!” he frustratedly mrowled to himself.

Brows furrowed, Paige deftly scaled a leafy green blade. As it bobbed to and fro beneath his weight he tossed a reluctant yet resolute wave at the retreating raccoon. “I'm sorry to give ya the slip by shrinking out of sight, lass. I know we're partners in crime and all but I'm keen to sit this adventure out!”

Flopping onto his back, the Rogue's earthy colored cloak allowing him to effortlessly blend into his sizable surroundings, Paige heaved a sigh of relief. “Twelve only knows what they have in store for us. We're busy enough as it is entertaining Erenville...” he tiredly trailed off. Tucking his hands behind his hooded head the cream colored cat closed his eyes and breathed easy. Tail flopping to and fro his mind drifted off as stray petals, dancing along the unseen breeze, whisked past like they were colorful clouds.

Hum. Biting down into his lower lip, the Warrior of Light mulled his options. He couldn't very well rough it out here, much less at this size, at length. Sooner or later he would have to release his Mini spell and-

BZZZZZZZZ

Creaking an eye open, Paige lazily lobbed a dagger at an airship sized Ladybug bumbling too close for comfort.

BUZZZ BUZZZ

“Snrk.” Settling in among the chlorophyll creases of the blade of grass, ever watchful as the bugs and the bees came to mind their manners, Paige tossed his head to the side. Sooner or later he would have to return to normal and seek shelter. But where?

Nestling his cheek into his shoulder the Rogue idly eyed the majestic marble villa a horizon away. The Baldesion Annex, perched at the base of the gentle mountainside slope, served as their impromptu inn. “Feh,” he dismissively snorted. While he could cast Hide to, well, hide in plain sight... Morgan was wise to his ways.

Squinting his lone open eye, Paige hrmed at a quaint cafe overlooking Scholar's Harbor. Rising to a sitting position, hands stuffed into his pockets, the Rogue wearily sighed. What he wouldn't give to at least sneak a peek at the Last Stand. Especially in light of the fact it had just franchised with the Bismarck Bakery no less! Yet... it was all too obvious a home away from home to haunt. Morgan was sure to sneak a peek there every chance she got. The feline's lips wavered. Never did he ever think he'd see the day where he'd willingly abstain from indulging himself in the Bismarck's decadent delights...

Huff. Hands clasping at his ankles, Paige rhythmically rocked himself back and forth. His face, shrouded in shadow, scrunched up as he tried to peer past the atmospheric haze obscuring the seaside estates looming large above the Aetheryte plaza. There was the...

“No,” groaned the Rogue before he could even finish the thought. He was a thief, and a daring one at that, but not even he would dare sneak and skulk about the Leveilleur Estate. While he sincerely doubted Ameliance would mind housing him, seven hells she might even enjoy indulging him in playing hide and seek with Morgan, Paige simply couldn't bring himself to ask so much of the kindly Elezen.

“Think, think, think...” Paige mumbled and mrowled to himself. There had to be somewhere, some place, where Morgan would never dare dream of looking for him. Something so far beyond the pale it would simply never cross her mind! Rising to a stand, hands shoved into his pockets, the feline cast his gaze towards the mountain top. As the sun retreated behind the evergreens and academy pocked peaks-

Wait.

Of course! “The Studium!” he exclaimed aloud. Under any other circumstances he'd have to be all but dragged into those hallowed halls of learning! Yet right here, right now, he could think of no better place to be!

Somersaulting from one blade of grass to the next, deftly sliding down down their fibrous lengths, Paige raced towards the beaten path. Nyahaha! It was perfect! Why those studious sorts, heads buried in their books, would never even notice him! Even if Morgan came calling they'd be no help whatsoever!

Snickering to himself, the Rogue readied to release his Mini spell. “I can already see it now...” he giddily trailed off. Be it curled up in the corner of a classroom, or catching a cat nap in one of their labyrinthian libraries, he would shamelessly shirk off the Scions. Contentedly resting and relaxing away until their rendezvous with Erenville where they would discuss-

THOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

The Rogue yelped when a wall of air, shockwaves colored by clouds of pulverized pebbles, barreled into him. Ragdolling across plains of polished stone Paige weakly coughed as he skid to a halt. “Hwuh...?”

THWAAAAAAAAAAM

Peeling his face off the pavement, the Rogue's limbs turned to static as cacophonous tremors rattled him to his very bones.

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

A pathetic mewl slipped free from his maw when a veritable mesa of worn leather, titanic toes peeking over its curved plateau, slammed down before him.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Fissures erupted open beneath Paige as this sizable someone's steps split the very earth. Roaring dust devils, belching forth from the ruptured land, sent the flummoxed feline careening skyward. As he wildly flailed about, unable to tell up from down, a city smothering and sandaled foot raced up to meet him.

“Wuk! Enough of this boorish behavior!” Erenville shouted.

“And enough of your nagging!” sassed back the Hrothgar. “Ooh! Is that the fabled Studium? Do you think we'll find Koana there?!”

With a pained shout, Paige struggled to stay conscious when he crashed against the top of Wuk Lamat's fluffy feet. Vainly he grasped at strands of sweat slicked fur as disorienting gales of super heated air radiated out from the cavernous gaps between her toes.

THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

As the wumbo Warrior sauntered forward, her soles slamming into and splitting the very stone, Paige found himself launched skywards once more.

WHUMPF

Only to promptly crack against the bottoms of the leather straps wrapped around her feet. With a weary mrowl he listlessly tumbled into the abyssal dark between her toes.

“Have you already forgotten why we are here?!” Erenville sniped. “What about the Rite of Succession?”

“You're right!” Wuk said with a snap of her fingers. “Intelligence gathering! We should find out everything we can about the champions Koana has recruited to his cause!”

“What about your own?!” shouted the exasperated rabbit.

THOOOOOOM

THOOOOOOM

FWOOOOOOOOOM

Pancaked flat between her tremendous toes, Paige impotently wiggled as folds of furred flesh molded around him. Whether he willed it or no every fee fi footfall dragged him deeper into the depths.

THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

The Hrothgar's untold tonnage bore down incessantly upon him. Pinned between her soles, those of her sandals and her broad feet, the Rogue found himself baking alive courtesy her own overwhelming body heat and the fires of friction. His sweat stained cloak clung to him like a second skin as he frantically gulped down heady mouthfuls of air in the gaps between one step and the next.

THOOOOOOOOOOM

Deeper. Deeper. Deeper poor Paige found himself matted into the hulking Hrothgar. One moment he was a sticker stamped flat into the craterous grooves of her sandal. The next he was swallowed up by the faintest creases in her flesh.

“You mean the Warrior of Light?” asked Wuk Lamat. “Maybe we'll find him there!” Mrowling excitedly to herself, battle axe clinking side to side along her broad back, the Hrothgar burst into the Stuidum with unfettered glee. “Paige! Paiiiiiiiiiiiiige!” the towering woman boomed without want or worry.

As muffled waves of sound and fury pulsed through the wrinkles actively entombing him, the Hrothgar's exhortations felt more than heard, Paige slipped in and out of consciousness. At least Morgan, much less the Scions, would never find him at this rate...FIRST, PREVIOUS, NEXT