Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was a glorious day in Sharlayan. Sky was blue, and the air crisp but not cold. The main plaza was packed with residents and visitors when a disturbance rippled through the crowd.

“‘Scuse me. Coming through,” a well known person’s voice called out. The few who did not immediately recognize it, followed along with the crowd to make a path for the Warrior of Light. They ran through, not in their well known armor, but in an imp costume from the Golden Saucer, holding the head piece in their hand.

“Look mama, they are smiling.” Tension in the crowd melted away seeing the grin as they tore through the opening. The man chasing them was not so lucky as everyone back filled in to watch them run out of the plaza and into a lightly wooded area in between buildings.

Standing at the booksellers, G’raha saw it all. He noted the direction they left in while looking back at their pursuer. His height, white hair, and the garb of the Forum made him cringe. Of course, it was Forchenault. The proud Elezen’s expression started with anger, added frustration as he was completely routed, and thence to embarrassment as people gradually turned their attention to him. It was worse when his wife gracefully strolled up in a simple pink robe, and gently but purposely escorted him back to their home.

Making an abrupt decision Archon G’raha Tia slipped through the chattering crowd to the aetheryte and allowed it to whisk him to the Studium. He turned south to the quad, leaving the paths to wander under the trees scanning upwards. He knew their habit of perching.

“Azeyma bless! Where are they?” He muttered, scanning the trees yet not finding the Warrior.

Just as he was losing hope a familiar voice rang out from above.

“You are too late, adventurer─and not only for the entertainment.”

These words somehow struck a bell within his memory, yet he could not quite place them.

A moment later the Warrior landed a few ilms in front of him.

G’raha startled and stepped back, “What are you doing!?”

They stopped smiling and tilted their head, “What do you mean?”

“You did something to infuriate the most important man in Sharlayan, then embarrassed him publicly, and are now doing jump-scares like an adolescent.”

Eyes crinkling in amusement, “Despite my feelings towards Master Leveilleur, this event t’was not meant to infuriate him, t’was meant to ‘bring him to blush’ as per Ameliance’s request. She and I conferred and we both agreed upon her wearing a tonberry costume.” They paused a moment, wicked grin appearing, “…and the dye used to color it.”

The memory of Lady Leveilleur wearing a slender, pink robe flashed through the former Exarch’s mind. In a panicked voice he asked, “Pray tell me you did not dye the head piece pink!”

“Of course I did. It needed to match after all.”

G’raha choked.

“We set everything up in her private salon. I wore my imp costume as moral support you see. The man came in, and blushed bright red, so the her goal was met.”

“He became irate and ran towards me loudly threatening. Since I care for the others in his family, I ran instead of engaging him.” They shrugged, “Having him chase me through town was not my plan. T’was better than the alternative, do you not agree?”

“And as for your third complaint about my behavior, both my words up in the tree and the jump down were an homage to you, as today I just reached the age that you did these things to me.”

With those words, his memories of his first meetings with the Warrior of Light came rushing back.

He dropped his face into his palms.

The total absurdity of the situation hit G’raha, and a chuckle erupted. When he finally caught his breath, he looked up into a gentle smile.

"It's nice to see you kept a sense of humor and didn't turn into a political chess piece.”

At this they stopped to strip off the imp costume, revealing gleaner gear with a turquoise shirt. They hesitated a moment, and pulled something out of their pack, before stuffing the costume in. “Here! I made an extra,” and tossed the object to G’raha. “I need to go. Promised the folk in Labyrinthos some crafted items.”

They smiled broadly for just a second before concentrating into a teleport.

G’raha reached out, but they were already gone. With a sigh, he looked down at the object the Warrior had tossed him.

It was a cat toy!