meet-and-greet | January 2016

[governors]

The Governors do this, sometimes; they hold a meet-and-greet for the new arrivals to help them get acclimated, and also to distract them from destroying their rooms. A message goes out to all the new arrivals informing them of a party with free food. Everyone likes free food, right?

In one of the recreation areas - sadly, not one of the ones accessible by slide - there are some chips, dip, some sodas and Solo cups, several large pizzas, and a surprising amount of Oreos.

Party.

Comments

[paeon]

Now that seemed like another question entirely. She looked at him with an obviously confused gaze before it turned into contemplation; she had to think on that one. Anyone he'd ever seen? All she had seen here so far had been hyur like himself. Her expression shifted to match the revelation, understanding and baffled at the same time.

"I am miqo'te," she said, slow and almost unsure of the answer. Had he truly never seen another before? They weren't the most outgoing of races but even the closed-off nation of Ishgard, whose population was only of elezen and hyur, were not surprised by the strangers wandering into their recently-opened borders. Her tail swished as if subconsciously trying to draw attention to the parts of her that different from other races. "Is that what you mean to ask?"

[cantwalkwithoutit]

His eye finally catches the tail, and he retreats a step. More than anything, it gives him a start just because he hadn't noticed it before. He isn't alarmed; he comes from a world where ogres, fairies, and other strange beings exist. He just doesn't know what all of them are.

He shook his head, uncomprehending. "I've never heard that word before. At least I don't think."

[paeon]

At that reaction, she stilled her tail and brought it to rest behind her. Although it was more natural to let it do as it wished, like speaking with one's hands during conversation, she could refrain while figuring out where they stood as far as understanding what the other was or was not comfortable with.

"It is my race," she continued. The idea that miqo'te might not be known wherever Rumpelstiltskin was from, or at least had another name or another form, was hard to wrap her head around. "Miqo'te are traditionally known for the clans with which they live, formed around their Nunh or matriarch. We are a race of hunters. And... you are hyuran?"

[cantwalkwithoutit]

That is another word he doesn't know. It sounds like human, and maybe it is their word for it. He cannot really assume, though. "I'm a man." He swallows. That doesn't fully make sense, and he knows it's not quite right to say. "Human. Where I'm from, we're called humans."

He hasn't seen a lot of other people before today, but so far she's the first non-human he's seen. That he could tell, anyway. Appearances are not always the most obvious thing, after all.

[paeon]

"As are we," O'danya said with faint amusement. Did he mean to say that all hyuran people were called humans? That other races simply did not exist or were considered beasts much as the tribes native to Hydaelyn? "Hyur, elezen, roegadyn, lalafell, miqo'te, au ra... they are all humans."

This was certainly interesting and seemed to be capturing his interest as much as her own, anyway. There were so many similarities that the differences only seemed more stark for the contrast. A world without miqo'te seemed like a world worse off for the lack to O'danya.

[cantwalkwithoutit]

This makes no sense to him, but she doesn't seem to be at at all alarmed. It's helpful for keeping his own mood relatively level, perhaps in a way he's not even sensing, himself. Accustomed to most people (aside from his son) tiring of him eventually, he is used to tones shifting, giving him some signal that it's time for him to be silent and disappear.

His answer is quiet, like he expects it will be what finally turns the conversation. "'m sorry. That doesn't make sense to me."

[paeon]

That answered an unspoken question of O'danya's, whether any of the other races were present. For as far as Rumpelstiltskin knew, there were only hyuran inhabitants of his world that claimed to be human and he had never before heard of a race like miqo'te in shape or name. It did leave one to wonder if there were other places that consisted solely of lalafells or elezen or anyone else in such ways. How strange.

"That's quite all right," she said, tapping at her chin with her knuckles as she considered. "It is rather much for me to take in myself. Alichi'ra would likely understand it better, or Cid or Alphinaud... What I assume this to mean is that we've much to learn about each other, Rumpelstiltskin. Perhaps we can come closer to understanding the meaning of such a confounding and unnecessary change."

[cantwalkwithoutit]

Rumpelstiltskin's a little perplexed that he's known this person (she IS a person) for only a few minutes and she is speaking as though they've made some manner of alliance. How long will it be before someone that knows him appears, and tells her that her trust in his ability to help in this task is entirely misplaced? He bites his lip.

"I-it is just likely that our worlds are very different," he tries to explain, hoping that will satisfy her.

It hasn't entered his head yet that she might come from a place that's unaware of the notion of other worlds. The concept is so simple and well-known that even he, the village coward, has some knowledge of it, even if no one believes how he came to such knowledge.

[paeon]

In a way, they've all been forced into an alliance. A company unwillingly brought together, but not necessarily unwilling to work with each other despite the circumstances. O'danya wasn't going to look away from those in need or simply dealing with being in the same situation.

"Of that, I've no doubt," she agreed. She was no stranger to the idea of other worlds, Eorzea having had its fair share of visitors in a relatively short amount of time, but learning more about them wasn't something there had ever been a chance to do. "Might I ask what place you call home? Mine is Eorzea."

[cantwalkwithoutit]

Rumpelstiltskin doesn't answer right away. He has so many reasons to not want to trust anyone here, even if it means barring him from some comfort and assurance that might make this a little more bearable.

"It doesn't matter. I was leaving anyway."

To get away from the soldiers, to spare his son the war for just a little longer, perhaps long enough for it to end. If the army had control of the Dark One, it couldn't be long until then, could it? But they have to survive. He has to keep Baelfire safe, and he can't do that from here.

[paeon]

There wasn't much helping an answer like that. O'danya was not keen to pry on what appeared to be a sensitive subject, although it really did make her more curious than before now. There were plenty of reasons someone might not wish to stay in their current land. War being the forefront on her mind. Ala Mhigo, Doma, several smaller towns caught in between Garlean encroachment and Eorzean protection...

"Then perhaps we should bid it a good riddance," she said, speculative more than ready to write anything off. How not-wishing to be in his home fit into arriving here seemed more complicated than that. "Although we should bid our current situation the same sort of welcome."