[action | Giza Plains | OTA]

[howlingmoon]

[Nanaki has been here only a few days, and not only has he been spat out by a magic portal, his materia is useless, and he wound up in a city full of clans that would happily mistake him for a monster and turn him over for a bounty. Needless to say, he fled the city before he'd live up to his feral appearance and have to fight anyone.

So, he headed south through to Giza Plains, and while the area and the nomad villages remind him a little of home, he avoids those, too. He's caused enough misunderstandings already, and there are enough wolf-like monsters in this area that he could easily be mistaken for.

He's reached as far as one of the Sunstones and flops down in the shade it casts when a thought occurs to him -- his phone! Why didn't he try that before? He pulls it out, and delicately tries to use a paw to call Cloud. (He succeeds in bringing up games twice, and then accidentally texting a string of gibberish to Tifa and hitting 'SEND' before he can stop it. Then a message pops up: 'NO SIGNAL - MESSAGE NOT SENT'.)]

I really should have gotten Reeve to design a phone I can use...

[A long-suffering sigh. He must have broken it.]

Comments

[wishtolivefreely]

[Mjrn is roaming the plains, not on an official hunt this time. She's more interested in helping the village who aided her in the past by making sunstones for them to sell at market. Two others have already been visited, and she intends to keep going until all the sun-filled targets are harvested.

Reaching into her travel bag, she withdraws a shadestone in anticipation of continuing her task. But the scent of something unfamiliar reaches the Viera's nose, and...someone talking? Curious but wary, she approaches with caution.]

Who is there?

[howlingmoon]

[Nanaki gives his useless phone one last nudge with his nose, then pads around to spot who had spoken. He can tell just from a glance that those ears are real, which, he supposes, means she isn't human.]

I am. [And just in case she reacts as the people in Rabanastre did:] I assure you, I mean no harm.

[wishtolivefreely]

[Mjrn has her staff out, though more as a general precaution in a place where encounters with wildlife tend to happen. She lowers it, though, pausing to stare with great interest at the being before her. It's not every day she meets a talking...whatever he is.

Nor do I. I...you are not native to these plains. Many times have I traveled the area and never seen your like. It is true of Ivalice at large, as well, though I cannot claim to any expertise.

[Yet. Mjrn is certainly working her way towards exploring all that she can, but there's a lot of ground to cover.]

[howlingmoon]

[He relaxes when she says she isn't a threat, listening intently. Then he cocks his head. Ivalice is the name of this land, then?]

You are correct; I'm not native to this region at all. I'm from a place called Cosmo Canyon, though I suspect you won't be familiar with it. [No one has been, so far, even if he doesn't understand yet just how that could be.]

I haven't seen your kind before, either. You're not human, are you?

[wishtolivefreely]

[Mjrn stares in surprise before shaking her head, having thought that evident enough. But then again, she is more human in appearance than him.]

I am no hume. I am a viera, one race among many existing in this land, though not great in number outside the Wood. Some settle in Rabanastre, the city to the north.

[Her brow furrows. His home couldn't be anywhere near Dalmasca or she would know about it, and the farther she strays from her home base, the less familiar she is with Ivalice.]

Cosmo Canyon...it is not familiar. But if you are not native to Ivalice at all, then how far away is this canyon? How did you arrive?

[howlingmoon]

[He shakes his head.] Truthfully, I'm not sure. I woke up close to here, with the book you see on my back, and a monster attacked me. I was able to fight it off and make my way to Rabanastre... but I was chased out again by hunters.

[Not very useful for information gathering, in other words. He's not much less clueless than when he first arrived.]

[wishtolivefreely]

[Mjrn puts away her staff and approaches to inspect the book.]

I have such a book, as well. It records your deeds, does it not?

[howlingmoon]

I haven't examined it too closely, yet. Books aren't easy for me to use.

[At least phones have buttons he can mash. Books? Definitely not designed for him.]

[wishtolivefreely]

[She nods, understanding why.]

If you wish, I could open it for you. Then you may inspect it for yourself.

[transcendthestars]

Do you need assistance?

[It's clear upon observation that this device is supposed to be useful in some fashion, and just as clear that it wasn't built for someone like Nanaki. Golbez can't say he knows at sight how to work it, but after spending time talking to his Uncle, he is confident enough that he can handle it with a few instructions.]

What, precisely, are you attempting?

[howlingmoon]

I'm trying to contact my friends, but I'm afraid I always struggle to use this. I hope I haven't broken it...

[He looks at the phone, and his head droops sadly. This is the only means he can think of to contact them for help, and it isn't working.]

[transcendthestars]

If you do not object, I may be able to make an attempt. How does one use this device?

[He leans down to take a look, but doesn't pick it up just yet.]

[howlingmoon]

[He pushes it towards Golbez with his nose so he can get a better look. To most people from his world, the question might seem strange, but not to Nanaki. His own tribe was never well-acquainted with human technology.]

It's a PHS. They're used to contact other devices over long distances. You can call people and speak to them through it, or send them a message through text.

[This one is even a fancy flip phone with a camera! ... But one thing at a time.]

[transcendthestars]

Hmm. Useful, if it will work.

[Well, the letters on the keys make sense now, though the prominent numbers perhaps not so much- but first it probably needs to be determined if it's broken beyond use or not. Golbez finally picks it up- he can't imagine lying on the ground in the dust is too good for it.]

I take it you were attempting to call.

[howlingmoon]

Yes. [Technology tutorial time!]

If you can find the "address book", I was trying to call Cloud. He should be listed on there. Select his name and then press the green button, and it will call him.

[transcendthestars]

... Cloud?

[Well, that's not a name he expected to recognize in the midst of all of this. And Nanaki is familiar with him? It's a strange coincidence.

Nevertheless, he fiddles with the phone until he's managed to find the address book, and Cloud's name and number within it. But when he attempts to call...]

No signal.

[howlingmoon]

Hmmm... I suppose you could try to send a text message to Tifa, or perhaps Yuffie? They will be near the bottom of the list of names.

[If anyone is most likely to reply, it's Yuffie. She loves spamming his inbox, even when she knows he struggles to respond to text messages.]

[resplendance]

[Penelo's headed out to the plains with a purpose. She remembers Dania and her little cockatrice flock fondly. It seems a shame they might be lost for good if they cannot be herded up swiftly enough. The sun is still up in Giza, but the dancer looks to the skies thoughtfully. They are darkening in the distance. The Rains are coming. There's not much time left.

For the most part, she's actively avoiding the local wildlife. Some of it can be pretty aggressive and she'd rather not get into an unnecessary fight. Especially since she's not particularly certain how her firelizards would react to it. Aion is gliding in lazy circles over her head while Sybaris dozes on her shoulder.

She's the one that spots the very unusual creature sitting under the Sunstone. Her gold is more interested in seeing things, where Penelo is more interested in the sound of a voice from that direction. She doesn't see a person around, just a reddish creature smacking at an object.]

Hello?

[howlingmoon]

[Nanaki stops what he's doing and looks up at the voice, cocking his head to regard Penelo, then her accompanying firelizards, with a one-eyed stare.]

Are you looking for someone?

[His voice is even, but cautious. She doesn't look threatening, and neither do those tiny lizards, but he hasn't had much luck around here so far. It wouldn't do to drop his guard.]

[resplendance]

[She blinks in surprise that the voice is coming from the creature under the stone and not someone else in close proximity. It doesn't surprise her as much as it could have though. After spending a year around telepathic and verbal dragons, not much is so much a shock she can't process it as possible.]

Mmm, I thought I heard a voice. Are you okay?

[While she's now concerned that he might be hurt, Aion is simply nosy at what's gotten Penelo's attention. She lands right in front of Nanaki and sizes him up, then pushes at his phone.]

Aion, no. Leave that alone, it's not yours.

I am so sorry.

[Really, Aion's almost worse than Vaan for causing trouble.]

[howlingmoon]

I'm... trying to find my friends, but otherwise fine.

[Nanaki watches curiously as the little lizard noses at his phone, but doesn't make any effort to stop it. "Aion" seems harmless.]

Is this your pet?

[resplendance]

She is, yes. Though sometimes I think she's convinced I'm the pet.

[Aion is still very absorbed with all this new. New creature, new object. She chirps curiously at the phone though, because what is this?

Just as well the firelizards are mostly behaving for now. Penelo's all too aware the the weather clock is ticking away.]

Who are your friends? Maybe I can help you find them. The Rains are coming. I wouldn't want you to be stranded out here when they start.

[howlingmoon]

[Nanaki continues to watch Aion, tail swishing in fascination, until Penelo asks him a question. It seems unlikely she'd know any of them, but it can't hurt to try, can it? So he reels off a list of names:]

Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Vincent, Reeve, Cid... Are any of those familiar to you?

[resplendance]

[Alas, none of those names are striking a chord with Penelo and she shakes her head sadly.]

Not really, but I have an idea.

[She pulls out her own grimoire, and starts to jot down the names for her own future reference. Silly book isn't the only one who can write in it.

...wait a moment. One of those does look familiar.]

There is a new server at the Sandsea. I think Tomaj said her name was Tifa.

[howlingmoon]

Tifa?! [He all but barks out the name. Being a server sounds like something Tifa would do -- the names can't just be a coincidence, can they?]

Where can I find the Sandsea?