Brave new world

[Mini Magi]

Eria watched Eric's every move and put a hand on her chin as she tried to explain what she was feeling and seeing. "You have a bit more work ahead of you than I thought. Technique aside, you release Aura while using Boost. It's not enough to see it, but we'll have to work on your control, and your technique later. On the bright side, you have a lot of it and should be fine. For now, use what you can do to your advantage and finish your fights as quick as possible. No need to rock the boat, right? Oh and... Don't get too into bar fights okay?" Considering how the dummy looked, probably a good idea. Just imagine the mess.

It was then that another voice entered the conversation. "I think we have just a bit more time left. Wanna borrow a sparring weapon?" At the entrance to the room stood Uni who didn't appear fazed by the damage the two of them did already. "Hi again~" sait Eria and waved her arm at her with about as much energy as once could expect of her. Uni in turn raised hers a bit, offering a much calmer reaction. "Sorry to rush you, but if you take much longer, the courier might be alone out there in the night. But you can actually take a weapon, or a set like sword and shield with you if you like. I can book it as an investment." Eria perked up at that suggestion. "Someone has a crush~" Now Uni panicked. Well, not that she was against it. Not just by comparison o the usual lot, but in general Eric did look nice, but... It was WAY too soon to even consider this. With a mild blush, she hurried a bow "Just don't fail your first job." and closed the door. Audible steps gave it away that she pretty much hurried away. Eria on the other hand was beaming. "You heard the little lady. Grab something and let's get moving. ...What?" It did not escape her however that she seemed to get an odd kind of attention from him.

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Hearing Eria's advice, she was most likely correct.  He still needed a lot of training if he wanted to win in a fist fight, or even in a fight with a skilled opponent.  Thankfully his mission was unlikely to break out in a fight, but he would still have to approach everything with caution.  Speaking of which, the boss responsible for his mission came in to remind him to make sure the job would get done.  It all seemed like standard procedure...until Eria decided to tease this girl for apparently no reason.  Eric would only cross his arms and give her an unamused look as she teased Uni.  "If we're gonna be working for her, we should at least be professional about it.  I suggest that we not tease her for any reason...especially when it comes to how she may see me.  I'd rather not ruin my chances at getting my first job.  That being said..." He would then walk over to her with a rather irritated look on his face as he shut his eyes, an anger mark forming on the side of his head.  "You've got some nerve just throwing me out into the wolves like that, ditching me earlier at the customs office!" 

[Mini Magi]

"That being said..." was the phrase that changed the atmosphere. "Hm?" Why was his suddenly looking so big? "Eh?!" And in the next moment, she found her precious little face being terribly tormented by the vile grip of this delinquent! "Wai, wai! I'm sowwy! I'm sowwy! I won't do it again! Ow ow ow ow!" And unlike an amateur, she would not slap his hands away. He was still holding her precious cheeks! Surely he would just rip them off! But the next few moments were left to the veil of silence.

A bit later after that, a wounded maiden with puffed up cheeks and a sour mood, and her... glorified monkey companion were seen leaving through the city gates. "Still not talking to you." She huffed as she at least kept leading the way. Unlike Eric after all, she knew the area and hence where to start investigating. The area around the city was lush and green in color. Only dirt paths would guide one's way, but the view was something a painter would appreciate. No trees, but green fields all the way up to the high cliffs. While the lack of conversation wasn't helping the mood, the view of the ocean did help calm minds. And fortunately their search was not a too long one. About 20 minutes of walking later, they would spot a carriage. "The description on your quest letter matches. That must be the missing shipment." And from one moment to another, Eria seemed to have forgotten her anger and went straight for it. As they came closer, they'd see why it was late. One of the axis was broken. And when they came closer, a large, REALLY LARGE mountain of a man who would never fit through a normal doorway, came around the carriage. "Hold!" Oh by gods, just his voice seemed to make the air vibrate. "Who goes there?" By the time he asked that question, there was an Eria shaped outline where Eria used to stand and lead. One quick look around and he'd see she was pretty much right behind him. Almost like someone who needed a human shield. "He does~" She replied and innocently put her hands behind her back, looking at nothing in particular.

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

There was nothing else that needed to be said at that moment as they left to head outside the city gates.  He honestly didn't care if she was upset at him, she got what was coming to him.  Now she'd know not to pull off something silly like that.  Just because she knew more about this world than he did, it didn't mean she could push him around like that.  As time went by, they found the package...and a rather burly man guarding it.  He definitely seemed intimidating, so Eric would be careful not to pick a fight with him...he would notice Eria cowering behind him, however, and would give her a stern look before reaching into his pocket and clearing his throat.

"Ahem...greetings, sir.  My name is Eric Togami, and I'm here from the customs office in Limsa in order to check on a shipment we're expecting." He then pulled out his badge and document of verification in order to prove that he was official.  "It appears that there is an issue with one of your axis there.  Perhaps my assistant and I can help you deliver the shipment, if you are looking for any aid." Of course, his inclusion of Eria was both as an offer of kindness towards the burly man and a slight jab at her for cowering behind him, attempting to use him as a shield, and acting so casual about it.  He wondered how she would feel when he labeled her as an assistant of all things.

[Mini Magi]

The man came closer and carefully took the document from him. "I see." He then turned to the carriage. "But we won't be able to move it like you suggest. It's just one large and heavy box. It would be easier to just fix the axis." Now he pointed to the distance. "There are some strong trees in that direction. Since you're with the customs office, mind watching the shipment for me? You look more capable when guarding than ripping out trees." Even though he didn't know how much combat experience Eric had, it was still better to split up here. Besides. How were these two going to fetch a whole tree?

While this unfolded, Eria looked around for something, for now completely ignoring any spiteful feelings towards her. As if she was already on sentry duty, she went to one lone tree with a sprint and looked like she basically ran up into its crown, wrapped her arms around its top, and began surveying the area. Upon inspecting Eria herself, she'd have her neutral expression which meant she was probably in a more serious, work productive mood.

"Uh... You said she was your assistant, right? Is she... well... a little weird in the head?" Not that he minded who would guards his shipment, but her mood shift was a bis scary as far as he was concerned. She seemed to be acrobatic too. Was it safe to leave this team to themselves?

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

“Do not worry, she means well.  It is just that she is rather carefree and prefers to mess around, but she is more than willing to be serious when she needs to be.  I believe that is why she can change her demeanor so quickly.”  He then recalled how she was like when they first met and how she became serious when she felt like she needed to.  “I’ll admit, I was thrown off by this too when I first met her.  She should do well.”

Crossing his arms, he would watch as she got to work, inspecting the entire area with determination.  With a smile on his face, he turned back towards the large man and gave him a nod.  “I’ll watch over the shipment and alert you in case anyone happens to come by.  Not that there should be anyone, as we’re close to protected territory, id I’ve been informed correctly.”

[Mini Magi]

"Hrm" exclaimed the almost giant and went to the carriage. He came back with an axe of fitting size for him and headed past Eric. "See you soon." Now that he had no reason to worry about the shippment, he went out and his figure became smaller and smaller the more distance he put between themselves. And before long, he was out of sight.

A little while passed and Eria in one sudden moment dropped from her position, then jumped from branch to branch to make her way down. She might make it look easy, but she did fall a couple times before she was this precise. Making her way over to Eric, she raised her hand to get his attention. "Heeey~" And it was clear as day that she was up to something. "Since it's clear we're about to get ambushed, how about I try and teach you at least one or two defensive skills while we have the time?" Not indulging him by answering the obvious questions, she instead took a stance beside him. Left arm slightly lowered at her front as if holding a shield, and her right a bit in the back but also lowered, as if holding a sword.

"Some skills will require a lot of focus, but things that come naturally to you are easy as can be. You know how you try to duck when someone throws something at your face? We'll work with something like that." Eria stood still, then imagined something in her head. The next moment, she raised her left arm to guard herself, and a small round shield made of energy appeared on her arm. "Imagine something attacking you, and then react naturally. Remember how I said that some things come naturally? Well, this is one of them." She let the shield vanish, then reached both hands in front of her and created what was essentially an entire wall of energy. "And if you really put your back into it and imagine something big, you get this~" Once again she let it fade away, then turned to Eric. "One more thing though. It's not enough to just imagine a form for your protection. It might come naturally, but you can give yourself a little boost by quickly deciding whenever you want a shield or barrier, because yes, they are different. A shield is meant to take the damage in your place, so you should think of those when something physical, like a mace, comes at you. Barriers redirect whatever comes at them so you don't take the full damage, or maybe not even any from magic and things like fire or crashing waves. Anything that isn't really solid. And with that said..."

Unfortunately he did not get the chance to try out what he was just thought, because now Eria pointed to his left. A pack of boars was charging right at them. Probably about 3 in number, and with varying sizes. The largest one was probably about the height of Eric's waist. "Leave the shipment to your faithful assistant~" These weren't dangerous monsters or bandits, but low level beasts. He could take those. So she, instead of helping him directly, went over to the carriage and put her hands on the ground, quickly creating a bubble shield around the entire thing, and herself conveniently placed right at the inside of the shield. "Shipment and assistant secured! Good luck~"

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Eric let out a soft sigh, shaking his head as she moved way too quickly for him to make much sense of things.  And why did she have to act so playful and peppy the entire time?  He began to wonder if the guy from earlier was onto something and she just had some issues in her brain or something. 
 

“Well, I should just get this over with.  Worst case scenario is that she’ll have to help me if I’m in real danger.” 
 

Closing his eyes, he took deep breaths to calm himself as the boars chased him down.  Tapping into that laser focus from his training session earlier, he envisioned the tools he needed and focused his concentration in manifesting them.  While it took a few seconds, he managed to construct a sword and shield of aura.  He kept his ground, taking a stance and planting his feet firm on the ground as the small horde rushed towards him.  One dashed ahead of the rest and lunged at him, which he blocked with his shield and absorbed the force.  It caused his feet to slide back just an inch, but he found the timing needed in order to impale the beast’s stomach with his aura sword, causing it to squeal in pain and die off as he swiped it off to the side.  The second boar lunged at the man, causing him to duck out of instinct and jerk his shield upwards in order to send it toppling behind him.  At the last second, a spike poked out of the shield and impaled the boar’s vital organs as he sent it launching away.  His true foe, however, was the largest boar that charged in front of him.  The monster timed it so that he had little time to react after countering the second boar, and it intended to ram its tusks right into Eric’s stomach.  Thankfully, he thought quickly and blocked the blow with his sword, but due to its sheer size and power, he slid back several feet as it pressed on.  Many sparks flew from their clash.  Not wanting to lose ground, Eric dematerialized his shield and struck his free hand downwards towards the boar’s head with a hand chop.  He underestimated his own strength as a loud CRUNCH echoed in the open area as he split its skull open and killed it instantly.  Drops of blood splashed onto his face and stained some of his clothes.  It took him a few seconds to realize what had happened.

”...Well, damn it.  Now I got my clothes dirty.  Thanks for nothing, Eria.”

[Mini Magi]

Despite keeping up the barrier, Eria did watch carefully in case Eric did need a hand after all. But her initial estimation of his abilities was quite right. Just look at him~ He wasn't even taught he could also form weapons but improvised and it was nothing but awesome! He could dodge, he could block, he could improvise. And even without a weapon he still basically punched through that poor boar's brain. There was literally nothing to worry about.

After every thing was done, Eria dropped the barrier and went over to him while searching through her pockets. "You're welcome~ I'm also glad nothing happened, but my world is full of monsters, beasts, and people who want a piece of you. I mean seriously. There are things that will want to kill you, eat you, RAPE YOU, or all three at the same time... On a Monday. So the sooner you learn how to protect yourself, the better I'd say." A moment later, she found a small towel and went closer, holding his shirt with one hand and cleaning a few blood stains off with the other. And despite painting a rather horrific picture with words, Eria seemed unfazed. Either she was lying, or it might be a good idea to just hole up in some office job after all. Whatever the case though, she did manage to clear up the blood stains. His fabric had interesting properties, but that was a subject for another time. And while not much of a deal to her, she really didn't mind getting this close to him. She could basically feel his heartbeat if she kept her hand still, and if it was up to her, it felt nice. "There you go. Good as new. And hey. I was ready to sprint to your side if you needed me, had my feet planted down and everything. You saw how fast I am. But because I didn't have to get in action, you have a good opportunity to be proud of yourself. I'd puff out my chest a bit if I were you."

After a few more moments, the large guy was back with what looked like a cut and carved log. A bit crude, but it would work. "Hey." He spoke up to get their attention, and this time Eria wasn't as intimidated as before... wait, actually not at all. No doubt about it. The bit before was just for show. "Thanks for your support. I'll be fine on my own now. But if you want, I can give you a ride once I fixed the axis." Eria shook her head at the offer, then turned to Eric. "I don't mind if you wanna take the offer, but he will be busy for a bit. We'll be faster on foot. We can also split up here if you... Well. You know. Wanna have some alone time."

Edited November 25, 2020 by Lusterless Nova

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

As much as he wanted to question the "rape" portion of her threats, he decided to use his better judgement and choose to not ask.  Better not concern himself with the "what-if's" after all.  As much as he wished to scold her further, he could find no argument as she brought up a valid point...and also because she cleaned the stains from his clothes.  He would only make himself look like a whiny brat if he complained every time she threw him at danger.  Misguided as she may be at times, she was only looking out for him and making sure that he could hold off on his own.  "I would hardly call taking three simple beasts down praiseworthy, even with my inexperience." As much as he knew she was trying to make him feel better, it felt patronizing for some reason.  He didn't care if it was his own pride, he just wanted to get the mission done at this point.

As the muscular man returned, his attention turned away from his own thoughts and towards him, deciding to stick with Eria for the moment.  He couldn't stay mad at her forever, not after she was only trying to help him.  "If you can handle it, then I'll leave you to it.  I think it's best that I check in with the office as well.  But before we leave, may I have your name?  It is possible that we may meet again in the nearby future, and I look forward to working with you again should the time come."  Having an ally like him could prove very useful in case he needed to face many strong forces in order to find his mother later on.  He seemed like a powerful fighter, someone he could really rely on, even if he wasn't from the same city as Eria was.

[Mini Magi]

Truth be told, this seemed to have caught the man off guard. He chuckled since he knew he wasn't wrong. They would see each other during work probably. "Jeffrey. Pleasure is all mine. And have a safe trip." With that said, he went to work to replace the axis. Usually a 2 man job, but with enough strength to lift the carriage himself, it was a different matter for him.

With everything done here, Eria took the lead and went back to Limsa with Eric in tow. Not that he needed it. The area might have been open with maybe a river here and there, a few trees, and the mountains at varying distances, but it didn't look to her like Eric was lost at any point. Good~ One less thing to worry about. And by the time they arrived, it was already late in the afternoon. "Ahhhh~ As much as I like the scenery, I really prefer the city... and the market's food stalls." As she walked by one, she bought 2 portions of skewed meat. Thoroughly roasted with just the right amount of burned coal flavor. Needless to say, she offered the second one to Eric as they kept moving.

Once they were at the customs office, Eria stopped at the door. "So... How about you head in on your ow- Wait! I'll go in with... You know what? How about you take the lead and tell me what I can do to NOT get your fingers onto my face?" A curious look from a passerby were earned for the comment, but it was obvious they were only mildly curious. Nothing worth following... yet probably. As for Eria, she just wasn't sure if she should head in or not, and it was a good opportunity to learn to delegate. Not get bullied and get him to learn a new skill? She was definitely in, and waited with a mildly troubled look on her face.

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

It felt nice to walk through the countryside with her, as he got to see more of nature.  Truth be told, most of what he saw was identical to that of his own world...but that only made him miss it all the more.  He knew that he couldn’t waste too much time in the city.  He would have to wait for now, though, as he was still far from experienced enough to venture out where her here could be bigger threats.  Besides, he had no idea where to go.

As they entered the city once more, Eria offered to give one of her two roasts that she bought.  Slightly surprised by her kindness yet again, he took the skewer.  “Uh, thanks.”  Fortunately, his appetite awakened as he hadn’t yet realized how famished the mission left him, and he finished the meat rather quickly.  It would’ve been nice to have a drink to help wash it down, though, although he knew beggars couldn’t be choosers.  As they finally approached the customs office, he waited for Eria to ask...whatever she was asking. She didn’t really make sense regarding that last statement, so he chalked it up as some figure of speech.  “...Right.  How about you just come in with me and let me take the lead for now?  If they have any questions for you, you can answer them.  Or if there are things that I might not know about, you can chime in and help.  I do appreciate your company, after all.”

[Mini Magi]

That would work out for her. "Lead on~" she chimed, and followed Eric's lead. Once inside, the customs office looked pretty much as before. A few lines of people on one side, and one free counter where Uni waited. Eria smirked and quietly said. "This is gonna be good." And it was too late to stop her train of thought.

"Welcome back." Uni greeted Eric calmly, and Eria responded "Hi there~". Once Eric gave his report, Uni continued. "I see. And I have to apologize. You see, it-" But she was cut off by Eria who even raised her hand to pull the attention towards herself. "It was a test!" Not that Uni was a very talk active girl to begin with, but that seemed to genuinely surprise her. And since she didn't continue, Eria did. "What you just went though was a bit of a trust test. Think about it for a moment. You were given authority and could have tried to abuse it, but instead listened to the one in need and helped them do their job. And while he was away it didn't even cross your mind to check what they might be transporting. It could have been gold with how it supposedly broke the axis. And most importantly: You didn't run at the first sign of danger. Passed with flying colors as far as I am concerned." And she proudly gave him a pat on his shoulder for that. Not everyone could be so genuinely nice and diligent. Especially in Limsa.

After Eria was done with her recap, Uni pulled herself together and cleared her throat. "Correct on all accounts. But... Did you work for customs before?" Eria shook her head. "Nope. But there were obvious signs when you know where to look. The spot where the Axis broke is too convenient, and for some reason the boars only came AFTER he got his axe out of the carriage. Pheromones, right? And the guy is way too buff to just ride the carriage. Probably from the warrior's guild to make sure bad guys get a beating." It was still sinking in that such an energized girl had such detective skills. Uni wasn't thinking anything mean by it. Eria just didn't look or act the part to be a sharp thinker. She considered offering her a job too, but now that she had a better picture of her, it was clear Eria would have asked for a job if she actually wanted it. Regardless, she moved on. "Again correct. But I hope you'll not spread this little secret." Eria nodded and gave her a thumb's up. She was malicious on occasion, but not a saboteur. "Good. As for you Eric."

"I admit I can only repeat what Eria already pointed out, and I would love to have you working for us. The reason why you were given such a test by the way is because our work sometimes requires us to go out and deal with people and dangers. It's not mandatory, but preferable to have it settled with internal resources. The badge and your guild card please?" Eria would have loved to comment on the badge, but decided against it. And when Uni took it back, she put a stamp on the back of his card. The mark glowed for a moment, then seemed to settle. Without a doubt, magic. She then handed it back to him and smiled. "You're being paid by the hour and can start tomorrow. We have mostly office duties, but you are welcome to check if any outside work is available. To be honest, it pays better. So with that said, welcome to the customs office Eric."

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Eric initially blinked in surprise when Eria blurted out her response, but he simply shook his head and sighed, not surprised that she already went against what he asked.  He had a feeling that he was going to have to deal with that a lot around her...she sure could be a handful at times.  All that was left now was to hear their explanations, get his badge magically stamped, and then thank Uni for welcoming in.  "Thank you very much, Uni.  I look forward to continue working with you.  I suppose I will see you tomorrow."  With a nod and a bow, he then left the customs office with Eria, deciding to talk to her after they left the building.  He initially considered scolding her once more, but quickly chose to show more patience this time around.  "So, you butt in and say everything Uni was going to say before even giving her the chance to.  You didn't even last ten seconds doing what I asked you to do at all.  Normally I would've nagged your ear off by now, but you actually said some really valuable stuff.  I'm not exactly in the position to tell you off because of that, but I do ask that you be a little more considerate next time, alright?  We need to cooperate if we're gonna do any big missions like rescuing my mother later.  Thank being said..."

With a smile on his face, he quickly turned towards her and gave her a quick but embracing hug.  "Thank you for being here with me.  It means a lot to me that you helped me get my first job here."  After pulling out, he seemed to be his usual friendly self once more, finally starting to get used to life on here, somewhat.  "So, uh...since I don't really get paid until tomorrow, mind if I crash at your place for the night?  It's not like I have anywhere else to go for the time being."

[Mini Magi]

"See you tomorrow." She replied and watched them both leave. They both left an impression. It was fair to assume that thing would get a little better soon. But for now, back to office duty.

When they were a bit out of the door, Eric started talking, so Eria stopped, turned, and listened. And at the first part of his scolding, she crossed her arms and looked irritated at whatever was at her side. Not because she didn't like what she was hearing only, but because she knew he was right. She just wanted to show off a little, but now that he pointed it out, she could have done it in a better way. And conveniently, she was still distracted trying to come up with an excuse when he suddenly embraced her. "Huh?" Now THAT, she did not see coming. This felt... Nice. Kinda warm and fuzzy.

When he broke the hug, she still had a surprised look on her. Who wouldn't?! "Hey, no problem." But her mouth was as quick as ever. Still. She didn't expect a thank you. Pulling herself together with a deep breath, she gestured him to start walking with her.

And then his request came. Now that got her back on track. She chuckled at how the situation turned again, but as usual, there wasn't anything to worry about. "True. But let's use your extra pair of hands for something before that. See, I saved up some gil to move into something bigger. You help me move my stuff, and you can have your own room for as long as you need it. Sound good?" She just really didn't want to pay a moving crew, and at the same time asking others for a favor wasn't like her. "But first, let's have one more quick meal. Don't worry. I'll fix us up an actual dinner later."

Long story short, they arrived at the port some time later, carrying Eria's stuff in boxes, backpacks, and a couple normal bags. The specific part she took him to was a large storage building. She opened the massive door with the key she bought just a bit earlier, and inside was nothing short of an airship. "The captain and the crew went missing during the calamity, but their ship somewhat survived. Doesn't move an inch but the inside is amazing~" This thing was massive compared to the both of them. Probably had... who knew, 3 to 5 stories/decks inside. But it really wasn't moving anywhere anytime soon. There was nothing to carry it upwards like a balloon or rotors. At least the hull looked intact. "Pick up your jaw Eric~ We still have some work to do." At least her mood was at a peak. She very much enjoyed what her hard work earned her. A little problem would usually present itself however. There was no ladder. Or there probably was and it was on the very high up deck. It didn't seem to deter Eria however since she went right up to it, put her stuff down took a deep breath, and jumped all the way up like a little shooting star. "Just a minute!"

A few moments later, she found a button and a solid metal ladder extended all the way down. Hurling everything up would usually be a chore, but both of them had an actually easy time. The only trouble that would come up was keeping up their balance. Strength and stamina were no problem. The main deck was large and spacious. The steering wheel looked fine, and from up there at the front, one could look all over the deck and surrounding area... as far as the night allowed it. "Let's head inside." A door led inside and when she flipped a switch, they'd see that the first room was something like a tavern. Not a stocked one to be fair, but the chairs, counter, tables, and kitchen in the back were all there. "Put down the bags here for now. We'll stock the kitchen later. Let's check out the cabins first~" Those were right down the stairs when they turned away from the tavern. And of course going that way made them pass by the captain's quarters. Before he could say anything, she pointed to the door. "That's yours." It was fair to assume this was the biggest quarter, yet she didn't hesitate for even a second to assign it to Eric.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Lusterless Nova

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

So gil was the name of the currency here.  A little simpler than the word "dollar" which was something he would have to get used to.  As for her favor, he didn't mind moving her belongings, as it meant that he could have his own room now.  Surprisingly enough, it didn't take very long to get everything packed up and moved out.  As for what he saw for her new "home" afterwards...it undoubtedly left him speechless to realize that Eria, and by extension, he himself, would be living here.  He wasn't sure if Eria was the one being weird here or if this was socially acceptable, but he knew better than to ask.  Shaking off his surprise, he got to work, waiting for her to set up the ladder as he helped carry everything.  He even started to question to himself whether or not this ship would be haunted by the crew...after all, if magic was a thing here, then ghosts were definitely a possibility.  Again, not wanting to think about the darker or more complicated things, he pushed his paranoia aside and helped her out.

As they entered the ship, he would notice the tavern room, amazed by the detail that went inside this ship.  Although he never traveled by cruise before, he began to respect the work put into this craft.  As he left the bags in the kitchen and they explored the cabins, he quickly turned his head towards her in shock, almost taken aback by her suddenly generous offer.  Why did she have to be like a roller coaster, infuriating him at one moment and flattering him the other?

"Woah, woah, hold on!  I really do appreciate your kindness, but I believe that you are the captain of this ship now.  You paid for this with your money, I had no part in helping out with that.  I'd feel be if I took the best room when you've put up with me until now.  I wouldn't even have a job if it wasn't your help, let alone a safe place to stay."

As it turned out, Eric was rather selfless himself...or perhaps he just felt guilty for giving her a hard time?  Needless to say, he was hesitant in taking the captain's quarters.

[Mini Magi]

"Pfft!" Absolutely amused, she then laughed a little at how she kicked him off balance now. Sweet sweet payback~ But there was more to it of course. "A couple things.
1: An airship that doesn't fly is ridiculously cheap. So don't worry your head over the money aspect.
2: I am much more comfortable in one of the smaller rooms. You have any idea how rarely I properly cleaned that other room? No thanks. I like less surface dust can stick to.
And 3, and I want you to really think about this one:" She put her hands on his shoulders, then let them slide up against his sides, and onto his cheeks her palms found a stop. She grinned, malicious happiness plastered all across her face. "Assuming we miraculously fix this ship. Are you absolutely sure you want Captain Eria anywhere near the steering wheel?" He didn't get the chance to respond. His face gave his answer away. She gave him a gentle pat on his shoulders and stepped back. "Then it's settled. I own this ship, and I say the metaphorical captain hat and actual quarters are yours. Now if you excuse me, I have a lot to unpack. Quite literally~ You should grab a broom from my stuff and clean your room too, and search the smaller box while at it. Pretty sure I put my spare pillow and sheet in there." Picking up what she needed for her room, she went off, opened it with her foot, and began making this little cabin her new home.

The Captain's Quarters were quite easy to tell apart from everything else. It had a finer door than the others. Mostly made of wood with metal trimmings to protect the material. What it had in common with the other rooms was the lock at least. When Eric turned the handle, the mechanism clicked and he was free to explore the inside. It was in shambles at first sight. The lights at least worked, but there was broken furniture everywhere. Did the ship get caught up in a tornado? It would be wise to bolt down future furniture. But still, there was quite a lot of space to work with. The room was box shaped and had more width then length. Probably about 10m long, and 15m wide. What also stood out was one flight of stairs that led to what could essentially be described as a loft. A second floor within the room about  2 meters wide with openings in the wall meant as shelves. Further back up there were windows from which he could look outside. Alas, there still wasn't much to see in the pitch black warehouse. Lastly there were 2 doors at each side. One leading into a bathroom with a tub and sink which luckily survived whatever happened. The other was a small bedroom that had barely enough space for the broken bed and smashed night stand. On the bright side, there was more than enough firewood available, the mattress was fine once he would put on another bed sheet and while cleaning up he found the key to the cabin.

When he first got out some of the wood, he'd find a note on the wall. "In case you also have lots of broken and burnable stuff, put it here first. I'll bring it to the boiler later." Which meant... there might have been a forth reason she gave him the extra big room with an extra amount of furniture. But regardless, she was finished, and a new smell began to spread. Upon exploring the source of the smell, he'd find Eria in the kitchen. Lots of dented pots and bend utensils, but that didn't deter her. So long as she had water, some soap to clean everything with, ingredients to cook with, this would do for now. She'd worry about fixing and replacing stuff in the next few days.

About half an hour later, she would come to his room herself and knock. "Hey Eric! The promised dinner is ready. Come out ASAP okay?" She then went back, and when he came to the tavern area, Eria put up one of the not broken tables and 2 chairs up in the middle of the room. A large pod with a vegetable cream stew was on its center, and 2 bowls and spoons in front of it. When she noticed him she was just done putting down 2 apples too, and turned around when he approached. "It's a mess, but all the good stuff works. We have lights as you probably noticed, water, and also heat once I burn up some wood. But for now, let's eat." Eria poured in some stew for herself and sad down. And she was pleased with the result~. Could probably use some more meat as far as she was concerned. The turbulent day finally found a few moments of piece. Even Eria seemed like she wasn't up to anything. It was time to relax.

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

It was hard for Eric to argue with her logic, and she didn't even bother to give him the chance to.  Letting out a sigh, he decided to let this one go as he knew there was no point arguing with her.  Biting his lip and humbling himself from arguing further, he accepted her generous offer and entered his room, finding the area to be a mess.  While it was a fixer upper, it looked like there was enough to at least make a habitable room.  Wasting no time, he got to work by clearing out all of the clutter and debris, carrying the larger chunks of wood and furniture while sweeping and dusting off the smaller bits.  Despite the workload appearing overwhelming at first, he managed to move at a rapid pace thanks to his newly found energy from unlocking his aura.  The giant shards of wood and such felt like paperweight to him, and that was something he never truly envisioned.  In a way, it felt too easy...as if he didn't truly earn the right to be this strong and powerful.  He wasn't sure if he deserved anything for that matter...all he could think of at that moment was that masked man, grabbing him and his mother, throwing them into the void as his world fell apart in front of him.  He could feel the very same despair, the panic and outrage that stormed his mind when he faced that figure...

"Dammit...if I keep this up, I'm gonna get a real bad case of survivor's guilt.  I can't let these thoughts get to me, not when I still have my mother to save."

Shaking off the dread that began to consume him, he promptly continued his work, sorting out all the junk and piling it up where Eria's note remained.  Out of all of the rubble on the first floor, he managed to salvage two beaten-up but fully functional chairs, along with a scratched-up desk.  There was also a chest still intact that he could use for storage, but that was pretty much it.  Besides that, his decor consisted of the barebone basics, which was ironic for what was supposed to be the captain's quarters.  He didn't have time to focus on the second floor due to the mess of the first floor alone, and the pleasant aroma of cooking food did not dissuade him from his duties.  When Eria finally did approach him, however, he gladly dropped whatever he was sorting out and followed her into the kitchen, seeing the food that stood before him.  As she began to explain the state of the ship, he smiled as he was delighted regardless of whether or not everything was in pristine condition.  "Truth be told, I wasn't expecting a luxurious hotel from you, so I don't mind this place being a bit roughed up.  I'm just glad I have a place to stay."  Modest as ever, he gave her his thanks and took a seat on the table, taking a deep breath and letting everything sink in.  It was indeed a long day that the two of them worked through together, and there were still several questions he had about everything.  However, now was not the time to worry about such things.  For now, he would simply enjoy this brief yet tranquil moment with her, taking the time to feed himself a spoonful of her stew.  Although it wasn't quite like what he ate over at the restaurant, it felt rather homey, like a comfort food.  It reminded him of home, in a way...and more so, his mother.  With a bittersweet smile, he took huis time to savor the stew by the spoonful, feeling somewhat at ease around her for the first time.

[Mini Magi]

Good think she wasn't expected to give him 5 star service, because so far that would be out of her options. "I know right? Sometimes you're not that lucky." She assumed none of them would like to think about where he would have ended up without them meeting. So with that in mind, Eria also didn't push the thought. Instead, they were given some moments of piece. 

Sooner or later, the pot was empty, and 2 bellies were full of food. "Ahhh~ I say we do this again. At least 2 times per day." At least breakfast and dinner as far as she was concerned. Would be cheaper than eating in town too, but that would be for later. "Now in return, do the dishes will ya?" A fair thought in her opinion, and with the water working and her bringing soap, there was no direct reason why he couldn't wash some utensils, 2 bowls and one pot. "Just call me when you need anything." With that said, Eria stretched in her chair, and went into the kitchen as well. Not to help him though. She still didn't look through everything. 

Once inside, Eric would see what was quite close to a modern kitchen. 2 Stoves, multiple cupboards and shelves, a few dented utensils on the walls, and what could possibly be a fridge. Albeit, a not working one since its doors were hanging open. Eria went to that one in particular, pulled it out, and began unscrewing the back of it. And judging by how fast she did that, it was fair to assume she had experience with devices. Upon noticing him looking at her though, she curiously looked back. "What? Something on your mind?" She didn't mind the attention at all by the looks of it. In her head, he appeared curious about something and she was more than interested in giving him answers.

 

((My 100th post by the way, wohoo!!))

Edited December 30, 2020 by Lusterless Nova

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Time flied by quicker than he realized as he had quickly finished his meal, now full and ready to rest.  However, he wouldn't be able to do that just yet as Eria asked him to do the dishes.  He figured that was fair, given that she was giving him a place to stay without making him pay rent.  In fact, he was more than happy to feel at least somewhat useful in the house, so he wasted no time in cleaning the dishes.  As there weren't many people in the house, there wouldn't be too many dishes to clean, so he got everything done in a manner of minutes.  However...what he would see next would catch him by surprise, as he witnessed Eria tinkering with the broken fridge door.  He watched her curiously, losing track of his own task.  However, he froze up a little when she caught him watching her, yet he was still able to talk.

"Huh...you seem like you know your way around fridges.  Do you have experience with stuff like that as part of your job?"

[Mini Magi]

"Heck if I know." She replied as she went back to her tinkering. "I've known how to do this stuff ever since I woke up after the last calami...ty..." It only now clicked with her. She didn't tell him anything about the world yet! She let out an annoyed groan and put her tools down at the table near her. Never the less! She gave him a smile as she continued. "Sorry. I completely forgot. Care for a history lesson while you give me a hand?" Over the next few minutes, Eric would be instructed to hand her tools or parts, and Eria would in return educate him a little further. 

"For starters, we don't know how old our world is. But what we do know is that every once in a while, usually about every 4 to 10 thousand years, something big happens. And if you wanna ask "how big?", I'd say big enough to be noticed on the entire world without the news. These events are catastrophic, just short of an apocalypse from what I've heard, and are called "Umbral Calamities". So far 7 happened. And because this always destroys many records, we are lucky to even know how many there are. I mean seriously. We know the 4rth had to do something with wind, the 6th was about fire, and the world was pretty sure that was the last one since they are supposed to be elemental. And then came the 7th."

"The region you are now in is ruled by 3 factions. Limsa which you are already familiar with, Uldah which is far off in the desert and a trading hub ruled by a sultanate, and Gridania which is pretty much how you can imagine an elven culture. These factions have been in a war with the Empire of Garlemand, and 4 years ago they fought their biggest fight yet in the field of Cartenau. No worries. You don't have to remember every detail. What matters however is that when Garlemand attacked, they used a bit of technology from a previous era. The Allagan Empire which perished with the 5th calamity. So in their infinite wisdom, they unleashed Bahamut the Dragon King, a Primal."

"He was trapped in what was basically a small moon about the size of a city, and the moment he was used things turned downhill. Bahamut broke free from the control and began to rampage. I'll show you the extend of its attacks over Limsa some other day. The heroes back then who fought him are nowhere to be found now, but since Bahamut is gone everyone assumes they beat him somehow. This is what people refer to right now when they talk about "the calamity". Which brings me to... well, me~" 

By the time she reached this point of the story, the fridge door was fixed at least. The cooling would be left for another day however since Eria didn't have any wiring left to connect it to the main power, let alone enough power for this type of sub system. It was a miracle the lights were turning on. But regardless, she put her tools back into a toolbox and pushed it back against the wall beside the fridge. "Apparently I was found not far off the main event. On this ship in fact, but without any memory. I have good ol amnesia, which isn't gonna make me slow down though. As long as I'm alive, I'll keep eating and sleeping, and punching bad guys in the face." She could worry about being dead later, but for now she would do all she could and wanted to. "Hm... You know, this might be why I like you. I mean it's different in a way of course, but we both lost our worlds in one way or another. I was lucky because the whole world lost something, so I had people to help me out. But with you... What I'm trying to say is: You're not alone in this world Eric. You'll see." She continued with a bright smile, beaming from one side of her face to the other. "Tomorrow you'll have a job, then you'll get mushy with Uni, and find your mom by the end of the week. After that, adventure and all the nice stuff~" If nothing else, she would believe in it at least. "Oh~ I thought of something fun. How about you show me what you made with your room?"

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

Given her response, he could infer that this skill must have had something to do with her life before the Calamity struck.  That being said, he took a deep breath as he prepared himself for a lot of exposition...which gave him a slight headache as he had to process all of that info.  At least it explained what might have happened to his world, and perhaps that hooded figure was related to the calamity in some sense.  Since history only had records of events occurring a few thousand years back in his world, this calamity thing made sense somewhat.  And he supposed it was inevitable that he learned about the history of this world at some point, he didn't want to be seen as an outsider for not knowing or get into any trouble.  As for her being found in this ship...perhaps she might have had some connection to it before her amnesia kicked in.  Maybe she was one of the crewmates that "disappeared" from this craft.  But now was not the time for theories, she wouldn't give him too much time to linger on the thought as she encouraged him, saying that he wasn't alone...in a way, she was right, but it only slightly lessened that missing feeling in his heart without his mother around, followed by the anxiety of what might happen next.  He just hoped and prayed that she would be okay.

As she asked to take a look at his room, he would nod and head towards his room, slightly smiling back at her.  "Alright, well I've only managed to clean up the first floor.  The second floor could still use some work, so if you're willing, maybe you can help me out."

[Mini Magi]

Silly guy. As if that mattered. "Sure~" And with their work done here, Eria followed him close behind and turned off the lights in each area they left behind to conserve energy. That stuff didn't grow on trees after all. But they eventually made it to his room, and Eria went ahead to take a look around. "Oh~ You even have a chest. Not bad at all. So. Where was the bed again?" Without warning or explanation, Eria took off her jacked and began working on her belt. As soon as it fell off, she reached for the side of her skirt to take that one off as well. What stopped her were incoherent noises coming from her side. "Hm?" She looked at Eric as if he was the one acting weird. "Why are your pants still on? Are we doing this or whut?" She was perfectly calm, albeit confused why he didn't follow suit, as she pulled the string keeping her skirt in place away, letting the fabric that covered her thigs and cloud white panties closed off curious eyes now be exposed to Eric. 

[Typical Blue Haired Dude]

At first, he didn't mind her taking off her jacket, as he passed it off as her just doing whatever she wanted.  However, he started to question what she was unbuckling her belt, only to be shocked by what she was doing next.  His face turned a deep red when she exposed her panties, and he froze up for a second, too surprised to do anything about it for a few seconds.  When he finally came to his senses, he reached his hands on his head, absolutely baffled by her yet again.  "W-What the hell?!?!  We literally just met today!  Did you just bring me here so you could get laid?  You could have at least waited until we went upstairs where the bed is!!!"  Needless to say, this wasn't exactly what he had in mind when it came to finding a partner in this regard.  Surely she was just screwing with him.  Why would she of all people find interest in his body?  Why would anyone?

[Mini Magi]

Eria blinked. Was he really...? Oh. Now she got it. "You're gay aren't you?" Huh. Or not. Maybe something else? "Well, do you hate me then?" Not the expected response either. She then grabbed a few strains of her hair to basically hold them to him. "Am I not your type because my hair is a weird color?" Welp. There were her 3 tries. She tossed her hair to her back again, then went a few steps closer with her arms crossed across her chest. As far as she was concerned, he didn't make any sense. After all, they were both rather attractive, at the peak of their youth, most importantly STRAIGHT. So... "Well then. In case the thought didn't sink in yet, you have basically the perfect girl with you, in a quiet and private area, zero risk of getting disrupted by any cockblock guards, I am literally half naked while you aren't. If you don't mind me asking: What's your actual problem? Because I just found out where the bed is and I'm about to use it unless you kick me out and in the same notion, shoot yourself in the foot as far as I am concerned."