New Recruit - Part 2
Date Posted: October 4, 2018
This chapter was written in collaboration with Scylla.
“Well, we’ve only been together functioning as a Free Company for a handful of moons. So, there’s a lot about some of our people I don’t know myself, yet.” Koh admitted, pressing a finger to her chin. “As I noted, I’m a researcher and a healer.”
She began to count on her fingers.
“We have Mocho, who’s training to be a Paladin… kinda an older Lalafell fellow from Ul’dah. Not quite sure how he ended up in all this except that he was part of the original group…”
Koh pursed her lips.
“Zuri is the one who came up with the idea for the Free Company to start with. She’s an AuRa bard-in-training who tends to keep the group together… somehow. And we have a second Bard, Amon. I know… two bards isn’t super effective, but try telling that to him. We use to have a Samurai, but he was called home for family reasons.”
She spread her hands.
“Right now, it’s just Mocho and I here. Amon and Zuri are travelling in Yanxia for some kind of Bard-inspiration-session, but I think they should be coming home any day now. And… that’s really about it.”
“Amon…” Scylla repeated the name, fist clenching without a thought.
Koh’s eyebrows lifted in concern. Uh oh… what had Amon done this time?
“Do you… know Amon?”
“Ah… I’ve heard of him around Gridania…” Scylla pressed her lips, speaking in a dismissive tone. “He was on several of the hunts with the Wood Wailers.”
The Miqo’te let out her breath slowly, “Yes, he’s involved in that often, usually just odd jobs, like I mentioned before. But… you seem to…”
She eyed the other woman’s balled fist.
“…Have a strong reaction to his mention.”
“Well…” Scylla looked around and laughed nervously, reaching back to a memory which was just nothing more than mist. “Isn’t that commonplace?”
“I’d say so. More often that I’d like. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes,” Koh sighed and shook her head. Then she finally asked the two questions she’d been meaning to get around to, “Are you absolutely certain this is the Free Company you want to associate, Miss… uh… I didn’t catch your name.”
“Scylla.” She picked up her bags, walking towards the rear of the house. “If you could tell me where my quarters will be, I would be grateful.”
Koh’s face paled at the sound of the name, and the world twisted around her in yet another reel of fate that made her stomach clench.
Scylla?
As in Scylla-Scylla?
No.
This was complete and absolute coincidence.
It had to be!
What was the probability that there could be yet another should-be-dead Allagan conglomerating right there in the midst of their little Free Company house… which was never intended to hold a single Allagan, much less two seemingly “living” (?) and one Allagan-type possession.
No. No.
This was simply a fluke. Koh was going to hold on to that until she knew otherwise.
The Scholar’s eyes searched the other woman’s face, looking for anything… anything… that could tell her one way or another. She looked nothing at all like Amon – perhaps Allagans were as varied as Eorzeans? That would make sense.
Was there no sign she could use? Nothing to go by?
Her mind raced as she zoned out, gaze transfixed on the White Mage.
Scylla’s squinted at Koh, turning around before she opened the latch to where she assumed the quarters would be. She had the classic signs – pale face, blank expression. She was going to pass out.
Great. First day here and the company is going to see the white mage standing over their old trusted scholar splayed on the floor. Talk about the white mage vs. scholar arguments she heard at Mionne’s elevated to a new level.
The healer sighed, reaching over and steadying Koh by the shoulder. “Hey, maybe you need to sit down for a moment. I can find my way to an empty set of quarters?”
Koh shook herself out at the touch and cleared her throat. “I’m fine. Yes. Right. Your quarters. You may have to unsettle some dust, but if you’ll follow me?”
She motioned over her shoulder for Scylla to follow. As she did, that little voice in the back of her head – the one she could never tell if it was her own or that of Noah – quite plainly asked one question.
What have you started now?