Part I - A Chance Encounter

The soft and yet annoying ring of a bell hanging atop a door's frame sounded out, the end barely an inch or so above the wooden entrance, letting it strike the brass so it would signify when another had entered. Even from the outside, this little hole in the wall of a place sounded busy, and no doubt that bell chiming over and over again would have drawn a few nerves of the less steeled. The slow step of boots thudding along the creaking panes of floorboards, the purposeful or lax stride of the next patron to enter before the door shut again, and that same bell rang shut to hum until vibrations end. Already the smell of beer, bread, and pipe smoke filled the air, among louder voices that carried as the night's liquor kept disappearing, and the three or four members of some small merry-making crew playing songs of local sea-faring lore to keep the spirits high.

An evening in Limsa Lominsa, no place like it. For some this was a haven, for others like the hooded Elezen Male that just walked in the door, it was a temporary reprieve on his way back home to Gridania. At least here, he could take a moment from the naval journey for a bit of R&R, but just as weary as the wooded lands of home, he was still apt to look over his shoulder more often than not. A moment to make his way down a short flight of stairs to the common area, the lower decks where even the humble fisherman could paddle his fishing boat up to dock and not be but a few yalms from a table to drink and feast. Seeing no one of significant recognitions, he took a deep sigh, reaching up to draw his hood back and let that long, black hair cascade free. At last he could take a moment from being incognito and relax… or so he thought.

Not but a moment after that hair came loose, and the shrouded face revealed from the front, the words of a man came out, directed right at him. "Mmm, I'd recognize that scar anywhere, that's a face you can't forget." the deep-toned, raspy voice of a patron seated in the closest table spoke out. Hair short yet shaggy, and worse telling of age with the tips turned grey. Slightly bearded chin of scruff also a salt and pepper tinge, and eyes staring straight at him, one discolored white bearing a scar straight down from forehead to cheek with an old, but deep depression. Tessiah turned to look, swearing to his own keen senses that man wasn't there before when he looked around, and although he made no exaggerated expression as to how or why, he knew exactly who he was. "And yours is a name I'm not supposed to remember." He said softly back, as if there was some underlying meaning between the two.

Cheeks of the man widened and those teeth bared in a soft laugh behind them. "Heheheh, I see you still know how to play the game. Have a seat, a couple rounds for an old friend?" He nodded with an expression, moving his leg under the table to push the chair opposite of him with his foot.

Tess knowing this man from a time long past, this wasn't just some happenstance meeting, nor was that a request, but he played along as the cats and mice tend to do. "Oh, buying I see? Must have some lined pockets and gained quite some generosity in your old age. What a rare treat." He retorted back, sitting down on that offered chair to bring those pointed ears closer to the conversation.

"Hey, I said we get a couple rounds, ain't said nothing about paying for ‘em." Was the returning jest, only to snap fingers for the attention of the closest wench, giving a pointed gesture that flicked between the both of them.

"Just the bottom rung ale for me, not much coin left to spend." Tess would comment to the woman who acknowledged with a nod before turning away.

“So I heard…” The man gave a short comment, leaning back to snake a hand in his black leather tunic, procuring a small pipe and tobacco pouch. “Moving everything you own, from one continent to another. Even for a guy like you who doesn’t have many possessions, such a costly thing…” He added with a cracked smile on the corner of his lips, placing the pipe end in his mouth while pinching tobacco to stuff in the bell end.

“Mm, that right?” Tess commented back with a smug expression. “I see your network has reached the far east in these past many years.”

There was a pause in the conversation, as the mysterious man was taking his time, packing rich flavored tobacco into his pipe, only to strike a match over the bowl, take several quick puffs to ensure it was well and truly lit, before finally taking one slow drag from the long stemmed reading pipe. That sweet smoke soon filled his lungs, and then the air around him as he exhaled in an almost meditative manner, leaving his scarred face partially shrouded behind leisurely rising plumes.

“The long arm of information Tess old boy. Been nestled in that bustling foreign place for a few years now.” He took another deliberate puff, leaning back in his seat to blow the smoke into rings above his head. “I tell yah, you’d be surprised how many people over there are worse at being scheming backstabbers than we are.”

“I believe you, as I met a few along the way myself. In fact, pretty close to home in that aspect. Less stabbing of the back end and more… politically inept.”

He pulled the bit of the pipe from his mouth, gesturing with it toward Tessiah. “Yeah, what yah see ain’t all there is to be. Getting the big picture, ya talkin’ ‘bout a culture that says one thing and means another. I need a damn translator just to swap lies back and forth. Been there enough times to say I’d rather not go back.” He let out a dark chuckle as he drew the arm still holding the pipe in across his chest.

"And you wanna know the real reason why?" He gave a dip of his head in gesture towards Tess as he put the stem back in his mouth. “It’s the smell. No seriously, worse than Limsa. Place stinks of tar, fish, and all the burning incense they use to try to cover it up with. The only thing worth a damn in that squinty-eyed shithole is the exceptional amount of brothels, but even that ain’t worth a trip back for me. I’ll let my little birds deal with those damn dirt farmers and fly back to me with the goods. Speaking of that, the hells you doin all the way out here? Ain’t there a shorter route to Gridania?”

Tess inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Matter of coin. Shipping myself and belongings was going to cost an arm and a leg. Found a charter for passage but they had to stop in La Noscea first for shipment. So, taking the scenic route, since I have nothing but time on my hands. No telling what I’m going to do now, definitely not going back east if I can help it.”

It was at this time that the barmaid had finally chosen to make her way back, with two mugs of ale that she slopped down in front of both of them.

Tess was already picking up the mug in front of him and gulping down the pungent ale quickly as he tried to quench his thirst and perhaps his nerve right along with it.

“What..” the man drolled out as he made a gesture at him with his pipe. “Can’t take your pointy ears back to the Wailers now?”

“Oh I’m sure I’d be welcomed back, and as a hero no doubt. Yet, you know the story of why I left. No telling who’s paid up to who, who’s affiliated or not with whomever, or what sort of inept person is in command. Again, politics.” Tess shook his head with disdain on the matter.

The smoke from his pipe curled in an almost seductive dance around his piercing amber eyes. “And yet here you are, leavin’ the same shit you left before. But hey, I can give yah consolation prize this time, it didn’t take ten years. There’s better things to waste your time on.” His lips curled into a wolfish grin as he let out another of his cynical sounding chuckles.

Tess gave him that sort of half-lidded sneer, feeling there was something hidden in that statement. “Look, you’re not exactly a person who just comes out in the open to talk to people like me. If you’re trying to recruit, you should already know I’m not your man. Some of the things you people do, I couldn’t live with that on my head.”

“You people?” He snapped back, sitting up straight in his chair. He almost seemed offended, but that shocked expression soon gave way to that sinister looking smile of tobacco stained teeth. “Hah.. You people..” That gritty sounding chuckle came again, as he once more leaned back, biting on the bit of his pipe. “I uh, appreciate that.” he gestured at Tess again with his pipe. “No really, I do. Nothing like being a different class than the rabble. But let’s face it Tess, you’re like .. what? Three trees tall, and as if that ain’t enough, you overcompensate with a weapon twice that size. Subtlety is not among your strong points, especially when you're a prick that big.” Once more with that sadistic chuckle, and once more he tilted his head back to casually blow smoke rings into the air.

A couple more gulps of cheap ale burned its way down Tess’ throat letting the alcoholic vapor hiss through his tightly clenched teeth. It was the only way he could keep his tongue still as he took in that bit of blunt commentary with sheer annoyance. “No, not a stealthy person at all. I’m a soldier, nothing more.”

“Nothing mor--Uh hello in there?” The man said quickly with a wrap of his knuckles along the table three times. “That long hair cloudin’ yah brain knife ears?” His lips curled into a smirk as that pipe was once again brought up for a soothing pull of his pipe, his fingers tapping along the bell end to funnel the smoke. “You were a Tenth Spear, that’s command rank. You forget how to lead people while you were off finding yourself?” His sudden serious demeanor pinning Tess to his chair. “Or pussy cats…” He added with a sly knowing smile.

Tess clenched his fists at the man’s words, a dangerously serious expression on his face. The sudden and sly comment about his significant other did not sit well. Joking or not, veiled or not, threats to his loved ones were a quick way to get a rise out of him. “What’s your point?” He growled out in a dangerous warning. “I didn’t forget to lead.” He deflected. “Just running things from a desk has had an impact.”

“Yeah, aint no sense in sitting behind one of those less your legs ain’t workin’. Guess the little bookworm had got yer interest in readin’ more than rallyin’.” He shook his head, though his eyes remained ever watchful on the taller man’s face. Leaning forward from his lax pose, he plucked up his mug to finally take the first swig of his ale.

“Listen here old pal. I ain’t trying to get yah to be involved in anything of mine. Let’s just say, my sorta club doesn’t like people who walk out on ‘em.” He pressed a thumb to the side of his nose and gave a loud sniff. “I get it, your superiors shit on you left and right, and then the next group did the same, hell, that’s life boyo. If you ain’t lead dog in the pack, all yah ever gonna see is another mutt's ass.” Another draw from the long-stem pipe as his tone seemed to become much more serious again. “So yah don’t wanna go back to the wailers, Fine.” There was a light shrug of his shoulders. “Moving back to Gridania, you’re gonna run into people from the old days, and that’s a fact yah gonna have to deal with.” He gestured with his pipe towards Tess for emphasis on his point. “But, what I can tell yah is this: you don’t wanna be an ass-end mutt? Be the lead dog yourself.” He sat back again into a swirl of misty sweet smoke that clung to him.

Tess raised a curious brow, tilting his head to the side as if expecting more of a detailed conclusion to that. “Lead dog of what exactly? I have no army behind me, I’m not a mercenary for hire doing dirty deeds for the coin.”

“Well..” He said as smoke curled out from between his teeth. “..with all the hoity-toity adventurers around, finding a body to shove your spear into aside from yah kitty cat, would be hard to find and for very little coin.” His arms crossed over his chest, pipe in hand as he tapped the stem in thought. “Well..Yah flew a desk for a while. Surely you can start up some business. Who knows, maybe in time you get a few… contacts… to work with.” Again with that yellowed wolfish smile. “I mean come on, how else yah gunna get that extra coin in your purse ehh?” The man grinned wide with that dull bit of muffled laughter behind it.

“So…” Tess said as he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together on the table. “How exactly would you suggest I go about doing said business? And you have yet to explain to me what kind of contacts you speak of.”

One last ponderous drag of his pipe, savoring its sweet taste before the man snuffed it out with his calloused fingertips. Turning it over to tap along the edge of the table and let the burnt tobacco fall out onto the floor where his black boot brushed over and ground it out. “Anything and everything. Every person you ever came in contact with that ran an establishment, Military cohorts, uh… yah little gearhead friends from yah last shindig. Oh…” he laughed as he put his pipe away. “Shoulda mentioned… you weren’t the only one to leave that shitty excuse for a company behind.”

Again, Tess’s interests and expressions perked up. “Oh? I was not aware that anyone but Lara and I left.”

“Yeah well, seems even when you don’t intend to lead, people still follow your shining example.” He spread his arms wide as he gestured at Tess. His tone was full of sarcasm. “Or they had dealt with enough shit themselves, don’t matter.” He waved his hands as though he could just dissipate the words, and get them back on the topic at hand. “Looky here pretty boy. You go ahead and take your sweet ass time getting back to Tree-ville, get yourself set up and cozy with yah kitty cat and all that. Then.. soon as you can, you listening? This is important. You plop down at your desk and start writing letters to everyone you can think of who has a business to deal with. Don’t even give a rat's ass if you don’t have the money or supply, just get people interested and on board. The rest, your old pal here…” He gestured with his fingertips upon his own chest. “can help with... for a small consultation fee mind you.” Once again the sly smirk returned to his face.

Tess again gave him that sneer of concern “Ahh I see now, a little pep talk to get someone like me on board with outside dealings.” His nostrils flared as he stilled himself. “For what it’s worth, I’ll bite. Not like I have any other grand schemes at work. Mind a favor then? I’ll do the paperwork, you see them delivered to the appropriate personage. No telling where people are or got around to these days.”

The man gave a cheeky, almost creepy grin, right before tilting his mug back, gulping down his ale like it was going out of style. The last bit swallowed and that mug set back down on the table with a soft thud as he licked his lips. “Heh, for an old pal, and new business ventures, I’ll see that one of my little birds gets them where they are going. You just make sure you write down who they are meant for, very clearly on the envelope, and they’ll get it done.” He smiled broadly as if that cocky arrogance of his was boasting somewhat. His head turned as the same bar wench walked by. “Hey!” He pipped up and gave a sharp whistle at the barmaid. “Another round here!” he grinned broadly.

Tess turned his head as well, looking at the woman before she walked off. “Just one more please, not trying to spend…” his words cut off as he looked back to his company, only to find there was no one seated in front of him at all.”...too much.” In that moment he began pondering if this was all a hoax, or a figment of his imagination.

It wasn’t until a few minutes later as he was finishing his mug that the woman came back with two more. She had a curious question about the company he kept, and what he was going to do with two more drinks as she wasn’t going to pour the drinks back into kegs, not to mention, (Which she actually did do, and quite loudly) that not one of the four drinks had been paid for yet. Tess inhaled sharply through clenched lips as two more mugs were set down in front of him, a very distinct thought crossing his mind over the doubt he once had: Yep, it was definitely him…