On Lookout Duty

The Cafe Archive

This takes place during the Main Scenario Quest of Final Fantasy XIV, specifically the quest "Believe in Your Sylph."

*“Who is she?” *Osera couldn’t get the thought out of her mind. Ever since her encounter with Ifrit, she couldn’t get that aggressive Viera out of her mind. The Scions had told her that only those with the Echo should be immune to the Tempering. But that Viera was too. Did she have it? Was a she a Scion Osera was unaware of? Wearing an Imperial uniform? It wasn’t just that detail that stuck out to her though. After Ifrit failed to temper the both of them, she had laughed. That Viera laughed at Ifrit. She laughed in the face of a god and simply grabbed her axe. What kind of mad rabbit had she run into?

At first, Osera had thought she couldn't be another unknown Scion, but then she remembered Alisae and Alphinaud. Her first meeting with them was certainly a surprise, and they were descendants of Louisoix. She made a mental note to ask Minfilia about this at some point. She had to know more about that abrasive, axe-wielding woman. Could she be some sort of undercover Scion? Wasn't that usually Thancred's job?

Osera shook her head and gripped her lance, trying to stay focused on her watch. Where were those damned Sylphs anyroad? She was told to watch for the tempered ones, but she hadn’t seen any yet. Even tempered Sylphs had no courtesy for “walking ones.” She looked out over the Shroud, wondering if there were any other Sunseekers living in Gridania. It wasn’t unheard of, but she knew she was unusual. But that was nothing new to Osera. She’d known for a long time that she would never fit inside of the Sunseeker clan she’d been born into—her altercation with the nunh a few years ago  cemented the fact that she didn’t belong. She did miss her mother though. It was why she took the name Munilea; by the tradition of her tribe, she should have been Osera Munhi. But she and the nunh never seen eye to eye. She never understood why the women of the tribe fawned over him; he was strong, but in her eyes, many of the women of the tribe were stronger. When she was a child, Osera remembered him lazing around on a cushion and ordering others about. The boys in her tribe looked up to him, and even her friend Aba wanted to defeat him to take his place. It never made sense to her.

It all came to a head for her when she was 15. The nuhn had asked her mother to make dinner for the two of them, and when it arrived, he took one bite and slapped her, insulting her cooking at the same time. Osera was not far away, sharpening one of the nunh’s scimitars. As soon as she heard the bastard yelling at his mother, she charged towards the tent, swinging the weapon at him. But he was faster than she knew, and she disarmed before she knew what was happening. He shoved her back and swung the scimitar at her and her mother, Munilea, screamed. Osera was sure if her mother hadn’t been there, it would’ve been the end for her. Instead, the nunh’s blade left a horizontal across the bridge of her nose. The scar was a reminder of the fact she might never see her mother again.

Of course, she was exiled from their tribe for that. Her mother gave her a few days worth of rations to get her out of the desert, and Osera took one of the tribe’s spears on her way out. She had had no idea where to go, what to do. But she felt… free. No more nunh, and the expectation that she join another harem was gone. And for a while, that was enough for her. But as she drifted further from the desert where she was born, she found herself less excited. Eventually, she found herself on a merchant caravan to Gridania, where she’d heard of a lancer’s guild; she’d taken a spear, might as well learn to use to it. She never could have anticipated it, but joining that guild was the first step of the rest of her life. Without it, she’d never have met the Scions. The Scions gave her purpose; they made her feel like she was important, both for what she offered but for who she was. And if she hadn’t joined the Scions, she would’ve never met her. That Viera, whoever she was…

Wait. Was that a damned Sylph? Finally!

Osera shook her head and started paying more attention.

Thanks to Robun for their contribution!