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The Parrock wasn’t normally a crowded base. While there were always Redbills milling about to rest or repair their airships, a majority of them came and went to go on their own journeys. Looking for treasure, enjoying the breath of the skies, and simply living a life in the clouds.
However, when word got out that their captain, Leofard Myste, was challenging the famed Warrior of Light to a race...A’vedis found herself worried that the entire isle would sink beneath the clouds.
A’vedis, the famed blue haired miqo’te, peeked over from the side of her airship, staring at the airship landing, seemingly every inch taken up by Redbills chatting amongst themselves. Every spare spot on the docks were taken up, and even some needed to dock elsewhere in the Parrock - on one of the patches of grass or on the tops of cliffs overlooking the excitement. Some were people she recognized - Stacia, Utata, Cait Sith - and others she had never seen before. Some of them confused her, being people she had only seen in passing on Ishgard. She wondered...was this all just Redbills, or was someone inviting more to watch?
“Gettin’ stage fright, kitten?” A chuckle, a shadow falling over her. “Might wanna pay more attention ta the Manacutter than the audience.”
A’vedis furrowed her eyebrows, looking up at the someone himself, Leofard Myste, “Oh? And why aren’t you attending to your ship?” She looked back to her airship - the Manacutter - and attempted to look over the sides.
“Please, I don’t need ta look much…” Leofard grinned, kneeling down next to her and resting his head in his hand. “Sure it won’t take much ta take a win today.”
“You’re being awfully cocky.” A smirk crossed A’vedis’ lips. “It’ll hurt all the more when you lose.”
“Think you’re bein’ the cocky one.”
A laugh came from further down the dock, “That’s funny coming from you, Leofard.”
A’vedis and Leofard turned their heads to see Stacia, who had quite a large bucket of coin dangling from one arm and a well-filled chalkboard under the other. A huge grin was on her face, the clear excitement of the crowd lightening her usually more serious demeanor. A’vedis smiled, giving her a light wave as Leofard stood back up.
“Hardly know what yer talkin’ about,” Leofard spoke, “I think I got a clear shot.”
“So says you. Betting pool says A’vedis.”
“Huh?!”
A’vedis snorted.
“What can I say, captain?” Stacia shrugged, obviously loving the opportunity to tease. “A’vedis seems to pull off miracles earth-side. Everyone here thinks she can do the same here, too.”
“Really…” Leofard looked down at A’vedis, “Think a miracle will help ya?”
“Well…” A’vedis playfully put a hand to her chin in thought, tilting her head back and forth. “I didn’t think I could kill a primal, but I did. Quite a lot. So winning in a race against a cocky pirate seems easy in comparison.”
Stacia laughed, “And I certainly hope it is! Knock him down a few pegs, A’vedis.”
Leofard simply chuckled, crossing his arms and looking at Stacia, “Well, we’ll see once the day’s up. Are the flags out?”
“A few men are out on the job. They should be back in a few minutes.”
“Right. Go get the last bets in, then,” Leofard spoke, “Sure there’ll be lotsa people losin’ money today.”
Stacia gave a little sarcastic laugh before she walked off to the rest of the airship landing, where even more people began to fly in.
A’vedis smiled, and soon continued her work, “And shouldn’t you be getting ready to fly, Leo?”
“Like I said...I don’t need ta prepare much. I’m not worried.” Leofard leaned down beside her, and she watched his shadow sweep over her entire body, his clear outline draped over the side of the Manacutter. A shiver went down her spine, and she tried to keep her attention away from him. But...she could only focus on the presence - the warmth - she felt behind her. His breath, softly brushing against her ear.
She swallowed, feeling her ears twitch. He knew exactly what he was doing, wasn’t he? What an ass.
“You should be worried.” A’vedis took in a deep breath, trying to stand firm. “I have the Manacutter, after all.”
“As impressive a ship it is…” She could feel him lean a bit closer, his body brushing up against her tail. “Flyin’ is all ‘bout how you use ‘em, kitten. An’ I know how to make my ships purr.” The word was long, drawn out, and she could feel a hand brush down her tail, trailing down the entire length.
A’vedis’ hands froze right on the metal of the Manacutter, her cheeks flushing a bright red. He was cheating. This was cheating. The damned man was trying to sabotage her before they even began. She opened her mouth to say something, but could barely think of something to say back. She knew she needed to continue looking over her airship. She knew she needed to show him that he wasn’t affecting her at all. And yet...she was locked right in place. Unable to move an inch.
Leofard let out a soft chuckle that tickled her ear, “Well...good luck, A’vedis.” And he stood up, letting go of her tail and walking slowly down the dock. She stood there a while, her hands frozen on the side of her ship.
Damned pirate.
Soon, she could hear the swelling of the crowd, and she looked up to see a few Redbills flying back to the Parrock, spare flags flying proud from their ships. Right...the race. She needed to think about the race. She needed to think about beating Leofard and knocking him down a peg or two.
After all, that was the very reason why they were here, wasn’t it?
It all started several days ago, during A’vedis’ extended stay up with the Redbills. Leofard had decided to brag excessively about his expertise in the skies, about how he was an expert pilot (barr the one instance in Dun Scaith) who could best anyone else with an airship. Of course, this led to A’vedis growing irritated and teasingly mentioning her own experiences in the sky. Which only led Leofard to press about his experiences.
And in the end, A’vedis and Leofard did what they did best. Make a wager, and offer a challenge. This time, the challenge would be a race through the skies. And the wager…
”If I win…” A’vedis leaned back in her chair, swirling a glass of wine in front of her, “You’ll have to grovel before me and renounce everything you just said.” She grinned, shooting him a look.
”Oh?” Leofard grinned, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, his hands knotted above, “That would be pretty humiliatin’.”
”Damn right.” A’vedis smirked. “And what is your request, should you beat the odds and win?” She laughed, taking a sip of her wine. Sure, this man was a sky pirate, but he was acting way too cocky for it all to be real. So much that it was starting to piss her off. She could knock him down a thousand pegs, for sure.
”Well…” Leofard closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. “When I win...you’ll have ta do one request I give ya. Whatever I say...ya have ta do. No matter what.”
A’vedis blinked, chuckling, “What? Can’t think of something? What happened to the cunning pirate you claim to be?”
”I don’t think it’s a bad deal,” Leofard grinned, “Think the mystery is more...interestin’ than lettin’ ya know now.”
A’vedis starred for a minute, thinking it over. Her prize was more certain, more concrete. It was hard to think of what exactly Leofard would use for his prize. What was he going to request of her? Grovel in front of a crowd? Grovel before him? Something more? Something less?
Leofard sighed, ”Unless...yer scared to take it…”
She huffed, “I’m certainly not. It’s a deal.”
A’vedis now found herself strangely fixated on the idea of what the prize would be, now, if he won.
She swallowed, shaking her head to banish any of the thoughts in her head. There was a race to win. And she would win. And she wouldn’t need to wonder about what Leofard intended to do on his end of the bet.
“A’vedis! It’s time!”
She looked up to see Stacia on another dock, waving one of the flags proudly. On the other end of the landing, she could see Leofard get into his airship, a cocky grin on his lips.
A’vedis nodded, hopping into the Manacutter and putting a pair of red goggles over her eyes. It would be fine. She had this race in the bag. She would win this. And she certainly wouldn’t let that man distract her from leaving him in the dust.
She turned on the Manacutter and guided it towards the proverbial starting line, where Stacia and Cait Sith sat together in an airship, flags draping down the sides of it. All around, A’vedis could hear the steady hum of airships begin to activate and float all around, all eager to watch the race unfold at a safe distance away. Some onlookers sat down at the edge of the docks, their feet dangling off the side and their eyes bursting with excitement.
It was quite a crowd. Not one that A’vedis ever expected.
In the starting airship, Cait Sith stood up proudly and walked to the end of the ship, a small flag in his arms as he looked between A’vedis and Leofard.
“Five hundred yalms to the south is a cluster of islands,” Cait Sith spoke, pointing out in the direction, “In it are twelve flags posted within - six for each of you. The first to navigate the islands, collect six flags, and return to the Parrock will be determined the winner.” He took in a deep breath, looking at the two airship pilots as the audience around began to swell up in excitement.
“Captain’s got this in the bag.”
“Can’t beat the Warrior of Light!”
“That lady’s a natural. Captain doesn’t know who he’s up against…”
A’vedis felt her chest begin to pound, her hands gripping tightly on the controls. Don’t think about the people. Just on the prize. On the flags. On kicking Leofard’s cocky ass at his own game.
“The race will begin in three…”
Both of the airship engines began to hum.
“Two…”
Louder still.
“One…”
A’vedis bit her lip, leaning forward.
The flags dropped from Stacia’s ship. “Go!”
The sound of a thunderclap pulsed through the air as the two airships burst away from the Parrock, riding side by side on a journey south, towards the cluster of floating rocks in the distance. They flew close to each other, neck and neck, each of them focused on the flags they could pick out.
A’vedis could already see a few easy pickings. A few flags posted right out in the open, easy for her to simply reach out and grab. But there were a few others that would be more of a challenge.
Well, she didn’t accept this race to take the easy way out, did she?
“Still not too late to back out now, Leo,” A’vedis teased, pressing the Manacutter to go faster and faster, trying to outrun Leofard.
“Don’t think so, kitten.” Leofard’s ship easily matched the Manacutter’s pace, keeping up without any sort of struggle. “You should be asking yourself that.”
A’vedis simply laughed mockingly, sticking out her tongue at Leofard. And the second they reached the cluster...she turned the Manacutter sideways, going right for a flag sandwiched between two islands. She flew right between them, reaching down to grab the first flag of the race, pulling up and back upright with the red fabric flying proudly in her hand, out in the clear for Leofard to see.
First win goes to her.
From there, A’vedis focused entirely on collecting the flags, darting between the cluster of islands and searching for every flag she could find. Sometimes they were easy pickings, and sometimes they were in difficult places to reach. She could hear the hum of airships all around, echoing all through the cluster of islands. The loudest was Leofard’s ship as he scrambled to take the flags as well, but some were the curious onlookers who wanted to watch the real show, floating all around the cluster and cheering the two of them on.
After a while, A’vedis finally had five flags safely tucked away in the cockpit, and the sixth was in sight. And right in the distance, easily perched on top of the center island in the cluster, was the prize itself. This was it. She could still hear Leofard flying around. Once she had this, she was home free.
A confident smirk crossed her face. Take that, Captain.
She leaned forward, pushing the Manacutter closer and closer, reaching out her arm to take her prize…
But right before she reached it, a dart of steel cut in front of her, taking the flag with it.
Her grin fell, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked over to see Leofard’s ship slow to a halt, the flag teasingly on display for her. He was laughing, finding her irritation absolutely amusing. Which only made her more irritated.
“That makes seven for me,” Leofard spoke, draping the flag down the side of his ship, “How many do you have?”
“Seven?” A’vedis fumed, turning the Manacutter towards him, “One of those is mine!”
“Mine now, kitten,” Leofard revved up his airship, “Won’t you ever learn? Makin’ deals with pirates is bad luck.”
A’vedis hissed. This man was absolutely irritating. The worst. She revved up the Manacutter, sending herself flying towards Leofard. Leofard only laughed, taking off in the direction of the Parrock, the flag whipping in the wind along the side of his ship. She followed, trying to get as close as possible to his ship to take her flag back.
The ride back to the Parrock should have been a straight shot. But instead, the two of them weaved through the sky, trailing up and down throughout the entire space between the cluster and the finish line. Leofard seemed to enjoy every minute, teasing A’vedis with this little extra chance of winning the race. Of letting the one flag she needed to be right within her grasp...only for him to twist away or speed on ahead.
“This is no way to impress a lady, pirate,” A’vedis hissed as she neared his ship, reaching out a hand to try and grab at it. She was so close, that the fabric just brushed over her fingertips.
“Oh?” Leofard grinned, watching her get closer and closer to the flag, a teasing tinge to his voice, “Seems like I have one lady desperate fer my attention now.”
“And why do you think that is?”
“My good looks?”
“You’re an ass.” A’vedis could almost grab onto the flag now. Just a little closer. She was just there.
Leofard laughed, and sped up, pulling away.
A’vedis was beginning to think that she should have asked her winnings to be more humiliation on Leofard’s end. He deserved much worse than groveling now.
She grunted, forcing the Manacutter to get closer and closer. By now, they were circling the Parrock, putting on a show for all to see. And giving Leofard that much more of a chance at winning. Once he decided to stop, it would be over.
A’vedis pressed the Manacutter to go faster and faster, pressing Leofard to keep going and to not let up now. She looked down to the controls, trying to think of what to do.
Did Cid ever put anything on this damned thing?
She searched the control panel, finally landing on a button she never pressed before.
A few seconds passed, her eyes glued to it. Whatever it did...she hardly knew what it was. She didn’t need it to fly, at least…
A’vedis took in a deep breath.
Ironworks better had done something good to this thing.
And she pressed the button.
She felt energy spark through the Manacutter, feeling practically electrifying. Her hair stood on end, and she could see something pulse around the machinery. But above all else...she felt the ship speed up. Much faster than she ever traveled before. Her back pressed into her seat, the sudden momentum startling her. But she could see Leofard’s ship come up quick. She could see him look back, genuine surprise in his eyes.
A’vedis reached out, struggling to fight against the momentum and fighting to keep her arm straight. She directed the Manacutter closer to his ship, and reached as far as she could…
And then she grabbed a fistful of the flag, tearing it away from Leofard’s ship and to the cockpit of her own.
A’vedis laughed. Shows him right! Now...it was time to break and get back to the Parrock…
She pulled to slow down. The Manacutter kept going.
Her eyes widened. No. She tried again, to no avail. She tried to turn around, but it felt as though she were trying to turn around in mud. Out of desperation she tried pressing the button again, like it also functioned as the off switch, but it did nothing to stop the momentum.
Well...shit.
A’vedis was going to have a talk with Cid about this the second she got down to earth.
She kept her hands on the controls, her knuckles turning bone white as she tried her hardest to maintain control. Floating islands passed by in seconds. Other ships in the sky kept a clear distance away, and she could hear the shouting of others around her. Part of her wanted to look back, wondering if anyone from the Parrock was coming in pursuit, but she was so afraid that if she looked away, the ship would collide with something. And A’vedis was terrified it would happen even if she was looking.
Soon, in the distance, she could see a looming shadow of a thundercloud, growing larger and larger by the second. Her eyes widened, and she frantically tried to mess with the controls one last time. She could see electricity pulsing through the cloud, flashes illuminating the cockpit and casting long shadows against the ship. Come on...she needed to stop this! Cid had to have put a failsafe in here, right?
A’vedis knew that thunderstorms at sea were rough. She lived through enough of those to know that much. Going into a thundercloud itself? She didn’t want to test her luck. Not in a million years. Primals and cocky pirates were one thing. A force of nature was on a whole new level.
Her surroundings began to grow darker. The cloud was surrounding her, wrapping around the ship and welcoming it in. A’vedis’ hands froze on the controls, watching as she plunged right into the cloud.
And then...it was dark.
Everything around her was dark grey, and water began to coat her goggles. A’vedis pulled them down, letting them hang around her neck as she looked out to the inside of the thundercloud. She felt rumbling. She felt electricity fill her every inhale and exhale. She could see occasional flashes of her surroundings, reflecting off of islands she could hardly see.
A’vedis looked down, desperately looking at the controls once more. Trying to see anything she hadn’t noticed.
But what she didn’t notice was the island ahead. The small rock in the sky, floating right in the path. And by the time she did notice...she was already in the air.
A’vedis felt the wind knock out of her - everything knock out of her - as she was tossed out of the Manacutter. All of the flags flew free, unfurling and floating away with the harsh winds of a storm cloud. And A’vedis began to fall.
Only one thought crossed her mind.
She was going to die.
A’vedis squeezed her eyes shut, praying as hard as she could. Hydaelyn...she had to hear her. Hydaelyn always pulled through before. A’vedis was chosen, after all. Hydaelyn just couldn’t let her fall to her death, could she?
Would she?
She let in a breath, praying anyway. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t -
“A’vedis!”
Her eyes opened wide as she fell against something. Someone. And before she could even settle in and look down, an arm was wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against a chest, feeling a rapidly beating heartbeat beneath.
“Got ya. I got ya. Hang on.”
Leofard.
He pulled her in closer, his other hand deftly on the controls of his airship, weaving back through the thundercloud. She closed her eyes, feeling the airship dart around to and fro - careful not to make any maneuvers to disturb her place. She could feel electricity fill the air, the occasional flash and shock of thunder. The darkness that enveloped them between the flashes of panic.
And then, after a while...A’vedis felt light touch her once more.
A’vedis’ eyes slowly opened, looking out to see the calmer sea of clouds laid out before them. Her cheek was still firmly pressed to Leofard’s chest, and she was reluctant to remove herself. Though...it was a little embarrassing to be in this position. She was trembling. She needed something stable to keep her steady. Especially after something so terrifying.
But she did feel quite vulnerable.
For many moments, Leofard was silent, just keeping A’vedis close and journeying back towards the Parrock. Some race this turned out to be. She didn’t even know what she would come back to, considering just how many came out to see the race. Though at the very least…
“Looks like you won, Leo…” A’vedis half-heartedly joked, shifting a bit in his lap, “Better start thinking of something to ask of me.”
Leofard let out a little chuckle, “After that littl’ stunt, what ya think about is the bet.”
“It wasn’t on purpose, I assure you,” A’vedis huffed, “Let’s just say I have something to say to the engineer. And not just about how the ship’s ruined…”
Leofard sighed, shifting a little as well, “Rookie mistake, flying out not knowin’ what yer ship can do.”
“I didn’t exactly expect a ‘going so fast I couldn’t control it’ option.”
“Neither did I.”
A’vedis sat there a while, pressing her ear to his chest. Listening to his rapid heartbeat. He...had been really worried, huh? If things were different, she would already be teasing him. Poking fun at worrying so much over a little lady like her. But for now...it felt so warm. That he was worried. Not for A’vedis the Warrior of Light - Leofard never brought that business up. He was worried for A’vedis, a woman who challenged him to a race.
“So what are you going to ask of me?” A’vedis asked, peeking up at him, “You won on all parts, to be honest.”
“What would ya say if I wanted you ta grovel?”
She laughed, “End you the second it was over.”
Leofard let out a light laugh, “Such a double standard. That’s what you asked me.”
“It is. What about it?”
He laughed again, and then fell silent, his hand brushing through her hair. A’vedis felt her own heart flutter, looking up at him.
Leofard looked down at her, and she felt her cheeks bloom. “I would like...just a moment of your time?”
She couldn’t help but chuckle, “Really? Just a moment? That’s anti-climactic.”
“What were you expecting?”
“Well...you know. Lots of things can come to mind when a man can ask anything of a woman...”
Leofard smirked, “What, were ya hoping for something like that?”
A’vedis swallowed, red crossing her cheeks, “Of course not.”
“You’re the one who brought it up, kitten,” Leofard grinned more, playing with her hair, “But unfortunately for you, I would never ask a lady to do anything improper.”
“Somehow that seems like a lie, coming from someone like you.”
“Not lettin’ me finish,” Leofard leaned in, pressing a light kiss to A’vedis’ forehead and letting his lips linger there a while, “True piracy lies in the chase, A’vedis. A little patience...a little time...an’ you work so much that the treasure will beg for it instead.”
She could feel her heart pound in her chest, so much so that it felt like it would burst from her chest. He was the worst, getting her all worked up like this. And he was cheating, too, making moves on a lady after being so terrified. But she didn’t move. Didn’t want to move.
“An’ after all this…” Leofard continued, “I think it’s only fair that ya should rest a while. An’ then...ya can spend plenty of time with me as my reward.”
A’vedis chuckled, “You’re an ass. I almost fell to my death, Leofard.”
“An’ I just had ta watch a lady almost fall to her death.”
His grip around her tightened.
“That’s fair,” A’vedis rested her head against his chest again, “Next time, I’m totally winning.”
Leofard only laughed, guiding the ship back towards the Parrock.
Back towards home.