Slipping on a fluffy hood before she left her room, Minfilia was comfortable. Her tail was curled around one leg, and her ears were hidden. She could pass for herself, to the people outside. After a brief breakfast, she waited to be called in. The sea breeze relaxed her, even as Fordola kept an eye on her. Even the mammet-like Ifrit was being told to bugger off, Minfilia wanted to do this alone.

Slowly, Fordola wandered off - before noticing a crowd. Ocean fishing…? That’s what the crowd was getting excited about…? Eh, she could sneak onto a boat. Minfilia didn’t notice where Fordola went, as her breath grew heavier. The Bulwark was as loud as always, and it hid her sudden worry. Would her plan be accepted?

It had to be. She’d spent many days working it out. She’d promised the Kobold. And she’d held up her part of the bargain.

A voice cut though the crowd - the voice of Storm Sergeant Zanthael. “Minfilia? Minfilia Warde?” She rushed over, making sure to keep her tail hidden. “The Admiral is ready to see you.”

Stepping into the elavator, Minfilia Warde steadied her expression. It was now or never.

What Minfilia did not expect was that, in the Admirals’ office, a light meal had been provided. Perhaps Merlwyb wished for this to be more relaxed?

“Come,” Merlwyb said, as she sat at her side of the desk. Minfilia complied, sitting over the other side - gazing upwards at the Roegadyn. “I hear Titan’s been felled.”

Of course. Straight to business. Merlwybs’ expression was unreadable. “You did it - at least, you blunted their blade for now.” Hollow praise, and Minfilia was quiet. Merlwyb continued. “Not only that, but I heard whispers about the Company of Heroes reuniting? You at least achieved that.”

Minfilia shook her head. “No, that was the work of Y’shtola and Bolormaa - I focused on the Kobold, as I said I would.” Finally, confidence entered her body, and Minfilia put a hand into her carry bag. She got out one of the carrots from the Kobold. “Do you recognize this?”

Merlwyb focused for a moment, before slightly looking away. “Come to dangle the last of the La Noscean Carrots in front of me, have you? One of those could feed a man for a day…”

“No.” Minfilia then got out a packet of seeds - packed gently, carefully. “While the fall of Dalamud caused aetherial changes, the Kobold figured out how to cultivate these underground. And they have offered seeds… in exchange for their land.” Minfilia slowly began to smile. “Alongside half of the territory reserved for the Mist housing districts.”

Merlwyb listened - before snatching the carrot, examining it. “You know I can’t simply believe it’s one of them. Even if it feels just like one - and looks like one, too.” Her sceptism returned, Merlwybs’ fingers tensed. “Do you know why those housing districts are reserved?”

Shaking her head, Minfilia sat and listened, as Merlwyb stood - looking out to the seas below. “Our way is dying, and has been for a long time. Pirates don’t simply retire, though. Their way lives on, though their blood.” Merlwyb continued to stare outside, quiet. Pondering. “It even lives on in mine, damnit. No matter what I say.

Those housing districts are to try and tempt some pirates away from the sea. They’re meant to give them incentive to become adventurers. They might not become heroes, but they’ll be a little more productive.”

Merlwyb had not noticed Minfilia shedding her hood, but instead, she continued to gaze at the sea. It still called for her. “Don’t see many people taking them, mind.”

“That’s because,” Minfilia said, her voice finally raising, a little anger in her throat, “that’s not how you recruit adventurers.”

Merlwyb turned on her heels, eyes darting right to the fluffy ears. But Minfilia was still speaking, and Merlwyb did not speak over her. “You can’t simply leave rewards for them - there has to be a reason for somebody to choose to adventure. For me, it was my abilities - I had to learn how to use them, and I had no more safety net.” Her voice wavered, but her expression did not. “I chose to adventure for a brighter future.

And for a brighter future, the people need food. If these lands are converted into farmlands, then many more will survive. And if they wish it, people could work the fields - and find their passion there! We could discover new cross-breeds, and give more people opportunities!”

A few moments passed. Merlwyb towering over Minfilia, with the desk seperating them. Minfilias’ tail had uncurled, standing stiff. Minfilia then spoke again, trying to calm herself. “…One of the issues I’ve seen is that there is not enough opportunity for everybody. Even if some wish to work, they are pushed away - due to their homeland, or simply because they don’t seem right. Even farmlands like this will attract more gil—”

Merlwyb put her hand up, and Minfilia felt her voice fade. “Enough. You’ve made your point.” Her hand lowering to her side, Merlwyb then sat at her desk again. “But… from what I saw before, you weren’t some sort of cat girl. Explain.”

Ah. Merlwyb might think she’s an imposter. Minfilia sat as well, awkwardly not leaning on the back of the chair. “What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room. It is… my secret weapon against the Primal threat.”

Raising an eyebrow, Merlwyb nodded. “Proceed.”

Minfilia took a deep breath inwards. “Using magic perfected by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, I am able to put Primal into a statis state. However, there are side effects.

Titan is not only defeated, but is unsummonable.”

“And,” Merlwyb then said, “what’s to stop me from killing off the Kobold now, hm? Now I know this. Purely a hypothetical, mind you - if I was a crueler woman, I’d do it without asking.”

Minfilia flinched to herself. “I suppose, in that case, if we could not negotiate a stop… I would need to release the Primal.” She hadn’t expected such to leave her lips - not now, not ever. Minfilia tried to mentally still herself, and continued. “It would only be a last resort - if I could not stop you with the use of my allies and other connections.”

“So, if you were desperate. Like them,” Merlwyb noted. “I wouldn’t. But you’ve given up some of your humanity to stop a Primal.”

“Multiple Primal,” Minfilia corrected - lifting her hand to show her claws. “I have also stopped Ifrit and Ramuh.” Merlwyb then offered out a hand - and Minfilia placed her hand in the others. For a tough ex-pirate, Merlwyb knew how to be gentle - examining her claws, feeling where fingernails used to be.

“Hells… they’re real.”

Merlwyb then stood, walking around the other. Minfilia stayed still as her body was prodded, as Merlwyb pulled some leaves from her hair, as Merlwyb stroked her tail between her fingers. “Where will it end?”

…Minfilia didn’t know, and so, she remained quiet. Until an answer came to her, after a few cold moments. “It will end when Garlemald is no longer a threat.”

How long would that be? Minfilia didn’t know. And both of them understood what Minfilia truly meant - she’d give herself to stop the Primal threat. For the ones who Merlwyb called beasts, and those who Minfilia saw as her equal. Merlwybs’ fingers had frozen on Minfilias’ ears, gently stroking them as she thought - before Minfilia pulled away.

“Don’t throw your life away,” Merlwyb commented, unprovoked. But before Minfilia could ask what she meant, Merlwyb looked at her. “It took more then just you to take down - pardon me, seal - Titan, did it not?”

Nodding, Minfilia looked to her empty lap. “Yes. It took my effort alongside Bolormaa Dotharl of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, alongside Alisaie—” Minfilia stopped herself before saying her last name, catching herself, “—an Elezen ally of mine. The three of us took down Titan.”

Merlwyb continued to pace. “You seem adapt to the battlefield that’s the negotiation table. You convinced me to give you a chance - not just anybody can do that.

You’ve a sharp tongue on you, lass.” Merlwyb said, a small smile spreading on her still serious face. “Very well. I agree.”

“You… agree?” Minfilia said, almost shocked - before nodding. “Thank you. Very well. I shall get the Scions’ Moogle to deliver word of such to the Kobold.” Kurin would be a help - Minfilia would also need to find a gift for them.

Quietly, Merlwyb then looked over here. “…Minfilia.

Do you happen to have a Chocobo?”

“No,” Minfilia said. “I am not of a Grand Company - thus, I could not get a license. And, no, I will not be joining you.” It was morally wrong for her to join any of them, and she still carried unease about the Maelstrom. Merlwyb barked out a laugh, before giving a grin.

“I wasn’t inviting you. But as a sign of goodwill, I’ll give you one of our birds.” A pause, before Merlwyb offered her hand for a moment. “Come. Let’s go to the stables.”

Minfilia stood, not noticing how tense she’d been until she stood. “Is it true that Chocobo have been given Aetheryte Pendants in recent moons?”

Merlwyb shrugged. “That they have. Made it easier to take them on boats, or so I’ve heard. Not that it helps with caravans.”

Looking to herself, as they got on the lift, Minfilia nodded. “Placing a miniature Aetheryte on one of them is not an option, I suppose, to transport them elsewhere. I wonder if one could be used to return to them easier…?”

She mused, now quietly, as they moved towards the Maelstroms’ Chocobo Stables. She still wanted a caravan of her own - it would make it easier. But there had to be a good way to either protect it or take it from island to mainland. Especially if she was beginning to change like this - quietly, Minfilia slipped her hood back on. She had to consider the next Primals. Not only what she might need to negotiate, but what might happen to her.

It was so exhausting to think about. Hopefully, the Primal could be reasoned with. It didn’t cross her mind that there might not be another Primal. The world was still so fragile… she had to do this.

Her thoughts, thankfully, were distracted by the smell of Chocobo. There were quite a few in the pens, but—

“A red Chocobo?” Minfilia said, a little excited, as she rushed over to one of the stables. The Chocobo stood there - oddly speckled, quietly kicking at the ground. Its talons had a few light marks. But Minfilia had only read about Red Chocobo. Seeing one in person was different.

Merlwyb was following - the Chocobo keep and other stablehands saluted her as she passed them. “She’s one of the less feisty ones. Appearances can be decieving - she’s easily spooked.” Even as Merlwyb told the bird off, there was an odd softness to her voice. “She was taken from a boat en route from Garlemald. Lot of her kind were. Think they were trying to use them as weapons.”

Minfilia had already offered out a hand to the bird, and the bird was examining her. “Knowing Garlemald, they would have likely augmented them with magitek. Or— well, they might have already started.” Trying to move a hand closer to the Chocobo, the reddened bird bit at her - and Minfilia smiled, holding her hand back.

And then, she felt a pulse. The Echo. Even if she could not understand the Chocobo, she could feel pain within her. Torment. And Minfilia relaxed her hand, letting the Chocobo take control of the situation. Letting the Chocobo nuzzle into her hand, and sniff and nibble at her.

Already, there was a change - the birds’ feathers cresting up. A loud mechanical whirring coming from her throat. Minfilia continued to focus slightly, to the bemusement of the others around. Lowering her head, Minfilia began to kiss the Chocobo on her beak.

It was almost amazing how close they bonded. Minfilia, with a soft whisper, spoke to the bird. “Do you want to become my friend? I promise you’ll not need to fight.” While the Chocobo could not talk, and Minfilia didn’t know if the Chocobo even understood her, she felt the bird letting out a soft chirp. Finally, she could put her hand in the birds’ feathery neck - there were long-healed scars. No metal, though - perhaps it was simply mimicking sounds heard in Garlemald?

Minfilia relaxed into the bird, before looking back to Merlwyb. “I would like to take this one, if that is okay.”

“Hah, sure,” Merlwyb shrugged. “I’ll get somebody to do the paperwork. All you need to do is give her a name.”

Minfilia looked back to the bird, the ache from her Echo fading.

“I think I shall call her… Lutia.”

Lutia was let out of her pen, and was being fitted with an Aetheryte pendant. And a saddle, and even a saddlebag. Minfilia tried not to chuckle as she realised what this meant, and strode off back into Limsa Lominsa proper.

It didn’t take long for her to find Fordola, by the dock of the Arcanists’ Guild. “Having fun?” Minfilia asked, as she approached - Fordola carrying a bright blue fish in her mouth.

Spitting it out - only to grab at it again - Fordola snorted. “Dunno. I just stole some fish some people were throwin’ away.” Biting into the fish, Fordola let out a burp. “It’s fuckin’ tasty, though. How’d you go?”

Minfilia gave a pleased little sigh, sinking to the ground. “I did! Merlwyb was a little frightening, but she— she accepted everything. No changes.” As she said it, Minfilia realised how… amazing it was. How had she managed to?

“Knew you’d do it,” Fordola said, grinning with spectral fish guts hanging from her fangs. “You’re a smart woman, Minfilia. Even if you’re not much of a fighter.”

Merlwyb had said similar. Minfilia sighed, looking up to the sky. “I need to fight, though. Perhaps I’ll ask the Scions for training - if they have time before the next fight.” She could also see how everybody was doing. Stretching, Minfilia then smiled. “I got a Chocobo out of it, as well.”

“…Really?” Fordola said, doubt creeping into her voice. Minfilia picked her up, and slipped her into her bag. Bouncing, Minfilia walked swiftly - and got to where Lutia was now ready, standing proudly. She chirped, and Fordola stared.

Minfilia chuckled. “This is Lutia,” she said, putting a hand to the Red Chocobo, “and she will be our companion. That, and— when we get the gil, she may also pull our very own caravan.”

“What, not sharin’ with Yda anymore?”

“…I think it’s best to let Yda have her own,” Minfilia said, gently. “Besides, we can get you your own bed, your own area… and I can, as well. If I change more, I think it’ll be good.”

As she spoke, though, Minfilia then felt a buzz in her ear. Her Linkpearl was ringing quite loudly. She raised a hand to activate it, to listen—

—and she heard a voice she had almost forgotten about.

“I rounded up who I needed to. You got somewhere we can meet?” Lightning Farron asked.