In the Seventh Umbral Era, two adventurers going by the names of Mace Reed and Suiren Mizukawa have entered the great city-state of Ul'dah. It is there that they wish to explore the realm for thrill and excitement, but a darkness looms around in the form of the Viper Band, who wishes to bring Suiren for their leader's wants. Be that as it may, with enough determination, the light shall shine onward, brighter than ever before.
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(Opening Theme: Innocence by Eir Aoi)
UL'DAH - THE STEPS OF NALD
THE QUICKSAND
The Adventurer's Guild is as lively as ever as adventurers walk around and discuss on what to do next. At one of the tables is Mace Reed, the hot-blooded adventurer who chased out the Viper Band recently. Coming towards him is Suiren, who happily sits down with him, still wearing her cloak but with her hood down revealing her long blue hair, done in a hime cut now.
Suiren: "I did it! I'm now an official adventurer!"
Mace gives a smirk and a thumbs up.
Mace: "Nice, Suiren!"
Suiren cheerfully giggles.
Suiren: "So your full name is Mace Reed? Reed is your surname?"
Mace: "Yea, Mace Reed II, named after my father with the same name! And your full name is Suiren Mizukawa, right?"
Suiren: "Indeed. Where I come from, my name is said as Mizukawa no Suiren, but with the Eorzeans' naming standards, it's Suiren Mizukawa.
Mace: "Eh, seems complicated. I think Suiren is fine. You know what I think that needs changing?"
Suiren: "What?"
Mace: "Your hair. It's pretty and everything, but it's long and it can be tangled and be a hinderance at times."
Suiren: "What are you saying?! I love my hair I don't want to cut it!"
Mace: "I'm not saying to cut it, I mean that when you're adventuring, you don't want your hair to get in the way. Why not tie it up?"
Suiren: "You mean...like a ponytail?"
Mace: "Yep exactly. Here let me do it for you."
Mace comes over with an ornamental hair band, causing Suiren to panic and sweat.
Suiren: "A-ah what are you doing?!"
Mace: "Relax, girl I'm helping ya."
Suiren: "No no no I can do my own hair! S-Stay away!"
Mace then ties Suiren's hair with Suiren squirming around panicking. The hair then turns into a ponytail, albeit a bit ragged due to the squirming around. After Mace finished Suiren quickly slapped him hard in the cheek.
Mace: "OW! What in the seven hells did you do that for?!"
Suiren: "What do you think!? Boys don't forcibly mess with girls' hair!"
Mace: "Look I just did you a favor! You actually look more fit for adventuring with that 'tail, Suiren."
Suiren: "You...you really think so?"
Suiren blushes causing Mace to blush a bit as well.
Mace: "W-well sure!"
There is a bit of silence for a couple of seconds between the two adventurers.
Suiren: "...So what do we do now, since we are both officially adventurers now?"
Mace: "Um well for starters, we can walk around Ul'dah, get to know everything and where everything is...right? I can accompany you if you want!"
Suiren: "Ah that would be nice!"
Mace nods with both him and Suiren smiling.
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UL'DAH - THE STEPS OF NALD
RUBY ROAD EXCHANGE
Many adventurers are walking through the busy streets of the Ruby Road Exchange, where merchants sell their wares to those who want them. One of these people is a blonde-haired male Midlander wearing white formal-like wear, with two men wearing black uniforms at his sides, one being a Highlander and the other being a shorter Midlander, all bearing a unique viper emblem emblazoned on the back of their shirts. All 3 approach a flower stand named "Sami's Floral Beauties" managed by a petite Keeper Miqo'te.
Sami: "Ah Mr. Stark, welcome!"
Stark: "Ah the beloved Sami. Your flowers bring happiness to me always. I trust you have the flower I'm looking for?"
Sami: "A-a-ah well about that...um..."
Stark: "...You don't have it? The rose I ordered??"
Sami: "T-There has been a problem concerning the carriage carrying the rose...I-it has been ransacked by the Amalj'aa."
Stark: "...So it's all thanks to those wretched beastmen that I don't get my beloved rose...how disappointing...send an order for another rose at once."
Sami: "S-sure Mr. Stark! I don't want to disappoint anymore!"
Sami quickly hurries to a nearby delivery Moogle to send the order for the rose, all the while Mace and Suiren go towards the Ruby Road Exchange.
Suiren: "Wow this city is huge!"
Mace: "Yep and there's so many people here!"
Suiren spots the flower stand nearby and smiles, but gasps as she sees the two masked men from before, Ralph and Ricky now with their leader Stark, catching Mace's attention as well.
Mace: "Gods not them again..."
The three men then notice Mace and Suiren, with Mace receiving gasps from Ralph & Ricky.
Ricky: "Boss it's them!"
Ralph: "The guy who beat us up, and the blue-haired girl you want!"
Stark: "I am well aware of who they are."
Stark gives a grin as he glances at Suiren, who is hiding behind Mace, scared.
Stark: "She looks even more beautiful in person...Such beauty should only belong to me! Get her!"
Ralph & Ricky: "Aye sir!"
Ralph and Ricky quickly rush towards Mace and Suiren, with Mace giving a sigh as he quickly pounces the two men, prompting Stark to give a slow clap.
Stark: "My oh my...those two idiots did not lie at all. You must be Mace Reed, or to be full, Mace Reed II (pronounced the Second),am I correct.
Mace: "You are."
Stark: "Perfect. Ah but this is hardly the place to be discussing stuff, so let's have a walk around, huh? I promise I won't harm you."
Mace: "...Fine but only so we don't cause a scene."
Mace and Suiren give a skeptical look as they follow Stark until they are alone in the Steps of Thal. Ralph and Ricky get up and follow them trying not to be noticed.
UL'DAH - THE STEPS OF THAL
THE GOLD COURT
Mace: "So what is this all about? Why do you guys want Suiren for?"
Stark: "Ah nothing...but before I talk more...here's A GIFT!"
Stark quickly goes over and grabs Mace's arm with his gloved hand, which electrocutes Mace causing him to yell in pain. Suiren gasps as Mace falls to the ground.
Suiren: "Mace! (to Stark) You bastard!"
Suddenly Ralph and Ricky appear and grab a hold of Suiren. Stark laughs in victory towards the fallen Mace.
Stark: "You are SO NAIVE!!! I hope you enjoy my little electric venom, Mace Reed! Hahaha!"
Mace groans as Stark, Ralph, and Ricky runs off with Suiren.
Mace: "What...is this...poison...?"
After a while, Mace falls unconscious to the venom.
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Mace regains consciousness and slowly opens his eyes, a small brunette green-eyed female Elezen in front of him, wearing a white and red-colored mage cloak with the hood down, holding a wooden stave on her right hand.
Elezen: "Ah! He's awake! Ryan, he's alive!"
Mace shifts his gaze to his left to see a white-haired, brown-eyed male Hyur the same age as him, wearing a black jacket and faded blue breeches with black shoes. Holstered on his side appears to be a small scepter and a carbine & ammo holder, leaning on a nearby wall. Mace picks himself up into sitting down.
Ryan, sarcastically: "Hooray."
Mace: "Where am I...what happened?"
Ryan: "You were unconscious."
Mace: "Yea I know that. I meant what happened?"
Ryan: "I dunno. Ask Enie here?"
Ryan points to the Elezen near Mace, causing her to panic a bit.
Enie: "R-Ryan I-I..."
Mace: "Enie huh? I can tell you're a mage. What's going on?"
Enie: "W-well we just found you here on the floor unconscious and you had some sort of poison in your body, s-so I just healed you and removed the poison. You'll be alright, um..."
Mace: "Mace...Mace Reed."
Enie: "Mace Reed?!"
Ryan: "So it's true huh? The son of the Flame Champion himself. What a bother."
Mace: "Excuse me? Who's Mr. Sunshine over here?"
Enie: "That is Ryan Snow, you'll um...get used to his behavior. And I'm uh...Enie Heuloix."
Mace: "Oh nice to meet...you......"
Mace jolts back up on his feet in sudden realization, with Enie quickly moving to the side.
Mace: "Suiren!!! She's in trouble!"
Enie: "Who's Suiren?"
Mace: "A friend I made today. She got nabbed by this weird blonde man with these two idiots..."
Ryan: "Nedrick Stark, leader of the Viper Band."
Mace: "You know that crazy guy?!"
Ryan: "Let's just say he has something I own. Looks like we both need to pay a visit to Mr. Stark. Luckily for you his home is nearby, and I know where it is."
Ryan gives a smirk with Mace and Enie smiling as well, knowing pretty well on what to do.
MEANWHILE...
UL'DAH STEPS OF THAL
NEDRICK STARK'S RESIDENCE
The outside of the house is shown to be rather extravagant and clean, normal for a noble and rich man of Ul'dah. The inside is just as extravagant with the throne being in the middle, the Viper Band emblem in the back, and many pictures of Stark and his family around the walls.
Suiren is thrown onto the floor tied up in bondage, as Stark walks beside her.
Stark: "My oh my look at what we have here: a real life beauty."
Stark crouches and holds Suiren by the chin so that she looks into his face, his gazing blue eyes.
Stark: "We even share eye color. Perhaps this is fate's doing..."
Suiren: "Leave me alone...what do you want from me? I just got here...I have nothing to give to you..."
Stark: "Oh? What about your...body...?"
Stark gives a nasty grin as he squeezed Suiren's breast, causing Suiren to gasp and give a big headbutt to Stark, reeling him back a bit.
Suiren: "You pervert!"
Stark chuckles as he feels the spot where he got headbutted, before looking back at Suiren with a crazy glare.
Stark: "My you did quite a number...we'll have to fix that."
Stark snaps his fingers with Ralph quickly picking Suiren up, who is screaming as Stark goes behind her, and prepares to spank her when the front door bursts open, revealing Mace, Ryan and Enie standing side by side.
Mace: "Hey sorry to crash the party, but no one's getting spanked on my watch!"
Stark: "YOU!"
Suiren: "Mace!"
Ryan: "Long time no see Stark."
Stark: "Mr. Snow...I assume you're here to get...[brings out carbine]...this back?"
Mace: "A gun?! I thought you two were mages!"
Ryan: "Hmph. [brings out his carbine] We are. But I prefer to use these babies. You could call me a gun mage if you want."
Stark: "I just want a simple plaything and you people want to keep me from it! I'm sick of it!"
Suddenly Stark gets kicked by Suiren's still bounds legs. Mace then punches Ralph in the face, letting go of Suiren. Mace then crouches down and unties Suiren, who immediately hugs him with tears.
Suiren: "Thank you!"
Mace: "Don't mention it."
Ricky then goes for Ryan, carrying two spiked cesti.
Ricky: "Hey 'ere, gun boy, time to die!"
Ryan merely just whacks Ricky on the head a couple of times with the butt of the carbine and kicks Ricky out of the way. Ricky gets up but then get whacked in the head by Enie, who rapidly hit him with her huge stave. Ricky then overpowers Enie who stumbles back against a wall. Ricky is about to stab when Ryan shoots him in the chest, causing him to fall over unconscious.
Enie: "R-R-Ryan...is he..."
Ryan: "Dead? No. I just shot a tranquilizer bullet into him. He'll live."
Ryan then blows the smoke off his carbine, giving off a slight "Hmph." in the process. Meanwhile, Stark gets back up with a really angry look on his face.
Stark: "RICHILL! KILL THEM!"
Richill the female Highlander stands in front of Mace and Suiren with a smirk.
Mace: "Ah dear...I don't like to hit women..."
Richill: "Unfortunate for you, I love to hit men."
Richill quickly kicks Mace in the face sending him across the floor, with Suiren standing up to the much taller Richill. (Suiren is 4'8" and Richill is 5'9")
Suiren: "Stop! If you want to fight someone, then fight me!"
Richill: "Hahahaha! I'll finish you in one blow!"
Suiren quickly throws off her cloak, revealing herself wearing a blue kunoichi outfit and in possession of two small curved blades in their sheathes, as she takes a fighting stance. Richill lunges over for a punch, when Suiren sidesteps guiding Richill's fist out of her way. Confused yet angry, Richill goes for a backfist when Suiren grabs her hand and twists the hand so that the opponent's thumb points away from the opponent. Richill gasps in pain as she looks into Suiren's now cold-blooded blue eyes as Suiren throws Richill over on her back, breaking Richill's wrist, elbow and dislocating her shoulder. She can only groan in pain as Stark watches in horror.
Stark: "What...what is this?! What did you do?!"
Suiren, serious: "I just did kote gaeshi, or in your language, a wristlock. Her wrist, elbow are broken now and her shoulder is dislocated. She shouldn't keep up for the rest for the fight now, and Mace is safe.
Mace: "Nice one, Suiren! Least you know how to defend yourself!"
Mace and Suiren both smile as Suiren's eyes return to when they were before. Mace, Suiren, Ryan and Enie now surround Stark who is in the middle with his angry expression.
Mace: "Looks like we win now, Stork. Any last words before we turn you in to the Brass Blades?"
Stark's eye snaps wide open suddenly.
Stark: "What did you call me...?"
Mace: "What, Stork?"
Stark growls ferociously as he stands up with his gloves charging electricity.
Stark: "My name is not Stork......it's STARK! NEDRICK....[tears off his vest revealing a harness charged with electricity, the gloves carrying poison-tipped spikes]...STAAAAAAAAARRRRRRK!!!!!!"
Stark rushes over to Mace to electrocute him again, but this time Mace delivers a hard blow to his torso, with a serious gaze in his red eyes.
Mace: "Not this time...arsehole!"
The blow appears to spark flames for an instant, as if it was enhanced by fire, causing Stark to cough up blood and keel over unconscious. Suiren and Enie sigh in relief as Ryan goes over to Stark to get his carbine back, sheathing it on his right side.
UL'DAH - THE STEPS OF THAL
THE GOLD COURT
Mace and the others are sitting at a fountain in the Gold Court, which is below the Hustings Strip.
Suiren: "My humble thanks to you, Ryan and Enie, and to you too, Mace. I didn't realize there would be such wicked men in Eorzea."
Mace: "Well you don't have to worry about that Stork guy for a couple of moons, probably a year at least.
Ryan: "I'm just glad to have my gun back. Stark stole it from me when I wasn't looking."
Enie: "I, uh, am glad to have helped you, Lady Mizukawa."
Ryan: "So what now? We already got what we came for."
Mace: "Hmm....how about you guys join us? That way we form an adventuring party!"
Ryan: "Ha! Me, adventure with a hothead like you? Not interested."
Mace gives an obviously ticked glare at Ryan who shrugs it off.
Enie: "I wanna join!"
Ryan: "Enie..."
Enie: "Oh Ryan it will be fun! Just think of the many adventures we can have together!"
Mace: "Hahaha that's the spirit! Suiren how about you?"
Suiren: "That would be great! It's always good to make new friends! I'm in!"
Enie: "Me too!"
Ryan: "Not interested."
Mace: "Majority rules!"
Ryan: "Oh gods...[facepalm]"
Mace: "As of this sun, the four of us are now an adventuring party!"
Suiren and Enie cheer as Ryan groans and holds his hand against his face.
It is on this day that the four adventurers that would make legends of themselves have banded together, to face a realm reborn.
(Ending Theme: Life is Like a Boat by Rie Fu)
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The light shines even more in this party of four, led by Mace Reed. Their first foray takes them into Western Thanalan to make gil, but with the upcoming Bloodsands tourney, Mace puts it on himself to give himself and his new friends some well-earned gil.
Only the Crystal knows what fate has in store for this adventurer.
Next time on Hydaelyn Unlimited: "Close to Home"
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