It occurred to me that I never uploaded the final piece of my XIV summoner series, Phoenix! I completed it last year, and to see the progress of my art in this series from 2016 to 2022 is kind of emotional, to say the least. But it feels thematically appropriate to end on Phoenix... At least until we see what Dawntrail has in store for us!

A Nomad Christmas: Part 2 + a group photo!

(Part 1)

The leads of my free company dressed up as Christmas Carol characters as an holiday surprise for the FC, and asked me to take photos of them! What started as “this is just going to be a fun group photo” turned, inevitably, into something a lot bigger... and a lot more fun! Loved throwing together little sets and running around Eorzea to find the perfect places for photos. I hope everyone loves them! <3

Just call me an honorary Mrs. Fezziwig in the last photo ^-^

A Nomad Christmas Carol: Part 1

(Part 2)

The leads of my free company dressed up as Christmas Carol characters as an holiday surprise for the FC, and asked me to take photos of them! What started as “this is just going to be a fun group photo” turned, inevitably, into something a lot bigger... and a lot more fun! Loved throwing together little sets and running around Eorzea to find the perfect places for photos. I hope everyone loves them! <3

Naih'tan’s working late on Starlight eve delivering presents to families in the Firmament. A'on surprises him at one of the little gazebos at the end of the night with mugs of warm mulled wine, drinking and watching the snow fall as the clock strikes midnight. It's the first Starlight in the Firmament, the first Starlight a lot of Ishgard's forgotten families can rest with proper roofs over their heads and good food on their tables.

There's something special about Starlight in Ishgard. A'on can't put her finger on what. Maybe it's memories of a warm hearth during a hard time. Something about having one bright place of respite in a world that felt otherwise so cold. That warmth had extended so much further in her life now, but it started here. To the heavens, a view of which is unmatched from Ishgard's streets built high in the mountains, where the sky rises all the way up from the lowest valley, filled with stars that each and every one feel like an old friend. A reminder that they're never alone, with each other below and the sky above.

(A little drabble to complement @minomotu’s wonderful Christmas art of our cats! ;-;)

Scars (An A’onisya/Naih’tan Short)

Another short reflective little fic inspired by adorable art of our cats by @minomotu​ ;-; Please enjoy!!

---

There was a time A’on stopped looking at mirrors. Only when she couldn’t remember what had been there before could she finally consider herself in a mirror again. A passing storefront window. The lapping lake waters in the Lavender Beds gardens. Until the day came when she knew the scars intimately, and they lived together as friends rather than enemies.

After that, scars made their home along her skin more easily, forming the lines of constellations between each freckle. But with ease came her own sense  of peace. Some scars she herself had never seen—only felt, in the initial hiss of pain, in the creaking moan of tight skin, until finally easing into pale white whispers that passed out of sight, out of mind.

Thought not out of everyone’s sight.

“The Sky Pirates?” Naih’tan asked, his hand gentle on her back.

“Yeah, a raid on some derelict the captain heard was abandoned—it wasn’t, of course. Went south real fast,” A’on replied, her smile sad and soft. Remembering with fondness an adventure Naih’tan did not know. His own scars were too numerous to count, let alone to recall their stories. Naih’tan’s lines made galaxies instead of constellations, whereupon A’onisya’s own stars rested when night fell.

The sunbursts over their hearts mirrored one another, impossible to ignore even if they took the pains to try. Sometimes A’on thought she could still feel the pale skin burning white-hot, threatening to crawl up her throat and choke her, as it had when she and Naih’tan had stood at the edge of the end of the world, not once, but twice—witnessing and holding tight a new star around which their lives now fatefully rotated. So they were told. 

Yet, somehow, the sunburst did not feel new or strange, even in its moments of pain. It was simply the birth of a new star in A’on’s constellations, a new cluster in Naih’tan’s galaxy.

It was a story neither of them needed to speak.

“You haven’t asked me to share my adventures yet.”

A’onisya, standing at the very edge of the tree’s canopy shade,  twisted around to look back at her mother sitting beneath the  old tree. Her eyes were bright in the speckled sunlight, cheeks dimpled, expectant.  She did not see A’ophia’s shadowed eyes pass over the trio of jagged scars across her one eye that, unless it was some trick of the sunlight, looked paler than the other (had that always been the case? surely she would have remembered if so). Her gaze followed the composition of now-healed scratches that cascaded down those freckled shoulders, leading her to the white sunburst scar over A’onisya’s chest, where her heart lay.

It was like looking at a stranger. Or, would be like, if A’ophia had ever known her daughter well enough for her to be anything but.

“No,” A’ophia replied, her smile sad and soft. “I haven’t.”

Happiness (An A’on/Naih’tan FFXIV Valentine’s Short)

(Art by @minomotu​)

Since Mino drew this lovely piece of our cattes, I had to write a little short story inspired by our Valentine’s Day photoshoot to go with it <3 Please enjoy!

---

A'onisya recalled the first time she had worn her suikan--she and Naih'tan's first Valentione’s Day after their marriage, when he surprised her with their home in the Lavender Beds. She remembered apologizing profusely that entire day when she would suddenly find tears dotting her freckled cheeks. "It doesn't make any sense, does it? Why'm I crying so much?" she finally blurted to Naih'tan's cousin, Aiko.

The green-haired miqo'te grinned. "You're just happy, yeah?" she pointed out. "Sometimes a person's so happy all they can do is cry, I think."

A'on couldn't remember ever having been so happy she wanted to cry, so she wasn't sure if Aiko was just telling one of her jokes, as Aiko was wont to do at times. But her attention was quickly averted elsewhere--specifically, to her own surprise for Naih'tan. One surprise deserved another in return, after all. Delivery moogles were in and out of their property all day, tossing and placing furniture into their house with varying degrees of care, so Naih'tan didn't notice the small bundle that A'on had rushed to the market board to order late that morning. Nor did he suspect her machinations when he left to retrieve dinner, their kitchen hardly being in working order yet, and she quickly set to work.

So it was when he returned to find the house dark, except for a line of glowing chocobo plushies that led him from the front door--navigating his steps carefully around the haphazard furniture--downstairs, where in the corner, piled with even more chocobo plushes, A'onisya sat, primly in her rosy pink suikan, in the corner where Naih'tans study was perfectly--from the carbuncle chair to the deep mahogany desk, down to every last pen, paper, and homely knick-knack--set up just for him.

"Welcome home, love," she said, and watched, in wonderment, as tears fell from her husband's cheeks.

Sometimes a person's so happy all they can do is cry.

That was years ago. Their house looked much different now, but it never stopped feeling like home. A'onisya greeted their morning delivery moogle with especial enthusiasm, trying so very hard to not simply snatch the bundle from his paws. Her fingers shook as she undid the wrapping, but calmed when they settled on treasure of fine fabric hidden underneath. A deep blue, the color of the farthest-out sea on a cloudless day, decorated with ruby reds as bright as spring flowers.

Her new suikan.

FFXIV A’onisya One-Shot // Meet Me In The Woods

For @minomotu‘s birthday I finished the next one-shot in A’on’s playlist series, “Meet Me In The Woods”! This one is a lot more expansive than previous stories (and also I took more time with it since it was a present and I just adore this song, which was such a perfect find for this moment). Mino’s character Naih’tan is A’on’s husband, and I’ve been wanting to write this part of A’on’s story--where she breaks up with Naih’tan and eventually runs off suddenly--for a long time. I’m really happy with how it came together and I hope you enjoy! :)

Song: Meet Me In The Woods (Lord Huron)

---

The clues Naih'tan had were scanter than he liked. He wished they were merely one of Aiko's pranks when she handed in the once-folded slip of parchment that morning, but her seafoam eyes were deadly serious. "She's gone, cousin," she said, "without a word to anyone. All I found was this left on her desk."

A rough charcoal drawing on the back one of one her rune worksheets, depicting a forest clearing that Naih'tan did not recognize. Below, in the uncertain looping script he knew at once as A'onisya's, were the words "Meet me in the woods."

His heart tightened. A'on was not typically one for cryptic riddles; he'd seen her roll her eyes on more than one occasion at Urianger's drawn-out soliloques. Something was very, very wrong. But then, truth to tell, A'on hadn't been quite right since their job in the Tam-Tara Deepcroft. Naih'tan had never seen her stand so still, rooted to the spot in the middle of the myriad candles that surrounded them on all sides, her eyes fixed on the edge where Edda had stumbled back and fallen, forever, her laughter echoing into silence. Stillness mirrored again in the doorframe of his study that evening: "I need some time. I'm sorry."

Time he was all too willing to give, as much as she required, as he told himself not to worry his mind back into that shadowed and bloody crypt. Her presence in the free company headquarters seemed unchanged for the most part, as did her smile, though Naih'tan watched her carefully. Most of the company did not notice any shift at all in her demeanor, of that he was quite sure, or perhaps they might have said something. Perhaps he should have. But she needed time, she'd said. And he trusted her. He trusted her growing silence in the library as she hid behind her books, and the strangely muted sound of her carbuncles' paws in the halls, and even the unspoken anxiety masked behind her smile when the company was all together.

Whatever fear A'on carried, she carried it in silence, wrapped and knotted behind the criss-crossed stitches of a facade that, in his heart, Naih'tan worried would unravel before it could bear more weight. And now that weight sat in a note in his hand, ink heavy on the parchment.

"I'll find her," he said--repeated--against Aiko's growing protestations as she gathered the nearby members of their free company, who observed Naih'tan with a steadier calm in their concern than his cousin--and, truly, himself.

"What woods might she be referring to?" Silver, a roegadyn and the oldest of their company, wondered.

"She came from Bronze Lake, didn't she?" Colson, the younger sea wolf warrior of their party and Naih'tan's mentor, pointed out. "Could she have returned there?"

Aiko let out a huff and slumped back against her chair, glaring at her untouched cup of tea. "Those woods're huge, though."

"We could organize several search parties," Colson said. "Granted our resources aren't substantial, but--"

"No, I don't think that's necessary," Naih'tan cut in. He immediately pulled back from the table, surprised himself by the sharpness in his tone. "Ah--apologies," he stammered, "what I mean to say is--the A tribe resides in those woods, correct? I don't think we should need worry about finding them. If they are like most miqo'te clans, the moment I enter their territory, they will find me."

"'I'?" Aiko echoed, her eyes narrowing. "What, you think the rest of us aren't coming?"

"Do you know much about the A tribe, Naih'tan?" Silver asked.

Naih'tan rubbed the back of his neck, easing the nerves that twitched along his shoulders. "Not much," he admitted. "From the little A'on has mentioned... my impression has not been favorable." His frown deepened; A'on never spoke openly ill of her clan, but the cast-aside glances, the quick reassurances, the way her hands fiddled with her books--those told another story entirely.

"All the more reason for us to go with you!" Aiko burst out. "It's not like we're not worried, too!"

Colson caught Naih'tan's gaze and held it. "...You think she doesn't want to be found?"

Naih'tan sighed and picked up the slip of parchment from the table, turning it over in his hands. How often he had observed her handwriting in their long hours in the library, or at the picnic table under the shade of the maple in the front yard, or at a hidden-away corner table at the Bismark in Limsa Lominsa. He couldn't forget her handwriting if he tried; after all, he had taught her. He traced the unsure but careful loops of her letters, as if they might whisper their secret to him. But he received only silence.

"I don't think she knows herself," he whispered. "Which is why I believe I must be the one to find her."

Aiko opened her mouth to protest again, but Colson laid a hand on her slight shoulders. She sat back with a scowl, and Naih'tan's chest tightened in sympathy at the concern beneath his cousin's glare. "A'onisya is a capable summoner, and Naih'tan knows his way around a sword," Colson said. "Worried though we might be, I think he has the right of it. This is personal. Let's trust them, all right?"

Aiko's glower shifted to Naih'tan, and he had to resist the instinct to squirm under her gaze. "...All right. Fine," she finally conceded. "But you better bring her back! Or I'll be right unhappy with you both."

Naih'tan nodded, glancing between his friends before looking at the note once more.

Meet me in the woods.

"It's not much," he said, "but it's enough. I'll find her." I'll find her because it has to be enough. And so do I.

* * *

FFXIV A’onisya One-Shot // She Lit a Fire

So it’s been... a minute. But I had some free time on my hands recently and wanted to finish this short (with the intent to keep going). Picking up from where we last saw A’onisya, this is the beginning of her friendship/relationship with @naihtan-jinjahl, a story I’ve wanted to write for a long time! Please enjoy!

I have been trying to find her want to give what I got She lit a fire, but now she's in my every thought

Song: She Lit A Fire by Lord Huron

---

"Enjoying the view?"

A'on jumped, nearly tumbling backward off the stone wall she’d been sitting on until a light shove from behind pushed her forward. Balance regained, A'on turned more fully towards the perpetrator, a Keeper miqo'te around her own age and also a member of the Ataraxia free company. “Aiko--!”

"Guilty as charged," Aiko Gakunin said, sweeping into a bow so low that her ears nearly graced the ground. 

A'on's freckles blended into the blush across her face. "I-I'm just watching them train," she muttered. 

"For the third time this week?" Aiko's grin widened when A'on's blush deepened. She peered over A'on's shoulder at the two figures sparring with the striking dummy in the XIA yard. 

"You can always just talk to him, y'know."

"T-talk, to...?"

"My cousin."

"Ooh, I don't know," A'on stammered. "I wouldn't want to--Naih'tan's always busy training, and he's really serious about it, I'm sure he has better things to - " She stopped short as two impossibly large seafoam green eyes filled her vision.

"A'on." Aiko set her hands on A'on's shoulders. "Listen. My cousin is the. Biggest. Nerd. In. Eorzea."

"Wait… seriously?" A'on burst out laughing, causing Colson and Naih'tan to glance over from their training. Aiko waved wildly back. Naih'tan returned a small smile, pausing to watch them a moment before the roegadyn called his attention back.

Aiko leaned in so her lips were almost touching A'on's ear. "Seriously," she whispered. She gave an exaggerated wink, leapt lightly over the wall, and disappeared out of sight into the free company house.

It’s the Starlight season, and that means the PRIMO x XIA gift-giving extravaganza!

So ask yourself--What would you like for Starlight this year?--and come to the Aftcastle in Limsa Lominsa on Jenova server to tell Santa your deepest wish for Starlight! He might just have what you’re looking for; he’s got a pretty big bag of goodies, after all.

Come spread the holiday cheer to your fellow players! New or old, all are welcome. We have something for everyone!

When? 8 PM EST, Friday, December 20th Where? Limsa Lominsa, Aftcastle (Jenova server) Who? PRIMO and XIA--joined hopefully by all who read this! What? A Starlight celebration with gifts for all! We have a medley of minions, glam, high-level HQ gear, and other surprises!

Please spread the word! We hope to see everyone there!!

Primo and XIA are spreading Starlight cheer this holiday season!

We’re once again hosting a massive gift-giving extravaganza for everyone on Jenova!

So ask yourself--What would you like for Starlight this year?--and come to the Aftcastle in Limsa Lominsa to tell Santa your deepest wish for Starlight! He might just have what you’re looking for; he’s got a pretty big bag of goodies, after all.

So come with a cheerful holiday spirit to spread to your fellow players! New or old players, all are welcome. We have something for everyone!

Please spread the word! We hope to see everyone there!!

“Let me measure the extent of your existence.”

Claws penetrated to the core of her soul, and her jaw wrenched open in a soundless scream as pain shot to each point of her body. Her skin crumbled to pieces as foggy nonexistence consumed what had once been bone to tendon to blood.

The last of her breath sighed at the end of her rage. That blue eye pierced her mind as its grasp pierced her heart, cold inquiry observing her shatter under its force. 

The extent of her existence, torn to pieces under the gaze of a monstrous machine--

and there was nothing. Her spirit was the bottom of her ocean, and its floor a cracking fissure as soul and all cascaded downward into nothingness.

Yet even as she accepted this, the eye opened wide. Its vision consumed hers. Something was reforming in the the abyssal canyon, creation from destruction, unbroken, another form embracing her, catching her as she fell. The new, so familiar yet so alien, reaching out to save that crumbling shell--to save... herself? But which form reached out to save the other?

“Such a death becometh you not.”

Her soul heard the voice before her mind, and beat with recognition, guilt, hope, sorrow. The air around her shook, and her body, not yet complete in its form, cried out with the disturbance.

Then all was shattered glass and light--

and she descended, til her feet touched the metallic earth.

She reached up to touch her face, and felt coarse surface beneath her fingers. Horns curled back behind her jaw. Then in a rush came sight and sound and she gazed upward at her friend who had torn through Omega’s power and sought that her-not-her on the other side of her soul to save her.

“Thine all-too-clumsy effort to draw out which--by thine own admission--defieth thine understanding is the very height of folly.”

It was too fast, too soon, too many questions, A’on’s confusion mirrored by Omega’s. She reached out to her friend as she’d reached out to her own soul--but unlike herself, the dragon was far too far out of reach for saving. Tears spilled over her scales, flush and feeling that reminded her she was alive.

She was changed, but she was alive.

One life exchanged for the life of another.

Her heart thudded, almost perversely strong with life in the wake of those who sacrificed themselves for her, as she grasped what Omega stood blind to.

Was that always to be the extent of her existence?

“Do not your souls weigh heavy?”

No better time than All Saint’s Wake to embrace your inner goddess for a night.