Lately, adventurers are returning to Vana'diel in hordes! They once moved away, but were finally able to reenter and have new adventures, greeted by all of their old friends--truly a time of joyful reunions! I wanted to catch a glimpse of one of these happy reunions myself, so I set out immediately gathering information for this article.
"D," an adventurer I met during my research, had just experienced a moving reunion the day before I talked to him. While listening to the typical idle chatter emerging from his linkshell, suddenly he heard the voice of his long-lost friend!
"’Since when did he get back!?’ I thought. But without a doubt, it was his voice! He hadn’t changed a bit since the day we parted," D reminisced. D had hastened with his friends to the snowy mountain trail that led to his departing friend’s hometown. That was where they had said goodbye forever…or so they had thought.
D could still clearly remember the fateful day a year ago when he parted with his good friend. His friend was forced to return to his hometown due to unavoidable circumstances. D and his friend had experienced much together, having become adventurers at the same time, so it came as a great shock to D when he learned that his friend had to leave Vana’diel. He was filled with loneliness, but he had to respect his friend’s decision. He would not hold his friend back from what had to be done.
D and his friend had few words to say at their farewell. "Well… Later, then."
And just like he always did after their daily adventures, D’s friend waved goodbye and disappeared into the snowy fields. It seemed to D like it could have happened yesterday or long ago; it was a timeless moment. One year had passed since that day, but D’s memory of his friend came back in full.
The other members of D’s linkshell ran up to their old friend, making exclamations of happiness as he made his return on the same snowy trail he had departed on. D wanted to tell his friend so much--how happy he was, how much his return meant to him--but the words just wouldn’t come out. Even so, they understood each other better than brothers. Words were unnecessary.
"So, where should we head off to today?" was all that was said before heading off to fight enemies just like they always did.
For a slightly different picture, let’s take a look at the Konschtat Highlands. Spring had come late, and flowers were budding. I was heading to Bastok by chocobo, and I ran into a lady by the name of Sialy. At first glance, she appeared to be a new adventurer, but according to her, she had just returned to Vana’diel after a one-year absence. She said that upon her return, she stayed up all night talking to her old battle mates! However, she chose to leave her past behind, opting instead for a fresh new start.
"I don’t want to burden my old friends for help, so I’ve decided to look for new companions and take my time adventuring," she clarified.
She answered my questions with such a calm smile that it was hard to believe that she used to fight fiercely with a sword on the frontlines. Sialy has truly found a new path as an adventurer. I lost myself in her tales of when she was a fresh new resident of Vana’diel who didn’t even know right from left.
Afterwards, I helped her on a mission as thanks for the interview and in hope of finding more material for my research. Even going through a mission geared towards new recruits, she didn’t flinch a bit and tackled it with pride. Her good attitude really left an impression on me.
After I finished collecting my data, I was headed home when I witnessed a rather curious reunion outside of the gates to town. Standing there was an enormous Galka named G, who had eyes like a viper’s and hefted a gigantic scythe.
"The little runt’s come back!? I can’t lose to that pipsqueak, challenging me all of a sudden!"
He used disparaging words like "pipsqueak" rather loosely, but somehow G looked quite pleased. There’s nothing like a little friendly rivalry!
When I got home, my husband Tathuma told me of his meeting with an old friend, and I started yearning for a moving reunion myself! My husband didn’t seem too thrilled about it, though…
Myhal: "I wish I could have a touching reunion, too! But to have a reunion, I must separate from someone first…"
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