A Final Fantasy

Chapter 2: The Cloudsword

As Reno and Roxanne stepped foot onto the streets of the Loftcidia bazaar once again, they began the long search for the tomato. It was approaching nightfall quickly but there was still enough daylight to search easily for predictable hiding places for a creature as small as the Rogue Tomato. They made their way to one of many flights of stone steps that were seemingly endless up to the Canopy, the upper region of the city. Reno looked down at the bazaar below midway through the climb. The bazaar was still bustling with commercial activity. Roxanne looked back at Reno.

"We do not have time for sightseeing..." she groaned. Reno looked back up at her and nodded, then continued up.

They then emerged at a circular clearing decorated with an impressive fountain in the middle. Around the edges, couples were exchanging a few words and having assortments of food and drinks. Lush green plants and colorful flowers decorated hanging streetlamps. Behind the fountain, a long avenue gave way to more shops and restaurants, bars, and other vendors. Reno went halfway around the fountain looking down the avenue only to gaze upon the Cloudsword.

The Cloudsword is the most famous bar in all Loftcidia. Travelers and other unlikely characters drink away their day's work of trading, hunting, blacksmithing, and other artisan jobs. Reno looked at Roxanne and pointed to the doors of the bar.

"I bet we will find a person in there who knows a thing or two. What do you say?"

Roxanne crossed her arms and shook her head, yet Reno remained determined.

"Guess there's only one way to find out!" he exclaimed and dashed towards the doors. Roxanne took off after him.

As he approached the Cloudsword, Reno could hear loud music and the voices of an abundance of people. He opened the doors and revealed people dancing on top of wooden tables all in line with ales in their hands. The air was filled with the energic melody of a lively tune played by a band of minstrels stationed in one corner furthest from the doors. The interior was a mix of rustic charm and celestial elegance. Dark, wooden beams that crisscrossed the ceiling were carved with intricate designs that glowed softly from the incoming light. A group of revelers, dressed in a mix of traditional Loftcidian sky city attire and more modern, eclectic garments had taken over one of the larger tables near the middle. Reno identified the mix of a diverse group on the table: hume, like himself, miqo'te, with their characteristic cat-like ears and tail, and the occasional foreigners. Many bangaa occupied the tables with their distinguishable scale-covered bodies, floppy ears, and bipedal characteristics like humes an miqo'te. They danced with abandon, their movements synchronized to the minstrel's music, their laughter mingling with the sounds of clinking mugs.

Behind the bar, a charismatic figure moved gracefully, her movements as fluid as the soft clouds that surround the city. Attached to her were nine black, foxlike tails with white tips, to which Roxanne immediately identified her as a kitsune. Kitsune were not native to Loftcidia but rather the land below the floating islands that constitute the city. Despite her foreign nature, she seemed to be well-loved by the patrons of the bar, to which all were enjoying her affectionate charm. She had the face of a hume but the typical pointed ears of a fox connected to the top of her head which promoted her unique identity. Rare as kitsune may be in Loftcidia, their presence always captivates all.

Reno's jaw dropped and Roxanne looked unamused by the excessive amount of tomfoolery presented before them. Reno's gaze connected with another copy of the bill for the Rogue Tomato on the wall behind the kitsune bartender. He restored his surprised expression remembering the mission before them. Roxanne slowly walked towards the bar and Reno followed.