The Sole Star (Final Fantasy XV Fanfic)

Chapter II

Lorelai slowly dismounted her chocobo, her eyes glued to the numerous tall buildings. She had been to Lestallum a couple of times before, but it still amazed her every time. She left Eclipse next to the chocobo rental machine and crossed the street. She glanced at all the cars parked on the sides of the road. She had always been happy traveling by foot or by chocobo, but others seemed to prefer vehicles.

Lorelai looked all around at the people. Many of the residents in the little city were women, making Lorelai feel at home. The smell of food cooking filled her nose, making her stomach rumble in reply. She passed by a bunch of food stands where many varieties of food were being grilled.

"Hello, miss," one man greeted. Lorelai stopped in her tracks, looking over at him. He held out some sort of kebab. "Would you like a free sample?"

Lorelai smiled and gratefully took the food offered to her. "Don't mind if I do." She took a bite, savoring the taste. "Mmm, that's good."

"Glad you like it," the man said with a happy smile. "Hope to see you again."

Lorelai gave a small wave and walked away, eating the rest of her kebab and throwing away the stick once done. Lorelai found herself mostly wandering around, not really knowing where to find the tipster. She wished she had spent more time in the popular town so that she could find her way around. Rounding a corner, Lorelai bumped into someone. She stumbled back, as did the other person, hearing the sound of a paper bag crinkling and objects hitting the concrete.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lorelai apologized, gazing at the girl with short, brown hair wearing dark clothes. "I wasn't watching where I was going!"

"No, no, it's my fault!" the other girl quickly said. "I couldn't see past this bag!" The girl crouched down, rapidly smoothing out the large bag and placing the fruit and other food items back inside it.

Lorelai bent down, picking up a couple of things and holding them out to the girl. The brunette graciously took them with a smile and stuffed them into the bag. Once she had gathered up all the items, she stood up straight and smiled. She was a little bit shorter than Lorelai, probably a bit younger too.

"Hey, don't worry about it," the girl reassured, noticing the apologetic expression on Lorelai's face. "No harm done. You seem a bit lost. Are you new around here?"

Lorelai averted her gaze, nervously rubbing her arm. "W-Well, I've been here before, but not enough to find my way around."

"I'd be happy to show you around, if you like," the girl offered. "Just let me take these groceries back to the hotel." Lorelai smiled and nodded, following the girl down the street. "My name's Iris, by the way. What's yours?"

"Lorelai," she answered simply.

"That's a pretty name. Mind if I call you Lori for short?"

Lorelai shook her head. "Not at all. Most people call me Lora anyway."

"So, what brings you to Lestallum anyway?" Iris asked. "Looking for a job?"

"In a way. I came because I heard about a difficult hunt. There's a monster terrorizing one of the roads near Lestallum."

Iris gasped, her eyes growing wide. "Oh, you're here for the griffin hunt. That means... you're a hunter?"

Lorelai nodded. The two made it to the Leville Hotel. Iris led her new friend inside and up to her room. "Here we are," she said cheerfully, placing the bag on a counter. "Before you ask, this is a temporary establishment. We don't just live in a hotel. Talcott, come meet my new friend!" Lorelai watched as a young boy entered the room. "Talcott, this is Lorelai. She's going to be staying with us for a while." The boy smiled brightly.