"Ah, you're finally awake" an elderly woman's voice came from nearby.
Melanie's eyes followed the sound of the voice and she squinted to see a blurry image of a woman wearing what looked like a pharmacist's overalls. "What happened...where am I?" she asked, straining to see her surroundings.
"You're in the infirmary" the woman replied.
"Ah that makes sense" Melanie thought to herself as she flopped back onto the bed in exhaustion. Despite having been unconscious for goodness knows how long whatever little energy she had gained was already completely spent. "Tony probably came home and found me on the floor and called for an ambulance. I must've been dreaming."
"Where's my husband?" she asked.
"Your...husband?" the woman replied in a confused tone. "I wasn't aware you had a husband. What is his name?"
"Tony, Tony Hoyle" Melanie replied.
"Tony Hoyle, that's not a name I've come across before" the woman replied in a slightly bemused tone.
Melanie started to feel a little frustrated and confused. She tried to face the woman to get a better look at her but her vision was still too blurry to make any sense of her surroundings. "Then who brought me in here?" she asked.
"The Exarch himself brought you in. Maybe he knows something about your husband?"
"The Exarch himself brought you in. Maybe he knows something about your husband?"
Melanie felt a cold wave rush over her. "Did she just say the Exarch?" She pushed herself up from the bed once more and desperately tried hard to get a clear vision of her surroundings. Her head was still feeling light and her heart was now racing in panic. Slowly the room started to take shape and as she looked around she felt a huge lump form in her throat. The woman she was speaking to had long pointed ears either side of her head. The room she was in was unlike any hospital room she'd ever been in before. Melanie looked at herself and saw her body was not her own and what she was wearing looked like it belonged in a pantomime. Long thigh-high shiny black leather boots, a white mini-skirt, a red and gold jacket, and a frilly white blouse with a large black bow in the middle. Her hair fell down over her shoulders revealing long and curly bright red strands. On the table next to her was a large red admiral's hat with a very long white feather pinned onto the side with a golden brooch, and there was a glowing blue rapier and matching talisman propped up against the wall.
Melanie's body started to shake as she slowly raised her hands above her head and began to feel around. There was something above her head, two of them - large and furry. She grabbed hold of them and could hear the rustling and felt her hands against them. "Cat ears?!!!"
"Are you alright?" the woman asked with a concerned look on her face.
Melanie's voice began to waver, "What's happening? Where is this place? Where am I?" her voice starting to get more louder and desperate.
"Take it easy now. You collapsed and you're now in the infirmary" the woman said slowly and calmly.
"Where, what city?" Melanie was near shouting.
The elderly woman took a step back in surprise at Melanie's question. Could her patient have lost her memories? Aside from Eulmore there was no other city on the First and this was the only one with an infirmary. "Why, the Crystarium. Where else could you possibly be?" she replied. Other chirurgeons nearby began taking notice and were whispering amongst themselves. Despite them from being at the other side of the room Melanie was able to hear clearly everything they were saying as if they were next to her bed. "She's acting very strange, do you think she was touched by a sin eater?"
"Ah good, she's awake at last!" a young boy's voice was heard from behind her. Melanie froze as she recognised the voice, her eyes slowly moving to the side try to catch a glimpse of where the young voice was coming from. The other chirurgeons tried to descretely wave the young boy away but he continued to approach Melanie. "I trust everything is alright?" he asked as he entered her field of vision. "You gave the Exarch quite a scare when you collapsed right in front of him."
Melanie stared in awe at the young and cheery looking elfen boy. His long white hair was brushed back into a pony tail and long thick whisps at the front accented his heart-shaped face and long ears. His clothes were like a dark blue velvet with a short black cape draped over his shoulders, large steel clasps, a large white collar, and long white leather thigh-high boots. A single silver earring clamped his left ear. He was also carrying a large brown leather book with large intricate silver ornaments around the edges. A steel shoulder pad covered his left shoulder and both arms were covered in steel arm pads. The young boy smiled at Melanie and then looked up at the other practicioners with a calm and collected look. "Is anything the matter?" he asked them.
"We think the Warrior of Darkness may have some memory loss" one of them stammered. "We were just about to give her something to help her to relax."
"Hmm, I see" the young boy replied, then he looked across at Melanie. "Do you know who I am?" he asked her in a gentle voice.
"Y...you're Alphinaud" Melanie replied. Alphinaud smiled again. "Very good" he replied, "and what about yourself, do you know who you are?"
Melanie still shaking lowered her head to take another look at herself. There was no doubts about it, this was the character she created in Final Fantasy XIV and she was now inside it. "I'm M'leineya Leoh" she said slowly and quietly.
"Well, she has no problem remembering who she is and who I am" Alphinaud said looking up at the practicioners. "Mayhap your diagnosis be mistaken?"
The chirugeons began to shift nervously. "I guess, but that doesn't explain her recent behaviour" one of them spoke out. "We thought she was going to hurt someone or even herself."
Alphinaud looked back at Melanie who was still holding her head down and looking as if she was in shock and despair. "I highly doubt she'd hurt anyone" he said. "Maybe what she needs is a bit of fresh air and a stretch of legs." Alphinaud then turned his attention fully to Melanie. "Shall we go and take a brief walk?" he asked her.
Melanie looked up at him still feeling numb in shock and slowly nodded her head.
"Come on then" he said standing up and holding out a hand to her with a smile. Melanie looked down at his hand and then took hold of it, pulled herself off the bed and onto her feet. Together they began to walk outside.
As they left the Spagyrics Melanie took the chance to look around and nearly gasped outloud in awe. In front of them several feet away was a large tower made of glimmering crystal that reached so high into the sky it was as if its spire was piercing the very heavens above. It sparkled in the sunlight, splitting the rays that hit the surface into a soft blue light. It was breathtaking. The walls of the rest of the city surrounding them were busy with numerous people walking in and out of various alcoves carrying goods to some of the many merchant stalls that were scattered around the southern end of the city.
Melanie's body started to shake as she slowly raised her hands above her head and began to feel around. There was something above her head, two of them - large and furry. She grabbed hold of them and could hear the rustling and felt her hands against them. "Cat ears?!!!"
"Are you alright?" the woman asked with a concerned look on her face.
Melanie's voice began to waver, "What's happening? Where is this place? Where am I?" her voice starting to get more louder and desperate.
"Take it easy now. You collapsed and you're now in the infirmary" the woman said slowly and calmly.
"Where, what city?" Melanie was near shouting.
The elderly woman took a step back in surprise at Melanie's question. Could her patient have lost her memories? Aside from Eulmore there was no other city on the First and this was the only one with an infirmary. "Why, the Crystarium. Where else could you possibly be?" she replied. Other chirurgeons nearby began taking notice and were whispering amongst themselves. Despite them from being at the other side of the room Melanie was able to hear clearly everything they were saying as if they were next to her bed. "She's acting very strange, do you think she was touched by a sin eater?"
"Ah good, she's awake at last!" a young boy's voice was heard from behind her. Melanie froze as she recognised the voice, her eyes slowly moving to the side try to catch a glimpse of where the young voice was coming from. The other chirurgeons tried to descretely wave the young boy away but he continued to approach Melanie. "I trust everything is alright?" he asked as he entered her field of vision. "You gave the Exarch quite a scare when you collapsed right in front of him."
Melanie stared in awe at the young and cheery looking elfen boy. His long white hair was brushed back into a pony tail and long thick whisps at the front accented his heart-shaped face and long ears. His clothes were like a dark blue velvet with a short black cape draped over his shoulders, large steel clasps, a large white collar, and long white leather thigh-high boots. A single silver earring clamped his left ear. He was also carrying a large brown leather book with large intricate silver ornaments around the edges. A steel shoulder pad covered his left shoulder and both arms were covered in steel arm pads. The young boy smiled at Melanie and then looked up at the other practicioners with a calm and collected look. "Is anything the matter?" he asked them.
"We think the Warrior of Darkness may have some memory loss" one of them stammered. "We were just about to give her something to help her to relax."
"Hmm, I see" the young boy replied, then he looked across at Melanie. "Do you know who I am?" he asked her in a gentle voice.
"Y...you're Alphinaud" Melanie replied. Alphinaud smiled again. "Very good" he replied, "and what about yourself, do you know who you are?"
Melanie still shaking lowered her head to take another look at herself. There was no doubts about it, this was the character she created in Final Fantasy XIV and she was now inside it. "I'm M'leineya Leoh" she said slowly and quietly.
"Well, she has no problem remembering who she is and who I am" Alphinaud said looking up at the practicioners. "Mayhap your diagnosis be mistaken?"
The chirugeons began to shift nervously. "I guess, but that doesn't explain her recent behaviour" one of them spoke out. "We thought she was going to hurt someone or even herself."
Alphinaud looked back at Melanie who was still holding her head down and looking as if she was in shock and despair. "I highly doubt she'd hurt anyone" he said. "Maybe what she needs is a bit of fresh air and a stretch of legs." Alphinaud then turned his attention fully to Melanie. "Shall we go and take a brief walk?" he asked her.
Melanie looked up at him still feeling numb in shock and slowly nodded her head.
"Come on then" he said standing up and holding out a hand to her with a smile. Melanie looked down at his hand and then took hold of it, pulled herself off the bed and onto her feet. Together they began to walk outside.
As they left the Spagyrics Melanie took the chance to look around and nearly gasped outloud in awe. In front of them several feet away was a large tower made of glimmering crystal that reached so high into the sky it was as if its spire was piercing the very heavens above. It sparkled in the sunlight, splitting the rays that hit the surface into a soft blue light. It was breathtaking. The walls of the rest of the city surrounding them were busy with numerous people walking in and out of various alcoves carrying goods to some of the many merchant stalls that were scattered around the southern end of the city.
Above the walls was a long stone walkway that stretched from one end of the city to the other. Large crystal domes covered various sections of the city defusing the sunlight inside them and protecting the citizens and indoor gardens against the elements.
The air was thick with the scent of cooked food, ale, wild animals, fresh flowers and fruits. She could even pinpoint exactly where the scents were coming from. Closing her eyes she stopped and took in a deep breath to soak in all the various scents and began to feel a sense of calm within her.
"Are you starting to feel more like yourself again?" Alphinaud asked her as he noticed Melanie was starting to relax.
Melanie opened her eyes again and let out a deep sigh. "I'm not even sure who myself is anymore" she said in a slightly depressed tone.
Alphinaud looked at her with a slight frown of concern. They resumed their stroll around the plaza.
"I honestly thought that this was part of a dream, until I woke up again and realised it was all real" she said.
"From what I heard you were standing in front of the Exarch and then you collapsed suddenly with no explanation as to why and nobody could wake you. Perhaps you may enlighten me into what caused you to collapse?" he asked.
The air was thick with the scent of cooked food, ale, wild animals, fresh flowers and fruits. She could even pinpoint exactly where the scents were coming from. Closing her eyes she stopped and took in a deep breath to soak in all the various scents and began to feel a sense of calm within her.
"Are you starting to feel more like yourself again?" Alphinaud asked her as he noticed Melanie was starting to relax.
Melanie opened her eyes again and let out a deep sigh. "I'm not even sure who myself is anymore" she said in a slightly depressed tone.
Alphinaud looked at her with a slight frown of concern. They resumed their stroll around the plaza.
"I honestly thought that this was part of a dream, until I woke up again and realised it was all real" she said.
"From what I heard you were standing in front of the Exarch and then you collapsed suddenly with no explanation as to why and nobody could wake you. Perhaps you may enlighten me into what caused you to collapse?" he asked.
Melanie lowered her head. Alphinaud was speaking to her as if she was M'leineya and she felt slightly ill that she was leading him on this pretense. She knew she would have to tell him the truth but she was not sure where to begin and her guilt was already eating away at her. "Alphinaud... I'm not the person you think I am" she said.
Alphinaud turned around and looked at her with a confused and slightly worried look. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Melanie tried to think of how to explain in simpler terms but after pondering for a few moments she shook her head. It was far too much to explain at once and she was still uncertain if what was happening was for real. Perhaps she was still dreaming or trapped in some kind of hallucination as result of hitting her head when she collapsed at home. Whatever was happening to her now just didn't feel the right time to talk about it.
"Never mind. I'm maybe just a bit exhausted. Perhaps I'll feel better after I've had some proper rest" she said to Alphinaud.
"Alright, if that's what you feel is best. I'll see you to the Pendants" he replied. They both turned around and silently started to walk back towards the south side of the city.
