[----TRUCE FOUNTAIN----]

Mogwai caught a glimpse of Crossroads and ran on over, waving "Hey,
there you are! I've been looking all over for you!" she exclaimed as
she came to a stop near her, panting from the run. "I've got... *pant*
got something to discuss with you."

Crossroads had just been out looking for a job again finding little
within the city of Truce that would be suitable for a fairly
inexperienced wishborn. Part of her was wishing that she had somehow
managed to keep her old job, it had been easy enough to do even if her
boss did seem to have been finding clothes with less and less fabric
for her. She was just contemplating where to try next when she heard
someone calling her name. She turned her head in the direction of the
voice, spotting a moogle there, "Oh, um... hello." She said with a
hint of confusion in her voice. The face seemed sort of familiar,
though she was half expecting it to try and sell her something.

Mogwai took a second to catch her breath before responding "I'm one of
the folks from the square the other day, you saved my life. You also
told us not to get involved, which is why I had to find you."

Mogwai went on to explain "When that witch arrived... I was in the
process of trying to find a wishborn. But I scarcely had time before
that grief seed hatched. None of us wanted to get involved, we were
just... in the wrong place at the wrong time."

After a moment, she finally recognized her. Oh yeah! There had been a
moogle in that crowd, hadn't there? Crossroads nodded, "It certainly
sounded like someone got involved if Kyuubey was arguing with them.
And I doubt a wishborn would just drop a seed somewhere and let it
hatch considering how important those things are." she rubbed the
bridge of her nose and closed her eyes for a moment, then with a sigh
opened them again, "At least now hopefully you guys know to run away
immediately when you encounter such things."

Mogwai nodded her head "Yes, someone did get involved... but they
fled, leaving the rest of us to pay. You're probably right that a
wishborn wouldn't leave it there... but it wasn't the interloper who
last had it anyway. It was Kyuubey! I thought he was going to take
care of it but... he just walked away and left it there. It hatched
not long after."

Crossroads tilted her head to the side and folded her arms as she
listed to the moogle's words. "I don't think Kyuubey could do anything
with it since it was about to hatch. Usually when we get a seed we use
it to cleanse our corruption before giving it to him. I've never seen
him take one that wasn't used up. And I've never seen him fight a
witch or yoma either. Unfortunate that you had to deal with it thanks
to some fool messing with things that don't involve him. I suggest
taking it up with HIM next time you see him."

Mogwai pondered this "I will. But in either case, explaining myself
isn't why I came here. I just kind of... got distracted explaining who
I was. Anyway, as I understand it you need to fight witches and yoma.
It's in both our best interest and yours that you fight it for us...
how would you like to know any time something like this happens
again?"

"That could be beneficial, I think." Crossroads reached under her
shirt and pulled out her soul gem, holding it up by its long silver
chain for the moogle to see, "These things have a limited range. Not
only that, but if we are sleeping or not paying attention to them we
can easily miss their pulsing." The young woman once again hid the gem
under her shirt after saying this and frowned "Though I really don't
know what else you can do other than run and hope to find one of us."

Mogwai reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device "This is
what I was asking you about before you left. It's called a cell phone,
are you familiar with it? A lot of people don't seem to know about
technology in these parts."

Crossroads stared at the box-like object in the moogle’s hand. A cell
phone? She tried to make sense of it but the only phone she knew of
was in Agetha's house and it looked nothing like that. Nor did she
ever bother to learn how to use it. Once or twice she had seen the
woman talk to it but... She shook her head, "Afraid not. What is it?"

Mogwai smiled. Part of her really liked playing the role of teacher.
"It's a device for communicating long distances. All I have to do is
push a button on mine, say your name, and then yours will ring. You
push the button on yours, and we can talk no matter how far apart we
are."

Crossroads continued her staring at the object. Could something that
small really do that much? "Thats all I would have to do? Press a
button and we can talk" She had to admit that it seemed pretty
interesting, as well as useful! If there were yoma about then they
could easily respond through this no matter where they were at the
time.

Mogwai nodded "Yeah. There's a bit more to it than that, but that's
all you really need to know to respond. If you want a network of folks
to call it's a bit more complicated but... well, I don't see you
having much reason to call me."

Crossroads tilted her head back as some of the possibilities begin to
sink in. "And I would be able to reach anyone I wanted? Or they could
reach me?" She could reach Tyr or Lora, or they could reach her! Then
she wouldn't have to worry about Tyr stumbling home injured and
bleeding to death like he had. With something like this, he could have
reached her and she could have came to help back him up!

It was at that instant that something dawned on Crossroads and she
looked down at the little moogle looking a little perplexed. Maybe it
WAS trying to sell her something after all. "Uh, I can't really afford
something like that at the moment."

Mogwai looked dejected "Guess I'm stuck finding wishborn the old
fashioned way for now... I can't exactly buy one for you, it needs to
be registered in your name and all that. Ok, step one! Find a way to
earn you some money!"

Crossroads laughed, "Well, that has kind of been the plan. I lost my
job thanks to this wishborn business and I am in the process of
finding a new one." And as soon as she replenished her emergency funds
and could afford to pay the bills and buy groceries, she'd have to
look into getting one. "I could give you my address though. Even if I
am not there and someone else answers there is a good chance they are
a wishborn too. The only one not contracted living with me is
Aemilia."

Mogwai nodded "That would be much appreciated. I'll keep an eye out
for any money opportunities as well. I've got my own gig as a dancer
back in town, so I don't need work for my own sake."

Crossroads took out a piece of paper from one of her pockets as well
as a small pen and wrote out the address to her house, handing it over
to the moogle immediately after. "Really? I haven't seen anyone who
danced as a profession for a long time." Not since she was back in her
home world anyway. Apparently Agetha once did, but she never actually
got to see her dance outside of the still pictures in the old woman's
photo album.

"It's not glamorous, but it pays the bills." said Mogwai as she
accepted the letter "I'm a bit of a transient, so I'm afraid I can't
give you an address in return... but I can usually be found at the
town square."

Crossroads nodded, "Alright. If I ever have need to find you for
that... cell phone." She sounded the words out slowly, "I'll look for
you there first."