Clammed up

The aetherial chime of the summoning bell pierced the air, rousing Lucelle from her reverie with a panic. She, like other retainers, was required to respond to her Lady's summons at any hour with unfailing haste, and being employed under these conditions for an extended period had cultivated a nervous disposition.

"How may I be of service, my Lady?", she stammered dutifully.

Recently, Lucelle had begun to sense that she was making little progress with her attempts to open her Lady's eyes to the fascinating world of Eorzea's marine life. The rolled-eyes, increasingly thin veneer of smiles, and chuckles of other adventurers attested to the fact that Lucelle's earnest scholarly intentions were going largely unappreciated.

As she was assigned a short open-ended task, termed 'quick exploration', Lucelle mused briefly on the inconvenient terms of her employment that dictated she be paid in a currency only recognized by the Adventurers' Guild, namely ventures. The reason for the existence of these coins would forever remain a mystery to her. She once asked her Lady why she kept her ventures in stacks exactly 99 coins high, a question that was met only with a blank stare. She resolved not to ask again. Lucelle extended her hand expectantly.

She felt a brief surge of panic as her Lady's hand wavered in the air, as if hesitant to part with the coins. Ventures were designed partly as a way for retainers to further and test their abilities, but mostly as a way for Adventurers to enrich themselves; Adventurers were under no obligation to pay for them. Lucelle relaxed slightly as her Lady's hand finally continued forward, and with a forced smile she dropped the coins into the retainers hand.

"Of course, my Lady", she spoke in affirmation, clutching the pair of coins tightly in her palm as she turned to leave.

Anxious to preserve her now seemingly tenuous supply of coins, Lucelle realised she would have to convince her Lady of the value of her endeavours. There was only one solution. She would have to present her Lady with the finest example of Eorzea's aquatic denizens that could be obtained. An hour of fishing yielded the exquisite specimen she knew her Lady would appreciate.

"The venture is complete, my Lady" she declared triumphantly, proudly displaying a large and perfectly-formed Vongola Clam.

Character: Latrissa Saphon
World: Phoenix
Item: Ahriman Choker