It was around this point that the first of his new team arrived at the gate, the Viera girl. He spotted her from a distance but quickly looked away so he could pretend as if he'd just been daydreaming to create the illusion that he wasn't eagerly awaiting anyone's arrival. In choosing to take up leadership of the clan, Li decided he would make a conscious effort to look the part of the nonchalant, distant veteran despite the fact that he was much more excited about his first ever adventure than he would be willing to admit. 

Maybe this would be the first chapter of the story of his rise to fame. The tale would start with "And on the first day of the adventures of Clan Sharpclaw (name still under consideration), Li'Kemnon and his company of brave heroes met up at the front gate and set off for adventure." [color=7bcdc8][i]I should probably get a scribe to start working on my tales of heroics. If I start early, I won't have to leave anything out.[/i][/color] Li's gaze drifted upward to Castle Cyril in the distance. [color=7bcdc8][i]I'll be there soon enough. I won't even have to worry about getting my heroics published. I'll just have them woven into tapestries. Reading's such a bore anyway.[/i][/color]

All the daydreaming about glory and legacy made Li entirely forget about his conscious decision to pretend to daydream, which was a very convenient not-problem to not-have, I guess. As a result he was genuinely startled by Cici's brief announcement. 

[color=bc8dbf]"Hello. Cici reporting in!"[/color]

Li snapped to attention a little more slowly than he would have liked, so he came off as looking more hapless and doofy than he did cool or casual. [color=7bcdc8]"Oh, well, hello! Um, nice to have you..."[/color] he responded, absently. [color=7bcdc8][i]Reporting in? That was professional. And she's early too. But not too early. Maybe a salute would have been nice?[/i][/color] He stroked his chin, roughly where his beard would be if Bangaa's could grow beards. [color=7bcdc8][i]Nah, a salute would have been weird. It's better that I keep things lax. Friend first, leader second, right? No, they have to respect me. That's probably not a good idea.[/i][/color]

It occurred to Li that he should probably attempt some small talk with the Viera. That's what adventurers do, right? Witty banter about adventuring things. You know, talk about adventurous stuff. [color=7bcdc8][i]Maybe I should talk about swords. I use a sword, and she also uses a sword, so we could talk about swords. But it's a different kind of sword. That's not relatable enough, I guess...[/i][/color] Li opened his mouth as if to say something, but realized he hadn't yet thought of what they should be talking about. Normally he would be embarrassed for making it look like he had something to say but then totally freezing up, but he came to a second realization shortly afterward; namely, that Cici had already walked right past him and was in the process of chatting up the client. [color=7bcdc8][i]Er, yeah, I'll just talk to her later, I guess. It's a long wagon ride.[/i][/color]

"The pleasure is mine! I'm Bartz Klauser, ma'am. I assume you're [i]not[/i] the one who does the brain melting and demon summoning, then. You seem a little too polite to be caught up in that business, I reckon," chuckled the old rancher. "I would shake your hand, but I'm afraid I've got Chocobo spit all over both of them," he added, with another chuckle, albeit slightly more awkwardly this time. "I appreciate you helping out my ranch. I assume your boss over there will give you all the details once everyone gets here."

Li nodded absently, lost in thought again. [color=7bcdc8][i]Do Chocobos really have slobber? That's gross. Grosser than I thought, I guess.[/i][/color]