She knows the achiness — not personally, but she's familiar with the stories and what it means. Soon enough, she'll have the first of her growth spurts that will launch her to the full height of her Elezen heritage. It's exciting in its way, because the people here will finally stop seeing her as a child and might actually start to recognize her for the adult she's been for nearly two full years.

She wishes Alphinaud were here to experience it with her.

But that isn't the point. The point is, she's exhausted. The achiness persists even when she's trying to sleep, and so sleep is scarcely found. Which is a poor recipe on any day, but especially on a day in which she plans to interview for a new occupation. Swirlybun has lost what little appeal it had.

Dressed in her nearly trademark red and white — this time something more appropriate for Darrow's business landscape — Alisaie walks the city. She's boldly left her rapier back at the empty apartment. Instead, she's armed with what amounts to her resume. She's been to Törgt and three different Ahabs, and she's feeling the strain of the aches and the sleep debt when she spots a corner store with an enormous sign in the window boasting Creature™ Energy Drink: Unleash the Creature Within.

“In a place like Darrow, that sign could well be literal,” she admits to herself, and then releases a truly jaw-popping yawn. “Perhaps just one won't go amiss,” she adds, and makes her way into the little store. She finds them in a cooler along one wall, in a variety of flavors that she barely recognizes. After picking one at random she pays and steps back outside.

With her resume under her arm, Alisaie tugs the pull tab up and cracks the can open, then takes a deep pull. It's awful — carbonated and sickly sweet and somehow tart at once — and she makes a sound of disgust that's followed promptly by a thoughtful hum as the aftertaste catches her.

And then she feels it: a strange sort of popping sensation in her joints. Her body jolts as if startling herself awake, and there's a rush of faded pain through her limbs. Alisaie shakes her head. She really needs to catch up on her sleep. But for now, in theory, this drink will help, and so she takes a step to resume her job search…

Only to trip on the sidewalk and nearly sprawl as she tries to pull a leg forward. She gasps as her resume flies out from beneath her arm, and she reaches to catch it, but her arm overshoots the grab and it flutters to the ground at her feet.

Her feet, which now hang over the ends of her open-toed sandals as though a size or two too small.

Her feet, which are much more visible beneath the hem of slacks that now, suddenly, fit like capris.

“You cannot be serious!” she declares, loudly and with as much annoyance as distress. She looks down at herself properly. Yes, all of her clothes are shorter — her top, too, stops at the end of her ribcage instead of at her hips as it had only a moment ago, and her sleeves barely pass her elbows.

“Thal's balls!” she curses, and looks at the can in her other hand. “I trusted you to be a metaphor and this is how you repay me? How am I supposed to get a new job looking like this?”

[ Catch Alisaie anywhere in the city, at any time, that works for your pup. Despite her annoyance, this is an excellent time to meet her! She's experiencing stage one of the classic Elezen growth spurt and is now 5'8 — nearly a full foot taller than the last time your pup likely saw her! See it in real time as it happens above, or bump into her afterwards ranting at the energy drink in her hand and help her find clothes that FIT. Open to all! ]