A lovely Valentione's Day to you, kupo!

Each year, we ask for the aid of crackerjack confectioners—
No, that's not right.
Give great gifts of succulent sweets—
No, that's not it either.

My brain is mashed to mush, kupo!

That's right!
Coquettish couples give grand gifts to express their enduring emotion for each other.

Some lovelorn lads and ladies even deliver delectable desserts to potential partners.

Were you aware that the amazing Atelloune, animal expert extraordinaire, has dutifully deduced that chocobos feel fondness just like people?
She is planning to present her probing research at a "collegiate conference."

What's a "collegiate"? A new snack, kupo?
Well, either way, Atelloune's dramatic discovery is going to make a magnificent splash for able adventurers! This Valentione's, I'll be busy as a bee!

Prycillia found herself quite consternated.

"Help them find love? How?"

Prycillia herself was just a girl. It's not that she didn't love love. She talked about it with her friends all the time. If someone asked for her help, she'd jump at the chance to provide her own opinion on the matter.

But that's when it comes to people. Chocobos, however...

"Atelloune's ideas have always been crazy, but this one's a bit too off-kilter!"

Still, Atelloune was quite clear; she wanted to see if chocobos really could fall in love. "Assist young, single chocobos in finding a mate. Make a detailed report on your findings." These were the research objectives laid out before Prycillia.

"So...I have to come up with a way for young male chocobos to communicate their feelings to the female chocobo they've fallen in love with. "

A Bastokan native, Prycillia put on a determined face and went from person to person, trying to glean whatever insight she could. An up-and-coming fashionista in the markets told her with hand on hips and chest thrust forward, "If you're trying to express your love, you've got to give them a present that perfectly captures your feelings!" When pressed further, she explained, "A good subligar will get you far!" Prycillia tried to hide her dejection. Chocobos have no use for subligaria.

The young woman in the Metalworks, a samurai, also proffered cut-and-dry words of wisdom. "More than gifts, it's what you say that counts," she said matter-of-factly, battered by Prycillia's sudden request. "The sweeter your words, the more receptive your would-be lover will be." The faint blushing of the girl's cheeks as she spoke tickled Prycillia's fancy. How cute! She'd have to remember that trick the next time she ran into the boys at the...never mind.

Continuing her investigation to the port, she ran into an accommodating elderly couple. "If you don't get along, there's no future," the old woman intoned, casting a longing gaze at her husband." I count my blessings every day I look at him," she added just as the golden hairpiece adorning her white hair glistened in the evening sun.

So in conclusion, Prycillia summarized, for people to fall in love, you need an appropriate gift, a wonderful confession, and a perfect match. But which of these is the most important? Prycillia wrang her hands, deep in thought, before finally making her decision.

Atelloune sighed in half-exasperation at Prycillia's response. Two opened letters already lay on the table before her—one each from her other disciples, Niscoliette and Chabobo. It gave her no end of consternation that they, too, had arrived at the same conclusion.

"Research is all about budget," she fretted, wondering if this plan was at all feasible. Then she struck upon gold—what if the compensation for participating in this experiment was prepared by her assistants themselves?

Several days later, she gathered the three in Jeuno and set them off to work.

"One for the chocobo~ ...Two for the report~ ...Three for Atelloune.~"

"Prycillia, if you don't stop that horrendous blathering right now, Altana help me—!"

"Niscoliette, if you're really looking for a boyfriend, you'd better stop looking down on everyone from your high horse!"

"Like you're one to talk!"

"Come on, you two. If we don't keep at it we'll never have enough to give to all those adventurers!"

Chabobo's gentle chiding brought calm silence to the table, which was piled precariously high with unfinished Tender Bouquets.
Yet the truce between Prycillia and Niscoliette was not to last.

"Oh my—it just came it me!"

"What did?"

"One needs effort and tenacity to find perfect love!"

"'One' meaning...whom exactly?"

The male or the female, of course. Prycillia answered Chabobo's questions without hesitation: "The man's!"

"Oh, come on. We both know that guys are a bit reluctant with that sort of stuff, so it always falls on our shoulders!"

"To be fair, the ones we're forcing to do it are the adventurers."

"But still, in all seriousness, I think it's really up to the guys—you know, about effort and tenacity."

"You may be right. They've also gotta be more go-get-'em!"

"Yeah, and they need to be sincere, too!"

"If they had all those qualities, then we'd be getting confessed to day and night!"

"Yeah!"

"...You think all this year's chocolate is going to go to waste again? And while we're at it, anyone else sick of these stupid flowers?"

Atelloune, surreptitiously listening to their conversations from the shadows, sighed softly. "I bet they don't even realize that the reason no one confesses their love is because they set the bar too high."

Forget the chocobos—the true strangers to love are those three finicky students.

Story: Miyabi Hasegawa Illustration: Mitsuhiro Arita

Event Schedule

Valentione's Day festivities will be held from 8:00 a.m. (GMT) on Friday, 1 February 2013, to the same hour on Friday, 15 February.

Assist a chocobo in finding their ideal mate!

Help a lovelorn chocobo find the right "kwehs" to express their affection by talking to the following NPCs:

- Niscoliette: Southern San d'Oria (I-11)
- Prycillia: Bastok Mines (J-9)
- Chabobo: Windurst Woods (K-12)

A variety of rewards can be reaped from successful matching sessions, including the all-new Tender Bouquet!

Previous Valentione's Day Event Rewards

Items won from previous Valentione's Day celebrations may be acquired from moogles at the following locations:

- Southern San d'Oria (J-9)
- Northern San d'Oria (D-8)
- Bastok Mines (I-9)
- Bastok Markets (G-8)
- Windurst Waters (north side F-5)
- Windurst Woods (K-10)

Shake that Bouquet!

This latest edition of the Mog House Decoration Contest will once again be held on the official forums.
In the spirit of Valentione's Day, the theme will be "spending time with your beloved." Using the Tender Bouquet gained from this year's event, arrange your Mog House in a manner appropriate to the season, take a screenshot, and post it to the official forums.

Once the deadline has passed, the development and operations teams will decide which houses display the most love and passion. Winners will receive two special furnishings: a rolanberry delightaru and a jewelry case!

Period of Eligibility

Friday 1 February 2013 at 8:00 a.m. (GMT), to the same hour on Thursday 21 February 2013.

How to Participate

Read on for contest details, including specifics regarding the entry process.