History: Anastasia was born in Windurst 2 years after the great war, and like most Taru Taru children she attended the Windurst School for Magic. There she displayed an enormous talent for the magical arts both healing and destructive, but her talent was too great. There was no challenge, and she often found herself bored in class. In her teenage years, her lack of interest caused a slip in her grades.

    Her parents, Lotan-Aran and Danatu were both great heroes in the war, and were severely disappointed that their child who had shown such promise was now on the verge of dropping out. They decide to send her on a trip around the world so that she could see the destruction that the war had caused in the world and see what good her gifts could do for Windurst and all of Van'diel.

    On her year and a half trip Anastasia saw many things both good and bad. She traveled to Sandoria and met the pious mages there. She traveled to Bastok and made friends with many "big and fuzzy's"(her nickname for Galka). She traveled to Selbina where she learned to fish, and finally she made her way to Jeuno where she saw many adventurers and heroes of the land....

    Unfortunately for her parents, Anastasia was not impressed. The one thing that did stick out though was the many foods that she found across the land. She was intrigued by the differences, the tastes, and the way that food seemed to bring people of all races together. It was then at the age of 17 that she returned to Windurst, not with desires of becoming a powerful mage as her parents had hoped, but with the desire to cook. She studied under Ranpi-Monpi of the cooking guild for a year, but soon surpassed him in skill.

    It was just before her 18th birthday that Anastasia opened a baked good's/catering service that she ran out of her Mog House in Windurst. She also worked as a waitress/short order cook in Timbre Timber's to make ends meet while she got her fledgeling business off the ground.

    On one faithful day she served lunch to a group of friends who had gathered together to discuss the recent rise of beastmen activity. They all spoke so seriously of "grave danger", and "Protecting the Federation" that Anastasia had no choice but to make fun of them. "Apparently", thought Anastasia, "this group of do-gooders hasn't heard that the war has been over for nearly 20 years." She over heard through their conversation that they were forming a group to fight injustice in the land and calling themselves the Blue Elephant Brigade. Even stranger still, their leader was a Galka who thought himself a Taru. Anastasia thought they were silly, or possibly deranged, but they seemed harmless enough so she paid them no mind.

    They became regulars there, and Anastasia came to know them by name. They were good customers and always left a good tip. They typically told stories of less than stellar accomplishments of which they were quite proud. "I killed two Maze Makers in Shakhrami... In a Row!" the little taru that ate with them was once heard saying. They had always complained that they were in need of someone with magic skills to support their adventuring, but Anastasia found the whole idea quite amusing.

    Then, a series of events came to pass that would change Anastasia's path in the world. One day the "Brigade" was eating in the tavern when they told her they wouldn't be around as much anymore. The Star Sibyl had asked them to relocate to Jeuno to further their good deeds. They had their food, said goodbye, and left the tavern... They also forgot to pay their bill. Anastasia vowed to hunt them down and collect her 45 gil if it was the last thing she did.

    The next week was her vacation which she spent fishing in Selbina. During that time the Tavern had a surprise health inspection, which it failed miserably. The inspector found several galka hair in his food, and was most displeased. Anastasia had warned the owners numerous times to "Put that big and fuzzy in a hair net, or body net, or something", but they never listened.

    By this time though, her baked goods and catering were doing so well that she hardly needed the job at the tavern. She had made quite the name for herself and thought this as good a time as any to relocate to Jeuno to open a restaurant, and to find her 45 gil. She said her goodbyes and left her hometown. It had been awhile since she'd left the confines of windurst, and was surprised at the number of beastmen roaming the land. She held tight to her Chocobo, and raced towards Jeuno with an apron, a hat, a few gil, and dreams of making it big... and getting her 45 gil.

    Upon arriving she went to speak to the Windurstian consulate in Jeuno to apply for a small business license only to find he had been captured and was being held in Delkfutt's Tower.

    "Thataru is just great! Can I at least get the paper work started or something? Isn't thataru how it always is with you Jeunonians? Pass the buck and red tape! Is there someone else who can issue me a license?" Anastasia asked.

    "No ma'am, I'm afraid not. But not to worry, we've sent a group of adventurer's off to save him. What was that silly name they had for themselves? Hmmm.... the Green Dhalmel's was it? No... The Red Rarab's? No... AH YES! It was the Blue Elephant's." the secretary answered.

    "WHAT!?! Those guys couldn't free a Bastore Sardine from a can with a great axe! They're sure to screw it up. I'll take care of this, and when I get back, I want my license!" she said and stormed off.

    The path to the tower was quite uneventful, and the path up the tower was quite empty. Apparently this "Brigade" was tougher than she had thought as it was quite easy to follow the trail of dead goblins and giants to the top. It was there that she found the Brigade in the heat of battle with the biggest giant she had ever seen. The Galka was keeping his attention while the rest tried to wear him down. The battle was fierce, and she wasn't sure that they would win. With one swift punch the Giant knocked the Galka half way accross the room and to his knees.

    Anastasia was, for the first time in a long time, actually concerned. At that point, without even thinking, she did something else she hadn't done in a long time... she used her magic.

    "NOOOOOO!!!!!!" She screamed and suddenly the air around the giant erupted in muticolored flames. The giant swatted at her and knocked her across the room, but the spell had given the Galka time to regain his footing, and that was all the Brigade needed to finish the job.

    She picked herself up, ran to the littlest member of the Brigade and shouted in his face, "YOU OWE ME 45 gil!" She explained that they had never paid for their final bill and she was quite displeased.

"No, I paid last Darksday, it was the Elf's turn" the little one exclaimed somewhat shocked.
"No no no, I paid Firesday, it was Yobbie's turn" the Elf replied.
"It was actually Midget's turn, but here's your 45 gil" the Galka said as he handed over the money.
"What no tip? Stingy bastard" Anastasia said as she grabbed the key off the dead giant's belt and headed to the jail.

    The feeling of using magic again was quite exhilirating for Anastasia, and she now saw how much the world needed her. She decided to join the Brigade to help keep the world safe although she tells them its just so she can "keep an eye on them". Together they have accomplished many great deeds and helped many people in need.

    Anastasia finally got her small business license, and opened up her shop in Port Jeuno to rave reviews. She has since catered such events as the annual Arch-Duchal ball in Jeuno, and the San'dorian prince's birthday parties, and won many friends over with her great cooking skills.