maybe this event is triggered when your friend talks to one of the moogles that is resting?

So your friend goes to the Salikawood, talks to one of the moogles there, and then talk to moogles boss?

But at what part of the storyline is your friend? If he hasn't defeated the Judge at Mount Bur Omisace yet, maybe that's why he can't pass the Moogles boss?