Aya

Canon: you can't acquire the building permit to have your own room unless you're a 2nd. Lt. in a Grand Company!

These two go together, I think There aren't that many places that attain critical mass so that you can just walk in and find RP - these areas are limited, not coincidentally, to "cities, taverns, and residential areas" in particular. Finding RP outside of these areas usually requires planning of some sort, i.e. contrived instead of dynamic. Not to say that there are not wonderful possibilities in these other settings, its just a little different! I think discussion of the in-game ranks versus in-character ranks should be pretty obvious.. I mean "everyone" is a 2nd Lt. for the exact same reason that "everyone" is level 50. MMO game mechanics do not translate well into a world defined by varied ability and varied experience. I'm just going to add that I think its quite neat that FF provides and builds up these organizations for players to interact with or play off of. They add an interesting element to the game world, and I really have appreciated those that I've interacted with in-character (mostly Flames, by dint of Aya's present occupation ).

I hope you're ready totake the majority of Aya's non-shoe budget

Eorzea will have to wait at least another month for the return of Ghost Aya!

Welcome to Balmung!

Welcome back!

This just makes me smile

Weeelcooooooooome!

I sense what Raven's title should be! Welcome.. sort of.. I mean.. welcome again to the RPC! :-]

A pair of real heels!

Aya just grinned with a look of genuine happiness as she listened to Coatleque. Despite her rigid posture, she seemed, for once, to truly be letting her mind wonder. "Oh, I do love being served!" she laughed, "Just a little reminder that I'm a real person, you know?" she let out another little laugh, looking down at the flowers. "Oh I don't mind talking about work! Its just nice to get to sit down with you, we can talk about whatever you'd like!" She looked at the flowers, admiring the colorful little reminders of natural beauty amidst the city of baked stone. "We could use more of these inside the walls, couldn't we?" she grinned again, enjoying the respite the little cafe provided from the heat, movement, and intensity of the day unwinding outside its door. Through the mesh screen the crowd upon the street remained just visible, moving still with the energy of the day and all the business and commerce it suggested;the sound drifted in like a far-away hum, providing just enough distance to separate the senses from it. "I know some of the nicer areas have flowers like these around the houses.. but I could sure use more of their color every day!"

I know the feeling ^^

Awwwwwwww, JANCIS!

Is it me, or is it kind of steamy in here today?

Aya smiled as she looked around as well, in response to Coatleque. She lets herself settle into the cushion of the divan, crossing her legs, resting one hand between them and the other on the couch. "Ul'dah is like that... everything is so nondescript, just a little door off the street, and you never know what you'll find when you walk inside!" As they watched, the proprieter of the shop, walked from behind his counter to approach the ladies, with is friendliest expression. "Ladies, could I get you anything?" Aya looked to Coatleque for a moment, smiling, before nodding to the gentleman. "A full pot of tea, please, something a little rich! Oh, and a pasty we can share!" The gentleman nodded, "Yes, yes, of course! Would you like any cream? Sugar?" he looked between the two, while Aya glanced to Coatleque unsure of her preferences.

Your pants look like a birch tree. They do! And they're so cute, that's quite the grey and white theme!

Its mah Blueberry!

Welcome to FF, and perhaps soon to Balmung! :-D

Passing through the door and into the cafe was an experience - the heady fragrance of tea and incense greeted Coatleque as she entered behind Aya, eyes taking a moment to adjust to the somewhat dimmer interior. Despite the nondescript exterior, a characteristic of the standstone city of Ul'dah itself, the interior was handsomely decorated and furnished. From the walls hung colorful tapestries, accompanying the rugs that covered the tile floor. Behind a wood and metal counter stood the proprietor wearing a welcoming smile. Behind him, neatly stacked and organized were numerous cups, saucers, and box, after box of the dried herbs that were the lifeblood of his commerce. His smile was broad and friendly, followed by a nod, not unusual for an Ul'dahn businessman. He welcomed them both with a smooth baritone voice, that stopped just shy of booming, "Ah, Aya! It is always a pleasure to see you, and I see you have brought a friend today, please, take a seat, take a seat!" The area within the cafe itself seemed quite a bit larger than the building would have suggested - although not very wide, it pushed deep away from the avenue itself, its interior filled with a variety of small circular tables, with chairs, and a collection of couches and divans looking both comfortable, and warn. Aya smiled, "Good moooorning, Asmet!" she grinned, in her friendly, smiling voice. She motioned Coatleque toward a divan near the entrance, that faced the mesh-screened window to the avenue. The furniture of this sitting area was the finest in the cafe, being the first to be noticed when a new customer came through the door. A small coffee table stood before it, decorated a glass and metal lantern, and a small vase holding a few blooming flowers. Aya took her seat, carefully adjusting her skirt, as she glanced out the window at the traffic outside, "Its one of my favorite spots!" she turned toward the paladin, smiling.

Aya smiled bright, with the playful cant of her head as she leaned back, looking at Coatleque. The paladin did not quite seem to get it, the story was not one to be shared with others, but to be remembered as a shared experience between the two - the very essence of the bond between friends. If that passed over Coatleque's head now, at least Aya's friendly smile, would not. "Of coooooourse! Just where do you think I would take you?" she laughed in reply, "Its a wonderful place to sit, and let the world just go by outside." She lead the pair a little further along the street, the target of their journey coming into sight. The cafe's storefront was simple itself, a wooden door and mesh-screen covered window set against the stone construction of the city itself. She had seen many of its like before, often with tables and chairs set outside to host customers on fairer days - here she saw a single chair and table, where a grey-beareded man smiled, nodding and waving periodically to passersby.

Aya cast a bright smile Coatleque's way. At least 25 gil was not much of a loss for the trouble. "Don't let him bother you, at least we'll have a story to tell, right?" she grinned to the paladin as she started to lead them further down the avenue. "The cafe I have in mind is just a little way further, its a quiet little spot, I think you'll like it!"

Something else I'd just like to add. Nothing has happened that any character "has" to know about. There's no one suddenly out there there that they "must" have heard of. The world itself is a big place, and anything interesting you'll learn about in due time

Aya watched the little exchange with alarm, tensing for a moment as Coatleque offered the handful of gil to the nefarious perfumesman. She let out a gasp as he unloaded the bottle and burst away, she whipped her head about for a moment to watch him running, vanishing into the crowd. As she turned back, she leaned a little bit closer, peering at the bottle with narrowed, blue eyes. "Hmmmmm... I think you're right! No wonder he wanted the 25 gil first!" She stood back up with a shrug and a smile, "Oh well... shall we head to the cafe?"

The Quicksand is not a black hole, you can come and go as you please its just a good place to meet people! My character works there, and I still don't spend more time there than I want to :-]

Here we go!