Hal

Tani allowed herself to relax back into the couch. She had her answer, not that she knew what to do with it. Her eyes were drawn to the fire, and she watched it, unmoving. Finally: "I was unable to find sources for seeds or cuttings in the far East, though I've been told that there are Coerthan and Shroud varieties that are the same tea plant." She wrinkled her nose. "But not the same cultivar. And the different elevation and climate will affect the leaves; it won't taste exactly the same..." she made a face. "But you could cultivate your own kind of tea. I could find information on how to process the leaves." She glanced back at Isabelle. "I'd like to taste the sort of tea you'd make." She sipped her own tea, and savored its floral, grassy overtones.

Something in the way Isabelle tasted the tea popped the little bubble of tension that always seemed to grow within Tani every time she was around the other woman. She stifled a giggle, and relented a little. "Do you really like it, or are you just trying to change the subject?" Not even a bloodthirsty madwoman would be able to fake such acute social distress so well. ...probably.

It was so strange to feel so helpless in conversation. Tani busied herself with the tea, rather than stare yet again. "Social niceties?"

Tani went perfectly still as Isabelle dropped her guard, studying the other woman. She considered her options, and when she spoke, she did so very carefully. "What do you mean by... normal?"

Tani stiffened, but let it pass without comment. Tea was a safe subject. That bit she could easily respond to. "Ah, this is traditionally served without anything extra. Well, not anything strong-flavored. It's much less strong than black teas with spices or cream added -- it overrides the flavor." Her expression shifted, an oddness to it as if she had just realized something. "I'm not sure if you'll like it, if you prefer ..." Belatedly, she took her seat. Gods above, but she was making a fool of herself. "No, no, I'm fine. Perfectly fine." As if she was anything of the sort.

Preparing the tea for the water had taken no time at all, really, and so Tani had just sort of set herself by the hearth, watching and listening for the indications that the water was hot, but not too hot for the delicate leaves. She looked up, taking in Isabelle's, clothes, and found her hand traveling up to her earlobe -- empty of earring. She pulled it back down, twining her fingers together to keep her hands busy. Tani was not by any means a loner. Except as it came to work, and necessary solitude that came with tasks requiring concentration and those requiring secrecy or privacy, Tani spent her time with other people. Except, something about the way Isabelle spoke...the way she insinuated enjoyment of killing and using the resultant body parts for her plants, was too much for Tani to really take in stride. For one, it was nigh impossible to tell whether or not the elezen was joking around. But she had been kind. She had protected Tani. Tani found one of her hands had relocated to her bandage, and she shoved it back down into her lap. She'd been silent too long. Again. "My apologies for the sudden visit," she said, unsure of her footing. "Shall I ... arrange for a time, next time?" Tani closed her eyes in a long blink, and added, "assuming you would, ah, like that. Ah --" saved at last. "The water is ready."

Tani stared at Isabelle, then at the door to the room. Back. Forth. She bit her lower lip, a crease appearing between her eyebrows. "Uh...sure?" Tea was not supposed to be this difficult. "I'll um...the tea," she said, gesturing vaguely back into the main room. She fled before either could commit any more acts of awkwardness. Out of Isabelle's sight, her shoulders relaxed some, and she blew out a breath. Somehow, the out-of-place Isabelle was even more intimidating than the usual Isabelle, as if a predator garbed in sheep's wool. Funny in any other circumstance, yet in the present moment all it served to do was make Tani very, very aware of how dangerous the other woman was. Especially given... No. Best not think of that. Isabelle had started the kettle, and so Tani set about shaking the leaves into the small teapot. It was the wrong sort of teapot for Thanalan style brewing, but she'd make do. Anything but make the situation any more clumsy than it already was.

There were many, many different situations where Tani composed herself with a businesslike acuity, and an unassailable confidence. There was something about the elezen woman that utterly drained her of even the semblance of some basic competence. She felt heat prickling up between her shoulderblades as she eyed the various pieces necessary for the gongfu style. She eyed Isabelle as the other woman -- gods above, that robe, that helm -- fussed about the room. The heat reached her neck. Tani gave a strangled little laugh. "For today, perhaps... perhaps the Thanalan style is appropriate. I um... I'll show you, er, well, another time for the ceremony. But ah, the tea. Dragon's needles; it's a green tea. Dragon's brew, some call it. Ah... water steaming, but not boiling. Forty-five seconds for the first steep." The heat reached her face as she realized Isabelle had asked a question. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" She stood there, in the doorway to the room with the fireplace, as awkward as any lackwit.

The room was at once expected and unexpected. As with Isabelle's unusual garb, Tani found it difficult not to stare. Even so, she drifted after Isabelle, some sort of cautiousness guarding each step, and echoed in the subtle lines of her face. "If you care to try it, I, um, I brought the gongfu set." She gestured to the various small porcelein cups. "It's how they brew tea in the far East. It's not unlike a ceremony, I suppose, but it involves a lot of rinsing of the cups and the tea itself... it takes a little longer before you can drink. But if you prefer, we may simply brew it Thanalan style." She shrugged, and pointed to the envelope, knowing she was babbling and unable to stop herself. "There is the receipt for your share of the pay. As arranged, your retainer will handle the money. Oh, also, before you start --" too late, "I brought some water that's ah... it will aid with the flavor of the tea."

For a moment, Tani stared. No, it was longer than a moment, long enough to be considered rude even by lax standards. "A-ah..." really, she shouldn't be stumbling over her tongue like some country girl witnessing the Quicksand version of friendliness for the first time. She was better than that. Clearing her throat, Tani lifted the tray. Control herself, she was good at that. Usually. "I...the plants. I think they need water. And I have your pay slip. For the --" she grunted and looked away; glancing past Isabelle into the room. So unreasonably hard to talk about that. "Anyways, I'd promised tea." She looked down at said tea and all its bits and bobs. "I thought we could use your hearth."

Tani sat on the floor in the front room of what would eventually become her office. The leftover pieces of furniture from when it had been a storage room had been shoved against the walls, and a small section of floor mostly cleaned of all the dust and grime that had accumulated from disuse. Papers and ledgers were arranged in a circle around her, and she split her time between them, making careful notations as she did so. She paused only when five envelopes had been stuffed and sealed, names written across the front in ornate calligraphy. She stared at them; one had her own name, and it was a strange feeling. She touched the bandage beneath her loose-fitting shirt, and shook her head. She collected the items she'd had sent over: a tray, a tea set, and a pitcher filled with good water, as well as a little packet of leaves. Taking up one of the envelopes, she put it on the tray and pushed out of the room, locking it behind her. It was a short trip to Isabelle's room, even from the back of the company's house to its front, and she took a deep breath before knocking. The woman should be in. Tani wasn't sure what she hoped more for: her knock to go unanswered, or for Isabelle to open the door.

The pitcher of tea had long ceased to sweat by the time Tani had finished dragging the crates upon crates of loose papers, receipts, and other miscellany of arcane origin outside and under the awning of the rather dilapidated office. Despite the fact that she wore only vest and shorts, sweat had made its mark under her armpits and down her back, courtesy of the high Thanalan sun; despite an early morning start and the best of intentions, they were already running behind. It wasn't precisely the fault of their employer, despite the fact that his steadily blooming business had long ago outstripped his ability to manage its accounts and paperwork; there was a reason that professionals such as herself and Master Duchamps existed in the first place. Namely, navigation of said accounts and paperwork could be a royal pain in the ass -- especially once extra things like tariffs, taxes, and forms for import or export came into play. Nor could Tani precisely blame him for the fact that a number of bugs (and/or rodents) had gotten into his store of paper materials. She'd been forced to send Master Duchamps to the nearest city to buy more of the specially lined account books that were going to be their constant companions for the next few moons, as well as extra loose paper and a few more journals. Keeping track of the tangle meant meticulous note-keeping, and Tani would rather keep too much on hand over too little. Provided it was stored properly this time. She took out a handkerchief, wiping her brow of sweat as she glowered up at the sun. She'd already (mostly) organized the contents of the boxes with a system of dated vs undated, receipts vs account books, signed paperwork vs miscellaneous forms. Now all that remained was matching things together and reconciling them as best as they were able, though from the work they'd already done on the very oldest bits and bobs, Tani knew that the error margins were going to be much higher than was typically accepted. A cringe-worthy fifteen percent, at least. They just had to hope that no one would want or need to take a peek at the archives of Master Tsuwamono's books, because chances were high the result would not go in their favor. Even so, Tani and Master Duchamps had begun to find a disturbing trend that she very much hoped proved not to be a pattern, because if so... Her thoughts scattered as she drank from the pitcher of tea to find it unpleasantly warm. Not hot, not cold, but something that faintly reminded her of sweat and humidity. She made a face, taking the pitcher back into their (admittedly not much cooler) office to poke around in the ice box for what remained of the ice. While she was at it, she pulled together a platter of snacks, figuring that Master Duchamps would also be ready for a break by the time he returned; she'd have neither of them losing concentration over lack of food or drink, especially in the heat. She waited for him outside, under the awning and the dubious shade it provided, uncomfortably conscious of the way her thighs stuck to each other and to the rough wooden bench of the table, more or less enjoying a slightly cooler cup of tea. She was not looking forward to the day ahead.

Numbers for life! Nyahaha, I'd love to see that! Vivacious highlanders are the best! Vivacious anything is the best. I think ever since finding the word in a Robin Hobb book back in high school ('cause yes, it took me that long to learn it), it's been in my top ten favorite words. Vivacious, bodacious -- what's not to love? Well, that's terribly convenient! Thank you all for the responses, Imma be trying to add you in game in the next few days (and beyond, should it take longer than that).

Which character should I try to friend in-game? Or search for? PM sent/post made to y'all! Thank you very much for giving me a chance.

I could see Tani maybe happening across him while he was selling his wares, and criticizing his pitch (in a mostly-gentle way). I'll add you in game next time we're both on, if that's acceptable!

Bump: still looking! Updated ad to try to attract more rpers!

[align=center]The Character [align=left]Tani is a survivor. First and foremost, she is the type who will get up in the morning and work. She's a work-hard, play-hard type who doesn't have the word 'rest' in her vocabulary. She's constantly moving, and even when she's out taking a break, chances are she's dragging some of her work with her. What is that work? Primarily, she's a bookkeeper (though she has been known to pick up scribe work or calligraphy work when her primary job is slow) who combines auditing the books of her clients with reviewing cargo manifests and spot-checking paperwork for the customs offices of each of the three major city-states in Eorzea. In some ways, this work defines her, and it can be easy to identify her with her work -- but don't let her hustle fool you: there's more to Tani than meets the eye. She can be loud, for one, and more than just verbally. She is interested in fashion, and often spends widely on the latest and greatest from the Weaver's Guild in Ul'dah. She doesn't hold with the idea that scholars should wear dowdy robes and spectacles; as she puts it, she much prefers to live, thank-you-very-much. While she's not much of a frequent drinker, she does go out for her own version of partying: hanging out with drunks and recreational users, and engaging in battles of wit and questionable adventuring (note: Tani is not combat-trained). She enjoys a well-laid prank, and individuals who think well outside the box. 'Sociable' and Tani go hand in hand. While she doesn't always seek out company, she always welcomes meeting new folk, and will go out of her way to approach someone she finds interesting. She has an unspoken love for thinkers and rebels, and has a soft spot for dreamers. She's a shmoozer who doesn't know how to slow down. [align=center]Possible Connections[/align] Tavern-goers: she brings her work to taverns when she's hoping to be interrupted. Customs-workers: Mealvaan's Gate employees (or similar in the other two cities) eat your heart out. Chances are she'll run into you sooner or later. Scribes, bookkeepers, scholars: she flits about in many circles, but has a professional stake in these. She might hear of your character, or your character her, and if your character has any interesting work stories, reputation, or current research, she might just float your way. Merchants/smugglers: ahh, the source of her income. She has a love affair with your character's money, and might approach your character for work. Ruffians, vagabonds, or otherwise interesting characters: what can I say? She's attracted to brightly burning flames, and the risk that she might get burned. [align=center]OOC Stuff[/align] My time varies, but I tend to be available weekdays after 6pm PST. Saturdays are often open, and Sundays may be available for special cases (depends on ooc stuff). I'm fine with walkup rp, scheduled rp, or drop-em-in-the-same-area-and-see-what-happens rp. I do both paragraph rp and single-liner rp. I'm a believer in writing as much as the post needs, but not more. But I'm not perfect, nor do I believe in perfection. Primarily, I'm looking to expand her connections. Thanks for your time! [/align] [/align] Previous ad:

There was something rather...off-putting about the way the miqo'te was frowning. It had been a long time since Hal had sat at anyone's knee as errant pupil, but, er, yeah, that was the right sort of look. She frowned back. With some extra fierceness, not that it would do much good with snot hanging out of her nose and a face that looked like she'd stumbled into a hornet's nest, but there was something to be said for trying. At least, that's what her brother had always told her. Usually while laughing at her. Besides, the miqo'te appeared to be stark-raving-nutters, and that meant Hal didn't have to take her sass. "I'm fine," she repeated, furtively trying to snort back some of the snot that continued to leak out. "No thank-you." Her voice didn't even sound like her voice anymore, and she was having a difficult time seeing. Her eye that remained open was all blurry. She would have liked to make a composed and suave exit, but she was having a hard time determining the best way to leave without walking smack into a tree.

After surreptitiously wiping her hand on her pants leg, Hal nonchalantly tossed her head again. She could feel the snot cresting her upper lip. A tear leaked from her right eye, the one that was just about swollen closed, and oozed down her face. About to reply, she opened her mouth when a spasm of itching overtook half her face, making her grunt something unintelligible. She twitched, her iron self control keeping her hands from rising above hip height as she fought to maintain her mystique and composure. "I know," she said, through a wince and a stiff grimace of effort. She knew she wasn't fooling anyone. She knew that. But caught out in the middle of the forest like a flat-footed fool, she couldn't help but try to salvage what little remained of her pride. She mentally upped the amount of vengeance she'd wreak upon those who'd put her in the situation in the first place. The new voice intruded upon the fantasy. "What?!" was her immediate response, not at all as if she was guilty of something heinous.

The daydream of making the wretches involved in her rather itchy predicament pay had precluded one of the number one rules in the forest: pay attention to your surroundings. Oh well, no need to look startled or anything, despite the fact that she'd already jumped a few inches. Play it cool, play it cool. She casually got to her feet, all six fulms of it, and tossed her hair out of her face. A slime trail of snot arced out after it, catching the light. She wondered, briefly, how much worse it would make the situation if she wiped her nose on the back of her hand again. She put her hand on her hip, cocking it out like she was bad, really bad. And cool. "I'm fine," she said, trying to sound bored. Since her nose was fully blocked up with mucous, it came out sounding stuffy. She had to breathe through her mouth. A woman in her thirties really shouldn't have to try so hard to pretend to be with it. Whatever 'it' was.

Sunlight sparkled through the foliage of the Twelveswood, illuminating a cloud of fungal spores. The woman who had disturbed the spores sat back on her heels with an explosive sneeze. The light dappled her exposed skin, revealing angry red blotches. Hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, neck, face: she looked horrendous, and coupled with her grim expression she could be said to be a comical sight. The blotches were swollen. Her eyes were watering. The job posting had seemed too good to be true. Collect some fungus for a pretty decent amount of money. No one had picked it up, for all the listing was posted in the Botanist's Guild. Now Hal knew why. She wiped her runny nose with the back of her wrist, moaning in misery. No wonder one of the other members had casually suggested she, as a new member, might benefit from picking up what seemed to be a pretty simple task. It had to be some sort of hazing ritual for gullible new botanists like herself. One of her eyes was swelling shut. She carefully plucked the fungus, stuffing it into the bag she'd brought for the purpose. If only she'd been smart enough to wear gloves and other protective gear. If only she'd not played right into their hands... Another spray of spores bloomed into the light, and Hal hastily backpedaled, heels digging in as she scooted backwards on her rear end. She couldn't help but laugh at herself, snot and tears smeared over her face, puffed up like a frog. Oh, she was going to get the bastards back tenfold.