[ Prompt ] A Day Off

[PerkPrincess]

I think this forum needs more writing prompts. For those who don't know, writing prompts are fun little exercises that can help refine or develop your characters. They're an excuse to write something that could otherwise be unthinkable within your canon. Expect more from me in the coming weeks, continually getting more involved.

 

With that out of the way, LET'S GO:

 

If your character had no immediate responsibilities or pressing matters to attend to for an entire day, how would they spend their new found day off? Do they feel good about having the time away from everything? Would nothing really change? Be as descriptive as you can!

 

Rita herself doesn't get many days to herself. If her personal space is not being violated by Aleyna, than her time is being spent chasing for the thrill of adventure and glory. However, she is a simple woman at heart, and if presented with an ability to just get away from her usual days, she would happily plonk herself into a nice relaxing and scented bath.

 

It's not often a woman of her lot in life gets to enjoy such luxury, so she would prepare herself to soak in the tub for an exorbitant amount of time. At least two novels, a wine bottle, good reading light and an assortment of fruits to help complete the sense of decadence.

 

If someone where to come looking for her, she would try her best to pretend as if she wasn't home.

 

She's coming out of that thing like a raisin, yo.

[Barios]

How would Barios deal with a day off? Oh man...here we go.

 

Being a busy man for his old age, Barios is capable of finding time for himself. Sitting around the market or even out on the field, he'd watch adventurers do their thing. Shop, fight, talk. Taking in all he sees or even hears. He'd probably dress himself up as a common farmer to fit in and not draw too much attention.

 

Most likely though he'll fall asleep with his eyes open, looking at a single person.

 

Maximum amount of creepy engaged. Unless they come up to him asking what he is looking at. Going to be awkward for everyone involved.

[Dehqon]

Inja can't really predict when she'll have a free day or a day packed full of work, so she avoids getting too caught up in hings like parties unless she knows for sure she won't be needed.

 

Depending on the mood, Inja may go book hunting, exploring (at least within the safety of the city), following a caravan to one of the towns along their rout, or even going to taverns to watch the people having fun until she gets uncomfortable. Sometimes people watching doesn't last very long.

 

Once she reaches a critical stress point, she'll spend the rest of what free time she has left for solitary pursuits. That doesn't mean she's completely against one or two trusted friends being around, just not chaotic crowds with people who behave in ways completely foreign to her.

[sugarfrosted]

Borosolo Nasolo just can't get enough of those free days. He would spend hours loafing around and finding that one "sweet spot" for his afternoon nap. He may spruce up his armory with upgrades and what not, but that may sometimes constitute as work to him.

 

Depending on where he is, if it's Limsa Lominsa, you would find him chowing down at the Bismarck. Anywhere else, then he would be at the tavern enjoying the local hospitality. Being the lackadaisical adventurer that he is, he will do anything in his power to stretch that day into a week off. However, his hemorrhaging gil pouch may never let that happen before he starts seeking for a new job.

[Desmond Aryll]

Desmond finds himself with no particular things to do more often than he would admit. He is however good company for himself and is quite happy to spend time alone.

He enjoys writing in his journal, which he only does out of sight. He doesn't share easily so the only time he can make his thoughts plain are precious to him.

 

Usually before he leave the Ul'dahn desert, he likes to take an afternoon to go off by himself and soak in the views. He's a romantic at heart.

[Naunet]

The dull thud of a wooden door shutting behind her echoed briefly in the stone hall that, if followed to its end, would take her all the way to the revered arcanist's guild and their unparalleled banking business. Just two steps outside the small auditing office she worked at, Antimony could already smell the quick-drying ink and parchment, hear the clink of coins counted and changing hands, see the reams of ledgers with their numbers and calculations refined to an unbelievably beautiful art. In lower rooms, hidden from public view, there were stone walls littered with mathematical graffiti, the quiet shuffling of feet and the scratching of chalk, the muttering of intellectuals studying the curvature of a new spell.

 

Above her there came the blaring of a horn, a shout, and a waft of the vaguely rotten scent of saltwater, and Antimony wrinkled her nose, her ears twitching back against her head briefly, before turning away from the scene she could picture so perfectly going on below. Her own interest in theoretical mathematics was only a hobby; the arcanist's guild would likely scoff at her private efforts at worst, and at best look at them as one would a small child's drawing.

 

Her feet carried her up the ramp, and the sharp, rotten air of Limsa Lominsa grew stronger until she was standing under the glare of an early morning sun and the cool, abrasive spray from the waters below, kicked up by surging winds, misted across her face. She took a moment to breathe, noting an ache in her bones that made her feel older than her greyed hair and the fine lines of wrinkles in the creases of her body would imply. What did a simple miqo'te do when her employers, usually so demanding as to request overtime most weeks, greeted her with a gruff "We don't need you today"? Would she still be paid for her time? Would they expect her to make it up later?

 

Shaking her head, Antimony set herself to walking again, boots slapping crisply against the rough, alabaster stone from which the entire city was carved. The sound was harsh in her ears, distinctly different from the shifting-sliding of sand she had grown so used to over the decades.

 

Her stomach rumbled and pulled Antimony mercifully from a spiral of memories; she was better off not thinking of the desert, or anyone associated with it. As if on cue, her mind threw up a lengthy, mentally annotated list - restock her pantry, wash and hang out clothes (a quick glance at the sky told her there likely wouldn't be a storm today, but then one never knew with Limsa), clean out the trash that had accumulated since she'd last recalled to do such a thing, pick up a pair of boots she'd likely left at the cobblers for long enough that they old man had sold them. Chores.

 

The fine lines along her brow creased deeper, and Antimony took a sharp turn along the winding paths of Limsa Lominsa. None of those seemed appealing when one was living off gifted time today.

 

Her face crinkled again, but this time with a small smile, and as Antimony's body worked her way back home, her mind was already on the stacks of papers covered in notes and the early starts of equations. She would figure out this corrupt aether system, and then the arcanist's guild would have no choice but to allow her in. Even if it was just a hobby.

[Dogberry]

Dogberry has a need to constantly keep busy. In idle moments he finds himself becoming hypervigilant and jumpy. He begins pacing, he gets grumpy or paranoid, and eventually finds himself in trouble when he becomes a danger to himself or others. To combat this, Dogberry has three ways of making sure he's constantly busy.

 

First, he trains. As a pugilist, he needs to be in peak physical condition. Whether he's out in the field, beating up woodland creatures, or punching practice dummies, he makes sure to at least get a good amount of training in.

 

Second, he works. If not taking a job from Blue Skies, he's looking for something to do. That might mean finding a boxing match or pit to fight in. It might mean taking on odd jobs for random people. If there's nothing, he goes back to Eastern La Noscea to help his father repair nets and mend sails. His father is getting older and is starting to lose his sight and a bit of manual dexterity. Dogberry will go over and help him earn a little extra money.

 

Third, if he's tired from training and worn out from work, is that old stand by intoxication. Alcohol and moko grass at least takes his mind off the fact that he is idle. It is not the healthiest or most respectable or crutches, but it is effective. He'll find himself at a bar, buzzed on moko grass and nursing a bottle of whiskey to stave off the tide of panic that rushes over him whenever he has time to himself.

[Xha'li Moui]

Before his exile Xha'li would have spent a day off out along the edge of the Twelveswood. Now though if the weather was nice he'd probably spend at least part of the day swimming in the ocean. In the case of poor weather he'd be more likely to take a book and find a sheltered spot where he could read and watch the ocean.

[Martiallais]

If your character had no immediate responsibilities or pressing matters to attend to for an entire day, how would they spend their new found day off? Do they feel good about having the time away from everything? Would nothing really change? Be as descriptive as you can!

 

Given that Zarek isn't the type to exert a vast amount of energy into something that doesn't either a) interest him or b) get him paid, here we go!

 

Being the slacker that he is, first thing's first...the night before he's likely out late. Either at a bar drinking or just wandering around (his guardian is Oschon after all) getting a feel for wherever he is at the time or even out causing trouble, knowing that he has nothing to do and no one expecting him anywhere. This would, of course, lead to him sleeping in the next morning.

 

Likely rising in the afternoon, he'd find himself something light to eat and make his way somewhere secluded. While he may be from the desert and a city boy through and through, when he practices (alone that is), he tends to do so somewhere surrounded by nature, be it sand, lots of water, or the still of a forest. This is because his mother (a highlander, who taught him and practiced with him regularly) always took him outside the city to do so and the combination of going through those basic motions out in nature is one of his main ways of remembering her.

 

After that, if he's in/near a larger city that's new to him, he'll wander around to get to know the place. Alleyways, crowded places, the whole nine. Especially places to go to look for work. If it's a smaller city or out in the forest, he'll be content to simply lounge and laze the day away, sporadically throwing in training here and there depending on what or who may be around. As long as he's got gil in his pocket to spend, there's nothing at all wrong with taking a few days here and there for himself and he wouldn't regret it in the least.

[Azelle]

Being a bit lazy, Azelle would try her best to get those day off. She will grab her best fishing rod and head over to a nice little secret fishing pond in Gridania after forgetting to bring her linkpearl! Of course she won't expect to be found if something happened that could ends her day off too early!

 

A nice little improvised dinner of grilled fish with some good wine to wash it down and a book to fall asleep while reading it under a tree. Now that's a good day off for her! All that would be missing is a fishing buddy, but that can be for the next day off eh?

[Mara]

First of all, if Mara suddenly had no responsibilities whatsoever... she'd go insane from boredom. Sure, she might complain about how she's the one stuck trying to dig her family business out of the hole her father put it in, but all of the work keeps her busy and she doesn't really like sitting on her ass doing nothing. (Hence the reason she hates formal thaumaturge training: she'd rather be out blowing stuff up than sitting around reading boring books on spellcraft and magical theory.)

 

A day off would start with sleeping in. Late. Like, noon or later. (Much to the chagrin of her caretaker, who would get her cute little head bitten off a couple of times when she tries to rouse her mistress for meals.) Once she finally drags herself out of bed, she would spend some time soaking in the tub, relaxing.

 

Then she'd dress in one of her more provocative outfits and hit the town for the evening. Much drinking and gambling would ensue, with her winning every hand thanks to the low cut of her blouse and the fact the men she's playing just love watching her lean over the table to collect her winnings. Assuming she'd be in Ul'dah, she might check out who's fighting that night. If her personal favorite is on the card, she'd certainly stick around to watch and place a bet on him.

 

In the event that he's not fighting - or they're not in Ul'dah - she would head to the bar he'd most likely be at and start flirting around with other men until he showed up... and then she would probably continue flirting with other men to get a jealous rise out of him, because that's just how she is. Okay, so... She actually does it because she knows what it will lead to and that is exactly what she's aiming for.

 

The night would, of course, end with the two of them at her place... and you all can just use your imaginations for the rest.

[Torvhan]

Torvhan had become something of a workaholic following Dalamund's Fall. Having found his purpose after the Sultana's speech to the orphans of Ul'dah, he was determined to support the little ones as well training himself to reach his goal.

 

Recently as the children grew older and many began to enter apprentices, and even some lucky few children were reunited with their parents after they returned to Eorzea. Torvhan has found his load lightened, and has begone to take up adventuring with the Blue Skies adventuring company and jobs from the gladiators guild. Helping people he meets as he travels Eorzea.

 

Suddenly finding his day free of commitment, Torvhan starts his morning as normal with morning prayer and weapons drills. After a good workout, he quickly wipes himself off, changes, and heads to the orphanage. Torvhan greets the Matron warmly, and spends his morning and afternoon playing with the little ones and helping around the orphanage. As the evening sun set Torvhan trekked out of the city to a little cemetery, and knelt down at a small pair of gravemarkers to give a status report to his parents.

[doctorgalactic]

Kayle would probably make sure his daily duties were taken care of, and then take his trusted Chocobo Redwind for a ride out to Little Ala Mhigo to visit his mother and step-father.  He'd bring gil, food, and goods, as his parent's can't afford the bustling lifestyle of the city just yet.  He still hasn't made many friends in Ul'Dah, but if he had more he'd probably spend the day exploring the wilderlands or discussing historical events with anyone willing to listen.  Maybe waxing poetic with the Thaumaturges and trying to meet more people in the markets.