#* moogle delivery .

[twicebled]

kasz i'm just here to say that ur writing is always so incredibly beautiful, 10/10 swooning over ur posts everyday!!!

HEY !! ... hey.  who gives you the right to be nice to me.  hhhhh.  thank you so much !! ;u;   honestly my writing’s been changing a lot these recent months, so I’m particularly happy to hear this !! 

[twicebled]

@ravenhung​ SENT OVER LINKSHELL

♡

           o’  blessed  child,  how  long  has  it  been  since  last  you  ran  beside  a  spirit  alike  your  own ?   bones  more  ancient  than  their  host  yearn  for  the  forests  and  company  of  saber — toothed  companions,  feral  and  untamed.   it  is  where  she  belongs,  amidst  wild  forces  of  nature,  ruled  by  naught  but  their  own  whims.   but  the  frozen  south  is  beyond  her  now,  as  are  the  creature  she  once  danced  across  snow — swept  fields  with.   how  many  remain,  she  wonders ?  

         dearest  julian,  he  is  no  leopard  or  even  tiger  —  too  flighty,  she  thinks  —  and  no  rat  would  think  to  approach  the  unknown  as  he  had  done  to  greet  her  that  day.   instead  there  came  a  curious  raven  painted  auburn,  touched  by  fire  and  ash.  what  a  delightful  display !   to  think  such  simple  turn  of  traveler’s  fortune  would  blossom  akin  lone  flower  back  home,  growing  strong  despite  cold  winds  demanding  its  demise.   wayward  miqo’te  knows  not  what  to  make  of  the  northern  cultures,  but  she  knows  what  to  make  of  him.

             the  motions  come  like  breathing,  ingrained  into  her  being  much  like  instincts.  feline’s  light  frame  easily  vaults  over  grand  walls  with  help  of  avian  companion  and  mischievous  claws  make  quick  work  of  a  lock  meant  to  keep  out  ne’er-do-wells.  perhaps  that  is  why  it  yields  with  nay  effort  —  what  harm  is  there  in  a  little  exploration ?   ah.   the  growing  noise  of  a  very  persistent  guard  —  heavy  steps,  graceless  —  tells  of  disagreement  and  remind  a  trickster  of  the  adrenaline  that  makes  it  all  worthwhile.   what  good  is  running  without  a  fool  to  outrun ?  

               the  gate  is  heavy,  even  with  two  bodies  prying  it  open,  and  she  takes  comfort  in  that  as  much  as  she  does  in  raven’s  lithe  form  allowing  him  to  follow  suit  with  little  time  spent.   ( get  a  head  start,  then  slow  your  pursuer.  make  it  difficult.  staying  ahead  means  staying  alive )   a  blur  of  obsidian  passes  by  and  an  equally  dark  but  familiar  shadow  casts  over  her  as  their  way  of  entry  soon  slams  shut  with  combined  effort  and  locking  mechanism  firmly  in  place  like  non  had  ever  touched  it   —  but  not  before  she  gives  a  glance  towards  its  lower  edges,  confirming  lack  of  a  coat  stuck  between.  

                 how  strange  for  a  creature  of  suspicion  to  feel  so  at  home  in  company  of  another.   not  the  home  of  a  bard  amidst  listeners,  but  one  where  tension  is  allowed  to  ebb  from  a  body  before  mismatched  eyes  had  time  to  scout  new  surrounds  for  the  many  ways  she  might  escape  or  distance  herself  if  necessary.   instead,  there  is  only  excitement  —  a  taste  of  bliss,  perhaps  —  of  a  chase  well  done,  like  another  hunt  survived,  even  if  its  danger  was  lesser.    

         and  though  one  might  claim  the  chase  and  subsequent  survival  alongside  cherished  friend  as  its  own  reward,  a  miqo’te  from  the  south  takes  more  gratification  in  allowing  her  ears  their  freedom  by  leaving  a  heavy  hood  to  rest  ‘pon  her  back  without  cause  for  concern.   (  is  it  odd  to  thank  a  man  for  not  paying  mind  to  a  feature  so  foreign  to  his  people?  likely.  but  one  day  she  will. )   they  catch  the  sound  of  laughter,  and  oh  what  lovely  sound  it  is  —  he  should  laugh  more  often.   happiness  suits  him.    

           and  before  dearest  traveler  knows,  own  voice  joins  to  create  chorus  of  amusement  —  her  favourite  form  of  music,  so  full  of  life.   an  old  ache  tells  her  it  is  not  safe  to  stay  here,  urges  carefree  kitten  to  keep  running,  far  away  from  a  door  that  holds  danger  at  bay.   she  tucks  it  away  for  later,  buried  deep  beneath  mirth  and  gratification.   so  occupied  with  thoughts  and  racing  heart  alike,  even  the  most  predictable  action  comes  as  a  surprise,  cutting  off  her  laughter  with  a  short  yelp.

           tall  raven  embraces  small  feline  and  trickster’s  world  becomes  engulfed  in  hues  dancing  betwixt  auburn  and  scarlet,  gaze  struggling  to  decide  whether  to  settle  ‘pon  piercing  insides  of  trademark  jacket  or  fire-touched  tones  of  wild  hair.  and  truth  be  told,  she  does  not  care.  affection  comes  easy  to  her,  always  has.   but  how  often  has  another  deigned  to  offer  such  gestures ?   (  when  was  the  last  time  you  let  anyone  close  enough,  hero ?  )   with  subtle  haste,  in  fear  of  wasting  the  moment,  do  her  arms  reach  around  his  neck  to  hold  beloved  friend  close.  

              she  knows  not  whether  it  was  merely  good  timing  or  intentional,  but  there  comes  silent  gratitude  for  tight  grasp  —  both  her  own  and  his  —  when  solid  ground  disappears  ‘neath  her  boots  and  vision  beyond  leather — clad  avian  begins  to  blur  with  motion.   reflexes  jostle awake,  claws  clutching  onto  his  clothing  like  a  lifeline,  but  the  laughter  that  bubbles  forth  and  fervent  wiggling  of  her  ears  tells  of  naught  but  joy.   it  is  comical  to  think  all  he  needed  to  lift  her  was  straighten  his  posture,  and  there  is  freedom  in  feeling  safe  while  being  spun  around  as  though  weightless.  

           safety.   how  significant  a  word,  one  she  deems  befitting  the  situation.   with  eyes  closed  she  buries  her  face  in  the  crook  of  his  neck  throughout  and  even  after  her  little  rebellion  against  gravity.   the  ground  makes  little  difference.   perhaps  it  is  merely  his  height  compared  to  hers,  or  grand  coat,  but  the  outside  world  seems  so  very  far  now, harmless.   feline’s  grip  loosens  and  leaves  the  raven’s  neck  only  to  weave  around  his  chest  instead  —  as  far  they  can,  anyway  —  burying  herself  into  the  embrace  as  best  she  can,  away  from  everything  else.  

           ❝ Gods,  I  could  hug  you  all  day, ❞    it’s  a  muffled  sound  laced  with  trademark  humor,  although  she  very  much  means  it,  or  would  like  to,  had  she  not  the  mind  to  think  of  the  poor  man’s  back.    ❝ But  perhaps  not  with  a  guard  on  our  tails, ❞    It  is  a  grueling  task  to  lift  her  face  from  its  comfortable  space  at  his  neck  and  her  ears  lie  low,  flicking  only  at  the  sounds  of  a  heavy  gate  being  rattled,  but  disappointment  is  banished  before  it  can  flourish.   instead,  appreciation  finds  jester’s  heart  and  soft  lips  place  a  shameless  kiss  ‘pon  fellow  troublemaker’s  cheek.  

HUG YOUR LOCAL CAT TODAY ! / ACCEPTING !

[twicebled]

✿

@leveilleurisms inquired !

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other.  

I’ve always seen these two as being a bit of a yin yang deal, balancing out the other’s flaws. Alphinaud has the calm sense to keep Johri’s impulsive temper in check, whereas Johri has the experience to know when action needs to be taken ( though sometimes they both get impulsive, lbr ). They help each other grow, always bringing out the best in one another and facing challenges together, but don’t need a reason to spend time together. They likely know a lot of each other’s quirks and such from spending a long time under the same roof in Ishgard. 

I also love the idea of them teaching each other a bit of their respective vocations. Johri would be particularly thrilled to compare the inherent magic of a bard to the more direct arts of an arcanist. They can drag alisaie and urianger into it. study group, let’s go.

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other : found family !! 

I always talk about how Alphinaud is like a younger sibling to Johri, but I don’t think that does it justice. On many occasions he has been an anchor to her the same way everyone else expects her to be for them, acting with a wisdom beyond his years. She would not have come this far without him and confides in him the doubts she never dares speak to the world. He may be younger, and she will dote on him as such, but they absolutely are equals and she acknowledges this. 

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other : lightwarden / 14th au. coughs. 

Even the best of friends argue, and these two in particular have a strong clashing point between Johri being the Reluctant Hero trope & Alphinaud’s idealistic hopes. She does not care about people or the world as much as he does. She is kind, yes, but also somewhat apathetic outside her circle of friends. And particularly in SHB, with the things brought to light by Emet-Selch, she becomes quite bitter regarding the grand scheme of it all. 

This bitter apathy is something very few get a glimpse of and only Alphinaud knows of in detail from her own mouth. She trusts him enough to drop the carefree hero act around him.

𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂.     This turned into a bit of rambling, woops. It’s all very flexible if something doesn’t fit your portrayal or you prefer something different for them! I’m always up for plotting! Just figured I’d throw in some context as to why Johri cares so much for Alphinaud. 

Johri comes from a patchwork family with a lot of younger siblings. It’s become an instinct to watch over youths, and this is something she projected onto Alphinaud from the start, but it took the events of Heavensward for her to genuinely care beyond a sense of duty to keep those younger than her safe.

This is also where Johri significantly diverges from the WoL’s canon behaviour. 

After Ul’dah, all they really had was each other, a solidarity between them from their experiences and predicament. For Johri, this was a huge “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” moment, and her grief manifests as anger. Unfortunately, she took it out on Alphinaud. She used his guilt to keep herself grounded, taking an already bad atmosphere and making it worse. Their beginnings in Ishgard were incredibly tense as a result of it.

There was a lot of damage control from Haurchefant. But in the end they came out stronger for it because I very much believe they sat down and talked it out at some point, likely after Haurchefant’s death. It sobered her up quite a bit. She only just realized what friends are worth, and she did not want to loose Alphinaud to her own folly or something worse. She was determined to make up for it.

Heavensward was the first time Johri truly felt the personal consequences of the path she was thrown onto, both good and bad, and Alphinaud is the one who walked with her through it all. They always call her a beacon of hope, but for her, that was Alphinaud. He kept it together when she could not. This was a defining point in her journey, and she won’t forget the people who walked besides her. It is why she considers Ishgard her home.

Ever since, she has gone to great efforts to make sure Alphinaud does not dwell on any failures or blames himself for them, like some meager sentiment to make up for the things she said, taking whatever burden she can to make it easier for him. She still thinks of it sometimes, to keep herself honest. It reminds her of what is at stake. 

The Scions’ disappearance prior to SHB absolutely broke her. Thancred had to hold her back from throttling Gaius when she saw him carrying Alphinaud’s unconscious form. She carried him back herself and no one can tell me otherwise, thanks. There was a lot of hugging when they reunited on the first. 

ANYWAY. johri stans alphinaud, thanks for coming to my ted talk. 

RELATIONSHIP MEME 2.0 / ACCEPTING !

[twicebled]

my meta questions are usually good but i just have to know how she got her panda

@finalsparke inquired !

Johri’s furry companion was rescued from a smuggling operation! It was pure coincidence.

At some point in time, she teamed up with an adventurer for a simple escort job in the region. The first detail she will tell you of him, even before his study as a summoner, is the ridiculously pointy hat in the brightest shade of red she’s ever seen. 

However, what seemed a simple enough task soon had these two deal with a band of smugglers, having followed their instincts that something is not quite right.  Given the sensitive nature of such an undertaking, Johri employed the assistance of the Scions, namely Tataru and Thancred, and together they eventually brought that illicit operation to an end.

Amidst the many smuggled goods was a family of red pandas. How these people got their hands on them is to this day absolutely beyond her, considering how far their home environment is.

What followed were discussions of what to do with these little guys. Although Johri wanted to return them to their intended habitat in Ilsabard, it was deemed much too dangerous a journey.

In the end, Tataru assured Johri she would find them a proper home with someone who knows how to care for them. What that damned Lalafell did not tell our lovely Miqo’te was that she had kept one of them for her, on the grounds that “the little guy was so smitten” with her and that he could just stay at the Rising Stones when she is gone. 

Johri protested, arguing that she has neither the time nor knowledge required to care for him, all while taking that red panda in her arms and walking away. 

Some of the details might change down the road as I develop this little adventure, but that is the general idea! The summoner is a shoutout to my friend who gifted me the little guy shortly after I made Johri on their server. 

random meta question / always welcome !