yo-yo!

 about a cat :  Blessed with a perpetually babyfaced set of looks, a fairly average build for a lalafell, and standing at a very unimpressive two fulms, nine and a half ilms, this tanned person would probably get mistaken for underage very easily if it weren't for their prolific gambling and drinking habits. There's almost always a huge, toothy grin plastered across their round face - though their canine teeth are longer and much more pointed than they should be - and their wide amber eyes dance with mischief. Their eyes also have black slit pupils, which is very odd for a Dunesfolk, which they claim to be.A set of three slightly faded whisker-like black lines are tattooed across each of their chubby cheeks and there are a single pair of piercings in the lobes of their ears, though they normally only wear only one earring: a miniature aetherstone. Their red-brown hair is kept in a loose braid and ponytail combination but is still always a bit messy, as if they have perpetual bedhead. There are white streaks and patches throughout their hair, though it doesn't look like regular greying - it looks intentionally (but messily) bleached out.Their fashion sense leans toward roguish, with Lominsan pirate colour themes and Hingan/Doman outfits common to the criminal classes as typical looks they sport. The little red collar with a gold bell never leaves their neck regardless of outfit; if you can get close enough, you might notice it is engraved with some Hingan characters.

 The life of a cat :  born in the alleys of the kogane dori market to an aging maneki-neko, yotsuba spent most of their early life - the first fifty or sixty years - in calico cat form (and various humanoid ones) getting to know the residents and shopkeepers, to the point her name is well known to several generations of families who reside in the area. their personable attitude and easy to get along with nature ensures they've got a malm-wide information net in the district, and a lot of people are willing to do them favours and vice versa - they love their people and work their luck magic to help them out frequently.Around the time of Doman resistance outreach to eorzea, they happened to be in the right place at the right time to get scooped up by a sailor and adopted as the ship that transported yugiri's delegation ship's cat. Initially this concerned them, as they'd be away from the kogane dori for some time, but they are nothing if not adaptable and rolled with it. They were not disappointed.In eorzea, they parted from the ship 's crew and did some touring. the big city markets made them the most comfortable, and they wound up adopting the humanoid form they wear today while they were in ul'dah's ruby road. the business-minded lalafell proved a perfect form, allowing them to fit in and really learn what made eorzean markets tick.After picking up a few vices in limsa lominsa and making friends with several pirate crews who are always wanting for a little more luck on their side, yotsuba finally packed up and returned to kogane dori a few years later to continue what they do best, picking up the spirits and luck of the whole merchant community. they eventually secured a business permit under the name yotsuba yoshiko and opened the lucky charm shop they operate today.

there's some

rules & preferences

if we're gonna play...

  01.  I will not ERP with Yotsuba. Yotsuba is panromantic, but is also asexual and sex neutral/averse. They'll show interest in a lot of different people, and while gender is not an issue in their attraction, their goal is never sex with anyone.  02.  I won't do animal or child abuse/harm scenes. I may write small bits of them in stories of my own, but I won't play them out with anyone else. This ensures I stay within my comfort on the subjects.  03.  Other mature subjects, within reason, are on the table. While Yotsuba is a pretty lighthearted character, I don't mind RPing some mature themes with them. Please talk it through with me and we might be able to work something out!  04.  In addition to rule 03, I will not RP mature themes with people under 21. This is my safety and yours here, people. Please don't even ask about mature RP at all if you're under this age. If I find out you are while an arc is ongoing, I will cut you off entirely and warn the community. I am more than happy to RP non-mature themed arcs or one-offs though!  05.  I am more than happy with yōkai/supernatural shenanigans, but if you're not, that's fine! Just let me know and I can adjust. I won't force the more supernatural things on people who don't want them; as far as those folks are concerned this is just an odd little Dunesfolk with slit pupils living in kugane, running a charm shop.  06.  I like the lore, but I am open to lore modification and introduction! As you can tell from this character, I don't mind bending things a bit to fit in a cool idea. To me, the lore's a hanger for our fun garments - there to be a basic structure, but other things look good on that framework too so we might as well drape them there.  07.  yotsuba is very friendly and so am I! I don't mind being bothered in Discord, email, or game. Feel free to just send a tell if you want Sasata around and I'll make an effort to get her where she needs to be - in game, in Discord, via email, whatever!  08.  I keep some weird hours and I'm not in game when most other Balmung players are. I live in EST, but I work night shift over the weekend so I usually only have time in game between Tuesday and Thursday nights (0000 to about 1300 EST). Contacting me outside those hours (and in general) is easier on Discord or in email.  09.  I prefer paragraph-based, humorous slice of life RP but I'm flexible and willing to match a partner's style and preferences. Short one-off scenes or longer plots, walk-ons in ongoing stories or new best friend material, it's all good!

time to get hooked!

【you might need yo-yo if...】

rumors, lies, and other nonsense

yotsuba is surprisingly well-traveled for a yōkai bound to the kogane dori markets, and because of this there's rumors about them basically everywhere - some of which might even be true. listed here are some you may have heard from various people of Limsa Lominsa, Kugane, and the gold saucer. Those near the bottom will be much rarer, so if you're using one of them as a hook, please let me know first!

【common rumors】

【rare rumors】

neko no te: yotsuba's good luck shop!

❝Nestled in a back alley near the Mujikoza theatre, there's an unassuming staircase with a cat's paw print and a red arrow pointing up painted on the wall at its base. This easily-missed marker is the ground floor welcome to Neko No Te, one of the best kept secrets of the famed Kogane Dori marketplace.Boasting an unrivaled collection of good luck charms and blessed trinkets from across Othard and the Hingan isles as well as some old Eorzean favourites, this cozy second floor emporium is a must visit for anyone who may need a little extra luck in their lives. Friendly locals are always on staff to help you find the exact sort of luck you're after.Need a testimonial? The locals in the bustling market below swear by the shop's goods, with many of them stating they have never purchased a product that doesn't work as intended. A warning to would-be thieves, however: a sign on the sales counter warns of the dire consequences of extremely bad luck if the charms are pilfered rather than paid for.❞

-The Raven, Hidden Gems of the East

a tiny shop named using a Far Eastern saying about being so busy you'd welcome even a cat's help, the full on-the-books name of yotsuba's shop is Neko No Te Mo Karitai, though it's usually only called that by people looking for tax payments and tourists. Everyone else just calls it Neko No Te - Cat's Paw.Boasting everything from Hingan Kobayashi fisherman's flags to lucky knot and sheep talismans from the Azim Steppe to some eorzean and hannish classics, all with a guarantee of working magic and a good price, this shop is just the place for an adventurer who needs a little extra oomph. yotsuba will even take commissions for custom tailored omamori if you need something extra special!You are welcome to visit whenever you like as the shop is left open for public, just know yotsuba is not always there. If they aren't and you need them, messages can be left at the service counter - the head clerk always has a book set aside for it.

【Shirogane 7 Subdivision, Kobai Goten, Apartment 70】

what's in store?

 REMEMBER :  if neko no te doesn't already have the lucky charm, scroll, or blessed item you need in stock when you come visit us, let the staff know and yotsuba will either track it down or make it themselves at no extra cost to you! we pride ourselves on happy customers, so let us know what we can do for you!

what can they do, anyway?