Snow

Snow listened to Opal and the more she spoke, the more Snow felt conflicted as whether to respect her or fear her. Perhaps a touch of both was appropriate? Yet, the girl tried to keep her focus on the garden at her knees. She needed at least one Gokoran Root to scratch all the veggies off the ingredient list. Then, they would need the Cockatrice Breast. Snow shuffled herself over to the next plant in the row.

"Me?" Snow asked, as if Opal had several options of people to address, "I was born in a nation close to Russia, the Czech Republic." 

The blonde phalanx lifted the leaves of the plant in front of her and moved aside to get a look at the thick root beneath.

"I was on a study abroad program in Kyoto when I was first introduced to games," the novice valkyrie continued, "That's when I met my roommate and she bought us a copy of NerveGears and Sword Art Online. Her parents were from the Americas."

Her lips scrunched together when she saw the color was a dark red, almost like a rich wine. She let a sigh escape and patted the dirt back into place before standing. She briskly brushed the dirt from Hikoru's gifted clothing, the dirt showing plainly on the deep black fabric. Again, Snow scrunched her lips together. She hated black, but felt an attachment to the gift. It reminded her that not all of the fighters are bad.

That's when her crystalline gaze met Opal's pale irises. Snow quickly diverted the eye contact without fully understanding why.

"I'm sorry if this is forward," Snow began with her eyes adverted, "But you speak of those old Japanese customs like you live there. Or... you are just very into the culture? A lot of those things are still in practice in Kyoto. A lot of the shrines are devoted to the old practices..."

The young blonde bit her lip, then focused her attention back on the garden. She walked down the rows looking for a plant that resembled the one she needed. Since the others in the city used these gardens picked what they planted to replace what was harvested, the stock of flora changed frequently. Since this particular veggie was similar to carrots, it was one of the staples and should be easy to spot.

"Soon as I find this one ingredient, we can go looking for a cockatrice," Snow spoke as she searched. "It has long, slender leaves, sticky to the touch, and the root is a deep purple, about the thickness of a banana. Then, we can stretch that sword arm of yours."

The girl let out a soft chuckle at the end of the last sentence. She felt in the little time she knew Opal, that the woman enjoyed expressing herself more with the sword than with words. After hearing her talk about her late friend, Snow couldn't blame her. There was no time for memories when in the heat of combat. Though still inexperienced, Snow at least understood that much.

The young valkyrie braced herself for the impact of the boars, looking away but keeping one eye on them at all times. Before they could lash out at her with their tusks, Lawfer placed himself between the two. Snow heard several unpleasant skritches and gnashes from successful hits. Small motes of red drifted from Lawfer's body much to the girl's concern. She reached out to him to check if he was alright, but watched as his HP bar barely ticked down a centimeter. She retreated her hand as if he were a hot kettle, and watched him spring back into action.

His halberd illuminated with a faint light and burst forth into a cyclone of fury. Each boar reeled back, tumbled, and came to a stop with gashes of their own from tail to tusk. In a second's passing, they burst into shimmering dust, each with a loot window of their own. Snow remained silent, for she had yet to see someone dispatch such strong enemies so effortlessly. He collected the spoils and a pop up appeared to Snow with her half. She reluctantly hit accept.

"You did all the work..." she stated with a tone of defeat. "And you kept me safe... Thank you."

The young phalanx gripped her spear quietly, disappointed in her own performance. She only quietly nodded to his advice about avoiding battle. It took her a moment to loosen her grip, but the girl eventually slid the spear to her back with a faint click. She felt out of place. He was one of those who fought and lived by it. She was still a Refugee with a weapon, treading in foreign territory she spent two years avoiding. 

"For Daire..." she reassured herself, remembering her late friend's smile.

She nodded softly to herself and found a place to retreat her insecurities to.

"Where to now?" she asked, her Russian accent faint on each word. "Should we rest, or keep pressing on?"

Before Snow shifted over to the next plant in line, she twisted her torso and stretched out for her spear. It was awkwardly out of reach but with a few wiggles and a pull, she loosed it from the soil. The haft toppled toward her, but she caught it just in time. With weapon in hand, she shuffled her knees in the dirt over to the next plant. To avoid having to fetch her spear for longer while, the girl thrust it into dirt to her right and pushed the haft to lean further away from her. That would buy her about another three plants worth without having to get up.

Satisfied that her spear remained close enough she could grab it in a moment's notice, but far enough as not to encumber her, she turned to the plant in front of her. This poor thing exhibited wilted leaves. The outer edges were crisp and crumbled in her fingers. The young Valkyrie immediately pulled the plant's info menu up to dismantle it.

It was too late.

The menu appeared for only a second before closing itself out. Then, the plant shattered into glittering fragments. Smaller and smaller they broke down until it only dust drifted in the wind. The girl let out a sad sigh and shook her head. The previous player should have replanted it before they left, but not all were as caring and vigilant as her. Snow pushed her finger into the soil where the plant once stood, opened her sub menu, and selected a random seed. She tamped down the hole and dismissed the popup.

The young blonde smiled. A cool autumnal breeze swept across the fields and caught her hair into its dance. A few stray wisps crossed her field of vision and she set them back in place with a sweep of her fingers. In the distance, the once fearsome boars she feared casually grazed away on the swaying greens. The hills of the plains gently rolled, allowing the wind to move the grass in what looked like a green sea. A faint aroma of wildflowers blessed the easterly breeze from the west fields. One day, Snow would have to harvest the herbs and honey that grew there. Her bright blue eyes swept the horizon for danger and only found herself in peaceful serenity.

"This is why she loved going out," Snow thought in regards to her late roommate from the America's.

The teen took a breath of the fresh air before returning to her toils. She shuffled over a smidgen and examined the type of plant at her knees. She gripped one of the broad, green leaves and rubbed it with gloved fingers. The texture yielded a slight resistance and felt slightly abrasive. She cupped one of the flowers in her hand. It was small, white, with six petals and two stamens which held a soft pink pollen on them. The phalanx leaned over and inhaled the flower's sweet and fruity aroma. Without checking the information window, Snow made her guess.

"Aragol Root," she spoke aloud.

Then, with a swipe of her finger, the info menu appeared. In the title, "Arogol Root". Luckily, this one was in its peak durability range for harvesting. Snow gripped it by the base of its stems and gave a firm tug. The root vegetable pulled from the soil and provided a pop up stating the material was in good condition. Snow selected harvest and the plant vanished into her inventory as well as two seeds to replenish it. Snow immediately pulled up the sub menu and planted one of the seeds in the existing hole. She tamped it down and dismissed the maturity timer.

((OOC: This is a gathering thread. Each post will have a roll attached. Loot Die over 15 yield 1 Material. Mob die at 10 or 1 will spawn a Mob with min criteria for loot. ))

Another sunrise meant another day out in the fields. Snow took her promise to Daire seriously and when the news came, her friend had achieved level 40 just weeks prior. Spear planted in the rich garden soil, the young phalanx pulled up her menu. Under the status screen, her level read three. A weight formed in Snow's chest. The gap between three and forty was far greater than she had thought. Daire managed to accomplish it in two years, how many would it take Snow? The young blonde navigated to her inventory and selected a pair of harvesting gloves. These were standard issue in the Beginner's Refuge, but served no real purpose. They had no stats and since the dirt here could be removed with the click of an icon, they were more an item of days long past in a world more distant than this one.
 

With her spear firmly planted in the soil behind her, Snow began to tend to the plants in the garden. Much to her dissatisfaction, another player must have recently made a pass in this area. Many of the plants had already been picked bare and were on the tail end of their durability timers. Snow selected the "dismantle" option on the plant in front of her. The plant vanished and yielded a popup notifying her of an addition to her inventory. She took a knee and pushed apart the earth with two finger, boring a small hole in the soil. She swiped her finger over the hole with her gardening gloves and produced a sub-menu of various seeds in her inventory. She spun down the list to a "Carrion Squash Seed". Compared to the real world, this type of plant produced a vegetable similar to cucumbers in the real world. If Snow was ever going to open her own restaurant, she needed to start gathering ingredients.

She selected the "plant" option and the seed appeared deep in the hole. Snow slid her hand over the earth and tamped down the soil. A small notification popped up with a countdown timer on it for the plant's maturity. Tomorrow, these would be ready to harvest.

Snow nodded in his proposal for loot.

"Seems fair," she commented, pleasantly surprised at his kindness. Many other players were under the mantra of you keep what you kill.

After a few more light topics of what to expect, they began for the gate. This morning, the streets were lighter than usual. Likely, many of the players had taken to the fields or the front to get their day underway. For the two of them, they were a little late to start, but not by much. When they arrived at the gates, her teammate turned to her to voice his concerns. At first, she was slightly offended by his assumption she would rush to her own demise, but he immediately countered with a compliment and a smile. Snow felt her cheeks warm and turn a slight rosy hue.

"I'll hunt with you," she commented as she adverted her gaze. "I'm still learning, so if something stronger came along..."

Her voiced trailed off, its implications clear. Lawfer reassured her and then they made their way to the objective.

The young phalanx kept pace with her new acquaintance. As they made way, they did little to exchange small talk, which was fine by her. In fact, the fields still intimidated her. As they maneuvered the fields, the blonde kept a wary eye on the nearby creatures and phases of light from re-spawns. It was only then they encroached on the forest perimeter did her team leader hold out a hand to stop her advance. He crouched low an whispered it was time to hunt. Snow nodded and quietly pulled the spear from her back. Compared to the boars in the plains, these looked bigger, meaner, and stronger. Her grip tightened to white knuckles against the oak haft of her weapon.

Then, he leapt forward at the pack with a wide, sweeping blow. The halberd's blade cut through the air with a hum, but just an inch too high to land on any of the animals. In essence, only alerting them of their presence. Each of the boars squealed and startled, looking toward Lawfer with glowing red eyes. They had yet to notice Snow. The girl took a deep breath, closed her eyes and exhaled to steel her nerves.
 

The girl opened her eyes, and leapt from the brush. The length of her spear began to hum until it pulsed with light. Her body shot forward in a flash and the tip shot forward into a lunge. Instead of her partner missing high, her spear stopped just shy of the pack. At the tip, and explosion of force radiated outward, but by the time it reached the swines, it only managed to buffer them with wind. Now, both of them were exposed. Snow landed and firmed her stance in the underbrush. She held her weapon across her frame and prepared for retaliation. With an apologetic glance, she looked to Lawfer.

"Sorry!," she apologized. "Still trying to get used to the system assist."

Meanwhile, the boars prepared to attack.

Snow was in the middle of planting a new seed for the next cycle of harvesting when Opal told her story. The young blonde looked down at the seed in the soil as she took in the similarity of loss and how a even a woman as strong as her still wavered in her voice. Snow rarely considered the idea of murderers, but she heard a few stories similar to Opal's. In fact, the world was now far more dangerous for women out there. Especially, if they traveled alone.

Snow buried the seed and tamped the soil down, a notification popping up to indicate time remaining for harvest. The blue-eyed teen dismissed the pop up and turned to Opal.

"Did you ever find them? The murderers?" Snow asked with concern on her lips and in her eyes. "I can't believe they preyed on children... of all people..."

Daire never mentioned these kinds of things to Snow. In fact, the front lines likely never saw such brutality. While they were busy fighting for everyone's freedom, those who lagged behind or lost motivation could be exposed to things like this. Player Killers, or as the information brokers told, didn't earn much EXP from killing. Many of them did so for the gold or items of the targeted player. To kill children, who had nothing, would simply be the lowest of low. Without gold, EXP, or items, they were killing for plain, sadistic entertainment.

Snow felt weak in the stomach at the thought. Compared to Opal, she was but a shadow to the flame. Even if she wanted to help, she couldn't. It pained her to know this in light of all Opal had done for her. Snow shook her head, blonde locks dancing about as they dangled over her shoulders.

She turned back to Opal and smiled.

"I'm okay with doing a little hunting. The recipe calls for a cockatrice breast. So we'll need to get one eventually." 

"Oh?" Snow commented as she crossed the threshold into the fields. "I guess I can relate. When I first started this game, I took it harder than my friend. She was like you, ambitious, strong, brave. She wanted to get out and fight with the others. I, I couldn't. I suppose you could say I played a support role? Really I just was taken care of, like all the other refugees and the really young players."

As Snow spoke, she wandered to the left of the gate exit, trying to remain within earshot. The garden backed up against the wall as if to give non-combatants the shortest possible distance between life and death in the event of a spawn. Already, a few players were tending to the crop. In SAO, there were no truly common ingredients like tomatoes, cabbage, or onions. All the ingredients here looked strange and often misleading. For example, a Kogoro Fruit was the equivalent of the Tomato. However, the fruit was mostly blue with little red bumps all over it.

Rows and rows of soil spanned several feet along the wall. Players planted seeds from the previous crop into the dirt and applied water from the wells in town. Over the period of 24 hours, the fully matured plant would spawn in, baring any random number of usable ingredients.

Snow walked over to the first few plants not currently being tended to. Right off the get go, she spotted a Korantant, a root plant with long, tubular leaves.

"It took some adjusting," Snow continued. She knelt over and tugged at the base of the plant to unearth a fist sized object with the similar shape of an artichoke, but purple in color. "But I never could really muster going out into the fields like her. She left, I stayed."

Snow brushed off the loose soil and pulled up the info menu.

"She was one of the front liners, clearing floors with the rest of them and fighting the bosses. She would send me PMs all the time."

To her enjoyment, the window confirmed it as a usable ingredient, not spoiled, under ripe, or over ripe. She hit accept on the window and the vegetable vanished into her inventory.

"I don't know how she did it, but she always stayed the same. She was always upbeat, playful, and encouraging. I admired her..."

Snow smiled, but her back faced Opal. A tear ran down the young phalanx's cheek to which she quickly swiped away with a sleeve and took a deep breath.

"She was like a sister I never had. Because of her, I'm out here. As much as I didn't want to see it, this place changes people. It's not the same as out there, and waiting around like it's some bad nightmare won't change a thing."

Snow turned to Opal with a cheerful expression, eyelids a soft hue of red and glistening from the remnants of sorrow.

"But it's people like you that help give others hope."

Snow smiled at his chipper personality and his response to Opal. When she heard her name, she gave a slight nod. Moments later, a party request window appeared to her with Lawfer's name on it. She hit accept and his name plus health bar appeared in the upper left of her peripheral vision.

"Nope, I should be all good to go. I'll let you handle the tough stuff since I still have this old thing from two years ago," she replied with a gesture to the plain oak and steel spear fastened to her back. "But I should be able to hold my own."

Snow pulled up her menu and made a few checks before feeling completely confident. When she closed them out, she gestured to Lawfer.

"I'll follow you," she added with a smile.

Snow continued her sifting through the vegetation, trying to find something of use to bring back to the shop. Her eyes spotted another Kogoro Fruit but the moment she placed her hand on it, she could tell it wasn't quite ripe. If she plucked it now, she'd only be holding a handful of sharded data.

"Hmph," she grunted with a sour look on her face. Luck wasn't going her way today.

Then, the voice of a familiar stranger sounded in the distance. Snow looked through the vegetation just in time to see the tomato she chucked burst into glowing shards. Her crystalline blue eyes widened.

"I am so, so sorry!" she apologized. "People don't usually hang around the garden very long unless they're gathering. I didn't think I would --"

She stopped herself mid sentence. 

"Sorry," she looked up to him with a smile. Her face speckled with dirt and all the markings of a long day.

"I'm Snow," she continued, dusting herself off and selecting the unequipped option from her gardening gloves. She extended her hand to him.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Kyr. Are you out laying in the fields again today?"

She offered him her smile.

Snow giggled at Opal's sense of humor. The Russian teen came from a familiar where humor was generally lost. It was her roommate Daire, from America who enlightened her. With such privileged parents and unmatched confidence, Daire had a flare for the dramatic and often tried to break the quieter and more reserved Snow from her shell with remarks like that. Snow, now more comfortable with talk like this, made her report.

"Oh, I know you are, but I can't let you have all the fun," Snow joked with a wink.

"I like her," Angel remarked with a chuckle.

Snow nodded. "Me too."

The young teen rose from her stool and partially bowed to Angel.

"Well, Angel, I'm off! I got your list of ingredients and we'll be back before you know it! Hang tight." 

The matriarchal figure dismissed the two with a flick of her wrist and warm smile. Then, she went right back to her usual routine of cleaning dishes and providing food to the patrons. Snow opened her menu and flicked throught a few windows before generating a party request for Opal. She flipped through a few more and in a matter of seconds, Snows frame flashed bright and fragmented. As the data cleared, her casual attire and glasses vanished to show her black hoodie and cargo shorts given to her by Hikoru.

"The list has a few veggies and seeds on it. There is a garden just outside the safezone I used to tend when I lived in the Begginer's Refuge. Since we didn't have col, we just help gather the materials for the cooks that fed us there. We had guards back then because there are still a few spawns there. We'll be fine though..."

Snow paused.

"Thanks to you and your... assets." She stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Shall we? It's toward the northern gate, You take the lead."

"I couldn't agree more," Snow returned in regards to Opal's comment about remaining positive. "There are so many things here that can be sad, but we equally have some we can be happy about."

The young blonde smiled to the fair femme fatale with a tilt of her head. Snow only half believed those words, but neglected to show it. Her friend in the real world was claimed by this place. Each day they remain inside meant one day they lost outside. While people could still eat and sleep here, outside was a different story. Someone had to care for her as she was trapped in here. Unseen and unknown to her, what battle was being fought out there? When would they pull the plug? When would they simply admit defeat and accept the ever climbing death toll to its complete ten thousand?

"I don't like to think of them as AI though," Snow continued, her tone still bright as ever. "They're still people, just like us. Angel remembers my name, she remembers what we last talked about. She's a lovely person and a beautiful soul." 

Some found that line of thinking insane. Snow stopped caring about other's opinions of her own values long ago. She was herself, this was her world as she chose to accept it.

"Thank you, dear," Angel chimed in, with a nod to Opal.

"You're welcome," the blonde replied.

"Why don't you take this nice lady with you on your day today, Snow?" Angel asked in an encouraging tone. Snow couldn't stop herself from smiling back.

"I will, Angel. I was getting there! Don't rush a girl," the teen added with a playful show of her tongue and scrunched nose. Snow turned back to Opal.

"It would be a pleasure, Miss Opal. I do have to warn you though, I'm hoping to take up a quest today. Since I'm now going to be out there fighting along side you, I need to think about how I'm going to afford all that gear. I checked with the brokers about professions, and have decided I'd like to become a cook."

The final word out Snow's mouth lit a fire in Angel's eyes. The NPC immediately gripped at Snow's hand and thusly, the girl's attention as well.

"Dear," Angel began, her tone far more serious, "you must let me teach you! I have the best recipe for pot pie."

From shocked and silent to smiling and giggling, Snow nodded her head.

"Of course Angel," the teen commented. Then, she turned to Opal. "She really does make the best pot pies."

At that moment, a prompt appeared to Snow. She read it over to find it the beginning of the profession quest. The girl memorized the ingredient list and hit accept. As the window closed, Opal's frame became visible again.

"Care to join me?"
 

Snow smiled at the smith warmly and bowed to him formally.

"Thank you!" she chirped, rising again to eye level. "That's all I needed today! I'll be back with payment before you know it!"

With another half bow, the girl turned on her heels and made for the door. She gripped the handle, turned to wave goodbye, and left to begin her hunt.

[Leaves Thread]

[+1 Reserve for "Extension of the Storm"]

"Thank you, sir!" Snow bowed the the NPC quest giver with a smile and the partial bend seen in common Japanese society. The NPC returned a similar gesture.

As the young phalanx turned about, her eyes met with that of another. She jolted if only a bit by his unexpected presence. Luckily, he broke the ice with a friendly tone and a smile. Then, he mentioned the Knights of the Bloodoath and Snow's eyes brightened.

"Oh?! Do you know Opal?" the blonde inquired with a quick recollection of the tall femme fatale. Immediately, she knew she was in good company. Between Seul, Opal, and Hikoru, the young teen had renewed faith in the players that chose to fight. Before her will to join them, the fighters treated her and her fellow refugees like worthless scavengers.

House Rules:

The sun hung high in the sky, warmer than most days. Compared to life before SAO, this season would have equated to summer. As a resident of a giant floating castle, Snow never really figured out if there existed seasons in SAO. Since she never left the first floor, the girl only assumed that the warmer or hotter months had to do with Aincrad's position over whatever terra forma below.

The young blonde looked to the sun, her arm hung over her eyes to block the light. The teen's fair skin glistened with the nectar of hard labor. Snow drew her arm across her damp forehead before tending to the gardens just outside the city gates. Here, this close to the walls, mobs were nearly non existent. Those that did spawn or wander over usually met the untimely end of a material hunter's blade.

Snow knew this life better than the one Daire pursued. Quiet, simple, and relaxing, Snow continued to dig through the vegetation. Carrots, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, lettuce, and the occasional potato grew in rows of rich soil. Well, they weren't like the real world, but they were SAO's equivalents to those common veggies. Once the planted seed's timer matured, the fully ripe plant would spawn into place.

Snow fiddled with one of the tomato plants known as a "Kogoro Fruit" and plucked the red and blue speckled fruit from the vine. In her soiled, gloved hands, she examined it for impurities. As she turned the fruit over, she noticed a small hole the size of a pea. She brought it close to her eyes with a squint. From the hole emerged a small worm with a mouthful of tiny little teeth.

"Ack!" Snow spat as she lobbed the thing out to the field in disgust.

Snow looked back to the collection of odd personalities and loons as they exchanged in the fields. Night drew to an open as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and gave to darkness. Perhaps they didn't have fear of the fields like she did? She only recently ventured out and admittedly lacked the finesse with her weapon that others displayed. Regardless, she made for the city.

As she pulled her glance away from the strangers, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, Icarus. Her mind wavered on staying for the briefest of moments. Yet, with a shake of her blonde head, Snow dismissed the thought and continued her hurried pace to safety. Were she a higher level, or more competent with her abilities, she would have stayed.

Another time. Another life.

Snow crossed over into the safe zone and buckled over. With her hands on her knees, she panted heavily to catch her breath. She let her cerulean gaze float out to the fields one last time. Then, she picked herself up, and trecked to Lady Seraphillia's Inn for a well deserved Cider and Chowder Bowl.

[Leaves Thread]

Totals:

Snow: +1 SP, 57 col
+1 Hope [Light Armor Top]
+1 Pride [Light Armor Bottoms]
+1 Mitigation Potion
Opal: +1 SP, 57 col
-1 Mitigation Potion
Icarus: +1 SP, 57 col
Drake: +1 SP, 57 col
Hikoru: +1 SP, 57 col
-1 Hope [Light Armor Top]
-1 Pride [Light Armor Bottoms]
Seul: +1 SP, 57 col
Phillia: +1 SP, 57 col

Thread is closed to be continued as a [PP] with those present in this thread. Focus will be on battle. Primary party is Opal, Snow, Icarus, and Drake.

Please link this thread to your journals as proof of gains.

Snow felt uncomfortable venturing to the higher floors. With so very little experience under her belt, a single wrong look from something in the fields would drop her health to zero and ultimately, end her very young life. Yet, the blonde felt compelled to venture out of her comfort zone. If not just to feel better about taking risks, than to see and learn about life on the higher floors. Luckily, the warp gates were always located in safe zones, even the few floors that held warp gates in the fields. Granted, those gates had much smaller safezones, but they existed none the less.

When Snow spawned into the third floor Delilah Village, she immediately notice how much smaller it was compared to the Town of Beginnings. Not only were the buildings shorter, but the architecture was warm and inviting. The teen took her first few steps into the foreign territory, hands close to her chest and mind racing with anxiety. The players here were fewer, NPCs even less so, but the village seemed to cater to its inviting atmosphere. Aromas of baked goods and simmering stocks floated in the air along with the smokey tinge of wood burning fireplaces.

In fact, the aroma reminded her of her childhood in the Czech Republic. She lived in a small town similar to this. Sometimes when she walked the street to her mother's shop, she could smell the baker's wares or household recipes on the crisp air.

It was one particular aroma that hooked Snow's attention. Savory, with a hint of spice, yet simple and familiar. The young phalanx braved the cobbled streets in pursuit of the source. It lead her to a small cafe with a chalk sign outside which read:

The Crimson Diner
Today's Special:
Rabbit on a Stick
Sapphire Stew
&
Apple Cider

"Rabbit," Snow thought with excitement in her eyes. Her father used to bring them home on the way from the factory. Every winter season, it was a cheap and simple staple for them.

Snow walked into the quaint diner with a soft jingle of the door's bell.

As Snow opened her eyes post-sigh, she discovered the presence of another. He plucked the spear from the wall, where for a brief moment Snow's heart sunk. Then, he gestured to her and let it fall into her hands. Snow looked to the spear, then to the stranger, and back to the spear.

"What're you--" she began only to halt at his words. Snow let confusion possess her expression before the stranger finished, then returned to his position at the counter.

Her eyes widened as he continued to help the players gathered there. The facts clicked into place.

"He's the smith?!"

She looked back to the item in her hands, information still displayed with her eyes drawn to the name of the craftsman.

"Oikawa?" she read.

The window vanished the moment the weapon shifted in her hands. Immediately, Snow noticed the weight of it compared to her plain wood and steel weapon. While it was much heavier, she also noticed a subtle balance of weight along the haft, offset by the ornate pommel and bladed head. She lifted it and set the pommel against the wooden floor to better see the craftsmanship of the neck, crown, and head. Unlike the plain cup and rivet seen in standard issue spears, this weapon lacked a visible adhesion to the shaft. Instead, a delicate relief pattern marked the circumference of the neck and tied into the two  blunted points of the crown. From there, a soft motif in the polished metal, similar to Damascus, faded into the broad, bladed head and needle sharp point.

She again hefted its weight, her hands comfortably gripping the sky blue haft.

"What is that?" she asked herself.

The material of construction for the haft eluded her. It didn't feel as lifeless and pliable as wood, nor as cooling and rigid as metal, and it certainly wasn't plastic. Bone or horn perhaps? Unfamiliar with the game's thousands of materials, Snow let it fade from her mind. Either way, the weapon felt solid, expertly smithed, and a dream made real.

Her mind drifted back to the cost with a heavy heart as she placed it back on the wall. She let her crystalline eyes take it in one more time before she turned to the counter. As requested, she approached Oikawa, an idea in her head.

"Excuse me, sir," Snow began. "Thank you for letting me hold your spear. It's really beautiful and well made."

She paused to consider if her request would be considered rude or not. With a shake of head, she resolved to ask anyway.

"I don't have any Col or Materials to pay for you, but would it be too much to ask if you could place it on hold for me?"

Snow nodded to Icarus at his information. She had hoped to be more useful than that, but the words of wisdom made sense to her. Snow took a deep breath so she correct her line of thinking. Survival needed to be first and foremost. One couldn't live for another if they got themselves killed in the process.

"Okay," the novice sighed. "I'll let one of you get us started."

Snow approached the faintly glowing edge of the safezone. Outside the line, a seemingly endless expanse of green fields and forestry awaited them. Peppered along the way, boars and other fauna idly roamed. As Snow gazed outwardly, the dark figure of one of the players entered her peripheral. Not a moment sooner, a trade window appeared to Snow. Two items appeared on the list as well as the name, "Hikoru".

"What's this?" she remarked, immediately followed by his explanation.

"Are you sure?" Snow countered to a nod from Hikoru.

The teen hit accept, slightly overwhelmed by the generosity of these helpful strangers. The menu changed and asked if she'd like to equip the new gear. Snow struck accept once more. Her form shimmered, burst into a flash of scattered data, and revealed beneath the armor set of Hope and Pride. Hope, a black hoodie with white cross on the back, hugged Snow's body comfortably whereas Pride, a pair of baggy cargo pants fitted with a barb wire chain from the side to rear pocket, gripped loosely to her hips. Snow looked herself over, side to side, and back to front. Her pale complexion, blonde hair, and crystal blue eyes starkly contrasted the pitch black attire.

She didn't care for the aesthetic of it, but brightened her expression with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Hikoru!" she exclaimed, her body mid-motion for a hug, but she checked herself. Snow took a step back and opted for a courteous bow as often seen and expected in Kyoto.

"I owe you one," she added as her head raised out of the bow. She smiled one last time before turning to her assembled team.

"I owe you all, actually. So thank you." Snow dipped into another light bow. "I'll let you take the lead, just let me know what to do."

"What'll you be having dear?" Angel asked.

"Oh, nothing today Angel. Thank you though, I actually wanted to talk to you about something else," Snow elaborated. Angel raised a brow with a coy smile.

"And what's that, dear?"

"I've decided to join the fight."

Angel stopped polishing her glasses clean and set aside her rag. The NPC's hands cupped the edge of the counter and the motherly figure leaned in toward Snow. 

"You're not going to forget about me now, are you?" The tone was shockingly threatening, yet playful - a complex response from an AI based character. It took Snow by surprise.

"I would never!" the blonde exclaimed, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Just then, a familiar voice broke the air. Snow turned to find the source only to further her confusion. It took a moment and a squint of the eyes, but her memory piqued.

"Opal?" Snow questioned. "Is that you?"

The black hair, now white and accented in red framed the front-liner's face completely different. Compared to the combat attire, Opal's figure stood out more and with a significantly more casual tone. In contrast, Snow also donned her favorite vanity attire: a loose, beat to hell white sweatshirt with the lower hem tied into a knot, a pair of canvas shorts which exposed a bit of midriff and leg, and shin high leather boots lashed to her ankles as opposed to laced. As she tried to assess the woman who introduced herself, Snow nudged her red framed glasses closer to her face. While the game augmented the player's vision to remove the need for glasses, Snow liked them for their familiarity to the real world.

"That is you!" the blonde phalanx declared. "You look completely different! How do you change your hair like that here? It looks good on you!"

Snow smiled to her recent acquaintance.

Snow watched as the flock of players emerged from the tree-lines, all manner of things in tow. One woman easily dispatched two Dire Boars that would have easily fragged the level one player she was. The pit of Snow's stomach began to sour with anxiety.

"We have to go," she directed at her new acquaintance. "Gathering like this in the field at night is bad."

Snow edged herself toward down, spear gripped with with knuckles. In honesty, it wasn't the critters that were the most frightening, it was the potential PKer's. The cover of night added to the stealth skill which proved fantastic for hunting mobs.

And other players...

At the thought, Snow eyed the three newcomers. The girl who dispatched the boars seemed innocent enough, likely seeking materials which were either time sensitive or rare. The vibrant white haired girl who seemed a touch too forward in a game filled with danger at every turn. Lastly, and most threateningly, the player who waltzed from the forest with a pack of boars in tow. His body radiated with the speckled scars of damage as the beasts continued their tired onslaught. Meanwhile, he casually continued, not a single expression on his features.

Snow pointed.

"Like that," she stated. "If he gets close enough and we pull aggro..."

Snow's fight or flight cried out, and her legs hurried her pace.

"We need to get back to town!"

"I see," the girl replied in her soft Russian accent. "You certainly don't look like you should be out here. How did you make it so far without drawing aggro?"

Snow cocked a hip with her weight on the length of her spear in the opposite hand. She ran her eyes over him, a beginner like herself, but far less afraid of the wilds. How long has he been like this?

"It doesn't matter," she corrected. "We should get back to town before the night beasts cycle in. They're far more predatory than the boars."

Snow gestured with the head of her weapon toward the glimmering city lights.

"Shall we? Let's talk more then."

Snow sat at the edge of a hill, the nearby forests on the horizon. The sun dipped low behind the horizon in a blaze of purple and orange. The young phalanx planted the pommel of her spear into the soft soil and swaying blades of grass. Her free hand crossed her brow to clear the sweat of hard labor. The blonde asked herself for two years why Daire didn't stay with her in the Town of Beginnings - why she chose to risk her life on the front lines.

Standing here, in the open fields, her chest on fire with life and labor, she saw through Daire's eyes.

She saw the beauty of this world.

Snow took a deep breath of the fragrant air and a smile worked its way on her lips.

"Time to head back," she concluded.

Snow hefted her spear from the earth and began up the hill toward home. As the city came into view, so did the dark silhouette of a man. His back against the grass, Snow quirked a brow.

"Is he sleeping? Out here?"

"Excuse me!" the blonde cried out as she broke into a light jog. "Are you alright, sir?"

The tailor's voice startled the girl, causing her menus to close out. Snow spun on her heels to witness Ariel busily managing her own windows to generate new equipment for her requests. Of all the words that stuck, Snow hung on "outside the safe zone".

"Excuse me?" the young phalanx quipped. She immediately pulled up her menu, tapped the map and located herself. Sure enough, her personal maker lied just outside the city limits. The color flushed from her face.

"I-I'm sorry!" She stammered, eyes intently focused on the lioness by the fireplace and surrounding players. Luckily, none were currently marked orange and the path here had been free of monsters. Likely due to the high level players which frequented the area.

"I-I just wanted to see what else you might have had," Snow continued, the shaken nerves hidden in the undertones of her Russian accent. "Black isn't really my color, but I loved how clean the stitching and fit feeled."

Anxiety began to build in the young player.

"I should probably go, I don't want to get PK'd or surprised by a poorly place re-spawn..."

The teen bit at her lip, a nervous habit, and began to edge for the door.

"It was a pleasure to meet you!"