Talo

"Oh.. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bother you in any way." Talo trailed off, knowing he struck a nerve he really shouldn't have touched. Wow, smart me. Bringing up death to a guy who would have of course seen it before. Talo mentally berated himself and almost missed what Beoreson said. "Oh we did get to the next floor? That's awesome. Pretty soon we will be to 20." Talo said with a light smile. Talo was happy things were going back to slightly more normal. The man in front of him suggested that they go searching for resources, and Talo 100 percent agreed to do that. "Yeah I would love that. I'm going to be taking the {Earning a Living} Quest soon probably, could use some more resources to start my store."

Talo thanked the man and walked around, the door ringing in his ear again, and the strong smells wafting behind him. Now where do I even start to find materials? I mean, I literally have no idea what I am doing. I should of asked like Beoreson, Hydra, or Hakai to help me out. But I kind of know them, but we aren't very close friends. You know what, no, I can do this on my own, hopefully, I guess I should just go right into the forest and search for things. I think what would hlep me the most are any strong plant fibers, skin of animals, dyes, something or anything that would help me make some clothes. Well, I guess I know what I need ot get, time to set off. Talo finished his mental monologue with triumph and walked in the forest, hoping to find something of use.

Talo stood there for the second, with the NPC repeating its scripted line, getting the player to break out of his haze. He didn't know why he was so shocked by being asked what he wanted. Come on, snap out of it dude. Just get this quest going and over with. Maybe I could even get a shop going? Talo opened his mouth "Hey yes, I would like to start the  {Earning a Living} Quest. Any idea how to start it?" Talo asked, and instantly a screen appeared in front of him, asking if he would want to start the quest. Talo smiled and hit the {Yes} button on the screen, accepting the quest, his first one actually. "Well, thank you for accepting. To start this quest, you must gather materials, the amount is no matter, just a sizable amount to get started with your shop. After this, come back to me and we shall finish this quest. The ways to get materials are simple. You either A: Find them out in the forest, or B: Fight monsters for them. Happy Hunting!" The NPC finished his monologue about the quest and went back to cleaning the counter for the store.

"A job, I don't know." Talo muttered as he stood outside of a Tailor NPC's shop. Talo had been thinking about getting one for a while, but sound and friends have been slightly overwhelming to him. With his feet firmly planted in this game now, he decided to branch out to things he never tried in the real world, a job for instance. Being Deaf didn't really get many opportunities, and the ones that did were far and few between, and they were more like slave labor than opportunities. I mean, does this quest just activate as soon as I walk in? Or do I have to talk to the NPC, or... I have no idea honestly. I guess I could just walk in and figure it out. Talo thought then finally decided to walk. The doors creaked and a small bell was rang in his ear as he entered, with the smells of dye and leather hit him in the face. "How can I help you today sir?" Asked the NPC cashier. 

Talo noticed the girl get physically uncomfortable, and Talo felt bad for putting her in such a difficult predicament. "Yeah she could be, all we know is that she is in a cloak." Talo muttered and looked around, looking for something to give the two a lead. "Hi Aster, and hey I'm sorry, I know how difficult conversations can be. I mean hey, I was Deaf for 11 years, my voice sounds weird, I get it. If you would like me ot leave you alone, hey, no hard feelings." Talo said, a tinge of blush coming over him as he mentioned his voice and all that, knowing the girl would become aware of the sound now. Talo turned and spotted something, a shred of cloth on the ground. "Wait, look at this." Talo said and help it up, the cloth being black like the cloak.

"Hey maybe we can help each other. Help you grand master, and help me actually get out and see the world. I know that is a lot to randomly ask. But hey, if you are up for it.." Talo said, and thought of drink prices, only because Beoreson brought it up. "Things must be very expensive on the higher floors. Glad I'm not up there yet. Think I'm going to stay down here for a bit." Talo said with a light laugh. The man brought up going on leave, and Talo thought of all the drama he could remember."I don't really know much of what has happened recently. Apparently someone named Zelrius and Ssendom died. No idea who they are, I think Azure Brigade, and also that we have been going up floors pretty regularly."

"A dress code? Wow, I thought we were out of high school." Talo laughed and listened to him talk about level requirement for other guilds. "Ah, well I  have heard of your guild, but I wonder if there is like just a support guild for the front liners, I don't like rushing into battle, supporting is more my style." Talo said and finished his drink, the waiter NPC going off to get more drinks."I hope I can grind out levels soon, hate being this weak, but I have hopes for it. Been meeting some really cool people, you included, and hopefully they can help with it." Talo said, feeling like he is talking a lot, but alcohol is taking that care away.  "I can pay for the drinks you know. I hate to make people pay for things."

Talo looked at the man smiled when he said that his sexuality. "Wow, you are a very understanding man, not many of those left." Talo laughs and listens intensively to him talking about the floors, and the different unique and cool things you could find on them. "You have a shop? I may need to check it out now, since I know the owner and everything." Talo smiles and takes a drink of his drink, seeing he is getting kind of close to empty. "Wow, almost first full drink in this game, never had alcohol in the real world." Talo said and leaned on the bar, looking at everything. "So, how's all that guild stuff? I think I might want to join one, just when I am a bigger level and all." Talo said and shrugged, knowing his level is something less than needed in a guild.

"It is cool, my first few days were so overwhelming, I was even yelling and talking to myself." Talo laughed and sipped his drink, still new to the whole alcohol. "And I still remember every sign, and catch myself reading peoples lips, it is a lot to get used to." Beoreson joked about introductions and Talo laughed again. Talo perked up about him being a blacksmith, Talo wanting to get into the profession of tailoring. "I want to be a tailor myself, and it would be could to hear about the higher floors, know next to nothing about them." Talo said, then tried to think of some good things to say about himself. "Some fun facts of me, I am also a one handed weapon user. Favorite colour is turquoise. And I'm Bi-sexual." Talo blushed lightly at the last comment, alcohol making him a little more free tongued.

Talo nodded along with the man, him talking about his military and computer skills before the game sucked them both, and everyone else along with it, into the world. "Oh yeah, I heard about the guild merging." Talo commented after Beoreson commented on him being apart of the guilds. The man asked Talo about himself, and he had to think for a little bit. "Well, I was born with Brain Damage," He paused and smiled a bit,"Sorry, that always surprises people, The only thing affected was my hearing, 50% was gone when I was first born," Talo paused slightly then continued." Age 6, everything completely gone in both ears. I was 17 when I joined this game, and was permanently deaf for 11 years. Learned to sign, speak, and read lips pretty normally. Joined this game. Then BAM hearing is back. You may notice my voice, I haven't been able to hear it for 11 years, so my voice needs time to slowly adjust." Talo nodded, feeling a little weird for saying so much. He took a sip of his drink and looked up at Beoreson. "Sorry, long speech about me going deaf. There really isn't much about me to know."

"Oh, apologies probably get annoying, but I am sorry for your lose, I am lucky to not have to really experience that yet." Talo said with a sad look on his face, just then the NPC came around with their drinks. Talo reached and picked up the light beer that was ordered for him. Talo took a tentative drink of the drink, and coughed lightly, alcohol not something he really has had. "Sorry, new drinker." Talo said with a sigh, setting the cup down. Beoreson asked why he is still down here and Talo looked at himself. "I don't think I am good leveling material just yet, maybe in the next couple weeks, trying to get back out there, but for now it is the First Floor for me." Talo finished and took another sip, it going down only a little bit easier. "So, Beoreson, considering people talk at a Tavern, tell me something about yourself." Talo said and the alcohol helping his voice not sound as weird.

Talo did not like to do anything athletic, he is skinny, but metabolism is the only thing pushing that, no activity what so ever. Talo stopped walking, noticing the girl in front of him had also stopped, the third figure now out of sight. The red haired woman turned around and pushed up her glasses, looking up the Talo. She commented on the fact that he got dragged into all of that, all he did was shrug."Hey, made my day a little more exciting than it was, I mean all I was doing is wasting time walking around." Talo said and looked around for the hooded figure that ran into the two of them." Oh I'm Talo, and did you see where the person went?" Talo stated and asked, spinning in a circle to look for the person.

Talo was approached by the man, a Knight of the Blood Oath member, and named Beoreson. "Sure, I could use a drink. I have no idea what to have, so you can choose for me." Talo said and smiled at the NPC brewer who went right to making his order. "I'm Talo by the way." He said and took the man's hand in his. I wonder why he approached me, wait did I answer his architecture question? Oh good me. "And referring to the building, I know nexts to nothing about buildings. But it seems nice here, not particularly my taste, but nice and classic like you said." Talo smiled and saw the NPC had not come back with their drinks. "Well, to make some small talk while we wait for our drinks, what are you doing on a first floor tavern?"

Talo never really entered a Tavern really. Hi is 17, but this was a game that had not many laws. So, with that in mind, Talo decided to enter the bar. He hopped mostly that this would be a good time, eve though his voice has been getting to him. Talo entered and was smack in the face with the smell of alcohol, sweat, and just other regular Tavern smells, or what he thinks are normal smells from a tavern. He walked in and sat a bar stool, not really knowing what he should be doing. Talo studied the architecture, something he likes to do when he is awkwardly just in an area. Talo's attention was drawn to a man waving at his general direction, in the process with other people. Talo raised his hand and waved back to the man. Well, maybe a new friend?

The trio stood in the forest, when a fourth player approached them rather tentatively, and very shy like. Talo turned to the man, who's name was not yet said, and introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Talo, and it seems you know Hakai," Talo motioned to the girl that smiled at the man, "And that is Hydra." He smiled at the new comer, and turned to Hakai, who just announced her departure. "It was nice meeting you Hakai, hey maybe we will see each other again." Talo smiled and waved to the girl, then opened his HUD screen and added her as a friend. "Then there were three." Talo mumbled. He watched Hydra twitch into fighting mood, but quickly calmed down, a relief for both Hydra and himself. "Oh, I don't think I caught your name." Talo said and turned to the mystery man, smiling at the man warmly.

Talo listened to Hakai talking about other people who have gone through similar things. "Wow, must be even more stunning being in a wheelchair all your life, I mean, imagine how tall you would be after getting into this game." Talo wondered aloud. Talo noticed Hydra wandered off, but he trusted him enough to not just randomly come back and kill him. The girl in front of him mentions floor 15 and 16, and Talo did not like the idea of those two floors that much. "Yeah.. I don't think I'm going to be going to those floors anytime soon. But maybe when I'm higher level I can." Talo said and finished the apple that Hydra gave him a while ago, almost not even realizing he still had the said apple. "So, what are you up to out here?"

Talo was having an okay time today. He was walking around, taking everything in. Only just yesterday had he fully realized the way his ears actually work again, and he was pretty comfortable with the whole hearing thing now. The only problem he really had was the annoying tick in his voice from not being able to hear it all those years. Gave him a weird, breathy, or nasally, he couldn't really decide, it being all new to him and all. While he was taking this walk, a thief, that is what he suspected anyways, came colliding into his shoulder, sending him almost falling to the ground, but he was able to catch himself in time. The thief, in question, ran as fast as they could. Before he could question this strange thing, another player, a red haired girl, came running after this cloaked player, telling them to stop. "Are you-" He tried to ask if she was okay, but that wasn't going to happen, she was already gone. "Here we go I guess." He mumbled to himself and started to run after the two. He didn't really know why he was involving himself with these two, but something to do was something to do after all.

Talo sat silently as he watched the two players converse between one another. Hmm, I guess they do know each other, thank god it wasn't some random stranger.... Wait, me and Hydra were random strangers .Oh well I guess Talo sighed lightly to himself and stood up, Hydra able to function on his own now."We were just kind of exploring a bit, new to everything. He was showing me all the best spots to hear things." Talo said and waited for response. Wait, that seems and sounds weird. "The reason being of course is that I was deaf for 11 years in the real world, so sounds are a great surprise for being stuck in here. Hydra heard me yelling and talking to myself, wanting to hear my voice and just take in sound, so he offered to lead me around to help me out. Then you showed up so yeah." Talo shrugged and kind of looked between the two, not really knowing what to say now.

Talo turned between the Seemingly mentally challenged man, and the random girl who is asking if he is Hydra's keeper... Great day." No, no. He just is a little dizzy, for some reason or another. And I'm Talo... The ditsy one is Hydra, which I am going to go check on right now." Talo sighed lightly and walked over to the man. "Hey.. Hydra? You okay?" Talo leaned in to see if his face was okay. Talo reached down and tried to pull the man from the ground, but Talo is not that strong of a person, it is not a virtue of his. He kind of slumped back down to the ground with Talo basically laying half on his side, with Talo wondering how this day ended up like this. "So Hi Hakai, I swear I have no idea why this is happening." He said to the girl and kind of patted Hydra's head, hoping to comfort and pain or dizziness the boy would have, even though Talo was probably doing nothing to help.

"Oh, thank you! My first actually found items, go me." Talo congratulated himself and continued to walk through the ever increasing forest. Talo was being slightly overwhelmed now, so other noises he could hear. He distinctly heard footsteps from behind, but he could never make out a person. "I think my mind is doing the same thing Hydra." Talo laughed to himself in an uneasy way. Hydra continued forth, then suggested their next area of search would be the grasslands. "Lead the way, no idea where I am going." Talo said and turned back to look for anyone coming upon them. Talo chose the wrong time to look back. Because as he did, a girl came barreling out of the path and right up to the pair. She asked if she could join, and by the look of her equipment, she seemed harmless. "I mean uh sure. I'm fine with it... How about you Hydra?"

Talo was very happy with what was going on. He already made a friend, was exploring the forest... even got a freaking apple. Hydra asked Talo if he found anything, and he looked to the ground realizing he wasn't really looking at ANYTHING. "Oh, I haven't even been looking around, I can start now." Talo smiled and started to slowly scan the area around him. What should I even be looking for? Something glowing, something making noise... I have no idea what I am doing Talo shook his head and tried his best to search. Could that be something? Talo thought and bent down, a gem scattered among the rocks. "Hey Hydra, I actually think I found something." Talo smiled and held up the gem, it sparkling in the dim light around them. "Hopefully we can find some more and maybe split what we get?" Talo asked as he put it into his inventory.

ID: 59873
LD: 16
+1 Material

"I hope you don't make a good villain, you kind of are my first friend after all." Talo laughed a bit. Hydra warned him about the Boars that roam around, and asked him what area he would want to explore first. "Hmmmm, Lets go into the forest. I mean, that will be where I'm training probably, so it would help if I know the land." Talo suggested and started off for the forest, where Boars are. Maybe we will find a nice pond. I miss swimming kind of, even though the thought of drowning doesn't make me to happy Talo thought to himself the risks of swimming, and saw Hydra finding an apple tree. Hydra offered him one and Talo gladly accepted. "Thank you, would be so much better than just Bread and Water."

"It is more than just incredible, I feel like a different person, or just someone who had their world turned upside down." Talo laughed lightly and shook the man's hand. Talo was about to say something, then the mood changed drastically. The man in front of him was almost vibrating because he went from sleep deprived, to Bubbly and active. "Hydra, nice name. Don't tell me you are a villain." Talo laughed, then slowly trailed off. "Sorry, old T.V show reference." Talo smiled a little less and heard Hydra comment on that he hasn't heard things in a while, and he also offered to help. "I'll be fine with some help. You are the first person for me to meet in this game. So help will be appreciated." Talo smiled.

Talo was lost inside of himself, but was surprised by the voice he heard behind him. Talo twirled around and blushed hard. "Sorry, I'm just really happy is all. In the real world I was Deaf. So now, I'm a little overwhelmed. Sorry if I disturbed you." Talo rubbed the back of his head, noticing the scrapping noise you can hear when you mess with your hair. Talo went over the boy's voice in his head, basically realizing that everyone person sounds different. I need to calm down, I'm acting crazy. Talo slowly started to physically calm down, almost a noticeable difference. "Again sorry, didn't mean to disturb you. I'm Talo by the way." He smiled and stuck out his hand to the mysterious boy in front of him, who also seemed to have been woken up from a nap. "Did I wake you?" He asked, hoping that he didn't bother this random stranger.

Oh my god I can... I can hear. This is what its like to hear. I.. Talo was a little overwhelmed, well maybe more than a "little". Talo looked up to the sun, and could hear everything he dreamed of. The wind blowing through the trees, making the leaves rustle and fall down every once in a while. Birds cawing to once another, have their own secret conversations. Monsters stomping on the ground, huffing in their systematic programs to make them make noise. Far off, water could be running through a river, and players having conversations. "I'm not deaf.." Talo said to himself, almost crying from hearing his voice, then laughing from the way he sounds. "I'm not deaf." He yelled out loud, smiling like a giddy child, and walking around, the happiest he has ever been. He looked at his hands and then made a couple signs, knowing that is something he will ever need to do that. What should I do first? I mean, I can talk and  hear normally like everyone else. Well maybe not like everyone else, my voice is still strange. "Will people notice my voice." He wondered aloud, still laughing a little from his voice, and being able to hear. "What should I do..." He wondered aloud, and began to walk around, a smile plastered on his face, and his ears open for any sound he can hear.