Esper

Eventually, the girl came at a standstill. Her legs halted, her feet deadlocked into the soft grass. She sighed, her brows slanting into a small frown. She knew that going out into the wilderness at such a low level was dangerous, especially when consideration came to value the point that she had no idea where she was going. But just then, as she was about to reconsider her reckless desire, she heard someone call to her. She swung around, her eyes scanning for the source; the only other person near her. He was waving, of course, so she had to recognize the boy as the one that called her. And while she couldn't quite make out who he was yet, it became clear when she heard her name. Only one guy knew her name. A small shock of excitement rushed down her spine, as she raised her own hand to wave back, vigorously. "Hey Itzal!" She didn't say anything else, due to the far distance between them, but instead made for his direction, some 50 meters back.

Once the girl had swallowed a few gulps of air, she stood upright again, a short huff escaping her chest. the boy sat on the log before her, but she chose instead to stand, her breathing becoming calm again. She cast him a single glance, then looked out, off in the direction she came. "Odd that NPC's are acting out like that, don'tcha think? I guess it's nothing." Esper paused after this, and turned towards Itzal again. "It has been a good while, hasn't it? You still look like you, though, so that's a plus. But don't worry about me, I've been alright. Little material gathering here, little walking aimlessly there, nothing dangerous." She took a seat next to him upon the worn log, a little distanced due to a fissure in the trunk. She folded her hands against the exterior, taking a hint of a second to compare its texture to that of reality. Silence pursued for a minute or two, and she hadn't an idea of what to say. They've been away from each other for a while, which should yield multitudes of questions, but she found herself stuck. "And you? How are ya?"

The swordswoman squinted slightly, in a small attempt to confirm her suspicions about the resemblance in clothing. It sent sirens through her head. Only, once she saw the freshly equipped, unmistakable black clothing, it was exactly who she suspected. Itzal! Wow, it must have been almost three months since she'd seen him! She concluded to wave at him, but before she called out his name, she caught herself. Or rather, his movements towards her direction had crammed the greeting down her throat. Although, she had to consider just a small predicament. Why was he all the way over there? He could be hiding from someone, or something, but without trying to blend in, he was doing a poor job. A short chortle escaped as she recalled that this was similar to their very first encounter with each other. "Such a strange guy..." She murmured. She quickly snapped back to attention though, as she realized that he'd taken a sharp turn in the other direction. What?! It was only until a split moment later that she noticed a white object swindling in the wind of his rush. She plucked it from the sky, ignoring the commotion from the women nearby. "Please keep those...." She read the note in silence upon seeing the warning. Then, she glanced over, and came to the realization that she was being stared down. A frown broke upon her face as her cheeks puffed out, her arms finding spots on her hips, displaying a haughty attitude. "Buzz off, will ya! He's not interested!" Her last note made her snort inside, because she got the groans and pouty expressions she was aiming for. A little bit of discouragement couldn't hurt his situation, whatever it was, anyway. 

Esper downloaded the data onto her HUD, the map marking the location of the clearing with two consecutive beeps. She kept light on her feet, rushing until she'd met her destination. The girl doubled over, her hands on her knees as she exhaled raggedly. "Cut it out with the hiding, the Girl Scouts didn't see anything!"

Upon the blossom of a new day, a presumably boring one at that, Esper would be caught on the six floor of the floating castle of Aincrad. Why, one might wonder? The answer was simple, honestly. She was craving new scenery! As she was still a low level, she hadn't embarked to the floor without a small note of staying in or near the safe zone, but all she really needed was a crisp sense of ease in the grasp of something unfamiliar, and maybe then she'd retreat to a floor more appropriate to her current standards. The white haired little girl stood on the balls of her feet, tautly peering around at the common structure of the anti crime area. Strangely, there weren't as many players as she's assumed there would be, save for a handful near the fountain, but NPC's took up a good chunk of space, making the town seem cramped without the presence of any actual player traffic. It was claustrophobic. Rough. 

     Despite the mild anxiety of being cramped that forced Esper to the outer, entrance to the town (or exit), the girl seemed to be in a balanced mood. She shrugged her arms back, a small yawn faltering upon her otherwise steady frame. The red tint in her eyes glinted off of the sun as she glanced a single time out into the green that betrayed the solitude of cobblestone she stood upon, and just then, something caught her eye. No, it was someone. From her distance to the figure, it wasn't possible to make out a face, but something in her mind flickered at the familiar look of the armor. Could it be...?

The sun broke early in the morning, it's glow upon the horizon cascading through the trees like a blanket of pristine paradise. It drove certain dangerous mobs back to solitude, it brought NPC's of appropriate sorts from their homes, and invited a flourish of players to the next day of what was essentially, life. It felt all too real too, Esper had to admit, as the warmth of the blazing ball of heat drove away the crisp morning chill she had felt creeping up her arms for two hours. The girl hadn't the faintest amount of sleep anyhow. She had left the fortress of protective walls that was the Town of Beginnings quite a while ago, and found herself wandering the empty plains to substitute for the restless night prior. She had no real intention of fighting mobs, nor to harvest materials out in the more wooded areas. No, in fact, she had her mind poised on one thought, one she got just a few days ago. Actually, she had always had a notion for it, but she never really considered anything until recently. A familiar, so she knew they were called. A companion was hard to find some of the time, and there wasn't anyone who would stay by your side through everything, without regards for their own interests. Of course, she wasn't looking for that, but rather a soul to keep her company during the more lonely times, or rather, whatever this game could pass for a soul; data. 

     The reason for her motivation was simple now. She knew what she wanted to do, but had no idea how to do it. Where was this quest? She could have sworn she was told before, but darned if she could remember it when it was convenient. She was clueless, and it frustrated her mildly. Esper cast one last, single glance in the direction behind her, and began then to walk towards a thicket of woods, hopeful that she might start to remember if surroundings rang bells, or at the very least cleared her head to allow smoother thought. "............"

The sun broke early in the morning, it's glow upon the horizon cascading through the trees like a blanket of pristine paradise. It drove certain dangerous mobs back to solitude, it brought NPC's of appropriate sorts from their homes, and invited a flourish of players to the next day of what was essentially, life. It felt all too real too, Esper had to admit, as the warmth of the blazing ball of heat drove away the crisp morning chill she had felt creeping up her arms for two hours. The girl hadn't the faintest amount of sleep anyhow. She had left the fortress of protective walls that was the Town of Beginnings quite a while ago, and found herself wandering the empty plains to substitute for the restless night prior. She had no real intention of fighting mobs, nor to harvest materials out in the more wooded areas. No, in fact, she had her mind poised on one thought, one she got just a few days ago. Actually, she had always had a notion for it, but she never really considered anything until recently. A familiar, so she knew they were called.

Esper offered her attention as he spoke, referring to the elders they'd just departed from. His first sentence or two stung just a tad, and she felt the words linger for a moment. It wasn't so much that she disliked old people in general! That wasn't it at all! It's just that, she often got really bored when she talked to her grandparents, and she often found herself physically showing signs of disinterest in what they were saying, and it shamed her to no end. She wasn't one to brand any one person because of who they seemed to resemble. It was completely ignorant to think that elders had less knowledge than you, despite even the worst stories. It all came from some source of experience. And sometimes, the lesson behind the telling, was crucial. She understood that. She took note of his remark about the intelligent old lady, and mentally compared the strategy he laid out to something in comparison to chess. 

   She was interrupted however, when she heard him begin to sing. In fact, if it hadn't become fluid, she might have even stopped walking. He has a bass to his voice that outdid the intensity of her own, and his slightly deeper, and rich curves of sound trilled in her ears, leaving astonishment in its wake. She loved it. And she longed for music, and a voice. She hasn't heard a song like this, or at all in general at all, save for generic tinny music from NPC's. She had waited, silently, an awestruck twinkle resonating in her eyes. And when he finished with his final note, she looped her arms around his own arm, and tugged it towards her until it felt flush against her, and she could press her head against his shoulder, just for a second. It was a half-hug, all she could do while they were mobile. "That was amazing, you're a natural! I'd ask for your autograph, if I were deluded into thinking it mattered here, ehehh."

(OOC - The original song is Break In, by Halestorm. I twisted a few words, though ;~; )

Esper took kindly to the compliment, a soft sense of regret occurring when he said he wished there were more. Of course, there was plenty, but she'd hold it for another time. "I'd love if you'd visit! Could always use the company. And my offer still stands for sharing the stage, y'know, so think on it a bit, I'll always be ready!"

They were nearing the elders now. They appeared to be calm, quiet folk, talking in whispers and hoarse exclamations. One even slapped his knee at what might have been a joke. Esper didn't understand jokes, so her opinion was of little value. But they silenced themselves upon their arrival, nodding as Itzal talked to them. She wasn't anywhere near them. In fact, she was almost ten feet away, timidly pacing in a circle. They smiled at her, which put an awkward, red faced smile on her own cheeks. She wasn't fond of old people, she had to admit. They always dragged her into two hour stories about their time and age. Eugh, laaame. Fortunately, this time was different, as a quest popped up before her, to which she pressed the accept button on the interface, resulting in a chime, the box disappearing. "Get the quest, check. Get recordings crystals, not check. Let's go Itzal!"

Her attitude changed quite quickly. It almost seemed as if she were never even sick stomached a minute ago. It was impressive, to say the least. To observe the fighting spirit in anyone was to see the purest, strong willed soul inside. It was enlightening to Esper. It in fact placed a smile of her own across her cheeks, as she stood up along with her, and took a few steps in the gate's general direction. "Just what I like to hear! Then to start, we'll gather some materials through non combatant strategies. It'll be tough, but hardly lethal. Gathering materials is very important to the necessities it can supply, and the suppliers that can benefit from having it. In order to get good armor and weapons, even items to have at the ready, you'll either need col, or materials. Whichever they agree on, is just what they need. And you need what they have. It's common barter between men and women, y'know? And once you get your level up a bit, we can hunt mobs together, and get some real materials! It's guaranteed from the select beasts, so gathering is much easier. This'll have to suffice for now though. Coming?" The bleach-blonde waved her hand to gesture the girl to follow her, and turned her back to start walking towards the gates, now in view.

The bleach-blonde let out a single, nearly silent chuckle as he spoke of his misfortune with the incense, while she pondered on the thought of which instrument she wished to use. She loved gentle tunes, and she wished for nothing more than a nice piano in this world, or something close to it, seeing as it was in fact a bit more modern than this era. She had no knowledge of it, though, so she didn't dismiss the possibility of using one. A harp, and a violin, maybe even an acoustic guitar. She loved all instruments, because they each told their own story, and had their very own personality. 

"I'll sing a song, sure." She then said, accepting his question with a single nod. A few moments of silence pursued, as Esper tucked her hands into her pockets, looking to the ground as she inhaled, and began to sing. "..........Put your light into the air and lead me back home, when it's all said and done I'll follow the echoes, I hear you night after night calling out my name, and I find myself running to meet you, I didn't want to escape from the bricks that I laid down...You are, the only one, the only that sees me, that trusts me and believes me, you are, the only one, the only one that knows me, when times are hard you show me, It's perfectly reckless, because, you leave me defenseless...so break in...break in..." She decided to stop, rather than finish her song, seeing as it was a bit lengthy, and she wanted to see what he thought of it almost to the point of anxiety. For some reason, though, she hardly wanted to look him in the eyes. She still held to a little bit of embarrassment, in front of him. It was strange, since she tended not to have a problem with it at all. Maybe she was just rusty. But she had an innocent smile as she walked, her breaths shallow and gentle.

With this possibility now in mind, Esper stood up, a new look of determination in her eyes. Climbing a tree shouldn't be too hard. It's just what she did on lonely days in the backyard as a kid. Of course, the tree she climbed was done so many times that she had every nook mapped out for durability. Not to mention that she had help from her father. The bleach-blonde tilted her head upwards, looking to the branches and branches of thick leaves covering the sky like a dome. And without but a second glance, she walked up to the tree, and found spots where the bark of the tree jutted out just enough for her to get her slender fingers inside, hoisting herself little by little, up the thick trunk of the tree. This process took a while, perhaps a half hour of climbing twenty four feet of wood. She ended up without any leverage now. She clung, letting out growls of withering effort, as her eyes stormed the surroundings for an alternative. A branch! It was three to four feet behind her, but if she gave herself a good launch, she could reach it. 

Her fingers began to give. She had to act now. Esper strained, her teeth gritted, her eyes displaying a sense of dread as she looked down to her feet, tuning out the height, doing her best to climb the last foot of space between her hands, then turned her head to the branch. And she let go, putting her legs on overdrive as she launched herself onto the thick branch, the impact hitting her chest as she grabbed onto it, pulling herself up. Relief surged over her. Climbing was the hard part. Getting down wouldn't be a challenge. And now, through a patch into leaves at the very top of the rather high rise tree, Esper could see everything. The capital, closer than she expected, the valleys that lead to other parts of land, even dark, wilted wastelands. A small sigh escaped from her chest as she looked unto it's beauty, pulling a leaf from the little, frail branches that hung in front of her. It was a material, so it said. But it went from green to black, a second after being pulled, crumbling in her palm within a matter of a blink. It disappeared then, the shattered remnants of what used to be, vanishing.

 ID# 66299 results: LD: 13 = Failure

She smiled softly, keeping it maintined as she received a hug in return. It was quite nice to be able to share this with someone. The last hug she got was from her father, almost a month ago. She remembered the conversation in her room, about how things would get better, and how he would stick with her through the hard times, always be there for her. It still applied, even now. She could almost picture him, sitting on the end of her bed, offering comforting words, holding her hand. It gave her strength to think it. And here, with someone that she enjoyed to be around, enhanced her happiness. Kasier, Itzal, Johnathan, and even Ki. Four people in a matter of three days. There was so much potential in this, and she truly hoped to grow to love them over the time they were trapped here. Because she valued the advice she was given. To live, rather than survive. 

But she realized finally, after having spaced out for almost a minute, that he was explaining how to complete the quest. She managed to catch the entire explanation, fortunately. And she began to follow him, a leisurely pace between their steps. As he opened with his question, she chuckled slightly, and looked at him with a discerning raise of her eyebrows. "A performer, silly. I've only really ever sang in my room, or in the shower, but I'm not a shy kind of person. I could sing in front of the world. I got that kind of confidence from friends and, well, my dad. I used to be scared of my own shadow, scared to death of other's opinions. But they helped me grow out of it, and be stronger. I owe it to them to use my gift, yeah?"

She lifted her head a little, letting out a short breath as her body followed, bringing her to a neat standing posture. Her face was quite bright, a enlightening smile brisk across her cheeks, her eyes harmless and friendly. This, oddly was a happy situation for her. There were a number of reasons, though. First are foremost, she was with Itzal again. She had a friend with her now. Secondly, the dragon, dubbed Vernia, seemed to like her, but of course, it was just as Itzal said. And then, just the situation alone was shocking and enjoyable. This entire morning was full of surprises. All to the credit of Itzal, no doubt. But she didn't know that. "Ehehh!" She chuckled freely, placing her left hand on her hip as she leaned, her right hand rubbing behind her neck again. "It's been a hell of a morning so far. You have no idea." She said, taking a few steps closer, punching him in the shoulder, but playfully. "That's because I don't believe you..." Her next move might have been a little less expected. A hug. She wrapped her arms around his entire form, locking his arms to his sides for a moment or two, parting with a rear step. "And that's...just because. I like your friend, too. Hello, Velnia. You're a pretty girl." Esper scritched the creature's head with two fingers, achieving a chirp in response. "This was the Beast Tamer quest, yeah? I wish I had a pal like you." 

"I was actually just going for a walk. I had to cool off. But I've progressed since our last time together, you and I. I'm a level four now, so I can take a few hits without much risk from a pig. In which case, I'd love to fight some mobs, if you want to. But I'm also doing the Earning a Living quest. That's the more important goal, anyway. You said that you were going to be a performer, right? Well, I was thinking about getting a profession of my own, along with the material bonus involved in the quest's completion. Say, what do I have to do to complete the quest? I've never done it before, but Kasier has."

As of now, Esper's mood had ceased, and been replaced with a blank, rather expressionless state of mind. She had no reason to work herself in another direction, since no one was there to communicate with but herself, and she wasn't exactly able to speak with herself as another might, so silence and solitude became of her current position. But this wouldn't be the case in a second. "Mm...?" She exclaimed, tilting her head backwards as she heard a bird's wings flutter a little closer than the rest of previous latter. Only, she was instead surprised with something completely different. A small dragon swooped past her face, righting itself to hover in front of her, it's pearlescent gaze staring into hers. "Wh?! Uhm...?" The girl made short exasperated wails, nearly falling on her rear, but instead just stumbling back. And then, the creature clung to her, crawling across her chest, back, even her lower legs! It filled Esper with shock, laced with question. Who in the world was this dragon? And why was it all over her?! At last, after a few long moments of being crawled over, the purple beauty perched on her left shoulder, offering a lick to her cheek. Oddly, it was in the same spot that the NPC lady had kissed her, so it did force a small blush onto her cheeks, nothing harsher. "Listen, buddy. I don't know exactly who you think I am, but I'm just a girl..." This dragon was tamed. It wasn't a possibility of whether it was or not, but rather, who it belonged to. The other question was, why was it being so friendly? Esper was determined to find out.

And just then, she noticed a darker colored figure in the trees. The clothing was almost jet black, which blended in with the dusty brown tree bark quite horribly, when the thought was considered. She only knew one person who wore something like this. The appearance was too distinct to dismiss. The hood, the mouth cover, and...his eyes. She recognized them, the moment she saw them. Itzal. "Itzal...? Wh....You jerk! Why are you following me?! You'd better get down here, I can't slap you from up there!" She really didn't mean it, which might have been obvious, as she was..laughing. In seconds, she was bent over, hands on her knees, laughing as if she heard a joke she actually understood. "Jeez..I guess that explains why you're here. What's your name, anyway, little guy?"

 ID# 66296 results: LD: 14

The noise was gone. And...she wasn't seeing anything, not out of the ordinary. The trees shook subtly, carried by the wind battering against the leaves. The shrubbery and plants swayed innocently, birds of occasional sorts fluttered by. Butterflies, anything and anything else of the sort. She had to consider that she was being overcautious. She was vulnerable and cold, so she was alert to the point of making unnecessary suspicions.

Due to this, Esper seemed to completely dismiss the assumption that something unusual was out there. Alas, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was stuck on. It was a strange, gut feeling, and it arose almost just after the runt dumped water on her. She had to credit, that she got the same feeling the day before...when she saw Itzal for the first time. Yeah, that's exactly what she was feeling now. He hid then, and he might be hiding now. Only, such a thing to assume he was sneaking around, spying on her. It was a bit harsh, and the evidence was of severe lack, despite what her tummy told her. "Hmph..."

 ID# 66295 results: LD: 1 = Wow

(OOC - Be extra careful of that 150 word min. req!)

Esper sat in silence for a moment, considering the available options, to which they could do at such a low level. She was only a level 4 herself, so mobs would be a terrible idea. Non-Combat material gathering would be the best choice, but the chances of finding items is rather low. Of course, they could also just go about casual things, familiarizing themselves with surrounding areas, maybe acquaint the newcomer to some friends and shopkeepers....or, they could just relax. The day was still young, and Esper had plenty of time to help someone in need. She would hope that someone would do the same for her, in such an occasion. That's why she made most of her efforts. Because she believed that good things come from good actions. Help someone today, and you never know. They might just return the favor. 

"Well, as of the moment, we could gather some materials. I know a few apple trees that we could look at, not far from where we are now. Of course, if you're still not feeling right, we could leave the work aside. But until you level yourself up a bit more, work and work and more hard work'll be needed. Required, actually."

While she held to her pouty anger, she did however feel wide awake now. Her eyes were sharp as they usually were, her hearing not the slightest bit impaired. Her thought process clear, though still slightly distracted due to the event just minutes ago. Her clothes stuck to her just as they would in the real world, feeling chilly and disgusting. She hated clingy clothing, as she was familiar with the feeling in her past. Walking through the thick forest blocked the sunlight, which only made the air settle into a shady, freezing climate. But she paused, as she heard rustling in the leaves. Where? It was too quick for her to judge. But now she was convinced that she wasn't alone. Thus, she kept the alertness in mind, and continued her walk in silence, her eyes focused little on one specific thing. She toned distractions out, like a cat, instead keeping her view wide, so to catch whatever moved within her visage.

While she was only doing minimal amounts of damage, Esper was having a blast. Killing mobs was going to become an addiction at this rate. And while this boar was almost three times tougher than her, she could rely on, well, another tank to protect her. And she was seeing in him, exactly what she wanted to be. Someone that could keep the heat off of teammates, while throwing punches at the same time. Or stabs, slashes, and what have you. Alas, he missed again, and so did the boar. The luck with this game was miserable. But luckily, he was hardly knicked by the beast, and it would take a lot more to knock the tank of his feet. As for her, she was just lucky not to be the center of it's attention. 

But her moment came, and she readied her blade, charging in the monster's direction. "Lay down, big boy!" She taunted, bringing the blade under, so to prepare a hit to the beast's belly. Landing a successful hit, Esper struck the pig from below, forcing it to back away, a shriek emitting from behind it's ugly tusks. "Aww, snap!"

The girl's vision was a little blurry, due to looking around quickly. It took a second or two for things to catch up with her, or rather, quite the other way around. Her chest felt heavy, and dreary, almost like she was still sleeping. She practically walked like a zombie, her limbs stiff and unstretched, her legs only parting a short distance between steps. Thus, she wasn't getting anywhere fast. Little was she aware that something was going to shut this trance right off.

At last, the gates were before her. She muttered an illegible sentence to herself, before taking her next step. Splash.....What? It was too quick for her to realize, but she was soaking wet! Her hair clung to her face, only leaving her left, ruby red eye to maintain it's vision.  "Wh? Ghuhh..?" She made exasperated wails, crossing her arms so to keep than warm, as the air chilled her even more. But only when she heard hysterical laughter, from...above, did she realize that this didn't just fall from the sky. A boy was pointing at her, laughing almost to the point of not being able to breathe. She found it annoying, and quite aggravating. Esper raised her arm and pointed towards the boy, her eyebrows bent in a harsh frown. "Listen you little brat! It's not nice to dump water on people! You'd better stay up there, because if you come anywhere near me, I'm gonna make sure you regret it! And stop laughing at me, it's not funny!" The kid only laughed more uproariously, making a point to blow a raspberry at her, to which she growled in irritation, her face beet red. But she ignored it after this, pushing the gates open so hard that the force caused both to swing open and clash into the stone walls on the outside. Vulnerable, and slightly pissed, Esper's surroundings now became a thing of interest, considering that she was unprepared for such a rude occurrence. But since nothing was necessarily close enough to touch her, her shivering body dismissed anything else, deeming it less important at the moment. "Brat...."

ID# 66287 results: LD: 5

The situation was honestly pitiful. They were both tripping over a boar, quite literally. Not something to write home about. At least she scored a hit, and he as well. In fact, he dealt more than half of the damage needed to eradicate the beast in his first hit! She did but a scratch. Of course, the level difference began to show through, but she didn't mind much. He must not have minded any either. But they traded glances, him signaling her to attack. "....Hmph." Esper lifted her basic sword again, only this time, she gripped the hilt with her other hand, arching the sword level with her right shoulder. The tip of the blade was aimed on the monster, as if she were going to lunge at thrust at it, dealing a stab to it's exterior. Such would be the case if she were fortunate enought to land a hit.

Not a second distanced her and the target, as she sprinted at such a close distance, jutting at the pig with her blade, steadied with an iron grip. "Grraaah!" The tank in training let out her yell, knocking the beast back with her strike, brute force laced into the hit dealt to it. And from closer observation, one would see a crooked smirk tracing the girl's lips.

The toned female walked down the same cobblestone road leading in the gates' general direction, a lack of interest in her eyes. From the posture and mood, it would be obvious that Esper was still waking up. She was grateful for any amount of sleep she could get, seeing as she was restless during the night. Insomnia, at it's finest, indeed. Thus her mornings were always slow, and her reactions became delayed. A slowed mind. Alas, along her walk, she came across a larger crowd, just in an open area. It wasn't near as large as the capital, but being not very far a distance from it, she could understand the population. But she payed it little mind, and walked through the masses, occasionally lifting her eyes to look at a person's face, or appearance. The colorful fray of clothing and armor, glinting of weapons in the sunlight, and most importantly, the chatter amongst themselves, all overlapping at once. It was terrible. She was determined to get away from the folk, as she dispersed from the horde, traveling along the path that a few others took. A few robed people passed along with others, but it stuck out to her, inciting at least a little interest. Only for the reason that they kept condensed, like they were part of a group. Maybe it was just coincidence, but she looked upon them anyway....Nah. She thought for a second that she recognized one of the cloaks. It reminded her of Itzal. But she was tired, and obviously imagining things, so she didn't give him another glance, and kept walking, stifling a yawn with her arm sleeve.

ID# 66280 results: LD: 12

Esper kept her eyes fixed firmly on the battle ahead. She studied Johnathan's fighting mechanics, along with the way it clashed with the enemy. It was defensive, as an offensive. It twisted the term 'A good offense is a good defense' around completely. Especially considering that the shield had offensive abilities to not only counter the enemy's attack, but throw an onslaught of their own in the process. But this time, he missed, and the boar hit him with a bit of force. However, Johnathan made perfect use of the hit, flipping backwards and landing in one well executed move. It was impressive. 

But as she heard his command, Esper frowned at the boar, her eyebrows slanted, portraying her concentration. It was her time to strike. "Right!" She yelled in return, nodding once before she angled her sword again, her right foot launching her forward into a sprint. And with a cry of battle, she swung at the beast. Slip. During her haste to hit the target, fate seemed to taunt her, the sword not even coming close to the pig. Instead, the weight of the blade pulled her forwards, staggering her balance. And to add insult to failure, she fell forwards, landing in the grass with a thud, her sword sinking into the clay as her knees collided with the ground. "Ghh?! Whoops!"

The dark toned girl's eyes widened a little, realizing the mistake in the way she worded her sentence. She didn't mean that the hair itself as an appearance between video game and reality was different, she merely meant that it was simulated. It was data. Their entire bodies were data, since they weren't physically there. "Ahh, I think you misunderstood. I meant that our hair is simulated data, as in not real. I didn't mean that you changed your hair to look different! I'm sorry, I guess I should've clarified. I'll try to be more specific." Esper rubbed the back of her neck, a meek laugh sprouting due to the circumstances. Misunderstanding occurred around her all the time. While she meant what she says quite literally, she sometimes is blunt to the point of confusion, which sometimes incites meanings completely unintended. Such was the case right now. 

But after this, Esper asked a simple question, that might result in a broad range of meanings. "So, what do you intend to do? Anything on you mind? I'll help ya if I can."

However, despite the feeling of security, she was alone. Esper wasn't the kind of person that enjoyed being alone. She could do it for any amount of time, sure, but the longer she was without someone to communicate with, the less she felt human. Talking and relating to someone that would listen to her, as she would to them, was one of the more effective ways she felt her humanity. In silence, with only herself to reason with, and communicate with, she felt distanced, and empty. She never really could keep herself distracted either. Even on certain occasions when she tried to talk with herself, her conscious just wouldn't have it. She convinced herself rather easily that it was nutty and stupid. As such, the silence was like her prison. She couldn't be truly happy without someone that wasn't, her. Maybe there was more than one reason that applied to that problem. But she wasn't yet open to that consideration.

So she walked, taking the windy, untraveled road, not stopping for more than a minute inbetween. She didn't rest. She didn't get distracted. She just walked, leaving treads in the muddy carpet of clay under her feet. The trees were no less thicker and closely placed than when she entered the woods, and it was difficult to see past them, without only seeing more behind those. If she was going to get out, then..maybe she needed a higher view. The thought came to her, her eyes widening with a new sense of purpose. She nearly quit what she was doing on the spot, but yanked the root from the ground, checking for signs of corruption in it's data. Not the slightest trace. It was a usable material.

ID# 66260 results: LD: 16 = Success!

+1 MAT

A short distance from the flower patch by now, the dark toned girl walked leisurely along the dirtied, old path laid out before her. It would appear that this used to be a route through the green of the forest, but now, it was neglected and overgrown. Vines of many dull colors sprawled out across the ground, reaching as far as their scrawny fingers could reach. The dirt was riddled with small weeds, decayed and wilted. There were large mushrooms looming over her head, growing enormously on the trees supporting it's weight. But that was just visual. The smell was stale and earthy, and often odd scented. It seemed as if a miasma was looming off of certain objects, the intensity fortunately light, and uneffective. And the sounds, the sound of her boots, squishing into the soft clay, and decomposed leaves. The occasional call of a bird, or trill of an insect. No one noise was constant, which made silence a majority of the atmosphere. But Esper minded it little. Nothing seemed to bother her, or even acknowledge her presence. Sure, it looked like a mushy, swampy wasteland, but it was an overall content walk. Even if she wasn't certain where she was going. She wasn't without something to gain here, either. She was searching for materials, and she was finding them. Her luck wasn't terrible either, especially when the forest's condition was in question. The mushrooms, when they were small enough, and easy to reach, made for a perfect material, as she found, placing one into her inventory.