Esper

True to the girl's words, Esper also wanted to be with the people she lost. Even the those she didn't know directly. It became a comfort to imagine them among the stars, watching her live. She promised to make something of herself, and to live happily for them. And, well, this was just a setback. There wasn't a reason she couldn't be happy here, with new friends. So that's what she'd do. "Agony, huh? I'll call ya whatever you're more comfortable with, but I do like Ki. It's like a cute nickname, yeah? Well, the names Esper. Y'know, kinda sounds like espresso. That's partially the word I used to form Esper, so as you know, I'm not exactly a creative chick. It's alright though, doesn't much smudge my real name. In fact, I kinda like Esper better. It's like getting a new identity, right? Totally cool." Absentmindedly, she had begun to brush the girl's hair with her fingers, only such to provide comfort as they sat. "You've got style. Your hair is super soft. Only, it's not exactly real hair. Still nice though."

Esper followed nimbly behind, tracing his footsteps until he reached the open field, where boars grazed freely. They looked much fiercer than the ones she encountered before, but it hardly bothered her. However, she payed attention to Johnathan rather closely, studying his movements and fighting tactics. She was going to become a tank as well, and if she were to be the best at it, she had to soak up knowledge at any and all times. He struck the beast with his shield, as thorns jutted out of it, sending a wail, to echo in the open air. It was unique. And what's more, he wasn't hardly touched by the boar's onslaught. It filled Esper with a good feeling, and once his turn ended, she advanced, pausing at his side. The pig was still staggered, so here chance was available. Of course, the hate that Johnathan attained made him the target anyway. "Alright, c'mon." She would mutter, readying her blade. She stood, holding her blade like she would a bat, except it was low, to her waist. She ran towards the boar, still unaware of this due to it's cowering pain, and swung her sword.

"Ehh, what am I doing...Hnnn.." The dark skinned female grumbled as she sat up, her hair appearing as if there were animals living in it. Not only that, but a line of drool, tracing it's slim path across her cheek. She slept so horribly, and yet she kept doing so in the midst of a public area. A bench! Oddly enough, she did note that no one told her to leave during the night. Granted, she sat there in the late evening, eventually curling up on it's metal exterior. Alas, morning was here, and not a moment too late. After cleaning herself up with vulnerable glares, as to make sure no one was present, Esper exhaled, her hands sitting comfortably in her lap. She tucked them between her thighs, somewhat, to preserve the warmth they clung to. "................." While she kept silent, her thoughts were very much alive. God, I'm pathetic. Sleeping on a bench, what kind of homeless- oohhh yeah. Eheh. This has to stop though. I need to get busy. Lotsa materials to get in such little time, gotta figure out how to rack in the big bucks. Fortunately, I know just how to do it. That quest that Kasier told me about. The one that gives materials as a reward, based off of the die system's results. Not including what's gained in the process. That sure sounds promising. There's no time to waste though, I've gotta get moving.

Esper stood up, brushing the ruffled clothing she wore, before she began to walk towards the capital gates. Luckily, the morning was extremely early, and not too many people were awake, save for those preparing to open up shop, and a few other exceptions. As a result, the streets were much easier to travel. Trade a few waves of the hands here and there. Pay a smile to those acknowledging her presence with a smile of their own. The usual. She tried checking the café in search of Kasier, but she wasn't yet present. Maybe she was still asleep. But Itzal's whereabouts were also unknown. She didn't know where he liked to frequent either. And to think that the first time they met, he was hiding behind a crate. Charming.

While Esper's attention had drifted up towards the sky, decorated with clouds of many forms, she did still catch wind of the simple word that the other female emitted. It was soft, and subtle, but clearly audible in the silence. "Hero, that's right. We have heroes here. They fight hard, and relentlessly for our freedom, and safety. It's almost a shame that their lives are so short. But there's hope inside all of that, kiddo. Inspiration is a powerful thing." After she said it, she took her own thought to heart. She's gone over the idea a million times, promising herself, and her father that she'd fight death, so everyone could live. It was pressuring, for sure. Hell, she still hadn't convinced herself that she could do it. Because honestly, unless she did the impossible, there was no way she'd advance her level in time to match up with the highest floor difficulty in time for the front liners. They cleared floors quickly, and as long as that happened, the chances of her withstanding the difficulty was rather low. But that was a thought to consider when she advanced further into the game. She was still nooby at the precise moment. A level 4 had no reason to worry about those things.

Esper chuckled at his question, or rather, about it. She was never one to back down from a fight, not of any sort. Unless it was obviously suicide, of course. And while she did meet Itzal, and Kasier, she didn't assume that Johnathan knew anything about them, thus there was nothing to mention.

"I'd like nothing more than a little fighting. It's always an open subject for me. So, if you think you know a place, just carve out a path, I'll keep up, yeah?" Her arms were crossed, tightly bound across her chest as she puffed up, trying to display a little toughness in her posture. That's what she wanted to be. Unstoppable. And quite unshakable, too. Such was the will of a tank. To be strong, for not only herself, but for her friends and allies the most. Despite her boastful attitude, Esper's eyes were full of excitement, as she looked at Johnathan with expectant eyes. "Let's go, hmmm?"

Esper paused, moving her hand from her shoulder as she expressed her concern, through a short, but soft chuckle. "Eat something ya shouldn't have? We all do, no biggie. Here, let's sit you down." Since there wasn't exactly a bench in sight, the only viable option was to help her to the floor, she instead recommended just sitting in the grass, just off the road. It wasn't a huge spot, a mere patch the size of an average household yard, but it was plenty of space for only two. "Unfortunately, instead of hurling in the game, it just resorts to a stomach-ache sort of simulation, and even poison if it gets to that point. It's not a good feeling, I'd imagine, so we can stay here as long as you need to. I've got nothing else to do, and you look like you could use a little help."

But this girl, she seemed different. Of course, anything someone wasn't used to seemed different, but this time, the feeling was pushed farther, past the threshold of mere accustom. Esper wasn't sure if she was just imagining things, but this girl seemed a little antsy. And if she was to make early assumptions, fragile.

Esper's attention sparked as he asked, her reaction being to laugh weakly, and rub the back on her neck. "Nope, not a thing! Eheheh... But it won't be long before I get what I need. After so many materials, I can barter a good deal out of a few vendors, yeah? First thing on my list is a shield. Then a nice set of armor, a new sword, perhaps, and then, well, enhancements. I'll be investing my points in my sword rank for now, but I'll be stacking those hate mods in no time!" True to what she proclaimed, she was going to focus first on mitigation. It was important for a tank, after all. Hate and Mitigation were two of the most important, must-have qualities of a tank. And while she was still a rather low level, she was determined to make herself stronger. By the minute, she felt herself rising to ascension. It was just a matter of time. She wasn't fond of the thought of the front lines, but she wanted to prepare for any situation. She may in fact have to fill in at some point.

"A tank too, yeah?" She said as she placed her right hand on the gates exiting the city, once they arrived of course, and pushed it open with a little grunt. "Guess we'll be fighting together at some point. I can't wait to join the Twilight Spectrum, there's so much potential there. In all of us, ahahh."

Esper's interface emitted a short chime, indicating the proposal of the party formation. She nodded once, and tapped the "Form Party" button. This was the time that his name became available to her. "I'm going to be a tank. Y'know, take the hits, slash to bits. Also, nice to meet'cha, Morgenstern! I can see your name on my hud. A fancy name, too." She kept them walking through the thick masses of players and NPCs alike, wincing a little at the occasional shout that came just a bit closer than the rest. Most of their words were illegible, due to being compiled over another, but it did sound like bids were going on, conversations attempting to be held, and just plain yelling too. It was mayhem. Esper eventually resorted to grabbing hold of Morgen's wrist, pulling him along with her to keep close.

A few minutes later, after being away from the crowds of capital-goers, Esper let go of the man, brushing her mangled shirt sleeve out with a small huff. "Alright, so the fields aren't too distant a walk from the gates. Gates aren't but a quarter mile from where we are now. So let's continue our walk in the peace and quiet, mm?" She hardly meant communication between the two of them, but rather she referred to the absence of the screaming horde of townsfolk. 

Mildly regretting her response, Esper found it of little use to worry, and accepted her comment with a nod or two. She herself was getting tired. She hardly rummaged through the apples, instead just barely looking with her eyes, the fatigue of the day making her reaction a bit slower than usual. But she stood, and brushed off her knees, whilst Kasier proposed the friend request, and recommended that she pay attention to her private messenger. "O-Oh, yeah, I'll do just that. I can't wait for the guild formation, I'm quite fond of joining now. Now where's the accept button..Ah." She pressed the button, submitting the request, a little chime emitting from her interface, thus forming a small circular indication, depicting Kasier's portrait. Now they'd be capable of contact from far away. Convenient. "Jeez, who needs a phone when you've got a holographic interface system. Anyway, it's been an amazing night, and I'm glad we met. I'll be in touch. Oh, also, you don't have to worry about that. I've been doing fine in the capital square." 

Esper chuckled softly, taking a step or two closer, only to raise her right hand. No, not for a handshake, but a high five! "I guess this is farewell for now, yeah? Up top!"

"Nah." Esper said, walking over to a bench with a little yawn. She beckoned him to join her, patting the open space by her side with a little urgency. Once he sat, she began to relax, leaning into the backrest, slumping just slightly, head inclined. The day had ben full of adventure. She learned so much more than she could have expected with the help of Itzal. Hours were grueling, but with the time she spent so far, they were bound to become memories to think on. To reminisce. "I think I've had enough for one day. This entire day has been nothing but walking, I feel like my legs could fall off. But, you helped me through the hours, with no other intention than my wellbeing. So....You have my thanks. And our friendship, yeah? And if by some miracle, we do get out of here, maybe we could be friends in the real world......Yeah. I'd like that."

Unaware of the man's presence at first, Esper was mildly startled by the voice, emitted at close proximity. Oh, you heard me. I think out loud, it's a curse." She didn't seem drastically consumed in shock, save for shooting a defensive glare, as she turned to him, and shrugged her shoulders, her hands lifting to support the gesture. "Well, I've never been one to turn down an offer like that. A partner is always better than going things alone. So, if that's what ya wanna do, then let's do it!" Arms lowering again, tucking back into her pant's pockets, Esper boasted a wry grin, her eyes shut, but only for a second. Then, she began to walk, her head tilted backwards to make sure he was following. "So, any places you'd prefer to go? You look like you know your way around. I'm kind of new, so I'm not the best at directions. Not that I ever have been." She whispered the last part to herself, a short, meek laugh accompanying quick afterwards.

Awkward? Nah. Esper has seen awkward, and this girl didn't come close. She just seemed a little troubled, was all. It was normal, anyway, she considered. Even she herself was frightened on the first day. "You've got nothing to worry about, I think you're just fine. Ah, welcome to the death game, by the way. If it's your first day, then I'm sure you've already figured that out. But we can spare the details, yeah? C'mon, let's get you familiarized with the game mechanics, alright? I'll show ya everything you need to know for starting out. Keep in mind that I'm also a new player, so my knowledge is rather limited." Esper hooked the girl around her other shoulder, keeping her at her side as they walked. Of course, she acted like a tour guide through the first few minutes, showcasing the shops and main areas of the capital, along with the less inhabited places. She boasted a decent mood, all but a smile resting on her face. "You probably won't make much use of most of the capital, but that's alright. And I can show you again as much as you want, so don't worry about soaking it all in at once, mmkay?"

Esper listened to her answer with a good amount of interest, seeing as she liked other's opinions. And while she might not have understood the 'clouds being her boat' part, she clearly considered the rest. She herself wished that she could touch the highest reaches of the sky. It was an untouched beauty here, where the air was no man's sky. Pristine and pure. "The sky is probably the most interesting thing I've ever laid eyes on. It's the barrier between us, and the rest of the universe and it's inhabitants. But the sky alone isn't what I like most about this game so far. It's the stars. I've studied the stars in the real world for three years, I know where every constellation will show, where it will move within years, and so on. The nebulae, the planets that shine amidst the delicate pearls dotting the world. And sometimes, I look to the stars, and imagine that my parents are looking down on me. Watching me live, because that's what I promised I'd do..." Esper eventually stopped looking through the apples, instead looking over to Kasier, an innocent smirk traced across her lips. "But I guess thats why I like these stars. There aren't any constellations that I can make out. It's all new, and it gives me the ooportunity to make constellations of my own." Her response had led her to distraction, and thus she searched rather little, yielding no results in terms of materials gained.

ID# 66231 results: LD: 3 = Failure

No Materials Found

"Yeah, I don't know either." Esper would reply, sounding almost defeated. Not understanding things was difficult to accept, at least, so it was for her. "If that lady knew she was an NPC, then that means....She's sentient. She's capable of her own thoughts, and she has knowledge that defies the limits set for NPCs. Think about it. Uses a stance I've never seen an NPC use, she's going about her own business, rather than being set to do a certain thing, and....she kissed me! I've never seen an NPC do anything like that!" Getting the mere thought of the gesture made her gag on the inside. Crumby old lady. Eugh. But unlike earlier, she didn't allow it to get out of hand. Instead, she placed her right hand on her cheek, covering the spot that was affected. But if she's capable of all that, then what does that mean? We can't go into whose side she's on until we know more about her. We didn't even get her name, did we?"

After the kiss on the cheek, Esper may as well have had fires burning in her eyes. She was fuming on the inside. Not only that, but her little, pouty frown was plastered to her face, accompanied by crimson red cheeks. Anger derived of embarrassment. "Floors and NPCs? I could care less what that perverted witch said! S-She kissed me! How dare such an arrogant hag touch me in such a way....I could die." The girl's legs gave out from under her, as she let herself drop to her knees. She used her hands to hide her burning cheeks, and made a short, pitiful whine.

Eventually, she came to her senses, lifting her head, and then standing again. She looked perfectly fine, as if she totally hadn't just had a meltdown. "Yeah, I heard what she said, I think. Floor 11, right? That's a ways from here, so I'd consider her level to be around the thirties. All of that hot air, it's no wonder she's so confident! Ghh....."

As time passed, Esper came upon the city again, the entrances thick with players of all sorts. Tall ones, skinny ones, stocky ones, they're wasn't anything in absence of the mass. Colors frayed in all types, weapons of many imaginable sorts. It was a parade. And it had everything. Tearing her gaze from the occurance, the girl veered off path, into a barren street, commonly compared to an alleyway. It led to the square, so she was hardly sure why it wasn't packed to the rim, but, she let the matter be. It was fortunate for her that she could get through it, anyhow. No need to spoil something useful. Once she parted from the opening, she found herself back in the square again. This time around, it was much less noisy and populated. What? Did something happen in her short time away? It definitely was weird, but again, she accepted that she couldn't possibly know if she wasn't there. Except, one thing did stand out. There was a girl standing alone. She held her own there, so she could have been waiting on someone. But what if she weren't?

Esper found the risk too high to not at least consider, and it took rather little convincing to push her in the girl's direction. As she wasn't the best at approaches, Es walked up to the girl from behind, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Everything alright? You aren't lost, are ya?"

"Hah, one to twenty, huh? Let's hope my luck isn't too horrible. Kayaba'll be getting a hell of a complaint if I get one lousy material." Once more, a smile would seize Esper's lips. She couldn't help it, and she hardly knew why. It wasn't exactly the statement that made her smile, or even the topic. She was just, happy. She was going to get through this game, and she knew exactly how. It wasn't about surviving, after all. It was about living. She had a friend to thank for this realization. And live she would, with friends to protect. Going home alone would never do, even if she had such a chance. Betrayal was in fact one of the worst things one could do. Especially now, when choices were critical.

"So just to keep our chat interesting, let's talk about something else, yeah? Something less focused on the game's luck. I think I understand how miserable it is by now. I'll let you pick the topic. It'll be fun, promise." Her words came off with a purr, as her smile grew just a little wider. She'd been thirsting for a chat that made her feel normal again. All the talk about the game was overbearing, and almost annoying. She needed time to balance out the odd ends. Too much information in one day would effectively drive her up a wall. Of course, you'd never hear her use this metaphor. She might say that driving up a wall is a strange thing to do. But as she waited on Kasier, Esper found a clean, preserved apple, and pocketed it without a word.

ID# 66218 results: LD: 17 = Success!

+1 MAT

Sitting on a bench during such a busy evening, Esper lazily surveyed the masses of townfolk, the ruby tint in her eyes glistening from the refracted light that came her way. It was pleasing to see that humanity remained just as it was, corrupted little by the death sentence looming over their heads. At least, so it seemed. There were still bad people, of course, but all the same in the real world. Alas, the dark skinned player began to tire of the pointless staring, and stood up, brushing her lap of the stray leaves nestled into her clothing. Her walk was aimless, but not unapreciated. She was grateful to have time to herself, to walk around and actually not have anything waiting on her. It was so much different on different circumstances. Esper's walk led her in a circle, as she had just decided to walk the streets around the square, looking at shops as they came to pass. Should she have enough col, she might buy a thing or two. Of course, she often insisted otherwise, convincing herself that she needed to save up. "I need more materials..."

Esper's reaction towards the axe rested on her neck was cold. She hardly flinched, only lifting her chin slightly when the man lifted, meeting his gaze with her own, bitter and offensive. Her eyes seemed to display a profound disliking towards the gesture, and none of anything else. Fear was absent, shock was nowhere in sight, and reasoning didn't seem to penetrate her stare either. However, she did snap to attention when Itzal swooped past, knocking the man in the shoulder with his sword. Part of her wanted to protest, but she allowed it without a word. Instead, she found herself searching for the woman, and as she expected, the lady was in a defensive position. She held the sword rather odd, she had to credit, since she would have been better suited with a rapier in that stance, but she dismissed the irrelevant thoughts, and spoke up. "I can forget it. But just hope that our paths don't cross again. I'll break your little girl's arm before she can swing that overrated axe in my direction. You should watch out for her. Those anger issues are bound to get someone killed. Herself, if she's fortunate enough."  She was angered herself, only she had the ability to hold her emotions back. This guy didn't have that luxury. And he would likely die because of it. Such a short fuse doesn't make a lot of friends. But it'll bring you to your death quicker than a viper's bite.

Esper walked over to Itzal, who wasn't terribly far from the man cowering over his arm. A glare was still adamant in her eyes, and her hostility was as present as her existence was at the current point. She did not like being threatened. Not one bit.

Along her walk, the girl stared ahead, her ruby tinted eyes glinting in the bright reflection that the light refracted upon the world. While the sun blazed above them, leaving hardly a shadow upon the street, it didn't feel humid. It was just a mere brush of warmth that encased the realm at a moderated ratio. It was perfect, in short. And at last, Esper had met her destination, the towering gates of the capital. She reached out with her left hand, the tips of her fingers touching the threshold with a light slide, her head leaning down. For some reason or another, she still doubted going out on her own. That reason was most likely her level, being so low, thus HP was drastically low. So, after a little convincing, she reared up, instead walking back towards the capital. She knew what she was searching for, too. She wanted a player, or at the very least, just some NPC that she could get to follow her out. "No point in dragging the guards out there, they never listen anyway. But I guess maybe I just don't listen, do I? 'I have to stay within the city walls, ma'am.' They say. Hahh."

While listening to Kasier, Esper rummaged through the apples on the ground, seemingly more and more disappointed by the apple. She had little to say for the moment, so she kept silent while she thought. It definitely was convenient to get materials as a reward. She would have wished she knew about that earlier, she'd have started it then. But since that wasn't the case, she valued the knowledge, and nodded once. "That definitely sounds useful. I'll get on the quest as soon as I can. Having a profession isn't my priority, but I'd enjoy getting it on the side, just to avoid having to do it on another occasion. It's like hitting two birds with one stone. But how much material do you get upon completion, exactly? And once you've beat it, do the rewards decrease after the initial clear?" She saw these as valuable, and rather critical questions, since she considered that once you got the profession of choice, and you wanted to clear the quest again, it would be a little odd to get another profession ontop of the one attained previously. Unless of course, it was to replace one profession with the other. Still so, the question begged an answer. Her knowledge was limited in the subject, anyhow.

ID# 66203 results: LD: 4 = Failure

No Materials Found

Esper's expression was faltering at this point, as her pokes towards her attempt to expose them was miserably failing. This woman was as solid as concrete. She could say less so about her friend. But she nodded in acception to her statement, and thus stepped out of the way, her eyes shut, a frown forcing her eyebrows to slant. But she refused to look at the lady again, instead raising her arm in a gesture to give leave to the two, her hand spread wide as if to show her the path. "You're right, I apologize for keeping you. As do I apologize for being so intrusive. I hope you'll forgive me, ladies." Hah. He may as well be a woman with the way he carries himself. Such a baby. I wonder if he's scared of me. That, or he's troubled with the fact that he can't see Itzal. That must be horrible, to know some hooded man is lurking about, and there's nothing you can do to see him. I can sympathize for the lug. However, Esper wasn't done here, not by a longshot. She still suspected them of something. She'd share her concerns after she heard what Itzal thought about it. She might even consider following them on their, 'trek'.

Upon the crisp, pleasant rebirthing of a new day, the sun began to cast it's warming embrace across the vasts of Aincrad. It was at this very time that people would open their shops, and prepare for the torrent of consumers, whereas the less obligated folk would relax, and soak in the quiet for a little while longer. Such was the case for Esper, the tank in training. Sprawled out on a bench that lined up with many others around a fountain, Es snoozed about, absent of any care in the world. It was in fact rather bold to be laying around in the center of the Town of Beginnings. The consequences were for naught, as she cared little. "zZZzzz.....Nn....Nhh?" About an hour later, the streets had begun to fill, and the crowds incited lots of noise, yelling over each other amidst the scrambling players, searching each for their specific needs. As it would be natural, this eventually brought Esper to her senses. The dark skinned girl, still clad in her starter armor, opened her eyes, still horizontally positioned. The world was sideways, and the noise was nauseating. "....Huuuah." Her lazy yawn was accompanied with a drawn out, paced stretch, one arm cupping the elbow on the opposite arm, and once more. After this, being sat up, her eyes surveyed the surroundings with an unobservant glare. A minute or so put her sleepy state away, as she stood up, and crossed her arms, but not before wiping the dried drool from her face with a short sense of embarrassment. "Ah, new day, new day. Or something like that." Failing to put together the term for which her mind searched for, Esper now began to walk amongst towngoers and NPCs, scootching inbetween where she could, up until she dispersed from the crowd, and onto the less busy alleys. The path she took would lead her towards the city gates, but she kept herself entertained by watching her feet, tread left foot, after right, upon the dirtied cobblestone.

A hypocrite? Esper didn't really consider the term. Sure, if Itzal had a hood on, it could be seen as shady. Especially since he was hiding. But that held no regards in her standpoint. There wasn't a hood on Esper's head, now was there? You could see her face as plain as day, much unlike the pair before her. "Hypocritical, you say? I don't think you know what you're talking about. If I were you, I wouldn't snap back with such accusing words. Of course, you wouldn't listen to me, would you?....And besides, I never said anything about killing. You made that assumption on your own, lady."

Despite the bitterness laced into her tone, Esper showed little anger, or irritation. Her reaction displayed quite differently, in fact. There was no fear, because she had a certain someone laying in wait if things got nasty. So the woman discovered, too. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing. She knew Esper was protected, this way. And thus following her later on would be a lousy thing to do, without more men. Bring an army, for all it's worth. A small smirk traced the edge of Esper's lips, as she retracted her hands from her pockets, and crossed her arms along her chest. She was taunting them.

Step after another, Esper carried herself through the beaten paths that lie ahead of her, within the forest. The forest of silence, would've been a suitable name. There was no noise emitted by anything, save for the leaves and twigs that snapped and crunched under her boots. The crickets fell silent, wildlife was nowhere to be seen. It was eerie in it's own mysterious way. It chilled her to the bone, a rather easy thing to do when her barriers were down, and she was vulnerable. "Ehh, it's creepy out here.." She murmured, crossing her arms, but in such a was as to hold her arms, like someone normally might when they were freezing. As for Esper, it was so she felt safe. Her voice trembled, and her heart didn't slow. The bad feeling was already present.

But the walk seemed to bring her somewhere after all. It was a clearing in the underbrush of low lying bushes, and what sat in the middle, was a small patch of flowers. They were rather large, and white. A small, yellow tint blotched it's exterior, creating an artistic appearance. What was more, the patch was tended with an opening in the trees above, the sun shining exclusively in the area they were thriving. ".....Woah." Esper took a cautious step forward, but nothing happened. It sure looked like a trap. But upon closer examination, all it yielded was materials, in the form of the white flowers. There were roughly six or seven of them, but she picked a liking towards the smallest one, the most delicate, and perfect one. "You'll be alright, no one's taking anything from you. Not at the moment, at least."