Arabelle

Arabelle rubbed at her eyes and grinned as Pinball applauded her, the redness on her cheeks becoming a bit more evident. He liked it! She turned around and carefully put the soundboard's lid back in place and continued bustling across the place, making sure everything was in the right order. She gathered the music sheets and laid them down in a pile on the table next to the boy. "Welp! Finally done," she sighed with a satisfied smile. "I would've loved to play a few more songs, but I guess I have to start working on my new shop. Got any ideas for a name?" Arabelle chattered as she led the way back outside. Now that she wasn't sitting in front of the piano, her playful personality was back and as strong as ever. The incident from a few minutes ago pushed to the back of her head. "Ooooh, and I really want to hear you play too, Pin! You can play both the bass...uh -guitar and the violin, right?" They stopped at the NPC stall right across the Performer's shop. She smiled and stretched a hand out. "Meet you for the quest a week from now? Hopefully, I would've settled my shop by then."

Arabelle laughed. "If you've ever heard me sing, you're gonna be telling me the exact opposite. Seriously." She briefly recalled the time her friends invited her to karaoke and convinced her to sing her heart out. "I mean, if you're good at playing the piano, you must be good with anything involving music, right?" So she sang. And they never invited her to sing with them again. A small smile formed on her lips as she recalled the friends she had back in real life. "So, you mentioned a shop. What's your profession?" she inquired curiously. @Froppy seemed like a very nice girl, and Arabelle wanted to get to know her better. Maybe she'd even add her to her Friends List. "I'm a Performer. Which is kinda ironic, since I don't sing. Buuut, I can play the piano~. My only problem is the lack of customers though."

Tsu seemed to appreciate superheroes as much as Arabelle did, and the question she sent her way made the purple-haired girl pause to think for a bit. It would've been easier if the frog girl asked her what superpower she wanted. For Arabelle, it would be time travel. Definitely time travel. She could jump into the future or go way back into the past and meet her favorite composers! "Um...pretty hard question," Arabelle thought a bit harder. Something like Tsu's tongue. What classified as a quirk, anyway? "I suppose I would like to have better hearing than most?" After having said that, she giggled sheepishly at her lame answer. Then, an idea popped up in her head. "Oh, scratch that. Cat ears! And the good hearing that comes from it. You know, like those cat girls from anime? Ah, and if it gets too embarrassing for me, I could always hide it with a ribbon..."

Arabelle giggled, a bit embarrassed at @Froppy's request. "Volleyball with a tongue? Is that accepted in the rules?" she laughed, imagining Tsu pretty much destroying all her opponents in the court using her tongue. Compared to the people who would be using their hands, the frog girl would have a much greater reach. The purple-haired girl then allowed Tsu to tug her along as she approached @Spangie and @Grimm (finally another guy!), who were both looking out at the ocean. "I'm definitely up for a swim!" Arabelle cheered as Tsu suggested it. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Oh. Hi, Seb! Didn't expect to see you here." She smirked playfully at his question. "You guys will be watching us. And if I understood everything correctly, you're gonna vote for the MVP." And Arabelle stepped closer so only he could hear and subtly gestured to Angie. "Better vote for the girl that you like, then~." 

Then she spun around and ran after her blonde friend. As Angie spoke with Seb, Arabelle waded out into the ocean until the water was up to her waist. Then, she heard a splash from behind her. "Awww..." she bent down and looked at an upset Agni. The fox familiar didn't seem to like the water very much. "You okay, buddy?" Arabelle reached down and patted the fox's head before turning around and splashing away to a safe distance. She watched as Agni eventually got to dry land, submerged herself briefly under the water, and followed after the familiar. Arabelle ran a hand through her damp hair and took her place beside Angie. She grinned at @Hazado, the only other person who had gone into the water. "Yeah, the water's nice. The weather's perfect for it, too..." she watched as he almost said something interesting and promptly stuttered, attempting to correct his mistake. Oh, that's definitely suspicious. 

It wasn't very noticeable, but her cheeks reddened slightly at Pinball's applause. There was always something about finishing a piece and having the audience (more so a fellow musician) express their appreciation for it that brought a warm feeling to her heart. It was why she had kept playing piano all these years, to express feelings she didn't like putting into words. Arabelle grinned and sent him another playful wink, then reached for the music sheets she had set aside. "Sun's starting to set, but sure. One last," she relented as she flipped through the sheets. "Oooooh, this is a nice one!" She replaced the papers on the music rack and took a moment to recompose herself. "Clair de Lune, by Claude Debussy."

Her fingers hovered over the piano's keys and after a pause, she began playing once again.

For a long time, Clair de Lune had been treasured for its ethereal beauty and the sense of mystery it invoked within its meditative, melancholic notes. Like seeing the full moon's reflection dancing across the water. Like a brief moment of peace and calm amidst all the chaos. Arabelle let out a long breath. Her fingers glided across the piano, softly pressing down on the keys. It wasn't an agonized expression of sentiment. It wasn't an expression of hope, either. Nor happiness. Though a bit of sadness. But - Arabelle supposed - it was an expression of finding a peaceful place within...myself.

Her fingers ran over the last notes and she finished playing. Something wet ran down her cheeks. It did nothing but remind her of - "Uh," Arabelle hiccuped. Okay. Bad choice. Really bad choice. Everything's going to turn real awkward right about...now. "I'm fine, I-I'm fine." She brought her arm up and wiped her face against her sleeve and grinned at her audience. "Definitely fine." Yeah, no. She tasted salt in her mouth and she wiped at her face with her sleeve again. You're still in the middle of a performance, idiot!  Arabelle chided herself. She remained sitting for a few moments before she stood up and gave Pinball an elegant curtsy. "Did I...do well this time?"

So @Froppy was technically Pinball's ex-girlfriend. That was an explanation Arabelle half-expected. Though she was leaning more on the 'he has a crush on her and gets flustered whenever she comes near' explanation. Wait, but doesn't that apply, too? She briefly glanced at the boy, who was now holding a conversation with her blonde-haired friend. Both were smiling. Arabelle quickly turned back to Tsu before she got spotted and smiled, "I'm...sorry to hear that. I'm glad you're still friends, though. And it's fine, really." Oh, and I guess that explains her comment about the Valentine's Day being miserable. Aaaand I was play-flirting with him just a month ago. Yeesh. Awkward.

A faint hue of pink colored Arabelle's cheeks as Tsu complimented her dress. And from there, the conversation moved to less serious topics. "Thanks! It's the only dress I have, though. I mean, when you're in SAO, you don't typically expect grand ballroom events and stuff." Arabelle gave Tsu's maid outfit a quick once-over. "I like your costume, too! I'd normally feel embarrassed to wear it, but you pull off that look really well."

She was about to say something else in response to Tsu's explanation about her tongue, however, their hostess climbed on top of a table and announced something. A karaoke competition. And T1 materials as a prize. Still a heck no. The idea was lovely, sure, but Arabelle was pretty sure her singing voice would break all the wine glasses in the room with how horrible and off-tune it is. And she wasn't about to embarrass herself for materials she could just gather. She turned back to Tsu. "Nah, I haven't really heard of you guys. Not much of a documentary person, unless it's about music. Oh, but I think your tongue is really cool, Tsu! It takes some getting used to but, you know how in movies, superheroes have this super unique trait about them that turns into a superpower in the end? I think it's just like that!"

"After she arrived, Arabelle noticed that the event wasn't receiving as many guests as Nova's ball did. Maybe people felt too awkward meeting people while wearing swimsuits. Arabelle glanced down at her (flat) chest. I would, too. So when her friend arrived, Arabelle noticed her instantly. The small purple-haired girl waved, but it didn't seem necessary as @Spangie had already noticed her, and she grinned as the blonde approached. Like the rest of the girls, Angie was definitely blessed in the 'chest' section. (Seriously, now she was just starting to envy everyone). "Angie! Sandcastles!" Arabelle cheered, bouncing on her heels like a kid who'd just arrived at a toy store. She looked around quickly and wordlessly pointed to a nice, secluded spot with lots of sand.

But they weren't going to go there just yet. Not while there were other players that kept Arabelle's attention divided. The smallest girl, barely even a teenager, made a comment about the girls' bikinis, and she almost blushed. Little kids were certainly growing at a faster rate nowadays. But, the little green-haired girl seemed very mature, and Arabelle was even pretty sure she was the event organizer. Impressive feat for a kid. Then, the sole male player in the event spoke up, shyly introducing himself. Surrounded by a bunch of pretty girls in bikinis. Gosh, this guy must be in heaven right now. Arabelle smiled assuringly at him. Might as well make him feel welcome. "Hiya @Hazado! I'm Arabelle!" 

"A volleyball game?" Arabelle parroted as her blonde friend mentioned it. She hadn't even thought about joining them and doubted she would do well if she did, but since Angie seemed interested in it...  "That's basically a game of keeping the ball up in the air with a bunch of rules added, right?" she laughed, feeling just a little bit embarrassed. Being more of a music person, she hadn't really invested time in learning about sports back in real life. "Kidding, kidding. I know the basic rules though I'm not really good at it. But if you guys really need someone to fill up a slot, I can join."

She turned to @Froppy as the frog girl spoke to her. Her eyes couldn't resist wandering down to the girl's extremely enviable...rack. "You look lovely today, Tsu! The color definitely suits you." Her cheeks reddened slightly. Tsu's eyes are right up there. "Yeah, I heard about the prize. I didn't know it was going to be a vote, though. Have you ever played beach volleyball, Tsu?" Arabelle's gaze wandered to the only guy in the party. It was just 2,000 Col, something she could probably earn after four quests or so. But, she couldn't help but feel competitive. What I don't have in fanservice appeal, I'll make up for with skills, Arabelle thought determinedly. 

(Okay, maybe she was starting to take this little contest a bit too seriously now.)

On the first floor of Aincrad, Arabelle spotted a flyer posted on one of the Starting City's many public boards. It was colored brighter than most and didn't seem to be another party request from a player, so she backtracked quickly and approached the board. Floor 16. Beach episode. Girls' Volleyball. She took note of the venue and backed away from the board, swiping her 'messages' tab open. Seems like fun! And she knew the exact person she was going to ask to come with her.

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To: @Spangie

Floor 16. Beach party. Girls' Volleyball. Beach party. If you're not busy, wanna come and build sandcastles with me? Pretty please?

PS. Looking forward to your swimsuit! o3o

 

 

She pressed 'Send' and hummed to herself cheerfully as she made her way to the town's teleporter.

Around half an hour later, she arrived at the party's venue, dressed for the occasion. Well, not really. She didn't have the...assets required to pull off a bikini look, so instead, she came wearing a light green shirt and a pair of black swimming shorts. And, oddly enough, a white glove covering the entire length of her right forearm. (She was also wearing a bikini top underneath her shirt, but had no plans in showing it off). She stopped, just a few meters from the people already on the beach and talking amongst themselves, and breathed in. It had been a long time since she visited a beach, maybe more than four years ago, and she had forgotten how the sound of the waves crashing against the shore felt so...refreshing. Arabelle gave the venue a once-over - only a few players around, she had come early once again - and spotted @Froppy. The frog girl was wearing a bikini that showed off an impressive-looking rack and speaking with a red-haired girl. I might as well greet her while Angie isn't here. Arabelle approached the two and waved. "Hello, Tsu. Lovely day for a swim, huh? Are you joining the volleyball game?"

She flipped through the music sheets as she ambled towards her seat and frowned slightly. Granted, she was familiar with most of them but her favorite pieces weren't there. With her skill though, she could probably play them from memory, but she liked being sure... "Mostly popular pieces here," Arabelle commented, selecting a sheet at random and placing it on the piano's music rack. "I guess I'd have to buy lots of these once I become a Performer for--Ooooh, A really classical classic!"

She eagerly set the other music sheets to the side and secured the ribbon at the back of her head. Then, Arabelle sat upright and took a few moments to warm up, playing a few standard scales, getting used to the sound of notes flowing from the grand piano - a comforting sound she hadn't heard in maybe one and a half year. She turned to Pinball once she was done and smiled, her usual playful and over-energetic personality taking a backseat in her head. With her composure, she almost looked liked a professional. "Fur Elise. By Beethoven."

And she took a deep breath and played. 

It was widely believed that the deaf composer wrote the classical piece during the darkest period of his life, for a woman he loved. A woman who turned him down in the end. Yet - as her fingers glided across the keys, picking each note with precision, she thought - it was strangely sad for a love song. Agitated, ominous, dark; these prevailing emotions seemed more evident as the notes sped up and Arabelle closed her eyes her posture becoming slightly more slouched, playing the next half of the piece from memory. She was no longer just performing a dead musician's composition, she was channeling her emotions through it, too.

And her eyes opened. She didn't look at the boy watching her. When I learned this song, I was going through dark times, too... Her fingers ran through the final notes. Everyone I loved had left. And there was no hope in sight.

She finished her piece not to deafening applause but to silence, and the Recording Crystal in front of her displaying a 'successful rare craft' message. Arabelle picked up her first craft, turning the blue crystal over in her hands, and turned to her sole audience (not counting the NPC) with her usual smile. "How did I do, @Pinball?"

@Spangie had started talking to a man who had attempted to steal a bottle of wine, so Arabelle focused on the people standing beside her. For a few moments, she seriously thought @Pinball was going to be okay. Okay, being a relative term. Tsu was nice enough, maybe even a bit cute in that maid outfit of hers (Arabelle would never be caught wearing one, but she can't deny that she was curious), and the only thing that seemed to stand out with her was her tongue. But of course, everyone had their hidden conflicts with each other. He turned to her, his voice strangely monotone as he asked, "You haven't met Froppy - Tsu - Froppy before yet, have you?"

Arabelle fiddled with the sleeve of her dress. Was it just her, or was there something off with his nervousness this time? But she didn't pry. She smirked and replied as she normally would have. "Well when someone introduces themself to you at a party--"

"No? Cool." And he made a big show of throwing a...a muffin? on the ground and running away as fast as humanly possible. Arabelle looked at his retreating figure in dismay and briefly contemplated following him. She didn't know him very well, but he didn't seem like the type to run away. Her proof? All the awkward situations she'd placed him in during their first encounter. And the reason why she approached him in the first place was because he seemed lonely. However, @Froppy had already started talking, providing Arabelle an explanation for Pin's actions. She looked down at her wine glass as the girl talked and downed it all in one unladylike chug. The alcohol burned as it went down her throat. She then turned to the girl in the maid outfit. "Oooh, that explains it. Guess he's a more introverted person than I thought," she fibbed. Yeah, no. I'm definitely gonna ask him. "Are you two close?" 

Arabelle smiled as the Tsu explained that she was enjoying the party. "I am, too! Only half an hour in and I've already met lots of nice people. Ah, but I forgot to add them to my friends list, though..." she swiped down with two fingers and checked her friends list. Yep. She'd definitely forgotten to add all of them. How would she contact them now?  "So, the Valentine's Day party? If it's really as bad as you said it was, I'm glad I didn't go. I mean...I guess I was too busy to go out and talk to people back then." Her gaze involuntarily wandered to the girl's tongue as Tsu mentioned it. There was also the 'ribbit' noises the girl made after every sentence, too. Aincrad had lots of strange people. She hesitated slightly before asking, "No offense, Tsu. But is your...I-I mean, is your tongue real? Or, I mean, natural?"

Arabelle let out a long, suffering sigh as she swiped her 'messages' tab closed. She leaned back on the wall lifted her gaze to the sky. It had been a few days. No messages from either of the crafters she ordered items from. Her wallet (not including the Col she had stored in the bank for her lodging) was almost empty, and she didn't want to go back asking for a refund. That would be just rude. And it's not like she knew any other crafters. So now, she was just hanging around the seventh floor's main settlement after she got some of her personal errands done.

The 'ping' of a notification had her swiping open the 'messages' tab again. Arabelle checked her surroundings and quickly typed up a reply. "I told you earlier. Fi's dead. I have no intentions of continuing her line of work. Go ask someone else." Her finger hovered over the 'Send' button before she hesitated and then added, "The hush money's been sent to you already. But as an added precaution: Talk, and everyone will learn your dirty little secrets. Got that?"

She pressed 'Send' with finality, and trudged sullenly towards the teleporter. She lifted her gaze from the ground long enough to notice a message posted on the public board. Arabelle curiously came closer and read through the contents. Material gathering? Sure, she needed materials for her shop but was severely underleveled for this floor. She needn't worry about that, though. She once left Floor 4's safe zone and finished a quest...with some helpful company. Arabelle smiled and brought up her 'messages' window once again, ignoring the latest message in her inbox. 

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To: @Vigilon

Hey there! If you're up for some material gathering, I'm up here in Floor 7. Another player also posted something on the board about gathering, so we're gonna join them. Don't worry about my level, I'm a bit more familiar with combat now. I won't be reckless, promise! ^-^

 

Rad...? Arabelle never thought of describing her music that way, but she was glad Pinball had been able to relate with her. It also seemed that he was a bit more relaxed, now that they were talking about something they both liked. She glanced his way once more, noticing the red tinging his cheeks, and quickly looked up at the sky. "I didn't take you as much of a music guy," she commented. "But I suppose it's a pleasant surprise more than anything. Uhhh...bass violins are the ones that kind of look like cellos, right?" She honestly didn't know the difference, but from the name, she supposed bass violins produced lower notes. "Also, 'used to?' You don't, um, play the violin anymore?" 

They arrived at the Performer's shop and Arabelle practically skipped past the door Pinball held open for her. She looked back at him and held his gaze for a few moments, about to make another teasing side comment, before deciding against it and turning away. Meh. He seems relaxed enough. Wouldn't want to ruin it right before I play. "I have the materials!"  Arabelle announced as the NPC greeted her. 

The two were guided to the second floor of the shop, where all of the NPC's instruments were stored in a nice, orderly manner. The grand piano, a pitch-black structure illuminated by the sunlight streaming from a window, sat in the middle of the room. She turned to Pinball, bounced on her heels with wordless excitement, then bounded over to the piano. She lifted the lid over the soundboard then moved to the front and lifted the cover, revealing a set of beautiful ivory keys. She ran her fingers across them, pressing down on a few and listening to the notes as they played. Arabelle resisted the urge to sit down and start playing right now, and instead tore her gaze from the piano, looking over at Pin. "There are music sheets beside you. Got any preferences?"

[ooc: craft roll in my next post]

Arabelle kept a smile on her face, but couldn't help noticing how @Pinball was way jumpier than usual. She glanced behind her, at the spot he had been staring at awhile ago, and seeing nothing of interest, she looked back at him. "Wait, you're seventeen?" Arabelle looked him up and down and shrugged. She'd always assumed he was older than her. Maybe because of his height. "I'm eighteen," she said, hoping it would explain her surprise from earlier. "Not a big deal though, I don't think our in-game appearances ever age. Or. Or something." Now he was starting to pass his awkwardness to her. She smiled and tucked her hands behind her back. "I'm doing good. Been focusing on my shop, though not many players have been buying stuff. There are too many Performers around, I guess. Oh! I don't think I've ever asked this but do you have a profession?"

Someone then poked the boy on the arm and Arabelle looked up to see @Spangie.  Oh wait, did I leave her alone over there? And she went over here because she had no one else to talk to? Oh no... It wasn't actually possible. Angie was probably just as social as her. But to be honest, Arabelle didn't know. Guilt coursed through her, and the short-statured girl suddenly moved forward to give her friend a quick hug. Then she broke off the hug and handed Angie the drink she'd been holding (she hadn't drunk from it yet). She turned around and went back to the bartender and bought herself a drink. Alcoholic, this time. It was impossible to get drunk in the game, after all. Having received the glass of wine she ordered, she made her way back to Angie and Pinball, who were now holding a conversation. "So," she began, sidling up to Angie. She took a sip from her glass and gave Angie a 'suspicious' stare. "I didn't know you guys knew each other. How did you meet?"

Very soon, another player (@Froppy) approached them. A girl in a maid outfit with a...really long tongue. Strange. Is it from a potion? But who would do that? Arabelle may have stared at it for a fraction too long, but she forced herself to look at the girl's eyes. The girl addressed Pinball first, placing weird emphasis on his name. And as he noticed the girl with the long tongue, the previously relaxed mood seemed to have turned tense. Arabelle glanced at her friend, then at the girl. She was going to ask him about it later, whether he liked it or not. But for now, "I'm Arabelle. It's nice to meet you too, Tsu!" Arabelle said, her tone chipper as usual. She smiled but kept out of the girl's way. If something was going to happen, she wasn't going to be in the middle of it. "So...how are you liking the party?"

"Well...alright," Arabelle said, albeit a bit reluctantly. She wasn't very confident about starting a fight without being at full HP, even though she was just missing four points. But, @Spangie was the more experienced player here (in terms of level), and she was going to be taking all the hits, anyway. She reached behind her and gripped the handle of her scythe once again, and glanced around her, watching for any indication of the Nepent Variant. 

And it did seemingly pop out of nowhere. In front of the two girls, small red pixels swirled and clustered together in the form of a Nepent that was larger than the others. The Variant fully materialized, and it turned to them, liquids drooling out of its wide red mouth. "Looks like it's hungry," Arabelle commented, taking a few steps backward. Angie had center stage now. The quest mob moved, and the blonde dashed forward, landing a barrage of strikes on the Variant's upper body. The mob's HP went down by a third and it turned to Angie, its vines angrily whipping at the girl.

And that was where Arabelle served as backup. The scythe-user appeared at the mob's side, weapon raised over her head. She smirked and swung her weapon downwards with all of the strength she could muster. A long cut appeared at the Variant's side and a shockwave (an effect of her Sword Art) blew it back against a tree, temporarily stunning it. 

Arabelle let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as @Spangie landed the killing blow on the last Nepent. She sheathed her scythe across her back and jogged over to her friend, checking her HP bar. "You didn't even lose a point," Arabelle said. "I'm glad it doesn't either. I'd hate having to wash blood off my clothes every day."

Angie then suggested that she take the first hit and Arabelle nodded in agreement. This should have been their plan before, since her friend had the higher HP stat, but they forgot to form one. "Yeah. I'll wait for you to attack the Variant, then," she said. "I still have no idea why I charged in like that. Adrenaline from having a new weapon, I guess." She stretched and briefly looked around the area they were in, maybe for some materials she could use in her shop. Finding nothing, she walked forward and tugged at Angie's sleeve. "Maybe we should hide somewhere and wait for our energy to regenerate. You know, so the Variant won't end up getting the jump on us?"

At some point, Arabelle had started skipping ahead her partner as they walked. She hopped on top of a rock and raised an eyebrow as Pinball fumbled for words. Yeah, busy. Then: No, I'm not busy. Wait, what? He passed her and she hopped off the rock and matched his pace. Pinball continued stuttering. She resisted the urge to tease him, probably would make him more embarrassed, and once he brought up that they'd just met, she spoke in a soft voice, "What does that have to do with anything?" Wait. That wasn't it. "Doesn't really matter if we just met. Like I said before, I like having an audience. Beats having to play the piano with just an NPC watching. I feel like that would be kind of creepy. And besides, you seem really nice, so..." She looked at him and winked. Time to kill the mood. "I'd really like to hang out with you a bit more."

"Hrm. Music," She took a few moments to think of an answer. "I'm a bit biased on this one. I play classical music a lot, so I prefer it over the other genres. And how do you put it...I really like how it doesn't need words to get a message across." She was about to say more, but realized that she couldn't bring out the words to say it. "Something like that. I'll play you something that'll make you understand. Also! I really like rock music, too! It's the perfect thing to sing along to when I'm mad."

They had started walking towards the town when Pinball decided that they should split up and do their own thing once they arrive. "But--" Arabelle interrupted herself before she could go any further. A part of her expected he would follow her back to the Performer NPC, but everyone had their own lives in Aincrad after all. Pinball was probably busy, but still took the time to help her on her little quest. I was gonna play something for you. Arabelle shrugged her shoulders loosely then smiled. "Sure, if you're busy. You're always welcome to watch me fail my first craft, though. Actually, I would've preferred it if I had an audience. Kind of serves as my motivation to not screw up and all."

The friend request popped up in front of her and she immediately hit 'Accept.' "Let There Be Light it is~. I'll PM you once I'm ready to head out." They continued walking in silence until the town gates came into view. 

@Grimm eventually reappeared and told the group about the results of his little exploration. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was a dungeon here, either," Arabelle agreed. "Oh, is there also a library? What about secret passages? They're kind of a requirement for big mansions such as this, right?" He then asked about the crow, to which Arabelle laughed, "Vigilon's familiar scared him out of the ballroom. Moondust's outside right now, but I think--no, I'm sure--he's coming back for food." She glanced at one of the windows, and to prove her point, pointed at Moondust hovering outside, stuck between deciding whether it should stay outside and starve or come in and face the other players' familiars.

Arabelle turned to @Vigilon who totally missed the point of her joke. She wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not, but at least he was telling her an interesting story. A frenemy? She couldn't ever understand those types of friendships...where two people somehow loved and hated each other at the same time. It would've been easier to understand if he said 'rival.' "You facing off against a Tier Two player, huh? That must've been really intense," she commented. Then, as if on cue, a loud voice announced the entrance of a 'Lady Auranika', a lovely woman wearing a golden dress with a golden dragon familiar at her side. Arabelle could only stare in awe, taking note of the sheer amount of confidence the woman seemed to emit. "Whoa... That's definitely one way to make an entrance."

She felt a light weight land on her shoulder and Arabelle reached up to stroke the feathers of her crow. "Knew you couldn't stay outside~," she giggled as she held up an open pouch of birdseed. Moondust greedily dug in. She heard a familiar voice calling her name and she looked up from her crow to see @Spangie making her way towards her. "Angie!" she exclaimed, delighted at the prospect of seeing her friend at a party. "You look so pretty in a dress. How have you been?" Moondust looked up from his food upon hearing Arabelle speak and his gaze zeroed in on the familiar trotting at Angie's side. The crow grabbed the pouch and was gone in a jiffy. "Moondust!" Arabelle groaned, looking out the open window the crow had escaped out of. "Geez, he's starting to learn." She turned to Angie and smiled sheepishly. "That's my crow familiar, Moondust. He's afraid of other familiars. Not players though. Just familiars. I have no idea why. And lately, he's been learning lots of new tricks." 

She glanced at the entrance, seeing more guests arrive at the event, all dressed in formal wear and ready to socialize. Her eyes narrowed upon spotting another familiar face. Wait. Is that...? Arabelle squinted. Yep. That was definitely @Pinball. Or maybe he secretly had a twin whose personality was the complete opposite of his. She watched him from the corner of her eye, and noticed that he had now camped out in the corner of the ballroom without speaking to anyone. That's no good. She noticed how his gaze seemed to flit from one person to another, stuck between deciding whether to talk to them or not. That's no good at all.

"I'll be back in a bit," Arabelle told the group. She strode towards the refreshments table and ordered two glasses of soda. Then, once the bartender had finished preparing her order, she took both glasses and walked over to Pinball. "Hey! Didn't expect to see you here, Pin," she greeted cheerfully, handing him the other glass. "Non-alcoholic. Sorry, I don't know if you're the right age or not. Anyways, how have you been?"

Arabelle blinked and almost looked surprised at Pinball's offer. "That's a good idea," she considered. "Oh, but when I go questing with you, I'd want to be a higher level so you wouldn't be doing all the work. Or so we can take on something your level. I can't be the only one benefitting from this after all."

The purple-haired girl paused and inched closer as the boy opened the chest. It wasn't as...impressive as she thought it looked. For starters, the chest was empty, and rewards came in the form of a pop-up notification that appeared in front of Pinball. Awww. I was expecting pretty gold coins and stuff. She puffed her cheeks, a bit disappointed with her expectations not being met. Seconds later, a window appeared in front of her, too. He was sending the materials over as promised. She took a few moments to read through the message and her eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa. Five materials, already? The game's definitely making up for that loot mob you got earlier," Arabelle giggled, depositing the materials into her inventory. "Too easy, indeed. At least we don't have to walk around looking for materials anymore. Oh wait," she spotted a material at the corner of her vision and rushed over to collect it. She returned to Pinball quickly with a bounce in her step. "Now if only this luck would last until I craft an item... Wanna head back now?"

Arabelle had to suppress a laugh at her friend's frustration. She stood still in a defensive stance and bit the inside of her cheek as she watched the last remaining Nepent bat away Angie's attacks with its vines. A few more failed attempts at attacking later, the blonde fell back to stand beside Arabelle, who was trying her hardest not to laugh. "Tsk, tsk. And to think you're the higher-leveled player in this party," she teased lightly. Then she turned her attention back to the Nepent who was preparing to charge at her. "You'd need to kill it, otherwise you won't complete the quest. I can take a few more hits. This thing's weak anyway."

Then, the Nepent scuttled towards her, its vines flailing angrily about it. The purple-haired player moved away from Angie to ensure that her friend wouldn't be hit by any stray vines and ducked underneath the mob's vines. She was close enough to land a hit now, but instead she rolled to the side and the Nepent's arms struck the ground she'd been standing on. She retreated to a safe distance as the mob recovered from its failed attack and checked her HP bar. Still the same value as before. Fighting low-leveled monsters made her feel like such a pro.

Arabelle glanced up at the chandelier once again. Moondust was watching her intently but still didn't budge an inch. Well, she didn't want to cause another scene by attempting to lure her crow back to its usual perch on her shoulder, so she turned back to the group. The boy in formal wear (@Grimm) had also noticed the familiar and was now asking whose familiar it was. Arabelle didn't want to lie, so she flushed in embarrassment once again and squeaked, "Mine. His name is Moondust. He's not exactly the bravest of crows, but he's nice. to have around..I guess."  She finally found it in her to make eye contact despite her embarrassment and offered him a nervous smile. "Sebastian Grimm, right? It's a lovely name. Like something you'd see from a story set in the medieval age. Oh, and if you didn't hear me before, my player name's Arabelle! Would you mind if I called you Seb?"

From her right, she heard @Vigilon calling out to his familiar. Arabelle turned to him with a smirk. "Familiar problems, too?" she teased. That quickly came back at her as she noticed the player's little frost dragon was now making its way towards her crow familiar. "Aww, crap," Arabelle groaned. Moondust, for his part, looked absolutely terrified (well, as 'terrified' as a scary-looking crow could look, anyway). His feathers bristled and as Veriost neared, he spread his wings and let out an aggressive cawing noise, once again drawing the attention of the players in the room. Arabelle pressed her palm to her forehead and groaned. She was never bringing Moondust to a social event ever again. She watched Vigilon's familiar draw nearer and nearer, until Moondust let out another squawk and fled from his perch on the chandelier. It proceeded to fly around the room, wings flapping frantically and almost hitting a few players on the way until it found the exit and flew towards it, leaving the social event altogether. "I am never bringing Moondust to an event again," Arabelle complained to Vigilon, who was now wrestling with his own familiar. She didn't worry about finding her familiar later, it would come for her once she called its name (while holding birdseed, of course). She giggled at Veriost's antics and as the familiar blew frost at Vigilon's face, she began speaking in a calm tone, "I've been doing very well, Vigilon. As you've seen already, I went familiar searching with a really nice frontliner who might have the scariest familiar I've ever seen. It was this big three-headed dog that..." A playful smirk appeared on Arabelle's face as she continued telling her story while Vigilon struggled with his familiar in front of her. Once he finally got Veriost to calm down, she gave him a grin that only meant 'sorry, not sorry.' "But enough about me. How have you been? I suppose you've been getting lots of action lately~." She nodded not-so-subtly to Vigilon's pretty girlfriend. Nova had asked about Vigilon's relationship status earlier, so it was easy to tell that their relationship was still fresh.

Arabelle then turned to the party's host, @Novafire. "Well, he's outside now, so I guess he won't cause any more trouble," Arabelle sighed. "Unless he decides to come back for food, which he kind of always does. Do you have a familiar, Nova?" It was kind of unlikely since most players brought familiars with them wherever they went, but she couldn't be sure. The blonde-haired girl then offered a tour of the mansion and Arabelle jumped at the opportunity. It wasn't every day she got into a mansion as grand as this! Even just standing in the ballroom made her feel like royalty... "I'd like to come along! Oooooh, and I think we should find Seb and make him join us, too!" Arabelle exclaimed, mirroring the girl's enthusiasm. Doing so reminded her of a certain girl with bright blonde hair who also had a personality as friendly and vibrant as Nova's. I wonder what'll happen if they meet? Or, wait, maybe they're actually twins?! It was kind of a reasonable assumption to make, since the two looked so similar.

She heard another voice addressing her, and she turned to see Vigilon's girlfriend--who had just introduced herself as @Krysta--smiling at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, too!" Arabelle spoke with a friendly smile. "I think you must be the only one here whose familiar's well behaved," she commented with a giggle, watching the ruby-colored dragon. She was just about to bring up another topic when she remembered she had agreed to go on a tour of the mansion with Nova, so instead she said, "Oh, right. Nova and I are gonna explore the mansion! Do you and Vigilon want to come along?"

"Is that so?" Arabelle asked, a hint of disappointment creeping into her tone. She took her attention off from material gathering to glance at Pinball equipping a cloak. Maybe something that would help him search materials. She'd have to get her hands on one of those items if she was going to be a crafter. "Lucky them, huh? I mean, the people who already knew how to fight from the start. They won't have much difficulty playing this game. But well, it was worth a shot...I'm kind of terrible at fighting and you looked kind of good at it, so I just figured. Ah, but it's fine, though." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, but from the angle she was facing him, Pinball could definitely see her pout. 

Arabelle searched the area she had found her last material from, even turning over a few rocks as she did, but came up with nothing. She looked over to see if her companion was having better luck and found him moving aside a rock and revealing a treasure chest. She immediately jogged over to him and hovered by his shoulder. It looked like the ordinary treasure chest found in most games, but actually seeing one full-size and in person... "Oooooh. I guess you have better luck this time! Can I open it?" Arabelle inquired excitedly. She was just about to step forward and do so when she stopped and looked back at him sheepishly. "Ah, but there's also a chance a mob would pop out, right? Awww, why is it that even treasure chests can kill you in this game...?" Her gaze focused on him intensely. While she wouldn't be receiving most of them, witnessing a player open a treasure chest firsthand and receive a bunch of rewards...it would be an exciting moment for her. "You're gonna open it, right? Right? Materials go to me, and the rest goes to you. Deal?" 

Arabelle stared up at the shop's sign vacantly. She had been...quite lackluster with her questing lately, and she wanted to make up for it. Because it was something she should've done earlier, even before she took the Performer quest. And if she did, she could've prevented...whatever unexplained tragedy that had just happened to one of her friends. She cleared out those thoughts with a shake of her head and entered the player's shop.

A player (NPC?) in a maid outfit greeted her. A maid of all things. But this maid wasn't @Domarus (hopefully). She wouldn't be wearing a maid outfit if she were. Arabelle cautiously watched the snake curled around the woman's shoulders as she smiled. "I need a few things crafted. Both tier one, perfect crafts. Um, here are the details," she handed the maid two already-accomplished order forms, still watching the snake warily. "Oh, and here's the payment. I'll come back for my order tomorrow. Is that alright with you?"

Quote

Name: Fione's Last Wish
Profession: Artisan
Rank: 7
ID:  
Roll: 
Item Type: Jewelry (brooch)
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: 2 Accuracy, 1 Evade
Description: [Image] A pure black phoenix carrying an egg made of black rhinestone. The wearer does not wish to explain the craft's peculiar name.

 

Quote

Name: Searcher's Odds
Profession: Artisan
Rank: 7
ID:  
Roll: 
Item Type: Trinket
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: 3 Loot Die
Description: [Image] A simple six-sided die dangling from a chain. With this, the dice will always be in the wearer's favor.

 

- 1,600 Col

Only a few moments had passed, and it looked like the party was going off to a good start. Arabelle turned her head to glance at the players filing into the room, most of them arriving alone. Among them was a good-looking guy dressed like a prince, two girls who had definitely dressed for the occasion, and...a familiar face. Arabelle gave Vigilon a friendly wave as he approached, though his attention seemed to be on a pretty blonde-haired girl wearing a white dress. The girl giggled and kissed him on his cheek as he complimented her and Arabelle would give Vigilon a knowing smile as his gaze would inevitably land on her.  Never knew Vigilon even had a girlfriend. 

Arabelle turned back to the girl hosting the party--she'd introduced herself as Novafire, but Arabelle decided she was going to call her Nova--as she gave a warm welcome to the players who had just arrived. She glanced at the karaoke as Nova mentioned it, but quickly looked away. She didn't want anyone to mistakenly think she was interested in singing. Oh, heck no. Anything but that. "Wow..." Arabelle was about to say something else but was interrupted when her crow familiar suddenly let out a loud squawk and took flight. "Wha--Moondust!" she exclaimed in surprise, drawing the attention of a few players. The crow was usually very behaved and followed her orders unless--she looked over her shoulder and noticed a small dragon familiar hiding behind Vigilon's girlfriend's back. Oh. Arabelle looked up in dismay and spotted Moondust perched on the large golden chandelier hanging above the room. She turned back to Nova, her face red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry about that. Moondust isn't very good with..." she averted her gaze, face turning even redder. "Other familiars. Not other players. Just familiars. I have no idea why either." She looked back up at the chandelier. "He won't hurt anyone, but he'd probably stay there for a while."

[ooc: tags aren't working for some reason. sorry about that, guys!]

"No, it's fine," Arabelle responded. Her tone was relaxed, but her posture was stiff and her focus on the battle didn't waver. Even if all she was doing was watching. "Maybe next time. If I kill a mob with you standing nearby, it wouldn't drop any loot." It was already something Pinball knew, but she decided it would be best for her to explain her reasoning. 

She watched quietly as the boy finished off the mob with another Sword Art, and she visibly relaxed upon seeing the mob dissipate. Arabelle made her way towards Pinball, sheathing her beginner axe across her back, and glanced at the stream the loot mob had popped out from. "I guess fishing's not much of an option now," she stated. The reason being that he had fished up a loot mob on his first try went unsaid. "But, but," her signature playful smile returned and she skipped closer. "I didn't realize Pin was that good of a fighter. You're a really reliable person, you know~?" She was teasing again. But it really was cool how he ended a fight without even losing HP. "Ah, that being said, can you offer me some combat tips sometime? Y'know, sometime after this quest..." Arabelle ended on that note as she noticed something glowing just a few meters downstream. She moved past Pinball and squinted at it. A material! Grinning excitedly, she skipped towards the material and picked it up. "Guess that's one down."

It was just another lovely morning. Sun was shining. Birds were chirping (and the unpleasant sound of her crow cawing accompanied them). And she was out in the fields once again, gathering materials for her shop. Her attempts at gathering without an 'LD boosting' item equipped proved to be less than fruitful, however, and after half an hour of failed searches, she rested under the shade of a big tree and silently cursed whatever determined material drop rates in this game. "What else do you think we should do today, Moondust?" Arabelle asked the crow resting on her shoulder conversationally. 

That question was quickly answered by the chime of a message notification. Arabelle frowned. Hadn't she asked for a break today? "Looks like Fi's asking for a favor again," she sighed as she opened the message. But the message didn't come from her friend. It came from a player introducing himself and not-so-subtly asking for help. Moondust blinked at the message curiously, and she patted the crow on its head fondly. "You can't fight. Go hide somewhere, okay? I'll feed you later." Arabelle gestured to the nearby trees and the crow reluctantly took flight.

It didn't take long for her to arrive at the coordinates the player had provided. Already, a small group of players had gathered (a few of which she recognized) and were all helping fight off a pack of wolves. Just what type of trouble did this guy attract? Arabelle gave the group of players a long, searching gaze, trying to distinguish which of them had sent the PM. Eventually, she singled out a white-haired man who had attacked a wolf and now had its attention on him. She smirked and gripped her scythe with both hands as she charged, closing the distance between her and the two remaining mobs. The weapon glowed a bright green as she activated a Sword Art. "Incoming!" she called out, hoping that was enough for the guy to jump out of the way. She neared the two wolves and swung her weapon upwards. It connected with one of them--unfortunately, the one that still had a full HP bar--and the wolf went flying, landing on the grass nearby with a thump! It wouldn't be getting up soon.

Attacking with  [x2 AoE] Smash (4 * 2 = 8 DMG)

ID: 99764 | BD: 3 + 1 = 4 (Miss)
ID: 99765 | BD: 8 + 1 = 9 (Hit, Paralyzed)

[0-0]Krysta: HP 297/300, EN 22/30 | 7 DMG | 18 MIT

[2-0]Sharr: HP 17/20, EN 0/2 | 1 DMG

Reinholt: HP 60/60, EN 0/6 | 5 DMG

[0-0]Vigilon: HP 439/440, EN 39/49 | 6 DMG | 9 MIT | 1 ACC | 1 EVA | 1 Bleed | 2 Recovery

[0-0] Pinball: HP 580/580, EN 50/58 | 14 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Hestia: 1285/1285  ENG:111/124   MIT:151  Thorns: 54  DMG:6  Para: 2  Bleed: 2  REc: 1 Reg: 1 1:ACC  EVA:-1

[0-1] Arabelle: HP 60/60, EN 2/6 | 4 DMG | 1 ACC | 2 Para

         Enemies:

Wolf 1: HP 7/10, 3 DMG

Wolf 2: HP 2/10, 3 DMG [PARALYZED]