Neopolitan

Tyonis mentioned that he heard something, and when he did Neo took care to listen closely. She couldn't quite tell if there was something strange going on. Neo followed Tyonis closely through the bushes, looking around for something out of the ordinary. As they pushed through, Neo could hear a bird calling a little louder than before. Looking up, Neo saw what looked like a large bird of prey roosting up in a tree. Neo was pretty sure that it wasn't a blood hawk, though she didn't really know what they were. It seemed to be interested more in its kill when Neo suddenly snapped a twig underneath her foot.

Uh oh...

The bird immediately snapped its head looking towards Neo, it seemed to want a fight. Though Neo as fairly certain she could take on the bird, she didn't know how well Tyonis would hold up in a fight. She glanced over towards him and gave a barely noticeable nod towards her weapon.

I hope he gets the message, I don't want to fight unless he's up for it.

(OOC: You're good to roll for a search on your next post btw)

The two were definitely in the wilds now. Thankfully, they weren't heading towards the fields. Though it was likely still dead, Neo didn't want to fight a giant wasp again with someone who likely wouldn't hold back. Trees began to become more common, but there were still plenty of bushes and rocks. There was also plenty of small wildlife around. Though Tyonis wanted to go for something big, Neo wondered if he'd be able to get something that large. She had heard of some players trying to get larger creatures and failing miserable. She had actually thought of taming a creature to be a mount until she realized that no one had anything larger than a large dog. At the very least, Neo hoped that they would ind the hawk quickly so thy could find out if it was tamable.That and it seemed as though Tyonis was getting really hungry.

As the two began to walk into the foothills surrounding the town, Tyomis continued to talk away. Though he was understandably disappointed about the lack of food, Neo did hope that one day he might find come find her shop and get some food from her. She wasn't too surprised that all he spent his money on was food and alcohol. He seemed like the military type, though probably not Japanese military, and from what Neo knew the military provided for a lot of a person's need. It was honestly a great thing to provide for those defending their country, and Neo was glad that they did. At Tyomis's question, Neo shook her head. Though he didn't seem like he was helpless, he did seem new. As much experience as someone could have in the real world, very little of it actually transferred over. To those like Neo, who never focused on much of anything, it was a very nice way to level the playing field. Of course, this meant that those used to being more accurate or able to hit harder had that stripped away from them. Seeing Tyonis equip his gear, Neo double checked to make sure she still had everything she needed equipped.

Tyonis began to talk, which Neo was perfectly fine with. With her silence, others often did more talking to make up for it. He asked if he could call her Neo and she nodded her head, not realizing that he wasn't even looking for the affirmation.

I really should've picked a better username, or maybe my parents should've picked a better name. At least in here I don't have to worry about anyone being a stalker. Even if someone was a stalker, there's not much they could do until we got out of this game.

When Tyonis mentioned her theme, Neo couldn't help but do a little laughing gesture she had gotten used to, letting the tips of her fingers cover her mouth as she shook a little from the rapid breathing usually accompanied with audible laughter. Though no sound came out, it was the best way she could figure out to convey laughter without getting strange looks from people. She realized that she did kind of dye her hair with that in mind, though she just thought it was a nice color combination and didn't do it to reference the ice cream. When Tyonis did ask if she had any ice cream, Neo shook her head. Though she could probably make some, he didn't have the ingredients and wasn't at her shop.

Approved, Welcome to SAO-RPG

Though there appeared to be some confusion still, the man was doing much better than some from her real life. There were those that would take months just for her to be able to answer them simple questions, and even then she had to use very specific hand gestures. She could've tried to learn sign language, but because she could hear just fine it was too hard to find people that could actually read her signing. It was much easier to just give basic signs to people that were  bit clearer to understand. When the man requested that hey partied, Neo realized that she hadn't already sent the invite. She quickly accepted the invite, noting the name.

Tyonis, an interesting username. Of course, I'm one to think, I have a username that's an ice cream flavor.

After Tyonis asked his question, Neo gave a quick but obvious nod. It was good that he asked the right questions, else the could be on a wild goose chase of misinformation for quite some time.

As the woman spoke, Neo turned back towards her. Her offer was certainly enticing, as Neo enjoyed that feeling of calmness so much. And of course, doing a quest couldn't hurt, at the very least Neo could be helpful. Neo gave a nod to the woman, accepting her offer.

It'll be good to get to know more people, Su has certainly been pushing for me to do so. I'll have to do my best to communicate, though I don't think I'll be able to do so very well while I still get used to not having a translator. Perhaps I can find myself someone to translate for me, though I don't want to stress anyone out and force them to spend all their time with me. Though peace is nice, we'll all need to get stronger if we want to go home.

Neo was looking forward to continuing to make new connections.

Thankfully, it seemed that the man could understand her. Of course, it would likely not be perfect, but it was better than Neo could've hoped for. She had lost track of how many times there was a miscommunication and needing to backtrack in a conversation. As the man talked, she realized that he may think she can't hear as well either. It was a common misunderstanding, a lot of people thought that being unable to speak meant you were deaf as well. It was something she had gotten used to. Once the man finished talking, Neo pointed to herself, than her ear, than gave a thumbs up. Her hearing was fine. She pointed to the ground, than her head than gave a tilted thumbs up. She knew some things about the floor, though hadn't spent a long period of time on it. The man said he wanted to tame a blood hawk, and though Neo didn't know of a blood hawk specifically she could at least try and guide him towards where a hawk might be. Neo pondered for a bit and then gestured for him to follow her. If he was accepting her help, than there was no point in waiting around while they figured a couple things out.

11 minutes ago, Tyonis said:

Name: Coeurl
Your Profession: Blacksmith
Your Rank: 1
Roll ID: 102292
Roll Result: Natural 12
Item Type: Dagger
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect 
Enhancements: 1 Accuracy (+1 BD - cannot cause Critical Hits) | 2 Paralyze (Paralyzed for one turn on Natural 8-10.)
Description: The first dagger Tyonis ever crafted. Meant to be used as a sidearm to a main-hand weapon in case of extreme close combat. Critical hits with this weapon give the wielder breathing room for more options. Affectionately named after Coeurls from a certain MMO that like to stun new players into submission.
Post Link: 

 

Approved, but don't forget you need 100+ words still in merchant and shop posts

Neo was a little shocked that the player was asking if she needed help when not moments ago she had seen him not doing so well. It was certainly kind of him, and she was glad that being stuck in this game hadn't drained the kindness out of him. Of course, Neo wasn't the one in need of help. She hoped that she'd be able to communicate with just hand gestures, but she might have to use the paper that she kept on hand for just this kind of situation. Though the paper was useless for NPCs, players were able to read it should they be unable to read her hand gestures. Neo pointed to herself, shaking her head, then pointed towards the player with a quizzical look.

Let's see how well I can do with someone unfamiliar with silence and with no translator. It will be the first time since I was a little girl I've had to do this.

Neo was still unable to find anything, and just as before found herself getting lost in her own thoughts. The flower maze may have been shifting, but it gave Neo a peaceful solace from any other outside influences. As she thought, her mind wandered from subject to subject, never quite settling on one idea before moving on to the next.

I should try and get a performer into my shop or maybe... Of course, I'll want to get stronger bfore any of that, but what if... I could try to respec, though I don't think I'm doing that... Why don't I try to fight something a little bigger... Do I want to take more risks, my life is on the line... If I stock up on a few things beforehand, I should be fine... maybe find some other people that I can go with to find better places... Maybe just tag along without anyone noticing...

Neo was heading back towards the portal after looking around the second floor for some player-run shops. She had wanted to get better gear, but it seemed no one of note set up their shop on this floor. 

Guess I'll have better luck on a different floor. I was really hoping I could find myself a good artisan though. Of course, I may have just missed where someone had one of their shops, that wouldn't be fun.

As Neo came towards the teleportation fountain, she noticed a player catching his breath. At first, she assumed that he had just teleported out of a fight, but noticed that the player was at full health. Guessing that the player was new, she went over to help. Neo wasn't the best at this game, but figured she could help in whatever small way that she could. As she walked up next to the player, she had a smile on her face and gave a slight wave of her hand.

Though it might be a little tricky to communicate, I'll need to get used to it. It's like being a kid all over again, though this time I have mistakes to learn from already.

8 minutes ago, Tyonis said:

Name: Magstrom
Your Profession: Blacksmith
Your Rank: 1
Roll ID: 102286
Roll Result: Natural 12
Item Type: 2H Assault Spear
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect 
Enhancements: 2 Accuracy (+2 BD - cannot cause Critical Hits) | Bleed (+12 Unmitigated Damage for 2 Turns on Natural 9-10.)
Description: The first spear Tyonis ever crafted. Affectionately named after Drill Sergeant Magstrom. It features a barbed, two-sided axe head that flanks the spear tip to induce heavy bleeding on critical hits.
Post Link: 

 

Approved

As Neo kept looking, she kept coming up empty. Though she couldn't be sure of it, it felt like the maze was shifting, trying to obscure her from where she had already been. Resigning herself to another long search, Neo began to reminisce about the previous time she had gone looking for ingredients. It wasn't that long ago, but it already felt like a distant memory.

I had a similar struggle with finding ingredients, guess I need to get better at searching. Maybe there's just more things here that can be used in food than I think. Of course, I wouldn't want to accidentally poison my customers with poor food choices. Not that I have customers in the first place. Maybe there's some trick to getting better customers. Probably should've gone for a more urban location, that would have a lot more foot traffic than the more rural setting I went for. But then again, urban would make the experience a lot noisier and I wouldn't like that.

Neo looked around the garden, trying to find some other places where food would be plentiful. Though she didn't see any right away, she didn't lose hope. She may have gotten lucky in finding the one patch of vegetables, but that couldn't be the only one. Neo as hard pressed to find another one. She searched through a maze of flowers in vain looking for another vegetable patch.

I guess if I want to get more ingredients, I'll need to be a bit more greedy with my pickings. I don't want to hinder any other players that come here, but I guess it'll all respawn eventually. Now, where was that carrot patch at, that'll be where I can get a lot more ingredients...

Neo wandered through the flower maze, less in search of new sources of ingredients and now wanting to get back to where she was already getting some.

As Su talked about all the ways the NPCs were amazing, Neo nodded in agreement. There was certainly something to be said at how well the world they were stuck in was created. If it wasn't for its creator wanting to play god, this would likely have been one of the greatest games of all time. Not only was it the first full-dive game, but also had all manner of other amazing technologies behind it. It was truly an open world. The only thing that made this game not a sandbox was the clear progression towards an end goal, which may not have been there if they weren't currently trapped.

It really is a wonderful system, and hope that kinder people continue to make these games. Even if I wasn't trapped, I would probably still be playing this game. It's a game that offers so much more than any other has, and would've been on the top charts for a while.

Neo walked into the store having seen the sign outside. It was a cozy place and seemed to be full of charm. Neo had come looking for some gear and it appeared she would not leave disappointed. She already knew what she wanted for combat use, but after noticing a mysterious cloak with eyes over it she realized she could probably get a couple other useful items while she was here. She had brought a piece of paper with her to make her order on and quickly jotted down the additional items that he wanted. Neo looks for the shop's oner so she can place her order.

Neo started to walk into the garden, and was in awe about its beauty. Even though there was little in the way of usable food, there were many beautiful flowers for her to gaze upon.

So many colors and shapes,  could probably walk in here for hours without even needing to rest my feet they're so distracting. Wait! I can't just stare at them all day, I need to find food to put in my restaurant. It won't hurt to look at some of the flowers, but I can't lose focus on what I need to be doing here.

Neo's sightseeing was interrupted when she quickly found a patch of carrots to grab from. She was unsure whether or not she was allowed to take from it freely, so Neo just grabbed a single carrot and continued along the way, still staring at all the flowers as she passed them by.

Neo decided to just look around the entrance to see if there was anything immediately in reach, but the area seemed to have ben picked clean. As she looked around, she remembered that she had grabbed some food from her restaurant on her way to the garden.

If I'm doing this to better my shop, then there's no shame in using my own product. No one is buying them anyways, so no one is going to miss these.

She dug into one of her golden cheesy breads, not wanting to use the one piece of garlic bread she had made, and immediately felt a rush of energy flow through her. She felt like she had much sharper vision and would be able to find those ingredients with much more acuity than before.

Okay, now I can really start looking. I should be able to find plenty with the help of my own cooking.

It had been some time since Neo had gotten new ingredients for her restaurant, and she was running low. She had heard of some NPCs talking about a garden on the first floor where resources were abundant, and she wanted to check it out. There wasn't much specific information to go on, so Neo had to look for some time before stumbling upon it. Once inside, she could tell that there were many things here ready for harvest.

Guess I don't ned to worry that much about finding ingredients, I should be able to get plenty here. I'm not sure what the quality of things are in this place, but it couldn't be that bad if the game is almost forcing the hints down my throat.

Neo went to find something to hold all the ingredients in, when she remembered that she only needed to put them into her inventory. Lamenting about the slight drop in the game's realism, Neo went to work looking for ingredients.

As soon as Su was done explaining the situation, the NPC actually came over and began their dialogue. As they conversed responsively with Su, Neo couldn't help but be in awe about the program's realism.

I know it's hard, but I have to remember that they are not actual humans. They are just chunks of code in a game, no matter how realistic it makes them be. I have to remember that. It's the only excuse I'll have if I ever have to kill one of them.

The two finished talking, and the woman was thankfully in a stable enough situation to point them in the direction of the cave her child went missing in. Su took her hand, and Neo quickly stepped to walk in stride so Su could feel free to talk to her. They both knew where they were going, so it shouldn't be that hard to at least start their search.

Neo was calm, and just as she was wondering if there was anything more to the meditation than the calmness, the woman spoke. Neo let the words sink in, pondered each statement like she was savoring a delicious meal. Her words of encouragement were not wasted on Neo, she took them to heart and realized that she could do anything if she set her mind onto it. As the woman commented about no one else meditating, Neo couldn't help but give a shy smile. She wouldn't have sat down and meditated herself if it wasn't for a recent friend she had made. She was so hellbent on growth as well and wanted to get out of this place. She had forgotten that even in this prison, there was a reason behind it. And though Neo couldn't know what the purpose of the game's creator was, she could make her own purpose in it. Neo stood up slowly, wanting to hold onto that peace of mind for as long as possible, and gave a short bow to the woman in thanks for the lesson.

Neo listened calmly to the woman as she spoke. She seemed to enjoy the calmness brought in by the meditation, and Neo had to admit it was growing on her. She never knew how good it was at clearing her head.

I wish I had been able to do this at home, I would've been able to avoid a lot of stress this way.

Neo nodded to the woman's remarks, Neo really was enjoying the calming that the meditation brought to her. Once the woman turned back to her own meditation, Neo closed her eyes and continued her deep breathing. She thought of what to do, and let the stress flow away from her. It was nice to be able to think of her goals without being immediately frustrated by how far they were from her grasp.

Though they are far, I still have goals, and that is something. I don't ned to worry about how far they are, just how I'll eventually get there.

Neo was wandering about the first floor looking for places to get better gear at when she came across a body of water. There, she spotted someone meditating there, and though it was a curious thing to do, Neo chose to join on a whim. She sat down close enough to be seen, but not so close that she was being rude, and crossed her legs in silence.

I'm glad to see that there are others who enjoy silence, it's so hard to find calm people in a group of people like this. Most people stuck in this game are eager egomaniacs that want everyone to be talking at full volume.

Neo let her breathing become deeper, and lost herself in the peace of mind the cool breeze offered. She thought about how to deal with being in the game for so long. It wasn't until recently that she had worked up the courage to get up and do something, and it was nice to take a break from it for once.

Neo had just gotten to floor seven from her last quest when she got a notification. Su was asking for her to come do a quest with her.

That 'll be nice to do here. Let's see, floor 2 is where the sending location is from, that's probably where the quest is then. Shouldn't be too bad to go for.

Neo stopped by her restaurant to drop off her rewards and turned back towards the floor's fountain. Once she got their, she found he console to go to floor 2.

Thank goodness you don't need voice controls for these fountains, else I would be struggling.

Neo arrived at the second floor, and saw Su waiting for her. She looked side to side and saw the panicked NPC.

Well, I guess we'll need to go see what the panic is about.

Neo gave a smile as she walked up to Sunova.