Joanne

Joanne approached the female boar. It had stopped feeding and was now standing backed-up against a tree. Joanne knew animals would attack and could be more dangerous when trapped, so she raised her shield in preparation. As she raised it, the boar saw the hawk on the shield's front and attacked it, sending sparks flying as its tusks ground against the shield's thick material. The boar bounced back from the recoil, and Joanne took the opportunity to plunge her sword into the belly of the beast. It squealed, hurrying to get up and escape to safety. 

Before she knew what was happening, the fifth boar came and attacked her from behind. Luckily, she heard the sound of hooves approaching and turned just in time for the boar to clash against her shield. It bounced back and shook its head angrily. "Change of plans, James. Go for the third boar. She's more weakened than the others."  She readied her blade to go against the fifth boar. It seemed to be angry at her for attacking its potential mate. 

[H: 0 | 2 | 0 ] James: 39/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED (1/2) | LIGHT MOMENTUM
[H: 1 | 0 | 0] Joanne: 40 - 2 = 38/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 

Boar 3: 25 - (2 + 18) = 5/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 
Boar 4: 10/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 
Boar 5: 25 - 18 = 7/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 

Joanne smiled, happy that her brother was enjoying himself and that they had finally killed the last enemy. "I'm happy for you, brother. But remember to be patient. I'll try to find us some weaker enemies, but they may still be hard to beat." 

She motioned for her brother to follow her once more. They both ventured to the East. After a few minutes of walking, Joanne pointed in front of her. Ahead of them were three boars that seemed slightly easier than the two they just fought. "Alright," she whispered. "I'll let you take the second and third ones, and I'll take the first one on the far left." She pointed to the left of the open field at a light-colored female boar. It was busy chewing on some white flowers, enjoying its meal. The other two boars appeared to be two males fighting for the right to mate said female boar. It was a rare sight of pure nature and how it works. "I'll let you make the first move." 

Boar 1: 25/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 
Boar 2: 25/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 
Boar 3: 25/25 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA 

Joanne nodded her head. Hopefully she wouldn't take this boar out right away. She wanted her brother to be able to collect the loot of the small thing. She stepped forward with her blade out in front of her. With one swift movement, she was right in front of the boar, slashing down across its muzzle. But her hit didn't land. It seemed as if the tiny thing had managed to time its own dash just right in order to escape another hit. 

She sighed and said, "My apologies that I couldn't land a hit. I'll do my best to aim and predict my enemies actions far better next time." She removed her helmet and let her golden hair flow down her shoulders. The sun glinted off of it, making it seem like she had a glowing aura around her head. She set her sword down and braided her long hair, drawing it away from her face. 

[H: 4 | 1] James: 39/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED | LIGHT MOMENTUM 
[H: 2 | 2] Joanne: 40/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) (1/2) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 
Boar 1: 10/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 5 - 12 = 0/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Upon hearing her brother call her back into battle, Joanne re-equipped her helmet and brought up her shield and sword to a ready position. With a quick dash, she closed the distance between her and the boar rather quickly. With one stroke down with her sword, she sliced the side of the boar once more. The wounded beast ran limping away to another corner of the grove, trying to escape its attackers. The sight of the thing limping as well as the pitiful sounds the beast was uttering made Joanne frown. Even though she knew the thing wasn't alive, she still couldn't help but feel sad for it. 

"Bring this beast a quick death as an act of mercy, brother," she told James. She didn't like to hear or see things suffer. A quick death was always the best death in her opinion. On the farm, she had to learn that lesson as a child. When killing a chicken for food, you had to chop off its head quickly or it would suffer. 

[H: 3 | 1] James: 39/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED | LIGHT MOMENTUM 
[H: 2 | 2] Joanne: 40/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) (1/2) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 
Boar 1: 14 - 12/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 5 - 12 = 0/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne stepped back and let the boar anger its hatred towards her brother. The boar launched forward striking out at her brother. She knew he could take the hit quite easily with his new armor. 

She decided to take the chance to take a break and regain her energy. She took her full-face helmet off and watched her brother and the boar duke it out. Who would have thought that they would both be trapped in another world. Death around every corner. At least they were together. Though her chest still did tighten at the thought of her own mum and da. She hoped they were doing alright. 

From what James had told her, it seemed as though ma was not doing so well. The worry must be driving both of her parents crazy. She made a promise to herself right then and there. She would not die. She made this promise for her brother and her parents. She would show them one day that everything would be fine, and life would go back to the way it used to be. 

[H: 2 | 1] James: 40 - 1 = 39/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED | LIGHT MOMENTUM 
[H: 1 | 2] Joanne: 39 + 1 = 40/40 HP | 4/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) (1/2) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 
Boar 1: 16/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 5 - 12 = 0/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne stepped forward and launched herself in the air, coming down upon the first boar before it even knew what was happening. She sliced off its tail and sliced open its back right leg, making it squeal and hobble away. She wouldn't be able to attack again until her brother attacked again or else she could take the kill and loot again. 

She checked behind her at the second boar and saw it burst into pixels. One down and a few more to go, she noted in her mind. She jogged over to where the boar had died to gather loot. She frowned. The boar had only dropped the basic loot, nothing special for a merchant to check. "Sorry, brother. There was nothing good dropped by this one anyways."

As she put the loot away in her inventory, she turned just in time to see the first boar charging back at her. In the nick of time, she raised her shield. The boar glanced off of it and took damage. It decided to run away from the shield instead of charging it another time. 

[H: 1 | 1] James: 40/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED | LIGHT MOMENTUM (active)
[H: 1 | 2] Joanne: 39 + 1 = 40 - 1 = 39/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD (2/2)| 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) (1/2) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 
Boar 1: 38 - (18 + 2) = 18/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 5 - 12 = 0/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Loot gathered
120 + 80 col = 200 col
2 T1 materials
 

Joanne saw her brother scare the boars away and shook her head. He had always been a clutz. But she wouldn't let him ruin a chance at a perfect attack. With one quick swing, she slashed deeply across the right side of the second boar, bringing it to its knees momentarily. After a few seconds, it got back up and charged quickly towards Joanne. She raised her shield, and the boars tusks slid off, making a scratching noise and damaging the boar even more. The boar shook its head, now near death. It quickly fell back, knowing one last hit may kill it. 

Joanne turned to her brother. "James, hit the second boar and i'll go for the first one. You may be able to finish it off if you get a lucky enough hit. And even if you don't hit it, my bleed damage will kill it on the next turn anyways." She was starting to get a hang of the game mechanics finally. 

[H: 0 | 0] James: 40/40 HP | 2/4 EN | 2 DMG | 23 MIT | BLEED | LIGHT MOMENTUM (active)
[H: 0 | 2] Joanne: 40 - 1 = 39/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD (1/2)| 18 MIT | 2 REGEN (10 TOTAL) | 2 THORN (18 DMG total)

vs. 
Boar 1: 40/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 40 - (3 + 12) = 25 - 18 = 7/40 HP | 10 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne turned towards her brothers voice, spotting him coming out of a tiny entrance. She let out a sigh of relief. "Geez, I thought I had lost you. The last thing I saw was that kid dragging you away. So what do you need to do for this quest?" 

After he told what he needed to find, she decided that it was best to head out to the forest area outside the safe zone of the town. "There should be some wild beasts outside the town that aren't too powerful for us. Boars spawn especially frequently out in the open fields. I suggest we take them two at a time so that each have our own to face. That way we won't become overwhelmed. I'll try and let you land the last hits on each of them as well so you can find your items." 

She led the way outside of town, beckoning for her younger brother to follow her. 

Joanne was surprised by her brother's sudden seriousness. It made her jump a tiny amount when he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. Her expression soon smoothed over and back into a relaxed smile when she heard him go on about escaping. "Yes, James. We will get out of here. Together." 

The moment was suddenly interrupted by the waitress bringing the two their lunches. James dug into his right away, ravenous as ever. Joanne smiled. In this moment, it felt like old times. Just brother and sister spending a lunch together. She looked down at her food and took a bite. For being made of just pixels, it sure tasted good. She sighed happily and sneakily stole a green bean from her brother's plate, laughing. 

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking about old times and enjoying their lunch. Both hoped that they could make it out of this alive. And maybe they now stood a chance together. 

Joanne thought for a moment about how to respond to her brother's question. What had she been doing? Just training everyday. "Well, I've been practicing my form and sword techniques. I've been trying to become stronger so that I can join the front lines and help us all get out of here." All her life, she spent her time helping people, and she felt that her skills could be put to great use here. She would help them all get out one day. 

Then she listened to her brother as he spoke. She frowned with him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, James. We're both safe and together now. And I know we won't let anything happen to either of us." She smiled and pulled him along by the arm. She felt like a little kid again. "Now come along, we're nearly there!" 

She pulled him along and into her favorite tavern, "The Rusty Cup". It was near the entrance of the front gate, but most players passed by it since it was a small, wooden building with only a basic sign. Once inside, she sat down at a table by the window and ordered a ham sandwich with chicken noodle soup on the side. 

Joanne looked over as her brother called to her. She smiled as she replied, "Good! Now help with this little pig. He's a bit too quick for me to hit precisely in this heavy armor." She then turned her attention back to the boar. It seemed to be a little more cautious now that it saw its partner destroyed by the tall man. Joanne took this opportunity to make the first move. 

Charging towards the boar, she raced her sword and swung forward. The boar tried to dodge out of the way, but it had waited too long. The blade sliced right through the boar's back, splitting it in half. The beast split into thousands of light blue pixels that flew away from Joanne's sword. She bent down to pick up the loot from the ground. "Haha, seems like I got some col and a trinket as well." She smiled. "Now, it seems like I owe you a lunch. Let's head back to town." She led the way back to town, motioning for her brother to follow her. 

[H: 2 | 0] Joanne: 18/20 HP | 0/2 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD (1/2) | 9 MIT
[H: 0 | 5] James: 18/20 HP | 1/2 EN | 2 DMG | 5 MIT | BLEED | 

vs. 

Boar 1: 36 - (3 + 12) = 21/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 11 - (12 + 3) = 0/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Loot gathered:
120 col + 160 + 120 = 400 col
1 Rare Trinket [ID:127421]

Joanne decided to try and counter-attack this next attack and see how the mechanic worked in game. As the boar approached her, she raised her sword, preparing to parry. However, the boar quickly dodged around her and attacked her from the back, hitting her in the middle of her spine and pushing her forward. She attempted to lash behind her as she fell forward, but the boar had already moved out of the way. She fell onto one knee from the force of the hit. As she picked herself back up, she saw another health point tick off of her health bar and grew more determined. I'll get them next time, she told herself. 

Then she looked over at her brother's boar. The bleed enchantment was helping take down the boar quickly. She had the enchantment as well, but she hadn't been able to land any critical hits yet. Maybe she was doing something wrong. Moving wrong perhaps? She looked down at her hand and sword. She had to be doing something wrong. 

[H: 2 | 0] Joanne: 18/20 HP | 0/2 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 9 MIT
[H: 0 | 3] James: 18/20 HP | 1/2 EN | 2 DMG | 5 MIT | BLEED (2/2) | 

vs. 

Boar 1: 36/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 11/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne had received a message that Macrodon had finished her shield. She quickly finished her lunch and headed over to his shop. Upon opening the door and entering into the room, she saw her shield sitting right at the counter, looking brilliant and polished. She had quickly grabbed her armor from before and now equipped it. She equipped the shield as well. The two looked absolutely stunning together. 

Joanne turned to face the blacksmith and said, "Thank you so much! These are skillfully made and should protect me without fail." She smiled and waved back as she walked out of the shop, ready to test out her new armor and shield. 

Joanne was on high alert as they made their way through a not-so-safe part of town. She had re-equipped her armor, and her hand rested on her sword, always at the ready. She trusted Dederick, but she didn't trust the other people in this area. Still wanting to protect Dederick (even though she knew he could hold his own), she stood by his side the whole time, ready to take down any distasteful people that would try to harm them. 

She looked down at Dederick questioningly when he told her to trust him. "All right," she replied, stifling a sigh. Things were sketchy in this area, and she felt like they were being watched from the shadows. She scanned the area as best she could, but she still felt as if someone was still watching them. Then they reached a set of shops. She read the signs. "Oscar's Hot Dogs huh?" she asked. "Haven't had a proper hot dog in quite a while. Especially not since joining the game." She was surprised that she hadn't heard of the place before. Though, she never did go to this part of the town anyways. 

@Dederick

Joanne couldn't help but blush at the praise. "Thank you, Dederick," she said while sheathing her sword. "I am proud of you as well for your dedication with spreading God's word. It is quite a hard mission indeed in the world's current condition." She took a moment to stretch, pondering about what they should do next. Then her stomach began to growl. Her face flushed in embarrassment. "M-my apologies. It seems all that fighting actually made me a bit hungry." She laughed and looked up at the sky. It seemed about noon now, and she had been training and fighting since 6 that morning. 

"Um, would it be okay if we headed back to the main city and got some lunch?" Her stomach grumbled once more, her face growing even redder. "It seems my stomach is quite adamant about getting some food soon. My apologies if I am interrupting your plans or becoming a burden because of this." She bowed her head in apology. 

@Dederick

Joanne was glad that Dederick was enjoying fighting along side her as much as she enjoyed fighting along him. She glanced over as she saw him un-equip his armor. His clothing looked nice and casual. She tried to stifle a giggle when he made the odd stretching noises, finding them a tad funny. 

She decided to follow suit and began stretching while listening to him talk. "Ah, yes. The fighting doesn't wear me out nearly as quickly as it did in the real world, but it is quite a tiring affair. It must be because we're so inexperienced and of such low level. That must be why we tire out so easily." She gave Dederick an encouraging smile. "But I know we can both rise up in levels quickly if we keep at it like this." 

She took out her sword and held it out with one hand, her arm not even quivering. "Back home, I did this for hours when I first started learning how to fight with a sword. I kept practicing until I could hold the sword up for a complete hour without letting it droop. And then two. Then three." She stood there, holding the sword, thinking back to her childhood. 

@Dederick

Joanne felt the impact to her hip as the boar attacked. However, her heavy armor protected her from most of the damage. She quickly sliced in front of her, hitting the boar in the side. Unfortunately, it wasn't a direct hit, so it only did minimum damage. She looked over at the health of the second boar that her brother had been attacking. Oh goodness, she thought to herself. I may well end up losing this competition. She smiled at the thought and looked over at her brother. He was doing better than she had expected, and he was actually enjoying himself. 

"It seems you're winning brother. Keep up the good work!" she encouraged him. She wondered if he would manage to take out his boar within the next hit. If so, he could help her take her own boar out. Though she couldn't help but frown at the amount of damage she was doing. Usually, she would land more crits than this. 

[H: 2 | 0] Joanne: 19/20 HP | 1/2 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 9 MIT
[H: 0 | 2] James: 19/20 HP | 2/2 EN | 2 DMG | 5 MIT | BLEED (1/2) | 

vs. 

Boar 1: 38 - 2 = 36/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 25/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne smiled and clapped as the boars perished against Dederick's shield. "It still amazes me that even a shield does so much damage in this game. I really want to get a shield as soon as I can to add to my arsenal." 

When Dederick asked if they should prove them wrong, a determined expression came to her face. "Let's prove them wrong. I personally think we make a great team." She un-equipped her helmet and sheathed her sword. She walked over to Dederick and put her hand on his shoulder. "For my first time in this game, I have enjoyed battle with another player. I appreciate that you let me accompany you today. I hope you enjoyed yourself as well." 

She took a deep breath in and un-equipped her armor as well. She was wearing a baggy, white work shirt and jeans with brown boots on. "Sorry for looking so casual," she apologized. "That armor was getting a little bit stuffy." She laughed lightly. 

@Dederick

Joanne walked up to the counter and presented a custom order to the blacksmith. "Hello, sir. I have a request for a custom shield. I would like it to have a nice silver sheen with a hawk emblem on the front." She smiled. "The hawk is the symbol of my family," she explained. She placed the order in front of him. "I would like the perfect quality with 2 Thorn enchantment and 1 Regen enchantment." She paused and thought about it for a moment, making sure that her order was exactly what she wanted and needed. She nodded her head. "Yes, this should do nicely. I'm sure your work will look lovely when I come to pick it up." 

She then looked at his display of items and spotted a piece of armor she wanted. "Oh! I would also like the Tier 1 armor called "Heaven's Embrace" behind you." 

She placed a sack of 10 materials on the counter in front of her. "Here is your payment up front. This should be enough when applying the 25% discount to the purchase. Just let me know when the order is finished. Thank you very much! Oh, and am I able to take the suit of armor with me now?" 

Joanne smiled, glad that her brother and she were both happy once more. Then she saw him take out his large weapon. Her eyes went wide. She never imagined her brother would choose such a large weapon, but she approved. Maybe he would be able to do more damage than she did for once. "Right this way," she said, motioning him to follow her. 

She led the way through the thick trees into another clearing where two boars were grazing. She motioned for her brother to stay back as she made the first move. 

She charged towards boar, her sword drawn. Slash! She cut a piece of its shoulder off. Jumping back, she motioned for her brother to take the next move, silently cursing herself for not doing more damage. 

"You get the second boar and I'll get the first one. Whoever kills their boar last gets to pay for lunch!" she called, turning this fight into a friendly competition. 

[H: 1 | 0] Joanne: 20/20 HP | 1/2 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 BLD | 9 MIT
[H: 0 | 0] James: 20/20 HP | 2/2 EN | 5 MIT | BLEED | 

vs. 

Boar 1: 40 - 2 = 38/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA
Boar 2: 40/40 HP | 5 DMG | 3 ACC | -3 EVA

Joanne's eyes grew wide as she saw the boars bounce off his armor and his health points just keep regenerating. "Wow," she muttered under her breath. She'd need to ask him how his armor and health points did that later. It was probably a special enchantment to the items he was using. 

She smiled, glad that he was safe. "I'm glad that you are not hurt. And I'm very impressed at your skill with strategy. That is something that I have not yet grasped with this game." She then faced the sixth boar, making it her target. 

She dashed forward taking a small chunk of flesh off of the boar's shoulder. However, the slice was still not deep enough to cause too much damage. She jumped back next to Dederick. "I instead use the swordsmanship and armor skills I learned in real life and try to apply them to the game. Strike hard and fast."

@Dederick

[H: 2 | 2] Dederick: HP: 58/60 | EN: 0+1=1/6 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 18 | THORNS: 28 | FIREPROOF | REGEN 1 | KEEN 2 | TAUNT 1
[H: 1 | 1] Joanna: HP: 20/20 | EN: 1/2 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 9 | BLEED 1

Boar 5: HP: 16/50 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 | ID: 126972 | BD: x | MD: 9, Crit for 10-18=1 DMG | REGEN REFRESHED
Boar 6: HP: 18-2 = 16/50 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 | ID: 126973 | BD: x | MD: 6, Hit for 9-18=1 DMG | THORNS DEAL 28 DMG

Joanne was moved by her brother's sudden seriousness. He really has been worried about me for these past two years, she thought to herself. She sniffled and turned away, wiping her nose with a handkerchief that she had grabbed from her inventory. "I know I should be more open about things, but it's just hard. I want to help others, so I put their needs in front of mine. I guess in the end, I end up forgetting about myself..." 

She felt him grab her hand, and she looked up at him. A small smile came to her lips as she wiped away another tear from her cheek with her left hand. "Thank you, James. You're an amazing brother." She pulled him into a hug and took a deep breath. When she pulled away, she was smiling once more and happy. 

"Though, how are you going to protect me if you're only level one?" she teased, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll train and get stronger together."

Joanne watched Dederick charge towards the boars, cheering for him in her head. The first hit landed perfectly, and he managed to land a second hit just in time. However when she saw the second boar come back around and hit him, she couldn't help herself from wincing and worrying a little bit about the man. 

But she knew that she didn't have enough time right now to keep worrying. She charged while she had the chance and lashed out at the third boar, nearly missing. These little guys were quick, and her heavy armor was slowing her down just a little bit. Unfortunately, her attack didn't do too much damage, but at least she had managed to tick off a few points of health. I'll need to attack quicker and with more efficiency if I want to do any real damage to them, she made note to herself. 

She looked back to Dederick, watching for his next move. 

@Dederick

[H: 2 | 2] Dederick: HP: 60-1-1=58/60 | EN: 6-6=0/6 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 18 | THORNS: 28 | FIREPROOF | REGEN 1 | KEEN 2 | TAUNT 1
[H: 1 | 0] Joanna: HP: 20/20 | EN: 1/2 | DMG: 2 | MIT: 9 | BLEED 1

vs. 

Boar 3: HP: 18-2 = 16/50 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3
Boar 4: HP: 46/50 | DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | EVA: -3 

Joanne didn't want to pry too much, but she was also curious as to why the man wasn't still with the monks. She wanted to ask about it, but she considered it too forward of a question. Maybe as more time passed, he would tell her more of what had happened. Then he noticed his smile as he looked at her face. A small blush rose to her cheeks once more. Did she have something on her face or in her teeth?

When he talked about meeting people, she smiled as well. "Yes, I have also met quite a few new people in this game. They have all been so lovely and kind." 

Then she noticed his eyes behind her, and she turned to see what he was looking at. Re-equipping her helmet and unsheathing her sword, she stood battle ready. "You may take the first turn," she said to Dederick, a smile beneath her helmet. 

@Dederick

As Joanne's brother threw his arms around her neck, no words could come from her mouth. She was speechless. Was this all a dream? Would she wake up soon back into the horrible reality of SAO? Suddenly, her protective shield fell, and she began to cry into her brother's shoulder. "I never thought I would see you again!" she cried out, holding him closer to her. There were a few minutes of silence as they just stood in the field, holding each other close and hoping that this all wasn't some sick, twisted dream. 

Finally, he began to talk, and she responded. "None of this was your fault, James. And never think that it was! I was curious and decided to put the head set on. This was all my fault." She looked up at him, her eyes red. The man standing in front of her was only two years older than when she last saw him, but he looked nearly the same; his hair was just a little shaggier. Then she suddenly realized the serious action that her brother had made. He had chosen -- willingly -- to come into this hell. But why?!

Her eyes suddenly grew worried and concerned. "Brother! Why did you come here?" she asked, a pleading tone creeping into her voice. "You should have stayed at home where you were safe. It's my job as the older sibling to watch out for you." She sighed and stepped back, holding her head in her hands. "What type of sister am I if I can't even keep you safe . . .?"