[PP-F1] A Meeting Amidst a Sea of Grass [Hunie]

[Kranzer 0]

The fields of grass stretched out before the young man like a vast green sea. The waves were the subtle ripples in the grass as a potent breeze flowed across the landscape. It had become an all too familiar sight for Kranzer over the past few days. It wasn’t quite as a welcoming sight as the Town of Beginnings but little by little he gathered the courage to face what the first floor of Aincrad had to offer him. He’d gotten so bold he was even willing to travel without the rest of his party lately. It almost seemed like things had turned around for the otherwise indecisive man.

He was clad in his usual attire. The dark grey shirt and slacks that were pulled low over a pair of plain black boots. The dark grey coat he had on fell down to just below the back of his knees and the sleeves extended down just beyond his wrists. Black leather had been sewn into the torso and around the collar of the coat for added protection. On his left hip the hilt of his dagger was just visible. Along the left sleeve of his coat the profile of a majestic lion could be seen. A crown rested upon its head which marked the coat as a craft made by a woman named Ariel.

At the moment he was crouched down with the tail of his coat pushed back out of the way. His long black hair was secured at the base of his neck so it wouldn't’ get in his way too often. Idly he touched a small pebble on the ground as he sought to extract some material from it. When the interaction menu popped up he pressed the necessary confirmation and then waited to see how it turned out. The menu flashed red and vanished. Kranzer let out a dejected sigh. "Failed," he muttered softly.

Spoiler

Equipped Items: Merlin's Shroud [+2 Evasion; +9 Mit]; Fate's Hand[+1 Acc; +2 Dmg]

ID#51420; LD: 11 [Nothing Found]

Edited March 15, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

The bark of the tree against her back, the shade of the leaves over her head and the crisp green grass under her... Hunie inhaled the warm air in sharply. The grasslands sported grass till about knee level, at least, except around the sparsely strewn trees. The patches of green were stalkier near trees. The blonde always sought those spots, easier to find materials when long blades of grass weren't obscuring her vision. She had found some more clay for her trinkets at the base of the tree that she was sitting against now. Apart from the convenience the short grass granted, Hunie could take some rest, take stalk of her life in SAO, her new, hopefully temporary reality. She also used the time to let memories of her family flood into her head and in solitude and silence replay them till they were as real as the virtual surroundings around her. 

A dark speck was visible in the distance. Upon closer inspection the girl could make out it was a player, thanks to the green bar hovering over the greyish black dot amidst the bright green. The player folded into the grass and pretty much vanished, his health bar too, camouflaged well with the green. Hunie hypothesized that he too, like her was looking for something useful. The girl couldn't decide whether or not she wanted company. On one hand, considering she wasn't in the safe zone, this could prove dangerous, on the other hand, if SAO was going to be her reality for sometime, she couldn't hide out under trees all alone. The latter argument won out and she pushed herself off the ground and towards the player. 

Hunie walked lightly and carefully. Having not had the luxury to use her legs before, she held them in high regard and somehow was very gentle with the way she used them. The grass wasn't dry and didn't cackle under her feet, instead it let her feet fall softly. She had crept up behind him, rather stealthily although that wasn't her intention. The blonde had didn't want to startle the poor thing, so she waited and observed. He was clad in better clothes than she was, the green eyed girl had still not found anything special to equip, not weapon, nor armour. The girl watched as he fiddled with a rock and was surprised that you could extract items from mundane things. "I didn't know we could do that!" She exclaimed, completely forgetting her mission not to startle the poor fellow. 

Spoiler

# 51444: Battle: 9 :: Craft: 9 :: Loot: 20 :: MOB: 5

+ 1 Mat

Edited March 15, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

Almost as if on instinct a hand was drawn against his forehead as if he meant to wipe away sweat that built up there. Though when he didn’t feel the typical moisture against the back of his hand Kranzer drew it back. His brow furrowed as he remembered that he didn’t sweat here despite the sun that glared down from its perch practically right above him, which meant it must have been around noon. There wasn’t any immediate need to stand up so Kranzer remained crouched like that for a little while longer as he sifted through the grass for more stones. So intent was he on his work that he failed to notice Hunie’s approach. Normally he was cautious by nature and kept a vigilant look out.

The lack of encountering too many players out here in the fields had instilled a false sense of security though so when he realized that there weren’t any beasts that spawned nearby he figured keeping to the tall grass would go a long way towards shielding his presence from prying eyes. Things didn’t quite work out as he intended though and the unexpected voice that emanated from somewhere behind him definitely started Kranzer. His fingers had closed around a small stone that he’d just pulled free for closer inspection. When he literally jumped in fright the stone slipped from his grasp and flew up into the air. Not really thinking about it he let out a small gasp and quickly reached out to grab hold of it.

Each time his hand just missed it only to fumble and send it sailing through the air and into a patch of nearby grass. The missing stone was hardly the first thing on his mind and Kranzer silently berated himself for appearing foolish for trying to catch it only to miss. He stood up and turned around with a stance that kept his body in a relaxed posture. One that would allow him to spring away if the need for such an action became prevalent. Her tone didn’t seem hostile and actually came off as more surprised than anything else. Kranzer’s brow furrowed slightly as he pondered if she meant what he’d done with the stone.

“Oh that,” he muttered as he tried to buy some time. “Yeah a friend of mine showed me how to do that.” Those broad shoulders rose in a slight shrug while his brown-eyed gaze took in her appearance. Mostly to make sure her hand didn’t hover anywhere near her weapon. Much like her Kranzer had been slow to interact with others for fear of finding that wrong individual whose intentions were less than savory.

[Hunie 0]

Hunie stifled a giggle the first time he missed catching the stone, but on his second try, while he scrambled after it, she let a small laugh escape her lips. She couldn't tell if it was because she laughed and on cue he let the stone go, or because he just realized it was pointless now. Hunie hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings, she was laughing at the circumstance, not him. She quickly wiped the smile of her face and waited for him to respond. She was surprised that despite her sudden appearence his muscles hadn't tensed up, the way hers probably would have, in order to run away. He seemed rather level headed, but then in all honesty, Hunie didn't come across as much of a threat. The blonde took a light step back, keeping a formal distance between them. “Oh that, yeah a friend of mine showed me how to do that.” This was good, Hunie took it that he still was a willing participant in this conversation, despite her startling him, followed by the badly timed giggle. Not to mention, he didn't show any hostility towards her either.

"That's pretty cool, all I've managed is to actually discern the clay that I need from the normal wet sand that lies around." She hoped her small compliment would help him feel a little more at ease. It seemed churlish to now apologize for her laughing unless he specifically asked what that was about. She still felt a little uncomfortable around him, she couldn't tell if this was just her paranoia thanks to her past experiences, or the dark garb he had chosen to cloak himself in. Everything he equipped was a shade of grey or black, with his black hair... He looked like darkness walking around, especially amidst the more brightly coloured green. Nonetheless, Hunie was impressed that at least he had worked enough to either buy or make these items, she was still stuck with the basics.

She pulled a strand of her blonde hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. The bright orb of heat and light hung above them, not as strong as it would have been in real life. Briefly Hunie found her mind meandering towards the various benefits of the virtual world. It deducted the minor annoyances, like the heat from the sun or the sting from a winter rain and instead came coupled with the sense of all the good things from the real world. The biggest boon of the virtual world, was that it gave her the ability to be independent, a simple right that had been denied to her, owing to her disability. Over all, it was rather perfect, except for everything she was missing and the fact that this was essentially a death game. 

She snapped out of her reverie and wondered if she should stick around or go back to her own material gathering spots. "So... I'm Hunie." She said impulsively. She didn't want to be alone again and slip into the vortex of heart wrenching, but beautiful memories. Hunie realized a healthy way out of this, was to keep herself occupied. Some interaction couldn't hurt that. "And you are?" She said turning her back to him to pick up another stone she spotted in the distance. "Can you tell me if I'm doing this right?" she said tapping the stone and waiting for her options... 

Spoiler

ID# 51554: Battle: 8 :: Craft: 5 :: Loot: 8 :: MOB: 6

 

Edited March 15, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

If Kranzer was bothered by her laughter at all it certainly didn’t show and while his muscles didn’t tense at her sudden appearance that certainly didn’t mean he wasn’t ready to react if the situation demanded it. Through all of the battles against those beasts alongside Dynaon Kranzer had learned one fundamental truth. When he tensed up his muscles in preparation to act he often reacted slower. This took quite a number of hits for him to realize of course, but soon he became lighter on his feet and more adept at evading any strikes intended to bring an abrupt end to his life. Granted he’d only faced off against boars so far and he could only pray the day he had to square off against another player would never come.

When she commented on the fact that she was able to discern the clay she needed on sight alone Kranzer’s eyes widened ever so slightly so those deep brown orbs were clearly visible. He’d never considered the possibility that he didn’t need to use the interaction menu to gain components from his surroundings. That however was something to consider later as he tried to keep the shock from showing too heavily in his expression. He regained his composure just in time to see her brush some of her bright hair back behind her ear. Hair that stood out in stark contrast to his hair. When she spoke her name it was so sudden that Kranzer just sat there and blinked as if he didn’t comprehend what she said.

Then she asked for his name the question hung in the air for a moment before he finally managed to stammer out a reply. “K-Kranzer.” Though if her straightforward nature was a shock to the young man what she did as she asked her last question sent him over the edge. She turned her back to him which was either a huge show of trust… or an attempt to lull him into a false sense of security. She picked up a stone and pressed her finger towards it and requested to know if she was doing that right. The young man didn’t know what to do at first, but eventually he circled around enough to get a better look without actually closing any distance between them. “Yeah you just treat it like any item. Tapping it with your finger should bring up a menu for you to interact with.”

He crouched down and snatched a small stone off the floor and tapped his index finger against it. The menu popped up. “There should be an option to extract from it.” He pressed the <<Extract>> button on the lower left side of the menu below the item’s general description. The menu flashed red before it disappeared. "Although it doesn't always work," he muttered with a soft sigh. "Being able to find what you're looking for with sight alone.. I have to say that's more impressive than this." His shoulders rose in a slight shrug.

(ID#51565; LD: 13) [No Material Found]

Edited March 15, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

"Kranzer" She had muttered after him, to place the name with his face and memorise it. His stammering made her wonder if she was instilling any fear in him. Though she always did strive to remain nice to people, a little intimidation from time to time couldn't hurt. Not today though, she wanted to earn this guys trust in hope that she would be able to trust him. She had hoped that turning her back to him, would show him that she wasn't scared and was willing to drop the mistrust. After she asked her question, he knelt down to pick up another stone and demonstrate, while instructing her on what to do. Hunie followed suit. She noticed the extract button and tapped it gently, waiting to see if something happened... He mentioned that it didn't always work and sure enough, for Hunie it didn't... 

"No nothing..." She said her eyelids dropping over her green eyes, betraying a hint of disappointment. He complimented her for being able to search for materials without the aid of the menu. She smiled and responded "Well, I think materials are definitely rarer that way, extraction should give you a better chance... Of course, I couldn't have expected the very first stone I picked to give me what I wanted..." she tried to hide the disappointment she had displayed earlier. 

"When you've spent most of your life observing, you tend to get decent at it." she said, quickly realizing this might open up the possibility of uncomfortable questions, she worked on covering up her little slip there. "By looking for things just using sight, I think my options are more limited too, from what the guide book told me, I could use a lot of things to make my trinkets... But I just use clay, because that's what I've learned to find so far." She went on. "I'm an artisan by the way." She added, not sure if he needed her help figuring that out, after she mentioned the trinkets, but even redundant communication was conversation and probably help take away any unwarrented attention she might have drawn to her life outside the game. "Not a very good one, I had a really mean NPC guide me, sometimes I feel she didn't tell me everything she should have..." Hunie mused in an absent minded manner, probably once again revealing more than necessary now. 

Spoiler

ID# 51647: Battle: 1 :: Craft: 9 :: Loot: 10 :: MOB: 1

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

Like his previous attempt Hunie failed to extract anything from the rock that she cradled in her hand. It wasn't a large surprise as his own luck with gathering necessary components out in the wild was sporadic at best. Sometimes he seemed to know just which stone or bundle of grass to look at. Other times he might as well be trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. She was awfully talkative which really wasn't a bad thing. Her desire to communicate actually put the young man at ease some and caused the edge of his lips to tug up in the beginning of a smile. The comment about her spending most of her life observing did catch his attention but not for the reasons she might have thought. In his mind he took it to mean that she took the time to survey her surroundings and to observe the people she interacted with. It was the trait of a sharp mind and one he could relate to. 

The revelation that she was an artisan did cause a look of surprise to flash across his face only to shift in to a disconcerted look. She made the claim that she wasn't very good at it but even then she at least seemed to know where she wanted to go in life. She had a path to follow which was more than Kranzer could have claimed. When she claimed that it was the fault of the NPC who taught her he offered her an awkward grin. "I-is that so? I for one haven't completed that task yet. I," he started to say as a somber look crossed his face. He appeared unsettled earlier due to the fact that he'd been unable to fully decide on which path he wanted to take. If Kranzer was one thing above all else it was indecisive. Lately though he'd managed to take charge of his life but that was still largely a work in progress. "I haven't been able to figure out what I want to do just yet. How did you decide that you wanted to be an artisan?"

There was a genuine look of interest on his face as he reached down and picked up another stone but when he tried to extract from it it was to no avail. Kranzer frowned slightly. He wasn't quite as adept at concealing his disappointment. With each passing moment he seemed to grow more relaxed but for the time being he still seemed to keep his distance from her.

Spoiler

ID#51651; LD: 8 [Nothing Found][Total Found: 0]

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

Hunie was a perceptive girl, years of being looked at with thinly veiled pity had taught her to read people well. Every time she rolled into the room, there was a general fall in the happiness index of the people around her. Her family had grown used to it, but others not so much. All the parties they hosted were awkward for Sophie, till she stopped attending them, despite the dismay of her parents. This perception had extended into the game. She noticed Kranzer still maintained a weary distance from her. She was out of ideas to make him feel more comfortable. For now she decided it was best to just keep the conversation going. The blonde felt like she had made some progress, her effortless rant bore some fruit and he engaged further in the conversation. 

"I-is that so? I for one haven't completed that task yet. I," the girl wondered if it'd be prudent for him to ask her about his stammer... Maybe it was something he just did and it had nothing to do with her presence. As she formed the question in her head, she realised how rude it would sound and decided against it, at least for the time being, till he eased up a little more. Instead she chose to answer is question, which was most likely just there to feign some interest. "Yeah, she was... unpleasant" she added, cementing the fact that Lila, the NPC who'd guided her, or rather misguided her was indeed as bad as Hunie had claimed. "What's the hold up?" She asked simply, pertaining to him having not completed the what she believed to be one of the easiest quests in the game. Her mannerisms inched towards informality, in another attempt to ease him and shift the focus of the conversation from her to him. "I haven't been able to figure out what I want to do just yet. How did you decide that you wanted to be an artisan?" He answered with a question, rather promptly. 

That was some more progress. Despite her rambling he did ask her another question. Maybe he was genuinely interested in getting to know her, or at least gather some more information about the quest. "Well..." She wondered how she should answer this. In all honesty she chose a profession that she believed wouldn't gather too many customers, Hunie really did not want to attract any attention to herself, but that's not the answer that was a viable option. Being an Artisan sort of went with her personality, so she chose to say something along those lines. "I like pretty things." She said smiling. "And a little bit of extra luck during battle or while collecting materials..." she said moving her hand to denote the vast grasslands, depicting the meagre probability they currently had of finding mats. "Would definitely help." She added spotting another stone and picking it up and conducting the necessary process via the menu. 

Her luck turned and she actually found a small purple crystal that looked like a semi-precious gem. "Ah! Talking about luck... I think I found something to stud my clay trinkets with..." She said, pointing to her interactive screen that hung in mid aid, just before she accepted the item. 

Spoiler

# 51655: Battle: 10 :: Craft: 2 :: Loot: 17 :: MOB: 8

+ 1 Mat

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

Her account of how unpleasant her NPC guide was didn't really inspire confidence within Kranzer to see that quest through when he finally went to take it on. He didn't have much time to consider that as she continued to speak. The shift in her approach to the conversation took on a more informal turn. At first this made him feel a little self conscious since he wasn't really a sociable person but in the recesses of his mind he could have sworn he heard that fool Dynaon urging him on to speak with more confidence. Even when he wasn't here Kranzer had to put up with his fool-hearty personality. Her reasoning behind her choice of profession was not only simple but it was something that caused the young man to arch his eyebrows in surprise. "That's the reason?" His voice held a slight hint of admiration that she simply chose that path because she knew she liked something about it. What had he expected her to say? That it was a difficult decision to make and she only achieved success after a long and arduous journey? For it to have been so simple for her though... Kranzer felt a pang of jealously over that fact and this was one emotion that he kept from showing in his expression.

"Maybe I will find something that involves something I like to then," he said with a wistful tone. Slowly he nodded his head as she picked up another rock and tried to extract some material from it. This time it looked like luck was on her side. She flashed the menu his way though he wasn't able to see it but she pointed to it regardless right before she accepted it. A smile spread across his face as he took a few steps closer. His hand reached down as he scooped up another rock before he cupped his hand and rolled it around a few times before he placed his thumb against it. With no indication that she intended to simply attack him or lull him into a false sense of security Kranzer allowed himself to relax a little. Idly he brought up the interaction menu and made his way through until his finger hovered over the <<Extract>> option. His brown-eyed gaze shifted to look at her for a few moments before he looked around their immediate surroundings as if he meant to search for something. What he was looking for was quickly revealed. "It's always best to keep a watchful gaze while you're out here. You never know when something will wander out of some tall grass or spawn nearby, and as sad as it is monsters aren't the only threat we will be faced with out here." Once he was happy that there wasn't anything around that might cause them harm he tapped the menu with his index finger.

Unfortunately for Kranzer though fate didn't see fit to bestow the same luck upon him. When he tried to extract some material from the stone he was met with failure. The menu flashed red and vanished and with it his eyelids drooped in irritation. The stone was cast aside as he returned his focus to Hunie for a few moments.

Spoiler

ID#51656; LD: 1 [Nothing Found][Total Found: 0]

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

He looked at her menu blankly, it became apparent that he couldn't actually see what she had, this made sense, if some player was lucky enough to find something rare, it'd be a shame of someone spied and then tried to take it from them. As another brick in the wall of trust she was trying to build, Hunie decided to tell Kranzer what she had obtained. "Its a kind of gem, I think it'll help me create something nice." He went on to ask her if what she said was the true reason for choosing Artisan as her profession. 

Did her reason not sound convincing enough? She wasn't used to revealing incomplete information, Hunie usually was an honest person and would reveal everything a question demanded to know without hesitation. At least that is what she was like in real life... The game was already changing her, but she knew this was for the better for two reasons mostly. The first one was that she was sure no one wanted to hear her whine about her bitterly unfair real life or complain about how this game didn't really let her feel safe. Second was, that in a game like this it was easy to misuse information, apart from col and crafting materials, information was probably the next biggest currency. Hunie had played other games like this one, but obviously nothing with the full dive technology, it was much easier to 'play' a character when it was text or voice or just in game actions that didn't affect anything in reality... Now the whole situation was very different. She didn't trust her weak sounding words to answer that question, so she just nodded. 

When he added that maybe he too would find something that he would like, Hunie smiled brightly. He sounded a little unsure and the blonde wondered if this had got anything to do with her criticising her unhelpful NPC. If that was the case, it needed to be remedied immediately. "Of course, there are so many options... You could be a blacksmith, a tailo-" She stopped, a person who was struggling to make a decision, surely knew all his options. "Umm... I'm sure you already know them and have gone over them and trust me, some NPCs are very nice, just survey the towns and areas and choose one you think would help." She offered, still regretting that she, in her haste hadn't chosen well and now had other players teaching her how to work around the system.

He'd picked up another stone to extract from and reminded her that that's what she ought to be doing too. She began her hunt for the next stone... He had found one and presumably hadn't found anything since he tossed it away in dismal silence. Her next stone gave her something too and she wondered if sharing what she had found would rub him the wrong way, since he hadn't been that lucky so far. She kept mum about it. Hunie caught him surveying the surrounding area. Before she could ask him, as if on cue, he explained "It's always best to keep a watchful gaze while you're out here. You never know when something will wander out of some tall grass or spawn nearby, and as sad as it is monsters aren't the only threat we will be faced with out here." 

Hunie frowned her heart beat accelerating, was that a threat? Or was he just warning her. She didn't already want to destroy the small level of comfort they had reached and decided against doubting him "Oh! I haven't fought anything... or" she gulped "...Anyone yet, and I hope we don't have to." 

Spoiler

ID# 51669 results: Battle: 8 :: Craft: 4 :: Loot: 20 :: MOB: 4
+1 mat

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

A gem? That caught is attention and it made him take a few steps closer as if he intended to take a loot but realized he couldn't see the item due to it being sent to her inventory. At times he almost forgot they were in a digital world when he ended up interacting with others and it was a tendency that often frustrated him but this time he simply nodded. "That's pretty cool actually." He listened as she spoke and was rather surprised when she opened up by explaining the different professions that were available but she stopped midway as she hesitated and then assumed that Kranzer had taken the time to do some research on the matter. She even went so far as to allay any concerns he had by saying some of the NPCs were actually very nice. That did make him feel better and he was almost afraid to admit it but he hadn't had the opportunity to really look into all of that just yet. Kranzer crouched down as he rifled through the grass in search of another stone. When she said she hadn't fought anything or anyone yet and hoped she wouldn't have to is brown eyes rose to look upon her once more.

While she could have been fabricating that for his benefit he didn't believe that to be the case. So she was similar to him in that regard? Well that was interesting. For the longest time he had been rather self conscious and very unwilling to fight until just recently in fact. He nodded slightly. "That's good," he muttered. Then suddenly he looked very self conscious as he quickly added in, "About not fighting anything else I mean." Kranzer idly scratched at his cheek as he felt a little embarrassed. "I haven't had to fight any players either and I truly hope I never have to. In fact," he said as his voice trailed off. That brown-eyed gaze lowered to look at his hands before he continued. "I don't know if I could really go through with it. Attacking someone else, even in self defense." As for not wanting to fight with those monsters... well he could relate to that so he had an idea on how she felt. It was a scary prospect. Fighting when one's life could be snatched away at the drop of a hat. "I was like that at first. I could barely take one step outside of the gates of the town without freaking out and running back inside. Though a very overbearing friend of mine taught me that with sufficient strength you can win, but its more than that really. If you have people by your side you can depend on then they can help keep you alive and you can help keep them alive." Kranzer was mildly surprised at how easily he was talking about all of this and for a moment he thought about shutting up but the words continued to flow.

"If you don't have anyone to rely on you can always join up with us. Fighting won't be a concern then," he said with a slight smile. His hand reached in and took hold of a small stone and once he had it up at eye level he navigated through the menus. Once more he found nothing but he didn't let that fact get to him this time. The rock was cast aside as he stood up. "Besides me there are two others and if you're interested I can introduce you. If it made you feel safer we could all meet up at the Starlight Cafe in the Town of Beginnings. Though if you'd rather not I can understand that. You don't really know me after all." Kranzer scratched at the back of his neck nervously as his gaze lowered. "As for the professions. I'll be honest... any information or advice you can offer would be... appreciated."

Spoiler

ID#51767; LD: 4 [Nothing Found][Total Found: 0]

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

She listened carefully as Kranzer explained that it would be tough for him to fight another player, even in self defence. Hunie was a little surprised, she wondered if this was to do with SAO or just generally. She let him talk and listened patiently. It felt nice to have someone open out to her and that she had successfully managed to make him feel at ease around her. When he explained how he too didn't fight mobs initially, Hunie wondered whether she should interject and offer the real reason why she had kept to the Town of Beginnings, crowded areas nonetheless... The blonde knew it was impolite to interject, so she let him offer help, the same way most people did. It felt weird to Hunie that after being sort of a veteran gamer, SAO had reduced her to being a permanent damsel in distress. She couldn't say much though, her life, like the others... Was on the line. She smiled when she heard of his overbearing friend. MOst people were overbearing in her life, but she didn't have much chance to try too many things. 

When he offered to let her join his friends, her eyes brightened simply at the thought of having some people accompanying her. For the simple reason that it'd be less scary, not because of the monsters but because of what followed her, not what, who. "Starlight cafe sounds great Kranzer" She said and bowed her head slightly to show her appreciation. Strength in numbers. She told herself. Also it was obvious, the man who lurked in the shadows, didn't want to do anything where he would have to deal with witnesses, which is another reason why Hunie sought company so much. 

 

"No one really knows anyone Kranzer." She said with a sigh. "We're all here and we don't have any other choice but to trust each other... Its when people betray that trust..." Her balls curled into a fist, her knuckles went white, which when she noticed that she unclenched. It was surprising that the game paid attention to such anatomical details. She shook her head, unwilling to complete the morbid sentence and instead busied herself in looking for another pebble, upon finding it she turned back to her partner. After the brief silence, that had ensued, she noticed Kranzer scratching his neck she sensed his nervousness and Hunie wondered if it returned because she mentioned mistrust. 

She eased up and giggled when he said that he'd appreciate any information about professions. Happy to once again talk of lighter things, she began slowly explaining everything she knew about professions. "So first there is Artisan..." She her long winded explanation. While she mindlessly explained about the professions, and interacted with her menu to try obtain something from the pebble, she wondered if it was now safe to unburden her own secrets... 

 

Spoiler

ID# 51778 results: Battle: 4 :: Craft: 10 :: Loot: 5 :: MOB: 9 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

Hunie made a comment that held true to not only this situation but any social interaction a person had with others. This held true even in day to day life but it was worse online of course but here in SAO due to just how real it really was despite the fact that everything was just data. A bunch of ones and zeros that mocked reality. You never truly knew a person except in one instance. The true character of a person had a way of surfacing when they were placed in grave danger. If they ran away to leave their friends to a gruesome fate then it would be revealed that they held no loyalty towards them or held any true courage. If that person stepped up to defend their friends... well then anyone would know how dependable that person truly was. There was an amusing statement that everyone wore a mask in their day to day lives. Online people had a way of acting like there weren't any consequences to their actions and for the most part that was true. Not here though. In SAO if you messed up your actions could get you killed.

While she talked about trust there was a subtle shift in Kranzer's eyes as he observed her reaction. It was obvious that either someone had betrayed her trust before or some other event had occurred. Anger like that didn't just have a way of spiking all on its own after all. However, he didn't ask her about it primarily because he felt if she wanted him to know she'd talk about it. For now he would respect her privacy and he simply nodded in agreement. After all she had let the rest of her thought remain unspoken so he decided to respect that. "Aye trust is important, especially here with so many dangers and unknown variables all around us." His arm swept out to indicate the area around them but he more meant the entire game. The serious turn that encounter had taken a moment ago appeared to be as fleeting as the wind and she appeared more at ease when she started to explain the various professions that were available. Kranzer listened with rapt attention. To the point that he actually forgot what he was doing. His elbows rested on his thighs as he remained crouched. The grass rose up around his hips and he rested his chin in the palm of his hands.

Once she'd finished her explanation he silently pondered over which one would suit him best. His brow furrowed as he fell into a state of deep concentration and try as he might he just didn't see any profession that truly held his interest. Ultimately though he looked back up at Hunie. "Thank you for that I think you actually helped me settle on something. Well its a possibility anyway." Kranzer stood up and brushed his pants off. It was obvious by the look on his face and how his body moved that Kranzer was finally at ease around her now that he figured she didn't mean him any harm. She was just another player here like he was or so he thought. Not looking for trouble and perhaps looking for safety. The way her eyes lit up when he offered for her to join up with him and his friends was proof enough of that. For a moment he seemed to consider something before he swiped his right hand down to open the main menu. His fingers danced expertly across the interface as he sent her a friend request. This was a large step on his part since they'd just met, but if she had no one else to rely on then he couldn't in good conscience let her leave here without at least some method of contacting him. "You don't have to accept that. If you do though you'll be able to contact me if you ever need me." Maybe Dynaon was having more of an effect on him than the thought... 

[Hunie 0]

Swiftly Hunie accepted the friend request. In a game like this one could not have too many friends. She grinned up at him. I look forward to joining you all someday, she cocked her head and smiled broader. Her face then assumed a more serious look. Upon adding him, she realized something and dread turned her heart to stone. Wasn't it important that she told him now? Would he unfriend her? "I haven't been entirely honest though..." She said, refusing to meet his eyes and looking at her feet instead. Hunie let the silence linger and listlessly kicked the grass with her foot. "It might not be too safe to hang out with me..." She added. Her stalker was another reason she stopped herself from befriending other low levels like her. She wondered if he'd use them as targets to get to her, or maybe use them to find her. She realised she had kicked up a stone and just to buy herself sometime, almost as if in slow motion, she crouched to pick it off the ground and worked on extracting something from it. "Looks like my luck is running out..." She added, tossing the stone aside, like they had already tossed countless others.

Hunie wasn't sure if she wanted to explain her situation, the more she thought about telling someone, the crazier she sounded to herself. 'There is someone in the darkness, and he follows me around and addresses me by my name IRL, he is creepy and definitely has no good intentions'  she formed the words in her mind but decidedly did not say anything out loud. Just dropping hints should be enough. She'd take her cues from him. It was plausible that the fact that she had kept this from him all this time, would be enough to make a dent in the trust they had just started building. Hunie's neck felt stiff, or maybe she was imagining it. Her head tilted backwards till green eyes squinted and stared up at the sun again and squinted. Following that, she sharply looked down again, craning to stretch the muscles. Her fingers gently kneaded at the nape. Anything to avoid eye contact. 

On one hand she wondered if it was safe to leave the conversation on a note like that, he could jump to conclusions and assume that she herself is dangerous in some way. But Hunie thought she had at least established her own intentions well enough by now. Before she could make up her mind about what to say next, she heard a ruffle behind her. Her game reflexes took over, she whipped around and drew her sword... She noticed a boar charging towards her, Hunie was quick to jump out of the way. She slashed at it with her basic weapon, knowing it wouldn't help much. He lost about 1/6th of his health. At this point the blonde yelled at Kranzer. "WATCH OUT!" She felt her heart racing. And now she was using her weapon. This could end badly... It would be rather anti-climatic to die to a mob. She hoped he'd be able to help her. Her damage output was dismal at best and if the boar hit her one too many times... She closed her eyes briefly readying herself . 
 

Quote

Spawning boar
HP: 6 (We were both level 3 when this thread was started, so half of that would be 6) 
Mit: 2
Dmg: 3 

 

Spoiler

ID# 51789 results: Battle: 6 :: Craft: 12 :: Loot: 12 :: MOB: 4
Hunie:
HP = 12/12 
Damage = 2 - Mitigation from mob: 1 Damage mandatory damage executed.

Boar
HP = 6 - 1 = 5/6 
Damage = 0 (miss!) 
 

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

Kranzer stared at her for several moments after she commented that hanging with her may not be all that safe. There wasn't any way for Kranzer to know what she truly meant and he didn't know how he really felt about that. However, it didn't dissuade him from offering her help if she needed it. Hunie appeared to be somewhat dejected when she failed to extract anything from the stone. Whether that was because of the meaning behind her words or at her failure he just didn't know. He was just about to offer his thoughts on the matter when the slight rustling of grass drew his attention away from her. A boar came out of the tall grass and made a direct charge at Hunie which thankfully missed though it felt as if Kranzer's heart had stopped in that moment. He remembered his first encounter with such a beast. Back then he would have hesitated. Froze at a pivotal moment but Kranzer wasn't the same person he was when he first logged in.

Almost immediately his hand brushed the side of his coat aside and flexed around the blade's hilt expectantly. There was a subtle ringing of steel as he yanked the dagger free of its sheath. His brown-eyed gaze tracked the red streak across its flesh from where her sword had connected with it. She had top-notch reflexes which spoke volumes about her and was a little odd. Maybe assuming she hadn't fought simply because she didn't like to was a mistake on his part. The young man charged forward as a soft lavender light danced along the dagger's edge. The distance shrank in a second as he rushed forward in hopes of intercepting the beast before it turned around to ready for another charge. It didn't occur to him at that point but this was almost a direct mirror of the situation in which he'd first met Dynaon. With his elbow tucked in and his dagger at the ready, Kranzer unleashed his Sword Art upon the beast.

The blade cut a deep gash along its left flank before it was thrust again. This time as the dagger's edge carved a path through the boar's body it suddenly burst into a dazzling display of flecks of blue energy that slowly started to dissipate. Kranzer stood up and let out a low sigh of relief. The edge of his coat was pulled back with his left hand as he worked at sliding his dagger back into its sheath, but not before he surveyed their surroundings to make sure nothing else was about to rush down on them. Whether it the threat came from a beast or something else entirely. Once the last remnants of the boar faded from existence Kranzer settled his gaze upon Hunie. "Nothing about this world is safe, but at least with people by your side it won't be nearly as dangerous." Once his dagger was safely secured he let the coat fall back over it in a testanment of the fact that he was going to take the risk and trust her. This would be an important step especially if her blade was still in hand and at the ready. His right hand was extended to confirm the words he had spoke. Sometimes action spoke louder than words. It was a lesson he picked up from that foolish Dynaon.

Spoiler

 

Roll ID #51791 - BD: 8[7+1] [Kranzer HITS with Side Bite!]; LD: 5 [Nothing Found; +1 Material]
MD:  [Boar DIED!]
Kranzer: 12 HP | 1[3-2] EP | 8[4(2*1)] DMG | 1 ACC | 2 EVA | 9 MIT
Boar: Dead[5-(8-2)] HP | 3 DMG | 0 ACC | 0 EVA | 2 MIT
Hate: Kranzer[-]; Hunie[-]
Turns: -
(Using Fate’s Hand[1 Acc; 2 Dmg]; Merlin’s Shroud[9 Mit; 2 Eva])
Loot: 1 Material[Boar]; 1 Uncommon Item; 1 Material[Non-Combat]

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Kranzer

[Hunie 0]

Hunie heaved a deep sigh. Kranzer had managed to finish off the boar. Hunie looked at him, wide eyed as he clutched onto the dagger. She wondered if he'd go against what he'd just said and attack her too... On cue once again, he sheathed small but dangerous weapon and let his coat flutter back to cover it. Daggers sure were efficient, easier to conceal and surprise attack with, if need be... Can also probably be flung at an enemy and used as a projectile. Hunie instinctively analysed the weapon, comparing it to her own rather bulky and obvious choice. Though the dagger did more damage, the longsword she had, offered her some crowd control. Her line of thought was broken when he fixed her with a seemingly stern gaze. The blonde wondered if her reflexes had betrayed a little too much about her.

"Nothing about this world is safe, but at least with people by your side it won't be nearly as dangerous." That was very comforting, surprising and inspiring all at the same time. It pleased Hunie to once more have her faith in humanity restored. If it wasn't for her stalker, this game probably wouldn't be all that bad, despite all the risks that came along with it. So far everyone she had met had been rather helpful and most pledged to help her if things got ugly. She decided to plunge into some details about herself, clarifying things at least a little bit. The way she had left the conversation before the boar had spawned, was murky at best. "Well... Before this, I haven't fought anything..." She paused. "In this game." She finished. Looking at him carefully, to discern any reaction she could use to determine whether she should elaborate further.

"Thanks to some, circumstances that were out of my hands..." She paused and gulped gently, talking about her disability definitely made her feel uncomfortable and she didn't want to tell anyone in game about it fearing that they would pity her like everyone in real life did. If people started eying her like that again, the whole point of her playing games to be someone else, would be destroyed. Though Hunie looked exactly like Sophie, she had sworn the character would be stronger. "... I have played a lot games like this, so I'm a quick  learner when it comes to a game's dynamics" she explained. "That's the reason I understood the professions so easily, they're similar to those that are found in other games and also that is how I self-taught myself to look for materials without the use of the menu" Hunie added. She noticed some clay at near a larger rock where the grass had thinned a little bit. As if to prove her point, she went and collected it, in an elaborated manner. Touching the clay so and accepting the option to add it into her inventory. 

So far she was sticking to the easier stuff, buying herself some more time before bringing up that stalker again. Hunie wondered if he'd prod her to explain how any of this made her dangerous to hang out with, as she had claimed before. From where she stood, if someone told her things like this, it would only make her want them as her ally. But before divulging too many details, Hunie hung onto the silence, giving Kranzer some time to ask his own questions. Maybe he really didn't want to know anything about Hunie at all, or all the dangers she carried with her, would she still be obligated to tell him then? 
 

Spoiler

ID# 51792 results: Battle: 3 :: Craft: 2 :: Loot: 20 :: MOB: 8
+1 mat

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

It made sense when she said she hadn't fought anything before in this game. Her explanation that she caught onto the dynamics of a game quickly also made since and really resonated with Kranzer as he was the exact same way. Only with him he tended to drift from one game to the next. Once he'd learned enough about it he just sorta lost interest and moved on. With SAO though simply moving on to another game was not an option. Though her comment that her reason behind playing games like this one was something that was taken out of her hands did give him a  moment to pause. His brown eyes settled upon her as he tried to discern the meaning behind it but ultimately he didn't press for more information. In truth he was getting the impression that she might not be overly comfortable with talking about herself to others which Kranzer could more than understand. In some way she was the same. His life outside of the gaming world was hardly the ideal one and to date he'd never told a soul about it.

There was a slight tilt of his head as she explained her affinity for games was the reasons he had grown so accustomed with the professions found here. That made a lot of sense and for Kranzer he never really got to enjoy the crafting aspect of games. He'd already moved on to a new one before that option became prevalent. His hand remained extended for her to take but eventually it started to dip down back to his side as he figured perhaps she wasn't overly comfortable with being too close to someone she hardly knew. Had he been too forward? That was a new one for him. Once he got the impression she was done speaking for the moment he considered his words carefully. "I've spent a large part of my time in one game or another for reasons that were out of my control." That was mostly true as it wasn't his choice to end up alone after all of his family passed away. As an only child his closest friend was his pet dog Kranzer. The source of his character's name. A friend who'd also passed away five years ago and left him all on his own. He'd never been one to easily make friends in real life and it might have been hilarious that he'd only started to blossom socially after being trapped here if he had a grasp on humor.

"I never made friends easy until I came here though. A fact that continues to surprise me actually. In truth I was a bit of a loner," he said with a gentle smile. "I get the impression there are some things that aren't easy for you to talk about. I get that and don't feel obligated to tell me. You don't need to. You're Hunie and you seem like a good person to me. That's all that's really important. So long as you promise to watch my back and that of my friends you'll have a place with us." Once more his hand rose for her to shake and forge the first bond that could blossom into friendship if she so chose.

[Hunie 0]

The blonde was hesitant to shake on this new found friendship, simply because she didn't want them to be at any risk because of her. Kranzer went to respond and add that he too had played games in the past. This cheered her up a little and momentarily she forgot of the task at hand. He elaborated further, briefly mentioning that he too had unavoidable circumstances that had pushed him into gaming. Nothing spelled friend better than a situation that inspired empathy. She smiled at him, wondering if he had had it as bad as her. Though she was curious to compare and have a little show-me-yours, I'll-show-you-mine moment, she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep that promise and it would be gravely unfair to get him to reveal uncomfortable details, if she wasn't going to do that too. 

He revealed some more profound details about his lack of friends, except here in SAO and in an insightful manner summed up Hunie's feelings. Ironically, the more he told her that it wasn't necessary for her to divulge any information, the guiltier she felt. He asked if she was willing to promise that she'd be loyal that was an easy answer, she nodded earnestly. But if she meant that, it was time she let him know. She looked had his hand, outstretched again. "Its funny isn't it how a game of death can bring people closer together." she said looking wistfully at the expanse of green dotted with a few trees here and there. She stared at his outstretched hand and wondered how painful it must have been for someone who comes across as an introvert, to muster the courage to offer friendship after being apparently denied once, without any good reason.

"Its not me Kranzer, I'm not a threat at all... I mean, look at me." She motioned to herself, trying to draw attention to the lack of good equipment. Hunie looked around frantically for any object that could be used a distraction. "And you see, I am obligated to tell you this, even if it is uncomfortable for me." She added. Her gaze darted towards his hand and her surroundings as she half-heartedly kept a look out for materials, the mundane part of her mission. "You see, if I didn't tell you this, I would technically be putting you and your friends at risk, just by default... And thus breaking the promise of having your backs." She said dropping another hint. Slowly she let her words piece the puzzle in front of Kranzer. This was so she could trick her mind into believing that she wasn't actually revealing anything uncomfortable at all. It also served the purpose of really easing Kranzer into it and reduced the risk of her sounding like a total psycho. Another stone was picked another attempt to extract was conducted. While for the second time, she left Kranzer's hand without letting it meet with hers. "I think I'm getting lucky again with this, but I probably shouldn't have said that, now I've jinxed it." She said, just to diffuse the tension. "I'm willing to share these..." She said, hoping mats would serve as a token of good faith. 
 

Spoiler

ID# 51794 results: Battle: 5 :: Craft: 6 :: Loot: 15 :: MOB: 8
+ 1 Mat

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hunie

[Kranzer 0]

If she hadn't have made that comment he wouldn't have really put much thought into it, but she was right. This game of death had brought him closer to people more than he had ever been in life. It shed a fraction of light onto the mystery of how he'd come by the few he already had. When people were placed in a volatile situation they had a way of banding together. Was it done out of some need for survival with the odds of surviving be greater in a larger group, or was it just some inborn instinct to not be alone? In truth it could have been both though he never felt truly alone here. He'd become rather accustomed to being on his own. That is until recently. Now he sought out others more often with each passing day. He wasn't really sure how he felt about that just yet though. She started to talk again and Kranzer offered her his full and undivided attention. She explained that she wasn't a danger and showed her lack of proper gear as a testament to that declaration. He could have argued that with how quickly she reacted when that boar came running up on her but that didn't truly make her dangerous. It just meant she'd learned to survive.

She spoke of how she felt obligated to reveal why her presence would place them in danger but she didn't really come out and say it. Kranzer attributed it to just being  a difficult topic to discuss so he didn't press her. If she wanted to reveal it he would let her do so on her own time. She did reveal that it was due to that very reason why she had to reveal it. By not doing so she would betray the trust Kranzer placed in her and that did incite his interest which was revealed in his eyes. She changed the subject as she commented on her recent luck and then offered to share the materials she'd gathered so far. Kranzer's eyebrows rose in surprise by the offer but he couldn't accept it. He held his hand up as if to have her stop. "Those are yours by right. You found them. If you really want though if you can make anything that would be of use to me and my other friends well that'd be greatly appreciated and I would compensate you for your work of course." His hand lowered as he held it out for her to shake once more.

"If you are afraid that whatever it is that plagues you will deter us from having your back then don't be. When someone has your back its against threats no matter what form they take." Suddenly his eyes widened as he quickly said, "Now that doesn't mean I will go looking for trouble though." Suddenly he looked a little self conscious as he cleared his throat. One of his fingers scratched at his cheek as he felt a little awkward for having to say this. "Though I.. I mean we will protect anyone in our group. That's what it's all about." Suddenly he thought about all the trouble he'd gotten into since he met Dynaon. "And don't worry my friend is so brash he tends to put me in danger all the time, but its never something we can't overcome by helping each other out."

[Hunie 0]

Rarely did she meet people who were so keen on befriending her. A blush crept up on Hunie's face. Kranzer was really trying his very best to assure her that she was safe with them. However, he missed the point entirely. I'm not worried about myself, dummie she thought affectionately but resisted the urge to speak out her mind, just incase the dummie came across as offensive and was misconstrued as an insult. Another stone was fiddled with and another crafting material was obtained while she gathered her thoughts. 

"No..." She muttered. "I won't be putting you in danger by doing anything rash myself either... I'm usually a very safe player, especially if I'm with others and their necks are on the line as well." She shook her head. "I was that way even in normal games, when real lives are in danger, I'll be sure to be extra careful." she elaborated. This guess game was probably getting tiring for the brown haired guy in front of her. Even she would have lost her patience by now, if she had had the misfortune of being in his place. A part of her just wanted to yell 'I can't be your friend ok? Just leave it at that.' 

Hunie replayed the conversation they had had in her head. So easily she was willing to use his company as a shield before this, assuming that the stalker would do nothing in the presence of a witness. But now that the relationship inchd towards a sort of permanency, she grew worried for his safety. Even a meet and greet with his friends would have been decent and acceptable, but from the way Kranzer made it sound, he already considered her amongst his own, like they were in an unnamed guild. She would not allow this silent bond to extend any deeper without having the courage to tell him the truth, no matter how absurd it sounded. She wanted them safe, but she too did want to belong somewhere. Though she had earned herself help from higher levels in the past, there was no way the blonde would belong with them. 

Her internal turmoil probably marred her face. His extended hand had started its journey back towards him the second time, with impulsively Hunie reached for it and grasped it. More like a plea for help than just as a handshake. He would no doubt think she needed help with something, which was true she did, but the blonde had a feeling just him and his group of friends wouldn't be enough. "Kranz... er..." she spoke, adding the er as an afterthought, unsure whether they were on nickname basis or not. "There is someone in the game, who knows me in real life... Either from another game, or worse maybe he is from the same town as me... He has gathered some cronies and they - they haunt me." she said swallowing the fear that began to rise in her throat as she spoke.

"I hate being scared this way, but often when I'm alone in alleys or gathering materials slightly late into the evening, I hear him, he refers to me by my real name... and his threats have been getting exceedingly bothersome, I never see his face though. I run around searching, but he is nowhere to be found" She explained, refusing the recount the exact words he spoke. "Honestly, I don't really want to find him either, I don't think I'd last in a face to face confrontation."  If her palms had been capable of getting sweaty they'd be dropping beads of water into the grass. "I swear, I'm not insane...  I hope if nothing else, at least I've proved that. But this guy seems to have a serious issue with me and I'm scared he might use anyone I'm close to, to get to me. He is so stealthy too, there is a high chance he is a much higher level guy. Like much higher" she finished and heaved a great sigh. 

Spoiler

ID# 51797 results: Battle: 2 :: Craft: 4 :: Loot: 15 :: MOB: 5
+ 1 Mat

 

Edited March 17, 2016 by Hunie