[PP-NK-F1] Mentor of the Weak (Ariel)

[Kasier 0]

Kasier sighed. She had worked quite hard to make progress in this game. In just a few day's span, she was able to rise from level one to six. This was quite an impressive feat especially considering the fact that she didn't personally kill a single mob with her own sword. In fact, she had yet to pull out her sword from the case that she had. At the moment, she was too afraid to use the sword. She needed something that can motivate her to use her weapon.... Even as a healer, she is able to help with combat by attacking mobs and dealing status effects. She didn't have to kill anything with her own, personal hands but she was sure that she would be able to overcome her fear of using her curved sword with someone's help. Someone that was a lot more experienced than her. With a sigh, she allowed her legs to sway back and forth as she thought about what she could do. If she was able to attack mobs, she might be able to get materials a lot more easier. However, that would come a lot into the future as well when she is actually able to master healing as well as tanking. DPS would come last. That was how she planned her actions. Soon, she decided that she would post something in her menu so the other nearby players knew that she was looking for a mentor that can help her start to use her sword. She wanted someone that could help her and be honest with her as well. She was fully aware of the fact that lots of people recently have been scamming newer players and she must watch out in case anything comes her way. Hence, she made her location be known and sat down near a bench with her face staring right ahead... It wasn't like there was anything better for her to do anyway.

[Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0]

A roar could be heard in a certain area of the 1st floor as Ariel 'released' her familiar to hunt for some bacon. Of course she would run alongside her familiar but will always give the meat reward to her. Lately, these two haven't had time to bond properly.... spend some quality time together, so Ariel decided to revive a old thing that they had: visiting her own profession mentor on the 1st floor. She knew that lady Diana would put her on errands duty as usual but wouldn't mind. At the moment they were on a break from between errands as she wanted to do a little competing against her familiar. The fat deposits commonly known by players as starting boars were the perfect targets.

In the midst of the showdown, a area-wide message caught her attention; in the same time making her miss the creature she was after in favor of her familiar. With a low growl, the blonde lowered her weapon and opened the message. A guttural "Huh?" was her first reaction as she raised her eyebrows. Next she scanned the surrounding and her current location, to hind out that she wasn't far away from the received coordinates. "A mentor ...." she mumbled while looking at Kimba, who'd cock her head in return and lick her lips after finishing another chunk of boar meat. "Let's see what this is all about!" said Ariel as she pointed out towards north and started walking; momentarily sheathing her black blade but resting her left hand on top of its hilt as she walked.

[Kasier 0]

Kasier wasn't sure who would come over. Most people didn't look at these area-based messages because they can turn out to be annoying at times. She just hoped that someone who was willing to help newbies and talk to them about the basics of the game would be willing to come over and help her out. Of course, she had already been outside of the safe zone but she had yet to use her sword. All she wanted was someone who might be able to give her confidence to use the starting sword that in currently hidden away in her inventory as she was too afraid to pull it out. Her objective of the day was to use her curved sword... Not kill something with it... But use it against something. Kasier would never kill... Even if what she kills were virtual objects that don't actually 'die'. Kasier sighed, it had been quite a while without anyone coming but it was then that she heard a distant animal sound. With her head turned, she saw a white haired lion cub... Or at least she thought it was a lion cub. At first, Kasier was afraid. She knew fully well that damage is impossible to inflict to other players in the safe zone. However, the fact that a white lion was in front of her was rather intimidating to her. After a while though, she realized that the lion meant no harm. As she stood up and bent down, she gave the lion a pet, wondering who its owner was and what it was doing here. It was then that Kasier saw a blonde woman rushing her way as well. The woman was equipped with great armor... Obviously not belonging to the lower tier. She was blooming with confidence... Something that Kasier didn't have a lot of. "Oh. Good morning. Is this your lion here? Is it a he or a she?" She asked, stopping her action of petting the lion.

[Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0]

In her dash, Kimba came to a stop just in front of a certain girl with red eyes. The lioness cocked her head and looked at her more carefully as her overall figure seemed to remind her of somebody else, though the smell wasn't the same. Receiving the petting session with a satisfied growl she continued to rub herself against the girl until Ariel came into view. The blonde was slightly panting and stopped near the lioness to catch her breath. "You'd think I'd be able to keep up with her after all this time.." she added between pants as she finally caught her breath, only then noticing the dark haired girl that Kimba was playing with. Straightening her back and dusting off her short skirt, the blonde then awkwardly coughed before answering her: "To say she's mine would be a bit wrong... instead I'd say that she's my partner." hoping to answer both questions. 

She then opened up her inbox, set her window to visible; making the context of her HUD window visible to all. Then she flipped the screen towards the girl: "Did you by any chance, send this?" she asked with a smile. "I have some experience with people that want to ascend from this floor, so at the very least... I might answer some of your questions."

[Kasier 0]

Kasier stood up from the ground in order to be polite and allowed her hair to free freely from her head. The blonde woman seemed quite keen of her 'partner' and Kasier thought their relationship must be really tight. Then, the woman showed her her HUD window which displayed the message that Kasier had sent out just a little bit of time ago. She had been waiting quite a while for someone to show up and here she was, someone that could help her overcome her struggles of using her sword. It wasn't like she couldn't ascend the floors... In fact, she has been on the fourth floor before. Kasier was able to avoid mobs without using her sword but she couldn't just keep on going like this. Sure, she wouldn't have to kill mobs with her sword but at least she should be able to inflict status conditions on them when she gets a better sword. "Uhm, thanks for coming... I didn't think anyone would actually come. Here's my problem... So, I'm a level 7 player but I haven't killed a single mob so far. For some reason, I'm just too scared to use my weapon. The idea of ever killing something really makes me scared. But... This is Swords Art Online after all... So eventually, I would need to at least attack mobs so I can inflict status conditions on them and help my team. It's a really weird condition that I have at the moment." Kasier said, looking down on the lion cub once more. The woman had a familiar and this was the first time that Kasier had seen anyone with a familiar. Even the almighty tank, Xion didn't have a familiar. Honestly... Kasier would definitely like to get one in the nearby future as well since they are quite cute.

[Ariel - The Crowned Lion 0]

It wasn't strange for players to don't want to leave the 1st floor. The blonde could understand that as it took her a bit over a year to stay true to her nature and abandon the noob town in order to slowly ascent towards her ultimate goal, becoming one of the Clearing Team of this game; the very essence of human tenacity. So again, seeing people afraid of battle wasn't something uncommon, as from total of several thousands of remaining players... only a handful, barely a raid party team was engaged in clearing floors at a steady speed. 
On the other hand, what the blonde could not understand is why this girl in particular was unable to wield her blade. One of the most vital aspect of this fantasy yet devoid of magic environment. Putting her gears into motion, the first thing that came to the blonde was that this aspiring girl had some sort of mental barrier.... Maybe she could be "cured" more easily than her own fear.

"You do realize that this place's name begins with Sword Art right? The first word is pretty straight forward right?" she continued, next unsheathing her blade in a flash and impaling the black tip on the floor next resting her hands on top of its hilt. A black bladed sword with thorns motif on its hilt, a menacing item at first glance meant induce fear on the opponent despite its slim and fragile appearance.

"Now I ask you this... what is the meaning of the 'Art' part, from your perspective?" She asked, this time allowing her to reply by taking a pause in her speech. For the blonde the answer to this was simple. For her, art represented constant improvement of her swordsmanship; the same swordsmanship that she worked so hard to inherit from her father. Art represented not just something creative and beautiful, things that she tried to incorporate in her fighting style. But also a means to communicate with another, by clashing blades with another and appealing to his or her senses. Something that can't be made possible from words alone.

[Kasier 0]

"Yes. I do realize that the game is called Swords Art Online." And she does realize that the purpose of the game is to kill mobs and get stronger so you can become a front liner who can eventually contribute to the beating of the game. Yes, Kasier recognizes all this. This was all clear to her. She knew the point of the game and what you were supposed to do in this game but she just can't do it. Kasier watched as the woman unsheathed her sword. The black sword seemed completely overwhelming when compared to her own sword. Her own starter sword remained unsheathed and safely around her waist. She had yet to pull it out and yet to use it. But if she was unable to wield something like her own starter sword, there was no chance for her to be able to wield something as strong as the blonde woman's black sword. "Uhm... When I think of the word art, I think of people like Pablo Picasso and Van Gogh. So I think art, for me is something decorative, beautiful. In terms of the context of Swords Art Online, I'd think that it means sword movements in comparison to art itself, creating pieces of art through the movement of the sword." Kasier said in response to the woman's question. She hadn't really thought about the question before answering it, hence answering the question with the first thing that had popped into her mind. That was her idea of Swords Art Online. It might not be the correct answer but it was what she though of the game. Although she'd rather not unleash the dangerous sword that is being hidden away at the moment. What she had was not beauty, it was terror. Terror of having to harm something through her own hands. That is what she is in fear of. Kasier looked back at Ariel. "That wasn't the correct answer, was it?" She asked, knowing fully well that her answer was not something that Ariel wanted. Surely there must be a deeper answer than what she had said.