[F1-SP] <<The First Few Lessons are Free>> Which is Good, Because I'm Lost and Broke [COMPLETE]

[Volcanic 0]

The game had begun. So what did Volcanic do? She waited. She waited for a sign to tell her which way to go, how to progress. She watched the people panic, and then when the panic died she watched them gain bravery, and then momentum. She watched them all form parties, and guilds, clear floors, and try to save themselves from a terrible fate. And what did Volcanic do? She held her knees to her chest and watched, and waited. She tried not to cry, but that was difficult at the best of times. She was trapped, and she missed her dad. She missed pouring over law textbooks and comprehending things that others could barely begin to understand. She missed making friends at school, fleeting as they may be. And she missed the world. But what did she do about it? Absolutely nothing. She watched, and she waited. Until she couldn't just wait anymore.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

What does one do when they're looking for a sign from the heavens that it's okay to move forward? A patient person may have waited an eternity, but as days stretched into months, it was clear that help would not ever come from the outside. This was a prison, whether anyone here liked it or not. She heard others coin the term "death game", and it was fitting. The only thing it didn't convey was the prison aspect, though Volcanic supposed it fit well enough without reminding them constantly that they're trapped. Death is a little more permanent after all. But supposedly their freedom could be won. Only by clearing all 100 floors. But how could Volcanic do that? This isn't her type of game. RPGs were fun, but the only one she had ever gotten into involved cute little pocket monsters, and this was definitely not that. But could she really do nothing for the rest of her life if help never came?

[Volcanic 0]

Day after day, Volcanic simply put her head between her knees and cried, and when she was out of tears, she just watched with wet eyes as the world moved around her. Occasionally, she'd make a trip to get some bread. Thankfully, for the homeless and more cowardly players unwilling to make their own Col, there were kind players who gave out basic food. It tasted like cardboard and wasn't very filling, but it satisfied the hunger for a time. And then she would return to her little corner in the alley, where she kept waiting, watching, and crying. Over time the girl grew more grimy, dirt caked her clothes, her face, and her hands. Every day she seemed to grow hungrier, with nothing to fill the growing void but stale bread. She was no better than a beggar, with the only difference being that nobody gave her Col in a cup. Not that she would have allowed for them to do so anyway.

[Volcanic 0]

It wasn't until one fateful day at what could best be described as a homeless shelter that things finally started to change. A sign, in the form of a portly man's kind round face as he handed her a loaf of bread and said in a surprisingly light and cheery voice, "Hey girl. I believe you said it was Volcanic, eh?" Volcanic would pause. Though of course she had introduced herself by her username at times, she hadn't expected any of he volunteers at the shelter to remember it. With a bit of shock, and a twinge of curiosity, Volcanic turned and nodded. "Yeah, you've been coming here for months, eh?" the man continued, his cheeriness not having faded one bit despite the other people now having to shuffle around the two in the midst of their fresh conversation. Some grumbled and the other volunteers just said, "Hey, people wanna chat, you deal and get your bread. Free is free." Volcanic simply stared at the cheery man, waiting for the rest of his banter.

[Volcanic 0]

Despite the line slowly moving around them, time seemed to stand still between the cheery man and Volcanic, before he finally broke the tension and said, "I can see it behind your eyes girl. You're a smart one, eh?" Volcanic was a bit taken back by this statement as she blinked and a bit of red colored her cheeks. It felt as if an age had passed since she had truly used her voice, and for a moment she was afraid she wouldn't find it, before she finally said, "Y-yes sir. I like to consider myself a smart girl. Why do you ask?" Her voice was shaky, like a worn out car wobbling down he street. Still working, but nowhere near peak condition. The cheery man's smile grew wider as he continued to ask, "Well girl, why haven't you put those smarts to use then, eh?" Volcanic's heart sank a bit. She knew the answer, but was it justifiable?

[Volcanic 0]

As Volcanic mulled over the cheery man's question, he simply continued without an answer, "Look, even if you don't fight, you can still put those smarts to use, eh?" He gave a hearty chuckle and said, "Look at us, eh? Not all heroes are on the front lines. Why not try the beginner quests and see if you can get a feel for life in this world. Who knows, maybe after you're some famous crafter, warrior, or tactician, you'll come back and thank ol' Gil here for pointing you to your destiny, eh?" The laugh that followed came directly from the man's gut as he clapped a hand on the girl's shoulder and with the other placed a note in her hand. "The chain starts there, girl. I know with your smarts you can find it. I'll know your answer by whether or not you come back here or not. Just don't forget Gil, eh?"

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic stared at Gil for a long time, her fist absentmindedly clutching the note he had handed her. Why had he picked her in this moment? Was she the only one? She searched Gil's eyes for the answer, but asked no actual questions of the man. As she thought about it, she had remembered seeing him and other volunteers having what was most likely the same conversation with select people. And sure enough, she hadn't seen many of them come back. Was that for good or bad? Perhaps this was their way of getting rid of long term mouths to feed. Butter them up and send them to their death. But she didn't see that kind of cold heartedness in Gil's eyes. The man simply smiled, and finally shooed Volcanic with her bread down the line and out the building. As she moved along behind the others, who shuffled back with their bread to their alley corners or park benches and trees, she continued to clench the note. Had she finally found direction?

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

It took Volcanic a long time of indecision. She had no idea what was written on the note, nor what to expect. But finally, she lifted the note to her eyes and unfolded the tattered scrap of paper and read the words, "Zackariah's Alchemy: Beginner Quest". It gave no directions, but Volcanic supposed she could look up he directions on her map. And so the girl weighed her options. Did she go back to the alley and cry? Or see what Zackariah had to offer? She thought of the kid in her pocket monster game. Every adventure started somewhere, and it was never easy. But Gil had given her an opportunity. Much like the professor had given those kids their opportunity. She clutched the note again before stuffing it in her pocket and pulling up her menu, and then her map, poking the buttons in he air. With a quick search for the NPC name, she found the shop located a few blocks away in a nearby shopping district.

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic's feet moved, slow but sure, in the direction of the shop as indicated by her map. Her stride was determined, but tired. Her legs felt as if they hadn't been properly used in an eternity. Which if she was being honest with herself, they hadn't been, seeing as her alley corner had been just down the street from the homeless shelter, and that was the only other place she had gone since the announcement that they were trapped. But that was neither here nor there now. Her legs pumped as she walked briskly to the shop, watching her little player marker move to meet the marker indicating Zackariah's location. Before she knew it, she was there, and despite her breath being a bit heavy, and her grimy appearance, she pushed her way through he doorway before she could change her mind. As she stepped inside, her breath caught in her throat, as she looked around to see a picture perfect fantasy alchemy lab, with bottles and tubes of every shape and size dotting the shelves and counters.

[Volcanic 0]

Though she supposed she should have expected this, the sight still surprised her. In the modern world outside this game, this type of setup was something you would only see in a theme park or Hollywood movie set, and none of it would be nearly as functional. But here it all was, real and in front of her. A tall, thin gentleman with white hair and a beard instructed many students, presumably other beginners, at fully functioning alchemy stations. It wasn't long before many eyes turned to Volcanic stunned in the doorway, including those of the white haired gentleman. He looked her up and down before striding over and putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her inside with a, "My my my, you are a sight young lady. Having trouble finding work then? You look starved and could probably use a nice warm bath." Volcanic's cheeks burned red as she realized that she must look, and maybe smell, horrible.

[Volcanic 0]

Volcanic opened her mouth to speak, but Zackariah cut it off with a shake of his head and continued banter, "No no, no need to explain. You've come to a house of beginners. I'm here to teach you the ropes and get some Col in your pocket. So will you accept my help?" Again, Volcanic opened her mouth to speak her answer, but a prompt window popped up in front of her, asking if she would accept the quest: "The First Few Lessons Are Free". Volcanic was a bit relieved to read those words, seeing as she was broke anyway. She pushed the blue button labeled "YES" and Zackariah smiled in return. "Perfect!" he exclaimed as he dug into his pocket and produced a small hand drawn picture. "Please gather five of these herbs for me," he explained, "you can find them just outside the walls of the city." Volcanic stared at the picture for a moment, memorizing the details as best she could, before taking it and pocketing it herself.

[Volcanic 0]

As Volcanic gave a light bow and thanked the man, Zackariah smiled and waved it off before adding a final note to the girl, "Please, just be safe out there and don't agitate the boars. They can be deadly to beginners such as yourself. Simply stay out of their way and gather up the herbs." Once again, Volcanic thanked the kind man for his advice, before turning and making her way out of the shop. Turning her head to look behind her to watch the scene of Zackariah going back to teaching other players working with boiling beakers and crazy bottles and tubes like something straight out of a cartoon. She wondered if that was her next step, and couldn't help but let a smile pass her lips at the thought. But she had to find the herbs first. Best not to get ahead of herself. And so she pushed her way back out into the city.

[Volcanic 0]

With a meandering pace that still had a spring in the step, Volcanic made her way to the city gate. She held the picture of the herbs out in front of her. They looked like a cross between a dandelion and a sunflower, with the yellow petals surrounding the wispy center of the herb. She wondered which part of it the alchemist actually needed, and considered that maybe each part was valuable in its own way. There's no way she'd know for sure until she returned with the herbs in hand. Between the map and her getting lost in memorizing the herb she needed to find, it wasn't long before she reached the gate. Players bustled in and out of the gate, some seemed tired, others walked with their heads held high. Some ran past the grimy girl with their weapons brandished, shouting and whooping. Volcanic wondered if she'd ever be that excited about fighting monsters.

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86868

LD: 12

Quest Herb Gathered (1/5)

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As Volcanic stepped through the gate, rolling fields spilled out in front of her, with players and boars roaming alike in the clear afternoon sun. Volcanic watched as some players rooted around in the grass, and others went toe to toe with the tusked beasts. Absentmindedly her hand went to the scimitar at her hip. Would she ever use it? Could she? She blinked as her eyes followed a nearby boar snuffling through the grass. Perhaps it senses her eyes upon it as it stopped and lifted its head, its black beady eyes staring back at the girl. She blinked again, and broke eye contact with the creature with a sigh, releasing her grip on her sword and scanning the ground. She heard the creature resume its snuffling as its feet rustled the grass around it. A light breeze blew by, and Volcanic watched as the flowers swayed with the moving air, before she spotted one of the herbs swaying in the midst of them. She walked over to pick it up, and opened up her menu to place it in her inventory safely.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86872

LD: 20

Quest Herb Gathered (2/5)

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Idly Volcanic meandered through the fields, walking around snuffling and grunting boars, some of which managed to find what they were looking for, as she watched them pull up something from the grass and stare out into the distance as they happily chewed their newly won prize. Occasionally as she scanned the ground, she'd bump into another beginner searching for the same herbs, and Volcanic would simply wave with a smile, though no doubt due to her haggard appearance most of these players gave her a bit of a wide berth, some outright refusing to make eye contact and ignoring her completely. She sighed, and truly did hope that this quest worked out to make her some money. If she did hope to get anywhere in this world, a grimy homeless teenager look just wouldn't do. But it all seemed to work out in the end, as one passing player who avoided her and her gaze managed to step right past one of the herbs they were searching for. Volcanic quickly knelt down and scooped it up before the player happened to notice their mistake, and continued on her way.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86873

LD: 8

No Herbs Found (2/5)

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As she walked she noticed many of the herbs in the area were practically unsalvageable. Some were bent at the stem with petals missing, some were missing the dandelion bulb with all the wispy seeds in the middle. Yet others seemed to have been crushed into the dirt, perhaps by the boars, or even absentminded players. Little did it matter to Volcanic aside from the fact that it left her with nothing to salvage and nothing to show for her wandering. She tried her best to follow the wall of the city, not wanting to know what lies farther out. Perhaps the boars were more aggressive. Perhaps there were worse things out there. No, Volcanic considered. This was a video game. There was no perhaps involved. There were worse things out there. The thought made her blood run cold as she considered the permanence of death once again. She shivered, and brought her eyes back to the ground. Her focus needed to be on herbs and her reward.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86875

LD: 5

No Herbs Found (2/5)

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Walking through the fields, Volcanic's mind drifted a bit. Admittedly, being out in the sun and the grass, amongst a bit of wilderness in the boars, listening to other players chatter and fight, with the light breeze and the rustling grass, it was all relaxing. A part of Volcanic wanted to lay down in the grass and take a nap, despite how bad of an idea that would be. She didn't know if the boars would snuffle right up to her and decide to take a bite. Not to mention she had heard rumors from her alley corner about players who preyed upon people like her, killing them just for the fun of it. Again the thought made the girl shudder. She had to make herself focus. As she scanned the ground all she saw were more crushed or chewed on herbs. She sighed and trudged on, at least trying to go back to enjoying the sunshine of the clear day.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86881

LD: 13

Quest Herb Gathered (3/5)

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Volcanic stood and looked to the sky and the sun, estimating that she had been out here searching herbs for at least an hour now. Her body felt heavy, as she finally gave in to the urge to at least sit down. She knelt in the grass and lowered herself to sit. Could she truly do this regularly? Was she tired because it had been such a long time since her last activity? Or was this just normal no matter what? Slowly her mind wandered into thoughts of whether or not her body deteriorated from lack of use like in the real world, and just how far the simulation of this game went. Not many people playing really knew, but Volcanic did know she was starting to get exhausted. As she picked at the grass and moved it out of the way to search for flowers while she sat, she noticed a smaller herb amongst the flowers, and gathered it up to store away, before returning to her thoughts.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86884

LD: 4

No Herbs Found (3/5)

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As Volcanic sat in the grass, she did everything to resist the urge to lay down and sleep. She wondered if she would have to put the quest on hold for a day, and then wondered if there was a timer. She supposed not. Unless it had told her outright, it probably wouldn't go anywhere. But what good would quitting do? It would just be another cold night in the alley, more stale bread for breakfast, and then she'd be right back out here, tired and mildly annoyed at all the unuseable herbs. She continued to root around where she sat, looking for the smaller herbs hiding amongst the flowers. She managed to find a few, but as she went to grab them, the wind picked up and managed to pull all the wispy seeds off the dandelion bulb right out of her hands. She sighed, not really knowing if they were important to the quest, and so considered them a loss.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic

[Volcanic 0]

ID: 86887

LD: 13

Quest Herb Gathered (4/5)

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Volcanic decided that if she sat down any longer, she was liable to end up laying back and falling asleep. But the bit of rest had been nice, along with the herb she had managed to find. Slowly, she found her footing again on tired, shaky legs, as she stood in the grass once more. She hadn't really thought much about it, but she was starting to feel a bit warm in the sunlight, and a part of her suddenly wished she had a pair of shorts to wander around in, rather than the baggy starter pants. A comfy tank top would have done well, and then she might've almost felt as if she were enjoying a bit of summer vacation in the rolling hills of Europe. Suddenly she felt a pang of regret about thinking about her real life again, as her eyes welled up. She shook her head and blinked away the tears, wiping away the one that managed to escape down her cheek, and checking to make sure that no other players were watching her. She made herself look back at the ground, seeing another herb a few steps away, before collecting it and resetting her mind on the task at hand.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Volcanic