[PP - F02] «Feeding the Enemy»

[Tyonis 0]

The 2nd Floor,

Tyonis found teleporting to be somewhat strange. It was a simple enough concept: in a single instance one was somewhere else. But living it was entirely different. While Tyonis used teleportation in many other games, experiencing it in FullDive VR was more mentally jarring than he could ever think possible. In one moment your world changed completely. It was an affront to his normally strong sense of kinaesthetics. He took a few moments to breath and readjust, much to the irritation of a few Players behind him. He didn't mind all that much as they pushed through him while he took his surroundings. Already he charted out that he'd have to hike up a mountain that was of above-average height. The type of bird he sought to tame enjoyed medium-sized mountains and open hunting fields. A nearby lake or a meadow at the foot of a mountain would be a prime place to start his search.

He took a few steps off the teleportation area to make space for more Players and folded his arms while staring at the mountain that best suited his needs. Already, he was trying to map out the most effective way to trek through the wilderness to get to it.

Word Count: 204

Edited July 6, 2018 by Tyonis

[Neopolitan 0]

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

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

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

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

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis blinked, his internal musings shattered when a woman caught his attention with a small wave of her hand. He looked around, expecting her to be calling at someone else, but when no one answered he shrugged and approached her. At a cursory glance, she was the walking definition of small and petite. She even had a strange pink, brown, and white theme going on in her hair. For a long moment, Tyonis thought she was one of those underaged Players that he found around Aincrad every once in awhile. The Town of Beginnings had a damn orphanage for many of them. He made a mental note to stop by and play with the kids in his off time. It was only after a much closer look that he realized she was more developed in certain areas that hinted at her true age.

"You're asking for me, Ma'am?" Tyonis inquired as he approached, just to make sure. "How can I help you?" He ventured.

Word Count: 150 (Nailed it!)

Edited July 10, 2018 by Tyonis

[Neopolitan 0]

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

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

[Tyonis 0]

It took a few seconds for Tyonis to realize the woman was trying to ask him what he was doing on this Floor. He wasn't actually paying attention to her body language and hand gestures until their situation finally started to resemble what he'd experienced while he was deployed overseas. Foreign nationals would often try to communicate with he and his fellow Soldiers using a combination of simple Arabic and exaggerated gestures. This girl was doing much the same, save for the lack of sound, though every once in a while, she'd open her mouth as if to say something.

It didn't take a genius to realize she was mute after that revelation. He wondered how she'd survived this long without being able to quickly and effectively communicate. It lent the assumption that she was capable and savvy enough to survive without that key skill - a remarkable feat all things considered. Tyonis couldn't even imagine what it would be like to try and direct a fireteam without the ability to speak.

Perhaps she really could help him then.

"Are you familiar with this Floor?" He asked. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. He couldn't use sign language and sorely wished Spencer was with him now. "I'm looking to tame a Blood Hawk, one of the larger and more ferocious of the hawk monsters on this Floor." He slowly explained and with his own series of gestures.

Word Count: 229

Edited July 5, 2018 by Tyonis

[Neopolitan 0]

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

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis was slightly embarrassed when the woman revealed she could hear just fine. He'd been speaking slowly and loudly - enough so that several other Players shot him strange looks. He completely missed what she meant when she pointed at the ground and gave him a thumbs up and expressed his mild confusion with a quiet sigh. When she beckoned for him to follow, he ended up falling in step beside her, having nothing better to do at the moment. Other than his own assumptions about where the blood hawks might hunt and nest, he had nothing to go on except that they were here on this Floor. And like hell he was going to pay an information broker's obscene prices just for a pet bird.

"Since we are going the same way would it be better for us to party up, Ma'am?" He asked then opened his menu and sent her a Party Invite. "Just to clear the air between us... You can hear me just fine and are trying to help me, right?"

Word Count: 166

[Neopolitan 0]

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

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

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

[Tyonis 0]

'Shoot, move, communicate, KILL,' was an Army motto Tyonis was very familiar with. He just wasn't sure how he was going to effectively do the 'communicate' part with Neopolitan. When he first saw her name he instantly thought of ice-cream and how badly he could use a bowl. NPC made food in Aincrad wasn't bad, but it was definitely dull in flavor and texture. Player Cooks apparently could make custom flavors and really improve on how a meal felt in your mouth, but he'd yet to find a Player who would be willing to cook him a meal for free.

"So... Neopolitan - mind if I call you Neo?" He didn't hear a refusal and pointedly did not look at her in case she'd try to shake her head. "You've got a great, uh, character theme going here. Ice-cream and all that, yeah..." he trailed off as he stepped just a tiny bit closer to her. "Uh.. this is going to sound really strange but... you wouldn't happen to have any on you, would you? Ice-cream, I meant." He hedged and couldn't resist licking his lips once.

Word Count: 185

[Neopolitan 0]

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

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

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

[Tyonis 0]

"That is disappointing beyond all measure and scope," Tyonis hung his head sadly when she denied his request. He was really, REALLY hoping for a decent tasting snack. Or even dared he dream, a meal. Steak and lobster sounded oh-so good right now. "I spend most of my IRL paycheck on food and alcohol," Tyonis admitted with a chuckle. "So guess what I spend my money on in Aincrad." He paused for dramatic effect, letting the silence drag on for a few seconds. 

"Nothing. I'm the very definition of a miser." 

He shot Neopolitan a curious glance. "So," he began, unsure of how to start a conversation with someone who couldn't speak normally or at all, "did I really look that helpless back there?" He thumbed in the direction of the safezone. They were well into the forests now and judging by the looks of it, were about to enter into an area less traveled. Tyonis flipped through his menu and equipped his spear and armor, just in case.

Word Count: 169 

[Neopolitan 0]

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

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis continued to let Neopolitan take the lead, though he would do his best to help the woman through the unbeaten underbrush if it seemed a bit too difficult to traverse without his assistance. His spear functioned as a very sharp walking stick as he used it to bushwhack deeper and deeper into the forests. As he was pushing through a particularly large thorn bush, he spoke up again. "So I heard Blood Hawks tend to stand out among the high trees, they're obviously blood red and a few times larger than a normal hawk, so it makes them easy to spot, though I heard they can be pretty rare," he began to explain. "They spawn where higher-leveled hawks do and where larger herbivores gather. I think it's to simulate an actual food chain."

Once more, he ended up talking about food. He could practically feel his stomach grumbling in real life.

Word Count: 154

[Neopolitan 0]

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

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

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis took a brief scan of his surroundings. He listened intently for the sounds of wildlife and could pick out certain bird calls as well as other noises that were the sample of a strong and stable ecosystem. Something like this hardly existed in any part of the world he'd ever been in. This was what a forest would have sounded like if humanity didn't tear open over 9,001 holes in mother nature's backside. There was also something alien and unfamiliar he couldn't put his hands on. A particular call that he'd honestly never thought possible. Contrary to popular belief, most bird calls were staccato chirps at a rapid pace. This was 'too' musical. As if it were artificially constructed.

He leaned closer to Neo. "I think I hear something peculiar in the high trees just over the bush line. Let's tread quietly and keep our eyes up," Tyonis instructed as he slowly pushed through the bushes, careful not to disturb the natural stillness too much...

Word Count: 167

ID:  102312
LD: 6 (Fail)

Edited July 6, 2018 by Tyonis

[Neopolitan 0]

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

Uh oh...

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

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

Spoiler

Spawning <<Giant Bird>>

HP: 30

DMG: 9

 

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis' eye twitched as the beheld the large bird of prey perched over a dead carcass. He was pretty sure most monsters shattered into polygons when they were killed, but maybe the Cardinal System was trying to replicate a sense of realism in its ecosystem by animating the predators actually eating their kills. It was fascinating to watch, if not nearly as gory as it should have been. Mother Nature could be a sadistic bitch at the best of times. It seemed like Kayaba was really pushing that ESRB rating. When Neo looked to him, Tyonis nodded in agreement. He was not one to back down from a fight unless he was clearly outmatched and he had an inkling that the two of them could take this monster down fairly easily.

Plus, he was pretty itching to stretch his virtual muscles after all the Quest grinding he'd done. He was definitely due for a regular monster encounter.

"Let's take it down before it gets a chance to fly up and over us."

Word Count: 172

[Neopolitan 0]

With Tyonis in agreement to fight, Neo stopped crouching. Though she didn't normally, she decided to try and show off just a little. The bird was still looking at Neo with curiosity in its eyes. Though they tried to program even the monsters to be realistic, Neo was unfazed. She drew out her rapier and held the point slightly towards the sky. She had always enjoyed watching fencing matches, though she thought that they were always over much too quickly. She focused on the move she wanted to use, and let the game pulse energy through her. She lunged forward, striking once, then twice with her blade. With the first strike, she startled the bird with a light blow across the chest. In its fear, it quickly unfurled its wings, giving Neo the opportunity to clip them with the second blow. The bird, stunned, fell out of the tree. It was unlikely to last much longer, but Neo didn't let down her guard.

Spoiler

Roll ID:102313

BD: 9 - Minor Critical hit (+1 to base damage)

Neo:

    HP: 220

    ENG: 21 (-1 Sword Art): sword art costs 2 - 1 for finesse mod

    Hate: 2 (+2 crit)

Tyonis:

    HP: 80

    ENG: 8

    Hate: 0

Giant Bird:

    HP: 22 (-8): (3 base + 1 crit) * 2 sword art

    DMG: 9

    Status effects: Bleed (12 damage/turn): 2 turns; Paralyze (unable to act): 1 turn

 

[Tyonis 0]

Tyonis could no longer deny what was in front of him now. He truly was in a fantasy world and stood utterly and completely captivated by Neopolitan's movements. His mouth hung open as the tiny, mute woman darted out of the bushes faster than an Olympic sprinter could ever dream of achieving, vaulted up over 20 feet into the air, thrusted out her rapier, and knocked a giant bird nearly her height - and undoubtedly several times her size if he included its wingspan - out of a god damn tree. 'That... should have been physically impossible.' He thought numbly as the bird unceremoniously landed in a heap at his feet.

"Huh." Tyonis tried, but the words failed to leave his throat. The bird writhed as it bled out. He could see a small lightning mark by its HP bar that indicated its Paralyzed status. It was the juxtaposition of realism and VRMMO UI pragmatism that brought him back out of his stupor. He readied his spear and lunged forward, trying to embrace the impossibilities that SAO and the Skill Assist System had to offer.

As he lifted his spear, he could feel his muscles tense and move in a way that felt both familiar and alien - as if he were being guided by some unseen force. His arms blurred, moving faster than they'd ever done, and the tip spear slammed down with the force of a meteorite over the squirming bird's skull. 

"DIE!" Tyonis grunted, his voice laced with bloodlust as he felt the creature's skull cave. It was a tone of voice he reserved only for the battlefield, against enemies he well and truly meant to kill.

Word Count: 229
ID: 102314
BD: Natural 9 (+1DMG)

Spoiler

Neo:

    HP: 220

    ENG: 21

    Hate: 2

Tyonis:

    HP: 80

    ENG: 8-2SA=6 

            Heft: 2(4DMG+1Crit) = 10DMG

            Bleed: 12DMG/2Turns

    Hate: 0+2Crit=2

Giant Bird:

    HP: 22-10DMG-12Bleed= 0

    DMG: 9

    Status effects: Bleed (12 damage/turn): 2 turns; Paralyze (unable to act): 1 turn

Giant Bird perishes!

 

Edited July 6, 2018 by Tyonis

[Neopolitan 0]

Neo ended up perched in the tree, above where the bird now lay. It was better than falling back down for what would've likely been an ungraceful landing. Neo watched Tyonis take out the bird with startling efficiency. And from the scream in his voice, he either had a very troubled childhood or he was in the military like Neo thought. Once the bird had shattered in pixels and its death confirmed, Neo jumped out of the tree. Though still not the best of landings, it was better than what it would've been if she came crashing back down. Neo looked around to make sure that there weren't any other threats when her eyes caught on something gleaming. It was mostly buried under the dirt, but still barely visible. Neo walked over and noticed that it was a treasure chest. She beckoned Tyonis over, this was most certainly a rare find.

Spoiler

Roll ID: #102315

LD: 18 - Successfully found a treasure chest

Neo:

    ENG: 22 (+1 regen)