[F01 - PP] What Can Happen In A Dark Cave? <<The Third Lesson, Is Just As Free>>

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Level: 7
HP: 140
Energy: 14
DMG: 3 || ACC: 2 || MIT: 9

Skills:
» Curved Sword - Rank 1

Equipped:
» Okami [Rare Curved Sword [Damage // Accuracy]]
» Arrow Ring [Rare Ring [Accuracy // Accuracy]]
» Sturdy Jacket [Uncommon Light Armor [Mitigation]]

Battle Ready Inventory:
» (3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)
» (5) Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP)
» (1) Tier One Damage Potion. (+1 Damage)
» (1) Tier One Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP)
» (1) Safeguard Potion

It was a new day, and the first thing that she was thinking, how she didn't really want to talk about what had happened between herself, her brother, and Yukiro the night before in Nature's Treasure. That was probably a topic to stay well away from. But, she stared at the parcel in her hands and she wondered something at the same time as she sent a quick message.

Quote

To: Yukiro
Hey, was wondering if you wanted to join me on my third beginner quest? I'll be at the Artisan in the tree grove if you want to, just meet me there.
From: Tala

After she sent the message, she picked up the parcel and made her marker on her map on where to go to trade this thing for the next quest. She was going to be prepared to go alone, just in case Masato scared Yukiro away. That would suck, but she was still going to be prepared for anything, it was what she did at this point. Now she was headed out, headed to the grove of trees. This Artisan better have a good quest or something to make her have to go to a tree grove. Honestly, what kind of messed up stuff was that? She sighed as she finally neared Hannah and handed her the parcel. "Form Lyle." Hannah looked up and happily took it. "Oh thank you! Now I just need a favor from you. I have these rings..." Blah, blah, blah... Tala heard the quest and where she had to go. To a cave, get a jewel, come back. Cool, that sounded simple enough. She accepted the quest then, and looked around, hoping to see Yukiro somewhere near by.

@Yukiro

Edited November 26, 2019 by Tala

[Yukiro 0]

Spoiler

Yukiro

********************************************
LEVEL 20
400 HP | 40 EN | 11 DMG | 3 ACC | 18 MIT | 3 EVA | 1 REG 

Skills:
2H Straight Sword - Rk 4

Skill Mods:
Familiar Mastery Accurate Rk 3

Equipped:

• "Sterondight" - 2H Straight Sword (T1 Perfect) DMG x3
• "Nightmare Overcoat" - Light Armor (T1 - Perfect) MIT x2 Prevent 18 damage from successful attacks against you | REG x1 After taking damage, gain Regen at the beginning of your next turn. Heal 5 HP every turn for three rounds. Damage over time effects (Bleed, Poison) will not trigger Regen. Does not stack with Battle Healing. Taking damage while Regen is active will refresh it to its full duration.
• "Ravenfeather Treads" - Light Armor (T1 - Perfect) EVA x3 Reduces the die value by 3 on an enemy’s attack against you. Cannot be used to avoid a critical hit.

Equipped Vanity Items:

• "Amber Clover Pendant" - Vanity - LD x2
• "Witcher's Vambraces" - Vanity - Thorns x2

Familiar: 

• Yumi - Familiar Mastery: Accurate rk 3 - ACC x3

Battle-ready Items:

T1 Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP) x5
Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP) x3
Crystal of Agile Dragon Wings (Teleport crystal) x2
T1 Damage Potion. (+1 Damage) x1
T1 Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP) x2

Quote

To: Yukiro
Hey, was wondering if you wanted to join me on my third beginner quest? I'll be at the Artisan in the tree grove if you want to, just meet me there.
From: Tala

While Koga had been a lot more intimidating than Yukiro wanted to admit, Yukiro wanted to see Tala far more than he feared Koga. Besides, he could only stand so much sand. 
Up on floor five, wearing his usual sand cloak, Yukiro finished off the sandworm he was fighting and dashed off towards the closest town. Gah, he had sand everywhere! It was in his hair, his shirt, his boots, even in his pants! What even was the point of the cloak!? 
It wasn't long before he teleported back to floor one and started jogging over to Hannah's grove, excited to see Tala again. Even if it had been less than a day since last seeing her. Once he was in sight of Tala he slowed down to a walk for long enough to unequip the sand cloak he'd forgotten about. 
"Hey, Tala!" he called out, grinning and waving his hand high above his head. Sand was still covering his body. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

She was starting to think that Koga might have actually scared him away. Well, that was going to suck wasn't it. She sighed as she started to get ready to take off to the cave on her own. "Hey, Tala!" She froze in her spot and turned to see Yukiro, covered in dirt, waving at her. She smiled and waved back before she shot him a party invitation. She walked the rest of the way to him and just stared at him for a moment. "Yukiro...did you lose a fight with a sandstorm or something?" She asked the question of him as she looked up to see him literally covered in dirt. "Wow, it's even in your hair again." She shook her head and chuckled lightly before she looked back up at him.

"So! Have you done this quest yet? I know that I have to go to some cave and grab a jewel. I mean that shouldn't be too horrible right? This actually sounds like it might be the easiest quest in this line of quests ever. It's kind of nice. Feels like a bit of a break." And off she went, a mile a minute with talking once more.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

Spoiler

Yukiro: 400 HP | 40 EN | 11 DMG | 3 ACC | 18 MIT | 3 EVA | 1 REG

"Yukiro...did you lose a fight with a sandstorm or something? Wow, it's even in your hair again." Tala giggled. 
"Ahaha, yeah, um... Pretty much," Yukiro admitted with a small laugh. Crap, I didn't realize it was that much! 
"So! Have you done this quest yet? I know that I have to go to some cave and grab a jewel. I mean that shouldn't be too horrible right? This actually sounds like it might be the easiest quest in this line of quests ever. It's kind of nice. Feels like a bit of a break." 
He should tell her that there were massively annoying guardians in that cave. He should tell her that it was not even going to be anything close to a break. 
Yukiro nodded. "Yeah, compared to the other two it starts out as a good break. The biggest problem is that the cave is dark. Really dark," he told her. He could mention the more stressful things when they came up. "So we'll have to be careful and stay close together." 
As he spoke Yukiro stepped away from Tala and tried to brush all the sand off his body. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

"Ahaha, yeah, um... Pretty much." He had laughed with his admission of losing a fight with a sandstorm. That was pretty bad. Which floor had a sandstorm and could she just by pass it completely? She didn't feel like getting sand everywhere, in fact, that sounded horrible and majorly unwanted and uncomfortable. All she could do was smile and giggle though. It was an odd sight, to see someone covered in sand like this.

"Yeah, compared to the other two it starts out as a good break. The biggest problem is that the cave is dark. Really dark. So we'll have to be careful and stay close together." Awesome, not only was it in a cave, but the cave was dark. Splendid, just freaking splendid. She sighed at the thought of a dark cave. Not the dark part, but more the cave still. Did she forget to mention that she has a slight case of claustrophobia? She would be fine if the cave was lit, but for it to be dark, not so great.

He had stepped away while she thought on that and dusted himself off. "Okay, dark cave. Got it." She nodded lightly, not really wanting to voice the weakness that was probably going to kick her ass while they were there. She was hoping that she might not have to voice that aloud at all really. Let's just wait and see what might happen instead. That was the golden, horrible, plan. "Well, when you are done dusting yourself off, let's go." She smiled, a possible happy and usual smile, it was hard to tell right now.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"Okay, dark cave. Got it," Tala nodded lightly, "Well, when you are done dusting yourself off, let's go." She smiled. It was a happy smile, Yukiro thought. But something was slightly... off. 
"Alright, let's go," he said lightly, offering her his hand, "... Um, Tala... If something's bothering you, you can tell me. I-If you want to of course!" He thought he should make sure she was alright, just in case. What could it be... 
"If it's about me and Koga, we'll be fine. He's just being an older brother. And, um," what else could it be, "...If it's the cave, then don't worry, I'll be right there with you, promise!" 
Yeah, it was definitely right to not tell her about the cave guardians. That might be too much before she's more used to the cave. Is Tala scared of the dark? Or was she claustrophobic? Would being with someone make claustrophobia worse? 
Yukiro began to fret a bit over the off feeling he was having. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

"... Um, Tala... If something's bothering you, you can tell me. I-If you want to of course!" Crap, he noticed the smile didn't he. Oh well. She sighed and was about to say something when he spoke again. She laughed lightly and shook her head. "Don't worry, it's not about you and Koga, promise. Not so much the cave alone. Just a bit of claustrophobia really. If the cave was lit, I'd be fine, for the most part. But it being dark, well, thank goodness I have you coming with." She lightly took his hand in hers, as she tried to smile a confident smile. She would get past the cave, yes, there was no need to fear that.

Right? This officially sucked, but, she had company to make it better. That was the good news in all of this. She sighed lightly before she replaced the the less than confident smile with a true smile. "Right, I can do this." She looked up at Yukiro then before she started to head toward the cave. "So, other than a dark cave, what else do I need to worry about in there?" She was curious and honestly, being able to psych herself up about it now was going to be better than dwelling and wondering if life was going to suck in the cave.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"Just a bit of claustrophobia really. If the cave was lit, I'd be fine, for the most part. But it being dark, well, thank goodness I have you coming with." Tala gently took Yukiro's hand.
"Y-yeah, um, glad to be of help!" 
She said thank goodness she has me~.
Tala's smile became a little more genuine after that. "Right, I can do this." Yukiro started to follow her out of town. "So, other than a dark cave, what else do I need to worry about in there?" 
Yukiro had to think about that for a moment. Not because he wasn't sure, of course. But should he tell her about the cave guardians? 
"Um... Just bats," he said, glancing away, "Really big bats. But they're still just bats, nothing to worry about." He tried not to imply anything that might scare her, and he was being completely honest, so there shouldn't be anything suspicious in his voice. "We go in, wander blindly through dark tunnels until we find a couple of shiny rocks, fight big bats that come from nowhere, and find our way out!"

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

"Y-yeah, um, glad to be of help!" He sounded startled, surprised, and happy at all once. This made her happy in a way. She let him think though, she had a feeling that he was probably trying to find a way to phrase things without scaring her. Had telling him about her claustrophobia been a bad idea? Was he going to treat her with kid gloves now? If he was, she might just have to kick his ass, and she would too.

"Um... Just bats. Really big bats. But they're still just bats, nothing to worry about." Okay, bats she could work with. Bats were just night birds basically, nothing like that stupid owl of her brother's. Right now, she found bats to be better than owls, that was depressing. "We go in, wander blindly through dark tunnels until we find a couple of shiny rocks, fight big bats that come from nowhere, and find our way out!" Wait hold on, they were going to be blindly wandering through the cave. Okay, maybe kid gloves might be a good thing.

"Do me one tiny favor, and don't lose me in the cave, please." She didn't look at him when she stated this more just because she didn't want to chance any kind of fear trying to show itself actually show itself. At the same time, her hand did tighten around Yukiro's so that might have given away that fear on it's own.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"Do me one tiny favor, and don't lose me in the cave, please," Tala asked Yukiro, her tone joking. But she didn't look at him as she said it. And, as she spoke, her hand tightened around his own. 
Tala... You're scared, aren't you? I respect trying to hide that. It's what I would do. But...
Yukiro gently pulled her just a little closer as they reached the end of town. "I won't lose you in the cave. I promise," he awkwardly grinned down at Tala, "But we may have to be, um, really close. Sorry." 
Yukiro distracted himself from the embarrassment of the thought by continuing toward the cave. "But we don't have to worry about any of that until we get to the cave, so let's just enjoy the walk for now!" Yukiro kept smiling, not that it was very hard to do so. In fact, he was ecstatic to have more time with Tala (that was not also with a very angry Koga). 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

She just walked and waited for any kind of response that may come from him. She felt him gently pull her to him though, even if just a bit closer, it made her happy and feel...safe. What in the world was going on with this child? "I won't lose you in the cave. I promise. But we may have to be, um, really close. Sorry." She looked up at him and smiled lightly before nodding. "That's okay, if it means I come out of a dark cave, I don't mind being close at all." As if to prove the point she moved a little closer to him for a moment before backing off to chance him getting flustered.

The walk seemed to be going fine though, no cave yet, but that meant that there was no need to have to worry about anything yet. Of course, unless Masato comes out of no where, then you worry. She was certain that her brother was very unhappy, but that just seemed to make her happy. Odd right? "But we don't have to worry about any of that until we get to the cave, so let's just enjoy the walk for now!" She laughed lightly and nodded. "Yes." She noticed that he was still smiling and that made her happy. "You know, I like it when you smile."

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"That's okay, if it means I come out of a dark cave, I don't mind being close at all." Tala suddenly moved a little closer to Yukiro, who went a little red. Tala wisely backed off, much to Yukiro's disappointment.

"You know, I like it when you smile." Tala said suddenly, looking up at the already red Yukiro. He looked down at her. 
You know, I like it when you smile. 
Yukiro had to take a moment to process what she'd just said. He went a little redder when he finally did. 
And then he smiled. "Thank you. But I like your smile better." 
Thank the heavens that Koga wasn't there, he might have tried to kill him where he stood for saying that. Yukiro still would have said it, he'd just also have to have a sword sticking through his gut. 
"Um, I-I really like your laugh too." 
Ok, now he was really going out on a limb. One that he should expect to break. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

Well, that made him turn a new shade of red. This little detail seemed to make her laugh a little. She went to say something, but was stopped short. "Thank you. But I like your smile better. Um, I-I really like your laugh too." She stared at him for a moment before she giggled. "Thank you Yukiro." She took a moment to step closer to him and hugged him for a moment before she started walking again. Tala wasn't going to admit anything to the small amount of red on her own cheeks at this point. It wasn't going to do her any good, nope, none at all. But she did stop again after a few minutes to stare at the mouth of a cave. Yukiro hadn't been kidding when he said that it was a dark cave. This was going to be hell. She just stood there, staring at the cave, uncertain on if she actually wanted to do this quest or not at the moment.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

Tala giggled, "Thank you Yukiro." She stepped closer to Yukiro and hugged him.
Yukiro didn't have the time to hug her back, but he enjoyed the gesture while it lasted. 
Soon they reached the cave. Ah, here were some bad memories for Yukiro. Tala stopped short, staring at the cave's entrance. Yukiro stopped and looked down at her. Was she... Ah. She really was nervous. Yukiro squeezed her hand a bit and moved much closer. "I'm a bit scared. Do you think you can help me?" he asked, glancing up and away from the girl. He really hoped that would help her feel better. "U-um, we can keep holding hands, if you want to." 
Aah! I just offered that! I actually offered that! 
He kept looking away to hide his redness. She shouldn't have to worry about him getting flustered; she was scared enough as it was. 
"A-and, if there's, um, anything else I can do to help, I will," he mentioned. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

She seemed to have been stuck in the lingering thoughts on how horrible this was going to be, at least, until Yukiro squeezed her hand. Then, he was closer to her and she sighed lightly as she leaned against him for a moment before she caught herself and moved back to standing up straight. "I'm a bit scared. Do you think you can help me?" She looked up at him, only to see him looking away from her. She nodded a little, "I think I can, but why are you scared?" What had she just gotten herself into if Yukiro of all people was scared?

"U-um, we can keep holding hands, if you want to." She looked down to their hands then and she squeezed his hand lightly. She had no intentions of really letting go just yet. Nope, she wasn't going to let go unless she absolutely had to. "A-and, if there's, um, anything else I can do to help, I will." She managed to giggle a little at his obviously flustered offer then. "Just don't break your promise and keep me safe please. Don't lost me in there..." This was probably the most scared a person would ever see Tala, and she would deny it the entire time. She looked at the cave again and nodded this time.

"Okay, let's do this." She gently tugged on Yukiro's hand before she started to walk toward the cave's mouth.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"I think I can, but why are you scared?"
In truth Yukiro wasn't scared. Not even a little bit. But it might be easier for Tala to be scared if she thought he was scared too. 
"Um... Reasons."

Tala squeezed his hand gently and giggled, just a little. "Just don't break your promise and keep me safe please. Don't lose me in there..." 
Yukiro squeezed her hand back. "I wouldn't dream of it." 
"Okay, let's do this." Tala tugged on Yukiro's hand and started to walk toward the cave. Yukiro walked beside her. And soon they were inside the cave. 
It was even darker than Yukiro remembered. But last time he'd gone inside it was night time, so maybe his eyes just weren't adjusted to the low light. 
"Are you alright? Should we slow down?" he asked, just wanting to make sure Tala was feeling as safe as he could make her feel, "You're welcome to get as close as you'd like, I'll be fine." 
By which I mean you can't see how red I am down here. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 3 || MIT: 9

"Um... Reasons." Well, that was vague as hell. She held back an eye roll in the moment and just focused on the face that she didn't have to go into this dark cave alone. She goes in alone and she probably wouldn't be able to find her way out. Let's be honest, that was her luck. But still, she sighed and smiled lightly when he squeezed her hand back, reinforcing the promise that he had made mere moments before.

She was ready for this, she was prepared. The dark was nothing it was the cold cave that worried her. Then, the light was gone as they walked in and she involuntarily shuddered at that factor. There went the light, but she still have Yuki beside her. Thank goodness. "Are you alright? Should we slow down?" A head shake came then, a motion that probably couldn't be seen, "Nope, no slowing down. Faster we find the stones and kill whatever it is that might attack, the sooner i can get out of this hell."

Yeah, she was not enthused at all about being in a dark cave and that could be figured out the moment she stepped close to Yuki. Yeah, being close was going to be a saving factor for her. "So, these gems, do they glow or something? Or do I have to crawl around to find one? Because the glowing I can do, the crawling, ha yeah right nope."

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"Nope, no slowing down. Faster we find the stones and kill whatever it is that might attack, the sooner i can get out of this hell."
Fair enough. 
Tala stepped closer to Yukiro, which made his heart flutter a bit. "So, these gems, do they glow or something? Or do I have to crawl around to find one? Because the glowing I can do, the crawling, ha yeah right nope."
Yukiro stifled a chuckle at her words. "They should glow, yes. They may be a little hard to find though. It's like a labyrinth down here," he told her. There should just be a bunch of them all in one spot if he was right. "Hey. You have a potion of safeguard, right? From the first lesson? Use that now. You'll be able to see the menu in the dark, I think."
Yukiro looked away to make sure he wouldn't see her menu. It was apparently considered rude to look at someone else's menu without permission. 
It was a good thing it was dark. It was taking every ounce of willpower and restraint he had not to stutter, he was so nervous being this close to her. And in such a dark place at that--! He wouldn't be surprised if his face started glowing red. 

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 140 || EN: 14 || DMG: 3 || ACC: 2 (3-1) || MIT: 9

Used (1) Safeguard potion

"They should glow, yes. They may be a little hard to find though. It's like a labyrinth down here." Oh great, so not only was it a dark cave, but apparently a labyrinth as well. Was this going to have a bright side to it? She resisted the urge the mumbled something about the game designers being mean and all that stuff when Yukiro thankfully spoke again making that mumbling impossible. "Hey. You have a potion of safeguard, right? From the first lesson? Use that now. You'll be able to see the menu in the dark, I think."

Oh that's right, she did get that didn't she. "Yeah, I'll um, use it now, hopefully." Here was hoping that she didn't use a healing potion on accident, that would suck. She used her free had to open her inventory and she squinted as she looked at her items. Down, down, down, ah ha! The last item in her battle inventory, sweet. She made the bottle spawn in her hand before she sniffed it. Bad choice. She resisted the urge to gag as she quickly drank the potion. At least it didn't taste as horrible as it smelt to her.

The bottle turned to fragments and she stepped a little closer to Yukiro as she started to walk again. "Okay, the horrible stuff has been taken. Let's find us some gems then shall we." And get the hell out. Though, she had this small feeling that he was probably turning red, even if she couldn't see it.

@Yukiro

[Yukiro 0]

"Yeah, I'll um, use it now, hopefully." 
Yukiro heard the sounds of the menu being opened and the potion being summoned, then a small pop as she opened the bottle and downed the contents. Then the slight sound of the bottle shattering.
"Okay, the horrible stuff has been taken. Let's find us some gems then shall we." She said, getting even closer to Yukiro, whose face flared up in the dark. 
"R... Right, let's do that." 
Eventually, after what felt like hours of walking alone in the dark with Tala, a slight glow began to appear up ahead. Yukiro was relieved to see that the gems were so close to the entrance, he'd been starting to think they'd be down here for the night. 
Yukiro's body temperature went up just thinking about it.
He walked with Tala to the small pile of gems. 
"Only take one, okay? One each," he said, shifting himself just a touch closer to the girl. 

@Tala