[F01-PP] <<Nature’s Treasure>>

[Snow 0]

Spring had recently sprung, although that hardly affected the weather on the first floor. Yet, Snow liked to believe that she was getting a head start on the warmer months. Thanks to some information she gathered from a rather friendly NPC, Snow set out early in the day to a secluded lake in the forested area of the first floor. So long as she stuck to the path, she wouldn’t need to brandish her spear. So, for this venture, Snow opted for her lighter attire - some pants, basic top, and a dark hoodie. She brought the spear too, I mean, what else was she going to fish with? The difficult portion of the night would most certainly be catching one. Snow never actually learned how to do so outside of the game, but Cardinal made everything a bit more simple in VR.

The young blonde crested the treeline to a wide body of water. Compared to Japan, it was a small isolated lake, but the deep blue of the clear made it only that more beautiful compared to the murky ocean. Several fallen trees framed the coastline with two pebbled beaches. Some of the old tree trunks laid so close to one another, it looked like a natural deck. It would be the perfect place to venture out for a better vantage point. Snow made way for her new fishing spot, oblivious to whether or not others might be present and readied up her spear for a quick strike at the first moving shadow she could see.

Eager for success, she jabbed its tip into the still surface at the first sign of movement. When she lifted her catch from the water, a pristine example of dead driftwood sat impaled upon its tip.

”Lovely... Off to a great start, Alyssa...” she muttered, prying the useless catch off her weapon and casting it back into the lake.

 

Spoiler

 

 ID# 146114 results: Loot: 5

Stats:

Level: 6
|| HP: 120 || EN: 12 || DMG: 4 || ACC: 1 || MIT: 9 || THN: 9 || EVA: 2 || SVY: 1 || BLD: 24 ||
Armor:
»Light Set:
» Pride [Rare Light Armor - Pants] [+9 MIT] [+9 Thorn] - ((Gifted by Hikoru))
» Hope [Perfect Light Armor - Hoodie] [+1 Savvy] [+2 EVA] - ((Gifted by Hikoru))
» Sif's Needle [+1ACC] [+2Bleed][Obtained Here]

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

A walk through the woods. What else was she to do today? It was true that she had never started leveling and was pretty weak, but being on the first floor outside the safe zone did not instill any fear in her. She had her scythe to protect her, the white mask to protect her identity. Not that she was worried that she would meet anyone that she knew within the game, more so like she didn't want be recognized when they left the game by a Sword Art Online. With a sigh, the girl continued down the lonely trail.

That was until she came across a lake. A serene and elegant looking little spot. If memory recalled, this was one of those areas where you could easily farm materials. A mental note would be left on its location. She wasn't alone though, a blonde fishing with a spear? Not an NPC. She was a bit down the way, separated by water. Nevertheless, a rest would be appreciated and this like was quiet enough to shore her weariness. Her long kimono folded up against the grass as she took a seat and relaxed quietly with her eyes closed.

@Snow

Materials found: 0

Total Materials: 0

Spoiler

General
Level: 1 | HP:  20/20 | Energy: 2/2

Stats
DMG: 1 | EVA: 0 | MIT: 0 | ACC: 0 

Skills
THBA Rank I

Equipment(In use)
Vanity THBA
Vanity Light Armor

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Snow took in a deep breath and readied up for another attempt and securing some materials for her restaurant. Spear cocked at the ready, she lined up what she thought was another shadow in the water. This has to be one, she thought to herself. She waited for a pause in its movement and the tip shot forward like a bullet. Bad timing, a glint of sunlight, or some outside force deflected the blow. Up and out, the spear’s tip laid barren. The young blonde let out a deep sigh and planted the butt of the spear against the log she stood on.

With her arm hooked around it for support, she undid the blue ribbon that kept her hair in a high pony tail. A few twists of the wrist and some delicate finger work, she tied the ribbon again to tighten up the loose strands of blonde and keep some rogue locks off the back of her neck. The moment the knot tied, her blued gaze drifted to something completely out of place against the natural tones of the woods.

A girl in a kimono laid on the nearby shoreline. She had her eyes closed and looked relaxed. Snow felt the urge to greet her, but felt it pertinent to let her enjoy herself. She looked at peace. Snow turned back to the water’s depths and readied for another attempt but now, her awareness of another in her presence filled with with a little unease. Would she see her mess up again? Why was she worried about impressing a stranger?

The little voice in the back of her head started to ramble while she tried to focus on the task at hand.

@Megitsune

Spoiler

 

ID# 146212 results:

 Battle: 2

 Craft: 5

 Loot: 6

 MOB: 9

 

 

Edited May 4, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

Though it was probably hard to tell if the Megitsune's eyes were trained on her, Snow could likely sense the feeling of her gaze melting into her every motion. She watched as the girl attempted to spear fish, wondering why she didn't just go and buy a fishing pole in the first place. Seemed like she was just making the ordeal more difficult by trying to spear fish. Though she wondered if she could preform the task with more success than the other girl, just to kind of spite her if anything.

Momentarily, she looked into the water watching for a fish to come by. One did, she jumped up, pulled her weapon off her back and slashed through the water. She hit the fish, but ended up cutting the poor cod completely in half. It dissolved into blue polygons and was gone from existence. Embarrassing? A little bit. But oh well, she waited for another fish to come by.

Materials found: 0

Total Materials: 0

Edited May 4, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

ID# 146257 results: Loot: 15

+2 Mats!

Oh god, now the stranger started to fish as well. She nearly spooked Snow into the water when the flash of steel cut a poor fish into virtual powder. Snow lost her balance for a bit and wobbled on her log perch.The noises that came out of her lips were unintelligible and comical at best, but she finally managed to avoid an unwilling dip underwater. The young blonde stood upright, eyes wide, and finally exhaled the breath she kept in her lungs. The crystalline gaze of her eyes fell onto the girl with the same widened expression of "holy heck".

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," she jested in her light Czech accent. "I see you're skipping the catching and going straight for sashimi." 

She tried to crack a smile all while maintaining balance with spear in hand. The attempt to multitask failed and Snow found her self wobbling for balance yet again. This time, she jut her spear point down into the water as he weight bared dangerously over water. Only a few feet of haft separated her and her watery reflection. Okay, enough trying to fish on the logs, Snow mentally chided. Hips tucked, she pushed off the spear and backward, too far even. Now, she stumbled every which way over log and stump until she fell rear end onto the smooth, pebbled shore.

Her face took a moment to unscrunch from the mild discomfort she expected, only to remember this wasn't reality. The embarrassment, however, was real and her face quickly changed hues. That is, until she felt a vibration of the shaft in her hand.

"No way," she gasped, then laughed. "Two?!"

Two fish wriggled on the blade of her spear. Luck, chance, what have you, Snow managed to effectively fish up two future sushi rolls.

@Megitsune

Edited May 5, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

The woman clad in black disregarded the comment about her slashing the fish in half. She didn't really have much to say after all. Yeah, she cut the fish in half, but it was even more upsetting when no more fish were swimming in their direction. They had been scared off by the spear impaling two of their brethren, it would be a moment before they all came back thinking it was safe. The Megitsune turned her mask covered face over to the blonde that insisted on talking way too much.

"Kon," The soft, but clarion-pitched, Japanese thickened voice said from behind the mask. She didn't have much reason to say anything to her, but she wasn't really given a reason to hate this person yet. They kinda looked like a push over, like a certain someone she knew in high school. This wasn't her though. That girl wouldn't be caught dead playing video games.

@Snow

Materials found: 0

Total Materials: 0

Edited May 5, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 146267: LD: 17

+2 Mats!

4 Total!

After she took a moment to appreciate her luck and storing away the fish into her inventory system, Snow stood up and dusted herself off. The lack of response bothered her while she tended to the dry algae and dirt. Once finished, and attention back to the stranger, her company emitted an unusual noise muffled by a mask.

"Kon?" Snow repeated. Her brain wracked with the familiarity of it, but chased the idea her new acquaintance was a foreigner. Perhaps a greeting of some tropical area? In her world studies class, the blonde did recall several tribes who still used a more guttural and harsh language to communicate. It consisted of what sounded like human growls and barks with plenty of hard consonants.

"Oh..." Snow's voice sounded sad. They were just a stranger after all. Not everyone is open to conversation.

She smiled again, hoping to convey pleasantry in a more universal language. Then, with a heft of Sif's Needle, Snow returned to the shore a few paces down.

Kinda looks like a kitsune mask... she thought as her tool of choice readied for another hopefully lucky strike.

A revelation struck the moment she squared up for a thrust and mid-plunge Snow repeated, "Kon!"

The light across the lake's surface rippled outward from the shaft of her spear as the blonde turned to her acquaintance.

"Like a fox!" she cried out. Compared to her English, her Japanese was mediocre at best. It was enough to get her through class and manage the day to day neccessities in town. Regardless, she gave it a shot.

"ねえ、あなたは日本語を話しますか?"

Again, Snow felt a vibration in her hand. She turned her attention to the tip of her spear as she lifted it out of the water and yet again, two freshwater salmon wriggled wildly on its tip.

"Again! Two for two!" she laughed.

@Megitsune

Edited May 5, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

The Megitsune's brow furrowed when the girl blurted out a repetition of her word. Yes. The fox goes kon. Nailed it. She wanted to comment about it, but she was already on to the next thing before she would get a word out. If she wasn't wearing her wooden mask, the girl would probably get a little scared of the annoyed expression she was making. That was why she wore it after all.

"ピンポン," She said with sarcasm lacing her words slightly, maybe not enough to tell though. "英語と日本語を話します."

The girl stood to her feet and readied herself to try another fish attack, her scythe lofted largely in the tiny girl's hands. The hunk of metal was much larger than she was, if it wasn't for the systems help, she wouldn't be able to even lift it. It seemed like Snow was getting all the fish before she could get a chance.

"These fish seem to be sacred of me."

Materials found: 0

Total Materials: 0

Edited May 5, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 146270 results: Loot: 1

Total Mats: 4

Excitement warmed Snow. Maybe she'd make a new friend after-all. Although, the blonde sensed a slight tone of mockery in the initial response. In all honesty, her actions and behavior were less than impressive thus far. Snow pulled in her catch and again placed them in her inventory. That's when she heard her acquaintance say something more... casual.

"Might be the mask?" Snow hefted her spear and kept an eye on the water. "Foxes do eat fish. Natural predator and all..."

Another dip beneath the surface ripple the calm waters. This time, without a reward at the end. Snow scowled.

"Might be me splashing around; I have no idea what I'm doing..." she admitted casually with several notes of defeat. She turned to her masked friend.

"I have a feeling maybe your next shot?"

@Megitsune

Edited May 5, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

Like she was going to take her mask off. She wore it everywhere and refused to remove it for anyone. It didn't obscure vision as much as someone might think, in fact, it was meant to help her focus. The mask let you see into the soul, or at least that's what the legend say about the kitsune. They understand the intent and heart of an individual with nothing more than a look into their eyes.

"Whether or not the prey evades the hunter, the predator finds a way to have it's meal." She didn't care how the other girl perceived her. The things she was saying may have been a bit sadistic, but whatever. She took the scythe into the water again, slashing through two fish this time. They split in half and dissipated again. "Chikuso... Uzaina" Her Japanese came out again to voice her frustration.

@Snow

Materials found: 0

Total Materials: 0

Edited May 5, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 146459 results: Loot: 12

+1 Mat!

5 Total Mats

“Shame,” Snow reacted to another shower of pixelated fish. “Maybe the predator needs to be a bit gentler?”

The cheerfulness in her tone dulled, whittled down by the feeling her company began to become irritated. With the thought on her mind, Snow readied her focus on another moving shadow. The anxiety of impressing her guest became less prevalent. Snow felt it would take a different approach entirely to earn the kitsune’s approval. Silently, the shaft of her spear slid along the palm of her hand. The shadow beneath the surface breached the water and even before its apex, Snow impaled the next of her catches. She angled the weapon up and loosened her grip to pry off another fresh fish to add to her inventory.

”Well...” Snow paused. Would this girl even care? Not like there is much to lose. “My name is Snow. It was nice to meet you.”

She didn’t make eye contact and kept her eye on the water. The breeze felt nice, but the tension in the air fouled the true serenity of the day. Blue eyes couldn’t help but drift to the girl from time to time. Snow truly hoped she’d find some success and soon.

@Megitsune

Edited May 6, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

The Fox sneered behind her mask. That's not how this works. If this were real life, she would be eating just fine tonight. Whatever. She will show this girl that she wasn't stupid. The kitsune planted her weapon into the dirt with a loud shlink and rolled the bottom half of her kimono into her obi, stepping carefully into the shallow waters of the lake, holding still and waiting for her prey to come again.

"If names are of such importance, you may call me Fox." She said plainly, looking at the water's surface for a fish-shaped shadow. When one got close to her feet, she pulled the cod from its peaceful existence into a suffocating nightmare. "See, not that hard." The girl said. Meanwhile, the fish wriggled free from the Fox's grasp and back into the water. The kitsune looked into the rippling waves and stared momentarily before saying anything else.

"I meant to do that." She remarked, stepping out of the water and setting back in the grass. She had only come here to relax anyway.

Materials...do they even exist?

Edited May 5, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 

 ID# 146485 results: Loot: 19

+2 Mats!

Total 7 Mats!

 

Snow giggled a bit. Maybe this girl wasn't so bad after all. That moment, a revelation struck her. Snow raised a finger with an expression of excitement! She turned her back to Fox for a brief moment while fiddling around in a few menus.

"There," the blonde's voice suddenly sounded muffled. She abruptly turned about to reveal her face covered by a very similar style fox mask she earned in a festival not long ago. "How do I look?"

Snow struck a quick mainstream pose and let out a single laugh.

"We'll see if the mask helps or not." Snow squared up to the water's edge and changed the angle of her spear a few times as she tried to adjust to the thing on her face. Admittedly, it was more difficult for her to see and she felt impressed Fox landed several perfect blows on such small targets despite obliterating them. A fish then leapt from the water and one quick poke mounted it upon her weapon's haft.

"Aha!" Snow exclaimed. "It's not the mask after all!"

She retrieved her catch and no sooner did she hit the accept command, she spotted another meaty fish swim close to shore. Not a moment wasted, the blonde began to move and felt the tingle of Cardinal's assist. Thack! Another one added to Snow's impressive lead.

@Megitsune

Edited May 6, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

The kitsune watched her pull out a copy mask. It looked like a festival mask more than her original mask. The girl donned the white wooden copy and she snarled under her own. First she was outshining her in something of a competition when she just came to relax, and now she was mocking her appearance? Fox was coming extremely close to clocking this woman in the back of the head and making her eat the splinters of the mask.

No. Calm yourself Fox. No reason to be going orange over this, it would cause her a lot of problems if she gained an orange crystal when she had absolutely no gear. Contain your reckless behavior and take it out on something else.

With a tug of the handle, her giant sickle was freed from the soil. A large hole was left behind where the blow had sunk in. She quickly stepped in the water and slammed the scythe into the water, pulling back in a fish and moving it to her inventory.

@Snow

Finally got a material: 1

Edited May 6, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 146513 results: Loot: 4

Total Mats: 7

Fox grew awfully quiet, but with little flourish, she finally caught a fish. Snow wanted to immediately congratulate her, but read the air. The blonde slipped the mask from her face and let it vanish back to where it came.

"Well, congratulations, Fox," Snow stated more matter of fact over excited. The mask must have some importance to the girl Snow simply couldn't understand. She did know it had to be important considering her reaction.

In fact, the lancer noticed another ripe target swimming nearby and actively opted to steel her spear. Instead, the blonde retreated from the lake's edge and found a nearby stump to serve as her chair. Sif's Needle found perch nearby in the crook of a large rock formation beside it. The girl took her seat and dabbed the damp glow from her forehead. Instead of filling the air with more encouragement, or so Snow thought, she opted to watch quietly -- let Fox focus for once without interruption.

@Megitsune

Edited May 6, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

A moment of peace and quiet. Thank the Yokai. Finally she could focus for a moment. The silence allowed the fish to come back, and the fox to plan her next strike. Though she was thrown off by the serenity she was gifted. She couldn't find her moment to strike at all. The fox reeled back like she was going to make her attack, then shrugged it with a sigh. She put the giant weapon back in it's holster on her back and took a seat in the grass next to the other girl, a little closer than she was before.

She slowly reached up to her face and pulled the mask off her cheeks, looking the other girl directly in the eyes."Gomenasai. I did not mean to impose on your gathering, I came merely to relax and got a little too competitive for my own hubris. If you wish to put the mask back on, go ahead." She set her own mask in the grass and rested on her knees.

1 Material found total.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

ID# 146525 results: Loot: 4

Snow was shocked to see Fox open up. Under the mask, fair features and a kind but stern face hid. The sudden change of demeanor threw the blonde off and left her speechless for a moment. A silence broken when several fish simultaneously breached the water's calm surface to [censored] an airborne snack.

"You didn't," replied the lancer. "And I'll refrain."

Snow summoned the mask into hand quickly since it was shortcut into most recent items. She held it pinched between index and thumb.

"Figured it might have given us common ground. Frankly, it's such a cute novelty I wasn't sure when I'd have a chance to wear it. Not as nice as yours though..." The mask pixelated back into Snow's inventory. She hunched over with her elbows pressed into the middle of her thighs. Snow drew a long breath of the fresh, clean air and exhaled in one long, relaxing breath.

"Not as many people around in this game..." her voice trailed off. "I think it's important to enjoy what we have, you know?"

She looked to Fox with a complex set of emotions layered in her expression - a little fear, some sadness, a glimmer of hope, and a warmth of determination. A smile cracked through to the surface.

@Megitsune

Edited May 6, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

The Fox's expression remained unmoved, however. Her attention was turned to the lake where the fish roamed free, or were they actually free? 

Once the girl was finished talking, she turned her attention back to Snow. The dying number of people and the fear of becoming part of the digital ghoul party didn't really appeal to her. Her eyes trail into Snow's, piercing her windows-of-the-soul. Her frail, white hand reach out to the blonde, as if expecting something. "Let me see your mask."

Though it seemed like a demand, the other girl could likely tell that was just her own way of asking to see it. If she was going to own something known to be so powerful, she shouldn't be running around with a half-assed copy of it. The mask was worn by spirits that lead wanders astray into their doom. The could see into a person's intentions, into their hearts. The mask reflected that.

@Snow

1 Material found total.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Megitsune

[Snow 0]

Spoiler

 ID# 146544 results: Loot: 2

"My mask?" Snow wondered what Fox wanted with her little festival prize. A quick shortcut motion and the kitsune mask reappeared in Snow's fingers. She held it out to Fox and let her take it.

"I think it was around this time last year," Snow added. "There was a spring festival on the 11th floor in Taft, I think?" 

Her memory struggled to go back to the event. So many things had happened since then, many of them demanded much more of her psyche than a festival. She remembered a goldfish game with paper holders, takoyaki, and the fireworks display. The shadow of another was with her, but she couldn't remember the face. She did, however remember the lovely blue, white, navy and turquoise kimono she wore. She kept it, but rarely had the opportunity to wear it. What she really wanted was the sakura blossom pin she saw the other girls had. Unfortunately, she never did receive one before the event's end.

@Megitsune

Edited May 6, 2020 by Snow

[Megitsune 0]

She wrapped the mask around her hand and opened her menu, clicking on a few things. One by one the items materialized around her: Different sized brushes, glass vials of colored liquid, and a small wooden table that just barely fit the mask. She set the wooden mask on the table and pulled the white vial out of her set and dipped her brush in it. The brush smeared over the mask, making it a completely white featureless mask. It set in quickly, letting her move on to the red paint swiping it over the mask to create an intricate design on the mask. Then finally the black, used only for the foxes nose. Once it was all dry, the kitsune made sure it was made with a good feature in mind and handed it off to the other girl.

Then she took her spear, rammed it in the water - with enough force to almost break the weapon - and pulled it out for her. Two fish stood on the end squirming around trying to break free.

Materials found 2 - Transferring to Snow.
Total materials 1

Spoiler

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Megitsune