[PP-F1] A Fresh Start (Echo, Nickolas, Utukashi)

[Hawke 0]

Shinn Mikazuki is no more. I am Hawke.

Black strands of hair fell upon crimson eyes. Morning became noon. A gentle breeze made its way throughout the grassy green fields surrounding the Town of Beginnings. <> wandered the field, grazing. Ambient creatures were plentiful: birds in the beautiful blue sky, rabbits hidden within shrubs, butterflies hovering about two or three feet off the ground. Even ants could be seen following their day-to-day activities, if one looked close enough. It was a seemingly flawless replica of the real world. To Hawke, it was the perfect place for a fresh start.

Hawke stood just outside the Town of Beginnings. His outfit was relatively simple: it consisted of only the most basic of leather gear. The main chest piece, as well as his belt, gloves, and pants were a soft gray in color, identical to the strap that held his curved blade's sheathe to him. Beneath the chest piece, extending towards his thighs, was a shirt, or a tunic, rather, that was black in color, other than a small area at the elbows, which was a dark gray. The boots he wore were a normal brown color. He couldn't help but despise it. Everyone wore mostly similar gear at this point, just in different colors. As of right now, he was just another new player. That was not enjoyed.

The teen's fingers coursed his dark hair. As of right now, he found himself leaning on the stone brick wall just outside the gate, waiting. His foot had been unconsciously tapping for the five minutes or so he occupied the wall. There were plenty of other activities he'd prefer to attend, but since he was still relatively weak in this death game, he instead found himself passing time scanning the passers-by for possible companions. Most of those who walked outside the safety of the town (city, more like) were already grouped up. He wouldn't bother attempting to join a pre-composed party. No, he'd need others like him: solo.

"Hurry up, damn it." He cursed under his breath, growing tired of waiting. Every second that past with him waiting was every second someone else surpassed him in strength. Yet there was strength in numbers, and that notion was enough to keep him waiting.

[Echo 0]

I took off towards the outskirts of the Town of Beginnings. With my white trench-coat, and leather black boots. As I make my way outside the gate, I saw a player just lurking on the outside of the town. He didn't seem like a player that would bother anyone, but I had to make my way through the floor, and back to Floor Two. It seems like he isn't very 'happy', but who is. This game is a death game, and everyone is always on the edge of their seats.

I ran past him, and towards the field of Frenzy Boars. I quickly equip my Fury's Echo, and place it on my shoulder. "Tch. More weak monsters getting in my way." I said, as I brush past a couple of them. I continue my journey to the second floor, and left the player behind. I start to leap over obstacles in my way through the forest, and couldn't find my way around. "Damn it. I've already went through this god damn floor. I should have just bought a crystal." I said, as I walk back towards the Town of Beginnings.

Time hasn't passed a lot since I saw the player, I still see him leaning against the cobblestone walls. I took a seat by the rocky edge, and closed my eyes to concentrate on my surroundings. I'll just buy a crystal here, and leave as soon as possible. I thought to myself, as I open my eyes. I start to stare at the artificial clouds, as they slowly move away. Even though they're all Kayaba's creation, he still made a hell of a nice world.

[Nickolas 0]

In a almost singsong tune, I hummed. Not because I felt happy, but because it was something to do other than talk to my self like I had. Solo-payers have been popping up recently after some "Black swordsman" called himself a Beater. A clash of a Beta Tester and a cheater. I didn't really care. if one of them helped me, I wouldn't complain against them. They probably had more gear than I did. In my right hand was a Simple yet standard One hand straight sword. literally the blade that I had at the start of the game. Couldn't get much standard than that.

I needed a kill. Well, not a player kill, but kills of the spawning boars that were here. With the recent outburst of Solo-players, I needed to up my game fast. After my meeting with Echo.... Right? Something with and E, I had found that I needed a kick me up. and somehow he had given that to me. As I walked I saw a man in a white coat zoom past me. So fast that he didn't register as someone I knew. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on to the meeting spot. Looking around, I found the man on the wall. Waiting there like he said he would. Only instead of walking to him, I sat down in the grass. Using my blade as giant scissors to cut the grass and let them puff into oblivion and spawn back again about 30 seconds later.

Looking off to the side, I noticed another person. Not moving or doing anything for the moment. When the guy in the white coat came back. he sat down, and until I looked at his face, I saw that it was Echo. standing up with the aid of my sword as a cane, I walked over as I put my sword up. Echoes seem to come from every direction don't they.

Call it my introduction to Echo as he sat there almost gloomy like.

[Mayonaka 0]

I didn't bother to move my hair out of my face when the wind blew. Today I was heading back to floor one to purchase some necessities for my journey ahead, to find my sister. Recklessly I had spent all of my time searching for my twin, Axelle. After we were transferred to the Town of Beginnings I still couldn't find her. Even after our appearances had changed to what we looked like in real life I didn't see anyone with pink hair like mine. I wasn't about to give up though. I knew I was searching for her was dangerous. Being me, I should have spent my time practicing this world and leveling up.

I raised my hand in the air holding a crystal. Teleport: Town of Beginnings! I yelled and disappeared into thin air. When I opened my eyes The Town of Beginnings was what I saw. I wiped my hands on my skirt and adjust the sword on my waist. With a small pain of remembrance in my head, I stepped off the platform and walked through the town. I knew this place like my home, which was good in most ways. On Instinct, I turned several corners and went through dark alleys. When I reached my last turn I spotted another player against the wall. He didn't look dangerous but I couldn't see his face so it would be risky to pass him. I took a deep breath, lifted my head high and balled my fists. Moving one step at a time I neared the other player. Not to be rude, I flipped my hair when I passed him and unballed my fists. I looked at him behind me, to make sure he didn't follow.

[Hawke 0]

As expected, there were numerous people passing by. Of them, there were around five likely candidates, but only three had stuck around long enough for him to consider approaching them. The most intriguing, a light-haired individual, had walked past him first. Hawke's eyes followed him until he disappeared in the forest. Not long after, the same man had left the forest and began to walk towards the town once more. Before long, he had taken a seat not too far off from him. White Coat. He made a mental note of the individual, and occasionally glanced in his direction to see if he had left. White Coat was definitely not a newer player; his gear told a different story. It'd be good to get to know him, even if Hawke wasn't fond of the meeting people undoubtedly stronger than him. Perhaps he could show him the ropes?

That was when the second captivating target (per say, there would be no hunting of the target) walked past him. At first, the man didn't interest him that much. Hawke couldn't see anything interesting in the figure. Until he approached White Coat. Normally this would have turned Hawke away from the idea of involving himself with them, but they didn't appear to be in a party, necessarily. It looked more like they were acquaintances. White Coat and Friend. He took note of the duo, despite not being aware of how close they might have been.

Lastly came along a pink-haired individual. She had only caught his attention because of her hair. It's really flashy. Again, it was the type of person that he wouldn't normally associate himself with, but when she looked back, as if she suspected him of being some sort of stalker, he made note of Pink Hair. PKers existed, but he couldn't imagine any of them would be stupid enough to lurk around as obviously as he was. To be fair, Hawke was probably underestimating how pathetically stupid some of the other players were; if they were anything like what he had witnessed in the real world, it wouldn't surprise him if they accidentally killed themselves by stabbing themselves in the foot and forgetting to take the blade out.

Now the hard part came: getting them all together. Hawke, for the first time in what felt like hours, stepped away from the wall, and began walking towards White Coat and Friend. He positioned himself on the side of White Coat opposite Friend. "I don't suppose you two are considering forming a group, are you?" Hawke said, possibly catching the two off guard. Too blunt, slow down. "Sorry," He feigned an apology, hoping it would make him seem a little less like an ass, "I had been over by that wall when I saw you two pass." He gestured his head in the direction of where he came from. "I just wanted to know if you two were intending on doing some sort of hunting, and could perhaps show me the ropes?"

Hawke wasn't lying, per say. He knew that White Coat was capable. The other, however, Hawke couldn't decide on. With that in mind, Hawke assumed he was relatively new as well; the sword in his hand gave it away. "I'm Hawke, by the way."

[Echo 0]

The player that was lurking before came up to me, I don't suppose you two are considering forming a group, are you? I heard from the player. I sat up, and look around me. I gave him a confused look, "Two? I'm the only one you're talking to." I said with a concerned tone. He then apologized to me, but I shook my head. "No need to apologize." I said, with a smile. He then motion over to where he was lurking before, and I gave him a dull expression. "Yeah, I saw you earlier when I ran past the entrance." I said, as I put both my hands over my head. He then asked if 'we' could show him how to hunt. "Well if hunting is what you want to learn, its fine by me." I replied to the player.

I stood up, as the player greets me. I'm Hawke, by the way. I nod at him, and look over at him. "My name is Echo, its nice to meet you, Hawke." I said, as I flash him a smile. I then spot Nickolas from where I stood. So that's the guy he was supposedly talking to earlier. Its good to see you again, Nickolas. I mumble in my head.

[Nickolas 0]

It was as I taking steps towards Echo, that the man on the wall walked over saying something about hunting. Smiling as Echo said he would, I smiled. Reaching both of the other men, I spoke, Looks like you are meeting another person I see. offering my hand out to the man named Hawke, I introduced myself. Nickolas, and what are you waning to hunt?

There were many things to simply hunt down and kill, but if he and seemingly I could take it down, then with how high a level that Echo is, I was sure that we could take them down. However a girl off to my right looked somewhat familiar to me. Pink hair, nice form. I only questioned who it might have been.

[Mayonaka 0]

(OOC- Sorry for the short post)

I continued to walk down the alley way but stopped at the end. I turned back and saw that there was two more people with the boy I just passed. One of them across from him was looking at me. I touched my hand to my hair and realized I stuck out like a sore thumb. Even if I wanted to run away from them I wouldn't be able to most likely. They had strength in numbers, I had pink...hair. I knew I was just being paranoid though. I faced back to the town and walked into the crowd of people still on level one.

[Hawke 0]

[Don't worry about it. With a group this size, it's probably easier to keep the posts relatively short.]

"Boar, wolves, and whatever else we can kill on level one. Nice to meet you too, Nick." Hawke responded to Friend, whose real name was Nickolas, as he shook his hand. He turned back to White Coat: Echo. "And you as well, Echo." That was easy enough. He hadn't expected to have been accepted that easily, but he was. Makes things simpler.

Hawke was really caught off-guard when he glanced back towards the town, he saw the pink-haired girl watching them, then turning away and hiding into the crowd. When he looked back to the group, he noticed that he Nick had his eyes on her too. "Do you know her?" Hawke asked, bluntly. "I was considering approaching her like I approached you two, and asking if she'd like to join me on a hunt, but I lost her."

[Echo 0]

"Boars, and wolves are about everything you'll see here on the the first floor." I responded to Hawke, as I put my hands behind my head. Considering the game is a life or death situation, making friends is my top priority. If anything goes wrong, I can protect the friends I made here and before that. The situation of this game will make things harder, but if I can protect those around me then I won't be afraid to die.

I turn back over to the town, and spot a girl with pink hair run off into the town. "Hm? What's her problem?" I asked, but shrugged it off. She might have been watching us for some time, but it doesn't matter to me now. Hawke than said he considered taking her after he finished up with us. "Then you should go after her, Hawke. I can wait." I said, as I took a seat on the grasslands.

[Nickolas 0]

I simply nodded my head as the new person I had met started to speak about talking to the pink haired girl about something. Indicating her with a hand, I motioned for him to go and try to talk to her. Give it a shot. The worst she can do is say no.

OOC: if you guys still want to continue this we can. I was on a Slight LOA due to RL problems.

[Mayonaka 0]

(OOC- Echo is MIA, I don't know where he went...)

I constantly was checking over my shoulder to make sure none of them was following me or anything, luckily they weren't. I sighed and sat on a bench away from most of the people so I could be alone for a minute and gather my thoughts. I need to focus..I need to find her before she realizes that you can die for real here..even though it hasn't been proven..