[PP-F1] First Meeting (Aleyna)

[DylanDX 0]

Dylan walks through Starter City with his dog Dexter. He sits down on a bench and starts feeding bread to his dog, Dexter. "Today is going so slow, I'm so bored." He sighs. "Should I go and start training? Nope, I don't really feel like it. I'm just gonna sit here and just sit. I guess that's how today is. I'm just gonna sit. Not really something you can do in the real world, I guess.."

[Aleyna 0]

A soft breath escaped her lips as she descended the stairs of the inn she had stayed at the night before, flashing a bright smile at the innkeeper before slipping out the front down. The weather was pleasant outside, but it always seemed to be inside the Floor 1 town, the Town of Beginnings. Her light hair bounced along her back and shoulders as she walked with no particularly direction, simply out for a morning walk.

Blue eyes scanned her surroundings, always looking to make new acquaintances. If it was something that she had learned during her stay so far in the game, it was that the more people you knew, the higher the advantage you would have. Spotting a boy who appeared to be a handful of years younger than her - not that it would be obvious to most people, with her looking younger than her actual her - she wandered over, confidently sitting down beside him on the bench and smiling down at his dog.

"He's adorable. Is that your familiar?"

[DylanDX 0]

"Yeah it is, his name is Dexter. I named him after one of the character in my dad's old DVD collection." As he spoke, the dog started rubbing himself against the girl. "That's the sign that he really likes you. Hehe, he does to almost everyone. Anyway, my name is Dylan. What's yours?" he asked while extending his hand out so that they could both shake hands.

[Aleyna 0]

Aleyna started in surprise when the feeling of something warm and furry rubbed against her leg, but relaxed upon identifying the source. She never did have pets of her own in real life, and hadn't gotten around to deciding whether she wanted to be a beast tamer in game, but she had to admit that the dog was pretty cute. Though Dexter ... wasn't really a name she would've chosen. Still smiling, she reached for the offered hand and shook it, finding the greeting rather formal, but accepted it nonetheless.

"Aleyna. It's nice to meet you, Dylan. And Dexter as well, of course." Letting go of Dylan's hand, she would reach down to let Dexter sniff her hand, following it with a gentle pat on the dog familiar's head. "Do you normally stay here, in the town? Or just visiting?" She asked curiously, wondering what level the boy was.

[DylanDX 0]

"I'm just visiting, taking a break from exploring the upper levels. Its getting boring just grinding boars almost every day. Especially when I have much more HP than the floor 1, 2, 3, and 4 monsters. I'm level 7, but I'm hoping to level up quicker as I'd like to help the front-liners and hold out my own in dangerous situations. I know this may be personal, but what level are you?" says him, curious about how powerful this girl was.

[Aleyna 0]

"Ehh ~ You must be pretty good then."

Aleyna allowed a ripple of admiration to cross her features, eyes widening ever so slightly. So he wasn't just one of the players who lounged around in Floor 1, hoping for others to complete the game for them. "I'm ..." Her eyes dropped to her lap, suddenly looking very uncomfortable - vulnerable, even. "I still haven't gotten much of a chance to really head out there alone ... it's rather unnerving. So I'm still at Level 1, it's quite embarrassing." She said with a short laugh, patting Dexter absentmindedly. It was true, it was quite embarrassing, and it was definitely time for her to be more productive. She wasn't scared of venturing out - contrary to what she was showing to him - it had just a matter of ensuring that she was ready to head out and face whatever was out there, especially on higher floors.

"Your goals though, they're really noble. I'm sure you'll get there eventually!" She would add, gaze flickering back up to him with a small smile.

[DylanDX 0]

"Thanks, I hope I do." He, after thinking for a few seconds, decided to add something else. "Don't be all embarrassed about being low leveled. Everyone was at Level 1 once in their life, so you'll definitely get stronger, and I'll help you along the way whenever you need me."

He looks down, eyes filled with sorrow. "I promised myself that I'll get out of this game for my sister, and for my family. My mother is on life support, because she and my dad got into a car crash. However, my dad died instantly. Its already tough for my sister who also has to work to raise money to go to college, but now with both me and my mom on life support..."

He hesitates to speak, as if what he will say next is dreadful. "I swear I'll get out, and goddamit if I can, get everyone else out too!"

[Aleyna 0]

Something about the fact that she had to be reassured of her lower level was rather irritating, but she quickly brushed the thought away, knowing that what Dylan had said was not meant to be insulting. His offer to help was followed by the reason he was pushing so hard to get out of the game, so Aleyna remained silent until he was done speaking, absorbing in the information without interruption.

It was a sad, tragic story, yes, but the apathetic nature that had blossomed within her didn't allow her to really give her heart out to his situation. Her own desires were different. Sure, she also wanted to be at the top floors fighting, gaining power, but the end result was something she wasn't looking forward to. Secretly, she had no desire for the game to end. This world, to her, was perfect, and going back into the real world was a prospect she wasn't looking forward to. Of course, she didn't let any of her thoughts show on her face, instead reaching out with one hand to lay it over Dylan's.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll get out, and will everyone. You'll see your sister again, I'm sure of it." Reassuring words spoken, she stood up, eager to avoid having to share her own story. "Would you mind taking a walk with me?"

[DylanDX 0]

"Most people would call it a sob story, but I didn't cry at all when I was told what had happened. I just shrugged it of, like it was nothing.When he realizes that she had touched his hand, his face turns a shade of red. "S-so that w-walk you w-were talking about, sure I'll come.." He says this quickly to avoid attention to his face, which was still red. "L-Lead the w-way..."

[Aleyna 0]

A solemn nod was given towards his comment about being brave when it happened. After all, it was someone else's pain, she couldn't pretend to be indifferent about it. But at his reaction to her simple touch on his hand, she couldn't help a small smile, turning her head slightly so that it wouldn't be visible. Was he stammering? He was definitely stammering.

"Let's go then! Anywhere in particular? Maybe a coffee shop somewhere? I don't drink coffee, but their sweets are delicious, they're sure to cheer anyone up!" Her excitement seemed to bubble over at the idea of having company, bouncing on the heels of her feet as she began leading the way to her favourite coffee shop.

[DylanDX 0]

"Coffee s-shop sounds good.." He starts following her from behind, and motions for the dog to get up.

Dexter starts following him. He begins to ponder on what he had just said. "I didn't feel sad when it happened. I'm not sure if that's good. Maybe its a good idea I stayed in my room the day of the funeral. Most people thought I was heartbroken, yet all I was doing was watching TV." This distracts him, and before he can realizes it, he trips on falls on the floor. "I'm ok, just clumsy. Like always.. I have to learn to look where I'm going, I really dislike tripping and falling almost every day." He gets up and continues following her.

[Aleyna 0]

Aleyna herself was lost in thought, maintaining a general silence as they walked towards the shop. But at the sound of her companion tripping, she turned to look at him, gaze reflecting concern. "Are you sure you're alright?" He didn't appear to have sustained any external injury; the question was directed towards his mental state instead, seeing as the ground was even and difficult to suddenly trip on.

"Here's the store, let's go in and sit down." She would say, pointing at the coffee shop that they had stopped in front of and pushing the door open. The sound of a bell jingled as the door swung open, revealing a cozy little shop with a handful of small tables.

[DylanDX 0]

"Yeah, I'm alright, I'm just a bit of a klutz.. hehe.." He sighs. "It um... happens a lot." He looks around at the entire shop, and then sits down at one of the tables. "Wow, it seems like a family would own a shop like this back in reality.." Although speaking, he tries to avoid making direct eye contact. His eyes quickly glancing up at her face, then looking back down.

[Aleyna 0]

Sitting down across from him, Aleyna crossed her legs under the table - a habit that she often had when sitting. "It does, doesn't it? There's quite a few elements in the game that really seem to represent the real world. The comment came casually as she looked directly at him, noting how he seemed to avoid eye contact. That itself wasn't strange - she seemed to have that effect on a large handful of people, as narcissistic as that thought was. What was strange, however, was his apparent ability to casually speak of the real world, whereas other players often tried to avoid the subject. Many players had lives that they didn't want to share, content in displaying a new image of themselves in game; Aleyna was no different.

"It's a difficult adjustment, isn't it, being stuck in the game." She said gently as an NPC asked for their order. She placed in her favourite - a coffee-flavoured cake - and waited for him to order as well.

[DylanDX 0]

"Not really.. I didn't have erm.. much of a social life. Or friends for that matter. I was just an outcast, but more of a person you could easily forget. I didn't have to interact with anybody if I didn't want to, but that's different here." He looks around the shop, noticing a few NPCs and players, and then looks back to her.

"This has helped though, me being friendless. You notice a lot of things, such as habits and personality traits. Like how I just figured out what you are doing." He looks at her, calm, but as if he had won something. He starts to pet the now sleeping Dexter. "You give out an aura of someone who needs protection, but you don't act like it. Also, you seem as if you understand certain things, but you're just apathetic. Its really easy to figure out. After all, nobody purposely keeps their head from turning back unless they're smiling or in sorrow. Not a lot people just walk up to total strangers and start talking. I'm a bit like that too, so I would know."

[Aleyna 0]

Oho ~ He was a perceptive one. Clasping her hands together on the table with her fingers entwined, she smiled innocently at him, head tilting ever so slightly as he commented on what he had concluded from her personality. "Hm ~ Is that what it seems like? I just happen to be a social person, and ... I'm hurt." She huffed, letting go of the smile briefly for her mouth to turn down in what appeared to be a mix of a pout and a frown. "Apathetic? You're accusing me of not caring, aren't you? I'm not a cold-hearted person."

It was interesting how he was rather spot on with some of his observations though. She ought to take care in the future not to reveal too much. A lesson learned, but not a situation she would concern herself with. It was impressive, and although she didn't approve of him trying to compare himself to her, she liked that he managed to pick up on all this. Gesturing at the waiter, she added, "Not ordering?"

[DylanDX 0]

"I'm not really hungry. I didn't say you were cold-hearted, it just looked to me as if what I told you didn't really seem important. All you did really was say some stuff and then.." His face turns bright red again, remembering when she lay her hand atop of his. "That was the first time anyone has ever touched me like that.." He looks back at her, but realizing his face was turning redder from looking at her, he looked at the window. "Blood, why can't you go to another part of my body?"

He sighs while looking out the window, as if he is almost longing for something. "I talk so easily of reality when in all, I feel more alive in here. Still... I feel trapped. As if I'm buried alive and scratching at a steel coffin. So what's your reason for acting like that?"