[F01 | SP] Needle and Thread | <<Earning a Living: Tailor>>

[Sakura 0]

Earning a Living: Tailor

Tolbana had been an experience, and although not one that Aoi wanted to relive, it was also not something that she would say she was entirely upset at having completed. The first lessons quest had been taxing, in its own way, and yet she knew that she had already learnt valuable lessons from engaging in it – if nothing other than the boost to her capabilities and skills that had come with its finalisation. It had also inspired her to continue with some of the more basic quests, realising quickly that she needed to create a foundation of her skills and capabilities before she would be able to advance anywhere in the world.

Which was exactly why she had returned to the beginning of it all, passing through the gates with an exhale that seemed to contain a small wince in correlation with the determination in her step. She’d glanced over the various available quests while laying in the inn bed – paid for by the mayor in thanks, and far more comfortable than the lower tiered rooms that she had suffered through the previous days in game – before stumbling upon one that she knew every new player tackled as quickly as they could.

Earning a Living. Beginning the journey of actually making a natural profit in game, without the danger of attending the wilds consistently to look for anything of value that could be sold. Besides, there’s lots of options, so… Her decision had come rather quickly, a skill that she hoped would transfer over from the real world – tailoring. She’d never taken the action up professionally, but had shown a small knack for the sewing art that came with cloth adjustment and creation. Enough so that she had been naturally gifted the opportunity of fixing almost all the small tears, breaks and other problems in her immediate family’s wardrobes. If I’m lucky…we’ll see. Nothing so far has really transferred over, but maybe this will be a bit different.

She’d received directions to the shop from a few other players who had, apparently, come across the quest itself. It seemed as though the tailoring quest was niche, or less popular than many others, however, and although some had known where it was located none that she had spoken with had taken the actual quest – able to provide nothing more than a starting point. It was more than enough for Aoi though, and as she stopped before the shop in question, she felt a smile spread across her face as she breathed in and prepared to enter.

 

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Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP 100/100] | EN [28/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2]   Hide contents Notes [Theme] Tier 1 | Tier 1 Equipment Hand Crossbow [Hand Crossbow | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [1 Slot] Black Tactical Vest [L. Armour | Tier 1] Enhancement: Mitigation [1 Slot]  Raven Pendant [Trinket | Tier 1] Enhancement: Accuracy [3 Slots] Battle-Ready Inventory Starter Healing Potion {5} [Potion | Tier 0 | Heals 50 HP] Big Bertha Braciole {5} [Snack | Tier 1 | Vitality] [ID-NIL] Zackariah's Special Draught {1} [Potion | Tierless | HP Recovery III] [ID-NIL] Skills   Hide contents Utility Skills Searching [Rank: 2. Active: Passive. Effect: +1 LD per rank, +1 Stealth Detection per rank.] Combat Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Weapon Skills Projectile Weaponry [Rank: 3. Active: Passive. Effect: +5 DMG] Armour Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Extra Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Combat Mastery Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Familiar Skills Skill [Active: -. Effect: -.] Sword Arts   Hide contents [x8] ST-I (8 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x11] ST-II (11 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. [x7] AOE-I (7 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x8] TECH-A (9 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. Housing Buffs   Hide contents   [Home] Room [Effect.]

Edited 5 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The door jingled slightly as she entered, a small bell above her signifying her entry into the area, alerting the character behind the desk that peaked out briefly before disappearing for a second. His voice rang out from behind the temporary wall that had been placed to provide some form of privacy, a light and friendly tone that seemed almost playful to Aoi’s ears.

’Hello! I’ll be out to help you in just a moment!’ Seconds passed before the man reappeared, his presentation smoothed out and a smile upon his face as he settled against the counter. Aoi could see a twinkle in his expression that seemed excited at the prospect of a customer, and she almost felt bad when he spoke once more. ’How may I help you today?’

Aoi shifted in place as she looked down at the ground a bit, suddenly feeling foolish putting the words into the air between them. ’I was hoping to get started on a career of my own, and I thought that tailoring might be an acceptable option, considering I used to do some minor sewing in the rea-err, before…I figured that some old skills might follow me to my present day…attempts.’

Her eyes flicked up to find the man behind the counter grinning broadly, as if excited at the prospect of teaching someone more than the idea of making a sale. ’And you’ve come to a master to learn, is that right? A brilliant idea, if ever someone had one! Right, well, unfortunately my specific collection of materials are a slight bit high end for your current skills. A novice should start with the basics, so if you’re capable of gathering your own materials and bringing them here, I’d be more than happy to teach you enough to get you started!’

Aoi nodded in response, making a quick promise to find what she needed, before heading out with a collection of items in her mind. She’d been quick to grab the tailor’s name – Richard – as well as a quick description of some of the items that she should be looking for in order to get started on her crafting profession. Once she was confident in her next steps, she made her way out the shop’s entryway and back into the streets of the city.

Edited 6 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The city had come alive while she’d been inside the shop, and as Aoi had pushed her way through the now filled streets and back to the front gates leading into the world beyond, she’d found herself wondering if she’d made the right choice. Tailoring had been an easy deduction simply because it was similar to something she’d done in the real world, and she’d seen little in the way of tailoring shops – beyond those handled by non-player characters. She knew that wasn’t saying a lot in the bigger picture – she’d barely explored the world compared to many others, and was aware that she may have missed an entire section of shops that could’ve been hidden just about anywhere.

Still, as she made her way into the grasslands beyond the city wall, she felt like she was doing something right. She was moving forward, which was a start – and besides, she’d heard that she could change her career later if she wasn’t pleased with her choice. Nothing in Aincrad appeared finite, except perhaps the concern of finality.

Right, now I need to gather some materials for tailoring. Threads, needles, furs…anything that I can make something out of would be good. The question becomes…do I take the dangerous route, or the slower – but safer – route? She bit her lip slightly as she glanced about, before making her way towards a nearby collection of grain-like grasses. Her hands passed over them gently, pulling them apart as she inspected them in the hopes of finding some measure of direction and success in the moment.

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Post Action: Gathering
ID244493 | LD: [1+2] = 2 | Result: Failure

Edited 5 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

Nothing stood out to her as the grass stalks slapped back into position. Figures, it would’ve been too easy if I found something immediately out of the gate. As tempting as it is to just rush forward and fight things for the loot drop, I think the safer bet is to do some gathering for a bit. Maybe with time I’ll get better at it. It was a wishful thought, she knew, but at the same time she felt that she simply wasn’t ready for solo combat yet – even against these small boars, she’d heard of players ending their combat experience poorly. Poorly, being that their final moments were recorded into the Monument in the centre of the Town of Beginnings, their names etched into memory forever.

Aoi let her mind drift for a few moments, taking in the sight before her and wondering how many had come before her, and seen this as their last view in life. The idea sent a shiver up her spine, before she managed to push it back and away. No. I don’t want to die. She stepped away from the visage before her, suddenly less welcoming than it had been mere seconds before; a darkness that came from within, rather than any external factor.

Turning her focus back to the gathering she needed to complete, Aoi let her eyes roam over the nearby plants. Many, she knew, would provided good dyes and colours if she could harvest them. Some were entirely worthless towards her goal, but would make perfect additions for selling off to alchemists – assuming she could find anything viable for use. This world is filled with various items that can be used. It’s unlike any game, I guess that’s why it was so popular on release.

She ran her hand over a nearby collection of flowers, feeling their touch against her digital skin, and wondering if they would make a good colour for a jacket. Soft oranges and browns, a combination that would be similar to a piece she had worn in the real world. Considering the item for a few moments, she decided to give it a try, running her hands along the stems while she attempted to find some part of the item that could be used as leverage to break it carefully – hoping that she wouldn’t lose the item entirely.

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Post Action: Gathering
ID244494 | LD: [5+2] = 6 | Result: Failure

Edited 5 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

Aoi moved through the grasslands with a half-abandoned purpose. Her search for anything of use had turned up nothing thus far into her walk, and as she avoided the nearby collection of boars and other creatures, she found herself contemplating the gathering system within the game. It was becoming more and more clear that gathering was far from the most useful of skills, unless there was some odd way of increasing her chances that she’d yet to come across.

The game is of course designed around rewarding combat. It’s a fantasy game, an MMORPG…it’s meant to be about fighting. Still, it would be nice if non-combat things were easier. It would be more interactive. She’d almost added the idea of drawing in more people, before realising the horror of the thought. Even with as long as she’d been trapped in the game already, she still found herself falling back on old ideas and behaviours, thinking things that were common with her old life – things that had become a shiver of terror upon her now.

Focus. You need to find things to become a tailor. The rest doesn’t really matter right now. I don’t want to die. The final thought shocked her even more, and Aoi found herself dragging her focus to a nearby brush, running her hands through it in an almost frantic attempt to pull her mind away from the darkness that was worry. She reassured herself that she was fine, for the moment, and that all she needed to do was get her feet beneath her. From everything she’d heard, players upon the frontlines had already begun the ascent up the castle, moving faster than she would have expected in clearing the floors and breaking for freedom. Soon, we’ll be out. Back in the real world, all of this nothing more than a nightmare that plagued us for a few days.

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Post Action: Gathering
ID244573 | LD: [10+2] = 12 | Result: Failure

Edited 5 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

Luck wasn’t on her side. Although she’d cleared away the thoughts from moments ago, Aoi dragged herself from the brush – noticing the small cuts that slowly disappeared as the system cleared away the minor abrasions that spikes within had caused and returned her form to normal – with nothing to show for her effort. The heavy sigh that passed through her spoke more than any words could as she relived the failure that had been her entire gathering process since she’d left the town. Her eyes drifted across the area and towards a pair of boars, their forms having moved away from the small herd – Were they called herds? Packs? Groups? – in the distance, drawn by the promise of greener grasses upon a path that only they could see.

Not yet. They’ll still be there later if I can’t find success in gathering. I’m not ready for that yet, though…I think. Perhaps she was being overly cautious given the situation, but something in the depths of Aoi’s mind kept her from rushing forwards and trying her luck against the boars. Rumours and memories of conversations rattled through her mind, and once more she was drawn back towards the various plants and other goods that dotted the landscape. She would give her gathering one more attempt, and then she would consider changing up her approach – if it wasn’t successful.

’Come on, luck…’ She whispered the words on the air, hoping that speaking them aloud would somehow bolster her chances against the otherwise random and uncaring system that oversaw the entire game. Aoi doubted it would actually assist her in any real way with the game’s mechanics, but saying it somehow made her feel calmer, more in control of her situation – ironic as the idea may have been. It’s the idea that counts. Let’s get to this, for now. If this doesn’t work, we go from there…there’s no success in just sitting around moping about how bad things are.

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Post Action: Gathering
ID244574 | LD: [16+2] = 18 | Result: Success [1/5 materials]

Edited 5 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

She’d spotted the collection of silk threads through pure coincidence, the shimmering of the sun reflecting off them just before she had managed to walk straight through them. Cautiously, she’d pulled herself to an immediate stop before raising a hand and gently touching the item, watching as it shifted beneath her fingertips. She’d glanced in either direction, noticing how it ran between two small trees that were several metres apart. She could see several layers of the silk going back and forth, and as she followed it gently with her finger, she noticed as the silk came loose, falling towards the ground suddenly.

Grasping it quickly, she wound the silk thread up along the outside of her hand, as if she were folding a cord to put away. It took a few minutes before she’d collected all she could – several metres in length, if she had counted right – and as she placed it carefully into her inventory, she felt herself smile. She’d finally found success in her hunt for materials, and hadn’t relied upon killing anything to do it. Looks like my patience paid off. Though, I’m not sure how long it’ll take to recover all five items I need…I’ve got time though, so there’s no real rush, yet.

She’d checked the time briefly, confirming that there was still more than half a day before the shop would close, and she’d be forced to wait until the following day to complete the quest. Assuming that it didn’t reset overnight, if she was away from it for too long. She’d never heard of such an instance occurring, but everything in Aincrad was still new, and Aoi wanted to take no chances on her progress. Let’s try getting some colours for dyes, if that works then we’re almost done and can finish it off quickly.

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Post Action: Gathering
ID244576 | LD: [11+2] = 13 | Result: Failure [1/5 materials]

Edited 4 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The few things that she was able to collect for dyes were almost pathetic, and as Aoi tucked them into a pocket sadly, she felt herself wonder what Richard would say. The little she’d spoken to the man, he seemed a perfectionist in his work, and likely to point out mistakes in someone learning from him – not to be downgrading or abusive, but rather simply because he desired and inspired the same perfection he hunted. She knew, somehow, that showing up with something so weak in comparison to his valuable and expensive pieces would simply be a shame upon any future she’d have as a tailor.

Best to just tuck those away for later, if at all. She muttered the words in her mind, almost saddened by the waste of effort she’d just put into pulling them from the various stems. They hadn’t been her first choice, but they’d been the few not to simply disappear beneath her touch, leaving her with little in the way of options.

Enough’s enough. It’s time to get this over and done with. She turned herself to face the boars that had been slowly coming closer and closer to her current position, watching as they drifted across open fields without a care in the world. The pair had begun to drift apart from each other as they’d continued on their randomly ambling path, making it so that Aoi could choose to face only one of them if she rushed in immediately. That’s exactly what we’re gonna do. She nodded to herself, as if confirming the statement, all while checking the hand crossbow and confirming it was loaded and ready. Only once she’d completed the check to her satisfaction did she moved forward, closing the distance between herself and the boar, lifting the weapon and taking aim as best as she could.

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Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP [100/100] | EN [20/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2] | -8 EN
Boar 1 | HP: [12/60] | DMG: [20]

ID244578 | BD: [6+3] = 9 | <<ST-I vs. Boar 1>> | Hit: [6x8] = 48 damage | MOB: 5 | Miss

Edited 4 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The bolt she had bought during her last trip to down slammed into the boar, flying far better than the simply arrows she’d received when she first started. The creature screamed in pain as the damage ripped through it, leaving it fumbling on its feet to regain itself. Aoi didn’t remain still as it recoiled, spinning around and reloading as she repositioned herself a distance away so that it couldn’t easily charge towards her.

Clearly unrecovered from her first strike, the creature shifted around and tried to locate her, charging forwards to where she had been mere seconds before, only to find the area empty. She could see from her new vantage point – a small mound several metres away from where she’d first been – as it glanced around in search of the danger that had struck it. She almost felt a single tinge of pity for the thing, before pushing the emotion away. She couldn’t afford that right now, especially as it was getting closer and closer to locating her.

More importantly, the second one is growing closer and closer…I need to finish this one off before I’m facing both of them together. I’m safe and lucky for now, but if they both team up… Her eyes had spotted the movement of the large boar to the side as she’d been sizing up her next shot, the crossbow on her wrist shifting slightly as she’d considered striking it first, before truly understanding the dangers in drawing it in alongside its friend. Right now it was an even fight, but that wouldn’t always be the case if she wasn’t careful – and this system was unforgiving if you were caught in a bad spot. Her decision made, she retrained the crossbow on the first creature, preparing to release the bolt and finish it off in the hopes that she would be able to put more distance between herself and the second creature before it could come after her.

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Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP [86/100] | EN [19/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2] | -2 EN; -14 HP | +1 EN
Boar 1 | HP: [12/60] | DMG: [20]

ID244579 | BD: [1+3] = 4 | <<ST-I vs. Boar 1>> | Critical Miss | MOB: 6 | Hit: [20-6] = 14 damage

Edited 4 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The ground shifted beneath her as she released the bolt, watching as the projectile flew into the ground mere steps away from the boar. More importantly, the creature’s eyes suddenly turned to face her, and Aoi felt a grip of fear as the beast leapt into motion, moving far faster than she could’ve expected such a thing to be capable of moving. Before she could place more than three steps to her left, she felt the impact as the boar slammed into her and sent her rolling down the grasses and into a prone position.

That…hurt… She shook her head in order to clear away the haze that had developed. The impact hadn’t been painful in the way that she would normally describe pain, so much as in the phantom expectation of it – as though her mind had filled in what should have happened when the creature slammed into her. It was oddly off putting, and Aoi had to admit that it almost shocked her more than the actual pain of the attack would have caused.

Struggling to her feet, she forced herself to go through the motions of reloading the crossbow, bringing the weapon up and around as the boar shook off its own shock at the attack, and slowly turned to face her once more. Aoi could see, within the dark ruby red eyes, an almost calculating look – as though it was trying to decide if it was worth its time to continue attacking her, or if it was better served rushing away. If any thought of running away had actually crossed its mind, however, it was quickly discarded. The boar pawed the ground once, signifying its intent to charge her once more.

Aoi didn’t wait for it to move, bringing the crossbow up and holding her wrist for extra support. She took a single second to aim the weapon, before triggering the catch and forcing the bolt to fly towards the boar, hoping that it would be enough to put the creature down for good.

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Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP [86/100] | EN [12/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2] | -8 EN; -0 HP | +1 EN
Boar 1 | HP: [0/60] | DMG: [20]

ID244603 | BD: [7+3] = 10 | <<ST-I vs. Boar 1>> | Hit: [6x8] = 48 damage | Boar 1 defeated

[3/5] materials

Spoiler

Loot Rolls
ID244603 | LD: [15+2] = 17 | CD: 2 | Result: 300 [180+120] col, 2 materials, Rare Consumable (1), Rare Weapon (1) 

Loot Totals
300 col
Rare Consumable (1) | ID244603
Rare Weapon (1) | ID244603

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Sakura