[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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 23 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 22 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 22 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 22 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 22 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The boar exploded into the air and left behind nothing more than a shattering of shards in its wake. A reminder of what had been there, that quickly drifted to the ground and disappeared – a more stark reminder of how quickly this world moved on once your existence ended. Aoi focused on the display of loot that appeared before her, signifying the collection of materials that she would need in order to return to Richard’s shop.

Well, that’s much faster. She let out a sigh of relief as the wind whipped around her, causing parts of the field to dance slightly. The nearby boar that had been moving towards her seemed to stop, as if considering some scent on the wind, its eyes going wide and the head shifting back and forth slightly. Aoi watched for a few seconds, before realising that she would have to face it down next. Could use a small boost before I do that, though.

A flick of her wrist and the menu appeared. Scrolling through it to her collection of items, she found the snack that she’d obtained on the first quest – a simple braciole that looked far from appetizing when she’d originally seen it. Still, it gave a measure of revitalisation that she needed, and she wasn’t one to complain about the simplicity of it. Settling herself on a nearby patch of open dirt, she took her time consuming the item, relaxing and staring up into the sky as she wondered at her current situation.

Is this what it feels like to be ripped away from home? An odd thought, as she considered those who had been forced to leave their homes due to war, destruction or any number of other means. A disconnect that drove them to return – or, at least to try and return. An ache that couldn’t quite be placed, and yet somehow seemed to always appear when you least desired it.

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Post Action: Consuming Big Bertha Braciole {1} [Snack | Tier 1 | Vitality] [ID-NIL]

Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP [96/100] | EN [17/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2] | +5 EN; +10 HP

[Sakura 0]

The braciole finished, Aoi rose and stretched, letting the item’s container fall to the ground and disappear into a collection of shards, leaving behind no trace of its existence. She chose to ignore the thoughts that came with that until such time as she was able to process them better, instead turning towards the one thing she could deal with in the moment – the boar.

The beast continued to graze, moving closer to her position with the patience of one who could care less about the things around it. Aoi wasn’t so foolish as to think that it would completely ignore her – she knew enough about games like this to know there was an aura, or circle, around the thing that would determine its awareness of dangers or threats. Or rather, targets. She simply hadn’t been detected by the boar yet – which was something she planned to use to her advantage, if she could.

Aoi checked to make sure her bolt was loaded, before stepping forward and bringing the weapon up to aim. Her movements were becoming more and more fluid, she realised, and as she took aim she amazed herself at how simple it was becoming. Practice really does help. Not long now, and I’m going to be more than capable at fighting things. She wasn’t sure whether she should be impressed with that fact, or somewhat sickened by how easy it was becoming. A flickering thought, wondering what she was becoming in this world, passed through her mind before she forced it away. It would do her no good to consider that right now, when her life could be in danger in the next few moments.

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 Sakura | Lv. 5 | P. 0 | HP [96/100] | EN [9/28] | ACC [3] | DMG [6] | EVA [0] | MIT [6] | LD [2] | SD [2] | -8 EN; -0 HP | +0 EN
Boar 2 | HP: [0/60] | DMG: [20]

ID244629 | BD: [10+3] = 13 | <<ST-I vs. Boar 1>> | Hit: [(6+2)x8] = 64 damage | Boar 2 defeated

[5/5] materials

Spoiler

Loot Rolls
ID244603 | LD: [15+2] = 17 | CD: 2 | Result: 300 [180+120] col, 2 materials, Rare Consumable (1), Rare Weapon (1) 
ID244630 | LD: [6+2] = 8 | CD: 11 | Result: 360 [180+120+60] col, 2 materials, Rare Trinket (1)

Loot Totals
660 col
Rare Consumable (1) | ID244603
Rare Trinket (1) | ID244630
Rare Weapon (1) | ID244603

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

The boar exploded as the bolt tore through the side of its face, leaving nothing but shards and a collection of goods for Aoi to receive. She stood, cautiously reloading the hand crossbow and glancing around to confirm no other threats remained, before folding the item away and confirming the loot she had obtained. There was a fleeting thought across her mind once more, about the ways in which this world was changing her, and Aoi felt herself shiver in response. I do what I need to do, nothing more, nothing less. That’s all there is to it.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, she turned back towards the town and her – hopeful – completion of the task at hand. Nothing she had collected was something that she would think would be eye catching or inspiring to the Master Tailor that was going to teach her the ways of the craft, and yet Aoi found herself someone happy. She’d managed to complete a measure of gathering, small to be certain, but gathering nonetheless. It was done alone, as well, a task that she would have been concerned about previously.

I’m growing in this game, whether I like it or not. That’s how I will survive…by not necessarily liking every action I take, but taking it anyways. She could feel herself frowning, the reality of her situation dawning on her as she crossed open fields and moved wide around dangers that roamed within them. What I do defines me though, so…I need to make sure I keep to myself. Be who I am. Having had enough of the dark thoughts, she decided to push them away, looking for anything that would distract her from the unfortunate situation she’d found herself in.

I should figure out what I’m going to try making. This’ll be my first real piece, so…it should be something worthwhile, right? Something I’d be proud to wear. Or, at least not embarrassed to wear. Aoi turned to glance at a collection of nearby players, seeing the various assortment of clothing pieces and armour pieces that adorned their forms. Most were mismatched – collected items that were worn for their stats, not their appearance – and caused a smile to cross her face and forced her to turn away lest they thought she was laughing at them. The fashion industry in Aincrad is certainly lacking…

[Sakura 0]

The remainder of her walk through the fields, and eventually the city itself, was spent focusing on what she would craft first. Thoughts of various dresses, cloaks, and general clothing flashed through her mind as she tried to make a decision. She’d looked down at the general brown slacks she was wearing – the common starting gear that was anything but appealing – and come to the quick decision that almost anything would be better than what she had on currently.

At least if I become a tailor, I can look to make the clothing options better. I hope. She’d been assuming that anything she could make in the real world would be creatable within Aincrad, but as she came to a stop outside of Richard’s store, she couldn’t help but question that logic. She’d seen a variety of clothing and outfits, certainly, but she’d never considered whether there was any limitations on what one could make, given the limits of the system itself. Though, come to think of it…there really aren’t many limits, are there?

Cardinal – the artificial intelligence that ran everything from behind the seeable features – seemed almost limitless in what it could do. At least, that had been the experience thus far by those who had explored it more in depth, and reported back. Certainly some things were impossible – no one could fly, yet, and there’d been no end of confirmation of simple foundations of physics. Still, when it had come to creations and expectations, it wasn’t unheard of to see things that stood out in an otherwise fantastical game.

[Sakura 0]

’Oh, so you’ve returned! Did you find all the items you need to get some work done?’ Richard seemed to beam as she entered the store, a natural energy that pushed away some of the darker recesses of her thoughts that had attempted to spring up. A quick glance over his storefront confirmed that the plan she’d been working on since entering the city might actually work, and she gave a quick nod of affirmation towards his question. ’Excellent! Have you considered what you’re going to try making to begin with? I have a few basic patterns laying about here somewhere that we could attempt…’

’I actually have something in mind. A…an outfit I saw once.’ Aoi figured it best not to mention where she had seen the outfit, preferring to keep the concept to herself. A guilty pleasure that she’d enjoyed during her years, but one that she knew wasn’t always accepted by others. Though I’m stuck in a game with other gamers. Maybe it would be more accepted here, compared to the real world.

Richard seemed to accept her commentary without a second thought, and pulled from a nearby table a collection of papers and pencils, waving her over and explaining the preparation they would take. Aoi stepped in beside the Master Tailor, watching as he began drawing out a collection of basic representations, forms and figures that would eventually come together to be an outline for whatever creation he was working on – or simply coming up with for her learning – on the paper before them. As she watched, she couldn’t help but feel a small measure of awe at the skill, which was so clearly displayed before her in a representation of ease and practice that came with unspoken amounts of practice.

’Does this make sense so far?’ Richard smiled as he turned the imagery towards Aoi, taking a moment to hear her commentary and questions. He’d done this a few times while showing her the process, ensuring that she was able and capable of following along. She had to admit, Richard was a surprisingly patient, and good teacher. Enough so that she had little trouble following his guidance – though she was certain he was making it look far easier than it truly was.

Edited 7 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

’Right. Ready to take your hand at it?’ Aoi’s shocked reaction must have been more obvious than she expected, because Richard suddenly burst out in laughter as he glanced her way. He shook for a few seconds as he collected himself, before shaking his head softly. ’Don’t worry too much. The first time will never be perfection. Or, at least it usually won’t be perfection. Just do the best you can, and so long as it’s passable, we’ll consider you a tailor in the making. There’s no pressure, just try and bring the item to life as best as possible.’

Aoi wished there was a lack of pressure, but as years of experience came rushing back into her mind, she knew that the foundation of expectation would always haunt her – no matter whether she were in the real world, or a virtual one designed to entrap her. Still, she was well aware that she would get nowhere simply standing around worry about it, and she pushed herself into motion. Picking up pencil and turning towards the drawing table, she began to etch out the figure that she pictured in her mind, trying her best to associate it with the general form of herself – as best as she could imagine that, based off what she had seen in the mirrors.

Time passed as Aoi worked, and when she’d eventually felt she’d drawn enough to get an idea of what she was doing, she moved towards the nearby threading station, pulling out a collection of silk and other pieces she’d collected in preparation for this moment. Richard watched from a distance, keeping an eye on her work but giving her the space she needed to operate unhindered by his hovering. She’d expected him to jump in and correct her consistently, pointing out the obvious flaws she was making. Instead, he simply waited, clearly more interested to see the outcome than correct her as she worked.

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Post Action: Crafting [Clothing]
ID244634 | CD: 12 | Result: Perfect [3 Slots]

Edited 7 hours ago by Sakura

[Sakura 0]

Stepping back from the piece, Aoi sighed softly. She’d been working on the set for almost three hours now, finely threading edges as she tried to create the item from her memory, glancing once in a while at her guide sheet for confirmation of what she was doing. What stood before her on the mannequin once she had finally placed down her tools was a near representation to the original piece she’d imagined – not perfect, to her eyes, by any means. It was, however, as close as she felt she could get given her current skills.

’Well, I’ll be…that’s a fine creation indeed!’ Richard walked around the displayed set, glancing up and down as he took in what Aoi had managed to creature using the materials she’d gathered. A small collection of cast off – pieces of material and items that hadn’t quite made the cut – lay in a pile on the nearby table, and although Richard glanced at it quickly, his expression held no contempt for the waste. ’I would say you’ll make a fine tailor one day for certain. I could tell you the flaws I can see, but I’m sure you’ve already noticed most of them yourself. This is a wonderful piece, and I think you should wear it with a badge of honour. You’ll only get better from here on out, but I have nothing more to teach you! You’ve excelled beyond expectations!’

Aoi beamed a smile brighter than Richard’s own, her excitement at his words blowing away any doubt she’d had about her capabilities. She knew that time and patience had allowed her to master the first item – or at least, bring it as close to mastery as she could create. She was aware that it wouldn’t always be this easy, this perfect, but as she stared at her creation she realised it didn’t matter in the moment. She’d proven her capabilities, and earned the confirmation from Richard.

Collecting her items, she took a few moments to clean up the mess she had made, throwing away the useless pieces and tucking away those few she could still use on further creations. Once she’d fully tidied up, she turned back to Richard with a soft smile, ready to head out, but lingering for a single moment as she considered her final words. When she finally spoke, her words were soft, a measure of reverence and respect to their tone. ’Thank you, for taking the time to mentor and teach me. I appreciate it more than you can imagine.’

[Sakura 0]

She’d given a final deep bow, before making her way from the shop and back into the city streets. The common slacks and shirt that she’d started with had been swapped out or her new outfit, and as she made her way along familiar pathways, she couldn’t help but wonder what her next adventure would be. More importantly, I can open my own shop now.

The alert had appeared as soon as she’d finished thanking Richard, confirming that she had completed the quest to obtain her profession, and been granted the authority to locate and begin operation of her own storefront. A part of her didn’t feel quite ready yet, but as she considered it more and more, she knew that she would leap into the work sooner, rather than later – if for no reason other than she needed the income in order to assure her continued survival.

Besides, this place needs a bit of fashion advice. She grinned to herself as she turned another corner, seeing a collection of oddly dressed players in what could only be considered a variety of loot drops thrown together in the hopes of increasing their survival. Colours clashed and raged against the eye, and Aoi found herself giggling soft to herself as one of them turned to display a built in tail within their pants – and a look that spoke about their embarrassment of the addition. First I need to find a locale, then I can start getting my name out there. That’s the important part.

[Sakura 0]

The café was slowly emptying out as the dinner rush moved onwards. Aoi had stopped in after a hours of wandering the city streets, looking at vacant buildings and trying to decide what she wanted for her shop. She knew that she was getting overly excited; she had just become qualified, and wanted nothing more than to immediately jump into ownership and production. Only through sheer will and determination had she managed to convince herself to go find something to eat, so she could sit and think for a while.

Opening in the Town of Beginnings is good and bad. It means I get all the beginner traffic, if I’m not near any competition…and there is some competition. But anyone who has moved on may not come all the way back down, especially if I’ve not made a name for myself. Maybe it’s better to wait until the world progresses a bit, and find somewhere less common. The tray of food before her was empty, the tea having long since cooled as she stared out the window. Numerous times a waitress had come over to check on her, stopping and leaving her alone only once she’d confirmed for the sixth time that she was fine. The café wasn’t in a rush to remove her now – they were in the process of settling, cleaning and relaxing with everything having moved onwards for the time being.

Aoi watched as a few nearby workers collected items, seeing for the first time the natural movements and key behaviours that signified them as players. She wondered what sort of living they were making operating as waiters and waitresses, knowing that it wasn’t something she could do. Which didn’t mean she looked down on them by any means – everyone had to make a living, and any who were brave enough to face the on-coming customers earned as much respect from Aoi as those fighting in the frontlines.

Still, if I wait too long, others may settle and take up the market. I need to time it right, and market it perfectly. Which also means finding a niche in creation and appearance… She’d turned her attention back out the window she’d been staring out for the last few moments. It had begun to rain gently at some point, and as the drops splattered the cobblestones beyond, Aoi turned her thoughts back to planning once more.

[Sakura 0]

She’d stopped to admire the outfit in the window of a nearby shop, the evening low light creating the perfect condition for the otherwise darkened glass to become mirrorlike in appearance and format. Aoi felt another smile cross her face as she considered everything she’d managed in her creation – some of it was even beyond the skills she’d held in the real world, and she knew that it was partially the system assistance that she had to thank, though she wanted to believe that she’d done most of the work through her own capabilities.

Careful now, boost that ego too much and when it falters and falls you’re going to crash harder than a baseline drifter. She laughed aloud at the thought, partially because of the ridiculousness of the entirety of its imagery, but also because it was overtly wrong, while also being entirely right. Shaking her head, in partial to shoo away the thought, she turned away from the window and glanced out towards the walls in the distance. She’d completed two of the beginner quests in the last few days, and although she felt she was progressing well, she knew she was still falling behind. Many players had already begun the true hunt towards progressing out of the world of Aincrad – she’d heard that a floor had been opened up above, and that those with the courage to do so were once again pushing for the front. For their freedom.

One day I’ll join them. Once I’m ready. For now though, I need to prepare. To become good enough to be valued up there. It was possible, she knew. It would take her time, and it wouldn’t be easy, but she was aware that one day she’d be able to join the others in helping to clear away the barriers to returning home. That said, standing around here thinking about it isn’t going to get you anywhere. She didn’t need any more convincing, leaving the window behind and moving on with her route. She was carried on through the elation she still felt, and although the night descended quickly, Aoi wondered if she couldn’t still get a few lesser activities done before she found somewhere to call it a night.

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Thread Summary
Word Count: 6,772
Experience: 6,772/5x1 = 1,354 [Word Count] + 300 [Quest] = 1,654 EXP
Monetary: 660 [Loot] + 400 [Page Count] = 1,060 col
5 Materials [Quest]
Rare Consumable (1) | ID244603
Rare Trinket (1) | ID244630
Rare Weapon (1) | ID244603
Combat Uniform [Clothing | Tier 1 | Loot Die III] [ID244634] 
Standard <<Tailor>> Shop

Edited 2 hours ago by Sakura