[PP-F1] New Starter City [MacGrath]

[Russell 0]

"I should get a familiar, it'll be safer to travel and I can do it more often." Russell sat down on the bench, pondering on whether he should get a familiar or not. "Although, I have to spend more Col to feed it so there's that." Quietly looking up, he looked around to see an abundance of players passing by.

[MacGrath 0]

MacGrath walked down to see a player on the bench alone. "What's up?" He asked smiling. "Don't worry I'm not a PK'er just let to let you." He said, just to not scare the player off.

[Russell 0]

Looking to the side, Russell saw another player approach him smiling. "Uh oh, this'll probably won't end well." "What's up?" Looking down, he muttered "N-not much.." He sighed, not wanting to talk to anyone at the moment.

[MacGrath 0]

MacGrath looked at him, "What's wrong?" He asked him, MacGrath sat down next to him, thinking something might have not gone right or anything else, "Hey listen, if something not right, tell me I can help you." He said, trying comfort the player.

[Russell 0]

"I hate this, I'm not good talking to people. I have to try to worm my way out this situation." Russell thought. Talking to others was as hard as beating this game, he thought. "What's wrong? Hey listen, if something not right, tell me I can help you." "I wish I could just shrink to the size of the ant right now, I hate this." Taking a deep breath, he spoke again a bit louder than last time. "I'm f-fine, I promise."

[MacGrath 0]

"Okay." MacGrath said, "Something doesn't feel right." He thought, he got up and started walking into one of the shops, once he got back he gave the player some food, "It's on me, listen, I know the face you are making so many times, you can't fool me. What's wrong?" He said looking at the player.

[Russell 0]

Russell stared deeply into the food and then looked back at the boy. "Uh......" Shaking his head, he looked back at the food and made the quick decision to give it back. Sighing, he mumbled louder than even before. "I'm not good w-with talking with p-people.."

[MacGrath 0]

Upon hearing what the player said, MacGrath smiled, "Okay, that's fair enough, it's not easy talking to people we haven't met, but along the way, we will have to talk to people to help us, I understand what your feeling, I can help you." He said to him, "What do you say, want some help talking to people?" He asked him with a friendly smile.

[Russell 0]

"What do you say, want some help talking to people?" "You would really help me?" Russell asked, surprised about the offer the boy gave to him. "Wait a minute, why is he being so nice for no reason? There is always a reason, I can tell. I'll play along for now." He nodded, not showing that he was suspicious of the offer.

[MacGrath 0]

"Yeah, I'll help you." He said "My name is MacGrath, got it memorized?" He asked with a smile, "My reason to help players, was something that happened to me when I started to play this game." He thought.

[Russell 0]

"My name is MacGrath, got it memorized?" "Yep, I got it memorized." Looking around, Russell made a mental note to bring out his sword at a moment's notice and run as fast he could. "I have to be wary, most people don't have the best of intentions." Sighing, he looked back at the player hoping that his suspicions were wrong.

[MacGrath 0]

He looked around to see that players have other people with them. "Well, how long have you've been having trouble speaking to people?" He asked him. Something else doesn't feel right, MacGrath looked at him, wondering what else is going on.

[Russell 0]

"Well, how long have you've been having trouble speaking to people?" "I don't think this is something you can fix like that, it takes time and I don't know why, but I'm just not good with people. This is definitely a trick, he's planning something nefarious. I'll have to improvise for now." It was at this point Russell noticed that MacGrath was looking right at him. "Does he know I know? Or maybe I'm just being a bit too paranoid on my part."

[MacGrath 0]

MacGrath looked down at the ground with a sigh, "Your thinking that I'm planning something evil aren't you? Well, your wrong, the reason why I'm helping you is because something happened to me when I started this game." He said looking at the the sky. He explained what happened to his friends that joined him in SAO, they were going on some adventure until one of betrayed them, MacGrath witness the horror of his friends murder and MacGrath manage to get to safety. "So, you see why I'm helping some people, I don't usually tell this story." He said, looking at the player. "By the way, you haven't told me your name, what is your name?" He asked with a smile.

[Russell 0]

"Baseless conjecture that's what I think." Russell muttered to himself. "Usually a story like this would be why someone hates life, or is always vengeful, not why someone helps others in need. Seriously, I think he either really believes this or I'm probably paranoid thinking this at this point, he's lying and he wants to do something nefarious. I probably shouldn't tell him that the story doesn't relate to-"By the way, you haven't told me your name, what is your name?" The train of thought Russell had was interrupted by question MacGrath had. "My name? Um its.. er..." "Oh god I forg- No, I remember. Its Russell, both IRL and in-game." Coughing, he muttered his name. "Russell"

[MacGrath 0]

"Nice to meet you Russell" MacGrath said to him, "At this moment Russell doesn't seem to trust me nor believe the story." He thought, looking at the sky with a sigh.

[Russell 0]

"Err... N-nice to meet you too.." Russell noticed MacGrath looking up at the sky with a sigh. "Why is he sighing and what's so interesting about the sky?" Looking, up he then saw the sky two shades darker than before. "The sun is setting. Not really, its virtual." He looked back down at the floor, and mumbled to himself. "Everything is virtual here."

[MacGrath 0]

MacGrath stood up walked a couple of steps and turn to Russell, "You don't trust me do you?" He asked him, he had to say something incase something went bad. "Is there something I've done wrong?" He thought.

[Russell 0]

"I er.. t-trust you." Russell fibbed. He didn't want to be rude, but he also didn't want to explain why he didn't trust him. "He should know it isn't personal, I just find it hard anybody will help me out of the good of their heart. I'm not useful to anyone, so its not like anybody will want me on their side. I should just tell him the truth."

[MacGrath 0]

MacGrath sat down again, "What is going on? Why do I have... I can't think right now" MacGrath thought, his head is all over the place. "Listen, I dont know whats going on right now, but there is one thing you should know. I trust you, I'm helping as much as I can, just give me a chance. I wont do any evil, I'm not like that. I'm in a good guild, if you want, you can join in, I'll put in a good word." He said to him.