[SP-F1] Big fish (Earning a living) Complete

[Zeke 0]

On the rebound of a marathon long grind, Zeke slouched his shoulders forward in walk that captured the serenity of a drunk person. It was physically impossible for him to understand the process at which other players would go through in order to put themselves ahead in level and actually achieve it. A strenuous thought it was becoming and this he did not need piling with the rest of problems in his noodle. For the first time since becoming trapped, Zeke had given up on making it to one of the highest leveled players and just wanted to enjoy what was given to him in this world. It was with this plan that he wanted to carry out, that he had overheard a resident NPC as he tread and unfamiliar avenue of the town of beginnings.

[Zeke 0]

"Are you tired of slaving your days away fighting enemies that could end your life at any moment, only to get what seems to be a small amount of experience and Col? Do you want to enrich your Sword Art Online life with something more fulfilling and rewarding for those who put hard work and effort towards it? Well then you're in luck! I happen to be a representative of the fisherman's guild here in the big ole' town of beginnings and I am looking for some new faces to undertake the under appreciated and often overlooked profession of all. Don't let that description fool you and scare you running back to the fields for safer bets, I promise.. NO! I guarantee! That if you decide to join me and my pals at the waters, you will be rewarded with the likes you never imagined. Not to mention it is a really relaxing past time." The huge NPC exclaimed to passerby's with a hearty laugh and stood their with his chest puffed out in a way that commanded attention.

[Zeke 0]

(Fishing is a profession in this game? Professions exist? I always wondered how so many players were opening shops of their own. Come to think of it, I've seen plenty of blacksmiths along the way here.) Nodding to himself, Zeke headed back to the stand in front of the NPC and let the quest window pop up in front of him. It wasn't even two seconds later that the window chimed and vanished, letting it's newest participant take his toll on the ole' pole. "I was half expecting you to yell in my ear.." Zeke spoke up to the giant man who stood silently behind the stall.

Getting enough bad vibes from the creepy smile of the NPC, Zeke walked off and began to open his quest log in search of what he had to fish up. Three steps away from the stall and Zeke jumped a bit in his own shoes as the NPC resumed it's routine recruitment shout to all nearby players. "You have to be quick as something I don't even know, to get away fast enough." He rubbed his ears and leaned against a nearby stone wall to read his task.

[Zeke 0]

Reading the task aloud in his head, the description for the Fish he was to catch seemed a bit detailed.. A few times skimming over in response to the outlandishness of the task, Zeke's eye twitched purposely as sign of what he thought of the quest. (I'm only a beginner! What drugs are that NPC smuggling behind the counter? I don't know anything about fishing and even I can tell that this is not a stepping stone goal!) Zeke sighed and rubbed his index and thumb along the lines of his eyelids. (Rainbow Navigator, hopefully those are actually common in this area.) A bit of false reinforcement would get him moving most likely.

It was in the darker hours of the afternoon that Zeke had limited the areas of the Fish's location down to three lakes and if the first of his guesses wasn't correct, he'd give up for the day since nothing was going to get accomplished anyway and he would just be up all night for nothing. On his way to one of the "mirrored lakes", equipping his new and old fishing pole was still yet to be done and had to be done so now or his heart would keep racing at the thought he had left it behind. A smile on his face because of his lucky avoidance with a trip back to town, his pole was now cutting through the air recklessly as he held the middle area along the length of the rod in his hand.

[Zeke 0]

"Please be here, please be here, please be here." He repeated over and over once he was stomping through a bush and into a new area over a hill. It was too late in the day already and it felt useless to be out here already. Without finding the necessary water source for this elusive fish, he would surely give up for who knows how long, due to his track record. *Yawns* "It's here, hoo-rah. Just please be the right place. Stupid skittle fish." Sitting near the water, Zeke extended the pole with the press of a pop up command, the tip of his pole automatically lit up under the dark sky just so he could see when a fish was tugging.

[Zeke 0]

Zeke had counted the times he imagine that his line was being tugged. It had been so quiet and peaceful like he had wanted in this profession but was a lot harder than even real professional fishing. "Ninety-nine plates of Rainbow Navigators on the wall, ninety-nine plates of Rainbow Navigators!. You take one down and turn it in for the quest, ninety-eight plates of blah blah blah." Zeke sung to himself until he somehow managed to fall asleep in a sitting slouched position. By the time it was morning, his bottom half was lucky he didn't get attacked in his slumber. He presumed fishing locations were safe area's for now and checked his pole for any sign of failure since he gave no effort to reel fish during his dreamland visit.

[Zeke 0]

The line plunked from the water in front of him and dangled violently in front of him with a hook and no bait. A message let him know how he had not bait to fish and would need to acquire some before he could continue. The only positive thing about this incident was that he now knew the name of the bait he would need to buy in order to catch his fish. The sleep before had already worn him out in exhaustion but his mind was well rested enough to keep him indifferent about going back to town. Thankfully he still had one Teleportation crystal from the first time he had arrived in the game which spared his sanity for now.

Now back in the starting town, he walked the crowded and massive streets, passing every spot he likely slept in during his time here. The only way he would know what shops had what he needed, were the little icons above the stalls that were hard interpret in the first place except for the sword and potion bottle. (I don't see anything that sticks out for fishing bait, so it has to be one of these.) Zeke thought and waited through the hour long lines at each booth until he searched and found his treasure.

[Zeke 0]

"Ninety-nine balls of the yellow dagger please." The transaction was swift and automatic even though the purchase amount was so large. He wasn't use to spending his Col on much else except for potions, so subtraction went with little burden. Pleased of how he didn't have to awkwardly stare in other directions to pretend he was casual during the transaction, he left with a little less worry of what people thought of him. "Bait, check. Rod, check. Why do I feel like I'm missing something if this is all I need to get the fish?" With a yawn, he walked at his slow pace and weaved through whatever players took up the road in front of him. If he couldn't remember where the lake was, he wasn't going to sweat it since it would just be another yesterday to him in terms of panic and frustration.

[Zeke 0]

It was near afternoon when Zeke had found the lake after many rest stops. He planted himself in perhaps the same spot he woke up in and applied the bait without the hassle of worrying if he would hook his own finger because of the menu's insistence. After all of the mess to get his line in the water, he felt relieved to sit down and likely nod off now that his line moved along the water in anticipation. "It shouldn't take long, in an MMO. I can't fall asleep yet."

1-8 battle dice roll is a miss or fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

It had seemed the first tug on his line only served to almost make him whack himself in the face with his fishing rod. His chest felt like it blew up on the inside right before the wood finish stopped in front of his eyes and cued his sigh of relief. It was only his first try at catching something, so he couldn't blame his bad luck for the miss yet, after all; His bait was still on the hook and no long trips back into the City looked to be in the near future. That one miss soon collected into a pile of hastily anticipated fails that only served to drive Zeke's cheek flatter into his palm.

Using a trick that he used to do as a kid, the unusual method required him to act hopeless and surely expect nothing less than the unwanted result. With his constant obliviousness to the required item, he managed to receive some nibble not even a minute after the other. Preparing his flicking arm, his bored expression helped lull him into a false sense of victory before pulling back on the rod.

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

The expected had came true, but Zeke was determined as ever with his face still lifeless and dull. It may not seem like much of anything to the unsuspecting player but the presence lacking on the end of his hook, had actually sent Zeke into a more effort invested attempt to keep believing in failure. Strangely enough, his own twisted mind had decided to make the rules ridiculously hard on himself. Anytime he grew the slightest bit angry or desperate in hid mind, he would instinctively take off the percentage of success by half. Complaining about the idiocy or difficulty of his mind games only reduced his percentage more, so with all he had in him, his game face was on and focused on not being focused.

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

With every single fiber of his being, Zeke only paid attention to the tingling sensation that started to build inside of him due to the once again failure. He was furiously non furious in the manner he tried to fool himself into going lifeless just so the anger would not get to him. The strange player nodded his head and cast again while his eyes locked onto the grass near him.; It was swaying in the breeze and was unimportant enough to make him entranced. When the next tug was felt, the break of silence and motionless had him "reeling" in excitement for just something to do. The visual of nothing on his hook this time around would be the likely straw that broke the Camel's back.

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

"Oh come on! Any other time I would lucky enough to get success after success! These don't even qualify as fails, their misses! Not a single freaking fish whatsoever, forget about getting what I need, I can't even reach an obstacle at all!" Zeke cursed his bad luck and took the percentage off even though he decided at that point to not bring such a bad habit back to his arsenal. The sweat on his forehead was now unbearable enough to force his palm against it in a more rough manner than just a wiping motion.

With just a few deep breaths as his go to calming method, he perk up to his normal self again in no time flat. For the sake of getting time to go by faster for his mental health, he leaned over onto an arm as he laid in the grass and pulled the fish in with one hand. (At least the lack of effort required is enough to give me a break. I better not catch one now that I'm relaxed, it always happens.)

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

"At least I was spared that horrible fate, thank goodness my prayers weren't sarcastically answered, who knows how bad that would have ended up. Oh great crab cakes I am saved." A reapplication of his Fishing rod back into the water was all he could muster to do now. The scenery was beautiful and befitting of such an elusive piece of carp. Waiting for the tug was now endless, the tug of pure water was insane in and of itself. In about the fourteenth tug of something, he finally gathered the want to try again. "Ugggggghhhhh!" The crickets chirped along in his head to the blinking of his sore eyes as it began to become dark a little dark out.

"Did I seriously, just spend another day out here? This is not ridiculous, it's planned. There is no other excuse, just give it to me so I can die here in the grass. Once I'm out of it, you can swallow me and the fish and then everyone will get what they want. Deal?" The hands of fate could now slap him silly, his hand was limp and the rod was god awful enough for it to be left here for someone else. Another try as Zeke laid on his back to look at the sky and he reached for the pull back.

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

"No comment. Transmission is breaking up." Zeke imitated the sound of static and radio discharge for a brief moment and swung the line back into the Lake. It was now not a problem or troublesome worry, just a thought provoking moment where he could question if he was even sane enough to to figure out if any strings were attached to what he was doing. (I wonder if this is the right spot, maybe I'm just at a nearby lake and can't find the right one because I assume I have already found it.) A backup had been formed and he felt more sure this time that it would be another day taken by just a fish. It was dreadfully annoying but nothing could be done about it and nothing could make it matter anyway.

Zeke set up and adjust his clothing so that it would be a comfortable seat for the next reel in. (If it doesn't work this time, I'll look for some other water source. Fish have to reside in the water to be caught, how can I be sure there are any here?) Feeling the front of his cranium go numb with feelings in his brain, his eyes looked towards the water and waited to be set free from this chore.

1-8 Battle dice roll is a fail.

6-10 is another type of fish.

8-10 the Rainbow Navigator is caught.

[Zeke 0]

The extravagant glow of the Rainbow Navigator had seemed to notice the change in his train of thought and revealed itself finally. Zeke could not tell whether or not this was logically a result of his mind about to explode, but the goosebumps he felt up and down his body made up for the headache mostly. "Thanks." The reeling in felt like victory but he couldn't express it rightfully now after the emotional buildup brought his body back down into a crash. "Truly a strange creature I am.."

A hand wrapped around the slimy feeling and closed in as the creature vanished into his inventory. This trip had been almost enough for him to forget how to put away the Fishing pole but it was manageable with a few yanks and pulls. It was a great sensation to have cold hard steel in his hand once more and the look of a blade was most pleasing right now as it signified his desire to stab something right now, whether it be flesh or pixel. (Beastly tendencies. *Chuckles* Nice try fool.) A smile reached his lips but quickly receded in place of his eyebrows arching upon the glimpse of the first player to be in his path inside the City.

[Zeke 0]

Although nothing happened then and there, there was a want and anything Zeke could think of was way more than he knew he had in him. (I'm losing it, I know I am. Locked up in my mind for all those years and now I realize this World will be no different on my Psyche or how I see things. Ferrah just vanished so long ago it feels like and I can only assume the worst, who couldn't? How could I not have seen it coming?) Zeke shook his head and slapped himself in the middle of Town, the sound carelessly echoed to any souls within feet of himself. (Just focus on turning in this quest. Fishing is my first step to moving forward and finishing what we started.) His mind had repaired the image but hadn't lost the notion of the feeling. Zeke's hand traveled up to his collar and couldn't grasp on to any cloth and it made him feel just as vulnerable as the scared nonsocial creep he was before the Tournament.

[Zeke 0]

Fighting his body against the crowds of people out and about, the sweet and loud sound of the Fishing NPC would be much appreciated right now for the sake of Zeke's dead and worn out body. The thoughts had vanished and the facade of a tough durable Player kicked in with the crossing of his arms along the front of his chest. (I swear I just heard my back pop into place.) He laughed at his own miserable jokes just because he felt that he needed some fun in this survival game and the Fishing wasn't doing it like he had initially thought.

Everything in the Town of beginnings was identical and the colors blended everything together. While the setting was nice, it made it near impossible to find your way back to a previous place when you hadn't thought to make some notes beforehand. The only way he would find the burly NPC was through his bellowed voice among the stalls. (How am I like the only Fisherman anywhere? That is exactly the attention grabbing voice you need to get members.) Zeke thought back to the receptionist.

[Zeke 0]

The stalls were appearing along the sides of the pathway where Zeke could only see through the lines of other players at decisive intervals. Perhaps a more peculiar sight than the Fishing receptionist was a young'n that looked barely old enough to even sneak into the game, let alone maintain the responsibility this game now had created. The kid had just been sitting to the side of a stall it seemed and clutching onto something in his hands. It wasn't a good idea to hide in plain view of everyone else if he had managed to steal something. Zeke had no clue you could steal something under the nose of Kayaba and maybe it wasn't best that you did since the consequences would presumably be dire in this game. (Why not?)

Zeke shoved himself rudely through guy and gal alike on his way over to the kid. Upon being close enough for the kid to see Zeke's shadow and look up, he wondered through expression what the person could have wanted with him of all people. "Are you hungry? You didn't steal anything?" The kid replied with a little hesitation. "No, I didn't!" "As I thought. Take this then. It took me forever to catch it but I can't give you anything else since I don't have another. It's pretty high quality for a rookie Fisherman like me, but I don't mind going for another, it only gives me more experience and the knowledge I wasn't completely useless today."

[Zeke 0]

"I'm in no position to take care of you since I can barely do it for myself, but if you need anything very much then you can message me. Remember not to fight anything the same level or above you just for safety purposes and don't rush into anything suspicious. Find someone who is willing to cook that fish somewhere that is safe and around other players by the way, otherwise they will probably steal it. That's all I have to say, I have to find another one of those beaut's. See ya around." The kid didn't seem very fond of the idea of a lecture by someone not too much older than himself but the food was enough to make him mannered to the weird player. "Thank you." Zeke nodded and headed back to the Mirrored pools. His next step would be to finally get stronger, he had been ill equipped since level one.