Open - Starry Night, No Purpose In Sight

Sitting on the edge of a third story deck fence of a tavern in the slums, sat a female of slim stature, and somewhat shorter height, holding a wooden cup of tavern beer in her right hand, while her left hand supported herself on the deck fence. Her eyes were fixated on the moon, full and beautifully bright in starry sky. Memories of the past come rushing forward, memories seemed long forgotten and almost non-existent, memories of the childhood and teenage years. They were so long ago, and yet right now, here in this moment, they'd seemed like yesterday.
Had it really been 10 years since she'd last left the gaming world? She'd left behind all those hard earned achievements and accolades of that world, and most importantly, all her friends. She attempted to kept contact with the remnant of her supposedly closest friends and admirers after leaving that world, yet, eventually, since she no longer gamed with them anymore, and interest changed as everyone had gotten older, most of those connections eventually broke into non-existence. She meditated deeply on all these things. In fact, she'd been here for hours deeply meditating on all these things; here in the slums. She didn't go to the main parts of Falderen for a reason. It seemed all too posh for her. She wanted to be normal and unimportant for today, here in the slums, just like the rest of the people here; what were looked upon as the bottom of the barrel of society.

Why had she returned to gaming, here in Terrasphere? It was a seemingly simple question, yet had so many possibly complicated explanations. Her reflexes weren't as fast, and her mind wasn't as clear for mechanical brilliancy as when she was younger. She'd remembered mastering controls and mechanics of a game within a few weeks. Yet things were different now. She had a job and priorities. She did not have all the free time of her youth.
Yet here she was, she'd clicked that secret email, downloaded the client, put on the virtual reality headset, and here she was, sitting at a virtual tavern and drinking beer. Although, ironically, she didn't drink alcohol in the real world; she hated the taste of it, and found it rather pointless. Yet here, one could do almost anything without the regrets of the real world. She pondered on all these things, all whilst gazing at the beautifully illuminated moon in the starry sky, which seemed so much more beautiful and alluring than the moon in her own world.

"What shall I do now?" She mumbled lowly to herself, albeit tipsily from the beer, pondering what purpose she'd make for herself in this game.

 

"Hopefully not kill yourself." Eleanor, stepping with somewhat lazy steps towards the deck side, stared cautiously over towards the other. Her words were not meant to be as harsh as they were, though she had sustained a rather long evening. Leaning her elbows on the rail, she sported a visage nearly completely blue, the dark hue blending in rather well with the texture the virtual night seemed to place upon everything.

She gave a flash of a smile to the girl, before her gaze also met the virtual moon. It seemed as though the gaming universe had a way of placing things perfectly. Often times in the real world, there were always minor errors. Perhaps a cloud meandering it's way through, obscuring the moon. And the moon itself, never completely full, but certainly never empty. It was as if the world left things to be desired, while the virtual world allowed them to be had. She was probably over-analyzing the whole ordeal anyways, scanning each and every detail, from the twinkle of the smallest star, to the brightest ray of moonlight, carefully examining each for nonexistent flaws. There was nothing to be found.

"I'm Eleanor." She reached her right hand over to the female beside her, her left hand holding a glass of some clear substance, probably water. The signs of neglected rest were hinted upon the form of her character, from a slight purple growing beneath her eyes, to the ever inching slouch in her posture, the night was beginning to drag on her heels, and force her to become slower. Weaker. But she didn't feel like resting yet. The self-proclaimed detective felt as though there were more things that the day had to offer her. Just a hunch.

The third story deck had it's own sort of charm. It matched quite well with the sort of neighborhood it set in. The slums. With rugged chairs, rough tabletops, and rougher individuals filling the empty places. Certainly, the environment supported it's own kind of life. It's own kind of animal, making it their habitat. Eleanor didn't judge them though, nor did she despise them. As the sandpaper individuals walked in packs across the streets below them, she merely let her eyes graze them.

As much as the virtual world was so different from the real one, there were so many comparisons to be drawn between the two. In a fake world that felt so real, it was hard not to learn to adore certain properties and lands. Though she tried to remain unattached, she often found herself reminiscing over old pubs and places that she had journeyed to in the real world. Places and slums not so different from the one she was in there. But... With a different face. The mask of Niko was much more shy and timid than the visage that was Eleanor.

There was an air of superiority to the woman in blue though. Her blue jacket draped over the railing next to her, she held her chin high. It was a postural manner that some might take the wrong way, but she truly meant to distaste through it. After all, it was just an act. This whole game was like a social therapy, for the socially deject female.

With eyes glaring down, she let the rhythm of feet against the stone pathways ring in her ears. The sounds of echoing shouts and the slamming of doors. The closing of shudders, and the melody of sandpaper laughter. The music of the slums.

 

At the sound of another voice, Sui blinked out of her own thoughts, back into the virtual environment around heself. Her gaze turned instinctively to the direction of the suddenly unexpected voice. The gaze communicated of look of unexpected surprise for a few moments, before eventually shifting into an amused smile. This person, whether player or NPC, certainly had proven themselves to have a good wit based off first impressions. That was a pretty darn good opening line.
She examined the new figure, not quite sure if it was a female or male character, as their outside demeanor and attire appeared rather boyish, yet not overly so. There was not an obvious femininity about her, like Sui's appearance in her black kimono.

As the figure eventually introduced themselves, Sui returned a light smirk in response, switching her drink into her other hand, in order to also return a handshake.
She also had not quite thought deeply about how she might have appeared to anyone observing her from the outside; sitting on the third story deck fence of a tavern in the middle of the slums, drinking by herself, in deep thought, while tispsily mumbling to herself. It most likely had all the signs of depression from afar. For Sui however, it was more of a gathering of thoughts. Although, she wouldn't deny that she might have also possibly been depressed, and just simply not have even realized it. She needed to be alone in thought from time to time, in order to gather her thoughts. She tried to seem positive and upbeat within the virtual world, but it seemed that quite often the weight of her real life emotions commonly kept bleeding over into her virtual life.

Taking mental observation of the her new company's somewhat tired and sleep deprived expression and stature, she lightly smirked in response, as she returned her gaze back upward towards the moon.

"You know," She eventually began, "They say a human being needs at least 5 to 7 hours of sleep in order to function properly." She paused after this statement, allowing it to settle into the moment, before eventually continuing on, "However there's another species of human, in a far and mystical land, far different from this one. Rumor says they only require 4 hours of sleep and cooked noodles in order to effectively function properly. " The statement itself, was somewhat obscure concerning the exact whearabouts of this land, on purpose, as she was still not yet sure whether her new guests was a player like her, or a wandering NPC with a clever wit.

In the real world, Sui often had witnessed a very similar look. She'd mostly witnessed it on the faces of overworked and sleep-deprived office workers, after they had worked an entire late night shift up until the next morning or afternoon. She'd witnessed this look most commonly during her time in Korea, and often had also made the same look herself. It was the one that communicated, that in spite of the individual's strong mental endurance and strong will, eventual defeat would be eminent, as the hours continued to drag on.

 

It seemed while some sort of conversation had commence between the pair, the other was not coming off of her ledge. It seemed she was not in a tense, suicidal mode, and this put Eleanor at ease. While she had been sporting a somewhat relaxed visage and appearance, she was truly quite a bit tense on the subject of the other female in her proximity. This tension faded after a few moments though, and the other's response.

"Heh," Eleanor rubbed the back of her neck, lowering her head slightly, "Was my exhaustion that obvious, huh." She muttered, a weak smirk on her face. Listening as the other explained further, it was a moment before the woman in blue erupted into laughter. What began as a first chuckle, tugging slightly forward on her shoulders, eventually became a full on, hysterical laughter spat. Leaning back, she put a hand on her forehead as she continued giggling. "Reminds me of my brothers in Japan, actually." She explained. That was the first time she had laughed so much since she joined the game. It had baffled her. From the unexpected joke, to the memories that it created.

"I'll get some rest when I need it, no worries." Turning away from the rail, Eleanor leaned her back against it. slipping a hand into her pocket, while the other still held tightly around her glass of water. Lifting the glass object to her lips, she drank a sip of fluid from the glass, finishing the movement with a sigh. The taste of water that became somewhat redundant and bland in comparison to the wondrous tastes within the real world, though the virtual world had a way of taking things bland and making them lively again. The water, being slightly cloudy, was incredibly refreshing and even somewhat comforting, sending a cooling calm down Eleanor's body and through her limbs.

Eyes peering towards the entrance doors to the little balcony type area, the sounds of the bottom of a mug slamming against a table could be heard. The sounds of feet against the floor, and the slight ruffling and nudging of furniture, as the packed, multi-story pub was certainly lively with people of all kinds. It wasn't the kind of place Eleanor often found herself, but that definitely did not stop her from venturing there! New places were full of surprises, and not just that, but things to learn as well! Eleanor was all for the discovery of new things as well.

"How did you end up... up here?" As Eleanor worded the statement, her less than perfectly fluent English capabilities caused her to doubt the validity of the words she was speaking, Still, she finished the statement, and hoped that it made sense to the girl in the kimono. English was not her first language, though that had probably become obvious after her statement about relatives in Japan. In hind sight, that was an incredibly personal thing to randomly share! With a mental sight, Eleanor dismissed it. It had been a long virtual day.

 

Sui's expression was quite pleased upon hearing the first signs of a chuckle in response to her joke. She momentarily basked in the acceptance of it. However, she had been rather caught rather off guard by the sudden burst of hysterical laughter; her again somewhat widened eyes communicating this as she had slowly turned again to observe her guest's reaction. Still, caught off guard or not, chuckle or laughter, she was rather pleased of the jokes acceptance. After her guests had begun to explain a little about themselves, she smirked light-heatedly in response, before looking back up at the moon again. So this person was definitely a player, not a NPC.

"Japan," She repeated back. "I've been there a few times. Admittedly they certainly know how to make good noodles. For some odd reason Korea has this strange habit of needed to make everything spicy." She paused, letting the words sink in once again, before finishing the rest of her statement, "How can I enjoy the taste of something if my tongue is too busy burning?" She asked rhetorically. Through this statement, Sui had also revealed some personal information about herself.

She took mental note of the somewhat unusual repetition of words by her new guest in blue, raising a curious eyebrow with amusement as she looked back at her. The fumbling of words was admittingly somewhat cute. After a moment of silence, Sui eventually began to answer the question, "How I ended 'up up' here, even I myself am not exactly sure. Perhaps I was subconsciously guided here." She began, "But i'm in a mental process of finding a purpose for myself here."

After another pause, she returned her own question, "And what's your purpose 'up up' here, sleepyhead?" She spoke with a playful smirk.

((OOC: Sorry, little short ^^))

 

Eleanor listened at the edge of the rail, letting her back lean against it. Korea, that was certainly an interesting idea. She didn't know anyone from Korea, and the only interactions she had with that place in particular was the occasional Korean Drama binge that she went on during... Emotional moments. Nevertheless, she hadn't ever had Korean noodles. Perhaps she would have to pick some up at some point at her local global market.

She listened as the woman detail her purpose in being upon the roof, or rather pursuit of one, Eleanor waited. She expected the question to come back to her, so she began to ponder her response in the mean time, so that she would be ready to reply in a less delayed manner. This was important, as she often found herself spending excessive amounts of time between saying things. It was a detail of herself that she despised, and part of her felt as though she was making her conversation partners, whoever they happened to be, rather bored and impatient in waiting for her answers.

"Eh, a bit of late night detective work." Eleanor explained, opening her palm menu to recite some information. "Earlier today, I became aware that..." She began reading from the notes she had taken, "At eleven-thirty PM, a meeting will be occurring between two suspicious figures." Closing the palm menu, she looked over towards her company. "Seems to happen every few days on a schedule. Decided I'd swing by and do a bit of eavesdropping." As Eleanor attempted to boast an air of confidence, she was far less prepared for any sort of combat than one might assume. To be completely honest, there was more then a million ways the night could go poorly for her, but... She would be embarrassed to ask for help.

"I have fifteen minutes or so," She explained. "Hopefully things go well." The woman in blue detailed the confrontation much similarly as she would to a job interview, and within the real world, Niko, Eleanor, found job interviews to be incredibly daunting and intimidating. Anyhow, there was a certain level of comfortableness she maintained on the subject. At least a greater level of comfort than she held for most other topics. This was not her first time eavesdropping on some thugs. If things went right, the night would be void of any bashed skulls or bruises.

If things went wrong, however... It would certainly be a night to remember for the detective. One perhaps filled with pain, regrets, and even possibly death. Regardless, Eleanor understood the risks that entailed with the line of work she had chosen to pursue within the virtual world. It was fear of those consequences that often kept her at the top of her game, which was not very tall in the first place. Little fish, she repeated to herself mentally. We only hunt the little fish. Hunt the big fish, and we will become the one that is hunted. A mantra of caution. Caution was her strong suite.

 

Sui listened intently as Eleanor also began to explain her purpose behind being in a random tavern, in the middle of the slums, in the middle of the late night, while sleep deprived. After listening, in Sui's mind, Eleanor's purpose sounded quite intriguing; much more intriguing than what Sui currently had to work with now, which was basically nothing. She pondered how this person had even come up, or found such an seemingly exclusive purpose. Although, she was aware that there was an investigation mode that could be used for specific purposes, she had never heard or met or heard of anyone doing detective work in Terrasphere. The whole idea seemed rather unique.

" 'Detective' work?" Sui repeated back as Eleanor spoke, with a tone of obvious intrigue in her voice. While observing her guest, who shortly after had begun to open their palm menu in order to recite information, another amused smirk appeared on Sui's face. Listening to the speaking style Eleanor had used in order to explain the situation out, was rather humorous for Sui, due to how professional the whole explanation had sounded. She felt like she was listening to a detective or cop movie as Eleanor spoke.Toward the end, however, Sui found herself rather surprised, and also disappointed, hearing that her guest did not have long until the said meeting would start. After the statement, she gave her guests a puppy eyed look of disappointment. Whether she'd done such a look sincerely, or purposely in order to inspire guilt, however, was as good as anyone's guess.

She had additionally taken notice of how Eleanor had began her final statement with 'hopefully'. From that word, she had picked up, that there may a some sense of unsurety in regards to how the whole situation may play out.

Gazing back at the moon for a few moments, in order to ponder on all the information she had just received, she suddenly and quickly spun around on the deck fence, in order for her body to now face the direction of the tavern itself, rather than the moon on the other side. Placing her drink close to her, on top of the deck fence, she more firmly pressed both her hands against the top of the fence, in order to suddenly and quickly push herself upward into the air, before landing enthusiastically on both her feet. Shortly after landing, she turned to face the direction to her company, her left knee slightly bent as she leaned comfortably on her right leg, and folded both her arms behind back. Her mood had suddenly seemed much more upbeat compared to when they had first met.

"I all sounds quite exciting, Sherlock. " She finally spoke, as she continued to gaze at Eleanor. "So then, does that mean in fifteen minutes you'll be....leaving me?" She made her puppy eyed expression again towards the end of the statement, pausing in silence, and allowing the stare to sink it. The whole look was rather exceedingly pitiful looking and sad, making it quite difficult to ignore, as if a little child had just lost their friend.

"Or perhaps..." She eventually continued. "Sherlock Holmes could possibly need some help...making sure things 'hopefully' go well?"​

 

Eleanor chuckled as the other girl in her midst gave her a cute little pout. Though her glance towards the facial expression was only brief, it seemed to have more of an amusing effect than one the expression usually intended. Whatever the intent was, it had earned a small laugh from the self-proclaimed detective in blue.

Though, she was surprised to hear the note that the statements had ended upon. Eleanor had not expected any help in her little expedition, especially from the stranger she had discovered atop the balcony fence. Her expression shifted to one of slight confusion and disbelief, as her brows elevated just slightly. Staring for longer eye contact than she often allowed herself to make, she looked towards @Sui.

"I don't mean to force you into this situation." Eleanor began, as a sort of disclaimer for the potential conflict to come. "The pair of... Goons that I am on the trail of, they are not like us. They are very... Unfriendly folk." She wanted to be very clear and concise in her wording to get her point across in the cleanest fashion. "I cannot guarantee your safety. I would have to ask that you be very careful." She did not mean to sound as though she was speaking with a child, she just meant to be exceptionally cautious, most definitely so when involving a stranger with the ordeal. If harm were to come to the person, it would be of no one's fault but her own, and she wished to avoid such weights on her conscious.

"Though, if you desire to come along, I won't stop you. More help is always welcome." She ended her explanation. The intent of her little rant had been to make it very obvious that there was no pressure for her to assist. "Just know, things could get possibly violent." Eleanor reiterated. And with a sigh, she flipped one quick, final time through her notes. If the other girl were to agree to the terms and conditions of the ordeal, Eleanor would begin to explain:

--The two 'goons', as she had called them, were known for robbing nearby caravans. Considering there was a nearby market that, in most daylight, saw quite a good deal of traffic, the two men, using the camouflage of population, would steal quite a lot of things from the nearby passing and parked carts. The whole story of the goons came along as many of the merchants, after a long day of their work, got together and began to share stories. It seemed that each of them had a similarly reoccurring mystery that some of their goods somehow seemed to... Vanish.

And so, speaking to the guards on the matter, the group of merchants managed to come upon the conclusion of one of the thieves being caught. The success didn't last forever, however, as the thief escaped captivity. Guards pursued, as well as Eleanor, who had come upon the guards chasing the fugitive. While the criminal had escaped, the pack of guards, as well as the self-proclaimed detective, had discovered the basement hideout of the pair, as well as a note that had been left. Though cryptic and coded, the woman in blue had managed to uncover the meaning of the message, hinting to the fateful meeting that night.

While Eleanor was unprepared to bring the perpetrators in herself, she was ready to call the guards if need be, and perhaps distract the pair of assailants.--

She would explain all of these details to Sui, if the girl had agreed to her terms.

 

A pleased look appeared across Sui's face, as she watched and observed the response from Eleanor. Her safety would not be guaranteed, she understood that much. However, she did not quite mind it. The day and night had been uneventful, and she had been looking to get things kick started with her virtual life in this game. It was a nice change of pace, to suddenly go from pondering her purpose in this game on a deck fence, to a great risk of danger and excitement, although, she also realized that the detective in blue seemed to have quite a great concern for her safety. In fact, she had more concern for Sui's safety, than Sui had for her ownself.

"Do not worry!" Sui exclaimed in a tone that sounded rather reassuring, "I have the realistic pain option enabled, everything should be fine!" The statement bled with sarcasm.

In actuality, Sui herself was also not so strong quite yet. Not only was she still quite new to the game, but her chosen masteries were not offensive. It was more of a support and control type of build. The reason she'd chosen this, is because she'd previously always chosen fighters and damage dealers in previous games, and therefore wanted to try something new for a change. However, for this situation, she regretted her decision quite a bit. If she were an offensive character, it seemed like it'd be a good opportunity to simply pull out a sword, and just start fighting the goons, in order to get a good taste of combat. However, this was not the case for her character. In terms of offense, she 'did' have an ability to crowd control, such as inducing sleep or immobilization. Indeed, on the bright side, it could be a more peaceful solution to bringing the situation under control, however ,the result would also be a somewhat chaotic.It would not only affect the two goons, but also would end up also affecting various others in the area as well, including the tavern guests.

She stood patiently while listening to the detailed explanation and backstory behind the case in the tavern. Folding her arms after the statement, she took some time to ponder on everything, and digest the information. "You've been a busy one." She eventually responded, after a long silence. "Tracking criminals, decoding messages, working together with guards; now 'you' sound like fun. You sure you're not prepared to bring in the criminals yourself? I wouldn't be surprised if you were hiding some crazy powerful strength or weapon until that big blue coat of yours.

Switching her gaze to the door of the tavern, she observed the guests for a few moments. "And what shall you, Sherlock Holmes? Sit in a corner eavesdropping on them, call guards on them if you see them, or punch them in the face mid-conversation and start a fight? I rather enjoy the latter idea, I think it'd be more eventful and exciting." She ended with a smile.

 

Eleanor chuckled at the first response given to her story. Realistic pain, huh? A witty joke. She appreciated the humor. Many times, she was confronted with players of such... Serious mindsets. Did not make much sense to play games so seriously though, did it! Games exist to create fun, ultimately, so they should be enjoyed to the fullest! Shrugging to her own thoughts, she knew that she was guilty of that plaguing seriousness more often than not.

She stood quietly as the other described her antics as 'fun'. As much as Eleanor had perceived it all as simply one big puzzle, each piece being placed together, she had not really stopped to consider it that way. Yes, it had been a rather fun unfurling of events. Certainly, she had experienced quite a lovely little adventure throughout it all. The virtual world was full of those little quirks and journeys, it seemed.

"I'm not that strong." She scoffed, a smile on her face, as she waved a hand to dismiss the idea, after hearing the comment about having some secret weapon beneath her coat. "I try to let those whose job it is to fight do the fighting." She spoke, of course, in reference to the guards, whose sworn duty was to defend and uphold justice. Eleanor had taken no sort of oath. It was merely her curiosity, and slight preference towards order over entropy, that had lead her down the path that had placed her where she was. The tracking of criminals intrigued her, so it was something she found herself often pursuing.

"I say..." Speaking on the topic of a plan, she began, listening first to what suggestions the other had. "Well, I'd like to leave the assaulting to the criminals. If we are attacked though, we would have to subdue them in self defense." Slipping her hands into her pockets, she tipped her hat up, looking towards the internal space of the tavern, wondering just how difficult it was going to be to spot them within the mad mess of it all. "Perhaps distract or delay them if we must."

Pulling her hand up and out from her pocket, she thumbed around a small bead. When crushed, the small contraption would alert the guards of her location, and send them on their way. Response times of the authorities within the confines of the virtual world seemed unfortunately, drastically slower than within the real world. Alas, the guards did not have cars... The small device, being some magic-made craft, was something one of the guards was testing with. A lovely man, to have given Eleanor the chance to test such a creation.

"We are not here to instigate, merely observe, and intervene if the situation calls." She chose her words within the statement very carefully, pausing just briefly between each one to decide upon the following. They were dealing with criminals, after all. Caution, as it already was regardless, sat at the top of Eleanor's priority list. Things rarely topped good ol' vigilance for the self-proclaimed detective.

 

Sui puffed out her lip in slight disappointed, as she listened to Eleanor's answer. She had a craving for combat of some sort, yet not much could be done or said on the subject. Her thoughts returned back to when she had first began the game, back to the character creation screen. She remembered choosing all the options; the face, the wardrobe, the body ratios. She also remembered, choosing the masteries. Oh, those wonderfully special masteries. A sigh came from her lips at the thought.

"Distractions!" She suddenly began, a proud tone in her voice. "I'm a wonderful distraction, don't you know?" Walking up more closely to the guest in blue, she reached out her right hand in order to place on Eleanor's left shoulder. And leaned forward, giving her guest an uncomfortably close, smirking gaze for a few moments, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she silently stared. "Can you sing?" She suddenly spoke, continuing her gaze for a few more seconds, and letting her words settle, before learning back normally and removing her hand, in order to return her guest's personal space back again.

"I'm a bard." She continued, providing a deeper explanation to her statement. "In the world i'm terrible at singing, but doesn't matter here much, when my voice is totally different, now does it?"

Walking to the door, she raised her right arm, in order to place a hand above of the doorway, and leaned forward, causing her to lean lazily out the entrance, her hand preventing her from completely falling out of it. In the midst of this action, she again examined the tavern residents and the establishment.

"Immobilizations, sleeps; if you need subdues, i've got 'em." She reassured. "Though, i'd suggest you'd cover your ears if that ends up happening."

It was so much more noisier inside compared to the calming environment outside. The sounds of chattering and gossip, and clattering of utensils, cups, and glasses filled the inside. Orders were shouted; some in a mannerly tone, while others were more aggressive and less considerate. Servers hurried along from table to table, taking orders and rapidly bringing refills. That particular scene was somewhat amusing to see for Sui. It seemed as though people in real life weren't the only ones who struggled with working jobs, but that even NPCs has a difficult time working within society. She watched the realistic facial expressions of worry and stress as some of the servers hurried along, facial expressions which most of the other residents were far too drunk to recognize and acknowledge, in order to show any consideration, or just simply didn't care. A curious thought came to her mind at that moment, as to whether NPCs truly shared the same exact feelings as humans in the real world did, even though they were creations within a virtual world. Socrates and Aristotle would've had a lot more fun things to ponder and contemplate on, had this game was released in their era.

 

"Distractions, huh?" Eleanor observed her company as she spoke. She had not initially figured the other would take much interest in the topic, but weak assumptions were most often wrong, after all.

With a nervous chuckle, Eleanor rubbed the back of her neck. "I have not sang in years. Not much of a musician." It was a question that never in a million years she would have expected to be asked, especially in the game. Eyes going wide as the other had moved quite close to her, Eleanor inched her head away, cautious and unsure of why the other girl had gotten so close to her. While the detective often told herself that her boundaries were powerful and founded, it seemed they were easily ravaged by the other, her bubble popped without hesitation.

Luckily, the instance did not last long, and the other soon walked away, heading towards the doorway. Leaning up and off of the railing, Eleanor slowly pursued, keeping a distance between them, but not too far. Peeking out from behind the other girl's form, Eleanor's eyes scanned the busy tavern. A bard, huh? She had not a clear indication on the possible abilities that musicians within the virtual world harnessed, and thus, it was another unknown variable.

"Control abilities, huh?" @Sui spoke on the topic of immobilization and the sort. Incredibly useful tools to a support, and even more so in the situation that they were currently in! Is that was a bard was capable of? If so, Eleanor certainly hoped to have an opportunity to observe the technique. That seemed rather powerful, and most definitely potent.

"The ability to put the pair of ruffians to sleep would be lovely, actually." The woman in blue spoke towards the other, raising a hand from her pocket to adjust the rim of her hat. She spoke on the use of such tactics for two very specific reasons. First, of course, was to easily subdue the foes. Placing them into an unconscious stasis would result in rather easy capturing of them, causing her previously risky task to become something of trivial difficulty! Second, part of her was excited to investigate the uses and possible potency of music. If it truly had such effects... Oh, the possibilities!

"Any minute now, they should be arriving." Opening her palm menu, Eleanor scanned for the time. "I believe that they have rented out the top floor, so staff should be coming along to clear people who are up there." Slipping both hands into her pockets, the detective winced, eyes twitching towards a place below their balcony. Her whole body shifted to face the disturbance. The sound of a cart screeching to a halt, perhaps after hitting a harsh bump. Noises like that always seemed to catch her off guard, sending her heart rattling.

"We can either wait here and head up later, or perhaps make an attempt at hiding up there so we can get the drop of them. What do you say?" Glancing back to the other girl in the doorway, she allowed her to make the choice. Ultimately, Eleanor figured if something were to go wrong with the fellow female, it would be her fault, considering she had needlessly shared the information and gotten her involved. The woman in blue wanted the girl to decide, so that whatever consequences insured, it would be the option deemed most comfortable by the other party.

 

At the sound of a screeching cart, Sui also turned her head, observing as her companion in blue had shifted her attention downwards, towards the source of the sound below the balcony. She had a curiosity to personally look herself, yet was far too lazy to leave her current location, in order to walk there. Without looking personally herself, however, she assumed that the screeching cart might have been the two figures which they had been waiting for, preparing to make their entrance into the tavern. "Rented out the whole top floor, huh?" Sui repeated back in a musing tone. "Hah! What bosses!" She spoke, adding a bit of real world slang to her speech.

At the inquiry of Eleanor, Sui dropped her arm from the top of the doorway, and began making a slow stride further into the tavern. This would serve as a non-verbal sign for her decision. "Waiting is boring." She spoke aloud as she walked away, seeming to have taken initiative over the situation. Making her way to the bar, she placed her payment at the counter. Upon accepting the payment, one of the male bartenders leaned under the counter, and handed Sui her item; a lute which she'd left for watch under the counter, being far to lazy to carry the clunky thing with her during her sitting and contemplation on the deck fence. It had a strap around it, which she used to strap the lute around her back, behind her. It was quite a simple thing, with nothing particularly special about it, apart from the general characteristics and appearance of your everyday standard lute. There were a few vague carvings on the the wooden body; lightly sketched hearts and crude smiley faces, either for decoration or out of boredom.

From her entrance into the tavern, to her detour to the bar, all the way to her walk towards the stairs, there were quite a few obvious gazes at her throughout the tavern, and even a few low whistles. Her looks, as well as her attire, stood out quite obviously in comparison to the general tavern residents of the slums, who were dressed in much lower quality clothing, such as dirty and worn commoner clothes. It was somewhat of a wonder, considering how much interest was currently on her throughout the tavern, why no one else had bothered to speak to her on the balcony beforehand. Her walk was calm and free spirited, however it's rather slow pace also communicated a sort of laziness in the woman's personality. She made no effort to walk with an elegance, either. As she came to the stairs, she stopped, and turned around towards her new companion. With a graceful bow, as if she were preparing to play for a king, she rose back up to her blue jacketed companion, with a good natured expression on her face. "After you. " she spoke, motioning her arm towards the stairs as if she we're a butler of some sort.

She didn't quite know what to expect once they got upstairs, or even if there would be a place for them to remain well hidden from sight and quiet, once the whole top floor became abandoned to make room for the meeting of two criminals. Yet, she didn't mind if things didn't go out the way as expected, either. She was honestly kind of hoping for it. She always welcomed a challenge of some sort, and at the same time she had a few ideas prepared, concerning what she'd say, should an unexpectedly risky and awkward situation and dialogue between the two groups come about. If all else failed, however, she pondered if Eleanor would still remember to cover her ears, or else she would also very well find herself sleeping on the floor along with the bandits.

 

Eleanor carefully watched as her would-be companion throughout the bandit ordeal seemed to be up to something, and began walking up to the bar. The idea of waiting being boring was something quite intimidating to the detective, as she was one who would go to great lengths, be that waiting a few hours, or taking a much longer route to her destination, to remain in the safest possible setting. Staying in the doorway as the other ventured through the flocked people to the bar, Eleanor kept her head down and her hands in her pockets.

Cautiously, her pupils flickered from the girl retrieving her instrument, to the loudest noises occurring around her. A few times, this was a plate clanging against another, or a mug sloshing against a table. No doubt, the game had its way of bringing each aspect of the world alive, but there were times where Eleanor wished a bar could be a bit more like a library. Overall, there was far too much saliva for her tastes. It sprayed when some men laughed, and splattered when they spoke. Disgusting.

With a sigh, she was not one to hold needless judgement on others. After all, these were the innocents that she was doing all of this work to protect! It was their choice what they decided to do with those free lives provided to them, not hers. It was only her choice whether she would continue her efforts to defend it... And there was really no intrigue in giving up on the mystery, now was there?

Eleanor forcefully straightened her back, keeping her arms at her sides in a uniform fashion. This highly managed posture often put strain on her muscles, and by the end of days, she would often feel some soreness in her back, as well as her shoulders, by managing the stance, but it was a sign of status. It seemed that Sui cared little for that sort of appearance, allowing her gait to present the blatant idea of a much more careless reputation. The way she walked made Eleanor wonder if that's how she appeared within the real world, slouching and lazily walking about in sweatpants. Truly, her virtual and real selves were very different sorts of people.

Heading up the stairs ahead of her companion, as Sui had motioned for her to go first, Eleanor climbed the tight stairwell up to the top floor. Just as she had presumed, and her senses had perceived, the top floor was empty. Most of the chairs and tables had been pushed to the side, only leaving one in the center of the room. A balcony on the opposite side of the room mimicked the one on the previous floor, with the same chairs and tables in the same positions.

"There are a few places we could hide. Possibly on the balcony, but I am uncertain of whether they will go out there." Eleanor scanned the area, eyes peeking into the shadowy corners to find a place to shield herself from view. Finally she came upon one. "Over there, that's where I'm heading." She pointed to a corner of the decently large room, where tables and chair had been stacked the highest.

Moving over to the corner, she squatted down, before leaning onto her hands and knees. While it was not the highest class hiding spot, nor was it the classiest way of entering, but it was the position required for her to crawl into the tiny space, and she hoped that the space would be effective. Peeking out from her place, she watched her company, hoping they too would find a cozy corner to snuggle with shadows in.

 

As the detective in blue headed up the stairs, Sui's gaze closely followed her, before her feet would eventually begin to do the same, walking a few feet behind the other player. Upon entering the top floor, Sui noticed that the area looked pretty much similar to the previous floor, despite a few minor differences here and there. It appears the designer of the establishment was not the most creative person. Sui would've liked to have a word or two with the designer, before he had actually created the establishment, although since this was the slums, finance might've had more to do with it's design than creativity. Watching as Eleanor marked her territory, and began her way towards her hiding spot, a smirk appeared on the side of Sui's lips, as she watched the detective disappear behind the stacked rows of tables and chairs. The whole act really made her feel like she was a character in an investigation drama of some sort. She remembered watching the characters in such dramas acting similarly; carefully sneaking around quietly, hiding in various places and behind buildings in order to easedrop on information, and probing around various areas for clues. The whole ordeal was actually rather entertaining to think about and experience, despite the fact that the chance for hardcore combat was rather low.

"Sure you don't need company over there, detective?" She sarcastically jested, her voice feigning one as an investigator from a movie, as she nonchalantly further examined her surroundings, while walking throughout the top floor for a few moments. Her eyes and feet stopped at the bar. Remembering the structure of previous bar she'd retrieved her lute from, she was well aware that the the countertop extended out past the cabinet which supported it, which would serve as decent covering for her. Making her way to the bar, and looking under it, she opened the cabinet underneath it, in order to see if she could possibly fit inside, yet found herself heavily disappointed by the large array of various bottles of alcohol, making it nearly impossible to hide inside. With a sigh, she closed the cabinet door back, and settled for simply hiding behind the bar, under it's countertop. "I see nothing!" She spoke from her chosen position, informing her investigation case partner of her situation, as well as the fact that'd she'd managed to find a hiding place of some sort. All she had the capability of doing from her area was simply to listen, it would be up to the detective to be doing all the seeing.

Moving her lute forward, from her back into her lap, readying it for quick use just in case the situation got out of hand, and placing her back against the cabinet wall, she waited patiently with a rather pleased expression on her face. She felt a little like a kid waiting in a candy store to finally receive something from their parents, told to cover their eyes in order to remain unaware of what exactly they would be receiving, until the time was just right. Looking up at the tabletop in the midst of her enthusiastic waiting, various thoughts naturally begin to travel through her busy mind. She did similar actions in real life, except she'd be looking at her bedroom wall instead of a video game countertop instead, and lying upside down in odd and unorthodox positions, instead of siting on a tavern floor, as she would contemplate on various things in life. Meditating on how she'd found herself in this situation in the first place, the whole process had been something quite amusing. Just a while ago, she had been sitting on the balcony deck fence of a tavern, contemplating on what her purpose for the game would be, and next she was suddenly on a secret detective case with a blue jacket wearing version of Sherlock Holmes. It was a good way to change a completely boring and uneventful day to an adventurous one. What would take place after everything was said and done, she was not quite sure of, yet, at least for now, she was having a pleasant experience. Whether her and the player would part ways or not after the case, or continue frequent contact with one another, she also hadn't a clue. Quite often, in the game world, people would adventure with one another, have a great experience, and then completely part their ways, never to hear from each other again. Sui never quite understood such experiences, yet these experience were undoubtedly not only limited to the gameworld, but also quite common in the real world, as well. For now however, she would focus more on the current situation at hand, and contemplate on the future whenever the situation presented itself.