Virtual reality used to be something that existed only in concept alone. Hide never actually thought he’d live long enough to see it become a feasible medium for playing games. Today would mark his first time logging into the world of Terra Sphere and if you had asked him earlier if he was excited the response most likely would have been a wholehearted yes. Though, now that he was actually here that sense of enthusiasm was slowly dwindling. Honestly, he had no idea what he was doing. After fumbling around with the different menus and HUDs he at least managed to learn a few useful pieces of information. His current location was a region called Astorea, but as far as his equipment and skills were concerned he had nothing worth showing in those departments. Essentially he was like a newborn just sitting around in the forest waiting to get killed by a passing monster. That meant finding shelter was the top priority at the moment; the faster he did the better off he would be when it became time to plot the next move. So he ran. Without any real sense of direction, maybe he'd get lucky and find a village nearby. At the very least there'd be people there who would be able to help with getting his bearings. @Solaria
Just a few 'miles' away, a green-haired elf was wandering out of a small village. She'd been there getting some supplies she needed since she'd recently placed an order to build a shop for her medicinal work, and figured having certain things prepared beforehand was a good idea. Of course, she may have gone a bit overboard in her spending, she was beginning to realize. She wasn't even fully sure what she needed, so she'd gone on a bit of a spree. As she was shuffling some of her goods in her inventory, her eyes had left the road she was treading just long enough to miss a man being in front of her and unintentionally collide with him. It was a soft tap at most, but it had still caught her off guard when the hilt of her sword shifted unexpectedly against her hip. The jostling of her form caused her to look up from her menus, closing them swiftly. "Sorry 'bout that. I should really make sure to sidestep when I'm distracted, huh? But even then, I did notice during that little crash... you seem to have been moving pretty quick. Is something wrong?"
“Ah!” A yell escaped his lips as he slightly recoiled from the collision. In his scramble to get away from his own imagination he failed to notice the green haired woman who entered his path. He studied her expression for a moment and detected no malice in her face or words, but even so felt it was best to apologize for being so careless. “No! It was mostly my fault, I should have been more aware of my surroundings.” He said with a slight bow. “My name is Hi- I mean, uh, Alric and while is really wrong I don't have a clue about what I'm doing since I only entered this world a little while ago.” Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all. This woman seemed calm and easy to talk to at least. If she didn't care about his well being she probably would have just cursed him out and kept moving, leaving him to fend for himself in this strange new world. It wouldn't hurt to try asking her for help. “So if it's not too much trouble could I tag along with you. Just until I figure out what to do next then you won't have to see me again if you don't want to.”
His struggle to separate his game name from reality didn't go unnoticed. Solaria was fairly well known at home for being spastic with those things herself- she regularly started to say her best friend's name on the net, even if she wasn't even remotely involved. Seeing someone with a similar habit just amused her noticeably instead. "Try to relax there, buddy." She held up both her hands to show lack of arming herself as well as a general attempt to signal calmness into him mentally. "I'm Solaria. You really didn't do anything to worry about." As her lips curled into a smile, she held a hand out to greet him more properly. He continued to show signs of anxiety, however, as he said rather self-loathing things as if she'd find him annoying quickly. What worried her most was when he said 'Just until I figure out what to do next then you won't have to see me again if you don't want to'. "You shouldn't say things like that, Alric. If you say it like that, it sounds like you've already decided people want to be rid of you. A smile will get you a lot farther, you know...and it takes less work, too!" It was true science, after all. While mentally a smile could be difficult on some people, it took less muscles. So, why wouldn't you want to smile when it's less physical work? "I see, so you're new around here. We all start somewhere, don't worry too much on that! Though I'm surprised you're already here in Astorea. You've been looking around quite a while, haven't you?"
“I guess you're right.” Oddly enough, Solaria’s words were just soothing enough to place his mind at ease. Alric truly did luck out by running into her despite his own initial awkwardness. She was right; he shouldn't default to thinking that others wouldn't enjoy his company. Years of not interacting with the outside world in reality hadn't helped with developing his social skills either so of course these thoughts came naturally at times. Still, this was going well enough. Shaking away any lingering doubts, Alric smiled softly as the woman was able to deduce how his time was spent in the game up till now. “Ah… Well yes. I haven't really stopped moving since I logged in earlier. I'm not even sure how I got here myself.” He sheepishly replied. After some consideration it really was strange being here for the first time. Sure, he had played games online before but there was a clear difference between sitting behind a computer screen and practically visiting another planet. But at least it seemed there were plenty of people who were already well adjusted to this world and quite welcoming toward the occasional newbs who crossed their path. “By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing? Unlike me, you looked like you actually had a destination in mind when you were walking.”
His explanation was crystal clear and far from laughable- but, somehow, it still led the woman to chuckle, adjusting her position to put a hand on his shoulder. The same height and somewhat similar builds, Solaria was rather amused by their similarities. "I think I did pretty similar when I first started playing the game. I just ran all over trying to figure out where to even begin. This is my first VR game, so it's kinda hard, y'know?" Her laughter dulled as she explained herself, relaxing with a soft breath and a hand upon her chest to ease her racing heart. She'd gotten a little too excited over feeling able to empathize. Had his anxiety rubbed off on her too, or was it her own? He then asked a question that caught her off guard. She'd already forgotten what she was doing, enchanted by the meeting of a possible new friend. "Oh! I'm on my way to some land I earned recently to build a shop. I'm an alchemist, and I was given a land for a shop because of donating to Astorea during the rebuilding of the great Dormont castle." She pointed in the direction she had been coming from before continuing. "I was just in a small area nearby that way, buying supplies I thought I might need...But since I've never run a store before, I bought way, way too much, so I was fumbling around with it when I bumped into you."
“I see.” He said while bringing a hand up to hold his chin. So it was possible to acquire land in this game. Perhaps that was something that would be worth committing to memory. TerraSphere seemed to come with its own pretty extensive lore and those who took the time to understand it were able to use that knowledge to their advantage. But still, for Solaria to take on the task of building on her own… Unless there was an auto-build function it sounded like it'd be a pain for one person to do alone. “I can help with setting up if you want; especially since I'll be following you around anyway. Just as long as you don't, like, turn me into a frog or something with one of your potions.” The last part was only partially a joke, considering how anything seemed possible in this world. Alric wouldn't have been surprised at all if she could actually do something along those lines. Hopefully he’d never have to find out, despite presenting an interesting thought to mull over.
"Hehe, it's not like it's all set and ready to be worked on really. I just figured I'd start planning things out ahead of time. I've never run a shop y'know...Just want to be all ready when it's time." Giggling as she explained herself, she realized that, as usual, she hadn't really thought very far ahead when she went to the market. "Most of what I bought was stuff used for alchemy and the like, along with signage things. I thought they'd be helpful. I wonder if I kind of jumped the gun." She shook it off soon after, moving just a bit further ahead. Even if she had gone a bit overboard, at the very least she felt prepared for when her shop was complete. And it was thanks to this that she got to meet someone new! Maybe it was all meant to happen? "I don't think I have that kind of power. I mostly know how to make medicinal potions...Well, actually, I know how to make poison for dipping my sword in too, but I haven't worked on it as much. I basically wanted to learn alchemy to make medicine for things I might not manage to heal well with illumancy. I mean, no skill set is perfect...And doesn't running a pharmacy seem fun?" Okay, maybe it wasn't to most people...But Solaria had never been most people. "If I can help anyone with it, I'll be glad."
Alric stayed quiet as he listened to her. It was interesting how much Solaria wanted to use her abilities to help others and in a way her selflessness made him reflect on his own desires. What would be his purpose in this world? It was too early to say. Sure he had taken illumancy as well, but not necessarily to help others. The choice had two major advantages he could see: the ability to heal his own wounds and how it would inevitably be easier to find parties if he was able to use light magic. Regardless of how strong someone might be they'd always need a healer and that meant he'd be more valuable when it came time for raids. Being selfless wasn't something he could really afford to do. Not right now anyway. For now learning and getting better accustomed to using skills would be the best course of action. While he was eager to continue their conversation, he also wanted to go see the land. Maybe it was Solaria’s enthusiasm for opening her own shop spreading to him like an infection that was making him want to go. Running a shop was something that never seemed appealing in the past, but staying open minded about seeing the process would be better for him in the long run. “Well, would you like to get going then? I’ve already wasted a lot of your time so...”
His mind seemed occupied for a bit, before she found him worrying he was taking her time again. A small pout formed upon her lips as she took a hand and made a small fist, lightly tapping the crown of his head to let his hair cushion the impact. It would likely not hurt, since she used the same amount of force as she would when scolding her baby brother, but she had hope it would make the point. She was irritated. "Saying things like that makes it sound like I'm with you against my will. Try to be more confident. Your company isn't something you should treat like a bad thing, got it?" As she calmed down, she removed her fist and moved the hand to his shoulder, the pout of anger turning into a warm smile. "We can get going but...I want you to think about what I said, okay? I think you're a good person, at least so far...So you should believe in your own goodness. I'll try to make you even if I have to hit your head a bit harder next time to smack some sense into you. Really, you're as bad as my brother with that..." If she bothered to speak up more, it'd only sound sadder. After all, she just compared the man to a five year old... "Well, let's get going. Gimme your hand. It'll make my hand behave and relax me. If you'd be kind enough to indulge me, that is."
“Alright, alright… Yeesh.” Despite the absence of pain Alric still raised a hand up to rub the spot where the woman’s fist had connected. In truth he wasn't expecting to get scolded and for something like this no less! Perhaps it was true what they say about old habits dying hard, whoever they actually were. Even so the last thing he wanted to be was a bother, but if Solaria was so insistent he didn't have any other choice but to believe her. To be called a good person though felt odd from someone he had only just met. It wasn't like he didn't appreciate the compliment, but realistically he was hesitant to accept it. His mouth slowly opened to try refuting the claim but with a brief reflection on her words he decided it'd be safer to just let it go instead. “If you say so.” Gently grasping her hand with his own, he turned his face away in an attempt to hide the slight embarrassment that was showing through and growing more obvious with each passing second. This was the first time he was holding hands with someone (pathetic but at least it's finally happening). Of course he had crushes in the past but nothing ever came of them, at keeps not to the extent of having physical contact anyway. Who knew years of being antisocial wouldn't help a guy with getting a date? Certainly not Alric. He just had to take his mind off it. There weren't any romantic feelings between them; just two people holding hands in broad daylight for the whole world to see. Acting weird about it would probably just make her worry or end up getting him hit harder this time, so it was time to change the subject and forget this was even happening “Y-You said you have a brother? I have one too ...Well actually I have two of them. Not just one, but I meant I have brothers also. And a sister. Not sure if what I just said made any sense so I'm going to stop talking now.”
His attempt to keep up with her conversation was admirable, but his immediate resistance of his own words caught at her natural irritation. Though she was the type to be quick friends, she was also impatient and stubborn- after all, she'd just told him off for being self deprecating, and what was he doing now? Assuming he made no sense? "You know, there's this saying my dad tells me from time to time. Honestly, I get mad every time he uses it in front of my brother, but that's because he's just a kid, and my dad kind of lacks a filter in general. I may be wrong, but you seem close enough to my age where it's more than safe." There she was rambling again, not getting scolded for it the way she likely should be. If she could ramble, he could. Wasn't it that simple? Then again, now the words in her head just applied to her as well. "Dad said it's a pretty old saying, but I don't know where it's from...But you know what happens when you assume? Y'make an ass of you and me." Hopefully her words would make a difference. If they didn't, her lightly squeezing the hand she held to try to keep his attention might. "My family's my dad, my brother and me...But I don't live at home right now. I visit them often, though. It's only a couple hours by bus." Grinning to him, she mused a question. His own words from earlier caught her attention. "So you have a bunch of siblings, huh? Do you guys get along? Whenever I'm home, my brother sticks to me like glue. It's delightful."
He had heard the saying before a handful of times, but even so her dad sounded like a wise man for trying to pass the lesson on to his children. There was truth found in those words and for Alric it was just the kind of advice he needed to calm down a bit. The whole reason why he came to Terrasphere in the first place was to have fun, right? Getting stressed out about the small things that happened would only serve to take away from that. Solaria hadn't done anything to suggest she wasn't enjoying herself so feeling bad about his own insecurities was pointless. With a nod he wanted her to know that he understood what she was saying before speaking himself. “Yeah there's a few of us, but as for us getting along…” He trailed off giving the question a moment of thought. The varied personalities of his siblings made it difficult to get along at times, that was for sure. As of right now they were all on good terms, at least he thought so anyway. “For the most part we get along pretty well. My sister is probably the most mature one so she tends to keep us in order when we're together. My brothers can be handfuls but I wouldn't trade any of them in for the world. Unless it was for something cool like a jet pack. Then maybe.”
He was beginning to calm down and seemed more easy with her, a note she kept quite dear to herself even if she was trying not to spout it out. At the least, she wanted him to open himself up more, enough to seem like a comfortable back and forth was possible. His clear affection for his family made her smile, but not nearly as much as the rather entertaining reasoning he gave for one reason he might trade them if he had a chance. "For a jet pack, huh? I dunno...I'd still rather have my brother. I bet he'd be on your side of the argument though. There's no way I can imagine that boy saying no to a jet pack." It was a true statement, even if the boy likely would deny it up front if she asked him. It left her with a small fit of laughter, though she was swift to shake it off. Tapping her chin with her free hand, she kept an eye upon the sky before giving the man another glance and grin. She was becoming more aware, even if there weren't many around, that others often worried more about the sensation of a hand of a stranger's touching them. Perhaps an explanation was in order. "Thanks for taking care of that whim of mine. I've always been a bit clingy, but with my brother, I get a little more so. I guess it's just my form of being protective. Since you made me think of him, I felt like it'd help me feel like I was walking with him. I saw an advertisement recently...It was for this game, which I was sure was a secret...And it was on during a break from one of his cartoons, while I was visiting at home. I've thought about walking with him here a lot since, but naturally, it wouldn't happen."
