Private - First Time in Reality

For the first time since his first day of high school, Armand never felt very nervous for a long time. It's not only because he was meeting with a stranger, but because he was meeting with a fellow Terrasphere offline for the first time. Ever since @Solaria suggested to meet up in real-life, the only thing he could wonder right now was her appearance in real life. Like she said in the mail, he can't expect to see her with green hair and elf ears offline. He also wondered what she did for a living outside the game, he knew she didn't spend playing that game the whole day or week as it was very unhealthy to the mind and body.

Speaking of which, just the thoughts about the game also made him worried about himself. Ever since he drank that potion in the game, his personality has changed dramatically. And while it seemed to not affect him offline, he was starting to carry the traits to his changed persona. One of those traits was his desire to return to the game to desire the motivation to explore more of the virtual fantasy world. While it did help him open his eyes to the world filled with lively NPCs with very advanced AI, those thoughts made him grow distracted at his current job and schedule for a few days. He was not sure if this was a minor side effect, but he hoped that this won't lose reality from the game's mental effects onto to him.

But as he stared at his own reflection from the shop window near the subway station to fix himself to meet up with Solaria's player, he wondered how will he treat her once he meets her. Just staring at his blue eyes was enough to make him worry about himself and the game that changed him

 

Finding herself ever closer to her destination, Kelly found it the perfect time to send a text to the friend she'd planned a meet-up with. It was only the second time she was meeting someone from the game on purpose, but somehow, this time felt a bit different than the time she met Eldhi. Perhaps it was because, rather than someone's house, they were meeting in a less-deviant place.

However, that meant it would be even harder to find each other. So, she texted last minute. A text message wasn't her forte, normally- but this time, she'd manage. It was the only way she could attach a picture she took two seconds prior to typing, after all.

@Verity, I forgot to tell you in our planning my proper name. It'd be weird using screen-names, right? So, along with the attached image, I wanted to tell you my actual name. I mean, I do respond to Solaria, too, but...That's not even near it. So! Hello, from Kelly Richardson~

Hidden: ATTACHED IMAGE

Hitting send, she got off the train she had been taking, trying to find on her map app the shop they'd decided to meet at. Internally, she was already berating herself for a few things- for example, the fact she'd failed to smile properly in her photo. Would that be a sign she was nervous? But in reality, Kelly wasn't that scared, since she felt at ease with Verity. But would he think she was scared?

Her eyes finally found the sign she was seeking underground- a coffee shop called Raving Beans, staring her in the face beside a fast food joint. She was glad they agreed to meet in a coffee shop rather than the place beside it- between the two, coffee shops were generally healthier, and she was a bit of a health nut at times. But now that she thought about it, did she know what to expect when she saw him?

"Let's see...He said his hairstyle is similar...I should've asked for a picture though." Sighing softly, she regretted her impulses more than usual for a brief moment. Taking a step inside, she peeked around. They hadn't said in or outside, really- but surely, with the help of the photo, he'd notice the woman trying to find him...Right? "If I were him...where would I be sitting in wait...?"

 

With how crowded the cafe was at this time and day, it was no surprise that she has troubles on finding him. Besides, the Fall season caused the temperature to drop and most of the people flocked here just to get a warm drink. Thankfully, the text managed to get through as he checked it's contents on his phone. He did give her his contacts before they logged off and he was expecting a text anytime from her once he arrived here.

But while he expected that her appearance differed greatly from her in-game character, he never expected that her real-life appearance would be older than the latter. Though he had to admit that she was still beautiful in terms of her hairstyle and her innocent appearance.

Eventually, he decided to leave his seat for a while (but not before asking the other customer to keep an eye on his table until he got back) and searched for her around the cafe. Though, once he got outside, he somehow saw the woman with the same appearance. Still cautious in case he got the wrong person, he slowly approached her and put his hand over her right shoulder. "Excuse me... Sorry if I disturb you, but are you Kelly Richardson?"

@Solaria

 

Hearing her name, she perked up a bit, turning towards the man that had come to greet her. He did surely have the same hair- in fact, quite a bit of him was almost too familiar for the young woman, as if it were the very same visual she was accustomed to. The main difference to before was his size in comparison to her, she soon noted. While she towered over him a good half a foot in he world of Terra, he had her by a few inches in their own world. His age still didn't seem to register to her, though neither did his name.

Crap...I forgot to get his name too...What am I supposed to call him!?

Considering she was in actuality a more practical person, Kelly was rather frustrated with herself as she realized she was staring. Manners were important, and this was her first impression in reality. In reality, though still as impulsive as ever, she just had a tendency to think too hard until she gave up and acted- and, unlike what many assumed a naive nature, she was fairly intelligent for her age.

With a soft breath, she calmed herself. Worrying wouldn't get them anywhere, especially not out of the cold. He knew her name, so she knew who he was in general. That was enough for now. "Yes, that would be me. And you are...Verity, then?" Her lips were curled in a gentle smile as she spoke, though the embarrassment she felt from not knowing any more than that was surely written on her face. "I'm afraid I forgot to get your proper name myself...What should I call you here?" To be compassionate with a friend was to be honest. It was the best way to show loyalty, which towards this man, though a stranger to her in this reality, was something she felt she could give already. Thus, it was best to be honest with her errors.

 

The mention of his in-game name, or rather his surname, was enough to convince that she was @Solaria's player. And just looking at her outside the picture she sent was enough to see her beauty of her mature, yet innocent appearance outside the game. But now that she mentioned his name, he slowly realized that he forgot to give her his real name. His in-game name might have been his surname, but he was not the type to leave her without giving his proper name.

"Armand. Armand Verity," He replied with an insecure tone to his usual stern voice. Now that he thought about it, he wondered why did he even use his surname as his in-game name for Terrasphere. "And before you can ask, my surname is the same as the name I used in the game." He sheepishly chuckled, still embarrassed at how similar he made his character into his real-life identity. "Well, why don't we go inside and have a drink? It is cold outside today, so we might as well warm up. I already reserved seats for both of us."

 

So his name just happened to match as well? She couldn't help wondering if it was premeditated or a fluke, and his chuckle didn't seem to sway either way on the matter, leaving little context for the choice. Then again, how had she chosen her name? Sure, she'd been using 'Solaria' for at least half a dozen years- but did she even remember why she chose it?

Letting out a timid laugh of her own, she held a hand out in hopes of a proper handshake. Should he take it, she would grip a bit firmly despite her slender hands. Whether he did or not, she'd still smile all the same. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Armand Verity. I will call you whatever feels right to you...But I request you call me Kelly, okay?"

At ease, she adjusted herself to follow him inside, a bit surprised by his words. "A reservation at a coffee shop? I've never known a need for such a thing, unless you're sitting at a table and holding a seat for someone...But it's just the two of us, so that wouldn't quite work, would it?"

Her inner dialogue was unintentionally being spilled into the air as she kept near to him and joining him inside. A warmer welcome than the subway itself, there was a gentle air to the place. Gentleness made it easier to try to start conversation, or so she always felt. A mild conversation in a gentle environment with a gentleman- it seemed like a good plan, didn't it?

"So... Have you lived in New York a long time?"

 

"Alright. But just call me Armand. It might be easier if we use our first names." Considering that she was not one of his university students, it was best if they call each other casually. Besides, he had some free time this weekend, so it would be criminal if he spent it all day doing his preparations for his lectures. "I actually don't want to lose the best seat in there, so just reserving it might be a good way to avoid others taking our table."

Much to his relief, the customer actually asked the employee to reserve his seat, which he saw a reservation sign on his table as he sat down in front of Kelly. On their right was the sight of people running about the streets in and out of the subway. It might be the weekends, but he was aware of how many people going to their jobs just to get their pay for their family and their daily needs.

However, that was not going to be their main topic as he heard Kelly's question about himself. "Almost all of my life. I did live in France before, but only when I was very young. I left there for New York when I was 4-years-old. I didn't remember much, but my father did say my days there were somehow rough in terms of our living space there."

@Solaria

 

It would take some getting used to, but she was more than happy to call a friend by their proper name. It was a bit foreign to her, however- so, she prayed as she said it that she was pronouncing it right when she mimicked his own use of it.

"Armand it is, then." She seemed a bit less nervous to herself, her smile slightly more reminiscent of the one she often showed online. To her own surprise, it had taken only one time saying his name to feel more at ease with it. Normally, it would likely take more than that, in her mind.

Considering there was actually a sign at the table the man seemed to have wanted, she opted to merely sit across from him, repeating his name in her head so she wouldn't blurt out his surname once more. As he described the time from many years past, she found it easier to understand where 'Armand' came from. What made his youth rough, however, was clear to remain a mystery.

Still, it wasn't hard to imagine just the move must've been tough on such a young boy. It only made her wonder a bit more about his life. "I see...Have you been out of New York since you arrived? Or have you been back to France since then? I've never been out of the country myself, so even if it was only when you were small, I'm a bit jealous. But...At least I get out of Massachusetts from time to time. I'm still not quite adjusted to living away from home, even, but it's nice to have the freedom to meet friends more readily...Like meeting you here today."

 

Honestly, his childhood in France wasn't rough because of bullies and such, but rather that he was almost in some accidents in his household a lot before he turned 4. He was grateful that his parents helped him out and taught him to be cautious of everything that might potentially be dangerous. It did help for him during his high-school days and his sessions inside Terrasphere.

"Well, I did come back in France during my senior years to tag along with my father's convention in Paris." He didn't regret tagging along there as well because it helped him with learning the French language even more for his job as a linguist. "Other than that, I didn't go to any other countries since then."

Then as Kelly mentioned her life in Massachusetts, he was a little guilty about her and not able to visit other countries along with her struggles to adapt living away from her home. Although, he was relieved that she was optimistic just by wishing friends she could meet and it's not just inside the game. "Well, before we can get any further, what do you want to drink? It is in the house just for today."

@Solaria

 

She listened to him with a gentle expression, eyes focused on his face to the point she almost felt as if she was staring, even though it was only natural to keep eye contact during a conversation. His words resonated in her mind, the slight difference in his voice compared to the computer-generated mimicry mostly impossible for her to notice. To her, it was like she was still in the game...Only as her real self, perhaps.

"It's nice you were able to go back and see it when you got older, so you can have more memories there. Are there any other countries you'd want to go to someday? I've been partial to the idea of seeing Japan in person since I was small." It was an awkward truth, she told herself. Her slight obsession had come from her first friend outside the one she usually played with from the real world, a friend in a game she played as a preteen. Her first love had been fairly astute in English, and had helped her come to love a few various things from Japan- including inspiring her to train in kendo in real life.

As the man noted she should get a drink and it would be on the house, she waved one of her hands, slightly less feminine compared to that in the game due to callouses and dryness. The hand was waved gently in front of her face, a giggle leaving her lips. "It's alright, I don't mind paying for myself. It's rude to make someone pay when I'm capable, isn't it? You should save such actions for a date. They'll surely appreciate it."

Stretching her legs to stand and get ready to go to the counter, she adjusted her dress that had ridden up slightly when she sat, a light rose on her otherwise average face. She remembered that, a few times, there were moments in the game where people had teased them, claiming they looked to be a couple. That fact made it just that much more important to her not to make this seem like a date- unless it was? No, he would've said so. One of them would, at least, if it was, right?

"I'll be back shortly. Save my seat, okay?" With swift steps, she fled to the counter to get herself something to drink. So much for my impulses being under control...

 

He had to agree with what Kelly said. He has little memory of what his childhood life in France looks like, but he did have some wonderful memories during his brief time there. Heck, he even visited his old childhood home, which their family friends occupied it as of that day. He was even grateful that his old bedroom was kept the same like before with their children also occupying it, which was enough to make him smile that it was now used by another generation. In a sense, he cherished most of his experiences there, one of the memories that actually made him break his cautious persona to smile at what he saw.

"To be honest, I'm not actually planning to visit other countries. But if I want to, I do want to visit the United Kingdom because of their libraries there and the history of its foundation." Well, the real reason he has no plans was his work schedule. Though, if there is a chance of a faculty retreat being in another country like the UK, he would try to jump at that chance.

But once she mentioned 'date', Armand quickly blushed red as he widened his eyes. Sure, he was invited by Kelly, but this can't be possibly a date. He even wondered if the other customers here think of them as a couple. Just thinking about it was just a little embarrassing considering she was just an online friend of his.

Before he can reply, he witnessed her standing up after she declared to get a drink by herself. "A-Alright..." Once she left her seat, he looked at her with slight worry, feeling that she has something within her that made him felt this way. But what?

@Solaria

 

His words about where he'd want to go intrigued her- she didn't know much about the lay of the land abroad, especially in the United Kingdom. What she did know was that his interest being particularly in it's history and the knowledge hidden in the books that would line the library shelves. He had no plans to visit, but clearly, he'd taken great care in thinking of where he'd go if he did leave the country again.

"Libraries are always a good place to visit, whether you go to another state or another country. Or at least, I'd assume they are. You'll have to tell me about some of the history sometime."

It would likely surprise others that she was curious about such a thing, especially those that knew her. In school, since her youth, history had never been her favorite of classes. That had always been odd to her, considering her constant thirst for knowledge throughout her life. But Armand's interest had raised a slight flag of interest in her head.

If someone was actually enjoying talking about it, maybe she'd enjoy learning it for a change.

Though she felt fairly at ease ordering her drink- which, despite being a coffee shop over all, wasn't related at all to coffee- Kelly returned to the table fairly quickly, having spent less than she had on the fare to get there and having a warm cup of fruity tea between her hands. Sitting across from the man once more, she smiled and sipped her drink, letting the heat flowing from the steam tickle her nose as she felt the liquid run down the back of her throat.

Having not looked at him when she sat down, she peeked up to notice a slight change in his complexion. She hadn't quite noticed how red he'd gotten when she left, but now it was fairly obvious. Half of her- the one that was studying so hard to become a nurse, and focused quite strictly on it- wanted to ask if he was too warm, and to check him for a fever. However, he'd been fine moments ago...

Did I do something weird before...?

"You okay? You're a bit red there." Of course it was in her impulses to just blurt out her curiosity and smile like an idiot. Even as she berated herself inside, she smiled through the frustration...and quickly changed the topic. "Now that I think about it, I never asked what you do, did I?" Finally, something normal! Good going, self!

 

Well, if he has some time, he might able to tell her about the United Kingdom's history. Though being a history professor, he has to study the history of the United States such as its founding and the wars that occurred around the world. Still, he can't complain about all of these rough ways to go through his job. He didn't get his doctorate in a day after all and he didn't want to disappoint his parents to his decision.

As for his condition, he was feeling a little strange. He was just thinking about Kelly, though he also seemed to think of her as @Solaria. He only joined her a few times now and despite how he was cautious to her like everybody else, he suddenly felt the barrier between him and her was slowly crumbling. Though he was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when Kelly asked about what he did in real life.

"O-Oh... I'm alright. Don't worry about it." Though he was still a little flustered that he was in a trance for a moment there. "Well, I'm actually a history professor with linguist being my secondary job." He would try to keep it a secret, but with what she showed to him offline and online, he might as well answer truthfully.

 

He seemed a bit different, even though he looked and felt (internally, to her) the same. It was mostly intuition telling Kelly that something was a bit off, but that alarm bell was easily ignored- after all, she trusted Verity- or Armand, in this case- to be blunt with her. He'd always been fairly quick to tell people if he didn't trust them, right? So probably he'd do the same about other issues, too.

"That does explain a lot- and I can really see you being a linguist. You've always been pretty good with words... At least, from what I've seen." Her lips were in a gentle smile, one far less familiar to her other self despite meaning the same thing as her smiles often did. She was excited, intrigued, and all around a happy girl. "That's pretty impressive for someone so young though, having two heavy-duty jobs. How have you found time for games at all? I got pretty lucky, didn't I?"

Sipping her tea, she mulled over what to say. She had already told him about her life, hadn't she? Actually...Did she? She couldn't quite remember what she blurted out in the game world about her real life. Well, either way, this was a special occasion. Repetition wasn't the end of the world when they were getting to know one another properly, was it?

"I'm still a student myself... I attend nursing school in Amherst, to the chagrin of my father. I've actually come to New York a few times now with classmates and friends to study and tour clinics. I'll be honest, despite being interested, I've never been good with history...But I've always enjoyed talking to people who do enjoy it, because it makes it far more interesting than in the classroom, or at least, it always has been that way for me. What got you interested in history- enough to become a professor at that? It's a pretty big deal, after all. It's a job definitely not for everyone, don't you think? But you seem happy in it, or I think you do...I hope you are?"

 

Considering how he just used Latin incantations instead of his home country's language, he had to admit on his skills as a linguist. Though he didn't say he was an expert on them. Besides, he only has some limited knowledge of the languages he did know other than French and English. "To be honest, I didn't play any kind of video games when I was a child and teen. Every day, I was very focused on my studies to get into my dream college, so I don't have the time to play games. So you could say that Terrasphere is my first and only game I'm currently playing right now. Although, I do have to set some time limits so I can balance my work schedule."

Originally, he has some troubles about it due to several events that caused him to be stuck in the game for a little while, namely the Azog event. But after his personality changes, he somehow able to balance his schedules very easily while taking the time to the game for a while. Sure, he was aware of the saying, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy', but this was a little too much for him to be changed by an in-game potion.

As for Kelly, he was surprised to hear that she was a nursing student. He was a little worried regarding her father, but at least she was able to follow her own goals outside of her family occupation that she mentioned before. "You could thank my father for that. He was also a history professor and he taught me some of them such as the Roman Empire and the history of the Founding Fathers during my middle school days. Just hearing them was enough for me to research more about them as a professor and hopefully share what I found. So you could say I've become a professor just to learn more about the past and the effects of the present."

Right after he explained all of this, he decided to excuse himself as he got out from his seat and head towards the counter to get his drink. Besides, it would be awkward if Kelly was the only one with a cup of tea in her hands. But after a few minutes of obtaining his tea, he unknowingly bumped into a punk-looking man before he went back to his table with a cup of tea in hand. "What about you, Kelly? Why do you want to take nursing courses?"

@Solaria