The streets were lined with cobblestone as a the rather muscular man walked along the streets. The man was in his comfort clothes, walking around without a shirt on. This was as he always walked. However, despite all of the walking his nose was dived deep into a book. If one were to see the cover they would not think much of it. However the contents of the book made a more dramatic and disgraceful impact on people. Indeed it was a book of perverted gestures. Rather it contained quite a bit of playful sexual gestures. Not even taking note of the semi-crowded streets, the man continued to walk. He was missing quite a bit of scenery as he kept reading. The people seemed to merely stare at him awkwardly, it was apparent they were all thinking the same thing. Who would read while walking? However, much to their favor he was reading. It was either that or he would be checking out some random NPC girl or adventurer much like himself. He was by far in more ways than one a pervert, and he had no care in the world. Unlike his real life, this man was older. The person that Oscar had chosen to become did not need to care about what other people thought. He could do whatever he wanted with no real world consequence. With that it made Oscar quite happy. The person with whom Oscar had chosen to become was Zaveid. A more courageous and confident person than he was in real life. As Zaveid walked he read, which might have lead into quite a few problems such as tripping over cracks in the pavement and running into poles had Zaveid not been a pro at reading while walking. Zaveid seemed to be a bit west of the center of Stokbon, where he continued to walk towards the more lively part of town. As he seemingly finished the chapter of his book, he closed it and put it into his inventory. Man, that was a good chapter. I might go look for a drink now. Zaveid's eyes narrowed as he took note of his location now that he was no longer distracted by the flavorful text he had been reading. The sun was migrating towards the way he was walking, which meant that sunset was approaching. He looked at the buildings around him, not one seemed to be a tavern. He just picked up his feet with a wide grin on his face walking farther away from the center of town and into the more 'chaotic' part of town. This was where not only more theft occurred but where contracts would be made for murders and deals would be made under tables. Despite all this, Zaveid kept walking until he made it to the nearest tavern. His own grin widened even more as he blundered past the doors ready for his first drink of the night. Drinking in the game had become quite a regular thing with Zaveid, as he was not old enough out of the game to do any of the things he could do with his character. The world of Virtual Reality was quite a world to behold. @Solaria
Stokbon hadn't changed a day in her mind, but she'd been spending far more time in Astorea than she'd expected when she first started the game. Green hair pulled into pigtails still managed to dance and tickle her hands as they moved from front to back with her legs in fluid motion. She ignored the looks she got from some of the NPCs that knew her- she'd altered her image lately, mostly to feel like she fit her role better. The rather special sword now at her side, however, called for questions as she wandered the streets. She'd gotten strong enough to take down most enemies with her blade easily, at least those that might attack her here. But why was the swordswoman who strove to protect people, player or not, wandering the darker part of the city? "It really has gotten a bit wilder here..." She mumbled. She'd actually come down this road once before. Rumors had finally died down from her most awkward moments earlier on, leaving her feeling a bit more at ease as she made her way to a different but still reputably distraught tavern. She thought to herself as she peeked around. There were only so many people in this part of the city where chaos ran rampant in the streets- so, it would take her time to find someone to keep her company, if not to just be near enough to keep the Yladian from feeling alone. Taking notice of long white hair and a muscular build, she found the coloration difference one she hadn't seen in a while. It was a stranger, but that never mattered to Solaria. She was quick to order some water- simple, alcohol-free water- and tap the man's shoulder with a curious grin. "Seems I'm not the only one enjoying a drink on my own. Mind if I join you a bit? It'd be a little less lonesome that way."
The carefree yet thunderous smile that Zaveid produced upon the cute lady sitting beside him was as a result of her request to join him. When he took note that the girl got simple water, he changed his mind about the drink he would be choosing. Rather than going with sake like he had wanted in the beginning he ordered a glass of apple juice. "Of course I would not mind, especially since you asked. Much less lonesome if you ask me, I go by Zaveid around here. What about yourself?" The girl was tall herself, only about three inches shorter than Zaveid if he were to guess. She was a thin girl, quite thin as well. Hmm, not much to see, but still. Quite cute herself. Much like her own tall figure, her ears were pointed high into the sky. An elf, ehh? Her long green hair was pulled into two ponytails on either side of her face, yet her ears remained observantly pointed. She had pink bows tied at the top of her ponytails, however Zaveid never really noticed, as he was his usual unobservant self. All he knew was she had green hair and it was out of her face, revealing her pointed ears and clear, bright eyes. Zaveid took a sip from his glass of apple juice as it was set in front of him, "What made you choose Yladian?" If one thing was for certain Zaveid was definitely blunt, and it was one of the things, however many in number, that Zaveid did not notice. For instance, he would not notice how they were in a tavern with very little lights. Nor would he notice how gruffly the bartender looked nor the people around the two. However, despite Zaveid's blunt (or rather sharp) and bossy personality he was being quite friendly towards the female next to him as he asked her numerous questions about herself. All in all, Zaveid for sure expected her to answer him, as he himself planned on answering any questions she had of him.
That the man ordered a simple juice had surely earned him brownie points- it was healthier than almost anything else one could get at a bar such as this, after all. He was friendly to say the least, though she did wonder whether he'd have let her sit there if she hadn't asked either, though only for a moment. Did it really matter? She had a place to sit and relax and enjoy her water. And, to her relief, some company to ease the boredom of the day away. "I'm Solaria," She mused with a grin in return. She made sure to take note of his name for future reference, fairly confident in her memory of the people she met in this world. As she sipped her water, she let her hand lightly tip the glass to swirl the rest for a lame form of entertainment. His questions were far more enjoyable than her hand motions- but it was a natural action, one that she wasn't going to give up so swiftly now that she'd acquired it. When asked about her race selection, she set the water glass down to user her hand to scratch the light itch of uncertainty in her neck. "Well, I usually play things like this with my friend, but she doesn't play it with me like most games. So... To feel like we're still playing together, I incorporated some of her usual parts with my own. She's always liked playing elves, so Yladian just felt like a good way to connect with her when she's not here in the game with me. Guess you could say it's sentimental value of sorts, the decision." Hell, the green hair had been part of the sentiment, along with her illumancy choice. She was forced, here, to be her own healer instead of leaving it to her oldest friend. "I'm still not fully used to the whole support role, but I have to say, I've begun to enjoy being able to heal wounds as much as I cause them with my blade." Her words were said with a nervous giggle as she took another swig of water and snuck a sideways glance to the man once more. "What about you, Zaveid? How'd you choose your build for this world?"
So supporting role, hmm.. Zaveid himself grinned even wider as she asked a question about himself. "Well, I myself chose human. It was the most reasonable in my eyes, as they can be built any way. They have pretty normal stats, yet despite the buffs that Yladian has and the obvious sense enhancement of the Felis, I figured that with the way I plan on playing the game, Human would benefit me the most. I can always die and come back later if I want to change my race, even if NPCs would not be able to recognize me." Zaveid shifted in his seat as he took a small break from his conversation to "Now, with that being quite enough about me..." Zaveid seemed to resort to his secretive nature as he did not reveal any other detail about his choosing, quite opposite of his thoughts earlier. Secrecy was quite a trait he carried over from the real world into this one, unlike most of his other traits. For indeed, Zaveid planned on becoming someone he was not in the real world. Zaveid was done talking for the moment as he looked towards Solaria to ponder on what exactly this path brought him. A chance to make up for my uselessness in the real world.. A chance to make a name for myself, even if it is merely online.. A chance to be a new person in entirety. With his thoughts, Zaveid thought of an excellent question to ask the girl. He finished off his drink and nodded to the bartender for another. "So, do you have any goals or aspirations in this world of Terrasphere?" He was not quite certain about whether he could voice any of his aspirations that he wished to accomplish in this world that would become his own, but he certainly would not be afraid to ask her. With his newfound question he pondered over the next ones he could ask her as he waited for her to reply. "If you do not wish to voice them, then so be it. You would not be forced to speak them to me." In fact, Zaveid would not be bothered if she chose not to at all, for he indeed would not voice his own due to his own personal nature.
His words left her in a mix of shock and ire. For once, her martyr complex wasn't already obvious to someone- and yet somehow, it was activated by something as simple as mentioning death loosely. With a light groan, she made a small fit and lightly tapped the crown of his head with it. "As someone who's faced it before, let me tell you this, buddy. Death isn't to be taken lightly, whether you can revive or not. It's still pretty painful, and you still have a price to pay." Luckily, the NPCs here had gotten fairly used to adventurers talking about things they would never understand. Death, for example- the fact that these strangers could be reborn was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle they'd never know, a curse they'd never recognize. With a swift movement, she took a sip of her drink and pointed to herself. "If you want to know the cost of death, you can look at my info as an example. Inspection mode is your friend. Not everyone shares anything at all in it, but personally, I don't see a reason to hide my details. So you should see it near my health info. 'Death Affliction'. It's something anyone who revives will get, though varies from person to person. It's the price we are given by the goddess of death for being brought back. We keep our skills, and we can change our image... But we can't easily lose the scar it leaves." Letting herself calm down by gulping the rest of her water glass in one motion, she let the glass fall and decided to treat herself to something a little different. Some lemonade, she decided, mixed with some light tea. They were willing to make it for her, though the tender certainly gave her a strange look. Guess most people don't get Arnold Palmer's round here... Still, it wasn't the worst thing in the world if it was just her that got it. More for her, after all. "Ambitions in this world...? To be honest, I don't think I've thought about that." A soft laugh escaped her as she awaited her refill of fluids, eyes glancing at the man once again. "Rather than not wanting to voice them, it's more... I don't really have any. Well, I have a goal, but it's not really all that concrete..." Her drink was brought to her with a straw of some sort, which she used to idly stir the drink as a way to keep herself busy as she spoke. "When I first started, I was just wanting to try something new. I've been playing games for most of my life, and I figured it'd help me learn more about VR to do something I knew I'd enjoy. But... The more involved I got, the less this place became a 'virtual' reality, and the more it became an alternative one. It's like I'm living double lives, and perhaps that's why... My goal in our world is now one I hold here as well." She lifted her glass, but didn't drink from it. She was taking a pause, staring into the cup of amber sustenance. "My goal... Is to help everyone I can. To give anyone I can a smile and better health, to protect them from danger. I opened my shop just for that reason. I kept my illumancy when I had the option to change it even if I feel uncomfortable at times using the skills... Because with it, I can heal people. I can heal with magic, I can make medicine and supplement the health of others with alchemy, and I can defend those in need with my sword. With this, my path is carved... To protect those around me, their health, lives and smiles." Grinning towards him, she let out a giggle before taking a sip of her mixed drink. "I want to be a nurse, after all. I take pride in the fact I will one day take the Nightingale Pledge... and I vow that, no matter what it takes... I won't lose anyone dear to me ever again."
At first, Zaveid was taken aback by the girl's sudden outburst. "Well then, pretty lady. What is the price to pay? What is your death affiliation?" He was still quite obliviously unaware of any of the payments for death, due to his own unobservant nature. As the conversation seemed to lessen, the emotion seemed to increase. The atmosphere surrounding the bar, and in specifically Zaveid himself changed to one of determination and regret. The latter of the two emotions was one that Zaveid understood all too well. It was ignited by the two's talk of ambition. "Well if it might indeed help coax the emotion of the atmosphere here, I think you would make a good nurse. Besides I think Illumancy suits you." His thoughts cascaded against the last phrase Solaria had voiced out loud. "Who did you lose?" Despite his own words being blunt, Zaveid's voice was thick with comfort and understanding. He did not know what it was like to loose someone close to you, as he was raised in an orphanage. He oftentimes had people come and go. He would never be chosen and in fact, the only understanding he really had of Solaria. Was the fact that he had lost himself. He was not quite sure when it had happened, but it had. In his own real life, he had indeed lost himself. He had somehow forgotten what it was like to live. Perhaps, it had been his own imagination that caused him to think he had lost it later than he really had. Perhaps he had lost himself the moment he was left on the side of the road.. Never to have anyone who cared for him again. But, nonetheless, Zaveid knew of at least living without. He may not have cared deeply for anyone before, but he for sure knew loss like no one else. At least now, in Terrasphere he could be carefree and happy, unlike his own life. Hidden Short reply.. I've been sick recently, sorry..
She wanted to laugh as she told him her affliction. It was actually a bit silly, since it was an issue she'd already had to a degree. "Mine is that my martyr complex was enhanced. I say it that way because, well... I never really noticed I had one until I read up on it from getting it when I died. It does make a lot of sense, to be honest. I died in the tunnels under Dormont castle, in Astorea... Protecting the last of my party from one of the monsters that had already killed off the other two of our quartet. She survived is the good news, but I regret not being able to protect the others as well." With a soft smile, she leaned against the counter for a moment with her head in her hand, her elbow resting on the wood with just enough pressure. "Who I lost...?" The question wasn't about the cause of her death affliction now. It was simply about her mention of it off-hand, when she was describing her future goals. She took a hard swallow of her lemonade tea before letting out the answer. Apparently, tea of any kind helped soothe her enough to explain it in detail, little or not. "My mom died giving birth to my baby brother five years ago. She'd always been weak, and to be honest, we were surprised she lasted as long as she did. My brother blames himself for her death, and... I guess in a way, I blame myself, too. I know I was only in middle school, but I read a lot of books to help understand the body, to learn how to help her in critical times... And yet I didn't even think about how pregnancy could affect her already fragile health... And I was the one who begged for a sibling, you know?" With meek laughter, she took another large gulp. "I thank you for your words, though. Whether I'm suitable to be a nurse, I'm going to be one no matter what. I've worked hard with that goal in mind... So I can protect those close to me, and help others do the same." Letting go of the conversation point, the woman tried to think of a lighter topic. This was too depressing and downright painful at this point, particularly for a first encounter. She was used to spilling her story to anyone who would care to listen, but there was only so much even the martyr could handle. "Now, you mentioned illumancy suits me. What skills did you choose to take? Do you think they suit you, too?"
The atmosphere of the bar changed into one of a depressive-like state, as laughter echoed around them, the two's small corner of sadness seemed to be even more depressing. "Well, I am sure that your mother thought your brother to be worth it." With his comment, he left the conversation behind, not wanting to bring attention to the dark deep histories of his own past. Damn, I ought to work on this communal share thing. I do not like others knowing about who I am or what my past is. The conversation that was brought up seemed to alter Zaveid's mind-state into one of defensiveness. "I chose everything based solely on crafting, yeah I suppose it suits me." that would be the only information he would provide to Solaria, "Enough about me. Can I buy you anymore drinks?" At this time, Zaveid asked for another drink as his glass had been empty for a good five minutes. Upon receiving the gracious glass of this time, orange juice, with a few shots of vodka, (upon Zaveid's own request, yet somehow he had ordered it without Solaria realizing that he had gotten some amounts of alcohol in his drink). He took a relaxing sip, letting the cool liquid travel to his stomach, letting out a sigh of contentment.
She was glad with the conversation of her family life ending, but even more than that, she was thankful to the man for his words. "I'm always telling him that myself, actually. Frankie's a good boy. Mom's surely proud of him in heaven. And even more than her, I'm the proudest big sister there is!" Her words were spoken with a slight snicker, triumphant energy escaping with her breath. She was truly proud of her family, and no one would deny it if they knew her. Still, it wasn't all that mattered in life- even if it was important, in her mind. And considering Zaveid had pushed a change, she wasn't going to complain as the topic moved to something else. Well, besides the push to order her something more. "I'm alright, I can handle my own fluids. I mostly come places like this for the people, you know? Well, the drinks are important too, we have thirst meters for a reason. Still... Don't you think there should be a meter for how happy we are? I always feel happiest seeing people at ease. Though preferably not from being drunk out of their minds." With a small glance, she noticed some drunks in a corner that were laughing louder than mostly anyone else. She shook her head with a smile, opting not to lecture them like she normally would. "I suppose I know who my next patients might be, coming here, too. After all, it's kind of part of my job to help heal hangovers. Hangovers, pneumonia, whatever comes up, really. Helping people is fun to me, so I guess I should be happy in a way, right? Yet somehow, I'd rather have less patients than more... It's an interesting riddle, right there."
