(INV)GHOST SCOUTING Grp 1

It was several hours later when the duo of Felis women reached the forest that they had agreed to explore back in the bar. The weather was clear and sunny, and almost uncomfortably bright for Dempsey, even considering the thick canopy over head. The sun splashed scene the pair had been guided to was as idyllic and picturesque as anything Dempsey had seen so far in Terraspehere, A crystal clear pool surrounded on all sides by trees and flowers of any color one could imagine, with a high and narrow waterfall spilling dozens of feet from a rocky outcropping above. She realized that she'd been here before, and seen this view about a week ago, but from the vantage of the top of the cliff that overlooked this serene locale.

She had also not noticed the two buildings off in the distance. A sort of tower flanked by what she assigned in her mind as a chapel of some sort, though in all fairness the building could serve any purpose whatsoever. Dempsey remained as silent as she was capable of with her less than skillful companion in tow. She'd attempted to give a crash course on moving silently through the woods on the way here, but it was apparent that either due to game mechanics or the player herself, her brief introductory lesson was completely wasted on Amane. That didn't stop her form taking advantage of the trip here, pausing several times to chitchat about the skill, be maybe a little too 'hands-on' while offering her instruction.

They were here now, and the very small voice in her mind who only spoke in practical terms thought that maybe bringing a newbie along on such a potentially dangerous journey was maybe a mistake. 'to hell with that' she whispered to herself, as she brought up her palm menu and sent Amane a text;

Dempsey Fabijain

"Let's use these text messages to talk from here on out. I have the feeling that there's something besides kidnapped children waiting for us here, and it could be dangerous. Stay Close, and try to remember what I taught you earlier."

She sent a message with a tap of her finger and a meaningful glance at Amane, aware that she had a secondary obligation of keeping the woman safe, as she'd promised originally. It would be a terrible first impression if dempsey let her get killed on their first trip into the field.

Thrown die:

72

@Amane Hirota

 

The world of Terrasphere never ceased to amaze her; from the idyllic coast that she had first spawned at when she logged into the game, her first sensation the spray of waves as they crashed against the shore, clean and clear of trash in a way that beaches in real life could never hope to achieve — to the lush, rolling fields that bordered Stokbon, the air light with freshness that Amane had never experienced before, used to the more polluted air in the thick of China's cities. But those sites, beautiful as they were, nevertheless only seemed like an idealised version of reality: they could easily be places in the real world, prettied up with photoshop and a skilled photographer. But this refuge of wildlife, beyond the Adecus Forest and deep within the boundaries of Elven territory, felt like a glimpse into the utterly fantastical.

Trees of every height surrounded Dempsey and her, their leaves stained in vibrant shades of green, red, even purples and pinks. The rock walls of the ravine towered far above their two avatars, water tumbling down its sides into what was easily the main attraction of the entire zone: a crystal pool, green with algae, glistening like foil in the gossamer strands of summer sunlight. Amane suddenly felt the urge to speak, to blurt praises in tribute of such an awing sight, but her equal desire not to shatter the serenity of the atmosphere with something as human as her voice held her back.

Mindful of Dempsey's quick lessons on the way here, Amane slowly made her way along the rocks, keeping out of sight as far as possible, always putting a bush between her and the inside of the ravine, from which the felis could see a couple of buildings situated. Each was made of white stone, their architecture delicate and aesthetic. If Amane was ever asked, this would be exactly what she would imagine an elven colony to look like. Which meant, of course, that she and Dempsey had found the right place.

Seeing a notification blink at her from the periphery of her vision, Amane swipped it open, pausing to read it through its contents. Smiling, she quickly typed in one of her own:

Amane Hirota

Good idea, there's no way a reward so rare that we haven't even seen it before will be awarded for something as simple as fetching kids. Think we'll have to fight an elf if we mess up?

So, how do you want to do this?

Sending it, she creeped back to Dempsey, wincing every time her kimono brushed against the surrounding verdure, or when her geta cracked branches that she stepped on. Her armour type definitely wasn't built for sneaking, though on the upside she certainly blended in well with the colourful foliage.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

Thrown die:

48

 

Dempsey paused for a momen, waiting for Amane to reply. As the icon that signified an incoming text message appeared on her HUD, she reached out and tapped it. After pausing to read her friends message, she spread the fingers of both hands wide and bumped her hands toward and then away from her, completing the gesture that would invoke the in-game keyboard to tap out an answer on the translucent and sleek keyboard that appeared superimposed upon her view.

Dempsey Fabijain

"I't shovel-in-the-face obvious that our ultimate destination are those two buildings, but I want to make extra sure there's no surprises waiting for us. Let's scout around them first, then have a peek in a few windows to see what we're getting ourselves into before we proceed. The worst mistakes I've seen players make so far is assuming that things adhere to what most gamer's think of as 'video game logic' in Terrasphere. Those buildings could very well be a red herring, meant to distract us. "

She dismissed the keyboard with a flick of her fingers, hopeful that her words of caution had the desired effect as she crept forward, her path following a wide semicircle that would keep the two well away from the alluring pool and fountain for fear of what may be waiting for them beneath the surface. Several times she paused to stop, look, and listen to their surroundings, and also to glance back at her companion to make sure she was keeping up and also safe and sound until finally they had reached the half-way mark of their journey. Now several meters behind the two beautiful but poorly maintained buildings.

She turned to Amane, and decided to communicate directly with slowly and exaggeratedly mouthed words and gestures, asking 'Do you see anything?' and punctuated her unspoken words by pointing a finger at Amane, then two fingers at her own eyes, and finally a sweeping gesture pointed at their surroundings. After this she smiled, enamored by the sight of the woman putting forth her best efforts, despite the fact that she was clearly out of her element in such a setting. She was more and more convinced as things progressed that she had chosen her companion and future right-hand well. She Quickly snapped off another message of encouragement;

Dempsey Fabijain

"Doing Great, keep it up :D ;) "

Thrown die:

60

@Amane Hirota

 

Amane paused to read the new message, nodding as she went. Dempsey really did come up with incredible ideas. Amane had yet to figure out if her prowess was based on prior gaming experience, or her natural intelligence; but to be honest, she was starting to suspect that it was both. The felis began turning in the direction of the buildings, inching forwards along the rocky bank of the pool cautiously, her attention elsewhere as she typed out a reply.

Amane Hirota

That sounds great. :) Do you want to split up, each one of us picking a building to observe? Or to stick together, in case we get discovered or ambushed?

Closing the window, she tried to match pace with Dempsey as much as possible, though her shoes weren't made for terrain such as these. After tripping over another hidden root for the umpteenth time, Amane was starting to wonder if picking a kimono skin was as good an idea as she'd first thought. They were formal wear, and though she looked absolutely stunning casting spells in it, when it came to practical applications they seem to fall short. Sighing in exasperation, she halted, taking off her geta and tying them to her obi with the obi string, choosing to walk barefooted instead. Now unencumbered, she hurried to catch up with the seasoned player, opening the chat to fire off a quick message as she went.

Amane Hirota

As long as I'm wearing them somewhere on my person, do these shoes still count as being equipped?

Amane figured it was a legitimate question. Though the shoes were a pain, she would bear with them if the alternative was to go without one fifth of her gear. This particular set was quite new, and was bought with the sole purpose of damage reduction, so she wasn't going to be taking them off if she could help it.

As she reached Dempsey's side, Amane noticed the other player miming rather exaggerated gestures at her. Figuring out their meaning, she gazed at the buildings, looking for a window to peek inside. Though most of them were higher up, on a second story at least, one of the buildings — the one with an elaborate spire — had a couple on the first floor. Making her way towards it, she tried to peer through the tinted, patterned glass, making out some dark shapes behind it, the blurred figures shifting slightly in motion. 'There are people inside,' she mouthed to Dempsey, taking time to overemphasise each word, deciding that sending a text now would not only be too much trouble, but could waste precious time. 'Could they be the elves in the quest briefing?' Though she couldn't see clearly, at a second look the figures didn't look particularly tall, though they could have just as easily been sitting down. 'They...could also be the missing children,' she continued, this time with a touch of unsurety.

What about you? She gestured afterwards, using the same one that Dempsey had previously, pointing at her eyes before waving at the buildings. Seeing a notification pop up in her HUD, she opened it, snapping Dempsey an embarrassed, yet nonetheless pleased smile once she'd read its contents. 'Thanks to you,' she mouthed in reply.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

Thrown die:

47

 

Dempsey looked back and paused, waiting for Amane to catch up before answering or replying to any of her remarks or questions. Also not bothering to try to phantomine an entire conversation, she opened the instant messenger window once again and started typing.

Dempsey Fabijain

"I have no idea about the shoes thing. Check your status page and compare on/off stats? I honestly don't know, just be careful you don't hurt your feet. If you want me to carry you home, you can just ask ;)"

Amane continued before Dempsey could press send. She would pause in her typing to look over the buildings Amane had mentioned; her attention was focused outward, toward any outside threat such as an ambush poised to spring on the two as soon as they had entered either the buildings.Were that the case, the two would have been trapped and in dire straits before they had even the slightest idea that anything was amiss. She scanned the surroundings once more before continuing with her message;

"I'm glad you were paying attention to those windows. Knowing there's someone in there saves us the risk of getting closer to check. I want to finish checking the perimeter though. If anything happens and we get split up, we'll meet back up at that one weird rock formation we stopped at to take a breather on the way here."

Dempsey snapped off her message, then gave her friend a moment to read and a moment longer in case she was in need of a moments respite, until finally they continued forward toward ther goal of circumnavigating the mysterious buildings unnoticed.

Thrown die:

94

 

Amane read the message the other had sent her, a soft smile breaking at the edge of her lips at Dempsey's offer to carry her on the way back. Checking her status would be prudent, but she didn't want to make Dempsey wait as she fiddled with the player menu, not when she was already such a liability on this quest — not just because of her new(er) player status, but also due to how her masteries, useful in a fight as they were, didn't offer much in the way of sneaking around.

Amane Hirota

You would do that for me? I'm honoured~~ I'll hold you to that ;)

She paused in her typing, casting a look around at the trees surrounding them, suddenly feeling the chilled goosebumps of being secretly spied on, now that Dempsey mentioned the possibility of something lurking in the perimeter. Shaking her head, Amane dragged her focus away from the forest, resuming her typing as quickly as possible, not wanting to be caught off guard on the off chance an ambushed actually commenced.

Sure thing, I hope you don't mind me following you? I'll feel safer that way, with us guarding each others' backs.

Sending it, Amane closed the chat window, checking her stats briefly before shutting her menu. The foliage behind the two buildings was surprisingly thick, and after a short interlude — for which Amane was grateful for, her sore feet having made their complaints known eloquently earlier on — the two of them ventured deeper within. Brushing aside hanging branches as she scrambled after Dempsey, her every footfall a firecracker when compared to the Rogue's silent glide across the litter fall of leaves, Amane peered at the branches overhead, silently cursing the shadows casted that concealed the two players' presences, but served simultaneously as hidden recesses for possible enemies to hide.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain , @Asch

Thrown die:

97

 

Dempsey crouched, and brought Amane down with a strong hand. She didn't like being forceful with the girl, but she couldn't risk being discovered. This elf was clearly a solider, and would likely not be alone. On top of that, an act of aggression here, even in self defense, could spark an all out war between the humans and elves. It's unfortunate that the pair were unable to gather any more useful information, but this was not the time for heroics, especially with her inexperienced partner in tow.

she urgently gestured down the path they had originally came from, intending to let Amane take the lead in case the warrior took note of the par and she was forced to dispatch him. she whispered urgently "We need to go, NOW. It's unfortunate that we're not going to be able to complete the mission, but just returning with the information that the elves are active this close to Stokbon is worth reporting back with. That might just be a scout, but scouts don't scout unless there's an army behind them to scout for. This trip is over."

She looked toward Amane to make sure she'd gotten her point across. One lone solider was one thing, but there could be dozens, even hundreds just a short distance away.

@Amane Hirota

 

"But Demps—" Amane whispered back, gesturing towards the lone guard. "He's alone and distracted? I'm sure you could take him out easily, or we could even wait for him to leave. I don't think an opportunity like this will ever come again; it's rare enough that a camp is left empty and unguarded, and we still have the missing people to find. Unless we plan on abandoning them?" The idea didn't sit right with Amane. If they had no other option, then she would understand having to ditch their mission. But this here seemed like a prime chance to complete their task with little to no bloodshed, and to save those people on top of it. "He doesn't seem much like a scout, more like an inexperienced soldier coming back for a water break. Besides, to them, the both of us are felis. The elves may not connect us with the Falderen monarchy."

Despite her protests, she let herself be led back on their previous path, though her steps were slow and weighed with hesitation. It might be the smarter option to return with the information they had — surely the news that a whole camp of Yladians were this close to the border was good enough to return with. With this, they could save Falderen from a possible invasion, or at least prepare them. But in spite of Dempsey's logic, well, Amane came to Terrasphere to make a difference — mostly for herself, but that often came hand in hand with doing so for others. Casting a glance back at the still visible camp, she made a last ditch attempt to convince Dempsey to stay. If not, she supposed she'll be fine with leaving. "Remember the reputation? We may not get the full reward if we leave now."

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey continued leading the protesting woman away from the clearing until it was reasonably safe to have a spoken conversation. She was slightly exasperated with the other woman. She was aware of the potential consequences, but had little interest in committing to a reputation grind this early in the games lifespan. They were drull and tedious things, and would likely be rendered irrelevant with the first major content patch. On the other hand, protecting her new partner took priority here and now.

"Amane, the quest said scout, and we scouted. The idea of taking that guy back to the capital as a prisoner did cross my mind, but I'm the one who drug you out here with me, and that makes me responsible for your safety first and foremost. If an all out war breaks out, which it will, we'll both have plenty of opportunities to profit, but you especially need to train up more first. Remember, we were just headed out to bash on slimes and hoppers before we took this quest. "

She looked up to the slightly taller woman with pleading eyes, hoping that her arguments would sway her. After a moment, she startled and released Amane's hand, not realizing that she'd been holding it folded gently between both of her palms as she spoke. She continued in earnest.

"If you Insist... I'll go back and deal with that elf alone. I just want to get you home safely right now. I don't want you getting hurt and have to feel like I failed to keep the first promise I ever made to you."

@Amane Hirota

 

"...You're right," Amane finally admitted, not quite able to meet Dempsey's own imploring gaze. "I'm probably way under-levelled for this, and I don't want to bring you down." Don't get her wrong, she still very much wanted to try and save the abducted people, if possible, but Dempsey had a point about her own limits. She knew the veteran player would try her best to protect her, which meant that, if they went back and anything happened, likely the fault would rest on her head. If she rushed into a situation that she couldn't handle, and Dempsey paid the price when fixing her mistakes...No, that wasn't something she would want to risk. Again, Amane reminded herself that those missing people were likely NPCs. They, on the other hand, were players — and when phrased like that, it was obvious whose safety she should be prioritising.

As warmth left her hands, Amane looked down, surprised to see Dempsey unclasp her hands from hers. She hadn't even realised that Dempsey had reached out to grab her as they tried to persuade the other to their point of view. A surge of shame welled up within Amane; Dempsey had to have been legitimately worried for her safety. She still thought that going back was the right thing to do, but...well, it wasn't worth it if it risked their deaths. The last time she died...it hadn't been pretty. A lot of players had perished that day. Briefly, Amane wondered if Dempsey had been there, fighting, and if she too had died. In the chaos of the battle, she couldn't quite remember if she'd caught a glimpse of Demps, though as a veteran player, she had probably been right in the thick of it. Regardless, even if death wasn't permanent in this world, she couldn't bare to have it on her conscience, if they went back into the camp and got killed.

"...Very well," Amane reluctantly conceded. "If we rush back, perhaps the Falderans can organise a party in time to investigate the camp. Or post another quest for players. But don't go back by yourself," she added. "Logically, you might be far less likely to get caught, but well, as you said we've completed the parts of the quest that matter. Everything else is not worth risking your life for."

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

She sighed reluctantly before explaining her logic, knowing that such condescending words stood a good chance of damaging Amane's opinion of her further. "Look, You need to understand that I don't take chances on if's and maybe's, and I don't do the whole "death or glory" thing. Someone else can pick up where we left off and get themselves killed so they can tell everyone about how heroic they were that one time. I'm not the hero. I'm not the one all the songs are about, and I'm not the one everyone waves and cheers for."

Dempsey took a step back and evaluated Amane closely; hopeful that her words inspired more understanding than discouragement. She was willing to put a sizable dent in the girls opinion of her if that meant she could get them both back to civilization safely, and discuss what happens next over drinks and a tray of snacks. If she'd come alone, she could take her time with the lone solider. She could even possibly thin out the guards in the two buildings they'd made a wide circle around enough to effect a mad dash for safety style rescue for the hostages potentially inside. The cold, hard logic of the situation was just too messy, with too many variables and chances involved for her to be willing to do anything besides retreat while they still knew they were undetected and had a clear path to safety ahead of them.

"I get that you see this as a missed opportunity, but I see that we did what we came here to do, and things are going to keep getting more and more dangerous the longer we hang around. That camp was too big for one lone scout, and I'm actually still worried that there are more elves out there, and that the longer we linger here, the more likely it is that we're seen. If that happens, you're really going to wish you'd brought better shoes because we'll probably have to either fight, or run the whole way back to the capitol."

The silence of the forest around them that had seemed so placid and inviting earlier had taken on a much more tense and oppressive tone as Dempsey explained the gravity of the situation to her companion. suddenly the shadows seemed to have eyes, and the song of the leaves had darkened to some sort of conspiratorial whisper. Once again Dempsey urged that the two of them make haste, already concerned with the possibility that they had been discovered somehow.

@Amane Hirota

 

She waited for Dempsey to finish, staring aimlessly off into the distance as she processed the other woman's speech. "That's fair enough," Amane said when Demps concluded. "You don't have to explain yourself to me — I've never mistook you for the death or glory type. If you don't want to enter the camp because it'll compromise either of our safeties," and here she tried to shoot Dempsey a buoyant grin, both in hopes of lightening the atmosphere, and improving the other player's mood. "That's quite virtuous of you. Nothing's worth getting yourself killed, least of all bragging rights. I don't think any less of you for prioritising others' wellbeing, or for wanting to honour your promises." Amane didn't say that she on the other hand, did have a rather bad tendency to jump into thrilling situations and misjudging the risks. If Dempsey hadn't figured that out by now, she would soon enough. But this quest was originally Dempsey's gig: she had been planning on helping Amane grind on some low levelled mobs, for some quick MP gain. So if anyone should be calling the shots, the mage recognised that it should be the Dempsey. "Nothing wrong with not wanting to be a hero," she finished.

So it seemed like they would be returning to investigate that camp after all. Amane was a little upset about it, but not enough to rekindle their argument. And she did agree with most of what Dempsey had said — they've succeeded in the quest so far, no need to push their luck. Furthermore, they couldn't have been the only team that accepted this mission; a more prepared group could very well be rescuing the abducted at this moment, and potentially doing a better job.

As Dempsey concluded with a warning, she casted furtive glances around, suddenly feeling the press of phantom, invisible eyes, slight goosebumps breaking in their illusory wake. The flora around them was as beautiful as ever, but suddenly it seemed a lot less vibrant, less welcoming, as if the tense mood that had settled around the two players from their dispute had diffused and tainted the rest of their surroundings as well. "Then we should leave," Amane said in reply. "Because running would be a pain." She had been one hundred percent down with ambushing the lone Yladian soldier in the camp. But being ambushed? If the elves came in a party larger than two, she was under no delusions that they'll escape completely unscathed. Hastening her pace, her bare feet felt almost numb against the rough forest floor, the pain dampeners removing most of the sore feeling, but unfortunately along with everything else.

"Talking about honouring promises," Amane said, panting slightly, but hardly enough to stop her from giving Dempsey a cheery smile. "I don't suppose you'll be willing to fulfil that one about carrying me and my hurt feet back to the city?"

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey did a double take as Amanes words sunk in, and she shrugged. She had said that she'd do that, even If she never realistically thought she'd be taken up on the offer. On the other hand, she couldn't go back on her word especially considering that an opportunity like this wasn't going to just fall into her lap every day. She paused just long enough to fish a tiny ampule of dark green liquid for a side pocket of her pack and dumped the contents into her open mouth, then easily hoisted the girl into her arms and got on their way, almost relieved that she wouldn't have to spend the entire cringe listening to Amane stumbling through the forest trying to keep up.

She wasn't quite as mobile as she was used to, but the girl was exceptionally light, all things considered. She found that the task wasn't nearly as difficult as she'd first anticipated and partially regretted not thinking of this sooner, especially considering how nice it was feeling the attractive woman in her arms curled up against her, and looking genuinely happy to be there.

"So, I did promise to carry you, but I never said I'd do it for free. You owe me a favor now.. .or I can set you down and you can go ahead and walk if you want?"

Her voice was light and playful, but she constantly kept a wary eye on the path ahead. She'd sensed that Amane was eager to lighten the mood of the conversation, but she had meant what she'd said earlier about the two still being in very real danger.

@Amane Hirota

 

"A favour? Such a high price," Amane teased. "Maybe I should get down and walk." She hadn't expected Dempsey to actually take her up on it, but she wasn't complaining, even if being carried in such a vulnerable manner brought a slight flush to her face. It's not like this means anything, it's just a joke between two girls, she thought, trying to push both her blush and embarrassment down. And Dempsey's just being a great friend. The other player's arms were comfortable, leagues better than scrambling across loose leaves and rocks, and despite how mortifying it was being carried bridal-style when she was still perfectly capable of walking, Amane didn't regret asking, even if she had only meant it as a jest.

"Tell you what," the felis continued. "Next time you need healing for a quest or something, give me a call." She would have done it anyway, after everything that Dempsey had done for her, from agreeing to party up with a newbie, to doing her best to protect her on this quest. A favour in return was the least she could do; and truth be told, she would enjoy working with the woman again.

Dempsey must have been quite tensed throughout their journey back, because the minute they crossed the perimeter between elven territory and the Adecus Forest, the rogue noticeably relaxed, her grip no longer as tight. By the time they left even the woods behind, the silhouette of Stokbon bordering the horizon, Amane imagined that Demps' strength must have been quite strained by now. She wiggled slightly, hopping to her feet. Now that they were out of the privacy of the forest, she'll be damned if someone caught sight of her being carried about. Re-equipping her shoes, she sighed with relief when no discomfort greeted her. "Thanks a lot, for everything," Amane said, turning around to face Dempsey with an ebullient smile. "Let's go hand in that quest!"

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain, Amane exiting~