WQ - Unwilling Immigrants

Hey Autumn! Whatcha looking at?

Lycia very rarely visited the bazaar of the city. Mostly, she didn’t feel like she had a reason to, but other than that, it was always crowded. There were people and smells everywhere. It was pretty overwhelming for her, with her keen sense of smell and hearing. Even now, speaking with her friend, her ears were plastered to her head and a watery smile was plastered on her face.

The quicker she got Autumn out of this area, the better. But, she wasn’t going to rush the older female, especially if she was looking at something cool that she wanted to buy.

Lilac eyes glanced around them as the many people that wandered up and down the street, peering at stalls and haggling with shop owners. Lycia licked her lips and curled her tail around her waist, the end of it held securely in one hand. She had had her tail accidentally stepped on before. She didn’t want it to happen again.

I was wondering if you wanted to help me with something! It shouldn’t take too much time. Maybe just the afternoon.

The young Felis girl moved a little closer to the older girl after another patron stood beside them, looking at wares and considering prices. Lycia was normally a very outgoing individual and loved making friends with others, but so many strangers in such a confined space only make her anxious. It made her nervous and want to run away from this place. She tried to quell the feeling, but it was difficult.

It’s just, uhm, helping some people get settled into some new homes. I don’t know if you were around during the World Boss, but it was bad for a lot of the NPCs. They got displaced. But this village has been cleaned up so they can move back and I was going to go help them and wanted to know if you wanted to help as well?

She offered another smile at her friend, one ear perking up slightly.
​

@Autumn

 

"Gwthu?" Autumn glanced up, a roll of bread stuffed into her mouth as the sound of Lycia's voice cut into her little snack time. She'd caught herself eating a lot more in the game, trying to find out what tasted the same as real world food and what tasted different. And why those foods tasted different too. She was an inquisitive soul, always seeking out answers to what were sometimes the most benign questions in the world.

Oh, right! She blushed, swallowing hastily, before she looked over her friend once more. Gosh, Lycia was so adorable with those kitty ears! They made her want to pet them so much, sometimes! "I was just having a snack." She explained, before Lycia detailed that little thing that she wanted to do. Or at least, she explained that she wanted a hand with something and Milah seemed to be missing, at least for today.

"Sure, I'll help out." She smiled, before she noticed that Lycia seemed a little more on edge and nervous than usual, slowly piecing together that huge crowds and busy places like the market were kind of a sensory overload for the girl. She smiled, wrapping an arm around Lycia's shoulders to lead her away, to somewhere that they could talk in a more quiet setting.

Once there, she listened to Lycia as the girl detailed the plights of the villagers that she was helping. Internally, she knew that it was pointless to care about the NPC's of this world, they were just 1's and 0's after all. But it was hard not to when they were so realistic and when Lycia cared so much.

"Yeah, sure I'll help out. I've got no business here, so let's help them." She smiled, ruffling Lycia's hair gently, using the opportunity to steal a quick scratch at those cat ears. "Lead the way, Lycia."

 

If there was one thing that Lycia didn’t do enough, it was eat. It wasn’t that she was picky, far from it. The young girl just found herself lacking an appetite most days. Be it virtual food from TerraSphere or homecooked meals from her Grandmother, she would nibble and push food around on her plate, but, ultimately, less than half would be finished.

She wished she had an appetite like Coraline—er, Autumn—did.

Her tail gave a small flicker back and forth from the head scratch, a deep rumbling noise vibrating her throat. Eyes wide, she covered her mouth with her hands, a tiny giggle slipping through her fingers.

I didn’t even know I could purr, she whispered excitedly. Her brows furrowed and she attempted to make the noise again, but she couldn’t figure out what muscle it was that she moved and so, in the end, she stood there with her hands fisted at her sides and her gaze burrowing into the earth and not a single purr rumbling from her chest.

Oh. Maybe I can’t? I dunno. She shrugged her lean shoulders before turning her smiling face up towards Autumn. She was glad to be able to do a quest with her older friend. Lycia understood, logically, their difference in age and therefore a difference in opinions and desires and the like, but, emotionally, she figured they were on the say playing field and liked the same thing…such as helping NPCs with their various problems.

The place where we are going is a tent city, she said as she turned and began to walk down the road, the late spring breeze carrying with it the scent of flowers and warm bread. Funny, since they wee walking away from Vinterguard. It shouldn’t be too far from here, actually. Maybe two miles or so? But, uhm, well, you know about that big Titanius thing, right? The world boss? He messed up a lot of stuff.

And so, as they walked, Lycia began to explain in great animation and detail, everything she had come to know about Titanius, the Ancient Dissonance, the fight against him, her and Milah’s ultimate sacrifice for the NPCs, their revival, and what she had been doing since then. ​

 

"Oh....my....gosh that was adorable!" It was difficult not to squeal, the first time she actually heard Lycia purring whilst she was rubbing the girl's ears. And the girl seemed to notice too and really like it, though it seemed that she hadn't figured out how to willingly recreate the noise just yet. She'd probably figure it out in time, but for now Autumn could only see multiple headpats in the girl's future. Seriously, that had been so freaking adorable that it'd felt like her heart would pop if it had continued on for any longer.

She smiled down, just barely down, at the younger girl. She really hadn't made herself all that much taller, but at least she was a little taller than she was in real life. But still, it was time to be serious and actually pay attention to stuff, even if they had passed another bread stall that was really trying to call her name. Now wasn't the time to be distracted by delicious, bready goodness.

But still, she enjoyed being with Lycia as the younger girl explained things to her, it made her wonder if it was what it felt like to have a sister. She'd always been an only child, so she'd never had the chance to learn what it was like to have a sibling that looked up to you and wanted to spend time with you.

After the whole explanation about the titanius thing, Autumn sighed. Hearing about Francine and Amelia actually dying wasn't a fun thought at all. She should've been there with them. She hated that she wasn't. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there, Lycia." She'd also taken to the habit of using Lycia's character name, to make sure she remembered it. "It must've been scary. Next time I promise I'll stick right by your side." Of course all of that had happened whilst she'd been grounded.

 

It’s okay! she chimed, immediately reaching out and patting her friend’s arm. She had done a good job hiding all her worry and nerves that still bubbled up when she talked about dying. It was…something she didn’t want to experience again, in or out of game. It didn’t help that she still saw that massive eyeball in her nightmares, glaring down at her, and a sinister chuckle tickling her ear as she fell and fell and fell into blackness.

There’s always next time! And, I mean, maybe you got called on a spirit quest so that’s why you weren’t there. It happens. Her smile was wide, stretching her face and pulling at her cheeks, her tiny fangs visible in the high afternoon sun. It was sunny out, but not overly hot. Warm enough for the uncovers tops of her shoulders to tan, but not enough for her to wonder if she should have been wearing sunscreen. Though, honestly, she probably should’ve.

Besides, this is doing something good too. We’re helping people and spreading our stories! Oh, speaking of that… She trailed off, her gaze flicking off to the side of the road, to the hoards of trees they passed and the twittering birds in the canopy. It was serene out here, not as crowded and loud as the hustle and bustle of inner-city Vinterguard. Why would anyone want to leave?

Oh, because of economic stability. Milah had told her about that before.

So, people might try to shake my hand or something silly. It’s okay. They’re just being thankful. I dunno when they’ll stop, but they mean well. Promise. She gave her friend a thumb up to reinforce her statement. Oh, look there. Seems like smoke on the horizon. That’s probably the tent city we’re looking for.

And, surprisingly, Lycia’s upbeat attitude simmered down and her face grew solemn and her eyes focused. Maybe she took this whole rehoming refugees a little more serious than she had originally let on. ​

 

Part of Autumn didn't believe Lycia when the girl said that things were okay. The logical part of her, the part that made her wonder and question just how realistic that death in this game could actually be. And a girl younger than herself had gone through it, a girl that, as far as she was aware at least, hadn't ever really taken part in VR gaming before this one. To jump into something so real and face something that was possibly the closest that you could get to actually dying without permanent consequences, she had her doubts that ANYBODY could go through that can come out of the other side completely unscathed. She smiled sadly, nodding anyway. There probably wasn't much she could say. A good friend would've gone through that with them.

It was nice of the younger girl to try and tie her fake story into the reason that she was away, but the truth of the situation was just that she'd been grounded. That was it. Nothing special or interesting about it. "Maybe I was, who actually knows?" She had no real desire to actually say that she'd been grounded though. The last thing she really wanted to do was talk about her own family problems to a girl that was younger than her.

It was at least relieving to know that Lycia had retained her innocent want to help people all of the time. Part of her wasn't sure she'd ever be able to recognize the girl if she had decided that people didn't deserve her help. She'd never once seen Lycia in a genuinely bad enough mood to actually not want to help somebody. The girl was just the best, most heroic kind of person. Way better than Autumn herself was.

Smoke on the horizon was the catalyst for change though, it seemed. Lycia seemed to become more serious and focused. In response, Autumn grew more serious too. "You're like a hero to these people?" She asked, blinking. "Should I expect trouble from any of them?"

 

No. Well, at least I don’t think so. Lycia hummed a little to herself in thought, her mouth twisting to one side as her fingers locked behind her back and fidgeted. None of them have been mean to me so far. Everyone is very thankful, very grateful, and they just wanna shake my hand a lot or hug me. Sometimes they buy me food. Her slender shoulders bounced up and down in a careless shrug, the vibrant maroon and gold tunic shuffling along with the action.

Still, I guess, we should just be careful. Just in case.

It wasn’t like Lycia to second-guess herself. Whenever she decided to do something, she did it, consequences be damned. Well, at least, that’s how she played the game. She made up her mind the moment it sounded good enough and stuck to her guns. The only one who could usually change her mind about something was her sister, but Milah was currently missing. Perhaps something else had triggered this sudden surge of self-doubt in the young bard?

She cleared her throat, straightened her shoulders, lifted her head, and marched forward. A sideways glance was given to Autumn, a wink quickly following as the pair made their way into the tent city.

Said tent city was massive. There were no roads, but enough pathways had been trodden by enough people and beasts of burden that there might as well been roads connecting tents to one another or to the massive medical one that sat further back. Lycia only recognized it because of the red cross that someone had painted on a strip of white cloth and bound to a stick. Said stick was stuck in the ground outside the entrance.

The duo didn’t get too far within the city. A group of would be guards blocked them from going even five feet further, their armor comprised of piece-meal chain and scale mail. Lycia recognized long polearms as their weapons, but couldn’t place their faces. Well, she didn’t know everyone in the kingdom, after all.

Ah, hello, she greeted, her hand lifting to allow her fingers to wave. My name is Lycia and this is Autumn and we’ve come to alert your, uhm, people, that their village is safe once more, Titanius has been vanquished, and they can move back in…if they want.

Hopeful purple eyes went from one male face to the second to the third. None of them cracked a grin or nodded or said anything and Lycia, nervous under their hard glares and taunt jaw-lines, shifted here she stood.

Autumn and I have come to escort you and your people back so that nothing happens to anyone. King—well, I guess he’s not really King anymore—but, uhm, Astor wants everyone to be able to live in their homes once more. So, uh, yeah, we’ve come…to do…that. Well, to help with that…uhm, that is, if you’ll…let us?​

 

It was odd for Lycia to actually double take something, especially something like having to expect trouble or not. Though she hadn't expected to have trouble in the sense of people wanting to hurt Lycia, she'd started preparing mentally for the situation wherein people were too enthusiastic to meet the younger girl and did some of that weird, crazed rabid fan thing that she'd heard about in the real world from time to time. Like, fans that were so obsessed that they would hurt people close to their obsession, or try to kidnap the person that they were obsessed with.

She'd never quite been able to understand that kind of obsession with anything really. Whether it be celebrities, heroes, movies or music, none of it seemed like it was worth getting that crazy for. What was the point in wasting so much time and effort on one thing and missing out on a bunch of other stuff at the same time? It just seemed like a but of a pointless venture to her.

Still, approaching the tent city, Autumn couldn't help but scoff. "Man, what a shithole..." She mumbled to herself, before letting Lycia stammer her way through a greeting by herself. The young girl seemed really uncomfortable with this sort of thing. Wasn't she supposed to be a massive extrovert though?

Well, that was annoying. Autumn frowned, stepping forward, pressing her chest against the polearms that were held to block them off. "Look morons, move aside. King's orders. We've got peasants to return to their homes." It was like Mass Effect. Lycia had tried the paragon option, so all that was left was the Renegade Option!

 

Two of the guards immediately glanced at each other and backed down. They lowered their weapons and turned to leave the situation, one of them lifting a hand and waving to someone further inside the tent city. Lycia watched with wide eyes, trying to see who the receiving person was but having no luck.

The remaining guard looked from Autumn to the Felis girl and back again before puffing out his eyes and narrowing his brown eyes at the woman who stepped up.

“We don’t need no help from anyone,” he told her, his voice hoarse and gruff. “We can take care of ourselves. Me and my men can escort these fine people home without the likes of you two. Dissonance Martyr or not.”

Lycia shrunk back, her tail losing the enthusiastic wag that had been going on beforehand, her tails drooping. Her mouth felt dry and she slide slightly behind her older, more experienced friend.

It…It’s dangerous though, she whispered before clearing her throat. She still spoke from behind Autumn. We just want to make sure everyone gets back in one piece—

“They will and we don’t need your help to do it!”​

 

Ugh. Really? One of these soulless NPCs was going to stand here and say that they didn't need help making it to their village. Autumn scoffed, chuckling even as the man got riled up enough to actually make Lycia retreat behind her slightly. Oh, that was a big mistake on this guy's part. Big sister mode was starting to engage and she'd be damned if she let this guy intimidate Lycia like that and get away with it.

So she let out a loud laugh, fixing the man with a stare. "Don't need our help? Please stop, you're going to make me pee myself." She giggled, shaking her head at him. "I didn't see you dying inside of Titanius to defend your home. No, you stayed and waited for people like us to do all of the really dangerous work." She ignored how hypocritical she was being right now, considering that she hadn't been there.

"So, quite frankly, fuck off will you please?" She sighed, stepping forward and grabbing the guard by the face, before her hand began to crackle and buzz with lightning. Sure, it was a low level spell, but at point blank it knocked the man out cold and had absolutely no chance of missing. Once the man dropped to the floor, she kicked him once in the side of the head and walked forwards. "Come on Lycia, let this guy sleep it off."

With an annoyed roll of her eyes, she stepped forwards into the camp of NPCs, clearing her throat. "Attention everybody! By the order of King Astor, pack up your shit and get ready to move! Anybody not prepared to leave in 20 minutes will be left behind and forced to fend for themselves! This is not a democracy!"

 

Well, that’s one way to do it, Lycia murmured as she too stepped over the body of the unconscious guard. She was careful with her foot placement, gingerly leaping over his prone form and following her friend into the camp.

At Autumn’s proclamation, Lycia was happy to see others coming out of their tents, most of them holding sacks of boxes that were no doubt filled with their personal possessions. Lycia just hoped that they had some stuff at their homes when they got back and those items didn’t get corrupted or stolen. After all, there had been bandits in the area after Titanius fell.

Smiling at the group, Lycia clapped her hands together and gave a nod of her head, her tail swishing back and forth in happiness.

Okay everyone, lets get going! Single file would be best! Make sure your children are holding your hands so they don’t wander off. She gave a wink toward Autumn before leaning over to her friend and giving her a one-armed hug. Thank you for all your help with this. I wouldn’t have been able to make them see reason without you.​