(INV) Wanderlost

Ever since Amane had dumped a few points into Astramancy, it was like she'd grown a new sense, a faint buzzing at the back of her mind that occasionally coalesced into discernible voices, offering guidance, distraction, or both. The spirits themselves, for they couldn't have been anything else, remained for the large part invisible to the eye, though occasionally they would deign to show themselves, agreeing to assist Amane in her spellcasting when the whim suited them. She supposed, as she increased her mastery rank that she would garner more control over the flighty creatures, but for now Astral magic as a whole was too unreliable to be used in combat. Which was a shame, because she had been hoping to tap into more defensive magics to better support Dempsey the next time they decide to party up.

Talking about Demps, Amane scrolled through her admittedly short list of friends, searching for a name in particular. Breathing a sigh of relief when the player's locator was revealed to be within the same area as she, the felis typed out a quick message, pausing slightly with shame before sending it off. Asking for help with a situation as silly as this made Amane want to hide her face, log off for a couple of days, and pretend that she was never stuck in such a circumstance, especially since she'd just invited the veteran player to witness her embarrassment with a position akin to front row seats — but there was no way around it.

Amane Hirota

Sorry to bother you so close to our last meeting, but believe it or not I've gotten myself lost. ^-^;; Long story, but there was this spirit, and it had to the nerve to drag me all the way out to Norforva for shits and giggles.

When she had witnessed the will-o-wisp at the skirts of Brisshal, she had thought it some Astramancy-only quest that she had just managed to unlock, and Amane eagerly followed it when it hovered in front of her, always keeping a distance as it floated ahead, but never venturing too far off. It was only as lush fields turned to sand and rock, and the airy breezes to dust-chocked flurries that it began to dawn on her that she wasn't in Brisshal any longer. Glancing around, it became clear that, while she was somewhere in Norforva, the exact location she knew not. To make matters worse, the wisp had vanished. Whether it was her that couldn't keep up, or if the wisp's purpose was never to give a quest but rather to waylay adventurors in the first place, Amane supposed she will never know.

She didn't fancy being stuck in a zone that potentially outlevelled her, especially when she was playing solo. That was mainly the reason she had heen camping in a beginner's zone like Brisshal in the first place. But maybe not for long, Amane thought, watching with tentative hope as Dempsey's cursor started to move vaguely in her direction. Company, and Demps' in particular would be especially welcomed.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey was loitering around in one of her usual haunts in Acedus forest. She had convinced herself that she was going to get some work done, but lost all ambition to be productive soon after her daily training was complete. This was getting to be the norm, and she was glad beyond words that she'd finally caved in and hired an assistant to manage her shop for her.

The past week had been hectic, and she'd almost forgot what it was like to have such amazing luxuries as free time to nap on a log and listen to the hypnotizing sound of a small creek gargling nearby. She had thought to do some fishing when she'd set out, but grew bored with the idea before she had even reached her destination. Her mind drifted to other things. She was as well established as she'd ever be, and her plan to collect a handful of followers and underlings was going well. She'd even had one new player seek her out by name for instruction. That was a great ego boost, if nothing else.

She was about to give in to the great temptation of a nap when her overlay indicated an incoming message, from none other than Amane, whom she admitted to herself she'd thought of more than once since their last meeting. Dempsey was happy to hear from her, and part of her wondered if Amane was following the three day rule; Don't seem too eager, but also don't wait too long to contact them. She tapped on her inbox icon with a smile.


She was both happy to be contacted by her newest friend, and a little saddened that it was only because she needed help with something. She didn't feel any resentment though; Amane was in a tight spot and needed a hand. She couldn't help but feel a bit of disappointment that Amane hadn't messaged her simply to say hello, but beggars couldn't be choosers, and she was always up for an opportunity to make a good impression. She hopped down from her perch and tapped out a quick reply as she began walking, then hit send and took off at full speed.

Dempsey Fabijain

Next time you want to see me, you don't have to pretend to get lost cutie pie! ;)

sit tight and i'll be there in just a few. I'm a little ways up north, but I'm pretty fast when I don't have to carry someone.

 

@Amane Hirota

 

Smiling slightly at Dempsey's endearing message, Amane was touched that the other player was willing to drop everything and run the length of a zone just to come to her aid — they had parted on excellent terms, but she'd been worried that her request was a tad too presumptuous, because surely Dempsey had her own business to do, quests to complete, that didn't include helping a player who, while not quite a newbie, still wasn't anywhere near the veteran player's level. Especially since mounts had yet to be implemented in the game, and travel could span hours if one wasn't prepared. She quickly sent a text in reply, striking off in Demps' general direction, trusting that sooner or later they should meet, wherever they ended up.

Amane Hirota

I would have texted you regardless~ Thanks a lot though! Sorry if I interrupted anything important — I'll make it up to you, promise. :) And I'm not that much of a damsel in distress that I'll have to stay put; this time I can still walk XD

Amane took the time to observe her surroundings as she traipsed up rocky hills and beaten dirt pathways, whether man or nature made she couldn't tell. She was probably only on the outskirts of Norforva, so it shouldn't take Dempsey too long. Even so, the felis made a note to repay the other player whenever possible; Armed with the invaluable advice that she had bestowed, Terra Sphere had become a lot easier to navigate, not to mention that Amane was eager to call the charming woman a close friend.

The cursor on the map in her friend's list flashed ever closer, and just as it indicated Dempsey's arrival, she caught a glimpse of the player's silhouette off in the distance. 'Saw you!' She shot the quick message before striding over, giving a quick wave to the approaching Dempsey. "You're the best," she announced when the two of them were within earshot of each other. "You didn't have to drop anything important because of me, did you?"

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey made haste regardless of her friends casual demeanor; a good number of dangerous enemies awaited her in Norfova, thanks in no small part to the blood magic which had tainted the region down to the soil itself. She found the girls confidence admirable, but she knew she was in more danger than the other woman expected if she could be this casual about the poisoned region and the danger it contained. Dempsey used her stealth and agility to quicken the journey, passing by more than one tempting opportunity to test her strength against blood crazed beasts on the way here, that she would no doubt be forced to confront if not for her abilities.

Her newest pet, a magical Axolotl that she'd named 'McGuffin' was in tow, looking oblivious and cheerful as it followed behind. Though the arid and dusty climate was possibly the worst possible place for an axolotl, the creature seemed unfazed. It seemed to draw sustaining moisture from the very air around it, and this was evidenced by how it was constantly dripping water as if it had just emerged from a lake. Her original intention for the day was to take it to a small creek in the northern woods to play in it's natural habitat for a bit, and also observe how the thing behaved in general. It seemed to be more self aware and intelligent than her bird, whom while quite magical in it's own right, bore the simple and straightforward mind of most birds.

McGuffin was different, and she got the distinct impression that the creature understood her words and displayed this by intuitively following simple instructions from time to time. Perhaps her impression was based solely on conformation bias however. She'd have to save her experiments for another day though, as now she had more pressing matters to attend to.

As Amane came into view, she gave up the cloak of stealth so that she could properly greet the girl with a wave and a smile, but not before scanning the horizon for possible threats. She was worried that someone or something had been tracking her, and waiting fir the ideal moment to strike; when help arrived and she let her guard down.

"Hey Ammy." she would smile briefly before inquiring "So, how long have you been out here?"

@Amane Hirota

 

"Long enough," Amane said, laughing. She had wandered around for quite a bit before finally relenting and asking for help, not having wanted to bother any of her newly made friends. She was glad to see that Dempsey didn't look particularly bothered about having traipsed across half a zone — though she seemed alert, worried even for Amane's safety — if anything she seemed pretty pleased to see her. "I must have missed some kind of prompt in the quest," she professed. "Either that or my mastery hadn't been high enough to continue. The guide just upped and ditched me." The wisp hadn't seem like an NPC guide though, that would imply some kind of sentience. Rather, it just seemed like a shapeless blob. Amane wondered if it had attempted to communicate with her throughout her chase — and she just hadn't been able to hear it, prompting it to give up soon after.

Talking about floating blobs of AI, she casted a curious glance at the new creature floating beside Dempsey, sunlight glistening of its dripping back, its white hue giving it a pearlescent lustre. "Who's your new pet?" She asked, reaching out a hand slowly and shooting Dempsey a questioning look, both wordlessly asking Demps for permission if she could touch it, and waiting to see if the axolotl would shy away. "It's absolutely stunning. Where did you get it?" Watching the axolotl swim through the arid air was a peculiar sight, but an endearing one as well. It seemed a shame that one could not have two mini-pets equipped simultaneously — the white haired felis would have looked simply charming, followed by her equally pale companions.

After waiting for Dempsey's reply, Amane gestured towards the way the other player had come from. "Lead the way, senpai," she joked, drawing up beside the older felis. Though Norforva was a captivating sight to behold, all gold sun and bare rock, Amane was loathed to stay here any more than she had to, especially when she hadn't made preparations for venturing in the unmapped zone.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey listened to the girls explanation with a growing smile, having found herself lost more than once herself, and much like Amane, she had gotten herself in this strangely similar situation under equally similar circumstances. She took a moment to explain her new pet once Amane had finished exchanging formalities and greetings.

"There was an event, and three people got one of the new pets that just came out. They're special somehow, but i don't know exactly. Nobody filled me in on the details, and all I get from the tool tip is the description, which if you think about it is kind of moot in a game this immersive."

She paused as she begun walking back the way she'd come. She didn't know if Amane had any specific reason for wanting to go this way, but since she'd already made the trip once and knew that it was passable and reasonably safe, she offered little protest. after a moments silence, she continued.

"It's supposed to be rare though, and I think maybe once it matures I'll get some kind of passive buff from having it around. I don't know. I just always liked axolotls though. They just always seem so happy."

She had to stop from time to time to stop and help Amane climb obstructions that she'd been able to simply hop down, or skitter over on her way south, and she realized now that the trip would be a bit longer with the girl in tow. She decided to take this time they had together to urge her to start thinking about some more practical mastery selections for her fourth and fifth.

"You know, you should be getting your fourth mastery sooner or later, and it might be in your best interest to take something that made you a little more mobile. I kind of have an embarrassment of riches as far as being quick on my feet goes, but seriously. You can only do so much in a group if you cant keep up. just something to think about. I'd be happy to help you learn if you decide on taking something I already have. It would be nice to spend some more time together."

She trailed off, leaving Amane to her thoughts. Pushing the matter too hard would only discourage her, but Dempsey was confident that her arguments were sound, and even if Amane chose not to follow her advice, she could at least tell herself that she'd made the attempt.

@Amane Hirota

 

A fourth mastery? Amane wasn't sure how Dempsey knew, but she was approaching the half-way mark that unlocked her next mastery slot. Amane was aware that when it came to explorational quests she was slightly lacking compared to the more stealth based players, a discrepancy that widened as the game continued and more mastery points were invested. Something that would allow for quicker movement would be useful — until Dempsey had pointed it out, the mage hadn't thought about using the slot for anything other than magic.

"What would you suggest?" She asked the veteran player. "Rogue?" As far as she knew, that was the only mastery that allowed for more skilled and efficient travel across the map in Terra Sphere. Still, Amane found herself a little hesitant to pick that up. "How would it synergise with my magic though?" She asked, doubtful. "Unlike another magic type, I can't combine it with my current masteries to create stronger spells, and I can't use it to boost the strength of my current ones either, like I could with Magical Tools."

Amane wasn't against it, per say, and so she looked towards Dempsey, waiting to see if the other felis could put forth a convincing argument for it. "Alternatively," she suggested, "I could take something like Aeromancy for bursts of quick movement, or Battle Shout for a speed buff?" Those would align better with the theme she was going for — the whole flamboyant Shrine Priestess cum Archmage gig. "Besides," she teased, "if I went the whole Assasin route, I certainly wouldn't look as pretty."

She wondered what metric Dempsey used to decide her fourth mastery. Judging by the way she spoke, the other felis probably favoured a more versatile set compared to a specialised one. That, however, didn't sit well with what Amane felt was her style. "Seriously though," She said, sobering up. "I would prefer something that strengthens my current skill set, rather than make it more flexible. I was...actually thinking of taking up an evolved mastery. I've heard some rumors of Possession based ones." And here she blushed, before quickly stumbling to explain herself. "With the whole mini-pet craze? I kind of wanted an AI of my own, but a smarter one, who's on my side. So its either Beast Taming or this, and if I'm not wrong I don't think tamed animals can talk."

"But you can try to convince me," she added, not wanting Dempsey to think that she didn't value the other player's opinion. Out of all the players that she'd met so far, she didn't think she trusted any of them even marginally close to the same level as she did Dempsey. "And I would like to spend more time together, regardless of which mastery I choose." The latter she said in a softer voice, looking away from Dempsey and into the distance.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

She continued walking as she considered Amane's remarks, but remained silent until the girl had spoken her mind completely. She was only offering friendly advice, and not trying to pressure her into a decision. Dempsey had specifically chosen skills that were highly mobile and exotic; She had a very specific goal in mind when she'd started out, and she intended to fulfill her vision and achieve the level of power she knew her masteries would allow her. She was excited at the prospect of attaining the power she knew she was capable of.

This didn't mean that she didn't stand behind her suggestion; if not, why would she have made it in the first place? she continued her explanation in earnest.

"What are you going to do in a situation where something is immune to magic, or a situation where you just can't use magic for some reason or another? Half the reason I learned mudras was so I could do something against enemies that were resistant to physical damage. I don't have a problem with Beast taming, except that I'd need something that can turn invisible on command, and I'm sure that would be a pain to find. I can see where that would be a great idea for a caster to take a skill like that, to help keep enemies at range, or for some kind of mount."

She considered all the options available, but based on what she'd seen, none f the creatures she'd encountered thus far didn't fit into what she wanted to do with her own skill set, and so she dismissed the idea. It was fun to think about traveling with a beast companion, but that's what Alonso was for, she supposed. They weren't terribly far from the southern border of Adecus now, and Dempsey could see the tree line on the edge of the horizon, bordered by a long swath of strangled and hilly grasslands that marked the periphery of Norfova.

It was starting to get dark however, and Dempsey mused to herself that Amane would likely get her wish to spend more time together, as they would almost definitely be forced to set up camp together. It wasn't so much the girls statement as her demeanor as she spoke that caught Dempsey off guard the most. She was happy to hear Amane's thoughts on the matter, but she had changed the subject fast enough that the statement was more than a little jarring to Dempsey.

@Amane Hirota

 

"That's true," she conceded, grumping a little. Amane had yet to meet any foes with magic resistance, but she didn't doubt that such monsters existed, nor was she unaware of her chances were she to happen across one solo. "But then I wouldn't be able to pick up magic-only masteries, and some of those can be pretty strong." She knew she was mostly just being indecisive right now — she doubted that she'll be able to give Dempsey a proper answer as to which mastery she'll choose, and even if she could, it'll be likely to change in a couple of days or so, so there wasn't much point in continuing she a conversation. Terra Sphere really did offer too many choices for her own good. "I'll think about it," she promised in the end, hoping to end the subject.

Engrossed in conversation as she'd been, when Amane chanced a look around, the tree line of the Adecus forest was already discernible in the distance, a couple hours walk at maximum, and she began to relax, more confident that no creature would attack them here. She wanted to hasten her steps, but the long shadows cast by the setting sun, spreading silhouettes of the surrounding rocks and flora across the plains stopped her hand. (Or, well, stopped her foot, technically.) It was late, and though Amane had never slept outside of an inn before, she figured that with how realistic Terra Sphere was, sleeping without shelter of any kind wouldn't be advisable at all.

There was a rocky outcrop not far from the two felis' position, with a ledge a couple of meters in length, just sufficient for them to bundle under and be protected from the elements. Gesturing towards it, she turned towards Dempsey, asking, "Will this work as shelter, if we're choosing to camp out for the night? If you'd rather, I don't mind attempting to run back though." She wasn't sure if they would make it back on time, and even if they did the chances of them finding somewhere safe to hunker down was likely low, but sleeping in the Adecus Forest still had to be loads better than doing so in Norforva. "Or," she realised with a start, before rubbing her neck, a little embarrassed that she almost forgot. "If you don't mind arriving all the way back at Stokbon, I can teleport the both of us back. But that might be further from where you want to go?"

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey stopped and simply just stared at Amane. She took a moment to process her last statement and then just blinked. When Amane had called her out here, she was under the impression that she was either simply making an excuse to see her, or that she was genuinely lost and in real danger. she hadn't wanted to press the subject for fear of embarrassing the other woman, but now that this new information had come to light, she had to take advantage.

"You could have teleported back this whole time?"

Dempsey grinned wickedly and stepped closer to Amane, leaning in until their faces were only about an inch apart.

"If you wanted to see me that bad, you could have just asked, you know."

She backed off and did a cartwheel, giggling at the sudden revelation, and deciding that she wouldn't tease her too much about it.

"If you could have just ported out, why didn't you? I mean, jeez. We could be doing this somewhere with beer and snacks and all that fun stuff instead of hiking through the blood cursed ass end of nowhere. Do your thing I suppose."

@Amane Hirota

 

She...she could have—oh my god. Amane was mortified. She genuinely hadn't thought about being able to teleport back — it was a skill that she'd learnt just recently, along with her newfound ability to talk to spirits, and thus her first instinct when she found herself lost was to wander around until she somehow found her way back, not to open a giant portal back to the city. Really, the only reason she had thought of it in the first place was because of Dempsey; she'd wanted to impress her, and so had spent time mentally searching for ways in which she could be of use to the other woman. But now — she could have been back by now. More importantly, she didn't have to drag Demps all the way to the middle of Norforva in vain. Not that she wasn't glad to have Dempsey's company, because she was, but—! Though she was gazing in Dempsey's general direction, Amane knew, distantly, that her eyes were probably too unfocused to be really 'looking' at anything, filled with abject horror. Her face felt flushed, and she didn't think she'd ever been so embarrassed in her life. Such an absolutely stupid mistake, and in front of someone she admired, no less!

If she could, she would have crawled into a hole — she would even have settled for fading into that shadowed corner that she had pointed out as a suitable camping location. But Dempsey pinned her with a look, leaning forward with the expression of a cat that got the cream, all the more feline when paired together with her felis features, grinning mischievously. "I...forgot about it," she answered weakly, taking a step back, blushing all the more furiously. "I swear!" It was a weak excuse and she knew it, but unfortunately for Amane it was also the truth. "We can still go for drinks," she quickly added, a little desperate to change the subject. "It's the perfect time for dinner, or a bar."

Raising her hands, Amane almost stumbled over her spell, but with something to focus on she quickly got a hold of her own embarrassment. It took a few minutes — her Astramancy barely had any points to it; she could use the spell, but the cast time was ridiculous, and it practically drained her energy bar dry — but she managed to strike up a deal with the spirits in the end, the air shimmering in front of the two players to form a glowing rectangle. "After you," she gave a mock bow, remnants of red still staining her cheeks. Regardless of whether Dempsey accepted the invitation to go first, Amane would step through the portal, the world flaring white, before coalescing into the sights and smells of Stokbon, its lively atmosphere a stark contrast to the deadened fields of Norforva. "What do you want to do now?" She'll ask Dempsey, turning to face her companion.

OOC: @Dempsey Fabijain

 

Dempsey stepped through the portal, trying to act nonchalant, but in truth it had been quite some time since she had teleported; When she initially began playing, she had chosen Astramancy, but had taken her first opportunity to switch masteries when a patch fundamentally changed how the skill worked. In the end, everything would work out in her favor, but the point was that she hesitated, remembering well the strange sensation of teleportation. Her first time, she actually got sick from doing it too many times, though part of that was due to the fact that she had stuffed herself sick at the beginners banquet as well.

She hesitantly stepped through the portal, remembering not to stumble as she reappeared in Stokbon. One of the hardest things to learn about telepoprting was not to flinch when you arrived in your destination, as your sense of ballance and equilibrium would be in complete disarray for a moment after.

She shrugged simply at Amane's innocent question and remarked "We're both really too dirty to go anywhere nice, and we're too nice to go anywhere shitty. Let's hit up some street vendors and find a nice spot to have an urban picnic of sorts."

With that, she reached back and tapped Amane on the shoulder, shouting "YOU'RE IT!" and tore off down the street, laughing playfully, but never getting so far ahead that the two were actually separated.