Private - Stolen Goods

She walked with her head down, her hands shoved deep in the pockets of her pants. It made her less noticeable, or, at least, she hoped it did. As often as Magdalyn placed herself in the center of attention (that was her real-world job, after all), she relished in her time spent flying under the radar. No one knew her here, and that was just as well. In a large city, walking alone, through the alleys of the less-savory districts, she preferred not to paint a target on her back. It also allowed her to observe as an outsider, getting a feel for the people who milled about. What were their motivations? What did they have planned for the day, and where was it that they went? Were they a player, or an AI, as it was sometimes difficult to tell? She made it a sort of game, constructing backstories for strangers, as she navigated toward the brighter parts of Stokbon.

The cool breeze that whipped down the narrow streets sent trash skittering across the stone. It carried the unpleasant scent of the big city, and rustled the papers tacked to the community cork board. Simple curiosity had her slowing to peruse the wanted posters, event announcements, and job offers. An ad for the latter held her attention.

"Help wanted, tracking down stolen items," she read aloud. For the time being, she was alone on the street corner. Besides, a woman talking to herself was not the strangest thing could see in Stokbon. From the explanation given on the note, an item of great importance was stolen, and the perpetrators needed to be tracked. None of that 'dead or alive' nonsense, she noted with some satisfaction. So it seemed she could grab the item and sneak out, without resorting to violence. Bloodshed was a normal part of the game, she knew, but that did not make it any more appealing. A less combat-oriented quest seemed more her speed.

Making a note of the address, Magdalyn navigated toward what was advertised as an upscale decorative shop. It was just on the edge of what she considered the "safe zone," but it worked hard to distinguish itself from the ramshackle, shady businesses surrounding it. With the soft jingle of bells, she pushed open the door and stepped into the brightly lit interior.

 

"At least I spawned in a city this time.." The crimson haired Yladian said to himself under his breath as he looked around at the large bolstering settlement around him. Despite his first time logging into the game, finding himself alone until others had found him, this time it was not hard for Jomei to find others. People of many different races, though mostly human it seemed, roamed the streets around him; some looking as though they were simply performing every day errands, others, the more heavily armored ones, seemed to be making their ways to venture out into the lands surrounding the city known as Stokbon.

With his simple bow and quiver of arrows secured to his back, the man slowly began to wander the city square that he had spawned into, curious to see just what else Terrasphere had to offer. This would be his first time truly exploring this main city, to the opportunities of what he could do were vast. As he continued to pass players, or NPCs, or both, their equipment and experienced looks made Jomei feel insignificant, just a lowly newbie walking the streets of this city, alone. His hands slowly made their way into the pockets of his pants as he lowered his frame, keeping his gaze to the cobblestone roads he walked on.

As he found a break in the crowds of people walking on either side of him, Jomei looked out to the side to see a couple of players gathering around a wooden post, a board with different notes attached to it. The curious man took a couple of steps towards the bulletin board to see just what type of information it would give him. Each paper pinned to the cork board had a different quest, all with seemingly various difficulty. One in particular that caught his attention was a request to track down some stolen goods. With a raised brow, his hazel eyes scanned the lines on the sheet, getting all of the information he needed.

Stepping away from the board to allow for other curious players to approach, Jomei decided he might as well meet with those offering the job to see what it exactly entailed. Judging by the small bit of information given, it seemed simple enough: find the group that stole these items and return them. The quest-giver did not seem to be driven by revenge, so his inexperience with the bow may not be needed, and he could also focus on his stealthy Rogue mastery. Eventually finding his way to the ornate shop, Jomei gently pushed the oak door open, the bell hanging on the opposite side chiming as it swung open.

 

"Can I help you?"

There was so much to look at. Items of various shapes, sizes, and designs stood on podiums, white lights giving the room a museum-like feel. Glass shelves displayed treasures as well, their colors shimmering against white-washed walls. Magdalyn was left with mixed emotions upon her first scan of the room. The goods themselves were incredibly impressive, but their presentation was a bit pretentious. She was drinking it all in when the man spoke again, his voice as snooty as his store.

"Can I help you?"

She blinked, then swung her gaze to the shopkeep. He was dressed in an impressive three-piece suit, with a thick watch, and shoes she predicted she could see her reflection in. A diamond stud winked from his left earlobe. She could see the store's showy style came from.

"Yes," she answered, offering him a small wave of greeting. "My name is Magdalyn, and I'm answering your ad."

His steely gaze remained steady, even bored, as he answered, "Ad?"

"For help? Retrieving a stolen item?"

His bushy eyebrows rose at this. "Oh, yes, of course. I suppose I had just expected more than... one..." His eyes swept her, from her boots to the top of her head. "Person."

Mags was not the sort to read too far into anything, but she had a creeping suspicion he had meant to end the sentence with "woman." She opened her mouth to comment, but the jingle of bells silenced her.

The man's face brightened a bit. "Your partner, then?" he asked her, motioning to the new arrival. "Good evening, sir. Are you here to help with the item recovery?"

 

The brightness of the shop Jomei had entered highly contrasted the dark streets of Stokbon just outside the door. He mouthed the word 'woah' as he slowly looked around at all of the treasures and expensive items that were on display in the shop. He wondered if this even was a shop, or just an establishment that wished to show off the wares discovered throughout the land. The man's boots slowly carried him forward, his hazel eyes locking on various displays as he walked by. He wanted to know just who the adventurer was who had procured all of these wonders.

That was when his gaze was drawn to the man who had greeted him, asking if he would be helping with the item recovery. Jomei scanned the man the same he did all of the items in the shop. With all of the extravagant accessories that complimented the already pricy looking suit, Jomei was surprised that the man himself was not on display aside the items. So much for a courageous adventurer.. this guy probably just bought all of these off of people, Jomei thought to himself.

The crimson haired arched nodded his head, "Yeah. I noticed the ad on the bulletin board and thought I'd come help." Jomei felt the gaze of the man as he looked the archer up and down, a seemingly warmer smile upon his face as he did so. Jomei's eyes switched from the strange gentleman to the tall, azure-haired woman who stood there as well. Judging by the gear she wore, she was not working in the shop along with the man, leading Jomei to believe that she was here for the same reason. "Will we be going together?" Jomei asked the woman in a friendly tone.

 

"Partner?" she echoed, turning to face the new arrival. She had never seen the man in her life, and her gut instinct was to say so. Besides, she did not care much for the way the man said 'partner,' or for how much his demeanor changed. Mags was skilled at reading people, and this man was striking her as a sexist jerk.

He only confirmed her initial impression by stating, "Wonderful. I'll provide you with the details, sir." Not to her, the one who arrived first. To him. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and a sharp retort soured her tongue.

But the red-haired newcomer smiled a warm, encouraging smile. If he had been impacted by the shopkeep's behavior, he gave no indication. And perhaps that was a good thing. Another player might have let the 'male leadership' role go to his head, but he did not. So she heaved a small sigh, expelling the negativity so that she could start fresh. Her smile was as welcoming as his when she added, "It looks that way! As long as you have no objections. I know I would be really happy to have the company."

 

Jomei had confirmed the overly dressed shop keep's question, his expression lighting up even more as he walked forward with his hands clasped together, offering to give Jomei all of the details about the mission he would be embarking on. As the man walked towards the crimson haired archer, Jomei's eyes went back to the other woman who stood there, something seemed to anger her about the whole situation, which caused a spark of caution to flicker to life in Jomei's mind as he turned to look at the man once again. The man stood facing the pointed-eared Yladian, not paying any mind to the blue haired woman who he had been previously speaking with, detailing all that the two should be looking for.

Once finished with his explanation, the archer gave a determined nod to the man in fancy dress. "Alright.. that doesn't sound too difficult.." His gaze shifted back to the other woman who stood there for a moment, the fire of her anger still slowly dying. The man's arms crossed at his chest and looked back to the shop keep, "So what will we get out of it?" he asked, starting to get an idea of just why the woman was upset with the situation. After the sexist man's expression had slightly changed for a moment in regards to Jomei's comment, he went on to explain the reward for retrieving the lost items.

Once their business had been conducted, Jomei looked over to the woman still standing there with a smile. "I have no problems with it. I'm sure he has no problems with you coming with me either." he said in a slightly sarcastic tone, giving one last smirk to the mysterious shop owner before pushing open the oak door to the dark, breezy streets of Stokbon once again. Once the door was fully closed behind them, the archer turned to his female companion. "Well, you definitely look and seem like you know what you're doing more than I do." he said with a chuckle, his hand finding the nape of his neck. "So if you don't mind taking the lead, I'll follow you.. Oh. My name is Jomei by the way." he extended a gloved hand forward to his new comrade.

 

"It's a very straight-forward task," the man said matter-of-factly. His round face was without line or wrinkle, a testament to his meticulous cleansing ritual. His skin, nearly as pale as the walls of his shop, had seen very few hours of sunlight. He waved hands that were free of callouses, having seen even fewer hours of hard, physical labor. "A small band of ruffians broke into my shop only two days ago. They stole a brass statue of a tree, about a foot tall, very rare. In fact, one of a kind." His gray eyes narrowed, thin lips seeming to disappear as he drew them into a tighter scowl. "Savages from one of the clans living up in the mountains, most likely."

A single blue eyebrow cocked as Magdalyn studied the man. "The mountains?" she asked. "That's a long way to come for a single item."

"It is very valuable." He did not look at her when he spoke, as if his comment was not directed at her, though it did address her issue. "Could be sold for a lot of money on the black market. I need it back before it leaves their hands." His gaze never left Jomei. "Track them, take back the tree, then come here."

Magdalyn could not stifle the smirk when the red-head asked what they would get out of it. If the question offended the shopkeep, he did not let on. "I'll pay you a handsome finder's fee," he assured the player. "More, if you hurry. You would not want to let them get too far ahead of you."

"No," Mags replied tartly. "I suppose we wouldn't."

She said nothing more, allowing Jomei to give the closing statement, and lead her back into the street. Only when the door was closed, and he had spoken first, did she give a small shrug. "Looks can be deceiving," she told him, though the words were lighthearted. She paused for a beat, then heaved a heavy sigh. Expel the negativity. Move on. "I'm happy to lead, though I don't have a whole lot in the way of tracking skills. Still, I figured it might be a fun change of pace, chasing down some thieves. I've spent a lot of time just wandering fields lately, and I might as well have an objective."

 

The crimson haired man looked into the pair of eyes under busy, grey eyebrows as he listened intently to the explanation of the item stolen and who he believed had stolen it from him. According to his description, it was a single item that resembled a tree that was one of a kind. The man even knew the possible whereabouts of the thieves, believing them to be in the mountains.. quite a journey away from Stokbon. The blue haired woman spoke up to the side of them, speaking out of the same concerns Jomei had. Despite that this may have been his first trip to this city, anyone could tell that even the closest mountain to this shop was miles off. However, Jomei did not question the man, being that he was willing to pay the two for their valiant efforts to retrieve the brass statue.

After exiting the shop once again, Jomei requested that his new companion lead them, since she seemed more experienced than he. She accepted to lead on this mission, despite feeling that Jomei may have been decieved by her looks. The man chuckled, "Well.. You can't be any less experienced than me." he said, rubbing the nape of his neck, embarrassed by his lack of skill in this game thus far. "Well, I may not be the most experienced in it, but I have a few tracking skills that might prove useful here." he smiled, feeling as though he may prove useful in this quest after all.

 

Magdalyn reached back to adjust the spear in its sling on her back, gearing up for what she knew would be a long walk. She immediately considered picking up Altivo from the stable, and how much time that would save. Then, she thought better of it. She hardly knew the man, and asking him to ride double with her on her already feisty stallion seemed like a terrible idea. Besides, until she improved her riding mastery, she would probably fall off and drag him down with her.

"Are you new to the game then?" she asked conversationally as the pair moved toward the brighter, safer part of the city. It made sense to use the "front" gate, as it opened toward the sprawling forest, and then the towering mountains. "I've only been playing for a few weeks myself, but I've really enjoyed it." The streets grew more crowded as they approached the social and economic heart of Stokbon. Soon, she was politely excusing herself as she bumped into NPCs and fellow players alike. Like minnows in a bucket, she mused. Not enough room to move about, and far too chaotic. As much as Mags liked people, she had adopted her father's uneasiness in a crowd.

She scanned for the most convenient route toward their destination. "Honestly, I haven't spent too much time doing quests like this," she continued. "I've been pretty happy just hanging out with the farmers, and working in the fields. I enjoy that aspect of the game quite a bit.

 

As his blue haired companion seemed to adjust the pole arm that was slung on her back, Jomei did the same with his own bow and quiver, pulling on the strap that held the quiver in place to hoisted it closer to his back for more comfort, as well as making sure the simple wooden bow was secured. The man knew that his weapons were attached and would not be falling, so making sure they were secured to his back was less of a precaution, and more of a means to avoid the somewhat awkward silence between himself and his still unnamed comrade.

The crimson haired arched followed closely as the two moved through the dark, empty streets of Stokbon. Jomei kept vigilant as the two walked, not only learning the streets as well as he could, but also learning what roads he should keep away from. A lot of the NPCs, even possibly players, that hung out near dark alleys did not seem the friendliest, and most likely would not be providing him with a quest. As the two emerged from the shadows of the tall buildings around them and into the livelier part of the city, the woman spoke up, asking Jomei if he was new to the game. The quiet man nodded, "Yeah. It's actually only my second day here.. What about you?" He rebounded the question back to her, to which she had responded by telling him that she had been here for a couple of weeks. Jomei smiled, "Yeah, I've already had a lot of fun here so far. And I'm excited to see what else this world has in store."

The closer the two seemed to get to the city gates, the busier the streets seemed to become. Where it was once simple to walk past a group of people, now reminded him of walking through the busy streets of New York City, having to avoid bumping into people rushing by, not caring that you were standing in their way. "Just like being back home..." he said to himself under his breath as a man's shoulder drove into his own, knocking him slightly off balance.

"Hey, if you don't mind my asking.." Jomei starting, taking a couple of large strides to walk beside the girl once again, "I don't think I caught your name earlier.. I figured if we will be going on this quest together.. It'd be easier to call you by name." the man rubbed the nape of his neck, feeling bashful that he had asked the woman for her name in such a manner.

 

As he prompted for her name, Magdalyn's pale skin flushed a deep crimson. Horror mingled with embarrassment, and she mentally kicked herself for ignoring his earlier request for her name. She had let her frustration and annoyance distract her, and that had kept her from acting appropriately. Her new partner deserved better, especially considering this was only his second day in Terra. For all she knew, this was Jomei's first quest, and she, his first companion. She was already doing a wondering job of screwing it up.

So she heaved a sigh, hoping it might cover the moment of panic, and that the darkness might cover the blush that still warmed her cheeks. "Sorry," she stated, "you did ask for it earlier, didn't you?" One hand rose to rub at the bridge of her nose. Then, it extended for a handshake. It was an awkward gesture, considering they both moved through the crowd like fish against the current. Still, she owed him something, and a shake might signify that she still had some manners left. "My name is Magdalyn. A lot of people just call me Mags though."

Now that formal introductions had been (officially) made, she settled back into his earlier question. "I've been playing for..." she paused, did a quick calculation, "maybe ten days? Not a whole lot longer than you. And not very long at all, when you compare it to other players." The crowd was beginning to thin out now, the people growing sparse now that they were nearing the city's entrance. That was perfectly alright by her.

"So," she continued conversationally, "do you have any big plans? Skills you'd like to work on?" It was an odd question to ask of a new acquaintance, but she felt obligated to keep the conversation moving, considering how poorly she had behaved.

 

The head of azure hair that waved from side to side with each step stopped abruptly in the large crowd of people that flowed around them. Jomei looked at the back of the girl's head, puzzled for a moment, as she slowly turned to face him. Though the shadow of the tall building next to them casted a shadow over the woman's face, the bashful expression that took control of her lips and eyes led the man to believe that she was blushing. She seemed embarrassed by the fact that she had not introduced herself, since Jomei had done so when they had first met outside of the antique-like shop. Jomei raised an open palm up in front of him, gently waving it from side to side, "No no, don't be sorry. I didn't exactly ask before." his hand moved from his front to the nape of his neck,running along his long pointed ear on the way, intertwining with the strands of crimson hair that laid just above his shoulders.

The blue haired girl finally had a name, Magdalyn, or Mags as some called her. With a warm, polite smile, Jomei reached his own gloved hand out towards the one that Mags had offered him, keeping his hazel eyes locked hers, the small smile turning into a tooth bearing grin as he wrapped his fingers around her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mags." Now that both players were introduced, they had continued on their journey towards the city gates.

After asking about how long Magdalyn had been in the game exactly, she had told him it was only about ten days. Jomei's wide eyes blinked in surprise, not realizing that she did not have much experience in this world over him. Though, it seemed even one day could make a world of difference, depending on what one would spend to do in that day. Her comment, however, led towards the intensity of other players in this game. He wondered just how many that had joined when the game first launched were still around, and what godly levels they could have acieved in that time. Jomei chuckled softly, "Well, maybe one day we will meet them at their level."

With the city's gates now in site, the ocean of people that kept the two struggling to push forward had subsides, only a fraction of entities remaining, some entering the city, some leaving, others just hanging around in the immediate area. Their conversation continued, Mags asking Jomei about what type of skills he may be interested in with this game. "I haven't put much thought into it..." he said, quite bashfully, "I plan on just trying to boost my Ranged, Hunter, and Rogue skills for now.. I haven't really thought about what else I'd like to take on in time.. What about you? Maybe you can give me some pointers."

 

"Ranged, hunter, and rogue?" she echoed. Then she nodded, lifting her voice to rise above the din. Though the crowd was thinning out, the sounds of the Stokbon evening still rose and fell on the warm evening breeze. "Sounds like the making of a pretty awesome archer." With a small movement of her head, Magdalyn motioned to his bow. "I'm mostly just impressed you can use that thing. Even with the help of the game, I bet my aim would still be terrible. I've always been a melee girl. My motto for ranged attacks in video games is 'spray and pray.'"

She was talking about herself again. That seemed to be her default when she was attempting to get to know someone else. In some ways, it was a good strategy, as it helped others feel more comfortable around her. It also opened up avenues for further discussion, potentially prompting a stranger to reveal more about themselves. Her professors at Michigan State University had even encouraged her to do this exact thing with her students, as it helped to humanize her in their eyes. But unless it was carried out just perfectly, it sometimes backfired. At best, she looked like a woman with a tendency to ramble. At worst, she was self-absorbed.

But he had asked her about her skills, and it would be rude to leave the question hanging in the night air. "I'm an odd mix," she confessed. "Right now, I've got beast taming, naturamancy, and polearms." At the mention, she unintentionally reached back to delicately touch her spear. "The latter is just for basic combat. Nothing to serious, you know." Her voice trailed as Mags grew suddenly self-conscious. She had just met the man, and she planned to reveal that her purpose for joining Terrasphere was to farm? He was her partner in this quest. What would he think if he learned she did not even want to fight? She had told him she enjoyed farming, but to admit it was really her only interest... was that wise?

Mentally scoffing at her own foolishness, she backpedaled. "I put a lot of my points into riding, actually. I have a horse. He was the first thing I bought when I started to earn gold. Sort of silly, but I love horses." They had officially reached the edge of the city, and without faltering, the two players strode into the wild. There were fewer players out here, especially given the fact night had fallen. There was a global understanding that games were dangerous after dark, but Mags had not encountered anything too dangerous under the game's starry sky. Yet.

"I can give some pointers," she told him, "where I can, at least. But I still consider myself as new as you, so maybe we can just learn together."

 

"Thanks" Jomei replied to the woman when she complimented him on his choice of masteries, and that all the skill sets fit pretty well together." Mags was also impressed in Jomei's ability to use the weapon, sticking more to melee herself, gesturing to the pole-arm on her back. Jomei chuckled, "Well.. I guess I have a lot of focus." Not only from prior experience in video games, Jomei had stared at lines upon lines of code, sometimes trying to find that one simple broken tag that would cause the whole program to not work. The precision he needed in his field to make these games he wanted to make work, its what developed the focus he now used to wield this bow.
Mags however, seemed to focus less on her weapon, and more on the prior two masteries that she worked towards; beast taming and naturamancy. Jomei recognized the second word as being some sort of magical trait by the suffix -mancy. "Nature magic?" Jomei questioned, putting the two halves of the words together.
She narrowed down her skills even more-so, telling him that she had actually put a lot of the experience points she had earned towards her Riding skills. Jomei had nearly forgotten about the skills given to each player that were already set in place. He had never thought to put any points into those.. Though the thought of being able to proficiently use his weapon while riding a horse was an exciting thought. The man shook his head when Mags thought her rambling on about her love for horses was silly. "It's not silly. It's what you love." He offered the girl a warm smile. "So you focus on nature magic and beast taming, and love riding horses.. I think I'm starting to get a good read on you Mags." he said with a laugh. "Its amazing... this game has such a variety with what we can do.. You don't have to feel pressured to fight and become a warrior like other games. Hell, you could probably go through your character's whole life without even picking up a sword." His eyes glistened with a wonder for the game they stood in, the absolute depth of everything. He wished his sister had kept a copy of the game so they could enjoy it together. Jomei turned to look at Mags, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "Sorry...Kinda got carried away there.. I actually have a love for games like this.. but not just the game itself.. everything about it, down to the code thats written just to take a couple of steps.... shut up, I know im a nerd." he said with another laugh, a pink hue growing on his cheeks.
As they traveled the vast fields outside of Stokbon, Jomei looked to the mountain range far ahead of them, "Having a horse would definitely help in a situation like this huh."

 

"Nah, don't apologize," she countered with an easy wave of her hand. "It isn't silly, it's what you love." A small smile ghosted across her lips as she used his own words against him. She had turned the tables, and she assumed he knew it based on his facial expression. But she was happy to go on with the lighthearted, easy discussion. Too often, Mags found herself trying to engage in complicated, heavy talks with players of Terrasphere. She hoped to connect on some game-based level, but it often resulted in either party growing restless or uneasy. This exchange, however, felt natural. She could let it go on.

"It's pretty neat that you know coding and all that," she told him, her gaze moving to the darkness ahead of them. It rolled out in all directions, interrupted only by the bright city they left behind, and the occasional flicker of darting fireflies. Even the sky had grown darker, thick clouds rolling in to extinguish the moon and her accompanying stars. Mags figured that would help them with their mission, but at the same time, unease crept closer from the shadows that flanked them. Maybe they should have waited until morning? No, the more logical part of her argued, you're sneaking up on a band of thieves. Night is best.

So she squared her shoulders and forged ahead, her pace increasing just a bit. "I like that I don't need to fight to be successful. I mean, I know how to, and I can, if I want. But I don't have to. I haven't played too many games, but that's pretty unique. I can do what I want, and spend my free time riding." When he mentioned how Altivo would make their job easier, her expression twisted in doubt. "I don't have him as well trained as I'd like," she confessed. "He'd probably end up throwing us both, and altering the thieves we were coming."

Almost as if she had prophesied the discovery with her words, the red-orange gleam from a small fire cut through the darkness. They had only just crested a shallow hill, the forest sprawling out to their left and right, so she assumed they had not been spotted. But her first instinct was to lunge from the path and position herself behind the thick trunk of the nearest tree.