The City Stands Tall [P]

Finally feeling some pride in her healing skills, Solaria was internally shining as brightly as ever, smiling up as she walked through the streets of Stokbon towards her namesake. She'd had a good time in recent events within the world, having gotten to see quite a few sights of the mysterious world of TerraSphere, but sometimes coming back to the roots- the places that were really meant for someone of her weak status- was a good break. It wouldn't hurt her to relax, as much s she was bad at it.

Finding an alley that was a bit less crowded in town, Solaria took a moment staring idly at some of the tall buildings, their variety in shape and color endearing to her. "I'd probably feel more at home if it were a smaller town, but somehow, cities really are fun."

A skip in her step, she meandered through the quiet road, wandering without a purpose, just a wish for company and enjoyment under the cheerful sun. She spotted a stranger nearby that seemed to be alone as well, or at least Solaria could not see anyone with them. With due haste and a hop, skip and a jump, she rushed her way towards the slim stranger that she viewed as being as blue as the sea. From afar, she couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman- and quite frankly, it was hard to tell the closer she got, as well. However, she had to make a choice. The worst thing that could happen was she'd need to be corrected, right?

"Excuse me, sir. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me for a while? The city isn't as fun if you're alone, and the blue that you surround yourself with makes me feel at ease with memories of the sea." She'd been to the water once or twice, both in game and outside- but really, she was just trying to sound poetic, thinking it would be a fun way to start the conversation. "Have you been to the rivers or seas yet? They're quite amazing, and the fish are rather cute, too."

@Eleanor Loan

 

Finally getting away from the bustling city she most often found herself within, Eleanor escaped to a more desolate corner. With a deep sigh, she allowed her consciousness a rather temporary release from the usual, constant scanning of her surroundings. With her hands in her pockets, she slowly walked down a quiet road. The echoes of more populated regions around rang softly through her secluded gait.

This isolation, as all things, would not last forever. Before her eyes caught sight of the approaching humanoid, her ears caught sound of the clapping of steps. Cautiously, Eleanor lifted a hand from her pocket. Leaving this limb at her side, a dark purple glow sparked temporarily in her palm. Turning, she carefully examined the incoming figure for any signs of possible conflict.

"Oh." To her surprise, this incoming assailant didn't seem to have violent motives. Eleanor subtly raised her hand to slip it back within the confines of her pocket. "Ehm..." She didn't bother correcting the 'sir' sent her way, indistinctly discarding it. "I suppose." The blue haired woman allowed the other to take position in a more leading position.

"No, I haven't been on the waters." Keeping her head down, the rim of Eleanor's hat shielded her eyes slightly from the taller female. "You think fondly of the sea, hm?" While the statement had ended on a high note, it sounded much more like a statement up to that point.

@Solaria

 

She recognized in the stranger's voice that it was not a man as she'd come to assume. "Ah, sorry. I couldn't tell fairly well if you were a man or a woman, so I jumped the gun and went with my gut. Let me alter my remark. "Handsome miss, I hope you'll join me for a while."

Having gotten an okay, the green haired girl couldn't hold back the swell of joy, her arms shooting up into the arms with a minor cheer. For an adult, Solaria had a tendency to be quite quite childish- especially when she was excited to make a new friend. "Oh, my bad, my manners really stink today! I'm Solaria. What's your name?"

Her talk of the sea had lead the woman to respond fairly easily. Taking the last statement as a question, she gave a soft nod, wrapping her arms behind her back and intertwining her fingers gently. "I do. The sea, the river, all places with water that ebbs and flows. They soothe the soul, you know, and some waters have nutrients that help heal. I find it really wonderful that way."

Giggling, she took a few steps ahead, looking back at her temporarily coerced companion. "There are some really wonderful waterways and such in this world. I recently went to the river by Astorea. I found out I can't fish, but I also found out how much it tickles if they get near you when you swim. Water can teach us a lot, whether it be about the ecosystem, the world's shape or ourselves. In that way, isn't it pretty amazing?"

 

If Eleanor hadn't been so... Uncomfortable in the presence of strangers, she probably would have made an attempt at a handshake. This idea was, of course, dismissed in favor of a simple, verbal response. "I am Eleanor. It is nice to make your acquaintance." Honestly, making other's acquaintance was one of the most discomforting activities for the detective to conduct. This unease set aside, she hadn't really anything to be doing instead, so Eleanor figured the interaction would do no harm.

"You are right. Water is rather... Therapeutic." Eyes flicking down towards the ground for a moment, each step of her dark shoes was made with strict intent, raising up and placing down as if per-protocol. "It is in all living things, after all." Rising up her gaze to glance around, she adjusted her statement. "Perhaps not all things in this world, but the other." Eleanor was referring to reality, of course.

As if subconsciously, she raised her hand from her pocket. With her index and middle finger to her temple, a dark blue glow radiated at her pupils. Going into investigation mode was a hobby of the detective, so she didn't see much qualms in simply doing it whenever. Her eyes carefully scanned over her surroundings as they walked.

 

Solaria had never met a detective, at least, not that she really remembered. She was a rather law-abiding woman on and off the net,and probably wouldn't know if a plain-clothed detective was in a yard of her unless they said so. Because of this, she wasn't quite able to understand the way the blue eyes of her now companion were watching the area so distinctly.

"Is something wrong, Eleanor? You're keeping quite the eye out. Though, perhaps I'm mistaken? The blue glow makes it hard to say whether you're looking at something in particular."

With a gentle smile, she wandered further, never getting too far from the other woman. "Water really is in all of us. I feel it in this world as well, though. I get thirsty, as do the NPCs. We all still rely on the water of the world when we don't even live in real bodies here. That said..."

Spinning to get a better look at the water-hued stranger she'd forced into following her, her smile turned into a bit of a playful grin. "Water is so important in the other world, we have to make sure others have the right amount in their bodies with great precision. You might not know it, but while you can drink too little water and get dehydrated, there's consequences to drinking too much water too. I learned a bit about it this morning, actually. It's pretty amazing how strict our bodies can be in their needs."

 

The blue haired girl shook her head, bringing her fingers down from her temples. "Just observing. Nothing wrong." Quietly, she nodded as the other female described water. It seemed, at least from the current direction of their conversation, that the one she was walking with was particularly... What's the vibe... Nature-loving?

Especially after she turned to face Eleanor, leaving the blue eyed girl quickly adjusting to make temporary, uncomfortable eye contact. Even though she was one to find answers in all things, it seemed Eleanor's mind saw little to find within the eyes of others, preferring to operate through indications within contexts.

"I feel as though all things operate within those terms." Stopping, with her gaze facing upwards towards the taller female, Eleanor shifted this glance to the side. She examined the scaffolding of a building in construction. "In functions of excess and deficiencies, only productive within a balance."

With her hands temporarily raised back to her temple, she consciously took note of the materials being used to construct the building. This, along with other things she'd seen up to that point, was placed into the file of information she was constantly gathering. At some point, perhaps those little things would become useful. Back into her pocket, the hand slipped.

"Will we be off again?"

 

"Ah okay, just had to make sure. If you weren't feeling well, I'd have been able to help, so I wanted to make sure if you needed some of my magic." Her grin remained childish, if not even a bit stupid for a grown woman. She felt strange being looked up towards even if it was only in the literal terms, and tried to find a way to hide her height- but it hurt too much to keep her legs bent to be at better eye level, and so she accepted less eye-contact in their conversation.

"I suppose so...But the body in particular is a fascinating machine. And each one functions a bit differently, too. I've heard of people who shouldn't even be able to live through a toxin invading the body, yet they thrive for years to come. Not only are we beings of habit and balance, but also beings that adapt well."

Looking around, she began to realize she had no idea where she was headed- not that that was anything new. "I...Didn't actually have a plan for this little date of ours.I just knew I wanted to spend time with you in general. Perhaps a bite to eat will help set us up for an easier time? I'm actually starting to feel a bit hungry. Having such needs in a game feels so strange, don't you think?"

 

It seemed Eleanor was more interested in responding, rather than actively feeding into the conversation. This may have come off as somewhat disrespectful, but it was not as if the blue haired detective acknowledged, or much cared for that. "It is rather strange, yes." Being newer to the game, she was still getting in touch with how things worked. Raising her palm, she stared at the menu, carefully examining the icons.

"I suppose I could get something to eat." She did feel hunger, but had been putting it off for a later time. "Is there somewhere in particular that you would like to go?"

Suddenly, the pitter patter of feet nearby assaulted Eleanor's ears. Twisting around her torso, her eyes scanned the area for signs of danger. Perhaps a perpetrator, attempting to attack them, or maybe this conversation had all been a trap in the first place! She cursed herself for trusting to easily. All of this occurred in mere moments. Hand sparking with arcanamancy, she prepared herself for...

A small pack of young boys playing went running around a nearby corner. Perhaps they were playing zombie tag or something, as one was being chased by all the others, though they were all full of laughter. With a sigh, Eleanor stood and brushed herself off, relaxing her tense posture. Paranoia and caution often plagued her this way. Better safe than sorry, after all.

 

The boys had gotten a jump out of Solaria, having surprised her, but they were too fast getting away for her to scold them into apologizing. Putting her hands on her hips, she watched them with a sigh. "I wonder if I was that rude as a kid. Don't they know it's wrong to run into someone and not apologize?"

Rules, rules, rules. She played games to NOT be obsessed with those, and yet here she was going on about it again. So much for her growing up! "I know there's a small cafe around here that's pretty relaxed. It's probably not too busy this time of day, so we can go there without worrying about a ton of noise. I'll treat you, since you're being nice enough to hang out with me." Taking a few steps forward, she extended her hand in the direction she'd be walking.

"It's not far from us, actually. Perhaps an eighth of a mile?" Not fully aware of the length from one place to another in this world, she shrugged it off and began to wander towards the cafe. It's name was hard to read for her, but she opened the door and entered without thinking, holding it for Eleanor before she went to find them a seat. "Have you been playing long, Eleanor? I'm kind of new myself, though I've gotten better with my healing skills, that was just a fluke. You seem really attuned with the controls, huh?"

 

With a sigh, Eleanor scratched the side of her head. "Children will be children, I suppose... Cafe sounds nice though." With her hands slipped back into her pockets, she allowed the other to lead her along. Without having to focus as much of her mind on directions, it was easier for her to develop the internal map she'd been drawing for the city, and gather details of little things around them.

"Thank you." As much as it probably wasn't very courteous to blatantly accept an offer, she had not the funds to reject, as she was still very fresh in this world. Free food, in any circumstance, was welcome.

With a nod, Eleanor responded to the comment on controls. "I have only been playing for about a few days now. I read through the settings a few times, and did some testing, just to get myself established and all." She spoke,as if the narrator to an incredibly boring non-fiction story. Not that her voice was monotone, but packed with rather informational vibes. Almost android-like.

"Still a little..." She chose her words meticulously. "Inexperienced in combat, to say the least." And that statement was very true, having barley any reasonable control at all of her arcanamancy. The only success she'd had with it was out of sheer luck.

 

"Hehe, I started only recently too, but I took part in a big boss battle so I managed to get some extra experience kicked in. I have a beginner's mastery in single-handed swords, but I haven't gotten to work on it much yet. I think the best thing we can do is just try our best, and have fun while we're here. What're games for otherwise, right?"

Playfully, she felt herself sway side to side, her mind stuck on what to order. "I see, so you're the planning type. I probably should've read more about the game beforehand, but it was hard to resist playing, so I just jumped in instead. I'm lucky I've been getting free time lately considering I'm taking a couple more classes than I'd meant to this semester."

As a waitress with no real personality came and placed water before them, the girl smiled. What to eat, what to eat? What would satisfy her rumbling belly? A sip of water surely helped, she lifted and landed the glass with the grace of a walrus, though at least quietly.

"I feel like a kid again realizing I've just been blabbering about the other world. I'm a lot worse at letting things go then I thought!" Another sip, another thought. "So...Why don't you tell me about you, too? What made you decide to join the game?"

 

"Oh, the big mushroom." Eleanor nodded quietly to herself, continuing to keep her head low as they moved. "I showed up for the end of that." Scratching the back of her head, semi-embarrassed about the turn of events. Her single attack had been a substantial one, but that part mattered little to her. It was about control, and the test had failed horribly.

The comment on classes sent the detective a flash from reality, remembering again that this was all just a game. Not that he had forgotten, just temporarily dismissed that fact. This game was like a distraction to her, after all. Eleanor wondered if Solaria was younger than her in the real world, in contrast to how older she appeared in the game.

"Just bread for me." She commented quietly to the waitress, before turning back to the other girl. "About me..." Eleanor pondered for a few moments to herself. "There isn't much to tell. I got an email about the game, and I did not have much better things to do, so I decided to check it out. I usually just hop on here whenever I'm not working."

 

"Wow, you were there too? I guess it was so busy I don't really remember a lot of the faces. I was able to make some friends in the end, but I think most of the time I might've just been in the way since I was still really new to playing a supporting role. A decade of tanking can cause that, huh?" Actually, it hadn't been quite a decade yet- but a year or two wasn't a big deal, was it?

Ordering something a wee bit more complex, Solaria swiftly ordered some meat and mashed potatoes before the waitress left, returning to listen to Eleanor with open ears. "You too, huh? I come on once I'm finished with classes and my coursework. My dad refused to let me get a job to support myself when I started nursing school, so to make things a little easier on him without getting his undies in a bunch, I ended up moving near campus with a friend to share the costs. I found the game while I was looking at a forum since I've always liked games, and I needed a release after my classes...So it seemed like a good fit."

Pausing for a moment, she realized she'd done it again! She'd gone and blabbered her personal life like an idiot to someone who probably could care less, and it was after she'd just told herself to stop! "So what kind of work do you do? Well, I guess it's not really something I should be asking if you're playing to escape that for a while."

 

"Don't worry about it, I was all the way in the back." Sitting up, with damn near perfect posture, Eleanor waited for her order, eyes carefully glancing over her surroundings in investigation mode, just for the heck of it. "Fired off one shot and left. Not too big of a deal."

She sat quietly whilst listening to the other's story regarding classes and the sort. She chuckled to herself in regards to the subject of her father refusing to allow her to get a job. It didn't sound too dissimilar from her own story. Though, she quickly shook that idea off, as her story had a very different ending.

"I work at a Target near my apartment. I don't really get up to much outside of work and this game. Not really the outgoing type." She saw no reason to be shady or distant in the information she provided. If anything, an internet stalker would give her an interesting change to her monotone life. "It pays well enough for me to take care of myself. And the work isn't taxing in the slightest. Plus there's a Starbucks outside."

As the plate arrived in front of her, Eleanor dismissed investigation mode, lowering her hand to quietly take small bites from the bread. How odd it seemed, for a game to integrate taste.

 

"Ah, that explains it. I was all the way in front. Which, as I look back on it, probably was really, really stupid of me." Laughing a bit, she enjoyed the appearance of her food that arrived, mulling over Eleanor's work and the like as she told her some more of her story.

It was lucky for Solaria most of the things mentioned were common in her area, but even so, she sat oddly quiet for herself as she picked a bit at the meal and thought. "I don't think there's a target near campus, but we have a starbucks. I go every morning before classes to pick some up for my friend and me. I can barely understand the menu though. I mean, it's so complicated sometimes..."

She worked hard to control herself not to speak too much- but as she ate, she couldn't help wanting to blurt out her thoughts. "It really is tasty. I'm amazed how far technology's come...Not just the taste, but the aroma and even the texture. It's like I'm eating the real thing!"