(PP-F5) When Life Gives You Lemons (Lowenthal)

[Amira 0]

Manta cocked her head to the side, glancing out into the desert. She wasn't entirely sure what she was planning to do, but she did know that dungeons were popping up all over the place lately. Maybe she could find someone to join her in finding one. With her current skills she doubted that it would happen though. It didn't really matter that much to her. Today was just a day off as she waited for the floor boss battle and the Christmas event. She lounged around near the exit to the desert, looking for any players that looked like they were high level enough, just in case she actually did find a dungeon. She wasn't a tank, so she couldn't protect people in the way that a tank usually did.

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal stepped into the desert. "Why am I always here. The desert sucks, but that's where all the good stuffs at." He said, outwardly objectifying his disinterest for the desert floor. He liked the sand, just not this kind. This sand was far too coarse, and dry. It felt more like powdered glass than sand. And there was no water around for miles, if at all. How can you have a beach party with sand, and no water? He sighed, as he tugged the neck of his jacket. If not for his endurance and level, this floor would've been taking it's tool on his body. As he was leaving, he saw a girl, just, standing there. "Hey. You alright?" Lowenthal asked, looking around. "You're all alone? That's odd." He said to her.

[Amira 0]

Manta heard a voice coming from a short ways away and turned to face the person who was speaking. He looked to be a moderately high level player, the sort that she would want to bring with her on her expedition. She smiled and gave him a little wave. "Yeah, I'm fine, just looking for some people to party with. Im looking to try to find a dungeon, get some more skill points." She explained, reaching a hand out in front of her. "I'm Manta." He looked kind of familiar, maybe she had seen him on the front lines before?

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal towered over the girl in front of him. "Finding a dungeon huh? And you came out, all by yourself? That's pretty brave kid." Lowenthal said, looking back out over the sand dunes. "I'm Lowenthal. A pleasure." He said, holding out his hand. His jacket's tail, and his hair both fluttered in the slight breeze. Lowenthal was of course sporting his normal attire. His black jacket, which was supposed to help him with stealth. "And, if you don't mind. I'd be happy to go back out there and find a dungeon or two." Lowenthal said, grinning.

[Amira 0]

Manta glanced up at the man, placing a hand on the pommel of her darkened rapier. "It's not all that brave. Maybe if this was the thirteenth floor." She said, reaching out and shaking his hand. "I'd love to have some company, especially another high level player." She replied, turning to look out over the sand. Everything looked the same. It would probably be best if they just walked around. She was pretty sure that these dungeons were randomly spawned, so it probably didn't matter where they went.

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal smirked. Just how did she know he was a high level player? Was it bravado? It didn't matter, she was partly right. he was higher than most, but lower then most as well. He was in that awkward, middle ground stage. The Christmas boss was around the corner, and Lowenthal needed to be ready this time. Which meant, energy foods and a few safeguard potions. Lowenthal tried to make small talk. "So anyway, Manta." Lowenthal said, continuing from his thoughts. "What made you want to go out and adventure in this world?" Lowenthal asked, throwing his hands behind his head as the pair walked. Since this was a desert, Lowenthal was sure that they'd just accidentally enter the dungeon.

[Amira 0]

Manta listened to Lowenthal's question as they walked through the desert, seemingly aimlessly. She needed to get some skill points up to invest in her armor skills so that she could get the athletics mod. "What else would I do? There isn't much else to do. Ignoring that though, I have complicated family issues in real life, and I need to get out of here to fix them. So im doing my best to help clear this game." She was also doing it for her girlfriend as well, but didn't feel like that information was entirely relevant to the conversation at hand. "What about you?"

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal looked ahead. "Me? Well I was tired of being nobody important. At first, i wanted to come out here and make a name for myself. Become famous all across Aincrad. But that changed later." Lowenthal said, placing his hands into his pockets. "Now, I don't know what I want. Right now, I just help where I can. Y'know?" Lowenthal said, explaining his reasoning. "So, what was it like. Stepping out into adventure for the first time. Seeing such magnificent views, meeting extraordinary people." lowenthal said, reaching the top of a dune and looking down.

[Amira 0]

Manta smiled, thinking back on when she had started this adventure. She hadn't actually met all that many impressive people back then. She had had her own little group of people that she had hung out with, and not many others. "Everyone is extraordinary in their own way. It wasn't all that great actually. It was just like real life but with more people to interact with. The views are certainly a lot better I guess." She said thoughtfully.

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal sighed. "My first fight was a bit troublesome. I mean, not that troublesome it was only a boar. But my second fight, I ended up not landing a single hit onto it." Lowenthal said, remembering his first outing. He had come so far since then. He couldn't help but smile in remembrance of then. "And after that, I met a lot of people. Some good, and some bad. But everything has been worth it so far. Do you feel the same?" Lowenthal asked his companion. "Do you feel everything has been worth it?" Lowenthal reasked.

[Amira 0]

Manta's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Absolutely. Even if I don't count all of the amazing people I've met here. I used to be a lot different. More scared and shy. But I've learned a lot since I got stuck in this world, things that I might not have learned in real life. And adding in my girlfriend and my guild..." She paused feeling bad. "I don't want to say that it was worth it. So many people have died. Personally, it feels like it has been though. I don't remember my first fight, a lot of stuff from the beginning of the game is hard to remember. I do know that I had a lot of trouble with all of my fights starting out though."

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal nodded. "I agree. Y'know, for someone so young. You're quite wise. It's a nice change." Lowe said, returning his hands to the back of his neck. "So, you said you have a girlfriend?" Lowenthal asked. "If it's not too much, you mind telling me her name?" Lowenthal asked his compatriot. He had his reasons, but they were better left unshared. And he wasn't one to judge either, he remembers when he had a boyfriend. People were people, and love was love. "But, aren't you a little young to have a girlfriend?" Lowenthal joked.

[Amira 0]

Manta smiled, glad that he hadn't freaked out about her having a girlfriend. She knew that there were some people who would. "Yes, I did. Her name is Erin." He seemed to think that she was a little bit young to have a girlfriend. She didn't understand why he would think that. She wasn't too young. She cocked her head to the side, still smiling. "I'm not that young. I'm seventeen." She said in a friendly tone of voice to show that she hadn't been offended by his question. Seventeen wasn't old or anything, but it seemed like the age to mess around. "We met up under some strange circumstances, and things just clicked between the two of us."

[Lowenthal 0]

"Seventeen?!" Lowenthal exclaimed. Hell, he wasn't much older than her being twenty two. "Damn, my eyes are getting bad. Gotta be this heat." He said, letting out a sigh. He stopped walking, and scanned the horizon. He couldn't see anything, of course. "I don't see anything. Was hoping for like, a structure to peek out of the sand or something." Lowenthal said, rubbing his face clean of sand. At least the wind hadn't picked up any more. Last thing they needed was a sandstorm. "Can you make out anything?" Lowenthal asked, still scanning.

[Amira 0]

Manta chuckled as Lowenthal expressed his surprise at her age. She did have a young face, which was something that she was glad of. She glanced around as he mentioned expecting to see something sticking up out of the sand, looking for herself. To tell the truth she expected them to find the dungeon by falling into some sort of pit. She doubted that they would find a castle or something that was above the sand. "Nope, I don't see anything..."

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal sighed. "Damn. Of course it wouldn't be that easy." Lowenthal said. He was growing weary of the sand here. And it's god forsaken heat. It was most likely that something would spawn beneath them, and they would fall in. It sounded cheesy, and a bit cliche but it's what it was. Lowenthal wondered if each dungeon has it's own lore, or a mystery to solve. And it wasn't just a standard dungeon crawler where they just kill a bunch of mobs, to fight an even bigger mob.

[Amira 0]

Manta gave a small smile. "Well, if it was that easy everyone would have a bunch more skill points and col." She pointed out as they walked. She didn't mind the sand all that much, but it was kind of hard to walk in. "It's only a matter of time though, don't get frustrated." She encouraged, her feet sinking into the sand with each step, making it that much harder to continue walking. If only a mob or two would spawn just to entertain them a bit.

[Lowenthal 0]

Lowenthal groaned. "I meant easy for us." Lowenthal said with protest. "And besides, I think our levels are scaring off some, if not all of the mobs around the area." Lowenthal said, growing bored of walking. But at least the company was good. "Say, what level are you anyway?" Lowenthal asked curious. He knew he was about level 30, just reaching level 29. He was above level 30, before the update happened and he somehow lost a good chunk of his skills. He sighed, but thankfully he was able to recover slightly.