[PP-F1] Healing wounds <<Secret Medicine of the Forest>> Itzal and Marianne [COMPLETED]

[Marianne 0]

<<Town of Beginnings>>

<<3rd Person>>

The sky was a brilliant Azure blue, and there were small birds fluttering around the sky, making calls and soaring higher and higher up. In the forest on the 1st floor, there is a girl with red hair, and she was running from a green monster, named <<Little Nepent>> and she looked terrified for her life. This is Mira, the online character of Marianne Tobirama.

<<1st Person>>

'Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. CRAP!' I was currently hiding from a quest monster, named <<Little Nepent>> and at the sight of the monster's Targeting cursor turning red... I had nearly been sick, and I ran in the opposite direction as fast as I could, and hid behind the nearest tree I could find, and I started coughing violently. " Aah... God please don't let that thing find me..." I looked around the tree, and I noticed that the monster no longer had a red Cursor, and that it had turned back to orange. "Holy... Ah... Thank god, it stopped chasing me... I have to get used to those cursors turning red... Like ASAP." I felt the terror diminish only a little bit, so I stayed on guard, Battle Axe at the ready.

@Itzal

Edited April 10, 2017 by Marianne

[Itzal 0]

Itzal was leaping from branch to branch, much more efficiently and swiftly than he had before.  He had these woods memorized by heart by now and he knew the precise path to take in order to get somewhere.  Right now he was running directly above the warg he named Varx.  There was a long story to how he had ended up working with the wolves but in the end he went hunting with them, more for relationships and entertainment than actual level grinding.  He went to the higher floors now for that.  Cloaked in Niger Natio, anyone who wasn't looking for him wouldn't notice his presence.  Behind the warg were about ten to twelve wolves.  It was a pack hunt rather than the entire pack only a select few would come out to hunt.  As long as they were with Itzal they didn't attack players.  He knew that as monsters they would go hunting players during other times, but after the events that had transpired they respected Itzal more than feared him.  Especially the warg whom was growing up with Itzal.  Suddenly Itzal heard heavy breathing and stopped, the wolves doing likewise.  They were masters of being silent now and Itzal scanned the area before spotting a red headed player.  He looked at the wolves and made an 'O' with his hand, signalling them to make a perimeter, keeping an eye out for dangers.  They did so quickly and the warg assumed a more dog like posture, though it's body was larger than any other dog.  Varx and the wolves had come to know this pattern not only with practice, but once or twice when Itzal spotted a low level player in need.  He leaped down from the branches, making a soft thud that Mira could hear and walked over to her, lowering his hood and mouthpiece.  "Hey there!  You ok?"  Varx walked up beside him, panting to keep up the 'I'm just a really big friendly dog' appearance.

@Marianne

Edited October 5, 2016 by Itzal

[Marianne 0]

I heard a rustling sound, and I noticed a cloaked figure walking towards me, greeting me with an "Are you Okay?". I stood up, and was about to reply... when I noticed that he had a large mob with him... a wolf. "... I guess i'm okay...? ... Are you... a bad guy?" I didn't lower my battle axe, and my expression was filled with worry. " ... Uhmm... I... I have a favor to ask... C-can you help me beat a few monsters...? ... If you don't want to... I guess I could try again... If I wasn't scared of the monsters targeting Cursors... I don't like those cursors..." I was staring at my feet, an embarrassed blush developing on my face. "... My... My name is Mira...  Wh-What's yours?"

@Itzal

Edited October 5, 2016 by Marianne

[Itzal 0]

Itzal listened as the player asked if he was a bad guy and chuckled while pointing at his green cursor.  "Nope.  Pure as can be.  You could even see a halo up there if you've got the imagination."  He chuckled lightly at his own joke.  "And don't worry about Varx.  It's a.... Long story but in short he won't harm you.  And sure I have no problem helping you fight a few monsters.  And uh.  The cursors?  Are you afraid of them?"  Itzal wondered if she was one of those players who was terrified of danger above anything else.  Then she said her name was Mira.  He stood there for a second.  Mira?  His first thought was thinking about Mina's split personality who died.  But nah it had to be coincidence.  He smiled and raised his hand.  "Nice to meet you Mira!  I'm Itzal!"  He shook her hand and glanced around.  "So is there somewhere specific you want to fight monsters or do you just want to wander around?  Oh wait."  Itzal put his fingers to his mouth and made two short whistles.  Silently the wolves began returning to the cave to await Varx.  Varx looked at Itzal and he shrugged.  "I guess you could join us if Mira's ok with it Varx.  Mira?  What do you say?  He's perfectly harmless to us."

@Marianne

[Marianne 0]

I listened to his explanation... and I smiled weakly. ".... I see... I guess it could be considered a tamed mob... but I almost never see players with a tamed mob..." I approached the other side of the tree, and I peered around it, seeing the <<Little Nepent>> watching me "... erm..... aw crap, how should I..." I was still nervous, and I picked up one of my braids, and I began to chew on it. "... I never exactly wanted to fight any monsters... but I saw a quest that required you to slay a few <<Little Nepents>> and to try to find the Variant of them... I think they have a red bulb on their head...?... But I can't fight them alone... two hits and those things would kill me easily... and every time I try to go after one... It runs at me, and I just run away screaming... It's so embarrassing..." I looked at Itzal, a sad look on my face. "I still have things I want to do here... both in this world, and in the real one too... I have to see her again... even if I only see her for a few minutes..." I put my braid down, and turned towards the <<Little Nepent>>, Preparing myself to charge it. I ran forward, preparing the skill <<Hack>>, and I swiped at it fast, somehow dodging it's attacks, and I landed on the other side of it, I looked at it's health bar, and I cheered when I saw I brought it all the way down to Zero. "... I... I did It..?!"

<<Result>>

Dice ID #: 69114

BD: 10

MD: 2

Mira: 20/20 Hp, 0/2 Energy

Little Nepent: 0/7 Hp Dead

@Itzal

Edited October 6, 2016 by Marianne

[Itzal 0]

Itzal heard her mention how he tamed the mob and both he and Varx blinked, looked at each other, and Itzal then said "um, not more of tamed more as established a mutual trust.  He's not a familiar."  He looked up at Mira again and she was talking about a quest.  He looked at her gear.  "A combat quest at level one?  It's a good thing I found you then.  It's not a good idea to start combat right off the bat without someone else.  The lowest levels are a pain.  I'm part of a guild who helps lower levels get higher so maybe you'd be interested in joining us in the future so that you could get stronger.  For now I'd gladly help you out with the quest!"  Itzal smiled at her.  "Yeah you did Mira!  Excellent job!  You seeking to become a dps or something?"  In truth he was surprised that a quest would have such an easy monster to fight.  But than again they hadn't been updated along with the health and energy.  Monsters seemed to be switching stats constantly too but they seemed to have settled....  For now that is.  "Right, let's look for the right one then shall we?"

@Marianne

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Marianne 0]

(+3 Energy)

I started coughing, and I sat down with a thump. "..Na, naa... that... that was amazing... I... I really didn't expect to hit that monster for all of it's health... Haa... And now I feel like jelly..." I stayed seated, and I looked him when he mentioned we should find the real one first... "... You have to kill Little Nepents until the Variant spawns in, and then that would mean the Item the quest requires has to be dropped too... I think that this might be kinda annoying for you, but the mob only spawns in when you kill at least two of them for each player, and if you don't get the item the first time you kill it, you have to repeat it..." I sighed, and stood back up, a rustling sound coming from the bush... It was three more Little Nepents... and they all seemed to be looking at Itzal. "Ah... i-it looks like they're targeting you... I feel bad asking this, but can you get rid of them?"

<<Little Nepents Stats>>

7 health each

Edited October 6, 2016 by Marianne

[Itzal 0]

Itzal listened to her cough and frowned.  "You ok Mira?  You sound like your sick."  That shouldn't be possible in this game.  The Cardinal didn't simulate sickness after all.  She then mentioned how they each needed to kill two of those creatures.  He nodded.  "Oh I see, it's one of those is it?  Hmm.  Well if that's the case it shouldn't be too hard to-"  Itzal heard a sound and turned to see three of the creatures, all staring at him.  He heard Mira ask him to remove them and he grinned.  "This will be over real quick, don't worry."  Itzal drew Ascendant's Rosario and the eyes of the creatures followed the icy blade.  One of them started moving forward slowly and he shook his head.  "No need to take turns boys, I'll take you all down at once."  He rushed up and the monsters tried to strike him when he charged his sword art, the blade being surrounded with blue energy, jumped up high into the air, and released it all in one shot, activating Lightning fall.  Ok, he realized it was a little overboard, but it became a habit for him at this point.  When he did the bleeding effect appeared, revealing their green plant pixel blood before they shattered into pieces.  He landed in front of the dead mobs and sighed.  "That's the problem with these quest mobs.  You can't get any loot from em.  Oh well."

ID#  69128  BD:  9  CD:  10  MD:  7-3=4

63 dmg to all.  All monsters defeated. 

Itzal's energy:  51/64 energy

@Marianne

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Marianne 0]

I flinched when I noticed his sword caused the bleeding effect. "... Aah... Bleeding effect... Why is their blood GREEN?!" I watched them explode into a cloud of polygons that evaporated almost immediately... I noticed another monster, this time it was the <<Little Nepent Variant>> Mob, the monster that I had been waiting for. "It's here... I'm coming at you!" I prepared <<Hack>> once again, and I managed to hit it both times, and It barely missed me with it's attack. "Alright, your turn Itzal!" I turned around, and dashed back towards him, holding my axe at the ready in case he ended up missing his attack...

Roll ID#: 69130

BD: 7

MD: 4

<<Little Nepent Variant>>

10/15 Hp

<<Mira>>

20/20 Hp, 0/2 energy

Edited October 6, 2016 by Marianne

[Itzal 0]

Itzal watched as another monster came with a bulb on it's head.  So this was the target?  As he expected he could have one shot it immediately.  However he felt Mira should have a chance to adjust to combat.  He watched as she rushed up and struck the monster with her sword art, dealing five damage to it.  He recalled those levels.  Where you only dealt 2-5 damage max.  He chuckled as he recalled how terrible he had been.  He flourished his sword before charging the monster and angled his blade so that he'd preform a sort of half slash half stab action.  However his blade did not glow at all this round.  He wanted Mira to keep fighting.  If things got ugly he'd just finish it off.  The monster saw him and tried to dodge but he quickly adjusted his sword's path and cut across where its mouth should be and he heard it give off a screech of pain before circling around and positioned himself so that he could help Mira if she needed it.  "Alright Mira, finish it off!"

ID#  69134  BD:  4+2=6  CD:  4

LNV:  2/15

@Marianne

Edited October 6, 2016 by Itzal

[Marianne 0]

(+1 energy in combat)

I rushed forward, and I attempted to hit the monster, sadly failing, albeit both of us missed each other. "Crap, ah... okay..? I gotta do better than this!" I ran back again, and I fell face-first on the ground, my glasses sliding towards the tree on the other side of the field. " Crap, not the glasses..." I stood up and picked up the glasses, dusting off my useless armor, and standing straight, battle axe in hand. "And these monsters are supposed to be easy. I hate it when things like this happen... I... gotta..." my eyes focused on the cursor, it was still a bloody red color... 

Spoiler

So I can't see her again?! Ever??

It wasn't Decided by us. Talk to a lawyer when you're 21 Kid.

I gotta... I have to see her again... I have to see my little sister!!

Sedate her before she causes any problems. She's probably still unstable after nearly dying by the hand of the same person who killed her parents...

NO!!! I HAVE TO SEE HER AGAIN!!! I HAVE TO SEE VIOLA AGAIN!!!

"VIOLA!!"

I fell over, still hyperventilating, still freaking out. I had barely registered that I was screaming, but I managed to stop screaming, remembering that the other player, Itzal, was still standing next to me... "... Viola... I'm sorry...  Please... don't leave me while i'm here... Please..." I stood back up, and hobbled over to Itzal, still shaking...

Dice roll #: 69135

BD: 5

MD: 5

Mira: 20/20 hp, 0/2 energy

LNV: 2/15 hp

@Itzal

Edited October 12, 2016 by Marianne
;-; backstory much?

[Itzal 0]

Itzal saw that Mira lost her glasses and dashed around the monster to go retrieve them.  The moment his hand made contact he heard Mira scream someone's name and when he turned around he saw the monster make a lunge at her.  "Oh no you don't!"  He charged to intercept the monster.  He charged a simple sword art snake bite and released it and all it's power on the creature, slaying it instantly and before he even checked the loot menu (he ended up getting Mari the item) dropped the sword and ran over to her side, holding her in his arms.  "Mira, Mira are you ok?"  He saw that she was hypervenilating and he held her against him, stroking her.  "Mira, Mira it's ok, it's alright.  Your safe, nobody's hurt, it's just you and me ok?  It's all right, it's all right."  When she finally calmed down he looked at her in the eyes, his own showing concern and comfort.  "Mira what happened?  It seemed like you had a memory flash is that correct?  What triggered it?"  He needed to know what happened so he could work towards avoiding that in the future.

ID#  69325  BD:  9  CD:  10  LD:  17+8

Itzal:  640/640  <>  50/64

Monster dead

Item received

@Marianne

Edited October 13, 2016 by Itzal

[Marianne 0]

I looked up, and I winced when he mentioned that I had a memory flash. "... It was a terrible thing to even try to think about..." I sighed, and took my glasses, placing them back on my face, and I looked at his face, his barely visible face, and I finished what I had been about to say. ".... I wish that it was possible to go back in time to make amends for what I did... and the grief I probably caused my family... It just isn't possible to fix what you do in the past, I guess... The thing that triggered me? ... It was the red cursor... and the red flower on the monster's head... It reminded me so much of the flower that my adoptive little sister always kept in her hair..." I looked down at the ground, tears beginning to well up in my eyes, and I sniffled, feeling the emotions that I was trying so hard to hide. "I... I actually have a favor to ask of you... If... If you ever run into someone that has a screen name with the word Tricolor in it... please let me know... I heard from my family that she was going to play SAO..." I sat there, tears still spilling down my face...

[Itzal 0]

Itzal held her close as she explained and cried and he wiped the tears away.  "Hey, listen to me ok?  I speak out of personal experience:  What's done is done.  You can't change the past, just the future.  Whatever you did can be forgiven.  As for the red, don't worry.  Something like that takes a little bit to overcome.  I could help you do so if you wanted."  When she asked him to do her a favor he listened intently.  When he heard the last lines he was dead silent for a moment.  "Um...  Tricolor you say?  I uh, might...  Know someone.  She's actually joining our guild.  Wanted to be a healer.  She crafted this sword actually,"  he said as he showed the blue blade.  "I'll be initiating her into the guild soon.  She'll be my girlfriend, Kasier's, apprentice when she does.  If you want to meet her or wait a little bit I'm fine either way.  For now though, you look like you need rest.  Do you have any place to stay at the moment?"

@Marianne

[Marianne 0]

I sat down, and as I silently struggled to calm myself down, I began to explain what had come over me. "I....... I had a bad accident a while ago in the real world... My adoptive family was barred from being able to see me again... and then I was forbidden from seeing my little sister... I only get triggered by the color red, in a few certain... conditions... such as a red cursor, or... the little red flower... the one that was in my sisters hair... anything that.. seems trivial or stupid... it bothers me sometimes..." I fell silent as he talked, and when he mentioned that he had met someone with a username involving 'Tricolor' I felt a deep sadness begin to swell in my heart, and I looked down at the ground, tears still welling up in my eyes after he mentioned that he was holding a weapon that she had made for him... then he offered to show her to me, and a new place to stay... " ... I see... that sword was made by her then... We always followed a pattern when we played video games together... She was a healer, blacksmith combo, and I was a Tank, Alchemist combination... I never thought that she was gonna be playing this game... I really appreciate the offer... I hope I don't hold you back..." I stood up, and I hastily bowed in his direction... when I realized that he didn't have a Japanese accent either... "... Are you originally from japan... Itzal?" I stood there watching him with an Interested look on my face...

[Itzal 0]

As she explained to Itzal, or somewhat explained, that she had an accident, he couldn't understand why she was separated from her family but he did feel pain for her.  To never see your own family...  Especially when you knew you had living relatives you couldn't see.  When she explained that her panic attacks were triggered by specific red objects, the cursor being one of them he realized how bad this could be.  "You might have a problem then...  Not only will you encounter many many more monsters, but there's the occasional red player as well.  Not all of them are that bad though, some did it out of self defense.  Others didn't have a choice."  When she said she appreciated the offer he smiled gently to her.  "My doors and assistance are always open to you Mira, that I promise.  And no you won't hold me back, it's kind of my job to help lower level players rise up.  That's what my guild is about."  Then she asked him a question he didn't expect.  However, she had shared her real life information, or rather, some of it.  So he'd share his.  "Um....  No.  My blood parents are from America, that much I know.  However, that's actually all I know.  I don't know why we were in Japan but during our time here I was six years old and a man killed them both in cold blood in front of me.  When the police caught him several years later, he was brought to court.  he said he killed my parents because it was fun, and that he burned all their belongings, including their wallets, phones, anything and everything.  So there was no way to find any blood family back in America.  A police officer took me in so I have an adopted father, mother and sister whom I deem as my real family." 

@Marianne

[Marianne 0]

".... I see... I hope you survive to see them again in the real world, Itzal... I used to live in america too... me, my mother, and my father all moved to japan to help relieve the thousands of homeless in tokyo... when they were murdered by a serial killer... I found out who he was about three years ago... when it showed up in the news that he had been slain, and little viola got arrested for Murder... " I sat back on the ground, and I looked at him with an Interested gaze... "Na, Naa... I never thought that I would run into another survivor of a murder spree... at least you still have someone to go back to... I don't have any living relatives, and If I did, they wouldn't associate themselves with me or my parents... Rich snobs that think they own the planet, and mock anyone who is less fortunate, and looked down on my parents for their noble intentions, If I ever met one of them... I would run as far as I could in the opposite direction, and I would smack away their hand if they tried to touch me." I stood up, and I held up the battle axe in my hand, and I swung it as hard as I could into the tree next to me, and  I fell silent, when I realized that I had completely forgotten about the quest!! "Oh! By the way Itzal... did you happen to get the quest item by any chance? I hope I don't have to ask you to help me take out four more of these things..." I eagerly awaited his response...

[Itzal 0]

He listened as Mira added details to what happened and he could not hide the sadness he felt for her.  "Yeah, she told me that she killed him...  Uh, she also said that she thought you died and that she gained a split personality that..  Matched yours I guess...  But that spit personality was removed by the cardinal so it might be a bit awkward if you to saw each other.  And strangely enough she made the same noise you do."  When she talked about how she had nobody to go to in the real world he gave her a comforting smile and offered his hand in friendship.  "Hey, we make it out of here, you've got a friend at least."  When she asked if he got the quest item he pulled it out and tossed it to her.  "Oh yeah I got the item.  I have a pretty good loot rate.  It comes from choosing a scout build.  It's more rewarding then you think, though I don't deal nearly enough damage as I'd like to..."

@Marianne

[Marianne 0]

I snickered at his response " Na, Naa... You know... that's what skill modifiers are for though.. for a tank, I guess that those are vital to the success of any tank I guess..." I sat down, and I tried to absorb the Information that I had just received about the player in front of me... I sighed, and I looked at the flower that had been dropped by the Variant mob. "It's so pretty... I always thought it was cool that the game has an auto-focus feature... It makes it so much fun to look at the tiny flowers on the map, and enjoy the detail that the feature gives out... Things like this just make me happy that we got trapped inside a realistic world, y'know? I really wanted to get out... but it looks so impossibly far away... " I looked up at the sunlight dappling through the trees, and I smiled brightly " C'mon! let's go to town!" I grabbed his wrist and I started dragging dragging him to the exit...

[Itzal 0]

At the mention of tank Itzal raised an eyebrow.  "You want to be a tank?  Cause that would be amazing.  The front liners are in desperate need of tanks and Jonathan has no apprentices whatsoever so you'd make his day."  When she mentioned the details of the flower he smiled and tapped her shoulder.  When she turned he gestured to the scenery around them.  The sunlight was coming down in gentle streams through the leaves, and all sorts of flowers covered the edge of the clearing they stood in.  The light reflected off of some of the flowers, and illuminated the rest.  "Looking closely reveals the depth, while looking at your surroundings reveals the finished art.  That's something I've come to learn.  And don't worry, we'll get out of this world."  Suddenly she grabbed his wrist and began running to the town, surprising him but he recovered his footing and jogged easily beside her.  "Um, ok.  Any place you had in mind specifically?"

@Marianne