PP/F1) Returning to the first floor (OmegaNeko/Stryder)

[Stryder 0]

It... It really had been ages since he had come here. Well, not ages, that stupid halloween event had dragged him here and kept him here for the whole night. Though, it had made him wonder. What was he to do with his guild? He had always treated everyone as equally as he could, but honestly, the only time he ever talked to Dustin was when he was ordering him around... He needed to make up for that. He sighed, stepping off the Warp gate and into the town square. It was nicer here during the day, when you know, there weren't zombies roaming the streets. His gear was all on, as normal. Silver Grey heavy armored along the side of his arms up, just below his elbow. The cursed grey gloves he had to always wear... He could feel them growing, soon, they would power up, just like him. His Blue hoodie, the hood up, and his black jeans. He didn't look too unusual, but, he always wore this. It was just how he felt comfortable. He needed to get out of the emotional ditch he was in... So this was the next step. His cloak was on also, the one he got from Alisea. It had kept him safe, and he wouldn't be parting with it for a LONG time.

He looked around, wondering what he should do when he felt himself get knocked over, his wolf appearing behind him. He smiled, giving Silver a little pat on the head. "I should have known you would come with me. Come on, lets see who we can meet today!" He says to her, walking futher into the town square. First place to head.... The monumnet. He hadn't gone there since.... 

I need to see it again...

 

 

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan was in the town square as well, sighing to himself briefly since he still had yet to even begin to work on himself statwise. It was frustrating a bit, but at least he was doing a good thing instead. Helping out the young kids at the orphanage was what he saw as at least a good excuse for not doing anything. Seeing a player with a familiar in the square though was a bit of a rare sight, since with all the events going on it wasn't too often they came down here. So Ryan just gave a wave to Stryder, a usual smile on his face. Since he was finallu going to start training though, making a few friends wouldn't be a bad idea! So he skipped on over to Stryder, walking at his side once he was close. "Hiya! What brings nya down here? Judging by your direction, it's the monument right?" he asked, trying to be as friendly as he could. Although due to his appearance and high pitched voice, most people confused him for a girl.

[Stryder 0]

The Monument... He hadn't come down here since, actually, other then the halloween event, he had avoided this place heavily since that day. Since Katherines funeral, he had just tried to avoid this place. He didn't want to see her name anymore, though it haunted him. He had been avoiding the truth. She was gone, and he had to accept that. He had to move on, he had to start moving on with Alisea, and his guild. He had to be the leader she knew he could be.... But that road was a long way off. First step... he had to return to who he used to be, and to do that he had to come down here again...

He was in his little world when he just noticed someone, waving to him? The player looked a little feminie, and had ears and a tail? Ah, one of those players who enjoyed looking like that, using the cosmetics... He had considered it himself honestly... Silver hid behind him when the player walked up towards him, well, skipped over to him. He put his hand on his familiars head again, petting her. 

"Come on girl, its fine" He said to her with a smile, then looked over at the player. "Yeah. My best friend died a while ago, and since then i'v avoided coming down here, but its about time i look at it again" He says to the player with a smile. Feminine voice, appearance... Hmm.

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan was a bit confused at first when his familiar seemed afraid of him. But it wasn't growling or barking at him at least, so that was a halfway good sign. Hearing this player's reason for coming down here got a quick nod from Ryan, having heard that reason countless times. "That sounds about right, most of the higher level players just come here to pay their respects, which I can respect. You're all working hard out there, so of course you need the time for this too. Should I just go then? I'll let you have your private time if you wish." Ryan said, not fully knowing who or what this meant to this player. The importance of the visit varied from person to person, and the last thing Ryan wanted to do was ruin an important moment for someone. "Oh yeah, can I get your name by any chance?"

[Stryder 0]

Silver was being shy, as normal. He knew it was annoying for others, he could always tell. They thought that it hated them, or they scared it. But... They didn't know why. He did, and it was validated, though she was just scared. This... Gal? She started going on how most players came here to pay respects. She had no idea on the truth of that weighting... He was one of the lucky ones, despite everything.

"Some of us do, yeah. But most players on the frontlines haven't lost anyone, despite all that's been said. And your welcome to accompany me, if you want to. It would be nice to have some company." He says to her with a smile. She asked his name?  "I go by Stryder, leader of the Guardians of the New Dawn" He says to him, smiling as bravely as he could. It was a genuine smile. Despite all the pain he had, he was very proud of his guilds name, and he always would be. Except for Pinball....

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan listened more, glad that at least most of the frontliners haven't been losing people close to them. That would kill morale quickly if people were losing each other left and right. Although this player who had now introduced himself as Stryder was fine with Ryan going along with him, so the cat trap gave a nod and a big smile. "Sounds good! Just let me know if you need me to leave for anything!" Ryan said, still giving Stryder the option to still let him do his own thing. When he mentioned that he was the leader of his own guild, that got a small spark in Ryan's mind going, which made him bow before he thought of anything else. "Oh you run your own guild? Should I call you something else besides Stryder then? I go by Ryan, although call me whatever you want." Ryan said, introducing himself with his normal name instead of his usual prank name. His tail waving slowed a bit, just something about people like guild leaders got a lot of respect from him.

[Stryder 0]

This cat seemed quite friendly. He didn't feel his usual need to defend himself... Maybe it was because he was back down here, where he had first spawned in this world he loved. If that was the case, it made sense as to why he felt at ease. But having a friendly player was.... Something he should be more used to then he really was. He simply smiled and shook his head at him. 

"Nothing like that should come up. Unless of course you count another halloween event randomly appearing" He said, scratching his head. HE HATED those zombies the other night. it was RIDICULOUS! They just, WOULD, NOT, DIE! it made him a little angry just THINKING of it. Then the guy, bowed? What? Oh. 

"Your not part of my guild, so don't worry about treating me any differently then you would a normal player. Its more of a little family then a guild anyway. And Ryan huh?" - So, was this a boy or a girl... That name was more Masculine then he had expected from this player "Stryder is good for me. Oh, and this shy wolf here is Silver" He said to Ryan, petting the wolf again and getting her to come out from behind him. She walked over to Ryan a little worried looking, but she was also curious about who this new person was.

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan didn't really have the same habits that Stryder did, much more naive than him about how players were. He just figured that being friendly was a common courtesy. He gave another nod when he said that there would be no need for the cat to leave, so he just stayed at his side. "Whatever you say sir! This cat will stick around then!" Ryan did a quick little pose making paws with his hands, giggling afterwards. Once he was assured that he didn't need to treat Stryder like anyone else in the game. "Oh okay then, just making sure to show the proper respect to a high level player! But what's wrong with my name Stryder? Usually I go by Riley, but for some reason people get confused by it." Ryan said, crossing his arms and looking at him until Silver walked over to the feline player. He reached down to pet him, just a little bit though since he wasn't entirely sure if Silver trusted him.

[Stryder 0]

Cat, so they was cos playing. It was a fair call to do in this game, it was meant to be a fantasy world after all. WHy they couldn't play as other races from the start did seriously confuse him, but... Well, the creater of this sick place had his reasons. maybe he had something against furries? WHo knew, but either way, he was a sick genius.... This world, really was amazing, even with all the danger, all the pain, it was just amazing to be in.

"The cat is welcome to stick around" He says to them with a smile. The paw movement was a little confusing, but, it was cool to see someone so into the cosplay.

"With your getup, i was just expecting a different name. Goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover!" He said to him, smiling. "You know, most high levels don't want to be looked up to, well, treated differently. Really, we just want to help get everyone who can't leave this town home, and ideally, be a light in this messed up game" He says, continuing to walk towards the monument. He could see the building it resided in, it was MASSIVE, you couldn't miss it.

Silver, when Ryan went pet her, she pulled back, before moving in a little and allowing Ryan to pet her.

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan continued to pet Silver for a few moments longer until Stryder spoke again, to which he gave him his full attention. It got him very giddy inside that Stryder went along with the cat thing, making him let out a quick "Nya!" and another paw movement. He had walked to building with the monument plenty of times already, so this was another one of his walks basically. When Stryder explained that he expected a different name, that got a giggle from the cat boy, doing little finger guns. "Yup! Most people think I'm a girl, but that's just silly!" Ryan laughed, putting his hands behind his head and looking up at the building now that they were closer.

After hearing Stryder's reasoning for why high level players didn't want to be treated differently, Ryan gave a shrug and a sigh, thinking it over. "Well wouldn't you say that the act of helping and being a light for everyone else is worthy of some respect. That's just how I see it. I'm not out there, so I don't know what all really goes on between you all. Ooooooh! I bet there's some drama between you cool cats up there isn't there?" Ryan got a small smirk on his face now, quickly picturing it in his head as everyone having rivalries and other little things between each other.

[Stryder 0]

That.... Made a lot of sense. He had a suspicion the moment he had heard the name, so he was a guy who enjoyed playing a girl. Even though they had gotten there real bodies, he did look pretty feminine. He would believe it, easily. It was very believable. Silver enjoyed the attention. Ever since she had met Alisea, Silver had warmed up a little. Though, so far the only two she seemed to trust was Stry and Jinx.

"Aha! You could fool a lot of people with it, yeah. But, that's not a bad thing, it doesn't seem to bother you, so good goin!" He says with a grin, though it wasn't 100%. He was feeling a little pain as they got closer, it just wasn't the best place to be, but... It was where he needed to be.

"Well, i don't expect any. I'v really only helped in two raids so far, there are others out there who do a lot more than me." He says, semi grinning as he thought of Zandra and Macradon. They had a lot more experience, and were beasts in combat. He was looking forward to fighting alongside them again!

"Uhhh, you could say that. Due to something that happened to me, i had a bit of an argument with one of them. And the previous floor boss, was an emotional fight..." He said, remembering having to bloody tackle one of the frontliners to give an opening to attack the boss. They had shielded it, that was a very distressing fight.

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan gave a wink to Stryder when he told him that he could fool a lot of people with his appearance, giving a thumbs up in response once he finished talking. "Thanks! You thought I was cute before I told you my name huh? I kinda like it honestly, it's funny sometimes the reactions I can get out of people!" Ryan laughed a bit more as they got closer to the building.

Once Stryder explained how he had only done 2 raids so far and how he gotten in an argument, Ryan nodded, trying to get a full picture of it. "So after just two raids you already got caught up in that huh? Well if I ever get to that kind of level, I'm sure I can avoid those kinds of arguments. I'm too cute for that!" Ryan said, making another paw motion. He wanted to ask who Stryder wanted to visit on the monument, but he figured it was better not to ask that kind of thing.

[Stryder 0]

"Yeah, not going to lie, you had me fooled" He said with a little grin. It was true, but something he had learnt throughout his time here.... Not everyone was what they seemed. But, that didn't stop this guy from fooling him. He simply laughed it off, looking up to see the imposing cathedral that the monument resided in. This was where they had all started, this town. This town was where everything had gone from fun and games, to reality.

"Kind of, though the reasons i got caught in a few messes is mostly outside the raid. I sure do wish you luck in avoiding all the drama, its not a good feeling having enemies" He grins, giving some confidence to the cat guy. He was making some progress, he was talking to someone normally! Not shying out, blanking out or shutting down. This was good, this was his first step to redemption for himself...

(Sorry for delay, Sword/Shield got me)

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan stopped his own laughing after a little bit once Stryder admitted that he had him fooled. His cat ears drooped a bit for a moment once they looked at the monument. He didn't know anyone in the game prior to playing, which made him sad in his own sort of way. Sure it was a little less stressful since no one he knew was at stake, but at the same time it did make him feel more lonely. His thoughts were thankfully interupted once Stryder wished the cat good luck on not getting into any drama. "Yeah, I'd rather not make enemies in a world where I'm so weak. It'd be scary getting in that kind of trouble. But how could anyone not like me? I'm too cute! Maybe some guys could fight over me, nya! Mind not telling anyone else by the way? I kinda like messing with people with my appearance." Ryan asked, still just looking at the monument. Despite talking, it still kept his eyes.

(All good, nya!)

[Stryder 0]

Enemies.... Yeah, he had made a few. Pinball. If he ever ran into him again.... Him being an old friend wouldn't save him. Hestia, she didn't deserve the hell he had given her, but, It was done and he wasn't taking any of it back. Domarus, that was more of untrusting on his own side, but something about that man....

"You won't be weak forever, its rather easy to thrive here, just find some people to explore with and have adventures!" He says with a smile, looking in front of them. The monument. He had to keep it on his face...

"It helps having a strong player on your friendslist for if you ever get into a bind" He added onto that point, the smile slowly fading as he scanned through the names, seeing if he knew anymore else. He saw an old one, Wardege. Killed by Dazia... Trixie, killed by Fae. Fae... He needed to find her, he had seen her at christmas, that poor six year old.

"I'l be glad to keep your secret! But i can't promise not to laugh at people fighting over ya" He says with a forced grin, still scanning through the monument.

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan still was a little upset he had no connection to any of the people on this monument, but he wouldn't complain about that since Stryder probably had a ton going on. He was visiting the monument, so there was definitely at least something going on that was none of his business right now. For a few minutes, Ryan just stayed quiet to let Stryder think, just in case. After that, the cat boy went back to his usual cheery self, nodding at Stryder's words. "Just keep strong players around huh? I'll try and keep that in mind then. And don't worry about not laughing, it'll just add to the fun. I can hardly contain myself when someone starts to confuse me honestly!" Ryan said, not seeing the forced grin as forced. It was better to not really think of it that way anyway since it would just makes things all the more awkward.

[Stryder 0]

The monument was still as terrifying as he remembered. So many people, real people, people that were alive, like him, gone. Snuffed out, never to be heard from again. And all because they wanted to play a game. I love this world, Katherine, you knew that. You knew i don't want to leave... I still don't... But, i will honour what you told me to do. I will lead those who gather around me, around us... And i'l get them out of this game, even if i have to die trying.

"Glad to know i don't need to hold back" He says with a smile, still scanning through the remainder of the monument, until he saw it. Eatos. Poor girl... It was near the bottom of the list, and he put his hand against her name.

"I'l keep my promise old friend..." He would say silently under his breath, before taking a step away from it. "So, Ryan, I'm curious about something. Do you enjoy living in this world?"

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan briefly chuckled when Stryder said that he didn't have to hold back then, looking over the monument briefly just trying to see if he recognized any of the usernames. He of course wasn't hoping for someone he knew to be up there, but it was better to check at least. Seeing Stryder put his hand on a name and whisper something made the cat player a bit more sorry for him, but he once again just stayed quiet and let him have his moment. Once he stood up and asked Ryan if he liked living here, it took a moment for the question to register. "Oh! Umm, I guess I prefer this world to the real world! I get to look like this and meet some cool people. I guess I've always wanted an escape from reality and this is it! Of course I miss my actual family, but this place isn't half bad, nya!" Ryan answered just as cheerfully as ever, patting Stryder's shoulder a couple of times.

[Stryder 0]

He was quite thankful the cat didn't disturb him looking at Katherines name, letting him have his moment. It was needed, he did owe that girl quite a lot... And he would somehow repay all she had done for him. Her wish was for him to get people out of here alive, and he would honour that wish to his dying breath.... But, he wasn't ready yet. He had to improve, he had to find something to keep him going...And right now, Alisea was his reason... Soon, maybe, soon.

"Your a lot like me then. I love this world, i feel more at home here then i did in the real world, and iv made friendships here that i could never have made in reality... So, heres a second question, would you be sad to leave this world?" He said. He wanted to know others opinions. He needed to know how many people shared his views.... "I'm asking because i made a promise to get people out of here... I intend to keep it" He said a little too seriously for what he meant, though he was speaking both to Ryan, and his dead friend. 

[OmegaNeko 0]

Ryan put one hand to his chin when Stryder asked him if he would be sad to leave this world. It was kind of a tough question there. The first answer he thought of was 'yes', but was he really just gonna throw that out there? Stryder obviously wasn't just asking it for no reason, there was something more he wanted to hear probably. "Yeah, I would be pretty sad to leave here. I've already made more friends here than I have in the real world. People just seem to tolerate me here since I look cute! My family is about the only thing stopping me from wanting to stay here forever. They're probably worrying their heads off about me." Ryan said, rubbing the back of his head while his ears and tail drooped a bit in sadness. Then Stryder went and said how he had made a promise to help some people get out of here, to which the cat nodded, staying quiet briefly. "That person you made that promise to is the person that you came here to see isn't it? You feel that you have to do it for their sake. Very honorable, I'm sure they'd be proud if they could see you." Ryan said, trying to comfort him a bit.