[PP-F1] Idle no more

[Ceres 0]

Messy red hair fell loosely over Ceres' shoulders as she stretched, stepping out into the bright light of morning. Her arm joints cracked and the woman gave a satisfied sigh as she rolled her shoulders. That felt better.

The inn she has chosen to sleep in that night was cheap. Perhaps too cheap. It's beds were hard as rock and it's walls thin as paper. One didn't even need any ability or cunning to hear the whispers beyond the walls. 

Too bad none of it was any value. Nothing more than banter among friends, a lovers quarrel - then things better left unheard. Let alone recalled.

Her lavender tinted eyes winced as she stepped further out into the sun, it's brightness stark contrast from the dreary ramshackle abode.

Ceres walked the streets of the town, here it was safe. Hell, even children ran about the streets, playing - laughing.

Oh go be so ignorant.

"I'm envious of the little brats…" she mused to herself as she watched two of them playinf tag not too far ahead of her.

The life here was simple, easy. But...Ceres was growing bored. She was adamant she would not fight. Why bother? Why risk her life when hundreds of others were so foolishly ready to do the same.

"Perhaps I should get a profession of some sort…" Ceres said as she stopped in front of the quest board.

"But what, exactly?" Ceres mumbled as she shifted her weight to one side, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

@lessa

Edited December 11, 2019 by Ceres

[Lessa 1]

“Alright, frontlines.” Lessa chewed on her lower lip as she strolled, her mind a million miles away. If she intended to return to that way of life, and continue to clear floors, she needed to prepare. Years of the hermit life had not helped her in any way, shape, or form. She glanced absently in shop windows as she wandered, but there wasn’t anything she desperately needed. Bahr had provided the gear upgrade she’d so desperately needed, and entirely free of charge. What a guy, she mused, pleased color rising on her cheeks.

Anyway, focus - back to the matter at hand. She needed to grow stronger, and one of the best ways to accomplish that was through completing quests. The woman blinked a few times, bringing her surroundings into focus. The quest board stood on the opposite side of the street, and she approached it with surprising eagerness. It had been years since she’d sought out a quest from the public listings, and the concept intrigued her.

Apparently it also intrigued Riker, who bounded to the board ahead of her. The brown wolf’s massive body shouldered through the small crowd, bumping at the legs of a vibrant-haired woman. With an embarrassed smile, Lessa wrapped her arms around the familiar and tugged him back. “Sorry about that,” she muttered. “Riker doesn’t understand personal space.”

@Ceres

[Ceres 0]

'POMPF'

A sudden fuzzy feeling against her legs caused Ceres to snap out of her stupour. Lilac eyes glanced down to a giant dog? She squinted. No - it's features were cainine but they weren't that of a domestic breed. This was a familiar, right? She had heard of these. People would quest for their familiars and have all sorts of crazy beasts following them. "Hello, Pompf." Ceres said as she reached out to press her hand into the brown fur of the wolf.

It's fur was soft, not quite as soft as say, a cat or a rabbit but it held a pleasant warmth that seeped into her fingertips. 'Pompf' didn't mind so much either - the wolf eagerly wagged it's tail, long tongue hangng out the side of his muzzle.

A slender arm reached out and pulled the wolf away from Ceres. "Ah." Ceres stood and brushed her clothing down. She straightened her back and came face to face with a woman who was practically eye height with her. This is where one of Ceres' flaws came into play. The redheaded woman didn't say anything straight away. She simply stared at the other woman. Her eyes taking in her features. She had long blonde hair that had been tied back in a neat ponytail that elegantly hung behind her - wisps of gold framed an almond shaped face. Her eyes were wide and blue, and if Ceres were being honest - they kinda sparkled. With a friendliness and warmth. It felt like when she smiled, she was smiling with her entire being, and not just to save face. "You're pretty." Ceres said simply.

It was then, she apologized for her familiars behavior.

"Riker?" So that was the wolfs name? What should she say in this situation. Ceres wasn't exactly good at conversing with others. She could hold an entire conversation with herself, because she knew herself - and her responses. But strangers? "Yes." Ceres said in response as she turned back to the girl. "I'd name him Pompf...because of the..." She tried to gesture with her hands, the feeling of his fluffy fur- but it ended up being a series of meaningless hand gestures. "Like...the feeling...of ...Pompf'  You feel. I'm..."

Oh. This conversation wasn't working. Ceres quickly shut her mouth and pursed her lips. Right. Introductions. That's what people did.  She held out her hand toward the blonde woman. "I am Ceres."

@Lessa

[Lessa 1]

The wolf squirmed his massive body, tail swatting at Lessa's legs as she bundled him closer. The vision of the thin woman wrestling the furry beast was almost comical, and it took a few seconds to get Riker under control. As the woman straightened, shoving her blonde hair back from her face, she listened to the stranger's comments. And what were those hand gestures? Was that sign language?

"Uh, Pompf?" she echoed, her smile polite, and a bit hesitant. "That's an interesting name." It felt condescending, like a kindergarten teacher complimenting a babbling student on her messy finger-painting, but Lessa wasn't entirely sure what to make of this woman. "He's actually named for Commander William T. Riker, from Star Trek: the Next Generation." Lessa scratched under her familiar's chin affectionately.

When her gaze returned to the other player, she assessed her quickly: red hair, sharp features, and eyes reminiscent of lilacs. Her gear was strictly beginner, though that was not always a sure-thing. Some players chose to wear low-level equipment to appear weaker, a practice Lessa had never quite understood. But if she were a good judge of character, she assumed this woman truly was a beginner. Is she hoping to go questing alone?

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ceres," Lessa finally answered, clasping the player's hand and giving it a good shake. "My name is Lessa. And thank you," her cheeks warmed, "for the compliment, I mean." It was unusual for a complete stranger to comment on her looks, but she could see no ill-will behind it. What was there to gain from a disingenuous compliment? Now Lessa nodded her head toward the quest board. "Just browsing, or are you looking for something in particular?"

[Ceres 0]

"Riker? Star Trek...?" Ceres repeated. The woman knew of the show - had seen it. Her eyes glanced back down to the exuberant wolf. Ceres reached out to lay a hand gently on its head, running her fingers through his fur. A small smile fell on her features. "So that would make you Captain Picard, right?" Ceres didn't tell many jokes with the intent of them actually being a joke - but when she did...they always fell flat. After a few seconds of silence the realization that it was a terrible joke hit her and she coughed - turning her attention to the quest board.

"I...guess so. I mean...."  Ceres crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her elbow with a finger nervously. "We've been here for so long. I only just recently decided to do the beginner quests...you know the four connected fetch quests? It made me realize...I've been too complacent." Her tone turned thoughtful as she reflected on all the events that transpired earlier. "Talking to those NPCs...made me realize - that I haven't really spoken to anyone since being here. I almost convinced myself an NPC was a person, a friend. But..." Ceres turned her chin to glance at Lessa. She looked so strong, confident, composed. She seemed like the type of person who would have no trouble tackling anything that stood in her path.

"I uh - " What the heck was she saying? This woman would think Ceres was stark raving mad. Mistaking NPCs for people? Not wanting to actually talk to others? Out of fear that what - she'd form some connection with them only to loose them? How stupid was that.

"Oh...is that all?" Hannah laughed as she reached out and picked up Ceres' hand again. "Here." Hannah had slippped the gold ring onto Ceres' index finger. "This will help your aim reign a little more true. I told you I'd make you something to say thank you... So... Thank you for helping me Ceres, I'm happy to have met you."

Ceres quickly turned back to the quest board. Ignoring the memory that bubbled up to the surface. "Decided I'd just start doing some more quests just to fill in the time since I think it'd be nice to just do something with my time because it made me think that I didn't want to be idle anymore I didn't want to have that painful feeling of realization that I've somehow ostracized myself and am so absent-minded I almost mistook an NPC for a friend but that's silly, right hahah."

Her words came quick, rushed - and muddled together in one, awkward run-on sentence. Another few moments of silence passed.

"I'm seeing what other ones I can do...maybe these two?" Ceres pointed to Secret Medicine of the forest, and 'Breaking the Unbreakable.  "But one of them is just...." Her brows furrowed. "Punching a rock...right?  Maybe I should just get a profession...I...oh..."

Ceres turned to Lessa and gave her an embarrassed smile as she bought a hand up to twiddle one of the earrings she wore. "I think I rambled a bit. I'm sorry. You look so strong and confident...and you're so composed...why are you here?"

@Lessa

[Lessa 1]

The polite smile that Lessa reserved for new acquaintances warmed into something more genuine. "So you know Star Trek?" she asked. "Well, it's always a pleasure to meet another Trekkie. I figured I'd find more of them in a game like this, when you consider the geek culture and all that." She hesitated, then loosed a one-shouldered shrug. "Then again, I imagine most people probably aren't up for talking sci-fi TV shows when they're stuck in here. Me? I've been in here so long I'm up for talking about pretty much anything."

Her comment regarding the NPC had Lessa's eyebrows lifting. "There's nothing wrong with considering an NPC a friend," she answered, shaking her head slowly. "I'm friends with an innkeeper and his family on the fourth floor." While others might have been embarrassed by the confession, Lessa felt absolutely no shame. "This game is so complex, and so lifelike. The Cardinal has already proved that it can adjust." The woman shrugged a single shoulder. "What's not to say that it hasn't given AIs a conscience, or emotions? Besides, there's no harm in finding joy in interactions with an NPC. We've got to take it where we can get it."

She turned back to the board, shaking out her thick blonde hair as she studied the postings. "A profession is a really good idea, and a nice place to start. Once you do that, you can focus on collecting materials. It's a nice way to see the floors with a purpose. Plus, you can meet people through your shop."

Her gaze cut toward Ceres, and she smiled faintly. "I imagine I'm here for the same reason you are. I'm looking to get stronger. I spent a lot of time on the sidelines myself. I need to jump back into things. Quests offer quite a bit of experience, so why not?"

[Ceres 0]

Ceres nodded, "Mmmhmm! I used to stay up late and watch it with my younger sisters. Sometimes my mum would work late and it'd be hard to put them down. But they always fell asleep when we watched that." Ceres laughed, "Maybe it was the soothing voice of Takei?" Ceres' laughter died down as she listened to the blonde before her. "Mmm...." She placed her arms behind her, rocking back and forth on the heel of her feet. "Maybe... but I think talking about the outside world is good for us. The games and TV shows we like... the silly things we used to watch on the internet, our favourite cafes and stuff..." Ceres turned her lilac eyes to the quest board. "I dunno...I feel like everyone here is so focused on fighting and wanting to 'be the best' like tunnel vision...talking about what we miss helps ground us and make us all human...but maybe I"m just err..." Ceres seemed a little flustered. "Err just rambling..." She mumbled.

It was then that Lessa said there was no trouble with befriending an NPC and her head, eyes, and attention snapped straight back to Lessa. "R-Really?" Ceres asked with a sudden exuberance. "I'm not crazy for that?" She placed a hand over her chest and gave a relieved sigh. "I was being told I was being stupid...but hearing you say that - ah...that kinda makes it a relief. "I really like those words."

Lessa turned her attention back to the board, talking about professions. "Yeh..." Ceres said. "I was thinking of becoming a merchant and an information broker....I don't uh...like the idea of fighitng. So I want to focus on things like looting and gathering - and give that back to the others who don't have time to do that.  I uh..." Ceres began to second guess her words as she said them. Was this the right idea? The woman beside her looked like a strong and capable warrior - and here Ceres was, besmirching fighting right in front of her.

Wait?

Did she just say she had been on the sidelines?

"You look plenty strong to me!" Ceres said with a grin. "Maybe when I get stronger we could do something together?" Ceres said with a small nudge toward Lessa.

@Lessa

[Lessa 1]

Lessa nodded. "I understand how unappealing the combat-only focus is." And boy, did she. Her closest friends had been consumed by the primal need to fight, at one point or another. She never had. Why was that? "But I wonder if that's just not their way of coping. It helps to have something to pour all your effort into. I imagine all the violence is also a good way to blow off steam. Plus, these are most likely the people who are going to get us out of here, so that's a good thing."

Though she stared at a job posting, her blue eyes half-heartedly scanning the words, Lessa's mind remained on Cere's statement. "That's not to say that the combat-centric approach is the only one, or even necessarily a good choice. I don't think it's wrong to instead focus on the more humanizing aspects of our lives here. Grabbing swords and killing things isn't exactly civilized." In fact, the concept flat-out terrified some people. As the Guardian thought back to her time in Sanctuary, unease rolled in the pit of her stomach. "Yeah, anyway, I don't think there's any harm in focusing on the non-combat stuff. Not losing sight of who we are. Finding shared ground, and building community around something else."

When Ceres mentioned being called stupid, Lessa merely shrugged. "Eh, screw them," came her easy answer. Then, recognizing how dismissive the comment was, she tried again. "I mean, everyone here has an opinion. It's just like the real world, though probably amplified by the stakes here in Aincrad. Every player has some notion of what's right and wrong, and how we should be spending our time." The blonde withdrew her hand from the board, raking her finger through her hair before finally turning to the other woman. "I spent a season teaching kids, because there's something really refreshing in the normalcy that school brings. I caught a lot of grief for it, because who cared if kids knew math while they were stuck inside a death game?"

Again, Lessa shrugged. "If you listen to them, you'll go crazy. So I think being a merchant and focusing on mat gathering is a great idea. You'll enjoy yourself, and I like to think that's one of the main goals these days." Finally, at Ceres' declaration, Lessa returned the smile. Though her's wasn't quite so vibrant as the pink-haired player's, it was genuine nonetheless. "I'm not too strong when compared with the Frontliners. But I'm working on it. I'd be happy to quest with you sometime."

@Ceres

[Ceres 0]

She understood? She understood! Ceres beamed brightly at the taller woman. Happy to hear that Lessa shared the same sentiment when it came to battling and fighting. "Right!" Ceres interjected. "I know we all want to get out of here and go home...but I don't wanna loose myself in that process." She fell quiet as she listened to the golden haired woman. She sounded wise beyond her years, explaining that it was their way of coping. Ceres couldn't really argue - she gave an awkward laugh as she scratched her cheek. "Aha...yeh...my way of coping was trying every single food item in every single restaurant on the first and second floors... I still don't think I've tried everything..."

Ceres followed Lessa's eyes to the job board, then fell down to her fluffy dog. "You know..." Ceres said quietly as she reached out to give Riker another pat. "It sounds silly because I know that all these things aren't real but I don't like the idea of slaughtering so many things just to get some experience. I was reading one quest ...the Dragon Hunter quest? You gotta kill Baby Dragons!"  Ceres shook her head. "A world so amazing that we have dragons, and there's a quest to murder their young! I don't get it! Why not give quests a pacifist route! That'd be so much more interesting...and less...murder..y."

Ceres turned her head to Lessa. "I kinda feel a bit relieved, hearing you say all this. I was really worried - that I'd be considered an outcast, or disliked because I just don't like the idea of battling." Ceres sighed as she reached out to the job board and ran a hand idly down it, fingers grazing over sheets of paper. "I know I'll have to, the beginner quest lines require it, and I'm being immature and frustrating to wish otherwise. But there's not a lot we can do about that I guess."

It was then Lessa mentioned that she taught kids. "Wait!" Her eyes lit up, "You were a teacher Lessa!? That's amazing! What did you teach? How did the kids act? Do you still keep in contact with them? Did you have some kind of School? Are there other teachers too?"

A little too many questions, fired all too quickly and all at once at the poor blonde.

@Lessa