[PP | F2] Royal Rewards <<Long Live the Queen>>

[Katoka 0]

Katoka stood once again on the second floor nursing a cup of hot coffee. This was beginning to turn into a habit, though it could honestly be a worse one. The blonde had once again been doing research in the guild database on quests she could do, this one she had found out had a unusually high skill point reward for it's floor location. It was perfect for her to set out and take care of at her level. However she had decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to possibly get to know any guild members that she hadn't had the pleasure of spending time with.

With that she had posted a message on the bulletin board in the guild hall simply say that if anyone wanted to join her on questing, to simply show up at her current location and time. Being nervous the samurai had arrived an hour and a half early and was of course the only one present.

"How do I always manage to do this to myself. I make one attempt to move out of my comfort zone and I act like a complete dork." She let out a sigh before blowing on her drink to cool it off. She felt slightly intimidated by some of the other members of Firm Anima, but mainly because they were much higher level than her and she had baily said more than a simple greeting to them in passing.

"Just pull yourself together Kat, they're all good people. If they weren't they wouldn't have let you join." she said aloud trying to console her anxiety.

@Sam

Katoka | HP:440/440 | EN:44/44 | DMG:10 | EVA:1 | ACC:2 | LD:1 | BLD:12 | REC:2

Spoiler

Name: Katoka
Level: 22
HP: 440/440
EN: 44/44

Stats:
Damage: 10
Evasion: 1
Accuracy: 2
LD:1
BLD:12
REC:2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Mumyou Sandanzuki (T1/Perfect/Katana) | BLD 1, DMG 2
Armor: Shinsengumi Yukata (T1/Perfect/Light Armor) | REC 2, EVA 1
Misc: Rabbit's Foot (T1/Perfect/Trinket) | ACC 2, LD 1

Skills:
Curved Sword [Rank 1]
Katana [Rank 5]

Extra Skills:

Mods:
Katana Finesse

Battle Ready Inventory:
Starter Healing Potions*3
Hazelnut Cookie Rounds (LD+2) T1*1
Pheromone*1
Spyglass (3/3)*1
Familiar Song*1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Katoka

[Sam 0]

"OUCH," Sam slams face-first onto the ground and sees Curbie behind her making a weird noise. It was almost like her chest of a familiar was laughing at her. "Thanks for your support Curbs. You really shouldn't be just sitting in the middle of the floor like that especially in the dark. You could really hurt someone." Curbie just continues to make the noise and runs off around the corner. "FINE SEE IF I TAKE YOU ANYWHERE TODAY YOU LITTLE..." Sam stops dead in her words hearing a chime from her HUD. "Now who could this be?" she says and she turns to sit on her butt to open her messages. There was no name to the message but an invite to who even wanted to join... Floor 2. Sam gets to her feet now and smirks saying into her empty house to her pet. "I will be leaving for a while...You stay here and..." before she could finish Curbie runs to her side and makes another weird noise, almost like it was whining or something. "Fine, you can come with but you need to behave yourself. It is too early to be rambunctious at this hour." Curbie jumps and spins in excitement as Sam begins to gather her things around her house. 

Eventually, Sam arrives at floor 2 and opens the message again sending a reply saying:

Quote

"I am here on floor 2 but you gave no name in the message. Who am I looking for today?"
Sam

Sam waits for a reply back or for someone to walk up to her having her name be out there now, to recognize for the mystery person.

Sam | HP:680/680 | EN:68/68 | DMG:15 | ACC:3 | BLD:24 | REC:2

Spoiler

Sam
Level: 34
HP: 680/680
EN: 68/68

Stats:
Damage: 15
Accuracy: 3
BLD:24
REC:2

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Serrated Guillotine - Bloodlust {T2}: Bleed 1, Damage 2
Armor: Fire Brand - Din: Accuracy 3
Misc: Assault Division Bracelet: Rec 2, Acc 1

Skills:
Two-Handed Battle Ax [Rank 5]
Fishing [Obtained]

Extra Skills:
Concentration
Familiar Mastery: Fighter R1

Mods:
Finesse Rank 3
Ferocity

Battle Ready Inventory:
Silver Band - Farore's Wind +3 LD
Sapphire Ring - Nayru: Prosperity 3
Teleport Crystal*1

Housing Buffs:
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing

 

[Katoka 0]

After taking another long swig of her drink Katoka heard the ding of a notification. Opening her hud she checked her messages, seeing a reply to her posting she groaned, "I... Forgot to sign my name." she sighed slapping her forehead, "Kat you idiot." She typed out a quick reply:

Spoiler

 

Sam,

Sorry, idk why I forgot something so simple. My name is Katoka, I'm on the bench near the exit of town. Look for the blonde samurai.

Katoka

 

The blonde sent the message and then double checked her gear, it wouldn't be long now that she would need new armor and a new sword. She was approaching tier 2 at a fast rate after all, she made a mental note to ask her guild mates about what she should focus on next. As for the moment she wondered about Sam, she felt like she had heard the name passed around before but other than a few jokes about fishing she didn't really know much about them.

[Sam 0]

Sam was looking around aimlessly in apparently all the wrong directions. Her HUD chimed and when she opened it and read the content of the message, her eyes dart toward the exit. Scanning for the name and the guild icon above it, she sees a few blonds walk past her with all the wrong names. "Hmm," she says silently as she starts walking toward the exit to get a better view. Her eyes came across a bench, then shortly a blond. Glancing to the name, at she was Katoka. The guild icon was plain as day now that she knew what she was looking for. She looked young...Sam gives a smile toward the female as she walks toward the blond saying, "Don't feel bad about the message thing. The smallest of things that don't seem important seem to slip my mind too. I am Sam, one of Firm Anima's Merchants," she says with an extended hand toward her. "Did you already grab the quest? How about sending me a quest share and a party invite." Curbie clanks on the ground next to her, "Oh and this is Curbie."  

[Katoka 0]

Katoka hopped up when the young woman approached her, she hadn't been expecting someone female by the name. She bowed a couple times in a panic and responded, "H-Hi! I'm Katoka, though I guess you already knew that, um, it's nice to meet you!" she took the girls hand in her own to shake it. "It's nice to finally meet you, I've heard a bit about you from other guild members but it's nice to put a face to a name. I don't really have a profession yet, but I hope to soon!"

Panicking briefly again she opened up her game menu to invite the girl to her party, "R-Right, of course. I went ahead and grabbed the quest so we just have to make our way out there." sending the invite she closed the window and saw Sam's familiar as it clanked around near her. Squatting down to get a better look, her eyes sparkled.

"So cute, is he a mimic?" the blonde held her hand out so Curbie could smell it, if he could, and possibly let her pet him.

[Sam 0]

Accepting the invite with a smile she glances down at the blonde as Curbie runs quickly up to her hand. "Be careful, he is nice but he as been a big butt head today." As she says this Curbie opens his mouth as his tongue swings out giving Katoka a huge lick across the face. "CURBIE," Sam yells as he hops like he'd been caught or something and runs the other way behind the fountain. "God, Katoka I am soo sorry for his behavior, I have not a clue what has gotten into him today. I mean this morning before I came here he tripped me and ran away laughing." Sam pulls out a cloth and holds her hand out toward her with the cloth to wipe her face from the slobber. "So you don't have a profession yet. What you planning on trying. I can help you if you want after this. I mean I am really busy these days but the training is always nice...wait what have you heard about me???" Sam's mind was racing a million miles per second right now wonder what everyone has been saying about her behind her back. She knew that she still needed to get better at things but she was trying.

[Katoka 0]

Katoka was taken off guard at first after Curbie licked her, she started to laugh after a moment of silence. "Don't worry Sam, it just means he likes me right?" she laughed more. When Sam pulled out a piece of cloth to start wiping off her face the blonde blushed and let her clean the slobber off.

"A-Alchemy!" she blurted out in embarrassment, "I was thinking about being an alchemist. I don't mind the help starting out, I've been a bit intimidated by the crafting system so I was putting it off." She was finally getting the hang of combat, the thought of adding something else to the mix made her feel anxious again, though maybe having someone along would make it less intimidating.

"Don't worry too much, it was nothing bad. Freyd had just mentioned in the past that you have a knack for fishing up bosses." she giggled, hoping the girl didn't take offense to her laughter.

[Sam 0]

"Oh yea, that..." she chuckles nervously with Katoka. "Monsters, fish, and bosses. You name it I have most likely fished it up at some point. The one thing I have not gotten my grasp on yet is a chest though. Thinking back now though I am not sure fishing was the best choice now. I mean every time I go fishing I have to have Eruda, our tank with us just so she can take the damage while I kill it...It's really bad..." Sam nervously rubs the back of her head as her face turns a bit red. Clearing her throat, Sam looks around for her trouble maker. Changing the subject she says "Alchemy is a great choice. I have seen what Raidou can do with it, I am looking forward to seeing what you can make of it." Sam realized that this interaction felt different somehow...While working with Eruda and the others it was familiar to her, team building, and all, getting used to the group. Sam and Katoka just met, so why was this situation different than any of the others...Taking a long abnormal breath, for once in her life...She felt a bit nervous around this person. Unsure why she gives a whistle as Curbie runs to her side. "Let get going shall we." Sam blushes a bit as her feeling becomes unhinged for some reason as she begins to walk toward the destination.

[Katoka 0]

Seeing Sam get a bit flustered while speaking with her made Katoka begin to feel the same, "Ha ha, I'm hoping I can be of some use to guild when I pick up alchemy. I just feel like I'm mooching at this point. As for tanking, that should be no issue today." she held her hand under her chin as she thought out loud, "This field boss should be a piece of cake with our damage output. I did a bit of research before taking this one on, it give a fair amount of SP for this floor." she quickly realized she had gone into analyze mode and rubbed her head nervously as they two began leaving town.

As the samurai checked the map data she had she began to feel a bit embarrassed, "Sorry if I'm being a huge nerd. I like doing a bit of digging before taking on a quest so I can have an idea of what's going on."

Closing the game window she cleared her throat, "S-So, what weapon do you use Sam?"

[Sam 0]

"Katoka, I don't think that makes you a nerd. I think that makes you prepared. Eruda taught me to be prepared in any given situation because you never know what could happen at any given time. Now I on the other hand consider myself a gaming nerd." She chuckles a bit and as she says "Out of this game I was a huge gamer. I even went as far as not leaving my room very often and getting my GED instead of High school because I was to smart for the teachers. The only real friends I had were online." She frowns a bit at this last response given the fact that she was still unable to find her friend here in this game. "For all intensive purposes, I guess I was a shut-in back home. If that makes you see me differently, I would understand completely. To answer your last question though, a two-handed Battle Axe. What about you." She becomes flustered a bit with a frown forming hoping this wouldn't change anything as she was trying to open up a bit trying to see what Katoka thought about her truly behind the shaded colors.

[Katoka 0]

She was surprised at first, she always thought her over analyzed research was over the top. "Outside of here I'm also a big gamer," she laughed awkwardly, "I'm big into mmos and would spend whatever spare time outside of school playing them. It's where I started over preparing for quests and all that. I would spend weeks researching builds, walkthroughs, item loadouts, all for a raid or a quest."

Katoka stared off and let her mind take her back to those nights staying up late with Hisa in a voice call planning their next flawless dungeon run. "I stayed in school though, despite not having many friends. My family wouldn't let me become a complete shut-in despite how much I would have rather done online schooling."

She turned a bit flustered to Sam, her cheeks pink, "I don't see you any differently of course! Hell I'm pretty similar."

After a moment her face returned to it's normal color, "As for my weapon I use a katana. I'm all about the dps. Get in, hit hard, and get out." she nodded as if confirming with herself that this was her motto.

Vanity tag: @Hisa

[Sam 0]

"The only reason I became cooped up in my room doing what I loved instead of school is that I was too smart for my teachers. My homework got done the same day that it was given and even being in 9th grade, they were giving me 12th-grade work. I was teaching them rather than them teaching me. I flew through the GED program so that I didn't have to waste my time and energy on school anymore. In doing so I lost all contact with the outside world. I only had friends online that I never met in person. In most ways, it was for the best because gaming was all that mattered to me at the time." Sam's eyes fell to the ground as they walked. "Seeing my life and reflecting it to this game, this death game, I realized that I have not experienced a lot of things in my life that I should have. Love is one of them, but it was tricky because I found that a lot of people were more into the opposite gender. Me...I like females but I was never able to approach someone because no one caught my eye enough to make direct contact in the real world to them." At this point, Sam's face was as red as an apple. Most people she had met hated the gay people so she never came out to others unless she thought that she had a chance but it never came up.

Commenting on the last she says "I have tried playing every roll in the MMO's, still not sure what I prefer but me being a merchant seems to fit me right now."

[Katoka 0]

"I didn't have exactly she same situation, but I can sympathize. I had a crush, at least I thought I did, on a boy a long long time ago. He was into games so I kind of got dragged in. After that most of the kids in my classes made fun of me for playing games as much as I did, so I just made friends with people online. After getting stuck here I just shut down for a while, it wasn't until a month or so ago that I even left the Town of Beginnings." Katoka glanced at Sam as they walked. She was a pretty girl, much taller than the blonde, then again most people were.

Seeing her blush as she talked about love made Katoka look away as her face turned red as well, "I... Know what you mean. I found out more recently that I prefer women myself. They're just so pretty, and make my heart beat so fast." she covered her face with her hands to attempt to hide her embarrassment. "Just like how it's racing now." she thought.

"As scary and dangerous as this game is, I've already become a different person." she said still covering her face. "I've become strong enough to fight, I own a damn house. I'm trying to live life as normally as I can, I'm just missing someone to... Spend time with." The samurai cleared her throat nervously.

[Sam 0]

Sam was a bit taken back by Katoka's reaction to this specific topic. Seeing Katoka cover her face seeing her cute bright red face between her fingers, Sam blushes a bit too. Taking a slow deep breath, Sam felt a bit off. Her chest was racing more than normal. It's the same instance that she got when she was really really into a game but somehow this felt different. Sam slowly walks closer together with Katoka as she says that she missed spending time with someone. Sam walks in front of Katoka, facing her, and gently takes her hand off that bright red face of hers. Holding Katoka's hands in hers now she says "I don't ever want you to cover your face with me, you are too beautiful to be in the shadow." Sam takes a moment looking into Katoka's eyes as they lock to hers. After a moment Sam lets go of Katoka's hands rather quickly and turns away thinking to herself -wow that was super cheezy Sam, what the hell were you thinking...- Sam's face being beet red she starts walking a bit faster toward where they were supposed to go for this quest.

[Katoka 0]

Katoka was certain that she had never turned more red than at that moment, steam comically rose from her head as her mouth opened and closed attempting to find words, like a fish gasping for air. She looked down at her hands that Sam had grabbed from her face a moment before, they had felt soft in hers, warm and caring. Despite how cheesy the line she had said was, she felt it had truth behind it. "She thinks I'm beautiful?" she thought as she looked up at her back.

Before she could react Sam had started walking quickly away from her. Katoka chased after her, reaching out and grabbing the back of her robe with her thumb and forefinger to stop her. She tugged her to a stop and stood there behind her, quiet for a moment before placing her forehead against her back.

"D-Don't leave me like that..." she said quietly, "Especially after telling me I'm b-beautiful."

[Sam 0]

Sam stops dead in her tracks after feeling a tug on her robe followed by a head to her mid-back. For once Sam had not a clue what to say. She was usually a chatty one of sorts but right now, she was not sure what to say. She didn't want to say something stupid again, but it obviously took some effect on Katoka. Even though they did just meet, Sam couldn't deny that there was some attraction there between them. What exactly that was, she was not sure but she didn't want to mess anything up. This was a game for most but for others like Sam, this was her life now. She too had become a different person and she has been trying so hard to be noticed and belong somewhere in this new place she called home. "I am sorry...I didn't mean to..." her words fell to silence as she thought long and hard about what she would say next. "I meant every word though." Taking a slow deep breath out she says "I have never done...this...before. That being said I am not sure how to go forward with you Katoka." Her honest hesitant words cause her eyes to close and stand still as Katoka's head stays still on her back.

Edited October 8, 2020 by Sam

[Katoka 0]

"I..." Katoka took a deep breath, "I don't know wither. I've never been in a rela- in anything like this. But I don't want to regret missing out on anything." she rubbed her face on Sam's back a bit. "Saying... That... It made me feel nice. No one has really told me that before, outside of my family of course. It made my heart feel like it was going to vibrate out of my chest. Almost like the time I got an exclusive drop in Realm of Battlecraft." she laughed a bit at her comparison, feeling her cheeks wet with tears.

"We can take this slow, just coffee or lunch." she removed her head from Sam's back and stepped around in front of her, "I think your very pretty Sam, like really pretty. And I want to get to know you more, laugh with you, talk about old games we've played." Katoka took a deep breath again and closed her eyes before exhaling, "Would you... Like to spend more time with me?"

[Sam 0]

A soft rub against Sam's back and some words from Katoka that made Sam smile. She compared what she felt to a game just like Sam did moments ago without it being spoken. Katoka walks in front of Sam she realized that Kat's eyes were a bit wet from tears perhaps. Sam gently wipes the tears from Kat's face with her thumb and says "I would love to get to know you better too, but in this small amount of time I feel like I already do. We are more alike than I could have ever hoped for in a person I li..." Sams words fall short as she thought. Did she like Katoka that way...Bringing her hand away from Kat's face she blushed a bit again. In the distance, Sam's thoughts were interrupted. A buzzing noise from within the tree line caught her attention. "I'll be right back..." she says as she runs past Katoka pulling her two-handed Battle Axe out. As her Axe glows bright red she says "Do you mind I was having a conversation," before her art connections after glowing slightly blue upon another skill activating. The queen shatters into data with little to no effort at all and Sam puts her weapon away as she starts walking back to Katoka.

There HUDs chime in unison upon completing the quest. "I would love to go on a date with you...if that is what you are referring too." Sam was trying to be out in the open with this now that she knew Kat was having the same weird feeling as Sam was. "I would like too..." she stops at those last words that Kat said before she charged off. Is talking about that stuff what friends do... -Wait...I already asked her out... yeesh...- "I think a date is fine but why not go on a picnic? A floor where it is warm and nice out. We might enjoy it better if we aren't being stared at. What do you think Kat? is that something you would like to do?" Not sure entirely what a date consisted of, Sam would like her first real one to be special. She starts to walk forward as her face was flustered now that she knew she was talking too much because she was nervous. Turning her head back toward Katoka she reaches out toward her with a hand, hoping that she would take it.

Activating Concentration and Torque Wave

ID# 171312 results: Battle: 5+3+1=9 Hit! vs The Wasp Queen, Dealing 75 Damage, Killing it!

Player:
Sam | HP:680/680 | EN:68/68 | DMG:15 | ACC:3 | BLD:24 | REC:2

Enemy:
The Wasp Queen | HP:-25/50 | DMG:20

Edited October 8, 2020 by Sam

[Katoka 0]

Having Sam wipe some of her tears away made Katoka blush again, at this rate all the blood in her body would rush to her head if this kept up. Their conversation was cut short, but seeing Sam make short work of their mark made something stir inside her. "Oh my, she's very strong." she thought as she walked back over. Seeing the woman that was being so gentle with her just a few minutes before have such strength gave Katoka goosebumps.

Listening to her proposal Kat nodded profusely, "A picnic sounds absolutely lovely Sam." she played with her hair nervously, "I don't know many spots since I've only been to a few floors here and there so you can pick the spot if you'd like."

She smiled at Sam as they started back towards town, she watched as she walked slightly ahead but turned back and offered Katoka her hand. For the umpteenth time today she blushed and looked away, but not before she took Sam's hand. She hadn't imagined it before, her hand was soft but warm clasped in hers. She fell in line next to her as they walked, "Sam?" she said sheepishly, "I'm really happy you came with me today."

[Sam 0]

Sam notices the tenseness that Katoka had as she turned away with her face beet red again. Sam looks down at Katoka's head that was turned away. With a smile, Sam stops and grips Kat's hand in a different position and gives her a small twirl, as a man would do with a female dancing. Catching her shoulders as Kat's face is position toward Sam's now, she kneels to the ground in front of Katoka, face to face with her now. Placing one hand on Kat's face Sam says in a soft voice "There is no need to be nervous about this whole thing. Yes, okay it's our first time doing this but I can promise you that it will be a night to remember. Don't worry about a thing, I will plan it all. Just give me a day for prep and we will go on this date okay." To break the ice she thought that maybe she would get something out of the way. She didn't want to scare Kat away so she turns her head and kisses Kat's other cheek that her hand was not on. "I am really glad that I came here to..." Sam wanted to say more but she didn't want to ruin the moment. Sam stayed on her knees in front of Kat and pulls her into a hug. Size did not matter to Sam. It's what the person was on the inside that mattered to her.

Quest Complete:

Katoka:
The Matriarch's Stinger
200*col
5 SP (3 for quest completion, 1 for the event, 1 for page)

Sam:
The Matriarch's Stinger
5 SP (3 for quest completion, 1 for the event, 1 for page)

Simmone (Guild Treasury)
200*col
 

Edited October 9, 2020 by Sam