[PP|FL 1] A ripple in time...

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

“I’m gonna be upstairs, mom. I’ll be off for dinner!” He raced upstairs running to his bedroom. A young white-haired young man bounced up the stairs. Finally, he was able to play the game of games. So many raving reviews of this and the first ever of its kind was laying golden in his hands. He stared at box that contained all of the necessities that would be needed for all of his efforts to enjoy himself. He hated his life. It was just a cluster of being holed up inside a house when he wanted to go out and be a normal teenager. This game would be his answer to living his own type of dream. The pulled the Nerv Gear out of the box and grinned wide at the game that was contained. Sword Art Online.  “Hell yes… This is going to be epic.” He said while setting up all the gear that was needed. The set was on his head and he read the manual. He skipped so many pages and got right to the meat of the section. He laid down and looked up at his ceiling wondering if this was really going to work. “Link.. Start!” He said. Little did he realize these would be the last words he would speak of in reality.

He looked around. The gear had measured his body and he was imputing his character’s schematics. He carefully inputted all the information he needed and then the graphics shocked him into a virtual landscape that he would call home for quite a long time. Holy shit.  He thought as he was absorbed into the massive digital mainstream data.

Eyes opened slowly revealing a cobblestone road and players amassing to the town. The visualization of the scenery was extraordinary. The characters were interacting with each other and the physical landscape seemed to produce an onslaught of beautiful digital data feeding into his brain. This was VR at its finest. He took a breath and looked around trying to absorb as much information as he could. His breathing was fine along with his movements. He slowly took a step forward and smiled delightfully at the response system. This was what he dreamed of. In fact, it was more than he had dreamed of.

With the next moment, he took off. “YAHOO!” He raced off to do whatever the hell he had to do. He wanted to know everything. In here, he could be himself. He wanted to be anyone but himself in the real world. This was paradise for a recluse. He was going to enjoy every little bit. His feet took off effortlessly as he hailed a dagger and a few things in his inventory. It mattered not what he had. The adventure of a lifetime would begin. Eyes of amber would look at the glass revealing his character. Nice. Short white hair, amber eyes, and a thinner face. It wasn’t too far from what he really looked like but then again no one really knew the kid unless they were in politics or a close friend.

Finally. He reached the end of the cobblestone road. It was the end of the Town of Beginnings. The green field with small people running around made him happy. This was the best day of his life. However, he would soon realize it had repercussions that would dash anyone’s dreams. He was in for the shock of his life.

Spoiler

Kiluia, White Lightning
Level: 53
HP: 1225/1225
EN: 106/106

Stats:
Damage: 25
Mitigation: 79
Evasion: 2
Accuracy: 4
BLD:36
REC:1
KEEN:1


Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Ra's Destructive Wrath (T3/Perfect/Handwrap): Keen, Bleed 1, Absolute Accuracy
Armor: Osiris's Shade (T3/Perfect/Light Armor): Mitigation 2, Evasion 1
Misc: Rose of Truth (T3/Perfect/Trinket): Accuracy 2, Recovery 1

Skills:
Martial Arts [Rank 5]
Picking [Obtained]
Searching [Rank 3]
Light Armor [Rank 5]

Extra Skills:
Familiar -Fighter R3
Survival

Mods:
Dismantling
Finesse Rank 3
Ferocity
Athletics
Sprint & Acrobatics

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal *1
T3 Toxic Venom -170823*1
Primrose Cross (T1/Perfect/Trinket): Loot Dice 3
Titan's Strength DMG +3 164231-2*1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 2
Requires Extended Weight Limit 3
Obtained via Item Stash (Housing)
Obtained via Dimensional Backpack

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt
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
Basic Training: +1 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

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:

 

[Haine 0]

The two sisters sat crisscross applesauce from each other on the bed. A mess was made of instructional manuals, a last minute endeavor to install their Nervegear. Screws twisted taut and wires plugged, the console rested. All which remained was the moment of truth, a revelation from the other side. Golden eyes mirrored each other's intensity as they eyed the peculiar headset. The younger picked at her nerve patches. "It looks kinda wack... Like an electrocution-" The older interrupted swiftly.

"Yep, that should be the last of it!"

The sisters exchanged a gleeful gaze and held their headsets. A moment of silence lingered, though not for long as Alice moved to her bed. The other paced to her corner of the room and secured her gear.

"Alright. On the count of three..."

The bluenette tentatively slid the nervegear on her head. A strange, bulky visor with probe patches all over her frame felt like a nod towards the matrix. She exchanged a knowing glance with the other, who was securing the helmet over her head in tandem. Two pairs of eyes fluttered shut. In unison, their systems whirred and the rest was history.

"Link start!"

 

The teenager's vision faded to black, before an unceremonious light blinded her eyes. She seized the moment to remold herself in an ideal image. Currently? A tall, busty woman with bright pink locks and and ice blue eyes. She whistled into her reflection and skimmed over the rest of the tedious stats. She was in a rush to see the world for itself firsthand.

Ice blue eyes fluttered opened, a glaring ray of sunlight bouncing off her vision. Alice, now under the moniker Haine, rubbed her eyes. Her vision evened out, revealing a rich scenery that tricked her eyes. She could hardly believe the paradise in front of her. The sky was a soft shade of blue, puffy clouds likes streaks across a canvas. The wind blew, and along with it, a lovely scent of lavender followed. She glanced down at her soles to find a field teeming with lavender. In an ecstatic frenzy, she ran her fingers across her smooth skin. All five senses seemed as keen as they were in reality. It was uncanny.

A sense of euphoria washed over Haine. Throwing all caution to the wind, she explored at her leisure. A medieval settlement provided the population's structure, an earshot from the open plain. She spent most of her day running amok like a lost child with no desire to be found. With an ample amount of cash, she sunk it all into pastries and trinkets to appease her curiosity. The gluttonous girl gorged on a strudel, eyes rolled back as she savored the flavor. Everything down to the taste and texture, a fever dream in a nutshell.

Oh shit.

Haine choked on a piece of strudel as she recalled her promise to meet her sister here immediately. Haine pulled up her menu to tag "Ruri", her sister's chosen moniker.

Quote

gonna kick boar ass. idk how to find you so find me
Haine

The pinkette crossed a window of a smithy's and whistled at her reflection in the glass. "Look at those sweater puppies," she gushed, out loud to herself. Smooth fingertips glided her jaw. She looked amongst the crowd and noticed an uncanny perfection in every player. Perfect figures and faces, it was a bonafide MMO come to life.

Quote

where the hell are you?
R

 

A ding on her HUD summoned her attention to the outskirts of the field. Her little sister, as demanding as ever, requested her presence at once. Who was she to deny her sister some company on this overwhelming adventure? She exited the safe zone and stretched her arms out, letting the wind catch on her. A gentle breeze brushed against her skin, like a soothing comforter. To her right she noticed a man with silver hair standing there. Doing nothing. A perfect candidate to pester. She whistled from afar in admiration. Maybe it was just his avatar, but he was in all honesty a piece of art. Ice blue eyes roved over his chiseled physique, caught red-handed. A bright flush painted the bashful teenager's cheeks.

So much for a great first impression.

Haine cleared her throat and took control of the situation. She stepped forward and pulled out her HUD. "U-Uuh, I'm lost. Can you help me find my sister?" She pointed at the green dot on her map. "Iunno how to track coordinates."

Spoiler

Name: Haine
Level: 68
HP: 1390/1390
EN: 136/136

Stats:
Damage: 19
Mitigation: 79
Evasion: 1
Accuracy: 4
BH:69
PHASE:1
KEEN:1
BLD:36

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Phase, Keen, Bleed
Armor: Mitigation 2, Evasion 1
Misc: Accuracy 3

Skills:
Two Handed Assault Spear [Rank 5]
Light Armor [Rank 5]
Fishing [Obtained]
Searching [Rank 1]
First Aid [Rank 5]
Extended Mod Limit Rank 3 [Obtained]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Energize [Obtained]

Extra Skills:
Familiar: Fighter 3

Mods:
Finesse Rank 3
Ferocity
Precision
Athletics
Purify
Barrier Rank 2
Field Medic


Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystal*1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 1
Requires Extended Weight Limit 2
Requires Extended Weight Limit 3
Obtained via Item Stash (Housing)

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt
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.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Basic Training: +1 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

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 February 19, 2021 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

The feeling of the breeze was surreal. Everything felt real. The basking of the sun, the breeze of a lush wind, and finally that girl that whistled. Wait what? He looked over at the girl before him. Her pink hair and blue eyes were different. You could be whatever you wanted in this world and he realized that. A fear washed over him as she approached him. But why fear? He had nothing to fear as he was a different person here in the world. Her question puzzled him as his hair fell before his eyes looking down at the green dot on her map. A slight smile crossed his face as she asked him a question.

The fact of the matter was that he was a weeb at heart. He had studied everything he could with the work of this game. There were leaks about how to play the game that he had to dig and perhaps pay for. With the armed knowledge, he looked over the map and nodded. Her map showed two green dots. It was her marker and her partner’s marker. “So, this is us, here.” He pointed out at the marker that was in the center. The other marker was to their left and he pointed to the west side of the fields. “Your friend is located over the hills of the field.” He looked at her once over. Were the avatars this attractive? What in the hell did he look like? He wasn’t exactly sure, but he motioned to her. “Let’s get going.” He offered his party membership. His name was the same but a different last name.

When the acceptance was done, he started walking toward the other marker that he had memorized from her map. Body turned around and he tilted his head as he walked backwards. “Come on. Today is the first day of the game. We can help each other.” He gave her a bright smile. Here he was confident and could be everything he wasn’t allowed to be in reality. This was the real him. He had a free spirit, but the chains of society wrapped around his body like a snake. This was his getaway.

[Haine 0]

"Thank you sir!" the girl beamed, pink ponytail bouncing along with her perky movement. She felt rather embarrassed to be asking help for something, that as it appeared, was a no-brainer. Oh well... at least she could see his handsome face up close. She pulled up her HUD and pointed at the green dots as he moved. The UI, like the rest of this artificial world, was crisp. She had fun button mashing through her settings in the town square just prior. She was not the savviest gamer, though fortunately she could find aid in a nice person or two. Hopefully a good amount of these players weren't colossal assholes.

In the short time she'd been there, she witnessed a few beta testers flexing and imposing upon the newcomers.

"Let's get going."

Doe-like eyes moved to the young man and his kind offer. "Yes, let's!" she chimed in, with a pump of her fist. As they walked, so many questions came to mind, namely of the other. "S- wait, what's your name?" She scratched her head for a moment. "If we're gonna be buds, I'll go first. The name's Haine!" She didn't consider that maybe their interaction would be cut once she found Ruri. He was a kind fellow by the looks of it. He'd stick around, right? "I'm trying to figure out this thing called a build... what is that?" She scrolled through her inventory and pointed at a single straight sword. "I just wanna beat stuff up real good."

Edited October 14, 2020 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Anyone could see the enthusiasm the young girl had radiated. Her perky attitude and her movements were by far the most he had ever seen in a game or reality. She reminded him of someone he knew but many people could exude this type of aura, right? Her name Haine struck him as interesting. He hadn’t heard the user name prior in anything he had played before so he nodded. Buds huh? He thought as he listened to her. “Thanks. My name is Kiluia. Kil for short.” He would look at her. She was pretty. He had hoped it was a girl at least. This would have been strangely awkward had this not been really a girl.

Her secondary question made him think of what the forums would say. He sighed wondering if he should even remotely try to debate it. The forums were heavily debated on what was the best type of build. He looked at her and shrugged slightly. “It depends on your style of game play. I hear that people like to use AoE. Some of the people leaked it as getting levels higher if you manage to clear multiple mobs at a time.” He would ponder a bit twirling his dagger. “But for my style, I prefer low energy single attacks. This means I can keep going a bit more than the others depending on their heavy attacks. I read that you’ll be consuming a lot.. but that’s really it. But you need to find a weapon.” He would answer her. He realized he gave her an answer of a total Neet.

He turned around awkwardly and tried to recover from that. “So, do you like other games? I mean like Diablo or Fall out? I prefer MMO’s so that way I can meet people and enjoy different types of personalities.” He wanted to entertain her with conversation before they would either retreat to their own objectives if they were to decide to leave each other’s presence.

[Haine 0]

"Wow, Kil? That's badass." A soft smile molded her lips. The man elaborated on MMO classes, all which went out the other ear. She perked a brow, puzzled. "Uhh, what's an AoE?" She scratched her head, attempting to make sense of all the information.  "I chose a two-handed sword because it looked nice, but now I'm not so sure If I can even carry it." She realized the awkwardness of the situation, placed in a populace well versed with MMO gaming. She, on the other hand, had interests which aligned elsewhere. Most of her free time comprised of music, running amok town, and watching television. She found that she was a shit shot with guns and tact, preferring to button mash, balls to the wall. How well would that fair here?

The pinkette twiddled her thumbs. "Uhm, actually... I don't really game. I got this game as a present." She cleared her throat. "I'm clueless now, but I think everyone else is on the first day. I just need to find a party."

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Her questions would confuse him a second but only for that second until she spoke about not knowing about games. He simply looked at her and blinked several times as they walked to their destination. A tilted his head slightly letting his hair flow to that right side a moment before offering a big smile. “AoE means Area of Effect. It allows you to hit multiple people at one time.” He would step a little closer to her after hearing that this was a gift.

The gift was now making sense to him how she would obtain something like this. But why would anyone want to buy a girl a game like this? This was expensive as all hell but he wouldn’t really get into it as he would look over at her again. “I don’t mind playing with you… Do you want to party up?” He would ask her in a different tone. It was a little unsure at first but he wasn’t going to be alone. He wanted to make sure that he was going to be at least with other people since it was a way to get experience faster. She would also help him in trying to talk to Alice when he got chance to. He had noticed that she had been transferred to the school but had only saw her afar. Little did he know.. But that would be another day. He simply looked over at the map and realized they were closing in on their objective.

[Haine 0]

"Ah, really?" She clicked her tongue. She was self-aware of her lack of MMO knowledge. She hoped to make up for it somehow, and what better way to practice than hands on in this world? She metaphorically pumped her fist for some motivation. His words invoked a sense of joy within. "Really?" She clasped her hands together, eyes glimmering. "For real?" She was off to a great start for being so scatterbrained and overwhelmed. Welp. That was two people confirmed as contacts. Her brother could tag along, but as elusive as ever, he was hard to catch. "Of course! I can introduce you to my sister. That'll make a party of three." She spared a glance at his light garb and dagger. He, just as her, seemed in need of some refining. He carried an air of maturity to him. Perhaps she could appoint him as party leader.

As they neared her sister's point on the marker, a message popped up on her HUD.

Quote

Oops. I might be... in a pickle right now? Get me those HP things before you get here pls : ( I'm fine, I'm in a tree but these things are vicious.
R

The pinkette scratched her head and sighed. "It's a message from my lil' sis. I need to make a pitstop to town. She's in a pickle already." Leave it to the younger to rush into combat with reckless abandon. Trial and error was a lovely way to learn, but also a lovely way to put a dent in your pockets. There must have been some sort of penalty for a game over. "Do you happen to know the nearest potion, thingie place?" The girl spared a soft smile.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

There was something about her that he couldn’t figure out. She seemed happier when he had mentioned the party invite. When he was appointed, he felt a little ping of excitement when she changed it over to him. He was able to share the information on the HUD of his own screen looking at the name of the other player. Ruri. He would take note of the name before nodding. “Yes. I would love to help out if I can.” He spoke as they were still on the outskirts of town but noticed that Haine had stopped.

The mention of having to stop into town would benefit them. “A potion shop huh…?” He thought for a moment. He had not stopped into town directly, but a trip would be quick since some of the stalls were sitting right on the inside of the gate to the town. He followed the path of the map and then looked at her nodding. “Shouldn’t be a problem. There should be stalls that sell those things close to the gate entrances. It seems that your sister is close to one so we can stop by it before.” His face turned slightly red at the thought of being alone with her in town. This was good practice to talk to a girl. “So… what are you into? Like since you don’t game and all.” He asked trying to get to know her a bit more. She was basically his practice dummy for Alice until he was ready to confront her. His strides were side by side to hers as they walked to a point on the map he had transfixed for the two of them.

[Haine 0]

"Alright, Kil! After you." She propped her hands on her hips and trailed beside the other. His limbs were long and her petite framed reached just shy of his shoulders in height. With every leisure stride he took, the girl mirrored twice with slight exertion. She spared a glance at the glades among the horizon. Little blooms sprouted from the base of the earth, providing a pop of color which was pleasing to the eye. Haine approached a bloom by the sole of her foot and plucked it from the soil. "So realistic," she hummed, holding the stem at eye level. Fingers rolled over petals of soft red velvet. A light inhale and the scent of pure nectar permeated her senses. She tucked the blossom into her shirt pocket. She loved the flair, a contrasting crimson against muted beige.

The deep voice diverted her attention back to young man. "Well, I play a liiittle bit." She pinched the air as a gesture. "I'm a shit shot, I just rage quit too fast," she admitted, with a scratch at her nape. "I'm a busy gal, y'know? I write music for fun and I'm a choir girl." Her mind traveled to her favorite spunky bluehead. "Besides, my sister hogs the tv too damn much. I don't mind it though, we binge watch cartoons."

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

He smiled as the girl conversed with him. The lay of the land was indeed beautiful. The graphics and the texture of everything was vast and limitless as far as he could tell. The way the grass would bend at the slightest breeze was invigorating that this game would change his life. Her answer gave him a slight laugh as he remembered the last time he rage quit a game. It was something that was too broken, and he just left the game completely abandoned. When she mentioned about her private life, he would glance over at her. The thought of music was nice as it was something he enjoyed listening to.  He wasn’t too thrilled at the suffering music his father had made him learn but it helped him expand what type of music he was into. “I like all types of music, but I prefer to listen to rock or something I can play the piano with. I love watching all types of anime. I prefer action though!” He exclaimed.

The scenery started to alter back to the town landscape. It was not a long effort to get there but he knew it would be okay. His eyes kept glancing over her sister’s health trying to ensure that she wasn’t in any danger of falling or whatever she was being attacked by. To keep the conversation going, he looked at her as people traveled pass them. “I enjoy games but I also tinker around in the kitchen. My mom taught me flavors so I kind of just enjoy making food.” He would ponder a bit. “When my dad isn’t around, I prefer to board around when no one is looking.” He added.

The stalls were straight ahead like he had seen before he went rushing out earlier. It was good that they were able to purchase them this close to the outside. They would need it to complete the game when they had time. He stretched his arms a bit as he looked at her. “What kind of music do you like to do?” Her music was a perfect question to tuck inside later in his mental book on talking to girls 101.

[Haine 0]

Haine's interest in the small talked piqued at Kiluia's addition to share. "Mmm, I see, I see. Good taste." She nodded in approval. "Variety is a plus. I like a bit of everything, actually. Keeps a fresh playlist." At the mention of television, she gushed. "Ooh, yes. Psychological horror and mystery is a nice one too." Whilst she loved the genre, she couldn't deny that she had too weak a mind and will to withstand it for long. The lights would always remain on with her dog at the foot of her bed if she could think to entertain such genres.

The pleasantries made her all but forget her sister's situation, stuck in a tree as a pack of wild boars butted heads with the stump. Impatient, the girl fired out another message. It came as a resounding ding to the other.

Quote

I'M GONNA DIE.
But while you're there, grab some chips.
R

Haine rolled her eyes. "Ah, s' nothing. Queen Sheba demands sustenance." She waved her hand in dismissal and stepped into the town entrance gate. A medieval fantasy-scape greeted her, to which she marveled. A celtic tune resonated from inside a tavern, new players flooding the cobblestone paths. The old fashioned armor reminded her of a page from an old folk fairytale. Whimsical.

"Anyways," she added, "My taste is all over the place. Classics are a must, but I can dig rock, Indie, Pop?" She tapped a finger to her chin in thought. "The only thing I really hate is metal or errr, screamo?" She visibly cringed. A round at the corner of the bazaar revealed an array of mouthwatering pastries on a vending cart. "Perfect. Sis'll love these."

Edited February 19, 2021 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Her preference of music was good. He would thoroughly enjoy her company to talk to once they were veterans of this game. He could see them fighting side by side since they were first friends on the list. The music interrupted his thought process as it seemed to be that familiar jig any musician would know. His honey like eyes would glance at the tavern that played it so he could visit it later in the day to perhaps drink a little. He didn’t know if the effect of alcohol would be the same but then again, there could be a variety of children… like his teenage self… would compromise that. “I love horror, but I have to at least be able to watch it with someone. Doing it alone just doesn’t seem right.”

The mention of food perked his ears a bit. “That’s good. We can get some food when we get the potions.” It was already too late. They had neared the section of food, but the potion shop wasn’t too far away from their positioning as he thought. A glance was given to her as he looked grinned a bit. “Go ahead and get whatever you want. My treat.” Oof. The start up col that was offered wasn’t a lot but at least she would be able to buy her sister that potion and not worry about the cost of the pastry. “I’ll be a chef sometime here. I can at least give you some food.” He grinned looking back at her then back at the variety of pastries. He could at least identify half of them, but the other ones were different and foreign to him.

He looked up at the sky. It was beginning to change from day to a subtle orange. Time was flying faster than he had anticipated but it was okay. He was in good company. “Maybe you can let me hear one of your songs one day.” He would mention as they viewed the inventory of the vendor.

[Haine 0]

"Oh, for sure. I can't watch it alone. I at least need my dog around," she jested, with a wave of dismissal. Their arrival at the vending cart diverted her train of thought from him towards the food. Such a demanding sister. A mouthwatering aroma wafted in the air, a delicious harmony of butter and cinnamon. "Ooh, that looks dreamy..." The pinkette's gluttonous tendencies were slipping out as she grabbed four pastries off the A La Carte. Soft blue eyes gazed at those of honey. "No I couldn't! Really---" She waved her hands in protest and turned to her inventory. Much to her horror, her meager savings couldn't afford even a few pastries. Haine gulped and set two other pastries down. She had to scrape by enough for some potions, at least. "Um, actually, I might have to borrow a wee bit anyways? If that's okay with ya." She spared a nervous smile.

She placed two buns on the checkout counter and turned to Kiluia. He seemed like a kind spirit to go out of his way and help. She made note to repay him once she situated herself in this world. "Of course. Maybe I'll play you one if we can find a music shop. There's sample instruments, I think!" Hands clasped together as she imagined an ideal version of herself in this world. The ability to mold herself into another identity gave her a false boost of confidence and control. A slam on the counter indicates her turn in line. "Oh!" The teenager jumps. "Whoops, here we go."

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

The smile on his face got bigger as she would take the offer. “I wouldn’t of offered it had I not been okay with it, Haine.” He gave her a bright smile. It was his goofy innocent smile he had been hiding for so long. With the col in hand, he would pay the NPC for the service of the pastry sales. He turned to her and forgot for a moment how close he had gotten to her since they were at the checkout line. Upper cheekbones would dawn a slight red as he felt the burning sensation of embarrassment rise. The trigger for the effect was incredible as he gave it a side thought. He took a slight step back and a metaphorical sigh escaped him. “That’s fine. I would love to see...” The teenager would not be able to finish his sentence as the clock in the square chimed loudly.

Unexpectedly, a flash of light would drag the two and various amount of playable characters to the square where they would be forced to join without a second thought. The confusion and panic that filled the air quickly made him realize that they were forcibly transported to a certain place without much consent. Still, he managed to be beside Haine with her pastries in check. The exchanging of different simultaneous conversations was filled with anxiety, angst, confusion, and worry. That all began to diminish as the alert and alarms went off signaling that something was going on.

The announcement came just like that and just like that everyone dawned their inventory to find the mirror. A blank gaze of himself was given as he stared at the mirror looking at his physical self. What the hell? What the fuck? The thoughts flooded his mind as he turned to look for Haine. Except, she wasn’t there. She was no where to be seen. “Haine…? Haine….?!” Panic took over as he looked for a pink haired girl that was here only moments ago. He hadn’t even noticed the blue haired wonder before him. His hair was no longer short but shoulder length now. He rapidly moved his eyes looking at person to person as the people around him began to panic.

[Haine 0]

"Ahh, thanks a bunch! I'll repay you in combat," she added, in jovial fashion. She scooped the pastries into her arms and turned to face the kind young man. Soft edges diminished with a blinding flash. Blinding white transitioned into a blood red sky, a thick fog obscuring her vision. From the edge of her visage, she made out a large cloaked figure floating above... a mass of players. Long locks whipped with her movements as she scanned the uncomfortably cramped mass. It was all akin to a fever dream, only a nightmare instead. A fever nightmare? 

In a matter of moments, the truth dropped.

It didn't feel real. The crowd stirred and some even jested at the silly notion of a "death game". It was outside the realm of possibility. People turned to leave, however an invisible forced caged them into the confines of the square. A mirror had fallen into each player's hand. Haine held it at arm's length, peering into the mirror. A reflection of a pink haired, blue eyed goddess stared back at her. Instantaneously, her form morphed into that of a familiar one. Sharper features dissolved into softer ones. Doe-like eyes assumed their typical honey brown color, and bubblegum pink dissolved into her trademark, vibrant azure. Cheeks flushed a bright red as her ample bosom decreased, proportionately with the rest of her petite frame.

Frantic gaze shifted to the populace. Much to her horror, many had assumed drastically different identities. A quarrel broke out in the midst of it, player against player, swayed by false personas. She brought a shaking palm to her jaw and caressed her face. The kind young man beside her called out for her name and she jumped forth. "K-Kil! I'm... right-" She was knocked back by in the crowd and left to hyperventilate. The further she tried to reach for him, the more she was pushed back in the rioting crowd.

Her only resort was to make do with her surroundings. She bounced on the balls of her heels and hollered. "KILUIA, I'M OVER HERE!" She had yet to see his features after the mirror's effects had taken place.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

Time stopped for him. His heart echoed in his head as he felt a wave of panic strike him. The sensation repeated several times as the beats of his heart began to strike faster. The panic of everyone had settled in around him as the chaos ensued. The bickering and yelling faded in the background as he struggled with looking around for the pink haired girl. He had not let it sink in fully that it was a Death game yet. He had one thing on his mind and that was to reach out with his slender fingers. The hand reached out to grab anything around him to jolt him back to reality. The darkness was enclosing rapidly around him and then finally he heard her.

His hand suddenly grabbed the woman’s hand that seemed foreign at first. He had not noticed her blue hair and similar colored eyes. It was the voice that guided him to reach out to this person and he stared. The sight before him did not register. He followed the voice and his body moved on its own pushing the crowd away while holding onto her slender hand trying to escape the confinement of bodies that were beginning to thrash. His body pressed against others until a break was found that would allow them to stay by building.

“Finally…” He said while breathing raggedly. He positioned them out of the way of the wandering crowd and spoke. “Sorry, Haine. I lost sight of you and…” His eyes looked over the blue haired girl. The physical change into this person he had been admiring from a far struck him and whatever air that was inside of his body soon left. This girl before him was someone he had known for years and he words finally escaped his lips. “A…Ali..ce?” The look of bewilderment starting to form on his otherwise calm face.

[Haine 0]

Anxiety wracked through her petite form. The crowd of players moved frantic, tall enough to swallow and trample her under their weight. She was jostled about like a ragdoll, pulled further from the heart of the crowd and into the back. A heavyset man knocked her aside and out of the crowd. She yelped, faceplanting against the dusty cobblestone. "Euugh." She spat out the earth and cringed in distaste. A kind saint outstretched a hand for her to grab. A familiar voice. "Thank you..." She accepted the man's hand and hoisted herself up to her feet. A soft smile crept up her lips as she tilted her head to meet her kind hero.

It was none other than him.

A frog settled in her throat. Try as the girl might, but the words couldn't escape her. Amber eyes widened, akin to a deer stuck in the headlights. Her name left the white haired man's lips and she searched his expression, bewildered. The longer she seemed to stare, the more apparent the situation seemed. The effects of the mirror vanished, leaving the man in his natural form, reminiscent of the boy she'd known from her past. Her name had left his lips. She gradually recovered from the shock.

"Kiluia. I knew that name had a ring to it." A soft chuckle escaped her. "So it is you. You're not going to run away now, are you?" She held onto his hand just in case. The Kiluia from long ago was a skittish one, it was hard to catch him at the right moment. His nature was like a puzzle to her, but she could use it to her advantage now. "Not that you can." A lilt followed. "You're stuck with me now." The moment of nostalgia was short lived. The sounds of chaos and screaming put a damper on her mood. "As much as I'd like to continue this chat, this is..." She twitched an eye at the crowd, "Not the place and time. Follow me." She found an opening through the alleyway and took off, tugging the other behind her.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Haine

[Kiluia Seiko 0]

 Her hand grasped his like an iron grip. Or at least it was a metaphorical sense. With her fingers interlocked with his, a spine-chilling sensation crawled up his back. The façade of being someone else melted the instant the mirror changed their features back. Staring at the blue haired wonder, she instantly recognized him. This was a bad situation. Shit shit shit!!  He thought in his head as he stared at her. The moment in time seemed to suspend all other activity until the sounds of chaos filled their ears once more.

He knew that this was a once in a lifetime situation. He did not dare to question it as she dragged him with her vice grip through the openings and back alleys. “Where are we going?” He managed to compose himself long enough for his voice not to crack. Eyes of amber surveyed the back streets as people came pouring through the main road. The back streets were less traveled as he pulled her to a complete stop. His hand still curled around hers he realized the woman of his dreams was still in front of him. Puppy love as they would call it. Face reddened as he spoke to her. “The area here is safe…The entire city is safe so long as we stay in the city.”

Eyes glanced down at their hands as he seemed to keep hold of it despite the fight or flight instinct was going into overdrive. There was no where to go for him as he watched her features spill into his visage. He couldn’t forget who she was before let alone now. “…What do you mean, I’m stuck? You still wanna stay wi…th me?” His pale face was becoming more burned with blood rising upward. His hand seemed to give her a soft squeeze as the young man seemed to enjoy it more and more. It almost seemed fitting like a missing puzzle piece.

[Haine 0]

Her heart raced, though not in the way one would assume around a particularly attractive person. Two revelations back to back were much for her to process in what little time she had as the bustling crowd cut in between them. Their only safe escape was through the empty alley. She made haste with him in tow, lest the others discover the path and run through them. A brisk walk down the alley maze led them away from the heart of the chaos. The man halted and broke the silence.

Blue locks flew over Haine's shoulder as she met his gaze. His face appeared flush, though she chalked it up to all the pacing about and adrenaline. "Oh duh, you do have a point." She brushed a finger through her bangs and tousled them. "Better here than out there to be 'killed'." She mimicked quotations with her fingers and rolled her eyes. She was in denial. Who wouldn't be? This whole thing seemed ludicrous. It had to be some kickoff event. In a few hours, the big red man would say syke and they'd be back in time for dinner.

Hopefully.

 Her eyes traveled downward to the pair of fingers laced between hers. Her eyes widened slightly and she pulled away. "O-Oop, my bad." She chuckled awkwardly, though she'd confess his hands weren't so bad to hold. His question caught her off guard for a fraction of a moment. Quick to process, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, silly! My team of two could use an extra hand, and you just so happen to qualify." The distant sound of screaming caused her eye to twitch. "Jeez, they're really havin' at it. It can't be that serious can it?" She waved her hand in dismissal. "Lemme fire up a message to sis." She worked quick at her screen.