[F1-PP] <<The First Lesson>> The Path Starts With a Single Step...Again!

[Astreya 0]

"I think everyone's just kinda predisposed to different things, y'know?  Not to say that someone is smarter or not as smart as someone else, but like, okay, take me," she spoke, gesturing to herself.  "I don't have the patience for stuff like... math and science and all of that sorta thing.  It just ain't me.  But when it comes to people and situations and all that, it's super easy for me to figure things out.  But other people don't really do well with people and are better with math and science and all that junk," she spoke, waving a hand in the air as if to fully categorize it as 'junk.'  

"But just for the most part and junk, people tend to think of, like, more academic smarts as being 'smart' y'know?" the girl asked, her hands moving this way and that as she spoke, almost talking more with her hands than she was with her lips before she finally gestured toward Etherial with the last bit.  "I just like people and think they're like a fun puzzle to figure out a lot of the time," the girl admitted with a slightly sheepish grin.

At the subject of music, and Zack, Astreya's smile faded just a bit, but hopefully with Etherial hunting the herbs she might not notice.  "His parents were always really pushy into wanting him to do something fancy with his life.  Like an engineer or a doctor or whatever and they pushed him to do a lot of that.  But he joined the band in school and eventually picked up a guitar and that's what he wanted to do.  I think he just wanted the freedom to kinda do whatever he wanted, y'know?  Instead of having someone decide for him, he wanted to be the one toe make that decision," Astreya continued.  

She swallowed slightly following that explanation.  It wasn't like it mattered now, anyway.

TWC: 3,371

@Etherial

[Etherial 0]

While spotting another herb she was listening to what the black hair girl had to say. And she had to agree with it. But still no one should think they're not smart because they don't know math or science. But then she talked about Zack. Listening to his story made her think about what her parents wanted her to do. 

"To be honest. My parents wanted me to do something with medical. Like a doctor or a nurse. I told them 'I'll do medical but I wanted to be a Neuroscientist.'" she said 

"I always enjoy studying about someone's brain. I was thinking about doing psycology but I want to examine it not pick away at it like they do." 

It was at that time she finally picked a herb that was an actual material. She was excited only one more to go and she can already see it coming. But for now it's searching time.

ID# 187727 results: LD: 15 (Success) +1 Mat (4)

@Astreya

Edited April 6, 2021 by Etherial

[Astreya 0]

"Now see, I want to pick away at everyone's brain," the dark-haired girl said as she grinned at Etherial, but listening to the idea that she would have liked to actually study the brain more than examine the personality and such that came from it was certainly interesting to the young woman.  "I think that'd be fun too- I'd probably be a bit more hands on with something like that though.  LIke after I learned out what different parts of someone's brain did and how it different between people, like, I'd want to study how they were in normal day to day and all that junk, y'know?" she spoke.

"What about you though?  Would you just wanna study their brain and that be all?  Like, what about being a neuroscientist gets you all excited?" Astreya asked, her eyes wide and excited for the answer.  This was part of her usual nature to just want to get to learn about people and to find out more.  "Are both your folks psychologists?" she asked then, realizing how she had mentioned her parents did a bunch of picking away at the brain as well.  She wondered if it ran in the family, all doing stuff with the mind.

"Because studying it is one thing but is it because your parents wanted you to go into a medical field or like... was there something that made you really be like "This is what I wanna do!" and all that?" she asked, curious as she noted the girl getting the fourth herb.  That only left one more- if they were lucky, they'd be able to get this quest done way quicker than Astreya had been able to do on her own. Then again, it might've been just that having someone to talk to made the time fly by way faster too.

TWC: 4,166

@Etherial

[Etherial 0]

She looked at  her. It wasn't like her parents absolutely forcing her to do this. 
"No actually... Being stuck in here I was curious about everyone's brain and what's it going through while we're in this endless slumber. Are people going though depression or are the excited. There's actually been things on here where some people this was the best thing they've ever did because they found their significant other. Other's it  was ther worst thing ever... I guess for me It's a toss up. I haven't found my significant other here but I also can't say I'm sad."
She left that note after finding her next herb. It was only the matter of her collecting it. But instead it didn't budge. It didn't bother her she was actually having a good time talking to Astreya. 
"My mother's a nurse and my dad is an engineer. So not really. They just thought I was like my mother and wanted to do something with medical."

ID# 187729 results: LD: 4 (Fail)

@Astreya

Edited April 6, 2021 by Etherial

[Astreya 0]

"Ah-ha, so we're on the same page then!  Wanting to know what people are going through and how they're dealing and coping with it... you're just kinda more on the science side of it.  I'd like to talk with some of the people that have been on the front lines, honestly.  Just like to get to hear their side of things and how they're doing.  I gotta imagine that it's been.. what, years now?  I haven't really kept track," Astreya admitted, tilting her head a little to the side.  "But like... being stuck in here and having to fight to survive and to escape and all that for years... that's gotta do something to ya, y'know?" she asked, frowning slightly.

She didn't know how it might have done a number on some people, but at the same time, there was the very real chance that it was affecting other people worse than others.  Not everyone reacted to stimuli the same way and watching to see how people learned to adapt and overcome was one of the most interesting aspects of human nature.  She certainly hadn't handled things well at first, but had steadily come around to getting her head on straight and approaching things a bit more logically.

"Yeah, I don't know about finding a significant other... I just want to help everyone get out of here.  Even for those who, like you said, this was the best thing ever... I'm sure there's something they'd want to get back to, right?  Unless they're not playing on the Front Lines and are trying to stop the rest of us."  She paused, her head tilting back to the other side in thought for a moment.  "Are there other players like that, you think?  That are attacking players to make sure we stay in here as long as possible?" the woman asked, tilting her head to the side.

TWC: 4,481

@Etherial

[Etherial 0]

It was nice to see her happy. Although just studying psychology can lead you to many thing, going for Neuroscience first seems to get you into another world. “You know. As much as this sounds terrible. The Game Master has a perfect experiment with all of us. If only he was someone like me that was interested in a brain and not just wanting us to play in ‘his world’.”

It didn’t sound to bad if everyone here agreed on doing it as long as they were able to log out. Kind of like what would it be like to live inside a game but able to take care of your actual body with it. It’s something that would make an interesting project for college that for sure.

“You know maybe one these days I can make a simulation of what it’s like to be in a virtual world. Instead of being trapped you’re interacting with other NPC as they think you’re the same thing as them and you can’t tell if they’re real humans or NPCs.”

The next thing she notice though is a shining object to the left of her. It was another herb. As she went up and grab it. It went into her inventory.

“Yes! I can finally finish this quest.” She said with a smile.

ID# 187731 results: LD: 12 (Success) +1 Mat (5)

@Astreya

Edited April 6, 2021 by Etherial

[Astreya 0]

"Yeah he's kind of a jerk, right?" Astreya asked as Etherial mentioned the Game Master.  Astreya honestly only barely remembered the opening address that had come from him, where he had announced the new rules.  Mostly because she hadn't really been paying attention, far too busy marveling at everything else that was going on with the world around her.  "Just keeping us all locked up in here like some sorta kid with a rat maze," she muttered, shaking her head a little at the thought of the situation.  She wondered if hew as just watching everyone struggle and toil through, and how he might be still hidden away from the authorities after so long.  It seemed like the governments would work together to find him, but maybe they just didn't care?  

Well, not that, necessarily, but more that the people who were stuck in this game, in their comas... they were just there.  The people had gotten used to it and moved on.  Except for their families, possibly, but by that point, there wasn't many other people who would care, right?  It wasn't like anyone that they knew was in here.  And by now, the number of people had likely dwindled significantly and many were mourned already.

She blinked, her thoughts coming out of a haze as she looked at her new friend who mentioned making a wilder more simulation experience and she gave a laugh in response to that.  "Man, that would be pretty crazy.  I think you need a bit more than just neuroscience for that though.  Maybe we can meet a computer geek here and see about putting all the pieces together, right?" she asked, before the girl reached down and plucked the last herb from the ground.

"All right!  Then we go back and talk to Zakariah, and then you make yourself a potion and then... at least if it's the same as it was before, we'll go and talk with the blacksmith.  C'mon!" she called, grinning.

TWC: 4,812

@Etherial

[Etherial 0]

She smiled before nodding. It was only a matter of time, before she'd finish this quest and. In the matter of walking back she looked over at her friend.  

"I might need a lot of people to help with that project but it might help figure out why people like us join this game and how can we help someone if this happens again. "

She pauses for a moment. 

"Matter of fact I don't think there will be another time..."

Of course they wouldn't know. It's something the government probably already thought about  but haven't put into a law yet. They're probably waiting for the survivor to come back or die off before making a decision. Actually they might have more games around the world that could already be just like SAO.

"What do you think will happen if we return? Also what about if we don't?" 

It's a weird question but its still an important one that probably everyone has thought of at least once. 

@Astreya

[Astreya 0]

Astreya nodded as they walked along back toward the Town of Beginnings again.  "Yeah I have no idea what they're doing outside of here with the like, laws and everything.  I still don't even figure they've found out where the servers are and stuff for SAO because we're all still in here, y'know?" she spoke, shaking her head.  "But yeah.  Both of us ended up here not really meaning to be so like, what are they thinking for people like us?  Because if they wanna be all thinking that everyone that's here is a gamer and wants to be in the game and stuff... that's dang wrong," she spoke, shaking her head.

But it was the next question that came to her that really sent Astreya for a loop.  It was one that, of course, she had considered, just like everyone else that was in here.  "Well, if we come back, it's gonna free up a lot of space at a lot of hospitals... assuming that we all got transported to them.  Maybe we're all still stuck at our homes too, I don't really know," the girl admitted.  "But there's probably a lot of money getting sunk in by either our families or maybe the government stepped in?  It's hard to say.  But if we're stuck in here, and then suddenly get out... that'd free up a lot of resources all of a sudden for the world as a whole."

She swallowed a bit at the other part.  "Unless... there's some sort of government funding for those of us stuck here, then eventually I feel like the financial strain would break some families, you know?  Or like people that didn't have anyone.  They'd just vanish from Aincrad one day because they died in the real world.  It's really sad to think about, but if we stay stuck in here... it's going to happen sooner or later, I'd bed," she spoke, frowning slightly.

TWC: 5,134

@Etherial

[Etherial 0]

She paused for a moment. The location for the server and shutting down the game. She thought for a second. “You don’t think they already found it but can’t shut it down without risking our lives, do you?” She thinks carefully. “I mean think about it. If you shut the server down that is almost like ripping the Nerv Gear off our head which is an instant death. They probably have to wait for us to defeat the game before they can do anything with the server.”

It was not too much longer until they reach Zak’s shop as she walked up to the door once more. This time with all her materials requires to complete the quest. The only thing now is to just create the position.

Walking into the shop Zak went straight to the next part of the quest without her actually interacting with him as he explained that she needs to create a healing potion. With no time lost she started to make the healing potion. And on her first try she mange to make a healing potion.

“Well that was easy. Now let me just turn this quest in and we can work on the next one.” With that she walked up to Zak and turned in the quest and looked over to Astreya.

ID# 187763 results: CD: 7 (success) +1 Healing Potion (Rare)

@Astreya

Edited April 7, 2021 by Etherial

[Astreya 0]

She lifted a finger to respond, but she realized that might be true.  She didn't exactly pay attention to the rules with the nervegear, but there was very likely something built in that would stop that from happening.  She frowned, thinking on it as she followed along, the thoughts deep in her mind as they made their way back to Zakariah's shop.  She didn't really know what to do then, beyond what Etherial had suggested- to beat the game, get past the 100th floor and get out of there.  Even if there was no way to really know if that was true or not... and that was all the more frustrating.

At the sound of the door opening, however, Astreya realized they'd gone the whole way back without talking and she was about to rectify that- when she remembered the next part of the quest.  "At least this part's pretty easy," she spoke, nodding to the girl as she spoke with Zakariah briefly, before going about getting started on the potion.  And just like that, she was done with it- the potion made and everything set as she turned the quest in.  

"Okay cool!  Now we gotta go talk to Lyle the blacksmith.  C'mon!" she spoke with a grin, moving to head on along ahead of Etherial, mostly just trying to come to terms with the thing she hadn't really considered up until now- that there was no other way out of here than to play the game.  That was it.  That was the end.  If anything, that just redoubled her resolve on getting to the front lines- she had to help!

TWC: 5,406

Edited April 7, 2021 by Astreya
forgot wc

[Astreya 0]

Thread Wrapup-

GDocs Thread Here- Both participants WC listed along with screenshot from Wordcounter.net

Etherial:

XP: 
-- Word Count EXP (2850 Eligible Words) Bahr: Awarding 200 EXP for page reward, as the word count reward would only amount to 171 EXP.
-- 450 (Quest) 

Col:
-- 200 (1 Page)
-- 500 (Quest Reward)

Items: 
(5) T1 Uncommon Health Potions: Heals 5% of Maximum HP. (quest rewards)
(1) T1 Uncommon Damage Potion: +1 DMG for an entire thread. (quest rewards)
(1) T1 Uncommon Overhealth Potion: Adds 5% of Maximum HP to users Maximum HP for a thread. (quest rewards)
(1) T1 Rare Health Potion (quest rewards) ID# 187763

Astreya:

XP:
-- Word Count EXP (4900 Eligible Words) 588 EXP

Col:
-- 200 (1 Page)

Bahr
 

ID# 187828 results:

 Battle: 2

 Craft: 1

 Loot: 20

 MOB: 10

US Roll Failed.