[F01 - PP] I Swear I Saw A Ghost

[Koga 0]

k o g a the elder wolf Spoiler notes: none   Koga | HP: 700/700 | EN: 108/108 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV)   equippped battle-ready inventory T4 Demonic Katana <<Tsuki no Hikari>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen] T4 Perfect Light Armor <<Shadow Chance Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regen] T1 Perfect Necklace <<White Owl Necklace>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy] None     skills Spoiler | COMBAT Mastery: Damage III | Gain 1 * Tier Damage per rank | 15 SP Battle Healing V | Recover 5% (rounded down) of your maximum HP at the start of your turn | 30 SP Emergency Recovery | When non-fatal damage would leave you with 25% or less of your maximum HP, recover 10% of your maximum HP after the attack resolves. Effect cannot occur more than once per thread.  When activated if the player has lower than 10 energy remaining, simply reduce the player's energy to 0. | 6 SP EN Cost: 10 Energist | Increase Base Energy by 5 * Tier | 8 SP Howl | Gain +2 Hate against up to 4 targets | 10 SP EN Cost: 2 EN Cooldown: 2 Posts Focused Howl | Gain +4 Hate against a single target | 5 SP EN Cost: 4 EN Cooldown: 4 Posts | WEAPON Curved Sword I | +1 DMG when equipped with a Curved Sword | 4 SP Katana V | +7 DMG when equipped with a Katana | 30 SP Stamina | Reduces the energy of all Katana attacks by 2 EN | 4 SP Ferocity | +2 DMG when using Katana Sword Arts | 4 SP | ARMOR Light Armor V | +30 MIT when equipped with Light Armor | 30 SP Meticulous | +1 DMG when equipped with Light Armor | 4 SP Resolve | +1 ACC and +10 * Tier HP when equipped with Light Armor | 6 SP | EXTRAS Familiar Master: Rending | You and your familiar attack in tandem, applying Rend [7*tier unmitigatable damage] to the target that lasts for two turns. | 10SP Cooldown: 5 Posts Survival | Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects. buffs Spoiler Laurel Wreath | Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread <<Well Rested>> | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. <<Squeaky Clean>> | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). <<Relaxed>> | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. <<Multipurpose>> | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.

The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed quietly in the empty alleyway as a raven haired man turned a key in the door. It wasn't late yet, but the sun had just started to dip below the rooftops of the Town of Beginnings. Since there were no orders to be hammered out, well Koga figured it was okay to close the forge a bit early. Besides, he still had to get home to cook for himself and Yukiro. That boy was eating him out of house and home, but at least he was helping pay for groceries now.

"C'mon boy," Koga said to the snow colored wolf who was sitting patiently beside him, waiting to head home. If only he was always this well-behaved. Dumb mutt always seemed to love to stir up trouble when there were others around. Koga had a feeling that the wolf did it on purpose too.

Turning, the pair walked away, their footsteps echoing off the flagstone, another day done.

Edited December 17, 2021 by Koga

[Ghostie 0]

Spoiler

Ghost
Total SP: 5 | Allocated: 0 | Remaining: 5
Level 1 | Paragon ?
HP: 100/100 | EN | DMG: 1 | ACC: 1 |EVA: 1 | MIT |

Equipment
-Weapon: Scrying Dagger T1 | ACC | EVA |
-Armor:NA
-Trinket:NA

As Koga walked with his companion, a glimmer passed his peripheral. A woman in her early twenties, with silvered hair and crystalline eyes, was leaned against a nearby building across the way from the man. She wore simple sandals, a black long sleeved belted dress with a short skirt and a simple dagger fashioning her hip, and had a relaxed blank expression while trying to go through her inventory.

From a single glance, it was obvious that she was fresh to the game. She appeared to be studying the player menu intensely, and occasionally she would tap her left heel rapidly on the pavement as if she were getting impatient. Before long, she glanced up at Koga across the road, and she froze in her tracks as she looked at his wolf. Her expression seemed to soften slightly, then she relaxed again and continued to look through her menu. Word.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Ghostie

[Koga 0]

A singular bright spot stood in contrast to the dark, shadowed walls. Koga glanced over as he passed by the spot, a low level player, a common sight in this town. Nothing unusual.

Except for some reason, Okami decided to get back into his trouble making shenanigans. Koga suddenly found his belt a good deal lighter as Okami bounded away from him, Koga's katana in his maw. "Okami! No, get back here!" The wolf, of course, did not listen as he ran over to the girl, leaning against the wall, and wagged his tail happily as he presented the sword to her.

Okami put the katana down at the other player's feet and sat down expectantly waiting pets. For a good job? Because he thought he was cute? Who knew. In any case, Koga didn't really care. The man approached the Wolf with a displeased look. "Dude, what the hell, again? We talked about this."

[Ghostie 0]

Having been lost in thought while trying to figure out the menu more, the girl never noticed the situation unfolding. ‘How do I do this?? Getting experience shouldn’t be too difficult.. right?’ As she thought, she came across another interesting option in the menu.

Quote

For Function Impaired:

Multiple functions have been integrated into the system deliberately for the sole use of basic sense impairment, including but not limited to—

Before she had gotten a chance to read more, the girl jumped out of her skin from Koga’s dog running up to her and the yells from his master. The girl still seemed completely calm and stoic, but internally she was in panic mode as she debated on what to do. Looking down at the wolf and the katana at her feet, she kneeled down and gently picked up the weapon, looking up at the animal softly.

Reaching up, she gently pet Okami, scratching behind his left ear. ‘So soft…’ She continued to pet him while looking up at Koga, seemingly trying to read him. High level gear, confident characteristics, appears focused but mentally drained at the same time… Most likely an experienced grinder.

[Koga 0]

The girl appeared startled for little more than a moment before her face became stoic once more as she picked up Koga's weapon and began to gently pet Okami. 'You're such a man-[censored],' Koga thought, looking at the wolf with a shake of his head. "Sorry about him," Koga apologized to the girl, unphased about her possession of his weapon. It would just reappear in his inventory or in his hands with a single thought. "He likes to just run off with my stuff and make me chase after him sometimes." As Koga spoke, the wolf nuzzled himself into the woman's hand, clearly enjoying the attention he was getting. "He sure does seem to like you though," the swordsman said.

Now that Koga had a chance to take a closer look at the player, he could confirm that his initial assessment had been correct. Still with starter gear, and although he couldn't see exactly what her max HP was, Koga had the feeling she would crumble to dust if he so much as sneezed on her.

Well that looks like a potential new customer.

"The name's Koga," he said, offering a hand to the girl, "yours?"

[Ghostie 0]

The girl froze for a moment, looking at the man’s hand while still petting Okami. After a hesitant moment, she took his hand with the same one that held his sword, and accepted his help in standing up. ‘He seems nice enough.. And his familiar is friendly, too. Maybe he can help?’

Standing up straight, she kept her composure while handing Koga’s sword back, still petting Okami. Awkwardly standing there, the girl couldn’t think of how to answer his question. Thinking for a moment, she came up with an idea and opened her menu. Scrolling through the available options, she found the ‘display: other’ function and opened up her Player ID card. Editing a small subtext on the bottom of it, she then turned it on for Koga to read.

Quote

Username: Ghost
Total SP: 5 | Allocated: 0 | Remaining: 5
Level: 1 | Paragon: ?
HP: 100/100 | EN | DMG: 1 | ACC: 1 |EVA: 1 | MIT |

Equipment
-Weapon: Scrying Dagger T1 | ACC | EVA |
-Armor:NA
-Trinket:NA

Personal Description Note: Mute

While the player ID was open, Ghost bowed. Then she stood straight again, her blank expression still the same, and she tried to ask Koga using simple signs:

’Do you understand sign language?’

[Koga 0]

Koga stood there with his hand extended, feeling like a downright idiot while the girl stared at him with an absolutely unreadable face.

'...do...do I put my hand down?' Koga thought to himself, refusing to allow his face show any of the immense awkwardness he was feeling. 'Do I say something?'

Mercifully, the girl did not leave Koga to ponder his potential social awkwardness for much longer as she finally took his hand and allowed herself to be helped to her feet. Realizing that his pets had also ceased for the moment, the Wolf sat on his haunches between the two, staring up a them with his tongue lolling out of his mouth, looking more like a dopey dog than a carnivorous hunter.

The silence continued as Koga returned his weapon to his belt, and once more he found him staring awkwardly as the girl seemed to be browsing a menu. Was she ignoring him? The man couldn't tell anymore and was just about to turn and leave before the girl turned her HUD display to him.

User, Ghost.
Level, weapon, and...
Oh? Mute?

Koga looked back up at the girl, now feeling a lot less self-conscious as she made a series of movements with her hands. "Uh, sorry, I don't know sign," the man said apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck. The only thing he'd ever learned in sign language was water...which he had a feeling wasn't going to be much help to him right now.

"Uh, hold on, here," the man said, swiping down with his hand to bring up his own HUD display. A few moments later a message box would appear before the Ghost.

Spoiler

Sender: Koga
Recipient: Ghost

How about using this?

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by Koga

[Ghostie 0]

Ghost dropped her hands, internally mentally facepalming herself. She should’ve figured that he wouldn’t know sign, but at least she tried. Then she saw the message pop up. Reading the message, she nodded and began typing her own, albeit longer message. After a few more moments, she sends a message back.

Quote

Sender: Ghost
Recipient: Koga

This will work for now. I’m sorry for the inconvenience; I have an EXE modular file that might be compatible with the game that will help with communicating, but it will take some time to sync with the system. I can still understand you though, so no need for you to message on my behalf.

You seem as if you’re fairly experienced at this game; I only started the game a few days ago. Would you be able to help me? I attempted the tutorial AI, but it didn’t really help me understand anything useful outside of basic actions.

[Koga 0]

A moment later and the girl, or rather Ghost, was already typing a message back, and a moments more, and the reply was in Koga's inbox. The man chuckled a little at the mention of the tutorial, "Yeah, that tutorial is uh...not the greatest," he agreed with a wry smile.  In fact it was downright infuriating. Still, he had somehow allowed himself to be roped into helping out some newbies get through them. He was relieved to hear that he wouldn't be subjected to that torture again.

"What do you need help with?" he asked. There were a lot of systems in the game. Well, ok there were really only two big ones, and everything else was a part of those two, or a variation, but still, there was a lot. "Combat, crafting?" To be honest, Koga probably wasn't the best person to ask about crafting. He sucked at it, but he was certain that RNG and the crafting gods were at fault for that, not necessarily anything he was doing.

[Ghostie 0]

The girl listened to Koga, thrilled that she wasn’t the only one that had issues with the tutorial AI. After day one, she’d already wanted to throw the thing into a river. But at the mention of what she needed help with, she wasn’t exactly sure how to respond. She was certain that Koga had probably plenty of things on his plate, and it’d be selfish of her to ask too much.

Then again, he did ask… After a moment, Ghost began typing again, petting Okami again out of instinct. Something about feeling the wolf’s fur was soothing to her, almost like the familiar was empathetic to what was being felt emotionally. After a moment more, Ghost replied.
 

Quote

Sender: Ghost
Recipient: Koga

To be completely honest, I know nothing about the game apart from basic mechanics. Leveling, Quests, in depth RPG, I’m a literal noob. Apart from basic knowledge and software understanding, I’m completely clueless.

[Koga 0]

Okami nuzzled into the woman's palm as his pets returned and Koga read the next of what would surely become a long thread of messages. He stared blankly for a moment at the message for a moment. Oh boy. So everything from scratch? Where should he even start? Where should she even start, that was the better question.

Well...there was about one thing and one thing only that Koga was really good at...and that was fighting...but fight what? Where?

Then an idea came to Koga's head. A place out of the depths of his memories and his early days in Aincrad. To be completely honest, it would not serve to be especially helpful for the girl, unless she was looking for a katana, but, she'd learn something at least. "Alright, I got something. C'mon, follow me," Koga said as he turned and started walking towards the town entrance, Okami turning and (begrudgingly) leaving his pets behind.

[Ghostie 0]

Ghost’s head perked up, and she nodded before closing her menus and walking alongside the man and his companion. She was still fairly nervous; Normally unless it was business related in the real world, she didn’t have to communicate with people much. Still, it seemed like this Koga guy was fairly friendly.

Then, a notification popped up in her upper right, and she read it while walking.

Spoiler

STS Conversion Enabled!
AI voice audio files currently disabled until file transfer download is complete.
Activation sign set to Default.

Clapping her hands lightly but rapidly, Ghost nodded and raised her right hand in an odd position, and an all-too-familiar ding was heard. Afterwards, she faced Koga while walking, and began to sign to him. As she did, a subtitle text appeared in front of her where Koga could read.

Is this properly readable? I’m assuming the game’s auto translate function is still in effect.

[Koga 0]

The girl stepped a pace or two ahead of Koga and started to sign at him again, however when the subtitles started popping up between them, Koga nearly jumped out of his skin. "What in the fuck!? That's a thing?" he asked, once he recovered some semblance of composure. "Eh, yeah I can read that," he added with a chuckle. "Damn, Kayaba really didn't skimp out on all the extra features to make us comfortable while he killed us all off, huh?"

"So I guess we won't need those messages anymore at least," the man said with a smile as they both exited the settlement and entered into the floor proper. By far the largest of all the floors, Floor 1 was full of hidden little mysteries and locations. And there just happened to be one that Koga and only a couple other people knew of.

"I should warn you, you might have to get your hands a bit dirty where we're headed," Koga said as he started to walk into the plains and towards a not too distant forest. "Hope you're up for a fight."

[Ghostie 0]

I might be able to manage, she signed. It’ll be a bit awkward, though. I used to train with my dad in Kyusho Jitsu. However, I haven’t had a chance to do the quest for hand combat, so I only have a dagger right now. What did you have in mind? 

Now that the STS has loaded in, it’s made it loads easier to ‘say’ what she need to. There’s no guarantee that others would know sign, so a feature like this should help with figuring everything out and getting help from others. Then again, it’s also integrated software, so with the game’s lockdown functions intending to disable access to the outside world, there could be technical difficulties…

Also, I’m not entirely sure that Kayaba intended for this to be accessible. I had to integrate a compatible software called Sign to Speech, or STS, she explained. For all that I know, the system could reject the software at any given time. At least it’s working for now.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Ghostie

[Koga 0]

"Don't worry too much about how awkward or not you'll, just focus on fighting. I'll be there to tank the damage for you, I just want you to get acquainted with the combat systems," Koga replied as the walked, "The rest, well, I'll leave it up to your imagination. You'll see when we get there though."

Hmm, integrating possibly third-party software into SAO. Koga hadn't really ever thought about it too much. He knew a lot about modding games, so he knew that some games made it virtually impossible to add or remove things without the right software, Koga had always just assumed that's what SAO was like. But something like this 'STS'... "I'm impressed you managed to do that," Koga said with a nod, "can't have been easy. With any luck Cardinal won't decide to give you the boot for doing so." Cardinal was a fickle thing after all. Koga was pretty much certain that the damned thing was just an AI determined to make them all suffer.

[Ghostie 0]

Ghost nodded, more emotion beginning to show on her face despite her blank expressions mostly remaining the same. A very small, almost unnoticeable smile appeared on her face, her brows relaxing while they walked. She did her best to not be phased by others’ statements, but a compliment to what she could do always put a bit of warmth onto her mood.
 

She signs again but with a bit more pep: I mostly just pick up on things as I go. I’m normally  a fast learner, but the way that this game is designed is much more complex than I originally thought it would be. The past R P G games that I ever played were the Final Fantasy Series, but that’s been a few years ago. I know that a few quests I want to try and do include the familiar quest, and the boulder quest. Especially after seeing your wolf companion, having a familiar would be really enjoyable!

[Koga 0]

If it weren't for the STS, Ghost's rapid fire signing would have been lost on Koga. Mercifully for the both of them though, it was functioning just fine, and the smile that crept onto Ghost's face shone for the briefest moment. "Familiar's are nice, for sure," Koga said with nod, reaching down to pat the Wolf on head. "This dumb ass though, he lives just to make life difficult for me though." Okami began to chuff in what could only be compared to snicker. He knew exactly what he was doing usually, and loved getting a rise out of his owner.

"If you're goin' after the Boulder quest, I'm guessin' you want to take up Martial Arts in-game just like you did in real life?" He had done something similarly when he first entered the game. As a martial arts and kendo practitioner in real life, he took up the sword and fist - er, handwraps - in game.

[Ghostie 0]

Ghost looked down at Okami, and gave a very faint smile, humored by his actions toward Koga. They must have been partnered together for a while, if they could get along so well. ‘I wonder what familiar I would have,’ she thought to herself, more encouraged to find one than ever before.

’Yes, I would like to learn the Martial Arts skill in-game,’ she signed. ‘It’s not that I wouldn’t like to learn other fighting skills as well. Martial Arts is just what I know. Plus, I want to see how realistic Martial Arts in the game is, compared to in real life. I always wondered if virtual reality could be used to train in fighting realistically without unnecessary casualties; This would be the best way to do so, I believe.’

Ghost nodded in her typical blank stoic expression, then thought of various things she could possibly use knowledge wise for the Martial Arts skill. There would probably be dozens of skills associated with it, which would be useful against fighting enemies but would possibly make it unrealistic to fighting in real life. ‘Then again, my goal should be to survive above all else. It may be a game, but it’s still life or death…’

[Koga 0]

More words flashed between the two players as Ghost continued to make unfamiliar gestures with her hands. Koga had to admit, it was a little strange. It was like reading the subtitles on screen, except this was real. Well 'real' in terms of the game.

"Well, 'realistic' is a loose term around here," Koga said with a chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck. "The combat system kinda...takes over once you queue up a Sword Art," Koga explained. "Its a little strange, and it takes some getting used to, but that's about as much input as you get during that part." A shrug. Unfortunately, SAO didn't seem to be the best platform to train real life skills in, especially not anything in the crafting system...strange rhythm game and RNG..."Full dive VR in general though as a training platform?" Koga said as he started to think about the concept more. "That could work. Really, really well actually...See, SAO has pain dampeners, as I'm sure you already know, in the case of self-defense training, or anything where injury is more or less a constant, it'd be almost if not just as effective as the real thing, you get real tactile feedback and everything!" The thought excited Koga, he'd been interested in VR long before the NerveGear had been announced. Unfortunately, the man realized he had gone on a bit of rampant tangent.

"S-sorry," he said with an apologetic chuckle, "kinda got off topic there for a second." Or ten.

[Ghostie 0]

Ghost’s eyes widened, listening to what Koga said with excitement. Most of her life outside of school and home, she was around people who were extremely well reserved and acted overly professional, so this was definitely a nice change of pace. Koga seems fairly laid back and open, unlike what she was used to.

She shook her head and began signing again. You’re fine! It just surprised me how openly you talk about your interests and ideas. I wish there were more people like that where I’m from. Because of my work outside of the game, I rarely can act as casual with people outside of my family.
 

That’s really cool about the pain thing with the game though; does the pain feel real in this world? I’ve been avoiding any kind of combat since I’ve gotten here, because I didn’t know how to do so without dying.

Ghost then stopped and thought to herself for a moment. Maybe the dying thing was too casual?