[PP-F2]<<Let there be light>> A good place for a nap

[Monarch 0]

Yasu had spent so much time in this game he had forgotten how long a day was. To him it was a good four hours before he could sleep the rest of the day away. The boy had probably spent   the majority of his time here either sleeping or watching other players, but so what? It’s his crucible, he can cope how he wants. If he can get through this stretch of hell in his life unscathed then so be it, what’s the point of risking your life when others do it so well. 
 

The boy’s lack of thought was broken as a stray cat crossed his path, looking at the boy with a tinge of disdain. The lazy boy would tilt his head and crouch down, extending his hand out to try and pet the kitten, and after it sniffed his finger a paw came up and slapped the boy’s hand. With an exasperated sigh, Monarch would stand to his feet. ”Damn, what a drag.”

 

As Yasuhiro stepped into the center of town, the crowds of people around him would disappear slowly, the sun moving just past it’s peak. People had made their ways into the stores and cafes so Yasu would drag his feet over to a bench and sit. His coffee was probably cold by now but he had no complaints, it was his fault for getting distracted by the cat. He would pull his canary yellow scarf off of his mouth and sip from the mug. Still warm. His almost formal attire coupled with the scarf, one could probably easily mistake this boy for a modern day student. That is, if you can forget the fact we are all trapped in this death game.

[Astreya 0]

Astreya hummed to herself as she moved from one place to another in the town, mostly just taking in a bit of remembrance here.  She didn't actually think she'd run into @Freyd here again- that was just wishful thinking- but all the same, there was something familiar about this town, almost as much as the Town of Beginnings.  Perhaps it had to do with the fact that this had been the second time she was actually scared for her life, not too far away from here, in the nearby cavern.  She'd come in with Freyd to do a quest, to help get her leveled up a bit... but what had nearly ended up happening was a death by a couple of Player Killers.

Freyd had come to her rescue.  She'd never asked him why and he hadn't told her, just simply mentioning that he was sure she'd do the same if the situation was reversed.  She'd never mentioned it to anyone else and couldn't help but to wonder if he was right- could she really kill someone else?  It held fairly tremendous memories for her, and she couldn't help but to think that maybe she shouldn't spend so much time dwelling in on the past.  It was better to look forward to the future.  That's what she told herself- dwelling on the darkness of what had happened previously would only leave you wallowing in your own despair.

The girl was deep in thought as she moved through the quiet town, the practically trademarked smile not present on her features at all as she passed by a young fellow who looked a little out of the ordinary here.  She paused, glancing toward him with a look, before she blinked, realizing that this was a player- one who didn't particularly look all that bothered by the world passing around him.  "Oh hey!  Not to bother- are you waiting for anyone or like, totally just here to do the quest?  Or just like, hanging out?" she asked, the valley girl coming out immediately in the face of someone new.

Astreya's Statblock:

Spoiler

 

-Level 30
-HP: 645
-- 600(Base) + 45 (Iron Skin)
-NRG: 99
-- 84 (Base) + 15 (Energist)

-Base Damage: 15
-- 1(Base) + 7 (Weapon Skill) + 1 (Impetus) + 6 (Weapon)
-Mitigation: 104
-- 0(Base) + 35 (Armor Skill) + 15 (Iron Skin) + 54 (Armor)
-Regeneration: 5% (Currently 32)
-- 0(Base) + 5% (Battle Healing)
-Accuracy: 3
-- 0(Base) + 1 (Weapon) + 2 (Accessory)
-Thorns: 0
-- 0(Base)
-EN Recovery: 0
-Taunt: 1
--0(Base) + 1 (Fighting Spirit)

===
Gear:
Item name: Glacial Blade (ID# 202819)
Item type: 2H Straight Sword
Quality: T3 | Perfect 
Enhancement(s): [ACC][DMG][DMG]
Description: A two-handed blade with what appears to be a hilt wrapped around a growth of icy crystal.  A large central crystal comes from the center, with two smaller ones forming the guard. While it doesn't hold any Cold enhancements on its own, it nonetheless seems to give off a slight fog from the chilled blade.

Item name: Battle Dress Mk II (ID# 202878)
Item type: Heavy Armor
Quality: T3 | Perfect 
Enhancement(s): [MIT][MIT][MIT]
Description: Keeping in with the design of her previous armor, the heavy-yet-fashionable heavy plate keeps the young woman well-protected, allowing her to ignore blows from her opponents with ease!  

»Hoya of the West | Perfect T1 Trinket
[Accuracy II] - Add 2 onto your BD rolls (Cannot cause crits)
[Prosperity] - Gain +1 to the base multiplier when receiving col from killing an enemy.

 

 

[Monarch 0]

The boy had lost all interest in this point, sitting on the bench while most people were inside. Still though, a few people would catch his eye as he sipped on his coffee. His journal would materialize as he wrote notes about the players he noticed. A woman holding a man's arm with a bright smile on her face and pointing off in the distance. She looked younger than the man, not by a significant amount but enough to be noticeable. He figured she was asking him to buy her something, the way her eyes bounced off of the windows in town.

His note taking was interrupted by another player. She asked what Yasu was up to and he would finish his sip of coffee, his eyes still tired as always. "You're not a bother, I'm not waiting on anyone." He would say, his voice was soft and kind. His eyes wandered the town, he would look for inns and shops to get himself away from this conversation, but he would have to talk to someone else to do so. Closing his eyes he would stand up and look at the other player, putting his journal away and finishing his coffee as it disappeared. The boy often found it hard to figure out what to do in these situations. His social skills were seriously lacking. Should he ask for help and pray she has something else to do, or should he just walk away?

Monarch's stat block:

Spoiler

Monarch: 40/40 HP | 22 EN | 3 DMG | 1 Para

 

[Astreya 0]

The young man had taken the time to finish his sip of coffee before he had finally looked up at her.  The response was equal parts short and enigmatic, mostly because he didn't really give her much to work with.  She wasn't a bother, which was good, she supposed, but he also wasn't waiting on anyone.  That meant that he was here alone- he'd also conveniently dodged the question regarding whether or not he was here for the quest, which mean that he either was and was too shy (or independent) to state it... or he wasn't and just happened to be relaxing here.

But then he stood, and looked to her with an expectation... or perhaps debating on what he should do?  The silence between them was something awkward, but Astreya was nothing if not conversational.  "Well like, I don't want to interrupt if you're just having a relaxing time," she responded, giving him a genuine smile.  "Most people are like, totally all running around trying to get their levels up and all that but like..." the girl began, gesturing with her hands as if it were to help her find the words needed.

"It's nice to just relax too, like, y'know?" she continued, the smile widening slightly.  "But if you're interested in kicking monster butt or even just going to gather some materials and you want someone to hang out with, I'm free!  If you'd rather just, like,  relax, no worries.  There's just a thing nearby I was, like, going to check on, but I'm totally not in any kind of rush, y'know?'  She was well aware that she was prattling on a little, but her words were earnest- she didn't particularly do well with silence, and sought to fill it as much as she could.

[Monarch 0]

A silent sigh would escape through the boy's lips as he slouched his shoulders and looked up at the time in the corner of his screen. He should be asleep by now, but he was talking. Being rude was more work that it's worth, so the kid would simply suck it up and listen to the girl speak. She spoke of relaxation being a good thing and Yasu started truly paying attention. He would still listen without much of a reaction.

The woman began speaking of a quest with kicking monsters' butts and the boy's head would tilt. It sounded to him like he was being asked to do something. The child was notoriously bad at turning people down. The quests on this floor are balanced for players like me, who have done almost nothing. I have no idea how strong this player is, but if she's doing a quest here it must be difficult. If nothing else, I can hide from the monsters. Maybe stay away from the scary parts, take a few notes and come back by myself. It was almost too long that the boy spent trying to convince himself to do something he already knew he would do. But a quest can take sooo long. I could be out here all day. Yasu would stretch his arms high above his head, then out in front cracking his knuckles. He would then look at the girl, trying to guess her level, but giving up before really giving himself the chance or letting it become creepy. Eventually his left hand would cross in front of him as if to say, "Lead the way."

"Call me Yasu."

[Astreya 0]

The boy didn't talk much- she was starting to pick up on that as she babbled without end, and he mostly just watched her with a casual look.  It didn't even seem like he was being judgmental so much as he was being thoughtful about everything, like he wanted to keep everything contained, separated and categorized in his mind, only letting out what he thought was acceptable to do so.  "Sorry if I'm like, talking a lot.  Just a kinda, like, how I am," she admitted with a small grin, a light tinge of red touching her self-conscious features.

All the same, as she had indicated the quest, he had made a small gesture toward her, seeming to be willing to follow through, before giving his name.  At that point, her eyes widened and the girl lifted both hands to her mouth.  "Ohmigosh, I totally forgot to introduce myself.  I'm Astreya," she spoke quickly, before making a small gesture with her hand.  "Or like, you can call me Iris too.  That's my 'real world' name," she added, not really sure which one he preferred.  "It's nice to meet you, Yasu," she spoke, giving him a sunny smile.

"Oh, did you get approached by the NPC lady looking for her daughter?  If not we can go, like, find her and get you on the quest.  If you wanna help fight, I've got this here," she spoke, holding up a Glow Stone from her inventory "to light the cave.  Or if you like, just wanna hang, you can hold it and I can smack the bats around," she offered with a smile, gesturing toward where the NPC normally was to ensure a player was rightfully grabbed.

[Monarch 0]

The pair would make their way through the streets, as Astreya introduced herself with both names. But which one feels more natural? Astreya or Iris? Iris has less syllables, but I don’t want to presume to know her that well. Although I told her to call me by the nickname my sister gave me. As Yasuhiro reached up to scratch his head, he would stare at the ground and mumble, ”I- Iris.” The boy felt awkward, but the shorter name did save him energy in the long run, perhaps he would simply have to get used to calling this girl by her real name.

Astreya apologized for talking to much and Monarch would look to her and shake his head. He never cared if people spoke a lot unless he was trying to do something that required absolute focus. In fact, if he had to waste energy walking somewhere, he would rather it be filled with some sort of mental engagement. Besides, if you didn’t talk there’d be no stopping me from grabbing the nearest bench and sleeping.

As they walked, Yasu’s journal would materialize and he would sketch Iris on the page of players met, an almost empty page. A quick description would fall right next to the image, reading “An energetic girl, seems to be kind and helpful.” After writing this stuff down, the boy would flip the page to a perfect map of Urbus, with key points marked. Mostly the comfortable benches, but that was how he navigated. ”We’re close.”

The frantic mother charged the pair as Monarch sort of twisted his body. Through her crying Yasu had picked up enough of a request that he automatically felt pressured into doing the quest. His eyebrows fell as his hand reached up and started twisting his bangs. I already agreed to help Astr- Iris on this quest. It shouldn’t take that long. From what I understand I’m a high enough level to take it on solo, if I am willing to shoulder some heavy risk. I already know where the cave is, so why not hurry along. Yasu’s hands would land on the lady’s shoulders as he held her in place away from his body, and his eyes got more intense for a single sentence. ”Don’t worry, I’ll find your kid.” A long speech by the boy’s standards, Monarch would turn to the nearest gate out of town and start walking, grabbing the glowstone from Astreya as he passed. His voice had actually conveyed emotion for a moment, like he actually wanted to care about this quest.

In fact, finding lost children was one thing Yasu did not half ass his way through.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Monarch

[Astreya 0]

The girl couldn't help but to give a small smile toward him as he spoke her name aloud, as if testing out it sounded, or perhaps making sure it was something that would work for him.  She couldn't help but to be amused as she watched him for a minute.  "Some people are like, weird about using names so if it's weird for you, like, you can just use my player name if that's easier for you," she spoke, not wanting the boy to feel any real pressure in using her real name.  There was some weirdness that a lot of people felt around it, so she wasn't going to make him start if it caused any discomfort.  

His response to her constant chatter and apology for doing so was a small shake of his head- Astreya wasn't entirely certain if that was something to indicate that she was, and to stop... or to tell her that he didn't really mind.  He was intensely interesting to her- it didn't seem that he had the same shyness that Mel or Nari did, but at the same time, he wasn't vocal.  He could speak, obviously, but it almost seemed like it was something he was forcing himself to do.  Not shy, but quiet.

"So like, this won't be too bad to do.  I think there's like a couple of bats in there, but we can totally smack them around pretty easily, y'know?" she spoke with a grin, gesturing to her blade.  "I'll do, like, what I can to keep the heavy lifting here and keep them from bothering you.  I'm going for a tanking role on the front lines eventually, at least that's, like, the hope!" she spoke, giving him a small nod.  However, as they drew closer toward the entrance, he spoke again, just giving a small indication.  It was about then she realized that she had seen a picture of what looked like her in his journal- she just hadn't been playing close enough attention during her chatting to see it.

"Oh man, that map is really cool!  Did you make that?" she asked, unable to help her own curiosity as they went, and soon the frantic mother made herself known, looking to the both of them (although admittedly mostly toward Yasu as Astreya had done this quest before) when's something a little out of the ordinary, at least for her, had happed as the boy reached up his hands, setting them on the woman, and spoke.  Not only spoke, but spoke a full sentence.  

The young woman blinked, her hand still holding the glowstone that she'd been hanging onto earlier and Yasu plucked it right from her fingers as he went, seeming to be moving with a purpose.  She smiled, bouncing a little before she hopped along after him.  "All right!  Now we're on, like, an adventure!" the girl cheered, moving along with the young man.  "Oh hey, you're heading the right way!  Cool- this won't take us, like, long at all!" she spoke as they trekked onward, the cave thankfully not too far from town, already looming on the horizon. 

[Monarch 0]

"Oh man, that map is really cool!  Did you make that?"
 

Yasu would turn to the girl and nod. ”I like to keep track of everything I learn in this journal. This thing is full of information on NPCs and towns…. And players.” The boy would flip back to tha page he had just sketched Astreya on, and hold the page up to her, ”I spend a lot of time asleep so this is a nice way for me to keep track of what is real and what isn’t. Plus I can’t fight worth a damn, so I figured it would be better to contribute my knowledge than to force myself to learn to fight.” the boy’s speech was the longest one he had ever made, and in fact in the real world be would probably be out of breath. But in this game his emotionless rambling was almost easy. Scratching up by his ear, monarch would speak once more, a single word. ”Sorry.”
 

The pair would slowly make there way to the cave, and Monarch would examine it as he got closer. His hand would come up and he would crouch down. His journal would flip to a page on this specific quest, and a super quick sketch would place itself on the page as he closed it and slowly made his way into the cave. Looking around the boy’s cold face almost seemed uneasy. He clearly feared combat the way his sword materialized on his back and he looked around.

[Astreya 0]

Honestly, when Astreya had asked her question, she had expected either a nod or a shake of the head, or maybe an answer that was a word or two.  That was how most of their conversations had been up until this point... so when he started to speak, not only in full sentences but several strung together, Astreya could feel a certain sense of both elation and confusion at it.  She was happy that she'd gotten him to talk- but this was the first time that she'd heard him talk this much.  Of course, she'd only just met him, but she got the feeling that was unusual.

But she kept the surprise off of her face, carefully controlling her expression into a kind smile as she nodded along with him as he spoke.  And then when he showed the girl her own picture, her eyes widened slightly.  "Aw that's so cute!" she cheered with a smile, before letting him continue, the sunny smile on her features.  He ended the chat on an abrupt note, but she was starting to expect that from him, about to speak when he apologized instead.  "No way!  I think that's really cool!  I like, try to keep everything up here," she spoke, tapping her head, "but maybe, like, a journal would be better?"

She shook her head as they neared the cavern.  "I'm not, like, really good at staying organized or all of that.  I'm just kind of a... go with the flow, sorta girl, y'know?" she responded, the smile widening into a grin.  "I think it's awesome you're able to, like,  do all that, and keep all that info together!  Totally jealous," she added, although the good cheer did fade slightly as they reached the cave, and Astreya exhaled slowly.  The woman's trepidation was fractured slightly by the good vibes of watching Yasu work, sketching out the cavern in that quiet, earnest way he had about him.

The last time she was here, Freyd had been with her, and she'd nearly been attacked by two player killers.  "Okay, so like, the girl's back in the cave.  If you wanna man the glowstone," she spoke as she pulled her two-handed blade from her back, holding it just before her, "I'll be our, like, bat exterminator," she continued with a grin, taking their first steps into the cave.  It was weird, protecting instead of being protected, but Astreya liked the feeling- it was nice to be someone that was depended upon, even if just for a moment.

[Monarch 0]

Yasu felt wrong, letting this friendly player do all of the work. Even with her massive sword, and her calm look Monarch couldn’t help but feel like he was still in danger. He hadn’t really ever been in combat, but the one time he fought a boar, he felt so tired after. The only two things Yasu could see were himself and the girl, and as they moved along Yasu took a deep breath. ”Iris, these monsters are stronger than me.” He would say, inviting the girl to a party. His fear of the upcoming danger was only quelled by his faith in this player he could call a friend.

”But I’ll help.” He would say, his heavy eyelids almost closed as they continue. After this, I’m sleeping for days. Hell, this would be a good place for a nap. The kid’s face almost read like he didn’t care, but his steps were full of nothing but care. Each one placed where he was sure he wouldn’t get attacked. Though, subconsciously, Yasu had placed himself in a defensive position, like he was ready to help Iris at the drop of a hat. I hate caves. This quest is the worst, and honestly, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Iris. I can’t tell her that, of course. It’s not her fault. Or at least, not entirely.

Yasuhiro’s hand would slip into his pocket, the other holding the glowstone as he watched Astreya walk. Something about her being so ready put him at ease, like he had no chance of being hurt. A small amused smile would appear on his face as he looked forward once again. ”Bat exterminator… I like it.” Yasu would say quietly.

[Astreya 0]

Post Action:
Focused Howl @ Bat1
Bat's attack:
MD: 9 (Crit! 35+1 = 36-104 = 1 Damage)

Iris didn't hesitate for a second in accepting the party invite, not at all minding that her character's details would now be something that the boy could view.  Whether he was someone who traded in information or not, it genuinely didn't seem to cross her mind that there could be something nefarious afoot.  Perhaps it was the fact that she didn't expect that from Yasu, or maybe she just didn't expect it from anyone.  All the same, the young woman turned and gave him a small nod.  "It's like, totally okay.  I'll keep you safe, even if it, like, takes a little longer to make sure," she spoke, beaming a smile at him.

As they moved into the cavern itself, and he gave his affirmation to help, Astreya nodded toward him, smiling.  "Don't, like, do anything that'll put yourself in danger, okay?" She shifted forward, and as she did so, she saw the boy pulling the glowstone out of his pocket, which lit up the area around them.  She blinked, able to see a little easier now.  That was a lot better- the last time she was in here it had been pitch black.

She could see the neutral expression upon Yasu's face, but his movement forward told her that he was willing to press onward.  She smiled to herself at his words, about to comment when the fluttering of wings reached her ears, and her eyes narrowed.  "Okay, here it comes.  I'll, like, get its attention so it won't see you, and then I'll make sure to, like, smack it down!" she called back as the creature approached.

"Hey!  Ugly!" she called as she activated her Focused Howl on the bat.  It wasn't nearly as effective as just hitting it- but she didn't want to chance missing and leaving Yasu exposed.  The shout certainly got its attention as the creature slammed into her, knocking her back a step, but with her armor, she barely took any damage.  "Okay.  I've, like, got its attention now!" she called.

----

Astreya:
HP: 644/645 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 3 | BH: 32 | NRG: 95/99

Bat:
HP: 75/75 | DMG: 35 | Hate: A5, M0

[Monarch 0]

The fluttering of wings made Yasu want to turn back, but this kid was probably terrified without her mother, and even though she was an NPC, Monarch didn't like letting the mother worry, or letting the kid go unsaved. There are enough players on every floor to cover the whole thing, but somehow people miss stuff like this all the time... Little kids go adventuring in this game and never come back. I can't imagine how that must feel. Yasu thought back to his parents and his amused smile disappeared. Then the noise changed to a clang and shouting. The room went dark for a moment, and even without the light, Yasu knew what was what. As the girl recoiled from the hit, Monarch had already covered the ground between them and his sword was moving through the air.

The golden yellow light formed an arc, illuminating the battle for a moment, then it disappeared leaving a glowing red trail across the chest of the bat. As the arc of his attack finished, Yasu slipped back to his spot, and his sword fall back into its sheathe. Suddenly the light from the glowstone shone true once more. "I hate fighting." The boy would remark, putting the hand that isn't holding the glowstone into his pocket, waiting for the girl to take over and cleave this thing in two.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Spoiler

 

Action taken: ST-I on bat

roll ID: 203485

BD: 7 success

3 * 4 = 12

75 - 12 = 63

Astreya:
HP: 644/645 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 3 | BH: 32 | NRG: 95/99

Monarch:

HP: 40/40 | EN: 18/22 | DMG: 3 | Para: 1

Bat:
HP: 63/75 | DMG: 35 | Hate: A5, M1

Edited February 10, 2022 by Monarch

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Concentration + ST-I vs Bat (10 EN used)
Roll: 203489
BD: 8 + 3 + 1 Hit!  15*12 = 180 Damage.  Defeated!

Astreya saw the light snuff out and realized that Yasu was about to strike as well.  She had the thing's attention, so that was fine- she didn't really worry about him based on what she knew about the mechanics of the game.  Still, things couldn't go well in her mind- and she was somewhat terrified that she'd done something wrong, or used the skill wrong, which would lead to her new friend getting eaten alive by this bat.  But all the same, she had to trust in what she knew, and trust that she could protect those who were still steadily moving forward.

The young woman shifted, pulling her blade back and as she did, the glowstone returned.  She smiled at the boy's flat intonation.  "Like, don't worry- it's about to be over," she spoke, before stepping forward.  The woman's blade carried with it a certain 'cold' personification.  A steady, cool mist rolled off of it that didn't really do anything, but it was enough to give an extra effect to her weapon as she shifted inward, and as she did, the weapon itself began to glow.  Her gaze stayed steady as the weapon whirled downward, cleaving the bat in twain in a single stroke.  

Frozen, fragmented data clung to the blade for a moment before it faded, and she beamed a smile toward Yasu.  "All right!  We did it!" she cheered, before looking further into the cavern.  "Okay.  The bats really shouldn't bother us until we find her... and then if I remember right, we gotta deal with another one," the girl spoke, nodding to herself with a small grin.  "But that'll be the last one- promise!" she spoke, wanting to make sure that Yasu didn't think she was drawing him into the depths of hell, here.

Astreya:
HP: 645/645 | DMG: 15 | MIT: 104 | ACC: 3 | BH: 32 | NRG: 89/99

Monarch:
HP: 40/40 | EN: 18/22 | DMG: 3 | Para: 1

Bat:
HP: 0/75 | DMG: 35 | Hate: A5, M0

[Monarch 0]

Yasu watched as Iris slashed the bat down quickly. That was cool, I wish I could adventure more with someone like her. The kid would look down the stretch of the cave that the glowstone illuminated and his shoulders would fall slightly. Astreya spoke about the pair beating the bat, and Yasu thought for a moment. He would fall to his knee and run his hand where the bat stood. "Sorry, but you have a child." The boy would frown and stand, looking back to Astreya once again as she carried on about what to expect in the quest. "Even if it isn't, I'm sure you can handle them." Just like last time I fought, all I could do was scrape away at their health. She finished it so quickly. She must be strong... Perhaps it would be wise to keep in touch with her. Once again the boy would try to justify an action he had already set his mind on.

As Yasu walked, his journal would materialize once more, his hand holding the glowstone out to Astreya. On a page with a boar sketch and two tally marks, Monarch would draw the head of one of the bats, writing a tally mark next to it as well. Then he would flip to the page with Astreya, and write "friend" under her feet. "Umm..." Monarch usually never tripped over his words, they were almost always planned methodically so as to save as much energy as possible, but he couldn't quite figure out how to ask this. His hand would swipe, and the boy's empty Friends list would pop up, and Monarch would ask, "May I?"

------------------------------------------

Action: looking for Koko

Roll ID 203491

LD 14 (Fail)

Edited February 10, 2022 by Monarch

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Searching for Koko
RollID: 203505
LD: 12 (No Dice)

---

 

At his words, indicating that he was sure she could handle them even if there were more, Astreya couldn't help but to give a flustered laugh at that.  "Aw, thanks!  I've tried, like, really hard to get to where I am.  I don't really like going out and, like, adventuring alone and totally having no one to watch my back.  but like, I kinda had to, y'know?" she spoke, mostly just talking at the moment... but it was a brief glimpse into the woman's thoughts and inner workings.  It wasn't much, but it was something.

But moving further in, the young man reached for his journal, and Astreya took the crystal with her free hand as she walked, allowing him to quickly sketch the bat.  "You're, like, pretty good at that, y'know?  You draw out in the 'real world' ?" she asked, a little curious as she walked alongside him, trying to hold the crystal in such a way as to make sure he got enough light to see... although she couldn't help but to smile at the new notation next to her picture.

What came next was surprising, as she realized that he was asking her to be added to his Friend's List, and the girl couldn't help but to let a genuine smile cross her features.  "Of course you may," the woman spoke, giving him a nod.  "That's, like, totally fine by me," she added.   "If you need me in the future, just send a message!" she cheered, happy with the new friend made.

[Monarch 0]

"You're, like, pretty good at that, y'know?  You draw out in the 'real world' ?" 

"Thanks, yeah I do." Once again, Yasuhiro found himself holding onto the conversation longer than he normally would. "In elementary school my teachers noticed I didn't really have friends so they told me to keep a journal. Kids poked fun at me for a while, but why waste my energy dealing with them when I can move on." He would look closely at the drawing of the bat head and decide to label it "Bat thing" as a way to truly insult the creator of this game. "They thought it would help me get in touch with my classmates through similar experiences, but my classmates thought it was creepy. I love this thing though... Sorry, I'm rambling."

When Astreya said Yasu could add her, a small grin formed on his face. He would send her a request then hold his hand out to ask for the glowstone back. "I should hold that." His weak voice would echo through the caves they were navigating. He had figured out he could hold the glowstone in his mouth and just walk. It's not like I do a whole lot of talking. And when I do all I do is make a fool of myself.

Yasu looked around once again, not finding the child anywhere. The boy was almost getting worried. You'd think they would let you find her easier considering the mental effects this can have on players. His journal would still be out and open, as he tried to map the cave as best he could. Perhaps he would have to help someone else with this information. Or maybe he could model his home after this cave, so nobody bothered him.

----------------------------------------

Action: looking for Koko

roll ID 203513

LD 14 (fail)

Edited February 10, 2022 by Monarch

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Try to find Koko
PostID: 203522
LD: 14 (aaaaaaa)

-------    

 

Astreya couldn't help but to feel almost...sad wasn't quite the right word, nor was pity, for the boy as he began to explain his situation and the purpose of the journal.  It was something more akin to a cold knife through her heart and into her throat from the upbringing that he'd had to deal with.  Of course, he didn't seem all that put off by it, and if anything, while he was still quiet, he seemed to be opening up a little bit, at least to her.  She was overly friendly, but she knew there had been people in school who had stuck out as 'loners' and Astreya, as Iris, hadn't always reached out to them.  

Maybe she could've made more of a difference in people's lives if she had?  It seemed that Yasu was at least opening up to her a little bit and that made her feel like she was making some sort of a difference now but...  She wondered how many other people she had just not-noticed when she was back in the 'real world.'  The thought made her want to frown, but she didn't want to worry the boy, or make him think that his words were having a negative effect on her, and so the sunny smile stayed, nodding along with his words.

"Like, I can get that.  Kids can be mean, even if they, like, don't really mean to be?  They have what they're used to at home, and anything that totally breaks away from that... like, they don't know how to deal with it, y'know?" she spoke.  Granted, she didn't know about Yasu's home life, either.

As they walked, she could see him updating his map, and she smiled, trying to push that darkness out of her mind.  "I think she's like.. right up..." she began, before pausing, frowning.  "This is, like, where we found her before.  I guess she gets put in different spots?" she mused aloud.  "Okay, let's like, keep looking," the girl murmured.  "But like, while I can't speak for all the other people that made fun, I just figure a lot of them didn't get why.  But I think it's really cool.  I don't have very many constructive talents like that," she added, giving a slightly embarrassed smile.

[Monarch 0]

The boy looked at Astreya as he spoke about his past, something seemed off. Like he had said something she felt guilty about, and he couldn’t help but feel like it was the making fun thing. So while he finished his sentence, he looked back down at his page and started drawing again. This time the picture was a lot more refined, like he was actually making art instead of tracking what he saw. Quickly a picture of Astreya sitting at a cafe with a cup of coffee took shape, but there was an empty silhouette of a person next to her. Across the table, just out of the frame a leg formed with a leather boot on it, and she was clearly paying attention to the person out of frame. Once the finer details had taken shape, Yasu would draw himself in that empty space, making sure the details were rough and unfinished. Almost like he was the least important part of the picture. As the girl spoke, Yasu would listen patiently, continuing to refine the drawing and add small details with almost tactical precision. ”Some people say the most evil thing one can do is a lack of action. They’re dead wrong. I’m not gonna say it’s better or worse, because it’s nothing. No one is helped if you don’t do anything, but no one is hurt. How can you blame yourself for something you never did? Am I evil for not fighting on the frontlines? I don’t see it that way. The argument of good and evil is entirely subjective, and your placement on that spectrum is often misguided. I watch people, I see them suffer and I see them flourish, yet I do nothing to aid or dismantle their happiness. In terms of a scale of good and evil a lot of people would put me in the evil category. I won’t pretend, I don’t play nice and I don’t poke fun. I’m a boring guy who does nothing but sleep and write, so why do people feel the need to judge me?” Yasu would look up at his new friend. ”The most evil act someone can take is placing themselves above others.” The boy would tear the drawing from his journal and hand it to the player, his deadpan face finally picking up some color as he realized what he had just said. ”Of course, I just met you. I shouldn’t presume to know what’s wrong, or if you are guilty of something I shouldn’t belittle that sense of wrong. If nothing else that pain of knowing what you could’ve done differently is a sign of growth.”

Walking on, the boy would look around the dark parts of the cave, the severe lack of a small child growing ever more unsettling especially considering the chilling lack of crying. He felt like he had gotten even further. ”The way I see it, you’re a good person doing good things.” His words would remain quiet, and his eyes would remain fixed on the floor, yet his face was still bright pink as an unpleasant warmth played on his cheeks.

———————————————

action taken: searching for Koko

roll ID: 203573

LD: 2 Fail

Edited February 11, 2022 by Monarch

[Astreya 0]

Post Action: Looking for Koko
Roll ID: 203612
LD: 13 (This friggin' kid)

-------------

Astreya was no fool, and very much in that same way, she got the same vibe from Yasu as well.  He was quiet, certainly, but that didn't mean that he wasn't smart.  In fact, the way he spoke and the information that he'd given thus far seemed to indicate to Astreya that it was very much the opposite.  He had a way about him that was both mysterious as well as slightly unfriendly, if Astreya were to be honest.  But she also imagined that much of that was simply due to a learned behavior- he didn't like to talk much, and if he were to subtly keep himself unapproachable, he wouldn't need to try to deal with that.

It seemed though, that the girl had steadily helped to uncover the layers that he had- so when he began to speak in return after her words and expression, she was very well aware that the young man was talking about her.  She imagined that he was perceptive enough to pick up on the fact that she hadn't done anything when she'd seen similar things going on back in her life, and was doing his best to try to make her feel better for that lack of decision.  

As he concluded, the young woman felt a small smile touch her features.  Like... when it comes to whether or not inaction is evil, I think there's more circumstances around that, you know?  Like, if someone's actively getting harrassed, and you don't, like, do anything... I think that's a bad thing.  But like, here, where action could mean that you, like, get...that you can't keep playing," she amended, the woman seeming to have an aversion to the word 'killed' and similar.  "Then your life is, like, what you can lose if you get in over your head or, like, make the wrong choice.  I can't see that sort of inaction as evil."

She shook her head.  "That was me, for like, a while.  I just realized that if...there were people who were like, waiting to get out with the Front Liners clearing the floors, but they didn't wanna risk their lives...that's okay.  But if someone on the Front Lines left," she spoke, once more avoiding the topic of death, "there might not be, like, anyone to replace them.  So I decided to just try and keep going forward, y'know?  I don't mind that you're not fighting on the Front.  But for me... I want to help everyone.  I want us to get out of here and like, go back to our lives.  I'm totally scared out of my mind, but...I'll do what it takes.  Because people like you are depending on me," she finished, giving a smile back at her friend.