[PP-F5] Here, Little Leo <<Feeding Your Enemy>>

[Them 0]

She cocked an eye when Nari declined the offer but shrugged it off. The higher-level player indeed had the means to find materials by the dozens, so she didn't feel too bad about keeping the spoils all for herself. "You're too kind. You know that?" Gathering the chest's contents, it disappeared with a flash. "Deal. I need to learn what a unique enhancement is first, and then I'm coming to bug you about it if I find one." She smiled, making both a statement and a playful warning, and then turned her attention to the open desert around them.

"Maybe we should just crystal back to the settlement? My intel was wildly off, or we're looking in the wrong place or something. No familiars out here, at all." She raised her arms to either side to prove her point—there was sweet nothing for miles either side of them.

Or, this would have been true if two little ears hadn't emerged from the hole they'd climbed out of moments ago. Two piercing blues eyes followed as a feline head poked out, followed by the rest of its body as the cat jumped out and onto the sandy floor with a plop. Silent as anything, embers flaked up from its burning tail, carried up and into the air by the warm desert air, and its beautiful beige coat blended into the sand, almost giving the illusion that it was a floating head with a disembodied tail.

Cleo, having stood turned away from the cat, failed to see it. "You still have a spare crystal I could borrow? I'll pay you back as soon as we get there."

ID: 206319 | LD: 5 + 3
| Familiar Found! (LD 6 required)
| Flametailed Shorthair

Edited March 16, 2022 by Them

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari’s eyes had been drawn by the movement, and as the girl continued prattling about the return to town, and the crystal – she couldn’t help but smile. Raising her right hand, single digit pointed behind the girl, she gave a little giggle.

“You may want to uh…look behind you.” She watched as the girl spun, the cat hesitating in its own movements as the action caught its attention. “Careful…you don’t want to scare it away…just, offer it some of the treats that you received. You need to coax it in...”

She tried to hold herself as still as possible, not wanting to scare away the creature. Surprisingly, Yuki’s head had risen at the cat’s arrival, and Nari carefully laid her head against the fox’s body, pinning Yuki in place. She wasn’t sure that the fox would chase the cat, but she wasn’t about to have Cleo’s efforts all lost because of her and her familiar.

Spoiler

Word Count: 155

 

[Them 0]

"Why?" Turning, she realized why. "Oh." The object of their search, the reason they'd hauled themselves through the scorching desert and crumbling ruins, sat on the ground a few meters away. She sized up the cat as it did to her, weighing up its options, remaining curious but cautious.

She took Nari's advice and carried out the bag of treats from her back pocket, making herself more petite in the process. Lowered to the ground, she carefully picked out one of the small round treats, averting her eyes briefly to make sure Nari and her fox were far enough away not to impede the cat's approach. "Coax it in. Alright. Hey, little man, you hungry?" As Cleo extended her hand forward, she was too fast with her movement, causing the beige shorthair to flinch and stand on all fours. The Player panicked. "Nooo, pspspsss, it's okay, I won't hurt you." Likening the moment to walking a tightrope, she pulled back a little bit, making space between herself and the feline, which the kitten seemed to appreciate. "So help me God, if you don't take one of these treats, I'll... probably chase you through the desert, because I'm an idiot and you're so cute." Though the cat couldn't understand a single word of what Cleo said, it seemed to like her tone of voice, and its demeanor shortly returned to normal.

ID: 206320 | CD: 4
| Tame failed

Edited March 16, 2022 by Them

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari watched the encounter play out…just about as she had begun to expect it would. The cat was curious – there was no doubt about that, but Cleo’s tact was…well, missing some tact. She was just about to suggest maybe talking to it, trying to draw it in with soothing words, when she threatened to chase it across the desert sands.

“I uh…wouldn’t do that. Threat it, I mean…I’m fairly certain some familiars can actually understand words…or comprehend the meaning behind them. At least, Yuki seems to, sometimes.” Her hand rose to prod Yuki’s nose as she talked, annoying the little fox that was still trapped beneath the weight of Nari’s head. The fox was still struggling slightly to get free, but Nari held tight – not hurting her familiar, but ensuring she couldn’t chase down the cat. “Try warming it up to you, offer the treat as a peaceful connection – and uh…well, be honest with it, I guess. It’s going to be your companion, possibly forever. So make sure to be honest.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 171

 

[Them 0]

Though she refused to turn away for fear the cat would make a run for it, Cleo heard Nari's words loud and clear, nodding to let the woman know as much. "Right, sorry. No threats. You're right; I just need to be honest."

Round two. Cleo made herself lower yet, sat with her legs crossed, and carefully slid her hand along the ground and through the sand, careful to keep the treat from getting dirty. "I won't hurt you, little man. We came all this way out here to find you because... well because you're adorable. You'll be in safe hands, trust me." Offering as warm a smile as she could muster, she inched the treat closer to the feline. 

Swishing its tail around, as if deciding whether to pounce into the desert or entertain the human's offer of a treat, the cat stood and shifted closer, one paw at a time. His whiskers brushed the palm of Cleo's hand, sniffing at the treat.

Mmmmreow.

The cat happily accepted and munched on the snack straight from her hand. Eyes widening, Cleo wiggled her other hand around in celebration before making a thumbs-up behind her back to Nari. "We're good!"

The familiar instantly became registered to the blue-haired woman, and she flopped backward out of pure relief. After finishing the snack, the cat trodded around to her side, snooping around to see if any more treats might come his way, but Cleo made sure to hide it away quickly. "Nuh-uh, we'll get you some real food back in town. Hm. It would help if you had a name, come to think of it... Nari, do you have any ideas?" Raising a hand to the cat's neck, Cleo gave scritches up and along the length of his back, to which he purred in response, keeping a careful eye on the fox pinned to the purple-haired human's neck.

ID: 206321 | CD: 10
| Tame successful!

Edited March 16, 2022 by Them

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari’s head lifted off the fox, Yuki giving a quick yelp of discontent before settling into her shoulder again – losing interest in the other familiar almost immediately. In response, Nari raised a closed hand, sneaking a treat to the fox in compensation for her patience.

“I…have a few ideas, but I think that the name is best to be something that you find a connection with. Something important to yourself…if you’re truly stuck, I have some options I can share, if for no other reason to provide some thought jogging.” She was cautious with her words, hesitating as she provided her answer. She was good at naming things, always had been – at least in her mind and from what she had been told. But she also knew that naming a familiar was something…special, it spoke to the individual. Just as her familiar’s name spoke to a piece of Nari’s own personality.

“Why don’t we think about it while we make our way back to town? I have a feeling we have a lengthy walk ahead of us…” She began moving towards what she assumed was a western direction, picking it at random and hoping that they would come across some sort of civilisation shortly.

Spoiler

Word Count: 204

 

[Them 0]

She rather liked the thought of talking names ideas on the trek back and nodded agreeably, standing up. "Let's." Fussed by the sudden lack of scratchies, the cat sat expectantly at the player's feet, wide-eyed and purring. "I'm sure it'll come to me. Seems like quite a clingy man, doesn't he?" She gently scooped up the newly-tamed shorthair, gauging his reaction before cradling him in her arms. The flames along its tail seemed to recede automatically, or perhaps through the feline's own will—she certainly hoped it to be the former, lest he grows discontent and burns her arms to cinders. The cat appeared quite content with the situation, having given no fuss in return, relaxing into Cleo's arms. 

Thus, they began to wander through the desert.

"So, now that we're not in any immediate danger," started Cleo, looking over to Nari and the winter fox, Yuki. "Did you hear from your friend at all? Sorry, I know I'd be panicking if I hadn't heard from somebody I'm supposed to meet up with, and I think our messaging got shut off earlier." Hoping that she didn't come across as overbearing, she continued. "Not that she has anything to worry about. You're a tough nut to crack. Plus, she sounds kinda chill."

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari turned in her paces, looking back towards Cleo and her newfound friend as she brought up his clinginess. She cocked her head, thinking back on a name she had once heard. “Éliach? It’s…well, it’s a broken form of the word éilitheach, an Irish Gaelic word for clingy. Although, I guess that would be a bit hard to pronounce…”

She smiled as the girl asked about her friend waiting for her, bringing up her menu and checking her messages. There was one from Onóra, and Nari quickly glanced over it before speaking. “No concerns, looks like she arrived about thirty minutes ago…and went shopping without me.” The last words came out with a side of pouting, before she smiled again. “Ah well, I guess I can go without one shopping trip today. There’ll be more. Have you thought up a name yet?”

She bounced on her feet, her energy suddenly coming out in physical form as the words flowed – a look of relaxation and content on her face. She’d truly enjoyed the experience, and was happy to have stumbled across the girl – even if there had been a few…well, questionable moments. “Oh! And have you considered what skills you’re going to teach her – him? Her?”

Spoiler

Word Count: 205

 

[Them 0]

Phew. Relieved that the pair's exploits hadn't opened any rifts between Nari and her friend, Cleo let herself chill out a little, easing the edge in her eyes. "Good. As for names—what was that one you just said, Elafeech?" With her pronunciation as accurate as a drunkard playing darts, she butchered the name entirely and knew it but continued nonetheless. "I like it, but maybe something a little simpler. How about... Éli? Eli? What do you think, bud?" Glancing down at the kitten in her arms, he did not indicate which he preferred, for he was a feline, incapable of speech. An innocent blink told Cleo that either would be fine, though.

Asked what skill she would teach the little guy and what the gender was, Cleo answered. "Him, I guess? Are they gendered?" A quick check of the familiar information screen confirmed that, indeed, they were. "Yup. Hm. Anyway, I was thinking about the professions-based skill, like you said that you taught Yuki? I can change it later, but I could use the boost for my tailoring. Lord knows I suck at it right now." She made a smile at her self-deprecating. "How'd that work out for you, anyway? Any regrets?" 

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari shook her head in response to Cleo’s question, reaching up to boop the little fox on the nose at the same time – her face breaking into a smile as Yuki chittered in protest. She had gained a lot, from having the fox assist with her crafting – it had definitely raised her abilities and levels quickly.

“Regrets? No. Yuki here provided unbelievable assistance with the crafting. It was by far my best move, to engage her in it. I doubt I’d be anywhere near where I am today without her additional boosts.” She smiled as the fox seemed to groan in response, as if it understood the words and detested the embarrassment it brought upon her. “But…now I’m retraining her to focus on a more combat oriented role…she’s going to learn to become a protective familiar. Only makes sense, seeing as she rides along with a tank, right?”

Another beaming smile, this one directed at Cleo, as Nari gave the fox a little poke on the head – clearly tormenting her familiar, in a friendly way. “But yeah, I started out with the crafting bonuses – they helped a lot. And…well, you can always change it, if it isn’t working out for you. It just means repeating the quest, after you’ve given up the skill – which costs col, don’t forget.”

Spoiler

Word Count: 218

 

[Them 0]

Watching Nari and Yuki interact, Cleo had to smile. The little things, the stark displays of trust in one another, showed how in sync the pair were. It was something she hoped to have with the kitten snuggled up in her arms, name pending.

A protection familiar made sense, she thought. "Yeah, I would say it fits your brand. I bet she's got a lot more fight than she lots on." The little fox had to have been the calmest animal she'd ever seen, having laid draped across the woman's neck for the better part of the afternoon.

To learn that it costs Col to switch came as a surprise—an unwelcome one, given her lack of funds. "You have to pay to drop skills?" she asked with an uncomfortable look. "No biggie, only a temporary issue. I'll have to make good use of the professiol skill to wrack up those sales. Maybe do a little bit of marketing too?" Her thoughts started to echo through words.

As they climbed up the slope of a steep dune, a structure appeared from over the apex; the peaks of guard towers in the distance which surrounded <<Saharda>>, the secondary settlement to the sixth-floor. "Hey! We made it! You think this place has a teleporter?" Though visibly downtrodden, the town served as a functional trading hub for players and NPCs alike, and the visible presence of a safe zone was a welcomed sight.

[Nari-Lanreth 0]

Nari glanced across the open sands, seeing the towers in the distance. It took her a few seconds of peering to realise it wasn’t the main settlement, but at least it was something. She smiled over at Cleo, breaking the news – but giving hope at the same time, maybe.

“Well, I don’t think it’ll have a teleporter itself…but it’s civilisation in a large open desert. If nothing else, we can find a break there, before we make our way back to the main settlement.” She glanced again towards Saharda, cocking her head slightly to the left. “I’ve…never been here before. So I have no idea what to expect. But, it’s better than being lost in the desert until the end of time, right?”

She began making her way towards the settlement, turning to grin at Cleo as she went. “Oh, and yeah. The col thing – it’ll become simply in time. Just…keep going quests, and collecting treasure chests and defeating monsters – between that, and the booming business you’ll like have, you’ll find that you have more than enough col for anything you might need. Maybe even buy a house one day!”

Spoiler

Word Count: 190

 

[Them 0]

"To be fair, anything beats being stuck out there. I'd be thrilled never to set foot on this floor again." The day had its downsides, though she'd enjoyed the adventure, having made new friends in Nari and her first familiar.

They passed through into the safe-zone, greeted coldly by guards which Cleo assumed were just mercenaries for hire, little incentive to provide any proper protection unless there was Col in it for them. On the subject of Col, with Nari's encouraging words of being able to buy a house in the future, the blue-haired woman shrugged. "Maybe one day. I'll keep at those quests and monsters, maybe. If I've learned anything from today, it's that fighting is harder than people make it out to be, or I'm just woefully inadequate at it."

The <<Travelling Gypsy>>, as if following them into the settlement, approached from a side street. Realizing she'd yet to give the bag of familiar treats back, Cleo apologized and handed them over, to which the gypsy nodded in appreciation. "Sorry! Thank you again for the help!" Not wanting to seem rude to Nari, Cleo retreated to her side, leaving the NPC to wander off toward the next person seeking a familiar.

As the other Player had presumed, the settlement possessed no teleporters. However, Cleo spotted a small tent down the path and close to the oasis, serving cups of an indistinguishable brown liquid—tea, coffee, or both. She turned to Nari, indicating toward the spot with a head nod. "Well, this is as good a spot as any to rest. Let's fuel up and find our way back, shall we?"

---

Thread Summary:

Word Count: 16,259
Base EXP: 2,705 ((16,259 / 30) * 5)

Cleo:
Unidentified T1 Rare Weapon
Unidentified T1 Rare Consumable (2)
Materials (5)
500 Col (Chest) + 600 Col (Thread Pages) = 1,100 Col
(2,705 * 1) = 2,705 EXP (Thread) + 300 EXP (Quest) = 3,005 EXP

Nari:
600 Col (Thread Pages)
(2,705 * 4) = 10,820 EXP

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Them