[F01 | PP] I'll Love It, No Matter the Shape | <<Feeding Your Enemy>>

[Acanthus 0]

Haru, dear, you know that we can’t get a dog. It’s too much responsibility right now. Once you’re older and your father stops traveling so much, we’ll talk about getting you a pet.

Acanthus relaxed on a bench near the eastern gate of the Town of Beginnings, ready to find her familiar.

All the pieces were accounted for. She had tracked down the Travelling Gypsy. It hadn’t been easy—the info broker’s guide accurately noted she was “untethered to any particular location.” She had spent the better part of three days traveling from floor to floor, questioning NPCs and players alike. She finally gleaned an important part of the puzzle: even though the Travelling Gypsy’s outings were erratic, she would stop by the first floor weekly, near a stream outside the Town of Beginnings. At least, she had been for the past few months. Acanthus decided to strike out while the information was good.

She also had it on good authority that the quest could be numbingly tedious. Familiars were fickle: it took a while to track them, and even when you did, there was no guarantee they would simply roll over for their potential master. She’d heard horror stories of players who had spent days chasing down their familiar. A player on floor 22 eagerly recited the tale of one poor adventurer who had spent 88 days and nights chasing down their familiar.

That’s just embellishment for a good story. I hope.

Regardless, she had prepared as much as she could. She had dressed for exploration rather than combat. She still wore her sword and armor, but she had chosen her rugged leather boots over her greaves. They would be sturdy and comfortable for the long travel ahead. Hanging from her belt was a spyglass purchased from one of the shops in Tolbana. She had also scoured the available alchemists of Aincrad for a pheromone potion. I’m not looking forward to drinking that.

She had also asked one of the local players for help. She’d met NIGHT after requesting some trinkets at her shop. During the transaction, Acanthus had mentioned starting <<Feeding Your Enemy>>, and NIGHT offered to come along. Initially anxious about boring NIGHT out of her mind, Acanthus decided the company would be welcome.

And at her side, a small case contained a single recording crystal. She had titled it A Call to Memory. She’d poured her heart and soul into the craft. This is for the eight-year old me that never got a pet.

Equipped and ready to meet the Travelling Gypsy, all that was left was to wait for NIGHT.
 

Spoiler

Acanthus | HP: 280/280 | EN: 46/46 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 30 | EVA: 1 | ACC: 3 | LD: 3 | BLD: 24

Skills, Mods, and Masteries

• Skills
  • <<Straight Sword>> R4
  • Light Armor R3
  • Searching R4
  • Hiding R3
• Active Mods
  • Night Vision
• Masteries
  • Combat Mastery: ACC 1

Equipment

• Wormwood [T2 Perfect Sword | BLD 2 DMG 1]
• Custom Breastplate [MIT 2 | EVA 1]
• Tuning Fork [Ambition: +1 crafting or gathering XP per attempt]

Battle-Ready Inventory

• None (Nothing dangerous is going to happen, right?.. Right?)

Consumables Used

• Spyglass (Use to reduce the number of posts required to search for a dungeon, familiar or field bosses by 5 posts. Effect lasts for one thread)
• Pheromone Potion (I bought it from Zandra on 8/5 but I can't find a roll ID sry q.q) (When used during the «Feeding your Enemy» quest, gain +1 CD when attempting to tame a familiar. Effect lasts for one thread.)
• A Call to Memory [224317 | Perfect Song: Familiar Sight] (When played during the <<Feeding your Enemy>> quest, gain +2 LD when attempting to find a familiar. Effect lasts for one thread.)

 

•  

 

Edited August 10 by Acanthus

[NIGHT 0]

to any veteran, the first floor was known to be the safest by far.

simply put, it had the highest concentration of players despite their lower levels. most of them that were congregated and actively participating in the city's economy were information contributors first and foremost. other services, such as crafting, were supplementary to that endeavor of propelling those that came and went to further heights.

still, she was familiar with that sense of travelling alone, and the nerves one could develop from being outdoors on their own for a bit. it wasn't the anxiety of being outside at all -- although, night wouldn't put it past some players that it had been their immovable obstacle. rather, the threat of their end, a perpetual memento mori that sat at the corner of their vision... that could easily unnerve the best individual, the strongest of them all, at times.

so despite the monotony of the task, she went. acanthus, a starting adventurer, was to obtain a familiar. and night realized she hadn't asked further beyond if the company was welcome, particularly because she was concerned more about the best chances for one's safety, rather than to make an acquaintance.

she smoothed out her hair as she walked. she really had to get better at this social conduct thing, especially with unfamiliar faces.

the east was close to where her home, and shop, were stationed. so she did collect on the one friend she knew she could trust to do the work better than her. still fitting in her tracksuit's pocket, nyanko peeked his head out as they got close to the novice they were supposed to meet. he peeped at the stranger -- almost as though it was a sign, too, that night should say hello.

so she waved.

"hope you didn't have to wait long," she started, as she got closer. her hand gestured to the black kitten, flicking his ear. "i had him change hands on duty for the day. if neither of us are able to squirrel out the familiar you're looking for, then perhaps he'll do the trick. he's the most reliable one out of all of us back home."

night smiled, rubbing the top of his head with a finger. then, turning to the gate, she offered acanthus to lead.

"by the way," she continued, when she remembered how best to start helping, "what sort of familiar are you looking for, exactly?"

| NIGHT  | Lv. 147 >> P. 114, Lv. 33  | Status: nyanko was here.  Notes: n/a.

Spoiler NIGHT | HP: 1100/1100 | EN: 148/148 | DMG: 22 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 1 | MIT: 20 | AA | VAMP-D: 110 | LD: 8 | BH+HB: 109 | QTY: 2 | PROSP: 2 | Stealth Rating: 6 equipped Cosmic Devourer+1  ABS. ACC, ACC III rider.  LOOT DIE III, VAMP-D locket.  QUALITY II, PROSP II battle-ready inventory Teleport Crystal (3) | TELEPORT imugi's inspiration. (5) | MASS HP RECOVERY skills Spoiler mod count: 5/7 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 focus, stamina, precision shift: aoe CLOTH ARMOR | RANK 5/5 athletics, nimble COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 3+1/5 BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 emergency recovery ENERGIST QUICK CHANGE CHARGE FIGHTING SPIRIT HOWL focused howl SCOUTING FAMILIAR EXTENDED MOD LIMIT extra SURVIVAL CONCENTRATION HIDING untraceable, vanish, surprise attack-t buffs Spoiler statue KUMATETSU | +1 DMG consumables - - - - - - paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. sword arts Spoiler en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x15 -> x18 TECH-A | x12 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x12 | DELAY TECH-D | x12 | SHATTER TECH-F | x8 | AOE STUN  TECH-G | x12 | BURN misc. Spoiler housing Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat.  Relaxed | +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. Squeaky Clean | -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread. Skylight: Searching | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign. Multipurpose | +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll. Filling | +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. Col Deposit | +5% col from loot-minimum mobs, +10% col from treasure chests. foraging | r2 | xp: 69/150 Greenhouse | +2 G.EXP, +1 CD&LD to gathering attempts. Familiar: Profession | +2 G.EXP Demeter's Cornucopia | +1 CD to gathering attempts.

 

[Acanthus 0]

She waved to Nyanko as the cat peeked out of the tracksuit.

"what sort of familiar are you looking for, exactly?"

Eight-year old Haru was immediately there, pulling on Acanthus’ cloak. "I want a puppy. She’s gotta be a she, and she’s gotta be like, a year old. I want a cute dog, kinda small but not too small you know? And black fur, with some brown highlights…"

She rambled on while Acanthus thought for a moment. She looked up at NIGHT and smiled. “I hadn’t really settled on anything, actually. I wasn’t sure how much say I had in the whole thing. Based on the quest directions, I thought it could be random selection.” She stood up and stretched. “In the end, it doesn’t matter. Whatever crosses my path, I’ll make sure it has a good home.”

Heading towards the eastern gate, she turned back to NIGHT again. “Thanks again for coming along. I feel pretty safe on the first floor, but it will be nice to have some guidance regardless. Even with a few quests under my belt, I’m a little nervous.”

After exiting the east gate, they continued walking a while. “I promise I know where I’m going,” Acanthus said as they stepped over a small creek. “I found an info broker on floor 5 that had the information on the quest giver. He said that the Travelling Gypsy would be over by the big pond east of town for the next few days.” She checked her map. “We should be there in about ten minutes.”

As they walked, she struggled to think of conversation and sighed internally. I’ve always been terrible with chatting. “So… Nyanko is your familiar, right? How did the two of you meet?” She began to stumble over her words. “I mean, I know it was the familiar quest, but how did it go for you? I see you have Nyanko so it went well but I was trying to say…” She trailed off awkwardly. “Sorry, just a little nervous. I am just asking how your experience with this quest was.”

[NIGHT 0]

night nodded, listening to acanthus. she wasn't all-too-familiar with how other players went about their searches for their companions. and, if they truly didn't have a say in the matter, perhaps night was just as lucky that nyanko found her back then.

“In the end, it doesn’t matter. Whatever crosses my path, I’ll make sure it has a good home.”

it was a sentiment she could respect, so she hummed an agreement in response.

“Thanks again for coming along. I feel pretty safe on the first floor, but it will be nice to have some guidance regardless. Even with a few quests under my belt, I’m a little nervous.”

"i'd say you'd be surprised," night started, half in hesitation. the warning towards the first in the dark as she knew it would've scared her company more than she would've wanted, so she pivoted her answer on the fly. "the nerves stay with you, sometimes, even past the end of a quest. i'm sure this isn't the case for everyone who goes through them, but... i'd argue it never dies down. it's best to play it safe, even with preparations in mind."

their stroll took them into the wilds of the first. stepping lightly in accordance with acanthus' footwork, they made past the creek with barely a splash. the gypsy in question, related to the familiar quest, she knew of. the fact that the npc moved about the map, however, never made it to her notice at all.

surprised as she was, night squeaked out an answer all the same. "so she's over at the pond now, huh...?"

if she nodded, knowing, she would've been bluffing. at the same time she felt compelled too confess this to acanthus, however, her companion shot back with a query of her own. night looked to nyanko in response, the kitten blinking back at her, aware, at the very least, that he was mentioned in conversation. and his deference to his owner was obvious, between his sky-reflected eyes and pawing at the hem of her pocket.

so she sighed, a hand to her feline's head, unintentionally brushing off the awkwardness that had apparently arose. "i took the quest at the start of my journey. how should i put it... it wasn't easy at the start going at the adventurer's lifestyle alone. half of the time, you'd be in need of someone to talk to. and the other... you'd want for someone whom you can trust your back to, i suppose."

night paused, slipping her hand into her pockets, gaze towards the sky. in the back of her head, she was thinking, too, about the amount of time it would take for them to reach their destination. she decided to make it short for their sake.

"it was raining that day, but i didn't seek out the quest intentionally. rather, you could say i was dragged into it incidentally as i was looking for shelter from the weather. i figured the gypsy's caravan was a temporary and adequate place to hide in -- until i got kicked out, of course."

nyanko mewed lightly.

"with feed, yes." night offered a finger to the cat, who toyed with it in his own way. "i wasn't sure where i was going back then; frankly, i wanted to complete the quest instructions just to get back inside. then i found him bounding down the path i was taking and..."

the player blinked in regret. she focused on nyanko as she deliberated upon the words next to say --

"it took some level of persuasion to get him to stay."

-- to which her familiar stopped gnawing on her fingers and looked up at her with an empty, yet curious expression. night shook her head, failing to deny the smile that crept onto her face.

she gestured to acanthus as she spoke afterwards. "but nyanko did, in the end. the cold wasn't welcoming to either of us, and though i didn't have much, it didn't seem hospitable that a kitten of his age was wandering outdoors on his own as well. so i took him in. he's saved my life from threats unknown countless times, and he's fit enough to man my shop... so i'd say it was worth it."

"... that aside..."

it was about time the pond should've come into view on their trek, so night started to look in earnest, hoping she could spot signs of the gypsy's whereabouts, even from afar. "the first should be relatively peaceful. i might have more gripes with the quest-giver... or the weather. so the sooner we can find a creature that's adequate, the sooner we'll be able to get back to safety. did you receive any other instructions upon your meet with the gypsy? it may be she wouldn't be as hostile with you as she was me."

[Acanthus 0]

She listened eagerly as night talked about her experience. About how she had been thrust into the quest after seeking shelter on a rainy day, and subsequently found nyanko.

"it took some level of persuasion to get him to stay." Acanthus cocked her head. That sounded like a story in and of itself. "but nyanko did, in the end."

As night continued her story, the two crested a hill overlooking a beautiful pond. Flocks of birds came and went, and the entire area was full of the sounds of animal life. On the far end, there was a conspicuously human addition: a wooden covered wagon, with a smoldering campfire outside. Acanthus could make out the speck of a human in the distance, but not much more.

As they closed the distance to the camp, night asked,"did you receive any other instructions upon your meet with the gypsy? it may be she wouldn't be as hostile with you as she was me."

“Hostile? I don’t remember anyone saying she would be—”

“Eh, you there! You two! I am not selling, or buying, or bartering today!” The woman approached them rapidly, waving her hands. Her voice was high and raspy. “It’s my day off and I won’t have it ruined by vagabonds and ill-wishers!”

“Ill wishers?” What kind of the woman was now in her face. Acanthus yelped and stumbled backwards.

The gypsy’s face was worn by worry and agitation. She stood a solid 15 centimeters shorter than Acanthus, and somehow felt twice as imposing. With fists on her hips, she spit to the side. “My one day free of people and passer-bys, and *still* they somehow find me. I tell you, come find me another day.” Acanthus had a vivid flashback; she was standing on the sidewalk, staring at a litter of puppies for sale. Her mother pulled her along. “Let’s do this another day.”

Acanthus braced herself. “No. I’m here now. I just need some feed and I’ll be on my way.”

“No.”

Acanthus faltered. “I—I’m sorry, what do you mean, ‘no’?”

“I mean the same thing everyone else who has ever said that has ever meant. No. Come back next week.” She began walking back to camp, waving her arms with exasperation.

“Next week?! It took me weeks to find where you would be. Nobody told me there would be an issue getting the food.”

The gypsy whipped around, and waggled her finger. “Ah, ah, you see, that is the problem. You adventurers, you always get the food. There are never any issues. You move on, happily toting around your little, cutesy familiars.” She stared icily at Nyanko. “And where does that leave me? Wandering alone, offering handouts to every single stray with a half-baked wish for a stray of their own. I tire of this routine, this same song and dance from as long as I can remember. So I am declaring the tune is over.”

Acanthus was reeling. I… Is this normal? Is the game code being difficult for no discernable reason? She looked helplessly at night, then back at the gypsy. “I… I can’t just leave. I won’t. All I need is the feed and I’ll leave you alone to enjoy your day.”

The gypsy stalked up to Acanthus. “Ungrateful and unrelenting. Fine. I will tell you what I see. And I will ask you a question. If you answer correctly, I will consider—*consider*—giving you the food.” At once, the woman began circling Acanthus like a hungry cat. “I see you have taken all the precautions. Excellent choice of footwear.” She tapped the light greaves with her own dusty boots. “And the armor too, just in case you encounter any trouble.” A rap of her knuckle on Acanthus’ breastplate.

Her fingers reached out to tug at the spyglass on Acanthus’ belt, and Acanthus reflexively pulled away. The gypsy smiled. “A little ocular assistance as well. Not to mention your precious ditty, and your potion of pheromones.” She held her nose mockingly.

Acanthus bristled at the woman’s assessment. “I don’t see why you are berating me for being prepared to hunt for my familiar.” The gypsy woman’s eyes flashed. She slid around to the front, and stared directly into Acanthus’ eyes. “And that is my question, girl. When it comes to the hunt, you are prepared.” She jabbed two fingers into Acanthus’ forehead to emphasize the last two syllables. Moving her fingers down, she prodded Acanthus’ heart. “But are you *ready*?”

“Haru, honey, you’re just not ready yet.” Twelve years old, Haru clutched her skirt as her mom put a freshly-washed rice bowl back into the cabinet. Haru fought back tears while her mom spoke soothingly. “What about the vet bills? And who would have taken care of it? I’m allergic to cats, and your father is busy working.” Haru sniffled. She pleaded with her mom. “I know. I know it’s not easy.” She wiped her nose. “And—

“—maybe I’m not ready. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to try. I deserve a chance to try.” Acanthus spoke calmly, fingers still jammed into her breastplate.

“And if it’s not the perfect little puppy? The docile cat you always dreamed of? Will you come back for some more food and another chance?” Acanthus shook her head firmly. “Even if it’s a snake? Or a boar? Or a bug?”

“I’ll love it, no matter the shape.” The gypsy woman broke into a crooked smile. “Good enough for me.” She removed her fingers from Acanthus’ chest and began rummaging through her dress. Acanthus heaved a sigh of relief.

After a few awkward seconds, the gypsy produced a small pouch of kibble. But she didn’t offer it just yet. “Now, I only said I would consider handing this over. I do believe I deserve a little compensation.” She weighed the bag carefully. “The feed may not look like much, but it takes quite an effort to procure. I can’t keep giving it away for free, you know.” Acanthus began to despair internally. “What’s your price?”

The gypsy pressed the bag into Acanthus’ chest. “Nothing today, little bloom. Call it a favor. I will let you know when it needs calling in.” Acanthus stared at the woman. “Little bloom? That was the same thing Giovanna called me. Do you know her?” The gypsy began shooing them out of camp. “You are more concerned with coincidence than quest. Go. I am tired, and you’ve already ruined the best part of the day. Look, the rain is starting to roll in.” Sure enough, Acanthus spied heavy clouds forming in the distance. With any luck, they would hold until she found her familiar.

Acanthus spoke to night. “I think we should be ready to start our search. Thank you for being patient. Why don’t we try the woods nearby? If we don’t find anything there, I’m sure we can find some higher ground and use my spyglass.”

[NIGHT 0]

somehow, the game simply turned it up to eleven whilst night hadn't been looking, it seemed -- because while she knew cardinal had a revival era, and the personalities of some individuals had been tuned, this quest had understandably escaped her notice... and was somehow worse than before.

night, stunned, had found herself saying nothing, but watched as acanthus dealt with the new gypsy. which meant watching the new player, still foreign to her, stand her ground against all odds of the system telling her, "no."

“Next week?! It took me weeks to find where you would be. Nobody told me there would be an issue getting the food.”

nyanko's ears flicked backwards, slinking further into night's pocket at the npc's glare. quiet, he stayed, like owner as pet. the player shrugged, even, upon sights exchanged with her apparent ally.

“Ungrateful and unrelenting."

when did cardinal even become this harsh?

“I don’t see why you are berating me for being prepared to hunt for my familiar.” 

“And that is my question, girl. When it comes to the hunt, you are prepared. But are you ready?”

see, night stuck to the shadows for a variety of reasons. confrontation was rarely one of them, but it was on the list nonetheless. she couldn't tell if acanthus was shaking in her excellent choice of footwear, or if it was just her; her and nyanko trembling under the weight of cardinal's new jab at new adventurers. nyanko barely held in a mewl at the comment regarding his kin being docile -- never mind that he was simply an exception that proved the rule. night wouldn't have even entertained the thought of handing out feed to any of the creatures she was certain not to get along with -- but wasn't that alright? if it was a forever partner, shouldn't they, as players, masters of their own fate, diviners of what was to come next be but allowed a little freedom to decide--

“I’ll love it, no matter the shape.”

the gypsy smiled.

“Good enough for me.”

the sighs of relief that came after was not an individual affair.

though night shifted into a more casual pose thereafter, she noted -- and was typing in her interface -- about the nature of the quest having altered to include a possible favor in exchange with what was to occur next. and here, the player only ever saw the gypsy once (as far as her own memory was concerned). it was only when she was done, and their quest giver spoke of the downpour to occur, that she looked up, almost innocently and unprepared, immediately expecting the worst afterwards.

no way. not again.

she regarded acanthus with a look of horror.

“I think we should be ready to start our search."

"uh, right..." and night rummaged through her inventory for the right items to summon. a dark cloak -- vanity, an imitation of the real thing -- was spawned, draping over the player's own arm. she held it up to acanthus at the same time nyanko clambered out of her pocket and onto the ground. whatever was he up to? "grandma might've said something about being prepared, but nothing about weathering the... weather. well, i've gone through this before -- i can handle it again. no worries. -- i'm sure there has to be something else in my inventory i could use, too..."

regardless, night took the other player's advice. a quick clarification lead them towards an entrance into the forest around the pond, and she noted to acanthus the land's eventual elevation, if they were to follow the pond's edge. still, hands in her pockets and kitten dogging their feet, there was an urge persistent on her nerves. she could only glance back at her companion, hoping her eyes wouldn't give away any amount of envy, and say, "that was... really brave of you. ... and i'm sorry i couldn't help out."

she would've said a lot more, asked a lot more. in the light fading behind the clouds however, like her nature, she but hid her words away.

[Acanthus 0]

 "that was... really brave of you. ... and i'm sorry i couldn't help out."

Acanthus brushed past the compliment. She was uncomfortable receiving praise, though she quietly appreciated it. She was grateful for the cloak as well. All her preparation, and she hadn’t even packed for bad weather. Acanthus gave NIGHT a quick nod of thanks.

“Night, you have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, you warned me that she can be a little… demanding. I’m unsure how other people fared with her, but the quest seems programmed to allow players to move forward, regardless of how the conversation goes. So really, there was never any trouble.”

Acanthus realized she had about a hundred unspoken thoughts about the game. She realized this because she began to verbalize them all at once, drowning poor NIGHT in a sea of rhetorical questions. “The quests that Cardinal offers are fascinating. The way that NPC’s personalities can shift drastically or subtly depending on the character? I mean, the quest log said specifically that she was ‘warm, gentle and kind.’ I wonder if Cardinal is so advanced that it is adjusting dialogue during the quest. Some of the shopkeepers appear to stick to a script, but important NPCs seem to vary quite a bit. When I was learning about this quest, I don’t think a single player described the gypsy entirely the same way. So that makes me wonder: how does Cardinal make that decision? Does it take the measure of a player? Are there certain biometrics or demographic data it has access to? Or is it even more nuanced than that? Can the game build a psychological profile as we play—and if so, does our perception of the game differ from those around us? The way that two people might see a shade of blue differently based on how well they perceive colors…”

As they walked through the trees, Acanthus realized they had been in the woods for some time, and she hadn’t even started to look for her familiar. She pressed her palm to her forehead. “Night, I am so sorry. I let myself get distracted, and with this threat of rain over us too…” She trailed off. “I’ll stay focused this time.”

Edited August 22 by Acanthus

[NIGHT 0]

“Night, you have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, you warned me that she can be a little… demanding.“

she glanced over her shoulder, the caravan small in the distance. "i'm not sure i would call that 'a little'."

“I’m unsure how other people fared with her,“ acanthus continued, “but the quest seems programmed to allow players to move forward, regardless of how the conversation goes. So really, there was never any trouble.”

"is that how it works...?"

night hummed, reflecting. maybe acanthus did have a point in how the quests operated. but, evidently, if the players themselves were scared off by such an intention by cardinal, even if the guarantee was the start of the quest, what did that say about how the system operated? before she even had a chance to continue her bus train of thought, of course, came acanthus' feedback, hurtling down the rails and barreling into her own route.

and night's mind started to swim. it was through sheer luck that she'd managed to get the essence behind her companion's questions at all. where there was an initial answer she could once give without a second thought -- after all, to each their own in encountering each quest, right? all cardinal was doing was remixing how the interactions went, and that could be done by several layers of randomization -- then came the idea of profiling the players directly.

”So that makes me wonder: how does Cardinal make that decision? Does it take the measure of a player? Are there certain biometrics or demographic data it has access to? Or is it even more nuanced than that? Can the game build a psychological profile as we play—and if so, does our perception of the game differ from those around us?”

as much as night hated to imagine it, acanthus did have a point. each of them even had given over their own data to the game about even their body weight and height. with the rise of data collection and analysis prior to the game's launch, what was stopping cardinal from being able to do such a thing?

_{^{(wait, hadn't she already acknowledged this truth? why was it getting to her all of a sudden?)}}

if night's pace slowed to a crawl, it was with a silent, yet heavy burden of knowing that truth. eyes to the forest floor, the player searched for words of what she could supplement instead.

"..."

eventually, acanthus realized their predicament.

“Night, I am so sorry. I let myself get distracted, and with this threat of rain over us too…”

and though, night did pause, she finally responded with, "it's... alright," though she failed to even look towards the sky. nyanko shook off a droplet that struck his snout as the first drops of a drizzle fell upon them. he'd meeped. meanwhile, snug in her tracksuit, night barely registered the feeling of them at all.

the elements felt varied, again. by now, acanthus must've had walked a little on ahead, or was stuck behind night's own trekking. nyanko's mewling was probably a sign they should carry on before it got worse for their party. and the deluge of information in her head -- if she let it -- would rival the storm that would dog them afterwards.

so she breathed. started to walk. she had to get them out some how, one way or another.

night agreed, picking up her own pace -- "i'll focus too." then, with the launch of her map and a quick survey of their general area, she selected a direction to walk in; just a little north and to the west. she doubted they would be able to reach horunka by the time the rain got worse, but their pace should land them in adequate shelter at a cafe she once visited... if they got lucky. explaining this to acanthus, she added, "maybe we'll find your familiar along the way."

it was once they were en route that she'd let her ruminations slip through, eyes glossed over and hazy -- "cardinal already has our physique in numbers with the nerve gear. in some quests, the game draws from your own memory or perception of self. ... i'm not sure how a psychological profile would look like in the database without a human interpreter, so i can't say much to that."

"-- but i hope not. i definitely, definitely think it's all random, random neurons firing and creating an accidental result behind aincrad's machinations..."

night only chewed on her lip as they continued moving.

[Acanthus 0]

Their direction has moved to the northwest. Acanthus wasn’t sure if they were moving towards Horunka on purpose, but it was a good idea. The clouds were starting to look worse.

The clouds were starting to look worse. Haru stood under the bus stop awning, clutching Kumaki. Mom was going to be furious, but she couldn’t miss her appointment.

Acanthus blinked a drop of rain out of her eyes. The two were still moving with purpose; NIGHT mentioned maybe finding her familiar along the way. “I hope we find the familiar soon. This rain is looking worse and worse.”

NIGHT and Acanthus moved through the woods without any sign of a familiar. The topic moved back to Acanthus’ outburst. After a few thoughts of her own, NIGHT concluded, "i definitely, definitely think it's all random, random neurons firing and creating an accidental result behind aincrad's machinations..."

Acanthus made a noise of agreement. She hadn’t intended to open up the heady topic of how their prison functioned. She worried if she continued the conversation, she would either offend NIGHT or start to spiral without any definite answers. “It looks like we’re headed to Horunka. The map is showing an interesting spot in the woods before we arrive. Do you think we could take a quick detour and search there? Maybe we’ll see something if we’re lucky.”

[NIGHT 0]

night pulled up her map at acanthus' mention of it. it likely helped -- if she'd kept walking, fixated on her own thoughts, it wouldn't have done either of them any good. but having been familiar with the city's outskirts, she wasn't exactly sure which part of the woods her companion had meant. still, she made her guess, gesturing to acanthus with a brief stop in their trek. "the glade over there? or the enclave next to it?"

once their direction was settled, night picked up the pace on their walk. she swallowed, with consideration for how they were about to fare with the incoming rain. nyanko could barely keep up, and she stopped just to scoop him up all the same.

ever did her mind will itself towards their conversation topic, despite her intentions not to linger on it. so she resigned to it with a sigh, and pivoted her thoughts in another direction instead, the only way she really knew how. "acanthus. those thoughts of yours... where did they come from, anyway? -- did something happen elsewhere? ... not all the other npcs were as frightening as the gypsy for you... were they?"

[Acanthus 0]

not all the other npcs were as frightening as the gypsy for you... were they?"

GO ON. TELL HER.

She shivered. Not yet. That story felt a little too personal to share. “No, not all of them. I’ve actually had many wonderful interactions. I stayed and talked with Mayor Dorian after the beginner quest, and he took me on a tour around Tolbana. It really brought the town to life.” Acanthus placed a single finger on her chin as she pondered. “But as far as other NPCs, she’s the only one I’ve seen that was that frightening.” Technically true.

Thankfully, the conversation was interrupted by a soft chime from her map. A quest objective. "Is that...?" She began to hurry off before she finished her thought. Rushing through the trees, her mind began racing. Was it really going to be a snake? Or a bug, or something else strange? It didn't really matter—she'd made up her mind. The important thing was having a familiar. Hesitantly, she pushed through one last wave of brush.

Spoiler

 

 

A black bear sat idly in the clearing. It was covered in burrs and brambles, and had a few noticeable scars around its left leg. Its gaze shifted to her with an air of mild disinterest. Unceremoniously, Acanthus pulled the pheromone potion from her belt and downed it with a single swig. She expected it to taste bad, but it had a surprisingly delicate floral flavor. I need to get all my potions from Zandra. Gently lowering down to one knee, she pulled out the familiar food and offered it to the bear from across the meadow. The bear retained its vacant expression, eyes moving to Acanthus, back to the food, and back to Acanthus before returning to its distant stare.

She recalled the performance crystal she had crafted for this moment. Without taking her eyes off the bear, she slid her hand into her satchel to feel for the crystal. As she pulled it out, a realization crossed her mind. She had an audience.

She spoke out loud in a calm, level voice. "NIGHT, promise me you won't tell a soul about this." The blue crystal glowed softly and began to hum.
 

Spoiler

Post Action: Searching for Familiar
229272 | LD 15 + 2 = 17. Familiar found!

 

Edited September 1 by Acanthus

[NIGHT 0]

acanthus recounted on her memories -- and at her last comment, night opened her mouth... finding a dry "likewise" stuck partway through. before night could follow up on it, however, the alert from acanthus' map helped hide her momentary pause, and she chose to brush that question aside. she promised to focus, and her companion was doing her best, too.

so they went silent, night behind the scout as the latter split the view. a black bear, adorable yet strangely inanimate sat alone, staring into blank space. while the would-be tamer was preparing herself to seal the deal, so too did the player hush the kitten squeaking and clawing at her ankle -- she hoped the rain, getting stronger, was enough to distract the bear or hide nyanko's noise.

now, a better version of night would've chosen not to have slain a bear before meeting her familiar in the past, so the worse personnel stood quiet, arms folded, trying not to wonder if the scars left on the creature was the outcome of her having slaughtered its potential parent ages ago.

but certainly not, right? it was... how many years ago at this point? time didn't flow an odd way for monsters... did it?

"NIGHT, promise me you won't tell a soul about this."

"oh," she replied, bearing with her clothes now starting soak and burying a burning desire to know an objective truth. "acanathus, i promise i won't."

[Acanthus 0]

Her hands wet from the increasing rain, the crystal slipped from her hands, and landed with a *pop* on a rock below her. The soft glow began to flicker. Acanthus made a soft noise of disbelief. No, no no. She had poured her soul into this crystal. The hours she’d spent getting the orchestration just right, recalling the tune from her childhood. She prepared herself for the worst as she activated it.

To her relief, the tune came through clearly. It was a soft, waltzing lullaby. Her mom sang it to her often, changing the sing-song lyrics from time to time. Acanthus had come up with her own lyrics. To be precise, she had come up with them fifteen years ago, when she sang them to her little stuffed bear. Every night, before bed, she would tuck Kumaki into bed and sing the same song.

But when the introduction trailed off, the lyrics were absent. Acanthus felt numb. She’d damaged the crystal, and it had lost the vocal layer. She prayed it would be enough to get the bear’s attention. The bear tossed a semi-interested sniff in her direction and paused to listen to the music. It didn’t seem to have any effect. Instead, it plopped on its side, rolled onto its feet and started to move away. I have to act fast; no choice. She turned back to NIGHT again. “Now you *really* have to promise to keep a secret.” Acanthus took a deep breath, and picked up singing at the second verse.

And if you smelled like fish, like a fish,
That wouldn’t be my wish, my wish,
But if you smelled like a fish, like a fish,
I’d still love you, all the same.

Her voice carried the tune well enough, but she’d heard what a real singer sounded like, and knew she was nothing close. Her cheeks burned. Of course the lyrics were nonsense; she’d made them up when she was eight, singing a teddy bear to sleep. 

And if you had three legs or five legs,
If you had six legs or more,
If you had seven or eight legs,
Then I think that’s just fine with me.

She looked up. The bear was lumbering towards her slowly. It seemed almost curious. It’s working. She did her best not to look back at NIGHT and risk losing her composure. Instead, she looked down at the crystal. Deep in the facets, she swore her reflection came back to her fifteen years younger. She saw Haru, twelve years old, sitting on the same rock as Acanthus. Her hands were folded, her eyes were closed, and she was singing with all of her heart.

If you’re just a little sad, little sad,
I don’t think I would be mad,
If you’re just a little sad, little sad,
Then I’d make sure you had a place to be sad.

The rain started barrelling down in full force. Rivulets of water formed around the rocks, and Acanthus’ hair was matted around her eyes to where she could barely see. It felt just like

Haru stood at the bus stop, cowering from the torrential downpour. A familiar car pulled up, and her mom got out with an umbrella. “Haru!! Your father and I have been looking for you for the last hour! Where have you been?” Haru clutched her teddy bear. “I have to take Kumaki to the doctor so she can get checked up.” Haru’s mom looked back inside the car, then gave Haru a perplexed stare. “Honey, Dr. Kamioka doesn’t work on Saturday.” Haru fidgeted with the bear’s soaked fur. She knew she was in trouble. “But if I take her to the doctor, then that means I can do it, even if you’re allergic and dad is too busy. Then we can have a pet.” Haru’s mom gently led her back to the car, and dried her off. “We’ll talk about this later, honey. Let’s get you back home.”

The crystal’s amplification had little problem drowning out the downpour, but Acanthus had to resort to singing at a yell to keep the bear’s attention. But it was working. Centimeter by centimeter, the bear crept closer.

And if you were happy, were happy too,
Then that is enough that I wouldn’t feel blue,
So if you were happy, were happy too,
Then I would be happy for you.

The crystal’s sound died, and Acanthus trailed off. She looked up. The bear was so close that its breath tossed flecks of rain onto Acanthus’ cheeks. It observed her quietly.

“Hi, little bear,” she whispered, nearly inaudible in the rain. “Would you like to come home with me?” The bear waited for a moment, then licked her face. Acanthus nearly burst with joy. Laughing, she brought her hands up to the bear’s ears and began to play with them. It flopped over to its side again, revealing another series of painful scars. Some of them looked raw; she would have to go home and make sure they were taken care of. Acanthus rubbed the bear’s belly, and it rumbled a low, satisfied growl. Lost in the moment, she flopped down in the mud alongside her new familiar before she remembered she had an audience.

Acanthus shot up off the ground, face a picture of pure embarrassment. She pushed the hair back out of her eyes, and gave NIGHT a very stiff bow. “I, um, I got my familiar,” she stated with a deadpan expression. The bear squirmed in the mud, then rolled onto its back again. It stared at NIGHT upside-down, tongue lolling out from a gap in its teeth.

“The rain seems to be getting worse. Let’s go find some shelter. And…” Acanthus paused awkwardly. “Thank you. For not laughing.”

 

Spoiler

Post Action: Taming Familiar
230094 | CD 9 + 1 = 10. Success! Familiar tamed.

 

Edited September 7 by Acanthus

[NIGHT 0]

it was only after the music started to play that she realized, maybe, acanthus was alluding to another situation entirely. not that it was her companion's fault for her drifting in and out of the situation at hand. and the melody was lovely, so night decided to lower herself to a squat by the sidelines, almost resting, watching the star of the show work her magic.

then the bear started to shift, disinterest showing. and--

“Now you really have to promise to keep a secret.”

night could only stare back, blank. she didn't even have time to answer -- she didn't actually expect a live performance, after all.

drastic times called for drastic measures. yet the lyrics sung... were odd, foreign enough for the player to shudder and bury the expression on her face behind a hand. she wondered, if it was because of the rain, or the fact that they'd been close to a pond recently that the choice had been to sing about a... fish.

she shared a glance with nyanko in the interim. was lost in confusion about the potential spider-like transformation of the target (the bear?) of the song. narrowed her eyes, trying to understand why, why these words were being said at all.

it seemed like the bear understood, while she couldn't...

And if you were happy, were happy too,
Then that is enough that I wouldn’t feel blue,
So if you were happy, were happy too,
Then I would be happy for you.

then, of course, when cardinal was capable of masking her facade, it finally hit her: primal, vulnerable, innocent.

there was no way she could've understood the song's true purpose. watching the bear, too, night wasn't sure if it was certain what it was getting into, approaching acanthus during her live stage. but, even if the song started out with some peculiarity, as it grew into its true message, what mattered more was the intention behind it, evoking emotions from its audience.

for the ursine, it must've been comfort, between all the scars it showed acanthus by rolling over.

for night...

as the audio of the crystal faded away, she watched acanthus barrel in the mud with the teddy, almost joyful. the great contrast. night's mouth was still pursed behind a hand. when the new partners finally addressed their seniors, night simply nodded back, quiet.

nyanko, ever more reliable, responded with a quip of his own.

 

“The rain seems to be getting worse,”  acanthus had said. the thought of changing out of her waterlogged clothes wasn't even at the forefront of night's mind. “Let’s go find some shelter.”

"mm. we can do that."

night got up. nyanko, in his responsible littleness, rushed up to the freshly tamed familiar to get acquainted.

”And…”

as they started walking out of the glade, night found herself sifting through a lock of her drenched hair.

“Thank you. For not laughing.”

she turned to acanthus with a smile.

"it's good that it's raining," she found herself replying, pulling open her own map. with a hand unsteady, she swiped at the screen, allowing it to hover between the players, gesturing at it as she spoke. "well, considering shelter first, we're closer to the cafe now, so let's head there next. -- i hope you're in no rush to get back to the gypsy yet."

the interaction between their familiars was framed coincidentally as night waved her interface shut.

"it might be a good idea to get it patched up before we showed up for the quest's completion. i can't imagine they wouldn't have a first aid kit there, after all. shall we get going?"

* * *

it was a two-storied japanese-styled building with a makeshift awning they'd stepped under to escape the downpour. the weather didn't seem like it was letting up any time soon. and, while it didn't seem as though there was much light filtered through the shoji door entrance, night still opened the door, with full faith the owner was present within.

basuke wouldn't have lied to her about this place still in operation, after all.

one quick chat with the owner ("excuse me, but we might like a room.") and they were ushered in quick, careful not to step towards the tatami interior from the entrance's divide. there, on the second floor, was enough space for all four of the party to reconvene in peace. the kit she'd asked for in addition had to be searched for, but that would give them enough time to dry off before tending to the bear's wounds. at least, that's what night figured.

looking over her inventory in a corner, her back turned for a moment to the other player, she glanced over her shoulder, realizing something important. "have you thought of a name for your familiar yet?"

[Acanthus 0]

"well, considering shelter first, we're closer to the cafe now, so let's head there next. -- i hope you're in no rush to get back to the gypsy yet."

“Not at all. I think it would be good to wait out the rain. And getting her patched up might be a good idea. I’ll follow you there.”

After what seemed like a damp eternity, they made it to a two-story Japanese building. The light coming from the inside was dim. She was about to ask if NIGHT was sure the place was still taking customers, but she slid the door open before the question escaped Acanthus’ lips.

Once upstairs, NIGHT asked her, "have you thought of a name for your familiar yet?" Acanthus looked over at the bear. It appeared to be dozing off peacefully. “Yes. I’d like to name her Kumaki. It’s silly, but I had a stuffed bear when I was younger. I took her everywhere. I even had my mom teach me a little sewing when she started falling apart.” She laughed, “I was never very good at it.”

Acanthus reminisced a little longer. “I believe mom hid her when she felt I’d grown too old for stuffed animals, but I doubt she threw Kumaki away. I’ll have to find her when this is all over.” Acanthus seemed lost in thought for a moment, then looked apologetic. “I’m sorry to have dragged you out in the rain. Now I’m talking your ear off about real life. I really am making a bad first impression.” She moved over to Kumaki, and started to give her another round of belly rubs. “The rain doesn’t appear to be letting up for now. I think you mentioned a first aid kit? It might be nice to check her over before we return to the gypsy woman.”

[NIGHT 0]

“Yes. I’d like to name her Kumaki."

"kumaki," night echoed, before acanthus went on to tell her about her stuffed bear. she broke out a smile as her companion laughed. "that sounds nice. responsible of you in the past to have tried."

“I believe mom hid her when she felt I’d grown too old for stuffed animals, but I doubt she threw Kumaki away. I’ll have to find her when this is all over.”

there was a moment of quiet in the interim. night had wondered what it must've been like for acanthus to have to part with kumaki when it got taken away from her. she stopped considering it when the player spoke up again.

"not at all," night said, flatly. a moment passed before she realized what acanthus might have meant. "i mean, i know most players don't like talking about real life a lot, but... it's the one bit of normalcy we have left to cherish, really."

(all that to mean 'she was cool with it'. go night.)

when acanthus shifted over to pet her familiar, night started to get up, too. "i'll go pick up it up," she replied, to the mention of that first aid kit. and she did, leaving the room with nyanko bounding off in tow, to return a few minutes later with the necessary supplies.

she shuffled over to the newly matched pair, and opened the box set on the tatami. night had to squat to rummage through the kit. "fair warning -- i'm not really a veterinarian, but it's likely that some of these might work the way consumables do." she picked up a set of bandages, akin to the vanity ones found at the general store, and handed them over to acanthus. "no needles. maybe one of these unlabeled bottles could be an antiseptic though, at best?"

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus thanked NIGHT and took one of the unlabeled bottles. She popped the lid, treating it like a health potion. Sure enough, the contents vanished and Kumaki was covered in a soft green light. “I guess it worked,” she said out loud. “Sometimes I miss real life, but one thing I’m grateful for is how simple healing is here. I’m not very good at treating wounds. I don’t enjoy the sight of blood at all.” The light disappeared, and the bear cub seemed a little more energetic. It rolled into Acanthus’ lap with the same blank, goofy stare it had in the meadow. Acanthus giggled. “She’s really a silly little thing, isn’t she?” Kumaki glanced up at her, then over to Nyanko with an almost imperceptible hint of confusion. “That’s Nyanko,” Acanthus explained as she scratched Kumaki’s ears. “She’s a familiar, just like you.” I wonder if Cardinal recognizes itself looking from one set of eyes to another.

The storm began to pass over them. “All that buildup, and we weren’t stuck outside in the rain for very long at all,” she laughed. “But I should just be grateful. I had heard some pretty horrifying stories about how long it took people to find their familiars. Then again,” she looked down at Kumaki, “it took a few years to find you.” For the first time since the game started, Acanthus felt anxious about leaving—She finally had something she didn't want to leave behind.

“Kumaki seems to be feeling better. I’m almost ready to leave, but first… You mentioned this place was a cafe, didn’t you? Do you think we could eat something before we head back? If you’re in a hurry, we could even take it and eat it during the return trip.”

[NIGHT 0]

she watched acanthus heal her familiar, nodding as her companion spoke. "though i think i'd be more concerned if someone was used to seeing blood at all. i'd imagine them a doctor, perhaps." once kumaki seemed to be better, night watched it look at nyanko with a blank stare. not like the kitten seemed to mind. he simply beeped with interest at its new friend's healthy demeanor.

with the rain lightening up outside, night wondered if they should start on their way back. acanthus had a different plan -- a better one. "that sounds like a good idea," night replied, starting to head downstairs. she left the door to the room open for the party to follow, but walked with them to the dining area. "this place's specialty is in snacks befitting of tea. mild sweets and biscuits. i think i'll go for some wagashi this time, to match the matcha they serve."

nyanko squeaked out his opinion, and night nodded. "yeah. i think it's a good idea to ask for a serving of food for our furry friends too."

they took a booth by the window near the entrance. when the lights were turned on, the shadows that were haunting the establishment from the storm were chased away. the players placed their order and were served swiftly -- between its inconvenient location and the owner's efficiency in hospitality, it seemed that the workload was light for him.

well, it was meant to be of slow days for someone, night supposed.

between her tea, traditional candy and the nougat biscuits, she looked to acanthus, the relief of their mission complete sinking in. "i hope you weren't too disappointed with how the day turned out." her gaze drifted out the window, and then settled back on the other player. "to be honest, i'm a little nervous about showing up in front of that quest-giver again, even if i think you'll win her over with who you've found by your side. i'll walk back with you though -- see it through. past that, and the return back to town, what do you think your next step is?"

"and..."

almost as though to fidget, she pulled a ring out of her inventory. with a spin, the trinket, crafted out of different layers, started to pull itself apart like an astrolabe, just for show.

"if there's anything you need assistance with," night said, "let me know."

[Acanthus 0]

Kumaki tumbled down the stairs, landing with an ungainly *tump*. Acanthus followed behind, scooping the cub up from the ground. It seemed content to be carried, giving happy looks to anyone curious enough to stare.

Sliding into a booth near the entrance, she took one look at the menu. It perplexed Acanthus, so she decided to simply copy what NIGHT had ordered. She was worried that her taste buds would act up anyways. Her palate’s rejection of in-game food wasn’t as bad as it had been when she started playing, but she still worried about eating in company. Thankfully everything tasted wonderful; muted, but the texture and temperature were splendid.

"i hope you weren't too disappointed with how the day turned out." Acanthus smiled warmly at NIGHT. “It’s been a wonderful day, and I’m grateful you were here.” She looked outside at the rain. “I’ve been hiding from the game for too long. I needed a reminder that there are good things here.”

Quote

"to be honest, i'm a little nervous about showing up in front of that quest-giver again, even if i think you'll win her over with who you've found by your side. i'll walk back with you though -- see it through. past that, and the return back to town, what do you think your next step is?"

“I’ll be nervous too. But I’ll be less nervous with you there.” Acanthus paused to take a thoughtful sip of her tea. She set it down slowly. “Part of me wonders if she was just putting on a show. Dad acted like that a lot. He was stern sometimes, but I think it was just the only way he knew how to act caring. Maybe in some way, the gypsy woman feels responsible for all the familiars. She’s the only person we can get the familiar food from, right? So in a way, it’s her responsibility to make sure all they all have a good home. Maybe she’s seen what happens to abandoned familiars, so she acts tough to weed out some of the players.”

She watched with wonder as NIGHT’s trinket began to spin. She remained fixated with an undisguised curiosity as she spoke. “My next step? I haven’t thought beyond finding some quests to do. Leveling up is my biggest priority right now, and I have a lot of ground to cover if I want to catch up.”

Quote

"if there's anything you need assistance with," night said, "let me know."

Her eyes softened. “Absolutely. I would love to adventure with you again.”

[NIGHT 0]

night hummed. listening to acanthus, a part of her wished she could see the world through her eyes instead, if only out of curiosity. the tidbit about the familiars was something she could understand, upon her companion's consideration. "i suppose you're right," she decided, looking back out at the world outside. there was a pause between her next question, and acanthus' reply.

“I haven’t thought beyond finding some quests to do. Leveling up is my biggest priority right now, and I have a lot of ground to cover if I want to catch up.”

"catch up," night repeated, in comfortable, idle thought. something about the cafe, its atmosphere and the day's work getting done was subtly lifting her spirits, she imagined. her sights settled on the newbie once more. "so you're aiming for the front, i take it?"

with a sleight of hand, she caught and kept her trinket. "there's no rush to get there," night said, returning her item to her inventory. "but if you need to be notified of their activities, word of it will get to me. i can keep you posted if you want."

a few minutes more, and the rain had subsided, sparing a few drizzle-drops. night paid for the food and held the door for acanthus and kumaki, nyanko now safely in her pocket, starting to doze off himself. it didn't take them too long to reach their destination, and by the time they did, the sun was already back out from behind the clouds.

night hesitated upon reaching the caravan, however. looking to acanthus, she tilted her head. "um, are you sure you're going to be alright?" but at the same time, she turned to kumaki. the state of the bear gave her a sense of relief. maybe acanthus would be fine after all.