Complete [SP-F1] Earning a Living

[Lyra 0]

Twilight appeared before Sword Art Online's skyline. Beautifully and realistically illuminating the world of trapped players, as if signaling the start of a new day of dread.

" I'm going to kill you, if you show yourself!" Lyra a level 1, Female player shouted to the skies. Racing across the maze like path of the Starting City.

"Come on! Come on! Come on!" She chanted, encouraging her feet to do more than its current speed.

A few days ago, Lyra had some trouble with a group of fishermen. Wasting their catch by accidentally bumping into them. The deal was, for Lyra to catch the same amount of fish she wasted.

Time: Before Dawn

Place: The Lake

"Oooooohhh Noooo!!!!" She

cried nervously as the first rays of sunrise came into sight.

"I am telling you Mr.Sun don't challenge me. I'm going to get there whether you like it or not! CHARGE!!!"

[Lyra 0]

"You've got great timing kid" The leader of the fishermen sarcastically commented, looking at the sun.

"Breakfast?" Lyra asked, worried.

Though hurrying towards lake meant being able to repay the wasted fishes. The real reason Lyra had made the effort to run from the south part of the ciy to the north was because of the free breakfast being offered to the fishers.

"Haha!" The fisher laughed. "You' ve got great guts li'l lady. I like that"

"ahh... I'm glad to hear that. I guess, but... "

"Grrr" Lyra's stomach growled and ahe blushed from embarassment.

"Ha!" The fisher exclaimed. "Well... In order to give our fishes back, you still need to finish the NPC's quest"

An anime drop appeared on Lyra's head. "Quest?"

"Yes, in the market area where we first met. You'll meet the lady angler there"

"Umm...ok"

"But of course, I just can't let the young lady go,being hungry and all"

Lyra grinned ear to ear as the fisherman scrolled his HUD. "Here" he said making Lyra's most hated bread appear. "It's been in my inventory for some time, it's going to be wasted soon, so you can have it"

Lyra frowned a little, for the bread was worst than anything she has ever tasted.

"I'll give you a proper one after you come back"

[Lyra 0]

Inexperienced in taking quests,Lyra had no idea where to find the NPC. She looked at every stall, examined every passing players, tried to ask every familiar but however she tried, she couldn't' find what she was looking for.

"NPC-san!!!!!!" Lyra shouted in the market place."NPC-san!!!!!!"

"Try the inn" one player suggested. There Lyra met an Npc ,but not the one she was looking for.

"How about the weapon shop" A friendly passerby suggested.

"Lovely sword for a lovely lady?" The merchant asked.

"Ahhh!! Thank you, but I'm actually looking for a certain quest giver"

"Hmm... The merchant thought. I may be able to help you"

"Really??!!" Lyra asked excitedly.

The merchant grinned. "Of course! If you buy this beautiful Long Sword named Zephyr"

he he he Lyra thought while opening her HUD.

[Lyra 0]

"Please come again!!" The merchant cheerfully said goodbye to Lyra as he walked away to find her NPC.

"Ahh!!" Lyra shook her head in frustration. She wasn't a person who would buy things just for the sake of buying it. Why would she need a sword if she already have one?

"you're really not looking for a fish, but a lady" she remembered the merchant's words.

"Focus on the quest, Rina"she reminded herself.

"Quest?" A voice asked and as Lyra looked up to find the owner of the voice. She saw a tall lady holding a net.

"Lady angler??" She asked in an excited tone.

The NPC blinked. "looking for me?"

"oh! You don't know how long I looked for you"

"Well... You've found me!"

Lyra nodded hurrying to open her HUD. "please give me the quest now, I really need to eat"

"Eat? Oh yes, my favorite food is fish. Do you know what fish is--"

"umm... Yah" Lyra interrupted "the quest please.

The NPC puffed her cheeks in distress. "Fine! Go up that platform". Lady Angler examined her then grinned."Sing 'Innocence like an idol after that promise to never change profession"

"A what?"

"You heard me good and clear dear, an idol."

[Lyra 0]

"Kakushiteta kanjou ga himei o ageteru

Tashika na chikai o te ni..."

"Bravo! Bravo!" The lady angler chanted clapping her hands in enjoyment.

"Mono saki ni aru mirai ni te o nobasu kara"

"Wohooo!!!" The NPC cheered while Lyra cleared her throat, and covered her face from embarrassment.

"Now, now remove that shy face away. I. Gotta admit you were shining up there, shining I tell you. Are you sure this is the profession you want? Not performing or something on those field?"

"Act--"

"Oh come on now" The NPC put her arms around Lyra's shoulders not letting her speak a single word, rolling her eyes while they walked. "We both know I want you on this boat." She whispered. "So, you'll just do the first part of the quest and we'll both be living our happy lives and yadayada---"

"Wait!" Lyra jumped out of Lady Angler's reach. "Do you mean that wasn't the first part of the quest?"

"Oh, don't be silly that was just for my entertainment." The NPC laughed, which sounded so evil to Lyra's ears.

[Lyra 0]

"Don't worry I won't be pranking you this time. Read the first part." Lady Angler ordered.

Lyra opened her quests. "Ugh!" She groaned, seeing 0% in her quest progress. The NPC only smiled in amusement.

"The promise" Lyra read the title.

" yes! Now put your right hand in an oath position and repeat after me"

Lyra looked at her suspiciously.

"Come on now!"

Lyra raised her hand.

" I, player's name"

"I Lyra"

"Promise never to change profession"

"Promise never to change profession"

"OK! That's it!"

"Huh?"

"You've finished the first part of the quest, told ya it was boring"

[Lyra 0]

"ok first you need to make your own fishing rod"

Lyra smiled, now they're starting. "So how do I do that?"

"You need to collect birch wood from the beetles that use them as homes, then bring it back to me, to turn it in."

Lyra smiled, s well at least, that new long sword wasn't useless after all.

"So, where do I find these beetles?"

" The grasslands" Lady Angler said, "Good luck"

[Lyra 0]

Lyra was so happy to be away from Lady Angler. She even hopped and whistled while walking towards the grassland. If she died today, she was happy it was away from the crazy NPC.

Lyra took out the sword she bought. Although it looked a little better than her old beginner sword, she still preferred the first one, since it didn't cost her anything.

"Let's see what you got" she whispered to the weapon, having no trust in something so costly. "Well you don't cost that much, really, but you owe me some Col"

Lyra looked around the grassland, seeking for an enemy to use the Zephyr.

"Oi! Mr.piggy" she called to a frenzy boar. "Would you kindly test this weapon for me?"

The monster snorked and ignored her, being passive and low-leveled monster.

"Oh!" Lyra grinned. "Fine by me"

She slashed at the monster, remembering the feeling she had when she first fought one.

'Clash!' It turned into polygonal shards.

"Hmm" she looked at the zephyr "you're not that bad after all, now to face the beetles"

[Lyra 0]

"Beetle, beetle" L yra sung walking around the place.

"Wah!" She suddenly screamed, holding her mouth in shock. "B-beetle?"

Lyra was expecting the small tiny beetles in the real world. Though what she found was an insect almost larger than her. She froze, lines appeared above her head, indicating her surprise.

"I have to fight these things?" Lyra thought, looking at the ground.

"Remember" she thought of Lady Angler's words.

"Only fight the beetle carrying the birch wood."

She sighed in relief, " maybe those kinds are much smaller than these"

Her positive spirit came back.

"Beetle with birch wood, beetle with birch wood" she sung.

"Wah! Hehehehe... Why is it much larger than the rest????!!!!!!" She screamed making the beetle holding the birch wood face her.

She gulped. "Well... I need the wood after all"

Zephyr lighted, activating a sword skill.

[Lyra 0]

"OK, Zephyr, here we go!!!" Lyra charged.

She tried to use uppercut, but the beetle was quicker than she expected. Dodging the attack sideways.

Lyra's eyes followed her opponent, a horizontal strike got him, but the attack only angered the monster.

It screeched and attacked Lyra with a projectile that shot out of its mouth. Lyra was hit and a red polygonal shaped marked it on her arm. The attack didn't hurt her so much, which shocked her.

"I'm still able to move! Ha!" She was little too overjoyed, that it was only pure luck that the next projectile missed her. "Ahhh!"

Now Lyra and the beetle were opposite each other.

"Listen beetle, I want that wood on your back, and I'm pretty sure you are not going to give it, easily" she adjusted Zephyr I. Her hand "so prepare"

The beetle answered in a very beetle like way and sound.

"Good" Lyra said closing her eyes. The first time Lyra learned how to use sword skills, she only did it through instinct and an urge to save a friend. Being able to remember that feeling had always helped her to fight. Now she was trying a new skill she often did through accidents.

Lyra opened her eyes, her feet moved automatically as expected, speed was at its height. The first second, the monster had seen her a lot farther away from where he was, but the next second she was directly in front of him, making a downward slash, finishing the fight.

Lyra sighed, seated herself for a moment, and despaired at the fact that she was now going back to Lady Angler.

[Lyra 0]

"Oooh you're back!" Lady Angler happily said.

"Yes" Lyra said, opening her inventory. "So, what's next?"

A wood appeared and Lyra handed it to the NPC.

"Worms are next"

"Wait what?"

A glow enveloped the wood and disappeared.

Lyra checked her quest progress.

"25 percent complete" She smiled happy about it. "Now for the next part"

"Ooohh" Lyra found Lady Angler saying. "Here drink this" she handed Lyra an HP potion.

The moment Lyra drank the potion her HP went back to the fresh green it once had and the red marks disappeared.

"Thanks" Lyra mutered for she was actually afraid of what happened. "The next part of the quest please."

[Lyra 0]

"I need the thread spewed by the worms from the grassland. We'll need it for the fishing line."

"Wow!" Lyra said sarcastically. "After that arm event, you still want me to get hit?"

"Not hit, tied"

"Tied?"

"The worms uses the thread to tie players, you only need to wait a few seconds before you can break out of it."

"A few seconds" Lyra noted to herself.

"After that you can put the thread in your inventory, some players doesn't even know they can take it unless I told them"

"The last part was unnecessary" Lyra said already walking away.

"My help is totally necessary"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Lyra said, accepting the third part of the quest.

[Lyra 0]

Lyra went directly to where the worms were. She didn't need to see whether Zephyr worked or not, she trusted it with her life now.

The worms in the other hand, was easy to find. It's white large, hairy figure was too creepy to not notice.

'I don't need to kill it' Lyra reminded herself. 'I only need the thread'

"Wormmmyy!!" She called to one of the worms. When it didn't noticed, she took the initiative and went directly in front of the monster Taunting it to attack.

Rarghhh!! One of the worms sounded.

"Wow! I never expected worms to sound like that"

It launched itself in Lyra's direction, forcing her to dash sideways.

"Come here! Come here!" Lyra said, making the monster move out of its kind. It followed Lyra. "Yes! Yes! That's good" When they were in enough distance to fight, Lyra stopped to face her enemy, that were flashing its red evil eyes at her.

"All I want is the thread OK?"

Rargghhhh!!

"OK, OK, we're going to fight" she said, not that she has any compassion for the thing any way. Zephyr lighted a sword skill, which Lyra used to wave in front of the worm.

"You want this? You want this?"

The monster growled again.

Lyra readied her guard, it could attack at any time now.

[Lyra 0]

The worm swung its lower end to attack. It was highly predictable and Lyra was able to dodge it, but she had no choice but to use a vertical attack to save herself from dropping on the monster itself.

"Excuse me!"

The attack triggered something the monster.

Lyra grinned as she land and noticed it. "Prepared to give me my thread now?"

But instead of spewing out what Lyra wanted, it charged directly at her.

Heeeehhhh???

Lyra turned and ran, surprised at how fast the worm could crawl.

It took a minute of running before something, stopped Lyra. A sticky stuff enveloped her.

'What's this?" She thought, looking at her tied self. 'Oh! she imagined herself having a light bulb above her.'Bingo!'

The monster, neared and towered over her. She imagined different stuff while lying on the ground. One involved, the monster having a hand and picking her up while it opened its large mouth and bite her in half.

Though the thought was horrid. Lyra didn't experience something very different from that. It's tail hit her continuously with one motive every monster has in SAO. To kill its players.

[Lyra 0]

It was the end of summer. Children ran left and right, spending the last days of fun outdoors.

"Ne, Onii-chan" 7 year old Rina called to her 10 yr old brother. "Can't we play outside?"

"Play by yourself" Her big brother monotonously answered, keeping his eyes on his game.

"Onii-chan... Onii-chan!!" Rina shook her older brother, nagging at him about his gaming habit.

Finally,Rina heard the English words "you are dead".

She had no clue what those words mean, but she was happy when her brother finally put down the controller.

"We're going to play now?" She asked naively

Io stood up, gave a wry smile, and hit her sister on the head. "Aho!" he shouted.

"Owie!" Rina said,holding her head.

"You just killed me!" Io said angrily.

Rina looked at her brother. "No I did not" she touched his hand. "see your still alive"

Io's fists shook and Rina smiled victoriously,for she was only trying to annoy him.

"Hehe" Rina laughed holding up a peace sign. "It's not like, you could actually die from a game. Game characters have infinite lives!!!!" she said, spreading her arms to show her point.

"It's not like that!!" Io shouted, making Rina stop. "If you die in a game, you lose stuff! Pretty important stuff!!"

At that time Rina did not understand Io's point. But now that she was lying on the ground as Lyra, a game character, she now understood.

"yeah.... important stuff, like your life" she smiled, as she watched her health bar turn red, the same color as blood.

"5

4

3

2

1"

The strings exploded like expiring food and dying monsters, Lyra was immediately released. She got up on her feet. Her thoughts filled of slideshows of the life she wants to go back to,firing her up.

Her zephyr lighted up, and with one quick wave, the monster was gone.

[Lyra 0]

"Yo!" Lady Angler waved, as Lyra approached. "Welcome back!" she smiled.

"I've brought you what you want,give me my health potion" Lyra demanded.

The Npc frowned. "You should consider giving the item first before demanding things"

Lyra rolled her eyes, averting it from seeing her red colored health bar.

"Here" she said, opening her quest inventory.

Lady Angler giggled. "Oooh! Just what I need"

"Now my potion?"

"Have more patience, I have something of more value than what you want"

Something of more value?? Hello, i'm like dying here. What's more important than giving me the health potion?

The wood and string appeared in the Npc's hands. Lady angler turned her back to Lyra, as if keeping what she was doing she giggled as she did her job.

Lyra only sighed, not even curious of what the NPC was doing. It was a little too obvious that she was crafting.

After the light show was done. Lady Angler turned to Lyra.

"Tada!!" she said,presenting Lyra's new fishing rod.

Right, a fishing rod's more important than living

"Look, look" Lady Angler said excitedly "You can now start your fishing journey!!!"

"Yay" Lyra said with no excitement at all. "Now can I have my potion?"

[Lyra 0]

After finishing the quest, Lyra went directly to the Lake. Unfortunately, she saw no one there and concluded that the fishers had enough for the day. She wanted to use the fishing rod for a test drive, but was too lazy to do so.

All ended in a night on Lyra's sleeping bench.

Yes, Lyra slept on a bench,not in an inn or any other place normal players usually do.

It was not just because she was a little short in col, but also because she found it weird to sleep inside Sao, given the fact that they were already sleeping in the real world.

"You could earn a lot of col, eat different types of fishes, battle dangerous sea monsters--"

"ugh" Lyra vigorously shook her head. Lady Angler's voice was still in her mind. Earn col, fine. Eat fishes,well Lyra was not a real fan, but fishes were not that bad, especially if you have any friend that has cooking skills. Battle dangerous sea monsters, bad idea, definitely.

"you could actually make your life better here in sao" Lady Angler continued to talk in Lyra's mind.

"If you have decided to make yourself better, then that's good" Lyra remembered the advice of her father, when she complained to him about Io's addiction to games.

"Welcome Player Lyra, you are now officially like me a Lady Angler" As Lyra closed her eyes to sleep she smiled, for she was totally convinced that it was a horrible welcome and title.

[Lyra 0]

Twilight was not yet in sight. Everywhere you go, only the dimness of morning would welcome.

But even with small amount of light and a lot of risks, a player named Lyra, who was now higher in level than when she started, was already running from the south part of town to the northeast. No obstacle can stop her from going to her destination. Not the things lying on her path, not the time in Sao, not even the Pker's, out to get their morning prey.

She was not going to let this chance away.

It was time for her first proper breakfast in Sword Art Online.

[Lyra 0]

The head of the fishers, named Peter, was speechless when he saw Lyra in the Lake.

"Not so excited aren't you?" He said, and Lyra only grinned.

"Wait, you're finish with the quest?" An astounded fisher asked.

Lyra blushed, taking it as a nice compliment. She did her all to finish it as soon as possible, with all her strength and might, even if it took her all day to do.

Hardwork really do pay off she thought, when another fisher came in and said.

"Don't be funny, we all finished it in two hours, one in the beta"

hehehe an anime sweat drop appeared on Lyra's head.

"Oi! new Lady Angler, let's catch some fish" Peter invited.

"Coming!" she said in a somewhat happy,somewhat irritated grin. "and please don't call me new Lady Angler"

It was kinda insulting, coming from what she had just experienced.

"oh come on! The NPC was kind and sweet, plus what do you want us to call you, fisherman?"

Lyra thought for a moment "Angler...That would be more than fine"

The fisherman laughed. "Fine, 'Angler'. Well...if you need more mats, just go back to the lady one, and she'll definitely help you"

"I'll remember" Lyra said shivering at the thought of coming back to the Npc ,"So...Are we going to fish or not?"

[Lyra 0]

The time was filled with Lyra laughing and giggling, splashing and having fun.

At first, she only caught small fishes, uninteresting to others but still, she was happy to have caught it.

She encountered fishes with teeth, fishes with large head, normal fishes, and fishes that were smaller than the thumb.

Nothing was wasted, everything was put into the basket.

Every now and then, Lyra would look at her catch and imagine the delicious food it would turn into.

After a few hours, Peter called the group.

"Get those fishes up here so we can prepare breakfast"

"Hai!" Lyra answered excitedly. Carrying her basket, half full of fishes.

Though when she looked around, she saw the group carrying multiple numbers of baskets.

She sighed, at least she did her best, and most importantly, she had fun.

This profession is great she thought, giving her whole catch, as payment for the wasted fishes.