[F01 | PP] Tutelage Among the Skies | <<Training Your Friend>>

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan listened quietly as Acanthus returned and chattered, the previously topic skirted as subtly as a plane crashing into a tower. Still, she knew better than to press into conversations that were desired to be left alone; a habitual trait of many she’d once been encircled by in the real world. Instead, Acanthus turned to the topic of Morrígan herself, and she found herself nodding in response to the posed question, as well as the reasoning behind it.

’We actually have; The Morrígu, a tailor shop on the tenth floor. It’s…out of the way, certainly, which is partially why we chose the location. The business is nothing fancy – a simple place to find the clothing and tailored goods some players may want. It has been growing steadily, however.’ She’d seen her fair share of turnout following the limited advertising she’d managed. Word of mouth was still the best sales pitch, and she found herself naturally falling into her sales routine; perhaps not as sly as a true salesperson, but spoken nonetheless.

Her eyes followed Kumaki as the small bear cub lumbered around the area, still wondering at the fact that the player had managed to find a bear in any form as its companion. Not wanting to let the silence settle, however, Morrígan found herself asking her own follow up questions, trying to decipher the other’s willingness to continue talking. ’What about yourself? I know you’re creating performance related crystals…performer, correct?...for some sort of business. But where do you have your own shop? I’d love to drop by some day, if for no reason other than to peruse the area. Although, if Kumaki is allowed to roam free through the studio and shop, that could be…entertaining.’

She’d given a small smile at the end, hoping that the subtle joke would be caught by the other player. She’d meant no disrespect to either – if anything, she found Kumaki’s lumbering somewhat endearing, in a way. Like a child exploring the world for the first time. A flash caught Morrígan’s eyes as she mused upon the existence of the cub, as Phantom dove through the sky towards the ground, aiming for something in the grass.

’We’re lucky to have them with us…’ She mumbled the words, not entirely aware she’d spoken them at all, as her eyes followed the form of Phantom. A small, genuine smile played at the corners of her mouth as she gazed into the sky.

-

ID240181 | CD: 8 | <<Training Familiar>> | Result: Success! [3/3]

Edited January 14 by Morrigan

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus listened intently as Morrígan talked about her shop. She was a natural salesperson; despite Acanthus’ lack of interest in clothes, she found herself drawn in by the topic. “I’ll have to come by soon. I feel like I should have more than a handful of outfits to choose from. But frankly, most of the time I leave the house, I’m on a quest, and when I’m on a quest, my outfit is picked out for me.” She sheepishly adjusted some of her armor. “Even right now. I didn’t anticipate going on a quest in particular, and here I am, dressed in armor and carrying a sword when neither are necessary. I suppose it’s best to be on your guard when death is at stake.”

Acanthus hated talking about their grim reality, so she quickly swerved topics to talk about her shop. “I do have a shop. It’s in Scalabis, on Floor 24. Just off the main square, near a small bakery. I should have plenty of items ready for you, and I sell a few other things as well: music boxes, non-enhanced recording crystals, and the like. If you come by, I’d be happy to show you around. Perhaps by then, I’ll have Kumaki playing the instruments.”

Kumaki had run off again. “Ah, I’m sorry. I should be trying to train her, instead of talking about nothing. She’s probably just looking for more rocks, silly little thing.” But Kumaki had been out of vision for some time now. “I… will have to find her first. I’m sure she’s nearby.” Her pace quickened. Kumaki wandered away often, but she usually checked in more than this. She kept her voice level, asking her next question innocuously. “I don’t guess you saw which way she went? Perhaps Phantom saw her run off?”
 

Post Action: Training Kumaki
240096 | CD 2 | Failure. Threshold Reduced. (CD 3 -> 1) (1/3)

Edited January 31 by Acanthus

[Morrigan 0]

Anything that Morrígan may have wanted to say was swept away as Acanthus suddenly became frantic about her companion’s lack of appearance. Morrígan signalled into the air, calling Phantom from the sky. The raven descended quickly, landing upon Morrígan’s shoulder before ruffling into place.

’Kumaki has disappeared. Would you do us a kindly favour and look for any sign of the bear in the skies above? If you spot her, give a call and dive towards her once we’ve responded.’ Morrígan spoke quickly, trying to convey a sense of urgency into the raven’s mind. Not that she do such a thing, the form of Phantom leaping into the sky before Morrígan had completed her directive, the words chasing after her like wind following a falling leaf. Once the raven had ascended, Morrígan followed after Acanthus, ensuring to close the distance as she began searching for any sign of the bear herself.

’Phantom is in the sky, and will call out if she spots anything. For now, we need to remain calm and controlled. Kumaki could not have gotten far. We’ll find her.’ There was no hint of doubt in Morrígan’s voice as she finally caught up to Acanthus. She made no move to hinder the other player’s movement or stop them from rushing, instead simply stepping alongside them in a manner that would naturally block their dashing advance, all while keeping an eye out for the missing familiar. ’Is there any specific places that Kumaki enjoys hiding? Whether it be holes in the ground, along river beds, or perhaps under water itself? Anything that would assist our search?’

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus paused for a moment to think. As much as she wanted to hurry, she knew that slowing down would keep the situation under control. Where would she go off to hide?

“Kumaki isn’t one for holes in the ground, outside of falling into them by accident. Despite her clumsiness, she is a good swimmer. But she prefers to be around water rather than in it. I think the best place to start would be moving out towards the creek east of us. That’s where we were initially foraging for supplies before she decided to run into you and Phantom.”

Phantom circled around the two in a smooth, controlled soar. Whether or not she was trained to hunt, the raven exhibited exceptional tracking qualities. Acanthus felt a twinge of guilt. “I apologize for commandeering your training like this. But it is unusual for her to be gone so long. It’s possible she simply wandered off further than usual, but I’d rather start the search before her disappearance causes more serious concern.”

[Morrigan 0]

’Do not be sorrowful in your request for assistance. It is better to work as one team, rather than an individual, in these instances. How often do you see individuals charging forth into the depths of a dungeon, compared to parties and groups?’ Morrígan gave a soft wave of her hand in response to Acanthus’ attempt to apologise for the fact that she’d essentially transitioned their focus. Morrígan failed to mention, however, that she was confident in Phantom’s completion of the training itself – a fact proven as the raven circled above in search for the fluffy friend that Acanthus was desperately trying to locate. ’If nothing else, Kumaki is a friend…and if there is one thing I have learnt, we do not abandoned those we hold dearest towards ourselves.’

Morrígan followed along behind Acanthus as the two shifted course, heading back towards and earlier area that had been a treading ground for them. Her thoughts wandered on what it must be like to have such an emotional connection with one’s familiar and companion. She knew that Phantom and her held an acquaintanceship towards one another, but she wasn’t entirely sure just how deeply that connection went; whether it was a deep and simply unclear as Acanthus and Kumaki’s own, or if it was something else entirely.

’Do you see anything?’ Morrígan’s eyes had been roaming the area, and although she saw some trails that could have been made by a bear cub, she wasn’t entirely sure how to follow them, or whether it would be worth their time to even try doing so. She was far from the most average hunter, and she doubted her own skills would be plausible in hunting down an animal that desired nothing more than a game of apparent chase. ’She must be around here somewhere…we’ll find her.’

[Acanthus 0]

In the moments between her ever growing worry, Acanthus thought about what Morrígan said. Was Kumaki a friend? Her familiar occupied a less familiar space in her heart. Something closer than an acquaintance. As difficult as the bear cub could be, there was a sweetness to her that Acanthus deeply appreciated. Even in her silliest, most frustrating moments, Kumaki was nothing but genuine.

And here I’ve been, spending my time doubting her. Her fears melted away, replaced for a moment by anger at herself. She could do better, because her familiar deserved better. She wasn’t sure what that looked like at the moment, but she would think about that when the time came. For now, she had to focus on finding the bear.

“We’re getting closer.” Acanthus stooped down to pick up a displaced rock. Brushing off a clod of dirt, she took a moment to admire it. The rock sparkled faintly with a few minerals, stratified subtly in brown and red colors. “She’s been digging around here. For what, I’m not sure. But it must be important if she’s leaving rocks like this behind. She’s, um, she has a strange habit of being fascinated by rocks,” Acanthus began to explain. “I’ve just assumed that most familiars pick up strange or peculiar habits. Does Phantom exhibit any qualities like that?”

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan glanced up at the sky at the question, clearly having to consider it more deeply than a simple answer could provide. Her initial reacted was to simply deny the idea that the raven had any odd or inexplicable habitual actions, and yet Morrígan felt that would be doing a disservice to Phantom, as well as Acanthus in the moment. Her mind rushed through the various behaviours of her companion, before settling upon an answer that she felt would be acceptable, and appeasing to all parties.

’She does not partake in any behaviours such as collecting rocks. Perhaps the odd shiny item that one would expect a creature such as a raven to find interesting, or worthy of their attention…but she does have at least one behaviour that I would deem to classify as ‘strange or particular’. Morrígan glanced back at Acanthus, a sudden grin upon her face, as if she was about to give up a secret that had been held close, between herself and Phantom. ’She enjoys watching the neighbours from our upstairs window. I’ve yet to deduce what it is about the area that so catches her attention, but I’ve caught her time and again at the window, staring down into the streets and keeping an eye on those passing by below. I would almost swear, sometimes, that she’s even reacting to them…slight puffs of her chest, splaying of the wings, actions which are clearly natural responses to things being witnessed. Perhaps it is nothing more than a…trait, but it is interesting to bear witness to nonetheless.’

Her eyes glanced upwards once, eyeing the raven in the sky. Something in Phantom’s movement had changed, and Morrígan pointed towards the bird in an attempt to draw Acanthus’ attention towards it. ’I believe she may have found something. Notice how she’s lowering her altitude, and circling the same pattern. She’s not moving away…as if she’s preparing to dive downwards. It could be that she’s located Kumaki, or a sign of the bear cub?’

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus listened along as Morrígan told stories about Phantom, as if letting her in on a secret. She was a gifted storyteller, and Acanthus couldn’t help but nod and grin as Morrígan described Phantom’s habits. The puffing chest, the splayed wings… Acanthus couldn’t help but picture the bird spying out the window with a humanlike curiosity.

“That sounds fun to watch. I’m sure she sees the most interesting things. If only Phantom could talk. I wonder what she would say.”

Morrígan glanced up, her fingers gesturing towards the raven, who appeared to be locked in on an area. Acanthus’s heart lifted for a moment. Forgetting about her partner for a moment, she dashed away to see what the raven had found.

Acanthus stumbled in the clearing, recognizing it as the area she’d been surveying earlier for crystals. A small grove of trees formed a thicket in the center, with rocks dotting the surrounding landscape. The soft burbling of a creek sounded in the air. Acanthus stood up straight, brushing leaves from her tunic. There was no sign of the bear cub. Until…

“Brbrf.” Bing. “Rrrrrgggh.” Ding. The thicket rang with a strange duet. Gingerly, she peeled back some of the foliage to see Kumaki, sitting down and pawing at some of the crystals Acanthus had deemed not worth foraging.

“Brrrrrruf.” Dong. The sounds enthralled the bear to the point that she didn’t even notice Acanthus sweep in behind her and scoop her up. She gave a single surprised yowl before realizing who had picked her up. When she smelled Acanthus, she wriggled around and gave her a huge lick. Acanthus squeezed the bear tightly.

“You silly—” No. None of that. “...I’m glad you’re safe.” She set Kumaki back down, who rolled back towards the crystals. “What is it you’re working on?”

Kumaki walked over to the crystals before turning back to Acanthus expectantly. It finally clicked; her familiar had been nuzzling the crystals into a rough line. As Kumaki tapped them, Acanthus could tell she had arranged them from low to high.

“Look at you!” Acanthus laughed as she collected the crystals, careful to keep them in order. “Perhaps you can learn the saxophone.”

Acanthus left the thicket, her familiar in tow. She went to find Morrígan. “I’m sorry to have run off like that. I don’t know how much of that you heard, but Kumaki does appear to have an ear after all. I’m not sure how, but I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or, um, bear.” Acanthus eyed the horizon, getting her bearings. “I think it may be about time to head back, if you think Phantom is fully trained. I may practice with Kumaki using the crystals on our way back home to save us a little time. You’ve already spent so much time out here with me. I don’t want to keep you from all your other adventures.”

Post Action: Training Kumaki
240469 | CD 11 | Success!  (2/3)

Edited February 4 by Acanthus

[Morrigan 0]

Acanthus had dashed off the moment that Morrígan had pointed out the area that Phantom was showing an interest in, leaving the redheaded woman to stare after her in a mixture of surprise, humour, and a small measure of understanding. She followed along slowly, making her way across the rougher landscape with an ease that came almost naturally to her step. There was no rush to catch up with the other player; Morrígan wouldn’t provide any benefit by dashing into the unknown alongside her newfound companion and acquaintance.

Acquaintance? She feels like she should be something…more. Perhaps there’s a connection here…? She shook away the thought. It was far too soon to be calling anyone they’d just met a friend. Morrígan knew that friendships developed over time, with care and effort placed into them – they weren’t immediately created upon having a single portion of an adventure together. Whatever it was that had developed between the two of them, Morrígan knew that she wouldn’t be able to pin a name or token to it quite yet.

’I heard a little bit of it.’ She announced as Acanthus came bumbling back into view, the bear cub in tow. She smiled politely as Acanthus explained the newfound skill, and their plan to continue working on the bear cub’s capabilities as they made their way back to town. Morrígan shook her head as the other described the burden they had been placing upon Morrígan’s time. ’Do not consider yourself a burden upon my time, nor an interference upon any plans that I may have had for this day. Consider my attendance and presence at your disposal until such time as we have finished all our tasks for the associated quest; I am here to guide and assist, as long as it takes.’

Morrígan glanced towards the small bear cub, her eyes twinkling slightly as she smiled broader. ’I’m glad to hear, however, that you’ve discovered that the idea of incorporating your companion into your professional, as well as personal, livelihood isn’t entirely incomprehensible from reality. A digital, false reality perhaps…but a reality nonetheless. I’m happy for you both.’

[Acanthus 0]

“A false, digital reality…” Acanthus echoed the words back to her companion. For a moment, she had forgotten where she was. Despite the absurd premise of her current adventure—teaching a bear to sing?—she had lapsed into belief for a moment. She deflated as memories of her real life trickled back to her.

Morrígan interrupted her thoughts with soothing words.

Quote

’Do not consider yourself a burden upon my time, nor an interference upon any plans that I may have had for this day. Consider my attendance and presence at your disposal until such time as we have finished all our tasks for the associated quest; I am here to guide and assist, as long as it takes.’

“Thank you.” Blood rushed to her cheeks. She was uncomfortable with abject kindness, certain that it would sour eventually. But in the moment, she was grateful. “I will take you at your word. But I do hope it will not take much longer. We’ve had a few setbacks with Kumaki running off, but I think we are close to a breakthrough. Before we head back, I would like to make one more stop. There is a shallow riverbed nearby. I initially passed up some of the materials as unusable, but it appears I did not cast a wide enough net. Even if I cannot make performance crystals out of them, it seems Kumaki has a penchant for the sounds they make. It should be nearby.” She paused before starting to move. “I… you mentioned incorporating your familiar into your personal and professional livelihood. But I’m not really sure what you mean. Who is using animals in their profession in the real world?”

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan paused for a moment as she seemed to consider Acanthus’s question. She’d never considered the application in the real world, and yet the confusion had brought a measure of curiosity and consideration to Morrígan’s mind. She smiled once she had thought about the situation for a few seconds, the answer coming almost naturally once she did finally speak.

’Well, in the real world one would consider something along the lines of…police dogs, military horses…perhaps even feline creatures to be a professional animal, would they not? Perhaps it’s not as customary or common among most individuals. Though I have heard there was a recent increase in the introduction and consummation of service animals for various medical reasons…perhaps we can include those in our assessment and conclusion?’ Her voice carried a combination of humorous interest, and professional lilt towards it, and there was a slight glint in her eyes as she spoke; equal parts mischievous as much as interested in the topic at hand. ’I’m certain that there are numerous other conceptual inclusions that we could fathom, however I think that the list may at some point become finite in its determination.’

She paused for a few seconds, before laughing suddenly. The sound was oddly out of place, considering her usual professional regard and appearance, and yet it wasn’t unpleasant to the ears. When she’d calmed down after a few moments, she continued her line of thought, broken as it was. ’I was, however, referring to the conceptual integration of familiars in a professional, and personal manner within the world of Aincrad. The use of a familiar to collect col, materials, or inflict damage in combat, all while also incorporating them into your own familiar routines and living spaces. The way that pet, becomes tool. Perhaps not nearly as foreign as I originally thought though.’

She turned and stared towards the destination that Acanthus had directed them towards, nodding as the other suggested a change in their return path. Morrígan was more than happy to follow along, in no real rush at the moment to return back to the town quite yet. She was, admittedly, enjoying her time with the other player. It would be nice if it were to never end. Although I’m sure it must, there’s more adventures to be had. And I do need to focus on making my way towards the frontlines…perhaps we’ll meet again there, soon.

[Acanthus 0]

Acanthus slapped her forehead. “Right. Dogs have plenty of jobs in the real world. I was too locked in on bears for whatever reason.” Kumaki waddled up beside her. “The thought of Kumaki assisting law enforcement or the army is… interesting. But she’s such a gentle soul, I really can’t imagine her doing much hunting or attacking. And I would feel terrible putting her in harm's way. I’m not sure what happens if a familiar’s health drops to zero. I would hope that they simply retreat for some amount of time.” Her paced slowed, and she looked up at the floating castle that served as her prison. “But that’s not the game we’re playing, is it?”

She stood silently for a moment, uncertain how to proceed. “Morrígan… what do you think happens when we die here? Every once in a while, I find myself hoping that this is all some elaborate lie. I think that if we’ve conquered VR as a medium, then surely it isn’t too hard for this to all be in our mind. Maybe all our friends are busy waking up, five minutes after they plugged in. Wouldn’t that be something.” The more she rambled, the more childish she felt. It was a mistake to let such foolish thoughts escape. This game was a classic case of Occam’s Razor: the simplest solution was the correct solution. And what was simpler, some convoluted conspiracy that involved experiencing years in mere minutes, or taking a madman at his word?

“I’m sorry. That was a half-formed thought I’ve been carrying around for a while. Please ignore it.”

[Morrigan 0]

Morrígan smiled as Acanthus mentioned their focus on bears as a companion and workforce, before talking about Kumaki being in the armed forces, or assisting police with their daily duties. She had to agree that she couldn’t imagine the bear cub providing much in the way of assistance to any combative focused profession, however she shook her head before making a commentary of her own. ’I would harbour agreement with you wherein that Kumaki likely would be ill-fitted towards active duty as a combat specialised animal…however she could, perhaps, have a lucrative career within a performance art – a circus, you could say.’

She came to a slow stop as Acanthus mentioned her own opinions about the game world that they were trapped within, asking the one question that most players chose to ignore or remain mute upon; the eventual death that most would face, and the meaning of what it brought upon the player themselves. Did they return to the real world, nothing more than ejected from the game itself and free to return to the real world – and if so, why were they not telling someone, and retrieving everyone from the game thereafter?

’I believe you’ll find that the answer to that is rather simplistic, and complex in nature. When we die in this world…do we return to the old? Are we perhaps safe from the horrors here? Could we, in that final instance, realise how much time we wasted when all was for naught?’ She paused, as if letting the hope sink in just a little bit, before shaking her head and continuing her line of thought. ’It is plausible. But it brings forth other questions. Why hasn’t anyone else spoken out about the safety of their return to the real world? Why have we remained stuck in here, indefinitely waiting for our final moments of life in Aincrad – whether they be death, or freedom?’

She gave a shrug, suddenly, as if trying to push away some feeling. ’You could explain the phenomenon through many means. Perhaps all those who died in here are held in limbo, waiting for the game to be cleared before we all get released together. Perhaps there’s a safety mechanism, where an early ejection does cause irrevocable damage to the user. Or…perhaps all that hope is false, and the only way out is through a memory, or by clearing the game. I can’t say I know for sure either way.’

[Acanthus 0]

Quote

I can’t that I know for sure either way.

“I see.” Silence hung heavy in the air.

The women made their way back to the Town of Beginnings. Acanthus tried to move on from the conversation gracefully, but she had taken the wind out of her own sails with such a heady topic. And with such a new friendship as well. Morrígan had tactfully kept up with Acanthus’ attempts at conversation, but she couldn’t help but feel that she had soured the mood by asking a question that had no answer.

Acanthus realized that she had led the pair back to the respawn area on the first floor. Or what should have been the respawn area. The etched obsidian walls had beckoned Acanthus without her knowing, whispering warmly of their secrets.

“I hope I can see you again, Morrígan. I really appreciate your insight through everything today. It’s a bad habit of mine to get lost inside my own head, and those are when I need other people to give me some perspective.” She smiled wanely. “I don’t always appreciate outside perspectives at the moment. But I’ve found the less open I am to the advice, the more I need it. And if you ever need anything…” Acanthus opened her menu to send Morrígan a friend request. “I’m a message away. Whatever you need. After today, I think I owe you.”

Acanthus felt the unusual urge to hug the girl. She thought it was maybe a bit much for the first time meeting someone, so she settled for a warm smile and a wave goodbye. There was always next time, after all.
 

Post Action: Training Kumaki
240588 | CD 2 (yes my CD check is literally one, as noted above) | Success!  (3/3)

Edited February 11 by Acanthus

[Acanthus 0]

THREAD SUMMARY

Experience:
Acanthus | [Word Count: 11479/10 = 1147.9] * [True Tier: 7] * [Group Factor: 0.7] = 5625 + 300 (quest) = 5925 EXP
Morrigan | [Word Count: 11479/10 = 1147.9] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 0.7] = 804 + 300 (quest) = 1104 EXP                                    

Col:
Acanthus: 843 (laurel wreath)
Morrigan: 400 (bonus)

Other:
Acanthus and Morrigan receive 1 familiar skill of their choosing.