[F10 | SP] Among the Shadows | <<Feeding Your Enemy>>

[Nymoria 0]

I don’t know why…but it just feels right… Nymoria had stepped away from the small parkade area that she had originally spotted the animal. She’d been convinced, now, that the thing wasn’t one of the ghostly apparitions that seemed to flow throughout the town of Yomi. It may have glowed the same, but Nymoria had felt more of a solid, tangible presence from the thing that had appeared, and disappeared so suddenly. She may have been imagining it, she was certain that was a possibility, and yet she had no real reason to think why she would do such a thing.

The ethereal beings that had walked this town have always been humanoid in nature. Ghosts of the people who once lived here, but never ghosts of the animals that once roamed the areas…unless this is the very first sighting, it’s something else… Nymoria had traversed the length of a single road in the last twenty minutes, searching every crevice she could find along the way in the hopes of spotting some sign of the creature. A hope that was clearly in vain. Whatever it is, it’s good at now being found. Perhaps it works hard to not be found. It’s good at it. She gave a sigh as she stepped back from another empty area – this one a small alcove between two homes that had long since become covered in dust and memories. Nothing moved within, the alcove or the house, and Nymoria found a small chill running down her back as she was once again reminded of the eerie nature of the world around her.

Maybe it’s inside the house? The idea was a longshot, but as Nymoria stepped up towards the home, she realised that just about anywhere in the town could be a hiding place. Which meant that she was in for a long, hard search if she was determined to find this possible new friend. The realisation didn’t quite stop her, but she definitely found herself facing a sudden day of exhaustion if she weren’t going to be lucky and come across the critter within the next small period of time. You need to put effort into things…remember that. If you want to be successful like anyone else…it takes effort. No excuses. No hesitations. Just…do it.

[Nymoria 0]

She was as surprised by the motivation within her mind as she was by the sudden movement of her entire form, heading into the house’s entryway and stepping beyond the doorframe. The visage that met her eyes was fairly standard for a home in Yomi – a simple entryway leading into numerous small rooms, from eateries to seating areas. The majority of the house was elegant in design, and shared commonalities with the other homes that Nymoria had visited – and yet, there were still personalised objects that differentiated it from the neighbouring buildings. Small trinkets, likely meant to be a signifying piece of importance towards the once-owners of the home; a means to show character against the otherwise boring repetition.

It certainly makes you wonder if there really were people here once…or if it’s all just a lie to make us feel…something. She’d almost said better, before realising that it was more depressing than it was inspiring. The idea that a being, perhaps not a person in the normal sense, had once had a life in this home only for it to be ripped away with by some tragic event was anything but uninspiring. It’s a reminder of the horrors that can happen, I guess. A reminder of the deaths…as if we need that. Whatever the purpose Cardinal was trying to bring, Nymoria only felt despair as she moved throughout the rooms, looking for any signs of hope – a hope that she would find a new companion, being one of them.

She ran a hand along the kitchen table’s edge, feeling the solid nature of the item beneath her hand. A small layer of dust dispersed from the area, puffing into the air and then falling slowly to the ground as one would expect such an interaction to occur. Everything about it felt real to Nymoria – that was happening more and more, she had to admit. It was like she was forgetting the differences between Aincrad, and the real world. But…am I forgetting which one is the real place? The place I belong? Or…am I just becoming used to this world? What does that mean for when we eventually escape the confines of Aincrad, and return to our home…? Her thought was followed up by a darker, more obtrusive thought that caused her to jerk her hand back from the table. Who’s to say you will manage to get back home? Maybe this is where you deserve to be, where you can’t cause trouble for those who were close to you.

[Nymoria 0]

She shook away the despair and anger that it brought, trying to realign herself by turning towards the seating area visible across the hallway. It was similar, in a somewhat more basic way, to her own home’s seating area. Small cushions around a low sitting table; a delicate representation of more traditional living areas found within a home. The cushions were organised, seated where they had been left after someone had used the area and cleaned up after themselves. Undisturbed through the passing of time, and the lack of further usage of their properties. Another reminder that this had once been a home, and now was nothing more than a museum to show what had existed before time stopped for it all.

There was clearly nothing to find within the house, beyond the remnants of what had once been a life. Nymoria turned and made her way back towards the road beyond, her walk casual and yet carrying a desire to leave the place behind. She paused, however, at the doorway and gave one last look over the house that had once been a home to someone, giving a final farewell before she left the area for good. We’re all forgotten, in the end…if there’s no one to carry on our memories. Perhaps that’s the worst fate of all…being forgotten. She quickly turned her mind away from the thoughts, knowing where they would lead – she had always feared being forgotten, being nothing more than a mere blimp in a memory, that no one could bring to voice. Not even herself.

The street was aglow with fading glimmers as Nymoria re-entered the cooler outside air. She could see, out of the corners of her eyes as always was the case, as the figures disappeared upon the return of her presence. Makes me wonder…are they just invisible? Or do they actually leave? Why do they leave? Are they scared? She stepped down off the small entryway, pondering the thoughts as she moved throughout the roadway once more. She glanced into other buildings as she went, confirming that there was no obvious movement within before moving on to the next; a slow and tedious process, but one that she was willing to take her time with. Could we…make connections with them?

[Nymoria 0]

But does that mean we shouldn’t try? It may be pointless, but… She stopped herself, realising that there were far more important things to focus on. As much as she wanted to help the lost spirits, she knew that any sidetracking from their main purposes, anything that wouldn’t assist them in their escape, would be nothing more than a hindrance towards their final goal. We need to fight and clear and escape. But…who says we need to lose our humanity along the way? Who says we can’t do good…help the things in here, where we can? She stopped and leaned against a nearby wall, pondering the concept as she took a small break from her endless search.

What good does it do us if we leave this world nothing more than murderous beings, who have learnt to survive by killing whatever can give us advantage over those things that we face…those blockades in life? Nymoria hadn’t considered the concept before, and yet as she took a few moments to rest and relax, it seemed to hit her as a wave crashes into a beachhead. Are we becoming the very monsters of legend and story? Is that what all of this is about? Do…does Kayaba want nothing more than to victimise us into becoming some horror to release upon society? Her final thought felt like a stretch – the man, the creator, the jailor seemed ill equipped for such an extravagant purpose. Yet none had expected Sword Art Online’s twisting fate of trapping its players within its realm; all had been caught by surprise by the horrors that Kayaba would inflict. Perhaps…perhaps he’s testing us? Seeing if we break, or if we can overcome our base, impure urges…?

Nymoria knew she wouldn’t get any answers here. It would take investigation, consideration and time to come to any sort of conclusion – and yet, she found herself nudged in a direction. A decision, without a true decision. If there is one thing we cannot afford…I cannot afford, it’s to lose who I am any more than I already have. If that means taking time within this world to…to be a person, a real person who helps and cares…then so be it. That’s what I’ll do…I’ll help, where I can. She knew the words were somewhat empty, that they would require a measure of strength and conviction behind them – which meant she would need to find a way to help people; a task that she had previously battled with. I…I can do it. I have to do it. I won’t be a hindrance any longer. I’ll find a way to help others…to be something…useful.

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria shook away the thoughts, knowing that it wouldn’t help her in the moment. The haze that had been settling over Yomi seemed to be descending in force, covering the streets in a smokeless veil that disturbed any plausible sight over a distance; a reminder of many older movies that seemed to believe the fog would cover every dark alleyway that one passed or went down when wandering a street at night. Nymoria glanced about, considering her next steps carefully.

Everything here looks familiar…I think I’ve been down that way already. What about going right? She glanced at the street to her right, wondering if she’d be able to find anything of use down there. Small glows, barely visible against the veil that had descended before her very eyes, signified the movement of those spirits that had yet to sense her presence and disappear entirely from view. Worth a try, I guess. Can’t be any harm in heading down that way if I haven’t been there yet…beside, this is a safe zone. There shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about in regard to danger… The thought didn’t convince her, however, and she found herself hesitating for an instance before making her way down the route.

[Nymoria 0]

This place could almost be…relaxing, if not for the…well, everything. Nymoria glanced into another abandoned house as she passed by, seeing little in the way of interest within its boundaries. She considered, for a singular moment, heading inside just to make sure she hadn’t missed anything, before convincing herself she was better off continuing upon her current route. Her mind wandered again as she moved down the street; her eyes taking everything in even as she felt a small disconnect from her current reality, as if moving on an automated path and programmed behaviour.

It’s quiet, even for me. It’s like…there’s little here to disturb you. Little here that can make you uncomfortable, beyond the atmosphere that seems to hover over this place. It’s seen horrors, for sure…but it’s not bustling, it’s not busy…it’s peaceful, in its own way. She couldn’t help but wonder if her true enjoyment of the area – if it could be called enjoyment, perhaps it was better labelled as a connection – was nothing more than a desire to pull away from people; to be alone and without interruption. If you’re alone, then you can’t be holding anyone back, right?

[Nymoria 0]

The disliked the snarky voice, tossing it aside and turning her attention to a stone figure that she had stopped before. It reminded her, somewhat, of a canine. The way it sat upon its haunches, and the way its ears bent slightly, seemed almost dog like in nature – though the face was anything but a dog. Nymoria couldn’t help but wonder if it was some local figure that had been considered a prized possession of their history or momentous occasion, and found herself searching for some marker or label that would explain the piece. She came up empty handed, however, and eventually stepped back from the statue with an unsatisfied demeanour.

Oh well, I guess it will remain a mystery for the time being. Eventually…maybe I’ll find something about it, or forget about it. She didn’t like the idea of simply forgetting about the thing, the feeling almost too close to home for her. Sighing, realising the spiral that she was headed towards, she turned away from the statue and moved back into the street itself, glancing up and down as she tried to figure out what her next plan of action would be. She’d seen no sign of the creature she was chasing down, and she knew that it was getting later in the day.

[Nymoria 0]

Eventually I’m going to have to head home, and perhaps retry this tomorrow…or try something else. Some thing are just not meant to be, after all. Another sigh as she realised everything was slowly unravelling for her; there would be no success today in finding a new companion, no success in discovering any of the secrets hidden away in Yomi, no overcoming the challenges of communicating with the ghostly apparitions that roamed the streets of the town. Sometimes you fail at things…but I’m failing at a lot of things…I need to find a way to succeed at things.

She ignored the commentary from her mind that arose to try and combat her positive thoughts. It was nothing more than a despairing barrage telling her how she was incapable of succeeding, how she was destined to always fail; to always be a failure. Nymoria felt tired. Tired of it all. Specifically tired of the way she hated herself. She wanted nothing more than for it all to end, to be silent, to leave her alone.

Edited February 9 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

There was a way to end it all. The voices, the displeasure, the hatred…the self-loathing. You didn’t take it, because you were too weak. Too incapable. You couldn’t even do that for everyone else! The darkness had seen its chance, and rushed to the forefront of her mind, the words flowing over her as Nymoria reached out a hand against the nearby wall to stabilise herself. It hit her physically, as the feelings rushed over her, causing her head to swim and her vision to cloud slightly. You could have brought it all to an end, to be free of it forever. No one would ever miss you, would they? Who have you even made friends with here? Who have you even connected with, who would notice you being gone? You disappeared into a room for weeks, and no one batted an eye! No one checked! No one cared.

She swayed on her feet as it all hit her, before she slumped to the ground. The exhaustion of the day, the loss of Musei, and the darkness within herself was all too much, and Nymoria found herself shirking back into a place she had just escaped. A place she had promised not to return to, if for no one else’s benefit than Musei’s. He’s gone now though, he doesn’t care. He left you, alone. Like everyone does. Like you deserve to be. Alone. Uncared for. Ignored. Forgotten.

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria fought against the darkness that was overwhelming her. Her vision had become clouded, the tears in her eyes tearing away her ability to view the world around her as anything but a shifting, flowing form that appeared entirely wrong to her mind. She wanted nothing more than to submit to the depths of the darkness, to give in and forget all the horrors that had been her life up until now. Maybe it’s for the best…maybe it’s what I should do…what I should do for everyone else. Who am I going to help, if I can’t help myself? What’s the point of it all…it’s not like anyone would benefit from me being arou-

The words in her mind were cut off as something bit her. The pain was temporary, barely noticeable if Nymoria were being entirely honest. It was, however, enough to shock her out of the self-loathing, depressive thoughts that she’d been headed towards. A pull back to the reality that was the world around her. She lifted her hand, staring at it through the glossy, wavering view that still clouded her vision. She could see a small red mark, swimming back and forth before her, a mark of something having impaled her.

This is a safe zone. The thought struck her out of her reprieve, and Nymoria wiped the tears away, trying to figure out what was happening. She blinked three times, before the world before her suddenly shifted into focus. Still, it took a full moment before the figure before her made any sense to her mind, patiently waiting for her to register everything. That’s a fox. The thing didn’t glow this time; not entirely. The luminescent aura that had covered it previously was gone, instead now a black, dark aura seemed to hover around its form – an aura that reminded Nymoria of darkness, more than anything else.

-

Post Action: Familiar Search
ID240664 | LD: [16+1] = 17 | Req: 9+ | Results: Familiar Located

Edited February 9 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria didn’t move as the thing’s presence registered in her mind. There wasn’t anything immediately nefarious about the creature sitting before her; in fact, if it weren’t for the darkness that surrounded it, and the odd way its form seemed to shift and shimmer against the world around it, Nymoria would have considered it a regular fox. There were oddities among its imagery, for certain, and yet there was no immediate display of aggression or a desire to hurt her. Even the bite upon her hand, which Nymoria assumed it must have given to her in an attempt to break her away from the depths of her despair, had been gently at best – a mere pinch to draw her attention outwards and towards itself.

Those eyes though… There was something in the things eyes, a presence that seemed to both call to her, and attempt to push her away. She assumed the secondary affect was more of her own reaction to the thing, rather than any conscious or subconscious effort on its own part. Nymoria found herself frozen in place, however, as she tried to figure out what to do with the creature settled before her. I should…I should try and do something. But what? What if it’s not friendly? What if I’ve misread the thing’s entire purpose for being here? What if-

-

Post Action: Tame Familiar
ID240666 | CD: 1 | Req: 9+ | Results: Tame Familiar [Failure]

Edited February 9 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

She focused on shutting down the race that her mind had begun; trying instead to bring herself back to the reality of the moment. She couldn’t ignore the thing, that much was certain. It was here now, and would be something that she would simply have to overcome – a challenge, like any other. She just needed to figure out how to overcome it, which meant that first she would need to figure out what exactly it wanted.

It’s fox like in appearance, maybe it’s just hungry. It could just be looking for something to ea- Nymoria almost smacked herself, stopping short only through the awareness that such a jarring movement might cause the creature to turn and flee from the area. She’d entirely forgotten, in her moment of despair and depressive downfall, what the purpose of her visit to the floor had been in the beginning. It doesn’t look much like a familiar, but…maybe it could be one? It was the best idea that Nymoria had, in the moment at least, and she shifted herself slowly around to reach for the pouch at her waist.

The movement seemed to spook the creature slightly, and it shifted backwards away from her. Nymoria blinked. She hadn’t seen the thing move, so much as it had relocated further away from her; as if it had teleported. Well, that’s...something. Too fast. I need to take it slower, calmer. I don’t want to spook it entirely. She pulled the pouch from her waist, careful not to make any sudden movements as she pulled it open. She could see the creature lean forwards slightly, as if attempting to figure out what it was she was doing. It made no movement to approach her, however.

-

Post Action: Tame Familiar
ID240667 | CD: 6 | Req: 9+ | Results: Tame Familiar [Failure]

Edited February 9 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Nymoria placed the bag on the ground between the creature and herself. She remained still as she waited for it to relax a bit, to find the comfort it had when she had been busy within her own mind. The fact that it hadn’t run away yet was a good sign to Nymoria, and she waited patiently with the knowledge that she had a chance to coerce it towards her, to make it see that she wasn’t a threat.

She took the time while she waited to glance over the creature’s form a bit more, taking in details that she hadn’t originally noted due to the shifting form, and the darkness that surrounded it. Six…no eight tails…fluffy. And those ears, look at how attentive they are…good hearing…I wonder what that’s like…the eyes though… Nymoria glanced at the golden eyes, taking them in as she tried to figure out the creature’s nature to some degree. There was no doubt about its intellect; it stared at her in return with an obvious side of caution, as well as interest, and something else that Nymoria couldn’t quite place yet.

Is that…concern? She almost scoffed at the idea, and yet it seemed to fit the creature well, in the moment. Whatever other thoughts she may have had though were erased as the creature stepped gingerly forward, sniffing at the bag as Nymoria waited with apprehension and anticipation for its reaction to the items placed at her feet. She felt a twitch in her hand – a movement noticed by the fox – and fought to keep it in check. The creature had paused in reaction, but didn’t run away. I wonder… Nymoria carefully raised her hand, bringing it slowly up and forwards for the creature to test. She half expected the thing to run, to leave her sitting there alone once more. She was surprised when it instead reached forward and nibbled her hand ever so gently, before pulling it towards the bag of treats with a direct intent.

Alright, you’re polite. There had been no pain at its grab, no intent to harm her. Instead, it seemed to be requesting her permission, or assistance in obtaining one of the treats. Careful not to spook it, she grabbed one in her finger tips and held it up for the fox, holding it in a way that the thing could eat without feeling entrapped. She remained still as it nibbled, each of them eyeing the other. I should try asking it something. The thought came out of nowhere, and Nymoria found herself wondering if it was a bad idea – and yet, her hands were already in motion.

My name is Nymoria. Would you like to be friends? She was slow in her movements, and her signs, as she used on her right hand – the left still holding the treat that the fox had been eating. She made sure not to move with her regular, practiced and well-versed movements in order to not scare the creature. However, as the thing gave a slight nod in return, Nymoria realised that she likely would not have had to be so cautious. All fear had disappeared from its appearance, and she could see a change in its entire behaviour as she signed her next words. Would you like to come home with me?

-

Post Action: Tame Familiar
ID240668 | CD: 9 | Req: 9+ | Results: Tame Familiar [Success!]

Edited February 9 by Nymoria

[Nymoria 0]

Thread Summary
Word Count: 10,716
EXP: 10,716/10x1x4 = 4,284 [Progression] + 300 [Quest] = 4,584 EXP
Col: 400 col [Progression]
[Familiar] | Familiar submission for evaluation linked here.