[PP - F4] No Frost in Snowfrost (Hasai)

[Takao 0]

Takao's jaw clenched shut to keep his teeth from rattling as a result of the sudden cold. He managed a smile as she helped him up and went about brushing the snow off his clothes. A quick and vigorous shake threw the snow off his head, leaving the cold all but gone. He tugged at the fur lined collar of his coat and pulled it closer to his neck, though the cold remnants of melted snow lingered on the otherwise warm material. His mouth had opened to speak but words failed him as his attention set on the scenery before them. His eyes shimmered as a look of childlike wonder fell over his face, his entire body unmoving as he examined the environment. "Whoa," his said in a low, soft tone. A small smile started on his face and quickly grew into a wide grin. "This place is even better than I was expecting!"

[Hasai 0]

Youno's eyes sparkled, he had wanted to say something before that? Youno just ignored that, and looked out, Yeah... I have only been here once, but again it astounds me. She walked closer in, enjoying the little 'safe zone' Her eyes wandered around the place, and she noticed a small outcrop, she went over, and sat down, she padded beside her, Take a seat if you want to. She just looked back out at the view, and enjoyed it, she loved it here, and that would never change. She gave a huge smile in Takao's direction, as she continued scanning the area.

[Takao 0]

Takao rubbed his upper arms as he glanced around. His body was still cold and he could feel it too, but his mind was much too preoccupied with taking in the scenery to be divided between the two, instead opting to focus entirely on his thorough examination. Takao had taken a few steps around, mostly just in a circle to appease the energetic nature of his that meant he was almost always in constant motion, but had stopped when his ears twitched upon hearing the sound of crunching snow. He turned to watch Youno walk over to a nearby outcrop and gesture him over by patting the space beside her, to which he obliged with a smile. He sat down beside her on the outcrop and supported his weight on his hands while his legs straightened out. It didn't take long for his eyes to wander over to her again, and settled on the small icon hovering beside her health gauge. "Sooo," he said, drawing out his voice in an effort to keep the silence at bay. His head rolled over his shoulders in a slow and lazy movement and returned to looking at her. "You're in a guild too, huh?" Takao's eyes flashed over to his own guild icon at the top left of his peripheral vision. "What's your's like?"

[Hasai 0]

Youno had noticed he had the Cerulean Silence as his guild emblem, and she had just shaken it off, hers was in fact a smaller guild at the moment, Mine is a kind guild. We take in anyone and everyone. Our dreams are to obtain a high enough ranking to make it to the front lines, and be a powerful guild like the Azure Brigade. You are in the Cerulean Silence? Mari is the leader am I right? My guild is called Silver Moon. She had started to tell all about her guild, and she continued, We still don't have a second in command, and the council are the original players who helped formed the guild. They are very nice, and companionate about helping others. I was going to join Cerulean Silence, until I decided that I wanted to create my own guild, and so here I am. A guild leader, of Silver Moon. Our guild doesn't solely focus on the front lines, our main focus is on each other. Making sure everyone is okay that's wh-- She instantly stopped talking as soon as she realized she was continuing on and on, Again! She looked at her shoes in embarrassment.

[Takao 0]

As she began to talk, Takao pulled his legs closer and crossed them. She had his full attention, demonstrated by the occasional nod or other gesture that he was listening. "Mm... Yeah, that's right." Takao wasn't well educated on the various guilds, only knowing a few of them by name and his own by insignia. He rested his gaze on her guild's emblem for a while, committing the crest to his memory. She mentioned the Silver Moon's guild having a council and vaguely remembered Mari talking about how her guild didn't follow the same principle, which made him wonder if many guilds followed that same choice of leadership. Then she mentioned having once had the intention to join the same guild, which raised Takao's eyes in pleasant surprise. A low chuckle escaped from his throat and he reached up to pat her on the head upon realizing the embarrassment. "I do that a lot too. Goin' on and on about something I'm really passionate about, I mean. It's not a bad thing, y'know?" His calm words were spoken with a genuine tone and accompanied by a reassuring smile.

 

"I wasn't actually planning on joining a guild myself until I got to the front lines. I was visiting Mari's shop and she just asked me if I wanted to join." His hand raised to rub the back of his neck as he casted a sidelong gaze at her. "To be honest, I didn't know anything about any guilds at the time. I still don't really. You must be the... maybe the third one that I've heard about now."

[Hasai 0]

Youno's eyes widened slightly as he patted her head, and they went back down, as she chuckled slightly at his comment, Well, Silver Moon wasn't always my choice of a guild, I mean I did create it, but I always thought of joining a great guild like Cerulean Silence or The Azure Brigade, but then I realized maybe my calling is to create a guild. The Azure Brigade is pretty hard to get into, and you need to show your good at what you do in order to join. Now that I know Zelrius, I don't think I would ever want to be in The Azure Brigade. Youno looked back at Takao, and smiled warmly, Mari has a nice alchemy shop. I would rather keep my friend's legacy and be a blacksmith though. I wouldn't change my profession. Ever. My friend, she died... I will carry on being a blacksmith... for her. It is what keeps me motivated to do my work. Do you have a profession?

[Takao 0]

His eyebrows raised curiously at her confession. The name sounded vaguely familiar, Zelrius. He tried to commit it to memory this time around while simultaneously rummaging around in his thoughts, wondering where he'd heard the name in the first place. He remembered that the name carried a negative connotation, wherever he'd heard it, and that particular nugget of information was reinforced by Youno's words. "I feel like I've heard about Zelrius somewhere before... But if that's the case, then it's a good thing you managed to avoid joining it before you knew." Takao glanced at her and returned the warm smile with one of his own, though as she continued, his face became crestfallen for only a second.

 

"I'm really sorry to hear about that." His sincere words were followed by an equally sincere smile. "It's good that you can find motivation through something like that. We're actually really similar in that regard. When everything was just starting out here, I was playing with a friend from real life. He was my sparring partner in our HEMA club." He paused to take a breath, as if to force the words from his throat. "He didn't make it either. But I'm not gonna let it get me down, y'know? It's motivating me to keep getting better too."

 

The subject change to professions was a welcome change, as conversations with such dark undertones as death weren't particularly a favourite of his. "Well, I've actually been thinkin' hard about that!" His chipper tone returned in full force. "I mean, I've already got friends who are tailors, and alchemists, and now blacksmiths too, so it'd be a waste if I learned those professions, y'know? So I was considering cooking! That's a pretty useful thing to be able to do in general, I think."

[Hasai 0]

Youon looked at Takao as he spoke, she nodded her head to his words, and she smiled brightly as he mentioned wanting to be a cook, I only know one other cook. I know plenty of blacksmiths, mostly because I met them on the road to become a blacksmith, I know some musicians and some alchemists. I even know a little 12 year old girl, who has survived this long in the game. She wants to be an alchemist. She is a sweetheart. I also know plenty of tailors. But I only know two people now, that are going to be cooks. The cook I know, is in the guild, however I don't really want to go to his shop. Is that bad? I would most definitely go to your shop, If I could that is. Sorry... I am mumbling again. Youno had only taken two breaths in that whole sentence, and she realized she had been talking on and on, But that is very useful. Cooks give you some good buffs, like with the food. With the to-be Alchemist, I think you would like to meet her, she may be 12. But she is the most mature little girl I have ever met. Youno started rambling on and on, she shut her mouth tight, How come I always talk and talk and talk today? This never happens to me! Youno shook off her thoughts before looking back at Takao. Zelrius used to be a PKer, but not because he wanted to be. He is a clean freak, I swear. I will duel him, and I will beat him. After how he acted towards me and my friends.... Her eyes teared up.

[Takao 0]

"Twelve?! Really? That's so young!" Takao's eyes were wide with surprise upon hearing about the girl. He absorbed everything else she said, but pushed it aside. "I wonder if it's hard for her to adapt 'cause she's so young?" His question, although said aloud, was more of a spoken thought than an inquiry aimed at Youno. He tilted his head at the mention of food giving buffs, a concept he hadn't put any thought into before. He was mostly just interested in cooking because he liked good food. "You can get buffs from food? Sweet!" Plenty of details were being memorized and stored within the confines of his overly-active head, flooding him with information. It wasn't a whole lot to take in, but his excitement sure made it seem like it was so. The subject then shifted back to Zelrius, and judging by her teary eyed words, the name didn't carry many pleasant memories with it. He exhaled a slow breath and nodded his head along.

 

"He doesn't seem like he's a very nice guy. What'd he do to you and your friends, if you don't mind me askin'?"

[Hasai 0]

Youno looked at Takao, Yah, you can get buffs. She let out a lighthearted chuckle, but then turned grim as he asked the next question, It's fine... Uhmm, so I was teaching one of my guild mates how to fight, back when it was the first week. I knew what to do, cause I instantly launched into it, and learned all I could. But, so he was fighting a boar, and Zerlius came on in, and killed it. My friend was supposed to kill it, and then after that, we started arguing, and then I said sorry, and held out my hand for a handshake, and he pushed me to the floor. Obviously, my two friends that I had been with, ran to my rescue, and attempted to deal with Zelrius, and then he threated to show us why he became an orange player. Then, when my friend I had been teaching asked him if he could teach him, because Zelrius was powerful, Zelrius turned him down, and said something like: 'I don't work with low leveled spoiled brats' Then my other friend left, and we all just haven't gotten along since. I plan on proving to him that we aren't spoiled brats. Youno spoke all of the words, and her tears stopped, as she realized there wasn't anything to cry over, I am sorry for crying, it is just something I haven't spoken about since the event. Not that proving him wrong is my main purpose.... That is why my other buddy, not the one I was training, died. He wanted to get stronger to prove himself, but he died. It taught me that I need to keep on working my hardest to level up, so I can help clear this game, and I know that somewhere in there, I will be able to duel Zelrius, possibly in a tournament. Her eyes then brightened, On a happier subject, how do you like Starglade?

[Takao 0]

Takao idly scratched his face as he listened and took in everything she was saying with an odd solemn expression. He nodded as her words came to an end, then turned to face her. "That's pretty lame of him. He sounds like a..." His mouth tightened as he suppressed the unaccustomed desire to curse. "Like a butt." He finally managed to get out. Takao exhaled, his breath turning to a plume of smoke as it left his body, and he turned his gaze skyward again. "How come you want to get him back so bad? ...I mean, I understand your reasons for having something against him, but it seems like it'd be a better idea to just... forget about him, y'know? You've got nothing to prove to anybody, much less him. He doesn't really seem like anybody worth worrying about to me, but that's just my take on it I guess." Takao's nose scrunched up slightly at the mention of his threats related to being an orange player. He stole a sidelong glance at her as she apologized and mentioned her friend, then turned to her with another warm smile. "It's alright, really. I get it completely, and I'm sorry about your friend. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you're careful about it and stay safe."

 

The mood shifted quickly at the mention of the Starglades. He averted his gaze and turned it skyward once again as his warm smile returned. "I like it a lot. I'll have to come back here sometime - ...maybe when I'm wearing something warmer." He exhaled a light chuckle beneath his breath and turned his head to her. "Thanks for showin' me the way here."

[Hasai 0]

Youno smiled widely, as he replied to her question on starglade, and when he looked at her, and chuckled, she nodded her head, she felt her face grow a bit warm, and she shoveled it down, trying not to blush at all, I must look retarded right now. She spoke, "No problem, It was fun coming here with you! We should do more adventures together. A-and, I really enjoyed the adventure here." She felt the urge to hug him, as he said he was cold, but shook it off. She realized her cheeks were pink, as it was hot.

[Takao 0]

Takao slowly rose to stand and stretched his arms skyward. Sitting for so long was something he had grown unaccustomed to as of late, he was so used to being in motion all the time. He dropped his hands back down to his side and turned about face to look at Youno again. A broad smile grew on his face at the suggestion of them adventuring again, and he nodded. "Yeah, totally! I bet there's lots of places like this on other floors that we could check out." He raised his hand to rub along his jawline in thought, wondering what kind of locations there were to be found. It seemed like the world was gigantic, and he hadn't even explored all of the first ten floors. "We could do some quests too, maybe. Those are usually fun." He dropped his hand back down to his side as his smile warmed up. "I enjoyed this too. It was nice to have a moment to chill out." He said, putting emphasis on a certain pun while looking at her expectantly. 

[Hasai 0]

Youno instantly laughed at his pun, and she stood up to stretch, "Well. I really enjoyed this. It was a really nice break. However, I cannot make puns like you can." She gave a small chuckle, and stepped forward, "Can I hug you?" She asked, wanting to make sure she didn't make him do anything that made him uncomfortable. She gave a slight smile, and felt herself start to blush, Why are you acting like this. She stood there like an idiot in the cold weather, even if it didn't bother her, she still felt the cold, she just knew it wouldn't change, and it didn't bother her, as she knew what the snow was like, before she had entered the game.

[Takao 0]

Takao shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. He was well aware of his uncanny ability to come up with puns on a whim, but he certainly couldn't expect others to be on the same level. "Hey, no worries, I... - Er, no, wait, snow worries!" Clutch. He chuckled lightly, though stopped when he'd noticed her taking a step closer. The gesture didn't seem strange to him in the slightest, being the social person he was, so he smiled as usual. "Sure!" He said as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the shorter girl for a tight hug. He pulled back after a minute and returned to smiling down at her. "Any time you wanna hang out again, lemme know. I'm not usually too busy." He said as he swiped open his GUI. Some swift menu navigation later had opened a prompt on Youno's end with the offer to put each other on their friend's list.

[Hasai 0]

Youno smiled brightly, as they hugged, and then she nodded her head, "Of course I will! You can count on me." Jeeze. Now you are sounding like some weird anime girl. She accepted the friend request, and brightened up, Youno really enjoyed it here. Starglade really was a magical place. She turned away, and scanned her eyes around the clearing, as her gaze kept landing upon the tiny little snowflakes that fell, she could stay here forever and be content just sitting in this place, however she knew she had to level, to make it to the frontlines, so she could possibly fight.... I wonder what a boss fight is like.... But I need to make it to at least 30, before I fight in a boss fight. Her mind continued to wander on many things.

[Takao 0]

Takao glanced down at the menu as she accepted the friend request and smiled faintly, then glanced back up to her. "Alright then, I'll be headin' out for now. See ya' around, Hasai!" After another warm smile and wave, he turned on his heel and started following their footprints back to the town. As it usually did when not being occupied by something, his mind began to wander. "She was nice." He thought, his eyes slowly glancing over at the guild icon hovering beside his name. He huffed out a breath of white clouds in thought and continued walking, idly scratching his face as his thoughts continued to wander.

[Hasai 0]

Youno had forgotten a very important question she had wanted to ask him, she ran as fast a she could to catch up to him, her thoughts running amok, Why are you doing this? Her heart beat fast, but it wasn't from running, What. Are. You. Doing. She urged herself to stop running, but it only made her run faster, What if you are to shy to say something. She couldn't help her thoughts get to her head, Just do it, you idiot! She then called out, Takao! Wait! There is no going back now.

[Takao 0]

(Just noticed the new avatar! It looks awesome!)

 

Takao blinked as her voice cut through the cold silence of the glades, the sudden change making his hand twitch and consider reaching for his sword. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head to glance over his shoulder, his body following soon after. He began to backtrack until he stood in front of her again, hands at his side and eyebrows raised slightly. "What's up? Everything alright?" The brunet looked her over once and noted that she looked alright, though the concern in his voice persisted.

[Hasai 0]

(Hehe~ Thanks. The old avatar looked old. I needed a cuter, and newer Hasai, one that didn't look as old as the old avatar, as she is still only a teen)

Youno watched as Takao came back, she had walked out of the glade however, and somewhat met him halfway, Nothing is wrong, but.... Suddenly her face felt hot, and she started blushing, she kicked the ground a bit, and started to twirl part of her ponytail, wrapping it around her finger brought her some comfort, Just ask you idiot. Do you have a girlfriend? There. She said it. She instantly closed her eyes, and refused to open them, embarrassed with herself, she felt herself start to form some more words, N-nevermind... J-just ignore that....  There you go. You did it again. Youno suddenly felt really shy. She had asked a question in bluntness, she didn't mean for it to come out like that! She felt herself slowly start to panic.