Open Eastern Brisshal A Budding Do Over

[Harveste]

"Oh, I didn't mean VR games specifically," Harveste soon explained, "Just games in general. I think when I started Terrasphere up way back when, though, it was for a similar reason." She skipped out of the river and began flapping her dress to dry off. "I'm a writer, you see, but I lack one of the five senses. When I heard about the realism of this game, I thought, 'maybe I can experience it there!' So, I came. And you know, it sort of worked! I smelled things for the first time in my life!"

Grinning widely, she knelt down into the grass on the bank of the river. "They always say you need to describe all the senses when you write, so while I was doing well as a writer, my readers sometimes complained that I wasn't describing the smells correctly. Congenital anosmia isn't really well understood still, you know?"

Looking back, her smile softened. "I got a lot more than I bargained for playing this game though. Not just smells, but feelings as well. In a way, that's why I really came back. To escape, but also to see what new things I can discover." She twirled to finish off drying herself, giggling because she wasn't dizzy doing it.

"I'll definitely look up that sugar sculpture, though! I hope you'll find inspiration that helps you make even more wonderful things!"

 

[Sylpha Astarte]

"Ich" Sylpha made a sound of disgust when she heard of Harveste's condition. Perhaps a writer could make it through the world without a sense of smell, but lacking any of the five senses would be a serious handicap to a chef like Sylpha. "If that's the case, no wonder you'd be so keen to come back. I'd be rushing back too if I've had my sense of smell cut off for four years."

She was no scientist, but she's tried other VR simulations after Terrasphere, and none of them could reproduce the steps of cooking as realistically as this game. "Yeah, I came back to discover more stuff too. I've been looking for Elven recipes since I started and had no luck then. It's why I'm going to set Yladia as the first major stop on my journey once I've settled back in. I don't know if Faerin have their own special bread, but if you find any recipes like that, contact me and I'd like to study them."

Turning around, she gestured for Harveste to follow along. "Let's get going. An adventure doesn't happen in familiar places like this."

 

[Harveste]

"Right? Once you get used to having something you didn't your whole life, it's hard to go back to how things used to be. I mean, it was that way whenever I was offline but... You get the point." She sniffed the air and let out a relieved sigh. It really did feel good to have scents again.

Harveste had tried other VR simulations too- but none gave her the sense she lacked, nor helped her escape the loss of the feelings Terrasphere had given her... But she wasn't about to get into that. She was working on not over-exposing herself as much. "I'll look into Faerin recipes for you whenever I can, then! I'll have to look hard for a Faerin-run bakery. Speaking of bakeries... I just noticed a pun in your name." She giggled and pointed out that Astarte had 'tarte' in it. She was utterly delighted, or so it seemed.

"Right!" She chirped as Sylpha gestured her to follow. She ran after the woman with her short but nimble legs, grinning like a goof once again. The adventure had only just begun. Only time would tell what awaited them!