Complete Eastern Brisshal A Stranger in a Strange Land, He is No One

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

Regan landed serenely on the forest floor. The moonlight above illuminated the forest in silver and shadows. She had done it, her research through countless forums and websites had finally paid off and she had gotten hold of the QR code allowing admittance into Terrasphere. The woman tested her feet and body, smiling savagely as she tested her new body.

"ALRIIIIIGHT! NOW, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IT! WITH THIS BODY I'M GOING TO CRUSH THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD!"

Regan was visibly excited this was different from all the previous games she played. This felt real. It was real. This was her body, a warrior's body with strength and purpose yet refined with beauty and a savage elegance.

From behind her, Regan suddenly heard a snarl. Apparently, her shouting had drawn something to her. Turning quickly, the woman noticed a wolf snarling at her, apparently, it planned to make Regan its next meal.

"Ohhhh so you want a bite puppy? Ya hungry? Well... LET'S SEE WHO EATS WHO FIRST!"

Rushing at the wolf with her bare hands, Regan caught the wolf in it's nose with her fist. The wolf reeled back momentarily, then launched itself at Regan jaws open wide. Instinctively holding out her forearm, the wolf latched on biting deep. Blood began to run down the woman's arm.

"HAHAHA! IT HURTS! IT REALLY HURTS! AND LOOK, I'M BLEEDING! HAHAHA! GOOD!"

Fighting through the pain, Regan held her arm up above her head. The wolf still refusing to give up the arm held fast but this left an opening in its underside. With her free arm, Regan delivered a firm blow striking the wolf in the stomach. Reeling from the blow, the wolf released Regan's arm landing a few feet away.

"Now, let's see what I can do with this..."

Looking down at her mangled, bloody arm. Regan focused, suddenly droplet by droplet the blood began to to pool into her open hand as a great quivering globule.

"HAHA, WOULD YA LOOK AT THAT! I'M A NATURAL!"

Focusing on the globule, Regan willed into the shape of long katana-like blade.

"THIS IS TOO EASY! IT'S LIKE I WAS MADE FOR THIS"

Grinning wickedly, Regan turned to the wolf.

"You made a big mistake today wolfie. You know, if things were different I'd make you my pet but you wouldn't want that either right? You're like me. You get that it's kill or be killed. I respect that. We're warriors you and me, and I won't dishonor you with anything less."

Taking the blade of congealed blood, Regan slowly walked to the staggered wolf.

"Be proud, you were the first enemy defeated by Regan, FUTURE VAMPIRE QUEEN OF THIS WHOLE DAMN WORLD!"

With one stroke the wolf was no more, though Regan wasn't finished. Opening her mouth, Regan's two white fangs glistened in the moonlight. Suddenly, blood from the defeated wolf began to flow outward from the wolf's body floating in the air until the droplets accumulated into streams that flowed directly into Regan's open mouth. She was drinking the wolf's blood.

After she was finished, Regan wiped her mouth on her forearm. A small bit of blood smeared across the woman's lips like smeared lipstick.

Not too bad. I thought it might taste like shit, but honestly, the whole drinking blood thing isn't bad. Now then I've downed a wolf. What's next? Another wolf? A bear? I don't care if I'm here all night, I'll defeat everything in the forest.

Regan laughed out loud to herself.

"YOU HERE THAT! WHAT ELSE IS NEXT? ANOTHER WOLF! ANOTHER TWO WOLVES! HOW ABOUT A BEAR! WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE TO THROW AT ME, FOREST?! QUIT HIDING BEASTS! COME OUT SO I CAN RIP YOU APART!"

Regan waited with a grin. She would conquer this world one battle at a time.

 

[Bluebird]

Today, Bluebird is practicing her flying.

It's slow, careful work - while she could easily fling herself into the air with reckless abandon, that would be ignoring important things like maneuvering and landing. Not that she doesn't want to - the idea that the sky could be hers is a powerful lure. She just needs to reach for it.

Her practice, however, is interrupted by a distant cacophony. She's not alone out here and... she can't tell if they're shouts of joy, or fear, or anger. Or all of them. Part of her wants to avoid it and the risks associated, but she can't help but be curious - and if things become dangerous, she can always ride the wind away, right?

It doesn't mean she isn't cautious, though. She can't fly freely, not yet, but she can stay up in the canopy, leaping from branch to branch like a squirrel. Her tittering melody carries her forward until she sees a silhouette in the distance, one that becomes a person as she approaches.

A person covered in blood, standing above a wolf with a vicious grin. She can't tell if it's a person or a monster.

Any introductions die in her throat as she freezes, hoping that she wasn't noticed.

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"WELL! I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING COMING!"

Suddenly, Regen heard a sound behind her, turning quickly to attack, the woman suddenly stopped.

"Ah, well then."

Regan's face went blank. She trudged towards the creature, as she did, it looked like she was growing angrier by the step. The wrinkles on her forehead that much was going through Regan's mind.

So this is it. I shout and rage for wolves, bears, and beasts and I'm thrown this. A creature that I must protect. If any harm were to befall something so adorable, I would have to burn this world to the ground.

"Hello little bird girl. Don't be afraid, I'm here to protect you and all other small, cute, and adorable creatures like yourself from anything that would harm you. Do you need help little bird? Are you lost? I'm new here as well. Can you fly with those adorable little wings? Look, I have wings too. We're alike. But I'm a bat Beastperson, not a bird."

Regan unfurled her leathery bat wings. Two things were made clear in an instant. First, Regan was a violently scary individual, and second she had an extreme weakness for anything cute.

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

As Regan approaches, Bluebird steps back - one hand begins working, ready to cast a wind spell, but her voice catches in her throat and deprives her of the vocal components. For all her practice with targets and friends, she's yet to encounter someone with such an aura of malice in this game, and she can't suppress her instinct to freeze...

...but nothing happens. The woman's voice no longer booms with aggression. Her words are softer and kinder... though she is still covered in blood, and the sudden shift in attitude is almost more dangerous than if she'd simply remained loud and angry.

Then the woman spreads her wings, and her heart catches in her throat as she realizes that she won't simply be able to fly away from this problem.

Bluebird falls into old habits of appeasement, her smile as joyless as a china doll. "Ah. Hello there, miss. I'm sorry to interrupt you - I was just curious as to why there was so much shouting happening." Her voice is quiet as she tries to make herself seem smaller - like she isn't a threat. "I am Bluebird. Do you need anything?"

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"Ah the shouting! Haha, well you see I was here in the midst of battle with this wolf. Like I said, I'm new to this world and this wolf tried to get the better of me. It was a good fight but it was know match for me."

Regan smiled warmly, it was clear she liked this cute birdwoman.

"But your name is Bluebird. Yes, that's fitting, a beautiful name for an adorable little creature. Yes, I approve. Now, do I need anything..."

Regan looked herself over.

"Well, my arm is fairly mangled so some type of healer might be nice. But either way I'll be fine. I'm just learning to use my magic and it seems I have a pretty good handle on it. Other than that, maybe something else to fight? I'm a warrior and my plan is to grow stronger with each victory until I'm the most powerful in this world."

Regan turned back to the forest.

"YOU HEAR THAT FOREST! THE MOST POWERFUL! HAHAHA!"

Turning back to Bluebird, the woman smiled once more.

"And what are you doing out here little Bluebird?"

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

Bluebird flinches as the woman turns and shouts into the forest. She's mostly recovered by the time she turns back, though her tail is stiff and her feathers ruffled.

Kind, but angry, turning between them in a blink. How familiar this is, bringing her back to a different time and world. It's only the fear of pursuit that keeps her rooted in place.

"A warrior? How interesting," she says, the smile still on her face. "I am out in the forest to practice my magic as well. Terrasphere is a lovely place, but it can also be dangerous. It appears you have already learned this."

She is almost distressingly formal as her eyes turn towards the mangled arm. "May I help you with that? I know a little of healing." She stays there, waiting for the permission to approach. It's only once it's given that she approaches, humming a wordless tune as she does - and as she hums, sparkling magic glitters around the wound. Slowly, they begin to close up, as if they were never there.

"What is your name?" Bluebird asks between breaths, her eyes firmly fixed on the closing wounds.

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"Ah, thank you kind, adorable, Bluebird."

Regan smiled as the woman healed her arm.

"Yes, it's good that you're practicing your defenses. The wolf I defeated earlier was challenging and I would hate for you to get gobbled up. In fact, if something did attempt to attack something as cute as you, I would hunt it down for months until I found it, tear its legs off and drink it dry until only a husk remained."

Saying this with the same casual and friendly air as if she had just given a neighbor a recipe for pie, Regan continued.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Regan, bat Beastperson and future Vampire Queen of this world. Like I said, it's my duty to become the strongest to protect all the cute and adorable little denizens of this world from anything that would harm them. Because of that, I must be quite ferocious. Sorry if I scared you."

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

"Hello, Regan." Bluebird pulls back with a quick and automatic bow. "...I appreciate the compliment and care. I have learned a bit of the ways of self-defense, but I have heard that one should not brave the forests alone, if they can help it."

Could someone truly be so vicious? It would be almost comical if it weren't distressingly familiar. She does her best to keep her voice and expression pleasant, even as she focuses on the intake and exhaust of air through her nostrils.

She knows how to run. If she needs to, Ruby has taught her to fight. And, at least for now, Regan considers her... 'acceptable' enough to protect, or so she has aggressively declared.

However, something does spark her curiosity, a word that sounds vaguely familiar, but not one she knows the meaning of.

"Vampire queen?" She asks with a tilt of the head. "What, may I ask, is a 'vampire'?"

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"HAHAHA! WHAT'S A VAMPIRE! YOU'RE SILLY LITTLE BLUEBIRD."

Regan wiped a tear from her eye she was laughing so hard.

"Maybe you're not from the real world? In any case, a vampire is a monster that has the powers of a beast with great wings and fangs like mine. Vampires drink blood like I do for sustenance and to heal themselves. Ah, but don't worry, I'm not here to hurt cute and adorable creatures like yourself. It wouldn't due to have any one of your pretty feathers."

Regan scratched her as she thought for a moment.

"I suppose you can think of me as a monster that hunts and fights monsters. I'm a born and bred warrior and my purpose is to be the strongest. Does that make sense? I'm scary to my enemies because they should be scared of me. But I have no reason to scare cute creatures like yourself, Bluebird. But that's enough about me. What are you doing in this world? Are you having fun?"

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

"Ah, I see. So it is a sort of demon." Bluebird knows what demons are, at least in the sense she learned of them. She smiles again. "I am of the real world, but vampires are not a thing I have heard of until now. I am glad to know you have no intent to harm me, however."

She's not sure if she likes this Regan person. She's hard to read, vacillating between kind and angry, declaring herself a monster that fights other monsters... it brings back memories she'd rather not think about right now. But none of it is turned towards her at the moment, so that's... okay.

"It is an interesting world. You can do many things, and meet many people." She nods slightly, then tilts her head. "Would you like me to lead you to them? There is a town near here called Honeyhome, where people who have first entered Terrasphere gather. There are stores there with equipment and food, and... baths."

It really is a startling amount of blood on her. She's glad she doesn't have the trait that gives her a good sense of smell.

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"Other people... typically I would pass on that but I guess a weapon wouldn't hurt."

Regan began to snicker, then laugh.

"FIGHTING WOLVES WITH YOUR BARE HANDS ISN'T ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE! BE A LOT EASIER WITH A SWORD OR SOMETHING!"

Lyre continued laughing for a short while then finally calmed down.

"Ah man, okay let's go to town. Which way is it? Oh, but then you'd have to walk there? Would that hurt your feet?"

Regan thought for a moment, then looked at Bluebird.

"Maybe I could give you a ride on my shoulders that way we make sure the forest floor doesn't hurt your little footsies. It wouldn't do for you to get a splinter because you were leading me somewhere. I couldn't forgive myself if that were to happen."

Bending down, Regan offered her back to Bluebird.

"Or a piggyback ride would work as well. We don't want you getting tired if the walk is long."

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

"It is good to have weapons, or tools." Bluebird raises her hands to lift the broach that holds her little cape together - a round broach of silver metal and blue glass. "It is where I bought this focus, which makes my magic much easier."

Well, bought was a relative term. That she had... 'convinced' the man to give it to her as a gift was its own story, and she had paid her back in her own way. Harmonic magic had some unusual uses.

At the comment about her feet, Bluebird glanced down at the birdlike talons she had instead of regular feet. "My feet should be fine. They are well-protected from the ground, and I am used to walking." She looks up at Regan with a smile that could freeze a volcano. "I may be small, but I am not a weak person, Regan. But I thank you for the offer."

...it's the closest she's gotten to pushing back against this person, and even that makes her nervous. She tries to push past that. "Honeyhome is this way. We can walk, or if you prefer, we could try flying. Your wings are much larger than mine-" she flutters her own headwings to emphasize, "But if you are new, you may need to practice like I have."

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

Regan frowned. She liked the idea of giving this cute birdwoman a piggyback ride. But maybe it was too soon for that. They had just met and all.

Well, maybe she doesn't trust me yet. I suppose that's fine for now. Actually, it's a good thing. Yes, my little bird friend here shouldn't be so willing to go anywhere with or trust a stranger too much. She's just being cautious. That's smart, I wouldn't want anyone to take advantage of her.

"Very well, Ms. Bluebird let's fly. Though you're right, I've never used these wings before so I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. Perhaps you could give me some pointers. I know our wings are different, but I assume the mechanics are much the same."

Unfurling her wings, Regan looked to her companion.

"A demonstration if you would, then perhaps I can try and imitate what you do. I learn best from doing after all."

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

"...I use my magic to fly," Bluebird admits, and makes the gesture to open her palm menu. Practice with both the menu and the spells has added a few new traits to it - things that are quite useful when it comes to it. Her voice finally has a hint of emotion, a sort of joy as she continues. "By wind and star and song, I can rise into the air, and my wings allow me to navigate as freely as any bird."

She closes her eyes, whistling a tittering melody. Wind swirls and sparkles around her, and she twirls into the air. Her wings and tail shift as she aims for a tree's branches, and lands amidst the canopy. Her talons lock onto the branch, putting her in a position where she's looking down on Regan instead of up. "But because it is magic, I cannot fly long or far - not yet. But with your broad wings, I imagine you must simply flap them as any bird or bat might."

With the distance between them, Bluebird begins to relax a little - now she knows that if she needs to, she can slip away. "Perhaps there is something in your menu? A skill that will guide you into the proper motions to fly? That is what helps me cast my own spells."

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"What menu?"

Up until this point, Regan had done everything almost purely on instinct. She wasn't even aware there was a menu, but that suited her fine. Not using a menu made things feel more real, and the realer the world felt more she enjoyed it.

"Well, whatever. I don't need a menu? They're wings, right? I don't have any magic that would help with flight or anything, but I figure with wings you flap them and you go up. How hard could it be?"

Having already unfurled her wings, Regan tried to move them.

"This is weird. It's like moving your arms or legs but not. Not going to lie, it almost feels like having an extra set of arms attached to your back or something. But it also feels strange trying to move them, though that's probably because I didn't have actual wings in the real world."

Regan tried moving the wings and at first, they wiggled but then slowly they started to move a bit more and more.

"Ugh, this feels kinda gross since I'm not used to it. Kind of wishing I had magic like the kind you use."

Putting in more effort the wings flapped a bit, not nearly enough to lift Regan off the ground, but at least it was something.

Regan looked to Bluebird.

"I can't really see what's going on. How am I doing?"

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

"I can only use magic for so long," Bluebird replies, dropping back down to earth. She's definitely more relaxed now - she has something on this woman, and thus she can consider herself safe. Or at least, safer.

"Oh, yes! The menu! You open it like this-" Bluebird made the motion with her hand, "-and it will open. It lets you choose things, or make yourself stronger, or add people as friends. It is very useful." Being able to pass information on like this, at least, is nice. She watches Regan carefully - it's odd to see those wings on a person, and it looks a little frightening. She truly does look like a demon, doesn't she?

"You are flapping well, but you are not rising. Perhaps you are like a swan, and you need to run before you can fly?" Bluebird taps her chin. "Perhaps it is better to walk back, rather than to fly. If you are new to your wings, then you may injure yourself again."

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

Regan watched as Bluebird opened the menu and showed her how it worked. It was interesting, and a good thing to know but to Regan it was impractical. To try and pull that up in the midst of a battle or fight seemed like a death sentence. Still, knowing it was there was better than not knowing.

"Thank you for showing me this, I wouldn't have any idea it existed without you telling me. You're very knowledgeable, haha. I'm glad I ran into you first."

Focusing on flying, Regan continued to wiggle and slightly flap her wings.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to practice this a bit more. I've been picking up things pretty quickly in this world and it wouldn't due to just give up on it. Besides, I think I've almost got it. Aerial maneuvering might take some work, but just lifting off I think is something I can pull off if you would only give me a few moments."

Okay, here we go, just think of them as a second pair of arms, you idiot. You can do this!

Doing her best, Regan managed to force both of her wings to flap downwards which popped her up a bit before she landed on the ground.

"Hah! See, effort breeds improvement."

Regan was getting the hang of this rather quickly.

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

Bluebird claps her hands together. "Ah, you did it! You learn quickly." Despite her initial reservations about Regan, she's calming down a little - maybe it's watching this person having to learn and struggle. Maybe it's just the fact that she's stopped shouting quite so much. Either way, she can't help but be glad for the woman's achievement.

Perhaps this woman isn't quite so... dangerous as she initially thought? It's true that she brings up some bad memories, but she isn't the same person. She's just here to play a game, like everyone else is, right? "You're quite brave - I did not choose such large wings because I thought they would be cumbersome and strange." She flutters the wings on her head as if to put emphasis on them. "But a bird should have wings, so I have these. They help me ride the wind, along with my tail... but they could not lift me alone like yours can."

She puts her hands behind her back with a smile. "I wonder how high yours will carry you when you've learned? I imagine it will be quite exciting for you!"

@Regan

 

[Gutsy Ironvolt]

"HAHAHA! Quite right. I chose wings that looked intimidating so that I would be feared when I went into battle. On the other hand, I believe your wings to be quite beautiful, the blue color is rather lovely and suiting given your name."

Regan tried lift off again and succeed for a moment before falling back down to Earth.

"I do believe your wings have their advantages. With your command over wind magic I assume you're very agile in the air. Much more so than me. Though powerful enough to carry me, I do not believe I have the same maneuverability that you do. I suppose I'm more built for power where you're built for agility. Both have their advantages."

Regan grinned.

"OKAY! ONE MORE TIME!"

Focusing on her wings, Regan began to flap and to her surprise, she began to lift up steadily. Her balance wasn't perfect in the air, yet from the looks of it she'd gotten the basics.

"HAHAHA! I'VE DONE IT! I WON'T LIE AND SAY I'M AN EXPERT THUS FAR, BUT GIVE ME TIME AND I'LL BECOME THE BEST AERIAL WARRIOR IN THE WORLD!"

@Bluebird

 

[Bluebird]

Bluebird watches as Regan rises with a smile, then titters her way up to follow Regan. True to her observations, she's far more agile as she circles upwards, followed by a glittering trail. It's only when she lands in a tree and clamps on with her talons that she stops singing. She takes a moment to catch her breath, then nods.

"Well, would you like to practice by flying back to Honeyhome?" Bluebird turns her head and points in the direction of town. "It is not far. If you can fly above the canopy you will see the clearing where it lies easily. We'll be above the beasts of the forest and won't have to avoid the trunks of the trees. And if you tire, you can rest in one of the trees."

She pauses, then covers a laugh with her hand. "Or, if you fall, you'll have something soft to land on."

@Regan