Complete Private Eastern Brisshal A Three-Way Introduction

[Aika]

EASTERN BRISSHAL
The starting point for Players

Spoiler: Theme

The Assassin

Logging in for the first time.

Colleen Wu did not have time for games, which was probably why, when she heard her sisters talk about how she should find time for things such as games, she immediately realized the wisdom in their words. All her life she had to be better than them, stronger than them, less dependent on their parents and others, but here she was, alone and lonely. It was time to change all that, and she figured, this game would be the best first step. After all, who would ever think Colleen Wu to risk herself in an illegal game? So she made her first character, her only character, as efficiently as possible, not just a copy of her physical features but a combination of herself and her sisters. Smart, no?

Arriving in the starting area, Ling Ying Wei marveled at how great the graphics were, how amazing everything felt as if she had been transported to another real world, a real one, not just a game one, though she shouldn't have been surprised, considering the things she's read and heard during her research. If the game wasn't plagued with, well, the negative side-effects that came with every brilliance, and genius, then maybe it would be more celebrated and less feared. But none of that mattered to her. She was here to play and take things easy. This should be easy, right?

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Ling Ying Wei squinted as she heard footsteps behind her. Or were those just imagined things, a product of her paranoia? It was a new place, a new world, a new game, after all, and she has always been very wary of new things. However, she wasn't anything if not adaptable, and she took pride in that fact. She might not be well-versed in the game's combat, but she knew she'd be able to handle herself if anything dangerous came at her, even from the most unexpected places. She breathed deeply, balled her hands into fists, and stood her ground. I got this!

@Arjuni @Alderein

 

[Alderein]

Tis but a scratch!

After spending at least an hour or two during character creation, Alderein finally materialized into the game. The first thing he did was stare at his hands, awed at the magnificence of the game's graphics. Then he checked his UI and tried reading all that he could, but let's be honest, Tadgh has never been one for reading things he could not act out, so it was more like skimming over a few choice things that interested him. Once he was done, he looked around himself once more, admiring the view and already thinking about the many possibilities he could savor in this new world, the most important to him was reinvention. Walking around, he came across a human girl. What a boring choice. So many interesting race options and she chose a human? Her favorite ice cream must be vanilla.

Leaping at the chance, Alderein went on full drama mode, putting a hand on his head and acting like he was in every sense of the word in extreme despair. "Oh, woe! Woe is me!" He made sure she heard him as he spun into the scene, his face contorted into a believable sense of regret. "I am at a loss for what to do! Yet I see a fair maiden, a beautiful goddess, perhaps an angel the heavens sent to aid me in my hour of need?" Alderein then dropped to the ground as he imagined a spotlight on him, even though the sun refused to light his form, the traitor. Excellent. Now let's see if she bites.

@Arjuni @Ling Ying Wei

 

[Devi]

The Marksman

Actually going to try to help.

The only thing Grace Hart knew about the game was that it was somehow included in her late grandmother's belongings, which was odd to her because her late grandmother had never been much of a gamer. She had been too busy helping others through her Foundation, a legacy that now belongs to Grace's brother, though she tries her best to live up to her favorite role model's ideals. While Grace's brother, and the rest of their family, were busy with their legacy, however, Grace took it upon herself to investigate the mystery of the game, choosing for her avatar the options that seemed to her the closest to her actual physical form.

Going by Arjuni in the game, she was lured to the same clearing with a tiny boy and another human girl, both of which she quickly assumed to be other Players. What else would they be? No way this game's creators could make such believably complex characters on their own, right? It wouldn't be possible. "A-are you both alright? How can I help?" She wasted no time in approaching them, trying to see how best she could be of assistance.

@Ling Ying Wei @Alderein

 

[Aika]

The Assassin

Logging in for the first time.

Ling Ying Wei just stared at @Alderein as he made his very dramatic entrance. Uhh... What the hell is this guy going on about? She wasn't quite sure how to react to him. Should she help him? He seems like an untrustworthy person, though. Super sketchy and a little too over the top. Definitely not someone Ling Ying Wei would touch let alone go anywhere near.

Fortunately for her, someone else arrived and seemed keener to help the new guy. Ling Ying Wei turned to the blue-hair woman with the horns-like hair accessory and shrugged. "Uhh, I'm fine, but I don't think I can say the same for this guy. I don't know him, though, so if he does anything strange, that's on him. My name's Ling Ying Wei, by the way." As soon as she introduced herself, she regretted it. Why was she already telling the pair of strangers vital information about herself? That violates the golden rule of stranger danger!

@Arjuni

 

[Alderein]

An Alderein sandwich? Yes, please!

Enter: Stage left! Another beautiful girl arrived on the scene, and the excitement in Alderein's eyes was obvious. He was okay with just one of them, but two? Now, the game was just granting him his deepest wishes. Oh, me, oh, my! What a nice pair of...uhh...yeah, I've got nothing. For one reason or another, mostly to practice the accent, he started putting on a stereotypical French one, clearly heavy-handed and broken every now and then, as he continued to ham it up like an idiot. "Mademoiselle with the horns-like hair accessory, please, come to my ailing side! I am lost, and I have fallen, and I can no longer get up! Would you do me the graciousness of helping me back to my feet and helping me further get my bearings? This game can be too much for such a newbie!"

"Ling Ying Wei... Such a magical name!" He mumbled as he turned towards the other girl and immediately swooned. She was very easy on the eyes. Well, they both were. Did Alderein actually die and go to heaven? That could be a good stage play. Maybe he died and was reincarnated in another world where he was much smaller but the girls were much prettier. He'd be down with that. "The people call me Alderein, and I am but a humble bard."

@Arjuni @Ling Ying Wei

 

[Devi]

The Marksman

Helping!

"Hello," Arjuni offered the other girl a brief bow before introducing herself to them both. "My name is...Arjuni. It's a pleasure to meet the two of you." Especially this early in this game. She at least understood the positives of making friends as early as possible. The company you keep keeps you safe. That's what her grandmother used to say. And her mother. Both were her heroines, women she wanted to become some day, though she believed she still had a long way to go. A very long way to fill their shoes. Her brother was already ready, but her? She was just starting out.

A bard? She was intrigued by that tidbit from the strange and definitely suspicious little boy, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt. Looks can be very deceiving, and so can intentions until they are acted upon. "Oh, of course, yes," she moved closer towards him, approaching him without any hesitation, all because he said he needed help, and Arjuni would always provide help, even if it meant sacrificing herself, her own sake. Do good things and good things will come to you, that's what her brother liked to say. She liked to think, however, that doing good was the reward in itself.

@Ling Ying Wei @Alderein

 

[Aika]

The Assassin

Sus.

"What people?" Ling Ying Wei was starting to get very suspicious of this @Alderein fellow now, if not just more. He seemed to be taking himself very highly for someone who just popped up in the starting area. This is the starting area, isn't it? Why would someone experienced be here? Unless... Squinting at the boy, still from a safe distance, she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "What's a famous, or infamous, little boy doing in the starting area? You're not some con-man who steals from newbies, are you? Because that would be so messed up!"

She then turned her attention to @Arjuni, offering a directive for her own safety. "Best keep your distance from him, Arjuni! He's probably one of the earlier opponents in this game. Or worse: A veteran who wants to take advantage of us!" She went into a fighting stance and accidentally summoned her weapon from the UI. That made her take a quick moment to go over the things again, a little confused but at the same time amazed. Huh. Looks like I can fight already. "So my theory was right! Stay back, tiny bastard! Or feel the sting of my blade!"

 

[Alderein]

Shoulda been the one to join that DM Challenge, not Chrys!

Arjuni seemed such a nice girl. Ling Ying Wei, not so much. While Arjuni helped him back to his feet, Alderein tried his best to dissuade the other girl's fears. "Oh, no, no, no! I meant, the people who know me back home, whom I've told about my character's name. I would never, not in a million years, take advantage of such supple and ripe young beautiful women for my benefit!" He lied. Of course, he would. He would take advantage of the women and children and even the disabled if it meant raising his own banner and stock. He would thank them later when his signature would become more expensive and thus net them some great profits of their own online. "Never. Ever."

"Oooh, that's such a nice...energy blade?" He gave her the tiniest of claps as he gawked and admired her weapon of choice. It wasn't a real weapon, was it? Not like actual things. Alderein spawned with zero items. Well, zero useful items except for his clothes. Where did she get that thing, if everyone spawns with nothing? Or is it just him? He turned to the other girl to check his theory. "Do you also have a magnificent women, my love?"

@Arjuni @Ling Ying Wei

 

[Devi]

The Marksman

Pretty confused at what's going on?!

"Uhh, what's happening?" Arjuni found her focus split between helping @Alderein get back to his feet and making sure @Ling Ying Wei wouldn't harm him on her watch. It was always a difficult dance, whenever she found himself between rocks and hard places, but this wasn't the first time this has happened to her, which was odd in and of itself. Yet Arjuni was nothing if not an efficient peacemaker, years of training and experience under her belt due to her own family background. Her late grandmother in particular espoused in all of them the true value of calming everyone the heck down. "We may be getting a bit of a miscommunication here. Would it be all right if we all just calmed down, put our weapons away, and slowly talk things through?"

Hopefully, both of them would comply. Most often do, as no one really wants to end up beaten down in one form or another, though there are always exceptions. These two don't seem to be at that point yet, with Alderein in particular seemingly oblivious to Ling Ying Wei's desire to harm him. Or not desire. That was probably not it. It was more of an instinctive self-defense mechanism thing. She may not even be taking it personally. The things we do to survive, right? "Magnificent women?" Does he mean weapon? "I unfortunately do not have that. I...come in peace?"

 

[Aika]

The Assassin

Smol?

Ling Ying Wei scowled. Almost as intensely as she refused to believe @Alderein's claims of innocence. Something was definitely fishy with the guy, and she wasn't going to be victimized by some sort of online scammer. The way he spoke didn't help. Who described women like that if not weird perverts?!

She did relent when @Arjuni came between them. Something about her calmed Ling Ying Wei down. Like she was the most trustworthy person in this game. Like, if she told her to take down Alderein, she would do it without any hesitation. Might be a bad example, considering I just really want to beat him up.

"All right," she heaved a sigh to further take it down a notch, making sure she wouldn't fall prey to any excess adrenaline, though she kept glaring at the strange, tiny boy. "I'll calm down. I'll put my weapons away. I'll talk things through with you both," and she did stow her weapon. "But the moment he does something weird... Wait, is it just me, or are you really small?"

He can't be that dangerous if he's smaller than the two of them, right?

 

[Alderein]

Dang, Ling Ying Wei's so rude!

"I honestly have no idea, but consider me as calm as a clam!" He did the Mickey Mouse "oh boy" gesture with his arm, still playing the annoying role of an innocent, happy-go-lucky bard. Alderein eyed Arjuni from head to toe, admiring his view but mostly trying to ensure she wasn't lying. She seemed like someone who had no bad bone in her body, but if pasta changes after getting wet, who knows what change the blue-haired lass was capable of. "Well, that's good news! I also come...in peace."

"Uhh, am I?" He lied, acting like he wasn't aware he chose to be so small. The race of tiny creatures appealed to him most during his creation. Why? Because who would ever think a miniature being would be a cunning threat? Well, aside from Ling Ying Wei, that is. "I guess I am! Is that such a big problem?" And then he laughed and giggled like the Pillsbury Doughboy.

@Arjuni @Ling Ying Wei

 

[Devi]

The Marksman

Peacemaker.

Arjuni couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief when @Ling Ying Wei stood down. At that moment, she honestly believed they had achieved peace. And then she commented on @Alderein's height, which Arjuni thought was a little too frank, if not outright rude, though she then realized that's for the small, little boy to decide and not her. Alderein seemed confused as well at Ling Ying Wei's sudden hostility toward him, and his confession about being a peaceful boy only served to strengthen Arjuni's hope of a less violent resolution to whatever was happening between him and the other girl. His taking lightly what was otherwise an offensive statement put the final nail in any hostility's coffin.

"Oh, it's not! It's definitely not! Size doesn't matter, of course. Right, Ling Ying Wei?" Arjuni turned to the other girl, hoping they would finally resolve their differences right then and there. Hopefully, Ling Ying Wei would be calmed down by Alderein's rather cheerful nature. He didn't really seem that much of a threat to Arjuni, but then again, Arjuni gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, so she wasn't entirely an expert on threats and stuff. Still, it was a great time to shift their conversation elsewhere. They were all new to the world. Surely that's something to talk about.

"Does anyone know where we should go next? We should probably head to a town or something, someplace we can talk more where there would be more people? So we can be safe?"

 

[Aika]

The Assassin

Ling Ying Wei groaned. She had no intentions of offending anyone, even though @Alderein was fast getting on her nerves, but his annoying chuckling and laughing and guffawing after making a joke of it all at his own expense made her rethink her intentions. Maybe she should offend her. Or better yet, punt him into the next town. Fortunately for her, @Arjuni played peacekeeper again, a very effective one at that.

She gritted her teeth when she replied. "Yes," she tried her best not to go into a rage again. "Size definitely doesn't matter."

Ling Ying Wei closed her eyes, and upon opening them once again, put on a more calming demeanor, helped mostly by ignoring Alderein's stupid existence. She heaved a sigh of relief, a smile on her face, as she began to walk east, pressing on and further, hoping to lead herself and Arjuni out of there, to someplace else, someplace better, maybe even someplace far away from Alderein, though she didn't actually think they'd be so lucky. After all, the small boy seemed to have the habit of getting on her nerves, sticking to them like an unwanted piece of snot. Gross. "Well then," Ling Ying Wei tried her best to remain civil and not at all hostile, not wanting to torture the good-natured Arjuni further with their inanity.

"Let's go that way!"

 

[Alderein]

I really need to come up with something cooler to place here.

Like the Pillsbury Doughboy, Alderein giggled at the two lovely ladies. He was counting on his small stature to help charm them into his good graces. Or was it into their good graces? No matter. The most important thing was, Ling Ying Wei seemed absolutely done putting himself and his very existence under a microscope. He was a consummate actor and a very good one at that, but he'd rather not over-exhaust himself just for one person's sake. He needed more people, a bigger audience, but starting with these two felt quite appropriate. For now, that is.

"Oh, goodie!" He cheered and made tiny claps with his tiny hands, shifting his gaze from the voluptuous Arjuni to the tempting Ling Ying Wei. Although the latter seemed to ignore him, he knew full well that she wouldn't be able to resist him for long. No one has ever succeeded in doing that. Not even in the real world. Time and time again, Alderein has proven himself to be quite...irresistible. And now, with his tiny form, he was going to be unstoppable. Broadway, or whatever's the equivalent of that in this world, here he comes. "Let us make haste then, dear friends!"

@Arjuni @Ling Ying Wei

 

[Devi]

The Marksman

End scene.

Arjuni just stood there, watching as @Ling Ying Wei took the lead and @Alderein followed suit, chuckling like a cheerful mascot. It was a little cute, the tiny boy following the annoyed girl. It was so cute, in fact, that Arjuni couldn't resist chuckling right then and there. Fortunately, she managed to catch herself before it could go sideways and blow up in her face. She couldn't risk ruining this rare moment of peace between them.

Arjuni hummed and skipped as she rounded out their trio. There was nothing left to do, nothing left to say, and she actually enjoyed that kind of quiet. If they ever end up bumping into each other again, which she had no doubts they would, then all the chaos and in-fighting might just become a part of their entire friendship. It's silly, she realized, to think of them as friends already, but at the end of the day, it was a great way to see newly met people. Even though they tried to stab you with their psychic knives or whatever that was.

This is going to be another exhausting relationship, isn't it? They're lucky I'm nice. She chuckled one final time.