Complete Private Eastern Brisshal Adventuring is scary!

[Chako]

Chako had slowly been working on getting her confidence up to try exploring farther away locations than just the safe surroundings of Honeyhome.

She had also gotten pretty good at smelling or echolocating wolves from enough away that she could flee before they caused her any trouble.

So today... It was time for a new adventure! Chako wanted to go to that Pormont place she heard about, which apparently had some pretty sights to behold!

Things had been... Mostly going well. Mostly.

Avoiding anything that seemed to be remotely scary on her way had worked out alright, but she had to take some detours and eventually got lost... Still, surely she was still going more or less in the right direction, right?

Until she echolocated a group of small people... Great! I can ask them for directions!

Except when she got close, she realized it wasn't a group of small people... It was a group of goblins!

And that was Chako found herself running on all fours at full speed while a small mob of green creatures chased after her, "Nyaaa! Why didn't I think that they were too short to be humans!?!?!" Well, small people could be Faerins though, but it's not like Chako had ever seen a Lander Faerin, so she figured they weren't that common.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

It was already that time of the year again - the vast fields covering the majority of Portmont started changing colors from the vibrant green to a lovely shade of gold. Honestly, the harvest started maturing sooner this year than usual, but that only meant Fina would get to enjoy the sight all the sooner!

The mere mental image of it all was enough to put the feline in a relaxed mood as she rode atop her trusty steed, a steady sound of hooves rhythmically hitting the dirt path providing something that could almost be called a basic melody when paired with the girl's faint humming. At least until her own voice was all but overshadowed by a distant shout.

Growing far more wary in an instant, her ears flicked from side to side as she honed in on the source of that cry in the distance, a firm lean forward signaling to her horse that it was time to break into a full-speed gallop. Yet, from what she soon saw, her mount alone was not quite fast enough for the situation. Applying all of her strength, the feline was faster than most animals for a short duration, and once close enough, she had leaped off of the saddle, breaking into a sprint as soon as she landed.

—-

A giant axe, easily the size of two goblins stacked on top of each other at least suddenly came flying in, embedding itself in the ground with enough power to split the earth beneath, sending chunks of dirt and stone flying. It gave the goblins quite the pause, such a massive thing suddenly falling in front of them and separating their line of vision from their prey.

Chako, on the other hand, would suddenly feel, maybe even see and hear, someone coming from the side and 'colliding with her', swooping her off of her feet and picking her up into a bridal carry. As soon as Fina felt the child firmly in her hands, she pushed her own feet against the earthy surface to stop her forward momentum over a short slide.

"H-hey, are you okay?!"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

It was hard to pay attention to her surroundings when running for her life, but Chako could still hear something approaching from a different direction... Something heavy, and it was approaching fast.

Was it help? Chako had no idea, she didn't have time to look, and she figured that help would shout something, so she tried turning a bit away from the new noise while continuing her desperate escape.

Her sole relief here, was that her legs and arms were still moving... She was scared, sure, but it wasn't that terrifying fear that froze her stiff. It felt less like an instinctual fear and more like a rational fear... Not the fear of a prey being caught by its hunter, but the fear of a teenage girl who didn't want to die, because dying enough times in Arcia could eventually lead to her not seeing her mom again... She could work with that fear.

And then... Chako heard a loud sound right behind her. Something had crashed hard. What was it!? What had just-!?

"Nyaaa!?" Chako was suddenly in a princess carry... It wasn't the first time it happened, but that didn't make it any less surprising, "A-a-a-ah, y-yeah! I-I'm okay! Somehow!" Was that the sound she had heard earlier? She didn't seem to be heavy enough to make that sound... And Chako felt like that sound was coming from something with four legs, not two.

Stop worrying about pointless things! There are more pressing matters at hand! Chako finally remembered she was being chased by goblins and turned her head in their direction, only to see... A giant axe? And was that a crack on the ground below it?

Chako seemed to be as stunned as the goblins at the situation... She looked back and forth between her savior and the axe a few times, before saying, "Amazing..."

Shortly after that, the goblins seemed to finally get out of their stupor, moving towards their direction again, with one of the goblins even trying to actually lift the giant axe.

Chako felt like they should run... They were outnumbered, this was scary... But she also didn't think her savior could simply leave the axe there.

"W-what do we do...?" Chako asked. Her voice was trembling... When had she started trembling? She didn't really know... She just felt herself leaning towards her savior's chest... It was hard to control her own reactions now that some sense of safety had washed over her. The thought of getting out of her savior's way didn't even cross her mind.

... Maybe I can't work with this kind of fear, after all.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Not quite thinking her approach through, it was only after the girl was firmly nestled within her protective embrace that Fina realized it might have been a bit of a shock for someone to be randomly swept off of their feet in such a manner. Thankfully, there was no fighting back and the girl quickly realized that the lavender-haired feline was not here to do any more harm. Or at least certainly not to her… the goblins might have been a different story. But speaking of…

"I, uh… I was kinda hoping that tossing my weapon at them like that would scare them off…

But either these goblins knew no fear, or the fact that they had a significant numerical advantage made them bolder than usual, as they slowly started peering from behind the sharpened weapon, still firmly embedded in the ground. One of them even taking the chance to pick up a piece of stone that was chipped off and throwing it at the two girls.

"Hey-!"

But it would not reach Chako, nor Fina. The taller girl merely flicked her tail sideways as a wave of glimmering light washed over both of them, a gem-like shield suddenly appearing on the extra appendage and causing the thrown stone to merely bounce off.

"Um… I don’t think I can fight them like this. Any chance you can stand on your own..?"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Her savior's words made sense to Chako... She would have definitely ran away if a giant axe flew her way and made a hole in the ground... Why can't goblins think the same way I do!?

Chako couldn't really react to the thrown stone while on a princess carry, so she just closed her eyes and braced herself for impact, except... No impact came. She just heard it colliding with something, and then the noise of the rock hitting the ground... When she opened her eyes again, Chako didn't see any harm to her savior whatsoever... Did she deflect it or something?

Then came her next words, Eh!? She's going to fight them!? T-then I'm really in the way right now! "Y-y-yes! I-I think so!" Chako tried to get her feet back on the ground, but... She instantly fell on her butt once her savior let go of her, H-how do I put strength on my legs again!? Panicking made her forget the basics... "I-I'll be fine!" Chako said as she tried moving backwards with her arms while still sitting on the floor... It wasn't too different to how she moved back on Earth anyways, so Chako didn't mind it... Not like looking a bit pathetic was too strange for her, and it was better than being a burden, at least.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Lowering her posture, she tried her best to help the girl get back on her own two feet, not exactly expecting that the poor thing would struggle so much even to stand up straight. It caused her own grip on Chako's clothes to tighten up awkwardly as she sharply bent forward, practically following the child to the ground.

"Whoa-!"

Unfortunately, there was not much room for a surprise like that. At least some of the goblins took that display as the two girls faltering, or perhaps even a sigh of sudden submission, as they attempted to take advantage and rush it. Of course, Fina wasn't about to let that happen. She knew full well how dangerous goblins could be, especially in larger groups. Letting go of Chako for a moment, she quickly moved in front of her and took hold of the shield attached to her tail.

In what was but a brief moment, the gem-like tool expanded rapidly, becoming even more dazzling and crystalline. By the end of it, it was large enough to cover the feline's entire body as she swung it in front of her with all of her might, sending a few of the goblins that were unfortunate enough to have gotten too close back.

Unlike the axe, that, while displaying tremendous strength with its landing, had not hit anyone... this was different. The moment she had actually injured some of the goblins and managed to send them flying was the same moment the rest of them started hesitating and backing away.

"Yeah, that's right! Run away, you stupid little things! Or suffer my wrath!"

Maybe that display was a bit too juvenile for someone who has managed to get as strong as herself, but it seemed to work as the danger appeared to have retreated for now. With that, she quickly turned toward the young feline, squatting down in front of her and offering her hands for some support to help her get up.

"What are you doing, you'll ruin your clothes like that!"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako could see that the savior was worried about her, but that was not something Chako could help right now... Sometimes she still surprised herself with how dependent on others she was, even when having functional legs...

Still... What happened next was as amazing as the axe throw... A shield from the savior's tail was quickly put on her hands, and then expanded to be as big as her body? Then a swing of it sent goblins flying as if they were ragdolls!?

It didn't take long for the goblins to retreat... Chako was in awe. To think there were people who could take care of a small monster group so easily...

Chako could feel the tension leaving her body. She let out a long exhale, letting go of breath she didn't even know she was holding.

Then... The savior turned around and offered her a hand... And her words made Chako blush a bit, "W-well, I just... Didn't want to get in the way..." She muttered before taking the outstretched hand, "Thank you, uhn... You are....?

"A-ah! I'm Chako, by the way."

Then Chako was planning on pulling herself up, but uhn... How was I supposed to move my legs again? It had become so natural to her by now, yet now she completely forgot how to do it... "J-just give me a minute. I-I just need my legs to listen to me again..." She said while blushing more heavily... This was way too embarrassing. Reminded her of how often she tripped and fell on her face when she first came to Arcia.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

"Mhm, that was a good call. Wouldn't want to send you flying along with the goblins. Well, I'm glad it took so little to make them flee in the first place, probably because these ones were far from their usual hunting grounds, far away from any chance of reinforcements."

Just because the group of hostiles retreated for now didn't mean the danger was entirely gone, but everything seemed calm for the moment, perhaps, except for the small girl.

"You can call me Fina. A Starcalled."

Though watching the child struggle to get up, even as she was being helped by one of Fina's hands, was equally amusing as it was worrisome. The poor thing must have been scared out of her mind if her body was so stiff after the encounter, but that much made sense. No child should be facing monsters out here, especially something as potentially ruthless as goblins.

"Hmm... then let me just- hup!"

Suddenly letting go of Chako's hand, the taller feline instead quickly grabbed the girl under her armpits, lifting her up into the air with almost frightening ease, and seating her on her own back and shoulders. A piggyback ride!

"There! I can take you wherever you need to go until you calm down and regain your strength, how does that sound~?"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"O-oh, I see! S-so they have hunting grounds! I-I didn't know that... I-I don't usually walk around here..." Maybe Chako should have tried paying attention to the maps of the Explorer's League and she could have avoided that... Though well, Chako did get lost, so it probably wouldn't have helped as much.

"N-nice meeting you, Fina!" Should I tell her that I'm a Starcalled too? Feels like I missed the beat with that when saying my name, maybe I should-

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden lift and piggyback, which made Chako blush even more, "T-t-t-tha-that's... That's okay for now, I think..." She preferred to walk usually, but... Well, asking someone else to wait while she's fumbling around with her legs was not ideal. She didn't want to inconvenience Fina like that, "I was... I was planning on going to Pormont. I heard that it was a pretty beautiful place, so I wanted to see it for myself, but I got lost midway and... And well, goblins happened." Chako wondered if she would need to be saved every time she stumbled upon monsters... It was an annoying thought. Or maybe the right word was frustrating... She really needed to learn how to detect and flee from them better to be able to take better care of herself.

But for now... "Thank you." She had already thanked Fina, but another time didn't hurt.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

"They do, but not here. This path is actually supposed to be relatively safe, so monsters showing up... it spells some kind of trouble, alright. I'll need to reach out to Lions or Explorers about this later..."

As Fina muffled the last bit under her breath, she took a few steps before pausing again. In all of that 'excitement', she had almost forgotten. Whistling all of a sudden, nearby shrubs rustled as two pairs of hooves carried a creature through them. The horse was nearby the whole time, staying a safe distance as it was trained to do whenever monsters showed up.

"Nice to meet you, too! And this is Lucia, my heroic steed! Portmont is still some distance away, so how about some horse-riding lessons?"

Perhaps a good distraction would help Chako recover from the shock? There was really only one way to find out. So if the little one decided that it was okay, she'd help her take a seat on the horse.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"O-oh, so I stumbled on a safe path and was unlucky... Or well, maybe I was lucky because I met you!" Chako smiled.

She also heard what Fina muttered, but decided to not comment on it. Fina had muttered it, so it was probably not for her to hear... Not like Chako could control her super sensitive ears though, for better or worse.

The surprise whistle pained her ears a bit and made her flinch though, and Chako couldn't help wondering what that was all about... Until she saw the horse approaching them, "Oh, so that's what I heard before!

"Nice meeting you too, Lucia!" Not like the horse would understand, but that didn't really matter, did it? It was Chako's first time seeing a horse from up close like that, so she was getting a bit excited about it.

... Wait, what did she just say? "H-horse riding!?" Chako's eyes glittered... It's the kind of thing she'd never be able to do back on Earth... She really preferred to walk usually, but now she was getting excited about the prospect of keeping her feet away from the ground for a while, "I-is Lucia okay with strangers riding her?" Chako said while slowly moving one of her hands towards the horse's head... She wouldn't be bitten or anything, right? Fina would probably stop her if she wasn't supposed to touch it, right?

And in the meanwhile... Chako started trying to move her legs a bit again... Trying to recover that feel that had become second nature to her in Arcia... She would need functioning legs for horse riding, after all... Probably. Not like she knew anything about it anyways.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Fina couldn't help but laugh a bit at Chako's comment. Perhaps there was some truth to it... a little bit of fortune in misfortune. And, ultimately, it would help others down the line as people would work harder toward securing this route now that someone knew it was not necessarily fully safe.

The horse's hide was a white base with numerous black spots, becoming the dominant color toward its front and forming a fully dark line going across its head, all the way from the mane down to its snout. There was an almost striking lightness in this horse's gallop, and as it slowed down near the duo, it would exhale loudly before eyeing the young feline and then practically rubbing its face against her hand once it was extended.

"Well- would you look at that. You seem to be just fine in her books as well. No need to be afraid, she's well-trained. And it's not like you'll be riding her alone, and she definitely won't have any problems with me."

A powerful horse like her could easily carry two fully grown adults, so one adult with a light child would be of no issue. Directing the horse to turn 90 degrees so its side and the saddle would face the duo, Fina then took a knee, firmly planting herself in the ground to practically provide an elevated platform for Chako to get on top of the steed.

"Just sit yourself in the saddle, hold its side or the reins if you start feeling like you're about to slide down one of the sides."

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako was happy that her words made Fina happy too. It reminded her of her own meeting with miss Mira in New York... A chance meeting could be called luck, but it also could be called fate, couldn't it? And Chako had grown to like thinking of those lucky encounters as fate.

And after that, she was overjoyed to be able to pat Lucia's head a bit... "She's so lovely!" It was Chako's first time touching such a big animal. She usually only played with the cat she had at home, but... Wow! Having a big pet must be quite nice too!

... Can horses be called pets? I'm actually not sure...

Her thoughts were stopped by Fina's words though, which made Chako realize the obvious, Right! I'm not gonna be riding alone while Fina walks! "Then, I guess I'll be in your care!"

After that, Lucia moved and Fina positioned herself to make it easier for Chako to go from piggybacking to on top of the horse, "O-okay. I just..." Need to move myself up... Okay, I can do this.

She mostly pulled herself up to the saddle with her arms, her legs trailed behind, moving very clumsily, like it was her first time ever moving them around out of her own free will, Come on! You can't have forgotten the feeling completely over a single scare! You went through scarier stuff than that before! Chako reprimanded herself as she tried to settle down on top of Lucia's saddle.

It was... A bit uncomfortable? "Her back is harder than I thought..." Chako wasn't sure what she was expecting, it's not like a wagon was comfortable either, and she rode those a few times before in Arcia... "Guess you just have a lot of muscles, huh, Lucia?" She said while stroking the horse's head, trying to forget what her mind had just realized. That she was probably thinking of the comfort of car rides for a bit and... Well, no point in breaking her immersion by thinking of Earth while she was here, right?

It was a bit strange for her to be thinking back on Earth while she was in Arcia... This usually didn't happen. Chako wondered what was off with her today.

"I'm ready to go!" Either way, she looked at Fina and smiled. It probably wouldn't be as fast as the Ruby express, but Chako was still excited about her first horse riding experience!

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Even among other trained horses, Lucia was quite well-behaved and even stronger than the usual steed. It was quite the luck that Fina managed to acquire her with so little hassle, all things considered.

The feline remained in the same position for as long as Chako needed to get on top of the animal, only narrowing her body once she felt all of the child's weight gone from her own back and shoulders, getting up and chuckling. It was not exactly the first time she had heard something like that, plenty of people imagined horse riding to be something... magical? Fina blamed stories, and in the real world, the media, for how they portrayed such things. Heroic knights with their heroic mounts and all.

"Well, her back is where her spine is, so you can imagine how someone trying to sit on your back would feel like."

With that, she grabbed onto the leather belts attached to the saddle and pulled herself up with ease, hopping onto Lucia's back with a fluidity one would expect from a motion repeated so many times that it had become as natural as breathing itself. Seated behind Chako, the girl reached for the lead and took a hold of it, tugging it gently. A gesture that caused Lucia to shake her head, sharply exhale, and start strutting forward.

"But you're still on the saddle, so it shouldn't be too bad. It's just something you get used to in time, much like many things. So... Portmont... did you have any idea what part of Portmont you wanted to visit? Any... family, friends...?"

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako blushed a bit when hearing Fina chuckle this time... I-it wasn't her fault that her immersion broke for a bit, okay!?

"That would probably hurt a lot." Chako instantly replied to the idea of someone sitting on her back, "Unless it was like... Someone really really small?" Like a cat. She could endure her cat sitting on top of her while she laid on her mom's lap and watched miss Yuhan's performances on metube.

... I keep thinking of Earth today... What's wrong with me?

Chako decided to try not thinking about it and focus on the experience. Fina getting right behind her was like... Well, it could have been romantic if Aki was here, but right now it was more like... Like a mom making sure her child was safe on her first horse riding trip?

Chako instantly started blushing after thinking this far... And then Lucia started moving, "Oooh! We're moving!" It was honestly amazing to think that a horse could move just fine with two people on her back... Like, sure, Chako wasn't heavy, but it's not like she weighted nothing. Two people must be hard to carry on her own! "Aren't you really impressive, Lucia?" Chako rubbed the horse's head again as she said that.

"Ah, yeah! If I could learn how to move my legs, then I'm sure I can learn how to stay on a saddle!" Chako replied to Fina, "No family anywhere in Arcia though." And there's no way I'm ever letting mom come to a place as dangerous as Arcia, "Friends I have, but none in Pormont... They're mostly in Honeyhome or in gods know where. Starcalled travel a lot, after all." Luckily enough, Chako only needed a single PM to reach out to any friend she wanted... Not like she liked using UI features usually, but she appreciated this one existing.

"What to visit though...? Well, I heard the fields were quite pretty and... The church! A traveling merchant told me that there was a super pretty church out there! I wanna see that!" It was something that she was fairly excited to see... A luxurious church for a god that actually exists? That was something Chako could get behind; especially because she was the goddess of arts, so... Well, Chako had been thinking if she should actually start dedicating some performances to the goddess. She didn't know if it would help her in any way, but it wouldn't hurt to please a goddess, would it?

... Especially because she was also the goddess of marriages. Chako started blushing hard after thinking this far, "S-say, do you worship any gods? I don't know that much about the deities myself, but I like knowing that they're here for us, you know? So I have been trying to learn a bit more about them recently." She tried talking to push away some thoughts that were coming to her head way earlier than they should have.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Fina was merely listening with a smile adorning her lips. There was something quite magical about watching people genuinely enjoy themselves, both children and adults alike. To see that spark dance in their eyes... literally and also figuratively, seeing how the feline was behind Chako at the moment and couldn't actually read her expression as a result.

The horse seemed to agree, doing a happy little hop upon being praised, shaking its head to make its mane dance a bit after the younger girl gave it physical affection. Even horses could be surprisingly affectionate and even cuddly at times.

Though there were also some things said that made Fina tilt her head a bit, thoughts swirling around, suspicions confirmed, and worries rising, all at the same time. The journey ahead was a fairly lengthy one anyway, so she figured that they had plenty to talk about for now.

"So you're a Starcalled, after all. I mean... I figured, you don't exactly see 'children' running around by themselves, getting into trouble with goblins. But still."

It wasn't exactly going to change how she acted toward Chako, but it was always good to know where some unspoken boundaries lay. As for the destination that the child desired... well, she was certainly in luck.

"I enjoy Portmont quite a bit myself, so I've been all around there. Don't mind getting you there and dropping you off somewhere with people... or showing you around myself, if you'd want that."

Then, a somewhat strange question came. At least... a strange question for a fellow 'player' to ask her.

"The Gods? Well... I certainly don't worship any of them, no. I suppose they would be real in this artificial world, but even then... hm, my experience with fantasy-themed games like this one tells me that Gods are no good and should probably not be trifled with."

@Chako

 

[Chako]

Chako stopped moving for a second and blinked a few times at Fina's statement, "O-oh! Right! I totally forgot to tell you, didn't I?" She missed her opportunity before, and it quickly had flown out of her head... Well, they both know it now.

Then Chako processed the situation a bit more... Wait, did I just tell her I had no family in Arcia when she didn't know I was Starcalled...? That... Well, I'm glad Fina figured it out on her own. Chako heaved a sigh of relief. Last thing Chako needed was to be pitied in Arcia just like she was on Earth.

"Oh, thank you! If you have the time, I'd love it if you could show me around!" Chako happily replied. It was certainly better than finding her way around by herself. Especially because it was probably a bigger place than Honeyhome, and Chako wasn't exactly the best with directions.

"So that's how you feel about them, huh?" Chako pondered for a bit... It was always a bit of a bummer when she heard people openly talking about this being a game, but there was no point in commenting on that, "I guess you certainly shouldn't trifle with the gods, but like... Well, I dunno, I just feel happy being in a place where they actually exist, I guess? Like... Knowing that my prayers can actually be rewarded for a change? That feels nice to me." Chako had long grown tired of the futility of praying on Earth, after all, "So uhn... Hopefully you're wrong on them and they aren't actually no-good, I guess!? Because that would be a real bummer!"

It was probably a bad idea to stay on the topic of religion for too long though... Most people tend to get heated when a religious debate starts and they have differing opinions, so... Time to change topics! "Say, what made you come to Arcia?" And after a small pause, Chako added, "I-if you're okay with answering, of course!" It wouldn't be a good idea to pry much if it was something a bit personal... After all, she had learned that there was surprisingly high number of people who had come to Arcia for reasons other than running from disabilities... Something she still didn't quite understand, in all honesty. She really couldn't imagine putting herself at risk like this for anything other than these legs that she now has.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

"You sure did forget. But, well... It's not like it really matters all that much, right? Starcalled or Lander, you sometimes can't even tell, so there's not that much of a point differentiating."

At least that was how she saw it. Sure, it changed how she approached certain topics, or how she thought about the girl in certain contexts, but not how she would act with her. Though, one thing that did become somewhat clear throughout this conversation was that, despite being a player, Chako didn't seem to be very traveled yet.

"I don't mind showing you around, but... Portmont is a pretty big place. It will take several days to even see all the points of interest from distance, at least."

Perhaps that would convey the scale of things here a little bit. The endlessly stretching fields, the occasional village or town, the money notable structures within Portmont... It was a beautiful part of this kingdom, there was no denying that, but comparing it to Honeyhome would be like putting an apple next to a grain of rice.

"I guess I can understand the sentiment. Well, I certainly hope that I'm wrong and that they're all benevolent and want to help people. That's be nice."

None have answered her own prayers yet, but it wasn't like she made those all that often. Only in the passing really tense situations, really. Deities were something she had already given up on in the real life, and she wasn't planning on starting to rely on them here, either. After all...

"Why I've come to this place..? Haha, hm... If I gathered things correctly from what you said before, it might be a pretty familiar reason. I can't really walk in the world outside, so I often looked for games that would let me do just that. Plenty of those exist, but none were able to give feeling back to my legs, obviously. Until this one, anyway."

...where gods didn't answer her prayers, whoever created this game sure as hell did.

@Chako

 

[Chako]

"Oh, I don't think the distinction matters much usually either." Chako agreed. Other than causing awkward misunderstandings that is. In this case it was good to keep things clear.

"That long!? I wouldn't want to bother you for many days..." Chako forgot how big Arcia could be at times... Well, mostly because she rarely went very far from Honeyhome, so that couldn't be helped, "Can you just show me lady Uene's church at least? Then I guess I can try finding my way around... I'll also probably need to take some breaks to play some songs anyways. Gotta earn my food, after all!" Chako didn't know how many Starcalled with loose pockets she'd find in Pormont, but she figured she'd probably still be able to earn something from Landers if she didn't stay too long in the same place, so playing the harp would be a nice way to earn some meals, that tasted better than random wild fruits, during her stay in Pormont.

Chako then nodded at Fina's following statement, "Mmm... Two worlds with deaf gods would be too disheartening." Chako remembered once calling Earth's god deaf in front of her mom... She had wondered if she'd be scolded for saying that, but she instead only got a hug, and the sound of her mom's tears... It was not a happy memory, so she never said it again after that.

Then, Chako was stunned for a second... She needed a few moments to process what she heard, before she answered, "Yeah... It's a very familiar reason... I tried to move these legs" Chako moved her legs back and forth, as they seemed to finally be answering her again, "plenty of times before, but it was only in Arcia that they learned how to listen to me properly..."

Chako gave out a sad smile... Not that Fina would see it when considering their positions, which was perhaps for the best, "You know, when I first came here, I thought everyone would be just like me. People fleeing from a disability, who could only find a way to live independently here in Arcia.

"... I was really weirded out when I found out people like us were the minority here too, you know? You're the second person I know, other than me, who has a disability on Earth... I used to think it would be nice to be in a place where nobody pities me because everyone would have gone through the same kind of ordeals I went through, but now... Now, I guess I feel a bit sad when I find more people who are here for the same reason as me." More people who are running away from an extremely frustrating godless reality... A world filled with people like that would kinda stink, wouldn't it?

Chako took a deep breath... Some really uncomfortable thoughts came to her head... It's not the kind of thing she had told anyone before, but... Well, maybe Fina would understand her, "Say... Have you ever thought of simply going to a cliff and jumping off once or thrice?" Chako figured Fina would understand the meaning of that. Considering even Chako already heard of what happens when you die thrice in Arcia, surely Fina would have heard of it too, "I don't wanna do it, for the record. I wouldn't want to make my mom go through my funeral... But I can't say I haven't thought of it before."

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

‎

Fina couldn't help but laugh at the notion. It was now pretty clear that Chako was either very new to this world, or she had yet to see a map. Frankly, both was entirely possibly still.

"Honeyhome is just a city, after all. That and its surroundings, it cannot even be compared to Portmont, which is an entire region within Falderen. There are probably some towns in Portmont that are as big as Honeyhome by themselves."

The size of this world was always astonishing, even to Fina who had already seen what could be described as many things, yet it was all still such a small part of the world as a whole. But, if nothing else, that did mean there was always more to be explored and more to be discovered, as long as one was brave enough to face the dangers that came with it all.

"Other people, huh? Well, there are definitely many who seek a 'second chance' at life here, that's for sure. But there are just too many people in the world, right?"

She stilled her tongue for a moment, as if trying to organize her thoughts, then she continued.

"Yeah... the way I see it, there can be as many reasons to be here as there are people. Everyone's goal is unique to themselves, and that's, in a way, what makes it beautiful. Fleeing disabilities, war, poverty... seeking thrill, love, connections... taking the chance to be evil, or good... or just logging in to smell the roses."

She wasn't sure if Chako would understand. It was a complicated subject, at least in her own mind, and she was never much of a talker, making her uncertain as to whether she could do it all justice. But maybe at least the core idea would be conveyed, and that was really all that mattered.

What the little girl mentioned next, however, did make Fina's eyebrows furrow.

"That's a dangerous topic. I'd suggest not bringing it up with others... unless you know them very well..."

But she smiled again afterward.

"Well, I know what you mean. The promises of this world are tempting. But as someone who's been here a while... I can promise you that, in the future, you will enjoy the reprieve of the physical world. Things will happen, and you will be happy that you can escape this place for a while, organize your thoughts... sorry if that sounds ominous. But, just like real world, things here can sometimes get... ugly."

And a pause later...

"That said, I did jump off a cliff a few times! No intention of turning into a splatter at the bottom tho, gliding can be a lot of fun if you have the guts for it~"

@Chako