Private Lyrwick An Aid Among Us

[Siondhe]

Kyra

She felt even more foolish, listening to the other. Her reaction has been...well, childish, to say the least. Her ears twitched in annoyance, as well as embarrassment as she considered how much more mature the other was, especially considering this had been their first time ever asking. And I just freaked out. That's...the worst possible reaction I could've had. Way to destroy someone else's confidence...

"I...I'm sorry, I hadn't thought...well, I hadn't thought. Just in general. It takes a lot of courage to ask someone...I mean, I think it does. I've been told it does. I've never actually done it. I mean I've thought about it, but I've never done it, because it's hard, right?"

She was prattling on again, and she felt herself bite her tongue in order to stop. Looking ahead, she could see the next bend in the roadway. She couldn't help but wonder why they didn't just use a straight path, seeing as it would be more direct. I'm sure there's an answer for that, but maybe focus on the girl talking about feelings?

"I mean. I'm...honoured, and all. And it's not tht I'm saying no. I mean I'm not saying yes either. But also not no. But...I mean, maybe? Maybe friend's first, just to see if we can even tolerate each other, and that sort of thing? Wait, do they even have like dinner in here? Or entertainment? Or things to do other than healing and killing and hunting and...whatever else an RPG does?"

She'd come to a full stop, her hands on her hips as she tilted her head to the left again, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her mind entirely consumed with the idea - forgetting for the moment that they were on their way to the encampment.

 

[Solaria]

"It's fine, you know? I knew it was a long shot anyway." Solaria laughed a bit, a finger gently moving to scratch her own cheek. When the woman mentioned starting out as friends, the Elf was amused... And a little confused.

Was her definition of a date different than Kyra's or something?

"I always thought the point of a date was taking a chance to get to know someone you're interested in better. I mean sure, with Aylen it was different because we grew up together, but..." Her laughter became nervous. She'd just dropped her friend's name so casually! Oops. "Anyway, friends first is always fine. In fact, I'd be flattered if you'd be my friend."

Without a second thought, she sent Kyra a contact request with a smile. Making new acquaintances was part of the fun of the game, in her mind.

"There's actually a lot to do in this game," She said with a thoughtful expression. "I haven't explored everything there is to do- I mostly train, to be honest- but I mean, there's all sorts of shops and eateries in towns. There's a really nice bakery in Honeyhome that I frequent with a friend. Our virtual bodies need sustenance as much as our real ones for whatever reason, so finding places with yummy food is important. I know some people even get their own houses and cook their own meals."

Solaria wasn't one of them, of course. But, she did have a goal for her future. "Do you have any goals for your life in this world, Kyra? I really want to save up and open an apothecary."

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

She listened as Solaria spoke, considering everything in a quiet manner. The girl spoke of someone else...a friend, perhaps? Someone from the world beyond the game? Likely irrelevant in the end, but curious nonetheless.

Then there was the question of the purpose of the date itself. She wasn't quite sure how to handle that. She'd always considered a date a formal thing, like one saw in the many movies, or other media formats. Anything beyond that, well, was beyond her.

"Oh? You can own a house here? That's actually kind of cool! I wouldn't mind getting a house. An apothecary does sound interesting too, but...I think I'd go more for a healing clinic...like a walk-in clinic, where you can come get healed and stuff! Although, I guess that's what the encampment is, in a way..."

She walked along in silence for a moment, her ears twitching as a question burned in her mind. She didn't get far before blurting it out, unable to hold her tongue any longer.

"Isn't a date...where you get dressed up, and go out for dinner, and maybe a movie, or a picnic or a walk on the town, or...like something like that? Like where you...go and do something, with someone? Because you want to get closer to them? And then..."

She flushed as she trailed off, her voice going silent. She wasn't sure where she was going with this, nor what the answer to the question could possibly be - and she figured that she should know something about this. She hadn't been raised in any sort of sheltered way, but she'd also never had the experience.

She quickly followed up by adding to her question.

"I mean maybe it doesn't need to be super fancy dress formal, but...you know, still more than just hanging out with friends?"

 

[Solaria]

"I mean, I think you're right that it's meant to get closer to someone than a friend, but... Maybe it's because my dates were always with people I was already close friends with, I think differently? My first date, for example... Was my best friend since I was born. We're still best friends, in fact. If I remember right, our first date was at the mall's food court. It wasn't like we could afford much when we were too young for part time jobs..."

She put a finger to her lips, thinking quietly for a minute. "I mean, I guess it wasn't the same as our normal hang outs are. I did kiss her on our fourth date, after all. But... Besides that, there was nothing really different about it than the times we just hung out normally. And we eventually just went back to being friends when we realized kissing and stuff didn't really suit us. Well, it didn't suit me, anyway. Not with her."

A soft laugh escaped her as she returned to the idea of a clinic or apothecary. "I met someone once who ran a divination stall. I know of people that do all sorts of things, as a matter of fact. I just want an apothecary so that I can heal people even if I'm not with them. That's the beauty of alchemy- they can take my medicine on the road. It's a little harder to work with than Divine Magic, of course, but it's great for preparing if you don't have a healer with you on a trip... Right?"

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

Kyra gave a soft nod, considering the information she'd just been provided. It was so far beyond what she had originally considered, and she didn't have an immediate response for the entire situation. Her attention suddenly snapped to the new conversation topic, the idea of creating her own business venture entirely compelling to her mind.

"I guess there is something beneficial in an apothecary, if only for keeping people alive. Although...can potions heal every possible injury or illness that may occur? I'm sure there's some things that they just can't help..."

She seemed to stop and think about the situation for a few moments, as she considered the possible limitations. She wasn't entirely familiar with alchemy, or how it worked in this system. It left her at a bit of a loss for any sort of debate, if one were to come up - but it also meant she had an opportunity to learn.

"Although, an apothecary and medical clinic combination might be interesting! Like a walk-in clinic with a pharmacy where you can pick up your prescriptions after seeing the walk-in doctor! That way you could cover everything...and if you do a partner business you could have one person working, while the other was out! That way you can be open all the time!"

Her tail swayed back and forth with the excitement coursing through her, and she suddenly spun around and grasped Solaria's hands in her own, leaning forward to stare up at the other girl with a sudden, serious, pleading look on her face.

"Do you want to open a medical clinic with me?"

 

[Solaria]

"I think of alchemy like 'traditional medicine'. It's generally all herbal remedies and potions. I'm sure there are things it can't fix, but it has its uses. Like you said, it would be a bit like a pharmacy." Solaria grinned as she spoke, but fell silent when her hands were suddenly captured by Kyra's.

A slight pink tint took the Elf's face as she found warm hands holding her own. The fact that Kyra had been so timid just moments ago from Solaria's attempts at hitting on her made this sudden close contact not just surprising, but almost embarrassing. She'd been so worried just moments before about making Kyra hate her with her sudden interest- but now, it was Solaria's turn to be stunned.

"I-I-" she stumbled over her words, a first for the normally bubbly and talkative young woman. She managed a smile, softening her facial features. Calming her rapid heartbeat with some gentle breathing, she giggled. "I'd love to, Kyra. We'll make a wonderful team."

Not thinking, Solaria bent down at her waist for a moment and planted a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. When standing up straight again, she laughed nervously, stealing one of her hands away from Kyra's to scratch her own cheek. "Sorry, couldn't help myself there. But it should be fine, right? Since it was just your forehead, I mean. My mom kissed mine all the time when I was little, and I do it to my baby brother a lot, so..."

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

The warm touch caught her by surprise, but the act was lost to Kyra's senses with the girl's agreement. Almost bounding with joy, she continued along the roadway they'd been following, her tail swaying back and forth as she went. Stopping a few metres away, she turned back and bent forward slightly, clasping her hands behind her and grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on! We're gonna be late to the encampment if we don't hurry up! There's people there who need help, after all. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting too long! What would that say about our...medical...oh!"

Realising that she hadn't sent one yet, Kyra brought up her menu before firing off a friend request. Content, she turned to gaze back at the road ahead, realising they'd come to another fork - one winding towards the south, the other towards the east, ever so slightly. She studied the two directions for a single second, before shrugging.

"So uhm...which way do we go from here? I kind of forgot with all the excitement..."

 

[Solaria]

As she found a friend request pop up in front of her, Solaria smiled and pressed accept in an instant. Her heart fluttered with excitement. First, she was going to get to know the woman she'd asked on a date even further by working alongside her. Then, there was the logistics behind starting a clinic with a pharmacy. Like Kyra had mentioned, they could take turns tending the clinic by doing it together- which meant she didn't have to feel as guilty going on explorative journeys to find new ingredients for her alchemy!

This was turning out to be even more interesting than she had originally thought it might just from getting to be with a cute girl. Now it was exhilarating.

"Ah, the encampment is..." Solaria paled as she realized something. With all the excitement and emotionally charged moments just before, her brain had turned off slightly. It took her a bit of time to point in the correct direction, and she wasn't fully sure she was on the right track. "If I remember correctly, it should be this way."

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

The hesitation was obvious, and as Solaria took a moment to find her way, Kyra waited by her side, hands behind her back and her head cocked to the left, an expression of curisoity on her face. She figured the excitement of everything had likely caused the girl to become a bit flustered, perhaps even lapsing her awareness for a moment.

But as they were guided in the direction that Solaria had chosen, Kyra let the tension ease away. Instead, she focused on the task ahead - hoping that they would arrive at the encampment soon. She glanced upwards again, taking in the sky above them as she considered the work to be done.

"I wonder how many will need medical attention, once we get there...I hear it's gotten quite busy, with a large influx. It's probably a good thing that we're headed down now - they can likely use all the support they can get their paws on!"

She giggled at her own joke, her tail twitching back and forth behind her sporadically. Once she'd managed to stiffle her humour, she glanced around, noticing the trees closing in on either side again. The area felt colder here, if only slightly.

Her eyes twitched as she caught the sound of something in the distance, too far away yet to determine what it was. It was, however, definitely coming their way.

"Something, or someone is up ahead. Still a little ways out, but I definitely hear steps of some kind...coming this way, I think. Could be another travelling caravan, or maybe another merchant! Oh! Maybe they'll have something of interest worth buying!"

Her ears and tail twitched as she skipped ahead, bouncing in place as she realised she was quickly leaving Solaria behind. She slowed, for a moment, hopping on the spot and waiting for the Elf, before bounding ahead again; repeating the movement over and over again.

 

[Solaria]

"This area is pretty dangerous from what I've heard," Solaria pondered aloud. "So... I can only imagine there will be a lot of patients. But there's two of us going right now, so that means twice the amount of people that can be taken care of! I've got a lot of energy to spare, so I'm not too worried. How about you, Kyra?"

It was then that Kyra seemed to notice something. When she mentioned the options of a caravan or a merchant, the Elf seemed to pale ever so slightly. Kyra was so cute, only thinking of positive options- but Solaria wasn't that optimistic comparatively. She knew well that this world had danger in it. She couldn't help but wonder if Kyra was unaware of the three death rule of this world, even if the Elf was still skeptical about the topic for the most part.

It was best to be safe even with rumors being what they were. So, as she followed the bouncing Beastkin, she drew her sword and took a battle stance that she could easily walk in. She was slower than Kyra in her movements because she was bracing herself for danger.

It could be nothing like Kyra's thinking, but... I can't risk either of us getting hurt. Not for the encampment, nor for my own sanity.

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

The sound of the sword unsheathing had caused her ears to twitch, but Kyra knew better than to look back. There was a reason Solaria had waited until she was out of Kyra's view, although she found it amusing that the other was being so considerate. The scythe, hanging at her hip, for the moment with its change rattling, quivered slightly as her hand touched it - ensuring it was well within reach.

The sound was closer, and now Kyra could tell the steps to be some sort of hoofed creature, the thumping rhythm of it suggesting that there was a single beast, likely being ridden. She slowed her skipping, bringing herself to a stop several metres from the bend in the road, cocking her head slightly with her slight grin locked in place. She wasn't entirely sure what she expected, but the leather-clad individual atop a donkey was not anywhere near the forefront of her mind.

Clearly not a knight, by any means, the individual - an Elf, by the pointed ears - seemed almost surprised to see the two individuals, halting the donkey short as he glanced between Kyra and Solaria, before raising a hand in a half-wave.

"Well, hello there. How about we skip all the normal pleasantries, and you just go ahead and leave anything of value sitting in the dust right there, and then move along. All nice like."

Her grin suddenly disappeared, instead replaced by a hard look. Her hand quickly running across the blade of her scythe, Kyra let her eyes half-close, focusing as she called forth the spell. It worked almost better than she could have expected, the Hemomancy taking control and forcing the liquid to spiral around her in the air.

Opening her eyes, she spoke in a soft, dangerous voice. The once childish humour gone, her tone bespoke one ready to inhibit violence, if the need arose.

"If you value living, which I assume you do, continue upon your way. If you'd prefer to take your chances, then I will happily let you find peace in the life that comes after this one."

@Solaria

 

[Solaria]

Solaria brandished her sword and took a step with one foot, as if preparing to strike in an instant of her choosing. "I must agree with my companion," she said softly. "You look no better than the other bandits I've ran Hawnell here through. Do you really want to take your chances, oh 'pleasant' sir?"

Despite her concerns, there was a slight grin on her face. Solaria loved to heal people, but in reality, she also loved a good fight. She'd never harm a real person if she could help it- but even knowing death was very real in this world, it was still not the 'real world' she knew. She was somehow more than happy to kill a bandit or two.

Thinking on that fact scared her, though, so she tried to avoid it.

"Hawnell, be on guard," she said softly. The sword muttered to her as silently as possible that he was prepared to fight, knowing full well that Solaria had been training day in and day out with him just in case something like this happened. Looking to Kyra, she gave a meek smile. "Sorry you'll have to see me like this... Think we can take him on?"

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

The Elf smiled from atop his donkey, clearly not intimidated by the sight before him. A single step forward, and Kyra turned to look at Solaria, her face void of her normal smile as she spoke in a tone that suggested she was taking the situation entirely serious.

"I don't think that he's concerned for his safety, nearly as much as we would expect him to be."

The laughter forced Kyra's attention back towards the Elf, her head turning slowly. Her eyes, devoid of emotion, watched as the man spoke, his words ringing with a humour that neither of the two girls seemed to partake in.

"Well, your attempts at being dangerous are certainly...humorous. I must say I haven't been this entertained in quite some time! Thank you, for that. Now drop your weapons and no one will get hurt."

His grin held nothing but the promise of violence to it. Kyra paused, her scythe falling to her side as she lowered her hand for the briefest of moments.

"Violence, begets violence. And so too does it end violence, for this is the cycle which all life follows."

A sudden shift of her hand, and the donkey screamed out in pain as the blood of the creature seemed to rip through its veins, leaking out the few orifices it had to escape from. Kyra closed her eyes as the animal collapsed to the ground, the Elf thrown from it as it jerked in its death throws.

"Run."

The single word, whispered, was clearly directed. She could hear the Elf suddenly stand, the sword from its side drawn in a whisper against leather, and Kyra couldn't help but sigh as she realised he'd chosen his fate.

@Solaria

 

[Solaria]

Solaria felt a chill up her spine as she saw just how serious Kyra appeared. It'd been a while since the teenager had seen such bloodlust- but it made her smirk as she glanced to their bandit 'friend', who seemed to think he was far more threatening than either woman. Oh, how fiercely wrong he was. Even if she didn't know Kyra's strength level, she could sense the battle coming would be heavily one-sided. That lack of emotion was something Solaria had seen before on others- hardened fighters, ready to wage war if needed.

It was creepy how thrilling it was to encounter it in such a cheerful soul.

She had never seen the blood of a creature rip through it so majestically before. If anything, Solaria was more fearful for the bandit than the bandit was. But the bandit Elf did not falter as he should have. Kyra had given him the chance to run, but instead, he brandished his weapon towards them. Solaria could only shake her head, putting weight on her front foot while glancing at Kyra.

"Would you like the honors, or shall we?" By we, of course, she meant her trusted sword and her own body. "Either way, I sense it will end quickly, and in our favor."

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

She hated it. The smell of blood, the sound of the tearing limbs and the pain the creature had been in for the single moment of its final existence. She hated all of it. More importantly though, she hated the fact that this bandit had brought about the horror, the pain and suffering, the conflict they were about to enter.

Then came Solaria's question, and almost like a knife cutting a taunt twine, she was snapped back to reality. The hard look gone, instead there was fear in her eyes and face. Fear of what she had done, what she could do. Pain and suffering...I caused this...I did this...

She felt sick. She waved a hand towards Solaria, the words coming out in a croak as she tried desperately to maintain her composure. She doubted the bandit would care much for her condition if it came to a fight, and she needed to be ready.

"I'll let...you handle this..."

She swayed on her feet, her balance off as she tried desperately to fight against the feeling. She wouldn't falter now, not when Solaria was relying on her. No matter what, she would continue this fight. Her newfound friend needed her, and she wasn't about to let her down.

 

[Solaria]

Solaria grimaced as she saw the change in her ally. This was bad- really bad. Kyra's fighting spirit was dwindling, and the fight had only just begun. "Just leave him to me, Kyra. You take a breather. I like one on one matches anyway."

Pushing off on her toes, she rushed at the bandit and began to fight. He was tougher than he looked- but Solaria was too. For a short while, metal clashed with metal as their two blades danced in a display of excellent swordsmanship. But there was one thing Solaria knew about battle that the bandit hadn't expected.

You could use two skillsets at once in a fight.

Charging in with her sword, she chanted to call forth a ray of light- one of the few spells she'd managed to recently memorize. The divine light burnt his sensitive skin with its holy power- not enough to kill him, but it still hurt. The light also had another effect: blinding.

With a quick slash across his chest, the bandit fell to the ground, bleeding and still blinded. Returning her sword to its sheath, she glanced back at Kyra. Some blood had splattered onto her, but she smiled despite it. She had to. Kyra needed her, didn't she?

"It's over, Kyra. We're safe now."

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

It's over. We're safe now. The words echoed in her head as she stared, seated upon the ground after having fallen to her knees. She'd let Solaria fight, alone and without aid; her mind trying desperately to figure out how to handle what she had done.

Solemnly, she raised her eyes to look at the other, before uttering the only question that she felt she could speak at the moment. Her eyes, seemingly distant, focused on Solaria's, but her words spoke as if from far away, as if there was some disconnect in her mind.

"Is the horse okay?"

She waited, listening for the answer that in her soul knew was coming, but that her mind seemed unable to process. She wasn't sure how she had done it, but she knew that she had ended the life of the beast, albeit not consciously.

At least Solaria is safe...unharmed... The words sounded bitter in her mind, as if she was trying to make an excuse for what she had done. Her realistic sense knew there was no excuse. She'd done something unthinkable, something that couldn't simply be cast aside.

"...we should get going...there's...people who need our help..."

She struggled to raise herself to her feet, swaying slightly as her eyes seemed to fog over. Her hand rose to her head, and before she knew it everything had gone dark.

 

[Solaria]

Solaria grimaced as she realized just how bad a state her new friend was in. Walking closer, she wrapped her arms around Kyra's back to bring her into a close hug. "The horse... Is gone, I think. I'm sorry, Kyra. I'm sorry I didn't protect you well enough..." Sure, there wasn't much in the way of wounds on Kyra's body- but Solaria could easily decipher the wounds on the woman's heart. Solaria was much more accustomed to killing in this world, most likely- more than Kyra was, at least. She let out a deep sigh.

After letting go for only a moment, she noticed Kyra move to hold her head, and felt the woman looked a bit... Off. Solaria was, quite frankly, panicking inside. Kyra's state was one she didn't know how to handle or help. Remembering her brother going into a similar mode when he was feeling guilty for their mother's death, Solaria decided to take care of Kyra the way she would her brother. She moved Kyra's hand from her head and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"We'll get going in a little while. Right now, what I need you to do is calm yourself. Take a deep breath and listen to me, Kyra. You did nothing wrong. I know harming others is scary and not what we strive to do... But sometimes, it's necessary for our own protection. You did what felt right for your safety in that moment. No one, especially not me, is going to judge you as harshly as you judge yourself."

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra

She could hear the voice, as if distant. She shook her head, trying to clear away the fog that had come over her. Everything seemed so...far away, as if she'd somehow become disconnected from her own form. She knew the signs; post-traumatic stress disorder. She'd seen it in others, so many times before.

Deep breaths, focus on the now, not the past. Look to the future. There's still more to do. She shook herself, feeling the vibration in her spine. She was still alive, and so was Solaria. That's all that mattered.

"I'm...fine. Or, I'll be fine...it's...it's just so real...I..."

Her words drifted off as she considered why this had affected her so much. This wasn't her first bout of violence. Sure, the brutality of it all was well beyond anything she'd ever experienced before. But that shouldn't have...

A sudden flash, as her memories caught up with her, the horse exploding outwards in a grotesque manner, one that she never could have imagined before. She felt her body move, rushing to the side of the road to release whatever had been in her stomach.

For a moment, she shook, the tremors of her nerves causing her body to react. She could feel the tears, running down her face, before she even realised what was happening. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself up and away, refusing to look at the carnage that had occurred.

"I just...need to get away. I'll...be okay, I think...."

She began moving down the road, continuing in the direction they'd been heading, before being stopped. She pushed the thought out her mind before it could take route, trying hard to forget the encounter for the moment. She knew she'd have to face it - but that could come later, when they were away from the occurrence itself. A horror for another time...

 

[Solaria]

"I know I'm young, but I still have the ability to sense when someone's lying, you know." Solaria pouted slightly, wrapping an arm around Kyra. "Killing is scary, but... In this world, sometimes it's necessary. If there's ever a time you need an enemy killed... I promise to do it for you, as long as I'm by your side."

A weak smile planted itself on her lips as she let go of the clearly troubled woman. Being honest, Solaria had been both impressed and intimidated by the bloodlust Kyra showed earlier. She knew she had some of that in herself, but Kyra had seemed a little airheaded to show signs of such a demeanor earlier on. At least, that was how Solaria perceived it. She shook her head as she thought this over. Kyra was kind, not air-headed! She just... Had a lot of focus.

Grabbing Kyra's hand in a firm hold, she began to lead the other woman from the scene. "I'll come back later to loot him and maybe return some of his stolen goods. But for now, let's get out of here."