Private Eastern Brisshal Crouching Tiger, Hidden Wolf

[Harper]

110 / 120

Today had not been the best day for Harper, that's for sure. It was supposed to be just a simple day of questing, just scaring away some wolves who had been bothering merchants on a path nearby. No need to kill any of them, only those who refused to leave. Nothing that Harper couldn't handle after what she had already gone through in Terrasphere. Everything was suited to be just a relaxing day of training... Well, there was one thing wrong. A dull, lasting sensation of pain on the tip of her fingers that she had no idea of the origin. As she got closer to the quest area, the sensation got worse and worse, but Harper decided to ignore it for now.

"Must've hurt something after yesterday. At least it doesn't hurt that much yet..." She'd note to herself, inspecting her right hand as she held it in front of her face. It would probably be best to look into it once she was back in town, as she probably could get something from the local herbalist to help with it. But now, she needed to deal with the problem at hand.

And by the sound of growling nearby, maybe the problem had found her first.

--

After dealing with the wolves, Harper would take a deep breath. While she did drive them out quite easily, the pain was starting to get unbearable. She figured it was best to get back to the nearest town, but unfortunately, she wouldn't have the chance. Brief as her scuffle was, it had attracted the unwanted attention of the worst kind. The beastkin would barely have enough time to react to the sound of rustling leaves before having to roll out of the way of a massive paw aiming to knock her head clean off. A bear had come to check the commotion and it had stumbled upon the tigress. Cursing her luck, Harper would stand her ground and enter a combat stance as she unleashed her retractable claws. Once she did so, however, the pain spiked up tremendously.

"N-Ngh?!" Caught by surprise, the girl would lose her focus once more. This time however the bear would not give her much leeway as the beastkin was hauled backward from a claw strike she barely managed to block with her arm. Rolling on the ground for a moment, she would quickly catch her footing as she shot a quick glance at her claws... Only to whimper in frustration as the realization dawned on her once she saw that a few were missing.

She knew that this would eventually happen. After all, she did choose this trait. But in a way she had mentally convinced herself that there was no way she was actually going to have to deal with it mid-combat. What were the chances? Turns out they were realistic enough, as Harper was painfully figuring out. Grasping her blocking arm, which now had a small gash from the bear's offense, she would try her best to think of a way to get out of this, but both the realization that she wasn't about to magically out-run a bear and the increasing pain didn't help that a lot.

"D-Darn... This can't be happening, shit! Gah!" One thing was very, very clear in her mind though: She was in a lot of trouble.


Harper's Sheet
Bear

❰ 4 / 4 ❱

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

210 / 230

Vulnerable

Mizuki had returned to Eastern Brisshal to see how the situation with the wildlife had progressed. She'd taken Cleo's warning to heart and stopped hunting in the area for a while, in the hope that it would help the critters of the forest rebuild their numbers a bit. Of course, whether that worked or not also relied on whether all the newcomers would listen and be more conservative: Mizuki might be a passionate hunter in this world, but she alone didn't make or break an ecosystem.

That said, it had been a while now, and the huntress was hoping that the situation had improved a little. Having transformed into her wolf form Mizuki stalked between the trees, sniffing the air and the earth to get an idea of what the world around her was like. She could smell quite a lot of beasts, which was good. The heat of summer was bearing down upon the land, and there was the faint smell of rotting fruit in the air. That was also normal, although a bit of a waste. The wolf shook her head before her ears perked up as she heard something in the distance. Turning to face the direction of the sound she sniffed the air again. Blood. Fresh blood. The wind was carrying it her way, but what made her hackles rise was that it wasn't the blood of any animal that lived in this forest.

Digging her paws into the ground Mizuki launched herself forward, breaking into a sprint as she closed in on the source of the scent. It smelled like beastfolk, some kind of feline. She also smelled a bear and one who was on the hunt. Was a newcomer being attacked? It was one thing to ask the newcomers to try and not overhunt, but she couldn't let them get eaten by the wildlife either, even if the predators must be hungry because of the difficulty of finding prey.

Since the wind was blowing toward her she didn't have to worry too much about being detected in advance, so she kept running even as the bear and its prey entered her field of view from around a tree. It was the first time Mizuki saw a tiger girl, but there was no time to admire her striped fur pattern. Something was off with the girl's movements, and blood was coming from her... hands?

Mizuki didn't growl or make any other threatening movements. Dashing around the bear, who was now turning to face the new threat, Mizuki opened her maw wide and let out a snarl as she tackled the larger predator and buried her fangs in its throat. Large canines pierced skin and muscle, seeking vulnerable blood vessels which would cause the bear's demise if broken.

The bear's thick hide and massive muscles prevented Mizuki's jaws from tearing out its jugular in one go, and the beast let out a growl as it swiped at its assailant. Mizuki was thrown backwards by the swipe but managed to catch herself with all fours, snarling and growling at the bear as she lowered her posture, ready to strike once more. She was much larger than your average wolf, large enough that she could pose a threat to this bear all by herself... and that wasn't even counting the fact that her abilities were greater than her stature would suggest.

Rolls

Critical Attack
2d100 (Advantage) (52, 4) + 25 + 20 + 25 = 122
122 damage
Gain the Vulnerable state
Metamorph | Ueno Mizuki | 1113C1

Play Sheet Link

Bear

❰ 2 / 4 ❱

DC: 20
RETAL: 10

@Harper

 

[Harper]

100 / 120

Harper eventually settled on the fact that she would have to fight the bear with claws that were literally falling off her fingers and toes. Not the best of conditions, but it wasn't like she had a choice if she didn't want to become bear food. Standing her ground, she would manage up a staredown through the agony to at least try to put some form of resistance against the beast.

If this was it, she was going out on her shield.

Fortunately, it seemed like fate threw her a bone. Or at least something would happily chew on the bear's bones. Harper would be initially shocked at the large wolf who came out of nowhere and lunged at the bear's throat, not sure how to proceed. Should she stay put? Should she use the opportunity to run back to the village? As the bear swatted Mizuki away with a swipe, Harper would eventually find her answer, tightening her bloodied hands in anger at herself, of all things.

It would be very unlike her to let things happen like that. Run away? How could the thought even cross her mind? That bear had chosen the wrong tiger to mess with, and it was going to pay for that by Harper's own hands! Making use of the fact that the bear had been distracted by Mizuki, the tigress would rush it. Each step felt like stepping on spikes, but she couldn't think about that right now. Reaching the bear, she would push the bear's maw upwards with both her hands, doing so with enough force to make the bear stand on two feet for a moment. And a moment was enough.

Using what remained claws she still had on her hands, she would grip the bear by its hide and flesh with one hand going for its elbow and the other reaching for as close to its neck as she could. Pulling the elbow downwards and pushing the hand on the neck upwards, Harper would shift the bear's balance to only one of its rear legs as she stepped to the outside of it, kicking her leg nearest to the rear leg forwards. The bear would attempt to claw at the beastkin with its free hand, but by now it was too late.

The straightened leg would swiftly come back as it swept the bear's rear leg, Harper bending her body forward and using her grips to further twist and push the bear's body against her reaping leg. Perhaps, for the first and last time in its life, the humongous beast would know the feeling of having its entire body in the air. Such a feeling was fleeting, however, as the bear was slammed into the ground with tremendous force by Harper's o-soto-gari technique.

Cracks would form upon impact, the bear going limp. Harper would hold into the arm for a moment or two to confirm if it was truly not a threat anymore, before releasing the arm as the reaping leg which was in the air behind her fell back into its original spot, her body following suit. A deep sigh of relief would leave her legs, the adrenaline having dampened her pain a little. But said relaxation was quickly replaced by a cold shiver down her entire body as she realized she wasn't out of the danger zone just yet.

Jumping back, she would turn to face the wolf, still maintaining her fighting stance. It had "saved" her, but who could guarantee that it did so out of the goodness of its heart? Maybe it just saw a rival animal being vulnerable and decided to seize the opportunity, and Harper might still not be out of Mother Nature's dinner plate. Baring what few loose claws were still attached to her fingers at it, she'd stand her ground. Yet, Mizuki could probably tell that the pain was getting to her, her whole body shaking from the pain. Still, Harper put a tough front as blood dripped from the gash on her arm, her hands and toes following suit.

"Thanks for just now, but if you think you can treat me as some just leftover carcass to dine on, I'm about to give you one hell of a stomach ache." She'd threaten.




Normal Attack
1d100 (64) + 10 + 5 = 79
79 damage

Crush Weapons | Harper | 1113C1



Harper's Sheet
Bear

❰ 0 / 4 ❱

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Given the way that the tiger girl had been moving, Mizuki had assumed that she'd have to deal with the bear by herself. She used her growls and snarls to make sure that the massive beast remained focused on her, moving away from the striped female so she wouldn't get in the way as the two beasts squared off. A single bear wasn't a challenge for Mizuki, but she wanted to make sure that she didn't accidentally get the newcomer hurt in the process.

Instead, she got to watch the tigress perform a quite impressive feat. Even as she charged the beast with bleeding hands and feet she somehow managed to get the ursine foe in a grip that Mizuki vaguely recognized as a martial stance, followed by her actually flipping the large opponent and smashing it against the ground with enough force that the earth trembled for a moment. The bear, not having expected this development, was completely unprepared: tough or not, having its own weight used against it proved to be fatal, especially with its neck already damaged by Mizuki's bite.

The force of the impact broke the bear's spine, leaving it struggling for a bit longer before death claimed it and its dark eyes glassed over. The tigress confirmed its death as well, although Mizuki could smell it from a distance and also hear that the bear's heart beat no more. A sudden and rather abrupt end to its life, although Mizuki imagined that predators who sought to feast on Travelers had to deal with these kinds of deaths rather frequently. Even newcomers could usually deal with a single wolf.

Mizuki stepped forward but came to a halt when the tigress spun around and raised her claws at her next. Her words made it clear that she didn't trust Mizuki, which was hardly surprising given that she just looked like a dire wolf in her current form.

The huntress took another step closer, her nose high as she sniffed the air and studied Harper with her nose and ears. The blood on her hands... She was missing several claws, and the same was the case for her feet. That didn't seem to be the result of an encounter with a bear or any other predator. In the back of her mind, Mizuki recalled something about a new beastfolk trait which would strengthen someone's natural weapons at the cost of having to regrow them every once in a while. Useful for someone who wished to fight with claw and fang but didn't want to invest in Metamorph and Beast Arts as Mizuki had done.

She'd shake her head, then her body would shudder before undergoing a drastic change. The fur receded to reveal skin which was quickly covered by clothes which had a similar pattern as the fur they replaced. Her front paws turned into hands, and as she pushed herself upright Mizuki would reveal herself as a full-fledged caenis, stretching her arms before focusing on Harper.

I'm not in the habit of eating people without cause. Additionally, I think you might be a bit too big for leftovers. (The tiger girl wasn't exactly tall, but Mizuki wouldn't describe her as scrawny either.) From the looks of it you're molting. I'm guessing it's the first time you're experiencing it, but I'd suggest being careful this time of the month from this point onward. (She approached Harper.) For now I might be able to alleviate the pain if you'll let me.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

Harper was already thinking about what she would do against the large wolf. From what she saw from the brief scuffle with the bear, if it could come close to ripping out its throat that easily, that maw would do a lot of damage to any part of the beastkin it could close around on. That posed a problem to Harper, who had no other way other than close combat to deal with the situation. What to do, what to do...

Thankfully, she wouldn't need to fight the big bad wolf. Harper would watch in awe and confusion as the wolf would start to morph into a beastkin right in front of her. No matter how much she kept telling herself that this game was fantasy-based and that she should expect anything at this point, some things still surprised Nicole without fail. As Mizuki approached her, the beastkin would weigh her options.

She didn't know whether she could trust her still, but the pain was just getting worse and worse. From what she heard from Mizuki, it seemed like she knew a fair amount about what Harper was going through and was offering the tigress a way to help with the pain. The nearest town was still an agonizing 20-minute walk away, and she didn't know if the few bandages she had left on her inventory would be enough to make the journey bearable.

Looking up to the taller beastkin in front of her, Harper's ears would flop to the side, the girl taking on an apologetic tone. "First of all, sorry for what I just said. Didn't quite imagine you were anything other than another beast out for my hide." She'd say with a sigh, sitting down to take off the weight out of her feet to alleviate a bit of the pain.

"And yeah, definitely noted. I knew it was coming, but since this is my first month here I didn't really have any way of knowing the exact period. Live and learn, I gues-Ow!" The beastkin would react to a sharp jolt of pain from when she instinctively tried to rest one of her hands on the ground. Immediately retracting it, she'd whine. "They really meant it when they described it as a painful process, darn..."

"Well, the name's Harper. And I would appreciate your help, yes. Don't think I can make it to the nearest town for treatment, after all. Would they even know what to do? And, uh..." Her eyes would fidget around as if the question in her mind seemed innapropriate, but the answer was still something she was curious about. "You said you don't eat people without cause. I'm not going to refuse your help anyhow but, you know... Have you actually?"

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

It looked like the tigress was weighing her options, and fortunately for the both of them she decided that it was better to trust Mizuki than to try and pick a fight regardless of the huntress's words. In her current shape Mizuki was pretty sure she wouldn't have been able to do much even if she did try to resist, although it would be more diplomatic to not point that out.

She shrugged at the apology, looking rather unconcerned at Harper's defensive attitude prior.

Don't worry too much about it. You're hardly the first person to make that mistake. (She squatted in front of the tigress.) There aren't many others who are interested in the Metamorph mastery, so I'm often the first person anyone meets who can change shape.

As she spoke she inspected the girl's feet and hands. Her claws had fallen off, and the fingers and toes were bleeding even as the new claws were trying to grow in. Mizuki was glad she'd decided to rely on her Metamorph ability instead, as it didn't include these kinds of painful moulting periods.

Try to keep your hands and feet off of the ground for the moment. Even if this is a natural process I should be able to help out.

Reaching out she'd take the girl's hands into her own, careful not to touch the fingers as she focused her mismatched gaze on them. After several seconds a soft green glow would emanate from her hands, spreading to the girl's hands until they were fully enveloped. With the green glow would come a soothing sensation, the pain quickly fading as Mizuki got to work both encouraging the growth of the new claws while numbing the pain.

From my understanding claws don't naturally moult like this, so I'm not sure what the developers were thinking.

Maybe it wasn't important what line of reasoning the developers were following, but she might as well try to maintain some small talk while she helped the girl out.

It's good to meet you Harper. My name is Ueno Mizuki, Mizuki for short. (She fell silent as Harper asked after her eating habits. She really asked for it with her prior comment. She'd then sigh before replying.) I've eaten someone before yes. It's better than wasting the meat, and even if I hadn't wanted to eat her it wasn't really a situation where we could have kept her alive.

She wasn't sure if she should tell the entire story to a newcomer, but she wasn't going to lie either.

I don't make a habit of it, however. If I end up eating someone there are always other reasons why their death was necessary.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

Mizuki would be able to visibly see the tigress starting to relax once she started to use her magic to help with her injuries, her muscles becoming less tense and the girl's breathing slowing down. Harper would watch intently the beastkin do her work, making sure to keep her hands and feet above the ground as requested. Her years of grappling practice did give her a lot of core strength, so keeping herself balanced in this state wasn't too hard.

Still, she couldn't help but be slightly mesmerized by the healing performed in front of her. In a few moments, the agony that was washing over her just a few moments ago started to disappear as a soothing feeling took its place. While cool, it did make the beastkin look at her own abilities and feel a bit lacking in the flair department.

After all, when she found herself in front of someone who could turn herself into animals and heal wounds, her just being someone that can throw people into the ground really damn hard did come off as rather basic. It was very effective, the poor bear's body was not-so-living proof, but it didn't really stand out as much as Harper might've wanted. "Metamorphing and healing magic? You sure are something else Mizuki... All I've got is my judo and my claws. It does the job quite well but unlike you or some of the other people I've met, it ain't exactly flashy..." She'd say with a defeated chuckle, softly shrugging her shoulders at the comment about whether this made sense or not.

"Well, it is a fantasy game after all. I gave up on the 1-to-1 comparisons to real life a good while ago, haha." She'd joke around, going along with Mizuki's small talk. As the wolf girl expanded on what she meant by eating people with a good cause, Harper would close her eyes in thought. The fact that it was more of a way to not let the body go to waste instead of Mizuki actively hunting people for any reason did make it more okay in Harper's eyes, especially since she now knew that the wolf girl was a player like her from the beastkin mentioning the developers.

Because if that wasn't the case, then Mizuki would be someone who went into a game to hunt people like an animal. Which, while as valid as any form of escapism could be, would be a bit worrying in the tigress's eyes. "Well, if it weren't you it would be some other animal, I suppose. And even if you buried them, nature's decomposers would do it. In one way or another, the body would end up someone's feast." She'd note, opening her eyes. "Still, definitely not something that'd cross my mind to ever do. Then again, I've never had raw meat of any kind as a beastkin, so who knows. Maybe I might end up even liking it, heh." She'd say with a smirk, glancing at her coin purse.

"Definitely would save me a good amount of gold in rations, that's for sure."

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki noted that Harper took her advice of keeping both hands and feet off the ground without any questions, and also managed to do so without displaying any issues with keeping her balance. Most people would find it difficult to not fall over if their feet weren't touching the ground, even if they were seated. Combined with that spectacular throw the tigress had used to execute the bear it was pretty obvious that Harper was some sort of martial artist.

She'd first focus on Harper's hands, leaving the feet alone until she was done aiding in the regrowth of the tigress's hand claws. Under the soft green glow, Harper would experience a tingling and possibly itchy sensation as her claws visibly regrew, much faster than if she wasn't getting some druidic assistance. The blood she'd already shed would remain, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about anything going wrong with the moulting process.

You're new to this world, aren't you? You'll develop new abilities as you become more familiar with Terrasphere. When I started out my skillset was almost identical to yours, although I didn't have the advantage of already knowing judo. (She glanced towards the very dead bear.) I would encourage you to pick up a mastery that allows you to heal yourself. I'd almost say it's a must-have if you want to be able to explore by yourself.

The fantastical nature of Terrasphere did mean that one could not expect anything to be identical to Earth, but Mizuki still found certain things odd. Terrasphere was internally consistent to the point that Mizuki was pretty certain that the developers wanted the world to make sense, even if it was entirely different from Earth in many ways. So something that didn't just seem different but odd as well stood out to her.

Maybe so. Still, you'll have to put up with the moulting process. You might be able to affect it with Animancy, although in that case you'd have to put up with it being considered taboo. (She frowned.) Animancy is the mastery that allows you to control life force, but since it's most often used for necromancy most people shy away from it.[/color]

Fortunately, Harper understood that Mizuki didn't have any ill intentions when she ate people and that she had some pragmatic reasons rather than merely being an amoral cannibal. It was a more open-minded response than Mizuki had received from most other people who'd been exposed to her strange habits.

Even if you don't want to eat people, which is perfectly understandable, you could become accustomed to eating raw meat. Us beastfolk inherit traits from the beasts we're modelled after, so us predators have stomachs which allow us to digest flesh (Finishing her work on Harper's hands, she looked at the dead bear.) For example, there's enough meat on that bear for the both of us.

Rather than waiting for Harper's response to that suggestion, she'd grab the tigress's feet next, covering them with that same green glow to help soothe the pain and encourage the growth of new claws. Even if Harper wasn't grossed out by the cannibalism, she was probably still going to prefer cooking the meat, so Mizuki wasn't really interested in hearing an answer she was already expecting to know.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

The idea of learning how to heal herself did sound alluring to Harper. Bandages and herbs did do the job, but it wasn't as immediate as one would hope for use in combat. And while her grappling experience did teach her simple tricks such as putting a dislocated finger back in place by herself, anything worse than that would still cripple her if it happened in the middle of combat. And while someone could come and heal her, that same someone may also have other people that needed their help.

It didn't hurt to be a little self-sufficient, after all. Though the beastkin didn't really know where to start, she figured it wouldn't take too long once she had a proper footing under her. She saw herself as a fast learner, but it would still be better to have a teacher than to just throw her face onto a book. There was someone in front of her who could very well fill that role, but Harper didn't want to bother Mizuki too much while she was still doing her job. Still, one or two questions shouldn't do any harm.

The mentioned Animancy sounded interesting, but it being taboo did turn off the beastkin. She didn't want to have people look at her as some kind of evil-doer while she was just trying to ease her pain. And as Mizuki was showing, there were other options for it. While she didn't know what the wolf girl was doing exactly, it didn't scream lifeforce or necromancy to the tigress, so she was intrigued.

"Hmm... That does sound like a good idea." She'd say, looking over her new claws once Mizuki had finished with her hands with a pleased smile before resting her hands on the ground to give her midsection a rest. "Martial Arts and Crush Weapons do it for my offense, and Guard Arts cover for my defense. A form of healing would make it a nice, complete package. On that topic though, what exactly are you doing to help with my claws? I know it's magic, but that is a broad term in this world." She'd ask, before taking a moment to think about Mizuki's suggestion for them to make use of the bear's meat.

While she could use a nice meal after all of that and the idea of introducing herself to consuming raw meat was still on her mind, she figured it was best to start with something small, to not make waste since, at the end of the day, she was still taking a life. She didn't want to force Mizuki to eat more of the bear than she needed because the tigress ended up not liking it, but on the other hand, if Mizuki preferred to eat her meat raw, asking for her to cook it wouldn't feel right.

After all, the only reason it is the bear lying mauled in the grass and not her was because of her intervention. Besides, if she couldn't do it for the sake of it tasting good, she could always do it as a way to compete with the huntress. Just the good ol' "Who finishes their half of the bear first wins!".

"I mean, I'd prefer eating it cooked as a matter of familiarity, but if you prefer it otherwise I'll try to follow along. After all, you saved my behind back there, so I do owe you one." She'd say with a confident smile, proudly tapping her toned midsection with her hand. "While I don't usually feel the need to overeat, I think I can keep up well enough."

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

It was fortunate that Harper knew how to sit still and let Mizuki do her work. Using her magic to help soothe the tigress's pain was pretty straightforward, but growing the new claws at this speed took a bit more precision and concentration. Although not so much attention that Mizuki couldn't talk while she was working, and she didn't mind answering Harper's question as the tigress first explained what masteries she was using so far, and wondered how exactly the luna wolf's magic worked.

Martial Arts and Crush Weapons is a good combination. I must say though since Crush Weapons enhances your striking power I wouldn't have expected you to resort to throwing the bear. As for what I'm doing... Nature Magic is also a form of life magic, but it's based on plant life rather than animals. (She thought quickly to try and explain this without using too many words.) Nature has a type of energy, and I'm using that to promote your bodily processes so the regrowth process speeds up. I'm also applying the effects of some herbs that dull pain and prevent inflammation.

She waited as Harper considered the idea of eating the bear. It was clear that the tigress wasn't quite enthusiastic, although, in the end, she was willing to try eating it raw if only to go along with Mizuki's wishes. The luna wolf shrugged as she kept her eyes on the feet she was now healing.

We can cook the parts you want to eat, and I'm not expecting us to eat the entire bear by ourselves. It's a good idea to try some of it raw to at least see if it's bearable: a lot of people find raw meat unpleasant to the point of finding it nauseating. (She didn't show any sign of recognizing her own pun. Well, you shouldn't have that problem since you've got a carnivore's biology. That said... (She glanced up at Harper and smirked.) It might be a bit early to try and keep up with me.

Mizuki had a wolf's metabolism, which meant that she could eat a lot more without feeling discomfort. Of course, she also burned energy at a faster pace, which was why she was capable of eating more in the first place. She wasn't entirely sure if a tiger like Harper shared that accelerated metabolism, but given that tigers lived in warmer climates they didn't need to burn as much energy as tundra-inhabiting wolves.

Just eat how you want to eat, and eat as much as you want to. No point in eating yourself sick or pushing yourself more than your body can handle. Of course, you might be hungry anyway since you just finished regrowing your claws.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

When Mizuki asked about her choice of attack on the bear, the tigress couldn't help but scratch her head with a sheepish smile. In retrospect, it would've been the better choice given the state of her claws, but Harper still had a habit of defaulting to her Judo. Maybe it was pride, the judoka wanting to prove that her life-long martial art could be effective on just about everything Terrasphere had to throw at her. Or maybe the problem found itself on the other end, with the beastkin just not being as confident in the skills she hadn't carried over from outside the game.

It was something that she did unconsciously, but that could still end up being a problem later on. But she couldn't really do much about it now, given that the nearest monster to drill her instincts had just been killed.
"Hmm... Force of habit, I suppose? I wasn't really thinking straight due to the pain, so I think I just defaulted to what I felt more comfortable with. I usually just use my Martial Arts when going for my judo would either be impossible or put myself in the path of other's attacks." She'd note, listening to the explanation about Nature Magic. It sounded cool, and Harper felt like it had more applications than just the healing one that the wolf girl was applying at the moment.

She made a mental note to look more into it later before her ears perked up at Mizuki mentioning that the tigress wouldn't be able to keep up with her. Everything the wolf girl was saying made perfect sense, and Harper would normally just agree with her terms and move on, but the competitive fire in her heart wouldn't let that happen. Returning the smirk with one of her own, the beastkin would cross her arms.

"Ohoho~ Was that a challenge? Because even if it wasn't, you're on." Harper would say confidently. She was hungry, yes, but this wasn't about feeding herself anymore. Now, it was a matter of her competitive pride, and she would see the end of it no matter what happened. That's just how Harper, and Nicole for that matter, worked, much to her detriment at moments.



@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Force of habit... that confirmed that this girl knew judo in real life if that was what she resorted to when cornered. Mizuki highly doubted that the tigress had been playing Terrasphere for long enough that she'd developed any habits she didn't inherit from her Earth self.

I see. Well, it was an effective move, so no harm done. (She gave a small shrug.) As long as you can take down your prey you can use whatever's most comfortable for you.

She almost bit her tongue as she realized that sounded more like a lecture. It wasn't even like the two of them knew each other that well, Mizuki shouldn't be acting like she could lecture the tigress. Fortunately, Harper seemed happy to talk about it, so Mizuki exhaled slowly as the conversation moved on.

Unfortunately, it looked like she'd triggered Harper's competitiveness. The luna wolf would keep her mismatched eyes on the girl's feet as she finished regrowing those sharp claws while she listened to Harper's declaration that she considered the two of them to be competing for who could eat the most now. The huntress looked at Harper, the bear, and back at Harper, then gave the tigress a slight smile before letting go of her feet.

More of a warning, but if you want to interpret it as such... just don't blame me if you end up eating yourself sick. (She shrugged.) But for the sake of fairness we should cook your half, since you've never tried raw meat before.

If Harper tried to match Mizuki's appetite while also eating raw meat for the first time she'd end up blowing chunks long before the luna wolf came close to stuffing her stomach. Mizuki stood up and walked over to the bear, glancing over her shoulder at Harper.

You should be able to walk now, but your feet might be a bit sensitive.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

"...Prey, huh..." Mizuki's choice of words would stick with the beastkin. Harper herself hadn't used the term to describe her enemies, so she could only assume that this was the way the luna wolf saw the overall fauna of Terrasphere. A shape-shifting huntress, going around seeking the most dangerous and exotic of sports in a fantastical land.

Harper couldn't help but wonder what kind of person was piloting Mizuki. Of all the ways to enjoy a game such as Terrasphere, the way she seemed to have picked was by far one of the most out there she could imagine. But in a way, it did make the tigress more interested in her. In a sea of your average adventurers and explorers, such a "hobby" did make the wolf huntress stand out quite a bit.

"So, what is that you usually do on Terrasphere? I'm assuming that what happened today was more of a chance meeting than anything else, after all." She'd note before her golden eyes met directly with Mizuki's heterochromatic eyes for what seemed to be an uncomfortably long moment. "Nice eyes. Do they do anything special?" She'd ask, resting her elbow on her thigh so she could rest her face on her hand. As the wolf let go of her feet and suggested cooking Harper's half of the competition for fairness, Harper would nod as she got up to her feet.

"Fair enough, fair enough... Just leave a bite or two of raw meat for me so I can figure out if I like it or not." She'd say, hopping in place for a moment to get a feeling for her new claws. She'd then take a step forward with one of her legs, bending the knee as she changed levels, keeping her back leg straightened as she wrapped her arms in the air in front of her, bringing her back foot to the outside before standing up and turning around, finishing a standard double leg drill.

"Hmm. Definitely feels a bit funny still... Nothing too bad though." She commented to no one in particular, one of her eyes closed in a half-wince due to the sensitivity in her feet. Walking a bit funnily towards the luna wolf who was now by the bear's corpse, she'd crouch down near to the carcass. "So, you want some help breaking it up? My claws might still not be 100%, but I probably still can break a rib or two in half pretty well." She'd put up a sideways smile, flexing one of her arms playfully.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki looked at Harper as the tigress commented on the luna wolf's way of describing the creatures she hunted. From her perspective it was the most fitting term: she was a huntress, and she often hunted for the sake of either nourishment or the thrill of the hunt. That meant that her targets were the prey she hunted. On the other hand, she was aware that most people didn't see things the same way.

It makes sense to call them prey I'd say. As for what I usually do... well, hunting like this is pretty standard for me. (She looked at the bear.) No point in visiting this world if you don't use the opportunity to go on adventures and try out things that aren't possible on Earth.

The comment about her eyes caught her off guard and furrowed her brow a little in response to the unusually long gaze that Harper was directing at her. She shook her head and returned her own eyes to the feet she was working on with her magic.

Thank you. They don't do anything special though, I just liked them better this way. (She considered explaining that her eyes on Earth were also heterochromatic, but figured it'd be a bit much to just volunteer that information.) I can make them glow a little.

It looked like her treatment was successful, given that Harper stood up without any visible difficulties. While the tigress performed some physical tests to see what the new claws felt like Mizuki would nod in response to her companion's request and turn towards the bear. Squatting in front of the carcass she sharpened her claws.

Just don't stress them too much for now. You should get used to them quickly.

With those words, she got to work dismantling the bear. Her hands moved swiftly with a certainty born from experience as her sharp claws cut straight through the thick hide. Blood quickly covered her fingers as she started out by removing the bear's pelt. As Harper offered to help prepare the bear Mizuki paused for a moment before giving the tigress a small smile.

If you think you're up for it. Have you ever done this before?

@Harper

 

[Harper]

"I can agree with that. Can't say I'd ever had the chance to try and throw a bear back in the world, haha. Nor can I say I could even if given the chance... Probably."

Harper would note Mizuki's reasoning for using the "prey" term and the explanation for her heterochromatic eyes, nodding along. It made sense, given that Mizuki herself was a huntress, so anything she was after would be her prey. Though, the precedent did make a thought póp up in the tigress's head: Was there anything in Terrasphere that hunted the huntress? With a world as vast as this, surely there was a bigger, scarier predator somewhere. Was Mizuki improving herself to eventually reach the top of the food chain?


Harper decided to keep those thoughts on standby as she got to Mizuki's side. After all, they had a bear to prepare, and a competition to be had. She could keep satisfying her curiosity once the both of them had their share of the game besides them. Upon being asked if she had any experience with what they were about to do, the tigress would let out a chuckle.

"Well, sorta. Not exactly this, but I've gotten somewhat used to the general process after the 6th time a request asked for some beast's hide or meat. Besides, I do consider myself a fast learner." She'd affirm, following along with Mizuki as best as she could, though the sensitivity of her new claws and her lack of experience did make her lag behind Mizuki.

"On that vein... I don't know how this went for you, but it took me a while when I started to get used to stuff like this. Even with the notion that these beasts aren't real, and not more than very complicated arrays of data..." She'd hover her now-bloodied hand in front of herself, staring at it with a pensative gaze on her face while continuing. "I'm not a particularly violent person, so killing things, even if in self-defense, for the most part, felt very... Unnatural, and was something I had to force myself to go through with."

Wiping her hand on her thigh, she'd shrug her shoulders and let out a smile. "Well, I did eventually get used to it out of necessity. Can't deny there's a certain exotic thrill to a kill-or-be-killed situation too. Maybe it's my animal half manifesting." She'd then continue the preparation process, turning to Mizuki. "But what about you? Given what you told me, hunting was certainly not a part of your daily life back in the real world. How was it at the start? Or were you a savant at this from the beginning?"

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Hrmmm... Maybe not a full-grown bear, no. (Mizuki conceded before thinking about it a bit longer.) There's a lot of interesting things being developed on Earth, which includes augmentations for the human body. It'll be interesting to see where that leads us.

Tossing a bear would take a lot of work, but Mizuki recalled hearing about research which, if successful, could lead to treatments to enhance the strength of humans to the point that it was comparable to that of gorillas. Maybe not enough to toss a bear, but definitely enough that feats of strength could become ridiculous in comparison to the past.

It was good to know that Harper wasn't completely new to the art of skinning. Mizuki wouldn't have minded teaching the tigress from start to finish, but it would probably come at the expense of this bear's pelt.

That's good to know. Just take it easy and stay focused. We're in no hurry, after all, and it'd be a waste if we ruined its pelt or the meat. (Mizuki would keep working at her own pace, although she'd try to give Harper plenty of opportunities to watch how the luna wolf skilfully dismantled the ursine.) Bears have tough meat because of all the muscle, so you need to be decisive with your cuts. It'd be better if you focus on removing the pelt first.

As the two of them worked on the bear she listened as Harper expressed some thoughts about her first experiences in this world, what it was like to act like a hunter who killed and skinned animals who'd done nothing wrong other than being made of tasty and valuable parts. It wasn't the first time Mizuki had heard people talk about having to adapt to this world, although most people didn't hunt the way she and Harper did.

The final question, what it had been like for Mizuki in the beginning, made the luna wolf pause for a moment, her hands stalling before she continued her work.

Well... It wasn't like I was hunting and skinning prey like this from the beginning. When I just started out I was more focused on trying out this body in this world by taking down bandits and accepting quests. It was only once I'd grown more used to this world that I started doing this kind of thing. (She indicated the bear carcass in front of them with a bloodied hand.) That said, I did get accustomed to it quickly. I never really thought of my prey as pieces of data either: this world is so realistic that only the UI and the knowledge that it's simulated keeps it from being real, in which case... what's the difference between this and reality?

There was a theory that the reality she and Harper both hailed from was a simulation as well, and it was built on the reasoning that a sufficiently advanced simulation would be so real that it wouldn't matter if it was simulated or not, at least not for the inhabitants. From Mizuki's perspective the world of Terrasphere was complex and advanced enough that there wasn't much point on emphasising it's nature of being simulated.

It's definitely a thrill I'd never experienced on Earth though. The thrill of the hunt, to kill to be killed... I know exactly what you mean. I don't think it has to do with being non-human, although being of a predatory race certainly helps. (She grinned at Harper.) It might become even easier if you stop thinking of it as your animal half and accept that what you are in this world is completely different from what you are on Earth.

Were caenes half-wolf, half-human? Mizuki wasn't sure. She definitely was both wolf and person, but whether caenes looked the way they did was because they had human blood or if this was just a logical shape for any sapient lifeform to evolve into was anyone's guess. And the same went for Harper's tiger-like self.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

Harper would nod as she followed along Mizuki's hands, taking care of the bear's pelt first as she recommended. While she lagged behind when it came to technical aspects of it, any parts that she could make good use of her strength went down very smoothly. She couldn't deny that this did feel quite relaxing to do, especially with the luna wolf's guidance. Back in the real world, Nicole would very much not be this willing to go hands-deep on a carcass, even on the off chance she got a hold of one.

But in the world of Terrasphere, that didn't apply to Harper. While she was perfectly content with the life she had outside of the game, it didn't mean she shouldn't take upon this world's offer to experience all sorts of unlikely, fantastical, and whimsical moments. She had taken up this game to find a way to spend her free time, and yet she couldn't deny that she had received much more than she had asked for. And given that her time here was limited by the two-death threshold she self-inputted, it was best to enjoy things as they came.

As Mizuki put it, she didn't need to be Nicole here. She could just be Harper. As time passed, Harper would keep the idle chat so the two of them had something to focus on other than the skinning. Picking up from Mizuki's answer, the tigress would continue. "It's a much simpler way to look at it, for sure. And I can attest that I've done many things that I would never think of in the re- Or, well, other world if we are going by that line of thought. Still... I do think it's good to keep the thought that this isn't the real world in one's mind at times, or else they may end up losing themselves here. Well..."

Harper would stop for a moment, lightly tilting her head to the side as she closed her eyes in thought. "It might be easier for me to say it, given that I have been doing pretty nice for myself back there. But I can't deny I've met a good few sorry lots who would gladly lose themselves here. It can very much be a second chance at life, after all." As she finished, so did a good part of the process of removing the pelt. Wanting to move from the prior topic already, the tigress would grab a portion of it and hold it up slightly as if to show it to Mizuki.

"Say... What do you plan to do with this? My first hunch is to sell it, but I can't be too sure when it comes to you. Bury it? Hang it on a wall by a fireplace in some cozy wooden lodge? Since you did save my behind back there, I have no qualms with letting you keep it, after all." She'd note as she started to work on the bear's lower extremities, going through it at a faster pace than the one she started with, Mizuki's guidance visibly paying off.

"On that line of thought... Any hunts you are particularly proud of? Some big, burly beast that thought it had no one above him in the food chain before you arrived? Or maybe an ever-elusive one who no one could tell if it was even real?" With a smile, she'd ask. With Mizuki's experience, she figured the wolf huntress had already seen many things she couldn't even imagine. Such accounts could help her get an idea of what she was up against in the future.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki casually observed Harper as the tigress got to work trying her hand at skinning the bear, although she mostly did so from the corner of her eye and through her nose and ears, as she needed to keep most of her attention on their prey. It was obvious that the striped female was unfamiliar with the act, but despite her lack of experience she was getting the hang of it quickly, and perhaps more importantly she didn't appear to be squeamish about it. There were many people who'd get uncomfortable or even nauseous if they were suddenly told to skin an animal like this.

I think it's similar to the anonymity of the internet: nobody knows you as you, so your inhibitions aren't the same as they would be on Earth. (She frowned) It's not a perfect comparison since you do build up an identity in this world, but I think many people consider Terrasphere a blessing for the opportunity to start fresh.

What would you be like if you weren't shaped by your environment? Such questions were very popular, although often people skipped this indirect step and immediately went to the core question "Who am I?" Terrasphere offered an almost unique opportunity to explore this question from a new angle, the opportunity to travel to another world without any ties to who you were on Earth. That is, until someone connected the Terrasphere you with the Earth you.

Unsurprisingly Harper quickly argued to not completely abandon the awareness that Terrasphere wasn't the real world. Most people were like that. Mizuki shrugged a bit as she kept working.

You might be correct, although personally, I think the question of whether this world is real or not is largely academic. Something for philosophers to argue about. So far as I'm concerned this place is as real as it needs to be. (She paused as Harper pointed out that there were those who'd gladly lose themselves in this world if they could.) For those people it might be more important to remind them that they can't just ignore their life on Earth... unless they're willing to go so far as to UI-lock themselves.

UI-lock presented an interesting conundrum, given that it was kind of like suicide... except you weren't quite dead afterwards, depending on how you judged it. Cleo would probably argue that the self that remained in Terrasphere after your Earth self died was just a copy, even if she still felt ethically obligated to treat them as people.

With both of them working on removing the pelt it wasn't surprising that it wouldn't take long before most of it was already hanging loose. The luna wolf inspected the portion that Harper was holding up.

Hrmmm... Looks good. And I'll probably sell it: I don't need it, but winter is coming and the Landers living in the villages can always use some extra warmth.

She turned her attention back towards her work, claws swiftly taking care of what remained of the pelt. By this point she was more or less ready to remove it entirely and get to work cutting the meat into more convenient pieces, but she'd wait for Harper to finish her work, studying the tigress in the meantime.

That said, you should also pay attention to your physical needs. I've got a wolf's physique so I'm resistant to the cold, but as a tiger you'll want to dress warmly once winter arrives.

Just because they were both beastfolk didn't mean they were the same, after all. Mizuki frowned in thought as Harper asked after some of her experiences as a huntress, particularly experiences that she felt proud of. Truthfully, outside of group events Mizuki tended to be more careful and avoided prey that might actually put her in serious danger, but that didn't mean she didn't have some stories...

I once encountered something akin to a yeti. Big, ape-like, covered in thick fur. I'd just learned how to change my shape, so I was testing out what I could do. It was big and strong enough that I had to dodge its attacks.

That was from over four years ago, but the memory still persisted in Mizuki's mind. The beast had been strong enough that she couldn't have hoped to match it in a competition of strength, so she'd been circling it constantly while looking for an opportunity to strike.

That said, while I started the hunt alone someone else showed up in the middle of it, so in the end, it wasn't really a solo hunt.

@Harper

 

[Harper]

Harper did struggle initially with the blood and guts when she came to Terrasphere. Due to her strength and her way of fighting, things she went up against tended to go sploft on the ground more often than she'd personally enjoy. But bones were never that bad for the tigress. Being a practitioner of grappling arts for a good chunk of her life, she had gotten somewhat used to the idea of sometimes seeing stuff get broken. Luckily none of hers' had suffered this fate, but she knew how to put a finger back in place just to be safe.

Listening as Mizuki explained the way she saw people who entered Terrasphere as a way to make themselves a new start, Harper couldn't help but stop and think. She had met a good lot of people on her journey here, and while she could say she had a good grasp on their personalities, the same couldn't be said for how they are or were back in the real world. For all she knew, those she considered friends were people she wouldn't be able to say the same about outside of this world.

"Being UI-Locked... It's still something I can't quite believe in. The headset we put on frying our brains? Sure. Sounds like something my mom would tell me." She'd point at her own temple a few times, before continuing. "But to think that our consciousness can just keep existing here after the physical body goes kaput is just mind-blowing. But given the number of people I've met that suffer from it, I guess it isn't just a mass case of delirium." She'd sigh, taking a look at the sky. "Though I'd never give up my life back there, no matter how bad it got, I guess I can see how Terrasphere can be seen as a fresh start for some desperate people."

Finishing her tangent, she'd grab the now fully-removed pelt as Mizuki finished and laid it flat on the ground, settling it aside for now. When Mizuki mentioned a need for Harper to warm up, the tigress would shrug. "Well, there are big cats who are suited to warm climates. When push comes to shove, I'll see if I can take it or if I'll have to get one of these for myself." She'd finish, motioning to the pelt with her striped tail.

Standing up, she'd put her hands behind her head as she sighed. "A yeti, huh? That's fairly impressive, even if you got help. As for myself, I haven't really had anything that worthwhile yet. There was this really big goblin I threw around once, but I got help from a Magia. With a rifle. I didn't even know you could cook up guns in this world!" She'd mention her brief adventures with Ronja, before shaking her head.

"But hey, I say we keep the tales for after we got our bellies full. That meat ain't getting prepped by itself, after all. And I think my cat instincts are really asking for bear right now." She'd finish with a wink, eager to start to dig her way through a meal, primal and simple as it might end up being.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

It was surprising how seriously Harper was taking Mizuki's words. Most people, she found, were insistent that Terrasphere was just a game, and even if they acknowledged that for some people it was more than that they pitied those people for their unfortunate circumstances on Earth rather than agreeing that Terrasphere offered them an opportunity. And while their position made sense if you thought of Earth as reality and Terrasphere as fake the luna wolf still thought that mindset was a bit limited. Harper, meanwhile, was considering everything she had to say.

Noticing that Harper was gesturing Mizuki looked away from the bear, watching the tigress point at her own temple while admitting that she was having difficulty with the idea of UI-locking being a real thing. The luna wolf shrugged, herself unsure about the specifics but confident that it was real.

It would be miraculous if our consciousness was transferred, but the most common theory disagrees with that idea. (She held up two bloody, clawed fingers.) VR technology directly interfaces with the brain, which allows it to be as immersive as it is. This means that it's possible for Terrasphere to scan our brains, and if our minds are a product of the brain... (She hesitated for a second.) It might be that the UI-locked person who lives on in Terrasphere is a copy. It would have the same outward effect, and nobody would be able to tell the difference, not even the copy, but the original would still be dead.

Of course, one could argue that it wasn't really death if a perfect copy of you was still walking around. The problem was that consciousness still wasn't really understood. Was it possible to move your consciousness from one brain to another? Or was a perfect copy still another person, no matter the fact that they were perfectly identical to you? And was there a practical difference?

Now wasn't really the time to go in-depth about that. At least she and Harper agreed that it was possible for Terrasphere to be a better place for those who hadn't been able to find happiness on Earth.

Personally I find the idea that the game can kill your Earth self more incredulous. On the user end the hardware follows the regulations meant to make VR safe, so for it to somehow bypass those regulations it'd have to exploit a loophole.

Maybe you could get the human brain to shut down if you sent it the right stimulus? A scary thought.

Harper apparently was rather confident that even as a tiger she'd be able to weather the winter or quickly acquire another pelt. Mizuki considered arguing, but gave another shrug.

Up to you. Just make sure you're prepared for the possibility that you're not as suited to the cold. (She smiled as the tigress praised the hunt for the yeti.) It was a lot of fun. As for guns, it used to be that guns didn't exist, but the four years that we couldn't access this world the people who got UI-locked have been advancing technology quite a bit.

Harper then suggested focusing on dressing the meat of the bear, which Mizuki could agree with. They'd have plenty of time to talk once they were done with the work, and cutting the bear into good pieces did take some more concentration. Nodding in affirmation to Harper's suggestion the luna wolf focused on the bear, her claws swiftly cutting through its dense muscle and fat.

Are you interested in the organs or would you rather eat the rest?

As she spoke she slid her hands deeper inside of the bear, blood and viscera staining her arms as she began freeing up the organs so she could pull them free while doing minimal damage to the surrounding tissue.

@Harper