Private Eastern Brisshal Initial Descent

[Iselda Blackthorn]

A rush of black, dotted with points of light like a starry sky flashing by, gave way in what felt like a rush of pixels to reveal a vast, fully realized world. There was even a rush of air that could be felt, a sensation that was quite rare in games like this. With a slight whisper of her foot upon the ground as her in game body finished rendering, Iselda took stock of her situation, her black eyes filled with wonder. So this was Terrasphere. She'd made it at last. The character creation process had been an agonizing affair where Iselda had to make sure every detail of her new body was perfect. A great scion of justice could settle for nothing less.

She bit her lower lip briefly, betraying Lena's nervousness at the situation, but centered herself with a slow exhale. Focus. She wasn't sad, scared Lena anymore. She was Iselda, the maven of justice and soon to be the greatest hero known in the whole of Terrasphere. There was no room for doubts. Slapping her cheeks briefly, she forced herself to stand up straighter and took her first steps into the new world. A suit coat covered a layer of chain mail armor with a furred coat on top. Her pants were perfectly tailored and reached to her ankles with slightly heeled boots beneath. She stretched her black leather gloves to better fit over her hands before venturing further into the starting area. A rapier sat at her hip.

The starting area, at least for her, appeared to be a bustling town square. Pretty standard stuff for an MMO, so at least there was some internal genre consistency here. People milled about, and the clamor was almost overwhelming. Never had Iselda wanted more to go back to the comfort of her room, and yet she was already there. No. Focus! She steeled her expression and marched through the crowd, finding her way to a street stand selling... fried lizard? Was this... truly edible? It was included in the game assets, so it must have been... right?

Thankfully, the starting gold left her more than enough money to purchase a lizard for herself, and she selected it curiously. Would she be able to taste here? Ugh, it still had its little legs and everything. This sounded like it would be a bad time. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Using some of her newfound courage, Iselda took a small bite of the crispy reptile. Iselda blinked in surprise. Huh. It actually wasn't half bad.

@Liliana Fireheart

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

3 Days Earlier

"I'm tellin' ya, Lily~ Best. Sex. Ever!"

"Really? Even better than Chad?"

"I thought the same thing! Like wow, right?"

"Wooowwww, that's rad. But like...what's the catch?"

"Oh, it's illegal but like, how are they gonna know? I play it in my bedroom, duh."

"Truuuue, okay I'm sold. Please just tell me this won't cost too much...I wanna go to the mall later."

"Oh, you can just have mine! I don't know what else to do with it and I'm done playing, I don't wanna get addicted to it or whatevs, ya know?"

---

Present

Ever since getting it, Lily had been having the time of her life. Everything was new and exciting, not being much of a consumer of fantasy media. Having to learn everything was difficult for her due to how foreign it seemed, but she was going to school to be a nurse so like, how hard could this be?

Even just talking to the NPCs and learning that they were just AI blew her mind. She couldn't believe they could make a game so real.

Logging in tonight, she spawned back at the starting area that she shared with her sister unknowingly. She'd been going back to the same place to logout so that when she logged in she could easily find her way again. Didn't make it very far as a result, however.

She loved her new form, stretching into it as she spawned. From her hair to her clothes, she'd spent literal hours perfecting it for the sake of her desire to look better than everyone else in any given room. She knew that was a big ask, but this was what turned her head so she hoped it worked on others too. As she had previously, she started with the first thing she saw and decided based on first glance whether it looked like fun to get involved or not. Eventually, after a long process of elimination, she had something fun to do! In this case, something interesting was immediately present.

"You actually bought that? Gross! Is it good?"

@Iselda Blackthorn

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda chewed her bite of lizard slowly, contemplatively, as she got a grasp on the flavor. First of all, the fact that she could taste what amounted to a sequence of pixels and programming was truly impressive. The designer of Terrasphere must have been a genius on par with some of the greatest modern engineers put together. Second, for a strange item of food, it was quite palatable. There was a delicate spice to it with a pleasing kick at the back of her throat, but it wasn't overbearing. Its texture reminded her a bit of rotisserie chicken, and even the skin was delightfully crispy. She had only been in this world for a few minutes and already her decision to be more courageous was paying dividends. Maybe she could do this after all.

That is, until an excited voice spoke up behind her and almost made Iselda jump out of her skin. She used every last ounce of willpower she had to tilt her chin up and haughtily turn her head slightly rather than whirl around and cower like the frightened loser that she really was. Iselda glanced to her side to see a very colorful young woman next to her. What did they call this race in this game? Ah. Beastfolk. She supposed it could be a faerin, but the horns were something of a giveaway. The woman was beautiful in the way that most videogame avatars would be, yet there was a clear difference. Her player had obviously taken the time to painstakingly customize as much as Iselda did. The tasteful robe design and carefully altered highlights in her hair gave it away.

The only problem now was that Iselda had absolutely no clue how to conduct this conversation. Lily would have jumped right in with something charismatic and happy go lucky, but she couldn't have done that if her life depended on it. She had to do courageous and outgoing in her own way... somehow. Turning fully to face the woman, Iselda placed a hand on her hip with a flourish that made her heavy fur coat rustle dramatically. She held up the lizard in her other hand delicately to show it off before taking another small bite. "Hm. I'll have you know that this is far from gross. It's actually quite delicious. I heartily recommend it," she replied with a refined air.

"I'm new to Terrasphere, so I'm simply doing my best to assimilate with the local culture, to become a part of the world that has seen fit to allow me entrance." Her way of speaking was so flowery as to approach on laughable, roleplaying in every sense of the world. Yet, to Iselda, it felt like a great success, like she was actually pulling off this whole "scion of justice" schtick. "And who might you be, miss? I am Iselda Blackthorn, one who will one day become a knight of great strength and skill. The greatest warrior of justice this game has ever seen." She held out a hand for the woman to shake, clearly quite proud of herself as she raised her chin in the manner of a renowned countess of a distant land.

@Liliana Fireheart

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

"Heartily, hm?" She repeated, looking at it with a blink and twisting into an uncertain expression. She wasn't much for hiding how she felt about things and so her tinge of disgust was not avoidable. She did notice, however, the refined sort of air this woman had about her. Interesting.

A bit too boring for her, though. It didn't seem fun. Unless...

"Assimilate? Just be yourself, silly. Enjoy it because you want to, not because ya should, ya know?" Then stuck out her hand for a dainty shake, "Liliana Fireheart. I'm just here to have fun and stuff." She smiled brightly.

And stuff~

"That's cool, though. What's got you so into justice that you're tryin to be like...some kind of hero or somethin?" She seemed confused, but not in a mean way or anything. Lily just genuinely didn't understand what the point of it was.

"I'm new too, though, just got here the other day. Yesterday? Whatever, anyway, it's really nice to meet another player! You seem cool, do you wanna like, do stuff or whatever?"

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

The woman who had cast such suspicion on the fried lizard Iselda held in her hand seemed... flippant for lack of a better word. Compared to Iselda, or the player behind her, she looked relaxed and confident in a casual way. There was something enviable about that, though Iselda didn't say as such out loud. she was supposed to be confident too after all.

The woman's handshake proved to be more delicate than Iselda's, and Iselda put perhaps a little bit too much strength into her grip, the very definition of overcompensation. Still, the woman, no Liliana's, words failed to move Iselda. She was here in Terrasphere to enjoy herself certainly, but this was her journey, her attempt to change herself. There could be no "enjoyment" here. ...Besides, wasn't immersion the whole point?! Still, Liliana's lackadaisical approach almost broke through Iselda's cold mask of nobility. There was something very familiar about the way she acted, and though Iselda hadn't made the connection, it certainly made her feelings warmer toward Liliana than she realized.

Liliana questioned Iselda's commitment to justice, but Iselda didn't detect any malice in her words. She half-expected to be met with scorn, yet Liliana was genuinely curious. The scion of justice allowed herself a smile and drifted a finger briefly across her chin before forcing herself to keep her hands down. The new her didn't fall prey to nervous tics. Absolutely not! "Isn't it self-explanatory? Heroes are warriors of the people. They know they're right because they stand on the side of justice. Though some may find my methods disagreeable, I will show them that the way I shape this world and the scum that threaten it is the correct one. When they feel safe in their homes knowing that any evil acts will be stamped out viciously, they will have me to thank," she said proudly. Even the weak could be assured of a peaceful life free from brigands, manipulators, or... bullies. Especially bullies.

Despite just meeting, Liliana was eager for the pair of them to travel together for a time. The way she spoke needled at Iselda's mind, like she should have known who this Liliana was, but she just couldn't connect the dots. Who did she know in real life who spoke like this? Her sister? No, how preposterous. Lily would never involve herself with "nerd shit." That was strictly Iselda's realm of expertise. The idea of traveling with a stranger filled Iselda with dread and anxiety, but she swallowed those down and tried to be what the person she wanted to be: Everything exactly opposed to who she was now. "Ah yes, certainly. Exploring a new world alone can often be dangerous. I would welcome your company. I'm afraid I can't be certain of what 'doing stuff' entails. No fried lizards apparently. Is there a place in this city that you've found to be interesting? What exactly is it that you came to Terrasphere to do?"

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

The handshake she received was a little firm for her liking, definitely overcompensating, and she winced a little as she pulled her hand back. She hated when people felt the need to do that, typically bitchy girls from school who were jealous or something. Lily never understood quite what their problem was. It wasn't her fault she was attractive and popular! And besides, it wasn't like she was pining after any of their boyfriends or anything! They approached her first.

Not like those girls should have bothered fighting for those guys. None of them stood out to her as impressive in any measure, much less in the bedroom. They all deserved better, and clearly the dudes weren't even loyal, so she was doing them a favor!

"There is a difference between being the hero of the people and being on the side of justice, you know. They don't always line up on the same side." Perhaps surprisingly wise or observant, Lily said it fairly casually as if it were common sense. Clearly, Iselda needed to hear it, if she was so gung-ho about this. Not that she wasn't happy for her just...you know. Political stuff that she'd gotten more into on social media had taught her a lot about activism and privilege and power dynamics in the country.

"That's a good line, though. 'When they feel safe in their homes...'. Good stuff." She repeated, then addressed the following question. She felt a compulsion to reach for her phone, but kept reminding herself that it wasn't there. It was hard to get used to.

"Well, I'm kinda hungry, but other than that, I told you, I came here to have fun and stuff." She put extra emphasis on the 'and stuff' this time, wiggling her eyebrows as if trying to get the point across without having to say the quiet part out loud, "Friend rec'd it to me and said that lewd stuff was really good here like...stupidly, mind-breakingly good. Get the pic? That's what I mean when I say 'and stuff'." She laughed, clearly feeling like she had to lay it out after all, even after just trying to avoid that. Whatever, she figured. If they were going to be friends, she was going to have to get used to her lewdness and openness about sex stuff.

"But yea, no, like, whatever, ya know? If you'll have me, we can do whatever ya like, I'm just along for the ride until I find someone to maybe hook up with." A familiar, lewd grin spread across her face and she swayed happily, having far too much fun with her body and aesthetic as a game character.

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda's stony expression curled into a slightly deeper frown as Liliana pointed out the distance between being a hero and serving justice. The assertion that they didn't always serve the same side shook Iselda's resolve. Was she wrong about what she was trying to do in the first place? She thought that by acting confident and working to be a good person that changing herself would follow, but had her thought process been wrong to begin with? No. Nononono. That couldn't be. She'd just met Liliana. For all Iselda knew, LILIANA was the wrong one. What would Lily say at a time like this? Very slightly, she began to chew at her lip.

No. She couldn't be like this. Be strong, Lena! This was all for the sake of changing herself! Regaining her composure, Iselda simply nodded. "I'll take your words into consideration," she stated, not committing too much one way or the other. Coward. What happened to sticking up for herself? Iselda's avatar seemed to be compensating even more than she already was, forcing herself to stand tall and look even more intense. Still, Liliana's words tickled at the back of her mind. Heroes and justice not on the same side? How could that be?

Of course, the compliment that followed brought a smile onto Iselda's face before she could stop herself, looking away and fidgeting a bit with the fur of her collared coat. It was a gesture that might have seemed familiar to those that knew Lena in real life, but thankfully there was no one like that nearby. "I can't take credit for that. It's from a book I read once," she admitted, clearing her throat and centering herself once more.

She couldn't help but be curious about what Liliana hoped to get from Terrasphere. The woman didn't seem like a typical gamer and in fact seemed almost noobish compared to Iselda's relative expertise in these types of MMOs. Her explanation of the "stuff" she hoped to do only cemented that fact. Iselda's avatar seemed to stutter and freeze as Lena, in real life, took off her VR helmet and muted herself. "L-l-l-lewd stuff?? What is sh-she here for? What kind of lewd s-s-stuff does she... That isn't..."

Forcing herself to calm down, she practically slammed the helmet back onto her head and unmuted, clearing her throat as only a hint of the discomfort showed on Iselda's face. This woman was so uncouth. Her big sis would have loved someone like her, but Iselda wasn't even close to the same. Was Iselda really going to try to befriend someone like this? Wait... Lily really would have liked Liliana, wouldn't she? Did that mean that Iselda was the wrong one, since Lily was exactly who she wanted to be like? This might just be the kind of friendship she needed. She needed to calm down.

Nodding a bit, she gripped her chin with one hand. "I see. You wish to find someone to... ahem... sleep with. Perhaps I can assist with that endeavor." She froze as she realized the implication. "Not to offer myself, that is! As a warrior of justice, celibacy is important to remain objective. I simply meant that as friends, I could act as an intermediary to help you obtain the partner you require. Nothing more!" Even Liliana's smile looked like something big sis would do. This reminded her of catching Lily in the back of the car with some boy. Iselda had to hide under the blankets for about 20 minutes to get that image out of her head.

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

Lily seemed distracted by other things momentarily but caught notice of a particular type of fidgeting briefly. She looked a little suspicious towards her but it faded before Iselda would look back at her.

"Ohhh, books, that makes sense. I don't read much except for like, social media and stuff. My sister reads though, typical nerd stuff. I love her all the same though, she's so cute and sweet. I bet this game would be something she'd like, too. I wonder if I'll see her around somewhere..." She seemed thoughtful, not letting on that she had suspicions that Iselda was, in fact, Lena. She was putting on a good act, if she was, and she'd have to believe that this world was very small for that to be true.

As Iselda caught up with her intentions and stated her own idea of helping with her goals, Liliana laughed loudly, "That's so proper! Sleep with! Bestie, your girl wants to F U C K. And don't worry, you're not really my type. I appreciate the offer of help, though! You can be my wingwoman!" She smiled brightly, happy with the result.

"You gotta loosen up a bit, though, ya know? You're here to have fun, at the end of the day, right? All that justice won't do nobody any good if you can't have a little fun." A life motto, if she had one. Do what feels good and have fun. What was the point of living, otherwise?

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda fought back the urge to look unimpressed. Of course this... crude young woman didn't do much reading. She seemed like the kind of airhead who used to torment her real world self once upon a time. Nothing like Lily who was loving and protective, even if she could be a little ditzy sometimes. Her curiosity was piqued a bit at the mention of Liliana's sister. Typical nerd stuff?

Wait...

Realization hit Iselda like a ton of bricks. All of the dots connected at the same time, and the imposing woman almost began to sweat in sheer shock. The way she said "typical nerd stuff"... How many people in the world could possibly speak in that exact way? Iselda's mind flashed back to a few months ago as she'd foolishly left her door open while engaged in yet another level 99 raid with her guild. A hand on her shoulder made her shriek as Lily laughed and questioned what kind of nerdy thing she was up to now. Lily... Liliana... The preoccupation with intercourse... It couldn't be!

"Your sister... Hmph. She sounds frivolous and weak. Certainly someone who would never thrive in a game with this level of immersion and difficulty," she said, purposely antagonizing Liliana to see how she might react. If that really was her sister behind that avatar, Iselda knew generally how she might react. It would be a dead giveaway. Lily always defended her, sometimes with a violent fervor that scared even her bullies. She just couldn't help but be incredulous. Her sister was never the type to jump into VR games, no matter what dubious "benefits" there might be. Yet, the preoccupation with using the game to find people for... lewd purposes... was very fitting of her sister. Iselda began to regret all of her judgmental thoughts.

The evidence only continued to mount as Liliana laughed as Iselda's careful wording, stating with the delicacy of a caveman that she was here to "fuck" as she put it. Keeping to her character with ironclad will, she grimaced in distaste. "Yes, I suppose that's... one way to put it," she said with a slight sigh. If she was being completely honest with herself, she felt a little defensive. Not her type? Iselda modeled this avatar very specifically to be the peak of beauty, similar to Lily. How could she not be anyone's type?? She was getting wound up again. Iselda huffed and crossed her arms.

"I haven't the slightest idea what a wingwoman is meant to be, but unfortunately flying is not an ability I possess yet," she stated with the ignorance of a true shut-in. "As for loosening up, I see no reason. Perhaps when I've done my work and brought more justice to this lawless world, I can speak of 'fun.' Until then, I must become the beacon of righteousness I was always meant to be."

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

The conversation was going well, and as it jumped to her sister it seemed to be a moment for her to nice things that Lena should here, if this was Lena. However, the response she got angered her immediately, and it was proven by hands that balled into fists, expression turning down into ire at her new target,

"Hey! That's my sister you're talkin' 'bout! Don't you dare talk 'bout her that way again or we'll throw hands right here and now, ya get me?" Her threat was restrained compared to what she'd done to someone at school over something similar once, not waiting to deliver a warning before fighting a girl who had dared to speak about Lena in a negative way.

Nobody let her hear such words again, after that. If they had to whisper about the both of them, she didn't care. So long as she didn't hear it. The storm passed, however, hoping that her threat had gotten through to her. Whether this was Lena or not, there was only one way to find out, but she didn't seem like her with the way she wasn't squirming over her phrasing or anything.

"A wingwoman, you know, like a wingman? Just someone who helps you get laid, basically. Talks you up, plays a good third wheel and knows when its time to let me finish up the deal." Then she smirked about her response to loosening up, "Typical. Working too hard. Ya gotta play, ya know? If you don't play, you'll get burned out. Then you quit playing and your beacon of righteousness thing is in danger. Trust me."

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda's eyes darted down for a moment as Liliana's hand balled into fists. She thought for a moment that her potentially ex-friend would actually throw a punch, and she had to use every ounce of willpower she had to suppress a whimper. Confrontation was Lena's worst enemy, but Iselda was supposed to be uncompromising. She couldn't run away. Forcing herself to maintain an unimpressed expression, she looked down on the crude, irate woman.

Liliana's response made any sort of composure a near-impossibility. The cadence of the words, the slang, and especially the feelings behind them... There was no doubt. It was Lily. Immediately, she felt a deep guilt for thinking anything so rude towards her sister. Crude? Vulgar? No, she was just confident and self-assured, and just like always, all Iselda could do was misunderstand and be wrong. So very wrong. A storm of mental turmoil shook the supposed beacon of justice. What were the astronomical odds that her sister, who firmly avoided "nerdy" things, would play this game AND they would meet each other literally within their first few times of playing? Could there possibly be fate after all?

Iselda listened carefully as Liliana, no Lily, explained what a wingwoman was. She almost blushed. How did she not know that? Was this the price she paid for being a shut-in? Feigning nonchalance, Iselda ran a hand through her short locks, tossing her hair back. "I see. A slang term for an assistant in sexual encounters... It all makes sense now," she said, playing it cool like she wasn't terribly embarrassed of her ignorance. This time, when Lily told her that she should learn to relax, Iselda felt more inclined to listen. She rubbed her chin. "I will give the matter some thought."

For now, however, there was something far more important to confirm. She didn't want to just ask Liliana directly. If she was wrong, it might be so mortifying that Lena might have to log off and forget her resolution altogether. The very thought made her gut squirm. All she could do was drop a few hints. Iselda, of course, thought that she'd done a good job of hiding her identity, unaware that Liliana already had suspicions of her own. Luckily, all Lena really had to do was show a little of the insecurity behind her bravado and anyone that knew her, which really was only Lily when she thought about it, would recognize her immediately.

Her teeth slid gently over her bottom lip, gnawing a little as she fiddled with her fur collar again, much like a certain pathetic girl would fidget with her jacket at school whenever something bothered her. "S-so how does one 'play' like you do? Surely you don't expect me to..." Iselda's breathing quickened a little as she tried to imagine somehow enjoying the type of "excitement" Lily got up to. No no no no no. It was impossible.

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

There was a mood change that took place as quickly as the storm had appeared and disappeared. She could switch between emotions as quickly as an actress, which she had been told was a little scary. She didn't mind. It was important to her that she could maintain control over her emotions, as fickle as she might sometimes seem. It almost lead to some neurotic tendencies, but again, she didn't mind.

It was hard not to notice the trademark fidgeting that Lena exhibited mirrored in Iselda, and she took a blatant mental note of it with a focused gaze.

"Well," She said, smiling brightly and moving her eyes back to eye contact, "I like to play chess with my mom. She's a grandmaster." As if Lena didn't know all too well, if it was really her, "Other than that, I like to just find and eat good food, make new friends, and watch people. People watching is really good fun if you're in the right place."

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

That was it. In fact, if Iselda didn't know her sister better, she would have thought that Lily had very carefully orchestrated this entire situation. Her older sister was many things but a deep schemer was not one of them. This really was just an unbelievable coincidence of fate. Lily came here to look for more "fun"? How could such a thing even be possible? Behind her VR helmet, a certain younger sister squirmed nervously, the motion showing slightly in the tremble of Iselda's shoulders.

Suddenly, she found herself far too timid to admit the truth out loud. It was one thing to make a new self in a new world where no one knew her. It was another entirely to give voice to her game of pretend in front of the sister who was so much better than she. Looking away slightly, she smiled. "I see. I have a sister who likes to play chess as well. Sometimes, we'd play together. She's far better than I am, but sometimes she lets me win. I'm sure she thinks I don't notice. It's one of the many things I love about her."

Iselda slid a hand along her sleeve, tucking her head down a bit more as a sheepish, half-hearted smile flickered on her face. "I've never been much of a fan of people-watching, but I do like to watch my sister. Or perhaps... look up to her is a better way to put it. You must know someone like that." The once stern woman's tentative expression practically begged for Liliana to make the connection without forcing Iselda to out herself on her very first venture into Terrasphere.

"...Don't you, Liliana?"

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

As usual, Lena danced around the subject, subverting the obvious truth to allow her older sister to lay it out for the both of them.

"...Don't you, Liliana?"

With that, she swooped in for a big hug, lifting her younger sister off the ground as she wrapped her warmly in her embrace. It was several seconds before she let her go, a big and warm smile plastered on her face like she was about to cry.

"I knew it was you, Lena, silly girl. As happy as I am to see a familiar face, let me say a few things before we move on from this, yea?" Talking a little more properly if only to show that she was being serious, "One, I want to know why my little sister, in her own words, is in an illegal game. You know if you go too far or get in too deep with it, I will absolutely tell mom and dad and make sure you can't play anymore. This game is nothing to take lightly. We clear on that?" Only once she'd gotten an affirmative response would she move on,

"Two, you should see this character you're playing as a way to get stronger in the real world, too. You are not your own enemy, so don't start talking badly about yourself or I'll beat you up myself, got it? I wasn't joking earlier. I have to say, though, it's a good character. It suits you. I know you'll make me proud. Well, more proud than I already am of the person you've grown to be." A small giggle to offset the heavy emotions pouring out of her,

"Three, I let you win because that's what Mom did for me when I was learning at first. It helps to see the finish and learn the endgame so you can see what to look for when you're playing harder games. Remember, every game of chess has been played and recorded. It's your memory you have to work on, and specializing in an obscure game can get you a win over others that don't know it as well. You still have a lot to learn, though. Focus on the patterns and maybe you'll surpass me one day." As if, but it was good to give her something to strive for.

"And back to point one for a second, don't think about telling on me for playing, too, as a way to get out of possible trouble. You know Daddy will take my side if I claim innocence."

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda barely finished asking her question before a big hug swept her off her feet. It was bordering on hilarious to hear this tall, imposing woman squeal like a mouse as she was lifted into the air. Her hands squirmed and wiggled, but she didn't really resist as the signature hug of her big sister wrapped her up. She settled happily into the gesture, still overcoming the shock of Lily even being here. Like... HOW??

Eventually, Lily let her down, and Lena took one of her signature positions with one hand clasped into a fist at her chest and one protectively in front of her waist. She bowed her head as she slipped into her old habits. There was no point in bravado in front of her sister. Lily already knew everything there was to know about Iselda. Then, things got serious, and Iselda winced.

The first condition shocked her, and she looked up at Lily with an expression of absolute betrayal on her face. "Wh-what?? But that's not... n-not fair! Sis, you can't!" she whined. Her brief moment of defiance quickly left her, and she bowed her head again. "It's a game... The most immersive game e-ever made... Of course I'd p-play it. How could I not?" she said in reply.

Lily's second condition filled Iselda with equal parts joy and anxiety. She squirmed internally as she realized that she'd spoken so ill of herself right to the one person who cared enough to object to that. Nodding meekly, she smiled slightly at the compliment. "R-really? You don't think it's too bold for me?" she asked, turning back and forth as she even giggled. Lily's compliments meant the world to her and the thought that this "Iselda" persona fit her at all made Lena happy. Maybe she really could change, be better like she wanted. "There's nothing to be proud of yet. I need more time to be someone that's worthy of your praise."

Lastly, Lily talked about the chess, offering some platitudes about Iselda being able to win that even she could see through. She hid her realization of the truth and nodded. "Yes, sis. I'll keep practicing." And she would, of course, because Lily said so. There was no way she'd hold out hope to actually win though. Then, it was back to Iselda being in trouble, and she pouted, her lip sticking out petulantly. "No fair! Mom and dad BOTH like you more than me, so of course I'd be the only one grounded," she complained. "Wh-what's so bad about playing anyway? You're doing it too! Lots of people are!"

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

"Can too~ And I will if I need to, but I'm gonna trust you to not make me do that. Just some motivation to make sure you be cautious and take care of yourself." She cautioned, sounding like a stand-in for their mother, who she learned plenty from besides chess.

"Not at all! I think it's a good way for you to learn to fake it 'til you make it. Good choice of name, too. It's like that practice of smiling in the mirror each day that I do. It helps to see yourself the way you want to be so that you can realize it, ya know?" A calm, guiding hand of a voice. Nothing quite like the bubbly and ditzy personality she often wore.

But she turned stern again at more self-deprecation from her younger sister, "Don't say that! There is plenty to be proud of, whether you see it or not. You're kind and smart, you have good grades, and the way you keep striving to be a better person to the point that you're emulating it in a game." She reached out and booped her on the nose with a giggle, "You don't get to decide what makes you worthy of my praise. Be the better person for your own sake."

"What's so bad?" She repeated, flabbergasted, "Pfft, did you not hear? You can die in this game, Lena. Like, for real. If you die three times in game you're dead in the real world. Like, you're done. So to keep you safe, you get two deaths. If you die two times I tell mom and dad so that you can't play anymore and risk dying. Last thing I want is a dead little sister who had so much going for her future."

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Of course, Lily had to be the grown up as usual and brushed aside Iselda's protests. She still thought it felt a bit more like threats and extortion than motivation to be cautious, but she didn't dare to doubt her beloved sister... much. At times like this, it was like being scolded by mom, though with much less guilt involved on Iselda's part. She just nodded sullenly and rubbed her arm. Lily was right, of course, as she always was.

She felt her heart skip a beat when Lily praised her avatar, saying it worked well for her purposes. A smile reappeared on her face, small though it might be. "Y-you really think so? You think I can be strong and cool like you?" she asked happily, glad to have at least a little vindication in what she was trying to do. All she'd ever wanted out of joining Terrasphere was to change herself. It seemed that Lily had completely seen through that.

Lily reassured Iselda that she had multiple points of pride, even if Iselda didn't believe it. She had good grades, but that was just because studying was all she had going for her. The kids at school were nice now, but she still didn't have many friends. Instead of going to the mall or hanging out at people's houses, all she had was her books. Did that make her "smart"? It was hard to say. The boop on the nose snapped her out of her thoughts with a squeak. She blushed and played with her collar. "Siiiiiis... I'm too old for nose boops now!" she complained, even if she secretly enjoyed the little gestures of sisterly affection.

Iselda protested to Lily potentially taking Terrasphere away from her. It didn't need stating that there was an underlying danger to playing this game. She knew all too well that three strikes quite literally meant she was out. Dying in the game meant dying in real life. It was one of the main reasons that it was now illegal, and horror stories were everywhere on the internet of lonely shut ins being found brain dead after going too far past their limits. But... why should that matter to Iselda? Any price was worthwhile to experience the perfect VR game, the ultimate in gaming technology. Besides, this was one of the only times Iselda firmly disagreed with her sister.

If she couldn't change herself, what future DID she have really?

The thought had crossed her mind many times. The dark thought that she could never say out loud, especially during the worst of her bullying. If she overdid it and lost her third life in Terrasphere, well... Was it really so bad? Iselda paused for perhaps a bit too long after Lily's speech before nodding. "I... g-guess you're right, Lil. I didn't think about that. Guess the gaming fever was too much for me after all, hehe..." Glancing away, she swiftly tried to change the subject. "Well, this is awkward. I almost ended up as your 'wingwoman.' You always kept me safe from all the scary lewd stuff."

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

"Oh, Lena, if only you knew what I see in you." She said longingly, sighing, "I don't think I'm as strong as you think I am, for instance. But we all see our flaws much more sharply than others do, right? I just think you spend a lot more time criticizing yourself than you do celebrating yourself. We're gonna work on that."

If there was a time and place for them to bond over such things, why not Terrasphere? Sure, there was plenty of time in the real world, but Lily was always busy with her friends and school. Nursing school wasn't easy, so the fact that she had time at all was a blessing she didn't want to waste.

Lena's protest at being booped made her giggle, "Oh, hush, you know you like it." Even if she didn't, Lily wasn't going to stop. It was harmless and fun.

Then, as Lena finished talking about scary lewd stuff, Lily had a wonderful idea. Surely, Lena wouldn't like it, but she was going to have to learn at some point, "Actually, you know what? Why don't you try it? I think it would do you good to at least try to flirt with someone in this new persona. It'll be worth it, I promise. That's how I started flirting, originally. You know I'm not always like I am around you when I'm around people I find hot." Even if that was a countless number of people.

 

[Iselda Blackthorn]

Iselda blushed as Lily was once again far too kind for this world, or at least far too kind for her. Perhaps that's what she meant about Iselda being too hard on herself. If Lily said it, maybe, just maybe she could believe it. "If you say so, sis..." she said with a slight sigh. How could she learn to celebrate herself when her flaws were so glaringly large and obvious? Anyone could see them from a mile away. Wasn't that why she'd been bullied? The promise to work on that filled her with a bit of trepidation.

Obviously, Iselda had to protest against being booped on the nose, but there was no getting anything past Lily. Her wise older sister correctly guessed that she liked it more than she let on. Iselda smiled very slightly and fidgeted. In truth, it might have been nice if she did it again. Sometimes, Iselda missed being at an age where she could just hide behind Lily and feel all of her problems go away.

As if to spit in the face of her moment of comfort, Lily proposed an idea that made Iselda's blood run cold. Her eyes filled up almost her entire face as she shook her head vigorously. "You want me to what??? You e-expect ME to f-f-f... to f-f-flirt with someone??? N-no, it's impossible! Th-this body isn't me... All I'm good for is pretending to be strong. I can't play with b-boys or girls the way you do. Even if I did... They'd find about the real me and..." Iselda bowed her head and lightly cupped her avatar's curvy features. "Well, you know as well as I do that they'd be disappointed."

 

[Liliana Fireheart]

Just like that, Lily was mad again, and she turned with balled fists, face contorted in anger, "Damn it! I told you if you talked about my sister that way we'd fight! I don't care if you are my sister, I don't like hearing anyone talk about you that way, not even yourself! This is your last warning and if you don't listen, we'll PvP over it for real."

Getting it out, she stared her down for a few moments before letting it go with a sigh and trying to calm down, "It really bothers me that you are so set on hating yourself, Lena. I mean, you trust me, don't you? Can't you just trust me for today and let this be a good new experience? I promise nothing bad will come of it, and the worst thing that might happen is that you get embarrassed or fail. I did plenty of that when I first started."