Complete Western Brisshal Long Fang Training

[Ueno Mizuki]

Changing races shouldn't be an issue, although since it requires the menu those who have been locked into this world wouldn't be able to do it. Given that being locked in seems to mean that you're more or less the same as the Landers who are born here, that makes sense.

Of course, it was yet another thing that UI-locked Travelers suffered from, but by this point it was well-established that the UI-lock system was one of the biggest problems Terrasphere suffered from, right above all the psychological damage inflicted on the players.

But the more pressing topic was the idea of meeting up outside of the game. Mizuki tilted her head as Cleo seemed rather embarrassed at the wolfess's words, but decided to not comment on it as she instead tried to recall a book cafe called The Erudite. The name did ring a bell, but it wasn't at the forefront of her memories.

I think I know of it yes, although I don't usually go there since it's pretty far from my apartment. But yeah, we could meet up there. What's your schedule look like?

Before they could meet up they'd first need to agree on a time, after all. Cleo had all the time to play Terrasphere since it was part of her job, but that also meant that she might have more trouble planning a meeting outside of Terrasphere.

The town the two of them were heading towards was now quickly becoming larger as they got closer, the stone walls that protected the inhabitants from wild failing to obscure the many buildings inside of their borders. Given that the two of them had been following the river they wouldn't have to worry about the wall, however, as there was an opening in the wall to allow both the river and travelers to pass through.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

That did make sense, yes. It wasn't like anybody that had been UI-locked could open their menu and purchase a race change or anything of the sort. They were locked and bound by all of the same rules that the Landers were. Cleo really hadn't even given much thought to race changing, but now she wondered if maybe she too could be a Beastkin. One day? Would it look weird? People were used to her as a human, so it made sense that most of them would probably freak out a little at the sight of her as something else.

Though on the topic of meeting up, she felt a small glimmer of hope as Mizuki asked what her schedule looked like. The woman wouldn't have asked that if she wasn't serious about coming along to this meeting. Was meeting even the right term? Should she just call it a date?

I'll be free both days this weekend, if you have any free time on Saturday or Sunday?

She had no clue how busy Mizuki was in the real world, but hopefully the woman didn't work both days on a week day. Finally though, they were nearing the town and there was an opening in the wall to allow them to pass through.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Let's do it Saturday then. Does noon sound good to you?

While Mizuki hadn't expected to be meeting Cleo on Earth she wasn't about to pull back from the idea. If the detective had wanted to arrest her for playing Terrasphere she was pretty sure that was going to happen regardless of whether the two of them met up or not, and leaving aside that unlikely scenario it might be a lot of fun to meet up on Earth.

I imagine you won't recognize me on Earth though, so we'll need to think of a way around that. It would be a bit disappointing if we ended up missing each other because we didn't know who to look for.

If she remembered correctly Cleo had stated that she hadn't really done much to change her appearance in the game, but even if that was true, how Cleo behaved and dressed on Earth might still make Mizuki not immediately recognize her.

Passing through the opening in the wall they were met by the sound of a lively settlement, voices in the distance of which individual words couldn't be discerned. The two of them did receive some stares, primarily because Mizuki was showing quite a bit of skin with her sports bra and shorts. Cleo, having fully dressed after finishing the bath, also received some glances, but overall the people didn't seem too interested, probably because it wasn't the first time Travelers looked a bit funny.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Noon sounds wonderful to me, yes. I think I'll probably get there first, since it's close to where my apartment is.

Plus she planned to get there maybe fifteen minutes early, just so she'd at least get to enjoy a nice cup of coffee, in case Mizuki decided to stand her up, or something happened to get in the way. The wolf woman did raise an excellent point, though, they'd need a way to recognize each other on earth, just in case. She could probably solve that pretty easily if she endeavored to get to The Erudite earlier than Mizuki could.

When you get to the cafe, just ask to be seated at the table reserved for Aern. I'll make a reservation and get there a little early, so I should be sat down by the time you arrive.

And then she'd get to see who Mizuki was in the real world. The pessimist inside of her was expecting an obese man to be the person she ran into, but maybe she'd be pleasantly surprised?

Either way, they arrived into the town, drawing a few looks duie to the way that Mizuki was still dressed, or rather, wasn't fully dressed. That was fine, though. Cleo was used to drawing looks.

I'm looking forward to meeting you in the real world, I have to admit.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki nodded as Cleo suggested the simple solution of reserving a table. Of course, that did also mean that Cleo had just told her what she was called on Earth, or at least one of her names.

Understood. The name's Aern, is it? (She smiled.) To be honest, after you said that you hadn't changed your appearance much I almost expected you to not have bothered to change your name either.

Well, not like it would have been strange if Cleo was actually called that. Since her appearance matched what she looked like on Earth people who knew her would recognize her anyway, so using the same name wouldn't make much difference.

Mizuki didn't pay much attention to the stares, since she had expected them. That, and it wasn't like she was showing anything truly embarrassing. She wasn't some prude who'd get all flustered because people could see her stomach. Instead she'd lead the way through the street that followed the path of the river, until they came across a sign that indicated a tavern.

Really? I imagine that compared to who I am in this world my Earth self would be rather boring. Of course, I am looking forward to meeting you as well. (Stepping forward she opened the door to the tavern, holding it open so Cleo could pass through.) Between the two of us, one is using this world as an opportunity to actually do something exciting.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Cleo chuckled, nodding at that question, blushing ever so slightly when she caught sight of the smile that Mizuki was wearing.

Aern is my surname, yes. I have a fairly common first name, so I figured I would reserve the table with my surname.

It wasn't exactly uncommon for her reservations to get accidentally taken, if she went somewhere and tried to reserve something under the name 'Sarah'. Hell, there were people that went to different places, like restaurants and stuff, just picking different common names and seeing if they could steal somebody's reservation from them that way. It happened pretty often with a name like 'Sarah' so she'd learned to swap to her surname.

Finally, though, they seemed to come across a tavern, if the sign was anything to judge the building by. She stepped through the door as Mizuki held it open for her, breathing a sigh of relief as the warmth of indoors hit her. It was kind've empty, with just a few people at a couple of tables.

I really don't think it's fair to hold somebody to the same standards that you'd hold somebody to in this game. Real life has a lot more limitations placed on it, after all.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

I guess I'm lucky in that regard, although if I wanted to be certain I'd use my full name for reservations. My name is pretty rare, here in the USA at least.

Back in Japan, where her mother was from, it probably wouldn't even earn her a remark, but in Japan people were more accustomed to addressing each other by their full name anyway. Mizuki had lived her whole life in the USA, so the habit of only using one name wasn't strange to her, but she still compared the two cultures sometimes.

It was still fairly early in the day, so not many people were at the tavern yet. For the people who lived in this world taverns and inns were more meant for evening usage, although there were always those whose work schedules allowed them to stop by at another time of the day. And ever since the Travelers had entered this world for the first time shopkeepers had taken notice of the unusual schedules these adventurous types often maintained.

Mizuki headed straight for the counter, her posture relaxing a little now that they were indoors. Not that she'd been on guard outside, but the warmth was welcoming, even if her metabolism meant she didn't suffer the cold as badly as others did.

That may be true, but the me on Earth still has to compete with the me in here. Anyway, what do you want to drink?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Using the full name was probably the best way to go for it, but sometimes when she reserved a place for a meeting with colleagues, people felt weird, especially male coworkers, having to ask for a reservation under the name of 'Sarah Aern' for some reason. Did it really look that strange for a man to have to pick up a reservation that was placed under a woman's name? At the very least, with Mizuki, there was a good chance that they wouldn't be dealing with that problem. Hopefully.

It wasn't that she wouldn't like Mizuki if she turned out to be a man in the real world. It would just feel very strange for a while.

Following Mizuki to the counter, Cleo smirked as she watched Mizuki relax. It was interesting to see that change in the woman, having pegged Mizuki for somebody that would enjoy being outdoors far more than she could relax indoors.

As for what she wanted to drink, Cleo shrugged. She actually had no clue what most taverns sold, but she assumed it was probably just some variation of ale or something. Something that probably tasted better when it was being puked up than it did being sucked down.

I'll have whatever you have, to be honest. Not too familiar with what these kinds of taverns offer.

She leaned against the counter, looking at Mizuki far more than she even bothered to glance at whoever was behind the bar.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki nodded as Cleo left it to her to order for the both of them. She doubted that the lancer had visited any tavern in the game before, or at the very least hadn't ordered any beverages yet. Fortunately, the types of drinks available in Terrasphere weren't much different from Earth as long as you stayed away from the really strange stuff, and Mizuki had no intention of inflicting that upon Cleo.

Got it. (She turned to the man behind the counter, who was already waiting for the two of them to order.) Two brown ales to start off with, and... (Her mismatched eyes scanned the advertised menu.) One grilled speckled stricke. (She looked back towards Cleo.) Anything you want to eat?

The man behind the counter was already busy relaying the order to the cook in the backroom, then got to work filling two mugs with ale and setting them down in front of the two adventurers. Mizuki handed over the coins required to pay for the drinks, taking her mug and sipping from it. After several seconds she noticed that Cleo seemed to be paying more attention to her than either the bartender or her drink, so she lowered her mug.

Something on your mind? (Her mismatched eyes glanced towards Cleo's drink.) These kinds of taverns are often used by travellers and merchants, so the quality of their drinks and food is good.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Though she'd been ready for Mizuki to order drinks, she hadn't quite expected the offer of food, though it was good that one of them was thinking about that particular need. Her hunger bar really was getting a bit dangerously low and she was pretty sick of dried out meats or other such travel rations that she'd stocked up on. Though she had no clue what a stricke was, it sounded like it might be fish? She looked at Mizuki, humming.

Actually make that two grilled speckled stricke, please. I've not had that before so I'll give it a try.

She hummed, taking the mug that had the ale that Mizuki had bought for her, though her attention was on Mizuki, such that she'd only taken a few sips by the time that Mizuki had noticed the staring. Cleo flushed red, rubbing at the back of her neck awkwardly, chuckling.

Ah no, the drink is fine and all. I was just thinking is all. This kind've feels like a date, all things considered.

And she couldn't keep her mind off of that moment, pinned underneath Mizuki underneath the pouring rain. Was Mizuki thinking about that too? Or had she forgotten it by now?

Do you spend a lot of time in taverns like this? You struck me as the kind of person to spend longer in the wilds, like I do.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki nodded as Cleo ordered another stricke.

They're quite tasty, but you might find it a bit salty at first.

A date... The huntress blinked, then blushed slightly before chuckling as well.

I guess it does. Well, it's nice to go on a date with a friend. I'll be paying for the both of us, so don't hesitate to order anything else you want to try out.

Mizuki didn't exactly have a lot of experience with dates, although she'd been on a couple before. They rarely led to anything... But it wasn't like she and Cleo were here just to flirt with each other. A date with a friend was, in many ways, better than one where you tried to woo some stranger because they happened to be attractive. Although in Cleo's case Mizuki couldn't immediately think of someone more beautiful.

Me? No, not really. (She shook her head as she answered Cleo's question.) I do spend a lot of time out in the wilds, but there's reasons to come back to civilization sometimes. After all, out in the wilds you do have to be on guard for predators and monsters, so if I want to really unwind it's better to go somewhere safer. (She shrugged.) I do enjoy the wild life, but it's about what mood I'm in, you know? I just know a thing or two about taverns because I've experienced this world for over a year.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Taking the warning at face value, Cleo nodded, whilst waiting for their food to be delivered and instead carrying on the conversation, continuing to sip at her ale whilst Mizuki talked about going on a date with a friend. She felt a bit bad that her friend was going to be footing the bill, but she didn't really see a way to convince Mizuki to let her also pay. Plus, as a veteran, the woman probably had some money stored away.

That does make sense, the need to stay on guard all the time out there does get very tiring, mentally if not physically. I've found that fewer things are willing to attack me as of late, though, so it's been a lot better.

Though she still didn't spend much of her time out of the wilds, within civilization. It could even be said that she spent way more time in the wilds than even Mizuki might, taking a daily average.

That's fair, though. It makes sense that you'd get used to how things are done, if you've spent over a year here in total. Plus, a tavern really isn't too different from a bar, if you've been to enough of those in the real world.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

If you stick around in a certain location for longer the creatures living there will adapt to your presence. That said, in the more dangerous areas there'll always be creatures willing to try their luck, and those can be strong enough that trying to take them on your own is too risky. (She took a sip from her drink before continuing.) Aside from creatures which are just absurdly powerful there are those which are very tricky. Goblins might be considered cunning but they still rely on mundane traps.

Mizuki didn't really keep track of how much she spent outdoors and how much in civilization, but she imagined that there were people who were even more inclined towards avoiding settlements than she was. After all, Mizuki just liked hunting, it wasn't like she had anything against towns. Cleo, on the other hand, clearly saw it as her duty to be actively clearing out dangers as much as possible.

The difference between a tavern and a bar might have been greater before us Travelers arrived. The Landers have adopted a lot of our traditions throughout the years. (She briefly glanced down at her drink.) I don't go to bars too often on Earth, however. I guess it's not really my style. What about you: do you prefer staying at home or going out?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

That might have something to do with it, yeah. I tend to stay on the move a lot, though I do frequent the areas that new players tend to start in. I'm always finding some newbies in some kind of bind, like a group of three that were about to be torn apart by a pack of wolves.

And even though she'd gotten them out of there, she had no way of knowing if they'd run into any other trouble, as they'd fled whilst she and one other had kept the wolves distracted and separated from the trio that had nearly become their meal.

It might be that I've just overprepared for a lot of threats, but I haven't really felt like I've been out of my league, outside of that giant bug thing, that is. Maybe demons are on too far a level for me, currently.

She took a swig from her mug, sighing as it burned slightly as it slid down her throat. It would've been nicer if it were cool as she was drinking it, but it was probably too much to ask for tavern owners to somehow keep their drinks refrigerated. As for Mizuki's question, Cleo shrugged.

I could go either way, really. I'm not the most social person in the world, but I'll go on the occasional night out alongside people I'm close with. A night in can be just as enjoyable, if not more enjoyable, though. Occasionally I'll sit inside with a glass of wine and a book.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Since you're mainly guarding areas where newcomers might get into trouble it's not surprising that you haven't encountered many things that could pose a serious threat to you. At the speed that you're getting stronger, you could easily head into the areas only veterans thread. (Mizuki frowned.) Well, maybe not easily... Nobody who goes to those areas does so without being prepared for trouble.

She grimaced as Cleo mentioned the Kurungaar Broodmother. That had been a nasty fight, and not a particularly enjoyable one. The Red Fever had made everyone's emotions act weird, and even then the demon itself had been horrific. The adrenaline might have been there, but Mizuki found herself comparing it to Titanius, even if the eldritch deity had still been worse.

I don't think there's anyone who could face a threat like that on their own. There were half a hundred of us there and it was still a mess. If you're looking for something veterans struggle with but might be able to handle on their own, go to the Hylands and look for harpies. A single harpy shouldn't be a challenge for you, but if you find yourself facing an entire flock I can ensure you it'll require your full focus.

The bartender brought the ordered meals from the backroom, two grilled speckled strickes. They were indeed fish, that looked a lot like trout but with additional fins that might remind one of the infamous lionfish. They had been grilled to near perfection, and Mizuki interrupted her explanation for a moment to admire the smell and pay the bartender for the meal.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

That did make sense. She was staying in the areas that would only threaten new players whilst her power was quickly approaching the levels achieved by many of the veterans, for whatever it was worth. Perhaps that did give her a slightly skewed sense of what was strong and what wasn't. She'd clearly lost to Mizuki today, after all, though she had been fighting in a manner that didn't quite reflect the way that she usually fought her enemies. That was to say, it wasn't exactly good training for her to impale Mizuki at such a range that Mizuki couldn't fight back.

I'd probably want to put together a team for the kinds of places that only veterans tread, anyway. I'd rather not head into the unknown completely alone if I can ever avoid it.

She was strong willed and driven, not suicidal. She had no intentions of being torn apart and destroyed because she'd believed, for some stupid reason, that she was strong. And she agreed with Mizuki, when the woman said that nobody could have fought the Broodmother by themselves. Though then, the bartender returned with two plates of fish, with additional fins.

Cleo hummed, taking her first bite from the fist. Mizuki had been correct. It tasted good, for sure, but it was definitely saltier than the average fish. Still, it was good. Without thinking about it, she grinned, her mouth beginning to form words before her brain could filter them.

Oh man, this is really good! The second best thing I've tasted today!

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

That's a healthy mindset, and it's what most veterans do. The ones who go into the most dangerous areas on their own tend to be... a bit off. (She muttered something to herself as she took another sip, although Cleo might be able to overhear it.) I swear some of them are trying to get themselves killed.

Following Cleo's lead, Mizuki would take a bite out of her own stricke, relishing the salty taste. It was definitely saltier than most river fish, but it was a rich flavour and one she savoured. The huntress quickly swallowed the first bite before taking another, licking her lips clean before Cleo's words made her look up from her meal.

Really? What's the best thing?

It was only after those words had escaped her mouth that she realized that the lancer might be talking about the kiss the two of them shared. She nearly choked on a mouthful of fish, coughing heavily as she covered her mouth to avoid spraying.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Cleo could easily believe that. Somebody that went off into the most dangerous locations possible without any help at all almost certainly had to be actively seeking some kind of death. It did make her wonder, though. Were people that were less fortunate likely to get themselves UI-locked in an effort to leave the real world behind and join this one instead? It sounded morbid and crazy, but there were quite a few genuine upsides to being a part of this world, as annoying as it was to admit that.

Though she had been about to answer Mizuki's question, blushing crimson like her own hair, before the wolfess seemed to choke on her fish, coughing heavily. Eyes wide, Cleo immediately began to pat Mizuki on the back, worrying that her friend was choking on the fish.

Hey! Mizuki! Are you alright?

She continued to pat until she was certain that Mizuki was okay, before she blushed and looked down at her lap, taking a big, long swig from her mug.

You...probably already know what the best thing is...

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

With Cleo's assistance, Mizuki managed to dislodge the piece of fish which had been stuck in her throat. She swallowed heavily, then grabbed her drink and took several chugs to clear her airway before slamming it back down.

Phew...~ That was almost dangerous. (She blushed both at the embarrassment and at the realization what Cleo had been talking about.) It would have been humiliating if my first death was from choking on a meal.

However, that was only a secondary concern. She nodded as Cleo affirmed what the huntress had imagined, wiping some tears from the corners of her eyes as she exhaled deeply once again.

I can hazard a guess, yes. (She hesitated for a moment before continuing.) Should we... talk about that?

She wasn't entirely sure how to think about it. On one hand, she certainly hadn't disliked kissing Cleo. The lancer was quite likeable and beautiful to boot, and she wasn't the only one who thought it had been a tasty experience. On the other hand, she didn't think Cleo was the kind of person to kiss people on the lips without there being a greater meaning behind it.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Cleo couldn't help but begin to giggle when Mizuki was finally okay, having been worried that her first death would be caused by choking on a meal, of all things. How crazy would that have been, to have survived things such as the Broodmother and whatever Titanius was, only to end up choking to death on a piece of fish after being shocked in a conversation.

However, they had to move on to the actual main topic, whether or not they should discuss that kiss that they had shared under the rain. Cleo blushed, unable to conjure up any words for a moment, staring into the bottom of her mug. Eventually, she found her words again.

Well, we don't have to talk about it if you really don't want to. But well, I don't think it can really hurt to discuss it, can it?

She swallowed, taking a swig from her mug until it was empty, sighing as she placed it back down. She blushed, looking up until she could meet Mizuki's eyes.

I...I enjoyed it. It was very, y'know, heat of the moment, but I enjoyed it. I'm not really particularly pushing for anything, but, well, I'm not against anything happening or developing because of it.

@Ueno Mizuki