Private Eastern Brisshal No Worse For Wear

Kat Otsu · Jul 9, 2022

Kat had logged out to eat dinner with Ryou and had been informed during dinner that Ryou was finally ready to jump into TerraSphere, despite her apprehensions. Ryou had not looked as concerned about playing a game since... well since before they were dating and she was a high-strung mess. Kat was certainly worried about Ryou's worry, but Kat was full steam ahead already, and she wasn't about to let her girlfriend stop because of silly things like news outlets saying that this game was dangerous. It was fun! Kat had already been having a blast!

So, when dinner was finished, Kat thanked her girlfriend for the meal and rushed home so that she could get ready to meet her in the game. If Kat was being honest, she had completely forgotten how she had left off, after all the events with the crazy bird lady and the little chibi witch. She had completely forgotten about the large black stain on the front of her pink kimono, and arrow holes in it, showing a bit of skin that had long since healed. She knew Ryou was going to worry, but she didn't have time to get another kimono on short notice. This game was weird and complicated about that. Almost like real life. Couldn't just magic away stains and get new armor like it was nothing here. Kat loved and hated it.

At the very least, Kat figured she had some time as she stumbled into Honeyhome, knowing that it was the nearest town to the starting area. She knew that Ryou would have to take some time making her character, so maybe she did have a bit of time. She ran to the nearest armor shop, and quickly asked the man there if she could get something on short notice. He said that he could probably get the stains out of her kimono and patch it up, but that it would take time, time Kat didn't have. Kat pouted, but it wasn't a bad idea.

"Okay, but do you have something for me to wear in the meantime?"

The armorer nodded and pointed to a selection of basic traveler's clothes and dresses, and Kat's eyes lit up at a nice fantasy-style dress that she thought she would look absolutely adorable in. She wondered what Ryou would think to see her in something besides her kimono. She blushed, not really considering the idea that Ryou had only ever seen her in her kimono and pajamas. She should really change things up and now was as good a time as any. She pointed to the dress and the armorer retrieved it from the manikin and packaged it up for her, and she went to the nearby changing room to swap clothes.

She brought the kimono back to the armorer and he nodded, telling Kat to see him tomorrow for the finished fixes. Kat groaned a little, that was a long time. But she agreed and paid the man, before heading back outside to see if she could find Ryou in Honeyhome. Surely she had to be done making her character by now.

@Ryoubai

Ryoubai · Jul 18, 2022

Ryou reluctantly logged into the game. She felt very nervous about joining a game like this. The news did say it was dangerous after all, and she was inclined to believe that. She appeared in a white room. It made her eyes squint. She created her character, making herself an Elf with earth powers and an affinity for crushing weapons. She thought that would fit her well enough. After she finished making her character she was spawned into a forest. She looked around with wide eyes and looked at hands. It felt so weird to be in the game like this, and everything felt so weird. She spotted a town in the distance and decided to make her way towards it. After a bit of travelling, she ended up in the town square, looking around for Kat. She spotted her in an unusual outfit. She thought she'd be wearing a kimono. She waved her down and ran up to her.

"Kat! I was scared I wouldn't be able to find you. I thought you would have been wearing a kimono though. Not that I don't like your outfit now, it's super cute! But... why the change? I mean I suppose I don't have much room to talk given my look right now. Did anything happen?"

Kat Otsu · Jul 17, 2022

As Ryou finally got into the game and ran up to Kat, Kat couldn't help herself as she grabbed her very cute, and actually very tall in the game, girlfriend. She hopped up, before pulling her face down to hers for a quick kiss.

However, when Ryou pulled away and started to ask her if something happened to her kimono, Kat's blood ran cold.

"N-Nope! Just wanted to try something different in the game!"

Kat chuckled lightly, hoping that would satisfy Ryou's curiosity, before taking her hand and pulling her to a nearby stall in the town.

"First things first, let's get you fed. You have to try these cinnamon buns. They make them with the honey that this town is known for. I... uh, can't taste it. The race I picked can't taste food. But they smell really good, and I have it on good authority from a friend I made that they taste good!"

Without really waiting for an answer from Ryou, Kat would slide the necessary gold to the vendor, receive the cinnamon bun, and would hold it out to Ryou. She was trying really hard not to let Ryou think about the whole kimono thing again. She knew her Ryou, and she knew that quick answer just wouldn't be enough.

@Ryoubai

Ryoubai · Jul 18, 2022

Ryou blushed, her cheeks turning a light pink as the worry momentarily left her mind. She smiled gently at her. She put an arm around her. She really was small in the game. Smaller than she was in person, she thought. She gently let go of her and was pulled along. Her eyes widened as she looked around. The town was quaint, it reminded her of her own hometown. Kat seemed to be avoiding her question. The small stutter didn't help her confidence. She'd try what Kat wanted to do for now and ask again later.

"Kat-- thank you... you didn't have to pay for me. Though, I don't know if I started with any money. I'm glad you've at least already made a friend. Maybe I can meet them sometime."

She gently took the cinnamon bun from Ryou. It looked very indulgent. It was fresh and hot and Ryou could swear she felt her stomach grumble. She took a bite and her eyes widened. She smiled and took another bite, then another. Soon it was gone. She'd never really had a treat like that before, and the way she tasted things in this game was both fascinating and confusing.

"That was so good! I'm sorry you can't taste it. That seems sad. Why did you choose it anyways? Also... don't think that I forgot about the kimono."

@Kat Otsu

Kat Otsu · Jul 25, 2022

If not for the fact that Kat had spent so much time with Azzy and the cinnamon roll incident, she would be so incredibly jealous of Ryou enjoying the cinnamon bun so openly. But Kat was happy that Ryou had enjoyed it as much as she did.

"Just wanted to be a robot! I didn’t know that meant robots can’t taste things!"

Kat tried her best not to address the kimono comment. She took Ryou’s hand and smiled up at her girlfriend instead.

"There’s so much to do here! This is like going to a little Japanese town, like the one your family lives in, but English fantasy. Do you have anything you’d be interested in doing?"

Kat tried to pull Ryou away to a nearby shop where she had seen little baubles and trinkets, hoping to continue to get Ryou to drop the kimono thing entirely if she could help it. She did make sure to go in the complete opposite direction of the clothing shop. She really hoped that Ryou was not in a clothes shopping mood.

@Ryoubai

Ryoubai · Jul 26, 2022

Ryou chuckled. Kat could be so silly sometimes. Though, a robot's sense of taste wasn't really something she thought about either. She gently held Kat's hand and smiled back at her.

"Well, I didn't have anything in particular in mind. It's just nice to be able to explore with you."

She looked around. The quaintness of the town did remind her of Yokote a lot, it just needed to be a bit colder. It made her happy to be in a town like this. Maybe one day, if it would be possible, she'd want to make their house in a town like this one. She raised an eyebrow as Kat tugged on her lightly. She followed along, looking at the different shops before they finally stopped at the trinket shop. She looked in the window and smiled gently.

"Those are all so cute... can we go in there? If you didn't have anywhere else you want to go, that is..."

Kat Otsu · Jul 31, 2022

Kat was absolutely delighted that Ryou was interested in the little trinket shop. Nodding happily at her girlfriend, she happily squeezed her hand and led her inside, with the little bell above the door giving a ding to notify their arrival. The shopkeep of the little store looked up, a kindly old lady, and waved, letting the couple know to notify her if they needed anything. Kat waved back and nodded in response.

Kat quickly wandered over to the centerpiece of the store, which appeared to be a bunch of wooden carvings of various size. Things like this were only usually seen in the more traditional parts of Tokyo, and even then were fairly rare and expensive. But these weren't even that much money! Though, as Kat looked at them, they were fairly rudimentary compared to the elaborate woodwork done by Japanese artisans.

Kat looked through the figures, primarily little wood statues of animals, many real animals, but many that seemed to be exotic and full fantasy. Kat picked up one of the more elaborate sculptures, one of a dragon.

"Look Ryou! It's a western dragon! It's so interesting how different even fantasy creatures can be in different cultures! Do you think maybe this game has our style of dragons too?"

Kat held the statue out for Ryou to take a look. This woodwork was far more elaborate than most of the statues on the display, with a lot of finer details to admire. As she showed Ryou the statue, Kat couldn't help but let fantasies drift through her head of meeting a dragon in this game for real someday, with a huge grin on her face.

@Ryoubai