Complete Eastern Brisshal Oh man what a fall from space that was! So anyways,

[Aroda]

110 / 120

-10 from Retal?

Their walk through the woods interrupted by the menacing waddle of a large bear approaching at absolutely rapid speeds, Aroda remains mostly calm, but even with this being a video game, and the assurance that this bear was essentially a non-threat, it was hard to be totally composed in the face of such a beast. After all, nothing's more serious than a bear charging your ass.

"Okay, hope you're right about this thing...I'll try toWAH-"

Her speech is interrupted in the midst of trying to raise and aim her new gun as the bear's rapid approach turned out to be much more rapid than anticipated. It takes a bite out of Azykia just like the SkiFree Yeti took a bite outta skiers, and Aroda's composure wears a bit thinner.

"Oh shit! Back! Get back!"

The robot lady yells at the monster, moving closer to try and protect the small blind child by forcing the bear away with the butt of her rifle. Of course, it's completely ineffectual as any sort of damaging attack, but the bear does back slightly away and take its attention away from Azykia! So that it can try to take a bite out of Aroda instead.

Its chompers find a new home on her metal arm. This is probably not what a bear was looking for, so after a brief thrash about, Aroda manages to struggle her arm out, throwing the bear's head away a bit, and backs up just far enough to get off several shots aimed at its dumb bear face.

And thankfully, several shots to the head seem capable of killing a bear here! The first of what was likely to be many unrealistic things in this game, but one she was grateful for, as she examines the virtual bear's corpse.

"...Oh. That's it? Uh...Azykia, are you okay?"

She asks with a quick turn to check on the child.

Rolls

Heavy Attack
1d100 (11) + 10 + 5 + 20 = 46
46 damage
You cannot move this cycle
Ranged Weapons | Aroda | 767C1

Play Sheet Link

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

She couldn't really see what was going on, but she heard the sound of gunfire. For most people, it probably would have been a new if not just a little bit surreal experience, but she didn't even really flinch as she rubbed her arm where she had previously been bitten. In fact she smiled after the fact as she heard both the familiar enough plop of the bear onto the ground and the magia asking if she was okay.

"I'm fine, thanks to you." She couldn't help but to laugh if only a little. "I told you, bears really aren't any trouble to deal with in a world like this. Still, I didn't expect that to hurt so badly. Fears of such a thing were what inspired me to select Divine Magic as one of my masteries. It seemed like the most straight-forward way to keep myself from having to lie in agony in a ditch somewhere because I tripped and fell off a cliff."

"Er, but, that was your first combat! Good job." She tried to shift away from just how blatantly grim her hypothetical fear had been. "Are you alright, Miss Aroda?" Without waiting for much of an answer, she did the equivalent of spraying holy magic blindly in Aroda's general direction to fix up any damage she had taken. She was pretty sure she heard a crunch on metal, at least, and she was a magia.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

"Ah, right, well it did- woah!"

Aroda's answer to the small, little blind child, is cut off as she firehoses a bunch of magic everywhere. Once it's done, she checks herself and then the Azykia, and also the bear to make sure, before continuing.

"...Yeah...it did bite me. But that's fixed it, so, thanks to you, too."

She goes back to checking out this dead ass bear, really in a state of wonder at how...easy that was. It almost felt like it would be hard not to kill a bear, using the same technique she just did. Were the weapons here made to dropshot god, or were the bears made out of cotton?

"That was definitely something else. I would never wanna have to go toe to toe with a bear in real life...but in here, it's hardly even a problem, huh? I guess I haven't got much to worry about from combat."

Then, the Aroda turns at the Azykia so her words are more clearly conveyed as she changes tracks,

".So...do we get anything from killing a bear, by the way? Do they drop money?"

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

"Yes, I was just as surprised and confused about the fragility of a bear in this world as well after my first encounter." She chimed in with a smile. Azykia was the sort of person who had never even played Bejeweled or Tetris, and wasn't sure if Mario was the red one or the green one. This impressively realistic world was her first exposure to video games, and it was so much more complex than anything she had ever seen. It easily made sense to her why Aroda would want to explore a game like this.

All of this sent her brain on two separate tracks momentarily. Firstly, she wasn't even remotely familiar with the concept of loot.

"... Eh? What do you mean?" She tilted her head up in thought, staring up at the bright sun in the sky--not that she could even remotely tell. "There's... a request board in town, where people give you money in exchange for helping them with tasks of varying complexity, but I don't understand why a bear would have a wallet..."

She blinked a couple times, then finally turned her head to look at a more realistic height towards Aroda's head, with some approximations.

"By the way. I... You remember how I said there was a 'second reason' that I asked you why you wanted to play this game?"

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda is visibly disappointed that it doesn't seem there's much to be gained from bear slaying, but as per usual, not like Azykia can tell anyways, so all she'll get to experience is the disappointed words that follow.

"Ah...so there's pretty much no point in just, going out and killing a bear, huh? I guess that'd make sense considering how easy it is."

She rises back up to her full height, done examining this dead ass bear, whose corpse was apparently of no use to them. If it were real life, it would surely be a bad thing to just randomly go out looking for a bear, and then kill one, for no reason...but the bear's not real, so it's fine! She disregards it entirely as she instead re-regards Azykia once more.

"Oh, yeah, your reasons. I'm guessing you're gonna elaborate now that we finally felled the almighty...well, Yogi probably wouldn't go down so easy...Winnie? Yeah, Winnie. Anyhow, go on?"

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

She had to stifle her smile and snicker at Aroda's light-hearted referential as she dug into perhaps the most serious subject matter the game had to offer. "I was given this same warning about as far into my Terrasphere experience, and I wish to make it perfectly clear before I mention it that I... Well, I'm being as serious as the word itself could ever mean, so please take what I'm about to tell you into serious consideration."

"For those braver than I, who wish to explore the world and its many supposed mysteries and wonders to behold, who wish to be heroes or live a life where they can make the kind of difference in the world that the outside world would never allow them..."

She swallowed. It was strange to have to hear her own voice tell someone something like this and feel her own efforts to get such terrible words out of her throat. It was one thing for her to be the recipient of grim news, but it was quite another for her to willingly spread it to others, even it was supposed to be in their interest.

"The chance of death awaits all in this world, and if you die three times in Terrasphere, you become unable to log out, and the 'you' outside of the game dies." Her gaze lowered a few degrees as she thought back to Kaede's situation. "After that, a fourth death will render you... dead, forever."

"So I... hate to press you about it, but if your reasons for playing this game aren't more sincerely motivated than those you gave me before, I would plead with you to consider leaving Terrasphere, before you get attached to the kind and amazing people you'll inevitably meet during your stay here."

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

To add another gesture to the list of things Aroda does that Azykia can't notice, she crosses her arms and cocks her head a bit as the child goes on about the risks of the game. It was somewhat endearing that she was so concerned about it, but...

"Well...I figured. Isn't dying in the game and dying for real pretty par for the course?"

She says as much pretty lightheartedly, but does let out a small sigh in recognition that she was perhaps being too facetious.

"Really, that...is a bit surprising to hear, but with an explanation like that, I can't say I'm too worried. I suppose I won't be playing past two deaths, if I ever do 'die', but...besides that, plans don't change much. Knowing that people might die...well, what else is new? This world's not much different than the last, there. It's just a new place to enjoy some adventure while I have the chance. Just like our own world."

Satisfied with that answer, she now places her hands on her hips as she looks up at the sky - the horizon not being so readily visible from within a forest.

"Though I gotta say, this makes me even more curious about this game. Why only on the third death? And...how does that even work? Someone's real body dying, but their mind staying trapped here? That's...really messed up. Like, supervillain tier. Who would do that? And why? Doesn't it make you wanna know?"

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

"I'm afraid I don't know the answers to any of those questions. I even feel as though, if someone is to uncover such truths, with all the talent and life I've encountered in the short time that I've been here for, it couldn't possibly be someone like me. Although I agree that it's more than a bit cruel, and specific even. Three deaths..." She trailed off momentarily. "As much as I would love to endeavor to assist you in finding out for myself, I began playing this game in search of a second life. If I were able to, I believe I would prefer to live the rest of my days here. In other words... Well. If I were to get to that point, it would only take one death to put me away, wouldn't it?"

"So my intention is just as I promised Celesis. I want to live a peaceful life. That's why I'm here in Honeyhome. To see the rest of the word would be exciting, yet I still have a deeper apprehension..." She put a hand to her chest and turned her head slightly to the side. "We should both be very careful, is all I mean."

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda's head tilts further as Azykia starts giving out vibes of needing a hug, or a headpat. Unfortunately, Aroda's not gonna try and do that with her metal hands, since she's not sure that would exactly feel very pleasant. Plus she's got this gun in her hands and everything, it'd just be a whole thing, yeah.

"Well, that's a lot...to think on. I know plenty of people want to just escape the real world, and this is...probably a healthier option than some alternatives, but it's not like there's no excitement to be had out there."

She gives a thoughtful look to the child, before frowning a bit.

"Hell, I'd say someday we could maybe try and meet up but...I mean, you're probably a little young for some random person to be showing up to see you. Ah well...guess we'll limit it to the game, for now. And since I'll have at least one friend here, I'll try and be careful so I don't have to quit too early. Now, shall we head back to town? I'm sure there's other stuff to see."

Aroda finishes her thought there, holding one hand out - more at the ready than anything, waiting to see if Azykia will extend a hand for easier walkin'.

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

It seemed that Aroda and Azykia both had agreed that playing the life-threatening game of Terrasphere was a healthier alternative than resorting to drug abuse, and at that she could only nod. She usually didn't nod anymore, but since the topic was so entwined with reality for the moment, that habit came back out of nowhere for this one instance.

"Yes, let's." She almost put out her hand, but then moved it in front of her mouth in a loose fist. "... Um... By the... way..."

There was a long while where the blind girl stared with such focus in silence that Aroda could almost visualize the intense deliberation going on in those empty eyes. "I'm not... The problem outside of the game wouldn't be my age. No matter how long we wait, I don't know if we could ever be able to meet in the outside world."

She finally offered that hand again to the air in front of her. "So I really appreciate your company in here, right now."

With hand out, and thoughts and feelings established, it was time for the duo to head back to Honeyhome.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda readily takes the child girl blind child blind girl's hand, and begins the lead back to the good ol' town of Honeyhome. At Azykia's new little stuttery outburst of nervousness and saying ominous and/or vague things, she gives her an inquisitive, and yet still unseen, look. Man if only Azykia could see all these looks.

"Well, glad for your company too, but ehh...not your age? What is it then, if you don't mind my asking? Are you parents super strict or, something? Orrr...just location? 'Cause that wouldn't be a problem, I'm pretty sure."

She says all that so casually, then seems to have a thought and quickly adds,

"I'm, not asking where you live, by the way. Just, saying, y'know. I travel around a lot, so I could probably visit...just about anyone who I meet here, I'm pretty sure. Long as they're not super underage 'cause I don't want to like, go to jail, or anything."

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

Azykia let out a thoughtful hum. She didn't expect her to be so close to the mark. Then again, with so many options, she cast her net pretty wide. Nothing to complain about of course. Trying was almost always better than not trying.

"Don't worry about my age. To be quite honest with you, while I'm not too much older outside of the game than I am now, my age here was the result of randomizing my character, so you don't have to worry about something like that."

"The problem would be a lack of social convention. My father is zealously overprotective of me nowadays, and I've recently become quite frail, so his service won't let me out of the house anymore, or anybody else in to see me." She laughed, but you could tell that it hurt. "That's why I'm playing a game like this. To escape that smothering existence. Otherwise... well, as it happens, I used to travel all across the world myself, so I'm certain we would have no trouble meeting for lunch someday were the stars to align."

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

Aroda lets out a more pensive hum, in response. What a story. In fact it almost sounded like something right out of a TV show, or something like that. It'd make sense how she wanted to spend her time in a game like this instead but...it was still pretty grim to think about the implications of her 'preferring to stay here'.

"Hum. So, like a princess in a castle, huh? That is pretty rough. I used to know some people kinda like that...parents never let 'em go out anywhere. Never thought it sounded very fun."

She sighs a bit as they continue their walk back to town, partially from remembering some of that stuff, and partially from imagining this small child going through it, too. Wait, small child-

"Hang on, how old are you, then? You look like...middle schooler-ish, but you're older than that?"

The magia hadn't considered it too much until now, but if people are playing this to escape reality, there's got to be tons of them playing in bodies very different from their own...the more she thought about it, the more she rapidly became unsure. What if Azykia was like, a 6'4" university basketball player, or something? She looked keenly to the 'small child', waiting for her to provide an answer.

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

"A princess in a castle... You mean, like Rapunzel in her tower? Hm... No, more the sort being guarded by a dragon, right?" She mused.

The child closed her eyes and gave a bright smile up in Aroda's general direction as she continued to take measured steps alongside her. "I'm more than happy to tell you everything about myself, but I know about the dangers of putting your information up on the internet with no concern for anonymity, so if you wish to know how old I am, why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

"We can make a game of it until we get back to town. If you tell me something about yourself, I'll tell you something about myself. That is, assuming you don't mind someone in Terrasphere knowing your real age."

There was a lot that Azykia understood about the way people behaved, and also a great deal that she didn't. Something she felt all too certain of was that if this woman didn't want to reveal her age, then it was probably dangerous to reveal her own age. After all, asking a question for the sake of getting to know somebody better was a bit backhanded if you weren't also willing to let them get to know you better. At least that's how Azykia felt about it.

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

In another case of 'if only Azykia could see the look Aroda was giving her right now', Aroda seems pretty confounded by Azykia's response to that.

"Hey, I didn't say I wanna know everything about you, I'm not that nosy. Just wondered how old you were, because you said you looked younger than you are! It changes a lot, knowing whether I'm actually talking to a child!"

She puts a hand to her face in confoundment, before she starts to answer Azykia's words more levelly.

"Well look...I'm nineteen. Turn twenty in a few months, actually. How old you are isn't that important, I think, it's just...y'know. You had me wondering if you were actually like, thirty, or something. I don't mind whatever the answer is, and I can live without knowing too, I guess. I'll just have to always watch my language around you, in that case"

She finishes with a new kind of shrug, a lax shrug, a lackadaisical shrug, even - clearly having just slid in a small joke at the end, there, and giving an exaggerated slow shrug to accompany.

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

For some reason, Azykia couldn't help but to laugh at the magia's response. For years now, she had developed a sense of humor that involved smoothly flustering people or throwing daggers at them from the shadows. It was standard fare for someone in the upper class, who had to stomach the same from other people just enough to hone her skills at it.

Beyond that, she was pretty sure she just enjoyed seeing people be able to struggle. Not in a sadistic way, but no one but her would probably understand just how important suffering could be in someone's life. It was vicarious, is what it was. She enjoyed it because she could feel it from others, that which she has only ever dreamt of in a way. Not that this robot would ever know that.

"If it grants me extra courtesies, then perhaps I should just tell you that I'm a middle schooler after all." With another giggle and a slightly tighter grip of Aroda's hand, she finally gave a serious response. "I haven't told anybody else so directly yet, but my twenty-first birthday was about a month ago. So if you ever need an ear away from others about something too serious for someone my age," she gestured to herself with her free hand, "I can offer it whenever necessary."

@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

"Tw-what? So you are older than me?"

She says, her surprise clearly audible in her voice. It was one thing to learn a faceless entity online was older than you, or even someone playing their character in a game...but in this strange, fake reality, it just felt so much stranger to have a small girl say she's twenty one. The magia lets out a quiet, but ever so slightly exasperated sigh as she goes on.

"'Little sister', huh...? I guess if I looked like that, I might not want to correct people either."

Aroda considers the reality that apparently numerous people had met Azykia, declared she was their little sister, and had no idea she might be older than them. Or would they not care so much? It was hard to really know...Azykia had painted a strange picture of the people that play this game, with all the 'sister' talk.

"...Well, I'm guessing you'd rather continue not telling anyone this? I can keep a secret pretty well, so you don't have to mind that, at least. And I guess I don't gotta worry about getting arrested if I dropped by. Well, for the original reason, anyways. Your dad is like that with you even though you're twenty one?"

Her tone of speech finally transitions to confused, and somewhat troubled, as she reaches that crucial thought. Half her friends were practically getting kicked out of their houses as they turned eighteen and finished highschool...

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

"'Little sister', huh...? I guess if I looked like that, I might not want to correct people either."

Azykia giggled as this time the magia's aim had improved. She would do well with that gun one day, not that she was too concerned in the first place.

"If it makes these people even happier in their endeavors to escape the real world to have a little sister to fawn over, then I have no problem in obliging. It does suit me anyways, considering the difficulties that come with being blind. That's a rather selfish perspective to have, though, isn't it?"

She was all too grateful for how understanding this woman is, as well as how calm she was compared to most of the other players she had talked to. "Regardless, it would be disrupting to a lot of people to find out that their little sister is all grown up, so perhaps keeping it a secret would be for the best in the long run. Besides, whether I like it or not, not knowing what I was getting myself into was exactly what I wanted. It is as you say, my father is far too loving of me." She paused for a moment. "He has been ever since my mother died, you see."

Azzy took a deep breath, exhaling in giggles of mild elation. "That feels really good to finally get off my chest. Thank you, Aroda. Perhaps I owe you one in the future."
@Aroda

 

[Aroda]

"Well...man, that's kinda heavy. Sorry to hear about that. But that's still...not exactly a healthy way for your dad to be acting. ...I'd say you should try and move out, but I guess it's hard to tell 'em no after you've spent so long being taken care of by 'em, huh?"

Aroda manages to tiptoe her way through that little dialog, in the end, more pensive than shocked. This no-longer-a-small-child's life just kept sounding more and more complicated, such that she wasn't really sure how to comment on it, or what advice to give. She especially didn't quite feel her perspective where parents were concerned would be too relevant, so...

"...Well, we'll put off meeting up for drinks for now. Maybe we can just do it in the game instead. We're almost back...is there a bar or anything in Honeyhome? And since it's a big fantasy world, the drinking age is way lower, right? ...Actually...

She pauses more notably than ever before as she rewinds to actually think about what she was saying.

"...Is there even alcohol in this game? Can people get drunk?"

@Azykia

 

[Azykia]

"I've never been to a bar here, but I'm certain Honeyhome has at least one. I've heard players talking about what drinks the game has." She giggled and raised a hand in front of her mouth. "I wonder, would I be allowed to drink with you? I've heard that in the rea- Starcalled Realm, there are laws that children can consume alcohol in public so long as a parent or legal guardian is present. At least in a few states."

She looked up at the magia with a never before seen six-star gacha smile subtly painted with mischievousness. "So I don't see why I couldn't have a few drinks with Miss Aroda."

"I could even show you where the inn is in case you needed it for anything. It's basically just a place to sleep, although you can circumvent the need for it if you hold the log-out button instead of simply tapping it." She threw in some actually pretty important trivia as a mere side note. "Regardless, that's where I stay, since I don't like to log out too often."