Complete Solvale Quiet Tutorial Day

[Haru]

Solvale was home to a sight of endless green hills that framed a stunning blue sky-the same one that @Lucy and Haru had set off to find the secrets beneath on this very day. They had traveled far and wide across the trail by carriage and foot, wandering almost all day around the place towards the border between two countries. This is where they found themselves as the evening began to creep up upon the world. The hanging sun framed this landscape, the blue of the world shifting to a stunning orange matched only by the scarlet red of the long blanket that Haru had lay out on the rolling grass.

"I know you're hungry, Lucy. Just give me a moment's time, would you?" Their exploration had come to a pause as Lucy's stomach objected to all of the new experiences-It claimed that she wasn't giving it proper attention as she should be. On a spur, Haru had suggested a picnic to tide her appetite over. After laying out the crimson carpet from within his robes (where did he keep that thing..?) He had brought out a bag with a long sandwich in it. It had already been cut in two halves-presumably for Haru to have two portions for himself, yet now it served a new purpose as he offered half of it to his companion.

Perhaps it wasn't the greatest or fanciest of foods-yet the new world of experiences it resided upon had made it look spectacular and new. Who knew what this deli could taste like in another world?

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

The day was almost gone, just like that... The sky lighting up as the sun was setting. Such vivid sunsets could only be seen by Lucy in the game. The sunsets in the big city weren't nearly as nice as these. Pollution filling the sky, not even letting her see the stars. Hopefully her and Haru would spend enough time together to see the stars tonight... If not tonight, then potentially in the future.

Her thoughts and admiration of the lights in the sky was then interrupted by the gurgling of her hunger. Lucy placed a hand on her stomach and turned her head away from Haru, once again feeling embarrassment. "I didn't meaaan for my stomach to grumbleeeeeee.... I'm not in a rush! I could survive off nothing if needed. Air! I can eat air." Lucy held up her finger and began to gulp the air until Haru whipped out a long sammich.

"How have you been hiding this?" Knowing better than to assume that he had prepared two halves in case he met someone, Lucy felt bad as he offered her half. "I surely can't eat your food. I could just... Uhhhh... Grow berries for myself?" She shyly chuckled as she fiddled her fingers. The only problem would be finding a berry bush. Even if it wasn't producing berries, she could always accelerate it and make it grow the produce she would be eating.

"I doubt you prepared it to share with someone else." She continued rejecting the sandwich despite her mouth watering, all she wanted was to take a bite and taste it. Who knew what it tasted like, besides, maybe Haru had been the one to make it.

 

[Haru]

"Picnics are meant as gathering. They're also meant for sandwiches. Is this not the perfect time to share that which we have been given amongst our brothers and sisters?" His hand gestured towards the girl with food within, laying it to rest on the crimson sheet they lie upon. He clearly wasn't taking no for an answer.

It didn't look so bad, either. There were some sorts of meat in there, with the other half of the food involving some layered plants. They looked fresh...

"I can see how you're looking at that, you know. It's been a while-your body is more honest than you are. Ha, ha, ha... This brings up an important point, now that I think about it." His finger pointed out towards where Lucy's hunger bar rested on her UI. He had seemingly guessed where to point.

"When that reaches zero, you'll begin to starve. It's painful, you know. Then you'll die. You should eat when you can-It's good for you. And remember... Eating in here does not sate you in the world from which you came. Do keep that in mind, in case you don't feel hungry when you wake up."

@Lucy

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

Lucy's face twisted with a ton of different emotions before settling on happy. "I mean if you insiiiist...." Lucy tentatively reached forward towards the sammich. Her thoughts mixed, not really wanting to eat his food, but not being able to resist it...

She took a small bite, each individual flavor popping and melting in her mouth. She closed her eyes contently, the guilt barely seeping in, He was the one that offered... So I don't need to feel guilty! Lucy opened her eyes to study Haru. Checking to see if he had taken a bite of his or not yet.

"You said something about food here not sating my hunger in the world I came from...." Lucy took another small bite, chewing and swallowing before continuing. "Are you not from the real world?"

Lucy couldn't help but ask, though she would understand if Haru didn't want to answer her. It was kind of iffy talking about super personal matters, especially one like this. Though if Haru wasn't from the real world, it would mean he was either an NPC, or other worlds existed.... He doesn't seem like an NPC though...

Lucy stared at her sammich, getting lost in thought. "If it's super deep, or emotional we don't have to talk about it now. I just hope we can have this conversation someday." She sunk her teeth in taking another bite, more than enough to satisfy her.

There was over half of her half left when she offered it back to Haru. "You should have the rest, if you don't mind the fact I ate from it first. And if you're still hungry after you finish your half." Her gaze rested on Haru's eyes being lit up by the setting sun to try and read his emotions and thoughts, albeit nearly impossible.

 

[Haru]

"You'll find that most of the important men and women who line the kingdoms know that you come from another realm. Do the peasants of the small cities you explored not call you Starcalled? Does it not make sense that those in power would wish to know of it as much as they could?" Well, that was a fact and a half he decided to drop... It didn't actually answer her question, though it was quite the important note.

Haru broke his bead apart by tearing pieces off before popping them in his mouth. He seemed to think that a whole sandwich was like a simple tear-away piece of bread. What a savage. His face gave away little, even though the question was heavy enough to have weight.

"...I could tell you, if you wished to know. You shouldn't have to listen to it yet, though. You find such joy in this world, yet if I were to tell you, it would sour your mood. It would be good for you to know... and yet, it feels harder to tell you than the others that I've come across."

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

Having finished eating the few bites she had decided to eat would proceed to check her status bar. It was still not full; which went along with the fact that Lucy still felt hungry. Not that it mattered, she had enjoyed the bites, but anymore and guilt would simply wash over her.

Lucy would perk up as Haru continued to speak, "I don't want to force you to answer. If it's hard to tell me right now, then we can just wait till the time feels right." Lucy set her hand to the air now between her and the sun, spreading her fingers to peek at the sunset. "It's so pretty. Thank you for being in my company and exploring everything with me. I really appreciate it. Do you like the sunset?" Sincere, to the point and warming.

The way that Haru ate was peculiar, though he was a peculiar man to begin with. In Lucy's mind, it didn't matter how anyone really was, as long as they stayed true to themselves. (And as long as they don't do evil stuff). Lucy let out a soft sight, perfectly content... She had actually began to feel a little drowsy as everything caught up to her.

"Let me stretch my legs real quick. I don't wanna fall asleep on you." Letting out a soft laugh, before ripping a small piece of the sammich she had tried to give back to Haru. She pulled it apart exactly as Haru had before plopping it into her mouth.

Standing to her feet she dusted off her legs before looking around for her goal. Spotting one only a few paces away, Lucy headed over. To be honest, it looked closer than it really was, what she thought would take five seconds had taken thirty.

She began to talk to the thing she had walked to, coaxing it and using her magic. It wasn't very long before she would turn back towards Haru, arms filled with berries of all kinds. Not really sure on how she had gotten it to grow more than just blueberries, Lucy trailed back to the blanket before setting them down. "I figured berries might be a nice addition to our meal! Even though I mentioned them earlier. I feel bad if you're the only one that put food out for us to eat."

Lucy reached forward, grabbing one of the random strawberries that had grown on the blueberry push. She set it in between her lips and bit down, "S-So Juicy! You gotta try them." She spoke in between bites before she had swiftly managed to down the rest of the berry.

 

[Haru]

"Why, thank you." A berry was taken, sandwiched between his next bite and taken away to whatever alternate dimension was probably the sage's stomach. A smile came across his face, one with a lingering memory attached to it.

"I remember when I first tried these for myself. I thought it would be cool to forage for myself at the time. To be fair, I still do think it was pretty cool. Ha, ha, ha... I remember when the berry's toxin first took me into a struggle between a crawl and a slumber."

The veins on his neck were glowing a beautiful pink, the same color as the strawberry-like fruit in question. That same glow had yet to come to Lucy-was Haru being serious or not? That very same glow faded away with time, disappearing as he spoke, "That is what it means to be blessed by nature. You are beloved, and it will not hurt you unless it must do so. That is why I am glad that you have been embraced by it with such enthusiasm, dear Lucy. Did you know that some are not as fortunate to be accepted? Some must be tested by the stone, rejected before earning the right to take hold of nature in their palms."

He gestured towards the berry's stem. When she looked closely, a pop-up showed up on her UI-one detailed of the strawberry's poison. According to her HUD, she was immune to that which lie within the beautiful and tasty berry.
He assured her that there was no need to fret-everyone learns of things anew, and nobody had been harmed by the little incident. The berries were delicious, after all.

Haru stood tall on the quilt. One of his hands extended outwards, as if to take Lucy up and guide her to a new place. He sought to take her on a walk beneath the starlit sky, one that took them from the rolling green hills of Solvale through the golden-dusk wheat fields of Pormont.

A question was prosed within the starlit fields.

"Do you think of this as a dream, Lucy? If you had the choice, knowing that this place could hurt you in ways that could never be escaped from, would you return to this place even still?"

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

Lucy would carry on, unaware that Haru's neck had started glowing pink. Wait a second... They're poisonous!? Lucy grit her teeth, "Even though you say it's fine.. I'm still sorry. Does it hurt at all?" Lucy would frantically scramble towards Haru.

Her hand wrapped around his cheek, her magic unknowingly spilling outwards. She was unaware of what she was doing, and before she even noticed the fact that her hand was glowing, she had cast a healing spell on Haru. In hopes that she could cleanse out the poison. Noticing the glow in her hands she scrambled backwards. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do any of that."

Lucy anxiously popped a berry into her mouth listening as Haru as he spoke of her blessing. "To be honest, it's only thanks to you that I managed to do it. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have had the courage." Lucy placed both hands in the grass, off the blanket, feeling the blades tickling her palms. He had stood up now, extending his hands outwards to her.

Lucy naturally matched the movement of Haru, grabbing hold of his hand, she let him guide her up and off the blanket.

To Lucy, dreams were something inevitable... They weren't necessarily all untrue... Lucy thought of dreams as a way to live out your desires. Perhaps out there, in an Alternate Universe there were people out there doing the same thing you did in dreams. No one would truly know what was true of dreams, but for one to assume that Terrasphere was a dream...

"I wouldn't say that this is a dream in the sense of having visions when you close your eyes. I do think that this is a place where you can make your dreams and nightmares come to life." Lucy would take her eyes off of the stars to return Haru's gaze, who had been looking at her for the entirety of his question.

Being hurt was nothing new to Lucy, "Everything is beautiful and everything has a purpose. In the real world, I have a flower shop. I take care of the beautiful flowers." She had yet to let go of Haru's hand, "They're all just perfect... But even beautiful things can hurt you. Take roses for example, they're the perfect flower, but when arranging them you have to be careful not to prick yourself on the thorns." Lucy took a moment to take a breath before continuing, "With the choice to stay, even if I get stuck here, never able to return again.... Whether or not I would...." Lucy couldn't think of a definitive answer to his question.

Her family meant so much to her, save for the fact that she rarely got to see them now-a-days. They were all married and having children, and Lucy was still mending her flower shop... In New York, she couldn't even see anything like this, forest, flowers, water, life everywhere. All that was there was buildings and pollution. Even the sky, she could actually see the stars here. Lucy smiled softly, "It's truly a difficult question, but at the end of the day it's not an easy choice; but I would choose whatever made me happiest. All my life I've been urged to shoot for the stars, accomplish my dreams and goals. So I imagine that I would do just that if I ever had to make the choice of here or there."

 

[Haru]

"Good. I will do everything in my power to make sure that what you choose will make you happy. You have my promise, @Lucy . I will not be around every day of your life, nor will I be a face that shapes your world-but when you call upon me, I will be here. I will be here when you are in need of me most."

A cold star flew across the sky, blue and brilliant. It was that of a Starcalled, surely-yet the wishing comet in the sky gave credence to the sage's words. He meant what he said-surely he did.

The stars gave light to a city and the sea, endless white sparkles glittering on the horizon's waters. Stokbon, as Haru told her, was a very inviting place to those who here of bright heart. She could see the way that the rising moon framed the city spires, pure white light framing the marble architecture.

Terrasphere truly was beautiful.

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

"What if when I'm bored or just wanna hang out with you? Will you still come by then?" Lucy fiddled her fingers as she glanced at the terrain, not sure what Haru would say.

As the two walked on their starlit adventure, Lucy would pick up a flower here and a flower there. Once she held two she began to weave them together, slowly adding more. Each flower she weaved in, was also weaved with magical energy to preserve it's life. By the time they made their way to the half-way point between the city and them, Lucy was holding a beautiful flower crown. It was made up of white and light red flowers, Lucy stopped Haru from moving on.

"Hold on just one moment, can you bend down a little bit?" Lucy reached up, still too short. Haru then bent forward just enough for Lucy to reach his head. Placing the flower crown delicately on his head she smiled, holding back a soft giggle. "It looks lovely!" Lucy lifted her hand to her chin, "Consider this a trinket of my goodwill to protect you when you need it the most."

Moving on, Lucy would point out stars here and there and make up random shapes in the sky. Like, that one looks like a ___ (cookie/bread bun/cat/etc).


By the time that they got even closer to the city, Lucy would stop Haru again. "Holy ginger! This is beautiful." She had seen nothing like it in her life, and seeing it here on her very first day in Terrasphere made her happy. "What other adventures await us today? Or is it getting too late for you-"

 

[Haru]

"Now, now, the night is young. I still have the city to show you, do I not? We'd do better off with a place to meet each-other tomorrow, don't you think?" Who could resist an offer to take a night out in the city together? Haru assured Lucy that the city was a beautiful and peaceful place, open to those of bright heart.

As if to complete his compliment, they were let in without fuss. The sage took her to a beautiful veranda view that overlooked the city proper. Even the lights of the buildings, merely lit by magic and candle, could not dim the shining stars and cool night air.

As Haru said, this place was like a dream. It was so different to the modern city, a place that felt alive. When people wished for the escape of fantasy, this was the kind of feeling that was likely imagined in many people's hearts.

"I would stay here with you if you wished of it. We could meet here tomorrow, have a lunch at this place. When you come back to this world, I would be right here, waiting for you. How does that sound to you?"

@Lucy

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

​

child of nature...

The choice was given to the Faerin, the choice of staying and seeing beautiful things or calling it a day. Truth be told, the blazing reddie wasn't ready to let the night end right now. She wanted to spend more time having fun and exploring everything. It was all so different and if she logged off she would be faced with the reality of litter, pollution and bitchy New Yorkers. "Let's explore the city together, I don't wanna leave just yet..."

The gallery that the two now stood in giving the perfect view of the city. The question posed caused Lucy to turn away from the view and face Haru directly. Not being satisfied with the fact that she was short and couldn't really stand face to face. She would grab a chair and pull it close, climbing on top of it and standing up straight.

Lucy now faced Haru face to face, "I want to explore and sightsee! I probably will never have a chance in the near future to see it at night. Soooooo I wanna do it now... with you!" She puffed her cheeks and turned her head to the side, (fucking classic lucy move right there lol)...

@Haru

 

[Haru]

"Perhaps we shall, then... But you know, I do believe that most people can only bear to rest for so long. You've been in the game for quite a long time, you know. Sometimes I count the seconds. Ha, ha, ha..." It was neither a rejection nor an eager response. Haru was content with what the girl wished to do, it seemed.

The sage glanced out towards the night city. There were many things he could show her if he chose-this was a home away from home, a place in which he'd found many nooks and crannies and holes in the wall. If there was any place in which he could show her the night-life of a town... Well, that was actually the capital of Astorea. Second to that, however, was here.

"Tell me, then. Are we looking for fun, taste or new experiences?" He asked, allowing Lucy to decide her herself how she wished to enjoy the night. He still intended to lead her around, but wished to know what she was looking for first.

@Lucy

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

​

child of nature...

Fun, taste... New experience... Everything sounded lovely to the Faerin who wanted to see everything that the world had to offer her. Pondering for a second, the two had all the time in the world to see things. If they couldn't get to it all tonight, then that meant they could see it all another day!

Clasping her hands together, she turned her head back to face Haru. "Take me to your favorite place in this city! You surely have a few, right?" Lucy wanted to see what Haru liked first, that way if she was ever on and saw something that Haru liked, she could show it to him later on when they hang out!

Her excitement was growing, making her give little excited wiggles and movements. To her unfortunate unlucky soul, this caused the chair to wiggle. Until it was wiggling too much, causing Lucy to hover over the edge a few times. Albeit... She didn't notice the wiggling of the chair, or how dangerous this situation could get at any moment in time.

@Haru

 

[Haru]

He wanted to utter her name, or warn her that what she was doing was dangerous. When Lucy slipped and fell past the balcony, this hesitation was why his hand could not reach her in time. She fell, naught but her shadow slipping from his sight. Fear and open shock settled into his stomach.

For a moment's time, at least. Then he was once more taking action. If he couldn't reach her, he would go after her. And though he was but a man, unable to rage against the throes of gravity, he could stop being a man.

The sage tossed himself over the edge of the veranda. Something else fell in his place, something shrouded in the dark of night. His arm had bent in a way that a man's never could, bent like that of an arching catapult, flinging the beast downwards with a force beyond falling. The rails and wall cracked beneath the force of the twisting, blinking limb. The light of the night sky shuddered and warped beneath the cloud of newborn dust and flickering carbon thread.

Lucy didn't even know what grabbed her. She knew that it was warm, and that it sounded desperate. The ground came all the same.

"Ain." ​

Buildings of the earth beside became the horizon far and wide. Spinning through the air was a disorienting feeling. A fall was, to Haru, a story with beginning and end. The end was reached, and from the beginning he flew. From the ground, without so much as a touch of the night-kissed stone, they flew.

Lucy watched the building side rush past by every countable brick, the masonry traveling in reverse. The building fell while Lucy rose. The moon bore witness and did watch as gravity laughed before absurdity.

The two entwined in the sky for precious moments before settling upon a rooftop spire. Haru kept the apprentice close to his chest, arms secure in their hold upon the stone and herself like a leash between both. This spire was one which the light did touch, and Lucy could see his frame beneath the moon. His sky-hued robes had taken life as wings that now curled behind his back, spread wide for the sky to feel their presence.

An angel with frayed wings sat under the moon, holding her as tight as he ever could. His watchful gaze kept eye on herself and the city that splayed beneath them.

"...My," He breathed, words faint as they never before had been to Lucy's ears, "I think we've found it. My new favorite place of the city."

The view was better than even the last that they had shared. Perhaps the experience had been one that was to be remembered fondly because of this. Haru was sure, at least, that he would no longer forget this night.

@Lucy

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

​

child of nature...

Everything was dull, lights flashing past her eyes as her gaze become unfocused. She wasn't sure how long she had been falling for, but she knew she was falling to her death... That was until she was scooped up right before she hit the ground. The air around her taking on a different hue as everything came back into focus in a single second. Everything more vibrant than before, her arms wrapping around the silhouette of the person that had rescued her from her death.

They seemed to soar through the sky, So this is what it's like to fly... Lucy was smiling like a madman as she felt the breeze curl through her hair and sting against her skin. It felt amazing, she felt like she had grasped everything she had ever wanted and put it in her bag.

Time had flowed too quickly and Lucy was now being held on a rooftop... Although she no longer felt like she was flying, she couldn't help but gawk at the view. Time now seeming to stand still as Haru whispered in her ears. Looking at the view a while longer she broke her gaze to look at Haru's face. Despite this being their first meeting, she would give him a small peck on the cheeks before laughing and grinning. "Thanks for saving me, and thanks for finding this amazing view with me." She turned her gaze once more to the view, clinging closer to her friend (should she fall).

@Haru

 

[Haru]

It was a nice view. Haru appeared to be content sit sit and watch it for a time as the night went on, chatting with the girl atop the roof as they watched the stars. His smile glowed brighter since her display of affection.

Time would pass, and Haru would eventually find that it had been enough. Wven he could see the way the girl he held within his arms was getting tired, and so he suggested, "How about we call it here, Lucy? You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, and it's best that we get you to it."

The winged man brought her down gently back to where they had once been before the incident. If Haru had noticed the cracks on the veranda railing, he made no note of them aloud. Settling Lucy in one seat, he took a seat into another nearby. Some of the petals on his crown had fallen loose during the exertion. Every time Lucy blinked, another petal had gone back to where it rightfully should have been. Maybe it would look as pretty as she had hoped it would have been tomorrow.

"I'll be right here when you log back in, Lucy. You have my word." Arms wide, he made such a strange promise with the full confidence of a man who could keep the word he had just given.

@Lucy

 

[Lucy]

𓍊𓋼˙༺❀

​

child of nature...

The time with Haru seemed to disappear before her eyes, leaving Lucy wanting more. It was nice to be able to just exist and hang out with people in a different world. When it was all said and done, it was a very successful first day on Terrasphere. She had stayed on much longer than she had planned, taking note of the time and seeing she had to wake up in four hours for work. "Awww shucks, I didn't notice how late it had gotten, I really do have to go..." Her lips formed what could only be described as a pout, sitting in her chair as she glanced at Haru.

His eyes then stretched wide, and Lucy gave him one last hug, "For real Haru, thank you for such an amazing first day on this game. You're a really good person." She let go of Haru, taking one last look before she opened her UI to log out. Her body dematerializing as any body would when they hit log out.

@Haru

"Talking"
Thoughts