Private Lake Horatio Ripples of the Stars

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

Yume settled herself into the snow-covered sand beside the bucket, folding her hands in her lap as she knelt down. She studied the bucket quietly, for a few long moments, trying to discern what needed to be done. She had considered keeping the creature, finding somewhere for it to grow and possibly become a friend - but she knew that it was unlikely she'd have the time to do such a thing, considering everything about her own life. Still, she wasn't willing to just end it so easily.

Mō kimeta.

Suddenly, with a leap onto her feet, she grabbed the bucket and tossed the entire thing into the water, smiling as it splashed harshly below the surface for a second. Giggling to herself, she turned to Zera, a look of pride and a bit of mischief on her face.

It shall be given a chance to grow and live. Outside of my own hands, and my own decision. Perhaps...it will die, as you suggest. Perhaps it will live. Perhaps it will come back as a mighty dragon and reign supreme over the kingdoms of humans, elves and dwarves...but it shall have a chance, at least.

She turned to glance upwards at the stars, before suddenly realising that she had tossed the entire bucket into the lake. Her prideful expression slipped away as she glanced back at the bucket, before muttering under her breath.

Kuso. Darekaga sore o te ni hairenakereba naranai...

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera sat cross legged as she thought it over, smiling in her direction. When she finally made her decision he broke out into a laugh, watching the bucket et al hurtle through the air. It splashed down and the little lump of a critter swam out of its momentary confinement and back into the depths. He watched it flee with a bemused expression on his face before glancing back up at Yume as she explained her decision. He chortled and nodded.

"WA HA HA! That little fellow has quite a destiny ahead of him! Good!"

He smiled widely and watched her reflect for a moment before she suddenly glanced over at the water. His eyebrow raised as he followed her gaze and she cursed under her breath in her native tongue. He shook his head wryly and got to his feet, brushing himself off and winking at her. A moment later, he was thigh deep in the water. A few fish darted away from his legs as he reached the bucket, plucking it out of the water and carrying it back to shore. He sloshed his way onto the beach with a smile on his face before setting the bucket down and sitting down on the ground next to her.

He looked up at the sky thoughtfully before glancing over at her with a tilt of his head.

"First time was a bit different, but did you have fun?"

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

She watched in surprise as Zera wadded into the water without hesitation, the man reaching the bucket casually and in little time at all. He turned back and settled onto the land once more, before continuing their conversation as if nothing had happened.

Yes...I did, thank you. It is always nice to learn about another's hobbies, and interests. To see the world from their eyes, and to experience things...in their mind. This was...Keimō. Really eye opening, and enjoyable.

She glanced up at the stars again, following Zera's own gaze. She found herself considering the twinkling above her, the way it seemed to dance in a rhythm to the sounds in her mind - as if calling out to her. She'd always enjoyed the display of the stars, even as a young child.

Do you ever wonder if our skies are the same...this one, and the outer world? Perhaps connected in some way, some shape that couldn't have been intended...like a string of fate that inspires the destiny of the warrior, no matter where they go. Setsuzoku, like how you can travel all the way across the world and see different people and places and things, but all know that they came from something beyond...something that connects them in some shape or form.

She was letting her thoughts wander again, and she realised that she'd been rambling aloud. She doubted the other would mind, but it still brought a slight colouring to her cheeks as she tried to shake away the feeling.

But thank you, Zera-sama...I appreciated this experience, greatly.

She fell silent, content to stare up at the skies above them for a time and simply exist. Something that she found she couldn't always do - and took pleasure when she could do it.

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera listened to her in silence, smiling when she talked about her experience. That's all he wanted for her to gain out of this, a new perspective. It was hard to really grasp new ideas without first trying something completely alien. It sounded counterintuitive, but that's the way he thought about it. He rested his elbows on his knees, ignoring the dampness of his trousers and marveled at the stars above. It was a good question she had. He glanced over at her as she continued and his eye widened, she had a lot of wisdom.

He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled.

"If only everyone saw the stars the way you did, the world would be a much more peaceful place, I imagine."

He shook his head at her gratitude.

"You don't need to thank me, pwah ha ha! I got to spend the evening fishing and staring at the stars on a moonlit beach with a beautiful woman! That's a reward in itself, isn't it?"

He cracked a grin and fell backwards, flopping onto the sand beneath him and crossing his arms under his head, his eyes locked on the sky. She was right, in some ways the stars were the same as home, some constellations looked familiar but others seemed to be moved a little. Was it intentional? Or maybe it was his own inexperience that made him see the sky differently. Or was it the other way around? He'd lived his life in cities before so seeing a clear nights sky was hard. Maybe this is what it was supposed to look like.

He let those thoughts drift away as he contented himself in the peaceful silence. Though a stray thought reminded him that he should probably rebuild the campfire soon and dry himself off. What kind of medical professional would let himself get sick from wet clothing? He snorted inwardly at the thought and glanced surreptitiously at Yume before looking back at the sky.

...it could wait a little longer.

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

Yume stared up at the night sky, considering the possibilities, the thoughts that went through her head, and even the events that had occurred. She heard Zera's commentary, as if from afar - comprehensible, but lost to her own thoughts.

Eventually, she pulled herself from her thoughts long enough to realise that they were still sitting in the cold, and Zera had waded into the water not too long ago. Standing with a gasp of surprise, she began berating herself, and the man beside her.

You're soaked! Come on, you're going to get sick in this sort of place...we should have gone near the fire a while ago.

Taking a few steps towards the man, she began pulling on him to force him to his feet, only relenting when he had risen and began to follow her towards the small encampment he had made. Her eyes glanced over it, noticing an abundance of personal effects; everything that one would expect of someone spending a fair amount of time in the location.

Burei o o yurushi kudasai...but I had been under the impression that you were Starcalled? Is this not the truth? I just wonder why...Kore...

She waved a hand around the campsite as she finished her question. She hadn't meant to pry, hadn't meant to look into the personal life of another player - something that she knew was rarely done, except with those whom you were most comfortable with - but the entire situation had seemed odd. She could have sworn that Trevor and Magnolia had confirmed that Zera was Starcalled, yet his living arrangements seemed to suggest otherwise.

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera started at her sudden movement, blinking a few times before looking in her direction in confusion. It was just a little bit of water. He could dry off in a few minutes. He sat up wide eyed as she hurried over to his campsite. Brisko hadn't returned so there was no chance of the dire wolf getting territorial. What she found was his spacious tent, bags, and boxes filled with personal effects. All of this sat next to the humble fire pit that had died down hours ago.

He watched her pause to take it all in and his expression grew a bit stormy. He looked away in shame before forcing himelf to his feet with a sigh. He rubbed the back of his neck as he walked over, waiting for the inevitable.

And there it was...

He grunted uncomfortably and looked down at the near-dead campfire before silently moving towards the wood he'd piled next to his tent. He grabbed a few pieces in silence, the smile on his face turning sad. When he turned to face her he simply shrugged in defeat. He set the wood down atop the embers and began to blow on them gently until they caught and the flames began to rise. He stared at the fire as he spoke, not able to make eye contact.

"I'm from Earth. Was in the US Army, a Medic before I went to University in Chicago,"

Using those words was enough to prove one was starcalled, for the most part. He pressed his lips together and grabbed a stick to shift one of the logs.

"My headset has... problems. My UI doesn't work properly. It comes up but the words are glitched and the buttons don't work. The people who put the headset on me hooked me up to life support equipment before I logged in for the first time. I can't log out. No inventory. No menus. Friends list. I couldn't even begin to tell you what these "mastery" things are. I've just been here for a few months now..."

He smirked at the flames, the shadows casting against his face, making him look tired for the first time. He burst into laughter.

"WA HA HA! What a mess! BA HA HA HA!"

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

Yume sat in silence for a time, listening to Zera explain his situation, before pondering what it all meant. She wasn't surprised that the man was American - something about the way he spoke had confirmed it for her, a feeling that she couldn't quite pass over.

Learning about the fact that he was essentially stuck here, however, had her tossing internally. She wasn't sure how to approach the subject, how to say to him what she was thinking. On the one hand, she knew that many would approach with pity, with a desire to appease, with a means to tell him not to worry - they'll fix it, somehow. But she knew the rumours about this game, and what it could mean for some.

Then you are one with this world...for however long you are here.

She glanced up at the sky again, her thoughts rushing to her tongue without pause. She spoke her mind, softly, but firmly, not giving way in her ideas.

Some would consider that a curse...to be away from family, friends...from those that you knew in the world beyond. There are many that I would miss, were I in your place. And yet...this would is not so different from our own. Magical, fantastical, yes...Demo, aru imi, furusato o omoidashimasu. A place that is mystical, different...from the rest of the world. A place where I can be myself, truly...or become whomever I wish to be...a place where my past has no effect on me...

She envied him that, at least. Not that she would ever speak it aloud. Instead, she turned her eyes back towards Zera, smiling softly as she spoke her final thought.

Then...as long as you are stuck here, I shall be your friend, Zera-san.

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera had already accepted, for the most part, that he wasn't going anywhere for the forseeable future. He'd grown accustomed to the landers as just people, given that he didn't have much experience with games anyway the idea of NPCs wasn't really well ingrained. To him, it was as if he had immigrated against his will and without warning. So when she pointed it out he couldn't help but simply accept it as true, he was one with this world.

He scratched his nose and looked away as she continued to speak. His eyes going downcast at first. Then the tone of her statement began to change and he turned to look at her again. While he'd accepted his lot in life as usual, his poor luck dragging him into yet another series of inconveniences. He hadn't really had many reasons to see this change as a true gift. Sure, he'd made some friends, but now that she mentioned it was it really so bad? Here he could make a life of his own without all the stigma that hung over him in his previous life. Where the past had no effect on him...

His lip twitched and he clasped his hands together, staring back at the fire.

"You really are pretty amazing, Miss Yume," He looked up at her and gave her a bright smile. "Thank you for that, and for being my friend."

She was probably the first person who'd ever declared their friendship to him and it was the best feeling in the world.

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

Yume felt her cheeks colour in response to the words, a warm feeling spread up through her against the otherwise soft chill of the air around them. She hadn't meant it as anything spectacular - being a friend wasn't anything overly special, or so she thought - but she could see in his expression, in the way his body shifted, that it meant something to Zera.

I am...glad, that you are happy for this. I know it's not much, but they always say that a friend can make even the most trying of times less difficult.

She glanced at the now-dead fire, before waving a hand at it. The wolf had long since disappeared - only remembered now by Yume as she noticed the disruption in the dirt that signified where the creature had been laying not so long ago.

Perhaps we should get this fire restarted, before we freeze to death...and then maybe we can figure out something about food. Seeing as you must be hungry, all things taken into consideration.

Truth be told, she wouldn't mind something to eat either - even if this was just a video game, she'd found that the normal bodily needs were all still required. It still amazed her in a way, just how in-depth the design and feel of the system was, how it encompassed real life so effectively.

I'm assuming that someone as...Yoku junbi sa reta...ready for anything, as yourself, would have something to eat around here, right?

She tossed a smile at Zera, her tone jesting the entire time. She wasn't sure if he would catch it or not, and prepared to turn away anything that was offered, should he do such a thing.

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

He glanced down and realized that the fire had gone out again and rubbed the back of his neck. He'd got lost in his thoughts again, what a blunder. He chuckled and reached for a few cut pieces of log, tossing them onto the pit before reaching into his inventory and pulling out an automatic flint-and-steel. Simple, easy to purchase item, but it had saved his life on more than one occasion.

She brought up food and he grinned.

"Hahaha! Don't be too surprised!"

He nodded a few times as he started to rummage through his inventory, it had limited space so he kept the more valuable or important pieces of equipment there. He was fortunate that his glitched UI didn't have any problem letting him store things or he'd really be in trouble. He pulled out a mount and set it up on either side of the fire before setting a pot on top. A few minutes later he had some fresh water boiling with cuts of meat, vegetables, spices, and some stock he'd prepared a few days before.

"Stew is a bit safer to prepare out in the wild like this, but I have something else... it's a work in progress."

He turned to one of the crates and opened it, carefully lifting the lid off a wide box inside. The strong smell of baked bread wafted into the air as the preserving box's seal was released. He pulled out a pair of long bars that looked a bit like italian bread. From the second crate he pulled out a heavy looking clay pitcher and set it between them with two cups along with a pair of empty bowls and spoons.

"Some bread and wine. For you, miss."

He said gregariously, settling back down on the ground at her side.

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

She glanced over at the box as it was opened, the smell of baked breads reaching her nose and causing her nose to twitch ever so slightly in response. The makes were soft-looking, making her curious as to how they would taste. The food took her attention away from the box itself - something that had peaked her curiosity for a single second before it had been opened.

At the proffering of wine, Yume hesitated. She hadn't been a drinker in the real world - in fact, she tended to avoid alcohol all-together due to its effects on her. In this world, however, she wondered if there would be a different experience.

Arigatō, Zera-san...this looks delicious.

She took the offered pieces, taking a bite out of the bread first, and letting the taste linger for a few seconds before turning to the wine. She slowly sipped at it, noticing that the taste was far more bitter than she normally enjoyed - and yet somehow it paired well with the bread.

Almost immediately, she could feel her face become flushed in response, and she quickly noted that her mind had taken on a slight distracted feeling - like she hadn't slept in quite some time. Placing a smile on her face, she tried to give her thanks for the meal.

Kore wa oishī. Watashi to shokuji o kyōyū shite kurete arigatō.

She sat there, bread and wine in hand, and a slight smile across her flushed face as she waited to see what other treats Zera would imbue upon her, wondering how she had even gotten into this situation to begin with.

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

He settled into the spot next to her, watching the stew boil. It would be another minute or two before it was finished so he contented himself with biting off a piece of bread and sipping some wine. If only he had cheese, this would be perfect. He smiled wryly to himself and let the warm feeling of the wine go through him. It was bitter but paired well enough, the warm feeling faded almost as soon as it came, though. His big body was far more tolerant of wine, even compared to his large frame back on earth.

He glanced at her when she spoke, noting the faint flush on her face and paused. He should probably slow her down a little, he didn't want her to get drunk and had no idea exactly what the proof of the wine was. Some food would help shrug off the effects a little.

"Hahaha! I'm glad you like it! Now let's eat!"

It was a little strange that he could understand her speech, it was like the game was automatically translating for him. That was helpful. He leaned forward towards the pot and stirred it once with the ladel, satisfied with the feeling he scooped some out and poured a hearty amount into the bowl he'd set aside for her. He passed it over;

"Eat up! It's a bit hot so be careful."

Zera poured his own bowl and sat back down, casually pulling out a water canteen and setting it down between them. He gave her a small smile and glanced at her cup of wine but didn't say anything, not wanting to embarass her. Instead, he dug right in, completely unaware of the wondering that she was doing.

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

She could already feel the effects of the drink as Zera attempted to bring her focus towards the food. She shook herself gently, trying to shake off the worst effects of the alcohol and slowly realising that it had the same effects in game as it did in the real world - either a design flaw in the system, or pure unluck through her own means.

Tabemashou!

She dove into the food calmly and carefully, slightly rocky on her movements from the wine itself. Although warm to the touch, the stew itself was delicious and Yume couldn't help but letting out a squeal of delight as she dove into it in earnest.

Kore wa oishī! Kon'na ni yoi to wa omoimasendeshita!

A few seconds had passed before Yume realised what she had said, and how it may have come across. She found herself flushing even deeper than she'd had from the wine, before rushing to correct her statement.

Anata ga ryōri ga hetada to itte iru node wa arimasen! Ka… totemo īdesu ne!

Halfway through her thoughts, she realised that she'd been communicating through her native tone, the words coming naturally to her and under the influence of the wine indecipherable to her own ears. Clasping her hands in front of her mouth and giving off a slight squeak of surprise, she felt herself dying ever so slightly from embarassment.

Eeee! I am so, so sorry...I just realised...I mean...I'm sorry, the wine, it...this food is delicious!

---

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera raised his eyebrows at her eagerness. The squeal of delight startling him a little. He watched wide-eyed as she dug in with a gusto he figured was his match. Where the hell was she putting it all? Not to be out done he dug into his own meal, scarfing it down at a pace to match hers and savoring the taste while she delighted about the flavor. He grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with the handle of his spoon.

"Hahaha! It's okay! I learned to cook for myself while going to school, kind of a necessity. Going to the cafeteria took time away from studying."

He was half way through pouring out his next bowl when she let out another squeak of surprise, holding up her hands to her mouth. He glanced at her confused but noticed the warmth on her face and listened to her speak. Ah. She noticed. He chuckled and shook his head, filling a ladel and refillilng her bowl a bit with an easy smile.

"The game is translating it fine for me, don't worry about it, bahaha!"

He guffawed a little, setting himself back down on the spot next to her and sipping at his wine. Warm food, strong drink, hot fire, good company, this was the good life. This was a peaceful life he could get used to. If only this world wasn't so violent, it would be perfect. He let out a sigh of relaxation and glanced at her.

"I'm really glad you like it."

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

She gasped a little at his laughter. He'd noticed the issue with the linguistics earlier, apparently, and had kindly left her in the dark. She felt herself grow even more embarrassed, her obvious lack of awareness far more intimidating than his response.

Sumimas-...Gomen. I mean, I'm sorry. It is...my natural tongue, and comes easier. But it is rude to speak in such a way!

She placed her hands in front of her, clasping them slightly at the palms, before bowing her head shallowly in a display of apology.

I shall try to...speak in a more common tongue! Going forward! It is the...Tadashī koto - err - the correct thing to do!

Determined to do better, she turned her focus back towards her food, and forced her thoughts into the common English tongue that the two were using to communicate. Or, at least she thought it was English. Suddenly, what he had said caught up with her mind, and she found herself gasping again.

Gēmu wa sore o okonau koto ga dekimasu ka?! It can translate things into...another language? That is amazing! Hontōni subarashī!

She found a new wonder at what the system could do, and wanted to know more about it - but she wasn't sure whether Zera was informed enough about the system to know the answers to her questions. Not that the man was unintelligent by any means, but his skills and awareness reminded her of those who had spent their time away from the newer technology.

---

@Zera Leigh​

 

[Zera Leigh]

Zera raised an eyebrow at her as she frantically apologized. He stared at her for a little while as she kept going, blinking a few times in confusion. Why was she apologizing? She didn't do anything wrong as far as he could tell. He scratched his cheek with a finger, cocking his head to the side as he tried to figure it out. She was probably embarassed, perhaps the drink was having an effect too.

She turned back to her food and started to dig in again only to jump in surprise (which startled him as well) as she realized the implications of what he was saying. At this point, he couldn't help it. He burst into loud guffaws of laughter, grabbing his ribs and chortling for a few moments. When he finally caught his breath he reached out and pat her on the head;

"It is pretty amazing isn't it! BA HA HA! You don't have to hold back so much, you know? Don't apologize for being yourself."

Why did she need to hold back when the game was translating it in real time? He chuckled again and after a second he realized his hand was still on her head. He quickly pulled his hand away and cleared his throat, scratching his nose with a big hand to hide the flush on his face. He glanced up at the night sky and blinked a few times. Something occuring to him. Did she have a place to stay? Wait, no, she could log out couldn't she? He rubbed the side of his head, right... right...

Instead of speaking, he took a sip of his wine to ease the sudden awkwardness he felt. What a damn hypocrite, he just suggested she not hold back yet he's the one getting all flustered over stupid things.

@MayoYume

 

[MayoYume]

140 / 140

Astramancy

Somehow, with the realism that the world around her had inspired, Yume had entirely missed the key fact that it was still a game, and the fact that it could do something like translating languages had never occurred to her - even though she'd never run into issues with communicating. In fact, as she thought back to it, the accents of some others had been...rough, for lack of a better word, but understandable - something that you wouldn't see in the real world.

Hontōni subarashī...being able to translate so efficiently...even the dialects, and the...lesser common words...

Her brow furrowed as she considered it all, the way in which the system processed. All of it was linked to the perceptions of the brain, the way in which it read the waves of information thrown towards it - computing as fast, if not faster, than any computer could possibly do.

Dewa, watashi ga haha kokugo de hanaseba, watashi ga itte iru koto wa subete mondainaku rikai dekimasu ka?

She glanced up at Zera as she spoke the entire phrase, quickly but calmly, as if she were carrying on a normal conversation - placing no more thought to the words than she did in her normal conversations. Originally, she'd put effort into her thoughts, thinking that she needed to focus on the English, in order to communicate in this world - but perhaps she should have been more aware of the little things.

---

@Zera Leigh​