Complete ✪ Stokbon The Company of a Feline

[Ilya]

Ilya finally had made her way to Stokbon. It felt like forever since she was in a city as grand as this one. Her adventures of Vintergard being more of an annoyance than anything else. She had never expected to have to encounter stress as soon as she had logged back into the game. However Ilya was now able to push that to the back of her mind. She had successfully purchased new gear and armor, finally feeling like she did back in the day. She straightened the wraps the lined her fists before finding herself looking at the stamp that now adorned the back of her hand. The Adventurer's Guild, something she hadn't even really thought of prior, was now something she had found herself joining. It was quite conflicting as she wanted to join the Lion's Pride once again, though they had changed their name and Ilya wasn't even sure if her previous faction-mates and friends had logged back in or not yet. Either way, she had made the decision and would stick by it. One thing was certain, and that was, Ilya wanted to grow strong again. Stronger than she had been, her goal this time was to become one of the strongest players in Terrasphere.

As she had finished signing up for the adventurer's guild she found herself waiting for her copper sigil that proved her involvement in the guild. Ilya had nothing better to do than to meander the streets of Stokbon, which was a nice change of pace. The events that had thus happened to her however, lead her to want to get stronger even more so, to regain the strength she once had. Wandering through the streets would do the exact opposite of that. Before long, Ilya found herself at the entrance and exit to Stokbon. The gate making her release a breath she had been holding in without realizing. Her tail swished back and forth as she began to exit the city. She wasn't making much notice of the scenic area that was the city, so neither would she make much notice of the terrain that now surrounded her.. That was until she noticed a person with beautiful light silver hair.. Or rather it wasn't a person, it was a feline much like herself. Only this one was quite different; unlike Ilya's own distinctive lion tail, Ilya had no idea what kind of Feline this girl was. The ears that adorned the girl's head matched the shade of her hair perfectly. Intrigued and captured by the way that this Feline looked, Ilya stopped her walk in a few paced in front of her and let out a little wave. Forgetting to introduce herself Ilya spoke directly to the girl, "Hi, what's your name?"

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

Finding a guide for this new strange and fantastical word as soon as she logged in was a stroke of luck Bianca did not expect. While it was extremely helpful to get her bearings and get directed to the nearest safe zone, it was also unfortunate that her new acquaintance could not stay long. Thus, she had found herself most lonely once again, albeit with a great view of a city not unlike what she would sometimes draw for her clients. 'Spare not the fancy' was a phrase that crossed her mind. But to be able to see it from a first-person perspective was something wholly new to her.

Mayhaps she could have experienced something similar already if she dove into the correct kind of virtual game. Alas, her focus for the past four years was almost exclusively directed at Terrasphere. It was still somewhat baffling to the girl that she was in the game. Banned worldwide and seemingly purged from the net, she was here, along with others. And it was everything she could have hoped for, at least as far as her own body went. She just couldn't help but have the biggest smile on her face from it all.

The hyper fixation on what was right in front of her even helped somebody else sneak up on her, even if unintentionally. The friendly words of a greeting, seemingly arriving out of nowhere, were enough to make the silver-maned lynx jolt. Body tensing up, her gold gaze was swiftly directed at the individual nearing her. Once the initial shock wore off, she even assumed a slightly defensive position, just in case. The one person she had met so far was friendly, but that hardly meant everyone she'd encounter would be the same. Not to mention that appearances inside of a game were always deceiving.

"Wh-I- Err-" Stammering a bit at first, the girl nearly bit her tongue before she managed to collect herself enough to just answer like a normal person. "Bi-" a brief pause followed as she realized what she wanted to say. "Fina. And you are..?" Finally, looking the other girl over, the first thing that caught Bianca's attention were the lion-like features. Another beastfolk, then. They didn't look like an NPC, so they must have been a player. But then again, how would NPCs in a game as sophisticated as this one look and behave like? Surely they would be just as real as her body's sensations.

"A-and you really shouldn't just sneak up on people like that! Near gave me a heart attack…" While she mostly just murmured the last part to herself, she tried to come across as someone confident. Someone to not be looked down upon. She barely knew how to do anything in this game, and she'd rather not come across as a bumbling idiot who could not do anything alone. Her pride would not allow her! She had played so many games like this one before, after all! Or maybe she was just trying to justify her frustration as a complete newbie in a game that appeared to have a massive following.

@Ilya

 

[Ilya]

Listening to the stuttering of the girl in front of her made Ilya feel a tinge of guilt, despite thinking that she had made her presence known by standing in the field of the apparent vision of the Feline... The girl seemed to have been too focused on what was directly in front of her. Ilya stuck her hands up in the air, a sign of surrender to try and help ease the cautious girl who had introduced herself as Fina. Ilya would have done the same if she were in her shoes. This world had plenty of good intentioned starcalled travelers, however just as there is good there is also evil. Two sides of the same coin; and with how easy it is to fake who you are or what you're about in this world, one ought to take care with caution in meeting new faces.

Ilya offered a friendly smile in the direction of Fina, "Sorry, I ought to remember my manners. My name is Ilya, pleasure to meet you Fina." Ilya nodded her head lightly, "I apologize about scaring you, truly it wasn't my intention." Ilya studied the girl before her, now she seemingly appeared confident. However just moments before she had been terrified out of her skin, which amused Ilya but not to the point that she would go out of her way to terrify the poor girl again.

Puffing her chest a little, Ilya began to inquire Fina of where she had been coming from. "Was it Eastern Brisshal?" Perhaps finding out more of where her new companion had been travelling could give her a little bit of information about her experience in the game. Surely she couldn't have met that many people, with how jumpy she is? Though Ilya knew better than to judge a book by its cover, as one could very easily be tricked in the world of Terrasphere.

"I haven't been to Eastern Brisshal in quite some time." Ilya only murmured the last bit, the only reason that Fina might have been able to ear would have been due to the fact that Beastfolk blood ran through her veins. A small tinge of familiarity coursed through Ilya's body. The only few places she had been had either stayed relatively the same or changed drastically. I really ought to re-adventure everywhere and see what else has changed besides Vintergard.. But that could wait, for now Ilya was focused on Fina. She might as well start somewhere, making more friends and continuing her work from the previously called 'Lion's Pride'. Perhaps she could help out others to the point she might be considered, if she's lucky, a hero.

Ilya felt mildly curious about the fellow Beastfolk she was conversing with, perhaps if the Feline needed assistance in any way then Ilya could help. Whether that be showing her around the city, fighting some weak leveled monsters, or even teaching her more about the integrated system and UI. No matter what Fina's experience was, Ilya was certain that this encounter would be nothing short of fun. Perhaps she could add yet another name to her list of friends, especially with how short it currently is.

 

[Fina Drago]

Seeing no blatant aggression and hearing words of apology, it'd probably be a bit too much to remain as defensive as Bianca was. Relaxing her body, she'd exhale and refocus her attention on the other girl, Ilya, as she introduced herself. "Nice to meet you. And it's… fine. I just… briefly forgot I was even inside of a game." Other titles could already mimic various human senses, but Terrasphere seemed just to be bringing it up to a whole another level. It made sense that it got banned worldwide. The dangers that such an appealing alternative to reality was self-evident.

As the lynx's golden eyes wandered between her company and the city to the side a few times, she'd narrow her posture and rest her hands against her hips, entirely abandoning that meek persona from a few moments ago. Though when the question came, she had to cock her head to the side and dive into her memory a bit. Her prior guide did mention a name… "Mm… I think so. A whole big forest that stretched for a while." It was a nice and peaceful place, all things considered. The smell of nature surrounding a person while the trees stretching up high kept one in their shade, protecting them from the raring Sun.

The feline ears on Fina's head would twitch a few times as they took in the many sounds of the nature around them and Ilya's words as well. "It was nice. Didn't really encounter much there." She didn't exactly stay there long, so she might have missed plenty of things. A plan to return there and explore was already hatching inside the girl's mind. As soon as she would get herself some equipment and figure out the game systems, that was.

But then, there was one more issue at hand. "So… why'd you approach me?" The question might have come across as a bit insensitive and rude, but Bianca, being a bit of a veteran in the sphere of gaming, as well as a generally distrusting individual at first, couldn't help it. After all, people randomly approaching one another to make friends? That never happens in MMOs! Right..?

 

[Ilya]

Seeing that Fina had lowered her guard, made Ilya feel more confident. "Honestly, it's so realistic that you just sort of forget all the time. Makes you kinda wish that this was the real world and not just a game. Though it has its beauty and wonder, there's also quite a lot of scary bits as well." Ilya twiddled her thumbs her mind flicking through memories of the past. The many festivals, partys and quests flooding her mind and giving her spirit, while the many boss battles, like when she bought the Bandit King, and difficulties gave her a nasty taste in her mouth. It definitely would make her a bit happier if this was the real world, though it was more dangerous.

She led the life she wanted to live in the real world, but it wasn't without difficulty. Terrasphere was a nice escape to her, especially with how realistic it was. Fina then confirmed that she had come from the place where new players had spawned and it was obvious that Ilya's beginning intuition was right. Fina was new to this world, and had no clue just how wonderous this world had to offer with no restrictions in place.

"I'm an blunt person to fault, I merely approached you cause you caught my attention." Ilya gestured to Fina's hair, as that was the main notice she had made, "You stuck out among all of the people on their way to the city." Ilya took a moment to look around and make note of how bland everyone looked in comparison to the two of them. It might have been their aura or something else entirely but Ilya and Fina definitely stood out. "So I assume you just recently started out?" Ilya was now fishing to figure out what Fina's plans were for the day.

"I'm relatively free today, so if you wouldn't mind my company, maybe we could explore together and do something? It's been awhile since I've been back in this world and I could use company getting myself reacquainted with everything." Now Ilya would wait for Fina's reply, since she had been heading towards the city, Ilya moved and positioned her body to be beside the Feline. "To the city?" She grinned at Fina, as she began to walk forwards. Ilya figured starting a simple conversation like this one would make Fina more inclined to walk with her, though she could be entirely wrong. "What are you heading to the city for?"

 

[Fina Drago]

Wishing that a game could be one's real life… Bianca could definitely understand that. At the same time, however, she always had reservations about such things. Maybe that could change with a game like Terrasphere, which did seem to mimic experiences one could have outside of this virtual space flawlessly. Although, just like Ilya said, there were dangers as well. "Not sure I would be very willing to go out and hunt down bandits or blood-thirsty wolves for money in the real world… even if I could wield a weapon like a true master." Since the game could simulate pain to such an accurate degree, those things would probably become infinitely scarier than in any other game. Something the girl would experience soon enough, she was sure.

"But I get it. There is already freedom that one just doesn't have out there." For some, that probably meant the adventure. For her, well… it meant she could just get up on her legs and walk anywhere using them. It was why she was even willing to give this game a go in the first place while knowing the risks associated with it from those who played four years ago.

As Iliya pointed out just how much Fina stood out among the other individuals around, whether they were NPCs or other players, the silver-maned feline would chuckle. "I guess my avatar-making skills didn't go rusty quite yet, then! Good, good!" The character creation was surprisingly expansive when she encountered it after her first dive-in. It might not have been her goal to flaunt a perfect body with no blemishes and eternal youth around, but as the creative type, she did always take some care when making herself a playable avatar that others would associate with her.

"Ah… yeah. I suppose I did. The person that guided me here had to be elsewhere, so they didn't exactly give me any further directions, and I haven't noticed any notifications from the system or the like that would tell me where to go or what to do. Or… how to start, really." It was a bit embarrassing, but she did need help if she didn't want to risk bumbling around for hours with little progress or even soft-locking herself by spending money or something she shouldn't have just yet. As Iliya positioned herself next to Fina, the feline would instinctively lean to the other side a bit, but otherwise remained next to her new companion as they started walking forward. "Um… sorry for the trouble…"

 

[Ilya]

Fina was the opposite of Ilya in regards to the fact that Ilya always seemed to be out seeking more adventure and more fights. "That's fair, not everyone is ready to face what could be life or death situations. Though that's why we make acquaintances, so we can make mistakes and have someone to cover our butts so we don't die." Ilya kept moving so they could make progress and get to their undecided destination. Everyone had their own reason for playing this game. For Ilya, it was a number of different things, things she wouldn't be willing to divulge to anyone at this time other than Zelrius.

"Well, you made your avatar beautifully. I went with the lion aesthetic, golden ears? Gotta have golden hair and eyes that pop out." She chuckled at the fact that she had done just that, yet again. Making herself the exact same as she had been when she had first been a Felis lion back four years ago. "Well, it's a shame they had somewhere to be, I appreciate you willing to keep me company." Ilya paused for a moment to formulate her next words, "This game is all about your choice, and what you want to do. There's a few big things that are always happening, but it's up to you if you want to do them or not. Not sure if you know yet, but have you taken a look at the masteries?" Ilya opened up her palm menu by forming the same fist and opening it. She tapped her own masteries and glanced at them as they walked and talked. "There's a number of different things you can invest in, though despite it not being super endless... You can truly do anything in this world with the right amount of effort. It's the only real game I know that gives you limitless opportunities."

Ilya now closed her menu and looked straight at Fina as she apologized, "I should be the one apologizing to you! I sort of just jumped you and asked you to keep me company..." Ilya frowned slightly, "So there's no need for you to apologize, and if you ever have any questions you can ask!" Ilya eyes fluttered back to the path in front of her, a smile replacing her frown. "So have you geared up at all yet? Naturally you can take gear from things you kill, or you can buy it, or even steal it or create it yourself. Though there are no skills for crafting, you can take your real world knowledge and do anything." Ilya herself wasn't very good at making things, so they always turned out poorly. Instead she leaned more on taking from dead bodies and shopping in the many stores that the main cities had to offer. "Looking at you, it looks like you could use some stuff, no offence. I can buy you some gear, since I have an overflowing amount of money. You wouldn't have to pay me back, you can consider it a gift." Ilya took a breath, "But if you're insistent on paying me back, you can just owe me a favor later on down the line, like if I need someone to hang out with." Ilya gestured towards a shop that was now a few steps out of their way, they had managed to make their way into the city as Ilya had been talking.

 

[Fina Drago]

What Ilya said made sense. An adventuring partner sounded pretty nice. Especially if they happened to mesh well with one's own abilities. Bianca heard all kinds of amusing stories about DnD adventures with friends before even discovering Terrasphere those some four years ago. Those always seemed bigger than just two individuals, but even that couple would surely be far nicer than trying to have an adventure alone. It made the girl let out a small sigh, as the idea of finding someone like that was somewhat foreign to an individual who stayed entirely alone for most of their days. She didn't have the social skills necessary to make such a thing happen.

"Mm, I do like the looks of yours, too. And a lion is much more fierce than any lynx." A small attempt at flattery was tossed right back at the other girl, even if it might have been a bit awkward. In general, it seemed that Ilya was quite verbose. A good thing since it was the opposite of Bianca. It meant that at least one of them could take control of their conversation and lead them to some kind of conclusion instead of eternal silence.

As the explanation about the game began, Fina's ears would twitch periodically, clearly indicating that the girl was doing her best to pay attention to everything that was said. It sounded interesting, at the very least. Even her hand naturally mimicked her company's motions, bringing up the menu and seeing all the things that flashed up in front of her. "Er… not yet. Something for later, I suppose…" It seemed like a bit too much for right now. Not to mention that it was likely essential and should not be decided on the fly. At least she now knew about it all.

"Limitless opportunities, hm? Wonder how they managed to program that…" Her brief immersion-breaking comment was quickly interrupted by her nose picking up various smells as they walked through the city, all assaulting her senses. It wasn't too dissimilar from her old path to school, leading through countless stands with food. Almost nostalgic. Of course, that path was always taken alone. "Okay, I'll keep you in mind as my personal guide." She snickered a bit before looking down at her starter outfit. "No offense taken, I was tossed in here with these. Something nicer would be welcome."

What the girl wasn't expecting was that Ilya would just offer to buy things for her. It made the silver-maned feline shake both her head and hands in mild panic. "I-no- I mean… ugh… if you insist… okay. Getting something more… breathable to wear would be nice…" It wasn't like her current clothes were all that restrictive, but they were far from what she'd prefer now that she was here and had complete control over her body and movement. "Um… after you?"

 

[Ilya]

Ilya winked as Fina finally agreed to let her treat her to some new gear. She grabbed hold of Fina's hand and practically dragged her into the store. Without so much as a moment's hesitation, she began looking at anything and everything she thought might suit her Feline companion.

Grabbing cloth after cloth, tossing it if she felt it wasn't good enough, tucking it under her free arm if she felt it would work. Ilya managed to get a bundle of 15 or so outfits for Fina to try on. Turning towards Fina, she set them down on a nearby empty table and ushered Fina towards the one fitting room that the store had to offer. "Time to try on!"

Ilya handed Fina, outfit after outfit, and would have Fina step out every time she changed into something new, "I know it's exhausting but bear with me." Each time Fina stepped out, Ilya would offer a compliment, as if doing it for her own pleasure rather than Fina's.

It wasn't until Fina stepped out in the last outfit that Ilya had ushered her to try on that Ilya's mouth really dropped to the floor, "That's the one.... You look.. Amazing, it fits you so well." (leaving it up to you to describe it). Ilya squealed a little with delight, "Sorry, I just love spending money on other people. What do you think of it?" Ilya hoped that Fina liked it, but if not they could just keep looking for something that suited her taste's better. "If you do like it, shall we look for some accessories before we go to another shop and get you a weapon?"

 

[Fina Drago]

Being literally dragged into a store by a person she had just met was not something Fina expected today, but here she was. She didn't even really get a chance to look around and pick clothes for herself, as all of that was very quickly handled by Ilya, who was apparently a much bigger expert on fashion in this game.

Before she knew it, the two of them were standing in front of a changing booth, not too unlike those one could find in shops outside of the game. With her lion companion's collection, it was sure to take a little bit before everything was tried on. There was only one small problem. "Ah, um… how exactly do I… try clothes on? Do I just… undress and re-dress..?" It sounded like a strange question, but in games she had played before, such things were pretty simple. Just click on a button in the menu, and the clothes would materialize on her character.

Terrasphere, however, strives to be much more realistic, making Fina unsure whether that was an option. After all, they were in front of a changing booth. What use would it be if she could just do something like that? And that train of thought came with another thing the feline could blurb out without thinking, even if it were quieter than what she said before. "Wait, does this outfit even come with any undergarments?" Those sure were present during the character creation, but it wasn't like she checked afterward!

Either way, once all of that was sorted out, Fina would go ahead and try the outfits on one after another without any complaints. She wasn't exactly crazy for fashion, but these outfits were nothing but unique and pretty fun to try on. Ultimately, she ended up with something relatively simple. Boots going up to just below her knees, dark shorts with a golden belt, a dark top that resembled a bikini top more than anything, pair of fingerless gloves, and a cute brown shawl around her neck. It was… more revealing than she was used to. By lot. By an astronomical measure, really.

Still, this new body of hers was so much more mobile than anything she could ever experience in the physical world, and she didn't want clothes getting in the way. She'd eventually get used to the fact that she was showing her bare stomach to everyone around. And Ilya seemed happy as well. "R-right, if you say it fits, then I'll take your word for it." Fully stepping outside the booth, she adjusted the attire slightly before giving a nod. "As long as the accessories won't get in the way. Weapon sounds like a good idea, too."

 

[Ilya]

Ilya chuckled at Fiina's question, "Yes, that would be how you do it. This is full immersion after all." and with that, came Fina's next question. "Uhm uhm.. Those i'm pretty sure are sold separately…? One second." Ilya would then proceed to quickly rummage through the shop once again, trying to find something for Fina, though not knowing her size she just grabbed a few random ones and shoved them under the curtain, "There, all good now!"

Ilya couldn't help but feel very content with her fashion in-expertise. Meaning, she had no actual clue what she was doing. Though, she was heavily satisfied and could check 'dress up someone in a million clothes' off of her bucket list. "Accessories aren't absolutely necessary, they just add some character to your... well... character." Trying her best to explain, she motioned to the accessory that adorned her travel bag. A simple keychain with a golden flower to match her aesthetic. "I believe it brings me good luck." She smiled tenderly remembering the events that had lead up to her receiving the trinket. Though she hadn't spent a dime, after saving some NPCs she had been given it as a gift, the villagers returning a favor with a favorable accessory. "You don't always have to buy them or scout them out, sometimes they just happen to fall into your hands. Whether it be through reputation a gift! We can truly skip accessories if you want. Though if you don't we can always look after we get you a nice weapon!"

Ilya would then hand a couple coins to the shopkeeper and profusely apologize for making a mess of the shop. It was as if a tornado had flown through the shop, clothes strewn all over the place. She then took the charge, leading Fina towards the closest trustworthy blacksmith to see about the weapon she had promised her newfound companion. "If you see anything you like, don't worry about the price! We can also get you something custom-made as well if you want."

 

[Fina Drago]

Somehow, having to actually undress to change her clothes inside of an MMO felt more embarrassing than it ever would in real life. Feelings were a strange thing, sometimes. This technically wasn't even her body, so why would she ever care if someone walked in on her and saw her devoid of clothes? None of that ended up happening, of course, and the girl happily looked in the mirror one more time after her final outfit was decided upon together with Ilya.

As for the accessories, Fina nodded along with the lioness' explanation. The keychain showed was certainly an interesting addition, not quite something that the girl would expect to see in a game like this on account of keychains being considered as something more modern. "It's cute." There wasn't really much that would outright catch the feline's sharp eye. Perhaps she would indeed just wait for something to fall into her hands, so to speak. Although, before they left, she did pick up a small pouch that she affixed to her right leg with a couple of straps. It was hardly a unique accessory, but perhaps the tiny space would come in handy at some point in the future.

Once at the blacksmith, the feelings of loss crept up once more as the girl walked down the building, looking over the numerous weaponry. It certainly had a bit of a different feel to it, knowing that in this world, such things could be used to truly end someone's life. "Custom-made, huh…" This was a bit hard. With clothes, it was just a question of what would fit her and what would go along with her looks. But she was new to this world and had no idea how to even swing any of these hunks of iron around. "Maybe something like this, then..?"

Taking hold of a strange orb, Fina would lift it just to notice a pretty little purple gem floating around. It was some kind of focus, even started floating by itself. Since she already got to look at the mastery system, the idea that this game would be magic-heavy did anchor itself in Bianca's mind, so this felt like a pretty natural choice.

 

[Ilya]

"I think that'll do quite nicely, you've got a good eye to choose a floating foci. I assume you took up some kind of magic skills?" Curiosity would kill the cat, or in this case, a lion. She often-times bit on more than she could chew, asking about people and what they do or about their past seemed to be a common theme with Ilya. If anyone had returned the favor and asked her about her own life, she would be on all defenses, so why did this feline think it would be any different for her if she was the one asking?

Ilya glanced around for herself, as she too actually needed to update her gear a bit. Her headwraps were still from when she and ripped shreds off of her starter tunic. Most of the items here for martial arts seemed to be geared towards people that liked the heavier of weapons. Most of them made with leather and metal, the selection was very limited towards those that preferred the lightweight and easier to swing type of wraps.

Not satisfied with her selection, she settled for a plain black pair and began to go through the thematic ritual of unwrapping her hands, rewrapping them with the black coarse fabric. "Sorry about that, I figured I ought to get a little upgrade as well." Ilya showed her plain wraps, "Quite not as flashy as I would like but still, it'll do for now."

Ilya then went to pay for the two of their items, "So, want to try out your new foci? Use some magic? Maybe show me some tricks or something while we explore town?" She would then proceed to wiggle her eyebrows.

 

[Fina Drago]

While the compliment was nice, Fina highly doubted that she actually got a good eye on these kinds of things. Simply picking up something that looked nice and like it would fit well with a magic system hardly meant anything. Especially since she did not pick up her masteries yet, making the question a little awkward to answer. "Ah, well… not really. I mean, I haven't picked any of them yet. But I guess that one of them caught my eye? Um… Arcanamancy, I think?" She barely even saw the full description in the brief moment they had that window open on the way here.

Now that she had this kind of weapon, though, she would make sure to pick up something that would go along with it. It'd be rather silly not to, given that it was her one and only weapon at the moment. Speaking of weapons, it appeared that Ilya was looking around as well. The feline observed her but tried to also do so in a way that would not make it seem like she was impatient, wanting to leave already. Quite the opposite, it was pretty interesting seeing how the other girl picked up her purchase. It really didn't seem like much, but it gave Fina a good idea of what her fighting style might have been.

"No, it's perfectly fine! At least now I don't have to feel like I'm just wasting someone else's time with a trip that is all about me." Letting out a brief and shaky laugh, the girl stopped herself before she said something even more embarrassing or perhaps rude. "Actually… I mean… as I said, I haven't even fully picked my mastery yet. Guess I should do that right now, but I don't exactly know anything about this game's combat system. It's probably something I should figure out before something wild eats me out there in the wilderness."

 

[Ilya]

"Well I might know a thing or two about magic, maybe I could help you learn? I myself use divine magic and use it to empower my fists, but it can't be that different, surely...?" Ilya's statement came off as more of a question as she was quite unsure of herself. Maybe it was time for Ilya to invest more time into her magic skill, rather than always focusing on her fists. It would give her more diversity and usefulness...

Ilya pondered for a moment longer, "I mean I could always show you what combat is like, i'm more than skilled enough to take down a few beasts on my own." Ilya made the suggest a little too hasty, "I mean only if you want, and you can always join in whenever you want. Even from far enough back to not be attacked. After all, magic is usually not a 'frontline' kind of fighting style." Ilya was always itching for a fight against the wild monsters that lurked the forests and pastures of Terrasphere. "It also might give us a little adrenaline, if you're into that sort of thing... If not, it's totally fine, we can honestly keep exploring the town. I'm okay with anything!" Ilya didn't want to make the decision, so she fell back into the awful habit of having someone make it for her.

It was no surprise that Ilya would be more keen to fight than to explore, she had the brains of a pack of wolves, attacking anything that might pose a threat or even dare to breath. Her tail flicked slightly which might have given her away to the fact that she was itching to go out, if Fina had the awareness around her to pick up on it.

 

[Fina Drago]

Fighting. 'Fighting, fighting, fighting…' it just repeated itself inside Fina's head as if it were some catchy song. It really was inevitable if she wanted to interact with this game properly, huh? Yeah, there was no way she could just stay inside of a safe zone and remain content with herself and her accomplishments. What good were new legs if she could not properly stretch them? Use them for something useful? Letting out a sigh, the feline would close her eyes for a bit before opening them with a slightly more determined kind of look.

"You've been really good to me, so I'll be honest… I did some research on Terrasphere before I logged in for the first time. I've gone over the reasoning for its worldwide ban. So… I know that dying here has a very real consequence. I'd really rather avoid having to fight if that is a possibility. But… well, how to say this… I guess that getting some experience actually fighting would help me survive or even avoid bad situations in the future." Maybe she didn't have to justify or explain herself like this to Ilya. But she wanted the lioness to know regardless. After all, there was a chance her behavior could change out there if something were to go awry. Then, her new friend would at least know why and what.

"So yeah, I guess that is a vote for going out and smacking some heads! Or… something." Hopefully, her company would not be too put off, but the things Fina had just said. But getting it all off of her chest actually felt pretty good! She was rather careful up until now to not divulge much about herself to others in fear that it would be used against her… but Ilya seemed so lovely until now; there was just no reason to suspect that she'd be secretly harboring ill intent.

 

[Ilya]

Ilya listened to Fina's reasoning with complete understanding, the constant reminder that everything could turn sour in an instant, "I know how scary it is that death can actually be a thing in this game. That you can die in the real world... I know it more than I care to admit." Ilya's brain fluttered back to when everyone had figured it out for the first time.

The fact that before her dear friend Zelrius had been reset back to zero, he had actually accumulated two deaths of his own. Having him being only one death away from actually dying had filled her with more fear than she cared to admit. Ilya could only feel grateful that the system had somehow had a glitch, resetting not only his skills and inventory but his death counter as well. "Don't worry though, I don't plan on anything going wrong. I'll protect you, nothing will happen to you."

Ilya offered her new friend a reassuring smile, "That's the spirit! Let's go smack some heads and get you some experience!" Ilya opened her UI and shot Fina a friend request and a party invite so she could keep track of her health points when they entered battle. That way they could also share in the experience points.

Ilya headed out of the shop and in the general direction of the gates that they had just previously entered, she would have them start off small. Perhaps a goblin.... or maybe some wolves... Which would be easier... Whichever one IIya decided would be the one that determined which direction they would head in.