Complete Private The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

[Schilva Flasch]

Somewhere, Western Brisshal border. Evening.

"...right, this'll do."

The lone swordsman stands before a roaring waterfall, whitewater mist crashing from up on high to the rocks below. The sharp drop is uncharacteristic of the Blue Rapid, but how could one argue how far a current of such winding length extends before diverting into tributaries and rivulets?

Though one could ponder the topic of the local geographic layout and its implications for Terrasphere's complexity, Schilva was far less concerned with that. He had his own reasons for being in this place, and only part of it concerned the picturesque environs. Pacing about the clearing that surrounded the waterfall basin, he keeps a good distance from the waters to curiously inspect the rocks that pile about the frothing basin.

"...put this here, there, that one...so then, yes...hmm."
Muttering to himself, he taps his sheathed sword on some rocks and boulders at random, nodding or shaking his head arbitrarily. After a while of this strangeness, Schilva claps his hands together and straps his sword back on his belt again.
"Let's do this!"

Mustering his strength, Schilva cracks his knuckles and backs up, almost to the nearby treeline, before taking a running start a a big rock nearly overhanging the waterfall pool.
"UUUNNFFF-!"
With a grunt of exertion, Schilva slams into the rock. At his speed, it feels like the rock just punched him in the arm, but his momentum is enough to throw the rock off and into the water with a splash.

"One down, couple more to go. Should be done soon..."

@Lady N

 

[Lady N]

The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

After her encounter with Hanno and a group of goblins. Chelsea had learned testing her suit had become a very unpleasant and maybe even dangerous affair. So then why did she decide to go to the den of goblins that was Western Brisshal?

There was a small pleasure in taking out frustrations on the disgusting monsters, that was true. But truly... the Nexon just wanted to find a place where she could test alone and she couldn't seem to stop bumping into people lately.

It was getting late and she had gone pretty far from civilization now. Maybe it was finally safe to...

A sudden sound... sigh.

Chelsea followed the sound just to be sure it wasn't a group of Goblins and instead would spy a man alone by a lonely spring.

Her small stature and quiet nature made it easy to watch undetected from behind a tree. It also helped that he was very lost in his own thoughts it looked like. Well, it seemed to be nothing so she would just leave him and try o find another...

"UUUNNFFF-!"

Yeesh, was he literally smashing himself against a rock?

A frown formed but she couldn't look away now. Something about stupid things, while she hated, always seemed to steal her attention. It was a trait that just made her life worse to be honest but a trait nevertheless.

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Dang, that smarts. Who knew that ramming oneself into a rock at extreme speeds would hurt that much? Maybe he should consider a set of Heavy Armour...but the price range of that stuff was simply ludicrous! He barely afforded an upgrade to these raggedy padded robes that he was wearing in the first place, but at least they were lightweight enough to run around in unimpeded.

Catching his breath, Schilva picks out another rock to ram into the waterfall pool, but even over the sound of the rushing water and his own panting breaths, his senses tingled and told him of an unseen watcher. Spinning about, hand on his sword, Schilva fully expects an ambush of goblins or something of the like, only to find nothing but trees blowing in the wind. No, wait...

If his eyes were still working properly, Schilva could swear that someone in a bubblegum-pink suit of armour was watching him from the treeline. Pausing to squint harder - yep, that was definitely someone (@Lady N) spying on him from those trees!

"You aren't supposed to be here!"

Pointing and blurting out the first thing on his mind, Schilva clears his throat momentarily and assumes a more dignified stance. Though his sword is still drawn, it is lowered to his side after assuming that this is a nonhostile player.

"It's, er, it's not safe. This is Western Brisshal after all!"

 

[Lady N]

The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

Chelsea was noticed.
Sigh, she really should have just moved on.

"...It isn't safe to smash one's body into rocks either."

The raven hair shook her head at him but said nothing else. Instead she just out of curiosity walked over and rubbed her hand on the large heavy stone. He was ramming this in robes? It was obviously some stupid training exercise but... was he a masochist?

"Yeesh. encountering you was not my plan I can assure you."

Well, this was an annoying distraction and now she was done here. Chelsea would leave this weirdo to bash rocks in robes as he was.

"...I'm done here. You can keep smashing yourself into rocks like a stupid now. Maybe use your sword instead? Hmph."

As always, she came off like an asshole but she literally told him the truth. He was not going to get far besides knocking himself senseless in her opinion. Although, Chelsea was also not a fighter that relied on her own physical strength so...

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Looking insulted, Schilva recovers from the shock of finding his secret observer with greater grace than one would have expected. Shaking his head and sheathing his blade, Schilva sniffs indignantly at the self-evident statement.

I'm not doing this for fun, you know!

Gesturing at the waterfall pond, which now had the addition of one boulder within, Schilva points to the already existent stepping stones and traces around the shape of the pond banks.

It's called feng shui. Auspicious alignment. Aestheticism. You understand.

It's probably no small task for anyone to 'understand' those vague terms that he threw out, but it's evident that Schilva is in fact doing what he's doing for a reason. Not a good one, but a reason. Or what he thought was a good reason, more accurately.

When offered the solution of using his sword to attack rocks, Schilva scrunches his face up in exaggerated outrage.

And dent my sword?! Are you insane? This blade is no crude tool.

Already backing up to slam into another rock, Schilva notes that this smaller one goes down more easily than the first. The splash of water from its impact wets the shore, and he sidesteps it with unnatural speed. Clearly, he has some degree of expertise, just not enough sense to match it.

I'm not splitting any rocks with it, in any case. It's for someone else entirely.

@Lady N

 

[Lady N]

The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

There was zero reaction to this man's explanation besides a stare that would make one think she was a Magia if not for the lack of any machinery. Finally, she would actually blink and sigh showing signs of not being frozen solid after all.

"Feng shui? Spiritual mumbo jumbo. It is the year 2032 and we still have people that would rather play knights and wizards, tsk"

The young CEO had a low opinion of all forms of mysticism and magic. As someone who grew up being taught how such things held humanity back, she firmly believed that technology was the path everyone should take. Now there is this monstrous game killing people and even ruining technology, boo.

Not if she could help it.... eventually anyway.

"...Regardless I see you playing with big rocks, nothing more. Also, this is a video game, stupid. A sword is very capable... My slicers would do this given enough charge. You lack effort."

Effort... yeesh did she just use that word?
At least she didn't say guts, but it was a clear sign she had been around the biggest stupid in existence for too long.

Was this man training or what? Chelsea had little reason to but for some reason, she always stuck around for at least a short while with people she encountered. It wasn't like she was lonely. She folded her arms at his "someone else" comment.

"*Stare* ...who?"

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Brr. Something about that look...Schilva couldn't help but feel that this woman was somehow...intimidating. Not to him, no! But maybe to someone of lesser constitution, sure. A glare like that could rattle someone's bones alright. Definitely not Schilva's, though!

Ah, th- ju- bluh, uh, gh-...

Definitely not him! The Schilva Flash? Thrown off by his all-too-willing suspension of disbelief being completely and utterly shattered? Told in all but plain terms to get with the times?

...nonsense! As you know very well, this world is suffused to the brim with spirits of elemental auspices! You're just disparaging what you don't understand.

Managing to find his words again and bite back with a recovery, Schilva turns his nose up at the stranger, going back to his business without explicitly telling them to leave. It was better to have someone around to witness the great labors of the Schilva Flasch at work after a-

...ugh...

There she goes again, using the V-G-word. Could you get blunter than that about it, lady!?
Schilva visibly slumps for a moment, composing himself as he rubs his brow, then turns with an address again while bracing his shoulder against another rock.

Like I said, you disparage what you misunderstand. To you, a sword may be but a weapon, a mundane tool of destruction even, but to someone who lives and dies by the way of the blade...it is so much more.

Running his hand down the length of his sheathed katana, Schilva gives it an affectionate pat before returning to his strange task.

As for whose sake this is being undertaken for? I have a prospecting student. An aspiring squire. They will meet me here, and I will judge their worthiness.

He isn't lying, either. Somehow, it's true...is this supposed to bode well?

@Lady N

 

[Lady N]

The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

*Stare"

Oh.

This man is a larper. Not just a little bit, but a complete escapist-fantasy-stupid brought up past 11 only to shoot into the stratosphere of desperate idiocy. Of course, Chelsea would meet him. The Young CEO seemed to have a special Fate Thread she didn't even know about that led her to every annoying stupid person in existence and now it may have found its final destination.

Was this a fast verdict?
Yes, but he was earning it.

*...You do understand this game is a very serious matter? Sigh, no I'm not even going to bother."

A cold stare turns to the slightest bit of pity.

*I feel for your student to be if you intend to push rocks as an instructional session."

Her head slowly turned left and right as she took in the area. Was someone really coming when he couldn't even seem to come up with a name or description besides... squire?

*It sounds to me like you are hoping someone comes along so you can pretend to teach them something."

@Schilva Flasch

 

[Schilva Flasch]

A brief silence. Something like recognition overtakes Schilva's big dumb smirk and wipes the clueless mask from his face. The willful ignorance broken forcibly, Mylar stands level with the cynic before him.

That's...well, yes. I know Terrasphere is important to you. It's the same for everyone else like you and I. Although, you must already know that. I just prefer to not talk about it. Ruins the immersion.

For a moment, it was clear that Schilva had taken @Lady N seriously. Were this anyone else in any context, perhaps the carefully constructed egregiousness of Schilva Flasch wouldn't have slipped so easily, but he had never met someone who played Terrasphere being dismissive about its almost wondrous nature. It simply stood to reason that everyone wanted something from Terrasphere, whether they knew it or not.

It didn't even have anything to do with the game being a virtual deathtrap; it was simply the nature of what a VRMMORPG at this level of sophistication represented. As far as Mylar was concerned, and as far as any knowledge concerning the UI-Locked revealed, it was possible to essentially live on in Terrasphere as a digital avatar with one's full consciousness preserved. That borderline fantastical theoretical suddenly became an entirely possible 'exit plan', so to speak.

But he didn't want to think about that right now.

Ahem! I'll have you know, everyone has something to learn from each other in this world! For example, the dedication that I put into creating this auspicious environment; is that not something to draw inspiration from?

Clearing his throat, Schilva's goofiness returns, a calculated performance to fool even himself into believing the absurdity of it all. There is a method to his inanity, the stupidity all intentional for reasons beyond comedy.

Oh, and you could learn a thing or two about, like...talking with people. And coming up with good sidekick titles.

Not exactly a stellar demonstration of his own words there, but maybe he has a point? The first half, that is. Though that does depend on who's listening...

 

[Lady N]

The Velocity of an Unladen Swallow

The face on Chelsea's avatar couldn't frown harder if it tried.

He actually seemed to register her words for a moment only to just go back to treating everything with nonchalant ignorance. He spoke of the beauty in what he was doing. Pushing rocks in rivers to form shapes.

You could do that on your phone or maybe another VR game that doesn't well... kill you?

"Sigh, I give up. Have fun with your rocks."

She was more than ready to leave this buffoon now until he spoke again. Words that made her annoyance and frustration of trying to warn him to change into a new emotion...

Oh, and you could learn a thing or two about, like...talking with people. And coming up with good sidekick titles

"*Twitch*... S-S-S-S-Sidekick? W-what?......W-what?!

Whether he knew it or not he just triggered the Nexon badly. Perhaps he didn't mean it that way, but she took it as him calling her a sidekick. A Nexon... as a sidekick to anyone? Her pride was hit and her reddening face showed it. She already had enough hidden anxieties. How dare this random stupid say those things!

Her fingers went to her bracelet and she immediately transformed into her N suit right in front of the man. Refuses to elaborate and attempts to "sidekick" him into the lake before engaging her thrusters and flying off fuming.

@Schilva Flasch

Normal Attack
1d100 (88) + 25 + 10 + 30 = 153
153 damage
Magitech | Lady N | Tsun Kick on Schilva

<exits thread>

 

[Schilva Flasch]

It seemed like his words really weren't getting through. Schilva sighs and leans against one of the larger, immovable boulders, picking idly at the dirt under his nails with a resigned shrug.

Ah, well, your loss if you don't want to stay and watch the great Schilva Flasch at work. I get it, you're busy.

Turning to face another boulder and steadying himself for impact, Schilva steamrolls over @Lady N's indignant blustering and continues talking, more to himself than anyone else. It seemed like this was something that he did all the time...

I don't have a business card or anything, so...I guess you could ask around. Everyone round these parts knows my name! Shouldn't be hard to find me, I know, s-

The sound and movement of the young woman suddenly doing a mighty-morphin'-power-rangers-style super sentai transformation sequence in full view is easily enough to snap Schilva out of his rambling, his hand going for his sheathed blade instantly.

Oi, waitwaitwaitwait you could at least tell me your ACTUAL na-aaAAGH!

While his reflexes were fast, hers turned out to be faster. Much faster, by degrees of magnitude. As her armoured leg swept into his side with strength and momentum far beyond what he expected of her slight frame, Schilva couldn't help but feel both awed and stunned at her insane speed.

He couldn't even raise his sword to parry it in time at all, the impact shuddering through his body as though it was meant to break a rib or two rather than act as a deterrent. As Schilva flew backwards like a tossed pebble, he resolved to find her again someday, to ask her properly how he could attain such speed. Of course, it's not like past attempts like that have gone well, but surely SOMEONE would be willing to train- er, exchange knowledge with him.

Unlike a pebble, though he did not skip on the water's surface, plonking right into the whitewater. He splashed about a bit before realising that he could just...stand up, then did so hastily.

-guh!

Looking around, he could find no trace of where she had gone to. That encounter had been as humbling as it had been bizarre, and now he was drenched head to toe. Schilva shakes his hair about and wrings dry whatever clothing he can reach as he clambers back onto the shore, sitting down on a large sunbaked rock to dry out.

How does one reach that level of speed and power? How long has she been playing? She's one of those 'veterans' I keep hearing about, I'll bet.
She definitely knows something about Dynamism that I don't.

...ah, they'll come back.

...and I'll ask her then. But for now-

-hopefully he doesn't catch a cold. Is that even possible in-game?

Rolls

Normal Attack
1d100 (9) + 15 + 10 = 34
34 damage

Slash Weapons | Schilva Flasch | Parry
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