experience is off the charts (closed)

[masakados]

Who: Naoki (masakados) & Elsa (shivered)
When: IC: 12/07, backdated!!
Where: ViViD
What: Naoki being the absolute best influence and attempting to train queens into elite gamers--
Rating/Warning: Should be none!!

[Generally, Naoki has got an eye for the people that he sees in ViViD. He's in there often enough that he just remembers people that he passes. He doesn't often approach others in the game unless he happens to know them, or they grab him first, just because he's usually in the middle of level grinding or what have you and that can be boring. He's level grinding again today, even.

Today's setting is a frosty cold village, and he wonders if they're going with the Christmas theme in ViViD now. Hmm, maybe they'll switch it up later this month. He's already heard some stuff about Yetis or what have you up in the mountains nearby this NPC village, and he's all prepared with his supplies to head out.

However. Over there? A face he recognises but surprises him to see.]

--Elsa? [He doesn't think he's spotted her in ViViD before or, at least, not at the same time as him. More than that, it's been a little while now.]

Comments

[shivered]

[So. Elsa has decided that this ViViD thing is something she should stop avoiding entirely. She's not entirely clear on how it works or what it is, and she hasn't been through it since the first time she arrived (ghosts. strange strange ghosts. why.) But this place seems to treat it as quite important, and she does want to find out more about how things work.

But she's in over her head already. Here she is. It's snowy (of course it is) and a quaint little village. So... now what. She's not good at following NPC cues or knowing what means something or not. Instead she wanders.

Until she hears her name. She whirls around all at once before relief washes over her. Oh! It's Naoki! A familiar face, and maybe one that knows what he's doing in this place.]

Naoki. You're... playing too? [That's right, isn't it? It's a game?]

[masakados]

Yeah--

[Naoki blinks owlishly a few more times before his expression relaxes and he approaches, feet crunching in the snow. Well, disregarding how strange it is to see her in the game she's kind of fitting right in with the, ehm, theme this time.]

I play pretty often, actually. [He stops in front of her.] I'm more surprised to see you here.

[shivered]

[It really is a setting that she fits into, even if the game itself is rather a mystery to her still.

She laughs though at his observation, nodding and glancing to the side, sheepishly.]

Well, you're not the only one. I'm surprising myself. I haven't played since the first time I arrived here. But I thought I'd give it a try.

[She looks around.] I'm just not sure where to start.

[masakados]

Then you've found the right guy. I can give you the crash course.

[He grins and starts to move, gesturing for her to come along with him. Naoki had been going to solo it today, but he thinks he can make an exception.]

First, you should pick up some supplies here in town.

[shivered]

Oh? You'll be my teacher then?

[Elsa asks with an attempt to hold back a laugh, at her own expense.] I should probably say again. You helped me with the kitchen too.

[She really owes him one. She could teach him how to... build snowmen.]

Supplies? What sort of supplies?

[masakados]

I've turned out to be surprisingly good at teaching...or something.

[But he's laughing. Please do teach him how to build snowmen. Giant snowmen. Or magic ones. Either way.]

We're looking for supplies we might need when fighting monsters--potions for health, antidotes for poison, other things like that.

[shivered]

You do seem to have a knack for it.

[Giant magical snowmen lessons it is! They're adorable, in their own stompy screamy sort of way.

Though Elsa is paying attention now to Naoki's expertise.] Oh... are we going to be poisoned? [HOW IS THIS A GAME?]

[masakados]

Thanks.

[He's laughing at that, flattered, before he gets to explaining as they near the NPC shop.]

We might get poisoned, we might not, but it's good to have it just in case. Some monsters use poisonous attacks, and sometimes there're traps in the ground that can give poison... Only in the game, though. [She'll be fine in real life!]

[shivered]

[Elsa follows along, glancing around at the shop. Okay. Potions in case they're poisoned.]

Right. Only here. It's strange to remember this isn't real. It really does feel like real life. [She's aware enough that it's technology and not magic, but it's mysterious and impressive either way.]

So we'll get supplies. And then head out? What're we supposed to try to do?

[masakados]

Well... hmm. There're a lot of things we can do. What I was going to do was a monster hunting quest...

But if you're just getting started, maybe we should switch to something else that'll let you get used to it. Or at least a lower-level quest. [Speaking of quests, he ought to explain them, so after a moment:] You can get quests from talking to people around the town. They might want you to go fight a monster, or go find some items...

[shivered]

There are levels? That's reassuring. Maybe something lower, yes.

[But oh! Okay. So talking to people. She's not great at that, so that's another skill she can practice, right? Right.

Actually it's kind of starting to sound fun.] So all right. Supplies and then we'll find a quest? [She actually sounds eager. She can totally do this. Especially with Naoki to lean on.]

[masakados]

Yep-- [And into the NPC shop proper, where Naoki'll lead her over and start pointing out things she should get.]

You can kinda tell what NPCs--er, that is, characters in the game--have quests for you by what they say. A lot of them will say the same kinds of stock phrases, but ones with quests'll be different.

[shivered]

[Elsa follows him around paying close attention to what he's saying. This is great. This is so much better than stumbling around herself trying to figure it out.

It's really starting to be exciting. Her step is getting a little lighter already.] So they really aren't real people?

[Not like Naoki and her? Interesting!] So now that we have these, we should go find someone to talk to? [Right?]

[masakados]

Nope. They're... hmm. They're like characters in a book or something, who'll always say the same line no matter how many times you read the story. [That's about the best way he can think of to describe it to someone who's not familiar with the vidya games or NPCs and such.]

But yeah, let's go, Elsa.

[Back into the snowy village!!]

[shivered]

I see! So it's really like being inside a story entirely isn't it?

[Okay. She can get behind that. She did a lot of reading in her time alone in her room, okay? So that's a good explanation, Naoki! Excellent job.

Her step is a bit lighter now as they head out! To the snow! Really she likes the snow. It feels pretty comfortable. And because she's getting excited now, she doesn't think before reaching out to grab Naoki's arm gently, tugging.] Let's talk to this person? [They look quest-giving-y....]

[masakados]

[Naoki's not expecting the touch... but he doesn't react with anything save a blink of surprise. He's also warmer than your average person, despite even the cool within the game. Probably his demon body thing. Even in ViViD.]

--looks good. Let's. [He grins. She's getting into it, good! He turns to walk with her toward the NPC in question... who starts talking without needing to be prompted as they approach, greeting them before starting on a troubled speech about a missing heirloom-- ah, a fetch quest...]

[shivered]

[He's warmer than expected, and her hands are probably chilly -- though not quite as icy it might have been since she's distracted by what they're doing. She is getting into it! It's kind of exciting to start to understand all this.]

Oh... so that's what we need to do? To find the heirloom they're talking about?

[That sounds pretty straightforward actually. All right. Elsa nods to herself.]

[masakados]

[Chilly, but not anything that really bothers him--he's good with temperatures. And besides, he's amused just watching her get all excited over this.]

Looks like it. It could be in a cave somewhere, or it might have been taken by a particular monster... How about it?

[He prods the NPC for more details, and gets a rote retelling of how oh no, the heirloom was taken away by a fearsome snow monster...] See? If you ever don't get enough details, just ask and they've usually got hints.

[shivered]

[...so the cold never bothered him anyway? Eeeehhhh?

Elsa listens carefully as the NPC goes and gives them information, nodding to herself. Fearsome snow monster. She's totally got this. ...though in a way she is a fearsome snow monster herself so she may have to overcome sympathizing with the monster here.]

Ah! All right. So it's like investigating for the pieces of a puzzle. Do you think we know enough to find it?

[masakados]

[BASICALLY and he can sympathise well with conceal don't feel too--]

Yeah, exactly. [Naoki grins.] I think we've got enough to get started. We don't gotta stick around here any longer. We'll find more clues out there, too.

...or we'll run into it randomly.

[shivered]

[They should really talk this out over hot chocolate, Naoki. It would do them both a world of good.

But Elsa finds herself grinning back, nodding. All right. Time to get going. It's a mystery to figure out, right?]

Then let's go! Hopefully we'll get lucky, but I bet we can figure it out anyway. You seem to know what you're doing, so I think I've found myself a pretty great guide.

[masakados]

[It would, honestly.]

At this rate, you're gonna make me blush.

[Naoki's laughing but no really he's about this close because compliments-- He starts to walk with an inviting tip of his head.] Let's head into the forest first, and if we don't find it there, we'll head closer to the mountain.

[shivered]

Well, if you do, I won't tell anyone.

[Elsa informs him, oh so helpfully, a teasing smile on her features. So she's loosening up a little -- in this place over all, but around people she's getting to know especially. Naoki certainly counts high on that list anyway.

But she nods, a determined gesture.] That sounds like a plan. Is there anything we should look out for?

[masakados]

[Ha-- she has a teasing spirit in her after all. Naoki's eyes go a little wide before his smile broadens, pleased.]

Hmm. Signs of something big... you know, broken branches, giant footprints... and then we should probably listen out for something that sounds hungry.

[Just in case.]

[shivered]

[Deep down Elsa has a little bit of troll in her. Not the mountain-dwelling rock-shaped trolls so much as the "stick my sister with dancing with weird visiting dignitary" type troll.]

Oh.

[She answers, looking over at him, eyebrows lifted.] That's reassuring. So. Listen out and stay off the menu?

[She is on this.]

[masakados]

[That's a good kind of troll, Elsa--

Naoki just smiles at her at that oh, a bit playful, mischievous. Isn't he just the most reassuring?]

Bingo. I figure that if it's us, we'll be able to manage that no problem.