First Shot

[tank_sniper]

[There is yet another new and confused face wandering around Mac Anu today. This time, it is a petite Steam Gunner. Currently her attention is split multiple ways; sometimes she is checking her Relic with a look of frustration, others she is looking intently at her surroundings as if it may clue her in on some big secret. And on some occasions, she will stare directly at your character, almost expectantly. At any rate, it is clear she will not be the first to approach, so that will be up to the other to initiate.

However… once approached, she is quick to fire off a question before any pleasantries can so much as begin.]

Where is this place? It isn’t GGO… But it can’t be SAO, either.

…Is it?

[Her voice is calm with only a slight tinge of suppressed fear. Whatever it is she’s saying, it must be some cause for concern. Why else would someone work so hard to control the tremors in their voice?]

Comments

[resipiscence]

Was the other game much like this one?

[tank_sniper]

...That one was more sci-fi in style. No classes, just character builds based on what kind of gun you wanted to wield, and how.

[resipiscence]

It was more free-form, then. You weren't a gun user?

[tank_sniper]

I was. Besides guns, the only other weapon was a beam sword. I only knew one person who actually used that in the entire game, though.

[resipiscence]

Ah, so you are a veteran. It looks like I found the right person to ask for tips.

[tank_sniper]

Guess so.

[She sounds far from thrilled.]

Is that all you needed?

[resipiscence]

Could I also ask for your name?

[tank_sniper]

...Shinon.

[resipiscence]

I'm Aphrodi. It's nice to meet you-- though I suppose you won't be saying the same, huh.

[tank_sniper]

I have some things I need to do. I'll be getting back to that if that's all.

[Namely, figuring out what's going on here.]

[resipiscence]

That's too bad. It looks like my distraction didn't work, after all.

[tank_sniper]

[Wait a-]

You were trying to distract me?!

[resipiscence]

[ holding up his hands! ] It was with good intentions.

Will you let me explain myself before you shoot me full of holes?

[tank_sniper]

Make it quick.

[...No, really. She does look about ready to attack, even though that probably doesn't actually work in the town.]

[resipiscence]

[ and somehow, he doesn't look the least bit fazed-- guess it must come with the soccer... a shrug. ]

You looked distressed. But a panicked state of mind isn't going to help the state of things, nor would it be conducive towards making rational judgments in a situation like this. Something like that might prove fatal.

So I thought I'd ease the tension a little with some smalltalk.

[tank_sniper]

[...

...Okay, that's actually a pretty good reason. But she's still kind of pissed.]

Yeah, well... You didn't have to be so deceitful!

[resipiscence]

Perhaps not. I guess I should apologize for that. [ admitting it freely! ]

But on the other hand, with the way things were, you might have punched me if I brought it up right away.

[tank_sniper]

Wouldn't have occurred to me. At least, not if you'd been upfront.

[She's back to lashing out in her panic. She still doesn't know what's going on, and now she's not even sure if she can trust the people around her.]

[resipiscence]

Like I said, that's what I believed at the time. But it seems like I've made an error of judgment.

[ calmly! but his eyes narrow a little. it looks like she's still distressed-- ]

Did something happen?

[tank_sniper]

Oh, not much. I'm just stuck in an online game I never meant to join with no way of logging out, I might even die here like all the rest for all I know, and already people I don't even know are tricking me-!

[Her voice gets louder with each word.]