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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 10:08:52 GMT -6
Ii hated games. Maybe it was inaccurate to say 'hate', but 'fierce dislike' just didn't come close enough, and 'love' was about the opposite of his feelings.
But even though he hated games, he had logged into one nonetheless. He'd decided to call his character 'Ruler': not one who rules over the masses, but one who ensures a line drawn will be exact and straight, just as much as one could measure the exact length of a line.
Why had he logged in? It was a question even Ii didn't know to answer immediately. He supposed it was because he was weak-willed and easily swayed: his sister had bought the game and insisted he give it a try.
The boy also considered that he could simply have looked for an excuse, any excuse, to delay his homework. He'd started out on it, and had gotten some headway, but not five minutes could pass without Ii restlessly finding something else to do.
He wasn't a very focused person. He was anything but a ruler. That's why he'd chosen exactly that name. Ii loved irony.
Ruler wandered about the Town of Beginnings, so aptly named, taking in the sights. He had to admit this was pretty neat: the last game he'd watched had involved spaceships and despair, in equal measure, but no matter how lifelike the graphics had seemed, none came close to Sword Art Online's level of immersion.
For one wild moment, Ruler considered that if he was going to like a game at all, it would probably be this game. He could spend hours playing it: Ruler would stake his life on that fact.
He shook his head and banished the thought as it came. Ruler'd had enough issues getting to his homework, and doing his chores. Adding another permanent distraction to it would probably be disastrous for his already failing grades.
As he watched a particularly broad-set NPC, Ruler was reminded of his father's outburst just the night prior. 'No son of mine would ever bring home a C!' the man had shouted. Evidently untrue, but Ruler'd known better than to point that out.
"I recall you told me you'd never finished college either," Ruler said out loud, though he spoke more to himself (and the image of his father) than anyone in particular.
The boy looked about. He was unsure what to do. Being one to seldom play games, Ruler had to admit he was at a loss. He hadn't read the manual either; his sister had strictly forbidden it, as she knew he was wont to read the manual forward and back, and then forward and back, and then forward and back again before he'd be satisfied.
"And you say I'm easily distracted," Ruler mumbled, thinking about that. He could read hours on end. It was just other stuff that didn't interest him.
For now, the game interested him. He looked around, see if he could find anyone who so much as remotely resembled a player. Everything looked like an NPC to him.
"Hello! Newbie looking for help!" Ruler decided to yell. Surely someone would approach him. At this point, he'd even be willing to talk to an NPC, much as that might as well be talking to oneself. |
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LV 3
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HP: 360
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STR: 3 (+39)
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DEX: 5 (+18)
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CON: 0 (+52)
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¡PEPPER! IS
OFFLINE
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Post by PRINCE on Nov 5, 2016 12:46:05 GMT -6
A hand would reach out from behind Ruler. The hand attempted to grab onto his shoulder and pull him into a friendly semi hug. If successful in grabbing the shoulder, a rather tall blond teen would rest his arm around the smaller teen's shoulders. He grinned widely from ear to ear. ”Heya! We're all newbs here! But I can help!” he hummed, his smile never dropping for even a brief moment. His face was probably a bit too close, or rather, right next to the smaller Ruler's face.
Prince released the smaller player, or as the other player wiggled out of his grasp- or who knows, maybe he avoided having his personal space invaded. Whichever happened, the tall blond then raised a hand before bringing it down. The menu would pop open in front of him. ”I'm Prince! What's your name friend?” he asked, vibrant energy dripping from his song like words.
After Prince navigated his menu some, a message would pop up in front of Ruler. Did he want to join a party? ”Join up and we can do a quest or something!” he hummed, pumping his fist into the air. This boy was clearly the opposite of Ruler. He seemed happy, no, overjoyed to be in this virtual world. | I CAN MAKE YOUR HANDS CLAP @ruler |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 15:58:38 GMT -6
His help came not from ahead, but behind. It took him by surprise, and before Ruler grasped what was going on, he already found himself in an armlock. It was much more familiar than Ruler was used to, and the boy found himself thinking he was likely dealing with a foreigner.
He dispelled that thought almost as quickly as he conjured it. To label someone a foreigner so quickly was probably too rash: he'd observed some of his classmates also liked to be close. Skinship, they called it. If Ruler hadn't known any better, he'd have suspected they just enjoyed feeling eachother up.
His newfound guide chattered on as a girl, invading Ruler's personal space more thoroughly than even his mother at times would. She, Ruler reminded himself, liked to dash into his room even at the most private of times, hollering about this and that.
There was one misunderstanding, however, and Ruler felt obligated to clear it up immediately.
"I'm... not looking for a quest," he managed, unsure what direction to speak in.
He had a vague idea of a 'quest': in his books, adventurers often partook in seemingly whimsical journeys. Often, these involved the slaying of great monsters and salvation of entire nations.
As much as he wanted to believe he was someone much more─and with a cringe, Ruler was reminded of his 14-year-old self being the 'lord of all darkness'─Ii had come to terms long ago that he was just your average Japanese student.
Except, of course, for his inability to focus on studying. Unlike his peers, he had no convenient excuse like bukatsu to fall back on: Ruler belonged firmly in the go-home club.
"My sister's making me play," Ruler quickly explained, "and I haven't had time to read the manual yet. I'm not much of a gamer." After a slight pause, he added, "I don't even know how to fight." |
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LV 3
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HP: 360
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STR: 3 (+39)
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DEX: 5 (+18)
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CON: 0 (+52)
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¡PEPPER! IS
OFFLINE
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Post by PRINCE on Nov 5, 2016 19:42:13 GMT -6
”Eh? You're not?”
Prince tilted her head like a curious dog. Oh! Her hands clapped together with excitement. This was a new player! Well, everyone was new, but this player hadnt been a beta tester! He was going through the same thing she did during beta. How exciting! Maybe Prince could play mentor to someone! She wasn't an expert by any means, in face, she spent most of beta goofing around, but the blond did know the basics enough to help other people!
”Oh! I see! I'm happy your sister made you play!” she chirped with a firm nod. ”Otherwise, I'd never have gotten to meet you! And meeting new people is always fun!” Prince gave a thumbs up as she spoke. The tall blond was definitely too energetic for her own good.
”Hehe! I didnt read the manual either when I first started playing! I can help you out though!” Prince gestured to the party invitation that still hovered before Ruler. ”If you click on yes there, we'll be in the same party, which is really useful! Join up! Or not! I can show you how to work the menu and fight without it too!”
It seemed Prince had designated herself as his mentor without actually asking him if he wanted one. | I CAN MAKE YOUR HANDS CLAP @ruler |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2016 4:28:40 GMT -6
PRINCE - I can't tell what gender Prince is supposed to be. If nothing else, the other was persistent. Ruler didn't hate that. It wasn't like he liked it, but deep down he could admire someone who could shoot forward like an arrow.
The guy wore his expressions openly, which was a little overwhelming and outside Ruler's comfort zone. He knew it was because he himself was a lame person, not because the other was pushy. Maybe if he'd be a little more compliant in the classroom and go along, he'd be able to make friends.
Not that he really needed friends.
"Oh..." Ruler managed, when the other player confidently declared that meetings were always fun. He could name three times in the past week alone where a meeting had not been fun.
He stared at the party invitation. There was something strange about a virtual world with a sleek, modern menu floating before him there, but there were a number of tell-tale signs that reminded Ruler he was in a game.
The clock in the lower-left corner of his peripheral vision, for example, or that things just felt a little off. He couldn't exactly explain how, but it was something he felt intuitively.
It reminded Ruler that this world was most definitely not real. The jury was still out on whether the other world was real.
Since this was definitely not real, the people he met here did not matter either. He wouldn't see them again offline. Even if he would, he would not recognise them. Ruler was sure they would not recognise him either. His avatar was shaped nothing like himself.
Except maybe the height. There was something uncomfortable about pretending to be a different height. The boy had no similar qualms about his avatar's looks, which mirrored a middle-aged man's.
So thinking, he accepted the party invitation, and noted the other character was... Prince.
If he wasn't the measuring tool, "surely our names are too similar."
Ruler inclined his head, and added, "Sorry, just talking to myself."
"Please show me the ropes," he continued, earnestly. Ruler accepted the first party invite he'd ever received. And that was counting the ones offline.
Last Edit: Nov 6, 2016 9:46:10 GMT -6 by Deleted
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LV 3
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HP: 360
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STR: 3 (+39)
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DEX: 5 (+18)
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CON: 0 (+52)
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¡PEPPER! IS
OFFLINE
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Post by PRINCE on Nov 6, 2016 20:28:41 GMT -6
Prince clapped her hands excitedly as the party invitation was accepted. How great! A new friend to explore with, for a bit anyway! She grinned from ear to ear as her eyes shifted to see the name of her new friend. Ruler!? How fun! Their names were so alike! It was like a theme! As she thought this, he spoke about how their names were too similar. Prince beamed her smile towards him.
”I know! Isn't it great?! I'm a Prince and you're a Ruler! I know of a player named King! We should all meet up! We match! Unless you mean like the measuring device! But even then, how lovely! A name with two meanings!” Prince was practically singing as she spun happily.
”Alright! The ropes it is!” Prince stopped spinning as she looked at Ruler. A serious expression covered her face as she looked him over. ”First thing's first! Do you know how to open your menu?” | I CAN MAKE YOUR HANDS CLAP @ruler Prince is a girl playing on a male avatar |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 6:48:12 GMT -6
PRINCE - Gotcha. Since you used 'he' in the first post. :P He hadn't told the other his name. Still, 'Prince' apparently, knew exactly what Ruler's character name was. The boy, no, middle-aged man frowned.
"Measuring device," he clarified curtly, but his tone was not unfriendly. He was actually glad for it, considering there was then a King... if they found a Queen, surely they could complete a set.
He'd be the odd one out, unless he claimed now his name referred to the monarch after all.
Ruler bit his lower lip when he realised that ship had sailed.
"The menu's... like this, right?" He waved his hand a little, and a small window popped up in front of him. It was one of those functions he did understand, and it filled him with a small bit of pride.
That pride was quickly shattered.
"Uh, kinda gotta admit I dunno what to do in the menu, though." The log out button featurely prominently, but not everything was so clear. There was a difficult word Ruler couldn't read: the second letter was kind of like an upside-down d, and while he might've felt tempted to call it an o... it simply wasn't.
He waved away the menu.
"I'll... I'll figure it out, but like," he scratched the back of his head, "what's the goal?"
He'd played a game once before, at least. It ended the moment you defeated the final boss, but did Sword Art Online have a final boss? And if so, how to decide which was it? There wasn't a helpful dialogue box telling him to go to the castle to meet with a king...
Unless Prince was an NPC meant to do exactly that?
He stared hard at the other's face. |
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LV 3
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HP: 360
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STR: 3 (+39)
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DEX: 5 (+18)
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CON: 0 (+52)
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¡PEPPER! IS
OFFLINE
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Post by PRINCE on Nov 7, 2016 16:55:26 GMT -6
Prince hadn't needed the other to say his name. Once they joined the same party, his name became visible for the blond to see. The game interface was a really nifty thing. Prince would beam brightly as Ruler clarified that he was a measuring device. ”Oh! Still! How marvelous! A ruler! Names with two meanings are so fun!!” she hummed happily, unphased by the curtness.
”Yes! That's exactly it!”
Prince clapped as she spoke, cheering on the other player as he brought up the menu. When he spoke of not knowing what to do in the menu, Prince shuffled over to lean over Ruler's shoulder to peer at his menu. ”Well it really depends on what you wanna do! It's all labeled and stuff, so it isn't too hard!” she hummed before reaching to point at one of the options.
”Like that's the category for your inventory and equipped items! Eh? Goal?” Prince looked over at Ruler as he studied her face, which was only a couple of inches away. ”It's an MMO, the goal is to grow and become better than others or to have fun... Hrm although, I guess this game has an end goal- the 100th floor. Right now we're on floor one. We need to clear this floor to get to the next!” | I CAN MAKE YOUR HANDS CLAP @ruler |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2016 17:31:39 GMT -6
"Huh. Hm. Hmmmm." Ruler frowned, attention back to the menu. Pressing the inventory button brought up a different screen. It was empty for now, but he got a bit of sense for it now. Hitting another button brought him back to the main screen.
"Just grow, though? That sounds pretty lame." Ruler's harsh judgement was delivered flatly. "I think I'd rather aspire to be... I dunno. I'd make something up, I guess."
Not that he enjoyed make-believe. Playing pretend was something he'd done often enough, and it left a sour taste every time. Naturally, each game of make-believe, he swore was the last. He lied every time.
"Wouldn't a hundred floors take... friggin' forever?" Ruler wondered out loud, turning his face back to the overly-familiar overly-cheerful guy. "I mean, I heard this floor is... like, eighty square kilometres? That's huge."
He didn't have a real sense of how large 'eighty square kilometres' was, but in his mind it was probably pretty large. Eighty was a pretty big number, and it took him about seven minutes by bike, right in the smackdab of the city, to get through one kilometre.
If his maths weren't wrong, that meant the entire floor was seven times eight times ten, or five-hundred and sixty times as large.
Ruler frowned. Was that how maths even worked?
"So how'd you figure out my nick?" Ruler quizzed, curious now. |
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