LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 16, 2016 5:17:53 GMT -6
Gran was sitting cross legged on a bench near the quest giving bread baker. She sat there, quest beacon floating above her, humming a merry little tune. She watched as player after player walked past her and ignored or made fun of her. She even waved at a few of them. She made a mental catalog of the ones who were particularly bad with making fun of her. Those people would regret it one day, or die beforehand. Luckily, there were still a few players who respected their elders. She adored these people.
What's grandma doing? Does she even know how to finish a quest? she heard someone say. She smiled kindly at them and waved a bit, making a mental note to either run them through later or refuse to help them.
She sighed and closed her eyes. She didn't have faith in many of these little punks. They were either rude and selfish, or stupid and arrogant. She shooked her head slowly and wondered how long it would take them all to realise they needed to cooperate before this game would fall before them. She looked up at the bottom of the next floor and grinned, chuckling at it. It seemed utterly daunting, looming above them like that, but she didn't mind. It was more for the psychological battle, she knew that, but it reminded her of all the times her military instructors had loomed above her, calling her an ant among mice. She chuckled lightly to herself.
She looked back down and spat on the road. At least an ant could carry a lot, compared to its size. She had proven that time after time with her service. She smiled at the thought, and then frowned at the memories. Ruler DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 16, 2016 10:42:42 GMT -6
There had been a light spring to her step that morning. The sun was shining, and a gentle wind blew. The stone-paved streets reminded her of the cobblestone path behind her home, that led down the steep hill and into the rice fields. That memory did not burden her step. Her smile grew a little brighter, but she pulled the threadbare cloak tighter around her. DaT looked around with the curiosity of a newborn kitten. She saw everything. Heard everything, too. There was a rumour going around that a grandma NPC was helping people with their quests, her appearance equal parts fearsome and disarming. Nishishi~ just the sort of thing I want to see. The girl's step hastened.
She found the grandma by the breadbaker, cross-legged on the bench. But DaT knew immediately this wasn't an NPC. NPC markers were distinctly different from player markers. Anyone who was mistaken was clearly a newbie, or just bad at games. DaT snickered to herself. Noobs. Even a death game didn't change how bad people were. Still, she felt a little bad for the grandma. No one around to help her, even though the woman did look formidable. The girl approached with a skip to her step. She plopped down on the bench beside Gran, but made it look more dignified than it really was. She drew up her knees to her chest, and glanced sideways at the woman. "Nishishishi~ everyone's just passing you by, aren't they? Since you're looking for company, I can join you, if that's kay~" she lilted.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 16, 2016 13:19:07 GMT -6
Gran was just humming along to the beat that was playing in her head. She had started counting the people who would look at her for a moment and then walk away, deciding against helping her. She imagined all the different ways she could use the combat that she'd learned up to that point, running different scenarios through her mind as time passed on. She had started tilting her head back and forth ever so slightly, moving to the music in her head, when a girl practically skipped over to her bench and sat down, bringing knees to chest. Gran turned her head to the child and gave a very warm and friendly smile.
"Hello, dearie," Gran cocked her head a bit at the child's words, but kept smiling, "Passing me by? Ohoho~ They're just frightened of my wrinkles, worried my age will make me a lesser gamer, but ohoho~"
She paused and wriggled her eyebrows at the kid, "I would kick any of these noobs' asses that tried to fight me! Hehe~ Oh, my name is Gran, honey. I don't mind if you join me. I don't mind at all."
Gran flicked through her menu deftly, sending the kid a party invite, chortling at herself the whole time. DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 16, 2016 13:59:49 GMT -6
She liked the grandma already. This was someone who obviously knew her way around her games, if her language was any indication. The girl grinned wide, and accepted the party invite with a flourish. "Nyahaha~ just Gran, you say? Then you can call me 'Dee', 'kay?" Dee aye Tee was a little long for her tastes to hear all the time, and she wouldn't stand for 'dat'. That just sounded dumb. She'd run across one guy who had called her that, so DaT had bought him a drink... spiked with a lot of pepper. She hadn't laughed that much in ages. The girl hopped off the bench, turned 'round to glance at Gran. "So let's hit the road, Horunka's still a ways to go," the girl lilted, swaying to and fro. "I can assume you're still spry and fast, and not wrinkled and slow?" She did not ask so unkindly. The girl wore a friendly grin, with a teasing undertone to her voice. She believed with every fibre of her being that the oldtimer, with her sharp tongue and impressive appearance might anytime jump up and race down the road halfway to Horunka. Nishishishi~ if that happens, I'll have to break into a sprint.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 16, 2016 14:51:25 GMT -6
"Dee, hm?" Gran chuckled a bit at the thought of calling someone a letter. She watched as the girl left the bench, almost ready to go sprinting off. She considered doing so herself, but decided to milk it a bit longer with a shaky grin. She slowly moved her legs off the bench and placed her feet on the ground. She mad as if she were testing her weight against her ankles, rocking back and forth a little bit. She gave the kid another small grin and slowly pushed herself off the bench, acting as if she barely got her balance in time when she was finally standing. She twisted her nose and made a sniffing nose.
"Me? Spry and fast?" she chortled along, walking very slowly towards the quest giving baker, "That's awful presumptuous for such a young girl. Old ladies like myself prefer to take our time. No use in twisting an ankle, you know?"
She hummed the last bits of the song she was going along with earlier as she activated the NPC dialogue. She listened intently to every word, sometimes nodding along with the NPC as if she were really paying attention and cared about what he had to say. By the end of the NPC's monologue, she was smiling. She took the package of bread and let it almost fall into her inventory. She turned back to the kid and smiled wryly.
"Like I was saying," she started walking casually towards the outskirts of the city, "We old folk don't like to move to fast, usually. Most of us just appreciate a nice, casual walk across the fields, talking about our emotions and shit."
"Well," she stopped walking for a second, and cracked her knuckles, "that's what I would say, if I didn't have a little kid to beat in a race."
With that, she was bolting off, cackle following behind her like an echo. She relished the looks on the faces of some of the other players as she sprinted away from the kid faster than anyone could have imagined she could move. Wind blew in her face as her heart soared inside her chest. She felt free. DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 16, 2016 15:06:55 GMT -6
DaT did not believe the oldtimer in the slightest. NerveGear relied on the spryness of a user's mind, not of their body. DaT would know. Still, she let the granny have this jest. Just this one. The girl's wide smile did not change, though. She'd play along, but not too obviously. DaT strode along with long, slow steps, keeping pace with the woman. Then, finally, the old lady dropped the guise. DaT feigned surprise, though it was obviously fake, but not two seconds after Gran had made her surprise escape, DaT was already running on after her. Then DaT broke into a sprint herself. Her steps were purposeful. Her motions slick. No movement was wasted. Her shoes made a rhythmic sound. Her heart beat hastened to match. Then, she was beside Gran. No one easily outran a track team club member. Whoever thought gamers were all nerds was sorely mistaken. "And here you said you weren't healthy and spry," the girl said, still with that sing-song quality, "but look at you, dashing off without goodbye!" She was just going to have to pour her every point into her speed, DaT decided. This was fun. This was what being alive felt like.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 16, 2016 16:55:52 GMT -6
"Curses, you saw through me the whole time," Gran laced her voice with utter sarcasm. It's not like she had been trying to fool the child. She slowed down her pace to a mild jog when they reached the outskirts of the city. Following the road, Gran looked to Dee and grinned, "I definitely would have said goodbye if I thought you couldn't keep up, dear. I knew you'd keep pace with a raggedy old timer like me."
She turned her head back towards the road and smiled as she felt the breeze fling her hair behind her, bright white ponytail bobbing along like a snake trying to follow her. It had been decades since she felt so alive. She started humming again, and then stopped, a question forming in her mind. She looked at the kid again and slowed down to a fast walk, "What's you favourite kind of food? This is an important question, trust me."
She chortled a bit and shook her head. She had decided to slow the pace so as to learn a bit more about the girl. Dee had perked up the curious cat that lived inside Gran, and Gran was leaning more towards making a friend than when they had first exchanged words. DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 16, 2016 19:28:09 GMT -6
@ganrxgran DaT kept pace with Gran until they finally slowed to a comfortable jog. She wasn't sure whether she took the granny's words at face value: had she really expected it? Or did old bones just want to show off? "Nyahaha~ s'okay, Gran, I'd do the same," she said cheerily. "If you'd left me in the dust I would've been rather lame." For more reasons than one. DaT couldn't suppress a grin at the thought of the people who must've been tricked by Gran. Then they slowed down to a brisk walking pace. But Dee did not walk: she skipped, merrily listening to Gran's hum. She grinned wide again at Gran's question. Was it another trick? Food couldn't be very important, but... "It's gotta be nabe, Gran, and nothing else can do." She was reminded of the boy who liked to eat nabe as well. Out in the countryside, though, there were no restaurants with nabe, and she had to wait for her mother to fix some. "Now I'd like to ask the same question of you~" she sang, but the girl looked ahead and down the road.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 17, 2016 12:57:07 GMT -6
"Nabe, hmm?~" Gran mused a bit on where the kid must be from, but she couldn't think of anywhere specific where nabe was popular. Not coming up with anything conclusive, she moved on, "Perhaps if there is a colder floor later on, I'll have nabe. Make sure to bring your friends, though. Far too much food for just the two of us."
Gran tapped her finger against her chin, thinking about what kind of foods she really enjoyed. She smiled and nodded as she decided on two, "Either sashimi or sushi. I do enjoy my fish foods. They're good for my hair, you see, and that's all I've got going for me nowadays."
She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder as if to make the point. She ran her fingers along its length and smiled, recalling the time her grandson had helped her braid the mass of hair. She let go of her hair and looked over at DaT, eyebrow raised, "You were seeking me out deliberately, weren't you, darling?"
The question was a little sudden, but Gran did that on purpose. She had noticed the very precise motion Dee had taken when walking over to her, as if a target had been spotted. Gran knew all too well the attitude of someone who was looking for someone else. Gran simply looked forward, further down the road she could see a couple mobs scattered here and there. She wondered if they would aggro any of the nastier ones. She would rather enjoy letting off a bit of steam. DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 17, 2016 19:24:16 GMT -6
The question had not been important in the slightest. It was a funny thing when Gran had said it was. DaT wondered if the old woman was serious or just pulling her leg, but as it was at least she knew Gran liked sushi and fish. People her age were usually not too hard to figure out. Either they had a goal they sped towards with such radiance anyone could tell their aim, or they were a little more guarded but still headed somewhere nearby. It was the older people who sometimes looked leagues ahead to plan for a day they might not even live to see. She supposed that was 'leaving one's legacy.' "Nishishi~ well, how about 10 col and I'll tell you?" The girl grinned playfully. "Or you can trade me some info, that'd be fine, too." She liked poking at people's curiosity. Not that Gran struck her as the sort of person to want to pay for any kind of info. The lady struck her more as someone who'd beat everything outta people. The formidable sort of granny who wouldn't yield an inch to anyone.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 17, 2016 20:54:08 GMT -6
Gran enjoyed the peaceful silence for a moment. Something about this game really made her a happy old coot. Her steps started getting a little lighter and happier. If asked, she would just blame it all on the girl that was skipping along next to her. It had been a very long time since a kid had skipped next to her like that. For all of her happiness, though, Gran still had her plans. She mulled over the idea of how to use this girl in the big web she was weaving. And then the child spoke.
"Ten col, hm?" Gran tapped her nose with her forefinger, thinking it over, "You're gonna have to work on those prices, sweetie. Every bit of information is precious if you start selling it. Especially information someone asks for directly. Always charge extra for those fools."
A mischievous and intelligent gleam was shining brightly in her eye, "For the sake of argument, however, I will give you some information in return. For instance, were you aware that someone who has actual skill with swords in the real world has trouble adapting to this game? I'd say that one's roughly equivalent exchange."
Gran chuckled a bit and bobbed her head back and forth as she continued whistling softly. She didn't need the information, really. She was already mostly sure Dee had found her by looking into rumors. Rumors Gran had helped to start. Her smile grew a bit as she kept walking. DaT
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 17, 2016 22:18:18 GMT -6
Good cheer was contagious. DaT watched Gran almost start to skip beside her. She wondered what it'd take to get the granny to skip. More interestingly, it looked like Gran liked the idea of selling information. Gran thought it was just 10 col, but she taught DaT a little bit about herself. That alone was worth it. DaT didn't think the information about swords was very valuable, but it probably meant Gran knew her way around a sword. Or she knew someone who knew their way around a sword. Too little to use. "Nishishi~ let's say it's fine, good enough for me," the girl said. "Heard a rumour, figured I'd go and see." That the granny helped with quests wasn't strictly true. More like the grandmother made other people help her, DaT suspected. "I actually heard another interesting rumour, wanna hear?" Supposedly, there was a place on the first floor from which you could log out. The location was a bit vague, and there were a few conflicting accounts, but DaT thought the lake sounded promising. Out of the way, not many'd just randomly wander there... It was the ideal place.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 18, 2016 5:46:15 GMT -6
Having already known the info, Gran smiled and nodded at Dee. She was letting herself go a bit with the girl, trying to see just how much information the kid could gather without asking for things. Or maybe she was just enjoying herself, she forgot. She laughed and shook her head at the thought. She never properly enjoyed herself usually. A smirk placed itself on her lips. The girl had been following a rumor after all, hm? Gran only nodded at the girl, both not thinking of something to say and preventing herself from saying too much.
And then, Dee made her ears perk up. Gran shot a look at the girl. She had a weakness for secrets, really, and she tried her best to ask for it, even following the rhyme scheme that Dee had been using the whole time, "I'm sure you know good rumours are my weakness, my dear~"
Gran internally cringed. The beat of the words was off, but she hoped the kid found it more endearing than anything. Gran dreaded the thought that maybe the kid had been lining up another rhyme to follow up the question, but shook the thought from her mind. The words were spoken now. If anything, it would let Gran see how the kid reacted if she even noticed.
Gran could see Horunka in the distance, the lights starting to shine away. She smiled, thinking about how long they'd been walking. There wasn't much further to go now. DaT
Last Edit: Nov 18, 2016 5:46:42 GMT -6 by granxgran
|
|
LV 2
|
|
HP: 100
|
STR: 0
|
DEX: 1
|
CON: 0
|
|
n/a IS
OFFLINE
|
Post by DaT on Nov 18, 2016 7:38:10 GMT -6
That was another new bit she learned. Gran liked rumours. A rumourmonger. DaT actually disliked rumours and liked the truth so much more. Nothing was more true than money. "Nishishi~ how about 500 col for a good rumour, then?" the girl queried. "Promise you it's at least a little worthwhile, Gran." The girl's smile had brightened, her eyes twinkling mischievously. A good rumour, she thought, was never worth all that much. The truth was worth that sort of money, and perhaps even more. If someone were to ask her about Gran, DaT might do so for a price. The greatest price of all was someone to mess with, or just some other interesting bit of truth. DaT remembered when she'd traded the details of a scandal at school for the nitty gritty about what had happened to her neighbour's cat. There was nothing more exciting than discovering the truth. She liked to see herself as a truth-seeker, even if she mostly dabbled in a hundred rumours all at once, trying to discern which are just that, and which are so much more.
|
|
LV 3
|
|
HP: 145
|
STR: 8 (+65)
|
DEX: 0 (+18)
|
CON: 0 (+9)
|
|
|
Post by granxgran on Nov 18, 2016 7:55:32 GMT -6
Gran clicked her tongue at the kid and shook her head. What an unbelievable extortionist this child was! Of course, she was pretty sure the child was merely joking. No sane person would pay that much for a mere rumor. Her mouth suddenly curved upwards crookedly, and she went to lightly poke the child in the side of the head, "Don't be so silly, my little child. A price like that is far too wild!"
"But no," Gran shook her head, only slightly more serious now, "Paying that much for something I probably already know is just bad business practice. Even if you are and adorable little cupcake."
She lifted her hands in the air and made little pinching motions like she was gonna pinch DaT's cheeks. She chortled along a bit and looked up to the nearing city. She was pretty glad they hadn't aggro'd any mobs along the way. She was happy to have the conversation, if nothing else. All of the other kids here were just all about action. That was fine every now and again, but she liked a nice, civil conversation sometimes. DaT
|
|