Scout

To the Stars, From Death.

Kitties!

To the Stars, From Death.

To the Stars, From Death.

We love it too! :)

Digital or Real?

Okies :)

Crossing Worlds

The morning dew had begun to fade, but Aiko spent every minute since she woke up admiring it. Sure, she could have easily afforded an inn overnight... But she had fallen in love with the view of the moon through the leaves. The lunar glow was filtered through the foliage, most noticeable through a 'natural window' in the branches. That morning, when the sun blasted directly against Aiko's eyelids, she was kicked awake. The girl nearly fell out of the tree from the surprise, but she had managed to spend just another couple of hours enjoying the day. The night before had been a rather loud one, but she had yet to taste any of the game's alcohol since the Apocalypse. She had to keep herself disciplined especially now. She took a deep breath of air before hearing some kind of awkward, stop-and-go conversation below her. Her tail uncurled from around her waist and hung limply from the limb she was resting on as her ears perked up, her gaze moving to the ground. "What the hell is going on down there...?" A samurai named Kosuke was having a rather awkward conversation with a group of somebodies. They walked away laughing at him and she couldn't help but feel a heavy sense of sympathy... She was fairly good with people herself, but she knew people who had a really difficult time of keeping themselves composed in front of others.

The night before, Largoes had even partaken of the alcohol at the multiple parties they attended. He made a fool of himself... For once, he didn't seem to be constantly worrying over what he looked like to anybody else, what they thought, how they reacted, or anything else... He was just... Largoes. It would likely be different today; luckily for him, he'd not really said anything too embarrassing or revealing, so it wouldn't be quite so uncomfortable this morning. Then she heard him... What timing - but he knew she'd be at one of Akihabara's most beautiful locations come the morning. Always so kind, it was touching, to be perfectly honest. Even for somebody who didn't have the best social skills, he gave it his best shot to help somebody who was being basically tortured. Logically, a Samurai at level 68 would who had spent plenty of time in the area would be of great use, as well. Largoes boasted great magical defense thanks to his Sol Set, but it meant that they needed to find some way to make up for the physical resistance. A samurai would be of excellent help, that was for sure. Aiko grinned as a thought came to her.

She dropped from the tree, just behind her Race of Ritual friend before tapping his shoulder, clearing her throat. "Largoes-san..." She started slowly, cooing his name as she clasped her hands together behind her, turning side to side as her tail flicked about. "I-I was so confused last night... W-when you asked me to go on a... on a date with you," The girl's voice gave out a little bit toward the end of her statement. "B-But after thinking it over, I'm glad I said yes... I'm so excited to go out tonight," She brightened up, biting her lip and gazing up to him cheerfully. "I've never seen you so confident, I guess... It's just a new side of you, huh?" The girl kicked the dirt at her feet and couldn't hold it for more than three seconds. She snorted, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth before she began to giggle. She couldn't handle it, she loved messing with her best friend.

The girl leaned to the side to see the Samurai behind Largoes and tilted her head, seeming to calculate a few different possibilities before she revealed her entire self. A white sundress with a ruffle vertically down the middle covered her torso, matching stockings rising from her feet up to her mid-thigh. Over her forehead, she wore a chain-circlet of gold, a sapphire teardrop gem dangling at the middle. Black and white two-tone sleeve-gloves were pulled up her forearms and her kukri, as usual, were sheathed on her lower back. She smiled brightly to Kosuke as she bowed, "Good morning, my name's Aiko. Aiko the Shadow Dancer, I hope my friend here hasn't caused you too much trouble today," She apologized with mock-sincerity, beaming teasingly to Largoes as she rose to a full stand again.

To the Stars, From Death.

Hope to get a post up in the next couple of days. XD I don't even know how Anaïs will handle something so surprising. She might just be the first one to hold the light. XD So for reference... can they be felt? O.o

Digital or Real?

Sorry! It took longer than I expected :( But I replied, hope it doesn't seem too rushed or anything. >_<

Digital or Real?

"I didn't know you already packed! I got done this morning," He replied, stuffing his phone in his pocket, simply beaming as his girlfriend entered the house. It wasn't long before everybody was getting ready to go. The next couple of hours were a blur as they queued and were ushered through security. James looked at his ticket - his seat was a window. He'd been on planes of this size several times and he knew that the numbering system put him by a window. Score! He thought to himself, grinning as he showed Matt.

"Cool, I got a window too. Gave it to Anaïs though, she wanted to see the ocean," He answered with a 'gotchya' smirk. James looked wistfully to his ticket and frowned... His brother had a point.

Before getting on the flight, James offered Sasha his own seat. He'd had a window last year and he knew that the London skyline was not something anybody could miss. He felt good after doing it too - knowing he'd made a right move. However, once they'd gotten to their row, he noticed a guy sitting by the window already. James furrowed his brow and looked at the labels above the seats, then the tickets... No, he was right - they had the middle seat and the window. So what was this guy doing? The man had his head propped against a pillow, headphones on, already sleeping. Or rather, he was pretending to be asleep, and he was doing a poor job pretending he wasn't. What kind of selfish jerk does that? In disgust, the boy moved to shake the guy and let him know they weren't going to stand for it, but everybody in line was getting anxious for them to just take their seats and Sasha looked like she wanted anything but a scene.

Quietly, he looked to his girlfriend, "I'm sorry... I was really excited for you to see London from above... Maybe you can see past him as long as he doesn't close the window..." He pointed out a bit wistfully before taking the aisle seat, their carry-on bags stuffed in the overhead bins. Soon they were taking off and he held Sasha's hand, wanting to keep her from being too nervous, "I'm glad you get to go too. Love you," He said cheerfully, leaning over and pecking her lips quickly.

For most of the trip, they looked out the window, played videogames, or fell asleep against one another. It was a long flight, lasting over twelve hours, and it was the single most amazing span of time he'd ever spent sitting and doing nothing. The plane touched down in New Jersey and it was still early afternoon due to their flying against the turn of the Earth. Once the Delacourts and co. had reunited and stepped off the plane, they were greeted in the terminal by James' aunt, uncle, and cousins. He had four cousins, one was about Matt's age (Kyle), the fraternal twins were sixteen (Kendra & Mark), and the youngest was only four (David).

Everybody was a bit out of sorts - it was always surreal when you stepped off of a plane in another country. Just as the trip to the airport, leaving was a blur. The family was able to take two cars back, however. Princeton in the late winter/early spring... It was quite a drive, but they took the backroads in order to get the real views on the way to the university town. Trees lined some of the roads, the colours of early spring were everywhere. James stared out the car window, smiling as the car radio played some vague, cookie-cutter pop song that none of them were really listening to. Small conversation filled the car, but only barely.

After getting back to the house, James' mother suggested, to keep themselves awake, that Kendra, Mark, and he all show Sasha around the neighbourhood. The boy rolled his eyes... God, the twins... They could be unbearable. Even if they were fun, they liked being twins far more than anybody should. It wasn't long before they were firing Sasha and he with questions as they walked down the sidewalk.

"So, where'd you two meet?" Kendra would start.

Mark would jump in right after, "How long have you been together?"

"Did James ask you out or did you ask him?"

"How long did you know each other before you started dating?"

And finally, Kendra stuck her tongue out, "Do you guys loooove each other?" She asked brightly, merely teasing them. James, however, froze and looked over to Sasha... Were they going to tell anybody? Kendra had kind of a big mouth, if she knew, she'd tell everybody else... He looked to his girlfriend for some kind of sign as to how they could answer the question.

To the Stars, From Death.

I don't think it's unhealthy to think of it as much as it is to worry. I actually enjoy thinking about it, but I'm not worried. Time is time, it'll go with our without me. I wanna mean the most to the people I'm with now, rather than care what happens in the future. Do I want to die? Hell no. Am I afraid? Hell yes. XD but only because I don't know where it goes. Just gotta enjoy the little things until then ;3

cue end of cliché scene-

Crossing Worlds

Note: As an immersive roleplayer, Aiko’s real life information is something she’s kept concealed since she began playing. Her name, her age, and anything of her social life is concealed with the utmost care. While in-game, she is Aiko and she chooses to act as if there is no “real world” until she has to be in it again.

Display Name: Aiko, the Shadow Dancer

Real Name: ???

Age: ???

Race: Fox Tail

Level: 70

Class: Assassin
Subclass: Shadow Dancer title

Appearance:
(Click for higher resolution)

Gear:

Combat Armour

When in a party or on a mission, Aiko typically dons very light, cloth-based armour that provides the highest possible mobility with low physical defense. Her most-used gear to date is pictured, leaving her with an elegant cloak and small stole over basic dexterity-boosting clothing. The stats on Aiko’s armour are a well-concealed secret; she shares the literal attributes of her gear with nobody.

Lunar Shawl: This cloak was received as part of the “Sol Set” from a raid which Aiko and Largoes did on the North American server. At some of the farthest reaches of Elder Tale’s map, a quest which few cared to complete was placed with “inverse equipment.” Those who completed the quest were given the armour, which could be upgraded or have its abilities applied to future sets if one so wished. Due to the nature of the equipment, which granted bonuses opposite to the “typical” builds of a particular class, was cast to the wayside by many and deemed nearly useless. Aiko only chose to keep one item of the set, and that’s her cloak. It helped to balance her equipment and, in all honesty, had a beautiful aesthetic to it. While it only helped her physical defense slightly, it caused her aggro-rate to rise marginally as well. However, she chose to keep it because, counter to her blades, it exudes a soft, golden aura when any person or monster spotted her. It was her way of keeping track of how hidden she was in any given situation. Not to mention, it was absolutely beautiful when worn in public.
The cloak gifted to man by the Sisters of the Sky. Out of pure spite, the celestial sister shines stronger upon whosoever is seen wearing it. However, the hard surface of her pale sister has granted this cloak a greater physical strength, for those who are spotted with it on may just need the protection.

Handwraps of the Shroud: Given as a reward to a rather recent quest on Crescent Moon Isle, these black sleeve-handwraps are worn in order to negate the aggro-causing status of Aiko’s Lunar Shawl. They increase her ability to hide in low-light situations as well as silencing the drawing of any weapon, should she have to do so while concealed in darkness. On the contrary, in the light or during the day outside (even in a shadowy forest), the handwraps become nearly useless, as their physical defense is nil. As an added bonus, because of the Apocalypse, they greatly improve her grip on her weapons, making it even more difficult to disarm her.
Sewn by the hands of a skilled tailor, these jet-black wraps are made specifically for stealthy players, helping keep them quiet without weighing them down.

Padfoot Shoes: A player-crafted pair of shoes which she purchased after reaching level 65, the minimum required to wear them, these shoes give the wearer a “Silent” status effect. Aiko’s movement, unless she is wearing armour which can clank or grind, makes absolutely no sound. While a lot of equipment provides bonuses to the Move Silently skill, this is the first pair which a stealth class can acquire that provides completely muted movement. Bonuses to this piece of armour are sub-par at best, but they aren’t the only items with “Silent” on them, they’re just the first.
Typically worn by the thieves and couriers of the city, these boots soften the wearer’s step. They boast a rather high level of comfort for runners and sneaks while promoting perfectly silent movement.

Wyvern Silk Top & Skirt: A commissioned set of cloth armour which Aiko had had made after joining a monster hunter’s party with Largoes at level 68. The boss of the quest was a legless, winged serpentine beast which could deal frost-breath elemental damage. The material required to make the armour set was received upon completing the quest with a character possessing the “Hunter” subclass. Ironically, the leader of the party had taken it upon himself to act as the Hunter and, due to his rather surprisingly high subclass level, he was able to provide material to all of the light-armour users in the party. Heavy armour users were reimbursed with cash which the light-armourers were not given. Fair’s fair, Aiko agreed. The equipment fit so well that for almost two days, she felt like she was wearing nothing under her cloak. At first, it was creepy, now it’s simply comfortable. And the dexterity bonus was the first bonus she had received since entering the game with a significant percentage: 7%. It was actually worth wearing. Despite being nearly weightless and extremely comfortable, the Wyvern Silk items are versatile – they can be worn in any climate and adjust their insulation based on the temperature around them. In colder weather, it contracts on its own to keep the wearer warm, but in warmer it will seem to thin itself out, making the fabric bearable in the heat.
Sewn from the silk of a rare breed of Wyvern. The Silk Wyrms were known to spin fine coverings for their eggs and younglings, who need to be kept warm in the harsh cold of the mountains. Furthermore, their frost breath tends to keep their internal body temperature dangerously low in adolescence, so the creatures must make warming sheets and wraps until their hatchlings are large enough to sustain their own warmth. The silk is highly adaptive and sells for a high price thanks to its comfort level.

Clothing: Aiko’s casual attire changes quite often. It’s what she wears in the city, or during casual non-combat meetings. Usually the wardrobes consists of clothes in long, flowing robes or shirts with skirts. The colours are often dark, to contrast the shades of her hair and fur, but she tries not to restrict it much.

Weapons: Aiko wears a pair of Kukri (“Blade[s] of the Peuchen”) on her belt behind her at all times, even in the city. They have jet black blades with handles wrapped in solid white. Along the sharp edge of each blade is a vibrant jade hue, giving them a rather menacing appearance. The blades emit a menacing shadow and leave a trail of cloudy darkness behind them whenever swung. The Kukri is a rare reward from a raid on the maps resembling South America, but to receive it twice, one must spend hours running the dungeon. In Aiko’s case, however, she and Largoes each acquire one within hours and rather than selling his, the warrior gave it to her. The net worth of these daggers is incredible, especially when sold as a pair; when one wields two Blades of the Peuchen, they are granted the title “Shadow Dancer,” due to the nature of the weapons.
These sacred blades are all guarded by the great, mythological Peuchen in the southern continent of the Occident. Forged by the extinct, ancient alvs of the region, these weapons are precious to their immortal charges and the creatures will do anything to protect them.

History In-Game: Aiko joined Elder Tale quite some time ago, meeting Largoes shortly after joining. They’ve never had a large level gap between them, but they’ve stayed together for nearly all of their play-time since meeting. When she started playing, Aiko viewed Elder Tale as just a game… However, because her character was placed in an area heavily dominated by roleplayers, she has developed habits that are not so easily broken. Their perspective quickly rubbed off on her and after the Apocalypse her view of the world was only reaffirmed.

Together, Aiko and Largoes have likely seen more of Elder Tale’s world than anybody. Despite starting on the North American servers, they began traveling outward in any direction. Once they were strong enough, they got a party together and traversed the dangerous lands to the south. Most of their travelling has been done in the later portions of their gameplay, as they’ve only just begun to reach the higher levels. They spent surprisingly little time on the EU map before moving to the Crescent Moon Islands. They were in Akihabara when the Apocalypse hit, leaving them stranded after the teleports disconnected. Despite having not maxed out their stats, Aiko and Largoes have consciously placed themselves in dungeons above their level simply to see what was in them. Escaping wasn’t always easy, and death was often imminent, but it was never very regrettable.