altimit | one gate, endless possibilities

[Something very strange happened after Fragment’s bet launch. Despite every intention of parting ways at the gate, she’d ended up running a dungeon with the player named Noir instead. Whether it was out of some resistance to the wall she normally kept or merely accepting that going together was the path of least resistance, it had been uncharacteristically and exceedingly easy to get Miharu on the party run instead.

What could have been a freak incident is repeating itself today. Against virtually all odds, Scitalis logs into the game, picks up her potions, and prepares to run another with the same person. That’s almost a routine. It’s such a small change, letting someone actively seek her out instead of going through motions that often include evading any socialization whatsoever. Imperceptible, even, in a game that’s intended to be multiplayer.

Before coming here, Miharu had her stipulations: no Freedom areas, and if they were going to use random keywords, they should avoid anything that sounded too gloomy. No point in tempting some nonexistent fate, right? Warm Aster’s Dark Tree may not be perfectly cheery, but it has a welcoming bent to it. On load-in, the sprawling meadow and almost idyllic castle lawn that greets them might be taken as a sign that those efforts paid off. Miharu tilts her head to the side, taking it in.]

This is nice. Say, what do you think about staying here for a while? [She shoulders her weapon by its hilt in preparation, clearly kidding.]

((Results here for reference!))

It's certainly more pleasant than the previous dungeon I was in...it almost makes me a little suspicious.

[ Noir murmurs as she looks around the grassy meadow. Compared to that sweltering volcano, this is paradise! As much as she'd like to stop and smell the roses, in a manner of speaking, she knows this is still a dungeon crawling with monsters. What's more, she'd logged in for a bit of adventure after dutifully completing her classes and homework, because the alternative was answering her fiancé's texts, so she's feeling restless and ready to go.

She checks that her gun is loaded (though the water doesn't appear to need replenishing by some weird stretch of video game logic). ]

[As far as the Area dungeons go, Miharu's experiences have been...embarrassing. It will be a while before she can fully face the others who suffered the exploding armor trap alongside her without embarrassment, and she's still cursing herself out over whatever status effect twisted her thoughts so terribly after her solo run. It's made her automatically suspicious of loading into anything, and Noir's comment just reinforces that.]

Hah, that's much more likely, isn't it? [She sounds a little amused; Miharu hadn't immediately taken Noir for someone so quick to look at things pessimistically. No... actually, it's just a realistic way of looking at things, isn't it? She smiles.]

We don't have a lot of healing, so let's not get into any situations we can't win. As nice as it would be to enjoy the outdoors for a while... [The rest of her party probably doesn't want to be here any longer than necessary. They should make directly for the castle.]

[ Haru's dungeon runs haven't been nearly as mortifying; uncomfortable might be the word she'd use. Having been 'blessed' as a reward only to find out that the game was broadcasting her every thought, she'd felt her privacy impinged upon and had to log out for the night. As a result, she's warier than she usually would be as she walks alongside her teammate. ]

We can still enjoy the view on our way as long as we stay alert.

[ It would be a shame not to. They'll just have to be careful, because Scitalis is right that their healing options are limited. ]

The castle makes me feel as though we've traveled back in time.

Mm, it does. It's got a completely different feeling from some of the other maps.

[Flesh wall... Barring the sheer discomfort of that one, even some of the other Areas seem far less manmade, dungeons made from the kind of materials that just sprung up naturally.

As the one with a BFS, Miharu is the one to take point and the one front and center any time they get into combat. That's probably why she takes their journey with cautious planning, pausing to see if monsters patrol away from their path or making use of hills and corners for line of sight.]

But it's a little strange to me. There are so many different things. It's hard to figure out exactly what kind of world they tried to make.

[Here's the thing about castles: They're very big. Taking that into consideration...where to go first?]

Maybe it's their way of surprising the players. I guess our keywords are better this time?

[ The last dungeon she visited had a forest in the middle of a volcanic wasteland. Don't ask her to explain the logic behind that one. Perhaps the map was still in development, but most likely the devs just didn't care. Haru brings up the rear, keeping her gun close at hand. She'd upgraded her starter water gun to a water bayonet, but to her disappointment, it's still firing water instead of ammo.

Once they're inside the castle, Noir takes a look around. ]

I'm guessing the treasure will be somewhere important. Should we try to find the throne room?

[Hm. Her expression darkens comically. They can't have the players realizing that only dreary keywords lead to uncomfortable results, after all. There really isn't any foolproof way to avoid the humiliation of spinning a bad keyword, even with precautionary measures. Miharu would prefer everything to be sensibly justified, but at this point the game developers haven't done anything too beyond the pale. Her vexation is all fun and games for now.]

Good guess. Let's try to find the center of the main floor and not get lost in the basement somewhere. [It seems logical that the throne room would be on one of the main floors and well embedded... but that's about much as much logic as she's going to assume they spared.]

So...breaking into a castle and stealing their loot. Are we outlaws?

It does feel like we're the intruders here. [ She's even got a mask on. She's the most suspicious one here. ] What if we're doing it for a good cause? Like the righteous outlaws who steal to redistribute the wealth.

[ She says with a chuckle. The developers have gone light on the story for this game, so it's create your own adventure time.

Speaking of breaking in, up ahead Noir spots a monster pacing back and forth down the hall as if patrolling for outsiders. She comes to a halt and exchanges looks with Scitalis, lowering her voice to a whisper. ]

It doesn't seem to have noticed us. Should we try a sneak attack?

[She chuckles.] So we're like Robin Hood? If it helps, it helps. [The name and the legend are familiar, but she doesn't know much more than that, so she can't tell if the comparison is apt in more than name. Her gaze flicks to the patrolling mushroom-shaped creature; as far as she can tell, it's looking elsewhere, distracted with something down a deep castle path.]

Stealth doesn't seem to be my class's strong suit. I'll get as close as I can to intercept, but I think you'd better take the first shot. Be ready.

[Noir might be decked out like a sneaky thief, but Edge Punishers don't seem to be known for subtle garb or attacks, and the remaining pieces of starter gear she still has equipped are a bit rusty besides. While the nature of virtual reality means she can capture some of her real life elegant motions, speed and grace can only get stealth so far. ~~haru, she's trying to sneak around, but the clap of her dummy thicc leg armor keeps alerting the guards.~~]

Alright. I'll draw them out when you get close. Be careful.

[ She's learned about tanks and DPS, so she knows by design Scitalis will be alright even if she takes a few hits. As for her more fragile DPS self, she ducks behind a pillar and keeps her gun trained on the pacing guard, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Although, that clanking sound...

First joke weapons and now joke armor RIP. That's a -10 stealth penalty but at least Miharu gets +10 in charm?

The guard has also stopped in its tracks. Sensing they're about to lose the element of surprise either way, Noir opens fire on the mushroom creature, who flinches at the initial spray of water but spins around towards her with a battle cry. ]

[The +10 is charm is appreciated, since she surely doesn’t feel like it now. It’d be hard not to be at least a little humiliated getting played for a fool in front of her adventuring companion, even if they might as well be strangers, even if she doesn’t normally put much care into what others she sees in passing think of her.]

Not so fast. [In true “I’m your opponent now” fashion, Miharu slides into the path of the oncoming mushroom to intercept, arcing her newly acquired weapon up to swing at it with her Level 1 skill.

How is one supposed to tell when a fungus is disarmed? Well, it seems to sag in half a little bit, as if its core has weakened, and she uses this opportunity to go fully on the offensive, ramping up for another powerful hard swing while the enemy tries to shake off the debuff. Like any big pure DPS attack, it leaves her open for a moment, so it’s all a matter of who lands the blow next.]

[ Watching the monster sag under her partner's attack, Noir has to marvel at the destructive power of the Edge Punisher. Now that's a class that looks fun to play. Not to say that she isn't enjoying being a gunner, firing into the creature and feeling satisfaction when her aim strikes true. She tries to place her shots between Scitalis' swings to keep the monster too stunned to strike back. ]

Stay down!

[ She's careful not to target her partner in the process, not after she learned about friendly fire the hard way. Between the two of them, the monster's HP is quickly whittled away. It won't be long now...but just as she's thinking they have this battle in the bag, two more guards appear, drawn to the commotion. ]

There's more of them!

[Edge Punisher might be a powerful class when handled perfectly, but it certainly isn't easy. In the end, that might be the reason Miharu gravitated toward it. It wouldn't be powerful skill handed to her without her having to first work on mastering her play. Even has someone who doesn't care much about games, she didn't want success handed to her.

The high skill ceiling is certainly going to cause bumps in the road along the way, though. Even someone who'd perfected combat with effortless elegance would be outnumbered by two more patrolling mobs appearing, and her tradeoff for successfully cleaving down the first enemy is a hearty headbutt from the second, causing a small stutter in her HP bar. If she could reasonably stop without taking more damage, Miharu would pause to consider the dissonance of supersized fungi squeaking their way down a castle wall toward her while she feels as if someone punched her in the gut for real.

She has other things to worry about now, though - namely, making sure neither monster peels off to stop the source of the water gun bullets steadily raining down hell. She sidesteps to line them up, hoping it's possible for Noir to get them both in her sights at once and that this is something that can be communicated wordlessly - a small if perhaps premature extension of trust.]

[ Noir feels a rush of satisfaction when the first monster goes down in a clean, damage-free victory, but there's no time to celebrate as reinforcements arrive on the scene. Firearms aren't built to handle mobs of creatures, and she focuses on taking one out first, her fingers rhythmically tapping the trigger as she fires off the water bullets as fast as she can. Though the mushrooms look like monsters who can shrug off or even appreciate a watering, her toy gun steadily chips away at the creature's HP.

When Miharu repositions herself and leaves both monsters within sight, Noir realizes what her teammate's angling for. She shifts her own position to accommodate, lining up both monsters to take the bullets and feeling the haptic vibration in her arm grow stronger as her spray begins to chip both HP bars at once. ]

[Executing a plan well, even something as simple as lining up for some straightforward AOE, feels like a triumphant moment. Miharu watches the...bullets... sprinkle over the gathered mobs, ramping up another ability strike now that it's off cooldown. It might look comical, but the force of the attack is surprisingly potent despite appearances.

The biggest challenge with Edge Punisher seems to be balancing heavy attacks with agile mitigation. She can't move fast enough to evade everything, but she also can't block every incoming attack. By the time she stabs her heavy claymore down into another prone fungal guard, leaving the other for Noir to finish off, Miharu hasn't escaped all the subsequent bludgeoning. Hopefully Haru mostly managed to avoid getting showered with stray splash damage spores.]

Really impressive, [she praises, giving herself a moment to catch her breath in real life.] Without that surprise attack, we would have been in far worse shape. Though now we can add murder to our list of crimes.

Good thinking, lining them up like that!

[ Noir commends Scitalis when their enemies fall rather quickly after her maneuver. Once the battle music has faded away, she lowers her gun and brushes off the spores that had gotten caught on the fabric of her clothes. Unfortunately, that pesky attack had range. Something she'll need to keep in mind if they encounter more of them, but all in all, not a bad first scuffle. ]

True...we're becoming hardened outlaws. I'd say we're off to a good start.

[ Haru?? Well. It's a video game so murder is okay. If it wasn't, why was killing monsters such good stress relief? ]

[She manages a small, polite smile of thanks at the compliment. Her heavy weapon returns to her side, but Miharu doesn't fully let her guard down, remaining alert.]

Haha, who would have thought you'd be so bloodthirsty?

[It's a surprise, but there's something appreciative in Miharu's voice, too, as if it was enjoyable to learn something so unexpected. She kind of likes how out of character it seems, even as the unexpected reveal perplexes her. Well, they are virtually strangers, even if they work remarkably well together.

The castle hallways appear to wind inward, the monster density picking up in one direction, so she gestures them forward, hand lifted in a "shall we?" gesture.]

I suppose I've been a bit stressed lately. It's refreshing to let loose.

[ Haru admits she's lived a respectable, straight-laced life until now. The inherent escapism of virtual reality has brought out a new side to her. Who knew breaking the rules could be so thrilling, even if it's only pretend. ]

I hope it's not off-putting? Do not worry, I won't let myself get carried away.

[ Rest assured she won't be losing her cool in battle. Following Miharu, they continue their journey deeper into the dungeon, and Haru is true to her word even as she mercilessly guns down their enemies. ]

No, not at all. I think I like that you can be ruthless even though you're kind. We'll revisit this if you start acting like you'll shoot me when my back is turned. [She chuckles again as they go to move on, brushing her hair back over her shoulder.

It's a little enviable, even, seeing someone who can melt into the escapism as easily as Noir does. For Miharu, the game often feels like the digital version of a mask she already wears daily.

While it'd be unwise to clear every nook and cranny, there are plenty of things to explore - and plenty of small scuffles where they can vent more violence - on the way to the large, open room that serves as the apex of the dungeon.]

I think we're close to claiming our prize. How are you on health? [She's feeling the effects of their combat a little bit by now, but she still has potions in her possession.]

I wouldn't dream of it. I may be a thief, but there is honor even among thieves.

[ Noir says with a laugh and tip of her hat. She's going for the honorable outlaw archetype here.

With plenty of monsters to vent her frustrations on, Noir is in good spirits when they reach the heart of the castle. She has a feeling this is it. The last room, and the last guards standing in the way of their treasure. Her eyes shine with excitement.

Her HP has suffered a few hits from the long-ranged spores, and a rough encounter where they'd been swarmed, but she's mostly stayed out of harms way thanks to her partner. ]

This is it. I think it won't hurt to replenish our health before the final battle. [ She holds up her potion to Scitalis as if raising a glass. ] Cheers?

[There was something endearing about how Noir progressively perked up as the violence continues, with thankfully enough challenges that she could stick to her promise to be an honorable thief. Hopefully this doesn't awaken anything in anybody ~~like Haru.~~

As they stare down the Miharu dips into her inventory to retrieve a potion of her own. As long as they survive this, their health will recover gradually, and they can always refuel back in town.]

Cheers. [She clicks them together and quaffs the potion. Perhaps it's a little fatalistic, toasting over their pending injuries, but she also supposes it isn't unusual. Danger makes strange relationships form - and she already trusts Noir more than most of the other strangers playing this game.]

I have a feeling the big one's going to hurt, so I'll disarm that one first. [Please shoot the big mean-looking one. Scitalis is sure to set up her combo for as much damage as possible on the pull. Even after this short excursion, she's been able to refine and become more confident in her skills.]

[ The potion feels cool and refreshing down her throat. Any fatigue she's sustained from the dungeon fades away as her HP is restored. At 100%, she's feeling excellent, like she can take on the castle all over again, the thrum of ~~bloodlust~~ excitement in her veins.

Noir smiles and nods in understanding. After running the dungeon together, she's gotten a feel for how to coordinate their moves. If she times her attacks just right, they'll be able to draw out the combo and deal a devastating first blow. ]

Let's do it, Scitalis! We'll knock the crown right off the king.

[ She brings her gun to eye level and fires her opening shots at the big bad. The king roars, turning on the intruders. ]

one gate, endless possibilities

warm aster's dark tree (haru^2)

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me trying to tag this thread on mobile because my keyboards busted, sweating

ohh nooo

truly living like an animal...people who write substantial tags on mobile are stronger than i am

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