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Talal
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Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Class: Twinblade

Out of This World

Post by Talal » Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:58 am

The group stood there while the leaders decided what would happen next. There would be no leaving the Yamiyo server until this whole ordeal was over. Nighthand gave his directions and then took to the sky. The dark haired Twinblade watching with a touch of envy. She had considered getting wings at some point but her fear of heights squashed the fleeting idea fairly quickly. Visions of multiple deaths as her fear overtook her the moment she left the ground only to come spiraling back down and crashing over and over again. A deep breath before eyes turned to watch Moah get yanked off by the ear to be...examined, leaving he rest of the group just standing there until Demorian appeared out of the rings all happy and jolly. Something Talal wasn't really feeling at the point in time. None of them knew what was going through her mind for sure when the time came to make a choice at the offer that had been set before them. Hindsight as they say is bliss and she was glad that she wasn't the one being toted off by the ear to be examined but the fact still remained...she had considered a different answer.

Canti had seen it in her eyes. His body language and dare she say it, the look in those dark hollow orbs of his told her he knew. He knew what she was thinking. In the end, it was that look from him, thoughts about the possible future if they actually succeeded. A future outside of the game with someone she cared about more and more every day that kept her from accepting what sounded like a great offer at the time. There wasn't much to mull over at this point. She was still herself and had not accepted the offer and now, she was just a Twinblade in need of supplies before her next quest. Looking around the town felt hugely less populated than it did before, at least at the gate. Only a trip deeper into the sectors would say if it was a widespread dilemma or maybe just not a popular time of day for the players. Time was so hard to determine anymore and she had no idea what time it was outside of The World. Was it daylight out or pitch black? What day of the week was it? Was it a Holiday? No...she could answer that one. Holidays had everyone flooding into the game because of their time off from school and work. One small answer in the sea of questions.

Another sigh and Talal looked to Shadow and Canti, wondering if they had any plans or if they would like to tag along on another shopping trip into town. Walking the few steps over to Canti, "I'm going to see if the vendors have anything new and exciting. Care to join me?"
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:11 pm

(They had killed the Elite of Ice. What was left now? Light and Darkness? They had Wood and Fire on their side...ish, and they had several of the Twilight Relics too. For his part, Canti wished there was a ride back to civilization to give himself time to think, but there wasn't. There was only a quick teleport and there they were, in the Element Sector, by the Chaos Gate. Too quick. Too neat. Fast-travel sucked when you wanted to stop and reflect. No sooner were they back than Maoh was getting dragged away to presumably an examination table. And then, Demorian pops in with essentially a 'Hey guys! What's up?' kind of entrance. It was all a bit fast for someone trying to get the recent events through to whatever section of the brain was devoted towards coping. A quote from Freeman's Mind hit Canti now. It might've done before, because the quote in question was 'So yeah! I just killed a guy! Completely on-purpose, this time!'. Was he just going to become a jaded talkoholic like the parody version of Gordon Freeman? Melzas called him out on his act before, his defense mechanism for all this batshit crazy. The way he felt about this game, the way it piled up on him as more and more serious, making him have to worry about more and more consequences, was a definite sign that he needed to get out of here.)

Canti: If I don't get out of this place, I am gonna end up nuttier than a fruitcake. And then, I won't be any good to anyone, especially not-

(Talal. Kali. It was nice, having something to run towards, instead of all this terror to run away from. Because it was seriously starting to scare him, what was going on in this place. He'd just been in the domain of his antithesis, the Elite of Ice, and he did NOT feel more confident, coming out. He felt relieved that it was over. Now, he just had to deal with Royce McVaporizer and Garaa Von Blackness and...and mysteriy Master who'd changed an Admin into a monster to attack them. Yeah, he definitely wanted out of here. The only problem was...for a minute...he almost lost something rather important. Someone important. The winged Twin Blade was giving his devil-hound a pet, right now, but he was thinking back to the event, to Melzas offering them power and position as a counter to the ultimatum of surrender or death. Maoh had taken the deal and shit had gone down, but Canti had seen...)

Canti: Why?

(She had thought about it. She'd been considering it.)

Canti: Why would you want to stay, after what we've been through?

(The other Twin Blade had wavered. They'd talked about how it would be, trapped in here forever, or at least until The World shuts down. Why was she still not convinced back then, and only after he shouted he shouted at the Elite? Canti felt like this place might close in on him, that he might feel less real and go insane if he stayed here. Talal had said there wasn't much for her outside, but he never understood that argument because neither did he! That was why they made plans, steaks in Oregon! So why...? Why did she almost change her mind? He wanted to go back to living, and he wanted to be there with her when he did. These thoughts - and Shadow being in such ecstacy that he was thumping his leg on the ground repeatedly - were interrupted by Talal herself. She must've had some idea of what he was thinking right now, because she wanted to know if he wanted to go on a shopping trip with her. There was only one right answer.)

Canti: Absolutely.

(And then, Shadow collapsed onto his side, making content doggie noises and exposing his belly. Canti glared at this.)

Canti: Are- Are you serious? The mighty hunter wants a belly-rub?
Last edited by Lord Canti on Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:19 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Talal
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Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Fri Sep 13, 2019 12:54 am

Leave it to Shadow to put everything into perspective. The scary beast to almost everyone else in The World falling to the ground wanting his belly rubbed. Talal put her hand up to her mouth to stifle a laugh, settling for soft chuckling under her breath instead. Shadow was definitely one of a kind. It was a shame there wasn't an actual hound in the real world doubling as Shadow. The virtual mutt was going to be missed along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters that she would probably never see again. All but Canti, or rather Damon. The real name starting a whole new thought process. Would she be able to call him by his real name or would she slip and use his gamer tag once they were out? Better let that one figure itself out when the time comes. She knew if he slipped with her, she wouldn't really care but would probably still give him a bad time about it. Make him lose at a game of Super Mario or something to make up for the slip. After The World, Talal had decided she would stick to the older games. The "safer" ones.

"Come on Shadow. Let's go shopping and see if we can find you a really big bone."

Did he even know what a bone was? Deciding not to even go there and take her chances, Talal began to walk towards the heart of the sector they were in. She had had enough of technology for the time being so wasn’t really interested in using the Chaos Gate preferring to walk to where ever they needed or wanted to go. It sounded like it might be a while before they would get another email telling them where to meet so might as well kill some time. They only had what…two more Elites to go and then what? She would never get an opportunity to explore the rest of the server because she knew she would never come back to this game once they were out.

Excited and relieved that Canti had accepted her offer and with such enthusiasm, put her in a little better mood. They seemed to be on the same humor wavelength most of the time and she could really use a break from all the heavy seriousness of their mission. Even if she knew somewhere along their walk, the hard to answer questions were sure to be asked of her. He had every right to ask after all the conversations they'd had. Talal wasn't even sure if she could answer even the obvious ones...but she would try because Damon deserved that much.

”So, have any destinations on your list or are we just going to play tourists?” She wanted to make sure that if Canti had any specific plans that they get those taken care of first.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Sun Sep 15, 2019 9:36 pm

(He could swear that Rey was doing this to him on purpose, throwing in little quirks and oddities to throw him off. Not that any of this was unwelcome. Just questions of How and When and Why sprang to mind. Well, given the reaction from him and Talal, maybe just keeping them amused was the point. Morale had to be an issue while being trapped in a game, otherwise. Still, for for what was essentially a game pet crossed with a tracer program, Shadow was remarkably complex. He'd not only hunted and fought, but managed to hold conversations and definitely make them laugh. If Reyome ever had to retire from her day job, she could definitely use her talents to make virtual pets, full time, for children or something. Anyway, with that having been said, Talal made an offer for a great and mighty bone and - sure enough - Shadow perked right the hell up and got to his feet. Yes, he seemed to recognize that word. Honestly, Canti had been avoiding the word 'Walk', just in case, but they were going on one, so it didn't really make a difference now.)

Canti: I'm picturing one of those giant Flintstone bones, just something big and cartoony like that.

(After all, Shadow looked like he could tear off a car bumper and chew that, so why not? Canti was then asked if there was anything he wanted to do, or to find specifically. The dark Twin Blade looked around, not sure... They were in the heart of the Element District, in between all the dedicated sectors. He noticed a floating neon sign at the entrance to Rue Sector, saying 'DANGER' and 'PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK' with a couple of Heavy Axemen standing on either side. At a guess, that was something to do with Melzas, or lack him of. Diverting his attention away from that, Canti called up the lost player's handy helper, the area map!)

Canti: Let's see here... I wouldn't go to Rue right now if you paid me, and we shouldn't go to Ani until it's time for the meet-up at Velvet's. Maybe we should avoid Elements entirely...

(He was flipping from Elements to Overview to a look at the other Districts... He frowned when he looked at Mercenaries.)

Canti: Not going there again, either. Not much even there but camps and fringe groups looking for a fight.

(That left the Bazaar and Stitcher, and we know that Stitcher is a weird place. However...two things stuck out in his mind that put regular shopping aside, both relating to the same thing: Odd Elements. One of their remaining Elites was an Odd Element, Royce of Light, and Talal right here had one, herself. She had Sonic abilities, which included exceptional hearing.)

Canti: I guess there is one thing. We have an enemy who uses light and another who's full of darkness, but they aren't opposites. We might wanna learn the properties of Odd Elements, see if theres's anything we can do with that to make it less of a threat.

(He still recalled his world turning into white void as Royce vaporized him. Canti got one of those unvoluntary twitches in the back of his neck where the Elite had grabbed him, thinking of that. He closed the map, focusing on the lady Twin Blade now.)

Canti: Apart from picking up some things we might want or need, that'd be my thoughts, if you're up for it. Could find something for you too, if you're not the first Sonic in The World.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

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Talal
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Class: Twinblade

Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Tue Sep 17, 2019 2:00 am

Talal giggled hearing about the Flintstones Bone. “Oh my God YES YES YES!” she exclaimed happily as they waked, Shadow walking between them. Probably so he could look big and mean from both sides of the street for either of his companions should they need him to look like that. She would have asked Shadow what he thought of that kind of a bone but since he had never seen the show, figured he wouldn’t get the reference. Then again, he was technically connected to a huge database and someone on the outside who might get it. “What do you think about a Flintstone size bone Shadow? Too small?” she giggled not really expecting much of a response.

Listening to Canti go through his map and talk through his thought process, it was kind of refreshing and got her mind off of other things for a moment. He was good at using the tools of the game where she wasn’t since she hadn’t had a lot of time to even try out a lot of the tools before she was sucked in. “Makes sense to me. We are kind of running out of decently neutral places to go now that I really think about it.” She looked around, keeping an eye on the players that were sparsely scattered through the streets. “I wonder where everyone has gone? The place seems almost empty compared to the last time we went shopping.” Of course she had a good idea of why there were fewer folks hanging around. Word gets out quick when Elites start disappearing. Honestly though, she thought things would get busier and maybe a little more chaotic. Players trying to figure out ways to take over a sector or something but this...this was just about as opposite as you could get. Speaking of...

“I would hope I’m not the first. I’d love to find someone with the same kind of abilities. With luck, I don’t have a lot of time left here and I want to go out with a bang and use everything I have at my disposal to get us there that much quicker.” She smiled. Of course the spoken desire was practically a 180 degree turn from how she reacted to Melzas’s offer. Or it had a double meaning. Taking the road that would lead them in the direction of Canti’s suggestion, Talal kept an eye on all the vendors they passed along the way, hoping to find one that sold bones, or something like them, or really just someone who might have a weird skill or way of creating one out of thin air. This was a game after all with lots of magic and stuff. Why not?
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Tue Sep 17, 2019 10:39 am

(All in all, a good reaction to his comment about the bone, as Shadow was looking tough and fierce between the two Twin Blades. Hey, at least he didn't walk around like Butch the Looney Tunes bulldog. That would've been far too much. The Bogie paused, however, when Talal asked him his preference in a bone. He seemed to consider it carefully, then curtly replied...

Shadow: Big McLargeHuge.

Canti: Uhhh...okay, that sounds like the sky's the limit.

(Good god, there was just no pleasing some pups, and as we established before, Shadow IS technically a puppy. He was classified by them as being too young to drink. On the subject of destinations, Talal seemed alright with his general idea, at least. The Uncommon District wasn't the most stable of places to be, but then this wasn't even their first time there. And as long as they kept out of the true madhouse plaza, Stitcher, they would probably be fine. Neutral ground was something of a premium, and even their stay in Gan Sector had been largely due to having successfully stopped the rampaging Admin monstrosity that'd been Tritoch. It was actually a bit worrisome, that they were lately having to scatter like Avalanche of Final Fantasy 7 fame so that they could sneak back into a secret hideout. Talal pointed out that there seemed to be alot less players about as they continued on towards the gates of Rai Sector. It was the most direct route to Uncommons on foot, and it still made Canti a bit uneasy, but as long as nobody gave them any trouble...they'd be fine. The dark Twin Blade risked looking around and inviting potential hazard due to a bit of eye contact and found that...yeah, not too many people around.)

Canti: We've been riling things up. The way it's been going, I wouldn't be surprised if they were fleeing to avoid being found by Admin staff or something.

(People only knew that something had happened to the Elites, that a bubble had burst and that the flow of things had changed. They had no real notion of what actually happened, so they would simply fill in the blanks themselves. That could lead to all kinds of reasonings, and one good answer: Get Out. It was a bit like desertion, but then again, who would owe these people any loyalty? Nothing they did - beyond promises of power - seemed to garner any sort of lasting order here. And as they were walking along, Talal was openly stating now that she was definitely going to be gone from this place and...there was just no avoiding the talk they needed to have, was there? A long pause followed, and Canti was looking more towards the ground. There wasn't going to be a gigantic bone in Rai, at least not to any obvious extent. Now was as good a time as any.)

Canti: You know, you had me worried, back there. If I'm wrong, then I'm sorry, but for a moment there, I wondered if you were gonna choose to take the offer Melzas was giving.
Last edited by Lord Canti on Mon Sep 30, 2019 4:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.

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Talal
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Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Class: Twinblade

Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Mon Sep 30, 2019 4:18 am

It didn’t seem to matter what sector they walked through. There was a tenseness in the air and it wasn’t just a feeling that Talal or Canti may have because they knew what was actually happening. Players were quieter than usual, looking wearier than usual. It made her uncomfortable but having Canti and Shadow with her helped her keep her calm. Rai sector wasn’t as much of an issue for her as it was for her darker clad friend. The title of ‘friend’ as it was thought causing her no butterflies or weird feelings which reinforced her emotional standing and her decision to stay on course as they had discussed.

Hearing Shadow’s response to the size of bone it was all she could do to stifle her laugh but she did give him a quick scratch behind the ear. ”We’ll see what we can do bud.” Talal inhaled deeply when the question, or rather conversation starter, finally came. Expected yes, was she ready to answer…not really but all she could do was try.

”You’re not mistaken. I can only say I had a moment of what I thought was divine intervention but when I saw the look on your face, the reminder of everything we had talked about, I knew it was just a moment of pure and simple weakness. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

She sighed. Talal or rather Kali, had always taken the easy way out of things or ran away from them as fast as possible. When she met Takua in the beginning, she tried to play the bad ass but truly she wasn’t and the Wavemaster had found that out fairly quickly. Then, she joined this group and it had been tough. All the fights, getting killed and waking up stuck in a freaking game. She started to lose it, but then she had Canti and Shadow and everything felt like it was going to be okay. No more running away but Melzas’s offer made her realize that old habits are hard to break. Would Canti be able to forgive her? She walked and waited for a response from the one person she was looking forward to meeting outside of this game. Get to know the man behind the mask that liked to fiddle with cars.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Wed Oct 02, 2019 11:25 am

(A moment of weakness... Could you really blame her? Could you really judge her? The fact that the answers didn't come easily showed that it actually weighed upon her, that she realized that she wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, at first. The tempting deal with a cold demon, the imagination running away with the possibilities... They were judging Maoh right this moment for accepting the deal, but with Talal... Canti wanted her to survive, unharmed and untainted, and there was no guarantee if that could happen for one who took upon the the devil's gift, the cold embrace of the skeleton man they met in that icy tower. Everything about Melzas rang false, hollow, and meaningless in Canti's black-pitted eyes. For Talal to consider that deal... It reminded him of her question from before, whether they were really better off in the real world. She'd been considering the idea of staying in because it might not be welcoming out there, and that thought hit him when Canti saw her deciding...and it may've been part of what set him off there. He wasn't sure, but one thing was for certain: The real world would be just a bit more lonely without someone to share it wiith.)

Canti: I know...it seemed like something useful, something to make The World easier to deal with, but apart from my suspicions of Melzas and the fact that his vision of me was ridiculous, I want a clean break. I don't know what that deal would've really done. We have no idea what's happening with Maoh, even now. I've been taken to some dark places in real life, but even darker ones here. And if something happened to you here, something we couldn't take back...

(The Twin Blade looked down, seemingly focused on the patterns found on the ground than anything else.)

Canti: I've always been about the team, that we were stuck in this together and only together can we leave. We even have a couple of Elites who want out, for crying out loud. I don't want anybody left behind, stuck behind because of some error or bad file. I want everyone who's stuck to get out, even the ones that screwed up along the way. I dunno where some of our people even are right now, but they deserve to be let out of here.

(He sounded somewhat agitated, right now. While there were some people he didn't like or didn't get along with - like Zan, Demorian, Maoh, or even sometimes Nighthand - he didn't want them stuck in The World forever. Friends of theirs had gone missing, lost in the shuffle and the crowds. Would they be pulled out of the game, or were they out of luck if they weren't present? Canti didn't know. He shook his head, trying to calm down.)

Canti: I did worry. I thought something terrible would happen, now or much later, some sort of consequence that we'd always regret. I dunno what I'd have done if it'd gone differently. Divebomb 'im, take a hit, I dunno... I've had my own temptations around here. The way Nall has had Elite Twilight Items, I wanted to take Klive's when I heard he was sick, but that all stopped when it turned out that he was taking our side. He was sick. We'd made him sick with a special device that extracts items. I thought I'd be a renegade Elite, but then I also saw what happened to the guy who tried to use Nall's Twilight Items, and that plus how I'd actually hobbled us in the end made me stop. I understand, but...

(He now looked over at Talal, clearly glad that she was there, untouched by whatever could have befallen her.)

Canti: ...I can't help getting that look on my face. I don't wanna lose you, Kali.
Last edited by Lord Canti on Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.

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Talal
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Posts: 123
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Class: Twinblade

Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:40 am

Just listening to him talk, the tone of his voice, how he looked down and not at her at times. Talal felt absolutely horrible for being the cause of all of that. How could she have been so stupid as to allow herself to even consider the offer?

”It was stupid for me to even consider it. I…wasn’t thinking of the consequences, only of running away. Taking the easy way out.” Talal turned her head away from him, unable to see what she assumed would be at minimum, irritation on his face. She couldn’t hide behind the avatar anymore. Not from him. ”It’s what I’m good at. Maybe the only thing I’m good at.” Inside, her stomach was in knots. Admitting to someone who she really was inside. The loner, the girl who runs instead of fights, a weakling in the face of bullies. It was hard and she prepared herself for what always happened when she attempted to open up to someone. They would leave. Damon was different though. He’d shown her that in so many ways. He wasn’t going to run. She had to believe that. He’d helped her at one of her lowest points back in the bridge when they broke out of the prison. Their first meeting. He didn’t run then, he wouldn’t run now. She just had to be truthful with him. He deserved that. She…deserved it. To be true to herself and stop trying to be someone she wasn’t.

Talal stopped grabbing his hand so he would stop too. She looked at him silently for a moment, just staring into those dark orbs of his avatar. ”I’m not the bad ass in real life that I try to be here. Takua figured that out a long time ago. For all I know, so did you. After all, we met at one of my worst points in this game. When fear had paralyzed me back on the bridge. She paused and looked down, a slight scowl on her face directed at no one but herself before looking back up at him.

”I don’t want to lose you either….Damon. Can you ever forgive me?”
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:55 pm

(She was beating herself up over this, and a part of him didn't want her to do that, but...another part said that it was just a bit necessary. The Twilight Virus had already placed them in this precarious coma, but with the way the items had permanently changed people who mess with them, he knew that such people could be irrecoverable, maybe even dead on the other side. He wouldn't let that happen to her. Talal most certainly deserved better. The ultimate challenge for them would not be the attainment of power or the glory of conquest. It would be overcoming life without special powers and no easy heals or resurrections. That was how he wanted it to be. That was Canti's destiny. Talal's too, if she had the will, and that was what it was all about. The other Twin Blade lacked confidence in herself, in the sudden transition with the familiar and controllable into the trials of real life.)

Canti: A challenge for us both, and that's why I wanted to take it together.

(Rather unexpectedly, Talal took his hands in hers as they both stopped. With the seriousness of discussion, that was going to happen, anyway, but it was different for her to be the one that initiated it. Once the lady Twin Blade spoke her peace, she looked him in the eyes, asking for his forgiveness. For once, Canti felt that his black pit eyes were doing him a severe injustice. Talal's expression was complete, but she never knew the fullness of his, that he was looking at her with deep caring that overrode the worry now. Instead, he returned the grip of her hands, comfortingly, with a smile.)

Canti: You know I would. None of us were exactly badass that day, and I never needed that of you. Just be you, doing what you can, and I'll be there to help you out.

(She thought she needed to be impressive, to show that she could handle her own, with great confidence and taking much in stride while there was little about her that was actually like that. But that was what was good about Talal, that none of it was easy. The struggle made it all the more real, all the more like she wasn't a walking cliche'.)

Canti: We're not badass because we're all that great. Breaking our boundaries because we have to. That's what's doing it. I won't blame you for feeling the way you did, but I will do my damnedest to keep you on the straight-and-narrow.

(The more that Talal sold herself short, thinking she was no good, the more Canti wanted to be there for her. He felt it in his very bones. This was right. He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, but he did know he wanted to be a part of her's.)
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

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Talal
Ikkitousen
Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Class: Twinblade

Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Sun May 03, 2020 4:02 am

To think it had taken a stupid VR game to find someone worth finding in this life. As she listened to him and felt his reassurance through his grip even if she couldn’t physically see it in his avatar’s eyes, she knew now that it was there along with a whole lot more. The tall brunette couldn’t help but let the soft smile the crept up from the depths of her self-doubt appear on her lips. Talal looked back up to him and then her eyes caught site of the few random players in the background that were staring at them. Whether it was because they looked out of place or because they were standing in the middle of the street holding hands which in this kind of game made no sense, there was no way to be certain. What she did know was they should probably start moving again. Once again, she turned back in the direction of their previous travel and used an eyebrow and eye dart to the side to tell him basically it was time to move on.

They walked in silence for about a half a block, ”I have a confession to make. I wasn’t sure what to think of you at first. You were dark and mysterious, and I was inwardly intimidated. But you didn’t act how you looked and I’ve learned not to judge people by their looks long before I came into The World. I’m really glad I didn’t listen to my inward self and allow myself to be intimidated by you.”

She took a deep breath. Admitting anything to people was always a hard thing for her but Canti had proven she could tell him anything. It was a weird feeling to say the least to the usual loner of a girl from the beach. ”I promise from here on out, the only direction I am headed is out of here….with you. We can keep each other on the straight-and-narrow. Deal?”

Talal looked back over her shoulder and saw those that were staring had moved on so at least for this instance, it would appear it had been the latter of the two possibilities that had them staring at the couple. Then again, maybe they were just staring at Shadow. He was rather formidable looking and quite large in comparison to a standard avatar. Looking back, she hadn’t let go of Canti’s nearest hand when they began to walk again. A subtle gesture of her fondness for him that she found relaxing amongst the feeling of tension in the air, just not between the two Twin Blade’s.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Sun May 10, 2020 11:35 pm

(It was kind of unfortunate, but true. Standing around and holding hands in a game that made that sort of gesture irrelevent was just a bit suspicious. And if there was one thing Canti didn't wanna do, it was make people suspicious in Rai. So, with at least one guy making an awkward pause sign of '.....' in lightning and his buddy throwing up a sparking Question Mark, we have to accept that the moment's over. Maybe some other time when they had a bit more privacy, they could be themselves again. Talal indicated they get moving, though, and Canti nodded. As they went along, Shadow - who had been sitting quietly - looked back at some of the watching Rai players and barked at them, just once, and when he did so, he'd used the darkness element to form a big black BARK! at them in bold lettering. The Twin Blade smiled at this.)

Canti: That'll teach 'em.

(Once they'd gotten some distance and were closer to the entrance to the next sector, Talal spoke again, clearing up something about their first impressions. He'd once explained to her that he could tell back then that she needed a handle on things at the time and wanted to help, but apparently the other Twin Blade found him intimidating when they first met. Probably more-so once he'd gotten into his proper attire - since they started out as prisoners - but still it was a problem at the time. Hearing this, Canti began to understand alot more of their first interactions. Talal wanted to feel secure, especially around those that helped her, but he was still a stranger at the time, an unknown quality. So, while she'd been grateful for him not leaving her alone when they first came to the area patrolled by Tritoch and hugged him, she was also massively self-conscious about how this Darkness-embodied Twin Blade would react. It was her willingness not to be judgemental that had shown through, though.)

Canti: I did go a little overboard on appearances, especially since the Virus actually altered things to fit my frame of mind and character. It's why I can fly. But then when it all got real, pretending to be a total badass wasn't really gonna cut it, because really I think the likes of Nall, Raine, and Sheena are the real badasses. Maybe Velvet. She seems alright.

(Not Nighthand, mind you. He wasn't going to list him among those he highly-respected. As they were getting out of the more densely-populated and sizzling areas of Rai Sector, Talal made a promise that she would not waver again, that they would leave this place together and look out for each other, no matter what. Canti nodded at her with a smile.)

Canti: Deal. Now, let's get out of freakin' Vegas.

(Yes, with Yamiyo in perpetual night or dusk, Rai Sector was very much lit up like the city of gambling, Las Vegas. In front of them now lay the main gates to thhe Uncommon District, home of some of the weirdest stuff you'll ever see. They had been to its furthest corner - Stitcher - once before, but there was no intention of going back, and they wouldn't have to. All the trio need do was cut through Multiclass to the area of the Chaos Gate - which they'd decided not to use to get here - and then head further on to Odd Elements. Naturally, as soon as they walked into Multiclass, you could see all kinds of weapon shops and places with special deals...and half the place looking like a parkour specialist's training grounds. Seeing a a Heavy Blade in plate armor who also had twin daggers on her belt along with some pistols wall-hike like a certain video game character took him back... Some other guy was showing off his new multi-weapon off to his friends, a monk's spade that transformed into heavy halberd and a Ma'tok Staff from Stargate. And yes, he DID resemble a certain warrior with a gold emblem on his forehead and a penchant for saying "Indeed.". Also, swear to god, Richard Dean Anderson was RIGHT THERE! Finally, Canti stopped arround Odd Elements when he beheld the statues of Megatron and Optimus Prime depicted in their classic battle scene with Prime wielding an energy axe and Megatron a morningstar along with their energy cannons.)

Canti: This place...might almost be as weird as Stitcher.

(Wait 'till they actually reached Odd Elements, though...)
Last edited by Lord Canti on Tue Feb 23, 2021 2:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.

User avatar
Talal
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Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Class: Twinblade

Re: Out of This World

Post by Talal » Wed Dec 23, 2020 12:19 am

She couldn’t help but laugh at Shadow when he barked. The laugh of course was quiet, almost under her breath but the large hell hound continued to amaze her. How in tune to his surroundings and how it was affecting the human players he was with. It was rather uncanny.

They walked calmly through the streets, exiting Rai and entering into the Uncommon District. Talal kept her eyes moving but not her head. Trying to see everything and everyone as much as possible but also leaning heavily on her hearing ability to keep the trio safe. There were still many vendors selling a variety of strange things but still, not as many as there were before. It was kind of weird but as the Twin Blade thought more about it, maybe fewer players was for the better. Especially if it was happening across all servers of the game. After all, their small but mighty group was on a mission to end the reign of the Elites and stop the madness of players getting stuck in the game while their bodies slowly deteriorated in a hospital bed in real life. If they succeeded, it was hard to know if it would shut down the whole game or just the part to keep people safe from becoming coma zombies.

Her head tilted slightly. Ears picking up on chatter as they walked through the streets. She continued to listen as they walked, mostly in silence, through the Multiclass section finally reaching the next Chaos Gate. Gate travel could have brought unwanted attention to their movements, especially if any of the remaining Elites had figured out how to put a digital tracker on them. Unsure about what the rest of the group chose to do, she and Canti chose to take the long road walk and bypass the Gate system.

”Are you hearing anything? Mostly what I’m picking up on seems to be a common theme of rumors about Garaa and Royce leaving town but everyone seems to have a different idea as to where they went.” She continued to listen and just as they had reached the edge of the Multiclass sector, she heard the words ‘golden treasury’ which sparked her interest but once she got wind of it, nothing more was said to give her any idea of what it was about so she kept that part to herself for now. No sense in spreading even more rumor or speculation when she had nothing to base it on.

The trio stopped suddenly, Canti not taking another step. Instead his head just looked upward so Talal followed his empty orbed gaze to see what had his attention. There stood the epic battle scene of Optimus Prime and Megatron and Talal got a big grin on her face. ”So, you’re a Transformers Fan… who would of known.” She chuckled a little but quickly followed it up giving him an elbow nudge. ”So am I. That is really awesome yet at the same time, so very unexpected to find it inside this game.” Hearing his reply about this place being just as weird as Stitcher, she nodded. ”At least this is in a good way though…right? I mean come on! Prime and Megatron! Doesn’t it make you want to become a movie extra or a special effects guru?”

They stood there for another brief moment before she crooked her neck in the direction they needed to go. ”Come on, let’s keep moving. I want to see if I hear any more rumblings as we walk. Oh! And we still need to stop for supplies somewhere.”
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Walk beside me that we may be as one.
***************************************
Talal
Image
Level 39 (0/1000 EXP) Twin Blade

Weapons/Armor: Mukuro (Swirling Dark, Dark Dance), Ice Hunter Cap (Repth), Wristbands (Juk Rom), Fishing Gloves (Rue Kruz), Wyrm Hide (Gan Don), Snow Panther (Ap Vorv)

Wish List: Scrolls, Tarot Cards, and Armor higher than level 30.

Lord Canti
Exalted Player
Posts: 300
Joined: Sat May 13, 2006 3:58 pm
Location: In da' plains of hell, natch.

Re: Out of This World

Post by Lord Canti » Thu Feb 25, 2021 7:54 pm

(Shaking his head, Canti had to admit that he hadn't heard as much as Talal did about the rumors of Royce and Garaa, but what she reported to him made sense. Of course, the smart money was either {A} hunkering down in their strongholds to prevent attacks in broad daylight, so to speak, or {A} preparing to unleash some kind of sneak attack. The former was more likely, though, as they'd recently changed hideouts - so it'd be hard to find the Freedom Fighters - and because Garaa had already been attacked in in the middle of Ani Sector by Raikiri.)

Canti: I wonder if any of 'em know about the lines being drawn in the sand, about now. Elites have been toppled before, but now we're basically committed to all-out war.

(Speaking of war: The Transformers scene that lay before them. A guy can't help but be stopped dead in his tracks by things he finds as he walks through life, be it the castle made of fiery explosions, a death ray with a slot machine lever for operation, or even Richard Dean Anderson. But...even in this day and age...if you find yourself staring at a life-size replica of the timeless tale of Autobots VS Decepticons, you stop and pay your respects! It wasn't as though it were the absolute best show in the world, but it - like GI Joe - had to be one of the best ways to both capture the imagination and sell a buttload of toys. Canti smiled as the Twin Blade beside him confessed a similar interest in the series that's more than meets the eye.)

Canti: My dad got me interested, originally. It made me fantasize that I'd be tooling together a Mustang, one day, and then it would transform into a robot, saying 'Thanks for the tune-up, buddy!' before running off to battle.

(It WAS a good entrance. There were a number of things that people always remembered through the ages, including the fights between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and the only one more memorable than this first battle on Earth...was the one from The Movie. Still, that was neither here nor there.)

”Come on, let’s keep moving. I want to see if I hear any more rumblings as we walk. Oh! And we still need to stop for supplies somewhere.”

Canti: You got it.

(They headed on in. Passing under the fight - which was effectively an archway like they'd seen to the entrance of Gan Sector - tended to make people stare straight up...and see that someone had put a neon sign there, saying 'MADE YOU LOOK', and...well...yeah. Of course, once they were here in Odd Elements, two things were very clear: First, the rumor regarding the actions and movements of the Elites was gonna be more Royce-centric. And second, people were showing off their unusual elements like NO tomorrow. For instance, Metal element? It was certainly making a show, both literally in the showing of Gundams and Kamen Riders...and figuratively in the form of music. Fortunately for Talal's ears, that wasn't everywhere, and the Light element was a bit more subdued, auditorily-speaking. That was a more visual medium, which included the use of illusions and holograms. This whole sector was considered the most dangerous, though it had a lesser population. The thing of it, though, was that one of the reasons Canti was here was that...Odd Elements housed more than just Metal and Light. Those were the most common, but there were more, and he wasn't sure that Talal was the only Sonic one. Proceeding further along, there would be a...a sudden commotion around what looked like an old-style Japanese shop with a wrap-around koi pond, where a Metal user with a Cylon helmet was hurled back on his ass by what looked like a ghostly phantom projected by a pissed-off young lady in the form of Japan's mythical fox yokai, the kitsune.)

"And that will be the LAST TIME you deface my property again!"

(Biting her thumb, she seemed to cause damage to herself, then jabbed it into the doll-like figure she had in her other hand. Red ethereal spikes suddenly appeared around the visor-head and stabbed into him, causing the player to go stiff for a moment.)

"There. Now, every time you're near my shop, your stats will drop to that of a Level-1 character. I've had time to study your code, and I warned you not to test me. Now, go away, and if I see you back here again, you had better be a customer, this time!"

(The Metal user ran off, swearing some kind of revenge as the fox lady shook her head. Then, she noticed the pair of Twin Blades and immediately brightened up, appearing suddenly before them as though she'd teleported, though the keen eye would at least notice that there had been an intervening step where a ghostly fox-form had been involved to close the distance.)

"Well, well! A young couple out on the town? And with a tall, dark stranger, even. Very nice. Showing him around for the first time, I take it?"

(This last question was directed at Talal, and in a much more chipper tone than she had been in a moment ago.)

Canti: Why do you say that? And what was the fighting about?

(The girl's eyes drooped a bit, at the mention of the scene they had witnessed.)

"I'm sorry you two had to see that. He launched an attack on my sign, and it's the kind that sticks for a while."

(There was a decided sledgehammer through a sign that appeared to be made of ghostly energies.)

"My name is Ellis, and this is my International House of Mystery."

Canti: 'IHOM'?

"No, I home. You visiting, perhaps?"

(She chuckled at the joke, which made Canti smile. It was nice to see people who were genuinely enjoying themselves here, not this ridiculous hardcore showmanship of players taking things too seriously. That said, you obviously didn't want to mess with the lady's things. In fact, before Canti could go any further, he got a word in his ear, or rather in his head from Reyome.)

Careful, Canti. As one girl who's studied up on the subject and played the part of the deceptive fox before, I can guarantee that someone like here in a Server like this could be very dangerous.

Canti: Hey, it's not all universal. Futune was a fox and HE was alright.

Yeah, but this girl is a hacker, without a doubt, and not a bad one at that.

Canti: Maybe not a bad PERSON either, though. We've met some of those too.

Maybe. I'm just giving YOU the fair warning she gave HIM.
I'll have a doozy of a sig later, I swear. It'll reflect ".hack//CODE" an' everything.

Hey look! A profile! It's got items and stats and things! Cool! If it isn't fully up to date, it will be, so don't worry 'bout it.

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