gero | closed;

[Empyrean]

[googlefont="Oxygen:400"][googlefont="Raleway:400,700"]

Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. so warm, a solitude | 503 | Capsule

Back in London, the rotten stench of others had gotten on Empyrean's nerves. Of course, such irritation hadn't been voiced -- as there was no proper reasoning he could put behind saying it, he had found himself staying silent for the most part. At this point, he might even be jokingly called a mute by some.

But he wouldn't mind that at all, and would take it all in stride. At least, that's how it would seem to others -- internally, he would be spending time wondering if their jokes were warranted.

In reality, he just didn't like speaking without warrant. He especially disliked speaking in a manner that would be untruthful. He was honest, not for the sake of honesty, but for the sake of being truthful. To him, there was a league of difference between the two.

Separating his mind from the quietus he had just been steeped in, he finally reached the area he had been heading towards after having jogged for an hour straight -- the coastline. This sort of area, to him, was a place of familiarity. Having been regarded as a treat to see the ocean as a child, he had grown up with the idea that the beach was a reasonably joyous thing to see.

And indeed it was -- this one in particular, safe from the toxic waste prevalent in modern day society of the British Isles, was a grand sight. The area that he had arrived in was about a curved beach. The setting sun was in fact, visible over the ocean. Despite being on the east coast of England -- or Elder Tale's equivalent to England -- Empyrean was able to see the sunset over the ocean, something that was held close to his heart as a memory of his last time with his parents.

At least, the last happy time.

Shades of red making their way across the landscape, he found himself stumbling over the dirt on top of the cliff he was viewing from. Luckily for him, the ground was semi-soft, enough to the point where his turkey-like walking didn't get him covered in scratches.

Likely as an aftereffect of having been running for an hour straight, his movement was jerky after having stopped -- or rather, attempting to stop. He had experienced something similar to this after having attempted to run until he dropped on his school's track. After almost losing count of how many laps he had made, he was told to leave, only to find that his legs were moving entirely on their own.

Just like that time, he planted his palms into the ground as he doubled over, exhaustion finally hitting him. The runner's high he had just been experiencing ended right then and there, and he sat down with legs that felt like they were being electrocuted. But it was a good kind of feeling -- one of exhiliration.

With chilly winds beating at his back, he enjoyed the early sunset that came with winter, and felt almost grateful for the new change of pace compared to what he was used to.

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
518

♪♫♪:
Blue York Bird

✏:
Her level is 15 right now.

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

The Thames Coastline. With the pale skin generally afforded to her and her redheaded brethren, beaches and sunny days were the bane of Capsule's existence. Never in her life was she capable of achieving a tan; straight up frying was all she got for her trouble, which was why she preferred to stay indoors when the sun and the heat got to be a nuisance. And during those times where she had little choice? You could bet your sweet ass that her exposed skin would be well lubed with sun tan lotion.

It was still winter (and thankfully night), however, so there was little worry of painful sunburns and awkward peeling. It also helped that she was lightly bundled in her cloak, and that her (pitifully) low leveled cloth armor contained sleeves and pants. Running around in anything other than her current garb hardly seemed sensible, considering the weather. Her little rabbit friend, Fiver, pawed at the loose sand near the water with uncertainty. The Frenmic rabbit was accustomed to firm earth, plentiful grass, and trees, not this barren "wasteland." He scratched and prodded at the silty sand, ears lowered and lip curled back in a sneer of derision. If left to his own devices, the frenmic rabbit might have scratched out a poor and shallow scrape, as only a buck could. Digging a decent borrow was a job reserved for a doe, and they only did so to house their newborn kittens.

With some gentle prodding from the end of her staff, Capsule encouraged the little rabbit to continue on. The Enchanter had nothing in particular planned for the day… well, early evening, really. She was not sleeping well (or at all, if you wanted the truth), and in vain attempts to tire herself out, took to taking lengthy strolls. This only resulted in her staying up all night and sleeping until noon, but sometimes good things happened; other times…

The woman turned her sights to an overhanging cliff, a spot where she would be able to better enjoy the flirtatious sunset. She couldn't resist a good view, and was occasionally able to draw inspiration from such awe-inspiring sights. The redhead was also interested in the stars, despite being no great astronomer. She could point out the usual constellations, and maybe name a star or two, but mostly she just liked to sit back and observe. Indeed, that was how she spent most of her life -- watching others live theirs, and longing to be a part of their world.

A light tinge of pink settled into her cheeks as she made her way up the small cliff. Although well-equipped to scale buildings and the like with her knowledge of free running, hiking was another matter entirely. By the time she was at the top, her cheeks were thoroughly flushed. That made it so much easier to disguise the blush, triggered by her lightly bumping into the man already standing there. "Eek," she softly uttered in surprise. Fiver shot her a disapproving look; the rabbit never could understand how humans could be so oblivious to their surroundings.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

[googlefont="Oxygen:400"][googlefont="Raleway:400,700"]

Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. stranger than earth | 536 | Capsule

Despite all the colors and their naturally beautiful shades covering most everything in sight, Empyrean himself was little more than a stain on the sight. Even if the entirety of the setting was drab and fairly set apart from the sort of ideal landscape one would want from a beach, it still had its own charm to it -- which his current look pretty much trampled upon.

All his clothing -- though it was technically classified as armor -- was of the color grey. Even if they might have originally been black, the scratchy folds of cloth surrounding him at the moment were worn and torn. From how much he had been running, he was expecting them to be drenched in sweat, but thankfully the cool air kept that to a minimum.

It was an odd sensation, to be able to enjoy the scenery like this. Even if he was practically lying on his back in the shadow of a large rock in the distance, this was enjoyable -- until he heard steps from behind him.

Empyrean went into combat mode immediately -- after all, wasn't that the right thing to do in this sort of situation? This was a new world, with hostile entities roaming out and about. They could freely attack him, so it just made sense to be on guard, didn't it?

However, after actually turning his head slightly, he found that his expectations were failed to be met. He must have looked like some sort of freak, a sword half-pulled out on his back, the grey clothing draped over his back and being blown by the wind. The bloody light didn't help, either.

Once he realized his mistaken expectations, he immediately turned and faced the person directly, as he had been facing her with his back before doing so. He let the sword slip into its sheath on his back, half-wondering if he could have even taken it out, given his limited reach. Regardless, he stared at this person for a few moments, before pulling some of the fabric away from his face, though it still made him look very well-covered.

Though it seemed like he wanted to say something -- and even made an attempt to -- he stopped himself before making any meaningful noise. Anxiety bit at him, starting from his ankles, and he began feeling as if saying nothing was making the situation worse -- but what could he say, even? There wasn't anything that he really could.

Realizing that he had left his hand up close to his face, gripping the scarf-like part of his garb without moving this whole time, he smoothly slid it under his other arm, crossing the both of them. At least this would make him seem confident. His voice, despite his thoughts, came out in a manner that would imply self-assurance, most likely due to the words he deliberated on and chose.

❝I did not mean anything by that; what I did just now simply a measure of caution in case I was about to be attacked. Given that you are not going to do such a thing, then I think I do not have any reason to stop you at the moment -- from whatever you plan to do, that is.❞

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
396

♪♫♪:
Don't Move

✏:
so small

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

The rabbit was quick to change his tone when the man went on the offensive. As an animal, he could sense the aggression sooner than his Alven companion, was too small and weak to actually deter the man. Little growls emanated from the rabbit's throat as he did his best to instill fear into the looming male.

Capsule, on the other hand, merely gripped her staff tighter and twirled it like a baton, holding it out in front of her. It would have done little to stop the sword peeking out of the man's sheath, and her magic was not very offensive oriented. The knuckles of her hands had gone completely white in her fear and instinctual clenching of her fists. The staff in her small hands trembled as the grey clad man - surely a male, for what woman could strike such an imposing figure - whipped around to face her.

Right then and there, Capsule felt like a horribly uncool white kid, who had just stepped on the clean sneaker of an urban black youth.

"E-entschuldigung," she uttered, barely audible. In front of her, the Grey pulled some of the fabric free from their face. Fiver, now standing unnoticed between the two, stared dubiously at the male, then back at Capsule, who was crippled with fear. Puzzled and suddenly disinterested, the rabbit crept back to his mistress' side. Humans.

As the Grey man spoke, the tightened muscles in Capsule's shoulders eased. He was… apologizing? He wasn't angry at her? Her hands relaxed a tad as he went on, though she did not lower her staff. She was rendered with confusion now -- he'd gone through such lengths just to explain himself. His voice seemed confident, but his words made her think that he was actually fighting back nerves.

She slowly turned her staff right side up and placed the far end against the ground. "You're an odd duck," the redhead said. Tact was not a thing the socially awkward woman was accustomed to. "Sorry to have startled you, though… I didn't really see you there…" Her last few words were muffled by her turning her face into the fabric of her cloak. Unlike the Grey, she couldn't sound confident unless she forced effort into it. "I just wanted to watch the sunset, is all…" Her tone had gone from frightened to sheepish and shy.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

[googlefont="Oxygen:400"][googlefont="Raleway:400,700"]

Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. like you :) | so warm, a solitude | 500 | Capsule

Empyrean internally cursed his own actions. That caution, despite being well-warranted given the situation, had undoubtedly caused a misunderstanding between the two people. He felt mildly agitated that despite all he had attempted to fix with his speech beforehand had went to waste. However, that was directed not towards the girl who had received them, but rather at himself for having made an error somewhere along the line.

This, of course, didn't show up on his face. He was able to let it pass away with a sigh as he closed his eyes and lowered his head, while also waiting for the girl to explain herself, as she seemed wont to do. Her answer wasn't an unexpected one, at least. He himself could attest to the desire to enjoy the view, after all.

❝...das ist kein Problem.❞

Once more speaking after taking a noticeable silence, Empyrean risked being mistaken just to see if his hearing was all right or not; but, if anything, his voice was almost even more comfortable speaking in his own mother tongue -- even if just for a moment. His expression set in a skeptical, disaffected look, he then crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby rock. The dry, grey colors of his gear went well with the stone, and he might have been able to blend in, if not for the fact that his uncovered left eye didn't seem to keep itself closed.

Despite the sun glare in his peripheral vision, Empyrean didn't feel that it would be within good will to pressure the girl into either walking away without saying anything she had to, or forcing her to keep herself quiet by speaking on his own accord. Evidently, however, the latter wasn't going to happen -- so he took the opportunity to softly break the silence on his own. The breeze was cold, but it wasn't swift, so in between the tug of the wind, he began to correct her.

❝I am a human, actually. If I had been out of your view until you belatedly noticed, I think that might be a result of the fact that the sun was glaring in your eyes, and that my equipment is not distinct against the scenery. Of which, I too was intent on seeing. If that was truly what you wanted to do, then I would not be displeased to do so at the same time.❞

For the spare few words he could have said what he needed to say with, he rather chose to be as basic as possible. As to avoid confusion and the like, he wanted to get his point across as properly as he could. His words, all throughout, showed that he did take care at the very least -- rather than any sort of gut-wrenching hostility. Or, perhaps it would be just as gut-wrenching to see someone talk so oddly. It all simply depended on one's view of things, and in this case would be dependent on that girl and her thoughts.

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
502

♪♫♪:
Enjoy The Silence

✏:
Keiner

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

For a brief second, Capsule's eyes widened in disbelief as the man responded to her apology in her native tongue. This was highly unexpected, when the server they were on was largely intended for Brits. Her stay in this world was, admittedly, a short one, but this was her first time bumping into someone who was bilingual and (seemingly) fluent in her tongue. Capsule was used to being one of those foreign weirdos who hopped onto the "wrong" servers, and there were rare occasions where she encountered another German / German speaker.

It was, in essence, a moment of Heimat - a concept that stood in stark contrast to social alienation. It meant that she would always be "home," as long as she held some sort of ties to Germany, even if it was something as simple as language. Regardless of this man being a native or not, the connection they shared via the German language was helpful. 'You aren't alone, after all.' Her lips puckered and turned inwards, twisting awkwardly to the side. Smiling was not an easy affair for her, especially not when she found herself in these sort of predicaments.

The Grey wore a different expression from her shy one. For a moment, she almost lost sight of the chameleon, now blending in with a nearby rock. If he was angry at her choice of words, he did not show it. Instead, she was given a brief dose of the silent treatment, which the redhead did not mind. Silence was much sought after when you spent too much time in the city, around the boisterous and drunks.

The silence was broken by the Grey, who did not alter their odd way of speaking. She bit down on the inside of her lip, to suppress a giggle when he asserted that he was human. It was kind of cute, but she sure as hell wasn't going to tell him that. Nor did she feel comfortable in explaining that "odd duck" was not meant to be taken literally. That would just lead to her calling him a weirdo. There was some tact to have by remaining silent, at least.

"Ah, yeah. That was it." She ran a hand through her red locks. "I was dazzled by the sun, and I wasn't expecting anyone else to be up here, heh…" A flash of white timidly shown between her lips. It was as close to a natural smile as Capsule could get right now. "I wouldn't mind the company, either." What was she going to do? Tell him to shove off, when he'd found this spot first?

Perhaps a little too stiffly, Capsule carefully picked her way around the clifftop and Mr. Grey, to stand closer to the edge. She wondered how diminished her health bar would be if she were to fall and survive it. A fall from this height would either leave her with little health, or none at all. The jagged rocks below ensured that. And would it hurt? Probably.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

[googlefont="Oxygen:400"][googlefont="Raleway:400,700"]

Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. red in the grey | 586 | Capsule this song name tho

His character could see better than he could, before. Rather, it would be fairer to say that this updated body of his was more effective than it was previously. It was a habit he had made a while earlier to accept this world as a new reality with its own rules, instead of considering it something like a game.

The result was him taking notice of the girl's attempt at hiding her true opinion on his words. Was what he said really laughable? He knew that -- comparing it to a standard person's manner of speaking -- it might seem a bit absurd, but even so, he was mildly surprised to see someone react like that.

There was a lot he could tell from body language, and hers didn't stop there. Empyrean measured the levity of each action and decided that, despite a somewhat shaky start, she might actually not be bad company. The smile, while as awkward as the situation might have normally implied, seemed a genuine one to him. He tried his best to return it, but with how bad he was at it, he simply ended up with a slightly raised upper right lip, the sort of look that would imply discomfort. In other words, a very faint sneer, but it might have made sense to consider context and realize it was an attempt at answering her own gesture.

After she started moving, Empyrean momentarily tensed up, but it wasn't quite visible through all the gear he was wearing. He went a bit stiff the closer she came near, but as he didn't feel that she was someone to be wary of -- he simply squinted with the one eye that could be see. Going around him? It made him imagine she was somewhat fearful, but he wouldn't comment on it.

Still sticking to his wall, he -- just slightly, mind you -- felt as if he should follow her. The tug of human nature made him want to keep up and not be left behind, just a little. It was enough to push him off the rocks and get him trudging up with her. He had said he wouldn't dislike her company. That was more than enough to make him feel as if he should actually live up to those words.

As he did so, he casually slipped open a pouch on his side, having woken up with this item in his inventory. He didn't have a use for it, but regardless, he felt that the situation would become better if he handed it off to her, which he attempted to do after stepping to her side and holding the can over to her with a single hand. Dangling from his fingers, the anachronistic piece of metal could be considered his offering of peace, as it were. He spoke in a way that, despite not being too dissimilar from before, was a bit more light. Perhaps it was the effect of being on the precipice of a cliff, a gorgeous view laid in front of them, and his attempt at a less disaffected expression slowly becoming a simple passive one.

❝I thought that it was unlikely that I would meet with someone this far away from the majority of the population at the moment, but I do not find it unpleasant at the moment. I also thought that I might have needed this if I became parched, but I do not think its taste would be personally enjoyable. I think you might like it, however. Would you?❞

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
523

♪♫♪:
Wait (instrumental)

✏:
kek

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

Before moving over to the cliff side, Capsule caught one final look on the man's face. Much like the rest of him, it was odd. Maybe it was all in her head, but she could have sworn it looked like he was trying to force a smile. Either that, or the Grey smelled something foul. Everything the man did was odd to her, and made her wonder if he was as awkward a socializer as she. Then again, Capsule was often too awkward to tell what was normal and what wasn't.

Now, with her eyes trained upon the sharp rocks below, Capsule entertained the idea of Mr. Grey adapting the role of the villain. Perhaps he'd like the view all to his own, and would fancy shoving her over the edge. True, she could slow her descent with Nightmare Spear, but who was to say that he would not go through the trouble to finish her off? An impaled woman could not do much by way of defense, so if he desired to observe like Vlad the Impaler, then… 'No one is around. It would be so easy…' The redhead was surprisingly morbid to some, and she was inclined to agree with those sentiments.

Her body tensed ever so slightly as she heard the man stirring softly behind her. Here it comes -- here comes the well placed palm in the small of her back, to push her down and send her tumbling to her death. She closed her eyes and waited, her entire body taut like a spring. The second she felt the shove, she would throw her arms out, like a foolish human attempting flight --

"Eh?!" Something cool rushed past her cheek, prompting her to open her eyes and turn her head. What she saw startled her. He was offering her not an easy way out, but a can of soda -- a can of Saber Soda, to be exact. Completely thrown off her guard by this gesture, Capsule took the can without a word. Strange though he might seem, Mr. Grey was at least polite.

"Oh, ehehe…" This time, she gave him a smile that was more relaxed in nature, displaying her set of teeth for that perfect Kodak moment. "I like coming out here to be alone. You can't see the stars in the city…" She almost went on to describe the amount of light pollution that blocked the stars, but had already spoken too much. "Thank you. I'm sure it'll be enjoyable."

The description of the soda made her a tad skeptical, though it boast zero calories, no artificial flavors, and no preservatives. There was a soft chik! as she opened the can. A pleasant scent radiated from the open container and the small spray of ensuing mist. She brought the can to her lips and took a cautious sip. It wasn't anything spectacular, but she couldn't say she hated it. It was flavorful and left a tingling sensation in her mouth. "It's not half bad. You sure you don't want some?" Unabashed, she offered the can to the man. There weren't germs in virtual worlds, right?

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

[googlefont="Oxygen:400"][googlefont="Raleway:400,700"]

Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. red in the grey | 950 | Capsule let's feast friend

In stark contrast to her almost erratic movements, Empyrean's own presence was borderline lethargic in comparison. In reality, he was just a bit stiff, and gave as much thought to his actions as his words, which was why he might have seemed slow to others in that regard. Despite that, he couldn't help but sigh in relief when she took it.

He would have felt severely embarrassed if she had decided to disregard it or reject it, his best attempt at being social having failed just then. Luckily enough for him, it didn't. He went on to stand next to her -- arms length, that is. He wasn't going to get too close, and while she drank -- or at least, while he hoped she drank -- he simply stared at the horizon, every so often glancing at her.

It was during the first of these glances that he saw her smile. It wasn't like before. A full one, this time. In all honesty, he might have had a minor heart palpatation just then, but he wasn't sure. He returned her smile with silence and a look of surprise, his grey eye widening for a moment. Then his shoulders relaxed, and so did his expression. He stayed silent until she finished all she had to say, and then spent a few seconds mulling her words over in his head.

❝Considering the difference in atmosphere here, compared to the one I believe we both have come from, then I would have to refute the idea that you would not be able to see stars in the city. I think it would be entirely possible to see those lights in the sky from there.❞ His tone, like with before, sounded mildly judgmental. More due to his word choice, it sounded as if he was arguing seriously, despite his leveled voice. But, he followed it up with something much more honest -- a different vein of honesty from before. ❝However, I believe that it would far less gratifying with how many people would be around there, just as this view would -- more than likely -- be ruined, if there were any more people to mar it.❞

An indirect compliment. Though he didn't realize it himself, he was saying that he was glad to just be alone here with the exception of the girl at his side. That's something he likely should have added onto what he said, but he felt that he had already spoken a bit too much for his own comfort. It was little more than needless anxiety about saying more than he should, but it was enough to make him shut up for a second.

It was in that quietus that he realized he almost entirely forgot about the last thing she had said -- only brought back to mind by another quick glance at her, and subsequently the anachronistic piece of metal held within her hands. With a few blinks and a short squint at her eyes, he stepped a bit closer to her, took his hand out of his left pocket, and gently grabbed it with the tips of his fingers.

If only for standard caution, he shook it a bit and sniffed the rim just barely before actually taking a sip of his own, having been wondering whether or not she had poisoned it. Of course, that wasn't likely, but it was still a possibility -- and that fact was enough to bypass whatever faith he had in this stranger. Whatever faith he had in anyone, really.

Following up on his expectations, it tasted good. He had shaken it to gauge how much was left, and made sure only to sip just as much as she had. Sharing was about equality, after all. When he had swallowed it, he turned his head towards her, something that he hadn't done much of since they'd met -- he personally preferred keeping a straight-looking face, and using his eyes to watch instead of following every motion through moving his neck. This time, he spoke with just a hint of familiarity.

❝Half-bad would still mean it is partially bad.❞ He moved his right hand over his mouth when he said this, the first knuckle of his forefinger covering his upper lip. It was a natural thing for him to touch his own face in places at times, especially when he spoke. This time, he did so unconsciously, to hide the small smirk on the right side of his face, which had stemmed from him wanting to see if he could get the same reaction out of her as before. ❝My desire to not drink it came from something other than taste -- though that was still a part of it. I felt that, considering how there are a spare few food items with taste, I should get used to that as soon as I can. Drinking something so flavorful would have ruined that. I suppose that I can simply restart soon enough. Which also reminds me of something else; do you feel particularly hungry? I was saving this drink for later, but the only food I have can not be preserved properly.❞

That said, Empyrean pushed his cloak out of the way and opened a buttoned pouch on his side, which housed a metal tin the size of two fists. As he popped open the cover with a single hand, he showed the inside to the girl, casually staring at her face to see what she would think. After all, it was a bit odd to see something like this in a setting so far removed from the usual. "This," of course, referred to the waffles that he had come across during a quick gamble, complete in their fluffy glory.

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
640

♪♫♪:
So Close

✏:
nawp

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

The man's actions and words were doing little to convince Capsule that he was anything other than strange. She was slowly warming up to the idea that the man behind the avatar was just as awkward as she... or maybe, just maybe, he was inexperienced with dealing with women. Would it be different, if she were a fellow male? It was also possible that she was simply misunderstanding the situation. Her gut instinct refused to believe otherwise, however, else she would not continue down this trail of doubt.

'He's so contrary, too.' Everything she said drew a rebuke or defensive remark from him. Had Capsule been the argumentative sort, they might have gone their separate ways. There were other places to watch the sunset, and in more agreeable company -- like Fiver, or the other creatures and monsters that went bump in the night. A faint weariness sank into her shoulders and back. Socialization tended to have a negative impact on her energy, and spread quickly when confronted with confusing individuals.

"It was an idiom. They aren't meant to be taken seriously." Her tone was one of mild exasperation. Granted, Capsule was well aware of numerous idioms in different languages, courtesy of the people she played with online. '..is this how I sounded to my English chums?' It was a mutual exchange, really; the pig laced idioms of her people threw them off from time to time, and sparked several interesting conversations, all started from horribly embarrassing misinterpretations.

On her guard for other reasons than fear of being taken advantage of, Capsule recoiled slightly when he started explaining himself again. His words this time came off as less defensive, and more matter-of-factly. "O-oh. That makes sense." Caught off guard, she was unable to think of anything witty to back that up, or even something factual. Capsule had little fear of running out of tasteful food; wild fruits and vegetables still contained flavor, and while she possessed too little money to habitually purchase real food from vendors, sometimes she was able to exchange services with a Chef or Brewer.

At the mention of food, Capsule's stomach rumbled. She had eaten earlier, on her way from Londinium out into the wild. Unfortunately, that "meal" consisted solely of berries and some tubers a group of boars were fighting over. It was hardly a filling meal, but was enough to tide her over. Until now. "I am a bit peckish, now that you mention it." The lie caused her stomach to roar louder in defiance.

While the man reached for a pouch hugging his side, Capsule pressed one hand against her belly, silently berating it for being so noisy. 'Don’t get too excited! Whatever he has, it won't be enough to gorge yourself silly on.' It hadn't expressed this much enthusiasm over her finding her meager meal of the day, so why was it jumping the gun so soon now?

Like many, her stomach was not inclined to remain quiet when it was craving sustenance, but the sight of the food item being offered to her silenced it. Capsule's eyes widened as she took in the absurd -- and delicious -- morsel before her. The fluffy waffles were not arranged into a stack, as they were oft advertised. No, these were in the form of a house, a breakfast alternative to the gingerbread houses her mother used to make for Christmas. Her lips puckered into a soft "o," a similar sound trickling its way out of her throat. "Can I? Can I really?" There was a childish awe radiating from her at the moment, and she did not care one lick if he thought her silly. Waffles! That was a thing she was not expecting to see, even in a fantasy world, nor had she thought she'd be able to afford such a delicacy.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

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Wahrheit gibt kurzen Bescheid, Luege macht viel Redens. grandloves | 602 | Capsule empyrean is dead and we killed him

All things considered, it could be said that his attempt at a joke had gone over the girl's head. Great. Just great, really. While he internally chastised himself for having said it, and moreover decided that he wouldn't try to get a reaction out of her again, she twisted the knife already within his (mental) gut by replying in a manner just as literal as he was.

It didn't last; the humble moments of peace beforehand, or the exasperation that came from a bad joke. If that was meant to be a good thing, Empyrean wasn't quite sure, but he felt so troubled at the moment that he couldn't help but momentarily cover the bottom half of his face with his hand. He did that a lot when he was nervous and couldn't exactly express it through his words or expressions.

However, likely due to what he had already been offering, the atmosphere surrounding the both of them quickly shifted once she realized what he had been attempting to hand off to her. He himself was quite amazed to see such a vibrant reaction, and was momentarily too stunned to even reply to her question if she could. Then, after moving his hand from his face to the back of his neck, he looked down at her and nodded, his voice just as quaint.

❝Sure.❞

He nearly made to toss the damn tin at her, even bringing it down to his hips and almost flicking his arm up in a casual throw, but the ensuing mental image of him missing her entirely, or her catching it in a loose grip and fumbling it, and a medley of other situations gone wrong made him freeze on the spot.

Instead of handing it to her, as well, he just stood there and stared at the ground for a moment, with a face that made it look like he was crunching numbers or some other form of stressing mental activity. In reality, he was just berating himself for making a motion like he was going to do something, and then not following it through all the way. He truly despised that, as it was almost tantamount to hypocrisy in his own mind.

After crushing the bridge of his nose between the thumb and forefinger of his free hand, Empyrean raised his head to look at the girl, before opening his mouth as if he was going to say something. But he didn't. He was going to say "Sure," without realizing that he had already said it. He once more reprimanded his own actions, only partially followed-through.

This time, he did what he meant to do, without hesitation. Stepping down from where he was, he stood stiffly next to the girl, and pressed the opened tin into her hands, staring at her face with eyes (eye?) that were just slightly wider than normal. He realized then that she was, in fact, taller than him.

Why did he choose to focus on that? He couldn't really say for sure, but it was enough to take his mind off the matters at hand while he slumped on a rock. The tough seat stung at his backside, but he was wearing enough layers to the point where it didn't really hurt. Not a lot of things could hurt him, quite frankly. He had long ago decided to work towards being a person who could act as an agent of truth. His mind wasn't one that balked easily. It was a veritable fortress of mental fortitude. The only enemy that could hurt this target no one could see was himself.

OWL

[Capsule]

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∝:
524

♪♫♪:
Aruarian Dance (Homework Edit)

✏:
---

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

There was a moment where the man said nothing, and Capsule was forced to wait with bated breath. Waffles, and none of that frozen waffle nonsense, either - real waffles. Her mother usually made them from scratch, the best way to prepare a waffle. Sometimes they were even topped with fruit, like strawberries, bananas, or blueberries, but those were rare, seasonal treats. The breakfast item was more than just food to Capsule -- it was a reminder of home and family, and seeing them made her almost long to be home again. 'Too bad the real world sucks.' Almost as much as pancakes.

Watching the man struggle to hand over the tin was interesting, no matter how impatient her stomach was becoming. It exacerbated his awkwardness, and somewhat amused Capsule. Perfect. At one point, he hinted at tossing the tin towards her from his hip, which was worrisome; Capsule was afraid she would miss and drop the delicacy onto the ground if he did so. It was far too risky a move, and one did not simply drop waffles. …Good grief, it was a good thing the Grey could not read her thoughts right now; she sounded like a Belgian waffle enthusiast.

The fumbling came to another pause, this time with the man briefly staring at the ground, before reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Capsule avoided pointing out his oddness; what if he decided to just keep the waffles to himself? She stared blankly at him as he stepped down and drew closer. Finally, after what felt like decades, the tin of waffles was passed over to her. "Vielen Dank~." Her voice faltered slightly when she made contact with that solitary, widened eye.

Capsule blushed and looked away. The tin was carefully cradled in one hand, as she searched for an appropriate seat in this rocky landscape. A smoother rock near the Grey's was what immediately caught her eye, and without sparing another glance at the man, she sat. Her staff was neatly placed on the ground beside her, for lack of a better resting place. "I suppose you don't have any syrup?" Her voice quavered nervously as she attempted a joke. "Mother used to substitute syrup with fruit or preserves if we happened to be out. It was surprisingly good."

There was a small fork in the tin for the waffles. Capsule was glad to have it, since she did not fancy tearing into the food like a rabid animal. "Dry waffles are fine too, though." With one side of the substandard fork, Capsule sliced through a corner of the waffle house. The small chunk was speared through, and raised to her mouth.

Her taste buds were thrown into a state of confusion from the clashing aftertaste of soda, and the lack of flavored coating on the waffle. Not having syrup or another alternative was a nuisance, but she was in no position to complain right now. "Mm, it's good," the redhead exclaimed, after swallowing her little morsel. With a meek grin, she offered the waffle house to the man. "Try it for yourself."

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

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[attr="class","container"]Empyrean looked away. For what purpose, he couldn't really say -- though it was likely due to the fact that, despite what she may have thought, looking the girl in the eyes was intimidating on her part. Most likely due to Empyrean's self-awareness, he found himself wondering what she might have thought about how awkward he might seem -- and that left him, quite frankly, feeling bad about having made those few, minor mistakes.

If they could even be called that.

He himself thought it was atrocious on his part to have acted somewhat irrationally. He would much rather sit and deliberate over what kind of actions he should take, instead of actually taking a risk and doing something. It was unsavory, and having made a fumble just a few moments ago, he wasn't feeling up to talking much. He sat quietly, looking over at the girl when she spoke, and shook his head when she asked him for a condiment.

Empyrean found it somewhat odd that she was going into details about her life with her parents, however. Did she expect him to do the same? There wasn't much to say. So he didn't say anything at all, opting instead to simply stare at her as a sign of recognition.

When she did happen to offer him a part of the food for his own eating, he couldn't help but do a double take -- first at the tin, and then at the girl herself. His eye squinted just slightly, and his mouth stood just a tad agape. Were it not for the scarf-like wrapping around his neck, she could see him swallow, as if he were imagining its taste.

For a few moments, his eyes darted from the food to the forest, and it seemed like he was planning an escape route of sorts. But that was not the case -- even after he stood up, leaving this girl all alone with her waffles was not his intent.

❝I will return.❞

He made that clear in a firm voice, looking directly at her, before turning on his heels and jumping down the side of the hill. It was a bit steep, so using his acrobatic prowess here was quite handy, really. He got to the bottom, and dashed towards the forest, hoping that his guess was right. It would have to be, despite the weather, otherwise he might commit seppuku right then and there after realizing that he was severely mistaken -- but, he was not.

Right -- there it was, up a tree, made out of...whatever. A beehive. Inside it would be dozens, hundreds of bees. And honey, which is what Empyrean had come here for. He didn't waste a second. With a sound, his sword was pulled off of his back and out of its sheath. He tossed the scabbard onto the ground. Raising his weapon, he took a running start, leapt, and slashed--

And, off in the distance, he could have sworn that he heard a certain piece of music playing.

Honeycombs fell over his head, and the bees that were released swarmed him immediately. Luckily for him, he was covered in enough layers to make a skier jealous. His face was completely wrapped up at this point, save for his eyes, which were safe due to the fact that, whilst he was picking up the honeycombs off the ground and as they fell through the air, he was also batting the bees away with his hand.

His sword did no damage, but it kept them all away. And then he began to run. He didn't bother grabbing his sheath, it would return to him someday. For now, he ran with all his strength. It seemed that he caught another lucky break while he ran -- the cold was too much for the bees, all of which fell to the ground and died. He wondered if he would get experience for that.

In any case, he soon returned to the girl, and though he was breathing heavily, his right arm carried goods. He took a seat on the spot he was at before, and then tore off a piece of his clothes to make a sort of plate. Dumping the honeycombs on there, Empyrean stared at them with a new sense of accomplishment, and he looked up at the girl for approval. His voice, though kept at a moderate tone, had an wondrous feel to it, more as if he was asking a friend than if he were acting the part of an inquisitor.

❝I think this can act as a substitute for syrup. Do you still have that waffle left? I think I would like to have some, now.❞

HP100% | MP100% | flight of the bumblebees

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[Capsule]

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∝:
609

♪♫♪:
Shift Al Mani

✏:
---

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

Capsule did not know why she chose to divulge details about her personal life with this stranger. Starting some form of a banter between them was not her intention, but she did feel somewhat guilty about scolding him earlier. Another part of it was simply her wanting to break up the awkward silence that hung in the air. Was that not what the social butterflies did, when there was a lull in the conversation? Capsule was more the sort to be content with the quietness and enjoy the beauty of the world around her, but that was not so easy to do when you were sitting with a strange man.

A stare was just as good as any response, however. It did not inspire her to talk more (and really, what would she go on about? How her mother smelled of flour?) either. She smiled nervously when her offer of the waffle house brought forth another reaction from the man. It was definitely more lively, and if she did not know better, Capsule would suspect the man was just as hungry… had he not continuously glanced from the food to the forest.

When he finally moved, Capsule tensed up in her seat, fully expecting him to lose his scheisse and go primal. The food would be scooped up, tossed onto the ground, and stomped until it was flattened into the ground. The man himself would strip his clothing and armor from his body, and fly into an apelike rage, further trampling the food in the process. Capsule would likely be scooped up and either held over the edge of the cliff like a baby lion, or carried up to the top of the tallest building tree.

None of that occurred, of course; it was too silly of a daydream, one that bespoke of too much television in her youth. Capsule nodded dumbly as the man stated that he would return. She watched in stunned silence as he disappeared into the forest. Did he suddenly have to take a leak or something? Or… "Ew." No, not at all.

She stared down at her waffles, her appetite temporarily dissipated. From between her feet, she heard Fiver whispering. «Let's ditch him before he comes back.» The rabbit was twitching his nose in distaste.

Capsule shook her head in disagreement. No matter how strange the Grey was, she did not feel comfortable leaving him out to dry like this. It was rude and cowardly (even though she was a little), and he had shown her some kindness. It was only polite to wait -- as long as the period was reasonable. Until then, she would just enjoy the sunset and wait for her appetite to return.

Time ticked by, and the waffles were covered to prolong their heat and keep floating debris at bay. As it turned out, she did not have too long to wait. Fiver stirred first, having heard the man returning with his keen sense of hearing, and Capsule turned back to the forest entrance. What she saw threw her off guard.

Looking as if he had just ran a marathon, the man approached, one arm laden with what could only be honeycombs. Did he just…? Confused though she was, Capsule was pleased as punch. "Honey! How - I mean thanks!" And here she was, ready to endure a meal of dry waffles. The Grey was one resourceful duck. "Yeah. I haven't eaten much. I was waiting for you-." She stopped and blushed. That sounded wrong somehow. "I uh… Here." The tin of waffles was held out to its original owner. It was her turn to be the awkward one.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

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[attr="class","container"]Empyrean was red in the face. From ear to ear, a definite color had spread over his pale skin, and while it was easy to blame it on the fact that he had just ran all out for something close to half a mile, it could easily be misconstrued as something else. Probably, at least -- considering that his hands were shaking after having dumped the sweets onto the cloth, and that lines of sweat were running down his face like he was a car window in the rain, it might not have been so easy.

Regardless of that, however, his expression was one of curiousness. With his lips just slightly pursed, his eyebrows raised, he watched the girl as she spoke, closing his mouth tightly to try and avoid expressing anything. Of course, given how he immediately turned his eye away from her and raised a hand to his mouth after she had said she was waiting for him, his reaction was just as understandable. Keeping his head turned away, he reached out with the hand that was formerly covering his face, and just for a moment, the girl might have been able to see a stifled, tiny smile. Nothing special.

The tin felt warm -- Empyrean realized that it was still retaining the heat of the girl's hand, and for a moment was surprised at how comforting it was. He blinked in wonder, then went on to realize it might just have been the waffles inside. He forced back a chuckle. What was he thinking about? That was just plain odd.

Regardless, he turned his head forward now, finally glanced at the girl as if to make sure she was still there to see him, and tore off a piece of the waffle. His honey-covered fingers made sure that, even before he grabbed a comb with his other hand, the bite he took was sweet, despite the fact that the moment he crunched down on the food, he could have sworn he heard a flock of birds scramble out of the forest and into the air.

Empyrean was no connoisseur for food -- in fact, he could have done without it entirely, especially in this world where he didn't think it was quite necessary. But, he had to admit -- though he didn't say it out loud -- it tasted good. He blamed it, joking of course, on the fact that there was someone there to share it with.

After popping the honeycomb straight into his mouth, he once more looked up at the girl, particularly on her face. It wasn't the sort of face that really had any definition, but on the other hand, he imagined that her gender would be just as ambiguous from a distance as his own. For a few seconds, he stared, and then realized -- why had he even pegged her as a girl in the first place?

He naturally focused on her eyelashes for another few seconds while chewing on the honeycomb in his mouth, and decided that that must have been why. They were, on close inspection, thick and long enough that they were set apart from the androgynity that she had everywhere else. It took him another few seconds to break away from gazing at her, as he realized it might have been a tad too invasive of him to stare so closely like that.

However, the moment he turned his eyes away, the interface system of this new world popped up, and a text box floated in front of him. He turned back. It must have been sheer coincidence, but the box was placed right in front of the girl's face -- though Empyrean made no notice of that. He was more focused on the text.

It made mention of leveling up, or something to that effect. Empyrean decided to leave it be for the moment. He reached out with his hand, fingers sticking together because of how thick the honey globs were, and pressed the "delay" option for now. After the interface disappeared, however, he realized that he was now stretching his hand out to the girl, and it could have easily been mistaken for him having offered her to lick honey off his fingers, or something to that effect. Empyrean was too shocked at the image in his head to even make a move.

[attr="class","info"]HP100% | MP100% | n/a

[attr="class","info"]WC722 | vaka

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[Capsule]

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∝:
476

♪♫♪:
Alone With You

✏:
Keiner

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

Was that… Was he smiling, or was it a trick of the light? Capsule caught herself staring at the man, head turned away as she handed the tin to him. It was so brief and so slight; who was to say she had not imagined it? Regardless of whether it was real or not, her innards decided to twist themselves into a nervous knot. Where were her meddling parents or brothers to burst into and ruin this moment? Hell, she would even except a rascally rabbit or slippery squirrel.

When the man looked up from the waffles to her, Capsule quickly averted her eyes to avoid being caught staring. After a moment of pretending that she had not been watching the man's mannerisms, Capsule oh so casually shifted her eyes back. She only wanted to see how he liked the waffles. They were good, but the honey would definitely improve upon their taste. Her own tongue massaged the corners of her lips, eyes blatantly narrowing in on the honey lingering on the man's fingers and waffles. Honey was not a waffle topping she had had the grace of testing; it was usually a sweetener for her tea, and not much else.

Fiver stiffened and gently nuzzled her leg. His mistress and the male creature might not have noticed or cared (Capsule would have only attributed the disturbance to Adventurers making a racket while fighting a monster), he was well aware that something was amiss. The rabbit threw his forepaws up in exasperation as he was nudged aside. «Humans and their honey.» Forever doomed to have his predictions ignored, Fiver hastily began scratching out a rough hidey hole for the trial to come.

Eyes locked on the trails of honey lining down the man's fingers, Capsule could only watch in slow motion as he reached out towards her. Her desire for a taste of the honeyed waffles grew took priority over her other thoughts. For the next few moments, the tip of her tongue ran from one side of her top lip to the other, and her mind did not realize what was going until the man's fingers were just in range--.

As if accidentally gazing upon Medusa herself, Capsule's body froze. She was unable to move, to even cry out "no" or turn her head to hide her shame. Just how hard was she staring, and did he really mean for her to do such a lewd thing?! She didn't even know his name! N-not that it would make any difference. Internally, Capsule was screaming, but externally, her lips were partly open, tongue barely hidden between a row of teeth and her lower lip.

She couldn't move.

Thankfully, a distraction was in the works, but not the sort she would be happy to see. It was low, but a distinct rumbling was emanating from the woods.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

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[attr="class","container"]Empyrean's face went from a shade of red, coupled with surprise, to a severe look of attentiveness in a matter of seconds. Maybe it was because he had gotten so used to the silence that he noticed when something was up, and that the situational awareness had come with this new body of his made his senses perk up at the slightest error, but he immediately threw away any predisposition of peace and quiet. Without any hesitation at all, he broke away from whatever warm moment he and the girl were having -- as awkward as it might have been -- and faced towards whatever was giving him this feeling of foreboding.

It might have surprised the girl, but Empyrean wasn't worried about that at the moment. He stood up with clear intent to fight -- as he rose, he bit down on the glove that covered his honeyed hand, while at the same time pulling his sword from the ground. Tearing it off and wiping his palms clean of the slush, he scraped whatever he couldn't properly rub away onto the sharp rocks behind him. The entire time, he was staring down the treeline of the forest with intensity in his eyes, the both of which could easily be seen, now that he was facing towards where the wind was coming from.

All in all -- he was serious. Overt criticality had always been a part of who he was, and how he came off to others, but while it had been diluted for the few moments he and the girl had come somewhat close to becoming acquaintances, it came back in full the moment he sensed something was wrong, and then some.

It was further amplified by how, unlike before, his lips were parted, just enough to see that his teeth were grit. He breathed out smoothly before lowering his sword to his right side, hands gripping it closely together. It was the most natural feeling to position himself in. He had a handful of knowledge on how to operate with melee weapons, but it certainly wouldn't be enough to compensate for his low level at the moment.

Even so, he had to be ready. Still staring down the forest with unnaturally stern look, he watched as a handful of more birds flew from the branches and into the sky. It was going to come. It was coming. It came.

The way it ran wasn't what most people would expect -- it looked as if it was bouncing. But that was to be expected. After all, it was a huge bear. The size was reminiscent of a kodiak, but it clearly was something greater, designated with some sort of higher authority by the system of rules that this world had. Speeding towards them, there was roughly just under half a minute before it climbed the hill and reached them.

Empyrean spoke with a voice that further emphasized just how primed he was for this moment, his words suiting the tone to a T.

❝Use whatever you can to increase my capabilities. I do not mind if you consider it to be weak. Just do so, as soon as you can.❞

[attr="class","info"]HP100% | MP100% | n/a

[attr="class","info"]WC527 | California Über Alles | IS A BURR

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[Capsule]

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∝:
649

♪♫♪:
Good Time

✏:
---

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

Capsule's internal screaming segued into internal sobs of joy as something else caught the man's attention. The brief shade of red on his face almost killed her beforehand, though. It was a shared moment of "oh snap, this is awkward," and would have gotten worse, had the blessing in disguise not interrupted. Capsule hoped that whatever held the man's attention now would continue to do until the unfortunate moment passed. Maybe he would even forget the fact that Capsule had gazed at his honeyed fingers with hungry eyes.

Relieved, but feeling confused as well, Capsule watched as the man abandoned his tasty morsel to rip off a glove and equip his sword. Oooooh boy. Something was about to go down, wasn't it? Capsule glanced down at little Fiver, who was currently buried up to his shoulders in dirt. A small discarded pile was resting near her left foot. Was he planning an escape route this entire time? It dawned on her that this was why the rabbit was hassling her a few minutes ago. He was good at recognizing potential threats and mishaps, a quality that was usually all for naught.

When the second flock of birds appeared, her stomach sank. Her earlier prediction of Adventurers being Adventures may not have been exactly accurate, after all. Something else was spooking the bird. Rationally, she had to assume that it was a monster or animal of sorts -- one that was headed straight for them, apparently. Both the Grey and Fiver were expecting it to strike in this direction, hence the preparations. Her role would be an easy one, at least; all she had to do was keep the man buffed and the monster debuffed. Still…

It would be a real darn shame if those waffles got cold, or worse -- ruined during the scuffle with the beast. A real darn shame. Oh so casually, Capsule reached out and snatched up the tin of waffles, along with a honeycomb. While Fiver continued to dig, and the Grey stared sternly into the distance, the Enchanter crushed the little comb and drizzled it onto the remnants of the waffles. She could "fight" and eat at the same time with no problem. Sometimes, during raids or whatever (before this video game became a reality), she would stuff her face full of chips or other unhealthy snack foods. It was pretty easy, since she only needed one hand.

A bit of honey found its way down her chin when she bit into a honeyed waffle. Maybe it was the hunger or lack of a decent meal since she logged into this game, but honey on waffles was scrumdiddlyumptious. '…And now I want chocolate. Frick!' Oh, to be Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka's factory right now. Her mouth watered more than Augustus Gloop, the overweight glutton (ironically from her own country, no less), who tried and failed to gorge himself on the Chocolate Room's chocolate river. 'One day, Cap, one day.'

Oh, what she would not do for that day, for it would be in the future and ideally a safer place, where an angry bear was not rushing at them. Capsule almost choked on her mouthful of waffles, more from hysterical than outright fear. Oh, how fitting that a bear would appear while she was reminiscing about books from her childhood. This beast was a far cry from the sweet and gentle little Winnie the Pooh, however. 'Oh bother!'

Capsule swallowed her load, to prevent further choking and allow the ability to speak without sending chunks of food every which and where. "You got it, hoss." She grabbed her staff with her clean hand, and casted Keen Edge on the man. "I can't do much right now, but that basically doubles your attack damage." Well, not really for higher levels, but low leveled weapons were so cheap and cruddy that it might as well.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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[Empyrean]

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[attr="class","container"]As much as Empyrean would disapprove of himself going through food supplies while on the verge of being attacked, that was only insofar as if it was him himself -- other people he could let it go, and especially considering that having the girl behind him being somewhat displaced and distracted was actually beneficial on his part, he didn't make any negative comments on it. In fact, he spoke up in a surprisingly smooth -- but still overall serious -- voice, despite the situation.

❝Take all the food you can carry. I do not need it. However, I would like it if you would stand, as well as take a few steps back. Do not cast anything onto the bear; it would mark you as a target.❞

Without breaking his direct line of sight on the oncoming opponent, Empyrean directed the girl, who would hopefully do as he advised. It made sense, after all -- even in game, Samurai-classed characters were the ones who did the frontline fighting, and tanking. He hadn't taken the time to look up what she was, as he felt that was an invasion of her personal privacy, something that everyone should be allowed in the game.

However, he reasoned from the staff and the use of her spell -- Keen Edge, apparently -- that she had to be classed as an Enchanter. He also noted the tattoo on her tongue when she was eating, and as a result he couldn't help but mark her down as a Half-Alv. There were a lot of things one could notice if they simply kept quiet and watched. Empyrean was a natural observer, and he was quite well aware of that.

It was, in fact, the reason why he was so ridiculously tense at the moment, as well as being fully prepared (though it was technically more of a, "as prepared as one could get given the situation"). Situational awareness was something he had built up as his best form of defense. Whether it was for keeping himself safe when he was walking home late at night, or to just stretch his senses as far as they would spread, he felt that it was only proper to keep oneself at mildly alert at all times.

Seemed to be useful, now. He surmised that, if the creature headed towards them received some sort of movement debuff from climbing a hill, or even just had difficulties climbing it at all, it would be slowed a fair amount, the inertia being somewhat nullified. He revised his calculation of a few seconds into about half a minute. Of which, he and the girl had already spent about half of simply talking. There wasn't a lot of time left to spare. Empyrean asked, as curt as one could ask for, and with an odd sense of finality to it--

❝Is that all you can do?❞

He meant no ill will behind it, or even mockery at all, and it was evidently quite a genuine question, considering both his dead serious manner of speaking and his believability up until now. Regardless, it seemed like answering his question would end things here.

[attr="class","info"]HP100% | MP100% | n/a

[attr="class","info"]WC520 | brenninstein (blanck mass remix)

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[Capsule]

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∝:
405

♪♫♪:
Who We Are

✏:
---

@:
Empyrean

[attr="class","scrotum"]

The Enchanter blinked as the man gave her permission to take the rest of the waffles. If she was expected to feign disagreement and try to offer him his fair share of the waffles, as people sometimes did on the telly, she did not bother. Besides, they had greater things to worry about -- like the bear making its way uphill, walking fast, honey bound. "…All right." She sure as hell was not going to argue with him about standing back and not doing anything to the bear.

The Grey did not strike her as an Assassin or even a Swashbuckler, and his armor was not bulky like a Guardian, nor did Monks use swords. She could only guess Samurai, since he resembled more of a goth ninja. Samurai were tanks and frontline fighters, so her taking the aggro from the bear would just be disastrous, especially since she was a squishier class. With that in mind, the Enchanter stood up and shuffled a few steps back, staff still clenched in one hand, the tin of waffles in the other. If it came down to it, she would run if necessary.

Capsule paused, head lowered to bite into a waffle, when the man fired another question in her direction. She licked her lip, somewhat impatiently. Waffles should be eaten like ramen, as far as she was concerned. The Asian noodles were made to be eaten alone, else the temperature of the broth would chill whilst one wasted valuable time chatting in a social setting. "At this level? Yes. Most of my skill set right now is devoted to impeding the enemy. I cannot provide much in the way of buffs until later levels." Karma Drive would be very useful to have right now, as would Magi Howling or Cast On Beat.

When she thought about it, there was not much for her to do by way of support, if she could not target the bear. Her true potential as an Enchanter would not reveal itself until she had access to tier two skills, where the game changers lied. "…sorry I can't be of much use to you," she muttered. Despondency hid behind a show of indifference. Dissociating from her problems or the situation sometimes made her feel better in the moment, though the feelings of self-deprecation would flood back in at a later time, notably when it was quiet and she was trying to rest.

coded by benetnasch of ET

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