That Cuts Deep, Man

    Uta would get a message when she woke up that would be from Xander asking her to join her on the bridge with exact directions on how to get there. Thankfully it was fairly easy.

Just step outside of the gate and head directly west!

    There on the bridge, on this cloudy day, is the dark scaled, skinned Salamander was running through a few sword techniques with a shield on his right arm. His foot work was quick, but steady with each swing, thrust, and jab.

The only mistake in his footwork is his tail, which he nearly clipped with the edge of the blade as he did a quick blade twirl. Tsking at that near mistake, he steps back and starts the motions over again.

    The frantic, careless clacking of shoes on cobblestone announces the imminent arrival of someone who, based on a Sherlock-Holmes-esque deductive process, can be inferred as 1) having no idea whatsoaver about stealth. 2) being in a hurry. 3) currently wearing shoes.

    "Sorry I'm late Xander! I... I'm still getting used to the messaging system, and I didn't think to check earlier, and even if I did- well, I was held up by a thing. A very... very important thing. Really. I am not making this up because I just forgot. Nope." She stops on the spot, hunches over, and takes some time to catch her breath. Not used to running, it seems.

    Xander looks over as he hears the shoes and grins to Uta, "Hey there!" He gives her a little wave and the grin turning into a warm smile. Though said, yes, if she was to inspect him he still have that horrible red name.

"Welcome to outside the city!" Xander says as he rests the flat of his sword on his shoulder. "Also known as, Xander being slightly cautious can the PK status has not gone away... and after folks figuring out we don't stay dead, well." He sighs, "I really don't want to end up in a twenty-four hour dead space."

    The Salamander tilts his head gently, "Anyways, I figure since people are getting more geared and out there, that I do what I promised. Show you the ropes of combat, the question is..."

He goes to inspect her, "What class did you choose... and if you're a guy in real life.." Raises a brow, ".. Why a girl?"

Uta , who was already almost caught with resuming a more regular oxygenation cycle (does this world even /have/ oxygen? Is it too modern a discovery for the general fantasy theme?), "I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS EVEN AN OPTION!", bursts out Uta, suddenly standing upright, extending her arms and spreading her fingers. "The generation system would ask all sorts of embarrassing questions involving gaming terms, giving explanations, and... you know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you are faced with a problem and you with a single, skillful move, you pass the buck to someone else and now you no longer have that problem? That's what I did. See, when you make this character, there's this option that, as I get it, basically means 'I don't care, game, you just pick something', and after the first two questions, something... yes, something about class. Was it Bard? Or Druid? I know it was short, and ended in 'd'....

    Good thing Xander does not have to rely on Uta for information: he will be able to inspect her and determine she's an Aerialist (Godhand/Bard), with the Doctor profession.

    "...anyway, after the questions about classes, I completely tuned out all the following ones, went off thinking of my own business, and mashed on the random button for everything!", her voice breaks down at this point. "Oh goodness what a terrible mistake!", she says, hands on her cheeks. "I've messed up big time, have I?" She says, looking down. "...c'mon, we're adults, I can take the blow. Admitting one's idiocy is the first step towards eradicating it, and it is important to assess just how huge our mess-up was." She breathes in, holds her breath a bit, and then exhales. "...Let's face it," she finally says, mustering all of her courage. "I must be the only guy you've ever met in your career who played with a female avatar. That's how dumb I am, right?"

Uta's full equipment is strapped to her back: staff shaped like a caduceus, the medical symbol: a white, straight pole, tapering to a point at a base, with a 'head' at the top from which two wings depart sideways. Two snakes coil around it, placed in a double helix. Its surface is white and glossy. Enamel? Ivory? Lacquer?

    Xander smirks gently as he listens to Uta's story, "Most guys won't say they are playing a girl, like most girls won't say they are playing a guy." He then taps the blade on his shoulder softly.

"Though I know on here are probably people who have more experience then I do. My first VR-MMO was Fragment Beta, so, I can only base how common or uncommon that is off that." He shrugs softly, "And forums."

    Xander then hrms. "Your class choices make you Physical and Magical, with the bard giving you some defense and raising your magical skills." He then looks at her staff on her back and hrms. "You'd be better off using your staff for defense to block physical attacks, while keeping your distance to cast spells for attacking, buffing, and debuffing."

The Salamander then walks back in front of Uta, before lowing his weapon down by his side. "Get all that?"

Uta frowns, "...I think I get the gist of it. I'm Physical and Magical. I am good at defense. Use stick for defense and as a miniature ten foot pole to prevent things from touching you. Cast spells. Don't tell people you're a guy." She shakes her head. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute right there. I got magic?!"

\     Xander nods his head, "You sure do!" He then points his sword out toward the water and seems to focus. The sword glows red around it, before he points it up in the air with a swing.

Above the water a flame appears and roars upward into a pillar of fire, before he swings the blade back down and it disappears.

    Xander then looks back over to Uta, "You can see what abilities you have in your character stats." He pulls up his own menu to show her where it is exactly. "Like me, I have access currently to fire, earth, and light. Though later, as I gain more experience, I can also access water and air. Since I am a Rune Knight, which is a Crusader and Sorcerer." He chuckles a little, "Though I use to call myself a Holy Knight for fun." He winks.

Xander then closes the menu, "As for you, you are an Orator, which is a Godhand and Bard." Then pauses, looks at her class again, "... Excuse me. Bard, Godhand. So, you are an Aerialist." He hrms gently. "... That actually means you have a higher defense score then I thought.."

It is easy to see the gears turning in his head as he tries to remember all the different stats. "Eh! To many class combinations to remember the exact stat alignments. But I do know that Bards are more defensive than Godhands."

Uta frowns, "...okay, you've lost me there. Aaaanyway." She reaches behind her back and pulls her staff. One foot is swiped backwards, and she assumes a pretty decent intense fighting stance. "How about this. I twirl the stick. I poke you to stay away. I somehow toss magick. Sounds like a plan?"

    Xander looks over to her, "Yeah. Sounds about right." His brows lower a little. "Look. I am only going to say this once, Uta." He then steps back and twirls the blade in his hand once more. "Things are moving quickly around here. People are learning they don't stay dead, but never see that as an excuse to be sloppy."

His eyes then narrow. "Sloppy won't get your far and if you want to be the best." He then sends her a duel invite. "You have to keep working hard at improving and don't ever let yourself become contint with where you are. There is /always/ room to improve!"

Xander then grins. "So, lets see what we both got!"

It appears that Xander delivered his first massive blow without even being aware of it. He can notice that as a result of his speech, Uta is shaken by a shiver... and her eyes go /dead/ for the first time since Xander met her. Her hands tremble slightly, imperceptibly. Muscles give small nervous twitches. "...I beg to differ," states Uta, quietly. "What is the point of improving, if that leads you to a life of perpetual dissatisfaction and disappointment? Is the improving aimed at itself, in a sort of post-modernist self-referential omphaloskepsis, or is it supposed to be in the service of a nobler goal, as the satisfaction of man?"

    Xander chuckles a little when Uta asks the questions, moving the duel request off and then just shakes his head, since she didn't accept it.

"If we don't approve ourselves, then we can't get better at what we do. If we don't get better at what we do, then we become stagnant. Stagnation leads to aloofness and no growth. No growth, well, you wouldn't have the marvels we have in the world."

Xander then shakes his head softly. "We improve ourselves, so we don't become stagnant and we can continue to grow as people. Teamwork is just as important as self-reliance, after all, if you constantly depended on everyone to do everything for you, you'd just become stagnant." He tilts his head, "You follow?"

    About that time he gets a whisper over his private chimlink, before he hrms softly. Then looks back to Uta. "Anyways, may have to save that duel for another day. Seems I am needed to help someone in the guild."

He shakes his head softly, "But seriously, don't accept second best. Always try to improve yourself. Be better. In the end, that is maybe all we have that keeps pushing us forward when there is nothing left."

Uta grumbles. "I follow, but I will have to have a proper philosophical battle over this. Possibly while we have a physical one at the same time."

    Xander dismisses his weapons and hms. "I don't like to talk while I fight. Nothing personal, but that isn't me. However, over something to drink or eat. Sure!"

Xander's brows furrow, glancing past the bridge's edge, toward the flowing water. "... or at least at one time anyways. Words... fail me sometimes." Then looks back to Uta, "Anyways. Stay safe alright. Things might get crazy, so, practice trying to use the magic system, along with maybe taking some quests that deal with some low level monsters."

He then goes to jog off, "Later Uta!"