An Invitation for Adventure

It is the middle of the night in Alne. While there is less activity, one certainly couldn't call it quiet. There is still the ever-present sound of people moving through the streets, the hum of low voices. It carries through the walls.

It is also enough to have masked the sound of someone sneaking in to Cyrus' room. It's quite possible that Mikage had simply tracked her pet lynx here, who is curled up at the end of the Snow Leopard's bed. The girl doesn't bother trying to wake either of them, and instead she settles herself on the floor of the room, closest to were a dimmed fire still flickers in the chamber.

It is likely a few hours later when Rama wakes, the lynx shifting the bed as he hops down to go curl up near Mikage on the floor. It is still night, but the girl clearly hadn't made any attempt to interrupt him. She rolls over, throwing her arm across the lynx, curling underneath her jacket, using it as a blanket.

Cyrus sleeps like a rock for the longest time. When Mikage makes her way inside, he doesn't even notice. It's not until the morning comes, and the light begins to stream in, that the man awakens. Grunting loudly, a hand over his eyes when the light continues to stream inside. Luckily, he's always been a bit of a morning person. It helps that he had a rigorous and well established routine since the real world days. And that hasn't really broken since.

The young man sits up, noting the cat is not longer stuck at the foot of his bed. "I don't know how you keep managing to find me." He murmurs to the feline, "You remind me of Miki, she always managed to find a way into my room too." He notes, and sits himself up against the backboard of the bed, and slides the sheets off of himself, revealing a set of simple sleepwear.

The youth steps out, rubbing his white hair and scratching behind his ear, yawning, stepping up towards the window and looking out. "... still stuck here." He mumbles, "Guess this dream isn't over yet." He remarks, and then turns to start heading to the door when he spots...

"WOAH!!" The youth jerks back, his arms flailing back a bit. He didn't expect to see someone else here in his room.

The sound of Cyrus' murmuring doesn't penetrate through Mikage's own sleep. It's rare that she actually finds rest inside the city limits, so it's one of the few opportunities she has to let her guard down completely and actually let herself sleep without keeping her ears open for trouble.

It isn't until he shouts in surprise that she gives a soft groan, lifting her head from her arms. Rama, on the other hand, gives more of a vocal protest. The lynx mowls at him, as if somehow he was the one at fault for waking up his master. You know, not as if she hadn't just snuck a night's sleep in his room.

"Shhh." Miki murmurs, "It's too early to be awake." She pulls her coat up over her eyes. "Close the curtains." She rolls over, making sure to keep herself facing away from the light outside.

Rama yowls again.

"I would if there were curtains in this place. But I am afraid that doesn't become a common thing for commoners for a while - at least in places like this." Cyrus murmurs, rubbing his hand over his face and walking to a corner of the room. A small basin of water sits on a small stool which he puts his hands into, and then splashes his face. Luckily, soap is a thing, which he uses to wash himself.

He's taking this remarkably casually. "Seems your cat has decided it permanently likes me. I guess it knows I am a cat person." He offers to her, as he splashes his face again, then grabs a rag and cleans off his face. "Bwaaah, this feels too realistic to just be a simulation." He grunts, before patting the basin.

"You want a turn at getting a splash of fresh water in your face and some soap? I promise it'll feel pretty good."

There is another groan from the sleeping girl. It's a sound of defiance at the coming of a new day in this world. Eventually, though, she just sighs and lays still. One by one, the girl stretches out her limbs, wiggling her toes and fingers. It's all very intentional, as if she were making sure they all still move the way that she is expecting.

Only then does she bother pulling the jacket away from her face, squinting into the morning light with a soft sigh. "One of these days, I'm going to get to bed at a reasonable hour..." She pushes herself up with one hand, reaching over to scratch at Rama's head with the other.

"Don't tell me you're going to toss your lot in with the folks who think we're all in some alternate dimension, or some copy of our minds, or something." She shifts to her feet, pressing herself upwards. The girl is barefoot, her boots set near to the fireplace.

She walks right up past him, taking a couple of hands full of water, splashing it over her face, then running her fingers into her hair in the process. "It does feel good, though."

"Don't know what the situation is. Not taking a guess. It doesn't matter. Right now, all there is, is this world." He answers Mikage, stepping away from the water and getting over to the bed again, in order to sit down and work on getting his sleep wear off, and put on his shirt. He could easily use the menu for this, but something just feels... better about putting it on manually. The cloth on his body, the feeling of doing things manually.

"It does feel good. There's a quite a few of people who've fallen to depression. They use the menus for everything. It's good to establish a routine. To keep doing things manually like this." He proceeds to change his pants out as well, expecting her to look away.

"What's got you coming to bed so late?" He asks her.

"Everyone seems to have their going theory." Mikage replies, taking a bit longer to make sure she fully washes her face and hands. She grabs for a towel to dry herself off, rubbing it over her face and hair before hanging it back up again.

When he begins changing clothes, she does have at least enough politeness to look away. She scoops a bowl of fresh water and lays it down on the ground for Rama. It gives her a reason to be occupied elsewhere. "They'll get over it." Miki pauses, "Well, at least most of them will." She stretches herself out again, bouncing on her toes to warm up her muscles.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's all about just making sure you continue to live your life. Even if your life is trapped in here." She walks over to look out the window, "Tell me when you're decent."

The question of what has had her out gives a shrug. "Hunting. Hoping that once someone figures out this whole food mess, maybe our friend Sassaral might be able to make something edible." She leans on the window sill. "Feel like everyone is trying to move forward, figure this world out, but I feel like I'm pretty much stuck knocking at the door, wih none of the skills to really be useful."

"I'm decent." He answers her, and gets up to start putting on his longcoat. The jingle-jangle of potion bottles making it rather obvious as he does so. Then, turning around, he gets to folding his sleepwear. "I'm going to need to find a better way of cleaning these on the long run." He rumbles, "Shame I didn't pick up the maid class. If I knew I was gonna be stuck here..." He remarks, before hiding a yawn behind the back of his hand.

"I believe there are rumors that the Scale Emblem Alliance is going to start its first assault on the First Floor Boss soon. If you are looking to get involved in that." He offers to her. "I'm avoiding that one personally. The Tower and me have a history." He explains, as he finishes folding his clothing and proceeds to fix the bedsheets, using a brush to wipe off the cat fur from the bed first, and then starts doing the same to his clothing.

The man is clearly very keen on keeping his clothing clean. Another type of brush is run through his hair, just to make sure there's no obvious snarls in it, before he turns to his tail and smoothes that out. "I've been thinking of leaving Alne and checking out some of the other kingdoms. A... roadtrip of sorts, I suppose." He proposes to her.

Despite the sounds of his various potion bottles, she is polite enough to keep looking out the window until he gives her that all clear. Only then does she glance sideways, looking at him. "I imagine it can't be that hard. Even without the maid skill, it's just soap and water." She has probably had to wash through her clothes a few times since getting stuck here.

She leans against the wall, watching him. "I hadn't heard. I only really have one friend in Scale Emblem, and he deosn't really talk to me about that sort of stuff." Mikage seems thoughtful about it. "I can't say that I'm not curious about what the floor bosses are like, but I'm also not looking for a quick trip to respawnville, either." Her brows draw together, thoughtful.

His explanation of his plans has her looking over at Rama, who has curled back up on the floor. "Ahh. Guess I'll have to find another babysitter for Rama, then. Or start taking him with me more." She reaches down, plucking up her jacket and throwing her arms through it. "Guess I won't see you around for a while, then."

"Well, yes. But it'd probably be easier to do the clothes-washing." He remarks. The youth continues to to straighten up the rest of his gear, kicking on his boots, then kneeling down and lacing them one loop at a time. "The floor bosses are hard as hell to defeat. They will slice you up without a second thought - if you blink at the wrong time." He explains. "The first succesful boss run was at - I believe level 10 - for the party involved. And right now, people are lower level than that." He notes. "Except for the folk really powerleveling."

He finishes lacing his boots and gets back up, glancing aside. "Why, are you sticking around Alne purely?" He asks. "I figured you might enjoy getting out of this region for a bit and travel. There's far better forests for you and the cat, and there's some interesting gathering places if I can convince Sassaral to come along." He offers to Mikage.

"Can't just stick around Alne all the time." He explains. "There's a world out there that needs exploring."

"Somehow, I don't think clothes washing is going to be the most important thing in this new world." A smirk plays on the edge of her lips, perhaps finding amusement in that idea. Even as he finishes getting himself dressed, she remains barefoot, in no hurry to go anywhere. The momentary amusement doesn't linger long, though, as her expression turns back to something more serious.

"People will fight. They'll push the tower. They have their reasons for wanting to go home." She looks downward, not at Cyrus, but at the floor. "I certainly won't begrudge them that. I know I miss my dad." She hadn't really talked about her life outside the game much with Cyrus, for a number of reasons. It came easier with Xander, since they had a shared trauma between them.

The question of why she wants to stay hangs on her, heavier than the coat she is wearing. "I want to..." She starts, but the conflicted feelings show on her features. This girl wears her heart on her sleeve, and it is obvious that she is torn. "I want to see and experience everything this world has to offer. I want to live while I have the chance." There is something almost sad in the way she speaks, something that suggests she doesn't feel like her life outside will ever amount to as much as within these digital confines.

"But right now, there is so much happening here. People still need help in Ezzo. There's a PKer that seemingly can kill people permanently. People are on the cusp of new discoveries every day. If I go, there's so much I might miss out on." She sighs softly. "And it might take a long time to get back. I want to help people, and I'm not sure I can do that wandering the world."

Her brows furrow, and here is where the conflict lies, "But I don't think the tower is the only answer to our problem, either. It's probably stupid but... I think this riddle has two parts. I think the tower is one path, but the Twilight thing is another. Something that can only be found by exploring the reaches of this world." She hasn't shared this theory with many others, but her blue eyes look at Cyrus as she speaks, perhaps expecting him to tell her she's crazy.

Cyrus quiets as she mentions her dad, while retrieving his cane and moving over to the window - opening it so some fresh air can come in. It feels fantastic, against the still slightly wet of his face. "hrrrm." He lets out this pleased sight.

"I don't think it's wrong to climb the tower. But right now, we're still at its very base. It took a long time to even get to the tenth floor." He remarks. "As such, there is going to be a lot of time to check out the world itself, and be prepared of anything that might come at their backs." He explains to her. "Ezzo is being taken care of by shipments of sailors. The Landers are clearly trying to help. And I want to make sure we repay their efforts." He explains to Mikage.

He then turns as she mentions that PKer. "All the more reason to get some levels. And right now, that tower is going to be filled with people hogging the leveling spots. It'll be a lot less 'busy' out there." He explains to her.

"I'd love to have you on my journeys. Besides, that cat might end up sneaking on board a ship for all I know." He looks at Rama. "The ships take only a day to get between most of the major cities and here. If there's new discoveries, we'll hear about it through the New World Alliance chimlink. And if it's something we can implement and bring to the people out there, all the better for it." He notes.

"What do you say? I don't want to attach you at the hip or anything, or force you to do anything. But I'd feel a lot more confident with some other people along for the ride from time to time."

It isn't that Cyrus doesn't have good points, but that uncertainty lingers. Miki moves ever so slightly as he opens the window, giving him personal space. She walks over to the edge of the fireplace, sitting down on the stones and grabbing for her shoes. The Were Fang is quiet as she tugs them on, lacing them up along her calves.

Eventually, it isn't her reasons or her excuses that she offers up, it is simply a question. "Why me?" There is something in her eyes that is almost a challenge as she takes in the Cait Sith male. "You don't even know me. Not anything more than a few passing conversations and two dungeons." She motions towards the window, out at the world which is slowly waking up. At the voices that filter in on the breeze.

"There are literally thousands... tens of thousands of Adventurers you could invite along if you don't want to go alone. Seems like you've already got one in Sassaral." She doesn't really know what the relationship between the two is, but they seem close. "I'm sorry if it seems obtuse but... I don't get it."

Mikage sets one leg down, reaching for her other boot, but she's still watching him, that conflict in her expression. "You'd be better off getting a tank, anyways. Maybe that Crusader from the other day." She suggests. "I built this character to be solo-play. I only did a small guild because I could face the harder content but still take care of myself at the same time. Now? It's all huge guilds, alliances..." She sighs, reaching up to brush some hair from her eyes. "There are way better options than me for what you're looking for."

"Hrrm? Why you? Hrrm... I suppose because I feel like I get you, at least at a surface level." He answers her. "Sure, we're in the same alliance. But I feel I get you a little bit, and I can trust you to have my back. As I may have mentioned before, I spent most of my days down there in the inn, finding newbies, and teacing them the ropes a bit." He explains to her. "You don't pick up the kind of people you can trust with having your back like that." He remarks.

"Besides... even if there's better folk out there, I just feel like this world is trying to tell us something. Or at least, your cat is." He motions to Rama. "And call me supersticious, but I feel like that's something I can put trust in more easily than some random person I have met and even done fifty dungeons with."

The youth taps his cane on the ground as he turns, letting the wind blow against his back as he looks to her. "I'll probably ask Sassaral along too. But that's just because I feel like she's... the heart of a party. If you get what I mean? That person that has the ability to make sure people keep their morale up. And I selfishly would like to see that stupid smile on her face when she gets to harvest new things... which I could desperately use for my potions as well - though that is hardly my primary goal there." This is how he explains himself.

"I am not looking to create a raiding group. I've been there, I've done that." He then explains to Mikage. "I'm looking to explore, to meet Landers, to set up shop and find neat things."

Though he does give an admirable try, it's clear that much of Cyrus' explination falls short of really convincing Mikage. "The feeling doesn't go both ways, I'm afraid." She admits, looking at him. "To be honest, you said some things that kind of pissed me off early on. I haven't really known what to make of you since then." If nothing else, the girl is honest about her feelings when it comes to people.

"You said to me that you weren't going to let me die. As if that is what I was trying to do." Her expression turns harder in that instant, as if the words and thoughts bring up painful memories for her. "I probably know better than most what it /really/ feels like to want to die. It's something I haven't felt since I was fifteen." She has clearly held this in for a while, letting it fester beneath the surface. "And I certainly don't need someone like you giving me shit over it."

'Someone like you'. Though she knows nothing about him outside of his in-game avatar, it's clear that Mikage has made some assumptions. She has placed him very firmly amongst those who would not be 'like her'. Her lips press together, "Sure. Maybe you're right. I am the sort to have someone's back in a crisis. But I don't share your kinship." She shakes her head, "You're about as shallow as they come."

The words likely seem harsh, especially after the kind invitation he had offered to her. It's his reasoning that doesn't sit well with her. It made it very clear that the two do not have a very good understanding of each other.

The youth rubs the back of his head when she declares that's not how she feels on the matter, leaning back against the wall as she kind of... goes off on him? There's this awkward look on his face, not quite sure what to make of the sudden words coming out of her mouth. So when she's done, he closes his eyes and takes a moment to just... think this through.

"I said I wasn't going to let you die, because that's my job as a supporter - as a healer. I... don't really know what to say in regards to your sensation of death. And I'm sorry if that's how I ended up coming across to you. But I was just trying to easy the nervous tension that was in the air. Nobody knew what would happen if we died. Would we respawn or not? And I wanted to make sure people understood that I was not going to take risks. I felt responsible, as the designated healer, and as the guy who took on that responsibility willingly."

He then raises his cane and uses it to itch at the back of his ear, looking a bit hurt. He'd never thought of himself as shallow after all. "I'm sorry if I was too forward."

"That's the point I'm trying to make, Cyrus." Mikage's voice grows softer as she speaks. It's not that she wants to be hurtful, or that it is her intention to attack him. She just trying to get him to understand that he doesn't really even know her. "You can't 'get' a person you don't even know. Life doesn't work that way."

She sighs, then runs a hand through her hair as if trying to ease some of her own tension, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be an asshole here. I'm really not. Just seems like you're looking for friends to join you on some grand Adventure." Her expression is almost sad as she looks over at him, "But we aren't friends." That likely stings, but she at least explains, "We don't know each other well enough for that."

Rama seems to realize the tension in the air, as he goes to sit near Mikage's feet. She leans down then, stroking over his head. "I appreciate the fact that you've watched Rama. I do." Her lip quirks, "But I'm a person with their fair share of baggage. Most days, I try not to let it show. This place is a gift, and the fact is, if we get out and this place gets shut down, I'm going to be lesser for it and I know that." She isn't really explaining that, of course.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you really want to 'get' someone, you should try getting to know them." She shrugs, feeling awkward.

"I get that." Cyrus answers her, when she explains that he can't understand a person he doesn't know. "It's why I said that I feel I get you at a surface level - at least, I think I did. Back at the first meeting, I could tell you didn't particularly enjoy having to rely on someone. It's what made me feel like you are someone who... probably had to rely on people constantly in the RL." He answers her, giving her a weary smile. "It's okay. I am well aware that the friends list is not the same as 'being friends' with someone." He then adds.

His tail flicks anxiously, similar to a cat's might. It doesn't look like the male even realizes he's doing it. "Look - part of the whole thing about traveling with people, is that it is an amazing way for you to get to know someone - but I guess I was putting the cart before the horse." He explains. "I understand now, that you don't feel you can trust me to that level yet." He notes, putting the cane back down to the ground. She may notice how he keeps moving the thing around. Something to do with his hands. Something to keep himself busy.

"Baggage is... hard." He then adds. "Based on what you're saying, I imagine the Flash of Death got to you. Or maybe even something worse. I hear it a lot. The New World Alliance is home to a lot of that I've come to learn in recent days." He remarks anxiously. It's clear to see that it's hard for him to converse about it. "I admit, I am lucky. I was... living a fairly fulfilling life out there. I avoiding all that trouble. Heck... my parents, even my closest friends got lucky. I got my own kind of baggage too though." He then adds. "That's just... people. I was never one to avoid people, just because they have a story to tell, or because they might be 'inconvenient' to me. I was raised out in the boonies for quite a while, until I moved to Tokyo. I still remember what it's like to take care of your elders and the sick. I'm not the 'modern man' in that respect."

It's at this point that Cyrus certainly does hit on something that is at least a little close to home for Mikage. Rather than confirm it outloud, she just reaches up, touching her nose. It's a subtle, gentle acknowledgement that perhaps, at least back then, he had read her correctly. "This whole Apocalypse has taught me pretty quickly that we aren't able to just go at it solo. We can do far more together than any individual person can." Leaning forward, Miki props herself slightly with her arms.

"You would be the one who knows about carts." She teases, though it isn't quite her usual level of light humor. Still, it shows that she is at least trying to lighten the mood a little bit. The little movements are something that keep drawing her attention, but she seems far more able to sit still, sometimes uncannily so.

"Not quite." Is her answer in regards to the Flash of Death, "Though, I do know my fair share of people who had their lives irrevocably changed by it." Though, he does confirm her assumptions that he wasn't impacted by such things. It isn't as if she sees those normal people as bad, not at all. Yet... they sometimes had trouble putting themselves into the shoes of others who had more difficult lives.

"You wouldn't get it, and that's okay." She, of course, is making assumptions here. "I just don't know." Miki sighs, shaking her head. "I do want to see the world. I want that more than anything. But I also know that there's so much work to be done here, too."

The male rubs his nose with the edge of his cane, but doesn't say anythign else when she gives that subtle signal, followed by a little 'hrrm' from him. "You learn pretty fast." He remarks in an appreciatory manner. "And you're right. I can't really do much on my own. Which is why I was hoping to get some travel partners. Not to mention, it's lonely to be... alone." There's this twinge in his eyes. This look like someone who knows exactly what it means to be alone. A fresh wound though, rather than a dull ache of history.

"Yeah. It's one of those things. I'm fortunate enough not to have been in those shoes - but indeed, it does mean that I don't know what it must be like." He adds. "I can imagine it. But it's not the same." He adds onto that. "Tell you what. Think it over for a bit. If anything, we can revisit the topic another time. There's a whole world out there to see. But right now, Scale Emblem seems to be pretty obsessed with the tower. They'll get work done here. And no matter what we do, it's certain we'll miss some important chapters of this world..."

He turns to look out the window, leaning onto the windowsill.

"But wouldn't it be nice to make some chapters of our own?" He then asks.

"So I'm told." Mikage's lip quirks at that, as if there were more to that statement then she was saying on the surface. "Right now, we all have to learn quickly. This was a game, but now it's our every day lives. You adapt, or you fall behind." And while this world may have proven not to be leathal, there will likely be long-term effects for those who choose to remain sedentary in their old ways.

That idea of being alone, that hits her though. The emotions play out on her face as her lips press together briefly. "I wonder how much you really know about being alone." He, for all she can tell, had a normal life. "But... I get it. I do."

The opportunity to think on his proposition is probably a good one with girl. "I'll think about it." She agrees, nodding her head. He does have good points, and that lure of adventure and exploration calls to her. "You should invest in getting some horses, or pekos or something. Something to make traveling easier." Miki advises. "Otherwise you're going to be walking everyone, and trust me, that's not fun."

Pushing herself up, she taps at her side, summoning Rama to her, who does a couple of weaves around her ankles. "Write our own stories, huh?" She seems to consider that, then nods her head. "I'm going to get going. We'll talk again." With that, she heads to the door, exiting out into the inn.

The whole discussion has left her with a lot to think about.