Available Light (Or: How We Got Our Groove Back) (Ms.Ezra x Camleen)

[Camleen]

There was a new raid, one that was just released. It sounded, to most, like a fairly routine raid. A King had been involved in a years long war with a warring nation, a nation ruled by that King's own brother. The King of Ralo, Richard the Just, knew this war with his brother would be coming to an end. And it would be coming to an end by means of his own Kingdom being sacked. Richard the Just's brother, King Edward the Fearsome, wanted the lands of his Kingdom to expand his own. Peaceful resolutions were attempted, but never held.

The final assault was coming, and Richard the Just's defenses was in peril. And so the call goes out. The King sent out a decree-
"I am King Richard the Just of Ralo. I send out this edict in the hopes that any adventurer and warrior will answer my call. My Kingdom is under assault by mine own brother, King Edward the Fearsome of Nomae. And it will not be long until my people's defenses are broken and we are all victimized. We require your help, I humbly beg of you to aid us in this hour of greatest need. My brother will spare none of my people, and his armies will run rampant across all the lands if he succeeds here. Should any wish to take up this most desperate of causes, assemble 'pon the exterior checkpoints of Caste Ralo. Long live this Kingdom and the glory of her peoples."

Now not many of the higher tier players bothered with this particular quest. It, frankly, sounded rather generic. There were more 'exciting' quests out there, more popular ones. And this sort of thing was being done all of the time. There was always someone seeking some kind of prize from some kind of 'new' quest. Even if it was only the same sort of basic quest but in a new skin. But there was a player that was interested… and he was very charismatic. He had a rep of being a good leader, of being able to wrangle players together for a common goal. Even if that goal wasn't always fun. So on the forums and vlogs, MizartPizart9000 posted:
"WANTED! LFG addons! DPS x2 4 defense of Castle Ralo. Mobs = mech, zombies, mercs! Already have: Tanks x2 (Shield bearer, mechasuit); Healers x2 (White Mage, Field Medic); DPS x2 (Gunner, Brawler). Magic/tech. 2 Teams, divided assets. Loot drops = random. Contact me! Save the Kingdom!! ~~~~~~[email protected]"

So whomever would respond to this flag would be given directions on where to meet the group. A simple user room in the Sector known as Archaide.

The players he had already gathered would be meeting there, some of them logging out in the meeting area itself most of the time. The loot from this raid was a fairly big purse, and supposedly each party involved got an artifact from the King upon successful completion. It's this sort of thing Mizart loved. Not for himself as much as possibly helping others. He was that sort of person. Had all the good gear and loot, but was constantly helping others. Sometimes that's all he did when he would log on. The gathering area was a replication of an old hotel lobby, Victorian style. Butlers were always available to get whatever was needed by the 'guests', as well as a plethora of virtual magazines and newspapers. The 'print' of said articles always changing to reflect real life articles.

And now it was time for the final members of one of the 2 teams to meet. The Tank (Shield bearer), TainHazel. The DPS that had already answered the call (Heavy Axe Warrior), 20Ukshu. The Healer (White Mage)... Iria.

 

[Ms.Ezra]

"All work and no play makes Damagi a dull girl." says the player behind the avatar named Damagi to login to The OASIS after she has taken some time to shower and have a meal. She was what one would call a 'method player'. Your average player logs on and simply plays The OASIS as a game. Not her. No siree. When she says those words, the real flesh and blood person in the haptic suit and free motion rig disappears into Damagi.

Damagi rematerializes at her last location; Planet Gregarious where she had been working for eight hours previously. Not as she was now; the five foot tall female Saiyan with spiky red hair and wearing a gold and green school uniform. All Gregarious employees had to work with an avatar in business casual attire.

"Now, where to go go…." Damagi checks the 'Looking for Groups' postings for anything of interest since it has been some time since she'd teamed up. Busy going through the Power Rangers beat'em ups for the Legendary Artifact upon their completion. She searches through the groups of newbies, which appear first by default, until a name catches her eye. MizartPizart. Damagi only knows him by his good reputation. It was very rare to find someone who wasn't in it for the loot or the glory. She couldn't even count herself as one who did not go in for one or the other.

She replies to the forum posting with a snapshot of herself giving the thumbs-up and waits for the reply with the directions. In that brief interlude she stands aside the two arrival and departure portals and watches others come and go. A perk of being a Gregarious employee is you get two free teleports to and from Planet Gregarious on days you are scheduled to work. Those clocking out change out of the standard office appearance before stepping into the portal, and vice-versa for those arriving for their shift.

The moment she gets the 'Ding' notification with the meet-up information, Damagi jumps into the Departure portal.

Damagi rematerializes at the entrance of the user room. She whistles at the digs.

"Wowww now this place? It's got class!" She spins around on the tip-toes of one foot and moonwalks further into the room.

 

[Camleen]

"Glad ya like it." The pleasant tone belongs to the one that had gathered them all here, and he approaches Damagi. He stops before her and offers his armored hand "Glad to have ya with us. Anyone that moonwalks into a room is okay in my book." he says with a short chuckle. Glancing around then he continues, motioning to the room. "And this? Ah heck it's just a random recreation of some hotel in Minneapolis I found. Works though."

The others gathered, 8 others, all give a cursory glance in Damagi's direction. Some of them thinking she's not so hot looking. Or perhaps that she won't be able to hold her own. The opinions of nervous players on a new venture.

Now Mizart motions to himself "Thanks for joining us, Damagi. I've seen your profile, pretty darn impressive. I'm Mizart. You'll be on the Beta team." He motions to the small group gathered at one side of the room next to a very ornate fireplace. "That's them." He now speaks more softly, patting her on the shoulder "Go ahead and introduce yourself. I've got some last minute authorization stuff to do. I'll lay out everything for you guys." Without offering her chance to retort or add, he turns with a nod and starts to walk off. He noticeably makes eye contact with the mage of the group, Iria, nodding to her subtly. She nods a little, holding her wooden staff a little tighter. A look of worried hesitancy 'pon her dark features.

And without further ado, the 'tank' steps forward. His seeming futuristic armor clatters gently with his movements. He holds his arms out and gives a hearty "Hello! I'll be your meatshield this evening!" He laughs merrily, seeming to be very very amused with his own joke. "I'm TainHazel, just call me Hazel. And this lil fella" "Hey!" comes the voice of the member of the team holding a very large axe. "is 20Ukshu." The small axe wielder speaks in an indignant tone "Just Ukshu's fine. And don't call me a small thing or anything." He is a small thing, perhaps not even 4 and a half feet tall. His axe is nearly as long as he is tall, and the blade seeming very heavy. Hazel chuckles once more, and then motions to the last member of the party. "And this loverly Elvaan is Iria. She'll be handling healing duties." Iria seems to snap out of some distraction she was in the middle of, and stands and gives a quick bow, hugging her wooden staff to herself.

 

[Ms.Ezra]

MizartPizart saying he was impressed with her profile earns him a turn of the head and wave of the hand to say 'Oh stop, you're too generous' without saying it. Really, she loves it. Every time, she loves when given praise. She sees some of the players giving her doubting looks, but that does not bother in the least. They would see in time she was more than hype. She gives Mizart a thumbs-up before he leaves to take care of some last business and turns to the team she would be working with. The look to the mage is caught, and gets her wondering what was more special about that one. Friends?

The duo of Hazel and Ukshu was amusing to behold but Damagi keeps her laugh low and respectful. She takes note of the very subdued manner of the one named Iria. So no other showboats on this team. That suits her just fine.

"Nice to you meet you three! I, am Damagi!" She proclaims and beats her chest twice. "Proud Saiyan warrior! Taking a break from my rise in the tournament ranks to taste full combat." She strikes a Bruce Lee pose complete with a thumb-flick of her own nose and unleashing a flurry of rapid blows in their air.

"I'll be your DPS today. Anything that comes in range of me, dies." She smirks and powers-up suddenly but quickly. Her body is momentarily engulfed in a white aura that also makes a sound and strong wind effect for the three seconds it is active. When it's done Damagi smiles and laughs mischievously.

 

[Camleen]

The Tank and Axe-Wielder nod as Damagi introduces herself. Yeah they like her already. TainHazel, though he has been at this particular position for a while now, wonders to himself if most all damage dealers are so… flashy. And more specifically, people that play these anime-ish characters. Of course Saiyans are the ones that come to mind. He's not so aware of the anime itself, he's never seen a full episode. But it's very popular, so he's observed. He's more of a science fiction and fantasy fellow.

But the second half of Damagi's damage dealing duo, though, thrusts his tiny fist into the air as she announces herself, as she strikes that pose, as that aura bursts forth so forcefully. He seems.. absolutely delighted. He hops up and down in place, his chain mail rattling lightly as he proclaims "It's 'bout timey-wimey I got a good partner!" Tainn glances down at the Lalafell warrior, his gaze a precarious one. His thought… they haven't even seen her in action yet. And they've had plenty of good teams together.

Odd little chap.

Quietly the Mage watches her new team, yet her gaze seems a bit far off. She is there, but she doesn't seem to be wholly there. It takes an armored hand from Tainn moving gently to her slim shoulder for her to seem to come back to the here and now. Tainn smiles roguishly as he speaks. "Hey Iria, you with us?" She blinks and looks to him, being nearly eye to eye with the man. She's rather tall, herself. She nods immediately as she lightly hugs her long wooden staff to herself. "Mmnnmm" He nods with her as he continues. "We're gonna need you to be all here when we're out there. You good?" His tone one of growing concern. She glances towards the others of the team as she continues "To the job, sir." She looks back to him with a reassuring smile. He nods a little, and lets out a sigh as he looks towards the whole group. "Okay. We're gonna be starting soon. Pert sure Pizart is gonna brief us before we portal over. Long as we stick together, we should be cool."