Sometimes, a series of systematic repetitions is indeed what a person needs. Subscribing oneself to a routine, checking that each nook and cranny is free of dust, or simply coming back home and immediately turning on the TV. Those are all patterns. Camille, as expected, was not so different in that regard. Even the passing of more than a good hour or so of time made no great difference, as our intrepid gamer, still ever so curious, had quite a few more things to verify. Namely in regards to her newfound abilities, her body tensed in resolute persistence.
"Quests." She finally voiced the main reason she invited Morgan over in the first place.
Main Quests: Objectives: None Side Quests: First Venture Rewards: Socialization (Completed)
Camille then selected 'Socialization.'
Main Quests: Objectives: None Meet and discuss with a friend in real life. Side Quests: First Venture Rewards: Socialization (Completed)
Another box indicating that she had succeeded appeared.
You have completed the Quest: Socialization!
Just like Camille had expected, she had fulfilled the conditions for one of the quests. Though it required some additional effort to select the completed quest within the menu, she supposed she did understand the reasoning behind it. When push comes to shove, she wouldn't want a giant box appearing out of nowhere in the middle of combat for example. Upon immediate notice, she then opened up the skill menu and inspected the nature of the ability given to her.
Socialization: You gain the ability to add people as friends and invite them to your party.
Oh, that's pretty sick. Though there was no precise information pertaining to how the skill worked, Camille's video game intuition told her that it would have been exquisite regardless. Still, was it really necessary that it was a quest of all things? As a fundamental of online MMORPGs or just multiplayer games in general, Camille held some qualms over how this skill even needed to be earned. Working to gain unique combative abilities was one thing, but even adding friends? To Camille, it was more than a bit odd. Still, she didn't want to dwell on it further. Rather than waste time on minute details, wouldn't it just be better to get it over with?
Focus. She inhaled a cold chilly breath and held back any further misgivings. Diverting her focus to the skill at hand, she then summoned what she supposed would have been the 'foundation' of the Socialization skill. A byproduct of a guess more than anything else, Camille just sort of figured it should work.
"Add Morgan Pendragon as a friend."
Despite the fact that there were now many that held such a name, Camille hoped that the system would automatically select the one she held in mind. As the next moment arrived, she saw this was the case.
The next voice that spoke out did not belong to Camille.
"EH?"
You have been sent a friend request by Camille! Do you accept? Y-Yes! N-no!
Morgan stared at the box before her in complete disbelief. Within nothing short of a second, she felt her legs turn to figurative jelly and her vision flip on itself. So not only did her best dearest friend have the abilities of a video game character, but she was able to impart it on others? Namely someone such as herself, Morgan Pendragon?
"Wowsers." Morgana mumbled, smug. Her hands on her hips, Morgan was stilled with quite the high spirit.
Although she lacked the same grand ambitions Camille did, to say this wasn't a pleasure would be a lie. So while, Morgan doubted that she would ever get the whole bargain with all the other crazy stuff Camille showed her, she was still happy that she could be a apart of the journey.
So without much ado, Morgan hurriedly accepted the request.
"Invite Morgan Pendragon to party."
Morgan hurriedly accepted another request.
"Party menu and friend list."
Two distinct boxes manifested before Camille.
Friend List Morgan Pendragon (Alive)
Party Morgan Pendragon (Level One) HP: 5/5 MP: 0/0
"Well, well, well. Ain't this quite the discovery, so, how do you feel, Morgan?"
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"Excited and nervous! Y-yes, a mixture of both, it would seem..."
The two exchanged their stances on the matter, as Camille wrapped her left arm around her friend and gestured to the menus with her right. Were it not for the fact that their eyes were leveled, their expressions might've been applicable to the audience of a meteor shower. With eyes that lit up with wonderous and childlike joy and bodies that emboldened in awe before grand displays of nature, it was magical, to say the least.
Morgan, who now had more than ample amounts of time to take it all in, noticed one quaint detail. A small series of letters that formed the words 'First Venture' within the quest menu, she pondered over what it was. Then, without any clue, she chose to simply ask her friend.
"Mind if I ask what that other quest is about?" Maybe because the whole idea of a real life gamer ability seemed more probable, or maybe because she now was no longer worried over her friend, Morgan managed to say those words without even a hint of introversion. Camille, who was pleased with this development, felt the obligation to answer her question.
"Sure." Camille opened her mouth to explain. Then before, she could even begin, decided against it. Instead, she lifted the corner of her lips lifted in a shrewd manner, and chose to move the conversation elsewhere. "Actually, why don't you just let me show you?"
The shrewd woman declared her intentions with downcast eyes. Then with one tap of her fingers, laid the truth bare.
Main Quests: Objectives: None Defeat one opponent by 20/01/2050. Side Quests: First Venture Rewards: Socialization (Completed)
Armored Initiative (Passive Skill)
With 'First Venture' selected, Morgan's eyes traced the necessary objective that needed to be fulfilled.
"Interesting." Morgan uttered, none the wiser at what 'defeat' entailed.
Meanwhile, that friend of hers, had.
Camille's decision, having already been made long before Morgan had even come, was about to be enacted. Her heart, which pumped at a greater rhythm, tempo, and speed then before betrayed her innate desire. Meanwhile, her breathing, which too had been distilled by instinct, came in the form of ragged spurts of cold air. More indicative of her intention though then all of those traits, was the glint in her eyes. Compared to Morgan who held those of a mere lamb, Camille's were that of a predator. An unnatural phenomenon not found in day to day life, there was no mistaking its meaning.
"As they say, kill two birds with one stone right?" Those words were like the slithering hiss of a snake. Innocent in nature, it took a moment for Morgan to understand the double entendre behind it
But even so, Morgan could not object. Even without her ability, Camille was far more than a match for her. And not only that, but there was nowhere to run either. With one arm wrapped around Morgan's tender neck, and the other free to do whatever she wished, it was far too simple. With her friend's existence in both her figurative and literal hands the next thing to do was clear. Given Camille's hasty nature, it seemed only fitting that she got this over with.
The sooner she got the ability, the more power she would get. That was the principle in which Camille abided by.
All the while, Morgan could only gulp in supposed suspense. In fact, so frightened as Morgan were, the she appeared to faint, press the back of her hand on her forehead and make a very exaggerated whimper at the same time.
"Hehe, come on Camille. Don't try to scare me like that." What she meant was that she had found all this very amusing.
Chuckling at the whole affair, there truly was a lot for her to take in. From Camille's forced and exasperated breathing, combined with the slight tension in her arm, and that glare in her eye, there was no doubt about it. Were it any one else in her position, Morgan had no doubt they would be scared shitless. But, Morgan wasn't just anyone else.
She was a friend who had stood by Camille's side for the better half of twelve years. Through thick and skin, and through all the ups and downs, Morgan was not so gullible as to think her friend had suddenly become some killer.
Thus, without much ado, the presumably hostile woman dropped her expression. Shifted to one of a exuberant grin, there was no longer any need to keep her facade. Realizing her prank had failed, she chose instead to relish in its failed attempt. Now that there was no longer any need to hold herself back, Camille had a cathartic laugh to herself.
Loud and resonant to the point that it echoed throughout the whole apartment, it took Camille a good half minute before she finally calmed down.
"Jeez. Well, you can't blame me for trying." She proclaimed, a few final spurts of giggles still lodged in her throat.
"I know you far too well to even consider that you'd attack little old me." Morgan declared with a smile. Acknowledging her lithe and uncombative self, the very notion of Camille attacking her was a joke. In the eyes of her domineering friend, pleasure through the torment of others derived from two types of people.
Those who were genuine scum, and those who were overconfident. Morgan, therefore, who was neither, could've never been considered a target.
"Yeah, only an inferior gamer fights dishonorably, am I right?" Camille said with a grin.
Enough to stimulate some sense of primeval stir within the both, the duo then shared some mutual hearty joy. Emitting clear laughter and even a few tears of glee, they spent the next few moments relishing in each other's company. The sentence Camille uttered just a moment ago was more then enough to make them relive nostalgic days of yore. Ah, those were the times. When Camille insisted on fighting one on one in duels, ever so fixated on gaining what she assumed to be a 'proper victory' even at the expense of success. Frustrated at having to gang up on enemies, or rely on uncouth tactics, it seemed the morals behind the fight mattered as much as the fight itself. And not only was she like this in games, but she was even the same in real life too. All the more comedic, it was outlandish that someone such as her existed.
Outlandish in the sense that someone in this day and age, still held such abstract forms of honour, it was a truly absurd fact. And yet, it was a absurd fact that only helped to further stoke the flames of their merriment.
The reason Camille was able to laugh at herself was because she accepted its stupidity. There was no supreme reason or intricate philosophy behind it. All it boiled down to was how she felt. And yet, despite her acknowledgement of its foolishness, Camille made no effort to change.
Having concluded long ago that it was a instinct as natural to her as breathing, there was simply no helping it.
If she were to live, then Camille preferred to live in happiness.
"After how angry she made you, I still couldn't believe that you even gave her a few days to recover just cause she had a fractured hand." Morgan recounted.
"Well yeah, I mean, where's the satisfaction in that?" Camille replied, understanding who Morgan was referring to. "Trust me when I say that beating the shit out of that bitch, her body intact and all, was ten times better."
The two, who now persevered with quite the degree pleasure, discussed the brutal memory of the fight as casually as one would the weather. Immersed fully in the moment, Camille even went on to mime a few of the punches and kicks she did, all while imitating her former enemy's tone in delightfully cartoonish manner.
Speaking out fiendish mockeries such as "Oh I'm all bark and no bite" and "Please forgive me!" there was simply no limit to the endless array of offenses that Camille could choose from. Captivated by these gestures, Morgan laughed even more. Sharing a moment of both nostalgic reenacment and the type offun only friends can share, there was no way to describe their feelings.
For only after many minutes had passed, did they finally compose themselves. Silent, and slightly exhausted from the sheer amount of joy, the two then shared a moment of silence. In the aftermath of their initial elation, a overwhelming atmosphere of peace had settled. Morgan, who partook of such peace, stared at the face of her best friend. Brilliant and ever so entertaining, Morgan concluded her thoughts with a quiet laugh. Wanting to speak her mind, Morgan voiced a simple "I'm really happy Camille." and followed with a "You're still the same as ever."
Both sentiments that were devoid of any semblance of planning or complicated processing, they instead came from the bottom of her heart.
And Camille for once, appreciated that.