// { ANGEL'S WHISPER

Neo was quick to notice when eyes were upon her; granted, she had taken to walking the streets of Spirale much more freely than she would do so in Remnant, so perhaps it was to be expected. Yet, a compliment to add to it all? How unexpected.

Still, she smirked, and gave a nod of thanks plus a tip of said-hat. 

     “Sorry to bother you, but could you possibly help me out!?” Calling out to a stranger, surely it was sketchy for a woman to call out randomly from a dark alley, particularly with her voice straining so much. But she was lifting up an extremely heavy garbage bin, one of those big ones that were usually stashed behind an apartment building.

      “This cat was trapped underneath and was mewing for help, but now that I’ve lifted the bin it’s too afraid to move. Can you grab it?” Tifa was strong, but lifting this bin for so long was becoming taxing.

the sylph peaked into the alleyway, cautious in movement but ears twitching as she tried to catch any other noise that may show this situation was dangerous. all she got, however, was the mewls of a cat and the person who called for help. that didn’t seem bad in any way so lux headed in, not before giving the woman a second look because  ...  well, she’s holding up a garbage bin. how??

✦“Now, let’s not speak of ourselves as normal or abnormal. The deeds we commit speak more to our characters than how society might define us.” It was easy to define oneself based on how they felt others felt about them, but she’d learned that it was a mistake to think that way. “Yes, the Zora. We are a people that make our homes near the water, but I suppose my fish-like appearance speaks to that. I am Princess Mipha, and you are?”

✦ “I’m surprised. Most have looked at my appearance and turned the other way, but instead you keep glancing at me, do you not?” The gaze of a pointed-eared woman had caught Mipha’s attention. Most seemed to want nothing to do with a Zora, a being which they couldn’t fathom to recognize. So to find someone not particularly off put by her appearance? It was refreshing. Refreshing enough to provoke even the typically withdrawn Mipha to initiate the conversation.

“Though I suppose maybe you’re also wary of me? I’d hope that weren’t the case, we Zora are a gentle people.” As the late princess, she was perhaps the best example of that.

Everything would be the answer, yet it would be too subjective saying from personal matter. A smile slowly bloomed at sight of the concerned Sylph, an attempt to calm her down. “ He will be alright, let’s put our faith in him the way he put his in us. “ The way they know.

The woman who approached her when she arrived at the store was very eager, and though Pearl could appreciate the enthusiasm, she was a little overwhelmed.

“I was looking for something nice to wear.”

“Someone important to me invited me out, and I was thinking of surprising her with an outfit that you humans would describe as sharp enough to kill.” She said not realizing that the suit she owned already fit the description.

« Radiale, huh? » an inquisitive look cast upon his face, spying the device in question; convenient for those whose alternatives stood out from their normal selves, but after SAO’s dispell of customization, there was little it could offer. a change of clothes and what limited materials he had retained in the transfer. « so it’s safe to assume this is either something like full dive or the rules in this world aren’t anything like ours, making it possible to shapeshift with the right equipment. if it wasn’t for how creepy it feels, it’d be fascinating. »

🌹❝ It’s… so bizarre. Feels just like swimming but… lighter. ❞ A memory came to her head, one where her father quickly lifts her up, off the ground and into the air, that feeling of the breeze gently caressing your body as it defies gravity. It felt just like that, yet there was noone there making the effort to carry her weight. She wasn’t even properly flying yet and it already felt magical. 

Her arms extended outwards once again as she focused and her feet distanced themselves from the ground even more, a trail of dust-like particles revealing her body’s trajectory as she went upwards. The more she took off, the more unstoppable these feelings became and her expression couldn’t hide an inch of it. A geniunely childish smile adorned her coutenance as she looked beneath. 

❝ Eep! ❞  A squeal got out of her system as she lost balance for a brief moment, promptly recovering it with the help of both her superior extremities. ❝ Wh-Whoa. ❞

swimming but lighter. that sounded pretty accurate if she had to say. flying always felt light, gravity didn’t seem to work while you were in the air. it was one of the mains reasons why she chose to play alo after sao, that freedom. freedom that the death game didn’t have. but those were bad thoughts so she’s just going to push those aside for the time being.

The thought of mixing the two together was there, but she brushed them as fast as it appears. Should the one who thinks of it was Kirito, he might actually have done the deeds before she could shrug them off. Let’s not waste a good meal just because of sheer curiosity. “ Mhm, and probably invite Leafa and the rest too. Days ago I encountered Kirito, have you? “ The desire to add but he doesn’t recognize me was there, but alas it was none of the Sylph’s concern. Better to leave some details in the dark.

Seeing the glitters beamed in the Sylph’s eyes, there’s a little sense of victory in her heart ( she’s a fighter, can’t help the unimportant competition made by mental will alone ). Without further ado, she accepted Lux’s offer. Nimble fingers would brush the side of her golden lock behind her ear so it won’t get in the way before leaning down to lick the seasalt ice cream. 

“ !? W-what is this!? What kind of taste is this!? Unbelievable— ! “ Apparently the victor can be decided! 

🌹 An amiable chuckle got out of her as she heard about the apparent confusion on Lux’s race. ❝ I can see why. ❞  Honestly, if she wasn’t made aware of that fact, she might have been a victim of that misunderstanding too, given lux’s height and very long ears. Actually, she couldn’t say a thing about those long ears, right now. Beneath all this anxiety and excitement for flying, there was a profound need to just see her reflection. 

Eyes seemed to widen curiously as she heard the other… it was just about visualizing? Mmm, it made sense. If anything, flying should be intuitive, natural. ❝ Okay! I’ll give it a try ❞ Haru clasped her hands as her eyes shut. Focusing on trying to get that image as clear as possible. In some moment amidst those seconds, as she immersed herself in her head, her feet stopped touched the ground as the wings behind her started fluttering in rhythm. 

That brief trance lasted way less than expected as she noticed a slight current of air flowing on her bare soles. No way she was going to hide it, the heiress got startled as soon as she stared at the ground beneath her, quickly extending her arms as if she was about to lose balance or something. They slowly returned to her sides as she got used to it, it felt like floating in water.  

normally, when one focused, it was best to get into a position you were most comfortable with, something that allowed freedom of movement. but that was her own experience, haru could feel differently. and, judging by what she was seeing, it was working. wings were starting to move, to flutter and lift the girl up. she was rather grateful that haru wasn’t the type to throw herself into things without hesitation because she wasn’t all that ready to chase after a free-flying faekin.

This would be the closest to questing that she’ll get in this world. She looked at the large building in front of her and sighed. Nature already looked like it was starting to claim the building for itself with ivy clinging to the bricks and various other plants hiding in the crevices. Asuna recognized the beauty of it, but the thoughts of what kind of things might be living inside made her nervous. She was invited to explore it by the fluffy-haired girl standing next to her and had agreed with a goal of growing closer to her in mind. 

“Are you sure this the right place?” She asked, her hand resting on hilt of her rapier. 

"this should be it, yes.”   she was ... nervous, to say the least. the fact that she had invited asuna, someone she’s never properly talked to but also idolized during her days in sao, it was up there alongside actually speaking with kirito. feeling nervous was an understatement but she was willing to push that aside to continue exploring the ruins.

★“Ahaha… yeah…” She likewise didn’t have any idea how they’d deal with it. If it lasted more than a couple of days it might get kind of tough. “Though I know my sizes, we can always buy and if it turns out the sizes are wrong later we can take them back. I don’t want to keep borrowing your clothes if I can help it.”

At Leafa – no, Lux’s! – designation, Leafa began to lower the two of them down to the city that wasn’t too far below, ultimately landing in a small park where there was lots of room. She’d had some bad landing accidents in ALO she didn’t want to talk about.

“Thank you for riding the Lux Express.” She remarked as she slid her companion out of her arms. “We will now be traveling by foot to… Did you want to go somewhere specific?”

“... i guess i should head to work to find some clothes. maybe. a last resort.”   she was still iffy when it came to friends visiting unexpectedly. she’s already had one too many heart attacks and she would not like anymore thank you very much. in any case, iori should understand if she were to explain things ... not that she had to, if he was affected by this event.

she had not been expecting any christmas gifts this year. mostly because the friends she had last had either returned home or were … rather quiet this time around. it was safe to say, she had forgotten she had familiar faces now. so, color her surprised when, returning home from work, she came across what looked to be a gift on the counter. only one person could be responsible for this.