"Yea, I used to play with Xzilet. Good kid, or at least, I think he was a kid. He seemed sorta.. different at times, I guess. I never really knew much about him, or anyone, really. We were all some sorta misfits, it worked pretty well out. It was a lot of fun, getting on in the afternoon, sayin' hi to everyone, partying up for scen-"
"Could you please start with how this group formed?"
"Oh, yea, I reckon so. Um, so, I've been playing for about eight years, see. I got into it right after it was released, came and went a little, but mostly stuck with it. I was always a little worried that they might add lootboxes, DLC, something stupid, but it's been good."
"T h eĀ Ā Ā g r o u p?"
"Hold up, I'm getting there. Sheesh. So ever since it came out, there are clans, yea? And I never liked those guys, always hanging out, ganging up on solos, being dicks. Grown men ought to be socializing out in bars, and kids ought not to be learnin' how to be bullies. Feel? Bad deal all around.
Well, one day, I came across these two guys. Well, gal and guy. Just, farmin', talking about life. I snuck behind 'em, figured they might have some good stuff, but I ended up listenin' to 'em, for a good hour. Man..."
The man shook his head.
"... they got problems. Bad kids, bad landlords, debts, health stuff, the works. I thought I had it bad, before, but nope. Not even close.
The thing was, they weren't depressed, ya know? Like, they had some shit, but they were having fun, bein' civil. And didn't feel wrong, ya know? Like, duckin' responsibility. They were figurin' out how to approach things, how to make 'em better. Right proper people, not rich snobs, but not your absent pap type neither.
So I came out, from my shrub, said hello. Damn near got my character blown to bits, but that's the way of it. Told 'em I had heard 'em talking, asked if I could join 'em. Said I could, just 'slong as I kept my hands in my own pockets, 'n' my head above my shoulders. Fine by me, and from then on, we were together, me and them. Turned out that they had a group, a club, not for bein' toxic, but for support. Only rule - be yourself. That's it.
So I joined Periapsis.
We got on, every day, did some trainin', some quests, some farmin'. Got some good players, good tips. But mostly, we talked.
And I had a family again.ā