[ti]open[/ti]002 - DOORDASHING

It had been a few days since Lucille had last logged into UNOVR, No one had said running a nightclub was easy, but it was definitely exhausting. Especially for someone who wasn't exactly a social butterfly, people were draining on the 'social battery'. When the professor stopped her as she started to leave the research tent to ask her to deliver something, she wasn't too pleased. Tutorials were a pain in general but to have to be put through them with another person? Lucille reluctantly accepted her fate.

Tucking the weighty package under her arm, her gaze flickered to her newly acquired pair. A Cyndaquil that had been named Aymr and a Dreepy that was freshly hatched that she had named Byleth. The duo stared up at her unsure of their trainer's current demeanor ❝I'm ok, just tired is all. You two don't have to worry about me... but it's nice that you do.❞ She spoke softly to reassure them, it was pretty impressive that Nintendo would go so far with that kind of programming, which made things a lot more realistic in that sense. The small green noodle letting out a squeal-like chirp before floating up to perch herself against Lucille's shoulder and nudged up under her head, which earned a light chuckle from the tall woman ❝Hahah ok, ok Byleth. We have things to do. These tutorials aren't going to do themselves.❞ With that said, Lucille brought up the menu of her UI and selected the map. Her eyes scanning over the unfamiliar territory ahead of her which had a solid orange line running through it, perhaps as some kind of guide that she was meant to follow? Minimizing the map and tossing it into the corner to act as a mini-map, Lucille motioned her head for Aymr the Cyndaquil to walk the trail with her <Alright! We have a looooong way to go!> He bounced ahead of Lucille though made sure not to get too ahead of himself.

A small smile curled the corners of her lips as she watched the fire mouse, exhaling from her nose briefly and shaking her head ❝It's nice to see someone excited about this. Hopefully, we run into someone along the way.❞ She murmured as she followed behind her fiery companion. Raising her free hand and giving Byleth some scratches under her chin, earning a delighted purr from the baby dragon-ghost type.

Lucille found herself pausing as a voice rang out through the air, blinking as she turned her head this way and that before her cerulean orbs settled upon who she assumed was the source of the voice. The person with hair fiery-red started waving a hand in her direction causing the alabaster-haired woman to briefly quirk an eyebrow before lifting her hand and slowly waving back ❝Hello.❞ There was a brief interlude after saying hello in which Lucille took a few moments to process the others words, slowly nodding her head ❝I certainly am, the professor did ask after all. I suppose it is part of the tutorial... though I'm not a huge fan of having to do them with other people. But I'll deal with it since it's better to get it over with, right?❞ Lucille was willing to cooperate with other players despite her initial reluctance since it meant their end goal was the same. Maybe it was time to push herself a bit to at least make a friend in this new game. It was an MMO after all, there was bound to be run-ins with other players so she would eventually have to suck it up.

The Cyndaquil that was ahead of his trainer paused, turning around and hurriedly rushing back towards Lucille and the strange woman and her Froakie. Aymr tilted his head back to peer up at the red-head and the blue-frog <Ohhh! Whossat? New friends? Finally something excitin' in this dump!> He piped up, a curious lilt to his tone as he excitedly hopped on the soles of his little feet. The sleepy dragon noodle around Lucille's shoulder soon perked up, wide amber eyes blinking tiredly <Huhn? ... What's all the noise?> Byleth chittered, her adjusting vision eventually settling upon the strange girl and her frog partner, maw smacking together before she slowly lowered her head back down and relaxed. Byleth wasn't about to waste energy when she could have been napping instead. She was a baby after all, the length of a string of spaghetti at that.

Lucille glanced down at the Cyndaquil ❝Please be nice Aymr, we don't want any unnecessary fighting.❞ She said flatly causing the fire mouse in question to huff <You're so boring! C'moooon live a little, it won't kill ya' 'sides the girl looks nice.> As a usually timid species, Aymr was an obvious outlier, boisterous and unruly. The exact opposite of his trainer in all manner of things. He wasn't about to just let his trainer go without making friends, she was already enough of a lone wolf as it is.

❝To get used to how things work in-game with other players makes sense to me. While it can be overwhelming, friends makes things less lonesome while playing.❞ Lucille replied calmly before nodding her head and listening intently as the other trainer spoke to her. The horned red-head seemed to be quite the talkative type, which Lucille didn't mind at all. She preferred to listen anyway and had a close knit group of talkative friends in real life that she would often hang out with when she wasn't working or playing UNOVR. It gave her time to take what was said in and return with her own words if they were deemed necessary. While Lucille had been a gamer practically her whole life, she usually preferred single player experiences and game modes where possible and even when she was playing MMOs like Runescape or Final Fantasy online, she hardly interacted with other people's characters if she could help it.

The Cyndaquil grinned in delight when Odile was practically squealing upon his approach, puffing out his chest with pride and waving one of his stubby little paws at the trainer-frog duo <Yo! Pleasure to meet'cha both. Don't worry, I won't bite! Heheh~> Aymr greeted in an energetic manner, his attention being drawn to his trainer who seemed to be needing a little nudge when it came to introductions. So he lightly butted his head against her leg as if to prompt Lucille in some kind of way ❝Oh, right introductions. I'm Lucille, this Cyndaquil is Aymr and this sleepy little Dreepy is Byleth. Aymr is a bit of a handful but he means well and Byleth is pretty newly hatched so she's learning and finding herself but she's friendly and affectionate.❞ The Kindler began, a small smile curling the corners of her lips ❝It's nice to meet you both, odile and Mercurio.❞ Nice and polite, which was Lucille's usual demeanor when it came to meeting new people and getting to know them better. Odile seemed warm and inviting which eased a little of her social anxiousness.

Lucille felt her shoulders slump somewhat as she got herself to relax just a tad, she didn't want to seem so stiff and rigid as she usually was. Taking in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. Calm, she could do this, surely. There wasn't any need to panic, yet. They hadn't even gotten to the Town to begin the tutorial just yet. Lucille glanced at the mini-map for a brief moment, they weren't too far out from the town now.

Byleth felt her trainers shoulders drop, lifting her head once more and rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her arm appendages <...Henlo.> Byleth spoke up after a yawn broke from her maw, her vision slowly adjusting to her surroundings. Slowly slithering down from her usual perch to float beside her fellow monsters. <What's the plan? Mama said there is something we have to deliver, right?> The infant dragon tilted her head slightly, almost mimicking Odile's earlier action. Wide amber orbs blinking with curiousity.