Ride Out the Storm [o]

Perhaps starting out in the same town he had in the closed beta testing phase of development was not the best idea in the world. While there were definitely improvements to the town's structure and new features to explore, he was rather... What was the word? Bored? It wasn't quite the word he was looking for, but it was enough for now. He shouldn't have expected much for starting worlds to begin with, but maybe he was just a little bit biased because, well, this was his father's game. The vast majority of the players might not be pleased with their current situation--even he could say he was a little put off by such severe conditions placed upon thousands of lives--but at least he had accepted it relatively quickly. Or maybe he was just in denial right now. It was still just a game to him, and he would trust his father's decision.

[break][break]He still should have chosen a different world. Maybe Traverse Town; Vanitas went there, right? Hopefully he stayed out of trouble. Or maybe Destiny Islands. He couldn't even remember what kind of beginning plot went on there, but lounging on a beach sounded good enough.

[break][break]The blond pushed himself off of a ledge he had previously claimed as a perch, reaching his hands high above his head, clasping them together as he stretched. An unnecessary act, but it felt normal enough. The past few hours had been spent in the same spot, that ledge that probably was not meant to be a seat to begin with. Watching the players try to figure out what they were doing was entertaining enough. Some caught onto what they needed to do faster than others. Some took longer. Some had broken down, probably the younger players, though he had seen someone stressed about missing an exam. College student? Maybe.

[break][break]Dropping his hands back to his sides, he came to the conclusion that he needed to do something, anything, to keep himself busy. He probably would not have contact with Vanitas for a while, and he doubted that father dearest would appear before them anytime soon. A solid disguise would be needed beforehand.

[break][break]"Whatever; that doesn't matter right now." He shoved his hands into his pockets, stepping into the busy Market Street with the intent of climbing the hill towards the train station. Leveling should be a priority at the moment, but he had plenty of time to worry about that.

[break][break]ooc: have a mini-cloud? /shot sorry for the messy post. gotta get back into the roxas groove.

He hadn't been walking for long, his steps slow and his posture relaxed. It was more of a stroll, really, and he found himself shoving his hands into his pockets to keep them from dangling by his sides. It was apparent that he was far too comfortable in this situation. Players rushed to and fro, and their presence was almost suffocating. Yet, he refused to show his discomfort from the mere presence of other players. He had only just been observing them, after all. It was different trying to walk around with them than it was to just sit and watch from the sidelines. That was why he chose to take his time; rushing would only cause him to potentially run into others, have them strike up a conversation, and--

[break][break]"Cloud?"

[break][break]Normally, he wouldn't pay any heed to someone calling out another's name. It was only to be expected for players to call out to each other in the game; how else would they communicate? Well, there were the private messaging and whisper systems, but those might just be a little complicated to access right off the bat. No, what caused him to halt his steps was how the voice felt like it was being directed at him. Who was Cloud? Another player, perhaps, and none he knew. A frown etched on his face as he turned to find the source of the voice, quickly locating a man with long, white hair.

[break][break]The blond took a step back, his brow furrowing as he glanced suspiciously at the hand that was reaching for him before the other player seemed to realize their mistake. "There's no need to apologize, I guess. He kept that last bit to himself, trying to make his tone less abrasive. Getting called a name he had no connection to was not something he enjoyed; he hated it, actually. He had to remind himself that not everyone has found the friends they joined the game with. It wouldn't do himself any good to get mad at someone so early into the 'adventure'. He couldn't make enemies just yet, even if his temper flared. At least they did apologize, despite him saying it wasn't necessary only moments afterwards.

[break][break]"It's Roxas, though, not Cloud. For future reference." An introduction might as well be done. He hasn't found any familiar faces in Twilight Town, though he doubted he would to begin with, and he would rather not have anyone else mistaken him for someone he was not. Cloud? Part of him wanted to meet the person he had been mistaken for, but he also felt that he would only start drawing comparisons and try to fix anything that was too similar.

His brow furrowed at the man's words--or, rather, his manner of speech--and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly while following the hand the other player moved about in the air. This was... strange. For someone playing--living in--a video game, his speech was too well-versed, perhaps closer to a college professor than a student. He appear to be older, but it could just be his avatar. Maybe he was a writer? No, there was also something else, something he had read about once before... Ah, a roleplayer. That must be it. There was an article somewhere about roleplayers in the MMO world, or was it a forum post? He could not recall, and he had to blink himself out of his thoughts just to avert his eyes back to the other player's face.[break][break]

Hair, hair, of course it was the hair. He couldn't change that now, not that he wanted to in the first place. If it really began to bother him, he would simply acquire some sort of accessory that would hide his hair. His father put hats or hoods into the game, right? Roxas let out a slight sigh, and once more the hand became his main focus. Sephiroth. There was a brief moment of hesitation before he reached out, grasping the leather-bound hand extended towards him. "S'nice to meet you, too," his words came out softer and more of a mumble than he would have liked. A handshake, really? That was more formal of an introduction than he was expecting, and he almost felt embarrassed that he hadn't provided something more in kind. Almost. He got over it quickly.[break][break]

"There are a few shops in the area," retracting his hand, his voice was back to its original volume and clarity. Down to business without further delay, he pointed further up Market Street. "There are two Moogles in Twilight Town, one of which can be found in Station Heights just up there." Roxas turned on his heel, falling into 'tutorial mode'. At least he did not allow his voice to fall into dull, droning tone. He pointed down the street this time. "The other Moogle is stationed in the Tram Commons. There is also a separate accessory and armor shop," were those even functional? He could not recall if they were during beta testing. Ah, but, hangouts? His brow furrowed once more, and his pointing hand moved to comb through his hair in thought.[break][break]

"I don't know much about a 'common meeting place', but there is a Bulletin Board at Station Plaza. You might be able to post something up there, but no promises." Wait, he was supposed to guide, not point. Well, if he still needed a guide after being pointed elsewhere, then he could walk him there.