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Through the Eye’s of an Adventurer
I told myself I would never play that game. The game that turned half the female population of my meager middle school boy crazy over a single fictional character. I vowed to myself from then on that I would never touch a Final Fantasy game and be bewitched into the black hole of fandom that illuminated from those who became infatuated with it.
At the beginning of my high school career I couldn’t believe that I was talked into buying a Final Fantasy game by my lousy boyfriend Ryan and his good for nothing friends. Even if it wasn’t the same version of the game that had negatively turned me away from the series it was still apart of the branch and I was skeptical. Their voices still echoed in my ear as I turned on my Xbox 360 and waited the never ending five-hours for the game to finish downloading, “Danielle you should really try this game, its only a beta and free!” “Ryan would be happy if you played!” “Besides we need another member in our group to heal!” I still remember their pleads while trying to persuade me into participating with them. Hours pasted and the prolonged download finished. I was prompted to choose a character, model, and job. I quickly took a liking to the female-only race based off a cat-like figure with loads of dexterity and cute fluffy cat ears and a tail to back them up; it was any fan-boy or girl’s dream. Next, I selected my character’s model and the main job class, a healer, or White Mage then began my saga as an adventurer under the alias name of Nariko.
The prodigious world, in which I entered, was called Vana’Diel. Although, I felt alienated to the new surroundings but was lucky enough to have a few friends to begin the experience with. I remember fumbling through the bustling Bastok city streets, full of newcomers just like me, trying to figure out the vast mechanics to the game while I still tried to intake my own surroundings. The city in which I strolled fascinated me; streets were lit by brightly fluorescent streetlamps, shops displayed their newest stylish body armor, and a colossal water fountain engulfed the city’s core. I explored the cities various streets and affluent water canals nearly ten thousand times before I finally found Ryan. Walking seductively through the crowd was a tall young girl, ruby red hair pulled back perfectly in a short pony tail, dressed in skin tight leather mail, sword latched gently to her belt, with matching gray leather high-heeled boots.
“Oh my god…” I exclaimed trying to hold back the laughter “…Ryan over here!”
The young girl ran up slapping me lightly. Before I could even ask the question that was on my mind he answered it for me.
“There’s not many real girls who play this game… and many guys give those girls the presents…so…” he trailed off looked at me grinning as if to hint at his logic behind it.
I stopped him there; I didn’t want to hear his reasoning behind why he was female character I just accepted it and we moved on.
He showed me around through the vast city, showing me the various weapon shops, food stores, and armor depots while giving me information on each of the places before taking me out to where the beasts ran wild. Before I was able to grasp the city’s up-beat atmosphere we found ourselves beyond the city’s gates, in the region of North Gustaberg, on the outskirts of the city’s Mines District. From what I could tell it was a desert like region filled with various rocks, little vegetation, and dust everywhere. Ryan pointed to various monsters that I was to kill to gain experience and mentored me on the “how-to’s” before leaving me to go about on my own. He waved goodbye as I watched his character fade away as he neared the city’s gates before going about on my own business.
After that night, I was hooked. I played whenever I could; I was captivated with finding new unexplored areas while meeting new people. I couldn’t get enough of the game in every aspect it had to offer. I joined a small guild who’s objective was to help the members of their group further advance within the game. I supported the idea and went at it with everything I had to offer. As I traveled with the guild my adventures expanded; they granted me with numerous opportunities. Through them was I only able to be introduced to Rhianna.
I can still remember looking back to my first meeting with him when our guild leader introduced the two of us. Standing in the hot mud stricken stronghold of the bird beast men we stood facing each other; shadows were casted between the two of us from the nest-like structures protruding from the damp argillaceous terrain. The orange clay dried firm on the bottoms of our clogs as we stared smiling at each other both eager to make each other’s acquaintance.
“I’m Nari,” I said quietly but unquestionably. I examined his character thoroughly; she had sleek black hair pulled back to one side, with dark chestnut tinted eyes, dressed as if she was going into a Vana’Diel fashion show.
“Hey, I’m Rhianna and I like your hair…its white” said the cunning young girl.
I started to laugh this was quite an amusing aspect to me; a young male individual, of all things, noticed my unique hair color especially in a game. I was beyond amused and so started our friendship.
Months pasted and eventually my school friends stopped playing. They would often ask me, “Danielle do you really still play that game?” as if to question how does one game keep your curiosity for so long? But they always received the same answer, “Of course I still play…” followed by “I just reached level 60!” or “guess what piece of gear I got last night!” at least something of the sort. As unfortunate as it was to see them go my online acquaintances had sprouted like bamboo; I now had a larger group of online friends.
One day, in early January of my sophomore year, a friend of mine mentioned his neighbor would be returning back to the game from his long drawn hiatus. Although it wasn’t much news to some, to Rhianna and myself, it provided an engaging gossip topic for the week. The rumors spread and people continued to talk by the end of the week the newcomer was among us.
I swiftly paced through the over populated city streets of Aht Urhgan’s capital, Whitegate, passing an assortment of stands filled with many middle eastern types of entrées. As I stepped out of the shadows, from beneath the traverse, I scanned the various faces in the city’s vast square. Standing to my right in the heart of the Whitegate stood young man with short, spiked strawberry-blonde hair. Changing my main course of direction I casually walked towards the figure maneuvering through the ocean of merchants.
“Aren’t you Anthony?” I said gently poking the individual’s back while noticing the vast array of armor he was wearing; particularly it was rare to obtain and elaborate in detail and color.
“Y-eah…” the individual said, whirling around instantaneously as if being caught of guard.
“Your gonna help us kill a lot of high level stuff right? I heard you know everything!” I exclaimed with a hint of excitement on my tongue. I couldn’t give up a chance like this; his lustrous azure eyes locked onto mine while I waited patiently for a answer.
Evidently, our encounter changed everything; where I am today I thankfully give credit to our meeting. Our acquaintance became a friendship, which then in turn became a partnership. Phone numbers had been exchanged and we no longer just kept in touch through the game. My playtime increased outstandingly as well; before, I was hooked- now, I was obsessed. I had even gone as far as go on a trip to Michigan just to meet up with Anthony in person. Everywhere and everything was always the same, Rhianna, Anthony, and myself; we were a team. That is, until the end of that year.
I should have expected it sooner; we played all the time and our skills improved tremendously. The server we played on could no longer support our talents; thus Rhianna and Anthony had to migrate. Three small words were all it took to put me in a mental state of shock; “We’re leaving tomorrow.” I tried forgetting the words but it they rang in my head like Christmas bells. Tears seeped from underneath my glasses as I watched my character stand motionless in the endless white abyss of snow-capped mountains of Xarcabard as the swift winds wisped through her white hair before I logged offline and went to bed.
I was not present on the day of their moving nor was I willing to acknowledge the fact they had left. I wanted to refuse their calls but I couldn’t ignore them just for leaving the server, it was their choice right? Sorrow filled my body; I couldn’t understand how such a small decision, over an online community, could impact my real life so severely. Two weeks after their migration I received a message from Anthony asking if I would rejoin them; I immediately accepted without question.
The new server was much smaller then our previous home but the three of us were together again and we adjusted. Spring ended and we met more people while continuing our efforts in improving our skills even more so then before. Rhianna, Anthony, and myself also all joined a Japanese guild focusing on the hardest content in the game as well as utilizing extensive strategies and teamwork; which we all excelled in quickly. Anthony and I continued to see each other as much as our schedules would allow. With my now current passion with online gaming, I had been looking into Full Sail University the summer before my senior year; coincidently enough Anthony had looked into the school as well based of his past year’s lifestyle.
My senior year started so promptly and ended so abruptly but my memories do not contain most high school teenager’s recollections; to me, my senior year was all about slaying dragons, obtaining the most elitist armor, and defeating literarily impossible to gauge monsters together with my friends. Although, with the start of college I’ve had to change my playtime style, I still treasure the short time I had during my high school career to meet some of the dearest people to me. Even if it was through virtual means I experienced it through the eyes of an adventurer.
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nariiko's journal
