There's a slight resistance a bit like moving through water but with momentum it's not a problem and with a slurping sound she's off.

There's a whirl of colors, a sound a bit like wind rushing by and a feeling that she's moving really fast. She also can't quite feel her body at the moment. The journey takes maybe ten seconds.

When she arrives it's on a squishy surface a bit like some playgrounds use. The portal winks out behind her. There's a few other portals spitting out people before similarly winking out. She seems to be in the ground below a giant ropes course that stretches as far as she can see. There's a few treehouses scattered through the canopy and sometimes the squishy surface gives way to water.

She stumbles a bit on the way out, but not more than that. Okay, she has a new favorite magical travel method. Friendship ended with portkeys, gates are her new best friend.

She takes a look around, then starts climbing her way into the ropes to make her way to one of the treehouses, in hopes of getting a better idea what's going on — either from the vantage point and watching where people go, or by finding someone who knows shite in the treehouse.

Some people say hello or similar pleasantries as she passes. There's also a few people who are ruder but that's people for you.

The closest tree house is a bit of a climb but it's easier than yesterday's parkour. Inside the treehouse there's a soft floor a small water fountain and a couple single person bathrooms. There's also a room with a rope ladder that seems to be cycling upwards and the bottom of a fire pole.

Out the window, she can see a bit farther than from the ground but it doesn't really show her anything new just more of the same.

A woman who looks to be in her mid twenties with golden blonde hair, red athletics shorts and a pink tank-top comes in through one of the entrances. "Hi there, you're another player right?"

She briefly greets people as she climbs, then gets a drink of water. 

"Hi. Yeah, another player. I'm—" do they use individual names or just stick with Sable's like usual? They got this bracelet, though, so they might as well, "—Hailey," she finishes barely a moment later. Was that noticeable? Hopefully too quick?

"Cool, I'm Sally. I thought about doing the whole different world different name thing but I decided against it. Totally cool if you're doing it though. People get to use whatever names they like... well unless it's like dicklord69 or something."

"Hah! Yeah, that's definitely a bit much. So what about this game caught your eye?"

"The exploration is it for me the idea of there being so many worlds to explore and people to meet. It's really cool. Also it's full dive VR even if it was just a dance game it would be worth trying it out."

"Hell yeah for full-dive. I'm way too trans to pass up on the chance to experience full-dive," she agrees with a laugh.

"Oh, cool. I guess it would help with that. I wasn't really thinking about it. For me it's more about being in better shape than I am in the real world. I think I'd be panting for air if I tried to climb as high and as fast outside."

"That makes sense. That's definitely another great perk." She nods. "Any idea how we go about getting living quarters, or what's supposed to happen next?"

"The map has a bunch of apartment buildings marked towards the middle. I didn't look into it yet though. I don't know if it's important to be somewhere like that before logging out."

"Just guessing from genre shit, I feel like it probably is, but could be wrong." She shrugs.

"I think it's probably important to be in a safe zone or something resembling one but I think this whole place is supposed to be safe? Maybe I'm wrong though. Having somewhere to put my stuff would probably be good anyway depending on how the inventory system works. If there is an inventory system, there doesn't seem to be one in my menu. If there isn't one that seems especially important."

She nods. "Yeah. Seems like they're leaning into realism pretty hard. Probably we're gonna need backpacks. Hopefully they're for sale, but if not, we'll have to learn leatherworking I guess."

"The map also has markets labelled out past the canopy, what the map calls where we are. It doesn't say what they sell though."

"Worth a look. I might go pick out an apartment and then check out the markets. Good talkin' with ya."

"Nice talking to you too. Maybe we'll run into each other later." Sally waves goodbye then walks over to the drinking fountain.

Hailey pulls up the map and takes a look to see what waypoints are noticeable. 

The revealed section of the map is a large circle. The middle is composed of hexagonal apartment blocks laid out in a hexagonal pattern. Out past that is the canopy she's currently in with various dojos, gyms, ranges for guns and archery, running tracks, and swimming areas marked as highlights. The ring past that seems to be a mix of plains and forests with six markets in that area to keep with the hexagonal theme. Then the map ends with an effect indicating she'll need to explore more or find maps in world depending on the Devs.

Huh, cool. She'll aim for an apartment building that's particularly convenient to both a dojo and both types of shooting range, if possible. Off she runs into the ropes again, after a last wave to Sally, people-watching as she goes.

That's an achievable goal.

People watching shows her a few different types of players, there's a few who are clearly more experienced with doing this kind of athletics who are just flying up the various climbing areas including some of the ones marked as challenges while others who are less skilled but still trying and sometimes falling dramatically before trying again. And then there's the people who seem a little more cautious who are mostly staying on the ground.

In general people seem excited. As you would expect from a collection of people who managed to get a coveted slot in one of the more talked about game releases.

There's people in jeans and T-Shirts or workout clothes but there's a lot more variety than you'd see in most contexts there's other people rocking the sort of goth vibes she is while on the other end of the spectrum there's people in ballroom gowns or tuxedos and still other people are wearing cosplay of various sci-fi and fantasy properties.

She admires the variety of outfits as she swings and jumps, then starts looking around inside the apartment building. Is there a registration deal, or terminals by the doors, or some other obvious means of acquiring an apartment? Do the rooms cost money? And what's the place look like now that she's landed and gone inside, anyway?

The rooftop entrance seems to just be a combination of a roof over the stairs and an elevator lobby. Upon entering the lobby a small notification dot appears above her menu diamond.

Well, sure. She'll check out that notification. The timing suggests it's relevant.