Snow

Snow paused in the entryway of the kitchen. Faint light poured out of it as the silhouette of some manner of creature or person crouched over the ingredients area. The blonde cocked her head in a mild confusion. In its hand was a vial of black pepper and she could have sworn it looked like the person-- fiend was about to consume its contents. Several thoughts went through her mind, the foremost being arming herself with a weapon and driving out the beast with the tip of her serrated spear. That would teach it to mess with Baldur's, and by extension of how much time she spent in it, Snow's kitc

He could hear it now. Don't sweep the leg unless they won't see it coming or you are ready for them to jump. Takumi clenched his teeth. Bismuth leapt into the air, coiled like a snake. Takumi's leg only just returned to a stance he could barely call stable. In combat, a kick paled in comparison to a blade, but in this tournament, a hit was a hit. Who was the young samurai to decide whether or not a blow would lead to a fatal strike or not? Both arms raised to block his face. The kick connected and with the full weight of his airborne opponent behind it, sent Takumi rolling feet over head

The blonde tapped the icon to send the direct message off to her guild leader. Then, she closed out of all her menus. With a little research earlier in the day, she found out where the NPC that held the quest was located and journeyed off early in the morning. Snow liked to be up before the rest of the guild when she stayed over at Baldur's estate. It usually meant she could ready a kettle of tea or begin the batch of rice they could pull from for the rest of the day. As long as she accomplished something that would benefit someone, Snow felt accomplished. After prepping the tea and rice this

"It looked like a lot to carry alone." Snow's lips curled into a faint smile and her eyes cast to the waters beside them. In its reflection, the light of day and its colors shone upon her with warmth. The heaviness of the morning felt lighter and the words she spoke this morning carried a slight jest to them. At their core, Baldur knew exactly what they meant now... and then. Her eyes still cast to the reflections of a new day, Snow nodded. It is... She thought to herself. But it's lighter now... When she felt the boat lurch and Baldur anchor them to the dock, she turned up her

Snow felt the warm embrace hold her together like so many fragile pieces ready to break. Like glass, clear and transparent, her raw emotions simmered to the surface. As did his. The depths of his eyes opened their gates and from Baldur's eyes flowed the storm that hide under calm waters. The warmth, his heart come to bare, the memories of those unable to share an embrace became too much for her to stifle. Her arms found themselves around him and pulled him close. An embrace she remembered fondly with Daire, Snow let herself become lost, exposed, and open to him. Was this what it felt like? She

She followed closely behind him. Every step seemed to weave them carefully, purposefully through the crowds of the 24th floor. She noticed the quiet of their steps and the absence of voices. The NPCs stayed just out of range as if they were as specters through the land of the living. Practiced through many journeys, the experience of her first pilgrimage with the samurai began to eclipse her own weight of burden. The bundle of incense she clutched drew against her chest which slowly pounded. That sound of her own life force, a tether so real it still bound them to the outside, gave rhythm to t

Love. The word used to describe an intangible and nearly indescribable feeling of connection to another person, a thing, a pet... Love is a word used only for the most important, the most dear, and the unforgotten. Unlike life, time, and memories, love lingers beyond. When hearts cease to beat, one will carry the weight of memory, of loss, and pain. Love is beautiful, but it also darkens the brightest of skies in its absence. A loss of light, of connection, and purpose remained when the cruel fate of reality intervenes in what should be an everlasting bliss. Yet, in that pitch black, those pai

Despite his aggressive advance, Takumi's opponent remained a contestant through and through. The two points that loomed over his foe's head must have finally moved them into action. The thrust meant to finish the duel found only air. Through the corner of his gaze, Takumi watched his target sidestep. To his side, where his heels lacked the ability to pivot as freely as his other side, the swordsman felt a sense of impending dread. I won't be fast enough! Raced though his mind. He tried to turn, bring his blade up to block, but he only felt the shock of impact radiate from the crook of his

After sharing a word with Lessa, Snow served the few other patrons that wanted another cup of tea. She returned to the kitchen, filled with the familiar aroma of Cordelia's ramen, and prepped the kettle for another round later in the evening. As she cleaned, @Baldur's voice rang out. As it seemed, Takumi would be participating this match. "He's a good kid," Snow spoke aloud to herself. The blonde finished drying the kettle and cups then returned to her cushion near where Baldur had already perched himself to observe the second round. She swept her kimono under her as she knelt and li

The force of the blow against Bismuth echoed down the length of the weapon and through Takumi's hands. It spoke the gravity of impact delivered to his opponent and despite Baldur's teaching, the young man felt sympathy for his opponent. The tatami mats fell to the floor in shards. His opponent, on the other hand, continued to persist. Perhaps this is the same feeling Baldur felt when his bokken struck Takumi during their lessons? The youth recalled Baldur's calm, unflinching expression. No... Master Baldur-dono was beyond sympathy. I have to be better. The young swordsman thought to himse

The attention from the crowd directed by Baldur's words plucked at Takumi's ribs. His posture remained tall, his expression held a confident but pleasant smile, and he kept his hand on the wooden sword slid through his belt. Once finished, the young man's eyes followed his mentor to where he would watch the matches. As Baldur sat, the weight of expectation settled on Takumi's shoulders. Both of his brows settled low and the fledgling samurai turned his attention toward his opponent. It felt unusual to be matched against one of the people he ferried to the island not too long ago. A part of him

Long after she finished her breakfast and let Lockne lick at the plate, Snow still found herself staring out the window as time ticked by. Her thoughts drifted to all those she met in her life in SAO and how many of them were no longer with them or missing. At least she still had Baldur, Calrex, and the rest of Jacob's Ladder. Hand against her head and propped up, Snow let out a long drawn sigh. Her mind slipped back into the reality of now and the list of chores she planned on completing today. All of which likely started with her getting herself dressed. She lifted her head off her hand and

“I’ve got this,” Snow replied as encouragement to Tigress just as much as herself. She remembered how much she and Assassin struggled against these bats the first time. Being unable to see in the dark proved slightly difficult. With Snow’s thorns, she felt it easier to let them harm themselves on her armor and let her regen keep her topped up. As the bat made for a second pass, Snow ducked low and let it pass overhead. As it tried to recover in the air, Snow pressed her fingers to her lips and let loose another shrill whistle to draw the monster’s attention to her. ”Sounds like a p

As Snow lead the way closer to the cave and their fist opponent, she thought about Tigress’s words. They held truth in that NPCs were just programming intended to be used by the players, but in a world where they looked no different than the players, the line of real and fake blurred. The expression of pain, the screams, the begging, all sounded just like a person’s. How could someone turn a blind eye to that kind of suffering? How could one witness the slaughter and not see the random programs as one of their friends, family, or loved one? If anything, NPCs could still return to life, but tha

As she watched Calrex leave the kitchen with the tea, she turned her attention to the remaining tray. Steam softly lilted from the neck of the kettle and the scent of steeped leaves lingered like a floral bouquet. In the humid heat of the kitchen, Snow took just a moment longer to appreciate the silence. The presence of those like Calrex, Baldur, Cordelia, and the rest of Jacob's Ladder calmed the blonde. The slew of unfamiliar faces, although welcomed and overall pleasant, tugged at the strings in Snow's chest. The anxiety of being judged flared despite her posture and despite her relationshi

"Eye dragger?" Snow looked at her weapon with a squint in her eyes. To her, the polearm seemed simple. Compared to some of the oversized, ornate, and impractical weapons wielded on the front-lines, this was a toothpick by comparison. She shrugged at the notion. It's beauty resided in the fine details one could only see up close. That either meant someone was close enough to inspect it or found themselves at its business end. Tigress continued and admittedly, the girl would look silly if she tried to use a weapon so much longer than she was tall. Snow stifled a smile. "For me?" respo

Snow felt curious about the girl’s choice to mention the cat like characteristics she chose to wear. When she returned to the shadows of her hood, Snow recalled the visage of Assassin. When they first met, it went just like this. The smaller of the two held such intensity and determination to be taken seriously. Assassin also preferred the confined of her hood to hide how young she was. Perhaps Tigress also had a reason for her behavior. Maybe she just liked cats. Who was Snow to judge? ”Ah, well I didn’t want to mention it, but I’ve met other players who have their own unique traits they

A small figure spent some time by the woman and the expression of worry transfigured into gratefulness. Snow smiled. Perhaps people still took the quest after all. Smile quickly turned to confusion as the figure shed its hood to reveal a pair of cat ears. That same pair of ears turned tail and marched on up to Snow. Now, the blonde stood eye to eye with the other player and at the end of some crass words. Snow held her hands up innocently. "No, no!" Snow waived her armored hands peacefully and defensively. "I'm just grateful is all." Snow's soft Czech accent hung on her words. "

The town of Urbus paled in comparison to the Town of Beginnings but held a similar, circular layout. The innermost rings contained the most traffic and the outermost rings contained residences, dark alleys, and obscure shops. Compared to the Town of Begginings, Urbus excelled in one area- mineral selection. Thanks to the topography of the floor, the mountainous expanse became home to hundreds of small mines. Caves were commonplace and many adventurers sought treasure in their dark expanses. One needed to be careful, for many of the caves became home to hoards of monsters. Snow found herse

From the window beside the sitting table, Snow looked out the the vivid colors of the third floor. Every day, the colors shone vibrantly. On rainy days or the few weeks of snow, the floor still held a semblance of its color. In fact, the winter month yielded special berries similar to a cross between cranberries and pomegranates. Thankfully, her estate offered her plenty of privacy. No one would be peeping in on her in her nightgown, not that it was particularly revealing or anything. To be seen in your nightwear is reserved for close friends or partners. Snow sighed. "I miss you..."

Snow shook her head. ”I doubt it had to do with your skills,” she replied to @Calrex. “Those aren’t in question. If anything, it has to do with your movements versus your foe’s. You’re leagues above myself, but that doesn’t mean you’re invincible nor can you predict the unpredictable.” The blonde cast her eyes to the floor for a moment. The words that left her lips took to the air with a personal weight. She looked back up to him with an ounce of cheer missing from her eyes. ”But you know that every time you and the others face a floor boss.” The air soured from Snow’s roug

Why Lockne liked egg shells, Snow didn’t know, but it seemed mimics practically ate whatever you gave them. Non-food items they just liked to keep inside likely to entice something to reach in. Snow lost count how many times Lockne took a nip at someone’s fingers. Still, the mimic did a great job of protecting Snow’s little trinkets and valuables. Even when feeding, somehow Lockne kept the food and Snow’s things separate from one another. I’m short, mimics must be scavenger monsters. Whatever food they could find, they ate. So, for Snow, Lockne was the best little scrap cleaner she could ask f

With a wry smile, Snow set the eggs down and searched the cabinets for her cast iron pan. She used the stove's UI to light a flame and let the surface get to temp. While she waited, Snow used her trusty Sushi Knife she had made for her cooking profession to slice off a few pieces of bacon from the slab. When the pieces hit the pan, they crackled and sizzled like music to her and Lockne's ears. Do mimics even have ears? Snow shrugged at the thought and wrapped up the slab of bacon. She placed it back in the ice box and grabbed the two eggs yet again. Lockne chattered. Snow smiled. "Reeaaad

Once in the kitchen, Snow swung open the door to the ice box and much like before this death game, she stared at its contents blankly. She knew what was in it, but a force of habit encouraged her to simply gloss over all of the ingredients and leftovers within as though she was seeing it for the first time. Lockne took this time to squeeze between Snow's feet and join her like the mimic she was in looking over its contents. Unlike Snow, Lockne would have been content eating any of it. The little mimic's chatter broke Snow from her leisurely trance and she settled on a classic breakfast: eggs a

The tournament raged on as Snow watched intently from her perch beside Baldur. Compared to combat in the field, these skirmishes were far shorter and to the point. Snow even physically reeled back the moment @Alkor's training weapon became a mess of splinters. Her pale, blue eyes traced him from the tournament floor and off to some unknown corner of the estate after his victory. Of all the participants to watch, Snow felt Alkor would not disappoint. @Calrex on the other hand fell just shy of his victory versus a blonde similar to Snow herself. The sight alone versus such a renown player and me