Corvo

TricolorMina & Katoka v. Pollux & Koga - 6:00 PM "That's the way, short stack!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, unmindful of the crowd of eyes that shifted back toward him balefully. He cupped both hands around his mouth, one foot planting eagerly on the back of the seat in front of him like an anchor. The patron seated there did not like it, and swatted at the red-eyed menace to extricate the boot from the back of his head. Corvo kicked him. "Oi, fuck off, this is a labor of love, y'know," he growled at the annoyance. "Or at least, I'm tryin' to gas someone up. Ain't no diffe

"Where's the fun in that?" he smirked playfully as she peeled away and made some distance from him. That was to be expected; as there were few and far between people who were comfortable in that situation, and not many of them were in Aincrad with him. It was a great way to get an accurate read on others, though- especially the sort of people who were just playing at confidence, rather than actually being completely sure of themselves. Corvo's was a domineering presence when compared with the majority of Players he'd met. Even if they were at an advantage in terms of level and skill in the gam

He slid closer to her, standing directly behind the woman as she conferred with Giovanna about compasses and what to do about the quest. When she spun back around, she was face to face-- well, actually, it would've been chest to face for her, since she was a bit shorter than he was. Which he wasn't used to, because he wasn't incredibly tall back home. "Well, Yue Hua," he said, repeating her name. It was an interesting name, not like anything he'd heard before. "I'm Corvo. I hope that you don't mind the closeness." Corvo leaned down closer to inspect her face more closely, then determined

It was telling that when prompted about a job, the NPCs expected Corvo to do all of the heavy lifting. More than realistic, he lamented. Painstakingly realistic. Down to the most drab and depressing details from the real world. That Kayaba must've been a real sadist. He continued down the path in roughly the direction of the forest, where the lad indicated that he would find the forager, Giovanna. It was not a winding path by any means, perhaps more straightforward than anywhere else in the many worlds that comprised Aincrad. That made sense- the First Floor, and Town of Beginnings, came as cl

Reaching up to stroke his chin, Corvo assessed the woman carefully. She seemed uncertain, but her speech belied greater care than trepidation. She was walking on eggshells. That made sense. Corvo was a lot, even on his good days. He knew it better than anyone. Zuri was definitely an eclectic name. He'd never heard it before. He frowned a bit when she told him it was her real name. "Should probably be more careful with sensitive information like your real name," he told her. "Not that people in here are gonna be able to scam you or anything like that, but it's a good rule to get in the hab

She was... Corvo studied her reactions carefully as she went on the defensive, going so far as to hide her face and retreat behind formalities. Extreme shyness, almost certainly. It was clear she didn't like the absence of space he'd created, but rather than fight back, her response was to placate and become submissive. He pulled back a bit, allowing her a bit more breathing room- though he didn't actually step away. A sigh escaped him. There were many ways to handle the situation that were probably better than blowing a gasket and completely tearing into the girl, and he knew it. H

Corvo quirked a brow as she seemed to wage war internally. Her words dammed in her throat and she audibly paused, whether in hesitation or confusion, he couldn't tell. His frown returned. "Huh?" The woman's inflection, words, and mannerisms were tedious. She was being obtuse- purposefully or otherwise. It felt like she was trying to hide something, or at the very least, not being completely forthcoming with information. That was irritating in its own way, and Corvo had neither the patience nor the decorum to hide how it made him feel. Had she actually said that? Corvo took a step tow

He kept himself apprised of their surroundings as they went, noting that the woman stayed quite by and large the entire time, opting for speaking only when prudent. He knew plenty of people who struggled with social cues and situations- or at least, he knew one pretty well. She was capable of speaking a great deal better than the person he knew though, and carried herself with a fraction more intent and confidence than him. She smiled at him- that was uncharacteristic of what he'd seen so far, but they had know each other for only a minute or so. He couldn't possibly make an accurate character

His brows knitted together as he watched her expression and body language. "Eh?" Corvo blinked incredulously as the woman stammered and began to apologize. What was all that about? He was just trying to calm her down. The red-eyed blonde didn't need to be told his bedside manner was abysmal to know it, but he also wasn't overly fond of being reminded. He wore a slight frown as she spoke up. "Someone took your helmet?" he asked. "You didn't give it to them?" It seemed like a strange question, but with the way that handling inventoried items worked in SAO, the distinction was surp

It wasn't strange to see someone multiple times in a day on the first floor, especially when one considered how many low level players didn't venture out past the walls. What was strange was to see one multiple times in a matter of minutes. The woman was frantic, clearly out of sorts. His mood was more sullen than usual, so he wasn't quite at the point where he'd bark at her just for existing. Her anxiety was starting to make him anxious. That was the breaking point. Corvo didn't want to feel that kind of empathy toward someone else- and he didn't want to feel uneasy for any reason. The o

Monotony was the most lethal killer in Aincrad. People could speak for days on the dangers of being unprepared, the unpredictability of boss encounters, Player Killers- not a one of them could hold a candle to the ennui that crept in with every simulated breath. Corvo lamented in silence every time he opened his eyes to see a digital sunrise. It was the only time he was silent anymore. Alone with his thoughts, the sublime desire to simply fade, to wither away instead of missing his family. For the few fleeting moments before he dragged himself out of the inn bed each day, the same morose

God. One leg over the other, his foot hung limp and toes flicked from side to side as the two women unloaded on him. He stared at the empty drink glass after polishing off the liquid within, lifting it to examine it with one eye closed. God damn it, they have inflated self-esteem and get easily offended. They're the most annoying kind of bitches. Corvo exhaled loudly as he was told to "tread lightly." "I'm gonna stop you right there, lady," he said, thrusting out a hand as KnightinGale started to prattle off her indignation and indicated that the other girl had 'claimed' him. "You're talk

His gaze locked with hers when she reached toward him. When her fingers traced his skin, he slowly glanced down toward her hand, then back toward her. Fire burned in his veins, that deep seated longing for human touch fulfilled. Acid boiled immediately thereafter at the cruel reality, that the touch he received was anything but. Digitized emulation of the genuine article. An elaborate lie, the same lie that the game told them day in and out. Don't fucking touch me. His rage screamed from within, caged behind his ribs, bursting outward to blister his flesh from the inside. He almost g

It didn't take much to get her attention, he noticed. Corvo reached back behind him and peeled the wooden pipe from his inventory, spinning it deftly between his fingers as he drew it around his body and brought it to his lips. Bringing both hands up to cup and cover the bowl while igniting the herb within, he took a long, heavy, burning draw with both eyes closed. The room was still spinning. His head hadn't left the spiral of endorphins and adrenaline, nor had the headache left him entirely. He needed the sanity that his placebo brought, at least enough to not stumble over his own two f

He leaned back and pressed his palms against the rooftop, bracing himself for a deep breath that forcibly filled his lungs. The air here was dank, even so high up and away from the bustling city below. The headache brewing in his temples went unabated by the so-called "fresh air," and he exhaled harshly. "Fuckin' city smells like a hooker puked up saffron 'n myrrh on someone's taint," he muttered as he pushed his back toward the roof and stretched his spine, slowly reaching toward the edge with either hand to pop his shoulders. In reality, he didn't need the sensation in this world, but he was