Pinball

Pinball watched from where he stood, propped up against the building. Acanthus and Morningstar were talking. About what, exactly, he couldn't tell. They were too far. He hoped they were talking about the quest. He hoped they were there for the quest. Pinball realized that they could just be meeting up. Oh no. That would look bad. He decided not to stress and to instead trust his intuition. If they weren't, no biggie. He looked like a creep and went and finished the quest by himself. So what? It wasn't like people's perception of him could get much worse. He kept his eyes on the two, and

"So this is a Soundtrack, huh...?" His voice was a whisper as he held the crystal to the light. Pinball nearly activated it, but decided not to. As promised, he had slipped into the shop after hours, in the dead of night. Acanthus was, for the moment, nowhere to be seen -- and if for whatever reason she was asleep somewhere in her shop, Pinball didn't want to disturb her rest. Instead, he inspected the items' information. The incarcerates were pretty standard, but as he began to read the Soundtrack's description, Pinball paused. The smallest of smiles cracked the ice of his face. He thou

Pinball had a weird relationship with the Fourth Floor. He tried not to linger on it, but at the end of the day, he seemed to be inexplicably drawn to it. Today was such a day. In the main settlement of the Fourth, Snowfrost, began a questline that Pinball had never touched. Not for any particular reason, of course. He didn't remember when it had popped up, but there seemed to be a pretty large gap in his memory regarding just when the Night King's Trilogy had even become a thing. Had it always been, and he'd just never noticed the celebrations taking place in Snowfrost? It was true he d

"It's alright," Pinball said. She didn't need to apologize, but she did -- and said that she'll be able to keep up. Acanthus told him that next time, she'd be fighting just as hard as him. "I know you will." He knew she'd been hitting quests between the ones they took together. That was good. When he'd set out with Acanthus, it was to help push her onto the frontlines. They needed all the help they could get up there. It wouldn't hurt to know somebody trustworthy there, too. Regardless, Pinball would be watching. "It would make it easier," he agreed. "But yeah, no worries. I'll just do t

Pinball's spirits were immediately lifted. He just about smiled. "Of course," he said, "you can drag me anywhere." His mind was already wandering, dreaming up a scene: rolling green hills or clean cobbled streets, a blue sky, or the smell of fresh rain and damp earth. Anything and anywhere he imagined was better than here. He was daydreaming, and because of that, he ended up walking closer than he'd meant to to the settlement of Knorilt. The guard lowered his weapon, but the broker they'd accepted the quest from put an arm out for him to lower it. Pinball frowned. He took a few steps bac

Also throwing this in as well: x1 Meal - Tofu Burger: +2 Protein

Pinball leaves an anonymous package for the old man. It is not an IED. x5 Soothing Spirits 229656, 229657, 229658, 229660, 229732 x10 Rumbling Rum Party Favor 230431-2, 230431-3, 230434-1, 230434-2, 230435, 230431-2, 230431-3, 230434-1, 230434-2, 230435 x3 Warpstone 230438, 230439, 230440 x2 (Potion) Liquor of Might: +3 DMG the IDs on these are lost to time, lol x2 Bubbling Bourbon 229730, 229731 x1 T4 Armor-Tempering Tequila 229571

Pinball was in the market for potions. He was fresh out. He needed healing crystals, a few crafter's respites, and most importantly, toxic venoms. He had been out for a while, and he no longer felt like missing out on the extra damage was acceptable. And there was really only one alchemist that he knew, that wouldn't freak out about him suddenly appearing out of thin air in his shop. "Oz," Pinball greeted. He took a moment to familiarize himself with the shop, and Oz's stock. After a few moments mentally tallying the damage, Pinball began picking out each item that he needed. He spared n

To his surprise, Acanthus threw herself at one of the ghasts despite being tapped out on energy. She destroyed the spectral mob in the process, but ended up collapsing herself. Pinball wasted no time in finishing the other mobs off, then. He was the one drawing aggro, but he wasn't going to risk Acanthus taking a hit. They exploded into fragments of light in rapid succession, and Pinball stood over Acanthus as she struggled to her feet. "Don't push yourself." The words came out sharper than he'd intended. He softened them. "You're doing great." He'd step away and give her space to

How long had she been gone? Long, by the sound of it. Or not long at all. Time in Aincrad was weird, and that went without saying. On some days, he could have sworn that a decade has passed. On others, it felt more like two. From what he understood, everyone experienced it different too. Nobody seemed to have the same answer, but the common consensus was just that: time in Aincrad was weird. Pinball let the two of them talk. After freeing Cordelia, Pinball had backed up, giving the two space to talk. His head was down now, his arms crossed as the two women embraced. He was glad, he

"Not a problem," he said. There was another pack though, and they were getting closer. It didn't matter too much. Acanthus had said it herself - she was surprised they got any loot from them. He threw his knives at range. They were still drifting slowly towards them, and as his knives connected they faltered. "Let your energy recover. I'm sure there will be more on the way back." He let the ghasts hang suspended there, stunned. Soon they began to move again, but Pinball turned. He flicked his head in the direction of the safe zone. "Let's go," he said. The ghasts hovered behind the

"Hm?" Thought it was what? Pinball had turned to Mishiro after staring at Cerberus writhe about the cavern floor in its death throes. That sort of thing had been happening a lot more often -- mobs, in their last moments, wailing in agony. He wasn't sure what that was all about, though he assumed that this time it was because of the quest's requirements. Mishiro continued, and Pinball couldn't help but feel as though he had missed something important. But all of that worry faded when he saw her smile. "Alright," he said. "Let's do that." He hurried to her side as the cavern became t

Pinball's eyes flicked from Oz, to Morningstar, to Mishiro, and back to Morningstar. He shook his head. He didn't need any of the drops, and if Oz didn't take them, Pinball usually let his loot fall into Mishiro's inventory anyway. The sands stretched out endlessly around them. Pinball was amazed he'd made it this far without being discovered. He was amazed nobody seemed to care, either, though he was more thankful for that part than not. "Nice to see you," Pinball replied. He opened his mouth to speak and then shrugged. Pinball didn't know what else to say. He wasn't the best at c

She seemed pretty confident for a player alone with a Player Killer. Pinball almost snorted. She went so far as to accuse him of having nothing better to do than sneak up on people minding their own business -- his lips quirked at that. "Right," Pinball agreed, sure. He was very tempted to leave at that moment, but he instead stood quietly watching her as she picked her herbs. His gaze wandered elsewhere. If he truly did have something better to do, wouldn't he be doing it? His eyes settled on the Town of Beginnings, and Pinball frowned. He did have something better to do. He'd just forg

"Sure, well," Pinball glanced to the river, and flipped a knife into his palm. "I don't think we'll have to scout for one, though." From the river, a new group of undead emerged. These were more ethereal than the Leech Lich and its kin, and they drifted out from the river's dark waters without disturbing its tranquil surface. Well, Pinball had experience fighting ghosts and the like, on this floor and others. Luckily, they could be killed just like everything else. The group that emerged from the waters reached soundlessly towards them, spectral limbs extended in what seemed like a mixtu

"Got it." Mishiro took point -- more than half the full pack of Hellhounds descended upon them, their jowels alight with flame. No sooner had they spawned had Mishiro dispatched them, her sword aglow with the last embers of her sword art. Pinball rushed ahead. Two more Hellhounds jumped into the path in front of him. Pinball didn't stop, and he didn't slow. A knife took care of each of them, replaced immediately by a new pair. Pinball's eyes were on Cerberus, its three heads, and the magma bubbling in its jaws. This time, he got in close. Pinball's form flickered. First here, then

Pinball knew he'd been silly -- if he'd prepared the right blade before he'd entered combat, the lich would be dead with his next strike. But he hadn't, and it wouldn't be. He was being careless, and he knew that one day it would cost him. Quick Change was on cooldown, and while he knew that the lich posed no threat, he also knew that he shouldn't take any chances. It was easy to forget that these things could mean life and death when you did them every day. Still, he decided not to beat himself up about it too much. Acanthus worked quickly, spotting her opening, and taking it. The Leech

Knorlit came and went. There was nothing for them there -- MIshiro had already picked up the quest, so they didn't need to speak with anybody there. Pinball had done the quest a long time ago, and he still knew the way. Across cracked, steaming earth, noxious black smoke and rivers of lava they went. Pinball himself had fallen again into a fairly deep silence. The Ninth Floor had put him into a rather particular mood, and his otherwise plain expression was cracked by a furrowed brow. But he marched steadily onwards. As they left Knorlit behind and began their journey further into that ho

Acanthus pretty easily dispatched the initial group of Stygian Warriors. Pinball darted past her, flicking knives into his palms - a blade for every occasion - and launched them each at the undead monsters in quick succession. His blades, Tyrfing, cut through the air unfailingly. They almost seemed to curve towards their targets, such was his accuracy when wielding that specific weapon. Pinball's hands vanished beneath his cloak. The Leech Lich swung, and Pinball moved his head slightly to the side. The lich's bony claws caught nothing but open air, and seemingly frustrated, it unleashed

<<THREAD SUMMARY>> Oz Receives: Oz | [Word Count: 6414/10 = 641.4] * [True Tier: 1] * [Group Factor: 0.7] + 3000 EXP (Quest Reward) = 3449 EXP Pinball Receives: Pinball | [Word Count: 6414/10 = 641.4] * [True Tier: 8] * [Group Factor: 0.7] + 3000 EXP (Quest Reward) = 6592 EXP Laurel Wreath: 538 col [x2] Essence of Titanium

Oz drank. Pinball stared. He wasn't worried about poison. But even as his hand firmly grasped the mug's handle, he didn't lift it to drink, either. Eventually his stare dropped and his gaze fell to his cup, where he watched the drink stir and still. Honey mead. It seemed like such a long time ago... Finally, Oz spoke, and Pinball lifted his eyes to meet him. He thanked him. Pinball's frowned. That wasn't it, surely. Pinball was even more put off by what sounded to him like appreciation. He hadn't taken him for the type. He didn't respond. Oz continued, and finally the a

Pinball stopped. "There," he said. Just a bit further down the river, a congregation of ghastly looking specters seemed to mill about aimlessly. Aimlessly, or restlessly awaiting something. Them. They were awaiting them. As in the two players who'd taken the quest. All at once, the information he'd gathered on the quest came spilling out. He spoke in a rather hushed tone, but was that really anything different for someone like Pinball? Acanthus was certainly used to it by now. "Four Stygian Warriors, then the lich will appear. Another four with him. Kill the warriors first. The lic

Oz sent the item his way, as promised. Pinball would have sent it back -- he'd only come expecting the one -- but he also wasn't against pocketing something that'd make his life easier later. Pinball acknowledged the reward with a nod and dismissed his inventory. It was time for them to go. This time, Oz led the way. Out of the maze, back to the settlement, where Pinball clung to the shadows and watched carefully for wandering eyes. "I need a drink," Oz decided between drags of a fresh cigarette. A drink didn't sound too bad. - He didn't pay much attention to the thirtee

"Yes, it's normal," he replied. He walked otherwise quickly across the stone floor of the cavernous tenth floor. They passed glowing mushroom and crystal alike. There was stone above, stone below, stone beside them. Everything was echoey. Their footsteps, stones falling in the distance, the steady, lazy sounds of the river besides them. Pinball shrugged. After a bit of consideration, he added, "I think floor nine is worse." Pinball absolutely hated the ninth floor. Pinball otherwise continued quietly. The good thing about following the river was that there wasn't as big of a risk of gett

Mishiro rejoined him shortly. "We can," he replied absently. He was unable, at first, to tear his eyes from the foreboding horizon. With a bit of effort, he managed. "But no, I don't think we need to. Not yet, anyway. This should be a lot quicker than the last one." But a break, he thought, sounded nice. If only they'd thought of it after they'd already finished the quest -- now he was going to spend the whole time wishing he could take a break. Mishiro commented that she'd never really been here before, to which Pinball snorted dryly. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and shook