COMPLETE [PP-42] Buggin' Out <<Long Live the Queen>> Ishida/Opal/Teselmar

[Teselmar 0]

The second floor of Sword Art Online's Castle Aincrad was a study in ecosystem diversity. Mountainous ranges topped the terrain near where the system of caverns met the sky; that's where the path to the third floor led. Below, there was a variety of woodlands and plains, the kind that you'd feel comfortable riding a horse through. If you were into that sort of thing. Teselmar made his way down from the mountainous settlement of Urbus, the settlement that passed for the center of civilization on this floor. The green land that stretched up to meet him was a more vivid shade than anywhere he'd ever seen out in the world. You might be a prisoner, but at least you've got a room with a view...

He was here to meet up with Ishida, another relatively low-leveled player, to accept a quest that would make them both stronger. Opal, a higher-up in the Blood Knights Guild, was offering to party up with them again, and give them another look at how to deal with the monsters that infested this digital world like a plague. He was looking forward to seeing both of them again. He checked his HUD for the map that told him where they would be meeting, and made a beeline there. As he walked, he spotted various groups of players venturing out on their own adventures. Some groups large, some small; some bristling with weapons and gear, others barely armed, jumping at shadows as they tried not to look afraid. Teselmar was glad to have a slightly better sword at his hip, the <<Iron Nail>>. If he had to fight, it would give him a very slight edge. But in this world, every edge counted.

Finding the spot, Teselmar waited, checking his inventory once again. He withdrew the cigarette from his inventory, remembering the first time he'd shared a smoke with Opal. The citrus haze lingered in his thoughts, and he put the tip between his teeth. When he saw her, perhaps they'd share another moment, before they ventured out. Teselmar made a mental note to buy some from her store when this was all over, and to ask if Ishida smoked. Wouldn't be polite not to share.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Teselmar

[Opal 0]

Opal had spotted the first member of the two that she would be accompanying for their second quest on floor two. Another field boss, and another quest she was rather familiar with. The woman continued to walk in her pace as she came up to the blonde, this one was Teselmar, the man she had met at a tavern on the fourth floor. They had shared a common interest in smoking which was not something you saw in everyday Aincrad, only one other player had the same interest as hers but he had not been heard from for awhile. None the less, she was happy enough for them to be back out. 

With her arms swinging from side to side, Opal made way to the spot and stopped by his side with a small curving red lip smile on her face. Dark honey eyes masked by tendrils of ebony swept away by her hand as she accessed her menu. The orange tint of the cigarette exposed between her fingers fully lit as the scent was produced with a quick drag and exhale into the sky floating over the player, "Still have those bad knock offs, I see. Need a light?" the woman stepped in front of him and bent her head down at an angle, the glowing embers of the end struck with his before she pulled back after it was ignited. 

"Looks like we are just waiting for Ishida then. Glad to know you are both amongst the living. It would have been a waste if you died so soon..." the woman examined the man's rapier and nodded, at least he came a bit more prepared this time. That was a good showing, but not necessary. Opal had a feeling she would be doing the heavy lifting again this time, but at least she could do the quest with some nice company. Both players seemed liked cool guys for the most part, she felt rather comfortable being with them. Then again, they were just low level players. Not much harm could be done from them to her, none the less, the woman had a stricken fancy with this blonde player. He seemed both the Dangerous and Kind type. She thought nothing more of it at that moment, sweeping her head to the side and blowing a thick plume of citrus smoke from her red lips. Probably wasn't his type anyways. 

[Ishida 0]

Ishida sat within one of the many taverns located within Urbus, the main hub of civilization upon Floor 2, for a time longer than he cared to admit.  Alone, at a table in the corner, he sat while rereading the message sent to him from Teselmar offering the teenager the opportunity to tackle another field boss.  The dark-haired young man was conflicted.  He was used to getting by on his own--making his way through the world on his own accord without necessitating a reliance upon others.  However, Aincrad was different.  The game presented before his eyes now was much different than the game he was used to playing outside of this virtual prison.

In the real, on the streets of Ikebukuro, he could have solved any problem with his sharp wit and street smarts.  Those skills amounted to less than nothing in Aincrad, a placed where strength and ability were based on stat points and the equipment you wore rather than true, personal capability.  No one person could attain all the skills needed to survive this death game on their own, he was sure of.  It was from this depressing realization that his desire for companionship stemmed from--not so much from human desire but from the instinct to survive.  However, he needed to be selective.  Ishida couldn't just befriend and rely on just any random player he came across in Sword Art Online; they needed to have skills that complimented his own.  Not only for his benefit but their own.

Teselmar seemed to fit this bill.  It didn't hurt that the man currently lived a stone's throw away from him, although he didn't know why that mattered to him yet.

So, with that weighted, thoroughly analyzed decision behind him, and the prospect of an opportunity to grow stronger ahead, he replied to the blonde-haired rogue's message.

[On my way.  Be there soon.]

---

Not long later, Ishida looked upon Teselmar and Opal as he approached their rendezvous point.  Calmly, with a light grin pulling to the corners of his lips, he raised a hand and waved at the two while continuing to pace over.

"Hello again.  I hope you guys weren't waiting long."

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar smirked as she approached him, leaning back against a tall evergreen and watching her draw near. Still wearing the white and red guild armor that accentuated her figure, the woman stood out in any environment. More so now that they weren't in a snow-scape. She seemed pleased to see him, a small grin gracing her ruby lips. She took a drag off of her cigarette and exhaled; the scent of citrus and tobacco was heady, and growing to be a pleasantly familiar scent. "Yeah, I've made do with the cheap stuff. Good to see you."

He held her gaze steadily as she drew close, not bothering to take an arm's distance. The tip of her cigarette met his again as the motion drew their heads close, a schoolyard's dare away from a kiss. The moment was intimate, but it coalesced into a comfortable silence as they both shared a smoke break. The air grew thick with smoke, but their virtual lungs didn't mind. Teselmar had tried to give up smoking, out in the real world. Here though, there was no harm or foul in indulging a habit, especially if it calmed his nerves and made his mind sharp. He had taken up smoking originally to fit in with the other officers on the force, and had found himself simply relying on it to unwind after a day on the beat. The private sector hadn't been quite so welcoming of the habit, so he'd turned to patches to help him quit.

Teselmar shook his head, trying to banish the thoughts of the outside world from his mind. He was here now, and allowing himself to slip out of the moment at hand was a good way to get killed. He caught Opal glancing at his belt, and grinned. "Like what you see?" He intoned, turning to let her look at the rapier, though his teasing tone could be taken either way. He chuckled softly at her other comment, about him surviving thus far. "Yeah, it would've been a shame if I'd died before I got to share a smoke with you again." he teased with a genuine smile. It was fun to have company. Loneliness could kill a man in this life or the outside one, sure as any blade or fang. He felt fairly comfortable around her, and she struck his fancy. She seemed like she had an edge to her, but that smile promised something softer to those who earned her trust. Teselmar let the thought pass, allowing a breeze to pull the smoke from his lips as he exhaled. She probably wasn't into guys like him anyway, but a man could try.

Ishida approached the pair, and greeted them. Teselmar waved back, seeing the young man drawing close. He had an intensity to the way he moved, like someone who was constantly looking to make sure he wasn't surrounded. Still, not a bad habit to have in the world of Aincrad. Teselmar straightened, moving the cigarette from his mouth to his left hand, crossing to offer Ishida a handshake. "Good to see you too, Ishida." He opened his inventory for an unlit cigarette to offer him; while they were the cheap brand, it was still enjoyable. "You wanna have a smoke with us while we talk about the field boss?"

Edited December 31, 2015 by Teselmar

[Opal 0]

He was a flirt, that was for sure. Three months ago, if she had met this man back when she was still wild and uncaged, she would have been all over him. Now? Probably not so much, but the woman could fantasize safely without the needed contact of his hands on her. The woman let out a soft sigh as she heard the footsteps coming from the other direction. Ebony hair shifted with a short breeze as it paraded around them, lifting small locks of the feathered hair before she swept it aside from the contact of her orange eyes. Silence ensued when Ishida had made his presence known.

"Not too long, I only just arrived moments before. So you are ok. I'm not one to berate a player for showing up late, I tend to do the same on occasion by accident. One could never be too prepared for a quest. Glad you were able to make it." The woman passed her cigarette from one hand to the other and moved it towards the side, a habit she had learned for the masses who did not smoke but here the subtle burning of tobacco was consumed by the fruitier scent of citrus in the air as it wafted over her as well as Teselmar. She did not say much for that until he had offered the player a smoke from his pack, she wondered if Ishida was one of those players who tried to look cool in front of other people or if he had a mind of his own. 

The woman had taken up smoking at an early age due to peer pressure, ever since then its been alcohol and cigs for the last eight years of her life. Did she ever think about quitting? Oh God no, not with her womanly stress levels. She laughed at the thought abruptly and cleared her throat when she caught herself daydreaming of a silly notion. Eyes bound back to the players, "The Quest is rather straightforward...We'll need to kill a few Wind Wasps before the Queen emerges from her Hive, after that its pretty much all she wrote. If you two are looking for combat experience, I can hit them with an AoE Stun attack and let you try your hand at whacking them. If things get too intense I'll make for another AoE. These wind wasps are nothing to be scared of." Opal flicked the butt of her cig with her thumb, the burning ash flicking off into the breeze before turning into nothingness. If it was one thing, Aincrad knew how to keep the air clean. But she offered her services as such, if they wanted a hand in combat she would make the situation as easy as possible for them so they could get a feel for the action. With the wasps stunned, they would not have to worry about any counter attack measures.  

[Ishida 0]

Ishida took up the handshake that Teselmar offered with a firm authority.  However, to the offer of the cigarette, he casually dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand after their greeting had ended.

"No thanks.  My mother was a smoker.  It's not a habit I'm particularly fond of," he said, matter of fact.  There wasn't condescension or disdain in his voice, it was simply him stating a personal preference.  As many vices as the teenager had, smoking was not one of them.

"I'll be honest;  I was debating whether or not to even show up." Ishida rubbed the back of his neck as he admitted that little truth.

"I've heard horror stories about unsuspecting players getting caught up with the wrong groups.  I didn't know if I should go about it alone or take the risk and join up with you guys again.  As you can guess by my being here, the risk is worth it."

He shrugged as Opal started to go into the details about the encounters.  Ishida didn't particularly want to take a stab at the combat, mainly because he didn't think he was geared enough to handle the threat these bees posed but also because he wasn't very familiar with the combat system as a whole.  That being said--he would do what was required of him to assist the party.

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar caught the small laugh that escaped Opal's lips. Apparently, she had found something funny. The corner of his mouth upturned, then he listened to what she had to say concerning the wasps. "I'm up for taking down a few of the beasties if I can. Need to get practice fighting something, and if I get in trouble, I'll disengage and fall back out of aggro range." It felt good to talk tactics with a unit of like-minded peers, almost like the old days. He listened to Ishida talk, and appreciated the lack of judgment in his voice over Teselmar's chosen vice. When he spoke about how he had debated wether or not to come along with them. "Hey, I totally understand. It's a jungle out here, and there's plenty of players who think it's kill or be killed. That said," he beamed sincerely at Ishida, "sometimes the only way to accomplish more is to band together. Who knows, you might end up saving all of our lives one of these days." 

He nodded to Opal, and unsheathed his new rapier. The guard was plain iron, but unlike his starter's rapier, Iron Nail had a slightly thicker blade, with more edge and a sharper point. Hopefully this quest would allow him to do even more damage, and eventually he'd be able to invest into some decent light armor. "I think it's safe to say that we'll both be leaving the queen to you. When she appears, we'll fall back. Lead on whenever you're ready." He put the cigarette between his lips once again... it was a good smoke in good company, and he wasn't going to let a silly little thing like combat make him waste it. 

[Opal 0]

Opal nodded to both party members as well as the voiced concerns from the player Ishida. Opal had to say something about that very subject, "This is true. You never know when the Black Mamba will strike, but the snake will only strike when it feels threatened to do so. There are other 'snakes' in this world, those that strike because they hunger for blood, or for the pure thrill of a kill, but I can assure you...I, Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood with sworn duty to not engage in meaningless crime of murder, will uphold every fiber of good will." The woman placed the elegant looking stick in her mouth as she swiped through her menu, once more her ornate saya fell into her hand as she equipped the weapon and shouldered it as she had normally done. The cigarette burned as she took in a long unhandled drag from it as she allowed the orange plume to escape slowly from her mouth as it opened. 

With that, Opal had taken lead of the party once more as they delved from the edge of the safe zone and towards the forested region of Floor two. She had been here a number of times as well, the quest as she had explained it was pretty simple. Kill the drones, out pops the queen, kill the queen. Very straightforward for most of these slaughter quests. The woman was unsure of what to talk about as they made their way to the destination, it would take a little while to get there just by walking and she felt perhaps a subject to talk about might ease the quiet silence that now consumed the party.

"So..." she began, unsure of what to really talk about, as far as she had planned the word 'So' was the majority of her thought process. Attempting to quickly come up with a subject she attempted to rush her thought process up and to stimulate their brains, "...were you guys students before coming to Aincrad, or full time workers?" that didn't seem like an intrusive question to ask, it was bound to happen sooner or later and it would help kill sometime while they made way to their destination. 

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar raised an eyebrow as Opal spoke, learning something new about the enigmatic beauty. Not only was she a high ranking member of the Knights of the Blood, she was Vice Commander. Interesting, and it raised even more questions in Teselmar's mind as to why someone with such a lofty title was hanging around with a couple of no-name rogues like him and Ishida. Perhaps she genuinely enjoyed their company, or maybe she was just taking pity on them. Either way, it was a revelation that made him pause and take notice. Her snake analogy was also something to note, and it sounded more like something an NPC in this world would say, rather than a modern English speaker. Perhaps the flowery language and almost Disney World-esque fantasy of this realm was something you picked up if you threw yourself into it like Opal obviously had. It was just another insight into someone who Teselmar was becoming more and more interested in, more so now for their mind than their body. She was a truly interesting person.

Opal had materialized her sword, and he followed her as the three of them headed out. Ishida was the quiet type, so Teselmar didn't push for conversation from him. It was enough that the young man felt comfortable enough around them to trust them in coming out, there was no need to pry into him. He was content to listen to the various noises, the clicks and rustling of the forest around them as they walked. The game creator, Kayaba, had been one special kind of @$$hole, but the man new how to build a world, he'd give the guy that much. "So..." Opal had started, then trailed off. Teselmar smiled his lopsided smile as they moved, waiting for her to finish her thought. "...were you guys students before coming to Aincrad, or full time workers?" He was genuinely surprised to hear her ask about their personal lives, but it wasn't unwelcome. Ishida would probably answer in his own time, and Teselmar was naturally an outgoing person, so he answered her. "I went into the police academy straight out of high school. Never went to college, but I got an associate's degree in criminal justice online. I was working as a... security specialist when all of this happened." He pointed all around him with his rapier, trying to get his point across. "How about you? Were you a student?"

[Opal 0]

Opal stopped dead in her tracks as Teselmar had made his comment, "Ahh...I see..." the woman had taken a rather large hit of whatever it was that indeed had hit her. Her eyes looked down towards the ground, it had been awhile since she thought of Lindow and the mention of the Academy or anything relating to gave the woman a more sombre moment than she had expected. Brushing a lock of ebony from her eyes, the woman lifted her chin back up and started walking once more, "I hear that is some dangerous work. But an Officer sounds like a really good job to help protect players. You seem to have a bit of that 'Bad Boy' nature to you, Tes, so it was a bit startling to know you were at a police academy, though that Security Specialist sounds rather interesting as well." Ruby red lips curled into a smile and she shook her head at his question, flicking black from her eyes once more with a single hand.

"I was a Chemistry Major back in PA, I was working on my eighth year and planned to graduate. SAO was actually supposed to be a small test on the effects of the body in and out of the game and how the mind perceived the virtual world. I was only supposed to dive a few times to complete my Thesis, but I ended up...getting stuck here. Other than that, I was your run in the mill sorority party girl. I didn't do much 'learning,' as I did 'partying,' but that's all in the past now. When we get out of here, I have no idea what I will be doing with myself."

The woman shifted her gaze towards Ishida, the man didn't seem to want to make any personal comments on the matter, and that was fine. Truthfully, they were all strangers with one another and perhaps he felt more inclined to keep to himself. Opal was much like that when her training was through, but she had been opening herself up more these days as she grew comfortable with people being around her. Although the awkward silences she usually gave was a strong indication that her social butterfly skill was still a bit on the rusty side.  Flicking with her thumb the cigarette ashes rolled off the burning edge into the air and into the nothingness of the land. It was about time for her to start concentrating on finding the Wind Wasps so they can eventually take out the Queen. So she took in single long drag from her cig and expelled the smoke slowly from her lips upwards into a stream and flicking it away from her as it was obliterated into nothingness. 

OOC: Will probably summon up some Wasps on next post. 

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar's laugh almost sounded like a lion's purr, low and strong. "Bad boy? Is that the impression I make?" He smiled curiously, amused at the notion. If he had to pick a 'type' for himself, he supposed he was a little bit of a bad boy. "To tell the truth, I wasn't a very happy cop. It's almost all paperwork, and I got frustrated with how slow things moved. So I applied with a private security company. More like a paramilitary job, but it was a lot of protection details." He cracked his neck, accomplishing nothing in his virtual form but doing it any way out of habit. "I had a lot more freedom than when I was on the force. Got to pick my own assignments, make a plan, see it through, and make sure my client got in and out okay. It was also a lot more dangerous... I've been to some crazy places. Before my contract that took me to Japan, I was escorting a VIP in Tel Aviv. Now that, somebody could make a movie out of what happened there, hahaha." He grinned brightly, inhaling the crisp morning air and exhaling smoke. 

He listened to what she was saying about being a student. Chemistry major? That would explain the focus on Alchemy, I suppose. Teselmar figured that she was demonstrably intelligent to study chemistry for so long. "Chemistry, eh? I know some basics for handling volatile chemicals, but nothing advanced. That's an impressive thing to specialize in." She spoke about how she had been a party girl. Teselmar was actually a bit surprised. The person in front of him didn't really fit the bill for the vapid and air-headed sorority stereotype. I guess this game really changes people... The more he thought about it, the more Teselmar realized how much he may have changed since all this began. He used to crave adventure and danger above all else, only putting others first when he was paid to do so. But now? Seeing kids crying because their friends died in front of them had sobered him up a bit. He still loved the thrill that came with venturing out, but he had shifted his focus a bit, to try and put others first. He supposed that he was still figuring out the best way to do that.

Opal spoke about not knowing what she'd do when they got out. "To be honest... I'm not really sure either. I don't think anybody's gonna be the same as they were before." He hadn't really had anyone in his life on the outside. Maybe things would be different by the time he got out... Teselmar's stone green eyes lit up as he remembered something. "Oh, hey, I got a bit of armor now." He swiped to the menu, and equipped it. There was a flash of white, and Teselmar's light armored suit clung to his lithe frame. It looked very similar to his cloth suit, but it was made of a tougher-looking material, and the vest looked to be made of black leather armor instead of black cloth now. "Every little bit helps." He was secretly proud that he hadn't needed to sacrifice style for protection.

[Opal 0]

Opal stopped to look at the player and gave a nod of approval, "It's good you came prepared, just in case I died while fighting the wasps or something, you'll have to step in to clear the battlefield of the mobs." The woman gave a rather straight face when she said that, only a small hint of a smile pulled from the curve of her full red lips. As she turned her attention back towards the forest, the woman attempted to look for some of the Wind Wasps so they can get to the Queen earlier. Her honeyed eyes darted through the trees and she heard the buzzing of wings and slowly nodded her head. 

"Alright, I found a group of those Wind Wasps, I want you to stay back even if you do have better armor on." The woman revealed the wickedly long Masamune blade from its ornate saya. Immediately her thoughts went into a more serious mode of gameplay as she started with a slow jog and started to pick up speed through the brush. Instincts taking hold, the woman rushed out into the clearing and swept her blade several times as the nimble, yet giants sided insects but prevailed with evading efforts. The woman cursed under her breath as she brought the blade up to her face to attempt a guard. A shattering blow of stingers struck her body several times impaling her in several places before her HP was dropped to a considerable. 

They were able to find a weakness in her defenses, but she didn't feel that threatened by it. Going over to her inventory, the woman swept over her self made Damage Potions and crushed it against her blade, giving off a crimson glow for the moment to show the item was activated. Back on the offense now, Opal took stance and readied her blade. 

<<Battle Engaged>>

Opals HP: 100/124
EN: 31/31
Sword Art:

Wind Wasp 1: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 2: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 3: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 4: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16

ID: 44214
BD: 2 [Ignored: Item Used: +2 Dmg Pot]
MD: 9 [+1 Dmg] 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Opal

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar snorted, laughing at the thought of him jumping in to kill the mob if Opal fell. "Suuuure, I'll get right on that. Or, better idea, try not to die!" He observed as she dashed off towards the woods, having spotted some Wind Wasps. Seeing her as the stingers crashes up against her body, he frowned, not knowing wether she was alright or not. "You've got this, Opal!" He called out to her, cheering her on. He put a hand on his Immolation Potion, ready to toss it to the young woman if she looked like she was taking a beating. Teselar glanced over at Ishida, who seemed lost in thought as they continued to watch Opal deal with the mob.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Teselmar

[Ishida 0]

"I'm still a student," he said in casual response to Opal's inquiry.  Ishida was many things but it was easier to just label himself with the one title that was most appropriate for his age.  No one really believed a nineteen year old when they said they were an entrepreneur.  Sometimes, he didn't even believe himself when he said it.  "At this point, I'm undecided on what I'd like to do for the rest of my life--well, if I make it out of this place, that is."

The teen was somewhat hoping that his time in this game would bring a hidden talent of his to the surface or spike his interest in an area that he hadn't had any before.  It was very unlikely considering the fantasy nature of Sword Art Online and modern civilization that awaited his return beyond the virtual veil.  Despite being distracted by his own thoughts, he listened quietly as the other two conversed about their given professions in the real world.

Huh.  I guess you can't judge a book by its cover.  A security contractor and a chemist?  Not the typical type of people you would expect spending their time in a VRMMO.  An idle observation--he just assumed everyone was a kid or a student within this game.  Well, at least they weren't gang members or anything of the sort.

---

Before he knew it, he was standing beside Teselmar, looking on as Opal battled a small horde of Wasps.  Ishida so desperately wanted to jump in there and lay waste to those pesky insects.  However, judging by their HP and the damage they were able to deal to the dark-haired, katana-wielding woman, he would have been reduced to pixels before he could even formulate a plan of attack.

"Man, I hate feeling helpless.  Maybe if I wasn't still in these cloth clothes I could make a go at it," he grumbled out loud.

[Opal 0]

A torrent of light wrapped around the long handled blade of the Masamune. A cloak of silver and ivory pulsated the blade with death giving powers as the the woman narrowed her amber eyes. A bronze stare ensued as she stalked the Wasps, one foot over the other as she looked for an opening of attack. Stepping forward, her caplet and skirt billowed outwards as if summoning gale force winds to her aid. A might calamity of force whipped through the Wasps dragging them to her blade as if to vacuum them into her sweeping blows as they attempted to fly free of the vicious attack. Setting forth the power of <<Haku Senpu>> the full sword art released with a brilliant display of power as it tore through the exoskeletons of the bugs and dismembered their bodies, leaving not a trace of their beings in this digital world. 

As the power faded from her blade, the woman swept it from side to side, purifying by means of removing the taint form of blood from the blade as she collected the four materials that dropped by their carcasses. Eying the two fellows, the woman gave a short wave to them both signaling the battle and the area was clear.

<<Battle Engaged>>

Opals HP: 100/124
EN: 12/31
Sword Art: Haku Senpu, 19 Energy, 88 Dmg-16 Mit= 72 Dmg

Wind Wasp 1: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 2: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 3: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 4: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16

ID: 44338
BD: 5 +3 = hit
MD:  Nulled
Loot: 4 Materials Gained [2-Tes, 2-Ishida]

Edited January 5, 2016 by Opal

[Ishida 0]

As per normal, Opal slaughtered those wasps without breaking a sweat.  She made it look so easy but whenever Ishida attempted to fight a single mob, it felt like he was locked in combat for an eternity before his opponent finally went down.  It was frustrating being weak but it was that feeling that drove him forward and pushed him to become a better version of himself.  Perhaps, it would also allow him to look more kindly upon weaker players in the future.

Ishida slowly stepped down the hill and into the area where Opal was standing.

"I don't like wasps as it is.  I'd hate to see what the Queen Bee looks like."

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar looked over to Ishida. "To be honest, Ive never been a big fan of wasps. I have a feeling that the queen is bigger, and uglier than the others." He still had the smoldering cigarette in his mouth, and he grinned around it as he saw Opal finish off the wasps. "Getting stronger every day, right Ishida?" He grabbed his bicep in a mock show of strength, laughing. 

He followed Ishida into the clearing where Opal had dealt with the mob.

"When I was a kid, my family used to go camping at a lake every other summer or so. I had to clear the hornets out all by myself back then..." He smiled warmly at Opal. "Kinda wish you'd been there after seeing that."

[Opal 0]

Opal shook her head with a small laugh at Teselmar's comment about being there to clear some hornets at his family's camping trip, "I don't think I would have been able to do what I have done unless I had a sword art system along with it. Both of there comments were very true, Opal herself was not very much a fan of stingers of any variety and gave a nod in Ishida's general direction. 

"Lucky for you both, you won't be stung to death in this game while I am on watch. I've cleared out the area of the Wind Wasps so the Queen should be arriving at any moment now..." The woman drew back her Katana, both hands firmly on the hilt and was about to sprint forward to clash with the Queen, but she relaxed and looked at both of them, "Better yet. You both are going to join me in this battle, but only when I say you are clear to do so. I'll make the opening attack and draw in the hate, and I'll use a stunning art if I am successful. This way it will be stunned and you guys can just chip away at it with free attacks, well so long as you hit the thing. If you feel uncomfortable taking on a Field Boss though, I won't pressure you. But know you are in very capable and safe hands." 

After giving her plan of attack to the two men in the group, she once more bent her knees and dove straight through the forest greenery and into another opening spotting the Queen herself. With a shimmering of silver and ivory coating her blade, she used a tier one sword art and caught the attention of the buzzing Queen. With a single mighty strike, the woman's Masamune carved a deep vertical slash lifting the insect into the air and stunning it as it fell back towards the ground. The Insect Queen no longer airborne, and now as defenseless as moth. With the minimal amount of damage she had done to it, along with a critical strike somehow managing that, the woman waved her party members from the clearing.

"The Queen beckons an audience with your blades...Feel free to hack away at it freely." 

<<Battle Engaged>>

Opals HP: 100/124 [H:3]
EN: 9/31
Sword Art: Ukifune, 4 Energy-Stun, 14 Dmg 

Wind Wasp 1: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 2: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 3: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16
Wind Wasp 4: 62/62 || Dmg: 30 || Mit: 16

Wasp Queen [Stunned]: 36/50 HP || 12 Dmg OOC: somehow I thought it was stronger than this... =/

ID: 44398
BD: 10 +6 = [+2 Dmg]
MD: Stunned
Loot: 

Edited January 6, 2016 by Opal

[Ishida 0]

"We're going to.. join you in battle?"  Ishida questioned, pausing midway through.  He had just watched Opal cut down a quartet of buzzing baddies that would have made mincemeat out of him before he could cry in pain and now she wants them to fight the field boss?  The teen fought hard against the lump of reluctance forming in his throat.

He glanced at Teselmar in his periphery in order to gauge his reaction.  Well, he didn't know why he even bothered, he knew already that the man would sooner part with his cigarette than leave Opal to have all the fun.  It wasn't like Ishida to hold back as much as he had been.  In life, he was much more reckless than he was in the world of Aincrad, doing what he needed to in order to climb his self-made success ladder but now, hesitation seemed to hang heavy over his head at every decision.

The realization that he wasn't acting at all like his usual self started a chain reaction within him.  He quickly swelled with anger and disappointment before it developed into the urge to rush headlong into the fray without thought of consequence.  Before he knew it, he was sprinting full speed ahead through the very trees Opal had just vaulted through.  As he entered the clearing, Opal had just struck the Queen Wasp with a spectacular sword art that rendered it immobile but that wouldn't have made a difference to Ishida, who was still racing at the massive monster and showing no signs of stopping.

• ID# 44432
• BD: 6
• MD: 4
• Sword Art: Snake Bite (-2 EN)
• DMG: (4*2) - 0) = 8

He wasn't entirely aware of the fact that he was screaming the entire time as he launched into the air with his blackened sword raised above his head, glowing with a faint light blue aura.  As he fell into the disabled wasp, he lashed at it with a swift, downward slash angled right across its bumbling body; his body seemed to move of its own accord as the sword art activated.  The second of the two strikes belonging to the <<Snake Bite>> sword art propelled Ishida to the side as he once again struck at the Queen with a wide arcing, horizontal slice. 

Wasp Queen [Stunned]: 28/50 HP || 12 Dmg

Ishida: 20/20 HP || 3/5 EN || 4 DMG || 9 MIT

Edited January 6, 2016 by Ishida

[Teselmar 0]

Teselmar grinned widely, his eyes alight with something that could only be described as joy. "Alright! I get to see how much stronger I've gotten." He stretched his arms, and removed Iron Nail from its sheath. "I think I may have leveled up recently, so let's see what happens." As Opal unsheathed her katana, and Ishida let free his straight blade, Teselmar allowed himself to feel that familiar rush. Aaahhhh... there it is. The adrenaline hit him like a flood of narcotics as the trio raced through the tree-line, towards the Queen Wasp. Opal flew through the air, stunning the insect monarch with her blade. Teselmar was about to join in on the action when Ishida, an expression on his face that Teselmar hadn't seen on him before: fury. The Queen took another harsh hit, this time from Ishida's blade. "Nice shot!" Teselmar called out to him, giving him a thumbs up. Rearing back with his own rapier, he focused on moving through the motions of the sword art Quadruple Pain.

ID# 44472 results: Battle: 5+1=6 (hit!) | MOB: 2 (miss)

His blade practically sang, ringing out with a clear, pure note that harmonized with the frantic buzzing of the Queen Wasp. He ducked an errant stab of its stinger as the Stun condition wore off, and leaned into his motions as the system carried him through them. First one fidgeting leg, then another, the left wing, and finally the right! Teselmar pierced the insectoid monstrosity several times, making it rear back and shake its head, stunned again. He sped past it, and turned again to look at Opal and Ishida. "Not a bad start, eh?" he said with a small smile, cigarette still glowing as it smoldered. He had almost smoked it all, but he'd be patient and savor it. No need to waste a smoke that had some life in it.

Wasp Queen [Stunned]: 16/50 HP || 12 Dmg

Teselmar: 32/32 HP || 1/8 Energy || 3 Dmg || 5 Mit || +1 Acc

Edited January 7, 2016 by Teselmar