[PP-F7] Mountains, Mountains Everywhere (Zandra)

[Grave 0]

The last time I'd been in the beautiful, mountainous range of Floor Seven... I had just about drowned myself in alcohol from a few measly sips of a drink at a tavern. Was not fun, especially when you go hunting after a while, during the time you are still suffering from the effects of an instant hangover. Anyway, the past is the past, no use worrying about it now. The second time I found myself there, it was at a simple café that I dined, rather than risk my brain cells at another tavern. I was sitting there, rather boringly enjoying my coffee, until a familiar face passed by, and I whistled to grab her attention. It was short, sharp, but at the same time graceful and not harsh. "Zandra!" I called, waving to the girl, hoping she might come sit with me, if only to chat.

[Zandra 0]

Zandra sat in one of her armchairs in front of her fireplace at Zadras pharmacy on floor four. She enjoyed a cup of hot choclate when she got interupted by an eagle cry. She looked up at the roof beams of her house.''Yes Zita what do you want?'' she said with a quite annoying tone in her voice. The eagle let out another cry.''Very well then lets go.'' when Zandra opened the door the eagle lifted from the beam she had sat on and darted out thru the opening. Zandra headed to the warp gate and a minute or so later she was back at seven. Last time she was here, actually only time if she didnt remembered it wrong was when doing the familiar quest to tame the eagle that flew a few meters above her. When she passed a cafe she thougth she saw a familiar face. But Zita seemed to be in some kind of hurry so she didnt checked it. A few moments later thou she herd first a whistle followed by someone calling her name. She turned around and now she recognized the man.''Hi Grave, what are you doing here?'' she asked friendly. The eagle now flew down and landed on Zandras shoulder.

[Grave 0]

I grinned at the eagle that landed upon Zandra's shoulder. Hikari popped her head up from my shoulder sleepily and squeaked happily to the bird. "Ah yes, hello to you too, Zita." I greeted the avian, before turning my focus back on Zandra. "Just admiring the handiwork that is a village built on a mountain range... and drinking coffee." I gave the hot beverage in my hands a swirl as emphasis. "How about you? What brings lovely Zandra to these parts of Aincrad?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow, while Hikari, mischievous as she was, decided to sip from my coffee...

I realised I probably should have stopped her before she had caffeine.

[Zandra 0]

So Grave was here to just relax and enjoy something nice that existed in the game, but was hard to get back in the real world. Herself she wouldnt mind doing just this. But she knew as the leading alchemist of Aincrad, she had to spend alot of time in her shop incase any customer dropped by. She barely had any own free time so she gladly sat down at the same table as Grave.''You can go and play Zita.''she said looking at the eagle on her shoulder. It answered with a cry before it lifted with its mighty wings and flied away towards the huge open airspace of floor seven. Zandra blushed a little when Grave complimented her with lovely.''Zita here was tired of just sitting at the roof beams in my shop, its just like if you have a dog, you need to go out and walk with it sometimes. In this case I take a walk when Zita can fly free above the tree tops or across the fields or where we are.'' she said following the her feathered friend that turned smaller and smaller with her eyes.

[Grave 0]

I chuckled inwardly as Zita flew off into the sky, and the little weasel around my neck leapt off after her, scurrying around on the cobbles below and 'howling' up at her friend. "I am glad Hikari has made a friend here. Zita is the first other Familiar that she is met." I explained, still watching the horned orange blur. Hopefully all that running would wear out her caffeine rush soon enough. "Is that so?" I asked when Zandra began to elaborate of Zita's desire to get out and relating it to a dog's behaviour. "The orange lightning bolt out there is the opposite; if I want to get out, she just wants to lounge around... which she usually ends up doing around my neck or waist while I am out anyway." I grumbled the last bit, wishing that at some point she might actually pay attention to me while I am out. "Anyway, enough about animals and more about girls, specifically the beautiful one sitting across from me." Aaaand that is another point to Grave. "How have you been, dear?" I asked, swirling my coffee subconsciously.

[Zandra 0]

"Yeap, Zita needs to streatch her wings from time to time. Or that what I like to pretend at least. It make it feel she is more like a friend then a pet. We have got a special bond between each other." She said as an answer to his question while she looked at the mountain and just stared out in the air, like she was on a complete other place. Graves flirt brought her back to reality. Just a sentence later a third came. Was he teasing her? Or maybe he didnt knew about Jomei. If he was teasing her she would just play along. But if he realy tried, she didnt wanted to hurt him. She took the safe before the sorrow."Ehm... Grave. Do you know who Jomei is?"

[Grave 0]

"I agree, except for Hikari and I, it is a little closer to a father-daughter relationship, I feel." I admitted, scratching the back of my head. Then she proceeded to ask about Jomei after I fired off another flirt, and I had already begun to piece together a puzzle. "Yes, I do know Jomei... and in case you were scared that maybe I am trying to make a move on you, you are safe. You see, all I am doing is harmless flirting. I mean every compliment, but it is all only to bring me closer to you, not particularly into a relationship, alright?" I elaborated before she could get too much of the wrong idea. I flirted with her because she was beautiful, resilient, funny, but I did not know enough about her to actually desire a relationship with her. Besides, my eyes were on someone else.

[Zandra 0]

Zandra blushed and let out a sigh of relief. To hurt people, fysically and physically, was the second worst thing she hated."You cant understand how glad Im to hear that. Sorry I got the wrong idea about. Its just that those few times I went to night clubs, the guys that started like that, seemed to want something, that thing you know." She sat down on the chair opposite him. Placed her elbows on the table and leaned her head in her open hands."Well, then maybe its better I play along right..."she begun."...Ehm..." then she got it."...handsome."

[Grave 0]

My eyes widened when Zandra mentioned nightclubs. "Wait, you used to go to nightclubs? You do not seem like the kind of girl who would, honestly..." I admitted, scratching my chin. Then she proceeded to state how the males who approached her wanted 'that', and my face instantaneously flushed crimson, and I started waving my hands out wildly in front of me. "N-no, not at all! I-I would rather let the female approach that, and even then... I am not completely sure I know you well enough to want that." I explained hanging my head under interlocked fingers. She then attempted returning the flirt and I chuckled nervously. "H-hey, Zandra you do not have to do the same, it is fine! It is just something I do naturally, you should not worry about returning the sentiment." I reassured her, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder.

[Zandra 0]

Zandra looked at Grave and raised eyebrow."Ehm yes. Of course I did." Then something struck her and she explained."Oh right... Youre not from Sweden I guess. There everyone have been to a nightclub at least once. I cant say I did it often, you could probably count the number of times on your fingers."she said with a small laugh.

Then his face turned red when she mentioned 'that'. When finished her pale face has turned same colour as well and she had broken eyecontact looking to the side, her falling so now both eyes was covered."I didnt meant that you would do that. I just said because I wanted to explain why I reacted so weird when you complimented me."

"Phew... thats a relief. I am probably one of the worst flirtresses ever." She leaned back on the back of the chair.

[Grave 0]

Ah, Sweden, right then. That made slightly more sense. "Yes, I am actually from England, so it is somewhat different with nightclubs and all over there." I responded, thinking about how nightclubs might have been in Sweden; from the sounds of it, they were simply just like a bar or tavern. "Alright, not so surprised then... does not sound like the nightclubs I am used to." I explained, exhaling deeply. Zandra restated why she brought up 'that', and I nodded vigorously. "Y-yes, I know, I just wanted to clear any suspicions, is all." I clarified, still rather embarrassed. I chuckled at how relieved she was that she did not have to bother with flirting. "Do not fret, it comes naturally to some and not to others. If you do not feel that is your kind of thing, you do not have to bother with it. I do it because it is part of my charm." I boasted with a playful wink in the girl's direction.

[Zandra 0]

Zandra let out another small sigh of relief when she didnt had to worry about playing along with Graves flirting.''Nice, that makes things a little more comfortable. And no I know that you have no such intention, makes it easy to relax.'' she went silent for a couple of seconds before she continued.''So, you said your here to enjoy the village and mountain surrondings right.''she paused before she continued.''You dont have to answe this if its to personal. But back in the real world, I loved to travel in the mountain, second to playing MMO's thou, that was my life. But you, did you enjoyed the fresh air and beutiful views of walking in the mountains?''

[Grave 0]

I let another sigh flow from my lips. "Thank goodness we got all that cleared up." I agreed, bringing my silver eyes back up to Zandra's, and I broke into a chuckle; it was highly amusing how much we were fussing and getting flustered over the smallest thing. She then began to ask something regarding mountains, in response to my reasoning for being there. She asked if I enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful views of the mountains where I was from. I turned my head to the side, somewhat embarrassed I had not taken many chances to actually do so. "Well... I had, a few times. It was somewhat more difficult when you lived in the more urban areas of London." I explained, wishing I could go see them again... "But I guess that for now, these will suffice." I motioned to the ranges we sat upon, before looking back to Zandra. "And... if it is alright with you, I would not mind enjoying the mountain scenery with such a lovely female." I offered with an extremely subtle wink.

Man, I was on a roll!

[Zandra 0]

Grave kept up with his flirting like he did when she first arrived there. She must admit that he is quite a charmer. She wondered if Jomei would have flirted with her. It wasnt like that between the two of them thou. Their relationship had like started when they first met and then slowly grown from there. Kinda like a flower. Then he said he wouldnt mind enjoying this beutiful mountain-climate together with her, a lovely female. Even now that she knew that this was just his way and there wasnt any thougths to get something behind it, still she got a faint red colour on her cheeks.''Well, you say the flirting with me is harmless, but I cant not to wonder if there is a possibility there is another girl? That you ganna be serious with when you flirt with her?'' she asked, curious if there was a special girl in his life.''If you dont want to answer its okay, I completly understand. I was just curious.'' she finished with a friendly smile on her lips.

[Grave 0]

Zandra asked if I had a girl I had my eye on, and I just grinned in response. "Alright, first of all, who said I do not mean what I am saying? When I say these things about you, I mean them. Second of all..." I scratched the back of my head bashfully. "Yes. I do have my eyes on a particular girl. I used to have a massive crush on Opal, you should know her... now it is someone else, whom I have known for a long time." I admitted, thinking back to my first few days in SAO. "I-if you want I can tell you who it is, but I am not exactly sure you know her." I offered, feeling a hot flush slowly rising in my cheeks.

[Zandra 0]

Zandrs looked at the man infront of her. He was serious when saying those flirty comments to her. She did had her eyes on a special girl. First he had a crush on Opal. Zandra have herd a thing or two about her. But never met her in person. Then he offered to tell about this other girl, that she probably didnt knew."Well, I'd love to hear about her." She said and tilted her head to the side, leaving a curious expression on her face.

[Grave 0]

I was both a little nervous and relieved that Zandra accepted my offer to explain the girl I currently had my eyes on. "Well... I am not sure if you know her, but her name is Jevi, and I have known her since... my fifth day here? And it was one of her first days too... so we have known each other for quite some time." I explained, still reminiscing over the mobs slain and fun had that day. "At first, she seemed a little like a cold bitch... and especially immune to flirting, mind you. But soon enough after saving each others' asses a few times, cracking a few jokes and telling stories about out real lives, she really began to warm up to me." I explained, scratching the back of my head. "Sadly, at the time she was with another girl, Shaya, whom I also turned out to know... and I kinda got punched for flirting with her, not knowing that she and Jevi were dating." I was hoping Zandra would get that kind of relationship there. "Eventually we left each other's company, but at the end of the day I DID receive a kiss on the cheek from her, so that was a bonus. And then one morning she messaged me, asking me to come to fifth floor, and we undertook a quest together. She... deemed herself pretty weak during that, and eventually I got fed up and reassured her that I would always be there for her no matter what." I sighed at the memory of that quest; she was really down from slipping up against the mobs we fought, and it had pained me to see her like that. "And then just recently we reconvened by chance on Floor Four and took on the Avalanche together... and it was on the way there that I found out Jevi's reasoning for being with Shaya and the fact that Shaya had not only been out of my contact, she had also been out of contact with Jevi, too." I elaborated somberly. "So... it was then that I saw my chance. After Opal's change I felt hopeless, like I would not be able to get her, when the girl I had really been looking for was there for me the entire time. Shaya was the only barricade. Now I am trying my absolute hardest to win her heart." I finished off nicely, leaving a silence at the end to be filled by Zandra if she felt the need.

[Zandra 0]

Zandra listened to Graves story about how she met that special girl. Her name was Jevi.''Actually, if there isnt more then one Jevi, I have met her. Thats when I passed by at her shop to order some casual clothes and a set of light armour.'' she remebred when she was at the Violet phantom. Then her attention went back to Grave.''That girl was pretty cute. I almost wish I was that Shaya.'' she winked at him, hoped he understood her joke.''Well, exept that I would be a barricade for your love life. I will definitely cheer you on. And if I meet her again, Im only gonna say good words about you.'' she said and gave him a friendly smile.''I realy hope it works out well for you two.''

[Grave 0]

I was not surprised in the least when Zandra mentioned she had met Jevi; from what I heard she was  a quite revered blacksmith. "I would commission something from her... but sadly I use light armour and handwraps," I raised my hand and twisted it to remind Zandra. When she mentioned she wished she was Shaya, I could not stop the laugh from escaping my lips. "Oh, do not worry, I wished I was too at the time. Now, though, I refuse to let anything or anyone get in my way." I promised, before adding, "Nice wink by the way, it was really cute." She voiced her wish to encourage the relationship and I flushed lightly pink, reaching forward and taking her hand gently in mine. "Thank you, Zandra. You are an awesome girl." I said, a genuine smile passed her way.

[Zandra 0]

Light armour? Isnt it what tailors do? Then she remembered."Oh, I havent met her actually. The name of the tailor I visited was Vayrin or something like that." She looked away of the embarresment, making such a huge mistake when talking about the girl of his life. Then he commented her wink, said it was cute. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. Maybe he didnt get it."The wink meant I was just kidding. If I was Shaya, that would mean Im homosexual right? And Im not ho..." she stopped right in the sentence. She did have Jomei, but she also remembered that night at the moonlit star cafe, and Marisa."Ehm... Nevermind." She said."So, have you done many of the quests here in Aincrad?" She said to change the subject.