[OP-F1] Starting At The Bottom (Complete)

[Himeko 0]

The tavern was looking more lively than ever, people were dancing (Drunkenly) and food piled up on the tables. Children ate for free, and you know what happens when they eat for free; they start a food fight. There were cakes, rolls, and creamy pastries flying through the air like bullets, and the children simply opened their mouths just to eat these tasty projectiles. Himeko watched as she waited patiently for her chocolate cake to be delivered to her table; a table of one and only one. She saw a special something in that very moment; childhood innocence. It was something that she never got to do as a child (If she did she'd be punished) and somewhat desired to be one again. The pain and boredom of her childhood moments wrapped themselves around her brain; she wanted to forget about most of it like the unnecessary boredom and blankness for the first ten years of life. Himeko stares at the children dazed until the waiter goes up to her and says "Your chocolate cake miss, please pay for it." As soon as the words 'Pay for it' entered her ears, she paused and became paralyzed. 'But I don't have money!' She thought. Himeko shifted her view to her legs; thinking out how she can make enough money to pay for the cake.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Himeko

[Tsubasa 0]

Tsubasa is standing near a table in the tavern... "What a drag, I have plans to go with Antofer later today but I think we are still missing supplies.  I have plans to hfollow Alrics orders and help Iri out soon and I think Antofer will need more members to join his guild, and as a friend I should probably help them recruit."  Taubasa notices a girl buying a cake at a seat for 1.  He thinks in his head, "She looks new to this game... Maybe I can help get a member into his guild by giving her money...". Tsubasa walks over to the girl and trys to trade col to her.  Tsubasa says, "hello, here is 800 col.". Tsubasa looks at the waiter and back at the girl and says "Was I interrupting something?"

[Himeko 0]

Himeko looks over to the strange man who just approached her and accepts the money, although she herself is a bit frightened. 'Is he like those other guys?' she wonders. 'Nah, he can't be, looks too much like a nerd to be one.' She moves over a seat seeing no harm in letting him sit next to her. "Do you like cake? Of course, you need to buy your own." Himeko takes the plate of chocolate cake and moves it over to her seat, devouring it quickly to have a burst of flavor. It's been a long time since she's had a chocolate cake; most of the times she'd eat gruel or plain rice because it's all she could get from the backdoor of restaurants. She began to wonder what she would do next after eating, but put that thought aside; food always comes first!

[Shizuka 0]

Shizuka sighed, allowing her pink hair to flow in the air as she walked through the starting town. It had been a long time since she was here and she was pleased to breathe the morning air of this delightful town once again. This town had brought good memories and good fortune for her during the early days of her healing career and that healing career might be coming to an end soon. Through the starting town, the elegance was obvious. Birds flew everywhere and joined in harmony with their beautiful singing while down below, busy shopkeepers have already started being crowded with numerous customers either NPCs or players. Still, Shizuka was not really here to enjoy the scenery... She was here to have a taste of the food that she used to love on this floor. Perhaps the reason this floor had such delicious food was because of the fact that the creator wanted this game to appeal to players and the first town is the first impression. As Shizuka turned out from the dark valley that she had been walking through, she came across a tavern... Or was it a restaurant. Either way, there was no difference to the emotionless Shizuka. She wanted food and then she shall head back to her base. With her black cloak on, Shizuka burst into the shop, directing all the NPC's attention towards her from her strong aura of power. She was not powerful... Not at all. However, she was the healer of the Azure Brigade, best guild in Aincrad without a doubt. Shizuka smirked in fake confidence before walking over, masking her face with her dark cloak but revealing the Azure symbol that was kept on her chest. "Waiter. I request a cup of elegant hot chocolate please." Shizuka requested. "The most expensive one." With that, she sat down on the counter, waiting for her drink and taking the time to scan the area of anything interesting. Not really... Nothing seems to be nearby except those two over there. Seems to be newbies... I don't think they know who I am. With that, she turned around, waiting patiently for her hot chocolate to arrive. Perhaps the two would join her and keep her company so she could be cured of her boredom but she wouldn't mind if they did not do so... She was not one to ask for company on her own.

[Himeko 0]

After devouring her chocolate cake, she got up from her seat, awkwardly walking past by Tsubasa. Himeko noticed the other pink haired girl who came in and smiled, 'Another one, I must meet her and ask her a lot of things!' She got closer to Shizuka and made a big smile as she sat right next to her. "H-Hi! My name is Himeko, Y-You're pretty!" Himeko sat admiring the pink of Shizuka's hair, after all she had pink hair as well. She deeply wondered if the other pink haired girl was raised in the same conditions as her, starved and neglected. She shook her head; her twin-tails flying in the air. 'Forget about that, she's obviously upper class and pampered. "S-So umm... What's your name?" she asked Shizuka.

[Draden 0]

Draden strolls down a loud crowd of NPCs and Players. He was new to this world. He was already starving, all he had was 137 Col. He couldn't buy anything that he knew of. He walks into a tavern, where he ordered a slice of pie. He wondered who was the best player, what was their secret of determination to this world. He needed to find out. Suddenly, the waiter in one hand was holding the pie, which looked delicious, her other hand was adjusting her glasses. "70 Col please.", she said. Draden sighs, he was losing money, me didn't know how to make any. he didn't even know how to attack. He was desperate for some help. He picks up a fork and begins to eat the pie. It took 3 minutes to finish it. After he was full, he rests his head down on the table, lonely and sad.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Draden

[Tsubasa 0]

Tsubasa watches as she gets up and walks on past him.  "Well, hopefully she can use that col for something productive.".  Tsubasa takes a seat in the chair she had offered.  Tsubasa was very tall, wearing a shirt and shorts, mostly because he had no need for his battle equipment in a tavern.  Over time , Tsubasa has begun to understand human feelings, but he still sees people as a means of usage, somewhat like that of a tool.  His long white hair was tied back and his hands were very calloused.  Tsubasa just waited in that spot.  He looked over his shoulder and noticed a kid sitting and eating cake.  When the kid put his head on the table, Tsubasa thought "This kid looks unhappy, maybe meeting this guy could be good...".  Tsubasa stood up and walked over to the boy.  As he got closer to the guy he asked, "Have you been having a bad day?"

[Yuji 0]

"If I had more money, I would splurge myself a little bit more...-sigh-" Having check the amount of col I have left on me, I close the menu and lets out a long sigh. A meager 1000 col, with that amount of col I could not buy the supplies I wanted. And to think that I have more grinding to be done later. 

"Might as well spend whatever I have left on the tavern, since I'm here."

With players and NPCs talking everywhere, the town never seems to rest even at night. Accompanied by sounds of shopkeepers attracting their customers and cheers of people who just returned from their bountiful quest, the atmosphere at the Town of Beginning is cheerful. Smiles everywhere that sets the heart at ease, anyone would forget their worries just by being here. I'm not an exception to that situation either.

Except that this amount of col I have on me really puts a damper on my mood right now. If only this town weren't like this I would probably go on a rampage outside this city.

Having enough of looking around, I remove my battle equipment; the sword, necklace and my armor. Switching to a regular outfit; a red, short sleeves t-shirt and brown leather pants. Adorning my black cloak as the finisher, this so called regular outfit is what I mainly used when I hang out in the city. Of course, I spent most of the time outside the safe zone, but that is a story for another time.

I set my walking pace slowly, going for the tavern I always visit whenever I am at this town as I try to absorb the surrounding mood. This tavern attracts newcomers and veterans alike, all of them have unique personality and story of themselves, a magnificent tavern it is. Taking a turn on the corner, I walk trough the narrow alley that leads me out to a small street with small housing here and there with several shops. The tavern stands out here, with it being bigger and taller than most of the shops here. Walking through the double door of the tavern, everyone set their eyes on something, or rather someone. Following their rather peculiar reaction, I set my gaze at the counter.

There, 2 people who have similar hair color, faint pink like that of a sakura petal. The height difference sets them apart, but the taller one stands out the most, having an air of utmost confidence and superiority. Had I not experienced myself that kind of overwhelming pressure she have, I would definitely turn tail and exit the tavern without second thoughts. However, with the small one sitting next to her both of them looks like a siblings, or maybe they really are? Anyway, it's kind of heartwarming, if one would ignore the aura of a (definitely) veteran sitting there.

Taking a seat on the counter, I order a cup of hot milk to warm myself. Something hot will definitely warm this depressing mood of mine. Sigh.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Yuji

[Shizuka 0]

(Veteran? You flatter me much)

Shizuka slurped a bit of the hot chocolate, admiring the warm feeling that it provided her with as the fluid flow down her throat and into her stomach. Such a warm taste could be used by everyone... Especially Shizuka. It was then that she heard a voice from next to her. It appeared that the girl she had noticed came over and sat next to her without another Shizuka noticing. The girl had complimented her looks and well, this might as well be the first person to do so. Perhaps newbies are nicer than those of the frontlines. Shizuka thought, taking another drink of the hot chocolate and pulling down her black hood. It was rather strange for the girl to approach someone like her. First, she was part of the Azure Brigade, the most well-known guild of the game and their members were considered some of the most arrogant, depressing players in the game. Of course, Shizuka was no exception... She wasn't arrogant, but depression had become a big factor in her life. Perhaps this was why she had lost the beauty that boys seek when she joined the guild. Shizuka stirred the hot chocolate around before replying to the girl's question, having decided that she probably waited long enough for her answer. "The name is Shizuka. Pink blossom of the sky. Healer of the Azure Brigade." Shizuka said casually, looking at the girl with eyes of sadness. The girl reminded Shizuka of who she used to be before the terrible condition had struck her. She used to be someone active, friendly and kind but she was changed drastically on several occasions including the Floor 4 Late Night Incident, Lack of friends in the front lines, and feeling of unimportance. That was her problem, and a tough problem to solve as well. "You remind me of who I used to be. Please remain the same." Shizuka said, looking back at her coffee and taking yet another sip to enjoy the fulfilled taste. "May I get you something to drink?" Shizuka glanced around the area quickly, noting that a few more male players had joined conversations in the restaurant/tavern.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Shizuka

[Brax 0]

     Brax was...well, the best word others would use to describe his current attitude was 'annoyed'.  His usual cook, the one who made most, if not all, of his field rations had been MIA for several days, and the Stalwart Stoic was in need of a resupply.  He was someone who was satisfied by habit and routine, a man who preferred to lay out a plan of action, then execute said plan with power and precision.  Whether that be the people he went to for gear and supplies, or the meticulous way his hunting trips went, from one floor to the next, Brax was eminently more comfortable with the dull mediocrity of monotony over the unbalanced nature of chaos.  Not that he was incapable of dealing with change, mind you, rather that he did not want to.  It was...uncomfortable.  Thus, he had established a set group of shops that he would frequent for basic necessities, mainly supplies.  Like, if he wanted food for his trips, he had managed to find a player who had set up shop in Delilah Village that made rather decent functional and simple meals that assuaged his hunger while chasing down mobs, so he had gone to them for weeks.  Now, the player had been missing for days, and as Brax had returned from Floor Nine to Three for supplies, the shop had been his first stop.  But, the place was...empty and closed, with a 'Be Back In Five' sign hanging from the window, an irritable annoyance that left the heavily armored man grumbling.

     It was the reason he was wandering the markets of Floor One, searching for a backup location from which to receive his supplies, but sadly every cook he visited was...less than ideal.  After visiting 5 starter shops that could barely cook an egg, Brax was beginning to believe he would need to work out his distractions before continuing his search, recognizing that he was not being...agreeable...due to his frustrations at the situation before him.  He chose to make a final stop, and if this place was also a dead end, he would...return to the fields of boats that lay outside the city...and slaughter as many as were necessary to vent his annoyances.  The tavern was large, large than most, which he would logically admit held promise.  Walking in the door, though, revealed a different tableau: it was less a tavern and more a restaurant, and that brought a rare small smile to the emotionless man before it vanished like a trick of the light.  'Finally, I may find something actually useful,' the heavily armored and unknowingly out of place man thought to himself as he strode up to the counter, arriving next to a dark haired individual wearing a black cloak over a red top and brown pants.  As the...emotional looking individual, though what emotion it was Brax had difficulty discerning, ordered a mug of hot milk, he waited patiently for the waiter behind the counter to take notice of him.  Not very hard, mind you, as in a place such as this meant mostly for a more...vibrant clientele, the imposingly battle equipped man, having no other more appropriate clothes to change into for casual purposes, stood out like a sore thumb.

     When the waiter turned to take his order, Brax began to lay out his list: "Yes, I am in need of some rations.  Some...functional and simple meals for the next few days.  What do you have to offer?"  The waiter considered for a moment, his brow furrowed in extended consideration.  "Well, we...really aren't set up for that, sir.  We mostly do sweet treats and more...well, decadent meals.  As far as...functionality, the cooks try to be as healthy as they can, but no one comes here for 'function', you know?" and with that, the waiter indicated with a brush of his hand the current food fight going on out in the main dinning area.  "They come here for the fun!  But, let me see what they can whip up, I hate to see someone turned out.  Give me a sec, 'kay?"  With that, the waiter winked and turned back to speak with the people in back, ostensibly to see if his needs could be slated.  His frustrations began to vanish as he was being assisted, freeing the stoic to observe the goings on around him instead of stewing in his problems.  Other than he person next to him at the counter, he managed to see two pink haired girls, one tall and one short, as well as a lighter featured individual chatting up someone who was definitely a starter player, looking a little lost due to a lack of...energy?  Brax looked at each group in turn, idly wondering what they were all feeling while he waited with an intrigued look upon his face.

[Himeko 0]

Himeko looked into Shizuka's eyes with great focus taking note of the emotions she sees in them. Does her mind really contain the darkest dungeons and shattered dreams? 'Never mind that! Talk to her!' she thought. "So umm... Can you tell me what this 'Azure Brigade' is? And how do you do your hair! It's really pretty." At the moment Himeko would appear to be a social beast; sadly she is similar to Shizuka's in many ways. However, her sadness, or boredom, began at birth to the age of ten. "You look sad... Is everything okay? I lived on the streets until I was ten, what's your story?" The energy radiating from Himeko would scare off players who don't like talkative people.

[Ishida 0]

Ishida was uncomfortable.  In this virtual world, as it was in the natural world beyond, it was a complete pain to break in new clothes and while the fabrics of his new coat, shirt, and pants weren't harsh against his skin, the white and red colors of the Blood Oath were completely not his style.  That discomfort was more than apparent as he made his way into the bustling tavern, after having to squeeze by a couple of stagnant souls meandering in the entrance.  The teenager rolled his shoulders a few times over as if he was trying to shrug his way into accepting the weight of the light, vibrant clothing--which was a stark contrast in comparison to the ebony, unyielding heavy armor he was used to wearing. Just the thought of his beautifully crafted armor was enough to draw a dour expression out of the raven-haired young man, knowing that it was now modeled on a mannequin in the back of his shop in favor of his knew armor under the Blood Oath banner.

Much like those before him, Ishida surveyed the busy-busy bees fluttering about the tavern after he fully passed the threshold.  His rusty brown eyes didn't catch much in the way of familiarity upon the faces of the tavern's occupants as he scanned over them--with the exception of the stalwart, stonefaced Brax.  An eyebrow quirked as an incredulous grin formed to the crease of his mouth as he puzzled over the thought of seeing Brax everywhere he went.  Geez, this guy.  Is there anywhere I can go where he isn't?  For such an adventurous guy, he seems to spend a lot of time loitering.

Well, at least Brax didn't look like he was as depressed as some of the others nestled up against the counter.  Really, Brax didn't look like he experienced emotion at all but that was kind of his thing, so Ishida let it slide.  It was then, as his held gaze fell away from Brax's gargoyle grimace, that his eyes took in the most lively hair color he had seen in all of Aincrad.  Pink--bright, beautiful pink.  The teen was drawn to it like a moth to a flame and although he could feel his shoeclad feet slowly shuffle forward toward the illustrious cotton candy-colored distraction, he was powerless to stop himself.  His bare, nimble fingers stretched out long, reaching for just a touch of the neon brilliance no more than a foot away from him.  However, before he did make that contact, before so awkwardly attempting to touch a girl's flamboyant hair, Ishida snapped back to reality and just the same, snapped his fingers shut against the palm of his outstretched hand.

It was then that he noticed the younger girl sitting besides the girl before him.  She has pink hair, too?!  I didn't even know these were an option!  Why am I stuck with the default black?  I should have spent more time playing around in character creation!  Then he heard the conversation--sadness, living on the streets--nothing but depression waiting to happen.  Everyone in Aincrad had a sad story, it seemed.  Ishida's shoulders slumped and a mock, pained look blossomed on the sharp, youthful features of his face before he turned on heel and walked around to the other side of Shizuka.  He crawled into a swiveling stool at the counter.

Man, I just want to do something fun, he thought inwardly as he spun around in a circle upon his revolving seat.

[Jiro 0]

Jiro walked into the tavern quietly, not expecting to see a large group of people around him. He kept his head low and continued to walk into the tavern silently, avoiding every kind of eye contact or glance at the people, not wanting to interrupt these people too much in their conversation. He held onto his new Rapier, the Darkened Blade, and went to the small bar that stood there. He looked at the man and gave him a small smile.

"Excuse me..." He said shyly "Could I possibly get a small glass of water?" He asked. The bartender gave him a nod and brought over a small cup, and he grabbed it, taking a small sip from the glass. He enjoyed the feeling of the cool liquid cooling his tired throat. He sighed and set it down, pulling his Rapier and placing it on the counter. He held onto the grip of the blade, and sighed. He knew there was something unique about it, but he could not yet tell what it was. He sighed and put it back into his weapon holster, leaning onto the bar, tired from his recent adventure

[Zelrius 0]

(Y'alls having too much fun without High levels =p)

As Zelrius sheathed both his swords, the sound of Metal against the sheaths on each side and the clicking as they locked into place echoed throughout the Dungeon. That was it, The Field boss of this Dungeon was cleared, with little to no effort. The golden haired boy let out a sigh and turned to Tristan with a small grin. "Good work, Invincible Warrior. That concludes our Exploration of the Lower Floors for the day. I am going to head back to Town and catch a drink, maybe socialize a bit. I am sure Flints is probably waiting for you back at the Guild Hall. If not, I am positive she'd be happy if you were there waiting for her." He gave a small laugh and waved his Long-time friend farewell for now. and began to slowly meander out of the Dungeon and back into the Sunlight and Grass of the First Floor. That Dungeon had proved relatively easy, just as he had suspected it would. Of course, The Golden haired boy made short work of Floor bosses. Couple that with the fact that Tristan had accompanied him, and it was basically just a nice little stroll through a dark cavern. Except, the area they occupied was always lit up due to their various gear pieces.

Speaking of gear, Zelrius had this habit of running down all his gear whenever he was done using it for the day. Not in fear that it would be gone or damaged or anything (Since Uniques didn't break under Durability) but just as a way of reassuring himself he still had some of the best gear around. He jingled his two Pendants, the one that marked his rank in the Azure Brigade: Commandant. The other, a birthday gift from Kitty. A small, light blue, Rose shaped necklace with the words 'Azure Brigade' etched onto it. He gave a flap of his black cloak with the golden fur lining. The golden symbol of fire on the back of it waving gently as the Cloak lightly swooshed from the force.

With a quick wipe down of his Tuxedo, a tightening of his bowtie and a relacing his shoes, Zelrius began to wander through the endless grass fields toward the giant city that loomed over the First floor. Yes, The town of Beginnings. Ironic the game, given this City outsized all the other Cities found thus far by atleast twice their sizes. It wasn't long while walking that re-entered through their gates. It was strange; Despite his being nearly level 50 now, Zelrius found himself in this city more often that he imagined he would be back when he left it. Of course, being a Vet of RPGs, he knew full well that you often visited areas you had been to before, just this game didn't seem like that was necessary. And to be honest; It wasn't. He didn't have to be back on this floor. It was just this is where he found most of his entertainment in between boss fights.

With that, he made his way into a Tavern he often visited when on this floor, only to find it as packed as ever. Unsurprised, and with his arrogant smile on, The golden haired boy wandered in and took a seat at a private, Two person booth. A familiar sight came to the boy as someone entered and sat down. He called out to the Fellow Guildmate inviting them over to his booth. "Ay, Lady Gaul. Come, sit with your Commandant for a bit. I promise I won't bite. Might even buy you a drink or two."

[Seul 1]

If there was one thing Seul wasn't exactly fond of, it was uniforms. Usually the very thought of looking like a clone would make him cringe. Yet there he was; standing in the marketplace and examining the reflection of his favored Hero's Coat which was now dyed the red and white colors used by his guild. "Why does this need to be so flashy...?" He grumbled under his breath while leaving behind Col for the NPC that did the job. Any eyes that followed his form were ignored as he strolled through town. It wasn't like he cared if people looked or not. Though in all honestly, the sense of excitement he felt from joining the Knights of the Blood hadn't fully worn off yet and in this state he managed to tune out the rest of the world. At least for a brief time anyway. All that was left to do now was to celebrate the occasion and there seemed to be no better place to do just that than at the tavern!

Or so he thought. Upon entering he was greeted to a scene that one might have previously only found in a school's cafeteria. One particular section of the building was being occupied by children who were enjoying using their orders for target practice rather than for... Well, food. It wasn't any concern of his though and he simply waved it off while feeling sorry for whatever poor creature was tasked with cleaning all of it up. That aside, there were a few older players sprinkled here and there, but none that he recognized off hand. In the end he decided to take a seat at a table on the opposite side of the room before picking up a menu and scanning over the extensive list of dishes the place offered.

Edited February 12, 2016 by Seul

[Amira 0]

Manta was once again prowling around on the first floor. It was only recently that she had realized that she was losing touch with the lower levels, and had started developing an attitude towards them similar to the one she had used to despise. Maybe she had been spending too much time around Zel and the rest of the high levels. There were just so many of the low levels, just lazing around and not helping them to pass this game. She glanced around the street, her eyes zeroing in on a tavern that seemed to be bustling with activity. She tended to avoid places like that, just because of the long wait time for the food. Plus, despite her sociable nature, she wasn't great around lots of people. She could take being around all of the frontliners, as it was necessary, and even being around all of the members of her guild at once. There was just something about a small tavern filled with all sorts of people that made her incredibly uneasy.

She frowned and made her way inside anyway though. The food was probably amazing here to draw such a large crowd. She stood in the entryway momentarily, glancing around the room. Her eyes alighted on Jiro first, drinking what appeared to be a glass of water at the bar. He was her apprentice of sorts, and she smiled thinking about it. Still, she felt like he needed to work on his independence, so she instead wandered over to one of the few empty tables and took a seat, crossing her legs and adjusting her skirt to preserve her modesty as best she could. She glanced around the room again, noting the presence of Shizuka this time, one of her guildmates. She was one of the best supports in the game, even better than her close friend Ebony. Besides that, she was incredibly kind. Manta wasn't really in the mood to socialize with her though. Lately she had been really mopey, and nothing was worse than two mopey people.

This game had cursed her. She had met people, and fallen in love, been broken up with... It hadn't been great, but more than that, it had shown her what could be. She could have friends and people she enjoyed being with in this virtual world. She had never been lonely before because she hadn't known what friendship was like. Being in that incredibly large and empty house hadn't been all that bad, but now she knew that she could never go back. She hadn't been lonely before, but she knew she would be now. And she was lonely, even with all of her friends and guildmates. It... It just seemed like people wanted to be with her for her level, and didn't actually care about who she was as a person. She was jerked from her thoughts at the sound of someone saying her name. Someone who she really didn't like. At least he sounded happy, which meant that she wasn't in any trouble. wait, he sounded happy? was this the Zel that she knew? Something was up, and she wasn't sure that she liked it. She had never known Zel to be anything but arrogant and haughty. She sighed and stood up, making her way over to him and sliding into the seat across from him. "You don't need to call me Lady. Manta is fine." She replied to him, looking across the table curiously.

[Tsubasa 0]

Tsubasa noticed many people filtering into the tavern. He didn't know any of them and he was confused.  He wasn't one for socializing with anyone, none the less a group of sad and depressed veterans.  Tsubasa looked back at the kid and offered a friend invite.  "I can help you fight if you ever need any assistance.   The name is Tsubasa but I go by Tobi.  I hope we can become better acquaintances.". Tsubasa then puts his hands in his pockets and leaves the tavern, looking straight forward towards the exit.  

[Jiro 0]

Jiro looked around, and heard a small sound of the door opening, and looked to see his "Master" Manta. She was the one that had given him the darkened blade, and she went to sit down with the large group of people. He was unsure of what to do, as she seemed to know all of them, but he knew none. He sighed and took another sip of his water to calm his nerves. He knew he would not have the ability to walk over there without feeling intimidated. He knew none of the players there, and they all seemed to be higher leveled, against his still level One. He breathed and looked around, seeing if anyone was around that he could talk to, but none of them seemed to be around his level. He breathed and decided to wait to see if anything would call him, or if he would be forced to be alone

In his time of sitting, he thought about his older brother. He knew that he was out there somewhere, but he just had to get stronger to fight them. He sighed and looked down at the floor, unsure of where his brother could be. He knew his brother liked the heat, and hated the cold, so that could take out possible floors, and he could cross them out as he explored the upper levels when he was ready to be there, but until then, he would have to stay here, until he was at least level 5 or higher. He felt he would be able to hold his own then, be able to deal a good amount of Damage against enemies.

But he knew he couldn't do all of it alone, some of it would have to be with other players. He needed to join a guild, somewhere where he could help them, and they could help him. He pulled open his HUD and looked at all of the Guilds that were avaliable. As he looked, his head went lower as all of them were made for incredibly higher levels. He sighed and closed it quickly, unable to see any that he felt he could join without feeling completely weak compared to them. He hung hid head silently and rested the top of his head on the counter of the bar, finding himself staring at the floor again

[Brax 0]

     Seeing more people walk in and brush past him mattered not to the stone-hearted man, as he felt no insult from the apparent dust-offs.  Each individual was here of their own accord, taking part in the 'glorious' and 'vibrant' life of Aincrad.  'To each there own,' thought Brax as he continued to wait for his supplies to be finished, if in fact the place could do so.  A few of the attendees did catch his eye: first, Ishida waltzed in wearing a new set of armor, the colors of the Knight's of the Blood Oath on proud display, though he seemed...uncomfortable? with the attire, but Brax could not be certain without investigation; next, another member of the KoB arrived quickly afterwards, not really noticing his fellow guildmate as he traversed the room to sit opposite the counter at which Brax, Ishida, and the dark cloaked boy were positioned; finally, even flashier than the Knights was the appearance of a...no, his eyes were deceiving him, for entering the sweet treats tavern was a dual wielding swordsman, wearing a tuxedo of all things, and a bowtie to match.  Brax racked his brain, and discovered that he had heard of this so-called 'Hero of Aincrad' that strolled forth with almost palpable arrogance.  The blonde sat at a table and called to a girl that had followed him in, and while she looked as if she did not want to join him she sat anyway.  Shaking his head to clear the confusion that had arisen due to the 'Hero's' arrival, Brax decided to occupy his waiting by joining Ishida at the counter, sitting on the stool next to him with his back straight and stiff, and offered a single comment, "You look...unwell, Ishida, correct?" but offering no council or words of comfort.

[Shizuka 0]

Shizuka sighed, watching as more people started to pour in and when Zelrius came in. Immediately, Shizuka put her black cloak right back, not wanting to communicate with the blond commandant. She truly despised the man and held just a bit of hatred for him for neglecting Shizuka's kindness and ignoring her no matter how hard she tried to please him and respect him. Now, it was too late, Shizuka had lost all respect that she held for the blonde commandant and the only respect that she shows for him was just a mask she puts on in order to fulfill her duty as a member of the Azure Brigade. The man wearing a tuxedo did not appear to have come and noticed her and she liked to keep it that way. She had no intention to allow the man to notice her and start blabbering away at her and making her look bad in public like he had done so many times in the past. Shizuka chugged the rest of the hot chocolate really quickly and shivered even though the hot chocolate had warmed her up. Shizuka looked back at Himeko and began to speak once more, glancing behind her every few seconds to make sure the man wasn't looking her way. "It seems a lot of people have entered here..." Shizuka said, opening up her menu with nervousness. "I don't like being in places where there is a lot of players around... Here, I'll add you as a friend and you can contact me. I'll be sure to show you around and maybe take you to the outside of the safe zone if you want." Shizuka finished, sent out the friend request and stood up. With a smile and a nod from under her black cloak, she scanned around, searching for a method of escape. The front door won't do, there are too many people and my black cloak is too obvious. Shizuka thought, and then she looked up at the second floor. The place isn't too high. It should be safe to jump down from that window. With that, she gave Himeko a wave just as she saw Manta Gaul in the distance. Geez.... Shizuka thought, walking slowly up the stairs and when no one is looking, opened the window and jumped off, confident that no one was watching as she performed the task.

Shizuka has left the thread

Edited February 12, 2016 by Shizuka