[SP-F1] Counting The Days...

[Ronin 0]

With a hefty ho and a might heave, Ronin found his way to his feet.  He grumbled and spat at the ground, though he was too dehydrated to really produce much saliva at all.  He sighed and stood for several moments, motionless, thinking.  Inhalation through his nostrils, exhalation through his mouth.  He repeated this over and over, allowing it to fully consume him, to envelop his mind and force him into this one, single, present moment.  He thought of the here and now, putting all other things aside.  He was still alive, still breathing, still giving it everything he had... for now.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Ronin had been wondering exactly how many days he had been stuck inside this game world so far and he couldn't quite remember.  It was something like four, maybe five, six even?  He sighed, shaking his head and feeling like it had already been months.  How long would this go on.  How long until everyone simply gave up fighting and accepted this new world as their own?  How long until those who were brave enough and cared enough to be out on the front lines, simply gave up trying and went about their own ways?  How long...

[Ronin 0]

He hoped they'd keep it up, at least for a little longer.  He had every intention of growing as strong as he possibly could and then heading off to join them on the front lines.  He wanted to do his part, to carry his own weight, to lend a hand in order to clear this death game.  He wanted to be there, fighting right along side them, but he wasn't quite ready, not yet.  He sighed and headed for the coffee stand he had found a day or two prior.  He would need some caffeine in his system if he wanted to get anything going today.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Reaching the coffee stand, he thought about hot chocolate as he took a long drag at his smoke.  Mmm that definitely sounded the most delicious to him right now, but he decided against it, knowing he needed something a little stronger on this morning.  He had only slept maybe five hours, maybe even less and he was feeling the effects.  His body felt a bit rigid and his head was kinda' heavy.  He grumbled and cursed under his breath with every other movement he made and he cleared his raspy throat and spat at the ground, before taking another puff at his smoke.  "Coffee please..." he ordered.

[Ronin 0]

Once his coffee was ready and there had been some substantial sugar and cream added to it, Ronin picked up his cup and turned to face the day and whatever it might bring.  The wind was a little fierce, but he would make it through.  The sound of it howling was a little unsettling, but he would survive.  The only thing that kinda' annoyed him about it, was that every time he would go to take a drag at his cigarette, the fierce gusts would threaten to send some of his burnt ash flying into his eyeballs.  This of course, was one of the worst things for a smoker.

[Ronin 0]

Pulling another drag and squinting his eyes in anticipation for any backlash he might receive, Ronin managed to make it through with unscathed retinas on this exchange.  There was always next time however and he wasn't looking forward to each and every drag he took, knowing sooner or later, it'd get him.  He was something of a clumsy dude, and had some allergies as well, and sometimes the two would couple together and really put him on his ass.  Thankfully, thus far in the game, he hadn't really had too many problems with either.  Something told him that was soon to change.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

"[censored]..." he blurted, feeling a sneeze coming on.  It was building up inside his nose and he knew right away, that he had the wind to blame for this.  He shook his head and swiped a hand in front of his face, trying to quell the incoming sneeze before it wrecked his world.  The result of his hand flailing was the accessing of his menus and the equipping and unequipping of some of his gear.  Before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of the street with his coffee and cigarette in hand, in nothing but his boots and underwear.  "Damnit..."

[Ronin 0]

After receiving a couple of whistles and hoots and hollers, Ronin managed to get his clothes back on and his sneeze subsided.  He knew that was a close one and he didn't take it for granted that he had managed to win this round.  Sooner or later, his sneeze would return and it would eventually, inevitably, put him on his ass.  They always did and this one felt like it was more fierce than ever.  It had been a while, so it made sense if it had built up to a maximum power and was going to rock his world when it was unleashed.   He just prayed he could finish some of his coffee and cigarette before he ended up wearing it all.

[Ronin 0]

Taking another careful, very careful drink of his coffee, Ronin smacked his lips together in a satisfied fashion.  "Ahhh, now that's the stuff," he said, feeling a little more energetic and chipper already.  With his caffeine and nicotine binge already beginning, he knew it wouldn't be long before he was all hopped up and ready for action.  Now he just had to decide what kinda' action that would be.  Floor one still had its mysteries and secrets and he imagined he could explore it for years and still never see all of it.  But what else was there... what more could he discover?

[Ronin 0]

He thought of Jambi and wondered what had ended up finally driving her completely mad?  She seemed mad enough anyway.  He had only just found the girl, or rather, she had found him.  But already, he was beginning to remember their time outside this game together.  Their real life together, as husband and wife.  He wondered if this game had a marriage feature installed?  Perhaps once two people got together and completed some sort of marriage quest, their inventories would be merged together?  Ronin shrugged, unsure, but curious.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Speaking of the wild woman, where had she gone off to?  He had been hanging out with her not too long ago, maybe a day or two?  Now, she seemed to have disappeared again.  Perhaps she had simply gotten busy with something?  Maybe her profession?  Ronin knew that some people had lots of responsibilities and priorities, even in a game world such as this.  Hell, perhaps they had more, seeing as how this was a constant struggle to stay alive and all.  But, wasn't the real world like that as well?  He pursed his lips in thought, taking another drink of his coffee.

[Ronin 0]

Ronin's eyes began to open a little more and his head began to feel a little less heavy as he continued to consume his beverage.  The caffeine was working its magic on one portion of his brain, while the nicotine from his cigarette was working on another.  At some points, it even felt like the two powers were combining and working together to put a little extra pip in his step and keep him moving on down the road.  Whether he knew it or not, it seemed there was some higher fate he was destined to achieve.  Though, for now he would simply be happy finding somewhere nice to sit down...

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

While the coffee and cigarette were hitting the spot, Ronin still felt a little too weary and fatigued to be up and moving around so much.  He decided to go and find a nice relaxing place to kick back and sit down, and allow everything to slowly get moving.  The older you got, the longer it took to get yourself and your mind moving in the morning and the less you slept, the more you had to pay for it and earn every step there after.  Ronin knew better, but he seemed to continue to do this anyway, always staying up far too late and then waking up a few hours later and getting started.  Would he ever learn?

[Ronin 0]

A drag of his cigarette, a swig of his coffee; it went on like this for what seemed to be an eternity.  He had finally found a nice little spot to sit.  A little wooden bench that seemed to have been placed into the game world just for him.  It looked out over a small section of the town where there was a grassy plot and some little obstacles for children to play on.  While Ronin couldn't remember the last time he had even seen a kid in this game, he decided perhaps they had it the worst of all of them.  Poor little dudes had logged in for a new gaming experience and been stuck here ever since...

[Ronin 0]

So then, who was he to complain?  Who was he to piss and moan and feel bad about being locked inside this death game with no way of getting out, at least for now...  Who was he to feel so guilty, so overwhelmed, so helpless?  There were children in here, some of them probably no older than seven or eight and they had it the worst of anyone.   Ronin couldn't imagine the feeling that was going through them or had gone through their heads, when they first learned they were trapped inside.  Perhaps some had thought it fun and exciting, but surely now, they felt the true severity of it all.  Oh what a nightmare it must be for them.

[Ronin 0]

Shaking his head and moving his eyes back to his coffee, he kept from looking at the little playground for a long moment, unable to shake the feelings of guilt he had for the children in the game.  Why did he feel so guilty anyway?  Was it because he was still here, on the first floor, sitting around drinking coffee and smoking a ciggy and not doing his part to try and clear the game?  Of course it was... but what more could he do right now?  He sighed, knowing there was plenty he could do.  He could be out questing, out farming mobs and getting materials, out looking for treasure and loot to help him grow and level up his skills...  But no, here he was, sitting here on this bench.  "Damn..." he sighed.

[Ronin 0]

Shifting his weight a little, Ronin cozied himself into the bench a little more, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.  The steam from his coffee and the smoke from his cigarette both trailed upward into the sky.  He focused on his breathing, thinking of the children still and wondering where all of them were right now.  Had another player felt the same as he did?  Had someone done something to help all of them?  Was there a little safe haven somewhere for them to all play and be taken care of and loved and cared for?  Ronin didn't know, but he vowed to find out.

[Ronin 0]

Finally Ronin lowered his head and opened his eyes, peering at the ground.  Slowly but surely his gaze crept upward until he was staring at the playground once again.  It looked so sad, so lonely without any children playing on it.  Ronin thought of this in relation to the entire game it self and then, to the real world.  All of these kids, they were just laid up somewhere, in a hospital room or something, hooked up to these damn nerve gear head sets and laying there, wasting away... All of their toys, all of their books and stuffed animals, their rooms back at home... their parents... they were all there, empty, just like this playground was...

[Ronin 0]

Unable to take anymore at the moment, the blacksmith swordsman rose from he bench and looked toward the sky once again.   He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and took another gentle drink as he strolled away from this area, knowing that the thought of the children was far too much for him to bare right now.  It wasn't like he had kids of his own in real life, but more so that he was feeling guilty for sitting around while they were all trapped inside here.  These were, someone else's children and he needed to do everything in his power to set them free.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ronin

[Ronin 0]

Heading off down the street, he began rounding his way back toward his little shanty of a shop.  He had all but finished his coffee by now and his cigarette had long since dwindled down to almost nothing.   He took a final drag and a final swig, before throwing both items to the ground and watching their durability hit zero as they collided with the floor.  Both items popped up slightly, before bursting into digital shards and disappearing from existence.  He sighed, knowing that if he were ever killed, or anyone for that matter, they would disappear in the same way... and never be seen again.