[OP-F1] The day Askavi actually did something

[Askavi 0]

"That's strange," Askavi mumbled, mostly to herself. She glanced at Kane. "I can't really imagine you with platinum blonde hair. It's just... too weird. Or maybe it would fit, I don't know." She grinned. "Maybe you should try dyeing it one of these days."

Askavi eyed the watermelon in his hands and grew thirsty. Approaching one of the stands nearby, she purchased a <> which was a little bland in her opinion, but good nonetheless. She drank it greedily, mulling over Kane's comment. "Well, I'm not really sure." She frowned. "I mean you're here and you're... sort of... living here, even if not with your physical body. But, well, I guess this counts as life experience." She threw a glance at the watermelon. "So I suppose, even though that watermelon isn't technically real, it doesn't mean the experience of eating it isn't." She stopped, turning to Kane. "That did make sense to you, right? I mean, the friends and enemies you make here are real." Not that Askavi had made many of either of those. She was a neutral character, perhaps too much so. She suddenly shuddered, remembering something.

"There are rumours..." She looked around nervously. "Y'know, about players that kill other players for their equipment. Do you know if any of that's true?" Askavi couldn't believe it herself, but she put nothing past people/players these days. "Perhaps it would be better for me to train a bit... Earn some experience and equipment myself." She was talking more to herself than to Kane, but felt better having his more expert opinion on these matters at hand.

She left the marketplace behind and wandered throughout the streets of the <>. Even though it was a rather large metropolis, it was really stretched to its maximum capacity with all the players not straying away from its walls. It was a struggle every night trying to find a room to fall asleep in relative safety.

[Kane 0]

Kane mulled over her words, chewing his slice of watermelon reflectively as they strolled through the marketplace. The bright, sunny day and the buzz of the crowds around them were in stark contrast to the thoughts that ran through Kane's head, of seeing a player die, their life bar reaching zero as they dissipated into a million glass shards.

Shaking his head, Kane spoke in a bitter tone. "My second day here in Sword Art Online, I decided to try and run as far away from the town as I could. I got all the way to the lake here on the first floor before I stopped to think about what I was doing. By then, some other players had made it out there as well. I watched as one of them was showing off a rare battle axe he'd won from a mob drop, and the guy next to him sucker punched him, hacked him to ribbons and took his axe. I was too far away to do anything but watch, horrified."

Kane gritted his teeth at the memory, visualizing the look on the man's face as his comrade turned on him for a piece of equipment. "I saw his tag turn dark orange, and I knew that was how the game identified player killers. Any person who could kill another human being for a weapon... hell, for anything? They're lower than low. The game's rules make sure that if someone kills a player whose tag is already orange, their tag doesn't change. Even the game knows that it's just to hunt down player killers, and keep them from harming others. Our fight is against Kayaba, not each other."

Kane stretched his shoulder in what was quickly becoming an idiosyncrasy, then turned to Askavi, his expression suddenly lightening up. "Sorry, didn't mean for things to get super serious there. And yes, training is good. So, have you decided which weapon you want to focus on using? For that matter," he added, shielding his eyes against the midday sun, "Are you even interested in being a front line fighter? There are always different ways to support the cause. We need alchemists, blacksmiths and bards as much as combatants, but whatever you choose to do, do it wholeheartedly." Kane was sure that she would, Askavi seemed like a girl with a fiery soul.

[Askavi 0]

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them to let the blue sky fill her vision. She still kept walking, knowing these streets like the back of her hand by now. "That's..." She stopped, feeling chocked up by the story she'd just been told. "That's horrible." Of course, Askavi wasn't by any means a naïve person, contrary to what many may think. She knew some of the stuff that happened out there, but most of it was a matter of survival. Killing a fellow human being for... for greed? That was inexcusable. Those people's loved ones were right now grieving an unecessary death. "What a waste..."

Askavi shook her head. "Don't worry. I asked, anyway. I'm happy that you told me that story. I haven't yet witnessed any of those things, and I hope never to." She shuddered just thinking about it. "That first day was chaotic, I remember it clearly. Lots of people panicking and generally going crazy. I remember running away from the <>, going to fight some low level mobs in order to get stronger. It didn't go very well..." Askavi looked lost in her memories. "I kind of freaked out, almost got myself killed. Foolish... I haven't stepped a foot out of town since then. Maybe it's time I do."

Glimpsing a bench in the shade, Askavi moved toward it and promptly sat on it, sighing in relief at being away from the glare of the sun. "I haven't thought about weapons much. I really do like the daggers, though. Quick, nimble, deadly. I could use them to slash; or throw them for long ranged combat. I've always prefered agility and speed over sheer power." She leaned back on the bench. "As far as being a front-liner, I'm not sure that's for me. I mean, I want to train because that's always important," she quickly added, "but I wanted most of all to concentrate on being a bard. I haven't seen many of those around."

[Kane 0]

Kane sat down on the bench next to her, relishing the moment as he relaxed in the light of the day. He'd seen some fairly wicked looking daggers that agility-focused players had come across, and he knew that they were a viable option. "Daggers certainly work for someone of your build, but that means you'll need light armor to move in quickly. You won't be able to take too many hits, so stay close to someone who's used to getting smacked around."

He smiled, leaning back on the bench and feeling the breeze stir his cloak and kiss his cheek. Even if it was virtual, it was... nice. "Improving your <> abilities will help with being a skirmisher-type; the higher level you are with your playing, the more that your songs or dances help guys like me, and it makes you faster and less likely to get hit as well."

[Askavi 0]

"So... going solo is a big no-no for players like me. Got that." Unless she could somehow perfect the art of dodging almost all attacks, she'd have to rely on other players to protect her back while she attacked. She wasn't sure she liked that very much, truth to be told. She'd have to pick her partners very carefully, and even then... Well, she'd just have to show them her skill as a Bard and make herself invaluable, which meant practising a lot.

"Bard could help me dodge and make me faster? That's something I didn't know..." But it made sense, in a way. She could give buffs to other people, so why not give some to herself? And seeing as she was a speed-oriented character, she'd make herself even faster. "I wonder how those buffs work in battle? Do I play my fife before or during combat? I suppose these buffs must have a time-limit..." Timing was another thing she'd have to work on.

Askavi suddenly opened her inventory and took out a basic dagger that she'd gotten upon starting the game. "I guess this one is more than enough to defeat those Frenzy Boards outside the city." It was no bid deal, really. She'd defeated a couple of them before, so she knew the mechanics behind those low-level monsters. The female player seemed to hesitate, taking a deep breath to center herself. "I suppose it's time to stop being iddle and face my fears. I think that if I manage to step outside the city and kill a few mobs... Then, maybe, I'll be able to overcome this weakness of mine." Askavi didn't look very convinced about her own idea, but that was most likely her fear coming to the surface. "What do you say, Kane? Want to venture outside?"

[Kane 0]

Kane was slightly worried for Askavi's safety. He didn't want to bring this up as a topic of conversation, since he didn't know if her feelings would be hurt by an assessment of her strength. Still, she had her wits, a sharp knife, and the capacity to learn and grow as a player, and as a warrior. He looked her over again, trying to gauge her combat readiness.

"As long as you stay mobile, and don't let yourself get cornered in any tight spaces, you should be fine." He smiled, as he felt the presence of the city's denizens crowding in closer. The day was in full swing now, and the streets of the bustling metropolis were beginning to come to life.

Drawing on his limited knowledge of the Bard class, Kane pontificated, "I believe that as long as the performance is being sustained, the combatant and their allies receive a boost to one of their stats. I think the range expands as you perfect your art, and it depends on a few factors. For instance, if your buffs were music-based, and a monster deafened me temporarily, I wouldn't be able to use any of your buffs. Or, if you were a dancer and I was blinded, your visual-based bonus to my stats would be lost on me. The trick would be to practice, and really stick with whatever art you choose to use. Honestly," he went on, raising a finger like a classroom teacher, "It might be better for someone who wants to still be combat-viable like you to take <> as their performance, as it would still leave your hands free to use daggers, and as long as your allies can see you, they get the same buffs that you do when you dance. But it's just a suggestion, don't feel like you have to take my advice."

He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, then stood to his feet, cloak billowing out behind him."How about this," Kane asked, bending down a bit so they were at eye level. Today and tomorrow I'm heading up to the sixth floor. They say there's a cursed waterfall there that I want to investigate, but it might be a tad bit difficult for you to come with me." (See <>, this is how Kane learned the <> skill.) "I'll probably be back in town tomorrow night. I usually stay at the tavern right here." He opened his map, then shared a marker on hers. "If you swing by, we can go do some combat training the next day. Sound like a plan?"

[Askavi 0]

If it wouldn't look ridiculous, Askavi would have brought a notebook and a pen and taken notes as Kane explained to her about the mechanics about using the <> skill in battle. It sounded a lot more complex than she first thought, and a lot less straightforward. Still, Askavi did her best to remember everything Kane said. The rest she supposed she'd have to experience first hand. She looked down at her hand, trying to imagine herself defeating mobs with her small dagger. This whole battle thing would look a lot less frightening if she had, say, an axe or a greatsword. However, she'd built this character thinking about speed and dexterity, not power. She'd have to stick to it.

"I was already thinking of expanding the dance part of the <> skill. It would raise my <>, enabling me to become faster and more dexterous. I've heard somewhere that a high enough level in <> makes you able to run up walls, among other things." A grin stretched across Askavi's mouth. "That would be... interesting, don't you think?"

Askavi's eyebrows shot up when hearing about Kane's next "mission". "A cursed waterfall? You need to show me that sometime, when I get stronger." She sighed loudly, a frown appearing on her face. "You're right, I'm very far from reaching sixth floor ." She peered at her map to see the dot blinking up at her. She thought she knew the place: it was a well-known place for players to drown themselves by drinking copious amounts of alcohol. She'd never been to that place, but knew there were others just like it. "Sounds good. It's a plan then!"

Her expression suddenly turned serious and she looked at Kane with a fierce look in her eyes. "Be careful out there, Kane. I don't want my new mentor to die before I really get to know him." Askavi wasn't used to feeling this worried for someone, seeing as she'd entered SAO completely by herself and she hadn't as of yet gotten to know anyone she felt she cared about - at least until today. Now, much to her alarm, she felt a heavy weight settling on her chest, making her shift uncomfortably. "I mean it. No dying."

[Kane 0]

Kane blinked in the sunlight, seeing the worry on Askavi's face. They hadn't really known each other for a long time, but somehow, Kane felt that he owed it to her to stay safe. He reached down and patted her on the shoulder, his touch gentle in spite of the wrought-iron gauntlet. "Hey," he said, his smile shining bright in the light of the glorious Aincrad sun, "I have no intention of dying. It's not my style."

He turned to walk away form her, his faded spring cloak flying proudly behind him in the wind. "Besides, if I died, who'd go around giving cinnamon rolls to strange girls?" He grinned as he threw a cheeky wink over his shoulder, and disappeared into the crowd.

(CONT. in Drowning Sorrows and Good Sense)