[PP-F2] Paranoia <<RGQ>> (Completed)

[Birdie 0]

"U-uhm.." Birdie felt Arc's arms around her waist, a confused murmur escaping her lips once she was pulled in for a hug. A helpless soul, she didn't know how to react. As warmth rushed to her cheeks, she thwarted any attempt at resisting and returned the embrace, her eyes pinching shut for the briefest of moments.

Before she knew it, she was once again face-to-face with the man, remnants of the redness that plagued her cheeks seconds ago refusing to dissipate. Her vision trailed along the ground for a moment, eventually reaching Arc's eyes as they quickly worked up from his feet. "R-right, we did the best we could."  Her tone contained a grain of salt; there was always going to be something they could've done better. Glancing to his fist, she wrapped her fingers up into a ball and completed the fistbump, a thankful smile overtaking her meek frown afterwards

"At least someone thinks so.." she mumbled under her breath, blood rising to her pink cheeks. "If it means anything, you're more than just a Mercenary to me." She gave him a light smile - was it necessary to say that? Probably not, though she wanted to say something nice to him in return. His follow up sentence was received with a spirited nod from the girl, the promise of safety igniting a a jolly spark within her mind. "Right!" Birdie relished in the moment - not only were they free from the stress of the 'stealth' mission, they'd actually taken something away from the experience other than 'don't leave the safe zones at night'.

She looked back through their messaging history, taking note of any useful information on the way. "There's.. a lot to cover. Where do we even start?" She turned away from her menu for a moment, looking up to Arc. "For one, there's definitely no cheating going on between the quest giver's wife and the 'farmer'. That's the quest's objective done and dusted, at least.. I hope that's out of the way." She let out a faint huff, her eyes returning to the menu once more.

"There really is so much to cover.. should we find some place to sit?" The girl scanned the immediate area around town, stretching her legs for emphasis. "My legs still kinda hurt from being crammed into that small room," she spoke, a quiet laugh escaping her lips.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Yeah," he said with a quiet chuckle. "Ever since I found out Thom died, I'd actively tried to keep myself from getting too close to people inside SAO." He looked out toward where the first hints of sunlight crept over the horizon. We were out almost all night. "I... didn't think I'd ever open back up, so I started being a mercenary to help people, in my own way, just to be sure I was always trying to help others... even if I wasn't connecting with them." When his gaze turned back to the woman's ice colored eyes, he offered a smile. "I'm glad I met you, Miss Birdie," he said quietly. "You're a lot like he was- quiet, but strong willed. And you care a lot for people. I think those are great qualities." He laughed aloud, his eyes screwing shut tightly. "Nah, you're definitely different, though," he reflected. "You're not nearly as abrasive," he considered, "and well, you've got me backing you up. There's no way I'll let any more of my friends get hurt in this world."

He scratched the back of his head. "Might be I'll start looking for folks to try and form the old crew," he muttered. "It'd be nice, like the old days." He had seen no trace of any of the other players among his real life friends, not even his younger brother. It made him worry, but he kept it brushed aside and kept his thoughts on the present. "But not just yet. Got more to do before I go doing that."

When Birdie started speaking about details from the quest, he nodded. "Thankfully," he said in a quiet voice. "At least we get to give the guy better news. 'Hey, she wasn't seeing this other fella, but she did intend to kill you and possibly a good chunk of the town." As his spoke, he wore the best comical, facetious face and vocal tone anyone could have conjured. "I mean, that'd be a relief, right? 'Don't worry, though, she'll never get the chance. I killed her."

The mercenary let out a huff. Is violence my answer to everything?

"Well, we could always drop by the inn for a quick bite and a drink," he mentioned thoughtfully. "That's where the questgiver was as well, so we'll knock our objective out while we get some well deserved rest." He gestured in that direction. "Think you can make it that far?"

[Birdie 0]

"I'm sorry to hear that.." It felt like someone had tugged at a string connected to her heart, and she fought back a frown as Arc continued. The description of his self-segregation after the death of his friend shrouded her outlook on the situation, though it brightened up soon after. To be compared to such a hero was honouring, flattering even, and a gracious smile spread across her face as he complimented the qualities both her and Thom shared in common. "He sounds like a great guy. Thom deserved better than.. what he got."

She entertained the thought of Arc's 'old crew'. If his other friends were anything like the man himself, she could only imagine the sorts of shenanigans that ran rampant within the group.

"Perhaps we should leave out that last part," she replied with as soft a smile as possible, trying her hardest to not appear slightly disheartened by the ordeal. She knew the NPCs were only data, 1s and 0s designed to replicate human behaviour, but it wouldn't change the fact that they had backstories and lives. Even if they weren't controlled by people, they were human enough to have Birdie consider them as much.

She perked up at the mention of food and couldn't nod any sooner, "Now that you mention it, I am feeling a little bit hungry." She looked toward the road, the faintest of smirks appearing and fading as a thought crossed her mind. "Think your legs can carry you back, old man?" She beamed a smile his way, turning her body as she started towards the tavern.

"Speaking of the quest giver, this whole thing has been pretty strange so far. I mean, he thinks his wife is cheating and it turns out she's part of some insane cult. Doesn't it sound a bit, uh.. 'extreme'? For a random encounter?" Her eyes switched, curiously looking upwards to Arc. "I don't have much knowledge of MMO games, nor RPGs for that matter, is this kinda thing like, common?"

[Ashrah 0]

"Yeah," Arc murmured. "Yeah, he did." There was no back and forth on the subject, because he totally agreed with her assessment. Gilded rays of warmth filtered over the cobblestone streets and gently caressed his skin. It felt so real, he almost forgot he was rigged to a NerveGear. His lips tugged up in a smile despite the thoughts that threatened to drag him back down to despair. Nah, never again. I'm useless to folks in that abyss. No different from being dead.

His eyes flashed to her when she suggested they omit the portion where the wife was slaughtered. Arc couldn't help but to agree. "Hey, uh," he shrugged a bit, helpless. "At least you're safe. In terms of trade off, I'm alright with losing an NPC if it prevents a player from dying." He paused. "They're data. I can't ever get back Birdie if she goes. And your memories, and your life beyond this world, and the people waiting for you back home..." He locked eyes with her. "That's definitely a decision that doesn't even require thought."

His cheeks had brightened and warmed considerably at the words "I can't ever get back Birdie..."

Promptly to be dispelled when she called him an old man. "Guh... wah..." he blinked. "I'll have you know I'm only 26! Not even 30 yet!" The mercenary huffed indignantly. "And I've got plenty of stamina. I pride myself in my endurance!"

He jogged to catch up as she strode past his goofy display of defiance. "Hmmm?" She asked about MMOs, and how this quest seemed somewhat extreme. "It's not unheard of," he considered, "there are quests with plot twists and difficulty curves like this all the time. Thing is, Cardinal sometimes tailors these quests to the recipients. Might be it considered the thought patterns of the player in question." He glanced her way, then smirked. "You like these thriller/mystery type stories, ma'am?"

[Birdie 0]

Her cheeks became flushed at Arc's thoughtless comments, not even trying to suppress the appreciative smile that lifted the corners of her lips. "I-I see, when you um.." She had to tear her eyes away from his, focusing on the road ahead instead. "It sounds like a simple decision, w-when you put it that way."

Thankfully, her witty comment about Arc's age seemed to lift the atmosphere that settled in around them, and she couldn't stop herself from laughing a little at his small outburst. She looked over her shoulder and watched as he caught up, catching on that the warmth in his cheeks had dissipated as well.

"Hm.." Birdie listened as each word left his mouth, though his leading question brought an excitable smile to her face. The girl's eyes snapped shut and her chin tilted towards the sky, a faint breath escaping her nose. "You could say I'm a fan." She opened her eyes and gazed up to him, "Being from England, it's kind of a birthright to be a fan of Sherlock Holmes. I'm into all those strange mystery stories, I actually wanted to become a forensic scientist. Of course, th-"

She paused, her expression dying down a tad. "Wait - how would the Cardinal know that? I don't remember typing something like that in when I created my account for this game." A genuinely troubled look happened upon her face. There's only a few ways the game would be able to find about her personal interests, and each was almost as disturbing as the other. 

[Ashrah 0]

"England, huh?" he asked. "I thought I sensed an accent. You could probably tell-" he gestured toward himself. "I come from the Southern United States. The accent's a bit gruff, but distinguishable." He recalled the Sherlock Holmes stories, though admittedly they were less his style than Tolkien, Lewis, or some of the more contemporary fantasy authors. He didn't need to worry her with that sort of thing, though. He thought it was awesome that she enjoyed literature at all. And her interest in forensic science- that was...

"You mean you didn't know?" he asked with a sudden confusion in his voice. "Akihiko was a genius when it came to simulated reality. The FullDive technology isolates neural synapses and augments them to create a suspended world within our minds." He tapped his head. "The rig sends a signal directly into the brain that scans and singles out different responses- base things like fear, joy, sorrow, anger... and more complex things than that. Originally, the NerveGear was designed with the ability to troubleshoot human emotion, even. People in the game who experienced different extremes could be found and given psychological assistance. That way they could ease into the game experience better, or know to log out and seek medical attention."

He remembered a lot about the article he'd read, an interview with the creator. How foreign it seemed now that the man turned out to be a sociopath with a god complex. An amused smile danced across his lips. "Not that I've seen any sign of that in Aincrad so far myself," he muttered. "I think Kayaba must have suspended or scrapped that portion of the project to make the experience seem more... realistic." He shook his head. No use in dwelling on that. "Be that as it may, whenever you remember something, or you dream, the Cardinal system actively scans that as data and uses it to craft your experience. That's what made this game so... absolutely immense, terrifying, and exciting. No two experiences are always the same, and the game is always adapting. It can't do anything outside its programming, but that doesn't make it any less daunting."

Arc scratched his head. "And the mobs and bosses learn the players as the players learn them." He looked at Birdie again, this time with a bright smile on his face. "But we're stronger than that, y'know? He mustered up all of his courage and decided to be unafraid. "We know what we're up against, and knowing your enemy is half of the battle."

He knew that those words wouldn't give her too much in the way of comfort after hearing what he'd just told her, but he stood there ready to brave the coming storm of emotion. No matter how the girl responded, he'd be right there for her. He drummed the fingers of one hand idly on his chest. "I... want to teach History," he said in a softer voice. "And Economics. Those are things I've always loved. So I'm not gonna let fear stop me from getting free so that I can chase my dreams, and I'm not gonna let anyone give up on theirs, either."

His green eyes matched her wavering gaze. "Still want breakfast?" he asked. "My treat."

[Birdie 0]

"Uhhmmmmm.." Birdie gazed at Arc, her mouth left agape in light of his complex explanation. She began to grasp the concept as he went onto explain the NerveGear's actual functions, though her expression remained unsettled as it did little to calm her worries. To know that the Cardinal system could 'listen' into player's dreams and use that information to create an experience for the individual was a horrifying violation of privacy, though the potential for a boss to be created from someone's nightmare was perhaps the most disturbing thought of them all.

She looked away, taking a moment away from the conversation to digest the new information. "This is crazy.. like, insane-crazy, not good-crazy." It was a lot to stomach, especially from a person who was embarrassingly ill-informed about to the technology before plunging into it. Her eyes trailed up to his, catching the smile planted firmly across his lips. "Right," she managed, a similar smile happening upon her own face,, "If we know our opponents, then looking out for each other becomes the key to survival." Maybe that wasn't the message Arc was trying to convey, but it's what Birdie took away from the conversation.

His commitment to paving the way back to the real world garnered a strong smile from the girl, only smothered once the man offered breakfast. "Yes - I think my belly's about to burst out Alien style and drag itself to the nearest food shop." She huffed, bringing both hands to her stomach to emphasise the point. "I'll have whatever you're having, surprise me." She looked up to him with a light smile for a moment, before pulling her eyes back down to the road.

"'Professor Arc'? I could see a teacher's outfit totally suiting you, no pun intended." She pictured the man standing in front of a class; suffice to say, the image was amusing to her. "That's a noble career goal, I'm not even sure about mine. I mean, I have the qualifications and stuff to get into a less prestigious university but then I think about actually studying forensic science.. I'm kinda scared that it's only interesting from an outside point of view, if you know what I mean." That was only half the reason she'd held off on going into higher education, though she wouldn't give up the other side of the story just yet. "What part of History makes you want to teach it? And Economics, for that matter - that subject is all about the study of money, isn't it?" she asked curiously.

[Ashrah 0]

Yeah, he silently  agreed. It's like being trapped inside a horror novel, knowing full well what you're getting into, but being powerless to do anything about it. He didn't convey that thought to Birdie, though. She hardly needed him to say anything else that would shake her up. The girl deserved some peace, for once. Arc hadn't been able to afford her that in their time as friends, yet. He figured it was high time he fixed that.

"Exactly!" Arc nodded hastily at her understanding. "I've got your back, and I know you'll get mine if it comes down to it. What was it- teamwork makes the dream work?" He gave a subdued laugh at that. Tobias had never been fond of goofy old sayings, even if there was merit to them. 

When she proclaimed the vastness of her hunger, Arc grinned. An alien? He had not expected that reference from her, but it certainly worked for emphatic speech. "I..." he stopped when she said she'd have what he was. As they entered the establishment, he tapped his nose. "Y'know, used to be I'd have a fluffy, homemade biscuit with egg, cheese, and bacon with my mom every week," he recalled. "Ever had a biscuit what was fluffy, Miss Birdie?" he asked. "The texture is so soft, and the flavor like butter..." his eyes had shut as he spoke, and before he knew it, Arc was salivating. "That tears it. Bacon egg and cheese biscuits it is."

Arc put in the order for them promptly and pulled the chair out from under the table for her. "I won't be offended if you need to put your feet up," he joked playfully.

He listened as she explained that she had an interest, but wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do. He nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly as she spoke. "Nobody knows what they want to do right out of high school. I remember my parents practically forced me to go on to college, and I wasn't sure of what I wanted to be." Arc shrugged. "You'll find your way. It'll strike you while you're in the heat of it, what it is that you love. That's what happened for me."

She asked about why he loved History, and about Economics. Her thoughts on the latter made him shake his head gently. It was a common misconception. "Economics is the study of- err... everything! It's a social science. How money moves is a single aspect of it. Markets are compromised of businesses and 'consumers,' and all of them are people. The relationships between individuals, their interactions, why they do one thing or don't do another- all of that is Economics. Understanding what has happened, and postulating about what might- it's a fascinating study." He folded his hands as the biscuits were brought out. 

The temptation was overwhelming from the moment the freshly steamed food came before him. Arc took it in both hands and took the first bite. He practically melted into his chair. "That's the stuff," he murmured.

After a moment of pure bliss, he looked back up to Birdie. "History... well..." he took another bite of his biscuit. "Thom and I were both obsessed. His grandfather practically beat it into him as a child, but he fell in love with it despite that. We used to talk all the time about different time periods, major figures... I remember at one point, I was talking to my dad about something, and he said I ought to be a teacher." Arc hid his face. "And well... my dad has a way of seeing the best in people. If he said it, I figure it's probably somewhat factual."

He grinned. "Ahahaha, I'm talking too much," he looked around, then back at the blue haired girl. "Please," he said with a bow of his head. "I'd like to hear more about you, if it's no trouble, ma'am."

 

[Birdie 0]

"U-uhm.. a fluffy biscuit?" Birdie looked at Arc, confusion plastered all across her face. 'Biscuit.. right, he's American.' "Sorry - biscuits in the UK are what you'd call cookies in the US, I had this weird idea of you having egg and bacon on a cookie.. God, sorry." The girl huffed and blinked her eyes, giving one quick glance to the table as she followed behind him. She gave the NPC a light smile as Arc placed the order, "Can't wait to try it out."

The girl paused as Arc prepared a chair for her, giving a thankful nod as she sat down. "I'll try not to," she smiled in reply, resting her palms on the table top. The encouraging words about knowing what to study certainly eased her fears of the subject matter, and to hear that he'd figured himself out along his own journey was reason enough to beam a joyous smile. "Thanks, it'll.. it'll come naturally, I hope."

"I actually had no idea the subject was so vast, I didn't know there was such a.. psychological side to it?- I guess." She wanted to comment further but withheld the desire, catching sight of a waitress with a try from the corner of her eyes. 'Please be the food, please be the food..'

She took a bite out of her biscuit, relishing in her first taste of a delicious hot breakfast since leaving the real world. "This is.. so good!" she eagerly spoke, "It tastes almost like the muffins we have back at home. Except these are a little different somehow... I can't really explain it." She continued to enjoy the biscuit as Arc explained his likeness of History, the mention of his deceased friend, causing her expression to soften out of respect. "I see, that's.. that's a wonderful story."

The girl's mouth ceased chewing as Arc asked about her, prompting her eyes to widen slightly. "Oh, uh.. me?" She put the rest of her meal onto a plate, pushing it aside for a moment. (I'll be referencing the education system we use in England, sorry for any confusion ahead of time.) "Well, uhm.. I'm not quite sure where there is to say. I studied Biology and Mathematics at College with the hopes of entering a STEM field, though you already know about my apprehension of actually doing that. I took Geography too - actually, it started out as me and a friend taking the subject together, mostly because we had to chose at least 3 courses and I panicked at the last second." She remembered back to the moment she'd told her friend, smiling as she recalled their excited reactions.

"It went smoothly for the first year. The syllabus was all stuff we'd covered at our old school so we spent most of our time in class uh.. not very wisely. At all." She had stories to tell, though they were for another time. The girl's smile began to fade as she continued. "It turns out her parents were planning to move, so she needed to transfer to a different College. This also happened around the same time my- um.. well, a lot of things started to change. That's probably around the time I kind of lost interest in education.." She sighed.

'Education is literally the worst thing you could've talked about..' she told herself, looking back to Arc afterwards. "Other than that, there's not much else to say. I work as a waitress in my town - or uh, worked? I doubt they're paying me for this time off." She thought about any details that might be worth mentioning, and although only one popped into her mind, it brought a smile along with it. "I'm a bird person, if you haven't already guessed."

The girl took a mental gasp for air. To talk for extended periods of time was excruciating, and to discuss details about herself was even less enjoyable. Despite this, she found it easy to talk with Arc, as if she had nothing to worry about by telling him about her past. She glanced to her meal and quickly started to munch on another bite, her eyes meeting the man's a few seconds after. "So yeah, that's the girl behind Birdie. Barely scraped through school and working a dead end job." She wore a smile, even if saying that stung a little. Birdie had interests and hobbies. There was more to the girl outside of her education and past life, though she was reluctant to let anybody wise to those details. Not until she could trust them completely.

Halfway through her meal, Birdie's eyes lifted to Arc's. "Oh, I forgot, how much did these cost?" 

[Ashrah 0]

"You know, there are Americans who totally would eat bacon and eggs with cookies. We're a weird bunch." He recalled several of his friends and their proclivity toward mixing strange foods together. "Definitely not as good as a biscuit," he said as he took another bite.

When she commented on how it was almost like a muffin, he thought about it for a moment. The texture wasn't that far off. The flavor, though- that was in a league all its own. He was biased on the matter, of course.

She began to talk about her experience with school, and he leaned in to listen intently. His elbows leaned on the table and his fingers interlaced, and the mercenary rested his head against his hands. He was fascinated.

"I understand that," he said softly. "At first, I didn't want to go into higher education. I told my parents I wanted to take a year off, maybe work and get some money together. They weren't having it. 'Go to school or get the hell out of my house,' my mom said. So I did."

He sighed. "I went to school, but not to classes. I spent more time sleeping or partying with my friends that year than anything else. I knew I wasn't ready, but I didn't know how woefully unprepared I was." He laughed bitterly at the memory. "And all the while, I worked my way into a debt that I'm still struggling with."

Arc smiled at her. "I haven't been back to school in six years, and I've been working. I'd say we're in that same boat, Miss Birdie."

When she asked about the cost, he reached for a few Col and waved the waitress down. "A good conversation is more than equal to the cost of breakfast. After all, I did say I'd buy." The NPC graciously accepted his money, and he turned back to Birdie. "It's been nice to talk to someone, and you've been a great partner."

[Birdie 0]

Birdie couldn't hold back a guilty smile as he described his first year of higher education, it was a pattern she feared falling into herself. Knowing that somebody was in the same situation as her put the girl at ease, and she gently nodded at the boat remark. "You're on my sinking ship, then. Hope you can paddle fast enough to keep us afloat." She murmured the remark, regretting how negative it sounded in hindsight. Her eyes flicked back up to him. "Sorry, I.. didn't mean to sound so snarky."

She finished the last of her biscuit, letting it go down with a satisfied smile. She knew she'd have to come back another time, though it was hardly the most pressing matter on her mind. "O-oh, well then, thank you very much." Birdie gave Arc a grateful smile in light of his insistence to pay the bill, though the feeling of being in the man/s debt was quickly gaining on her. "I still need to pay you back for helping me the other day, don't think I forgot." She locked eyes with him for a moment before her gaze wandered elsewhere. Looking towards the window, she could see sunlight creeping in from the outside.

"God, we were actually up all night.. it looks like the husband wont be returning this morning." A quiet laugh escaped her lips, "If the game's realistic at all, he wont be up for a while. Our quest objective is still to talk to him, too.." She gave a low hum, eyes trailing back to Arc. The idea she had in mind wasn't quite efficient - she had duties to attend to and she was sure Arc did as well. "How do you think we go about this? Get some rest and then look for him later?"

Edited September 22, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Nah, it's cool," he told her. "Making light of serious things is the only way to digest them, I think."

It was when she insisted she pay him back that he really smiled. "It means a lot that you're appreciative," Arc spoke softly, "but I don't do it for favors in return. I'm genuinely glad that you're safe. When you asked me to help, I said I would. My word is my bond. I honestly think anyone with a soul would have done the same thing in my position." He reached back and rested a hand behind his head. "Though I certainly wouldn't mind working with you again. Call on me any time."

The girl shifted conversation topic to the quest NPC, and Arc nodded. "We probably won't run into him this morning," he wagered. "I think we should get some rest and regroup. Quests in these sorts of games don't generally have a time limit unless specified. It should be alright if we decide we need a good night's sleep."

He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "If you'd like, you can go about your business for a day or two and get back to me when you're ready to follow through on this. Thing is, we have the information we need, so..."

Arc opened the quest log, and he pointed. The requirements were grayed out and checked off. "We're good to go."

[Birdie 0]

Her gaze rested on Arc, blankly staring toward him for a time. The man seemed to be completely selfless, regarding the safety of others over his own. It made her feel safe knowing that there was little need to worry about outside threats when he was around, but her concerns fell more on the man's well-being than her own. A smile spread across her face as he mentioned working as a team in the future. "I'd like that - likewise, if you're ever in trouble or need a soul, I'll be around."

She stretched her arms as he affirmed they should get some rest for the morning, left hand covering her mouth as a tired yawn escaped her mouth. "Hmm.. I didn't have anything too crucial to do today. Glacia's probably starting to wonder where I am though - seriously, she's more like a puppy than a phoenix." She sighed lightly, "We could meet up again tomorrow night? If you're not too busy, that is."

Birdie's eyes shifted from the quest log, looking to where the NPC once sat. "We should probably get here around eight if we want to catch him.. if he's not searching for his wife that is." She wouldn't maul Arc for murdering the wife - he would've gotten hurt if not for his intervention - it did raise a curiosity within her mind though. That feeling would have to wait for a while as she felt another yawn coming on, and her eyes met with the man's once more. "At least they can't kill the husband in a safe zone.. right?"

Edited September 23, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"I do appreciate that" he said quietly when she offered herself in a friendly, helpful manner as a recourse for his own kindness. Birdie struck him as a very kind girl, if one who wasn't always sure of herself. That was fine, though. Arc wasn't a social butterfly, either. "I really do."

He peered at the girl thoughtfully as she spoke about the Phoenix he'd helped her to earn- he was glad she seemed to enjoy it so much- then suggested that they meet again the next night. He nodded. "Yeah, alright, tomorrow sounds perfect." Arc smiled. "It's a da... erm, rather, I'll see you tomorrow."

He managed to abstain from another awkward blush when he averted the meaning of his sentence from coming off as romantic. She probably hadn't noticed. "I'm not busy at all, and people only really PM me when they need something. I can schedule pretty freely."

When she asked about the NPC, Arc frowned. "He's not a player," the mercenary murmured. "So I hate to think about it, but those violence and killing restrictions only protect players and NPCs from player actions. I don't know about NPC on NPC violence. Can't give you a definitive answer on that one."

[Birdie 0]

"Great! I'll message you in the morning," she responded with an upbeat tone, joyous to the fact that interruptions the next day would be unlikely. With the rest of the quest being perceptibly short, she realised they'd have a lot of time to kill once they handed in the quest. Though she wouldn't openly admit it, the idea of spending time with Arc and learning more about him was actually exciting, unlike encounters with most other people.

'NPC on NPC violence.. nah, what kind of message does that send to us players?' She kept her opinions bottled up, but she reserved doubts that the developers would let such a thing go on within the game. ""Hm.. well, unless he stumbled into an alley and passed out, I'm sure he'll be fine in his house for a while." She gave an assuring smile, quickly followed by another yawn. She grimaced at her tiredness, shaking away the twisted expression in favour of a neutral glance. "Hey, speaking of passing out. Where are you going after this? Do you have a place to stay?" The girl hadn't recalled asking him about his accommodation, though it was probably a weaker topic of discussion given the overall events of the day.

[Ashrah 0]

When she told him she'd message him the next day, he smiled. The idea of being with her made him excited- he hadn't had a friend or anything since before the game had sucked them in. Sure, people who had acted friendly, or worked with him... he let those thoughts flow quietly away.

It was nice for someone to want to be around him, and to help him that way. His eyes moved over her hair and down to her own gaze, and he sighed gently. "Alrighty," he said. "Sounds perfect."

It was a lot less disconcerting to think about working with her than about the quest itself. A cult, murder mysteries, and a caper that was bigger than one or two people? That was insane stuff. He loved these kinds of quests, but he wasn't sure how he felt about actually being inside of one.

"Huh? Er-" he scratched the back of his head and glanced away when she brought up the topic of accomodations. "I don't have my own house or anything, since I'm still a relatively low level," he admitted. "I generally rent out a room in an inn on the most convenient floor." It was the situation most of them were in, bar the frontliners and several mid level players who took the time to grind and buy their own places. Admittedly, Arc had started to grow fond of the idea of his own house. 

"Did you have some place to go?" he asked. "Like a friend's home, or something?"

[Birdie 0]

Her eyes closed as she shook her head gently, "Not really a house, I've been sleeping in the upstairs room of the shop since day three.. I think." She thought back to the first time she entered the room and how agitated she got over the realistic dust physics. "It isn't ideal but I'll save Col where I can. Not sure how long it'll take to actually buy a place though.." She was in the same situation as Arc - under levelled and far too low on funds to even consider splurging on a real home. She looked away briefly. "If you're ever on the first floor and need a place to stay for the night, there's a couch in the other upstairs room?" She felt her cheeks tingle slightly, and her eyes met with Arc's. "I know it's not much much but, for what it's worth, the thing is crazy comfy to sleep on." She felt her heartbeat rise, 'that didn't sound endearing.. right?' The doors chimed when a small group of players wandered in and she was reminded of how late/early it was. People would surely be roaming the streets in search of some morning fuel, acting as a sign that they were probably ought to get some sleep.

[Ashrah 0]

Shop, huh? I wonder what kind of work she does. I shouldn't pry too much into it, just now. She's so tired. "It sounds like you have a decent arrangement for the moment, at least," he said honestly. "As long as you've got a roof over your head and food in your belly, my dad always said, you're doing better than some people." He shrugged slightly.

When she offered him a bed, he smiled. "I will remember that," he said. "You have my thanks, Miss Birdie."

He stood slowly. "We ought to get you some sleep, though. That was a long, eventful evening. Thanks for going out with me, ma'am." He bowed a bit and realized what he'd said, but it was too late to correct. His face must have looked like a ripe cherry.

"Er... thanks..."

[Birdie 0]

Birdie's eyes rolled in their sockets, her lips rising into a half smile. "Please, I'll be prim and proper when I wake up later tonight." The girl took a pause, the phrase sounded better in her mind. "I'm a little worried about you than me, Arc. That stab you took earlier looked really painful, SAO's pain dulling systems aside." Her eyebrows pulled together, "Please do get some rest, yeah?" The concern she felt was written across her expression, each facial feature twisted in some way to further the sense of worry. Perhaps she wasn't respecting the man's ability to shrug off pain like it's nothing - she couldn't shake off the feeling though.

The girl took a moment to stretch out both arms, pushing the seat from beneath her legs as she groggily stood up on both feet. "As far as getting caught up in a huge potentially-fatal mess goes, I think this probably counts as my favourite so far." A smile flickered onto her lips. "Thanks for making it an exciting night- really though, sleep sounds super great right now." She stifled a yawn before looking to Arc one final time, "So, um.. tomorrow?" 

[Ashrah 0]

His features softened as she conveyed her worry, and he relaxed a bit. The girl was a sweetheart- his dad would've loved her. "Yeah," he said in a gentle voice, "I'll try to be a bit more careful in the future. Promise."

He glanced toward the innkeeper, then added. "I'll make sure that I get plenty of sleep straightaway, don't you worry about that. I could sleep til tomorrow morning, I bet."

When she told him she had a great time, Arc practically beamed. He was glad. He was so glad. "It was super fun," he agreed. "Tomorrow."

He nodded in the affirmative. "I'll see you then!" He headed for the man behind the counter and negotiated the rate for a night. It never really changed, but the conversation was always different. He paid the Col, headed up the stairs, and plunged straight into a warm bed with a cold pillow. 

And within minutes, he was snoring obnoxiously.