PP:F-4: Interlude

[Mari 1]

The Petite woman wasn't in her usual pink attire, her form no longer adorned with angry thorns and cold, metallic armour. Instead, she wore a long, white gown it's sleeves made of a delicate white lace. It resembled a wedding dress, although it were much too wispy for such an occasion. Around her shoulders, Mari wore  a shawl that picked up with the wind, its delicate white trestles dancing softly around her, as though they were waves crashing through the bitter, cold sky. The thick material of the dress dragged behind her in the snow. Normally, it'd mask her presence - but as it was dusk, and nightfall was fast approaching - her pale figure stood out, in stark contrast with the darkening world around her. Mari's hair, normally a dishevelled mess had been brushed down neatly, by Esther who had insisted she do as such. 

Her footsteps sunk into the snow, heading toward one of the main frozen lakes that dotted the field. Mari wanted to come it at this time, it was his favourite time. It was, once upon a time, her favourite time. Mari approached the lake, a good several metres in diameter, and every few steps - she'd place a candle - and light it. Thankfully, game physics kept the soft flames lit. Before long, the entirety of the lake had been dotted, each with a flickering flame. Wordlessly, she walked toward the centre of the lake, it appeared as though she were an etheral spirit, gliding across the ice. Mari placed a small black box in the centre- upon the black box she sat a physical copy of the image Arc had given her, one of himself and of Thom. Arc had been unceremoniously cropped from it upon duplication. Around the black box, more candles were placed.

Mari stood, blue eyes glancing around the field. Good she assumed she was alone, Esther...Esther may have followed, but Mari suspected that. She couldn't blame the girl for her curiosity- and with as accident prone as she was, Mari was a little thankful that she could have the nosy brat close on hand.

Mari opened up a screen, gliding her finger down toward the bottom of her inventory, and pulled out a very old, very worn looking violin. She placed it between the crook of her neck and shoulder. How long had it been since she played? Gusts of cold wind picked up, and Mari took a deep breath - her eyes focused on the picture of Alkor, of Thom. 

Breathe

Then, she began to play, a soft, lilting tune Ave Maria  Before long, a lone voice rose up over the soft howling of the winds, and reverberated off the emptiness around them, Mari had began to sing the lyrics to Ave Maria  When was the last time she played? When was the last time she allowed herself to sing? Two things she loved and adored. Two things she had denied herself for so long. Her voice cracked with the sound of faint sobs, but she did not stop, she continued, continued to sing, and continued to play.

[Esther 0]

Esther borrowed one of Mari's uniques, by borrowed she had asked Mari if she could wear it for a bit, and Mari had said yes. No underhanded things here. Nope. Not from Sweet Bab Esther. Insinuating that Esther could do anything morally wrong, or even morally grey - she didn't exactly have it in her. Still...Esther had borrowed the Unique item that belonged to Mari. It had been known to negate the effects of cold and heat. So, as Esther followed Mari onto the icy field - she felt remarkably, comfortably, warm. As warm as though she were sitting in the sun somewhere on the first floor.

Esther felt a little guilty, intruding on a private moment of Mari's, but Mari didn't forbid her from going. Esther wasn't sure what spurred Mari to do this, to go to the 4th floor and to as she put it 'Make peace with the past' but...Esther couldn't help but feel partially responsible. 

She found a spot, far enough away to not bother Mari, but close enough to be able to see her, and the array of lights that surrounded her, and sat down. Esther wriggled her butt into the snow. The cloak keeping her  un phased by the iciness. Esther bit her lip as she watched Mari set up the scene. this was a personal goodbye to her lover. To Thom, but there was someone else who still struggled with his death. Esther opened up her HUD; writing a message.

[/quote] To: Arc
Body: 
She's finally saying goodbye.
You should see this. See what Thom saw, and say goodbye too. [/quote]

She pressed send, and that's when she heard it, the soft lilting tune of a violin. Esther quickly glanced around. Was it BGM? Did an event trigger? Her eyes landed on Mari, and widened, as she realized that it was Mari...Mari was the one playing....and Mari...Mari began to sing...Esther pressed her knees up to her chest, it was beautiful. The woman was irrevocably talented...why would she hide such a gift.

"Mari....." 

Esther breathed, tones of marvel, worry and pain in her voice

[Ashrah 0]

There weren't many things that could have drawn Tobias close to this place.

As much as he wanted to remain far from memories of Thom around other people, the idea of a proper funeral tugged at his heartstrings. He had not seen Thom at the end, only heard tales of his noble sacrifice. If you could call it that. His inability to even say goodbye to the man gutted the dark swordsman's best friend. The idea that someone would feel the need to hold a ceremony, to give notice to the man's life- it was something that someone who had essentially been the man's brother could not ignore.

He strode slowly through the winter winds without giving them much notice. The numbness of his friend's death was colder than any temperature Aincrad had to offer. This was how it should be.

Images of their combat against bosses in other games danced through his thoughts. The tag team of Breakneck Brawler and Black Flash would never grace Aincrad with their stunning strategies, and the Black Brotherhood would never again know the strength of their guildmaster. The title would fall to Arc by unanimous decision, but he felt he could never measure up to Thom's legacy. Those shoes were far to big to fill.

When he heard the music, Arc quietly recalled times when Thom played the piano for his grandmother. His eyes fell to downcast, and he wondered whether he ought to come closer to the scene. This was Mari's moment, not his. This was intimate, and sad, and nothing he should ever have become a part of. Tobias bit his lip and considered leaving then and there, but thought better of it.

He heard the slow rhythm of percussion pick up beneath the violin, soft undertones to skillfully soothe and seamless play in time as accompaniment. He knew that playing, more than he knew any other classical music. His gaze snapped up to where Mari played, and as she played the violin, an image of Alkor- of Thom- played mournfully behind her. Cardinal had looted his memories.

Tobias fell to his knees. "You're really dead," he murmured. "You bastard. You really did die."

Tears streaked his cheeks and his body went weak. At his sides, both his arms hung limply. He saw that infamous gilded gaze fall on him. Thom was smiling. "She's gone." The man's mouth made the words. Tobias knew who he meant.

"Gods, no," the mercenary bawled. "Not like that," he sobbed quietly. "Not the both of you."

Arc wanted to rip the game apart. He wanted to reach into the dirt and scream as he fought against Aincrad itself. "This damned game," he hissed. "Damn this game, and damn you, Kayaba Akihiko."

It's fine, Tobes. Arc lifted his head as he heard the words. When he did, his mouth fell open. There she was, healthier and happy than he had seen her since the day she fell into poor health. Grandmom and Thom were reunited in the most sorrowful of ways. Her hands were gently on her grandson's shoulders as he played, a soft smile on her face. I... don't think I could have made it out of this game and lived with seeing her the way she was again. Thom sounded so damn sad, Tobias wanted to cry harder.

And he did.

All of this, all the work I did, I would have held on to hope that she'd go back to being grandmom again, you know? I would have gotten back, and it would have destroyed me. I would have...

Arc shook his head. "Don't say it," he murmured. "Just... play. Play for her. Focus on that."

You're a good friend, Tobias.

[Esther 0]

Arc arrived, and paid Esther no mind - Esther knew it would be that way. She knew that Arc wasn't on the best of terms with her, and even more so with Mari. He seemed to collapse a few feet away from her - having his own melonchony filled moments. Esther watched the darkly clad man in silence, curling herself into a ball. It was depressing. Mari's slow, lilting tune - her voice, so strong, yet wavering as she held back her own sorrow. This was a place for the two to mourn the loss of someone they loved dearly. Esther felt out of place. She felt like she shouldn't be here. She felt as though she was just an observer watching a play. Only it wasn't a play, and the two people she called friends, weren't actors.

"I shouldn't be here..." 

Esther mumbled, blinking back tears of her own. Against her better judgement, and for completely selfish reasons, she once again opened her HUD, sending a message off to Lycan - saying that she needed him here, requesting that he be silent - discreet, and to not bother Mair nor Arc. Inviting yet another into this very harrowing, personal space didn't seem right to Esther, but, she felt cold, and for the first time, in a very long time....she felt, alone.

The lilac haired woman burried her head into her knees, listening to Mari's signing, and the tune of her violin. She really was something, an amazing singer, and violinist - such delicate hands, such a tender soul, had been utterly destroyed by the false reality of SAO.

@Lycan
 

Edited September 19, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

Lycan was still new to the forth floor and its eternal winter. Thankfully, he had more than enough experience with this kind of weather in Montana. While his clothes weren't specifically designed to stave off the cold, his Blood Wolves' Coat did a fine job at keeping him warm. He didn't expect a message from Esther like this, and while his blue and red coat stood out against the icy plains, he did his best to remain stealthy. With the faint crunch of snow beneath his boots, he approached behind the lonely girl.

"Hey," he whispered, taking a seat in the snow beside her. "You okay?"

The sound of music found his ears and Lycan raised a brow. His sight peered into the distance to a lake rimmed with lit candles. In the middle, like a mournful ghost, a woman played an old violin. Its shrill hums and sorrowful notes reminded him of a time he played Viola, but never as masterful as this. Not only did the girl play her tune, but the sweet song of her voice paired with it. Part siren song, part banshee's cry, something wrenched at Lycan's heartstrings. What were they doing here?

"What's happening?" he whispered to Esther. His eyes winced to get a better view at the woman on the lake. "Is that... Mari?"

Lycan turned to Esther, her face burried in her knees. He cocked his head with concern. Then it dawned on him.

'An homage? A funeral? But why Mari? Her daughter?'

Lycan looked out to the ghost on the lake as she played her sad serenade. With lips sealed and the weight of the situation dawning on him, Lycan inched closer to Esther and put his arm on the small of her back. He watched as the funeral commenced, unknown to the who or the why. To see such sad faces, the departed commanded the love of those present. Lycan felt out of place, but he felt honored to be able to pay respects to someone so cared for.

[Esther 0]

Esther looked up at Lycan as he approached her. Her nose was sniffly, and her eyes bloodshot, red and wet with salty tears. "Yes." Her voice was quiet, speaking a soft lie. She was not alright. Not in the slightest, but Esther couldn't say that, she couldn't say she was upset and was struggling to handle the situation before her. Not when there were other people in mourning. Esther exhaled, with the slightest of turns she glanced away from Lycan, feeling guilty at having lied. Even though it was the smallest of white lies, a common one at that. An adult lie, the lie you tell when you put on a brave face, when you don't want others to see you suffering, when you don't want others to worry. So why did she feel so guilty in telling Lycan she was fine.

The silver haired youth sat down next to her. The warmth from his being was very much welcomed. He asked what happened, and who the pink haired maiden who glided across the lake was. Esther reached out with a shaky hand till it found a length of cloth from his form. "Yeh. It's Mari." Esther mumbled. "She's saying goodbye to her...ah...lover, who died in a boss raid. He was Arc's close friend too. I wanted....I wanted to help somehow, but I'm afraid...I've made things worse."

[Lycan 0]

The youth turned a frown at Esther's soft spoken words. Her little hands clutched at his coat and dense as he may be, he knew it as a sign for comfort. The swordsman brought his arm around her and pulled her close to him. The dip just under his collar bone lay open for her to rest her head.

"I didn't think someone like her would have had a lover," Lycan replied and immediately heard the carelessness of his words. "Sorry. That was insensitive... Did you know him? Her lover?"

The teen looked out to the sad song, a shadow among the snow causing him to raise a brow. Beyond Mari, another stood hidden and too far to make out. Perhaps another onlooker? Not often did someone put on such a harrowing and emotional display.

"I think you're just fine, Esther," Lycan said with a soft tone. "I'm sure knowing she's not alone is a comfort she appreciates."

His grip on the girl tightened as if to also show her she was not alone. Whatever the relationship between the two may be, Lycan wanted Esther to know he was there for her. 

[Esther 0]

"Lye..."

Esther felt him wrap a warm arm around her, and she leaned into him. Her green eyes watching Mari. "If you irrevocably loved someone...and had to watch as they were torn away from you - how do you think you'd react?" She asked softly, voice breaking as she was on the verge of tears. It was her way of chastising him. "I think...if that happened to me, I'd probably shut down too."

Lycan asked her if she knew Mari's lover, and she shook her head, spilling curtains of lilac over her face. "No. I only know his name was Thom, and that he was also a close friend of Arc." Esther sniffed, tears started falling down her cheeks as the song began to build up into its final crescendo. "I wish...I was as talented as Mari...if I ever lost someone...I'm afraid, I'd never be strong enough to do what she does. To stand and...just...pour my heart out."

Esther laughed weakly. "Look. I don't even know this person and I can't stop crying." Her grip on his clothing tightened, as she let out another sob.