[PP-F4] Colder Than Ice <<Avalanche>> (Complete)

[Birdie 0]

Quote

Message

To: Arc

Subject: Quest

Hey Arc! 

So, remember when you talked to me about those information brokers back when we first met? I went to get some pet snacks in Snowfrost Town and the broker there mentioned a 'powerful enemy' (paid him upfront to get the rest of the info >_<). Turns out there's a Field Boss nearby, he marked the area on my map. You feel like tackling this one?

P.S. The blizzard's gone. ^.^

"Hmm.. is the subject too short?" The girl's eyes scanned over the message, checking for any spelling corrections or improvements that could be made. Glacia squawked quietly in reply, nestling her head on Birdie's thigh as she curled up on the girl's lap. The player sighed and smiled at the same time, "I'll take that as a 'you're overreacting idiot, send the stupid message' then." Birdie's hand came down to the bird's neck, stroking her pet as she read through the PM one final time. Her fingers navigated to the send button and she bit her lip, pressing enter on the floating keyboard to confirm it.

Frozen in place - partly from the chilly weather, mostly from the possibility of rejection - Birdie gazed to the white path ahead of her where the messaging window once existed. She knew the worst thing he could say was he's not available; the man probably had more important things to do than assist a girl who'd gotten him into nothing but trouble in the past. She did recall him mentioning to message if she needed anything though, which provided a decent level of comfort. 'Hm.. maybe he will be available?' There wasn't any rational reason to feel uneasy, and with the snow falling gently, she prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Hmmm?" Arc was delivering the coup de grace to a curious mob called a Wendigo when the message popped up on his HUD. They were a strange sort of creature indigenous to the fourth floor, gray white and lupine in features. They came from Algonquin legend, a north American "Indian" tribe who believed that the creatures were wandering, tormented spirits which persisted by sustaining on the woes and terror of the living. They were much tamer than that in Sword Art Online, of course- he didn't see them taking on misshapen forms from his broken memories. They were just like snow werewolves, at best. He saw it was from Birdie, and he almost got too excited. He prevented himself from falling face first in the snow bank. "What's this?"

She detailed something about an information dealer, then a boss creature- he blinked. Was this the same girl? How much stronger had she become in the days since he'd last seen her? His chest swelled with warmth at the idea that she was coming into her own, and that he had nothing to worry about when she wasn't close to his side.

Why am I even worried about that? I've known she's strong. Tobias shouldered his sword and deftly began typing out a message. Err... wait. I don't want to seem too eager... but I also don't want her to think I don't want to go... bah, I'm acting like a kid! What should I say?

"Yes seems like the best answer, you blitering idiot," he chastised himself. "Just write the damn response and hurry back to Snowfrost town to see her." He looked sidelong to where the Wendigo had fallen. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he muttered.

Quote

To: Birdie

Hey, it's been some time, huh? 

Sure, I'll help you out. I was doing some grinding out on the fourth floor anyway, so it'll be a quick trip. See you soon!

-Arc

He sent the message quickly, before he had the time to second guess himself. As soon as he had, he put the weapon away at his back and took off at a jog. It wouldn't be long before he made it back.

....

As he hurried back into town, Arc slowed down his pace and glanced around. "Wonder where I should look for her," he murmured.

[Birdie 0]

"Wh-wait, he's already here!?" Glacia was flung from Birdie's lap as the girl jumped onto her feet, wings flapping calmly before perching upon her shoulder once more. Out of all the floors to come back to, she'd imagined this to be the last one Arc would visit - granted, Snowfrost Town was a lot more appealing without the snowstorm dampening the mood.

Quote

Message

To: Arc

Subject: Re: Quest

Great! Catch you by the telepad?

After about a minute or so she sent the message on its way, having forgotten to mention her location in the first place. Looking ahead she could see the town's centre clear as day, decorated with various general stores and NPC vendors. She doubted they'd have any equipment for her, and with the funds necessary to have her own weapons and outfits created, there was little need to browse through the basic inventories these stores came equipped with.

Instead, her attention focused solely on the paths going in and out of the town. The man made it sound as if he was coming from a hunting field, and although she had no idea where the most efficient training spots were, it at least gave her an idea about the nature of his business there. 'If he's hunting mobs already, this'll be a cakewalk for us! I wonder what he's been pouring his points into then..?' Her thoughts quickly became sidetracked, and before she knew it, she'd leant against one of the lampposts surrounding the telepad, awaiting the man's arrival.

"Hm.. I did specify telepad, right? That's not too vague?" Her eyes met with Glacia's dismissive gaze, prompting Birdie to let a sigh loose. "You're right, you're right - God, I need to stop overthinking stuff.."

[Ashrah 0]

What's the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach? Am I afraid? No, that's not it. As he trod along the path toward the center of town, Arc took the time to enjoy the gentle snowfall. It was a far cry from the wintry hell that they'd experienced the last time he visited this floor. A flake alighted on his nose, and the mercenary let out a quick, hot breath to dismiss the annoying chill. I don't remember ever feeling something like this. Not even back in the real world, when my friends used to make fun of me after striking out. I never got anxious. Is this what it feels like? I know there's nothing to come of it, yet I still...

Dang, do I like her? No, that can't be it. She already made it clear, 'you're an awesome guy.' That's about as direct as they come. He trudged along a bit further and turned his gaze upward to where the lamp post illuminated his path from on high. The warm glow felt soothing in contrast to the consummate cold of the fourth floor. His head tilted backward a bit as he let the sensation wash over him and incite further thought. So what the hell, Tobes?

He reached out toward the light as though he intended to take in in hand, then stopped when his arm had fully extended. The glow slipped between his fingers and cast a shadow on his face. Slowly, the mercenary clenched his fist and his expression hardened. The wrappings on his arm were new, a feature he had added with his tailor profession. They made him more agile, quicker and more likely to punish enemies who got close. They were perfect for the agile, powerful style of combat he preferred. And they helped to keep him warm, to some small degree.

They made him look darker, though. Some people considered the dark attire and covering up flesh to be associated with murder guilds. Arc just thought of it as a look he enjoyed. That thought was unnerving to him. Still, he did nothing to change the look. It was obvious that his cursor was still green, and he intended to keep it that way.

His thoughts immediately drifted back to Birdie. If she's calling me to do a field boss, she must have been putting in a whole lot of time. I'm really proud of her for that. Should I tell her that, though? Would she think that was a strange thing for me to say? Heck, she doesn't even know my real name. Wait, what am I thinking? Should I really be thinking about divulging that to her? Would she...

All of those thoughts ended when he saw that beautiful blue hair in the distance, and their eyes meet. The nagging sensation in his stomach ceased, and Tobias broke into a leisurely run. He waved merrily. "Hey there, Miss Birdie!" he called by way of greeting. As he got close enough to speak in his "indoor voice," the mercenary smiled. "Glad you reached out to me. I was just thinking about taking on something bigger than the mobs out here."

That's a lie. You were just thinking about her. But you're not gonna tell her that. He rested both arms behind his head and slowly caught his breath. "What have you been up to?"

[Birdie 0]

A man in the distance grabbed the girl's attention. "Huh.. oh!" She recognised as soon as their gazes aligned, beaming a friendly smile as her feet carried her closer.to him. Her hand swayed from side to the side in the air as she waved back, Birdie's expression broadening when time he prefaced her name with 'Miss'. She'd never known someone to address her so politely before, and though she wasn't likely to return the favour by referring to him as 'Mr Arc', her respect for him grew each time they met.

"Hey Arc!" she replied to his call, listening as he confirmed his business on Floor 4. She continued towards him and stopped a few feet ahead of the man, resisting a sudden urge to greet the merc with a hug. To answer his question the girl crossed her arms together, recalling the events of the last few days. "Not much, honestly. I had a run-in with a boar yesterday! Glacia got a little banged up-" She eyes shifted to the familiar on her shoulder. "-but she's been taking good care of me while you've been away."

Her gaze returned to him. "You've been keeping busy too, from the looks of it." Specifically, Birdie's eyes trailed to the cloth wraps on his arms. "They suit you! It gives you that.. 'Arc'-y look?" She paused for a second, shrugging lightly. "Where'd they drop from?" She inspected them from afar, admiring the fashion in which they were worn. Having never needed to ask him before, the girl was oblivious to his profession.

[Ashrah 0]

"Huh? Oh, these?" He held his arms out for her to get a better look. The quality wasn't the best possible, but they were identifiable as superior to the generic, trash loot drops. "I stitched 'em myself just yesterday." He rotated both arms slowly so she could see how they wrapped all the way around and his muscles contracted with the slow movement. "Glad you like 'em."

He smiled softly as he turned his gaze toward Glacia. "Glad to hear you're doing a good job," the mercenary crooned softly to the bird. He reached out slowly to stroke the back of its neck, a soft look on his face. "I'm glad you're there for her."

Aftet a few seconds, he shifted his attention back to Birdie and stood upright. He smiled. "Business has been slow lately, so I've been putting in a bit more time trying to get my own level up. That's probably what I ought to have been doing in the first place, though." Arc gave a quiet chuckle.

"Speaking of weaving," he said, clearing his throat. He opened his menu and opened a trade. "I crafted this the other day," he said. "I don't know why it turned out quite like it did, but it's got deceptively sturdy defensive qualities." The Azure Shawl appeared on the prompt, and he offered it to her by accepting the trade on his end. "I hope I got the color right," he laughed.

-1 Azure Shawl

[Birdie 0]

Birdie inspected the item in the trade window, failing to formulate any words that could express her gratitude. She accepted his trade and the item transferred into her inventory, her striking cyan eyes glancing at his as the trade was processed. "A-are you sure?" Stunned by his generosity, her mouth was left to hang open. Actions spoke louder than words as she selected the enhanced item and equipped it over her cloth clothing, the Azure Shawl fitting loosely around her neck. Creases formed as the shawl fell on her shoulders and the fabric hung just below her chest, covering the girl's front side up to her elbow. "I-I don't know what to say.. it's beautiful!"

Overcome by a powerful sense of appreciation, Birdie leant closer to the man and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She held the embrace for a few short seconds before breaking away, a light glow warming her cheeks as she half-realised the severity of her actions. Glacia flew high into the air, spiralling into a descent before hovering by Arc's side. "How do I look?" She performed a twirl on the spot and came to a graceful stop, youthful laughter escaping her lips as the girl's hair and shawl swayed in the wind. She stood still, looking to the man with a smile as bright as the sunlit sky above.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Well, I wasn't gonna wear it," he chuckled when she asked whether he was sure it was alright. As the first item he'd crafted, it came to his mind immediately to share it with a friend. After all, it didn't suit his desired ability modifiers, and it might just help Birdie out. As she equipped the item, his smile brightened. "It looks-" he began to comment...

Then, she hugged him. Arc's breath caught in his throat for a moment, frozen by a hundred thoughts at once. Before "hug back" could take a firm precedence, she pulled gently away.

He stood in uncertainty for several seconds before she finally asked how she looked, and his lip hung open slightly. "You look great," he forced himself to say. "It's really your color."

Arc glanced at the Phoenix beside him, then back at its master. Her smile was worth a hundred or more Shawls. He was glad he'd given it to her. 

"So that's what I've been up to.." he stammered a bit, doing his best not to look away. "How's your training coming? Making that Rapier look good, are ya?"

[Birdie 0]

Birdie gave a low sigh, "Yeah, it's.. coming along I guess. I still can't help but feel like I'm missing something with the combat system though - I mean, I've put all of my points into my rapier skill so far and those stupid Floor 1 boars are still sort of giving me trouble." Her eyes trailed to the ground, "It's like.. progress is being made, yet it feels way too slow." Birdie gave a shrug, "Heck, maybe this is how it's supposed to feel. Getting to the Frontlines is gonna take longer than I expected.." She closed her eyes and sighed, before looking up to him once again. "Anyways, I've been doing fine too. Haven't gotten myself into any other messes." She held in a smirk. "Yet."

The girl brushed her fingers through the air to bring up her menu, sending the man a party invite soon after. "Alright! Let's stop wasting time, we gotta get there before anyone else does, this boss takes like.. an hour to respawn." Along with the invite, the girl circled around to the man's side and showed him the quest details, though she figured the quest would've been automatically given to him too. "So, we're fighting a mini-boss called <<Ice Elemental>>. I think the generic enemies of the area are all called that actually, but this one's supposed to be a little bigger. You have any idea where these mobs might spawn?" The girl's eyes peaked curiously up to him - 'he's been training on the floor, maybe he knows where to look," she thought.

[Ashrah 0]

"It's definitely not an easy task, getting stronger in this world." He spoke gently to console her, but also to give her hope. "Hold on to that resolve, because when the time comes for you to show your stuff, everyone is gonna notice how much time and effort you put in." He gave her a quick thumbs up. "I sure think you're doing great."

He hastily accepted the party invite and shared quest as she sent them, and when she trailed over to his side he watched as she indicated the details for him. The green eyed man considered every detail and took it all in. Any part of this could become important later, and anything could save their lives when push came to shove. 

She looked up to him and caught his eye, and Arc looked down to give eye contact. "Ice elementals, hmmm?" He made a thoughtful face, then opened up the map for her. "These are the main hunting grounds for the floor," he indicated with a finger. "Here, here, and here. They're separated into the lowest, median, and highest level creatures the floor has to offer without entering the dungeon proper. That way, players can decide where they want to go hunting and what's safest for their level range. The high level area would make the most sense, except that there's no generally open spaces for a boss mob to spawn, and I've never seen anything to make me think that'd be the case."

He flicked the map over to the area where the mid level creatures spawned. "Now I haven't done much exploring on the floor, mind, but this seems like the most likely suspect. I've heard that the largest populated area is actually pretty vast. If there was a field boss, I'd bet money it'd be out there."

He glanced back down to her and waited, in case she had any questions for him.

She's close. Real close. Be cool, man. Be cool. "I was hunting out that way, so I know how to get there without much trouble, if that's what you wanna go with?"

[Birdie 0]

Birdie's gaze wandered toward Arc's map as he informed her of the popular hunting grounds on Floor 4, her head bobbing subtly as he explained likely locations for the boss monster. Her gaze flicked with his finger, looking to the median sector of the map. "Right, and the information would've spread to the brokers quickly given that more people are around that area. You know, your planning skills for the Frontlines are already way in check," she flashed him a smile briefly  She ran the new information through her mind for a moment to get a grasp on where they were to be headed, satisfied that no details had slipped away from her.

"It would be beneficial to safe our energy and avoid any mobs along the way, that means we'd have more space to work with the boss. Hm.." She put a finger to her lip, "I think I'm leaning slightly towards taking the safer path but it's up to you - considering we're still pretty low level, we probably shouldn't try to bite off any more than we can chew." In truth the girl would've happily ventured into the relative unknown and faced a few enemies on the way to the boss, though with how bad of a time she had with the boar a day prior and how much stronger the mobs on Floor 4 were, it wasn't a risk she openly wanted to take.

She stepped forwards and accessed her menu, turning to face Arc so that they were facing each other once more. Her eyes fell upon the equipped Azure Shawl, bringing a smile to her lips as she was reminded of the gift. "You know, if you keep this up, I'll be more indebted to you than America is to the world." Birdie's gaze rested on the man, eyebrows raising as she realised that might've been interpreted negatively. "N-not in a bad way! You're amazing for doing all the things you've done, I.. I wanted to say thank you for everything. Helping out with finding Glacia, saving me from those cultists. It makes me wonder if I'd even still be here if we hadn't met at that tavern over there.." Her vision shifted to the building they'd first met each other in, before returning to Arc. "So, yeah.. thank you." A grateful smile took form on her lips.

 

Edited September 25, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

Arc loosed a laugh when she said he had the tactical mind of a Frontliner. He'd met folks who had faced bosses head on, and they were in another class. It could have been because the higher risk involved, or perhaps the stress that they came under, but the mercenary didn't want to scare her by mentioning it. He hoped that eventually, he'd end up somewhere near that level. Alkor was that sort of mind, and they had been best friends. That must have counted for some thing.

"I was thinkin' the safe path for similar reasons," he responded. "If we get too worn down by the throwaway mobs, we'll end up in a mass of trouble when we end up against the boss monster. That wouldn't do at all." He shook his head and offered her a gentle look. "I'm not gonna put you in harm's way any more than the game forces me to."

Then she took a step away and faced him. He was woefully unprepared for her comment about how much America owed the world. His composure broke for several seconds as an uncontrollable laugh seized him. "Gods below, ma'am," he managed between giggles, "I don't think it's possible for you to rack up that much debt. If it is, you might as well pack it in and marry me so that you can just call it 'your duty as a husband.' Pahahahahahaha!"

There were tears at the edges of both his eyes that he had to wipe away as she went on to thank him, and his face became quickly serious. "Hey," he said in a softer voice than he'd ever used. Her words had moved him, even if initially he had been blown away by her humor. The merc reached up, placed both his hands on both her shoulders, and he looked her dead in the eye. "I'm glad we met, Miss Birdie. Helping you has been the best part of this world, to me. I've met a slew of people, but you were the first one who really became my friend." He nodded evenly. "So, your gratitude means the world to me. And no amount of my help will ever cost you a dime."

 

Edited September 26, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

Embarrassment welled within Birdie as the man began to laugh, one hand holding the wrist of the other as her gaze fell to the floor. Questions flooded her mind, What's funny? Why is he laughing at me? It took until the end of his laughing spree for Birdie to calm a little, the girl looking up to him with uneasy eyes like a child being scolded for a misdeed.

Beet red cheeks. Any spectacle of colour other than crimson rose washed away from her face, leaving behind the shameful red mask of embarrassment as the man spoke jested words. Images of herself and him sharing romantic moments flooded the girl's mind; gliding across Frostbite Lake beside him, interlocking hands as they walked through the High Fields of Crossing, wrapped in his arms as they embraced each other by the Stargla- Get out!

Her head shook rapidly in a comical fashion as the images dispersed, her reddened expression disappearing as a normal complexion returned. "Aha!" She joined in with the laughter before it faded away, gulping nervously as things seemed to settle down. A softer voice reached her ears, if he hadn't spoken right in front of her she wouldn't have thought it to belong to Arc. His hands on her shoulders coupled with the warming words he spoke received a glowing smile from Birdie, and the girl's gaze fell to the floor as her hands sheepishly hid behind her back. "You.. really mean that?" Her head tilted upwards, meeting with Arc's emerald eyes. "I-I... Thank you, Arc. You saying that, it.. it means the world to me." Her words carried heavy meaning, truly appreciative of what he'd said.

Birdie stood there, staring. How long had it been? A few seconds? Perception of time escaped her as the moment continued on, the girl's smile unwavering as her gaze connected with his.

"... hm?"

Hey cyan eyes narrowed.

"Oh! U-uh, ahem-" The girl brought up her menu and looked away, coughing into the cusp of her hands. Her cheeks remained as red as tomatoes as she navigated her map to the median training fields of Floor 4, where Arc had suggested the boss might be hiding out. "Boy, it's starting to get chilly, d-don't you think?" She glanced back up to him using as casual a voice as she could muster. "M-maybe we should uh, get a move on then. The boss wont fight itself, right?" A nervous giggle escaped her lips. You're helpless, Ava.

[Ashrah 0]

He watched her responses almost tenderly, silently struggling to understand this woman better. There was something raw about the way she acted, unsculpted. For lack of a better thought, Tobias believed that there was some fear in her that had nothing to do with the game. He knew that all too well, because he feared something within himself. The way she gets- it's not the same, but it's not wholly different, either. The way I am, the way I close myself off for fear of the rage... I wonder what she's running from?

Don't ask her that, though. She's learning to be comfortable with you. She'll tell you if she wants to. Give her a reason to trust you. That's the best you can do for her. "Hey, of course I mean it," he crooned. "I wouldn't just say something like that." His hand gently brushed the hair from her cheek, a gesture he didn't fully grasp the significance of, but one his mother had been fond of when speaking to him. "I'm here when you need me."

He pulled away gently when she gazed into his eyes, and his heart felt something heavy. It was like defeat, but in a way he had not experienced. He was more than glad to give up in its face. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. All he could see was a blue more perfect, more vast than the open and cloudless sky. "T..." he started to speak, and his voice wavered.

Just what are you about to say? 

"Tobias." As she began to talk about how cold it was, and the boss, he gave his name. Not the character Arc, but his true name. "You can call me Tobias, if you like, Miss Birdie."

If her face was red, his was an altar of sacrifice to the Mayan gods. There had never been a time where he simply wanted to give someone something so precious as a deeper connection. Maybe they were just friends, but he didn't care about that. He wanted this girl to be happy, and he wanted to hear his name fall from her lips.

As he glanced out into the frosty field, his voice slowly returned under his command."But yeah..." he spoke slowly, "the boss needs our attention."

[Birdie 0]

Tobias? she thought. Why would I call him that? It sounds nothing like Arc. Unless it isn't meant to.. The gears in her mind started turning as the seconds passed, and after a brief intermission, the girl realised the significance of the name. She caught his rosy expression - she didn't pay mind to it. After all, with her mind going at a million miles per minute, she could only gaze at him with partially widened eyes as more important matters arose.

"R-right, that, um.." She looked to the map, though it wouldn't be long before her eyes were back on Arc. "L-let's go get ourselves a field boss.. Tobias." The corners of her lips rose as she spoke his name. She felt something completely new within the pits of her stomach, different from the likeness she'd developed for the boy. She felt pure bliss; to be trusted with the very piece of information most players choose to forego completely? It was a gesture she'd never able to fully appreciate.

Birdie turned to the forests surrounding Snowfrost Town, scanning for an exit that would lead them closer to the hunting grounds. She knew which direction they'd be roughly headed in but would leave it to Tobias to actually lead the trail. Walking to the man's side once more, Birdie looked up to him with a smile. "You can lead the way. Hey, and um.." The girl's gaze averted, swiftly returning to him a moment later. ".. are there any shortenings of Tobias that you prefer? Like um.. Toby?" She quickly chimed, "I-It's not that your name isn't amazing! Tobias is beautiful - it's.. sophisticated. Kinda fitting for a historian." She gave a sigh, "It's way better than.. uh.. Ava."

[Ashrah 0]

"Let's do it!" he announced with gusto, and he struck off in the direction that they had agreed upon. There was a certain elation in him as he walked that stripped him of any semblance of fear. The girl had accepted and used his given name. Did that mean she was happy? He hoped that it did. She took a moment to catch up to him, and the mercenary glanced sidelong at her. They were finally together as friends, on their way to destroy one of the many scourges of Aincrad. It felt almost like something out of an epic, two heroes on a quest to slay a dragon- or something of that ilk.

Or maybe he was just making it seem that way in his mind, since he was so excited. If she found out what was on your mind right now, she'd laugh even harder at you than you did at the 'Murica comment. Better keep dragonslaying and poetic eddas out of the conversation if you want to seem anything like a cool guy. Their stride was even as they moved, like the two players on two different continents were in perfect sync. In Aincrad, that distance was reduced to nothing. It seemed more real than reality, in some ways. In other ways, well... that would be something to think of later.

She had his name. She knew who he was. She hadn't rejected that. Tobias was so happy that it seemed unreal.

And then, she asked if her had any preferences on shortenings for the name. "Oh, I don't mind, Miss Birdie, anything you wanna call me is just fine." She hastily confirmed that she didn't mean anything by it, and that she liked his name. He smiled at that. I'm happy she likes it. Beautiful, is it? I suppose my parents thought so-

He froze for a skipped heartbeat when he heard the words that came from her next. His eyes moved to her, stunned. He had expected her to flat out deny that she wanted anything to do with someone else's name. Now, he had been gifted with something precious beyond words. Her own name? It was like something out of a dream, beyond anything he had ever felt himself. Arc mouthed the word once, his mind reeling from what it could, what it might possibly mean.

The mercenary pushed that thought to the side. "Ava," he repeated. Her name was Ava. Tobias looked for her eyes and found them, his body trembling. Was it from the snow? "It's a stunning name," he told her. "Absolutely..." Breathtaking would be the literal word, but how would she feel if you said it? Let's tone it down, loverboy. "gorgeous," he decided on that word. "I love that name."

You "love that name?" Come on, dude, How corny can you get?

Tobias brushed aside the voice in his head for once and pointed toward the horizon. "Just this way," he said. He felt his heart beat faster in his chest, but it could have been adrenaline. Who knows? At this point, they were well and under way, and their journey could only move in one direction. "Show me how much you've grown," he said with an encouraging smile. His gaze moved slowly toward the frosted gray skies and uncertainty that loomed beneath them. "Miss Ava." When finally he said her name, her real name, with that proper and courteous formality, he felt that it was more right than before.

Almost like that's how it should be.

[Birdie 0]

She loosed a smile as he spoke her name, a proverbial veil being lifted from her true identity. There was somebody who knew a part of her truth, and she a part of his. It wasn't the most revealing information. Sure - there were thousands of people named Ava in the real world and thousands more called Tobias - but it was something that she could hold onto, shared with somebody she could trust. A brief giggle escaped her lips at his compliments, and her eyes fell back onto the path ahead. "Its the only thing that feels right to do. After all, you told me your name, I couldn't possibly force you to call me Birdie anymore."

As the journey continued, the man's voice caught her ears once again. To hear him repeat her name a second time felt surreal, as if the reality of the situation was still unsettled in her mind. She'd give him a short nod in reply, though she couldn't resist joking around with him. "Some girls find it rude to comment on their height, you know." A smile flashed on her lips, evolving into a grin as she rolled her eyes. "I'm kidding~ I actually gained some proficiency in my weapon skill, so I'm excited to give you a show." She paused, ".. of skill. With my rapier." Good save.

In the distance a field began to open up through the trees, a flash of light beaming into their eyes as the sun reflected from the snow up ahead. A beautiful frozen tundra landscape lied ahead of them, the branches of barren trees collecting inches of snow to give the place its rightful name as a winter wonderland. Ava's eyes gleamed, her expression teaming with delight at the wonderful sight. "Wow.. can this floor actually get any better?" Mobs roamed around in the distance - snow wolves, lesser yetis - you name it, they were there. One specific group of mobs caught Ava's wandering gaze however, the <<Ice Elementals>>. 

Between the aggro ranges of the existing mobs and the potential for more to spawn nearby, this was the part of combat planning that eluded her the greatest. "Hm.. what do we do?" She gazed up at him.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Ah, no, no," he waved his hands quickly, "your height is perfect, I'd never-" when she said she was kidding, he let out a sigh of relief. He thought he'd struck a nerve, because so soon after making a deeper connection would have been tragic. Then she said she was eager to give him a show. He looked at her for a moment, uncertain. He held his breath for a second. '...with my rapier.'  Arc smiled at that. "I'll try to keep up."

His eyes moved across her shoulders and down her arms to her waist... slender and fit, and to the rapier that hung at her hip. He focused his thoughts on the weapon. She had to say something like that... I feel like an idiot.

His gaze moved back up to her face as she took in the beauty of the floor. Tobias was admittedly seized by another beauty. 'Can this floor get any better?' Green eyes ripped themselves from the girl and forcibly focused on the world around them. "Doesn't need to, does it?" he asked. "Seems pretty cool already."

He shot a wink in her direction.

When his eyes stopped on the Ice Elementals, the mercenary folded his arms. "We have a few options," he explained. "We could round up the ones in an area around where the boss spawns and clear them, or we could try to fight all of them and the boss at the same time."

He shook his head. "But, there's also the option of going the long way around and fighting only the boss." He glanced skyward. "But that would require us to figure on where it is, first."

Tobias glanced toward Ava. "I'm willing to defer to you on this, but don't decide on anything too reckless," he said. He didn't need to tell her he worried for her safety.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Arc

[Birdie 0]

"Hmph.." She peered at Tobias as a pun left his lips, soon unable to keep her expression from turning light-hearted as a smile broke out onto her face. She followed his gaze, eyeing the desired mobs as he did. Fighting any enemy other than the boss hadn't been her best intentions, and although she believed the two could make short work of any assailant, she couldn't help but sway her eyes over to him and a give a low nod to the third option.

Their eyes met once more. "Even if takes longer, I feel like we should take the long route and conserve our energy." She rested her hands on the sheath and hilt of her blade, as if to provide some level of assurance of the idea as she scanned the open fields. "We'll search for the boss once we get there. If I remember rightly, field bosses tend to spawn from smitten allied mobs or when a player comes within too close proximity.. hmm, on Floor 2 at least." Her gaze flicked up to him, looking for any affirmation of the plan. "That's what I suggest anyway. Have anything else in mind Tobi?"

Toh-bee.. he said I can call him anything, right? I'll see how he reacts to it.

Standing in the gentle breeze a chill coursed through Ava's spine, a cold shiver sent through her entire body. "C-can't wait to get the blood pumping, it's kinda chilly out here.." She wrapped her arms together above her stomach, turning to face the man afterwards. "Shall we g-get moving?" 

Edited September 27, 2016 by Birdie

[Ashrah 0]

"Good plan," he replied in earnest. "Holding on to our reserves as much as possible is definitely in our best interests. With the floor as cold as it is and our enery pools finite in nature, we're looking at it quickly turning into a war of attrition with us on the receiving end of the stranglehold." He glanced toward the woman and offered a grin. "Y'know thats why the South lost the war, right?"

It was a joke that someone who wasn't American might not fully grasp, but he found it pretty amusing. Nonetheless, he swiftly changed gears. "Still, you take to this command thing pretty well, ma'am. Stick with it."

He seemed to have taken to the nickname instantly, or if he had some sort of internalized response it hadn't shown in his features. If she chose to continue with that particular abbreviation, he would be fine with it.

As they struck off, he heard her mention how could she was. He frowned slightly. "Alright, let's pick up the pace," he said quickly. "If it starts to get unbearable, we'll turn back. Otherwise, let's try to finish this fast." 

He stopped talking for a moment and considered briefly. "Erm," he added, "if you get too cold, I don't mind you walkin' closer. Y'know. For warmth."