[PP-F1] Frayed Friendship (Complete)

[Birdie 0]

We need to talk.

Her finger hovered over the send button. She struggled to overcome the shame building inside; He would surely have more important duties, who was she to ask for an audience? On the other hand, she could leave it until later to ensure this was the right decision, or maybe even scope him out in person instead. That would mean tracking him down somehow, perhaps an information broker..?

No. It was this exact train of thought that had stopped her so many times in the past. She was done turning her back on things, running away from duties when they became the least bit troublesome. The only way to get this off her back was to leave him a message, and then he could decide for himself if he wanted to talk. Even if he wasn't happy to see her, which she could hardly fault him for, she at least owed it the guy to let him know she was safe. He deserved so much better... but this would have to do for now.

A pleasant chime rang through the air, and the message disappeared into her sent folder. Sigh... And now we wait.

A café on the first floor, 14:35 PM

Her grip on the mug was loose yet sturdy enough to support its half-empty weight. It contained Sugar Sweet Honey Mead, a bit of mouthful to say aloud. Although the name would suggest a grossly sugary taste, it was decidedly mellow compared to some of the other drinks on the menu, more akin to apple cider than anything. Then again, she was hardly a fanatic for alcoholic beverages back in the real world, and she had only taken to Aincrad's fake recreations as a way to dampen her sorrows. There was no 'getting drunk' in SAO of course - she would have guessed that they axed the true effect seeing as children could become intoxicated by faking their age. The ensuing lawsuits would have been disastrous for both SAO and FullDive technology in general, not that she knew any of this before falling victim to the death game...

She silently cursed herself for letting her mind run astray. After eyeing the time in the corner, it would only be a matter of minutes before he showed up, and there was no telling how things would go from there. Would he be furious? Sad? Bitter? The possibilities all ran through her mind, each as negative and devastating as the last. Perhaps she was overthinking things again and his reaction wouldn't be too negative - positive, even - but it wasn't a reality her mind wanted to believe.

Suddenly, she felt a pair of eyes on her back. She hadn't trained her search skill to its fullest but even she could spot a player amidst the calm Town of Beginnings - it was fairly easy to pick a face out of a scene, especially when the person looking was one of the strongest scouts in SAO. She didn't make an attempt to turn or alert him of her presence - if things were going as planned, she knew who it was anyway. "... It's been a while."

Edited July 31, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

With the new patch that had recently came out, Itzal needed to find an alternate way of grinding experience other than dungeons, since...  Well, until he maxed out martial arts, which would take about thirty seven skill points by itself, taking on an intermediate dungeon on the tier two floors would be rather risky by himself.  He could do it of course but it would probably drag on badly.  This along with the fact that most of his friends were taking it easy and going slow wasn't helping him either.  Not to mention that nobody was responding to his flyer stating that he was willing to help anyone with their needs, whether it be questing, dungeonering, or simply having someone to talk too.  Could things get any worse?  Suddenly he received a message.  He opened up the inbox wondering who had come out of cryostasis.  He stopped walking when he saw who it was from.  She only said one sentence:  We need to talk.  This could be negative or positive, he wasn't sure which.  But one thing he was certain about was this:  She didn't give him the coordinates.

He could ask her where she was but figured that it would be a good time to test out his tracking skill.  She wanted to meet with him anyways so he pretty much had her permission.  He sent her a message saying that he was on his way and activated the tracking skill.  The menu popped up and he typed in the player's username:  Birdie.  Once he did the first thing it showed him was which floor she was on.  Luckily he was on that floor right now, hoping that someone would ask him for help.  The next thing it showed was shading.  The further the target was, the darker and more dull the colors.  From the looks of it she was in the town, which made sense.  He dashed over to the town, making his way to the gate rather swiftly, and once he made it there he saw footprints lit up in a green light.  These were obviously hers.  He followed them until he spotted the building she was inside and disabled the tracking method.  Once in, spotting her was pretty easy and he smiled, walking over.  Velnia flew over swiftly and landed on her shoulder, licking her cheek and nuzzling against her, clearly missing the girl.  Itzal heard Birdie's words and she seemed down, or scared.  Maybe both?  The smile still on his face he nodded.  "It certainly has been!  How've you been @Birdie?  Anything new happen lately?"

Edited July 10, 2017 by Itzal

[Birdie 0]

She elected to stay stiff as a board when a foreign weight landed on her shoulders; In truth, she expected a gentle punch in the shoulder but this was a much stranger sensation. It almost felt like a pair of talons as opposed to Itzal's hand? It soon became clear when a tongue wetted the height of her cheeks, leaving a streak of residue to evaporate in the midday sun - Velina, Itzal's pet. If his plan was to distract her with the bird's affection then it certainly worked, and she caught a glimpse of the scaled cutie behind the safety of her bangs, a weak smile parading on her lips.

His voice caused her gaze to lock in place, even as the bird moved out of her vision. It wasn't from a sense of fear nor was it due to her social inadequacy; Rather, it caught her off guard when she realised that this was really happening. She wasn't beating around the bushes trying to make contact with him and he didn't appear to be mad in the slightest - she sent him the first message, he'd responded and he was... happy?- to see her. As her mouth opened, words failed to project from her throat as if in an invisible force bound her vocal cords. She twisted around slightly to catch sight of him - that same old head of hair induced a jarring mix of comfort, regret and shame. All she managed to do was raise her hand toward the adjacent chair and face forwards, hands now firmly grasping the mug. Phew... here goes.

"You could say that," she responded simply, still averting her eyes from his friendly blue gaze. Her heart fought with her brain to tell him more, about the things that she'd seen and the experiences she'd had, but there truly wasn't much to tell. How could she explain her level staying firmly at 31? Perhaps he wouldn't demand those details - after all, he didn't have the basis to make any assumptions and it would be easy to shift the topic if he started pushing. She breathed, considering her next words carefully. "I heard the Frontlines reached the 21st floor, I can only assume you were there? This is a little late but, congratulations." Her left index finger lifted away from the drink as if to make up for the absence of a smile. She racked her brain for more to say but she was hardly in a state to carry out this conversation. The girl was having regrets before the discussion really began, and she blurted out words in a panic to say anything.

"How's the guild?"

Edited July 14, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Velnia's giddy, cheerful and excited, not to mention very happy attitude towards Birdie seemed to help her relax a bit.  He could see her posture loosening up a little bit, which begged the question:  Why was she rigid in the first place?  Questions started for form a line but he knew better than to ask them.  Especially at this point.  He'd like them answered of course but not the second after she had returned.  That would be rude, inconsiderate, and just wrong.  When he spoke she seemed to freeze.  Whether out of fear, shock, or anger he was not sure of whatsoever...  Which of course bred more questions.  It's what happens when you become a scout:  You need to figure this stuff out.  She gave him a short answer that was begging for questions to be asked but he held his tongue.  Whether she'd answer them now or wait until later was her call and not his.  The silence lasted a bit before she finally mentioned the unlocking of the twenty first floor and how he was probably there.  He nodded.  "Yeah, although I didn't deal much damage.  I was told to focus on disabling the boss's shield.  After the fight was where I was needed most.  I helped the others discover the entrance to the floor labyrinth so yeah.  We'll be clearing that out soon hopefully and move on to the boss." 

Then she asked the difficult question:  How was the guild.  Itzal bit his lip as well as smile, which was a rather unusual combo, but she wasn't looking at him so it didn't really matter.  "Most, players have been.  Inactive, very inactive, as of late.  I think I'm the only member of the guild who's still doing anything lately to be quite honest.  I've been trying to keep up my training but there aren't many players I'm able to do anything with.  Even outside the guild, not many people are that active anymore.  Not to mention that with the new patch that came out, I'll need to take on intermediate dungeons on the tier two level floors at least in order to gain any bonus experience at all.  So I figured that I'd go ahead and max out my martial arts skill so level grinding won't be as dangerous as before.  Back to the guild however, I'm trying to find another reason or goal we could have besides helping lower leveled players out.  That's always going to be top priority of course, but for players who've already reached a high level we need to give them something to do as well."

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

Acknowledging all that Itzal told her about the floor raid, she gave him a gentle nod. "I see." In many ways, it brought comfort knowing that the front runners were actively searching for the next boss. A part of her began to believe that SAO's strongest had given up hope and paused all progress, but she silently berated herself for thinking such childlike thoughts. Another part of her wanted to reassure Itzal that she still sought to join the Frontline effort, yet she couldn't even assure herself of that fact. She gazed at the mug in her hands for a number of seconds before returning them to the table, only the slightest frown visible from beneath her bangs.

She was unsure what to expect in relation to the Ascendants. Perhaps that they were exceeding all expectations and employing tens- maybe dozens- of new players every month, yet those figures would take nothing short of a miracle to achieve. The reality was far less desirable, however, so she neglected to bring up its shortcomings. Outside of the guild talk, Itzal raised numerous points of interest which they would certainly loop back around to, especially that of the dungeon patch. The last time she had even attempted one was with Beatbox's aid, and though she faintly remembered entering the tomb, all memory of how it concluded escaped her. If they boasted less desirable rewards nowadays, maybe there was a shift in the power-levelling meta...

A quiet sigh left her throat, parting her lips. "I could imagine it's difficult, being a part of a low-level oriented guild with so few new players signing up. I... doubt there's much I can offer in the way of an answer for that last part. Sorry." She doubted the necessity of adding that last word but shrugged it off, thinking if befitting of the sentence. "I'm glad to hear that CA is still around, even if just barely. Things may pick up - you never know, old faces are bound to return..." She wanted so desperately to smile or even show a semblance of reassurance, but the same gloomy frown was stuck to her lips

She swished the fluid in her drink around, allowing a second or two to pass before inhaling another careful breath. "And what about you? I hope I'm not wrong to assume you've grown stronger since our last meeting." Her formal tone made her cringe inwardly, but it eased her nerves and somewhat gave the impression she knew what she was doing. Even with his search skill, she doubted Itzal could see through her confident facade. The only way to ensure that was to keep up appearances.

Edited July 11, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Itzal listened to Birdie talk about the guild and how she was sorry that there wasn't much she could do to help.  She continued and said that she was still glad the guild was around.  Despite her words however, there was something far different about her than last time.  Yes she was shy, this tended to be a natural occurring trait in a large number of people across the world.  There was nothing odd, unusual or wrong with that trait.  However she was also very cheerful, kind, comforting.  Always there to try lifting spirits and finding the positive.  What on earth could have changed that?  This was one question that he needed to have answered.  It was really clawing him out.  For now however he'd work on the present.  He smiled.  "Don't apologize, there's no need to.  There are a great many things that rise and fall over time, nothing lasts forever."  Except God of course.  "And besides, a friend of mine agreed with me when I suggested the idea of turning it into a family guild should things fall further down.  Instead of trying to gather more members, gather the closest and have our own little family that looks out for each other and everyone who needs help.  The CA without the politics essentially." 

Then she asked the same question he intended to ask her.  He needed to keep up the speed.  Actually the question was far different, but she asked before he could.  He nodded.  "I've been trying to keep my level up.  I had a....  Run in, with a shade from my past.  Something I wish I could bury forever...  In a nutshell I need to be ready for anything.  Level isn't what I'm concerned about though, it's my skills.  For my goal to be reached, I need somewhere between one hundred sixty six sp to two hundred and six.  Once I get that however I should be set.  What about you?  How have you been fairing in all this time?  Picked up any hobbies of any sort lately?"

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

For a slight second, her lips made a gentle twitch as she resisted the urge to smile. "Well said." She couldn't help but apply Itzal's 'nothing lasts forever' logic to the game as a whole. In a bid to keep the conversation somewhat light-hearted, however, she closed her eyes still hidden behind blue curtains, discarding that trail of thought before allowing it to fester.

As Itzal described one proposal for the guild's future, essentially restructuring it around a more personal, private model, it struck her as befitting of CA. Back when she was just starting to withdraw from her shell, she hadn't been spoken to like an unknowing child the Paladins; They treated her as an equal, guiding her along the path she chose until she could walk it alone. Never once had she thought ill of another member. Of course, as word of the Ascendants began to spread and high-level players entered its ranks, Frontline politics started to complicate things, especially as the need for a guild hall increased. The Col fiasco was what had ultimately driven a wedge into her loyalty, though she couldn't speak for the other members at the time. "I see. How do the others feel about that? Who… well, who are the others anymore?"

Her eyebrows rose sharply, Hundreds of SP? Just what is he planning… Rather than allowing her thoughts to deviate, she focused on Itzal’s voice, catching his words just in time to hear him inquire about her own experience. She inwardly grimaced, softly rubbing her drink’s glass handle. “I hope you reach your goal, in that case. As for me…” She paused, locking her jaw to resist chomping on her lip. That’s the second time he’s tried that question, I doubt I’ll get away with a vague answer or changing the subject this time…

The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Or rather, scratch that middle sentiment- it wasn’t considered lying to withdraw half of it. “I can’t say any pastimes have captured my interests, but life has been well all things considered. Levelling hasn’t been a… primary focus, you could say, but I’ve learned an awful lot about myself.” She inhaled a steep breath, Let’s see how that goes. “That’s part of the reason why I’m here. Why I… well, reached out to you today.”

@Itzal

Edited July 14, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Itzal heard her question and nodded, understanding the meaning behind it.  "Nobody's dropped out of the guild if that's what you mean by that.  Everyone's just inactive is all.  So inactive I haven't been able to discuss the idea with them much.  I plan to do so soon however.  I'm just so tired of people trying to push us with their expectations.  I hope to relax a little bit more.  Everyone's more eager to grind experience points than to just take it easy and do things together (SP grinding rather than do things for the sake of RP).  Once one of the sentinels or paladins are available I'll talk to them about what's going on and my ideas on mending the damage.  What you just shared will help sway them I think."  Birdie then listened to him explain how he needed loads of experience and when she finally spoke he turned to Birdie with a smile.  "My only real goal right now is to survive this game so I can see my family.  Get everyone else out of here along with me, alive mind you.  And finally to make the most of this world while it's here.  I've already taken a huge step towards that goal, thanks to you." 

Then there was a moment of silence and Itzal could guess, and could practically feel the nervousness emanating off of her.  Velnia cuddled with her both because she enjoyed cuddling with those she liked, and she wanted to comfort Birdie a little bit, give her some confidence perhaps.  He listened to her as she inhaled and then explained that she hadn't focused on leveling at all, which Itzal didn't mind.  Gaining levels and reaching the front lines was important sure, it made reaching the end easier.  However he hated it when it became all a player could think about.  So many have been drawn in and consumed by the power one has when they hit the top.  She said how she had learned a lot about herself and that was why she called him.  He smiled and nodded reassuringly.  "What's spoken in this room, stays in this room.  I will not mock, accuse or criticize you.  You have my word on that Birdie."  It was true.  The only thing that would damage their friendship was if she killed someone out of hate, joy, or just because.  She wasn't like those people however.

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

As relieved as Birdie was that nobody had left CA, to hear they were experiencing major downtime brought forth an equal sadness. She knew it was unfair to blame others for taking a break from responsibilities- she was no stranger to the concept herself- and decided against any further comment. As Itzal mentioned convening with his fellow Paladins and Sentinels in the future, she could only pray that they carefully and considerately discuss his suggestions. "I hope so. When the time comes, if there is anything that I could do help, please don't hesitate to ask. After all that they've done for me, I'm still very much indebted to CA... helping to restore its legacy is the least I could do."

She nodded in acknowledgement of Itzal's goals. They were standard amongst the average player: To be able to see their loved one's faces, to hug and cherish every waking moment with their families for the rest of their free lives. She couldn't share that sentiment, but she wanted to escape just as much, to get away fast from the life that would await her on the other side. Normally, she wouldn't linger on such a subject, rather acknowledging it with a gesture and moving on to the next. However, a hint of confusion washed over the girl as Itzal finished. "M-me?" She repeated, just to make sure he didn't mean somebody else. She was his student- his former student- and an incompetent one at that, so her natural reaction was to meet his words with uncertainty.

She felt the warmth of Velnia's body comforting her stomach, and gently brushed a hand over the little creature's scales. A partial smile decorated her lips for longer this time, yet as her thoughts trailed back to the nature of her visit, the look of unease gradually settled back in. There was no making up lies, no way of weaselling her way out of this conversation and certainly no means of running away; Unless she wanted to the masterful scout to match her pace in seconds. After Itzal spoke, she stayed silent for a small period, the gradual slowing of her breaths filling the air. "I see, t-thank you. I-it's not illegal or anything, I promise you."

She knew she had to get that last bit off her chest. Given no indication, she was sure Itzal was mentally preparing for the worst- mixing with a band of muggers, or perhaps even pk'ing. She had to dispel that notion immediately.

"I've been... acting as caretaker for another player. It started a few days before the dungeon." She kept a hard stare on the drink in her hands, shifting ever-so-slightly into a more comfortable position. "At first, they were a lovely older couple, Eugene and Grace. We met after Eugene came into my shop and ordered a beautiful butterfly pendant necklace for his wife's birthday. He invited me over for dinner as thanks and we got to talking. They entered SAO with their grandkids as a way to experience able-bodied life again, but uh... the kids didn't make it."

"A-anyway, when I left the dungeon, it was because Grace messaged me that Eugene's health was declining. Apparently, his real body couldn't handle the strain the NerveGear was putting out... h-he died later that day."

At that, she bit her lip. "I didn't leave Grace's side for 3 days. I couldn't. After Eugene passed, she sort of regressed into this shell... and then, out of nowhere, she got better. She went into town and started doing things again, but anytime I tried to inquire about Eugene or ask how she was doing, it felt like she always tried to dodge the subject..."

"She went on like this for months. I never wanted to leave her side, no matter how much it was tearing me apart to be away from everything, from you and t-the guild and..." Her voice trembled, tightening the grip on her mug. "She wasn't stable, up there. I took care of her where she needed it, but I knew that if Grace was left alone, she was going to get somebody hurt. I couldn't bear the thought..." Despite the NerveGear's impressive capabilities, it couldn't deter the terrible effects of ageing. "One night, when I got back from town, she was on the floor, weak. Her body couldn't handle it, she was so frail... The look she had in her eye, it was like she knew exactly what was happening. I helped her onto a bed, but... she was already slipping away. I just stood there holding her hand, it was only a matter of time..." She breathed heavily, steeling herself. "I... I think the stress jogged her memory. She said, 'If Eugene were here, he'd say you were like our Granddaughter, Ava. Please, escape, y-you must...'"

As if letting go of the woes that beheld her, tears flowed steadily from Birdie's cheeks. Unintentionally, she clutched Velnia tightly in her lap, words failing to pass as she sobbed in her seat.

@Itzal

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Silence, was what held for a rather long moment.  When she finished her explanation, every question that had formed or was forming in Itzal's mind had finally set themselves in the puzzle, revealing everything.  He understood where she'd been all this time, her sudden disappearance, and her sudden return with a very gloomy, and extremely depressed appearance.  Even though nothing happened to her he could understand entirely how hard this event had impacted her and felt horrible for her.  To hear about that horrible event and then to see those people die off...  Slowly.  "Most people are wrapped up in their own adventures that they fail to realize that there is a great many people trapped here who aren't nearly ready for life threatening combat, despite what the system offered in that area.  Not to mention that everyone's on a time limit.  Our bodies aren't meant to last forever in an unconscious state.  If we don't get out we'll all eventually die out."  He looked at the candle in the middle of the table.  "That's why there are some who refuse to relax, and instead focus on escaping this hell hole as swiftly as possible." 

It was a painful lesson, but everyone reached the conclusion at some point or another.  One needed to acknowledge the danger, and the importance of escape, as well as balance it with the need and requirement to rest on occasion.  He nodded softly, Velnia accepting the embrace and growling in a comforting manner.  "I understand why you left, and if you want to keep this between us I understand that as well.  I can't change the past, but if you need someone to talk to, or grieve with Birdie."  He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, smiling comfortingly with a tear on each side.  His voice cracked a little bit in the end too.  "I'm right here, ok?  All you have to do is message me.  Anytime, anywhere."

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

She sat in silence, stifling the occasional sniffle. Every word that passed her ears drove her further from the heart-wrenching memories, offering a much-needed distraction from her greatest source of affliction. Making sure to stroke the pet's temples and carefully loosen her hold, Birdie's wetted eyes moved from the purple dragon, catching a glimpse of Itzal through a slit of her bangs. "W-when you consider we're fighting against the clock, the concept of this reality seems twice as terrifying..." Her ruined eyes followed his and were left to linger on the weak, flickering flame of the centrepiece candle. "If it isn't known that our time here is finite, a player might regress and follow a follow the opposite path, growing complacent with spending the rest of their life here... i-it's an unsettling thought."

A smile rounded her lips at Itzal's words of comfort, and she nodded slightly in light of the scout's offer. "T-thank you for understanding, Itzal. For now, I would rather not dwell on the past... I trust that you won't speak a word of it either." As if the heaviest weight simply vanished from her shoulders, she fell back into her chair feeling ten times lighter. The blank on her employment record was finally over. The question of what to do next still hung in the air, yet she knew better than to tempt fate and seek the answer so quickly. Perhaps, she thought, with the elephant in the room eloquently dealt with, their conversation might tend to lighter topics. She grew hopeful.

A thought stroked the bluenette's curiosity, pertaining to their earlier topics of discussion. The rock in her throat which had fumbled her words ceased to exist, and she drew in a lungful of the cafés sweet aroma before speaking her mind, her tone lighter in comparison. "So, what was that about the dungeon patch? I don't fully recall such changes... I haven't kept up with updates, in all honesty." 

@Itzal

Edited July 16, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Itzal sighed as he leaned back in his chair.  "Ever since sin entered the world, time has been one of man's greatest enemies.  However some people aren't bothered.  I met one person who didn't care when where or how he died.  I hate to see people in such a state, but you reach a point where you realize that some people don't want to be change.  There's only so much we can do."  She thanked Itzal for understanding and he nodded with a smile.  He was happy because he was finally able to see Birdie's eyes.  He liked seeing people become more confident as well as open with others.  He loved seeing the real side of people, to see their true self flourish and bloom.  "You're right on that point.  I'm good at keeping secrets."  Then Birdie asked him for more details on the dungeon update which he would answer without inquiring further on her question.

"Well first things first, dungeons are changed so that the higher level you become, the more difficult it is to gain bonus experience.  Just to get one bonus skill point, at minimum, I need to clear out an intermediate dungeon on the tier two floors.  In order to get two skill points I need to clear out an advanced dungeon on a tier three floor.  Players who haven't hit high levels will find it far easier to gain experience...  Especially if you have help.  For the future however, they should focus on honing their combat skills so they don't die.  Another thing that's changed is that dungeon mobs are floor leveled, so I could take on foes on the beginner floors and wipe them all out due to level difference, though the reward would not at all benefit me."  He sighed and leaned back.  "That and the fact that I'm getting closer to having cleared out all available quests doesn't look good for me.  I'm  planning to find a training buddy to clear the quests out with since Jonathan disappeared."

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

Birdie had all but forgotten Itzal's sagacious ways, and it filled her with a calming sense of comfort and familiarity as he imparted much-needed words of the wise. "Then we'll carry their weight and fight for them. It's the least we can do for this world... for those who can't stand with us today." One final image of the elder flashed in her mind, except, in place of that bone-numbing look of despair Grace had worn in her final moments, the woman's lips were fashioned into a slight, kind smile. To push and fight until there was nothing left to overcome... that's what Grace would have wanted.

"I see, talk about skewing the game's rate of progression..." At first, she thought ill of such a change. Dungeons were a valuable source of experience points not long ago, so to know their effectiveness had been slashed was disappointing. However, hearing that those stuck in the low levels gained more experience as a result.. perhaps it wasn't all bad. She'd listen as he detailed the new balancing system and realised it was likely put in place to facilitate the other changes, giving high levels even less incentive to scope out low-tier dungeons. As he shifted to the topic of clearing what little quests remained, the girl gave a knowing shake of her head, momentarily overlooking word of Jonathon's disappearance. "It's a shame that busy quests (RGQ's) don't wield much experience, they might have been a viable alternative to dungeons..." She felt childish for broaching the subject so contingently, yet it felt appropriate given the formality of their meeting. "I-if it's not so rude of me to ask, what sort of quests do you have unchecked? We may have one or two that overlap."

[Itzal 0]

Itzal nodded to Birdie's statement.  "That was one of the reasons Jonathan and I established the guild to be honest.  Anyone who wanted to go out and join the frontlines in order to help would be able to ask us for aid.  We'd get them there faster and join the fray.  However we can't do everything.  What I've learned is to take one step at a time."  He received a message from the other paladins and sentinels and went over what they said.  He had sent the message about whether or not they should turn the guild into a family guild, but he didn't expect a reply for a while.  From what he could tell, the others had concerns but they also had ideas for making the guild better in other ways.  He'd need to talk about it with them later however, as right now he was focusing on Birdie.  He dismissed the message and returned his focus to Birdie, although most of it was there to begin with, only partially being distracted by the pop up.  When he heard Birdie's statement he shook his head.

"Nah it makes sense.  Most games would be like that.  The leveling system in this game is far different than most MMO's, so I think the system is still trying to find the best way to give out the experience.  In most games this would be considered close to fair.  It still sucks but then again, if the game allowed us to gain experience and levels easily, that would just make the enemies and bosses that much difficult to face due to the cardinal making the world 'fair'."  Then Birdie asked him about the quests he hadn't done yet.  He shook his head.  "You're not being rude and I don't mind.  Let's see....  Monkey King, Return of the Queen, Snake out of Water, Arabian nights one and two, Town Wreckers, all of the Witch of the West series, Bloodstained Land, Dragon Anthology three through ten, Just for the Halibut, Escape, Falling of Tagas, Saying Vows, and Iron Guardian."

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

Though she caught a glimpse of Itzal's message window, the contents were greyed out and invisible to her eyes. Whatever the matter was, it didn't appear to detract from the conversation long as he'd dismissed the menu within seconds, and she casually subverted her curious gaze so as to not be caught sneaking a peek.

He had a point. The Cardinal system maintained that precious balance between fairness and difficulting, and upping the rate of experience would scale monster levels accordingly. In theory, that would mean monsters were weaker than ever, with decreased rates lowering the difficulty of spawns... whether or not it was true, she wasn't in a healthy enough state of mind to put it to the test. A depressed sigh pierced her throat. "Well, isn't that infuriating... it's better than the alternatives, I suppose. I doubt people would take kindly to having their equipment weakened or stats lowered, or whatever debuffs the Cardinal could think to throw at us."

Save for one or two, almost all of Itzal's list occupied a blank spot on her quest log. She required the assistance of a menu to recall each of hers, though the list was far too extensive to read aloud, so she took to silently mulling over the choices with an idle index finger. "Hmm... How does Monkey King sound? Do you know anything about it?" The list continued on and on, each overlapping quest summoning a great temptation to tackle them all. "Save for Dragon Anthology, we could do any one of those. That said, I don't think I'd be comfortable undertaking Escape, and Saying Vows is out of the question for... obvious reasons."

@Itzal

Edited July 18, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Itzal listened to Birdie's comments on the dungeon changes and nodded.  "Contrary to what most people say about him, I honestly don't think that Kayaba wants us all to die.  I honestly think he wanted to create a world that is challenging, but not a total deathtrap.  He expects us to push through till the end and get out.  Of course I highly doubt he'll just sit idly by while everyone else is playing his game nonstop.  If that were me, I'd probably go crazy.  No, I'd find some way to play the game without other players knowing.  There are a few ways I'd do it to."  He could play as intelligent npcs, or play as the individual bosses.  He may even be playing as a player somewhere.  Who knew?  Or perhaps he was the type of person to just watch movies and such all day and just be lazy... 

At any rate, the fact of the matter was that Itzal had to gain experience fast and the cardinal, while fairly, had reduced his ability to farm experience swiftly.  He'd have to make a few calculations before determining how difficult clearing an intermediate dungeon on a tier two floor would be, as well as how long it would take, before returning to his dungeon clearing pattern.

Then Birdie suggested that they could take on the monkey king quest.  To this he blinked.  She wanted to take on that quest?  The Monkey King?  Before he could reply she stated that besides the dragon anthology and escape, she was willing to take most of those quests on.  He waited till she finished before he cleared his throat.  "Monkey king's stats are such:  Two hundred and fifty health.  Fifty mitigation.  Two hundred and forty damage with each hit.  And his AoE attack deals one hundred twenty as well as stuns.  Although...  I suppose I could stun him and then use meteor break...  If we do the quest I'd like to know your level and skills.  I don't want anyone dying on me.  I could name one or two players who like to just rush into things without calculating the risk first."

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

She emitted a low hum. Although it didn't take her by surprise, hearing Itzal place some level of trust in the game's director was a tough pill to swallow. All 10,000 players - or however many were still alive - were prisoners in a sick man's game, their trust abused from the second they first heard about Sword Art Online's announcement. If he truly intended to make it a challenge and less of a mass genocide, why did he feel that death in a video game was grounds for death in real life? She'd so many points to add to the argument, patiently bubbling beneath the surface, though it wasn't the correct time nor place for such a discussion.  "I don't really know... he has the power to shape this world any which way he wants; He's a God... wouldn't it make more sense for him to be shaping the eighty-nine floors above?"

As he described the boss' stats, she felt confident that the task was adequately beneath them. Assuming they played their cards right, the likelihood of a double stun was incredibly low and it wouldn't be enough to drain her health outright. Before the girl could run the numbers, however, Itzal had lightheartedly demanded her stats and skill level. A look of surprise caught on her face though it wasn't from the man's doing - she should've relayed that information minutes ago. "O-of course, my apologies, I should have told you already... here." She summoned her stats screen* with two swipes and enabled visibility. One finger placed in each corner, she spun the window around for Itzal's eyes, allowing him to clearly see her stats and skill levels. Though the girl urged to reassure him she was up for the task, her words meant nothing as a willing participant. Judgement fell upon Itzal.

@Itzal

Edited July 18, 2017 by Birdie

[Itzal 0]

Itzal couldn't help but let loose a light laugh when she suggested that Kayaba was technically the God of this world.  He wasn't laughing at her, or her suggestion.  Just the concept itself, and he hoped she understood that.  "No, not by a billion years.  For starters, God is the only one who can create life.  Kayaba can kill players, but he can't create life.  Not even his AI systems can come relatively close to human intelligence.  Secondly, he can't make it possible to allow players to reproduce.  Thirdly, he can't keep us alive in the real world.  In short, God has abilities that no one else can do, because he wrote the laws.  In here?  Kayaba is a mimic.  A fake.  He tries to do what so many in life have done, and that's become God.  Everyone who makes that attempt will ultimately fail in the end.  Kayaba is no exception."  He decided to take another approach to tie up loose ends.  "Anyone can reshape the world around them if they have the tools.  Shovels and bulldozers.  Trucks and bombs.  Sure virtual reality is impressive, but if you look closely at the things around you, they appear far more different than the real world than you first notice."

Birdie then turned her menu over to show him her stats.  It wasn't that he was parenting her, he just wanted to keep her from dying was all.  He scanned her stats up and down.  Her health was certainly enough to survive multiple hits from the monkey king.  Especially if it was Itzal who was tanking.  Her damage wasn't half bad actually, and her rapier could deal more damage than he ever could.  She had good accuracy and some decent mitigation.  He nodded.  "Well, ok then.  Forgive me for that.  I've been told I'm overcautious at times...  Speaking of which, before we do the quest I'd like to see if I have any healing or debuff items we could bring with us.  Did you want to get started immediately or complete this quest another day?"

@Birdie

[Birdie 0]

Birdie was quite taken aback by Itzal's reaction to her mention of God, having meant it in more of a hierarchical sense than biblical. However, she knew she was in the wrong for using his name in vein. Instead of dwelling on such a sensitive subject, she nodded in agreement of Itzal's dubbing Kayaba a desperate fake. "Y-you're right, I'm sorry, to call him God is a little much. There's no doubting this world is fake, a fabrication of a mad man's dream, but still... it doesn't change the fact that we're playing his game. It is a faux reality, but it's still our reality until we reach the top. And even then, it's anyone's guess if he'll release us when we kill the final boss... for all we know, he could have another hundred levels lined up." She squinted hard. "We're as good as dead at that point... if we even make it there."

In lighter news, Itzal didn't appear to have anything against questing with her, and Birdie sighed happily. "I-it's no trouble, you were worried about endangering my life. There's no such thing as being over cautious in SAO." He'd then asked about consumable items and whether she wanted to start immediately or wait, and to that, she blinked. "O-oh, um... if it's okay with you, I would like a day or two to get settled. Y-you're the first person I've talked to since my return... I need to meet with Beatbox first, and Aereth." Both those two, as well as Itzal, were the three people she most urgently wanted to catch up with. Her heart still yearned to see Arc again, but she knew there was little chance he'd want to see her. If she disappeared overnight, she'd be the same way. "I don't think potions will be necessary, although mitigation bonuses would obviously make it safer. It's up to you- I have a few safeguard potions to spare."

@Itzal

[Itzal 0]

Itzal listened as Birdie apologized and he shook his head.  "Don't be.  Everyone has a right to their opinion.  I should be apologizing for laughing to be honest, that wasn't the best response.  And yet, for me.  He doesn't have me trapped, not really.  At any rate, being trapped in here turned out to do me good.  I became a better person.  And I'm pretty certain he'll let us go after the hundreth boss.  Even if he was crazy, he'd get bored at some point.  Even if he did enjoy watching people die slowly, after clearing one hundred floors he would loose interest.  My guess is that he really will release everyone once we clear this game."  Birdie tried to encourage him when he apologized and he chuckled.  She was a likable person and there wasn't any way of getting around that.  He enjoyed being around people like Birdie.  He listened to her as she explained how she needed to get settled first and talk with others before taking on the quests.  He nodded with a smile.  "I understand completely.  Take your time and message me whenever you'd like to talk, hang out, or quest.  As for consumables, damage will be more important with me since I have evasion.  In regards with you, I think one or two safeguards would do the trick.  Three if I miss an attack."

@Birdie