{F8-PP} Gone Fishing (Ruby)

[Jevi 0]

As she looked over to the side, beckoning Ruby to go and change her clothes, Ruby had taken the opportunity to step up to Jevi. She pressed her scantly clad body up against Jevi, taking her cheek between her thumb and index finger and pinching. Jevi's face heated up again, looking right into Ruby's eyes, her own arms extended downward and her fingers curled into loose fists. Her first reaction was almost to punch at Ruby, but that was not the woman Jevi was anymore, especially since she knew that Ruby was merely teasing her. Once she had emerged and started walking, they began a conversation about Ruby's current guild. They called themselves the Holy Dragon Alliance, only with a few members making up their ranks. Ruby admitted that there was a time she considered joining the Knights, but decided it just was not for her. Jevi nodded her head, ~"Yeah, the only reason I joined was because my friend Opal was Vice Commander, and she convinced me. I pretty much owed her one for all the help she gave me. At this point, I've been wondering if joining another guild would be worth it or not."

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had listened to Jevi as she had gone on about guilds and how she had joined because of the vice commander at the time Opal. Ruby had thought about that name for a moment, she did have quite the infamous name... but... wasn't she also dead? She had gotten a little worried that Jevi might not know about her death... she had thought for just a moment was it good to tell her now about her death? Or was it just better to leave it be and wait for her to find out. However she had let out a chuckle and said "Well I am sure our leader and everyone else would be more than willing to to take you in if you wanted. Right now obviously we've suffered through a lot since the beginning of our guild. But if you want I can bring you along with our next meeting..." she had let out a sigh "...whenever that may be." she had shook her head and looked down and then looked back to Jevi "Hey... I'm not sure you know but... in the Monument of Life her name has been crossed out. She's dead." 

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

Jevi felt welcome and warm inside when Ruby told her that their guild leader would have no problem letting her into the group. Jevi wondered if she knew anyone else that was in the guild, let alone their leader. ~"That would actually be pretty great." Jevi replied to her, a smile on her face, ~"I'm a blacksmith too, so I could make armor and weapons for everyone whenever they need it.. Its the least I can do for all the mats you gave me before." The grin and excitement from possibly joining a guild and making new friends that would accept her quickly faded with Ruby's reveal of Opal's fate. Jevi stopped in her tracks, frozen solid. Her golden eyes went wide as she stared off into the distance. ~"W-What..?"  She was barely able to get the words past her lips as she began to shake. ~"No.. No you're lying.." Her hands balled into tight fists, her teeth grinding against each other. ~"She wouldn't just go and die like that! Opal was one of the strongest people I knew! So don't you [censored] lie to me!" Jevi yelled at Ruby, unable to cope with the thought that her best friend was dead. She turned her back to Ruby and stepped towards one of the thick barked trees, pulling back her fist and punching the trunk will all her might. The tree shook, causing leaves to fall to the ground, a message saying <Immortal Object> appearing with each punch. ~"No, No, No!" she screamed before she collapsed to her knees in front of the tree. ~"How...?" Jevi asked, her voice filled with rage. ~"How did she die?"  Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. 

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had smiled back to Jevi, it was nice to hear that she would like to join the silliness that was their guild, it is quite the mess... but she could fit right on in. However Ruby's heart stopped along with Jevi's emotions, looking back she went from 0 to 100 when it came to being upset. Ruby had looked down, she had felt bad for breaking the news to her... she was going to learn about it. Eventually Jevi had snapped and even balled her hands to a fist, Ruby had thrown her arms in the air waving "I'm not lying! I went to the monument of life the other day to check to see if her brother was actually dead! And I just stumbled across a couple of other names! I promise I am not lying!" she had taken a step back as Jevi had moved forward, however walking past Ruby she had watched as Jevi and went to a tree and started punching it with all her might and morned the loss of her best friend. She doesn't know much about Opal however... a loss is a loss. She had watched as she had dropped to her knees, Ruby had walked up and went to her knees as well placing a hand on Jevi "Jevi... I know its rough, a lot of us in our guild are going through quite a bit. Lowenthal died and our leader is still rather upset about that. A members brother had died... just know you aren't alone in your pain... if anything, I am here for you." she had extended out her other arm "Need'a hug? I promise I wont make any flirty comments." she had chuckled offering a hug.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

The brunette was on the ground, her to the dirt. Her whole body shivered with anger and sadness at the news of Opal's death. As she sat there, trying to hold back her tears, she felt a sudden hand on her shoulder. The woman's body tensed up, her fists raising to her front for a moment before she heard Ruby's voice, her arms slowly lowering back to her sides as she spoke. From what the blonde revealed to her, her guild had been going through a lot too. Her whole guild seemed to be mourning someone's death. Though it may not have directly made Jevi feel better, it did make her realize that she was not alone.. and that they were all there for each other. Or rather, Ruby was here for her now, and that was what really mattered. 

Jevi slowly rose to her feet, still trying to fight back tears. She turned her body to face Ruby, who had her arms extended to bring Jevi in for a hug, joking about not making any flirty comments. Jevi let out a shaky chuckle, which resulted in the sadness she was building up explode outwards. Tears welled up in her eyes and immediately started rolling down her cheeks. The tanned woman stepped forward into Ruby's body, sobbing into the blonde's shoulder, and wrapping her arms loosely around her waist. 

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had tensed up for a moment seeing her hands being moved up, the last thing she wanted to happen was for her to deck her in the face because of the news she had brought up to her. Ruby just wanted her to know that she wasn't alone, she didn't really have anything to say to really cheer her up at the given moment... and despite just meeting her she does care for this woman. Jevi had stood up and gave her a shaky chuckle and walked into her crying into her shoulder and wrapping her arms loosely around her waists. "You call this a hug?" she had placed on arm around her back placing her hand on the side of her chest and one hand up her spine stroking her hair "Wasn't it moments ago where I was on the opposite ends of you Jevi?" she had let out a chuckle and opened her eyes looking over to her "Even though I may not have a lot to say to cheer you up and you might have just met me, I do care about you. In this game theres not many people you can really trust, especially for me... but with you, you are a very beautiful woman thats also equally caring. Everything will be fine, maybe my leader knows the woman? Maybe he can give us more info about her." she offered with a smile across her face.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

As Ruby wrapped her arms tightly around Jevi, the woman shuddered, her crying continuing to slightly dampen Ruby's shoulder. Jevi took her own arms and tightened her grip around Ruby's waist, clamping her eyes shut at the same time. Slowly, but surely, her crying subsided, leaving the girl with wet cheeks, red eyes, and a sniffling nose. ~"Thank you." Jevi simply said into Ruby's ear. ~"It.. really means a lot." Jevi separated from Ruby, rubbing the tears from her cheeks and eyes with the back of her hand. Ruby had complimented Jevi in a similar was that she had before, making her smile a bit. Through her single random sobs, the woman would chuckle, eventually her eyes rising to meet Ruby's ~"Yeah.. That would be nice if he knew her." she said, sniffling. Jevi took in a large deep breath, shaking her head and rubbing her whole face with the palms of her hands, ~"Gah, look at me.. crying like a baby over here." she said with a forced smirk and chuckle. ~"Sorry you had to see this side of me.. I've gotten soft over the years." 

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had stood her holding her tight and let out a wider smile as Jevi had gotten a tighter grip around her waist. Rubbing her back and hair she just wanted to make her feel better after hearing the unfortunate news that she had heard. "It's okay Jevi, you showed me some love and care... its my turn to return the deal." she giggled. Eventually they had separated and she had said out to her after her statement rubbing her eyes and meeting her eyes with Ruby's "I am pretty sure that he knows some information about her." she had let out a giggle as she had apologized that she had saw different side of her and that she has gotten soft over the years "No its okay Jevi, in this world I guess you can find yourself softening up or exposing a new side never before seen to other people. In the real world I was confident, now... I'm just living alone, hiding hopefully the cult forgets about me." she said before shrugging "But none of that matters right now. You promised food." she let out a giggle.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

Ruby told Jevi that here in Aincrad, people change, either for the better or worse. Some rise to their highest, while others fall into ruts.. some even becoming murderers because of it. In Ruby's case, she was once confident in herself.. but now from what Jevi saw, that was not necessarily the case anymore. ~"I was cold in the real world.. a real bitch." she said with another single chuckle. ~"I didn't trust people.. I didn't want friends.. not like anyone wanted to be my friend anyway." she wiped her eyes with the sleeve she wore on her forearm. ~"I only let that wall down for one person.. and they ended up.. using me." Jevi simply said, choking up and holding back tears as she did so. ~"When I finally joined this game.. I was the same way. But I just wanted to get away from the real world, everything that was happening to me.. And then I started to make friends.. And start trusting people."

By now, Jevi's tears were drying, though the knot in her throat still remained as she spoke with Ruby about the girl she used to be. She sniffled again, this time smiling through the sadness of her lost friend ~"Yeah.. I did say that. Come on, lets get to town.. You live on this floor, any suggestions?" 

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had offered a smile to Jevi as she had explained out how in the real world she was quite... well the bitch, then in this world she had started making more friends and starting to trust more and more people. "Well..." she chuckled before looking back into Jevi's eyes "I am glad that you trust me and consider me a friend." Jevi had asked out if she had any suggestions for food and she had placed one hand on her hip and looked towards her with a sassy look "Just because my store is here doesn't mean I know the area completely. I haven't been in the safe zone that much to be fair with you." she had chuckled and leaned forward towards Jevi "Plus you're the one taking me on a date here~ don't you have one place you would like to go?" she had said out playing with her a bit. She had liked this woman, she has everything she had liked in a woman, the only thing that sucks is that she is taken, she slightly frowns on that thought.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

~Its only because I like hanging out with pretty girls." Jevi said with a giggle, her spirits returning in the presence of Ruby, joining in on her playful, flirty nature. Of course, the true reason Jevi already trusted her was because of the similarities of what the two went through in their lives. They both were abused by people they thought they could trust, spent hours upon hours of wanting to be alone, and they both dealt with loss in some way or another. Ruby responded to Jevi's search for suggestions by telling her that she had no idea what this floor offered in the town, that she hardly spent time in the safe zone. The brunette sucked her teeth, ~"I've never been on this floor today.. So I'm not entirely sure either." 

The two continued on through the trees until they ended up in Florenthia village, the main settlement of Floor Eight. Jevi led the two through the Old-English styled town, most buildings with stone bases and wood second stories. A large river ran through the town, with stone bridges stretching across for the players to cross. As Jevi went to lead her friend across one of the bridges, she noticed a small little cafe with outdoor seating on the other side, right next to the river. Jevi smiled and pointed, ~"That looks like a pretty good place." The first story, like the other buildings, was mostly made out of stone, most of the wall on the river's side being opened so players could easily move in and out. The second store, being made of some sort of clay, was much smaller. The two walked to one of the outdoor tables and took a seat. 

[Ruby 0]

"Oh~? Do tell~" she had said seductively after Jevi's first statement followed by a giggle, Ruby had chuckled and basically Jevi still didn't know where to go eat really, and she couldn't really blame her, if she just hasn't really been on the floor before she cant really expect her to know where to go to really begin with. "Ah great, we're just clueless girls not knowing where to necessarily go to eat." she had let out a chuckle "I am pretty sure we can find something purely just by looking around right?" she had said in a hopeful confused look. Eventually they had made it back to the main settlement, there wasn't a huge amount of players here, but there was a fairly good amount here, and this had made Ruby very very anxious... however with Jevi here she would endure the pain of being around people at the given moment despite wanting to be away from as many as she could. Eventually Jevi had pointed one out and it had looked fairly decent at least aesthetically so Ruby had nodded her head and said to her "Sounds good to me."  she had followed up behind Jevi and took a seat across from her not making it any weird sitting next to each other.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

Ruby sat down across from Jevi, and the brunette shone a quick smile at her. She placed her elbows on the table and interlocked her fingers just below her chin, ~"So who is-" Jevi's sentence was soon interrupted, and the two women were greeted by a young looking girl with a short black pixie cut holding a small pad and pen in her hands. "Hi! Welcome to Riverside Cafe! Is there anything I can get for you?" the girl said, making it slightly unknown to the two at the table whether it was a player or an NPC. Jevi looked at Ruby for a moment before she turned back to the girl, ~"Oh.. uhm.." She took a quick glance down at the menu on the table in front of her, quickly reading through all of the options. Being it was an English themed restaurant, a lot of the food items she was not entirely sure of. Her face contorted, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted in such a short amount of time. Her eyes peered up from over the menu to look at Ruby, wondering if she had decided what she wanted already.  ~"Any ideas?" she asked her.

[Ruby 0]

About to break into conversation, she had looked up to Jevi when she had began to ask a question, however in the middle of talking she was swiftly interrupted by a young looking girl, Ruby had somewhat of an annoyed look as you don't interrupt someone when they were talking, however she was going to give her the past because she feels like shes just being a little upset over events. They haven't been to this restaurant at all before, and looking down upon the menu she had looked through and she was generally unsure on what she would want... matter of fact she hasn't really seen any food like this, she had let out a nervous chuckle and said out to her "U-uh..." she had then looked up to her closing the menu and looking to the woman "H-how about you just surprise me. Keep it reasonable." she then looked back to Jevi and just kind of shrugged she just couldn't really pick anything and haven't at least seen any of this food in a long time.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

Jevi's face contorted for a moment when she saw Ruby was not able to decide either, telling the waitress to surprise her rather than picking an actual order. Jevi looked up to the waitress, who tried to hide a look of annoyance from the answer, quickly turning to Jevi with hope that the other woman would come up with an actual order. The golden eyed girl gave her a sheepish grin before looking at the menu once more really quickly. ~"Err.. Well.. I'll get the, grilled salmon? .. With rice." she said with a chuckle. The waitress smiled softly, a small exhale through her nostrils, and turning her head back to Ruby. "Would you like that as well Miss? Or would you still like me to surprise you.." 

The waitress walked off with their orders to put into the kitchen. Jevi shook her head and looked back to Ruby, ~"I had no idea they would have taken our orders that quickly, we weren't even ready." she laughed. She looked across at the interesting girl who saved her life, wondering what else she could learn from what she has been through; both good and bad. ~"So... You said that you guys formed the guild after exploring some... trap filled mansion? What was that like?" Jevi lowered her head onto her propped up hands.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had let out a nervous chuckle, looking at Jevi, she was completely unaware about what she would get, however Jevi had wanted to get the grilled salmon with rice, Ruby had looked down thinking about getting it, however she really liked the idea of a surprise better. Ruby had looked to the young girl and said "I would still like it to be a surprise." she had let out a small giggle after her statement towards the young girl with a smile. She had looked up to Jevi after her statement she had let out a small chuckle and then shook her head "Yeah, it was pretty rude of her to do something like that, however I am not gonna let it go past her, maybe its her first day on the job. We're all human." she had let out one more chuckle. However she had looked down when it came to the mansion and she had looked back up to Jevi and said "Well... to be honest with you I stayed in the foyer where it was safe until they had awoken a boss. But I can only really imagine how many traps that they ran into really. I still feel really bad for not going along with them..." she had said etting weaker by the moment.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

The waitress looked at Ruby as she told her that she would still be happy to be surprised. The waitress puffed out her cheeks a bit before sighing, forcing a smile. "Of course. I'll go put in your orders." Once the woman had walked away, Ruby had told Jevi that she thought the waitress was rude for interrupting the two's conversation and not giving them time to think. Jevi laughed and waved her hand at Ruby, gesturing for her to not worry about it. ~"She's probably also an NPC.. so it's just in her programming." After the moment had passed, Jevi had asked Ruby about their experience with the mansion. Ruby did not have too much to say, for she had been in the foyer of the mansion while the rest of her guild explored. Ruby did not come off as an easily scared woman, so it seemed like there was more of a reason behind her staying out of the action. Jevi noticed her sentence trailing off into sadness, ~"That's pretty smart of you." Jevi said, nodding her head. ~"You stayed out of harms way. In a crazy world like this? Keeping yourself safe should always be one of the top priorities." she smirked, ~"And you haven't mentioned any of your friends dying there, so it sounds like everything worked out in the end." Jevi shone her a bright smile, hoping to try and pick the girl up out of the rut she was putting herself in. 

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had shrugged, even if it was a NPC I would assume it would have been a better option to put a timer on the woman before confronting someone, however who knows, maybe every NPC is truly different like personalities on actual people. "I'm not gonna ponder on it too much Jevi. We're gonna get our food even despite the woman interrupting us like that." she had then sat there looking around before speaking out to Jevi about the adventures in the mansion, and Jevi was even praising her for staying in one area where it was safe, however Ruby didn't really think it was the right thing to do... they could have died and Ruby could had just left them to die because of it. This had only kept making her feel a bit more guilty till she had spoke out to her "Even if it did work out in the end... was it right of me to do something like that? To just stay in one area letting them explore in a death trap?" she had posed the question out to Jevi.

@Jevi

[Jevi 0]

It seemed Ruby still was not happy with her choice in the mansion, and Jevi was only making it worse. She closed her eyes and sighed, ~"Sorry.. what's done is done. Don't beat yourself up over it." Jevi looked off the the side, rubbing at the nape of her neck. What could she possibly say to cheer the woman up? It seemed everything she knew about the girl, or at least what she had been through, was a downer in her own mind. From losing her items, to being kidnapped, the mansion, that player killer, and running from her friends. It was just one terrible event after another.. and Jevi honestly had no idea what to say at this point. She took the glass of water that had already been placed on the table before they arrived and sipped it, looking at the blonde woman from over the rim. As she thought about what she should try to talk with Ruby about, she saw the waitress coming back with the plates. In front of Jevi, she placed a finely seared piece of pink salmon on top of a white rice. In front of the blonde, she placed a similar plate, though instead of salmon, were pieces of grilled chicken. Jevi looked up to the waitress with a smile and nod before grabbing a fork from the table and lifting a piece of salmon into her mouth. 

@Ruby

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had listened to Jevi, and from her tone Ruby had just looked down disappointed in herself, she knew that she was just trying to help Ruby get better however she had kept putting herself more and more down, after a bit of thinking Ruby had smiled and said grabbing onto her hand "Thank you Jevi for today, I do feel a lot better. I am just being stubborn and believing that things are worse than what it may be." seeing the woman come up with their food she had let go of her hand as she had placed food in front of Jevi which had been the fish she had ordered with some rice, and for Ruby they had brought her seemingly the same thing, however it was chicken. Ruby looked at it and she really couldn't complain she didn't see anything she didn't like, she had given the woman a thank you before digging into the food, however she had ate slow, she didn't want to eat too fast in front of Jevi.

@Jevi