(PP-F3) Drama Queen (Macradon, Illia)

[Hakai 0]

Hakai stared up at the church, taking in the pristine architecture. Somehow it had managed to avoid erosion while still becoming overgrown with finds and other plants. It was a weird place, but not any weirder than the other places that she had been visiting. It had been nice to take a couple of months to wander around Aincrad, exploring the sites and chasing after rumors. She equipped her katana and gave the statue at the front of the church a nice solid whack, causing the purple <Immortal Object> sign to flash up in front of it. She poked at it a few more times, her katana just causing the sign to come up a few more times as her blade was deflected. She had little doubt in her mind that this place housed some sort of special event or even a unique skill. It was probably set to unlock after a specific event came to pass such as the unlocking of a certain floor. She supposed that it was a bit silly to think that she would just happen across something special if she wandered around for months on end. Perhaps it was time for her to go back to the daily grind of the frontlines. She was pretty sure that by now most people had forgotten her or assumed she had died. She raised her katana and slammed it angrily against the statue, her blade ricocheting out of her hand from the force of her own blow and landing a few feet behind her. She hated the majority of the group, or at least, she had back then. She couldnt help but hope that a select few had died while she was away.

 

@Macradon @Illia

[Illia 0]

Illia was shocked at how drastic the climate changes were between floors, one seemingly an open field with forests boarding the edges of the area where people created into the edge of life. It was sad how many names were upon the monument of life, each one having their own fear or reason to have leaped off this structure. Hope was a desperate commodity that many of the weaker players had no ability to wield. Illia was among them, though suicide was never a viable option as life was worth living even when caged, because hope kept one's gaze ever up and forward along the horizon. The newbie wandered till finally in the town she noticed the architecture of a gorgeous church. Religious buildings always were the most elegant of structures, wasn't it odd that they attempt to humble themselves in their way of life as priests only to then be housed in the most lavish of rooms.

The girl shrugged her shoulder as she was stared up in awe, it was the ringing of metal upon the the rock statue though that disrupted her solemn thoughts. Illia cringed before turning about startled to see that the blade had flown out of the hand of it's wielder. What on earth could she have been hoping to prove attacking a building that was indestructible, at least they were so far.

"Are you ok? It's not normal behavior to simply smash one's blade against the side of a church. Well unless you are extremely against the religion then it might make a little sense I suppose."

@Hakai @Macradon

[Hakai 0]

Hakai turned around and stared at the girl who had interrupted her musings. "What is normal? In a place like this game that is." She asked the girl, leaning down to pick up her katana and immediately swapping it with a different one to showcase her quick change skill. "It takes a special type of insanity to stick around in a game like this when escape is at every turn. Or if you truly believe that death in this game means something like.... Say real death... That insanity would be known as hope. Thinking that well somehow actually reach floor one hundred, let alone defeat whatever final boss awaits us. Everyone left after so long is definitely insane in some way." 

She eyed the red haired girl. She was cute in an innocent way, which wasnt common at all, at least not in her opinion. Looks can be decieving though. "In essence we're all insane, just some more than others. I'm Hakai. Do you have a name, or do you exist solely to nag others about their decisions?" She frowned. She had spent way too much time by herself, and now it seemed as though she had become somewhat antisocial. She would need to work on that. Being rude wasnt the best way to gain allies, that was certain.

[Macradon 0]

Walking along the 3rd floor, Macradon was on a walk while waiting for the frontliners to get ready so he could delve into the raid with the others, but that needed those others to be ready, he didn’t want to solo a boss, it was suicide if he did. He would exhale lightly as his steps would begin to get heavier and heavier. This walk was mostly to get his mind to think of something else, escaping the “reality” this place actually was. Walking by a church Macradon heard a small conversation, talking about the insane people in the game, even though it wasn’t his business, Macradon just had to butt in.

“Aye, people are getting insane, fearing death over much else in this game” he said as he approached the two. “This place isn’t for the feeble minded, that’s why those people usually stay  on floor 1 and relax while the others train hard, clear the floors as they can and try to escape this hell” he said, looking at the two who were now in front of him. Macradon was wearing his casual attire, only hainvg his sword on the back just in case something bad was to happen, but this was the 3rd floor, so he had not much to actually be afraid of. Hiding somewhat behind him was his small owlbear cub, his familiar. The curious animal looked out from the side of his legs, intrigued by the two it had just encountered.

[Illia 0]

The town was rather vacant, Illia simply would wince hearing the cruel state of reality that Hakai seemed to have about this world and it's occupants who dreamed of escaping. Perhaps it was simply child's play contemplating naive thoughts of breaking free of this game, but a large amount of people seemed to believe in it. The idea of reaching a final boss was quite difficult to grasp at, she frankly couldn't remember the last report was on their progress through the floors. Her arms gently reaching around to the front rubbing one another. It was clear her own faith was now on edge, at least till she spoke up.

"It might be foolish to believe in the idea that we still are alive in this game, particularly since this could be it for us now simply back ups on hard drives in some server rack. Even so I would rather hope and keep living then roll over and die on the spot. It would only incentivize those who pk to continue and the weak who fear to hide in the cities. It's a pleasure to meet you both, but I'm afraid our personalities may just clash."

A slight bow was offered, the carrot-top then glanced over and smiled to Macradon offering him a bow as well. It wasn't that she despised working with others, but she just felt a little agitated by the point of view. She stopped before then glancing back to the large doors stepping up to the stair as she knelt down and started saying a prayer.

[Hakai 0]

Hakai smirked, watching as the girl went over to kneel down and pray. "That's just like someone like you. That's why your so weak. You'd rather place your faith in others and your dieties than in yourself. And because of that your content to just sit around and 'hope'..." She made air quotes with her hands as she spoke the work, spitting it out as though the syllable itself disgusted her. "... That something magical will happen and everything will be alright. You have to work hard and have faith in yourself that what your doing is right. Stop being a baby about it and fight for yourself. There won't always be others fighting for you." She stated loudly and passionately. She turned to Macradon, giving him a respectful nod. He was one of the few frontliners that she didn't dislike. He had even crafted her weapons if she remembered correctly. "Mac. Nice to see you taking some time to yourself. It's been months, but I still remember you."

She turned back to the girl, walking up to stand in front of her, squatting down in front of her. "Maybe our personalities do clash, but you need to make a decision. Either roll over dead or make a decision and work towards it. Kill some people, fight some bosses, whatever. Your rotting and your potential is fading away because your content to sit and hope instead of grasping what you want." Now done with her little speech, she sheathed her katana and turned to Mac, now completely ignoring the other girl as though she were beneath her notice. She leaned up against the wall of the church and crossed her arms. "How are the front lines?"

@Macradon

@Illia

[Macradon 0]

Making a small nod and a smile to the girl who had now gone down on her knees to pray, Macradon would look over at Hakai “Good seeing you as well, it’s been a while, but good to see that you’re not one of those that has left the game for good” he said. “The hope we all should have is on the frontlines and one self. If you don’t like being on the frontlines, try to help the frontline in another way than fighting, like gathering materials, crafting potions, cooking food, and the like to help the frontlines get through what they’ve taken on their shoulders. The best thing could be was to have these people also be in the frontlines as fighters, but I know quite a few people who do not fit on the frontlines, so I’m fine they aren’t up there, being in the way of the others” he would say.

Even though it felt like a mean comment, it was true. The frontliners already had a lot to look at, and having low level players venture up to join the frontlines would just be a hindrance, giving the frontliners more work than everything. Hakai’s words were rough, hard and straight to the point. Harsh, very harsh, but just as true as they would hurt. Macradon would try not to make any comments at the moment, as it could escalate the atmosphere even furtherk, which he wasn't too fond of. "Uhh ... the Frontlines are slowing down as you'd expect after all that've happened, but they're still pushing. The boss raid is soon, so we'll be furhter in the floors sooner or later, but we're doing out best to clear every floor" he said. He wasn't too fond of hte Celestial Ascendants on their commitment to the frontlines, it didn't feel like they were as commited as they should be ... but that was just his opinion.

[Illia 0]

The church's steps they were hard upon her knees as she then cringed from the remarks that would be made, the idea of hope was pathetic in this day and age particularly since they lost so many of their strong. Her slid down to her lap even her body now sat upon the back of her heels. Each word cut deep, the blade of her katana dull in comparison to her sharp tongue. The hair draped down over her eyes as she hung seemingly sulking to the outsider. This drive to be more then herself however would strengthen her as she waited upon the church steps. The silence of the man only made it worse, confirming that the blonde haired girl held partial truths in her comments. Speaking often could sharpen or dull the cuts of others, Macradon's inability to comment angered her as much as Hakai's rude comments.

"I don't pray for the front liners who think they are better then the rest of us simply because they started down the path quicker building allies. Those of us who are alone have larger mountains to climb after all. I was simply praying that pig-headed ignorance such as yours would be cured before it left you in a ditch with a knife in your back."

Illia stood back up and patted them both on the back, a gentle smile accommodating her words. It was as condescending as the words she had used against her though her tone spoke with gentle sincerity. The scarlet girl would then start wandering away from the two heading back to the teleportation platform to return to the billboards where she could complete more missions. A gentle wave to punctuate her departure.

"Au Revoir."

@Hakai@Macradon

[Macradon 0]

Macradon would sigh and shake his head at the disbelief of this girl in front of him. It was fair for her to have her world view be like that, but that wasn’t what Macradon was trying to get out of his words. “If that’s how you feel about the frontlines, then be it, it’s not like we’re risking our life every time we step towards the floor boss to help people like you get out of this hellish place” he said “We’re doing this for the righteous players of Aincrad, not someone who think the Frontliners are elitists that think they’re above everyone else. But if that’s how you feel about it, just stay away from the frontlines and stay down here, pray for some deus ex machina to help you out of this game, don’t try to help the frontliners do their job and free the people trapped in here”. Macradon was seriously offended by the way she worded her opinion, but Macradon would try not to express too much hatred towards her comments about the frontlines. “In all the time everyone has been trapped in here, the frontliners have worn their arses off striving to clear this game, yet people like you have just been lollygagging the entire time. That’s what I’ll call ignorance” he said, scoffing her words that came seemingly out of nowhere, like she was an expert on the frontlines and how they acted. "Hope I don't see you on the frontlines, then" he would say as she would begin her departure from the scene.

[Hakai 0]

Hakai frowned. She was getting a little bit angry with the girl, especially with the insult that she had hurled as though she were in no danger at all. They we're out of the safe zone after all. It just went to show that lack of thought and preparation that had caused many players to end up with their names scrawled on the Monument of Life. She walked quietly up behind the other woman and wrapped her arms around her, leaning in so that her lips were right next to her ear. "Your choosing to be alone. Why would you choose a larger mountain? I'd be happy to help you however I could, and I know Mac there would too. Just because you disagree doesn't mean you have to run away like a weakling and a coward." She whispered softly into the other girls ear, holding her in place gently but firmly.

If the girl tried to break away, Hakai would let go. She was already devising plans in her head for what she would do, and she almost wished that Macradon wasn't there. She imagined that he had grown quite a bit since she had taken her break, and she imagined that he wouldn't take kindly to her sheathing her katana in the other woman's back. She would have to be a bit more roundabout with her plots.

@Illia

@Macradon

[Illia 0]

Illia was just about ready to return to the town of beginnings when she heard Macradon's remark, a voice in her head wanted to shout 'execuse you!' Instead she just hesitated for enough time that it seemed that the blonde would once again approach her. All those comments about lollygagging caused a fire to burn inside of gut though the comment about not wanting to see her on the front line pissed her off. Her body language changed only to be quickly confused by the sudden approach of the woman gripping onto her from behind. She winced now feeling a bit nervous from the stronger player gripping her and whispering what seemed to be sweet comments into her ear about how they could assist her in the climb. It was discomforting how her arms wrapped about her so easily, as if she was some sort of friend from the real world.

"I'm choosing to be alone because then I don't have to watch people like you dying because of overconfidence that goes especially for you knight. Since that adder man came even you are at risk of losing your life because of your pride thinking that because you got a head start some of us weren't capable of starting off right away when we entered this game and were victims of our own friend's generosity. I didn't even want to play this stupid game, and here I am living it for life, but you will see me on the front line once I'm good and ready you will regret speaking down to me."

Illia shivered as those words spat disdain at the one who the blond was speaking to, it wasn't her nature to sit back and she would have been out there too if there weren't for extenuating circumstances. Instead of walking away though she stayed simply catching her breath now in the grasp of the girl.

"I'm not some doll in need of protection."

Spoiler

That actually was quite annoying @Macradon particularly since we can't start out ready and prepared on the front line even if it isn't in character for our character to so far behind. I know it's what he would say IC but it still upset me.

@Hakai

 

[Macradon 0]

Macradon would chuckle with a smile, he thought this girl had some brains to think out of the box, but it didn’t seem like that was a thing anyways. “Staying alone is good, you won’t be in the way for anyone” he said, really brushing it off saying she didn’t want to see someone like them die. Macradon knew that feeling all too well, but it had slowly fallen off his mind of the death of others, he was a killer nonetheless, albeit his green cursor, Macradon had slain multiple people, and he wasn’t going to stop. “Adder, huh? I’ve seen him a few times. I’ve faced Dual Blades personally before, and here I stand. I’ve faced the Berserker, though here I stand. You underestimate this world, it’s a game, it consists of numbers. I’m not overconfident, I just do my calculations. Do you think we all chose to come here and face a life and death game? Are you really stupid? No one chose to play this game, yet some did have the confidence to own up and go help those that don’t want to be in here.”.

This game, Macradon had not chosen to be in here, but he enjoyed it, he liked being able to do something, he liked being able to actually accomplish something, not that he wasn’t able to do so back in the real world, but it was just much easier doing something in here, it was all natural to him. This world of numbers and combat, it was exactly what he was good at from the start, so a game like this didn't really bother him with real life death, he was coping with it properly, not wincing at the lower floors not being capable of even soloing a boar without dying. Macradon would smile, not a happy golucky smile, but a condesending smile. He wasn't too fond of this girl, even when he tried to be nice, at the start, but now it was just the only way he could see pushing her to her limits, the limit she needed to surpass to actually get into action, to actually go out into the fields and kill mosnters, raise in levels, be able to accomplish much mroe than stay in the shadows of the first floor being scared.

He wasn't too fond of playing the villain here, but being the 4th strongest player in the game, Macradon was not being overconfident in his battleprowess, but that didn't matter in this situation, he had to make that girl get so angry that it fuels her fire to become greater than Macradon, be stronger than the current frontlines and become something Macradon can smile at and be proud of, a player that risks its life for the sake of others. "Now ... what shall I say now? What can I do to push her further ..." Macradon thought in his mind as he went on thinking of what to say. "I'd like to see someone like you on the frontlines, do you know how many who thought they could be on the frontlines stand dead now? Do you know how may were overconfident? It wasn't those who devoted their time in the frontlines, it was new frontliners who didn't know what the frontlines were like.". He tried not to, but he couldn't hold the villain face anymore, he became too caring, it was what he had been advocating all the time in this game, and being the villain felt wrong at this moment. "I don't want those unprepared to die again, I won't allow it anymore ... that's why I don't want to see you on the frontlines ... they all die" he said, turning away from the two to hide that he was sad of the thoughts of innocent lives been taken away.

He was good at coping the kills he had secured by his hands, but seeing innocent blood being spilt, it was like a dagger in his heart, it hurt watching. His old guildmate, Azide, died during a raid. Many of his friends had been murdered during raids, somehad been straight up assassinated. This wasn't the place he wanted others to experience, he didn't want anyone to be tainted by that toxic environment. When he said people were getting insane, they were, Macraodn was probably one of them. Being able to take another player's, no, another person's life like it had no repurcutions, that was one of the qualities that really made Macradon an insane individual. He would bring his arm up to his eyes and wipe away what tears that would be formed from the small emotional event he just had. He would inhale with a small pause, and the exhale deeply. Opening his HUD up, donning his battle regalia, from top to toe in heavy armor in white and red, with a visored barbute helmet and his big Sword of the Ancients on his back, Macradon woudl turn around and look with his scarlet eyes through the slits in his helmet, looking at the girl he was having verbal quarrel with.

[Hakai 0]

Hakai leaned her head against the girls shoulder, surprised that she hadn't pulled away and instead seemed almost comforted by the gesture. "Your weak because your alone. You aren't really loving of your alive. You have to experience the tragedies and comedies of life. That's what living is. So let me help you, even if you won't accept it from one of the premier front liners." She said quietly before releasing the girl from the hug.

She took a step back from her to give her her space and cocked her head towards Macradon. "They all dedicated themselves to the cause. Their deaths inspire all of us even as we mourn them." She stated, getting back into her previous persona a bit more. She wasn't evil, she was just manipulative. And it would certainly serve her best to play the good guy role, despite how she had acted earlier. "Forgive my earlier rudeness. What I said was true, but I could have been nicer about it. I haven't been around people... In a while now..." She explained, apologizing to both of them.

"Now, what's this about an Adder? And dual blades? Zelrius died a long time ago." She asked curiously.

 

[Illia 0]

Her head drooped down, agitation still apparent in her form as she clenched a fist at her side annoyed that someone like him would suggest she hadn't known no one was prepared for this game. Wasn't it obvious that no one had expected this to happen, even so was he so naive to not think about the emotional effects and struggles that it had on those people about him. Illia regretted that wasted time, years spent caring and coping with the young and emotionally weak. She didn't care about what the two had to say, she wasn't going to stand by and let them chastise her when they probably were so caught up in training to fight the battles and win the war of attrition that they were all living through. The red streams of silk gently tossed back as she glared up toward the fully armored man and the strange woman who still was close to her person.

"The players who are so weak and frail in your eyes, they have spent their time coping or dealing with those so mentally frail that they could no longer keep their own state of mind safe. Was it all for not, maybe countless of them jumped off the edge and still will to come if nothing is done. Months or years to come when there are no longer any players to join the cause because people neglected the simple idea of common sense to waste that time for training instead to keep the body counts from rising, maybe then you will remember that there isn't just one war to fight in this death game. Bosses are easy, as you said they are calculations and reactionary feedback to said stimuli that beat them. The war inside all of the children and people still laying in those alleys of the 'Town of Beginners' Pray that you don't have to worry about the neighbor beside you sneaking out because no one explained that life continued even if our bodies would be limp from the loss of muscle and fats. We have to keep mental fortitude else that person returning to the real world wasn't worth saving."

A few tears streaked down her cheek as she now turned her back on the knight who had spoken up against her own ability as her level may not have shown it her days of service to the children of Aincrad had. Many still were scared, the game wasn't going to be one in a few weeks people couldn't just expect those who were scared to deal with the stress, that was why a small group had started simply caring for them and why she had joined them. Tears streaked down her own cheek as she tried to avoid their judgemental gazes.

"Next time you judge me maybe you should go the front lines of the other battlefront, see how it feels to live with those you would let jump off or themselves at the feet of a monster. And don't you touch me telling me that I don't know about loving or caring for others as I have done more then you have ever done."

@Hakai @Macradon

[Macradon 0]

 

Macradon would look over at Hakai who had seemingly become curious of this new Death_Adder person who had arrived. “Death_Adder is an orange player who has seemingly, somehow, acquired the Unique Skill Dual Blades, though not much more than that is what I know of” Macradon would say, sharing that piece of information he had about the man. Macradon would smile, though shielded by the visor, Macradon would nod, making his armor clang with the movement of his head. But that smile quickly changed when the girl began to cry, Macradon wasn’t feeling any empathy for the girl, he wasn’t feeling anything for the words she said, they were just that, words.

What really hit him was the accusation that she had done more than he had, which was ludicrous. Though the statement was false, Macradon would just sigh in his helmet and reply back. “Next time you judge me, maybe consider that I’m not just a warmongering soldier, knowing of nothing else than fighting and murdering other players” he would say, looking through the dark slits of his visor, only revealing some of his skin, hair and his crimson eyes. Lifting up both his hands with the palms reached out, all fingers spread out, Macradon would begin to say “This is merely a tenth, possibly even a lesser fraction, of the people I’ve saved from their own stupidity, their own beginner’s mentality to go out into the fields and try to fight for themselves” he would say, then lowering one of his hands.

“This is at least the number of people I’ve talked out of suicide, from jumping off a cliff, from jumping over the edge of the castle, from engaging in battles against bosses far above their levels” Macradon would pause for a few seconds, giving the girl time to think of what he was trying to get out of this. "How many people have you saved from the 'sweet' relief of death? Coping with the mentally ill, that's not my forte, that's not what I do. I'm probably capable of it, but I'd rather let them stay in safety." he would say, sighing heavily through the holes of his helmet.

He would doff his helmet, holding it under his left arm, Macradon's face had turned stone cold, stern as a statute. He wasn't messing around, he wasn't making a funny joke, he was talking about the lives he had saved, the deaths he had prevented. "Next time your judge someone, don't assume something you're not certain of, don't assume what people have done, don't set yourself higher than others just becasue you've accomplished something. If anything, you should stay humble about what good you've done, keep it to yourself unless the facts are needed." he would say with a stone cold glare towards her.

[Hakai 0]

She looked over at the girl after Macradon said his piece. "I imagine you have people that you love. So do you Mac. Even me, despite my general attitude, had someone I loved. We're on the same side no matter how you look at this." She paused. "You have no idea what's been sacrificed to get us to the point we are today. I lost my wife. Who knows what Macradons lost to get to where he is. You've probably lost someone important too. The difference between us is that Macradon and I are willing to lose our lives to get us one step closer to freedom, whether or not we actually want the freedom for ourselves or just have unfinished business in the real world."

She adjusted her weight from one foot to the other, brushing her hair behind her shoulder in a careless manner. "Stop trying to pretend like your some sort of hero for being mediocre. Get strong and do something to further us in this game. We're all on the same side, even if our motivations are different." Her hand moved to land on the pommel of her katana. "Don't be so quick to insult others. Someone might not be so understanding of your ignorance and then you'll be a part of that body count too." She commented cooly. She let out a short laugh. "Especially outside of the safe zone. It's like your suicidal or something."

[Illia 0]

The girl stood there partially dumbfounded, her own argument being skewed as a life lesson that he was attempting to teach her now that she was about to scream in annoyance with this one who she wished to teach with a blade. Stats were such a hindrance, true skill was in the ability not the math or calculation of one's own items but here it was everything. The red head simply palmed her own face in shock as she realized he didn't catch a single glimpse of her plan to tell him to not judge people who were weak as slackers who didn't want to be freed form this and instead counted that he had helped as few as ten people since he was holding up that many fingers meaning her could almost count the number of people he had saved. Her finger gently massaged her temples before glancing back up to both the blonde and the man who had finally removed his helmet to only look down upon her again. Her body drooped more as she nodded and apologized to the two of them hating to leave this on a note of annoyance. A bow and deep breath would begin her apology.

"I'm sorry you are right, it was wrong of me to say such repugnant falsehoods about your ability as both a healer of the mentally ill and a protector of the weak. I will make it up to both of you by being strong with or without the help of others as the case may be I suppose I'm not great at making friends. I swear to not be just another failed name who couldn't protect herself while out on an adventure. An your presence did keep me safe today, I suppose I will have to repay that. I'm sorry ..."

She now glanced back to the town which wasn't to far away standing upright once more and heading off by herself attempting to hold her own composure. After wandering back to town she would sit down against the warm ground still taking deep calming breaths as she was furious with both of the two she had met today, perhaps it was this game or just a bad day she never got riled up to this extent. She simply would go back to town and curl up her head between her knees.

[Macradon 0]

 

 

Macradon would sigh heavily as the heated discussion, if you could even call it that, would end with an apology. Macradon would close his eyes and tilt his head downwards, taking in a deep breath before answering her apology, he just wasn’t buying it at all. “I ain’t no healer, ya’know. I haven't cured anything, be it wounds or mental scars, nothing” he said. He had helped them cope with the grief of being trapped, but he hadn’t cured anything, he’d just help them take one step closer to being able to handle the situation they were in. He wasn’t really a protector of the weak, but he would just let it be at that, not really wanting to talk that much about anything. “But if you really want to leave, go, just don’t let me see your name on the Monument of Life” he said  and wouldn’t think much of anything else than the current happening. It was quite something to experience this, he hadn’t had this kind of talk with anyone, everyone he had met had always tried to come up to the frontlines, or he had been the lower leveled one, but it had all changed by now. His level was towering above many others, his game numbers were high, very high, but numbers weren’t everything as he had said, they were just a part of this deadly game.