[PP-F3] What a Bluff (Shield)

[Calypso 0]

"Mmm..." A low grumble escaped Callie's throat as she stood alone in a sizeable square nestled in the homely village of Delilah. With nothing more than the untradable starting equipment left on her, sky-blue brows were furrowed as she stared back at the floating interface for a bulletin board, various notices, advertisements, and requests lined neatly in a row. It had been a long couple of days since she was robbed of all of the materials, potions, and other trading fodder she had accumulated over the past months. The fresh memory still stung, and her bottom lip stiffened into a small scowl behind the fingers that curled around her mouth and chin.

"So many are impossible alone..." She muttered under her breath, half reflecting on the information she had scrounged up about the various lower-leveled quests available to her, and half trying to convince herself that even though her pride was already wounded she wasn't going to get anywhere with what she had left on her own. Drawing in a breath that promptly left her in defeat, Callie pulled the hand away from her face with a still sour expression and reached out to interact with the semi-transparent window. "Just think of it like a business offer."

Quote

'Requesting assistance from a player of at least moderate level for completing quests and other objectives that yield high experience rates. Offering either 50% of objective rewards upon completion, or 150% no later than 3 days afterwards. Contact: Calypso.'

"...A really crappy business offer." She groaned after reading over the message she had written out. Her hand hovered over the option to publish the note for a few long seconds of debate and self-doubt. "Ugh, it sounds stuck-up, has my writing always been that rough?" After wrestling with the lack of desire to delete the text and start over, Callie's index finger moved forward to submit the message, still holding on to a pessimistic expression. After dismissing the menus with another small huff of breath, she mumbled lightly. "Assuming anyone actually reads any of these..."

@Shield

[Shield 0]

The caverns of the 21st floor were beginning to become repetitive, and despite the productivity that came from grinding higher floors, even the breathtaking bio-luminescent fungi and the glowing crystals that lit the area no longer took Shield's breath away. He sat below the massive, chandelier-like crystalline formation that he and Hirru had discovered and sighed, wiping the sweat and grime from his forehead with the back of his hand, which was itself sweaty and grimy. He noticed this and frowned.

That tears it. I need to get off of this floor.

He rose and made for the exit, bypassing the usual monster spawns and loot rooms for the sake of his own sanity. As he walked, he scrolled through Aincrad's message boards. Perhaps someone had put out a bulletin that was worth answering. There were any number of requests for carries, and he took the offers for what they were worth, but one in particular caught his eye.

Hmm... 'High yield experience rates?' Those are going to be more dangerous quests by their very nature. If nothing else, I should contact this 'Calypso' and see if she knows what she's up against.

He composed a reply as he entered the town, and as he was stepping into the teleportation plaza, he nodded to himself. It would suffice.

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"Front line tank here. It sounds like you've got something you're trying to accomplish. Seems like you're aiming for some difficult quests to get there, too. I'm no stranger to carries, so if you need assistance I might be able to help. I'm not concerned about payment for now. We can discuss that later. Experience is experience, so in the mean time, don't worry about it. I guess I'd just like to know what your goal is and how you plan to get there, and I'll do what I can to at least give you a leg up.

-Shield"

His home was a good distance from Taft on the eleventh floor, but he figured that bathing before any sort of meeting would be appreciated either way. He was beginning to look a bit like he had crawled out from under a rock on the 21st floor rather than having fought his way there with the other front liners. He kept an eye on his messages out of the corner of his eye, but for now, he was focused on washing away the filth of his toils. He took a short but satisfying shower before emerging as almost a completely new man, no longer covered in residues. As he donned his standard earth-toned traveling clothes and the vanity leather armor that he wore while not in combat, he let out a sigh.

Better.

[Calypso 0]

Callie had resigned herself to parking at one of the many benches littered throughout the third floor settlement. Leaning back until her shoulderblades pressed against the wooden planks, she lifted one leg to cross over the other knee while yet another short sigh left her lungs. "All that work, gone." She mumbled with a frown, this one more simply disheartened than the nervous or frustrated expressions she held minutes before. She was back to square one, but if she even felt motivated enough to get back into the collection and trade she had occupied her free time with, she was no longer as safe as she had thought she was. She only hoped she would never see those players for the rest of her time in Aincrad, but a part of her wondered just how small of a world it really was in here.

Several minutes passed, and a sound rang out in Callie's ears that she hadn't been expecting to hear, practically jolting the woman from her wandering thoughts and half-baked plans as to where she would go from here. "Hm?" She gave a small, inquisitive hum as her eyes traveled the short distance to spot the alert of a new message on her user interface. She lifted a hand to curiously tap the icon and the contents of the message sprang to life in front of her person. Golden eyes scanned the length of the text that had been sent to her, and her brows hovered a slight distance higher than they would normally rest. She was surprised to have received a response at all, let alone in the same day or even the same hour. "Shield, huh?" She repeated aloud the username that was signed below the message in a small voice. The interest he seemed to take in knowing what it was she meant to accomplish was something she hadn't expected, but the message itself was more than she could have asked for.

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'Thank you, I appreciate the message. I'm happy to chat, especially if you're so kind as to offer your help. I'm currently in the southernmost square in Delilah, but I can find my way around if you'd like to meet elsewhere.
-Calypso'

She had even tried to write a bit more casually, and yet reading back over the message she had composed caused her lips to purse at how scripted it sounded, like an e-mail she would write at work. Repeating the cycle of not quite disliking it enough to scrap, Callie sent off the reply and dismissed her menus before going back to pondering over this meeting she would be attending.

[Shield 0]

By the time Shield was geared and ready to head back out, there was already a message waiting for him. He opened it and took note of the location. He was no stranger to Delilah, and he figured it was simple enough for him to just head straight there. He opened a reply menu.

Quote

"I'll head that direction. I have a bit of a walk, so expect me in around an hour. Look for a fairly tall player with dark hair and a shield. It's got a manticore's face on it, so that at least should be easy to spot.

-Shield"

He closed out of his menus and headed out the door.

It was a lot easier for people to spot me back when I had Norbert on my back. 

Glancing back, he saw Norbert in the window of his shop, happily chasing after the fish in hopes of a fresh meal. It was a shame to retire the critter, but the longer Shield had traveled with him, the more of an encumbrance he became and the more apparent it was that Norbert was not a happy turtle. In the end, traveling meant needing a familiar that was either compact or mobile. The 100lb turtle had not been either of those, but Lilith, his little bush viper, was both, though she was easily more compact than she was mobile.

The journey was not a short one, but he knew the route well enough to travel it without interruption and taking as many shortcuts as was reasonable without taking undue risk. Finally, he spotted Taft on the horizon. He quickened his pace, soon crossing through the town's gates and heading straight to the teleportation plaza.

"Delilah!"

He materialized in the familiar town, stepping out from the arrival platform and making his way towards the spot that Calypso had mentioned that she would be waiting. He guessed that she was a girl, but that was about as much information as he had. His gait remained slow, making sure that if someone was looking for him, they would have time to spot him before he passed by altogether.

I guess now we wait.

Lilith slithered around his forearm, encircling and making slow laps around the limb. Occasionally, she would poke her colorful head out from his sleeve to taste the air before dipping back into the darkness.

[Calypso 0]

Another ringing in her ears. The volume wasn't terribly alarming, and the chiming sound wasn't far off from the other regular menu sounds, but there was something just a bit off-putting about registering a sound as if it came from directly inside of one's eardrums. Mentally reminding herself not to go off getting too popular to be receiving so many messages, Callie pulled up what she had anticipated to be another response from the man named Shield. She had thought about typing up another reply of her own for a moment, perhaps describing her own appearance or something of the sort before deciding it probably wouldn't be necessary. Dragging her hand through the air, the message slid along a few inches in front of her before vanishing.

She occupied her time alone in simple ways: gazing up at the gently-drifting clouds that hung above the village settlement among blue skies, combing through and lightly twirling her fingers around the locks of cerulean hair that fell well past her shoulders, and mainly observing other players that passed by from a distance, averting her curious gaze before it would become unwelcome to those whose unfamiliar lives she pondered over.

Eventually, the golden eyes that continued to travel shifted onto a man dressed in uninteresting clothes and standard-looking light armor, not too far-off in design from her own basic equipment. Just as she was deciding between moving her gaze to the next player she would spot or continue to follow his rather slow movements, something about his appearance finally caught her attention. A sturdy-looking shield covered a generous area of his forearm, and as her eyes lingered on the piece of equipment they were drawn to the sculpted face that rested in its center. With a sudden sense of recognition, Callie's attention darted up to what she could see of the man's face, and after registering the match of 'dark hair' that was given to her, she quickly rose to her feet. 'Alright, business discussion.' She tried to remind herself, as if that kind of mindset would allow her to more easily address the stranger.

"Excuse me," She filled the air between the two players when she was a few short paces away, continuing to close the distance as she approached from the man's side. "Shield, is it? I'm Calypso. Thank you for coming all this way." She wore a smile in polite greeting.

[Shield 0]

Shield turned to face Calypso properly and gave a brief nod of greeting. She seemed friendly enough. Though he had just spent the better part of an hour walking, he did his best to maintain his composure.

"Not a problem," he said, nodding again in response to her thanks. "I needed a break from the floor I was on, so this is a welcome distraction." He opened his menu and took another quick glance over her message. "It looks like you didn't have any particular quests in mind. Shall we find a spot to figure out a plan?"

A greeting wasn't the proper time to question Calypso's intent to level quickly, or so he assessed from her focus on high experience quests. That conversation would come later. In the mean time, they needed to get out of the hustle and bustle. Shield craned his neck above the heads of the crowd, spotting what seemed to be some sort of inn on the corner.

"That looks like a good spot," he said, gesturing with his hand rather than pointing. "Drinks are cheap. If you're a little light, I can cover you."

He didn't want to make assumptions, but experience and money tended to be related to one another in games. If a player was lacking in one, they likely lacked in the other as well. He led the way, entering the bar side of the inn and making a selection with the barkeep from the listed menu before turning to Caypso once again.

"See if there's anything you'd like to drink. In the mean time, have you looked into what kinds of quests you might want to try?"

[Calypso 0]

With the shift in his stance, Callie could more properly address him, and with her chin tilted slightly upwards she had the chance to better observe his features as he spoke. A stern, or at least stoic, expression that lingered as he suggested finding a place where they could sit and talk. Dark brown eyes that seemed to hold a well of experience that she couldn't begin to imagine the extent of. And the faint scar that stretched across the length of his rugged features, of which she could only wonder what kind of story might lie beneath it. Shield certainly wasn't one of those starry-eyed teenagers she saw far too many of running around Aincrad. She removed the gaze that had fixated on the man, easily shifting her attention as she turned her head towards the inn he had pointed out. Watching, observing, and wondering were things she found herself doing a lot of. Everyone had a story, and often times there was amusement to be found in making guesses as to what those stories might have been like, or what they would become. Very rarely would Callie ever open her mouth to try to compare her notes to the source material, however.

Having given a small nod in agreement before they headed for the moderately-sized building, she made no comment on his offer to cover a drink for her. The simple, though unintentional, reminder of her newfound poverty caused the sting of the reopened wound to keep her silent, though she made no fuss as they entered the sparsely-populated bar and found a pair of seats at the counter that stretched across the room. Again, he offered for her to order something after requesting a drink of his own. Callie simply put on another polite smile while a hand waved lightly in front of her chest. "I'm alright, thank you for the offer, though." Her stubbornness wasn't going to let up that easily. Even though she had tried to think of her request as an exchange and she planned to repay the man for the time that he was willing to give her, she knew she was still going to feel some lingering sense of debt for her reliance. And she wasn't eager for that feeling to start building up just yet.

She shifted focus to his following question, having taken a seat and crossed her ankles beneath her. Now came the important part. Her fingers laced to the first knuckles and her hands rested in her lap as she spoke up. "I've done a bit of research in the cities of the first few floors. It's true there are some I could likely handle on my own, and normally that's what I would prefer, but," She gently bit at the inside of her cheek for half a second, "sometimes quest monsters are the least of your worries out there. And without impressive equipment or a party, that could be a disaster waiting to happen." She shifted her sight from the empty countertop in front of her, turning her head towards Shield with another light smile. "So, I'm not picky, as long as the rewards are worth the time spent. I'm sure there are even one or two on this floor that would be suitable."

[Shield 0]

Shield listened as she spoke. She was respectful enough, at least on a first meeting, but he knew that he personally was impossible to read at first and was not the only person out there like that. For now, he reserved his judgment, but so far at least, Calypso was polite. Her features did not leave a lot of extra information on the table either. She was certainly good looking, but with nothing but vanity gear and her own appearance forced over the top of her chosen avatar by Kayaba, she had not had the opportunity to really find ways to outwardly express herself through the game's canvas. Still, such things were superficial decisions, so in the end, Shield decided he was not missing out on too much vital information. A drink was passed to him along the bar, and he sipped at the frothy head.

"Well, I would refrain from Secret Medicine of the Forest," Shield said with a slight sigh of exasperation. "Although not particularly dangerous, it is deceptively difficult for a starter quest. If you haven't begun the starting quest-line of 'The First Lessons,' that would be good to do in your spare time, though I'm actually restricted from taking them myself. That is, unless you're above level 15, in which case, you are too."

He felt rude for having made assumptions. She was, after all, telling Shield that she was capable of handling quests, but was wary of other players. If that was the case, it made him more of a bodyguard than an actual quest carry. The corner of his mouth twitched a little at the thought of him wearing sunglasses and an earpiece.

"I apologize if I assumed you were lower level than you are," he said with a slight nod. "In any case, the Hoya of Minos is an option, though it only yields a vanity item. I think that there are a few options that might get you better equi-"

A body plopped down between the two players. Shield recoiled slightly as a player with red hair settled himself onto the stool between himself and Calypso. The newcomer had strong features, though not all of them were necessarily attractive. He did have a strong jaw, but his eyes were narrow and pointed, making him look as if he were scowling even as he smiled at the woman beside him.

"Starter quests?" he blurted out, leaning closer to Calypso. "That what you two are talking about? Shoot, that's not how to level! You gotta find someone strong to carry you through a dungeon or two. That's where the real experience is. I could offer my services. I wouldn't even charge you anything."

Blinking momentarily, Shield adjusted to the sudden change in the conversation, raising a hand to get the new player's attention.

"Um, excuse me-" Before he had even nudged his way back into the conversation, the man with the red hair shot him a dirty look over his shoulder and waved him away with the back of his hand. "No need for that," Shield projected, butting his way in over the forceful conversation of the other player. "You're not impressing anyone. If you'd like to offer to party up, we can discuss that, but in the mean time, I was talking and you interrupted."

[Calypso 0]

Callie's expression turned into a thoughtful one as he listed off a few quest names that sounded familiar, though she had trouble recalling the right details. After a while, she wouldn't be surprised if she would start mixing up a quest name to the vague descriptions or objectives she was able to find. It hadn't even occurred to her that Shield's advice might have come across as condescending until he offered an apology. After all, she hadn't told the man her actual level, though she was beginning to feel more and more nervous about broaching that subject. He didn't seem the judgemental type, but it would be hard to feel her position was justifiable without spilling the unsavory details of recent events. The fact that she was even caught up in such a situation was embarrassing to think about.

Just as they were moving the conversation along to another suggested place to start, the abrupt entrance of a third party caused Callie to give a slight start. She blinked in surprise, registering the presence of the redhead that didn't seem to have much respect for personal space. Her hands instinctively pulled up from her lap to hover in front of her torso, and she had to stop them from being the intermediary that responded to the stranger's brash interruption. Her stunned expression was quickly overtaken by the polite smile that she plastered back onto her face after Shield gave an unsuccessful attempt to shoo the rude player away.

"Thank you for the suggestion, but that's quite alright." She led in with a forced kindness before her tone grew a bit more sharp. "I'm not looking for a carry. If you're wanting to join us for your own benefit, perhaps we can start with a more proper conversation?" She tried to echo Shield's sentiment while also getting her point across that the red-haired man was clearly an unwelcome intruder.

"Now now, there's no shame in it!" The player clearly paid no heed to either of the gentle warnings directed towards him. "Getting carried is the quickest way past all that beginner crap. Trust me, dungeon grinding'll save you way more time. What level are you, anyway?" All but ignoring Shield's presence, the man seemed to latch onto Calypso's response in an attempt to sway her thoughts. His persistence, paired with the demeaning connotation of his words, further tried her patience. She hadn't allowed more than a second or two to pass after his invasive question before she spoke up again.

"I don't need to be carried." Her tone became more dismissive than the annoyed wave he had given to the brunette behind him. She felt the need to answer him, as if there was a number that she could provide that would get the man to back down and leave them be. Her mind worked as quickly as it could manage with her lack of familiarity on the topic. She thought back to the other players she had interacted with, and the few whose levels she knew. How powerful those people seemed at the time. That girl she met a few months back told Callie that she was level twenty-five, and her gear looked much more impressive than what the man sitting in front of her sported. Then again, Shield had called himself a frontline tank and the vanity equipment he wore didn't seem much more intimidating than her own. "If you must know, I'm level twenty-three." Feeling the pressure of time, Callie forced out a false response. A subtle annoyance still carried through with her words, trying to serve as another hint that the stranger's presence was still unwelcome.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

That number gave the other player pause. He bristled a little bit, puffing out his chest in a way that would be unfitting of the situation if he were high enough to have hit the second character tier. Shield watched his reaction carefully, sitting back for the moment to see what the intruder would do. There was a slight tick developing in the player's eyebrow. He was working very hard at acting nonchalant, but the harder he worked, the less successful he was.

"Yeah? Well, so what? If you're trying to get help, you must still need it. Probably built your skills out wrong. I can help you sort that out too," the redhead blurted, closing his eyes and turning away defiantly. He crossed his arms, leaning back against the bar. "I'm just sayin', if you're wanting help, I'm the right guy to go to. Not that chump over there. I bet he's lower level than you are if he's bragging about being too high of a level for beginner quests. Bet he's barely level 15."

Shield lifted an eyebrow and leaned against the bar on one elbow, his face remaining impassive in the face of the challenge. He decided not to take the bait to start comparing numbers. Calypso seemed to be handling herself alright so far. He would step in to help if she needed it, but for now she seemed fine. The blowhard was clearly looking for someone on which to deflect to save face.

"I bet I could whip him with only one arm," the other player boasted, opening one eye to shoot Shield another dismissive glance.

This was an opening Shield could not pass upon. He smiled, which - considering he had yet to do so properly since encountering Calypso - would be a little unnerving for someone who was in the process of trying to mock and intimidate him.

"Interesting," Shield said out loud. "I think a test would be an interesting idea, though I'm sure Calypso here can handle herself just fine. Maybe you should challenge her first before you try to tangle with me."

It was a surefire gambit. There would be no way for him to back down without losing face, and if he lost the duel, which Shield was certain he would from what Calypso had said, it would be too embarrassing to stick around. Either way, he had no way out but to leave in defeat. Either way, it would spoil whatever hopes he had of impressing.

This was totally worth the trip down here.

[Calypso 0]

The suggestion for the red- and blue-haired players to be the first to settle their dispute set off a reaction in each of them. The man only seemed to grow further agitated, though he quickly let out a scoff. "Really?" He shifted uncomfortably, as if searching for another excuse for his hesitation. Turning his chin towards Calypso again, he seemed to find one when his gaze settled on her. "I mean, I'm not a fan of hurting a pretty lady," He shook his head, a small smirk returning to his lips as he seemed to find confidence in his choice of words. "but if that's his angle, wha'd'you say?" He turned the challenge onto the woman still sitting beside him. "I can probably give you a few pointers on PvP combat while we're at it." His smirk grew a bit wider, expecting the situation to turn to his favor.

Callie, on the other hand, felt an unexpected sense of dread fill her stomach as the conversation escalated into talks of confrontation and what sounded like a proper duel of sorts. She froze for a moment as the ball passed into her court, whizzing by her as she was a second or two late on the return. The woman worked to compose herself, mind racing to grasp at an out. Perhaps if she could reveal her bluff to her original company, Shield might have more luck in retracting whatever challenges were being thrown around. Or perhaps the day's plans were just going to turn into her making a fool out of herself.

"Oh! I completely forgot to change my party settings." She tried to find the right words, avoiding the redhead's question while she hurriedly pulled up her menus. She sent a party request to Shield, golden eyes shifting up to stare over the screen that hovered in front of her, trying to meet the brunette's as if to silently communicate the importance behind her action.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

Shield was quite enjoying watching the facial expressions on the new player rapidly change between uneasiness and cocky, misplaced confidence, eventually settling on some mix between the two. He had even somehow tried to turn the duel as an opportunity to continue flirting, which in a way made the whole thing even funnier considering how poorly Shield had expected him to do in the duel. He had not even been watching to see Calypso's reaction. When the party invite popped up in front of him, he clicked 'Accept' out of shock without even realizing for a moment what he was clicking on.

What the- Why on earth in the middle of all this is she-

Her name and battle data appeared below his own in his party display, and he did not need to finish that question in his mind.

Son of a-

He changed tack, suddenly much more aware of his facial expressions and body language, Shield's mind raced to cover the situation. On his features, there was only a slight flicker as his goal in the conversation changed from embarrassing the braggart to getting out of the situation entirely. Without having any other excuse on hand, he was going to have to play his trump card. Slowly, he rose to his feet.

"I changed my mind," Shield said with a tilt of his chin and a crack of his neck. "Stepping on an insect like you would be too much fun to pass up on. Although, if your damage can't exceed my combined defenses and battle healing, I wouldn't bother."

The sudden shift caught the red haired player off guard. He had already adapted his strategy, and now his intended punching bag was trying to punch back. He was wrong-footed, and seemingly without thinking, he blurted out the obvious question.

"Oh yeah? And how much is that?" he stammered, unsure of which player to look at in the abrupt change.

"230," he quipped back almost before the other player was done speaking. There was a lot of silence between the two men as they stared each other down. It wasn't hard to outdo those defenses, but even a novice would know that defenses didn't get that high without a lot of experience and high quality equipment to back it up. "Not to mention 60 defensive damage that bypasses any defenses you have. You would take that every time you landed a normal hit. Sure hope you're lucky enough to keep critting. A player has to be prepared for anything on the front lines, you know?"

At the words 'front lines,' the intruder's face went pale, and he immediately flinched back.

"You... you're bluffing!" Shield's resolve held, his impassive expression not cracking even a little bit in the face of the accusation. The other player took a step back, his eyes flickering towards the door. After a moment, he hunched his shoulders forward and let out a defiant "Tch!" before turning and exiting the inn. Shield watched as he left before slowly turning his eyes back to Calypso.

"What... the HELL were you thinking?"

 

[Calypso 0]

Callie began to feel a bit smaller as the air between the three players took on even more tension. Luckily, Shield seemed to understand that the weight of her gamble had fallen back onto her side of the scale. Even though she could understand that pure intimidation was perhaps the only surefire option they had left to dismiss their unwanted guest, she hadn't expected the intensity of their exchange to hang like such a thick cloud. Just as Callie's breath began to hold at the height of their stand-off, the stranger thankfully conceded and made for the exit.

Before she had a chance to let out a sigh of relief at his departure, her eyes turned back to meet Shield's. Without thinking, his hard gaze elicited a small flinch of her own, and his following words gave her a feeling akin to when she had been a child caught in a boldface lie right to her parents' face. She froze up for a split second before her defensive instincts kicked in. Her shoulders and bottom lip both stiffened in slight defiance, and although she remained seated she didn't stray her gaze.

"Excuse me!" She shot back, keeping her tone from raising so as not to draw any more attention towards them than they might have already. Her arms shifted from holding closely to her sides while her hands slipped past her inner elbows. Her ankles uncrossed beneath her, and though she continued to face him, she took on a more defensive stance with just a couple of slight movements. If there was any developed habit that wouldn't be leaving her anytime soon, it was using her body to communicate before her voice. "Since when is a power bluff a horrible tactic? I'm not the one who suggested to put my sword where my mouth was."

Shortly after the words left her, she almost regretted them. It was only after her tiny outburst that she realized an argument was the last thing she wanted to take away from the meeting they had agreed upon. Caught somewhere between her pride and a faint voice of reason, Callie let out the tiniest breath that might have resembled a sigh. The hard lines that her shoulders had formed dropped half an inch and her eyes finally broke away from his, drifting down and to the side towards the edge of the counter standing between them, as if to silently and subtly signal that she did, in fact, understand that she was at least somewhat at fault.

Edited November 29, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

Shield pinched the bridge if his nose and  closed his eyes. He drew in several long, deep breaths before finally lowering his hand and turning back to Calypso, exhaling this time on a longer, more steady breath. His initial flare had quieted.

"A power bluff like that isn't always a bad idea, but a power bluff at your level is always dangerous," he said, his eyes intent, but absent now of anger. "What happens when him and some buddies jump you outside of the safe zone because they have a grudge and think you've got valuable loot?"

He took his seat again, putting himself down at Calypso's eye level once again. While there had been relatively little disturbance among the other patrons, it still felt as if an uneasy peace had resumed.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Shield said, putting his hand on the counter beside Calypso. "Not everyone is cut out for this game. At least not the game it became. If you want help, I'll help," he continued with a slight incline of his head. "Just be honest with me about your abilities so I don't make bad calls like that again."

Edited November 28, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

(OOC: riiip, good luck!)

Callie felt a lingering sense of unease as Shield continued to scold her. His particular example of how her plan could have backfired probably stung more than he had intended, and her fingers curled a bit tighter beneath her elbows. Despite how much she wanted to think that she hadn't done anything wrong, or how much her instincts had her wanting to push back against his stern tone of voice, her mind was clear enough to recognize it was one of reason, not to mention experience. Far more than she had in this world.

Her eyes closed, and the arms that had folded defensively across her chest backed down. She turned to face the counter, leaning forward and placing her forearms against it instead. A deep breath of her own filled her lungs before leaving in a defeated sigh. And yet, he was still offering to help her. Her eyes opened again, chin turning back towards the man while her shoulder shifted slightly, allowing for a stance that was a bit more open before she started to speak again. "Well, where to start." The corner of her mouth turned up into a half-smile as she picked out the pieces of information that needed to be shared.

"I'm mainly looking to level up for self-defense." She tried to find the best words to explain her current goals before continuing on to the reasoning behind them. "Up until now, I spent most of my free time on material gathering and trade on the lower floors here. Kept myself afloat, and helped other people who were more willing to fight get the stuff they needed." She summarized, averting her gaze as she reached the less dignified portion of her story. Her smile had vanished, and she tried to resist a small scowl as her theories behind the events that took place seeped out. "But I think one of my regulars sold me out. A couple of days ago, I had to give up just about everything, short of the untradeable starting gear I still had."

Her lips pursed slightly before pulling up into a more calmed smile. "So, it was either start over without changing anything, or I start playing the other side of the game. And here we are: level three, with hardly any combat experience." She pulled away from the counter, her arms still reaching forward to allow the sides of her hands to linger against the surface. A small chuckle escaped her, almost as if she was laughing off the pitiable situation. "So, if you're still willing to help, I suppose I'll take all I can get."

Edited November 29, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

Shield listened carefully, watching Calypso's expression as she proverbially spilled her guts, and apparently painfully so at that. He could hardly blame her for being uncomfortable with the subject. There was really no easy way around any of it. Admitting weakness, admitting mistakes, and admitting defeat were all difficult enough on their own, but this story was some mixture of the three. Calypso finished her thoughts and Shield gave her a nod. His countenance had returned to its typical, impassive expression.

She's proud, and so far it's hardly been her best friend, but she has the ability to put that aside in the face of experience. I'm sure if I had come at her the wrong way that it would have been much harder to hear, but she doesn't seem to be an idiot by any means. Sounds like she just met the wrong people.

Physical affection had not been a strong suit of his for a long time, but he patted the counter beside Calypso's hand in a comforting manner, hoping that the message would get across. 

"It's good that the only things they managed to get from you were your items and your pride," Shield said, turning and thumbing through his quest log. "Well, you have a lot of options then. I'd still recommend saving Secret Medicine until far later. When you're able, the First Lessons quest line will be invaluable for you right now, though I cannot assist you. It more or less guarantees you have a good understanding of the game and a basic set of gear by the end of it. As far as what we can do together..."

Shield paused as he scrolled down his log. There was one entry that seemed to have been given a mark of 'incomplete,' and as he looked closer, he saw that it was not a terribly high level quest. Sure, for a level three, it would be certain death, but if she sat out the combat...

"How would you feel about keeping me company as I round up some bandits?" he said, turning his display window to show her the details of the Bandit Camp quest. "It's up on the ninth floor, but it looks like my partner bailed on me last time, so I still need to finish that up. You won't need to do any actual fighting. I'm a tank, but my defenses will be more than enough to shatter those NPC baddies."

One quest would hardly get Calypso her life back, but it would get her closer to being able to stand on her own two feet, both monetarily and defensively. Still, he had a little extra Col burning a hole in his pocket. And he was sure that he could come up with some odd jobs for her around his shop that might give her a sense of pride in earning a living while down on her luck. But these were all thoughts for later. For now, they were there to discuss quests, not charity.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Shield

[Calypso 0]

Her unenthusiastic smile turned wry as Shield alluded to how her situation could have taken a more dire turn. "True," The word mixed into another short sigh while her gaze faltered back to the bar counter. His subtle reassurance, however, combined with the shift in topic back to which quests they should aim for, allowed a small sense of relief to wash over her. Unlike the redhead whose intentions she could only imagine were oh-so pure, Shield neither patronized her nor doubted her goals. The lack of judgement was appreciated, as that seemed to be one thing that she often watched plague the gaming community.

She nodded in understanding as he reiterated a bit of their earlier discussion before they had been so rudely interrupted. She waited patiently while he appeared to be going through a list in his menus, likely a quest log. When he spoke up again and offered for her to look over the details herself, Callie shifted in her seat to face him and the semi-transparent window hovering in the air properly. Her shoulder leaned forward slightly while her eyes slid over the information. She was surprised to hear the destination would be on the ninth floor, but her expression remained calm until the end of Shield's brief explanation. It would be all-new territory for her, and she had no reference point for the strength of the monsters on that floor, but the note of confidence in the man's voice prevented her from worrying over the what-ifs.

She still didn't like the idea of being a tag-along, but she stopped to think for a moment. Allowing herself a second of clarity, she realized that perhaps jumping straight into battle with monsters when she could still count the number of times she's unsheathed her blade on one hand wasn't the best of ideas. Not unless she was in a hurry to continue embarrassing herself, at least. If this was a quest that Shield was willing to solo anyway, perhaps she could take this more as an opportunity to observe. After a few thoughtful seconds after her company's voice had faded, Callie gave another nod, taking on a more genuine smile. "Sounds good to me." She confirmed, leaning back a bit to sit up straight in her seat again. Her mind wandered a few steps to the next logical points of what would come next after she had a bit of experience under a belt. Having to hold back a groan at the realization, a bit of her disinterest came through in her voice as she commented in a low voice, "I suppose I ought to actually look over my skills section at some point..."

Edited November 29, 2017 by Calypso

[Shield 0]

"Perfect," Shield said, nodding to himself as he made a few notes on his log. His dark eyes flicked about his display with his finger keeping pace until he swiped to dismiss the window altogether. "That should give us some direction at least."

With the matter of business squared away, Shield properly turned to Calypso, taking another moment to assess her once again. From the brief moment ago when he had first encountered her until now, it felt as if a world of experiences had shaded in more about her personality. She had her pride, though it wasn't what Shield would call hubris. For someone who had just had her livelihood and her entire fortune stolen away, he guessed she was probably managing about as well as could reasonably be expected. That being said, she had been slow to begin leveling herself up, which although not unheard of, did strike Shield as a little odd for an RPG player.

"If you don't mind my asking," he said furrowing his brows and as if inspecting her more closely. "Why did you join SAO in the first place? You seem to have done well enough with certain aspects of the game, but more or less have eschewed the core of it."

He knew that SAO in the end was not what anybody had signed up for. The 'core aspect' that he spoke of was no longer fun and games. It was a struggle for survival. It was not surprising in the least that some players chose not to engage, but here he was face to face with someone who was just beginning to get involved. It was an oddity, though not an unwelcome one.

"And yes, I would agree that your skills deserve attention," he confirmed. "In the end, that's the basis for what your 'character' is. You can call yourself whatever you want, but there are numbers now to back everything up. Everything has a value now."

[Calypso 0]

His observation was a fair one, but that didn't stop the faint sense of guilt that bubbled up inside of her as a result. "Mmm..." She let out a small mumble to fill the silence, looking off to the side as she thought of the right way to answer his question. Her eyes trailed over the various bottles that lined a shelf behind the bar, a collection of upturned glasses tucked away until they were needed, and other various pieces of equipment one might need for serving drinks.

"I've been playing games for years now, so I'm really no stranger. To the concepts, at least." She added on the last bit more quickly. "I'll admit there are still pieces of SAO that throw me off. But," She pulled her lips inward, pressing them together for a moment before more properly addressing his concerns. "This is our lives now, right?" Her gaze was still pointed elsewhere as her lips curled into a wry smile. "If permadeath wasn't a factor, I would probably be playing in earnest. Perhaps I've just been a coward up until now." She used the mask of an assumption to avoid telling the man an outright lie. She knew full well why she hadn't bothered to increase her level, but there were some players who wouldn't take so kindly to her opinion. And as much as she could try to justify it, she would rather avoid putting any more of herself out there than she already had this afternoon.

Callie pursed her lips again before dismissing her negative words. "But, better late than never." Finally feeling up to turning her gaze back on Shield, she shifted her focus back to the topic of the quest they had decided on. "So, just give me a time and a place. I don't plan on leaving the cities on my own again right away, so my schedule is pretty clear." She explained in a light-hearted tone.

[Shield 0]

With their business concluding, Shield drained the rest of his drink, listening as Calypso answered his question and his thoughts. He nodded along to her replies, knowing full well how completely the idea of actual death terrified players, and even himself at times. He nodded along as well with her willingness to begin their quest at any time. Availability was always helpful. Still, as he tipped back the last of his glass' contents, he paused. His jaw was cocked slightly to the side as he worked on a thought.

So these are our lives now, huh? That sounds a lot like Beat did when we first started. Accepting her circumstances makes sense. Everyone needs to make their peace, but...

"It's a little easy," he said, finishing his thought aloud. "I know that railing against reality is pointless, so I know you're right, and this is where we live now." His fingers turned the glass back and forth in his grip, as if looking over the different sides of the glass would somehow help him figure out what he was trying to say. "Still, I guess I struggle with it - being okay with making peace with that idea. I've got people to get back to, you know?"

He set his glass down and opened his menu, making a few quick Col transactions. One to the bar, and one to Calypso.

"Oops," he said with a fake laugh. "Clumsy me. That was supposed to go to the tavern to pay for my drink. Oh well." He stood and turned towards the door, avoiding Calypso's gaze so she wouldn't be able to protest. He was almost certain she would if he gave her time to do so. "I'll contact you by the end of the week with details on when to meet for the quest." Before exiting the inn, he glanced back over his shoulder. "It was good to meet you, Calypso. Take care of yourself. And I'd avoid leaving town for the night. Use that money for a room just in case our friend is feeling the need to satisfy a grudge."

He turned away, raised his hand in farewell, and pushed open the door of the inn.

Quote

 

- Thread Rewards -

- All -

1 SP

 

- Calypso -

400 Col