[SP-F6] <<Calming the Soul>> Enduring Reflections

[Teion 0]

"Sure, some parts are bad. C'est dommage. But you cannot let every sadness take away the happiness. What happens to 'ze bright side', or 'keeping your chin up'? You have let it fall, and left yourself in the gloom, non? Surely you have the power to pick it back up." He prompted. Teion's brows narrowed slightly as his words sunk in. As much as she wanted to obstinately refute his claims, she remained silent for several long seconds. "Yeah... No, you're right. I... It's almost like a part of me just wants to stay sad." She continued staring at the intermingling flowers and blades of grass as they swayed gently in the breeze. "Like... I dunno, I crave tragedy? Is that it?" She felt a knot form in her stomach as she tried to explain it to the both of them. "Because when bad things happen to you, everyone feels sorry for you. You get attention, and sympathy. And... I like that attention. And I f*cking hate that about myself."

• Teion: 644/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Her fingers curled against her legs as she continued glaring over the tops of her knees. The Frenchman took on a small smile at her confession, following up with the most obvious question. "And? Did you get what you wanted? Was it, as you might say, 'worth it'?" Teion's jaw clenched, shooting back without hesitation. "Of course not. I've neglected all my old friends who are going through their own sh*t. James is dead. I ended up on some 'wanted by association' list, and I started a relationship under the wrong pretenses, only to break it off like a coward." She rattled off a list of her most prominent failures, hugging her limbs a bit tighter as she predicted his next question, already moving to provide her own answer as to why she hadn't already made a change. "It's like, I forgot how. I forgot how to talk to people, how to make friends, how to be one."

• Teion: 659/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"I don't know whether I just don't want to 'cheer up', or I can't. Just functioning is tiring anymore, some days." She breathed out a sigh, and let her head fall forward until her forehead collided with her arm. A few seconds of silence passed, and the man beside her spoke up again. "Oui, but you have some now." His statement was plain and sure. "They did not seem to befriend you out of pity, or obligation. In fact, some of them seem to genuinely like you, mon ami." He took on another smile, turning his head to look at the discouraged violette for a moment. She sat in thought for a while, once again letting the words sink in. "So, why not follow your heart after all? Would it not beat all of ze, wallowing, and depression, and tragedy? You know, there are many things I want to do, if you would simply listen once in a while."

• Teion: 674/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

He chuckled, taking his gaze off of her and plucking another tiny flower from the ground aside him. Again, she stayed silent, and so he verbally prodded her further. "Going to ze beach. Crafting something really impressive again, like that last axe of ours. Stargazing on this hill with Ryo again," Before he had the chance to continue, Teion's head picked up in a hurry and she looked to the Frenchman with an annoyed, flustered gaze. "Hey! ...You leave him out of this." She exclaimed, her volume quickly dropping to a low grumble. Her response only rewarded her with the man's laughter, "With a reaction like that, how am I to do so?" He questioned again, and Teion's lips pursed with irritation immediately after. He looked back to her, finally meeting her gaze with a mischievous smile across his lips. He studied her for a brief second before snickering again,

• Teion: 689/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"Oh, just admit it, cherie! You like the boy." He looked away again momentarily, muttering under his breath that just escaped Teion's ears, "At least I'll confess to it." Half a chuckle escaped him, and he turned his attention back to the thoroughly embarrassed woman sitting beside him. "Well? Why do you reject that which can so surely make you happy?" He prompted her response, tossing the picked flower in his fingers aside while he picked up a knee. Resting his elbow against his leg, the man propped his chin on his hand in order to look at her even more expectantly. Teion's cheeks flushed, and she tried in vain to save face by averting her gaze with a scowl, half-burying her expression behind her folded arms. "I...I shouldn't." She replied simply, but vaguely. The Frenchman's face looked a mixture of unconvinced and skeptical, cocking a single brow at her lackluster answer.

• Teion: 704/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Catching his shift in expression with a sidelong glance, Teion's brows narrowed in irritation again. "I'm serious!" She claimed, to which the man teasingly scoffed. "Oui, and I am listening." Her features hardened a bit, and she tore her gaze away to stare back at the scenery ahead of them. Drawing in a sharp breath through her nose, she held it a couple of long moments and then let the air out in a steady sigh. "I don't know. I've f*cked too many of them up, I guess?" In an instant, the woman had gone from self-assured, to riddled with doubt. "Like, what if it ends just as badly? I mean... Sh*t, I never thought Beatbox would've gone and gotten himself killed. Things between Max and I probably could've worked out if I'd have been willing to just talk to him more." The Frenchman's fixed gaze on her hardly changed, only seeming to grow more unimpressed.

• Teion: 719/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"Fille. You are really going to continue denying that which can bring you joy, out of fear?" His tongue clicked against his teeth once again, "Quel dommage, indeed." He let out a sigh of his own, and his shoulders picked up into a shrug. "But, zat is not my job. I only urge you to listen to me once in a while. After all, I only wish to bring you happiness, cherie. Perhaps things change, but surely you do not believe I have meant to lead you astray?" He reached a hand across to his side, retrieving a single slice of bread, angled to look as if it had been cut from a baguette. He offered it to her, and Teion blinked in surprise, staring at the piece of food with puzzlement. She reached out hesitantly, accepting the piece of bread despite not knowing from where the man could have possibly summoned it.

• Teion: 734/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Idly holding the morsel in front of her, Teion's eyes were then fixed on his frame while he pushed himself up from the ground, running his hands over black slacks to dust himself off. "And with that, we are done here, non?" He faced her with a proud smile, extending a hand to help the woman to her feet. Still perplexed, Teion took a good couple of seconds before accepting the help that he offered and pulling herself up, watching him hesitantly. He quickly noted her persistent expression and his smile went crooked. "Don't tell me you feel as though you've learned nothing, cherie?" Teion subconsciously brought the section of bread to her mouth, taking a small bite. She frowned at his question, giving a small shake of her head in response. "No, that's not it..." she still seemed hesitant, focus split between the snack that she worked on and the reflection of their conversation thus far.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"So... Really, you just wanted to tell me to lighten up? Have fun, and do what makes me happy?" She questioned between bites, earning her another proud smile from the Frenchman. "Precisely." He affirmed. "Nobody expects you to change overnight, mon ami," He continued with soft encouragement. "But if you truly wish to improve, we must start somewhere, non? There is still one more. Hopefully, the lessons of all four together will help to do you some good." Much like Aereth's, Endilix's, and even the hooded girl's expressions, his smile became more sympathetic, and the rest of his features were quick to soften as well. "We all want to help you, cherie. We have been through plenty together, oui? But none of us can do a thing without you. Do not be afraid. And don't worry! Not everything is as bad as it may seem. Now," He clapped his hands together in front of his chest as Teion swallowed the last bite of her bread.

ID#: 98809 | BD: 10 - Critical Hit! Screw Dimension (x13) +charge Active | MD: 1 - Critical Miss!
(15 base) + (4 charge) + (2 critical) = (21 DMG) x (13 sword art) = (273 DMG) - (7 MIT) = 266 DMG

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 61/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT
• <<Third Inner Demon>>: 104/370 HP | 105 DMG | 7 MIT

[Teion 0]

Pulling them apart again, he waved towards her with the back of a hand. "Go on, get zat pretty axe of yours. 'Killing' me may be therapeutic, in a way." The corner of his mouth hooked farther into a smirk, and Teion responded with half a chuckle. "Y'know, I think I'll outright agree with you on that one." She snickered softly. The exchange between the blacksmith and the 'man' that she had come to dread and despise had certainly been an odd one, and if it weren't for her constant mental reminders that the situation was not all as it seemed, Teion would have been hard-pressed to continue on with such a raw conversation. She reached behind her to retrieve Requiem from its resting place at her back and gripped the weapon tightly in both hands at her front. "Thanks, I guess." She offered with a crooked smile, bringing the polearm of her axe up to rest against her right shoulder.

ID#: 98809 | BD: 2(+3)=5 - Miss! | MD: 2 - Miss!

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 60/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT
• <<Third Inner Demon>>: 104/370 HP | 105 DMG | 7 MIT

[Teion 0]

The Frenchman folded his arms across his chest, shifting his weight to the side as he stood across from her. "Don't thank me yet. It's up to you to figure out what it is you really want, and what it is you are willing to risk for it. Comprenez-vous?" Teion nodded, much of the hesitance that displayed so clearly in her face and actions faded away now. She shrugged the head of her axe away from her body, the sharpened edge of the curved blade beginning to glow with the onset of an empowered attack. Raising her arms up, she held the axe's head high and back before she would pull it forwards to come crashing down into the third demon's unmoving frame. The golden curved blade sunk deep into the man's frame, the bright sky-blue glow of the steel reaching the peak of its brightness and promptly giving off a large burst of energy to result in a second wave of damage to the creature.

ID#: 98809 | BD: 9 - Critical Hit! Screw Dimension (x13) Active | MD: 1 - Critical Miss!
(15 base) + (4 charge) + (1 critical) = (20 DMG) x (13 sword art) = (260 DMG) - (7 MIT) = 253 DMG

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 48/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT
• <<Third Inner Demon>>: 0/370 HP | 105 DMG | 7 MIT

[Teion 0]

Just a moment later, the Frenchman's form stuttered and cracked into hundreds of tiny shards. After they had each dissipated into the air around her, another short breeze picked up and she was left alone on the grassy hilltop. Long violet strands swayed in the moving winds, and the cool sensation brushing against her cheeks caused the woman to relax slightly with the tranquility that the area naturally provided. Her spine straightened, and her tight grip on her weapon loosened up as her arms fell linear in front of her. With the handle of her axe resting against her thighs, Teion looked out over the rolling fields for several long seconds. The memories of her last visit to the Fields of Crossing entered her mind without her express permission, and before she knew about it she was reminiscing over an experience that wasn't even a week old in her mind.

• [1] Teion: 740/740 HP | 49/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

The resounding 'click' of the door's lock at the base of the hill signaled her ability to leave the peaceful meadows and caused the corner of Teion's mouth to curl into a faint smile. "Yeah, stargazing does sound really nice." She spoke to herself in a small voice, letting out a sigh and turning back towards the door that would lead her back to this place's beginnings. She returned her weapon to her back, taking steady paces down the incline and back into the dark emptiness. Once again, the door swung shut behind her, and she was no longer surprised to see another identical frame to her left again. The fourth door, completing the circle of passages, stood just the same as the others at the edge of the brightly-lit circle of mosaic glass panes beneath her feet. Only giving a short glance to the other doorways around her, Teion drew in a breath and her footsteps broke the stillness of the empty space while she carried herself to the last challenge.

• [2] Teion: 740/740 HP | 50/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Pushing the plain-looking door open, Teion's brows narrowed slightly when she was met with the same quiet colorlessness. She paused, casting a glance back over her shoulder before looking ahead again. It was as if the door was just for show--it stood in its frame without any new 'room' standing behind it. For a second she thought about closing it, and maybe trying to just walk around to the other side instead. But, already halfway through the basic wooden structure, she continued through to the opposite side. She took a few hesitant steps, no longer standing upon a lighted floor and nothing else presenting itself to guide her way. Then, after she had cleared the doorway, another 'click' shattered the silence. For whatever reason, Teion must not have expected the barrier to swing shut this time, and she spun around with an alertness that very slowly faded with the passing of a few more seconds.

• [3] Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Just as she was beginning to think there was some kind of mistake, and confusion wasn't far off from setting in, her surroundings very suddenly changed. The world around her flickered and flashed, as if she was encompassed by a giant screen that could show her different landscapes in the blink of an eye. It stuttered at first, flipping through a couple of sceneries before Teion could even begin to make them out, as if the world around her wasn't sure what or when it should be. The woman stood frozen, taken aback by the sudden display until it seemed to settle on something cohesive. But why was she back in the Fields of Crossing? The question echoed in her mind as the cool night air touched her skin. It wasn't pictures on a screen anymore--at least, she didn't think so. No, it felt as if she was there now, again.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

Her eyes naturally drifted upwards after they had given a quick look around to recognize the landscape, and she was met with the multi-colored nebulae of Aincrad's night skies, the dark hues of navy and violet dusted with hundreds of twinkling stars. Her heart fluttered lightly in her chest at the sight, forgetting the strangeness of the situation for a brief moment as the calming sight washed over her. The blacksmith's frame relaxed a bit, and she just began to take a few steps forward when the sound of hurried boots crashing against the grass reached her ears. She blinked to attention, looking back in front of her just in time to see the glinting steel of an unsheathed blade held at the side of a figure who was very clearly rushing at her. Immediately, the tension was back as her muscles tensed. Her attacker raised his long, curved blade overhead in order to bring it down on the woman, and she narrowly dodged the sharpened metal before it sliced through the air where her avatar had been.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"Whoa, the hell?! Who're you?" She demanded, her stance more one that was ready for a fight as she turned to face the obscured individual. She guessed the person to be male from their frame and the way they carried themselves, though they were of similar heights. But among the shadows of the night, their dark attire left little to no other defining features. The hood of a jacket whose sleeves were pushed up on the figure's forearms was pulled up, and a white, fox-styled mask with blue accents concealed his face. Teion's brows narrowed into a glare at the mysterious man who brought the dull edge of his sword up to rest against his shoulder. "Nobody important." He responded to her question with an equally simple answer, shifting his weight as he faced her. She scowled back, reaching behind her to retrieve her axe. "Alright, fine. If we're not doing some soul-searching peace talk this time, I guess I could go for a fight."

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

"Besides, killing you will finally get me out of this place, right?" Just as she brought the weapon to her front, the world around her faltered and flickered again. Teion jolted with surprise, her attention forced away from the stranger in front of her as she took an unsteady step backwards. The calm night of the fields on the second floor was replaced without warning, and suddenly the two figures were standing in the midst of shifting desert sands. Despite her better judgement, Teion's head turned to each side, taking in the new environment. Her body was immediately hit with the scorching heat of the sun hanging high overhead, and the cool breeze of the grassland had changed to arid, still air that stung against her face, neck, and arms. The landscape was familiar, and also somehow foreign. It was like she was in the middle of the harsh deserts of the fifth floor, but they had never before felt so lifeless and barren.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

It was as if she was as far away from civilization as possible, or perhaps there were no other living things on this floor after all. Aside from the threat of the man across from her, Teion was suddenly incredibly alone in the unbearable, unforgiving desert landscape. Without giving her much time to process or adapt, her opponent shot forward again, gripping the hilt tightly in both hands directly at his side. He lunged forward to stab the angled tip into the woman's torso, but a quick sweep of her axe had sparks flying as the blade was deflected away from her. Working for a rebound, the final demon spun the handle and dragged the sword through the air and back at her, making a clean slice across her arm. The assault continued while the man pressed his advantage, causing Teion to stagger backwards with uneven steps in the loose sands, working the defensive in order to avoid any devastating blows among the flurry of slashes that were thrown at her.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT

[Teion 0]

The more pressure the man applied, the tighter Teion's jaw clenched in frustration. About to reach a breaking point, she seized an opportunity. Freeing her right hand and balling it into a tight fist, she brought a gloved arm up to meet the man's blade with the back of her forearm. Sharpened steel sank deep into her virtual flesh, causing Teion to wince with discomfort while she used her unprotected limb to intercept the blow. With his weapon momentarily stopped, she shifted her weight and brought her left leg into a roundhouse kick, the upper of her boot colliding with the man's ribs. Finally creating an opening for herself as her attacker stumbled aside with the force of her kick, she brought both hands in to pull the head of her axe into the air. She brought the weapon down with a diagonal slice, finally causing the health bar floating beside the masked man to slowly drain.

• Teion: 740/740 HP | 74/74 EN | 15 DMG | 3 ACC | 36 MIT