[PP-F1] Secret Medicine (Kaiida & Pinball)

[Kaiida 0]

Kaiida sat on a bench within the Town of Beginnings, drumming her fingers on the wood as she idly flicked through her menu. Somehow she had managed to survive so long without leaving starting city, the wind was chilly through the rips in her clothes. Stopping on her inventory she selects her weapon, the blade wrapped in cloth appear on her lap in multicoloured pixels. Kaiida’s eyes were wide as she gently prodded the weapon with her finger, “Despite all the training I did in the real world…” Her words fell away as another gust of wind whipped through the street she was sat in.

She swiped the menu across, biting her lip as her finger hovered over the button to return the weapon the ether. Several seconds went by before she pressed the button a small but audible sigh escaped her lips, her hand dropping as she tilts her head back looking skywards. The sigh slowly changed into a small chuckle and then a full laugh. “What are you like Kaiida, what are you like?” She mutters to herself before standing up and looking around noticing a few players around her. Her finger went up and entwined itself in a strand of hair as she tapped her foot on the paved floor.

@Pinball

[Pinball 1]

The two-handed spear slung across his back suddenly seemed a lot heavier. Since the weapon was cursed, he only had three options: carry it, keep it in a sheathe, or unequip it. He couldn't drop it, as his avatar refused to take its hands off the shaft of the weapon if it meant letting it go completely. Furthermore, since his weapon was a 2h Assault Spear, it didn't exactly have a proper sheathe. To compromise, Pinball had gotten a leather wrap, which he used to tie his spear to his back. However, since the length of the weapon was greater than even Pinball's height, to wear it comfortably (e.g, without the bottom dragging across the floor), Pinball had to push it upwards. This left it sticking out in the air, and while it looked quite odd, Pinball didn't mind. In his mind, it was better than having to carry it. Besides, it helped in certain situations. Like climbing. Or running away. 

Adrenaline coursed through his veins as Pinball ran, and he couldn't help but laugh. The three players chasing him were starting to have trouble keeping up. "Damn you, Pinball! You cheater!" Pinball grinned, looking back to the men far behind him now, ducking behind an alley as he did so. "Let's play again later! Thanks for the money!" Pinball made his escape, the string of curses that followed only growing softer as he made his way through the time. He had scammed the men, but it hadn't been hard to do. Besides, they were Sugutsuya's lot, and as such, were a sketchy bunch of people by default. He knew them personally, and they'd cool down given time. All in good fun. While he was busy thinking about what kind of snack he'd treat himself to, he had neglected to notice the girl sitting on the bench. "Watch-!" Pinball vaulted over the bench, but his boot snagged on the back of it, and he hit the hard ground with a dull thump. 

[Kaiida 0]

Shouting could be heard by Kaiida to her right, her ears twitching slightly. Turning she felt something crash into her barrelling her over, the word watch was called out split seconds before the moment of impact and the girl didn't know what was happening to her. As she landed on her shoulder a small cry escaped her lips, the solid stone slabs set into the ground rushing up to meet her as her face neared it by the second.

Gasping she placed both hands on the floor and began to push herself up, for some reason however she was unable to. Something popped up in front of her face saying that she was over her weight limit. "What?! That can't be right!" Kaiida exclaims as she attempts to roll over to see what's on top of her. Two legs were squirming and flailing around in the air, the head of the person they belonged to had crashed into the ground leaving a small dent in the stonework.

"Will you get off of me!!!" She shouts attempting to shove the boy off her, "What the hell do you think you were doing?! Running around like that, what if this wasn't a safe zone, we could both be dead!" Her face was going red her body was shaking, only partly from the effort of trying to push this kid off her.

@Pinball

[Pinball 1]

Pinball hurriedly pushed himself off the ground, his face bright red. The purple <<Immortal Object>> notification popped into life at the removal of his head, then vanished in an instant. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry," he stammered repeatedly, quickly taking as many steps away as possible while remaining able to be heard. "Sorry, sorry, sorry-" He jumped, then immediatly rushed back over, offering her a hand up. He took his hand back, suddenly anxious and unsure whether or not that was the right thing to do in this situation, then offered it once more. "I'm so sorry." The shouting in the distance was quiet, but it was still hearable, and Pinball took a nervous glance down the alleyway he had come from. They were getting close. It's a safezone, he reminded himself, but it still didn't mean he wouldn't be in trouble when he left it. "I was... in a hurry," he mumbled, wiping his pants off, refusing to make eyecontact with the woman - chiefly out of embarrasment. 

@Kaiida

[Kaiida 0]

Pushing herself up as soon as he was off her, Kaiida then glared at the person, looking him up and down. She crossed her arms tapping her foot on the pavement, lips curling. “Hmmm, well-“ Her speech was cut short as some more shouting echoed up through the street, the blood curdling grin that was about to be formed changed to a beaming smile. “Shishen, let’s go!” Reaching out to grab Pinball’s hand as she dashes past, feeling something in her grasp she begins to pull, her feet pounded on the street as Kaiida slipped and turned through the alleyways all the while maintaining her grip. “Seriously Shishen, you don’t need to be sorry. We’ll get away like we always do.”

Skidding to a halt outside the Hogsback Inn, Kaiida goes straight to the door pushing it open and begins to wind her way through the tables, nodding at the innkeeper as she goes behind the bar. Padding down the stairs that led to the basement she lets go of what she had in her hand and enters the room. “We should be safe here Shi, now…” Her voice trailed off, “No you’re not Shishen…” Falling to her knees several tears begin to fall out of her eyes, “I’m sorry…”

 

@Pinball 

OC Note!

Kaiida's grabbed something, she's aiming for Pinball's hand but if you don't want her to grab your hand she'll have grabbed some random object instead, but she's not looked to see the object yet so it's entirely up to you. :)

[Pinball 1]

He expected a beating. It was the safezone, but to Pinball, he felt like he deserved it outside of the safezone. The voices only drew closer, and when the girl glowered at him, Pinball winced, closing his eyes. So this is the end, he thought dramatically, torn apart by a mob of angry, middle-aged men, and a chick I pushed onto the ground. He thought about it for a moment. Fair enough. But the girl in front of him did the last thing he expected her to do; she took him by the hand. "W-wha? Seashell?" Pinball hurried along, making no move to free himself from the girl's grasp, though his ears felt as if they were burning and he was a bit anxious as to what the girl was even talking about. Has she mistaken me from someone else? No... Her shift of mood had been too sudden. Could she be...? The girl stopped at a bar, and Pinball was about to speak when she pushed through the door. Ignoring the looks cast their way by the few player patrons, Pinball quietly followed her into the basement, where she turned around. 

Pinball frowned, his heart sinking in his chest. The girl had started crying, even falling to her knees and apologizing. This is... this isn't okay. Pinball dropped to his knees as well, feeling quite terrible about the whole thing. She had lost someone, he figured. It wasn't rare, especially in a game like this. Pinball lowered his head, placing his hands on his knees. "No, no. It's fine," he said softly. "It's fine." It was the only way he knew to try and comfort her, though Pinball was aware it wouldn't be enough. 

@Kaiida

[Kaiida 0]

“Sorry…” Kaiida was quiet the odd sob punctuating her silence, as she knelt on the dusty basement floor. “I thought for a moment you were…” Her breathing was short and quick as her right hand began to fly up and down at the wrist onto her knee. “I thought you were someone I knew, you look just like him…”

As the boy dropped to his knees telling her over and over that it will all be fine, Kaiida closed her eyes, her chest that was rising and falling at a rate of knots began to slow down. “Really? It will be fine?” Her eyes were bright red even in the dinginess of the room, “The shouting, the people chasing you, I’m sorry for just dragging you away…”

Turning her head so that she didn’t have to make eye contact she gripped the bottom of her green mottled shirt tightly. “Shishen, I’m sorry…” her voice a whisper, swallowing every five or so seconds. Eyes brimming again, “Sorry… I’m… I’m…” For a moment a fire sparked in her eyes, “Namida sort it out!” she almost screamed out herself. Shaking her head the white haired girl met the person in front of her eyes. “I’m Kaiida, apologies for you having to witness… That.” She held her hand out palm upwards, “They won’t be able to find us here, we can probably sneak out later on tonight…”

 

@Pinball

[Pinball 1]

He stood there, watching. He wasn't sure how he should be feeling, but he knew he felt worse and worse with each passing second. In all his time in Aincrad, he had only ever met one person with debilitating conflict like this. He recieved the memory painfully, and it showed on his face. Pinball crouched, so that he was more or less level with the girl who huddled on the ground. "It's-" he began, but the girl was introducing herself. That's good, he thought passively, taking her hand and helping her up. "I'm Pinball," he replied, then, hesitating, added, "you can call me Pin, if you want. Might sound better. I dunno." He looked to the side, scanning the room they were in. "We wouldn't even have to wait 'til night," he nearly laughed, "I know those guys. They'll give up within the hour." Pinball paused. "Probably get hell about it from Sugutsuya later, though." He looked back at her and shrugged, a small smile on his face. His hand went to the back of his neck. He couldn't help but notice the girl's willingness to help him out. Why was that? Hadn't he pushed her onto the ground not even fifteen minutes ago? Pinball couldn't help but think it was unfair. After a while, he spoke, forcing the words out nervously. "You don't even have to wait here. They... they aren't looking for you. You'd be able to get away easy." 

@Kaiida

[Kaiida 0]

“Pinball?” Kaiida said the name back to the person, who seem quite happily sat here chatting with her in the basement of a tavern. “Pin? What about PB, I’m going to go with PB.” She smiled at him as her eyes met his properly for the first time, she swallowed for a moment before pushing herself back creating some space between them. Standing she moves to the bed, “This is the room I’ve been staying in since the game started.” She says as she sits down looking at her feet, her chest rising and falling slowly.

A small smile, a sweet smile, comes onto her lips as she looks over at Pinball. “It sounds like you get into trouble like this a lot, reminds me of before the game…”  Water starts to well up at the bottom of Kaiida’s eyes, raising a hand she wipes them clear on the back of her sleeve. “Sorry I got you confused for someone else earlier PB.  Hope you can forgive me for that, more importantly who’s Sugutsuya?”

@Pinball

Edited March 27, 2018 by Kaiida

[Pinball 1]

Pinball gave a small smile. "Y-yeah, that's fine." He found himself gravitating towards the corner of the room, using the guise of examining objects left out as an excuse to keep his distance. He didn't feel like the way he was pulling her into his own business was fair. It was what he was trying to avoid. Pinball didn't want to let anyone get close to him again, knowing full well how he acted when he had a chance at happiness. He froze for a moment, recalling the memory with bitterness. Then, he looked back at the girl, who said she had been staying here since the game started. "That's... pretty dangerous," he said, though it came out more as a mumble than anything. He remembered sleeping in places like this, before he had been approached by Atzo, leader of the Emerald Harbingers. He was the man who had been responsible for working up Pinball's courage, and Atzo was the only reason he was where he was today. Pinball frowned, ever so slightly. People were always there for him, supporting him. He didn't like it, not anymore. 

Pinball's ears felt like they were burning. His hand went to it, then halted, sinking back down to his neck, where he rubbed, embarrased. "N-nah, not really," he managed with a sheepish smile. Then, he added, a bit quieter, "Only recently.." She explained she had gotten him confused for someone else, but Pinball couldn't help but worry even still. "It's, it's fine. Don't worry about it." She then asked about Sugutsuya, and Pinball flinched, surprised. How does she know about Sugutsuya? He realized he must have said something about him earlier. "Oh, ah, oh, umm..." Pinball struggled for words. "He's nobody. Used to be my info broker." Pinball shook his head, his eyes downcast. Lately, though... Sugutsuya was becoming colder, more distant. Pinball had the feeling he was doing things he shouldn't be doing, and had tried to get through to him, to no avail. He had surrounded himself with people, and Pinball didn't like it. He had made a guild, and Pinball couldn't help but be anxious with what their ultimate goal was. "Bad people," he said finally. "If you ever see their crest - It's like a Raven and a knife, avoid them. Not good people." 

@Kaiida