[PP - F23] A Normal Day of << Search and Rescue >>

[Ruby 0]

[Thread takes place before "Bloodhounds"]

It certainly had been a while since Ruby had seen the light of day, well seen the light of other people. For a while after the incident of being orange for a short duration of time she had mostly just spent her time gathering back up her courage and motivation, gathering back to who she was. And well, she was successful for the most part, still questioning some things about her, but shes back as her typical flirty self. Today she had felt like exploring a little bit, and maybe get to a quest later, she hadn't really explored floor 23 much so she wanted to get used to the areas.... this floor certainly was something. Ruby walked down the streets of the main settlement looking around she had felt... more free of herself, she had fixed her hair back to its original form and her eye color was now not altered... she felt more herself and happy.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I make my way through the twenty third floor wearing a simple black t-shirt and black shorts with a black cloak hiding away my face from having the hood up. Making my way through the settlement filled with the hateful and racist dark elves. Frowning to myself at having to wear a simple disguise like this to just make my way through the town from  not wishing to deal with their racism by hiding myself away as best as i can. Even though such a fate is most likely not escapable as i have sadly been forced to view from the fact that the elves continued their annoying remarks as i passed by them as i simply wished to get to the surface. "What's the matter? Too hideous to show your face you creaton!" "yeah show yourself before we get the guards over here!" "Lets kick this filth out as fast as possible."  I sigh softly as i just shake my head as i continue moving faster my familiar right by my side and giving me a saddened look as i turn my head ever so slightly. Some of the light from the lights around illuminating my face ever so slightly. it is okay partner. We are almost out of this terrible settlement. We can almost leave we just need to travel a short distance once more. i say softly towards Kuro with a gentle gaze with my blue colored eyes.

[Ruby 0]

As Ruby had continued to walk down the streets of the main settlement she had looked over to see a bit of Dark Elves, before long one of the Dark Elves had made a comment towards Ruby, Ruby being her typical self had looked towards the Dark Elf and raising her voice said out to him "Do you want to repeat what you had just said there?" she had growled moving towards him, the Dark Elf had looked towards her and said "Your kind isn't welcome here, you humans are all the same. Come in take our land and be aggressive towards us." Ruby had only gotten a little bit more mad saying out "Maybe we wouldn't be so aggressive if you would had just gave us space and wouldn't be racist towards us coward." the Dark Elf had just only got more mad before yelling out to her "Get out of my face before I get a guard to do it for me!"

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I make my way through the busy streets of the twenty third floor with my hands glancing through the menu i have underneath my cloak as i equip my sword and shield. Myself ready to defend my own life encase anything could happen with some event of these dark elves suddenly turning hostile for one reason or the other. As i gaze up ahead after a bit of walking i see some blond haired girl yelling at a dark elf as i sigh softly willing to ignore it as i go to turn down a different street to avoid that confrontation. However, as i go about to turn i feel my familiar bite down onto my cloak and pulls it towards the direction of the human and dark elf fighting. Look Kuro i am sure they will be fine this is a main-. I pause as i get a second glance at the blond haired girl as i gain a puzzled look upon my face as if disbelieving what i am seeing. Wait..is that..Ruby? I say softly to myself as i move closer towards the argument that looks like it could heat up between the two figures  Having both my sword and shield hidden underneath my black cloak with the sword easily hidden within its sheathe at my waist, but the shield being obviously outlined within the cloak do to the size of it and how i have to hold it.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had looked towards the man and simple had just growled and backed off from the man, Ruby had simply shaking her head not noticing the people around her. Before long Ruby had looked around for a bench and sat down placing a hand on her cheek looking forward with a bit of a grumpy look. She had just got out and about and wanted to take in all the new fresh air she had been neglecting herself from. "I finally go outside and I already get snarky comments towards me, the flow of life couldn't be anymore different." Purobolos looking down at Ruby had looked up and over in which he had spotted Hestia, Purb had looked back down and let out a small grunt in which wasn't fully noticed by Ruby, after a moment he floated down and grabbed her cloth around her neck. Ruby had looked up to Purb and said out to him "What is it Purb?" then she had seen where he had been pointing towards and she had seen Hestia. Ruby had blinked a few times before saying to her "Oh... hi there, how long where you standing there?"

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I look towards Ruby as she manages to handle the dark elf by herself as i just nod my head figuring knowing that girl such a result would to be expected by her. Even though she had taken care of the dark elf i continue forward as i scroll through my menu equipping my heavy armor instead of the black cloak as i walk towards ruby with a grin on my face. Wanting to see how the girl is doing between the time she had been orange and her having to hide away till just now. Hey ruby what is up! I say in a cheerful tone of voice with a wave of my hand as i look towards the blond haired girl my familiar looking toward the bomb familiar that you have. I gaze into your eyes with a rather happy smile as i take in the full style change once more with a slightly amused look from how much it seems you change your entire style on a weekly basis. Well Ruby how have you been since last we saw each other? I ask the blond haired girl in a gentle tone of voice just for the sake of how we left each other. With you being orange and myself needing to continue training to get stronger for the safety of everyone. What are you doing on this floor? I ask curiously towards the blond.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had blinked a few more times as she had just kind of ignored the question that she had asked, however before long Ruby had returned to her normal flirty self saying out to her "Well I see you are still as cute as ever." she had giggled, but as she had asked how she has been she had looked back forward saying with a somewhat disappointed tone "Well after the incident I had been a little bit more upset at myself and really took the time to think things over. There are still some things I am still going over, but I am going to be fine. Don't worry about it Ember." she had said. Ruby had let out a sigh afterwards knowing that it had still been affecting her a little bit, however... she knew she would get over it, in the middle of her thought she had heard the question, Ruby had smirked and giggled saying out to her "Just getting out and getting the fresh air I deserve, gonna try to get active again. I still have more than a handful of quests to complete." she replied to her in a sweet tone.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I chuckle softly as i run my hand through my hair as i gaze towards you. Well unlike you Ruby i have only a small handful of quests left for me to do before i am officially done with every quest that the game has to offer for me. I say as i look into the eyes of the blond haired healer as i go to open my mouth to say more before i get interrupted by a dark elf throwing himself to his knees besides us and very soon after start talking. "Please you have to help me! Nobody is willing to do it and i am so scared about my wife. You have to save her please i beg of you! Pleeasee!" The dark elf says rather loudly as i gaze towards him with a confused look as my mind tries to process everything that happened within a few secodn time period as i look at the dark elf. 'Wait so not racist, asking for help, find a missing person. Looks like a event setup for better standings within the main settlement?' I wonder to myself as i look at the NPC before i nod my head as i look to him. Well i know for myself i am willing to help you out mister Dark Elf if you can just tell us where she had gone i can know that at least myself will go to try and help her out of whatever situation she may be in. I say in a gentle tone of voice towards the dark elf trying to comfort him by seeming as least scary as humanly possible.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had smirked a little bit when she had said that she only had a few left, Ruby responded to her "Well it seems like you have been keeping yourself busy now there, if you speed through all the quests what are you going to do then? Help out beautiful women like me?" she had giggled. Before the conversation went on any longer a man had came up to them asking for help, Ruby had looked towards him with a bit of a bitter look from what happened a moment ago, Ruby had looked up to Hestia and knowing her she had basically said what she thought she was going to say, Ruby had rolled her eyes a bit when she had been a little too nice for the dark elf, however she had eventually stood up and pinch Hestia's cheek saying out to the Dark Elf "Don't worry about it, me and this beauty can take care of anything. Just tell us where we need to go and what skulls we need to crack and we will get her back to you in absolutely no time." she had said with a smile mostly from pinching Hestia's cheek.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

He-HEY i am not some kind of child you can do this to! I say in protest of having my cheek pinched by you as i give you a glare that seems like it is mainly that of joking around with you since there really is no pain happening from the game's very systems preventing it. The dark elf looks between us with a look of confusion as he slowly gets up back to his feet. "My wife has gone to the surface in service of her majesty the queen to fend off against those filthy forest elves and any who had supported them. Sadly though my wife hasn't returned from the war yet and i worry that she might've died up there fighting against those heathens. I request that you please go up to the surface to ask her majesty if she had passed away, and if you can to try and find a body that would belong to my wife's if she be dead and bring her back to me. That or bring her back alive if she is alive so that i may cherish more sweet memories with her." The dark elf says in a polite tone of voice while bowing to the two of us.

I just nod my head and gives a thumbsup towards the dark elf after i pull myself away from having my cheeks pinches giving you a playful glare before responding to the dark elf. It is fine sir we will get back to you in no time. The Holy Dragon Alliance is on the case. I say in a cheerful tone of voice before i start looking around before nodding as i head in the direction of where the exit towards the surface would be located at as my familiar quickly flies forward alongside myself. Neither me or him wasting time in aiding a person that could be in need of help.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had giggled at Hestia's response to her pinching her cheek, she had looked at her and said "Well maybe if you weren't so cute and my sister you wouldn't have to deal with my flirts and joking actions." she giggled once more before looking back to the Dark Elf that had began to speak out about what their mission is, Ruby had looked down for a moment to think "Hasn't returned from a war huh...? I doubt shes dead right now, more so a prisoner of war... it might not be easy to bring her back, in fact there could be a chance in us doing this she could die..." she had looked back to Hestia then back to the Dark Elf saying to him "Don't worry about it to much we are on the case, if we can't bring her back rest assured revenge would be extracted." she had waved to him goodbye. Purobolos had seen Hestia's familiar flying towards her, Purb feeling a bit playful had decided to play a game of chance while staring at the familiar with a somewhat evil but playful smile.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I pout a bit at your words as i cross my arms at my chest as i look over towards you. Hmph. I can't help that i am born with these amazing looks to be able to be called cute. I say in a joking tone of voice as i gaze towards you with a small smile playing across my face. Knowing that if this was anybody else that such a sentence would never have left my mouth from the fact of how vain and egotistical it sounds if said with no context and not having that sort of relationship with another person. I then focus back upon the mission at hand as i think back towards the situation on the surface as i look over towards you looking rather confused as we move through the little shortcuts i have managed to find within the city to get towards the nearest exit towards the surface. Ruby...something isn't adding up about this quest. The surface..the exit to the surface where a castle or something would have once stood is totally trashed. There is barely any signs of life for miles on end. I say towards you as i tap the right side of my cheeks as i look busy immediately with trying to figure out what is going on with this quest, and floor. I gaze towards my fellow healer with a somewhat serious look. Furthermore, if you remember from the boss meet. The queen is possibly dead which means these people haven't tried going to the surface in who knows how long. I say towards my older sister figure as i walk alongside her as we manage to reach the exit of the town as Kuro looks towards Purbs.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had smiled and giggled after Hestia's comment joking back to her, Ruby had leaned in and poked her on her cheek saying out to her "Then why are you complaining when I am simply stating the acts here?" she turned back to face the dark elf, after her midst of thought and reassuring the Dark Elf Hestia had looked towards her with a confused look, Ruby had blinked asking out to her "Whats wrong? Thats not much of the cute face I like to see." then she had let her explain, after a moment Ruby had blinked a couple of times in confusion then went back to thinking for a moment, she doesn't fully remember much about it... however she does make a fair point that none of these people must've left the safety of this area in fear to what would happen if they had stumbled out, Ruby had clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth looking back to Hestia saying "You do make an honest assumption, however.. is that something we need to worry about here?"

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

Well it is more so the fact of making me even more curious what the heck happened here on this floor that nobody has bothered to try and leave for the surface? Has this council thing we talked about in the meeting been feeding these people false information about what has been going on at the surface? If so what purpose are they trying to serve by doing so? I say softly as i take out my little notebook and starts writing down these questions for later to possibly answer if i can get he information by then as i gaze towards Ruby with a kind smile after i finish writing all of my notes down. Sorry about that i do like to write things i find out about in different notebooks. I currently have two of them one for people, and one for floor information and things like unique skills like Hikoru, and Calrex have. i say towards you with a small chuckle as i rub the back of my head as i do so. As i then turn back my head towards the front as we enter the area outside the main settlement where monsters could spawn as my familiar kuro flies on ahead to search for potential enemies that need to be hunted down.On a brighter note hopefully. Is there anything you would want to do after we complete this quest? I ask you with a smile upon my face as we pass by rocky terrain that seems to go on for quite awhile. With after about a two hour walk would slowly start to develop normal foliage and leaves of the first signs of nature underneath the ground.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had kind of just shrugged for a bit "I kind of see where you are heading towards when it comes to tying in all the game plot together, I just kinda fail to see the point on why its so important. Maybe its just a culture thing I just don't get." she had placed a hand behind her head gently rubbing letting out a somewhat nervous chuckle. After a moment she had blinked when she had pulled out a notebook and said out to her that she liked to write things especially information about "unique skills" "Unique... skills? What are those?" she had asked her not knowing of such a thing even existing. After a bit Ruby and Hestia head out and Kuro decides to fly to attempt to find the area that they need to find, Ruby had looked towards Purb and with a hand sign, Purb nodded his head and faded to smoke attempting to find anything as well. After sending off Purb to some sort of a scouting mission, Ruby had looked over and replied back to her "I... don't know really. After the whole break up with Jevi and everything that's happened I have just been a tad bit lonelier nowadays. I got nothin' else on my agenda to do."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I know that this in reality is just all plot stuff to the game..i know that is the case, but i have taken a interest to these floors to try and understand them. As you said what am i going to do once i get all these quests done? Well my answer was figure out the history of Aincrad, and work on my music. I will learn all of the history from the players to the castle itself, to its floors. Then with my music i will be working on songs and doing concerts when i can. I say with a cheerful tone of voice at the thought of one day doing that as i walk alongside you. My voice and eyes filled with a passion about what i am doing with the time that i have in this game. I then blink a bit at hearing the next response as i gaze towards the feisty healer slightly surprised by this information. Well umm..unique skills are abilities that players have been able to obtain that no one else can get unless the holder of the skill dies. From what i have gathered Death Adder holds a unique skill called Dual Blades that use to belong to someone called Zelrius, then there is Calrex with Achilles which is a tanking skill, then there is Hikoru with a unique skill. There have been a few other users that Calrex, and Baldur, and Hirru have been kind enough to inform me about that have died through the time during there fight within this game. Furthermore, Hirru even called the people that wield Unique skills basically marked for death since every other user had died or gone missing except the three that we know about. I say towards the blond haired woman.

I then gaze toward the blonde as i tap my cheek trying to think of something to say for the duo to do after they complete this quest as i gaze forward and nods my head. Well if you want to be stupid and reckless we can fight monsters, and look for chests. That or you can accompany me as i explore the forest on the surface after this quest since i still don't have that much information on this floor at all. I say with a small shrug of my shoulders as i hear a distant roar signaling my familiar has found the exit as i nod towards you and gestures to follow me as i break into a small run towards the sound of where my familiar is.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had listened and she had felt like she was getting a lot of information all at once, Ruby had shot her hand upwards saying out to her "Jeez this is a lot of information to take it slow down a minute!" she had requested, afterwards she had thought for a moment to let it all in, Ruby had looked back to Hestia saying out to her "Well... do we know how many are out there? Maybe theres a chance that they might still be out there... it just might be... extremely frustratingly hard to find." she had sighed before shaking her head with a giggle "Even still, I don't think I am interested enough to have one, its kinda disappointing that I can't get a cool item to begin with, I don't think that would seriously be in my league." she had sighed to herself just accepting the fact she probably wont ever have anything special really. After a moment of walking Hestia had broke the silence again offering something to do, Ruby had giggled and said to her "Inviting me for a bit of private time in the forest I see?" she had giggled playing with her "But nah, that sounds fine, its better than doing nothing after all."

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

I nod my head and waits to continue upon your request as i look towards you as you then proceed to ask after a few moments what else i have learned. Well in terms of unique skills all i know is that a player by the name of Ssendom had a skill called Berserker before he got killed by someone named Opal, and then there was a girl by the name of Teayre who had a skill called Battoujutsu. That one has just disappeared to the void unknown to where it could've gone or if it is still with the girl. I say to Ruby as i look her in the eyes just being honest with her as i go down my mental list of every skill that i know of. That means we have a list of... five unique kills? With three of them being owned and with one said unique skill in the hands of someone that attacked our guild leader which i don't like the idea of. I say with a frown not liking the idea of seeing that happen on a repeat, or even more frightening to think of that madman trying to play hero attacking others if he feels threatened for whatever reason. Honestly when it comes to unique skills i would love to have one. I want to be able to protect everyone better maybe with a unique skill even with the curse that supposedly surrounds them. I would be willing to accept the death that would await me as long as i can allow you guys to live longer. I say my voice sounding deathly serious as i gaze into your eyes my eyes not showing any fear and only unshakeable resolve. I promise that to you and everyone in our guild family big sis. I will protect you all to my last breathe and make anyone pay that thinks they can get away with harming those in our family. I say with a nod of my head as we arrive to the exit as i look upwards and sighs softly at seeing the spiraling staircase going upwards. Without wasting time i begin my ascent upwards through the staircase with my familiar leading the charge since he found the place.

Once we reach the top of the staircase i open up the hatch as it reveals a barren wasteland and crumbled ruins all around. Stones structures that can barely be called walls littering everywhere as i look around the general area. Okay so if the dark elf said his wife was serving the queen and if this was her castle that means that we would find the corpse possible buried under some rocks. I say softly as i begin making my way through the ruins slowly and carefully to not step on to much rubble encase i could accidentally kill the wife of the dark elf. Not making a comment towards you teasing since i am in a semi-serious mode with trying to search for any and all signs of life.

[Ruby 0]

Ruby had looked down tapping her cheek thinking about the topic "Only 5 known unique skills huh? Surely is interesting to get to know every single last one of them... it truly would be interesting to get to know them all... however right now its just a bit too hard and information on the rest might be extremely hard to get." she had sighed but looked back to her with a smile and a giggle as she continued to talk, Ruby spoke up after her saying to her "Sounds just like you Hestia, keeping other people in mind more than yourself. Are you trying to work for another kiss on the cheek I know you just try to win?" as she had finished her statement she had looked upwards to see a giant staircase leading upwards "Well.. I guess this is the way out of this area and up to the top... well... guess here it goes." then wasted no time following behind Hestia out to the wasteland that had been above us. Ruby as she stepped out looked around then said "Well... this is certainly not what I was expecting..." then looked back over to Hestia as she had spoken out, Ruby had simply nodded her head in response.

@Hestia

[Hestia 0]

Yeah i know i wasn't expecting this scene either, but at least there are forests a couple miles out. Which still makes me curious what kind of war could have this kind of affects on the landscape for years. I say to you as i then start looking through the rubble of the tower once more being careful when making my way through everything as i gently lift rocks to one side to see if i can find some body, or signs of something to try and help with this. I make my investigations head towards the direction of closest towards the forest as i continue searching as i start noticing slash marks along the stone. Seeing this i look around and notices that he general scene looks like some kind of struggle with how much this side of the ruins have upturned rocks and slashes along them with a few blood spatters on them that look rather new. 'So if there was somebody here that means it would be recent, and whatever was here met an enemy that turned into a fight. Now it is only the matter of following this little scene of chaos to the source. With the source hopefully being that of the wife alive.' I think to myself with a nod of my head.