{PP-F2} Hunting <<Long Live the Queen>>

[Pinball 1]

Spoiler

<<Long Live The Queen>>

This quest takes place on Floor 2
This quest is repeatable

Word from the Information Brokers speaks of a hidden respawning Field Boss on Floor 2. A small party reported having farmed the <<Wind Wasps>> found throughout the fields awakened a hidden Field Boss. This monster, identified as <<Wind Wasp Queen>>, proved to be a dangerous opponent for the relatively low leveled party, and dropped a powerful Alchemical Potion.

Requirements:

-At least two [2] Pages (21 or more posts)

-Maximum Party Size of 3

-The Wasp Queen must be defeated 

-Repeat completions will only yield <<The Matriarch's Stinger>>

Wasp Queen Information

<The Wasp Queen> is a respawning Field Boss and has the following statistics:

HP: 50
Damage per Attack: 20

Rewards:

1. <<The Matriarch's Stinger>> This incredibly potent venom can be applied to a weapon to provide an additional +1 damage for the duration of one battle. (Awarded to each player)
2. 3 Skill Points

 

Parties or Groups of low level players are advised.
Recommended Level: 8

If there was one thing that Pinball didn't like, it was the heat. Despite being raised by the sea in a humid, tropical environment, Pinball had never been very tolerant of that when it came down to it. It was gross and icky, and he would find himself wishing for cold rain or the comfort of an air conditioned house. 

It was a hot day on the Second Floor. The sun was shining, birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and Pinball was subjecting himself to his own little personal hell. Pinball was lying in the grass, watching the pine trees above him sway in the wind, the bright afternoon sun beating down on his young face. There were uncomfortable, distracting lurches in his stomach; he hadn't eaten in what felt like days, and Cardinal was punishing him for that. But Pinball's deadpan expression never faltered.

On the Second Floor though, life went on, and wildlife would sometimes stop and stare at the boy before skittering back off into the woods. Pinball wasn't far from the Safe Zone, but most people didn't bother him. Most tended to avoid him, actually - understandably. Pinball was marked by sin. 

Yeah, he was just kind of lying there. You know. Chilling. 

@Symphony

Player Stats: 

Spoiler

Level: 52
Health: 1040 | Energy: 104
DMG: 9 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3
 
Skills:
 
Combat skills:
►N/A
 
Weapon skills:
►<<2H Assault Spear>> [50/50]: Rank 5 - Grandmaster
►<<1H Straight Sword>> [50/50]: Rank 5 - Grandmaster
 
Armor skills:
►N/A
 
Extra skills:
►<<Familiar Mastery: Fighter>> [18/18]: Rank 3 - Grandmaster
►<<Martial Arts>> [0/50]: N/A
►<<Survival>> ~ Active 
 
Utility Skills:
►<<Hiding>> [50/50]: Rank 5 - Grandmaster
 
Modifiers:
►[Active] <<2H Assault Spear: Ferocity>>: +1 Base DMG
►[Active] <<2H Assault Spear: Finesse>> ~ Rank 3 
►[Active] <<Sneak Attack: Assassin>>
►[Active] <<Hiding: Vanish>> 
 
Inventory
»Empty
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Dragon’s Skin: +3 EVA
»[Equipped] [Perfect] Warrior’s Focus: +3 ACC
 
Battle Ready: 
» [3x] Teleportation Crystal 
» [2x] Greater Curative Potion: +120 HP 
» [3x] Crystallized Healing: +60 HP (Party)
» [5x] Spinach-Artichoke Dip: +2 EVA  
» [Demonic 2HAS] Cold Fervor: +2 Freeze, Phase, Cursed

House Buffs: 

Spoiler

Housing Buffs: 
“Rested”:  -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
“Clean”: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
“Filling”: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30
“Relaxed”: Increases HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

 

Edited April 21, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony was walking through the second floor with her familiar Cloak. He had come from this floor and they were visiting his nesting area. She was walking along one of the main trails when she happened upon a familiar face. "Ah, if it isn't Pinball," she said as she looked down at the boy. "See you still haven't taken care of yourself." The darn thing. He needs to take care of himself. Can't imagine how he survived in the real world, she thought to herself. 

Opening her inventory, she tossed a peanut butter and banana sandwich down to the boy and poured a bit of water from her canteen onto his face to get him to phase out of things. "Come on, get back to reality and eat something," she nagged while kicking his leg with her boot. She saw how sad of a state he was in and sighed. She whistled for Cloak to go keep watch in the trees while she sat down next to the sad image of a boy. 

[Pinball 1]

After a few moments, the name finally came to him. 

Symphony. 

It wasn't a very meaningful name. He vaguely recalled helping her with a quest a while ago. But the way she immediately admonished what she perceived as his carelessness was confusing. Why was she acting like that? What had he done to make her this grumpy? Pinball finally moved... his face. Into a frown. "You're in my light." But she didn't seem like she wanted to move, and she told him to eat something. "I'm not hungry," he lied.

Pinball sat up rolling up his coat sleeves. His bracelet dangled from his wrist now, glittering brightly in the sunlight. The antique looking jar tied to his waist via leather cord rattled violently, little globs of shadow falling to the forest floor like raindrops. If Zomekko could hiss, she would have voiced her displeasure with Pinball's sudden movement. Symphony sat down next to him. He didn't say anything, but he turned his head to acknowledge her. 

And in the distance, faint but steadily increasing in volume, there came the heavy thrum of wings. 

[Symphony 0]

"Well, at least it's still alive," Symphony said as the boy turned his head. "Now eat." She held the sandwich out to him again, and took another one out to chew on. Cloak cawed from a tree and she whistled to him. Taking a piece of meat out of her inventory, she tossed it up for the black raven to eat. He swooped down and caught it above her head, the breeze from his wings making her hair flow. Cloak perched back up in a tree where he gobbled the meat in one gulp. 

She took a swig of water from her canteen and then turned to the boy. "Now why are you out here by yourself. On a dirt path. Blocking it?" she questioned. "Last I saw you, you had left me in the middle of a quest to do gods know what. Now to find you here..." She sighed. "Well I suppose I can put you to some use." She grinned. "You can come with me on a quest! Seems you have nothing better to do with yourself anyways."

[Pinball 1]

He eyed the sandwich for a second before taking it and turning away from Symphony - but he didn't actually take a bite. There was a crow in the trees, he noticed. Her familiar. Pinball stared at the sandwich in his hands before responding. Or, actually, not responding. He hadn't noticed he was lying down on a dirt path. He thought the ground had just been unusually flat. But, again, he couldn't say that. Instead, he shrugged. 

Why was she here again? 

Pinball felt his eyebrows raise. A quest? Typical. She probably wanted to join the frontlines. He felt an unnatural bitterness bubbling in his chest, but he didn't voice or otherwise put that disgust on display. "What quest?" 

But the droning in the distance was upon them, now, and bobbing and weaving through pine trees in the distance, there was a giant wasp. Its health bar filled, and Pinball breathed a sigh of relief. There were no minions. This was the easy one. 

<<The Wasp Queen>> 

[Symphony 0]

"Ah, jeez," Symphony said after she spotted the large wasp. "Well, you asked about the quest. This is it." She took out her weapon and charged it. She continued, "Some knuckle heads decided to hunt some wind wasps and spawned this guy. They were too weak to defeat it." She scoffed. "Time to take care of business." 

However, Symphony was too confident in herself. She had neglected to remember that the Wasp Queen was the quickest of her species, despite her large size. As Symphony charged at the enemy, it dodged out of her way swiftly and stung her in the back. The Wasp Queen's stinger managed to penetrate Symphony's armor and pierced her skin. Symphony winced and fell to the ground. She quickly rolled out of the way of another attack. 

She turned to look at Pin behind her. "Well, she may come after you next, so get up." As she said this, Cloak flew down to check on her. She pet the familiar quickly and comfortingly and then motioned for him to take flight again. 

Spoiler

Roll ID#: 115220

BD: 4 (fail, -2 energy)

MD: 9 (+1 crit)

Symphony 

153/160 HP | 14/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN

VS. 

Wasp Queen

50/50 HP | 20 DMG

20 + 1 CRIT = 21 DMG - 14 MIT = 7 DMG

Edited April 25, 2019 by Symphony

[Pinball 1]

Sounds about right. Too often, new players would take on a quest they were ill-prepared for. If players were bears and quests were honey, Breaking the Unbreakable was the tastiest catch in Aincrad. Or it seemed to be, until they realized just how difficult it was to break a boulder. He had been one of those dumbasses, once. But it was a common thing, and Pinball wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly how it went down. 

The way Symphony went in for a strike without hesitation and tanked a hit let him know that she wasn't completely incapable of doing this quest on her own, if she needed to. So Pinball didn't even take out a weapon. Instead, he held his palms open in front of him. From the jar on his waist seeped a pitch black fog. It crept through the air, twisting around his waist and then snaking its way up his forearms to ignite his fists in shadowy flame. Pinball watched Symphony hit the ground in front of him and tell him to join the little brawl. He crouched in front of her, a slight smirk cracking his normally cold exterior.

"Maybe if you ask nicely." 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Taken: Basic Attack [-2 EN] 
Wasp Queen: ID#114224 BD: 2+3= 5 (Miss!) 

[H: 0] Symphony: 53/60 HP | 13/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN
[H:0] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 102/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Wasp Queen: 50/50 HP | 20 DMG

Edited April 22, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

At his retort, Symphony's eyes began to burn with a certain fire. She had changed much since they had last met. Her temper had grown shorter and she was more knowledgeable about this world and its players. She would not hesitate to beat him across the head if needed. If only she was a higher level. 

She frowned as she looked up at them, but then she remembered something. She remembered what made him uncomfortable. Her frown turned into a smirk as she rose up in front of him. She got real close to him and put her hand under his chin. Her voice completely changed to a more... seductive tone as she said, "Now, a strong, handsome man such as yourself wouldn't possibly leave a woman by herself in the face of danger." She pet the side of his cheek with her hand while looking into his eyes. "Would you care to join me, love? Pretty please," she asked while getting ever closer to him.

Suddenly, Cloak cawed and the moment was finished. Her eyes grew dark and she leaped backwards over the charging enemy and quickly stabbed into the enemy with her dagger four times. The Wasp Queen buzzed angrily and focused her attention back on Symphony. 

@Pinball

Spoiler

Roll ID#: 115236

BD: 6 (success)

MD: 2 (fail)

Symphony 

158/160 HP | 11/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN (+1 hate)

+5 REGEN (1/3)

Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 102/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA

Fad Edge sword art: 6 X 4 = 24

VS. 

Wasp Queen

26/50 HP | 20 DMG

Rank 1

• [x2 Stun] Side Bite (5 Energy) - Stab your opponent in both sides, pincing nerves, stunning opponent.
• [x2] Round Accel (2 Energy) - Dash around target at high speeds, delivering two slash/stabs into target.

Rank 2

• [x3] Tri Pierce (3 Energy) - Stab target three times, slashing diagonally to cause a triangle effect on each one
• [x4] Fad Edge (4 Energy) - The user swiftly strikes the opponent with four thrusts in brisk succession.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Symphony

[Pinball 1]

Boy, she sure knew how to set Pinball off! She got closer and closer, whispering sweet nothings in his ear and causing his face to turn an unhealthy shade of bright red. Except she wasn't even saying anything bad, and Pinball just got embarrassed easily. Even when it was somebody random. She was just so close! And her voice sounded so... weird! 

Pinball reeled back, blushing like a madman. "I'm not, I don't.. I'm-" 

And then Zomekko enveloped his shoulders in a shadowy shroud. The black flame licked at his torso and spread, covering Pinball in a blanket of darkness. And then, once the teenager had been completely obscured by Zomekko's fog, it shrunk, blinking out of existance, leaving nothing behind. Pinball had vanished, leaving Symphony alone with the Wasp Queen. 

But he hadn't. Unbeknownst to neither Symphony or the Wasp Queen, Pinball, now stealthed, hurried around the side of them in an arc, making out to flank the monster. He waited for it to get closer to Symphony and attempt to strike. Then, he planned, he would burst and knock it upside its big old, stupid head. 

Pinball, for the record, was still a shade of bright pink. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Taken: Vanish [-3 EN/+1 EN] 
Vanish: ID#115352 LD: 10+5= 15
Stealth Rating: 15

[H:1] Symphony: 158/160 HP | 10/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:0] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 1/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

26/50 HP | 20 DMG

Edited April 24, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony looked around as Pinball vanished in front of her. She could still sense him. And she could still see his blushing red face in her mind. She giggled quietly to herself. It was always fun to tease him and knock him off of his guard. As she giggled, she turned around and readied her blade. She seemed to dance with her blade across the ground and towards the monster. She paused in front of the Wasp Queen and taunted it teasingly. The Queen hissed, and when it charged her, she dodged nimbly away. Giggling at the fun of it all, she attempted a sword art. Charging at the Queen, she aimed for its under body, the weak point. However, she glanced shy of the weak spot as the Wasp Queen buzzed away at lightening speed until she was behind Symphony. 

Symphony turned around and her eyes darkened, her smile turning into a frown. "Now come here, my prey~," she said. "Let me kill you."

Spoiler

Roll ID#: 115363

BD: 4 (-2 energy)

MD: 4 (fail)

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 10/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:0] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 1/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

26/50 HP | 20 DMG

 

Rank 1

• [x2 Stun] Side Bite (5 Energy) - Stab your opponent in both sides, pincing nerves, stunning opponent.
• [x2] Round Accel (2 Energy) - Dash around target at high speeds, delivering two slash/stabs into target.

Rank 2

• [x3] Tri Pierce (3 Energy) - Stab target three times, slashing diagonally to cause a triangle effect on each one
• [x4] Fad Edge (4 Energy) - The user swiftly strikes the opponent with four thrusts in brisk succession.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Symphony

[Pinball 1]

The Wasp Queen darted towards Symphony, its buzzing wings carrying it relatively easily through the air. Which was surprising, considering it looked like a giant macaroni noodle. Pinball followed along, staying low and trying his best to maintain stealth. He saw it lash out with a stinger, and he saw Symphony dodge and attempt her own attack. She was just shy of hitting it, though, and the color in her dagger faded and fizzled out. While she was giggling, Pinball charged, invisible to the both of them. The Wasp Queen was hovering a few feet off the ground, so Pinball launched himself into the air with a powerful kick into the ground, sending him flying forward. 

It was then that the air around him blurred and he became visible again, shadowed fists held together tight over his head. He brought his arms down in a spike that sent the Wasp Queen spinning to the floor, where it hit the ground and slammed into rocks and leaves and grass. Pinball twisted to the side in midair as he fell to avoid landing on top of it, instead nimbly drifting into a rather fluffy little patch of grass next to the twitching Macarobee.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Taken: Basic Attack [-1 EN/+1 EN] / Sneak Attack!
Wasp Queen: ID#115375 BD: 10 (+2 Crit) LD: 20+5= 25 (Assassination!) ~ 9+2+3= 14 DMG 

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 7/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:2] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 1/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

12/50 HP | 20 DMG

Edited April 25, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony walked over and looked down at the Wasp Queen and then looked over at Pinball. Then back at the Wasp Queen. "Oh," was all she said as she readied her blade once more, surprised at the sudden attack and the overwhelming effectiveness. The Wasp Queen looked up at Symphony and buzzed angrily. So Symphony leaped back out of its way. Alright, I just need one sword art to work to take this bloody thing out, she thought as she charged her blade. She charged towards the monster, but as she was running, she managed to trip over her own feet and came skidding to a halt on her face in front of the creature. "Ow..." 

Cloak sighed in the air at his partner and then swooped down to distract the Wasp Queen from his helpless companion. The Wasp Queen couldn't even come close to hitting the small, fast blur of a bird. 

@Pinball

Spoiler

Roll ID#: 115376

BD: 4 (-2 energy)

MD: 5 (fail)

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 9/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:2] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 1/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

12/50 HP | 20 DMG

Rank 1

• [x2 Stun] Side Bite (5 Energy) - Stab your opponent in both sides, pincing nerves, stunning opponent.
• [x2] Round Accel (2 Energy) - Dash around target at high speeds, delivering two slash/stabs into target.

Rank 2

• [x3] Tri Pierce (3 Energy) - Stab target three times, slashing diagonally to cause a triangle effect on each one
• [x4] Fad Edge (4 Energy) - The user swiftly strikes the opponent with four thrusts in brisk succession.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Symphony

[Pinball 1]

Pinball watched Symphony charge forward, bird flapping its silly little wings beside her, her dagger glowing with a bright, neon colored energy. That attack would finish it, he knew. Except it didn't. As Pinball took a step backwards to give her room to hit the thing, he heard a low thud. She tripped. Over a little pebble. Pinball snorted, went over to the Wasp Queen, and shoved a hand around its throat. Or - you know - whatever throat-like kind of thing that wasps have. With Pinball restricting its movement, it wasn't able to move or stab or use its stupid, loud wings. As a matter of fact - Pinball brought a boot down on one of them, and ripped it off with a kick. 

"You just hit it," he told Symphony simply, looking at her like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. And then, as if showing her just what he meant, he brought a fist down on the Queen, dropping its health to a tiny red sliver. "So finish it?" 

On the inside, he though it was kind of funny. But he never cracked a smile. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Taken: Basic Attack 
Wasp Queen: ID#115377 BD: 6+3= 9 (Hit!) ~ 9 DMG 

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 9/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:2] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 3/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

3/50 HP | 20 DMG

Edited April 25, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony looked up and whimpered. Heck. There goes my clutziness again, she thought to herself as she looked up at Pinball. She picked herself up slowly, depressed now that she hadn't hit the darn thing at all. She charged her blade and was about to strike when the Wasp Queen wiggled out of Pinball's grasp and flew straight up into air above them. Symphony slashed, and after realizing she hit nothing, looked up. "Heck," was all she said as the watched the giant bumble heck ready its butt. It aimed down at Pinball, and Symphony backed away slowly. Cloak followed suit and landed on a tree branch, waiting for what was to happen next. 

The Wasp Queen was over 15 feet up in the air. Enough of a height to get up a good velocity for her attack. She buzzed angrily and then aimed for Pinball, coming down quickly at him. Well, good luck, Symphony thought as she watched the high speed bug torpedo coming down. 

@Pinball

Spoiler

Roll ID#: 115378

BD: 2

MD: 8

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 8/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:2] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 3/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

3/50 HP | 20 DMG

Rank 1

• [x2 Stun] Side Bite (5 Energy) - Stab your opponent in both sides, pincing nerves, stunning opponent.
• [x2] Round Accel (2 Energy) - Dash around target at high speeds, delivering two slash/stabs into target.

Rank 2

• [x3] Tri Pierce (3 Energy) - Stab target three times, slashing diagonally to cause a triangle effect on each one
• [x4] Fad Edge (4 Energy) - The user swiftly strikes the opponent with four thrusts in brisk succession.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Symphony

[Pinball 1]

He watched Symphonoy push herself onto her feet. Really, really slowly. He almost sighed, but instead, he let the Wasp Queen wiggle out of his grip. Pinball straightened himself, shadowy flame still eagerly licking his fists. How is she going to last in a real fight if she moves like that? Pinball cocked his head to the side as he watched her charge. Her stance was open, and she didn't look like she was ready to jump out of the way if something tried to attack it. Pinball could probably clock her in the nose right now if he wanted to. But he looked up, and the one-winged Wasp Queen was, although in a very lopsided fashion, hovering in the air again. And it only had eyes for him. 

With an angry buzz, it sped towards him, macaroni stinger outstretched like the deadly point of a spear. 

Smack. 

Pinball brought the back of his hand across the monster's side once it closed in, and the thing instantly disintegrated, exploding into a cloud of translucent blue shards. He hadn't even flinched, nor had he taken a step forward. It wasn't like it was fast enough to hit him unless he let it, anyway. Pinball turned and rested his gaze back on Symphony, his icy blue stare unwavering. His face had returned to its natural state of unnatural stoicism. Zomekko pulled itself from his hands, and reformed the ghostly silhouette of a foggy black cat with pure white eyes. 

Now they were both staring. 

"See ya," Pinball said.

He turned around and started to leave. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Action Taken: Basic Attack [-1 EN/+1 EN] 
Wasp Queen: ID#115379 BD: 6+3= 9 (Hit!) ~ 9 DMG 

[H:1] Symphony: 160/160 HP | 8/16 ENG | 6 DMG | 14 MIT | 9-10 PLYZ | +5 REGEN 
[H:2] Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 100/104 EN | 9 DMG | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | {Vanish: 3/3}

VS. 

Wasp Queen

0/50 HP | 20 DMG

Edited April 26, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony watched with eyes wide as Pinball just beat the buzzing bug with his fist. It disintegrated and was gone from this world. He moved so easily and struck with efficiency. Unlike herself. She sighed and then saw him and his companion staring at her. She looked down and kicked the dirt in front of her, too ashamed to meet his gaze. I am an absolute failure, she thought to herself as she heard him turn to leave. Her eyes drifted to the side to see that the Wasp Queen had dropped some items. She silently walked over to them and then walked quickly to catch up to Pinball. Tapping him on the shoulder, she held out <<The Matriarch's Stringer>> that the field boss had dropped. Still unable to look him directly in the eyes, she let him have the item and then walked over to some grass where she just lay face down in, sighing heavily. She was just a burden to others. No wonder higher level players never quested with her often. She couldn't even hit a still tree if she tried, she thought to herself. 

@Pinball

[Pinball 1]

The sound of the flirtatious woman plopping down in the grass behind him was like his own little dismissal. That was fine. He had just been leaving, anyway. For some reason he felt his heart being torn in two again. Why did he even talk to people in the first place? Why was he still here? He should have left her to fend off the giant Macaroni Bee by herself. She could have handled it. But what if she couldn't have? He didn't care. Did he? Why did he even let people talk to him in the first place? He hurt people. People hurt him and he hurt them more. He could kill people. He didn't want to. He wasn't a killer. But he'd killed before. He wrecked people's lives and ran away and didn't take responsibility. Was distancing himself from everything really the best thing he could do? It was the only thing he could do. 

Why was he here? 

Pinball obviously wasn't really in the best of places right now, mentally. He brought his hand up to his head and wiped it across his face. He needed sleep. He needed somewhere to sleep. Far away from here. Maybe on that Safe Zone that was just a big old, flat mountain. It was unguarded and he could rest in the grass. Maybe he could even set up a tent and sleep with a pillow this time. He started to shuffle down the forest path he had been lying across just a few minutes ago, down a winding dirt trail through tall, swaying pine trees and towards the vast, rocky, mountainous plains in the distance ahead of him. 

But behind him, a group of three people pushed through the miniature forest. There was a man that towered over the other two, glowering if not stoic in his cold disposition. He had a long head of jet black hair, a bit of scruff on his chin, and pale blue eyes not too unlike Pinball's. The big one had an impressive build, but physical strength didn't matter in their reality. Not anymore.

Then, chattering away was a much younger man, holding a shiny katana that he rested on his shoulder. Dyed purple and tied into a ponytail, the younger man's hair was the least ostentatious part about him. He wore bright blue and white robes, and he was covered in bright piercings and other gross jewelery. Pinball couldn't make out what he was talking about, really. Too far away. Too confusing. The guy seemed to relentlessly bounce from one topic to the next. 

Between the two older men was a much younger boy. He was around Fae's age, actually. That depressed the hell out of him. Kids shouldn't be out wandering Aincrad, even with an escort like these two. Especially not a dangerous place like this. The boy had short, ratty black hair and a sullen expression. Like the bigger guy, he didn't talk at all. He didn't even look at either of them, actually. He stared at the ground in front of them as he walked, and backed away if the annoying looking one leading them slowed down and got closer. 

Pinball stepped behind a tree, his eyes narrowed. He listened the best he could to their conversation, but for the life of him he couldn't make anything out. He pushed himself to the floor, but he knew that wouldn't do him any good when they caught sight of him. But what was he hiding for, anyway? He wasn't even sure. Maybe he just had a bad feeling. The group stopped where Symphony was lying in the grass. The purple-haired one led the conversation, a happy grin on his face. 

"G'afternoon, ma'am! How are ya?" He stepped around in front of her and offered her a hand. "Just finish a quest?" 

Pinball vanished and opened the journal he kept hooked in holsters. The one he kept his list of names. Aside from Velouria, there were only two in his book. 

"I'm Ryukou. This is Mercer," he said, gesturing to the tall one.

Spoiler

 

Username: Mercer
Age: 31
Height: 6'2" 
Lvl: 48 
SP: 196 

Stats: 
990 HP 
96 EN 
16 DMG 
89 MIT
36 Thorns 
3 ACC 
1 HM

Rank 5: Two-Handed Straight Sword 
   Mods: Ferocity 
Rank 5: Heavy Armor 
   Mods: Athletics 
Rank 5: Charge 
Rank 3: Familiar Mastery - Accurate

Equipment: 
  Sword of the Undying: +6 DMG 
  Obsidian Breastplate: +2 Thorns / Heavy Momentum
  Gauntlets of Giant's Strength: +3 MIT 

   

Spoiler

Username: Ryukou 
Age: 19 
Height: 5'9 
Lvl: 27 
SP: 84 

Stats: 

540 HP 
54 EN 
15 DMG 
1 EVA
36 MIT 
3 ACC

Rank 5: Katana
Mods: Ferocity 
Rank 1: Curved Sword 
Rank 2: Charge 

Equipment: 

Killing Edge: +6 DMG 
Boiled Leather: +2 MIT, +1 EVA
Talisman: +3 ACC 

 

Spoiler

Username: Pupphy 
Age: 9 
Height: 4'4
Lvl: 3
SP: 8

Stats: 

60 HP 
6 EN 
3 DMG 
2 EVA 

Rank 1: First Aid 

Equipment: 

Iron Dagger: +2 DMG 
Talisman: +2 EVA 

  

Edited May 7, 2019 by Pinball

[Symphony 0]

Symphony took the man's hand and got up. "Uh... yeah. Very nice to meet you." She stuck out her hand to shake theirs while saying, "My name is Symphony." She was bewildered at where these men had come from. She had never seen them before in the game, and the young one between them concerned her. She always had a motherly instinct, and her instinct was telling her something was wrong by the way the boy acted. 

She tried to strike up a conversation to see what these three were doing out in the woods, especially a group of two men and what looked like a kid. "So, what are you guys doing out here? Going for a quest or something?" She wanted to gauge their answers and see if they were good men or not. And she knew the highly talkative one would give her the answers she needed in due time. Talkers like him rarely filtered what they said. She just hoped they weren't dangerous guys. 

While she was waiting for a response, she happened to realize that Pinball had disappeared abnormally quickly. Great, now where did that idiot go? she thought to herself. And why does he always have to leave my quests... She stifled a sad sigh and kept the smile on her face, hiding her emotions. 

@Pinball