[PP-03] Secrets

[Kirbs 0]

The redhead yawned as she exited from her shop's doorless building. She was going to do some early morning gathering! With her shop being closed for now, she wanted to spend the extra time either leveling up or gathering. Oh, how fun that absolutely sounded.

Not.

She sighed and scooted out of town quickly, with her familiar- unfortunately- on her shoulders. Was it too late to make amends with Scarfy? I mean, he's been a jerk ever since she quote on quote, 'befriended' him. Was it so hard to ask for some damn respect from this legless thing? She rubbed her eyelids with her fingers and internally groaned. She was stuck in a video game and all she was worrying about was her virtual fox-snake pet thingie. Oh, must the world be so cruel to her?

Kirbs stepped on to the fresh green grass with a faltered smile. It could've probably been more genuine if she didn't have a ten pound Nguruvilu around her damn neck. There was an odd feeling she had, however. Like a gut feeling when you know something bad was going to happen. Great.

[Pinball 1]

There was no magic in the elven woods. Just two men duking it out in the rain and the grass and the mud, a rushing river winding around beside them. The morning light was only just now beginning to peak through the leaves of the speckled deciduous forests, and what rain made it through the leafy roof over their heads was shrunk and sparse and cool to the touch. 

The grip on his spear never faltered, even when his vicious strikes hit nothing but the air next to him. Pinball was flung back by the strength of the armored, bearded man in front of him, his wet hair sticking to his face. He slid across the damp earth, sending up a wave of dirt and mud - and almost slipped - but he managed to jab the butt of his spear into the ground and right himself. 

"You're [censored] crazy, kid," came the man's gruff response. He hefted the slim two-handed longsword onto his shoulder. "And you need help. I almost feel sorry for you. I really do." 

Woosh! 

Without warning, the gleaming steel blade cut through the air, leaving a bright yellow afterimage behind it - passing just inches away from Pinball's face. 

"Almost. But if you keep coming after me, I'm going to have to defend myself. Do you understand that?" 

A pause. 

"Do you?" 

Grit teeth. 

Go to hell. 

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Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] [-1 EN] {Well Rested} /// [Mercer's HM: +4 DMG] 
Mercer: ID#118316 BD: 1 (Crit.Miss!) MD: 6+1-3= 4 (Miss!)

Pinball: 1040/1040 HP | 103/104 EN | 18 DMG | 3 EVA | 3 ACC 

Mercer: 820/820 HP | 86/88 EN | 14 DMG | 4 HM | 54 MIT | 18 Thorns | 1 ACC 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Pinball

[Kirbs 0]

When did it start raining?

Kirbs honestly didn't feel anything until Scarfy started nipping at her face.

"Hey, stop that. Stop!" She whacked his face away-- not too harshly, she hoped-- and blinked when she felt drops of water rolling down her face. She held out her hand and sighed when she felt more cold water beat against her palm. Why were there no damn weather forecasts in Aincrad? Like, bloody hell, the weather was unpredictable here! For someone who created the NerveGear, Kayaba was a real dunce for not adding predictable weather. 

The redhead nearly yelped when he foot slid against the ground. She stumbled a bit before regaining her balance, silently cursing the clouds for being such a-holes. All she wanted was to gather. Was that so impossibly hard to ask of this damn game?! Kirbs internally sobbed as she trudged through the wet forest and satisfying sound of her boots slushing against the mud filled her ears.

ID: 118318

LD: 15, Success

Total Materials: 1

[Pinball 1]

Pinball was off, charging towards Mercer with a feral grin, kicking up a storm of dirt and grass and mud, leaving a trail of snow and shadow behind him. 

Wasn't this exhilarating? 

Mercer stifled a sigh and shook his head. The bearded warrior found himself in a tactical crouch, his face twisted in an unseemly grimace. He tightened the grip on his sword, the metal plates that made up his armor shifting with the sudden movement. 

"Come at me then," he snarled defensively, "and don't say I didn't warn you." 

Flashes of color punctuated the violent clash, piercing the darkness and superimposed melancholy. 

Pinball had thrown himself at Mercer like he had been slung from a catapult and tore into him with a relentless barrage of spear strikes - though much to his dismay, Mercer met his thrusts with a single, vicious strike to his exposed chest. 

The unarmored teen was sent flying backwards, and for a moment he was flying. And then dirt, dirt, dirt, mud, dirt, tree. 

Whack! Pinball's back collided with one of many Immortal Objects in the clearing. 

Mercer harrumphed and rested his sword across his shoulders. 

"You fight like an animal." 

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Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] [-13 EN/+1 EN] {Well Rested}
Mercer: ID#118329 BD: 6+3= 9 (Hit!) MD: 10 (Crit+2) ~ 18*15= 270-54= 216 DMG  // 14+2+4+4= 24*13= 312 DMG 

Pinball: 728/1040 HP | 91/104 EN | 18 DMG | 3 EVA | 3 ACC 

Mercer: 604/820 HP | 74/88 EN | 14 DMG | 4 HM | 54 MIT | 18 Thorns | 1 ACC

Edited July 7, 2019 by Pinball

[Kirbs 0]

Kirbs grumbled curses under her breath as she stepped in another puddle of water. Wet socks, my friends, suck arse. She fell back on to a tree, the will to gather already fading out of her consciousness. The rain really just made it run away, and she was sure if she was glad or not. I mean, she was happy not walking around in wet mud finding some stupid rocks. She sighed, contemplating on whether to go back to her shop or not... but it was really, really, really far. She groaned, pressing the back of her head against the cold and stiff bark of the tree. Damn, was she being a potato today. Today of all days, too! Ugh, she really needed to make some new friends.

The redhead sniffed as she lazily blinked at the ground. Hell, she wasn't sure what she was doing but it beats gathering, right?

ID: 118422

LD: 2

Total Materials: 1

 

[Pinball 1]

Pinball was still stunned and left recoiling from the attack. Out of habit he pushed himself to his hands and knees and shot a cold glare at Mercer... who was already closing the distance. 

"You fight like an animal," he repeated, growling as he lifted his sword, "so you can learn to run away like one." 

Mercer's sword punched through Pinball's back and came out the front, nailing him into the dirt. 

Pinball fell limp, splayed out in the mud. 

The nerve.

Mercer took a step back and brought the back of his hand across his mouth. 

Are you looking down on me?

"Run off now. Nobody needs to die today." 

Are you scared? 

Pinball twisted his head to look up at Mercer, icy blue eyes boring holes into his forehead. Mercer stepped forwards again and pulled his sword free. Pinball stayed where he was. The armored man watched Pinball helplessly, maybe unsure as to what he was supposed to do now. 

"You're no killer, are you?" Mercer scoffed. "Leave it to the Laughing Coffin, dude. I don't know what business you have with my old guild, but you're not going to get a word out of me." 

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Action Taken: Sword Art - [Dimension Stampede] [-2 EN/+1 EN] 
Mercer: ID#118423 BD: 2+3= 5 (Miss!) MD: 10 (Crit+2) ~ //14+2= 16*13= 208 DMG 

Pinball: 520/1040 HP | 90/104 EN | 18 DMG | 3 EVA | 3 ACC 

Mercer: 604/820 HP | 74/88 EN | 14 DMG | 4 HM | 54 MIT | 18 Thorns | 1 ACC

Edited July 8, 2019 by Pinball

[Kirbs 0]

Kirbs tapped on the scales of her familiar lightly, as if almost telling him keep a heads up. The third floor was a pretty overall happy place, but she still got chills when she walked around in a forest like this, especially if it was pouring like it is right now. She was sure she could take on a couple of low leveled mobs... but players were a whole different level. Even if they were a lower level than her,-- which was very unlikely-- the last thing she would want to do was hurt someone.

The redhead nearly squeaked out loud when she heard a voice. Course, the rain was loud as hell but she did manege to make out a faint one. Should she run? Gah, she was a bit too lazy for that, right now. It couldn't hurt to possibly look? Who knows, maybe they were harmless people? Kirbs sighed and shrugged. "Yolo," she mumbled, pushing herself off of the tree.