[F19 - PP] Hunting Gone Wrong

[Bahr 0]

Bahr listened thoughtfully as Macradon spoke, placing a hand to his chin and thinking about it. It had been awhile since he read any literature on the subject. He had still thought Heathcliffe was active, and had no idea that Macradon was no longer considered a frontliner. How could that be?

"I'll be honest, it's been awhile since I read up on it," he remarked plainly, dropping his hand to his side. "The thing is, I lived vicariously through you guys for a couple years while I hung out in the Town of Beginnings. I was... waiting for someone. Still am, I guess, though it's more like searching now. The only connection I had to the rest of Aincrad was through the literature I read about the frontliners and what they had accomplished." He took a seat on a nearby fallen pillar, interlacing his fingers and resting his elbows on his knees. "For the past two weeks or so, I've really been giving it my all to catch up. I've actually got some concerns about the frontlines after seeing how the culture in Aincrad has developed, and something tell me I'll find the answers I need about my friend once I get there. Or so I hope."

It was time to pivot. This absolute unit of a man probably wasn't interested in a noob's progress or personal quandaries. "What about you, Mac? What do you mean when you say you aren't a frontliner? You're easily the strongest person I've met so far, and I've run across a few characters before this that absolutely dwarfed me in strength."

[Macradon 0]

Macradon shrugged “Just means I’m not a frontliner I guess. I don’t fight on the frontlines. I don’t attend their strategy meetings. I don’t really have much contact with those that do the frontlining. For now, I’m just another citizen of the floating castle Aincrad, doing my job as a blacksmith on the first floor, helping those that need a helping hand to get going and be capable of defending themselves.” Macradon said quite proudly “I’ve never actually felt more proud before. Once, I was known as the second strongest player in terms of level at the frontlines, but then I jumped off. I went back down to my roots and just stuck them into the ground. I live with my fiancé, and we need no danger that the frontlines pose. I have seen, I have experienced the frontlines, I had been a leading figure … but now, I’m just an ol’ frontline veteran. I don’t even want to be known as a frontliner right now, the only thing I want to be known as is the Grandmaster Blacksmith of the Town of Beginnings.” Macradon said, knowing that this wasn’t what many PK’ers knew him as, but since Bahr wasn’t a danger after all, that alias was not to be told to those that did not need to be put in PK danger. "I do keep my routine of training in check so I'm ready to fight when needed be, but I don't train like I used to." Macradon said, he was still in proper condition to fight on the frontlines, but he just didn't want to anymore, especially not after what had happened the last time he was there.

[Bahr 0]

"If you don't mind me asking... Don't you want you and your fiance to get out of here? I'd think if I had my loved one with me, I'd fight twice as hard to break through these floors and bust us out of here. I don't mean to offend by suggesting that, and everyone is obviously different, but did something else happen that made you come to this decision?" Bahr was a little out of his element here, but he had to ask. There had to be more to this guy than simply being a "retired" frontliner. Not many who went to the frontlines got out by choice, especially not those as high ranked and powerful as Macradon.

"Actually... Don't worry about it. You don't need to tell me anything. It's not really my place to suggest what you should or shouldn't do, or ask why you're doing what you're doing. I'm happy you're happy and fulfilled doing what you do," Bahr said, giving the man a genuine smile. "Now, there's still the matter of payment. I don't really have much to offer you for saving my hide, but I'd feel weird not showing my gratitude in a tangible way somehow. I've got... this much."

He opened up a trade menu and sent a request to Macradon. It was for col only in the amount of 9323 col. "I know it isn't much, but hopefully this can square us off."

[Macradon 0]

Macradon smiled and nodded “Aye, we don’t want to be stuck in here, but also, we don’t want to have the possibility of one of us not being able to come out at the end. We have been too many times too close to the possibility, and I, at least, chose not to walk that path anymore, I don’t even feel like I’m welcome to follow that path anymore.” Macradon replied. “If you rummage around enough, you’ll hear of the disaster of the 23rd floor, can’t really say I was the reason it happened, but I can surely say that I was the reason it wasn’t stopped in a proper manner.” Macradon said while sighing heavily from the memories. Macradon would shake his head and push the trade menu away from him “No need to pay me, if anything, I should pay you to get stronger. What will I get out of having just a little bit of more pocket change for what I’m used to. I’d rather have you keep it.” Macradon replied. “So, what Tier are you at the moment?” Macradon asked.

[Bahr 0]

Bahr was confused by what he was hearing. Getting paid to become stronger? That didn't seem right. Either way, it had been a genuine surprise to see him dismiss Bahr's offer. Most people weren't so selfless. At least not without some other cost attached to their philanthropy. 

"I'm uhh... Only Tier 1..." he replied somewhat sheepishly, knowing that it was absurd for someone of his caliber to be fooling around on floors as high as this. "But I'm going to be Tier 2 soon! Just a little more grinding, and I'll be there in no time." He gave the man a cheesy grin to punctuate his declaration. He was indeed confident in his abilities to reach Tier 2, but he was starting to exhaust a lot of the quests that were within his skill range. Eventually he would be forced to resort to hard grinding in order to get the experience needed to take on the tougher quests. 

[Macradon 0]

Macradon looked kinda shocked at Bahr “Yikes … tier one alone up here … doesn’t sound like the safest thing to do … Do you have a death wish or something?” Macradon said, chortling lightly at his stupid joke. “Hm … alright then.” Macradon said as he pondered, looking at the player, wielding the same weapon type as Macradon. Macradon would take in a deep breath and exhale, there was something to happen soon, but he wasn’t sure as to how he should do it, but a short invitation should do the trick for now. “Whenever you hit Tier 2, come to my shop on the first floor, it’s not far from the teleportation plaza, so it should be easy enough to find. There’s something I want to discuss and perhaps exchange with you, no shady business, yet.” Macradon said with a wink at the last remark jokingly. If this was supposed to go as planned, Macradon would get rid of the only memento he had of his mentor, the last piece of existence for the Berzerker of the frontlines.

[Bahr 0]

"Yeah, sure thing. What's the place called?" Bahr inquired as he once again studied the man's facial features, this time attempting to discern the meaning behind his words. It wasn't that he didn't want to trust the man, just that something felt... off. Bahr hadn't run into many characters as altruistic as Mac, and when he did, he couldn't help but feel skeptical at first. Bahr didn't have much to lose, though, considering it was a safe zone and close to the teleportation plaza to boot.

"Oh, yeah. I've got a shop on the first floor, too, by the way. Little hole in the wall in the slums called 'The Crusty Bahrnacle.' Feel free to come by for any of your Light Armor or Melee Weapon needs, I'll serve ya free of charge," he said with the same goofy grin on his face from earlier, a bizarre compulsion he couldn't seem to shake. It wasn't an empty gesture by any means, but Bahr understood that there was likely little his crafting could offer a man of Mac's caliber. 

Edited July 29, 2019 by Bahr

[Macradon 0]

“The Blazing Typhoon.” Macradon replied “It’s not that famous, at least not that I know of. The only reason people have come to my shop is because a friend of those recommended it, or someone randomly wanders into it. I haven’t really gotten any fame, but I can at least brag about being the highest ranked blacksmith in the entirety of Aincrad, so there’s that.” Macradon said and shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll look at it when I’ll be needing a tailor.” Macradon said with a smirk and a thumbs up “The last tailor I went to was rather … quite the immoral person …” Macradon said while slightly chuckling somewhat awkwardly. His memories of the crowned lion were not pleasant at all, his former Vice Commander, slaughtered, his friend, taken away from this life for good for all everyone would know, she wasn’t someone you would trust, no one trusted her anymore, why should you trust a murderer who denies when all the evidence is right in front of everyone. 

[Bahr 0]

Bahr narrowed his eyes at the comment about Mac's last tailor. He wasn't sure what had happened, but Bahr was sure that the armored knight had wanted to share, he would have. With the conversation starting to wind down, Bahr patted his legs and looked up at the man. "I'll look into it when I get back. Thinking I'm gonna start heading to Ralberg - I want to get out of here before any more mobs arrive." Bahr stood and wandered up to the man again, extending his hand once more. "Thanks again, I'll be seeing you sooner than you think!" he mused with a grin, shaking the man's hand enthusiastically before departing to venture back to the entrance of the ruins. He offered a wave with his back turned as he moseyed along.

On his way back, Bahr silently remarked on how fortunate he was that that hadn't been a PKer. The mobs were dangerous enough, but someone like that could have decimated Bahr in two hits easily. It was a difficult thing to think about, but ultimately true. Perhaps the lower floors really were more his speed - for the time being, anyways.

[Bahr 0]

THREAD COMPLETED

Thread net gains:
Bahr
1 SP
2100 col
(1) T2 Rare Trinket

Macradon
1 SP
2600 col
(1) T2 Rare Trinket