[F11 - NYL - PP] Tradition

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga
Level: 22
Health: 440
Energy: 44
DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

 

Skills
>> Rank 1 Curved Sword
>> Rank 5 Katana
>> Rank 0 Martial Arts
>> Rank 2 Familiar Mastery: Fighter
>> Rank 0 Survival

 

Equipment
>> Tier One Demonic Katana <<Jack's Kuiaratame>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen]
>> Tier One Perfect Light Armor <<Shaded Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regeneration]
>> Tier One Perfect Trinket <<Tearful Strands>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Recovery]

Koga saw his target in the not too far distance. She was alone. Perfect. Aim. And...

Thwack!

The sound of a snowball nailing Tala in the back of the head rang in the man's ear as he gathered more snow and balled it up some more. "I hope you didn't think that just 'cause you caused me a lot of trouble, that meant you could get out of the annual cocoa night, sister." Koga told the girl. Every year, since Koga got a job, the man had taken his sister out for hot cocoa, unfailingly. It was one of the few traditions that the pair had. And nothing was gonna get in the way of that. Besides, they had to make up for two years of not doing it. "I thought we could put a bit of a twist on it this year though. We don't get snow where we live, but since we do here...whoever loses the snowball fight has to buy the first round. You game?"

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Level: 14
HP: 280
EN: 28
DMG: 9 || MT: 9 || ACC: 2 || REGEN 5 || LIGHT MOMENTUM

Skills:
» Curved Sword - Rank 1
» Katana - Rank 3

Equipped:
» Kiba [Perfect Katana [Damage // Damage // Damage]]
» Arrow Ring [Rare Ring [Accuracy // Accuracy]]
» Mythic Jacket [Uncommon Light Armor [Mitigation // Regen // Light Momentum]]

She was still trying to find a way to apologize to both Koga and Yukiro. She didn't know what to do really, it was the one thing that was making it harder for her to enjoy the festive decor and everything that was going on right now. She sighed, only to soon feel a snowball hit her right in the back of her head. She turned around to smack some poor soul, only to see that it was Koga who had thrown it. She bent down and scooped up some snow in her own hands before she started to ball it up. "I didn't know if you were going to want to do it, brother." There was a smile on her face as she threw the snowball in her hand at him.

"Snowball fights in a video game by two desert rats, are we selling tickets?" She laughed lightly as she started to look for shelter from her brother, to be able to start building her ammo supply.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"Why wouldn't I?" Koga replied as he waited for his sister to ready herself, "just because you pulled a new level of bull doesn't mean that we aren't family and that I don't love y-"
Splat!
Tala's snowball struck Koga square in the face and slowly fell off, to reveal a dissatisfied look on the man's face. "Oh, you're gonna get it now!" the man shouted before chucking the ball of ice at his sister and then running for cover behind a tree to start making some snowballs. "If we're selling tickets, I get sixty percent of the profits!" Koga shouted back, "We all know, I'm the one they're coming to see!" In your dreams Koga. Unless its to see you get pummeled. Then the whole of Aincrad would be there to watch. People seemed to really get a kick out of seeing the poor guy in physical pain. Hell, I find pleasure in that.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 280 || EN: 28 || DMG: 9 || MT: 9 || ACC: 2 || REGEN 5 || LIGHT MOMENTUM

"So that means you don't hate me?" She called from behind the tree that she managed to find for herself. She was quite satisfied with how the snowball hit her brother though, the echoed spat then silence that followed made her laugh. Is this why everyone kept saying that snow made people happy? She shook her head, "My dear vain brother, you have to be good looking for people to want to come and see you," she teased from behind her tree.

That might have been a little mean to someone on the outside, but Koga knew Tala's teasing tones, so she knew that he would know that she was just making fun of him, like little sisters always do. "So, since you're clearly not the one everyone wants to see, that means I get sixty percent of the sales right?" Goodness Tala, are you trying to get pummeled into next year, because this is how to achieve that goal. Either way, she looked from around her tree ad tried to spot her brother before throwing another snowball at him.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Koga called back as he popped out quickly to throw a snowball at his sister. "You've still got some apologizing to do. And not to just me." The man picked up another snowball and began to prepare another, waiting to see what Tala would do next.

"Okay that's just cold," Koga replied, feigning pain at Tala's insult, "no pun intended." Really. I promise he wasn't trying. He's just that funny.

A snowball splattered against the tree that Koga was hiding behind as his sister suggested that she should get more of the money made from these imaginary tickets, "Naw, you get thirty percent now. Just because I can," the man shouted back with an amused grin that Tala may not have been able to see, but definitely knew was playing across his lips. "Keep arguing and it's gonna keep going down," he teased in a singsong voice.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Spoiler

Tala: HP: 280 || EN: 28 || DMG: 9 || MT: 9 || ACC: 2 || REGEN 5 || LIGHT MOMENTUM

"I doubt she wants to talk to me brother." There was the truth that she so hardheartedly believed. Honestly, who would go up to the person who threatened to kill you if your own brother died? Tala was stupid, but she wasn't that stupid. Most of the time. Maybe. Don't know, that fight with the gorilla might prove things very differently. In fact, she just might be that stupid.

She did facepalm though with his pun, "Really Koga, really?" She shook her head before she threw another snowball at him, hoping to here the splat as revenge for that poor tasting pun. She was freezing already, why in the hell did she need her brother saying horrible cold puns?

"You'd have to make me stop arguing! It's in our blood remember!" She laughed as she attempted to look around her tree to see her brother. "Besides, I'm still the cuter one here." She really was pushing her luck wasn't she?

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

"Doesn't matter sister," Koga replied, packing another snowball and adding it to his stockpile. "You gotta do it. Besides, people might surprise you. And I'm not just talking about Noct." Koga sent another snowball careening towards Tala. "What about Yuki? I know you felt something for him. Even if you didn't wanna admit it to yourself."

The sound of a snowball grazing  the edge of Koga's coat punctuated Tala's displeasure at his chillingly bad puns. "Surrender, and we get hot cocoa! But then again, if you're gonna get cold feet talking to the vendor, I guess you can keep trying to ice me."...okay, not even I found those ones funny Koga. Try harder bud.

"Don't make me come over there and tackle you, you little brat!" Koga fired back. Tala was peeking around the tree, now was his chance. The man quickly turned and let another snowball loose. "Besides, you may be cute, but I'm ruggedly handsome!"...Koga...regardless of whether or not you are attractive, you are not ruggedly handsome.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

She listened to him as she made her pile of snowballs larger. She wanted to finish this war and get some hot cocoa, but that wasn't happening at all right now. Instead, he was chastising her about apologizing to others. Sure, she should, but she... wait, did he just mention Yukiro. "I know I di- do, but I don't know how to talk to him Koga..." She felt the snowball hit her shoulder and that broke her out of her depressive thoughts then.

She groaned, in pain. That pun was just horrible. She wasted no time, she grabbed snowball after snowball, sending five of them right for her brother. She didn't need to say anything else, if any of those hit him, he would know why.

"You won't brother dearest, the cold might hurt you!" She saw the snowball coming and moved behind her tree as she rolled her eyes. "Brother please, stop making me want to vomit." He might actually try to tackle her for that one.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Koga heard the snowball hit Tala. If it weren't for the conversation they were currently having, he would have smiled. "Way I see, only one thing you really can do, Aki," Koga said, ignoring his usual rule for now, "Walk up to him, apologize and admit what you did was wrong, and deal with whatever happens after that." Was that real forward? Yeah, but considering Tala had been doing a lot of deceptive things lately...maybe that was exactly what needed to happen.

Koga came out from behind his tree again only to be slammed by a rapid barrage of snowballs, all aimed right for his face. The projectiles all struck, and the man froze in place for a moment before keeling over. Oh that hurt. Of course, that was when Koga heard Tala's pleas to not make her vomit. Well, now she was just asking for it. The man stood up and rushed towards his sister, intent on tackling her into the snow.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

She let her brother's words rumble around in her head. So much so, that it distracted her from the fact that one, he wasn't talking anymore, and two, he hadn't thrown a snowball in return to her barrage of five. Did that mean that all five of them hit? Yes, Tala, yes it did, and that is why he is running right at you? Wait, crap Koga was rushing her and the next thing she she, she was tackled into the snow. "Hey!" Her exclamation was a bit muffled between her brother being on her and the snow that now covered her as well.

She pushed him off of her before grabbing one of her snowballs and chucking it at him. "I know that I just need to talk him to though, Masa. It's just...I don't know how? Yeah that seems like the right way to word it." This would be a sight to see, Koga has ever seen his sister this beat up over a guy, ever. Let alone trying to find a way to talk to him to apologize. Welcome to new waters there Koga, have fun, don't drown.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Shouting a little bit of laughter was about all anyone could hear as the two siblings tumbled to the ground until Tala finally pushed her brother off and threw a handful of snow at him. The laughter died down though as they returned to their far more serious conversation. Koga couldn't recall a time he'd actually seen Tala this broken up over guy. And the fact that it was someone Koga considered a friend didn't make approaching the subject any easier for either of them. The man sighed before getting to his feet and dusting the snow from his clothing before offering a hand up to his sister. "Let's go get some hot cocoa."

Now with steaming mugs in their heads, the two walked around the town. "I wish I could give you something more solid, Tala," Koga said, warming his hands with the hot cup he held, "But maybe you should just start with 'I'm sorry' and see where it takes you. Gotta start somewhere, right?"

@Tala

[Tala 0]

Her brief amount of happiness was gone and she sighed as she nodded, "Hot cocoa sounds good." She accepted his assistance to stand and they were soon off to find some hot cocoa. But now, they were walking with the cups in their hands. She was still thinking on how to even solve the rifts in relationships that she caused. "Right, 'I'm sorry' if only things were that simple. I don't think I ever told you what I said to him when we parted."

"Yukiro, the thing that Koga was trying to tell you yesterday was that I am using you. Now, this is correct. You were a pawn in my game, and well, the game is now done. Thank you for your help and I hope you do well after this."

She sighed as she told those words to her brother, staring into her cup then. She really had messed things up hadn't she. "When he came to help you..save me, I didn't expect to see him. I honestly didn't even expect to see you or Noctua honestly. But then, with the message that I sent you, it does kind of make sense, you and I are too much alike sometimes." She rubbed her eyes then, hoping that he didn't see the tears that she was trying to hide.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Koga looked down into his murky cup as Tala recounted to him what she'd said. It was that unattached, passive voice she used only when she was either extremely angry or extremely hurting. And Koga was willing to bet he could guess which one it had been.

"Ok, first of all," Koga began, slightly heated at the mere suggestion that there would ever be a time that he wasn't there for his sometimes astronomically stupid sister, "of course I was going to come to help you. And...to be honest, I think Noct coming had less to do with you than with me, no offense." Koga paused to take a sip of his warm beverage. "But onto the important stuff. Yuki wouldn't have come, given up a literal arm and an eye, if he didn't care. If he wasn't willing to forgive you. If anything, I'm willing to bet he's somewhere out there waiting for you to come talk to him." Koga shrugged before looking up from his cup and at his sister, "The only thing left to ask is if you're gonna let yourself let a guy like that go."

@Tala

[Tala 0]

It took him a moment to say anything, and she didn't blame him. But, when he did speak again, he was heated, hey at least he wasn't about to freeze! Okay, Koga, you can throw a snowball at her now. "I'm still sorry about that Masa..." The look on her face could confirm how she felt there. She just didn't know how to ask if he and Noctua were okay, "How are you two?" Okay, so she did, she just wasn't sure what was going to come from it. But, the conversation wasn't going to stay there, it went back to her mess up.

She sighed and nodded lightly, just staring at her hot cocoa at this point, "I know, but I just don't know if he will forgive me. I mean, he promise to be there if I needed help, but he could be like you, never breaking a promise no matter what." She wasn't walking at this point anymore, just staring into her cup. "I don't want to, but what if I have...to...?" Here you go Koga, a new first, Tala choked up over a guy. Aren't you just getting lucky today? Is now a bad time to mention that she was actually crying?

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Tala's apology came full of remorse. Not the kind where Koga knew she didn't really mean it. No, this stuff was real. When she asked how he and Noct were doing now, he gave the honest answer, "We're doing well, thankfully. Back on track." It was short, but the man didn't wanna give too much away yet. Partially because he wasn't really sure how Tala would react, but also because he knew Noctua would wanna announce their engagement later.

And then Akiara, Koga's one and only sister, who he loved and cherished deeply, began crying. The man pulled his sister into a tight hug, and gently ran his fingers through her hair in a calming manner, "I know, Aki. I know." Masato was keenly aware of the fact that he'd never seen his sister cry like this. Never, let alone over a guy. "It's scary, I know. But you gotta do it. You got to do right by him, even if it might hurt in the end. But I don't think it's going to turn out that way. I don't think you're gonna have to let him go. Yuki is a good guy. He made you fall for him. And I don't wanna kill him for it. We both know that takes a certain kind of guy."

@Tala

[Tala 0]

His response to her question was short, but at least it seemed to be honest. She didn't blame him for not wanting to tell her much more really, she didn't deserve that information. Either way, she still wanted to be sure that she hadn't completely destroyed that at least, so it was good to know that Koga and Noctua had made up at least.

She was soon being pulled into a hug and she wrapped her arms around her brother in return. She kept her head against his chest as he talked and ran his fingers through her hair. It took her a few moments to calm down before she felt safe talking without having to worry about sounding like Noctua when she first met the woman. "Thank you Masa. I'll try talking to him today...." She trailed off for a moment before she pulled herself from her brother's embrace, "I'm sorry, I think I just ruined our tradition."

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

As Tala appeared to calm down, Koga released his sister from his embrace, but he was still right there to provide more comfort should she need it. "No need to thank me, Aki. It's why I'm here. And when you talk to him. Be honest." The older man mussed with his sister's hair in way that was meant to make her laugh a little. "And you didn't ruin anything, sis. Hard to ruin a good cup of hot cocoa."

The man nudged his sister in the ribs one last time, "And hey, do me a favor and don't go trying to fight an oversized monkey again? It's not like I carry around bananas to throw at it." Also, he liked living and didn't really feel like trying to kill an overpowered boss that could probably one-shot a standard level player for that floor...he liked living. Yeah, that sounded like a good plan.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

She looked at Koga and nodded lightly, "You say no thanks needed, but I'm still going to thank you. But I will, promise." She was going to be honest with Yukiro, that much was for sure. When Koga mussed with her hair though she cracked a small smile as she laughed lightly. "Okay brother, and that is true, hot cocoa is pretty amazing." She smiled again as she looked at her big brother.

She tried to swat at him when he nudged her in the ribs again, "Hey! I didn't plan on being saved, so that's your own fault. I also didn't plan on literally running into it without any extra stuff. Was scouting, but, well, we see where that got me." Nearly dead. Koga nearly dead. Yukiro nearly dead and missing an arm and eye. Yeah, that was fun wasn't it. She sighed and shook her head, "I'm an idiot aren't I?"

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga: HP: 440/440 // EN: 44/44 // DMG: 10 // EVA: 2 // MIT: 0 // ACC: 2 // BRN: 12 // BLT: 12 // FALN: 2 // REGN: 5 // RECV: 1

Tala continued to thank her brother, and Koga's shoulders shook with quiet laughter. She still had some growing to do, but so did he. They'd figure it out together, just like they'd always had. Besides, soon enough they'd have new frontiers to explore, and probably pester each other over. Koga wondered how Tala was going to feel about having a sister-in-law soon enough.

Tala's fingers brushed Koga's hand as she swatted at him for poking her. Yeah, yeah, she didn't ask to be saved, but what exactly did she expect Koga to do? The man was about to smack his sister on the back of her head until she asked if she was an idiot. "Yes. Yes you are, Tala," the man deadpanned, "but so am I. Mom and Dad really lost the lottery with us in the brains department." That was sarcastic. Sort of. They were smart kids. Usually. I promise.

@Tala

[Tala 0]

She looked at him, a not so shocked look on her face, "Wow, really Koga. Some kindness would be nice," she sighed as he talked about mom and dad then and she shook her head, "I'm sure at this point Mom and Dad are trying to figure out where to send me once we get out of the game." But that could be a conversation for another day between the siblings. For now, she had a goal in mind, or at least, something that she needed to do, even if she was scared to do it. It was more scared of the rejection, but she wouldn't know if that comes without trying.

She sighed as she looked around for a moment then back to her brother, "I think I should go and find Yukiro, before the day is over. Besides, I'm sure you have someone that you need to go and find as well." She smiled as she hugged her brother, "Thank you Masa."

@Koga