[PP-10] <<Leeching Nightmares>> w/ Oscar

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia shivered as she looked through the quest description. This quest seemed a lot more. . . morbid than what she was used to. She didn't think that there would ever really be a creature like this. It sounded pretty interesting, though. . . she wasn't sure if she should solo the thing though, especially since there's supposed to be other mobs spawning along with it. 

She hummed and tapped her chin. There weren't many people she could really call upon for help, she was sure that most people she knew would be rushing these quests, especially since word of them spread. Maybe Oscar? She was pretty sure he hadn't done this quest yet, actually she was pretty sure he hadn't started any of the new quests.

It would be good to do another quest with him too. . . the banshee quest that the two had done together felt like a long time ago, so maybe it was a good idea to get out and try another one!

Spoiler

To: @Oscar

Hey, do you want to try out this new quest with me? I'm right near the teleport gate in Yomi in floor ten, so just stop by if you're interested!

Spoiler

LVL: 37 | HP: 740/740 | EN: 74/74 | 13+3=16 DMG | 5 MIT | 3 ACC | 3+1=4 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

INVENTORY: 

☆ T2 Katana | Haunted Verdict: [Cursed] 4 HLY, 4 DMG
☆ T1 Light Armor | Bastille’s Resistance: +2 EVA, +1 PARA VNM
☆ T1 Jewelry | Aura Sensors: +1 EVA, +2 KEEN

BATTLE READY:

☆ [5] Standard Healing Potions [Heals 50 HP]
☆ x1 Vicious Dragon-Fang Potion: +3 DMG 

CONSUMED:
x1 Vicious Dragon-Fang Potion: +3 DMG 
Monkey Agility: +1 EVA

SKILLS:

☆ R3 Accuracy Familiar Mastery: 3 ACC
☆ Disguise: [Gain +1 EVA until the start of your next turn]
☆ Survival: [Increases out of combat health regeneration to (15 * Tier) per post. Grants immunity to most damage dealing environmental
attacks/effects.]
☆ R1 Curved Sword Skill 
☆ R5 Katana Skill [+7 DMG/+1 BASE]
> FEROCITY MOD: +1 DMG
☆ R3 Hiding Skill: +1 Stealth Rating
☆ R1 Light Armor Skill: 5 MIT

 

[Oscar 0]

Spoiler

Oscar - Lvl 44
900 HP
88 Energy
4 Accuracy (+1 Weapon +1 Precision + 2 Food)
3 Evasion
19 Base Damage - (1 Base +7 Skill +1 Ferocity +6 Familiar +1 Athletics +3 Potion)
48 Mitigation 

Items
Chaos Eater ............ // Bleed, Bleed, ACC
Librarium Overcoat ................. // +3 EVA
Plated Azure Tights ............... // +36 MIT, +3 Recovery

Leeroy & Jenkins - Familiar ............. // +3*Tier DMG

Battle Ready Inventory
Teleportation Crystal .............. // 
3 Healing Potions   ............ // +30 HP Recovery
3 Healing Potion of Healing Healingness ............ // T2 HP Recovery
Empty Inventory Slot ............. // 
Empty inventory slot ............ //
Empty inventory slot ............ //

Buffs
Rested ........................... // -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat.
Filling .......................... // Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed .......................... // Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

Skills
2HBA                      | Rank 5: +8 Damage
Light Armor                | Rank 3: +12 Damage Mitigation
Concentration                   | +1 to your BD (3 turn cooldown)
Survival                   | Heal 15*Tier HP when out of battle
Parry                        | 2-turn CD, 5 EN Half damage of next attack and remove Stun/Paralysis effects

Skill Mods
Ferocity                   | Increases Base Damage by 1
Athletics                  | Increases Base Damage by 1, Max HP by 10*tier
Precision                 | Increases Accuracy by 1
Justified Riposte      | Successful Parries Stun Opponent

Hey, do you want to try out this new quest with me? I'm right near the teleport gate in Yomi in floor ten, so just stop by if you're interested!

So formal. It was almost as if she wasn't sending a message to her actual boyfriend. She could have mentioned it before zipping out of the house like a bat out of hell before he could even crack the first egg for breakfast. But, this was Cordelia we were talking about. Once she got something in her head, she went after it relentlessly. Ever the dutiful boyfriend, Oscar quickly finished his breakfast and packed hers to go. Hopefully it wouldn't be too cold by the time he joined her in Yomi. As he walked, he sucked down a Focused Hot Dog and a Liquid Chili Dog. He wasn't about to go into a boss fight without the proper buffs. After teleporting up to Floor 10, he quickly tracked his beloved, hyperactive girlfriend down. He thrust her boxed breakfast towards her without a word with both hands.

"You forgot to eat."

LIQUID CHILI DOG CONSUMED [3 DMG]
FOCUSED HOT DOG CONSUMED [2 ACC]

[Cordelia 0]

"You forgot to eat."

"Oh, right," she chuckled, slipping her hands around the box with a small smile. "Sorry, I'm not used to eating in the mornings. . . I usually just get a coffee and have it at that. I guess I'm going to have to get used to that now," she murmured, scratching the back of her head with a sheepish grin.

"So, you've heard all about these new quests, right?" She asked, popping off the lid of the box. "They're right around our alley when it comes to level and all of that so this should be a breeze!" She said, flashing him an excited grin before looking down at the box.

"Oh wow."

"Now I feel bad for leaving the house when you were making this," she mumbled, her shoulders sagging a tad bit before she turned to him and give him and ear to ear smile. "It looks great though, thank you so much," she beamed, picking up the fork from God knows where.

[Oscar 0]

Oscar smiled and kissed her softly on the cheek before she dug into the meal. He wasn't at all upset. He was quickly finding that chasing her down with food just came with the territory. He watched her eat, hoping that it had traveled somewhat well. Nothing worse than a cold pancake. But, this was a video game after all. Judging from the steam coming from the box, it seemed his concerns were abated. After a bit, he gazed out over the town pensively.

"New quests, huh? Wonder what it's all about."

This was uncharted territory. There wasn't much intel at the information brokers about the Scents of the Wild. Just that six new bosses had suddenly appeared and new quests had generated to accompany them. Their target here was the <<Leech Lich>>. Seemed a little spooky to him. But, he couldn't be more confident with Cordelia at his side.

"You done eating? I wanna wreck this thing."

[Cordelia 0]

She smiled to herself as she felt him press his lips against her cheek.  "Thanks for the meal!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together before she stuck the fork into the pancake. Wait-- isn't she supposed to have a knife with this-- oh, she'll wing it. 

Cordelia bit on her lip as she maneuvered her fork to slice through the pancake, which was actually a lot damn harder than she thought it would be. Probably half a minute passed by before she finally was able to cut off a chunk of the thing and get it in her mouth. 

She shrugged her shoulders as she went back to cutting up the pancake with her fork. "I don't know, really. They just kinda of showed up along with the quests. It's kind of weird but I pretty cool at the same time, I guess," she mumbled, sticking another forkful of food into her mouth. 

She nodded vigorously as she scooped-- fork style, of course-- the remaining eggs in her mouth. "Yeah, I'm all good!" She exclaimed, giving him a grin as she placed the lid back on the thing. "Damn, that was the best breakfast I've had in a while, I think I'm going to have to require you to make that everyday for me," she said happily, exhaling as she gave him a sly smirk. She nudged him with her elbow, nodding over to the town's exit. "Let's get going, yeah?"

[Oscar 0]

Spoiler

Oscar 900/900 HP | 72/88 EN | 19 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 48 MIT | 24 BLD 

Ordinal Cleave to Stygian Warrior1 ID: 134069 BD9 Deal 135 DMG
Ordinal Cleave to Stygian Warrior2 ID: 134070 BD2+4 Deal 127 DMG
Ordinal Cleave to Stygian Warrior3 ID: 134071 BD9 Deal 135 DMG
Ordinal Cleave to Stygian Warrior4 ID: 134072 BD9 Deal 135 DMG

Leech Lich 250/250 HP | 50 DMG | 2 ACC | 25 MIT
Sygian Warrior1 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT
Sygian Warrior2 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT
Sygian Warrior3 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT
Sygian Warrior4 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

Oscar wasted no time heading to the river to engage the boss. Upon arriving at the shores of the Stygian River, it was pretty easy to find their target. The mass of flailing appendages and the cavernous maw were a dead giveaway. That, and the name of <<Leech Lich>> above its head helped too. It was surrounded by a throng of undead soldiers. Oscar, realizing that the best way to deal with this creature (and most others) was to get rid of its minions charged in first. They looked weak so he felt confident using an Ordinal Cleave on them. As his axe carved through their fetid, decaying bodies the Leech Lich let out a howl of anger. It sounded oddly reminiscent of the same sound Oscar made when someone took his hot dogs. Truly a pitiful soul. Best to put it out of its misery quick.

"Alright Cordelia, bring 'er down!"

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia followed after him directly to the river, which probably ins't the prettiest thing in the world. She shuddered when her eyes were laid upon the lich. That thing probably wasn't the most prettiest thing to look at either. . . 

Oscar really didn't waste any time when it come to getting those things killed. She actually didn't expect him to one-shot all of them, but she guessed that she should've expected that when she was sure that he owned half of the buffs in the game.

She had been so lost in thought thinking about freakin' hotdogs, that she had forgotten that she was. . .y'know, actually part of this whole thing. "O-oh, right!" She exclaimed, unsheathing her katana as she prepared to launch a San Ge at the Leech Lich.

Oh look at that, she missed.

Well, this wasn't supposed to happen. Usually her AoE luck was the bad one. . . but it seemed the Lady Luck turned the tables today, huh.

Spoiler

ID: 134073
BD: 2, Miss

Leech Lich 250/250 HP | 50 DMG | 2 ACC | 25 MIT

ID: 134074
MD: 9, Hit | 50+1=51 DMG- 48= 3 900-3=897

[0]Oscar: HP: 897/900 HP | 72/88 EN | 19 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 48 MIT| 24 BLD 
[0]Cordelia: HP: 740/740 | EN: 73/74 | 13 DMG | 5 MIT | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

 

[Oscar 0]

Spoiler

Explode Catapult vs Leech Lich ID: 134075 BD7+4 Deal 216 DMG CD7 Recovery Activates
Explode Catapult vs Stygian Warrior5 ID: 134076 BD2+4 Deal 241 DMG
Explode Catapult vs Stygian Warrior6 ID: 134077 BD10 Deal 269 DMG

Leech Lich 34/250 HP | 50 DMG | 2 ACC | 25 MIT
Sygian Warrior5 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT
Sygian Warrior6 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

[0]Oscar: HP: 900/900 HP | 57/88 EN | 19 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 48 MIT| 24 BLD 
[0]Cordelia: HP: 740/740 | EN: 73/74 | 13 DMG | 5 MIT | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Cordelia missed. It was unfortunate, but it wasn't the end of the world. In fact, came in hot on the heels of her failed attack. Instead of going for an Ordinal Cleave, Oscar brought out the big guns. As he advanced, the Lich both summoned new minions and also struck Oscar with its flailing appendages. For an entire 3 damage. Oh the humanity. Whatever would he do now that he'd been lain low by such a mighty creature. He clicked his tongue, annoyed, and spun on his heels. Chaos Eater cleaved through the Lich and its minions. The minions were dealt with in short order and the Lich wasn't faring much better. All it would take was a moderately powerful Sword Art from Cordelia to end this fight. But if he knew Cordelia he would know she would go straight for a San Ge and get that overkill. There was no denying that she was his girlfriend.

[Cordelia 0]

 

This was it. She was going to destroy this thing.

Once Oscar had gotten the sygians out of the way, she dashed in for an attack, spotting an opening between her and the Lich. 

Well, to say that she hadn't expected to fail was a lie, so she really wasn't as disappointed this time. Apparently the ground had always been wet. She had lost her footing half way to the Leech Lich and ended up just. . . face planting into the ground. She was pretty sure that the Lich was pitying her at this point. She had missed not once, but two times in a row. The damn thing didn't even have any evasion! She didn't even bother to move at that point.

To this day, no one knows if the muffled sound she was making were sobs or despair of the laugh of someone who lost all of their sanity.

Spoiler

 

ID: 134078
BD: 1, Miss [ima game end myself]

Leech Lich 34/250 HP | 50 DMG | 2 ACC | 25 MIT

ID: 134079
MD: 9, Hit stats blah blah [3 DAMAGE]

[0]Oscar: HP: 897/900 HP | 56/88 EN | 19 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 48 MIT| 24 BLD 
[0]Cordelia: HP: 740/740 | EN: 73/74 | 13 DMG | 5 MIT | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

 

 

[Oscar 0]

Spoiler

Explode Catapult vs Leech Lich ID: 134089 BD6+4 Deal 216 DMG 
Explode Catapult vs Stygian Warrior5 ID: 134090 BD10 Deal 269 DMG
Explode Catapult vs Stygian Warrior6 ID: 134091 BD3+4 Deal 216 DMG

Leech Lich 0/250 HP | 50 DMG | 2 ACC | 25 MIT
Sygian Warrior7 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT
Sygian Warrior8 0/100 HP | 25 DMG | 1 ACC | 5 MIT

[0]Oscar: HP: 894/900 HP | 38/88 EN | 19 DMG | 4 ACC | 3 EVA | 48 MIT| 24 BLD 
[0]Cordelia: HP: 740/740 | EN: 73/74 | 13 DMG | 5 MIT | 3 ACC | 3 EVA | 1 PARA VNM [DF] | 2 KEEN | 4 HLY

Oscar was a touch disappointed then Cordelia missed her second strike. But again, Oscar was hot on her heels ready to make up for the fumble. A final Explode Catapult spelled the end for both the Leech Lich and the minions it summoned. As it died, a strange statue was placed into Oscar's inventory. The description of the item told him that it was part of a set. Presumably one would get a statue for every boss they killed. Producing the statue, he noticed that the item filled the air with a musty aroma. Apparently <<Scents of the Wild>> was more than a catchy name. Oscar returned the item to his inventory and turned to Cordelia. She looked absolutely mortified about her poor performance in the fight. Oscar did the only thing Oscar could do in order to snap her out of it. He patted her softly on the head and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Don't sweat it, honey. Sometimes it be like that."

[Cordelia 0]

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "That whole fight for me was stupid," she muttered hotly, murmuring curses under her breath as she let out a heavy sigh. "We're just lucky that the boss did nothing to you," she shuddered, pressing her palms against her face as she let out a low groan. "Imagine if that was the Absolute Zero boss or something. . . we would've been toast." 

She honestly didn't think that she would be that unlucky today. Yeah, she's had her days where she's missed a couple times for a boss, but to only miss? That was stupid!

"I just don't want to be so dependent on you, y'know?" She uttered quietly. "I mean, I do want to depend on you, but not to the point where you have to carry me on a quest. I want you to be able to depend on me, too!" She exclaimed, her lips tugging down into a frown.

[Oscar 0]

"Oh you silly woman. I already depend on you."

More than he could possibly explain. Since they had started their relationship, Oscar had seen a massive downtick in the amount of bosses he fought simply because they had a chance of killing him. In fact, very little compared to the feeling of merely being around her. He didn't need to chase the dragon any more. That's not to say that he was unwilling to put himself in danger. He was merely unwilling to put himself in senseless danger. While true that she hadn't really contributed much to this fight, this was just one fight in countless others. She'd have her time to shine. More than likely she'd also have her opportunity to carry Oscar through a quest. He gave her a soft smile and shook his head. Suddenly, his expression hardened. He locked eyes with her, as if hoping to communicate the gravity of the situation to her through his expression alone.

"You've already trusted me with your heart. You don't need to do anything more than that. Don't be so hard on yourself."

He let his words hang in the air for a long moment. It would simply be greedy of him to want anything more from her. But, he understood that she wanted more from herself. Indeed, she expected more from herself. She was hungry to excel. A hunger Oscar could completely stand behind. But not for the reason she gave. "If you want to be better, be better for yourself. Not for me. You're not merely my girlfriend. You're your own person. Never forget that. I'm content with you being by my side. I have no further expectations. I have your back with whatever you decide to do, but make sure it's you doing the deciding."

[Cordelia 0]

"Really?" She squeaked out quietly, looking up at him questionably. 

She was sure that she needed to hear that. Hearing those words from someone who had always been ahead of you just made you feel. . . content. Her shoulders relaxed as she let out a breath she wasn't aware she was keeping in. 

She wasn't sure if she would ever surpass Oscar. She wouldn't be surprised if she still wasn't a higher level than him in a million years, but hearing those words come from him just made her feel more at ease, because it didn't matter if she stronger than him, or a higher level than him, he just simply depended on her because she was there. . . or at least that's what she hoped it was. She was pretty damn bad at reading people.

"Thanks," Cordelia said softly, giving him a small yet genuine smile. She had always had this burning passion to be stronger. She didn't even know why. At first she thought it would be for the people that she had met in SAO, but she wasn't sure. It was almost robotic how her mind thought. Be stronger because that is expected of someone who isn't weak, but who the hell was she being strong for? Was she fighting for herself? Was she fighting for everyone else? Who knows? 

"It really means a lot."

[Oscar 0]

Oscar smiled and wrapped his arms around Cordelia, pulling her into his embrace. He knew that Cordelia wouldn't be content with her current strength. It was a feeling Oscar knew all too well. But strength extended well beyond levels and SP, even in this video game. Before long, she would hit a wall - come to the limits of just how much one can strengthen oneself through the mechanics of the video game. In comparison to him, she still had a great many lessons to learn. Hard lessons. And even more lessons that Oscar had yet to experience, much less learn. Those were the ones that excited him the most. The lessons they would learn together. The strength they would cultivate together. After a moment, Oscar released her and gave her the most gentle of kisses on her lips. Odd that he was being such a romantic in an otherwise dead and desolate place. Recalling what he said to her before, Oscar could only crack a smile. 

Sometimes it really do be like that.

Their lips parted and Oscar laced his fingers with that of his beloved. He let out a sigh of contentment. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so at peace. Having someone so close - someone he trusted implicitly - that he could share that which dwelt within the darkest recesses of his mind was a comfort he had been sorely lacking these past few years. Even before he got trapped here. He began the walk back to town, his hand still entwined with Cordelia's. Suddenly, he began to laugh. It rose from his chest and roared outward. After a moment, he regained control and wiped a tear from his eye.

"You know, when I thought about how I would find someone like you, I never imagined it would be like this. Of all the ways of finding someone, being trapped in a video game had never crossed my mind." He squeezed her hand just a bit. Would they have ever even met if not for this game? "I've found myself oddly grateful to Kayaba recently. If only for bringing us together."

[Cordelia 0]

She melted into his hold, smiling to herself just before she cracked out a chuckle. She never thought they would have this moment when they had just finished a morbid sounding quest, especially in a floor like this one, but somehow she didn't really care. Nothing else around her seemed to have mattered when she was around him, which she wasn't sure if it was a hazard or not. . . she might just have to stick a big ol' caution sign on his forehead whenever he was around her. Yes, that would certainly save the lives of a couple of people.

Cordelia let out a small and surprised gasp as she felt Oscar press his lips against hers, only to smile into the kiss the longer it went on. She squeezed his hand as they broke off and gave him a grin. Sometimes, she felt like this had all been too good of a dream. It just all seemed too surreal for her. Never in her life would she have thought that she would actually be in a relationship. She thought that she would just be lonely sack of potatoes all her life, but she guessed that the universe had some other plans for her. She wasn't objecting to them or anything, she was perfectly happy where she was right now, in fact.

She hummed to herself as the two of them began to walk back to Yomi, only to cut herself off when she watched Oscar start to have a. . . seizure? Oh, no, never mind. He was just laughing. Her face was stunned in a mixture of concern and weirded out before she shook it off and chuckled to herself. He must having a real frekin' hoot from whatever he was thinking. 

She squeezed his hand as she nodded to herself. She had never really thought about it until now, but she did suppose that she should be somewhat grateful to Kayaba, as much as of a psychopath he was. "Yeah, you're right," she murmured, laughing out loud. "I suppose it would be a weird thing to think about in the real world, huh? I suppose I should be thankful to him as well."

[Oscar 0]

"Speaking of the real world, we're a couple and I don't even know your real name."

It had suddenly hit him like a sack of bricks. A bolt from the blue. She knew his real name - of course she wouldn't really know it. Oscar had not been incredibly wise when it came to selecting his screen name. It rarely mattered, of course. Most people assumed you wouldn't use your real name as your screen name. He was eternally grateful that he'd decided against adding his surname to the mix. That would have been exceptionally embarrassing. That aside, Oscar just could shake the curiosity. Cordelia didn't speak much about the real world other than vague descriptions of her childhood. He suspected there was more to that tale, but felt she would share when she was ready. 

"You actually already know mine. Oscar. Oscar Lugos, actually. Yes. I'm one of those idiots that used their real name."

[Cordelia 0]

Cordelia pulled a blank face.

"Oh shoot you're right," she whispered, her eyes widening before she let out a laugh. "I'm sorry but that just seemed so weird for you to say. That isn't something people typically would say in the real world," she giggled, shaking her head as she smiled to herself. She hadn't heard her real name been said in more than two years. . . it seemed almost foreign to her at this point, but it was still in her heart. . . somewhere, anyway. 

To say that she wasn't curious to know his own name was a lie. His statement had sparked curiosity in her. 

"Really?" She asked, almost bewildered. Oscar was probably one of the smartest people she knew, so how did he of all people do something like that? "Well, it won't be hard for me to change names, at least," she said thoughtfully, cracking a small smile at him. "It's Amara. Amara Le."

[Oscar 0]

"Amara Le. It's a good name." Oscar really didn't know what else to say. What was he gonna do? Oh damn. That name sucks. Your parents were real assholes. Yeah, like that would've gone over well. Regardless, the name just seemed to fit. It had a nice ring to it. Another impulse was bubbling up. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. For the most fleeting of moments a mischievous grin stretched over his face. It was gone as quickly as it came. "It's a very pretty name. It's gonna be a real shame when I change it."

He gave her a playful wink and stuck out his tongue. It was an off-the-cuff joke, but it got him to thinking. Was this relationship heading there or was it merely one of convenience? Oscar, for his part, had grown weary of the whole dating shtick. Meet a girl, go out, call three days later for a second date. Eventually you  become exclusive and then at some point, it just peters out. Oscar had never really experienced those so-called bad breakups before. The fire just died and the two of them went their separate ways. Was this going to end up like that? He certainly hoped not. There was something about their relationship that was different. Hiding just beneath the surface. Oscar couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there it was regardless. Or, perhaps, it was merely his weariness of the whole task of courtship that was assigning meaning to things that weren't there.

[Cordelia 0]

"Amara Lugos does have a nice ring to it," she teased, giving him a playful smile back. Thinking or prepping for the future was never really Cordelia's thing, and something at the back of her mind told her that her relationship with Oscar might be a bumpy ride-- which was understandable when both of them lived in a virtual world where either could die at a swing of a sword and a couple of numbers. . . but right now, she was happy, that was all that mattered. They were both going to face the twists and turns that life-- or Kayaba-- has to offer them, together. She didn't need to be married to be happy with someone she loved. She mentally shook her head. Marriage wasn't like that for her. 

"Well, Mr. Lugos," she exclaimed, hooking her arm around his with a grin. "Let us continue our way to your oh-so humble abode," she snickered, a joking light in her eyes as she began to make her way back to the only damn town on this stupid floor, her arm still hooked around his.

[Oscar 0]

Oscar wasn't expecting for Cordelia to turn the tables on his joke so quickly. It used to be so easy to make her blush. Clearly that was a thing of the past. He needed to step his game up. As they walked back towards the town, Oscar let his mind wander. Thoughts of the future. The present. What did he hope for? What did he dream about? Getting out of the game, firstly. He wondered when that would be. Where would the cards fall once this was all over? He always knew the first thing he would do when he got out of here. It was simple, really. After the physical therapy that his body would likely need for being stationary for years, he would quit his job and travel. Oscar had simply never settled on a first leg of the journey. He had enough saved up. Oscar never lived extravagantly. Maybe he would still travel. Just not to any of the locales he wanted. Not at first. If all went how he thought it would, he knew exactly where he was going now. It was something to look forward to.