[F07-PP] <<Case of Wurms>>

[NIGHT 0]

Another day, another message, and another struggle to pull herself out of bed. This time it was from Bistro, after her visit to the performer's, no less. In the dark she examined her newest quarry -- a singular field boss was all that was asked of her today, and all things considered, a mark would be easier to rid of than a digital body to bury. Better to rise early and head back to bed just as so, NIGHT reasoned.

If only she could get herself to move.

What of her friend; might the tank tag along? Since hitting Tier 2, NIGHT had the mindset to clear our more marks in pursuit of advancing forward. Yet still there were more to hunt. Maybe it was missing from her friend's list as well. One message to Yuki, the half-asleep knight typing away at the keyboard forged from light, making half a dozen errors in her message, the composer of the message hoping it would still come across right.

She'll probably get it. She's a smart cookie.

One slump, one tumble out of bed once more. The player's blanket draped over her form as she snaked her way across the carpeted floor and out her bedroom. This was her best chance at getting ready -- buried underneath the covers, making a big fuss about trying to get up.

- - -

NIGHT: yki
womr
fidlboss
udonei t?
ezxp if u wana taga long
f7
39m

@Zajcica

Spoiler

NIGHT
 | HP: 910/910 | EN: 88/88
 | ACC: 4 | DMG: 17 (16, +1) | EVA: 2 | MIT: 36 | VAMP(OFF): 1 | BLEED: 24 | PARAV-D: 1 | LD: 2
 | Stealth Detection: 2

---

[Skills]
 | Mod Count: 4/5

1. Two-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 5/5
   > Ferocity, Precision, Finesse
2. Heavy Armor | Passive | RANK 3/5 
   > Athletics
3. Searching | Passive | RANK 2/5
4. - - -
5. - - - 

-[Extra]

• Survival | Passive 
• Concentration | Active -- CD: 3
   
• Familiar Mastery: Fighter | Passive | RANK 3/3

---

[Equipment]

• Dracbane
  -- [ Vampiric (Offensive) | Natural successful attack rolls of 9-10 heals the player for 10% of their Max HP. ]
  -- [ Bleed | Natural critical attack rolls of 9-10 deal 24 unmitigated bleed damage each enemy turn for 2 turns. Bleed damage does not stack, but can be refreshed. ]
  -- [ Accuracy | +1 ACC ]
• Reminiscing The Lord
  -- [ Mitigation II | +18 MIT ]
  -- [ Paralytic Venom (Defensive) | Natural successful attacks against you of 8-10 removes the enemy’s action on their next turn. Paralyzed opponents lose any evasion properties. ]
• Silver Crescent Necklace
  -- [ Accuracy II | +2 ACC ]
  -- [ Evasion II | +2 EVA ]

-[Battle-Ready Inventory]

• [T2E1] Marche Funèbre (1) | [ref]
  -- [ Lullaby I | -1 EVA to one enemy for one battle. ]
  -- [ Instant Effect | Item can be used as a free action. ]
• [T1EU] Starter Healing Potions (3) -- [ Heals 50 HP. ]
• [T1E1] Uncommon Health Potions (3) -- [ Heals 40 HP. ]
• [T1E1] Damage Potion (1) -- [ Damage I | +1 DMG. ]     >> Empty Slot
• - - -
• - - -
• - - -

---

[Misc]

• -- [ Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots ]
  -- [ Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat. ]
  -- [ Col Stash | +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests. ]
  -- [ Relaxed | Increases out of combat health regeneration by (5 * Tier) per post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. ]
  -- [ Squeaky Clean | In a thread, -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player. ]
  -- [ Filling | In a thread, +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. ]

[Zajcica 0]

Barely waking up from her slumber, the paladin's eyes caught a glance of her messages. Ten minutes ago from Night- What kind of jumbled mess is this? The only thing she could make up was a field boss on floor 7? She only had about a half hour to get ready. Would that be enough time to meet her there? Probably not. The girl rose from bed carefully and slowly, still plenty tired. Needed something to help her wake up.

A few stretches and something to drink and the paladin would be ready for the day to come. She wasn't going to leave Night hanging after all. Ren was becoming one of her best friends in the game pretty quickly. She opened her menu up and started writing a message to the other girl.

Yuki: Oi! I just got ready, might be a few minutes late to floor seven. Thanks for inviting me!

A little blip sound and the message went off. The paladin then started making her way to the Coral teleporter. 

Spoiler

General
Level: 33 | HP:  720/720 | Energy: 66/66 Hate: 1/3/4(M/H/C)

Stats
DMG: 4 | EVA: -1 | MIT: 81 | ACC: 3 | DoT Restst: 25% | Thorns: 18

Skills
R2 OHAS, R5 Heavy Armor, R2 MIT Familiar, Fighting Spirit, Concentration

Mods
Athletics; Stonewall

Housing Buffs
Rested; Filling; Tasty; Angler; Hardworking

Equipment(In use)
Regal Cuirass(Heavy Armor): 1MIT, 2 Thorns
La Black Luna(Trinket): ACC 3
White Spear - Lux(OHAS): 2 Bleed, 1 Taunt

Equipment(Standby)
 

Consumables
(2x)Starter Healing Potions(50HP)

 

[NIGHT 0]

Which one was Floor 7, again? It only became clear to NIGHT when the light faded from her eyes. Mountains, as far as the eye could see, though according to her informant she was looking for a sand pit. Hmm. Hopefully her intel was on point, and she wasn't expected to go heading back towards the desert on the 5th.

When her companion's message came in, saying that they might be a little late, the waiting player settled on strolling through the marketplace, killing time before the paladin got to where she was. Nothing of much interest, save the arts and knick knacks, most of the equipment crafted solely for the interest of appealing to newer, less formidable players. At least, that's how it seemed upon the first handful of item examinations. NIGHT waved the shopkeepers off with a polite shake of her head and a raised palm, before reaching the end of the street, making a turn towards the mountain's exit.

Better tell her companion before they missed each other. Leaning against the stone brick walls, she composed a message, swift and concise.

NIGHT: at the city's entrance
take your time

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

It didn't take too long for Yuki to catch up with her usual grinding partner. Only about 5 minutes later, the pink haired night showed up carrying a bag with her towards Night. When she got up to her friend the girl's voice rang.

"Oi!~ I brought you some things for the invite, just some vanity muchies for us to snack on." Ren could smell the compounding of rice and seaweed mixed with several other ingredients. The food she had brought was dragon rolls, something that she was fond of for the strong taste. "If you're not familiar with them, they're called Dragon Rolls! They're pretty hot so be careful! If you want something less spicy, the other roll is a California roll."

The paladin took a piece of the Spicy Dragon Roll and stuffed in her mouth. After a moment of struggling to not breath pretty much literal fire, the girl let out a sigh of relief. "So, you lead the way. I'll throw myself at whatever blocks your path as usual."

[NIGHT 0]

NIGHT whistled at the talk of food, picking up a piece of the California roll and examining it over with a turn of her wrist. "You sure like cooking, huh?"

How'd that saying go, again? The key to one's heart was through their stomach, or something like that? The dark player raised a brow, hesitant when Yuki popped one of her own delicacies into her mouth, and struggled to down it, cheeks glowing red with heat. A blink, when the paladin exhaled at the end of her own trial -- prompting the knight to take a bite out of her own snack, waving the pair along and out the mountainous shelter.

"It'll be pretty easy," NIGHT informed her friend, cheek half-stuffed with sushi. "Thanks for the food by the way. It tastes good." She'd savored the roe and crab stuffed to its center, now a mush under the crush of her teeth. "I actually got you some things too -- potions, you're more likely to find use for them as a tank than I, if I'm being honest."

A few taps to bring up her menu, and a handful of swipes after would pull open a trade window in front of both players, an offering of a few starter potions kept for worse days.

@Zajcica

Quote

Trading to Zajcica the following:

• [T1EU] Starter Healing Potions (3) -- [ Heals 50 HP. ]
• [T1E1] Uncommon Health Potions (3) -- [ Heals 40 HP. ]

[Zajcica 0]

The paladin looked at the wonderful items that her friend was attempting to share with her. She appreciated the sentiment and still accepted the items knowing full well that Night may never use them. Hell, she herself has only used a healing potion once.

"Thanks, but I feel bad that I didn't bring you anything buffed now that you're giving me some potions for combat. I'm sure I'll be thanking you when one of these potions saves me from a life or death situation. And have as much of the rolls as you want. You know that if you ever need anything Night, I'm just outside of Coral on Floor 22 okay? Promise me that if you find yourself needing something that you can't get a hold of for a quest that you'll come to me. I will get it done right for you, Ren." The girl gave her a warm, endearing smile. "And, yeah, my mom taught me how to cook. Besides video games, it's my favorite hobby."

Quote

Aceepting items from Night:

• [T1EU] Starter Healing Potions (3) -- [ Heals 50 HP. ]
• [T1E1] Uncommon Health Potions (3) -- [ Heals 40 HP. ]

 

[NIGHT 0]

"Take it as thanks for tagging along then," NIGHT replied, hitting the confirmation button. With a few jingles, they disappeared from her inventory. Her hand slipped back into her tracksuit's pocket, as the player turned her gaze up towards the range before them. "No need to tell me twice, Yuki." An idle response, the gears turning in the player's head for where to traverse to next. "I mean, I've already come to you once, haven't I?"

The woman flashed her friend a grin, before continuing to pace forward.

At her party member's mentioning of her mother, NIGHT's steps missed their usual beats for a second, before she picked up her rhythm once again. "That's... nice." A pause, before she turned her head around, glancing over to her friend. "What kind of games are you into? MMO's?" Gotta be, right? We're playing one right now.

The green trails they walked over would soon meet a golden hue, grains pouring out haphazardly from an open pit bordered by rock and stone. A settlement sat visible in the distance -- a checkpoint for the duo, before they went hunting for their mark.

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

The paladin smiled back at her friend, who was no asking her what her favorite games were. Did she come out and tell Ren the truth? Well, she already knew enough about Yuki, might as well not be afraid to tell her anything at this point.

"I've played a couple MMO's but I always found them kind of difficult to play. There's so much that you have to know to be successful in them...Now here I am, wanting to learn how to play them so I can survive. I enjoy anything that is fantasy based, not so much sci-fi stuff, but usually roleplaying games or adventure-esque games. Stuff where you can be free to explore whatever you want and just have fun. That sounds kinda lam-" The pinkette noticed the familiar town set on floor seven. It was this quest.

After a moment the paladin slowed to a stop, holding her hand against her other arm. "N-Nai..." She whispered came under her breath, a memorable voice of her last trek through this floor. "Dasukette!!!" Yuki shook her head, trying to remove that encounter from her brain.

[NIGHT 0]

Had it not been for the wind that flowed through the sandy valley, NIGHT might've caught her friend's muttered uncertainty. The player held an arm in front of her, coat blazing in the breeze, a moment taken to defend herself from the elements. Just as soon as the gust of wind came and breached their path, it went, and the knight shook her head as well, wondering if any of the sand had gotten into her clothes.

One zip of her jacket would do her good. Two hands slid back into their resting spots in her suit, and the woman only managed to spare her ally a glance for a beat. "C'mon, let's go."

"Y'know, I've only ever played a handful of MMO's, come to think of it." NIGHT's shoes hit the sand with a crunch in every step, the player not keen on shuffling when there was much rubble to kick up. "Though I have to agree on the fantasy element in games myself. Oh-- speaking of exploration, there were a few times I'd breached through a few high-leveled areas in this one game just to sight see? I ended up dying a bunch on the way there, but eventually I got really good at sneaking around myself."

"All that's to say that exploration in games isn't lame; actually, I think it's super cool."

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki hesitated to move. She didn't want to go anywhere near this monster again. After having finished it before, she swore that she would never come back to this area unless it was absolutely necessary. Macradon, Mari's friend, and the Blacksmith who made her original armor, saved her from that giant monster. She couldn't sleep peacefully for a week after that day. Six health points. That was how close she came to dying to that monster. 

"N-Night, do we have to do this quest?" Yuki's voice became more serious as she spoke from now. Her voice was deeper, like she wasn't trying so hard to keep up her feminine voice, as she usually was. "Have you completed it before, I mean? If so, I will help, but if not, I want nothing to do with this quest." The paladin stood in her place, waiting on an answer and almost ignoring the other bits of conversation that Ren was trying to make.

[NIGHT 0]

"Huh? No, I haven't. Why?" NIGHT slowed her pace -- this time on purpose -- before looking back to Yuki.

Her friend hadn't moved.

So they both stood in silence, the pink player's form trembling, before it finally registered with the adventurer the implications of her friend's immobility.

Oh.

NIGHT wrapped a hand around the back of her own neck, a head lowered, sights set to the ground. There was emptiness in her mouth where there should've been words, but the dark player found herself searching, quiet, trying to find something to say before meeting her friend in the eye.

"You don't have to come along if you don't want to."

Words of reassurance. NIGHT raised her gaze, solemn, her lips pressed together in a neat, thin line. "I can get it done quick. Sorry-- I didn't think..."

I didn't think?

"-- I thought you hadn't done it before, either." She looked towards the town in the distance, unsure of what to say. "I mean, the quest is pretty dangerous for low-levelled players, so I hadn't expected..."

Her recollection must've been slipping this morning. Yuki had made friends with people in higher places, hadn't she?

"... Sorry. You can-- you can wait for me in town if you want to."

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

"You're going to fight it then? I-I won't leave your side. I won't take that risk. I- ... I cannot falter. Composure... Need to pull myself together..." The paladin gave her cheeks a few taps to wake herself up from the bad memories that she had of this area. With probably the most serious face Night had ever seen her wear, the girl reestablished her stance at her side.

"Ren, in the short time we've known each other, you're easily one of my favorite people in Aincrad. I will not let you walk into this fight without me because I'm scared. I am even more scared of going without you and you never returning." With that, Yuki took the lead. She would not accept Night fighting this beast alone. She would not let a small fear consume her, no matter what she had experienced before. Shield had told her before... "A tank cannot show weakness, I cannot hold uncertainty in my heart."

[NIGHT 0]

"I will not let you walk into this fight without me because I'm scared. I am even more scared of going without you and you never returning."

How vile. That the two of them, along with the rest of the player base had to live under these uncertain terms, these uncertain rules that spell out life or death at each turn of a sword. NIGHT watched her friend bulk up herself to the challenge, musing how she once did the same on instinct at some point just to wake herself up, never mind face the horrors of Aincrad herself, and tilted her head at her friend's words. "Is that so? Don't tell me someone else said that to you, once."

With a wave, she turned around, starting to walk once more. "I think it fits you, though. A tank has to be stalwart. But not being allowed to show weakness is... tough. Don't hold that too seriously to yourself, now."

A quick stride over to town, NIGHT keeping an eye on Yuki's composure the entire way down. When they were at Rig's borders, she spoke once again, just to verify with her friend. "You doing okay? You know you can watch until I seem like I need help -- more likely than not, I won't lose to it in battle."

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki's composure was difficult to break to begin with, but a near death experience can really take a toll on a person. It's traumatizing to see a little green bar signifying how much longer you have to live and watch it tick down slowly and surely to its end and you're just dead.

"No one said that to me before. I just hold to my ideals." Yuki was having a difficult time looking at her friend, thinking about things she shouldn't. The thought of Night just vaporizing into data terrified her more than dying herself. The girl took a deep breath and shook that image from her mind. "I don't care about 'more likely', Ren. I care about certainty that you will come out of battle alive. If anyone is to die between the two of us it should be me. I am to protect you so I should be taking the damage. I won't let you die. I won't stand and watch you fight alone. I am your shield, a shield is useless if you don't stand behind it." The girl continued outside the city with her friend, ready for when the boss spawns.

[NIGHT 0]

Certainty indeed. As the duo stood over the Amphis' territory, its border marked in the sand, NIGHT fished out a small black crystal from her pocket. Funeral March.

A coy name.

At the side of the item was a button to press and play -- so that's what the player did, watching the serpent appear before her, slithering from its burial from the sands forth to strike its guests today. Yuki's words echoed in her mind, as the knight thought to come up with a response. If only her body would slow down just as much as her speech was, maybe, just maybe their foe would have a fighting chance at striking them instead.

But she hadn't. As quick as a whip, even betwixt the raging storm and the snake's graceful, complicated dance was her blade able to weave through its form and cut it in half. Galaxy Destroyer unleashed a flurry of sand upwards, a tussle of gold in celebration of the fiend's unceremonious departure, the scatter of blues and whites fragments from their enemy's fall and for its death alone. When NIGHT retrieved her blade, the dash of grains collapsing all around her, she met Yuki with an unflinching look, a tilt of her head in company to it.

"We're not all roses without thorns, Yuki."

A quick pace over to her friend, NIGHT's gloved hand settling on the paladin's shoulder. "I appreciate the concern. Really, I'm flattered. But no one's going to die on my watch."

"No one's going to die on yours, either."

@Zajcica

Spoiler

Due to environment conditions, players receive a -1 ACC and EVA penalty.

ID: 148029 | BD: 12 (8, +3+1) 
Free Action: Using Marche Funèbre. [ref] (-1 EVA to Amphis Serpens)
<<Galaxy Destroyer>> vs Amphis Serpens.
17 * 13 = 221 DMG | 221 - 45 = 176 DMG

Amphis Serpens | HP: -1/175 (-176) | DMG: 70 | EVA: -1 | MIT: 45

[1] NIGHT | HP: 910/910 | EN: 79/88 (-9) | ACC: 3 | DMG: 17 | EVA: 1 | PARAV-O: 1 | PARAV-D: 1 | LD: 2
[0] Zajcica | HP: 590/590 | EN: 56/56 | ACC: 2 | DMG: 4 | EVA: -2 | MIT: 81 | THORNS: 18 | REGEN: 5

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki stood still, knowing full well that Night could obliterate this boss with a single strike and no help whatsoever. The scars on her mind weighed her down heavily, though. Nearly dying to this boss had left a mark on her that she would never forget. The serpents exploded into nothing but dust of blue before her friend's blade. With a heavy sigh as her friend returned, Yuki started to approach Ren with her arms out, like she wanted to hug her but stopped midway. She didn't want to make her feel awkward or anything again.

With no idea what to do at this point, the paladin took a seat on the ground, huddling her knees into her chest. Her words came out quietly to Night, just loud enough to hear over the wind. "If tank - being everyone's shield - I can protect them right? I... I can keep you, Mari, Shield, and everyone else alive.. I..." Her voice trailed off.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Zajcica

[NIGHT 0]

Yuki took a seat on the sand, and NIGHT watched her, ear prickling at her words. She followed suit, sinking Dracbane into the sand before taking a squat beside her companion. The player placed a hand to the woman's head, an honest, stern look returned back towards the paladin herself.

"As a tank, sure. You can keep a million people alive if you really wanted. ...But you can't do anything to protect the living if you're dead by martyr syndrome, Yuki. Your life should be a priority -- your priority first and foremost. Got it?"

With a groan, the player in dark rose, pulling her sword from its hold and sliding it back into the sheathe on her back. "This place doesn't exactly have good vibes for you, does it? Then let's go get some food elsewhere. Better yet, we can have a picnic with your own sushi rolls over by the mountain range. Sounds nice, doesn't it?" A scoop, as NIGHT leaned down, fishing out the crystal she'd dropped into the sand earlier, the piano recording still playing, though its enhancements had worn off from battle.

She held it tight in her hand, before offering her other to her paladin friend, aiding her to rise.

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

The pinkette took a moment. The images of her past were nothing but that: The past. Those who held onto it and let consume them would get themselves killed in a world as harsh as this. She was stronger now and this would not anchor her down. Yuki looked up at Night, who was holding her hand out to her. They had just barely started to get to know each other, but there was no doubt in her mind. Ren was probably her best friend in this digital hell. Yuki would do everything she could to protect Night.

Her hand clasped Night's, pulling herself upward into a stand. After a few seconds of breathing carefully to cool herself down, the paladin gave the knight a smile. "We can go anywhere else in the game and I'll smile. As long as you're here with me, there is no reason for me to be upset. I showed my weakness, but I won't let it happen again. I promise that next time we go into combat, I'll be more fierce than a lion on the hunt. And yes, I like that idea."

[NIGHT 0]

A nod in return, NIGHT mirroring her companion's smile. She let her hand slip out her friend's grasp, bringing it over to the crystal's edges, tracing out its form from habit. The craft was delicate, but hopefully it would last their little moment of respite when they'd found a suitable place to rest. Otherwise, the adventurer had the right of mind to pick up another song from the performer herself.

"C'mon," the dark player called, taking steps towards the exit of the desert. "Floor 7's known for its scenery, right? There's bound to be a few good spots around here somewhere." With a toss, she passed the crystal from one hand to the other, her fingers playing with the box like a toy. "I'll check what I've got myself, but it's probably just more hot dogs from Oscar's shop..."

"-- You said you'd played MMOs before, right? Hey, which ones've you tried?"

@Zajcica

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki smiled to her friend, eyeing the beautiful little music box that she was holding. It was playing a nice little piano tune, likely the craft of a talented performer here in Aincrad, but Yuki didn't know anyone who was a performer, other than that dark haired girl in her guild. Did she play piano? Maybe it was hers.

"I can't remember the name of the one I put the most time into, but I remember my character being a lizard with wicked horns! I was like a dragon person without the wings and I could breath fire! It was fun, but it was too much of a grind to tolerate for too long honestly. That's most of the reason that I don't like MMOs but I guess my attitude can change when it comes to life or death situations."

Yuki laughed, trying to ensure Night that she wasn't saying that in a bad way. "Oscar's hotdogs are so good-!" Her conversation started to devolve into a topic of cooking, that Night would have to suffer through for the rest of the evening.

Spoiler

Rewards: 

SP: 3 quest to night only; 1 page; 1 bonus
Snake Venom
200 col per player