[PP-F1] Is it over yet? <<TFLIAF>>

[Iron_Lion 1]

[Lv. 5; Hidden Blade {3 DMG}; Assassin's Armor {3 EVA}; Strange Sigil {3 ACC}; 1 Tent {-1 EN on 1st/2nd C.P.}; 2 T1 Potions {+40 HP}]

Akio held out his hand and took the parcel Hannah gave him. Evidently it was a fishing pole. He stared at it for a bit. "...Riiiight. So, how does an artisan make a fishing pole? I thought artisans in this game made jewelry and art and stuff, not tools. Wouldn't a blacksmith or merchant put this together?" There was no response from the npc and he sighed in frustration. "Whatever... I take this to some guy named Ol' Pete right? Where on earth is he?" "He'll be on his boat in the lake by the town~" Hannah replied. Akio scratched his head. 'Well at least it's close by this time...' He still needed to get past the army of guards out there, but he'd been getting pretty good at it... That being said, he didn't want to get too cocky again like the last time. Getting thrown out of the town, being yelled at.. His face flushed at the thought. So embarrassing... He threw the fishing rod into his inventory. "Alright whatever... I'll take it to him, but if this isn't the last quest in this questline so help me I'm going to... Well, I guess I can't cause of the safe zone, but I'll yell at you a lot!" And with that he pulled his hood up and slipped out the door.

As he made his way through the town, he'd learned where to avoid and where to take his chances. The main road was too guarded, so he'd need to slip through alleys and such... How he didn't figure this out sooner was beyond him. He kept making detours to learn the best route when he chanced upon the orphanage that took him in when all this started. He froze when he saw the building. And under his hood his eyes narrowed and left the town without another word. Once he was outside however, and nearing the lake he started muttering. "...Tsk... That's one sight I never need to see again... Curse that place." He started to walk faster towards the shore, his head lowering, causing the hood to shadow his face. "Curse every damn orphana-oof!" In his bitter thoughts, he ended up running into somebody. He was a bit shocked and dazed, so he didn't really have a golden chance to run away... He really hoped this wasn't one of those players who threw him at the guards to get thrown out.

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

Edited June 5, 2020 by Iron_Lion

[Mari 1]

Mari held out her hand, catching one of the errant leaves in her palm. "Windy day..." She said quietly as she closed her hand over the leaf, shoving it in her pocket. The orange haired woman had planned to order some supplies from Ceres that day; since Ceres often gave things to her cheaper. Mari wasn't sure if it was out of pity or fear - but decided it was best not to question the rosy haired woman. Lest she have another earful or another request for an 'interview' 

"Fat load of good that did..." Mari muttered to herself. She hadn't really seen either of the girls since that day. The interview was meant to help alleviate any concerns the two girls had. The ginger haired woman had done her best to give them the distance they probably needed. After all, she had killed 8 people   But had she heard anything from them? No. Hell...she hadn't even heard from Titan lately. Mari was partly hoping to see him floating around here; the lake.

It's where they had done his quest after all; where they had talked about the guild...where he'd tease her and -

. "Curse every damn orphana-oof!"

Bamf

Mari took a few steps forward from the momentum of feeling something bump into her. She turned on her heel, but her eyes met nothing. They lowered and the first thing she saw was the insidious orange crystal, the second. The fact that it was floating about a small child. What on earth does a kid have a crystal like that for?

"Hey." Mari began. Normally, she'd be more brash - harsh. But Normally, she was dealing with adults. Not kids. "You uh..." She tilted her head. What was the best way to broach this. "You okay there?" 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

General
Level: 71 | HP: 1450  |Energy: 142



BATTLE COPY
Mari    [H:0/0/0] - HP 1430/1430  | EN: 140/140 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 43 | EVA:3 | ACC: 4  | BH: 72 | BRN: 24 |BLEED: 24 | FLAME AURA: 15 |

SKILLS
Rank 5 Weapon (+5 DMG)
-Weapon Mod: Precision (+1 ACC)
-Weapon Mod: Ferocity (+1 DMG)
Rank 5 Charge (+5 Damage -1 ACC)
Charge Mod BULL RUSH: Successful charge stuns target 1 turn
Rank 5 Light Armor (+25 MIT)
Light Armor Mod Athletics -  Gain +1 base damage and +30 HP when wearing light armor
SURVIVAL
Rank 5 Battle Healing (5% of total health rounded down start of each turn)
Familiar Mastery Expert - +1 (*Tier) Damage - +9 Damage
 

EQUIPPED
Name: Bleeding Lance| Item Type: 2H Assault Spear | Tier 3
Enhancements: Bleed 2 | Damage 1
'Bleed Damage of 24 for 2 turns on a roll of 8-10'
'Burn Damage' of 24 for 2 turns on a roll of 8-10 - Unmitigated

Name: Beacon Necklace | Item Type: Pendant | Tier 2
Enhancements  +3 ACC 

Name: Infernal Shadow | Item Type: Light Armour | Tier 3
Enhancements:  +2 Eva | +1 Flame Aura
'Effect: Prevent (6 per slot * Tier) damage per slot from successful attacks against you. Successful non-critical attacks against you deal (5 per slot * Tier) unmitigated burn damage to the attacking enemy.

 

 

@Iron_Lion

Edited June 5, 2020 by Mari

[Iron_Lion 1]

Akio rubbed stared at the orange haired girl for a moment before coming to his senses. He rolled backward onto his feet and pushed himself upright. At least, that's what he meant to do. But without the acrobatics mod, the system prevented him from doing any real parkour, making his movement clumsy and just failing outright. Sighing in embarrassment and frustration, he just got up like most people did. "Y-yeah, I'm alright miss." Great... Would he always have the bad luck of running into players? First Hei. Then there was that red headed girl who came to him after his mass embarrassment. And now he just ran into someone else because he was thinking of the orphanage too much to pay attention to where he was going! Well at least no one tried arresting him on the spot just yet. He doubted everyone was this nice though... 'Until It's clear they can see past your facade, keep it up and blend in.' "I just uh... I kind of, was thinking of something. Wasn't paying attention..." He peeked around her at the lake and saw a single, teeny tiny boat out in the middle of it. He pointed at the boat. "Do you um. Know if that belongs to an NPC? Someone named... Ol' Pete." Such a stupid name he thought. "I need to deliver something to him... And I assume he wants me to do something for him... Then after that's done, deliver something for him.... Then I have to talk to THAT person and see what they want." His shoulders slumped more and more each time he spoke again. He was very clearly over this whole questline of 'do this for me' and 'do that for me.'

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

[Mari 1]

The kid scrambled to right himself back up. "Mari." Came her reply. She wasn't sure if someone so young would be very familiar with the monument of life; especially since he too carried an orange cursor - Mari was curious about it, but didn't want to outright ask. "My names Mari. And you are?"

"Ooohh...." Mari grimaced. "You're doing those quests? Yeh. They can be pretty annoying." She  scratched the back of her head. Normally interacting with kids would have come almost at a second nature to her, but all that ran though Mari's head in that moment were all the times she had failed. She failed as a mother, she failed with Jacob, hell - this kid, she'd probably mess that up too. Still...

Mari drew in a deep breath. "But, hey - you're on the last one." She offered him a slight smile. "And that boat does belong to Ol' Pete....stupid name by the way, ain't it?" Mari gestured for the boy to follow. "C'mon. I'll take you to him. I recently took another low leveled player through here. So I know how it goes. You're gonna have to fish up some big ass-" Mari bit her tongue. "Some big butt fish - then you'll have to fight it. You've done the other quests...." She glanced up at his cursor then back to him. Her voice softening. "You've done the others on your own, right? You think you're fine with this one, or did you want some help?"

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

Mari huh? He needed to remember that name and write it down in his lorebook. Always learn everything you can, and record what's important his mom always said. Funny how lore in a video game had suddenly become one of the most important things in the world. When she asked what his name was, he no longer hesitated. A day or two ago he had officially decided to always give his first name, but never his username. Never. That was too dangerous what with the tracking skill he heard of. "My name's Akio miss Mari!" His mom always taught him etiquette. Even if she could be a threat, she was a grown adult and clearly far more experienced than him. He needed to speak to her as such. And besides, she seemed nice. What's wrong with- That's when he saw the orange cursor. So she killed someone too? Was it self defense like him? Or did she actually try killing someone. Either way... He'd already encountered someone with a similar colored cursor, so seeing one wasn't as much a shock anymore. It just made him wary... Not that he wasn't already.

When she voiced how annoying the questline was he folded his hands behind his head and groaned. "Right? It's like: Who wants to do the same thing over and over again? The only thing I liked was that it introduced combat for me.. Well that and the pretty jewel I found in the cave. That was pretty cool." 'But what was more cool was discovering a glitch in combat that lets you use sword arts without taking the proper stances, nor following it's exact pattern...' When she said he was on the last one however, his mouth opened for a moment before he nearly jumped, his hands falling to his sides with open palms. He looked up at her, his hood falling back slightly revealing the child's excited and gleaming eyes. "Really?! Yes!" He punched his fist in the air with excitement. "Then I can take a completely new quest after this! Something fun!" 'But not dangerous... Not yet...' She continued and when he heard she was of the same mind as him regarding the guy's name he giggled. "Really stupid." He continued listening to her with a big smile on his face. There was something about her... Something that..... He couldn't tell what it was, but it felt familiar... Even the way she started cussing and cut herself off...

He saw her hesitate as she glanced at his cursor again and his smile faded slightly. 'Right, stick to your cover story.' "Oh, I steal stuff from players in the town. It's not like I kill people or anything, I just take some food from npcs and players, grab some col they leave around... Maybe a scarf or jewelry to sell..." When she asked him if he wanted to join there was hesitance. Logically speaking, he shouldn't work with anyone unless he knew for a fact that he could trust them. However..... Something about her... "...Sure, why not? I don't mind help getting through this boring quest."

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

 

[Mari 1]

"Akio...mmmm...."  Mari placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Akio - you gotta be careful giving people your real name. That's something precious to you. Still." She gently removed his hand after giving Akio a reassuring squeeze. "It's good to meet you." Mari saw the way his small blue eyes fluttered up to her cursor - but if there was a reaction, she didn't see it. Maybe he didn't know who she was - maybe he was too young.

She walked beside Akio, keeping an eye on him. Every so often she'd glance around the area - sapphire eyes checking the horizon. Seeing if anyone else were around. If anyone would bother them. She couldn't help it, she wanted to protect him. "The jewel..." Mari repeated, right - the gem for Hannah. "There's another quest that has something like that. It's got a Minotaur guarding it, and it's in the middle of a maze." 

Mari smiled at Aiko, his exuberance and innocence was refreshing - it was far too often she was met with the opposite. He almost reminded her of Macradon - perhaps Aiko was a little less clumsy. Only a little. "That one may be a little too hard for you right now though...let's see...fun quests..." Mari tapped her lip. What was fun? Mari couldn't really say she found any of them fun. Course she was vastly over-leveled. If she had continued to put effort in she'd probably be at the max level by now. But lately, Mari had lost the energy to go hard. Just how old was he anyway?

"You could get a pet, or familiar of some sort. That's fairly safe - dunno about fun...but it'd be useful to have. And -" Mari turned her attention back to him. "It'd give you a companion. I think we all get a little lonely sometimes...do you fee lonely?" Mari asked, fishing for some sort of information on why someone so young was running around questing on his own. 

It seemed Aiko was at least a little more observant than Mari first gave him credit for. "You really shouldn't...do that...yanno?" Mari said to him. "The first few times you'll be fine, but if that's permanent - it's kinda hard to remove." 

Mari stopped just short of the edge of the lake; their close proximity caused the boat to move; as it shifted closer to them - Ol' Pete must be on his way. Mari guessed she had a few minutes alone with Aiko before the NPC arrived at the shore. 

"Aiko, are you alone? Did you need Col or food? A place to sleep?" Mari really didn't like the idea of him sleeping alone in the wilderness, or on a bench somewhere because he couldn't afford an inn. "You know there are places that can help you..." She paused. Realizing what he had said earlier. Something about hating orphanages.

"Unless....ya don't like those sorta places...." 

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

He almost flinched when she put her hand on his shoulder, but the comforting way she did it he relaxed almost immediately. She started to give him advice, telling him not to give his real name carelessly, as it was precious to him. 'Always use false information. Never give your real name, use an alias. Then stick to it.' Maybe that's why she seems so familiar... He nodded as he looked in her eyes. "Yes ma'am, I'll remember that. I'll try coming up with an alias to give someone after this." He smiled though when she said it was good to meet him. He still didn't fully trust her, she did have an orange cursor after all... Though, to be fair. His mom would have one too if she was here. She'd probably have killed dozens of people just to keep Akio safe. Although she preferred to use a sniper, so it might have taken her some time to adjust. "It's nice to meet you too Mari~" When she mentioned a quest having a minotaur and a maze he gasped. "There's a quest with a maze in it? That sounds like fun! I wonder how long it would take to get through it! And I don't have to be scared about getting lost as long as I have a teleport crystal!" Even as she stated that it might be too tough for him, he just nodded and imagined going through an elaborate maze like a pro. When she mentioned the familiar quest his eyes sparkled.

"So there IS a quest for that. I was wondering!" Then she mentioned how it would give him a companion and how people got lonely sometimes. This caused his sudden joy to falter a bit as he looked up at the sky and the clouds. His face not discouraged, but not joyful either. When she asked if he felt lonely he was silent for a little while. "...Sometimes... I can't just lie and say I don't miss my mom... And having no one to do stuff with can get depressing sometimes.. But it's not like I can just walk up to a stranger and ask them if they wanna spend some time together. I'm not stupid, I've heard the stories of player killers. I've heard about the pk guilds. You can't just trust people. So even when I get lonely, I know I can't just go making friends. I have to be careful." 'So why do I trust Mari? Why do I feel so safe around her? I only just met her...'

When she told him he shouldn't be stealing his expression changed to a pout. "Hey, col is surprisingly hard to get and it's not like people will donate it to me! Not to mention the npc vendors won't sell to me cause of the cursor... Which, may end up sticking given how long I've been stealing..." He said with a bead of sweat on his embarrassed face. When she started to bombard him with questions however, he reacted with shock. "W-well, yeah um. I kinda am alone right now... I, can get col and food by stealing, but once I can handle quests I- OH um... Well, I have a tent I sleep in outside the town. I found a spot where monsters can't spawn sooooo..." He fell silent, knowing these weren't the answers the woman was hoping for. However.

When she mentioned those places his face hardened and his eyes steeled up. "No I don't... I hate them..."

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

 

[Mari 1]

"You...ah...don't have to call me ma'am..." Mari said, she had let it slide the first time, but if that was gonna be a habit of his, she'd best snuff it out now. It felt too awkward to have him call her that. She wasn't that old, was she? If he wasn't a kid she'd probably slap it outta him. But no - he's just a kid, and Mari was trying hard not to fall back on her old habits. "It doesn't have to be hard, heck - I know someone called Snow. So really. Something short and simple...easy to remember, maybe something you'd like." Mari offered. Trying to give Aiko some advice. 

"The maze is actually....dumb, kinda easy." Mari didn't want to upset him, but she'd rather not get his hopes up either. "But uh..." She quickly added. "Maybe we could go through it some time. I'm pretty close to the level cap - so You'd be fairly safe."

"I can't blame you. I don't think they'd be very nice places. Sure, maybe a little safer- a little warmer... a little less lonely - but..." Mari shook her head. She wasn't really good with words. Her heart ached when he said he missed his mother, of course he did. Mari knelt down to his level and reached out to grab his hands. It was hard to read his facial expression, as all she could clearly see was the bottom of his face; his chin and small mouth, which was turned down into a small frown. "It's not the same, it feels like some sort of empty replacement for your mum, right?" Mari asked. "I miss my daughter too. I'm sure your mum is right by your side now, holding your hands, just like this." Mari offered as she squeezed his small hands within her own.

"So, wherever you are, you should remember that. Yeh?" 

Mari stood, letting go of his hands. "If not that then hey, you're always welcome to spend the night at my house."

At that, the sound of the boat hitting the shore distracted Mari. Old Pete had arrived. He gave them both a toothless grin, his old eyes focused on Aiko - the quest holder. "Well, your time to shine, kid."

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

Hearing her ask him to not call her ma'am he nodded in understanding. "Yes ma- I-I mean.. Ok Mari." She then proceeded to give him more advice, telling him that his choice of name didn't have to be that hard and that it could be anything simple. He put his hand to his chin as he thought before he pulled it away with a smile. "Alright then! My alias will be Silver!" He was really happy with the name~ He then looked up to Mari. "There isn't.. Another player named Silver is there?" If people knew a player named Silver, and he said his name was silver, that would be a dead giveaway... However after he had declared his hatred for orphanages, she commented on how they at least provided shelter and food. As she drifted off, he added: "Those places are a prison... I'm glad I escaped. I'd rather fight on my own than be trapped there another minute." However the steel look in his eyes melted away when she stopped and kneeled down to him. She inquired that it didn't feel the same, as if it was an empty replacement of his mom. He took a quiet intake of breath and stiffened but otherwise didn't move or speak. She mentioned how she missed her daughter, and that his mom was likely holding his hands like she was right now. As she said this, his fingers wrapped around hers, imagining his mom. '...Mom... Don't worry. I'll make it.' As Mari pulled her hands away, so would Akio. He nodded, a weak smile breaking out on his lower features. "..I will.. Thanks Mari."

Then she invited him to spend the night at her place.

"...Wha-" His eyes shot wide open but before he could have a chance to respond the NPC arrived. He nodded. "Y-yeah.." He pulled the fishing rod out of his inventory and handed it to the npc. He wasn't even hearing what the thing was saying at this point. He was still shocked at the invitation. Was this a trap? She was a pker, but he expected trickery and deceit from green players who lured players in for their orange comrades. And she seemed so nice.. "So kid, ya ready to go fishin'?" "Huh, what? Oh yeah. Sure, the sooner I finish off this questline for good the better."

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

[Mari 1]

"Another Silver? Hmmm....Probably. But - who cares? It's just an alias right? Who you are is no ones business but yours, right?"

It was then that Aiko mentioned the orphanages. "Prison..." Mari never really thought about it that way, but - if that's how Aiko felt about them, then she wouldn't invalidate him. That's the worst thing anyone could do. Despite him being a kid, he seemed pretty clued in, and had some sort of a solid head on his shoulders. More so than some adults she met  "You know...." Mari began, placing another hand on his shoulder. "I used to think the same. It was better to be alone, easier. Being close to others was a liability- A -" She paused, she had to try and figure out how to word things correctly for a kid. "I thought being close to others would mean bad things for me. I was hurt a lot, by people I considered friends. They lied to me, and tried to hurt me. So I understand. How you feel but...you know its okay to rely on others. Amidst all that [censored]- err...amidst all those bad people out there? You'll find the good ones you can trust and rely on."

Mari paused to climb into the small wooden boat, the inside was slippery; she sat down and reached out to Aiko. "C'mon then - but watch where you step. The floors are slippery." 

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

'So there is one? Dang it...' Still, she was saying it didn't matter so long as he didn't actually tell them his personal information. If they knew this Silver, he could just tell them that he's not giving his information to strangers. He nodded with a small smile. "Yeah I guess that makes sense. And if they press me for my username or name, I DEFINITELY won't trust them." Once again he felt the nag of instinct telling him not to trust this woman. And to some extent he wouldn't, but... She just, seemed so much like... He heard her repeat the word prison and his fists tightened. Memories of his past years were fond and wonderful, if a bit taxing with all his tutors. However, when he thought about the year he was in the orphanage... It felt like a thousand years there. No one liked him and he didn't like them. It was like everyone was out to get him, even the people running it. He hated it... He returned to the present however when she spoke up again and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and listened to her talk about how she avoided people because she saw them as a liability... Kind of like him right now. Since, people lied, people betrayed you, and there were a lot of pkers out there. She even reinforced his resolve not to make close ties with people further by stating that she'd been betrayed by her 'friends' in the past. However, she ended on an interesting note: Learn to identify those he could trust and rely on, and then rely on them. To this, he looked down at the ground, not fazed at all by her use of language. "...But how do I know when I can trust someone? How do you find out if they're trustworthy?" 'How can I make sure I can trust you?' he thought.

He saw her offer her hand and he took it, though he was a bit frustrated. "I know how to get into a boat, I'm not stupiiiii-" He tried to be careful but ended up slipping a bit. He gripped her hand tighter and pulled to keep his head from hitting the bottom of the boat. ".......Boat is slippery. Be careful. Got it." The fisherman laughed and he growled while wearing a pouty face. That's when he realized something: His hood fell off when he nearly fell back, exposing his gray hair and blue eyes. He blinked with surprise and quickly thought about what he should do. 'If your identity is revealed, there's no taking it back. If they're a liability eliminate them. If they're an ally make them swear silence. If they aren't an ally but are too dangerous to fight, make them an ally any way you can.' "...Please don't share my description to anyone... I really don't want info brokers to get ANY intel on me." He looked around to see if any players were nearby, his hands on his hood... But when he didn't see anyone, he hesitated and decided to not put it on again. She'd already seen his face, there was no point in hiding it anymore.

"Alright then youngin, ma'am. Les ge' out ther an' catch us a big'un shall we?" Ol'Pete laughed as he began to row them out to the center of the lake.

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

Edited June 7, 2020 by Iron_Lion

[Mari 1]

Mari snorted as she stifled a laugh. "No, not stupid." She reiterated as she reached out and carefully helped him back up. Mari's motherly instinct kicked in and she started to brush him off, fixing up his clothes, readjusting his cloak clasp and going as far as to remove a bit of  grime from his cheek. "There." Mari said. "Even the smartest people can trip and fall."

Mari's smile faded when Aiko freaked out, seemingly because his hood had fallen down. Mari knew there were instances where people didn't want their identity seen. Hidden was one of them. She didn't expect the kid to be so worried. "Aiko..." She said, worried. A part of her told her an innocent person wouldn't be so worried about such a thing. That there must have been something more to his crystal than he let on, but Mari shove those thoughts to the side. This poor kid. A kid. There was no way her thoughts had any real grounding, he was just lost and alone, nothing more.  "You really don't wanna go back to that orphanage, huh?" Mari mused. "Don't worry. I won't say anything."

Aiko asked her how he could trust others. "Trust...." Mari said quietly as she tapped the edge of the swaying boat. "That's a hard one. It's really hard to gain, but easy to break I guess..." Mari turned to Aiko and offered him a grin as she reached out and ruffled his hair. "You can't know, Aiko. Just take those chances." She said. "I know it sounds easy, and it's not - but if we don't take those chances we aren't really living." He was so jumpy. Mari couldn't really blame him. Poor kid must have been through a lot.  "You just gotta take those chances. You may get hurt again; but you may just find someone that makes it all better."

Mari was never very good at motivational speeches. Rather, she was terrible at them. How could she spurt words she barely believed herself? A few months ago Mari would have been singing a different tune. But now? She had a home. She had friends like Macradon, Baldur, and Oikawa. She had things she could never dream of. Yet, she was terrified of loosing all of that.

"So." Mari cleared her throat. "How do you handle the snow? My house is on the 4th floor."

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

Immediately after she helped him balance on his feet, she started to clean him up. He was about to protest, but she was pretty much done by the time he realized. Though he did give out a "H-hey!" when she wiped the grime off his face. Now that part about his mom he didn't miss. He saw her smile fade away, but he didn't make any reaction until he could confirm that she wouldn't tell anyone. When she finally spoke, she mentioned how he really didn't want to go back to the orphanage. What? "Well no. But I also don't wanna be hunted by player killers either... See, one day I'm going to join the front lines, and help everyone get out of here! At least, that's my hope. And I heard bad stories about fights between them, and player killers who'd hunt players trying to get there. I want to keep myself safe, and. Well if nobody knows my username or face, I can just disappear for a while right?" Yes. If something came up, he had to ensure he had an escape method. He needed to have a teleport crystal on his person at all times so that if someone showed any signs of aggression, he'd use it, and he could switch his armor for casual clothing at any time. Doing so would allow him to lay low until everything blew over...

He then listened to her talk about trust and how it was something hard to obtain but very easy to break. Akio nodded. His mother had gone over how he couldn't trust people so many times he'd begun to wonder if he could trust anyone at all. She reached out and ruffled his hair, which he didn't really appreciate and acted accordingly: "H-hey! Don't do that.." Then he heard something he hadn't expected. He looked into her eyes. "Take the chances..." He looked down, conflicted between certain parts of the creed. "But, isn't that dangerous? Especially here? I mean, there's so many people who would kill me just for the thrills.. I don't know.." Taking the chances and just trusting someone sounded so reckless and dangerous... But then again, wasn't he in a position where he needed to? She knew his face, so he had to make her an ally right? Didn't that mean that he had to trust her? Even a little bit? It took a minute or two for him to respond, but eventually he did. "...Maybe... If I feel safe enough.. I could try trusting people." With that he went ahead and combed his hair. He really didn't like people ruffling his hair... Though. It did remind him of his mother a little. And that caused him to smile, just a little.

When she told him about her home his eyes widened, almost sparkling. "There's snow where your house is?! OH WOW! That's awesome!" Then he hesitated. "But, isn't the fourth floor too high a level for me yet? I haven't even maximized the dagger skill yet. I'm only rank two in it. Would I really survive there?" Kind of hard to imagine getting there unscathed until he leveled up a few times. Before he could add anything else however, Ol'Pete shoved the fishing rod into his hands and tried to explain how it works. However, it was all gibberish to the kid, so he just decided to experiment a bit. However, his first attempt didn't really go so well. His line got tugged, but when he pulled it back the creature hadn't actually taken the bait. "Aw man.. I'm gonna have to be super patient with this aren't I?"

[ID# 152661] [CD: 4] [Result: Failure]

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

@Mari

Edited June 7, 2020 by Iron_Lion

[Mari 1]

Hunted by Player Killers....that was something Mari could relate to, rather - no - just hunted in general. "mmm..." She shifted her gaze away from him to look back to the quickly disappearing shoreline. "It's not the PKer's you gotta watch out for. It's everyone else." Mari muttered, a touch of bitterness in her tone. Of all the times she was attacked, threatened, or chased - almost the entire time it was by others, not by PKers.  "I'm about to rejoin the frontlines myself." Mari said, trying to lighten the mood. She offered Aiko a grin. "Sure - the frontlines can always have problems. But it doesn't mean everyone still isn't working together to get everyone outta here. You got noble goals." 

"That's what fishing is, Aiko. Patience." Mari said with a bemused smile as she rested her elbow on her knee, so she could prop up her face, watching him. "You'll get there. I'm curious - if it's gonna be the same as last time. Last time the guy fished up a giant ass Sword Fish."  Mari was tempted to reach out and help him with the fishing - but his earlier reaction made her rethink her approach. She had to remind herself that people didn't exactly like being around her. She supposed that included kids too.  Mari shifted the conversation back to her home.

"It's about a half hour walk from Snowfrost, the areas between are fairly safe - but...I suppose if you're under level say 5 or 6 It would probably be a little too high of a floor. Unfortunately I can't exactly escort you from the safe zone." Mari pointed up at her crystal. "I'd be attacked on sight by the town guard, but I could meet you just outside the zone...though...I''d worry about you walking around town like that."

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

Akio's face showed both shock and surprise, as well as a hint of dismay. "...It's because player killers are predictable isn't it? Or, do you say that because we're both orange players? And they don't treat people like us well?" He hadn't had anyone attack him yet, but people had yelled at him, cursed at him, and even chased him out for his orange cursor. He wondered how she got hers. He couldn't just tell her the truth though. He had no idea how she'd react upon hearing that he lied and he actually got the cursor from killing another player. Sure it was self defense, but still. He knew how people treated his mother. It made him nervous if anyone found out the truth about his cursor. Of course, people automatically assumed the worst when they saw it. "...I promise I'll stay safe Mari." He said, a smile returning to his face. Only this time, she was able to see his whole face. "I won't be caught off guard! I swear it!" 'I swear it mom...' When she mentioned how she planned on rejoining the frontlines his jaw dropped. "Wait, you were a part of the frontlines?! What was it like? Do you know any of the current frontliners? What can you tell me about-" he cut himself off, realizing he was asking a lot of personal questions, and giving away his desire to gather intel on each and every frontliner. He folded his hands behind his back. "Um.. Sorry, I didn't mean to bombard you like that..."

After she told him that patience was basically the core of fishing he gave a loud groan and flopped onto his back. "AAAaaaaah, but it's so booooring... I can't understand why there's even a fishing skill in this game. There's got to be a better way at getting food or materials than this!" After a few more moments of groaning he sat back straight again and cast the line with a grumble. He spent some time in thought before suddenly asking aloud: "I wonder if the swordfish in this game actually know swordplay. It's a game after all." Then he giggled. "It would be pretty funny to see a player swordfighting a swordfish."

Upon hearing her mention how players at or below level six would have a hard time, he looked to her. "....Would level seven players handle it well enough?... Actually, I think this quest might put me at level eight or nine. Do you think it would be safe enough for me then?"

Suddenly the rod was being tugged. Akio was about to yank, but forced himself to wait a moment. It tugged, three more times, before he was being yanked himself. Planting his feet firmly on the edge of the boat, he pulled with all of his might until the game mechanics took over and the sword fish lunged into the air. Suddenly it's health and name showed, and Akio knew he was in combat. "...Right, I have to fight that. Now then." He said as he stood up and dropped the fishing rod, he took a battle stance and activated his hidden dagger, drawing the blade from it's hiding spot on his right bracer. "Now then... How do I fight a monster that lurks in the water..."

[ID# 152679] [CD: 8] [Result: Sword Fish Caught!]

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/100)
EN:  [                    ] (14/10)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

[Sword Fish] [Lv. 1 Boss]

Spoiler

[Dmg: 5; MIT: 0]
[                    ] (35/35 HP)
[Special Attack: Spin Attack as first successful hit dealing 50 DMG]

@Mari

Edited June 9, 2020 by Iron_Lion

[Mari 1]

"Not entirely." Mari said. "It's because, with Player Killers - you kinda know what to expect. You don't know what they've done. Be it taking items." She gestured toward him. "Or a life." She gestured toward herself. Her tone serious. "You know, that each of those people are marked with a reason. They carry their sins plain as day. Green players? They can hide theirs. Some hide countless murders or misdemeanors - and prance around with narry a care - because they're green." Mari realized that her bitterness was getting the best of her, and these are things she shouldn't be telling a child. Mari coughed. "I'm not saying any one colour is better than another - but when you see an orange player, you know you're meant to be wary of them right? I guess I'm just saying we should have that caution with everyone. Regardless of the colour of the cursor." 

Mari mumbled as she scratched the back of her head. She wasn't doing too well now was she? "Ahh..I'm sorry Aiko. It's...I like to think people can be inherently good."  She didn't quite believe her own words, but the last thing she needed to be doing was filling this poor kids head with such negative notions. Luckily, much like kids, his attention had changed when she mentioned the frontlines. 

"Oh uh...I mean - I know many of the frontliners now, but I'm only just returning after being chased away for a few years. They were quite...messy back in the day." Mari grinned offering him a cheezy thumbs up. "You're lookin at the girl who single handedly scouted both the 10th and 11th floors. Who lead the charge against the Orochi boss of the 10th floor and landed that final hit. So you're in pretty safe hands. Not many would bother you if I'm around."   Mari didn't mention the other reason, the whole notorious PKer thing that she was trying to atone for. 

"Let's see -  Macradon, he's a goof but a strong fighter...Hestia - I hear she's a good tank though I haven't met her. Zandra is hot headed - you'd probably wanna avoid her. You also have Baldur." Mari paused at his name. Closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath, her voice softening. "Baldur...is probably one of the most level headed and kindest people I know.  I'll answer more questions if you want, but maybe you should..." Mari was about to tell him to focus more on the task at hand, rather than what was going on more than several floors above him. 

Mari leapt to her feet; pulling out her Spear, a weapon as long as she was tall - a small needle like blade sat atop a mahogany handle. "I'll draw its hate with a basic attack - the rest will be up to you." Mari gave Aiko a toothy grin. "Can't make things too easy for you now."  I just don't wanna see you hurt, kid. 

Mari flipped her Spear around. "I used to be a dagger user till recently. It  may seem like it is small compared to a spear - but think of it this way." Mari glanced over her shoulder at the white haired youth. "A two handed spear is nothing more than a dagger taped to a big ass stick." She turned her blue eyes back to the Sword Fish, which was thrashing around in the water.

"Battles are the same, its about waiting; watching for the patterns - this one? It leaps out the water and attacks - you wanna leap up and gut its undersides as it-" As Mari was explaining the Sword Fish leapt up and out of the water. Mari jabbed her spear upward - slicing it as it passed overhead. She now had the lead in hate. 

"See, now you try."

@Iron_Lion


Action: Basic Attack > Sword Fish
ID:152681  BD: 4+3=HIT  
MOB: 7-3=MISS

Mari    [H:2] - HP 1430/1430  | EN: 140/140 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 43 | EVA:3 | ACC: 4  | BH: 72 | BRN: 24 |BLEED: 24 | FLAME AURA: 15 |


[Dmg: 5; MIT: 0]
[                    ] (16/35 HP)  -19 Damage
[Special Attack: Spin Attack as first successful hit dealing 50 DMG]

 

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Mari

[Iron_Lion 1]

Akio was following her words carefully as she spoke, though his concentration faltered when she pointed at her self as a demonstration of a murderer. He hummed in thought after that. So she did kill someone. Was it in self defense? Or was it some other reason? She was so nice, he didn't want to believe it was the latter... But, at the same time, he heard of people who killed and felt guilt about it later, wanting to atone for what they did. Maybe that was the reason? He had absolutely no idea what to expect. All he knew was she was nice to him, kind to him, and didn't seem like she had any evil vibes either. So, at least he could trust her to not hurt him. Was that good enough? Was that all he needed to take that 'chance' she was talking about? He wasn't sure... 'One thing I am sure of though. I've gotta find out why she killed. I have to know.' But would that require him telling her his secret? How he killed another player? He bit his lip in confliction but shoved it past. He'd have to check later. For now: "I understand. Thanks Mari." When she mentioned how she thought people were inherently good he looked at the horizon. "...Inherently good?... I don't think people are inherently good...B-but, neither do I think they're inherently evil either. I think people are just born... Neutral. It kinda depends on how we're raised right? Some cultures think murder is awful, while some cultures eagerly seek out war and conquest. Some kids are raised by bad parents and taught bad things, while some kids are raised by nice parents and taught nice things. So, I don't think people are inherently good. It's just how everyone's raised that's good or bad. At least, that's what I think."

Sadness shadowed Akio's face as he heard she was chased for years. So that's the life of someone who's committed murder.. He definitely had to stick with his cover story... But. She didn't seem happy to talk about that. Did she regret it? At least it was something they had in common.. Maybe. Maybe he could tell her his secret. But, he still wanted to wait. Though, he did feel bad for her. When she talked about her feats however his face brightened again, and the sense of wonder returned to his eyes. "Really? Well when I get there, I'll make sure to explore and learn everything I can about the tenth floor then! Gotta make sure your hard work wasn't wasted!" He gave her a big child grin and giggled before he focused on memorizing the names she handed out. 'Ok, Macradon's a good fighter... Wait, wasn't he my blacksmith? I'll need to investigate that later. Hestia is some tank, and a good one apparently. Zandra's hot headed, and I should avoid her. And Baldur is a level headed and kind person who... Might, mean something important to Mari judging by her reaction. Either that, or someone she respects at least.'

After her demonstration, Akio gave a "Woooooooow! That was awesome!" He grinned before remembering where he was. Eyes focused now, and face stern, he gave a solid nod before he took his stance. He didn't want her to know about his secret. About how he could bypass the requirements for activating sword arts, and instead activate them however way you wanted. After taking the right stance his dagger glowed and he waited. This sword art required four thrusts to trigger. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. 'Identify what your target's warning movement is when they're about to strike. A look in the eyes, a twitchy finger, a deep breath. When you see that warning, immediately dodge.' He noticed that the monster swam in a large circle three times before it launched itself. He watched it go. One... Two... Immediately after the third swirl, Akio side stepped, avoiding it's narrow blade just in time. And with the help of the game's assistant mechanics, he managed to stab it three times along the length of it's body, resulting in twenty four points of damage. Shattering the monster before it could hit the water again.

Into his inventory came seafood and fish scales. His face lit up. "YEAAAAAH! THAT'S THE END OF THIS FREAKING QUEST!!!"

[ID# 152682] [BD: 4+3=7] [6x4=24 DMG]
[MD: 7-3=4] [Result: Failure]

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 7]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/140)
EN:  [                    ] (14/14)
XP:  [                    ] (0/2)

[Mari] [Lv. 71] [1 H]
[DMG:_19 // MIT: 43 // EVA: 3 // ACC: 4]
HP:  [                    ] (1,430/1,430)
EN:  [                    ] (140/140)

[Sword Fish] [Lv. 1 Boss]
[Dmg: 5; MIT: 0]
[                    ] (0/35 HP)
[Special Attack: Spin Attack as first successful hit dealing 50 DMG]

Spoiler

@Mari

Edited June 7, 2020 by Iron_Lion

[Mari 1]

"Congratulations." Mari coughed as she gently tapped Aiko's shoulder - being mindful of his personal space this time. "Now we just gotta make it back to shore." Mari flipped her Spear behind her, hiding it back away in the mysterious space of her inventory as it disintegrated in her hands. Mari sat herself back on the boat. Despite the wind carrying the cold from off the water - the day was mostly pleasant. So Mari wanted to do her best to enjoy that day. She leaned casually back in the boat, her arms hanging on the sides. 

"So, what ya got planned now you've finished the most grueling quests Aincrad has to offer?" Mari asked. "I'd...." She shifted her gaze away. "I'd not bother exploring the 10th floor, not till you're at around level 15-20 at the very least. So you don't accidentally wander into anything nasty. There's a Stygian river there -looks like its made of blood. It's not." Mari left out the part where she had both swam in, and drunk from the river. "Zombified versions of previosu floor bosses spawn in an area beside it. You've also got a void - and it's - uh its a terrible place." She also left out how she had jumped into the damn void 

Mari threw her head back so she could stare at the sky. Late afternoon...hmmm... 

"Or, if you wanted me to ask any questions you had - you could come back with me to my home." Mari turned her face back to Aiko and offered him a warm smile. "You might have to spend the night though, since it'd be dark by the time we're done." She wanted to be honest with her intentions. Mari didn't like the idea of him staying outside in a tent. "If I'm being honest, I'd prefer that to you being...well. Alone in a tent." 

@Iron_Lion

[Iron_Lion 1]

Akio handled the rewards section and got everything he needed. He even watched his level hit level eight, grinning widely as it did. Before he could say or do anything else though, Mari asked him what he was planning to do next. He was about to say go back to his camp for the night and just chill, but he realized pretty quickly that she wouldn't really care for that. "Oh, probably just wander around and explore the floor a bit more.. Then I'll go find a new quest to do in the morning." He twisted his wrist, retracting the hidden blade back into the bracer before sitting down. "I want to become strong fast, and besides. I'm hoping some of these quests aren't as boring and repetitive as this one."

Then she started to share why exploring the tenth floor wouldn't be a good idea as of right now. He listened to her very carefully. Most of what she said sounded interesting, and his curiosity slowly began to rise. Even his posture screamed it as he leaned in closer when she mentioned a void. "Woooaaah. They have a void there?... Does it have a big echo?" When she finished he leaned back again and nodded. "...Ok. I'll wait until I'm level twenty five then. I wanna stay alive, so it works out at least." Then his face lit up again and he held his fist in the air in a triumphant manner. "But when I do, I'm gonna explore every inch of that floor! I'll find every monster, every boss, every dungeon, every material! I'll locate hidden quests, and learn everything there is to learn about it!" Even though he didn't know this person... It seemed like she went through so much after her cursor changed. He wanted her to feel like. Well that someone appreciated what she'd done. And it worked out anyway since he was starting to get a bit pumped.

When she offered to talk more in her home, as well as offered for him to spend the night he sat cross legged on the floor and closed his eyes in thought. There were always going to be risks... But. This Mari person.. She reminded him so much of his mother. Maybe, that's why he trusted her. Perhaps also that she could have easily killed him on the boat and no one would have bat an eye. Two player killers on a boat in the middle of the lake? Seriously, what else would people expect. "...Ok." He said after several minutes of thought and internal discussion. "...You yourself said I have to take a leap of faith sometimes right? I don't know why, but despite logic telling me otherwise, I really feel strongly that I can trust you. So, yes. I'd like to talk some more. And... I suppose spending the night wouldn't be too bad either. As long as I'm safe, I'm certain mother wouldn't mind it."

[Iron_Lion] [Lv. 8]
[DMG:_06//EVA:_03]
HP:  [                    ] (140/140)
EN:  [                    ] (14/14)
XP:  [                    ] (1/2)

@Mari

[Mari 1]

Mari trusted what AIko had to say at face value she saw no reason why he'd lie to her, and well, he was young. Mari didn't see such an innocent kid lying to her, or anyone really. He seemed so wide eyed and innocent. It was kinda nice spending time with someone like that. No worries about being cautious. Well, she had to watch her mouth - but she didn't have to worry about him turning around and attacking her, she didn't have to worry about there being any alternate or devious plans. No, it was just a simple outing. A soft smile broke Mari's freckled face as she watched Aiko with warm cerulean eyes. "I'd suggest doing the Nepent quest - but without an AoE, it's a real bother." Mari pointed to his wrist. "I've only just recently shifted from...." Mari blinked. She had only recently shifted from being a dagger user. She had Two spare daggers in her inventory. Ones that she doubt would ever get much use.

"Hey, Aiko - you should come find me when you hit Tier 2 - I have a Demonic and Unique dagger. Remember how I said I had the last drop from the Orochi? Well, that was my dagger, and I really have no use for it anymore. It's a DoT - Damage over TIme weapon. It has Two bleed and Two burn."  Mari held out a single finger. "You just have to find me when you get there - and make sure you stay safe. That's all I ask. I also have one that deals Frozen damage, if that tickles your fancy more."  Mari was planning on keeping it, for sentimental reasons, but...if someone needed it more, then who was she to hoard it? Hell, maybe she'd even be able to talk him into joining the guild at some point in the future; but...no...no...she was getting ahead of herself.

He asked her, question after question about the 10th floor. He was practically vibrating with excitement. "Uhhh...actually if you jump into it, you fall back out like a minute later, and you hear these terrible whispers and its freezing...then afterwards you have this horrible sense of dread that follows you throughout the floor. It's...just maybe avoid jumping down that void." Mari added. SHe didn't want to encourage him - but maybe if she warned him about it. He'd not think about jumping down there too. "So learn everything else about it. Then come find me and tell me everything."

'Donk'

The boat hit the side of the river; signalling the end of their ride. "It's good you wanna be strong and fast - but you should also enjoy the little things. We're stuck in here, but it doesn't mean we can't give ourselves a break every now and again. Lest we go insane." Mari stood and arched her back in a stretch, a few of her bones clicking as she did. Mari straightened herself and stepped out of the boat. She offered a hand to Aiko. "I won't ask you to completely trust me yet - but I'm..." Mari gave him a smile. "I'm glad you feel like you can."

@Iron_Lion