[PP-F5] An End, and a Beginning

[Alkor 0]

Butcher of the Sands

He stared hard at the message window in front of them. So many now, he'd looked at and skipped over. Perhaps it was unfair, or even cruel by some standards, but Thom had never known how to face problems head on. Not his own problems, anyway.

When it was Alkor, the problem and solution were simple. He could solve anything by swinging his sword. That wasn't real. Alkor wasn't real.

But he could be.

It was a dream he had always chased, to be normal, and to be accepted. To step outside of himself and stop living in a daze, he would not take up a sword. No, the weapon he needed to wield now more than ever was accountability. Responsibility. Self-respect.

He opened it, and his empty eyes moved over the words. Always trying to make sure he was alright, never mad except for the fact he didn't return her messages. Alkor sighed. It was childish to think that maybe, if she hated him, it would be easier to move forward.

So he didn't think that. No, as his fingers swiftly typed the response, he realized for the first time that what he wanted...

...was to be free. To forgive himself, he had to accept the past. He had to take whatever she had to say, and he had to bear it. 

Because if he didn't, he could never move past where he was, right now.

Yui's Grace Applied

(I'm keeping track, that makes two)

Alkor level 30

620/620 HP | 60/60 EN

10 Base Damage | 48 MIT | 1 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 BLT (BD 9-10)

Curved Sword Rank 5 | Light Armor Rank 3 | Athletics Mod

Blightsteel: T2 Demonic Curved Sword [Cursed | DMG | DMG | Blight]

Nightmare Bomber: T2 Perfect Light Armor [MIT | MIT | EVA]

[T1E3] Eye of Horus Enamel Pin
-- [ Accuracy III | +3 ACC. ]

Edited July 11, 2020 by Alkor

[Mari 1]

Mari was settled in beneath her Kotatsu - ready for a day of, well, nothing. She had no plans, and felt like she could use a short break. Especially after eerything that had happened with Are and Hidden. So much insidious dealings. Laughing Coffin? Psychotic children. Sometimes, Mari felt like she was in some sort of anime. At least there wasn't a crazy harem - oh..wait... A small smirk appeared on her lips. There was. Practically everyone was all over poor Baldur's clavicles.

And who could blame them

She spurt out her drink, a spray of ginseng tea spurting out over her Kotatsu, and dribbling down her chin.

A-Alkor!?

It was a name Mari once longed to see, and often still held some kind of hope that he didn't hate her - but never, ever had she ever expected to see his name pop up in her inbox again.  "What in the seven layers of-" Mari muttered as she wiped the tea away with the back of her hand. He...wanted to go on a quest with her? Well... it was a good excuse to talk at least. Mari had wanted to reconcile with him ever since he walked away from her on Christmas Eve. But  in reality the two needed their distance. Mari had grown stronger. Not just in levels, but emotionally too. She had found herself a place in Aincrad that she never thought she'd have. And whilst Mari feared every day that she'd loose it, for now - she had it.

Mari hoped Alkor was finding some sort of place within Aincrad - despite everything. She couldn't find it in her heart to hate him. Mari quickly replied- stating she'd be there soon as she stood, checking her inventory.  Wonder if he's still want that backpack.. Mari thought to herself as she left her cozy little cabin on the 4th floor.

 

---

Now on the fifth floor Mari felt the nerves begin to kick in. The closer and closer she got to their meeting place - the more and more her gut began to twist and turn. What if he wanted to tell her to leave him alone? What if he was going to tell her he hated her? No - Thom was socially inept, and struggled with communication. But he wasn't by any means a monster, or a cruel person.

Mari saw the familiar tuft of dark hair before the striking familiarity of his amber gaze. "Hey." Mari called out as she broached the gap between them. She wore a nervous smile upon her freckled face. "Long time no see." She held her hand out to the side - and her weapon. Now a two handed assault spear appeared in her hand. Mari flicked it so the pointed needle-like end struck down in the sand. She drew in a deep breath of hot air. Remembering how much she hated the heated floors she inwardly groaned.

Now was not the time to b**ch about the weather.

"It's..." She paused. What should she say? The truth - Mari guessed. "It's good to see you. Been keeping well?"
 

Spoiler

General
Level: 73 | HP: 1490  |Energy: 146



BATTLE COPY
Mari    [H:0/0/0] - HP 1490/1490  | EN: 146/146 | 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.

 

 

 

@Alkor

Edited July 11, 2020 by Mari

[Alkor 0]

When she appeared, his gaze softened a bit. Interacting with Lessa over the past few weeks had worn away some of the edge he'd put on over time, and he understood that just confrontational, short speech patterns generally did not win people over. She seemed amicable, too. Much more pleasant, approachable, and... not broken.

That was the thing that relieved him most. When he recalled their last meeting and how close she got, how much her emotions stifled him, the fact that she hung there just outside of reach struck him as considerate. She was aware, she was thoughtful.

He let out a sigh at last, after holding his breath for several long seconds. Even when he was trying his best, he couldn't simply dispel the anxiety. Instead, he worked past it with his best effort.

Before, she'd wielded a dagger. She had freckles, like she'd been out in the sun, and her hair... she was almost an entirely different person. Bright. Full of life.

What a relief.

Part of Alkor told him that he'd ruined something with his actions. He knew better, but that voice was ever present, ever taunting. It wanted him to believe he could effect someone's life in such a vicious way, there was no way that he deserved forgiveness.

There was hope now, just seeing her, that the things his mind told him weren't true. 

His gilded gaze moved from to her own eyes and he blinked slowly once before he finally spoke. "I've been working on things," he responded at last. "Myself," he corrected. "I've been trying to..."

Be a real boy? Fuck off Batman, you can't be Pinocchio too. Get with it.

"What I mean is, I wanted to actually... make things right. I wanted to apologize. How I handled everything, from start to finish. I was wrong."

He bowed respectfully to her, a ninety degree angle at the waist. As low as one could bow without actually prostrating themselves.

@Mari

[Mari 1]

Mari wasn't...expecting something like this. She blinked, he...was..apologizing? Mari tightened the grip on the shaft of her weapon. Her eyes shifting away from him as he bowed. His words tugged at her heart. Made her feel a heavy weight that came with the bittersweet memories. Of the warmth of his arms around her, the gentle softness of his lips. The cold gaze of his eyes, and the emptiness he left when he told her it was all one sided. "Yeh..." She said quietly. "What you did was kinda f**ked up but..." Mari paused as she shifted her eyes back to him. Memories of him being swallowed alive by the hydra flashed in front of her and Mari shut her eyes tight. That wasn't real. He was here "I'm...not without fault either. When you came back, I was overwhelmed - and I was pushy. I was wrong."

I don't like to psychoanalyze, but you've been through a lot of trauma Mari-san. You've been abused emotionally, abandoned, scorned, chased out. You're looking for people to attach to. To feel apart of again. To feel welcome again."

Baldur's words rang through her head, and whilst they stung - they rang true. She had done that to Alkor, hadn't she? Mari knew her feelings for ALkor were true, but they stemmed from a bad place, and that wasn't healthy for either of them. Now, Mari had time to grow, and to move forward. Mari took one tentative step closer, still keeping enough distance between them so that even if she were to reach out, she'd barely be able to grasp the wisps of charcoal hair that protruded from his head. Mari knelt down on one knee. "You're not the only one at fault. I was wrong too. I shouldn't have tried to push things between us - somewhere.... I saw how uncomfortable it made you, but I was stubborn and selfish. I put you in a terrible and precarious position. I was trying to attach myself to you without truly considering how you felt." She tilted her head to the side, giving Alkor a warm smile. It didn't really hurt to talk to him like this. She felt on edge, her heart was racing, and aching from the past - but...it didn't hurt. She wasn't on the verge of tears - she wasn't clasping at things that weren't there.

She was just happy to see an old friend.

"So let's say we both kinda f**ked up. Yeh?"

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

He kept his head down until she finished, because his apology hung like a baited breath. Would she accept it? Would she turn it away in anger? In truth, he expected a lot of things, but his mind didn't dare to think that any outcome might be positive. 

There were a lot of thoughts. She unloaded her feelings, and Alkor exhaled. It was like a wave crashing over him, and yet, when it washed away, it was cool, calm, and refreshing. He grounded himself.

Alkor accepted her emotions.

His shoulders relaxed in utter relief. Of all the ways that the conversation could go, this was beyond any he could have hoped for. "I see," he whispered quietly. "I can live with that."

He slowly rose, and his eyes reopened. "Alright," he agreed. "You're alive," he said, "and you look like you're doing well. I'm relieved."

Alkor reached up and scratched at the back of his head. "A-ah yeah, I think you've gotten much stronger than I am now, and I'm trying to do everything I can to catch up. I figured, since you'd said you wanted to do a quest a while back... I'd see if you wanted to do this one."

Edited July 11, 2020 by Alkor

[Mari 1]

Mari gave him an amused snort. "Y-yeh I'd hope ya can live with that. That's about the best we can do right now." Mari said as she pushed herself up off the ground to match his height, well, attempt to - he was still a few heads higher than her, Mari had to tilt her head upward to meet his gaze. "I'm..." Mari chewed her cheek as she tried to find the right words. There was always that fear that she'd say something wrong - something that'd set him off or cause him to walk away. But, Mari wondered how much of that were true - and how much of it was in her own head. "I'm er-" She tugged at her hair. Why was talking to him so difficult? She guessed it wouldn't be all peaches and cream straight away - the fact she was even here now...meant a lot.

Mari could tell he was trying. The way his shoulders sank, the quiet reserved tone in his voice. The way his amber gaze drew her in, rather than flittering away.  Mari drew in a deep breath and re-calibrated her thoughts. Just normally. She should just talk to him normally. Mari matched his gaze with her own. "I am alive, somehow. But - so are you. That's all I could really ask." Mari turned her attention to her spear.

"Yeeh... I've - damn. Where do I even begin?" Mari said as she lifted her hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. This damn floor. "I kinda threw myself into getting stronger. I think..." She pursed her lips, puffing out her cheeks. "I think I'm around level 70 ish now? Oh..." She pulled her spear from the ground and held it horizontally, balancing it in the palms of her hands.  "I'm obviously using this these days. Err. I'm kinda a guild leader - w-wait no. Co-Guild leader would be better. So been doing a bunch of stuff with them. I think...."

Mari knew she was rambling at this point. She had to round it up somehow. "I'm...doing well. I think. But what about you?"

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

He chewed on his lip as she spoke. Its not easy, just living with things. 

Somewhere along the way, Alkor stopped caring what was easy. He stopped because he learned that the easy path would never be the fulfilling one, and he would never become more than he was by following it. That didn't make it painless.

"70, huh...?" he scrolled through his stats and checked his own level. "A little more than twice mine. Man, I really did fall far behind." 

He didn't sulk about it. That wouldn't press him forward. "And co-leader of a guild, too. Look at you, going from social pariah to icon." 

The last time they'd seen each other, she had descended deep into darkness. She'd been a Player Killer even. For her to come so far in such a relatively short time, Alkor was glad to hear about it.

"I'm trying to become a better person," he admitted when she asked. "Stronger, but not just for myself. Not just so I can be free. Stronger so I can help."

[Mari 1]

Mari gave him an amused grin. There was most certainly a level of awkwardness between them - but it felt like this big thick cloud was dissipating. It felt like Mari could take a deep breath - and she would have if it wasn't so bloody hot. "Yeh. I -" Mari righted her spear with a quick flourish. "I guess I just ...wanted to prove I wasn't what the rumors painted me to be." Mari added quietly.  "I've...heard some terrible things about myself. You know people believed that I was torturing players?" Mari asked. Even as she said it she felt sick to her stomach. "For the longest..." Mari shook her head - her voice quietening. "For...the longest time not one person asked what happened with those names. Or why they happened but..."

Mari swallowed. "But... I met people who did ask." She added, strength returning to her voice. Shield wanted to know. So did Beat although Beat was ready to haul her off to prison.  "And those people mean a lot to me." Mari took a few steps forward - so she was now past Alkor.

"Those people help me want to push myself harder to be a better person. I'm far from an Icon Thom but hey-" She turned to look at him. "Maybe one day I'll get there. Not that I really want that if I'm being honest. I think..." Mari turned to look at the shimmering horizon in front of them.

"I think it's really admirable what you're doing." Mari knew how hard it was. From first hand experience.  "I'm still trying to find that sort of resolve."

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

He spent most of his life in humid places, so heat never really peaked to a point where he griped about it. A second or two pause to wipe away sweat and he was ready to continue in many situations. So, he showed no outward disdain for the temperature. It wasn't the ninth floor- thank god, this conversation would have been that much more awkward there, where everyone had believed he died- so it wasn't intolerable.

When she spoke, he considered her words. Some of the things she'd said, he heard as well. There were not many people who liked Mari once she sank into the role of Player Killer.

But putting the past behind them was important. For themselves, and for the future. Mari had found people to accept her, even with her flaws. It sounded like she even had proper friends now. Time away had not been bad, even if he had done it for unfortunate reasons.

He'd told himself that he might never get there, to the point he wanted to get. Eventually, he was fine with it, too. As long as he was just a little bit better as a person than he was the day before, he was improving.

"You don't have to make some big transformation," he said. "It's fine to not be okay all the time. Everyone goes through things."

She spoke like she believed he had done something, or was attempting something incredible. Maybe he just couldn't see it yet himself, or maybe it wasn't quite as awesome as she thought it was. Maybe it was something else entirely. He'd find out eventually.

"The fact that I'm here is a pretty good sign, I suppose," he said, by way of response to her praise.

@Mari

[Mari 1]

"Exactly." Mari said.  "Tell me, a week or two ago - would you have bothered to message me?" Mari asked. "I get how things are between us - honestly..." Mari turned her attention forward. It would have been too hard to look at him as she said her next words. "Honestly, I thought you may have hated me. It sucked - but It was something I was prepared for. I don't know you as much as I think I'd like to - but I do get how hard reaching out to others is for you. So yeh- to me...that's admirable." Mari took a few steps forward, starting their trek towards the arena. It felt a little better. Getting her doubts off her chest. Especially because she had kept them guarded for so long. Whilst she had explained her situation with Alkor to others to a select few, she had left out many key details. Including who Alkor was. She couldn't do that to him.

"I'm not okay most the time." Mari said with an amused snort. "But I make it work. I push through. I made a lotta promises to a buncha idealistic people to get everyone else outta here. So that's what I'm gonna do." Mari shrugged as she turned on her heel, walking backwards up a sand dune so she could face him again. Dark wisps surrounded an angled jaw - yellowed material fluttered around him - he was here. He was alive. She had to keep telling herself that even now. Mari couldn't help but give him a lop-sided grin at her unspoken thoughts.

"You know, I-eeeeyyyy-"

Her words failed her as Mari suddenly dropped her spear, arms stuck outwards in small circles as she tried to right herself before flailing flat onto her back. Mari groaned as she lifted up her foot to see the culprit. "Damn rocks." She muttered, seeing the tiny thing protruding from the and. "But - that means we're close." Mari supposed she should get up. But she needed this moment to wallow in her own embarrassment.

"I don't even have a clever pun for this."

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

Sand was part of life when you grew up near the ocean. You got used to sliding and sinking, and eventually, you learned to keep pace in spite if it all. He trudged up the dune until his foot found a proper foothold. At that point, he crouched low and surveyed the area ahead of them.

He hadn't taken much time to consider the encounter. Truth be told, it was more of a chance to talk to the woman than it was about the fight. She was eons ahead of him now, and doubtless already faced this challenge. It wasn't in his character to rush headlong into something without prior knowledge, but then, showing a little good faith never hurt, either.

"It... it was time," he said finally. "I spent a lot of time running. Hiding. Fighting myself. None of it took me forward or got me closer to the end of Aincrad."

Alkor glanced sidelong at Mari. "But, it did help me examine things about myself. So I can't say it was a waste. Still," he looked back toward the horizon, his hair whipped wildly by the dusty wind. "When you make a promise, you should always keep it," he said quietly. "And I promised to be your friend."

After that, he remained quiet for a while. 

He rose to walk again as she mentioned that she didn't have a pun for the situation, and he closed his eyes. Humor was a coping mechanism, just like internalizing emotion. Between the two, it was probably the healthier option as well. So she'd learned to laugh again.

Alkor smiled.

"I guess," he said, "let's rock?"

@Mari

[Mari 1]

"Did I ever tell you where I'm from?" Mari asked as she lay there in the sand, it warmed her back - and despite her hate for the heat. It was almost comforting. Like an awkward hug from the land itself. "The country I'm from...weather like this is normal. Sands like this? Well, not exactly normal in the city- but..." Mari snorted. She rarely went to the beach - sometimes she'd travel to the country side and there were sand dunes much like this. Those times were nice, times with her family - but they were long gone. Her mother had a new family now. And Mari had - well... Mari didn't want to dwell on that, it'd just make her sad. "Maybe that's why I hate the heat so much. It reminds me of a place I'm not too fond of. That and well, I just hate the heat." Mari rolled over so she could push herself up.  With one foot then the other she sank herself into the sand to ground herself to an upright position. She glanced over at him as his lips quirked up into a smile, followed by an awkward joke. Mari grinned back. What a sight. When was the last time she'd seen that? In a cave holed up somewhere? Maybe? If that one were real.  "Ahaha..." She laughed softly. "I appreciate your sediment." Mari added.

Mari's smile faded slightly when Alkor said that he had made a promise to be her friend. That he wanted to keep it. But...did he actually want to be her friend? Or was he just trying to uphold some promise? Mari quietly brushed the sand off of herself. "Mmm...." Mari agreed with his words. She thought a promise should always be kept. "But..." Mari voiced her doubts. She didn't want there to be any miscommunication between them. "You shouldn't keep it at the cost of your feelings."  Mari leaned down to pick up her spear. "You know how I feel on the matter - but if you can't see yourself being my friend..." Mari approached him so she could stand by his side - still being ever sure to keep herself at an arms distance. "Then don't force it, yeh?"

Mari tuned to glance at him. "But - if you want that - I'm there. Err...Here. Like..." She gestured between them. "I mean I'd be happy to be your friend. I care about you yanno?" Crap Mari bit her tongue and cursed under her breath. She didn't mean it that way.  "As a friend of course!" Mari quickly added as she cleared her throat. "I have few friends so I care about all of them."

There. Safe.

No more misunderstandings, right?

"So...can't help but notice you got a bit o' dry humour there." Mari added with a renewed grin.

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

He reached down and palmed a handful of sand. As it sifted through his fingers, he considered his own home. It wasn't the same place where he grew up. In fact, as he had grown, it grew with him, and it did so faster. So fast, so much progress that he couldn't see the same home he loved anymore. What a strange thought.

People always said, "you can't go home again." But what was home? Alkor gave a thoughtful 'mmmm' but neglected to speak about his own feelings on the matter. That invited a conversation he wasn't comfortable with, and they had moved beyond entertaining their discomforts.

Mari was clearly fine disclosing this to him, which was fine. Alkor didn't mind, Thom didn't mind. Sometimes people needed to let things out. Every grain of sand had blown from his hand by the time he finally did speak again.

"I don't mind being friends," he disclosed at last. "With anyone, really. Not unless they give me a compelling reason."

Mari had changed. She was living her life with forward momentum and actively seeking personal growth. But it was clear that she had that fear now that he knew so well. Second guessing herself, overcorrecting... yeah, he knew exactly how that felt.

"Only a person with no desire to grow cuts the roots out from under others," he whispered. He had been that way, and he hadn't wanted to change. That was what made it so difficult for him to face himself.

When you don't believe you're wrong, it's hard to change your ways.

"Dry as a Religious University campus," he beamed proudly, breaking free of his sullen thoughts to joke back at her. "Only with less sexual frustration and more illicit drinking."

@Mari

Edited July 13, 2020 by Alkor

[Mari 1]

Mari snorted loudly at his last comment. "Oh geez. If i didn't know any better I'd say I was speaking to Corvo."  Mari briefly wondered how the lunatic was - they hadn't really spoken after Mari reached out to him, and met up with him to let him know Alkor was alive. She wanted to keep her distance, let people process things in their own time. After all - she shouldn't be trying so hard to latch onto others - that wasn't exactly fair for anyone. Mari's eyes flittered down - watching as the wind carried grains of sand away from them.

The wait for his answer had been...Mari wanted to say painful, but that was the wrong word to use - Anxious maybe. An uncomfortable adreneline that coursed through her veins, unpleasant feelings of sparks and jolts at the slightest movement. But - he had given his answer. He didn't mind them being friends.  Mari exhaled slowly. She had hoped, by now - that they were good friends. But that was asking for too much from someone like Alkor. Mari knew that. Understood that. 

"I was like that once." Mari said quietly as she took another step forward. "I had locked myself away from everyone and everything - had kinda hoped that the world would move on without me. I told myself it didn't need me. Didn't want me - and whilst those things could very well be true..." Mari shrugged. "It just seemed like it was time to at least try to pull myself up. That way, even if I die. I can say I at least tried." 

The conversation was difficult, coming in waves. At times it was emotional and grueling, but other moments it all crashed down into a calm ebb and flow of words. It was a little difficult to keep up. And right now, it felt that heaviness again. Mari wasn't fond of it.

"So..." She pointed down the sand dune they stood on. "Have you err, ever been sand sledding?"

@Alkor

[Alkor 0]

He did have a personality, even if he kept it hidden deep inside. That personality was affected in no small way by the people he associated with, and most especially the ones closest to him. The small fits of sarcasm and filth did come from Corvo, because they had been close friends. But he didn't tell Mari that- she'd met the man herself. She could make that connection for herself.

There were some things he wouldn't dredge up, especially if someone else didn't broach them first. Secrets, perhaps, but more accurately he could call them 'personal.' He didn't want people to just see into his soul like that. He didn't want people close enough that they knew him better than he knew himself.

He barely knew himself at all.

This time, his speech was seamless from hers. Much quicker, less thoughtful. He didn't want to give her the impression he was carefully plotting every word, because as much as he didn't want trouble, he also didn't want her to think he had to scrutinize everything that came out of his mouth. How could he call that genuine?

"Erm, sand sledding?" he asked. It was a skeptical question, but it came from years of living near dunes. Not the sort one might find in a desert, perhaps, but dunes nonetheless. "I guess when there's no snow for thousands of miles, you might find other ways to get your fix. But no, I've never even heard of that. Back at the beach, there was no traction on the sand... and there were sand spurs all over the dunes. I wouldnt walk anywhere but the path, because pulling those out of your foot sucks."

Alkor crouched down and checked his stats one last time, then his inventory. "Why, were you thinking about giving me lessons?"

@Mari

[Mari 1]

Mari snorted at his reaction. She wasn't sure what to call it, skeptical? Unsure? Incredulous seemed like a good word. "Sschhea....as I said where I come from snow is...well, non existent. So it was kinda nice to see it here."  And when I was teaching in Japan. Mari thought to herself. She kept that tidbit away. No need to bother Alkor with random facts about her life.  "Would I call it a fix though..." Mari tapped her lip in mock thought. It was clear the two lived in different countries. If Mari were to take a guess, she'd say he was US based. There werent really many sandy regions in Japan or China. As far as Mari knew - the game didn't release anywhere else. Not legally at least. 

"Dunno, I guess back then I'd just want to seas the day." She added emphasis on the word. They weren't by the beach, so the pun was a stretch. But Mari wasn't one to shy away from a challenge. She even added a extremely awkward thumbs up in his direction. Just to add emphasis to the terrible joke. Mari turned away from Alkor and opened up her inventory. She didn't have much in terms of actual sleds but....

Mari pulled out two dull looking circular shields. Unidentified objects. "These will do." Mari tossed one to the sand in front of him with a deadened 'thump' She then proceeded to sit in her own, legs neatly pressed against her chest. All she had to do was lean forward to tip the weight.

This...was good right. They were talking. They were pushing past the uncertainties - and. Mari blinked. She wasn't forcing this on him was she? Mari turned to Alkor, the brief look of alarmed concern flashing across her eyes. "I uh! I mean....you don't have to sled down but..." She cleared her throat and replaced the corn with an obnoxious grin. "But I'm going to. The arenas at the bottom - I'm lookin' forward to showing you my moves." She gave him a wink before tilting her body forward-

and
D
    o
        w
             n

she went.

Wooshing past him and her worries in a single, adrenaline charged swoop.

[Alkor 0]

Alkor let out a subdued chuckle at her pun and watched as the woman quickly and convincingly composed herself. She was trying, perhaps harder than he was. Did it seem fair for her to have to struggle visibly while he internalized everything and appeared completely fine? Perhaps not, but this was all he was capable of. If the woman expected him to do more than that, she might actually leave the encounter unfulfilled; yet, if she like Alkor were comfortable and settled for a peace between them and for things to be put to rest, perhaps it wasn't so unfair after all.

He had to hope she would settle for that.

"Sand sledding, no," he said as he glanced down at the shield she'd tossed at his feet. He stomped his toes down on the edge and sent the item flipping off the sand into the air a few inches off the ground where he reached out and grabbed it. "Can't say I've done anything like that, but-"

Alkor aimed his wrist toward the ground and flicked the shield toward it like a discus. It spun for a moment until it dug slightly in, and he jumped aboard like it was a skate or surfboard. He shifted his hips like a snowboarder as it slowly started to gain forward momentum, coaxed by his bodyweight and the shifting sand beneath. He leaned forward slightly to accelerate, and sped along the dunes, downward.

The distance between them gradually closed, albeit not far before they made their destination. With the wind whipping wildly through his hair, the Black Swordsman gave a wry smirk as he crested the dune on the outside, to Mari's left. "Cowabunga!" he gave a slight shrug and threw up the devil horns like some kind of deviant. As he did so, he brought his weight around and lifted off, throwing himself airborne as the dune abruptly ended. Sailing overhead, Alkor turned a quick flip and reached for his makeshift board, pulling it out from under his feet so that when he hit the arena grounds, he landed in a roll and returned shakily to his feet.

He held the shield out to her.

"Since you're probably going to school me against the boss, I might as well show off while I still can," he mused.

@Mari

[Mari 1]

"Mmmm...."  Mari was going over her stats - she was hoping to wipe it out in a single hit - but....hubris- she was so used to wiping out smaller enemies since she upgraded her weapon choice that Mari had stopped crushing damage crystals. If she had - she could have destroyed it in a single hit. Mari sighed as she closed her HUD.

Mari readied her spear and took a step forward. Her demeanor changed. The jovial smile that she always plastered on her face disappeared into a thin line. "This thing doesn't work off of hate." Mari said plainly. "So either one of us could be targeted. You can survive a few hits, but we'll finish this off in two. Attacks." Mari turned her attention away from the growling Sando Satsu. Sharp blue eyes on Alkor.

"In and out. Let's get this done. I'll start and you follow up and finish it off. No matter how this ends, I'll throw you the item." 

As she spoke, her spear lit up, a sign that she had activated a Sword Art. Mari glanced over hr shoulder at the beast- globs of white drool fell down from his scaled maw which opened wide to reveal row upon row of razor sharp teeth. Mari...didn't want to see Alkor get hurt. Sure, the pain was non existent, and he wouldn't die -even from a critical hit - but still...

Watching people she cared about getting hurt still got to her, how people were desensitized to that kinda scared Mari. But now was not the time for such concerns - she kicked up and off. Now -she could prove to Alkor, to everyone how much she had grown. How much she continues to try and grow. All she had to do was-

As Mari leapt up off the sand to attack the flimsy flooring beneath her gave way - and Sando Setsu batted her away. Back of its scaled hand colliding with her back and pushing her through the air, only to land smack BANG in front of Alkor, in an awkward position. Mari swore several times as she tried to push herself back up and out of the sand, only to fall back into it, in a defeated hump.

"F**k."

She said again.



ROLLING
Action: [x15] Dimension Stampede (17 Energy) - An attack with four fast stabs, only to be concluded by a jumping slam from above. 
ID"167068 5+19= 24x15=360-20= 340
OK BUT MISSED

 Mari    [H:0/0/0] - HP 1490/1490  | EN: 144/146 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 43 | EVA:3 | ACC: 4  | BH: 72 | BRN: 24 |BLEED: 24 | FLAME AURA: 15 |-2 EN

Sando Satsu:  HP: 350/350 | DAM: 100 | 20 MIT

<Sando Satsu> is a Field Boss and has the following statistics:
Health: 350 HP
+20 Mitigation

Damage per Attack: 100
Sando Satsu ignores Block, Evasion, and Mitigation. But does not do bonus damage on a 9-10
- Cull of the Meek: On a natural roll of 10 he will spin with his weapon at maximum reach hitting everyone in the fight. He will gain 10 hp per person hit.
- Dominus: When he reaches 175 hp, he grows massive in size upping his damage to 150 and mitigation to 30 for the rest of the fight.

@Alkor

Edited September 2, 2020 by Mari

[Alkor 0]

Alkor moved in a proper hurry to keep up when she jumped into action. His intention was to follow through her first attack and finish the Shark before it ever had time to recover.  In theory, it would have, no, should have been perfectly executed. The flaw in his plan was the same unforseen problem Mari had quite literally run into steps ahead of him.

The churning sand tripped him up, and when Mari hit the ground and bounced directly in front of him, he threw his weight forward so he wouldn't collide with her and make an even bigger mess. While it seemed like a heroic gesture, the suction that tugged at his feet peeled him backward and neutered his momentum, which in turn made the jump something more like stretching his body all the way out, only to recoil like a rubber band and smack face first into Mari's-

What is this warm, soft feeling?

Alkor reached up, feeling around for ground to push himself off of, and felt something that didn't feel anywhere near as coarse as sand give way beneath his fingers. As he squeezed, whatever it was jiggled like it had some small amount of elasticity, and as he managed to pull himself away, the Black Swordsman realized just where his head had been buried.

And promptly,  he wanted to bury it again- this time, in the sand.

Okay, she probably won't remember, she probably didn't notice, just focus... focus... f...

That was when the boss walked him, busy with being flustered and red in the face. It sent him reeling across the sands, away from Mari, and careening into a dune where- perhaps by divine providence- his head was completely buried.

Alkor. [H:0/0/0] - 520/620 HP | 58/60 EN

10 DMG | 48 MIT | 1 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 BLT (BD 9-10)

Mari    [H:0/0/0] - HP 1490/1490  | EN: 144/146 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 43 | EVA:3 | ACC: 4  | BH: 72 | BRN: 24 |BLEED: 24 | FLAME AURA: 15 |-2 EN

Sando Satsu:  HP: 350/350 | DAM: 100 | 20 MIT

<Sando Satsu> is a Field Boss and has the following statistics:
Health: 350 HP
+20 Mitigation

100 DMG


 

ID# 167069 results:

 Battle: 1 <miss>

Mob: 6 <hit>

Edited September 2, 2020 by Alkor

[Mari 1]

She did remember.
     It  did only just happen after all. 
                 Goodbye sweet innocence

"I know you can be an ass at times..." Mari began- she knew it was an accident - the look of absolute shock was evident enough. Alkor was reserved, and even a good liar - but emotions like that? They were hard to fake. "But - hmm..," Crap, even she didn't have a joke for this situation. Mari coughed as she pushed herself off the floor- quickly patting herself off. Her face red. Did he really have to fall on her behind?    "I guess that's all Behind us now."  Mari added with a triumphant grin. As embarrassing as it was. It felt like that one action was the final blow that cracked the ice between them. At least she finally pulled a pun out from, well, you know where.


"Well....Things are gonna be a lil harder now." Mari said before spitting sand out of her mouth. Without her charged attack she'd do less damage.But - she still had this. Now wasn't the time to be clambering about. 


Mari lowered her form and twisted her feet in the sand to get a better grip. She wasn't charging now - so she'd have better accuracy. Forward she went, keeping low, ducking under a powerful swing that threatened to throw her right back down. Mari drew in close and drove the tip of the spear into the underside of Sando Satsu's  neck. Without pause the ginger tore it out then jabbed it right into his armpit. Mari jerked the spear out, took a step back and jabbed it into his chest. 

Using this as an opportunity to get off the sand Mari jumped on it as though it were a thin springboard - somersaulting in the air she pulled her spear out and then landed with a final heavy blow to his eye. Mari remained pinned there. Weapon imbedded into Setsu's skull.

"Go for it!" She called out to Alkor

@Alkor

Passive: +1 EN
Action:Action: [x15] Dimension Stampede (17 Energy) - An attack with four fast stabs, only to be concluded by a jumping slam from above. 
ID:167070  BD: 6 + 4= hit  19X15=285-220 = 265

Alkor.  520/620 HP | 60/60 EN | 10 DMG | 48 MIT | 1 EVA | 3 ACC | 1 BLT (BD 9-10)

Mari  - HP 1490/1490  | EN: 128/146 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 43 | EVA:3 | ACC: 4  | BH: 72 | BRN: 24 |BLEED: 24 | FLAME AURA: 15 |-17 EN

Sando Satsu:  HP: 85/350 | DAM: 150 | 30 MIT  -265

ominus: When he reaches 175 hp, he grows massive in size upping his damage to 150 and mitigation to 30 for the rest of the fight.

Edited September 2, 2020 by Mari