[F22-OP] Down The Rabbit Hole

[NIGHT 0]

Gemini.

Her eyes betrayed shock but only for a second.

Gods, she hated them. But it looked like part of the rumors were right. She steeled herself for a moment, as Freyd continued. The creatures he described --

-- were nothing like the doppelganger she'd come to know.

... A mismatch of concepts, perhaps? Would Cardinal be so sloppy to name some of its creatures the same as others? Stranger things sure had happened in the past; a programming error on strings could've been overlooked, NIGHT figured. Even so, they shared the same properties...

But they would be nothing she would trifle with today.

The flick of something sandy upon her fingers made her withdraw her hand, too, from Starla's. A panther? No, a weasel. Honestly, with the darkness drawing upon the entity's edges, it was difficult to tell what sort of specimen it was. But it wasn't hostile, animalistic in nature. A familiar, then. Freyd's, most likely.

Her fingers, recently warmed from the star's, curled up into a fist.

"No," she commented, looking over the darkness with gathered indifference. Her sights bounced back to Freyd's, as though she was intentionally missing the new adventurer's; the woman seemed to be feeling better now, after all. NIGHT didn't exactly want to keep their friends waiting if she could help it. "Nothing important. Just a friendly chat. That's all."

The friendliest NIGHT ever had with another player in Aincrad, anyway.

Her gaze turned towards Starla's position. The smile on the novice's face was unmistakable, which spelled good news to the player. For what strange circumstances they'd met up with Freyd in, at least his companion's presence had a calming effect on the newbie. NIGHT tilted her head towards the men in the distance, watching Starla try to coax the creature with interest. "We should be head back, I think. If you're feeling better," she added in a low voice to the other. "But--"

A look to the... weasel. Well, she was certain it was a...

"-- it should be docile, I think. Freyd, tell her if it bites."

The player wouldn't wait for the duo behind her to catch up. With laid back strides, she traveled towards Koga's and Alkor's location, hands shoved back into the pockets of her tracksuit in comfort.

 

Was Koga wearing a hood, this time? ... What gives?

[Freyd 0]

"Persi," Freyd said softly.  "Keep her warm."  

"Don't worry," he added, directing his words to Starla even as his gaze followed NIGHT.  "She only bites field bosses.  You'll be fine.  She's a shadow mongoose by the way."  The sly, slinky beast nuzzled her hand again, then scampered up to rest herself around Starla's shoulders.  Her form seemed to ooze downward, like a shawl unfurling a field of starlit sails around her.  It felt like... warm marshmallow, but without the icky stickiness.

"Good choice," he added, with a whispered aside, indicating NIGHT as she walked away.  "Make her melt a bit, will you?  She could really use it."  Without waiting for a reply, he stuffed his hands in his own hidden pockets, following the same trail blazed by their moody companion.  Watching him walk away, Starla might have thought that the two were surprisingly similar, save for gender, and about ten inches in height.

"Come on, 'Contrast'," he harkened back.  "You don't want to be left alone down here.  Let's go find the other two that were down here with you."

Montjoy, give me bearings.

[Koga 0]

Koga shook his head at Alkor's offer. "No thanks, I think I'm just gonna head home actually. I do owe you one though." The man had saved his life after all. He'd have to find some way to return the favor in future. Well, given the fact what they did everyday just to survive, Koga reasoned that wouldn't be too hard to do.

The man stole a quick glance over his shoulder, noticing that the trio of players had started to walk towards them. Unable to escape it now, Koga turned and nodded towards Freyd in greeting. "Good to see you." He then turned to Starla and NIGHT. "Are you guys ready to leave?" he asked. This was definitely not a floor that Starla could walk around freely on, he could at least walk with the rest of the group back to the safezone. With all of them, the mobs on this floor were little more than a joke.

[Alkor 0]

Alkor understood the awkward feeling after a verbal thrashing all too well. It was weird for him, too. He wanted to grab drinks and wash it down, hopeful that the mood would ease over some of the hurt. That was too optimistic of him. Koga had taken it pretty hard, it seemed. 

"Well, if you're sure," he said without hinting that he was at all worried. The best thing Alkor could do for Koga at this point was give him space. It was obvious he wasn't really in the mood for conversation anymore. With some luck, he'd get over it in a few hours, maybe a day or two.

"I'm gonna go on ahead back to town and get back to work," Alkor glanced at the other man as he thumbed toward the settlement. "If anything comes up, you know how to find me. Give NIGHT and Starla my regards," he waved stiffly as he left just before the group rejoined them. "I just remembered something I have to do."

[Alkor leaves the thread]

[Starla 0]

     Starla felt the creature that she had reached out to crawl up on her shoulders and sit there. Starla felt comfortable with this animal, it was cute. Its name was Persi. Hopefully I can see them again soon. It'd be a shame to let this animal go without a lot of affection. I have a feeling the owner is one that doesn't show a lot of love. But... She thought back to NIGHT. She was a woman who was pretty cold, but she comforted her as much as she could. It was delightful to see that side of her and she had a feeling that this side of NIGHT was not one many saw. She hoped she could get closer to NIGHT with this.

     Starla got up and started following the group. Although, she had a confused look about her as Freyd addressed her as contrast. She wondered what he meant by that. Starla kept petting the infinitely smooth and warm Persi. She didn't want to embarrass herself calling out to it with her high-pitched 'pet voice', so she settled for just silently smiling at it and continuing to pet it. As she moved forward, she looked for Koga. She had to apologize to him. It wasn't all his fault... Even if he had accidentally knocked her over the edge while rocking the boat.

     As they approached, Alkor left. She hadn't sent him a friend request, but now wasn't the time to ask something like that. If she hung around NIGHT, it seemed that they were in the same guild, so she'd ask NIGHT for her to be her friend later. Koga seemed... Embarrassed. Or maybe shamed was a better way to put it? Starla felt a bit awkward as she moved forward with Persi on her shoulders. Now wasn't the time to be a coward though. Koga should be able to be comforted like she was comforted. It would be selfish to keep all of the positive feelings to herself. Starla approached Koga and stood in front of him for a second. "Yes, I'm ready to leave, but I have something to say."

     Starla took a deep breath before she bowed forward. "Please excuse my behavior for before. I didn't mean to put you in a situation where I might be in danger and I don't blame you for what happened, even if I might have said otherwise. I was naive and dumb, to... Not mince words. I hope you can forgive me for my stupidity." Starla hated prostrating herself like this, but she worried Koga might not recover if she didn't do this. "Let's chalk it up to an accident." Starla stood back up and looked Koga in the eye, a determined look in her eye. She felt as though a fire was burning inside her. She was going to make Koga feel better. "Okay?" Starla wanted to hug Koga, but she felt like they weren't close enough yet, so she... Resisted the urge. She was someone who was okay with touching and being touched, but she learned early that there are those who do not take well to that kind of affection (namely NIGHT from what she had seen).

Edited March 10, 2021 by Starla

[NIGHT 0]

Before she could fall into the group's side, Alkor left. Perhaps something might've come up? She hoped it wasn't on the fault of Koga's fall that he'd rushed out; on all accounts, the man did seem quite upset at his stunt earlier, before they separated.

A raised hand was her only greeting to the man. She'd been ready to announce the start of their departure, offering to guard the group on the way back, before Starla quickly followed up with an apology of her own. What? Though it made sense to take back the things she'd said, NIGHT didn't believe she deserved any of the blame either... except for the part where she put herself in danger. No, that was definitely a no-brainer move. But both the adventurers had made it out all right; that was what mattered most at the end of the day.

The woman skirted their vicinity, giving Koga's response a glance before shifting to the entrance of the cavity. Her back pressed against the cavern wall and arms folded across her torso was more than enough to signify her position at ease, waiting for orders from her companions to start their trek back in union.

Her eyes tracked Freyd's movements lazily in her sentinel. If anything, she didn't want to subject the man to a sudden escort mission if it wasn't his responsibility to deal with the situation at hand in the first place.

[Koga 0]

Koga's brow raised itself in surprise as Starla suddenly bowed deeply, beginning to apologize him. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he listened, letting her get out what she felt she needed to say. Something about all this seemed very backwards. I mean, it was his fault that the newbie had almost died, after all. He didn't feel like she should be the one apologizing.

"No, don't be sorry. I should be the one apologizing," he replied, his hand returning to his pocket as he spoke. "I shouldn't have let you step onto that boat with me, let alone had that stupid idea to begin with." The man gave an awkward half smile to the other player before offering a hand to shake. "Let's just say we were both stupid and laugh about it tomorrow, yeah?" And also, maybe don't listen to Koga's stupid ideas anymore. That would also be good.

With that seemingly in order, Koga pulled his hood back down and walked over to NIGHT. "I'm sorry to you too. I know I uh...can be a lot, especially with all the shit I've been goin' through lately. I know I put a lot of it on you sometimes, and it's not your responsibility." He offered the same hand to her to shake. "But also, you should know I'm an idiot by now." A light-hearted joke, hopefully timed correctly.

@Starla

[Starla 0]

     Starla could feel the sincerity behind the action of Koga saying that he should be the one apologizing. Yes, it was his fault that she had fallen. However, she was the one to even decide to get on the boat in the first place. Even if he allowed her to do it, it was her responsibility to keep herself safe when going with Koga. And... Now she knew that she really needed to keep a keen eye out to keep herself from falling into trouble. As she saw that Koga extended a hand to her, she smiled. But on the inside, she was frowning. Who shakes hands with this kind of thing? Are people so out of touch here that they don't hug or anything? She sighed a little bit as she took the hand and shook it. "Let's laugh about it tomorrow. And a hug is preferred, but it seems everyone here doesn't like them." As she realized what she had said out loud, she quickly let go of Koga's hand and turned away. How could you say that out loud?!

[Freyd 0]

Catching the exchange between Koga and Starla, it was clear to him that he'd missed some earlier incident or altercation.  They seemed like a bit of an odd bunch to be wandering randomly in the dark, but Freyd trusted NIGHT's competence to keep them out of any serious trouble.  Something else had also could his attention, out in the darkness.  

"Well, I'm very sorry to have interrupted whatever you were all up to.  Take care of yourself, and mind the stones in the descending corridors heading back towards Tomoika.  They can be rather slippery.  Good luck."  He paused a moment, before adding a single firm word, issued as a summons.  "Persi."

The shadow mongoose had only just gotten comfortable and shot him a nasty glare for daring to disturb her rest once more.  Lifting her head to do so also perked up her ears.  Could she also sense their prey in the distance?  Hopping down from Starla's shoulders, her form faded to inky black before her paws silently met the floor.  She and her master were gone an instant later, as suddenly as when they had first appeared.

[NIGHT 0]

What was the point of the ghost, then? A confirmation of reports, nothing more. NIGHT watched Freyd go, if only to distract herself from the strange way the two lesser adventurers had decided to make amends with each other.

'Let's just say we were both stupid and laugh about it tomorrow.'

The least they could do with their 'stupid' ideas was keep each other safe next time.

Koga's approach to her side was for an apology long due. An extended hand, to which she eyed unamused. Feigning dumbassery for nearly accidentally killing someone. For killing themselves.

The glare of her eyes sharpened in the darkness. She glanced back at Koga, giving his offer a long pause, before accepting it with a firm grasp.

"Clown circus," she commented dryly, brevity and humor on every edged-laced word. "You're the ringmaster."

One hardy shake was all she gave it, before she started back on her way towards the settlement. By the opening of the steps, she glanced back towards the duo -- mostly to the unmoving, if anyone in the group had been so.

"You coming?"

[NIGHT 0]

THREAD SUMMARY

Quote

[Total]
NIGHT
+ 3SP

Alkor, Koga, Starla
+ 3SP
+ 200col

Freyd
+ 2SP
+ 200col

Spoiler

[Thread Progression]
NIGHT
+ 2SP

Alkor, Koga, Starla
+ 2SP
+ 200col

Freyd
+ 1SP
+ 200col

[Misc]
Farewell to [v2.6] Bonus
+ 1SP/participant