[F04-PP] ice fishing

[NIGHT 0]

ID: 183541 | LD: 8 + 9 = 17 | Material found. (+1)

---

Two steps upon snow. The woman gazed out towards the river beyond, only a distance away from the alpine forest. In this winter wonderland, all was peaceful, pristine and pure. Only noise could be drawn from the towering waterfall at the source, the bubbling of the brook ahead and the idle player, lost in awe amongst the desert of white.

NIGHT took a seat upon one of the rocks. It was frosty, nipping at her sensors; [Survival] and her winter coat both worked to keep the player warm from the terrain. In her palm, light started to manifest, its shape lengthening to a rod. With one swing backwards, she let its line be written into reality, pixels etching out the positions of which its string would fall. Another toss forward, and its bobber assailed the waters ahead.

Her form relaxed once she'd prepared for a catch. A glance down at her messages spoke much about her company for the hour. It wasn't early in the day, sometime around noon. And though meetings between them were usually one of punctuality, it was in her best interest that her friend (and paladin) would leave her daily routine unrushed today, only flittering over to her side at a pace that was unmistakably slow.

There would be enough time for chatter. After all, they had the entire day.

---

To: @Zajcica
NIGHT: how u holding up
NIGHT: u better be chilling or ill come hunt u down
NIGHT: f4?

	| NIGHT   | HP: 1690/1690 | EN: 181/181    | ACC: 5 | DMG: 19 | EVA: 4 | MIT: 79 | BH: 79    | PRLYZ: 1 | ABS. ACC | LD: 9   | Stealth Detection: 5 | Stealth Rating: 7
[Examine]  | equipment Cosmic Devourer -- [ Paralyze I | Natural successful attack rolls of 9-10 remove the enemy’s action on their next turn. Paralyzed opponents lose any evasion properties. ] -- [ Absolute Accuracy | +1 ACC. Attack rolls of 1 no longer automatically miss. ] -- [ Accuracy I | +1 ACC. ] Lucky Tracksuit -- [ Loot Die III | +3 LD. ] Silver Crescent Necklace -- [ Accuracy II | +2 ACC ] -- [ Evasion II | +2 EVA ]  | battle-ready inventory - - - - - - - - -  | skills Skills Mod Count: 8/8 Two-Handed Straight Sword | Passive | RANK 5/5 > Ferocity, Precision, Finesse Light Armor | Passive | RANK 5/5  > Athletics, Sprint&Acrobatics Searching | Passive | RANK 4+1/5 Hiding | Passive | RANK 5/5 > Blindside, Vanish, Surprise Attack: Trickster Extended Mod Limit | Passive | RANK 3/3  Battle Healing | Passive | RANK 5/5 Energist | Passive Quick Change | Active Charge | Active | RANK 5/5 Extended Weight Limit | Passive   Extra Survival | Passive  Concentration | Active -- CD: 3 Familiar Mastery: Fighter | Passive | RANK 3/3  | consumed buffs Spoiler Yamato-no-Orochi Statue | +1 LD - - - - - -  | misc. buffs Spoiler Dimensional Backpack, Item Stash, Extended Weight Limit | +5 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat.  Relaxed | +(5 * Tier) HP per out-of-combat post. Full energy restoration occurs after two turns out of combat. Squeaky Clean | -25% DoT damage taken from the first DoT applied to this player in a thread. Skylight: Searching | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cooldown of 30 days to reassign. Multipurpose | +1 LD/Prosperity/Stealth/Detection to one post per thread. Can be applied after a roll. Filling | +1 T1 slot to a food consumed by this player in a thread. Can exceed Cook enhancement caps. Col Deposit | +5% col from loot-minimum mobs, +10% col from treasure chests.

 

[Zajcica 0]

The morning was always a rough one for the paladin. She was a diligent, hard working player that was dedicated to becoming stronger, but her mornings were always the slowest. It took at least an hour to want to get out of bed, especially on those days that Crozeph was sleeping with her. As she was getting up and starting to move around and make breakfast, her menu blinked with a notification. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she showed the message. It was NIGHT, the very person who basically forcing her to take a break offering her to come to floor four. Still she wasted no time in giving her best friend a speedy reply.

To: @NIGHT
Zajcica: jsut wke up
Zajcica: wnt egs nd bacn?:
Zajcica: tht u wntd me to brek

She typed out lazily, noticing her typos but making no effort to fix them. She didn't even wait on a reply from her friend, stuffing her inventory with enough food to feed fifty people and made her way to floor four. It wasn't difficult to find her friend thanks to the map. NIGHT could see her clumsy pink paladin somewhat half asleep in a baggy white sweater, skirt and leggings walking her way already.

Spoiler

Name: Zajčica
Level: 68
HP: 1360/1360
EN: 136/136

Stats:
Damage: 18
Mitigation: 81
Accuracy: 3
BH:68
LD:9

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Trap of Argalia (T3/Perfect/THAS): DMG III
Armor: Red Omomori (TL/Perfect/Trin): LD III
Misc: La Black Luna (TL/Perfect/Trin): ACC III

Skills:
One-Handed Straight Sword [Rank 1]
Heavy Armor [Rank 5]
Two-Handed Assault Spear [Rank 5]
Battle Healing [Rank 5]
Parry [Obtained]
Howl [Obtained]
Block [Rank 5]
Extended Mod Limit III [Obtained]
Searching [Rank 2]

Extra Skills:
Concentration
Familiar Mastery: Defender
Survival

Mods:
Athletics
Stonewall
Rampart
Vengeful Riposte
Emergency Recovery
Mark
Focused Howl


Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleportation Crystal*1
Immolation+2*5
Ration+2*4
Mochi | LD III*1 < Using

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Yamata no Orochi Statue: +1 Loot Dice for a thread

Wedding Ring:

Using Slime Farm to Gain +2 SP at the end of the thread.

[NIGHT 0]

In the same way she'd usually spazz over her keyboard, it seemed as though Yuki had done the same today. That was a good sign. It didn't take NIGHT long to decipher the symbols; better for her to be slightly more coherent for her friend to process in her weary state. The woman lazily pulled in a line just as her message was sent.

NIGHT: this is for a break
NIGHT: only if ur cooking
NIGHT: dont go out of ur way on my acct

It surprised her how quickly Yuki made it out of her house. The twenty-second was a teleport's hop away, but even the stroll to her co-ordinates was something of a recommended long stroll. Perhaps the player had been too engrossed in the reeling; she nodded over to Yuki once she'd noticed the woman's figure in her periphery.

"Lazy afternoon, huh?" NIGHT couldn't help but smile. The paladin hadn't been so relaxed in a while -- let alone NIGHT being there to see her calm and drowsy. Another fishing pole materialized in her hand, the player offering it to her other.

"Here." She jostled the rod. "But only if you want to."

ID: 183544 | LD: 7 + 9 = 16 | Material found. (1, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki sat in the snow, seemingly unaffected by the cold of the floor in her warm clothing mixed with her survival and made herself comfortable. She took a firm grasp on the fishing pole offered to her and started unloading all the food that she had on to a blanket that she materialized. Foods for all times of day and appetites scattered on the tarp. Mikoto couldn't do more than offer a sweet, endearing smile, a sort of smile that felt more like the person behind the Nervegear than the avatar she had made herself to be.

"Me and Crow have been spending more time together. All this inactivity is making me feel like a middle-aged woman or something." She joked with a slight chuckle. As Night stressed that she could join only if she wanted to, her smile grew wider. "Nothing would be more relaxing than spending time with my best friend Night. My dad loves fishing so I he taught me a little." The pinkette said casting the line, munching on the Mochi she brought with her. "And yes, I've been breaking like you said. Please don't stress over me too much, I'm sorry that I had you worrying for my sake."

---

Failure

Materials: 0

[NIGHT 0]

"It's no problem," NIGHT returned. That's what friends were for after all, wasn't it? To look after each other as though they were your own.

The woman's haul was aplenty thus far. And though she'd originally came down for a bout of serenity, there were still questions she'd have for her friend; one task or another that she'd have to complete, or individuals in her friend's life that somehow clashed with her own. But they could take it one step at a time. Another dip of the bobber into the frigid cold, and NIGHT's eyes travelled over to Yuki.

"Y'know, you mention your family a lot." It was a basic observation; the paladin's home life was probably less hectic than her own, NIGHT felt. "You thought much about your life with Crow on the outside, once you two get out?" Topics like these weren't her strong suit, but Yuki was one to carry a brighter outlook. Sometimes, it was worth peering over someone's shoulders to catch a glimpse of an idealized future.

ID: 183546 | LD: 10 + 9 = 19 | Material found. (2, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki's smile soon faded down to complacent. Night's question was warming considering they had spoken on this topic before. Her and Crow had a few plans, but it wasn't all perfect. "My close family are extremely important to me since they understand my situation." Yuki paused for a moment, keeping track of the bobber as to not lose a fish. Quickly, she reeled in the catch and returned the bait. "My more distant family doesn't know what I'm like. I would feel a little embarrassed to reveal it to them, but now they probably know after they hear about it from my parents. I bet me and Crow will find it difficult to fit in with my family and his. Plus I have to go back to culinary skill when we get out."

Another short pause went by as Yuki thought about it. "There's no doubt that this love isn't mutual to SAO. We love each other and will likely get married outside of the game too. I'll live like a feeble old woman who doesn't do much beyond cooking supper for her husband when he gets home from work or something." She laughed quietly, obviously joking at the stereotypical housewife setting. Something that really didn't sit with her. She wasn't sure how she'd readjust to normal life when she made it out. "I'm probably a shriveled prune in the real world right now thanks to my hormone replacement. I wonder how my body is still working out there without proper hormone intake."

---

Success +1 mat

Materials: 1

[NIGHT 0]

It took her a minute to recall what Yuki had been talking about. All the while, she'd completely forgotten about the paladin's situation, too used to seeing the woman as how she really was.

To her, NIGHT felt that her outlook was a blessing. Certainly.

"Crow's family," she mentioned. "I haven't heard very much about him and his life outside of Aincrad. It makes sense to have that assumption." After all, reality could never be so progressive within the time they'd settled into the trappings of the iron castle.

For Yuki's sake...

"--But I don't think it'll be too much a problem."

NIGHT adjusted her sitting position, a gloved hand resting upon fallen snow, leaving a delicate imprint of her own palm as she shifted it around. "You two like each other very much. I'm sure that love will find a way, somehow." A knowing, pained smile came when Yuki brought up her education. "I hate to imagine what we'd have to do about school. There's going to be a lot we'll need to relearn..."

They had to take their time, in their prison and when they'd recovered in real life. That imposition was what Kayaba forced upon them.

Her companion's expectations were nothing to balk at where society was concerned. "There's no shame in staying home," she commented; a life in a city as busy as hers meant that idle time was valuable. Aincrad rightfully would've been anyone else's dream. "And I'm sure it's alive, at least. You'll find doctors that will put you back on track. If Crow lives in a different part of the world, you'll also have a support network from within his region..."

ID: 183555 | LD: 13 + 9 = 22 | Material found. (3, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki's smile fell more and more somber, remembering something that Crow had mention to her about himself in real life. She wondered how her body was doing, unable to even fathom what his body looked like at this point. Though she felt like she couldn't speak about those things without his approval, so she wouldn't tell even Night.

"As long as I get to live my life knowing that I didn't let this game destroy me, I'll die happy." The tank said tugging on the line a little to get the attention of the dwelling fish of the waters. Yuki would stuff more of her own food into her mouth, looking over to Night casually. "What about you? You haven't told me much about your life outside the game. I'd like to hear about it."

As she asked, she felt the slight tug of her fishing pole and yanked it free of the water, adding the materials to her inventory.

---

Success +1 mat

Materials: 2

[NIGHT 0]

To this query, NIGHT wasn't exactly sure how to answer.

There were a few reasons why she'd initiated the topic the way she did -- and it made sense for Yuki to have mirrored her intentions. Yet, as the player released her line once again to sink into the waters, she knew she wasn't ready for that conversation.

So she did what she thought was best.

"About Hidden," the woman began, apparent in her attempt to change the subject. Her eyes hadn't left the water, and though she'd felt the tug of a bite from one fish or another, her reactions to reeling it in were but slightly delayed. "I don't suppose she's told you a lot about her home life, has she?"

Her query served multiple functions. NIGHT let the fish register as an item in her inventory before preparing the line for another toss out for work.

"Do me a favour, Yuki."

She turned to face the paladin's eyes. Her own caught the field of white around them, and it only served to highlight honest intentions.

"Tell me what you know about her."

ID: 183559 | LD: 20 + 9 = 29 | Material found. (4, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Thankfully, NIGHT was willing to move on without pressuring her. The rogue always seemed to avoid social encounters, but Yuki had noticed how good she was with gauging another person's emotions. It seemed like she always knew what was best for the paladin. Not to mention that even after all this time, she couldn't get her talk to her about her personal life. She'd be ready one day, hopefully. Then the conversation shifted to Hidden. Why would NIGHT want to know about that girl? Regardless, the paladin shook her head.

"Hidden is a girl whom I'm sure has a bad situation on her hands. I seem to just annoy her, but it seems like she's warming up to me. I can't say that I know much about her personally, but she definitely needed a friend when I first met her. I wish I could tell you more about her, but I just don't know. I'm sorry. I think I've seen her recently with a young girl. I wonder if they're sisters or something. Maybe they're just good friends? I couldn't tell you."

---

Failure

Materials: 2

[NIGHT 0]

[#11]

--It was as she'd figured.

But NIGHT was hoping she wasn't the only one Hidden had spoken to about her past. It seemed strange, then, that the woman was so attached to Yuki. Everything about their square offs had felt as though it had been surrounding that very aspect of their lives. And stranger still that the lass had opened up to NIGHT about her home and history, when someone, allegedly closer to her, was not held to the same status.

Perhaps they had fundamental differences in values that the player simply couldn't see yet.

When the paladin had completed her speech, NIGHT nodded at her words, reeling in another catch of the day.

"I see."

There was no need to compare their pasts, for now. But the strange question beckoned for an answer.

"We'd met up the other day," NIGHT started, fading away the fish at her fingertips. "I guess we didn't intend do; something must've happened on the system's end telling us to meet at some specific spot. We waited for something to happen--" (for a missing Yuki to show up) "-- but nothing ever came of it."

Another swing of her rod towards the creek, and the knight finally took her friend up on her offer of food. She found solace in a sandwich; tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, and held it in her hand, lifting it up slowly.

"We chatted for a bit--" (well, more like we'd fought) "-- and then she left. But she shared with me some things about her home life, and I'd been wondering if you knew. That's all."

When she concluded, NIGHT took a bite out of her finger food, chewing it slow as her friend processed the information before starting up again. "I think she holds you in some high regard, but I wouldn't know. After all, I'd only met her a couple of times."

ID: 183564 | LD: 4 + 9 = 13 | No materials found. Current material count: 5.

[Zajcica 0]

After so long, Yuki was starting to wonder if her near 50% bonus to her luck skill was even working. NIGHT was over there catching fish a plentiful and she had been lucky to snag two so far. A sigh escaped from her lips. Even if her dad enjoyed fishing, I guess that didn't really make her an authority on it no matter how many trips she went on with him.

Night would start to go more in depth with why she was bringing up Hidden. Her eyes widened in surprise when her sword said that Hidden held her in high regards. Sure, they were friends enough that Yuki wanted to invite her to go on some quests, but she never thought that Hidden really looked up to her. She had always assumed the girl was annoyed any time words came out of her mouth. "Interesting. Maybe I should invite her to come on more quests-- Ah, when I'm done on break. I didn't actually think that she looked up to me or anything. She always seems so dismissive when I speak." Yuki was quiet for a moment. "Don't tell me about her personal life. I'd rather hear it from her first hand if she want's to tell me. Not that I don't trust you to give it to me straight from the horses mouth or anything. Just for her sake, y'know? I think she can be a better person if we give her a chance. Everyone is redeemable."

---

Failure

Materials: 2

 

[NIGHT 0]

"I did figure you'd wanted to hear it directly from her." NIGHT couldn't help but add a light smile to her words -- Yuki was the earnest and honest sort, after all. Furthermore, better the paladin than the knight herself. Hidden's motivations had been all but logical to the player herself during their discussion; if the assassin was searching for sanctuary, she'd most likely be better off finding it elsewhere.

"Don't worry, I won't say a word."

Her eyes glanced towards her companion's waning catches, and then back to the river herself, the tugging of her line pulling her away from thoughts aside from the reeling. She'd brought in another fish, storing it into her inventory, before tossing her line back out once again.

"Just for her sake, y'know? I think she can be a better person if we give her a chance. Everyone is redeemable."

Was everyone redeemable? NIGHT had to give Yuki's words a bit more thought before responding. With a heart as pure as snow, it seemed to make sense to the player how her friend could imagine things that way. She agreed with Yuki, however, on the subject of Hidden; a nod and a hum was all she needed to discern that. Her reservations could always be saved for another day.

"--Ah, speaking of."

She'd broken the silence that fell between them after a moment, with which the river spoke for their peace. "Wedding preparations. The due date for that's getting close. Well?" The turn of her head had been vaguely expectant, the woman well invested in the bride-to-be's opinion now more than ever, especially given this moment of tranquility. "We can start with the basics if you're keen. Do you have a particular floor in mind for the ceremony? ... Maybe... the one you two first met on, perhaps?"

ID: 183847 | LD: 8 + 9 = 17 | Material found. (5, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Night's quietness to her explanation made Yuki wonder if the two of them struck a nerve with one another. They didn't seem like two people who could easily get along without a mediator like herself to keep them from biting at each other's throats. As Night pulled another fish up from the water, Yuki was beginning to wonder why she herself didn't have any luck whatsoever. "Man, the fish don't really seem to like me today, hunh?" She said, giving the rod a slight wiggle to hopefully catch the attention of an on-looking fish. Still no dice.

Then Night brought up their wedding. Yuki smiled a little. "It's not been on my mind much at all with everything else going on. I can't be at my wedding if I get myself killed in the boss fight y'know?" The paladin explained, most likely to Night chagrin. The words she spoke were the truth at least. "I'm going to work on it the coming days of the floor being cleared. It'll take the frontlines some time to find the next boss room anyway."

Yet her knight was quick to start offering her ideas. "Oh no, definitely no on the floor where we met. I don't find being surrounded by ash and lava would make for a great wedding ceremony. Probably in my home with a Japanese style theme. I want to be cooking for it so that'll just make it easy."

---

Failure

Materials: 2

[NIGHT 0]

NIGHT did pull up a wry look at the thought of the floor boss. That her companion would stand against a murky figure like Shadow felt unbelievable, even more so that they would both be going into a fight of life and death. Postponing the details would've probably been for the best; even so, it set the woman slightly on edge not knowing much about event scheduling. It just meant even more research to be done amongst Aincrad journals, perhaps.

"Floor of ash and lava..." The player repeated the phrase, eyes returning to train upon the bobber ahead of her. She pressed her lips together when realization struck her of which realm her paladin had meant, eyes widening a little. "That's where you two...? --D-Definitely not there, then..."

Had it been so, NIGHT've avoided showing up.

But the alternative Yuki proposed was even simpler, cozier. The agitation of having suggested a sweet plan gone sour was but washed over with the idea of a tighter gathering, and the woman nodded as she continued to contemplate for it, etching out images for how the ceremony would look like in her mind.

(Would she need to get rose petals for the...? --No; she didn't have to go that far for her planning, did she...?)

"If you need extra hands in the kitchen, I can be there," NIGHT offered. Then she wondered if she should've taken it back, remembering that her friend could've compared to any Michelin Star chef in the world. "Even if it's... just to stir a pot or something. Though, at that rate, it sounds like I'll be handling decorations and clean up afterwards..."

"... I can do that, I think."

ID: 184411 | LD: 17 + 9 = 26 | Material found. (6, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

"Having an assistant with cooking makes things extremely easier yes. I would love your company for my wedding." Yuki thought on it more, wondering how she should ask her next question. NIGHT would probably make a big deal out of it, all things considered. Probably try to convince her that there's someone better for the job. At this point, the paladin had decided to take her eyes off the bobber. Nothing was biting anyway, or so she thought. The moment she turned away, the bobber bounced against the calm surface of the water. Yuki pulled it out along with the fish.

After recasting her line, the pinkette would look to her best friend. "Hey, NIGHT?" She started, wondering if there was a good way to phrase this without surprising her too much. "Would you care to be... my Maid of Honor?" She asked a big smile on her face. "I don't think there's anyone more suited for that job than you, after all."

---

Success

Material: 3

[NIGHT 0]

"..."

NIGHT wasn't sure what to say.

The reality was that she'd been asked the question before, back when they'd been relaxing after a day's hunt in Yuki's house. And she'd agreed to it back then. It was since that occasion she'd been scouring for what non-existent books and sources existed on the subject, having a distinct lack of knowledge on the topic entirely.

She may not have known any better than to plan, but for Yuki, she might as well give it her best shot.

"Yeah." Her gaze lifted from the bobber over to the paladin, NIGHT giving her friend a light smile, only partially grimacing. "Although, what did you think I was asking you about the wedding for, otherwise? Had I been a guest I'd have preparations all to you, wouldn't I?"

That being said, however, the player did wonder if there were any requirements of her being asked during the ceremony itself that she'd been missing from her memory. As far as she understood it, the position was mostly made for planning, readiness, ensuring things went well and guests went without want. Exhausting work. Detail oriented.

NIGHT didn't want to give herself too much credit, but she could understand where Yuki's sentiment and faith had come from when she'd mentioned it.

ID: 186990 | LD: 20 + 9 = 29 | Material found. (7, +1)

[Zajcica 0]

Yuki's grin widened with Night's answer. All things considered, it was fairly obvious who she would ask for such a job regarding her wedding. No one else fit the place of being her maid of honor. "It probably went without saying, but I thought it would be best to formally ask you, of course. This is an experience I never thought that I would be able to go through in this hell, but I'm glad that I have friends here with me that are rooting me on. It's a foe that not even I could raise a shield to." Yuki admitted. "Planning things was never my specialty, and even if it's not yours I think our collective ideas will help make it a wonderful experience for everyone."

With a tug of the line, Yuki finds herself another decent catch. Silence falls between the two as she slips the little fishie into her inventory. Yuki then turns back to her best friend. "I'm lucky to have someone as great as you in my life, Night."

---

Success

Material: 4

[NIGHT 0]

Wedding plans; a foe greater than The Shadow himself? NIGHT nearly snorted at the thought, expression contorted into a broken grin. Perhaps there was something to be said about locking oneself down to another that was-- ah, but that might be the patriarchy speaking...

She nodded, listening to her friend. "Well, if you think so." The player couldn't find herself complaining otherwise.

It was a quiet few seconds, the moments they watched the river and the fish being reeled in. NIGHT whistled, quiet, beholding the slightly larger size of her catch compared to her scores caught earlier in the day. A shimmering of light returned it to her inventory, and a glance towards Yuki when she spoke.

If there had to be a heartfelt sentiment directed her way, NIGHT was glad it came from Yuki. Though, she still flinched at the compliment, turning her gaze away. Gloved fingers fumbled with a loose lock of hair. "Mm," a hum in fragments.

"... Same here. Don't worry about it."

ID: 186992 | LD: 17 + 9 = 26 | Material found. (8, +1)