[F03-PP] Messages

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga
Level: 44
Health: 900
Energy: 88
DMG: 16 // EVA: 2  // MIT: 25 // ACC: 4
BRN: 24 // BLT: 24 // FALN: 4 // REGN: 10

Skills
>> Katana V
     // Ferocity
     // Precision
>> Light Armor V
     // Athletics

Extra Skills
>> Familiar Master: Fighter III
>> Survival

Inventory
>> T2 Demonic Katana <<Tsuki no Hikari>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen]
>> T1 Perfect Necklace <<White Owl Necklace>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]
>> T2 Perfect Light Armor <<Shadow Chance Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regen]

Battle-Ready Inventory
---

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).
>> <<Relaxed>> Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

The man barreled through the first floor, as fast as his legs could carry him as he haphazardly pushed aside anyone who was in his way. He didn't have the time to worry about 'Sorry's and 'Excuse me's. Kidnapped? What the hell did Noct do to get herself kidnapped? He didn't have an answer, the only thing on his mind being that he had to get to the third floor as fast as possible. At least the map had returned to showing the woman's position now.

Koga pushed aside someone another group of players about to step into the teleporter, earning himself a series of swears and curses as he shouted, "Teleport, Flora!" The bright blue light engulfed him, too slowly for his taste, and ferried him away to his requested destination.

As soon the blue light obscuring his vision faded away, Koga was running again. A message notification popped into view, but he ignored it. He had no time for other's problems right now. His chest burned as he sprinted through the crowds until he was at the safezone entrance where a familiar woman stood.

'Noct?'

The man stopped dead in his tracks. Wasn't she supposed to be captured? The man did a double take. It really was her.

Quickly he approached her, and pulled her into a tight, wordless hug. He then pulled away and grasped the woman's shoulders and started shaking her. "Are you fucking insane, what the hell did you do to get yourself kidnapped!? Where the hell are those fuckers!? I'm gonna shove my boot so far up their asses they're gonna be coughing up leather for weeks! And when in the hell did you learn to use the messenger!?"

@Noctua

Edited March 18, 2021 by Koga

[Noctua 0]

Spoiler

Noctua
Level: 31
HP: 620/620 | EN: 62/62 | DMG: 11 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 24 | BLT: 24 | REGN: 10

Equipped:
Jack's Graceful Repose [T2 Demonic Rapier [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Burn]]
Winged Armor [T2 Demonic Light Armor Coat [Cursed / EVA / EVA / Regen]]
Silver Wolf Necklace [T1 Perfect Necklace [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]]

Battle Ready Inventory:
(3) Starter Healing Potions
(5) Tier One Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP)

Skills:
» Rapier - Rank 5

• Rapier Finesse - Rank 3

» First Aid - Rank 1

Extra Skills:
» Fighter - Rank 3
» Survival

She was safe. She was finally safe, and sound, and didn't need to fear. But there was a part of her that still did fear. A part of her that feared that she wasn't going to be the same after all of that. How long had she even been gone? How long had she been asleep after being drugged? These were all the questions that were barreling through her mind, making her completely miss the man that was quickly moving toward her. She saw none of that, she was just more worried about where it was that she needed to go from there. What did she need to do? Did Koga even get her mess-....

The moment that she felt arms wrap around her and hug her tightly, the first, automatic, response that happened was she stiffened. She didn't move, her mind instantly started to make her think that she was dreaming. There was no way in any reality that Koga would be hugging her right now. Not after the way that she left him. Not after all the fighting. So, did that mean that her escape had been in her mind as well? Was she still asleep? Was she still in those rags and in that ce-....

She blinked when he started to shake her, and then he was spewing questions. Many, many questions. Threatening the bandits that she had already killed, or at least, most of them hopefully. She looked at him, and there actually seemed to be worry written all over him. Had he actually been worried? Oh, he did get her messages. In that case, this wasn't a dream, or nightmare, but it was real.

She didn't say a word, she couldn't. She just wrapped her left arm around her, trying to keep her broken right-hand close to her body. Two reasons for that, she didn't want him to see it, but at the same time, she needed to keep it elevated, that helped with the pain, a bit. But that's how she stood, right-hand close to her chest, and left arm wrapped tightly around him. Now she felt bad for stiffening when he hugged her.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga had thought Noct stiffened out of surprise initially. A man running out of nowhere and grabbing you would startle anyone, even if you knew the person who was embracing you. It wasn't until the man noticed she was clutching her right hand to her chest that he realized something was wrong. "Is your hand okay?" he asked, finally ceasing the vigorous shaking. If she was hurt, at least they could use a healing potion to fix it. Well, they could if Koga had one on him. The man hadn't the foresight to go home to grab one earlier. Besides, that merely would've taken up valuable time he apparently hadn't needed to get here.

"Are you hurt?" he asked again, being far gentler with her this time, the tight grip he had on her shoulders loosening. Was the look on her face pain, or something else? It had to be pain.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

Oh, thank god, the shaking stopped. That was one less thing that was causing pain right now. Her health bar might have been full, but punching that gate to break it, well that did a different number of damage. It was like when she tried kicking that stupid rock. At least she didn't have to worry about him attempting to carry her home this time, more because she didn't know if he'd actually do it. Or possibly because she wanted him to do that, but she wasn't going to admit it out loud.

"Is your hand okay?" Really. Really Koga. That's the first thing that you ask when her hand is being cradled close to herself? Even as she tried to come up with some smart ass remark, she couldn't. Instead, she just shook her head. No, her hand wasn't alright, but that was honestly the least of her worries. She knew that she needed to talk. She needed to tell him not to worry about her, that she'd be fine. But, she couldn't voice the words.

"Are you hurt?" Did he just ask the same question, just differently? She looked at him, kind of grateful that his grip was loosening on her shoulders. "I-...," she tried to say something, and just shook her head in response instead. Something needed to be voiced, said, heard, but she just couldn't figure out what anymore. She sighed lightly, a sound actually coming from her with that before she moved away from him a little.

She didn't move far enough to where his hands would have left her shoulders, but just a little more room between them, because she still didn't know where they stood anymore. "The bandits...," she had tried again and just shook her head. She couldn't right now. Nope. But the pain, slight fear, and guilt. Why guilt? Because she had actually pushed him away, and she had a feeling that it broke what they had.

There was a moment of a flash back to being in that prison, and she looked at Koga, the stinging sensation starting in her eyes, before she actually felt a tear fall. "I'm... sorry...." She meant those words, and it could be easily heard in her voice, and the pure fact that she hadn't run away from him. Being right there at the moment, was pure comfort. Something that made her feel a little safer than she had when she first entered the safe zone.

But, she still held that guilt, because she didn't know if he felt the same, or if he was going to push her away the moment that he knew that she'd be fine. But then, that wouldn't happen, she didn't think that he could do that, not after all the pain he's already suffered. Really? Too many possibilities and not enough answers right now.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Noct shook her head at the first question. Then the second. The silence was...unnatural...even for Noct. Even for the Noct that Koga had first met, scared out of her skin by anything and everything.

She tried to speak.

"I..."

She stopped short.

"The bandits..."

She fell silent again, shaking her head. Tears welled in her eyes, and a stray tear rolled down her face.

"I'm...sorry..."

The man didn't know what the apology was for. Leaving him at the alter? Everything that had happened since? He did know that there was one thing he could do in this moment though. Ever so carefully, so as to not hurt Noct, he pulled her into another hug. Koga wrapped his arms around the woman's shoulders, and gently rested his chin on her head. "It's okay," he murmured. Whatever she was apologizing for, it didn't matter anymore. He was just glad she was safe. They could deal with the other stuff later. They would deal with it, but for now, they had each other.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

He hadn't said anything, it was like he was letting her attempt to find her words. That was nice of him, but at the same time, she kind of wished that he would just say something. But, at the same time, it was probably nice that he wasn't saying anything. When he hugged her though, she leaned into him, willing the rest of the tears to just go away. She didn't need to make him feel bad to have him stay around to attempt to become at least friends again.

"It's not though," her voice started to sound a little stronger, more like her old self, but there was still that fear behind her words. Slowly, her right hand was starting to feel better, it was still bruised looking, but, it wasn't hurting anymore. She'll take that as a good thing, no more pain meant that things were healing. She wanted to say more about, well anything, but finding the words was still hard to do.

Though, she did get the feeling that they were being stared at. She could just feel it, judging eyes just staring at them, judging. "Can... can we go somewhere else...? I feel like people are... staring...." Of course, she didn't want to move though at all. She liked being right there, but at the same time, she wanted to be out from under the judgmental eyes that she was feeling. Plus, she knew that she needed to talk to him to tell him why she had apologized, but that was still probably something that was best talked about not under prying eyes.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga nodded in response. "Sure," he said, "c'mon, we'll go back h-" he stopped himself short. Home? The old inn they used to live in? "The shop," he amended before thoughtlessly taking hold of Noct's left hand and gently pulling her along. She hadn't been to his new home yet had she? Of course not, they'd been at odds since Noct made her reappearance. In any case, the man wasn't really sure whether or not the woman would even be comfortable with the prospect, so the shop did indeed seem to be the safest choice.

The walk felt long. Not because, in comparison to his previous mad dash, he was moving much slower, but because there was a sense of foreboding hanging in the air. Not like there hadn't been one before, but this was different. Before, Koga had just been moving, single-mindedly. This though, was filled with anxious thoughts and fear. What would they say too each other once they got to their destination? Would they part on amicable terms? Better? Worse? Too many questions.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

Had he been about to say home? She didn't know if she even had one of those here anymore. She wasn't going to inquire though, no need to. They weren't dating, engaged, or married, so it wasn't like she *had* to know, no matter how much that simple thought actually hurt her to think it. Oh well, she had done this to herself really. She just had to accept it, no matter how difficult that reality was.

He did take a hold of her left hand though, and no matter how familiar and right it might have felt, right now, it felt like a foreboding sign. She was about to actually apologize to him for just about everything that she has done wrong, including the things that she had said to him, and he was holding her hand? That didn't make complete sense to her, but she just kept quiet as she walked to the teleporter with him.

The walk seemed to be long because of the silence and the tenseness, that was mostly coming from her at this point, but she used that time to think. It wasn't until they got to the teleporter did she remove her hand from his. She stepped onto the teleporter, and even then, her words were quiet, "Town of Beginnings...." Enveloped in the blue light, she was soon on the first floor once more, and she moved to the side to wait for Koga.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Noctua went through the teleporter first. The blue light framed her figure briefly before completely drowning it out, and then when the light disappeared, she was gone. Koga went next, repeating the same phrase that Noct just had and then he too was swallowed by light, only to reappear tin the bright, artificial daylight of Floor One's Town of Beginnings.

Noct wasn't far, and the man nodded towards her for them to continue towards their shop. It wasn't too far thankfully, and tucked away quietly in a some not too busy alley. Probably not the best location to attract business, but it didn't really matter.

The man quickly unlocked the oak door and pulled it open, gesturing for Noct to go in first. Once she had passed through the portal, he'd follow shutting the door behind them. Light poured in from the windows as usual, illuminating the otherwise dark room. What...what was Koga supposed to do now?

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

The walk from the teleporter to the shop was still quiet. Was she supposed to talk first? Did he want to wait until they got to the shop to say anything? Noctua didn't know, but she just walked after him, her left thumb picking at the nail on her left ring finger. She'd pick at the nails on her right hand, but well, she couldn't just yet. She did notice that her hand was less swollen now, so that was a good thing.

She walked into the shop quietly after Koga unlocked the door, and she walked over to her desk, sitting in her chair. She was honestly surprised that Koga hadn't asked about Athena yet. Noctua did lightly brush a finger on the new bracelet on her wrist, but the owl was still content being where she was. That was fine by Noctua, Athena has found a way to be carried that she liked now. After a few, possibly agonizing, seconds of silence, she sighed lightly.

"I'm sorry that I've been so... horrible. I... was trying to ignore everything and my old mentality of dealing with people at school kicked in...." Her voice was quiet, probably quiet enough to make Koga have to move closer or ask her to repeat herself. She didn't know what else to say, well, she did, but she didn't know if she should say it. "I know you still need time... so once I'm certain that bandits aren't going to drug me again, I'll head to the inn."

She took a moment to dig through her desk and found a healing crystal and used it on her hand. She flexed her fingers for a few moments before she started to pick at her fingernails full force now.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'm more worried about you right now. And you don't need to apologize...I've been an ass too..." he admitted as she used a healing crystal and began to pick at her fingers. Flashbacks to when they first met again. It was a habit he hadn't seen in a long long time. Just what had happened to her? The man was almost afraid to ask.

Something was off though. Like something was missing. "Uhm, Noct by the way...w-where's Athena?" Had the Familiar been stolen? Gone missing? Or even worse...Koga didn't really want to think about it. Worse yet, if any of that were true, Noct would probably be in pieces...She did seem to be in pieces...Oh god. At least if it had been taken they could go out and hunt down whoever took Athena, but, surely Noct would be looking for them right now, not talking to him.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She had been in the process of trying to find more words when he asked about Athena. "Oh, one second." There was a little more strength in her voice than before, probably because it was starting to sink into her mind that she was safe here, she wasn't about to get drugged and kidnapped once more. But, she looked at the bracelet on her wrist and lightly rubbed a finger on it, "Come on Athena, no more worrying Koga."

A blue light wrapped around the bracelet for a moment before that light moved to her lap. Within that light was her pretty snowy white owl, who gave a happy sounding hoot. Was that because she and Koga were talking, or because they were no longer in that prison? "She learned this trick while we were sneaking out of the bandit's prison. I think she got comfortable not having to fly after me, so she stayed like that."

Noctua went from picking at her fingernails to lightly stroking the owl's white feathers. "....Mas, I woke up in rags...." There it was, the part of the entire encounter that had bothered her the most.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga stared wide eyed at the blue glow of the bracelet as it transformed into the form of Athena, the small white owl hooting like it hadn't just done something that seemed to be one hundred percent impossible in his mind. How had literally no one else in the entire game figured out that Familiars could do that yet? This alone warranted a huge platinum trophy achievement or something.

Of course, Koga's wonderment disappeared only moments later as he returned to reality and Noctua addressed him. "R-rags?" he repeated. A part of him burned with rage and jealousy at the thought of anyone even laying a finger on Christelle, let alone disrobing her, even if they were just NPCs. But then again, that's just it. The bandit's were NPCs, right? "Did...did anything else happen?" the man asked, if only to calm his constantly reeling mind. As if this last year and a half hadn't been enough excitement, Noct getting kidnap? That was just the icing on the cake, ready to give him a heart attack.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

The amazement that was written all over his face, actually made her chuckle lightly. That was something that she hadn't seen on his face in over a year now, and it was a blessing to see really. And then it was gone. Just like that. She raised an eyebrow though and just stared at him, her fingers still lightly running over Athena's feathers. "I don't know Mas, I was kind of unconscious y'know." The sarcasm was there, and it was something that would remind Koga of her old self.

"Since they were all NPCs, I doubt anything that you are thinking happened, if that could even happen in this game anyways." She looked at him though, trying to read him still, it was probably difficult to do since she hasn't seen him or talked to him in so long, but right now, it was a little relaxing. But, she didn't say anything else yet, she was waiting to see if he was going to throw the sarcasm back at her really.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

The chuckle surprised Masato more than anything. He hadn't heard the sweet chiming sound of Christelle's laugh in...well, he didn't really know but it felt like lifetimes. The moment was quickly gone though as she gave him a surprisingly sarcastic retort to his honest question. "Well, I'm sorry, it's not like I make a habit of getting myself drugged and kidnapped you know!" he replied, equally sarcastic, "sorry I don't really know the ins and outs of all that!" For the first time though, in a long time, their sarcasm wasn't malicious, or mean-spirited, or filled with venom. Maybe a little condescending, as most sarcasm was, but it was good natured. Light. Meant to poke fun at the other. Was this what the past had once been like?

"Since they were all NPCs, I doubt anything that you are thinking happened, if that could even happen in this game anyways."

His mind returned to the present, and the man nodded, electing to lean against one of the glass displays cases now. He let out a sigh of relief. "Good," he said. "I didn't really think Cardinal could do that either, but...had to ask," he said with a shrug. This felt normal. Too normal, to fuss over each other. To trade sarcastic quips. The man looked at his partner, head slightly tilted and with a pensive stare, but said nothing, as if examining her. He was examining her.

@Noctua

Edited March 23, 2021 by Koga

[Noctua 0]

Her sarcastic quirk was met with one of his own in return, and that made her just stare at him. This felt like old times, back before she did the dumb and ran away. "Well excuse me for not being well versed in this as well!" There was a small laugh that came afterwards, and she just sighed, shaking her head lightly before the smile vanished. "That almost made things feel normal again...."

She was quiet again for a little while as he spoke again, and she nodded in return. But, she looked at him, and he was just staring at her. She stared back at him for a few moments, before she broke the silence. "Did... did I do something?" She didn't know what was going on here, or why it was going on, she just knew that she was being stared at, and it almost made her feel like she had done something wrong, again.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga shook his head. "No, you didn't do anything it's just..." He paused, his gaze drifting to floor beneath her feet for a moment, then to the wall across from him. "You're right...this feels almost...normal." And it was strange. The almost instant return to normalcy, however long it lasted, was strange.

He looked back at Noct now, "I...I like this, Noct. I do. And I want you around." A single corner of his mouth turned itself downward, a small indicator that Noct probably wouldn't like what he was about to say next. "But, I don't think it's a good idea for us to be 'together' again. At least not right now." It wasn't vindictive. He wasn't trying to hurt, or punish her. It just didn't feel right for them at the moment, at least, that was the way that Koga felt. He hoped Noct would understand, and that his honesty hadn't unwittingly sparked another fight, but it was also something he felt needed to be said.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

Now he was having a hard time with his words. This was something that she didn't know what to think, and it bothered her a bit. But, she ignored that and just smiled with a small nod, then came the part that she knew was going to come up. She sighed lightly, and just nodded her head a little, "I know." No, she wasn't going to fight his logic, she knew that he was right. Hell, she left him at the alter after all, so she didn't blame him at all.

Yes, it did sadden her to not only hear it, but to agree with it as well. She held back a sigh and stared at Athena for a few moments before she looked at Koga, thankfully not crying and feeling fine, and a small smile being on her face. "I'm certain that I can find a new place for my shop, so that things don't get awkward here." Besides, she was running out of Col to live in an inn at this point, and she didn't feel safe going out to do any kind of quests right now.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

He shook his head again. "Did you not just hear what I said?" Koga groaned as he rolled his head and let it hang back. A lazier version of a facepalm. "I want you around." Koga wasn't sure how else to say it without spelling it out for Noct. "IE, the shop can stay if you want." He pushed himself away from the glass display case and crossed his arm. "All I'm saying is the whole 'romantic relationship' thing isn't really something I'm ready for right now. Friends, yes, dating, no." To be fair though, he hadn't even considered dating anyone in the past year. This wasn't something exclusive to Noct at the moment. But, admittedly, the situation had changed.

"We kinda...rushed into thing the first time around, and that's partly my fault. I just think maybe we try out the whole friendship thing for a while and see how that goes. Does that sound ok?"

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She stared at him and rolled her eyes. He wasn't getting the meaning behind what she was saying at all, and that actually made her sigh a little. There had to be an easy way to explain to him that she had nowhere else to go, so she'd be sleeping here. Actually, that was probably the only way to explain it. "I have nowhere else to go Koga, I'm saying offering to move my shop because I'm going to be living there, or here I guess." She just looked at Athena again, as the heavier topic came around.

"I know Koga, and yeah, that's fine." She tried to be happy with that, but there was still a bit of pain under her words. But, she knew that he had a point, it was part of the reason she left that day. She just didn't want to face the fact that there possibly could be someone else. But at the same time, that might be good for him, no need to worry about Noct being flighty on him again, right?

@Koga