[F2-PP] Whatever.... [Let there be Light] - Yui's Grace #3

[Celeste 1]

Low Light Penalty Triggered: -1 Accuracy

One brutal broad stroke cleaves the entire cave in a flare of red, the whole thing shakes and the sound echoes off the walls like thunder. Somehow Celeste had been drug into being a damn CPS worker, and the promise of payment was the only thing driving her even do this. She could give a shit less what happened to the kid, as long as she got paid in the end. The bats fly like missiles and explode in strobes of light that make the place glow albeit briefly, an easy finish. An ode to her strength. A glance down to the blonde kid. "Come, don't make me ask twice." Celeste barks to it, the kid frightened obliges her request as she points with her left hand toward her feet. To the mother, in an instant the crap was long over. The red haired woman had what she was after, and a paltry some of coin later she strolls the streets of Delilah. She had some time to kill still, and her pockets were lined pretty well with coin as it was. It was time for a bit of a breather.

Yui's Grace Used: +1 SP upon Thread Closure

Trample Act [x6/AoE], -10 EN (6 + 4 {2 Targets Struck}), Concentration Activated (+1 Accuracy), Concentration CD [0/3]

ID# 185884 results: Battle: 6+2+1=9, Hit vs. Giant Bat #1 dealing 11x6=66 DMG
ID# 185885 results: Battle: 5+2+1=8, Hit vs. Giant Bat #2 dealing 11x6=66 DMG

Players:
Celeste | HP:380/380 | EN:28/38 | DMG:11 | MIT:18 | EVA:1 | ACC:2 | BLD:12

Mobs:
Giant Bat #1 | HP:50/50 | DMG:20
Giant Bat #2 | HP:50/50 | DMG:20

Spoiler

Celeste - The Crimson Tide
Level: 19
HP: 380/380
EN: 38/38

Stats:
Damage: 11
Mitigation: 18
Evasion: 1
Accuracy: 3
BLD:12

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Adrenaline Billhook [T1/2HBA/Perfect] - Damage 2, Bleed 1
Armor: Red Woven Wave - Stampede [T1/Light Armor/Perfect]: Mitigation 2, Evasion 1
Misc: Platinum Buckle [T1/Trinket/Perfect]: Accuracy 3

Skills:
Two Handed Battle Axe [Rank 5]

Extra Skills:
Familiar Fighter (R1)
Concentration
Meditation (Untrained)

Battle Ready Inventory:
Liquor of Light (Potion)*10
Raspberry Smoothie [T1/Dessert/Perfect] - Loot Dice 3 *1
Immolation [T1/Unique] - Thorns 10*1

Housing Buffs:
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread. Limit one use per month [0/1]

 

Edited March 20, 2021 by Celeste

[Lucas 0]

Lucas stood in the exact center of Delilah, taking in the glorious sights of the city and smiling. He was definitely underdressed for combat A white tea shirt and some cargo shorts with sandals to boot, but today wasn't about that. Today was his day off, he was planning on killing a bit more time by watching the world go by without a word to stop it. Maybe he could make a new friend to try and help today, or maybe he could get a ridiculously large ice cream cone and try to balance it throughout the city like a circus clown, after all, the bottom of the next floor was the limit. Blue skies, but it makes no sense, seeing as the next floor is right above this one. It should create a shroud dark enough to plunge this floor into an unending darkness. But instead it shines like it's not a death trap made from another man's sick dream.

He had no idea how full this world was with adventure, but he knew it had to be brimming, the skies wouldn't glow such a pretty hue if the world wasn't ripe for the taking.

A low rumble would side track the boy as he stared up in awe, his eyes would dart down to his stomach and his hand would rub it to try and alleviate it's anger. "Better get some food before I forget." The game did a pretty fine job of simulating hunger, and the food definitely made that feeling go away, but if it wasn't dessert, it really wasn't worth it. "Red Velvet cake it is." His smile would grow brighter as he walked on his merry way through town in search of a bakery.

[Celeste 1]

A glance toward the common rabble of the place shows little in the way of interest. Some players and some not, but all looked the part. Save one, that catches her attention rather quickly. Here was this almost sweater vest wearing yahoo in light blonde hair, in sandals that at first she could even swear she saw socks under them. "Wow, don't you look like a damn commercial?" Celeste barked out toward him on impulse, used to chastising people for what they were sporting. "Bout to go golfing? How's the caddy game these days? Paying well?" That same venomous bite. She had to get a closer look at this dork, who looked like he was dressed by his mom for a trip to the park. He didn't look like he was that young, which made it even weirder that he had the fashion sense of a toddler. Uncomfortably close behind him, he sure as shit was wearing sandals. The smell of the bakery causes her stomach to churn, the NPC at the counter back steps at the brash show of volume. To Celeste's inventory she removes a bottle of liquid in a dark and deep crimson, drinking fully at this disgusting yet effective draught to sate herself.

[Lucas 0]

Before Lucas had a chance to order the sweet cake his body was practically begging for, a woman shouted to him from a large enough distance the sound managed to only catch his attention. The words went in one ear and out the other, not really digging too deep as he cared little what people thought of him anyways, all he wanted to do was help. Was that in reference to me? His eyes would search the surrounding area and fixate on a female closing the gap between them. Assuming she was talking to someone else though, Lucas would turn away from the woman and begin walking towards the bakery he was originally intending on going to.

Then once again she spoke to him, and he would turn once more, hoping to see her speaking to someone else but her eyes were on him. Uh-oh. He'd blush and avert his eyes, placing his hands in his pockets. His shoulders would rise as he looked at the ground. "Oh, sorry I don't know how to play golf. The scoring system is very complicated... besides, it's really boring and everyone wears such silly outfits it's funny." He'd smile faintly, but his body language still screamed lack of confidence. Boy if there were anyway to describe Lucas that would fit the bill better than most sentences. "Are you about to go play golf?" He would ask, trying to be polite and make conversation.

[Celeste 1]

Her gaze shifts from an obvious resting bitch face to a rather placid deadpan "You must be joking, that's what you came up with kid?" He looked so damn nervous, the way he turns and just starts to fiddle in his pockets. Celeste almost felt bad for him all of the sudden, was she the first girl he'd ever spoken to? It was kind of pathetic. "How old are you? And why exactly are you dressed like that?" Celeste asked again, the NPC hesitantly extending his purchase close for him to take.

The girl was making a scene, and eyes were on them both. The town of Delilah was a rather droll place, so any sort of excitement like an argument was front and center. Her glare pierced right through his chest, and in a way she was enjoying this little exchange. It took her back to before the game, there was always the nerdy kid to pick on. This kid oozed the same sort of passive aura that she found pleasure in. She'd wait for the answer, seeking some sort of rebuttal as she clipped the edges of his appearance looking for that fight back.

[Lucas 0]

Lucas was already nervous around this woman, but her words still cut like a knife, despite his unusually thick skin for such a mild tempered boy. He wouldn't even react to the venom in her tone, only to the words she said. "What do you mean? Would...?" Before he could continue, the woman would begin speaking over his quiet queries. When she had finished her assault on the boy, the young player would look at her with a soft smile, almost making eye contact, aside from the fact that his eyes were closed. "OH! Well, I was sixteen when I joined, but I lost track of how long we've been in here. I'd say I'm around seventeen or eighteen by my rough estimate." Her comment about his attire would have him blush and look down at the outfit he was currently wearing. "I'm sorry, would you like me to change?"

Before she could respond, his inventory would be open and his clothes would disappear and reappear as something entirely different. Over the old white shirt he was wearing a blue jacket would fall, quite baggy but super soft. His cargo shorts would be replaced with khaki Joggers and his sandals would be replaced with bright blue flip flops. "Is that better miss?" He would resume his bright smile he had given her. 

"If it is, I should be going. I have red velvet cake to be getting. You can have a piece if you want."

[Celeste 1]

A pause, almost uncomfortably so as Celeste folds her arms in front of her chest. Her intense stare at this guy never faltering, as her brow furrowed a bit. "Damn, kid you either are super thick, or you are actually this damn polite." He was younger sure, but he had to have at least experienced school before. Somehow he survived through however many years he did, Celeste couldn't begin to fathom how. "I insult you, and you offer me a slice of cake." She takes another glance at his attire, and even still he straight up looked like he fell out of an honest living magazine, or one for ambercrombie and fitch centered around high class country clubs.

"You need better clothes. No, that's not better. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take that cake of yours for myself." Aiming for something, anything to get a rise out of this kid. He needed to find whatever balls he had, they had shriveled up and fallen off somewhere. Somehow Celeste started to feel pity, she was just poking fun. But if this kid was really this much of a goober, someone could seriously take advantage of him. For some reason it bothered her enough to give a shit.

[Lucas 0]

Lucas had no idea what this woman was on about, no reason for her to be mean to him seeing as how he hasn’t done anything to set her off. ”Hey ma’am, I’m sorry but I don’t think I caught your name yet.” He would tilt his head, lookin go at her with a look of pure innocence. ”My name is Lucas. And as for better clothes, I have some more that you might like better, but I don’t know how much you’ll like it.”

As far as her blatant threat, Lucas barely blinked in response, the appalling statement to most was just another question to the angel of Aincrad. ”It would be rude to take my cake, and you seem rather nice. Blunt but nice. And besides, this is a safe zone, worst you could do is knock me around a bit and that’s nothing new.” Despite never being bullied or anything, Lucas had been in his fair share of fights. Beatings more accurately, and mostly on the receiving end of the kids’ wrath. ”Plus, you have no idea what I’m capable of, I’m not spineless.” 

”It’s not like I don’t hear the insults, but what’s the point of challenging them? You don’t know me any better than I you, so why not get to know you?”

[Celeste 1]

"Lucas, the names Celeste." she dropped rather loosely as if a side conversation. "Yeah, it would be rude." She'd pause and lean forward looking at him as her eyes trailed up and down. "Right a safe zone, you're on point. I have no idea what you're capable of." She couldn't tell if that was supposed to be a threat or not, but she was pleased regardless. "There you go. I'll take that slice of cake now." Celeste quipped beckoning him to the rim of the fountain. "And change your damn clothes, something that doesn't look like you're out of an 80's commercial for cereal please." Moving for the rim and folding her legs in front of her, hiding that exposure between her thighs she slinks forward and eyes him expectantly. She kinda wanted to hear this kids story, there was something about how so comatose sweet he was even under pressure. The girl had been outright mean intentionally and despite it all he kept completely calm. A couple of those last ones came off as threats, maybe he was one of those silent conniving types. The ones that brewed for a while before setting your shit on fire.

[Lucas 0]

Lucas was having trouble figuring this lady out, he stood up to her a little bit and she backed down completely. Even still though, He didn't want to be rude, so he would look up at the server and smile. "Two red velvet cakes please." It had been quite a while since the boy was able to enjoy a quiet meal, and in that time he has been building up the courage to dine with others... weird how both issues settled on the same day. "So, you out hunting or are you just walking the floor like I am?" He smiles back at the woman beckoning him from fountain.

"Celeste is a pretty name. I got stuck with Lucas, but I enjoy it." He would smile taking a bite of the cake covered in white frosting with red sprinkles and a cherry on top. "Hey! I happen to like these clothes." He would chuckle a bit, opening his inventory and looking at her outfit for a moment. "I think I know what you might be okay with." A purple sweatshirt would cover his entire torso, as a pair of blue jeans materialized to cover his legs. Work boots would comfortably place themselves over his feet and the boy would extend his arm with cake on the end towards the woman.

"Bitter, just like you." He would chuckle to himself. "No... it's the sweetest one this shop has."

[Celeste 1]

"I don't know, your name is honestly better. Mine makes me sound like a damn princess." Celeste quipped toward the kid as he dug into his slice of cake, a dollop of white frosting littering the fork. "Why though?" Celeste couldn't help but question his choice in clothing, appearances were everything and his made him look like he was a push over. A swap of his clothes found something less dorky, something that made him look like a person. "There you go, much better." Celeste offered him the reflection and the praise. A lift of her hands out, this kid couldn't be this nice. It is ushered into her hand and she cradles it into her lap staring into it intensely. As if it was poisoned... and it was because of how Celeste had acted. "I don't understand you." She plucks the fork up and jams it into the piece, taking a bite of the stuff. A bit too sweet for her tastes, but she finishes the chunk she'd consumed.

[Lucas 0]

Lucas had, in all appearances, made a new friend and shared some of the wealth the game had given him at the start of it all. She seemed a bit angrier at any given moment than the boy ever was in his life time. "Lucas means 'bright' and upon realizing this, people generally laugh. I always hear that it fits me so well. As for Celeste, it has a beautiful elegance I approve of. Like a fine sword flowing through the wind. Graceful as a river yet just as strong." His praise seemed like a bit much, even for his liking, but once words were said they cannot be undone. "Although, it does seem like a Princess's name." The boy would snicker at the thought of her in a frilly dress and a tiara. "Although, you could embrace it. As funny as it would look, a tiara of the right color might suit you." Once again, a bright smile would cover his face.

He would reach down and take another bite as she looked on her own piece for a moment. She would speak while Lucas had his mouth full and an audible gulp would be heard as he choked down the piece of cake. "Well, what do you want to understand? I'm an open book." There could be no doubt, he was definitely okay with answering any question he might be asked. After all...

Secrets don't make the best of friends.

[Celeste 1]

Lucas begins to decipher the meaning behind both names, like some sort of nerd. So he was one of the book smart types, kind of explained his taste in clothing. "I will never wear a tiara." Celeste remarks with a snap, and then noticing the fork in her hand she slows. She could at least try, right? The kid clearly didn't mean anything by it, she doesn't even think that he had it in him to mean anything by it. Her parents had named her something pretty, because it brought with it power should they be able to pawn her off. Power was the name of the game after all.

A slow transition from her raised blood, back to an almost sorrowed stare into the slice of cake she hadn't touch since the first bite. "Why are you so damn polite? Why would you give me this after all I said to you." The question was rather honest, as she struggled to put her thoughts to words. The kid had no reason to be this kind, its not as if she did anything to deserve it. She was raised to strike first, strike hard. To show compassion was a weakness, take what you want, and make your presence known. The lessons imparted still rang through her every action. But Lucas was one of the strange ones, where it didn't work in the slightest. The ones that disarm her completely.

[Lucas 0]

Her pointed words only made the kid nod, a pretty sight to imagine but never getting much more to satisfy the thought.

As for her next words Lucas looked up at the sky and pondered for a moment. "Because pointed words are nothing more than that. That's not to say they never lead to scuffles in the streets, but as far as I'm concerned there's no reason to be mean to someone over words." Lucas looked down at the cake. "Bitter foods aren't quite as popular as sweet ones, right? The same goes for people." His fork pick up the last bite of the cake and be placed sweetly in his mouth. "But more than that, I like being nice and I like cake. Why not be nice and share it."

The boy had been raised on sharing and politeness. He wasn't always the best kid, but she didn't need to know that. "Anger isn't powerful, it's weak. Dropping a match into gasoline is a lot easier than holding a match until it goes out." The boy's plate would disappear as he stood to his feet.

"Anything else you want to ask?"

[Celeste 1]

Looking toward the kid as he began to speak a reply, as he'd look up it would beckon her to do the same. As if she was trailing his view to see what it was that he did. "I guess." Celeste remarks to his comments, and that last imagery regarding the match, seemed to make so much sense although she was reluctant to admit it. "So you believe that no matter what someone says, its not worth shoving them off?" Celeste didn't get how that could possibly be true. She was raised different, the very way that Lucas reflected was the complete antithesis of what she was taught in her upbringing from a very young age. A glance back toward the cake, she'd shuffle another bite of the stuff. Not because she wanted to, but because it was given to her by the guy. And somehow, she didn't want to be rude for once.

[Lucas 0]

Lucas was definitely getting antsy, his plan was to walk the field today which was obvious the way he would glance down the path to get out of town every so often. It wasn't that he wasn't enjoying this time, he just wishes they could walk and talk. "Like I said, I'm not a pushover. I don't expect anyone to bend to my whim, why should I bend to theirs? Someone wants to be angry then let them, I'm not going to get angry too."  Lucas tilted his head. "Although I do get angry sometimes." The boy couldn't remember last time he got angry, other than when he learned the truth of why he never met his father. All he ever heard was how his father was a horrible man, and that there was no way Lucas was going to turn out right with those genes.

That's where most of his fights came from. Mean words lead to mean actions, unless you counter them with kindness. "If someone yells at me and I yell back, does it not mean I feel threatened? And if I feel threatened, all it does is embolden the aggressor. You ask why I don't just shove them off, but I know you see the stupidity in fighting fire with fire." He then looks to be lost in thought for a moment, staring at the ground.

"Although, there is a way to fight a wildfire by burning the fuel before it can reach it. Sorry, not the best analogy."

[Celeste 1]

Constantly catching the kid look off in the distance, shows that he wanted to do more than just sit here and talk. Sliding off the rim of the fountain. "Sure, fighting fire with fire doesn't quite work. But backing down gives people the impression they can walk all over you." She finishes the last of the cake, and turns her hand and Frisbees that plate into the distance. A nearby player flips out and ducks. It shatters against one of the walls of a building, sending data out in a spray. "What the fuck lady?" The player responds back at her with ire. "Get bent, your fine. Keeps you on your toes." Celeste barks back, with a sinister snicker.

The man removes a claymore from a sheathe on his back, beet red and flushed face. "Screw you, I'll wipe that grin off your face!" That smile widens, as she'd take a glance toward Lucas. As if to charade watch with that glance. Her eyes become ablaze with orange, leaving trails as her head turns. "Oh really?" She lifts her arm off to one side and sees a massive billhook appear and slam into the floor next to her feet. A scrape of the stone and a shower of sparks off that white tile brick. Her face twists down casting shadow over her eyes, pronouncing that flare as the axe screams in a high pitch whir. There was no dual request. "When I cut one of your arms off I wonder if you can still wield that sword of yours?"

Her head twists like a puppy, as she raises that weapon up. "You ready buddy? I wonder how much of you I can smear on these pretty little buildings before you disappear?" The player retracts, looking into the eyes of the beast. It was clear that she wasn't playing around even in the slightest, a sword art already charged and ready to fire. He scoffs and spits, the game of chicken failed. He walks away, and her point was proven.

[Lucas 0]

A plate gliding through the air, a player narrowly missed and an argument Celeste knew she was starting. Lucas would sit and smile, hoping the player was a follower of his ideology. The moment the other player said a word in return, Lucas's spear would materialize on his back. It was wrapped in a gray rag from tip to base, and it would remain on his back until he would absolutely need to use it. Yet his smile would never disappear.

He was ready to stand and fight beside this girl who had obviously started the whole thing.

"Bravo, miss. What a wonderful play. You've shown me your weapon, your idea of imposing, and you've ruined that kids day. Meanwhile I sit here and smile as you've both done nothing but prove my point." He would say, his arms out stretched in a cocky manner pointing towards either of the aggressive people he just witnessed. "You were mean to him, causing him to get angry. This is where my point is proven the first time. He never would've noticed you had you simply let the plate go." The boy would hold up a single finger as a counter. "One." Taking a sharp breath and looking around the area at the eyes that were now on them. His fingers mark two. "He gets angry, causing you to only spit more venom. If he would've let it go, things wouldn't have escalated. That's two."

Before he starts his final point Lucas steps out in front of Celeste. "Then you prove to him you are capable of defending yourself against the weapon he has drawn. All eyes are on you and him, yet no one gives either of you a glimmer of fear. He decides you're not worth the time and walks away, which is what I would've done from the start. But notice, after he decided to walk away, you said nothing to him and you've probably forgotten his face."

Lucas then holds up a third finger. "Three." His smile forms with almost cocky timing, but not one bit malicious. As if he was truly oblivious to the idea of her being wrong and him being right. "And I believe I've said multiple times, I am no pushover."

[Celeste 1]

As the man began to walk away, Celeste turn to Lucas who takes a step in front of her. "Yeah maybe, but now he knows the next time he want's to get in my face how I will respond." Her gambit had worked, and if it should ever appear later then perhaps she had produced a reputation. It was the exact same in school, being the bad bitch meant that no one wanted to mess with you. Prison rules. "Your may might work, but so does mine. And your damn right I will forget his face. He's a coward." A fumble over the next couple words, she offers a pause as she turns her head, embarrassed. "Not like you." There was something about this kid that was slinking beneath her skin. Being so polite but even now he proved his lack of fear, something about it. Something about Lucas was quite hard for her to understand, and not just physically.

[Lucas 0]

The boy's eyes wandered, but his focus remained on the woman. That path out of town was really grabbing at his attention but he hadn't missed a word she had said. "I will admit it was kind of cool what you did." He would say, his spear disappearing off of his back once again. Carrying it around, even on walks through the field felt off to him. Like he was saying "look what my strengths are" He felt like it was baring too much. Besides, a spear is long and annoying, always bumping into things when you're walking through the forest. When she'd finally admitted the merits of both their ways Lucas smiled at her once more, her words having grabbed his attention and pulled it back to herself. "Yea-" 

Then her compliment(?) graced his ears. The boy's eyes would widen as he turned his head away from her to hide his very obvious blushing. "Oh please..." As much as Lucas loved compliments, he had no idea how to handle them. "Well... Thank you I guess... ahem. You're uh... a total badass." His face only grew more red with a compliment of his own, and had she turned back her coward remark might not fit too well anymore.

Once his blushing had settled, he would turn back to her, his cheeks still a bit rosy as he tried to formulate an invitation in his mind. "I was going to go for a walk today, but uh... you're welcome to join me if you'd like." He'd say, shutting his eyes and scratching the back of his head with a chuckle to try and help him relax.