[PP-F24] Memories of Sunshine and better days (Jacob's Ladder and Guests)

[Baldur 0]

Time: Dawn
After Floor 26 boss fight
Before the Tournament

The sun was barely peaking over the low horizon of the 24th floor. Water stretched out ot the edge of the floor here, and with his island rising into the sky like a heron perched on one slender leg, he was one of the first to see the sun. It filtered through the trees, almost feeling lazy due to the wam light. It tinted the colors of the trees, backlit, and warmed the normally cool and refreshing water of the ponds. He could see it from where he was perched, the shoji panels of his room spread fully open to the ponds in front of him. The mix of the calm waters, the warm lights, and the zen gardens brought him peace, but also a solemnity of the occasion. Each time they survived another battle with a floor boss, Baldur would take a few days to gather supplies, and then make a pilgrimage down to the <<Monument of Life>> on the first floor, with some sake, flowers, and incense, to remember those he, those they, had all lost. To give thanks for surviving, but also to remember those who had died not just getting them to where they were, but helping him become who he was.

The list was long, perhaps it should be longer, thank the gods it wasn't longer... but it was important to him. The names were personal to him. He also made sure there weren't any new names on the wall. The gaijin samurai wasn't always the best at staying in touch with his friends and companions, but he did always make sure they were alive. That she was alive, even if they hadn't spoken in tens of floors.

The wind picked up slowly, blowing a gentle breeze through the wanna-be samurai's hair, fluttering the leaves, causing the furin to chime softly. He idly played with the ryuteki in his hand, he wanted to play it, but something inside of him was still afraid at the failure. Odd for him to still be afraid of something after the battles he had fought, but the flute had been something he had wanted since he was young, and he had never been good at it. Music was not something he had a talent for. The system could handle that for him, but there was something cheap about doing it that way. So he held the flute up to his lips and tried to just get some of the calming notes that he so loved the instrument for. It wasn't a song, but the warbling sounded intentional on this instrument, and he loved it for it.

A few moments later, he heard another shoji panel slide, and then just around the corner standing on the engawa was @Snow, standing there with his jug of sake, the incense, and the orchids Baldur had set out. He raised a surprised eyebrow at her. She had never come with him before, no one ever really went with him. He went first thing in the morning, while everyone was still asleep, and was usually back before most of the players rose. If anything, he was more likely to pass people returning than leaving at this hour.

He slowly stored the flute back into his inventory and stood up, bowing slightly to the young woman. He offered her a warm smile.

"Good morning, Snow-chan."

He began to walk towards the dock, and she followed along at his side. He was, surprisingly, glad for the company. It was a somber, and slightly embarrassing affair for him. He was not ashamed, others knew of the ritual, but it was a time of reflection and emotion for Baldur, and he still had a bit of hesitation at letting others see his own... moments of weakness.

As they walked together out of the gates, Baldur offered Snow a hand loading the stuff onto the boat and then helping her step on. It was at that point he realized that she, like him, had dressed a little more formally for the part. Baldur always wore his haori, it was as much a part of his identity as his wanna-be samurai moniker, but for this, he wore a traditional black montsuki haori, with the heron crest he had chosen. The whole outfit was black and white, though the hakama were vertically striped, and instead of the traditional corded haori-himo, Baldur wore a decorated one of metal and beads.

Once they were settled on the boat, he began to pole them out to the Torri in the water. It was the portal that would take them below to the settlement of the floor and then down the gate to the first floor.

"Thank you." He said after a few moment, right before the sun burst over the edge of the island and filled their vision. He chuckled slightly and sat down. The water would carry them the rest of the way through the portal.

"I appreciate you coming along."

---

 

Spoiler

» Baldur, The Gaijin Samurai 

• Level 32
• Paragon 58

» Base Stats

• Base HP: 900
• Base EN: 124 (includes 20 for Energist)
• Base MIT: 78
• Base ACC: 5 (includes AA and does not automatically miss on 1s)
• Base DMG: 23 
• Base EVA: 2
• Battle Heal: 45 HP
• Keen: +1
• Recovery: +4 EN

» Items Equipped:

• Warden's Fury - Absolute Accuracy/2 Paralyze
• Muramasa - Absolute Accuracy/Fallen/Blight/Burn
• Ethereal Tether - Zanshin - Absolute Accuracy/Keen/Freeze/Burn
• Montsuki haori - 48 DMG MIT/+1 EVASION/+4 EN RECOVERY
• Emerald Teardrop - +2 ACC/+1 EVASION
• Hammerspace Backpack (HB) +1 BR item (allows stacks up to 7)

» Battle-Ready Inventory:

• Medium Damage Potion ^x7 | Rare T2 Item | +2 Damage
• Basic Teleportation Crystal ^x1 | Good Item | Teleports player to the Town of Beginnings
• Max Mass HP Recovery Crystal ^x7 | Perfect T2 Item | +30*Target Tier (30/60/90)
• Max T2 HP Recovery Crystal II ^x4 | Perfect T2 Item | +180 HP
• Safeguard Potion ^x3 | Perfect Tier 1 | Safeguard
• HB: Max Vitality Snack ^x2 | Rare Tier 2 | Grants +12 Energy
• EWL: Medium Antidote Potion ^x1 | Rare Tier 2 | Immune to negative status effects for 2 turns
• EWL: Muramasa or Warden's Fury
• EWL: Emerald Matagama | Perfect | +3 Accuracy
• SC: 
  
   

» Skills:

• One Hand Curved Sword | Rank 1/5 | 
• Katana | Rank 5/5 | 
• Battle Healing | Rank 5/5 | 
• Light Armor | Rank 5/5 | 
• Charge | Purchased | 
• Quick Change | Purchased
• Extended Weight Limit | Purchased
• Energist | Purchased
• Combat Shift | ST Specialist

» Extra Skills:

• Concentration | Equipped
• Survival | Un-equipped
• Meditation | Equipped
• Parry | Equipped
• Forgotten King's Authority | Equipped
• Shatter | Not Yet Unlocked

» Mods:

• Meticulous: Equipped
• Emergency Recovery: Equipped
• [Mod Slot Empty
• [Mod Slot Empty]
• [Mod Slot Empty]
• ADD-ON Ferocity: Equipped
• ADD-ON Stamina: Equipped
• ADD-ON: Precision: Equipped
• ADD-ON: Resolve: Equipped

» Housing Bonuses:

• Rested: -1 EN on first 2 uses
• Tasty: Turns 2 food into feast for 4
• Advanced Training: +2 SP to a thread 1/month
• Filling: Add 1 extra tier 1 slot to food
• Item Stash: +1 BR item slot
• Relaxed: OOC regen 5*tier, recover EN out of combat after 2 turns in lieu of 3
• Angler: +1 Mat when fishing

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Baldur

[Snow 0]

Love. The word used to describe an intangible and nearly indescribable feeling of connection to another person, a thing, a pet... Love is a word used only for the most important, the most dear, and the unforgotten. Unlike life, time, and memories, love lingers beyond. When hearts cease to beat, one will carry the weight of memory, of loss, and pain. Love is beautiful, but it also darkens the brightest of skies in its absence. A loss of light, of connection, and purpose remained when the cruel fate of reality intervenes in what should be an everlasting bliss. Yet, in that pitch black, those pained memories can crest the horizon and bleed light back into a darkened world. Through memory, love may linger and live.

Since becoming a member of Jacob's Ladder, Snow learned much about her fellow guild mates through observation and the forging of new bonds. Calrex love his training, Shield loved his treasure, and Baldur... The leader of their guild was a man of simple complexity. Always calm, always compassionate, Baldur carried an air of respect around him to a degree of near nobility. His actions carried purpose and one such action occurred almost ritualistically. Curiosity caused her to follow him in the past. Each time, he gathered sake, incense, and orchids. Each time, he took a quiet, lonely journey across the water to the warp gate. Each time, he knelt in front of the black obelisk known as the Monument of Life. Others always left him be in that lonely solace. That silence. That isolation.

Memories drove people to do many things. They drove Snow to wake early the day after news another floor had been cleared. It drove the young blonde to dress herself formally in a black kimono. Blue lotus patterns adorned the belt around her waist and her golden locks of hair remained in place due to a golden pin adorned with a sprig of blue sakura blossoms. Her feet slid into a pair of traditional geta and carried her toward wear she knew one man would have laid out a jug of fine sake, a stack of aromatic incense, and a bough of orchid blossoms. Memories carried Snow to where lilting notes of contemplation sounded and where a lonely samurai looked out over still waters.

When he greeted her, she did not speak, only bowed. Much like the memories which haunted them both, she wished to be nothing more than a calming presence to this isolated ritual. And so she quietly followed him-- a different man than the one who carried his chest high and smiled softly to acknowledge those in passing. Once in the boat, he began to paddle across the shimmering water, lit ablaze by the cresting sun. He spoke again to thank her and again she nodded in silence. In her hand, she gripped tightly to a second stack of incense.

When Baldur finally chuckled and a smile shone through the crack of his somber reflection, Snow lifted her cerulean gaze to his. She smiled.

"It looked like a lot to carry alone," she stated cryptically. Did she mean the offerings? Or the weight so heavily seated on their shoulders?

A light absorbed them as they both drifted through the portal and emerged on the other side.

[Baldur 0]

Scalabis was still waking up when they got there. It wasn't a far trip from the dock on the other end of their journey and into town. Baldur had bought this island specifically for that purpose. The island itself gave them the peace and serenity he was looking for, but the needs of Jacob's Ladder to be approachable meant getting the one closest and safest to town. From there, it was a short walk along a bridge between islands until they were in the main settlement. The clicking of Snow's geta against the wood of the bridge provided an almost calming rhythm. There was always a silence to his walk, but the wood on wood was a reminder to the gaijin samurai that he was not alone.

The NPCs, milling about the town provided their own bit of ambiance. They mostly didn't talk until a player passed by a certain radius, which prompted them to cry their ware. Some could be avoided, and some could not. He had walked this way many times, but on his somber march, he chose a slightly weaving path, as if to preserve the silence a little longer. He had once read a passage that was all but famous in certain circles about a silence of three parts. The silence of an empty house, the silence of someone sneaking about trying not to be heard, and the silence of a man waiting to die. That was not his, but another man's. Baldur's silence was that of the lapping of the waves, the caress of the wind, but the absence of voices. Baldur's silence was a night of troubled sleep, the clink of a single cup on the table, and the warble of melancholy flute, playing notes filled with memories. Baldur's silence was the memories of those left behind, on a long walk from a tranquil retreat, through a noisy city, and quiet contemplation in a single moment of stillness in the middle of a game of death.

There was a reason Baldur chose the march on the day it did, and why he didn't just teleport down to the Town of Beginnings with a crystal. His pilgrimage was meant to be one filled with reflection, to keep the names and faces etched into his heart. But the days following a new floor being unlocked meant the masses of the lower floors going to the newest, unlocked floor and exploring it, even if it was kept to the safe zone. It meant, that for this one day, there was a silence that hung over the Town of Beginnings, for Baldur, it had become on this single day, the Town of Endings.

It felt almost a shame to utter the word and break the reverental moment, so instead Baldur belabored it a moment, turning upon the teleportation platform to turn to Snow, to meet her eyes for a moment, a fleeting day, when the eyes of steel blue were intead those of calm ocean waters. He gave her a smile, warm and honest and true, but one filled with memories, of sadness, of regret, but filled with the strength of purpose to carry on for those that were lost.

"The Town of Beginnings."

With those words, a blue white light whisked them up and carried them away.

The main level room of the Black Iron Palace was filled primarily with the Monument of Life. Originally, it had been the room where players would respawn when they died. In some sort of sick joke, it now made parody of that notion of video games. No one would be respawning here. It was just the silent testament of their names and deaths.

As they walked in, the shuffling of Baldur's feet and clicking of Snow's echoed softly through the stone mausoleum.

It was the silence of the third part. A silence Baldur loved in that bittersweet way. Coming here when it had been full was a very different feeling. This one seemed more appropriate to his grieving.

As they came closer, Baldur set down his share of the supplies, setting down the jug of sake, and preparing the incense in a small jar so that it would burn. The item durability slowly degrading until it disappeared like the lives on the wall.

He lit the incense and laid the orchids under each of the columns where he found names of his friends, and the comrades he respected who had died. It had been a long while since he had had to add any. He even included laying a few orchids for @Alkor. He did not know the man, but he was important to @Lessa and so he spared the man a prayer along with the others. The first name was always the most painful to him.

Quote

 

Aeriat.

Azide.

Beatbox.

Cora.

Opal.

Hazado.

Khyber.

Lowenthal.

Manta Gaul.

Raveire.

Rue.

Ssendom.

Tom.

Vers.

Zelruis.

 

He held his hands together in a moment of silence, wishing them peace wherever they found themselves. Thanking them for their friendship for some, their sacrifice for others, and forgiveness from a few. When he was done, he clapped his hands three times, the sound echoing through the room, and then he picked up the sake. He uncorked it and poured out some of the sake on the Monument of life, stopping about half way through the bottle, before he offered it to Snow.

 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Baldur

[Snow 0]

She followed closely behind him. Every step seemed to weave them carefully, purposefully through the crowds of the 24th floor. She noticed the quiet of their steps and the absence of voices. The NPCs stayed just out of range as if they were as specters through the land of the living. Practiced through many journeys, the experience of her first pilgrimage with the samurai began to eclipse her own weight of burden. The bundle of incense she clutched drew against her chest which slowly pounded. That sound of her own life force, a tether so real it still bound them to the outside, gave rhythm to the silence. Her geta resounding off stone and wood drowned off...

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

This heart that beat within did not do so for her alone.

At the crystal, she met her eyes to Baldur's. They spoke in that moment but not with words. They spoke an acceptance, an appreciation, and acknowledgement. His isolation wore so deeply in those lakes of his irises but the refraction of Snow's softened expression filled a void. Relief, she saw. She could only skim the surface of those waters, much like many things with the leader of Jacob's Ladder. She wondered for that brief moment, how deep his waters ran. She wondered to how many would he release the flood gates to and pour out their secrets.

"The Town of Beginnings," he spoke.

A town of memories, she thought.

Like many things grown in life, love bares roots. These roots exist in places, in objects, smells, and sounds. They grow in places of fond memories, of beginnings, and endings. This town, its familiar sounds, scents, and sights, reminded Snow of her roots. This humble city, a place wrought with fear, disbelief, pain, and finally acceptance reminded Snow of the months spent with familiar faces. She remembered the children she cared after. She remembered the lonely nights. She remembered all the letters.

The weight grew.

Snow's sights came to rest on the long hallway and what waited for them at its end. Her chest tightened. In this moment, it was Baldur that served as her company-- as her support. His rehearsed steps stayed a pleasant cadence, one she focused on for herself. His step forward pulled her behind and carried her onward. His silent strength lifted her and encouraged her. His presence held her from collapsing at the sight of a single, solitary rose at the foot of the obelisk. Where she froze, Baldur continued, and her eyes began to well with tears.

The burden of memories cannot be ignored. They are both precious and foul. Images of smiles which could be no longer, of laughter whose echoes fell silent, of letters from the front lines now stagnant in a quiet inbox all came to mind. No matter the number of times those memories flushed Snow's mind, their weight never seemed to lessen. But those same memories drove her forward both here and in her journey to the front lines.

Snow knelt in front of the solitary rose as Baldur finished. The scent of sweet sake mixed with the smoke of incense both stung the nostrils and calmed the nerves. The half empty container clinked beside the blonde as her glassy eyes skimmed down the list of names in search for the ones from which her memories bled.

Last Chance....

Opal...

Mari...

Snow's hands tightened around the incense before she, like Baldur, placed them inside a small ceramic jar and lit them. She placed the jar beside the rose and took in a shaky breath. Her eyes closed, and two tears broke away and escaped down her cheeks. Like Baldur, she clasped her hands together.

This life lived not for one. This heart beat not for Snow alone. A promise drove her forward, drove her to meet Shield of Jacob's Ladder and meet so many new faces she came to call family. A promise to live, to see Daire's parents, to be the social butterfly Daire wanted her to be, and to avoid the mistakes Opal confided in her. Snow lived for them, her heart beat as many, and their lives continued in her memories.

Her eyes opened to the Rose she left for Daire the day the letters stopped coming into her inbox. That same, horrible day Last Chance had been crossed out. The day her room mate and best friend was taken by fate. Snow took up the sake and with two hands, carefully poured it at the base of the rose's stem. Then, the last of it at the base of the incense jar. A shame, Snow thought with a faint grin through reddened eyes, Opal would have loved to share this sake with them.

Empty, the vessel of sake became shards in her hands. A hard omen to witness. How many times had he seen it?

Snow turned her gaze to Baldur and swallowed the well of emotions that brewed within her.

Edited February 21, 2022 by Snow

[Baldur 0]

Jason watched Snow as she repeated his ritual silently and perfectly. In spite of appearances, Baldur was not a hard line traditionalist. He didn't rigidly adhere to tradition for tradition's sake, but in moments like this, tradition kept him moving forward. It gave him the steps to take when he didn't know what to do. He had created this tradition to help him with his grief. He had avoided the wall for a while, then visited intermittently, sometimes unprepared. The reverence of his pilgrimage performed in this way gave it a weight the others had not. Funerals, and this ceremony, were more for the living than for the dead. Their spirits were not watching what happened in a video game, but he was. Snow's was. Perhaps some day their families would.

A wise man once was asked what he thought happened when we died. A million answers could have been given, but on this day, the wise man said Those who love us, will miss us. And so began Baldur's ritual, an expression of love.

The sake jar shattered in Snows hands. He had been waiting for it. Still seeing Azide's face as he fell and shattered into light, and that almost haunting sense of relief that drew across him as he accepted the finality of it. The anguished faces of the others as they watched their friends die, unable to do more. The look on her face as she died. Now matter how many times he saw that sake jug shatter, he was never prepared for it.

And then Snow turned her gaze to Baldur, swallowing the feelings inside of her, though her eyes were crystal clear windows.

He wasn't prepared for that either.

He gripped her. His hands at first just tugging on the sleeves of her kimono as he took a half step forward, and then he pulled her into his arms, a tight hug that was just as much for him as it was for her. His soul was raw, and the sight of tears in her eyes opened up the flood of tears that he had been unable to release on his own. She felt tears on her cheeks that were not hers, and his chest shook against her, even as he felt the edges of his haori growing damp from her tears. He had cried before. Not when it had happened, but later. When their absence was felt. When the dreams were bad. When the silence was too much even for him. When the flute reverberated with his heart just so. And now, when he shared this moment with this young woman whom he had known for a shorter time than others, less intimately than others, but she had come for him this morning. She had her own grief to share in, and she helped him bear it.

It looked like a lot to carry alone. She had said. And in that moment, Baldur felt just how much that statement was true. So they held each other, weeping. Baldur's tears were silent, but his body shook violently.

After a long moment, Baldur caught his breath and withdrew slightly, pressing his forehead to hers as he took a moment to compose his feelings. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it until they were outside the Black Iron Palace. Instead, he gave her a slightly embarrassed smile and raise a hand dabbing at her tear streaked face with the sleeve of his black haori. Instead, she could see the thankfulness in his eyes. Of course she did. They didn't need words for this part of the ritual. Words would only fumble fruitlessly at the attempt of conveying their feelings. So he gave Snow a moment to compose herself as well, and they walked from the silent, empty halls of the Monument of Life.

Noise.

Noise and life exploded all around them. It was as if they had walked through a magical portal rather than doors, but the noise and life of the first floor erupted around them. People waking up, merchants opening shop, carts calling out breakfast to everyone who milled about. It was not the usual rush of bodies that accompanied the first floor, but people were waking up, moving about. Life was continuing on. The sun was high enough in the air that it self over the walls and roofs of the buildings and filled the city of with vivid, vibrant colors. Scents of food and dust and humanity filled his nose just as much as the sounds of people, animals, and ambiance filled his ears.

It was so abrupt, much more than usual, that he almost took a half step back, but the sounds washed over him like a wave, and like a wave it was gone, then pulling them out into the sea of humanity. He blinked at the sunlight, and then turned to look at Snow s if to remind himself she was there, and then he led them back out, and began their way home.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Baldur

[Snow 0]

Snow felt the warm embrace hold her together like so many fragile pieces ready to break. Like glass, clear and transparent, her raw emotions simmered to the surface. As did his. The depths of his eyes opened their gates and from Baldur's eyes flowed the storm that hide under calm waters. The warmth, his heart come to bare, the memories of those unable to share an embrace became too much for her to stifle. Her arms found themselves around him and pulled him close. An embrace she remembered fondly with Daire, Snow let herself become lost, exposed, and open to him. Was this what it felt like? She could hardly remember. It was needed. This was needed. A burden too heavy for one now shared by two.

Life was funny in that it almost became less real alone. An experience, an event, a moment by itself, seen with only one pair of eyes seemed less real than one shared with another. Did this make those events any less meaningful? Did those events even happen? Would others even know the weight of it? How could they? Unless they were there. Life was funny in that it almost needed to be shared. Experiences, events, and moments forged in company seemed that much more real. An affirmation, a proof of reality. Existence. Life was funny that it meant more with others. It meant more right now. It was real. It was raw.

Baldur pulled away, his body wracked with the storm held at bay so long by discipline, tradition, and isolation. His head pressed against hers and his mouth parted for words. He spoke none, but what needed to be said was heard. This was real, they were real, the memories were real, and the two of them sat their as proof of it all. Their burdens sat heavy on twin shoulders made lighter by the blossom of a new memory-- of new life. A connection. He was grateful, and the depths of his eyes now like clear waters spoke it in volumes. In Snow's, her pain still lingered but the fragile glass before him stayed together, stronger even. His hands dried her tears and her chest lifted with a single, clear breath.

Her heart beat for others now. Her life was plural, to be lived for those who could no longer. She took a moment to remember this, to seal away the torrent of memories both as Snow and Alyssa. Memories were a burden, a weakness, and also a strength. They motivated her and stilled her shaking hands. They gave power to her legs so she could stand. It gave her the courage to look at her leader in the eyes and nod. Together, they left their memories behind with the faint scent of incense. They left their loved ones and friends, and left their silence-- their peace.

Noise.

Silence meant solitude, but the Town of Beginnings filled with the sounds of good mornings. Fragrant aromas from the day's first meal lingered in the air. The risen sun burned away the dawn and lit the world in color. In this sea of life, the samurai turned to her. She smiled, eyes still tinged red. With a nod, they ventured back. To the gate, he brought them back to the 24th floor. They retraced their steps but the path felt lighter, more vibrant. Snow felt warm and relieved. They made it to the dock and Baldur took them across calm waters to the familiar gate that lead back to the home of Jacob's Ladder.

"Baldur..." The name left her lips quietly, sincerely. "Thank you."

In the light of the new day's sun, she turned her eyes up to him and gave him a peaceful, genuine smile. She wanted to say so much more, but another day. Today was a good day-- a day she wanted to live vibrantly, fully. She wanted to fill it with new memories, new connections, new roots.

Today was a day of life, of endings...

and beginnings...

Edited February 22, 2022 by Snow

[Baldur 0]

With the pole in deep waters, Baldur slowly guided the craft towards the small wooden docks that looked up the hill towards the gate of his home, his refuge, his zen. The calm waters rippled around the boat, as red leaves floated about them, almost perfectly reflecting the sky and the canopy of trees around them like a perfect mirror. For a moment, it was as if sky and water and land were one, and just the two of them in it.

"Baldur..." The name left her lips softly "Thank you."

He looked down at her, no longer sure what their relationship was. Nothing had changed, but everything did. She had seen a piece of him he could not remember showing, at least not for a very, very long time. It made her a confidant of a deeper kind. A different measure of friendship. She had carried the burden of his soul, and found company and solace in it. It was a profound, radical acceptance of the part most closely guarded. A trust.

"It looked like a lot to carry alone." He smiled ahead into the direction of the docks, his eyes still ponds, almost a mossy green, until there was a thump of the boat as it touched the dock. Baldur hopped off, simply throwing a loop of rope around an anchor since the tide would not carry the boat away here on his island. He held out a hand to snow, offering to help her down from the boat. She didn't need the help, but it was the need for one last moment of connection before returning from their pilgrimage.

"Please." Baldur said to her, his hand offered until she took it and stepped down, then when she looked at him one last time he continued, "When it's just the two of us... please... call me Jason."

The storm returned, raging through him and and his eyes. He was torn raw once more, just as if they were still at monument. Everything within him fought against this. Baldur was who he was. Baldur was the identity of the man in Aincrad. He was more true than Jason ever was anyways. Baldur was the man he was meant to be. No one wanted his name. He had only ever told two people. Lessa had been angry at Baldur for putting the burden of his memory on her, for asking her to tell his family if he died who he had been. Hestia had been a friend and partner whom he had watched die, and he gave her his name to mark their friendship as real, only to have her betray everything he stood for. He shouldn't give someone his name, he was Baldur. What did he really even know about Snow?

I know what matters. For those few moments before the monument, and for the whole pilgrimage, they had born witness to the heart and soul of the other. Words weren't going to tell him more. He had see the rose at the monument before. He needed to share this with someone. He gave her a soft, vulnerable smile, and then turned his eyes once more up the hill.

The steel wasn't back. It would be, the steel blue eyes of Baldur's resolve, but he was still among friends and his chosen family here. Those who, while perhaps a dysfunctional and eclectic bunch, had all chosen to follow the same ideals.

He spared a glance back at Snow, his eyes clear as still waters, "Welcome home."

And then he walked up the path and through the front gate. They had left in the silence of the predawn, but now that silence was gone. At least for a time, all three silences were gone.

Birds sang, footsteps echoed off of wooden planks, morning preparations were underway. He thought he could hear the sounds of @Calrex getting ready for his morning workout. @Hirru stirring for his morning fishing. @Crozeph snoring somewhere after a late night. @Cordelia did not often stirr this early, but it seemed even she was moving about. @Shield had his own home, but the gaijin samurai had found him spending more and more time at their Guild Hall.

They all had their daily routines, and yet they were all also here. And even in a Zen paradise Baldur had all but hand crafted to his measure of perfect, that was the most beautiful piece of it. Here. Together.

The Samurai's stomach was the first to speak.

"I hate to impose on you even further." He said, his eyes returning to the ocean blue, "But I would go orange for some of your sushi this morning. I can even help with the rice, if I won't just get in your way." He had grown up around rice after all... though sushi rice was a little bit different. The smile, though, was genuine.

[Snow 0]

"It looked like a lot to carry alone."

Snow's lips curled into a faint smile and her eyes cast to the waters beside them. In its reflection, the light of day and its colors shone upon her with warmth. The heaviness of the morning felt lighter and the words she spoke this morning carried a slight jest to them. At their core, Baldur knew exactly what they meant now... and then. Her eyes still cast to the reflections of a new day, Snow nodded.

It is... She thought to herself. But it's lighter now...

When she felt the boat lurch and Baldur anchor them to the dock, she turned up her eyes to an open hand. A rose hue warmed her cheeks at the display of chivalry. The refinement and discipline she knew him for settled back into his bones despite the squall hidden in his eyes. She took his hand into hers and felt his strength pull her to the dock. Her wooden geta clacked against the warn dock.

"Please..." Snow looked at him. "When it's just the two of us... please... call me Jason."

His name.

Snow felt a loss of words. She remembered learning how taboo the real world was from Shield. He made her swallow the memories of Alyssa Skyfeather and seal them behind the new reality of VR. It almost felt like reality was wrong and the only person on this world they lived in who knew anything of the real world was Daire. For the first time since coming to Sword Art Online and being trapped in a prison of zeros and ones, someone revealed to her their name. Their real name.

"Alyssa." The name fell from her lips as if on its own. Her expression went from speechless awe to shock. She breathed in and placed her hand on her chest. A pause filled the air between then before her lips parted again. "Call me Alyssa..."

Layers of pain and sorrow peeled away over the course of these early morning hours. In front of this man, in front of Jason, Alyssa finally felt the relief she vaguely remembered with her closest friend. This was real. Affirmation. Existence.

"Welcome home."

Glassy eyed, she nodded and smiled.

Home...

Even though she had her abode on the fourth floor, she truly spent more time here than any other place on Aincrad. Much like the difference of a house and home, this place, with all their guild mates, was a home.

Snow followed Baldur back onto the grounds as the sounds of life echoed through the halls. One of which being the grumble of Baldur's stomach. Snow giggled-- the first laugh after a heavy morning of reflection.

"I'll whip something up," Snow replied, lips turned upward. "Why don't you check on the others? I'll make extra in case they want a little breakfast."

With the respect and dignity of a subordinate to her superior and more, Snow bowed her head before she took her leave. Wooden shoes clacked against the hardwood as she vanished down the hall toward the kitchen. In the distance between them, Snow kept repeating his name in her head and the events of the morning. So many times she had watched him on his pilgrimage. So many times she watched him and the monument from a distance. Perhaps she genuinely needed his support to see Daire again. Perhaps he really needed hers to truly feel the weight of his tradition.

"Jason," She repeated in a whisper as she walked. It felt strange, but something about it reminded her of their embrace. To share something so personal and unfettered by the false reality they were forced to comply with felt... good.

Expression bright, stride strong, weight lifted, Snow vanished to her little nook of the compound where she could change into something a little less formal. Then, with haste, she ventured to the kitchen and busied away with her craft.

[Hirru 0]

Spoiler

Opening my eyes, I found myself in inky blackness.  It felt like I was floating, but not entirely.  I was falling slowly?  Sinking?  I couldn't breath, something tried to fill my lungs, but.. it didn't hurt as they say it should.  Am I drowning?  Looking around my form, I was dressed in the simple metal breastplate that my friends had me wear.  Wait.. who were they?  Other than that,  I had some simple clothes on, which I remember putting on this morning, and the mornings since I started to remember.  There wasn't much variety to the fabric, as who was it was very adamant to dress me up as much as possible.  She seemed to really like putting me in things, thinking I was a doll.

Maybe, I was.

Looking at my feet, I noticed something different.  Light, muddled and fading, but reflective like the surface of water.  Was I underwater?  Was that why I couldn't breathe; why I was sinking?  I tried to right myself, but it was hard to manuever around.  I tried to put my head up closer to the surface, but it felt like no matter what I tried, it didn't seem to work.  Instead, I just kept sinking down.  My body soon started to stop it's thrashing to reposition itself, although I urged it to.  I was losing control of myself, as I continued to drift down.  Am I dying?  There is no pain, but there is nothing left to do.  Nothing my arms will move for.  My legs do not kick out.  I am motionless.

My eyes too are loosing focus, as they look back up to the ever fading light, when something disturbs it.  Something moves, casting a slight shadow upon the glimmering reflections above.  The shade was coming closer and closer, growing bigger as it came.  I couldn't make out if it was something coming to save me, or end me.  All the same though, I wanted to be saved.  I reached out my hand. 

I wanted to live.

The hand was grasped by another..

Eyes flew open wide, filled with terror.  An arm outstretched as he awoke with a start.  Breathing heavily, the hunter let his arm fall back down into the bedding.  There was no need for concern.  He was not drowning, he was not dying.  That was not how this world operated, at least, not that he's seen.  Though, the feeling in his hand..  Lifting the hand back up to his face, looking at the shape of it.  Was this how his hand looked like on the other side?  Was this feeling always there?  The feeling of being touched.  He was still feeling the touch of those people; the ones he saw not even a couple days ago.  He couldn't understand why, but he's been having these weird dreams lately.  They were almost life like, as if they were happening to him right there, but they weren't.  Were they memories from before?  Was any of that real, or not?

Hirru sat up from his bedding to observe his surroundings.  He was where he laid down last night, in the basement room underneath the dojo.  Normally used for storage, Baldur and Hirru worked around rearranging the place so that he could live comfortably.  There was mostly equipment like bokkens and uniforms for the students that Baldur instructed.  There were a few that the hunter knew, but a few that he did not.  Though, in time, he was sure to get to know them more, if he was to live here more.  There was plenty of time for that later on in the day, the hunter thought as he got up from the bedding.  He wasn't one to make his bed, as there was much to do in the day.  Getting dressed in his normal attire of grey slacks and black sleeveless turtleneck, Hirru would step on the first step of the stairs, to remember that he forgot something.  A quick swipe of the hand would reveal the red cloth that was always with him.  Tying the headband around his head, he was now ready for the day.

Baldur's estate was an ever elegant display, especially from the slightly darker state of Hirru's room.  The low morning sun peaked from the tops of the edges of the 24th floor, giving the water a nearly ethereal haze.  It was why he was glad that the entrance to the basement faced towards the north.  That way, he could see sunrise and sunset, and use them to set the day, if he decided to work on appraisals in his room.  Though, that was not all there was.  It was at times like these, a man could do only one thing.

Fish

It was becoming a constant start to his day to start with some relaxing fishing.  It gave him some time to understand his dreams and thoughts about it all.  Though, those thoughts would have to be conveyed to get better understanding.  Sitting down upon the lower walkways, the hunter would dangle his feet down, nearly touching the water below.  He was glad that Baldur's dojo was built over this expanse of ponds and streams.  It gave Hirru more to do around the area.  Especially since a certain member of their community loved to cook the fish that Hirru would catch.  It was a win / win situation, it seemed.  Though, it was more of an agreement with Baldur, as the hunter did not want to live here for no fee.  Even if he was going to join Jacob's Ladder, he did not want to intrude on the samurais hospitality.  He would earn his keep.

Pulling the rod and tackle out from his storage, the hunter would ready the rod and line for baiting, but more importantly to reinforce it for the constant amount of weapons that were in this pond.  Was this place a former battleground?  Was this a burial ground?  Was Baldur chucking swords in the lake, hoping one would skewer a fish with its Absolute Accuracy?  He couldn't say, but there were more items on this island, than fish.  Which made keeping his promise to fish for the dojo's pantry quite hard.

Satisfied with the hooking and wiring, the hunter would reel back before casting the line into the waters below.  A small cork would be the only other indicator that the line was in the water, awaiting something to bite down on the bait below.  It sat there going up and down.  Up and down.  Before long, a tug at the line would propel the hunter to pull hard upon the line, setting the hook and the fight would be on.  A life was on the line, both figuratively and literally, or it may have been if the hunter still believed what this world truly was.  A swift curve left and a pull right, the line would keep taut throughout.  Slowly, but surely Hirru would pull the line in, more and more until

*splash*plish*

A small fish would come out of the water, hooked upon the line that Hirru had cast out.  It looked like this one would probably be someone's breakfast, though definitely not the hunter's.  He didn't like the taste of these fish, for some reason.

Fishing Stats & Attempt

Spoiler

Fishing Exp: 112

Rank 2 - Journeyman Angler: Successfully fish up a material on a CD 7+. Critical catch a treasure chest on a LD 11+

Practiced Angler: +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to attempts

[ID: 204024] [CD: 7+1=8] [LD: 8+1=9]  | Success (+1 Material) | 5+2= 7 Exp

New Exp Total:  EXP 119

Hirru Stats (Since this is before the tournament, I'm keeping the stats I had then)

Spoiler

Hirru | HP: 900/900 | EN: 102/102 | DMG: 1 | MIT: 122 | BH: 46 | HLY BLS: 36 | MENDING: 2 | REC: 8 | THRNS: 36 | 5(+1) LD

Hirru Lvl 32 (PL 51)

900 HP (+200 PL)
102 Energy (+20 PL)
1 Base Damage
5% Battle Healing
8 Recovery
122 Mitigation
32 Thorns
4% Holy Blessing
20% Life Mend
5 Loot Die (+1 Paragon / +3 Favor(w/equip) / +3 Dungeon)

Equipment

Paladin's Oath ..................... // +4% Holy Blessing / +20% Life Mending
Light's Embrace .................... // +8 Recovery / 32 Thorns
Bulwark ............................ // +72 Mitigation
Blades Cloak ....................... // Vanity 
Dimensional Backpack ............... // +1 B.R.I Slot

Battle Ready Inventory

<Teleportation Crystal> x5 ......... // Teleport to a town / out of a dungeon [Uses 2 posts: 1 for use, next to teleport]
<Favor of the Golden Dragon> ....... // +3 Loot Die
<Betrayal of the Fallen Knight> .... // +12 Damage
<Mass HP Recovery Crystal> x5 ...... // +10% AOE Heal
<Empty>
<Empty>

Skills

Heavy Armor ........................ // Rank 5: +35 MIT
Battle Healing ..................... // Rank 5: +5% HP each turn
Search ............................. // Rank 5: +5 Loot Die / +5 Stealth Detection

Extra Skills (Max 4)

First Aid .......................... // Rank 5: +20% ST-H / -15 EN
Leadership ......................... // Rank 5: Command the Front w/ Buffs

Skill Mods / Addons (Max 5 Mods)

Iron Skin (Add on) ................. // +15 Mit / +60 HP
Field Medic (Add on) ............... // +25% AOE-H / -15 EN / 3 turn Cooldown
Hyperactive (Add on) ............... // +3 EN Regen for 3 turns / -5 EN / 3 turn Cooldown
Reveal (Add on)..................... // +2 to Dungeon, Labyrinth searches / Post 10 searches / 3 turn Labyrinth Cooldown

Barrier ............................ // -15% Dmg shield AOE / -15 EN / 2 turn Cooldown
Energize ........................... // +8 EN ST / -10 EN
Steadfast .......................... // +1 ACC AOE, -1 ACC self / -6 EN / 3 turn Cooldown
Press The Attack ................... // +(Target Tier) Dmg, -(Cumulative)Dmg / -10 En / 5 turn Cooldown
Detect ............................. // +1 to Labyrinth searches | +2 Stealth Detect

Housing Buffs

Rested ............................. // -1 EN for 2 uses
Relaxed ............................ // OOC HP regen 5*tier Rec EN after 2 turns
Filling ............................ // Increase food by +1 T1 slot
Multipurpose ....................... // +1 LD, Stealth, Dection, or Prosperity to 1 post
Practiced Angler ................... // +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to attempts

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by Hirru

[Crozeph 0]

"They probably think I'm still sleeping somewhere" he thought. Crozeph has been rummaging in the kitchen. A long time of having no one to cook for him, someone like Yuki, made him try to cook for himself or at least learn something to cook just in case he finds her or she comes back... but when.

Now cooking would be easy, if he wasn't biting off every ingredient he finds. After the battle with Shadow, he has been trying to actually do something worthwhile with his katana. He wasn't getting overwhelmed by how wild it was but it sure is like wrecking shit. If you try to slice a tomato with it, the kitchen also gets slice in half and that's something he doesn't want to do in Baldur's estate and in Yuki's kitchen.

"Tomatoes, potatoes, avocadoes, wait... is this?" he looked at a vial that contained some kind of black powder "hmm, gunpowder or pepper, only one way to find out"  he was about to take a lick inside the vial when someone just came into the kitchen. His eyes turned to look at her, she looked familiar... like someone he placed a bet on or something.

[Baldur 0]

Baldur walked slowly through the grounds and back to his room, he needed to change back into his signature haori before facing the rest of the day. He loved his shelter in the storm, floating in the sky high above the danger. It was a paradise hiding in the blue of sky and ocean. Not just safe from the monsters in the world below, but a retreat for his heart. It was a place of healing. He parted ways with Snow as she made her way to the kitchen, he caught a brief glimmer of Hirru setting up to fish for his breakfast as was becoming their ritual. It brought the gaijin samurai peace in heart to Hirru there. The man hadn't yet brought himself to relax as if this were his home, but they would get there. He more healing to do himself.

Sliding open the panel to his room, he closed the door behind him and played with the menus until his normal outfit settled on him. The weight was a familiar comfort. His ever present sky blue haori with white flames, and the heron as crests upon him. The green emerald magatama necklace hanging from him. The obi that Ariel had made for him. but his ever present katanas were not at his side. Even at his home he usually wore them. He was accustomed to it, but home was also almost the only place he would ever be without them. But it wasn't time for them yet.

Baldur walked to the small table opposite his bed in the room and picked up a small dish of rice, and a few sticks of incense, and a single serving of sake.

He stepped out the opposite end of his room and along small wooden and stone steps.

He picked his way among the garden. It was not trod so much as to be a path, but there it was. The stone lantern that served as her memorial. He did not have ashes in an urn for her, remains didn't get left behind in SAO, but he wanted a more personal way to remember her. It was perhaps greedy, perhaps vain, perhaps just grief. She had never been his, but for her he felt the most responsible. It was her he missed the most.

He laid out the rice offering, the incense burning from where it stuck out. He lit the stone lantern himself, even though it was day. You wouldn't be able to see it if you weren't looking for it, not until night time when all the others also lit.

"Today was a good day." he said quietly to the stone lantern. "I finally had company and it... it felt right. I hope she comes with me again next time. I think she will."

He brushed moss from the stone, and a few of the leaves that landed on it.

"I miss you, but I feel like perhaps today was a big step towards healing." He knelt down for a moment and touched his forward to the cool stone. "I hope some day I can feel you have forgiven me." He reached up and wiped away a single tear. "I won't squander the chance you gave me." Another tear landed on the word inscribed in memory on the lantern. Aeriat.

He stood up slowly, cleared his throat, and then walked back into his room, closing the door behind him like he had never been anywhere else, and then walked back out onto the main engawa, the wood boards protesting slightly under his weight. His face was clear of any deep emotion, a cheerful expression on his face, eyes the color of still ocean. It was a good day. He felt unburdened in a way he had not felt in years thanks to Snow. He would have to continue his steps towards healing, but Snow was a very good step. When he had the energy, he would take the next one.

He walked over and sat down next to @Hirru while the man was fishing and smiled warmly at the veridian hunter.

"Ohayo my friend. How did you sleep? I know you seem to like the basement, but I really do have other rooms you can sleep in if you'd prefer..." It was a conversation they had before, but where Baldur perhaps was more of a fan of waking up to the sunshine and falling asleep with the moon in sight, Hirru seemed to like the protection and isolation of the storage basement beneath the dojo. Or perhaps he liked @Calrex's shirtless footsteps as a morning alarm clock.

"How is the morning meal coming along?"

[Calrex 0]

Faint sounds effects of menu scrolling could be faintly heard coming from the dojo as Calrex changed from his normal outerwear to the training gear he had decided to don for his regular training sessions. It was still foreign to him to some level. He had receiving the garbs from a brief period of isolation where he had trained with a supposed hermit, the very man who inspired him to take up a multi-weapons form of combat. Now, that seemed like a faint memory. A small sigh escaped his lips as the white cloak draped over his shoulders for a brief moment before he pulled it off, taking care to fold it as he set it aside to one corner. As he stepped to the center of the training area, the bluenette let his mind calm, mainly focusing on his breath as he kept it long and slow.

Instead of staying in the room set aside at the estate, he had instead spent it back on the thirteenth floor in the Amethyst Boutique, still surprisingly standing just on the outskirts of the main safe zone. He always appreciated the gesture that Baldur had done, giving him and his in-game wife Teayre a place to stay here. Unfortunately, it seemed the Crimson Maiden was unwilling to budge. While she moved about from time to time within the confines of the workspace/living quarters of the artisan's shop, to some degree the Ultramarine Knight understood what was in her heart. With the loss of Battojutsu, it seemed all of the fire in her had burned out. While still bearing an orange cursor, she had resigned from fighting in general. The more he thought on it, the more Calrex felt his heart torn in two. To one end, at the least Teayre was not at risk of falling on the frontlines, or to the roaming mobs. As long as she stayed in the boutique, no supposed harm would befall her. 

But, at the same time, to see the fiery passion seemingly be completely burned out of his wife was not something he could rest easy with. It was why, in spite of everything that has happened, he continued to press forward. After all this time, he still remembered the original promise the two had made, "You protect our bodies, and I'll protect our minds...that was what she said..."

"...yet here I am, trying my hardest to protect both our bodies...and our minds..."

The storm of emotions continued to rage inside him as he continued to breathe, remembering the concept of mushin he had learned. Not to shut out emotions, but to let them flow, and to let them go. To let them release effortlessly into the void of his mind. That was necessary more than ever for the Ultramarine Knight, with all that had transpired.

While he himself was not a prominent person amongst the player base anymore with the seemed patched deletion of the controversial unique skills, that didn't make the weight that he carried any lighter. He could still remember all of the people, alive, dead, missing, or retired that he encountered along the way. Many of them were close friends of his, one specifically that came to mind as he made a single swipe on his menu to produce a sword in front of him.

The weapon's overall shape was still indicative of the original Grand Blade's design, however its main difference was in its blade. Where normally a deep blue would be, almost a reflection of the vast ocean's surface, instead there lay an entanglement of red and yellow, the twists and curves of the finishing seemingly giving the appearance of a field of spiderlilies. This weapon was a representation of the original Spectrum Coalition, the original unofficial group he, Teayre, and their dear friend Oikawa formed back in their early days, before the discovery of unique skills, before the unleashing of Sword Arts, before the frontlines, before their new player innocence was forever cast into the forge of combat.

Calrex had reached out to Oikawa in the past. In fact, the young man was one of the original founders of Jacob's Ladder. Yet, all of a sudden he disappeared for the umpteenth time. The bluenette had tried to visit the Grand Forge, the blacksmith's home, but there was no answer. No matter what he tried, it seemed that both of the closest people he knew had forever departed from the struggle. Now here he was, the Ultramarine Knight, the only one of the three that remained, still pushing onwards.

He adjusted his grip on the sword, feeling the weight of the weapon in his hand as he let out another calming breath before spreading his stance. His left hand closed, his three center fingers extended as his arm extended forward, as if directing at an imaginary target. With that, his routine began.

Air slices faintly echoes through the hall as the bluenette continued to strike at opponents in his mind's eye, swiftly transitioning from one movement to the next as his mind continue contemplate his past, as if he was waiting a movie reel. From his beginnings, all the way to becoming a regular frontliner, to the numerous deaths at the hands of Rohk, including one of his compatriots, Azide. To the numerous guild he became a part of, to reaching levels that far surpassed any other known adventurer, to becoming the successor of Achilles when Tristan exited upon witnessing Zelrius and Ssendom's deaths, to Opal's revealing of being a Laughing Coffin member. All of it still lingered in his thoughts.

So many paths that could have been avoided. So many lives lost that shouldn't have. As his blade sang through his movements, Calrex continued. Somewhere deep down, he felt maybe he was searching for answers, something in his long career trapped in Aincrad that hinted towards some sort of solution. But, no matter that he could see, no matter that he could find, everything still continued to point back to one truth. One simple answer that was in front of him from even when he first left the safety of the Starting City.

With one last flourishing strike, he ended, the Crimson Citrine Spiderlilies now in a reverse grip as he guided the lade back into its sheath affixed to the back of his hip, one last calm breath being released, "The only thing to do...is keep moving forward...to this death game's end..."

Another series of swipes followed as he made his way back to the edge of the training area, giving a respectful bow as he stepped away. Now donned back in his regular attire, Calrex put his hands in his jacket pockets, the Crimson Citrine Spiderlilies now traded out for the Grand Blade IV.

"I'll stick around here for a while longer, but afterwards...I think it's time I get back to catching up on these quests. A lot has changed, and in order to be somewhat at full strength again...I'm going to need all of the combat ability that I can muster. That means I'll need to get this supposed TECH Sword Art specialization fully unlocked."

Stats:

Spoiler

Base Stats

Calrex | HP: 900/900 | EN: 124/124 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 3 | ACC: 4 | BH: 49 | KEEN: 1 | L.M.: 1 | TAUNT

Levels:

Level: 32

Paragon: 68

Equipped Gear:

Grand Blade IV (T4): +1 Keen / +2 Accuracy

Grand Chariot Revamp (T4): +1 Light Momentum / +48 Mitigation

Rebellion of Sapphire (T1 Demonic): +3 Evasion | +1 Taunt

Familiar:

Roc: Grappling Familiar

Battle Ready:

x5 Mass Healing Crystal - Heal 10% HP for self + party

x1 Crimson Citrine Spiderlily (T4): +2 Bleed / +1 Paralyze

x1 Basic Teleportation Crystal (T1): Upon use, teleport to the nearest town next turn

x5 Safeguard Potion (T1): First Attack Negated

(Dimensional Backpack) -

(Dimensional Pouch) - 

Skills & Mods:

Straight Sword [Rank 5]: Stamina Addon / Ferocity Addon / Precision Addon / Resolve Addon / TECH Specialist

Light Armor [Rank 5]: Meticulous Mod

Charge

Energist

Battle Healing [Rank 5]: Emergency Recovery Mod

Parry: Vengeful Riposte Mod

Extended Weight Limit

Quick Change

Survival

Disguise

Meditation

Combat Mastery (Damage) [Rank 3]

 

[Snow 0]

Snow paused in the entryway of the kitchen. Faint light poured out of it as the silhouette of some manner of creature or person crouched over the ingredients area. The blonde cocked her head in a mild confusion. In its hand was a vial of black pepper and she could have sworn it looked like the person-- fiend was about to consume its contents. Several thoughts went through her mind, the foremost being arming herself with a weapon and driving out the beast with the tip of her serrated spear. That would teach it to mess with Baldur's, and by extension of how much time she spent in it, Snow's kitchen. Although, before her hand raised the user interface, another eerie thought etched into her mind from a darker recess. Instead of a vial of pepper, Snow somehow envisioned the figure holding an empty coin purse, tightly clutched, and extreme anxiety on its face.

"You..." she called out. "You're that guy..."

The name, if it was ever given, eluded her in the moment. Silhouette or not, the figure reminded her of a desperate face in a crowd of onlookers the day she forced a duel against @Calrex. She blamed him for not protecting Last-Chance on the frontlines the day Daire's letters stopped coming. She blamed him for not using his renowned strength to save everyone. In a way, Snow blamed Calrex for Daire's death. It all seemed like a long time ago.

Snow flushed in the cheeks at the memory and the embarrassment she felt once the blue haired gentleman revealed his unyielding kindness. In no way could such a man act selfishly when lives were on the line. Even now, Snow expected Calrex, her now guild mate, to be sequestered to some training area attempting to perfect himself as to never see another day of loss. To a degree, she felt sorry for imposing her own burden on someone who already carried so much weight on his shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" Snow asked to the figure. She flipped on the switch that lit the rest of the kitchen in the warm glow of firelight. Stoves came alive, small interface menus appeared near common workstations, and the color of the intruder's face came into view. He looked to be about her age, short for a man, and just as creepy in the light as the dark. One thing looked apparent though: he seemed hungry and still held the faint look of desperation as to say, 'I don't know what I'm doing. I just want something to eat.'

Snow propped her hands on her hips and chuckled.

"Do you like sushi, miso, and fresh rice?" she asked with a smile.

@Crozeph

Edited February 26, 2022 by Snow

[Hirru 0]

A noise of wood bending to ones weight caught the hunter's ear, which he seemed to buff with his own search skills.  Line of sight, hearing and his own luck were all part of the package whenever he activated the skill.  Though, he nearly always had it active in the past.  Once he was able to grasp the proper measurements of the world and how to dictate dungeons and chests on sight, Hirru was then trying to concentrate his hearing too.  This, however, wouldn't really work to his advantage.  Using search on ones sight lengthens the distance one can perceive everything around, including hidden objects and rare instances.  For hearing, though, it would broaden the range to where one can hear, including through some solid walls.  This would be a drawback, as the system didn't care what information was given, it would give it all.  It was the player's job to focus on the one thing, and drown out the rest. 

That there lied Hirru's problem: he couldn't ignore everything.

He had been fighting to gain as much knowledge about the world around him, just so he could gain a little semblance of his old memories.  Something to tell him that there was something more to him, as he started to understand that he wasn't truly part of this world.  There were things missing that he needed to know about, and the outside world or the world of the players, was the knowledge he sought.  Though, that kind of info was taboo, and kept mostly secret for a reason.  No one seemed to help him.  None really dared, because they wouldn't know.

Except a couple..

"Ah!  Good morning, @Baldur"

The azure samurai himself, one of the few people that he trusted with his secret.  He felt that it was a great trial lifted from him, when Baldur was their to guide him.  He had fallen to the greed that was his knowledge mongering, not once, but twice.  If Hirru could call what happened a couple days ago another sad attempt.  All it felt like was some twisted play.  What the hell is a play?  Thankfully, during each time, Baldur was there to lift him back up, and he was doing that now more than ever.  Hirru would stay seated while tugging at something along the baseboards.

"I've only got one so far, but we should still have some saved up from last time."

He would produce the one fish on a section of line that he cut off to hang.  It seemed to have lost its life force already, and was now a decently sized fillet, but not much more.  Putting the fish back where it was hanging, the hunter would cast out once more.  As soon as it hit the water, the line would go taut.  Pulling and reeling, another fish would pop out of the water.

"Huh, two then."

He would cut a bit of the line and tie it through the fishes gills and around to keep it from flopping out, before reworking the hook once more.

"Morning walk go alright?"

The hunter would try to make small talk, but he wasn't the best at it.  There was usually only a few things he would respond more to, and that was if he was telling a story, or explaining himself; which was often done through stories.  However, he didn't really need to do that with Baldur.  He already knew about the hunter's loss of memories, so there wasn't any need to tell stories, but more so to listen.  To gauge responses, and gather the information, but in a more friendly and familiar environment.  Something where, if prompted, he would loss his memories again, just to see it all.

Spoiler

Fishing Exp: 119

Rank 2 - Journeyman Angler: Successfully fish up a material on a CD 7+. Critical catch a treasure chest on a LD 11+

Practiced Angler: +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to attempts

[ID: 204263] [CD: 9+1=10] [LD: 1+1=2]  | Success (+1 Mat) | 5+2=7  Exp

New Exp Total:  EXP 126

Total catchs / Treasure:

• 2 mats

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Hirru

[Baldur 0]

Baldur smiled at his old friend as he enquired about the morning walk. It had been a good walk. He leaned back against one of the posts along the Engawa where he sat as Hirru fished. The sun was fully in the sky now, the blues of his haori filling the horizon. When the wind wasn't blowing, you could see Koi fish and others swimming about. Little pockets of fish that were the game's way of telling you your odds were better to cast your line there than elsewhere. All of Baldur's ponds were well stocked by the system, since he had paid for them as an upgrade to the island.

He let Hirru's question linger for a moment as he thought back about the moment on the dock.

"Yeah, it was a good walk today. Definitely needed some clear air after the last boss fight... which..." Baldur turned his oceanic blue eyes back towards the hunter turned healer and leader.

"I am proud of you." He rested his head against the wooden post, "I know after how floor 23 went, it wasn't easy to do what you did, but you showed growth. I don't think there will be as much of a problem from this one as there was back then, especially not since you were able to change the votes." A faint smile crossed his expression.

"I wish @Koga and @NIGHT hadn't handled it the way they handled it, but I've given a lot of thought about what happened on Floor 23. We, Jacob's Ladder, are here to keep the Frontlines united, supplied, and moving forward. Our experience comes with baggage though. We need to prevent that baggage from being more of liability than we are worth having along. I think a big part of that is going to be forging bonds with people, between the new and old, and working to repair things from the past."

The thought of Hidden running Hirru through still made him upset, but he knew he would need to someone address her so that she stopped derailing things every time.

"But I wanted to make sure you knew I was proud of how you have been conducting yourself. We are not here to tell the Front how to choose, or what everyone's reason for fighting is, or why or even how people should risk their lives. That's where Hestia had it wrong. She wanted to tell everyone else how they could risk their lives. I, we, have a code of conduct, but it is not up to us to enforce it on others."

Baldur looked out over the water, and waved at @Calrex as he was finishing up his training and getting changed.

"My only had and fast rule for the raids is this: we never draw blades on one another. We never enforce our will through violence or threat of violence."

He brushed off his haori and pushed himself to stand up.

"There's a quote I live by: A King may move a man, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God, you cannot say, 'But I was told by others to do thus.' Or that, 'Virtue was not convenient at the time.' It means simply this. Our choices are our own, and our we alone are responsible for it."

He gave a somewhat tired smirk, "We may have grudges with each other outside of the boss room, but when we step in there, we need to have the trust of everyone at our back."

[Hirru 0]

Tossing the line back out, he would glimpse the visage of the Ultramarine.  His appearance would prompt the hunter to give a curt wave before going back to the intended appointment.  He wanted to talk to Cal's wife, Teayre, once more, but he didn't think those opportunities would come up again.  It seemed like she was keeping herself at their old home, instead of living here at Baldur's estate.  Hirru didn't understand why, but with the way they talked back then; it didn't really seem to hard to speculate.  After Hirru's first raid, to where he was appointed Raid Leader, due to him copying how Mack would wrangle everyone together.  Teayre was the proper leader then, and the hunter had cut in on that part.  Ariel had egged on the red headed fighter to punish him, and said punishment was to take responsibility for everyone there. 

It wasn't exactly that though, as Teayre explained to him.  Later, on a request from the crimson maiden, they talked properly about the matter.  It seemed that she was glad that everything went the way it did.  She felt that her leadership would not be followed as well as his would.  Hirru disagreed, as he was the newest to the front, and he didn't claim a single word against anyone.  He let the veterans do what they did best, and only took the lead for the squelching of those damned acid pools.  Still, she was happy to have known him, and gave him a single trinket of jade design.  She considered him family on that day, so he too considered her his sister.  Then she nearly died

'If only I could face you that last time, after the 23rd floor boss.  I'm sorry I didn't arrive when you called, Sis.. I..'

Hirru's thought would roll through his mind, that he nearly didn't hear Baldur praising him on his decisions during the last floor boss raid.  The ending of that fight was nothing that the hunter was wanting, nor was he really ready to do what he did.  It was just another moment where his actions played out without much thought to it.  Though, it seemed to work out a bit more for him, as he chose the route of information gathering, which was his main forte, rather than give straight mercy.  This for that.  Quid pro quo, whatever the hell that meant.  He did not expect for the issue to escalate the way it did.  It made him want to change his own vote.. he wanted to.. but..

"To be fair, I was ready to change my vote right then and there, when I had Koga's blade in my hand.  Raidou and Freyd's arguments were sound, and there I was blathering about consequences that could or couldn't happen."

The situation after didn't help the matter either.  There was no way he could have seen that they were going to fight through the skies.  Hirru's focus on the fishing would be interrupted as he felt that he needed to say something.

"How was I supposed to know we were going into an event with flying ships.  Flying Ships, Baldur!  I understand you've seen some things out there on the other side, but that wasn't on my confrontation list in this world."

Hirru's voice picked up a bit in confusion and wonder that he seemed to recover from fairly quickly.  Hirru had known about the other side for a couple years, but he didn't know everything there was about it.  If this was something that could be found in their world, he wondered what else there was out there.  He wished he could experience it all, or have the memories to reminisce.  That kind of information would be far too useful to the hunter, but there was something blocking him.  Though, he might be on to something that happened to him at that moment.  Hirru pulled on the line to make sure that nothing was on the line yet, and to reset his position a bit.

"With all that, though, I stayed my course and voted to spare the boss.  It helped us out quite a bit more than I thought.  Though, I think I may have more issues than I last thought."

The hunter joked before growing a serious look.

"During the boss fight, other than Calrex, was there someone with blue hair there?  A woman with pink hair?  A guy in full plate armor with brown hair, that was right behind me?"

Hirru would look to his friend in a stern manner, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.  His brow would lighten slightly.

"Not Shield.."

He finished, just to clarify that he knew better.

Spoiler

Fishing Exp: 126

Rank 2 - Journeyman Angler: Successfully fish up a material on a CD 7+. Critical catch a treasure chest on a LD 11+

Practiced Angler: +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to attempts

[ID: 204301] [CD: 2+1=3] [LD: 6+1=2]  | Miss | 3+2=5  Exp

New Exp Total:  EXP 131

Total catchs / Treasure:

• 2 mats

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Hirru

[Crozeph 0]

The contents were about to be consumed, Crozeph was less picky about what to eat. He lived off what is edible in his point of view in his time in Yomi before Baldur pulled him out of his hole and Yuki giving him the best meals he can have.Speaking of his wife, Crozeph needed to know a few stuff from Baldur and he was about to gobble the contents that seemed like black pepper, the woman made sure he was found out, lighting the kitchen and all that stuff. Crozeph stared as he, munching on a raw potato. He was too lazy too cook and he was hungry after sleeping in Baldur's estate in his designated room. 

"Me? I'm kinda part of Jacob's Ladder" he told her calm as he was as if he wasn't caught eating anything he could find in the kitchen. "You look familiar, kinda beautiful too but I guess I'm overthinking stuff. Did you fight a half-naked guy?" he asked her.

 I don't mind what to eat, hit me with your best shot"  he told her while still munching on a potato and a tomato on his other hand.

@Snow

[Snow 0]

Snow giggled and blushed. She needed the compliment after such a heavy morning and it lifted her spirits. The fact the young man also saw her fight with Calrex amused her. She remembered now. Back then, he had darker hair and his large eyes with each movement of the fight showed how much he needed Snow to win for the larger payout. Snow nodded.

"Yes, that was me and @Calrex." She shook her head, the memory and embarrassment of the event felt so distant now. "You were the guy clutching an empty bag of coins. I hope you won. That day was a bit of a blur."

As Snow spoke, she walked further into the kitchen. Originally alarmed by the new acquaintance, her body language now seemingly ignored him as though he were a trusted guild member. Judging by how he attacked the raw potato in his hand, it might not be the best choice she made today, but she figured her cooking skills would ward off any attempts at cannibalism. She set herself to work after sliding her sleeves up her arms. Steam began to fill the air from the boiling of rice and water for the miso. As they simmered, Snow fetched a few slabs of fresh fish from her own inventory and manifested a sushi knife in her hand. With a few flourishes of the hand, she turned slabs into intricate cuts of sashimi. After a check on the rice, she prepared avocado, carrot, cucumber, and other vegetables. All her movements looked rehearsed and a soft hum escaped her lips as she worked.

"So," she broke the silence. "I don't think I caught your name?"

Snow pulled a small handful of hot rice from the pot, tamped it from hand to hand to cool and shape it, then with a dab of wasabi, laid a cut of fish on top and held it out to her present company.

"I'm Snow. It's nice to formally meet you."

@Crozeph

Edited April 2, 2022 by Snow

[Hirru 0]

Hirru realized the oddity of his question and was sure that Baldur was hesitant to answer from such a disturbing question.  Were there three people there that may or may not exist only in Hirru's head?  What a ridiculous thing to ask one of the few people that he trusted beyond any other.  He didn't want to seem more out of place than he already was, and just waved off the question.  This was better than letting his mind be questioned upon it's sanity, any more than it previously has.

"Nevermind, my mind has been all over the place, since we beat that little side event."

There was too much to look into for his mental health, that he didn't want to worry Baldur any more than there already was.  Apparently, losing all of ones memories is rare.  Incredibly so, compared to others that has similar instances.  Although not much could be gleaned, since no one here was a medical expert, but most individuals that lose their memories lose either all short term memory processing, or partial long term memories.  If he could find someone that knew about it a bit more, or someone that was going through the same thing, maybe he could get a bit more knowledge about it.  Though, for now, he would have to deal with Baldur's council.

The bobber was still out in the water.  Usually the thing would have a bite by now.  He sighed as he reeled the line back in.

"This spot's dry.  Gonna have to go to the next pond."

This would happen occasionally happen when fishing in a certain spot will bring up reduced results.  The morning was still new, but it wouldn't last that way.  He needed to get at least a few more before breakfast was served.  Storing the rod and tackle, Hirru took the two fish that he had caught.

"Might as well walk this over to Snow.  Is she in the main kitchen?"

@Baldur

Spoiler

Fishing Exp: 131

Rank 2 - Journeyman Angler: Successfully fish up a material on a CD 7+. Critical catch a treasure chest on a LD 11+

Practiced Angler: +2 EXP & +1 LD & CD to attempts

[ID: 207566] [CD: 3+1=4] [LD: 13+1=14]  | Miss | 3+2=5  Exp

New Exp Total:  EXP 136

Total catchs / Treasure:

• 2 mats

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Hirru

[Crozeph 0]

Crozeph sat near a counter and watched as she prepared the food. He was not used to having someone make food for him except Yuki and for some reason he does miss her more as he saw the guild mate prepare food for him "I have no recollection if I won or not, rarely keep track of what col I have" he told her. It was quite a battle though, she fought a half naked Calrex as if it was nothing. 

"I am Crozeph, one of Baldur's student and a member of the guild too, I tend to disappear a lot from this place but it's good that I'm here while the others are also here too."

He thanked her at the food and began to eat "I miss eating stew for some reason."

@Snow