[F09-PP] apareillier

[iris 0]

a couple of stories in exchange for armor and a play at being fashionista – surely, this must've appeared to be a joke to everyone else but her.

jean waved it off as her overthinking it. night generally wanted nowhere the trinket itself. bistro was more concerned about the absence of her appraiser (despite the fact that there was nothing else for her to do beyond remaining on standby...) and when masa questioned the armor perched upon the stand in the corner, the woman but blinked twice, and slow.

"do you know him?"

"ah, not well yet."

"is that so..."

and their 'chief of operations' looked unpersuaded. when masa replied, "well, i hope he likes it," iris figured it seemed like a bitch move.

nonetheless, the armor was already made, alongside a feather she thought would pair well as a lucky charm to the ensemble. there were stars etched into the item detail window – iris made sure of that – and though she wasn't sure how much use @Alkor would get out of it, she sure hope that he would, just a bit, if at all.

iris swore by the meeting in good faith, but even so, just as she'd submitted the message, a series of doubts began to descend upon her. would her intent be read wrong? she hoped not. past that, she was more firmly concerned about the possibility that the man would be a little too busy to accept her invitation in lieu of the boss fight. everyone else she'd become familiar with seemed to be as such, after all.

nonetheless, she steeled herself with a breath to review her message:

 

iris: hello! it hasn't been too long since the raid meeting, and i figured to check in about the offer to catch up if you're available. do you have time today? and if so, is there any place in aincrad convenient for you?
(ps. i took the initiative in preparing something for you. i hope you don't mind; i'd appreciate it if you would be willing to try it on.)

 

(ah, yes – on second thought, perhaps it was the part about the equipment that worried her...)

Spoiler iris | Lv.11 | HP: 220/60 | EN: 40/40 notes: // equipped item#1 item#2 item#3 battle-ready inventory // skills Spoiler   buffs Spoiler
	♦iris.

[Alkor 0]

Floor 9 Settlement //

Yogan Village >> 14:00

Alkor rarely bothered to come to the Ninth floor, usually. It was a place filled with particularly nasty memories, and in the minds of many, it was where he became a ghost. Some people still looked at him that way. Why are you alive, when so many other Players aren't?

The skies of the ninth floor were never day or night, just perpetual ash and flame. It was a ruined world rife with geothermal anomalies. The heat was sweltering in the most comfortable places, dry to the point where one's lips might crack from just standing around. He didn't seem to mind it. The buildings that littered the settlement offered respite for those who sought it out, but on this particular day Alkor simply leaned near the edge of town,  staring down into the magma far below.

That was where he received the message.

Quote

hello! it hasn't been too long since the raid meeting, and i figured to check in about the offer to catch up if you're available. do you have time today? and if so, is there any place in aincrad convenient for you?

(ps. i took the initiative in preparing something for you. i hope you don't mind; i'd appreciate it if you would be willing to try it on.)

Iris. He recalled her name, and remembered her as the woman who handled the work on Witchfang. They had also met again recently, as she mentioned in her message, at the boss meeting. The same reason he had come to this den of terrible memories, ironically. Floor 9 was the Battlefield who Alkor first stood on the Frontlines, and where he brushed with death on not one, but two occasions. The fires of this hellscape were constant reminders of his struggles, and his failures. If human nature could be reconstructed based on Elemental classifications in the way ancient Far Eastern philosophy often did, Fire was the element most easily attributed to the Knight. Hot headed, fiery temper, volatile- things that he kept in check whenever it was possible.

It wasn't always possible. Thom grew up in a family that largely rejected those parts of him and stressed that he temper and replace them with stoicism. To mask his emotions, and in some cases, appear to not feel anything at all.

That just wasn't who he was.

So, when a woman he hardly expected to reach out to him did so, the surprise almost took him over the rails that separated him from certain death. He took hold of one of the chains that fastened the settlement securely over the caldera and flicked open the reply field.

"She had said that she wanted to talk to me about my adventures," he recalled after a moment, composing himself. "Maybe that will help me get my mind off of being anxious."

He quickly drafted a response, read over it twice, and sent it.

Quote

Iris! I hadn't expected to hear from you so soon, but it's a welcome surprise. I have been busy doing prep for the boss fight, but I just happened to have a free moment and I've been using it to clear my head. If you want, feel free to meet me in Yogan Village, the Settlement on Floor 9.

It's quite hot on this floor, so if you do decide to come, you should dress to stay cool.

With that message sent, he wondered what she intended for him to try on. She hadn't owed him any gifts, so far as he knew.

 

Vitals:

Alkor

840 [966] HP 116 EN

Base Damage: 9[+3= 12] Mit: 170 [+20+15= 205] Acc: 4 Eva: 0 Blight: 32 In addition, a target afflicted with Blight loses 20 Mitigation for 2 turns Bleed: 48 Paralyze Battle Healing: 52/turn 8-10 Critical chance 10% increase to healing received

[Mod] Emergency Recovery

[Addon] Stamina 

[Addon] Precision

[Addon] <<Straight Sword>> Focus

Combat Mastery: Mitigation

Energist

Fighting Spirit

Howl 10

[Addon] Focused Howl

TECH specialist

(Extra skill) Parry

[Mod] Vengeful Riposte

(Extra skill) Survival

Total EXP: 268000

Total SP: 190

Current Level: 32

Paragon Level: 40

Unlocked Paragon Rewards:

Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 10% of EXP earned in that thread.

Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting

Lv. 25 | Free Skill respec

 

Inventory

Equipped: 

Item Name: Witchfang

Item Tier: 4

Item Type: OHSS

Item Enhancements: CURSED / BLIGHT / BLEED / PARALYZE

Description: "Forged from the fang of a massive Black Dragon slain by a nameless hero in ancient times, it was given as offering to placate a Sorcerer intent on bringing low the Kingdom. He struck a deal with the hero, in exchange for a reprieve in his generation, the fang would return to haunt their world one day. Witchfang promises ruin to those who are struck by it. The weapon's edge is fashioned of Obsidian and invested with myriad afflictions.  One of Aincrad's Cursed Weapons, its very presence inspires fear and invokes the chill of darkness."

 

Item Name: Titan's Ward

Item Tier: 4

Item Type: Heavy Armor

Item Enhancements: Mitigation 2, Taunt

Description: very long 

 

Item Name: Eye of Osiris

Item Tier: Tierless

Item Type: Accessory

Item Enhancements: ACC III

Description: A pin fashioned in the style of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, depicting the eye of the god Osiris.

[iris 0]

it was good to know that he had time, though the place to meet seemed a little odd. by his warning, of course, the ninth was known for its unforgiving heat. why, by choice, would anyone decide to clear their head on such a floor?

iris soured briefly at the meeting location, but her annoyance only swapped over to realizing she needed to pick something else to change into for the occasion. the dress she'd gotten accustomed to as part of her day job was pliable to ruin from heat and ash alike. she swapped out her gear relatively quick – the same casual attire of a tee and shorts she'd worn out on errands would do; the shoulder bag was for show and comfort – right along with a reply for the wait.

 

iris: i'll heed the advice, thank you! and i'll be there in a bit!

 

(and then a little warning to her troupe about her whereabouts, at the closure of the scarlet line. two blue checkmarks, but no reply.)

she would show just a few minutes later, spotting alkor from a distance. iris was used to seeing players, such as himself, in armor that seemed to be difficult to breathe in, if not withstand the effects of the environment. the heat of the ninth was such to contemplate about, iris observed, as she made her way over to his position. if he'd noticed her approach, she'd return a short wave.

"hardly a place appreciated by many adventurers, the ninth." iris gave the village a cursory glance over her shoulder – it was mostly deserted. even the fourth, known for its frost, was likely a more popular spot for others to visit.

her eyes fell back onto alkor as she appraised his build, before his equipment; what doubts about the armor she was to present were slowly melting away. she nodded, but only to herself. "shall we walk and talk? if it helps clear your head." iris gestured for the man to take the lead, but it might've been apparent from the woman's restless footwork that she seemed eager to start ahead instead.

"i hope you don't mind me asking why visit yogan, out of all other floors. especially with the heat and all. convenient circumstances, amidst the preparations, perhaps?"

[Alkor 0]

Her observation wasn't wrong.

In fact, since they'd cleared the ninth floor, the only real reason to come here was for quests. There were still Players who did need the progression that the area offered, certainly, but it was far from a tourist destination. Alkor smiled faintly as he offered a congenial wave. "Granted, there was a time when this was the Apex of the Frontline initiative, and all of the Highest level players spent the lion's share of their time here," he responded at last. "I was there for that boss battle, too. It was the last major fight I was involved in."

That led directly into the reason he'd picked this place, but Iris could probably infer that without him needing to confirm. When she offered that they walk together, the Knight nodded. "I'd like that. There's not much to look at around here, but being confined to one space is stifling."

She wasted no time in asking him why he chose this place, of all places. 

"You probably surmised immediately that it was retrospection, but probably not the way you'd expect. When I was in that fight, there was a moment where I almost died. I watched the HP dwindling out of my health bar, unable to wrest myself free of the Hydra's jaws, and if not for a teleportation crystal, I would have been a name on the Monument. I wanted to take time to respect that. To internalize the danger of facing a boss. To never make the mistake of regarding threats callously again, because there are people relying on me."

As they walked through the Obsidian city, he gestured vaguely toward the buildings, describing how the boss' defeat had changed the floor for her, explaining that the very nature of Aincrad was subjective to Player experience. It grew as they did. And about how his own journey had been one of growth.

"The worst thing any of us can fail to do is learn from our mistakes. I've made many of them, so I'm still learning how to learn."

[iris 0]

"oh! i can only imagine. that would be years ago, by now."

to be fair, veteran frontline players were hardly identifiable these days. either they were still present, or they faded out of notoriety, as though heroes in the myths they would read as kids. to understand one was standing before her – her customer, even – was a shocking revelation. but iris kept swallowed her surprise.

the reason as to his gap in activity on the front was quickly supplied – alkor had nearly passed. iris stopped briefly upon hearing this; in the same vein, she too had to internalize the possibility of death of someone standing next to her. she nodded, listening to his words as he continued, carrying herself along. "well, it's good to see you safe, and in a better position now – hopefully – to encounter the next boss. i think besides death, players like yourself deserve the respect, too, of shouldering the burden of ferrying us others out of here."

and she ruminated briefly whilst taking in the sights. in yogan, the obsidian oft made itself apparent from their fine edges, despite their intended purpose to serve as walls of a safe space, a home. it must have been fitting, then, the floor matching the acknowledgement of their fate in aincrad, lest they grow too comfortable where cardinal reigned and decided never to make it out.

"if it helps," iris said, turning to face him. "i think your time away from the fight isn't one of them. though, i can't say for sure what the exact reason you left in the first place was, despite survival being a good one. if you needed the time off, there would be others to take your place and hold the line in turn; you've seen our progression so far now, extending beyond the tenth."

then, she tilted her head, considering. "i say that, not exactly to set doubt into your faith in getting back into it. rather, i understand it isn't exactly a small matter, especially after the close encounter you'd mentioned." so iris offered the question to alkor, with an open palm, eyes partially glittering with excitement. "if it's people, who is it that's so important to you, that you would risk your life for their sake?"

in retrospect, it was only after she'd asked the question that iris then realized how morbid the query was.

[Alkor 0]

She was a kind woman, at least from the words she used. Instead of berating him harshly for not staying and fighting, she suggested that he should be respected for his efforts. Alkor lacked the perspective of a Player who never went on to join the fight, but many he'd met had not shared Iris' enthusiasm for what the top echelon of Players took upon themselves. At best, "better you than me" had been the resounding sentiment. He smiled faintly out of regard for that kindness, reminded of the way his grandmother suggested that people ought to be.

Do good, and be kind; because there are very few good and kind people in this world, and we could all use some kindness. 

Alkor's eyes glassed over a bit as the bittersweet memory of those words returned to him.

There were literal years of his life now that had gone unaccounted for. He had been inside of Aincrad, but not aware. He knew some of what went on secondhand, but there was a thick haze shrouding the time period Iris referenced. How did someone explain that to someone else, though, when they could scarce explain it for themselves?

In the end, it was a mystery that need not be solved. Instead of asking, Iris insisted that it was good to take breaks, and that even if he could not go on, there would be someone else who could. If only more people saw the world through her eyes, perhaps then the derision and animosity that created a rift between Players with stronger, more polarizing opinions might not be so immense. 

And then, she mentioned how difficult it must have been, in so many words, to pick back up again and put on the armor.

Alkor shook his head. "If not me, then someone else," he said, agreeing with her previous words. "But I know what I'm to be faced with, and someone else might not. They might not respect the danger the way that I do. Might not be prepared. They might lose their composure, or worse."

A veteran of the Frontlines was a precious resource in Aincrad. More so than many wanted to attribute credit. "I always welcome new blood, more hands on deck, so to speak- but not without respect for the learning curve."

The Knight wanted no unnecessary death.

Who is it that's so important to you, she asked. Alkor blinked. There were so many people who answered this question easily and without hesitation. At one time, he might have droned on for hours about his grandmother, and how freedom from this game was his only chance at seeing her again. The reality had struck him long ago, now. The longer that this hell dragged, the less likely it was that there would be a grandmother to go home to.

And not just that. To reduce the experiences he'd had in this world to that? He'd learned the hard way that the other people in here were just like him. They were real human beings with real lives, all of them interrupted by the madness of Akihiko Kayaba and his death game. The people he'd met weren't just NPCs in his life. Lessa had a profound effect on him. Her unwillingness to give up on him, while at times difficult to deal with, taught him a great deal about what real friendship was. The two did not agree on everything, and they were a lot like fire and ice at the best of times- but she was someone who he did not want to see die.

And then, there was Setsuna. A little girl who'd grown into a woman, but who had not been allowed to live a normal life. She had blood on her hands, but no one to guide her out of a hell she had no idea how to deal with. She was like Alkor in many ways, stumbling blind through something stranger than fiction. This world had to end so that people like her, people who were done wrong by no fault of their own, could have a chance at a halfway normal life.

Alkor looked to Iris with a much kinder, softer smile, now. 

"You know, that question would have seemed simpler for me at the beginning of all this." He didn't hesitate, instead reaching up to mess up his blonde hair anxiously. Blonde hair that used to be black. "Back then, everything seemed so cut and dry. The game was laid out before me. I didn't know anyone. There was no one but my family, who I wanted to get back to because it was normal. It was what I knew, and I wanted that comfort. But that was selfish and infantile, and there's so many other people who would love to see their families, too. I met them- all of you, I mean. Slowly, and with no small amount of resistance on my part, I started to learn that each of your lives is different, and special in its own way. I don't know you all that well, miss Iris, but I wouldn't want you to die as much as I wouldn't want anyone else to. And I'd throw myself in harm's way to prevent it from happening, at any time."

[iris 0]

"If not me, then someone else. But I know what I'm to be faced with, and someone else might not. They might not respect the danger the way that I do. Might not be prepared. They might lose their composure, or worse."

a justified rationale. iris felt herself nodding, acknowledging his words. it brought back memories of her old guild; their values, the creed. it seemed optimistic, the first time she'd come into contact with them, to have supported values like those. their cell as circumstances wasn't perfect as it were. it seemed a real possibility for every one of them to have to fend for their own.

but in turn, aincrad had grown over the years, and in context, the responsibilities delegated accordingly to what each of their members could do seemed to work as their leaders had intended. respect for the learning curve, in a matter of speaking, was rightfully ingrained. "indeed," she said, filling in the buffer between alkor's sentences. then, she continued listening, appreciating the time that had passed to allow her companion to smile again.

because she didn't know alkor, of who he was or had been during his past. but the way he spoke on who he once was, and his perspective, his reasons for trying to get out of the game had changed drastically, in his eyes. there was growth – reflection, if otherwise. it allowed him to evolve; from who he once was, into someone who could stand firm in the face of cardinal's animosity, in lieu of others instead of himself.

a tank – iris could perceive it from the make of his armor, and the intent behind his words to protect; of one, for all. being at the fore of combat was no easy matter, for it required an individual with strong conviction to remain steadfast in lieu of the obstacles before them. to do so for oneself was microscopic – and likely to end in err, for their responsibility laid within protecting the hearts of the party. she'd been on the support lines before, so of course she knew – and appreciated – what players of his stature could do.

(and there was a tug of relief within her, for having made the right choice with her drafts.)

"... Slowly, and with no small amount of resistance on my part, I started to learn that each of your lives is different, and special in its own way. I don't know you all that well, miss Iris, but I wouldn't want you to die as much as I wouldn't want anyone else to. And I'd throw myself in harm's way to prevent it from happening, at any time."

if she couldn't stop smiling, it was due to a surprise from her expectations – it wasn't every day that someone could or would embody the appearance and virtues alike of a knight. like in the fairy tales read aloud to children of ages past, alkor's offer was noble in a traditionally objective manner, but iris knew their circumstances were vastly different in comparison to simplified romantics, and so she did quell the shock with a hand to her pounding heart. after all, if this was their fantasy, then she had a role to play in it, too.

"thank you," iris said, slow, trying her best not to stumble on her words. "i'm really glad to hear it! though we can hope it doesn't come to that, seeing as i'm currently benched on a different line of support. ... i suppose it would be remiss if i were to be placed in any danger. if i stay out of it, there's a very unlikely chance you'd have to do such a thing for me – but i do appreciate the privilege of the offer, alkor."

there was a gap between the buildings as they walked by. in the distance, iris could spot the high walls that kept yogan protected, safe from the entities outside. and there was that fateful gate, perpetually open, an invitation for fielding players to set out on their own across the ninth. practiced as usual, iris turned to look away.

"and," she contemplated aloud, eyes shifting to alkor, "as you said, 'if not me, then someone else'! so let's focus on that, shall we?"

her fingers had met in a steeple, pointed downwards as they went, only loosening once an obsidian structure covered her wayward desire from view. with a wave, iris gestured to alkor's armor, expression finally relaxing to give way to a gentle beam. "now, i don't mean to beat around the bush, alkor, but – what do you think of your equipment thus far?"

his plate mail seemed new. a standard blacksmith's craft – but that was was nothing to scoff at, especially given that it was armor that had been personally made for a player on the front. and iris was being coy about the gift she'd wished to give, certainly, but part of it was also an interest to know if her designs had matched up to his expectations. it would be slightly disappointing if they weren't.

"... has it been able to serve you well?"

[Alkor 0]

When she mentioned that it would be a misbegotten situation that saw her put into the line of fire, Alkor showed no small amount of appreciation for her acceptance of the role she had chosen. It was difficult to relegate oneself to something less glorious than adventure, he thought. In a world where the sky was the limit, binding oneself to the dirt and creating magical treasures and tools for others to use but never to truly enjoy for oneself seemed like a special kind of hell. He could imagine that fear might drive some Players to never want to travel or endanger themselves, but how long could a person really go without indulging their innate wanderlust?

Or maybe that was just the wanderer in him, romanticizing the adventure he had always dreamed of. The part of him still grounded in reality reminded him of danger, but danger existed in all walks of life. That was what separated him from people with a healthy sense of self-preservation. The acceptance that not all danger could be avoided. It was also what made him a candidate for the frontlines.

It made the armor more manageable.

now, i don't mean to beat around the bush, alkor, but – what do you think of your equipment thus far?

He paused. To say the work wasn't quality would be a blatant lie. It was finely crafted and would serve the purpose he needed for it to- tanking a floor boss wouldn't be possible with the light armor he once wore, without the proper stats or buffs, without the sturdy defense of something heavier. That said, it wasn't quite Alkor. 

It was impossible to give him a heavy armor that would allow him full free range of motion. Such an awesome and stunning blatant disregard for the laws of physics surely did not exist in Aincrad or any place else. It was possible to shave off some of the weight, some of the bulkier portions, and use plating and gaps to allow for greater maneuverability and quicker swordplay. He wasn't going to be using a shield- that was one thing that set him apart from many of the others. His inherent skills as a swordsman had to bridge the gap.

... has it been able to serve you well?

Truth be told, Alkor didn't have a good answer for her. He did however, have his reservations. And since Iris was a purveyor of goods in the vein of arms, armor, and other such things, she might be just the person to voice those reservations to. "It would be unfair of me to give you an answer, since I have yet to truly experience combat in this garb," he told her honestly, "but I can honestly say that it feels awkward to me, and unwieldy. My steps are heavier, more difficult to recover from if I move with any speed. I'm able to put more strength behind attacks, but the follow through leaves an opening that I'm not completely used to yet. I'd very much prefer something that offers the defensiveness of a heavier armor while also allotting me some freedom of movement."

He had placed one hand to his chin and cupped the elbow of that arm with the opposite. As he spoke, he noted her demeanor, the way she carried herself, how she looked around and examined the world around her. Despite being disallowed the freedom to journey beyond the walls of a safe zone, she never seemed to waste a moment where she could be learning something. Maybe that was a skill she gained that he couldn't lay a claim to, something in the same line as appraisal.

"But I don't want to talk your ear off about armor specifications," he added, "you know more about it than I do, after all."

[iris 0]

had he hesitated? perhaps iris had misjudged. if she hadn't, she certainly hadn't been expecting that reaction. maybe her question caught alkor unaware; a possibility considering players, in her experience, hadn't exactly brought it up often as a topic of conversation. but alkor's true words surprised her even more – that his current attire hadn't exactly been tested yet.

so iris reconsidered its purpose with a nod. likely, between his appearance on the ninth today and the upcoming raid, it was a piece specifically made to brave the floor boss. seeing as it was reinforced well, if the player had already made plans with the plate mail for the fight, it would be better for her not to get into the way of them. at the very least, her spirits remained even now, iris knowing where her equipment stood against the tools in his possession.

her attention was best drawn to alkor's feedback. despite his remarks being of standard concerns for similar heavier sets, iris guessed it might have been especially notable – he'd previously worn something lighter, even at the meeting, if she recalled properly. had she the proper knowhow that her companion had commented upon, she would've accepted the compliment with grace.

"i wouldn't say that i have as much experience as a blacksmith would," iris returned, slowing her pace as she looked up to him with a smile. "though that stems from these crafters being able to interface with players more often, and their capability to incorporate improvements on their pieces upon request; very much unlike appraisers like myself! but –" iris rolled her hand to point out alkor's armor, "– i suppose my perception has been trained from the job, after all. in a different manner than others that venture out in the field, of course."

he'd mentioned the windows of fallibility in these sets. she did believe her own was capable of making up for the loss in these scenarios, though there was only one way to find out if her gift would be exceptionally bulkier than his present design. iris crossed two fingers behind her back at that thought, as she brought them to a stop.

there, at the intersection of alleyways that cut between buildings down to major arteries of the village, iris figured it was a good moment, however brief, to take a break from their stroll.

"well, alkor. do you remember? the gift i'd mentioned, from the message i'd sent you earlier."

iris glowed at alkor, brimming with excitement she was trying her best to contain. the slightest bit of her grin was shielded by their transaction as she sent the other player a trade offer, and the corresponding windows opened up. "i'd found something, once my work began proper, that seemed like it would fit you in particular. and, with a recent update in the system, it was prime opportunity for me to rescue it from a stock cull – so i did, considering modifications for your use of it, too!"

there, on their panels, hade's maw was presented for cursory examination. expecting a bout of surprise at the reveal, iris talked him through it as he accepted the request. "i hope it's a satisfactory gift to you; which also means there's no cost attached to receiving it. the piece was within reason for me to be retrieving it from my shop. and understanding the uncertainty of the raid coming up soon, there's no need to use it right away. but i hope – if it's possible! – that you could afford me the opportunity to assess how it would fit you; i've had the rarer components submitted to a blacksmith for fusions and adjustments the other day. i might need to submit another order if any tweaks to your preference are to be made."

once alkor had accepted, iris took a step backwards, one hand holding her other wrist behind her back. there was one more gift that remained in her inventory, but she paused her blessings for a moment, in the brief opportunity to see her preparations meet a resolution.