[PP-F02] Drunken Cave Crawling? <<Let There Be Light>>

[Siren 0]

Angel and Reese stepped away from the teleport gate of Floor 2 arriving in Urbus. She'd sent out a message to Oz, the barkeep she met on Floor 12 and Oscar, a name she'd heard thrown around as "The Hot Dog Man." She figured both of them would love to come on this quest, and of course Reese who never left her side.

To: Oz, and Oscar From: Siren Hey there darlin', I was in need of your services. Figured we could have a small party where we all have beers and brats while completing a few quests together. If you bring a keg, I've got some muscle to help carry it. Meet me in Urbus on Floor 2. I'll see you there. xoxo

With messages sent, she cuddled up to Reese and wrapped his arms around her. "They'll be here any minute. Oz is the smooth and suave bar keep I told you about, the one who served me up those crystals at the sour rumor. Oh! Before I forget again." Siren handed over two crystals to Reese. "I bought these for us, figured they wouldn't hurt to have in a pinch."

She'd not heard much about Oscar other than information passed along about his diner. She didn't know anything about him but beer and brats reminded her of her wild days in college. She was really excited.

* * * 

Siren gives Escudo 

Warpstone | Tierless Teleport Crystal | ID 229432
Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports user to the town of designated teleportation area they specify. 
[desc.] Sure, you could get one from the General Merchant. But this one looks cooler.

Rumbling Rum Party Favor | Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystal. | ID 229170
Heals user and each member of their party for 10% of maximum HP.    
[desc.] Crush this in your palm and everyone will get a taste. Part of a new, more expedient alcohol delivery system. Popular with pirates.

* * *

Spoiler

Character Sheet:

Spoiler

Siren | Level 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | MIT:18 | EVA:1

Equipment:

Spoiler

• Duelist's Rapier | T1 Perfect Rapier | DMG 3| ID [221552]
  [Desc.] This elegant rapier is designed for speed and precision, capable of dealing devastating strikes. The guard around the hand is an intricate weave of thin metal bands that takes the form of a phoenix.

• Crimson Raiment | T1 Perfect Light Armor | MIT II | EVA I | ID: 229133
  [desc.] Don't let them see you bleed. It will only embolden them. If you can't prevent it, make sure they at least won't see it.

Skills:

Spoiler

Armor:

Spoiler

• R1 Light Armor
  • 6 MIT

Combat Mastery:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Battle Skills:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Weapon:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Addons:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Mods:

Spoiler

• None Yet

Extra:

Spoiler

• None Yet

 

Battle Ready Inventory:

Spoiler

• 3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

• Warpstone | Tierless Teleport Crystal | ID 229185
  Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports user to the town of designated teleportation area they specify. 
  [desc.] Sure, you could get one from the General Merchant. But this one looks cooler.

• Rumbling Rum Party Favor | Tierless Mass HP Recovery Crystal. | ID (found later)
  Heals user and each member of their party for 10% of maximum HP.    
  [desc.] Crush this in your palm and everyone will get a taste. Part of a new, more expedient alcohol delivery system. Popular with pirates.

 

[Oscar 0]

It was a blissful Tuesday afternoon. Or was it Thursday? Time twisted in on itself - blended together like oozing paint upon a palette - within the confines of Oscar’s digital prison. He liked to think that whatever day sprang to mind when his feet hit the floor in the morning was the most accurate one. It was difficult to know for certain, but it felt like a Tuesday. It wasn’t droll like Monday, neither was there rising anticipation that accompanied the weekend. The air was charged with a sensation of ambivalence. Thus, Tuesday.

As he did every Tuesday - or every day that ended in ‘y,’ to be more specific - Oscar busied himself in his kitchen. It was difficult work to keep things running smoothly within his shop. Especially now since he rarely charged for his food. Recent events had left him so inundated with supplies that he couldn’t see the point in charging people for his creations. He’d been hard at work for most of the morning. The regalia that he adorned himself with when adventuring was absent. Instead, he wore an ensemble altogether too formal for work in a greasy spoon. 

Perhaps it was a testament of mastery of his craft that his white button-up shirt was still pristine after toiling over deep fryers all morning. His black vest and tie were similarly unscathed. There was not a thread out of place. Even his dark slacks - perfect canvases for a myriad of sauces - looked as if he’d only just claimed them from the cleaners. Indeed, the only thing that appeared worn upon the man were his shoes. Juxtaposed by the cleanliness of his outfit, his boots were scuffed and caked with dirt. Oscar didn’t seem to mind. Out of place as they were, boots were meant to get dirty. After all, what self-respecting man of action would be proud of spit-shined shoes?

Oscar stepped out into the alley by his shop. Steam wafted out of the door in his wake. The cool, crisp air was a soothing balm against his hot skin. With a sigh of relief, Oscar leaned up against the brickwork. Shining fractals danced over the tips of his fingers as a thin object was made manifest between his digits. His free hand flashed to his vest pocket, a silver object glinting in the afternoon sun. He brought the object to his lips and with a click, lit the end of it ablaze.

Cigarettes did nothing in Aincrad. But there was something to be said about the ritual of it after slaving over a hot grill and even hotter grease pits.

Oscar had scarcely taken his first drag off of the smoke before he heard that tell-tale chime in the back of his head. His eyes flicked up to the ever-present icons around his periphery. He raised an eyebrow as he opened the message. His eyes followed along the words, confusion sinking deeper and deeper into his eyes. When he finally reached the end, the message closed. He slowly brought his fingers to his lips, taking a long drag off of his smoke as his face contorted in thought.

“Who the fuck is Siren?”

—

Curiosity had gotten the better of him. Oscar wasn’t usually one to come when called. Least of all when the request came from someone he didn’t know. He wondered who had given out his contact details? But the message mentioned a quest on Floor 2. There were only a few that fit the bill in his experience. All of them low-level, none of them requiring the aid of a Frontliner to complete. There was a temptation, however minor, to send back a message lambasting the sender. Flickers, glimmers of thought about how his time was being wasted on such a thing. The audacity of requesting his help, sight unseen, without so much as an introduction.

Of course, that temptation didn’t make it very far.

Oscar needed only think of Macradon or Bahr or really any of the friends and allies he’d come up alongside of. What would they think if he’d done such a thing? Levels were merely numbers and Oscar was certainly not too good to provide aid to those who sought him out. Still, it bothered him how familiar the sender was. Perhaps it was confidence. Or perhaps whoever had given his name had led them astray. Regardless, he couldn’t hold it against them. Their wires were simply crossed.

As Oscar stepped off of the Teleport Platform in the center of Urbus, he did have some actual beneficial feedback. He didn’t know Siren from a hole in the ground. And Floor Two was still populated enough that he could search all day in vain. Perhaps she could have set a more specific meeting place. Of course, Oscar appeared rather nondescript as well. A low level quest on the second floor did not justify the man readying himself for battle with any thoroughness beyond what he was wearing. Oscar lit another cigarette as he leaned against a pillar near the plaza. With his free hand, his fingers danced over the translucent windows that only he could see with a practiced skill. After he’d hastily typed out his message, Oscar hit send.

Quote

To: Siren

Might be helpful if I knew what you looked like. I'm the tall guy by the plaza. Btw, mind telling me who dropped my name?

-Oscar

 

Spoiler

"Name: Oscar True Tier: 9
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 54
HP: 920/920
EN: 124/124

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 55
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 
Loot Die: 9
Stealth Rating: -5
AA PHASEVAMP-O: 152
Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<Kyūketsuki>> T4 KATANA//ABS.ACC/PHASE/VAMP2
Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> T1 LIGHT ARMOR//3 LD
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<IVORY GOLD LEAF RING>> T1 TRINKET//ACC/ACC/EVA/EVA

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Energist
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R5

Extra Skills:
  - Concentration
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Meditation
  - Parry
  - Survival

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Ferocity
  - Focused Howl
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Impetus
  - Justified Riposte
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - <<DIVINE RANCOR>> T4 KATANA - HOLY/HOLY/PHASE/BLIGHT x
  - <<RHINO'S HORN>> x
  - <<SANCTITY'S RUIN>> T4 KATANA - FROSTBITE/BLEED/BLIGHT/BURN x
  - <<TACTICAL UNDER ARMOR>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR//MIT/MIT/MIT/REC x
  - <<TELEPORTATION CRYSTAL>> x

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Bedroom): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
  - Basement: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Guest Room: Players can have one «Amenity» in a «Guest Room» and the «Amenity» cannot be recovered. Players are allowed to change which «Amenity» is in the «Guest Room». Multiple instances of the same «Amenity» do not stack. This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.
  - Mega Slime Farm: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Yamata no Orochi
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:
 - Cooking[5280exp] R10
Gathering Profession:
 - Fishing[100exp] R2"                                                                                                                            

Mega Slime Farm Used - Next Use 10/8/24                                                                                                             

 

Edited September 10 by Oscar

[Escudo de Protection 0]

It was early. Too damn early. Half naked and asleep, the Spaniard sat up in bed letting the linen fall down to his lap. Hands rubbed his face and eyes to wake his body up to start the day. Upon stirring, he noticed that he was alone. Red hues scanned the room to see where Angel had gotten off to but the room was indeed empty. On his HUD, a notification of a message had been seen. He opened the contents and noticed the directions on it to meet her at the second floor.

No sooner did they get back; they were off again. Surprisingly, his body wasn't weary. The digital world seemed filled with mystery and wonder. A stretch of his body was needed and he rolled off the bed to get ready. Hair fell the way it was like every day upon entering this world making it feel strange that he did not have to do much to look like he did in the present. Again, this game never ceased to amuse him. “At least, I'm not the only one.” He spoke with a sleepy tone.

Yawn escaped him as he was fully dressed to vacate the scene and head to the meeting point. She had mentioned bringing a keg with him so he would have to search for that first. Despite it being early, he had entered a bustling street of vendors that seemed to be busy with purchasing goods for either their morning breakfast to their shops. This may prove difficult, he thought to himself. A keg was not something he thought he could procure as he searched the landscape for a vendor who sold miscellaneous items. Footsteps echoed until he met a stranger who seemed to sell such things.

Well, I'll be damned, he mentally spoke as he noticed what seemed to be a steel keg. After careful examination, he would motion to the seller. “I'll take this one.” He simply offered the col and set the item in his inventory.

“Now, where to go…” The listed information was within the same message. From that moment, he traversed to the teleport crystal to reach the selected spot. Upon arrival, he looked at the direction of his party marker. He did a light jog as it didn't take much effort in a safe zone. Eyes wandered from one thing to another trying to absorb the view and memorize the landscape. “Not too terrifying, I admit.” Then again, these were beginner floors, he thought.

Cold shiver ran up his back knowing full well he was not up to par. But with Angel and her connections, perhaps that would change. Speaking of connections, he thought about who they were meeting. It was a vaguely basic description, but he believed in her. After all, they stuck it out together for the first time in a quest. He wanted to let his mind wander but…

“Hola, mamacita!” He caught a glimpse of the pink haired beauty. He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers and spoke. “You should have woken me up, mi amor. I would have gone with you.” He stated with a smile gracing his features. When she met him, she snatched up his arm and he looked down upon her. A tilt of his head was given as he listened about the people as they stepped away from the teleport crystal. Did he select the wrong teleport crystal? It didn't matter. He simply placed chin on her head and kissed it. "I understand. I would love to meet these people." He grinned to her happy to see his amor.

Escudo De Protection | HP: 60/60 | EN: 24/24 | DMG: 4 | MIT:18 | ACC:3                                                                                                                            

 

Spoiler

"Name: Escudo De Protection
True Tier: 1
Level: 3
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 60/60
EN: 24/24

Stats:
Damage: 4
Mitigation: 18
Accuracy: 3

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Spear of Strength 229232
Armor/Trinket: 
  - Odins Chest Piece 229233
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - Wolf Pendant 220941-3 

Combat Mastery:
  - 

Combat Shift:
  - 

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:

Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited September 10 by Escudo de Protection

[Oz 0]

Tendrils of whispy, illuminated smoke cascaded over the info broker's visage, obfuscating the panel that cast a dull glow through the smog against his features. Exhale after inhale after exhale, each draw of smoke inward doing about as much for his senses as a mouse fart might for disturbing the atmospheric pressure of an auditorium. Darts didn't quite hit the mark in Aincrad, less so if one didn't possess the appropriate ingredients. However still, it was a habit that would die with Oz, and not a moment sooner. Rituals have their way of digging into the psyche of their practitioners.

The menu housed a message sent by none other than his one-time customer, Siren. She'd been polite enough, but so were most girls who were at the bar for a drink. Even if the aim wasn't to get their paws on free liquor, women out on the town for the night rarely did so because they were in a bad mood. At least in Oz's experience. The vast majority of his bar-going brooders were male, and among the women who met the criteria, precisely zero had deigned to message him after the fact. The same couldn't be said for the friendlier ones. That's why he regarded the letter with skepticism and, truth be told, a hint of disdain. She wanted something from him. But, as the letter itself divulged, she wanted something from another man as well. The quest, which he had passing familiarity with, had room for a fourth.

What were the chances that fourth slot would be filled by yet another man?

Oz had never been the sharpest tool in the shed, but he could see the games for what they were. Siren had immediately struck him as the sort of woman who wanted as many hungry eyes no her as possible. Just as the faux cigarette breathed some surrogacy of dopaminergic fulfillment into Oz, so too did the attention of men do the same for Siren. There was a chance he was wrong, of course. But he'd seen it enough times before to doubt it.

For however annoying he found the prospect of a woman farming the attention of himself alongside other men in congruence, he had to admit that she was fun to look at. And the situation presented the unique opportunity to use someone else without them immediately knowing he was doing so. What if he fed her just enough attention to tickle that lizard brain of hers, while getting a free carry through the quest? It'd be one of the easier cons he'd pulled off as of late. There was no telling whether or not she was up to the task but, given Oz's lackluster stats and combat prowess, he had a feeling she'd be useful as long as though could swing a sword with passing conviction. She'd make an appealing, voluptuous meat shield, if nothing else. Surely more eye-catching to the eye for any would-be assailants than the viridescent vandal himself.

With a particularly dismissive exhale, he tapped on the reply button and composed a brief response.

Quote

To: Siren

aight

- oz

The tepid Earl-Gray miasma shuddered and roared through the air as he rose from his seat, subtle simulated vacuum forces displacing the cloud with surprising accuracy. He stepped through the plume and retrieved his hat from the nearby coat rack, before making his way into the bar proper. He regarded his patrons with a forced smile, as well as the following announcement.

"All y'all gotta git."

There was the typical bitching and moaning, but what did they expect? To actually get to sit and enjoy their shitty beer? Fucking amateurs.

- 

The second floor was still bustling with "new" Players even after all these years, but Angel wasn't hard to pick up from the crowd. Adorned in selectively revealing clothing and with a mane of cotton candy silk, there were few that commanded a presence in much the same manner. Oz offered an overexaggerated grin and wave as the pair locked eyes, the spectacle of enthusiasm aimed at assuaging any potential giveaways as to his real feelings on the impromptu meeting. All he needed to do was play the part of the fool for a meager hour or two, and the deed would be done.

"Didn't bring a keg," he started as he approached the succubus, regarding her crimson-clad male companion with a nod. "But it would appear you already have that covered. Luckily, I brought the booze." A panel would materialize before him with a chime, and a swiping motion would swivel it into the view of his interlocutors. A long, long list of varying liquors and beers would begin scrolling, the multicolored mosaic of hues refracting in their eyes. After a moment, a dismissive gesture would flick collapse the screen back into the oblivion from whence it came. "Not sure how we'll get it inside that thing, though."

The folding fan he'd had hidden in his sleeve made its appearance, prodding against the empty canister the red man carried with an all-too familiar twang. "Don't believe we've had the pleasure," he said as the fan unfolded, measured beats prompting the brim of his bucket hat to sway alongside a few straggling hairs. "You Oscar?"

Not that he actually gave a shit. But he figured idle chatter was better than all of them standing around ogling one another. That would've just been weird.

Spoiler

Oz | HP: 290/290 | EN: 46/46 | DMG: 4 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 4 | LD: 9 | HB: 11 | VampOff 2 | VampDef 2 | ParaVen 2 
Level: 14

---

Equipped.

• Loathsome Lullaby. [T1 Demonic Throwing Knives - ID: 226394]
  • Vampiric Offensive II | Paralytic Venom II
     
• Garment of Gluttony. [T1 Perfect Cloth Armor - ID: 230260]
  • Vampiric Defensive II | Holy Blessing II
     
• Laurel Earcuffs. [T1 Perfect Jewelry - ID: 220923]
  • LD III

 

Battle-Ready Inventory.

• (3) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222929, 222930, 222931
• (5) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222932, 222933, 222934, 222935, 222936
• (5) Crystal of the Blood Dragon Horde.
  • Tierless Mass Healing Crystals - Heals user and each member of Party for 10% of Max HP
  • IDs: 222937, 223187, 223187-1, 223187-2, 223185
• (4) Potion of Oh God Oh God Oh God.
  • Tierless Perfect HP Recovery Potions - Heals user for 15% of Max HP
  • IDs: Unknown - acquired here.
• (5) Potion of Oh God Oh God Oh God.
  • Tierless Perfect HP Recovery Potions - Heals user for 15% of Max HP
  • IDs: Unknown - acquired here.

---

Skills.

Spoiler

Standard:

• Searching [Rank 5]
  • +5 LD
  • +5 Stealth Detection
• Throwing Knives. [Rank 1]
  • +3 DMG when wielding Throwing Knives
• Combat Mastery: Evasion. [Rank 3]
  • +3 EVA
• Unhindered.
  • +1 ACC
  • +1 LD
  • +1 EVA
  • +10 HP

Extra:

• Leadership. [Rank 3]
  • Leadership Art: Elusive
    • EN Cost: 4 | CD: 2 turns
    • Increase EVA of all Players in party by 1 for a single turn.
  • Leadership Art: Rally
    • EN Cost: 6 | CD: 2 turns
    • Increase ACC of all Players in party by 1 for a single turn.
  • Leadership Art: Steadfast
    • EN Cost: 8 | CD: 3 turns
    • Status effects that would be applied to the party for the next two turns are instead applied to the user instead.

Guild Buffs.

Spoiler

• Lucrative.
  • Reduce LD needed for Salvage rolls by 5
  • +2 Alchemist crafting EXP per crafting attempt
  • +1 crafting attempt per day at Rank 9
  • +2 crafting attempts per day at Rank 10
• Col Deposit.
  • +5% bonus col from mob loot
  • +10% bonus col from treasure chests

Housing Buffs.

Spoiler

• Well Rested.
  • -1 EN for the first three expenditures of each combat
• Squeaky Clean.
  • First time suffering DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
• Hard Working (Alchemist).
  • +2 Alchemist crafting EXP per crafting attempt
  • +1 crafting attempt per day
• Filling.
  • Increase effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot
• Storage Closet.
  • +1 Battle-Ready Inventory slot
• Dining Hall.
  • Turn 3 identical food items into a Feast, containing 6 portions for party members to partake in
• Living Room.
  • Increases out of combat HP regen by 5xTier
  • Reduces full EN regen to 2 out of combat posts
• Skylight (Searching).
  • +1 Expertise to Searching
• Practiced Angler.
  • +2 Fishing EXP per fishing attempt
  • +1 LD and +1 CD to fishing attempts
• Advanced Training.
  • +10% EXP to a thread once per month
• Multipurpose.
  • +1 LD to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post per thread, applied retroactive to the roll

Consumable Buffs.

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited September 15 by Oz

[Siren 0]

Siren glanced over at Reese, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I’m sorry, darlin’. I was just so pumped about this group meet-up, I couldn’t help myself,” she said, her voice full of playful energy. “I got an early start and snagged some intel from the brokers.” Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, leaving behind her signature mark, a small imprint of bright red lipstick. “Do you forgive me, Reesey?” she added with a teasing smile, her hands curling around his arm as she gazed up at him expectantly.

Not long after Reese and Siren were reunited, Oz appeared. Spotting him immediately, Siren waved excitedly. “Hey, sugar! So glad you could make it!” she called out, throwing him a wink and blowing a playful kiss his way. She knew without context, Reese might start to feel a twinge of jealousy, so she quickly moved to introduce them. “Reesey, this is my friend Oz. He owns The Sour Rumor, that bar I’m always raving about.”

As she finished her introduction, a notification pinged, and Siren glanced down at her message inbox. She groaned, her palm meeting her forehead as she realized she’d completely botched the message she’d sent to Oscar. Really, Angel? Again? Quickly, she shot him another message, this time giving him a detailed description of herself and her outfit. It was probably overkill, but better to overdo it than leave anything unclear.

Scanning the area for Oscar, her eyes landed on a towering figure. Found him. He was so tall that if he were green, he could easily be mistaken for a tree. Siren strode over confidently, Reese and Oz trailing behind. “Hi, sugar! You wouldn’t happen to be Oscar, would you?” she asked with a playful grin. “I’m Siren. Heard a lot about you, all good things, I promise.” She threw in a wink for good measure.

“Shall we get started on this quest so we can party afterward?” Siren glanced around, spotting Choshi rapidly approaching them. “Right on time,” she said with a satisfied smile, ready for the adventure ahead.

* * *
 

Spoiler

 

[Oscar 0]

At his core, Oscar wasn’t a man that liked to be kept waiting. There was always so much to do and so few hours to do it in. So much so, that Oscar had settled into a routine that ensured that he managed to get it all done. His mornings had always started the same, bled into his midday in the same manner, and finally ended as they always did. Everything was meticulously scheduled and planned down to the minute. Though one wouldn’t peg him for such a conscientious person at first glance. He was not wont to take much of anything seriously. Fortunately, this fell firmly within his free time. Usually, this was used on necessary grinds or getting some sweet new skill unlock. Even so, he had scant few hours for this.

And as the group approached, he realized he budgeted less than he would have probably needed. No one had informed him that he would be babysitting the noobs.

Certain people had a way of standing out in a crowd. Perhaps it was the way they carried themselves or their manner of dress. But there were Players and then there were those a cut above the rest. Or, at least, the potential to surpass their peers. And so as the trio of rag-tag, obnoxiously-dressed individuals made their approach, Oscar almost had their measure immediately. His ears were assailed by the soft chime of a message arriving in his inbox. He almost left it alone, but that flashing red icon in the periphery of his vision would do nothing but ruin his entire day if left alone. So open it he did. And as he read through its contents, his eyes flicked between the message and the pink-haired well-endowed woman at the fore of the trio.

Her familiar tone and manner of speech threw him. Her voice was like velvet, dulcet and soft and filled with that stereotypical Southern flair. Overtly flirtatious, almost like a caricature. The woman even signed off on it all with a wink. It was a rarity that Oscar found himself disarmed. Sizing her up, he realized that most would be enchanted with her physical appearance. She was certainly… *something.* Oscar blinked slowly, attempt to shake himself free of the surprise of her sudden approach. 

Is this girl for real?

Incredulity surged through his brain, threatening a short-circuit. His eyes moved from her, to the man in the odd hat, and finally to the magnificent specimen hauling a pair of kegs. They were inexperienced. It was evident from the approach. It was a dangerous thing to so easily sidle up to a Player you’d never met. On some level, all the Frontliners knew that to be true. Trust the wrong person and you wouldn’t make it through to the next sunrise. 

Even so, it was refreshing. Naive, but refreshing. Brusque as he was, Oscar couldn’t help but to allow some of Siren’s saccharine kindness bleed through. He returned her gesture, smiling widely at the group. Despite his sour demeanor, he was truly glad to meet new people. Even if those new people were referred to him by some mysterious stranger. It was probably Macradon, he decided. Or maybe Freyd. Those two were one of the few that would actually give him a vouch due to his moonlight activities.

“Guilty as charged,” Oscar said. “A pleasure. Who are your friends?”

It was at the mention of a Quest that Oscar noticed Choshi’s approach. Oscar was immediately transported back, his thoughts drawn immediately to his first quest on Floor Two. He looked over Choshi’s head, his eyes settling upon a nondescript corner of roof off in the distance. For a moment, there was a flash of emotion on his face. In a fraction of a second, his smile wavered. His eyes, once bright, narrowed. There was hurt there, hate. Those shingles invoked two memories, both in opposition to one another. Memories of a friend made and a friend lost. Oscar had not realized that Floor Two held such significance.

But this was where it all started. He wondered if the forest still burned in his wake. A funeral pyre for the first of many.

Oscar regained his composure as quickly as he lost it. His eyes regained their luster. If nothing else, he decided, this would be a good opportunity to visit Jason’s grave. Somehow, he figured that the System would have repaired the damage he did back then. Couldn’t have a scar of black fire blighting the landscape and all that. Knowing what Oscar did about this quest, however, the group was in luck. This Quest would be over and done with extremely quickly.

“Ah,” Oscar said. “Let There Be Light. Super simple quest. You guys called the right guy.” As he spoke, Choshi gripped the hem of his shirt. The NPC was apoplectic, half-screaming about her missing child. Or little sister. Or pet. Oscar didn’t listen to NPCs anymore. What threw him, however, was that she was acting as if he hadn’t completed the Quest. Oscar thought that she should be staining someone else’s shirt with her tears. Calmly, he grasped her by the shoulders and turned her round. Like one of those wind up cars in a McDonald’s Happy Meal, no sooner had he pointed her in the direction of the blonde with the funny hat and released her, she rushed across the small distance between them and sought comfort in his clothing rather than Oscar’s.

“Anyway. Quest involves going in a dark cave and finding a kid or a puppy. I forget,” Oscar said as he waved his hand dismissively.  “There’s some bats you gotta fight. I’ve already fought them before and the only place they spawn is in the cave,” His dark eyes flickered with a gold light as Oscar toggled his Tracking Mod on and off while returning Siren’s wink. “You could say I’ve got special eyes. I can get us right to that cave and we can knock this out before lunch. That sound good to you guys?”

Edited September 30 by Oscar

[Escudo de Protection 0]

Listening to his beloved, his view was filled with a beautiful woman. Her pink hair flowed close to his visage filling it with her precious pink orbs. A smile crossed his features as he listened to her sparkle about new companions. It was a world that they needed to adjust and adhere to since they were dependent on themselves and others. Despite the dangers of others, they had to use their own judgement to figure out whether or not a person would be viable to be trusted. When she left his view, he noticed a man with a peculiar hat and clogs. His red hair gentleman stared upon the man named Oz. A mysterious natured man talking about booze. With that, Reese had gotten his own keg out of his inventory and held it in his arms as they mentioned about alcohol. It hefted over his shoulder, and he would let it lay as he introduced himself to him. "Hola amigo. I'm Reese." He spoke to Oz. Kiss placed on her cheek when he didn't answer about whether or not he forgave her. That would be a suitable answer.

"I'll have to visit your bar and enjoy a few drinks when we get done with this. I'm sure Siren here will enjoy them. Right, amor?" He smiled with a grin to him. Liquor and Reese went well together as he liked his mixed drinks or straight shots. 

Another man came into view. A much more intimidating aura erupted from this man's soul. A perk of the brow and he knew that this man was similar in nature to the man he had previously met in the past. They all had an aura, as far as he could tell. When he was introduced, Reese simply bowed his head to him. "Reese. Tank in the making. Still low level though." He would admit. It pained him to state this, but it was truth. It needed to be aired out that he was still learning. 

Hand rested on top of the keg as he set it down, listening to the man explain his ability for the quest. It was wise to listen and pay attention about the details of the quest as well despite it being vague. The would be fighting involved and he wouldn't flinch at the idea. He welcomed the violence as a man who would be the future of taking damage. He'd have to learn from the best to be the best. 

I wonder if I'm ready for this, he thought to himself. His eyes rested upon Angel again. He wondered how she managed to gather these two, especially Oscar, to forge a quest with them. Then again, would he question it? It was Angel, after all. "Seems simple enough. Bats and helping a kid." He spoke aloud as he took a seat on the keg awaiting further instructions. He would have to see what the other man was able to do and offer as abilities. Visage looked at Angel and spoke to her. "I assume since you spoke to the info broker, you know where the quest starts, si?" Since this was an unplanned outing, he would be slightly lost in regards to what to do. 

[Oz 0]

A gaggle of dudes to encircle the valencia-haired vixen. Shocker. Though, it did appear that one were more forward with his affections. What's more, they seemed to be reciprocated, too.

So the red-haired guy wasn't Oscar, the giant was. And who was the red-haired one? Reese? He had a heavy accent. Oscar had a heavy constitution. Angel had heavy fun bags. Heavy, heavy, heavy. Oz liked to keep things light, which was why he'd opted for a secondary career as bartender. 

He regarded the others with a nod, but it seemed they were more than content to discuss amongst themselves. It was no issue for Oz, who, in some instances, much preferred to be all but forgotten about and left to his own devices. There was a bizarre freedom that accompanied being able to hide in plain site. For instance, when had they party found a collection of colorful cocktails enter their mitts? A raspberry martini for Reese, a Cosmo for Angel, and an X Buster for Oscar. Did Oscar even like Megaman? Who cared? It was a blue drink that matched the rest of the color-coding. For himself, Oz opted for a Sour Midori to round out the spectrum.

As the group grew acquainted, an NPC entered their midst, interrupting the familiarization ritual with the melodramatic theatrics of what Oz could only imagine was Les Misérables' socially-challenged cousin. Whichever developer had scripted this one had surely gone no further than high school theatre with regards to stagecraft. Oscar, seemingly similarly unimpressed with the NPC's shrieking, literally turned the faux woman like redirecting a toy car which had been cast his way. Not unlike the toy car, her locomotion did not cease until she arrived at Oz and clutched at his clothes. The viridescent vandal grimaced.

While Oz found her behavior unsettling, what disturbed him more was the dead look in her eye which betrayed the desperation in her body language. Had he not known her to be purely composed of code with a convincing skin-job, he may have felt pity. For a moment, it almost seemed as though there was a glimmer of awareness present in those orbs, a plea to be set free from the endless loop of experiencing the kidnapping of her child, which she had endlessly endured since the game's launch some years prior. 

But that couldn't be the case. Oz's psyche wouldn't allow for it.

Instead, he decided that, if her eyes and overall expression would not match her tone and demeanor, he'd find a way to make it match. She did not blink, nor deviate from her talk track, nor so much as acknowledge when Oz recovered the black marker from his jacket pocket. There was no recognition from her, at least not expressed, when the cap was removed and the marker drew closer to the supple skin covering the heap of code which made up her visage. Further still, no sudden realization or response to the stimulus came once the marker started being dragged across her face. 

Carefully drawn lines intermixed with more flippant swishes slowly assembled a mosaic of black scores across countenance. Handsome, yet rugged and inquisitive, enlarged eyebrows. A thin, curly mustache which brought the term "bingle" to mind. Adorable, filled in Pikachu shock sacks adorned the cheeks. The ridges of her ears were also strange, Oz decided, and so he marked them, too, in an effort to hide them between the dark strands of hair which cradled them. This attempt at camouflage, while noble, was unfortunately unsuccessful. Now they were even harder to ignore. A mustache seemed silly as the only form of facial hair, and so Oz framed out the shape of her face with mutton chops which extended from her sideburns and clutched her jawline to the extremities of the chin. Finally, a small dollop of ink punctuated the masterpiece, serving as the soul patch between her lip that tied the whole ensemble together.

When it was all said and done, she looked like Jigsaw without a mask. It was glorious, truly a marvel to behold. It nearly brought a tear to Oz's eye. Never before had he managed to bestow such beauty upon another human being. He'd been so enraptured by the process that he'd neglected his Sour Midori, which he now sipped at feverishly while admiring his work. And then, the woman turned to leave them, seemingly having concluded her pleading. Was she just walking home after that? With the typical NPC gate in her step? The Jigsaw face paint pushed the already weird into the realm of absurd, and Oz was forced to stifle a laugh before looking to his newfound companions.

"Right, yes. Questing. Quests. Yes." He hadn't been paying any attention whatsoever. Though, he rarely did - typically he just tagged along and let whoever was unfortunate enough to find themselves graced by his presence do all of the work. He'd receive the rewards all the same. "I knew a cave once, too. Though, probably a different one. Lead the way, strangers."

[Siren 0]

Siren's smile softened as Escudo's warm kiss brushed her cheek. He hadn't said anything explicitly, but she could feel his forgiveness in that simple, affectionate gesture. She knew he couldn’t stay upset with her for long; their bond was too deep. Just as she savored that moment, Oz, ever the attentive bartender, slipped a cocktail into her hand without her noticing right away. "Oooh, thank you, sugar," she cooed, taking a sip of the Cosmo. "Mmm, delicious. I’ll have to bring Reese by the Sour Rumor sometime, he'd love it there."

As Oscar filled them in on the details of their quest, Siren listened closely, arching an eyebrow in interest. “I thought the info broker mentioned a kid, but hey, maybe it is a puppy. Who knows.” Siren shrugged.

She turned to Choshi, the distressed mother who had approached them, her gaze softening. “Ma’am, we’ll find your daughter. We’ll be back lickety-split, too.” Siren glanced over at her party, voice dropping to a muttered question, “Bless her heart, I’d be stricken with worry if it were my child. But also, why on earth would you leave your kid alone at all?”

Oscar’s confidence in completing this quest was reassuring, and his easy grin lifted her spirits. “I’m good with that!” she chimed, smiling at him as the group began to head out. "So point us in the right direction, sugar, and lead the way." 

Siren started to wonder what might unfold next. She knew Oscar’s strength far surpassed hers, Oz's, and Reese’s combined, yet his true power remained a mystery. What could he actually do? She’d never seen him in action, only heard tales, and that piqued her interest.

Edited November 9 by Siren