[PP-PT-F2] Backtracking

[Morningstar 0]

Seated in the lobby of the Trackers Alliance HQ, next to a freshly potted fig tree, was Morningstar. He sketched in his journal secretively, holding the cover high to block out the page. He didn't share what he wrote or drew. It was one of the few things he kept to himself. Willow probably knew, although he had never told her. She was sneaky, and unsettlingly good at stealing things. Odds were that she had pulled it out from his grip whilst he was asleep or something like that.

He peered up at the clock on the wall across from him. Midday. Urbus was nice in the afternoons, he thought. According to his calendar, he was on time for his annual check in with a family he had helped long ago. He recalled the girl he had originally taken the quest with. Time had eaten away at the details; they were fuzzy now. Violet hair stood out to him, however. He wondered if she was still out there, fighting. What was her name?

His thoughts were interrupted by his party member's arrival. "Ready to go?"

| MORNINGSTAR  | Lv. 68 >> P. 35, Lv. 33  | Status: [ assisting scarlet firefly; stats reduced to tier 1 ]  Notes:  +5% exp to all participants

Hide contents Morningstar | HP: 820/820 | EN: 103/103 | DMG: 13 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 45 | LD: 6 | REC: 2 | FLN: 4 | AA | PARA-V equipped Dying Sun FLN II, AA, PAR VEN Inner Focus EVA II, REC II Sapphire ACC III, EVA I battle-ready inventory Magdalyn's Cuckoo skills   Hide contents mod count: 4/5 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 precision, stamina, ferocity shift: aoe MARTIAL ARTS | RANK 5/5 precision COMBAT MASTERY: DMG | RANK 3/3 SEARCHING | RANK 4/5 (5) night vision, detect, tracking, reveal BATTLE HEALING | RANK 5/5 UNHINDERED ENERGIST CHARGE extra (active) SURVIVAL FORGOTTEN KING'S AUTHORITY LADY LUCK DISGUISE data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs   Hide contents statue # | # consumables elven armor salve | +1 hate to attacks # paragon Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread. Lv. 10 | +1 LD to looting. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== sword arts   Hide contents en cost matches multiplier unless stated otherwise. shift underlined. ST | x12 -> x15 | x20 AOE | x15 -> x18 TECH-A | x12 | STUN | 13EN TECH-B | x12 | DELAY TECH-D | x12 | SHATTER TECH-F | x8 | AOE STUN TECH-G | x12 | BURN data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== misc/housing buffs   Hide contents Dimensional Backpack | +2 Battle-Ready Inventory Slots. Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). Filling | 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. Tasty | Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. A Lesser Feast contains 4 portions of the food items sacrificed. Lesser Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread. Relaxed | Increases out-of-combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill.  fishing # data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==   data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

Firefly would arrive at the guild hall five minutes early to the agreed meeting time Morningstar had given her. It wasn’t apparent but she could tell that he was a much more experienced and high level player than her. The first clue being his gear, very obvious. The second regarded running a guild, she imagined that even if he wasn’t experienced by the game’s technicality of levels, he definitely had good experience with people and communication. As she approached, her footsteps not really making her the stealthiest of the guild members, she noticed him scribbling away in a notebook.

He would put it away to greet her. “O-Oh, yes.” She would nervously chuckle. “I have all my gear ready. I looked at the information on the quest we’re doing and noticed that it involved combat. I haven’t gotten into a fight yet so I apologize if my performance is lackluster.”

Firefly would wait for Morningstar to take the lead. He knew what he was doing and she could barely read the roman alphabet. In a moment of quiet she would ponder what he was writing down in his book, her curiosity would win. “Do you enjoy writing? I do it a lot myself these days.”

Spoiler

Name: Scarlet Firefly, The Blinded Light True Tier: 1

Level: 1

Paragon Level: 0

HP: 20/20

EN: 20/20

 

Stats:

Damage: 7

Mitigation: 6

Accuracy: 3

Evasion: 2

 

Equipped Gear:

Weapon/Armor/Trinket:

- Butterfly Cross-Blade - T1 Str. Sword | DMG III

Armor/Trinket:

- Emerald Cape - Tier 1 Light Armor Perfect | EVA II; MIT

Shield/Armor/Trinket:

- basalt - T1 Trinket Perfect | ACC III

 

Combat Mastery:

-

 

Combat Shift:

-

 

Familiar Skill:

-

 

Custom Skill:

-

 

Skills:

- Straight Sword R1

 

Extra Skills:

 

Inactive Extra Skills:

 

Addons:

 

Mods:

 

Inactive Mods:

 

Battle Ready Inventory:

- Firefly Witch Light - Tier-Less Perfect Trinket | LD III x1

 

Housing Buffs:

 

Guild Hall Buffs:

 

Scents of the Wild Totem:

 

Wedding Ring:

 

Crafting Profession:

 

Gathering Profession:

Scarlet Firefly | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 7 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2

Edited October 7 by Scarlet Firefly

[Morningstar 0]

He took a quick glance up and down her gear. It was acceptable; she really didn't need much for the quest he was taking her on. Last time he had done the quest... he couldn't have been much higher than tier two, and he was pretty sure he had one hit both bats. Together, they would be fine.

"No problem," Star assured her. "I'm excited to see how you do. First time in combat can be nerve racking, but I'll be close by, so don't worry too much."

His eyes drifted from her to his journal, which he assumed her comment was referring to. "I... enjoy getting my thoughts down. I don't know if I'd call myself a writer. But I definitely write words," he shrugged. On the way out of the hall, he asked, "what do you write?"

The doors opened up to the afternoon Taft streets. It wasn't quite booming, like the Town of Beginnings was, but there were a number of players and NPCs out and about. He preferred the quieter feeling of Taft, although he missed a few of his favorite spots in ToB. He didn't have the time to visit anymore.

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

A sigh of relief escapes the young girl. Knowing that someone would be watching over and guiding her through her first combat experience was a huge weight off her shoulders. Reading books about swordplay and fighting styles once before she’d even entered Sword Art Online would not be enough to prepare her. “I put you in my care then. I’ll do my best not to worry you.” She says with a warm smile.

Morningstar would explain his small hobby of writing at her question. Only doing it to document his thoughts. It was an interesting thought considering she did practically the same thing but perhaps for a more conventional reason. “Oh, I wouldn’t really say I’m a writer either. The roman alphabet is just so difficult for me that writing it down helps.” She says casually, as if Morningstar really even knew she was blind. Statements like these, about her blindness, was so commonplace that she nearly forgot that she isn’t blind in Aincrad.

[Morningstar 0]

He blinked. "Yeah. Hard for me too. Don't feel too bad about it." He held up his journal. It was bound in brown leather, with symbolic markings covering the front. "I've been keeping journals like this since the beginning. Got tons of them at home. This one was a gift. I had a brief stint in a nomadic group on Floor Fifteen—a story for another day, I suppose."

They winded around Taft's side streets, passing by citizens and other players, as well as a lovely little coffee shop that Star had never seen before. He wondered if it was knew, or if he was simply less observant than he thought.

"Have you explored much of the city? It's my favorite so far, I think. There's a bit of an ant problem, but the food is great and I find the people friendly." He didn't mention his poor relationship with a specific Taft stable owner.

They turned into a main street and the teleporter became visible in the distance. He made it a habit to check in on Choshi and Koko once, sometimes twice a year. The kid wandered off frequently, always lost in the same bat-ridden cave outside Urbus. It was a quick and easy quest, and always ended happily. Star stayed for a meal when he could. They were a nice little family.

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

Firefly would inspect the journal being incapable of knowing what the symbolism could mean. If there was one way to get her interested in something it was to show her a thing she’s never seen before, not a hard thing to accomplish. “I look forward to hearing about your stories then, when the time presents itself. You seem like a person who has experienced and seen many things that others haven’t. I… envy that.” Firefly will admit. “I want to see the beauties and glooms of what this world has to offer. Misty mountain tops; abundant, verdant groves; damp, dark caves; blizzard-bound frozen lakes. That sort of stuff.” Many might overlook things such as these as a given in nature, or even annoying, but it was a passion that she would die on.

Mentioning the quaint town, Firefly would offer a nervous smile. “Unfortunately, I have yet to spend much outside of the Town of Beginnings. I never meant to actually play the game from the beginning so I was sort of waiting for others to get us all out.” Firefly will take a cursory glance around them and the people they were passing by. Shops, workers and consumers. People living their lives as one might expect. The colours seemed slightly darker than the starting town of Aincrad, making it feel much more relaxing and less busy in comparison. “I feel like I could take a really satisfying nap in the grass.” Was Firefly’s main description. “Lay in the shade and relax, maybe at night actually and look up to the sky - Even if it’s not real.”

[Morningstar 0]

Firefly had a way with words. She described things that, presumably, she had never seen with such beauty. He couldn't have done it better himself. "You know, I think we'll get along pretty well," Star smiled. If nothing else, they shared the desire to see what was out there.

Like so many others, she was a Town of Beginnings veteran. Choosing to stay behind the safety of the walls was a perfectly valid decision to make, he thought. He didn't blame anyone who took the route of less risk; although, he knew that many had differing views on the matter. Star believed in the freedom to choose, even if it didn't support the greater good.

Star climbed aboard the teleporter, ready to return to another town he cherished greatly. "We're heading to Urbus, by the way. Floor Two."

And then, he was gone. He had grown so accustomed to beaming between floors that he had begun to take it for granted. He was not looking forward to the resurgences of planes when he returned home. Suddenly, he was in a different place entirely, his body relocated in an instant. Urbus was similar to Taft in many ways, but its colour scheme varied quite a bit and the environment that surrounded it was far more mountainous. He waited to the side for Firefly to arrive.

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

Clearly her words resonated with Morningstar. Words were a majority of her life so seeing people understand them meant a lot to her. People never had to be interested in her mundane desire to simply see the world but he truly seemed to care when she spoke about it. She would nod in approval to his comment and follow him up to the teleportation terminal.

Urbus was their next location, another location she hasn’t been to yet. Her excitement was reaching maximum level. Morningstar would go first making sure that she knew where they would be heading before he was whisked away. Firefly would only be several seconds behind him. The swirling, cacophonous color swarm that assaulted her senses was still too difficult to get used to. It was going to take some time before she could do this without feeling as though she’d just been flash-banged. Before she knew it, she in front of Morningstar again in a new location. “Ugh…” The girl would groan while she collected herself.

Once she didn’t feel as though she would regorge her lunch, she would give Morningstar a light smile. “H-Here we are.” Firefly would take a look around. Another rather large city surrounded by a forest air but also different? The air felt slightly thinner which made her think they were much more elevated than they were in Taft. The mountainous range that contrasted the light-blue sky encouraged her assumption. “A perfect place for a walk when your head feels heavy, or perhaps when your mood is low.” She’ll idly comment to him her initial impressions of the city. “So, where to Mr. Fearless Leader?”

[Morningstar 0]

He took a moment to orient himself. Choshi lived...

"That way," Star pointed. She and her daughter had a small house on the outskirts of the city. They were a humble little family, without much in terms of wealth; but, what they didn't have in money, they paid forth in kindness, and that was worth a whole lot more to Morningstar.

He recalled that on his first time, Choshi had approached him immediately after he'd stepped off the teleporter. Afterwards, he had to make the trip by foot. Sometimes, he would turn up and Koko would be safe and sound in her home. Those were his favorite visits. More commonly, he would take the short journey down to the bat cave and fend off some mobs for her while they escaped.

Star acted as a tour guide, pointing out notable places in Urbus. "Freyd Aspirations is over there, owned by... well, Freyd. And over there, you'll find this bar called The Rusty Dagger. I'd probably steer clear, but if you do find yourself around there, and you talk to any info brokers, make sure you're checking sources. They're a shady bunch, I find."

They arrived at Choshi's house to find her outside, in a state of panic. She recognized Star on sight and rushed towards the pair. "Pl-please," she begged. "It's Koko—I told her not to go, but she didn't listen!"

"The cave again?"

Choshi nodded, choking on tears and anxious thoughts. He had seen her like this a trillion times. The system was cruel that way. "This is Firefly. She's my partner for today. We're going to find Koko, okay?"

---

1/3 talk to choshi posts

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

The two would make their way through Urbus without much guff thanks to Star’s wonderful navigation. He would offer her some notable landmarks that she would put into her notebook with a small note to each one explaining what they could be used for. It was about then that she’d noticed that her first notebook was beginning to fill up so much that it was soon time to get a new one. “Looks like Firefly’s Adventures is going to need a volume two soon.” She would jest.

Once she’d made her notes, the book would disappear back into her inventory. Prefect timing as they would soon be approaching Choshi, the mother of the child who went missing. The exacerbated fear the woman presented to the duo was almost nostalgic to a girl who would easily lose her way from friends and family. Firefly would offer a soft smile to Choshi. “Please keep calm ma’am. Me and Morningstar will find Koko and bring her back safely to you.” The ex-blind woman would offer, trying to help calm the mother down. Her abilities were nothing to be remarked about but Star’s skills had him fighting the strongest enemies in the game. She could rely on him to keep her and the kid alive without trouble.

[Morningstar 0]

Star smiled. Firefly was a natural.

"R-really? Thank you! Thank you so much, you have no idea how grateful I am," Choshi smiled widely. "Your e-efforts won't go to waste, I swear! I'll have something for you when you get back, I-I promise!"

"We won't be long. Wait here," Star told her, hoping to bring the scared mother a bit of relief. Then, he glanced at his partner. "Let's go. No time to waste."

 

It was no wonder Koko got lost. The cave was pitch black (countered only by Morningstar's night vision). He had never done the quest without it and held some concern towards Firefly. How was she faring in the dark? "Stick close. The bats like surprise attacks. If you hear Koko, poke me or something."

The last time he had saved the girl, she had hidden behind a large boulder. Where was she this time? Unfortunately for them, the cave was full of hiding spots--both suitable for children and for mobs.

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

“Let's go. No time to waste.” Firefly would nod and follow his lead. She had assumed he knew the way to the cave since he seemed to know the details of this family. Koko seemed to get caught up in antics like this more times than not.

The inside of the cave was a familiar situation to her, they hadn’t even gotten inside before she’d pick up a lengthy stick to use so she didn’t bump into a wall. All she could see was her feet through the darkness, even Star was just a blob of familiarness in darkness.

Even with her vision restored, Firefly had keen listening skill. “Here!” A whisper through the darkness would barely be heard by Star before the second set of steps burst away in speed. The flapping of large unfamiliar wings had caught her attention, and just as she’d arrived at the source a young feminine screech echoed against the stone walls.

The Butterfly Cross-Blade glowed faintly as the petite swordswoman drew it from its scabbard. The blade reached out to the sound and she was surprised to feel it connect with nothing but a clang against the wall. The sound had shifted just in time to dodge her attack. “She’s close!” She’ll yell to Star, hopefully enough for Koko to hear and make her way towards the two.

---

Scarlet Firefly | HP: 20/20 | EN: 19/20 | DMG: 7 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
Morningstar | 

Giant Bat | 75/75 | DMG: 35
-1 ACC due to low light

id:235828 - BD: 3+3 -1 = 5 Miss!

Edited October 15 by Scarlet Firefly

[Morningstar 0]

The bat swooped at them, catching nothing but air on the way down. Morningstar stood in Firefly's path, and as their foe tried for another attack, he sliced through its frail body. His guard stayed up; he recalled that the cave housed two bats. His partner had clearly heard Koko, but Star couldn't make out where the girl was. "Which way?" He asked, peering in the dark through a green filter.

Allowing her to take the lead, Morningstar kept his eyes on the ceiling. He scanned the area for the next giant bat, but saw nothing but rock. "If you can get to Koko, I'll keep watch," he told Firefly.

The kid's whimpers echoed through the cavern. She was scared, as always. The system was cruel for repeatedly pulling her there, trapping her in the dark, forcing players to come by and save her. Even an NPC deserved a better existence.

Spoiler

Scarlet Firefly | HP: 20/20 | EN: 19/20 | DMG: 7 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
Morningstar | HP: 820/820 | EN: 103/103 | DMG: 13 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 45 | LD: 6 | REC: 2 | FLN: 4 | AA | PARA-V

Giant Bat | 0/75 | DMG: 35

id:235905 - BD: 3+6=9
DMG: 13*15=195

 

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

Samantha quickly moved behind Morningstar when she realized her attacked missed and the bat would soon retaliate. She wasn't exactly sure the danger that was in front of her but it was clear by how quickly her partner moved to aid her that she should be worried about it. "She's not too much farther in." Firefly could tell from just the sounds.

Although, maybe her ears weren't as well trained as she expected or she was beginning to adapt to her eyesight. She had expected the child Koko to be only a couple hundred feet away at most. "P-Perhaps I was mistaken." The girl would admit. "This is the right direction though so let's hurry along before the poor thing gets seriously hurt. I can't imagine the regret I would feel to that mother if I failed her on this." Her lack of knowledge with the system and NPCs was out the door in this situation. All she saw was a child in peril and a mother stressed for her daughter. This was as real as the heat in her breath and the feeling of her palms against cold stone leading her in the right direction.

---

ID#237014 LD: 2 Failure.

Edited October 28 by Scarlet Firefly

[Morningstar 0]

The second bat lingered in the back of Morningstar's mind. He had completed the quest enough times to know when it would appear. They would find Koko and as soon as they tried to escape the cave, it would swoop in and strike. He needed to keep one eye on the kid and another on Scarlet Firefly.

His partner admitted to her mistake; however, Morningstar wasn't sure she was wrong in the first place. He peeked around rocks and inside child-sized crevices until eventually, a little girl's gaze met his. Star whispered to her reassuringly and scooped Koko up from her hiding spot. "Found her," he told Samantha.

"We should get going. Watch your step. Another bat's on its way."

In one hand, he lifted the girl, holding her protectively. In the other was his sword, primed and ready to slay their final foe. Star led the way back to the cave's entrance.

---

POST ACTION | Searching

ID238608 LD: 13+6=19 | -> Koko found.

[Scarlet Firefly 0]

Seeing that she was only slightly wrong was a little nerve wracking. If it hadn’t been for Morningstar she could have easily just left the child behind. She would nod to Morningstar in the dark before realizing they were in the dark(not because of her blindness which she was all too used to) and quickly say “Right. I’ll watch your back.”

The sounds were a cacophony of footsteps, beating wings and a sobbing child. All of that until they reached the end of the cave that they’d entered. Where the bat mentioned by Star had been waiting for their appearance. It lashed out from the darkness quickly after lying low on the ceiling, directly at Koko. Instincts kicked in for the girl.

Before she’d even realized it, she was blocking an attack with the flat end of her blade. The wings beat in her ears, her heart pounded ferociously in her chest and a child cried in fear. Turquoise light filled the cave momentarily. The blade redirected the attack with one swift movement and, almost like her body was taken over by a ghost, it pivoted upward and tore a huge chunk of digital flesh from the bat’s big body. A flapping red mark was the only discernible thing in the cave besides the exit. “Switch me! I’ll get Koko out!” Firefly would grab the crying girl by her hand gently. “Hurry, let’s go.” She would say sweetly before lifting the kid into a piggy back ride and running for the exit.

---

Scarlet Firefly | HP: 20/20 | EN: 19/20 | DMG: 7 | MIT:6 | ACC:3 | EVA:2
Morningstar | HP: 820/820 | EN: 103/103 | DMG: 13 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 5 | BH: 45 | LD: 6 | REC: 2 | FLN: 4 | AA | PARA-V

Giant Bat | 47/75 | DMG: 35

Edited Monday at 05:33 AM by Scarlet Firefly