[PP-F1] Starting Fresh (Yon Aurinko)(Complete)

[CobaltsDream 0]

Beatha wasn’t sure what to think of the game anymore now that she had found about what the creator had in mind. She didn’t want to end up dying in the game; things were more important things than a game like this. It had been a few days after everything had started. She was struggling a bit since she still didn’t get how everything worked. She didn’t want to work with anybody in beating the game… she could do it herself… Maybe.

Starting City was something else. It reminded her of her original home. She felt comfortable in the city. Everything seems to be going well for her so far. She had a two handed sword which was better than a one handed in her opinion. Beatha didn’t bother to socialize but decided to sit down on a nearby bench, taking a short rest during the middle of the day.

[Garou 0]

Garou was strolling through the Starting City at a confident, slightly aggressive pace. He was clothed in a Victorian suit with an old-fashioned frilly bow-tie to complete the look, while a long-brimmed black hat sat atop his purple hair. His stride was not weighed down by the bulky reinforced-silver chains that bound his body, linked to the pair of fancy white gloves he was wearing. His green eyes scoped a road he was entering and a part of his heart almost flipped.

He spotted CobaltsDream, a girl he recognized from his high-school back in the real world. He had never spoken to her or noticed her much, and all he remembered was that she was a foreign-exchange student a grade below him. The sight of her almost caused him to vomit his virtual breakfast as the memories of his real life thrashed at his conscience. All this time Garou was having fun meeting new people while others died trying to escape Sword Art Online's grasp. There was no doubt his parents were worried sick about him as well.

Hoping she didn't notice him, he tilted his large hat downwards and faced the brick road, trying to conceal his face as he walked past her. Maybe if she doesn't see me, the pain will subside...

[CobaltsDream 0]

Beatha heard several people pass before she finally decided to look up in front of her. Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted someone familiar from her school outside of the game. She couldn’t quite grasp him name… but he did look familiar. Mainly because she’s too antisocial to talk to anybody. She always kept to herself when it came to school. She doesn’t know anybody else in this game so why not start up a conversation with him?

“Hey you!†She called out and leaned forward to where her elbows were rested on her knees. “With the hat.†She snorted as she sat back again, crossing her arms over her chest. “Come here.â€

[Garou 0]

Garou looked over nervously. "M-me?" He was afraid that she recognized him. The boy lurked over to Beatha cautiously. Please, God if you exist, help me...

[CobaltsDream 0]

“Yes you.†She sighed and looked up at him, rubbing her eyes in slight annoyance. “Don’t you go to my school? Outside of this game?†She raised her brow, hoping she got the right person. If this isn't the person then she would have just made a fool out of herself.

[Garou 0]

No, I don't. Stop bothering me, was what he wanted to say. But he knew he wasn't the type to shun people in need. "Yes, I am." he answered with a skittish sigh. Garou looked down at the girl sadly, like he wanted to escape the situation. "Why do you ask?"

[CobaltsDream 0]

Good. She got it right. “Why don’t you sit down and talk to me?†She drawled out in her Scottish accent, motioning for him to take the spot beside her on the bench. “It’d be nice to know somebody. I don’t feel like talking to anyone else around here.â€

[Garou 0]

"...I suppose I could join you..." He paused to scan her health bar and name. "...CobaltsDream..." he added politely with a shy smile. Garou took a seat next to the girl and scratched his violet hair. His posture was fidgety and unstable, like ants were chewing at the inside of his boxers. A drop of sweat appeared on his head as he feigned a really big, awkward smile with a nervous giggle.

[Ren 0]

Ren was slowly passing through the city, minding his own business when sudenly he noticed individuals sharing a bench. "Get a room." he thought deep inside his mind before a smirk appeared upon his face as he recognized a familiar figure, Garou. Quickly, he cocked his head towards the other side, continuing on his walk without disturbing the two love birds.

[CobaltsDream 0]

“I’m glad… It’s nice to have company every once in a while.†Beatha’s voice was a bit softer than earlier. Her eyes wandered over at Ren who had passed by, raising her brow before simply shrugging it away. Now she felt a bit awkward on what to do. She never talked to him out of the game. What could she talk about? She reached up and ran her fingers through her jet black hair, kind of pulling at it. “So what made you want to play the game?â€

[Garou 0]

Garou crossed his legs as he peered up towards Aincrad's sun against the blue curtain of the Sword Art Online's atmosphere. It was hard to remember that above, truly blocking the game's sky were 99 more invisible floors. "Well, I was tired of the real world. I didn't have much friends, and school was boring me to death." The boy thought deeply about his feelings, the rush of fantasy once again setting over his heart. He was still happy to be trapped in SAO, to feel the adrenaline rush of death slapping your face and almost taking you away from the calm sanctuary of life.

"What about you?" Garou blurted in a reluctant tone, appearing so nervous that he probably never met a girl in his life. His chains rattled as the words rushed out oddly. Contrary to Ren's beliefs, Garou honestly didn't find CobaltsDream to be especially attractive, and didn't really care for women in general. Not that he was homosexual, he just found it to be a strange concept. The truth was that Garou was afraid that this Scottish exchange student would force his thoughts back home, to where life was awful.

[CobaltsDream 0]

Beatha listened in carefully to what he had been saying. It was a bit interesting, but not by much. She brushed her thin hair back behind her ear as she made eye contact with him. She wasn’t exactly sure what other reason she had for playing the game. She wanted to try it… since she wasn’t one for gaming. “Uh… I just wanted to try it I guess.†She sighed softly and leaned back against the hard back of the bench. It was uncomfortable. “I’m not one for games… and I didn’t expect this.†She frowned, looking up at the boy next to her. She felt a bit sad. She knew how bad her brother could get when it came down to her safety. “My brother is probably going nuts over this…â€

[Garou 0]

CobaltsDream's pang of reality cut into Garou like a knife. It was practically He rested a hand on her arm. "Hey, don't worry. I have some friends, and we're set to get out of this game." He noticed her cool blue eyes of sadness and averted his own guys, trying to escape his indirect guilt for not fully sharing her pain. He coughed lightly as he removed his hand. "I'm sorry... I can't help but notice but you're still level one after a whole month... Have you even left the city yet?"

[CobaltsDream 0]

She managed to smile at his words, flinching slightly at his touch but tried her best to hide. She wasn’t used to being touched by others. She didn't like it; especially since she didn't know him. “I want to get out of this game.†She sighed and listened to his question before shaking her head. “No. I haven’t.â€

[Garou 0]

Garou whistled as he stood up, shaking out his chained body as he turned to bow to CobaltsDream. "It would be my pleasure to escort you to the plains beyond the safety of the walls and help you train to survive, Lady CobaltsDream." The boy's words sounded dorky but sincere, ultimately one of the small glimmers of hope that were left in Aincrad's hellish game. He brought up his HUD menu and sent the girl a party invite with a smile, extending a welcoming hand for her to rise with.

[CobaltsDream 0]

Beatha chuckled softly under her breath when she watched him bow in front of her. She watched as the HUD menu was pulled up in front of him, which she soon accepted the request once it notified her. “Thanks… I appreciate it.†She reached out and took his hand as she used him to get up off the bench. “Actually… you can just call me Beatha.â€

[Garou 0]

Garou's mind stung with nostalgia, a similar feeling whenever he heard or said Keith's name. "Beatha..." he breathed, his ego contrived in the virtual world breaking ice. The polite smile on his face grew smaller but somehow more sincere. "In that case, you can refer to me as Yon. Only when others aren't around though..." he scratched the back of his head as an adult, smarmy-looking player passed by. The older man gave a tch noise as he moved, making Garou blush. "Er... let's get moving..." he broke contact with her hand and dusted it off carefully, even though his white gloves were almost perfectly clean.

Garou led the way to the Starting City's gate, and through there to the the fields of the First Floor. In the distance were boars roaming around with a distant forest slightly to the left in the reaches of the horizon. Garou popped his hat up to get a better view and placed his hands in his pocket. "You're still level one, so try to kill a boar for now."

[CobaltsDream 0]

“Sounds fair enough.†She muttered quietly as she eyed the older man who had walked pass. Her eyes narrowed at him briefly. It didn’t make her blush like it did to Garou. She let her hand drop down to her side once he had let go. A simple nod in reply is what she gave off as she followed him out towards the gate.

Eventually she started to space out as she walked about a foot behind him. Her mind began to think about her home... her real home that is. Before she could continue, the sound of his voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked out into the field and looked around at the boars. “Killing a boar?†She looked to him then out at the creatures that were minding their own business.

[Garou 0]

He nodded at her question, a sensation of bloodlust stringing through his virtual arteries because of all the talk about killing. He smiled at her. "Yes, we all must start somewhere. The wild boars are the weakest aggressive monsters there are in all of Aincrad."

Garou began to think about the girl's attitude, however. She seems tough, but maybe she's really sensitive on the inside. Maybe she's afraid to kill anything. This kind of is her first game, while the majority of us had already tasted simulated killing in other video games. Garou took off his hat and scratched his purple hair before resting the hat over his heart, still hungry for combat. "Don't worry, Beatha. They're not real like us, they're part of the game. Part of Aincrad, part of Sword Art Online... Part of Kayaba," he added with a slight grimace. "If you're mad at the man who put you here, now its time to use that anger and direct it towards him." Garou rested his hand on Beatha's shoulder and sweeped the other hand (holding his hat) out towards the boars in the fields.

[CobaltsDream 0]

Beatha nodded with a soft sigh as she kept her eyes out on the boar that had been roaming around in the field before them. She wasn’t used to killing anything in video games… she didn’t exactly have the confidence to kill anything either. She wanted to give it a shot though. “Sorry… I just… I’ve never did anything like this before.†She sighed, a bit disappointed in herself.

“I know they aren’t real…†Her bright blue eyes met Garou’s but soon fell to the grass below her feet. “That’s not what I’m worried about.†She reached up and ran a hand through her jet black hair. “I know how to fight with a sword but… I don’t…†Beatha felt stupid… She couldn’t put together what she was going to say, maybe she could if she thought it over.