[PP-F5] Confessions and Truths

[Zero 0]

Floor five's desert town Armadillo, like every night, was void of players at first glance. Most players the came here went to the walled up settlement or headed for what was basically SAO's version of a strip club. Zero sat outside an inn as he stared at the sky and thought about what was to come. He felt more out of place recently, though he wasn't sure why, and found himself letting the days pass by without him doing much towards his work as a frontliner.

He sighed as he stood up from the bench he had been sitting on and scratched his head as he walked to a tavern, which seemed to be all he did most days. He quietly opened the door and sat down at the bar, ordering himself a drink. He needed to calm down and think for a bit, and a drink was just what he needed to do that.

[Mari 1]

Mari didn't like the heat - especially the dry heat of a desert - however she knew there was a quest on this floor and she wanted to get a feel for it before attempting it. Running in blindly to a new area without first canvassing it was stupid. Mari had done a loop around the town of Armadillo, there didn't seem to be much around other than sand, sand and more sand. Mari had began to feel frustrated with it all - she hated being dirty and the wind just kept blowing sand all up in her hair, mouth eyes, shoes...you name it and it probably had sand in it. 

Mari, deciding that was enough looking around today; wanted  a drink. So where did she go? The local tavern of course! Mari wasn't planning on getting anything alcoholic - that was redundant in a place like this. She just wanted something cold, refreshing. When she entered the door slammed open with a loud BANG! 

Oops...

The wind had picked up, nearly throwing the door off its hinges, a few of the patrons nearby glanced up at her but Mari just glared back. "You couldn't afford me, sweethearts." She hissed at them as she headed to the table furthest away from everything - in a nice, cool, dark booth in the corner. A waitress came up to her and she just ordered an iced tea. 

 

[Zero 0]

The glass was placed in front of him, its gold colored content inviting him. Zero picked up the glass and pressed it against his lips only to be interrupted by the door of the tavern being slammed. He glanced to see who had arrived in such an attention catching manner and felt his eyes widen when he realized he knew the person who had walked in. "Mari..." He muttered to himself as his eyes followed her to her seat, she seemed uncomfortable and somewhat irritated, floor five wasn't for everyone after all.

He stood up, glass in his hand, and walked over to her. He sat down, drinking from the glass, and slightly smiled at Mari as he placed the drink down on the table. "Been a while Mari."

[Mari 1]

Mari twirled her iced tea with the straw that had been given to her; as she felt the presence of another sit before her she looked up, an angry glare across her  features - it was too hot to deal with crap from strangers today. Her scowl almost immediately disappeared when she realized it was Zero who had sat in front of her.

"Hello Cottonball." Mari said with a grin, "I suppose it has, we didn't get a chance to talk during that meeting eh? You looked surprised to see me there."
 

[Zero 0]

"I was a bit surprised I'll admit Cottoncandy." Zero nodded slowly and smiled seeing her grin. "Wasn't made aware you had been invited, but I'm glad you were. Dungeon bosses are quite the experience givers." He picked up his glass, chugging down its content, and placed it back down. "So what brings you out here on your own Mari? I can tell you don't like the enviroment, though I can't blame you since this floor isn't for everyone."

[Mari 1]

Mari bit  her lip as she forced back a smile at his new nickname for her. "Oohhh a nickname? How flattering." She teased. Although, at the mention of the meeting her smile faded slightly as she glanced away. "Yes, well - I've formed a guild and was invited.  I need to do the right thing, but I feel I am grossly unprepared. As I said in the meeting. I'm cannon fodder." 

She took a long sip from the iced tea, musing in a thoughtful tone; "The experience would be great - if I live. But that's what brings me to this horrible floor. There's a shark quest thing, was going to do it, but now..."

Mari turned back to Zero giving a sigh as she sprawled out - placing her head on the table. "I don't think I can do it on my own - my guild members are all too weak to help - and I hate the heat, the fourth  floor is my favourite - I love the snow, hate this dry heat. "
 

[Zero 0]

"Well your hair is pink and soft so it reminds me of candy. Plus you yourself are a sweet person, so I thought it was a good fit." The boy slightly smiled, but quickly changed his expression to one of concern when he began to hear Mari explain why she was on the fifth floor even though she disliked it. "I see..." Zero watched her slowly become more and more hopeless, and gently placed his hand on her head. "I'll gladly help you if you want, Cottoncandy. After all, I owe you for making me laugh and smile." He gently pet her head as he grabbed his drink. "My swords are yours to command." He smiled poiting at the three blades at his side.

[Mari 1]

Mari couldn't help but give a bitter laugh when Zero said she was a sweet person, she replied in a somewhat dry tone. "And here I thought you'd say I tasted sweet, eh Zero?" Mari asked - hinting toward the night they had spent together. She lifted her head up from the table when she felt the soft warmth of his hand.  

"Your help would be appreciated - I'm sort of straggling behind the other guild leaders here." Mari mumbled, finally she lifted her head back up, resting her chin on the table. She looked up at him, and gave him a friendly smile. "So, Cottonball, what brings you to the desert? The mirror not hot enough for ya?" Mari was back to her usual quips and jokes, but her voice fell flat - if one were more attentive they'd probably notice that something was bothering her. 
 

[Zero 0]

Zero couldn't but slightly blush when Mari referenced their night together, he hadn't thought it mattered much. In his mind he was just a fling induced by the alcohol and her alluring personality. "I never said you didn't taste sweet Mari, quite the opposite really..." He looked down at her, his usually neutral and cold eyes showing care and compassion for the woman. He was the fool of a classic tragedy and he knew it, but he didn't care.

"Anything for you Mari. I am loyal to you for showing me kindness and care." He smiled at her trying to keep her spirits up when she spoke of her lack in levels compared to other guild leaders. "They may have levels but those numbers aren't everything you know... I myself am not that strong, but I don't let that hold me back and neither should you." He placed his hand on her head again, this time it shook slightly. Out of fear possibly? But fear of what?

"I'm here because this place is usually empty... I like the taverns here and I go play some music at the strip joint like place they have here." He explained briefly and glanced at his hand, he knew he was the fool of a tragedy. That what was happening was going to stop soon enough. He always was and always would be, in his opinion, a foolish Pierrot with nowhere to go.

[Mari 1]

Mari couldn't help but notice how Zero acted - it was much different to the one she had met that night in the Tavern on the first floor - granted the two were quite drunk. "You shouldn't give your loyalty so easily." Mari mumbled, her eyes breaking away from his. Mari had done a few things that night she somewhat regretted. She didn't regret meeting Zero - but she felt she was creating a bad name for herself - and as cold of a person Mari was - she didn't intend to string along the hearts of men. Or Women, if the situation were to arise.

 

Mari felt his hand clasp over hers, it shook - cold and clammy. Was he nervous? Mari looked back up at him, clasping her other hand over his - her tone quietening as she showed concern for the man. "Are you ok?" She ignored his comment about the strip club for now, normally that would rile up a seedy or flirtatious remark from the girl - but Zero clearly seemed off put about something, and the least Mari could do, after that night was to see if she could get to the bottom of it. 

[Zero 0]

"I-I don't give it away easily..." Zero mumbled as she looked away, and sighed. He was glad to have met Mari, to have managed to finally have a conversation with someone he felt comfortable with, but she seemed regretful of something regarding him he assumed. He knew she didn't mean him any harm or any ill-intent from what he could tell, but his insecurities made him question if that was entirely true.

His hand didn't stop its shaking until it was held by hers and forced to stop. He looked at her as she gazed at him concerned and asked if he was well. Maybe it was all just a game. Or maybe this was all genuine. He wasn't sure but he knew he had to answer her question, his throat dried up as opened his mouth to speak. "Mari... I'm.... Not okay, I'm anything but okay. Broken? Yes. Strange? Of course. Hard..." He let that one sink in, remembering what Mari had told him that night. "Definitely. I'm not okay, never will be. At least not in this world or in real life..." He glanced at his legs and sighed before letting out a slight laugh.

[Mari 1]

Mari gave Zero a wry smile, as she stood up from her seat; and kicked the chair over toward him so she could sit next to him rather than across from him. Sitting back down again, Mari grabbed his hand between hers to stop it from shaking. "You and I both Cotton ball."

Mari listend as Zero began to open up with her; she wasn't exactly the best person for this sort of thing - she always said the wrong thing at the wrong time and her being so tactless and blunt generally only instigated situations and tensions rather than ease them. "I don't think anyone is completely ok. So what if we lost ourselves that night. I don't exactly regret it - I mean I don't hmm.... " Mari trailed off, trying to find the right words, how do you tell a guy that the same night you went into a room with him, you somehow came out and did it all over again with another man, and hey - you don't even remember it happened. Mari wasn't the type of person to do those sorts of things, but here she was, doing them. Twice. In the same gosh darn night.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself and you were laughing - so what exactly made you go from this-" Mari pressed her fingers of her free hand to the corner of his mouth lifting it to a grin. "To this?" She let go, and allowed it to fall back to his solemn expression. 

[Zero 0]

Zero looked at Mari when she sat next to him and grabbed his hand in hers. He looked away for a few seconds then looked back at her, he gave her hand a slight squeeze and sighed. He appreciated Mari's concern, and her words felt comforting and gentle to his ears. He knew she meant well, that she cared about him and his well being, otherwise she wouldn't be trying to comfort him like she was at the moment.

He remained quiet as she spoke and asked why he seemed so down, but what really got him was when she mentioned she did not exactly regret what they had done. "I don't regret it at all... Yeah I felt happy and laughed, but you weren't right in the head that night while I still was more or less... Not to mention that I actually fooled myself..." He trailed off, looking down at his legs again, and gripped one of them with his free hand. "Someone like me shouldn't even dream or think of that..." He kept showing his vulnerability more and more to Mari.

[Mari 1]

Mari could tell there was something serious bothering Zero - not just because he said as such, but his mannerisms, the way he couldn't maintain eye contact wit her, how his shoulders slouched and the downtrodden tone to his voice, his shaking hand squeezed hers for comfort, "I wasn't right in the head...yeh..." Mari muttered, "But neither were you - besides at least I remember that night with you." Mari said, alluding to what Lotharian had done - whom she still hadn't quite forgiven. 

"You fooled yourself into....?" Mari repeated his question, trying to pry it out of him - she wasn't the most patient of people. "Dream of what now?"

 

[Zero 0]

Zero took a deep breath as he heard Mari speak, and looked at her. "Mari, you're a sweet woman so I'm not going to lie to you." He gave her sad look, like a pup that had been kicked to the curve, and a smile that contradicted with it. "In real life I'm an eighteen year old electronic enthusiast who lives off of the financial support of his older sister, is confound to a wheelchair, and caused the death of his parents when he was younger..." He looked at the table, covering half his face with his free hand, and slightly let out a sad laugh. "I fooled myself into thinking I could find someone who'd take me as I am, a broken, cold, rough, and hateful child in a mans body."

[Mari 1]

Mari blinked, and didn't mean to but she laughed - she laughed light heartedly at Zero's misfortune."Is that all?" Mari shook her head, giving his back a reassuring rub with her free hand. "Oh Cottonball, who cares if you are in a wheelchair eh? Seriously - I think the only thing that stops you doing is raiding my chocolate shelf - and that's sort of a positive in my books...for me." Mari began, in an attempt to cheer him up.

"Electronics is sort of the future. I mean. Look where we are, and I doubt you caused your parents...." Mari cleared her throat, trying to take on a more sympathetic tone; "On purpose I mean....you shouldn't blame yourself for it." 
 

[Zero 0]

"I can't walk. I can't ride a bike. I can't swim. My sister's paying for me and herself, she got me my Nerve Gear actually, and one for herself..." Zero knew her laugh wasn't in mocking fashion, and her gentle rub on his back made calm down slightly. He felt strange, both nervous yet calm, happy yet sad, and bothered him slightly. "I can't dance anymore. I can't spend time with others because I feel I hold them back..."

He looked at Mari's eyes and touched her cheek, letting out a soft sigh. "I wish that was true, but I did cause our crash. Cost me my legs, their lives and burdened my sister with taking care of..." He pulled away scratched his head letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry for ruining the day for you with this Mari..."

[Mari 1]

"You CAN swim, you just choose not to." Mari said matter-of-factly. "I've seen many people with disabilities swim, my, I've seen someone with one working arm, a disabled leg and an amputeed leg swimming. If he can swim I sure as hell believe you can swim. You can get attachments for bikes - the future is well, the future but here - in the present we can make anything possible." 

Mari flicked Zero in his forehead, "Feel that? It's crazy right - because we are inside a game." Mari sighed, she wasn't sure what else to say to him - she wasn't good at cheering people up. "Your sister sounds like a lovely lass - so she's floating around Aincad too?" Mari asked, shifting the topic.
 

[Zero 0]

"I guess so..." Zero admitted to himself he never considered trying it, then again he didn't try anything new most days now. "I guess I could try that..." He blinked when she flicked his forehead and slightly smiled finding her more uplifting by the second. "Main reason my sister got me the Nerve Gear was so I could walk again, she thought it would make me into the old Zero."

He immediately ceased his smile when Mari asked about his sister. "Siren, her name's Siren or was... I'm not really sure where she is, after someone she really cared about stabbed her in back and cheated on left her to herself she sort of vanished... I haven't heard from her in over a month or more, so she could be dead for al I know..." He looked at Mari, feeling sorry for darkening the mood again. "Sorry, I guess sharing my personal life isn't very happy or positive for others and myself..."

[Mari 1]

Mari nodded, seeing Zero walking around here, she never would have guessed he was immobile in the real world. "Don't assume the worst; I'm sure the last thing your sister would want is to have you sitting around being a self loathing pessimist." 

Mari groaned, first hitting her head on the table, then lifting it to headbutt Zero. "Sh*t up, geez stop apologizing." She moaned, Mari grabbed the sides of his head and shook it. "Stop being such a butt. It's only not happy or positive because you keep making it sad. The only person you are inconveniencing is yourself."