OP F4: Red Like Roses; Cold as Snow

[Mari 1]

(( Please no 1-2 Liners on this thread! Please keep to some sort of posting order! Aslo NB: If any performers try to join in with Mari in her current mental state one of two things will happen, she may attack them or leave and the RP will end prematurely, yo! Let's watch a maddening performance~~~))


“Embrace…the blood…on my hands…huh…” Mari had been asking herself this quite a lot lately; she stood at the edge of the Frozen Lake, just outside the safe zone of the 4^th Floor.  This…this quiet solitude was her favourite area.

Her blank eyes narrowed as she took a long deep sigh, skin prickling as the wind picked up. Right now, Mari wore a black dress. It’s puffy chiffon pleats resting just above her knees, two darts fanning out at the back creating the illusion of lace wings. Her chest was bound in ribbon and a mock corset. A single black rose accented the right hand side of the dress, just below her collarbone. Mari also wore black glass heels. Was she cold?

Yes.

But the prickling cold was nothing, not compared to how numb she felt.

Mari pulled out her dagger, and dragged it across her left palm. The pink haired girl watched the wine coloured liquid pool slowly in her palm, Mari stared at it with blank cerulean eyes. The blood on her hands…that day, the blood wasn’t as dark as this. It wasn’t hers, it was young, a childs, innocent.

Mari was now marked as a Player Killer. Sure, she could seek redemption but she didn’t deserve it. Mari ran her hand over her face and through her hair, marring her face with crimson. Mari turned her palm downwards and watched it drip onto the snow.

“Heh…”

A small, twisted grin formed on her soft, lightly glossed lips. It felt…different…to be bleeding, to stain the snow. After all, wasn’t that what her existence was now? A dark stain against the purity of the other players that resided within Aincad?

Mari stepped slowly to the centre of the lake, the red blood trail followed, once she reached the middle, she pulled out her violin, and started to play 'A Song of Storm and Fire'    The movement of the bow on the strings caused a mosaic of blood to splash out from her wound, her song would start out slow, but soon, soon it would build into a crashing Crescendo. |

Mari was falling into madness; and so - she would play a maddening tune, who knows - maybe - just maybe her tune would twist into the souls of others - or maybe. She'd play a melody in solitude. What would Life do if he saw her now? Would he be impressed? Or Alkor...what...

What would Alkor think?

Would it really matter?

Mari closed her eyes, sighing as she began to sway in time to the music, if she was going to loose herself - let her loose herself in a unhinged melody, rather than the ravaged madness of her turbulent mind.

[Celesmeh 0]

Celes had been walking the perimeter of the water. Fighting whatever she could find. It was one of her difficult days. One of the days that her mind felt dark and if she didn't leave the inn she would stay there for days. On days like this you held me, you hugged me and told me it would be okey, didn't you. But now I'm alone here, now.... I need to hold you close to me heart. All will be will my dear, I'll return to you.

She heard the music first. She heard it before she saw the beautiful woman playing her music. It was a melancholy tune, one that almost matched what she was feeling inside. Celes stood to watch, to listen. She sat in the snow wrapped in her cloak until the woman was done. She said nothing to the woman, but she stood and stared, trying to convey her emotions. It wasn't enough, she didn't have enough words to tell her that she understood that darkness. That it hurt so much....

[Sinon 0]

Sinon watched from a distance a young woman, who seemed to be bleeding out from their own injury, meanwhile playing a song that wrenched his heart. It was like a vice-like grip on his heart, giving a squeeze each time her bow rubbed against the strings of the violin. He was going to have a heart attack at this rate from pure emotions. Sinon never had to survive tragedy in his life, but this made it feel like he had just lost his sister, his family and was completely isolated in a black, small cube. Well, Sinon was claustrophobic, so that didn't help with the mental image.

Sinon also had the memory of someone who she was acquainted to having committed suicide. These days, suicides have become commonplace. However Sinon enjoyed life as as a concept and hated the entire of dying. He was scared of him dying in SAO, he was scared of other people dying. He didn't want people to die!

 

Listening on, tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision and making the distant figure look more like a pink lollipop that bled their life blood. This wasn't fair. No one should be like this! Was! Not! Fair! Sinon sniffled, wiping tears away rather badly as they looked at the girl.

He ran towards the girl, stopping close to arm reach from the girl. His mind raced as he ran towards her.

Not fair....not fair...Not fair...Not fair. Not fair. NOT FAIR. "THIS! ISN'T! FAIR!!"

Sinon was bent over standing, hands balled into fists from their outstretched arms as they screamed in tears.

"Don't be sad! It hurts listening to you crying through that violin! I want you to be happy! You keep playing that music and I'll cry my tears dry!"

 

Sinon's curled up hand wiped away some tears away from their face, looking at the girl. Their tone was much quieter now, though no less calm. "Please play something happy pink girl...something smiley...just...SOMETHING ELSE! I DON'T WANT ANYONE DEAD!!" Sinon burst into tears again as their emotions spilled out. What hit Sinon so hard wasn't just the music, it was the scene.

The tears of blood that spilt over the snow, like as though she couldn't cry the normal way because it was too hard. Crying with her numb pain and lifeblood. It wasn't fair, Sinon wanted people to be happy and not die on him!

[Rintaro 0]

[stealthed]

Rin was leaning against a dead ash tree about a hundred meters away from the singer. It was the most interesting thing around, and wherever there's anything interesting Rin would likely be there. The sound carried over to him on the wind, and he could see her exquisite performance. He had never seen anything like it - she was using her own blood to augment the performance. That took true skill indeed, or so he would expect.

 

His jet black hair and attire blending in with the bark of the ash, his extremely blue eyes the only thing visible to a sharp eye. He wondered what the song was about, what inspired the performer to write such extravagant music. As he looked on, a girl that - oh wait a second, was that a girl? They walk like a man...

 

Rin looked on as this man-woman fell to the pink-haired girl's knees and began wailing her heart out. Jeesh, talk about obsessed fans - this girl was on another scale.

[claim 0]

Mari he remember when he had meet the lady she was all ways happy and had asked him why he dressed the way he did. As his cold dark soulless green eyes looked around as He saw Mari the other player at the girls knee. that was trying to get her to play another song  but the one she was playing. Claim walked a bit closer to as to hear the song. With his fingers together as he placed them behind his head as he mumbled to him self I wonder how broken was she. He stop a feet away his head slightly moved with the music.

 

Claim thought the music was quite pleasant for the soul not sure why the other player wanted her to play something eales.  Maybe it was that claim was twisted as well or that all warriors had to cross the line and make there way back. There was another song he wanted the performer to sing when she was down

" That is a wonderful song, could you please play this song as well aura"

[Celesmeh 0]

Celes walked toward Sinon and picked him up, "Dear, this isn't your fight, let her mourn, her heart is crying, and there is nothing you can do." For the second time she picked up the young man into her arms, carrying her way and sitting to listen. "Hush now, allow yourself to feel, but no interrupting. There's no way to stop her mourning. "

[Rintaro 0]

In a second, he was behind the pair of females. Rin tapped the woman who was sitting down with another on the shoulder. "Greetings. Quite a performance isn't it - what's the piece called?" he asked totally serious, his handsome face giving nothing away. "Also, is that person beside you male or female?" he didn't simile, frown or give any other expression, he stood beside them. His ice blue eyes swung across the scene, long dark hair dancing lightly in the breeze.

[Celesmeh 0]

Celes gently smiled at him, "I do not know its name, the piece, I think, is nearly an expression of her soul at this moment, there isn't much else I could tell you. As for this one," she gestured to the person in her arms, " the best version to ask is them, they'll tell you what they prefer... I am Celes, and you are?"

[Rintaro 0]

Rin looked down at the face of this female, a few things didn't strike right with him - she had instantly gave her name, valuable intelligence and the other was she had something wrong with her face.

It was curled at the corners. Was it some sort of spasm? In any case she seemed to have a secondary objective to having fun.. Without further conversation, he slipped away - "Thank you for the information.. Celes..".

In a few seconds he was lost in the shadows cast by the numerous snowdrifts around the lake.

[stealthed]

[Sinon 0]

Rolled a 18 on the d20 (loot) dice. Can still see the stealthed Rintaro.

Sinon pouted, her arms crossed. "I won't accept it sitting down!" Standing up in gesture to prove her point. "There is nothing stopping me trying. That woman is censored bleeding!! I wont just stand there and let her bleed her [censoring] life all over the snow like water!"

She wasn't angry at Celes and that was clear by her expression, she was distraught. She was breaking down. While she knew of people who committed suicide, she never bore witness to any and this was getting darn close to resembling one through her eyes.

"I want to fix it and I don't care what it takes!" she then turned to the boy who appeared behind them when something like that was happening over there?! Sinon punched him in the gut hard, not caring for anything. She didn't have martial arts, so it didn't do damage to his HP anyway. "I'm a boy, for info. Why the censored do you even care?! There is someone probably dying out there, and you're just here to cheaply pick up some girls or some censored? censored off and go to a brothel or some censored! I'm setting one up soon away, so just censored wait!"

 

Celes stormed off to Mari, ignoring anyone else, shouting at her again in despair.

"Stop crying! Your crying is making me cry and I don't want to! Give me a hug, do a different song, ANYTHING to stop you crying!". Sinon then merely looked at her, her tensed arma

[Arekkusu Sepera 0]

Arekkusu was sitting on top of a hill as he heard the distant music. He watched the group below talking and enjoying the music until he then heard something very odd. It wasn't music at all, not even close. The next thing he heard was not only just talking, but excessive swearing. What could be going on? Arekkusu noticed that one player was all over the place, she was talking loud enough for Arekkusu to hear her voice, which seems pretty impressive since Arekkusu decided to keep his distance. He couldn't identify any of the players due to his distance, but how many players were performers? He could only pick out a reclusive few who played the Violin, but he decided not to go any further with it.

 

"The melody seems a bit... odd though." Arekkusu said. "I keep expecting some king of tempo change to intense speeds, but the player keeps her music at a soft slow pace... there was a huge lack of bow changes too... what might be going on? Is the player alright?"

 

Arekkusu then remembered the swearing, which probably wasn't the best sign of someone being all right. He stood up from where he was and walked to the direction in which the players were at.

[Yuji 0]

Yuji watch from atop from nearby hill,looking down on a girl with pink hair,dressed in black dress. Sadness,anguish,regret written all over her face. Took a knife she did and bleed her other palm. She grin at her own action,the white ground dyed in red as her blood fall down. 

 

She move to the center of the lake,unfazed by the fact she need a treatment. Though no medicine nor treatment can't mend her real wound in her heart. She took out her violin and the bow. With the instrument in her hand,she begin playing a familiar tune Yuji had heard before in his real life.

 

The song starts slow,showing the emptiness in her heart. He can feel the emotion that she try to convey,without him realizing his eyes begin to wet. The song doesn't continue in that way forever.....

 

The song slowly shift tempo to fast pace. Only someone skillful enough can play this song,and Yuji watch what could be a perfect song compared from the one he heard. As she pull the string of the violin with the bow,bloods from her hand begin to flow fast; the water around her begin to dyed in crimson red.

 

 

Yuji have heard the news,although it's hard for him to believe it.  Mari,his guild leader are known as a one of the PKer,a dreaded title every player in this game feared. Yuji search for her everywhere to get some kind of explanation.

 

And it leads him to this situation right now.

 

"The song...really reflects her emotion. That's more than enough of explanation I could get from her...." Suddenly a girl (or a boy?) run to her and shout some stuff he can't make detail off. He don't know why she did that.

 

"Well,let's see what happen next."

[Mari 1]

Mari continued her song. Not noticing her first audience member; Celes.

Drip, Drip, Drip

Mari twirled on her heel, the song building into a crescendo Mari turned to see a blonde haired girl crying voice choked with sobs, she said it wasn’t fair; why should one person suffer? Mari stopped playing the violin. Taking a few steps over to Sinon, she placed the bowstring under the blonde girls chin. Lifting it up so their blue eyes meet, Mari tilted her head – blank eyes staring into those emotional mirrors. “Life isn’t fair. You will see death. Perhaps…right before your eyes.”  Her voice lowered into a dark whisper. "Perhaps...by your own hands..." Mari put the bow back to her violin, taking a step back from her.

Then, another was near- Claim, she remembered him, he stood at her side during the battle against the Queen Bee. “I don’t accept requests.” Mari had was just about to start playing again, but the blonde girl. The one who was so insistent, had approached her again, practically shouting in her face.

Mari didn’t appreciate it. How she had managed to gather such a crowd, she did not know. “Don’t you know you should stay away from red players?”  Mari asked Sinon, Mari stepped in close toward the other girl. “You don’t know me. Don’t  be so foolishly insistent.” Mari’s voice was serious – almost threatening, she rose her bleeding hand and pressed it against Sinon’s head – pushing her back and away. Mari didn't deserve such repentance, no one should cry for her - and it almost felt insulting to see a stranger shed her tears so freely. So foolishly..

Looking up Mari noticed that there was an audience – A wry smile formed on her lips as she rose her voice – ensuring that all nearby would hear. She gave a low sweeping bow.

“Welcome, guests – to a deranged soliloquy.”

Mari placed her bow to the strings of her Violin. So she had an audience…right…she best put on a show. Mari laughed, a strange, fragmented laugh which was drowned out by the sounds of her violin as she started a new song; Unforgettable. 
 

 

 

-1HP Bleeding
Mari 27/28

[Sinon 0]

Sinon felt powerless, his legs giving and slumped as he cried, his hands to his face tightened into fists as they rubbed his face. The more he heard her, speaking or playing, the less likely it seemed that they well still within reach safety.

"Stop being so censored stubborn! I don't care if I don't know you or if you're orange! I want you saaaaa-aa-aafe!!!" Their last word was in tears, making the vowels drag on for the word.

 

He wasn't going to jump in to stop her playing, at the risk of their face meeting a violin, but after she stopped she would pin them down to stop. After all, he could not accept this, fair or not! Clearly with such misery behind them they weren't a bad person!

[Celesmeh 0]

Celes watched as Sinon cried and Mari told her how she felt. She understood Sinon's desperation, and she understood Mari's need to mourn, her need to feel pain. She had been there, needing to feel pain to remember how to even feel. Sometimes Pain was all you had. Celes walked up to mari and said "This may be what you need to feel, but know this: the difference between you, and the monsters that did this to you is the regret you feel. The hatred you feel for yourself, the regret. That is your saving grace." Celes walked up to mari and placed a healing crystal against her shoulder. The cool crystal touched her shim and fell apart (Healing crystal, uncommon, heals for 5 hp). Celes looked at Kinon and said "You cannot stop death like this, become stronger and then maybe youll make a difference, but like this you arent more than a blubbering child."

[Mari 1]

Mari continued to play, ignoring the crying blonde girl before her, ignoring the cussing and ignoring her tears. Mari didn't know this girl - she had no feelings of empathy toward her. She didn't care that Mari was a Player Killer. She should care. She should know that regardless of Mari's current attitude - someone had died. Mari furrowed her brow, doing her best to ignore Sinon, rather than snapping at her, she muttered coldy under her breath. "Someone died. Don't be such a disrespectful tart." 

 

Then, Celes had come up to her- another stranger to Mari, the pink haired girl had to wonder why people were so determined to speak to her, it was also curious - this floor was generally so quiet and peaceful. Today, it seemed that it was filled with players. Figures. Mari's blank eyes landed on Celes as she continued to play her violin. The girl spoke as though she knew what Mari was going through, her words weren't exactly hitting home, Mari had to give her props for trying, but she simply didn't quite hit the mark. Celes placed a Healing Crystal on Mari, stopping the bleeding and healing her - Mari could have done that herself, it wasn't like she was going to let herself die.

"Tch..Thanks.." Mari muttered toward Celes, Mari was going to leave well enough alone - that was until Celes mentioend 'blubbering child'

Child...

Her Child....

Mari stopped playing the violin with a loud scratch, as she turned her body toward Celes, eyes seething with rage, She reached out, grabbing Celes' collar, pulling her toward her, So Mari could rest her forehead against Celes' she opened her mouth to say something but stopped - as though she only just realized what she had done. Mari blinked, wait...why had she grabbed this girl? Mari let her go, giving her head a small shake, stepping away from the two. Mari had again, let her anger blind her - that, that wasn't a good thing and it almost scared her.

[Yuji 0]

Mari welcome them all,including him to her performance. "Ah..looks like she noticed me." She begin pulling the string with her bow; a second song will be played. As the song echoes in the place, the girl (boy) emotions went out of control. She shout,loud enough for Yuji to hear what she said. "Someone needs to keep her emotion in check." Celes approach the blonde and try to calm him down. Celes then use a health crystal on Mari,at least she show her concern in Marin in a more appropriate way.

 

Mari doesn't like being treated like that. He was around Mari long enough to know how she act when she's under weather. Things turn ugly. To make it worse,looks like one of them say the words that shouldn't have been said.

 

"As much as I want to go down there,Mari can still control herself. Not that I'm going to stop her concerto. That audience around her better think carefully on what to say or act around her...."

 

The cold wind blow,his cloth flutter. He stay still and watch how much further it will develop.

[Celesmeh 0]

Celes let Mari grab her collar, she relaxed her shoulders, she was used to being a punching bag, it never helped them and they continued to be angry. but that was okay, this woman needed to feel, and she cool. Celes steeled herself for a hit before the woman let go, and shied away. Celes stood tall, looking down at mari. she sighed, relaxing her stance. This was not someone to fear. "I am not afraid of you, I am not your enemy. Your demons are yours to fight, but if you desire help, if you wish to face them, let me know. I will help you." 

 

 

She didnt know why she wanted to help, but... she remembered how she had been, how her bad days were. This woman was in pain, and pain was something she knew well. To be alone while feeling that was not fair, but it was a choice. She would give her a choice as well. 

[Sinon 0]

Sinon pouted at both of them for their responses. Fine, he will do something rather than sit here. He'll go over to Mari and stop her and he will...

DISRESPECTFUL TART?!

Her tears still raw and cheeks wet, Sinon went up to Mari. It was amusing since they were both small people. "You listen here then, don't be disrespectful to yourself and die either!" she said, poking the centre of her chest just below the neck. "Ouuuuhhhh!"

Sinon gave an almost child like clambering of a hug onto Mari, attaching his own supple slender body to her and her arms wrapped tight around her, with no signs of giving up.

"I won't let go until I know you're not going to do anything stupid! I won't!"

It was a rather bizarre way, if child-like, in resolving the matter, but it was the only thing that came to his mind.

[Arekkusu Sepera 0]

Arekkusu finally got to the bottom to meet the group. Some were more familiar than others... but overall, he knew the group.

 

"Is everything... all right?" Arekkusu asked easily obtain his answer. "What is wrong? Is there anything I could do to help?"

 

Arekkusu still heard the melody of the Violin, which then fit perfectly with the mood of seeing the group. Everyones eyes here have seen things that no one should ever see, especially when everyone here was at a young age. Arekkusu tried keeping himself in more control so he can tolerate stories that are painful to the one telling it.