[PP-F4] Merry Christmas! (Pyro) [COMPLETE]

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff was up at Floor 4 and was literally starting to freeze. Going up to Floor 4, he wanted to see the towns and the people that were here; instead, he was welcomed by cold winds and snow. He walked around Snowfrost Town, hoping to find a place of warmth, and ended up sitting on the benches of the Town Square. He felt a little bit of warmth, being under the light-post. I guess I'll stay here for a while, see if anyone's around to talk to, maybe I'll be able to buy a few things here, then I can go. Once I'm better equipped I'll fight the monsters here, but I'm not sure if I can take them on with my current equipment. He closed his eyes and enjoyed his own silence for a while.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro found herself on Floor 4, wanting to map it out. She should've guessed from the name in the manual that it was going to be cold. But not this cold! Her short-sleeve armor, skirt, and thin boots didn't help at all. She felt out of place watching all of the others bundled up. 'It's the Christmas season, cheer up!' She told herself hoping it would enlighten her mood. Pyro crossed her arms and blew out an annoyed breath, hoping her trip would end soon enough.

 

The Town Square was beautiful and decorated for the holiday season already. Everyone around seemed happy and with friends with smiles on their faces. Pyro didn't noticed the outstretched leg of a relaxing player before her foot got caught on his. She fell to the ground with a thud, landing in the fresh white snow. 'Great... Now I'm freezing.' She frowned still on her hands and knees.

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff was about to tell the player to watch out, but before he can pull his legs back or even do something she tripped and fell. He stood up really quickly and held out his hand to help her up. "I, uh, am really sorry about that. Wanna get up?". He was already cold because of the snow, and since the light post only did so little he was still suffering, but at least a little bit less than before. He couldn't imagine what this girl was going through, on the snow and all. Well, I don't know what she was doing walking around without looking where she walked. She didn't even notice me! Ah well, but you should've did something nonetheless...He felt guilty, yet he didn't know if it was his fault or hers. 

[Pyro 0]

Pyro accepted the hand and rubbed her knees when she was back on her feet. 'Cold and in pain... Ugh.' She thought. "O-Oh, it's alright. I don't pay attention to where I'm going." Pyro said to the stranger feeling bad she had got him in this situation. She got a good look at him and smiled, he looked just as cold as she did. "I see I'm not the only one without any winter attire." She joked while pointing at his equipped clothing and armor. The cold nipped at her skin and she shivered again. "I thought it would be the perfect temperature like the rest of Aincrad on this floor. Wanna go get something warm to drink with me?" Pyro's eyes widened when she realized what she'd asked. 'I probably seem like a creep. Coming on way too strong...'

 

"If you want of course. I'll pay, I just want someone to tag along so I'm not lonely."

[Raeyliff 0]

He laughed "Ah, you're right about that. I did not expect snow so soon." He smiled, and felt himself loosen up a bit after seeing that the girl wasn't blaming him for anything. When she asked him if he wanted to go and drink something warm his eyes lit up and he looked at her, smiling. "Yeah, sure, why not? And what's creepy about that?" he asked. "I'm Raeyliff, just so you know." he said, afterwards.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro was glad to know he didn't think of her as creepy even though she'd asked him to accompany her somewhere so quick. In fact he seemed excited to go. "I saw a café a few shops back, follow me." She smiled at him and turned around, heading for the small café. Her memories of being in a café weren't so pleasant... but she shook her head and laughed a little before forgetting those thoughts for the mean time. "Well then, Raeyliff, nice to meet you. I'm Pyro." Pyro nodded her head in a friendly way towards him and stopped at the shop she mentioned earlier. She opened the door and headed in, waiting for Raeyliff to follow in behind her. Pyro picked out a two-chaired table near a window and sat down, motioning for him to sit down. "Are you enjoying SAO. I mean, I know we're trapped and all, but do you like it besides that?" Pyro instantly asked before he could say anything or even get comfortable. She liked to know everything about everybody if possible, and he interested her already.

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff followed her all the way to the café with a smile. Well, this is fun. Her name is Pyro. He sat with her on the same table, and as he sat down he heard Pyro ask him if he was liking the game. She seems fired up. Curious as well. Should I be mysterious or should I answer fully? I'll answer fully. Mysterious Raeyliff can wait. "Oh, I, uh...yeah, totally. I mean...it's nice to be in a different world than the one you've always been in. And it's amazing how I'm able to use all my 5 senses in this game. Makes a person wonder if there is any real limit to humans and their advancements in technology and in other areas as well...". From there he smiled at Pyro, but in his mind he was already deep in thought about the subject. 

[Pyro 0]

Pyro propped her head up on her hands, putting her elbows on the table, listening to Raeyliff fascinated. She nodded her head quickly in agreement. "I always say this even though he is wrong for sticking us in here forever, but Kayaba did so well! I'm amazed by everything in this game. You're right about the senses. What's funny is that it could tell what we look like and even import us in here and all it takes is a little headgear." Pyro paused for a second and leaned back in her chair. "I guess you could say our brain is doing a lot of the word, eh?" She said as a little joke, not meaning it to be too serious, though she considered that to be true. "The only bad thing is that in real life our bodies are probably in some hospital room, wasting away every second." Pyro frowned as she had never truly thought about the effects SAO had on their real life bodies.

[Raeyliff 0]

"True...true..." he said. He, too, once thought about the state of his body and where it was. I wonder if my parents noticed yet, did Kayaba send a worldwide message explaining why we're like this? Probably. He wouldn't want any random deaths because of the ignorance of the real world about what's happened here. He looked up at Pyro "Did it ever occur to you that, even though this is all a game and everyone's been waiting for a full-dive system like this one, that what we can and can't do and our senses are all codes in a game? Even our life, which is now in a health bar, is now a code as well. It seems that while it's really awesome, it can turn against us at some point, because...I don't really know, but when you say all these stuff you feel like it's dangerous and risky." 

[Pyro 0]

Pyro was once again deep in thought. 'He's as serious about this as I am.' She noted. "If we are code... can't code... no." She thought about her sentence and corrected herself before speaking once again. "If code can be written and re-written, changed basically, then if we're really code can't someone who's smart enough change us in the game? I know that doesn't make much sense but if you understand, then what do you think." Pyro waved for an NPC waiter to come and serve them and she politely ordered a hot chocolate. "Do you want anything Raeyliff? Don't worry I have a lot of COL that needs spending."

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff looked at her as she spoke and thought about the question in his head before answering. "Yes they can. Remember the moment where Kayaba Akihiko gave us all mirrors and it made us look like who we are in real life? That's physical change in appearance. Now, if we get down to the idea of changing who we are as people and what our morals are, that would be what I really fear from all this technological advancements. Seeing the NerveGear being made and how it works, I won't be surprised if they're able to code something like that. To be able to code our humanity....it's just not right, but I can't doubt that they'll go as far as to do something like that, or more." he answered. As the NPC waiter came up and Pyro asked him if he needed her to pay, he shook his head, smiling. "No thanks, I've got some col from my most recent fight with boars at Floor 1 with Destiny. I can pay.". He ordered for himself a hot chocolate as well, and then looked outside the cafe to see if they were any people outside.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro waved the waiter off. Her heart started beating faster when Raeyliff mentioned coding their... humanity. Now that was a thought that could scare anyone. "I hope not..."' She muttered a ran a hand through her hair. "That would stink, to forget our memories, who we are, what we are. It's practically becoming a slave. I know Kayaba is wrong for doing this but I don't think he's evil, or at least evil enough to do such a thing." Pyro spoke. "So what are you doing for Christmas?" Pyro suddenly asked wanting to change the depressing subject to something more cheery. "I think I'm going to hang out with a group of friends. Maybe buy presents for them too. If you're not busy then I'm inviting you too! You have no choice." Pyro giggled and looked around for the waiter wanting her hot chocolate.

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff looked at Pyro after she asked about Christmas. "I don't really know...I was thinking about going to fight alone or something. I haven't met a lot of people and with the amount of col I have, I doubt I'll be able to buy presents for anyone, which is kind of sad. So yeah, I just don't know yet...I guess..." he said, looking down at his hot chocolate mug that the waiter set down. He didn't really want to refuse, but he didn't want to go and meet friends empty handed on Christmas, so he would just hide or something, or fight some monsters and level up. Not to mention that meeting new people, even though it's fun, can be kind of awkward and I probably don't know a lot of her friends either. 

[Pyro 0]

Pyro accepted her hot chocolate and instantly took a drink of it as Raeyliff spoke. She noticed a far off look in his eyes. "If you don't want to come," She began when he was done speaking. "just say so. I-I didn't mean to pressure you." Pyro took another drink. "Just remember on Christmas everyone is looking for someone to spend it with so just promise me you'll send out a message or something if you get lonely." She smiled at Raeyliff. "You're a really nice person you know? Can we offcially be friends?" Pyro held out a hand and waited to see whether or not he would accept the offer.

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff shook her hand after listening to what she had to say and smiled. "Sure, let's be friends. It's no problem, you didn't pressure me or anything.". He smiled and drank some of his hot chocolate. It was warm and delicious, so he drank some more, and then set it down. If there was anything he could call a weakness, it was probably chocolate, or sugar. His resistance to them was a bit weaker to most other things. 

[Pyro 0]

Pyro chugged her hot chocolate down in a matter of seconds. She squinted her eyes and held her throat that was now burnt. She coughed and then shook her head. "Sometimes I can feel stuff in SAO, and sometimes I can't!" Pyro stood still once again but kept rubbing her throat. Her scene was a little over the top.... She rolled her eyes at herself. "What should we do now? Talk about something different or what?" Pyro said quickly and smiled at Raeyliff. "Oh~" She suddenly thought. "There's this huge Christmas tree in the middle of the floor. Wanna go see it?" She pleaded and made a puppy-dog face. "I reallyyy want to."

[Raeyliff 0]

He laughed and then smiled, looking at her "Sure, let's go there.". He drank up the rest of his hot chocolate, and then grinned. "Get ready for the cold.." he said, looking at Pyro. After her proposal it seems that even my plans are boring. I want to go and have fun, but I don't know what should I buy for gifts. Not to mention only this much of gold...I don't know if this much can afford anything in Aincrad.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro paid for her hot chocolate and then stood up. She opened the door for Raeyliff and the rushed outside beside him. 'Oops I forgot. He was right about the cold.' She told herself as the cold winds and air met her bare skin. She tapped Raeyliff's shoulder and ran past him motioning for him to follow her. "This way, c'mon." Pyro ran fasting hoping heat would take over the cold from exercise. Pyro was far ahead of Raeyliff but still in view of the other player when she reached her destination. The tree was fairly tall, a bright golden star. Ornaments of every color were hung on the dark green plant, flashing lights and popcorn draped and wrapped around it. Pyro's crimson eyes glimmered in awe as she stared at the tree. Pyro didn't even notice the cold anymore. She looked back at Raeyliff who was approaching, and waved so he knew where she was.

 

-25 COL

[Raeyliff 0]

Raeyliff smiled as he reached where she was. The cold never bothe- NO. GOD PLEASE NO. JUST NO.  His mind was fighting with itself, making him laugh a bit to himself as he looked at the Christmas tree. He smiled, remembering the previous moments of Christmas he had with his family before Aincrad, before getting stuck here...I wonder what my parents are thinking. Are they happy, sad? I hope they're enjoying it even without me...Raeyliff was looking at the ground, thinking that. He usually kept his real life side locked so that he wouldn't think about it and it wouldn't interfere with his practicing and leveling up, but the Christmas tree...He blinked and then looked up. "It's really beautiful..." he said.

[Pyro 0]

Pyro nodded at Raeyliff's comment. It was the largest tree she'd ever seen that wasn't behind a television screen. She looked back at Raeyliff. "Sorry to drag you out here. I really wanted to see it all along, and the timing seemed perfect, so you know... Thanks!" She playfully punched his arm and looked back at the tree still amazed by it. "I burnt down our Christmas tree one year, along with half of our house, so it's been a while since I've seen a real one." Pyro giggled. "Even if it's a video game it's still real to me." She muttered her last sentence and reached out to touch the tree, playing with an ornament, looking at her reflection in it.