[PP:F10] Beauty in the Breakdown (Mari)

[Azrael 0]

Azazel had never been to floor ten until now. It was dark and there was an ominous pressure that Anna could not put her finger on, but she was too intrigued to go back. She walked along the dark path that was illuminated by the rare lantern toward the starting town of the floor. The shadows cast by the lights were playing tricks on her mind; she could swear there were things off in the distance that moved through the dancing lights below the lanterns, but once she’d reach them the shadows would disappear and there’d be no flickering from the lights above her. The woman wanted to turn around and just get the hell off this creepy floor, but she had a reason for being there. She was looking for the Alchemist who inhabited the area. She’d been told there was one with some considerable skill up on the tenth floor and so she had come to see this person for herself.

 

The woman continued on the path; she was told that she would eventually come upon a tent on the edge of the safe zone, and that is where she would find who she was looking for. Sure enough, there was a light off to one side of the road that illuminated the darkness. “That must be it,†she said to herself as she made her way toward the light.  As she drew closer, she found that she was heading over toward a large ramshackle tent that sat alone in the area which was devoid of much else. Anna quickened her pace. The air began to fill with the smells of sage and rosemary burning over charcoal. The perfume grew thicker as she drew closer still. She reached the entrance of the tent and slipped into the tent and out of the darkness.

 

Anna was rather enchanted by what she found inside the tent. Overhead there were jars of things that looked like they might be fireflies or something like it. The air was thick with the scent of things burning, some familiar and others she knew but couldn’t name. She moved through the tent slowly, moving toward the case on the right, peering at the contents that had been so neatly displayed and labeled. She turned to find a large dark wood table with many vials and bottles containing a rainbow variety of different potions and concoctions; she ran her fingers over the wood surface as she examined them reading the labels, but some were too faded to even make out. Anna moved away from the table after some time and walked across the mismatched rugs that covered the ground beneath her feet toward a table that had been set up along the back. As she moved, she noticed a pair of glowing eyes upon her. She was taken aback, but she was not as afraid as she ought to have been.

 

“Hello?†Anna said softly as she approached the table. It was there that Anna found a lovely young woman with pink hair sitting there upon a pile of pillows beneath the dim lights.

 

“Are you the one that made all of these?†She asked hoping the woman wasn’t an assistant. Now that she’d seen everything she longed to meet the maker of such fine quality wares. 

[Mari 1]

Another day, another customer, another few hundred Col to add to her wealthy stack. 

At least, that's what Mari first assumed. Seeing a somewhat curvaceous woman step into the tent. Silken brown locks framed a small round face, and traversed down her back in a silken curtain. Resting just above her hips. It was slightly frazzled in some places, suggesting that she had not spent much time on the 10th floor. Where there was virtually no wind. She had probably ventured up here earlier today, and had yet to check into an Inn. Not that anyone would want to stay in Yomi for too long. It's NPC's seemed to be that of an....undead nature.

 

The woman moved slowly through her store, chocolate eyes focused on the intricate delicacies of Mari's inner sanctum. The woman first moved toward the locked case, as she leaned over to inspect the contents her hair fell over her shoulder in rolling mahogany waves. Mari rested an elbow on her counter, and then her cheek in her palm as she idly watched the woman. It was rare for someone to be so awed by her store. Most simply waltzed in then out.

 

Next, the woman turned on a soft foot and headed toward the potions. Something Mari had tended to dabble in, and found far more interesting than simple healing items. The idea that she could alter the mind, within a virtual world intrigued her. 

The strange woman's hands delicately traced the wooden surface of Mari's table, till finally, finally she approached Mari. Silently breaching the threshold that separated the two. Her eyes locked with Mari's, and her slightly glossed lips parted in mild surprise before she seemed to find her resolve. Greeting Mari with a soft spoken Hello.

"Yes." Mari said simply, closing her eyes. "Tis my store, I have personally crafted all the crystals and potions you see here. Does something interest you?" Mari asked, "or perhaps..." She paused, opening her eyes again. "You want me to create something more...personal?" Mari asked as her lip quirked up into a crooked smile.

[Azrael 0]

A smile came across Anna’s lips as the woman said it was she that had crafted all that the shop contained, and asked if something was of interest to her.  The pretty woman continued and asked if maybe Azazel wanted something of a more personal nature and then smiled in a rather seemingly suggestive manner causing Anna to smile as well.

 

“It’s you that interests me actually…â€she said as she knelt down on one of the pillows in front of the table so that she might converse on level with the other woman. “I was told there was an Alchemist with great skill who had a shop on this floor. Since I’ve only recently become an Alchemist I was naturally curious about you and your wares. They were quite correct,†Anna said as she looked around once again. “You have quite adept hands.†

 

The brunette smiled as quickly as she said the words realizing how much of a come on her words must sound. She smiled even more when she decided it sort of was one; the woman across from her was rather lovely and she always felt the need to flirt with lovely people.

[Mari 1]

The other woman gave Mari the faintest of smiles as Mari proposed the question, of course, if someone came to Mari wanting any sort of potion the woman would try to tackle it. The whole notion of Alchemy had intrigued her, and was a far better venture than her stint as a Performer. The woman knelt down on one o the cushions in front of Mari, the two sitting opposite each other at Mari's low counter. "Me eh?" Mari shrugged, "I knew my reputation as a person was somewhat notorious - never guessed my Alchemic endeavours were equally as such."

 

Mari yawned, covering her mouth with her hand, "Ah an Alchemist - so my competition eh?" Mari asked. She quirked her brow at the girls comment, at how Mari had 'adept hands' Mari assumed the woman had meant her skills in Alchemy but the tone of her voice suggested otherwise. 

 

"Moving a lil' far there eh? I don't know your name." Mari leaned back as she interlocked her fingers - cracking them with a smirk. "So Miss alluring stranger - why seek me out? As a fellow Alchemist what do you hope to gain from entering my store? Pretty Brazen if you ask me."

[Azrael 0]

“My name is Azazel,†she said when the woman said that she was being a bit forward. “I apologize if I seem impertinent to you. It must be unusual for competition to seek one another out as you’ve so pointed out to me,†she agreed. “However I’ve not yet begun my endeavors, nor chosen a location for my shop, and I would hardly call myself a competitor against someone with your level of skill.†Anna shifted in her seat as she spoke.

 

“ My reason for coming here was to explore the possibilities of the skill. As I’ve only learned my first potion, all I can brew is a healing tonic. However, I was quite curious as to how else the skill may be applied. I’ve found that there were different ways of completing the same tasks, which is fascinating to me. This game is immensely complex; it’s quite amazing really.†Anna stopped and blushed realizing what an incredible gamer she must’ve sounded like. She smiled at the woman and then continued to speak.

 

 â€œI had actually hoped that I might get you to show me the application of your skill?†She said looking the Alchemist in her marvelously blue eyes, “I understand that might be a request that you feel you cannot comply with, however, I was hoping that maybe, you would consider it anyway.†

[Mari 1]

"Azazel..." Mari repeated pensively, as though she was committing the name to memory. Mari relaxed her stance, easing herself into the pillows that surrounded her.  The other woman seemed to have an even head on her shoulders. Just from their brief conversation Mari could tell her vocabulary was bigger than at least 80% of the people she had encountered within Aincrad. "You say those things, and I have no reason to disbelieve you - but...I have no reason to believe you either." 

Mari leant forward, placing her elbows on the table, cotton candy coloured hair spilling over her shoulders, "But - considering I've never heard of you. I don't think you're a threat." 

Mari offered Azazel an amused smile as she reached out, grasping a long chestnut lock of hair, rubbing it between thumb and forefinger. "Oh yes, it is an interesting skill." Mari ignored the subtle blush that spread across the other girls round cheeks, and continued. "I can send you into a madenning rage, make your heart flutter with a lustful desire - have you reeling into the pits of dispair - all with a simple mouthful of potion. How?" 

Mari shrugged, "Essentially - one could say it is an entirely placebo affect, then again - we are all trapped in a world where we can feel all these sensations, so why not bend that world to our whims? You want me to show you how? What would you offer me in return?"

[Azrael 0]

Mari spoke wisely. She told Anna that she was unsure if what she was saying happened to be true or not. “That is perfectly understandable. We’ve not met before, nor have you heard of me, and so it’d only be natural to be apprehensive and suspicious about the things I say. I’d feel the same way if I were in your position.†The pretty woman agreed that she found Azazel to not be a threat. Had she known the true ramifications of the situation Azazel would know that she could never pose a threat to the woman before her.

 

As Azazel explained her reasons for being there, Mari reached out and began to play with her long dark hair and listened as the pretty alchemist explained all the things she could do with the application of her potions. “Entirely fascinating,†Anna said and smiled softly rather in awe of the abilities and functions of Mari’s abilities.

 

“I wonder if it truly is a placebo effect or if these things tap into our own neurotransmitters to create the biological effects. It is entirely possible if they knew what nerves and synapses to stimulate and in what way, though such advancements in medicine could be seen as entirely silly, unless this is an experiment to test all this,†Azazel mused aloud. She turned her attention back to the woman when she was asked about what she would be given in exchange for a glimpse of her Alchemy. “I should ask what it is that you want for such an opportunity. I think it’d only be fair for you to name your price since I am asking this of you.â€

[Mari 1]

Mari let go of Azazel's lock of hair, allowing it to fall soundlessly back against her shoulder. Mari pressed her index finger to the wooden table, slowly tracing an invisible circle as Azazel spoke. Agreeing with Mari. She definitely had a clear head on her shoulders. "If it is a placebo, it's a damn good one, and it brings me many, many customers." Mari mused, blue eyes darting to the table to watch her own actions briefly. "Then again, I would not be surprised if what you say is true - and that it simulates the biological effects of these potions. I don't find such advances silly, we are here now - living, breathing in this world. If such a thing can be accomplished I am sure nothing is off the table." 

Mari stopped tracing circles. Her eyes lifting up to meet Azazel's curious orbs one more. Azazel had not named a price. Instead, she asked Mari. Mari lifted a hand up to cover her mouth, hiding a smirk followed by an amused giggle. "Oh, that's brazen." Mari said, "Alright, you'll owe me a favour." It sounded simple enough, but things were never that simple with Mari. "A favour can be anything, an action, Col, items, a deed - I could ask you for a few thousand Col, I could ask you to craft me something, I may even ask you to kill for me. Regardless. You will owe me that favour. Deal?"

[Azrael 0]

Kill?

 

Could Anna kill someone just to have a look at Mari’s ability? The woman placed her hands upon the table and rested her chin upon them pondering the ease in which she could end another player’s life and whether it was worth what she’d get for it. There was the possibility that the woman was just testing her and the request would be something less than what she was asking. However, as she looked into the woman’s eyes she could tell she meant every word of what she said.

 

“Why not,†Anna said with a shrug after some time.  Azazel was a damned soul anyway, might as well go for the full Monty and take out another player while she was at it. "Show me what you've got."

[Mari 1]

Mari tilted her head to the side; watching Azazel's facial expressions. Her eyes widened for a moment, was it the notion of killing someone? Mari wasn't actually going to get her to kill anyone. Even Mari knew to value a life a little more than that. After moments of silence Azazel shrugged. Stating why not, with that - Mari smirked. "Well then." 

She stepped out the side of the table. Leaning over to clasp Azazel's hand. Pulling her up. "I'll show you." Mari lead Azazel behind the low setting table, "Here."  She guided Azazel to sit down at the table next to her. "So do you know anything about alchemy?" Mari asked, not meaning to be rude nor blunt.

[Azrael 0]

Mari grabbed Azrael by the hand pulling her to stand and she followed the motion easily. She was asked if she knew anything about her abilities and Az shook her head. “I know chemistry and botany in the real world, but nothing of the actual game mechanics of alchemy other than the healing potion the alchemist I took the quest from showed me.” she explained as she sat beside the lovely pink haired woman. Had Anna even began to fathom what she was about to see, she might have been a little more reverent in the moment.