[CLOSED] Chasing Rumors

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 Availability: Open (1 slot)...If there are no takers I will reply to myself every 24 hours but will leave the thread open until those slots are filled. Location: Deep inside the black forest, early evening with a full moon hanging over the trees giving the ambient fog a bright silver sheen. The fog is thick, obscuring visibility easily at ground level, with the associate moisture clinging to skin easily. It is somewhat chilly, the mist putting a chill in bare skin easily. Note: Chasing the rumor of a rare creature in the deepest part of the forest, a reluctant Relsialle gos in search to see if there is any truth in it…if only to give her enough of a diversion to stave off boredom for a little longer. OOC Note: All NPC actions and NPC health will be controlled by me…However any player that joins will control if any of said NPC hits them and how much those NPC hits are worth. Thus, if I write, “The wolf shifts to the right and begins charging XXX before leaping forward…attempting to get its dripping maw around XXX’s throat…” You can write, “XXX rolls their body with the attack causing the wolf to miss (or hit for 10 HP!).” In short these NPCs follow a specific plot and need to die at the right time for it to work, but you’ll only get injured and die if you want to. Walking…always walking…the throbbing pads of Relsialle’s booted feet aching with every step, the sharp pain of a blister forming under her big toe building pressure right under the skin. You would think that a game as advanced as SAO would spare its players the discomfort of moving around so much, but it seemed that even the game’s creators wanted to make it was real as possible, well…other than the small triviality of the whole Death Game approach. The pink-haired rogue despised the forest area more these days as her brightly colored eyebrows narrowed, the fog once more greeting her like an old friend, the memories of getting trapped her with Kaori fresh on her mind. The girl offered a soft sigh thinking back, the oddity of the Nepents swarming her making her skin crawl. She took pride in her tough persona, but the feeling of those slimy tentacles swarming over her at the time almost made her scream like a girl half her age… The Irishwoman shook her head free of memories of the incident as she attempted to gain her bearings…the map screen in front of her reading blank from the unexplored nature of forest, almost built purposefully to force solo players to either work together or endure long hours of being stalked by plant-monsters and wolves. Relsialle had heard of a rare creature that peaked her interest in Tolbana, the information brokers of the town almost working overtime since the first reports of its sighting…”Ugh…This thing better pop up soon…This place still gives me the fucking creeps…” The girl mused to herself…her hand glued to the handled dagger, the thin blade of her calcum needle embedded firmly in her other palm. She reminded herself of the quest notes as she looked for a path through the trees, something about a grey Kobold that ran with wolves…such a rarity was to bring in a fortune in rewards shouldn’t it? The information brokers were a crap-shoot these days, the cloaked players making a business in disseminating information that had not quite made it into the beta-tester’s guide…The thought of the profession didn’t sit was with the morally ambiguous Relsialle…making money was one thing, but why sell something as freely available as information? The rogue considered the thought for a moment before shaking her head, knowing that she was just upset she didn’t think of it first…the realization hitting her like a thrown softball…”May just rob one of them when I get back…at least I know they have the cash to spare…” The girl said to herself with a wicked grin, an evil giggle escaping her.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 A wolf howled in the far off distance, prompting Relsialle to tighten her grip nearby dagger, her thin wrist shifting slightly to pull the blade out a fraction of an inch…loosening just in case if the fog revealed trouble. The Irishwoman’s gaze narrowed slightly as her relaxed features grew stern, her steps slowing slightly as the damp leaves crushed softly under the soles of her new boots. Her new armor was holding up rather well, the black leather doing well to put her closer to the stealth aesthetic that she was looking for, the leather moving quite silently given her strange pace…her feet shifting in response to the sudden appearance of roots, sticks, and the rare exposed rocks. For its heavy material, it breathed well, something almost unheard of in the real world, the girl knowing full well that she would be overheated to exhaustion if it weren’t for the digital nature of their clothing…some good had to come with the bad of being trapped in VR despite it all shouldn’t it? A soft sigh escaped the thief as she picked up her pace once more, her dagger slowly sliding back fully into its home at her belt as she relaxed…the danger over at least for the moment as the sounds of the forest once more greeted her ears. The girl reached up to rub her neck, attempting to massage the fatigue out of her joints, her hair pulled up into a rather a large, bright, samurai tail for the time being…the damp mass of hair swaying side to side as she moved her hips in concert. The needle remained in her palm…the ever present safety measure ready to fly if that wolf decided to pursue her for lunch, the rogue’s head quietly spinning with contingency plans as images came and went in the thick pillow of fog…some real, and others merely imagined. It was strange how even these digital images played tricks on the perceptions, the cardinal system seeking to even simulate the brain under the stress of the unknown, mirages coming and going to stir the player to commit mistakes…the environment itself conspiring against all participants in this darkness of this place.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

    Kaito knew about special event creatures like this back during the Beta but hadn't really had time to take advantage of it. Besides, he and his friends were more frequently acting as the pseudo-guardians of the player base in that capacity, so they were focused more on group combat than following rumors. But this was something different, something he felt he could honestly make a difference in. One of the other Beta testers had mentioned that the player base was feeling very suspicious towards any Beta testers, whether it was because of prior knowledge they weren't lending out or, in what left him dumbfounded, that they were "cheaters" for knowing "all" the locations of high level mobs and random loot crates, even though no-one got past Level 5 of Aincrad. He even heard some of the non-English speaking players referring to them as "Beaters" which made all of this even more laughable. But learning that some players were trying to sell off that kind of information about rare spawns or treasure locations to the newbies made his skin crawl. It was one thing to hold onto information to make you all "MLG" or to troll but this was a true Life-Or-Death situation. Any knowledge to get them to survive the game easier if they wanted to help on "the front lines" was imperative. So, luckily for him, he had chosen Mapping as one of his talents and was currently following the trail of the Grey Kobold.

    ...If I didn't constantly get turned around that is. This thing is a godsend sometimes. He thought to himself as he finally pushed his way past some bushes and shrubby, checking his current location after taking that "animal trail" to find himself near the end of the elbow curve he had left momentarily. Thinking he might have uncovered a secret treasure location off the beaten path, it turned out this time to be a dud. Unaware of any other players out here, the dark haired man stepped past the trees and leaves to find himself back on the main path once more, unaware that someone out here had some very frayed nerves towards anything approaching her.

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 Relsialle groaned a bit as she lifted her feet once more, the hours of half-exploring and being half-lost weighing on her. The exhausted pink-haired thief pulled her shoulders back slightly as she shifted her shoulders back slightly until a soft pop was heard from the blades of the joint, her arms shifting back into place easily after the stretch. The ambient noise of nearby crickets and frogs did well to stir a restful calm within her despite her present mission, lost in a forest merely chasing a rumor that could end up as being simply a non-existent boogie-man dreamed up by bored players that confined themselves to the towns and cities…A soft curse went through her mind for those that had nothing but time on their hands for that, the too-young and too-old, and the demonized few that were too cowardly to fight for survival like the rest of them. Unconsciously she couldn’t blame them, after-all, there was the lion’s share of players that had died within the first few weeks…an unsympathetic Darwinism that separated the survivors from those who had the heart but not the skill. Still one could not battle their nature, and everyone knew that fun couldn’t be had merely waiting on those to fight their way through…and with the very real danger that now awaited them, that level of fun rose exponentially for this particular bright-haired firebrand. A soft smile creeped across her face as her eyes fixed on a nearby tree trunk, seemingly content to rest for the moment until the sharp sound of a twig snapping was heard not too far off. “Shit…” The girl managed to utter on reflex…her accent flavoring her words thickly as the surprise hit her like a jab in a bar-fight. She shifted her free hand to the hilt of her thin dagger, the blade embedded in the palm of her left hand still held at the ready. Her body weight dropped down slightly in place, the fog doing well to aid in her stealth mastery coming online…her avatar quickly fading from view.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

    Kaito was no explorer or survivalist, any sort of subtlety of moving through underbrush and foliage was nonexistent. It wouldn't be surprising to be mistaken for something big crunching through the Black Forest, gaining its name well tonight. The misty evening was illuminated by the full moon, the fog that had rolled in leaving a dull white to the world as every tree, bush and shrub looked midnight black. The map in many ways was his only way of slipping through here with relative knowledge of his location and even then it was still hard to work with. I guess that's going to happen when its at level 1 with no experience. He guessed as he readjusted the beginner armor of cloth and leather after being pulled and tugged at by every branch on that animal trail, This special monster just had to only appear at night, didn't it? I wouldn't mind it terribly it wasn't so freakin' cold but that would be too easy woul-

    But much like the rose-haired rogue had heard earlier, another howl broke the silence, echoing off the trunks of the heavy wooded forest, making it difficult to tell where it came from as Kaito felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Drawing his saber from his scabbard, he glanced in multiple directions as he slowly made his way back a bit, thinking he might have heard it down the path out. As he unknowingly approached the girl, his form parted the mist as his Level 1 blade occasionally glinted as he twisted left and right to find his prey (or more accurately, his predator.) He was still in his beginner armor, his shirt having a blue tinge to its dark color but difficult to tell if that was the color amongst the night fog. His dark hair looked like it had been only styled with a hand for a while and a little wild, the shade of his chin showing a little stubble as black eyes looked towards her at moments before moving away. He still hadn't seen her yet or at least hadn't seen through her Stealth Mode yet but seemed to be finding his vision either towards her or perhaps past her. He didn't seem lost like her but could he possibly be trusted? With how unkempt he looked, he probably seemed rather suspicious. Maybe he was the one of those "Beaters" that was selling the maps back in town? Would explain how he seemed to be moving around without too much trouble, at least from first impressions.

    He stopped only a few feet from Relsialle's position, close enough to get a good look at him while standing still. Any closer and the RNGs might decide that was when her stealth finally broke. Decision time was now.

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 Relsialle’s crystal blue eyes narrowed quickly as she heard something crashing through the brush without regard not only for the peace of the space but more-so given the inherent danger that lurked nearby. While she had quite a bit of difficulty remaining silent in the veiled nature of this place, her natural light-footed nature at least protected against the bulk of sound that movement in the space demanded. She couldn’t tell if the crashing sound was monster or player, but at any rate both justified equal caution given the circumstances of her travels at the time…her own lack of any detection skill further complicating efforts at identifying any nearby presences. The Irishwoman remained crouched down, her hand hovering just above her blade for the moment as her avatar remained protected in its defensive stealth. Her eyes remained unwavering, the slightest hint of exhaustion fading away quickly as the slightest drop of adrenaline coursed through her veins forcing her to remain alert and vigilant. A soft green icon appeared to her just as Kaito’s presence caught her attention several yards away…his green morality icon appearing in her GUI from the fog forcing her tense shoulders to drop and relax slightly in relief. The nearby howl had grown suddenly closer, forcing her to snap her attentions in the direction of the more malicious presence…a soft growl escaping her as she assumed that the bumbling player had lured the creatures to their location with his careless movements...She stood nearly ready to offer constructive criticism in the form of an expletive filled lecture, but then Relsialle caught herself at the last second…remaining still veiled from view…a wicked smile crossing her sharpened features as an idea pried itself into her mind. (Direwolf LVL2 = 35HP) (Direwolf LVL2 = 35HP) Soft footsteps could be heard as the paws of a pair of direwolves appeared from the fog, their thick fur a strange mix of white and grey as the leaves cracked lightly from their considerable weight. Their glossy eyes remained focused on Kaito as the monsters sized up their humble prey, the pair taking a deep breath of the player’s scent as they finally came to a stop a few yards ahead of him…shifting their weight back slightly as if about to spring. The second of the pair seemed to have its attention focused elsewhere for a singular moment as it turned in the direction where a hidden Relsialle perched…the creature attempting to justify the difference between sight and smell… A long series of curse words shot through her mind as she slowly took a step back, shifting slightly to get into position to spring her trap on the pair of wolves…using the unknown player as bait for the time being. The shaky morality of the plan wasn’t lost on her, however it her mind it was justified given the circumstances…and besides where was the fun in being a good lady-in-shining armor all the time…

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

    Kaito's paranoia seemed to reward him as two waist high forms slowly seeped out from the fog, only when seen did the low, threatening growls appear. Having not seen hide nor hair of any enemy NPCs up till this time made him feel like a group had moved through already and cleared most of the main roads for lowbies like him to sneak through. Whether it was the noise he had been making working his way through that short cut or simply creatures respawning, he had no clue. But he had no time to think of that as he was trapped in a two-on-one now. Damn, damn! No, settle down. You can deal with this, just hit hard and take one down right now! He thought to himself, settling on his back leg and bringing a hand back as if readying for a sprint.

    Streaks of blue light seemed to manifest out of the fog and suddenly enveloping around the man and his weapon showed flashes of his body and face now. The shirt of his training armor showcased his profile color had been blue, his features Asian in appearance but not quite and a face that grimaced in what could be determination, terror or a little bit of both. His curved blade seemed to be absorbing those blue lights as a faint glow within the blade grow brighter until it seemed to sing. The dire wolves were equally ready to pounce as the tension filled the air but once one of them seem to glance away, he realized his chance was now.

    His feet dug into the earth and spring forward with an inhuman speed, the fog splitting in his wake as he closed the distance with the wolf still eyeing him as each sweep of his blade blew away the mist. "KA! ZE! NO!" He called out with ever swing, in low horizontal and diagonal slashes before slicing the blade upward with a loud "HAAAA!" as a torrent of wind blasted from behind his blow. If that didn't take down one of them... well... he would be in trouble.

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 (Direwolf LVL2 = 35HP) (Direwolf LVL2 = 12HP) The blue flash of light ended almost as quickly as it had started, the wolf enduring the multitude of quick-handed slashes just as it moved to pounce its new prey. A sharp whine left its muzzle as its footpads finally landed on the soft ground with a thud…a deep series of digital red streaks now forming on the bulk of its body. The streaks from its wounds quickly began to fade as its HP gauge dropped almost immediately into the red, the monster slowly attempting to regain its footing just as it struggled to spin itself around for another attack. Its feet were wavering slightly as the pain coursed through its system, the sudden power of Kaito’s sword art doing well to let the pair know that their next meal would come with a fight. The wolf’s uninjured partner circled as a hungry growl left its mouth, the sharpened fangs that it had hoped to use on Kaito sticking out from its canine lips as it considered its next move in retaliation for its partner’s injuries. The wolf leaped forward, its sharpened smile aiming to get a grip on its opponents neck…clearly mimicking the behavior of real’s wolves tactics almost perfectly given the nature of the game. What was different however was the sudden appearance of the interloper that it had sniffed out moments before…the distraction from the sudden sword art forcing action rather than a thorough investigation of the unknown scent… The jumping wolf was soon met by a quick stab of a dagger, the Irish woman suddenly reappearing back into visible reality with a blink, her stealth shattering in an instant with her first attack. Her trap had clearly been successful as she twisted her weapon free from the attacking wolf, the monster’s stomach easily accessible from its attempted leap onto Kaito. Her morality icon did clearly mark her as a green player, but her usage of the slightly lower-levelled player as bait would be revealed easily in the sheer timing and nature of her attack. Her wolf had suddenly found himself the victim of her particularly nasty status element…the paralysis icon appearing next to its name almost immediately, causing the frozen beast to crash into the ground at its target’s feet…coming to a stop right below him with a skid, its front paws now digging into the dirt slightly. (Direwolf LVL2 = 25HP) - *Paralysis* (Direwolf LVL2 = 12HP) The pink-haired rogue rose to her feet…crystal-blue eyes shifting her stern glance from the wolf to Kaito, offering a soft nod to the fellow before turning to the still very-much mobile wolf. Her black leather armor moved well so far, her boots sounding softly as she dropped a single foot back to steady herself, her short dagger held up in a guard…the blade stretched along her forearm to ready her next strike. She seemed to show no attention to the her earlier victim, her lithe form turning quickly to the threat that was quickly wheeling back around to attack the pair once again…her inattention signaling that the status element would hold for some time to come. The mysterious thief cracked a quick smile as her combat stance shifted slightly, her feet slowly moving to the side, her brightly-colored hair clinging to the back of her armor from the ambient moisture that permeated it...the adrenaline that fueled her fun for the moment forcing her to forget her momentary exhaustion that was present just moments before. The dark armor set her apart from the standard newbie fairly quickly, the thick leather chest plate and shoulders leading to a short matching woolen skirt…her high boots seeming a step up as well from the standard-issue that players of the floor seemed to share in droves. The dagger sheath bounced on her thigh with each slow movement…the loose belt it was hanging on slung at an angle. A small leather pouch graced the top of her opposite boot, only leaving one to guess what it contained, perhaps more tools of the trade for the morally ambiguous punk-rocker.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

"I'm no hero. I can't save my own life, let alone another. I was never a "Sapphire Samurai." Just a ronin fighting for ideals I can only hope to aspire to." ☒ relsialle ✐ 406 ✉ Yay, I did it! Kaito Lv1

As the final blow struck the wolf and sent him flying upward, he watched in horror as the canine twisted in the air and landed back to earth on all fours, covered in strikes and staggering but still up. What!? That should have at least taken it out, these powers were like a one-hit-kill during the Beta! He thought wide eyed as he realized he had left his back open to the other one as furious barking and growling was coming quickly behind him, Damn, the other one's...! He spun around but couldn't even finish the thought as the canine landed to a skid right in front of him... but didn't make a move, its jaw open as if in a stunned pain and frozen like a taxidermist model. The faint red emanating from its stomach made him realize the Dire Wolf was hit by something that paralyzed it. But where...?     It was the hair that caught his eye first, cutting through the fog and framing the outline of her face, the shimmer of a dagger in her gloved hands as her dark clothes left her a shadow amongst the fog. Only her green icon that hovered over her indicated that it was a friend, or at least someone who hadn't tried to see if PVP was still present in Aincrad. Was she hidden this entire time? She had the look of a thief or a ninja to her so he wouldn't put it past the idea she might have Stealth Mastery as a Talent. But there was little time to think of that right now as she made one of the wolves useless for the moment and it was logical to think she'd help him with the other. "Thank you, arigato, whichever! I'll finish this one off!" The man said behind his shoulder, revealing a fluency with Japanese but also having an American accent as he spoke, looking back at the heavily wounded canine. For how exciting and striking that display of Sword Art strikes were, his actual fighting stance didn't look too terribly well. Granted, it was obvious not everyone was going to be a trained swordsman or shield maiden but now that lack of ancient knowledge was hindering a lot of players. Kaito struck at the canine with a downward hacking motion, lacking the kind of grace one would imagine with a scimitar or saber, hoping it would get the job done regardless.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 (Direwolf LVL2 = 25HP) - *Paralysis* (Direwolf LVL2 = 0HP) – DEAD! Just as the wolf moved to jump once more in attack it was greeted by the downward slash from Kaito, the creature barely having enough time to bear its fangs once more before its HP gauge hit zero. The realism of the monster’s death wasn’t lost on the pair, the cardinal system doing well to show the consequences of player actions...not matter if it was self-defense or not. The red simulated-blood leaked out of the massive wound as the digital red-streak rewarded Kaito for his efforts, prompting the large wolf to cry out in pain. The creature struggled to shuffle back, before finally sinking to the ground and shattering into a mist of blue pixels. Relsialle giggled on impulse as the stranger thanked her…the inside joke not being lost on her, since after all…she was using this unfortunate soul as bait for the time being to draw out the creatures that lurked nearby. She shook her head as she lowered her guard slightly, bringing her weapon hand down slightly as the freely moving wolf was dispatched. “Don’t thank me yet, this fight isn’t over…” The pink-haired girl observed, the status element slowly beginning to blink as the remaining wolf attempted to break free. Her Irish accent was thick, flavoring all of her words with its musical presence. She turned to the frozen wolf twisting her body upwards before bringing the full force of her blade down on the frozen creature…shifting the blade slightly before pulling it free. A gurgled sound escaped the captive creature as finally it too felt its HP gauge reach zero, a hail of blue pixels exploding outward to rain on the Irishwoman as she once more stood up with a nod. Her dagger filled palm moved her belt where she turned her attention to the fog covered distance, finally sheathing the weapon when she assumed that the clearing was clear for the moment. She had left her hand resting on the pommel despite everything, remaining slightly paranoid given their murky surroundings. “Well…that was just enough fun to break the boredom don’t you think?” The girl rattled off with a grin, her sharpened features turning to the unknown Kaito, one sea-blue eye never far off from the cloaked distance.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

"I'm no hero. I can't save my own life, let alone another. I was never a "Sapphire Samurai." Just a ronin fighting for ideals I can only hope to aspire to." ☒ @agi ✐ 589 ✉ Apparently Kaito isn't "just" a pedo. Kaito Lv1

The Cardinal System still didn't fail at providing a jolt to his own system every once in a while when it came to combat, even as the rush of adrenaline and the dopamine of victory was assured. The bite of his saber struck true into the wolf's skull with a wet "Thunk!" of meat and bone being splintered and the digital spray that released to showcase the final blow. That last part was more mechanical in nature, true, signifying as a visual indicator of reaching zero hit points but the effect still left him flinching to keep the blood particles from getting in his eyes. Except, there was none, and his sword and armor was left stainless to that vitae... because it was simply a graphical effect. The feeling of always barely on the other end of the "Uncanny Valley" then tumbling back down was what it was like to play on the Nerve Gear. Because as soon as your mind and body start to coalescence on the idea that you're in a real world and just killed an animal, it slumps to the ground and in seconds dissipates into pixels. And then, like now for Kaito, you can rest easy that this was getting easier because it was just polygons and code you were "killing."     Hearing the squealing yowl of a blow to the other canine behind him, he turned in time to see the young woman putting the finishing blow through the neck and upper spine of the paralyzed wolf in what had to be either a critical hit or even a "Coup de Gras" effect of killing it outright in one hit. Though how she appeared seemingly out of nowhere, he couldn't deny her efficiency. "It's not exactly my idea of fun, that's for cer...tain..." He began, putting his sword back in his scabbard and turning to see her clearly made him catch his breath. As if on cue, with how much movement their battle had caused, as well as his wind based Sword Art, the fog had parted enough around them and above that the full moon above them provided almost perfectly lighting to see the young woman with the melodious Irish accent. At the end of Kayaba's "tutorial" as he put it, with the entire population was shown for who they really are, it was no surprise when the female player base of the game took a sudden dive. That wasn't to say there was NO girls playing SAO but... well, he wasn't exactly expecting this in front of him. The bright pink hair, the black leather cuirass (or was it a corset?) and boots and-and everything, the fact she actually looked like she was his age even! Sh-She's playing a rogue right...? P-Pretty eye catching for a stealth build...! He thought, his momentary wide and darting eyes betraying the fact he was checking her out before catching himself. "B-But I guess it comes with the territory of this quest, I guess!" He said with a cough before glancing around with her for anything else that can take his vision, "So um... can I take a guess that you're out here for a certain mission monster and his other minions as w- Hey wait a minute!" He suddenly caught himself as his momentary libido finally allowed enough blood to flow back to his head and looked the girl in the eye with raised eyebrow and an accusatory look, "Why hadn't I seen you around here all of tonight? How long have you been stealthed?!"

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 The girl ignored the comment for the moment as her eyes shot once more to the fog, her head shifting slightly to the side taking a mass of bright pink locks with it…her crystal-blue gaze shooting to the distance to see if any more of the pack sought to challenge them at the moment. She turned back before shifting her neck slightly to the side, until a soft pop was heard from the tense joint. “…not fun eh? Don’t tell me you’re another one of those stiffs that think they are here to save the word…it’s still the same game as before isn’t it?” The relsialle snapped back her grin quickly fading into a look of accusatory seriousness, obviously getting in that lecture she had stopped herself from delivering moments before. The Irishwoman blinked at Kaito grew quiet, her shoulders slumping over almost comically at his sudden reaction to her presence, a soft sigh exiting her as she quickly gauged his reaction. The youthful rogue had dealt with this enough both in game and out, although here given the desperation of the circumstances and the unusual nature of the situation…the female player base instantly was cut by a large margin the moment Kayaba decided to level the playing field, knowing this her life became much more difficult on that fateful day. Day in and day out she was now always dealing with a life of random party invites, marriage invitations, and wide eyes…This meant she did her best to stay off the radar for the most part…and she could only imagine how annoying it would be for those females much younger than herself. At least Kaito’s surprised gaze was better than a random declaration of adoration from players that enjoyed naming themselves the likes of: ‘IMMORTAL LEGEND’ as if the all caps would mean that her heart would instantly swoon to their pre-teenage charms…despite the player in question being well into his twenties…and people wondered why she kept solo for the most part. The thief’s sea-blue eyes rolled slightly as she let off a soft growl until Kaito finally broke his hungry glance, the swordsman at least insightful enough to bail out before she put him in the ground, both physically and verbally (The verbal of-course being much more fun!)…they were off the beaten path after all. A soft sigh left her as her guard lowered slightly, the soft look of ‘why me’ now appearing on her sharpened features. “Naa, just running after the grey kobold rumor that is bouncing around Tolbana…figured I’d get started before the whole player base hits the forest once the info hits the guide…” She answered, turning once more to the white clouds that surrounded them, her small ears wiggling slightly as she attempted to focus on any nearby danger that may be stalking them from nearby. A flick of Relsialle’s thin wrist was enough to bring up her darkened map screen, her bright eyes shifting slightly to get a quick bearing on the pair’s location…her finger scrolling slightly to guestimate the direction where Kaito had travelled. The Irishwoman looked up with a shifted eyebrow at his accusatory question, her tone shifting to dodge the inquiry with the skill of a politician…“It’s a thick fog…It’s no wonder you didn’t run into a fucking tree…Hell, I barely can see my hand in front of my face…”

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

"I'm no hero. I can't save my own life, let alone another. I was never a "Sapphire Samurai." Just a ronin fighting for ideals I can only hope to aspire to." ☒ @tags ✐ 674 ✉ Way too accepting for his own good. Kaito Lv1

Years of having had trouble interacting with girls and in the span of a week had already come into contact two with very different personalities. One an emotionless enigma and this one wearing them on her sleeves (or in this case arm gloves maybe?) and more sass than even he was capable of as it caught him off guard, especially at the idea of still trying to have "fun" out here in the darkness of Floor 1's more difficult areas outside of the Dungeon itself. Was she really aware of what it was like out here? Well, maybe she did, as she had already tossed aside her early level gear for something he guessed fit her personality better or at least the role she was seeking to play in all this. But it certainly did irk him wrong. "No, it's really n- It's really not that simple. We don't know what kind of sadistic changes Kayaba might have done to the game. Maybe he likes to toss in some difficulty spikes to catch someone wandering around by themselves in the middle of a dark, dank forest none the wiser." He shot back, glancing back at her during her stretches and joint snaps to catch her slumping up a little at probably his wandering vision (though bent over like that it was allowing him to look straight down her...) and realized his own words, "'Course, that means me I'm none the wiser either..." She'd have to give the boy some credit, he might have looked like the image of a stereotypical basement dweller gamer, what with the pale skin, the disheveled look and the fact that it was plain as obvious it was "lust at first sight" with the guy.  But while he was trying and failing at playing it cool, he seemed aware enough that he was acting like an idiot and trying not to. Kaito might have grown up in the era of online gaming becoming mainstream but he still seemed to have his head firmly on his shoulders how to act and not act around a girl. Hell, he figured that interactions with people now with their actual real life faces and everything would make players less likely to act like horn dogs. If only he knew... Well, it wasn't like it would ever go away completely. Kaito remembered back on the Beta when the first players who asked and received Beta Keys first arrived with heroic names like "BUTTLORD420BLZIT" and "TEHBLCKSRDSMN" arrived looking straight out of the notebooks of every 12 year old's idea of a badass hero. But that wasn't important right now, and while she wasn't going to give him any answers, he might as well work with it, "That must make searching your menu pretty hard, huh?" He responded back with narrowed eyes and a voice dripping with sarcasm before letting out a sigh too, "Well, regardless, you helped me out back there. And no, miss, I'm not trying to save the world. You don't see me bull-rushing the floor dungeon, do I? I am, however, trying to make it a little safer and better for everyone, even if its a little bit at a time. For example..." The dark haired male swiped downward in front of him as well as he spoke, poking and swiping before making a flicking gesture with his wrist her way as the rose-haired rogue would get an indication of a gift being sent to her... and as he blinked there for a moment, he realized suddenly what this looked like as he jolted a little and quickly explained, "Uh, i-it's a map, of what I've covered around here so far. A couple of treasure chest spawn points, short cuts, that sort of thing. Um, don't bother with the chests right now though. The spawn rate on everything feels like it's been extended, a lot..." The young man, who apparently was named Kaito from the gift notification, didn't seem aware that he had just outed himself as a Beta player with that remark.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Relsialle]

" Sometimes things are more fun with your life on the line…" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Relsialle Lv3 Relsialle tisked, allowing a soft puff of air leave her lips as she clicked her tongue, narrowing her crystal blue eyes at him before lifting a brow, “I doubt it…Kayaba is a fucking psycho to be sure…for a complete nut-job he at least plays fair for what I’ve seen…It’s the players that you got to worry about playing dirty for the most part…” The girl observed before rolling her eyes at the disheveled Kaito, turning back to him from the hazy horizon. The thief offered a sigh before shaking her head, rolling her fingers slightly until they-too let out the soft sound of joints shifting back into place…her slender digits moving back to rest lightly on the end cap of her blade. “The stakes may be higher but at the end of the day it’s still just a game like any other…and games are no fun if they aren’t fair…” Her sharpened words cutting his lecture short on an edge more finely honed than the physical one she carried at her side, her own entertainment growing slightly as she flashed a quick grin, Kaito’s sarcastic tone signaling that her words had irked him…entertainment at its finest. The more serious the player, the more fun she seemed to have putting them in their place these days, a seemingly useless hobby with no end other than causing frustration amongst those that encountered her and an added measure of infamy as she expanded on her strange but practical philosophy. The Irishwoman issued a soft growl as he fired back at her minor insult, he was after all the source of the monsters that they had just put down…or so it seemed. At least Kaito had a measure of fight in him somewhat, setting himself somewhat apart from the countless other players that proved that talking-tough didn’t get you far, at least not in this world or in their fleeting reality back home. No matter, his awkwardness was about the most standard flavor the surviving players had in common, the observation all the more funny knowing that most had to work together to solve the puzzle of survival that they were now immersed in. “Oh really now! I may be lost as a tourist in London right now, but at least I didn’t almost get double-teamed like it was Friday night in the red-light district then turned into puppy chow!” The girl fired back almost immediately, verbally gutting his sarcasm with what was TO HER almost standard friendly banter…The girls wrist flicked slightly to the side dismissing her map in frustration before Kaito’s map gift/addition prompted in front of her forcing her to drop her lips slightly in surprise. The pink-haired rocker’s thin finger shifted through the suddenly exposed data, her own map starkly different than the darkened expanse moments before, “Not bad for a basement dweller…” She observed, still not done sneaking in the occasional jab at his ego, before reaching to the small pouch on an exposed portion of her thigh…bringing out a small calcum needle to bring to her lips like a cigarette, before tapping an opaque to hide the new discoveries. “Hmm…well, not bad for a mapping talent…” The girl added, the realization coming over her in a quick fashion, turning her gaze back to him and finally offering a quick nod in thanks…a thin smile gracing her sharpened features for the time being in return for the gift. She ignored the beta-tester comment for the moment, her demeanor not showing any alignment on the issue at all…after all they were just normal players at any rate, if not more dangerous due to the unreliability of their information, the pink-haired rogue assuming now it was better off going to the information sellers for anything of real value these days anyways.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Kaito]

"I'm no hero. I can't save my own life, let alone another. I was never a "Sapphire Samurai." Just a ronin fighting for ideals I can only hope to aspire to." ☒ @tags ✐ 379 ✉ Small post is small, sorry. Kaito Lv1

Kaito was already beginning to regret just handing out that map to her just out of nowhere as the Irish girl had to be one of the most confrontational and frankly bitchy characters he had ever met... and he knew someone who's first impression was the put a sword to his throat! She clearly didn't take the game or the player base seriously or perhaps anyone for that matter. What did he do in a past life to get all of this bad karma? Scoffing originally at her remark about at least trusting that crazy bastard Kayaba to play fair was a joke, had to be a joke. "Oh yeah, because like carnival games are fair. Or pachinko machines. Or slots. Or gambling of any-" He began, listing the various "fair" games he knew off the top of his head on his fingers before being shut down pretty viciously for what was the smallest of remarks that made him flinch and clench his face in a tight line. He might have had a sarcastic streak in him but she was right, when real pressure was pushed back at him, the "knight in shining armor" clamped up. When she remarked on his mapping skills, he was wandering around to find the path northward again (only turning to look over his shoulder with a scrunched up face and muttering under his breath, "Basement dw- Seriously!?") before hearing what must have actual compliment, turning back around fully to her, "You're welcome, by the way. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to back to look for that kobold again. They probably came from his entourage too..." He half muttered that last part to himself as he started moving down the path, the fog already beginning to enclose around him. It looked like her fun little past time was beginning to slip away from her and after her prize in the process too. If he had that mapping ability, this Kaito probably had an idea where he was going. And if he was a Beta tester, he already knew exactly what to do when he got there, even if he seemed to have difficulty keeping his head out of the clouds or fight well. Was he worth teaming up with for a little while?

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS