[CLOSED] Fun Times In Tolbana

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ Elpharae ✐ 001 ✉ YAY LET'S HAVE THEM READ LOTS OF BOOKS! (AND MAKE LOTS OF MONEY FROM THIS THREAD. > )

Athena's hand had been grabbed by Elpharae as they headed towards Tolbana, the closest town to where they were. Athena had just been crying a second ago, but Elpharae had quickly cheered Athena up and was now guiding her to Tolbana to do all kinds of mischievous things. Athena wondered what kinds of mischievous things they would be doing while in Tolbana, since Elpharae didn't seem like the particularly mischievous type. Hmm... I bet we'll go to some kind of coffee shop and order outrageous drinks. From the description her thoughts, it was obvious that Athena had never really been mischievous in her whole life. It wasn't surprising though since Athena was sure an adamant rule follower the majority of the time. That's simply the way that she was raised by her parents, and she never thought to disobey what she was taught since very young.      Athena could see Tolbana a short distance from where they were and she continued to follow Elpharae. Athena suddenly realized that they were holding hands, which didn't make her feel uncomfortable, but she started to feel like she did earlier. It was strange and a little nice, but it was an emotion that she didn't know well, so she got confused by it. Athena simply couldn't put a name to the feeling. It was warm and nice, but also made her a little scared and uneasy. It was a contradictory emotion, which made Athena slightly confused. "E-Elpharae... Is it weird that we're... That we are..." Athena couldn't finish the question because she felt so embarrassed. Embarrassment was the closest thing that she could tie this emotion to and it made her unable to function the majority of the time. Athena whispered quietly to herself, "Why am I acting like this? This is so odd. I don't like it, but... I don't not like it either..."

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Elpharae]

[OOC: Heh. Er, sorry for the late post? Er. "^.^]

Elpharae paused.

"E-Elpharae... Is it weird that we're... That we are..." Athena had trailed off. Elpharae cocked his head, a little surprised and utterly bewildered. It seemed as if Athena hadn't wanted to continue, but what was it that had gotten the girl so flustered? She had been crying, so leftover feelings? That didn't seem plausible, and he doubted it was even a thing. What was weird? He glanced down at them again, but saw nothing amiss, and continued to gently tug her forward, brows furrowed in confusion. What could Athena mean? Was it something serious? Elpharae didn't think so, but perhaps. Noting that they had entered Tolbana, he pulled them over to the middle of the street, right in the middle of the morning market.

What caught his eye first was a dark, lush green that drew him in, the serpentine leather and inlaid gold lettering drawing him in. Dragging Athena excitedly over, he realized it was the library that he had seen earlier, the one that had distracted him. Pulling his companion into the store, he "ooh"ed and "ah"ed over the books, having a stack up to his chin by the time that he had realized what he had done. Waiting patiently for Athena to finish finding her books, he sat at an empty table, eyes running over the script. The stories weren't anything that he had read before-player made or SAO-approved? He did so wonder-and he pulled out a chair absently, almost tripping before he slid into the piece of furniture.

Running his fingers over the smooth, creamy pages, he snuck a quiet glance at Athena, who had joined him moments earlier, wondering what she was reading, and ducked his gaze to the paper again, enjoying the quiet companionship that he had lacked for quite a bit, players he had met always chatting and talking, and while that was enjoyable, this was much more relaxing.

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ Elpharae ✐ --- ✉ You're all good Elpha~

Athena still felt odd as they continued to walk while holding hands. It wasn't something she was used to, but since Elpharae seemed to be unphased by it, then Athena knew that she should probably get used to the sensation and the action. Elpharae's hand felt really soft and it made Athena shake her head a little. She wanted to get rid of the embarrassment, since it seemed like she was just overreacting. She had just been crying, so she was probably just on edge and she was probably still a little vulnerable. Athena suddenly noticed that they had entered Tolbana and she felt Elpharae pull her into the middle of the street. W-We're holding hands in public... I need to get rid of this expression or else people might get the wrong idea... Athena tried her best to hide her expression, but the more she tried, the worse her actual expression got.      Athena suddenly felt herself being pulled towards what looked like a bookstore. Athena looked in the front window and saw a book that was absolutely gorgeous. The gold lettering was absolutely exquisite in her eyes and all of a sudden, her embarrassment rushed out of her. She was astounded by how beautiful the books were and it just made her want to go and read one of them. She knew she couldn't, but she was sure that the text that the books held was just as exquisite as the gold inlaid lettering on the front. Athena imagined having the crisp pages in between her fingers, while her hands felt the smooth leather and small rough patches when she'd touch the lettering. It made Athena smile just thinking about holding one of those books in her hands. Though, she knew that there were probably some very old books in that library. Athena loved old books, even more than books that were in pristine condition. There was something about the rugged leather covers and the tattered paper pages that just enticed her. Suddenly, she saw Elpharae go inside and start searching for books. She thought she'd do the same.      Athena went through the aisles of books and tried to find some very old books which held some nice character. It would also be nice to try and conduct some research on the enemies, but she thought she'd have fun instead of doing that. Athena slid her hand along the rows of books until she felt a very sturdy book, which didn't move at her touch. Athena looked at the book that she had touched and it was a large book, which had three golden sections on the side, stating the title, the author, and the letters SAO. Athena smiled as she picked up this one book. It was a bit hefty and it had some girth to it. Athena would've guessed that the book was at least 1000 pages. She returned to Elpharae with the book, going to sit at the table where Elpharae was sitting. She pulled out her chair and tried to quietly set the book down, but the book still made a small booming sound as she set it down. Athena sat down and began to explore the inside of this large book. It looked to be some kind of encyclopedia from what she could tell, and it contained information on all kinds of topics. She went to the Dire Wolf section and it spoke a little about the speed of the animals and their different habitual traits, as well as their demeanor towards others of their kind. It seemed like someone had done a deep study on some of these animals and it was very intriguing to see what was inside of it. Athena was so caught up in the book that she nearly forgot she was with Elpharae.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Elpharae]

Elpharae let out a shy smile, sending quiet glances over to Athena. His dark hair fell into his face, but after repeatedly brushing it away, he sighed and pulled it into a smooth braid, fingers smoothing and parting his dark hair as he clipped it back with his flower-inspired hair accessory. There was a relaxed vibe around the library that he hadn’t noticed before, hushed voices talking and the quiet shuffle of books and shoes. He ran his fingers over the dark brown leather of the cover of the volume he was carrying, and he fingered the worn pages before his frame lost the tension he had forgotten about. The stack of books next to him was about twice the size of his head, and the brunette paused before delicately selecting one book halfway through the pile, a slim volume that had a smooth, modern design, or at least, by Sword Art Online’s standards. Running his fingers over the carved letters, wincing when he spotted a mistake in the lines, Elpharae gingerly opened it, not wanting to harm it. There was a lull when the library suddenly silenced, and he pushed on, eyes skimming the page thoughtfully.

When he looked up after a beat of silence, halfway through the story, he looked over at the blonde. She seemed equally as engrossed as him, and he viewed the volumes she was looking at before exhaling lowly and standing up, careful to not cause too much noise. His bare feet plodded against the floor, and he placed some of the books he had selected earlier back, having lost interest. Elpharae paused mid-motion, his dark eyes falling onto a section of books. Plays, a small, wooden sign proclaimed boldly. Intrigued, Elpharae headed for that aisle, wondering what it could hold. He doubted anyone in Sword Art Online had gone and memorized plays word for word, and so they must have been player-created works. New works. Intrigued, he looked at the hand-copied books, noting the painstaking calligraphy and the perfectly lettered speech.

He picked one up, fully intending to buy it, before looking at the time and realizing that around an hour and a half had passed, making it around one. Placing the book gently back, he walked over to Athena again, motioning to the time on their player menu, gesturing. Hoping that Athena got the message, he waited for her to finish putting back her books patiently, offering to help, before they both walked out the shop. Taking in a breath of fresh air, Elpharae paused, smiling brightly at Athena, re-energized. “Where do you want to go next? It’s noon, which means lunch, and we can go into a random shop or simply choose somewhere that we’ve been before. I’m guessing that since we’re exploring, though, and I suggested it, that I’ll be paying? And no, that really wasn’t a suggestion,” He added lightly, tilting his head playfully. “I’m definitely paying. You can do it next time.”

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ Elpharae ✐ --- ✉ Sorry for the late post~ I was so tired from bowling last night! >.<

Athena combed through the pages of the encyclopedia that she was reading, completely enveloped by the words that were inside. Athena was so engaged in this book that a full hour and a half had passed. Of course, Athena didn't mind because she learned a lot of valuable information from the encylopedia, including things like personality traits of some of the enemies that they've faced so far. Athena hoped that another version of the encyclopedia would come out, containing a plethora of information about the new monsters on the second floor. Speaking of, Athena wondered what kinds of monsters they might encounter on the second floor. Would they be harder to kill? Faster? Smaller? More defensive? In Athena's opinion, she thought most of the enemies would have more health and more strength, but she wasn't sure. There would probably be a mix of faster, stronger, and defensive monsters. Though, Athena was sure that whatever monsters she would face, she would make sure to demolish them with her rapier and her speed.      Athena suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. She quickly turned to see that it was Elpharae, who was gesturing towards the time on their HUDs. Athena was puzzled by this, especially since they didn't have to battle every single day. Though, Athena would prefer to do that instead of taking a day to just sit around and do nothing. But since Athena had just battle Elpharae, she was content with having the rest of the day to relax. She needed one of those days anyway. Athena picked up the encyclopedia and the few other books that she hadn't touched, trying to put them away as silently as possible. She slipped the encyclopedia back into its place, memorizing the name of it so that she could read the next edition when it came out. Athena returned to where Elpharae was, and they quietly walked out together, which made Athena smile just a little. This was fun, spending an hour and a half just reading. It was productive, but also very relaxing for Athena, and she was sure that it was just as relaxing for Elpharae.       Elpharae asked Athena with a bright smile on her face where Athena wanted to go next. Well... Athena simply didn't know. She never really spent time in the towns and she never really spent time trying to treat herself to foods and such. Athena also heard Elpharae say that she would pay, which made her smile a little more than before. "Elpharae... It's really fine. You don't have to pay for everything. Plus, I've got more Col than you do, so it would make more sense for me to pay." Athena smiled politely at Elpharae. Athena wanted to pay because Elpharae could use money for better reasons than food. Since Athena had more money, she could just pay without being blindsided by the costs of the items.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

[Elpharae]

“You’re always so practical and sensible, Athena,” Elpharae sighed, smiling the tiniest bit in amusement and exasperation. “Alright. Just once, though. By the time this day is over, I’ll get that polite, stiff, formal Athena out of the way, and usher a much more relaxed version of her. Stop being so sensible, you’re making me look bad. You’re lucky I love you and that you’re pretty, Athena.” Sending a playful wink at the girl, he linked their hands together, nudging her lightly to guide them through the crowd. “I’m guessing that you haven’t really gotten out here, right? Always training and being practical and utterly Athena. There’s this small restaurant that’s open, and they have these simple petit fours that I’m obsessed with for dessert. And yes,” He sighed, his eyes glittering with mock-sympathy, “You’re going to have to indulge my sweet tooth. I’m sorry.”

Letting out a giggle, the brunette walked with her into a plaza, smiling and chatting pleasantly. Waving at a familiar group of players who he had met earlier before, he leaned back, noting his surroundings. It was so pretty-pink-tinged lavender skies streaked with blue and the warmest butter-yellow sun he had seen so far. A group of NPC bakers seemed to be working on a large order in a small bakery, the delicious scent of newly baked bread wafting into the air, and the soft strain of jazz music from a group of NPC and player characters wafted through the air, occasionally broken in by periods of loud arguing and banter. It was a lovely day, actually, and he appreciated their decision to stray from their normal routine of sparring and instead come to the town…no matter what circumstances it might have come from. He beamed brightly at Athena, pulling them faster towards the Central Plaza. There were little clusters of players here and there, and it was never really quiet, the hustle and bustle subdued but not obsolete.

He pulled her into the restaurant, seating himself and blinking, surprised. “Oh, it never occurred to me that we didn’t really know each other,” He said lightly, waiting for their server to appear. “I mean, I know your name and how you fight and everything, but we don’t really talk, do we? Well, I suppose you could always decline to learn about me,” The brunette grinned, mischief sparking in his eyes and smile. “Since I’m a little more ordinary than you’d think. Most likely. So, I suppose I’ll go first, unless you do?” He tilted his head. “Alright, then. What should I start with? Well…I love reading and writing, though you probably knew that. And cats-I love cats, honestly.”

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ Elpharae ✐ --- ✉ SORRY FOR MY LONG ABSENCE! I'M GOING TO WORK UBER HARD TO GET ALL OF MY POSTS DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!!! Athena Lv1

Athena was a little surprised that Elpharae had stated the obvious about Athena's own personality. Athena herself knew she was practical and sensible, but she never thought anyone would say it out loud. Then, as Elpharae continued to speak, Athena got progressively more embarrassed. Wh-What?! Di-Did Elpharae just say that she loved me?! I... I don't really understand why she would say that. Why would she say that? Does she really love me? Is she trying to make me embarrassed? Is she trying to make me mad? Is she trying to- AHHH I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S DOING, BUT IT'S MAKING ME FREAK OUT!!! I MEAN... I GUESS IT'S OKAY, BUT WHY AM I FREAKING OUT OVER A FEW WORDS. I MEAN... SHE'S HOLDING MY HAND NOW, WHICH IS A SIGN OF ENDEARMENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. RIGHT? RIGHT?! UUUGGGHHHH I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. DOES SHE LIKE ME?? AM I JUST BEING PARANOID?? WAIT!!! SHE WINKED AT ME. That must mean she likes me, right? NO! WHY AM I FOCUSING ON THIS SO MUCH!!! I'M TRYING TO GET TO THE FRONT LINES AND THIS IS NOT HELPING ME REACH THAT. But Elpharae is so nice... WHAT AM I TELLING MYSELF??? I CAN'T POSSIBLY GET INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH ELPHARAE, CAN I? Wait. Wait. WAIT. WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP? Elpharae probably doesn't even like me... Even though she said she loves me? WHAT AM I TELLING MYSELF? JUST STOP THINKING ATHENA. STOP. REIGN YOURSELF IN.       By the time Athena was done having a little bit of a mental aneurism, she realized that she was at a shop that Elpharae had led her to. Athena took in the amazing view of the small bakery and the beautiful music that wafted through the air. An equally wonderful smell drifted through the air, touching Athena's nose with an aroma so wonderful that she couldn't help but smile despite her million thoughts. She sat at the table with Elpharae and tried to hide her utter embarrassment from the earlier comments Elpharae had made. As Elpharae began to gab about how they didn't know each other very well, Athena agreed with this statement. Even though she had been training, she had never really gotten to know Elpharae, other than her personality. Athena listened as Elpharae listed a few of her interests, which made her smile.      Athena tried to hide her slightly red face as she looked in a direction horizontal to Elpharae. "Well... Yeah... We don't talk much, but it's not like I'm trying to make lots of friends in this game. I want to reach the top level as fast as possible. I want to get out of here. This game... I don't want it to be my entire life. I want to have a life outside of this game. I want to be with my friends outside the game..." Athena lied about that last sentence. Athena didn't have any friends outside of the game. She was a lonely girl who just spent lots of her time playing games and trying to solve problems and puzzles. Her life was only taken up by the digital world and she liked when she could excel faster than others, making them envy her and praise her. That wasn't happening here though. All she had done was fall behind and slack off, like she was doing now. "I like being someone who is liked. I don't know how to be someone who isn't envied by other people. I like it when people look at me and think, 'Wow. She's so amazing. I want to be just like her.' I like it when I can talk to people who admire me because I know they wouldn't talk to me otherwise. I'm not strong in this game. I'm not excelling like I want. I'm not satisfying any kind of goal for myself. I just... I keep..." Athena clenched her fists. "I'm sorry Elpharae. I meant to tell you about myself, but I just ended up making this situation awkward... I'm sorry." Athena looked down at her clenched fists, she took a deep breath and stood up. "I'm sorry. I realize that you want to get to know me, but I simply have had too much happen today. I'm sorry. I need to... I need to cool down. I'm... I don't know. I'm sorry." Athena listened to the soothing jazz music as she started walking away. She hoped that Elpharae would stop her, but Athena also didn't want Elpharae to stop her. Athena knew she would just act erratically if she did.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS - EDITS BY ANGELO OF SAO-RPG

[Elpharae]

"You're a fool," Elpharae muttered lowly under his breath, much too quiet for Athena to hear unless she had some sort of magical ability, words merely puffs of air. "I'm talking to you, and I admire you, yes, but that's not the reason I talk to you." I talk to you because you're clever and strong and I enjoy your company because you're different from me and I like you for that. I admired you after I talked to you. His mouth curled into a slow, fond smile tinged with annoyance, and the brunette waved away the waiter, unsure of how Athena would act next.

He was treated to another violent emotional outburst after Athena up and left, his eyes raising a sign of shock. This was quite a vulnerable side of herself that Athena was showing, and he wasn't sure he had ever gotten this type of emotional vulnerability out her. This was a way to cool down, a small part of him murmured, but Elpharae ignored it. With Athena's departure came a small pang of anger mixed with confusion, and the volatile combination bubbled inside of him. The waiter came by again, clearly curious, and Elpharae stood up, sending a light apology to the NPC.

Pushing his chair aside, the player flicked his hair behind him, the quiet click of his rapier against his clothing now more reassuring than anything. Following the streak of blonde he spotted in his vision, Elpharae let his feelings be locked away, which he knew wasn't healthy, but he had no better way to deal with them right now. Face an emotionless mask, the brunette rounded a corner, his brisk walk letting him fall into step with Elpharae, and he sent a side glance towards her, catching the honey-gold of her eyes.

If she was going to snap repeatedly at him, he wasn't going to be able to hold out for long. What was it that made her so agitated, anyways? Had it been him? His dark eyes narrowed before his features smoothed into smooth nonchalance, as if running after your friends and walking with them after loud outbursts was normal. Actually, he would term it as more of an inner tantrum, but in remarkable fashion, Athena had added a sort of dignity to her emotional whiplash. The green player sighed-it seemed that no matter what, a falling out, or at least a point of divergence in opinion would be eminent.

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ @tagged ✐ 000 ✉ notes Athena Lv1

Athena continued to walk away in a hurried manner, she was worried that she was just going to hurt her relationship with Elpharae. Athena didn't want to do that, but she couldn't help the way she was acting. She was sure why she was acting so erratically and the way she was acting didn't even make any sense to Athena. It was so unlike her to act like this. Showing so much vulnerability, being so trusting. She didn't like it, but it was freeing to finally share her internal thoughts with someone. She couldn't ever share her feelings with anyone else in the outside world because they normally didn't want to talk to her. It also didn't help that she avoided most social interaction outside of her house. Athena only ever knew what it was like to play a character and bury yourself deep inside that character. The heroic character that everyone admired, the one that everyone looked up to to make good battle strategies. Someone who had the best equipment in the game and had the strongest guild behind them. Someone who was always strong and didn't ever seem to have any weakness. Athena blinked away tears and just continued walking. Stop. Thinking. STOP. Just... Just keep walking. You'll calm down eventually. Just keep walking.      Athena continued to walk for a moment before she caught a glimpse of Elpharae walking next to her. She couldn't see her right now. She pretty much yelled at her again and made her go through emotional grief. Athena didn't want to be around her. She made her act strangely for no reason, which scared Athena. Athena wanted to know how she was going to act, she disliked being unpredictable with her actions. So unpredictable, that even she herself couldn't tell what she would do. Athena took a deep breath and saw a small alleyway a little ways in front of her and off to the right a small bit. Athena took a deep breath as she grabbed Elpharae's hand quickly and pulled her into the alleyway with her. Athena held Elpharae at arm's length before she started to cry. "I'm sorry. I've been acting strangely lately and I don't know why. Ever since I met you, it's just been a huge daze. I don't know what I'm doing, then before I know it, I'm making you angry." Athena pulled Elpharae into a tight hug. "And don't tell me that I didn't make you angry. Anyone who gets yelled at twice in one day is bound to be mad." Athena didn't want to let go of Elpharae. She was so sad for some reason. She didn't understand why, but she only knew that she wanted to keep being good friends with Elpharae. "For the record, I love you too." By the time Athena had said this, she wasn't embarrassed or sad, she was just being honest. Athena genuinely loved Elpharae. She was everything Athena needed in a friend. Supportive, kind, smart, witty, and most of all, forgiving.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS - EDITS BY ANGELO OF SAO-RPG

[Elpharae]

Elpharae's eyes widened when he was pulled into an alley and he resisted the urge to scream. Calm down, he told himself, keeping his panic and fear in check. But when Athena started talking, he hugged her back, the embrace warm and caring. "You should take care of yourself more," He told her, sighing as he carded a hand through her hair. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he slowly detached himself and tapped her on the nose. "And if you don't, then I will, okay?"

He blinked at himself after they pulled apart, brought back to reality with the absence of Athena's warmth and at her words. There was a lot he could have said in response. You've changed me a little, too. There are some times when I think of you. Friends. It's a rather new concept, but I can adjust. Elpharae stole a glance at the blonde, a small blush creeping up his neck until he reined it in, the pink disappearing. On impulse, he stood on his tippy-toes, kissing her on her cheek and withdrawing if burned. "You try too hard to do everything," The brunet finally said, wringing his hands together. It had only been an affectionate gesture in the spur of the moment, but the last time he did it,  "Don't try so hard, alright? You're always going to be my friend. No matter what. Even if you aren't able to level up or anything. But you will. You're strong...in more ways than one."

So, yes, I do admire you. He thought, even as he turned away, shyness now taking over, his eyes averted. But that's not why I talk to you.

He sighed, feeling a little lighter, and beamed at Athena, taking both of her hands in his as he spun to face her. "You're my friend," He repeated, the word warm on his tongue, sharp and sweet as the late sunlight. "Okay? Okay. And if you don't mind, which I hope you won't, I'm going to spoil myself and you today, and we'll have fun, because you, my love, are amazing." Pulling her out of the alley gently, he dropped his hold on her hands and the brunet linked hands with her instead, giggling lightly.

It had been a rather strange afternoon, but things were beginning to look up.

[Athena]

"Do you have a problem for me to solve?" ☒ Elpharae ✐ 000 ✉ Should we end the thread soon? Or would you like to do more? I'd be totally okay with either one! Athena Lv3

Elpharae embraced her as well, which made her smile. She tried to rein in her crying, which required her to wipe her tears onto her sleeves more times than she could count. Elpharae said something while they embraced, which made Athena question her own treatment of herself. Elpharae said that she should take care of herself more, which Athena realized she should do. She was always hard on herself, making sure that she was achieving goals, making sure that she was always focused on the game and not on herself. Athena wondered if she used the game as a tool to get out her different emotions, which made her a little sad for a moment. Athena felt Elpharae's hands drop from her back, which she then did in turn. Elpharae said that she would take care of Athena if she couldn't take care of herself, which made Athena laugh a little.      Athena prepped herself for the next thing that Elpharae was going to say, but all she saw was Elpharae getting closer to her. She saw him getting closer, then felt a small area of pressure on her cheek. As Elpharae moved away from her, Athena blushed a little. Elpharae just kissed her on the cheek, didn't she? Athena felt a little embarrassed after that, but she quickly reverted back to her old self because she needed to make more of an effort to be mature now. She couldn't explode or have mental breakdowns like she did before. She wanted to make sure that she could maintain her relationship with Elpharae. Elpharae was a treasured friend to Athena. The only treasured friend Athena might have ever.      Athena listened to Elpharae as he said that she tried too hard, which she agreed with. Athena was always expecting greatness from herself and was always shooting for the stars. Ambitiousness was something she admired in herself, but her drive to complete her ambitious goals was, at times, very taxing on her. It was probably the cause for all of these emotional outbursts today, which made her a little mad at herself. She let that feeling go though because it wasn't worth being mad at herself at this point. That was who she was, someone who never really had an emotional outlet. Athena listened to the words of her companion, which made her very happy. Elpharae had said that Athena was her friend. Elpharae had said that he thought she was strong. Not just strong, but strong in more ways than one, as Elpharae put it. Athena felt her hands get grabbed and she laughed a little. Elpharae was an entertaining human being, an entertaining human being that was Athena's friend.      Athena enjoyed the feeling of holding Elpharae's hand now. It wasn't embarrassing; it was comforting. Athena started to walk before she had a thought pop into her head, an idea which she liked a lot for some reason. The details of the thought weren't there, but Athena decided that she was going to be bold. Athena tugged on Elpharae's hand and spun her into her chest. Athena put her mouth over Elpharae's ear and spoke. "Alright, my love, let's go." Athena quickly kissed Elpharae on the cheek and giggled a little. Athena decided to move out in front of Elpharae, while still holding her hand. Athena walked backwards as she faced Elpharae with a slight blush. "I don't want to miss out on any fun with you," Athena mused. "Oh! That also reminds me! Would you like to join the new guild that I'm forming? Since I just got the 'Leadership' skill from leveling up, I figured that I might as well make a guild with some of my strong comrades! So... It's mostly just a front line guild, but I'm focusing more on protecting the people of this game, you know? We've got to keep as many of us alive as possible because that will increase our odds of finishing the game in first place. I think that it's also important to try and pass as many floors as we can, as fast as we can. Passing these floors quickly will make sure that we can go home quickly. So... You want to join? I'd really love it if you would." Athena waited for Elpharae's response, which she desperately hoped would be a yes.       Today seemed to be bad, but Athena thought that today was definitely a good day. /font]

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MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS - EDITS BY ANGELO OF SAO-RPG

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[Elpharae]

Elpharae stared at Athena, watching her emotions flit by. When was it that Athena was this open, this vulnerable? He was about to say "no", but then reconsidered, staring at her honey-colored eyes. He hesitated. "A...Alright. But as soon as we get more members, any time the guild's purposes seem to change, I'm out. There's not going to be any negotiations on that point. And one more thing," He added, standing on the tips of his toes, looking at her with a level look. "You do not keep secrets about serious matters from me when I join. That is a rule as well. We are equals, not rivals. And I refuse to be a rival with you, Athena."

His demeanor abruptly sweetened, and he let out a light giggle, laughing at his own seriousness and lowering himself to his normal height. "Well, that's enough serious talk for today. Let's explore a bit, shall we?" Tugging her along, Elpharae hummed the melody of the song that they had listened to and then turned to Athena, suddenly remembering that she had kissed his cheek. That was called faire la bise in French, but it was merely a formality and a gesture of affection there-here, Athena might have known or she might have not. He remembered her words, trying in vain to see what little bit unsettled him before his mouth made a small "o".

To pass the floors quickly meant that they would go home quickly, and Athena looked European, which meant...they didn't even live on the same continent. His eyes darkened. Was that another "defect" of the game Sword Art Online? Would they foster bonds only to loose them once they reached their "salvation"? He tilted his head and smiled at Athena, but inside, his thoughts were awhirl. He may have told Athena not to keep secrets from him...but he never said he would do the same. Elpharae tilted his head, confusion the main cause of his inner turmoil, causing him to question what he thought was true. But today was a good day, after all, so he merely walked step in step with Athena, casting all his thoughts aside for now.