Rue
Post by Kaito on May 18, 2016 7:56:20 GMT
"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."
Kaito Lv4  | …396, 398, 399, 400, 401, 4… God damnit… 1, 2, 3, 4… Kaito had forgotten how long he was standing there counting as the massive black effigy loomed in front of him, his black eyes scanning the many names that have already been crossed out, occasionally believing he thought that he saw their names months to even weeks back. He blinked during his morbid counting of the dead as the etching sound of sliced metal echoed throughout the dark amphitheater. Another soul had been lost in the game as faint gasps could be heard around the mourners who were around him. He would breathe out a tired sigh as he attempted to recount the new number of the dead, though that wasn’t what he was initially there for. He wanted to see if anyone he had met recently since the first floor had been cleared had been killed. Scheherazade, Tesh and the other gray haired boys, Rue (but that was barely a plausibility of happening), Lucia… Elpharae. He wondered numbly where she was, if she was still dancing barefoot through life, if she could forgive him for being a lousy not-date. If she was happy. Because I’m sure I’m not… He pondered faintly to himself as Kaito brought the flask to his lips, a metallic canteen held in hand as some strong spirit bit him back as he drank, wincing as his vision kept finding its way back to TigerLilly up on the massive floating headstone, name crossed out much like on his Friend’s List. It was his form of penance in a way, deciding to count out every death on the board. He didn’t know when he decided this, maybe while hammering out his current weapon now draped at his side. The familiar feel of his past beginner’s weapon had been replaced by the gentle curve of a wakizashi that he had recently made, its design and size finally tailored for the man. He didn’t have the Talent yet to wield a full-length katana or tachi so he was making do with what the item creator allowed him. Besides, the months spent with the smaller, one-handed weapon had left him with a bit of a preference for it, since the grip was not long enough precisely for a two-handed grip. But it was more likely while he was still deep in his cups at one of the bars here in the Town of Beginnings. The incident at the Black Forest had left a deep mental scar as he thought back to Rue’s disdain towards players who couldn’t fend for themselves or the young men who grew defensive towards that one woman, Mantis in the same location simply for accidentally leading monsters in or the various other missed connections in Aincrad. He wasn’t alone, Kitferge was still there on his Friend’s List but she felt like such an enigma of personalities as she left him both wishing to bring a smile back to her face or fleeing for his life from her. Though in the past few days he felt more like he could understand where her thoughts went. The world had gone much, much colder towards its fellow man and the players of Sword Art Online were not exempt from it, it would seem. He tapped the flask against his hip a little, feeling its half empty contents slosh about. Was it even half past noon yet? He did know that he’d started dipping into the bars of this city every night for at least a drink. Sometimes more. And sometimes on days like now, looking over the names of the dead, he needed something to numb the pain quite early. Kit would have hated him for this right now, she’d have every right to be. But he figured he now knew just a little of the hurt that she felt in her life right now. Taking a deep breath, Kaito realized that the number was close to over 400 people dead in the game and that he needed to walk away from this place before the darkness of the Monument of Life engulfed him completely. His movements were a bit sluggish and loose from the heavy buzz running through his head as he stepped out from the Black Iron Palace and back into the light of day, shielding his eyes as he walked down the empty streets. Not completely empty of course, but the NPC-to-Player ratio in the Town of Beginnings was much higher now towards computer controlled characters. The greater number of “Front Liners” were already in the Second Floor now battling it out to continue forward as those that couldn’t were left behind. It was a hard estimate to how many players had the guts and the skills to play like normal compared to the young and the elderly and the unskilled. But as he wandered the cobblestone streets, his ears could hear the sounds of players around him with understandable worries. “So how many fish ya sold taday?” “To players? Eh, abouts four. Had to throw in cookin’ the things fer free to sweeten the deal.” “Watcha mean ta players? Where the rest of yer catch go?” “Straight to th’ merchant venders ‘fraid.” “Th’ NPCs? Yer only get a pittance selling ta them!” “What choice I have? Either I sell them there or not at all. Easier and cheaper ta buy just stomach food from th’ NPCs than stat based stuff like we have since so many fighters are gone.” “But they’ll be comin’ back, right?” “Maybe… fer a little while…” Kaito listened to the two fisherman with little to do at their stalls as he kept walking the main thoroughfare of the city, eavesdropping as he took another sip from his flask to ponder a large fountain as two crafters argued with each other. “They’ll come back, they got to! Where else are they going to get their equipment?” “From drops or NPC vendors! I’ve already heard they’re selling crafting items up on the second level. If they have a blacksmith or tailor amongst their party of friends or worst, in a guild, we’re plain screwed!” “Come on, we’re many levels higher than them in those talents though. The Front Liners might dabble but this is all we do! They’ll have to wait double the time to reach what we have.” “So they’re going to spend their entire day traveling from up here down to Floor One? Heh, right buddy.” “So they’ll get a Port Stone to get back here quick to-“ “And where are they going to get those!? Mat drops are crazy small in this game already. So you need a level one Soul Stone, with a channeler which is a rare craftsman to boot, to make a port stone back here? Man, I’d sure love to live in the world you do instead of here.” The two men were getting loud and irritating but he could understand the point one was getting at. The Town of Beginnings was threatening to become obsolete very quickly with upward momentum making anyone left here to fend for themselves. And why wouldn’t they leave them behind? After all, they must have thought that people like them were worthless to the cause of getting out of here. So damn shortsighted… Kaito thought bitterly as he continued away from the two craftsmen, We’re all splitting apart here, aren’t we? Each step felt like it brought forth another little story down from all around him. “Hey! U-Um, excuse me? A-Adventurers wanted! Um…!” This however, didn’t sound like a conversation, or at least the beginnings of one as he glanced across the street to see a somewhat frantic, nervous but energetic young girl waving and trying to get the attention of any player character she could see. Her outfit was a long armored coat and skirt of white, purple and blue that contrasted well against the brilliant sky blue hair and pale blue eyes she had. It looked like she was calling for attention or at least help and… if this was any other time before, Kaito believed he’d more than likely would have been smitten and obliged to aid the young girl. But it felt like this scenario had occurred over and over and over again to usually dismal results. Either with him acting like an idiot or being lead into a bad situation that the girl would try and wrestle control over him or seemingly be seen with general suspicion the entire time. Sure, that didn’t happen every time he had tried to open up but in his slightly pickled state, she had all the hallmarks of those that came before. Rue’s hair, Athena’s rapier. And even if he wasn’t feeling guarded against the possibility of another bad encounter, the dark haired man was hardly in the state to do so. His hair felt even more out of whack than usual and even though their physical appearance couldn’t change, Kaito swore this morning the darks of his eyes were even baggier today, with the signs of inebriation becoming a bit more apparent. He was no adventurer, just a drunken loser. His black eyes caught sight of her glancing towards him, stretching out a hand to wave at him but Kaito turned away, quickening his step to pretend he couldn’t see her or hear her. After all, he was no hero. I can go out every day, bag a few Boars and use the Col to buy the food, drink and housing I need. I’d be a boring ordeal but it’d be livib- His thoughts were cut short as In order to get out from the blue haired girl’s sight, he made a quick turn around a building’s corner, his drunken stupor making his reaction time clumsy as a wall of beige boxes suddenly appeared in front of him, knocking right into him as the person behind them gasped and tumbled over along with them. “Gah! Fuck, what the hell!?” Kaito growled irritably as his body was knocked to the other wall, his elbow colliding with the stone building next to him and making him drop his flask, the half-finished canteen tumbling and dropping its contents before disappearing into a cloud of blue pixels, watching as his “lunch” vanished before his eyes, “Damnit! Would you watch where you’re… going…?” Most of his words were drowned out by the crashing of the box containers the squat person was carrying as what looked like a small, heavily armored mole had plowed right into him. Hidden behind dark green armor and a beaked bascient, the round little knight frantically glanced between him and his items, as if both in a hurry while apologizing, “S-Sorry! I-I-I couldn’t see what was in front of me and I had to get to my friends and we’re already late as it is and-!” The voice was quite young and had a nervous squeakiness to it as it echoed inside its helm, collecting the various wooden containers together and checking for damages as it dawned on him who this was. He only saw him for a few minutes during the Great Outting of the First Day of SAO as everyone’s true identity was revealed but the fact he could see his name emblazoned above him without being in Kaito’s party made the older man stammer back in hope and shock, “K… Kabuto…?” “Y-Yes, that’s my…. That’s my name?” He started back, his own words slowing as it dawned on Kabuto why he sounded so incredulous, quickly glancing up at the stranger in front of him and presumably above Kaito’s head. The heavy set knight reached down in front of him to rapidly punch some buttons on his menu and reached out as a pair of wide framed glasses appeared in his grasp, reaching up to open the pointed front visor to the side as a young, pudgy faced Japanese boy was revealed, putting on his glasses and feeling his mouth gasp open, “K-Kaito…!” The two gasped out in a half-laugh, half-cry as the older man bend down to his level and placed his gloved hands on his shoulder, “Kabuto! I-I thought I’d never see you again! Look at you! You’re like an armadillo in this thing!” He said, suddenly so overjoyed to see a familiar face (even if it wasn’t that) for the first time in a long while. “K-Kaito, you’re okay! I never thought I’d see you again! You look…” Kabuto began as his giant smile faded a little, getting a good look at him and glowing a little as he replied, “You look really tired… B-But you’re almost back to being the Sapphire Samurai too!” The black haired man blinked at that strange framing as he found himself running a hand through his matted hair, having not have bothered doing anything with it for a while and while “tired” was a very diplomatic way of putting it, he definitely felt worse for wear. “Um, t-that obvious, huh? It’s been kind of a… a hard few months. Um…” He mumbled as he stacked a few of what Kaito figured out where ration packs of food that the young pudgy boy was carrying, trying to change the subject, “Y-You look great though! Where did you get all this equipment?” The young boy looked down at himself, padding the plates on his armor, the handle of a spear and shield strapped to his back, “I-I got it with the help of my guild! I met this nice guy who wanted to train kids like me and-“ The kid was interrupted as ahead of them a sudden call by a group of boys maybe in their pre-teens waved across the block, “Kabuto! Come on, we’ll miss the first run to Floor 2!” “Ri-Right! Um, can I get that?” The young armored boy called out before turning to Kaito once more, asking for the boxes he had in his hand, “Oh sure. Uh, Kabuto there’s just…” He began to ask as he wiped his face, glancing down at seemingly the new friends that he picked up, “Listen, I understand if you don’t trust me after finding out I’m… I’m this. But I assure you, my intentions were pure. And I… I still consider you my friend.” The dark haired man felt like if he didn’t mention this now, he’d never get the chance again, wondering if the drink running in his mind was giving him the courage he wouldn’t normally be able to speak. Kabuto blinked up at him, mouth slightly agape as he stammered back, “K-Kaito I… But I lied too. I didn’t think you’d like me like… this.” Kaito’s black eyes widened as he replied, “Kabuto, I don’t care what you look like in real life. I’m just happy you’re okay.” The young boy’s face seemed to beam as another cry from across the way grabbed their attention, starting away as Kabuto continued to glance behind him at the older man, “Me too! I-I’ll talk to you later, okay!? Bye!” Kaito watched as he ran off, a number of unspoken questions running through his head. Why was he carrying so many supplies by himself? Was it because he was the strongest and expected of him (and had run out of room in his backpack?) Or was he seen as the pack mule by the rest of the kids. And where was his axe? He was originally speced for Strength based weapons and he was using a spear. Why was he using a weapon his character wasn’t good at? Then again, looking down at the wakizashi at his side, even the curved blade had not exactly been his ideal weapon either. Regardless, he was happy Kabuto had found somewhere to belong. He wondered who this older man was, why he organized younger players like this. Maybe so that there’d be better chances at reaching the upper floors by training potential players? It certainly had a nice ring to it. It… It sounded like at least something to help. Trying to help others... Kaito thought as he glanced down to where his fallen flask had vanished from, That’s what you were supposed to do, right? That’s what you said you wanted to do. So… when someone finally asked for it… why did you run away? The older man breathed in sharply, clenching his fists tightly as he realized how far he had let himself fall as thought, Killing boars for months, what will that do!? Who will that help!? No! I can do more than that! I can’t just survive, I have to… I NEED TO LIVE RIGHTLY! He glanced around the area, seeing down the street a little ways a well in the middle of the town. It was time to sober up. “So… any luck in the Marketplace?” The young blue haired girl asked with careful optimism with her friends, clenching her hands hopefully. “Sorry Justitia, there seemed to be only other merchants down there than adventurer’s buying.” Said the soft voiced young man with earthy green colors of both hair and clothes in front of her as he pondered, “But I think maybe they didn’t hear me? There’s an artificial increase of number of voices that make it sound busier than it seems.” “It’s okay Ebisu. What about you Icarus, did you find anyone?” Justitia asked of the blonde young man sitting on a barrel nearby. “Oh yeah! Got two friend invites from a couple of chicks by the front entrance!” The boy in blue and tan said triumphantly with a flashing V-sign before getting a smack on the top of his head from the young girl. “You were supposed to get Front Liners, not a date Icarus!” she scolded as the young man rubbed his head, “W-What’s the point anyways Justy, we can do this ourselves, right? We’re strong enough to take on the second floor with all of us working together!” “That’s not the point! Not all of us can fight and-“ Justitia began to explain as footsteps between the alleyway that the three teenagers had met down was heard, the sky blue haired girl blinking as she turned around to see who was coming. Panting slightly as an older man with wet dark grey hair slicked slightly to look less unkempt and to wash the liquor from his breath, he gave a faint wave as he greeted them, “H-Hey. Sorry, I just um… needed to get washed up before hearing what you had to say. Did you say you had a job or…?” The young girl with long blue strains of hair seemed to puff up with excitement before turning to the two young boys next to her with a look of success. “See? I TOLD you it doesn’t hurt to ask!” She said before spinning around to greet him, her coat skirt twirling with her as she bounced up to him, “Hi! Thank you for listening, it’s hard to find good help today it would seem!” Kaito waved his hands in front as if to slow her day at first as she turned to stick her tongue out at her friends as he clarified, “Well, I haven’t agreed to anything yet, I just wanted to figure out what you needed first.” She turned back with a curious realization, tongue still sticking out before biting her thumb, “Oh, r-right! Um, you see, we’re looking for some players to help us with an… an expedition! To the second floor that is!” She explained as the blonde man with the blue bandana behind her added, “But not us! We can kick all kinds of ass!” She nodded as she gave the young man named Icarus a glare, “What he means is that we might be able to reach the second floor ourselves but we’re more like, um, representatives for other players.” Kaito was still a little confused by this roundabout way of an explanation as he asked for clarification, “So wait, you three can go up there but the others you know… can’t. Because…?” “Because they’re not fighters like us, sir.” Came the soft spoken boy again with dark green hair and eyes so relaxed that it almost looked like they were closed, “They’re highly skilled craftsmen and fishermen and the like but haven’t set foot outside of the town, or at least for long.” Kaito began to see what was going on here as he nodded, “So what you’re looking for is someone to act like a bodyguard or something to reach the towns on the upper floor… to be available for the Front Liners then?” Justitia nodded rapidly as she replied, “Right! That’s exactly it! We don’t know if the higher level players will make their way back down to the lower floors just to get their materials converted as they get higher and higher up. So we decided to try and make traveling easier for our friends but there’s more of them than there is of us… so we needed to find outside help.” “Huh… okay, I’m in.” Kaito said with a decisive nod as the three young people jolted a little, the blond boy stammering, “J-Just like that!?” The older player blinked and glanced at him with a puzzled look, “Um, yeah, just like that. Why?” Justitia shook her head in amazement as she clasps her hands together, “You didn’t even ask about payment or upfront compensation or anything. Just… just agreement! I didn’t think people like you still existed in Aincrad!” Kaito himself wondered if he could have thought ahead on all the details before agreeing but what was done was done and it did feel like second nature in him just agree to such an idea. “Well, I just… just wanted to help is all. So, when do we get started?” The blue haired girl padded the bottom of her fist into her palm as she explained again, “We’re still trying to find more people to join us actually, but we’re going to be leaving in a couple of days, around 8 AM to make an early start. There’s going to be my two friends Icarus and Ebisu here, along with myself. Oh! I’m Justitia by the way.” She shot out a little gloved hand to him as the older man took hers, smirking softly, “I’m Kaito. And who else?” “Four more people, not counting whoever else we find for our trip. May I add you to my Friend’s List for now so I can keep track with you on anything that develops?” Justitia asked, even though she was already whipping out her menu to plug him in. “Oh, sure, not a problem.” Kaito said with a shrug as she seemed so laser focused right now that he figured even if he had reservations she’d push regardless of his input. “Excellent! So let’s me up at the main gate a day from tomorrow and we’ll have our preparations in order by then, okay? Again, thank you, thank you so much!” She said with a hop in her step back to her two boys as she waved a finger at them, “So you know what this means? We got to double our effort to find more party members! So let’s keep at it, right!?” Kaito decided to leave three for the moment as Icarus groaned at the idea of more work while Ebisu nodded and chuckled at his friend’s predicament. There was something… pure about this idea that made the young man just immediately agree to it as he jumped at the chance to join in. And he thought of just how close he was to missing this moment and letting himself fall deeper into a worst sense of self than he did now. Was it any surprise that the reason he came back from that edge now caused a notification icon on his HUD as he walked out the alley and into the mid-day sunlight, poking a few icons to realize that not only was Kabuto no longer “Busy” on his Friend’s List but had sent him a message: “I guess I should turn this back on again, huh? WWWWWW It was great to see again Sapphire Samurai!” He smiled down at the message as he whispered, “You too… Green Giant Kabuto.” |
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
