Mari

Tomorrow came and the woman was still at a loss on what to do. Sleep rarely came to her and when it did, it did not bring pleasant tidings. Mari endured a night of tossing and turning as nightmares tore into the forefront of her mind, wrapping around her body with spindly darkened fingers and reminding her of the hell she had not only wrought but was still in. Telling her that inevitably, this will be the place she died. And that not a single soul would bat an eye. For anyone she had grown close to had died, either by her own hand or another. What had rattled her from her sleep were not the endless nightmares, nor the ever absent rays of sun peering through non existent windows. instead, it was a light rap at the door. With a groan Mari sat up and ran a hair through cotton candied locks. She heard the voice. The semi-robotic tones of a tell tale NPC. It apparently belonged to Ryo. The kid who stormed up to her the day prior. "Mmmm..." He had an invitation for her and the woman begrudgingly sat up and kicked away the pillows that littered the carpeted floor of her shop tent. The woman unlocked the 'door' although it was much more accurately described as a 'flap' and opened it to nothing. Nothing but an open ended invite that was fruitless. "Dumb ass didn't even give me coordinates." The only location she had to go buy was 'Manor on the floor above' and the woman wasn't about to go off exploring and searching for a decadent idiot. Even if she had the coordinates Mari was not the type to flitter off on a whim. To go 'make amends' to a man who in all fairness was the instigator. He didn't want to hear the truth that was his problem. Why should she go out of her way to 'fix' things? She was better off alone.

She heard muffled ramblings from the man outside but could not pin the words that were being said. There was a proverbial wall between them after all. From how he left, Mari could only assume that they were less than pleasant. He could have been demanding her to unlock the shop so he could prattle on about something else. She had enough of his insults. "Tch." She turned on her heel and ignored it and before long, it stopped. Ryo had no doubt left. "Good riddance." She muttered. Now she could focus on the new matter at hand. What the hell was she supposed to do with her shop now? The game had bought so many updates, no more mind altering substances, including alcohol, no pain, no nothing. They were all reasonable things but things that she had relied in on the past to cuck her enemies. "Well then..." She mused, taping a finger to her lips. "This dingy place really only serves me as a safe place to sleep. God forbid I'd ever get a house." And to think, some people go all out and get mansions in this place. How absolutely ridiculous. Mari shook her head as she decided to turn in for the night. Tomorrow.... Tomorrow she would find out what to do with the remnants of her shop.

Mari blinked. "Well. No. I'm not - it's why I asked." She thought it obvious that she didn't understand him nor his reasoning behind all of this. Instead of answering her question Ryo just grew flustered.He said he had morals when it came to murdering people. "Yeh, and Ariel doesn't." Mari chided. The pink haired woman knew she wasn't exactly one to talk, she had killed too, no doubt far more heinous in numbers and action than Ariel, but unlike Ariel Mari wasn't sugarcoating it. Mari wasn't trying to be accepted in a society that had so rightly shunned her.Mari was simply existing in her own world. She was never a very good conversationalist and it showed. Ryo didn't answer her, instead he pinned the blame on her for not getting whatever 'it' was. He said his goodbyes, but they were not without barbed words. He stormed out of her tent. "And that is why I didn't want to deal with people." Mari said to herself. She stood and followed suit, but instead of leaving she 'locked' her shop. Ensuring that Ryo, and any other who wanted to pry could not enter. The woman was tired, and it had been a long day. She had tried to explain herself to him the best she could, but her time away from the world, and its people just degraded her already less than stellar ability to communicate. Or perhaps. Ryo just refused to see what was right in front of him. Either way. He wouldn't bother her anymore. That much she knew.

"Regardless of what she says, she committed murder. Murder that she profited from. Give a f**k what others think. She killed someone. That isn't something that should be absolved. It isn't something that should be excused. Regardless of her reasoning. Self defence. PLEASE." Mari waved Ryo's explanation off. He was trying to find justification in persecuting Ariel. "I get what you're doing, kid. You're trying to justify what happened. But that's f**king stupid. There is no justification. She straight up killed him. She had the strength to run, to flee, or even to subdue him. She could have done any number of things to leave and if its a duel - then why the [censored] would she accept it if it was one of those..." Mari circled her hand in the air trying to recall the lingo for it. "One of those full hp duels. If she accepted it, that's not self defence. That's careful assessing and planning." Mari inched away as Ryo leaned against the table, she didn't like how relaxed he was becoming in what was essentially her home. She for the most part, ignored Ryo's further questions and words. She didn't need some shitty ass detective wannabe prying into her personal affairs. "She could have done what I did. Stood her ground and walked away. Look at me, despite Lowenthals 'ultimatum' we both walked away alive. Because I didn't give in to some childish rant, because I didn't accept his duel and because I simply walked away."

He was stubborn, she gave him that. And Mari had to admit that he saw his fault and corrected himself. "Those names are why I am here; and not out there. Ryo." Mari stated. She didn't need a reminder of all that she had done, she had lived it. Over and over. Each and every day. "Investigating his murder..." Mari glanced down at her hands. She interlocked her fingers. At least Ryo was calling it what it was. Murder. Killing. There was no kind way to paint it. Her eyes flicked back up to the screens that surrounded them. Faces of people, some she recognized and others she didn't. He had listed names, faces, and relationships to Lowenthal. The kid was meticulous, perhaps insane. He either had a boner for the deceased man, or was suffering a major case of fanatical delusion. He flipped through the images till he landed on one of Ariel. "Self defence." Mari scoffed. "Ariel? Please. I have no doubt she murdered him in cold blood and took his item just as he had tried to do for me." Mari opened up her own HUD and let the two uniques she owned drop onto the table. "These stupid things make people go mad. Power hungry. Your so-called friend wanted to murder me, and for what? A cape that keeps you warm and a grotesque looking blade?" With a quick gesture they disappeared once again back into her inventory. Ryo asked her about her relationship with Lowenthal, Mari sighed as she shifted back. Conversations were not her forte. "When did i meet him? I don't remember. Probably when he made me a suit tailored for finding materials easily." Mari paused before continuing, to save them both the time. "Long story short- your little friend asked to be my apprentice. I reluctantly accepted after constant speeches and pushing from him. I actually..." She paused. "I actually... began to trust him, but he turned on me. Told me that we would have to fight, that no matter what - one of us would walk away dead. He thought it was selfish of me to hold onto Unique classed items, yet wasn't at the frontlines. Thing is... I understood his sentiment. Those items - I couldn't give two shits about their abilities. They hold sentimental value to me. If he had asked. I would have let him." Her words were spoken softly, and low. Mari would never admit it, but it hurt to recall the memory. The moment in time where she had vowed that she wouldn't bother with anyone else ever again. The moment she realized that even the most carefree and kind of spirits were crushed within this world. This was not a game. It was a prison, and it was cruel. Even Esther had been lost to its madness. With a flutter of her eyes she rose her gaze to Ryo. "You say you are investigating his murder- but you already claim to know who killed him. What more is there to know?"

He didn't believe her. Mari could tell. It was the small nuances, the way his yellowed eyes creased with concern, the lines his brows formed when they furrowed, the clench of his jaw. The redhead struggled to fathom her words. It was not surprising. Lowenthal gave the impression that he was a good person. Hell, he had even tricked Mari. Her blue eyes darted to his fingers as they twitched. He wanted to attack her. Just one of many. Mari closed her eyes and lowered her hand to rest gently at her side. He shoulders rose and fell as the woman steadied her breathing. Getting angry at him would not help. The woman didn't bother to look up at the man as he coughed and spoke, tone dripping with sarcasm. He wasn't here to kill her, sure, but he wasn't here on friendly terms either. Mari was tired... so tired of all of this. Couldn't people just leave her well enough alone. He gave her a thinly veiled threat, as though he were talking big. Mari opened her eyes and they narrowed on his form. "Unless I force your hand? What are you? Some two -bit animated hero? Get over yourself." Mari stepped away from the glass cabinet, and away from her warbled reflection. "You came here to my shop. Demanding information. Not even having the decency to tell me your name and yet.. you have the audacity to threaten me? Claiming that I may just force your hand? No matter how you paint this situation, you are the intruder and you are the antagonist." It was then, that Ryo mentioned Lowenthal had died. A part of Mari was thankful she had her back to the man for she was unsure of her facial expression. It... bothered her to know that yet another person she had known had passed on. "I see." Mari stepped toward her counter. He thought she'd find some sort of happiness in the death of another? Had her reputation soured that far? Yeh... It had. Things were better this way. He joked about her humanity and Mari turned her glance over her shoulder at him. "No. I'm not." Came her final reply as she rounded the low set table that served as he counter and nestled herself into the pile of pillows. She folded her legs beneath her and with a deep breath sat her hands neatly on the table. "You don't believe me, and I can tell you do not like me. Do us both a favour, and leave."

"Lowenthal?" Mari hissed. "LOWENTHAL?" The name dripped like acid from her lips and it left a sour taste in her mouth. Her stomach churned at the mention of the name. Lowenthal. Everyone loved him and his so called happy go lucky attitude. It was partly why Mari was willing to let him apprentice her, she thought it'd do her some good to have someone so positive around her. Boy was she wrong. "Oh I know of that little [censored]." Mari spat, turning her back on the redhead. "Honeyed words 'bout how he respected me, wanted to learn from me." Her tone went up a few octaves as she spoke in a mock voice, "Oh Mari! Let me be your apprentice! Let's be friends." The pink haired woman shook her head, turning her gaze to a glassy reflection that mirrored just how tired of it all she had become. Even amidst the dust and grime of neglect. She could tell that this world weighed far too heavily on her shoulders. Mari sighed and slouched her shoulders. "Look kid, whatever yer looking for. It ain't here. Lowenthal was just some fucker after a few uniques. He was nothing more than a manipulative c****. He pretended to be nice, pretended he wanted friendship, when all he wanted was to kill me so he could take the few unique items I held. When fact of the matter is, all he had to do was ask and he coulda borrowed them, but no. He clearly just wanted the glory and the items, no intention of returnin' them." Mari wiped a layer of the dust away, and motes danced about her face, flickering in the pale light of her tent. "So, are you here as his protege? To finish off what he started?"

Mari was sceptical to say the least. "A casual stroll?" Her azure eyes slowly rose up his form. From his immaculate boots to his unbuttoned (and now stained) shirt to his cocky grin and dishevelled hair. "On a floor that requires the Night vision skill..." Mari tilted her head to the side. "Which you don't look like you have... and I, of all people just so happen to catch your eye? Sounds a little convenient don't you think?" She paused as he made a quip about her taking off his clothes. He's one of 'those' types.... Mari shifted, placing her weight to one side as she jutted out a hip and crossed her arms over her chest. "Straight to the point, aren't ya? Aren't you a little young to be chasing murderers?" Instead of waiting for a reply she gave a 'tch' and turned to continue her trek back to her tent. She wasn't about to get caught up in the fray when the monsters started crawling out from whatever data-depths they come from. Fetid and rotten, they probably weren't much of a match for all three of the players but it was the sheer number of them that bothered Mari. Despite her clear distaste for company, the two followed. Mari glanced over her shoulder at Oikawa. "What makes you think I've left? I do this every other day. I haven't changed my schedule, you're the one that simply bumped into me." Her eyes fell to the playboy. "You both did, as ridiculous as that may be." Mari sighed as she turned her head forward again, she had a feeling she'd regret her next words. Still... Perhaps company wasn't such a bad thing. "You'll both be walking blind. Come to my tent."

SMASH CRASH Another vial went flying across the tent, shattering into glittering blue hexagonal data. Useless. It was all useless now. System updates? Who the hell implements updates to a damn prison like Aincrad, furthermore to limit her and her creations! No doubt that two-bit copycat ran amok, and it became a domino effect. Who knows how many alchemists started copying Mari's creations, making second rate potions with less than stellar effects. During her absence, there was no control over the market, it became a problem. Now... it was useless. Completely and utterly useless. She threw another vial against the wall and it shattered. It felt good. It felt good to destroy it all. To destroy everything she built up and had created. Her shop and her potions....they were the only things she really had left and now Aincrad had taken them away from her too. What was left? What more could the world possibly do to her? As though Aincrad was answering her call, a red head of messy hair popped his head through her tent. "Hello? Is this where-" He had to duck as a wayward vial smashed against the tent wall behind him. Real world physics would suggest a tent wall wouldn't possibly smash something like that, but this wasn't the real world. Mari felt she'd never see it again. "What? What do you want?" She snapped at the figure as he carefully stepped into the tent. Mari rose her arms up in the air, showing her now virtually empty shelves. "Can't you see I've been forced outta business?"

The silence was broken by footsteps to her right. More hunters? It was common at first, people came for her head. The glory of killing the renowned pink pker, but she evaded them. Avoiding the fights. They all left disappointed, one by one. And slowly but surely they tapered off. Becoming bored with the chase, becoming aware that the legend wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Soon, it was as though the world forgot she existed, and that is what she preferred. Mari didn't bother to raise her eyes from the lake. She lifted her hand and dipped three fingers into the whirling blood before her. Raising her hand she stared at the liquid as it trailed slowly down her hand. There were little words to be said. Mari was not one for conversation even at the best of times. "If you're here for a bounty you're wasting your time, I'd disappear before you manage to take my life. Feel free to try though." "Well greetings to you too love." The words were spoken with familiarity, although Mari didn't immediately recognize the voice. The words finally drew her attention. Mari shifted her gaze to see Oika-Oikan? Oikawada? She couldn't remember his name. Her eyes narrowed as he shuffled forward. His eyes as red as the river beside them seemed to glance over her form. Was he sizing her up? "I don't doubt your claim, however... if I wanted you dead surely you know better than to think I wouldn't paralyze you first before striking you down? I mean, I am the Para-God for a reason." Her eyes narrowed. Such arrogance. Was he here to do away with her? She didn't recall their last encounter being hostile... but he had threatened her on multiple occasions in regards to Esther. Mari never got around to saving the little waif. Instead she dealt with a bunch of bickering idiots and instead of saving a girl who was no doubt dead - she kicked them out of her shop and locked up. Shutting herself away from the world. Did that finally catch up to her? In a fluid motion Mari pushed herself off the ground and rose her hand; quickly changing her attire. In a flash of blue hexagons that hid any semblance of nudity she switched from her telltale pink armor to a black latex suit that ended at her wrists and neckline. It hugged her small frame tightly, it wasn't much better than nothing at all. A white cloak with gold trim appeared over her suit. It's arms hanging loosely at her sides, a golden clasp held it fast around her form. A gift from Daeron, someone who Mari knew was long dead. The thing was a unique but virtually useless. It kept her warm from the cold and protected her against flame, but what use was that these days? Mari shoved her hands through its sleeves, they hung beyond her hands, making her seem smaller than she actually was. "Is that a threat?" Mari scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "A god...really, I'm not in the mood for such-" Mari's words stopped short as her eyes drifted to the man behind him. Red hair, red shirt...unbuttoned like some frivolous playboy, dress pants. Who the hell did he think he was? Zelrius 2.0? Mari shook her her head. "Do what you want. I'm done caring." Her voice didn't hold any bite, it held the tone of defeated apathy as she started toward the two men. "You and your little friend. I'd advise not to dawdle. In 20 minutes the monsters will start crawling their way out of the river again." She passed Oikawa, then the red headed stranger. Reaching out to the stranger she wiped her hand on his shirt. Red on red, it wouldn't matter. Nothing did.

A visage of pink smeared across the inky black caverns of the floor. She walked silently, for she had not spoken in a long time, there was little point. There was no one around and monsters barely roamed the floor. All wiped out by people desperate to grow in strength. Mari didn't mind. It was one less thing to bother with. No monsters meant no fighting, and she was oh so tired of that. The skeletal rattling of bones, the never-ending groans of the undead, things that were once common on the tenth floor were now void. Absent. Replaced with the sound of silence. Her foosteps echoed around her as she made her daily pilgrimage to the bloody river that divided the 10th floor. Normally monsters would spawn from it, but having lived here for so long Mari found that there was a single hour within the day where they stopped. No doubt to entice players to investigate not only the river but the strange black abyss beyond. One that whispers would rise from. She had seen players jump into it before, and return seconds later - with horrified expressions on their faces and hands covering their ears. Screaming. Madness. Whatever lay beyond sent people mad. But then again, wasn''t that exactly what this place did? Arriving at the edge of the stream Mari sat. The metal of her armour scraped against the hard, rocky surface of the ground as she sweeped her legs underneath her. Her hands folded gently in her lap and her blue eyes stared at the ebb and flow of the crimson river before her. Her existence was a lonely one but Mari found that she didn't mind. The last time she tried to make an appearance, swaths of players called for her head. She couldn't blame them. She had one of the highest PKer counts in Aincrad, at least, last she heard. That could have changed. A part of her didn't want it to, because that meant that people were still slaughtering each other. But if it had changed, it meant that someone else could hold that notoriety and she would be able to fade further into obscurity. She'd be able to live the last of her days in isolation, and if she were to ever escape this hell - she'd return to an entirely new one in the real world. Murder was not something easily absolved. A deep sigh escaped her lips. But it would be...wouldn't it? Her actions here held no ramifications in the real world. That was so... so.... unfair