Snow

"Crozeph," Snow repeated with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you formally."

She watched him take her plate of food and begin to eat. It was nice to see the boy eat something more refined than a raw potato. After his comment of stew, she thought perhaps that was his reasoning for trying to eat the root vegetable.

"Baldur is a very wise man," Snow continued, returning to her food preparation. "He has much to teach and there is plenty to learn. For someone close to our age, it is hard to believe he can have so much to part with."

Her hands busied with the last of the fish they had available. She looked down to what she had completed and it would feed maybe one or two. Her face pouted and she looked around for other options. Sure they could have rice and miso, but where was the flavor in that?

"Hmm... I could do a cabbage salad? No... Maybe some katsu but that takes a bit and is a little too heavy for the morning... Hmm..."

As she pondered, footsteps rang out down the hall. Perhaps it was @Hirru again with a fresh catch from his morning pond-side ventures?

@Crozeph

Why did he always say these things with such conviction? She met his eyes with hers as he spoke about treasuring her life. The uncertainty and caution that embodied her fears almost melted away and that same heat warmed her cheeks into a rosy hue. His words continued on to elaborate more about their part in Jacob's Ladder, their guild, and Snow swallowed the ball of unknown emotions that welled at the back of her throat. She breathed a tempered sigh of relief.

Right, the guild. Jacob's Ladder. This is about everyone.

Still, her cheeks remained warmed by his words and actions. When he stepped away, a new breath of life surged into him. Baldur whirred with electricity and rattled off about the next steps as though a child excitedly described what would happen on Christmas morning. His little tirade reminded Snow of the quest, they weren't alone afterall.

"Oh my god-- Sewallus!" She spat with wide eyes. They shot beyond Baldur and his roughed up haori to the scene of uprooted trees, fresh turned up dirt, and the faint remnant sparkles of scattered data fragments. In the motionless carnage, she saw no signs of Sewallus.

"Sewallus!" she shouted through cupped hands. "Sewallus!"

"Hnnngh... Easy with the shouting..." groaned a nearby tree that lifted then thudded to the ground. Under it, a badly damaged and worn captain of the guard struggled to his feet.

Snow rushed over to help the NPC gain his footing. Begrudgingly, the captain accepted her hand and together they rose.

"Well," Sewallus began as the two limped over to Baldur. "Looks like the right people came to help me with my revenge. My only regret is not striking the final blow. Well met stranger."

Sewallus extended his hand to Baldur. Snow looked to her guild leader with a faint smile indicative of an apologetic expression.

"We should probably get him back to town. We can talk more after that."

@Baldur

Good?!

She shot her eyes up at him with intent to strike burning in her eyes. Snow harbored so much frustration and worthlessness that any outlet would do. Would striking him accomplish anything other than a moment of catharsis? Would she even be able to after what she knew and witnessed he was capable of? She stared into those steeled eyes of his and balled her fists. He continued.

His words came out blunt, almost unfeeling. Until, that was, he mentioned the death of a former comrade. Her mind simmered to a different mental image. She saw him kneeling in front of the Monument of Life. She could faintly smell the incense as he lit it and the sound of sake being poured out in honor and respect. The biting grip of her fists loosened. She continued to listen, the iron of her anger still hot to be tempered.

Next came the validation she wanted to hear. The named of her guild mates hammered against her stubbornness. His words which offered her an out from all the fighting cooled her. By now, her hands were slack and the tension in her shoulders sagged. Again, she watched a fraction of her health return in the corner of her eyes. By now, she had nearly a full bar. The images of the angry monkey king, trees that swatted her like a fly, and the rush of colors as she cascaded through the woods began to evaporate.

Her gaze drifted off as he continued. Did she have a place on the battlefield? Would it be better for her to just hide from it all at the guild and serve them as some emotional support animal? Could she live with herself if she fell back into such a passive role as those she cared about risked life and limb for her-- for everyone? Snow swallowed the complicated emotions that swelled in her throat. These questions weighed as heavy if not heavier than the loss of those she cared about. Guilt, an emotion that always lingered, threatened to blame her for their deaths if she chose safety again over retribution.

Quote

...You are stronger than you know. I promise you this."

He held out his hand to her. Not as someone helping another person stand, but as one warrior holds out his hand to acknowledge another.

"So look me in the eyes Alyssa, take my hand, and tell me you're ready for the most important step anyone can ever take." He paused for dramatic effect. "The next one."

She turned her reddened eyes to his hand and stared.

Snow rummaged around in her mind for the resolve. The heat of her anger lingered only as steam, but the well of frustration had dissipated. Was she mad at her inability? Was she mad at him for putting her through this? Was she mad at Kayaba for subjecting all of them to this in the first place? Maybe she was mad at Daire for going off and getting herself killed.

No...

Snow shook her head.

I'm mad I tried to give up... I would let down Daire, Calrex, Shield, Mari, Opal... Everyone that has helped me so far. I owe it to them. I owe it to myself to try.

Her hand lifted reluctantly. She took a deep breath.

"I'm..." A pause of uncertainty. "I'm trusting my life to you..."

He hadn't let her down yet. If anything, Jason always tried to build her up.

"I'll take that next step..." She took his hand. "For me and for those I want to protect..."

She tried to speak with resolve, but the words seemingly left her lips with the lack luster of a dull blade. In her eyes, her fear and nervousness hid. She could feel a faint courage warm her chest. These steps needed to be the first. They needed to be the ones to pick her back up. She needed to hear what Baldur said.

She nodded with more conviction this time. Her grip tightened.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Quote

 "Hey!  You need any help like, getting all this stuff all like, picked up and junk?"

"I wouldn't mind spending time to help out someone else. If there's something you might need me for, go ahead and say it." 

Two voiced broke out from behind Snow as she tended to a particularly messy table with a spilled drink and signs of a picky eater who rather removed the food they didn't like from the plate all together. A bit of relief settled in to the girl and she called out in reply.

"I tried to help out so there wasn't as much for you to--" Snow's sentence cut short when she turned around, arms full of dirty dinnerware and trash. These two weren't Baldur's students nor were they members of Jacob's ladder. For a moment, she struggled to find the words. As her pause lingered, one of the two girls already began to help.

"Uh, I'm sorry," Snow finally began with a shake of her head. "Uh, yes. Um, I was just cleaning off the tables and picking up a little. If you want to help, we can just bring this all to the back and we can handle the rest of it in the morning before the tournament."

The young blonde felt a smile crawl across her face. Despite her expectation to pick up after everyone by herself, she was pleasantly surprised to find a little company. Arms full, she returned to the kitchen and dropped off the dishes. The trash itself turned to fragments in the disposal bin. Snow peaked her head out of the kitchen toward the other two. Happiness beaming on her face, she added, "I'm Snow by the way! Thanks for offering to help! Maybe after we're done we could go relax in the onsen? The chilly air and hot water is a really nice combination."

@Astreya@Astralin

Snow bit at her lip from the failure to execute her sword art. She tried to cut herself some slack in the heat of a fight. What did she expect? Unleash her rank five attack for the first time when she could barely focus on keeping the enemy's attention? For only a moment, Snow closed her eyes and tried to forgive herself. At the moment her eyes opened, she witnessed the roots of a tree barreling at her. There was no time. The improvised weapon bludgeoned into her with such force, her lithe frame shot into the woods like a thrown rag doll. Her body hit brush, sapling, and tree alike until it halted against a hearty trunk. Pain limiters be damned, Snow saw stars and ached from each glowing red point of impact. Limp, on the ground, she groaned.

Anger? Embarrassment? Frustration from failure? Her fists balled with handfuls of dirt and leaves. Her teeth clenched but all the while, tears welled in her eyes. The little green bar in the corner of her clouded vision drained slowly and stopped another chunk lower than full.

How do they do this? she cried out in her mind. How do they take hits like this and still keep going back to the front lines?!

Her fist pounded against the forest floor.

How did you do this? Snow asked her late best friend.

The girl pressed her head into the ground. Strands of blonde, knotted from being thrown through the woods like a plinko ball, tangled themselves with sticks and dead leaves. Again, her fists thudded into the soil.

You have to get up... she reminded herself. You have to.

Despite her welled frustration, she willed herself to lift her head up. In that moment, the forest lit with a flash of blue that seemed to tear the air. Thunderous calamity rang out from the sheer speed of it. Her eyes followed the tear in space where fire and ice looked as though they met. Like a speck in the distance, there he sat like something from a show. Baldur paused, then with a faint movement, the world exploded into a shower of the Monkey King's fragmented remains. Even the trees that Snow thought to be infallible groaned, splintered, and bowed to her guild leader's blow. The world around her rattled, cracked, and hissed.

Then silence.

Snow felt the shock and awe melt away. It left behind bitterness.

Quote

"I did it! Did you see that? I timed it perfectly that time! Oh man! It feels so good. You have no idea how much I practice that."

The man walked over to Snow with a smile, completely unconcerned with either of their health bars or the rush of battle that abruptly ended.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away there." He rubbed the back of his neck with a bit of embarrassment. "How are you feeling?"

"Angry," she replied bluntly. A quip of pain left her lips as she struggled to stand. She put her hand up as if to interject any offers of help Baldur might offer.

With the help of the tree who left a radiating wound in her side, she managed to purchase an upright position. Her hair looked like a nest for birds, her armor glowed red from deep gouges sustained from the two blows, her spear was missing somewhere in the fallout of the fight, and her eyes sparkled with tears of mixed emotions.

"I don't know how you do it," she spoke sharply, bitterly. "I didn't do a thing. I was just in the way. I'm always just..."

The spiral of self loathing deepened. The few words became too many to speak coherently. In the corner of her sight, the little green bar once again ticked toward full. As frightening as the combat was, it looked as though she could have sustained many more of the same invalidating, unavoidable, and brutal blows. This little, subtle fact did little, but helped to quell the negativity that tightly bound her.

"Whatever." Snow smeared her tears away with a muddy sleeve. She looked up to Baldur, but the usual glow of her demeanor struggled to shine beneath the weight of her failures.

The chill of the evening fell over the Baldur estate. The last rays of light washed the far horizon in a deep red and purple as their guild leader's voice boomed through the still air. From her spot at the table where Baldur took his notes for the entirety of the tournament, Snow looked outward over a quiet arena. The last of Baldur's words rang out and with three claps, the dim light of the evening ignited into a blaze of orange. Stone lanterns light with flame and from unknown positions around the grounds, paper lanterns took to the sky. Dim orange and red filtered into the estate from the eves and danced along the tatami floors. Tea cold, air chilled, and the chaos now but a whisper, Snow rose from her spot.

Her crystalline blue eyes swept over the last echoes of the luau and many of the faces she had recognized scattered to the winds, likely to return home for the night. The thought of returning to her own abode crossed her mind, but the room she claimed here at the guild was just as much a home as the one on the third floor. The difference between her home and here at the moment, was the mess left behind by the observers and participants. Some of the initiates would likely come by later and clean up the remnants, but Snow always harbored guilt for leaving a space tattered and worn.

Instead of breaking away to her room, enjoying a soak in the onsen, or taking a moment at one of Baldur's ponds to enjoy the night sky, Snow busied herself with the task of cleaning up. She began with her own table-- tidying up Baldur's notes, picking up their empty vessels of tea, and returning them all to the kitchen. For the notes, she set them aside to place on Baldur's personal desk for tomorrow. She returned to the area of the luau and began collecting plates, cups, rogue bits of food that fell to the floor, and returned them all to their lavish kitchen. There, the aroma of ramen lingered, but signs of Cordelia were no more.

I have time, she reminded herself as she worked. I'll be sure to get some relaxing in before tomorrow.

The moment of distraction only broke the tension between ape and man for a moment. In this small fraction of time, Sewallus took his opportunity. The Florenthian snapped his attention back to the Monkey King and with no ceremony or flair, slammed the length of his blade into the dead center of the King's chest. Were this any other reality, the beast would have reeled back, maybe coughed a final breath, and dropped. Here, in the virtual world of the game, the King only returned the critical blow with a fierce gaze. A boulder of a paw rose high and swung for Sewallus. The knight disengaged and put just enough space between the two for the blow to miss armor by less than a hair's breadth.

In there exchange, Snow shot a glance to Baldur. As if on cue, he barked an encouraging order to attack: a new sword art she had not yet used in the field of battle. Snow swallowed, dropped into an attacking stance and felt the tension of Cardinal grip her body. Just as she felt the urge to release herself into the motion of her sword art, the feeling vanished as if the tension sharply broke and shattered. Thrown off by this feeling, Snow staggered forward and nearly lost her balance were it not for her throwing her weight against her spear.

"Come on you buffoon!" Sewallus roared. Snow's eyes met the captain of the guard to realize the words were not meant for her. He instead, openly mocked and pulled the attention of the King away from the others.

Still, the words stung her none the less.

Damn it...

What just happened? thought the girl as what she could have sworn was a flash of lighting struck the King in the stomach, doubling him over.

The culprit, awash in his blue haori, rushed to join Snow. Meanwhile, she caught a glimpse of moving rubble where Cpt. Sewallus moved a chunk of tree off his body.

Quote

"Sorry about that." He said a bit embarrassed.

"Alright Snow, remember the plan. You've got this!"

The plan... the plan... WHAT PLAN?!

The only plan solidly formed in her mind was to catch her breath and get back to her feet. All the conversations from earlier seemed a distant whisper compared to the pounding of her heart and ringing in her ears. Shock gripped her strongly.

"Aurgh..." Sewallus groaned. He too struggled to get to his feet but managed it with far more resolve than his blonde party member. Sewallus seemed laser focused on the Monkey King, not even sparing a glance to see if Baldur and Snow were even alive. Was he so cold hearted? Or was his experience in combat so honed he knew they were fine?

"Eyes over here!" Sewallus howled, slamming the hilt of his sword into his chest.

Coughing, sputtering, and reeling from Baldur's single blow, the Monkey King managed a fierce stare at his old foe. Red eyes met the steeled gaze of a veteran warrior and it looked as if the two were ready to square off without Baldur and Snow even being there.

Plan... Plan... Plan...

Thump THUMP Thump THUMP

Quote

"Just remember, focus on hate and staying alive, and I'll handle the DPS. Once you've got a solid threat lead, feel free to try out anything you want. If things get too dangerous, I'll end them, but otherwise I want you to learn to feel comfortable, to get hit. I'll wait for your signal before ending the fight."

Hate... Comfortable... Signal...?

"You just going to sit there or are you going to finish this?!" Sewallus roared, again thundering his weapon against his chest.

The words drifted into Snow's ears as if they were meant for her. Her chest heaved with the pressure of anxiety and fear. Her thoughts started to gather.

"Listen, Alyssa..." came a faint voice from a distant memory. "If anything happens to me, promise me that you'll live for the both of us..."

The blonde clenched her teeth and rose to her feet. Her hands trembled and eyes shimmered.

"Okay," she replied to the memory.

With spear in hand, Snow stumbled forward and planted the butt of her weapon into the dark earth below. She drew in a deep breath, the system flagging to activate her own howl ability. Then, with a shrill loud enough to shatter glass, the petite girl unleashed a sharp whistle. Both Sewallus and the Monkey King adverted their locked gaze to the small girl.

"Over here!" she shouted with a slight tremble in her voice. "Come and hit me!"

Her knuckles grew white in tension on her weapon and a smattering of red pixels fell from the grip of her free hand. Though partially convincing in appearance, the girl's heart drummed loudly in her chest. Then, she watched as another little jump of green increased in the corner of her eyes. A feint wash of calm flushed over her.

It's okay... It's okay... You're almost back up to full health. Baldur's here. You're fine. Focus...

Costco-san? Snow thought to herself at the name. Why does that sound both familiar and strange?

Regardless of the name, Snow learned about the guild's affiliation to Firm Anima. She also learned her leader's plan to yet again spoil her with goods. The weight of repayment weighed at the back of her mind. For Snow, gifts never came free and accepting them always proved difficult. Someway or another, she needed to justify the gift or think of ways to repay the giver. It became a poor habit of the girl in a desperate attempt to avoid being a burden on another's way of life. She felt she needed to earn everything. Despite what Baldur may think about her actions, she felt it paled in comparison to a new set of gear.

"O-ok," she stammered. Her mind raced with reasons for the gesture and ways to repay them. "I don't have a preference really..."

To get her mind on other things, Snow took in the sights as they made their way to the longhouse at the end of the walkway. There, they met Captain Sewallus where thankfully, Baldur did most of the speaking. When he stuttered on the man's name, Snow couldn't help but stifle a laugh with her hand. Embarrassment quickly flushed her cheeks and she turned laugh into clearing of her throat. Feeling she narrowly saved herself from further embarrassment, Snow let out a relieved sigh and the two men continued.

After a brief and poignant exchange, Baldur convinced the Captain to aid them in finding this Monkey King. He wasted no time in his motions by brushing right past the two of them and leading them to the lift out of the city. The moment they left the city, Snow's nerves spiked. Her hands wrenched on the shaft of her spear despite her conscious telling her to keep calm. Snow felt that fighting things smaller than her posed little risk but anything bigger, like the sand worm, would bat her around like a limp noodle until she sprayed against a rock or wall in a flurry of glittering fragments. She swallowed hard as she followed behind the stoic NPC.

"Can I be honest?" She asked Baldur without turning to face him behind her. "I'm kind of freaking out..."

She heard a grumble from the man at the head of the party.

"My last fight with something big didn't... go so well."

"Just don't get in my way then," barked the Captain from the front of the line. "We're here."

If Snow's anxiety were on scale of one to ten, her nine just shot up to the fifteen. Before them, a large lair made from dead and fallen trees created a pitch darkness. The gentle breeze beneath the canopy of the massive trees overhead wafted a most unpleasant aroma toward the group. To Snow, it almost felt as though the breeze itself came from the lair's opening as if the darkness itself was breathing. Perhaps it was.

"Get ready," the Captain warned. "It knows we're here."

IT WHAT?!

From the cover of the boulder the group hid behind, Captain Sewallus emerged and faced the opening of the later. From within, an eerie set of glowing red circles peered out several lengths higher than Sewallus himself.

"Come on you oaf!" the Captain roared. "Come finish what you started!"

And from the darkness emerged a massive ape looking monster with large, sharp horns. In its hand, dragged behind him, it carried a large, dead tree. The tree soon found itself airborne. As the shadow of the falling lumber loomed overhead of Snow and the boulder they hid behind, her eyes narrowed.

CRASH!

Wood splintered. Rock shattered. All three of the dwarfed combatants scattered with the various pieces of debris. Just like her foray with the Sand Worm, Snow found herself tumbling head over foot until a tree was so kind enough to abruptly stop her in place using her back. The wind left her chest and attempts to breathe were null and void under the spasms of her muscles. Finally, after what felt like hours, she drew a sharp breath that stung her lungs so terribly, it devolved into a sputtering cough.

"What the--" she coughed, gulped, and found another breath. "Are you trying to get us all killed?!"

Panicked eyes scanned around them. Sewallus's armor looked like the trees and moss. So, Snow found it less shocking she couldn't find him in the resulting carnage. What she desperately wanted to see was a blue haori. Something her frantic eyes failed to acquire.

"Baldur?! Baldur!!" Snow shouted still too rattled to find her footing.

As if to muffle her cries, the Monkey King slammed his fists into his chests in a series of thunderous booms before releasing and ear piercing roar. The beast's cries rattled through her body and shook her spine. Through it all, she watched as the little green bar in the corner of her vision slid lower and lower. It provided her only a moment of relief to watch it inch back from her newly acquired battle healing skill.

Snow let Baldur and his student talk while she occupied herself with putting the various training weapons back in their places. A place for everything and everything in its place they always said. While she placed  the last of the tools away, her ears caught wind of the conversation regarding combat and different styles. If she heard correctly, Baldur's student struggled in a match against an unarmed combatant. The discussion triggered a faint memory of the tournament. Snow's brows furrowed as she considered her own knowledge of combat, which she admitted was sorely lacking. If someone could be bested with a sword, then what would that mean for her and her spear? Did range not matter once the gap had been closed? The whole point of her choosing the spear was to keep danger as far away from her as possible to avoid being hit.

Snow approached Baldur and his student.

"Excuse me," she interrupted as they seemed to be waiting for a third. "Would it be too distracting if I sat in on the lesson?"

She concluded her request with a humble bow of her head which seemed to become habit from her time spent in Japan before SAO.

Combat. The word shook a nerve deep down in her bones. Her last experience with combat involved a sand worm that knocked the wind out of her and nearly zeroed her. Thankfully, Lessa and Alkor arrived just in time to brunt the attack. It was in that experience she saw what she could be and what drove her to the state she existed in today. Lessa, with a single swing of her massive blade, cleaved the monster in twain as Alkor's deft footwork danced around the beast. Even his blade carved shaped into the monster's hide but it was the confidence of Lessa on the battlefield that lit and ideal in Snow. She wanted that confidence. She wanted that control. She wanted that power.

Combat was not something she wanted to hear from Baldur's message to join him. She would have preferred fishing, but as one of the only people she felt she could confide in, Snow trusted Baldur. She knew him for his calmness. She knew him for his resolve. She knew him for his composure. Yet, she never knew him for his prowess in battle. As much as the idea of true combat rattled her to the core, she felt an odd curiosity to see why so many people chose to train underneath him. Why would they want to learn from a failure? No, behind the still oceans of his eyes was an ever distant storm. Somewhere in that calm, composed, and disciplined man was a squall. Tempered by time and experiences that formed a man into a samurai, Snow wondered what she would see-- what she would learn from him.

As he looked at her, her mind wondered this. She heard his question but it drowned out in the several that she harbored herself.

Snow nodded.

"Captain Sewallus," she repeated. "Keep him alive. Got it."

She nodded again. Snow had no idea what she was doing but she looked confident doing it. Brows scrunched, jaw tight, she nodded.

Captain Sewallus... Where to start...

Snow's sight broke from her partner and became awash in the sea of green that was the canopy city of Florenthia. Light danced between leaves and fell upon the moss laden, wooden walkways and twisted abodes formed from lashed branches. People casually played out their lives just like the first floor. Their lifestyle high above the threat below seemed pure and innocent. It exuded the blissful ignorance Snow knew so very much about.

"Okay then," she said aloud with her eyes fixed on a guard. "He's supposed to be a captain right?"

The young wannabe Valkyrie ventured up the the guardsman directly. Her heart began to speed up. She felt the nerves of expectation from Baldur. She had to prove herself more capable than her foray into fishing and the failure that ensued.

"Excuse me!" She shouted with a wave of her hand. "Hey! I need to speak to the Captain of the Guard. Do you know where he might be?"

Like a statue, the guard's eyes remained fixed at some distant object as though Snow did not exist.

"Hello?"

The guard turned his head sharply to meet her gaze.

"Follow the path that way. You'll see a knotted longhouse at the end of the way. Captain Sewallus should be nearby." The guard pointed abruptly long enough for the girl to follow its direction then snapped back to the guard's side. Again, his eyes fixed on some distant object.

"Huh. Well thanks i guess?"

She turned to Baldur.

"What rigid people. You think it's because of this 'Monkey King'?" she asked in air quotes. She doubted Mr. Statue would have any commentary to add against her. Sure enough, no reply.

"Well, let's go see Captain Sewalla... Sewallus? Heck. The Captain." She struggled with the name. Snow always seemed to struggle with Names and dates. Especially those that fail to flow off the tongue.

@Baldur

Snow giggled and blushed. She needed the compliment after such a heavy morning and it lifted her spirits. The fact the young man also saw her fight with Calrex amused her. She remembered now. Back then, he had darker hair and his large eyes with each movement of the fight showed how much he needed Snow to win for the larger payout. Snow nodded.

"Yes, that was me and @Calrex." She shook her head, the memory and embarrassment of the event felt so distant now. "You were the guy clutching an empty bag of coins. I hope you won. That day was a bit of a blur."

As Snow spoke, she walked further into the kitchen. Originally alarmed by the new acquaintance, her body language now seemingly ignored him as though he were a trusted guild member. Judging by how he attacked the raw potato in his hand, it might not be the best choice she made today, but she figured her cooking skills would ward off any attempts at cannibalism. She set herself to work after sliding her sleeves up her arms. Steam began to fill the air from the boiling of rice and water for the miso. As they simmered, Snow fetched a few slabs of fresh fish from her own inventory and manifested a sushi knife in her hand. With a few flourishes of the hand, she turned slabs into intricate cuts of sashimi. After a check on the rice, she prepared avocado, carrot, cucumber, and other vegetables. All her movements looked rehearsed and a soft hum escaped her lips as she worked.

"So," she broke the silence. "I don't think I caught your name?"

Snow pulled a small handful of hot rice from the pot, tamped it from hand to hand to cool and shape it, then with a dab of wasabi, laid a cut of fish on top and held it out to her present company.

"I'm Snow. It's nice to formally meet you."

@Crozeph

In her morning routine of walking the grounds, Snow found herself in the dojo where every so often, she came upon a sight of scattered weapons, tatami stands, and other various forms of dishevelment. With a sigh, she busied herself with moving the tatami stands back in the storage room where Hirru sometimes still slept. Other times, he woke early enough to catch a few fish before the sun fully crested the horizon. After finishing with the stands, she returned to the dojo to pick up the scattered practice weapons. This time, a familiar face greeted her.

"Oh! Hello! You're up and about early," Snow greeted to Morgenstern. She giggled at his offer to knock sense into the lazy bones that left their stuff lying around.

"No, no, that's alright. I've threatened the usual culprits to the point they don't do this anymore. Someone must have brought guests and gotten swept away in the moment." As she spoke, she gathered the half dozen or so wooden sticks in her arms.

"Baldur?" she repeated. Snow had a moment where she thought back on their journey to the Monument of Life. Then, she remembered his lilting flute and the calm waters he liked to sit near as the sun rose.

"Hmm..." she paused and nudged a bokken back into place in her arms before it tried to escape. "I think he should be making the rounds himself any minute now. He's an early bird like me. I wouldn't be surprised if we--"

@Baldur

Snow sipped at her cold tea and watched all of the guests enjoy Baldur's grounds. In the distance, she could still hear the clatter of wooden swords slamming into one another. With a smile, she imagined Calrex found himself a sparring partner and they were having a good match. Meanwhile, the sun sunk below the horizon and the sky became a sea of colors. The waters around the estate reflected the colored sky like new paint over the buildings. Soon, the stars would emerge and the twin moons would appear.

Snow let out a soft yawn. Even the air began to cool. She wondered how many of the guests would elect to stay for the night and began counting how many spare futons she remembered seeing. Baldur always did seem prepared. Perhaps he picked up a few extras for the event. Perhaps some of the guests were like Hirru and preferred lesser accommodations. Either way, Snow looked forward to the starry night sky. Instead of tea, she thought of warm cocoa.

With a subtle sigh, she smiled. She loved her little home here with Jacob's Ladder.

Snow held the blue and white patterned haori in her hands and stared at it while Baldur pointed to some other designs on display. His words about picking something special to her made her rethink her choice. In a way, this haori would be special to her but after seeing his face like that, she questioned how he might act if she persisted. Snow nodded.

"Alright," she replied. "I understand."

She kept her eyes low as she turned to the stand. Snow returned the haori to where she found it and paused in front of the selection. What to pick now? Should she even impose further?

The blonde drew in a long breath and exhaled through puffed cheeks.

Alright then. Well, I still like blue anyway. So...

Snow thumbed through a few more designs. Pink, purple, black...

Maybe I shouldn't have given him my name after all? Maybe this is just too much... He seems... He seems so alone, though...

Her fingers sifted through a section of blues: navy, pastel, royal...

I shouldn't pry anymore today. I think he's tried to open up enough. It just seems so painful for him...

She stopped on one design and pulled it from the rest. Held up to herself, she imagined what it might look like in an outfit different than her own.

It was a gentle design, mostly white with a hem of light blue, almost like seafoam. From it, stretched a simple pattern of clouds. It looked like the inverted image of Baldur's. From aggressive flames to soft clouds, from deep blues to pure whites. Snow, instead of returning to Baldur, spoke directly to the merchant. With a curt bow of her head, the transaction completed and she returned to her companion with the new armful of fabric.

"This one then," she stated definitively. "But I bought it myself. You already got me a pole today. So, let me get this haori to wear around the estate. When you're ready, you can give us all one to wear that looks like yours. I'm certain the guild would appreciate it."

She paused and gave him a lighthearted, concerned smile.

"When you're ready."

As if to prevent him from any objection, Snow accessed her menus and settled the garment into her storage so it vanished from sight. She dismissed the UI and snatched his hand rather assertively.

"Now, there's one stand I want you to try since you've given me such a hard time about my spear fishing skills. It's time you put your skills to the test. Have you ever played the festival game with the baby koi fish and the paper circle? Here, come on. I know a stand that does it year round. The kids used to love watching me try for them."

No pause given, she pulled him into the direction of town's center. Near the refugee housing she used to live, a small market filled with shops themed from the real world existed. Player merchants and NPCs seemed to try an alleviate the stress of the transition. It was where she first bought her current outfit. Despite not wanting to open old wounds, perhaps a harmless festival game would rejuvenate his spirits.

Where was this coming from? she wondered.

"No, really. It's okay" Her hands fiddled with themselves. "You guys took me in after the Knights of Blood Oath fell apart. After..."

After Opal died...

She shook her head to dismiss those words from leaving her.

"After I had no place to go. You, Mari, Calrex, and Shield are what keeps me grounded. If I couldn't be of use to you guys I'd still be wondering around trying to go it alone."

She paused.

"And you can't make it through Aincrad alone."

Those final words fell flat. The thought of isolation snaked up her spine and bit at the back of her neck. Fear slipped into her veins slow and steady, reaching to the core of her being. Whatever it took to not be alone again. To not have more loved ones vanish into obscurity...

"Anyway," she interrupted with a half hearted smile. "Let's check out the rest of the market."

So they did. Baldur ventured from stall to stall, whisking up nearly every eastern themed item he could find. It was endearing to Snow. He embraced his new self so wholly while she still clutched to a time before the game. Her idea of a new self barely stood on its own-- a protector. Snow laughed and giggled, but her mind lingered on the past where as his lingered on the present and the future.

Quote

"You know." He said after one of his latest purchases, "if you'd like a haori of your own, we can make that happen."

"U-uh..." She took a moment to ponder. "Sure!"

Snow looked beyond him into the shop at the several designs, colors, and styles of haori. She walked through them, taking her time to search. Then, after looking back to Baldur, she turned back to the selection with a purpose in her hunt. After a moment, Snow returned to Baldur with a haori in her hands:

"How about this one?!" She said with a genuine smile.

Tyger...

The name lingered long after he mentioned it and until they made their way to the stands. She watched him while he looked through the wares and hovered around a particular bamboo rod. He bargained for price and smiled with the NPC. Then, he mosied over to another section where she swore to god he better not grab... he did.

>:T

She looked to him with a cock of her hips and fist squarely against her side. Joking aside, he may have had a point. He put it away and her mood lightened. Then, he offered to buy her the nicer looking rod compared to his bamboo one.

"I mean," she began with a little sass in her tone. "After all those spear fishing prods, I'd say you owe it to me. I did spear your fish after all."

"And snapped the rod I lent you since, you know... you didn't have one," he replied in riposte.

Finger up, mouth open, Snow fell flat for return fire.

"Not to mention my poor haori..."

Brows dropped low and arms crossed.

"Fine, you win..."

Baldur let out a laugh and turned to the merchant to finish his trade. Snow, defeated in their little volley, wandered over to the harpoon he had not seconds ago. She pulled it from the rack and held it in her hands. The thought of the fish, his brash comment turned into instructions, and her adrenaline as she flung herself into the water with Sif's needle. A smile crept across her lips.

"I'll take this too," she interjected beside Baldur and held out the spear to the merchant. She turned to him and stuck out her tongue.

"For the memories," she added with a soft chuckle. "Don't you go expecting to find me in the ponds at the Guild Hall with this thing!"

With the end of the second round, the sun warned against the end of their day. Contestants and observers alike gathered in the main hall where Baldur announced the results and welcomed everyone to partake of the refreshments. He even manned the grill where he toiled away making yakitori for anyone that desired some. Comically, he donned an apron that reminded Snow of the surface world and she shook her head. With the evening falling, her responsibilities also waned. Snow returned to the kitchen where she retired her kettle and china and returned to the festivities. There, she settled herself at the table where Baldur's notes lay scattered.

She snickered at some of the words written about Takumi. Overall, he seemed proud of his pupil but ever critical of his areas for improvement. He had interesting remarks to Alkor and Lessa similar to Night's fight as well. Overall, the tournament proved to be a battleground of growth and development. She placed her hand against her chin and wondered if these developments were planned. She knew him to be calm and calculated. Were these interactions also a part of his design?

She looked over to the jovial samurai in the silly apron and shook her head.

"I'm giving him way too much credit," she muttered with a soft laugh.

Quote

"You look like a dream come true."

The temperature of her cheeks rose. Her arms retreated upon herself. Her eyes darted to the ground, the pier, anything but Jason.

What does that mean? her thoughts ran. Does he like me? Am I--

Quote

"I've always dreamed of some day seeing the guild walking about in my haori."

Okay... okay... yeah. Just the guild. The guild in the same colors. Right.

Her quickened heartbeat slowed to a normal pace and she exhaled through pursed lips. He smiled at her with innocence and truth. Chest still a bit tight, she returned it as they stood with the help of his arm.

The air between them remained a void as they walked into town. Snow hugged herself to stave off the cold and spent most of the journey looking to the road. Her mind spun with mixed signals. She thought of his hand on hers, the haori around her shoulders, the comment about his dreams for the guild. How much did she really know him? Why was he opening up to her? Did he just trust her or was there something else? No, he didn't seem the malicious type. He was calm, collected, precise.

Always look out for the quiet ones, she heard Daire warn from a conversation long ago.

Her name broke the silence of their walk. She looked to him with a crooked brow and a moment of panic settled in. She trusted him, right? Of course. He was their guild leader, Baldur. He was the samurai who put a stop to many floor bosses and mediated the conflicts in the guild.

He mentioned the spear joke again and her thoughts of worry and panic melted into a look befitting of the dead horse who kept getting kicked. Still, joke or not, it eased the tension between them. The rest of the walk remained quiet, but Snow instead spent her time fiddling with her hair and helping it dry. Her thoughts lingered on her present company, but more so on wanting to learn more. Instead of worry, she thought about what it might be like to have a confidant beyond the numbers of SAO. He knew her name and she his. They shared a little about one another, about the player trapped in the headset.

As they breached the city walls and past the guards, Snow became conscious about her appearance and pulled his haori over her the caked mud and algae all over her. She felt as though eyes were upon her even if they weren't. As they arrived to an old shop not far from the gate, Snow couldn't help but notice the strange name of the place. It seemed so... boring. Baldur opened the door and let the two of them in where a scene of time laid out before them.

She felt like she entered a place neglected and lost. Dust covered everything. Old pieces of gear that even dated the lower level hand me downs she wore hung on the walls and in glass cases. Even the trinkets inside the cases collected a thin film. Snow's eyes drifted to the rafters where strands of web hung low from beam to beam. The lights came on and the motes of dust from their entrance danced in the air.

Her brows furrowed. How did this become so neglected? She ran her hand along one of the cases, a streak of translucency in its wake along the glass.

Quote

"I'll... wait outside."

And he left her alone in the harrowing silence of his time capsule. Snow's eyes drifted around as she spent a few moments just taking in the sights. Either he brought her here to trap her inside and never be seen again or he brought her here as a tie to something more man than samurai. Inside didn't even exude an eastern feel. It seemed so... plain. Is this what he forgot? Is this the part overwritten by the flair of blooming sakura, curved steel, and tatami mats?

Behind the counter, atop a pedestal, Snow caught a glimpse of something that seemed to stand out against the grey, a scale. It was ornate and showed signs of extensive use. Despite the neglect of the rest of the shop, it nearly seemed as if the dust did not want to settle on this scale. It stayed in balance, tuned for whatever weight it might bare. Snow put her finger on one side and smooth as silk it tilted to one side. Her finger left it and it quickly found its balance.

She snickered. Of course he would use a scale. A man of calm, who acted as though everything had its balance. Yet, at the same time, he seemed tilted to one side. The Baldur she knew now told her of Jason, a man he seemed to forget. The scales tilted and leaned to a side of digital numbers and data. She looked again at the store in its frozen state of the past. Perhaps he just needed a reminder-- something to tilt the scales back into balance. Was that her?

"I should get dressed," She reminded herself with a shake of her head.

Snow walked to the back where an old door lead to a changing room for customers. Small, but enough room to change, Snow hung his haori on a series of knobs and began to fiddle with her menus. Dirty clothes vanished; clean clothes appeared. Now, feeling as refreshed as she could without a shower, she emerged and made for the front door with his haori draped over her arm.

"All set," she commented to a distracted samurai outside his own store. "You alright?" she asked.  

Baldur's hands took hers and if helped by some superhero in comics, hefted her out of the water with ease. She plopped herself onto the pier's edge where water cascaded off of her in every direction. Clumps of muck, algae, and leaves clung all over her. What a sight...

"Ha. Ha." she bluntly replied to his poke about spear fishing. She shook her head and wet locks of hair stuck to her face. With a wave of her hand, she swept them to the side. Snow ran both hands over her face and through her hair. Thankfully, her partner removed the majority of the junk that decided to get caught in her hair like a net. The blonde then gathered up all of her strands and rung them out the best she could.

"You said--" He knew what he said. She exhaled sharply. "I just went for it. I completely regret it, look at me..."

A few more clumps of green and a smattering of mud and Snow may as well of been classified as a floor boss named <<Swamp Thing>>. She busied herself trying to remove as much of the gunk as possible until she felt a weight around her shoulders. He placed his trademark haori over her shoulders. Although wet in itself, it was significantly more dry than herself and stole the chill away from the breeze. When he clasped it over her, she felt warmth invade her cheeks. Quietly, she picked at herself, removing what little pieces of filth she could. It was trademark. It felt just like the movies and the books. She didn't know what to say. Thank you sounded just too easy. With a faint chuckle, she looked up to Baldur.

"How do I look, now?" she mused. "Just like a Guild Leader, am I right?"

She stretched out her arms in the haori that was much more loose on her than Baldur. Blue of the sky met against the white flames near the hem, matching her eyes and fair skin. She smiled, cheeks rosy, and damp from head to toe. Her heart beat with sheer embarrassment but at this point, how much worse could it get? Thankfully, he seemed to be having a good time even after she broke his pole and drenched him. She was grateful. She was happy.

"I think I've had enough of spear fishing for the day," she replied to his query. "I think we've both had enough of my 'spear fishing'."

Her hands made air quotes. Baldur offered her his arm and Snow hesitated for a brief moment. His hands on hers, helping her from the water, and his haori over her shoulder, Snow noticed how close they seemed to  be. The hesitation waned and she took his arm to help her up. Then, she took a step back and nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds good." She remarked. Something sounded off in her tone. "I should probably switch into something not entirely soaked when we make it to town. But first..."

And as if on cue, out came Anthony from his hut, arms wide, and approached the two of them.

"I knew you could do it!" He smacked them companionably on the back and gave the two of them a quick wink. "I knew there was something special about you from the moment I saw you. As a gift from me to you, you should keep the scales. Just don't go giving it away now, because the next time you want one, you'll have to fish without my special bait." 

A notification popped up detracting the bait from their inventory and awarding them the fishing skill. Anthony then nodded toward his fishing shack.

"If you're ever in the area again, don't be afraid to visit. You know you're always welcome."

As quick as he came, he left. This time to the boat tied to his pier. He busied away with the rope and pushed off the dock with salute then a wave. What a strange man.

"Well, now that that is out of the way, let's get going. I'd like to get out of these clothes as soon as possible." Again her arms stretched out, little droplets of water scattering into the damp soil at their feet.

How long had it been? Alyssa tried to recall. The last time she felt someone's hands on hers blurred into the dissonance of the past. The gentleness of his touch distracted her from her thoughts. Thoughts of her own cowardice. Jason spoke of fear and shame, both of them she knew terribly well. Her first months spent holed up with the others. To this day, Alyssa felt she was still a coward. Her message of defiance to herself was to try and be the shield that would have saved Daire and would save countless lives. She was terrified of her own demise but as reckless as it seemed, she felt the role of tank was the only way to prove to herself, to Daire, and to others that she wasn't a coward. Not anymore.

"Jason..." The name lilted off her tongue.

Quote

"Ope! Looks like we got one, hold onto the pole and give it a jerk to set the hook, and then bring it in just like last time."

He leapt up from his seat on the pier and pulled her in tow against the weight of a new assailant. This one proved stronger than the last. The pole strained, line groaned, and water frothed from its desperate attempt to escape an untimely demise. Snow's mind struggled to focus, her cheeks red from previous thoughts. To the left, then the right, Snow wrangled the pole as cracks sounded. Baldur interjected, his hands gripped the rod. He shot her what sounded like a joke about spear fishing, but she only heard directions. Spear. Fish. Go now.

Snow let her hands off the rod, the sounds of the struggle in the background of her focus as her eyes settled on Sif's Needle propped against the dock. She swept it up in her grasp and just as he commented and without much thought, she jumped off the pier with the tip of the spear singing for where line vanished underwater.

KerSPLASH!

A deluge washed over Baldur and Snow sunk to her chest in the dark green waters. The pole snapped clear in twine from the force of her spear and the abuse the two had put it through. With the blonde nearly submerged, all that could be clearly seen was the shaking, ivory shaft of Sif's Needle. Locks of damp hair fell into her face as she struggled with the death throes of their quarry until, finally, the waters came to rest. Chest heaving, Snow spit out the bit of pond scum that threatened to invade her mouth. She looked to Baldur, the absolute mess that she was, and saw him completely drenched. Her eyes widened.

"Oh. My. God." She shook her head and stared at the point where spear became pond.

What a klutz! GET IT TOGETHER, ALYSSA!

In a way, she was thankful to the cool water for snapping her out of her own thoughts, but she didn't want to share the mess with Baldur. Why did she actually jump in?!

"I am so sorry!" she shouted at the water. Fish. The fish.

"The fish," she repeated as thoughts turned into words. Her spear hefted the beast near the water's surface where Snow struggled to breach.

"Help me!" She cried out, still up to her chest in the pond. Baldur reached down and together they beached a rainbow fish nearly twice the size of the one she caught only moments ago.

Not only that, but on the very tip of her spear flopped yet another bottom feeder. Two for one!

"Here you go?! Wha--" And the rod was in her hands. The same force that peppered the two of them in muck and grime now nearly tried to pull Snow into the pond. The rod bent and line snapped taught. In more of a reflex to save herself from a watery embarrassment than to actually reel in the fish, Snow leaned back. Baldur then let go of the rod, always in full control, despite the girl's alternative experience of near death. Firmly in control, Snow wrestled with the might of the fish on the hook. Whatever it was felt stronger than the thing she speared near the shore.

The thoughts that momentarily plagued her mind drowned out from the rush of uncertainty. Baldur continued to provide tips, but the blonde heard maybe half of them. Her eyes zeroed in on the splashing and sputtering at the end of the line. The fish pulled hard. Snow pulled harder to the sound of strained wood.

"Is it going to break?!" left the panicked words. Then, the line grew a little slack, just like Baldur described. Confidence began to settle in to her shaky understanding of fishing. Much of the details he spoke of went clean over her head. What Snow retained, just hold onto the rod, fight against the pull, then go with the pull, rinse and repeat until the pulling stops. The tug of war continued for several moments until the rod straightened. Their catch ran out of stamina.

"This is it!" One last tug.

From the water emerged a rainbow colored fish. Gills and fins moved slowly, just like Snow trying to wrestle the covers back over herself for another few minutes of sleep in the morning. A pop up announced the acquisition of one <<Gleaming Scale>>, the object necessary for the quest. Snow accepted the prompt and the fish vanished into a shower of pixelated sparks.

"We did it Baldur!" she said with a smile. "That was much easier than I thought." Her racing heart argued against her lie.

The samurai pulled another bait from his own inventory and re'hooked it on the line. Then, he gave her some instructions on casting. Snow watched carefully as her adrenaline settled, mimicking his hands with her own. There was a 45 degree angle, some weight, a little--

"Ow!" The hook pricked her finger. Little red pixels erupted and the force of habit placed her thumb against her lips. Snow's brows nearly touched together in frustration, but Baldur assured her to try again. After a couple more attempts and one run in with hooks and her hair, Snow finally landed the bait in the middle of the pond.

"And now we wait," she repeated with a crass smile.

Still air settled between them for a moment before he returned to their conversation. He remarked on how Shield gave correct advice. The real world was taboo. Then, he gently nudged her shoulder. Snow gave him her attention to again hear her name. Then, he said his. Their real names.

As if to interject the weight of the topic, he lightened it with some facts about foods named after California. Snow had no idea that's where the name came from. She assumed California rolls were a specialty roll enjoyed through California. The way Daire talked about them, they were, but to think that all it took was a bit of avocado to call something California food was amusing. Snow giggled at the thought of her morning breakfast.

California toast.

Then, something Snow didn't expect happened. Baldur receded. She could hear the unease in his tone. She looked to where his eyes should be but instead, he looked off and away from her. A different person sat next to her. This wasn't Baldur. Was this the same person who hugged her? Who unleashed the dam of confined emotions as tears? He went on to say he was more samurai than man. He eluded to a disconnection to the surface world. Did he not remember? Did he not want to remember?

Snow looked out over the water. She searched its still surface for the words to return to him.

"I don't believe that." She shook her head. "I refuse to believe that."

She turned back to him with the faint scowl.

"Right now you are not Baldur. You're Jason. You're the man inside the samurai. That never went anywhere and won't go anywhere." Snow placed her hand on his muddied shoulder. She took a moment, still struggling for what to say. Her own thoughts reflected toward herself. To the girl moments after getting the news about the death game. To the months she spent tucked away behind the walls of the First City. She looked back on that girl and her hand slid off Baldur's shoulder.

"We just have to change is all..." The words drifted along with her gaze. "I know what you mean though..."

"I uh..." She paused and looked away from him. "I'm not proud of who I was the first few days of Aincrad."

Out of embarrassment, she omitted the months in favor of days. She lingered on the facts. She thought about the refugee camps, of the children she came to know, of the matronly older players who took it upon themselves to console the despaired, and of her lack of role in the early months. She thought of the arguments she had with Daire about getting involved, about Daire's safety trying to fight for their freedom, and about what would happen if she died. She thought about the reason she left the Town of Beginnings and the only reason she sat here with Baldur in the first place.

"You're still you," she continued, voice timid as a mouse. "It's just easier to not be sometimes. To be someone else who's... braver... more courageous... who-- who cares about others more than themselves."

The words meant for him were wielded as a doubled edge.

"I guess for me, I used to be someone I'm not and now..." She attempted to smile. "I guess I'm just me now. With a pole and a good friend."

Despite the embarrassment worn plainly on her face, Baldur reflected pride and amusement back at her. While she looked onto him, noting her responsibility for also getting him soiled, her worry about his judgement faded. The congratulatory menu appeared between her and him that notified her of an acquired material she could later use at her bar. She dismissed it in time to hear his comment about spear fishing. Her eyes drifted to the weapon in her hands.

"Spear fishing is still a thing?" came her vocalized thoughts. Of course it was. Did she not just catch the fish herself with a spear? "Wow..."

It was in that moment, Snow noticed the gunk and water splashes all over her armor and body. Her face twisted in displeasure. How unsightly. She thought of changing her attire all together to clear the filth, but the present company and location would make that all the more inappropriate. Her head hung in defeat. Snow resolved to continue her little quest in the current state. No stranger to hikes or swimming, she tried to tell herself this was the collateral of adventure. It was a poor argument even to herself.

"I'm sorry," she apologized to Baldur for getting him dirty. "I got a little excited. I didn't think the fish would... well..."

She gestured to herself and then a single hand to him as he flung a chunk of mud from his cheek. Despite the guilt, she cracked a smile at the sight of the two. No more than a few seconds together and they were already filthy. Thankfully, Baldur's calm demeanor overcame how Snow expected anyone else to react.

She listened to his proposition to fish and watched him effortlessly flick the bait into the water. It landed far from the water's edge and away from the stagnant algae. Already, his method seemed a lot more refined and... clean. Then came his question and Snow felt conflicted.

Shield, not so gently, taught Snow that talking about the real world was taboo. It dragged up memories of a place and time which may never return. Some suffered in silence, only held together by coping with a new reality -- a fresh start. Just as Shield warned, Snow's mind drifted to another time, another place, and with company she would never see again. In front of their couch, on the coffee table, Alyssa laid out several California rolls to Daire's excited praise. They enjoyed it together over binged episodes on Netflix or Crunchyroll. Alyssa laughed as Daire tried to eat a roll and it picked the perfect time to come undone all over her. She'd flip Alyssa the bird, they laughed, and the warmth of the memory lingered deep in a place Alyssa didn't expect to suddenly recall.

"Yeah..." The word lingered with weight. Snow grinned. "Shield warned me about striking up conversations about the other side."

The girl nodded to herself. Lesson learned. She walked to the edge of the pier where Baldur gestured for her to sit. She lofted her legs over the edge and sat beside him. The thoughts of Daire still lingered, raw, but she felt a sense of relief in Baldur's question. She felt a sense of liberation.

"Me and Daire used to make some. Her favorite was California rolls, you know... because she was from California." Snow cracked a bittersweet smile.

As the sentence drifted into obscurity of memory, the bobber on the water's surface plunged into the depths. The plip snapped Snow's cerulean attention to the missing bait.

"Looks like you got one!" The exclamation fell slightly flat. Snow's mind lingered on Daire and Baldur's real name, Jason. She thought of Shield's warning and wondered what her transgressions mustered up for him back in that cavern. Still, despite the thoughts in her mind, she felt a tinge of gratitude and connection. She wanted to talk to Jason more, to learn more about him, not the samurai and front line warrior of Sword Art Online. She wanted to connect with both her and his humanity.

A lone girl sat at the water's edge. In her hand, a worm decorated with a red ribbon held just above the murky water's surface. The scene itself rose many questions that she herself could not readily answer. The moment's pause and sigh from her lips dawned the image upon her and she hung her head in defeat.

"Kon'nichiwa, Snow-san."

Oh god, Baldur!

"Thank you for inviting me---"

Her cheeks flushed red and she stood abruptly. She turned to face him and opened her mouth to spill out some reasonable explanation for what he caught her doing but found none. Her arms fell slack to her sides.

"Here, let me help you."

Gently, he took the worm from her hand and busied himself with an old pole. When he spoke about hooking the worm, Snow nodded, face still flushed with embarrassment.

"I didn't have a pole..." she whimpered.

As she spoke defeated to Baldur, she heard splashes of water behind her. Right where she knelt over the water's edge, a good sized fish swam about. It's long whiskers breached the surface and skittered through the muck as it looked for food. Perhaps the lucky bait was lucky after all.

"A fish! Baldur!" Snow pointed to the water's edge. She didn't know what to do at this point. Catch it with her hands? It looked slimy. Do they throw the bait and hook at it now or...?

"Uh.. uh..." She stammered. Her hand flicked up and menus appeared. Then Sif's Needle, her trusty spear, materialized in a flash of blue pixelized light. She snatched it from the air, ran to the water's edge, and before the fish could slink into the inky depths, thrust it into the mud. Splashes of water flung mud and algae on her outfit until it stopped.

"Did I get it?" she asked. Lost in the thrill of the hunt and ignorant of the filth on her, Snow crouched down and lifted the tip of her spear. On it's serrated blade the lifeless fish dangled.

"Hey! Hey! Look!" She turned to Baldur and the look of embarrassment was replaced by excitement. Her first fish... with a spear.

Wait...

She looked back to the spear, the fish, and then herself. Now she looked like some neanderthal in a history special spearing fish instead of she didn't know... a normal human being? There it was: embarrassment all over again. What a mess...

The blonde looked down to the tin. Again, her face twisted in protest of just how grimy it looked. Regardless of her personal feelings, she needed to use whatever was inside to finish this quest and earn a source of fresh ingredients for her bar. She summed up the courage with a deep breath and lifted the lid off the tin. Curious eyes peered beneath to reveal...

"A worm...?" Two words of utter disbelief left her lips.

Inside, although as if some kind of joke, was a single earthworm. The only thing that set it apart from any other worm was the little red ribbon tied around the middle of it. Worse off, it seemed to be alive. The <<Fancy Worm>> wriggled in the grimy tin the moment fresh, cool air hit it.

"I hate this already."

With worm tin in hand, Snow walked down to the water's edge where the murky depths seemed to hide unknown contents. Thick algae clumped near the reeds at the shoreline, further obstructing view. Without a rod, Snow looked to her the bait, then to the water, and back to the bait. How was she supposed to catch a fish? Her bare hands?

With a shrug, Snow reluctantly grabbed the wriggling worm by the red ribbon and held it over the water. To no surprise, nothing seemed to happen.