[PP-F2]<<RGQ-E>> Protect this sweet flower.

[Lycan 0]

Closed to Esther. RGQ is registered HERE. Esther, Level 8. Lycan, Level 9.

Lycan sat just outside the safe zone of Urbus. The morning sun painted his features in a soft, orange light. The teen propped his body against one of hundreds of wooden posts, interconnected as a large perimeter fence. In his mouth dangled a long stalk of wheat, and his eyes carefully watched the treeline. Thick with green foliage and mysterious shadows, the forest of the second floor held a large variety of natural ingredients as well as unique monster spawns. The teen remained silent and stoic as a hunting party of players embarked into its depths.

'What's taking her so long?' Lycan pondered. He rose his arm from its folded position across his chest and checked an imaginary watch. The cuff of his Blood Wolves' Coat lacked the facility to respond chronologically.With a sigh, the teen plucked the strand of wheat from his lips and examined the chewed end of it.

Impatience settled into the boy. It had been weeks since their last outing and just 24 hours since the girl approached him at his stand. Relocated to the main market place since their last adventure, she asked if he would teach her some potion recipes. Lycan hesitated, but his willpower faltered to her puppy like expression and sweet voice. She was ecstatic. He was reluctant.

Truth be told, he had many questions since he left her in that Inn. Who was the girl with the leash and why was she wearing a collar? What ever happened to that one missing girl of the kids she mentioned? How much did she remember of that night they spent together?

With an adjustment of his posture on the post, Lycan huffed and glanced back at the city gate.

"Hope she didn't get herself in another situation..." Lycan mumbled.

[Esther 0]

Late...Late...LATE

Esther ran, cursing herself for her on ineptitude. How could she be so late? She skidded just outside the safe zone of Urbus, checking behind each wooden post. Here? No...Here...No...dammit....was he late too? Then, she saw him - a lone, cloaked figure. Esther took a deep breath before running over to him. "LYCAN~!" She called out. Dashing across Urbus to meet up with him. As she neared him Esthers run slowed down into a walk, then a complete stop. She was huffing from the physical strain. "Hah...sorry...late...Ess peh...Coffee...." She said between gasps. 

Today, Esther's hair was worn up in a high ponytail, and she had new equipment, well - she had her collar. It's chain dangled loosely down around her neck. Esther straightened herself, smiling at Lycan having recovered. "I'm so sorry here..." She fished around in her inventory, pulling out a thermos and two dingy looking cups. "I thought since we were leaving first thing in the morning - we'd have that coffee I promised you." Esther blinked, Lycan didn't look too happy. "Are...are you ok Lye?"

[Lycan 0]

"What the hell is that?" His finger pointed directly at her collar with a firm, flat voice. The emotion of kindness was completely devoid from his features.

"And who is Mari, the PKer?" Lycan squared his posture to the tiny player. His six foot height dwarfed her as his stern gaze cast down upon her.

"I saw you in the fields with her, dragged around by that thing." Lycan's lip flared with disgust. "And now you're wearing it casually in public? I have a feeling you haven't been entirely honest with me, Esther. Who are you? What is your relationship with that woman?"

The teen felt the urge to draw Harbinger. Even with her innocent features, bright eyes, and melodic voice, Lycan couldn't help but recall their previous adventure. Esther told him about her desire to remain a pacifist, to make people smile, to help others. Then, she drank a potion from a shady vendor named Addel and put the two of them in a rather precarious situation. While Lycan felt a small but somewhat intimate bond from the exchange, it now pulled taught with questions and doubt. He didn't want to believe it, but he had seen it before. Was Esther bait for a PKer guild? Was he being swindled into a trap?

The teen's eyes lacked compassion and his brow hung low in a threatening glower. 

[Esther 0]

Esther jumped as Lycan snapped at her, she had dropped the thermos and cups in shock. The thermos contents spilled out onto the ground and Esther couldn't help but look at it with sad eyes. The reason why she was late...she had looked so hard for a really nice coffee, now it was practically gone. Esther looked back up at Lycan, tears threatening to spill from her eyes at any moment. "A...a collar..." She replied weakly, taking a step back. 

"I-I hadn't met her....before...I mean...with- when we met..." Esther stammered, she wanted to tell him, to explain that she had no idea who Mari even was when she and Lycan first met, but she was shivering, and wasn't sure what to do, how to react. She didn't do well with this sort of confrontation, and here he was. Threatening her. Was it because of the way she acted, drinking that strangers potion? "M-Mari's sorta....my mentor -she's helping me." Esther winced again as Lycan continued to shout at her. 

His form towered over hers, and Esther recoiled, falling to her knees. Hands clasped over her chest. "I'm just Esther...just Phoebe..." She glanced down, adding in a quiet voice, between sobs. "I thought...I was your friend...."

Mari warned Esther this would happen, she warned that if Esther stayed around her people would treat her with ill will and ire, Esther didn't want to believe it, but it seemed to be true. Her shaking hands rose up to the chain and tightly clasped it. Even Mari....lately even Mari hadn't been all to kind with her. All the people she had befriended....Lycan...Mari..Arc....why were they all turning on her? Was this what the world was now? 

"I...I can go..." Esther whimpered, not looking the man in the eyes - her own were downcast, as she reached up and opened her HUD, selecting his name from her friends list. One of the two only names left on it. "It's ok...I'd probably hate me too after how I treated you that night." She pressed the option to unfriend him. Assuming he wanted nothing more to do with her. Esther looked back up at him. 'F-For what its worth...Thank you...and I'm sorry."

 

[Lycan 0]

"Not good enough," Lycan barked, unsympathetic to what he now assumed was an act. He eyed the chain around her neck with every intent of using it to tether her should she try to flee.

"What do you mean by mentor?" He stepped forward, boot turning one of the coffee cups to digital ash under his weight. "A killer? Just a bait tactic to murder innocent players? How much of what you told me was a lie?"

He heard her whimper the word 'friend' and his heart throbbed with a dull pain. Collapsed to the ground, tears in her eyes, fear shaking her body, the sight wavered Lycan in his resolve. Anger fought with compassion and his stomach churned at his own actions. He clenched his teeth at the internal conflict, convinced he needed to know the truth before he trust the girl with his back. Their history was still fresh, afterall.

"Friend?" Lycan hissed, trying to maintain his composure in light of his doubts. "I had to watch you get dragged around like a dog by someone that kills other people with full knowledge there isn't a damn thing I could of done if you were in danger. Friends don't willingly put themselves in harm's way. Friends don't become property of a murderer like its cute or normal."

A pop up appeared, notifying Lycan of her decision to unfriend him. A desperate act to force him to reconsider? I pity move? A distraction so she could take advantage and run?

Lycan swatted the notification out of the air and the morning light caught Lycan's amber irises, setting them ablaze in an eerie glow.

"You're not going anywhere," he growled, "Not until I have answers."

He teetered on the edge of trust and guilt. What he was doing didn't settle right in his gut, but he wasn't about to be PK fodder for his ignorance. He'd heard of this rouse before and in a world where death lurked around every corner and whispered on every tick of the clock, he'd be damned to die for a pretty face. He knew his actions might have irreversible consequences, but deep down, he cared about Esther. Were that not true, no questions would be asked. If he didn't care, he would have wiped her memory from his mind and been done with it.

"Now answer me." There was a pause and a flutter in his commanding tone. "Please..."

[Esther 0]

The man told her it wasn't good enough, and he crushed one of the mugs under his foot. "S-TOP!" She cried out helplessly, reaching out to try and push his foot off it, but it was al for naught. The cup was gone. Esther hung her head. Evelyn had made that cup...sure the mugs Esther carried around looked dingy, poorly kept, and made- but she loved them- and to see it so heartlessly crushed..."Evelyn's cup..." 

Esther wrapped her arms around her waist, body shaking. Why? Why? Why was he doing this...? Did he hate her that much? She fell forward, pushing her forehead to the ground.

"I don't understand..." Her voice racked with pain. "I don't understand what you mean by bait..." Her voice grew smaller, "I'm not lying..."

She sobbed, unable to continue replying for a few heart wrenching moments. The smiles he gave her... The warmth of his body, and the pleasant smell of his cologne...she must have really messed up.

 

"I bought the coffee..." Esther said finally, when it seemed as though she couldn't cry anymore. "B-because I wanted to tell you everything..everything that happened since I saw you...I'm....I'm..." She shook her head as she pressed her body further into the ground.

she didn't say any more, she didn't move, she lost the heart and the will to. He could do what he wanted at this point- Esther had began to shut down, she couldn't deal with this...

I really am trash...

[Lycan 0]

Lycan stood helpless as he witnessed the fruit of his labor. Esther deteriorated into a mess that even the best actresses and actors would struggle to maintain. The truth dawned on him. Whether or not he had the answers he wanted, he knew his actions were unwarranted. He knew he ****ed up and he ****ed up hard.

"Sh--..." Lycan's gloved hand pressed against his face and dragged the menace and anger from his features. He let out a deep, defeated sigh and turned his eyes away from his failure.

"F***..." Lycan's mind ran ajar, still filled with so many questions about Esther and that killer, but doused in the nausea of his inhumane behavior. He couldn't look at her now. Her whimpers and sobs permeated his ears and sank his heart into a pit of self loathing. Beneath his foot glimmered the digital remains of one of Esther's cups. He had made out that is was Evyln's, the missing girl. Lycan planned to ask more about that if he could clear Esther of suspicion.

Now...

"God dammit..." Another deep sigh.

More of Esther's tears.

"I'm sorry..." Lycan kept his eyes away from her and his hand still covering his face.

He took a deep breath and weathered the guilt of her sobs. His fist clenched and head shook.

"I - I don't know what to say now..." He still couldn't turn to face her.

'You f***king idiot.'

"Seeing you like that..." His voice trailed. "I felt powerless to do anything. After that day and now seeing you still alive..."

Lycan's chest weighed down with the thought of Esther's name crossed out on the Monument of Life.

"You can't trust a PKer. They killed one of us. Hell, they've killed hundreds of us..." He bit his lip.

"What was I supposed to think with you being paraded around like that and calling her your mentor?"

Lycan's tone raised again, his temper flaring; not at her but the situation.

"Listen..."

He wanted to kneel beside her - tell her it was okay and he didn't mean it. No, Lycan had seen that fear. Doing so would not mend any wounds. That bridge was on fire and he could only stand and wait to see if anything salvageable remained.

"I'm sorry... and an a**hole..."

He ran his hand through his platinum hair and crooked the back of his neck with a deep breath.

"Please..." Lycan pleaded. "Don't cry..."

[Esther 0]

Esthers body wound tightly into a shivering ball, bloodshot eyes wide- staring at the mass of green grass she had shoved her face into. Her fingernails dug tightly into her sides, hands shaking, body shivering. Breathing staggered and raspy.

It had been several minutes between Lycan apologising and now, Esthers pittiful sobs finally stopped- but her position hadn't improved. She heard his apology, and a part of her wanted to tell him it was ok, it was just a simple misunderstanding- but every time She opened her mouth to speak, images of his burning Amber eyes flashed into her head - the sound of unrivalled rage- the knowledge that she had lost the one last thing she had of Evelyn's...

"I was late..."

her voice stuttered, as she repeated the fact of her tardiness. If Lycan were to pick up the thermos- and any remaining coffee, perhaps he would notice it's description 'Lycans special make up coffee- extra. Strength for extra adventures' 

"J-just wanted....explain....everything...coffee" her words were jumbled, broken and difficult to understand. Speaking right now requires a tremendous deal of effort from the panicked girl.

Esther wanted to reach out, to seek some sort of comfort and warmth to counteract the cold feeling that had washed over her, but she couldn't move.

"S-Sorry..."

[Lycan 0]

The moments of silence hurt the most. It stirred the memory of day one in his mind. Her stillness and quiet forced him to look at her from time to time. Balled up, shivering, clutched to herself like her body was the last of a reality she thought she knew... The teen had never seen his actions do this to someone before. Lord knows his skills with the ladies were bad, but today marked a new high score.

"Hey..." he cooed, finally massing the courage to lower himself beside her.

He heard her murmur, "I was late..."

'Maybe I should just leave her alone...'

"J-just wanted....explain....everything...coffee" she continued.

Lycan turned his attention to the thermos, overturned mug, and the footprint where a cup once existed. Now, the dark drink pooled into the crevices his boots left behind. A faint glimmer of defragmenting data sparkled as the last of the mug vanished from Cardinal's system. His attention turned to the stream that fed the spill as coffee still trickled from the thermos. Hoping to salvage the damage of his behavior, Lycan reached out to upright the container. As he did, its information window appeared.

<<Info:  'Lycans special make up coffee - extra strength for extra adventures'>>

The degree to which he felt like scum hit rock bottom with deep thud. His mind failed to find the words to describe his current state of being. Instead, a soup of hate, loathing, and guilt festered inside. Lycan parted his lips and the aroma of his reaction slipped out as a single word:

"F***..."

"I'm sorry," Esther whispered beside him, still curled up.

"Tch, scumbag..." Lycan overheard someone mutter as they walked past the two to the fields. 

The teen found it hard to argue that apparent fact.

"Hey..." he repeated, hesitantly placing a hand on Esther's back. "Come on... I'm the one who should be sorry. You have nothing to apologize for..."

'Does this game have a ctrl + z? Please say it has a crtl + z...'

"Listen, it's just a big misunderstanding. I get that now. I'm sorry I pushed so hard. I just..." Lycan held his tongue at dredging up the topic again. "We can talk about it later."

He tried to softly rub Esther's back, fully expecting her to slap his hand away. Unfortunately, his large feet found its way into his mouth often. In past experiences, sadness flipped to anger in the blink of an eye. Especially when dealing with the opposite gender. He would brunt her rage. He had to. It was only fair.

"Hey, come on... You're fine. I'm not going to hurt you. Just breathe."

[Esther 0]

She felt Lycan shift, sitting beside her. Esther's head lifted slightly, and she was staring at the dark material that clothed this knees. It seemed that Lycan's attitude had changed. His voice softened into the voice that Esther remembered. She could hear the sounds of shifting material, but wasn't sure exactly what he was doing, unaware he had picked up the thermos. She heard him swear, and flinched. "S-sorry."

The woman flinched again, as she felt a hand on her back - she shut her eyes tight, fully expecting the heated sensation of a slap, but none came. Instead, it was the soothing action of his hand running up and down the mid of her back. He tried telling her that she had nothing to apologise for, a part of Esther knew that, but her mind was so pained, and clouded by her apparent panic attack that she found that difficult to believe. Still, the warmth of the action helped calm her. Esther very slowly let go of her sides, her body unwinding from its tight ball. Esther still kept her head down - not wanting Lycan to see the pathetic blubbering mess she had become. Instead, Esther edged forward till she was able to press her forehead into his lap. Her hands tangling into the material of his pants, clutching it tightly to stop herself from shaking.

"J-just a moment..."

It took several moments, Esther tried to steady her breathing - what was she told to do again when she was having an episode like this? That's right...sensations. What could she feel....Lycan...Esther focused on that, the feeling of warmth that leaked from his hands and lap, the itchiness of the green grass - the cool feeling of the wind as it kissed her tear stained cheeks. Breathe  Smell - she could smell the grass, and the bitter coffee that had been spilt. Breathe  See - well, that one was a little harder. She saw black, the etchings of his fabric, some worn from batttle. Breathe

Several more moments passed before Esther finally spoke again. "I'm sorry." Her back rose and fell with slow deep breathes. "We can talk about things now. I'd prefer to get things out the way." She said, voice muffled  by his clothes. "I'm sorry. I get like that sometimes...I'll tell you anything you want to know...just let me calm down, let me stay like this just a few moments more while we talk.." She lifted her head, tilting it up toward his - bloodshot emerald eyes stared up at Lycan, curtained by a lilac fringe. "Please?" She tried to offer him a smile, but it wavered. "What did you want to know?"

 

[Lycan 0]

As his hand ran up and down the small of her back, she seemed to relax. Her fetal position melted and with a few gentle movements, she buried her face in his lap. To his dismay, he could feel the damp chill of her tears peppered among the warmth. Again, he shook his head at his own lack of tact.

"Shhh..." he whispered to her as she shook and trembled. With his free hand, he started to organize the mess that her hair had become. Tangled, dirty, and woven with grass, Lycan ran his fingers through. Where his hand stopped, he'd carefully work out the knot or remove debris.

He felt her clench his coat and baggy pants as she whimpered for a moment. She couldn't see, but the teen nodded quietly and continued to tend to her.

"Take your time," he assured as his fixing of her hair turned more into his hands gently running through it.

She finally mustered the composure to speak, deciding she wanted to explain herself after all. Lycan turned his eyes away from her, the admission of guilt conflicting with his desire for the truth.

"You don't have to," he admitted. "We all have our secrets..."

'Some more than others...'

"It's okay," he responded to her apology. "I was a jerk. I shouldn't have come off so stern."

He felt her head lift and met her eyes with his. Again, the bottom of the scum bucket rattled with his dignity and Lycan had to look away.

'Jesus, Jax. Way to go.'

"It's okay," he muttered. "You don't have to tell me, just..."

He glanced at her for just a brief moment so he could grab the chain that dangled from her neckline.

"Just don't wear this around me..." He gave a soft tug. "I don't like the idea of someone treating you like an animal..."

[Esther 0]

More time had passed. It was now nearing early afternoon, the sun well and truly over them now. Esther shook her head as he said she didn't have to explain. "No...Lye you don't understand, I wanted to...I had planned to. It's why I was so late...I wanted to get a really nice coffee made, I wanted to sit down and explain everything to you. You are..." she paused, biting her lower lip. "Sorry...W-were my first friend here- I mean, that I met here. Besides the children. It made me happy. So much had happened between then and now..."

She could feel him de-tangling her hair, and hadn't realised it had become so bad. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. "I met so many people...Mari, Arc...Lowenthal, Domarus...so many things have happened..." She explained how she had Met Mari not long after he - and how Mari - as fearsome as she was, seemed so incredibly lonely, that the whole collar thing was intended to scare Esther away - but she was too stubborn. That Mari had, on multiple occasions protected Esther. She explained how she had gone on multiple outtings with Arc, only to have Arc tell her to leave, and that their relationship was strictly business. She was about to tell him about what occured with the potions...the way she acted under the influence of Mari's Murderous intent, and her Starry Eyed Illusion...

The lilac haired woman paused, as Lycan said he was a jerk. She couldn't exactly deny it. Esther sighed, "I just wish you hadn't destroyed that cup...." She mumbled. It may have been a cruel thing to say, especially with him already feeling awful - but that item, it meant so much to Esther. She knew it was digital, she knew she wouldn't be able to cling to it forever, but was it so wrong to want to be able to cherish what she had here in Aincrad now?

Esther sat, bolting up as she felt him tug gently on the chain, she gave the slightest of murmurs. Esther wrapped a hand around his, squeezing tightly. "It's not....I mean..." She tried looking him in the face, but she had to pull away, the way he tugged on the chain, pulling her closer toward him - how it had been such a gentle act. Her face was red, and it wasn't from crying. "I like the chain and collar thing..." She mumbled quickly, and quietly, before letting go of his hand. "I can make sure I don't wear it around you though..." she finished. 

"I don't want to hurt you Lye...." Esther fidgeted for a moment, waiting for the heat of her cheeks to cool before turning to face him again, feeling a little awkward with the admission - she shifted the subject back to what else had been happening. "I uh.... I should also mention I don't seem to have the best luck with potions." 

Edited September 14, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

'Well...' he mulled over with a flattening of his lips. 'I'm just a great big 'ol f*** up, aren't I?'

He listened to her explain herself, falling deeper into regret. He knew Esther was fragile, easy to upset. Why did he go off the handle at her? Yeah, he mad. Yeah, he had to learn his place in this world the hard way. Still, the little thing in his lap didn't deserve his unfettered rage. Mari did. The Player Killers did. Those people who dare hurt people like Esther did.

'I deserve it,' his mind concluded in a sad realization.

He shook his head as she continued to tell him of her adventures, her growth. She explained Mari wasn't as bad as he thought. The list of his questions became shorter and shorter, instead reverting back on himself. How could he? Why wasn't he more patient? Would she forgive him?

"Sorry about the cup," Lycan apologized as he glanced to his muddy footprint. "Told you I had an anger issue."

He turned back to Esther with a nervous smile.

"Not as well adjusted as you thought, huh?" he tried to muse and lighten the mood.

Her hands wrapped around his after she rose and the chain jingled taught. It forced his attentions back on her as he face grew red. She diverted her eyes, lips mumbling something that only she could hear over the ambient noise of the forest and nearby town.

'Does she... like it?' That thought alone blossomed into a chaotic frenzy of questions. His mind drifted off into the mental scenario of Mari pulling on the chain and Esther blushing. Then correlated it to his own hand around the leash and the gentle tug just now. 

His eyes widened and heart pounded.

"I.. uh..." he let go of the chain. "Yeah, no." He looked away. "Whatever floats your boat... or... whatever." He stammered, unsure of what exactly to say after having that revealed about someone. Especially a someone that was just in your lap. Lycan scooted back, rocked, and quickly shot to his feet. His brushing the dirt off his pants helped to clean the filth from his body... and mind.

'Wait... does that mean she likes women, not men?' The teen vigorously shook his head to empty his adolescent thoughts.

"Potions, huh?!" he quipped back a little to abruptly. "You don't say! Heh. Heh heh..."

'Get it together Jax, Jesus. You just crushed this girl's spirits! Man up!' 

Lycan cleared his throat and exhaled slowly through pursed lips. After a deep inhale, he looked to Esther and offered his hand to help her up.

"Listen," he began, his tone more sincere. "I don't want to hurt you either. _{Contrary to a moment ago...} I'm sorry for going off. And... before we go. Don't talk about us being friends like that's in the past tense. Unless... you don't forgive me yet. I can understand..."

[Esther 0]

Lycan apologised about the cup. Esthers eyes fell down, "Yeh..." She wanted to forgive him for it, heck - she would've easliy forgiven him if his ire were purely aimed at her, but a gift from Evelyn? From one of the kids she may never see again? Esther silently prayed and wished the girl was safe - "Remind me to bring stainless steel cups next time." It was meant to be a joke to help lighten the mood between the two, but her voice didn't hold the normal cheerfulness, it was a listless tone, tired and defeated. Still, Esther offered him a smile. "Material possessions are just that, right?"

Esthers thoughts wandered back to what happened that night in Mari's tent as Lycan mentioned he wasn't that well adjusted. She was so filled with rage that night, if Mari hadn't held her back - she could have injured Domarus. "I....don't think I'm all too well adjusted either." She mused, "I mean - how many people recoil into a ball like that, eh?" She gave a self depreciating laugh. It was clear she was trying desperately hard to bounce back to her regular self, but was struggling to regain that cheery disposition. 

It seemed as if the teen had a rush of adrenaline, quickly jumping to his feet, stammering. Esther gave him a confused look, was it something she said? Was it the admission to the chain thing? Was he really that bothered by it? Esther followed suit, accepting his hand albeit with not as much vigor and stamina as Lycan. She carefully got up, dusting the grass off her front, giving a slight frown at the grass stains on her chest, knees and shoes. "Mmm..." 

She wanted to tell him more, but she guessed she would do it as they walked, they were here to hunt materials after all. Lycan commented on the potions. "W-what...." Esther frowned, peering in closer, the chain that he had tugged on moments before falling from her neck, swaying between the gap in her breasts and brushing up against his gloved hand, almost as though the game were ebbing on the thoughts he tried so hard to shake. "Why are you laughing like that....Lye...I'm being serious." She paused again, as he apologized. "Y-you still want to be friends....?" Esther bit her lip - still emotionally fragile she could feel tears stinging her eyes again - her chest pained with mixes of relief and anguish.

"Really?" She leaned closer, blinking long lashes - still moist from her tears. "You're ok with that?"

Edited September 14, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

"Yeah," he replied honestly, the soft touch of steel brushing against his hand. He nervously pulled it away and folded his arms.

Her moving closer caught his eyes and the spark of memory when he saved her from Addel's poison filtered into his mind.

"Yeah," he repeated with red cheeks. "I am if you are."

He looked away again, but used it as an excuse to pull up his menus. A flick, swipe, and a poke later, he produced a friend request in front of Esther.

"There." He closed out of his UI. "And don't be so quick to unfriend me next time. I'm a lot of bark and a little bite."

'Well...'

"Anyway, what do you say we head out into the forest? If you're going to keep company with Mari, you're going to need to play it extra safe. I'm going to teach you how to make a Safeguard Potion."

Lycan smiled to the young lilac haired girl. It was forced over the mixed emotions of the past hour or so, but it still shown genuinely. They had a day to make up for and he had an unpayable debt to work off. She may have forgiven him for the time being, but Jax was not so fickle as to forget his transgressions.

He walked over to the thermos and spilled mug and picked them up. He brought them over to Esther.

"Now that's two coffees I owe you."

[Esther 0]

Esther noticed Lycan pull his hand away, and glanced down. "O-oh... That's right! S-sorry..." She quickly bought up her HUD, hastily hiding the collar and chain in her inventory. There. Safely away from the eyes of an anguished teen. 

A friend request appeared before her, and before Esther could question why- she was chastised for being so quick to remove him in the first place. Esther scratched the back of her hand, offering him a forced laugh. "Call it an old habit I guess?" She lifted her hand, pressing the accept button.

Esther took the thermos and single mug from Lycan, this mug was made by Brittany, God forbid two young boys participate in something as hoity toity as 'arts and crafts'  "s'ok- I don't exactly care about the coffee." 

Finally, they had began to start the actual quest, a few hours late- but as the saying goes, it's better late than never. Lycan insisted he teach her a safeguard potion. "Hmm? Do you know Mari too?" Esther asked, as they had began to walk toward the forest. "It seems like a lot of people do, I mean she's a Pker, but that doesn't exactly make her fame worthy does it."

[Lycan 0]

"I know of Mari," Lycan corrected. "Ariel told me her name, and I know she's player killer."

Lycan adjusted his coat, still feeling a little tense from his ineptitude at trusting people and dealing with the presence of the opposite gender.

'And that...'

"And apparently likes your... collar..."

Esther put her collar away and Lycan felt a moment of relief. The teen actually liked the aesthetic of chokers or tight necklaces, but the chain made him a little uncomfortable in more ways than one. With it out of the way, he wouldn't have to worry. Plus, Esther now looked more free and bright. No one should shackle that smile.

"Aright, so..." Lycan pulled up his maps and inched next to Esther so she could see.

"This is the next few hundred meters of forest..." Lycan began, squatting a little lower so his HUD was more eye level for the girl. "Here," he pointed on the map. "Is a small creek that butts up along a ridgeline. Have you done the <<Let There be Light>> quest? If so, that ridge holds several caverns you might be familiar with."

He crouched a bit more, his shoulder pressed against hers. Lycan flipped to his personal notes and Alchemy encyclopedia. A few clicks and swipes later, he produced the rendered image of an herb.

"This is one of the components we are looking for."

The plant looked similar to the jagged leaves of a dandelion. Its flower, purple in color, resembled a snapdragon and in the maw of its petals, a bright yellow stamen peeked out.

"It's called a Night Howler." _{(Yes, I did)}

Lycan flipped through his notes and produced a final image of an old fallen piece of wood. Decaying and peppered with moss, Lycan pointed at small iridescent clusters within the dark green of the moss.

"These are Blue Beryl Mossite, the second ingredient. They grow on the bark of dead trees in damp areas. We'll find both along the stream if we're lucky."

Lycan closed out of his windows and stood up straight. He arched backwards with a few audible pops from the odd position showing Esther what to look for. With a few turns and twists, he looked to the lilac framed girl.

"Ladies first," he gestured toward the treeline with a bow.

[Esther 0]

Lycan made a comment that apparently Mari liked Esthers collar. "Eheh..." Esther gave an awkward laugh, she knew the subject seemed to irk Lycan, but she wanted to be honest with him, especially after his anger fuelled episode. "Actually, I'm the one that likes it....I think she hates the idea of it, but puts up with it...not that I particularly want to be...collared to her, I mean I'd prefer to just be her friend..." Esther started rambling as they walked, a habit she picked up on after a mild attack - she felt she had to fill any silence with ramblings, often - it'd shoot her in the foot. "Frankly, if I were to have someone lead me around - I'd prefer it to be someone I was in a relationship with,but those sort of relationships? Lovey Dovey?" She waved her hand dismissively. "They don't exactly happen."

He stopped, and bought up a series of Maps on his HUD, Esther inched closer, standing on her tip toes. He was too tall. Esther placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. He lowered, but only slightly. Esther had to rest her chin on his shoulder. "Ok...." He began talking, about the forest- about a quest, and creeks. He showed her pictures of herbs. Lycan lowered himself again, and Esther was finally able to clearly see everything. "Night Howler...." Esther repeated the name, clearly amused at it's name and the irony that someone named Lycan was hunting it. "And Blue Beryl Mossite.....right. I think I got it."

As Lycan straightened Esther smiled, taking the lead - "Why thank you~" She turned on her heel - walking backwards. "I wanted to tell you, I put some Esh Peh into Search and Detect... and I got this..." As she continued to walk backwards she fished around in one of the pouches on her belt, pulling out a small canvas. "This gives me a +LD which helps too. An Artisan made it for me." Esther pocketed it once more. How she was able to maintain such a pace, backwards, and without tripping or stumbling, was nothing short of a miracle.

Esther's eyes studied Lycan, it seemed as though he had recovered from his earlier tyrade...still....Esther had to double check. "Lye..." Her tone shifted to a softer one, "Are you sure there's nothing else you want to ask me right now?"

Edited September 15, 2016 by Esther

[Lycan 0]

Lycan paused mid walk as if magically frozen in time.

"Wait..." he muttered. "What?"

His sharp amber eyes ran up and down the meek, curved frame of the girl with eyebrow cocked. He remembered the kids and her being the caretaker of them. His head tilted.

"You suggested the collar?!" It was like a flower that prided itself on its thorns. While not entirely impossible, the thought spurned questions in his mind. The timidness, her uncanny ability to trust, her pacifist nature. Add a collar and the threads pulled together. 

"I see..." he muttered while rubbing at the few scrubby hairs on his chin.

Lycan just thought her as a nice, innocent, morally pure player trapped in a terrible world. While that remained partly true, Esther wasn't entirely trusting as she was submissive. That meant she wasn't entirely naive either. He expected her to ask if he was okay as the gears clicked around in his head.

"So its a cosplay thing then," he deflected, resuming his stride. "and a trust exercise. So... I guess my question is: Is Mari a bad person?"

They ventured some odd paces into the thick of the woods by now. The musk of decaying leaves and rich soil permeated the soft winds. The faint rustle of the trees and dancing shadows masked the faint movement of local fauna. Small rodents, non-aggressive, scattered from their approach and hid beneath brush with watchful eyes. Avian creatures chirped and sang as they played tag in the forest canvas. Nature's grip, though artificial in this world, created serenity and calm in its occupants. Possibly one of reasons his mind opened to the concept of a "good" PKer. Then again...

"I mean, you're not hurt, you're not talking ill of her, and I'm not hilt deep on her blade right now with you outside a safe zone..." he continued with a quick check behind himself for safe measure. "So, what's the story?" 

[Esther 0]

Lycan paused in his step, turning his head to look incredulously at the girl, silver brow raised up in a curious arch. The question was asked with tones of disbelief, strange, unusual, curious, all questioning as to why Esther - of all people would suggest to have a constricting, leather collar placed around her elegant dainty neck. "She suggested it." Esther corrected. Not wanting any miscommunication between the two of them. "Albeit as a way to drive me away...but I'm stubborn, so...." she held out her arms as if she was presenting herself. "Here I am." The youth, still puzzled - accepted her answer with a scratch of his chin. No doubt strange scenarios ran through his mind, giving way to more questions, who, what, why, how...All weaving a thick tapestry depicting his impression of the young, naive Esther.

"So its a cosplay thing then.."

His final thoughts were ones Esther didn't exactly expect, her brows furrowed - No, it wasn't a cosplay thing. She reached out, to grasp his shoulder and turn him around - to explain the intricacies of it all - but before her fingers could even scrape the fabric of his attire, she stopped. Wait it was his way of dealing with the news. He didn't want to see her in such a light, a submissive state. If Domarus hadn't said the same thing Esther wouldn't have gotten the social cue and simply have pushed her and Lycan further into the depths of awkward interactions.

"I don't think so, everyone assumes she is- because she's a PKer. I get that...but, if anyone just stopped for a second to watch her - she seems so sad, so defeated. I didn't want to see her like that." Esther shook her head, stepping over a fallen log. "I don't want to see anyone like that. She told me how she got her orange marker - hup!" She jumped over another  fallen log, "and how she inadvertently killed the others. Some were in self defence, others were to protect players. I think...the one that hurts her the most..."

Esther paused, biting her lip. Should she share this information with Lycan? It was so personal, it tugged at Esther's heart just thinking about it. It made her chest feel tight and pained. "Lye...." Her tone was quiet. She reached out to clasp his hand, guiding his full attention to her. The weight of her words pushed down upon her, filling the atmosphere with a sort of quiet tension. "I think it goes without saying, when I ask not to repeat this. I'm trusting you with this." The emphasis placed on the word trust held great relevance, and great consequence. Esther, she was all too easily trusting, sure - but this, no. This was different. This wasn't just trust, this was an unwavering conviction that she had placed onto Lycan, one that if broken would become irreparable. Esther took a deep breath, and repeated the sombre words she had been told once before.

"Mari...was forced to kill her own daughter."

As if on cue, the ambience around them quietened - and, as though they were standing in the scene of a dramatic tv serious or animation - the wind had picked up Esthers hair, pushing it back to sway to and fro in the soft breeze. She held his gaze, emerald eyes watching, waiting for the inevitable reaction. Would he be shocked? Scared? Angry? 

Esther squeezed his hand.

"A woman in a world that hates her, but I don't think it can hate her any more than she hates herself. That's the story. That's why, I refuse to give up on her. Mari is my friend. I want to bring her that hope, that light that she has forgotten so maybe...just maybe she can stand on her own two feet again."