[PP-F01] Slow Rolling

[Rothsbite 0]

Rothsbite trudged through the streets of the Town of Beginnings, his legs feeling like they were made of lead. It was late in the day and the streets were filled with a moderate hustle and bustle as the trapped players went about their lives the only ways they knew how. Rothsbite was feeling down; he had ventured out into the fields alone and it had nearly gotten him killed. He had attempted to fight a boar, and when that didn't go his way, he had run directly into a wolf, and so he had sprinted on, and just when he thought he was safe, a giant wasp had risen from the grass. It was disheartening, but somewhere beneath that negative feeling, he could feel his resolve steeling. 'Screw your courage to the sticking place,' he told himself. That particular line of Shakespeare was doing more for him in recent days than he could have imagined possible.

Rothsbite lifted his head, determined to pull himself out of the pit he was in. Taking a look around, he realized he had taken some wrong turns at some point. This neighborhood was very vaguely familiar, but at times the entire settlement felt that way. A sign caught his eye, Hiro's Tavern was painted on it in large and easily legible print. 'I do need directions,' he thought to himself. 'And a drink, digital or not, wouldn't hurt.'

He trudged up the steps the the door, his heavy footfalls thudding on the boards, and with a deep sigh he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

@David_Black

[David_Black 0]

Inside Hiro's Tavern was a scene of utter chaos. Mugs, glasses, pitchers, and half eaten plates of food were strewn all about. Chairs, and tables were overturned at odd angles all over the floor. On the bar sat a flustered looking young Asian man with his arms folded, and in the middle of it all was David. He had donned a bright pink, and white lace trimmed apron for some reason or another and was sweeping the floor as quickly as possible. There was a look of shame in his eyes, and his mouth was twisted into an expression of pure disgust. Peeking up from his task David noticed the newcomer enter.

"Sorry pal, we're clo-" David began before being cut off by the man on the bar.

"Don't speak to my customers unless you are taking their drink orders, okay Sensei? This is my business after all." Hiro snapped before hopping up from the bar, and approaching the man much more cheerfully. "Welcome to Hiro's Tavern sir. I'm Hiro. Sorry about the state of things today. We had some rather unruly guests last night. What can I do for you?"

@Rothsbite

Edited October 16, 2017 by David_Black
tagging Rothsbite

[Rothsbite 0]

Rothsbite felt his eyes widen in surprise at the state of the room before him. Perhaps what was more appalling, though, was the grown man in the pink apron. He took a few moments to process the absolute absurdity laid out in front of him, a puzzled look of his face. He almost didn't even register that he was being spoken to at first.

 "Uh... What... Yes." The broken sentence just sort of slipped from between his teeth. "I suppose... I was looking for a drink, and some solace from this nightmare that has become our lives. But... do you need a hand?" 

The discomfort he felt prompted him to offer help, that and the fact he felt useless lately. Would he ever make it to the Front Lines? He sincerely doubted it. Perhaps he could help here, though. Cleaning up a digital barroom had to be far easier than fighting for his life and running away. He needed friends if he was to make any progress in this hellscape of a game, and maybe there were some to be made here.

Realizing he was still standing in the door way, Rothsbite stepped forward, allowing the heavy door to shut behind him.

@David_Black

Edited October 16, 2017 by Rothsbite

[David_Black 0]

David sensing discomfort the newcomer was obviously feeling threw down his broom, and stripped of the gaudy apron. "I'm not wearing this anymore Hiro. I don't care if you kick me out. I know I should have stopped those guys from trashing the place, but that is no excuse to humiliate me. Think about it. Would I have ever done that to you for failing to stop a fight in class?" He spit out before retrieving the broom.

Hiro hopped off of the bar, and snatched up the apron. With a few key presses on his menu the object vanished only to be replaced by another broom. "Whatever" He said in David's direction with venom dripping off of his tongue. "You" He said pointing to the newcomer. "If you help clean this up you can drink all you want here for free this week. Sound like a deal?" Hiro offered holding the broom handle first in the new man's direction.

@Rothsbite

Edited October 16, 2017 by David_Black

[Rothsbite 0]

Rothsbite watched the scene unfolding before him, scarcely moving, or even breathing. Each passing moment made it painfully clear he had walked into quite the mess. He perked as soon as the word class was mentioned, a sparkle coming to his eye. Upon hearing Hiro's offer, a wide smile cracked his face. 

"Done deal!" he cried, immediately following up. "No take backs! You may come to regret the offer, though. Hope you're stocked up on milk and beer... Not together, I mean. That's... gross." Realizing he was rambling, he took the broom in one hand and opened his menu with the two other. He swapped his arms and armor for a set of standard clothes and set to work.

He was thankful that he wasn't given a pink apron, as the site of two towering men dressed as maids would have been twice as odd, comical even. He began righting tables and chair with his massive hands and swept at the debris on the floor for several moments before he realized he hadn't introduced himself. "I'm Rothsbite by the way. Also... what did you mean by class?"

@David_Black

[David_Black 0]

"Hiro. Good to meet you. I'm late for a resupply meeting so I'll leave the two of you to it. David, not a drop gets poured in your mug before this place is fit to serve customers in. Rothsbite, mugs and kegs are just behind the bar there. Help yourself. I should be back in an hour or two depending on how much X wants to talk my ears off today. See you both when I return." The proprietor of the Tavern spit out in a hurry as he equipped his travelling cloak, and made his way outside. Whomever the man was meeting it surely wasn't completely on the up and up, otherwise why would he have a hood covering his face on such a hot day.

David stopped sweeping for a moment and looked at Rothsbite intrigued by his question. "I'm David as you heard. Nice to meet you. As for me referring to a class I am a high school English teacher, currently working abroad in Japan. At least I was before this damned game, and that psychotic developer came into play."
 

@Rothsbite

Edited October 16, 2017 by David_Black

[Rothsbite 0]

Rothsbite waved goodbye to Hiro with a raised brow as he shrouded himself and exited. As soon as he was gone, he stepped behind the bar and filled two mugs with something, he really wasn't sure what was in the keg, but it was of no concern to him. Setting one on the counter and gesturing to David, he took a draft of the cool beverage. He listened to David's introduction with the fullness of his attention as he exited from behind the bar area, setting his own mug down on one of the righted tables.

"Kismet!" he called. "I'm a history teacher in America! What are the odds?" He had to keep himself from continuing with question after question about where David went to school, how long had he been teaching in Japan, what were the differences between the nations' education programs and on and on.

He held out a hand in greeting to David, hoping to have the beginnings of a friendship.

@David_Black

Edited October 16, 2017 by Rothsbite

[David_Black 0]

"History you say? That is most wonderful!" David exclaimed as he took Rothsbite's hand and shook it heartily. "In a game populated mostly by children it is great to see a fellow educator. Tell me friend, what brought you to Sword Art Online? Personally I wouldn't be here if Hiro had not given me a copy just before launch."

David propped his broom up in a corner, and went about righting the last few tables and chairs as he listened for Rothsbite's response. When that task was done we went round to the back of the bar, and retrieved four chilled mugs. Into each he poured a generous helping of  Hiro's best ale. The amber liquid had a nice frothy head, and notes of strawberry in it's aroma. He slid two of the mugs over the bar towards Rothsbite, and smiled as they stopped dead where he wanted them to. Heaven only knows how much beer he wasted getting that one down.

@Rothsbite

Edited October 17, 2017 by David_Black

[Rothsbite 0]

"I echo that sentiment, man," Rothsite responded when David mentioned the game mostly being younger kids, and it being nice to interact with another educator. "Just makes me feel old most of the time."

Rothsbite did some sweeping while David set about doing his own tasks, explaining as he collected the last bits of broken dish and mug into a pile. "Ah, yes, well. I have a younger brother, sixteen. I moved pretty far away from home, and gaming is how we've bonded the last few years. He was actually scheduled to show up the day after Launch. I'm guessing that's who found me." He kinda disconnected for a moment, he hadn't talked about his brother much since he'd been in the game. He hoped the kid was doing okay. "He was so excited for SAO. He's probably bummed he's not stuck in here with us," he joked, but in reality he was eternally thankful that his brother hadn't been able to make it up by Launch.

He finished sweeping and joined David at the bar. He took finished the beer he poured in a single draft, and took another long drink from the ale David had poured for him. "Mmh. It's incredible the way they've designed taste in this game. If only they had gotten to the alcohol part." 

@David_Black

Edited October 17, 2017 by Rothsbite