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[F01 - PP] A Forgotten Reunion


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Yukiro

********************************************
LEVEL 12
240 HP | 24 EN | 10 DMG | 18 MIT | 3 EVA | 1 REG 

Skills:
2H Straight Sword - Rk 3

Equipped:

  • "Sterondight" - 2H Straight Sword (T1 Perfect) DMG x3
  • "Nightmare Overcoat" - Light Armor (T1 - Perfect) MIT x2 Prevent 18 damage from successful attacks against you | REG x1 After taking damage, gain Regen at the beginning of your next turn. Heal 5 HP every turn for three rounds. Damage over time effects (Bleed, Poison) will not trigger Regen. Does not stack with Battle Healing. Taking damage while Regen is active will refresh it to its full duration.
  • "Ravenfeather Treads" - Light Armor (T1 - Perfect) EVA x3 Reduces the die value by 3 on an enemy’s attack against you. Cannot be used to avoid a critical hit.

Equipped Vanity Items:

  • "Amber Clover Pendant" - Vanity - LD x2
  • "Witcher's Vambraces" - Vanity - Thorns x2
  • "Jack's Purgatory" - Vanity - Cursed//Burn//Blight//Freeze

Battle-ready Items:

T1 Health Potions of Uncommon Quality (+40HP) x5
Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP) x3
Crystal of Agile Dragon Wings (Teleport crystal) x2
T1 Damage Potion. (+1 Damage) x1
T1 Over-Health Potion (+50 Temp. HP) x2

Items:
"Cloak of Twisted Worlds" - Light Armor (T1 -  Rare) EVA x2 
"Leggings of Shattered Torment" - Light Armor (T1 - Rare) 18 MIT 
Vicious Dragon-Fang Potion (+3 Damage for a thread) x1
Antidote

It was a particularly cool, misty day in the Town of Beginnings. The air was damp and heavy and the world seemed to be cloaked in a thick fog. Most who would be going anywhere opted to stay indoors to escape the weather that was particularly odd for the first floor. 
Yukiro walked out of his shop's door and locked it shut. The mist clung to his body, chilling him to the bone. But he didn't have much of a choice. He'd stayed cooped up in his shop for two days now. If he didn't get out and do something he was going to get rusty. And one thing he dreaded was losing someone to his own ineptitude. 
Once he exited the long alleyway his shop was located down Yukiro started making his way toward the town center. 
Ah, before I forget...
Yukiro opened his menu and equipped all of his gear. The Nightmare Overcoat and Ravenfeather Treads appeared on his body. Sterondight, his new silver and gold sword, hung at his side, the bottom of the long sheath nearly touching the ground. 
Pondering what he should actually do Yukiro found himself at the Easternmost edge of town. 

@Bahr

Edited by Yukiro
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Spoiler
  • LEVEL: 42
  • HP: 860 | ENERGY: 84
  • DMG: 15 | MIT: 54 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3
    SKILLS 3/7 | MODS 3/5


    HOME BUFFS
    » RESTED
          -1 EN FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS OF COMBAT
    » RELAXED
          +10 TO OUT OF COMBAT HP REGENERATION
          FULL ENERGY REGENERATION AFTER TWO POSTS OUT OF COMBAT
  •  
  • SKILLS
  • EXTRA SKILLS
    » DISGUISE
         
     FREE ACTION
          +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
               COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
    » MEDITATION
         
     POST ACTION
          RECOVER AN ADDITIONAL 10 ENERGY - GETTING HIT BY AN ATTACK BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN REDUCES ADDITIONAL ENERGY RECOVERY TO 6
               COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS

    COMBAT SKILLS
    » PARRY
          POST ACTION
          REDUCE FINAL DAMAGE OF NEXT ATTACK AGAINST YOU BY 50% (ROUNDED DOWN) AND NEGATES STUN/PARALYSIS EFFECT OF THAT ATTACK
               COOLDOWN: 2 TURNS
               5 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    
    WEAPON SKILLS
    » TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
          +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED

    ARMOR SKILLS
    » LIGHT ARMOR R4
         
     +18 MIT 

    MODS
    » LIGHT ARMOR MOD: ATHLETICS
         
     +1 DMG
          +20 HP
    » PARRY MOD: JUSTIFIED RIPOSTE
          POST ACTION: COMBINE WITH PARRY
          SUCCESSFUL PARRY STUNS OPPONENT
               COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
    » WEAPON MOD: PRECISION
         
     PASSIVE
          +1 ACC

    SWORD ARTS
    » [X2 AOE] BLAST
         
     2 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X2] STRAIGHT
         
     2 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X3] SCOOPED
         
     3 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X4 STUN] LIGHTNING
         
     7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X4] CYCLONE
         
     4 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X5] BACK RUSH
         
     5 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X6 STUN] FIGHT BLADE
         
     9 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X7] ASTRAL HELL
         
     7 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X8 AOE STUN] TEMPEST
         
     8 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X12] CALAMITOUS TRAGEDY
         
     12 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X13] GALAXY DESTROYER
         
     13 ENERGY CONSUMED ON USE
    »
     [X12 AOE] CALAMITY DISASTER
         
     13 ENERGY +2 PER TARGET HIT CONSUMED ON USE

INVENTORY
ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "COAT OF THE BLOODEDGE" - LIGHT ARMOR (T1 - PERFECT)
      +3 EVA
» [EQUIPPED] "HERO'S HAKAMA" - LIGHT ARMOR (T2 - PERFECT)

      +36 MIT
      RECOVERY 1

WEAPONS
» [EQUIPPED] "SCARECROW'S SICKLE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T2 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +6 DMG
     ➥ BLEED


FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +3 ACC

Faster and faster, until the thrill of speed overcame the fear of death.

Not that there was really anything akin to death to worry about in the Town of Beginnings, anyways. There was something to be said about heights, though. Bahr had confirmed recently that the game did account for fall damage. Whether or not that applied in a safe zone, he had no idea. Still, he strode across the rooftops with breakneck speed, movement graceful and precise.

That is, at least, until it wasn't anymore. Without warning, a foot slipped out from under him and sent him face first into the clay shingles of an eastern shop, his visage scraping harshly against every last plate as the clinked and clattered in protest. The only comfort Bahr found amidst the chaos was the knowledge that he would eventually come to a halt - but there was another twist to this tale of skull-revealing woes. 

The edge of the roof was curved, and the momentum he had built up during his feverish sprint launched him off of the makeshift ramp and into the open air, propelling him into a complete back flip before catching the next roof with his face yet again. Lovely. He rode the stony shingles for what felt like forever, gradually ramping up in velocity as the roof sloped further and further downward. Eventually, he reached the end, and received relief from the unending whirlwind of facial evisceration - though it wouldn't last long.

Some lucky fellow managed to find himself right in Bahr's path of unfortunate destruction, struck at high speeds and carried along for the ride as well. Both of them continued to skid along on their faces for another thirty feet or so before coming to a simultaneous stop, the flesh of their noses, foreheads and cheeks practically fused with the cobblestone road. Bahr did not even attempt to scrape himself off of the sidewalk until he was certain the man next to him had, as well. If he was staying down, so too was Bahr.

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The good news was Yukiro no longer had to ponder what he would be doing anymore. It seems that today would be the day he learned what it was like to be body checked by a rhinoceros and sent flying onto high-grit sandpaper. Not the most painful thing he'd experience thus far, but it would rank pretty high on the list. 

Less than a minute after Yukiro had equipped his armor something had fallen from the sky and conveniently crashed into the only obstacle in the entire area: Yukiro. He'd been sent flying along with the wrecking ball and skidded across the ground on his face for longer than seemed physically possible. 

It took a few minutes to recover once Yukiro had stopped sliding. But after he'd lain on the road long enough to recover all his senses Yukiro carefully peeled his face from the stone bricks. Sitting back he lightly put his hands against his face to inspect for possible damage. Fortunately for him it looked like the safe zone had decided not to shred half of his head off. 
Thank you, safe zone, for not shredding half my head off. 
The first thing he saw when Yukiro removed his hands from his face was a massive splotch of red with white hair. 
Oh, I get it. I died. 
Then he saw the rest of the player laying there. And he recognized him. 

"... Bahr? Are you okay?"

@Bahr

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"... Bahr? Are you okay?"

That seemed eerily familiar. Like he had heard the exact same inflection recently at one point or another. He pried his visage away from the stiff cobble and looked up at the man he had collided with to see none other than -

"... Yuki?"

It was him. There was no mistaking it. Bahr's eyes lingered at the man's username. Yukiro... The name echoed through the inner walls of his skull as he attempted to discern what it meant. He was sure that he had seen this name before. Up close and personal.

"You seem new, so I'll give you a tip. There are certain laws in this world that will prevent those armors from meshing efficiently. You see, Light Armor caps at two slots of Mitigation. Even if you are wearing two pieces of Light Armor, and their slots total up to three slots of Mitigation, you will only get the benefits from two of those slots. Ergo, a slot is wasted."

His eyes widened as the realization struck him.

"With Evasion, you don't need to worry about having very much Mitigation, anyway. Or, you could pick up more Mitigation from a Familiar of that type, or perhaps wearing Heavy Armor at the same time as Light Armor. Either way, if you aren't getting hit very much, it isn't something you should put as much though into. That being said... Better safe than sorry."

He had made armor for this man. Recently. But he remembered that individual having had darker hair. He didn't look anything like Yuki. Either this was a trick, or Bahr had officially fallen off the deep end. He unsheathed his massive blade from the small of his back as he jumping to his feet, pointing the tip of his blade at the young ivory-haired man on the sidewalk. 

"Start talking. Who the hell are you?"

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Yukiro followed Bahr's lead on instinct, drawing his sword and moving it as if to counter a blow. But the tailor's giant sword moved with such speed that Yukiro didn't have time to parry the blow before the tip of the sword was pointing directly into Yukiro's face.

"Start talking. Who the hell are you?"

Yukiro didn't move a muscle for a moment. What's going on? Has Bahr always been this intense? Why is he pointing a sword at me? Doesn't he recognize--
The vanity items. His appearance was different. Bahr must not recognize his face!

"Yukiro! It's me, Yukiro! I had my hair dyed earlier! Sorry, I didn't tell anyone!"

He spoke fast and pulled his sword away from the crimson-coated man even faster.

"Um, my eyes also change color. Sometimes. So they might have been different when we last met!"

It was the truth, so Bahr had to believe him, right? And Yukiro certainly hadn't done anything that would make him a bad person.

So what was going on?

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Bahr gritted his teeth as a scarlet haze permeated his sight. Why is he lying to me? Red-hot rage bubbled in the pit of his stomach. He looks exactly like Yuki. There's no question. Nobody would do this unless they knew who I was.

Bahr took a step forward, the tip of his blade inching closer to Yukiro's neck. The young man took and instinctive step backward, so Bahr took one more step forward, faster and more brisk than before. He continued to lead Yukiro backward until his back was against a wall and he had nowhere to turn. The blade, of course, was an idle threat. You couldn't actually lower someone's HP in a safe zone like this unless it was a duel. But that wouldn't stop Bahr from exerting every molecule of intimidation he could.

"Why do you look like him? Yuki. There's no way that anyone in this game should know what he looks like. What sorts of vanity modifiers did you use to accomplish this? And why me? Was your first visit to my shop nothing more than recon? Start. Talking."

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"Why do you look like him? Yuki. There's no way that anyone in this game should know what he looks like. What sorts of vanity modifiers did you use to accomplish this? And why me? Was your first visit to my shop nothing more than recon? Start. Talking."

Yukiro's mind went blank, with only one question burning in his mind.
Why do you know my name?
This was getting bad. Bahr had his back against a wall and a blade at his neck. Yukiro had to find a way to get out of this, and fast. But right now, he needed to stall. 

"... I don't understand completely. I went into your shop because I was lost. I used an item drop to dye my hair brown. I erased it because I didn't like it. I don't know why I look like... him, or who he is. But..."

Yukiro's right hand slammed into the side of the oversized sword, pushing it just enough to the side to let him step forward. At the same time, his own sword swiftly raised to point at Bahr's chest. A cold, deadly look came into Yukiro's eyes.

"Why do you know my real name? Who exactly are you, Bahr? What exactly are you suspecting me of?"

He didn't have much time before the high-level player returned Yukiro's counter, so he spoke quickly and clearly. 

"How do you know my name, Bahr?"

@Bahr

Edited by Yukiro
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It was him.

"No way."

He hardly even noticed the blade pointed at his chest. He understood it was an idle threat, anyways.

"You're... Actually him. You're Yuki."

The whirlwind of thoughts and emotions was upon him yet again, storming through his brain as the cells that comprised his gray matter surged in an attempt to glean an appropriate response out of the situation. Bahr's owlish eyes and agape mouth must have made him look like a complete idiot. In the end, an annoyed smile graced his lips.

"Guess you don't recognize me, huh?" he mused, grasping the tip of Yukiro's sword with his bare hand and wrenching it away from his chest. Crimson lines graced his palm and fingers as the tingling numbness set in, but his HP did not drop. "I'm Apollo, you idiot."

Bahr didn't allow time for the words to set in. Instead he grabbed the youth by his shoulder and pulled him forward into an embrace. "I haven't seen you in years. You aged well, kiddo. Can't believe we both ended up stuck in a place like this."

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"I'm Apollo, you idiot."

"Huh?"

Yukiro's mind froze. He didn't resist as Bahr pulled his sword away from his chest. Suddenly the man's face, his hair, his voice, everything became familiar.

"Apol--"

He had no time to fully comprehend the situation before he was pulled into a rough hug. "I haven't seen you in years. You aged well, kiddo. Can't believe we both ended up stuck in a place like this."

It was him. It was Apollo. Yukiro's sword slipped out of his hand and clattered loudly against the ground. "...Apollo?"

His mind finally grasped the situation. Everything suddenly clicked into place. Bahr was Apollo. Bahr... Yuki's arms wrapped around his half-brother. 

"I didn't recognize... I'm so sorry, Apollo, I didn't know it was you!" 

His eyes threatened to leak tears, but Yuki held them in. "I never thought I'd see you again. Why... Why are you here? In this game?"

The words were spilling out of his mouth, not bothering to pass through his brain first. 

"...Were you told about Toki?" 

@Bahr

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"Hah, well I can't really blame you, I guess," Bahr relented, breaking the hug. "Last time I saw you, you were about this tall." He squatted a bit and hovered his hand parallel to the ground only a few feet up. Upon realizing how cringy this probably looked, he stood tall and brought the hand up to his mouth in the form of a closed fist, coughing into it. "Aaaanyways, still, though. White hair? Dual toned eyes? I'm like walking Christmas. You'd think you'd remember at least that much."

"...Were you told about Toki?"

Now that was a name that Bahr hadn't heard in a long time. 

"No, I haven't really been told anything that's going on with your side of the family for years. Last I had heard was that Toki was born. That was about it."

A hard knot settled into Bahr's stomach as he realized where this was probably going. It was hard to feel any real attachment to someone he hadn't met, but something was telling him that he wasn't going to like what he heard next.

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"No, I haven't really been told anything that's going on with your side of the family for years. Last I had heard was that Toki was born. That was about it." 

Yuki nodded. Why did he have to go and bring that up? Did his parents really not tell Apollo? He had to advert his eyes.

"There... was an accident. A car went wild, I think, I was never told the details. But Toki... Didn't..."

Yukiro looked straight at the ground. Toki had been his youngest brother and, honestly, the kindest and most gifted of all of them. But something happened and there was a traffic accident. Toki was killed. At least, that was what Yuki had been told. After taking a moment to steel himself, Yuki continued. 

"...Toki was killed in a traffic accident. I'm ashamed my parents didn't tell you, and I'm sorry I have to tell you. Please accept my apologies on their behalf."

He finished with a bow, making sure to hide as much of the pain as he could manage. 

@Bahr

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So his hunch had been right. Toki had passed.

For a fleeting moment, he felt something tighten around his heart. But as quickly has it had manifested, the sensation subsided. Bahr wanted to feel crushed by news like this. He really did. But he had never even seen Toki, save for a baby picture or two. What bothered him more was the fact that it had taken years and being trapped in a video game to finally receive the news. The idea that someone who shared his blood - half of it, anyway - had perished and he had never been told just didn't sit right with him. 

"Don't bow like that, weirdo," Bahr finally managed while trying to keep his tone nonchalant, though the sourness in his expression would certainly belie these efforts. "It's not like it's your fault, you have no control over what they do. Besides..." There was a glimmer of sympathy that played in his eyes. "It's you who needs the emotional support right now. And while I might not be great at that, I do know a place with good comfort food. Come on, I'll show you."

Without waiting, Bahr turned on the ball of his foot and started meandering down the street, sheathing his blade against the small of his back where it belonged. He had no doubt that Yuki would follow. Though, it was strange, wasn't it? The two of them running into each other like this, sprawled out on the ground after one of Bahr's clumsy blunders. On today, of all days, no less. It wasn't as though there was anything special about today, but it just seemed weird. Years trapped in this game with no more than 9,999 other players at any given time, and he had only just now bumped into his brother? It seemed bizarre.

Though, Bahr had fruitlessly been searching for someone else all this time, as well. So perhaps it wasn't too far-fetched.

It was a good thing that they were close, because the coincidences were beginning to pile on to the point that they were giving Bahr a headache. His attention turned back to the material, he stopped before an ordinary restaurant and cast a glance toward Yukiro. Oscar's Hot Dog Stand, right next door to Bahr's own shop. As the aroma of mysterious meat cylinders wafted through the air and filled Bahr's nostrils, he couldn't help but begin salivating. He was almost sure that Oscar was putting some sort of illicit addictive substance into his dogs, but he would never know for sure.

"This is the place. You ever been around here before?"

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It felt like an eternity before Bahr-- er, Apollo spoke. 

"Don't bow like that, weirdo," he said calmly, "It's not like it's your fault, you have no control over what they do. Besides..." 

Yukiro stood up straighter and looked at B-- Apollo. There was a strange look in his eyes that Yuki didn't recognize. "It's you who needs the emotional support right now. And while I might not be great at that, I do know a place with good comfort food. Come on, I'll show you."

Yukiro stood there stunned for a moment as Ba-- as Apollo turned and started to make his way towards the mysterious place. But the moment passed soon, and he quickly seized his sword and sheathed it at the same moment as his older brother before jogging to catch up. 

It wasn't long before the pair reached an only vaguely familiar restaurant. It took Yukiro's mind a few moments to process where they were. He turned his head roughly one third to the side and looked at... Bah-- Apollo's shop, the name of which was still completely illegible to Yukiro. Not that he'd admit that.

Turning his attention to the place Bahr... 
Turning his attention to the place Apollo had brought him, Yukiro read the sign. Oscar's Hot Dog Stand. That was an... odd name. What did dogs have to do with food? 


"This is the place. You ever been around here before?" Apollo asked. Yukiro shook his head. 

"Er... no, I've only seen it from out here. Honestly I was always... confused by it's name." 

What, exactly, was a hot dog supposed to be?

@Bahr

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"What's there to be confused about? C'mon, let's go inside."

As they meandered through the threshold, the bell that was attached to the door sounded, alerting the owner of the shop. He appeared at the counter out of seemingly thin air, rolling his eyes a bit when he saw Bahr. "Awww man. This guy? Again?" The smile that graced his lips belied his annoyed tone. "What can I get started for you guys."

"A Fattening Paul Blart Log Dog for me, along with whatever he's having."

Bahr then gestured toward Yuki, but the youth seemed perplexed. Uncomfortable, even. 

"What's the matter? Never seen a hot dog before? If you don't know the names yet, just tell him when you want on it, and he'll whip it up for you."

"Don't go telling him your lies. The names are absolute!"

"Shut up, Boomer, and let the boy tell you what he wants."


Silence befell the room as both men looked at Yuki expectantly, waiting for him to articulate something.

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Both Apollo and Oscar were looking at him in silence. He'd never been one to feel the strains of social pressure before, but this time, it daunted him. 

What was a 'Fattening  Paul Blart Log Dog'? What even was a hot dog? Was he supposed to know that names of what he wanted? Was there a sign he'd missed that showed the menu? Truly, Apollo's knowledge was far greater than Yuki could have ever imagined. 

He took a quick glance around the shop, looking for some indicator of what he was supposed to be looking at. Nothing. Glancing between Apollo and Oscar's expectant faces, he finally caved.

"I, uh... Don't know what a hot dog is..." he admitted quietly.

He needed to think of something to recover from his intellectual blunder. His mind began to race, speeding through possible things to say and latching on to absolutely nothing. He just ended up standing there in silence, looking at the ground. 

@Bahr

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Both Oscar and Bahr remained silent for a moment, only blinking as they stared at the boy in confusion. Simultaneously, they both burst into a fit of laughter at the sheer ridiculousness of it. Oscar slapped the counter, Bahr slapped his knee, and a slap could be heard from the kitchen in the back. A rogue hot dog, perhaps?

"Oh wow, that's a good one," Bahr chortled as he wiped a tear from his eye. "'Don't know what a hot dog is.' Classic. Seriously, though, we're holding the man up. What do you want?"

But as he gazed upon Yuki's perplexed expression, the smile slowly faded away. "Oh," he started, straightening his posture as his brows furrowed a bit. "You're serious."

Bahr and Oscar exchanged nervous glances before another roar of laughter rang out, this time even louder than before. There was no slapping, but there was still a slap that came from the back. Twice. Seriously, what the hell was that?

"Just get him a simple dog, man. We'll figure it out from there."

"Thank you for using the name."

"Oh, I wasn't. Seriously, Simple Dog? I didn't even know you had a normal hot dog around here."

"Watch and learn, noob."


As Oscar retreated to the back, Bahr gestured for Yuki to sit down at a nearby table before sitting down himself. He rested his elbows against its surface as his fingers laced together, Bahr's eyes steady on his half-brother from beyond his hands. 

"So. You're trapped in here too, huh?" It was a bit more serious than the conversation from before, and Bahr recognized that. But there would never be an appropriate moment to bring something like this up. "That sucks. How've you been holding up?"

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"Just get him a simple dog, man. We'll figure it out from there."

"Thank you for using the name."

 "Oh, I wasn't. Seriously, Simple Dog? I didn't even know you had a normal hot dog around here."

"Watch and learn, noob."


Yukiro watched the exchange, unable to decide whether it was entertaining or confusing. He snapped back to reality, though, when Apollo offered his a seat at a table. Once they'd both sat down Apollo started to give Yukiro a deep, steady gaze that was immediately recognizable. His sisters had called it his 'interrogation stare'.

"So. You're trapped in here too, huh? That sucks. How've you been holding up?" 

Yukiro was forced to take a short moment to consider the question. Ever since his decision to fight in this game he had avoided asking himself the question. It was second nature to avoid it, after all. But really... How was he holding up? 

"I've had a fairly rough go of it, but no rougher than everybody else, I imagine," he answered slowly, "How about you? You've been out fighting longer than I have." 

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It sounded as though Yuki's experience in Aincrad had thus far been relatively average, which made Bahr let loose a sigh of relief. If anything truly catastrophic had happened, Yuki would have told him about it. Or, at least, he hoped he would have.

"It's, uhm-" he had to stop to swallow down a lump that had formed in his throat. Things had not been good for Bahr in Aincrad. Dead friends. Too many dead friends. Some closer than others. In his recent dealings with foes like the Lich King had left him shaken. If not for his carelessness in combat, Lessa would not have suffered as much as she had during that fight. And sure, they made it out alive. But what was the toll it had taken? Bahr had been an apprehensive fighter ever since, and Lessa had nearly died. Another second of that sword in her abdomen, and it would have been the end.

"I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been good," he finally admitted, slumping back in his seat a bit. "This place has changed me in ways that I'm not sure I'm comfortable with. I don't know if they're good or bad. But some days I can't even get myself out of bed. I just don't feel like myself anymore."

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"It's, uhm-" Apollo stopped for a moment, "I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been good. This place has changed me in ways that I'm not sure I'm comfortable with. I don't know if they're good or bad. But some days I can't even get myself out of bed. I just don't feel like myself anymore." 

Yukiro saw his brother's posture slump, the man's mood going down with his posture. Yukiro let out a bit of a breath. Yeah, Apollo was the kind of person to wind up in some nasty situations. Even so... 

"I can't say I've seen you all that much, but I haven't seen anything that didn't feel like my brother," he said as gently as he could manage, "I, ah... Won't lie and say I know how to comfort you. But if you ever need to talk, I can listen." 

He finished by giving Apollo a smile. He could tell that he'd gone through some dark things. Probably worse than what he'd gone through himself. Yukiro should offer that much, if nothing else. 

"Besides. You were willing to guide my knowledge and make me free equipment back then, and you didn't even know me. Give yourself credit for that. Only a truly good man would be willing to do that." 

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It was true. One of the main complaints that Bahr had about the Frontlines was their negligence toward the beginners. Not wanting the be a hypocrite, he had vowed to lend a helping hand to any newcomer he came across, even if it was something as simple as crafting them some decent gear. He'd probably given away more stuff than he had sold, at this point. And remembering that, as well as having it acknowledged, brought a smile to his face.

"Order up, losers. Here's your food," Oscar sardonically declared as he unceremoniously plopped their plates on the table.

"Thanks, dork," Bahr retorted as he opened up a col exchange menu and sent some to Oscar for his trouble. As the Azure Crusader walked away, Bahr turned his attention back toward Yuki.

"Thank you. And I could tell at the time that you were a good guy, just needed a little help. Knowing now who you are, I wish I had done more. Maybe I should just start treating all the newbies like they're my brother from now on." Bahr picked up the almost grotesque hunk of food and opened his maw, but stopped just before taking a bite. "Oh, that's right. This is your first time." He pointed to the bottle of ketchup that sat off to the side of the table. "Try it with some of that. It's really good."

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