[PP-F10] Sins

[Mari 1]

She was just going through the motions now... Mari didn't really have the heart to do these things. She had wanted to try and talk to Alkor about her...revelation - that maybe he had lied to her about loving her - but she wasn't sure how to broach the topic, how do you go up to someone and just say "Hey yo, whassap- Remember how you said you loved me? Then you said you were playing the part of a character? was that a lie dawg?"

The orange haired woman sighed as she opened up her messenger- so far, every message sent to him had gone unanswered - but maybe this time he would.
 

To: @Alkor From: Mari Subject: Hey Hey, some things have been bothering me lately and I think we need to talk about them. I know you don't really like talking or reaching out, but I think this is something we both really need. Reply when you can. -Mari

Mari drew in a shaky breath. All jokes aside this was weighing heavily on her. At least she could put some of her faith in Macradon - he was organizing items for her, and even willing to stake his reputation with his friends - all so she could take redemption and remove the orange cursor above her head. But, did she deserve any of that? Blue eyes drifted upwards  to try and catch glimps of the ever spinning sinister marker - did she deserve that sort of retribution? Her hands were stained heavy with the figurative blood of many people.

"F**king hell..." Mari muttered as she took a step back from her tent. "I really gotta stop thinking like that huh?"  She wiped her brow with the back of her hand. The shop that she had shut herself away in for the better half of two years - it was practically a prison for her. But Alchemy was something she once really loved - and the woman wanted to try and do the things she loved again. Playing the violin, alchemy, seeing Alkor, messing around with flowers... if she were to heal herself she'd have to do try and do all those things.

But this floor? The 10th floor?  Wouldn't it be better if she moved her tent away from her? Destroy this shop and set it up somewhere else? Away from those painful memories? "Ughh... what do I do..." She mumbled to herself.

It had taken some time - but the woman had cleaned the inside of her 'store'  the old stock still sat on the shelves, but the inside was no longer covered in thick layers of dusk - and the inside now had an inviting aura rather than one of decay and disuse.

A slender hand reached out to graze the canvas of the open flap. Peering inside one would see that it was lit up with jars filled with fireflies - forever dancing around casting moving shadows across the floor - which was littered with plush rugs and pillows. The very back of the tent had her bench - now clean.  It was where she sat when she was working. "Do I really wanna bloody leave this?" She asked herself.

Mari...once the feared 'Pink PKer' someone who wore armour adorned in thorns, hair the colour of cherry blossoms...was now unrecognizable. She wore an oversized black jumper, and black boots. The woman wasn't even wearing any armour. Her hair was now the colour of burning embers - a soft orange that was far closer to her natural colour than the pink. It accentuated her freckled face - something the woman once tried to hide.

Any passerby  would possibly leave her be - she was not the person of the past.

She just shouldered the sins.

MARI
Level 45 | HP 900 | Energy 90
DAM: 11 | EVA 1 | MIT 25 | ACC 1
Weapon: Kusanagi +2 Bleed +2 Damage
Battle ready Inventory: None

@Bahr

Edited December 21, 2019 by Mari

[Bahr 0]

Spoiler

STATS
LEVEL - 51
HP - 1050
EN - 102
DMG - 19
MIT - 79
ACC - 3
EVA - 4
FALLEN - 12
BLEED - 36

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

NON-COMBAT
» EXTENDED MOD LIMIT R1
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ ALLOWS FOR THE USE ONE 1 ADDITIONAL MOD

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

EXTRA SKILLS
» DISGUISE
     ➥ FREE ACTION
     ➥ +1 EVA UNTIL START OF YOUR NEXT TURN
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» MEDITATION
     ➥ POST ACTION
     ➥ RECOVER AN ADDITIONAL 15 ENERGY - GETTING HIT BY AN ATTACK BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN REDUCES ADDITIONAL ENERGY RECOVERY TO 9
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS

WEAPON SKILLS
» TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD R5
     ➥ +7 DMG WHEN TWO-HANDED WEAPON IS EQUIPPED

ARMOR SKILLS
» LIGHT ARMOR R5
     ➥ +25 MIT

MODS
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: ATHLETICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
     ➥ +30 HP WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» LIGHT ARMOR MOD: SPRINT & ACROBATICS
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 EVA WHEN WEARING LIGHT ARMOR
» PARRY MOD: JUSTIFIED RIPOSTE
     ➥ POST ACTION: COMBINE WITH PARRY
     ➥ SUCCESSFUL PARRY STUNS OPPONENT
          ➥ COOLDOWN: 3 TURNS
» WEAPON MOD: PRECISION
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 ACC
» WEAPON MOD: TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD FEROCITY
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ +1 DMG WHEN USING 2HSS SWORD ARTS
» WEAPON MOD: TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD FINESSE R3
     ➥ PASSIVE
     ➥ REDUCES THE EN COST OF TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD SWORD ARTS BY 3

EQUIPMENT

WEAPON
» [EQUIPPED] "DAWN'S DEMISE" - TWO-HANDED STRAIGHT SWORD (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ FALLEN 2
          ➥ +12 TO BASE DAMAGE ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 6-8
     ➥ PHASE
          ➥ IGNORES 50% OF MIT ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER
     ➥ BLEED 1
          ➥ 36 DMG INFLICTED FOR 2 TURNS ON NATURAL ROLLS OF 9 OR HIGHER

ARMOR
» [EQUIPPED] "BLOODSTAINED COAT" - LIGHT ARMOR (T3 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +54 MIT
     ➥ +1 EVA
     ➥ FIREPROOF

TRINKET
» [EQUIPPED] "EAGLE'S EYE" - TRINKET (T1 - DEMONIC)
     ➥ +2 EVA
     ➥ +2 ACC

FAMILIAR
» [EQUIPPED] SWINE BAJESUS R3
     ➥ +9 DMG

"I don't know, what do you wanna do?" came the exasperated response to Swine Bajesus' persistent poking and prodding to get its master out of bed. The tiny pig looked upon Bahr with scorn and furrowed brows, giving an unsatisfied huff as it stamped its minuscule hooves against the mattress restlessly. With a groan, the Crimson Marauder finally sat up, rubbing his tired eyes and peering out the nearby window. Dark, as always. What time was it, anyways?

One in the afternoon.

Maybe getting a house on the tenth floor hadn't been such a good idea, after all. With no real concept of day and night, Bahr had been sleeping in later and later. It never used to be that way. When the sun was up, he was up. Perhaps it was time to start setting an alarm?

Or he could just move.

Either way, Bajesus was right. It was time to get out of bed. Bahr tossed aside the covers and stood, joints creaking in protest to each strained movement as his muscle fibers screamed their way to life. Some mornings, he felt bad that the micro pig had to bear witness to his unflattering grunts and the mostly naked stretches that were a part of his morning routine. But it was what the creature deserved for being so rude during their first encounter. Now it was destined to spend a lifetime witnessing its master's every unceremonious gesture. Such was the life of a captive beast.

Fully dressed and out the door, Bahr's eyes needed not to adjust to the alien glow of the tenth floor. It was mellow and subtle enough that it was virtually indistinguishable from those within his house. One of the perks of the floor that he had come to appreciate over time. Sauntering along the path that seemingly led to nowhere, Bahr decided that today he would spend his time perusing the tenth floor and becoming more acquainted with his home than venturing out to the other floors of the castle. Having lived on the tenth floor for awhile, he had always thought that it was a shame that he hadn't familiarized himself with it better. There were still times he would take a stray path on the way home and wind up lost. That just simply wouldn't do. So with nothing else on the agenda for the afternoon, this was as good an endeavor as any other.

It didn't take long for him to come across a tent that he had somehow neglected to notice before. That was probably because he had no idea where it was. Or where he was, for that matter. He'd already found himself hopelessly adrift amongst the floor's infinite variety of winding paths that pretzeled their way to oblivion. The tent seemed just interesting enough for him to investigate, but it seemed that someone already had.

"Do I really wanna bloody leave this?"

He heard the small redhead say, wisps of her tangerine hair hiding her eyes as she peered behind the threshold's curtain.

"Probably not," Bahr answered abruptly as he approached from behind, stopping a good fifteen feet or so from the woman and her bizarre construction. "The tenth floor is the bomb diggity." Besides the eternal darkness. And the persistent smell of mildew. Or the screaming of that infernal Banshee.

When she turned to face him, his eyes narrowed almost immediately. A crystal of malice hovered over her head, ever rotating, matching the fiery color of her hair. Out of pure instinct, Dawn's Demise flashed with a multicolored hue, the glow emanating from where it was sheathed on his back. Bahr had made the mistake of trusting orange players in the past. Had he not, it was possible that some of the people he had held closest to his heart would still be there today. He had no intention of letting his guard down again, and the activation of Parry cemented this fact.

...

"... Name's Bahr," he started, still squinting down at her uneasily, body language making it quite obvious that he was on edge. "You are?"

Spoiler

Bahr: HP: 1050/1050 | EN: 102-5=97/102 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 79 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 4 | FLN: 12 | BLD: 36 | FIREPROOF | PARRY ACTIVE

Bahr used Parry: Justified Riposte, -5 EN

 

[Mari 1]

'Probably not' 

The voice came from behind, abrupt enough for her to jump, bumping her head on one of the metal support poles of her alchemic tent which served as her store. "oww...f**k..." She mumbled, rubbing the top of her head. "Who the f**k says bomb diggity these days, what are you, thirty?" Came Mari's response as she turned to face the man. Granted, she used that exact phrase numerous times but she wasn't about to tell this stranger that. Mari offered the stranger a wry smile, "I'd probably have called it the cats pajamas myself." She said as her eyes darted back to her tent for a brief moment.

Yeh...

It was once her favorite place. It was the kind of place she always dreamed of creating with her daughter. It was a testament to that memory, but in recent years it served as her isolation, her prison from the outside world.

Turning again to face the man she opened her mouth to say something, but it immediately clamped shut as his eyes narrowed. There was a flash of multi-hued shimmers from behind him. Had he activated a skill?  His broad shoulders tensed and beneath wisps of white hair his eyes spoke of distrust and discontent. He knew what she was. Maybe not who she was, but what. So it came to no surprise to Mari when he acted with hostility. It was only natural, right?

"Bahr...." Mari repeated the name softly, trying to commit it to memory. "I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you - but that'd be a lie." Came her response. "I'm Mari."  She patted her black sweater - "Just Mari." The woman turned her gaze away from him as she reached up to tug on strands of errant hair. Lately she had no way of knowing if people actually knew her or not. Thus far the few people who had met her - were quite...oddly...hospitable and kind - even whilst knowing what she had done.

"You know..." She began. "In a very strange way, it's refreshing to have someone act like that in front of me. It's... a little unnerving to have people approach an orange player so freely. It's a little concerning. So - Bahr. What can I do for you today? I currently don't have any stock in my store."

@Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Mari.

"Mari." That Mari? "The Pink Player Killer?"

The silence between them choked out every other sound that had filled the expanse. Not that it had been particularly noisy before, but now it was as though nothing existed between them but the tension of what they both knew was about to happen. He'd heard of her before, and her rampage through Aincrad. The countless lives she had stolen. He had seen her name on the Monument, a confirmation that the tales were true. He'd never heard the end of the story, but he had always assumed they'd put her down like they had Ssendom. Wishful thinking, apparently. With a sigh, he unsheathed his blade, giving it a twirl before planting its tip into the soil in front of him.

"I'm not sure what all the fuss is about," he started nonchalantly as the blade slowly rose to a fever pitch, the crimson energy that had been poured into it stained the space between them a rich scarlet. "The only thing pink about you is your cheeks. Are you always like that, or were you just happy to see me?" The intensity in his dual-toned eyes belied the teasing that came from his lips.

"Anyways. Sorry to have to do this. I'm not sure how or why you've been allowed to roam around for so long. Maybe it's just that nobody found you all the way down here. But I'm going to need to take you in."

[Mari 1]

Mari flinched at the name, she always hated that name. It came with a heavy weight which she was trying incredibly hard to diminish. But...it was hard. She didn't answer him. The pained look that fell across her face, and the grim ghosts of the past that haunted her blue eyes was more than enough of an answer. If she were to die here...would that be just? Would that make up for all the lives she had taken?

"Yeh, I guess I am that Mari."  She shifted her weight to one leg and wrapped her arms around her torso. Why did everyone say it like that? Treat her as though she enjoyed what she did? When all but one death had been to save another life, or group of lives. Not that that excused her for her actions. A heavy weight crashed down on her chest as she watched a flurry of the red from his jacket as his stance shifted - Bahr had drawn his weapon. Mari wasn't going to do the same. Why fight for such a sullied, sin-filled life?  Once, Mari would have fought tooth and nail for freedom, but what did she have to fight for? Who was waiting for her? Who was rooting for her? It was a good thing she had her hands wrapped around herself, for if they weren't they'd probably be shaking.

"Nobody found me..." Mari said quietly. "Because after the first innocent life I accidentally took - I hid myself away. I didn't deserve to roam Aincrad freely after all that." Mari inhalled deeply, and held her breath for a few moments before exhaling. She omitted the part that she'd still have shut herself away if she didn't realize Alkor was still alive, but...even if she had - would anyhting have changed? This exact moment would still have occurred eventually.

Vibrant blue eyes opened to stare into the bi-coloured gaze of her soon to be captor.  She gestured to the tent behind her with the jut of a finger over her shoulder. "That became my prison. But I suppose..." Her dull gaze shifted back to him. "You're here to take me to a real one?"

Mari took three steps toward him, stopping just short of his glowing weapon - and the hues of red that leaked into the cracked ground. That was...better than death. At least she could keep her promise of making it out of here alive, right?

"Alright." Came her simple reply as she held her arms out to him, wrists together - not that he was actually going to cuff her. But it was symbolism in the gesture. She was turning herself in. "So - what do you do exactly? Strip me of my inventory? Remove everyone from my friends list and shut me away somewhere?" A dry laugh fell from her lips as she finally replied to his taunt earlier. "Careful though, I may like it if you actually do have cuffs."

@Bahr

Edited December 21, 2019 by Mari

[Bahr 0]

"So - what do you do exactly? Strip me of my inventory? Remove everyone from my friends list and shut me away somewhere?"

That was a really good question. Bahr had had every intention of fighting her until she either submitted or perished. But for her to simply give up like this? He'd never imagined that as the outcome. Not in a million years.

So what was he supposed to do now?

"Careful though, I may like it if you actually do have cuffs."

Jesus Christ.

As the redness faded from Dawn's Demise and the pair were once against plunged into relative darkness, Bahr leaned forward and lifted the hem of her sweater - just enough to reveal the small blade she had tucked away against her hip. Without breaking eye contact, his free hand clasped the hilt of the dagger and drew it from its sheath in a single, fluid motion. "I'll just be taking this," he remarked, holding the tiny weapon up to where his jacket split. As though on cue, Swine Bajesus hastily emerged from his inner coat pocket, clutching the knife between its two from hooves and retreating back into its home away from the prying eyes of the Pink Player Killer and its master.

Swine Bajesus with a dagger. A pretty scary thought, if one were to take a moment to truly examine it.

"If you try to equip anything else, I'll hear your menu opening. It'll be the last mistake you ever make." Despite the seriousness of the situation, he couldn't prevent a wry grin from playing at his lips. "And I wouldn't cuff you like that. Last thing we want is a good time."

As the pair approached the trail that lead outward from the clearing, he looked left, then right, then left again. Right, he was still lost. 

"Erm... way back to town's that way, right?" he inquired, gesturing to the left. 

[Mari 1]

"H-Hey!" Mari said, shocked that the man had approached her and lifted up her sweater. "Just what the f**k do you think you're doing you f**king p-" Her words stopped as he took out her blade - The Kusanagi. It was a drop from the floor 11 boss - a black hilt with two serpents coiled around it and a blade as crimson as his jacket. Both looked like they had been drenched in blood.  "You coulda f**kin' asked." Mari mumbled, clearly flustered. She didn't like people she didn't know invading her personal space like that. But could she really blame him? If she had drawn the weapon she had no doubt in her mind that he'd see it as an attack.

The tiny pig darted out, grabbed her weapon and disappeared in just a few seconds.  Interesting... familiar....  Mari would never, in a hundred years, expect anyone to ever pick a teeny tiny pig as a familiar - but if this game taught her anything. It was that looks could be deceiving.


The white haired man gestured for her to follow - so - Mari did, It was almost like he was leading her, but as they approached a fork in the trail Bahr faltered. The wisps of his hair turned to and fro as the man kept glancing from left to right. Mari raised an eyebrow. This f**king guy is totally lost.  He turned to her, deadpan, and asked which direction was the right way. He pointed to the left. Mari shook her head. "No, that leads to this void-like black hole. Creepy ass thing that you hear whispers from. Never been in there, but been tempted to a few times." Mari gestured to the right. "The town is that way - but, and I am sure you aren't this stupid but I'm just checking ...you are aware PKers can't enter towns right? I'd be chased and killed by the town guard."

Bahr cleared his throat, but before he could contnue his stead Mari interjected.

"What if I were opening my menu to message a friend?" Mari asked - since that was exactly what she had wanted to do. Wouldn't it be fair to let Alkor and Macradon know that she wasn't going to be free anymore? "If you're taking everything from me - and don't get me wrong -  I'm not complainin' - the least you can offer me is to say goodbye to the two people...." Her words trailed off. Would Alkor even want to hear anything of it? He'd probably get mad. Frustrated that she was 'giving up' so easily. Maybe that'd make him hate her - would it be better if he did? Macradon was helping her sure, but could she call him a friend? Was that...okay?

Bahr paused to look at her, bi-coloured eyes narrowed with suspicion. He held the tip of his blade at the ready, standing close behind her. "Fine - but I will be watching."

"Y-Yeh... that's fine." Mari wasn't expecting that, well - now she had to message them. She'd send them both the same message.

To: @Alkor  @Macradon From: Mari Subject: I'm ok Hey. I'm being arrested. If you see me disappear from your friends list, I'm not dead. I'm just being sentenced to whatever form of Jail that's waiting for me. -Thanks for trying. Bye?

Then, Mari shifted her menu to her friends list. Only two names sat on it. "Did I need to delete them now too?" She turned and asked him.  Mari never actually clarified with Bahr if that was his intention or not, she just...assumed that would be the case. Because that was what she would do if she were to arrest someone. Strip them of their items and their friendlists - so that they couldn't conspire an escape. The only players who'd be able to find anyone at that point are those who had the Tracking skill - and it wasn't exactly a popular skill. "I can show you my inventory, I assure you the only thing sitting in there is a pile of flowers - but if you want to check, by all means do so - it's not like you haven't already intimately done so already." She added with a bitter tone, inferring to the way he had frisked her.

@Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Bahr rose a brow as he saw the names she typed into the recipient box. Alkor and Macradon. A pair of names he never dreamed of seeing used in the same breath. Bahr was aware that Mari had a connection with Alkor, but Macradon? How and when had they become acquainted? After the sent confirmation pinged, she dismissed the window, leaving only her friend list behind as she turned her attention back to Bahr. By the time she had, she'd find that his weapon had been sheathed.

"Did I need to delete them now too?"

Bahr simply shook his head in response. "Not just yet. Actually, there's something that I need to-"

"I can show you my inventory, I assure you the only thing sitting in there is a pile of flowers - but if you want to check, by all means do so - it's not like you haven't already intimately done so already."

Bahr huffed a chortle in response, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose as an annoyed grin spread across his lips. "Listen, lady," he began as he allowed his arm to fall to his side, looking her in the eye once more. "If I'd meant to feel you up, I would have done a much better job." Another chuckle, before, "We can square away your inventory and friends list once we get to where we are going. In the meantime, take this." He reached into his pocket and produced two teleport crystals, tossing one toward her and saving the other for himself. "We're going to use these to go to the Town of Beginnings at the same time."

"What?" came her shocked response. "You DO know that if I step foot into there I'm dead right?" She took a step back as she averted her gaze. "Is this just your way of getting rid of me whilst sparing your own two hands?"

"No, it's just that-"

"Even if I did manage to get in there safely how the hell do you think any of the players would feel seeing me running around? Their safe place is suddenly not so safe anymore! It's not f**kin' fair to them."

With a deep breath, Bahr finally admitted, "You're really f**king annoying." He took a step forward and aligned himself side by side with her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, and nobody's going to see you. So shut up. Oh, and this would have been the part where you could have given me sh*t about feeling you up. On my mark."

"One..."
"Two..."
"Three!"

"Teleport, Town of Beginnings."
"Teleport, Town of Beginnings."

He'd been careful to enunciate his teleportation declaration just after hers, that way there wouldn't be any chance of her declaring a different destination and slipping through his fingers, both literally and figuratively. As soon as they materialized in town, two things happened at the same time. The first was Bahr's Disguise Skill activating, which placed them both under a shroud of infinite overlapping glitchy fractals. The blanket of indecipherable madness would shield them from the prying eyes of the guards or other players. The second thing that happened was Bahr hauling ass through the streets, knowing that the effects of Disguise were only temporary. Macradon's shop wasn't far, so though he blitzed through the streets with speed unrivaled by the denizens of Noobville, he knew that he would have plenty of time to sp-

"͝Ma͢c͡r̡àdo͏n͢,"̴ he stated flatly, voice modulated as it passed through Disguise's screen. None other than the Imperial Topaz now stood in their path, no doubt a consequence of the message she had just sent. "C͝òme͢ ̨to͡ ̕y҉ou͘r ̷s̀hop͏,̸ n͏o͡w.͟ It̶ ͢hąs ͜t̕o do͏ ̛wit͘h ͡t̛he ̴me̢ss̵age y̕o͝u͞ ̷jùst ͝g͡ot̀.̨"͠

With that, he rushed past Macradon and directly through the threshold of his shop, just a split second before the Disguise evaporated and they were left vulnerable. But within the safe walls of the Blazing Typhoon, they need not worry about being accosted by guards or nosy citizens. That was, at least if Macradon locked the shop once he got back, that was.

"There," he stated flatly as he released her hip and stepped away. "He shouldn't be long. Let's see what he has to say about this whole situation."

[Mari 1]

In a single flash - they were in the Town Of Beginnings - and they were running Mari was terrified - all it would take is one slip up, one misstep, or one seconds delay for her to be caught by the town guard and murdered. For once she was actually thankful to have Bahr's grip around her - it gave her solice that he wasn't going to so readily drop her and leave her for dead.

"Wait...wait..you know Mac?" Mari asked as Bahr pulled her through the streets. There was no response - they were moving too quickly. Blue eyes shifted to their surroundings. Buildings... actual buildings, people and NPCs alike dotted the streets - chatting, laughing - Mari didn't think she'd ever see such sights again. But as quickly as she saw them, she was thrown into a store.

The door shut firmly behind both her and Bahr let her go. Mari huffed as she brushed herself off. She didn't like it - she didn't like this one bit. He knew Mac....was this... a setup...? Mari turned away from Bahr and shifted to a window, being sure not to stand directly in front of it. If it was a set up...she couldn't exactly blame Macradon, nor Bahr. Would she actually die here? Mari took a deep breath, trying to rationalize things. If this had been a setup - then Bahr wouldn't have seemed so surprised to see Mac's name, right? He seemed a little surprised, but still... why bring her to his store.

Mari lifted a hand to press against the glass window pane her voice soft- "I never thought I'd be able to set foot in a city like this again..." Mari didn't voice how much she missed it. It didn't feel right, nor fair to claim to miss something she had so verily tossed away when she hid herself away from the world instead of standing on her own two feet and pushing forward. If only she had been stronger- maybe things would have been different.

Still, whatever lay ahead of her - be it death or detainment - she'd accept it.

Mari opened up her HUD - If Bahr were to attack her for it, that would be something she'd deal with later - no messages of course she didn't expect any less. With a small swish her menu was gone. The woman wasn't even sure what she was expecting anymore.

@Macradon @Bahr

Edited December 22, 2019 by Mari

[Macradon 0]

Dumfounded, confused, but still somehow he looked unfazed. He could not believe what he just read. He was just about to take a sip of coffee, but he just froze from the message he had just received from Mari. "Wat." he said, loudly as he read over the message again and again, trying to see if what he read was actually right "This can't be. How would she just go with it like that? Why didn't she resist, why didn't she flee? Have she really given up on her goal, that fast?!" he thought as he threw the coffee mug into the grass in his lawn, grabbed his jacket and ran off, out into the streets of the Town of Beginnings. Quickly opening up his HUD, Macradon activated his Tracking skill and used it on Mari "If I'm fast enough, I'll be able to intercept before they get into town, with all these guards around, it'll be too dangerous." he thought as he rushed out of his house, his white, blue and red jacket was now properly fitted and his sword was drawn "I'll be able to keep the guards at bay and let Mari escape ... but at what cost?" he thought and pressed accept on his Tracking.

"Alright, second floor, like alwa-" he thought, but as his vision updated from the sudden change, his mind went into a blank "What, no!" he thought after a few seconds "How!" he exclaimed loudly as he ran towards the cursor in his vision. They were already in the town … He didn’t get to run far before he actually met them … they had been running towards him, his direction. At least he was sure it was them, something was shrouding them, but his Tracking skill was sure that Mari was there … somewhere. With a slight hesitation the knight nodded. The three would dart back to the Blazing Typhoon, as Macradon set foot into his blacksmith shop, he locked down the shop with the signs and lock “Into the smithy through the backdoor, that way no one will be able to spot the orange cursor from the shop windows.” he said with a stern tone before listening to what was to be said.

As a strange habit he had somehow gotten used to, Macradon thrust his sword tip into the wooden floor boards before he went down the stairs to his smithy, just like he did when he first approached Mari at the grave. It was damp and lukewarm, the furnaces weren’t on, but the residual heat from all the work the blacksmith was doing at a near constant rate could be felt in the air. “Now explain the situation to me, I’m extremely confused.” he said and found a stool for everyone to sit on and took a seat himself. Why was Bahr arresting Mari, why wasn’t Mari resisting … he … he didn’t understand anything.

Stats

Spoiler

Macradon - Lvl 83
1705 HP
181 Energy
2 Accuracy
0 Evasion
19 Base Damage (31 w/ Holy)
- (1 Base +7 Skill +1 Athletics +9 Familiar +1 Ferocity)
107 Mitigation 
- (35 Skill + 72 Armor)

Items
Blade of the Dictator ............ // +12 Holy Damage, Phase
Silverlight ...................... // +72 Mitigation, 36 Frost Thorn(21 on a Crit), 6 Freeze damage(2 turns)
Templar's Necklace ............... // +6 Recovery, +1 Accuracy

Belphegor - Familiar ............. // +9 Damage

Battle Ready Inventory
Empty inventory slot ............. //
Empty inventory slot ............. //
Empty inventory slot ............. //
Empty inventory slot ............. //
Empty inventory slot ............. //
Empty inventory slot ............. //

Buffs
Rested ........................... // -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat.
Filling .......................... // Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Relaxed .......................... // Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Col Deposit ...................... // +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col
from treasure chests.
Buff name ........................ // Buff effect

Skills
Two Handed Straight Sword  | Rank 5: +7 Damage
Heavy Armor                | Rank 5: +35 Damage Mitigation
Searching                  | Rank 5: +5 LD. +5 Stealth Detection
Battle Healing             | Rank 5: Heal 5%(85) HP each post In-Battle
Fighting Spirit            | +1 Hate generation
Gatherer                   | Obtain additional materials after a successful out of combat gathering based on a natural CD result.
Hiding                   | Rank 5: +5 Stealth roll
Extended Mod Limit       | Rank 2: +3 Mod Slots
Parry                    | Reduce incoming damage by 50%(rounded down)
Energist                 | Add 5xTier(15) Energy to your max pool
Charge                   | Rank 3: +3 on Initial hit

Disguise                   | +1 to your BD and +1 to your opponent’s BD
Survival                   | Heal 45 HP when out of battle
Familiar Mastery: Fighter  | Rank 3: +9(Tier x Rank) Damage
Meditation                 | Recover 3xTier(15) energy with post action. Recover 2xTier(10) energy if you are hit before your next round

Skill Mods
Precision                  | +1 Accuracy
Athletics                  | +1 Damage, +45 Health
Ferocity                   | Increases Base Damage by 1
Finesse                    | Rank 3: Decreases Energy Cost of attacks by 3
Reveal                     | +2 LD when searching for dungeons and labyrinths. You may also search for a sub-dungeon or labyrinth once every 15 posts (instead of 20)
Surprise Attack          | Cannot miss from stealth. +1xTier(3) base damage on first attack
Vengeful Riposte         | Return 50% of damage(mitigatable) to target
Justified Riposte        | Stun attacker for 1 turn
Vanish                   | In combat post action to stealth. Free action in combat to stealth if mob has been slain
Tracking                   | Allows the user to track a previously-encountered monster, NPC, or other player. Negates all bonuses to the target’s Stealth Rating. After tracking, your first attack against the tracked creature cannot miss. Cannot be used in combat

 

Edited December 23, 2019 by Macradon

[Bahr 0]

"Away from that window, now," Bahr ordered, eyes as sharp as his tongue. "You need to stay out of sight. That is the idea, isn't it?"

Not long after they had entered the shop, Macradon burst in behind them, promptly locking the door. “Into the smithy through the backdoor, that way no one will be able to spot the orange cursor from the shop windows.” 

Bahr gave a nod to Macradon before crossing his arms and casting an expectant gaze toward Mari. He hoped that it was made clear through his body language that he had no intention of walking through the threshold before she had. And when she finally got the memo and meandered through, he followed. The space was a bit dank, heat lingering from work performed earlier, though the furnaces stood inactive. Macradon procured some stools for the party to sit on before leveling his inquiry.

“Now explain the situation to me, I’m extremely confused.”

"Actually, I was hoping that you could help me connect the dots, Macradon," Bahr shot back. He folded his arms and leaned his back against a nearby wall, foregoing the stool that Mac had set out for him. "What's your connection to this criminal?" he inquired accusingly, gesturing toward the redhead that now sat on one of the stools. "Furthermore, you had actually planned to interfere with her arrest? The hell's gotten into you, Macradon?"

A stiff silence fell between the players, before, "What about Ssendom? Would we all be better off if he was still roaming free?"

[Macradon 0]

Macradon looked over at Bahr with a slightly tilted head “You call her a criminal. Is it because of the amount of people she has killed, or the orange cursor? The orange cursor is one thing, the amount of kills is another. My relation would be of friendship. Perhaps even a sponsor at this stage, of course I don’t want my investment to go for granted, I want to see the fruits of the trees I have planted.” he said and began explaining “The first time I met her was not long ago, the stories I’ve heard about her had all been second hand experiences, and when I met her, near to none of the stories rang true. I don’t fear her as much as I feared Ssendom. The man was insane, the man had a bloodlust, a hunger for digital slaughter, yet his name is near to non-existent on the monument of life, you’ll see him as a killer, and then as a killed.” he said and took a short breather.

“It’s been a while since I last visited, but I’m quite sure Mari’s name show up as many times as my name on that monument. Are you going to arrest me now as well?” he asked. “She might be an orange player, but she’s doing her best to redeem herself. I had even hoped I would be able to ask you to help her out, but seeing the current circumstances, I’m not sure anymore.” he said with a heavy disappointed sigh. “If there’s any orange player you should be afraid of, it’d be Aereth who’s even been spotted in towns a lot, his name is plastered everywhere on that darn thing, but here you go and arrest her. It seems like her spirit has even deteriorated since I last saw her, which truly is a shame. I really had hoped for more.”.

Taking 5 seconds to collect himself a bit more Macradon nodded at Bahr “Of course I’d be intervening with her arrest, especially with how that message she sent was … extremely out of character from how I met her back then, It had me extremely worried … Now I’m just glad that it was you and not some big hotshot vigilante who just walks around and kills Orange Players to feel like a hero …”. “Mari …” he started “Why? Why did you go into this so willingly? Why didn’t you flee? Why didn’t you do anything? You should’ve just have been as aggressive as I was when I  tried to approach you as peacefully as I could, but peacefully accepting an arrest like that, why?.” he asked her redhead.

[Mari 1]

"Because..." Mari began. "When I saw the ire of other players... Of Bahr...and Alkor I realised something." 

Mari closed her eyes and drew a visibly shaken breath. Memories of that night flooded back to her. All the lies. The coldness in his gaze, how easily Alkor was able to walk away from her after shattering her into pieces.

"One of the few things I had been fighting for is gone. Do you...know what it feels like to love someone, only to realise it was an act on their part? To have friend after friend whittle down your defences...only to have them turn on you?"

 Mari slowly rose a shaky hand to push strands of amber behind her ear. "This isn't the first time I've tried Redemption. My last friend who I wanted to do it with turned on me and told me it was my life or his. So...I ran...I had been ever since till recently... I'm tired of running."

Mac had told her it was a shame. That he hoped for more.  Im nothing but a letdown to everyone around me.

"You deserve a better friend Mac." Mari gave him a wry smile. "Thanks...for believing in me. But I want to accept whatever judgement I'm faced with today. Even if it means not waking tomorrow. I didn't want to fight another player. I don't want to see that anymore."

Her blue eyes shifted to Bahr. "I'll comply with whatever you decide ."

 

@Macradon @Bahr

[Bahr 0]

Bahr looked to Macradon, then to Mari, then back to Macradon. "Unbelievable," he scoffed, an annoyed half grin reaching his lips. He looked down and shook his head before continuing. "Maybe the two of you have forgotten, but those are human lives we're talking about. Real people were extinguished forever. Have you been desensitized due to the violence you've surrounded yourselves with? Or does the fact that it's a game mask the truth for you? What Ssendom did wasn't 'virtual slaughter.' It was actual murder." His dual-toned eyes flickered up to meet with Macradon's. They were narrow, focused. "And yeah. You bet your ass that if I had any reason to believe you were doing the same, regardless the reasoning, I'd be bringing you in as well. The difference in our strength isn't even a factor."

"I trust you, I deem you worthy. But don’t you worry, if I don’t deem you worthy at a later date, I will let you know, and I will get it back if necessary. It’s not a threat, it’s a warning. I really want you to have this, and I don’t want to regret this decision. I’ve given multiple Demonic weapons away that I have regretted doing so. Those players were not worthy, nor could they use the weapons to their full potential. Those players are no more."

What a crock of sh*t.

"I also find it pretty bizarre that you would be thankful for it being me who found her instead of someone who hunts orange players for sport, then in the same breath encourage her to fight back. I know we haven't seen much of each other lately, Macradon, so you haven't been able to track my progress. But know this."

"If she'd fought back, she'd be dead."

"And you," he began, once again turning his attention to the young redhead. "Quit acting so pathetic. Your rouse might work on Macradon, but it won't work on me. I've trusted your kind one too many times. One minute you seem totally benign, the next one of my friends is dead. Gone forever. If not for Macradon's insane set, there's no way I would have even led you back to him. You'd be gone from his friends list. Disappeared forever, just like those you obliterated."

He took a deep sigh. "You don't just get a permanent orange cursor on accident. That is a deliberate, intentional act. With permanent consequences, both here and on the other side of the veil. And the two of you want me to help wipe that slate clean?" His eyes shifted between them, a single eyebrow incredulously raised. "Don't make me laugh."

He finally kicked off of the wall and approached the man he once considered a mentor of his, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. "I owe you a lot for everything you've done for me. Saving me on the nineteenth floor, giving me Sickle. But this..." his voice trailed as he stole a glance of Mari from the corner of his eye. "Leaving her in your hands is payback." He placed Mari's dagger in Macradon's hand before concluding, "We're even now."

With that, he removed his hand from his comrade's shoulder and turned toward the staircase, giving a lazy backhanded wave as he went. "I won't get in your way. Just don't get in mine."

[Macradon 0]

He sighed, Bahr was right, it wasn’t “just” online virtual slaughter, it were supposedly also real human lives that they dealt with, which was horrific. “You’re right, I had forgotten back then, but now I know, I was foolish to believe I did the right thing, but I have to move on from it and not get stuck in the past.”. He shook his head “It’s not that I wanted her to fight back at you, but at least resisted rather than just going with someone who’s telling her she’s arrested. I’m glad that it was you because you wouldn’t just jump in and take her out, you’d be able to reason with her, at least I believe that you would.” he replied to Bahr.

“There are multiple ways of getting a permanent Orange Cursor, just so you’re aware, it’s not always murdering another person, be it intentional or in self defense.” he stated. “If you’re not willing to help, that’s all up to you, I won’t plead … “ he said after Bahr had let go of his shoulder. When the other man was getting closer to the stairs, Macradon would grab onto his shoulder with a light tap “Thanks.” he said and would let the man go again. 

Looking back towards the redhead, Macradon would sigh deeply “Sorry, he was one I had hoped to help you, but given the circumstances, I don’t think he’d be willing to help you … I still have someone else in mind to help you with the Redemption, but give me time, I’ll need to get you your consumables as well.” he said.

[Mari 1]

 Mari flinched when Bahr spoke. A bitter anger filled his words with an unreasonable venom that tore at her with each sentence uttered. It wasn't because he was mad, it was because he was right. Mari thought she had cried all the tears she could, but every time she thought she could no longer express that emotion - they'd burst from her eyes in hot streaks. "You're right." Mari said quietly. "You're absolutely f**king right -" She stood up abruptly, the stool fell to the floor behind her. "They are human lives. Do you think I Don't f**king think about that every day?" Mari spat.

She took one step toward Bahr - hurt eyes staring him down, his blurred red visage. "You wanna know HOW I Got this cursor?" Mari screamed after him. "Some bastard threw my own DAUGHTER into the line of fire when he was attempting to kill children - I....I..." She shook her head. "My own daughter has been extinguished forever - by my own h-hand." Every word she had spat at him with filled with anguish - she didn't care if Bahr didn't believe her, she didn't care if he turned and attempted to strike her down right then and there.

Nothing mattered anymore.

"You want me to disappear forever?" Mari asked - "I welcome it!" She pointed upwards toward the streets of the town. "In here... out there in the real f**king world. No matter how you cut it I don't deserve to wander around freely Why should I when they're all gone!?."

She didn't deserve it. She didn't have those she loved. She didn't have her daughter. She had nothing. And try as she might to blame others - she was the only one to truly blame. She was the one who charged into that maniac attempting to stop him. She was the one who was blinded by rage because she saw her own kin hurt. She was the one who did it all.

As Bahr waved them off Mari collapsed to to her knees. She wiped away tears with the back of her hand but they kept spilling over.

"Why....?" Mari asked weakly as Macradon tried to tell her that he'd find someone else to help. "I don't deserve it. You know it..." She pressed her head to the floor and forced her eyes shut. She wouldn't be surprised if she was stricken down then and there. "I'm cursed by my sins and I ....I can't drag you down too..."

 

@Bahr @Macradon

[Bahr 0]

“Thanks,” was all Macradon managed as he grasped Bahr's shoulder. The Crimson Marauder offered the man a nod as his hand fell, but his eyes trailed back over his shoulder to the young woman as she stood, stool clamoring to the floor as she leveled her outburst. She spoke about how she knew the lives she had taken were human. She spoke of her daughter, and the supposedly tragic circumstances surrounding her death. She spoke of wishing to disappear, of a desire to repent for what she had done. There was a flicker of understanding in Bahr's eyes, but it was fleeting. He hadn't the faintest idea of how much of what she had said he could actually put any stock into.

"I'm cursed by my sins and I ....I can't drag you down too..." she told Macradon. For once, he agreed with her.

"Prove it," he demanded flatly, still not turning from the stairs. "Anyone can talk. But as the saying goes, 'actions speak louder than words.' I believe in the lives you've ripped away more than what you say about them." As he turned his head back toward the stairs, he concluded, "You don't get the reputation you have from accidentally killing your own child."

Bahr exits the thread.

[Macradon 0]

With all that Macradon had done for Bahr, he accepted the conclusion here. Since Bahr didn’t seem to be wanting to get tangled into this mess, Mari and Macradon were now left alone in the smithy of his shop. “Guess that went better than expected with how it began to spiral out of control …” he said “at least I thought so …” he said commenting on his former statement. The knight shrugged at Mari’s question “That’s a good question, many people probably don’t feel like they deserve the help I give them, but I do it nonetheless. I’ve done a lot for Bahr, and he’s repaying it now, showing his worth to me in some way, and I appreciate that. I’ve helped so many people throughout the years, never really wanting anything in return, as long as it helped the greater good of Aincrad. As long as it helped the greater good of escaping from this place.” he said.

[Mari 1]

Bahr had left with Mari relatively unscathed - at lest physically. His words and attitude stung. She had been trying. Mari had been trying very hard. She had been questing with others to gain levels and skills,  she'd been trying to open up and forge relationships but everything was falling apart. Who was to say what was real and what wasn't? Even Alkor...

A sob escaped Mari's lips as she wound her arms tighter around herself. All those times... the only comfort and kindness she had experienced was nothing but an act. How was she supposed to be ok with that? How was Mari meant to recover from any of that? Again Macradon spoke of the greater good. So...were his words of friendship also a lie? Was she just another gear in his great big machine to get out of the game?

"I'm...really alone...." Mari finally whispered when she had collected herself. "I don't...even know what is and isn't a lie anymore...if I take Redemption I know Im going to have to take it alone because there is no one. Nothing..." She slowly lifted herself up off the floor, wiping her tears away on the back of her hands. She couldn't keep doing this. She couldn't keep showing weakness. "Am...I a prisoner here?" Mari finally asked as she turned her head to look at Macradon.

@Macradon

[Macradon 0]

“I don’t know you well enough to know how tough times must be for you right now, but I will try to help if I can, even if it’s just being an earpiece and listen if that’s what you need.” he said, trying to ease Mari from what seemed to be more sadness coming from the woman. “I guess we’re all prisoners in this game, there really is no real freedom as long as we’re stuck in here. But no, you’re free to return to whatever place you want to be. I don’t want to hold you up in here, I don’t want to enforce any police activity, that’s not my job, nor do I want to go that route, ever. You may leave, you may stay, if you need an escort, just say so.” he said and began walking up the stairs back to his shop. He would flicker through his friends list and try to find some people that might be of help for Mari to fight against the redemption boss.