Mari

'Ma... Ma...' Mari paused mid-step at the odd utterance, it caught her off guard. A certain kind of chill hit her stomach. her brow furrowed as she turned over her shoulder gaze falling on the silver haired woman. She was about ready to chastise her, Mari wasn't a mother. Not anymore. Mari had many people call her that in the past, players who - for some reason had looked up to her, or found solace in her. But that was so long burried in her past. Once upon a time Mari played into it, almost needed the validation - after having lost her own daughter but the weight of that pressure got to

As Oscar spoke to his two...students? Friends? As Oscar spoke to both Lysette and Abellio Mari leaned toward Oscar, head on his sweaty shoulder. At least the tension was gone now. So it seemed the problem more so stemmed from the fact he didn't warn them about her first? Mari snorted. Yeh, that sounded like Oscar. Orange Players are a little scary, yanno? "More than you know." Her voice quiet, downcast eyes closing with a heavy sigh. All the things she had experienced lately. She was so used to the seedy underbelly of Aincrad that it was hard to forget that it was not the norm. Regul

Mari sighed as she rolled over onto her back, eyes squinting against an all too bright sky above. Clear blue without the reprise of clouds to stem the heat of the sun. Such a vast difference from the floor below. She listened to Freyd. He started talking about tanks, recent raid bosses - mechanics...all things she didn't have too much interest in but did her best to give him the ear that he had given her so many times before. "Must be hard." Was all she could master for the situation. "I got so frustrated...when people I tried to help would leap itno danger." She thought of Yuki, who had one t

"Smart, even. You should keep your guard up around Orange Players. But Mari is a friend. And she needed help with some boss drops. And rather than have to camp the spawn for the next hour, I figured you guys could come help speed things along." "Not wrong." Mari said as Oscar called them both smart for keeping their guard up around her. "Keepin' guard up is good - but being antagonistic, or rude can also....set people off." She spoke from experience, and from current knowledge of the laughing coffin members she had run into as of late. "W-whoaah..." Mari was pulled to the sid

Freyd went on to explain Firm Anima- its branches. What they meant. The guild was far bigger than Jacobs Ladder, and far more refined. He wasn't wrong, most places or people Mari met were in some way related to the guild. It was a powerhouse, and that sort of powerhouse would need strong and dependent leaders. Mari had no question in her mind that Freyd was one of them - and it was probably one of the reasons he was always on the move. Each branch has a captain. Right. "I appreciate you taking the time for me. It means a lot." Mari said in ernest, trying to calm the warbling concern that was b

The place was quiet, out of the way; far enough away from Taft that she wouldn't be a bother to anyone - not along any main trails. Mari had quite literally come across the outskirts of the estate by chance; and the river that ran through it. She was far enough away that she hadn't actually entered any owned land, but was close enough to see the rooftop of whomever lived there. Mari cast her line out with a yawn. Coming back from the higher floors always resulted in her being exhausted. "You're a long way from anywhere. Were the city fish too noisy for you?" "That's the point.

Freyd had a point, why was it a secret? "Hmmm...." Mari crossed her arms over her chest. "I guess. It's as you said, complicated. People talk. I didn't want his past to affect his decisions in the future. I didn't want people to judge him harshly because of it. It was very shitty. It messed me up real bad. One of the reasons I don't really trust people these days." Despite her being completely over the situation, her lack of faith in people was still quite prevalent, although that couldn't be attested to just the amber eyed man. There was a long list of people and events that had contributed t

Right....Freyd had wanted details on his death at one point didn't he? Mari shifted her gaze to him. Would it be fair to tell him their history...then again... was it fair for Mari to have kept that pain all those years? It was a delicate line. "I'm trusting you not to repeat this." Mari said. "But long story short - guy pretended to love me - died - I was incredibly upset - came back - told me it was all a lie - and that was that. We're cool now though, probably." Mari shrugged. "That's the short of it. I'm over it now, obviously. But that lake meant a lot to us, well...I guess just to me ba

. "A favourite past-time? Really? I....actually that's kinda like you." Mari thought it odd that fighting the same boss over and over was a favourite past time for someone ,but at the same time, it was so very typically Freyd. "A lot of people have their home here?" That actually surprised Mari, maybe she had hers further from others? There was something that was once appealing about the floor, it felt like a sort of secret and magical getaway from everything. So when Freyd asked why she wanted to hole up here, she wasn't entirely sure how to answer. There were many reasons. One, he

her joke fell flat, neither one of them seemed to care about her dalliances, it didn't ease any tensions. The woman Lysette had turned to vault straight at the phoenix. Leaving Mari and the redheaded Abellio a moment together. Albellio first addressed Oscar, as though Mari wasn't even there. The word Player Killer dropping from his mouth so callously. Mari couldn't recall the last time someone had treated her like that. Aside from that group of self appointed knights. It was natural though. So she couldn't be mad at him. "I don't know you well enough to tell you." She said, her tone

Oscar reaffirmed that she wouldn't die. "You know..." Mari began as she pulled the scarf completely off her neck. "A few years ago, I'd have said I don't care if I did - but now?" Mari's scarf disappeared into her inventory. "Now, I have people to live for. Things I care about." She said as she fiddled with the ring on her finger. Mari didn't go further, Oscar already knew where her mentality was at a few years ago - and there was no using in beating a dead horse. "Do you know anyone who has attempted it recently?" Mari asked. Freyd seemed to be under the impression it'd be rather difficu

"Scaling huh..." that felt new...Mari recalled being able to haul weaker players through some of these field bosses with ease. Now, not so much she guessed. She watched as he pivoted - striking down the wasp queen and every other bug within the radius of the sweeping arc. He started listing off names, Baldur, and Katoka in particular. Mari snorted. "Oh, the Shinsengumi twins? yeh...Katoka's nice. Baldur too. I haven't really seen her fight, and its been far too long since I've seen him. I'm sure you hold your own well enough. I mean..." She didn't want to say that he kinda had to. S

"I uh...." She watched as he downed his coffee, the hiss escaping from his lips and the way his hand twitched did not go unnoticed. "I'm not sure that's...how you relax." Mari said with a tilt of her head. Did he enjoy it that hot? She wasn't sure. "I thought you liked coffee but now I'm not entirely sure." She said with an amused snort. Things seemed a little tense between the two, not entirely in a bad sense - more in a way of they were trying to see where each other stood with each other. Which, perhaps was a testament to how they did still care. Freyd was still her family. The

Seeing the familiar salt and pepper sprinkled face approach filled Mari with a mixture of relief and trepidation. Things had been a little... terse lately but part of this outing was to reconcile, and to reassure both Freyd, and herself that she was still willing to do redemption. No man in her life, and in her bed, would change that determination and that resolve. If she failed it, then she'd cross that bridge when she came to it. But it was important for her to at least try. "Freyd!" Mari offered with a small smile. She did enjoy his company, and still considered him family. "It's good

Mari yawned wide and rubbed her eyes. It was early...almost too damn early. She had messaged Freyd to help her grab some items to prepare for Redemption, and boy howdy did he want her prepared. They were going to do a gauntlet of the lower leveled bosses. He, in not so many words pretty much said, don't worry I got this. And now; at that ass-crack of dawn - Mari was standing in the fields of the second floor. She could hear faint buzzing from nearby hives. The first boss of many. It felt like such a long time ago since Mari last fought the wasp queen. Another time, another life - almost.

Oscar didn't seem too phased by her admission of ...well..murder Rather, he seemed genuinely thrilled about her shot at redemption. He was grinning ear to ear, barely able to contain the ecstatic joy radiating from him. It clung to him like...like....well like the sweat that currently hung heavily from both their bodies, impossible to ignore and impossible to hide. "Redemption, you say? You're finally going through with it?" "Yeh, Freyd and others- Kinda made me realize it was about time I tried." Mari said as she attempted to wipe her brow, an effort in futility. "I'm...worried I m

The two quickly started fighting amongst themselves. They clearly knew each other - and whatever they had...didn't exactly seem like a friendship. A partnership of some sorts maybe. They didn't seem like the type to just let things be. Mari sighed heavily as she cast out her line, quickly pulling it back in for another material, Mari yanked the crystal off the hook. Mari had originally planned to sit here and fish till she maxed out her profession, but it was clear that wasn't going to happen. Not with these two around. In Khiones frustration, she also mentioned another name, by context...she

Another line was cast; Mari doing her best to ignore the woman. The unknown woman seemed to change her tune - seeing her fake pleasantries were falling on deaf ears. Still. She hadn't drawn a weapon and had instead chosen to start writing in a book - and unless the book had gilded metallic pages, or the pen was some sort of makeshift throwing weapon tipped with poison Mari considered herself safe enough for now. "Your presence is attracting flies." "I'm just minding my own business." The irony that the woman was insinuating that Mari attracted the wrong sort of people was not l

"I want you to know that I do not willingly sweat my balls off for just anyone." Mari laughed as she used her scarf to wipe the sweat off her face before pushing herself off the rock. A few things had changed about her - the first was her right hand; there was a nasty scar that circled her wrist, it looked like someone had lopped it clean off and clumsily tried to stitch it back onto her arm. The next was a small ring on her index finger with a glimmering red stone. She also seemed to hold herself with more confidence, the way she stood, the way she held her eyes firm with his. Finally, s

Mari laughed as he coughed. "Vincent...Vincent..." She chided, having finished most of her meal - Mari was far more focused on the man beside her now. "You wound me so. Jealousy?" She pushed strands of crimson hair away from his face. "You'd be the one making me writhe, Mia Amore - make no mistake. There'd be no other." His eyes shifted to her and he swallowed. Mari enjoyed watching his reactions. They were so human, so amusing. She loved him. Allow me the pleasure of hiding the body." And Mari knew he was serious. Not a simple fact of people bursting into crystalized fractals

Mari ate with one hand, the other was delicately held in his - calloused fingers lovingly tracing her wound. Mari had almost forgotten about it. She heard the hitch in his breath - the way his words came out a little stilted. She couldnt help but smile. Swallowing the fish she turned to kiss his temple. "Not a person Mia Amore, twas my Gemini. That's...." She shifted her eyes to the side. "A long story - that involves a close friend - let's just say it was more difficult than I thought." Mari leaned in, watching as he unfurled the cloth. Proper glasses. Good. "I must admit, I've never r

"Oh? Lot of little things going on..." “You could say that.” Mari mused as she kissed the underside of his chin. “We got all night, if your business allows.” Of course Mari wanted him to stay, she wanted to fall sleep under the sheets wrapped up in his arms. But Mari wouldn’t pry him away from his work. A forehead rested on his chest as she closed her eyes. Raidou…wanted her to convince him to leave the Laughing Coffin..just how close had he been to everyone there? How should she even broach such a subject? Their conversations usually didn't delve into work related things. Mari had

"Vincent!" Mari turned to wrap her arms around his waist as he buried his face in her neck, claiming to have gotten rid of a pest. A glance over his shoulder and she could see the strange bird was gone. "Ah ....yeh no that thing is...." Mari tilted her head. "I tried throwing it off the edge of Aincrad and when I got home it was sitting on my kitchen table." Mari snorted. "Next time try roasting it." She offered, giving his cheek a kiss. "Hopefully it'll stay that way. Mari's hands rose from his waist to wrap around his shoulders so she could bury her face in his neck. Offering it

"Please Mari take a breath" "I'm fine, was just surprising, is all." Mari said as she waved Eruda off, she appreciated the attempt to comfort her, but it wasn't needed. Mari was so used to the heat that Lancaster extruded that the overly warm hand didn't even register as anything else other than normal to Mari. She wasn't hyperventilating, or anything of the sort - it was just a shock to see one of her older weapons being used. The design had been particularly unique. The pole even had the same shield insignia emblazoned on it. A sign of its creator. "That's probably one of the quickest

Mari heard the initial outburst, then the complete shift in tone. So to say Mari didn't believe the purple haired woman's sincerity was an understatement. "Is it?" Mari asked as she cast out her line again. Notorious Pker.... Mari glanced over her shoulder at the lilac haired woman. She had eyes to match, neatly painted on cat-eyes and slightly glossed lips. A woman who took great pride in her appearance. She wore a black dress, boots and sleeves - adorned with deep purple rings. If Mari were to describe the outfit, she'd say it was very typically anime-eske. "I'd argue its more odd to ha