Mari

Mari paused, waiting for anything - then she heard it - a distinct pling, pling, pling almost rhythmatic . That was what Mari had asked him to do, when he was ready for her to come through, right? "Aight." Mari said as she continued forward. He did ask for five hours, and he did bang that pipe. So in Mari's eyes, everything seemed to be fine. Mari ducked as she came into the cavern. The first thing she noticed was the lighting was brighter - gas lanterns hung up evenly across the walls. There were various contraptions affixed to the wall itself. Various pipes, wires, and gears churned slo

He made his preference known. He wanted to work alone. Mari sighed. She didn't like feeling useless. Still. She stood. "I'll stay by the entrance. C-" She paused. He couldn't exactly call out to her, now could he? "Mmm...." She pointed to two metal pipes. "I guess just bang them loudly together, or come get me when you're done. In the meantime. I'm going to eat, rest, and work on some notes." And with that Mari had left him alone - she was barely out of site before she could hear the heavy thud of material against the floor. And it took every ounce of willpower to not steal a glance at the str

"Here." Mari approached him - her hands reaching out to adjust his mask. She caught him still, the sound of the blade as he poised himself to attack. But Mari ignored it, simply finishing what she set out to do. "Your mask was coming off." She explained. "I saw bits of silver poking through. I don't even know your name. The last thing You'd want is to expose what you look like. I assume." And with that she stepped back away from him. She wouldn't like, she was curious - but Mari was more curious about the tasks that he had given her. She was more wanting to dive straight into the work.

“Mmm….” Mari thought for a moment, her finger tapping the wooden casque of alcohol. Somewhere she could go that was close to home. “My home is on the outskirts of Frostbite Lake - a 10 minute walk from there is an abandoned cave system. It’d be a tight squeeze for you - but steam passes through one of the two larger rooms. That’d work.” She mused. Thinking about it - she had planned to move her shop there at some point but chose against it purely because half the players in Aincrad wouldn’t be able to get there easily. Mari shifted the weight of her Casque - til she was able to navigate

The man seemed to slip something away in his coat - Mari couldn’t exactly tell what - nor what he had been doing. She silently made her way down the stairs. The less noise, the less talking, the better. They didn’t need anyone above to wake. They didn’t need to roustle the curious eyes and ears of passerby. Mari placed the keys back on the bar as she sidestepped the dead barkeeper. Hi proof alcohol. Mari knew he wanted it for antibacterial purposes, but be damned - she could really really use a drink. The woman was tempted to take a swig for the road. She licked her lips, but decided agai

Four days? Mari froze. No…No it hadn’t, it’d been a day…right? Her gaze met Freyds - his hands gripping her arms tightly, almost so tight that they shook. Was he…scared? No…worried. “Four…days…?” Mari asked quietly. Now that the man seemed to have more of her attention he let go. Mari slowly sat back down. Her brows furrowing. “How…” She rose a hand to her forehead. “It didn’t….feel like that…” If it had been that long…no wonder Freyd was so panicked. Mari would have been the same if her friend just up and disappeared after a series of messages like that. “Freyd…I had no idea…”

Mari locked the door behind her with a near silent click. It had been difficult to navigate the area- but for the most part it was uneventful. This town didn’t care if you had an orange, or green cursor - and her companion made good distractions, a hand on the shoulder here - a giggle there. It was…almost comical to see such a stoic and emotionless person play the part of a sweet woman. The barkeep, a old miser of an NPC asked them what they wanted and Mari kept her back to the scene. She knew what the man was about to do. The barkeep being an NPC didn’t make the act any less…gruesome. Ma

Mari placed two bars of what looked like melted brass into the box. Mari sighed, ignoring the little ping constantly going off. Theft was the least bad thing she had done lately. What did she care? Mari glanced out the window, pausing. Her beaked bill tilting to the side as she hyper focused on something small in the corner of the frame. She watched the wasp struggling in the spiderweb for a moment. That’s when it hit her. Something that would only affect monsters, not people. Pheromones were one thing; it was a stretch but it was one thing but there was something else. Something phy

"Yeh..." Mari returned his tired smile with one of her own. There had been so much left unsaid between the two since their reunion back at the onsen. Mari felt bad; but unlike what Raidou had said - she was not on vacation. She wasn't living it up. Sure - she didn't exactly hate herself anymore but prison was still prison. It wasn't nice. "My joints might hurt a bit after this - didn't exactly have a lot of movement where I was." Mari wound up one arm as she rubbed her shoulder. "Still - as you said - its better to just get back into the fray of things sometimes." Hey eyes shifted to the

Mari wasn’t sure if her words or actions were helping, Oscar seemed to be opening up a little more. And in her experience - that was always a good thing. It never did her well to bottle it all up, its one of the reasons she ended up being incarcerated. “You need help too.” Did she though? Mari thought about the question, about the implication. The one thing that lingered during her time in prison…She was lonely. “Maybe.” Mari whispered. “But - what I need help with, is something you can’t do.” And it was nothing against him as a person, it was just a fact. “Nothing a taken person c

Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire...except it wasn't fire - it was a cold - wet and dreary ass floor. The only reason Mari had willingly joined the fray so soon was the promise of clavicles. Okay, maybe two reasons, Clavicles and because she felt guilty for being locked away for so long. Even though she was in Jail. Mari was following behind Baldur, Jomei -and someone she wasn't sure she recognized. Her new 2H spear leaning casually on her shoulder. She knew nothing of what was going on. "Remember?" Mari asked - then sighed. "I don't even know what's going on right

Skill(s) Being Dropped: Light Armour R5 Mod(s)/Addon(s)/Shift(s) Being Dropped: Meticulous Mod SP Refunded: 30 Cost: 30,000 Col

Mari followed him up the stairs, being sure to close the gate behind them. The place smelt welcoming, despite being an artisan there was a scent of baked goods in the air, of herbs and rosemary. Things meant to illicit feelings of comfort, and of home. Mari paused on the stairs to take in the scents. She had to admit...It was nice. Mari followed the man up the stairs - waiting as he knocked rhythmically on the door. The familiar sshiik of blade leaving its holster caused Mari to straighten- be more alert. Guards? A door opened to reveal a very homely looking woman in her 40's she wore a

A small sigh fell from Mari's lips. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath - the mask had been returned to her and Mari somehow felt a little better. Mari thought about apologizing - but...he had stabbed her in the shoulder. A slightly numbing and tingling sensation that still ebbed. So - Mari simply held her tongue. When Mari made the remark on why he didn't use the toxin on her - he shrugged dismissively. In response, Mari pulled her hair back and clipped the mask back on. The less words said, the better. Mari kinda preferred it that way at times anyway. The inside of the mask s

He leaned forward, encroaching on her space and Mari stood her ground. Staring defiantly into his eyes. She had never noticed it till now - but those eyes. Tiny clockwork eyes of golden swirled to meet her own cerulean. She'd have loved to have analyzed that more - if given the chance, did they react to his own eyes? To emotion? So many questions. Despite the curiosity bubbling Mari did say a word. "Prove it." Her head tilted as he wrote a single name on a piece of paper and handed a vial with it attached to to her. Prove it? "Hmm..." Mari took the vial and rolled it to and fro in h

Mari felt a sense of loss as the mask was ripped out of her hands. "H-Hey!" Then he pushed her down into the ground with a knee into her chest - and a dagger through her shoulder - effectively pinning her to the ground. "You FUCK!" Mari hissed. "I was worried about YOU! I was keeping YOU safe!" Mari winced as she ripped the dagger out of her shoulder and threw it to the ground. weakness? weakness!? She was MARI. One of the strongest in all of Aincrad - and he called her weak. Mari stared at him with frustration. "Done?" No...that wasn't fair...it wasn't fair... people were alway

Mari felt a strong arm clamp around her and pull her in close - she could feel various vials poke at her through the contact. This embrace wasn't warm like Oscars - it didn't bring a sense of peace. It felt like one almost out of necessity. The woman was very still, and very quiet as the man tightened his grip on her - rough voice calling out their destination. Warping was always a dizzying experience - and Mari had forgotten what it was like, as she was usually one to just walk everywhere. Her eyes shut tight and she allowed the brief sense of vertigo to pass. The small woman was coughin

The man seemed to understand her panic, he didn't judge her poor attempt at a sample. At least, Mari didn't think he did. It was really quite hard to tell. She never had any sort of facial expression to go off - and his movements, even his pantomimes, were always so concise. As Mari fiddled with the contraption on his arm she couldn't help but feel a little envious. imagine having something like that of her own? Being an alchemist in and of itself had been useful - but Mari had grown bored with it, and never really did much with it beyond crafting things for frontliners. But this man had in no

Oscar admitted he was suffering, and pulled away from her. Mari immediately missed that warmth Her arms prickled with the cool air. "can you though?" Mari asked him. "Can you take it?" Mari leaned forward placing one hand between his legs, and the other reaching out to grab his laced hands, giving them a comforting squeeze. It was clear he needed something, someone to listen to him. Mari wasn't exactly good with that sort of thing. Most of the time, she barely held herself together. As Oscar started talking Mari had to shift - she moved away from him and allowed the man to talk. Mari rema

Oscar said that life was filled with shitty hands, and Mari had to agree - she could sit there and doom and cry about everything she had been dealt with. There had been a time when she blamed everyone else, then a time she blamed herself. She wasn't going to do any of that anymore. Mari shook her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She hadn't known the man too well, but Cordelia had always spoken very highly of him. So did Macradon. Well, it’s pretty fucking obvious, Mari. I don’t think I’ve seen someone beat themselves up quite so hard over being orange as you. Mari f

They couldn't go to the chapel. well no shit sherlock. Mari gave an exasperated sigh, and realizing he wouldn't hear that, she crossed her arms over her chest. Tilting a beaked head to the side. For now - the two would have to keep playing charades till she had her voice back. Was this why he never spoke? Not because he couldn't - but because it hurt to? Considering how often he had been around all manner of chemicals and gases...it wouldn't surprise Mari. That...was kinda sad. So much could be misinterpreted that way. Just how many people had misinterpreted him? His actions? At least

OKay… He was okay. Good. After the first wave of guards had been felled the doctor came up to her, quickly wrapping her trembling form in more, thick material - and it wasn’t till he had that Mari realized her skin felt like it was stinging. She gave her head a small nod of acknowledgement, and thanks. The man beckoned her to follow and Mari obliged. She did not want to stay here. They may just be NPCs - but the longer they stayed, the more likely it was a player would fall into the frey and that’s the last thing Mari wanted. She was silent as he lead her through various different

It was two. Then three. Then five. “Fucking seriously?” Mari muttered. The NPCs were ruthless. She had to pause and sidestep the swing of a guards sword. Smash Mari heard the crackle of glass - and the hiss of smoke. She didn’t stop to look behind her till she heard the cries. “Huh?” A wave of smoke billowed - and its noxious plume headed toward her. Mari took several steps back, shifting her gaze to the side - would it be possible to jump into one of the nearby houses? She was already coughing - her chest heaving as her lungs burned. Her eyes burned. "Breathe."

“I’m sorry to bother you. Do you know of a man that lives out this way? His name is Baldur.” Mari had taken another long sip - then when the voice of another broke the silence she unceremoniously started to cough, and gag. So much so that her eyes watered, and whatever remnants of tea she had in her mouth had dribbled out the side of it. Mari held up one hand in a sign of pause to the woman. The other beat her chest two, three times. “S-Sorry…” Mari breathed. “I-cough- hang on.” Another series of coughs before Mari finally drew breath. Looking upon the one who had approached Mar

It didn’t take Mari long to complete her task. Mostly - because her task was a near impossible one without the correct tools and equipment - so all she really could do was offer suggestions. Why did he even give her this? Why give her more work? Another test? The dossier had been wrapped in a manila folder; and contained the following information Pathogen; Airbourne, contact, bloodborne? Airbourne pathogens in this case-would be preferred for fastest release and spread. A. Pheromones. The biology of humans has adapted well beyond base pheromones and whilst the use of them in