Mari

<<POST ACTION: TRAVEL BACK: ID: 244628 LD:19 EVENT SUPPORT ACTION: Spilling Tar on the road to form an obstacle - making the territory difficult for the Spectral Knights to pass. The roaring sky above screamed at them, as though it wished to unleash a vengeance for their transgressions onto the very lands. Mari hoped it would hold, at least long enough for them to get back to the remnants of the tavern. “H-Hey What the fuck do-” Mari wasn’t able to finish her sentence, Freyd had shoved the casket of wine into her lap and Mari struggled to hold onto it, along with the

A solitary figure stood in front of the monument of life, hand outstretched, delicate fingers running over the names of the fallen. Every time Mari came here… she came face to face with her past, again, and again - the several names etched onto the monument forever a testament to her failings. She failed to protect them. She failed to find any sort of peaceful resolution, and in turn had burned down so many lives. Just like that burning fire; an orange crystal silently floated above her. Tinged with the colours of her sins. Alerting other players. This person is not

Freyd had a much more visceral reaction to the strange fish creature - physically gagging at the stench. Mari guessed she was more used to such smells, it was bad but not throwing up on the deck kind of bad. “And can we send him back?” Good question… Since it didn’t seem overly aggressive - Mari carefully flipped her spear around, ensuring she didn’t accidentally poke Freyd in the eye. Then she gave the fish creature two pokes. “Oi. Move.” The blunt end of the spear dipped into his flesh with a sickening SCHLORK and Mari visibly shivered at the feeling of smushy resistance tha

Mari shook her head, "Not just a guess." She chided. "Again, I was in prison." Mari reached out, pointing from one side of the onsen to the other - "I think my cell was probably a little smaller than this area? I think if I were to walk from end to end - it'd take me 5 steps. Not a lot of space. But not like, a lil' closet either." She wasn't sure if her casually talking about her incarceration would be a mood killer or not - so in an attempt to keep the atmosphere lighthearted she kept her voice airy. Mari reached out and placed a single hand on Macradon's head, ruffling his hair. "You're gon

ACTION: unloading the Cargo --placeholder/rolling - ID: 244442 LD:3 Feeling unease, Mari pulled out her spear - usually a two handed weapon she held it in one - using it as a makeshift walking cane. The blade pointed high in the air. Her brow furrowed. It… felt weird to be holding a weapon again. Hell, it even felt weird to just be walking around. Could she even fight? Would she be useful? Mari shook her head. No, don’t let those thoughts get the upper hand. She watched as Freyd questioned her. “Mmm?” It was clear he was working through things. Of course he would figure it out. “As

Mari opened her eyes; and right before her - atop a tall rock formation stood Macradon. She couldn’t help but snort - it was so typical of him. Has he noticed her yet? Mari wasn’t sure, she watched him flex - then flap his arms as though he was a bird. She couldn’t help it, a small snort came from her - followed by a laugh. “He…He can’t be serious…” she muttered to herself. But she already knew that he was. She was waiting for it - waiting for him to jump. Waiting for the splash - but their eyes met - and he hesitated. Instead - Macradon sat down, taking a breather. Why didn’t he jump? Mari ga

Don’t lose your way in your mind We have to be as one Don’t be afraid my sweetheart This is the way to be more strong Mari had yet to properly talk to either Macradon or Baldur - her return had been a whirlwind of emotion and as such…she wasn’t fully able to take a moment to breathe, and to explain everything to them…fully. Mari wanted to get the chance to talk to each of them. Individually, or together. It didn’t matter to her, what did matter..was that they were owed answers. Two years…was a very long time. To be gone from friends, from those who needed her - from what l

As Mari righted herself, airing out the cloak that simply stuck straight back to her skin with a wet schlick she caught what he had said, a small joke. “Barely, passably human?” Mart laughed, a small snort of a laugh. “No, that was you before - now you’re at least…mostly, probably, human.” The two knew each other well enough to know that neither of them really had the capability of function as a full adult. Maybe - if they rubbed their brains together, they would have had half that function back then. He commented about how close the cart had gotten to the ship…not the other way ar

Mari stilled when he mentioned Alkor. Asking more about that fight. That horribly messy fight - where people died and no one should have. “That’s…” Mari kept her gaze out the window as the carriage moved painstakingly slow - driving by an invisible force. “I was there.” She said quietly. There was too much history. Too much pain. Even now, Mari would rather not live it. “I saw it. But -I don't know who told you but- it is not my story to tell.” And it wasn’t. Alkor was a very closed off person, she wasn’t sure if that had changed in the years she had been away. Her tone was quiet, and Mari ver

Mari listened quietly as Freyd talked about the last raid boss; driven mad - oozing. It sounded…similar to other things he had looked into, but for the time being. Mari kept silent, it was best to listen right now - she was oh so very out of the loop. The man before her is a clear tribute to that fact. Just what changed to make him irrevocably more…humane Her mind began to work through the information, cogs and neurons long since dormant started to move, and spark once more. “You know…” She began, “This sounds awfully similar to the things you were looking into earlier.” Mari said pensive

Mari visibly calmed down after the strange shadow had left. Montjoy an add name - but she couldn’t question it, she literally named her koi fish familiar, Kohaku - literally koi. Her shoulders fell and a long, low breath escaped her lips - blowing steam into the cold room. Her stance shifted, moving even weight to one foot as she picked up the piece of paper beneath the lantern Freyd had mentioned. Mari made no movement, no flinches, as she heard, then felt him approach. Standing opposite of the bar. She wasn’t mad at Freyd. She wasn’t upset with him. He had hurt her - but that was the p

The stranger, a bearded man with an almost jovial smile responded - "Pretty much always, except when you might actually want it to." Something was off about this man. Mari couldn’t quite pick it. There was a familiarity with the way his gaze fell upon her, he seemed relaxed. Which was fine, but it was almost too relaxed. He held himself in a manner of someone speaking to an old friend. Maybe…that’s just how he was, Baldur was always similar in that way. "You could have just stayed outside and kept your mouth open for that." The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch.

Mari sniffed, trying to wipe tears from her stinging eyes - but all that did was wipe more grime into them, which resulted in more tears. She didn’t want to cry in this moment, because she wasn’t sad. She was relieved. It was like she wasn’t truly alive those past few years - and that being here..amidst the golden hues of falling leaves and flickering lanterns the soft chill of a breeze… “I’m Alive…” She muttered. And in the next breath, she was almost knocked back to the floor. She lost her footing and had to grip onto gauntlet clad shoulders to stop them both from falling flat. “M

Somehow, despite being lost, and completely soaked by the onslaught of rain - Mari had found herself in what she thought was…the remnants of a village. Or maybe, an outpost? A port? It was impossible to tell. “Eargh..” She lifted a foot up as she felt something distinctly slimy move over it. "You're alive?!" A voice called out, to her right. Mari blinked and turned to see the source of the sound. Under the rumbling ruins of a building - almost safe from the torrential storm - stood a tall man. There was a slight hesitation as she stared at the unfamiliar face. Her eyes glanced up to

“Well…” Mari said to herself as she entered the 29th floor - She had yet to explore the others - walking past them on the ever spiralling staircase upward. When Mari was told in passing by Macradon that one could get drunk now - by completing a quest - she went straight for it. After showering of course. But…he had failed to warn her just how off the floor was. He only mentioned there were no safe zones - but for Mari - marked as a Player Killer - that was a non issue. A mist hung heavy and thick - smelling of rot and ruin. Of a long forgotten swamp that was best left unbidden. Smal

Mari accepted the damp rag in one hand, and the crystal in the other. “Do…I really look that bad?” She asked. And…of course she had. She had been cooped up for so long that time had lost all meaning. She sighed as she roughly wiped it over her face, mildly surprised that it had been warm. Raidou was oddly…thoughtful. She guessed he had been preparing for this moment for a very, very, long time. She grimaced when she looked down at the grime, a simple wipe of her face wouldn’t be enough. She’d need to actually shower. "AND NO CLIFFS. that I will tell you what to do." “Depends..." Mar

“Just messing with me?” Came Mari’s incredulous reply, she placed her free hand on her hip, raising her eyebrows at him. Her tone was almost accusatory, as if to say ‘I know you weren’t, dumbass but instead of saying that - she simply took a step back, shrugging her shoulders. “Of course you were.” She made sure her tone was as deadpan as possible, speaking with a robotic cadence. “You. Were. Just. Messing. With. Me.” This…felt nice. The casual banter between them. The more Mari spoke to him, the more she realzied she just…missed this. Missed everything. She missed moving about, talking.

It took one minute, then two, then three till Raidou finally moved again. He clambered back, almost comically so out of his seat - as though whatever paused in his mind had started moving again. Mari watched with a quizzical look as he glanced over his shoulder at a glowstone. Did he ... .there was no way he thought she meant that did he? Mari very specifically told him she wanted to feel the sun on her skin. Not the dim cold light of some magicked stone. Surely he… Nope. Mari watched as he tripped, grabbed the stone then shoved it unceremoniously through the bars in her direct

Click Click Click Click The monotonous steps echoed in a soft rhythm, closer and closer they descended. Mari drew in a long breath and held it. Somehow, those simple monotonous sounds…gave her a sense of relief. She wasn’t forgotten. He wasn’t dead. Time moved forward. Mari didn’t have to lift her head to know who it was. Raidou. Perhaps the only person in the entirety of Aincrad that knew where she was. That is. If he kept his word. And if those she had once sought, so long ago, were still lost. She exhaled as the final, gentle

How many days… How many weeks…months… Years…. – – – – Mari had tried, she had tried so hard. Irrevocably, really, truly, wanted nothing more than to help each and every player still trapped within the confines of Aincrad to wake up. She pushed through the pain, the glares, the spiteful comments - because they were all justified. The fear and hatred from others that had been relentlessly aimed at her... It was all warranted. Mari could explain, and justify her actions till she was blue in the face - but it didn’t make up for it. Nothing she did had. Rather, those