Pepper

Pepper gritted her teeth, then watched in awe as Oske cut the player down to size. He was taking too much damage. The battle was over. "Give up!" Pepper exclaimed. "Oske is too strong for you. You're a weak killer. Just walk away, and you can live. You can survive this death game, then go back to the real world and see your family again... don't you want to live?"

Pepper's words hurt her heart. Even if she escaped this game and went home, she would only ever see her father again. 

"Ma!" Pepper gasped when Oske was damaged. She quickly covered her mouth. What's wrong with me? she thought. Calling this player... no, this guardian, her mother? Her mother was dead, and nothing would change that. But Pepper felt her fist clenching, and she knew that if Oske was going to become someone important for her, she would have to protect her. Pepper unsheathed her dagger.

Pepper was shocked. Oske was screaming, shouting, and crying at this point. It was evident that she was suffering from this quite a bit. The player stared at her, saying nothing at first. Pepper took a step forward. "I think he'll leave us alone no--NO!" The player charged at Pepper again for speaking up. Pepper ran and hid behind Oske, knowing that one hit could probably kill her quickly. 

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 29/41

Draconian: 4/17

When she heard a clang, Pepper peeked through the crack between her two arms that shielded her face. Oske was standing in front of her, defending her. Oske used her sword to push the sword away, then spoke again. But Pepper was too stunned to think. Tears began to well in her eyes again. She had been such a brat to Oske, and everyone... yet there Oske was, saving her little, worthless life.

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 29/41

Draconian: 5/17

Pepper swallowed her guilt. She had distracted Oske, and now she had a cut. "Don't look at me, Oske!" Pepper exclaimed. "Pay attention. And... don't kill him! When he's at 1 health or so, just walk away. He won't care at that point." The player's eyes shot to Pepper, and he gave Oske a kick in the side, running at the little girl. Pepper gasped, covering her face in fear. She wanted to be brave and strong like Oske, but it looked like she was at the end of her rope.

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 30/41

Draconian: 5/17

Pepper gritted her teeth, then shouted, "M--Oske isn't crazy! You're crazy!" She had rage and fury in her amber eyes. "I'll kick your butt if you say otherwise! She's the nicest lady in the world, and she wouldn't hurt a fly. She wants to save this world. It's because of people like you... that it stinks! Stop making her job so difficult... leave us alone!" She stomped her foot to prove her point.

Pepper's fear started to swell up again. Oske was... starting to confess strange things. Things that Pepper didn't understand or know about. She knew that whatever Oske was talking about explained why she felt pain that no one else felt. The two players were still dueling, however. Pepper's heart began to sink as the enemy player's health bar started falling into the red zone. Either way, she was furious at this point. How dare the player attack Oske? She gritted her teeth, trying to control herself. How dare the player initiate a fight with someone who just wanted to protect a little girl? She decided that when he was on low health, she would get Oske to stop. He needed a reason to not want to continue and let them walk away.

Review me, Mr. Keith?

Pepper swallowed and stared in confusion. She hated the sound of Oske's struggle in pain, but it was all very... odd. Why did Oske feel pain, but no one else did? Sure, players often times yelled in surprise and expected to feel pain when hit, but Oske clearly felt the pain. Then the player asked if Oske was crazy, and Oske didn't exactly answer the question. From what Pepper had seen on the television in the real world, crazy people had those swirly eyes and often times were scientists or just stupid. Oske... didn't seem to be either of those. So what did the player mean?

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 33/41

Draconian: 7/17

Pepper gasped and jumped back as the player charged at her and Oske jumped right in front. She had offered her heart to the stranger and tried to make them feel compassion, and all she received as thanks was almost a sword to the face. She narrowed her eyes, beginning to feel the anger that Oske might’ve been feeling. As Oske and the player started to fight again, Pepper said nothing to stop her, despite her gut feeling of "this is wrong."

The player continued to stare, and Pepper started to speak. She didn't really want to, but she honestly would to do anything right then to stop this fight. "I know what it's like. My mommy died. She was killed right there, back where you attacked me." Pepper pointed in that direction to prove her point. "But I don't want to kill everyone. I want to make sure everyone stays alive. Don't be a bully..." 

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 36/41

Draconian: 8/17

"No!" Pepper shouted as Oske almost had her throat slit. Pepper hugged herself tightly. She had gotten involved, and cause trouble for Oske. She should've kept her mouth shut... but she wanted to protect her. "Don't kill him! Just... just walk away! You don't need to..." Tears were bubbling up in her eyes, and images of her mother bursting into little blue shards kept appearing in her head. This had to stop.

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 36/41

Draconian: 8/17

Pepper wanted to stop Oske, but she was too afraid that interfering would get Oske or herself hurt. “Oske… please…†Pepper started to beg. She felt like her boldness and stubborn personality was melting away, and her throat felt dry. She wanted to stop Oske—to protect her. “Ma… don’t kill him…†she said, choking on her words.

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 37/41

Draconian: 8/17

“O-Oske…†Pepper began, nervously standing in the same position she had been for the entire battle. “He’s… he’s losing health. Leave him alone.†Her voice was scared, and she was clearly starting to fear Oske. Her friend, once a sweet and protective young lady, was turning dark and cruel. She was actually going to kill the player…

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 38/41

Draconian: 9/17

Pepper was pulled out of her dark thoughts for a moment to hear Oske’s. She noticed how her companion’s face had darkened and become incredibly somber. The way she spoke… it just about summed up what Pepper had seen. She remembered it so clearly. Her mother was chatting so calmly with her friend, and everyone else slowly left the area. Before she knew it, his axe was aimed and ready. Pepper knew betrayal better than anyone else, she thought... but did Oske know it better than her?

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 38/41

Draconian: 11/17

The sound of Oske shouting in pain startled Pepper. Her mind was flashing through memories, back in the real world now. Mommy was chopping tomatoes. She had been chopping vegetables for a strange bread recipe with sauces and vegetables mixed into the dough, along with a cheesy, tomato and spinach topping. Mommy had gotten cocky about, and was chopping rather quickly. “Mommy, can I help?†Myricae asked with excitement, only six years old at the time. Mommy looked down at her, still chopping.

“No, Myricae, this is dan—OUCH!†Mommy dropped the knife on the ground, gripping her hand in agony. Speckles of red dropped onto the tiled floor. Myricae ran to her side, fear in her eyes. Mommy was bleeding badly.

“Don’t…†Pepper breathed, feeling like she was suffocating. Her tough girl act was failing her. She had to stop this… anything… anyone… stop this…

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 38/41

Draconian: 13/17

Pepper's legs started to feel... twitchy. She held back a furious scream, and had to use all her might and will to stay grounded. She wanted to run in there and attack the player. Suddenly, flashes appeared in her eyes. She could see her mother, chatting with her comrade and party member. Pepper was far behind, because she had just received the news that floor one had been cleared. As she ran happily towards her mother, she had seen Mommy's head get sliced clean off my the blade. A scream was ready to escape her lips as a blade came close to Oske's throat.

Pepper: 9/9

Oske: 39/41

Draconian: 14/17

Pepper’s heart began to race. Her hands felt numb, and she felt like knots were tied in her leg muscles. She wanted to run right into battle, just to protect her companion. However, she knew that Oske could handle herself… right? Even though Oske clearly seemed to have a grip on herself, Pepper couldn’t help but feel concerned. She didn’t like seeing her with those red cut marks appearing on her skin with very hit.  

The player stared at Oske, still shaking. He backed away, holding his sword in his limp arm but tightly gripped hand. “You… you’re the kind of people that killed him,†he began, shaking like a small, cold, wet dog. “You act high and mighty and protect others just so you can kill them in the end. I’m going live to see the day where everyone dies, because I’m going to make sure I’m the last one alive!â€

Pepper quickly opened up her inventory and pressed the potion button. She glugged it down, tasting the slightly fruity but mostly medicine-like flavor of the healing potion. Her health bar bleeped, and it returned to a green state. She watched Oske and the stranger have a stand off, unsure of what to do next. Pepper’s heart was racing, and she suddenly began to realize that she was worried about Oske’s safety.

Pepper: 9/9 (+5 HP)

Oske: 40/41

Draconian: 15/17

Pepper was a little startled by how Oske had swooped into action. She watched as the woman she knew as a friend and possibly a guardian fight for her sake, against another player—that was something Oske had sworn she’d never do. Yet there she was, using her only defense (which was to attack) against a player. The player was green, but he looked like he was going to kill someone. When Oske asked what the hell was wrong with them, the player only anxiously stepped back and let out a shaky laugh. He then ran at Oske.

Pepper: 5/9

Oske: 40/41

Draconian: 15/17

Pepper let out a shout as she was sent stumbling back with a gash in her chest. The red line glowed for a moment, then remained as a "scar." Her health dropped into the yellow zone, and she winced. She looked up. Whatever had attacked her had been damaged as well, because a health bar appeared to lose one point of health. She looked down to see her dagger was drawn. She was attacked, and without hesitation, she fought back. 

Standing in front of her was a player. He wore a hooded half-circle cloak over a chestplate and gauntlets, holding a long silver sword with a green trim. He looked terrified. "What the heck!?" Pepper shouted. The player ran forward again, sword drawn.

Pepper: 5/9

Oske: 41/41

Draconian: 16/17

Name: Draconian

Level: 7

HP: 17

Weapon: Hawthorn Blade (+2 dmg, +1 acc)

Skills: Two-handed Sword (Level 2, +2 dmg)

Armor: Chestplate (+2 dmg mitigation)

Gauntlets (+1 dmg mitigation)

 

ROLL ID: 7960

BD: 7 (2 dmg - 3 dmg mitigation = 1 dmg)

MOB: 5+1 (4 dmg)

Pepper was on Floor Two. After a long walk with Oske, she finally made it… and it was spectacularly boring. It was mainly woodlands, but a few flat-topped mountains spiked up now and then. Pepper took a look around, then groaned and sighed. “So boooring! Oske, when are you going to make me armor? I’m wandering around naked!†She then hopped on a rock, balancing on it for a moment to announce, “Look, I’m queen of the world!â€

Her blonde hair was messy from the wind, and she brushed it down with her fingers. She barely noticed a figure standing in the bushes, eyeing them. Pepper turned to look at them, but they ran off. "Hey!" she shouted, running after them.

The sky was bright, yet rain still fell. Pepper ran through the streets, trying to cover herself with… well, she didn’t have anything to cover herself with. Miss Oske trusted Pepper to be alone, as long as she didn’t go off into unsafe territory. She barely noticed the young looking player, possibly a little younger than Miss Oske, watching from the shadows of a building. He then disappeared without a trace, running off somewhere.

“N-no!!†Pepper shouted as she slipped on the stone and landed right on her butt. She shouted in anger as her clothing became soaked from a puddle, and she started to thrash around angrily. “I hate this! Waaah!â€

"W-wah!" Pepper gasped. She whipped out her dagger, pointing it at the woman who had approached her. "Stranger danger!!"

Pepper stood there for a moment, holding her shaky dagger, then began to speak. "Don't you dare try to take my stuff... I... I don't have anything good, I swear! But it's something I need, okay? I need it!" She shook her head back and forth in a "no" motion. She then realized what the woman had said. "Help? Oh... do you know how to get the stuff? I don't know what any of these words mean..."

Pepper stopped once she was in the center of Starting City, alone without Miss Oske. She pulled up her menu and started to write down a memo to herself. She wanted to make this treat perfect for Miss Oske, just like Pepper's mother did for her. Pepper's heart ached a little at the thought of it.

Shopping List

Apples (0/3)