Oikawa

Bringing his arm to his head, he laced his fingers behind it and and let out a small chuckle. "Its fine Mari. My apologies for making it ...erm...weird..heh." He wasn't sure how he was suppose to act around her. In a way it was weird. On the one hand he did find her nice to be around, pleasant to talk to, and a beauty to behold; but on the other hand, she like him, was secluded. An isolated person that was still navigating their own feelings understanding of themselves. He completely understood. And given her history, from the bits and pieces she had told him, there was strong sense of distrust among the people that she once loved or was close to. He couldn't blame her for the wall she had built, and he would respect that notion until she was okay with letting it down around him, even if only a little.

"So, I never asked...where abouts is your house?"

The question snapped him from his thoughts, giving him a reason to safely change the subject, both mentally and physically. "Hmm. Well it honestly sits not too far from the caverns we were just at. If you recall, just up ahead lies the <Underground Waterfalls>. Behind those waterfalls, is where I reside. The place has a nigh non-existent spawn rate for monsters and with it so close to home its almost a place of relaxation for getting out of the house." Stretching his arms out, he brought a hand to his ear. Cupping it, he gestured to the left. "If you listen closely, you can already hear the sounds of the crashing falls."

Straightening up, Oikawa continued. "As for the home itself. It is..umm.. rather large..." he admitted rather embarrassingly. "It's the only relic from my days in Azure. While it was all of my money, it was under the guise that I wanted to have something bigger and better than everyone else. So I bought the biggest home you could in this game. The outside remniscent of a modern Victorian home I suppose." The four story estate loomed in the distance. The windows mostly lit up, despite a lot of the rooms being incomplete as he hadn't filled them out yet. However, the forge on the lower level glowed a warmer orange color through the stained glass. Pointing it out, he glanced to Mari. "That's where you'll find my cub more than likely."

@Mari

His line lowered. The four eggs he had just retrieved were quickly added to his inventory, as his attention returned to the group. Shield offered some insight and some hope towards what would be if they decided to pull through with the idea. His offering of col and materials to get them on track would be monumental in expediting some of the concerns Oikawa had already. "Between you and Baldur, the recruitment should hopefully come easy then. Just don't mention me preemptively. I think my status despite, my efforts before receiving the crystal, will still put people off from joining right away. I want them to meet me as a person and not as my past if that makes sense. And the guild hall, if it is still intact will be very beneficial yo us. If not I can open my manor up to house us all for the time being as a makeshift hall until things are in order."

Baldur then touched on the inevitable. His words echoed what Calrex and Oikawa had no doubt experienced when turning Spectrum from an idea into a guild. Needless to say, it didn't last for reason similar to what he mentioned. That being said, he was the first to offer being a core piece of the guild definitely. Oikawa nodded in his direction and echoed both his and Calrex's sentiments regarding the infrequent hiatuses as well as the commitment portion of establishing this idea.

"Aye, we will need to remain consistent to a point for this to work. All of us. Frankly with you two on board, if Shield is in, I am in." They had a more than loose idea of what needed to be done. The work would be just that, work. But the idea behind it and the people involved were enough for Oikawa to put that work in. He was no stranger to this kind of guild, he was however becoming re-acquainted with this kind of resolve. He needed it not only for them, but for himself.

"It's a start Zel...

...It's a start.."

His cheeks warmed. He wasn't often nervous about these kinds of things, so the feeling of his stomach leaving its place surprised him. Leaning against the faux wall, he uncrossed his arms and walked over to her. Squatting down, he offered her a hand and helped her up. But she instead pressed off the ground and dusted her hands. A playful yet tired tone took hold of her voice as she inquired about his familiar, King. The small cub no doubt napping near the furnace of the forge as they spoke. Gesturing to the direction he had just come from, he answered.

"The little guy is more than likely napping near the forge. His favorite spot being beneath my crafting table next tot he furnace." Taking up step beside her, Oikawa offered his arm. He wasn't sure why, but it felt normal if was to accompany her. "As for the tea, I only have green and sweetened." It was a little known fact that the brunette was a sucker for sweet tea. It wasn't something he had often in Tokyo, but back home, there was nearly always a pitcher at the ready in the fridge. "If you're all set, we can go. It's not too far from here."

@Mari

Baka. Stopping cold in his tracks, Oikawa palmed his face before turning around. What was he doing? Sure she was way more familiar with traveling between floors. Sure she was more than capable with dealing with most of the idiots that'd attempt to either hunt her or worse. But she was still alone. And he knew as well as the next person your thoughts were the most dangerous aspect of being by yourself. Stretching out his stride, Oikawa managed to make it back to their fishing spot in the matter of moments. Though he hadn't gotten very far to begin with.

As he approached, he spotted Mari. Arms outstretched, enjoying the glow of the cavern that cascaded down around her. Her cerulean eyes almost danced in the basking light. A sight to behold really. Glancing down, he cleared his throat. "Ahem. You know you don't have to sleep in a cave right?" The question wasn't quite rhetorical. The implication being that he had offered her his home for the night if need be. He wanted to repay her for her kindness at least.

"There's a cute snow leopard cub and tea awaiting. That's got to be better than trying to cozy up on the cavern floor no?"

@Mari

Oikawa's offer would still stand. After checking the contents of his chest, Shield had bid them adieu and was off in mere moments. The brunette internally echoed his sentiments however. He too wasn't sure how 'back' he was. He wanted to do more. Be more. But the task was more than just gaining levels and trying to give back to the community. It was his mindset, his emotions and the idea of knowing that what he did could never be undone. Is that something he could come 'back from' ? He wasn't sure. But he wanted to try.

His gaze then shifted the the ginger standing not too far from him. "Well Snowflower, if you are going to be on your way, I suppose I shall be too." With a small wave and a grin, he turned on his heels and began to make his way back to the manor. He wasn't too worried about her being able to make it home safe. She had a lot more experience in traversing these floors than he. However, he would be sure to message her later to ensure she made it home. He'd hate to have to hunt down yet another missing...

...friend.

It was a weird feeling. The thought had came to him so naturally, but felt different all the same. He did consider her a friend. But did she consider him one? He imagined it was trivial. They were good acquaintances at the least, and that was enough for him.

@Mari 

"Surely pirates are more than enough adventure for the day," reasoned the brunette as he skimmed over the details of the next quest on his list. "A snake out of water huh?" Oikawa wasn't the biggest fan of the slithering reptiles, but he could only imagine how much worse they were in SAO than in real life. His mind begins to have flashbacks of his journey with Azide through a forest housing one of his worst fears. "Spiders..." His body shuddered at the thought. Shaking his mind clear of that notion, the youth turned to King, his snow leopard cub of a familiar, and gave him the quizzical look of 'do we have to?' The cub merely growled and continued through the marsh-like area of Skull Island. "I see," he quietly commented following behind the cub. "Well once we reach the boats to take us out to its lair. We might as well get some egg fishing in. It'll help the time pass at least." A softer growl hummed from the cub in agreement. "Reaching the village shouldn't take too much longer," he thought.

@Cordelia

Oikawa's line remained still. He had half a mind to reel it and toss it back out, but he decided against as their conversation began to really pick up steam. His attention was divided between them as everyone said their piece. Baldur summing up the similarities between their suggestions, gave his thoughts on the overall full guild concept; all of which, the brunette agreed with. This alongside Shield's sentiments, Oikawa pondered a moment on what to say next as to not rehash what had been said; or at least, not as in depth. Glancing up, Calrex asked the begging question. "Where to start?" 

"Well for starters, are we willing to put in the work we've outlined here so far?" Gripping his rod, he adjusted on his ledge and let the bobber float a little further out than where it was previously. "Its good we have an idea of what we want. That said, there is a lot of groundwork to be done. The primary things being, establishing a guild name and hall, working out an agreement and understanding with ATP and the frontline community about our goals, ambitions, and future. This will also take an extreme amount of funds and materials to get off the ground, though I imagine with mister loot-man here, that shouldn't be too hard, " he explained gesturing to Shield. "Setting up dungeon, labyrinth, and training grounds or quests should be easy enough. We took a lower level players on a camping trip back in the days of Square One and it is safe to say they learn a lot about themselves and or group when you're 'forced' into those more stressful situations."

Focusing on the group more, Oikawa concluded his comments. "Lastly, our image. We have three ex-Azure Brigade members, a merchant disliked for wanting to secure his fortune (mind you many other professions do the same) and a player killer who took down the hardest hitting player Aincrad has ever had. We don't quite scream 'Come join us. Its fine.' We need to start reaching out now and letting players know who are and what we're about. Namely Shield and I. They need to understand that this guild we want is bigger than my crystal and his pockets."

THREAD REWARDS

SP: 6 (2 Pages + 3 Quest + 1 Quarantine Bonus)

MATERIALS: 18 Tier 2

OTHER ITEMS: 4

+1 Pirate's Treasure (Unique Consumable): A lucky coin that will give the user +2 Prosperity, for the duration of a thread. One time use!

+1 Unidentified Perfect Armor [140460a]

+2 Unidentified Rare Tier 3 Consumables [140460b] [140460c]

COL: 14,450 (3,150 Treasure Chest + 10,500 Quest + 800 2 Pages)

EGGS: 56

"I guess I shouldn't have," explained the sailor. Coming from the other end of the dock the uncle appeared. "You actually managed to get this nitwit's boat back. Well I'll be," exclaimed the older gentleman. Rummaging through his bag, the sailor drafted a menu for the brunette. "Congratulations Oikawa on completing my quest and ending my plight. Your work is greatly appreciated." Nodding, Oikawa accepted his thanks and the prompt before him. "I guess I'll be off then," murmured the brunette. "Try not to get your boat stolen again sailor," Oikawa stated as he began to head off back towards home. He had a little trek to get to floor twenty-one, but the idea of resting kept him going. He didn't realize it earlier but he was exhausted. "Maybe after a good night's rest, I can get some fishing done tomorrow. I need to get my egg count up anyhow I have gear to fix and an image to redeem."

As the boat began to reach the dock, Oikawa searched the waters for one last catch. "Come you stinking fish, I just need a few more eggs. Give them to me!" As if on cue, his line began to sporadically bounce about. Steeling himself against the railing, the brunette managed to plant his feet into the side of the ship and began trying to reel the catch in. The fish put up a valiant fight. tugging this way and that and nearly sending Oikawa overboard. However, the creature was suddenly removed from the ocean's grasp with a loud plop as it landed on the deck. Dissolving into polygons shortly after, eight eggs remained in its place. Collecting them, Oikawa quickly put away his rod as the ship was making contact with the dock. Anchoring itself, Oikawa and King departed the vessel and met with the sailor.

"You got er' back?"

"Did you expect anything less," retorted the brunette.

Looking down through the droplets lining his lids, Oikawa managed a small grin at the cub's attempt to cheer him up. The gesture was little, but the effect was profound. "I'm sorry King. I know feeling as of late are very different from the master you agreed to follow way back then. I'm not perfect but we both know that and the fact that you've stuck by me through it all is something I should never take for granted." King purred before directing his gaze to the bobber suddenly dipping beneath the waves. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he tightened his grip on the rod before yanking the string and fish from the ocean. Collecting the eggs from it, Oikawa tossed the scaled creature back into the lapping waves before sending his line after. "Ahh, we are approaching the dock King. Let's prepare to depart." Nodding, the cub scrambled to the edge to await docking.

"If that is the case, could that be why Kiru left too? Did I smother her too much? Did I drive her away?" His head was pounding. The self-deprecation was beginning to take hold again. His thoughts began to consume him. "I've never been good enough. Always doing too much and too little all the same. The people I care for most always suffer at my expense. And for what? What does one gain from a friendship with someone like me? What do I bring to the table aside from death and misery?" He was trembling,. His welling with tears again as he narrowly managed to keep from dropping his rod into the ocean. King eyed him worriedly. The cub had seen him like this before but the episodes were getting worse. The brunette was self destructive when left to his own thoughts and the cub barely managed to keep him sane as is. His resolve had grown, but the effects of being really began to tear at the frontliner. Nudging him, King nuzzled the youth's leg to try and remind him that he was here.

Throwing the thin but strengthened thread back into splashing waves, Oikawa looked out into the distance. The dock was beginning to float into view, but it was clear they still had quite a bit of time before they would dock. "I wonder where Kiru is. Or Kotori even... It's been so long since seeing either I barely remember their faces anymore." Brief flashes of the two women filled his mind. One was his first love. A loving caring girl who didn't want to be known as just the Faint's girlfriend but rather her own person who could hold her own. Despite her intentions and effort however, that ideal was swallowed up and Oikawa began to wonder if his own light had dimmed hers. "Did she leave because of me?"  The thought did not put him at ease. Not in the least bit. Reeling in his line he accounted for another eight eggs and two more materials.

Wind tussled the brown locks overhanging the brunette's amber eyes. The gentle breeze reminding him of the calm before the storm in a sense. He usually wasn't one to fall for the idea of premonitions but the feeling was usually unshakable when you had it. Sometime soon, something is going to happen that's gonna shake up whatever direction the frontlines are heading. He couldn't quite place his finger on it but he didn't like the shuddering feeling that came with thinking about it. Locating his bobber in the darkening waves, Oikawa tugged on the line to give the fish something to think about instead. King yawned out, boredom was not a pretty color on him and Oikawa wasn't sure what to do to entertain his loyal familiar. "Do you miss the old days King? The days of adventuring with Calrex, Ariel, Jomei and the like? The people that helped shaped me into what was once the 'Faint' ?" The cub only nodded. A conversation wasn't expected nor did Oikawa need it to understand the cub's feelings. "Me too", he agreed sheepishly before reeling in a rather disappointing two eggs and three materials.

Collecting the last of the eggs from his own catch, Oikawa placed his rod back in his inventory as well. Stretching out, Oikawa nodded as everyone seemed to be content with being done for the day. Mari had mentioned she wanted to check out the event store and Oikawa had half a mind to join her, but he had a few more eggs to collect before turning them in. Turning to Shield, who seemed to be enjoying his victory, spoke of doing one last sweep before heading out. Expecting nothing to turn up, Oikawa nudged Mari while Shield looked around. "Well since you were kind enough to invite me into your home, I am now extending the same to you."

"Perfect end to an outing!"

Oikawa glanced up in time to see Shield retrieving a chest from some hidden hole in the wall. "And how in the world did you manage to find that?" The question was rhetorical, but the brunette was surprised nonetheless. "Well see what's inside. It's gonna get dark and chilly soon."

@Shield @Mari

He wasn't as excited for the eggs anymore. But he still had a goal to reach. Wiping the newly formed tears from his eyes, focused on the task at hand and let his thoughts dissolve. King laid his head on the railing. The cub sighing at the brunette's wallowing. "Oh shut up," joked Oikawa. "You were only there in spirit, you can't be the one to uplift me." He was wrong of course. King was precisely the reason the brunette was even up attempting his redemption. Constantly nudging him and pushing him to get up and rejoin the light with the rest of the players. Sitting here feeling sorry for himself wouldn't bring Zelrius back. Not that anything could but preserving his memory and making peace with his mistake wasn't going to happen either if he continued to lay around in the darkness waiting for the game to be beaten. Steeling himself, he cast his line back out. The bobber almost immediately dipping under as it broke the surface. Reeling it back in quickly, he managed to haul in three more materials and a whopping eight more eggs.

Re-equipping his [Gate of Babylon: +3 LD], Oikawa sat back and waited for the fish to come. His mind filled with thoughts of what to do after this quest. Remembering the old watering hole behind the cavern wall back on floor twenty-one, Oikawa rubbed his chin at the thought of maybe getting some egg farming done there. "I mean it is on my home floor and should be relatively quiet. Not to many people frequent twenty-one these days anyway. I might also be able to figure what I can do next." The memory of Zelrius' last breath replaying over again in his head. The one aspect he wished he could change about himself. His one true regret forever haunting him. "Why? Why me? Why you Zelrius? Why did you have to a be such a d*ck? Why did I have to be the one to take her wretched potion? No one deserved what happened that day. No one."

[Equips Gate of Babylon: +3 LD]

"I'd imagine so," responded the brunette with a chuckle; ignoring their taunts at his expense. "Hmm I'm no stranger to soloing quests, but it is as you've said. The task can be daunting when done back to back. Especially given my current status and sub optimal build for questing." Twiddling his line between his fingers, he leaned back and sighed. "I think it's worth shot though. And you should get back into crafting Mari. Maybe see about moving your shop to your current floor. It's what I ended up doing with my forge. Having it on the lower floors was beneficial at first, but after the 'event', there was little business and I needed to seclude myself." He remembered buying what is now Seijuro Manor. The plot of land not to far from where they currently sat.

His line once again tugged at him. His attention was then captured, much like the fish, and fixated on the eggs he acquired. It was no contest at this point. Shield would clearly out farm them, but the challenge was fun, nonetheless. "I guess it's safe to say I concede on this little bet we have." 

@Mari @Shield

Oikawa took all their comments into consideration. He mulled over their concerns, some of them ones he had already thought about a few he hadn't. He was unsure about one thing however. "So from what you all are saying, the idea of a powerhouse guild is an issue because of drops. Now I've been away from the frontlines for a while, but even my last few raids before my hiatus involved drops given for reasons varying from last hit, to random things like most egg damage. The ways things were shaping up, I thought that trend would continue. And even if that isn't the case, last hit could be anyone. That's not something we can control being in a guild. We also have to consider before the last patch, Azure alone could nuke a boss in just their rotation which also fueled that hate and problem. Last I checked, we haven't killed a boss in a single party rotation in a long while."

Turning to them individually, he touched on each point they brought up individually. "Shield, I too lost fate in the frontlines. Leaving Azure was the first step. Then my hiatus followed suit. However, I do have faith in the people that continued from that point," he said gesturing to Baldur and Calrex. "As for our purpose I agree, aside from providing materials to ATP and furthering the floor count, we need something to set us apart from the shell the brigade left over us given three of us were once members. I don't want a repeat of the past."

His line shook, causing a break in his rant of sorts. Collecting the empty hook and recasting his line, he continued. "I wan't something to the tune of Square One. I want to take lower-leveled players and help them make their way to the frontlines. The sooner we're all spun up, the better and easier it will be to clear floors in my opinion. I don't care for the demonics as much as most despite my collection. those days are far behind me. I want to leave my mark in a way that will begin to absolve me of the crime I've committed since being in here."

Not taking his fate seriously, Burlock rose up to attack the brunette. Not having it, Oikawa swatted away his weakened attempt at an attack and twirled his spear behind his back. It then began to glow purple. The aura crackling to life before vanishing in an instant. The blade rested just past Burlock's back, piercing his torso from the front. Polygons confetti'd signifying that the captain had been vanquished and the ship began to glow signifying the end of the quest for the most part. King scampered to Oikawa as they approached the dock to board the massive vessel. Luckily for him the ship navigated itself once they meandered to the stern. Seeing nothing better to do than wait for them to get back to the sailor, Oikawa took out his rod and tossed the line over the side. "Might as well gather some more eggs off the ever so generous fish," he mused.

"We?" teased Oikawa in response to Baldur's assertion. "Given your comments, we've long strayed from the days of guild rivalries. The few that you all have rattled off all sound very foreign to me. Though hearing Jomei created a guild is reassuring. He and I at one point felt like two sides of the same coin." "Ahh, it has been a while since I've been apart of a successful guild to the likes of Azure or Square One. Not to say Spectrum lacked but with Teayre's disappearance and my recurring hiatuses, the guild fell apart. I suppose I am to blame for that.." A stiff sigh escaped. He couldn't be one to dwell on his previous mistakes. The constant reminder floating above him did that all on its own. Instead, resolve settled into his posture. Looking over the guys he held company, a small grin found its way to his face.

"So, what's stopping us from becoming this guild Baldur-san speaks so high of? I imagine it would hold no qualms among us, that is unless Shield has a differing opinion?" The question wasn't meant to be divisive but rather an observation given their past history. They didn't hate or dislike each other from what he recalled. A mutual respect and more than likely apprehension caused by the brunette's orange crystal. "Of course, there's no rush; but with Shield's material resources and merchant profession, Calrex's ridiculous level being a beacon of hope, and Baldur's charisma and ability to recruit nearly anyone, I don't see any reason for the guild to not succeed." He purposely left himself from the equation. He wasn't sure what he could offer them in terms of benefiting the guild.

"Col, perhaps?" he mused

Oikawa's lip twitched at Mari. "That's easy to say now. I was asleep earlier which is the only reason you are ahead now. Mmm," teased the brunette with his tongue slightly poking out. "Any who, to answer your question Shield, I think I would be focusing on a little bit of all the above. The way my build is now, I don't excel in team combat as a DPS nor do I function well as a tank or support. I'm heavily geared for one on one confrontation and player versus player combat."

His thoughts briefly filled with memories of his various duels with frontliners of the past. His record nearly unscathed in duels. Shaking his head, he focused on the eggs he was hauling up and Mari's offer on consumables. "Ahh I almost forgot you were an alchemist. It's been a while since our..uhh..event on the tenth floor where you used to reside."

Sighing, Oikawa tossed out his line again. "I guess I should for sure get more safeguards, and maybe tackle those two quests you mentioned. I just took on the pirates before heading over here and netted a nice sum of col in addition to some eggs and skill points."

@Mari @Shield

This time Burlock had made the first move. The captain lunging at the brunette with a quickness he hadn't seen from a quest boss in a long while. "Makes sense as to why we clashed at first. His moves are just as quick as my own. Which isn't good given this is only floor sixteen. I have a long ways to go before I'm viable on the frontlines again. That's for sure." His thoughts were brought to a sudden halt as the impact from Burlock's blow sent him careening back again. However, the punch it packed before was definitely missing. Wiping what should've been blood from his lip, Oikawa's spear sparked into the familiar crimson aura of [Dimension Stampede]. In an instant he was upon Burlock, his spear chunking away at his health yet again and this time leaving a parting gift both offensively and defensively as the fire and blood drop icons took effect. Stepping back, he pointed his blade at the Captain. "You will die slow. Either succumb to bleed or my flames, either way this ship is coming back with me."

With little hesitation, he did just as the captain asked. Launching forward, Oikawa propelled himself with unprecedented speed. The blur of white and red a mere flicker in the darkened backdrop. Closing the gap between them, Oikawa unleashed four charged up stabs right into Burlock's chest. Staggering the quartermaster gritted his teeth. "Is that all yer got adventurer? I'm disappointed." Grasping the brunette by his collar, Burlock bucked his head forward, crashing into Oikawa's before sending him tumbling with a ferocious front kick. Surprised more than anything, Oikawa picked himself up. "Its been a while since I've actually been struck by something that nearly took my HP out of the thousand range. I'd applaud you Burlock, but the praise would be for nothing since your death is imminent." Glancing to Burlock's vitals, Oikawa sighed. "Of course he can't be stunned or paralyzed. That would be too easy wouldn't it? Guess he'll have to die the old fashioned way."

"No problem Mari," the brunette stated reassuringly. Oikawa then nodded in agreement with Shield. They had much to accomplish before this benchmark was taken on. More so himself than the others. Or so he hoped. The once renowned frontliner was so out of the loop regarding the frontlines that he wasn't even sure what gear to bring. His once profound demonic gear was not only under-powered, but also favored a build he no longer used. 'The Faint' merely a shell of his former self in that sense. "As they say, we shouldn't count our eggs before they hatch. There's still plenty to be done in the coming weeks. Which frankly isn't a lot of time." Glancing down to his now trembling pole, Oikawa spun back the reel as he managed to yank the pleasantly plump fish from the lake. Depositing his eggs and materials, he tossed his line back out.

Glancing back over to Shield, he picked his brain once more. "If you have the knowledge, could you be so kind as to impart to me what I need to collect as far as consumables and what I should bring to this monumental raid?" He really wasn't even sure if the things he had back home would be of any use. It had been so long since his last boss raid. "Hopefully, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to restock up," he thought hopefully. "As far as being done, I practically live here and I enjoy y'alls company. So I suppose whenever you decide to leave I'll head on back myself."

@Mari @Shield