Aaphi

Kuromado hesitated to take a seat on the ground. he would rather stand but did so, despite himself. Mainly because Aaphi didn't hesitate at all to sit, and in comparison, kuro was afraid standing would further his hostile impression. He knew that if he was going to make peace with this woman, he had to cool his jets a little... or a lot.

"Well then" Aaphi started. Her question wasn't too demanding, but he still had to be careful about how he put his answer, Now that he was fairly sure of his safety, the stammer was gone and his usual light smile and heavy bedroom eyes were in full effect. "We were thinking that maybe we had been too quick to judge. Though its true, you have to be cautious, we still shouldn't make hasty rationalizations or harsh profiling. People should get a chance with one another." he explained. "If you'd like, you could join us for today and slay some monsters and maybe find some treasure. We can start fresh and make a day of it. Got anywhere else to be?"

Aaphi sighed with relief and broke his cool-guy machismo. "Oh, okay, good. I thought you were just one of those lunatics going around killing people willy nilly."

"Yeah," said Kuromado, bounding back from his 'near death experience' with her dagger. "And don't give us the  'judge me not for the color of my cursor' crap, cause we can't be too careful." He picked up the dagger and tossed it to the ground my her feet. "And stupid isn't drawing your weapon when a PK'er is around," he then punch Aaphi in the belly. "Its walking up to them and saying 'hello'!"

Aaph groaned and held his guts for a second before pulling Kuro to the side. "Hey, man, we know now that she's not going to kill us. Think about this for a minute." he offered "She could be on our side. Like how Timon and Pumba took Simba in on The Lion King."

Kuromado gave Aaphi a look of dissatisfaction. "Are you nuts?! She could kill us at any moment. You're seriously taking life lessons from a cartoo-" he stopped short, "Wait, just wait a minute. I've got an idea." he said, the epiphany bright in his eyes, "She could be on our side."

"i'm having deja vu..."

"Yeah, she's way stronger than us right now, and theres bound to be things out there that she could stop from killing us if we got in over our heads." Kuro went on "Alright, its settled. You ask her though, i think she has a thing for you. Must be your height, cause god knows you're ugly."

Aaphi wanted to protest that last bit, but kuro had already spun him around and started ushering him back to their new friend "Eh-hem, introduce us"

"Ah, um. well." Aaphi looked at the stranger with a brief loss for words. "Uh, My names Aaphi. And this is Kuromado."

Before and after cutting my hair two years ago. kept it short until mid-way last year. You can see why i'm growing it back out.

irl. rgq, wyltsmd? Aaaaw yeeeeah, acronyms 

Turning slowly, Aaphi faced the strange pink player and stammered a bit. The shock he was experiencing wasn't much unlike finding out you've been standing mere feet away from a panther. "A p-pink panther" he said,

Kuromado had caught up and drawn his sword. If he was going down, he wouldn't go down without a fight. "We're just fine, lady." he said grabbing Aaphi by the wrist and tugging at him. Though, the size difference and Aaphi's frozen stance proved it difficult to move him. "Come on, beans for brains, we have to get back to the village. quickly."

Aaphi snapped out of it and started thinking rationally. This person killed other players. She probably made a habit out of it. her level difference was already pretty staggering, if she wanted him dead, she'd have done it while his back was turned. He straightened up as if his spine had grown three inches. and looked her in the eye. She was there, but under a deep, thick layer of something cold. Like someone drowning below the icy sheet of a frozen lake. 

"Are you going to kill us?" he asked, fairly straight forward. 

With what felt like a new lease on life, Aaphi's stride had a bit of a bounce in it. The road they were on was surely a road to success, there was no doubt in his mind.

"Kuro, i'm hungry. am i going to starve to death?"

Okay, maybe there was a little bit of doubt. It hadn't been long since he was standing on that cliff edge in floor 1 and considering the notion of throwing himself off. This game and everything about it was incredibly new to him, and he was fairly lost in it's ways. 

"Don't worry, a PK'er will get you before you starve to death." Kuromado chuckled darkly, "After we find and kill a monster or two, we can head back to the vill-"

Kuro stopped for an extended period of time as his eyes fell upon the pink nightmare lazily sitting just outside the safety zone. "On second thought, Aaphi, turn around. we should probably go ea-"

"Hello!" Aaphi, having walked well past where Kuromado stopped in his tracks, was waving at Mari and walking closer still.

"BAKA! Come back you moron! Look out for that person, her icon is orange!"

Aaphi turned his back to the stranger and looked at Kuro. "What does that mean?" he inquired with the most ominous feeling that he was about to learn something.

They made their way back to the city. Nothing had realy changed. Those who hadn't slapped some sense into themselves were still panicking around town. People squawked about like birds in rattled cages while NPC's peddled wares. This was not the place to be, and they both felt that in one way or another.

"We have to get our items and leave." said kuromado "Every second we spend here is a rare item someone else is picking up; quests being taken and dungeons being cleared by- you guessed it- not us."

Aaphi sighed, "I never got how competitive these games are. isn't there enough quests and stuff for everybody?"

"No. thats exactly the point. The quests, the dungeons, many of the rarer items; You have to get to them first. Even the best spots for grinding are going to be taken and protected by guilds, and if we don't get stronger, we won't be able to do sh** about it.

"Ah, and chances for getting stronger and making our predicament more survivable go down." said Aaphi, grasping the concept more and more as the time passed.

They came to a stop once they got to the other side of town and looked to the road ahead leading to the next. 

"Where do we go from here?" asked Aaphi

Kuro looked on and pointed towards the setting sun. "Forward"

"I've been here for an hour." Aaphi whispered. "I... I just can't do it!" his voice shook. With rage? With fright? it was hard to tell "Its just a game. It's just a game, but why can't i do it? Am i some kind of coward?" 

"No." Kuro barked "No, It just means you're not stupid."

"And you came back."

"And what does that mean"

Aaphi laughed, "That you're not heartless."

Kuromado crossed his arms and grunted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I came to see if you got your head straight." he said, "and if you had i was gonna give you another shot at being my party member. Don't get it crossed! I'm doing this for you. I played this game for four or 5 months straight so i could show you a few things. Not to mention, you'll need someone around who speaks Japanese. The game may have let you select English for it's layout so you can read, but most of the people we'll be encountering will speak Japanese."

Aaphi laughed some more. "I guess i really am helpless." It was good to laugh after all the grave talk of death and being trapped. 

Kuro laughed as well. "I'll say."

"AARON!" Kuro shouted, "AARON!"

He ran down streets, he climbed up buildings, he asked around. Nobody he talked to had seen him. You could die one of three ways: Monsters, PKing, or environmental means. Of all the possibilities, monsters were most certain to kill, but a closer and quicker way to die is finding a high place to jump from. At a low level, a fall from the top of many of the buildings in the city could kill a player. I searched and searched the city and several rooftops before giving up. 

He was on top of one of the city's highest points when looked to the east and saw it. Running along the side of the city was a canyon. It wasn't grand, but deap enough to kill from a nasty fall. He was already mourning his friend, and almost past a point where any hope seemed like it would do nothing but disappoint him if he pursued it, but, despite that, he couldn't stop looking. He had to check every possibility.

Then he found him. Kuro had bee walking along a cliff egde that made an edge on the map just outside of the city. when he found Aaphi, he was standing by the edge. looking down the side. "Y- you're alive" Kuro stuttered, relieved to see hw wasn't too late.

Kuromado watched him leave. Even his virtual teeth hurt as they clenched in anger. Good riddance! who needs some pretty boy newb hanging around? Certainly not him; not Kuro. He was fierce at this game in the beta and rarely needed some companion decorating his adventures. 

"And who cares if he dies?" Kuro asked out loud as if expecting an answer. Aaphi was just some stupid gaijin he just met, too tall for the blood to reach his brain. A lead singer too. Everyone knows a lead singer that doesn't cause problems is like a woman who doesn't nag.,, or a lead singer who doesn't nag. "Its good he's gone."

He grumped around town, looking at shops and other things for a few minutes trying to get what happened earlier out of his head and concentrate on his needs.

"They say none of them have come back yet." said a voice from the crowd, catching Kuromado's attention. "A bunch of players took dives off of the edge and said they'd sign back in to tell us it was alright, but none of them came back." His brow furrowed and he walked on.

More talk echoed from side to side, but Kuro tried his best to ignore them. He needed to buy some potions and other essentials and be on his way out of town, towards places where goodies lie hidden and baddies stand unfaught. I knew this, but why hadn't he gone yet? What was he doing, stiil meandering?

"Oi," A merchant NPC called and flagged him down. " You look like a strong worrior! Could i interest you in a warrior's blade? or armor? Those are nice shoulder pauldrons you have. where did you get them?"

Kuro stopped to look at the man. He placed a hand on his shoulder, the sensation of that kill still heavy in his arm. The feeling of pride and joy he felt. The experience he shared with...

"My friend." he said. "My friend helped be get these."

The NPC was about to regurgitate another automated response, but it was too late. Kuromado was running.

"Stuck..." It rang in Aaphi's head once again, only this time, out loud. "Stuck.... wait, you know what i used to do if i got stuck in a video game? Like, glitched between a rock and a wall in a poorly designed map."

"I don't like where this is going."

"I'd die."

"I knew i didn't like where this was going." Kuromado grumbled

"Seriously." Aaphi stood his ground, " I'd just die and either restart the game or be placed back some time before i got stuck."

"But Kayaba said-"

"Fu** what Kayaba said!" Aaphi shouted, visibly annoyed. "This is all some big joke and not a very good one."

Aaphi and Kuromado stood facing each other for a few moments before kuro spoke up. "Fine. Go. But i'm staying on. I've got monsters to fight, dungeons to raid and loot to collect if i'm going to survive. But fu**ing go die if that's what you want. I won't have the patience to drag a newbie around anyway."

"Fine." Aaphi snapped. "We played a good show, had a few drinks and shared some laughs for a night. Thanks for letting me play with you for a bit, but i have a life to get back to." 

With that Aaphi was gone. He left the square in search for death. and in a game like this, it was sure to be around every corner.

"W-what?" Aaphi stammered in bewilderment. 

"Its bad, man." Kuro answered, finally. Though not currently screaming, he still looked very shaken.

"What's bad?"

"The game, dude, the games gone bad." Kuro tried to walk Aphi through everything he'd just heard. "Theres no log-out button or anything. I think.... i think this is real."

Aaphi stood silent for a moment. 'Stuck' he thought, 'Stuck in this game until its done.'... "That can't... that can't be." 

"It is." Kuro interjected, "It is and we have to accept it and move quickly."

Aaphi scoffed "It's a little far fetched in my opinion. I think these games have gotten to your head after all; you're starting to believe this stuff."

"Hey, fu** you, baka! Open your eyes and look at your menu." Kuro shouted. " There is no logout button, so how do you plan on quitting, eh? We're stuck."

"CH-....CH'KUSOOOOOOAH!" 
 
After cheking his menu screen, Kuromado flew into a rage. He was stomping his feet and shaking a fist angrily at the sky where the large figure had been, and screaming(most likely fairly nasty things) in Japanese. It was plain to see that he was fairly upset. Though Aaphi couldn't possibly know yet how easy it is to upset him, its seemed as though a number of people in the crowd were having the same inflated reaction. Unease slowly settled in Aaphi's stomach and dread slid a finger down his spine. Something about this scenario stank of reality. Whatever it was had gravity, and everyone was being pulled in.

"Kuromado?" was all Aaphi had the presence to utter as he grasped for answers in a situation that felt a tad over his head. "Whats wrong, what happened?"

Kuro turned from glaring at empty space in the sky and looked at Aaphi like it was the first time he'd seen him. At that point, Aaphi noticed something... his avatar's appearance had changed.

Kuromado looked just as he did in real life.

As if to answer the question, warning signs tiled across the sky, blanketing the city in a red glow. Before anyone could get out a "What now?", what appeared to be blood oozed from the cracks between the signs. 

"Okay, forget what i said about the pig, now thats fu**ed up." Aaphi said, watching and being reminded of a David Lynch film.

The blood collected in mid air and started congealing into the figure of a giant, floating hooded person who promptly began speaking. Though, Aaphi couldn't understand a word, because it was all Japanese, like much of this game. He had a feeling that was going to be a problem despite having Kuromado there to translate for him. 'Guess i'll be learning the language' he thought, keeping in mind why he was in japan in the first place. The Morning Howl, his band, wasn't taking off in America quite like they planned, but radio polls in Japan were too positive to pass up. Its weird leaving your home country, where you're a nobody, and coming to a different country with a different language and culture to find you've become famous overnight. It's like stepping into Oz or Bizarro World. 

The voice had gone on for a bit and sounded as though it were wrapping things up. A lot of people were looking agitated and upset. When Aaphi turned to Kuro he saw fear and anger in his eyes.

Its a hostile takeover. And seeing as how this in-come isn't in-character, i guess i'll have to come up with some front business to explain the sudden wealth or it won't make much sense for Aaphi having it. 

Has my life really seen a point where i'm laundering rpg money?

I can just see the abridged series. constantly hitting on guys and going "ew, gross, bewbs" every time girls coo over him or touch him.

this should be a thing. it would feel more honest.

I like the one you made with the 3 poses. I would want one like that + a sword image, all in the same picture. A little more detailed thought, you can leave the background transparent since I'll be using photoshop for detailed pics..I just need basic material to work with..my drawing skills are almost inexistent. I'm willing to offer you tailor made perfect items and some col.

 

PS: I've done my char with Heromachine 3(so her picks are pretty detailed), but can't get decent poses with just that. These are the poses I would like: 

Tell me how much will it cost, so that I can get a general idea.

Guarding stance:

http://charleyzito.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/turn.mp4.mp4

except that she doesn't keep her head a little bent forwards, she looks you in the eyes.

 

Thrusting stance:

well.. right handed not left handed. The mirror image of this one.

 

"En garde" stance:

rapier:

Description : A rapier, that is a little heavier than the basic one, with a black colored blade.[rapier hilt parts] A quillon that has a silver rose on the side and langets that appear to be vines(like in the pic before) in the same black color as the blade and with silver tips. The handle is made of a dark colored leather, the knuckle bow and the pommel the same color. The pommel ends like a katana, not with a bulb.(just like the end cap in this pic, without the grip). A blade made to inspire fear in it's users opponents.

 

The quality you're wanting with what you described will be 400 col

Hey everybody! thanks for the praise, Here's the update.
 

Finished

Kosan For 4000 Col

Working on

Daeron

Lessa

Ariel

Kiru

Thats it for now. i'll update when all or most of that list is done. 

"Oh hey, thats nifty. you got a new piece of equipment out of that?" Aaphi looked at Kuro's new shoulder pauldrons. "Nice. must feel good to be protected by something.

"Oh, its nothing. In my last game, i had all kinds of goodies," Kuro explained, " and i plan on getting them back." he clenched his fists and grinned. This place had better get ready-"

-POOF-

Kuro was cut off by a sudden flash of light. Before they both knew it, they weren't in the meadow anymore, they were back in the Town of Beginnings.

Aaphi pulled himself together and looked around. Everyone was scattering for answers, so apparently they weren't the only ones surprised to be here. They formed a large crowd in town square. Aaphi was having a hard time concentrating, because nearly everyone was jabbering in japanese and none of it he could understand.

"Whats the big idea?" Kuro wondered aloud. He was confused as to how they telleported without using any crystals.

In the short seconds Kuromado had to think, he observed his opponent. 

"Red berries.." he uttered under his breath.

In a flash, his attack was over. The gleam coming from the blade in his hand left an image hanging in the air as Kuro slashed through the Amboosh with a furious 4-hit combo. It burst into bits and dropped a little something in it's passing.

• Rolled a 10 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 1 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Amboosh #3>> for 2DMG +2

<<Amboosh #1>> HP:0/7 Drop  Light Shoulder Padding (+1 damage mitigation)

It hissed. It recoiled and hissed an angry hiss. Aaphi could put to bed any notion he had about what noises plants make, because apparently, they hiss.

"Any time, he's all yours!" Kuromado called to Aaphi, signalling his turn.

Aaphi shook off his surprise and sprung to action. He he drew back the spear and rammed it in, hearing a squishy thud from the inside.

The Amboosh screeched, adding new sound to Aaphi's growing list. It began lashing out, but not hitting anything.

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP:4/5 Hits <<Amboosh #1>> for 2DMG

<<Amboosh #1>> HP 2/6 Misses <<Aaphi>>

Everything seemed fine up until that moment. But a rustling from behind broke the silence that followed. Rustling, out of the red berry bush. They turned to see what it was.

It was the bush itself! The leaves and branches curved and shifted to reveal a hidden monster trap. 

"What the heck?" Aaphi jumped back from it and into poking range. "Where did that come from?!"

"I don't kn-" Kuro drew his blade but was too slow. It was by luck, the swipes of that thorny bush claw caught nothing but air and none of Kuromado. He took the opening it left and hacked away at it's side.

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Amboosh #1>> HP:6/6 Misses <<Kuromado>>

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Amboosh #1>> for 2DMG

Aaphi braced himself to lunge. He gripped his spear and held fast for a second, then he saw it. Gleaming at the end of his spear, the blade, ready to be driven into something and fulfill it's purpose. He'd have stopped to comment on the phallic imagery of it, but there was a job to be done.

"HEEEYAH!" he roared, piercing the boar like it was a tongue in a tattoo parlor. 

"Woohoo! Congratulations, you're a pig murdering psychopath like me. Now that we've killed a thing, we can go back to town and buy some stuff. We need more than bread and water. We need potions."

• Rolled a 9 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP: 4/5 Hits <<Boar #1>> for 2DMG

<<Boar #1>> HP: 0/3 - Drops nothing

A thump signaled the boar's discontent as it stomp and gave a pissed off snort. Kuro watched as the boar's full attention fell on Aaphi like a ton of bricks.

"Its gonna retaliate! watch out!" Kuro called to Aaphi as he darted to intervene. He unsheathed his sword, but was too late.

"AAAH!" Aaphi cried out as a tusk sank into his side.

Kuromado lashed inward cutting the boar from tail to snout across the side. "HUUUUEH!"

"Thanks, man. How do you attack, again?"

"You have to charge it first, when your blade glows, let it rip. Have another go." Kuro explained. 

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Boar #1>> HP: 3/3 Hits <<Aaphi>> for 1DMG

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Boar #1>> for 2DMG

It migrated to a bush with red berries instead of the blue ones that the others were eating. Kuromado Gave a nod and Aaphi followed as they approached the boar. They made their way quietly enough, 

While the boar remained distracted with his berries, Aaphi took his chance to strike. Despite having the element of surprise, however, Aaphi failed to charge his attack and puttered out of control, lancing the ground with his spear.  he pulled it out and shook it off, but as he looked back at the boar, he found it staring right back.

It was now very alert to the situation.

• Rolled a 3 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 1 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 20 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP: 5/5 misses <<Boar #1>>

<<Boar #1>> HP: 3/3 notices <<Aaphi>>