Jevi

Jevi stared at the massive crab, what was left of it anyway. Taking far too much time, weighing the pros and cons of attempting to eat shellfish. If the NerveGear somehow managed to add her allergy into the game, she could probably just take a potion or antidote to get rid of the effect before feeling any of the symptoms. It was a huge 'if' though, so she felt it was safe to assume she would be fine. 

"What part do I even-" 

How does one eat crab?

It took her a bit of time - and some advice from a passerby that saw her struggling - but finally, Jevi managed to fill her plate with a sizeable amount of crab, some shrimp too. (Might as well check off all the boxes while she could). She found a nice lounge chair with small table beside it that offered the perfect view of the ocean. Setting her plate down and kicking her feet up, she took one of the pieces of shrimp between her fingers before popping it into her mouth. So far so good, so very very good. Another two shrimp down before she even considered the crab

Soft texture, buttery flavor.. she hated that her allergies kept her from such a delicacy. Compliments to the chef.. among others she'd keep to herself. A soft smirk played at her lips as her eyes trailed over to the man, peeking over the rims of her rose glasses. 

Maybe she should take trips to the beach more often. 

Thread Complete

Word Count: 7520

Jevi T.4 | 6016 EXP 
Adelyte T.1 | 1504 EXP 
Kyra T.1 | 1504 EXP 
Hackman T.1 | 1504 EXP 

& 1 mon to all participants.

"How're we doing back there?"

The smaller creature clung to Jevi, slimy tentacles slowly snaked around her arm and neck while fang-like protrusions dug into her shoulder. Another of the wolves scampered towards her legs, launching itself at her ankles to try and trip her up. "Oh you know" Jevi shouted up to the front of the group as she reached across her body, ripping the monster free from her shoulder and slamming it into the creature hot on her heels. "Doing great! Thought I'd set down a blanket, maybe have a picnic. You guys in?" She barely had the time to duck under a writing appendage, like a giant serpent, whipped over her head and smashed into a nearby tree. 

That was far from the truth, but sarcasm meant she was alive. 

Jevi looked to the hand at the end of her once shattered arm, opening and closing her fingers into a fist. Bending at the elbow, rolling the shoulder.. it all felt fully healed once more. If not for Kyra's potion that sped up her recovery, she would probably need to rest on it for a night - if not just a few hours. "Now we're talkin'" Jevi said to herself as the corner of her lips pulled into a smirk. No more handicap meant she could cut loose and really deal some damage. 

Planting her foot into the mud, she would quickly turn around to face whatever creature was breathing down her neck.  With that powerful pivot gathering momentum for her strike, her right fist erupted in blue, flame-like energy as she charged up a sword art. A crack like thunder boomed as her fist collided with her pursuer, knuckles nearly rupturing through the carapace on its back before it was sent rocketing back into the horde it ran ahead of. The larger beast crashed into multiple forms, definitely causing a ripple in the seemingly endless wave of enemies that chased them.. but it wasn't enough to stop them in their tracks. Just enough to allow them a couple of seconds to gain some extra distance. 

Hackman pointed out a long bridge that crossed over a ravine. He suggested cutting the rope once they were across, perhaps it would put an end to this chase and give them a moment to breathe. "I don't see many other options!" Jevi called up. Altering their course slightly, they set their sights on the bridge. The living wall of darkness drew ever closer with gangly arms and appendages reaching out for them, the haunting sounds of snarling and whispers drowning out any other sounds. 

Even though it was the only sound idea of how to break free from this pursuit, it was becoming worse of a suggestion the further they approached. The bridge was old, the weathered planks appeared slick and waterlogged from the constant battering of rain. The passageway across the deep ravine creaked and groaned as it battled against the lingering storm, and for a moment Jevi considered having the group circle around again in hopes of finding some extra help. No, this was the only option. There was no turning back. 

Just the first step onto the wood and she thought it was going to buckle under her weight. "One of you may have to do the honors!" Jevi shouted to both Kyra and Hackman, who each had a blade at the ready. "Not sure if blunt force is gonna split any ro-" SNAP

Beneath her foot, the wood had splintered, and she was no longer traveling across the bridge. She was falling down. Down into the dark ravine below. If she somehow managed to survive the fall, whatever demons lurked down there would make quick work of her... So she preferred not to meet them. Scrambling for whatever she could grab, Jevi reached out for the next plank, but the sudden pressure caused it to meet the same fate as the first. 

Was this the end of her story? 

[662]

Cook a boss? Don't monsters disappear after they're defeated, how could Oscar even-

The pot shattered, in the way she would have expected, and a massive crab dropped atop the rest of the boil.

"Holy shit that's a big crab" Jevi nearly choked on her drink as the crustacean hit the earth. It looked like a typical crab, boiled the same way a crab would, the shell an inviting, bright red housing soft meat inside ready to be slathered in butter.

Too bad she was allergic.

In the real world she was at least, so it probably didn't carry over to the digital world.. right? What was the worst that could happen? She was asking herself a lot of questions today rather than just living life. So she was just going to take that chance and live. 

Before she could go dig in, a familiar face stepped up to her, an unexpected excitement in his voice to see her. Jevi returned the small smile, placing her drink down on a nearby table as she took a few steps to close the distance between herself and Oscar. "It's good to se-EEK" before she realized it, she was hoisted into the air, his arms wrapped around her waist. 

Did she just squeal? Did that really just come out of her? 

She didn't know whether she was going to blush or punch him, but as her feet finally found the sand again, she avoided both. "Can't complain. It really has been a long time. After the last time I tried your food, I knew I couldn't miss this." Jevi fought ever urge to look down at his chest, open shirt with pecs on display for all to see. "So I appreciate the invite." she added, "But let me not keep you. Looks like you've got a ton of greeting to do. Make sure to take some time for yourself to eat, got it? I'll be around when you want to chat." 

She watched as he walked past her, fluttering off like the social butterfly he was. Once he was out of earshot, she exhaled a heavy breath through parted lips.

Food, that was what she needed. Yes, of course. Food. Nothing else. Reaching down to grab her drink so she could quench her thirst, she would find herself swiping at air. The drink was gone.. Oscar hadn't taken it. It didn't spill into the sand. "What the hell, who took my.." she asked herself, looking around for a moment before surrendering the search. 

"Guess I'll just.. grab another one." 

Oscar, huh? Now that was a name she hadn't heard in a long, long time. A blind date, set up by some randomly generated dating game that popped up around Valentine's Day. It seemed like a good idea at the time, an attempt to pull her from that rut she had dug herself into.. obsessing over the first guy who had treated her right.

Funny how that worked, how he went from obsessing over her to-

But that was the past. That was Alex, the sad, lonely girl who was looking for an escape from the real world. Jevi had put her past persona to rest long ago. 

And the old her wouldn't be caught dead walking the beach wearing a bikini with confidence.. or at least a good poker face that made her seem more confident.

The giant, simmering pot with looming airship had already drawn quite a crowd. The thing looked like it belonged on Floor 26, when did they start showing up on other floors. She felt herself staring at the underside of the ship for too long as she approached the gathering, finally dropping her gaze before she would need to break her back to keep her eyes on it. 

Out of everyone at the feast she knew a total of.. zero people. Even the man himself, Oscar, was nowhere the be seen. Did he just set this thing up and not stick around to party? She looked from player to player, hoping she would at the very least recognize someone that she had met in passing.. during an event, bumped shoulders at a bar, anything. Lowering her rose tinted glasses to the tip of her nose, she would squint her eyes to get a better look. Morningstar, she picked out from the crowd, but he seemed busy with a group already. Aside from a few conversations and a tennis match at his own beach house - she was sensing a theme - she didn't have much to connect with him about. 

Her pace slowed as she clocked the two orange indicators above the heads of a couple sitting beneath a large umbrella. That was definitely something she didn't see often, and she's preferred to keep it that way. However, the casual demeanor of the two (at least one of them seemed relaxed) and nonchalant air about anyone near them eased her tensions. She didn't know Oscar well.. but from the last they had spoken, he didn't seem like the type to invite anyone to a party who would be an issue.. at least the fatal type of an issue. 

Set up like a large, walk in freezer, Jevi stepped into the wagon turned ice box to grab a beverage. A glass bottle with a light amber liquid, somehow with a handful of ice cubes already floating within. Some alchemist tricks no doubt. A sweet tea brew blended with peaches paired with gin. It was the first thing that caught her eye and it sounded tasty enough that she wouldn't regret cracking it open. 

Suppose she could just sit, enjoy her drink, soak up some sun, and enjoy the savory smells of the cooking foods while she waited for someone familiar to show up. Or for someone unfamiliar to approach her.

<<Assist System Engaged: Assisting Warren>>
Level: 22
Paragon: 0
Tier: 3
True Tier: 4

Final EXP reward: +90% Final EXP reward

John Hackman, he introduced himself. Interesting choice for a username, especially if it was his real world name.. but who was she to judge. As he took a moment to introduce himself formally, and greet each of their squad with a handshake, Jevi took a moment to look down at John's outstretched hand. With an expression on her face that plainly said Really? she would take hand awkwardly in her left, the right hand still hanging nearly lifeless at her side. 

"Might not be the worst idea." Jevi chimed in, shifting her attention to the clearly shaken Adelyte. "Obviously you're pretty decent with that hammer." 

As the blue haired woman began to untie the weapon from her back, she would look to Kyra. "You sure you're good with carrying it? Seems like the light its giving off is drawing some unwanted attention.. and if you aren't confident with combat then-" 

Jevi's ears perked up, over the pattering rain and distant battles, she could have sworn she heard incomprehensible whispers. They would increase in volume, until they were a constant droning in her ears. She spun around, trying to locate the source of the sound, but it was not just one source - it was all around them. Shadows stirred between the trees, thin and flickering at the edges. Nearly impossible to track if not for piercing yellow orbs for eyes beaming like headlights from each entity. At first, it was just one. Then two. Then dozens. A swarm of writhing darkness, crawling from the underbrush and bleeding down tree trunks. 

"Team. Right. Lets get moving!" Jevi shouted at the group as the fell into step, following the path Hackman noted on his map. As the shades hit the ground and began chase, they gained form. A mix of animalistic and humanoid, twitching with each movement as if bones were still popping into place as they raced towards the group. The deeper into the woods, the thicker they came, a rising tide of living nightfall. Tumbling over each other, like a living wave made of the void itself.

Running wasn't a choice. It was instinct. Survival. And the shadows were gaining. 

Vaulting over a fallen log, Jevi would make use of a sword art to kick the fallen tree behind them in an attempt to slow their pursuers. But with how many had gathered, she was unsure if it had done any good or if they simply demolished the lumber in their path. Quadrupedal creatures broke from the swarm, like wolves on the hunt, and surrounded Jevi who had taken up the rear of the retreating party. "Don't slow down! Keep going!"  

They struck fast, like lightning, slipping between the trees. When the first of the wolf-like creatures lunged, she sidestepped out of the way, using its weight against it and guiding it into the ground with a swift pivot. Another came from the opposite side, and Jevi performed a spinning kick that was just enough to send it stumbling. Every one of her motions was sharp and focused. She moved around the wolves, not through them, dodging more thant striking, and using their momentum and her own speed to keep ahead. The thick wood was a blur of trees and movement, the sounds of pursuit growing closer. Louder.

She wasn't trying to win, she knew she could not handle this entire group on her own, she just needed to survive.. Or, at least, buy the others seconds to deliver the sword to its rightful place. 

[584]

A hefty sigh escaped her, carrying with it relief at the blue haired woman's safety. "Good. Keep an eye out next time. Its a goddamn shit show out there, and you don't want to be catching any strays. And I'm Jevi." she attempted to move her arm, whether to wave or add a gesture to her introduction. It did not matter, because her arm from the elbow down did not move. It looked more like a fish on the end of a hook, weakly flailing. The concerned newcomer, who introduced herself as Kyra wasn't entirely sure where the sword needed to be delivered either. Had only certain players received the quest? "Pretty sure we have to bring it.." Jevi began, raising her arm - her good one, this time- to point upwards, trying to find the towering labyrinth amongst the dark, stormy skyline. 

"That way."

Glad someone knew exactly where they needed to go. Even if it was a stranger who popped up out of nowhere. 

"Would it heal it up instantly? Can't say I've ever had my arm shattered before." she chuckled, shaking her head, "Wouldn't recommend it." Accepting the potion from Kyra, she would eye the contents with a swirl of the bottle. Worst case, it pops her health back up to max.. so there was really no harm in drinking it. "Thanks." she would remark with a quick smile before downing the contents. A warmth washed over her body, soothing any cuts and bruises that littered her body. She felt a now persistent thrum in her arm, but it seemed the bones itself would take time to recover. "Welp, props to the devs for keeping a small sense of realism, I guess. It'll be fine. Thank you." she politely nodded to Kyra as she thanked her again.

"So why didn't you bother fighting back, doesn't that sword have any special powers?" Jevi asked Adelyte as they quickly moved towards the forest.

"I don't think I can use a sword~ I use a hammer." 

"...So then why didn't you have your hammer out to defend yourself?"

"Because I had to carry the sword, duh!"

It was solid reasoning, but why did it make her blood boil. "..Fair.." Jevi barked.

"By the way" Jevi turned her gaze towards the dark haired dagger user, who guided the way towards the sword's destination. "Don't think we ever got your name." 

[398]

//Thread #1
//Thread #2
//The Final Stand

Various materials used to build up the barrier had fallen. Furniture, doors, parts of brick walls where the mortar had held strong all crashed to the ground as the overwhelming force of monsters broke through. The valiant players who put their lives on the line to keep these abominations back from flooding the beach where the Frontliners did battle had to regroup. They struggled to gain footing over their enemy, but fought with every once of strength they had. Each and every one of them had a job to do, and each of them had hope that they would see the end of this madness with a new floor to explore. 

She was starting to lose hope that she would even see tomorrow.

Shouts for assistance fell upon deaf ears, as battle raged on around her. Snarls and unearthly squelching sounds, players rallying their teammates and steel crashed into their foes. No one could hear Jevi calling for help from under the fallen debris. In theory, crouching behind the fortifications to repair weapons and armor on the fly was a sound idea... but none of them were expecting the demons of the void to double - no, triple in size in a matter of seconds. Something must have bolstered their resolve, a 'second, more difficult wave' to put it in suitable, gamer terms. Despite, Jevi was still unable to free herself on her own.. and that was a bigger issue to her than a possible third wave. 

Feeling in her left arm was starting to go numb, the limb crushed under the weight of the fallen barricade. Loose strands of soaked, brunette hair fell down her face "Come.. on.. fuuUCK" she growled through grinding teeth, as she fought with all of her might to free herself. It was just like doing a push up, she told herself. A one handed pushup, easy.

With, like, five hundred pounds on her back.. maybe more. She wasn't good at math.

Who was she kidding, it was pointless.. Her muscles went slack as her body crashed back to the soaked ground. If this was where she was going to die, then she was ready to accept that. 

Wait, what is that light?  

Heading up the road from the South, she saw a player holding what looked to be a sword.. but one giving off a bright, radiant light. She never heard of any weapons in the game with abilities like that. As the one carrying the blade came into view, they appeared almost unphased by the madness and destruction around them. Holding the long blade up like she was carrying the Olympic torch. Gold eyes went wide with realization, piecing it together. In that moment, Jevi recalled that weird 'Fatal Error' quest that they all had gotten. Wasn't there a sword that needed to be returned to the labyrinth? What are the odds that this girl was carrying that very weapon. 

Launching from the shadows, that same, oversized creature that lead the charge through their defenses leapt out at the sword barer. "Look out!" Jevi shouted, but it was too late. The girl carrying the sword didn't have enough time to react and counter the eldritch monster - but Jevi did. Fight or Flight kicking in, and she decided to fight, Jevi pushed herself free with her newfound energy. Bones snapped and her trapped shoulder popped.. but it was a necessary sacrifice to make in an attempt to save this girl's life. Shattered arm hanging at her side, the brunette charged at the monster. 

"The hell are you doing?!" Jevi confronted the girl after taking down the threat. "You didn't even look like you were ready for a fight, do you know where you are?!"

She took a step back, and took a breath. 

"Are you alright?"

wc.626

"A what?" Jevi asked, narrowing her eyes on the other player, "A fucking concert? Now?"

Jevi was crouched behind a barricade made up of mostly intact furniture from a toppled inn nearby, along with a frightened player who needed their spear fixed, and now this other guy inquiring about some pop group. Picking her eyes up from the weapon, she looked to the other player, shaking her head.

"I think we've got a few more important things going on right now.. but if we make it out of this alive, maybe I'll check them out. But right now-"

Securing the head of the spear back onto the shaft with a long piece of paracord, Jevi would hold the weapon down while pulling it tight with her teeth. Running her hand along the weapon, she would eye the info box that appeared before her with the weapons stats. It wasn't perfect, but it was durable enough for now until she could get another mobile forge set up. 

"-Staying alive is my priority. And keeping everyone else fighting for as long as I can."  Passing the spear back to the player, they would scramble over the barricade and face off against the incoming monsters once more. "K-Pop isn't exactly my type of music anyway.. but if its boosting morale, then good for them." 

Suddenly, before she could react, the barricade toppled. Some eldritch abomination, larger than the rest, had charged at their defenses, easily toppling it over as if it were toy blocks. Beds, wardrobes, and other loose materials crashed to the ground around and on top of Jevi, pinning her to the ground. "Shit!" she cursed as a broken bedframe pinned her to the ground, with a large dresser piled on top. She wrestled with the furniture, trying to lift it just enough so she could free herself.. but with one arm stuck, and her hand slick from rain and grime, she was unsuccessful.

"Some help over here would be appreciated!"

-> Repairing Equipment: ID 248231 | LD 12+7 = 19
Running Total: 106

A message would hit Jevi's inbox, not exactly what she was expecting. Golden eyes frantically looked over the short few sentences, her features growing pale as she swallowed hard.

"They're pinned down. The messengers can't get back to us because they're surrounded." 
"Shit.. this is bad." Jevi bit her lip as the others tried to formulate a quick plan of action.

It was a bit out of her comfort zone, but she decided to take action and take the lead.

"We've got a choice here. Sit back, and hope they make it through the blockade.. or we take the fight to them. Without us, their equipment is eventually going to fail.. and we know what happens after that." 
The morbid reality of their situation hit them, and they all shared quick glances with each other before looking back to Jevi.

"Even if you can't fight, if we can repair equipment on the fly, we all have a better chance to fend off the enemy." 

Tossing her smithing gloves and apron to the rain slick floor at her feet, she would secure her bracers onto her arms with a shrug. 
"Well? Even if you lot want to chicken out now, I'm still going. So if I die trying to do all of your work for you, then you can let that sit on your conscience." 

She didn't wait for a response, or even a semblance of mobilization. Jevi was already on the move towards the battle ahead.

*-*-*-*

Jevi quickly understood why there was hesitation to rush to the front lines. Endless waves of monsters straight from her nightmares out numbered and over powered players who fought with all of their might. No second thoughts crossed her mind as a charged up fist punched directly through the chest of some tentacle ridden monstrosity.

"HELP!"

A nearby cry caught Jevi's attention. A broken sword laying at their side, a player struggled to wrestle an inky black monster off of them, its sharp teeth mere inches from ripping into their throat. A well placed kick shot the fiend from atop the player into a pile of ruins, ending it instantly. "You're good, you're good." Jevi reassured the player as she helped them up to their feet, before repairing their equipment. 

"Please, I was separated from my party. They were in a lot worse shape than I am.. you've got to help them." 

"I-" Jevi opened her mouth to speak, to correct the pleading woman that she was mainly here to fix broken swords and armor.. not save lives and fight monsters. She gripped the smith's hammer in her hand before placing it back into her inventory.

"Which way?"

Repairing Equipment -> ID 247820 | LD 20+6 = 26
Running Total: 49

Why the hell were people willingly coming to this floor? 

The nearly constant crackling of thunder was accompanied by the heavy hammering of metal against an anvil.  Her space illuminated by a makeshift forge, its flames barely managing to stay alive with the constant onslaught of rain. A canopy made up of a fallen flag and the remains of a store's front awning were enough, for now. A powerful gust of wind that nearly took her off of her feet and knocked down her set up. Dropping everything, she rushed to the forge and fanned the flames to keep them alive. 

Why the hell did she willingly come to this floor? 

The camp was made up of mostly blacksmiths, about five or six of them, all from different walks of life and different levels. None had met before today, yet they all worked in tandem with so much chaos surrounding them. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Especially given Jevi was pretty comfortable working alone until now. 

"This batch here is good, ready to head back out!" Taking the red hot blade off of the anvil, she would dunk it into a barrel of rainwater. Steam rose as the blade hissed and cooled. Quickly pulling it from the barrel, she would drop it onto a table with six other weapons. "Stay safe out there." Jevi would nod to the player, who tasked himself with delivering repaired equipment back to the battlefield. 

Miremore was one of the last few settlements before the path down to the shoreline where the frontliners prepared to do battle. The warriors that set up barricades in the center of town were the last line of defense.. for anything that would slip past them would surely give the frontliners something to worry about. Jevi tapped her foot nervously, fingernails digging into the door-turned table as she looked out after the messenger towards Miremore. 

Jevi | HP: 680/680 | EN: 82/82 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 3 | ACC: 2 | BH: 30 | KEEN: 2 | PARA | REC: 4
Repairing Equipment -> ID 247497 | LD 13 +6 = 19

Running Total | 56

"Hey, I get it. You're protective of your sister. Won't get any judgement from me." Jevi would shrug, swirling the glass with a flick of the wrist before raising it to her lips once more. "Eh, I was never blessed with a sibling. A one and done kid" A more accurate statement than she'd like to admit. "So never really had someone to form that bond with." A longing breath, carrying with it the burning scent of tequila, escaped into the air before her. "Would've been nice, if I'm being honest." 

Jevi watched as the sister in question, with man in tow, approached from behind Gale's shoulder. Must've been that twin sense, like she knew they were talking about her. It was like talking to Gale's alter ego, the sweet and bubbly Jekyll to the rough and tumble Hyde. She smiled at the kind words Knightmare had for her, and tittered softly at the ironic name 'Knightmare'. "How's it going?" she offered a small wave. Shortly after KnightinGale's slight embarrassment, she seemed to buckle down and size up her sister's date. Damn, she's really protective of her sister.. Jevi thought to herself as she slowly sipped her drink from the rim of the glass, forehead creasing from a raised brow. 

For a moment, she wondered if she should step in, try to take the edge off of Gale a bit. The guy seemed like no threat, though his build would say otherwise. However, she didn't exactly feel their friendship had budded yet - the seed was hardly even planted - so it wasn't exactly her place to step in between them. Instead, she would simply clear her throat awkwardly, before turning in her stool to face forward towards the bar. But eventually, Gale's message got through, and the two were off on their own again. "She's cute." Jevi would say with a small chuckle, "Can see why you want to keep an eye on her. That guy looks like he cares about her though, so that's gotta count for something. I would've worried more if she was still talking to the other guy."

"Just slap them on at the start of the day, mix and match when you feel like it." A slow nod of her head accompanied smirk. She admired the dedication to her real world skin art. "Neat. I will definitely be checking out that shop when I get the chance. Was considering one in the outside the game, before this shit hit the fan." The reminder that constantly slapped them in the face, she needed a drink just thinking about it. Which made it even worse when she was reminded the alcohol won't do anything. Definitely one of the worst parts about this place. "Dunno what I want yet, but if they look half as good as yours, I'd be happy." A golden gaze traveled up her arm before stopping and meeting hers. "Jevi, nice to meet ya. If you're still getting used to using your username, then you probably don't get out much."  The smile that accompanied a small chuckle peeked over the rim of her glass, before hiding it with another sip. "I wouldn't worry about that though. I was a late bloomer too, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone here was." Shifting the weight on her chair, she placed herself with her back to the bar, elbows propped up. "Stories are always hyping up the frontliners as players who started grinding on day one to fight the boss. I call bullshit, they probably sat on their asses for a month, not sure what to do like the rest of us." 

That was a lot of words. A lot of words that usually don't come out of her mouth. Was she actually starting to get sociable? Was this drink actually working? Either way it felt new, fresh. It felt good.

"That one looks a big teddy bear of a man. Suits the vibe your sister gives off better." her head tilted to the side, gentle wrist motions swirled the she held by her fingertips. "Well, either she's super friendly to every guy she meets in a seedy bar, or she already knew him. No one's that friendly and bright eyed talking to a complete stranger." Jevi would lean forward to look down the other end of the bar, to where the original red-eyed man was sitting after being denied by both girls. "Honestly, was kind of expecting a bigger reaction from the hot-head over there. Maybe that's a good thing." she would let herself lean against the bar once more. Didn't want to get caught looking across at him. "Guess it's a good thing, having your sister here with you. Not many people are lucky to have family in game with them, let alone friends. Some days I'd kill to have that connection.."

Picking her chin up from her drink, she met the emerald gaze of one of the twins as they approached from the other side of the bar, a fading sense of disgust melting off of her face. Guess Mr.Blonde wasn't scoring twins after all. A soft exhale of a chuckle shot out her nostrils. Supposedly the platinum haired woman decided that Jevi was worthy enough to be her next drinking partner. Gesturing an open palm towards the patron-less stool beside her, she offered a crack of a smile up the newcomer "Sure, why not."  

Looking past the woman as she sat down beside her, she locked in on the progress that guy was making with the other of the twins - and she wasn't looking too happy either. Ouch, 0 for 2. And her attention on that affair was lost, and directed right back to her new friend. "Damn, don't think I've ever seen a guy get rejected by two girls in such a short time span" she sucked her teeth, "Guess blondie isn't all that, huh?"  Raising a glass to her lips, she took a sip of her tequila drink. 

Jevi took in the appearance of her drinking partner. She was taller than her by a few inches, a long silver ponytail cascading down her back. Smelled of whiskey and cigarettes, a classic combination - albeit not necessarily a pleasant one. Jevi would clear the tickle in her throat before it turned into a cough. The piece of art that adorned her fair arms is what caught her attention the most. It was not often that Jevi stumbled upon a player with a tattoo, but when she does it reminds her of how much she regretted that hesitation of getting one in the real world, before SAO. Always an excuse to not make the appointment, despite having the money saved, and all the free time to make the trip. "Your ink is amazing." she would say as she slowly leaned her torso to the side to get a better look. "Did the headset scan that in with your body, or did you find someone to do it here?"

With a tap on the bar behind her shoulder, Jevi turned to see the bartender had placed her drink down. Their eyes focused on the far end of the bar for a moment, brows lowering as the corners of their lips pulled into a frown. Some other patron must have gotten on their bad side. Not her business. Shifting her seat around once more, her elbows would come to rest on the slick counter top, facing away from some of the rowdy clientele, and towards the wall lined with dull-colored liquor bottles. The brown lager that floated atop her drink slowly sank down into the clear tequila. Giving the glass a gentle swirl to mix the contents a bit better, she rose the rim to her lips to take a sip. Her nose scrunched and throat burned as the first sip went down. The Mexican lager on its own might have been bearable, but she could tell it was cheap tequila. Judging by the grime that coated some of the display bottles, they probably didn't have much better. Oh well, it would have to do, so she took another sip. At least now she knew what she was getting into.

The bartender walked by moments later, popping the top off of another bottle of clear liquid. Even from a distance, the aroma was enough to make her eye twitch. Probably the closest thing to pure, medical-grade rubbing alcohol that you could get. Who in their right mind would drink that stuff for fun, without being able to get drunk? "Eugh" she groaned under her breath, now curious to make it her business. Leaning forward, over the bar, she shot a glance down towards the opposite end to see who the recipient of the drink was. Two women, undeniably twins given their matching silver locks and bright eyes, stood beside a set of crimson eyes set in a permanent glare, peering out through a curtain of blonde locks. It took a moment of recalling, but she vividly remembered him and a large axe splintering the deck of a ship they were trying to save. 

Golden eyes rolled in their sockets as she plopped back down atop of her stool, and took another, bigger, swig of her drink. 

The interior of the bar reeked of strong alcohol, incense from outside, and burned medicinal herbs inside.  The aromatic cacophony forced her nose to twinge unconsciously, though it only took a few moments for her to drown it out and become accustomed to it. She could feel various eyes from about the bar looking in her direction, for what reasons she could use her imagination to figure it out. Paying them absolutely no mind, she hardened her expression and allowed the muscles around her lips to relax. Social interaction was probably inevitable coming to a place like this, she just hoped she could keep away the creeps. 

"Excuse me.." she spoke to the side of a man, a couple of inches taller than her, and definitely wider. They spoke to another individual who also seemed to have not heard Jevi's request. 

"Excuse. Me." her voice a bit louder this time. Even though it was crowded, it wasn't loud in here. Not like they had blasting stereos like they did in the real world, so it was just voices overlapping and drinks hitting wooden table tops that made up most of the noise. So they definitely heard her, they were just ignoring her.  

Finally, she let herself snap. Grabbing the front of the larger man's shirt, she shoved him back. Not enough to knock them on their ass, just to get them to step back and create a space between their belly that protruded out from their jacket and the bar. "Move!" 

"The hell is your problem?!" 

"You're in the fucking way and I want to get a drink." Jevi would let a bit of her old self come out as she stared the man down for a couple of seconds. Completely expecting to be grabbed from behind, or shoved to the ground by the oversized man... but he caved. Breaking eye contact from her, he would gesture his head to his friend to go find somewhere else to sit. Jevi didn't bother to watch them storm off and instead walked right up to the bar. 

"Tequila old fashioned, splash of cerveza if you will." As the barback nodded and walked off, she would take a sit in the stool and turn around. Time to return those looks she got as she walked in. Slowly, her golden gaze scanned the patrons of the bar. Part of her was looking for a reason to enjoy her drink and high tail out of there. Another sliver of her wanted to see how interesting this day could get. 

Thump, thump

The bite of the cold air creeped in through the tall, paneless windows of the old mountainside temple. Normally kept warm by the heat of the forge, the coals had gone cold from lack of use. Its smithy focused on other things.

Thump, thu-Thump

Wooden doors that led out to a path up the side of the cliff were shut, a small plank with the word CLOSED hung just under the establishment's sign, Amorous Armors and Armaments. 

Thump - THWACK

The brunette's shin crashed into the large, burlap sack that suspended from the ceiling via a strong chain with a resounding boom that echoed throughout the old worship hall. She returned her foot to the cold ground, before pivoting a delivering a straight, right jab into the center of the punching bag. Her arm remained extended, though her hand-wrapped fist softened. Shoulders rose and fell as she huffed, sweat making her brown skin glisten. "Huh...huh.. That's enough for today.." she would say to herself, before releasing the chain and letting the makeshift punching bag fall to the floor. 

She took her time washing up, with no where in particular to be. The natural spring water that trickled down into her 'wash room' was perfect rinsing off, whether after working out or a long day at the forge. There was really no need to clean herself up in this world, the Cardinal system pretty much making everything instant and automatic. But it just felt, better? She didn't have to explain herself to anyone.

Stepping back out into the main space, wearing a charcoal, sleeveless top, black joggers, and an open, blue kimono top, she rose a ceramic cup filled with cold water to her lips. It quenched her thirst, surely, but not entirely. For once, she wanted to taste something stronger. "Don't think I've ever checked the bar scene out on this floor.. Guess today's the day." Closing up her home behind her, she would head up into Lharsi proper to find whatever bar suiter her fancy. 

It did not take long to find what she was looking for. Nothing too flashy, but not a complete dive.. a bit more crowded for her taste, but she felt if she left now, she would just give up the search. "Hell with it." she'd say to herself before striding inside. 

Jevi | HP: 680/680 | EN: 82/82 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 78 | EVA: 3 | ACC: 2 | BH: 30 | KEEN: 2 | PARA | REC: 4

Name: Silence
Profession: Blacksmith
Rank:  6
Roll ID:  222866     
Roll Result: 11(+1)
Item Type: Sabre
Tier: 3
Quality: Perfect     
Enhancements: Bleed I | Keen II
Post Link:
Description: A basic amateur's sabre, similar in design to a thin hand and a half sword. Contains a pink wrap along the handle.

Name: Suppression
Profession: Blacksmith
Rank: 6
Roll ID: 222868    
Roll Result: 12(+1)
Item Type: Light Armour
Tier: 3
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Mitigation I | Recovery II
Post Link:
Description: A basic amateur's chestplate. The metal of this particular piece contains a soft pink hue along the steel's edges.

Maybe a good night's rest was all she needed. She carried herself from her bedroom that overlooked the mountainside from a large window carved out of the stone surface. Crossing the distance to her workshop on the bottom most part of her home, she would remove the black, longsleeved sweater she had slept in, leaving her in her baggy, gray pants and a wrap around her chest. 

It took awhile.. most of her crafting attempts for the day. Still pumping out creations, just not of the quality she needed. Why did they even have Rare and Uncommon items anyway? There was nothing stopping players from jumping right to a Perfect weapon.. many veterans were practically giving them out for free. Either way, Nymoria's weapon and armor were complete. She composed a simple message to the girl, letting her know she could pick them up soon.
@Nymoria

T3 Weapon Attempt: 

ID 222862 | CD 7 (+1) 8 Uncommon
ID 222863 | CD 8 (+1) 9 Uncommon
ID 222864 | CD 9 (+1)  10 Rare
ID 222865 | CD 8 (+1) 9 Uncommon
ID 222866 | CD 12 (+1)  12 Perfect 

Name: Silence
Profession: Blacksmith
Rank:  6
Roll ID:  222866     
Roll Result: 11(+1)
Item Type: Sabre
Tier: 3
Quality: Perfect     
Enhancements: Bleed I | Keen II
Post Link:
Description: A basic amateur's sabre, similar in design to a thin hand and a half sword. Contains a pink wrap along the handle.

T3 Armor Attempt: 

ID 222867 | CD 1 (+1) 2 Fail
ID 222868 | CD 11 (+1) 12 Perfect

Name: Suppression
Profession: Blacksmith
Rank: 6
Roll ID: 222868    
Roll Result: 12(+1)
Item Type: Light Armour
Tier: 3
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Mitigation I | Recovery II
Post Link:
Description: A basic amateur's chestplate. The metal of this particular piece contains a soft pink hue along the steel's edges.
__________
+ 45 Exp
-7 Materials

Jevi would let out a long sigh as she let her head drop. Of course nothing she had crafted had met the requirements of Nymoria's equipment. "Why does this always happen.." she groaned, before tossing the crafted items into her reject box and summoning another handful of materials. "Maybe if I just focus on either the armor or the weapon, then maybe.. just maybe." 

Well, that didn't really work either. If only she was actually responsible about her crafts. "Maybe I should go get some potions and shit to help me out with this.. since I'm going to have to get out and get more materials at this rate." 

T3 Weapon Attempt: 

ID 222803 | CD 9 (+1) 10 Rare
ID 222804 | CD 2 (+1) 3 Salvage LD 16 Keep Materials
ID 222805 | CD 3 (+1)  4 Salvage LD 14 Keep Materials
ID 222806 | CD 3 (+1) 4 Salvage LD 1
ID 222807 | CD 6 (+1)  7 Uncommon
ID 222808 | CD 8 (+1) 8 Uncommon
ID 222809 | CD 6 (+1) 7 Uncommon
___________
-5 Mats
+ 34 EXP

Jevi sat atop her workbench, legs dangling with small, alternating kicks. Her focus on the semi opaque menu in front of her. She was in the process of transferring any materials she had in her own inventory a storage crate beside her work station. She could only imagine how tiring it would be to have to physically carry and transfer all of these pieces of ore and metals. 

It was not until she had finished her sorting that she finally looked up, spotting the timid looking girl standing there ever so patiently. "Oh, my bad, didn't see you. You were so quiet." 

In almost an instant, the girl -without words- began to create letters and symbols with her hands that she could only assume was sign language. Jevi placed her palms up in front of her, almost apologetically. "I-I'm sorry I don't understand -" Before she could finish that thought, she heard the voice in her head clear as day, as if she had just spoken them. "..The hell?.. Never mind, I guess I can understand you. Neat trick."  Sliding herself off of the table, she would approach Nymoria to take her order. 

"Alright, I think I can do that.. I'm not too confident in how timely I can get it out, but I'll get to working on them right away." 

ID 222785 | CD 9 (+1) 10 Rare T3 Weapon
ID 222786 | CD 8 (+1) 9 Uncommon T3 Weapon
ID 222787 | CD 8 (+1) 9 Uncommon T3 Weapon
ID 222788 | CD 10 (+1) 11 Rare T3 Weapon
ID 222789 | CD 10 (+1) 11 Rare T3 Light Armor
ID 222790 | CD 6 (+1) 7 Uncommon T3 Light Armor
ID 222791 | CD 9 (+1) 10 Rare T3 Weapon
____________________
+ 43 EXP
- 7 Mats

Nari had to step in to help her out, pointing out a hiding space that could suit her size and stature. She could not help but feel embarrassed, grumbling something to herself under her breath. A piece of the cavern floor that was upturned, creating somewhat of a shelf just off the side of the beaten path. Beside it, a stalagmite that assisted in providing even more cover. She could only hope that the Dragon Knights weren't carrying any torches, or at least didn't look too hard in her direction. It was a bit of a tight spot, definitely not going to be comfortable. But with the imposing sound of armored boots pounding against the ground with each step looming ever closer, desperate times called for desperate measures. 

One last look around, Jevi would grab onto the rock formation and use it to lower herself into position. Finding a handhold for her fingers to securely grip, she hopes that it was strong enough to hold her weight...

..She was sadly mistaken..

As the majority of her weight pulled on the rocks under her fingertips, she felt an all to sudden snap and crumple as the weak outer layer of the stalagmite cracked. Her shoulder hit the ground - hard - and the rocks she had pulled loose fell to the ground around her. Definitely not inconspicuous or quiet. Everything had gone silent in that moment that felt as thought it had lasted a lifetime, even the steps of the platoon of knights had slowed to a dead halt.. before picking up again at an even faster pace. 

Her golden eyes glanced in the direction she believed Nari was hiding, an expression that painted utter disappointment in herself. "I'm sorry." she mouthed.. though she probably couldn't see it. 

She had failed them, and Charko.

ID 22702  | LD 1 | Failed
Whiff out torches {4/4}
Topple Cairns {1/1}
Plant Rusted Equipment {1/1}
Plant Fool's Gold {1/1}
EXTRA Plant Mushrooms {3}
Dragon Knight Arrival: 5/5 turns

Nari was pretty quick to come back, and was obviously worlds more efficient with digging up the mushrooms and replanting them. Either way, the scene was set - or so they could hope, with what little they could see - and all that was left was to hide and make sure that the Dragon Knights took the bait. This was the first time Jevi had taken a quest like this.. where they weren't simply fighting monsters or fetching something to bring back to the quest giver. This took actual skill and cunning, and put the livelihood of Charko on the line. Feeling nervous was an understatement. She rubbed her palms together, wiping away the sweat that had begun to gather. With a breathy "Okay." ,she began to look around.

There were not many places to hide, at least so they could keep the Knights and the entrance to Charko in sight. They could simply retreat back to the settlement and just hope the patrol didn't see through their plan, but they needed to be sure it worked. And in the case it did not, they needed to be the first line of defense in case things got ugly. "Uh.. any ideas? I can't really find anywhere to hide." 

A few stalagmites jutted up from the ground, but not large enough for her to properly keep hidden behind. She tried to squeeze herself into a small alcove, but the fear of not being able to get herself back out stopped her from trying any farther. 

ID 222483  | LD 7  | Total 86 | Failed to go into hiding
Whiff out torches {4/4}
Topple Cairns {1/1}
Plant Rusted Equipment {1/1}
Plant Fool's Gold {1/1}
EXTRA Plant Mushrooms {3}
Dragon Knight Arrival: 4/5 turns

"Got it" Jevi responded with a confident nod. Carefully stepping over the fallen arms and equipment, and being careful not to slip on any of the fallen stones, she followed the path back towards the waterfall once again. The trip was much more difficult, given the lack of light from behind her. Luckily, there was a couple of torches set up at the upcoming fork - and even more close to the perimeter of the crystal pool. Despite the crashing of water masking each of her steps, she still took caution with moving, lowering her body to become a smaller, less easily seen target. For all she knew, the Dragon Knights could have already passed the falls.. and she would be walking right into them.

Lucky enough for her, that was not the case. However, she did not know how long she would have to work.. and a green thumb was a skill she did not have. A small cluster of the fungi clung to the cavern wall just off to the side of the waterfall. "How the hell do you pick mushrooms.. with the thought of replanting them?"  She thought to herself, stressing over the idea for a moment before reality hit her, and made her a fool in her own mind.

Gently tapping the head of the mushroom, she would place the item into her inventory. Of course, without the proper skills equipped, she was not able to claim all of the fungi, and only a small handful. "This should be enough", she said to herself. Heading back once more, she regrouped with Nari, and knelt down right at the tunnel entrance leading to Charko. "Alright, I've got a couple of mushrooms.. not sure this alone will sell it, but lets hope it does the trick." Back into her inventory, she would easily replace the mushrooms into the ground, trying to make it look as natural as she could. 

ID 222305 | LD 16  | Group Total 74
Whiff out torches {4/4}
Topple Cairns {1/1}
Plant Rusted Equipment {1/1}
Plant Fool's Gold {1/1}
EXTRA Plant Mushrooms {1}
Dragon Knight Arrival: 3/5 turns

A short jog back towards the waterfall, and just where the tunnel forked off into another direction, pointed, wooden slats of wood pointed in the direction of Charko and Tomoika. A couple of attempts to push and pull to dislodge the sign post, the marker eventually came undone. Discarding to post into a small, dark crevice in the tunnel wall, she hurridly made her way back to where Nari was hiding the trace of Charko. Suddenly, with the light of the last torch being snuffed out, almost complete darkness overtook them. 

"Woah. Alright, I'll be careful." Golden eyes blinked a couple of times to see if she could adjust to the crippling darkness. Eventually, she was able to focus enough to see shapes and outlines.. but no real details. Maybe they should have taken out the torches after doing everything that required beingabletosee. 

"Shit" she cursed under her breath, nearly stumbling as her toe caught onto an upturned piece of the cavern. "... Not my fault, I'm being careful... Trying"  Eventually, after dirtying her hands feeling for the pile of rusted shovels, dulled swords, and chipped pickaxes, she was able to get to work scattering them about. A pick or two by the "cave in" , maybe a shovel. Another pickaxed lodged into the cavern wall at the fork, and some well placed swords lining the path away from Charko. "They're knights.. maybe they'll ignore what they think is an old mining cave in and follow what looks like a warpath. Running towards danger-sorta vibe, y'know?" 

"That's a good idea, thought I saw some mushrooms around here.. some back towards the waterfall too. Think we can pull that off"

ID222060  | LD 8 | Individual Total 17 | Group Total 41
Whiff out torches {4/4}
Topple Cairns {1/1}
Plant Rusted Equipment {1/1}
Plant Fool's Gold {0/1}
Dragon Knight Arrival: 1/5 turns