Hirru

Yoink

Resonance | T4 Demonic Whip | ID 256145 | Static 2 | AA | Phase
Description: A strong thin wire, like a garrote. It is stored safely away in gloves and is used like a whip. One must be quite dexterous to ensure they don't cut themselves, or their teammates on the deadly sharp wire.

"Mah boi!"

Hirru says as he walks through the door.  A hand full of steel wires, and the other sack of scales and a shard.

"This fusion is what all true warriors strive for!"

Hirru feels the intense glare of soemthing in the distance.  Two blazen haired individuals to whom he knew well.

"We have been summoned!"

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/26/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Enhanced Shock wire
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Weapon (Whip)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy / Accuracy / Static
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 

  • T4 Perfect Weapon [199138a]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
    ID  256100 |CD 10 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1
    Mystic Essence used: 230595-4, [245319], [245320a]

• Item Description: A thin wire, almost invisible if not for the glint of the sun, if it is ever in the sun.  Used to keep something down, without fully killing it, yet.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/26/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Enhanced Shock wire
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Weapon (Whip)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy / Accuracy / Static
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 

  • T4 Perfect Weapon [199138b]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
    ID  256101 |CD 12 | Mystic Essence Gain = 2
    Mystic Essence used: 245320b], [245321], [245322],

• Item Description: A thin wire, almost invisible if not for the glint of the sun, if it is ever in the sun.  Used to keep something down, without fully killing it, yet.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/26/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Enhanced Shock wire
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Weapon (Whip)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy / Accuracy / Absolute Accuracy
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 

  • T4 Perfect Weapon [201009a]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
    ID  256102 |CD 10 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1
    Mystic Essence used: [245323a, 245323b], [245324]

• Item Description: A thin wire, almost invisible if not for the glint of the sun, if it is ever in the sun.  Used to seek the true weakness of a target.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/26/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Enhanced Shock wire
• Item Tier: 4
• Item Type: Weapon (Whip)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy / Accuracy / Phase
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 

  • T4 Perfect Weapon [201009b]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
    ID  256103 |CD 11 | Mystic Essence Gain = 2
    Mystic Essence used: [245325], [245327], [245328]

• Item Description: A thin wire, almost invisible if not for the glint of the sun, if it is ever in the sun.  Used to slip through the cracks of the armor, and get their vitals.

*drunk appraisal go!*

"Mar.. mar.. why did you give me steel wool and expect something out of it?"

Appraisal = 80k col
Mystic Essence = (6) 256100, 256101a/b, 256102, 256103a/b
Exp = 48

Using 12 (3 per weapon) essence for uniques on each.

230595-4, [245319], [245320a] | 245320b], [245321], [245322], | [245323a, 245323b], [245324] |, [245325], [245327], [245328]

Floor 30

What can be said about a floor of food and consumables?  There would be no words to describe it without going at length to speak on the absurdity of it all.  Though, as the hunter stood there in the teleportation plaza of the 30th floor, he felt like he would not like what this floor would bring to him.  The central town, Waveside, was settled upon the high seas, or as they were called on this floor, the Iridescent Sea.  For the first hour of coming here, Hirru couldn't understand what everything was.  There were boats and houses made of wood, but the wood had a heavy scent of smoke dried meat.  The sails were more seaweed, though there were some that were white like regular fiber.  Were they anything specific?  Hide?  What did that taste like?

"Oh gods above, Crozeph is getting to me.."

Hirru would say as he sat upon a small dock on the inner parts of Waveside.  He didn't want to venture very far from the teleporation plaza, but the heavy commerce would have him a bit of a ways away.  As he would settle down, he would open his menu before sending out the message to all of his guild mates.

Quote

From:
Hirru

To:
All Jacob's Ladder

The 24th floor is an island paradise, but our focus should be helping in the understanding of the new floor.  Let us set out on this floor and determine the local materials and such that can be gained from the flora and fauna.  In other words, let's have a little gathering and fishing venture.  Gatherers can search out clams and pearls, while fishers can.. well fish.

See you on the 30th floor!

Hirru Stats

It was more than what the hunter could hope for.  This feeling that was overwhelming not only his reason, but his own being.  Each movement of those lips would spark places in his mind that he didn't even know he had.  The taste that would warrant one more forbidden sip of ambrosia.  It would be for that long moment that would be placed upon his heart, which beat for all it could bare.  Would it be weird to say that it would be a memory that he would never want to let go of?

As they both pulled away, if only to take that imaginary breath that they could only hope would one day be real, his eyes would open to find hers, staring back in earnest.  Her word, only one to be spoken between each other after the embrace.

"Hirru-"

It was all he needed to hear, as their entire world was all in this one space.  Right here; right now.  There would be no separating them, as the final rays of crimson fell over them.  The red and orange ribbons would flow around them, almost entangling them.  Pulling him back in.  A small smile would give her all she would ask for.  He was not going to leave her there, not now that they had some kind of spark to keep. 

"Vanta."

Leaning back in, he would give her a second to prepare before he would go in for one more taste.  Another fold of their lips together.  Another long moment before the light of day slowly faded away around them, into the lonely darkness of night.  The warm rays would leave them; staying only as their own.  If it wasn't the stronger visage that was in front of him, he would have been lost again to the dark.  Slowly pulling away, the hunter would smile as the lights came on.  That burning feeling in his cheeks was now all over his face.

"I think.. we should head back inside.  It's only going to get colder.."

He would say while loosening his hold on her, but only by a little.  He did not want to lose her to the ever changing music, but it seemed that things were dying down in there.  Probably for the better.  Though, he thought he swore he heard people screaming a while ago.  Must have been his imagination at work, cause he wasn't paying attention to any of that.

"Don't worry.  I won't lose you in there.  There is still more to tell."

"Lessa!  The horse is trying to eat me!"

It was there and then that Hirru would find what he could not understand.  What was this feeling that he saw within his own heart?  With those eyes that looked away for only a moment?  Was this what they considered 'feelings'?  Romantic?  He didn't understand, but what was there to understand when his head was telling him to let it be.  Let it be and fulfill that empty yearning that is aching inside him for something to fill it.  For that moment to come, he only needed to seize it.

"..do you.. feel this too?"

That slight whisper as he was drawing ever closer, pulling her in, as she did him.  She was giving it off far too well for the answer to be anything less than a yes, but there was still the odd feeling of fear.  Of doubt.  That this was going too fast, too far.  Too..

A sudden jolt would push the hunter in the rest of the way.  It was the last thing before their faces were finally at the point of no-return.

"Oh...Sorry!" @Ceres (mention)

They were already embracing each other, but that push.  He thought he could feel her breath before, but the lack there of is what caught him.  The sensation upon his lips, it was warm and squished just right.  A bit of a taste, but what was it?   The moment was quick, but as it started to dawn on him, he realized what had happened.  What was upon his lips was her own.  His eyes widened as he realized what he had done, but was it all that bad?

Yes..

He pulled away, but only enough for their lips to part, but their noses were still touching.  Looking into those eyes, if they were even there to tell him how she felt about it.  Closing his eyes, he would ask himself for a moment to reset.  That push was not him, and was not what he wanted.

"..Vanta.."

He pursed his lips and took a sharp breath in.  His heart was racing.  If his palms could get sweaty, they probably would.  He didn't want his partner to leave from that, but.. something in him felt something different.  Something felt like it had rushed through him, making him want to melt back into those lips.  To take that breath from her lips.  His self restraint, crumbling.

"..let's.. do this.. "

Coming back down to those lips, he would keep just barely touching them as he spoke that last word.

"..right."

His lips would kiss hers, and... it felt like the world would slow for that moment, and that moment alone.

@Vanta

It was good that she was so entranced.  Why was she though?  It couldn't be anything that the hunter was doing now, could it?  Still it seemed that the prospects of further ventures would be good for them later.  Though, he wondered how well she would handle a higher floor.  He had not known this one just yet, but that was fair for him.  Hirru had long since lost the need to travel around and help players with hunting, like he used to.  No, he had no possible way to do so anymore, instead becoming one of the few healers of the front lines.  It was only after joining Jacob's Ladder, did he finally have a reason to help the players out once more.

"Just got to be sure to stay out of the sewers..  Giant man-rats, there were.  Oh!  I sidetracked myself.."

Still trying to keep in step, it seemed that they were doing okay around one another.  Though, it may have helped that they had no music to keep the beat with.  Not that they couldn't hear the muffled sounds of the music from the venue.  Had the song changed already?

"The ship was filled with not just players, but non-players characters.  Most were workers on the ship, while others were there to work the gala itself.  I think there were some guests too, but the attention was more towards the spectacle when we took off.  High into the air they would climb, if it wasn't for the castle itself, one would think that we could sail right out the side."

He would shift his head a little, tilting it closer to hers, but looking towards the ever darkening sunset.

"Imagine what that would look like from the air.  Not a building in sight, nor many of the supporting pillars that support this castles floors.  One could finally see the world outside, whatever we could see from the clouds that surround us.  Though, it isn't the outside we all crave, it was still a sight."

Hirru's eyes would widen slightly when he mentioned something he shouldn't have.  The outside world was something that was very touchy, and he had since learned to keep from having his stories going in that direction.  Still, it seemed that it would slip through.  He hoped that it wouldn't turn her interests away, or cause any issue.  Turning his head back to Vanta; she was so much closer now.  When did she close that gap?  Did he do that?  He could take her in that much more.  They way she explored him without intrusion.  Those lips that her voice rolled off with her interest, and it was all for him.  

"Oh.. I.. "

The steps would slow to a stop.  His face as flushed as it had ever been.  This next part he was.. so uncertain of.  Would he dare?  Could he dare?  Was it too much?  Was it too soon?  He had no experience here, at least, he didn't think this current self did.  Who knew what kind of man he was before, but here and now..

..he was himself.

"..do you..?"

A question that would not be finished.  His hand would slowly move up to her chin, caressing up the cheek.  This was his warning to her, of what would be to come, if she so chose to let it be, or not.  It was her choice.  He would not read her mind, as that was impossible, even with her expressive, inquisitive nature.  Hirru would not force her, but there was something connecting them, and that connection.. was pulled him and her together.

Jevi was enjoying it all, it seemed.  Hirru would have to agree.  This was all worth it in the end, or at least it was for them, at the moment.  The alcohol was definitely different, and the oddity of the quest was causing his sense of intrigue to skyrocket.  What was going on here to cause this to happen?  The quest didn't seem like it was ending, or at all for that matter.  They had completed the last part, which was to have their drink.  In fact, Jevi was having her second as he thought about it all.  She didn't seem to care too much about the implications..

..and frankly.. neither did Hirru.  Taking the refilled glass back in hand, he would down the drink as if it were nothing.  The taste and smell of it would swirl around in both his mouth and in his head.  It wasn't much, but the second would be hitting him just as hard.  Though, as the sensation in his head filled ever more, it would come to his attention that something was missing.

"I don't think feeling is the right answer.  It's what I don't feel."

The ache of exhaustion within his mind and body.  The burning of his feet from all of this walking.  All that was left was the warm embrace of what could only be the alcohol, or whatever was in these drinks.  He didn't really remember it that well, but the feeling was familiar.

"I don't think I've felt this light, in some time."

A smile came to his reddened face as he raised his left arm up, playing with the fingers and arm.  It almost felt like he didn't have an arm, at all.  Was that how his other self felt when he drank?  Was he.. able to drink?  Probably, as the feeling of the drink seemed familiar to him, when he had never had the feeling before.  A small giggle would come out of his throat.  Would be nice to drink with him... whomever he was..

His glass went down one more time.  The glass refilling with the same odd feeling that this would never end.  He looked over to the woman before him, and....

"Nooo~pe."

The drink was taken up once more, and drank once more with gusto.  It was looking like a problem as he set the glass down once more.  He would be making the scene, but it was all to keep that memory from coming back.  That pain and fear.  The dark sea and her figure were the catalysts, but he didn't understand why.  There was so much he needed to figure out from his past, but it shouldn't be at the detriment of his friends.  He did not want her to be connected to that memory.  She was more than that, and deserved more.  Their memory was connected through water, and it would not be ruined by the torrent of the tides.

"..not divine intervention.., but just reward.  Not only did we.. deal with that entire shit eating quest.. but we got through this floors raid.."

He would say while slowly losing his balance, before holding that glass up.

"..to the both of us.. through everything.. still holding strong.."

Hirru would toast; drinking that last drink.  His eyes drew heavy.  Was this also a side-effect?  He felt so light.. so.. tired.  And like that, the drink and exhaustion would finally catch up to the hunter, as he slumped down on the broken floor boards. 

"..huh.. I guess I went... too far.."

He didn't care where he was, as long as she was there.  He felt safe knowing that they did enough.  He felt safe with the water still falling from his face, a reminder of better days.  Closing his eyes, the water gave him a memory.  One of a young player dunking his head into a fountain, and meeting his first two friends. 

The Jade Hunter fell asleep, with a feint smile.

***

The canopied wagon still sat on its side.  The rain fell harder with each passing moment that the merchant waited for the scribe and his pet to come back.  It wasn't like he couldn't do it himself.  He knew well enough how to change a wheel, but he did want to let the scribe have his moment.  A little book would be opened upon his lap.  A screen play, it would seem from the formatting.  An interesting read, indeed. 

"Dream well, my scribe.  Dream.. well"

The merchant would close the book, while keeping the page with a little bookmark, with a little yellow sign.

"Vanta.  I'm glad to have a name to match the face."Letting her know his gratitude towards their shared desire to let the disguises go.  The mystique of the party was only so much, as one would seek to desire more, but how much more would he go?  He did not want to cross something that she did not want.  Though, the longing in those eyes.  Were they for what he promised, or for whom made the promise.  He wanted to know, but the hand that gave him his own want, that warm feeling once more, was enough to get him back to where he should be.

"I wouldn't mind continuing to being that unexpected experience."

He would let her do whatever she wanted with him, within reason.  They were not masked, and all would be known, if something were to happen.  Though, was it really that bad?  He wanted to get to know her just as much as he wanted to give her the story.

Though there was a slight problem.  Hirru.. didn't know how to dance.  It wasn't a silly matter of not knowing how to properly dance in a ballroom fashion.  No, he just didn't know how to dance, period.  

"Well, let's start with an embarrassing note.  I don't.. know how to dance, but.."

The glowing red face would still smile through it.  He didn't want to do what he used to and copy someone else, and follow what he saw someone else do.  Those dances looked nice, and he thought he could replicate them, but.. he didn't want to be something he wasn't.

"I'm okay to take it a step at a time.., if you'll work with me."

He would say before the first step was taken.  Doing so, the words would spill out.  Not a song, nor any music to go with it, but it would be theirs to tell.  He decided to start telling the tragedy of la Duchesse Sincère.  The entire time that he would, he would keep his true attention to his partner.  It was her that he wanted to entertain tonight, or as long as this 'song' would last.

"Let us start after the tragic tale of the 26th floor raid.  A tale for another day, but let it not be said that the victory was ours, in the end."

Another awkward step and turn, he would be slow and wary of his partner, but not let it laps his attention towards telling the story.

"It was the morn of Valentines, when we would have an event to grace.  An invitation to the nines, an great change of pace.
Liberators be praised; we were there when no one else would.  A lengthy battle raised, we would help, if we could.
The people celebrate our victory day, but in the end, we would have to no say in how it would pay"

He would let off a little laugh before returning to normal.

"Sorry, felt a little too much.  Let me continue normally."

"It was a gala, a large gathering of much more grandeur than we have here.  I do like what we have been given here, as I wouldn't have such an attentive listener.  Though.. what could you do against an entire airship being your dance floor, bar, and other whimsy.  I would love to take you, if you are okay with a healer."

He would find himself distracted before going back to what he knew best.

@Vanta

They had decided to unceremoniously slap the shipment wherever, and frankly it made him slightly happier to do so.  The whole quest could suck it hard, for all that they had to do.  He could swear, if his feet could hurt, they would be searing.

"Let's say we never do this quest again.."

He would say as he walked back up the stairwell of the cellar.  Turning back around the building to reach the back entrance, he would poke his head to see that Liz's camouflage was still active.  The floating blanket was evident enough as it rose and fell ever so slightly.  The big gal was sleepin' soundly.  At least one of them could relax this entire time.  They would need her as soon as they were done here.

Though, the last thing was just as odd as the rest of it all.  Their just reward: a drink, on the house.  He hoped that he wouldn't have to pour it on the house.  Some of these quests can be too literal, but it wouldn't make sense either.  This wasn't a house!  It was a tavern.  Still, as they came back to where the whole quest started, they would find the two glasses sitting upon the countertop.  It seemed to be recently cleaned, as if someone had been there, just to give them their drink proper.

"Well, if we don't, the quest doesn't end, and besides I have ways to get rid of anything too bad."

Hirru said while taking one in hand, just as Jevi would do the same.  She seemed to eyeball it a bit before saying what they were both thinking.

"Fuck it."

He toasted to her before bringing the cup to his lips and letting it pass.

ID: 255226 CD: 4

The first thing that hit him was the smell.  What was that?  He thought he smelled it before.  A very sweet fruit.  Peach?  They could make a drink about anything, it seemed.  It was sweet, with a bit of a tang to it.  Felt like a beer or.. what was that thing that Jomei's party had.  Some drink that tasted like apples.  It was roughly like that.  It was smooth too, so he didn't really need to stop.  Though, as the hunter drank long from the glass.. a sense of warmth came over him.  It was rather new to the hunter whom only enjoyed the flavor of some drinks.  Now, he had a little more to it.

Finishing the glass, he set it down and took a deep breath in.  It felt better than it usually did.

"Okay.. That's different."

He said as he kinda wished he had another.  His wish would be granted as the glass would fill back up, the scent of peaches flowing back to him again.

<<Have a D..dri.?D?Link on the Hou..se>>

"Huh?"

He said while looking back around the whole tavern.  Everything was still bone quiet and deserted.  It was still just the two of them.

It would hit the hunter as they talked that their reward that she was right.  Their drink would be nothing more than a placebo, or whatever that word was.  They're own minds would be playing the trick, but they would not be actually drunk.  Mack and Shield would regularly complain about it during his time in the respective player's presence.  He wanted the two of them to share a drink together.  They would have like each other.  Though, back on the topic.  Why in the ever living hell, were they doing this quest?  The whole thing was a complete disaster!

"Let's get outta here."

Looking back towards the ship, or what would be a massive gouge in the sand.  The ship itself seemed to have disappeared, or so it seemed.  The ringing of its bell would sound as a thick fog would follow the water out into the sea and the outer edges of the floor.  This floor still had quite a few more tricks out for them, it seemed.

***

ID: 294989 LD 14

Their venture back was even worse off than before, and their exhaustion was really starting to show.  Wagon full, quite a few uphill climbs, and Jevi was thinking that the scarecrow behind them was starting to follow them.  Of course it was following them, why wouldn't something that should be stationary start following them at every turn of the head.  This whole world was full of them, so why wouldn't something that was out standing in its field actually be a freaky mob.

"Honestly, as long as I'm not hearing weird sounds from it.."

He had to jinx it.  It started with a distant call of a bird.  A crow?  No, there was more than that, it would seem.  Much more of those caws would billow out from all around him, but there were no crows.  Still, he would push the wagon with Jevi.  There would be nothing that..
_

"Hi~ru"

"Huh?"

DId someone say his name?  It didn't sound like Jevi, but the voice seemed like it came from everywhere, but nowhere.

"He~ru""Hi~rrru""Hi~ro"

There was no mistakening it now.  Those were the sounds that the birds were making, but.. they sounded like they were trying to communicate.  Trying to get his attention for only a moment to stall them.  Though, they were saying his name, or at least it sounded like they were trying to.  Every single one would have a slight tone difference or different way of saying his name.  It was starting to get annoying until..

Quote

"H̴̡̛̙̰͖̻͈̪͔͓͎͎͖̖̼͖̼̤̱͍̪̪̘͎̺͌͗̐̎̃̂͗͒͐̀͗̔͂̒̊̈́̀͌̂̔̊̀̈́̀̊̑̇͌̆͂͆̒̅͗̓͗̉̎̎̉͆̕̚̚͠͠i̷̡̡̨̨̨͔̠̟̟͍͖͇̺̝̪̝͈͈͎̯̗̬̮̘̘͇̩͇̦̙̩̥̖̬̬̿̈́̇̽͒̎̀͋̽̈́̔̉͑̋̽̓͆̉̔́̄͑͋̇̚͜͝͝͝͠r̴̡̢̡̨̠̯̹̲͙̯̦͇̖̜͖͖̥̝̳̻̩̗͍͙͙̜̯̼̟̩̠̳͎͈̗̮̰̖̰̞̭̯̦̞̭͌̍͑̄͊̂͊͗͌͌̓̆̽̉̅̒̑̕͘͜͠ŗ̸̢̛̖̗͈̪͍̭̙̙̭̥̟̯̻̯̣̣͔̳̣̞͉͓̱̹̩͎̂̈́̀̈́̓͑̾̒̑̍̎͌̋̄̓͊̌̎̆͐̌̚͘͘͜͜͜͜͠͝ư̶͎͔̖̮̱̞̭̲̬̰̙̗̭͖̠̠̊̎̑̄̐̆̓̇̈͊͋̓͂̔͌͌̍͒̓̍͂͘͝͝ͅͅ"

That was a guttural growl this time, and it seemed like it was right.. behind.  Looking behind him would find the scarecrow that Jevi was talking about.  It had climbed up on the wagon and was waiting for them.  Waiting for him.  It's sack of a face was worn and torn, with some of the inner workings visible.  Was that..  At the thought, the mask seemed to tear away at what would be the mouth.  Almost a crooked smile would form before a word would sound from the creature.

Quote

"̵̢͈̲̭̣̤͖͖̝̰̣̰͓͚̼̤͙͓͚̞͓̘͔̟̮͙̺̮͔͉̭̜̭̩̋̓̎͌͐̊̉̈́̋͋̎̍͗̕͜D̷̨̧̧̤̗̰͙̰̩̞̫̙̰͇̜̠̤̻̤̞̲͍̣̟͔͍̜̪͈̠̥͖̩̖͖̣̭̱̩̱̿͌̉̓̑́̑̑́͗̉̍̂̐͐̀͊̋̆̓̆̅́̏̾̔͒͘̕̕̚̕͝͠͝ŗ̶̖̟̠͉̠͔̝̩̹̜̳̥̥͕̄̅͗̃̇̌̌̀̂̓͐̃̓̾̒̋̀͐͂̃̅͐͆̌̀̓́́̅̕͘̚͘͘͘͜͝͝ǫ̶̢̠̼̦̞̰͂̃̀́̊͗̔͂̐̎͊̌̒̊͝͝w̶̨̹̜̹̜̰̤̪͚̥͙̹̯̙̩̙̩̤̰̣͓̲̻̗̲͓̐̈́͗͜͜n̵̡̛̛̼̫͍̫̜͔̰̯̳͎̮̮͎͕͕̜̥̜̱̹̟̱͍̝͖̫͎̗͔̦̫͓̙̔̒́̑͋́́͂̇̔͌́̉̎͘"̶̧̡̧̛̭̯̘̤̤̠͔̫̭̭̪̰͖̭͇̜̼̱̗̯̱̲͍͇͖̯͈̯͉͉̥̙͉͍̜̣̺̘͌̏͛̾̍͜͜͝ͅͅ

"Jevi!"

Hirru would shout out to here, but there was no response.  She was still pushing..  He was still pushing..  Why was he still pushing?  A crooked hand grabbed him by the head, and before the hunter knew it, he was being smashed into the mud.  No, he was going further than the mud.  It was dark, cold, and wet.  He was being held down by the long arm of the creature.  He was trying to hold his breathe while trying to get out of its grasp, but it was no use.  His conscious would slowly drift with the dark..

Quote

"̶̨̡̨̛̟͈̖̙̟͉̲͎̼̫͙͍̙̟̳͕̗͉̘̯̩͕̟̝̺͉̰͔̺̬͓̪͓͖͕͙̜̦̟͓̣̮͗̽̈́̍̈́̓̈́̒͐̑̊̍̇̀̃̊̇͆̾͘͜͜͜͜Ṁ̶̧̛̺̩̗̜͕͙̼͖̬͓̜͍̘̤̯̟͆͊̔̂̈̓̈́̓́̎͋̆́͛̈́̇͒̾̆̒̈́͋́̔̏̿̄͒̐͋̿̂͂̕̚͝ͅu̴̡̳̭̗̗̫̲͉̝̟̖̹̦̗̪͓͕͉͐́͌͑͋͊̈͊̈́̑̏̃̑̎̍̾̂͋̓̾͑͆͛̍̚̚͠͝ͅͅr̶̥̥̪̺̳͕̰͉̙͂̈̽̒͑͊̊̈́̐̌̾̌́̚͝d̴̨̡̡̛̝͈͎͎͍̹͚̻̺͖͇̪̪̭̯̬͉͈̝̑̿͐̓͝͠ͅͅě̷̢̧̧̺̖̜̭̝̹̣̳̦͍̙̗͚̼̲̞̞͔͕͔̟̻̫̙̳̣̹̖̈̈́̎̀͒͌̿̋͋̌̕̕̕̚͝͝ͅr̴̡̬̠̺̱̬̠̹̺̦̯̞̮͈̼͌̈́̈́̽͑̿̍̽̈́͌́̓̂̾͛͒͆́̾͑̌̉̒͗̋͠͠ͅe̶̛̥̰͕̣͈̩̅͂̂̀̏̅͌̀̀̈́̾̓́͋̀̍̂͗͋̈́̋́͌́̽̈̒̇̇̅̕̕̚͘̕͜͝͝͝r̷̢̡̛̛̛̗͍̠̭̬̺͈͓͓̘̥̬̞͉̞̖̙̗͚̖͈̼̟̘̪̱̞̃̆̋̏̾̂͑͛̅̒͊́̿̈́̓͊̊̏͆̊́̈̿͜͝͝͝"̷̨̡̧̛̻̖̟̭̮͎͚̘̹̠̮̭͙̻̣̹͈̳͇͖͔̞̊̏̌͐̔̀̃͊̉̑̾̈̌͜

+++

He would come to with a start.  They had finally reached the tavern, as if time had passed while he was out.  Was he still pushing the cart the entire time?  Did Jevi notice?  He didn't think so, but one would never be too sure. 

To Jevi, he would be mostly unresponsive as they pushed the cart along.  Not even looking behind them when the scarecrow was mentioned.  It was as if he was just ignoring everything else, except getting the damned thing out of the way.  Though, it could be said he was muttering under his breath.  Single words, but were not able to be heard through the rain, only his lips moving would give the indication he was doing it.  It wouldn't be until they got to the bar that his looks would change.  He was just as gaunt as a ghost on the 10th floor.  His head swinging frantically before cautiously looking behind himself.

"Okay.. let's get this stuff delivered, and get out of here.  I'm not liking this floor even more."

He was glad to see that she was back to her sense, whether she would be back to her own self was another thing.  It sounded like a terrible time, and the hunter would agree that he would also have many nightmares about that.  There were too many times that he had to deal with bug type mobs on floors, and they were always the worst ones to deal with.  Beast types were instinctual and savage, while humaniod types were precise and calculative.  Bugs types were, as he would find, were always the ambush predators or had status ailment attacks.  The amount of times he was paralyzed by scorpions while venturing through the 5th floor.  He shuddered before remembering the 20th floor.  ALL BUGS!!

"I can understand that."

She thanked him sincerely, and the hunter gave her a quick nod back.

"Any time."

He would say while getting up to finish the job.  All they had left was the large crate that needed to be brought up.  Though, even Jevi was complaining about the sheer audacity of the people putting such quantities of alcohol within the thing, until she pointed out the issue that would make the hunter slap himself upside his own head.  They were several feet above ground level, and that kind of distance was enough to cause significant damage to their cargo.  What they needed was a way to lift all of this off the ship.  Something that could take the weight of the items in question, while also being able to maneuver the ship's width and then some.

"I think I got an idea, but it's gonna need some set up."

He would say before pointing to the hatch above them that was letting some of the rain in.

"One thing we need to do is to break the lock or the hinges off this hatch.  They're both rusted shut, and I don't know if they're indestructible or not, yet.  If we can get it open, then we can try using the second thing to help us out more.  If not, then we're carrying it up."

Hirru would walk slightly up the stairs to point out the crane system that he had seen before.  The main one that was attached to the mast would probably be their only solution.  The mast itself seemed to be damaged from the collision, but would probably be good enough to bear the weight, if only for one or two tries.  Though, someone would have to rig up the rope through the pulley and winches again.

"We'll use that to pull everything up and over.  It looks like it has enough length to go over the ships edge, probably.  If we can get a hook and rope through it all, then we could probably use that and a large enough net to get everything down.  The issue would be to have the appropriate netting and rope.  The rope on the deck should still work, if not only for a couple more uses.

Looking to Jevi, he asked which one she would prefer.  Whatever the answer, they would both would be busy with their tasks.  Whomever got ropes and netting would find that the ropes were in the worst condition, meaning that they only had durability for two pulls, and the netting was only big enough for all the barrels or the one large crate, not both.  So they would need to do two passes of cargo offloading to accomplish their task.  The climb up the mast and onto the crane arm would be a dexterous act, especially with rope in hand.  Though, whomever would perform the duty would still be able to complete it with little effort.  The one that chose to break open the gate would find it just as stuck, but it wasn't indestructible.  A heavy sword art would be needed to break the lock or hinges.  Hirru could use RAW art, while Jevi had her plethora of combat arts.  Either one would have ease to get the gate open.  

It wouldn't take long before they had the system working, though not as well as it could be.  There wasn't much else they could do, as their nautical knowledge probably didn't surpass a certain point, though the hunter's knowledge was getting to him.  How the hell did he know any of this?  

"Let's just take it easy and start with the barrels, then we'll get the crate."

He would say while putting the netting out, putting all the barrels and stacking them as best he could so that all would fit inside, every so often folding the netting over just to make sure.  He would probably need some help from Jevi as it came time to hook up the netting to the crane.  They found a freight hook while searching for the netting down below.  It was also ready to fall apart too.  It looked like this entire ship was about to crumble at any second.  They had attached it to the end of the cranes rope to proceed.

"Alright, let's do this!"

He called out before starting to winch the barrels up.  The creaking and groaning of the crane and mast were scarily the loudest thing outside of the occasional lightning and thunder.  Though, other than that, they would get the barrels down with anxious ease.  Looking down over the edge, they would sigh in relief.

"I'll head down and take care of them." 

The hunter would call out before he would head down to put the barrels into the wagon directly.  After a bit of time of loading it all, they would start the whole thing over with the crate.  Setting everything up in the flooded hold was worse than before, and this would be their last and only try to get this down.  Once it was within the net and hooked up to the crane, they would begin.  This one would cause the mast to crack and splinter towards the weight it was pulling, so that had to work fast.  They still would have to swing the crane arm over the edge and bring the whole thing down.  Trying to make it swing slowly would have the mast groan to a point where they both were certain that they would be evading a falling mast soon.  It would be the inevitable conclusion, as the lowering of the crate would cause a cascading effect of issues.  As the freight was almost down, the crane arm would break, dropping the load a fair bit before catching, swinging back more.  The drop would cause the rope to then lose the last of its durability and shatter.  Meanwhile, the groaning of the main mast was starting to lean dangerously over them.

"MOVE!!  LET'S GO!!"

They would have just enough time to get back to the rope ladder before the mast would smash down where they were.  Leaving the only entrance back aboard the ship to be lost to them.  A heavy sigh of relief would fill the hunter.  This was too much work for a bloody quest.  Thinking that the crate was all but lost, they would find that it was in the wagon, as if they had successfully offloaded it.  Hirru was over this quest as it was.  They were both too wet to care and just as tired from coming out of the floor raid events.

"This drink better be worth it."

Slowly taking each barrel up the stairwell, like a dumbass, he would look around the deck once more.  There were ropes of varied thicknesses and lengths, with broken boards here and there.  Some odd structures on the ship too.  Some sort of poles system with metal spinner bits to them.  The metal seemed rusty, but you could still see the usage from one of them carrying a rope that was spooled through.  A pulley, was it?  How did he know that?  He would look down next to the stairwell, here a grated gate would lay upon the deck.

"No.."

Investigating the area, he would find it had hinges that seemed to open towards him, though.  The grated hatch allowed him to hear Jevi as she continued to speak to him as he moved the supplies up top.  A latch was also locked into place and rusted shut.  There would be no way to use this and that pulley system, it seemed.

"..damn.. Looks like we're doing this the hard way still.."

He would mutter under his breath before going back down the stairs for the next crate.  Oh, gods in olympus.. it was a big one.  Looking back up at the deck hatch above him, and sighed once more.  Maybe they had time to beat the lock open?  It was around then that Hirru heard Jevi say something, but he wasn't quite certain what it was.

"What was th.."

His heart jumped as the sudden screams echoed through the grungy ships bowels.  That was.. 

"Jevi!"

Hirru scrambled, slipping and rolling over some debris.  His soaked boots crashing through the water, heading towards the screams of that were getting worse, before finding the thrashing Jevi upon the ground.  Soaking wet while she rolled and wiped away at something that wasn't even there. 

"Jevi!  What's going on!  Why are you.. "

Was this that madness he remembered from before?  He was starting to worry more for his friend before remembering that he was now equipped for this.  He just needed to not be punched and kicked for what he needed to do.

"Hold on!"

Hirru would say as he fell to his knees beside her, and would take her in his arms.  Her thrashing would make it so much more difficult to do, but he needed to either have them player physically see them, or physically touch them.  First Aid skills had such odd caveats, and that was this ones caveat. 

"Snap out of it.. please..." 

Tears in his eyes, he gritted his teeth each time she would kick out, scratch him, or perform any possible sword art from her position.  He would have to reposition each time before finally having the time to activate the art.  Hirru used Purify | -3 en  A white light would envelop his hand as he placed it atop her head, his other arm wrapping around her.  The skill would remove all toxins, debuffs, and other status effects.  That included Madness, it seemed.  The light would pass to Jevi as a shimmering halo before slowly fading away, showing that the art had finished its detox.

"Jevi?  You're okay.  What happened?"

He let go of her, to let her come to without him being inside her personal space.  All in that, he would be more worried about her than what ever the hell she was doing to have caused the madness.

"Heh, well.  I guess I better start.."

He would say before he felt her fingers upon his cheek.  It caught the man off guard, as it was that gentle touch that conveyed something he needed.  Something that he couldn't understand, but knew he wanted more of it.  How long had it been since someone gave him this peace of mind.  Hirru would've thought about it, but he would let himself nearly fall into that hand, if she had not taken them away.  It left behind a warm flush behind, to which the heat would make his mask that much more uncomfortable.  It took quite a bit of restraint to not take her hand and bring it back to his yearning face.

He could tell that she was taking in all of him.  How could he not, when her soft gaze never left his own.  Those thoughts that would be running through her mind.  Were they just like his right now.  That he didn't want to let her go.  To see her whisked away in the dark, as soon as they reentered the building.  That is, if they did.

"If you would like to.. would you care to dance.  That way, you can have an experience I stole you away from, and tell you that story better."

Hirru dared a little too well, and took his mask off with one swipe of his hand, with the other would gently caress the small of her back, before pulling her closer. 

His features were not that far removed from the mystique that a simple mask would hide, nor did he really need the mask.  The green hair alone was easy enough to track outside of the party.  The thing that would not be visible, was his name.  A simple ploy that the game loved to use was the anonymity it gave to everyone.  No one knew each other, nor their player name, unless expressly given or were invited to a party.  It was only after joining a party, that a player's name would be announced to all.  He figured that something was going on when Oscar and Mari's names were shown when they were unmasked, but he felt it was just part of the play.

He would lean in close to her, now feeling the breath upon his face.

"Hirru.."

He would start out with before waiting for his dance partner to agree, or not.  It was up to her to accept him.

"My name is Hirru"

She didn't look fine, but Hirru would not count out his friend's capabilities now.  The simple fact that she could hold her own against the mobs on this floor AND protect a low level player, at the same time.  He knew she was strong, always had been, but time had really shown how much he had missed.  How long had it really been since they last ventured with each other?  How..

"I'm gla.. wait wha.."

She had given her own worries about the hunter and his own state of mind.  Did he have an episode in front of her?  What did she see, exactly?  Did she see the water that he saw.  Did she not see the dark waves that seemed to crush him.  Oh no.. Was he going to have another one?  He didn't want to show her that.  That he was starting to lose it more and more as time went on.  It wasn't lose of the outside world that would be doing it, though.  It would be his connections and experiences now that were unraveling his past.  Things were starting to make sense, without context.

He steeled himself before saying the one thing he would regret.  He would look up into her eyes~.  Was she always taller than him?

"It's.. something I've been fighting.. for some time.  I'll speak more of it when we have a drink to relax with.."

He would tell her, but right now.  They needed to get back to safety first, and that was not on this broken and dilapidated ship. 

They were both now exploring the roughly abandoned ship.  What was even could they find in this mass of rubbish, mold, and filth.  Even if there were life here, all evidence of it were thrown to the deck.  What the fuck was a deck, and how did he know that?  Still, there wasn't much else around them.  While they were searching, Jevi started making small talk about Liz and the merchant professions.  That, Hirru would have a story for.  His voice raised in excitement over telling a story that wasn't about his inability to remember his own lore.

"Oh, that?  It was interesting really.  They're a quest NPC, at least the Mysterious Merchant is.  He was my merchant profession quest giver.  He was just sitting by his ruined wagon, in the 5th floor desert.  He just wanted me to procure parts and help fix his wagon, and part of that was trying to find his pet, in the desert."

That whole quest was rather odd to begin with.  Why was the merchant in the middle of the desert?  He didn't really seem the type to go there, especially all the times the hunter had traveled with the caravan.  Hirru would shift through some mildew filled blankets and other textiles.  All ruined and beyond salvage.

"Afterwards, he somehow became my shop NPC, since I had no knack at sales apparently, but he did teach me the old art of investigation.  Liz had just been a package deal, since they were the wagon's mount.  Still, she has a personality all her own.  Mostly shy, hungry, and protective.  Then, ever since the Black Out event from the 25th raid, he's just been my NPC shopkeep.  Though, there have been times that we go to the new Appraiser quest giver, and they argue semantics."

[ID: 254546] LD: 8

A splash would turn the hunter's attention quickly.  Damned it all.  He wished he had spent the skill points for Night Vision already.  The little light that they were getting from the portholes was not enough.  HOW THE HELL DID HE KNOW WHAT PORTHOLES WERE?!!  He squinted his eyes in the direction, and the thing seemed to have surfaced.  Scuttling across a broken barrel, what could be seen as a rat would lift its..

"I thought I've seen everything on this floor.. but what the fuck is that!"

He shouted while pointing towards the broken barrel, but by the time he had done so, the creature would be gone.  Scared away by the yelling, or at least he hoped they were.  Though, that would bring about a decent find.  Some of the supplies that they needed to bring with them was here, but apparently the quest wasn't over.

"Bloody hell..."

He sighed before calling back to Jevi.

"Found some of them, how bout on your end?"

Rolling some of the barrels back over to the stairwell, he took a deep breath in before starting the idiotic task of bringing them back up the deck.

"So, what have you been up to since.. well.. our last proper meeting."

Hirru would be quiet for only a moment before quipping in.

"Not the christmas party at Koga's..  I'm.. still embarrassed over that.., but our last proper talk."

"Heh, yeah.  That it is.."

He would reply to how shitty of a something the cart was, as they pushed on through the roads as best as they could.  It felt like they were at it for too long, or was it not at all?  Quests could take hours sometimes, depending on what it needed.  Hopefully, it wouldn't take all day.  Time and space was all over the place on this floor.  That or the hunter was losing it.  With how he had been lately, he figured it was the later.  At least he knew he had a problem.

They eventually found the pier, but there was not a ship in sight.  This was going to make a shipment that much harder to find, it seemed.  How were they going to find something that was meant for a ship, if there was no ship.  Still, the fog did not let up, and in fact, became that much worse as they neared the waters.  The rain still never ceased, but it seemed less of a problem here.  No, the water was now coming from the surf itself.  The sea was not pleasant this night.  Waves could be heard crashing upon the decks, with light spray leaving the warped wood that much more wet.  Without much else to search around, Jevi spotted a shed that she was going to investigate.

"Okay, I'll keep.."

The water would spray once more, but into his face.  Shutting his eyes from the surprise..

It was the sound that made him come back for a brief moment.  The sound of a bell, getting louder and closer.  He wouldn't fully be aware of the situation until Jevi had grabbed onto his arm and pulled him this way and that.  A damned ship had snuck up on them, and was on a collision course with their dock.

"Bloody hell!"

Was the only thing he could shout as they ran back to get the wagon.  What the ever living hell was going on while.. what was he doing, anyway?  Why was he just standing there?  He could question himself later after they had out ran a DAMNED SHIP!!  Hirru didn't have to look back to know whatever was left of the dock house would be under the water, he was more so worrying that the sound was getting closer and more expensive sounding too.  The screeching sound of something metal grinding deeply into wood, rock, and dirt.  They only slowed down when the noises finally stopped with a final screech, as if something was leaning now.

"I'm as good as I'm gonna be."

Which would be the most he would be.  As long as that little issue of his didn't crop up any more, he would be much better.  He didn't want her to see him like.. like that.

"How about you?"

He would wait for a response before doing anything else.  In that time, Jevi and Hirru would look upon the now beached and wrecked remains of..  A name was painted upon the hull of the brigantine.  Was it the name of the ship?  Hirru didn't really know.  He didn't get to search up nautical knowledge on the other floors, except that one quest.  He was not good at sailing a ship.  Still, the ship was rather large.  The smaller boat he used on that quest was much smaller.  This thing had room to maneuver, at least from this distance.

"The Alert, huh?  Certainly put us on alert..  *sigh* so what now?"

As Jevi asked how they would get up there, a sound of wood clanking before a metallic thrum would come from the side of the ship.  Upon further investigation, a rope ladder seemed to have been tossed down to the surface.  Whether this was meant for them, or someone else, was well beyond reasoning now.  If they wanted to continue, they would have to do so by climbing into the belly of the beast.

"Let me scan it first."

He said while giving a quick scan of the area.  There didn't seem to be any blips, but there could still be other things or traps in there.  How else would the ship just crash into them?  He had to make sure the crew was okay, but that was also part of the problem.  There were NO blips.  Not any living beings on the ship from a initial scan.  They would need to get inside to find out anything else.

"Should be safe.. hopefully."

He would say as he took to the step ladder.  It was just as soggy and slimy as he thought it would be, but not a terrible climb up.  Still, after getting to the top, he would turn around and help Jevi up too.

Slowly taking her hand, while keeping it to his side, he would start to lead her towards one of the exits.  He remembered two: the main entrance and the secret entrance that he scanned not too long ago.  He had no reason to go to the later, so he would slowly retrace his steps back the way he came in.  Slowly weaving around groups that formed here and there.  There would be a small pause as they would wait for some people to enter the main room through the entrance hall.  He was in no hurry, and he was sure that she was not either.

"Have you been liking the party, so far?"

He would ask as he looked to her.  Hirru would give a moment for a response, if any, before giving his own.  There wasn't much to really go off of, though if she had enough time to investigate everything in such fine detail, she may have been there for more than a little bit.  If so, she would have been there when the whole switcheroo happened.

"Honestly, have been to only.. a couple others myself.  A celebratory ball and a wedding.  At least this one didn't succumb to pirates mid way through."

His eyes narrowed for a moment as the stream of players thinned again.  He really hoped that wouldn't happen again.  Although he figured everyone would be okay, especially since they were in town, so no force of any kind could harm nor kill them.  That and he was sure that Oscar made sure that everyone would get an invite, including the front.  He just didn't want this environment to be ruined by something.  Oscar had put so much into this, and Hirru was certain it would continue throughout the night.

"I'd tell you the story, but.. I like to tell long ones."

As he opened the final door, the evening gleam of light would assail their eyes.  Thankfully, the entrance hall had gradual lighting coming to and from the doors, or players would be fully blinded when they left.  Though, it may also be due to their own masks, hiding the harsher tones while letting only so much in.  Hirru had nearly forgot that he still had the thing on.  It wasn't exactly that comfortable, but his mind was elsewhere.  Still, he would help her cross the frame before looking up to the sky.

The red-orange glow of the sun's final rays seemed to radiate their last through the clouds as they stepped out onto the streets.  Other than a few stragglers, the street was roughly quiet.  Hirru would take a deep breath in, holding it in for a moment, then letting it out slowly. 

"Although the party is good, I like the view from out here more."

Looking back to his companion in this walk and talk, the red glow of the final light would give her a new look.  Firstly, the long dark hair that draped over her entirety, flowing nicely with her dress.  The eyes that seemed to shine behind that mask.  What did they see about him?  What did they see through him?

"You look.. incredible, by the way."

He jingled the mess of gold and such upon his suit.  He really did like to find the oddest things tailors made.

"I feel overdressed.."

@Vanta

It seemed that the players outside of the raid were really having the hell beaten out of them.  To think, a low level player coming to their rescue.  The front would love to hear that, though he could probably hear some of them now.  'Who let the low levels back on the floor?'  'Didn't we just lose five last time they came up here'  'We need to try harder to make sure that this never happens again'  That last one he figured would be reasonable, but the player he envisioned wouldn't be.  There was so much to unpack from just that, but in the end, he took it at face value.

He owed them one.

Upon hearing that the paper was a quest in disguise, the hunter sighed slightly.  He wasn't really there to do a quest, even if a drink was offered.  How would they enjoy it?  The thought really made the hunter think, though.  How would they enjoy it?  How does he know?  He drank before, in several places even.  He was okay with it, but was that because of the world, or was it because of himself?

"Well, if that isn't an interesting way of doing things."

Moving to one of the windows, broken glass and rotted wood would not bare his vision from the mess outside.  The rain had not relented.  It never does.

"So, how are we going to get them here?  The rain is going to make things that much more difficult, and I'm definitely not carrying supplies by hand.  If my wagon hadn't broken down out there, it would be easier to transport."

Hirru would look back to Jevi.  Her illuminated form would give him a moment of clarity.  She certainly looked capable of keeping her own, and he wouldn't let anything take that away.  He started walking to the back, where he first came from.

"Maybe the business has their own wagon we could use?  I'll recheck the back.  Didn't really have a good look back there.  Gotta get Liz inside anyway, before she gets cold."

He would venture back through the broken doorway and into the kitchen/backrooms.  There didn't seem to be any creatures or such that would be a bother to the ole girl, so the hunter tapped the scales next to the 'floating' blanket.  He turned around to see if Jevi had followed, and if so would tell her about the poor creature.

"Don't mind the floating blanket.  Liz doesn't like being seen."

Hirru patted the open air as the blanket got stuck for a second in the doorway.  Around the area that the doorway and his hand touched, a red set of scales would shimmer slightly before the mass got unstuck.  Getting into a spot that wasn't cluttered with jagged mess of wood and stone, she would rest.  Hopefully she would be ready to go when they got back.

Exiting the establishment, there was a middling shed that he swore wasn't there.  He would have noticed something that size.  Or would he?  They were now in the domain of a quest, or what was known as an 'instant'.  Those that were in the area would be trapped in it until the quest was over, or something interrupted them from the outside.  Still, that just meant that anything could happen from here on out.  Getting caught in the rain once more, he would immediately activate search once more.  Two pings, but that was behind him.  Jevi and Liz.  Still cautious from the containment issue they had when they first ventured to this floor, Hirru took a look inside the shed.

Inside was all but destroyed.  It didn't seem too back outside, but the roof had caved in on one side.  An awful stench came from a pooling mess that seemed to seep from it.  Did.. did it crush something?  Not thinking too much on that, the actual piece that he sought was in sight: a lone wagon.  Hirru would sigh slightly, until he noticed that there were no straps or harnesses, only a long pole connected to the wagon by some supports.

"Oh great.."

He would call out from the shed.

"Found the wagon, but you're not gonna like this next part."

***

The rain would not relent, and would only come down harder upon them.  A squelching noise would come from the hunter's boots as it stamped upon the muddy road.  It nearly sank two inches before he could continue with another step.  He stamped forward once more, pushing the wagon onward towards the shipyard.  The rising fog could be fooling them to think it was a long way away, or so close that they were about to fall off the docks with one wrong move.  Either way, he really didn't like the physical labor without his old strength.  Though, that strength was now in his healing and presence, which did not help him i the slightest here.

At least he had Jevi there to keep him company.

She is rather apologetic and heavily analytical, but not in a way that that was arrogant, nor concerning.  It only took her a few moment to, not only figure out that something was wrong with the jade player, but to also find the closest way to alleviate the situation.  There were few factors that were being followed, but those were probably detailed within her mind. 

The hunter shook his head ever so slightly, but took the glass anyway.  The drink from before didn't warm him anymore than what he thought it would, but the hand that held that glass towards him was.  So too was this hand; warm behind the cool glass.

"No, thank you.  You distracted me from my own mind."

He replied before letting the glass touch his lips.  Nice and cool, though the sensation really made him feel the heat in his ears.  Letting the glass trail off to his cheek to feel a little bit more, before letting it settle back to chest level.  

"My apologies to you, for taking care of me so close to helping you.  Though saying that, the way you went through that detailed observation was.. impressive.  Not only my complexion, but how and where to get the freshest water to alleviate my issue.  Have you been observing everything in this room?"

He would ask as a joke, not really thinking that it would be a serious thing.  He was starting to let the combinations of Mack and Freyd show before Mari's words seemed to creep into his mind.

Quote

"You'll be okay...because you're Hirru.."

That's right.  He just needed to be himself, even behind the mask.  A small smile would form from behind the mask.  He did not notice the players moving around him.  Tonight, he was there to be distracted.

"Ah. sorry.. I was just about to exit for a moment.  Get some air, if you will."

He said before letting his other hand lay open, in a gesture to accept hers, if she so wished.

"Would you care to.. escort me there?  I'm sure I can handle, but I would like someone to talk to."

@Vanta

Almost as if she could read him more than anyone else, she took the nervous man away from the dance floor.  Was he really showing that much concerning notions, or was she really not wanting to.  She said that her special someone wouldn't be there, which he wanted to know more about, but that was between them.  It was not his area to intrude on, unless Mari decided to give that information.  So, they found themselves back upon the very seats that they sat upon before.  Was this going to be their place to return, if such things happen again?

"Huh.. Oh!  Thanks."

Mari had ordered a drink for the wilted shrub of a man.  A drink called Gold Rush?  He swirled the glass a moment before raising it to his lips.  The scent was definitely inviting.  Passing the lips, one would think that it would burn, but it was unexpectedly smooth.  Sour, but warm.  He felt..  ..familiar.

"I think so.  I.."

He realized what question he answered to, and placed his drink on the table.

"I mean, I am fine.  At least, for now.  Who knows how the rest of the night will be, if we're gonna be thrown about like that again."

He could not find fault in the maneuver though.  What a way to pair off the wallflowers than to switch things around every so often.  That is, if this was going to continue.

"As for a special someone.."

Someone came to mind.  Though, he also did not think that they would come to something like this.  Though, they did come to that other one.  His gaze would go from the drink, to Mari, to up to the ceiling.  A feint smile would come as he did, but as he thought more upon that silhouette.. darkwasthenight 
That.. evendarker
silhouette.. wasthewater

Mari would see a that smile fade fast, his eyes betraying him even faster.  Absent.  The lighting didn't help, but he would seem pale.  It was like she was looking at a statue of someone she thought she knew.  It would only be but a moment, but that time was enough for the spark to come back.  His breathing quickened as his world came back to reality.  His eyes fell back to Mari; they were trembling.  A tear fell from behind the mask.  His arms readied himself as his whole being was about to choose flight before settling down.

"I.. I'm sorry.. that was.."

He took a handkerchief from his inner pocket and wiped the water from his face.  He would take the rest of the drink and slam it.  It was definitely not made for such methods, and the mixture of taste was not like the first.  Still, he needed to calm himself before another one came.

"I should get some air.."

He stood up just at the right time.  A dark figure had ventured towards them in the dim lightning, and it seemed that they were not paying as much attention to where they were going, nor was Hirru.  They fell towards the jade haired man, and before he even knew what he was doing, had caught them in his arms.  His reflexes to save someone else prevailed over his own safety once more.  His fear fell quickly when something else came around to distract him for the dark recesses of those..  This was not about him anymore, so he needed to push it aside.

The figure that was now in his arms was light, which belied what he was holding onto.  Their voice broke their silence first.  A rampage of apologies and reasonings would flow forth as he would look upon the woman before him.  He did not think about beauty nor anything else, except for the safety of the individual.  His eyes would settle as they didn't seem to be harmed, as the masked woman would raise her head to look upon him.

"Are you.. okay?"

He asked, as he slowly brought her back up to her feet.  He would not let go of her until he was sure that she was stable upon her own two feet, unless she said otherwise.

@Mari @Vanta

"Wha!  Huh!  Jevi?"

He stepped back a bit as he recovered himself from nearly being splashed across the room.  As he took a look at the roughed up and battered player before him, his thoughts ran rampant upon the current situation.  What was she doing here?  Was she apart of the support team? He couldn't remember if she was, or not.  Why was she looking so rough?  Was she.. one of the runners?

"Well.."

He composed himself as he lowered his guard finally.  Jevi was not his enemy, but his friend.

"We won.  It wasn't going down for some time.  It seemed immune to our attacks near the end, but then.. we all got teleported to the actual boss room."

Hirru would shuffle himself around Jevi, positioning himself on the outside of the bar counter.  The rain still ran droplets through his form.  Was it getting colder?

"Some player that wasn't part of the raid told us everything.  It seemed that some of the support team were running a sword all the way up the labyrinth, and it wasn't until then they returned it to it's resting place, that we could end it."

He looked from her to the surrounding litter that made up the remnants of the tavern itself.  It was almost like the whole place was ransacked and left to rot.  He could swear the boards were gonna give way from his own weight, if he wasn't careful.  His gaze would go back to her.

"Wait.. were you part of that?  How.. long have you been out here?  Are you okay?  Do..do you need healing, or energy?"

He had a slight amount of panic, but it would slow to a calm.  Everyone was exhausted over what happened today.  It was only reasonable for Jevi to be as well, especially if she was one of the ones to run that sword through this dangerous floor.  His hands were aglow from two separate healing arts, and would die down only when he calmed himself, but not fully.

"Sorry.. I'm offering, if you need it.  Though, maybe a bit of water or other drink may help us calm down more."

He said pointing to the small glass upon the counter.  It was then that he noticed that odd slip of paper.  From the feint light that the little lantern was giving, it seemed to be slightly newer and not as dusty or moldy as everything else in this place.

"What's that about?"

He asked, pointing it out, his hand's glow fading as he did so.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/06/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Refined Battle Hammer
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: Weapon (Hammer)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Damage / Damage / Bleed
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 
  • Found ID: T2 Perfect Weapon [252737] ----------------> 20000 Col (Save)
  • ID  254319 |CD 4 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1
• Item Description: A burnished bronze-gold hammer, designed to be used in one hand. The hammerhead is rimmed with jagged edges, leading to blows having a chance to tear into the flesh of the target they strike. Well-balanced, simple and functional.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/06/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Aean Straight Sword
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: Weapon (Straight Sword)
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Damage / Bleed / Bleed
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 
  • Found ID: T2 Perfect Weapon [252738]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
  • ID  254320 |CD 11 | Mystic Essence Gain = 2
• Item Description: A hand-and-a-half sword (bastard) with a deep fuller down the center of the blade. The edges of the sword gleam with a red tint, mildly unsettling to look at as the gleam persists no matter the source of light, or the angle. “Death by a thousand cuts, starts with one.”

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/06/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Elite Woodsman's Leather Guard
• Item Tier: 2
• Item Type: Light Armor
• Item Rarity:  Perfect
• Item Enhancements: Mitigation / Evasion / Evasion
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 
  • Found ID: T2 Perfect Armor [252353]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
  • ID  254321 |CD 7 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1
• Item Description: Reinforced, lightened leather armor that has been pared down to the essentials, but those essentials have been bolstered. Light-weight and mobile, this armor was designed around the wearer avoiding injuries, more than anything else. 

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/06/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Minor Healing Potion
• Item Tier: 1
• Item Type: Consumable
• Item Rarity:  Uncommon
• Item Enhancements: HP Recovery
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 
  • Found ID: T1 Uncommon Consumable [251764a]------------------> 20000 Col (save)
  • ID  254322 |CD 6 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1
• Item Description: A simple flask of dark red liquid.  It doesn't shimmer like some others, but it will help out in a pinch.

• Shop Post: Traveling Flame
• Transaction Date: 10/06/25
• Cost of Transaction: 20000
• Crafter's Profession: Appraiser
• Crafter's Rank: R5
• Item Name: Focus Cookie
• Item Tier: 1
• Item Type: Consumable
• Item Rarity:  Uncommon
• Item Enhancements: Accuracy
• Craft/Appraisal/Obtainment IDs & Rolls: 
  • Found ID: T1 Uncommon Consumable [251764b]------------------> 20000 Col (Save)
  • ID  254323 |CD 12 | Mystic Essence Gain = 2
• Item Description: A cookie that seems to be baked with some essential vitamins to keep ones focus on the situation at hand.

All appraisals below are appraised for the essence and then sold.  No description, nor enhancements needed as none are rolled

T2 Perfect Weapon [252739]------------------> 20000 Col (Sell +750)

• ID  254324 |CD 6 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1

T2 Perfect Weapon [252740]------------------> 20000 Col (Sell +750)

• ID  254325 |CD 11 | Mystic Essence Gain = 2

T2 Perfect Weapon [252741]------------------> 20000 Col (Sell +750)

• ID  254326 |CD 3 | Mystic Essence Gain = 0

T2 Perfect Weapon [252742]------------------> 20000 Col (Sell +750)

• ID  254327 |CD 6 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1

T2 Perfect Weapon [252743]------------------> 20000 Col (Sell +750)

• ID  254328 |CD 8 | Mystic Essence Gain = 1

Mystic Essence = (11) [245319], [245320a/b], [245321], [245322], [245323a/b], [245324], [245325], [245327], [245328]