Kooh

Crreeeeeaaaak...

Kooh winced at the drawn-out sound that the large oaken door made when she pushed it open. "So much for trying out that lockpicking skill..." She muttered under her breath with dissatisfaction. Still, an entrance had been presented to her, and so she cautiously made her way into...an office? She raised a brow while looking over the large room. A few desks, some filing cabinets, even a standing fan and water cooler decorated the space, though she couldn't shake how empty and lifeless it felt.

WHAM!

She spun around, eyes wide and her pulse skyrocketing. The door had slammed shut behind her, and she could hear the 'click' of a lock sliding into place. "Oh are you serious--" She marched back and tried the handle. It wouldn't budge. She groaned and scowled. "Fine." She turned back and faced the contents of the office room with a huff. "I wanted to check out the big-ass creepy building, I'll check out the big-ass creepy building." She walked around, inspecting the room for anything of value. When she tugged on the drawers most of them were non-functional, causing her to scowl with annoyance.

Kooh cursed to herself over and over again. Her fists clenched tightly as she held them up in front of her to maintain her fighting stance. But her feet, which normally danced over the battlefield on the way to strike her foes, felt heavy. Her eyes darted from one side of her to the other as she searched for any sign of the ethereal Banshee, and she hesitated to move while she stood on edge. Once she saw her, what would she do? Attack? She glanced nervously once, then twice at the bar in the corner of her vision that sat still below its halfway point. Would one more hit from that thing really kill her? It could come out of nowhere, get one clean hit in, and that would be it?

She was never this hesitant. In the face of greater danger, she'd taken more risk without second-guessing herself, but now she was weighing every option. Perhaps those few close calls so long ago instilled some sense of fear into her, and finally now her self-preservation was shouting its priority inside her head.

The voices of the players around her, calling out to her, managed to cut some of the tension. "Yeah, no problem." She lied towards Bahr, but Kirbs' casual remarks caused a small smirk to form at the edge of her lips. "Heh, yeah no kidding. Well, I definitely can't take another hit from that thing, and my damage is pretty crappy. I don't think I'll be very helpful in finishing this." She admitted wryly.

No Action Taken

[1] Kooh: 198/400 HP | 35/40 EN | 8 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[0] Bahr: 480/480 HP | 16/48 EN | 9 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC | 3 EVA | 9-10 Bleed (12)
[1] Kirbs: 314/420 HP | 25/42 EN | 9 DMG | 14 MIT | 3 ACC | 8-10 Paralyze | 9-10 Bleed (12) | 2 Recovery

Banshee: 83/250 HP | 200 DMG | 2 EVA

@Bahr @Kirbs

Kooh staggered, backing up into the large, piled pieces of a rusty wrought-iron cage door, stumbling again and nearly tripping to the ground. Her hand flew out in time to catch herself, and she simply stood there, hunched over a pile of rubble with one hand gripping onto a bar and the other still clutching her spinning head. She could barely hear Kirbs' voice through the ringing, and after another few seconds she shook her head in frustration at her blurred vision while she let out a few more curses.

Things were starting to clear up, finally. She could stand without the dizzying sensation shifting her sense of balance. She could see Kirbs' spear sink into the Banshee's ghostly form and watch it recoil. Kooh's eyes darted up to the row of health bars tucked neatly into the corner of her vision. "Christ..." That attack wasn't just disorienting as hell, it also hurt way more than she'd expected. Back in the fray, the ghastly woman no longer had eyes for her. 'If I try anything now, I'll just get knocked on my ass again.' She thought, gnawing on her lip in frustration. She looked around. No sign of any more undead crawling through the floorboards.

She hung back. She had to. Keeping up her guard, Kooh watched and waited.

No Action Taken

[0/0/0/1] Kooh: 198/400 HP | 34/40 EN | 8 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[0/0/0/0] Bahr: 480/480 HP | 16/48 EN | 9 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC | 3 EVA | 9-10 Bleed (12) | Rested (2/2) | Disguise (3/3)
[0/0/0/1] Kirbs: 314/420 HP | 26/42 EN | 9 DMG | 14 MIT | 3 ACC | 8-10 Paralyze | 9-10 Bleed (12) | 2 Recovery

Banshee: 83/250 HP | 200 DMG | 2 EVA

@Bahr @Kirbs

She had almost finished. She would have hit 'send' and then gone about the rest of her day, whatever that entailed. But before she had typed out the last line, someone was tapping on her shoulder. A voice she hadn't heard before called her to attention, and presented her with an invitation. Kooh looked up from her task and cocked a brow. Her eyes drifted from the bubbly blonde to the violet-haired man she had stuck her thumb towards in the background. Before offering any kind of verbal reply, she tapped a couple more buttons on her messaging interface. Attach. Image.

Kooh squinted one garnet eye shut and held up her index fingers and thumbs as if she was framing a picture. She positioned the outline to capture Kityuisa's smiling, expectant face along with Ryo's puzzled expression several feet behind her. A shutter noise sounded in her ears, and Kooh dropped her hands, typing out two more quick lines and sending it away.

"Kooh." After making the girl wait, she gave her name with a blank, almost bored expression. "Sure. What kind of quest?" She asked, sliding off of the barstool she had been sitting and shoving her hands back into the pockets of her cardigan.

@Ryo @Kityuisa

She took a few steps back as Bahr charged down the staircase, making quick work of the first three zombies that had risen from the surrounding rubble. The trio had hardly any time to breathe, let alone explore the cavern they'd just discovered. More creatures animated from the wreckage in the prison, dragging themselves through the tunnel that led straight to the banshee herself.

The wailing ghostly woman shot forward before they'd even made their move, gliding into the large entryway and avoiding Kirbs' jab of her spear with ease. Kooh glanced around, spotting the three new undead monsters coming for them again. She eyed Bahr's hefty sword and made a quick decision. He would tear through the groups of zombies much faster than she ever could, she thought. She followed suit with the redhead and got a running start towards the Banshee's floating form. The greaves over her shins glowed with the activation of her sword art, and she spun to deliver two kicks in quick succession. For a moment she was afraid her limbs would slide right through her target, but the Banshee recoiled with a hiss as she made contact. Kooh widened her stance, standing her ground. The Banshee turned her back to the other two players, enraged at the one who had landed the first blow. Her head reeled back and she let out another scream, this one filled with rage. Kooh winced, having to bring her hands up to clamp down over her ears and cursing aloud.

@Bahr @Kirbs

[0/0/0/1] Kooh: 400/400 HP | 33/40 EN | 8 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[0/0/0/0] Bahr: 480/480 HP | 31/48 EN | 9 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC | 3 EVA | 9-10 Bleed (12) | Rested (2/2) | Disguise (3/3)
[0/0/0/0] Kirbs: 314/420 HP | 41/42 EN | 9 DMG | 14 MIT | 3 ACC | 8-10 Paralyze | 9-10 Bleed (12) | 2 Recovery

Undead Guardian Zombie 4: 40/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT
Undead Guardian Zombie 5: 40/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT
Undead Guardian Zombie 6: 40/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT
Banshee: 218/250 HP | 200 DMG | 2 EVA

Having turned her back and settled on leaning against the long iron railing that circled around the second floor of the foyer, Kooh simply winced at the crashing sounds that echoed from the room across the hall. She spotted the bit of wall that Kirbs kicked at just in time for the stone to crack and tumble in on itself in response. She cocked an eyebrow, but pushed off the rail and jogged down the stairs back to the first floor in silence.

The wall had collapsed and the dust had settled, but the haunted prison was far from abandoned. Rather than the wailing and ear-piercing shrieks they'd been subjected to thus far, a low groaning bounced off of the dark walls. Rubble shifted at the base of the tunnel immediately before a rotting hand shot out from the darkness to grope at the air around Kirbs. Coming into the dim light, a single Zombie emerged from the passage to bite at the girl.

Likewise, another door creaked open on the second floor, the rusty iron announcing another creature's presence as it shuffled clumsily towards Bahr. Finally, at the base of the staircase, another musty hand clamped onto Kooh's just before it had slid down the length of the rail. She jumped, startled by the sudden contact, wrenching her hand away to face the third decaying face staring blankly back at her. "Ugh, gross!" She scoffed, giving her hand a small shake in the air as if to rid herself of its touch. Kooh pushed her left foot back, shifting her weight before pivoting her hips and pulling her leg back around in a roundhouse kick. The metal greaves covering her shin made contact with the Zombie's ribcage, sounding a 'crack' as it stumbled back from the blow.

[0/0/0] Kooh: 400/400 HP | 40/40 EN | 8 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[0/0/0] Bahr: 480/480 HP | 48/48 EN | 9 DMG | 23 MIT | 2 ACC | 3 EVA | 9-10 Bleed (12) | Rested (2/2) | Disguise (3/3)
[0/0/0] Kirbs: 314/420 HP | 42/42 EN | 9 DMG | 14 MIT | 3 ACC | 8-10 Paralyze | 9-10 Bleed (12) | 2 Recovery

Undead Guardian Zombie 1: 23/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT
Undead Guardian Zombie 2: 40/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT
Undead Guardian Zombie 3: 40/40 HP | 120 DMG | 15 MIT

Frustrated. Uncomfortable. Lethargic.

Kooh dragged her feet across the dusty desert floor, clouds of sand particles picking up with what few breezes blew past her ankles. Her face wore all of the sour feelings that had settled in lately. Without anyone to impress or anything she wanted, there was no reason to act otherwise. She gave a swift tug to pull open the heavy door of one of the few taverns on the fifth floor and shuffled inside. The interior was hardly any cooler than the hot air outside, but it was slightly more bearable and that was good enough for her. She trudged over to the bar, hands shoved into her pockets, and slid onto a stool. The light chatter and general ambiance of a tavern was better than the arid quiet outside as well.

Her hood rested on her shoulders and her bangs, dampened with sweat, had just begun to cling to her forehead. She felt disgusting. Even so, she ignored the bartender that walked over, the NPC going about his way after she failed to interact with him, and instead opened her menus. She scrolled through a few options until she reached her destination and a small keyboard illuminated in front of her chest. She began typing a simple message, paying little attention to the rest of her surroundings.

ID#: 122720 | LD: 4 - Fail

With her heartbeat gradually decreasing back to a reasonable pace, Kooh's shoulders fell when Bahr strode past her and wedged his blade between the next iron door standing in front of them. She glowered at his back, lips pursing while she shoved her hands back into her pockets with his comment. As if she wanted to be friendly with this guy.

"Kooh." She begrudgingly replied anyway, regrettably ignoring his earlier jab when she couldn't think of anything to quip in return. Instead she peered briefly over his shoulder, confirming that she couldn't see any movement or more than blank walls on the other side. She tried to shake it off, but how certain she was that the sound came from inside that small cell was unnerving to say the least.

She turned and took a few steps towards the rightmost staircase and cast a glance at the redhead right as she defeatedly launched a pebble across the stonework with the toe of her shoe. Kirbs, he called her. She cocked an eyebrow and continued up the steps. She frowned to herself, debating whether or not to open her mouth again for a long while before she finally spoke up again at the top of the climb. "What are you guys doing here, anyway? Just that bored? You don't seem like the," she stole a glance over her shoulder to see the exhaustion and almost melancholy in their faces once again, "do-good adventurer types."

@Bahr @Kirbs

Kooh cocked an eyebrow, watching Bahr's back for a while after he moved past her. She gave a sidelong glance towards the red-haired stranger and then shrugged when Bahr's blade wedged into the front door. She caught up to the pair as they crossed over into the interior of the facility. Garnet eyes ran over what little they could see, which was mostly just stone, iron, and cobwebs. Gross.

The disgust was apparent on Kooh's face while she held a scowl, but she stepped in behind them regardless. The room had opened up into a massive foyer with tall staircases on either side. Thick iron doors stood on every level, and Kooh couldn't tell whether they led to other rooms or halls that they would be forced to explore or they were simply closed cells. She frowned, disliking the thought of either option. Wandering towards the right side at the foot of one set of stairs, Kooh squinted in a vain attempt to strain her eyes against the low light and make out more details. She inched closer to the wall and the heavy door worked into it, craning her neck slightly to try peeking through the small barred window that might have let her see through to the other side.

BAM!

Kooh let out a short, involuntary scream of surprise as a sudden, heavy thud sounded from the metal in front of her. She jumped back, a hand having yanked itself from her pocket to hold her forearm cautiously in front of her. The sound had echoed against the far walls, and then the massive chamber grew silent once more. She let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, then took another step back, now convinced that this place was teeming with monsters. "Great, cool, okay. So this place is either haunted or infested with zombies, and everything wants to kill us. Sounds about right." She grumbled, eyes still locked on the tall iron door.

"Hnn?" Kooh turned for her eyes to fall on a pair of unfamiliar players. "Oh. Yeah." She lied in a dull tone. As if on cue, a horrible shrieking sound echoed off of the stone walls, bounced between pillars, and filled their ears as it poured out from the dilapidated entrance in front of them. Kooh wasn't drawn here by the persistent wails, nor had she stumbled upon the withered old NPC that offered a great reward for those who would venture inside Tartarus on her request. But answering the question of why she was here on her own would have taken too long, so she easily accepted the excuse presented to her.

She took a moment longer to get a good enough look at the two that approached. Equipped for combat, and at varying levels of exhaustion. "Are you both going inside?" She asked plainly, hands still resting inside of her pockets. Somehow the thought of tagging along with two other players didn't do much to weigh her decision one way or the other. She wouldn't be alone and so there was less chance of a terrible death awaiting her on the inside of the abandoned prison. But having to socialize wasn't on her list of things to do today, either. She held back a sigh and shifted her weight. 'Maybe I should just get back to Leyna.' She thought.

Tartarus. The looming fortress that sprawled across the tenth floor, looking just as dilapitated and gloomy as the landscape it was surrounded by. At its entrance, beside a few jagged beams of wood that stood staked at an angle into the ground whose sharpened ends were stained with dried blood and covered in rot, a girl stood with her neck craned towards the tallest tower she could see. Kooh wore a blank expression, her garnet eyes almost glazed over while she stood lost to her own wandering mind.

"A haunted prison, huh?" Her mumbling came out in a gravely voice, as if it had been a while since the last time she had spoken. Her long legs were halfway bare, a pair of worn metal greaves strapped over her shins and frayed denim shorts hugging her thighs. Kooh's hands were buried into the pockets of a thin black cardigan whose hood lay past her shoulders and allowed pale blonde hair to fall freely. "Wonder if there's anything good inside..." She muttered only for herself.

Kooh's brows furrowed and her mouth twisted into a dissatisfied pout as she watched him turn and walk to the labyrinth walls. Her posture slouched, she shifted her weight and uncrossed her arms to ruffle the hair at the back of her head with a touch of guilt. Her long legs carried her forward to follow after him, and the short, deadpan reply she received caused the remaining anger to drain away.

Keeping a couple of paces behind her new companion, Kooh's garnet eyes flickered Huginn's way once, then twice. After several long moments, she spoke again. "I'm not trying to make you feel like sh*t," Her volume had dropped to a low voice while they still proceeded carefully through the tall stone maze. "I'm just not in the mood to watch someone die." She spoke quietly, staring straight ahead at the dirt path they followed. "I don't know you. I'm only gonna look out for you so much if things get bad. So be a little more cautious and pick your battles while we're stuck in this maze, alright?"

Kooh wanted to rub her temples and wonder how she got into this mess. Was she just desperate to keep this kid alive so she would keep her conscience clean? Probably. She took a step around a corner and immediately tensed as two creatures coated in vines that clung to either side of the labyrinth walls turned at their approach. In the center of the thorny amalgamation each creature had one large round eye nestled in place that rolled around and locked onto the players. Kooh sighed, her bangs briefly flipping upward with the expelled air and she mumbled, "Speaking of which..."

[0/0] Kooh: 400/400 HP | 32/40 EN | 7 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[0/0] Huginn: 40/40 HP | 4/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 Paralyze

Labyrinth Crawler 1: 30/30 HP | 9 DMG
Labyrinth Crawler 2: 30/30 HP | 9 DMG

@Huginn

One more hit was all they needed. With snapping motion, Kooh planted her closed fist square in the back of the monster's head, causing the minotaur to cry out in pain as the last of its health depleted. It fell forward, goat-like eyes rolling back into its skull and its body giving off a light glow. The moment the Hoya Minotaur's chest crashed against the dirt floor, its body shattered into thousands of tiny pieces and its presence faded away entirely.

Kooh drew in a quick breath, holding the air in her lungs for a second while she still wore that same scowl on her face. Her garnet eyes locked onto Huginn as he stood with his weapon planted into the ground beside him and his hands shoved into his pockets. She felt herself bristle at his attitude, and only slightly managed to keep her temper under any kind of control. "You picked the worst possible time to be skeptical, do you realize that? Or are you putting me on some pedestal like a sacrificial hero, thinking that if you don't jump in and do something, I would just throw my life away to keep you safe?" She glowered at him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Look," She continued, the swell of her anger beginning to drain away. "Numbers are everything in this godforsaken place. And you obviously have some idea for gauging your own strength. If you're really desperate, I'll help you get your level up. But I'm not going to stick around if you admit something will squash you one second, then turn around and dive right in the next." She declared. She shifted her weight, bringing her half-gloved hands from either of her hips to cross over each other in front of her chest.

@Huginn

ID#: 115322 | BD: 5(+2)=7 - Hit! | MD: -- (Paralyzed)
7 DMG

[1] Kooh: 400/400 HP | 31/40 EN | 7 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[3] Huginn: 40/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 Paralyze
Hoya Minotaur: 0/45 HP | 30 DMG

'Okay, okay, it's been a minute...' Kooh thought, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet as she faced her opponent. She gave a quick shake of her hands, stepping aside to dodge another swing of the minotaur's axe when Huginn jumped into the fray from beside her. Kooh's attention was pulled away from the monster and onto the boy beside her just as he thrust the tip of his spear into the labyrinth's guardian.

"What are you--?!" The blonde cut herself short as the monster roared from the strike, rearing back and preparing to whip its broad blade across the both of them. Kooh dashed forward, pushing off of the dirt and tucking her shoulder to quickly roll out of the way and reposition herself behind the minotaur, popping back up with an outward spring of her knees. Her expression quickly shifted back into a scowl, and she took the irritation out on the target in front of her. With swift motions, she delivered a kick to the side of the monster's knee that caused it to stagger and drop. Kooh let out a short cry of effort with one more blow across the monster's temple, her breathing just a bit heavier from all of the sudden activity.

@Huginn

ID#: 114640 | BD: 4(+2)=6 - Hit! | MD: -- (Stunned)
(7 base) x (5 sword art) = 35 DMG

[1] Kooh: 400/400 HP | 31/40 EN | 7 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
[1] Huginn: 40/40 HP | 3/4 EN | 2 DMG | 9-10 Paralyze
Hoya Minotaur: 8/45 HP | 30 DMG

Kooh made a face as the fog grew thick around them. The deeper they roamed into the forest the creepier it felt, the far-off sounds of wails and screams sending an eerie chill up her spine. With a silent nod, Kooh followed his lead to keep herself low, pressed against the bark of trees and behind the partial cover of brush as they continued to walk. The whole time, she kept her eyes locked onto the imposing monster standing at the entrance to the stone labyrinth--the Minotaur, greataxe in hand and looking impatient to use it.

"You have a death sentence, then?" She smirked slightly upon hearing his plan of action. "Look, I agree with the whole sneaking in thing, but if you're betting you'll get killed in one hit, maybe let me go first, yeah?" Perhaps it was someone else's humility that had her acting a bit more cocky. Without dwelling on it, she increased her pace to place herself ahead of him as they closed the distance to the entrance.

"Tch... Okay, maybe not." She mumbled, half to herself as she paused. Maybe twenty feet away from the tower Minotaur, they weren't going to get any closer without abandoning their cover and she was beginning to doubt that they could get away with slipping right by it. She sighed. "Yeah okay, new plan." She stood up straight, pursing her lips and filling her lungs with a breath of courage. She darted forward, catching the monster's attention right before she brought her leg around in a swift kick to its leg.

With a flick of its wrist, the handle of the Minotaur's axe found her greaves and the metal of both weapons let out a clang that must have startled a flock of birds nesting nearby. The sound of flapping wings mixed with Kooh's boot skidding across the ground as she regained her footing, and she took a couple of quick steps back to dodge the downward swing of the blade that followed. "Shiro! Hurry and get past while I keep this guy busy!" She called.

@Huginn

ID#: 110059 | BD: 1 - Critical Miss | MD: 7(-2)=5 - Miss

Kooh: 400/400 HP | 18/40 EN | 7 DMG | 2 ACC | 2 EVA
Hoya Minotaur: 45/45 HP | 30 DMG

The corners of her mouth turned down again, frowning as she inwardly remarked on how confident he was. 'Too weak, but ready to kill, eh?' She thought. While they walked, her greaves stayed equipped and her hands continued to rest lazily in her pockets. Kooh gave a half-hearted glance over her shoulder here and there while they passed through the open fields, but once they'd gotten close enough to the edge of town she relaxed more.

The crowds were as plentiful as always, the first floor plazas likely to remain the busiest of the capital cities no matter how many floors were unlocked. "Hm?" She turned her attention back to Shiro when a question was posed. "Oh, uhh," She had just stepped up to the teleport gate, interrupting her response by taking a moment to call out the name of the third floor's Elven city. One after the other they were whisked away, appearing in Delilah's cottage-esque village a second later. She blinked away the bright light and adjusted to the sudden change in scenery while she took a couple of steps, making sure her company was still present while they worked their way towards the town gates.

"Exploring, I guess." She answered honestly enough, continuing to think aloud in a mutter. "Though there's not much more to see in those fields. Anyway. Nothing, really. I've been more or less living on one of the middle floors lately and wanted a change of pace. So just, getting out for a walk." Keeping her eyes forward, she tried to explain her absent wandering when she didn't have much of a reason behind her actions herself. 'Maybe flooring a stupid minotaur will blow off some steam and do me some good.'

"So just a bunch of bullies," Kooh began to muse, listening to him recount his single encounter with one of the men. She was surprised that the burly axeman had played the role of a scout to place a target on Huginn's back, but easily shrugged it off as none of her concern. His sudden movement caused her to cock an eyebrow, surprised that he was so readily up and walking again after his short stint of unconsciousness, and she watched with continued perplexity when he stopped himself again to turn around and engage in further conversation. She opened her mouth, waited a moment, closed it with a frown, then pulled her other leg in. The heel of her boot scraped against the forest floor and she leaned forward, knees pressing into her forearms as she sat now with both feet flat and her legs slightly splayed for balance.

"So, back up," She began. "You just got your ass beat, and you're gonna run back in blind to get back some trinket they stole from you?" She criticized, sparing no courteous words. Her brows narrowed a bit under garnet eyes and she studied his face, watching his expression, looking for any tells that she could pull from his body language. "And if you're telling me you suddenly wanna switch gears, forget all about it and invite some stranger along for a quest two floors up then you insult me, sir." She leaned further forward, pushing on her knees to pick herself up. Kooh shoved her hands into her pockets, still staring intensely at the boy who made himself known as Shiro. She paused however, actually taking a moment to weigh her options behind her skeptical expression. Her mouth twisted slightly, half in defeat. "I guess I'll tag along, but I'm not sticking my neck out like that again."

He was out of it. He must have been, with all the nonsense he was muttering as she pulled him out of the clearing and through the trees. She caught a name she didn't recognize and something like a warning, but she was more focused on glancing over her shoulder to make sure his bullies hadn't decided to follow them. Either their head called them off or they didn't like the idea of an even playing field, but she was far less worried about the 'why'. "Yeah, don't mention--" She started in a low voice. Her words were cut off as she felt a sudden weight, and the person she had been tugging along was now dead weight. "Ughh, really?!" She growled, kneeling next to the half-collapsed boy. She frowned again, finally taking the time to run her eyes over the numerous gashes and wounds that littered his avatar. She glanced again to his health bar, settled in the bottom quarter of its total pool and holding onto its red color. Kooh sighed, and took a moment to reposition herself.

It took a bit of effort, but she managed to half-carry, half-drag the unconscious player the short distance that was left between them and the edge of the forest. Keeping them within its cover, she lowered Huginn's torso and head back to the ground, letting out a few heavy breaths from the effort and plopping herself down a few feet away. Her shoulderblades pressed up against the bark of a tree and one leg sprawled out in front of her while the other foot stayed planted flat. "Christ, what'd I get myself into?" She asked herself.

It was hardly a minute later when the stranger shot up, coming back to his senses all at once and jolting Kooh back to attention herself. She watched him as their eyes met--he was cautious, and curious, and just a little bit desperate. She frowned yet again, realizing that he really was out of it when she first intervened. "Kooh." She gave her username. "And uhh, yeah I guess so. I thought they were just gonna beat the crap out of you and leave, but they kind of weren't stopping." She grimaced slightly, unsure for a second how she could have forgotten that some were so much more bloodthirsty than others. She watched him for a second longer, unmoving from her relaxed position, and continued with a question of her own. "Do you know those guys? Was that something personal, or just some assholes looking for free stuff?"

Kooh watched the scene unfold with narrowed brows and a small scowl. It was like watching boys fight in middle school, but instead of a clumsy fists they were throwing steel around. The few snippets of conversation she could make out at her distance had her rolling her eyes, and for a second she almost stepped away. She was close to backing into the rest of the trees and going on her way, putting the whole thing out of sight and out of mind. But then she saw the younger one's body grow rigid. He froze up, unnaturally and suddenly, and for an instant a yellow spark danced around the dagger that was removed from his side. "Tch." Kooh scoffed at the cheap shot of a paralysis, and watched a bit longer as the green player had his back on the ground again. And yet, he still smiled. Not a stupid smile that said something cringe-inducing like "you'll never crush my spirit!" Instead, it was more like a stupid grin that said something cringe-inducing like "keep testing me and you'll regret it!"

Kooh's face twisted into an expression that carried both pity and criticism. She stood in limbo for a short while, her right heel bouncing up and down about the forest floor as she flexed her leg muscle in nervous repetition. The boy's health kept dropping, and though he'd recovered from the paralysis the fight didn't show any signs of stopping. The leader had turned away with his prize, leaving his handymen to have their fun with what was left. "Nnngah, god, damn, stupid--" Kooh muttered a string of curses under her breath and abandoned her hiding spot among the trees. She was set to march up to the lankey thug closest to her, planning to shove the man aside from his blindspot and interject, but before she had reached him the man raised his sword high in the air and began to charge forward. On instinct, Kooh picked up her pace and broke into a run, dashing to bring herself to the aggressor before he reached his target.

Within reach, Kooh swung her left foot around in a sweeping motion, the solid metal of her greaves slamming into the side of the man's shin with a satisfying impact. Catching him both off-guard and off-balance, his momentum carried him forward without a foot to catch his fall and he crashed face-first into the ground with a grunt. She held her ground briefly, meeting eyes with the bulky axe-wielder while she wore an agitated glare. "Back the hell off." She commanded, abandoning her attention on him to close the rest of the distance to Huginn. She knelt down near the stranger, attempting to loop her hand under one of his arms and pull him to his feet. She'd continue to pull, urging him to follow her lead. "Come on."

"I'll be back tonight."

"I just need to explore or something. Get out of the jungle for a while."

Was what she had said. Kooh hadn't even bothered hiding her monotony when she ducked outside of Leyna's hut on the sixteenth floor, but for once her own attitude was starting to eat away at her thoughts. She'd made a pretty straight shot to Zugaikotsushima and ended up teleporting all the way down to the first floor. Hands stuffed into the pockets of her hooded cardigan, she had spent only enough time in the Town of Beginnings to leave its walls. Only an hour after she had set out on whatever this little journey was, her blackened boots were carrying her through the open fields where the cool breeze carried ripples of nostalgia. Was she exploring, or reminiscing?

Despite the initial desire for a change of scenery, it was only a matter of time before Kooh found herself navigating the thick tree trunks that made up the forests outside of the city, past the open plains and before the distant mountain ranges. Garnet eyes flickered between the sturdiest and most level branches that they could find, and the corner of her mouth pulled up into a tiny smirk. The bittersweet memories of her earliest time as a vagrant occupied her for only a moment or two. An audible 'thud' caused the blonde to perk up, her head snapping in the direction that she'd thought it came from and her legs held her in place while she stopped to listen. Like startled wildlife, Kooh moved again with caution, inching herself away from the path she had been forging for herself while she withdrew a hand to quickly work through her menus. With a couple of swift selections, a pair of greaves flashed into being. The metal secured itself over her shins and she crept forward at a better pace until she finally reached the edge of the tiny clearing where a handful of other players were visible. A quick survey told her everything she needed to know: big bully looming over another guy and two lackeys waiting in the wings. Kooh frowned. "They really don't have anything better to do?" She murmured to herself. She stood behind the thick bark of a tree, observing. She studied what little she could see of the face that the one on the ground wore. No panic, no fear. From her angle, all she could discern was that the guy was reasonably pissed. She held her position, half intrigued and half apathetic as she looked on.

ID#: 108941 | LD: 18 - Hiding

It was impressive enough that Kooh arrived to an event with any sense of punctuality, so the fact that they had arrived with plenty of time before the ceremony was even scheduled to begin was practically unheard of. She cast only a sidelong glance at the massive winged lion that stood outside the chapel doors, its owner seemingly parting with it before heading indoors herself, before strolling inside. In their brief pause, Leyna's emerald eyes darted to her right shoulder as if on instinct, and she had gone rigid until Kooh's movement brought her back to the present. Following her companion, she was quick to spot a familiar head of brunette hair sitting at the back and away from the crowds. Leyna's elbow moved to the side, nudging at the blonde while she kept her gaze fixed on Aereth. "Oi menina, it looks like your friend cleans up rather nicely, hmm?" She wore a wide, crooked smile while Kooh found the player in question. Surprised to see the man again, and at a wedding of all places, she cocked an eyebrow.

"What, you want me to play wingman for you or something?" She shot back, causing the noirette to smirk and shake her head. With the end of their short-lived banter, the women approached the only familiar face in the room. Kooh stepped up behind the bench where Aereth was seated, pulling her hands from her pockets and wrapping her fingers around the smooth wood railing. She leaned forward and lowered her head to level it with his, casting the man a sidelong glance. "Yo." She greeted simply, her approach something like a lazy attempt at startling him. Indifferent as to whether or not her sudden appearance had such an effect, Kooh straighened up and turned to the side, swinging her right leg in order to climb over the back of the long bench. Frowning at the shortcut, and not wanting to embarrass herself, Leyna let out a tiny huff of air and walked towards the aisle, taking the long way around. She was already uncomfortable in such formal attire that she certainly didn't need to be caught fumbling over it.

"Been a while." Kooh remarked, crossing one leg over the other after she had taken a seat beside Aereth. Her arms did the same over her chest, and she kept her garnet eyes forward for a short while, taking in the sight of the decorations, stained glass, and other fancy eye candy that the chapel provided.

"Hnn?" Kooh squinted against the bright sunrays as garnet eyes flickered open. The girl was stirring back to consciousness with the chiming of a notification in her ears, causing her to wonder just who in Aincrad could want anything with her. The lazy blonde could feel a pair of emerald eyes on her, causing her to pull her folded arms from behind her head and sit up to find their owner and cast a suspicious glare of her own.

"I was starting to wonder if I would have to carry you back." Leyna's voice teased through the smirk that she wore, eliciting a frown from her target. The huntress pushed herself to her feet, stretching her arms over her head and letting out a content sigh before she would take a step to the side and offer her hand. Kooh continued to make a face at the woman, but eventually gave in and accepted her help to her feet. "Yeah, you're so charming. Be careful giving me permission to inconvenience you." She shot back with plenty of sarcasm. With curiosity burning in the back of her mind, Kooh navigated her menus to find the source of the noise that had disturbed her. Sharp eyes scanned the message from Itzal before they blinked with surprise.

An hour later, Kooh's hands were pushed into the pockets of her ivory shorts while she strolled through the wide streets in the Town of Beginnings. At her side, Leyna's short and messy black hair was decorated with a floral pin, and she wore a simple mid-length dress with earthy tones dark greens and browns that left her tan shoulders bare. With Kooh sporting a tan shirt and black boots to complete her casual ensemble, the player beside her cast her a skeptical stare. "Menina, it was a wedding invitation that you received, yes? And you're going like that?" She criticized with a frown before turning her attention back forward. "And it didn't actually say anything about bringing someone, did it? Are you sure this is alright?"

Kooh could hardly hide her smirk. She had never seen the huntress so worried about being polite, it was laughable. With a shrug, she responded as vaguely as ever just as they approached the entrance to the chapel that Itzal had specified in his invitation. "Relaaax, it'll be fine."

'More like me... Yeah, I guess so.' And just like that, the mask was back on. Half a chuckle left her lips and she put on a light smirk. "Damn, what a shame." She muttered, having to stop herself from picking her hands up to slide themselves into the pockets of the hoodie that no longer existed. She suppressed a scoff at the realization, turning her thoughts back to the question that continued to echo off the walls of her mind. 'What am I going to do?'

Collecting the few belongings she left laying around her room in Sey's shop was first on the list. She'd leave the piano--he could delete it if he wanted to, but she had no intention of opening her own shop or playing music anymore. She had chosen the Performer profession on a whim, after all. She wondered for a moment if she might have to avoid the city of Taft for a while, until the vision of the white-haired Cook from their last meeting resurfaced in her memory. No, he wouldn't care if she vanished, not really. She likely hadn't ended up being worth his investment after all. So whether Taft or somewhere else, maybe she would just look around for some new places to waste her time.

She wasn't a warrior. She wasn't a frontliner. She wasn't an adventurer, crafter, or explorer. And she definitely wasn't a gamer.

Leyna's presence grabbed Kooh's attention away from her mental checklist. The blonde blinked, listening to the other players' exchange with only minimal interest. "Forced...?" The huntress echoed the word and a thoughtful expression took over her features, as if she was thinking back to when she had recorded the message. Connecting some invisible dots in her mind, Leyna's cheeks took on the faintest tinge of pink and her bottom lip pursed slightly. "O-oh, well," She brought up a hand to graze across the bare nape of her neck while she averted her gaze from Aereth and Kooh. "I-I'm simply not used to inviting others to my home, that is all." A rare sight for Leyna to become flustered, she pulled her hand to her mouth and gave a short clearing of her throat to compose herself before it dropped to rest on her hip. With a small smile, Leyna bid the players farewell, giving her last thanks for their help in fighting off her ex-guild.

After parting from the huntress, it didn't take long for the settlement to come into view. 'Guess this is it.' She turned her chin and flashed Aereth a grin while she brought two fingers up to her temple. The girl tapped at the side of her head before rotating her wrist in a small, casual salute. There was no point in a drawn-out goodbye. No reason for her to stick around any longer. "See ya around, maybe." She said simply, turning her back and continuing the rest of the walk back to the safe zone on her own.

Thread Complete!

• Kooh: +6 SP, +1,200 col
• @Aereth: +6 SP, +1,200 col

"Ohoho, don't tempt me, now~" Kooh tried her best to keep up with the man's nonchalance and teasing attitude. "She is pretty cute." The pair continued their trek through the forest, and Aereth's next jab at conversation caused her to mentally falter. What was she going to do now? She had been so fixated on this crazy 'adventure' that she had fallen into that it was a bit hard to believe she had any other life to go back to. What was it she wanted from this world? She had managed to live as she pleased thus far, and there was very little that opposed her simple, fleeting wishes. Her gaze had dropped, watching the forest floor in front of her feet as they walked, letting the question hang in the air for a few moments before she would answer.

"Hmm, who knows." She started vaguely, picking her chin up and wearing a casual expression. "Maybe I'll move out. Explore the world, make it mine, yadda yadda. Or maybe I'll go find my favorite spots to nap and live as a degenerate while I contribute nothing to this place. Maybe I'll go back to f*cking with people's feelings for a good laugh." She was rambling, unsure herself how much truth there was to any of her words.

Before the pair had time to dwell on the topic of conversation, a familiar, but hesitant voice called out to them. "Hey, didn't think I would run into you two out here..." Leyna's athletic frame dropped down from the trees off to the side of the players. She didn't look to them for long before averting her gaze, bringing up a hand to the nape of her neck. "I guess you two are heading off then, yes?"

Kooh felt a bit as though she was being pulled in different directions. She was by no means hearing her own call to action, but she found it a bit difficult to shrug off the man's telling of his experiences. At least to his face.

She felt the corners of her mouth fall into a slight frown as she mulled over his words. The girl was beginning to wonder why she continued to participate in the conversation. Surely, she could have come up with something that would allow her to slip away. Besides Hikoru's unconventional fighting style, she couldn't determine what else it was that apparently intrigued her. The toe of Kooh's boot gently bobbed in the air under the table separating them. She assumed there were at least a dozen of people like Hikoru. Those that played the game and raised their level in order to be part of a 'greater cause'--clearing the game and supposedly freeing everyone who was still trapped when that happened. The blonde had her doubts, and had thought on more than one occasion that this virtual world might very well be her grave. But such talk seemed inappropriate now.

The conversation hit another lull, and Kooh had the unfamiliar feeling of being lost for words. They had acknowledged their differing opinions, and she felt there was nothing she could contribute to the topic at hand. And so, a new thought surfaced in her mind. "What do you think about orange players?"