Beat

Beat watched as the Toffee Bunny managed to hang on was a small sliver of red health pulsing in its health bar, "Well, they have lucky feet for a reason I suppose." He said, glancing at Baldur and giving him a wink before lining up the kill shot on the paralyzed rabbit. Given the last attack, Beat had a pretty good gauge on how much energy to put into his next attack. 

"The nice thing is that I can use a sword art I almost never use!" He said excitedly as he charged the stationary bunny, taking a small hop and turning his body as he brought his spear across the face of the creature. He grasped his spear with both hands and began to twirl the spear around, catching the bunny three more times before finishing the combination with a thrust through the gut of the bunny. The candy creature began to melt before bursting into red pixels, the protection effect wearing off of the other three. 

"Alright! Tank is down! Onto the healer!" 

Beat's eyes widened and he lowered his stance as he listened. Shield had done what he always did and had thought this out. It was a good idea for their first training exercise. It was exactly what Beat had in mind. It had the added effect of removing their level difference from the equation for the most part since a lot of the advantages of begin a higher level in a fight was energy pool size and the amount of hit points each player had. "Pure skill, I love it!" He said excitedly. 

As Shield made his second stride, Beat seized the timing between steps and drove his spear into the ground as he leaped into the air, propelling himself up and forward, over Shield while making sure to stay within striking range as he passed over his companion. I'm not as linear as the game allows me to be. His form shifted rapidly as he proceeded to pepper Shield with strikes from above, continuing the assault as he landed behind the tank, hoping the continuous change in angle would find a crack or two in those iron defenses as each strike probed for an opening.

Beat's eyes narrowed as he made a couple of quick estimates, "I think a couple will just hang on unless I make it really count." He said as his spear began to glow with the familiar lunar glow. As Shield shook them off, Beat charged forward, getting right up to one of the hound who yelped as Beat released his technique, sending the lunar pulse out, with one of the hounds riding it until it managed to cleave it in two. Another hound was blasted into a pool of lava never to emerge again while another was simply sent across the room, hanging on by a narrow margin. 

Beat clicked his tongue as he eyed the last hound, "Lucky dog." He was not used to mobs having damage reduction, but he supposed that these were not normal mobs. "Alright Shield, your thorns should end that one. If not, I guess I can take another swing at it."

"Isn't that what you old people have to do so you don't hurt your back or break a hip?" Beat said coyly, giving Shield a wink before summoning his spear and giving it a few swings and thrusts, the sound of metal ringing as it cut through the air. He was in good condition and his preparation had been made simple thanks to their agreement to not use any sort of buffs. This was a test of skill and while their stats and equipment would certainly play a part, Beat was much more interested to get the chance to test the maneuvers and skills that relied less on the mechanics of the game and more on the intuition and skill of the player. 

"Well, I suppose as the damage dealer, it only makes sense that I lead off right?" he said, taking up his usual, aggressive stance, spear in one hand and held out, ready to charge as soon as his companion gave him the go ahead. He raised an eyebrow as he had a second thought, "Unless you'd like the honors?"

Beat's blood began to pump as his ears tuned into the sound. He drew his spear and slowly made his way through the cave before reaching what appeared to be a large opening inside the volcano. Falls of lava ran down the walls of the large cavern space, providing bright illumination and making it easy for Beat to see the three fiery hounds staring right at him, their snarls increasing in intensity. 

Beat grinned as he held his spear out and charged forward, his charge skill surrounding him with red energy and increasing his speed dramatically, "Right! Like I'm going to wait for you to make the first move!" As he approached, he quickly drew his glowing spear across his field of vision, leaving behind the familiar lunar crescent wave of energy which he chased into the the hounds. The collision echoed loudly through the cave as all three hounds were blasted backwards while Beat grinned at them all, "Hi, excuse me. Is your dad home?"

Beat blushed as she commented on his smile, though he wasn't sure why. He had taken plenty of compliments before from players, so he was unsure why this time would be any different. He couldn't help but begin to wonder why she had never had allies and friends before now. I guess we're both victims of our past. Beat was pleased with how easy it was to talk to Mari, which was something he really only did with Shield up until now. The knot in his stomach reminded him of its presence, though Beat figured it was still empathy for Mari's situation.

Beat's brow furrowed as she returned his words to him. His initial emotion was one of frustration, but it quickly turned to something a little more solemn. Like it's that easy. We're both alone, stupid. Beat felt a small pang of guilt at the callousness of that thought as he spoke, "You and I both know that isn't easy," Beat gave her a big smile, "but I hate losing, so I'll figure it out somehow." Liar It was false bravado, but Beat covered it with another chuckle as he grabbed another piece of sushi, noticing just how much had been eaten.  

Shield's words had surprised him and he couldn't help but be amused by the bit of bickering between them before the subject turned to the outside world again. It was interesting to think about where they were in the real world. It was unlikely that he was still in his room at his home given the lack of medical care that would be there. "I wonder how the law will apply given the situation, but I suppose staying in the moment is the best thing to do." It was working pretty well too " We can't really confront the real world until we get out of here right?"

Beat thought for a moment at her last question. Even he was aware of how battered his defenses were after all of this and he could only assume that she was ready to stop digging through her past. He gave her a small smile and shook his head, "No, you're not a killer and that's what I wanted to be sure of today, so I don't, but I think it's only fair if you get to ask me questions if you want."

@Mari

@Shield

Seul | HP: 1150/1150 | EN: 93/106 (-13) | Con: 0/3
Baldur | HP: 1510/1510 | EN: 124/136 (-12) | MIT: 79 | DMG: 23 | Absolute ACC: 8 | EVA: 2 | BH: 75 | Conc (0/3) | Parry (0/2) | QChange (0/3)

Beat | HP: 1225/1225 | EN: 108/120 | MIT: 3 | DMG 23 | Absolute ACC: 7 | EVA: 0 | BH: 24 | Conc (3/3) | QChange (0/3)

  Quote

Encounter 1: The Caramel Warren

<<IMMORTAL OBJECT>> Frosted Bunny                 HP: 650/650 | DMG: 250 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 50 <Other bunnies heal 10% of their max HP per round>
                                             Toffee Bunny               HP: 288/1000 | DMG: 150 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 0 | MIT: 125  <No other bunnies can be attacked, including AoE>
<<IMMORTAL OBJECT>> Red-Hot Bunny                HP: 650/650 | DMG: 400 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 50 <BD7+, 60 Unmitigatable Burn DMG to the target>
<<IMMORTAL OBJECT>> Dark Chocolate Bunny   HP: 650/650 | DMG: 400 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 2 | MIT: 0 | St. Rating: 13+ <Stealth every 2 turns. Stealth attacks are AoE>

"What the..." Beat muttered as the creatures shed their skin then proceeded to lumber towards them. It was a somewhat unsettling sight, but it did seem to fit the death game motif better than a lot of other things he had seen since being trapped here. His focus narrowed in on the tan colored bunny, who was clearly going to stop any attempt at the others. 

"Alright, you die first!" He said, brandishing his spear and pointing it forward before activating his charge skill. The system sheathed him in a red aura before he kicked off of the ground at blistering speed. His blurred for reached the tan bunny in an instant before his form seemed to multiply and rapidly strike his target, before his momentum carried him past his victim. He smirked as he turned around, pleased that he and Baldur had done equivalent damage. His status as one of the top dps on the front lines was a small point of pride for him and he was glad to see that he had not been left behind during his absence. 

Beat smiled and gave Horus a signal with his head, "You heard the man!" The black falcon familiar took off on command, weaving through clouds of ash that billowed from the lava pools that became more and more numerous as he neared the mountain. As he became harder to track with sight, Beat took the lead, carefully walking between foot holds of solid rock. "Having a flying familiar is certainly handy, though I suppose there could be situations where a snake is certainly more useful." He spoke, looking at his companion as he waited for the signal from his familiar. 

After a few minutes, a screech from his familiar could be heard and Horus passed over them before turning around and slowing his pace, leading them through the maze of paths to the volcano, "Aerial superiority! Nice Horus!" He shouted as he carefully hopped the gaps that would have given him far more trouble thirty levels ago. With Horus leading the way, the players would make it up to the volcano and to the entrance of the cave without difficulty. As he peered into the cave entrance, he glanced at Shield and waved him ahead as Horus reclaimed his perch on Beat's left shoulder, "After you, sir tank."

What do you mean I can talk to you? Beat was somewhat taken aback by her words, though he was certainly not offended. Such an offer had never been made to him, ever. Shield was a solid companion and someone Beat certainly considered a friend, but he was a terrible therapist, not that Beat had ever asked him to be. He quickly looked down and focused on a piece of sushi that he threw into his mouth to give him something else to focus on as he worked to hide his lack of composure.

How would I talk to someone who doesn't know me? That's just crazy...right?

Beat savored the flavor of his cooking as his gaze returned to Mari, her next words making it far easier to relax again. He nearly choked on his food as he laughed for the first time that day. He struggled to swallow his food before he spoke through continued laughter, "Shield is my husband, but we don't even live on the same floor!" he slowly managed to stop himself from making light of her sentiment, though the grin on his remained, "In-game bonuses aside, Shield is my friend, yes, but we've been rivals forever! Plus, he has something he cares about dearly in the real world." He glanced to Shield briefly, "I have some ideas as to what it is and I can't say I have anything close to that waiting for me out there." His eyes returned to her and his smile remained, though his expression was much softer now, "but if you truly have nothing outside of this game," Beat then leaned forward and placed his hands on the table in front of him, "Then find something to live for."

@Shield

@Mari

Beat walked from the teleportation pad and toward Shield's marker at the edge of the safe zone with a small bounce in his step. It had been quite some time since he had actually gone through a dungeon that would prove to be a unique and interesting challenge. He certainly wasn't looking to risk his life on a nearly impossible fight, but given the disappointment that the Scents of the Wild quest chain had been, he was looking forward to something more interesting. 

What the...Beat's eyes went wide as he immediately noticed the orange icon above Seul's head. When they had last traded, Beat had left the item in his shop for trade, he hadn't actually spoken to the other player. He had also noticed that Seul was on the guild roster, meaning this would be the second orange player they had recruited. With the guild's blessing, it was hard to find a reason to start any sort of investigation or drama, but Beat made a sharp point to follow up on the past of Seul. Can never be too safe...

With his apprehensions mostly tucked away, Beat gave a wide wave to everyone as he proceeded to eat his much needed lunch of buff food, "Yo!"

"Right." The Satyr said excitedly, clearly looking forward to the clash of culinary talents, "Follow me." The Satyr walked past Beat and led him through the town. Beat found it hard to keep his eyes on the Satyr as he admired the marbled architecture of of the settlement. He had certainly learned about Greece in school, but he really only recalled what he had seen in videos or other games based in the same setting.

"Hey! Are you paying attention!?" the familiar voice of the satyr called out. Beat's eyes snapped back to his tour guide and he nodded as he jogged to catch back up, "Sorry, I was just admiring the buildings here. I don't see anything like this in my home town." The satyr shook his head and waved fro Beat to follow as he continued to lead the player through the streets of Athenaia, "Sure, sorry about that."

Beat arrived at the settlement on the eleventh floor, grinning ear to ear and a quite literal hop in his step. Horus flew behind him as he took the familiar walk to the former location of his home and shop. Beat's hands flew through the air and he spread his inventory out in front of him, his eyes moving back and forth as he assembled what he believed to be the most sustainable set of equipment he had. His damage was not the issue and nor was anything Shield could do himself, but the resilience that Shield's abilities  afforded him as well as the pure defensive skill that came from eighty-eight levels of experience was something Beat was looking forward to challenging himself with. An uphill battle was something Beat had always enjoyed and something that was incredibly rare in Sword Art Online without risking one's life.

There's a sight for sore eyes

At his increased pace, it didn't take Beat long to reach the garden where his companion stood, though his gaze was simply admiring the familiar surroundings as he approached, "Been a while since I've been here. Can't say I don't miss it from time to time." Beat's blood began to simmer as he pumped himself up for the long awaited showdown.

As the simmering light of teleportation faded away, the sulfurous smell of the ninth floor filled Beat's nostrils. On his shoulder, a Raven black falcon familiar sat perched, eyes darting around at players and npcs alike. "Well, we're here, again..." He said, rolling his eyes and walking toward Shield's marker. It didn't take him long to reach his friend and he offered his companion a fist bump as he got his attention, "Hey buddy. I guess the reward for this quest makes sense now that I remember what's here." 

Why couldn't have this quest been on one of the nice floors? 

Horus took to the air as Beat's eye caught glimpse of a particularly shiny piece of volcanic rock. He happily bent down and stashed it away as he gestured to the foreboding volcanic plains, "Well then, shall we have a pleasant, volcanic ash filled walk?" He said with a smirk. 

Beat's eyes widened as Mari seemed to take great exception to his words. Perhaps buried was the wrong word? He was somewhat aware of how awkward or inappropriate he could be in social situations, having done very little of it outside of a video game, so the feeling that he had said something wrong came over him. Still, he listened as she spoke since she was indeed addressing his concern. As she finished, Beat leaned forward, looking into her eyes, "Buried isn't the same as forgotten. We can't forget our pasts, but we can try to make sure we learn from them and that they never come back to haunt us." 

Trust me. I'd love to forget...

As he thought about the second part of her answer, feelings that had come up while he had been outside began to simmer again, but this time, he pushed them down as he spoke, "I don't know that you need to carry that burden alone." Beat's jaw set as his fist clenched under the table, "Anyone that comes after another player on the front lines will deal with me." He leaned back a bit and relaxed for a moment before continuing, "To be honest, I don't have anything outside of this game, but the things other people are fighting to get back to matter. What are you fighting for?"

@Shield

@Mari

No, thank you...

Something inside Beat felt grateful to Mari, though the reason for this feeling eluded him. Beat was pleased to see that everyone had enjoyed his cooking and he couldn't help but give Mari a small nod and a smile as she indulged her appetite. Beat's trip down memory had certainly shaken him, but his nerves were now more or less settled and he looked across the table at the woman who had gone through a similar, but at the same time, very different tragedy. "So, it's pretty clear to me that you don't have the heart of a killer. I understand why Shield was able to vouch for you." Beat said warmly. He figured that his statement was somewhat obvious, but he wanted to clear the air given Shield's comments from before. 

We're through the hard part now, I hope. 

"So, the past is behind us, but what still worries me is the future. I guess the real question is: How much of your past is not yet buried?" He said calmly, but with a hint of concern. Tragedy rarely struck the same individual so many times  with such intensity and Beat almost felt selfish thinking about himself during all of this. "Do you think the front lines will ever have to deal with anyone coming after you?"

@Shield

@Mari

Each of wolves were staggering, one in particular was having significant trouble keeping its legs under it. Beat shook his head as he found the spot he needed to be to finish all three of the wolves at once, "Welp boys. It's been fun, but I think it's time to put you out to pasture." With that, Beat made a small hop in the air and twirled, allowing his spear to carve a yellow arc in the air that would expand and cleave all three of the wolves in two. As they crumbled into a shower of red pixels, Beat smiled as he watched the loot screen appear. 

Been a while since I've seen this screen. 

"Now that's what I'm talking about! It's been a while since we've seen this screen." He scrolled through the rewards, noting a couple of pieces that would be potentially useful, "Not a bad haul."

"That was some decent damage! I think that one is going down this time!" Beat shouted as he charged his spear with another sword art. Beat charged forward, grabbing one of the wolves that was latched onto Shield and tossing it away. He immediately spun and unleashed his lunar sword art, the wave of energy catching the airborne wolf by the throat and tossing it backwards.

"That evens the odds a little bit I'd say." Beat said, noticing that one of the wolves had met its demise. The other wolves were now in the red, which meant they were one strike away from victory, "I should have enough to get through this fight. No problem!" His eyes scanned the three wolves that had been slow to get back onto their feet and now seemed reluctant to resume their attack. Beat grinned as he looked at each of them, "I can't say I blame you for being wary, but I think it's a little late for that don't you?"

Beat only barely registered Shield's cough and continued to stare at the snow where he had stabbed his spear down. His mind was going numb as his vision tunneled away until everything was black. He could see health bars draining and hear the screams of the slavers' victims. Not everyone he had killed had earned their death, though, if he hadn't killed them, he would have been killed himself. He had done what he needed to do to make sure every one of the slavers got what was coming to them. Right? They had earned their demise, they deserved to pay for the lives they stole. I had no choice...they had to pay and if it wasn't me, then who-

Hi

Beat suddenly heard a softer voice speak from close by and then felt something draping over his shoulders. His vision returned and he was back in the present. He felt the soft embrace of the blanket and pulled it tighter around himself. He slowly turned his head and was surprised to see a much less fragile Mari speaking to him. The girl who had been crying and having to relive her past was now comforting him. Why? She barely knows who I am...

His eyes widened as he listened to her. Their experiences were not exactly the same, but they both understood what it meant to take a life. They were both haunted by their pasts. She gets it... The fear of falling, of failing and the desire to never take have to take another life. Mari's words resonated with Beat in a way he could not understand, but he could feel the darkness in his mind seem to ebb away. What is going on?

The knot in his stomach returned with increased intensity as he nodded to her offer of walking back inside. Beat felt a strange urge to offer his hand to her as he stood up, but he resisted as he gave her a small smile, "Yeah, it's freezing out here." Beat avoided Shield's eyes as he worked to collect himself, though he was visibly shaken. He took deep breaths as he removed his winter gear and hastily took his seat at the komatsu again, feeling the warmth fill his body. Another sigh of relief escaped him as he lifted his chopsticks and took a few more bites, savoring the flavor that only a well marbled piece of salmon sashimi could provide. He felt his nerves begin to settle as he waited for everyone to take their seats. I'm not alone...?

@Shield

@Mari

Almost as if on Shield's command, Horus screeched loudly as he dove towards the wolf pack, causing them move back from the older player. While his familiar held their gaze, Beat moved into position in between all four of them, his enormous spear glowing with a familiar, pale yellow. "You know, you should work on your combat awareness. Letting your opponent fight where and how he wants is a beginner's mistake." he said calmly as he spun the air, making a circular slash around him and leaving the vibrating energy of his sword art behind. "Weeping Moon." At his words, the circle of energy began to expand rapidly, colliding with each wolf, knocking two of them into the water and the others off of their feet while it passed harmlessly through Shield.

"Well, these mobs are stronger. The AI still stinks though." He said as Horus shrieked in agreement, circling above them, waiting for his next chance to provide support. 

Beat grinned widely as he watched the wolves sink their teeth into his friend. He watched Shield's health bar drop by a decent proportion and whistled as he activated his charge skill, "Oh wow. They hit hard too. Collectively anyway." With the red aura surrounding him, his charged forward, his speed greatly enhanced. He drew his spear and made a horizontal slash in front of him, creating a wide, pale yellow crescent moon shaped wave of energy that took on the charge aura surrounding Beat and smashed in to Shield and the attacking wolves. 

"Take that!" He yelled as the four wolves yelped and released the party's tank. They gave Beat a nasty glare before returning their attention to Shield. "Been a while since I used that one. It's not as impressive, but it is pretty to watch." he said, moving to position outside of the group of wolves, waiting for his next opening to attack.

"Luck had nothing to do with it friend. Even if it did, worst case scenario, it still had no chance of winning. Zero." He said, shaking his head, "and we wouldn't have done anything different right?" Beat voice was one of boredom, but at the same time, he wasn't going to pass up easy boons. "I guess I'll take the free loot though."

It's still a game Kayaba, make it interesting sometimes

His hand flew through the air as he pressed a buttons on his interface. The pendant around his necklace disappeared and, in its place, a charm necklace appeared. He dismissed his interface and nodded to Shield, happy to get back to something that they had not done in quite some time, "It has indeed been a while since we did any farming. Monsters that can take a hit are far and few between in these quests. It will be a nice change of pace."

The elemental horse made trenches in the ground as he pushed with all its might again the Immovable Object to no avail. Shield stood his ground and would not be budged by such a creature. "Right!" Beat shouted as he ran forward, leaping into the air and striking from behind the creature's head once again. The thunderous collisions rang out as the final strike pierced through the horse's head, colliding with his partner's shield. He gave the man a wink before pushing of and landing softly on the lake shore as the final statue appeared before them. He walked over to the object and picked it up, "Mission complete, friend."

Beat stashed the final statue into his inventory before lifting his arms and putting his hands behind his head, "Maaaan! Where is the challenge though?" He said, exasperated, "I'm not saying I want to take a huge risk, but something that can make us make decisions would be nice." 

Beat chuckled as he watched shield's impressive maneuver. It was always a let down when an apparently lethal blow was mitigated by the math of the game. It was a necessary evil, but one that certainly stood out in a virtual reality game like SAO. "That may not have done a lot of damage, but it was cool looking. You're lucky the numbers are there to save you." He said, as he moved into position beside the elemental, his spear glowing menacingly. 

"Guess you would rather suffer!" He shouted, leaping into the air and unleashing his sword art into the back of the creature's head. Each strike rang out as a crash of thunder as the horse's head was forced lower and lower with each blow until it finally struck the ground. It seemed dazed for a moment before raising its head back up and roaring angrily.  "Alright Shield, one more should do it."

Beat used his spear to carve shapes into the snow surrounding Mari's house. They were nothing specific, simply something to distract him enough to be able to think clearly. The chill from the outdoors was almost negligible as Beat went though everything he had just heard. It was hard to believe how tragic her life in the game had been.

So many different people in her life also in the game, targeting her or her daughter, people asking her to kill them, potion induced murder rampages...she could be dangerous.

He could not see her as a murderous player killer, though her judgement left a lot to be desired. What happens when she is forced to make another choice like that? The idea of her having to make another choice about someone else's life did not sit well with him. The thought of her making life-impacting decisions in the middle of a boss fight was also considerably uncomfortable. She needs...something...to help her when this happens

Beat closed his eyes as he thought back to his ordeal with the player traders. Forcing captured players to fight for their lives. Trading people as property or worse. It was painful and to say Beat had not truly dealt with that ordeal was an understatement, but he knew that the one thing that had helped him get to the stability he currently had was his Shield. While not the best councilor, Shield's grounded, stubborn viewpoint had helped keep Beat from diving off of the deep end, at least so far. The time alone with my own thoughts is the hard part. 

Beat's brow furrowed as he felt a small knot form in his stomach. It was a sort of longing he didn't understand, but he somehow knew that is had to do with Mari. Emotional intelligence was something Beat was slowly understanding, but this was something new for him. He shook his head and attributed it to the trip down memory lane he was going through. He stabbed his spear into the ground as he scolded himself.

Don't need to be dragging people into that. It's in the past! Thinking about it isn't going to help...stupid

@Mari

@Shield

"Nice move, Shield!" Beat shouted as the thunderous equine beast fell to the ground. He snatched the red orb out of the air and felt the familiar energizing feeling of the sharpness buff course through him. He was unsure if the buffs in the game actually produced those effects or if it was all in his mind, but he supposed the entire thing was in his mind, so it was all the same to him. A small red lining now surrounded him, indicating that his attacks were packing much more of a wallop than before. 

"Alright boy, time for the glue factory!" He said as he ran forward and once again riddled the horse's body with his sword art, the health bar finally dropping into the yellow. He smiled as he backed off, not wanting to be in the way when the creature stood back up, "He's close Shield, I might be able to finish it with two more!"