Vale

“No, you’re not a killer, it’s a respawning NPC, don’t worry too much about it” “You haven’t killed anyone, unlike someone else” “C’mon, let’s get to a tavern and calm your nerves”

Vale was becoming reassured until he said someone else, immediately it took her attention and she looked at him. A plethora of thoughts began to ponder around her mind wondering exactly who it was that he was speaking of. She had read a number people being slain by another, but she did not recall Macradon's name popping up on the Monument of Life on the first floor. Then again, she never truly looked too deep into it having only read a number of names. Vale decided to let the thought out of her mind and take up Macradon's offer to go to a Tavern to take her mind off the crystal. She didn't want to go into town, "Let's go to one in Phoenix Town. I heard it was the primary place for Player Killers to reside in a town like setting that doesn't have guards. We shouldn't be bothered if we're just getting a drink or two." She suggested as she began walking toward the location desired.

Quest Complete

Vale gets <<Banner of Support>>
Vale gets Player Killer Status
Vale gets 4 T1 Materials
Macradon gets 12 T1 Materials

Vale and Macradon gets 1 SP for Thread (20 posts)
Vale and Macradon gets 1 SP for Quest <<The Iron Guardian>>
Vale and Macradon gets 200 Col for Thread (20 posts)

"Because Lessa had it."  "At least.. that seems the most logical to me.. Somehow she must have come into the blade.. before Dom died?" "The only logical explanation is that Dom must have given her Gram at some point.."

The snapping of Jomei's finger pointed at Vale disrupted her chain of thought and caused her to turn looking at him. He slowly began deducing and deconstructing the situation to come up with some sort of answer. Jomei was able to correctly deduce that the Demon Blade Gram was in fact given to Lessa, though something no one knew how far in depth this was already planned by the Berserker himself. Vale was unaware just how much had gone, Lessa had informed her that Gram was a gift from the man who possessed true rage during Christmas one year. From that, the Neko girl had nothing she could add to help Jomei with his deductions while he paced back and forth.

"The answer to that seems a bit more complicated.." "One idea could go with what I said.. because if it killed you, or Lessa when she had it, Gram would be returned to its home to wait for its new host to come and take it..." "Or.. the more likely option.. It wants to test you.. Until you're ready to take Unique skill yourself."

She watched as he continued back and forth in a single line, placing his hand upon his chin as though it would assist in his thoughts. Something that seemed like it was actually working. Slowly but surely he was coming up with more and more possibilities until he came to one that caused her to shake down to her very core, "W-What?" Vale looked as though she was slowly going pale despite the fact she had a dark and toned skin, "W-what do you mean... It wants to test me?" She asked as she showed her fear to him once again. Vale returned her face into her knee's trying to process all the information she was given by Jomei. She wasn't sure if she was able to handle all of this.

ID: 89343 | LD: 17+6=23 | CD: 2 (1 bonus Material)

"Well, we are definitely going the right way with how hard it is to actually walk through this forest."

The density of the forest on the mountain tops was a hassle to deal with, but nothing Vale hadn't trained herself enough to handle. Spencer, on the other hand, was still struggling with the way the flow of the forest. Eclipse and Vale herself were making their way through it without a single issue. At this point, the Neko was taking her attention away from the irksome Cat who became her familiar and focused on Spencer, "So what made you want to take on the Wasp Queen by the way?" She asked, the answer, irrelevant she didn't like it getting too quiet and only hearing the sound of the chirping insects. Her search and detect skill easily enough to handle anyone attempting to approach them. As she drifted between the tree's she collected particular leaves from the branches for alchemical purposes.

"Sounds like a plan to me, I have nothing better to do to be completely honest, it has been pretty boring, not much to do, I may explore this floor a bit more after this, so whenever you're free I'm good." 

The man she was slowly building a nice friendship with seemed to also enjoy the idea of having another spa day together, "It might take some time... I don't have another spa day for maybe seven or eight days. I can't let myself slack behind, I need to help save this world as soon as possible." She gripped her hand saying with confidence and pride. Look toward Spencer, "I am sorry to make you wait for that. But if you don't have much to do, then you can accompany me with some of the things I still need to do." Vale offered, not realizing that a presence was beginning to loom overhead.

Materials Gathered: 2 T1 Materials.

The fish piece slid off the end of the sticks, taken by the teeth of Hikoru. The Shadow Stalker chewed on the piece savoring the flavor of the lemon baked fished before swallowing. Vale smiled happily at him, she felt extremely pleased that Hikoru seemed to like her cooking. Sharing meals were something she had missed doing with Yukino, and Vale finally felt like she had someone she could enjoy her meals with. A small blush still keeping its place on the cheeks of her face.

"The system probably wouldn't take any of my skill out of the game into effect, and even if I knew what iI was doing, the piano has a good chance of making it sound horrible... So I'm just waiting to escape..."

As Hikoru spoke about some of the limitations the game had, it took away the smile from Vale's face for but a few moments before she placed her hand on top of his, "Then maybe we need to work together so you can show me what those fingers can do." She left the end of her sentence open-ended. It was clear she was talking about the piano just as he was, but the amount of detail clearly left out of the sentence and the seductive look in her eyes could say otherwise.

"Thank you, Vale. I, don't know the right pretext at the end, or whatever its called... "

Vale stood up on her knee's and reached over to Hikoru, placing her other hand on the backside of his head running her fingers through his hair, "That's because today, it's Umiko." She said sweetly before placing a kiss on his forehead. Vale pulled her face away slightly to have her unique white iris on black background eyes staring into Hikoru's, "Let's finish our Lunch and continue on with our day, Love." She reached forward and pecked him on the lips before returning to her bean bag chair.

"Man, I can't wait till I take the familiar quest, I can't wait to get myself a penguin. Still don't know what to name him though, I feel like the name will just come to me so I'm hoping for that."

The Neko was having a hard time concentrating on what the young man was saying as she was having a glaring contest with Eclipse as they strode their way toward the Wasp. She loose heard the beginning and some there at the end about the name, "Trust me, take your time before you do it. Sometimes you get ornery jack-wagons like Eclipse here." She says as she points her thumb to Eclipse while turning her attention to Spencer, "As for the name. It really just comes to you on the spot. I named this one Eclipse, because he ECLIPSES ALL THE FUN!" Her voice changed from a lazy aspect to an exclamation as she shouts at Eclipse. The Cat just walking along sticking his tongue out at his master.

"Oh you've taken this before? Is there anything you could possibly tell me to help me like not die in this quest. I know I have you to protect me, but like for my own personal account, anything you want to tell me so I actually remember it all and know what I'm getting myself into?"

"Yep, it was quite some time ago. If I recall I was assisted by a young man named @Itzal, I haven't seen him since then though, I wonder what he has been up to?" Vale questioned out loud, dropping her hand to summon the system menu to check her online friends. The list being quite bare to one who was nosey enough to look, a handful of twelve or so names resided in her friends list. Putting the menu away she looked back at Spencer as he spoke up once more.

"Speaking of your training habits and life, do you want to open up about that at all? I know a little bit about it all, but not much. Its perfectly fine if you don't feel comfortable with it."

Vale looked at Spencer when he asked this, "I will just not today. Maybe another spa day we can gab all about ourselves?" She asked with a smile.

"My cooking wasn't always the best, but I did my best to make good food for me and my guests when I had them over. I got pretty good, but after awhile I started to eat more and more in take-out places as my Job started to really get hectic and stressful... And piano was something I stopped playing once I moved out of the house... I couldn't afford one so I haven't touched it in... Two, almost three years..."

He had kissed her cheek then chuckled, beginning another segment of his story. She sat and listened intently giving the man her full and undivided attention, every now and again her cat ear would twitch while listening to him. Vale wondered just what foods Hikoru knew how to make, the thought becoming more prevalent in her mind as she wondered. Slowly in her mind, she was undressing his shirt while cooking in the kitchen. For a moment it felt as though she wasn't listening due to the thought being too lustful to think about, she hadn't seen him without a shirt just yet so the only thoughts she had were of him having a built body.

"It's one of those things I miss from the outside, playing music..."

Her attention came back to when he mentioned missing the Piano, "I wonder if it is possible for us to obtain a piano in this world. I would love to hear what it sounds like." Her smile ever vibrant. Vale looked around at the other couples enjoying the mid-day feeling in the park of the Town of Beginnings. It looked as though they were the only ones that were enjoying food together, it felt more like a date than anything else she could perceive. Turning her attention back to Hikki while she opened her box, Vale grabbed the chopsticks within the box using the ends of it to cut up the fish. She took the piece and held it out for Hikki to eat it, "Here you go Ace-kun." That same vibrant smile having not yet dissipated.

The dark-skinned girl sat there, showing her first signs of fear to people outside of Hikoru, at the same time she felt as though she was hurting someone she was beginning to call a true friend. She felt as though the feeling of being watched was being intensified by the Greatblade Gram, the presence in the room was becoming more and more overpowering. As the blade sit there rested up against the wall next to the chest. As Jomei glared at the blade, it was as if a presence lingered in the blade and gave off an impression to those who stared at it the feeling of the void looking back at them. Vale felt this just as she moved her vision onto the blade, her eyes widened as she looked at it. The Neko girl wanted to scream in terror of having the feeling the spirit looking back at her as she stared at the blade, but was unable to make an audible sound.

"Dom, or Ssendom.. was not just some player that I heard of.. he was a comrade of mine. No.. more than that, he was one of my best friends."

When Jomei spoke, it broke the concentration the girl had on the blade. She turned her attention to Jomei who was beginning to open up to her, whether it was because of the blade or something she may have said was undeterminable to the Neko. She sat there and listened to him finish speaking. From everything she heard about the man, she could confirm that there were two people who considered themselves close to the Dom, but both of them were able to mention that he was a truly terrifying being with his sheer power. 

"when he came into Gram's possession.. I'm not sure if you know.. But Gram is a unique weapon. Dom got it the same time he had obtained his unique skill... Which.. may be why it feels as though the blade is haunting you. Usually the weapon, as well as the skill, return to the NPC who holds the unique weapon, until a new player is chosen."

Vale wasn't quite sure what he meant by the fact that Gram itself was a unique weapon. She looked back at the blade, the feeling of being watched slowly fading away from the room. Vale took a deep breath, "If the weapon was supposed to return to the NPC, then why is this blade sitting in my possession. Wouldn't it be connected with the Unique Skill that came along with?" She asked curiously, not quite sure what to make of it, "Why is the Demon Blade Gram wanting to torture my soul?" She followed up asking as her demeanor continued to decay. The proud fighter felt as though she were reduced to a child unable to lift their fists against an opponent that was far superior in all senses of the feeling.

“Seems like we need to do Redemption, then”

Vale was extremely proud of herself, she successfully defended a player from a deranged NPC. Her ear twitched when she heard Macradon though, she looked up at her own crystal showing that it was orange. Her eyes widened and turned to Macradon, "I completely forgot that allied NPC's can trigger your crystal to change." She opened her inventory to pull out the quest details and notes she had written about it from the various people who had spoken of the quest. The NPC was in fact a respawning NPC, but what Vale didn't remember before she attacked the Information Broker was that it needed to attack a player in the team to prevent one from going orange. She looked down at her hands which were beginning to tremble, "A-Am I a killer?" She asked softly, regardless of if Macradon could hear her. Vale began to panic in her mind thinking she was some kind of monster for slaying the allied NPC, what if it had been an actual player and she acted with such ferocity toward them. Vale didn't know anymore where that line existed.

"Oh hey Vale! Sorry you scared the life out of me." 

Despite that the Neko's girl original intention was not to Sspoop her adorably tall, handsome, and cute friend. But knowing that she had given him a small jump made her giggle, "My apologies. I hope you can regenerate that health back though." She continued to giggle trying to make a joke about the system they play in. Her lack of knowledge on Video games left her unsure if Spencer would find it funny too.

 "Nice to see you again Eclipse, I hope you don't try to kill me like you almost tried to do at your house."

Eclipse stared at him and shrugged, the panther didn't seem too enthralled to see the young man once again. Vale just looked at Eclipse with an annoyed face, "Oh come on you jump of purple fur. Be nice to those who are nice to you." Eclipse turned to look at Vale, sticking his tongue out to simply say no without using the words themselves. Vale's eye twitched, "I'm gonna beat you to a pulp at this rate Eclipse." Cracking her knuckles as she seethed those words at her cat. Vale's attention to Eclipse turning his head away was taken by Spencer who spoke back up.

"You ready to head out? I can't remember how tough this boss is. But the recommended level was level 8, so I decided to invite you along. It could give you some experience and give you a break from your constant training that I can't seem to get how you do it."

The Neko girl turned to Spencer, "You don't need to worry, I have handled the giant wasp before. I won't let anything happen to you." She exclaimed proudly. Eclipse rolling his eyes, easily see able by Spencer but not Vale as her back was to the beast, "You would understand my training methods if you knew my history." She finished with a smile.

The shade swashing on and off Hikoru's face, the slim bit of jelly that was unknowingly on his cheek. It was all too cute to Vale, the fact he was rather effeminate but masculine at the same time left the girl with a genuine and innocent smile. The Neko girl grabbed a napkin and leaned forward, the dress hanging forward a small amount as she lightly got the jelly off his face when he finished speaking, "You're just a little messy aren't you." She giggled happily. He looked actually rather happy to talk about himself, she was glad that the man was beginning to open to her. She confirmed that she was dating someone that was considerably under her age. It felt weird to think about, so she pushed the thought out of her mind.

Vale sat back grabbing a small pre-prepped bento box for the two of them. Filled with Rice, Veggies, some Fish, and a small drink that she made in her shop. She held one out for Hikoru, "I was never the greatest cook, but my..." She stopped as soon as she realized that the story of Yukino had not been brought up to Hikoru after all this time, "S-something I'll talk about soon." She looked down and away a slight amount, the glint in her eyes that shined her happiness was suddenly missing in that moment. She cleared her throat quietly, "I'd love to hear more about the kind of foods you like to cook and how versed you are with the Piano, if you don't mind me asking?" She took a shot in the dark hoping to keep the topic off her for a slight bit longer, she didn't want to ruin the good vibe about them.

You ever need a thing, never hesitate to ask! Welcome to our family.

"Well, here isn't much... I had a little brother in the real world, i moved out of the house when i was about 16, and saved up for the nerve gear and SAO.. Waited in line for three days..." 

Hikoru had bit into his sandwich, despite her inability to make good food like most cooks could. She still showed that she did love to make food in the kitchen, and it seemed as though Hikoru enjoyed the food as the Shadow Stalker did eat it. Vale smiled as Hikoru began to speak a little about himself, something she was hoping he would offer more of. 

"Three days wasted on a game that wants to kill me... " 

The man finished speaking with a sigh, causing the Neko girl to look down slightly, "I am sorry it happened that way for you." She looked back at him, "Maybe you might want to share a little more about your family, and you?" She asked inquisitively hoping to learn even a small amount of something form the man, "If you don't want to answer, I won't force you to." She stated immediately after asking him her question. The Neko girl was a bit flustered, here she was with the person she adored the most. But, wanted to respect his absolute privacy to give him his deserved space. On top of that, Vale honestly wondered if the man was even interested in her or was he just interested in her looks.

The two panther's made it back to the solemn town of Rhoemeia, she loved the fact that this was a town of Amazon Warriors, both built and petite. She oggled the view every single time she came upon the town, and each time Eclipse would roll his eyes and continue marching toward the teleportation gate getting Vale to break out of her female-lusting haze. With Eclipse entering her vision, Vale cleared her throat and continued to follow her faithful yet lazy-grump-like companion. As she approached the gate she looked at the sky then back down at Eclipse, "Lets do this. Warp: Urbus." The panther woman called out causing the blue light to envelope both her and Eclipse. After a brief moment of a bright blue light, Vale slowly opened her eyes as she faded into existence on the second floor. Vale looked around, it didn't take the Neko too long to find her tall friend Spencer. Her tail swashed around as she and Eclipse slowly strut and saunter respectively toward the man, "It's good to see you again Spency!" She exclaimed excitedly.

The way that Hikoru's face would brighten as the blush would take over his face was too adorable, Vale couldn't get enough of emotionally teasing the young man whom she found herself some devotion. The fact that he was willing to do anything so long it is with her made the woman genuinely happy, this was a much different Hikoru that Vale had the pleasure to get to know. Vale looked around the place as well as Hikoru did, off in the distance in a nice spot with some shade under a tree was the place the two of them would spend a fair bit of the day learning of one another. As Hikoru gave the go-ahead for her to choose a spot she turned to him and smiled, "I already did love." She lightly pulled him as they walked past a few other couples to reach their spot everyone within indoor speaking distance from one another. 

She opened her inventory, "I'll take care of it, I prepared for this while we were getting ready." She mentioned to him as the perfect picnic placement was set. Two comfy and soft bean bag chairs with a picnic basket full of food and drink resting neatly at the center of a purple and black cloth. She sat down with grace into her chair keeping her legs positioned to keep the short skirt the dress came with from revealing anything. Opening the basket she grabbed a peanut butter and jelly triangle sliced sandwich and held it out to him, "I want to know more about you, and I want to share more about me... With you, Ace-kun." She said a sense of serenity in her voice. The woman wanted to know just who it was that had claimed her heart, not just the persona he created for everyone to see.

Vale tried to keep her attention on the soul that lay unconscious in the snow, there were far too many variables for her to conclude before she could protect the person. But slowly it seemed like the young woman was coming too. This elegant woman arose unsure of when she had her collapse, not exactly a question Vale could answer under the current circumstances. Vale heard the sound of rocks crashing into a massive dune of snow, flipping her hips she looked back at the creature that was in a full charge toward the two of them. The woman shouted in what felt like shock and fear of the giant-like elemental, nothing that gave Vale a shred of worry if she were alone. Turning her attention to the other girl in her peripheral she noticed the girl was limping toward the tree, the best Vale could do was stand here and hold the attention of the golem.

Vale readied her All Might sword art in her right arm, ready to end the fight in a fraction of a second. But the Golem began to bring its arm down from an abnormal distance, giving Vale zero openings to unleash her technique. Instead of using the sword art to empower her attack, she fortified her arm to attempt to divert the attack of the golem off to the side and away from her body. She managed to re-direct the attack completely, "I'll answer all your questions in a minute. Just get over to the tree. If you notice anything coming up, call out for me!" The Panther-woman shouted back as she turned her attention back to the Ice Elemental, "The name's Vale, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She exclaimed as she jumped back landing just next to the blonde haired girl.

ID: 89233 | BD: 2+3=85 | MD: 5-3=2

[H:1]Vale: 840/840 HP | 66/84 EN (-2 EN: Miss + 1 EN: Regen)

Ice Elemental: 135/420 HP | 126 DMG (-285 HP)

@Swift

Vale didn't like the fact that a lot was being shared, and the fact it would cause problems were connected so deeply here. The Neko buried her head into her knee's pulling them closer to her with her arms wrapped around them. She couldn't look at Jomei at the moment, the girl was fighting conflicting emotions within her body. She looked off at the Greatsword that just seemed to feel like it was alive itself. As though the Greatsword known as Gram was a sentient being as well, the thought kept Vale from looking away from the sword.

"D-Does that mean that... while Lessa had the sword.. That.. that presence was.. It followed her too?" 

Jomei seemed to be visually perturbed, or to Vale's best guess as the man was perpetually in her peripheral vision. The words rang in Vale's head, but the best conclusion she could give was the lack thereof, "I told you I would be completely honest with you. If you asked me a question I wouldn't share a falsehood." She swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in her mouth, she was worried that Jomei wouldn't believe a single word she had to say. But the only thing she could usher was the truth, "I honestly don't know. Lessa let me know about the essence and it's sinister nature. But I don't know just how much of a problem or how little of a problem it was for her." She moved her face from facing the sword to being buried in her knee's, "She did warn me to never stop fighting." She managed to finish saying before Jomei spoke again.

"Alright.. Guess its your turn to ask.."

Pulling her face away from her knees, biting her lip the Neko girl only had a single thing to ask. Moving her eyes up to look at Jomei's tears beginning to well up, "I'm scared... Just who is Dom?" The girl displaying feelings she had only barely shared with Hikoru.

The chirping of the birds, the noise produced by cicada's naturally, the sound of the tree's as they sway in the wind, her dress fluttering against her skin yet still holding its position perfectly. The wind rushed through her hair while the sunlight beamed on the velvety like hair. Vale had the sunlight upon her as though it were the spotlight itself, as they enter the garden-like park she spun around to face him, "You've been ever so quiet Hikki-kun. What's on your mind?" She asked him, her dark purple lipstick and eye shadowing picture perfect. It was noticeable just how far Vale went out of her way to look for the man.

There were other couples who were enjoying a day at the park as well. Men and women holding hands, laughter, play, various sorts of other activities could be heard going on around then. Vale looked around to see all the couples looking extremely happy despite the fact that their lives were perpetually in danger. But, for this one moment of the day all of them forgot their troubles, their issues, their past. They solely focused on the now, just thinking about that made the feeling of love resonate down deep within her core. She turned to look Hikoru back in the eyes, just to close them and smile happily, "Would you like to sit for a picnic with me Ace-kun?" She asked, the feeling of love solely enveloping the girl as a whole.

The cold embrace of the fourth floor, another quirk to train oneself under. The weight of the snow added some difficulty to the mobility of the Panther-like woman, and the lazy grump of a Panther sluggishly walking along to keep up with the hyperactive female fighter. The girl was dancing and dashing around the snow to outmaneuver the Ice Elemental she was doing combat with. There was no difficulty to the movement as the giant being of ice swung its arms around sluggishly. Vale continuously looked around with her eyes to try and keep up with predicting the creatures attack movements when she noticed something important. An unconscious player down in the ground near where the powerful monsters on the lower floor spawned.

Her trajectory lead her over to the downed player, Vale had to change tactics fast to protect the girl from the monster. She was unaware of how strong the person was, but someone being unconscious led the woman to the same conclusion every time, protection had to happen. She dashed over toward the person then rushed toward the Elemental leading all her strength into her fist to knock the giant beast down upon the ground, launching herself back and into the air. She skid toward the person with planting her feet into the snow, stopping just before the unconscious player, "Hey are you okay!? You need to wake up!" She shouted to warn the player of the imminent danger she was in.

ID: 89233 | BD: 5+3=8 | MD: 1-3=-2

[H:1]Vale: 840/840 HP | 67/84 EN (-17 EN: All Might)

Ice Elemental: 135/420 HP | 126 DMG (-285 HP)

Even though Hikoru was trying his best to be sly, it just came out dorky and adorable to Vale. She pushed his head against the wall with one finger on his lips, "You're gonna have to give me something better than that sugar. No one tames this cat, this cat tames her pets." She licked the side of his neck knowing she had full control of him completely by this point. She pulled away slowly watching as the rest of the crowd started to clear seeing the action come to an end. Vale smiled at Hikoru, "Let's go!" Exclaiming as she grabbed his hand and started to pull him at slightly faster than walking speed toward the Park. She was so excited to have this day to spend with him however she pleased.

During the walk Vale left plenty of opportunity for Hikoru to speak up and ask questions, or if he wanted to stay quiet and watch her walk from right behind her. It didn't really matter to the girl, she knew she had his full and undivided attention. And that would last long into the night, or so she would like to hope. Her natural strut made people passing her involuntarily look at the bombshell of a woman among both men and women, and all of them would shift their head to look at Hikoru. And it was as if there were questions on why someone that attractive would choose someone who is mildly good looking. Vale was happy though, the only thing that mattered to her, was that Hikoru was there.

The mood in the air was practically suffocating, it was almost as though Vale couldn't breath. The feeling of being watched felt more overpowering now than it ever did when they fought. One of the reasons that Chest was in the study, and the room practically locked from others at all times, this being the lone exception. When she looked at the blade, it was as if the essence was staring into her soul. Lifelessness. She placed her hand on her neck to show that she couldn't breath all the way up until words finally broke the silence.

"What else are you not telling me?"

The first words that spoke sliced through the girl, a moment of weakness to her will. If she weren't already sitting she would have easily collapsed at that moment. The chill still running up and down her back, "A fair amount." She managed to respond. A few moments pass by before Jomei turned to her and spoke in a low and cold tone toward Vale. Each word that came felt like nails being plunged into her skin, she closed her eyes and grabbed her arms as he spoke.

"You've obviously had Gram for awhile it seems.. but you merely just asked me about Dom earlier today. Obviously.. you knew more than you let on when you first came into my shop."

A slight pause in his sentences caused the woman to shudder even more. Vale felt as though she had done something gravely wrong by not taking Lessa's words to heart and keeping the blade a secret for as long as humanly possible.

"So I ask again...what else do you know that you aren't telling me?"

It was her time to speak, "I met with someone named Lessa during what I call my Isolation. I had ex-communicated myself from everyone to pursue getting stronger and faster." She began to explain, she swallowed the giant knot in her throat that was making it difficult for her to speak, "She told me why she had originally kept her place away from fighting for so long. The Greatsword Gram... is the Catalyst..." She finished saying, leaving openings before and after the words 'is the Catalyst' so Jomei had time to speak as well.

A number of voices could be concluded from the distance, she recognized two of the voices immediately. One was Jomei who she had been spending a considerable amount of time with, strengthening herself along him yet at the same time creating a foundation of trust between the two of them. The other was Hikoru, the person who had recently swept the feet out from under Vale emotionally. The man she had spend many a day thinking about, it was only a matter of time until someone found out that she was there alongside her cat Eclipse. The two of them sitting in the shadows trying to make a little noise as physically possible.

She looked around to see if there were any materials but all she could conclude was the spot she wished to eavesdrop from was barren of anything useful. Since there was nothing for her to collect, the only thing left to do was sit and listen in carefully. There were two voices she couldn't hear, one was named Oikawa which seemed like a rather familiar name. The other person known as Calrex, he was quite well known throughout all of Aincrad Society as one of the strongest if not currently the strongest man in all of Aincrad. The first unknown person was more what Vale was focusing toward. She opened her inventory to bring out a journal of notes she kept. She skimmed through a few hundred pages until she reached the page about the Memorial on the first floor. There she read the note that Oikawa was the one who murdered Zelrius. A bit of information she had yet to obtain, and this was a good chance to listen to them converse and figure out where Hikoru stood with one known as the Feint.

ID: 89232 | LD: 4+6=10 (No Materials Found)

The girl's eye's continued to track the field as she watched Macradon make excellent work of the moment to execute the Iron Guardian in her peripheral. As the blade began to rip through the monster a flick of red happened in the distance. The Information Broker action had triggered, the madman making a blitz towards the banner of support like a crazed loot maniac. Vale readied herself shining her right gauntlet as it slight raises, the fist began to glow a vibrant purple. Flicking her eyes back square onto the Information broker who was charging with a dagger ready at full speed toward the Scarlet Templar.

Vale unleashed, moving at seemed like teleportation speed. In the blink of an eye, the vision of the information broker was the backside of the knight. Turned into a fist with a full surged All Might empowered strike square to the center of his face. The sheer force behind the punch instantly obliterated the Information Broker into data particles. A serious face stretched across the panther woman, "Not a single person dare harm one of my friends. I won't let anyone take advantage of another ever again. So long as I can still see, I will protect everyone in need." She shouted proudly at the fading mist of data particles that once was the Information Broker.

ID: 89230
BD: 3+3=6 (Hit)
IB-BD: Negated due to death.
Sword art used: All Might - 15x1x19=285 DMG

- Health List -
[2]<Macradon>  1395/1395 HP || 111 MIT ||  13 DMG || 101/138 NRG                   
[0]<Vale>       820/820  HP ||  0 MIT ||  14(19) DMG ||  64/82  NRG                (-17 EN + 1 Regen) 

<Iron Knight>   -72/72   HP ||   0 MIT || 120 DMG || (Has Bleed[12] and Thorns[12]) (-144 HP)
<Iron Knight>   -72/72   HP ||   0 MIT || 120 DMG || (Has Bleed[12] and Thorns[12]) (-144 HP)

<Iron Guardian> -22/225  HP ||   0 MIT || 200 DMG || (Has Bleed[12] and Thorns[12]) (-247 HP)
<Information Broker> -135/150 HP || 0 MIT || 200 DMG || Paralyze 9-10 (-285 HP)

The man faded into her peripheral through the blue light and data particles, his placement before entering the teleportation gate at the same place was his exit. Right beside him and just in reach to slide her arm through and pull him closer, The side of his arm pressed up against the side of her side chest specifically. He had begun to start calling her by a nickname, but she wasn't all that interested in something cliche. It had sounded like he was going to call her baby, her eyes flicking a wicked yet seductive glance at her partner in crime tonight. Hikoru cleared his voice to announce her name Umiko.

The Neko girl's ears twitched, she scanned her eyes across the people to identify a good amount of them looking in the direction of the two of them. She grinned, grabbing the collar of Hikoru to pull the man in, her eyes staring deeply into his as if trying to identify his soul, "You can give me a nickname." She started whispering loud enough that he could hear, as she pushed him back up against a wall. She was making a statement to not just the guys, but to the girls and even Hikoru too. She wanted to make a statement to others where she stands with him. She lightly kissed his chin and glanced at the crowd, "But only if it means just as much as you do Hikki-kun" she paused to look back in his eyes, "To me." A sweet and sullen smile stretched across her gaze. A few girls showing their compassion toward what she had just done, a few men impressed, and a few other angered storming off.

The panther strode around the jungles of the sixth floor, somewhere she often visited to take Eclipse back to see his family. The panther never seemed to care too much, but always seemed to be the one generally moving toward his previous home, The Den of the Shadowpride Matriarch. Vale noticed a small yellow indicator pop up on her HUD while walking, "Oi, Eclipse wait a second." She called out lazily. Selecting the yellow indicator with her finger a message window opened up, "Oh a joyous little message from Spency-kun." The Neko exclaimed when she finished reading the message. She selected the reply button and her fingers slowly traveled around the keyboard. The girl wasn't the fastest at typing in the SAO universe, but since being in this world her keyboard skills had improved quite handily. Thanks in part to her book reading and using the system for search and find functions.

Hey Spency-kun! It's been a minute =^-^=. I would love to accompany you on your quest, me and Eclipse are out in near the Deep Veil of the sixth floor. And hey! I'm never home, I'm always out of that shack training :P. I'll see you soon though <3!

~Vale

With the messages finished she pressed the send button, "Now lets gets on over to Spency." She said happily to Eclipse and started darting off in the opposite direction toward town. Eclipse tried to mimic saying "But... But..." with a pathetic tone in his roars. But the master's mind was already maid, the now irritated Eclipse hustled on behind her to keep up.

The natural instincts of a male, enforcing his dominance over a pack as though he were the Alpha amongst a den of wolves. Something that spoke into Vale's soul, natural instincts was just that very something. Hikoru looked at the panther woman who had already found what she witnessed slightly arousing, he looked embarrassed and tried to play it off with his chuckle. Vale put a finger to his lips to hush him, she meowed, "You never have to apologize for being the Alpha." a quiet low and sexy tone whisper fluttering off the tip of her lips which were beside Hikoru's ear blowing a bit of air in them to get under his skin. Without giving him much chance to respond she quickly started moving forward, and since she had his hand she could easily tug him along until they reached the Teleportation Gate. The entire crowd could help but watched as she giggled along loudly but somewhat yet adorable at the same time.

As they reached the Teleportation gate the girl turned to Hikoru, a small peck on the cheek, "Warp Floor One: Town of Beginnings" She evaporated into blue light right in the man's hand. Within moments the girl was displaced into a very bustling town of not only low level players, but a plethora of high level players preparing for the next floor boss raid. There wasn't a single walking direction the two of them could go without running into people, "I think it'd be great to start with a walk in the park. There'll still be plenty of people but at that same time they'll be dispersed enough for us to be uninterrupted." She chuckled, having waited a sufficient amount of time to say so Hikoru could warp to where she was.