Killia

"Field boss?" Killia repeated. "Yeah... That sounds good. Let's give this new skill a test run."

RESULTS:
 Calrex Earns: +2 SP, +200 col

 Killia Earns: +3 SP, +200 col, <<Martial Arts Level 0>>

Smudged and looking ridiculous, Killia let a grin crack at the corner of his lips. His amber eyes lit up with excitement.

"Aw, man, yeah." Killia's tone exuded relief. "I really haven't done any quests."

He paused for a moment remembering why. He looked down to his hands which were numb instead of consumed with searing pain. Numb felt right. He scoffed.

"You know?" The teen rubbed at his knuckles, a habit he had from before the game. "Can we tackle something tough?"

The request left his lips as overconfidence but the boy lined it with guilt. His expression fell flat. The cold expression on his face easily looked to be determination. Killia had a point to prove.

"I'll have to rely on you for suggestions. Thanks again for lending a hand." The teen held out his hand for a handshake. Red polygons fluttered from his knuckles, slowly shrinking as time passed out of combat. 

@Calrex

Killia shot a fist into the air.

"*&%! Yeah!" He blurted with fervor. Immediately, he pushed his face into his forearm and vigorously worked the paint from his face the old man forced him to wear. Believing it had all been removed, Killia turned to the old man and pointed. "Suck it old man!"

The NPC chortled. Doubled over, and pointed his walking stick at the bluenette. Difficult to see, Killia only managed to severely smear the ink all over his face instead of remove it. Once he regained his composure, he cleared his throat and bowed.

"Thank you, you two, you've been a great help." At those words, the smeared ink on Killia's face lifted off and shattered into dust. A notification popped up in Killia's field of view summarizing the completed quest. Martial Arts Proficiency had been obtained as well as some experience and currency.

"Nice," Killia spoke under his breath. He dismissed the notification and turned to Calrex.

"Hey, thanks." The teen paused for a moment before mustering up his next few words. "You think you'd be willing to help me out with some other quests now that I have some offensive capabilities?"

He felt weak to be asking Calrex for help. Killia kept to himself for a reason, but something about Calrex exuded trust.

@Calrex 

The taste of victory was nearly palpable. The HP whittled down little by little and finally had more empty than full. Were this the health of a player, everyone would be worried. But Killia had a strange suspicion that everyone loved to see this boulder die. Keeping that image in mind, the future pugilist squared his fists to his side, took a half breath, and thrust his fist with a sharp exhale. He could immediately tell by the impact, the percussion down his arm and rooted in his core, that his blow was nearly perfect. Some the cracks grew, flakes of stone shuddered and chimed loose from the massive formation and the HP bar dipped into the red.

"Whoo, that felt good," Killia stated after blowing another lungful of air through pursed lips. "I think this thing is almost toast."

He took a few steps back and away from the stone and massaged the tingling sensation in his knuckles. Then, kept his eyes on Calrex in anticipation. Kilia was ready to move onto greener pastures. Literally. 

<<The Boulder>> 6/50 HP

@Calrex

 ID# 87410: BD5+3 <<-1EN,HIT>> [+1EN] [+4 Damage]

"Yeah," I replied to Calrex. "Thanks again."

Were it not for his help, I may have spent the better part of a day punching this rock. My little chunks of HP versus his were pathetic. Then again, this world made it well known - that gap of power. My fist open and closed as though it ached. It should ache. But it didn't. Here, there was no pain, just a faint tingle. Just that faint indication that something happened. My health was full, but my hand tingled. Surely, were this the other side, I'd have broken a finger by now.

"Can't wait to get this makeup off my face..."

The whole reason I didn't want to do this in the first place. As we hacked away at this boulder, cracks starting to form, that smug NPC just sat hunched to the side, giggling to himself like the senile old bastard it was. I could kill it when this was all over. It'd respawn, right? My luck, the damn thing is programmed with a OHKO move set. Talk about a pain in the rear...

I exhaled and cocked my arm for another blow. Released, it slammed into the stone and fragments of rock leapt from the growing crack. One step closer.

<<The Boulder>> 20/50 HP

ID# 87233: BD6+3 <<-1EN, HIT>> [+1 EN] [4 Damage]

It was like watching a ball of meat and bone launched from a cannon. Calrex shot out and bludgeoned the boulder with much better form and follow through than what I just put forward. I mean, I could have been putting him on a pedestal for being a higher level and all, but the health bar of the thing dropped twice as low from his blow as mine. Meaning, he had some firepower behind that fist of his.

"Jesus," my lips spilled unintentionally.

I shook off the thought of his fist entering my forehead and exiting my skull effortlessly and saw this as a challenge. You want to go, old man? (not that old really, and I totally forgot about the makeup on my face) Then, let's go!

I scrunched my brows and in an effort to mimic his form, I drew back a fist and gunned it into the stone. Another sliver of HP fell off the bar. With a firm look of determination, I stepped back and watched for Calex to go again.

<<The Boulder>> 33/50 HP

The voice of a female reached out from somewhere nearby. The lacquer of sarcasm dripped from her words, but the origin remained but a mystery. There I sat, random old lady kibble in one hand and the confused expression on my face searching through a sea of moving people as if I were a blind man. Was it that lady with the short battle skirt and the "trying too hard" steel breast plate? No, the voice was higher and less... sultry. What about -- nope, nope. That's a dude. Definitely a dude. Why was he wearing a-- oh never-mind...

"Pitch?" I called out, hoping to coax the source of the original comment out of hiding. "Do you see these things? They're like..." I held them to my face for a bit to catch the detail, instead, catching a whiff of what I could only describe as old sock mixed with stale jerky. "dog kibble...? Or something?" I finished.

I looked back up to the crowd. People began looking at me like I was crazy, talking to myself with a handful of brown bits cupped in my palm. Then again, I'd probably look at myself the same way. I sighed like the idiot I felt I was.

"Whatever," I muttered. "I'll just chuck em."

The weight of my past hung heavy on me. I tried to avoid remembering the real world. It's not like it mattered here. A new start, right? But the past always found me. I breathed deeply and tried to push the image of her pale, blue face to the back of my mind where it belonged. She stared at me as she faded away, as if asking me why I didn't try harder. As if asking me why I failed.

The soft umph nearby broke me from my hallowed trance. Bright colors of orange hair and yellow kimono spilled across the ground. For a moment, I forgot the common decency of any human being. Instead of rushing to help, I sort of looked on in a daze, still rising to the surface of my own thoughts. The girl, however, did not need anyone's help. As quickly as her head bounced off the cobblestones, she scampered to her feet and carried on. Did I really just watch her take a spill? She acted as though I hadn't, or that it had become such commonplace that there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Another redhead stepped in from my peripherals to check on her like I should have done. Her face warmed to a rosy hue. I couldn't decide if it happened due to her brief meeting with the floor or the genuine smile from the man in front of her. I felt a smile spread on my face and the pressure from earlier began to lift. Maybe this event would be good for me afterall. Being surrounded by smiles, laughter, and positive memories in the making might help cope with the demons I keep chained within.

My eyes drifted from the budding relationship to the odd, but familiar sight of blue hair. Calrex, the higher level fellow that helped me split a rock was here. It looked as though he was with the red headed gentlemen. They too must've known each other from some place. Not hard to believe, given there were less than ten thousand of us here. Calrex mosied on off to one of the various stands populated with NPCs in festive attire. Meanwhile, I kept my place by the fountain. Isolated like I enjoyed and accompanied by the soft warble of water.

The smile from earlier still hung on my lips and its affects warmed my heart. 

Shock. Pain. That doe eyed expression of disbelief. This woman sat alone in an ocean of thoughts, questions, and the answers were no where on the horizion. I tried to use my voice as a lighthouse - something to give her a place to go. She wouldn't find what she wanted out there. I never did. I still don't have them.

"Oh," I replied, voice fading in subtle disappointment. "I just saw your shop and wondered if I could ask for a custom weapon."

Not really. I didn't care for weapons in this game. I couldn't trust a weapon, much like I couldn't trust people. Just these hands and even they let me down. But, I still felt like I needed to do something. People always want to be alone after something traumatic. I did. I didn't know what was going through her mind, but I knew that look. Despite that hollow pit of isolation, the fear, and the separation, being alone was the worst thing I could have done back then. My family, myself, and my guilt paid the price. She too would pay her own price, but much like the merchants here, perhaps I could lessen the cost.

"Did you make this sword?" I continued. I let my hands motion toward it, but slowly.

Swim. Do something. Don't tread water. You need to go somewhere. It's called moving on. We have to do it. The other option... please don't pick that option...

I finally made my way past the blonde after no thanks to the awkward dance we did at the doorway. My face flushed red just from the mere embarassment of social ineptitude I just displayed. My hand couldn't help but stick to my face as both an action of comfort and humiliation. Despite the ridiculousness of it all, I pulled up my HUD and flipped to the map. If I was here, the forest should be here... and... There. A marker blipped slowly on screen to indicate the general AO for the quest.

I went for the city gates and began to make way toward the forest's edge where some poor elf was about to get his teeth knocked out. A few paces in, and I couldn't help but notice another player in front of me by several paces. Again, this one was a woman, blonde.

"Some kind of curse?" I muttered under my breath. Apparently, my luck was bringing about a harem of blond women. Regardless, I kept my distance from her as I continued in the direction of the quest. So far, she showed no signs of deviating from the path. Perhaps she was doing the same quest?

ID# 87182: BD8+3 <<-1 EN, HIT>> [4 Damage]

I nodded at Calrex's information. Compared to Clevis' broad suggestions and lack of detail, it felt relieving to work with someone knowledgeable. Still, I couldn't help but take an opportunity here and there to observe him as we walked. Despite his earlier comment, the stranger kept his guard up. Part of me felt safer, but the other part felt slightly unnerved. Everyone knew to keep their eyes open in the fields for random field bosses of even surprise attack mobs, but to add fuel to the fire, rumors of increased PKing had been floating around. I guess the longer people were here, the more they thought like Clevis' friend.

Maybe if we die here, we actually get to wake up.

A wave of chills crawled down my back at the thought. Not the thought exactly, but my mind seemed to accept the idea. I felt fear only because it didn't seem illogical. But to take the risk...

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Thankfully, we crested the low hill and I laid eyes on the objective. A cliff just a few stories high topped off in a plateau. Atop it, a boulder about twelve feet tall stood with shrine tape around it. Now, just a brief climb and we were there.

"Quick climb and we're there," I repeated aloud. "Thanks for helping by the way."

As we continued, and made it up the cliff, an old geezer greeted us. As much as I absolutely detested the idea, he breached the gap in a matter of seconds and slapped black cat whiskers across my face. I let loose a long drawn sigh. 

"If you want to take off the paint, you have to split this rock in half!" the NPC directed, pointing his blackened brush for emphasis. Up close, it was a lot bigger than I thought. Already, the walk and climb proved to warm the muscles and bones. To think I'd have to demolish a boulder... Well, it's not the worst thing I've done in one of these survival games.

"Alright, here we go." I assumed a rooted stance and recalled a rather favorite memory of knocking this one bully's teeth out. My fist shot out, slammed into the stone, and a small health bar appeared. The green bar dwindled slightly and my knuckles throbbed from the blow.

"Nice shot, boyo!" exclaimed the NPC. "I can't wait for this thing to be gone from my view!"

I looked to Calrex with a grin which felt stupid considering what he was about to do.

<<The Boulder>> 46/50 HP

"Second Floor?" Then why the heck did he leave me here? "Alright, meet you there then?"

My face soured, thinking of Clevis. If I did learn whatever skill this was for unarmed combat, I'd be sure to test it out on his gut. Then again, if he really was from the front lines, I'd probably have better luck punching more rocks. I approached the town gate and vaguely remembered the procedures for transport.

"Teleport, Urbus." White light filled my peripherals until all vision was washed away. I felt light and weightless, followed by the slamming weight of reappearing. New sounds flooded my ears and the brisk aroma of pine filled the air. I shook my head in an effort to get that tingling sensation out of the back of my skull. Apparently, temporal shifts were a bit of a doozy. Who knew, right?

As I waited, I eyed the jagged horizon. Just about everything around here was a mountain and Urbus sat in the middle like a nested tick in a dog's ear.

"Great..."

Before long, Calrex appeared.

"Well, where do we start?" I asked. Meanwhile, the prospect of being painted on weighed heavily on me. Maybe I could swing it to where this guy got to wear the kitty paint. On the other hand, I'd get to look like a complete fool in front of what I'm 100% certain is one of the stronger players in the game. I mean, how high of a level do you have to be to not benefit from quests?

"Wait," I muttered. My mind remembered something. Before Clevis, I remember hanging out at those town hall meetings where they go over new info from the player's handbook. I could have sworn they said the highest level guy right now was Calrex. I looked to him and narrowed my eyes. Nah... No way. Couldn't of been. That guy's probably got his boot halfway up some sub-boss monster's brown eye. 

"Nevermind..."

"Great," I commented at the mention of taking a while. This guy was kind. So, when he said "while" what he meant was longer than a game of Monopoly with Grandma playing the banker. Senile old bat...

"Really?" My words were hesitant. Was he like Clevis or like those bastards in high school? Yeah, let's go check out the cheerleaders practicing in the gym. One black eye and a broken hand later...

"I mean, you probably have other things to do." He seemed genuine, but who's to really know? "Although, I have no idea where this quest is at all. Just that I have to climb a mountain."

I let out a sigh, pressing my face into my hand. What if this guy really would help? It's not uncommon to think there's more people like Clevis. I mean, people were nice to me before... Well... That's not a problem here. They can't go about googling or messing on facebook. Not like rumors cover the globe. 

I pulled away from my palm and had a change of heart.

"Actually, yeah." God, don't let this be a mistake. "I'll take you up on that offer. Thanks, Calrex."

The fifth floor was about the furthest I felt safe to go. Fortaleza provided little sanctuary from the scalding sun and the chitin on the local mobs felt like punching beer kegs. As I walked through the dusty dirt roads of the main settlement, I nursed my throbbing hands. The red stain from where a scorpion's stinger still marked my exposed chest. I guess that was the trade off. Less clothes to get caught on things and make you stuffy, but more raw skin to get poked, cut, and bludgeoned. A bead of sweat rolled from my brow and shattered into digital glitter in the street. I covered my eyes to get a fair look at the artificial sun broadcasting on the ceiling. Man, screw the guy that designed this floor.

My immediate next thought was some place to duck away from the bastard in the sky intent on burning me like a kid with a magnifying lens. A glint from a shop window caught my attention. From first impressions, it looked like a blacksmith's foundry. Chances are, it'd be far more sweltering in there than out here, but at least the place had a roof. Compared to the paper thin cloth and stick stalls in the streets, my options were limited. Here's to crossing my fingers for that programmed interior climate.

As the door opened, a bell jingled to announce my entrance. And to greet me, the lovely sight of flowing lavender spilling over fair shoulders. Her expression, however, looked of morose disbelief. By her hands, a blade unfitting of her and two large crystals sat upon the counter. I may as well have been invisible. Whatever I walked into, her mind was far elsewhere. How do I know? I've been there. I know that face. I know it all too well.

I'm not the talkative type and lord knows I've let my fists do more arguing than my lips, but my burden of guilt wrapped its fingers around my chest. I felt a sinking depth, like drowning. And under the darkening depth of that horrible place, she sank quietly within arm's reach. I swam to her by way of walking like a normal human being, but softly.

"Miss," I kept my words like a tree's whisper. "Are you open?"

Distractions. We needed to surface. Just like water, the longer you remain under, the better chance you have to drown. Whatever these objects signified, they just opened a wound. A deep wound. And the blade needed to be removed.

Of all the places on Aincrad, The Town of Beginnings remained most familiar to me. Like a home. Granted, players could not purchase property here, but it still felt like a place for me to ground myself after an adventure. Since leaving, the streets were far less crowded. Today, however, the Plaza Gate busied with players coming and going. The decorations of a festivity marred and decorated any structure they could cling to. Males and females alike adorned ornate Japanese attire. Meanwhile, I stood there with my chest exposed, wearing trousers and my shoulder harness. I was definitely the odd man out. Still, I would much rather take a boar tusk to the stomach than put on a dress.

The sun still hung high, but that only meant the meat of the event was still in the oven. NPCs hustled to carry supplies and more decorations to and fro. As I stood there, paper lanterns materialized overhead in strands as though Cardinal were loading them piece by piece. In all honesty, I now know how a parent feels when they come home and someone's throwing a party in their living room. Not like I could tell them to get the heck out. 

"Can't beat 'em, join 'em I guess," I muttered with a thick undertone of exhaustion. All the muscles ached from training and were we dealing with flesh and bone, my knuckles would at the least, be bruised. At the worst, I should have bloody stumps at the wrist. Despite ignoring Celvis' warnings, the manly path of fists brought more challenges than taking up the blade. It made me consider a nice sword or hammer, but when I decked that Dark Elf so hard his face vaporized... Yeah, that was some quality catharsis.

With a sigh and shake of my head, I mosied on over to my usual loitering spot at the plaza fountain. Cherry blossoms littered the water's surface and what I could only assume were sparklers were rigged to the outer rims. Likely, they'll light this puppy up later this evening. You know, for a prison, this place is awfully festive. Hard to believe its a death sentence. I guess that's why they need things like this. As players walked past me, I saw smiles. Couples walked arm in arm. I nodded with a low chuckle.

"Almost as if we forgot." But I knew I could not. This was my sentence and each day that brought me closer to its completion was a feather's weight off my overwhelming guilt. 

"Sister killer," fell the whispered words off my lips as the memory bent my back and slouched my shoulders with its burden.

 ID# 87183: CD8 <<-1 T1 MAT, Success>> [+1 Vanity Clothes, 2 EXP]
 ID# 87184: CD6 LD5 <<-1 T1 MAT, Failure>> [+1 EXP]

 ID# 87022: CD5 - LD3 <<-1 T1 MAT, Failure>> [+1 EXP]
 ID# 87023: CD8 <<-1 T1 MAT, Success>> [+1 Vanity Clothes] [+2 EXP]

I stretched out my arms with a groan. The last few quests, despite knowing this was all numbers and data, really took a toll on my body. Everything ached. I mean, I know I took a few blows I should have dodged and that one make out session with a boulder was also traumatizing, but it felt like my real body was just thrown off a cliff. Heck, maybe it was. How was I to know? Just the other day, I was walking around Urboros and this kid just hit the floor. Passed out cold. Two seconds later, he became nothing but shattered glass. Terrifying really. If no one is looking out for you up there, it's just a matter of time before dehydration and hunger just...

Anyway, I pushed that horrid memory to the back of my cluttered mind and dropped my arms to the side. The fountain at my back sputtered softly and with just the right breeze from the south, hit me with a refreshing wave of mist.

"Give me your hand." The voice of an old woman shook me from my peaceful relaxation.

"Excuse me?" I looked down to the hunched and visually haunting figure of an old hag. My initial reaction was to jerk away from the rag-covered cretin, but where were my manners?

"Give me your hand."

I didn't want to, but this was a safe zone after all, right? I held out an open palm to her and she grasped it with her bony talons. In my grip, I felt her place a handful of something.

"Feed them," she said. This bat was crazy as she looked. "Feed them and they will help you."

"Uh..." Her grip tightened and my lips sealed.

"Feed them and they will help you," she repeated. Then, she broke into a laugh. Or a cackle. Witches cackle, right? God she's creepy.

Her grip loosened and all while maintaining her sharp and unpleasant laugh, she carried herself away into the crowd of players. None of them seemed to mind nor care about the level of weirdness that just transpired. I opened my hand to see what she placed in it and to me, it looked like crusty pellets? Could have been dried animal crap for all I know. My expression of concern and disgust did its best to convey what words would struggle to describe.

"Okay, then... Feed them and they will help you...? Uh... Anyone want some creepy, old lady... croutons?" I asked to an uninterested crowd. Maybe I had to get someone to eat these things? The heck if I knew.

@Kooh

Ever since meeting Clevis, things have changed. I was more than content staying on the first floor, waiting for this all to be over. This was a prison sentence after all - a rightful term for my indiscretions on the topside. However, because of him, I finally got off my *ss and started getting out in the field. First, it was getting a job, then splitting a rock, now...

"So, how's about it, kid? Think you can do that for me?" This was Griswold, some burly blacksmith NPC that apparently provided you with armor if you whooped some poor monster's arse. Clung to his arm was the ever lovely Hanna. Again, she too was an NPC and the wife of Griswold. If I had to compare the two, it was like the orc and the princess. I know I shouldn't think of things like this, but do NPCs get it on? If so, that poor, poor--

"Kid?"

"Yeah! Yeah, yeah. Sure. Totally. I'll be back with your... what was it again?" I stammered, rosy in the cheeks as Hanna softly giggled. Stupid. They're computer programs. Get your head out of the gutter.

"Ever Ether," Griswold replied. His brow hung low over his beady eyes as frustration settled into his features. One punch from those tree trunk sized arms and I had no doubt my health bar would whistle on down to zero. 

"Yup, that. I'll go get that. Been a pleasure, but I'll be on my way." Pretty certain that I'd worn out my welcome, I pivoted on my heel from the giggling of one blonde to the far more stern look of another. This one also looked like she could take one pop shot at my dangly bits and I'd be setting my Nerve Gear for popcorn mode. Extra butter.

"Uh, hello there? Sorry, I'll uh... Just be on my way..." Easier said than done. Her frame filled the door and my trying to go left turned into a trying to go right. While unintentional, I was now dancing a very awkward exit dance with a stranger who I could definitely tell, wasn't your typical damsel in distress.

@Ruby

Taking this with Ruby

Yeah, I have no idea what I'm doing. I barely had a job topside and that was after getting reprimanded by dad for always putting my fist in some jerk's teeth. How in the heck am I supposed to run a shop? And tailoring none the less. I should have told Clevis to go shove that quest right up his-- Hold up... The heck is that?

I mosied on over to the shop window bearing a gnarly sword design before pressing my ugly mug against the glass. With the sun to dang bright, I needed to cup the sides just to get a better look. Yep, there it was. Catching just the right light to put a sparkle in my eye was a gold ring adorned with swords across the band. Now, I wasn't much of a jewelery guy. I mean, I had a class ring from highschool, but that was about it. Speaking of, I pulled away from the glass (leaving my lovely facial impression on it) and rubbed at the finger where my ring should have been. Maybe that's why this thing caught my eye. A little nostalgia from outside the cage?

I looked to the door and made up my mind. Once inside, the lavish interior hit me like grandma's gaudy collection of old relics. Tons of gold and paintings greeted me with a chair off to the corner nook for what either looked like dental work or tattoos. My raised brow settled when movement at the counter caught my attention.

"Scuze me," I spoke up. "How much for that ring in the window? I don't have much gold or whatever, but I have some shop supplies. Do you take those?"

Stupid question out of the gate. I mean, hey, I'm broke. Would you take some junk that I can't turn into a basic scarf instead? Whatever, worth a shot, right? 

<<-7 T1 MATS>>

 ID# 86968: CD3 - LD8 <<-1 MAT, FAILURE>> [+1 EXP]
 ID# 86969: CD4 - LD8 <<-1 MAT, FAILURE>> [+1 EXP]

A hand? Yeah, I guess you could say that. How about a sledge hammer? Dynamite maybe? I mean, we’re breaking a rock here and can’t use weapons. Is this some Matrix level Quest where there is no rock? Come on...

"Uh, maybe? A friend of mine said I needed to complete some quest involving a crazy old man and punching a rock?" I held up my hands and balled them into fists. The cloth wrapping tightened against the knuckles with a soft, audible strain.

"Said if I refused to take up a weapon, it was the only way to be relevant?" I dropped my hands, opting to ruffle my hair in frustration instead. I don't even know why I was talking to this stranger anyway. Maybe he's like Clevis? Hopefully not a backstabber... didn't seem the type. The bird though... The jury was still out on that thing.

"Sorry, you are?" I gestured to my chest. "I'm Killia. I'm not usually this chatty. Uh... nice bird?"

"I'm not doing it," I stated with firm resolve.

"Listen, if you're not going to pick up a weapon, you need to do this." Clevis punctuated his sentence for emphasis, but the choked back laugh did little to enforce his point.

"Nope, not if its going to make me look like an idiot." I mean, paint whiskers on my face? Sounds like something Mr. Miagi would do once senility finally took hold. 

"Alright, whatever. Do what you want, but I'm telling you. If you're going to insist on punching your way through life on SAO, you'll need to take this quest. Without it, you will die, or you'll be stuck on the lower floors when the mob respawns die out. Your call." Clevis tightened the strap across his shoulder which attached to the rig holding his dagger. "I need to get back to the front lines and keep leveling myself or I'll be stuck in the dust. For this one, you're on your own."

"Wait, what?" Alone? Punching a rock? And how the hell does he expect me to find this hermit on a cliff top? Just climb every mountain until I find some senile old man in a rocker?

"Yup. Teleport! Taft!" Then, Clevis was gone, leaving a very confused and frankly, rather irritated me in front of the town portal.

"Great..." I ran my hand though my hair and felt the sensation of a creeping migraine in the back of my skull. Maybe I was lucky and the NerveGear was deciding to fry my brain prematurely in anticipation of me falling to my death or dying of utter embarrassment. I let out a deep sigh and looked around at my foreign surroundings. I spent most of my time on the first floor, I didn't know where to start here or even what to expect. I guess dodge any conflict? This is why I have trust issues.

"Alright, punching a rock. Guess I have some stress relief to look forward to at the least," I muttered beneath my breath. I was too wrapped up in my moment of self pity to notice the player who had phased in behind me. His voice stirred my attention abruptly to what I initially thought was a mirror's reflection judging by his blue hair. The falcon perched on his shoulder equally stole the words from my lips despite my gaping maw preparing to say... something. Anything really. Hello perhaps? Or, nice bird? 

I will be taking this with @Calrex