Pinball

Morningstar didn't respond to Wulfrin's question. Pinball didn't either. 

His daggers did the talking for him. He didn't like being bunched up around Freyd and Morningstar. They were both swinging swords around, and he didn't want to get caught up with the horde, either. He was probably drawing aggro now, though. He had hit them all pretty hard. Pinball backed up. He weaved through the crowd trying to get some breathing room, give them some space, stay on the outside; if there was one thing that he was certain of, it was that he fought better on the back foot. 

Pinball exhaled. That was two more down. There were surely more to come. He once again eyed the machines lining the corridors. It was definitely a mechanic that could come up and bite them in the ass if they weren't careful. He didn't know that for sure -- he just felt it. It was intuition. He'd been playing the game for too long. 

*** 

Nope, wrong. Incorrect. He'd made a bad play, and wasted his Vanish. He'd done it out of reflex, following his usual combat rotation, but he wasn't fighting alone anymore. It wouldn't be of the same benefit to him if he only refreshed a select few DoTs when the whole raid had their own as well. He had to be a team player. Pinball (begrudgingly) emerged from stealth, his expression sour and his blades in hand. He didn't run up to the boss. Too crowded. He hung back and flung a pair of knives into it for some more chip damage and retrieved another crytal -- this time a Perpetuate -- to hold aloft. The crystal played a mournful tune, but it had served its purpose. He dropped it and let the muck beneath them claim it. He'd be a team player; he'd keep up the entire raid's status effects for as long as he was able to before going for his normal strategy. Pinball pulled his hood up and stayed on the backline of the party, watching the fight go on from (relative) safety. 

*** 

He'd experienced boss fights twice now (three times?) and each time, there was a whole bunch of people who would shout out threats and quirky one liners. Why? It couldn't understand you. Not in the same way that a person could. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Was it something they did because they were scared? Stupid? Did it make them feel better? Sometimes he couldn't help but feel that people forgot they were trapped in a game. Wasn't that a funny thought? 

Whatever. It wasn't hurting him, and it wasn't his place to comment on it. He emerged from the shadows like an animal from an oil spill, drenched in an inky blackness. He spun a blade into his hand and flicked it towards Callisto, a single crimson streak. He watched long enough to ensure the attack had landed before falling backwards into that darkness, disappearing into thin air once more. 

*** 
18 Stealth Rating 
>> ACTION TAKEN: {Well Rested} [TECH-D] {Trickster} [-20 EN] | Inflicts Shatter, Burn, Blight, Bleed, Static, Toxic Venom, Rend | Callisto has -20 MIT from Blight, takes full damage from DoTs | INCARCERATE ACTIVE 
Callisto: ID#236580 BD: 3 (Hit) - 25*16= 400/2= 200-45= 155 DMG to Callisto 
>> FREE ACTION: Uses x1 Binding Melody | {Instant Incaracerate} 
>> FREE ACTION: Vanish | [-5 EN] | ID#236581 LD: 16+6= 21 Stealth Rating 

They'd made it through the first attack squad well enough, and they weren't at all in bad shape in terms of health and energy. That was a good thing. The soldiers seemed much more concerned with breaking through the town's defenses and razing it to the ground than actually fighting back against them. That was also a good thing? Regardless, hey were doing a good job of keeping the soldiers incapacitated. Stunned, paralyzed, frozen; whatever worked. He was thankful that the army opted to attack in waves instead of deploying in full force. Another one of reality's reminders, undoubtedly. Had they minds of their own, it wouldn't have taken them long to realize that the town's sole defenders were just three lightly armed goobers. 

Pinball counted up the waves as best he could. "Not even close yet," he sighed. There were quite a few soldiers they were going to have to work through before it was over. 

*** 

"You wouldn't be," he assured her. His mind was already made up on the matter; but he'd let it rest. They linked arms and vanished in a pillar of light. 

Glyndebourne. Pinball had never been. There had never been a reason for him to. The floor was certainly pretty, but he'd stopped visiting places for the views alone. He mostly kept to himself, wandering the dark stone halls of Green Garden and working his way through the sometimes admittedly boring tomes collecting dust in his library. He left to quest, occasionally, and not for much else. But there was something about the city that seemed so relaxed. Yellowed leaves drifted to the pavement. The air was crisp. He heard Mishiro's question but could not reply. He followed close behind. 

It wasn't long after they'd left the safe zone that Pinball reappeared beside her. "We don't need to go far. Here is fine." He'd already retrieved the dungeon map from his inventory. Pinball stood among some dense foliage and opened it. There was a brief glow -- and then a staircase materialized before them, hidden by the sparse shrubbery off the path. That was unusual. Usually dungeons were incorporated into the floor. Maybe it was because he'd activated it so close to the safe zone that it needed to generate something unorthodox. Oh, well. Pinball took the lead. "Should be easier than Cerberus." How many times had he said that already? 

It was a square, stone room. In the corner was a tree, orange and yellow like all the rest above ground. No sooner had they entered did they get aggressive. It was a coyote pack, four of them, and their snarls reverberated across the empty stone room. Pinball flipped his blades into his hands and leapt forward. Each of the coyotes found a knife buried in their sides. They collapsed, their limbs failing them. The perfect opening for Mishiro to finish them off, if possible. 

*** 
BH: +41 HP 
BREAKS STEALTH 
ACTION TAKEN: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN]
Coyote 1: ID#236305 BD: 2+8-1 (Hit) - 26*12= 312-60= 252 DMG 
Coyote 2: ID#236306 BD: 9 (Crit) - 26+2)*12= 336-60= 276 DMG 
Coyote 3: ID#236307 BD: 3+8-1 (Hit) - 26*12= 312-60= 252 DMG 
Coyote 4: ID#236308 BD: 9 (Crit) - 26+2)*12= 336-60= 276 DMG 

[H:2,3,2,3) Pinball | HP: 865/989 | EN: 106/122 | DMG: 26 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 8 | EVA: 6 | BH: 41 | LD: 6 | TAUNT
(H:0,0,0,0) Mishiro: ? 

Coyote 1: HP: 148/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1 
Coyote 2: HP: 124/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1
Coyote 3: HP: 148/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1
Coyote 4: HP: 124/400 | DMG: 180 | MIT: 60 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 1

"Huh?" 

Whatever trance-like state he'd found himself lost in, Bahr's voice snapped him out of. Pinball hadn't noticed Bahr's approach at all; when had that ever happened? He grimaced. Shook his head. "Sorry." Despite the quiet surrounding the entrance of the boss room, he couldn't help but feel as though Bahr was thinking the same things he was. Pinball wasn't sure what he was doing, or why he was doing it; and more importantly, it bothered him to no end that he was allowed to. An orange cursor helping out on the frontlines. What a joke. Pinball exhaled sharply. Bahr reminded him that he needed to be home for dinner. Funny. Pinball had eaten such a weird combination of foods to get buffed up for the fight that just the thought of dinner made him feel queasier than their what-could-be-soon-deaths. He let Bahr's words hang in the air for a bit before he replied. 

"Right." Pinball stepped away from the tree and followed. He melted into shadows midstride. 

*** 

Stealth: ID#236225 LD: 12+6= 18 Stealth Rating 

He was placed on Team Four. He didn't know their tank, Jomei, except by name; but the others he knew fairly well. Bahr, Lessa, Arabelle, and Cordelia -- though his relationship with the latter two was underdeveloped (for lack of a better word) compared to the former, he was at least thankful to be placed in a team full of familiar faces. Pinball was able to pick out the members of his group conversing among the other frontliners. He had no interest in joining them. He went off to linger by himself, working his way through his consumables and getting his Battle Ready Inventory organized. In his absentminded scrolling, he passed over Mishiro's name. After a moment's hesitation, he typed up a quick message and sent it her way. 

Pinball exhaled. Shiny new gear, a veritable feast of rare items consumed, the best players in the game around him, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was about to happen. Was he nervous? The thought almost made him laugh. When was the last time he'd felt nervous about something? He took a breath, and exhaled. He shed the emotion like a snake sheds its skin. He leaned against the rotted trunk of a tree and closed his eyes. His expression frosted over. There was ice in his veins. Back in the snow, back on the mountains. His knife-hand twitched. His fingertips were cold. The stench of death was in the air. It smelled familiar. 

He opened his eyes, and waited. 

*** 

CONSUMING: 
x1 Beef Stew: 15% Overhealth {Filled} -> +20% Overhealth 
x1 creme brulee: +2 ACC 
x1 smores: +2 EVA 
x1 T4 Brainworm Draught: Toxic Venom 
x1 Bubbling Bourbon: Perfect Antidote 
[x1] Dragon’s Jewel: +5 DMG, non-action inhibiting Status Effects last twice as long
[x1] Bane of Blood: +15 Battle Healing for the duration of one thread
[x1] Hellstorm: +80 Raw Damage 
[x1] Matriarch's Stinger: [+x1 SA Multiplier] from @Wulfrin (ty) 

Player Statline: 
Pinball: 860/860 HP | 122/122 EN | DMG: 20 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 4 | BH: 46 | HB: 37 | LD: 6
Pinball | HP: 1008/1008 | EN: 122/122 | DMG: 25 | ACC:7 | EVA:6 | BH+HB: 114 | BLD: 48  | BLI: 32/-20  | BRN: 56 | STC: 40 | TXC-V: 32 | LD:6 | DOTE: 3/3 | HELLFIRE: 80 | STNG [x1]

Player Sheet: 

accepting everything 

yoinking luminous ty

The last minute prep was real. He was able to track Demian down again, thankfully, and found him on a floor different than the other two(? three?) times he'd found him before. Pinball was only after one thing this time, however. He found the Overhealth consumable that he was after and paid for it quickly. He didn't want to take up too much of the young man's time, and similarly, Pinball didn't have the time to waste. He accepted the presumably tasteless Beef Stew, paid his dues, and disappeared back to where Pinball had come. All that was left were the Antidotes. He could visit Oz for that. He was sure that the suspicious man probably wasn't touching the frontlines with a ten foot pole. 

*** 

purchasing: 

beef stew. | TIERLESS MEAL | OVERHEALTH III
A piping hot container of potatoes, carrots and soft beef chunks. The taste here is faded...

 | price: 800col

It was late. Really late. The raid was today, and was slated to start in just a few hours; it was under this context that Pinball slipped into Bahr's shop, his eyes darting from corner to darkened corner. "Ring, ring," he called. Was anyone home? 

He spotted the man, hopefully not on his way out the door. He was surprised. He expected him to have been at the raid already. Maybe he was also making last minute preparations. "Sorry," he apologized. "I need these items fused. I've got the scale and shard for you." Pinball sent them over quickly. Time was of the essence. 

"Into the cloak, please. Not the poncho." 

*** 

Sent x1 Demonic Shard and x1 Gleaming Scale to @Bahr

Need these items fused: 

Black Cloak | [#225015] | TIER 4 PERFECT CLOTH ARMOR | EVA III 
[desc.]: A dark hooded cloak made for comfort. 
Big Blue Poncho | [#228814] | TIER 4 PERFECT CLOTH ARMOR | HB, EVA II
[desc.]: A big blue poncho.

yoink!

tossing this to @Morningstar

[228814] Unidentified T4 Perfect Armor/Shield with one guaranteed Unique Enhancement

<<THREAD SUMMARY>>

Pinball Receives: 

Pinball | [Word Count: 6903/10 = 690.3] * [True Tier: 8] * [Group Factor: 1] = 5522 + 2880 (Dungeon Reward) = 8,402 EXP 
TOTAL COL: 432304 + 828 (Laurel Wreath) = 433,132 COL
MATERIALS: 220 Materials                              

And all this shit: 

He was trying to get prepared for the boss fight. Had the fight been announced sooner than he'd expected? Yes. Should he have started his preparation a lot sooner anyways? Also yes. But he hadn't, and now he was scurrying around at the last possible minute trying to get his gear situation fixed. He hadn't joined a frontline fight in a long time. His set was woefully outdated. Pinball slid into The Evening Star, the only place he knew where he might be able to get a fusion done quickly. 

"These two need to be fused," he said. He left them with her. He'd be back as soon as possible for them. He slipped out just the way he had came. 

*** 

These two for fusion: 

The Biggest Peep: Tier 3 Perfect Trinket - Holy Blessing, Recovery, Recovery
Warrior's Focus: Tier 3 Perfect Trinket: Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy 

(looking for the HB, Accuracy III, not exactly sure how fusion works srry sobs) 

sent NIGHT x1 Demonic Scale, Gleaming Shard

thank you so much! 

Four left. The last of the bears. The final countdown. Pinball cut through the rest of them. He stabbed, sliced, and gutted them to his heart's content. He enjoyed it to the fullest; not the act of killing them. Grinding mobs had lost its charms what felt like years ago. But there was something still very satisfying about completing a task, or about finishing the job. He was happy, knowing that his yard would once again be cleared, and his garden would once again be quiet. He looked forward to walking back into Green Garden and resting his head for a nap. He killed the remaining four with ruthless impunity. They died just like all the rest, and no different. When the last of the exploded into clouds of light, Pinball returned his blades beneath his cloak and sighed. The quiet was a much welcome change to the huffing and puffing of the bears. Hopefully they wouldn't return. Pinball went home. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 92: ID#235787 BD: 4 - 416 DMG 
Bear 93: ID#235788 BD: 9 - 416 DMG 
Bear 94: ID#235789 BD: 6 - 416 DMG 
Bear 95: ID#235790 BD: 6 - 416 DMG 

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 20/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 92: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 93: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 94: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 95: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 92: ID: 235791 | LD: 10+14=24 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235791a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235791b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235791c] T4 Perfect Weapon
Bear 93: ID: 235793 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:11+2=13 | Col:4160, Mats:2, [235793a] T4 Perfect Trinket
Bear 94: ID: 235794 | LD: 10+14=24 | CD:3+2=5 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235794a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235794b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235794c] T4 Perfect Weapon 
Bear 95: ID: 235795 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235795a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235795b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235795c] T4 Perfect Consumable

Eight left. He could see it now. The clearing was clear, in a way that it hadn't been for a good long while. Pinball cut through the remaining four of them in rapid succession. He got close. Still, even though they had all the room in the world, and he was very obviously mowing through their siblings, cousins, friends, whatever; the bears did not react. They kept huffing and trampling the grass and being otherwise fat and annoying bears, and Pinball wanted them gone. He cut through them, one by one. His knives flash and the blades glowed violently. How long had he been at it? Maybe an hour, maybe more; he couldn't be sure. He'd lost track of time during the great bear massacre, and it showed. He was just excited for the end of it. Pinball destroyed the remaining four and set his eyes on the last group. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 88: ID#235779 BD: 10 - 416 DMG 
Bear 89: ID#235780 BD: 7 - 416 DMG 
Bear 90: ID#235781 BD: 6 - 416 DMG 
Bear 91: ID#235782 BD: 5 - 416 DMG 

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 32/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 88: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 89: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 90: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 91: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 88: ID: 235783 | LD: 4+14=18 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:4160, Mats:0, [235783a] T4 Rare Trinket
Bear 89: ID: 235784 | LD: 2+14=16 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235784a] T4 Rare Consumable, [235784b] T4 Rare Weapon 
Bear 90: ID: 235785 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:4992, Mats:0, [235785a] T4 Perfect Trinket
Bear 91: ID: 235786 | LD: 10+14=24 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235786a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235786b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235786c] T4 Perfect Weapon

He didn't stop. He didn't slow. The bears kept grunting and ambling around aimlessly, and Pinball kept killing them. There were only a few left, now, and he was getting rather eager to see the last of them gone. All this fighting had made him a little tired, though of course not physically, and he was looking forward to going back inside and taking a nap without any bears outside his window trampling the flowers and being loud and obnoxious. Pinball cut through another group. They were shattered, scattered, destroyed, and like clockwork, Pinball set his eyes on the next group of them. How many now? Eight, total? Nine? There were only a handful of the beasts left, and Pinball replenished the blades in his palms with a certain vigor that had eluded him for the last fifty or so of the bears that he'd fought. Pinball threw himself into the thick of it. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 84: ID#235771 BD: 9 - 416 DMG
Bear 85: ID#235772 BD: 1 - 416 DMG 
Bear 86: ID#235773 BD: 1 - 416 DMG 
Bear 87: ID#235774 BD: 7 - 416 DMG

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 44/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 84: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 85: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 86: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 87: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 84: ID: 235775 | LD: 9+14=23 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235775a] T4 Perfect Consumable
Bear 85: ID: 235776 | LD: 15+14=29 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:1248, Mats:4, [235776a] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235776b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235776c] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235776d] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 
Bear 86: ID: 235777 | LD: 14+14=28 | CD:3+2=5 | Col:4992, Mats:2, [235777a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235777b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235777c] T4 Perfect Weapon 
Bear 87: ID: 235778 | LD: 16+14=30 | CD:10+2=12 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235778a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [235778b] Random Dungeon Map

There were not man left now. Pinball had cleared an entire army of the bears, he felt like, and then some. He was glad that destroying the dungeon had confirmed his suspicions. He wasn't sure how a dungeon had spawned so close to his home. He figured it had something to do with the fact that his player home was not located in a safe zone. Dungeons could spawn anywhere, he supposed, however annoying that may be. He could only hope that later, while he was resting, that it did not respawn. Or that another one spawned at a later date and he'd have to deal with it all over again. That would probably be the worst; he wouldn't have all his consumables for it, and it probably wouldn't be such an opportune grind session as this one was. Well, there was no point in worrying about it now. He focused. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 80: ID#235762 BD: 7 - 416 DMG
Bear 81: ID#235763 BD: 1 - 416 DMG 
Bear 82: ID#235764 BD: 2 - 416 DMG 
Bear 83: ID#235765 BD: 4 - 416 DMG 

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 56/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 80: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 81: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 82: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 83: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 80: ID: 235766 | LD: 17+14=31 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235766a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [235766b] Random Dungeon Map
Bear 81: ID: 235767 | LD: 9+14=23 | CD:9+2=11 | Col:1248, Mats:4, [235767a] T4 Perfect Consumable     
Bear 82: ID: 235768 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235768a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235768b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235768c] T4 Perfect Consumable
Bear 83: ID: 235769 | LD: 10+14=24 | CD:7+2=9 | Col:4576, Mats:2, [235769a] T4 Perfect Consumable

How many groups were there remaining? Five, six, seven of four? Or even less? It was hard to tell when they were all clumped up together; all fat, fur, and muscles, they blended together like one giant brown, fuzzy lump. A fuzzy lump that Pinball was rather desperate at this point to take away from his home. Pinball's blades flashed with color, one Sword Art seamlessly blending in with the other. He wasn't slowing down, and he wasn't showing any signs of stopping. Pinball cut through the bears one after the other. There were only so many ways to slice a bear, he realized. Cut them, gut them, stab them, pierce their jaws and their snouts and their giant bodies. It wasn't a particularly creative endeavour, but it was one he  intended to pursue regardless. Pinball's knives flashed again. Another group of bears down. He exhaled. On to the next. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 76: ID#235753 BD: 7 - 416 DMG
Bear 77: ID#235754 BD: 5 - 416 DMG
Bear 78: ID#235755 BD: 8 - 416 DMG
Bear 79: ID#235756 BD: 5 - 416 DMG

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 68/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 76: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 77: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 78: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 79: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 76: ID: 235757 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:11+2=13 | Col:4160, Mats:2, [235757a] T4 Perfect Trinket     
Bear 77: ID: 235758 | LD: 11+14=25 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235758a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [235758b] Random Dungeon Map
Bear 78: ID: 235759 | LD: 12+14=26 | CD:6+2=8 | Col:5824, Mats:0, [235759a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235759b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235759c] T4 Perfect Weapon 
Bear 79: ID: 235760 | LD: 18+14=32 | CD:5+2=7 | Col:4992, Mats:2, [235760a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235760b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235760c] T4 Perfect Weapon

Pinball was hesitant, but he took her at her word. "Alright. But tell me." 

They slowed to a stop. 

Pinball snorted. Another laugh? "No, it's not the water. It's a housing buff. Makes you heal and recover energy faster out of combat." He looked at her. A little quieter, he added, "I could get you one, if you'd like. I've got the rooms to spare." 

He shrugged, wanting suddenly to drive home the impression that it would be no big deal at all. He had the money, he had the rooms; what he didn't want was for her to feel pressured by it. "Your choice, of course. Let me know." 

Pinball accepted the crystals. He pressed one into her hand. He didn't let go until he'd shattered both. 

"Teleport: Glyndebourne." 

Their surroundings were wiped clean. By the time they opened their eyes and took in the perpetually autumnal city of Glyndebourne, Pinball was gone. 

He shredded through the group of bears without a shred of mercy remaining. Pinball wasn't there for mercy, anyways. They were all going to die; Pinball was the judge, the jury, and the executioner, and they were all guilty of the capital offense of being annoying. His blades cut through the bears like hot knives through butter. Each slash was the death of another grizzly. Pinball couldn't help but notice that since he'd sprang back into the thick of it, the group of bears was looking thinner and thinner by the moment, and it wasn't just because he was killing all of them that quickly. Were they despawning? He certainly hoped so. It would make his life a lot easier. Whether or not they were despawning before his eyes, Pinball cut through them all the same. If they weren't long for the world anyway, he could certaionly help them along. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 72: ID#235708 BD: 2 - 416 DMG
Bear 73: ID#235709 BD: 2 - 416 DMG
Bear 74: ID#235710 BD: 4 - 416 DMG
Bear 75: ID#235711 BD: 2 - 416 DMG

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 80/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 72: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 73: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 74: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 75: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 72: ID: 235712 | LD: 14+14=28 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235712a] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235712b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235712c] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235712d] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 
Bear 73: ID: 235713 | LD: 16+14=30 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235713a] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235713b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235713c] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235713d] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield
Bear 74: ID: 235714 | LD: 18+14=32 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:5824, Mats:0, [235714a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235714b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235714c] T4 Perfect Weapon
Bear 75: ID: 235715 | LD: 7+14=21 | CD:8+2=10 | Col:4160, Mats:2, [235715a] T4 Perfect Trinket

The realization that there were not many of the bears remaining invigorated him in a way not much else could. Pinball cut through the horde of bears with a completely renewed vigor, his blades flashing different colors as he chained sword arts to properly dispatch the grizzly bears at his door step. Pinball had had enough of the huffing, the puffing, and the stomping, to say nothing of the grass being ruined and the plants being trampled. The scenery around Green Garden was really the only thing that he had to look forward to when he came back from whatever it was that he was doing all day. Green Garden was the only place he could rest his head and actually get some rest. His first home had been nothing more than an apartment in the middle of nowhere, a hovel, and he was a lot more comfortable in Green Garden's halls. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 68: ID#235700 BD: 10 - 416 DMG 
Bear 69: ID#235701 BD: 5 - 416 DMG 
Bear 70: ID#235702 BD: 4 - 416 DMG 
Bear 71: ID#235703 BD: 4 - 416 DMG 

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 92/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 68: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 69: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 70: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 71: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 68: ID: 235704 | LD: 17+14=31 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:1248, Mats:4, [235704a] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235704b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235704c] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235704d] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield 
Bear 69: ID: 235705 | LD: 1+14=15 | CD:7+2=9 | Col:2080, Mats:4, [235705a] T4 Rare Armor/Shield 
Bear 70: ID: 235706 | LD: 8+14=22 | CD:6+2=8 | Col:2912, Mats:0, [235706a] T4 Perfect Armor/Shield, [235706b] T4 Perfect Consumable, [235706c] T4 Perfect Consumable  
Bear 71: ID: 235707 | LD: 12+14=26 | CD:4+2=6 | Col:5824, Mats:0, [235707a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235707b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235707c] T4 Perfect Weapon

With his energy recovered, Pinball was free to get back to work slaughtering the rest of the grizzly bears. He flicked the blades of grass aside and pushed himself to his feet. He retrieved a pair of knives and walked -- didn't ran -- over to the group of passive bears. He stood there for a moment. He was curious if he just spent a few moments in their proximity, if they would show more signs of aggression. That didn't seem to be the case. The giant mobs went about their day peacefully, sniffing the earth and grunting, pawing at herbs, foraging for berries. Pinball sighed. It made it easier for him, he supposed, but he was still in his own head about all the different reasons as to why that could be. Well, there was no real point in stressing about it too much. He flicked blades into the bodies of each bear. 

*** 

Action Taken: {Well Rested} [TECH-F] [-16 EN] 
Free Action: Using Rhino Horn (+3 DMG, -1 EVA) 
Bear 64: ID#235692 BD: 5 - 416 DMG 
Bear 65: ID#235693 BD: 10 - 416 DMG 
Bear 66: ID#235694 BD: 8 - 416 DMG 
Bear 67: ID#235695 BD: 2 - 416 DMG 

Pinball: 840/840 HP | 104/120 EN | DMG: 25 | ABS.ACC | ACC: 5 | EVA: 2 | BH: 37 | Hellstorm: +80 DMG | Looting LD: +14 | Looting CD: +2 

Bear 64: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG 
Bear 65: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 66: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG
Bear 67: 0/416 HP | 132 DMG

Looting: 

Bear 64: ID: 235696 | LD: 1+14=15 | CD:1+2=3 | Col:1248, Mats:4, [235696a] T4 Rare Trinket  
Bear 65: ID: 235697 | LD: 10+14=24 | CD:9+2=11 | Col:4576, Mats:2, [235697a] T4 Perfect Consumable 
Bear 66: ID: 235698 | LD: 16+14=30 | CD:7+2=9 | Col:2080, Mats:2, [235698a] Gleaming Scale (1) or Demonic Shard (1), [235698b] Random Dungeon Map
Bear 67: ID: 235699 | LD: 15+14=29 | CD:5+2=7 | Col:4160, Mats:4, [235699a] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235699b] T4 Perfect Weapon, [235699c] T4 Perfect Weapon