Buckstrap

Sato shuffled his feet and set his untouched cup of punch down. He wasn't the biggest fan of parties, but he was glad to be here. He was embarrassed, though. He had spent the last few minutes trying to figure out how to drink his beverage with a jack o'lantern on his head, only to realize he would likely not succeed at all. He was also pretty sure the pumpkin was very stuck on his head and he would likely need assistance removing it. He saw a few players he had met a time or two, but he wasn't particularly familiar with anyone, and he wasn't going to go ask them for help, so he resigned himself to his fate and hung him pumpkin in shame. On the bright side, no one could see who was in there... Unless they looked at his health bar closely.

His stomach twisted in knots, but he quickly talked himself down. All of this happening while he just stood near the refreshment table. He sighed and tried to see if there were any party games or activities he might be able to do with the gourd stuck on his head.

Sato weaved his way through the streets of Urbus*; this was his first time to the Second Floor, and he was happy to take in the sight, sounds, and smells for awhile. 'This in nothing like the Town of Beginnings, they've managed to capture the feel of another place entirely,' he thought to himself, impressed at what the Cardinal engine was accomplishing. After so long on the first floor, this one almost felt like a different game.

Sato had come here looking for more quests, both to occupy his time and to further his level so he could assist in getting out of this forsaken game. He had heard of several quests and questlines in this area, though most were likely too difficult for him. One, though, had no recommended level, and he was searching for it now. Or he was planning to, for now he was just enjoying the new sights. He took a deep breath, there was a bakery nearby and the smell was to die for. He closed his eyes and enjoyed that a moment before hearing "Hey maid, and red haired dude!" He snapped his eyes open just in time to step out of the way of the young woman who had spoken.

"Hey, watch it!" he called after her, but was immediately embarrassed. There was no harm done, and no reason for him to act that way. 

@Domarus @Hestia

OOC:

Sato accepted the party invitation that appeared in his HUD and followed them through the west gate and out into the field area. He kept an eye peeled for mobs, though he likely didn't need to with a high level party member like Vigilon. The mobs here were no match for him. Even so, he looked out for them. 'Habit, I guess,' he thought to himself did his best to enjoy the leisurely stroll.

He was beginning to unwind a bit, and found Vigilon's guild idea interesting. "That is.. uh.. very noble," Sato was trying to choose his words carefully. "A lot of players  tend to really only look out for themselves. It's.. nice to see someone want to do something.. more." He stumbled through his words a little, but he was sure he got the point across.

The others began successfully gathering materials rather quickly, but between playing lookout, the conversation, and just enjoying the sun and the breeze, Sato didn't see anything of note right away.

ID# 89989 LD: 10 (No materials found)

@Vigilon @Krysta

Dice roll

Sato heard a soft ding and noticed a new notification in his HUD. It was the first message he had received, and that gave him a warm feeling. Or at least it did before he opened it and realized it had been sent to all of Aincrad. He wasn't one for parties, but he did need a break from the standard milieu and he did enjoy Halloween. He had some trouble finding a costume, he just wasn't quite sure where to find one. His solution was simple, and it worked for him. He had purchased a pumpkin, carved it into a jack o'lantern and popped it on his head. The only other thing he had done was purchase some black clothes to wear underneath it. He imagined most of the costumes wouldn't be fancy, after all. Boy was he wrong.

He had traveled to the secluded locale and was admiring the creepy mansion when he heard some commotion from within. 'I guess just lurking out here would be weird... I better go in,' he thought to himself. His stomach tied itself in knots as he approached the door.

"What a nice costume! It is great to see you here at this event. Here's your item for showing and I hope you enjoy yourself."

"Oh, why, thank you!" he responded, taking the view of the party in and accepting the participation gift. "I guess I accidentally came as you!" He laughed at his own joke, but Jack simply gave him a quizzical look, and Sato abandoned that conversation. He quickly spied the caged pumpkin and went to investigate. 'What in the world..?'

"Why that, my friend, is none other than The Pumpking. It seems he was defeated a long time ago, but his soul was transferred to this pumpkin right here. Now, now, I assure you he's harmless; simply looking for an owner is all! Just be mindful not to wake him up before the prizes are drawn, would you?"

"Neat." Sato did find it interesting, but he quickly moved along. He grabbed some punch from a refreshments table and tried to see if he recognized anyone.

Sato and the snake eyed each other, each feinting and hesitating and neither making any sort of move. Several grueling, tense moments passed this way before both burst into action.

Sato made a few quick steps towards his enemy, jabbing several times with the spear as he went. The serpent weaved back and forth, lunging in between each spear jab. Neither player nor monster found their mark, and they both seemed to suffer for it. But the snake wasn't real and didn't feel fatigue, but Sato did. And he was starting to sweat. He reached up and wiped perspiration from his brow. While he did, he focused his attention on the enemy, which turned out to be a mistake. His foot must have gotten caught a root or something, because he tumbled to the ground again, kicking up a cloud of dust when he fell. He quickly rolled onto his back to better defend against the inevitable onslaught.

Sato looked up and from his position on the forest floor just as the snake coiled to strike again, he waited to stand, anticipating the next attack. When his enemy lunged forward, he kicked back with his foot, doing no real damage but knocking the it's head aside and saving himself another wound. He picked himself up off of the group and shook the dusk off before pushing the hair out of his eyes. He brandished his spear again, whirling on the mob, his anger rising and his muscles tense.

It slithered back and forth and then around him, in a circle - it's darkly colored scales glinting in the pale moonlight - , before choosing a favorable spot to attack from. Sato waited patiently for the next attack, feinting his own strikes but not following through on any of them. He was frustrated, but he felt like rushing this fight could end his life, and he wasn't particularly keen on dying.

Sato mulled the offer for a few moments, chewing his lip as he did so. Both players were green, and they seemed sincere, so there was likely little need for worry. 'It shouldn't hurt,' he thought to himself. 'It also wouldn't hurt to make some potential allies.' Sure, he was awkward, and somewhat shy, but he understood the need to make positive social connections, particularly in this game. Besides, he hadn't really had any companions since he logged into the game, and he did long for someone to feel comfortable around. Maybe this was his chance.

"I could accompany you guys, I guess," Sato finally said. He may not have appeared enthusiastic, but he did have hope that he could make friends of these strangers. Perhaps he'd even get up the nerve to ask about his sister. "Please, lead the way."

He smiled as best he could and gestured towards the main thoroughfare. 

@Vigilon @Krysta

Sato shuffled his feet and nodded when Vigilon introduced himself. He also thought it odd that Vigilon mentioned his yet-to-be guild. 'Perhaps the process is ramping up for him, and he's trying to reach out for potential members,' he thought to himself. Not that it mattered one way or the other. So he waited, somewhat uncomfortably, as a conversation unfolded around him. 

One thing that did strike his interest, though, was when Veriost made her appearance and began to fly around him. "Fascinating," he mumbled, the word soft and barely escaping his lips, and he reached out gently for the little frost dragon. She had already returned to her master, though, so he put his hands down and tried to reengage in the conversation. He had never seen a familiar before, or at least he hadn't known of it, if he had. He thought the bond between monster and player was neat, and the way in manifested in SAO was said to be unique.

@Vigilon @Krysta

Sato lunged once more, and the snake once again deftly dodged the blow. It seemed for a moment like he had over stepped, and he did his best to correct his stance in order to turn on the snake again. However, Sato over-corrected and he teetered off balance for a few moments before a powerful blow to the back knocked him clear off of his feet and planted his face in the dirt. He could hear the air whoosh out of him as the snake bodily landed on top of him. 

'Damn it,' he thought as he felt the serpent strike at his back. His armor held for a moment before the snake's fangs found purchase, a gasp escaping has mouth as they bit into him. He shook his enemy off, but the sensation of the attack cause him to pause a moment on his hands and knees before he could stand.

Sato lunged with his spear, but the snake slid to the side as he passed. That's when it made a lunge of it's own at his neck, fangs bared and dripping poison. Sato intercepted the bite with his spear arm, and the snake's mouth closed around his armor, but it did not penetrate.

'I have got to be more careful,' he thought to himself, the snake still had a hold on his arm, and the two had locked eyes. It released him and whipped it's tail threateningly as it slid into a more favorable position and recoiled, ready to strike again. Sato steadied himself and readied his spear again, he slid his dominant foot in an arc behind him and readjusted his footing, mimicking the snake. He did find the position comfortable though, and it felt as though he could strike easier than before. 'I never thought I'd be learning to fight from a snake.'

He grunted and shifted, ready to receive the next attack.

Sato gave a celebratory fist pump, excited about his first success. He immediately began to scour the area around the log, going to far as the move the log again, to try and see if perhaps the Moonshrooms appeared in clumps. As he soon came to understand, they did not. Once he had thoroughly searched the area near the log, he began to head towards the next moonbeam. About halfway between where he had found the Moonshroom and the moonbeam he was heading towards, Sato spotted another log. He again crouched down and wrapped his arms around the log, but when he had lifted in only a couple of inches, he heard something that sent shivers up his spine. 

Hisssssss. 

Sato dropped the log and jumped back. He brandished his spear in front of his as a large snake slithered it's way out from beneath the rotting wood. It was as thick as his leg, and fifteen feet long. The two squared off, ready to fight.

It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust, but when they did, Sato set about searching for the elusive fungi. He made sure to stay aware of his surroundings, he didn't want to get lost, after all. He also kept his eyes peeled for patrolling mobs. He had a gut feeling that those on the wood may be more aggressive or even more powerful than those in the field.

After fruitlessly searching among the dark brush for a few minutes, Sato's attention was brought back to the bright moonbeams. 'Maybe these have something to do with it,' he posited, standing before one of the shafts of light he ran his hand back and forth through it.

He took a moment to look around and noticed one of the moonbeams was shining on a fallen log. He walked over to it and squatted, wrapping ais arms around the end of the lumber. Though it was half rotten, it was a very large log and it took him a few moments of considerable effort to move it at all. Once he had, there, underneath where the log had sat, was a small white mushroom. It glowed with a soft blue aura, and when he picked it up, a small window appeared in his HUD that said 1x Moonshroom obtained.

And with that, Sato headed towards the forest area. He did his best to cautiously skirt around the mobs between himself and his destination, having to change course several times to avoid crossing paths with a boar or a wolf. He was hoping to find at least one Moonshroom between the city gate and the shadowy wooded area, but he didn't see anything of note.

'Maybe I should have asked what they look like,' he thought to himself. 'Or maybe I'm not looking in the moonlight enough.' He snorted at his own little joke. To be honest, he had no idea what he was looking for, but he was sure he'd find it.

Sato took the first few steps into the woods. It was much darker in here, with most of the moonlight being cut out by the canopy. Where it did peak through, though, it went from canopy to floor in shining beams. That seemed promising to him, so he shrugged and set about looking for the Moonshrooms.

Sato groaned inwardly when he saw the two other players approaching, he wasn't the biggest fan of meeting new people under good conditions, and now he had done something embarrassing in front of them. He shifted uncomfortably tried to put on a smile, but he could feel that it didn't look quite right, his face was still very red.

"I'm fine," he responded, somewhat shortly. He didn't mean to be rude, so he took a deep breath and looked them each in the face. "I'm alright, really. Thank you for asking." And then, when Krysta introduced herself, he nodded in her direction. "You can call me Buckstrap."

Sato started to wring his hands in front of him, a nervous habit. But he caught himself, and imagined it might be rude. This caused him to stand a little straighter. He looked to Krysta's companion expectantly, he had yet to introduce himself.

@Vigilon @Krysta

Sato quickly accepted the quest, and turned towards the old man again. "Where can I find these Moonshrooms?" he asked.

"In the moonlight, of course!" Zackariah responded, then returned to his work.

With a sigh, Sato turned heel and headed back out into the night air. He set off at a jogging pace, passing again small groups of players. By this time, though, there were fewer of them, and those he did pass seemed to be slightly high leveled. 'They at least look a little rougher,' he thought to himself. He avoided them as best he could; he had been a scrappy kid in school, but he didn't quite have a handle on the game's combat system yet, and he wasn't looking for trouble. He even saw a group of guards scouring the street like they were looking for something or someone. He hadn't seen that yet, and he didn't care for the look of it, so he gave them a wide berth as he made his way to the main entrance.

He reached the gate with little time wasted and, for the first time, really looked out into this new world. 'How can something so cruel be so beautiful?' He stared out at the stars shining over the thick, tall grass of the field, the forest area lurking in the distance. He figured the forest would be the best place to find mushrooms.

Sato walked down one of the main avenues running from the square in the Town of Beginnings to the main gate. He was moving at a brisk pace, eating a small loaf of bread as he did so. He walked with his head down, his green hair shagging over his face, staring at his dusty feet. He had fallen down a flight of stairs just a few minutes prior, and while it didn't hurt him, per se, he was nursing his bruised pride. Several players had pointed and laughed, and one or two had run off to tell all their friends. He was hoping to vacate the town, and quickly. 'Ahhh. I can't believe I did that,' he thought to himself. He felt the color rise in his cheeks as the moment replayed over and over in his head.

That should have taught him his lesson, to watch where he was going, but he was so wrapped up in his embarrassment that he walked right into someone carrying a bundle of firewood. His entire face turned beet red, and he leaped to his feet to assist them. Once they were up and on their way he bit his lip and looked around, hoping no one had notice his second gaffe of the day.

@Vigilon @Krysta 

"Oh, hello! Come in, young man!" Zackariah called. He was an older gentleman, with a wrinkled and leathery but kind face. Before him sat all manner of glass instrument, beakers, vials, tubes, etc. Several burners were running and a few of the instruments were filled with oddly colored liquids bubbling and smoking. The room smelled sickly-sweet and Sato wasn't sure he liked it. "Come out of the chill, boy. What do you go by?"

"Sat-- Er, Buckstrap. Call me Buckstrap," Sato said. He nudged the raised edge of a floor board with the toe of his boot. He was still getting used to the NPCs; on one hand, he felt foolish for talking to a program, but on the other hand, they tended to seem very real, and it gave him a little anxiety.

"Well, Buckstrap, I could do with some help, if you have a moment." Zackariah waved him nearer one of the bubbling concoctions. It was a dull grey color, unique among the other bright colors boiling here and there. "I seem to have mucked up the recipe for this potion. I think I need a little more Moonshroom, and I was wondering if you could grab some for me. Then, I'll walk you through making a potion." The old man smiled at Sato through gapped teeth, and a notification window opened in his HUD.

Quote

You are starting

<<The First Few Lessons are Free>>

Accept                Decline

Spending a week searching the Town of Beginnings had it's pros and cons. Sure, Sato had fallen behind many of the more advanced players, but he also learned where important places, quests, and whatnot were. It was late, but many NPC's were available day or night, and he knew the perfect place to start.

Sato stood up from the place in the square he had been squatting, eating bread and having a drink of water, and took off at a brisk pace. His leather boots pat pat patting against the stone street, he made his way through the winding alleyways and streets that made up the Town of Beginnings. He passed other groups of players as he went, some gathered in celebration to commemorate the defeat of a powerful foe, some gathered in mourning to remember a friend they had lost, not just in the game, but in the real world as well. And some he passed were gathered just so they weren't alone. He was shy, and not great in social situations, but he admired and envied their kinship. He lifted his hand and brushed a few stray hairs out of his eyes as he continued to run.

He rounded on his goal quickly, and he stopped for a breath as the squat building came into view. After a few moments, he walked up to the door and shoved it open.

As soon as he had created an avatar and logged in, Sato's ears were filled with a deafening ringing noise. It disoriented him, and he stumbled. He was standing in the square of the Town of Beginnings, and Akihiko Kayaba appeared and gave his infamous speech. Sato didn't understand, or at least at first he didn't. He, like many others, opened the game menu in his HUD and closed it a few times, hoping this was all some joke. It didn't take long for the gravity of the situation to dawn on him, though.

'Please don't let her have logged in,' he pleaded to himself. His thoughts immediately turned towards his younger sister, and it was in those first few moments that he realized they hadn't exchanged avatar names nor even talked about what they might name themselves. He couldn't add her or send her a message to see if she was trapped in there with him. He started walking through the square, calling out her name as loud as he could, pushing his way through the chaos that enveloped the Town.

That's how he spent his first week in SAO, calling out for his sister, unaware if she even made it into the game before they were locked inside. On that seventh night, as it grew late and dark, he came to a conclusion. There could be only three possibilities; firstly, she made it into the game and was now dead. He could barely form the though before growing sick to his stomach and panic gripping his chest tightly. Secondly, she made it into the game, and was already working towards fighting her way out. Or thirdly, she never made it into the game at all. He so severely hoped that was the case. He figured after a week, though, if she had made it into the game, she wouldn't be in the starting area. So he made up his mind, it was time to begin his own painful adventure.

Roleplays

In progress

» [solo] [SP-F01]Forward, Always <<The First Few Lessons are Free>> 
» [private] [PP-F1] Gathering in the Forest 

Completed 
» ????

Statistics

Buckstrap
Real name: Akihiko Sato
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 10"

Akihiko Sato was the first born child of Itsuo Sato, an accomplished Japanese businessman, and Adelene Roux Sato, a reknowned French surgeon. He was soon followed by his only sibling, a sister named <REDACTED>. He and his sister were close, she was only a couple years younger than him, and they grew up together. They lived most of their lives in Tokyo, but they often spent their school breaks exploring either the Japanese or French countryside.

Throughout his schooling, Sato excelled in creative fields, but not in any traditional classes. This disappointed his parents, but they continued to love and support him, pushing himself to further his classical education and sharpen his "practical skills" - or at least that's what they called them. He tried, but he couldn't keep up with the other students, and so shifted his focus to the classes he enjoyed more. Before long, he found himself taking creative writing, painting, and even pottery classes in lieu of traditional curriculum classes.

He wasn't popular in school, and often got into fights; often he was defended kids from bullies, but he would rather take the punishment for fighting than rat anyone out. This made him a tough kid, and that along with his loner status meant rumors about him in school were rampant.

His sister, <REDACTED>, was their parents joy, though. She was smart and driven, excelling at her classwork. They were proud of her, and Sato was too.

When they heard about a new game coming to the NerveGear, they just had to get their hands on it. Because of their parents connections, it wasn't difficult to get a copy or two. Sato was supposed to be in trouble for his struggling grades again when Launch day arrived, but <REDACTED> convinced them to let them both receive the game. What was she going to do without her big brother? she had asked. They eventually caved

When the time arrived to play, they had both trampled over each other up the stairs to get to their systems, a race to see who could log on first. Sato lost sight of his sister as he bolted into his own room, slamming the door behind him. He crammed on his NerveGear.

"Link Start!"

Virtues:

Protective. Though he is somewhat a loner, Sato is a dedicated older brother, and that has provided him with certain instincts. He would much rather experience unpleasantness or pain that have that burden fall on someone else. He also cannot stand bullies, and by extension, he has a huge problem with extortionists and PKers in SAO.

Happy-go-lucky. Sato has a tendency to not concern himself much with the future. When it comes to SAO, he understands the situation they are in, and he grasps the very real and serious stakes, but he will not allow that to stop him from having fun when he can. He must remain upbeat and unconcerned for the most part or it could damage him. He has realized this and tried to balance his nonchalant attitude and the seriousness the game of death commands.

Adventurous. Sato is constantly looking for new adventure, that is what got him into this mess in the first place. But he is brazen and self-confident and never backs down from a challenge. His willingness to try new things and take risks can either have profitable rewards or disastrous results.

Flaws:

Aloof. Sato, even though he is protective and shows warmth when you get to know him, can come off as cold and distant. He is shy and not forthcoming when first meeting new people, which can cause making friends difficult and awkward. In a game where cooperation is essential for survival, his perceived standoffish attitude can be quite inhibiting.

Dim. Sato isn't stupid, but he certainly isn't particularly intelligent either. He can thrive with simple and clear goals, but complicated instruction has a tendency to elude him. This makes for poor strategy in SAO, he faces every problem head on, without much thought.

Hot-headed. Sato is quick tempered, making decisions and acting before thinking. This rash behavior can be seen as recklessness, and is frowned upon by those more calm and collected. This character deficiency is one he is aware of, and he does his best to keep it in check.

Profession

????

Skills

Inventory

Transaction Log