Morningstar

"Sure, let's head back."

The owl was beautiful, Morningstar thought. Its white feathers matched nicely with the snow. "Congrats on the owl. You're like Harry Potter now."

He wondered what she'd name the bird. They walked back through the thick snow that covered the ground. Their snowshoes helped speed up the travel time. They followed the trail of their footprints back to town where the traveling gypsy awaited them. 

Upon returning to the center of Snowfall, Morningstar stopped. "I suppose I should get going now. It was nice seeing you again. Glad I could join you on this quest," he told Rebekah.

He looked towards the teleporter. Where would he go next? Floor five, maybe? His gaze reverted to Rebekah.

"Let me know if you need a hand with anything else in the future," he smiled.

Then, he left with a wave, heading in the direction of the teleporter. He had yet another quest that he wanted to take on.

@Rebekah

It didn't take long for his help to arrive. Two players appeared simultaneously regarding the request that Morningstar had made.

The first to join him was a girl who stood about a foot shorter than him. Her hair was a shade of dark purple and her clothes appeared to be particularly chosen to match with it. Her weapon of choice was an assault spear that came approximately to her shoulder. The next was a brown-haired fellow who seemed to carry a lack of energy with him. They would do, he thought.

"I'm Morningstar, yeah. I appreciate the help. It'll be nice to know someone's covering my back," he smiled, gesturing for them to sit. "Please, pull up a chair. I'll give you a rundown of what I plan on doing and then you can decide if it's something you're comfortable with."

He was confident in the trio, despite not knowing them. He felt fairly comfortable taking on the goal alone; however, having people there to cover his back was ideal. He stuck up his hand, motioning to the bartender with three fingers. By this point, she knew what he meant.

"This place has pretty... let's say 'unique' drinks. I ordered some for you to try if you'd like. On me, of course."

It didn't take long for the server to bring the beverages. He thanked the NPC with a smile, taking a sip from the hexagonal glass. The pale green liquid inside was cold and refreshing. Its primary flavor was lime but the faint taste of jasmine was there if you paid close attention.

"It's called a Deepedge Ghost. I'll let you judge it yourselves," Morningstar chuckled. "Anyways, I know I didn't say much on the request, so I'll try to be more specific here. If you're both willing to join me, we'll be heading up into the mountains to explore a cave system. I've gone about halfway in before but I don't know what we'll find throughout the unexplored parts. If the path leading up to the mountain isn't bad enough already, we'll have to do a bit of climbing to get to the cave entrance. Once we're inside, I can lead us through the parts that I know but beyond that, we'll be improvising."

He looked between the two, curious to hear their thoughts. "I don't know how experienced you two are or anything else, for that matter, but I'll assume that if you're interested in coming along that you're confident in your own capabilities. I'm more than willing to trust you both if that's the case."

Morningstar lagged behind a bit, not wanting to interrupt the taming process. He followed Rebekah, her focus maintained on the snowy owl. He wasn't alone, but it almost felt that way as Rebekah left to look over the animal. The crunching of the snow beneath his feet was more audible and the winter air felt cold against his skin. Star had the habit of losing himself in conversation at times. He was present now. He stopped to watch the scene unfold ahead of him. Rebekah sat in the snow, examining the owl carefully. From where he was, it didn't seem like the owl minded her being so close. Maybe this was the one for her; the familiar she'd end up choosing.

More accurately, the choice lay with the animal rather than the player. Morningstar stepped off to the left, leaning up against a nearby tree. Excitement built up inside of him as he awaited the outcome of the encounter.

He hadn't thought about it before but he wasn't sure how taming a familiar actually worked. Did they just magically become your friend or did you actually need to train them?

@Rebekah

Being busy was what Morningstar wanted. Less free time meant less boredom, which recently he'd had an excess of. The focus that would come along with blacksmithing was exactly what the swordsman needed. He smiled, glad that Rebekah supported his idea.

He looked down at his gear when the girl spoke of tier four perfects. "Yeah, I guess I do need some upgrades. I see what you mean about growing out of the lower tier items, even what I've got is outdated. I'll have to find a tailor to replace my armor. Maybe I'll hold off on a weapon and make myself a sword, though."

And then there was his necklace. Morningstar grasped the pendant gently. He didn't want to replace it; however, it was tier one and had room for improvement stat-wise. He wondered if there were upgrades available for it. Maybe, if he could bring it up to a higher tier, he wouldn't have to trash it.

Lexa's Light. The last remaining fragment he had of her. A remnant of their past together crafted delicately into the wing of an angel. It was fitting, he thought. She was like his angel. He couldn't bear to replace it.

Rebekah's words returned him from his thoughts. "I won't laugh if you don't tame something, trust me."

@Rebekah

"Thanks," Morningstar smiled.

It felt like there were a million quests for him to do. Actually, he really enjoyed taking them on, especially alongside other players. "I'll let you know next time I plan to do one."

Rebekah's advice was solid. He took breaks regularly but still felt burnt out from time to time. Helping Rebekah with her quest was actually a break for him. Aside from walking, he didn't have to do much. It felt like a better way to spend his time off than wandering aimlessly around different towns. 

"I guess I need to start crafting then. I think I'll take the quest in a few days and work towards becoming a blacksmith. I don't know much about it but I imagine that the system should take me through it," he shrugged, noticing that his friend had messaged him back.

Quote

Joaquin: yeah, easy enough. meeting with elwood now, ttyl.

He didn't respond; they'd talk another time.

@Rebekah

"A giant scorpion, huh? Sounds like quite the story," he chuckled.

Morningstar would have to wait and hear from his friend about his experience with the quest. He intended on challenging the quest soon, although he didn't know much about it. "I think you're right," he said, "Survival's an important skill. I've only picked up a few basic combat skills, so I'd like to get it later this week if I can."

"I've still got a long way to go before I'm caught up to you," he swished his hand, a blue screen appearing a foot from his face. He looked over his stats. In the last month, he'd improved significantly in terms of level, health, and his damage output. He thought he could hold his own against the weaker field bosses and such. Still, he was nowhere near what it took to fight on the frontlines.

"I guess there's no need to rush, though."

@Rebekah

The way Astralin spoke of her past was surprisingly similar to his own. His busy life never truly felt like his own. He never felt like he had a place. The difference, he supposed, was his family's fame he'd been born into. She mentioned her real name, but he didn't ask what she meant.

Like Morningstar, Astralin didn't know anyone at the tournament—any of the guys, at least. It was relieving to know that he wasn't the only one without a clue who he would choose if he were to win.

"I'm in the same boat. I met a few people today, including you two, but I dunno. It's hard to pick, you know? Especially between strangers," he shrugged. "If I do win, and I don't know that I can, I'd probably end up picking at random. Or maybe Baldur. He seems interesting," Star chuckled, his fingers playing with the pendant hanging from his neck.

He hadn't taken the two girls next to him out of the equation either. He still wanted to gauge their personalities and honestly, their interest. Astreya was playful and tended to flirt harmlessly, while Astralin seemed more abstract and evidently acted before she thought. The only opinion he'd made so far was that he enjoyed their company. Even though he'd dueled Astreya, he was still a stranger to them. Yet they didn't hesitate to join him for dinner.

"What about you, Astreya?"

@Astreya @Astralin

"I guess fighting a mother bear doesn't sound that fun," Morningstar admitted.

They avoided the mother and its babies. Star casually scanned the area for animals as they talked, but nothing stood out to him. She brought up owls again.

"Owls are absolutely birds," he laughed. "Actually, now that you mention it, an owl would be a cool pet. Or maybe a hawk."

Her idea of a floor full of dinosaurs sounded both exciting and terrifying. He'd read dozens of books on them and although they interested him a lot, he also didn't want to meet one face to face. That being said, he was a bit disappointed when she said she'd never seen one before. It was unlikely they existed, even within the game. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a notification. Someone had messaged him. He opened the message, recognizing the name instantly.

Quote

Joaquin: done with the quest, c u in a few days?

The message came sooner than he'd expected; Joaquin had only left for the quest early that morning. He thought for a second, wondering if he'd made any plans for the next week. He couldn't think of any

Quote

Morningstar: sure, just lmk when and where. quest went well?

.He closed the menu again, turning his attention back to Rebekah. "Have you ever done <<The Traveler>>? I think it's a quest on Floor Five."

@Rebekah

The mountains of the seventh floor were cruel and unforgiving. The higher you traveled, the more ice and snow you were met with. They'd followed a path up the mountain as far as they could until they were forced to climb instead. Their goal was to find the entrance to a cave system that lead deep within the mountain. It was unexplored, to their knowledge, which meant more of a risk. High risk often came with a higher reward.

"Catch me if I fall?" Stephen joked, placing his foot steadily on a rock.

"No promises," Lexa laughed.

He lifted himself up, securing his other foot on a different rock. Their time in Aincrad had developed them into quite the rock climbers. Knowing that they could survive the fall in an unfortunate circumstance, they weren't hesitant to start. It wasn't as high as it looked. He pushed up with his legs, moving up the body of the mountain with ease. Occasionally, he'd look down to make sure Lexa was alright. She smiled back at him every time.

Two years prior, when they'd met, Stephen wasn't sure about the girl. They both frequented a café in the Town of Beginnings, but he never intended on approaching her. Instead, after four days of subtle glances, she sat with him. She talked a lot. That was the first thing he had noticed about her. It wasn't bad; actually, he enjoyed it. She seemed too perfect, though. They'd both come from similar luxurious lifestyles and while he could relate to her a lot, she intimidated him as well. She was skilled with her rapier, she was even more confident than he was, and she looked like an angel.

Now, he knew that she was perfect for him. Stephen looked back up towards the sky, judging the distance between them and the entrance.

"Just a bit more," he called down to Lexa.

The house that piqued their interest was modest, yet comfortable. It was in a quiet section of the Town of Beginnings; or at least, it was quieter than the markets were. You could still hear the liveliness coming from across town, even from inside. Stephen stood in the living room, admiring the space. It was a step up from the inn they'd been living in.

"How much will this cost?" He asked Lexa.

Even when she looked sad, she was beautiful. She stepped down the stairs, frowning. "A bit under 135,000 col."

He sighed, smiling softly. Stephen reached out, pulling her into a hug. They both knew it was well beyond their price range. They didn't even have a quarter of the cost between the two of them. But the house was perfect for them. The master bedroom had just enough room for them, the kitchen was perfect for Lexa (an aspiring cook), and they could furnish the place however they wanted. The walls had room for art and there was plenty of storage space as well. Losing out on the opportunity would be a shame.

"We'll make it work," he told Lexa, pulling back, "We'll just have to quest a little harder."

"If we just quest, it will take months for us to be able to afford this. Maybe longer."

For a moment, they faced each other in silence. His hands rested on her shoulders until he moved one to fix her bangs. She wasn't wrong—in the time it would take for them to put the col together, the house would probably be swooped up. There were other opportunities to increase wealth, though.

"What about dungeons? Maybe we can get bonus col from them if we find treasure or something," Stephen said.

"I guess. Where did you have in mind?"

"We've still never gone to Floor Seven together, have we?"

"I really like exotic crystals, don't judge me."

"I'm not judging you, you can like whatever you want."

"You're looking at me like you're judging me."

Stephen leaned back, his arms crossed. "Maybe I'm just a little skeptical."

The blonde woman lightly kicked Stephen's leg from across the table. "I don't think they're like, magical or anything. I think they're pretty!"

Stephen smirked playfully. "Good, I thought I was going to have to break up with you for a second there."

Her mouth hung open in disbelief. "Honestly, you're the worst."

Stephen stood up, adjusting his pants comfortably. He looked out the window of their room. This was their favorite inn because of the view of the Town of Beginnings. You could see the busy street-dwellers and overworked merchants clearly. They loved the ambiance and the commotion that the town offered. He ruffled his dirty blonde hair.

"Hey, Lex?"

"What's up?"

"Why don't we buy a house here?"

Lexa stared from behind, surprised. "Stephen, you really mean that?"

"Yeah, of course," he said.

Stephen turned around, stepping back to the table and sitting down with the girl. He reached out, intertwining his fingers with her own. The only thing stopping them from doing it was money and that was easily solvable. Between the two of them, it wouldn't take more than a month to scrape up the funds.

"Can you even buy houses in town?" Lexa asked, her face beaming.

Stephen shook his head, "I don't know, but we should try."

"Yes," Lexa giggled, "Yes, let's do it."

With a hand on the basket's handle, he dropped down from the rock wall and landed gracefully in front of the cave. The entrance of the cave was small, but not so much that he couldn't fit through. Morningstar peeked down, making sure Peaches was okay. She still sat idly without a single care. Morningstar didn't bother equipping a weapon or any armor. During his week on the islands, he'd yet to see a single monster. He wasn't worried about what hid in the dark; it was unlikely that there was anything at all.

Still, he kept the rabbit close to him as he entered. Both the width and height of the cave seemed to enlarge the further in they went. He wondered if it had been explored before. Perhaps he was the first to notice it. After all, the cave wasn't in the most obvious spot. Aside from scaling the cliff, there wasn't any way inside. The dripping of water could be heard from multiple jagged rocks on the roof. The lack of sunlight dropped the temperature and he desired the warmth against his bareback once more. 

After who knows how many regular rocks he'd seen, Morningstar noticed a glimmer from the corner of his eye. A crimson sparkle emanated from the wall of the cave. He moved towards it, placing down the basket to get a closer look. They were beautiful.

Red gemstones stuck out in a small patch of rocks. He'd never seen anything like them before. Morningstar was so caught up in the glow that he hadn't even realized that he'd lifted his hand to touch one. He hesitated, his fingers hovering in front of the gem. His own cautiousness confused him; why was he so distrusting of the stones?

"They're just shiny rocks," he assured himself, "they can't hurt you."

The swordsman let himself touch the crystal. It felt loose, as if pulling it from the wall would be no challenge. He tried, immediately freeing the gemstone from it's containment. He brought it up to his face, examining it thoroughly. The glow flowed over the stone, growing bigger and smaller in different spots. It reminded him of the ocean outside. It was hypnotizing.

Then, it crumbled away. The glow faded, leaving nothing but dust in it's wake.

"You don't think a bear cub would be cute? They're small and furry," Morningstar said. He thought it'd be cute.

He smiled when Rebekah agreed with his bird idea. "I liked birds a lot growing up, so I spent a lot of time reading about them. Even if I don't manage to find a hummingbird, I wouldn't mind some other species."

The wind began to pick up a bit. His hands left his pockets, holding the furred part of his hood to keep it from falling down. The fourth floor could go from beautiful to unbearably cold in a heartbeat—another reason he avoided the floor. There was a love-hate relationship between him and the snow. The wind slowed down again.

"Do you think there are dinosaurs in the game?" Morningstar looked curiously at Rebekah.

The only thing he loved more than birds were dinosaurs. He really was a toddler in an adult's body.

@Rebekah

Rebekah had taken his sarcasm seriously. He shook his hands in front of him. "No, no. I was just joking," he chuckled awkwardly, "I don't think Santa's real, even in here."

Although, he could have been wrong. It was a video game, after all. Were there any rules, really? Magical reindeer and a round man in a red suit wasn't the weirdest thing he'd discovered in Sword Art Online. He thought back to the five-headed frogs he'd fought a few days earlier, shuttering at the idea of them. Rebekah took his seal recommendation seriously as well. This time, he was pleased. He loved seals but agreed that they were a bit pointless in terms of utility. Unless you lived in the ocean, there wasn't much a seal was going to do for you.

"A bear could be cute. Not to mention they've got claws. If you get the chance, I say go for it," Morningstar told the girl.

He wondered if bears were common as familiars. He'd seen birds, snakes, cats, and even a monkey but he'd never come across a pet bear before. He wondered if she was referring to the polar bear they'd seen while she was chasing down the penguins. If he'd known they might steal a bear cub, he would have brought something more protective to wear.

He wiped a melted snowflake from his face. "I've come up with a few ideas for my familiar, when the time comes for me to find one. I guess mine are less practical and more for companionship, though. My first thought was a bird," he told Rebekah, "I don't know where I'll find it, but I loved shinning-green hummingbirds as a kid and young Morningstar would be pretty happy if I tamed one now."

"My second option is a rabbit. I found one up on Floor 24 the last time I was there and I've been thinking about going back to find her."

@Rebekah

                                                                                                                                Nimbus - Floor 7

"This is it then? You're heading for the mountains?

It was hard to tell what Joaquin was thinking. His eyes were so analytical, so cautious. Unreadable.

"Yeah," Morningstar spun the ice cubes in his glass, "I'll wait a bit longer, see if anyone bites."

Joaquin sighed, pushing back his sandy brown hair. "Are you sure you don't want me to come?"

"You can't miss another guild meeting. They'll start to wonder why they even promoted you," Morningstar chuckled, sipping his drink.

Joaquin tapped his fingers on the table nervously. He was always worrying about Morningstar. Rightfully, of course, as the latter was always doing something foolish. Morningstar scanned the tavern, but nobody seemed to pay his request any mind. The room was nearly empty, actually. At the table closest to them, a casual poker game was coming to a close. Another man sat alone at the bar, slowly throwing back an electric blue liquid that seemed unappetizing to Morningstar. The bartender wore a shining gem around her neck, one that he'd noticed on a few other NPCs. The green glow that emanated from it was hypnotic.

Joaquin spoke again, returning Morningstar from his trance. "One missed meeting won't kill anyone. They won't even notice I'm gone."

"You're literally the leader of a squad now, they'd absolutely notice. And it literally could kill someone if you miss out on whatever you guys are planning."

He groaned. "Okay, fine. But tell me if you get yourself into trouble, alright? If you die doing this I'm not coming to your funeral." The swordsman stood up, his silver armor clinking as he moved. He finished off the last of his drink and gave the bartender a wave.

"I have no intention of dying," Morningstar chuckled.

"Nobody ever does," Joaquin shot back, leaving for the exit, "See you around, Stephen."

Morningstar took another sip from his glass. He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. Of all days, he imagined he'd feel worse today—sadder, maybe. Instead, he was relaxed. He recalled a study he'd read once that explained how people who'd come close to experiencing death felt oddly calm during it. Perhaps this was similar.

Or, his friend was right and this was foreshadowing.

He straightened his posture and drank the last of his drink, patiently awaiting the assistance of a fellow player. His request asked for one or two people to help him clear a cave system deep within the mountain ranges of the seventh floor. If all went to plan, they'd even be able to clear out whatever beast lived at the end. From what Morningstar remembered, the caverns were home to lizardmen (like most places on Floor 7). Aside from that, this area was mostly unexplored. He didn't know what awaited him in the dark. His fingers twisted at the pendant that hung from his neck. Faint anger rose within him at the thought of the mountains. He took a few deep breaths, in an attempt to return to his previous tranquil state.

The anniversary of his lover's death had come and he was determined to avenge her. "Ten more minutes and then I'll head out, whether I have a party or not," he mumbled to himself, waving down the bartender for another drink.

@Nari-Lanreth @Monarch

Rare, huh? Maybe he'd look into the artisan profession some more. It fit under his hobbies, after all. He'd never sculpted before but he was sure the system had something in place for incompetence. His drawing skills were, at the very least, up to par. Anything that wasn't acting sounded good to him.

Rebekah's reindeer question was an odd one. "Yeah, Santa's real too," he said sarcastically, a smirk finding its way onto his face. "Sorry. Reindeers can't fly," he admitted.

His next thought was a seal, but that seemed even more restricting than a reindeer. Seals couldn't do much outside of water. At least a reindeer, even a young one, can move reasonably on land. Maybe it was best if Rebekah stuck with the ideas they'd spoken of previously.

"Foxes can dig and owls can fly," Morningstar shrugged. Neither of them was a bad option and they were both relatively common on the fourth floor.

@Rebekah

"It's okay," Morningstar laughed. "Believe it or not, her reaction wasn't the worst I've seen. Don't be too hard on yourself."

One of the first people he'd met in Aincrad had been a huge fan. Not of him, of course, but of his dad. She'd stalked Star for three days hoping for the chance to meet the great Keith Star but to her dismay, Morningstar entered the game alone. When he told her, she looked like she was about to cry. Astralin wasn't the worst reaction he'd seen. At most, she was in the top ten.

"Besides, a few people were bound to know. You two seem alright. Maybe not trustworthy, but alright." he jested slyly. 

And next came the sleepover. It reminded him of the single slumber party he'd gone to as a kid. They'd slept inside cardboard boxes and eaten ridiculous amounts of ice cream cake, as kids do. What did adults do at sleepovers? Hell, what did any normal person do at a sleepover?

Gossip it is, he thought.

"So," he leaned back, "let's pretend one of you was to win the tournament. Who's your date?"

@Astreya @Astralin

Rebekah spoke proudly of her line of work. As she should, Star thought. He respected cooks; they were essentially artists. After her failed attempt at taming a penguin, the man couldn't help but chuckle.

"I don't think they liked you," he teased.

He thought a bit about choosing a profession for himself, but it felt impossible to settle. There were so many choices and not enough chances to give them all a shot. Up until now, he'd only given alchemy a shot and he hadn't been very successful at it.

"Artisan maybe? I like to draw and paint. Blacksmith also sounds like it could be fun, although I don't know much about it," he told her.

His hands entered his pockets and he observed their surroundings. He hadn't noticed how quiet the forest was before. It was tranquil. He wished he had a bit more hot chocolate. It would have made the moment even more special. A thought popped into his head.

"What about a reindeer? Do they have those here?"

@Rebekah

The sun had peaked now. Morningstar accidentally nudged the rabbit, waking it. "Sorry."

He lifted himself up wearily. After all the time he'd spent basking in the sun, his body had grown tired. He stretched his back, satisfied by the subtle cracks he heard. The rabbit stared up at him curiously. Star felt bad. He'd intended on leaving this spot for the time being. There were still some parts of the island he wanted to visit before departing the next day. He tapped his index finger against his leg a few times, thinking.

Then, he knelt down again. "Want to come with me?"

The rabbit didn't answer, obviously. It just watched with its tiny teddy bear eyes. He scooped the bunny up and pointed down the cliffside. "That's where we're going. What'll I put you in..."

Morningstar placed the animal on his shoulder, swiping open his inventory. A basket and some rope were his only choices unless he wanted to put the rabbit in the hood of his cloak. It was way too hot for a cloak, though, and that sounded dangerous. He withdrew the items from his inventory. He tied the rope around his waist leaving a longer strand for the basket. Once he made sure everything was sturdy, he sat his new friend inside. He looked over the edge of the cliff. The spot he'd climb down to was a little under halfway from the bottom. He sat down, his feet touching a rock jetting out from the wall. He spun around carefully, lifting the basket up and dropping it down gently. This climb was nothing he'd never done before, but the added weight meant he'd need to go slower than he liked. He scaled downwards, his fingers shaking as he gripped each rock. Periodically, he'd check in on the rabbit.

"You need a name, I think," he said between breaths, "Peaches, maybe?"

Peaches' attention was distant. Star couldn't tell where she was looking. He continued his descent, extending his reach whenever he came to an inconvenient spot. His foot touched a loose patch of rocks and they cracked, causing momentary panic. He sighed. Peaches didn't seem to care or notice that they'd both almost fallen.

"Almost there," he muttered.

"Are you listening to me?" His dad shouted.

Stephen shut his book, his mom entering his peripheral vision. "Yeah, I'm listening. I screwed up my audition, okay? I've screwed up the last three. I'm not cut out for this bullshit anymore," he leaned forwards in his seat, placing the sketchbook on the side table next to him.

"Stephen!" his mother gasped.

"Do you know how hard I had to work to open these doors for you?" His father's face was red, as it often was when he got angry.

"I didn't ask you to—I didn't even want you to."

For a moment, nobody said anything. He looked his father in the eyes, emotions welling up inside. He detested acting but he'd never told anyone before. How could he? They never listened. Thoughts of disdain were thrown into the trash with the rest of his complaints and he was expected to get over them and move on to whatever the next big thing was.

His dad cleared his throat. "There's one more audition here in the city. It would be best for you if you went to it tomorrow. We only want what's best for you."

The man spoke more calmly now, but Stephen knew that he could explode again at any moment. He stood up, scowling down at his father. "Like you know what's best for me?"

His steps were slow and heavy as he walked away from the scene. He couldn't meet his mother's eyes as he passed. Stephen shut the door of his room, lazily made his way to the bed, and dropped like a rock. His mind was a mess. The intelligent part within him told him to go to sleep and try to reset for the morning but instead, he reached to the nightstand to his right. He picked up his new NerveGear, holding it above his head. He'd been so caught up with the audition that he'd forgotten to give it a try. He slid it on and booted it up, entering a world unlike anything he could have imagined.

Astralin's view on sunsets was similar to Morningstar's. She couldn't quite illustrate her ideas with words, but Star understood. The girl's scream took him by surprise. It wasn't embarrassment that he felt, but he did slightly regret bringing up his history. The cat was out of the bag now.

The girls reminisced about the time they met joyfully. Stars began popping up as the sun dipped lower. The colours of the sunset were starting to fade. Short but sweet. A temporary beauty.

"To answer your question," Morningstar cleared his throat, "I was an actor. It was a long time ago."

It wasn't until then that he'd realized how infrequently he talked about his life as an actor. It didn't come up much anymore. In a way, time had done him a favor. He wasn't stopped in the streets anymore; the most he'd get was the occasional odd look from a stranger. He'd even stopped reflecting on it after a while as if his new life had overshadowed his past. Shades of green and orange littered the trees and bushes that sprawled out around the garden. Lights flickered on as the sky darkened, illuminating the water. He turned his attention from the scenery back to the girls, giving them a wistful look.

"If you've got any preconceived theories of what actors are like, fifty percent of them are probably true," he joked.

@Astralin @Astreya

"You own a café? So you're a cook then?"

Morningstar wasn't much of a chef himself. He cooked when he had to, but he didn't love it. He could count the number of dishes he was comfortable making on his fingers. Taking another sip from his drink, he looked to the spot that Rebekah pointed at.

Owls, foxes, and penguins all entered their sight. The polar bear in the distance didn't worry Morningstar; they were far enough away for him to feel safe. Star expected more of a hunt. Honestly, he was a bit disappointed that they'd found their options so soon.

"What'll you choose?" He asked Rebekah.

The owl looked enticing to Morningstar but to avoid influencing her decision, he didn't say anything else. Besides, there was no wrong choice. Preparing for the potential polar bear encounter, he equipped his straight sword and finished off the last of his hot chocolate.

@Rebekah

Memories of the audition were foggy now. It'd been what—nine years? Seven, maybe? He couldn't remember. His time in the game had come together in a big blend of combat and exploration. He hadn't even celebrated his birthday this year. Assuming nine years was correct, he was twenty-eight now. The thought of that made him feel old. It couldn't be right.

A few details stuck out from the day of the audition. He remembered the scent of oak vividly. Someone's perfume, he thought. He also remembered that he'd fought with his father in the evening.

"It's not a big deal," Stephen told his dad, "there are a million other roles I can audition for,"

His eyes were glued to his sketchbook. Stephen loved to draw. Not many people knew that about him. His pencil flowed against the page, lines and basic shapes transforming into something more. On the page, he'd drawn himself sitting on a couch somewhere in western Europe with a Bengal cat. A fireplace crackled gently across from their couch, keeping them warm despite the rain dripping down the outside of the window.

"This one," his dad started, avoiding eye contact, "was important. You know how much they were offering? Fifteen million dollars. Fifteen million!"

Stephen didn't respond. He knew that he'd blown it but he had no idea why. He'd presented himself well, he'd mastered the lines. He knew the character as if it were his own. So why hadn't they chosen him? His dad stood in the kitchen, his back turned away from Stephen. He could hear the wave of whiskey crashing into the man's glass. 

"You need to try harder, Stephen. Apply yourself and land these jobs. They're valuable. You can't afford to be missing out on them," his dad said, turning now to face him.

Stephen's eyes were still stuck to the page. He signed his sketch with a wonky star and closed the book.

Morningstar wasn't sure of what other creatures inhabited the snowy floor. He'd seen foxes and rabbits but without more exploration, it was impossible to say what else existed there. He sipped his hot chocolate, which had come to the perfect temperature. Despite the cold trek they'd started, he felt comfortable. He'd finished his ice cream by now and was left with just his drink.

Star had spent a fair amount of time on the fourth floor, but mostly near the safezones. He didn't mind the cold but he spent most of his time around people who hated it, so it made more sense to stay away.

"Have you spent much time here? I've always wanted to explore this floor but I've never made the time for it. I'd love to find some secret spots hidden in the forests or something," he said.

He knew about the quests available on the floor but those were common knowledge; everyone knew about them. There was plenty of treasure hidden in Aincrad in the form of temples, ruins, and other unknown structures. Star wanted to find as many as he could.

@Rebekah

"Why, are you interested?" Morningstar teased back. "Honestly though, I just think sunsets are pretty."

Dating was scary; he was absolutely not trying to get a head start on it. Baldur greeted the trio as they approached. The host's food looked delectable. Introducing himself, he plated their food.

"Thanks for the meal. It's nice to officially meet you," he smiled at Baldur.

Star took the lead, bringing the girls to the garden. The sunset was just beginning. He gazed up at the blend of pink and blue. The glowing sun dipped below orange clouds, bringing warmth to the scene. The colours reflected against the distant water, distorted by ripples.

"You two are friends, right? How do you know each other?" Star asked.

He popped his first piece of chicken into his mouth. It tasted even better than it looked. He admired Baldur's hosting skills—the man knew how to put together an event. He looked down from the sky for a moment, seeking out a spot for them to sit.

@Astreya @Astralin