Oscar

Oscar was so caught up reminiscing that he didn't notice that he'd wandered into a Golem's aggro range until he heard that telltale rumbling. Oscar smiled and placed his parcels down next to Gob-Gob. The golem loomed large over Oscar but he wasn't afraid. He turned back to Gob-Gob and said, "Watch closely now!"

And then he was off. Oscar's feed pounded the ground as he dashed towards the Golem. He brought his sword low and then cleaved in front of him in a wide arc. The Gen Getsu arc bit deep into the golem, sending chunks of earth and stone flying in all directions. The golem moved to attack, bringing down one large stone fist towards Oscar's face. The Azure-Clad man smirked and spun out of the way, dancing safely away from the oncoming blow. He flipped Najarala over the back of his hand and hopped backwards, pointing the sword at the large stone monster.

It was time. Time to train up Gob-Gob to learn his Familiar Mastery skill. Oscar had an idea about which Mastery he wanted. He knew that he couldn't keep leaving Gob-Gob tending the shop while he was out adventuring. He needed to put the Goblin to work. Together they walked out into the courtyard of Oscar's manor grounds. Oscar was carrying a basket of clay discs and some tiny javelins. They left the manor behind as they set out amidst the sheer cliffs and rocky crags of Floor Seven. The goblin trotted along behind him, curiously eyeing the parcels that Oscar was carrying. This reminded Oscar of the first time he took Tyson out on a day. The boy had been so much like Oscar it was scary. Their first outing had been, oddly enough, to the shooting range. The boy had an unhealthy obsession with guns. Ordinarily one would want to keep them far away from someone like that. But not Oscar. If the boy was going to be obsessed, the least he could do was make it so the boy was safe about it. He spent all day drilling gun safety into the boy's head. He was learning and having the time of his life. It was a simple thing, really. If someone's learning while doing what they love, it doesn't feel like learning.

Oscar finally had time to sit down and really get his craft on. He entered his kitchen and buckled down, getting to work on making something new. He'd done a ton of Protein meals for Macradon. Evasion meals for Bahr. It was time to make something he'd never made before. A good portion of his crafts weren't up to snuff, but the rare items were worth keeping. He slapped a Prosperity enhancement on the Hot Dog and the two Churros he made. He looked down at them with pride and placed them up for sale in his shop. They said you had to spend money to make money. Perhaps someone would invest in them?

Thread Summary
3 SP
1 for Thread Completion
2 for Quest Completion
1570 Col
400 for Thread Completion
1170 looted
Fried Fish of Vitality
Rare Armor

Loot Log
Sahagin - ID: 121697 LD12, CD12
Obtained 1170 Col, Rare Armor

In an equally-brilliant flash of light, Oscar and Gob-Gob arrived at Deepedge. He headed for the town gate, making his way to the housing district. The walk wasn't long, but it wasn't particularly interesting either. Grey stone crags were about the only thing to be seen. The sun had gone down by now, the moon and stars shining brightly in the sky. Oscar unlocked his front door and entered his manor, securing the door behind him. After preparing dinner for Gob-Gob, he lounged around in his parlor for a bit before heading upstairs. This calm was something he hadn't felt in quite some time. He placed Najarala by his nightstand and laid down in the bed. His head rested upon his soft pillow as he stretched out above the blankets. The day's tension eased as he got off his feet, the knots in his back working themselves out. He gave a contented sigh and closed his eyes. Moments later, he was slumbering peacefully with Gob-Gob resting at the foot of his bed.

Truly, it had been a good day.

Oscar returned to the <<Town of Beginnings>> feeling quite satisfied, if not a bit pensive. He went down to the ghetto and checked on his shop. No one had bought any of his delicious meat cylinders. A shame. Gob-Gob had been tending the shop and was currently flexing at the mirror, admiring his own muscular form. Oscar chuckled and patted him on the head.

"Come on buddy. Let's go home."

Gob-Gob leaped at the thought and clambered up Oscar's body to sit on his shoulder. Oscar gave the goblin a fist bump and headed for the door, making sure to lock up his shop for the night. Together, the two of them headed for the Teleportation Platform. Walking through the streets, Oscar could almost feel the pain of those around him. All he wanted to do was ease it, if only just a bit. But he couldn't eat an elephant all at once. One bite at a time, he would realize his dream. Oscar activated the stone platform and stood in the center.

"Deepedge!"

In a flash of light, the two of them were gone.

Oscar took the scenic route around the lake. It seemed like a good time for a walk. The sun was setting over the horizon, so he'd have to head back to town soon. Oscar enjoyed the wind on his face and the sounds of nature in the air. It kept him centered. Calm. He thought back to his fight with the Sahagin. When had he become so good at the game? Perhaps taking on all of these Beginner quests had unlocked some sort of skill? Probably not. It was probably the fact that he'd been practicing. He needed to practice harder if he wanted to be strong enough to take on the arduous task of protecting the people around him. Bahr. Macradon. Kirbs. Even though they were so far ahead of him, he still had the unquenchable desire to be the rock they could lean on. People didn't really have that in Aincrad. Everyone was so caught up in their own sorrow that they didn't notice that everyone else was drowning around them. Maybe if they banded together, they could save each other. Oscar wanted to make that happen more than anything else.

After the two of them had finished, Ol' Pete cracked open an old bottle of wine and poured them both a drink. Oscar savored the fruity taste of the wine, which complemented the fish he'd just eaten exceptionally well. He let out a contented sigh and thanked Pete for his hospitality. Then, he made his exit and started walking down the docks. He heard the sound of hurried steps behind him and turned to see Pete carrying a parcel. He handed the parcel to Oscar, who promptly dropped it into his pack.

"Some of the catch. You didn't think you were entitled to it, now did you dummy?"

Oscar chuckled and nodded before turning back around and walking off. It had been a long, but good day. He just wanted to go home and see Gob-Gob. Also, he was tired. His bed sounded absolutely amazing after a day like today.

With the pan sufficiently heated, Oscar added some butter to the pan and let it melt. Then, he placed the fish, skin side down upon the butter. He added salt, pepper, and an assortment of other seasonings to enhance the flavor of the fish. Oscar appeared to be in his element like this. Being a Rank 5 Cook had its perks, after all. With one deft motion, he flipped the fish and then started cobbling together a salad to eat with it. Greens, onions, and tomatoes were chopped and thrown in a bowl. He tended to the fish with one hand as he tossed the salad with the other. When both were done, he arranged the salad on a plate and then set the fish in a bed of greens. The lettuce wilted a bit from the heat, but also absorbed the juices of the fish. As a final touch, he created a light vinaigrette and drizzled it onto the dish. He plucked a fork from the counter and handed it and the plate to Ol' Pete. The elderly fisherman looked surprised at Oscar's display and dug into the food. Oscar knew he was just an NPC, but he acted just human enough to keep up the illusion that he had actually helped someone. He missed that feeling. 

The old man laughed. His voice reverberated through the air. The two of them had come to an understanding now. The mutual respect between the two of them was clear. He shook his head and smiled apologetically. "No, probably not. Dummy."

Together, the two of them went back into the fisherman's hut and the old man picked up a knife to start preparing the fish to cook. Oscar raised one hand, producing Hestia's Flame from his inventory. The fire burned and crackled. Oscar stoked the man's fire with the flame and returned it to his pack. Then, he took the knife from the Ol' Pete and got to work. Deft swordplay led to deft knifework. Or was it the other way around? Either way, Oscar cut the Sword-fish into perfect portions fit for cooking. He wiped the knife off and put it away and began looking around for a skillet. Once he found it, he set it upon the small makeshift range that Ol' Pete used and let it heat up.

"I guess you did good, dummy." Ol' Pete still kept calling Oscar dummy, but there was a difference in the inflection. Instead of being delivered as an insult, it had been delivered as a playful jab.

Oscar surmised that he had proven himself to the wizened fisherman. He helped the old man out of the boat and slung their catch over his shoulder. Together, side-by-side, the two of them headed back to Ol' Pete's house. The old man invited him inside, to which Oscar obliged. They didn't speak much as the man gutted and cleaned their catch. After that, the two of them headed outside to look at the lake.

"Ya know. I might have treated you better if you told me you were a fisherman from the get."

Oscar laughed and shook his head before saying with a smile, "You're full of it old man."

The Sahagin had made it to its feet, but Oscar fully intended to put it down this round. He dashed forward, planting his feet in the sand. He brought his sword down and then spun it around his body, carving a deadly half-moon in the air before delivering the final blow to the Sahagin with Gen Getsu. The Sahagin exploded backwards from the point of impact like glass, leaving no trace but the fluttering prismatic shards on the wind and a loot screen. Oscar collected his loot and put away his blade. Then, he grabbed the boat and hauled it further ashore before checking on Ol' Pete.

"Still wanna talk that junk or do I need to do that again, Pete?"

Ol' Pete seemed to be in shock. Oscar had shown much more skill against the Sahagin than with the Sword-Fish. He really didn't know what to say.

"Ra Setsu!"

A purple aura roared to life around his blade as he brought his sword down to cut the Sahagin through its midsection from left to right. His left hand shot backwards, flipping his sword behind his back. At that moment, he punched the Sahagin swiftly in the jaw, stunning it. Then, he caught Najarala in his right hand and sliced again, this time from right to left. Even though the boat was rocking like it was in a storm, Oscar remained perfectly balanced. He felt grinding on the bottom of the boat. They had returned to shore. Oscar grabbed the Sahagin by the neck and threw it to shore before dismounting from the boat with a frontflip. His feet landed on the sand and he turned to the Sahagin, who was still trying to get its bearings.

"Hey Pete! I think I'm figuring out the controls!"

The only way this fight was going to go in Oscar's favor was if he dug deep and found his focus. He closed his eyes and began swaying with the rocking of the boat. As he did this, his balance returned to him. He tried throwing out a Ra Setsu, but because his eyes were closed, he felt that he missed his target. Oscar winced as he felt the Sahagin's spear penetrate his right shoulder. So he adjusted his grip to favor his left. Oscar took a deep breath to clear the mechanism. His eyes opened. He could hear nothing, saw nothing but the enemy in front of him. His grip tightened around the Najarala's hilt. He was perfectly steady, perfectly focused. He'd give the Sahagin that one hit. This would be over in two rounds. He filled his lungs with air. Then, he exhaled and stepped forward, the sound of his boot upon the wood resounding through the air.

The rocking of the boat was a problem. Oscar couldn't get his footing. Ol' Pete was at the stern of the boat, hanging onto the edges for dear life. The Sahagin seemed to be faring a bit better, but not by much. Despite having dug its claws into wooden frame, it was struggling to keep its upper body steady. It had jabbed the butt of its spear into the bottom of the boat to stabilize itself. As the rocking subsided, both Oscar and the Sahagin swung at one another. The sudden motion caused the boat to start rocking again, pitching both of them forward and throwing their blows off target. Oscar's sword passed harmlessly by the Sahagin. The Sahagin's spear passed harmlessly by Oscar. The azure-clad man grasped the edge of the boat to stabilize himself and pushed himself backwards onto his heels. He used his free hand for balance and tightened his grip on his sword to keep it from flying off.

Really bad idea.

His splashing had, indeed, attracted an enemy. Oscar jumped to his feet when a shadowy form burst from beneath the waves and landed on the boat. Oscar immediately leapt into action, drawing his blade and activating his Gen Getsu Sword Art to deal damage to the assailant. As his blade carved a half-circle through the creature, Oscar got a good look at it. It was a bipedal creature that looked like the lovechild of an Anglerfish and an alien. It its clawed hand, it wielded a spear made of bone and coral. That spear dug into Oscar's shoulder, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from the man. The boat was rocking back and forth dangerously. Oscar had to struggle to hold on. The Sahagin, on the other hand, merely dug the sharp claws of its feet into the wood to hold itself steady. Oscar was beginning to regret his decision to show off.

This time, Oscar was kind enough to row them back to the docks. It took him much less time than it did for Pete to roll them out to the center of the lake in the first place. Which Oscar was sure to let Ol' Pete know about.

"This isn't so hard. But I guess when your muscles have turned to dust like your's I can see how it'd be difficult."

"You've made your point."

"Oh that's where you're wrong. I don't think the lesson has really sunk in. Let's take stock shall we? I completely embarrassed you at something you've been doing your entire life, killed the fish for you, and am currently rowing us back to shore about twice as fast as you were able to. I think there's some room for more embarrassment there. Watch this."

Oscar stopped rowing and slapped the surface of the water with the oar. With any luck, something would emerge from the deeps.

The old man finally calmed down enough after the second pass to let Oscar get some footing in the rickety boat. He gripped the handle of his blade tightly. His eyes watched with intent upon the surface of the water. He saw a shadowy form approaching the surface. His muscles tensed to strike. There was a loud slash as the Sword-Fish leaped up from beneath the waves. It passed over the boat. Oscar saw his chance. His sword carved an irregular arc, the tip of his blade like lightning in its speed. The sword bit into the Swordfish and reduced its HP to zero in one stroke. The large fish fell into the boat, causing the rickety old boat to bob up and down in the water dangerously. Oscar drove his blade into the side of the wooden boat to support himself until the bobbing stopped. Then, he sheathed his blade and looked down at the man with a grin.

"It's amazing what gets accomplished when you shut up."

"You might be able to fish, but you can't fight your way out of a wet paper sack!" Ol' Pete was laughing hysterically, rocking back and forth. Which made Oscar's attempts to get his footing all the more difficult. If he thought it would do any good, Oscar would have smacked him in the face with the butt of his sword and made him shut up. But, unfortunately, he couldn't do that. So he had to deal with the old man making his job that much harder. The Sword-fish broke from beneath the surface of the water and lunged at Oscar. As it did, Oscar used Gen Gestu, but Ol' Pete's raucous laughter kept him from getting sure enough footing to land a clean hit. Conversely, Oscar was bobbing and weaving so much as Ol' Pete rocked the boat that he was that much harder to hit as well. The Sword-Fish sailed past harmlessly and dove back beneath the waves.

Oscar began to slowly reel in his catch. The thing on the other end felt massive. Oscar just hoped it wasn't another shark again. The reel clicked steadily as Oscar turned the spool. He didn't want to spook whatever was on the other end. Finally, once the line was as taught as he could get it, Oscar yanked the entire rod backwards. In the bright afternoon sun, the droplets of water glistened as a Swordfish burst from beneath the surface. It looked absolutely majestic and seemed to hang in midair. Then, it cast its gaze toward Oscar, glaring at him with such animosity he'd never seen from a fish before. He seemed to have made it angry. It cut through the line and dove back into the water. Oscar stood up and drew his sword, powering up a Gen Getsu, his new sword art. He heard a splash and narrowly dodge the deadly edge of the fish's blade. The boat rocked as he attempted to dodge, which threw his counterattack off balance. Ol' Pete laughed as Oscar missed his attack, clapping his hands and rocking back and forth.

"I could outfish you on my worst day Ol' Pete," Oscar said as the old man took a preprogrammed path towards the center of the lake.

"What did you just say to me?!"

"Oh don't act like you didn't hear me. I can outfish you on my worst day with one hand tied behind my back!"

"I've been fishing since I was a little tyke. You think you can beat my experience?!"

"Nope, but my youth edges you out old man."

Ol' Pete turned red and started cursing again. He screamed at Oscar, throwing his whole body into the stream of insults. The boat rocked back and forth. Oscar laughed and shook his head. "Look at you, scaring away the fish. No wonder you need my help." Oscar grabbed Pete's fishing rod and cast it out into the center of the pond. He blocked out Ol' Pete's foul language as he focused on the bobber. Eventually, he felt a sharp tug on the line. It was time to reel in his prize.

"I can see your brain is working again. You ready to go catch this fish now?"

Ol' Pete was fuming, but his programming prevented him from saying no. The two of them traveled to Pete's boat, the old man glowering at him the entire way. Oscar didn't mind. It was good to get the tension off of him. Oscar whistled a tune as they got down to shore. Pete hopped in the boat and looked over at Oscar.

"Cast us off!" He barked, not wanting to mince words with Oscar anymore. Oscar sighed and pushed the boat into the water. Then, he grabbed onto the edge and pulled himself into the boat as it went into the water. Ol' Pete threw a pair of oars at Oscar that clattered to the floor of the boat. "Row," came his command. Oscar merely looked at the old man with a smirk on his face. He crossed his arms and stared at the NPC, his eyes gesturing to the oars. Ol' Pete growled and picked the oars up, rowing them out towards the center of the lake.

Oscar was rather stuck. Until Pinball landed a hit, if Oscar hit him, he would be Orange for a few days. But, then again, he couldn't just stand by helplessly and watch someone attack one of his very few friends in this game. His heart was racing and his hands were shaking. He'd never thought that he'd be fighting another player in this game, much less someone so high leveled. Nevertheless, he would jump into the fray. He could live with being Orange for a time. He couldn't live with himself if he just stood by and watched while Bahr got hurt. Oscar rushed forward, Najarala glowing with a pink aura as he swung at the PKer. Unfortunately, he misjudged his distance and completely missed his target. He had to get his nerves under control. If he didn't then he would be just as useless as he would be if he just stood on the sidelines.

 

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!"

Oscar laughed as Ol' Pete turned red in the face and stamped his feet. Hannah and Ol' Pete's AI personalities were cantankerous, mean, and downright insulting. Oscar had had enough of treating them like he would an actual human. It was time to treat them like they were an outlet upon which he could vent his frustrations. He had plenty pent up and having someone he could just insult viciously and not hurt any feelings was too good off an opportunity to pass up.

"Didn't you hear me, old man? I called you senile. Oh wait, don't tell me. Are you deaf too."

Ol' Pete launched a string of curses that would make a sailor blush at Oscar. He learned some new phrases, which was saying something considering that he was from Boston. The whole time Ol' Pete cursed him out, Oscar had a smug grin on his face that just seemed to peeve Ol' Pete off more.

Day 9

Another day, another dog. Oscar stepped into his kitchen and got to work. He moved swiftly and deftly. Dogs on Dogs on Dogs were created. But only the best could go into his shop. This time, he only kept the absolute cream of the crop. Everything else went straight to the garbage can. Except for that Rare meal. That rare meal was given a double Protein enhancement to help increase his damage and would be for personal use. The two snacks, however, would be given the Prosperous Enhancement. He would keep one and try to move the other.