NIGHT

Initial Application: all found here. | latest here.
Room(s) Being Re-Assigned: guest room, basic kitchen, green house, living room -> acanthus
Total Cost: n/a

she watched acanthus heal her familiar, nodding as her companion spoke. "though i think i'd be more concerned if someone was used to seeing blood at all. i'd imagine them a doctor, perhaps." once kumaki seemed to be better, night watched it look at nyanko with a blank stare. not like the kitten seemed to mind. he simply beeped with interest at its new friend's healthy demeanor.

with the rain lightening up outside, night wondered if they should start on their way back. acanthus had a different plan -- a better one. "that sounds like a good idea," night replied, starting to head downstairs. she left the door to the room open for the party to follow, but walked with them to the dining area. "this place's specialty is in snacks befitting of tea. mild sweets and biscuits. i think i'll go for some wagashi this time, to match the matcha they serve."

nyanko squeaked out his opinion, and night nodded. "yeah. i think it's a good idea to ask for a serving of food for our furry friends too."

they took a booth by the window near the entrance. when the lights were turned on, the shadows that were haunting the establishment from the storm were chased away. the players placed their order and were served swiftly -- between its inconvenient location and the owner's efficiency in hospitality, it seemed that the workload was light for him.

well, it was meant to be of slow days for someone, night supposed.

between her tea, traditional candy and the nougat biscuits, she looked to acanthus, the relief of their mission complete sinking in. "i hope you weren't too disappointed with how the day turned out." her gaze drifted out the window, and then settled back on the other player. "to be honest, i'm a little nervous about showing up in front of that quest-giver again, even if i think you'll win her over with who you've found by your side. i'll walk back with you though -- see it through. past that, and the return back to town, what do you think your next step is?"

"and..."

almost as though to fidget, she pulled a ring out of her inventory. with a spin, the trinket, crafted out of different layers, started to pull itself apart like an astrolabe, just for show.

"if there's anything you need assistance with," night said, "let me know."

09/16/24

r10 artisan | x14 daily crafting attempts | cd tool 

elden ring. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | LD III
[desc.]: a ring crafted out of woven malleable branches from a tree on the ninth.
[ids.]: 231522, 231524, 231527

seashell pendant. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | PROSP III
[desc.]: a seashell tied and strung up upon leather.
[ids.]: 231530, 231533, 231537

glasses. | TIER 1 JEWELRY | ACC III
[desc.]: a glasses frame lacking lenses.
[ids.]: 231543, 231548-1, 231548-2, 231548-3

"why are we sneaking?"

she'd almost fallen over at the sudden surprised. instead night simply jumped, turned to notice koga, and then shoot him a glare. not that she was going to hold him accountable for anything, but beyond partaking in their ritual, the group started to head down the labyrinth.

the lone orange in the group proved himself, once again, to be just as efficient as she'd remembered him being.

no one else had sounded off on the worries of being around the said crystal, except freyd. night shot her hand up. "sure. pin it on me." the last time they'd been in proximity, he hadn't done anything else either. just the item. it would probably be the same today.

then there was the other stranger in the group, the one she was concerned with the most out of all who'd showed up. he'd pointed out the towers fast, though to be completely honest, she would've started looking for dragons instead. 

the spiders were the unwelcome surprise though. with a help, she'd cut through them, eyes shut -- when she opened them, they were gone. almost like they never existed at all.

"no we don't," night corrected, trying her best not to think about what else was about the labyrinth. how did yuki manage to hide in here for so long? "no we don't. let's keep moving. star was right, this is urgent."

09/15/24

night shrugged at his question. and then, as though to reiterate one of the only few points she did remember from the librarian's speech, she spread out her hands in a 'grand gesture' and lowered the pitch of her voice.

"the universal truth... why the territories exist at all!"

thankfully, they'd only just entered the heart of the city once night's little act was done, so she didn't have to worry about embarrassing herself too much. instead, she fell into step beside him. "something about the territories either being one in the first place, or finding out the reason why this floor's split into five." or was it the crystals? night couldn't tell. either way, the moment star hailed down some horses, night shook her head.

"i've never ridden," she admitted. "i guess i'll get to learn now?"

it turns out that cardinal had total support for mounts, if she wasn't sure on how to execute it. so they left ronbaru, the night city giving way to the craggy fields of the territory north over, dagan. night remembered how she didn't think such a locale should've been suited for farming at all in the first place, but perhaps that too was part of the mystery they had to solve.

"here, there was a cave in, i think."

the horses took them to the entrance of vesh. the players dismounted, in full view of the town square -- and in proximity of the jeers from inside the town hall. night pointed over to the crowd of farmers almost spilling out onto the streets. "guess the chaos isn't that hard to find. though i'm not sure if that's what you'd want to start with if you're searching for clues here... i haven't checked the rest of the town yet, after all."

“Yes. I’d like to name her Kumaki."

"kumaki," night echoed, before acanthus went on to tell her about her stuffed bear. she broke out a smile as her companion laughed. "that sounds nice. responsible of you in the past to have tried."

“I believe mom hid her when she felt I’d grown too old for stuffed animals, but I doubt she threw Kumaki away. I’ll have to find her when this is all over.”

there was a moment of quiet in the interim. night had wondered what it must've been like for acanthus to have to part with kumaki when it got taken away from her. she stopped considering it when the player spoke up again.

"not at all," night said, flatly. a moment passed before she realized what acanthus might have meant. "i mean, i know most players don't like talking about real life a lot, but... it's the one bit of normalcy we have left to cherish, really."

(all that to mean 'she was cool with it'. go night.)

when acanthus shifted over to pet her familiar, night started to get up, too. "i'll go pick up it up," she replied, to the mention of that first aid kit. and she did, leaving the room with nyanko bounding off in tow, to return a few minutes later with the necessary supplies.

she shuffled over to the newly matched pair, and opened the box set on the tatami. night had to squat to rummage through the kit. "fair warning -- i'm not really a veterinarian, but it's likely that some of these might work the way consumables do." she picked up a set of bandages, akin to the vanity ones found at the general store, and handed them over to acanthus. "no needles. maybe one of these unlabeled bottles could be an antiseptic though, at best?"

so that was the case for an, coming from england -- the way that it didn't seem so out-of-the-ordinary to night really made her contemplate on how everyone's lives must've been like, to not need and even discover such a state of being different existing. night nodded as her friend talked about herself, noticing an drawing her axe; but she was more on guard about their conversation than their surroundings. enemies, she could combat with ease. personal vulnerability was a whole different ball game.

and yet, night felt as though she was even safer letting her guard down. she sighed in advance.

"I wouldn't know a lot, actually, very few people would bring it up on the counter. But I had some longer talks with another girl once and she wasn't trying to, well, hide it, either."

"no way."

"I think there isn't a need to either, but I, ah, get that everyone has their comfort zones. So, as long as you feel safe and happy where you are, it should be fine, right?"

an had a point. and night was so caught up in the euphoria of finally having an example where someone like themselves could be seen and feel safe in the company of others in aincrad, that for a second she lived in a world where her situationship wasn't exactly with a cardinal entity in the first place. so night hummed in agreement, almost excited, and then found herself questioning why she did feel that way. and then her hopes fell and left her, again.

to her own question, an's response was soft. she started stuttering again. night almost leaned in trying to pick up on what was being said, but she didn't need to hear the rest of what had been said, upon the realization that--

"Uh, y-you know. Women who... like being with women."

-- yeah, that.

"eh?"

she'd stopped, almost hopping backwards, in the same way she was used to doing in an aggravated fight against a quest boss. the revelation was new to her -- wait, how did she not pick up on it in the first place? granted, maybe the idea of being able to read others for being 'of the same' was not in her repertoire, and yet...

"you too?"

if an were to turn towards night now, the latter couldn't have been able to shake off her own look of surprise. so she defaulted her usual move: cover it up with her hand instead.

"s-sorry, i didn't know..."

then again, it likely wasn't something an was broadcasting to others (on purpose?) either. night skipped back to her side in a jiffy, trying to shrug off the embarassment -- but only because part of her felt guilty, feeling like she should've been (one of) the first to know.

they walked, and it was after night finally summoned the courage to pull her hands away from her mouth and lock them together (so she would know she wouldn't be able to hide herself again) that she spoke up once more. "um, i didn't think i was that easy a person to read. i mean, maybe i didn't grow up with too many of them -- err, us? -- around? so like maybe i don't have the skill for it... or something."

"i mean, singapore's a conservative place. incredibly sterile... oh, that's where i'm from, by the way -- so like it's not really something i, nor anyone, would really initiate on. especially not in public. um..."

night thought back on what she knew about an for a bit. granted, it wasn't a whole lot -- she was tall, pretty, and what taste in her fashion sense seemingly clean, prim and proper was likely supported by her height. she seemed to be cooped in her shop a lot. there might've been a sign to advertise helping players to work on quests together. and she was, for a lack of a better word, the same brand of anxious that night normally... or maybe used to, put off.

the player then tilted her head, and paused to consider how best to spring the question.

"... i mean, i'm assuming you know, then, who else might fit into 'our group'," she tried, "so, um... how do you tell? is... there something about them exactly...?"

then night considered her line of thinking again. "well, you don't have to name names, either, but... how many are you aware of exactly? -- asking for a friend."

(the friend was night. and, if she was being completely honest, it would've been nice to have a list of names to be wary for... just in case anyone ever hunted her down for her crimes against leading a girl on and then ghosting her thereafter. the usual.)

Just now, Shiina said:

9/14/24

EMERGENCY RE-EVAL (ILLEGAL ITEM TYPE) *cough because I am stupid*

Anthem of Finality - Destruction [Tierless/Perfect/Support/Instant] Catalyst | 230319, 230321, 230339, 230340, 230341, 230342, 230343, 230758, 230778, 230779, 230780, 230781, 230782, 230783, 230784, 230785, 

will all become:

Fortuna's Melody - Fate [Tierless/Perfect/Support/Mass] Monsters Favor 3 | 230319, 230321, 230339, 230340, 230341, 230342, 230343, 230758, 230778, 230779, 230780, 230781, 230782, 230783, 230784, 230785, 

approved because i also was the one who caught it lol

once night was done with the table, her eyes settled upon yuki's cooking. and she listened, still in disbelief at the opportunity of being fed untasted meat. she didn't think what her friend had taken on was exactly a bird per-se however. if night were asked for her opinion, she might've said 'dragon or serpent' more.

none of that mattered though.

"It put up a good fight but I, of course, am unbreakable."

"naturally," night simply replied, nodding with vigor.

given the untested state of the meat, the preparation process was likely up to the chef's preference. yuki slid night a whole meal after some time, to which, while exaggerated, the player could only clasp her hands together for in honorable thanks.

(but she wasn't planning on eating it right away?)

in fact, even as night made sure to keep watch on the state of her food, she only decided to pick up the chopsticks once yuki had set aside her own share. then, and only then, did she decide she had the right to dig in.

"Who said the good-old times would fade away? Even if we're not taking on perilous enemies several times a day... Just hanging out with you makes me feel so at ease."

between the meat tasting so delicate, tasty and out-of-this-world and yuki's own comment about being together with night again, she wasn't exactly sure which would've been the one to make her cry.

but tear up she did, even as she was chewing on steak. in a bid part nostalgia, part companionship, and part relief out of the worry that a missing yuki had put her through, all night could do was sit, mouth full, humming a sound of pitiful agreement in a possible misinterpretation of 'night having the time of her life'.

it was only after she'd swallowed that night could brush away the full tears at the corner of her eyes. "yeah, i missed you too, yuki... the food's great too -- y'know, don't worry about that -- but the chef is more important than the meal, and it's been a while since we were able to hang out like this peacefully in a long while..."

the clear of her throat, and a sip of the miso soup later, night had choked. "sorry... i'm really okay -- i promise. you should eat up too! i can't be the only one enjoying the fruits of your labour here, yuki..."

past the email -- a letter, archived, like a memory enshrined, the haunting of a ghost. hirru had the book on his mind, and so too did night.

"I.. don't think it's the book really."

the objection came as a surprise to night. it wasn't the idea that the book itself wasn't important, but rather...

"I mean, how the heck would this book know anything about me? It's a generated item of this world; this game. What does it know that I don't?"

she blinked twice. awake as she was in the middle of the night, the thought of her own past dogging her steps, it took a lot in her to align the flood of memories into a concrete, half-hearted, almost joking answer, especially after the pause she might've needed to come up with it in the first place.

"you'd be surprised."

but hirru had a different perspective.

"No, it's what the book his leading towards..."

if it was the quest again, then in the same line of thinking, so too did night figure someone else would've recorded it down if it had been experienced before. she narrowed her eyes in thought, disconnected from hirru's movements.

then...

"NIGHT."

she turned to face him, and then naturally, her body shifted to follow his line of sight. again, there, the flowers they were examining earlier hung over them, having been isolated from their discussion entirely.

"In my story. You remember how the story has no beginning? Yet, I started the story where everyone else starts in this world: on the first floor; fighting boars. If that was not the start, then where is it?"

no corpses. a silhouette, maybe, if they were pushing its shapes in the dark. night listened to hirru carefully, picking out his words -- noticing, then, his breathing erratic.

"Where in my story did I ever mention a woman with long red hair?  Cause I will tell you now.  I never did.  Though that image of her was what made me react.. Why?"

red hair? she couldn't see it, couldn't project it in her mind as to what the image would look like as she traced back his gaze towards the hanging flowers. if she blurred her vision just enough, thought about it hard enough...

"... i wouldn't know," night said, busying her mind, but remained honest still with her words. "that sounds... really personal, but also border lining on an intrusive thought. no one else i've met had long red hair before... maybe someone you once knew did?"

she sat in silence for a good bit, tilting and playing with the fuzzy colours in her eyes. then, the memory struck her. something shared, that was akin to hanging, and red.

night said aloud, still, "the closest thing to that i would've remembered would be the game masters coming down from on high on the first day. ... but i assume the start of your story took place before that evening..."

she turned to face him, trying to discern his expression there after.

"— right?"

10 hours ago, Bahr said:

Woodsman's Cape | T4 Perfect Cloth Armor | #226033a | HB, VAMP(D), MIT
Desc: A lightweight, hooded green cape made from a blend of wool and cotton.

+

Dracula's Cape | T4 Perfect Cloth Armor | #226791 | VAMP(D), LD, EVA
Desc: A long, pitch black cape. It's great for hiding from sunlight and from people you don't like.

=

Fencer's Regalia - Trepidation | T4 Demonic Cloth Armor | #231416 | VAMP(D) II, HB, MIT
Desc: A thick and unassuming bit of attire that seems rather plain on first inspection. Beneath the exterior is a gilded filigree and trim that flares in a deep shade of green on every successive blow against the wearer, as if something trapped inside will see them to safety. The coat of arms to those who use precision over power, and finds those who hold others safety above all else.

omg addition yay

approved. trade offer

approved.

another roar of the crowd erupted as the rhino stumbled and dropped. another wince from night, then, as she felt her breath quicken. in the same direction they came, she started to walk out, past the entrance gate but staying put in the shade of the corridor leading out. there, in the dark, away from eyes, she thought she could finally find peace.

she watched the others take in the spectacle of the limelight, her back against the wall. and when they were ready to shuffle out, night intercepted them. "so... are we waiting it out? or are we headed back down?" though the crumbs of piasuhorn had long left them behind, night still thought she caught them in the air, captured in memory. "if it isn't necessary to stay here longer, i'd rather leave. not that fighting that thing was any more painful than it should be, but i figure--"

from her inventory, she drew out the horn collected upon the rhino's defeat.

"-- there are better other places to be."

1/5 -> next field boss.

NIGHT | HP: 1100/1100 | EN: 95/148  | DMG: 28 | F-SPIRIT | ACC: 6 | EVA: 6 | LD: 5 | BH+HB: 109 | FLN/HLY: 16 | TXV: 32 | Stealth Rating: 6 | [CHARGE: 3/3] [CONCENTRATION: 3/5]

r10 artisan | x14 daily crafting attempts | cd tool 

firefly witch light. | [#222468-1] | TIER 1 TRINKET | LD III
[desc.]: a small, light green trinket that works similar to a lantern or flashlight. it makes collectable items glow more conspicuously for ease of collection.

thread summary.

night.

+ 7066xp | 673 * 0.7 * 15

koga.

+ 4240xp | 673 * 0.7 * 9

it was only after the music started to play that she realized, maybe, acanthus was alluding to another situation entirely. not that it was her companion's fault for her drifting in and out of the situation at hand. and the melody was lovely, so night decided to lower herself to a squat by the sidelines, almost resting, watching the star of the show work her magic.

then the bear started to shift, disinterest showing. and--

“Now you really have to promise to keep a secret.”

night could only stare back, blank. she didn't even have time to answer -- she didn't actually expect a live performance, after all.

drastic times called for drastic measures. yet the lyrics sung... were odd, foreign enough for the player to shudder and bury the expression on her face behind a hand. she wondered, if it was because of the rain, or the fact that they'd been close to a pond recently that the choice had been to sing about a... fish.

she shared a glance with nyanko in the interim. was lost in confusion about the potential spider-like transformation of the target (the bear?) of the song. narrowed her eyes, trying to understand why, why these words were being said at all.

it seemed like the bear understood, while she couldn't...

And if you were happy, were happy too,
Then that is enough that I wouldn’t feel blue,
So if you were happy, were happy too,
Then I would be happy for you.

then, of course, when cardinal was capable of masking her facade, it finally hit her: primal, vulnerable, innocent.

there was no way she could've understood the song's true purpose. watching the bear, too, night wasn't sure if it was certain what it was getting into, approaching acanthus during her live stage. but, even if the song started out with some peculiarity, as it grew into its true message, what mattered more was the intention behind it, evoking emotions from its audience.

for the ursine, it must've been comfort, between all the scars it showed acanthus by rolling over.

for night...

as the audio of the crystal faded away, she watched acanthus barrel in the mud with the teddy, almost joyful. the great contrast. night's mouth was still pursed behind a hand. when the new partners finally addressed their seniors, night simply nodded back, quiet.

nyanko, ever more reliable, responded with a quip of his own.

“The rain seems to be getting worse,”  acanthus had said. the thought of changing out of her waterlogged clothes wasn't even at the forefront of night's mind. “Let’s go find some shelter.”

"mm. we can do that."

night got up. nyanko, in his responsible littleness, rushed up to the freshly tamed familiar to get acquainted.

”And…”

as they started walking out of the glade, night found herself sifting through a lock of her drenched hair.

“Thank you. For not laughing.”

she turned to acanthus with a smile.

"it's good that it's raining," she found herself replying, pulling open her own map. with a hand unsteady, she swiped at the screen, allowing it to hover between the players, gesturing at it as she spoke. "well, considering shelter first, we're closer to the cafe now, so let's head there next. -- i hope you're in no rush to get back to the gypsy yet."

the interaction between their familiars was framed coincidentally as night waved her interface shut.

"it might be a good idea to get it patched up before we showed up for the quest's completion. i can't imagine they wouldn't have a first aid kit there, after all. shall we get going?"

* * *

it was a two-storied japanese-styled building with a makeshift awning they'd stepped under to escape the downpour. the weather didn't seem like it was letting up any time soon. and, while it didn't seem as though there was much light filtered through the shoji door entrance, night still opened the door, with full faith the owner was present within.

basuke wouldn't have lied to her about this place still in operation, after all.

one quick chat with the owner ("excuse me, but we might like a room.") and they were ushered in quick, careful not to step towards the tatami interior from the entrance's divide. there, on the second floor, was enough space for all four of the party to reconvene in peace. the kit she'd asked for in addition had to be searched for, but that would give them enough time to dry off before tending to the bear's wounds. at least, that's what night figured.

looking over her inventory in a corner, her back turned for a moment to the other player, she glanced over her shoulder, realizing something important. "have you thought of a name for your familiar yet?"

approved.

"Y-yeah. I guess...? I mean, sorry if I'm wrong!"

no, no. she wasn't wrong.

and that's exactly why it'd stayed in her mind for so long, if night had to hazard a guess at her memory only recalling one thing out of a time when she couldn't of anything else.

"Actually, if I'm wrong, please just take it as a compliment that, say, you sometimes kind of get this vibe from people, you know? Uh."

"uh."

"'You', meaning me, thinking, hey, you, NIGHT, kind of look like you fit into my group. Out of pure. Impression, or something."

there was a moment of quiet between them, night aghast behind the facade of surprise from an's outburst, too -- and she should've expected that, really. they'd known each other long enough to have anticipated a flustered response from either one of them at this point. but it was on an equal nerve that night wasn't sure how to steer the conversation from there.

she tried to squeak her way out. "wh... what group?"

and an, in her shyness, tried too. "S-s-s-so... is your partner a girlfriend or a boyfriend?"

so back to her initial shock.

night slumped, a hand over her mouth, the woman attempting to salvage what little of her known reputation for being cool/quiet/put together with the one other acquaintance player she already knew she did not carry that reputation with. a poor bid, and yet one she took out of habit. correcting her response with a painful blink was all she needed to swallow her pride and breathe.

right. now she remembered. it had escaped her -- precisely because she hadn't decided to maintain this facade when she did choose to spill.

"um..."

when she did recover -- because night did eventually recover, even if she had to let the silence fester and, in the interim, likely worry an about her own reaction -- she angled her sights towards an, voice low. "how about 'it's complicated', and we leave it at that...?"

catching herself missing the point yet again, just as they passed the gates out of town, night quickly added behind a cupped mouth, "but yes -- it's a girl." her hand twisted into a lone index shielding her words. "i mean, i keep it a secret, really, but..."

night's body language relaxed then, gaze back towards the road before them. "you know, since most people are from different parts of the world here... i've been told i don't need to hide it." the player winced thereafter. "but old habits die hard. i'm not sure if you -- um, your friends? -- can relate." 

the group? no, night still wasn't catching on.

"--sorry, i didn't mean to derail the conversation there. but, uh, what kind of group do you associate with...? or..."

honestly, they wouldn't find anything in this section. night, deadpanned, looked to their new guide quiet, before giving the empty books a pitiful look. as the duo were lead elsewhere, night choosing not to let her gaze wander, she listened intently to the lecture afforded to them. most that he spoke of, she knew. what little she didn't...

"Who's Mistrek?"

"i don't know."

neither did star, apparently.

she'd whispered back, still watching the librarian monologue.

"And what's a Lapis Society?"

her brows furrowed again, unsure if she should've taken offense to their teacher, "i don't know."

"...The Universal Truth," he'd said, "the 'big one.'" And in a grand gesture did he raise his hands, almost as though to point out how little they still knew about what they had to do next.

"Why the territories exist at all!" 

night pursed her lips, the tips of her fingers as her hands were held together brushing up against her mouth. and as she sent away the tension in her body, she responded to star under her breath, "you know, maybe a book could've helped us with that one..."

it didn't matter what they'd remarked, apparently, for it seemed as though their guide was one to continue his speech so long as they followed him around -- which, they did, even if one of them had objected to doing so partway through. it was only upon the mention of a donation and a journal did night's interest peak... but only briefly, because the chatter about what wasn't as important made what was fall away instead.

in the end, neither of them were given the--

"here," their guide finally said, pulling out a specific leather journal from the shelves that seemed indistinct from the others that populated it. bound by string and dyed a shade of teal, night passed it down to star after receiving it, half hoping he would be able to decipher better the mess of a description in both their heads. "a copy of the original. not that i'm sure if the front of it would be of any use to you! but if you open the book to the last page, upon it, the last entry, it is as i'd said."

what. er. what did he say.

night struggled to smile back to the man she didn't get a name from as she glanced to star's investigation (or lack thereof). and, just like before, how it mattered not what she did, so too did the librarian usher them out with a wave of his hand and a grin. "now go! the most prominent figures would have the key -- or clue -- that i'm sure we'll be looking for. they may have no idea what you're talking about. but on the other hand, they may. i'm willing to take that risk if it means uncovering the truth."

it was only upon their backs being turned that night directed her last jab to star. "he means we're the ones taking that risk on his behalf, truly..."

still absentminded, and still so loud.

it definitely wasn't helping either herself or the party that they were in a colosseum, filled with a rowdy crowd that wouldn't shut up about cheering them on as fighters. and neither was it accommodating to hone in on her allies' words, trying to glean what little they had to say on co-operation when most liked to dedicate it to banter.

night breathed, dishonest, squaring her shoulders once the trio had gotten their attempts in, and dove round the rhino with a sweeping crescent, sliding against dust as she skid it by. she watched the enemy bound around, trying to get a good view on the target with the most enmity at the moment, so she stayed clear of the cursors in green with sideway glances, trying to control the energies within her.

emptying her mind, and filling it with noise was the worst thing she felt like she could do, and yet it was better than doing nothing at all.

acanthus recounted on her memories -- and at her last comment, night opened her mouth... finding a dry "likewise" stuck partway through. before night could follow up on it, however, the alert from acanthus' map helped hide her momentary pause, and she chose to brush that question aside. she promised to focus, and her companion was doing her best, too.

so they went silent, night behind the scout as the latter split the view. a black bear, adorable yet strangely inanimate sat alone, staring into blank space. while the would-be tamer was preparing herself to seal the deal, so too did the player hush the kitten squeaking and clawing at her ankle -- she hoped the rain, getting stronger, was enough to distract the bear or hide nyanko's noise.

now, a better version of night would've chosen not to have slain a bear before meeting her familiar in the past, so the worse personnel stood quiet, arms folded, trying not to wonder if the scars left on the creature was the outcome of her having slaughtered its potential parent ages ago.

but certainly not, right? it was... how many years ago at this point? time didn't flow an odd way for monsters... did it?

"NIGHT, promise me you won't tell a soul about this."

"oh," she replied, bearing with her clothes now starting soak and burying a burning desire to know an objective truth. "acanathus, i promise i won't."

shock to the china, indeed. night jumped, even as she seemed relaxed -- the wake up call she didn't need from being calm and collected, but she bore it all the same. rather, finding kinship with the cutlery around, she picked it up before they were shaken even more and started to set the table for their meal nearby.

but while night had her eyes on the counter, suddenly yuki spawned a gigantic, thick slab of meat that seemed even bigger than the width of her own weapon -- "BEHOLD. A rare, unobtained ever before rare cooking material!!" did yuki declare. and thus came night's second scare, not from her cook's voice, but the sheer idea that her friend had discovered something new after all she had experienced in aincrad.

"no. way."

she picked at it from her periphery just to bring up its specs. and, sure enough, neither was she familiar with the name nor its renown so far. so the third surprise dawned on the player thereafter.

"yuki," night mouthed, her awe-filled expression absent of doubt, "i owe you my life. you have to cook this now -- who cares about it being exclusive or rare, we have to try it to make a discovery. for science!"