NIGHT

As Ren wordlessly picked up the parcel from Zackariah, Yukiro replied, "Sorry for bothering you so late. We'll let you sleep now." Grabbing her arm, he proceeded to drag her out the shop, as Ren checked the package once over for details.

It was too generic.

When the two were a safe distance away from the shop, Ren was released from Yukiro's grip. "S-sorry if I was too rough," he mentioned, "It wasn't my intention."

Ren watched him cautiously, seemingly a little more stoic than before. "No, it's fine," she replied, watching the lights go off in Zackariah's shop. "He needed the break, anyway."

"Um," Yukiro paused, "About what I said in there... It was wrong, nothing was your fault."

... Huh?

"It's just... I... er..."

He's stammering now. Did... did I do something wrong, or not?

... Why's he so difficult to figure out?

"Um... Well.. It's just, I feel..."

Ren tilted her head, genuinely lost, and at this point annoyed, from the conversation, before Yukiro began laughing it off. He waved away his original remarks, "Haha, anyways, do you have anywhere to stay the night?"

Ren tensed from the thought alone. ... I don't want to go back there.

"If not, you can sleep in my shop," he offered, and to Ren he appeared a little sheepish. "I won't be there, but it's got a little cot."

She scratched her head, distracted. "I wouldn't mind. But to tell you the truth, I'm only awake now so I can avoid the crowd..." Ren continued, thinking deeply as she looked up at the sky, avoiding eye contact. "Besides, isn't it your cot? Why... don't you sleep in there instead?"

@Yukiro

"Normally you ask someone out to dinner first before you gather their personal information. Like what you see there darlin'?" Lonzo gave a hearty chuckle.

Meanwhile, NIGHT was hit with a realization about the stranger she'd encountered.

... Eh? What? Did... did I accidentally stumble across a creep?

... Figures...

"The name's Lonzo by the way."

"I can see that," she shot back, watching him suspiciously. "I'm here looking for a certain quest. Could you point me in the direction of Griswald? He's an armor smith in town." The name seemed familiar, but she did also just get here... Perhaps she passed by him in town?

"I'd ask you to join me but you look like you've hardly had a bite to eat little lady. "

"... Join you?" A quest? She'd been waiting to see one for a few days. NIGHT could hardly believe it. Recomposing herself, she offered a hand outstretched to be shaken. "Night," she responded curtly. "If you're looking to go on a quest, I'd be happy to join you."

"As for that smoke," she scrunched up her face, thinking about it. "No, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for one for 'ya."

@Lonzo

Quote

ID: 127634 | CD: 11 | Success!

"Th-that was entirely your fault--!! I-I mean, it was kind of mine, but--" Ren pondered on it for a moment, as Yukiro talked to the alchemist. H-her fault? ... So she did something wrong? What was it?

... Maybe the conversation was a bad idea after all...

The tinkering of glass brought her attention from moping to Yukiro, grabbing a few alchemical tools. Oh, right, my quest. A quick grinding of the flowers they'd brought, a few shakes, and the potion was complete.

"Roughly like that," Yukiro gestured over to his example.

"... I think I can replicate that..?"

With understanding and some fluency, Ren proceeded to pummel the herbs, venting out her doubts with the motions. She poured the sad-looking pulp into another vial, stirring it airlocked and watching the medication's results with a distant look. When she was done, she took a second to look into the vial, hesitant.

... Do I have to transfer it to a bottle..?

Despite her doubts, she shrugged, and poured it into the provided container without fanfare. As she did, Zackariah approached the two, picking up the filled potion bottles and examining them closely.

"... Yup, they look to be about right. That's it from me, really..." He placed them down back on the countertop. "Oh, but before you two go anywhere," the old man paused, looking around. He moved to the opposite side of the store and picked up a brown paper package. "Take this; it needs to be delivered to Lyle Tealeaf, and while I may not care when," he scratched his head, "Please try not to wake anyone up unnecessarily, okay?"

Whoops.

@Yukiro

Item Name: Reinforced Crystal-streaked Ear Cuffs
Profession: Artisan
Rank: 3
Roll ID: 127627
Roll Result: 11 
Item Type: Jewelry
Tier: 1
Quality: Rare
Enhancements: Recovery, Recovery 
Description: A long, smooth and wrapping silver ear cuff, with a thick blue crystalline streak running across it. Much more durable than its counter part.
Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18303-f01-r4-artisan-the-evening-star-closed/?do=findComment&comment=584763

backroom.

"Sorry! Coming through," NIGHT called out as she rushed through the crowd of players ahead, swarming the tent's entrance. If there was a boss fight, she wanted in --- albeit, she was still a bit worried about falling to it. But, with this many players, she guessed she'd have a good chance of survival.

From her previous investigations, she'd spotted a notice for a few vouchers, a total worth of 1,700col. Was that enough for her? ... She'd hope so. But how difficult could an event boss be?

Grabbing a handful, she rushed up to the concession stall to redeem their worth, along with a fistful of col. She picked up several choice items after mulling over their descriptions, and was carefully attempting to avoid eye contact with the stall keeper while she did it. After grabbing the items she wanted, she sprinted through the crowd, taking off as quickly as she came.

[Obtained]

"O-Oi..."

"Gah!" Ren turned around to check, but it appeared it was her patient who woke up. Relieved, she sighed, relaxing her shoulders. "Oh, it's you. Thank goodness..."

"... Please don't scare me like that again." Ren curtly stated, slightly distraught. "Are you alright, though? No dizzy spells, nothing?" She placed the back of her hand against Yukiro's forehead again, just to make sure; and thankfully, it seemed that his temperature had gone down. "Phew," she breathed.

Ren took some time to slowly processing their current situation. Checking in with Zackariah, he'd confirmed that Yukiro appeared to be all fine, and further relief washed over Ren completely. Approaching her friend once more, she looked up to him with a sharp look. "If you ever feel giddy like that again, please let me know as soon as possible. I can't let you pass out like that in the middle of a field, so to say."

"If you two are feeling dandy enough," Zackariah bellowed, half-awake, "Then you two can try making me some potions." The man stretched, attempting to regain his focus, as Ren turned to Yukiro in realization. "Oh, uh, right. I brought you over here because -" she gestured to Zackariah "- is the only alchemist I know. But uh... D-do you know how to make potions...?"

@Yukiro

# thank you for attending our funeral for yukiro, who suspiciously passed away after eating an omelette

"I... You... Uh..."

"--maybe you should see someone anyway," Ren finished, withdrawing her hand. W-wait, did Yukiro always look this bad?! Had his condition worsened?!

"S-sorry..."

His body went limp.

... He's. Not Dead. Is he?!

Ren was sweating bullets. Was he in critical danger?! She checked his health bar -- no, still green. Would being sick even cause his health to deplete?! She'd never seen anyone fall sick before, much less pass out from it --

-- T-the Manticore?!

"..."

In a panic, she waved over to a waiter. "Um... can I take these to go?"

- - -

... This was bad.

She'd kept the food securely contained in her inventory, sure, but if Yukiro was dying, she had to save him. It'd only been the first day of adventure; things couldn't have gone south so quickly, could they?!

Was this the universe's way of telling me people would die if I went on adventures?!?!?!

Huffing, she had carried Yukiro's body all the way to Zackariah's stall. The chill of the night didn't help her constitution, but if her friend's life was in danger, she'd do all she could to save him.

"Excuse me! Zackariah?!" This was not the time to play social niceties. The old man was rudely awoken, scratching his head. "Who is it?! What'd'ya want?"

"I've got an unconscious body here and I need some help stat!"

Zackariah looked right at her, with wide open eyes, now awake. "Eh?"

- - -

It had been a few moments, but Zackariah was ready to get to work. "Look," he started, "this isn't exactly up to protocol..."

Ren looked at him in shock.

"...Okay, yes it is." She recovered. "But I'm going to need you to make us a health potion out of those flowers you brought me."

"Make some potions! Got it!" Ren hollered back, looking around the stall in a frenzy.

... Truth to be told, Ren didn't know how to make potions just yet, so whilst Zackariah was tending to Yukiro's condition... Ren was looking for an instructional manual.

@Yukiro

Through the mist, she eyed a figure, standing on a bridge.

What... what're they doing there...?

NIGHT had recently arrived to Floor 3, after scouting the second floor with no luck for ideal quests. The town was less crowded than she had originally thought them to be, but here, in Delilah, it was hard to see the population through this fog. Was that a player, then?

Stepping closer, she watched the space above their head, and a name appeared.

<<Lonzo>>

She tilted her head. Not like she's seen him before. Approaching them closer, she attempted to stay quiet, but the squeaking wood as she stepped onto the bridge gave her away. Well, might've. So long as he had his back turned, NIGHT was determined to examine them. With a few swipes, she brought up his information and studied his equipment carefully.

Level 5... maybe this was a Level 5-suited floor. Wait, why did Floor 2 appear to be so much more dangerous then..?

"N-no, I'm okay! Sorry, I don't mean to worry you."

Ren's blank stare appeared like it could bore a hole through Yukiro's soul. She carefully watched his movements -- the jitter, the worry, but most importantly, his red face.

Being sick... isn't a joke.

"H-here," he offered, holding up the omelette on his fork.

... But one bite couldn't hurt. The meal looks good, after all.

"Haa--" Ren chomped on the offering, chewing it slowly. The onions and peppers weren't to her favour, sure, but the egg was fluffy and soft. If Yukiro was actually sick... she was split on whether or not his meal was worth the risk.

Best find out now.

Shockingly solemnly, she replied, having downed the food, "Look, if you're having a fever, it's best not to push yourself. Maybe you didn't earlier, but you seem to be heating up, so--"

Ren leaned over the table to feel Yukiro's forehead -- it was warm, sure, but it wasn't searing. Maybe he was alright after all...?

@Yukiro

"Y-yes, I do, um, like sweets... --D-do you want to t-try some of my omelette?"

"Eh? Oh, sure, I'll give it a shot!" Ren brought the piece of pancake over to his plate, setting it aside in a corner. Taking a moment to think, she concluded thus, "You should probably use my fork, I.. don't think it'd be nice to mix up the flavours of the pancake and omelette together."

Placing her fork at the edge of Yukiro's plate and bringing hers closer to receive his portion, she noticed that her friend's face was warming up.

...? He's not getting sick, is he?

--Wait, what if he already was sick? That-- that explains everything!!

"Uh," Ren started, anxious. "D-do you have a cold or something that you forgot about? Dizzy, light-headedness? I mean, I'm not a doctor, but I'm sure we can get something for it after this!"

Can people even get sick in this game? I haven't seen any pharmacies, should I just go to an alchemist?

@Yukiro

"Pffft-- You okay over there?" Ren called out, as Yukiro fell to the floor and scurried away from her. W-wait, I didn't scare him off, did I? I hope I didn't do anything wrong...

N-no, I'm sure he means well... Y-yeah! Right?

Nervous, she pushed the thought aside as she cut open her pancakes, warm and soft. Pouring syrup over them, she took a bite; a piece of the pancake with cream, fruits and sugar together, and concluded that her meal was sublime.

"Yukiro, do you like sweet food?" Ren asked, gingerly hoping he would take some (if only to prove she hadn't done something wrong, she hoped). Slicing out another cut and eating it, she added, slightly muffled, "It's really good -- if you're up for it, you should give it a shot!"

In preparation, she cut out another wholesome bite, making sure that both strawberry and blue were had together for her friend.

@Yukiro

"... Night..."

-- BONK

"Oof!"

"People die in car crashes. Should they not enjoy driving?" Yukiro stated, looking at Ren in her eyes as she rubbed her head gently.

Ouch...

... Wait, people enjoy driving?

"If my friend dies, and I enjoy fighting, am I a bad person?" That gave her pause. It was a serious comment, coming from her friend, and she hadn't thought about it that way. "No," she breathed, as her vision turned to the floor, realizing that fact. "... No, definitely not."

Maybe... Maybe I should take it easier on myself...

Yukiro sighed, relaxing a little. "If you won't do it for you," he said, for reassurance, "Do it for me. Okay?"

Hearing that, Ren found herself smiling a little, raising her head. "Yeah," she replied, calmer this time. "I think I can do that. Thanks, Yukiro. I appreciate it."

As she mentioned it, the waiter came back again, placing down the plates of food on their table. "Ooh!" A small stack of fluffy pancakes, littered with berries and cream, waited before her, and she couldn't wait to dig in.

@Yukiro

Eh? ...Is this out of character? Ren had a look of confusion and embarrassment as Yukiro came to sit next to her.

"I'm sorry. You must be hurting. I'll listen, if you want me to."

C-closer than I had expected... "Y-yeah... Thank you, I really appreciate it." Ren fidgeted a little with her hands, removing them from the cup she had relied on.

"Um... Okay, so... we know there's the dangers of fighting outside the Town," she began, glancing back at Yukiro every so often to make eye contact. "I think, easily, hands down, that's terrifying to look your own mortality in the face every day."

"But," she paused, gathering her thoughts, "I... I don't think it occurs that often? F-for me at least; um..."

"How should I put this -- adventuring... is exciting? M-maybe a little bit? And..." Ren held her breath, feeling brave. "I-- I feel like I shouldn't take it that way?"

--Shoot this sounds like such an awkward thing to say at this point--

"S-so, when I do, it's... difficult to handle, for me... I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the same, but remembering how everyone has had their experience of losing someone in here... I..." She felt the need to look away for a quick moment, losing her confidence to say it to Yukiro directly. "I don't feel like I'm allowed to... enjoy it... so to say..."

@Yukiro

"-- Oh..."

After all that's been said, Ren figured the air would be heavy. "... I'm... really sorry to hear that..."

... What should I do in a situation like this... change the topic...?

A moment to think, and Ren was off speaking again. "Um..." she scratched her cheek, looking idly by at the empty streets. "I-It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, really... I-I know it's tough to think about it, and you've already been through a rough patch earlier. Not going to lie though; I... was kind of curious..."

Switching to rest her cheek on her hand, she continued. "But if you don't mind hearing me out, I'm... I've been trying to understand what took me so long to step out of the Town of Beginnings, really."

Ren took a sip of her coffee, which was almost half empty at this point. "I guess... that's my struggle... um... It's probably a fear of dying," she mused, staring at her cup, "Sure, but... it sort of has a tinge of guilt in there, for getting involved with the game directly."

She fumbled with the cup's handle again. "Sorry if I'm rambling," she added, attempting to give a wry smile. "We can drop it, really."

@Yukiro

NIGHT had been eyeing the circus tent from a safe distance these past few days, but she'd always seen players going in empty-handed and coming out with stuff.

This called for an investigation. Unfortunately it would cost her 500 col to even begin.

Sauntering in after having paid her fare, she lounged around the sides of the tent, watching players enter and pick up items from the table whilst she checked the event details.

... A lot of this is way over my capabilities, but... It should be a given, really...

Her judgement from the players was this: a few had exchanged col, but two items constantly being taken seemed like a steal to get, from the amount of players taking it home. NIGHT confidently strode over to the table, cautiously making eye contact with Jack as she laid her hands on a Ghost Treat and a large sword. She was half hoping Jack would say something, but he only gave her a glance -- for a moment, it seemed knowing, spiteful and smug all at the same time -- before tending to another person at the booth.

NIGHT walked out the tent with a new weapon, a consumable, and a vague sense of dread, one befitting the event.

+ [T1E3] Jack's Executioner (Two-Handed Straight Sword) [Burn | Blight | Cursed]
+ Ghost Treat

"I mean, I have to finish school too," Ren replied, anxious. "It's just that... I'll probably have to restart what I've learned from scratch at this point. These things happen to be a taboo where I'm from..." She took another sip of her coffee, setting it down on a saucer when she was done. "It's... kind of demotivating, I suppose. On top of that, we also have to claw our way through survival in here, and probably when we get back. Not to mention the general disconnect from reality, especially if we start getting acclimated to the game itself after so long..."

Ren fidgeted with her hands, lost in the silence. Finally, she spoke, after being hesitant for a while. "Sorry, it's a really dark topic, I think..." It tended to be one of the only topics players safe in the Town of Beginnings often discussed at length; a discussion she wanted -- no, needed a new perspective on. "But if I could be a little selfish, is there anything that drives you to play this game?"

-- Like adventure, or exploration? The thrill of combat?

"-- I'd just... like to review notes, is all." Ren concluded, with finality, a forlorn look on her face, and fingers fidgeting the cup's handle for another sip of coffee.

@Yukiro

"Now, back when I was your age," she started, "Or maybe when I was even younger! I used to play in the woods, and got myself into all sorts of trouble."

"And one day, I was running through the forest. I ended up tripping over what I thought was a stick, but was actually a really big snake! It hissed at me, louder than anything I'd ever heard in my life at the time, and I backed away! But he didn't even approach me. In fact, he let me come near him, though he was hissing and spitting like nothing I've heard before. And you know what? I found out what it was doing there, stuck in the middle of the open field -- he was badly bruised..."

"I did what my heart felt right. It could've swallowed me whole, but I knew I couldn't just leave it there. So I ran home and got- hehe - a small medkit I'd assembled for myself out of papers and sticks - haha - and I roped in a few of my other friends to join in too!" The lady chuckled heartily, taking a long sip from her cup.

"By the end of the day, all of us had made a new friend. Of course, we couldn't keep him, but that's what really got me interested into the monster taming business. Of course, I'm not claiming to be an expert on the subject, but I do advise anyone I meet to give it a shot. There's nothing much to lose if you start out small -- a few pieces of food or kibble, maybe..."

"... But most importantly, if you care to take away anything from this," she gestured, raising her cup over to her wolf. "Out of all of this, I've made a lot of friends."

She took another sip of her tea, leaving Ren to sit in silent contemplation for a bit.

# asdfghjkl; dont mind the double posting in quick succession; i had them written out beforehand because i wanted the old lady's dialogue to be pretty long winded tbh

Settled on an arm chair with some hot tea, Ren felt like dozing off yet again. She'd unequipped her armor and gone back to casual clothes, sparing the lady's wooden floor from being drenched by rain water. The wolf laid at her feet, fuzzy and warm, and for a brief moment, Ren wondered where the heat inside the caravan was coming from, but decided against asking it.

As the lady returned with a kettle full of tea and an empty cup, Ren felt it polite to shift herself upright again. "So," she began, pouring out her beverage on a low wooden table. "Let me first begin by telling you a story..."

--Wait, is this what she thought it was going to be?

"A-ah, it's okay--!" Ren exclaimed knowingly, leaning forward. Her words had the wolf alarmed, looking over in concern. "I really don't want to trouble you or anything!"

"Oh nonsense, it's no trouble at all! Now, where was I..?" As the lady settled into her chair, she nodded, smiling. "Ah, yes, my childhood stories..."

Ren squeezed uncomfortably into her chair, with a sour look on her face. Noooo.... I didn't think--

"-- about monster taming!" The old lady giggled, radiant. "Oh, how I loved taking care of these creatures, big and small... Ah~"

"..."

Ren settled back into her chair, a little more relaxed this time. Okay, maybe it's not as bad as I'd thought it was going to be...

"Guarding something, huh...? Out in the open fields like that?" Ren rested her chin on her palm, thinking. "It's definitely possible, probably unlikely..."

Watching the peaceful empty streets, Ren felt a little nostalgic for her time in the real world. Given, the architecture was nothing like the Town of Beginning's, but the lit up windows, street lamps and potted shrubbery in the middle of the night made her feel a little homesick for her life outside the game.

As her eyes trailed over to her friend, a thought occurred to her. "Hey, Yukiro," she started, "what do you think you'll do once you're out of the game?"

Realizing how sensitive the subject could be, she hastily added, "I-I mean, I don't know if you ever think about it, but that was what I was mulling over for the longest time when I was hesitating, wasting around the Town of Beginnings."

A clatter took her attention over to the waiter, who'd just placed down her cup of coffee. Thanking them, she brought it up to her mouth. "I-If you're uncomfortable about the topic, you're welcome to change it, really," she concluded, taking a sip of the fresh brew.

@Yukiro

"Well... perhaps I am just a little hungry... --B-but we don't have to stop! Not if you don't want to!" Ren chuckled, a hand to her mouth, watching Yukiro's active response. "It's alright, really! I didn't want to drag you away from any business you had after this," she replied, looking through the cafe's windows. "But if we're both hungry, it'd be cool if we sit down and eat, right?

"Best to keep ourselves satiated," Ren mused, thoughtfully, approaching the cafe's entrance. "Plus, we've earned it after the manticore fight, I think. That... was probably not an every day occurrence."

Ren waved over to a waiter, who appeared rather awake given the time of night. The two were ushered over to a picnic table outdoors, given menus in hand. Ren took a seat while looking over the handout, her attention pulled over to the attractive images on the brunch and dessert sections.

Handing back the menu, she ordered, "I'll have the souffle pancakes with a cup of coffee, please."

@Yukiro

Item Name: Crystal-streaked Ear Cuffs
Profession: Artisan
Rank: 3
Roll ID: 127525
Roll Result: 8
Item Type: Jewelry
Tier: 1
Quality: Uncommon
Enhancements: Recovery
Description: A single-banded silver ear cuff, with a thin crystal streak running across it. Appears to be fragile, so handle with care.
Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18303-f01-r3-artisan-the-evening-star-closed/?do=findComment&amp;comment=584594

Name: Jack's Executioner
Item Type: 2H Straight Sword
Tier: 1
Quality: Perfect
Enhancements: Burn/Blight/Cursed
Description: A black greatsword with a rusty texture. The rain guard appears to be larger and has more spikes along its side than necessary. Along its bevels at the center are streaks of orange, befitting of Halloween.
Post Link: http://www.sao-rpg.com/topic/18213-event-f1halloween-event-19-something-wicked-this-way-comes/?do=findComment&amp;comment=584711

reserve.

Not over yet? Ren's expression fell, worried. She had been so focused on the flowers, she wouldn't want to hit another road block so soon.

"I... I hope the rest of the quest would go okay," she mumbled, under her breath. "I mean, it... can't possibly be as difficult as finding a handful of flowers, could it?"

Catching a hint of distraught pass Yukiro's face, she assured him, resolute in her words."Got it. I'll do my best." Ren knew it might take time to gather the appropriate equipment, but she knew to be wary of potential dangers now. She'd seen them herself first-hand.

Having returned the leggings, she began strolling towards town, inviting Yukiro to follow along. The darkness of the fields faded away behind them, as the street lights welcomed the duo back to town. The light was a sight for sore eyes.

Ren began to head over to Zackariah's shop, eager to proceed to the next stage of their quest, but found herself eyeing the cafe they had passed by earlier. Pointing at it, she questioned her friend, "You ever get hungry after going out for adventures?"

@Yukiro

"Hmm, maybe..."

Ren beamed at him, watching him pace. "Thank you~"

"Maybe not. Who knows?"

"--Eh?! Rescinding it back now, that's mean!" Ren humoured, playfully. Her attention focused back onto the grass, searching with the highest of hopes (and, she believed, Yukiro's luck) for the last flower. Ah, she thought, focusing in on a sparkle, there it is.

Picking it up, she held it high for both of them to see. "I've retrieved it!" Ren announced, facing Yukiro with a wholehearted smile. "Thank you so much for your help!"

Ren stashed away the flower and rose from her position. "I'll just be returning your luck now," she mentioned, with a pat on Yukiro's shoulder. "Oh," she recalled, pulling open a trade window and depositing the Leggings of Shattered Torment into it. "Can't forget to give them back. Thanks for letting me loan it, too." A wry look slipped on her face all too easily. "If it weren't for them, I don't think I'd be in as fine condition as I am now."

Quote

ID: 127459 | LD: 17

5/5 Materials retrieved!

@Yukiro