Lonzo

Lonzo came in with a suit and tie. He managed to find a rental shop for such an occasion. It felt strange donning something like this again. It had a gold like trim to it and if one would turn in the light just right a rose like pattern could be seen on the vest and some parts of the jacket and the pants. Likely a trick of how the game was programmed. It looked nice but something impossible in the real world. He saw NIGHT and felt a little confused on her gender once more but he took a careful stride to go over to her. Mostly out of familiarity. 
He looked around the place. It reminded him of the structures he saw in Greece on one of his vacations. He looked to the water fountains and listened to the bird calls that seemed to have a sing song tune.

"Nice day for a wedding. Pity I wasn't ready to have a banquette. Maybe I'll set up something for an after party later." he only hoped he had the food for it and that no one expected any buffs from it. "Want to go find some ladies with me NIGHT?" he asked curiously. 

Maybe he could mingle better with someone with him.

Once at Snowfrost he wondered the streets and looked at the cozy cabins. He could retire in a place like this. Most people hated the cold but it was an excuse to never go out, in his mind. He sighed and watched the vapor leave his lips. He smiled at the memory of smoking and reached up and pulled down a twig from a tree and just huffed out air in memory of his lost addiction. His straightened as he walked and could almost feel his long coat over his shoulders, and a scarf around his neck. He stopped and looked at his surroundings. the warm light gave everything a yellow like glow in the winter wonderland and he looked down at his armor and his dream was over. He was no longer in his winter attire. 

"You never miss something till it's ripped right out of your hands huh?" he admitted.

He worked pretty hard for everything he wanted. All that money. Where did it get him now? No where.
'This was why the true rich stayed rich. They are in fact very cheap. Had he played that card instead of trying to indulge in playing a game. He'd never be here, and he'd be out in the real world. Catching bad people and throwing them away.

"If only life was really that simple." he closed his eyes as he walked out of the town.

He heard Tala say she was going to get married. A double wedding announcement wasn't a bad thing. Right? Why did it feel like it was. Ah because it felt like they were trying to steal Noctura and Koga's thunder. Well he couldn't expect everyone to have manners. In fact if they all liked each other this would be great news for them.

"Since it's a double wedding what colors do you girls think about having?" Lonzo asked.

This way they might find common ground and might even chit chat about amazing things. Women liked to talk about their weddings, and he hoped they wouldn't turn into bridezillas over it. To be fair he couldn't see them raging over anything. After all if they were telling each other about the engagement that would mean they would be inviting or there was no purpose to it.

"It's nice of you to tell Koga and Noctura about your betrothal I suspect it means they're invited to your wedding too right? It'll be fun, both you and Noctua not only have to shop for wedding dresses but maybe a bridesmaid dress or formal dress as well. The colors and shopping will be pretty fun right?" Lonzo asked with excitement.

He stared up at the big santa like NPC. He had seen him before actually. He thought about it.
"Some sort of secret quest details would be pretty cool actually." Lonzo stated. "A way to wake up...." It couldn't hurt to ask now could it? He knew the answer was no but hell he'd try because perhaps no one else had. "Otherwise if there's no quest details I suppose armor would be nice." he admitted. "Something energetic."

His next place was the hot springs or rather one he found nestled away from monsters. He was lucky but kept his HUD open just in case. It felt good to wash up finally, and as he washed his own hair and body he used the shampoo he had ordered. A salve like shampoo meant to help him on the quest. He was more than a little prepared. He read and listened to his friends chat about this quest so much that he came prepared at least he'd like to think so. Once out of the waters he saw his crafting had gone up slightly. It was enough for now he supposed. There wasn't much in the game that allowed him to increase his crafting, after all he wasn't trying to actually cook the egg. He trekked out of the water and got his armor and new axe ready. He was afraid to use the new weapon but he needed to. He'd have to test it against the birds attacking the eggs. He was sure of that. He then went towards the mountains. It'd be a long journey but well worth it.

+1 cd added to buffs!

"You will need an open heart to take in a creature created to kill you. It's the nature of things. You two are rivals foremost, but eventually a skill will open up. If you picked a job like alchemist it works similar to it to capture the creatures heart and mind. It will open when you are ready."

Lonzo opened up his HUD and did see locked skills and then looked back at the woman nodding. So it was possible to unlock things he thought he couldn't learn. He'd have to learn more about that. The more he was able to do the better he'd be at the game and the quicker he could wake up.

He nodded and realized this was an interesting tutorial.

"Is there anything else I need?" He asked curiously.
"Monster food. I have a bag of it for you." She got it for him. "But return it when you've gained your friend, and I'd like to see the bird you speak of."
"Sure thing." He nodded and went over to her taking the bag from her and putting it into his inventory.
"Please make sure you're ready. I've had people return to me with their failed tales and I'd like to hear a victory tonight."
"As you wish madam." he gave her an exaggerated bow. "By the way, you look stunning, and thank you." He winked feeling in his own element again.

He made his wait out of the tent and went to the gates of the town and opened up his inventory and had the hot drink in his hands.

"I won't fail. Not this time. Hang in there egg, I'm coming to get you out of there....You need a chance. Like I did." He sipped the hot drink and let the warmth fill him up. He kept walking and knew where he'd have to go. Lonzo walked to his next destination knowing what he needed. 

+4 LOOT for the Thread added

Lonzo looked down. It was true this place brought out the worst in him and he was coming to terms with that. He was turning into a monster and used a charming smile to hide it. That he was slowly using courtroom and war tactics to his advantage. His hand balled up into a fist and he closed his eyes. Could it be so easy to handle this passively. 

"I'm not you. I'm human. Not an NPC. I'm sorry but I have to live." He explained. "I have to wake up. If that means turning into something I can't stand I'll do it. I have to."
"I know, but try to remember that in the end a part of you is sorry. That's enough. Don't you see?" She asked him.
".....I don't." Lonzo admitted not following.
"You did not care for the edge in battle. So I doubt you know some monsters provide aid in crafting as well. So what was your purpose to even have a familiar?" She asked him.
"I...Heard that birds were attacking their own eggs....Killing their own young because other beasts around them would just steal them and eat them or players would cook them. I'll be honest I considered it but I'd rather rescue it."
"But you gave up once your pride waz part ov it?" she asked.

Lonzo opened his eyes and looked up at her. This woman could dance circles around him in the courtroom. So passive aggressive. He kind of liked it. He just smiled at her as he started to remember himself.

"I'd have gone looking for the egg anyway. I'd be too curious not to and my conscious would force my hand. I'm not going to let a monster group to die out because the odds were against them. I'm already in that boat all too much. In my past and now. I'm going to retrieve that egg."
"And you know how to care for dis bird?"
"Yes actually. I've read up on their eating habits and what they like to sleep on. I've set up a place already in the bar just for them." 
"Then let me aid you in what you may need to help in the trials to come."

He wasn't sure what that meant but it was clear she'd only speak in riddles with him. He stood up and waved. He didn't want to waste her time if she was going to waste his. As he approached the tent door she spoke to him.

"Travalure, you had more questions. I know this. You wish to know how I can control the monsters that plague the towns and stop you from getting home. Is dis true?"

Lonzo felt his teeth clench. He was getting a little tired of people knowing him so well without even saying hello. He looked over his shoulder with a light glare his true self showing. One ready to fight verbally should it get ugly.

"Did I offend you travalure?" she asked putting a hand over her heart.
"A little. Nice guess, but I'm willing to bet it's something only an NPC can do. So far my friends have told me or shown my their pets. They're small and from what I can tell not useful. They claim they are but lets be realistic, something big like the monsters outside would be far more useful." Lonzo stated.
"That would beyond your depth of skills I'm afraid." she admitted.
"Then I believe this conversation is over."
"You'd rather have no aid than some? Very well."
"What could something so small possibly help me with?"
"An edge to an attack, or even health at a crucial moment." She explained. "Do not be hasty to judge those you do not yet see."

His shoulders dropped hearing those words. He understood them on a personal level.

"What did you say that made them stop?" Lonzo asked.
"I'm sorry."
"I asked what did you say to make them stop."
"I'm sorry."

Lonzo was silent until it sank in and he stared at her.

"Are they not trapped here with you as well? Forced to die to give you experience? Given a code to follow habitat, eating methods, and destructive paths. Much like your own genetics. You are coded by your environment and by so many things. How are they different? To them you are the intruder and you're the one in the wrong. Including myself. So I said I'm sorry and turned away. Until they saw I would not hurt them and I fed them." She explained.
 

"Well you see!" The man brought out a large pop up book and let it float down wards so that players could look at it. There were cute cut out of the monsters and they moved somehow on their own, bouncing on top of the pages. "Her kindness gleaned their attention. Everyone would kill and kill and kill but this woman has the purest heart of all. Beaten up by monsters she would always say the same thing. Yet it's a secret. I can't tell you."

Lonzo watched as the monsters on the page seemed to harass the young woman on the page and she would turn around as if to turn the other cheek to them. Lonzo watched that impressed. So far he was unable to preform such a feet to anything in this game. 
He reached out and turned the page and watched as a roaring large unrecognizable beast seemed to stop it's charge when faced with the woman on the page. Lonzo looked up from the book to the woman still dancing and using the whip. The whip never touched a monster, and was used for show. The noise like the snap of a conductor's wand. Just an extension of her alluring nature. So she said something to get them to stop? What? Brutality.exe crash? He shook his head at the lame joke and watched her again. Eventually she went into a tent to tell fortunes while the monsters put on their own show. Players flocked to the tent with significant others or on their own. He saw a small guild even go in.

Lonzo waited his turn and once there he sat down in front of the woman.

"Heluha travalure." she said quietly and with an accent.
"Helu- Hello miss...May I ask where you gained such a magnificent crown?"
"A parting gift from a monster who would now bow. I lost my innocence to that creature, but I managed to retain my humanity."  

He continued to watch the show impressed and he looked at all the chatter about gaining a familiar. He loved the idea. Thought about it because he had read about a flying eagle with a horn on it's head that ate it's own eggs. He didn't want the eggs to be endangered. They were also a food source for even bigger monsters and he knew it. It bothered him and he wanted to see if he could procure on for himself. A part of him wanted to cook an egg up as well but he couldn't bring himself to do it in the end. He wanted to rescue the poor bird. At least one. He listened as there was a story teller who spoke about the great Gypsy Queen Rosexilla (Row-shella), and how the horn adornment on her crown was used to control the monsters now that her alluring beauty was failing. Lonzo would mentally disagree with that though he found the woman very alluring regardless of age. She looked good and this person deserved a punch to the face. Still though he listened. He eyed the black horn that protruded from her forehead it was long and sharp but he realized now it wasn't what he thought, it was a type of crown. A jet black horn. With a string of sapphires wrapped around it with thin gold chain that looped intricately with her hair. He could already hear someone tell him to pick his tongue off the floor. This woman was stunning and wore everything perfectly. 

"So how'd she get the monster to follow her before?" he asked the story teller.

He was in multi color clothes and the biggest hat Lonzo had ever seen, so big it cast a shadow of five feet in every direction because of the long brim. The NPC was clearly on stilts and was too thin to be human. Lonzo wasn't sure who he was more impressed with. The woman or this man's design.

He heard a fun rhythmic beat and something forced Lonzo to freeze in his tracks. A whole troupe of monsters. In a TOWN! He stood there wide eyed and not sure what was happening. Was this some sort of raid? What kind of event was this. A woman sauntered with a man with a mustache and she pulled out a whip with thorns and waved it over her head and which a crack the monsters danced in the sky if they had wings or made patterns on the ground. It was a sight to behold as other NPCs juggled fire as she danced with what looked like a dragon. Lonzo looked her up and down. She was tan with a golden metalic tattoo on her hip and thigh similar to a Celtic circle. He moved closer and listened to her shout orders at the monsters and they followed without hesitation creating ribbons of fire and ice. He found himself and other players in a fog. It was then he heard a tambourine and in an instant the fog was sucked into the trunk of a large elephant like monster who then raised it up and made a trumpet like noise as fireworks shot up into the air.
A woman in a tribal like white silk outfit danced, it was the same woman but without her whip. A large red ribbon in a bow for a belt adorned with small bells that chimed as she moved. Lonzo was captivated by how she moved and then it struck him. He looked up at her eyes. The sides were crow feet. This woman was likely in her 60s but looked 30s at most.
He had to blink a few times to snap himself out of the daze. How wasn't he use to such amazing performances by now?

"I'm at war with myself....I want to be that guy people rely on and I'm not fit for it. Yet I want to be flirty and bubbly because I...Squandered my youth on just getting to the top." He closed his eyes thinking about that. "I want more communication between myself and others but I lie to get it because I don't know how to fit in. I'm too afraid to show myself. Jeez what I pain." He walked around the church and started to set it all back up. He watched as the broken table seemed to mend itself over time. Eventually it all looked normal. He sighed and went up to one of the walls and touched it. 

He wasn't able to climb on it anymore. He looked it over and put his foot on the wall and then dropped it back down. He walked around curiously.

"I guess it doesn't work now. Maybe it's like a trap or something but it was meant to make it harder on me. It certainly was disorienting. At least at first." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I need to make peace with people, because if this thing comes at me again it might put me in the ground for real next time." he was worried about that.

Lonzo walked into the establishment to pick up the weapon. He smiled seeing it and brought it into his inventory to use later. He brought his money out for the man and stretched a bit.

"I knew I didn't have to wait long if I let you barrow my luck." he told him. "Merry Christmas by the way or Yule. Hey Koga....I wanted to say sorry for judging you so harshly in my mind. I said something I regret about you. Maybe it was in the moment to make someone feel better but....Enough of that....They didn't believe me anyway or knew I told them those words to raise up their spirits..Um...Good job. Really....I'll try to be a better person to you. I bet none of this makes sense." he looked off feeling both guilty and happy he managed to apologize. "Thank you...I mean it." Off Lonzo went taking his new axe with him.

He opened his eyes to see flowers. He sat up feeling a bit tired but that was it. The other thing above himself was his name. His health was also there. Flashing red. He slowly sat up and found himself in an open casket. Did Lorance move him there? His shoulders dropped a bit. He would be that cocky wouldn't he? Lonzo got up and out of the cushioned ornate casket and rubbed one of his shoulders. He wasn't strong enough but his other self was right. He had to rely on himself. Had to cut ties with people, and yet his other self also told him how badly he wanted the help too. Lonzo growled frustrated at how the other self confused him. Yet if there was one thing he gleaned from it all it was that he wanted to accept himself. Accept those flaws and keep fighting for what he wanted.

"I gave up fighting because I don't want to lose....I have work to do at home. I have a case to make. Here to give people closure. I"m sure other lawyers have done it already, but I want to help. My team is probably doing it in my stead and I'm not doing anything." It hurt inside. All the turmoil.

His whole world was spinning in darkness. He was 'dead'. He shouldn't have gotten angry at the guys. All because his ideals were different. That he did things differently. He shouldn't be angry. He should use that anger on someone else. Like the monsters. He thought about Mathew. His greatest regret. He could only hope the law would set him free. That someone would find a reason to let him go sooner rather than later. He felt honestly sorry for not coming to terms with some of these things. He felt worse now that he'd have to leave NIGHT behind. He still felt like he was falling. Did it honestly take that long to die in this game, or was this what being dead was like? He never did get that wife or husband. Never did have a kid he could raise up in a good environment. So what happens now?

Lonzo looked up at the axe that was coming down and quickly rolled out of the way. Lorance stared. THen looked at him and felt his cheek split open as he slammed backwards.

"What are you doing?!" Lorance asked sitting up. "GIVE UP THERE'S NO WAY YOU WILL BEAT ME!"
"I know...But when have I ever stopped clawing huh?! HUH?! You said it yourself I lived a bad life. That's why I put people away. I never had to fight anymore. I could just SEND THEM AWAY. Send people away who would hurt other people. Do you know how awful the system is? Just get a restraining order they said, it doesn't stop a killer now does it. It's just paper! Then they come to mean when it's too late. Someone's already dead by that point. Something should be done for people in those situations! The system is broken and I want....I NEED to fix it! I don't have a team I don't have a case. I've got nothing but I do have sheer determination. I might fail today but I won't regret it if I fight for it." Lonzo glared at Lorance.
"Well....At least on that we can see eye to eye." he stood up glaring back at Lorance and run forwards striking him again. Lorance heart skipped a beat as he thought that was it...He was dead.

Everything went black

Lorance: Lorance: Lorance 60 - 26 = 34 dmg - 6 = dead????

Lonzo: 6 + 5 = 30 - 20 =10dmg = 36 (for rp purposes)
Bleed for 2 turns

Hp: 1/240
Eng: 4/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 36/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

There was no running away. There was no door way out. Was this how the accused felt? It was awful. He glanced at his energy and saw he was pretty much screwed now. 

"What's the matter Lonzo? Ran out of evidence for the court? You never had any to begin with."You can't just use hearsay in court. You can't use everything in my head to-"
"But I can. To prove it I can. You know I'm right Lonzo. You know you put up a decent fight Lonzo. But I'll always win. You'll never get strong if you rely on others. You might want to, have a need to, but in the end how did you make all that money in L.A.? You were from the streets. Piss broke and you just had the need to want something bigger. It didn't call for anyone else to have it."

Lonzo huffed and knelt down a bit. He was right. He didn't have help or support before. Even if he craved it. He wasn't good at getting help. Hell he wasn't good for asking for help either. He looked up at Lorance as saw the blood that was all over him was gone. His suit fresh. Was that also a trick of the mind? He sighed and looked down letting his energy fill up for now. He closed his eyes.

"If you're anything like me....If you're me at all. Then please....Don't hit me...."

Lorance stood over Lonzo.

"You are the worst when it comes to yourself....Don't give me this act."
He raised the axe and brought it down against Lonzo's shoulder 
 

Lorance: Lorance 60 - 26 = 34 dmg -40 = 6
Lorance hit by thorns 46 - 9 = 33
Lonzo waits a turn
 

Hp: 6/240
Eng: 4/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 46/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

"Well it's true though. You're so afraid the person you care about will just be tired of you. You should stay behind...Study...While she goes off to war. You know she would and you didn't even ask to see if that was okay. You want to go and fight and help and protect but no one wants YOU to. You're just not good enough 'darlin'." Lorance teased him. "You know I'm right though. You want to desperately be part of something but never to feel the failure of it. You're so use to fighting and clawing your way up in life and now that you've finally peeked where do you go? I'll tell you. BACK DOWN!"

Lorance sliced Lonzo in the shoulder. Lonzo just stood there. He was right. He wanted to be a part of a team again. He was so use to being alone that when he had his team and finally trusted them he forgot how to really handle things himself. He stared at his alter self. He was right. He was so right. He watched Lorance wince again from the thorns. 

"Even if you're right, you'll have to beat me to prove it." Lonzo was starting to lose his resolve.

 

Lorance 60 - 26 = 34 dmg - 74 = 40hp
Takes 9 from thorns 55 - 9 = 46hp
Lonzo misses

Hp: 40/240
Eng: 3/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 46/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

Lonzo wasn't sure what he meant. Sure he worked every hour of his life. He barely understood play at all, and yet he was forced to be social once he reached the top. It wasn't as if there was nothing for him to do. He danced to relax and sometimes indulge in travel around the world but not too often. He was too afraid to get killed or sued for something just because he had money. He was tight with it, and he didn't trust  people.

"What was the point of all that work?" Lorance asked. "You threw it away. All of it. On a GAME. Why couldn't you just work? Don't say you were lonely you cry baby. You weren't. You had a team that eventually came to care about you. Police that relied on you to off the record scare the person in the interrogation room to give up information because you had the devil's eye. Claiming you'd find a way to get them into prison and tell them something that would make them rethink not speaking. You threw it AWAY."

Lonzo pursed his lips. 

"Where's that wife? Kids? The house you have is just for work. You failed at your own wish fulfillment and yet it's within reach. You threw it away, and now you're here. You can't trust anyone. Ever wonder why no one is around when you NEED them? They see your lies. You're shifty. In the real world no one likes lawyers either. You'll never escape that. Isn't that why you're too afraid to tell NIGHT. You know she'll just....Walk away....And you can't handle that can you? You're as bad as a puppy."

Lorance brought up his axe and struck Lonzo in the skull. Lonzo turned in a spin and hit the floor pretty hard. His head spinning around a bit. He looked up at Lorance who moved closer.

"If you honestly believe in yourself so much....Why don't you call her? Give her a message...Go ahead."
"Don't bring NIGHT into this." Lonzo hissed.

Lorance: 84 - 20mit = 64dmg ouch - 138 = 74
Thorns - doesn't go off
Bleed 55 - 12 = 43
Lonzo passes turn

Hp: 74/240
Eng: 9/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 55/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

Lonzo saw the blood on his other self's neck and it jarred him. Of all the murder scenes he had witnessed. His own was a bit too close to home. Though there was a morbid intrigue about it for him as he couldn't look away. Lorance jumped down to the pulpit and moved to the disheveled judge's seat and sat down holding his neck.  Lorance glared at him wondering how to get into his head. 

"How are you adapting so well all of the sudden?" Lorance mused.

Lonzo moved one foot off the beam he was standing on and hopped down onto the table that was in front of where the judge would sit. He turned around and saw Lorance summon his axe again.

"What are you waiting for?" Lorance hissed.
"Energy." Lonzo stated. "Unlike you I can't keep going like the energizer bunny. Don't try to trick me with your painful expression. NIGHT told me all about you. So in my mind, you're not real. Just something the system did. Pretty ballsy of you too. Using my memories like that. Giving me false hope." Lonzo knelt down in front of Lorance. "Let me tell you something though. I have to adapt because I'm a prosecutor. Even if I share all my information with my opposer, judge, and cops, I have to still be one step about them. Even if you're close to me, you're not me. You're just a part of my memories and experiences. You barely scratch the surface amigo." Lonzo stated.

Lorance glared and kicked the table over and Lonzo fell down to a pew where the witness stand was. Lonzo yelped in pain and Lorance jumped down slamming the axe against his stomach.

"Hmph, you keep to yourself too much. At this rate you'll just lie to everyone's face. You'll be alone!" Lorance shouted at him. "And about time too, it's how you grew up, and clawed your way to the top. Do you know how hard I've WORKED! I won't let YOU throw it all away on me."
"Excuse me?!" Lonzo moved to get up.

Lonzo passes turn to get energy only
Lorance attacks him for 34 - 172 = 138
Thorns goes off for 9dmg - 67 = 52 
Bleed goes off for 53 - 12 = 41

Hp: 138/240
Eng: 8/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 55/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

Blood stained the grey suit that Lorance wore. He looked down at it then looked at Lonzo. They glared at each other. Lorance opened his mouth and a rush of being in the courtroom ran through Lonzo.

"You're nothing like me you know. I would be dancing circles around you in court. You're a fake."
"You should have your licences revoked. You are careless and you meddle in things that have nothing to do with you. LIke Koga and Noctua, don't you know the harm you could have caused? Even to NIGHT. When are you going to tell her that Yukiro loves her? You're just dying to tell her, and if you don't you're just as guilty of being a terrible friend."

Lorance saw the axe blade from his double coming towards him and the blue light under himself vanished. He twisted and turned his body. Spinning downwards back to the floor. He contorted his body so that he flipped and landed on the defense table.

"Where's your evidence? I have a witness account at that party that I was in fact a gentleman. It got bad and I made sure people cheered on HER day. Don't you play semantics with me. If you don't have evidence you can't proof a thing you fraud. As for NIGHT, I'm not telling her for two reasons. Number one I present to you the PROMISE I made to Yukiro to NOT tell her."

"YUKIRO IS A SELFISH IDIOT WHO GETS BORED AND PLAYS BY HIS OWN RULES!"

"Doesn't matter what we think though does it?" Lonzo hissed. "So what if I don't like his style, he probably hates mine just as much it doesn't matter. A promise is a promise. Also NIGHT was in pain, and gains NOTHING by knowing her crush may have liked her in the past in that way. There's nothing she can do about it now, and all it would do is start senseless drama. We have more to live for than that pointless high school drama!"

"You feel that way about all your 'friends' don't you?"

"Obviously! I won't deny it. Marriage, dating, break ups. It's all a senseless emotional distraction, but it's THEIR distraction. If that's what they need to cope so be it. Who am I to judge? That's not my job remember!"

Lonzo ran up the wall the blue light under him again. Lorance turned around and ran up to the vaulted ceiling and stood on the beams. Lonzo bolted to keep up and was directly under him. They both looked at each other and Lonzo hooked his axe head onto the neck of Lorance's axe. Lorance's eyes widened as Lonzo swung himself above him. Lonzo did a flip in the air and landed on Lorance's axe neck, he (Lonzo) had his axe behind his back, as he (lonzo) turned in a dance like step on the neck of Lorance's asked the butt of the handle struck Lorance in the face. He then used his back as an aiming tool to hit him like a pool ball with the butt of the axe handle again straight on. This caused Lorance to let go of his axe and it vanished. Lonzo landed on the beam.

"Talk, talk, talk, that's all you do, but when it counts YOU run away. KEEP BLEEDING CRIMSON BLOOD!" Lonzo shouted using the skill once more.

Lorance misses Lonzo
Lonzo strikes 6 + 2crit = 8 * 6 =48 - 20 = 28 - 95 = 67hp has Bleed (12 dmg on Lorance's 2 turns)

Hp: 172/240
Eng: 7/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 67/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

"What are you doing Lonzo? Messing around and just letting others fight the front line. Are you even trying to get strong? Using excuses to take forever on quests. Who cares if your party turns their backs on you. You just go boo hoo me when they TOLD you they were leaving. It's not your fault THEY could have been killed you moron!"
"I...I know it it's just hard when-"
"YOU DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HARD IS!" Shouted Lorance looking enraged.

The prosecutor ran at him and elbowed him into the church wall.

"You don't remember what it's like to get tunnel vision and work for it. No one matters but number one! You were beaten battered and bruised and they said you couldn't do it. NEVER did THEY say you couldn't do it. You're LAZY!"

Lorance grabbed Lonzo by the hair and threw him upwards and a blue light was under Lorance. He walked onto the wall slowly and then ran up it like it was the knew floor.

"AMATURE! YOU CAN'T EVEN DEFEND YOURSELF! USELESS LAWYER!"

As he struck Lonzo and Lorance winced in pain and gripped his own axe glaring.

"I OBJECT! Stop badgering me!" Lonzo glared. "I KNOW WHAT THEY SAID BUT I'M TIRED! THIS IS A YOUNG MAN'S GAME AND I'M TIRED! I'VE WORKED MY WHOLE LIFE! I'M GOING TO PLAY TO SURVIVE! Don't you see you've been doing it all wrong?! THIS IS WHY I'M UPSET! This game has actually opened my eyes! I KNOW I FAILED! I FAILED BECAUSE I LOOKED OUT FOR ONLY ME! I WENT ABOUT IT ALL WRONG!"

"YOU'D HAVE WON THAT CASE BUT YOU FLED YOU FOOL!"
"I FLED BECAUSE IT WAS MORALLY WRONG TO BE THE PROSECUTION THAT DAY!"
"YOU'RE NOT CUT OUT FOR THE WORK!"
"BECAUSE I'M SELF CENTERED!" Lonzo shouted back and he ran at Lorance.

Both had a blue light under them and Lonzo thought he'd have vertigo by running on the side church wall be in all honesty it wasn't that bad. He adapted pretty quickly to it. Yet as he got closer the background seemed to twist and turn and it was hard to see what he was doing. His ring that Noctua made him activated. The eyeball moving erratically, and it looked right his target, the eye turned into a cat's eye. More relaxed as it saw the enemy clearly. Lonzo's own eyes became cat like in kind and the rotation stopped. 

"IF I WOULD HAVE JUST TOLD THE JUDGE AND DEFENSE ATTORNEY WHAT I FOUND I COULD HAVE IT TAKEN TO A HIGHER COURT WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION! It has nothing to do with laziness, I was scared! I've regretted it every wake hour in this basted PRISON of a game! I will get out I WILL get him out of jail if it means to go to jail myself for obstructing the law! I'll show you my resolve with your own Crimson Blood!"

Lorance: 60 - 26 = 34 dmg -  206hp = 172
Lorance takes  9dmg from thorns 9 - 111 = 102

Lonzo 4 + 3 = 7 hit 
Energy = 18 + 1 = 19 - 6 = 13
Dmg = Crimson Blood 6 * 6 = 36 - 20 = 16dmg - 102p = 86

Hp: 172/240
Eng: 13/24
Mit: 26/26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 95
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

Lonzo woke up in a field of flowers and spotted a hooded figure. Was it NIGHT? He got up. "NIGHT, hey! How's it going?" he tried to catch up but NIGHT always seemed to far for him. It wasn't like she was running or anything. She honestly looked like she was just walking around. Lonzo dodged around people and ran over NIGHT. It was a trek to catch up but he found himself in front of a decaying church. He stared at the statue in front and watched the figure go in. Now Lonzo knew at this point it wasn't NIGHT and yet he followed anyway...

Lorance was still staring at Zander and watched as he broke like glass in front of him as well as the whole area around him. He was falling and he heard the words echoing in his mind.

"You look pretty strong. I'm looking to test my skills. If you beat me, I'll teach you a hidden skill. What do you say?""

Lonzo turned around and saw he was behind a table. The church on the inside looked like a regal yet destroyed courtroom. He felt he honestly didn't have a choice in the matter.

"You know...It's your fault that man is dying. Your fault he rots in a prison cell. You're a great prosecutor. Turning your back when you knew the truth. How many innocent people have you put away? You deserve to be in this game as punishment."
"I'll get out of here and when I do I'll make sure he gets out too!" Lonzo yelled and glared.
"Let me present the evidence to you then."

The hooded figure ran towards Lonzo and the cloak flew off of him. The man charged him and swung at him with an axe. Lonzo stared at the man in a suit. It was him. Tall and thin.

"You don't deserve happiness, you're guilty!"

Lonzo quickly opened up his menu and sat down he was already in his armor and his axe was in his hand. That's when he heard the prosecution table split behind and fall into two piece. He looked over his shoulder and moved into a kneeling position. As he turned he felt a blow to his chest that sent him back. He sat up and ran at Lorance. He tried to take a swing at himself. Just in awe at how different he looked. The man from what three years ago? Four years ago. Tall and slender, with cold eyes that demanded justice. 

"COWARD RISE UP AND FACE ME!" 

Lonzo tried to steel himself and tried for an attack and it was like the other self was a ghost and he swore he passed right through the man. He whirled on his heel staring. He felt dumbfounded. 

Lorance hits for 60 - 26 = 34 dmg - 240 = 206hp
Lorance takes Lorance takes  9dmg from thorns 9 - 120 = 111hp

Lonzo's -6 eng from  Crimson Blood SWORD ART

Hp: 206/240
Eng: 18/24
Mit: 26
Dmg 6
Acc 3

• HP: 111/120
• DMG: 60
• MIT: 20
• ACC: +3
• EVA:0
• Critical Hits: 60 + 12 on 9 rolls , DMG + (12 x 2) on a natural MD 10.
• <<Disguise>>: +1 ACC to <<The Gemini>>'s first attack.

"Oh no, this is my first remember sir?" She asked him with a smile.
"Oh yes that's right it was going to be either Erin or Aaron. Right?"
"Yes sir! I'm so happy you remembered. She's in a few months and I want you to be there for it. You are her god father after all."
"Of course Jen, I'll always....Be...." It didn't make sense.

Lorance just stared at her.

"What happened to Mathew?"
"Oh the guilty guy who beat his wife? He died via suicide in his cell why?"

That news hit Lorance pretty hard. His legs tensed. Of course he would. He was captured and had no life. Yet there was a voice nagging at him and he rubbed his eyes a bit feeling very tired again.

"Are you okay sir?" Jen asked walking closer to him and touching his shoulder worried.
"Sorry...How far along are you?"
"The baby is due in two-"
"Months." Lorance and Jen said together.
"That's right...What is it sir?"
"Months...." He looked at the stainless steel surface on the walls and just stared at it for a moment. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"Got him." Zander started to wheel him away. Lorance hit the break on the wheelchair once in the restroom and stared at a memory. He was clean shaven and looked pretty buff, like he did in the game.
"Boss?"
"Matt isn't dead." Lorance stated. "He's fine and watched like a hawk and he's innocent Zander."
"It won't matter now."
"You're right."
"I...Am?"
"Yeah.....Because this is a game. There's no way I"d look this good. There's no way Jen is still pregnant, and you're beating me up about Mathew....Which means, you're the culprit t to this illusion. "Where the hell am I...ANSWER ME!" Lonzo stood up and that's when he remembered how he got there.

Lonzo was just walking around the Town of Flora. He walked through parks that had rows of gorgeous flowers. The pedles danced in the wind and a sweet scent fill the air. It was so calming that it made him dizzy. He wasn't sure when it happened but he had laid down and his eyes rolled back...

Lorance woke up and rubbed an eye. The site before him made him freeze. The flowers were gone and he was sitting in a hospital bed. He looked to his left and saw familiar faces and soon he found himself hugged by several of his staff.

"HE'S OUT! HE MADE IT!"
"IT"S OVER!"

He just sat there stunned. The game was won?

"Lets have some dinner." A woman exclaimed.
"Yes and a party. Welcome back we've missed you."
"I...Yes lets."

He was placed into a wheelchair and they moved to take him to the basement where food was served. There he saw others who woke up from the game. Several people were crying tears of joy and Lorance's stomach was tied in knots. This was wonderful. He saw his staff baby him. One getting him food another giving him a blanket and even one giving him a hug. He asked for pen and paper and got it in seconds.

"Hey boss I figured a sandwich would be easy on your stomach."
"Thank you Zander..." He was feverishly writing on the notebook. It felt almost foreign to write on something again and yet he wrote and wrote as if he was running out of time.
"Sir? Don't you want to eat?"
"I'm suing that company. I know so many people affected by this hell....Is it true people actually died?"
"I'm afraid so...No one woke up early and several passed away."
".........." He was writing faster and faster. "Get me more documents on the laws on Japan so I can write this more clearly with their laws as this affected things on a national level."
"Yes sir!" a woman walked off to get him the information she was a bit slow though.

He looked up at her and watched her.

"Excuse me Jen....You okay?" Lorance asked her.
"Oh I'm fine just pregnant sir."
"......Again? Congratulations."

He nodded He didn't want to over do it with shows unless asked to, He watched her eat and relaxed as she stopped stuttering. He wondered what kind of jerk hurt her that badly that she delt with flirtation like that. He'd press her on it however he understood she just started to feel better and refused to cause her such pain again. He nodded and was semi grateful she didn't question on why he knew about all of that. Maybe he'd explain that later too. 

"Oh here." he grabbed a menu that had what he could make and what buffs went on what food. "It does get complicated so you have to make sure your buffs can go on what you want to eat." he explained. "It is a little complicated, that's why I wrote it down. Though I'm sure there's things that haven't been discovered. I have a small secret wish to be able to make a super rare food that hasn't been made in the game yet." he shrugged "Wishful thinking. Kind of like how I want to read all the lore books of the game. I'm less of a strong man in real life and just adapted to it here I suppose. I'm a bit booky but don't tell anyone. I'd hate to have the nerdy reputation when I'm trying to be flirty or intimidating." he chuckled.
He hoped that'd explain some of his knowledge and word choice. 

"I'd want an estate to spread things out and have rooms dedicated to whatever I could and to invite people over. I aim to impress and to be lavish. If I'm going to live here I want it to be big. That's just me though."

"Why thank you, I've got a tactic already to get the familiar like I said. Shouldn't be too hard."

"No screen shots of it....Yes I need it or I look awful in the morning. Can you imagine my hair as a big ol' nest of knots. It's awful senorita just awful." he sighed a bit hating the idea of knotted hair. "Yes, whenever you'd like just call me over for a sleep over. We'll exchange intell or stories." he said happily, thinking it'd be kind of fun.

He nodded a bit. "You my dear are worth every col. Don't worry about prices. You've helped me enough by making sure I haven't gone insane from being here. I suppose we're anchors for each other should we need it. I guess it's been awhile since I've had a friend and team mate. Because of this I'm a better man in the long run." he gave her a bow of appreciation. 

"I should probably open up soon...What do you think?" he asked her wondering if he should get back to work.