Gideon

Gideon had never been especially skilled when it came to masking her emotions. Even if she had been, it was unlikely that she would have been able to keep the grin from her face as she watched data rain down around her friend. As he eyed his winnings, she drifted up behind him, straining to read over his shoulder. As he stood quite a bit taller than she did, it was not especially easy. He had only just commented on the ore when she had managed to read it for herself. "It's probably because you killed it in such a weird-ass way," she informed him. "I mean, I'm no expert, but I'm going to guess that most players don't ride their enemies to death." With a snort of laughter, the small girl stated, "Poor dude probably didn't know what hit him."

As the shield materialized in Invader's hands, Gideon tilted her head. "Huh," she managed, clearly intrigued. "Pig had a shield? Wonder where he was keeping it the whole time."

Gideon's lips pursed in evident disbelief. "Right," she stated finally. "Your sunglasses have thorns. So what happens, the boar gets too close, pokes himself on them, then runs away?" Then her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. Was that really so far out of the realm of possibilities? This was a video game, after all. Gideon had seen string bikinis with high enough mitigation values to protect a player in other games, so maybe sunglasses could kill a mob? Still unlikely, but not impossible.

Then another realization dawned. "But the only way you can deal thorns damage is if you get hit, right?" The girl spread her hands, motioning to the nearly-dead piggy. "So if Babe here decides he doesn't want to deal with you anymore, and just refuses to hit you, you can't kill him?" The absurdity of it was on par with a dental-floss-clad tank. "These systems are so weird."

Hands once more planted on her hips, Gideon called, "Well, go get him to shish kabob himself on your glasses so we can get a move on."

"Woooooow," Gideon drawled, blue gaze tracking Invader as he sailed through the air. Instinctively, she had checked his health bar for any sign of real danger. When only the tiniest sliver had been chipped away, she let that odd mixture of amusement and annoyance beat back the immediate fear. "So that's how it's done, huh?" Stabbing the pointy end of her sword into the ground, Gideon shook back her cap of black hair, giving it a fluff with both hands before planting them on her hips. "I'll be damned, I had no idea that the secret to winning Sword Art Online was getting your ass kicked. You must have read the guide or something."

Tilting her head slightly, she watched as Invader clumsily found his feet again. "You don't even have a sword," she realized suddenly. At the absurdity of it all, laughter bubbled up from deep within her. "What do you plan to do?" she managed between bouts of laughter. "Headbutt it, like it headbutt you?" The girl held up both hands, palms outstretched, in a "you do you" gesture. "I'd love to see it."

"What fresh bullshit is that?" she muttered. "It absolutely did not say ore a second ago. It said rock." As she spoke, Gideon gesticulated wildly. Suddenly realizing, she dropped her hands to her sides. "I totally wouldn't have thrown it out if it had been ore." She slanted him a look, then added, "I wouldn't have given it to you, but I wouldn't have pitched it, either. Wonder if I could get any money for it."

Or would she need a job for that sort of thing, too? Was all forward progress, all future money-making, locked behind a stupid profession quest line? Gideon brooded as she watched Invader send the item to his inventory. No, she would not allow herself to fall behind just because he got to get his profession before she did. She was totally capable of making her own money, and her own way in this virtual world.

"Alright," she announced suddenly, summoning her own inventory. She called forth her sword, and tried not to look too impressed when it appeared in her hand. "I'm going to go kill that boar real quick. Wait here."

Without another word, the mousy woman hefted the monstrous beginner blade, and jogged toward the unsuspecting pig. Unfortunately, she moved a little too slowly, and the boar saw her coming. It snorted, then trotted a few paces off.

Unsuspecting Pig: 10/10 HP | 3 DMG

Gideon: 20/20 HP | 0/2 EN | 6 DMG
#177931 BD: 3 MISS

Gideon pursed her lips. "Yeah, I may decide I don't want a job," she answered thoughtfully. "But then you'll have to buy me everything I want." Her blue eyes fired devilishly as she glanced up at him. "Not that I mind having a sugar daddy, but I didn't really want it to be you." Spreading her arms wide, Gideon stretched dramatically, satisfied with the crack that came from the middle of her back. "Besides," she finally drawled, "what would I do all day while you were at work? Stay home? Knit?" Good humor danced along every line and curve of her face, indicating even she knew that wasn't quite how a MMORPG worked. But there was some truth to her words - if her best friend was going to have a profession, she was damn well going to have one, too.

As her arms dropped back to her sides, Gideon noticed a glimmer of something silver by boot. Without missing a beat, she stooped, scooped up the item, and held it at eye level. "Huh," she mused aloud. "Wonder if this is one of the thingers you're looking for." She narrowed her gaze, focusing intently on the item. When the popup informed her she had acquired a <<rock>>, she flicked it away with an eyeroll.

When Invader pointed out where they had to go, Gideon scoffed along with him. "This is one of those quests where we just run all over the map, isn't it" She shook her head. "When do we unlock our mounts? Or get speeders, or something? This is going to be such a waste of time."

Gideon's snort was unladylike, and loud enough to fill the alleyway. "Yeah, bullshit," she shot back, jabbing a finger in the air toward her friend. "You loved those sunglasses the moment you saw them, and you'd have bought them no matter what." She grinned at him, the expression somehow both jubilant and fierce at the same time. "Don't even try to pretend otherwise."

When Invader disappeared from her line of sight, falling backward as if a rug had been pulled out from beneath him, Gideon lunged forward. The young woman made no move to draw a sword (did she even have one of those yet?), and all caution was flung to the wind as she grabbed for him. Later, she would reflect on that moment, and realize how stupid it was; if she hoped to survive, she would need a better reaction strategy than "throw myself at the danger with reckless abandon." But in that moment, all she thought of was him.

When the concrete floor rose to meet him, and she realized he was only in danger of getting his bell rung, Gideon's hands fell to her side. No, not being sucked into some black hole, or swallowed up by some unseen force. Maybe the creator's announcement had shaken her up a bit more than she realized. Not that she would ever admit as much.

Gideon relaxed even further when the gentle-giant of an NPC stared down at the pair of them. His clearly pre-recorded lines smoothed any nerves that remained frayed. 

"Blacksmith?" Gideon echoed. "Like, the kind that put shoes on horses?" The girl's face crumpled in disgust. "No way in hell. But if you're into that kind of thing, lead the way. You just have to promise to help me get my job next. Deal?"

Gideon's mind whirled as Invader dragged her through the crowd. As chaos reigned around them, her tiny frame bounced off bodies like a pinball off bumpers. Of course, she was so lost in thought that the usual annoyed comments and "watch where you're going"s were left unspoken. Instead, she simply jogged after the familiar bluenette as he tugged her along. Only after he had ushered them into a side alley, and constructed a surprisingly sturdy wall out of crates, did Gideon finally speak.

"Well damn."

Despite the choice of words, not a hint of fear or disappointment lingered in her storm-blue eyes. In fact, it was a flushed excitement that rode high on her cheeks, and a broad grin that spoke of eager amusement. The expression remained as the pair ventured deeper into the city's labyrinth of alleyways. When Invader finally slowed to a halt, dropping onto a nearby stoop, Gideon simply gazed down at him. Her chest rose and fell with the wild exertion, and the adrenaline continued to pump like gasoline through an engine, but she still wore that goofy smile.

"Unexpected?" she echoed, then shook her head, sending her short mane of dark hair flying. "If by that you mean totally awesome, then yeah." The girl reached both hands back, clasping her fingers behind her head, and turning a slow three-sixty. While the dingy alley was hardly a wonder to look at, the novelty of the full-dive technology had yet to wear off. Especially now.

"We're trapped in a video game," she stated, awe in every word. "All of us. The world is probably going absolutely batshit after that announcement. Total panic mode, just like all of those people." Releasing her hands, she motioned with one toward the direction they'd come. "I bet it's all over the internet, and every news channel." There was an oddly manic element to her voice when met Invader's gaze, and added, "And we're here, in the center of it all. It doesn't get any cooler than that."

When her companion asked her what she wanted to do, Gideon replied with a one-shouldered shrug. "Dunno. I guess what we normally do at the start of a new game - try to get some money so we can get better gear." She dragged her bottom lip between her teeth thoughtfully, then added, "Gotta assume a big city like this has job opportunities, right? Little tasks we can do for cash?"