Shikari

"i figured it's just easier to keep moving than to stop," shikari mumbled to himself, as one final point in addition to everyone else's words. to the fox lady, he nodded, "i don't know how it happened, but it's best to settle it as though he was under some unique circumstances. got stuck in the loading screen for a good hour or so -- turns out, a good few years had passed in the time in between." he held no ill sentiment from taka batting his hand away. in fact, hearing the man lash out in grievance but made him smile. he remembered acting the same a long time ago, before he'd managed to

"that's... what i'd been trying to tell you." to be fair, shikari didn't really know what to expect, either, telling them about the truth that they were all stuck in a death game. so taka was taking this way harder than he'd expected. he knelt, wondering if he should place a hand on the other player's head before deciding to do so anyway, as though it was a gesture of comfort. "yeah. i know this is a lot to take in," he continued, looking up towards wulfrin and the fox-looking woman. "but i mean -- you two, we've been around the game for this long, haven't we? it's been about at leas

"as far as you're aware," shikari returned, arms folded, shooting wulfrin a grin with a similar amount of smugness. "and where i'm concerned is that this guy, right here --" he gestured to taka for emphasis, "-- had spawned in here like he wasn't using a teleport crystal. so say what you would about it. he said something about an hour-long loading screen, and we know how time dilation gets our perception of being stuck in here messed up." the man shook his head, and pulled up his menu to verify for taka. a missing logout button, right where he'd expected it, too. he remembered seeing it t

"you mean kayaba?" shikari laughed. "yeah. the team really made the experience phenomenal, i suppose. it's hard to believe so much is indistinguishable from our experience outside of here. and, hell, you haven't seen anything just yet -- you should try the food they've put in here some time! i could go for some roast pork kebabs right about now..." they took the path towards the black iron palace. the road there was scarce with players, and it was emptier so within. light that poured in from the outside was filtered through blue-tinted windows of stained glass, and each step they took upo

shikari shook his head. "no. not just hardcore--" but it seemed as though his words were to fall upon deaf ears. he ran his hand through the back of his hair, a wry expression found on his lips. with how taka had started to ramble about being excited to tackle the game, he did wonder if they would begin to draw a crowd, and he scanned their surroundings as though looking for a single particular person -- marquis. but she wasn't back yet, and he was hesitant to end their interaction here, even if taka wasn't going to take shikari at his own word. so what was the best to convince him,

"your fridge?" it took him a moment to process the home appliance -- because, of course, the real-world technology was a much more accessible piece of furniture than the ones he'd seen inside the game. had it really been so long since they'd been out of their virtual reality? in the interim, he took taka's hand and shook it. "shikari. i'm not so much a hunter myself at the moment though." the man chuckled, the corner of his smile tight for a brief moment. "i used to be, but that's a different story. ... monster-slaying is a pretty big ordeal these days." there was a brie

it didn't matter if marquis was right, and shikari's memory was indeed failing. by the way the player had talked, it really did seem as though they were new to the game -- and it didn't help that they had a really good reason behind the facade. shikari chuckled. "you too? i had some problems with my wifi when i was starting out too, sure... but nothing drastic enough for an hour." as much as he was grinning, his eyes behind his mask had told a different tale. because, suppose it had been true -- somehow, within the outside world, they really had been managed by external forces, and this y

no no no, someone definitely caught sight of this new player logging on. it was so abrupt, even, that shikari had gestured towards the stranger in the distance, mouth agape, just as he shook marquis' shoulder. shook, not tapped. the woman beside him flinched and made a noise of surprised, mixed with annoyance. a hasty, "what, what?" beckoned nothing from the man, despite marquis pulling her gaze away from her console, and she stared blankly at the space before her. the teleport plaza, as uninteresting as it ever was. "you didn't see it?" "see what? i've been keeping my eyes

Shikari | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 4 | THORNS: 18 | MIT: 6 "what even is that, anyway?" "not something you'd actually want inflicted on you as a real person." the two strode in, unaware of their carelessness. there were only a few days left before the festival ended, and they hadn't even wanted to look through the event. "it's not like we've done so before," marquis had stated nonchalantly with a shrug. bistro's message had hung in between them like a loaded gun. "why find the need to now?" "it sounds like fun," shikari returned with a nod, after a

shikari: oh! thanks!! -> 100 flower petals from night.

<<eal:bsm>> Shikari | Lv. 1 | HP: 20/20 | EN: 20/20 | DMG: 7 | THORNS: 28 | MIT: 6 | ACC: 3 | LD: 3 | PROSP: 3

shikari: also thank you! :)

shikari: no? shikari: yoink!

shikari: thanks!

shikari: omg ur shield's so neat though i wish i had smth like that now :( marquis: u could just marquis: buy another piece shikari: ure right o_o

Skill(s) Being Dropped: r1 curved sword. SP Incurred Towards Limit: 4 SP Refunded: 4 Cost: 4k col.

shikari: oh hey neat! thanks dude! shikari: gimmie a sec, i'll have my contact pick up the others.

so this was how the twenty-second looked like? shikari had been taken by the sights along the way, hands in his pockets, until he stumbled upon the blacksmith's at the address he was given. he felt as though he needed to take notes on the design of his own smithy, but all things would be done in due time. instead, he spent much of his attendance browsing the shop's wares, before deciding he needed something custom. the tabulated cost was nothing but an eye sore to him. "let's see," he started. "we're looking at outfitting someone who looks like a tank here. and maybe a bow for myself

shikari: received! <- from marquis: Standard Spiked Plating | TIER 1 HEAVY ARMOR | THORNS II. standard-issue beginner's spiked plating.

shikari grabbed her shoulder, trying to pull her away from the steps. was she in danger? she decided not to move. meanwhile, their intruder simply paid them no mind, save for one last glance to both figures cut in that darkness, before rolling her eyes and making her exit. one leap — the same way she had made her entrance. additional dust from the broken rubble spilled through the ceiling in her wake. shikari stopped. marquis examined the crime scene left. the blade was missing, now, both parts of it. it was a miracle it was kept intact in the first place after its initial split, she cons

that was not exactly what would happen, however. out of nowhere, there was a crash of something great directly in front of her. the stand was shattered into pieces from the impact of the collapse -- marquis only had time to register what was happening with a glance towards the ceiling (the exposed opening from the roof?) as she backed away from the sudden threat. "marquis!" and, even without a weapon in hand, her partner still had her back. when the dust cleared, what blade, now broken, was laid across the floor in pieces, yet the parts were still technically whole. the fi

"i'll wait for your return," she said. "as will everyone else." he laughed even further, waving a hand at her. "no, please don't.” his recovery was swift, his arms folded. under his mask he wore a smile. “i'll make it on my own time. you go on ahead, like the shooting star you've decided to be." "what....?" the comment caught her off-guard. her mouth shifted from an 'o', forming a grin on her sheepish face. and, she did so wanted to laugh too. a scoff, void of negativity, left her instead. "now where did that come from...?" shikari shrugged. the compliments trade

“okay, einstein, what am i supposed to be looking for?” “small temple,” he recited, as though a mantra not formed from bistro’s broken scribbles on the parchment. “made out of stone. smooth stone, almost golden in color, washed out in saturation against the brightness of the sun.” his friend sniffed. “in a clearing, or…?” “in a clearing in the forest. that’s why we’re here.” marquis scoffed, dropping her hand. she started to walk again, too, though her eyes were set on the scenery than remaining idle. “you know, it might help you look if you take off that mask of yours.”

it was a simple task to submit the revised details of the contract over to bistro, who shot back with a quirky, “so soon? that’s a new record.” but it wasn’t as though they’d had their signature down on anything just yet, so perhaps marquis and shikari were simply just fortunate their broker had so much trust in them. on their way to their destination, marquis had wondered why. “how do you think she’d found out about us?” the pitch was set to a distracted shikari, map open in his hands. they were not lost in a forest, as far as marquis was concerned – her second would’ve been able to

surely marquis could’ve said something then to change his mind, right? “crafting,” shikari then admitted, setting aside the parchment in his hands. “that’ll be the easiest way to write off my debt, i think, and learn more about what’s been going on out here whilst we were away in that cave. i can think of no better way to give you my support.” “no way,” came marquis’ objection. her arms were crossed. “you’d always been my number two.” the man smiled in return. “well, maybe i don’t like playing second fiddle to you that much; did you consider that?” “what–” “i jest,” he