[PP-F4] Just Chill

[Caspar 0]

(Caspar and Ronin)

Floor Four... 

Snowfrost Town, the entire town reminded Caspar of the Holidays back in the "real" world. Snow settled on rooftops as even the streets were filled with the cold fluff. As the black clothed man walked down the street with his gloved hands in his jacket pockets, he could hear what seemed like Christmas music playing all around him. He wasn't sure if that was always supposed to happen on this floor, or if it was some type of glitch, perhaps he imagined it? Either way, he didn't care. As he continued to walk, he then let out a long sigh as the steam from his breathe escaped from his mouth and trailed off into the air before vanishing in a matter of seconds. Stopping in place, Caspar then walked over to the edge of a building as he leaned up against the side of it and watched the ice skaters skating on Frostbite Lake from afar. "... Must be nice not giving a damn in here." He thought to himself as he continued to waste some time...  

 

 

[Ronin 0]

Ronin had gotten a message from Caspar a little earlier, but had been a little preoccupied out in the grassy fields of floor one.  He had been farming some wild boars, doing his best to test out his new gear and earn as many materials as he could.  Now that he was done with that and had a nice little resupplied stock at his shop, he set off to the fourth floor to go meet up with his comrade and see what the guy was getting into.  "Man... last time I was up here was..." Ronin thought out loud, as he arrived through the teleport on floor four.  As he stepped down from the platform, he set his sights toward the sky, smirking slightly as little snowflakes descended from above.  "Now then, where is this guy...?" he wondered.

[Caspar 0]

Through the steady falling snow, Caspar caught the light from Ronin's teleportation as he watched his friend materialize into floor four. As Caspar continued to lean up against the building, he then lifted his chin slightly as he yelled over to this friend. "Hey Ronin! Over here!" Caspar yelled to his friend in an attempt to get his attention. After he did, he then went back to watching the ice skaters skate around the frozen lake some more with there newly acquired significant other. Shaking his head slightly back and forth at the sight of them, Caspar then waited for his friend to approach him. 

[Ronin 0]

The chain smoker held true to his title, sparking up a fresh ciggy and looking around for any sign of his comrade with the scar on his face.  He wondered how he had gotten that scar anyway, unable to remember if Caspar had ever told him the tale or not.  He decided maybe he'd ask about it later.  "Huh?" he wondered, as he heard someone calling his name.  He peeked in the direction of the voice and spotted his pal leaning up against the exterior wall of a building.  He strolled over to join his friend and caught sight of the frozen pond and the ice skaters.  "Oh [censored]... check that out... are those NPCs or other players?"

[Caspar 0]

"Good question... if they are in fact players they seem quite at home about not getting out of here any time soon." Caspar replied as he kept his blue iris' on them. "... Then again, maybe they've already given up and accepted their fate here." Caspar added as he then turned and faced his blonde haired friend. Giving him a quick nod, Caspar then unfolded his arms from across his chest. "You got an extra one of those cigarettes I can bum off ya?" He asked as he continued to look upon his friend. Meanwhile, players and NPC's alike walked up and down the street next to them as they seemed to have equipped their winter clothing. 

[Ronin 0]

Ronin shivered involuntarily, as he continued to watch the ice skaters down on the pond.  He didn't have any sort of winterized clothing or gear at the moment and thought maybe it would be a good idea to make some in the near future.   Perhaps he could get together with Jambi and have her craft some warm clothing that he could wear underneath his heavy armor?  He didn't know, but it was worth a shot he supposed.  "Yeah... guess you're right... seems like a lotta' people have already made up their minds about this world and are doing their best to make it their new home.  Me personally... I'm going to do everything I can to get stronger and go join the front lines.  I want to get outta' here and back to the real world... back to..." his voice trailed off as he thought of Eliza. 

"Oh... yeah, sure thing," he finally answered back, snapping out of his little daze and pulling is pack of smokes out into the open.  He fished one out and handed it to Caspar, sparking up his lighter and holding it between them with a lit flame so his comrade could light up his smoke on the fire.  It kinda' surprised Ronin that his friend was smoking, but he didn't mind it one bit, in fact, it was always more peaceful to share a smoke with someone, especially in a winter wonderland like this.  Once his friend's ciggy was lit, Ronin found a spot on the wall beside Caspar and leaned up against it as well, taking a long drag and watching the skaters continue to enjoy themselves.

"So... any reason you came up here? Or you just kinda' exploring this world?"

[Caspar 0]

"Front lines? You really want to join them?" Caspar asked as he took the cigarette from Ronin. As Caspar took the cigarette from his friend he then placed it in his mouth as he took a slow drag off of it. After he did, he then inhaled and instantly coughed out a cloud of smoke that seemed to mix with the heat that came out of his mouth naturally as well. The large white cloud floated in the air and trailed off into the distance as Caspar covered his mouth with his black gloved fist. "... Ugghk, dammit!... I was hoping it would be easier to smoke these in game." Caspar said as he then coughed some more. Looking the cigarette up and down in front of his face, Caspar then slowly put it back in between his lips. 

 

"Yeah, I'm just exploring this world... To be honest, you can say I'm actually scouting the floors for good areas to fall back to in case I piss off a guild or have a hit on me, that way I know where I can go and re-group if need be." Caspar said to his friend as he squinted and took another hit from the cigarette. "...*COUGH-COUGH*... Ahh-[censored]!.. ugh.. ugh..." 

[Ronin 0]

"Haha, well... I mean... I at least wanna' try," answered Ronin in reference to the question about joining the front lines.  He thought about it, knowing that deep in his heart, he definitely wanted to do his part.  He had to try and at least help those who were currently fighting on the front lines, trying to clear floors and advance to the next level.  Those who were trying to beat this game and set everyone free.  Those who were trying to end this nightmare...

Ronin arched an eyebrow and grinned with he noticed Caspar coughing due to his inhalation of the tobacco smoke.  He took another drag of his own ciggy, inhaling it like an old veteran and allowing the smoke to swirl for a long moment inside his lungs.  As he slowly blew a long and steady stream from his lips, he looked once again to the ice skaters and sighed.  "I see... well just try not to piss off too many people, at least, not until you're a little stronger.  Don't want someone coming to PK your ass the moment you go stepping out of a safe zone, right?" 

"Maybe there's another quest we can go jump in on around here.  You wanna' check it out?"  Ronin suggested, pushing away from the wall and turning toward Caspar.  He knew his friend wanted to get stronger, just like he did, so what better way than to take on some more quests. 

[Caspar 0]

"Yeah, definitely. I'm down for anything that will get us stronger faster. We just need to be safe going about it." Caspar said as he then got off from the wall as well and flicked his cigarette away from them. As it flipped over itself end over end, he watched the small sparks fly off the cherry as it made a hissing sound once it stuck into a pile of snow. Brushing the palms of his hands together, Caspar then looked around as he took a quick head count of the people that were currently around them. "Alright, you want to see what this floor has to offer or go to a different one?" Caspar asked his blonde haired companion. 

[Ronin 0]

"Ehh... I dunno honestly... I guess we should take a little stroll around here and see if any quest notifications pop up?  I know of some others on different floors, but it'd be nice to find a new one around here we can knock out."  Ronin wasn't exactly sure where they should even begin.  After all, he was still pretty new to all of this and still trying to figure it all out himself.  He shrugged and took another drag at his smoke, glancing one last time at the ice skaters on the pond and then stepping back into the street.  "Maybe you can pull up the list of quests and see if there's any on this floor?  I'll take a look too..."

[Caspar 0]

"Yeah, we can further explore this floor and check things out. From what I have heard so far in passing, most the quests shouldn't be even attempted unless you are at least level 25 or higher." Caspar said as he then turned and looked over his shoulder and saw a few more people walking past them as they also seemed to be cold. "... Hmm, on second thought, given where are at and the level we are I'm comfortable with taking on any quest on any floor. We can always come back here when we have better and warmer clothing." Caspar said as he watched the small group of young players walk past them. "Which reminds me, I need to practice crafting some potions for us too... some teleport crystals won't be a bad idea either, but I need to get better at crafting first before I can make those." Caspar added as he then started to walk into the middle of the street where the rest of the people were walking by. "Lets see what [censored] we can get into then." 

[Ronin 0]

"Alrighty... but first, I need somethin' warm to drink... I think I remember a little coffee stand up the street here a little ways... let's go check it out, maybe they got some hot chocolate or some [censored]..."   Ronin huffed at his cigarette, turning and marching off down the street and trying to remember where he had seen that coffee stand.  Was it this way?  No, maybe over there?  He sighed, but pressed on, knowing sooner or later he'd see someone walking around with some coffee and he'd be able to ask 'em where they got it.  "It's gotta' be around here somewhere..." he said to himself, itching his ass in confusion.

[Caspar 0]

Coffee was one of Caspar's favorite things in the "real" world. He always loved a hot cup of coffee in the morning when he woke up. To be honest, it was just one reason for him to get out of bed. Looking left and right, Caspar then was on the look out for a coffee shop. He could give a [censored] less about hot chocolate, he just wanted to get some caffeine flowing through his veins. Taking a few steps forward, Caspar's eyes bounced from shop sign to sign as he was on the look out for anything remotely close to selling coffee. "Yeah Rae, I'm not seeing anything on this street, lets cut in between these two buildings and get on the other street." Caspar suggested as he peered down the alley way where the parallel street was lit up and had some people walking by...

[Ronin 0]

Ronin nodded, smirking when his friend slipped up and called him by his real name.  Rae was his real name and was usually only reserved for his closest friends.  Caspar definitely fit the bill, but it was the first time in a while he had heard his comrade call him by that name.  Jambi did it all the damn time, but she was apparently bat [censored] crazy now that she had been trapped inside this game world for a prolonged period of time.  Ronin shrugged and set his sights on the alleyway.  "Alright, LEO..." he said, making sure to tease his friend the best he could.  As he stepped into the alleyway, he saw what appeared to be some player getting mugged up ahead.  "HEY!  HOLD IT!" he cried out, sprinting down the alleyway toward the crime in progress.

[Caspar 0]

"Haha-Huh?" Caspar started to chuckle at hearing Ronin call him by his real name, knowing he slipped up. As soon as he saw Ronin's face turn serious and yell down the alley, Caspar's expression followed suit as he formed a serious expression on his face. Racing down the alleyway along with Ronin, Caspar could see the crime in progress as it looked like a tall and bulky male player holding a young girl up by her shirt collar and pinning her up against the wall while a smirk was etched across his face. Narrowing his brows, Caspar then increased his rate of speed he was running at as he then jumped up and ran along the side of the wall momentarily until he kicked off the brick wall and swung in leg around quickly, striking the male character across the face with his boot laces. 

 

*CRACK* 

[Ronin 0]

Catching sight of Caspar out of his peripheral view, Ronin slowed up a bit to allow his comrade to charge ahead and take the big bully down.  The smoker still had his cigarette wedged between his lips and as he watched the bulky mugger hit the ground with a broken jaw, he moved to the girl to make sure she was alright.  "Ey you alright?  We saw what happened, here... c'mon let's get outta' here and go somewhere a little safer," he suggested, taking the girl's hand and dragging her out of the alleyway and into the street.  "My friend and I were just looking for some coffee and hot chocolate, and after what you've just been through, I'm sure you could go for some as well..."  Ronin pulled another drag at his cigarette, not bothering to use his hands and released his grip on the girl's arm.  "Now then, where is that damn shop?" he wondered, not really caring to make sure the girl was truly alright.

[Caspar 0]

As the tall male character struck the ground hard, Caspar then landed on the ground in a crouched position as he then looked over his shoulder and saw Ronin take the girl to safety. As the two speed off to safety. Caspar slowly stood up as he then turned around and looked down at the hurt stranger on the ground who could only moan and groan in pain as his looked out of alignment for the time being. Bending at the waist and picking him up by the collar of his breast plate with one hand, Caspar then pulled him up towards his face as he looked him right in the eyes. "If I ever see you around any floors doing [censored] like this again, I WILL make sure I use a teleport crystal to send your ass to a Boss." Caspar said as he then threw the unknown male character's head down towards the ground, watching it bounce off the frozen street. 

 

Turning around, Caspar then walked out the alleyway as he then meet up with Ronin. "She alright?" Caspar asked as he didn't look at his friend, but instead helped be on the look out for a coffee shop. 

[Ronin 0]

"Eh, good enough I guess..." answered Ronin, not really bothering to pay the girl too much mind.  He was much more interested in getting his hands on some hot chocolate to quell his sore throat.  All this smoking, even in this virtual fake world, was making it a little raw and raspy.  He took another puff of his cig and then flicked it at the ground, watching it bounce once and then burst into crystalized data shards before dissolving and disappearing altogether.  He peeked back at the girl, having a sudden thought.  "Eyo, you wouldn't happen to know where that lil coffee shop is 'round here, wouldja?" he asked, arching his eyebrow...

[Caspar 0]

"I umm, well... I guess I do owe you guys after you saved me back there... follow me!" The young female player said as she smiled and hustled along the snowy street. Looking over at Ronin briefly, Caspar gave a quick look at him as if he was wondering if this girl was actually serious or not. Looking back over at the girl, Caspar decided to follow her to see where she ended up. As he followed her, he saw the young girl stop in front of a small shop that had a sign out front that said: "HOT DRINKS!"  "Here you go! Thanks again for helping me back there!" The female player said with a large smile. 

[Ronin 0]

"Right on... this place looks like it'll do just fine..." said Ronin, seemingly to himself.  He nodded to the girl that they had helped and then stepped up to order a hot chocolate.  He enjoyed coffee from time to time, but was a bigger fan of hot chocolate simply because of the taste.  Caffeine was good and all, but the smoker enjoyed the taste of chocolate when smoking his cigarettes.  They seemed to compliment one another perfectly and often times he would just light up a smoke simply for the mixing of the two on his taste buds.  Such was the silly world of a chain smoker, but he didn't care.  "Order's up!" said the man behind the counter, sliding Ronin his drink and deducting the Col from his inventory.  Taking a sip, he grinned and took a long drag on his ciggy to wash it down.  "Oh yeahhh, that's perfect," he said with a smile.