[F1-SP] Living In A Dream

[Ratatosk 0]

It has come to Ratatosk's mind from recent thoughts that living SAO was like living in a dream. "If we die in here, we die in the real world, but what if there was no real world? What if this was all a dream? No, it's not a dream, I have memories! Right, I have memories, this isn't a dream. I've already tried the pinching myself, so I know this isn't a dream. Saw some people die, and I know this isn't a dream!" He was furious, both at himself and Kayaba. "Damnit! Kayaba, why the hell did you do this [censored], you dragged many of my friends into this hell hole, [censored] you!"

[Ratatosk 0]

"Spending time with the Yakuza [censored] up my moral compass pretty badly, guess I was used to seeing people get beat up, mutilated, or murdered in front of me. Well hey, at least I wasn't the one doing the dirty work, it was always that Shinichi guy or whatever his name was." Ratatosk laid back on his rocking, he was surprised they actually existed, but then again, what didn't exist in SAO? You could make a gun, or a fake organ in this game. "And you know what... People with broken limbs can play this game, and they could live life normally here. I guess that's what attracted a lot of players."

[Ratatosk 0]

"So how many broken bones does it take to buy a virtual game that turned out to be a trap. Reminds me a bit on that sting operation the police pulled off on the gang I was in, wasn't really fun... Welp, at least I got out unharmed, that was the best part about that [censored] sting operation." But there was something bad to it too, he lost his primary source of money. "I still remember doing bodyguard work, wasn't easy. Said they needed your physical ability to be outstanding, I wonder how running a five and a half minute mile is underwhelming to them."

[Ratatosk 0]

Ratatosk remained in the rocking chair, there was nothing that would take him away from it. "I wonder how my physical body is doing in the real world, I'm probably losing all that leg muscle and getting a lot skinnier. Well [censored], my hair is probably getting longer too." His concerns for the real world were trivial, so he took his mind off of that and decided to think about important stuff, training. "So what am I going to do for the day? I know I'm not up for monster hunting, that's for sure. Probably going to do another quest with somebody, training can't be too hard, right?"

[Ratatosk 0]

"Nope, it's not that hard at all. The quest that I currently have my eye on is Guardian of Fire, I'm not sure if I can tackle it on alone though. Wait... Of course I can't do that alone, the boss has seventy-five health points, and I can only do a maximum of about, fifty six. Only way I can kill them in one hit is if I manage to land a perfect critical on them, and that's nearly impossible." The blonde leaned back against the wall on his chair and thought about the quest. "Yup, I'm absolutely doing this with someone else, someone with enough power to kill it in one hit."

[Ratatosk 0]

"Maybe a front liner? Nah, something tells me they won't like my attitude. But then again, nobody really does so it's not like that matters anyways. Well okay, maybe a bit but they can deal with it, I've got my own [censored] and they do too. I think it'd be better if Ventus was out, wait... No way, it's that time again isn't it. Damnit, c'ya in a bit Ventus." The blonde let out a long sigh, "Eh, [censored] it, it's fine if he takes over. Not like he can't fight, I saw him wield that sword like a demon yesterday."

[Ratatosk 0]

Ratatosk closed his eyes when that memory came back. "That's right, he tried to stab me in the groin when we fought, what an asshole." The blonde remembered it clearly, but it was best not to think of that. It didn't take a genius to know that the will to fight was strong in him. "So what now? Am I just going to sit here on my little chair, or stand up and start training. Eh, I'd rather sit here, it's not like training will do me any good anyways. What could I do now anyways? I'd probably get murdered on my way back to town since it's getting pretty late."

[Ratatosk 0]

"Nah, murder on this floor is almost impossible. Mostly weak people stay here, but there are a few front liners that visit once in a while. But why would they even want to visit this floor anyways, it's not like they can level up or anything. Hell, I bet you they only come here for the food, now that sounds accurate." His mind was on the floor bosses and current progress of the game, it was low, in fact very low for the time that has passed. "Damn, I expected them to get to floor seventeen in the first two months of the game, well [censored], that's not very progressive."
 

[Ratatosk 0]

"I forgot how long it's been, but time passed by pretty damn quickly. One moment we were on the first floor, and then we started getting stronger, every single one of us did. Can't believe it takes a level forty to fight the ninth floor boss." So many things were ridiculous, but at the same time amazing. "This is getting boring, all I have is this rocking chair, and those monsters out on the fields. In this world, it's either me, or other people, always been like that." Every single person he met was either boring, or just too stereotypical, a problem that he had with people was his short attention span.

[Ratatosk 0]

Ratatosk remembered his first moments in public, they weren't very good at all. "Guess I'm not strong-suited to deal with people, lucky me. But if we mean the gangster term of 'deal with people' then I'm really good at that." He chuckled and nearly fell off his rocking chair. "But what can fists solve when there is diplomacy? Blood is beautiful, yet sorrowful at the same time. I find that amazing, and I get a strange feeling whenever I think about it. I should probably train instead of talk to myself now, maybe I could get a few extra levels today."

[Ratatosk 0]

He was about to doze off into sleep, but then some people he never expected to see again showed up in front of him. A young boy kicked his leg and looked at his eyes, "Hey Ratatosk, it's been a while." The young tactician's group came pretty quickly, Ratatosk saw the same muscly man who organized that harsh lesson, and the other two girls. They looked stronger than ever, and the blonde couldn't believe his eyes. "Hey, I remember you, you're that boy!" A reunion was something he wasn't very good at, most of the time's he'd mess it up and lose another friend.

[Ratatosk 0]

"So uh... Kid, what's up? I mean, what've you been doing lately." Ratatosk was a bit nervous and shy, those were Ventus's traits, not his! The young tactician opened up his HUD and showed his stats to Ratatosk, the others in the group did the same. "We're all level fifteen now, but there's no more col from fighting monsters. We'd like to know what your level is, maybe you could join in and help us out a bit?" The blonde copied his actions and showed him his stats, "I'm level eighteen, close to grandmastering my sword skill."

[Ratatosk 0]

The young tactician tugged on his arm, "Well, what are you waiting for then if you're level eighteen? C'mon, hunt some monsters with us!" With a sudden jerk, he flew right off his rocking chair and his entire body was flying in the air. "So is this weightlessness?" Ratatosk experienced something only astronauts could, the feeling of zero gravity. It all came to a stop when the person grabbing him tripped and fell, "What the [censored]!" And now the entire party was a big mess, the young tactician was sitting on top of his head, the two girls were stacked on his stomach, and the muscly man was close to doing mouth to mouth with him.

[Ratatosk 0]

"Ooooowwwww!!! [censored]!" The two people on his stomach made him feel uneasy, but what made him absolutely disgusted was the man who was about to kiss him. "Holy [censored] muscly man pervert!" He kicked and managed to get one of the people off of him, then rolled over to see what would happen. "OHHHH [censored]!" Now they were all on his back, the young tactician was putting on some pounds, but the muscly man almost broke his back. "Get off of me, HOLY [censored] YOU GUYS ARE HEAVY!"

[Ratatosk 0]

The last of the three bodies piled on top of him rolled off, and his spine was given the blessing of not breaking. "My [censored] god, who the hell tripped and almost break my bones!" Everyone pointed at the youngest of the four, the tactician. He got a little sweaty, and nervous, "H-Hey guys! I didn't do it, I mean... IT WAS YOU!" The tactician pointed at the muscular man, his fingers kept moving in the air like he was trying to say something. Ratatosk sighed, "I don't give a [censored] anymore! Let's just get to the fields, and start hunting."

[Ratatosk 0]

They all were in the same party now, and Ratatosk got his blade ready to fight some monsters. "Alright, I'll be leading at the front this time okay? I don't want any of you to jump into the battle yet until I do the first shot. Alright?" They nodded. "Good, now get ready to jump in at any moment." He prepared the blade and breathed in deeply, "Hope this works." He swung the blade backwards, and lunged forward with a jump, "Burn in hell!" Lightning came out of the sword, and all the boars instantly died. "Phew, I got me some sweet loot today!"

ID# 57814

Battle 9 (Natural)

Mob 4 (6-2)

Ratatosk: 78/78 HP, 5/19 Energy

Damage: 1 (Base) + 3 (Weapon) + 4 (Skill) + 1 (Crit) x 7 (Sword Art) = 63

Boar: -14/39 HP, 3 DMG, 10 MIT, Dead

Boar: -14/39 HP, 3 DMG, 10 MIT, Dead

Boar: -14/39 HP, 3 DMG, 10 MIT, Dead

Boar: -14/39 HP, 3 DMG, 10 MIT, Dead

+4 Mats

Edited April 28, 2016 by Ratatosk

[Ratatosk 0]

The young tactician and the rest of the group gave him a look of disapproval, "Really Ratatosk? You took all the loot for yourself!" Ratatosk laughed with his hands on his hips, "Well, you guys got way too much loot anyways. I need a bit more for myself cause I'm about to be able to make tier two gear, and once we get there, I can make tier three gear." He wondered if the people who made his equipment were still alive, lots of players went missing in SAO daily, and that was one of the worst aspects of the game.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Ratatosk

[Ratatosk 0]

"C'mon guys, you four can fight later, I need the loot now." The four of them groaned, "Fine Ratatosk, but you better split those materials and col if you continue to hunt." He was just about to leave as they told him to share, "Huh? Nah, I'm leaving now, c'ya guys." They responded with a very loud, "Whaaaaaat!" After all, who wouldn't be surprised when a friend stops hanging out with you during the first ten minutes of an activity. "My old bones aren't just cut out for this young people's work that you guys are doing." And now he sounded like an old man...

[Ratatosk 0]

The young tactician crossed his arms, "Yeah yeah, Mr. Elder." Ratatosk relaxed his back by the side of a tree, "Get off my lawn, you whippersnappers.!" He laughed a bit, but decided to stop. "Anyways, I should really be getting back to town now. C'ya guys, and oh, if you guys happen to be on the frontlines, don't forget me, ya hear?" They nodded as they grew quite fond of him, Ratatosk didn't have many friends, but he could find solace in just a small amount of people he could trust. "Thanks."

[Ratatosk 0]

"God damnit... I'm a only six levels away from being able to equip tier two gear, and leveling takes a hell of a long time. I can probably find some front liner to help me level, that'll do the trick! Do a ton of dungeon runs, level up my skills, probably grandmaster one, and then I'm set for the game! Well, that is until the floor bosses come... That's not good cause I might die." But at least he wasn't alone. For a long time, Ratatosk had been fighting this war of his alone since nobody else really helped him, the same happened in the real world, he received no help at all.