F1 PP: "Re: Start!"

[Esther 0]

Esther continued her consoling action as the man in front of her shook, his entire body heaving with an overwhelming torrent of emotion. She jumped slightly as she heard the door behind her jolt from the pressure of Arc's hostile rampage. His breath was ragged, and Esther - had no words. She didn't have any words to console this shaking man. She didn't have a clue how to help him, but seeing him in such a state. It hurt. It tugged at her chest to see someone fall so far. She bit her lip, her own breath trembling, for an entirely different reason to his. She wanted to help him,but she felt powerless to do so. Her tender caresses through his tangled locks were the only thing she could think of doing.

Arc's eyes had darted around the place, before finally landing on Esthers, and at that moment - the woman couldn't help but shed a few tears on his behalf, if Arc could not cry through his bitter rage - then Esther would be the person to do so for him. This stranger, this man she barely knew, bore so much unnecessary weight on his shoulders. "Don't do this alone." Was all she could mutter, was all she could say. There were no words to console him, only a plea to not take such burdens upon himself. He wasn't truly alone in this world - no one was. Esther wished she could slap the notion into him, but it wouldn't help.

As if in response to her feeble plea, he slammed his fists against the door- the action shocked Esther into pulling momentarially away from Arc. He screamed, and roared - and yelled, as if he was a 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum. He misinterpreted her words. "That's not what I meant..." Esther whispered weakly in response. She felt helpless in this moment, and she was at a loss of what to do. It seemed that all he would respond to is violence, and anger. It wasn't healthy.

"Whoa~!" She felt his fingers claw into her shoulders. If it weren't for the pain limiters - the action would have hurt. Then, she was being violently flung out the way with a hiss of pained, angry words. 'Leave me the hell alone' The door slammed. Then there was silence. Arc said he didn't want people to console him, Esther wasn't convinced. He clearly was going through a difficult time. He was too busy fighting his own inner demons to push forward. Then, he winds up stationary, and it just angers him more. It looked like it was an endless loop. If her time with him tonight taught her anything, it was that if he just stopped trying to block the world out, even for a second - then maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to take that step forward.

After some time, be it a few minutes or a few hours. Esther stood, calmly picking up the flower wreath that had been tossed aside- she wasn't sure what to do in these situations. The man before her seemed bent on pushing everyone and everything away. She quietly opened the door to the hall, and padded over to Arcs door. Once again placing the wreath on it. "It'll be ok. Just you watch." Esther said to the limp intertwined flowers. The words were meant for not only Arc, but herself. This wouldn't make her waver. If anything, her, in all her stubborn and innocent glory - wanted to make her help him more. 

Esther flicked up her HUD, sending him a friend request. If he took it or not; that was another story, but it was her small token of attempting to reassure the man. She wanted to open the door, to make sure he calmed down, but  even Esther knew that her being there would only make things worse.

[Ashrah 0]

I'm ruthless, even with the people I care about. Arc stood with the door behind him for a moment and his eyes set on the wall on the far side of the room. This anger is a weapon unlike anything that Aincrad could threaten to spew at me, but I can't control it. I can't turn it against my enemies. Its like a high grade explosive. It would destroy me with everything if I let it. They don't understand that. I can't let people get close to me. It's unreasonable of me to want friends.

But you were my friend, weren't you?

You were never afraid. You knew the risks. You knew what I was. He took a deep breath, expelled it. His head lulled back and he gazed up at the ceiling. My father always told me he wanted me to be strong, and kind, and he wanted me to be the kind of person others could rely on. Your grandmother was like that for you. She saw the horrible things about you, your inability to make friends and your standoffish nature, and she believed in you despite that. You faced forward, even when the path got too dark to see.

You're wrong. I looked back a hundred times. No. It must have been a thousand. I never stopped thinking about how easy it would be to give up. That's what people don't understand. The temptation is enormous. The glory seems so lackluster when compared to the comfort of never taking a risk. What sets people like you and I apart, Tobes, is that we understand the risks. We know what we're up against. We know that it might be too much for us, and we rail against impossibility.

Why did you keep moving? What made you think, "I can do this?" Was it the thought that you might see your grandmother again? Was it the family that you left behind, or the friends? I lost my friend, see. This world is rapidly taking away the things I care about. What happens when I get out? If I get out? You won't be there, Thom.

But there are so many other people who will. Your dad. I'll wager he cries his eyes out every single day, hoping for the hour when he gets the call that his son is free from hell. Those girls you always talked about, too. Skirt chasing was always that thing you pretended you wanted to do, but you were hopeless with girls. It was that one girl- Elise, wasn't it? You really did care about her.

Yeah. Elise. I forgot. I made myself forget. Wasn't that a horrible time?

She laughed when you came right out and told her you loved her. You'd never even talked to her. Of course she thought you were joking. What kind of idiot tells a woman he's never met that he's in love with her?

You don't have to make fun of me for it. Arc felt his features soften as a few rogue chuckles escaped him. I did, though.

I know you did. She was pretty, I'll give you that. I never really looked much at girls, or anyone really. Elise was a pretty girl, though. That unbelievably golden hair, in a time and place where most blondes you saw were fake. The bright blue eyes, so intense that you felt like you were staring at the sky...

Yeah, I get it. Must've been a few good nights for you, thinking about her.

Nah. I never fell for her like you did. I just remember the way you described her. It was like reading some trashy romance novel, but you could tell there was real feeling in the words. Do you remember what you said about her when I told you to give up?

Yeah. Real men don't give up on things they care about.

What happened? I died, and you lost your guts? Tobias fell backward a step, leaned against the door. The Tobias I know would have laughed at the pathetic excuse for a man you've become. Sure, you're angry, and you're afraid of what that anger might do. What, the girl says a few things that remind you of what I would have said and you lose your backbone? Surprise her like you surprised me, Tobes. Show her the indomitable will of a man who has a true, unbridled passion for helping others. Show her the power of your courage, not this terror and mewling, infantile withdrawal. This is something Thom would have succumbed to, not Tobias. Why are you trying to channel the worst things about me?

Because you were strong. You were the one I looked up to.

And you were the one who I looked up to. There was always a darkness over both of us. For me, it was loneliness, despair, the knowledge that I was losing my grandmother. It was a brutal disconnect from the rest of society, and from humanity as a whole. I backed down every time it counted, Tobias. I died for it. You can't cling to that cowardice and try to legitimize it as strength. You have a fiery passion I never did. Your power was in that righteous anger, the same rage you saw as weakness and tried to hide.

Don't talk about that. He brought his hands up, and his eyes fell on them. In reality, if he had thrown those same punches the door would have caved beneath his fit. His knuckles would have bloodied, and his bones might have broken. He would not have cared. I still have it, and I'll never be rid of it. I control it because you showed me how. I closed myself off because I didn't think I could contain it. I chose two handed swords because you taught me that power could be turned in a direction of my choosing, and you praised me for walking the path of a man of honor. I decided to be a mercenary because it meant I would never hurt anyone, and because it meant that I would never be hurt.

But that's a lie. There is no avoiding the pain. It's part of life. It validates us. We struggle because it proves we exist. Don't you remember learning that from your father?

So what should I do? Accept the rage? Let it consume me?

Accept that it is a part of you, because it will never go anywhere. Turn it into your strength. Bend your passion to your will, and become a man people look up to. Arc felt the smile tugging at his lips. Giving up doesn't suit you, Tobias. It doesn't suit us. The Black Brothers are gone now, forever. I won't be able to pick up a sword and stand beside you, but I'm here in your heart. It's time for you to grab your weapon for the both of us. You're our Last Stand against Aincrad. I'm pulling for you, bro.

"Jackass," Arc muttered. Warmth cascaded down his cheeks as he clamped both eyes shut. "You always did have that faith in me, and I've never understood it. I'm weak, you know?"

The weakest of us are the ones who eventually grow sick of weakness and become strong, Tobias. Why did you pick up a sword?

"To become someone..."

...who people can rely on?

"...yeah."

Understand yet?

Arc blinked when the image popped up in front of him asking if he would be Esther's friend. It caused him to blink. "Wh..." he did not think about it at first, confused as to why someone who had just watched his fit of rage would want anything to do with him. His finger just pressed the accept command dumbly.

Looks like I'm not the only one with faith in you, buddy.

"We don't run from the darkness," Tobias recited in a solemn voice.

We embrace it so that others don't have to.

[Esther 0]

Esther had returned to her room. There was little else she could do now. She looked at the mess of sheets and petals on her floor, giving an exasperated sigh. She should fix the mattress and put it back on the bed. She should sweep up the petals. But she was too tired. "Not today." She muttered. She threw herself into the mattress and exhaled. It had been a long day. 

 

When they had parted ways, it really did seem as though Arc wanted nothing more to do with her. It upset her, Esther maintained a bright and optimistic attitude most the time, but she would be lying to herself if she tried to be happy all the time. Arc... He was such a mess, his actions sent jolts of adrenaline through her, and he was so temperamental. Still - she wanted to help, but she couldn't if he refused to help himself. 

 

It hurt her, more than she would admit. To see someone struggle, and to feel so completely helpless. 'What am I worth if I can't even help someone? No sword, no profession, what can I achieve like this'

 

She groaned as she heard a ping, bringing up her menu- her sleepy meloncony quickly turned into a shot of triumph and excitement. There, in her friends list - next to a brilliant green button, was the name Arc. Esther grinned, kicking her legs in excitement. "YES!" She exclaimed. "That's one point Esther, 0 points grumpy man." She mused to herself.  

 

It was a small win, but it was a start. She wrapped herself up in her blanket and drifted off. Her sleep was dreamless, uneventful and boring. No nightmares plagued her, so when she woke early the next day- she was refreshed.

 

Esther headed downstairs, setting herself up in the corner she had a cup of tea and a ham and cheese croissant. Eating quietly to herself, contemplating the night before. Did the man get rest? 

 

She never had the chance to thank him for accepting her friend request. 

Edited September 4, 2016 by Esther

[Ashrah 0]

When his eyes opened, the HUD came to life. It reminded him of the world he was trapped in, but it also told him that he was still alive. The bittersweet symphony of background music filled his senses and he sat up with a bland look on his face that reflected a night of empty sleep. How he had managed that, Tobias would never know. He took his first steps out of the bed and checked his inventory, equipment, and skills before he finally headed for the door. He was welcome to stay as long as he needed, until he left. Then he would have to buy another night.

Arc exited the end quickly, with a look on his face that bespoke determination. He had felt things the night before that he buried deep down, and he had suffered against his own cruel memories. The voice of Thom, his dear friend lived on in his thoughts, fighting against the horrors that threatened to drag him down to hell. Together, they would become a force that Aincrad would have to watch out for. He knew that one day, he'd have to struggle alone in the world. That day was far off.

There were people who would fight together with him, and whatever he had to tell himself in order to get through that would just have to be dealt with when it came up. He gripped the pommel of Levantine and dragged it from his back. As he headed to the fields, sunlight poured over the mercenary and bathed him in ironic radiance. It would be a fight to remember, today. There would be lots of boars, and gods only knew what else he would hunt. One after another, he would slake his thirst for adventure, and he would become strong enough to fight on the front lines.

Then he could bring the terrors of the Black Brotherhood back, in honor of his fallen friend. One day, the company of misfit mercenaries would rise again. They would fight ferocious foes, and they would fell fierce, frightful bosses. Together with friends he had yet to make, he would leave his mark on this world. He would turn the tables, and he would give people hope in the darkness of their despair.

That was the kind of man he wanted to be. It was the man his father wanted him to be, and the man Thom believed he would become. It all started with a few uncertain steps.

"Are you ready, Aincrad? Because I am."

[Esther 0]

Despite the...interesting run in she had with Arc the previous night, she had a job to do. Today, she was due to take some of the children out to the fields. The caretakers had been watching, and realized that today - seemed to be a day where most other stronger players would return to harvest nearby materials and mobs. It was the perfect opportunity to be able to go out and enjoy the bright sun, and the fresh grass with little fear of being attacked.

When Esther arrived at the daycare/orphanage - the three kids under her care were already waiting. There was a young girl, age 6 - Brittany, who had wide green eyes and brown hair, and the two 7 year old twins. Both red headed and filled with freckles - Jaime and Ryan. The twins, being the more rowdy of the three had run up to Esther, almost bowling her over as they gripped her legs. "Esther, Esther! I'm going to pick the most flowers today!" One chimed, "No, no, I AM!" The other shouted, shoving his twin  to the side. Esther laughed, giving them both a loving pat on the head as she headed over toward Brittany, and held her hand out to the young girl, "Ready to go?" Brittany nodded, and grabbed hold of Esthers hand. She was much quieter, she never was this quiet with Evelyn around - however since her friend had left, she'd been more recluse. "Esfer, do you think Evelyn will come back to visit soon?" Brittany asked.

Esther gave Brittany a reassuring smile. "I think so. Remember her fathers friend came to pick her up? I bet she is adventuring with her dad right now. I bet they'll come visit with all sorts of stories and presents." Brittany smiled, and Esther wished she could believe her own words. Esther didn't like it. She worried. She had 4 kids under her care, and on one of her days off, one of them simply vanished. The other carer said she let Evelyn go with a man who claimed to be her fathers friend, and that Evelyn showed that she did indeed recognise the man, but that didn't sit well with Esther. It was one of the few times she had ever gotten very, very, angry. To let a kid go with a stranger? In this place? It wasn't right. Guilt would ebb at Esther at the mere thought of loosing one of the kids in her care. She only prayed that the girl was alright.

They arrived in the fields, and - as luck would have it, there were numerous players around fighting the mobs who came too close to the villagers. Esther found a nearby rock surrounded by yellow dandelions and sat down. Telling the kids to stay in her line of sight and not to run too far off. The twins, as loud and energetic as they were, did just that. Brittany lingered, instead sitting in front of Esther, "Can you put flowers in my hair again?" Esther laughed, and nodded, as she began to tenderly run her hands through the young girls hair, placing little plaits through it, and in each plait - a few flowers.

Every so often, her eyes would dart up to see the kids, good. Safe. To see the players slaying boars. Good, safe. One in particular had caught her eye, a figure all in black not too far away. He looked like Arc, but she couldn't be too sure. Esther leaned down and pointed him out to Brittany. "See that guy there? He's nicknamed grumblepants, ok?" Brittany cheered up at this, and laughed. "Why is he called that?"  Esther looked from Brittany to Arc. "Because he has lots of sad memories, so if you ever see him, be sure to give him happy ones, okay?"

[Ashrah 0]

"Off to a sloppy start," Arc seethed as one of the boars hopped up and gored him with a tusk that had more effect than it probably should have. The Mercenary grated as he backed off with his blade in one hand, the other arm up in a warding gesture. The boar let out a piggish grunt as it broke away and swayed victoriously. Arc watched his health gauge drop off a bit, a frustrated sigh peeling out through his nostrils. He wouldn't give this thing the satisfaction of getting under his skin.

Let's try this one more time. Arc took the pommel of his blade in both hands and rushed toward the beast with a feral growl, only to let out a howl of agitation as his blow was almost easily evaded. He flailed his weapon in a barrage of messy strikes, but each one fell short of the creature. "Dammit," he cursed, "I need to focus!"

The boar seemed to taunt him as he circled with it, blade pointed low and to the dirt.

Arc didn't notice the kids or the familiar woman off in the distance. His mind was intent and he was gripping the weapon too tightly. Relax, Tobias.

He dodged out of the way of a second attack, but the first had taken enough to make the effort moot. The beast may as well have hit him twice. As he danced away, he saw them out of the corner of his eye. No way. What is she doing out here? His eyes went wide when he saw Esther with three children, out here in the field with no weapons or armor. No, darn it! Concentrate! Focus!

Arc: 75/80

Boar: 10/10

ID# 66932 results:

Battle: 3

Craft: 4

Loot: 12

MOB: 10

[Esther 0]

Esther continued to absently watch Arc fight, he seemed to be struggling against the boar. Esther had just assumed he was very strong, even as far as to say he was a front liner. He definitely had the attitude of one. She was impressed, despite his struggles, he continued to push forward, to fight for a goal, to better himself - so that he would of more use to others. "Maybe I should do the same...." Esther mused quietly to herself.

"Do what?" asked Brittany, Esther glanced down, and gave the little girl a smile, "Work harder. Look at him, he's fighting with all his might against that boar. No matter what, he isn't giving up. He's doing that not just for himself, but for me, and for you, and for everyone here. Don't you think that's amazing?" 

Brittany's face scrunched up, as she tried to proccess Esther's words. Esther didn't dumb things down for the kids, she spoke to them as though they were adults, which sometimes confused them. Still, Esther was earnest, and didn't believe in trying to simplify things too much. "So.." Brittany began, "You want to fight too? I don't want you too." 

"No, no. I won't fight, I want to improve myself though. Maybe I will get a profession, and make lots of potions. Would you like that? I might get so good I can get one that would turn your hair blue, how's that sound?" Brittany laughed, "Eew no! I don't want BLUE hair, I want orange hair, like the sky before night time!" Brittany exclaimed between giggles, "Well then, I just may have to do that." Esther replied in response. 

She finished off Brittany's hair, Brittany jumped up and felt the back of it, her eyes lit up as she jumped into Esthers arms giving her a hug. "It's beautiful! Thank you so much!!"  Esther returned the embrace, resting her head on the girls head. "You're welcome." The exchange was heartwarming, and it made Esther feel so peaceful, she was in her own bubble of bliss amidst the terror of Aincrad, and that - was ok, she wanted everyone to feel this warmth, this unconditional love. 

"I'll be the hope, that everyone's forgotten - just you watch."

[Ashrah 0]

Arc twisted his body in fluid time with the next attack. His weapon struck the boar's tusks and offset the first strike, but he couldn't get out of the way of its hooves. They scraped against his chest and forced him backward, and the Mercenary fell away from his target with a pained expression. There was no way he could let it get the best of him. With a grunt, he got his feet back and faced his foe with a lax grip. There was no way to hit it if he stayed wound up. It would only get the better of him.

He saw the little girl and a slightly older one playing, and he recalled something his father said once about 'something to fight for.' As he fended off another reckless attack from the boar, Tobias wagered that people were as noble a cause as any. His efforts here would keep the beast off of them while they played without a care, the way that they might have back in the real world.

It seemed almost unreal for anyone to be enjoying themselves in SAO. Of course, the combat made him feel alive. Arc threw himself into the thick of it at the best of times, and at the worst, he tried to forget.

This time when the boar came, he sliced at it cleanly and it caught itself on the edge of his weapon. It gave a disproving squeal as it fell to the side and slowly fought back to its feet.

Arc: 71/80

Boar: 5/10

BD: 6

Craft: 9

Loot: 7

Mob: 9

[Esther 0]

Brittany finally slid off Esther's lap, and started collecting flowers, it was the twin boys turn to steal Esthers attention away from Arc now. They both ran up to her, pushing and shoving each other aside. "Look Esther! I picked the most flowers for you!" Jamie shoved a handful of weeds and dandelions into Esther's direction, only the be shoved aside by Ryan. "Nuh uh! Look I picked better ones, they look nicer so that counts!" Jamie dropped his flowers and turned to his brother, "Nuh uh! More is best!" Ryan, in turn - did the same. "Nuh uh! Prettier is best!" 

The two continued to bicker amongst themselves, and Esther let them run their course, she figured it was healthy for them to have interactions like this. Normal, childlike interactions, she dare not try to take that away from them in a world that is already so foreign to them. In an odd sense, seeing them argue over something as small as a bunch of flowers made Esther happy. It meant that they could forget their troubles, forget that they hadn't seen their mother or father in over a year. It meant that they were able to relax and just be themselves.

"Ok I think that's enough now." Esther stood, separating the two just as they were about to get physical with each other. "Just because you can't feel it. doesn't mean you get to punch or hit each other, does it?" One of them went to protest, but Esther put a finger to his mouth. "Jamie." She said in a stern voice. "Would you punch me, even though you know I can't feel it?" HIs eyes widened, and he looked aghast, as if it were the worst thing he had ever heard. "WHAT! NO!"  

"So why is it ok for you to do that to your brother?" Esther glanced at Ryan, "You too Ryan."

The two noisy twins, defeated with Esthers logic apologised to each other.

[Ashrah 0]

The next strike left Arc with a third red lash across his chest. There was no pain, that was standard. When his blade ripped through the Boar this time, the creature burst into small bits of light. He lifted the blade and slid it over his back, then glanced over to where the children and Esther were playing. It was sobering to watch after a high stakes battle, but it almost felt nice. He didn't understand quite what was going on, but he got the gist of it. The children got a little heated when they were roughhousing, and now the maternal figure was chastising them. In a game like this, it seemed strange not to let players fight.

There was probably an element of life from outside the game at play here. He wanted to steer clear of this instance, since he didn't want to be pulled into the politics of a world beyond Aincrad. That was for there, and this was here. Despite himself, the Mercenary pushed forward. If nothing else, he should probably apologize for his abhorrent behavior.

His friend's death had shaken him, that much was clear. Tobias knew he could not continue to use that as an excuse to treat people badly. It was time to take responsibility for his actions and face their consequences. "I'd punch you even though you can't feel it," Arc interjected with a humorous look on his face. "It's pretty pointless to hit someone without the Martial Arts skill, after all."

Both his arms were folded across his chest now as the children looked up at him, and he could feel the death glares from both boys at his lancing, heartless words. "Still, that doesn't make it right, I reckon." He turned a half smile toward the boy, Jaime. The child scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue. "I'm a bad example, of course. You kids should learn to be a man who doesn't hit women, no matter what."

He leaned down and whispered conspiratorially to Ryan. "And only hit people who try to steal your booze."

Ryan jerked backward with an 'Ew, gross!'

Tobias let out a grunt at the reaction, but he supposed it made sense. The children had the first impression that he was a jerk. That was good. The less time he spent around kids, the less soft he would become. "Now, I didn't come to harass you guys," he said, "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. I hope that you can forgive me, this time."

He put his hands together in a traditional apologetic manner, but his mind was contradictory to his actions. Not that there will be a next time. I just need to clear my conscience, right?

Arc: 66/80

Boar: Dead

BD: 8

Craft: 1

Loot: 18

Mob: 10

[Esther 0]

"Huh?"

Esther looked up to see Arc approaching, his words were a bit of a shock to her. They almost sounded like a joke, and he appeared to be smiling. Now there's a sight to see Esther thought to herself, returning his smile with one filled with earnest delight. "Arc!" She breathed the name in joyous exasparation, as though she was welcoming someone home after a long day of work. Esther stepped forward, and dusted off a few blades of grass from his shoulders. "You're feeling better I see." She noted.

Esther watched as the kids had various reactions to Arc, Ryan had jerked away from the man, and went to hide behind Esther, gripping her white, fluffy coat in his tiny hands. He peered out from behind her, tiny brows furrowed as he glared at Arc. "Teasing kids isn't very nice you know." Esther chastised him playfully.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Jamie asked, stepping in front of Esther. "Because you can't. I'm going to Marry her one day! and we're gonna have kids, and NO GIRLS! Because girls are gross." If Arc wanted to respond to the boy, he wouldn't have much time, it was as though the kids were tag teaming him for attention. Despite his initial approach, they seemed to quickly warm to him after seeing Esther act so friendly and familiar toward him, at least, all but Ryan who still glared at Arc from behind Esther.

Brittany came up from behind Arc, and tugged at his coat to get his attention with one balled fist. The young girl had a tight grip, and was adamant on not letting go. "Look Mr. Grumpy." She said as she held up a poorly made flower necklace with her other hand. It was so long it trailed on the floor, the young girl wasn't able to lift it high enough. If Arc were to wear such a thing, it'd hang low - down toward his waist. "This is for your work today." Brittany said again, giving his clothing another tug as she stood on her tip toes, trying to push it into his arm. "For you!" She said again.

Esther lifted her hand up to her mouth to poorly cover an amused grin, "I think you should accept." She mused, "Then maybe, just maybe I'll forgive you." She added in a teasing tone, almost trapping the poor mercenary into accepting the young girls flowers. "But honestly..." Esther said, pointing toward his smile. "Last night, you were having a hard time. I was worried about you." She paused to ruffle Ryans hair. "So to see you smiling, that's more than enough for me."

[Ashrah 0]

Arc watched and listened to the children with a subdued exasperation. He let out a thin breath as the girl offered him flowers and then glanced to Esther as she insisted he take them. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with this part of the situation, but it was beyond his control. With a sigh, he faltered a bit. "Fine," he conceded. He accepted the flowers gently and slung them over his shoulder. "I'm not wearing them, though. I'm a man, and men don't wear flowers." He glanced down at the little girl. "Or don't you think they'd look better on Miss Esther?"

He didn't wait for a response before he glanced over at the woman. "Eh, a smile isn't that hard to accomplish. I'll make sure to not do it around you as much, though." In the other world, Tobias might have jumped at the chance to butter this girl up. She was a cute one, and her outlook was so optimistic. She would have been great to have around, and she might even have gotten along with Thom. At this point, in this place... he didn't have time to think about that sort of thing.

"You've got plenty of smiling faces without soliciting me for one, I think." He looked over the kids with an unreadable expression. "I see that keeping them in line is a battle of its own. You haven't got a need for weapons when your hands are tied up with something like that. That's what I think, anyway."

He glanced at her and considered for a moment. "But maybe you should invest in some other skills? Healing, or something? Helping to keep people alive when they start getting low on health? That certainly doesn't count as a violent act, does it?"

There were plenty of people who preferred not to get in the front line. There were people who preferred to stay back and lend a supportive role to the people doing the worst of the fighting, and they were just as important as the tanks and DPS. Maybe Esther would never get that far or climb that high, but it gave her an opportunity to do something. Arc and Alkor had both believed in doing the most you can with what you can.

"I mean, it's something to consider."

 

[Esther 0]

Brittany frowned, as she uttered words wise beyond her eyes, but words that only the innocence of a child would have the gall to say. "Nuh uh. Flowers are for everyone. Nothing is just for boys or just for girls. Like Jamie likes barbies, and I like trucks with tutus." Brittany gave a disapproving tug on his clothes. "You have to remember that Mr. Grumpy! you HAVE to!" Brittany gave Arc's clothing one final tug before she let go. Turning to Esther. "Can we go have lunch now?" Esther gave a nod, and with her blessing, the three kids ran off. It wasn't far to the town gate, and the path was clear. The lilac haired girl watched them, till the very last one disappeared behind the town walls. She gave a sigh of relief as she turned back to Arc.

He made a comment about how a smile meant little to nothing, and it made Esther's own smile falter. She gripped the fluffy lining of her outerwear. It was such a sad thing to say, even as a joke. Her eyes fell, as she tried to think of the right words to say, to respond to. "That's mean." Esther finally said in a low voice. "It's mean to me, and its mean to you, don't you think?" She asked as she looked back up at him. She let go of her clothes, and reached forward to place the flower necklace over his neck. "As long as the smile is genuine, then I think you should smile. There." Esther dusted her hands, "Just be yourself - I can't offer you any $5 words, or anything smart and all knowing. Just be you. For you, don't deny those small happy moments. Besides, you can never have too many smiling faces." 

Esther thought about his words, as Arc talked about her duty to the kids. "It is...I only have one regret, and that's Evelyn leaving..." She mused quietly to herself. Her bright green eyes turned to Arc as he suggested a new skill, ways to help people. Esther laughed softly. "You know...I was just thinking about that this morning. Were you sneaking around reading my mind?" She asked playfully as she leaned forward to peer closer into his face. "Did you know it was already something I was considering?"

[Ashrah 0]

"You keep telling me things are mean like you're still under the impression I'm a nice person," Arc said as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "You've known me for almost twenty four hours. It's about time you realize that's not the case." She seemed taken off guard and displeased with his quip, but the Mercenary was unfazed by it all. Esther was airheaded at best, and that was his assessment of the ordeal. Still, she was far from a bad person despite how deluded she was. I mean, not carrying a weapon in an MMO? A game literally called Sword Art Online? What kind of idiot does that?

Right. His green gaze followed her as she placed the flowers over his neck. He frowned. This kind of idiot.

His expression was a flat line more than anything, and he pulled back when she got too close. "I know that," he said gruffly. "Be me. It's almost like you're expecting me to be someone I'm not, telling me that. You're expecting a nice person to jump out from behind a wall somewhere in my heart? The world ain't sunshine and rainbows, lady. Some of us are little gray clouds that nag along behind the rest of the group and rain on their parades. You have to learn to deal with that, or you're gonna have a bad time."

When she accused him of reading his mind, Arc gave a callous shrug and his eyes shut as he turned his head indifferently. "Guess that just means you do have a few good ideas of your own, huh?" It was a backhanded compliment, sure, but it was more than he'd given her up til now. Still, her face was too close to his. He reached up without looking and placed a firm hand on her shoulder, pushing her back.

"Easy kiddo," he stated in a firm voice. "Don't go getting all buddy buddy because I hit accept to your friend request. Feel free to send me a message if you need help, but don't think that I'm gonna start going steady with you or hanging out all the time. I have a job to do."

[Esther 0]

"You aren't?" Esther questioned, watching him quizzically. Granted, he wasn't friendly, he was closed off and a little rude. He seemed like the type of guy who preferred to stay in the background and help others from a distance, without forming any sort of bonds or connections with them. "I think I do realise that." She said slowly, her eyes intently on him. "At least, on the surface."  She thought about her words a little more, as Arc stepped back. "You're not friendly. I get that, but my representation of you - is that you're still a nice person." She affirmed. "You don't have to be nice in the sense of social interaction. I think that you're a nice person, at your core, and I'm stubborn." 

Esther offered him a small smile. "I'll continue to think that till you irrevocably prove me wrong." She shook her head at his rainy cloud comment, biting her lip. She wanted to laugh at it, the notion was a little amusing, and remarkably sweet in its own way. "That's ok. I probably come off like one, but I'm not a total idiot. The world isn't perfect, humans are flawed - we start riots and wars, we cry, we hate - but we also laugh and love. There are just some of us who are far too stubborn to let the rainy clouds bother them. For better or worse."

She felt his hand on her shoulder, he pushed and she was forced to take a few steps back. "Going steady?" Esther blinked, her first thought was in the dating sense, but she didn't see him that way, not in the slightest. How could she? They had just met. It took a few seconds to realise that Arc meant in every sense, that Esther shouldn't expect him to hang out with her on a whim. 

"Busy trying to get to the frontlines?

[Ashrah 0]

"Who cares what you think," he muttered to himself. The girl was stubborn for sure, and that made her a real pain to deal with. Arc was stubborn in his own way, but he knew how to take a hint. This girl blatantly refused to learn that skill. "You say whatever you want to, whenever you want to. Don't you think that's an annoying habit?" he asked with a venomous glare.

All the things she spoke about in the world were things he and Thom had talked about often. How horrible it was, and how it had always been that way. How history had rewritten itself time and again, and how people never learned. The nature of people as Esther put it was dual, and there was just as much love as there was hate. Tobias didn't care to look at it one way or the other. All that mattered in life was how you acted and treated people. Maybe he wasn't great at that, but no one was going to suffer for his misgivings. Flaws were what made people human. Without them, what would they be?

When she asked about the Frontlines, Arc turned away. "What else would I do?" he asked. "It's the only way to get out of this world. It's the only thing I can do."

[Esther 0]

Esther's smile faltered as Arc shot her a glare, she took a step back. Her brows were furrowed and she attempted to regain her composure, her smile - but it was clear his words and glare had bothered her. "I guess it is." Esther said quietly, turning her gaze away from his. "Sometimes, I do try to filter what I say more often." She shook her head, her wavering voice changing in octaves as she attempting to regain her composure, to regain the very part of her that she was trying so hard not to loose. "Both my father and Grand-Mama would always say that, chastise me, say that one day - if I'm not careful someone is going to come and break that, but at the same time - I'm being told to continue to be the honest, earnest Phoebe I always am."  She gave a self depreciating laugh. 

Esther watched as Arc turned away, she took this small moment of privacy to try and compose herself better. She wasn't sure why his words, and his glare shook her so much, part of it was her lack of ability to deal with confrontation, the other - was that Esther liked Arc, despite all his faults. Yet she was begining to feel that the feelings weren't reciprocated. The woman took a few deep breathes, opening up up her HUD. 

There, in her friends list - was the one name. Arc. His question repeated itself in her head, don't you think its annoying? "You're right." Esther said. "You're the only person who had ever actually accepted a friend request - despite all my efforts, despite all the talks, and chats, the meals, the favours. You were the only one." She opened up the option to remove him as a friend. "Even I, I suppose, should take a hint." She said as she pressed the option to remove him as a friend.

"Please though, feel free to message me any time Arc. For what its worth. I enjoy your company." She sounded almost defeated, it was uncharacteristic for her, Esther didn't want to remove him as a friend, she didn't want to just give up - but she felt that she needed to address it from a different approach. One that wasn't so....'Esther-Like'
 

[Ashrah 0]

He glanced back at the woman as she opened her menu and watched her actions. It was good to see someone so willing to understand, especially with his personality being what it was. Outside the world of Aincrad, he might have been much kinder to her. When there was no chance that he might fight a wild boar and get offed, he would most likely have offered to take her for drinks, or asked the sweet girl if she wanted to have dinner with him. Hell, Thom would have punched him in the nose for the way he was treating her, but Tobias knew he couldn't bring himself to do anything else. Still, part of him was even more upset with her for just giving up like that. It was so unlike her. It was like going against everything she had said to him up to that point.

That part of him was almost glad to see her go. Giving up was the biggest sin of all, between Arc and Alkor. He never gave up. He lost sight of who he was, perhaps. He walked a path well away from the straight and narrow, and he treated people like dirt- all things he had never wanted to do- but he never let it put a stop to his efforts. His strength came from inside himself.

"That's that, then," he said quietly.

Anything he might add would probably make her feel worse, and that was never his intention. He needed to sober the woman's eccentric point of view toward him, but that didn't mean he had to utterly destroy her. You can't change the past, but you can reset relationships. Wasn't that how it worked? Back to square one. Back to not really knowing each other. Back to where it wouldn't hurt if he died, and she found out about it.

He reached back for his weapon as he headed toward the field. "Have a nice day, and watch out for rainclouds," he quipped over his shoulder.

[Esther 0]

Esther felt defeated, but she didn't want to just leave on such a negative note, she wanted to work with him- she wanted to be around him. His dry smirks, his cold quips, she really did enjoy his company. It wasn't bright, it wasn't enthusiastically cheerful like her own, it was a stark opposite. Still...Arc had began to walk away, and Esther watched- waited for a few moments. Pursing her lips. How would she treat this in a non Esther way? How would she fix this? She gave her head a small shake, she started to follow, before breaking into a run - passing Arc, she stopped when she was a few metres in front of him. There were boars nearby, but that didn't matter now, what mattered now, was meeting someone for the first time. 

Esther closed her eyes, taking another deep breath, before casually walking toward Arc, pausing just in front of him. "Hi." she said, offering him a subdued smile, "My name's Esther. It's nice to meet you, what's your name?" She held out her hand, as if greeting him for the first time.

The series of actions were stupid, childish, unreasonable. You couldn't expect someone to just agree to play along with you like that, to just go 'oops' and 'RE:START the entire interaction as though it was from a previous save point. It was inconceivable, but, it was still Esther.

If she couldn't befriend him the first time. She would do so the second, and if she couldn't the second - she would the third.

[Ashrah 0]

Arc stopped.

He stared hard at her, like someone might look at someone who had lost their mind. His brow furrowed, and his expression blanked for a moment. Was she serious? Tobias couldn't tell anymore. If this was her kind of humor, he probably would never understand it. Who the hell is this girl?

His gaze fell to her hand, extended like she was introducing herself for the first time. For a moment, he let his eyes linger there, then move up to lock with her own gaze. "What the hell."

The mercenary slapped her hand in the customary greeting one might give a friend, the sort of quick five that wasted no time. "Arc," he gave his name. "I'm Arc."

Less than a second later, he stepped past her and their shoulders bumped, a silent way of saying 'you're in my way,' but not in a hostile manner. "I'm one of the guys who is gonna make this world come to an end. Nice to meet you, Esther."

Edited September 7, 2016 by Arc