[F01 - SP] Round Two <<Training Your Friend>>

[Bahr 0]

But whereas his concern before had been whether or not Imposter Bajesus was actually real, now it was whether or not they would ever find it again. But knowing that it was real, they had to press on. Bahr would never forgive himself if he let Swine Bajesus down like this, and the fact of the matter was that they needed to finish this training. Bahr had already refunded the points he put into Swine Bajesus for its accuracy training. There was no choice to barrel ahead and hope for the best.

There was the matter of selecting a new lead, though. Bahr was at a loss. He looked down to Swine Bajesus, who also seemed to be slowly running out of steam. He gestured with his head in an inquisitive manner, hoping the tiny pig might have an idea as to where they should look next. It merely shook its head, and Bahr knew that the situation had finally reached a head.

"Alright, then. Random direction. Let's go this way."

[Bahr 0]

Another message notification, this time from Oscar. "Tell me if you see anything, alright?" Bahr asked of the tiny boar, and it gave him a salute in response. Bahr couldn't help but grin. 
 

Quote

To: Bahr

I didn't exactly leave things off well with her, either. I pressed her on a stupid decision she was thinking about, and she didn't take kindly to it.

She's a real prickly one.

But yeah, I'll keep an ear to the ground and let you know if I hear or see anything. Thanks for the heads up.

- Oscar

Quote

To: Oscar

Thanks, I appreciate it. Anything could be a lead, so don't be afraid to tell me something because you think it's too small to matter.

And yeah, she's a bit prickly.

- Bahr

With the message sent, Bahr dismissed the windows and turned his attention back to Swine Bajesus. "Any luck?" he mused, already knowing the response. Swine Bajesus simply shook its head. It seemed that, at the very least, Bahr's distraction wouldn't have a negative impact on the search.

[Bahr 0]

It very suddenly occurred to Bahr how vacant the valley seemed. It was unusual for the plains of Floor One to be so scarce. He wasn't sure it if was because of the impending storm, or the fact that the majority of people had simply leveled past the need for visiting a place like this. It was bittersweet to imagine the plains of the first floor abandoned for the foreseeable future. On the one hand, this meant that real progress was being made. On the other, there would be no way to ever recapture the energy it had once had.

But it was probably just the storm. Now that the clouds were a bit closer, he could see flickers of light emanating from within them. It looked like it was going to be nasty once it hit. Anyone in a suit of armor would probably run the risk of being struck my lightning.

The visual of a knight wandering through the plains before having a violent surge of electricity thrust through his body was equally as disturbing as it was humorous. Just minding his own business before being smote. It was no wonder everyone was inside.

[Bahr 0]

Without even meaning to, Bahr had once again circled around to where he and Swine Bajesus had first met. Or was it simply an area that was rendered exactly the same way? As Bahr peered around, he couldn't make out the giant boulder that had the spilled soup next to it. Right, so this was a different place. It just looked similar. Uncannily similar. Actually, completely identical.

It all started coming back to him. This was the real spot. The one before it had just been a fake, the same as Imposter Bajesus. 

"So this is where it all started. For real," Bahr mused as he looked down to Swine Bajesus, who nodded in response. "Can't believe I mistook the other place for the real thing. Why didn't you say anything?" The pig merely grunted. Right, it couldn't talk. "Oh yeah, sorry. Sometimes I forget you can't talk back. Your mannerisms have got enough attitude that sometimes I feel like I'm having a full on conversation with you. My bad."

[Bahr 0]

Before Bahr even knew what was happening, Swine Bajesus had flung itself off of his shoulder and rolled elegantly across the ground upon impact like a tiny parkour master. It charged forward with speed completely unbefitting its plump frame, barreling ahead into a vicious headbutt against none other than Imposter Bajesus. Bahr had completely overlooked it! But Swine Bajesus had sprung into action and taken the initiative, attacking with more precision and grace than Bahr ever could have expected. 

As Imposter Bajesus turned tail and ran away with a frenzied squeal, Swine Bajesus stood tall and triumphantly,  huffing through its snout and stamping the ground with one of its hooves. It had come out victorious yet again. 

"That. Was. Amazing," Bahr articulated, jaw hanging loose as he gazed upon his tiny partner. He was absolutely gobsmacked. When had Swine Bajesus turned into such a badass? Had it learned a thing or two from its graceless first encounter with its rival?
 

Spoiler

ID: 130736
CD: 11
2/3 successful trainings.

 

[Bahr 0]

Swine Bajesus returned to its owner and nudged at his ankle, signalling that it wished to be returned to its perch atop his shoulder. Bahr happily obliged, scooping the minuscule pig into his palm before gingerly setting it where it rightfully belonged. There was a tiredness in its eyes, but more than that, a deep-seated determination to see this thing through to the end. They had come this far, so Bahr couldn't blame it. He was tired too, but he wasn't about to give up, or let Bajesus give up. They were too close to quit now.

"That was an amazing hit. I don't think I've ever admired you more," Bahr chirped, giving the creature a few pats on its tiny head. "I think it ran in that direction. Let's give chase and see what we can do, huh? Put this poser to rest once and for all. I know you've got it in you." The swine nodded in agreement, and the pair set off once more to track down their adversary.

[Bahr 0]

Bahr sauntered along in the direction that Imposter Bajesus had ran, a bit more pep present in each step than there had been before. He had caught his second wind, and now they were on the brink of victory. Bajesus shared this enthusiasm as well, glaring forward in search of its rival with an unexpected ferocity. It was so interesting seeing this side of the microscopic pig after it had been so lazy for so long. Sure, Bahr had enabled it, but there was no denying that Swine Bajesus wasn't the active sort. There was a reason it was as round as it was.

But now, it seemed eager to spring into action. And not just that, but capable of springing into action. Bahr knew that the progression system for familiars was different from regular folks - a bit faster, and each successful training attempt brought out more and more of their prowess in whatever field was being trained. As such, he couldn't wait to witness the next encounter with the faker. It was sure to be a sight to remember.

[Bahr 0]

For that to happen, though, they needed to keep their eyes on the prize. The focus that they had had before was only magnified now, and every molecule of detail in the surrounding area was absorbed by their eyes as they remained vigilant in search of their foe. To the casual onlooker, they would look like a couple of grizzled war veterans keeping a lookout for the next guerilla attack. But to someone who was intimate with their situation, the entire display would have looked comically ridiculous. All of this effort for a tiny boar. Oh, the humanity.

That didn't stop them from treating the endeavor with every bit of seriousness they felt it deserved. They were on a mission now, with a renewed vigor that could match a toddler on Red Bull. They were pressing on through a mixture of adrenaline, urgency, and an unrequited desire to cement their position as the best. There was nobody who could match up to Swine Bajesus. Nobody.

[Bahr 0]

And then, Bahr saw it again. The flicker of something small scurrying just out view. Rather than continue to walk along calmly as he had before, this time he gave chase. With every powerful stride, he felt himself getting closer. Finally, he could see it. There before them was Imposter Bajesus, running for its life as fast as its tiny legs could carry it. They would be able to catch up to it with no problem at all.

As Bahr pitched forward into a dead sprint, the faker took notice and began moving even more frenetically. In what could only be described as the most bizarre serpentine maneuver of all time, it began sprinting to and fro with wild abandon, all sense of reason in its movements lost. While this may have seemed silly, it was profoundly efficient at throwing Bahr off of its tail. It could dip and weave and pivot faster than he could due to its light weight. If Bahr wasn't careful, it would manage an escape and they would be back to square one.

[Bahr 0]

Unfortunately, and I mean seriously unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. Bahr's boot got on a slick patch of grass, and before he knew it, the entire world was pitched sideways. Swine Bajesus was thrown off of his shoulder and bounced along the ground like a soccer ball before thwacking against a nearby tree. Imposter Bajesus hightailed it out of there was quickly as it possibly could, leaving the grounded pair behind to lick their wounds.

"God damn it!" Bahr shouted as he pounded the ground with a closed fist, slowly bringing his knees under his frame and pushing himself off of the ground. This was turning into a hopelessly frustrating endeavor. His eyes traced over to where Swine Bajesus had come to a stop at the tree. "You alright, Bajesus?" The tiny pig slowly picked itself up off of the ground and gave its owner a nod before shambling over. Bahr scooped it up and returned it to its perch atop his shoulder, grumbling all the while.
 

Spoiler

ID: 130737
CD: 3
Training failed.

 

[Bahr 0]

While Bahr had been frustrated before, now he was just straight up pissed. They had lost site of Imposter Bajesus, and he wasn't even sure if he had seen what direction it had ran in. Everything had just been a blur of vertigo. The important thing was that they were both alright, but it was so demoralizing to be so close to finishing this damn task and failing again at the last moment. Was it even truly possible to defeat the thing at this point? Yes. Before the storm hit? That was anybody's guess. The clouds were rolling in over top now, casting an eerie shadow upon everything underneath. Bahr knew that it would start to rain at any given moment, so they couldn't afford to dawdle. He settled on the direction that seemed right and started trudging away, his eyes darting back and forth as he looked for signs of their target.

[Bahr 0]

Bahr's marching slowed to a more normal pace as he sighed. He was beginning to feel desperate. "I'm so sorry, Bajesus," he managed on an exhale, looking down to his tired and battered partner. "I really didn't expect things to go like this. I knew that you would be able to take the imposter on, but never imagined that it would be so difficult to track it down. I feel like I've let you down." The tiny pig merely shook its head in the negative as a response. Without it even saying anything, Bahr could tell from the look in its eye that it was just happy to have really spent a day with its owner, regardless of the outcome. Bahr cherished the thought.

"Yeah, you're right," he said with a slight smile, continuing his stride and looking out into the expanse with a squint. "Let's finish what we came here to do. That sucker is going down."

[Bahr 0]

They weren't having much luck, though. All traces of their minuscule opponent seemed to have been wiped from the face of Aincrad. They looked and they looked, but nothing came up. It was truly a pitiful situation. Bahr was doing his best not to get down in the dumps about it. He was tired, it was starting to get cold, and he'd just had enough. If he dared to say it, his muse for this situation had been drained entirely. His pressing onward was out of pure obligation and a recognition that it was necessary.

He felt an ache in his muscles. He hadn't endured an all day outing like this in quite some time. His joints creaked in protest to every movement he made, from his toes all the way to his neck. If they didn't find this thing and end this circus soon, they might need to call it quits. The strain of the endeavor was simply becoming too much to handle, at this point. Part of him felt like giving up and trying another day. But starting all of this over from the very beginning felt insurmountable.

[Bahr 0]

He needed to stop feeling so down about the situation. If he brought this lack of enthusiasm to their next encounter with Imposter Bajesus, they would fail again for sure. And it was difficult to tell whether or not the team could endure any more demoralization after what they had already gone through. But that was a risk they were going to need to take. They might have to take another fall. Brace for another blunder. Recognize the crushing sensation of failure again. And if that happened, it could threaten to break it all.

That being said, Bahr had an unusual optimism about the situation. After suffering through so many failures, there was no way they could fail again, right? Something had to give. The odds were on their side. He had a feeling that there was at least a 50/50 chance they could pull it out during the next encounter. And in his best efforts to remain a "glass half full" kind of guy, he bet that those were as good of odd as they were gonna get.

[Bahr 0]

Bahr wasn't even surprised anymore that they had failed to find the creature they were hunting. He was actually laughing about it. It wasn't a humorous laugh, though. It was a "I'm so frustrated that I don't know any other way to express myself" sort of laugh. Swine Bajesus seemed concerned, but stayed focused anyways. If its owner wasn't going to have his wits about him, Swine Bajesus needed to for the both of them. It was the only way they would make it through this and to the other side.

That didn't make the situation any less frustrating for the pig, though. Not only was this far more personal for it and Bahr, but it felt a personal sense of failure as well. If it had been quicker on its feet, perhaps it would have been able to strike the imposter down during their spill. But instead, it had skittered across the ground like a smooth stone over water, totally useless.
 

Spoiler

ID: 130738
CD: 4
Training failed.

 

[Bahr 0]

But that wasn't its fault. There was no way it could have known what was about to happen. Bahr hadn't even predicted it. Though, he was notorious for being one of the clumsiest men in Aincrad. The fact that he hadn't slipped and fallen right in front of a tough boss and gotten himself skewered yet as probably a surprise to everyone. As shitty as it was that it had happened when it did, and least the situation wasn't anything truly dangerous. The fact that everyone was okay was what really mattered.

It was this sentiment that anchored Bahr and allowed him to continue pressing onward. They were okay. Everything was okay. And when they finally did find the Chernobyl rat and snuff it out for good, things would be okay then, too. Better than okay, some would argue. The okayest, if that was even a word. It wasn't. But that didn't matter.

[Bahr 0]

Amidst their frantic search, Bahr's mind hearkened back to the first time they had attempted this quest. Swine Bajesus had struggled with a few of the leaves, missing them gracelessly and falling into a pile of the floor. But with each and every failure, it picked itself up and tried again. And with each and every success, it became more adept at its task. It grew more precise and quicker in such a short span of time that it hardly even seemed real. And Bahr knew that the same magic could be replicated here, if only they gave it their all and didn't give up.

Just keep going. It was the thought echoing through his mind. Just keep going. There was no other option. Retreat? Fail? Against this little worm of a boar? Not a shot in hell, damn it. Bahr would sooner eat his boots than endure a loss like that.

[Bahr 0]

The determination was building back up again. Bahr could feel it bubbling within him. Each and every step he took forward brought him closer to his goal. Every creak in his bones belied the success that lay before him. All he needed to do was keep going. He owed it to Swine Bajesus, and he owed it to himself. Failure was not an option. Giving up was not an option. Even if he had to set the Aincrad record for longest time spent training a familiar (Which he probably had), he would do it. Nothing could stop them. They could be slowed down. They could be impeded. They could fail again and again and again and again and again. But nothing could permanently stand between them and their goal. No mob, no RNG, and no Cardinal. This was going to happen. Whether the gods of odds desired it or not, Bahr would see his victory.

[Bahr 0]

And so would Swine Bajesus. This triumph would allow the pig to transcend to heights of strength the likes of which it never knew possible. A power held within it that had remained untapped up until this point, building with pressure until finally being released in an unrelenting torrent of pure energy. It was capable of it. Bahr knew it. And deep down, he believed that Swine Bajesus knew it, too. It would not have been tamable if it did not have the capacity. Now was the time to prove it.

It wouldn't be an easy road. That much had already been made painfully evident. But it would be a road that Swine Bajesus would not have to travel alone. Bahr was there, right alongside it, experiencing the same grueling grind that it was. And in that shared torment, a solidarity. How silly it seemed to be taking something such as this so seriously. But after so much time invested, it didn't feel silly to them at all.

[Bahr 0]

Still no sign of the creature. No matter. They were beginning to see the signs. A patch of depressed grass here. A snapped twig there. Yes, the evidence of the creature's trail had been there all the while. It was simply too nimble to be caught up to easily. But that was okay. There was no rush. Slow and steady would win this race. Careful, deliberate strides that would carry them from the dark into the light, and reveal the imposter at its most opportune moment. Such was the natural order of things. Persistence was a power that was not to be trifled with. The imposter should have known by now that there was no escape. Its days were numbered.

They continued along the path, no longer caring where it led. They would chase the thing to the edge of Aincrad, if necessary. And from there, they would remove it from its digital mortal coil and send it hurtling back to Cardinal.
 

Spoiler

ID: 130739
CD: 4
Training failed.