[F01 - PP] Somebody That I Used To Know

[Noctua 0]

Spoiler

Noctua
Level: 29
HP: 580/580 | EN: 58/58 | DMG: 11 | ACC: 1 | EVA: 3 | BRN: 24 | BLT: 24 | REGN: 5 | RECV: 1

Equipped:
» Jack's Graceful Repose [T2 Demonic Rapier [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Burn]]
» Owl's Wings [T1 Perfect Trinket [Accuracy // Recovery // Evasion]]
» Winged Armor [T2 Demonic Light Armor Coat [Cursed / EVA / EVA / Regen]]

Battle Ready Inventory:
» Silver Wolf Necklace [T1 Perfect Necklace [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]]

Skills:
» Rapier - Rank 5

• Rapier Finesse - Rank 3

» First Aid - Rank 1

Extra Skills:
» Fighter - Rank 3
» Survival

She had decided to take the necklace and ring out of her inventory. She would place them in the shop, not for sale, but probably just to showcase them. Or to hide them in her desk. They were both a constant reminder that she didn't need, of course, she might just keep the necklace though, because she might end up needing that accuracy later. In fact, she was thinking about going out later and possibly doing another quest or two. She might have finished all the floor one's quests, but there were still plenty from all the other floors. She went to look at Athena, but the owl was already waiting at the door of the shop. The open sign was showing, and she rolled her eyes. She had a feeling that the owl was just going to sit with him. If that was the case, then so be it. She wasn't going to fight with the dumb AI.

Oh well, she just kept walking to the store before opening the door, the white owl rushing in with a happy hoot, before going to perch herself on his shoulders. Not even her perch, that Noctua had spent time making for the owl, but him. The owl really was mad at Noctua and the feelings were starting to be reciprocated. She just walked in behind the owl, letting the door close on its own. She looked at her things and she set to work on getting things cleaned. Furthermore, she didn't say a word to him, he didn't deserve her words right now. If he wanted to talk to her, so be it, but she wasn't going to play nice if he was just going to lie to her. Make her feel like she was wanted and loved, when she wasn't. No, he didn't deserve to see the real her anymore.

Just this part of her, the part her that actually hated him. The part of her that had to suppress the familiar feelings of hope and longing, because they weren't needed around him anymore. Instead, she just started to hum a song as she put the engagement ring into a box on her desk, deciding to leave the necklace in her inventory, just in case she needed it after all.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Spoiler

Koga
Level: 43
Health: 880
Energy: 86
DMG: 16 // EVA: 2  // MIT: 25 // ACC: 4
BRN: 24 // BLT: 24 // FALN: 4 // REGN: 10

Skills
>> Katana V
     // Ferocity
     // Precision
>> Light Armor V
     // Athletics

Extra Skills
>> Familiar Master: Fighter III
>> Survival

Inventory
>> T2 Demonic Katana <<Tsuki no Hikari>> [Burn // Blight // Cursed // Fallen]
>> T1 Perfect Necklace <<White Owl Necklace>> [Accuracy // Accuracy // Accuracy]
>> T2 Perfect Light Armor <<Shadow Chance Coat>> [Evasion // Evasion // Regen]

Battle-Ready Inventory
---

Buffs
>> <<Well Rested>> -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
>> <<Squeaky Clean>> The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down).
>> <<Relaxed>> Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

When Koga had walked into the shop this morning, he had instantly felt that something was out of place. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nothing appeared to be missing. Not that it would have even mattered if something had, it wasn't like he'd make a profit on anything in here anyways. Either way, he went into the back to double check that  he wasn't missing anything back there. Nope, everything was still in place.

Shaking off the feeling, the man went back to the front of the store, and that was when he noticed what was out of place. A note, on the counter. But it wasn't an order slip, he would've noticed it immediately. This was something else. Koga picked up the letter and quickly read it. "Uh...what?"

The door swung open, and the sound of an owl hooting ended with the sensation of a small thing landing on his shoudler. "Eh? Athena?" That must've meant...Koga looked to the door way. Noct. She walked into the store, wordlessly, and began to clean. There was a look of bewilderment on Koga's face that he just couldn't suppress. Why did she decide to come back? Why was Athena on his shoulder, and not hers. What?

"Uhm...hi...Noct..."

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

Ah, so he was confused, and it was kind of gold to listen to. He probably didn't understand why she was here, and she wasn't about to let him in on that answer unless he actually wanted to voice the question for it. Instead, she turned and looked at him, with the most convincing smile that she could on her face. "Koga." Now, while the smile might have been something that could possibly fool him into making him think that she was fine, she wasn't entirely sure if she was able to keep the venom out of her voice when she said his name. She didn't wait to see his face either though, there was a lot more cleaning that she needed to do if she was going to make sure that she could start crafting from the shop again.

"Judging by the confusion, you either just read my note, or are just plain confused as to why I'd come back to our shop to craft. It's simple really, I shouldn't be hiding because of some stupid argument or anything like that." She shrugged as she went about cleaning the dust from her desk. She noticed that she had no requests waiting on her, and she started to wonder what kind of story he spun to the customers. That didn't matter, she'd just wait for new ones, it wasn't like she was going anywhere after all. She was here to stay, even if he didn't like it. She looked over at him though and noticed Athena and rolled her eyes.

"As for her, she's mad at me," there was another shrug with her words, and in her mind, she knew that if Koga claimed to know her as well as he thought he did, he would know that this wasn't her at all. Just some kind of persona to be able to stay strong. At least, it seems to be working for the time being, so there was that for a bonus.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Did she just...smile at him? Koga was even more confused now than he was before. Had he gone to bed last night and woken up in some strange alternate reality? None of this seemed right. Did Noctua just intend to pretend like nothing had occurred? Like she could just waltz back into his life and carry on, business as usual?

"I just read it, yeah," he informed Noct. She was right though, this was her shop as well. He didn't know why the fact she'd come back to it surprised him. It just...didn't seem like something Noctua would do, given their current predicament. Was this even Noctua, and not some strange hallucination or doppelganger? "I...never intended to keep you out of here, ya know," the man said. He just hadn't thought that she would even want to. Did he want her back? Some visceral, primal part of him screamed 'no', her presence alone threatened to break down mental and emotional barrier he'd thrown up since he'd come across her by chance some week or so ago. They were still too weak to survive being around her everyday.

"As for her, she's mad at me," Noct then said, indicating Athena. Koga looked over to the owl perched on his shoulder in confusion, then back at Noct. "What, why?" he asked even more confused. This must be a doppelganger then. There was no way Athena would ever be mad at Noctua. That seemed wholly incorrect, as if the balance of the universe had been shifted.

@Noctua

Edited March 8, 2021 by Koga

[Noctua 0]

There was a part of her, that was buried very deep down, that was not enjoying how she was treating Koga. But, she just pushed that feeling even further down, it wasn't like he deserved her usual kindness. "Oh, I know. It was more that I had been worried that you didn't want me around, but," there was another shrug, "I figured out yesterday that I shouldn't care about that."

That wasn't what she had wanted to say, why did she say it like that? She wanted to say that she shouldn't care what he wanted, but something didn't let that happen. Perhaps that part of her that still loved him wasn't buried enough. She would have to fix that later. Though, she did look at him and raised an eyebrow. Could he really not notice that she wasn't herself? If he couldn't notice that, then the conclusion that she came to yesterday was true.

"Well, let's see, it took getting lost in a dark cave, fighting bats and saving a child, for me to realize just how many lies I've been told in the past, by really everyone." She looked away from him and finished the cleaning that she needed to do. Internally, she was now at war with herself, but the part of her that was out was the part that was winning said war. Why? Because this part of her knew that she didn't need to be hurt once more, not by someone who kept trying to push her away.

There was some pain that showed in her eyes as she tried to focus on just making sure that she had all of her things settled. She stole a glance over at him to see what his current reaction was, not knowing if he'd recognize that pain before it was quickly thrown back into its own vault.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

The truth hurts sometimes. Noct indeed shouldn't care about what Koga thought, or anyone for that matter but...that didn't mean he didn't want her to care. Even if it meant that she would be worried about coming back, and it was entirely selfish, Koga knew he wanted her to care. Koga finally set down Noct's note and just stared at her. There was no denying it, the woman standing in front of him wasn't Noctua, not anymore. He wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't know what.

It wasn't like what Noct said really explained why Athena was mad at her either. It only created more questions. Lied to? Koga was smart enough to connect the dots with their previous conversation. Once upon a time they'd swore to each other neither would leave the other. In the end, even if it was Tala's doing, he'd left her. He understood that now, even if he didn't then. Noctua was holding it against him, letting it fuel her anger towards him. She looked back for at him for moment, and for just a second Koga thought he recognized a semblance of pain, or regret, or grief, but it was gone so quickly it seemed more like a mirage than any piece of reality.

"Ok." Still, Koga didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to have this conversation, or even what it was. Somehow, every time Noctua saw Koga, she managed to dig up another part of him he thought hadn't existed and kill it. And then he felt more empty than the day before.

"Do you, uh...want any help getting set up?" he offered. It wouldn't help anything, trying to be kind. It wouldn't fix anything, but it was all that Koga had left.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She heard a hoot come from Athena, only to look over and see that the owl was attempting to comfort Koga. That stung. Oh well, let the owl comfort whoever she wanted. Noctua just turned her gaze back to her desk, counting the materials that she had to craft with. One. A single material, she was going to go and have to change that sooner or later, probably sooner.

Mainly because there was this oh so familiar feeling that was trying to push its way back to the top of her mind, and heart. She didn't want to deal with it though. The heartbreak from before was enough. She just stood at her desk, staring at the box that she put her ring into, and closed her eyes for a moment. She felt those threatening tears. Furthermore, she wasn't going to have any of that breaking down right here. No, she put up this wall on purpose, and she wasn't about to let him just take a hammer and bash it down.

She slowly opened her eyes, before she nearly jumped from him suddenly speaking again. She cleared her throat before looking at him again. "Sure." He was being kind, and not in a condescending way, she would tell that. She might as well just accept it. They needed to be civil for the shop to be able to survive right? "How is your sister? And Yukiro?" Might as well attempt a conversation, right? Civil after all. Of course, what she hadn't expected was for that slight pang of jealousy and hurt to be in her voice.

But, instead of drawing attention to it, she just went about organizing her desk some more.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

With Noctua's assent, Koga began to open the display cases and removing the surplus weapons he'd placed in them, making room for Noctua to place her trinkets and jewelry, before giving the glass a quick clean, despite the lack of any dirt or grime.

"They're...I dunno, to be honest," Koga replied, not having the willpower to look at the woman. "I haven't seen much of Yukiro lately, and I haven't seen Tala since..." Koga stopped short, letting the sentence hang in the air. They'd dueled, and tala had beat him quicker than he'd even though possible. She'd improved, and that was fine. But there had been no catharsis there. No real resolution. Koga thought they might've at least patched their relationship for the time being, but with duct tape or not, he wasn't quite certain yet. "She seemed different last time I saw her. I dunno, maybe Yuki finally got through to her."

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She watched him, he seemed to be defeated, and while there was a small part of her that was happy about that, there was still that larger part that wasn't happy about that. She just shoved that part aside once more and continued to organize her desk once more. "I'm certain that they'll be fine. Tala and Yukiro always seemed to make up easily. Plus, it's not like she needs to worry about being hated by everyone she loves." That had been an accidental stab, but she wasn't about to retract it.

The statement worked for now after all. "If Yukiro managed to get through to her, then she will be fine." Her voice didn't hold disdain, unlike how she felt, it was neutral. Something that she had to learn to perfect in her voice when it came to talking about the brat. Tala had been the reason for the only other big fight between Noctua and Koga, and honestly, she was still the reason for this one in a way. Funny how things worked like that.

Never knowing who there was to trust anymore. Noctua looked at the perch that she had made for Athena, before looking at the owl who was now just sitting at Koga's station. "Perhaps I should just move this over there." She didn't know if he heard her words or not, but she was just staring at the familiar that she thought of as family, only to be currently stabbed in the heart, once more, in the span of maybe a week. Life sucked.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Hated by everyone? Is that how she felt? Koga unconciously exhaled sharply. He could have said something along the lines of 'no one hates' you, but instead he said nothing. The man doubted Noct would believe him even if he had. More than that, he was afraid the comment would earn him, at best, some snide remark, and at worst, another heartbreaking argument. No, he'd rather say nothing.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied to Noct's statement about Tala. A part of him still worried she'd do something horrendously stupid again, but he had gotten the sense that she had put such misadventures behind her a long time ago. Then again, a year was a long time, and a lot could change. Just look at how quickly they had changed in only a week or two.

When Noctua mentioned moving Athena's perch, he looked at the bird briefly before gesturing with his head for the owl to go back to Noct. "No need," he said, "not like Cardinal would let me have two familiars anyway." No, that broke too many rules.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She heard the exhalation, and it made her look at him, "What?" There was actual confusion and curiosity in her voice as she asked that single worded question. What was he trying to say, that no one hated her? She'd need some proof of that if she was to believe it at this point.

He didn't exactly believe her when it came to what she said about Tala. That's fine, he can learn it in his own time. Noctua wasn't here to fix that relationship after all, or really this one at this point. Of course, deep down, she wanted to, but that was possibly being buried by the 'I just don't care anymore' demeanor that she was holding onto.

She kept the perch on her desk, but shrugged lightly. "She's still my familiar and is around me all the time, but, if there is someone else for her to be able to perch on, then that's where she will be until I leave." She studied him for a moment, wondering if he had actually figured out why Athena didn't want to be around Noctua that much right now. "You haven't figured out why she doesn't want to perch on me, have you?"

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga hadn't even realized he made a sound until Noct asked him. Even he had to stop for a moment in confusion before he realized just why she was questioning him. "Oh, uh, nothing," he replied, not really wanting to have whatever conversation that would follow the answer.

The second question though, he could answer easily. He shook his head, 'no'. He was admittedly still curious, but he didn't want to push anything with Noct right now anyways. He simply closed another of the glass display cases and went on to the next, daggers, swords and rapiers disappearing into his inventory one by one.

To be honest, Koga still didn't really understand why she was even here. Yes, it was her shop too, but...why now? The last time he'd seen Noctua, she'd been as much of a mess as he was, hardly sleeping. She'd been angry with him then too, but at least he knew some part of her still cared. Now there was none of that.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She didn't believe him, at all, but then, why should she? He said that it was nothing, but she wanted to know what it was, so she sighed and shook her head. "Koga, just tell me. I'd rather not have another thing to think I've been lied to about come out." She just stared at him, even as he emptied display cases. If he wasn't going to talk to her, perhaps she shouldn't have come back, or at least, perhaps she should just open her own shop.

That was a stab of hurt deep down, and she ignored it. She wanted this answer. She knew that there was a line that she could use to possibly make him answer. But at the same time, that line would just make things worse. It was a double-edged sword in whatever relationship that there was that was left between them. She wanted the old relationship back, yes, even this part of her.

But, that probably wasn't going to happen still. That was when she thought of something, she could just go and quest some more. Leave her part of the shop in shambles and dust. "How about this, if you want me to leave, just tell me. Stop pretending that you can fix something, or someone, that is broken." Ouch, Noct, ouch.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga visibly winced at Noctua's words, and ended up shutting the display case a little harder than he'd intended. "I'm not trying fix anybody," he said. It was a sharp reply, but lacked the anger it might've otherwise held. He was too tired for that. He turned and looked her in the eyes this time. "What do you want me to say, Noct?" This was what he was afraid would happen. "That I'm sorry that I cared about you? That I still c-" He stopped himself short there, the sad expression only etching itself deeper into his features. "Do you want me to say that you should just leave me alone, because it would be easier for us both if we pretended the other never existed? Is that what you want me to say?" Koga wasn't sure where these words were coming from. All he knew was that Noctua was pushing him further and further away when the distance between them already felt insurmountable. He didn't why it hurt so much if they were already so far apart.

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

There was an unknown, and very not familiar, anger starting to build up in her as he talked. He cared for her, that was definitely a lot less than what had been said in the past. She knew that he was about to say that he still cared for her, but even that wasn't believable with how he was acting. She had tried twice, only to either get yelled at or pushed away. So while he was slamming display cases closed, her hands were balling into fists.

"Damn it, no Koga! I want you to actually talk to me. To want to actually be around me. But that's too much to ask apparently. Along with trying to forget that someone who claims to care about me has told me to go against who the hell I am and not worry about the man that I lo-" she paused for a moment before shrugging with a mental forget it, "love. I mean, come on, how many times has your sister hurt me and I *still* worry about her because she was supposed to be family, like you."

By this point, she was just pissed, and Athena was staring at the both of them before screeching. This pulled Noct's gaze to the owl, and she shook her head before just sitting at her desk, giving up for the moment.

@Koga

Edited March 13, 2021 by Noctua

[Koga 0]

Noctua wasn't the kind to yell. Well, not usually. But this was one of the few times Koga had managed to push her too far. Unintentionally, which was of little consolation to the man. He hated this. Koga rest a hand on the pristine glass. In this virtual world, this pane of glass wouldn't smudge, there was no oil on his skin to leave behind fingerprints after all.

He spoke softly, "Noct, I just...I need time." He looked at the woman's feet again. He hated that he couldn't even look at her properly anymore. "You can't expect things to just go back to how they were before. You had to have known that when you ran off." It wasn't an accusatory statement. Far from it. Koga knew that he'd given Noct a good enough reason to run away from him. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, that wasn't what I intended, but I need space right now, okay? You said that I needed time to figure out what I wanted in your note, remember?" Of course she did. "That's what I'm doing right now. I just...gotta figure this out for myself."

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

At this point, she was just staring at the desk that was starting to feel more and more unfamiliar under her fingertips. She just shook her head, not bothering to look at him, she couldn't, she felt her facade threatening to fall, and she wasn't about to let the emotions out. No, she'd take it out on some monsters in a few minutes, or those bandits. Yeah, those bandits would be perfect.

"No Koga, I didn't expect anything to be the same. I still don't, and honestly, I don't know if we can get back to that point anymore. Not with this really horrible game of push and pull that seems to be going on." She stood up, and looked at Athena, her gaze avoiding Koga's form completely. The tone in her voice just said how defeated she felt, even though she was trying to hide it. She knew that he wasn't attempting to accuse her, or at least, that was what she wanted to believe right now. But that hadn't stopped the heart stabbing pain that kicked in with it.

"My ring is in the box on my desk, and it'll stay there. I don't think I can handle any more reminders of what I've actually lost." She walked over to where Athena was perched, and lightly stroked the owl's feathers. For once this week, Athena didn't try to bite her, and just accepted the half-hearted love that was being given to her. "I won't be in your way then. Athena and I will stay out of your hair." As if the owl knew what was going to come next, Athena looked between the pair of them before resigning and moving so that she was perched on Noctua's shoulder. It felt right to have the owl there again, even if it was just for show, which is what Noctua was expecting it to be.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Koga sighed as he watched Noctua's defenses fall, and he could finally see the woman he used to know underneath the hard shell she'd been developing. Funny how just a few words of honest could tear down walls they worked so hard to build. At the mention of the ring, Koga glanced over at the box Noct had indicated. His had remained in his inventory for all this time. He hadn't really known what to do with it, but he never felt like he could get rid of it.

The man walked over to the box and opened it, the ring sitting within. Blue light coalesced into a halo between his finger tips as he summoned the ring from his inventory, and placed it along side the other. He closed the box, and gently rested a hand on it. Perhaps these were the last symbols of the feelings they once had for each other. It seemed fitting they stay there together, safe from the cruel world that kept tearing into them, and apart.

"I don't mind having you in the shop," he said, staring at the box. "Just...be patient with me...I'm sorry."

@Noctua

[Noctua 0]

She just kept her attention on the owl, even as Koga was putting his own engagement ring along with her own. She was starting to have a sinking feeling that that was where those two rings were going to reside forever. Even when this game is beat, because she wasn't coming back if it stayed open. She listened to him, and simply shook her head, she was working on putting the emotions back down where they belonged right now.

"It's fine." Athena looked at Noctua then to Koga, a small, yet confused sounding hoot coming from the owl. Lightly, Noctua stroked the feathers of the owl before she sighed lightly. She, finally, looked over at Koga, trying to figure out what to say, but nothing was coming to her mind. Not even a sarcastic remark. Something to make them laugh. She couldn't even think of a phrase to curse him out in French.

She just had... nothing. Without actually giving him another word, she turned and walked out of the shop, surprised with herself for not breaking out into tears while being in the shop, or even when she walked out of it.

@Koga

[Koga 0]

Before Koga even realized it, the two were out the door. He was about to open his mouth and ask where they were going, but the door shut, and the bell that hung above it rang, announcing the departure of everything Koga knew, loved, and wanted to be as far away from as possible.

He sank into the chair behind the counter, and leaned back into it, a heavy weight in his chest pulling him down into the earth. He wished it would just swallow him whole. Enveloped by the earthy darkness, six feet below the ground, maybe then his mind would finally be at ease. Or maybe he'd never know the meaning of that word. Whatever God might exist in the real world, he had no power in this one. Even if Koga's soul returned to the waking world, who knew what would happen.

But that wasn't an option, as much as Koga might've wanted it.

The man felt a warm weight curl itself up at his feet, and Koga knew that it was Okami, just as tired as he was. "I think...we should've stayed home today bud..."

---

Thread Summary

Spoiler

Everyone:
>> 200 Col
>> 2 SP [1 Thread + 1 Quarantine]