[F25 - PP] A Murder Most Foul

[Koga 0]

As Koga finished speaking, he heard a voice, or rather voices, come from behind him. Distorted, so many different pitches and timbres shifting, weaving in and out of each other, in no manner that indicated anything even resembling musical or orderly. Koga closed his eyes and swore. "Oh, give me a fucking break."

The man turned, his mouth drawn into a thin, and rather dissatisfied line as he stared up at the unholy monstrosity that had killed the real Taya. The disgruntled look quickly dropped from his face as he took in the malformed, elongated body, the unnatural way it moved, and its smile, all wrong. Koga's eyes grew wide for a moment before he gripped his sword and brought up his guard, Okami leaping forward to attack the beast. Jomei quickly started to shout for the others to run from the creature. It was instant panic as the three men scrambled past Koga and Jomei, all sense of caution thrown to the wind in the face of this misshapen creature. Okami bit into one of the monstrosity's spindly arms while Koga dashed in his blade glowing with dark energy as he leaped and delivered a blow to the creature's chin. "Jomei! Could use some help here!" the man called as he landed back on his feet and rolled away from the demon.

Spoiler

Jomei | 820/820 HP | 120/120 EN| DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt.
Koga | HP: 700/700 | EN: 96/108 (108 -12) | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV)

Daburu | 658/1000 HP (1000 -658) | DMG: 125 | MIT: 30 10
[REND 28, 0/2]
[SHATTER, 1/3]

Okami attacks Daburu
  | REND 7 * 4
Daburu is RENDED

Koga uses Tech-D
  | 203098, BD (11) nat7 + 4
  | DMG ((23 +8) * 12) - 30
Daburu takes 342 Fallen damage

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Koga

[Jomei 0]

Eyes pinned to the three other players as they scrambled away towards the malformed visage of Taya, Jomei made sure they were far enough away and not trying to engage in battle with it. "I fucking told you!" the player who had tipped them off to this creature shouted back as they turned a corner, his voice bouncing off the walls and trailing off the farther he ran.

Koga's call for help pulled his attention back to the matter at hand, the gangly monster pulled straight from a horror movie. "Right, on it!" he shouted as he turned around. A cold sweat trickled down his jawline as he looked into the sunken sockets of the Danburu, like a pitch black tunnel that lead to Hell itself. Confidence in their ability to slay such a monstrosity remained, though the image before him shook him to his core. 

Swallowing down that pit in his throat, the Irishman flourished his rapier and pulled the handle back beside his head. Like knocking an arrow on the string of a bow and readying it to fire, he released the small breath he was holding before letting his Sword Art fly. In one fluid motion, Jomei's blade thrust forward, grazing the cheek of the already cracked face of the Daburu and stabbing into their chest. Continuing the motion, he would pull his blade back, and hold the sword in a guard across his body. The extra hate gained from that Fighting Spirt skill should keep its attention on him,  his evasion stat  should be enough to avoid the onslaught.

With another shrill scream, the monster stumbled, crashing into the side of the labyrinth with a resounding crash. Its arm not pinned against the wall would rise up and attempt to swipe at the ginger, an easily foreseeable attack. Shooting one leg out to the side and bending his knee, Jomei dropped to the ground, the long claws of Daburu cutting nothing but the air above his head. 

ID203099 | BD 2(+4) 6 | MD 5 (-3) 
TECH-C | 23 x 16 = 368(-10) = 358

Adere attacks 28 DMG REND

[2] Jomei | 820/820 HP | 109/120 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. 
[1] Koga | HP: 700/700 | EN: 108/108 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV)

Daburu | 272/1000| DMG: 125 | MIT: 30 10
[REND 28, 1/2]
[SHATTER, 1/3]

[Koga 0]

Jomei's follow up attack was quick and decisive. A quick thrust into the eldritch creature's sternum resulted in a piercing, echoing screech of pain as it lashed out at the ginger-haired warrior. The monster was already below half health at this point, surprisingly unimpressive for how terrifying an appearance it had. Although, knowing that both the players were Frontline capable, it tempered his expectations.

In any case, the fact that they would not have to be locked into extended combat with the demonic entity that swung its arms wildly at them was a relief. As Jomei ducked beneath the arm, Koga leapt into the air, towards the wall opposite the creature. Pushing off with his feet, he swung the flat of his blade at where the temple of the monster should have been. Tsuki no Hikari connected, and loud echoing gong seemed to emanate from the demon's body, causing Koga to wince as he landed back on the ground. "Jomei, shut this thing up!"

Spoiler

[2] Jomei | 820/820 HP | 109/120 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. 
[2] Koga | HP: 700/700 | EN: 84/108 (96 +1 -13) | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV)
[REND CD, 1/5]

Daburu | 6/1000 (272 -266) | DMG: 125 | MIT: 30 10
[REND 28, 1/2]
[SHATTER, 2/3]
[STUNNED, 0/1]

Koga uses Tech-A
  | 203105, BD (8) nat4 +4
  | DMG (23 * 12) -10
Daburu takes 266 damage
Daburu is STUNNED

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Koga

[Jomei 0]

Koga's sword connected with the creature with a loud crash. The trembling sound did nothing to affect Jomei and Koga, but the Daburu seemed to shudder upon impact. The tiny, burning coals for eyes darkened for a moment, revealing the heavy pain it endured after the two players laid into it.. but the toothy grin it wore was never changing, still stretching ear to ear. Even when clinging to a tiny thread of existence, as if knowing it had fooled the players for short while brought a smile to its face. 

Daburu's head hung low, stunned in place thanks to Koga's quick thinking. Seeing a clear opening to finish this, Jomei held his rapier at his opposite hip, alongside the scabbard its normally housed within. Quick steps carried him towards the cracked image of Taya. Dropping to his knees, the ginger would slide just under Daburu's chin, the monster not able to shift its gaze to watch him as he let his blade fly upwards in an arc above his own head. The swipe of his saber connected with the serpentine neck, the bone shattering upon impact. Daburu let out not a single noise as it separated into two separate parts, but only for a mere moment before erupting in a flash of light.. now multiple pieces of fragmented data that rained down around the two players.

Jomei rose to his feet, and gently slid his rapier back into its scabbard. His eyes locked to where the monster once stood.. where he watched the form of the poor girl stretch and break into whatever the hell it was they fought. "Who ever designed that thing is a sick bastard" his fingers curled into a balled fist. "I can only imagine the fear those players felt when cornered by this thing, alone." Finally turning to Koga, he nods, the serious expression breaking into a confident smirk, "I'm glad the two of us were here to take care of it."

ID 203106 | BD 6(+4) | MD 6(-3)
ST-1 12 x 23 = 276(-10) 266 DMG

[4] Jomei | 820/820 HP | 101/120 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt. [REND CD, 1/5]
[2] Koga | HP: 700/700 | EN: 84/108 (96 +1 -13) | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV)
[REND CD, 1/5]

Daburu | 0/1000  | DMG: 125 | MIT: 30 10
[REND 28, 1/2]
[SHATTER, 2/3]
[STUNNED, 0/1]

Looting Daburu
ID 203107 | CD 10 | LD 3(+1) 4
6000 Col | 2 Materials | Rare Trinket 

[Koga 0]

In an impressive display of finesse, Jomei darted past Koga, sliding beneath the creature and thrusting the point of his rapier into the eldritch-looking being's throat. A sickening cracking sound echoed down the stone halls as time stood still, until finally, the demon burst into the cloud of fragments so characteristic of their lives.

Koga sheathed his sword as Jomei got to his feet, a grim look upon both of their faces. With grit teeth, Koga nodded in agreement at Jomei's observation. Just the inner machinations of Kayaba's mind, he supposed. Or at least someone in the design team. Probably a great idea for just a normal game, but in here? It was devilish though, and should have been left at that. "Let's just hope it doesn't respawn," Koga said, eyes still fixed to the spot where Danburu had breathed it's last. Such was the nature of this game. The ugly and the terrible always got a second chance. But them? They didn't even get scraps, clawing and fighting through every moment outside the safety of safezones just for one more breath of air. It was moments like this that reminded Koga why he never kept close companions. The certainty of death was far less terrifying the potential pain of a lost loved one.

"We should get back to town," Koga spoke, eyes returning to Jomei's face. "We might be able to catch the other three, tell them what happened. Might put the one guy's mind at ease, if only a little."

[Jomei 0]

A long drawn out sigh passed through Jomei's nostrils before shaking his head. "A cruel world like this? I bet it will be back here again by sun rise tomorrow." 

The trek back through the labyrinth at this dark hour was difficult, but not impossible. For a short while, they were able to follow the same spiral marks Hatter and Vex had drawn, though they seemed to come to an end after awhile. It was probable that the marks left by players erased themselves after a period of time.. would make for quite the messy canvas if all of the marks drawn by the players who wandered these tall, grey slates remained indefinitely. 

Jomei kept quiet for a bit, pondering the days events, ponders the events of recent days past. A topic of conversation that had come up between himself and Lessa continued to play in his mind; one's purpose. Eventually, Jomei decided to break the silence, pose the question to Koga. Perhaps an outside mind could bring enlightenment. "Hey Koga.. have you ever thought of what your purpose might be?" he turns his head only slightly towards his dark-haired companion. "I guess whether in here or out in the real world.. you ever think about what you're meant to be in life?" A chuckle escapes him as he turns his gaze up towards the pale, dim moonlight. An small, worn smile on his face, "Sorry if it seems like a loaded question.. its just, when you hit rock bottom, you start thinking about this type of stuff, you know?"

[Koga 0]

Koga scoffed as he turned to start walking in the general direction of the Labyrinth's exit. "Yeah...probably..." A cruel world indeed. At least now they could start warning other players about that...thing. That knowledge might save a player or two. Who knew. The best they could do was hope.

The walk back was silent, for the most part. Only the quiet thump of their boots falling on cracked stone floors. The signature spiral marks of Hatter and Vex had long since vanished. Hopefully they had found their way out regardless. It would be in poor taste if they got lost again and had to face Daburu on their own. They didn't need their names up on the Memorial alongside Taya's.

It wasn't until Jomei asked Koga a question that he realized that he had been staring at the floor for the past fifteen or twenty minutes as they'd walked. "My purpose?" the man echoed back, mind ringing back to his conversation with Hirru, Baldur and Freyd just before the last boss fight. "Don't worry about it. Loaded or not, its a valid question." The man then sighed, tilting his head up to look at what passed for a sky here. The rocky underside of the floor above. "Yeah. I think about it a lot," he answered. "At the end of the day, I don't really know." His gaze returned to the path ahead, long, endless, full of blind corners, without a clue what was around the next one. More death? Most likely. "In the real world, I doubt I have one. Just another number in a sea of almost seven billion. Not much I can really contribute at this point in history, ya know? I sure as hell ain't smart enough to make some great contribution to science, I ain't gonna be a politician, and it's not like there's much world left to chart on some map."

'And I doubt anyone misses me, even now.'

"At least in here I got a clue though. Best damn thing Kayaba's ever done for us is tell us how to get out. Clear the damn game." Koga looked up again, but not at the bottom of the next floor. This time, he saw past it, all the way up to the top of Aincrad itself. Up there, where they'd finally be free. "What about you, man? What do you think is your purpose?"

[Jomei 0]

Koga seemed just as unsure about what the future had in store for him as Jomei was. Though, his views on the life he once had outside of Aincrad did not seem ideal. However, he did seem a bit more confident about finding his purpose within this world. In the grand scheme of things, there really was not much other purpose other than fighting their way to Floor One Hundred and getting the hell out of this game. Koga's answer was interesting to Jomei.. for it seemed that he was rather certain of a future, mundane life in the real world but was gung ho about pushing forward, beating Kayaba's death game, and returning to that real life. 

After what they went through today though.. it was rather certain that Koga's views weren't selfish. No, they were not just fighting on the frontlines so they could return to their own lives.. it was so we all could. Rather than comment on what he thought, Jomei simply nodded in understanding. 

The question was avertedly thrown back to him, to which his answer was much less exciting and stellar. "I've honestly no idea. I hope to find it someday. As valiant as it is to be a front line fighter.. I'd like to have my name remembered for something more." With a scoff, he continues, "Be remembered. Thought of. Whatever it may be. Honestly, I feel I've already done some things that you'd think would be worth giving a damn about. Though apparently not enough." 

He takes in a sharp breath through his nostrils before sighing with an open mouth, "I'm sorry.. didn't mean to vent like that. Its just been a lot lately." 

[Koga 0]

Jomei apologized for going off on what he apparently thought was a tirade of sorts. He earned himself a chuckle from Koga. "Immortality. Or at least the closest thing we mortals can come to it, right?" It was the only way Koga had always thought about memories and legacies. Immortality. "Don't be sorry for that. I get it. But, I think you're discounting the people around you if you think they're only going to remember you for being a Frontliner," the man said.

"You're more than just a dude fighting to get people out of here. And I mean, that's a lot to begin with, you're putting your fucking life on the line," Koga began to say, giving his own monologue now. "But, I mean, I haven't known you that long either, and I already know I'll remember you for more than that. You're selfless, you didn't think twice about telling those other players to run. I'd bet you my liver that they'll remember you for the rest of their lives too. And all your friends, they know you better than I do, but you shared memories and experiences with them that can't be replaced. Important ones they'll hang on to." Koga was looking at Jomei with earnest at this point. Although his face was blank, apart from the permanent frown that earned him the right of 'resting bitch face', there was still an intensity in his eyes that begged Jomei to heed his words. "If nothing else, I'm gonna remember you. And assuming I live long enough to have kids, they're gonna here stories about today. About you. You're not gonna be forgotten, Jomei."

[Jomei 0]

The ginger nearly stopped dead in his tracks after hearing what Koga had to say to him. With just a simple apology about letting a bit of humanity spew from his mouth, Koga was quick to correct him. Not only correct him, but prove him wrong. 

If Jomei were a more emotional man, he probably would have teared up at the speech Koga gave. The first time really meeting this man, having this heart to heart, and Jomei already felt a sense of hope restored within him. Eyes closing, his lips stretching into a small smile. 

"Thank you, Koga. It may not seem like much, but I think I really needed to hear that." His eyes opened again, "Really. I've lost a lot of friends.. either permanently, or just gone from my life. The guild I worked hard to bring together, gone. The love of my life, gone. I really did loose a lot..." his shoulders shrugged as he spoke. "Felt like the world had turned its back on me.. Like that was it for me.. But you're absolutely right. I can pick myself back up and make something of myself." 

"Thank you" he repeated himself, "I came here, to the labyrinth, to get lost and just think without any distractions. Walk and wrap my head around everything.. Heh, Probably would not have come to the same conclusion if I hadn't run into you." 

[Koga 0]

When Jomei opened his eyes again, he'd see Koga giving him a small smile in return. A single corner of his lip curling upwards towards his ear. Closer to a smirk than an actual smile, but a smile nonetheless. He was glad. Glad he was able to help out someone he was quickly considering to be a friend.

"Don't mention it," Koga replied, turning away from the ginger and setting his eyes back on the path ahead of them. "I think you and I have a good bit in common actually, now that you've said all that." The man looked towards all the markings on the wall, some fading away slowly. "I've...lost a lot of people too. Almost everyone I knew actually," Koga spoke slowly, softly, as if a loud voice would make all the pain re-emerge. "My friends died at the start of the game. A lot of the ones I made afterwards, too. My fiance left me, and hell, I almost lost my sister too." Koga sighed, his eyes glazing at the thoughts. He made it a point to not turn to look at Jomei. "But I've started making new friends again. And my sister got married to one of the closest friends I still got. Life finds a way." He chuckled quietly at his little reference, humor one of the few defenses he knew.

The man paused his stride for a moment to stop and stare at a marking on the wall. Well, really a collection of them. There's was nothing special about them, nor the way they came together. But the way they shone gold in the pale light of the moon against the stark grey walls of the Labyrinth. Like stars come down from heaven.

"I learned a good bit talking to you tonight, Jomei," he went on, "and I think this was something I needed too. If nothing else," he resumed his walk again, this time looking at the man, "you helped me find the answer to a question I've had for a while now."

[Jomei 0]

Death always found a way to creep into their lives, one way or another. Usually of illness or old age, it was a bit less common for a friend or family member to perish in some brutal way, for most at least. That was in the real world. The life of a SAO player was surrounded by death, and never a peaceful one at that. The Monument of Life stood to prove that none of them were safe from the dangers that lurked within the many layers of this floating tower. However, at the same time, it connected them all, brought them together to fight for the same purpose; to clear the game and tell Kayaba that no more lives would be lost. Koga and Jomei's situations were not much different, it seemed, even outside of those that they had lost. But even he saw a bright end at the end of a dark tunnel, the light of a brighter future. 

"I'm sorry." the ginger spoke in response, "Its never easy. Dealing with death nor being abandoned. But like you said, life finds a way. As I'm sure it will for me." Negativity was never a way Jomei looked at life. He was always seen as that cheery Irishman, always there to lend a hand. Even on his darkest days, he still made sure to try and be one of the brighter smiles in the room. Talking to Koga about this all, though, being able to bring some of that darkness to light. It really helped to make it easier.

"Oh? And what's that?" Jomei asked, inquiring about the answer Koga found during their little dive into the labyrinth.

[Koga 0]

"Oh, heh, well I'm..." Koga stopped himself mid-sentence. He had been about to say he wasn't ready to talk about it yet, but then if he said that, wouldn't he be a bit of a hypocrite? Talking about how life needed to move along, relentless in it's march to an unknown end, never fearing, and yet here he was about to retreat into the past once more.

No, Koga needed to change. This was a good place to start.

The man's gaze softened as he exhaled through his nose, silently reminding himself of his new goal. He didn't have to tell everyone, but Jomei had experienced just as much as he had. He was most likely to understand out of all the players left in Aincrad. "I've kinda closed myself off from a lot of people lately," he began, figuring some context was needed for this conversation. He kicked a loose stone from a crack in the floors and listened to it bounce down the halls, echoing as it went. "My fiance and I didn't really leave things on good terms. She, uh, she left me at the alter, actually." He chuckled nervously, not entirely comfortable with airing this out with a complete stranger. The only other person he'd really told this too so far was NIGHT, and maybe Alkor. "She straight up disappeared after that. I thought she died or something, my sister disappeared shortly after too. About a year later, they popped up again. My fiance had gotten cold feet 'cause of this...argument my sister had instigated, and my sister followed her to keep tabs or something, I don't really know." Describing it as a mere argument was far too kind a way to describe the utter shitstorm Aki had cooked up in her strange bout of jealousy, but to explain that would be another story altogether. "Instead of just postponing the wedding so we could talk it out, she took off. We tried to make things work after that, but it just...didn't." Koga's face twisted in his thoughts, regret and no small amount of sadness mixing together. "Anyways, after that I've kinda had my guard up with people, keeping 'em at arms length, you know how it goes. But...recently, I met someone who's kinda made me start to reconsider all that. And I think, after today, I need to start teaching myself how to let go of the past, and being okay with the future, no matter what that might entail."

[Jomei 0]

"Koga I'm.." he started, an air of silence passes between them as he shook his head, wondering if small words would really make a difference, "I'm so sorry to hear that." Jomei had closed the small distance between himself and Koga before placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad to hear she isn't dead, your sister too of course... But that still doesn't make what happened any less hard to deal with." His gaze trailed off from Koga, keeping to the path before him, unable to stifle a large sigh. Jomei and Telrenya's split definitely wasn't easy, but he could not even imagine how distraught he would have been if she had left him at the alter. 

"At least my ex had the decency to confront me before we had really settled on planning anything.. save us a lot of trouble in the long run. We decided together that it might have been for the best... but in reality, the conversation was mostly in her court." A hand snaked around his jawline to wrap around the wrap his fingers around the back of his neck. Thoughts lingered on the split for not a moment too long, before he returned his focus to the latter portion of Koga's confession. A smile, forced but still sincere, stretched upon his face. "Guess we really do have a lot in common. I have, well you, and a few others to thank to picking me up out of that rut as well. So how about it? We both take our talk today as a vow to let go of the past and use what we learned to push forward." The smile that lingered was more real this time, as making this promise with his new friend instilled a bit of determination within himself. 

Now that they got the heart to heart out of the way, now it was time for Jomei to poke the bear. "You say you met someone though, huh?" his voice a bit playful as a single brow rose, "Is it a special someone? Someone I might know?" 

[Koga 0]

"Don't be," Koga told the man, although he appreciated the thought. "It's not on you." Hell it wasn't even entirely on Christelle or Akiara, he had played a part in that play, just as they had. He should have seen through Aki's lies, trusted Christelle more. Mistakes had been made, and now they all had to live with the consequences.

But Koga's trials and tribulations didn't discount those of Jomei's either. To learn that the one you thought would be by your side forever just wasn't the one, that hurt no matter how it happened. "I'm sorry for you too, man," Koga told him. "It sucks, no matter what."

Koga almost laughed though when Jomei suggested making a pact of sorts, to put their past behind them and look towards the future from this day on. It sounded a little too much like an anime in his mind, but the smile he gave the ginger-haired man said he more than appreciated such a thought. "Yeah, yeah," he said, chuckling with a broad grin. "No more looking back for us. Onwards to bigger and better things. 'Per aspera, ad astra.'"

A short silence followed, and a strange grin seemed to spread across Jomei's face. Koga gave Jomei a skeptical look, trying to figure out what was going through the man's mind. And then he asked a question that made Koga want to beat his head into a wall. The man audibly groaned as soon as he heard the question. "Yeah, yeah, I did meet someone," he said, shaking his head with a smile. This felt...unreal...like talking guy shit in the real world, on the way back from school or something. It was so strange, and yet, something Koga had sorely missed. "I dunno, just how 'special' yet, but I'm trying to kinda...feel it out. Figure out my own shit and all that. Uh, her name is Kasumi though, do you know her?"

[Jomei 0]

It did feel a bit weird to try and pull that card on Koga, egging him on to tell him about this person that played a part in his life. Jomei had only really just met the man, save for a small exchange at his party, and following a rather serious discussion about their failed love lives. But they needed something to break the tension, something to make them both smile, and Jomei's usual go to was a bit of harmless teasing. That, and how could he not follow up on ' I met someone.' Even Koga's reaction to him asking revealed it all, and Jomei could not help but let out another laugh at Koga's groan of pain.

A good laugh, however, was really all he was able to get out of it. The name Kasumi meant nothing to him. "Can't say I've heard of her." he said with a shake of his head, "Was she at your party by chance? Maybe someone I would have recognized but, I stuck to staying with the same people for quite awhile. And took a lot of time to myself. So I'm sure there is plenty of players who pass under my radar. " 

"Well, whether or not its something special, at least you've got something to maybe work towards, yeah? Even if, for now, its just someone you can talk to to help you figure your own thing out." 

[Koga 0]

Koga thought back to that Christmas Eve when he'd foolishly thrown together a last minute, hastily put together celebration for any who were willing to show up. The fact that it somehow hadn't become a total disaster was an accomplishment in and of itself. "Uh, I think she came by a little bit before everyone start leaving, so you mighta' seen her," Koga answered looking up at the sky in thought. The sun had started to breach the horizon, and although the pair could not see the rising sun over the high walls of the Labyrinth, rays of light had begin to fill the sky with soft pastel color. "Redhead, about yea tall," he said, lifting his hand to indicate that the woman wasn't more than two or three inches shorter than he.

"Yeah, that's kinda how I'm trying to look at it." Koga began to say, "I gotta admit, I kinda needed some kinda kick in my ass to get me going again. I just wasn't sure what. Actually, I didn't really think I'd ever even begin to consider a relationship again, but ya know what Forrest Gump says. 'Life's a box of chocolates, ya never know what you're gonna get.'"

[Jomei 0]

"Hmmm" Jomei hummed in thought as Koga explained Kasumi a bit better, eyes narrowing as he looked into the invisible space where Koga demonstrated her height. Red hair, five foot and change, didn't ring any bells. Honestly, even if she had shown up, a lot of his attention was on speaking with Lessa after passing off his gift to her. Really, anyone could have walked into that party and he would not have even noticed. 

A shrug of his shoulders indicated that he did not have an answer for him, "Sorry, I don't think I saw her."

"Did she literally kick your ass?" the ginger asked with an inquisitive, yet amused, expression. "I mean, sometimes thats all you really need... But spot on with that quote. Just have to go with the flow of life." Hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers as they continued walking, the wide open exit to the labyrinth clear as day before them. "That's how I see it right now at least.. if someone comes my way, and the feelings right, then I'll know its the right path to take. But its not something I'm ready to rush in and force myself into. Being on your own after being dumped sucks, but being your own person for a bit isn't such a bad thing." 

[Koga 0]

Koga nearly laughed at Jomei's question. "Uh, well...not exactly? I ended up on the floor," he said, whilst chuckling to himself at the slightly awkward memory. "She uh...kinda...kissed me when I wasn't expecting it," he said quickly. "But! Uh! I had been teasing her for a really long time!" he added quickly, not wanting to give the wrong impression, although he got the sudden and distinct feeling he had only made it worse.

Seriously, just take a breath dude.

Koga took a moment to inhale before replying to the actual point of what Jomei was saying. "Yeah, I think you're right," he said to the man, glancing over at the man. "Besides, I think the time between helps you learn to be okay with just...being with yourself, ya know?" Koga remembered in high school when that had not necessarily been the case. He'd made a decision then, after a really bad relationship, to just stop for a while, and he'd slowly become more confident in himself, more sure of who he was. This was a little similar.

When Koga set his sights back on the path, he realized the two were approaching the exit of the Labyrinth now. Mercifully. The sun's slow ascent finally in their view. It had been a long night. "Hey, Jom, let me add you to my friends list real quick, yeah? We'll meet up and go kill some stuff or something, I dunno." A simple offer. Friendship. Something they could probably use a little of.

[Jomei 0]

Lips pursed as Koga dug himself deeper and deeper with each thought. Originally, Jomei had literally thought that Koga had gotten his ass handed to him.. but as they tried to explain what actually happened, it sounded like something entirely different had transpired. "Well" the ginger said through a chuckle, stifling deeper laugher, "Who am I to judge? Sounded like a good time." He allowed a bit of the laugh to escape, his own voice bouncing between the tall slate walls that stood tall to their sides. Laughter.. that was probably a much more pleasant sound to hear coming from within the labyrinth, rather than blood curdling screams. 

The foreboding clouds that hung low across the floor, which were usually concealed under the darkness of night, became more apparent as sun began to rise behind them. A grimace grew on Jomei's face as he let out a small groan, "Jeez.. we were in there for that long? I'm probably gonna end up sleeping most of the day away to make up for it." 

With a friend request sent his way, Jomei looked at the small, translucent screen that hovered in front of his chest. Olive eyes shifted to Koga for a moment with a smile, before tapping to accept the request. "Definitely. I'm sure I'll see you around, especially if you're fighting on the frontlines now too." 

Heading his own way, he would offer one more wave to dark haired man, "Take care of yourself Koga!" 

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Thread Complete

11291 Words
40 Posts

Jomei T9:
11291/30 = (376 * 5) * 9 = 16920 EXP 
5938 Col | 400 Col (2 Pages) + 3000 Col (Monster Loot) + 2538 Col (Laurel Wreath)
Rare Trinket (Monster Loot)

Koga T6:
11291/30 = (376 * 5) * 6 * 1.1 (Slime Farm) = 12408 EXP
5261 Col | 400 Col (2 Pages) + 3000 Col (Monster Loot) + 1861 Col (Laurel Wreath)
2 Materials (Monster Loot)