[PP-F1] «Candy for Mavis»

[Echo 0]

After a long day of questing, I went towards the central plaza, and took a seat near fountain in the central plaza. "Candy.. Was my reward? You've got to be kidding me." I held onto the candy in my hand, and closed my eyes. Isn't there a candy store around here? I think I just got scammed. I thought to myself, as I put a piece of candy in my mouth. The Town of Beginnings was quite busy today, and I just had enough with the rewards Kayaba has placed for us.

After some time has passed, I woke up from my nap. "I fell asleep? oh well." I said, as I look in my hands. I put away the candy in my inventory, and put one leg over my thigh. I watched as the water come down from the fountain. "This is so mesmerizing." I said, as I continue to watch the fountain.

[Aoife 0]

The sound of tiny feet pattering on stones echoed through the back alley that I'd recently discovered that led to the main plaza in the Town of Beginnings. I pattered around the last corner with my stuffie bunny, WillowJune in tow, and blinked at the soon to be dusk sun.

Today I wore my white dress and no shoes again. My bright pink eyes peered through the crowd of travelers looking for a place to stay the night and spotted one of my favourite landmarks in the city. I deftly made my way through the throng and hopped up onto the concrete ledge of the fountain.

With a laugh, I stood on my tip toes, still not the same height as the players around me. Their numbers would soon dwindle away, I knew from seeing the same thing yesterday and the day before. I began playing imaginary hop scotch around the fountain ledge. Each time I jumped, the disappearing sun would catch my silvery hair in it's rays and turn it pure white and gold. I laughed, glad that no one noticed me again.

[Echo 0]

I turned my head towards the side, and spotted a little girl. "What's a little girl doing out here? I said, as she continue to hop on each cobblestone. The sun started to leave us, and this little girl was still out here. I walked over, and squatted in front of her. "Hey there. What are you doing out here?" I asked her with a smile on my face. She wasn't wearing any shoes, but she didn't look like she was having trouble. "Do you by chance live in a church with the other kids?" I asked, with a curious tone. A little girl in a death game.. Kayaba.. You'll pay for this. I thought to myself, as the wind breeze through the town.

[Aoife 0]

Halting my game of hop scotch, I smiled at the new person in front of me. "Aloha!~ I'm playing hop scotch! Do you know how to play?" I asked happily. A blank expression crossed my face at his next words. Lilting my head to the side, I repeated slowly what the boy had said. "Do I... live in a... church?" I frowned and shook my head. "I didn't know that there were churches here. I live by myself or with a few others sometimes. I like living outside the best! You can see all the stars! They're so pretty," I exclaimed, smiling and hugging Willow close.

[Echo 0]

The little girl stopped her hop scotch, and smiled at me. "Hey there, I do know." I replied with a kind tone. The little girl gave me a blank expression, and cocked her head to the side, and repeated what I've told her. She shook her head, and told me that she lived by herself, or with some others. She liked it outside. She's almost like Mayonaka, but younger. She's also a star gazer, just like me. I thought to myself, as I smiled. "Who do you live with, and why don't you have any shoes on?" I said to her with a confused look. I scrolled down on my inventory and took out my leather boots. "Here, I don't use these anymore. They should adjust to you." I said handing the leather boots to the little girl.

[Aoife 0]

"Well, I like to stay with Zewo-" I frowned and cut myself off. "Zewo. Zewo. Ze-row. Zewo!" I sighed and gave up on trying to get it right. I shook my head at myself, then I jumped as a pair of boots were suddenly thrust into my hands. I merely stared at them as they quickly shrunk down quite a few sizes. "But I don't like shoes," I stated, making a face and holding them away from me as if they were a smelly pair of socks.

[Echo 0]

"Z-Zewo?" I said with a confused look. I shook my head, and took the boots from the little girl. "Well, shoes are ment to be on people's feet. And you're a person." I said with a smile. I picked up the girl, and took her to the bench by the fountain. I sat her down, and started to put the leather boots on her feet. "Why don't we take you back home? It's pretty dark right now." I said, as the moonlight glisten with my eyes. I stood up, and dusted my trench coat off. "Come on." I said, as I offered my hand to the little girl.

[Aoife 0]

Frowning at the boots, I swore to take them off as soon possible. My glowing pink orbs flickered up to gaze at the Moon. It's Halfmoon! I thought, and waved at the ghostly white half circle hanging in the sky. I let my eyes fall back down to the boy in front of me with his had outstretched. With a grin, I grabbed the boy's hand and hopped off of the bench. My 'new' boots touched the ground and I immediately noticed the dull sense of ground underneath my feet. I sighed and looked back up at the older boy. "Hey," I said realizing something. "I forgot to ask what your name is!"

[Echo 0]

The little girl looked up into the sky, and saw a half moon. "Well, I guess its a half moon today." I said, with a soft tone. The little girl waved at the sky, and I smiled at her. She looked back at me ,and grabbed onto my hand as she jumped off the bench. "Now you look like a person with those boots on. I'll buy you some new ones, when I get a chance." I said, as I was about to head out. Hey, I forgot to ask what you name is I heard from behind me. I squatted down at her, "My name is Echo, nice to meet you. What's your name?" I said, with a kind tone.

[Aoife 0]

"Hi Echo! My name is Mavis! And this is WillowJune," I exclaimed, holding up my stuffie bunny. "She doesn't talk much to anyone other than me. She's shy. But that's alright! I can talk for her!" I laughed and hugged Willow again before looking back to Echo. "Where were we going again? I forgot...."

[Echo 0]

I smiled at Mavis, and WillowJune. "It's nice to meet you two." I said patting both Mavis and WillowJune's head. I grabbed Mavis by the hand and walked around the town. "Where do you live right now Mavis? I'll take you home. Its dark, and lots of scary monsters are out." Scaring Mavis, so she would go home with whoever she lived with. "Zewo? Yeah, Zewo will protect you from them." I said with a smile on my face, as we continue to walk around.

[Aoife 0]

I grinned confidently at the mention of monsters. "Monsters don't come into town, though. They aren't allowed," I stated simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it sort of was. "Besides, even if they did, I can fight!" To prove my point, I brought out my kunai from my inventory and threw one at an apple on a merchant's stand on the side of the road. The kunai stabbed through the apple and pinned it against the wooden wall behind it. I pumped my fist into the air and raced over to the apple, wrenching it free of the wall and plucking it off of my kunai. I turned back around and smiled at Echo. "See? I told you so. Anyways, I don't know where Zewo is right now. I'll find him again though," I chimed.

[Echo 0]

Amazed at how Mavis skills were. "W-Well where are you going to stay for the night?" I asked still shocked on how Mavis was able to hit the apple. "I know that monsters don't come into town, but its still dangerous to be out here alone." I said, with a worried tone. Mavis is strong enough to take things on, but the thought of a little girl in the middle of the night is still pretty bad. I shook my head, and watched as Mavis took back her kunai. "Your skills are amazing, Mavis. Still you can't always rely on yourself. Do you live with anyone else?" I asked, as I sat on the cobblestone floor.

[Aoife 0]

"I'll probably stay outside again for the night," I said with a shrug. Anyone else? I thought about everyone that I had met in my time here in Aincrad while absentmindedly putting my kunai away. I shook my head and hugged Willow. "I don't believe that I can reach any one of them now. It is nighttime," I stated, eying the Moon for a moment again before looking back to Echo. "If I really needed to, I guess I could rent a room at an inn," I mumbled mainly to myself. "Isn't that right, Willow?"

[Echo 0]

"Dear god. Come with me." I said, as I grabbed Mavis' hand. We walked over to the Inn I stayed, and I picked her up and placed her on the bed. "You'll sleep here tonight. You don't need to spend a single Col at all." I said, as I smiled at Mavis. I tucked her in bed, and turned off the lamp. I walked over to the window, and took a seat on the sofa. I watched the night sky, and put my feet on the edge of the window. "Good night.. Mavis." I said to her, as I continue to stare at the night sky.

[Aoife 0]

I opened my mouth to say that I wasn't sleepy yet when I suddenly yawned. I sighed in defeat, knowing that I'd been tired for awhile now, and let myself sink into the bed and close my eyes. "Night night, Echo," I mumbled, holding WillowJune close and drifting off to sleep. That night I dreamed of everyone that I'd met so far in Aincrad. We were all at a party in the real world, celebrating the end of Sword Art Online. I smiled and grabbed a bunch of snicker doodles from the dessert table and wandered around, talking to all of my friends. I almost didn't want to wake up. Almost.

[Echo 0]

I turned around, and saw that Mavis fell asleep. "Heh.. Good night Mavis." I said, as I walked out the door. I went downstairs, and sat in front of the fire place. All the players by now has fallen asleep, and the Inn-Master wasn't around. The Inn has been locked up, so there was no entering or exiting. I listen to the fire cracking, and shut my eyes. I started to dream about my past, there was a girl I was close to. Her face, and voice wasn't clear. I couldn't remember that face, or recognized her voice. I struggled to stay within the dream, but woke up with the sun out. "W-Who was she?" I said, as I rub my eyes.

[Aoife 0]

I pushed the covers to the side of the bed and sat up. The sun shone bright in my face through the window in the room. Rubbing my eyes, I stretched and walked out of the room, finally heading downstairs to wait for Echo, only he was already there. I walked over to the couch he was sitting on and noticed that he was still sleeping. I sat on the table in front on him and stared at him with bleary eyes. How long is he going to sleep? I wondered. I saw a faint movement in his eye, then he woke up. He looked around, dazed, and asked a question I didn't know the answer to. "Who is 'she'?" I asked, curious.

(Thank you for helping me with this post! You know who you are!)

[Echo 0]

I rubbed my eyes, to see Mavis sitting on the table in front of me. "Morning, Mavis." I said, as I stretch. Mavis gave me a curious expression and asked, Who is 'she'?. I leaned against the couch, "She.. I guess you must be here long before I woke up." I replied. I looked up at the ceiling, and back to Mavis. "I really don't know what that is. I'm willing to find out though. She must mean a lot to me." I said, as I grin. I stood up, and placed Mavis on the floor. "Come on, Let's do something today. I don't want to depress you with my dreams." I said, as we walked towards the door. "Oh, did you have any dreams?" I asked, as we walked out the door.

[Aoife 0]

I nodded, padding next to Echo. "Yeah, I did!I dreamed about everyone I've met here. We were back in the real world at a party for the end of SAO. I ate a bunch of snicker doodles and talked to everyone! You were there too, of course. It was so fun," I exclaimed, wide awake now. "So where are we going now?" I asked, holding Willow's left arm with my right hand.

(I may edit this later. Nothing major though.)