[F1 | PP] [EV] Friend of a Friend | <<Fatal Error>>

[Acanthus 0]

Habits returned slowly, both in the real world and Aincrad. In her struggle to reclaim the “new old,” Acanthus had learned it was easier to start routines than it was to restart them.

Before her hiatus, Acanthus exercised dutifully. Mostly running and bodyweight exercises, as Aincrad’s fantasy setting did not include any kinds of gyms. (She had no doubt some player had created some facsimile of a gym here, but did not care enough to confirm her suspicions.) For running, she started with jogs around the estate. She progressed to running the streets of Scalabis, but found the cobblestone roads too uneven for her liking. Perhaps they would help training footwork in the heat of combat, but simple endurance was the game. Acanthus settled on running laps around the Town of Beginnings.

She rounded a series of squat buildings, and the morning sun assaulted her vision. Maybe a cloudier floor would be preferable. But as a creature of habit, she could only handle small changes at a slow pace. The first floor was familiar enough that she would simply have to tolerate the sun in the name of her routine.

It was not her routine alone. Other NPCs and even players exercised in the morning as well. A few of the faces were still emblazoned in her memory: an old carpenter on his morning jog that doubled as an excuse to dip out on work, a merchant’s daughter running to and from her mother’s market stall, and a young player who ran a similar routine to hers. Acanthus was always careful to avoid eye contact with the player whenever they crossed paths. She was exercising and did not want to be bothered; she assumed the young man felt the same. It was easy enough to feign exertion while running (though she missed the clear signal of “don’t talk to me” that earbuds provided), and with that plausible distraction, she had avoided broaching conversation with the kindred exerciser.

After all this time, she was surprised to see him still running the same route. His dedication was admirable. Acanthus wondered if he had dreams of joining the frontlines someday, or was content in his journey.

You could ask him. Friendliness nagged at her, and she nearly managed to shake the thought from her head. So politeness stepped in to finish the job. He hasn’t seen you for a few months. He might be wondering where you had gone. It would at least be a kind gesture to wave and show him you remember his face.

Her jog slowed just a second, and she looked up to see the boy approaching. Acanthus nodded at the boy and offered a curt, polite wave. Hopefully that would be enough pleasantries to be polite, without encouraging conversation. (OOC note: Acanthus is a hermit, but author says: talk to her anyways)

 

 Acanthus | Lvl 75 (34/41) |  HP: 880/880 | EN: 120/120 | DMG: 23 | MIT:160 | ACC:4 | AA  | FL.AURA: 16 | THORNS:72 | BH:48 | HB:39 | LD:6

 

Spoiler

Equipment and Consumables

Spoiler

All enhancements reflected in the stat block unless otherwise specified.

Equipment
Weapon. botan. AA | ACC 3
Armor (Heavy). Corpse Flower's Kiss  MIT II | Thorns II
Shield. Fractured Heart | Holy Blessing 2 | Flame Aura 2

Consumables
None Taken

Abilities (Skills, Shifts, Masteries, Add-ons, and Mods)

Spoiler

Combat Mastery and Shift
Combat Mastery: Damage R3
AoE Shift

Skills

• Battle Healing R5
• Energist
• Heavy Armor R5
  • Addon: Precision
  • Addon: Iron Skin
  • Mod: Impetus (1/5)
• Searching R4 + 1 (Skylight: Searching)
  • Mod: Night Vision (2/5)
  • Mod: Tracking (3/5)
• Straight Sword R5
  • Addon: Ferocity
  • Addon: Stamina

Extra Skills

• Forgotten King's Authority
• Survival
• Assault Mode
• Block
  • Mod: Shield Bash (4/5)

Inactive Extra Skills

• Photosynthesize
• Disguise

Addons

• Ferocity
• Iron Skin
• Precision
• Reveal
• Stamina

Mods

• Shield Bash
• Meticulous
• Night Vision
• Tracking

Battle Ready Inventory (7 Slots)
Dimensional Backpack + Item Stash

Spoiler

1. Lama Sabachthani | 236687 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Hypnosis 2 | Lullaby 2 (Instant)
   Pain deeper than words, engraved by a hand that does not know its own heart.
2. Edict's Threnody | 236686 | Consumable - Soundtrack | Perpetuate (Instant)
   If my suffering will not end, then neither will yours.
3. [Empty]
4. [Empty]
5. [Empty]
6. [Empty]
7. [Empty]

Housing

Spoiler

House Name: Villa of Coruscating Flowers (The Villa)
Location: Floor 24 - Paradise Islands
Description: See above
Plot Size: Estate - PK Accessible
Rooms: Listed below. All rooms are assigned to Acanthus.

• Master Bedroom
  • Well Rested | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat.
• Greenhouse
  • Green Thumb | +2 Gathering EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to gathering attempts.
• Extended Workshop: Recording Studio (25,000 col)
  • Hard Working | +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day.
• Mega Slime Farm
  • Advanced Training | +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post.
• Living Room:
  • Relaxed | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
• Attic (Bedroom)
  • Skylight (Searching) | +1 Expertise to declared utility skill (Searching). Cannot boost a skill without ranks, or increase a skill past its maximum rank. Cannot boost a skill the user has not learned yet. Ranks obtained using this buff will make the mods of that rank available for purchase. Mods obtained this way are unusable if this buff is removed until the skill is returned to the appropriate rank by way of SP purchase.
• Basement:
  • Multipurpose | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll.
• Storage Closet: (10,000 col)
  • Item Stash | +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
• Master Bathroom: (25,000 col)
  • Squeaky Clean | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
• Basic Kitchen (15,000 col)
  • Filling | Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps. Ex: A perfect T2 MIT food gives 35 MIT instead of 30.

Crafting and Gathering

Spoiler

Performer | Rank 5
Apollo’s Metronome | Crafting Tool | Meticulous: +1 CD when crafting in one’s workshop.

Forager | Rank 5
Demeter's Cornucopia | Gathering Tool | Bountiful: +1 CD to gathering attempts.

 

 

[Sable 0]

Routine.

This had been what kept Sable somewhat sane. After all, what else would you do when you were trapped in a place like this?

Ever since high school he had gotten up first thing in the morning and ran. It was hell at first. Sure he was fast, but there's a difference between running in short bursts, and running. With time it became easier, and he could go farther and longer. Joining the track club had helped immensely. By the time he graduated it had become a habit. And now here he was, imprisoned in a virtual world, and he was still getting up at dawn to run. It was almost easier here though. Sure you got tired but you almost felt lighter, able to move faster.

He wasn't the only one it seemed. He would pass various other people, more often than not they were NPCs of the town, but sometimes there was the familiar icon of a fellow player. One such person he grew familiar with. Not familiar as you would having a conversation with someone, spending time with them, becoming their friend. This was a familiarity that you would develop with a person in passing. A cashier at the grocery store, the post man, the person at the gym you frequent on the weekend. Sable was fine with this. He didn't need to talk to the jogging woman. He looked forward to passing her as they both did in opposite directions, no eye contact, not words spoken. Just two people enjoying a nice morning.

There were times that he didn't see her. These mornings were fine too. Though much more boring in his opinion. After one particularly long period of time, she seemed to show back up again. This time was different. This time her pace slowed ever so slightly, just enough for her to acknowledge him with a wave and a nod before passing him like she always did. This moment staggered him. Sable slowed to a stop and looked back at her, watching as she got farther and farther away. Feeling his mouth hanging open he did something that he hadn't expected. He turned and ran after her.

"Excuse me!" he called, his footfalls much more panicked than before. "Miss!"

Catching up to her he matched her pace, jogging alongside her. "I'm sorry for running after you but I just wanted to..." he trailed off. What had he wanted to do? All she did was essentially say hi to him. Was it really so odd for her to do so? "I um. It's good to see you back. Running that is. You were gone for a while and it's nice to know that nothing... Happened."

He didn't want to say it was good to know she hadn't died. He didn't know her, not really, but how sad would it have been for someone you saw so often to disappear without a trace? 

[Acanthus 0]

She had miscalculated. The boy had turned around and then caught up with her before she had a chance to realize she had miscalculated. He was fast. Very fast—was it an in-game skill?

"I um. It's good to see you back. Running that is. You were gone for a while and it's nice to know that nothing... Happened."

The boy hesitated as he spoke, seeming to search for the right words. Even Acanthus could infer the word he was avoiding.

The kindness of the gesture touched her. She slowed down more so she could keep the conversation going. “I wasn’t dead. Just lazy. And a little tired. It’s good to see you haven’t stopped. That’s the kind of commitment the frontlines really needs. I swear, half of them seem to scurry from odd corners of Aincrad to wipe up the floor boss before vanishing back into their own little worlds.”

Acanthus slowed to a halt and dropped down under a nearby tree. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, that was unbecoming. Everyone on the frontlines is invaluable, and the people that disappear on their own little quests are still contributing to our release in their own way. Forgive me, it’s just”

—the hangover—

“—the running always makes me a little bit cranky. And for no reason. I needed to wrap up early anyways… I told a friend I would explore some leads on the upper floors. Floor 29 has been a mess with all of these Spectral Knights running around. I think we need to be looking for ‘The Sword of Kings,’ but I don’t know where to begin. I’m hoping an info broker might know something. It would be too lucky for you to know any info brokers. But maybe you do, ...?” She fumbled with the end of the sentence, hoping that he would supply a name.

[Sable 0]

He almost snorted at her quick response. He didn't want to mention anyone dying, it had felt almost taboo to talk about, at least around the first floor. As they two of them stopped at a nearby tree Sable nodded along as the woman spoke. This had been the first time he had really gotten a good look at her. She was strikingly beautiful. He smiled at her jab to the other frontliners, "I've heard that from other as well. I suppose showing up to fight the boss is the bare minimum for a few of them huh?"

Her question about an info broker was a good one, he held his chin and thought for a bit. "I don't know anyone personally, but I know a lot of them tend to post tidbits for the lower level folks on the town bulletin boards. Simple stuff that can really save people from getting killed. It's honestly been a lifesaver, pun intended." he grinned, hoping that he got a smile out of her. "If you're looking for some kind of sword I can, I don't know, try and help or something. I'd like to be a labyrinth searcher in the future if I can." He hadn't really told anyone what his ambitions had been until now. Hearing that that person he shared a running route with was a frontline fighter had been a blessing in disguise. Maybe she could help him find the footing he needed to join the fight, even if it was just running and searching the labyrinths on each floor.

"I mean, I know we just talked for the first time, but..." he trailed off, loosing the nerve to ask to help. "Nah, sorry that's probably too much to ask."

[Acanthus 0]

She tried to backpedal. “I already regret what I said. We’re all facing Aincrad together, so we shouldn’t fault them for playing the game their own way.”

Quote

"I don't know anyone personally, but I know a lot of them tend to post tidbits for the lower level folks on the town bulletin boards. Simple stuff that can really save people from getting killed. It's honestly been a lifesaver, pun intended."

Her mouth twisted up briefly, acknowledging her appreciation of the lowest form of humor. 

Quote

"I mean, I know we just talked for the first time, but..." he trailed off, loosing the nerve to ask to help. "Nah, sorry that's probably too much to ask."

It is, was her first thought. One look at the boy raised concerns. What level was he? Did he have any equipment? Would he run at the first sign of danger? No, no, he probably wouldn’t run. If anything, she’d probably have to hold him back. And he seemed to want nothing more than to help out. Freyd probably saw the same thing when he dragged me out to Terra Firma. Some defenseless player that had never been in a real fight, nothing more than a liability.

Not a liability, a soft voice whispered. An investment.

Acanthus responded to the half-asked question with oblique acceptance. “We have a few leads to pursue today. The first is an info broker hub the floor above us, called the Rusty Dagger. I have a few other contacts if that proverbial well is dry, but I am hoping we can find our lead there. I’m going to be blunt: there’s a good chance we will end all the way up on Floor 29. It’s dangerous up there, and I’ll do my best to keep you alive. But to do that, you have to promise to follow my lead, no matter what. If I tell you to hide, hide; if I tell you to run, you don’t look back. Can you do that for me?”

“If you need to do anything before we go, now is the time to do it. Once you’re ready, we can head to the Rusty Dagger.”

Edited 15 hours ago by Acanthus

[Sable 0]

She had said 'we'.

Sable had accepted the fact that the person he had spoken to for the first time today would not be accompanying him anywhere. Hell he was certain it would have taken weeks of them exchanging pleasantries before he would have even gotten another chance to truly speak to her. Now she was waiting for him to get ready and follow her to. Wait had she said the 29th floor? He opened his mouth but no words came out. Stopping for a moment in confusion he held up a finger for her to wait as he stepped around the tree just out of view from her.

He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling slowly. Then proceeded to do a little dance of excitement before stopping and gathering himself mentally. Stepping back around the tree he cleared his throat, "No need to wait on me. I can quickly equip everything I need now and we can head out as soon as you're ready." With a quick motion he had opened his inventory and tapped all his armor and weapon into their slots. He looked down and fiddled with the straps of his chest rig and checked to be sure his weapon was secure. The system of course made sure everything that anyone equipped was a perfect fit, but he felt that the moment he stopped going through normal every day motions, that he would become lazy.

Sable once more looked to Acanthus, "Do you need a moment?"

[Acanthus 0]

Sable excused himself and vanished behind a nearby tree. Acanthus assumed he was leaving to collect anything he needed for the trip before he returned almost as quickly. She blinked twice in surprise. “That was fast. So you’re ready?”

Quote

“No need to wait on me. I can quickly equip everything I need now and we can head out as soon as you’re ready.”

Acanthus suppressed a smile as the boy continued to adjust his armor. Cardinal was not concered with the intricacies of armor: it was worn or it not. But that didn’t stop the boy, herself, or the rest of Aincrad from treating the armor like the real thing. Hadn’t she done the same thing before her first fight? And she had fared well. The boy would be fine.

Quote

“Do you need a moment?”

Acanthus shook her head. “No need. Let’s start moving towards the Teleportation Plaza. I’m Acanthus, by the way.”

* * *

Urbus’ activity was a dull throb of NPCs and players hawking wares and planning quests. It did not have the broad appeal of the first or eighth floor, but its accessibility did lend to a thriving population of players.

The Rusty Dagger slept in a part of town Acanthus would describe kindly as “unsavory.” Apparently Kayaba’s perfect world still included crime and poverty, having programmed loitering beggars and invalids to give the street its seedy character. Acanthus observed the passing tableau disdainfully, the NPCs smart enough (or perhaps programmed) to leave her and the boy alone.

Entering the bar, Acanthus swept the pair to a corner table facing the door. Argent had warned her that while Rex prohibited fights, there was a undercurrent of “accidents happening,” from time to time. And she believed it—it looked like every person here had been a high school delinquent or hardened criminal. Why did the info brokers gather here, of all places?

“We’re looking for anyone that looks like an info broker that may have information on the ‘Sword of Kings.’ I would suggest keeping the details vague until we’ve purchased the broker’s time for discussion. Otherwise, they love to share conversations to make up for the missing retainer fee… Though the bad ones will do that anyways.”

She scanned the crowd with a frown. “I don’t see any familiar faces. Or promising ones. I would do some closer observations, but I… made a bad impression on some of the clientele the last time I was here. Particularly that man in the corner.” The brick wall in the corner grunted, his eyes focused on the towering plate of meat in front of him. “That’s Gartholomew. He looks tough, but he’s a low-level bully. He’s not any real threat to us, but if he sees me, he’s likely to start something and get us all thrown out.”

Acanthus pulled a pouch of col from her pocket and handed it off to the boy. “Please go to the bar and order me a Rusty Dagger, and whatever you want. See if you can’t find anyone that might pass for an info broker while you’re up there.” Her hood flashed upwards and over her head, and she resumed scanning the crowd silently.

Payment. Sending Sable 10,000 col.

[Sable 0]

"Oh! Right, my name is Sable." he extended a hand, embarrassed that he had forgotten to introduce himself.

***

Their trip to the second floor had been uneventful. Sable had attempted to make small talk here and there but eventually he just fell into line. The crowded streets of Urbus made the scout feel as though he could be mindful of his wallet. Between the rough looking individuals and the beggars on the sides, it almost made you feel bad for them. He had to take a moment to remind himself that the NPC's were just programs, they weren't real and they weren't actually poor or starving. Still, his brow was creased in concern the whole way.

Inside the Rusty Dagger was not much better. The atmosphere was much harder and the smell was even more so. Sable rubbed his nose in an attempt to block the smell while trying to make it seem like he had an itch. He listened to Acanthus's instructions dutifully, nodding along as she spoke. Something about her captivated him, it was like the rest of the bar faded away as she spoke. As she put her hood up to avoid any conflict with the man known as Gartholomew, Sable pulled up his scarf to cover the bottom half of his face.  He knew that Gartholomew wouldn't have any quarrel with him, but he wanted to keep some anonymity for the future.

When Acanthus plopped a bag of money in his hands Sable sputtered at he weight of it. He quickly added it to his inventory and his eyes nearly fell out of his skull, 10,000?! How expensive was this place?! When he turned to ask if she had simple added two or three too many zeros she had already slipped into the crowd. After a few confused blinks he shook his head and stepped towards the bar. Rex was nothing special to behold, he looked like any barkeep that you would see in a video game or movie. Big muscles, a few scars, and a sneer that'd curdle dairy. As the player stood there for a moment he eventually worked up the courage to ask for the drink. "Um, hi. Could I get a Rusty Dagger please? And a uh, ale?"

Rex stopped polishing the glass he was holding to eye Sable up and down for a moment. If this had been the real world he would have been asked if he was old enough to drink, which if time had passed normally then technically he'd be 20 by now. Completely legal in Japan! Instead the barkeep grunted and grabbed two glasses, filling them both with different liquids at the same time. As he worked Sable attempted to look around the bar to see if anyone stood out. A few quick glances of course did nothing for him. "250." Rex grunted, bringing Sable's attention back. "Huh?"

"250 for the drinks." he said again holding out his hand. Sable quickly gave him the col and grabbed the drinks. He thanked him quickly and slipped back to where he had initial split up with Acanthus. She was of course not there, and he was left standing there, holding two drinks like a lost puppy. He could feel himself shirk down a bit, feeling overwhelmed at the fact that he was now on his own. He took deep breath (despite the smell) and exhaled. He could do this. He didn't need to follow her around. Nodding to himself he began to walk around tables, looking for anyone that seemed info broker-like.

His eyes fell on a girl in a dark corner, sipping on what looked to be a cheap ale much like he had. She had a fairly standoffish face, however she had a green cursor above her head which signaled to Sable that she was at least a player like him. As he got closer he could make out the freckles on her nose and the darkish brown curls of her hair. AS he got close enough to speak he opened his mouth and she immediately cut him off. "What do you want?"

"I-- what?"

"What. Do. You. Want." she asked again, this time sounding moire irritated.

"Um, Well I wanted to know if you had any information to sell?" he shrugged, the drinks in his hands sloshing a bit. "And if I could maybe sit and talk? I've been trying to not spill these and haven't been doing a good job."

After a moment of staring she closed her eyes and nodded. Sable sat in the chair and placed the drinks down in front of himself. The girl picked up her own and finished what was left before grabbed the glass of ale in front of him to take a sip. She gave him a mischievous grin, "It costs to have a seat with me." the boy felt himself blush a bit as he held on to the smaller glass for Acanthus.

"Um, I'm Sable by the way." the scout said as he quickly looked around the bar to look for his companion.

"Most call me Krow. So, what did you want to know about?" she asked before taking another sip of her newly acquired ale.

Sable finally saw Acanthus, he made eye contact with her before turning to look back at the girl he now knew as Krow. "Do you have any info about a special sword? Preferably something new?"

[Acanthus 0]

Sable had found a lead even before he returned to their table. He’s got a good set of eyes. Special eyes, maybe. Sable locked eyes with her, and Acanthus got the impression that he was requesting backup. Taking one look at Gartholomew on his third plate of what looked like chicken wings the size of softballs, Acanthus decided his mind was sufficiently distracted. She was free to move about the cabin.

With her cowl still drawn, walked briskly past Sable and the broker, nodding a quick greeting to the broker and scooping her drink out of Sable’s hands. “Thanks. I’ll be right back with another ale.”

At the bar, she knocked the Rusty Dagger back with a clean throw, and set the glass on the counter. “One more, please. And another ale.”

“250 col.”

“Oh.” The price came as a shock. She had forgotten that SAO was an RPG, and in RPGs, the prices skyrocket the further along you get. She recalled paying 3,500 for room and board in Glynbourne. Or maybe she’d just been scammed. While Rex poured the drinks, she opened her messages and wrote a short message to Argent. Found a possible lead from a broker named “Crow.” (phonetic). Heard of her?

Acanthus slid into the new table, placing the fresh ale equidistant from the two kids, curious to see who would claim it. She savored her second drink as Krow caught her up to speed.

Quote

"Do you have any info about a special sword? Preferably something new?"

Krow shrugged again. “It’s an RPG. You can trip and fall over a special sword. Swords that burn, swords that freeze, swords that never miss… Some idiot on Floor Eight said there’s a sword that shreds clothes. I think he was just horny.”

Acanthus tried delicately to redirect the conversation. “We’re looking for a sword that probably hasn’t appeared until recently. Likely on or around Floor 29.”

“Floor 29, hm?” Her eyes glinted as she processed the information. “What’s got a bunch of frontliners looking for a sword? Is this about that Fatal Error quest that popped up on everyone’s feed?”

“It is,” Acanthus reluctantly admitted. She wasn’t sure why showing her hand was such an issue—didn’t everyone want the sword found? But she thought back to the initial foray to Floor 29: so many new players stumbling into a floor beyond their capabilities, and dying for it. More people looking meant more victims for the Floor to consume.

“Nothing so far. Well, nothing that I can verify.” She reached for another sip of Sable’s ale to see how he would react. She glanced hungrily at Acanthus’ almost finished drink; one sharp glance and the broker backed off with a subtle smile. “I did hear something last week. I’ll tell you for a price.”

A sack of col, larger than the one she gave Sable, dropped into Krow’s hands. Acanthus swore she saw Yen signs form in her pupils before shifting back to her disaffected demeanor. “Yea, I guess that’ll cover it. Also, I’m gonna tell you again—I wasn’t able to check this lead out myself. I don’t want people getting the idea that I do shoddy work. That’s why I’m letting this lead go for so cheap.”

“That’s fine, we’ll take anything right now. What’s the lead?”

Krow leaned in with a grin. She spoke in a whisper.

“Had a player come by last week. He’d been on the frontlines trying to help out with the barricades. Barely level ten. Anyways, chaos rolls into town in the form of one of those Misty Knights, and suddenly he’s getting chased halfway across the floor. Running for his life, he finds a little church to hide in. But its pitch black in the place, so he trips over the altar and catches himself on one of those little stone gargoyles.”

“Grotesques.”

Krow lost the momentum in her story. She stared quizzically at Acanthus. “What?”

“‘Gargoyle’ describes a decorative sculpture that funnel water. If it were an interior sculpture, it was likely just a grotesque.”

Krow’s face contorted from confused to “why the fuck did you stop me for that.” She wrapped up her story with noticeable annoyance.

“Anyways, he tripped over a—” Krow rolled her eyes “—stone statute, and found a secret passage underneath the altar. He knew better than to explore it on his own, so he came back and shared with me instead.” Krow grinned. “He swore he saw a glint at the bottom of the stairs, but I think he was full of it. If it was pitch black, how was he seeing something reflect light?”

“Wasn’t too long ago and nobody’s asked for that info yet. So you stand a pretty good chance of being the first ones there. I think that’s worth another drink at least, dontcha?”

Edited 33 minutes ago by Acanthus