[PP-PT-F01] Forsaken Penance

[Mari 1]

Day had set well into the night; and rain poured from the heavens above - pelting a barely conscious Mari as she lay sprawled out amidst the mud and debris in front of the cemetery. She had tried...lords she had tried. It took years to get to this point. Mari thought she had been prepared. Mari thought she had everything she'd need to truly attempt to take it on. But she was so sorely mistaken. It's mitigation too high - her energy too low. Maybe...she should have rested more beforehand? No...she'd not be able to sleep properly knowing this was looming on the horizon. Even if she had, the outcome would have been the same. With her current build...her current skill set...even with all her upgraded armor, her levels...Mari was still one of the strongest in all of Aincrad... she still failed. So why?

It was impossible...

Mari should have known. There was a reason why there were no known accounts of people successfully completing redemption. It wasn't made to redeem anyone. It was made to kill. It was made to completely annihilate any with an orange cursor who dared to tread the path of penance. It forsook them. Dangled hope in front of them, only to cut the cancer out. If Mari continued...she knew she would have died. In the past Mari would have accepted such a fate - her name would finally join all the others that she had written upon that monument. Fitting. But she couldn't. She had too much to live for now.

At first, its hits didn't strike hard, she'd hurt herself more against its armor than its weak attack, but that was just to lull her into a sense of false security, its attacks growing more and more violent as the battle progressed. Its health bar barely dwindled even after her strongest attacks. The burning venom of her weapon did nothing to it.

A slight ringing in her ears, from messages going unanswered. From who, she was not sure. Mari had many contingencies in place - and it had been an entire day since she initially messaged people to let them know what she was doing. It was only natural people would worry. Right? Blurriness tinged the edges of Mari's vision as she struggled to lift her head up from the ground. Her entire body ached. A dull thrum of pain that dragged across her nervous system and set deep in her bones. Mari lifted a hand to open up her messaging system before it fell to the floor. Darkness took over her vision as the exhausted woman passed out.

There she lie, face down in the mud. The angry souls of the lives Mari took, high up in heaven pelting her in an unrelenting downpour. Each drop adding to the ruthless and stinging chill that set deeper and deeper into her tiny form.



Redemption, was no longer in the cards for Mari.


Mari | HP: 35/35 | EN: 25/25 | DMG: 12 | MIT:77 | ACC:4 | AA  | FL.AURA: 2 | BH:2 | BRN: 14 | ENV-O: 8 | PARA-V | LD:5  | True Tier 14                                                                                                                         

Edited September 12 by Mari

[Oscar 0]

Heavy footfalls squelched in the mud as Oscar approached Mari’s prone form. She was a pitiful sigh, face down in the grime with the remnants of her battle lingering on her frame. Oscar had been twice-notified. Once by Mari herself, once by his hounds. His hounds lingered still, at the fringes, out of sight. Redemption was a wall that stood between Orange Players and their hopes of rejoining society. To put their past behind them and move forward. It was, quite literally, the jailer of the damned. Their final arbiter.

But Redemption had a fatal flaw. It equated might with righteousness. There were many who had been spared Oscar’s blade that could not quite pass muster when it came to this boss. They retained the symbol of their sin, even if they had moved past the person they were before. Forever afflicted with their stigmata. Never to be forgiven.

Oscar approached Mari as she lay prone. He wondered what was going through her head. He squatted down, his hands hanging limply between his knees.

“You lost,” Oscar said, deliberately pouring salt in the wound. “Happens.”

Redemption had tested her might. Oscar would test her conviction. Of the two, only one mattered.

“You gonna cry about it? That doesn’t sound like the Mari I know.”

He let his words linger in the air, remained silent so that the daggers could truly sink in. Oscar was not one to kick someone while they were down. But -

“Do you really think you belong here?”

There was one situation where he would.

“Face-down, sucking mud, looking like a pathetic sack?”

Sometimes, people just needed a kick in the pants.

“When are you gonna get mad about it?”

And sometimes, it didn’t matter if they were already down.

“On your feet, Mari. You’re better than this.”

 

Spoiler

"Name: Oscar
True Tier: 11
Level: 35
Paragon Level: 69
HP: 1020/1020
EN: 134/134

Stats:
Damage: 24
Mitigation: 127
Accuracy: 3
Evasion: 1
Battle Healing: 56
Loot Die: 5
Stealth Rating: -5
AA 
PHASEVAMP-O: 168
REC: 4

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<Kyūketsuki>> T4 KATANA//ABS.ACC/PHASE/VAMP2                                                                                                                                         
Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<TACTICAL UNDER ARMOR>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR//MIT/MIT/MIT/REC
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - <<IVORY GOLD LEAF RING>> T1 TRINKET//ACC/ACC/EVA/EVA

Combat Mastery:
  - Combat Mastery: Damage R3

Combat Shift:
  - AOE Shift

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - squabble up. 

Skills:
  - Battle Healing R5
  - Energist
  - Extended Weight Limit
  - Fighting Spirit
  - Heavy Armor R5
  - Howl
  - Katana R5
  - Quick Change
  - Searching R5

Extra Skills:
  - Forgotten King's Authority
  - Meditation
  - Parry
  - Survival

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:
  - Ferocity
  - Focused Howl
  - Iron Skin
  - Precision
  - Reveal
  - Stamina

Mods:
  - Detect
  - Impetus
  - Night Vision
  - Tracking

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:
  - <<CRYSTAL OF DIVINE LIGHT>> ID: 236066 x1
  - <<DARK SERAPHIM>> T4 HEAVY ARMOR - VAMP.D2/HOLY BLESSING 2 x
  - <<DIVINE RANCOR>> T4 KATANA - HOLY/HOLY/PHASE/BLIGHT x
  - <<GLOVES OF CAERUS>> T1 LIGHT ARMOR//3 LD x
  - <<IMUGI'S INSPIRATION>> MASS HEAL x
  - <<RHINO'S HORN>> ID: 236068 x
  - <<SANCTITY'S RUIN>> T4 KATANA - FROSTBITE/BLEED/BLIGHT/BURN x
  - <<TELEPORTATION CRYSTAL>> x
  - <<TIGER'S BALM>> ANTIDOTE x

Housing Buffs:
  - Basic Kitchen: 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.
  - Storage Closet: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
  - Living Room: Increases out of combatHP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
  - Attic (Bedroom): +1 Expertise to declared utility skill. 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: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
  - Master Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
  - Master Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
  - Extended Workshop: +2 Crafting EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
  - Ornate Fishing Pond: +2 Fishing EXP per Attempt and additional +1 LD & CD to fishing attempts.
  - Dining Hall: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed. Feasts created this way cannot be used outside of the thread they are created. Limit 1 item created per thread.

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:
  - Kumatetsu
Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

 

Edited September 12 by Oscar

[Mari 1]

Who knows how long the unconscious woman had been there like that, alone - pelted by a rain that slowly began to relent. Having dealt its icy blows - the storm satiated. Hours, maybe. Enough time for her health to tick back to full. Enough time for the sun to set to night. Enough time for another to find her. Mari barely heard the footsteps approach, the squelch of heavy boot in mud as his feet sunk deep into the earth. Mari groaned - hardly conscious as she heard his voice, reiterating that she had lost. Mari lifted a tired hand in an attempt to wave him away. Much like a child who wanted to sleep in would to a parent. It fell to the earth with a splat. Mari wasn't going to cry about it, if anything, Mari felt oddly at peace with the whole ordeal. "Oscar..." Mari mumbled. She was surprised to see him here. Well, hear him. Granted she had messaged him to let him know she may have to high tail it to his store - but when Mari used her crystal, shouting the Town of Beginnings - she was thrown here. Face first into the muck and grime of countless sinners before her. 

It took a great deal of effort to push herself away from the mud, rolling onto her back. Rain still speckled lightly against her face, trickles of dirt and grime washing away. At least the weather was slowly easing up. "M'tired." she muttered as she lifted an arm to sit over her forehead in a weak attempt to shield her face from the rain. More words were thrown at her. Not spat, but spoken with a still bluntness. Almost the kind of chastising a teacher would give their student. "Cry?" She asked, weariness dragging her voice low. "No." Cerulean eyes shifted over to meet his own. There was a heavy set weariness behind them, but she didn't feel defeated. Annoyed? Maybe.  "I'm just ...tired..." She hadn't allowed herself to rest, to sleep. Always fighting, always pushing forward. Bringing others up like Corvo and Reytac so they could handle the frontlines. Reigning in the fiery fury of her husband. Lurking around the Laughing Coffin to ensure they kept away from what was most precious to her. Amassing col, and materials. Not only for herself but for her guild. It was all so much. 

"I'm worth far more than the mud." Mari finally said after several long minutes of silence. She believed it too. In the past, she'd never say such things. Mari groaned as she sat up, almost slipping in the mud, she had to readjust herself. Falling forward and balancing her weight on the palms of her hands. Mari blinked away the blurriness that continued to ebb at the corner of her vision. "The old me woulda gotten mad." Mari said as she lifted her head up to meet Oscars steeled gaze. "The old me would have let myself die back there. Thinking it a sound and just fate. But...the old me died in that prison. Now...."

Now....

"The colour of the crystal that floats above my head doesn't define me. You can't take that away, nor can Redemptions wrath. The only who can - is me. So..." Mari attempted to push herself to her feet, her legs buckled beneath her - and the woman collapsed back into the mud. "Fuck" She'd say under her breath, before trying a second, then a third. Finally - Mari managed to do just that, barely pulling her body to a standing position. One, then two steps forward and Mari was leaning on Oscars shoulder for support. His words may have been cold, or cruel to some. But Mari understood the intention behind them, and appreciated his candor.

"What brings you here? I had told you I'd escape to your store but..." Her gaze shifted back to the entrance of the cemetery. "I didn't expect to be thrown here." Mari's eyes shifted to shadows unseen beyond her vision. Was it Freyd's watchdogs? Did Oscar have his own network keeping an eye on her? Or did he simply know to come here after waiting to hear from her all day.

"Boy do we have a lot to..." There was a pause in her speech as she faltered slightly, the world spinning. Her grip tightened on his shoulder for support. "T-To catch up on." Mari managed as she gave his shoulder a few gentle pats. So much to tell him, to update him on. Although....Mari began to wonder how much he already knew. Mari managed to offer him a small smile to reassure him but it faded just as quickly as it came. Mari was tired. Redemption, in the literal sense of the quest was out of her reach. But realistically....Mari had redeemed herself a long time ago.

Edited September 12 by Mari

[Oscar 0]

“No time for tired,” Oscar said. He reached forward, wiping the mud from her face. It had been a while since he’d given her so tender a gesture. But she was a kept woman. And Oscar wasn’t one to overstep. But in the aftermath of such a devastating loss, Oscar simply wouldn’t be a good friend if he wasn’t there for her to lean on. “You need a shower. And some soup. It’s cold.” 

She looked demolished - and not in the good way. Oscar made it a point to know who took on the boss. Who won, who died. But escaping from Redemption was a rarity. There was a part of him that wondered whether or not it was because she’d lost her nerve. But standing in front of him, looking like she was about to drop, Oscar got the sense that could not have been further from the truth. He got a sense of satisfaction. That she’d tried - failed - but didn’t let it get to her.

That she was perfectly content with the consequences of her choices.

That was, in essence, the point of Redemption. To come to terms with it all and leave it behind.

“Come on. Let’s get you taken care of.”

Oscar never realized just how difficult it was to get anywhere. Going from Floor One to Floor Seven the long way was a hard trek. As tired as she was, Oscar had decided to pull her along piggyback just to let her get off of her feet for a moment. He was able to move faster then, not even bothered in the slightest by the extra baggage. But it was a still a long walk. One that he took slowly, smoothly. Dragging out the time of rest as much as he possibly could - being as unintrusive as he could. He felt her head droop against his back, her breathing slow. He had no idea if she was actually asleep, but he didn’t speak either. Just calm silence and deep serenity in the long trek.

Finally, they arrived at his house. Oscar couldn’t help but think as to what had happened the last time that she had darkened his doorstep. But, again, taken woman. And this wasn’t the time or the place.

“We’re here,” Oscar said as he slowly let her slide off of his back. He pulled his coat from his arms, draping it over her as he opened the door. “Come along,” he added. She knew the way to the bathroom. He didn’t have to play the host. But he didn’t want to get too far away either for fear she might collapse along the way.

“Take as long a shower as you need,” Oscar said as he stopped at the door. “I’ll get you something to eat. And then we can talk, okay?”

 

[Mari 1]

No time for tired,”

Mari's eye twitched. She wanted to snap at him for that. No time? No fucking time? Was she just repeating the same mistakes of her past? Burning the candle at both ends? Too much of herself given, and not enough to hold things together? The bile and fire burned and Mari opened her mouth to throw a fiery insult at Oscar but it all fizzled out as he reached forward. Calloused hand wiping mud from her face.  Fragments of memories, their times together trickled to the forefront of her mind and quelled her temper. Mari leaned forward, her head resting on his shoulder. An inhale of familiar scents, and an annoyed grumble was all she offered him. "You're warm though." More of her weight fell onto him, Mari trusted Oscar. She was absolutely wrecked. Every limb hurt, every muscle throbbed. The mention of food caused her stomach to rumble loud enough for the man to hear.

"I know why we...." Mari's words were spoken with a dreary fatigue. Her voice low. "We...haven't heard of anyone defeating it." Mari would lift her head, ever so slightly to glance in the direction of the foreboding graveyard. "I don't...think its made to allow people to." She had been so prepared. But all of the energy regeneration, potions, and tricks in the world could not allow her to defeat it. Or maybe...she had simply taken one too many lives, the sins engraved on her back too heavy.

Oscar would offer his back and Mari all too readily accepted it, too tired to care - to argue. They made the trek up towards Oscars house. Mari would rest her chin on his shoulder, at one point she had fallen asleep. Feeling the heat coming off his back, the vibrations of his heartbeat and the steady rise and fall of his chest along with the rocking of each footstep. It was...comforting. In a sense...Mari missed this closeness to Oscar. Her eyes fluttered open with a small groan as she tightened her hold around his chest. They were at his home. Mari slowly slid off his back and groggily rubbed her eyes. "Sorr...fell shleeep..." She'd mumble. Oscar lead Mari to the bathroom, a gentle hand on her back trying to get her into the shower. A glance at a particular wall made Mari snort in amusement. More memories.

Mari stumbled once, before making her way into the bathroom. The turn of a few knobs, and the hiss of water almost too hot to handle would wash away the mud, debris and most of the weariness that ebbed at her body. I need to let him know I'm safe.... Still standing naked in the shower she opened up her HUD 

Mari --> Lancaster: I failed. I'm okay. Resting at Oscars. 
Lancaster --> Mari: You no need it. Sei la perfezione

Mari couldn't help but laugh at the message as she finished her shower. Lancaster wasn't fond of her taking Redemption - but pushed her to do it if she desired it. He grew concerned for her.

Leaving the shower with her skin tinged a soft hue of red, hair wet and hanging down below her shoulders. She wore an oversized white shirt. One of Lancasters that she had grabbed from their shared inventory. Normally, that was all she would wear. But decorum dictated the woman not stroll out half naked into the kitchen. Even if she had been completely naked there before. So she wore thick black stockings beneath the shirt. Still not leaving a lot to the imagination but Mari was comfortable enough with Oscar. Her hair was up in a low ponytail, and on her feet... tiny little frog slippers that opened and shut their mouth with every step. Mari entered the kitchen with the damp towel in her hand. Looking around and not finding anywhere in particular to put it she simply threw it over her shoulder and took a seat at one of the bar stools. Her eyes traced the counter, more memories. Then her fingers traced its clean surface.

"Thanks....I know how....frustrating it is to have to go the long way around."  Mari crossed her arms in front of her and leaned forward, resting her chin on them. Did he have questions for her? Was he disappointed? She wasn't sure. Fingers would fiddle with her wedding ring, turning it round and round her finger. The last thing she wanted to do was upset the man. He'd done so much for her, more than he would ever really realize.

"Thanks for everything, really."  Mari was attempted to hold herself well, but to anyone with a discerning eye she was exhausted. Barely able to keep herself some swaying, every time she blinked it was slow. "So...how did you know I wound up there?" Mari asked.

Edited October 3 by Mari

[Oscar 0]

“Don’t thank me,” Oscar said. The moment she settled into her chair, Oscar had a plate of stew. It smelled dangerous, laden with spices and thick with capsaicin. Nothing better for warming the body after a long nap in the rain than a big bowl of spicy stew. And, of course, Oscar had no chill when it came to such things, so the Scoville scale was more than likely blown out. He slid a glass of sweet wine and a small plate of bread in her direction. “I insist.”

Oscar had a deep and profound love for all of his friends. He struggled to articulate, so he hoped that his actions would bridge that gap.

“As far as how I knew where you were, I keep an eye on Redemption,” he replied with a shrug. “You’re not alone in your struggle. Most fail. But my goal isn’t to kill all of the PKers. I would prefer that people understand that they can be redeemed. Whether they kill that fucking boss or not.”

Past mistakes should be left there. There was a way forward. Mari had learned that lesson. Redemption had, almost literally, burned it into her bones. The point was not to slay the boss, but to understand that no matter how deep the sins go, they do not define you. That they need not weigh you down.

“You got married,” Oscar remarked as he filled his own bowl, pointing at the ring on her finger with his ladle. “A shame that we can’t indulge ourselves anymore. But, that is a curse I’m willing to bear. Marriage looks good on you. You look happy.”

Oscar would not be a homewrecker. And besides, he was always happy for those bittersweet partings. Mari was not the first, she would not be the last. They could keep the memories of their time together, but Oscar would never get bent out of shape because she had found permanence. 

Rather defeated the point of friends with benefits.

“Lancaster, right. He seemed rather uncomfortable at the beach party. I’m a little offended -” A half joke. More born from his desire to be an excellent host than any hard feelings. “-but I get it. Hard for an orange player to settle back into community.”

 

[Mari 1]

Mari coughed just breathing in the steam that permeated from the strew caused her nostrils to burn. Truth be told Mari loved spicy things. She just did not have the best tolerance for it. More than most..but not enough to truly enjoy it. Mari picked up her spoon, twirling it between thumb and forefinger before letting its curved side skim across the top of her meal. Don't thank me...He'd say, but Mari didn't know how much to truly express what he meant to her. How he managed to help boost her confidence and help her actually live. "I can't recall...." Mari said quietly, still not quite prepared to take a sample of the food - her mouth watered and her stomach growled, but instead she picked up the glass of wine and swirled it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Lancaster babbling on about its legs, or whatever the hell wine had. "If I ever told you, but yanno that night I came here?" Mari gestured around the room with her wine glass- being careful not to spill it, holding in a snort at the double entendre. "That was the first time I had allowed myself to sleep in a bed. Since my cursor turned orange. So, I got a lot to thank you for."  

Mari let her spoon sit on the rim of the bowl as she reached for the bread and broke a piece off. "Oh! I actually took up the cooking profession...I've always loved baking and got back into it recently, now that I'm actually eating food again!" Mari said with a bright smile, earnest words that denoted just how much she had denied herself in her past. She dipped the bread in the stew, hoping it'd absorb some of the heat. "I'd love to share some of my food with you sometime!" Mari adored baking, not so much cooking...but baking. She loved it. Mari threw the piece of bread into her mouth. The heat hit her immediately, and with the force of an oncoming truck.

The woman covered her mouth and started to cough, her eyes watering as the heat quickly burned through her mouth and settled in the back of her throat. "Omgawdh..." She muttered into her hand, eyes watering as she looked up at the man. Was he insane?  The spice was nearly unbearable, yet despite that Mari grabbed the spoon and shoved two, three, then four full scoops into her mouth chewing. She was crying now, and her nose ran. Still. A swallow as she wiped her mouth. "That's really really good...but Fuck Oscar...." Mari fanned her mouth as she grabbed her glass of wine and downed the entire thing. "The hell..." She placed a hand on her heart. "Are you sure you're not trying to kill me?"

Oscar poured Mari another glass of wine, and Mari took another several gulps, downing half her glass before shifting back to the meal. After the initial struggle, it was a little easier to eat - only slightly. Chunks of beef, slow cooked melted in her mouth, and chunks of sweet tomato would burst in a sweet yet acidic relief. to contrast the spice. Oscar continued to talk as Mari struggled with her meal, wanting very much to keep tasting an eating it but quite frankly struggling with the heat of the meal.

“You got married”

"Hmm?" Mari glanced at her finger. "oh...OH! Yeh!" S Mari laughed, offering Oscar a grin as she leaned over the counter, placing her head  in the palm of her hand. "Yanno, he did say I am free to ....do whatever I wanted." Mari paused, knowing Oscar would catch onto the implication. "But truth be told, I don't think I'm the kinda person who could do that." She'd tilt her head, looking up at him. "I mean, you've experienced first hand how obsessive I can be with that sorta thing. But...I'd be lying if I said I won't miss it."

Mari slid her left hand across the counter to show Oscar the small malformed ring. It was clearly handmade. Blackened steel encapsulating a small red stone. "It's a long story - it happened rather quickly. If...we had more time I'd have liked you to be there. But-"

How should she say this?

"He's uncomfortable because he's....maybe being uhm...might be a target?" Her smile faded and her playful attitude faltered. "It's gonna come to light at some point but he was  a member of the LC. was."  Mari chewed the inside of her cheek. Oscar was the first person she told. Outside of Raidou and Freyd, both who were....already aware of his position. "Raidou knows, but he already knew. You're the....first person I told. I don't really want to go around advertising it. But, you'd find out at some point and I'd rather you hear it from me. You're right. I am happy. He pushes me to do better, to be a better person. To put myself first for once. Hell...he even helped me take on Redemption."

Mari sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, pulling tendrils of orange out from her high ponytail. "We're so very alike, its almost scary. I look at him...and I see where I could have been, if I didn't have people like Baldur, and you, who pulled me out of that dark place. He's no saint. But he's good to me. For me. He left them, for me. Because he realized things could be better."

There was a few long moments of silence, and Mari began to regret sharing - not for revealing the information, but for ruining the lighthearted moment between them.

"Next time, I'll make sure his attire is appropriate." She managed.

[Oscar 0]

Oscar had only been nebulously aware of Laughing Coffin and their ranking Fingers. Truth be told, like with most things, he didn’t take them seriously. The web had been woven in such a way that he could deal with them any time he damn well pleased, but there were rules. And they were in something of a Mexican standoff. Oscar couldn’t very well police them across all the floors. Just the one. And if they didn’t trespass, Oscar wouldn’t trespass. At least not yet.

But color him surprised when one of their Fingers defected. The rumors had found their way to his ears. Defected and survived. Which simply didn’t happen. Much like the gangs in the real world, once you were in - you left in a body bag. Oscar found it curious, but he’d never bothered to look into the reason. But of course Mari would be at the heart of it. Which now meant Oscar needed to take the whole affair seriously. A friend of a friend - or a husband of a former hook-up in this case - was close enough to his circle that he would ride for them, if the situation called for it.

“I wouldn’t worry too much over it,” Oscar said, tearing off a piece of bread to dunk into his soup. He’d never really explained the full breadth and depth of his network to Mari. Rather difficult to do so in between passionate kisses that preceded other activities. But he’d be a fool to think she didn’t have some vague idea. His appearance in the aftermath of her battle with Redemption would be evidence enough. “He’ll be fine.”

Words stated as if it were simply fact-of-life. The sky is blue, water is wet, Lancaster’s not going to get assassinated. Especially if Raidou was in the mix. Between the two of them - the Red Wanderer’s entire army of a Guild - and Oscar’s own Hounds, Laughing Coffin would be hard-pressed to do anything about it. And they knew that. He was well aware that there were eyes on him always. On him and on his friends. Word would get around. He would not need to go out of his way to send that message.

And it was all because of the way Mari talked about the man. That sweet, subtle smile on her face. The way her entire demeanor changed. The tragedy of their brief tryst being over was dwarfed by her newfound radiance. That was worth protecting. It was worth Oscar bringing everything he had to bear - ripping open however wide and deep an ocean of crimson he needed to. 

“Like I said. It all looks good on you,” Oscar stated with a bright smile. “And whatever we have or had, I could never make you glow like this. Don’t get me wrong, I had fun. Truly. But you found your person. You’re carving out a life that - what - two months ago you never could have possibly imagined for yourself. I love that for you. Looking at you now makes me feel better than anything you ever did in the bed with me.”

Oscar clicked his tongue, tilting his head from side to side. “Okay, that’s a lie. It’s damn close, you’re quite good. But please, tell me more. Tell me how different this new Mari is.”

 

[Mari 1]

Mari relaxed her shoulders hearing his words, she didn't realize just how much tension she had been holding in them...just how tightly wound she had been. Her stew, half eaten and far too spicy to be able to finish was pushed to the side so she could give Oscar the full attention he both demanded and deserved. He dismissed her admission with a rather simple and nonchalant one of his own, breaking apart bread to dip into his own serving. Stating he'd be fine...Mari knew Oscar was connected - knew he had people working for him, and that he was personally training several others. Her finger tapped the counter, she lost in thought. Lancaster was safe from the Laughing Coffin. Safe from Oscar and his network, but that didn't mean he was entirely safe...there were still many outside factors. Still... 

"You're amazing. You know that? Most people would have further questions - although most people don't have others trawling through god knows what or where for them. But..."

What could she say, 'oh hey Oscar, thanks for approving of me marrying one of the literal leaders of a murder troupe.  Murder troupe seemed a bit much. They were nebulous, nefarious - but a lot people also used the name as a cover. Mari was far, far more intimately aware of the way the coffin functioned than anyone should be, hell, even more than its own members. Things she wished she could share with Oscar, but simply could not. Still, she wanted to offer him at least something. "I...know more than I should about the workings of the place. I can't tell you what I know, but I'll use that knowledge to ensure people I care about are safe. I know Lancaster is mostly safe. It's just - " A sigh. "Difficult to navigate. Everything kinda...happened so quickly." Mari would reach out to Oscar, placing a hand over his and offering it a squeeze. Then, Mari decided that wasn't enough. She pushed his bowl to the side and leaned forward - one leg on the counter to lift herself up to wrap her arms around his shoulders. Oscar was one of the very, very few people Mari would allow herself to be affectionate with, to show affection with. He had held such a near and dear place to her, in her heart. He and Cordelia both. She didn't need to say thank you, the action was more than enough from the usually prickly woman.

Another squeeze before she returned to her seat on his bar stool. Mari slid his bowl back over to him.

"I had fun too. You really helped me. Hell I'd go as far as to say if it weren't for you, correcting me I'd not have just gone for it." She'd pull her own bowl back in front of her, staring down at the red hot contents. Gods save her... "I won't lie, I will miss it." A twirl of her spoon in the mixture. "But you're here - and that's also very important to me. You and Cordelia mean a lot to me." A pause. She missed Cordelia.  But...it'd be unfair for her to mention that in front of Oscar. who would be feeling that hole far more. 

“Okay, that’s a lie. It’s damn close, you’re quite good. But please, tell me more. Tell me how different this new Mari is.”

Mari lifted her gaze up to Oscar and waved an empty spoon in his direction. "Hey now, my man did say things may still be on the table, but I think that a discussion for later." A cheeky grin, ever the brat to him. Mari opened up her inventory and pulled out her own creation - freshly baked bread. The kind that was still warm, and its crust crackle, steam would billow when broken apart. Mari handed one to Oscar, and kept one for herself. "Could say I'm domesticated now. Starting baking more. Cooking more- ah...not that I'd ever go as far as you...but baking was something I did back home. I loved it. I picked it up again." Mari tore through her roll and dipped it into the stew. 

"But...if you ever need a baker for a future event, you got me." She tossed the bread into her mouth, and her eye instantly watered. Mari banged the table a few times as she struggled to deal with the sheer heat of his meal. The man must have just made the entire thing with fucking chilli oil or something. "Fuckin' hell Oscar..."
 

[Oscar 0]

“I know enough,” Oscar said. Best to not get too close. Last thing he needed was the guilt that came from humanizing his targets. His last mental had brought him to the edge of Aincrad - almost careening off of it. It was a complicated thing, his little blood feud. He was sure that, at some point, the members had their reasons. But that had long since become irrelevant. So long as their mission was to kill other Players, someone needed to be the one to kill them back.

“Shop talk is boring, anyway,” he said, an air of conclusion to his tone. He’d not brought Mari here to plunder her for information. He was many things when it came to his war. Cunning. Duplicitious. Two-faced. But he drew a hard line between that and his friends. Business and pleasure ought to be kept separate, after all. 

She did have a surprise to pull out. A gentle touch that morphed into a tight hug. They didn’t need to say anything. He merely lifted his hand from the table and placed it on her arm. Oscar remembered well how affectionate she could be. It wasn’t that long ago that her arms had been wrapped around him in a different sense. “I think I prefer this,” Oscar mused. “Not that the nails on my back weren’t fun.”

If only he still had those marks. But he didn’t need them to be a reminder.

She returned to her seat, producing two rolls. Oscar happily accepted the one she offered, exhaling forcefully as she mentioned she was domesticated.

“No more domesticated than me,” he said as he gently tore the bread apart. He took a small piece and popped it into his mouth. “And don’t make promises like that. You might get a ‘you up’ text,” he continued as he chewed. It was really good. Flaky, soft, ever-so-slightly sweet. He watched with a smile as she struggled with her soup. Perhaps he’d overdone it. So he mirrored the gesture, dunking a piece of the bread into the warm mixture and popping it into his mouth. No, it was perfect.

“Hm?” He swallowed his food, looking over at Mari rather innocently. “I thought you liked spice. The wine should help it mellow out since your bloodline is weak.”

As if to prove a point, he dipped his spoon into his bowl and stuck it into his mouth. Sweat beaded on his brow and he could almost feel his blood pressure rising. But that was rather the point. And that was the only outward sign of discomfort he showed. The burn was just right. "But seriously," he said as he waved his spoon round in circles in her general direction. "I'd feel really, really scummy sending that text knowing you're probably in bed next to your husband. And I mean, I'd do it. But I'd still feel like a scumbag for it." Oscar shrugged, returning his attention to his meal. "But who am I to judge someone for an open relationship? 'Woe be unto you, you hypocrites' or some such bible nonsense."

[Mari 1]

Mari flashed Oscar a look, as if to say 'No... you don't...' When he said he knew enough. She wasn't going to press it. Her being here was supposed to be the calm after the storm. A sweet reprise after a battle so long and hard fought for. She knew how hard Oscar fought for his own beliefs, his own fight. It's how they had managed to reconnect. Memories of him falling apart by the lake, struggling with shaking hands tangled in his hair - Mari knew the signs of wavering sanity. She had lived them. "Oscar..." His name, spoken softly, equal parts concern and care. He always did this, waved her away. Claimed it was never the time for shop talk. "You...can't keep pushing people away with ...." A frustrated sigh. "I just worry about you, I see my past reflected in some of your actions. But I believe in you Oscar. I believe in your abilities, and your control. Just know you're not alone. I'm far more in the trenches than people realize. You can't keep everything separate with a neat line, and a handsome smile." Her tone was perhaps a little more abrasive than she intended, but Mari needed to make him realize she didn't need to be protected.  "I know you can be hard Oscar, but don't be too hard-headed either, yeh?" Mari would offer him a smile as she popped another piece of bread into her mouth. Signalling the end of that particular subject. She had let him know she was there for him. That she would respect his wishes, but not be so easy to push away. She wasn't just another name in his black book. She wash is friend. And that truly meant something considering she could count her friends on a single hand.

“No more domesticated than me,”

Mari laughed, pulling off another part of her bread roll  an this time only very lightly dipping it in the stew. She had tried, and failed to eat it in its entirety, half of it still sat hot and heavy in her bowl. The steam alone burning her nostrils. "Hah...you remembered, I like spice Oscar. But this?" She gesture to her bowl with a point of the bread in her hand. "I may be a masochist but not that much of one." Mari tilted her head and arched a brow as she watched him attempt to prove his point. He seemed to struggle with it. "Enjoying yourself?" Mari asked, clearly amused, watching him do his best not to squirm. "Make this for me more often so I can get used to it." 

Mari would stay true to her word, and attempt to eat the stew, a little more slowly. "We...haven't fully discussed it yet, but we both have told each other- that we do not want to get in the way of desires. And yet..." A tilt of her head and a pause as she tried to tolerate spice levels no human being should ever consume. "Maybe I'm selfish? Because I'd want to be there too? Like...I don't see myself caring, because at the end of the day, he's mine. But also, I'd want to be involved, sometimes." A snort, then a laugh as she waved off the thought of her between two people, one of them her Vincent, perhaps the other Oscar. No. Those thoughts were dangerous. Mari much preferred to keep Oscar in her life as a friend. 

"But seriously - If you of all people send me a text in the middle of the night asking if I'm up, I'd be at your house as quickly as Aincrad would allow. Of course, it wont be like our past trysts...but, if you need me. I'm there for you. Sides...I'm sure your little book of dalliances is overflowing at this point. Do you even really need me?" Of course he didn't. Oscar could get almost anyone he wanted. 

"Not including missing me, how have you been though Oscar? You...and I mean this in the nicest possible way, but you're looking a little run down." Mari pointed at herself with her spoon. "And thats comin' from me. And I know I look like shit right now."

@Oscar

Edited Wednesday at 08:48 AM by Mari

[Oscar 0]

“Busy,” Oscar replied. There was no simpler way to say it. He’d taken on entirely too much. LARPing as a real estate mogul. Restaurants and now his night club. He didn’t want to spill the beans on that. His flair for the dramatic simply wouldn’t allow. But it was draining - pushing Cardinal to its limits, finding just what he was allowed within the bounds of the system. Each grand opening - every restaurant and every single little thing that would make it unique - was a result of hours upon hours of experimentation. He wasn’t doing it alone, but he was certainly doing his part. The logistics alone were a gargantuan task.

The worst part was that he found himself so focused on the task at hand, it was hard to make time for much else. He would hope that his friends would forgive his radio silence when they finally saw the end result.

“I don’t want to give it away,” Oscar said. “But think the beach party, but bigger.”

It had been no small undertaking to put that crab boil together. If she had any idea how difficult it was to fit an entire airship through a tiny little teleportation platform… Well, she did. In a different context. 

“But mentally? I’m fine. Just tired. I think I might have bit off just a bit more than I can chew with this one. I’ve got a team now-” Oscar helped himself to a bit more of his soup. Quite the motley crew they were. A singer, an operator, even a stripper. And one adorable little dummy. Couldn’t forget his real-life ward either. He could have formed a small Guild with them. But he definitely did not need that fucking stress. “They help out tremendously. But it’s pushing us all to our limits. I just have to hope that the final product is worth it all.”

He gave her a bright smile, doing his best to reassure her. “And I really hope you all enjoy it.”

His goal was to enrich lives now. Retirement was no time to rest. But perhaps, when it was all said and done, he could go back and make up for his hyperfixation. Give the people he really cared about the face time they so deserved. It would be difficult, he realized. But oh so enjoyable. After all, a meal such as this was another type of indulgence. Decadent in its simplicity.

“But I promise that if anything really gets under my skin or I need help with anything, I won’t keep my mouth shut. I know better than most how dangerous it is to suffer in silence. It’s my literal profession.”

 

[Mari 1]

"Busy..." Mari repeated, not masking the skeptism in her tone. She knew he was busy. That was the problem. But she didn't push it. Because Mari was more or less doing something similar. Busy...busy with reigning in Laughing Coffin members, busy with her preparation for Redemption. Busy with busting her ass ensuring her guild had enough col and materials to last the next several floors. Cooking, cleaning, ensuring her house was a welcoming home for her husband. A shake of her head and a warm and worn smile. "Busy...yeh...same, Oscar...same..." Her smile widened when he gave her a hint to what he was working on. Something like the beach party, but bigger? "Colour me impressed. I'm looking forward to it." She tapped the side of her bowl with her spoon. "Although...if you are serving food, tone down on the spice, most of us have as you say...weak bloodlines, yeh?" Mari said with a laugh. "Again...I am here if you need help. Okay?"

Mari leaned forward, elbow on table as she placed her head into the palm of her hand, watching Oscar with a sort of warm adoration. It was rare for someone to worm their way under her skin in the way her did. In more ways than one. Which he had done. Many times. Mari genuinely enjoyed his friendship, and his company. Actively sought him out, wanting to update him on all manner of things. That... just wasn't something Mari did. But with Oscar? It was different. "Your Skill comes in handy yanno?" Mari commented, "I think..I've helped four people who have wanted to step out of the starter cities. Set them up with the funds and the gear...being a PKer...everything comes at a premium cost. Hell, getting someone to come grab some food from your restaurant sometimes costs me ten thousand or so. I hadn't gotten the chance to thank you properly for it. So thanks."

Oscar talked about how he and his motley crew were working together in tandem, and something in that tugged at Mari's heartstrings. She still felt so disconnected from everything, everyone. Her eyes shifted away from his. Her shoulders slumped and that soft smile she wore faded just slightly. That must be nice. She wished she had that with her guild. With a group of friends. But Mari didn't even have a group of friends. She had...a friend. She had Oscar. (And whatever the fuck Raidou was) Most of her friends were gone. Disappeared. Even...

"Oscar..." Mari said quietly. "Do... you know where Cordellia is? She hasn't....answered any of my messages since I was released from prison." 

Spoken quietly, initially not wanting to bring her up, but his words... he wouldn't keep his mouth shut. So neither would she. Mari rose her eyes to meet his gaze. Concern, fear. A worry that she'd hurt quite literally her only remaining friend in Aincrad, just for the mere mention of wondering where another was.  "Sorry." Guilt and regret bubbled up in Mari. "I'm sure she's fine. It's fine." Mari tried to wave off her inquiry. Wave away the pain that kept bubbling up in her chest.

Redemption...

Penance...

Normalcy..

Why were those things so hard?

[Oscar 0]

“I’ve come to realize that I might have been a bit too black-and-white,” Oscar said as she mentioned the day-to-day troubles that Orange Players had to struggle with. In many ways, he knew that struggle well. Invoking his time on the street, his childhood teetering on the precipice. If not for his stroke of fortune, he knew in his bones that he would not be here right now. Enjoying a meal, a conversation. It all came down to that one moment, that one decision. Really, the best ass-kicking he’d ever endured.

It would have all been worth a thousand of those.

“That’s very kind of you,” Oscar added. “I’ve been something of a patron lately myself. Though, I can’t deny that I got it much easier.”

Oscar’s light smile tilted downward as Mari mentioned Cordelia. All he could do is shrug. “I can’t get a reply either.” He checked the Monument every day. “I have no idea. She hasn’t been home in months either.”

It had been so quiet around the Manor without her. A quiet that had infected their conversation. Oscar poked at his soup, his appetite suddenly souring. He missed her so bad that it hurt, but where would he even begin to look for her. There was not a primal entanglement that could overshadow that weeping wound in his chest.

He let out a heavy sigh.

The silence was deafening.

Until-

“POKER NIGHT!”

Oscar heard his door open. A cacophony of footfalls across the marble floor. Abellio entered first, Lysette clinging to his arm. Then Warren, carrying a game set in his arms and sporting a dealer’s visor. And then, finally, Sin. They all seemed shocked to find Oscar and Mari sitting at the table. All of them except.

“MARI! HEY! Are you coming to poker night?”

Of course it was Abellio. Everyone else felt and looked as if they had interrupted something. Abellio was adorably oblivious. Sin pushed through to the front, crossing her arms as she eyed the red-head sitting at Oscar’s dining room table. She narrowed her gaze, pursed her lips. Finally, she deflated.

“Fuck Oscar. Is everyone you know hot as fuck?”

Oscar breathed out a laugh and shook his head. “Tonight’s poker night? I completely spaced.” His gaze flicked over to Mari. “You’re staying, right?” A statement posed as a question. Oscar would have to insist that she stay. Even loners needed company.

What was one more person in his growing family?

 

[Mari 1]

Mari snorted. “Oscar…. You and I both know I’m not exactly a kind person. But - I appreciate the compliment.” She would offer him a smile that would fade completely when Oscars eyes lowered, Cordelia…hadn’t been messaging him either.

Mari chewed the inside of her cheek. Not on the monument…not replying. She could be trapped somewhere, much like Mari was, a place that didn’t allow messages to reach her, or for her to contact the outside world… what if someone in the Laughing Coffin had taken her? What if Atan had? So many possibilities and none of them were good. Mari felt ill, she had to figure it out. What was going on … an inclination, an answer, hell even just a slight silver of hope. “In months…” Mari whispered, she pushed herself off the stool, and rounded the bar, standing beside Oscar Mari reached out to clasp his hands in her own small trembling ones.

“Everything.” Mari said. “I’ll do anything and everything…”

But…Mari was doubting her own words, and instead of reassurance, there was a silence between the two. Cordelia had worked her way deep into each of their hearts - and her presence was so sorely missed.

“POKER NIGHT!”

The door to the kitchen swung open and Mari tensed, scrambling to get back over to the other side of the bar, lest anyone get the wrong (or once upon a time right) idea. “The hell?” Mari asked, seeing Abellio bright eyed and bushy tailed burst through the door, and Lysette on his arm. Mari recalled a bet about a kiss and flashed Oscar a look.

Then, another came in, Mari recognized him as Warren, despite them sharing very few words. He was the one who liked to smoke a lot. He wore a visor that reminded Mari of an old man going golfing. They all seemed to still seeing Mari there.

“Mari! Are you coming to poker night?”

“P-Poker night?” Mari blinked, looking down at herself. Still wearing nothing more than a white shirt and thin stockings. Nothing more. “I…don’t think-”

“Fuck Oscar. Is everyone you know hot as fuck?”

This was all happening far too quickly for Mari. The knowledge that Cordelia hadn’t been talking to Oscar either… the pain that came with that, the sudden appearance of several of Oscars associates…Abellio’s absolute enthusiasm to have her join their game. The compliments from the tall well dressed woman that made Mari feel even more underdressed, if that were possible.

“I…” Mari lifted a hand to her head. She was exhausted. She had just failed redemption. She had an emotional time. Draining, physically…mentally…

“I don’t think I should.”

 

“Hear that!” Abellio cried out. “She’s staying!”

Mari realized, there was no way out of this.

“I’ll…need several drinks. And to let Lan know I won’t be home this evening.”

[Oscar 0]

“You could invite him over,” Oscar said. “It’s just a little gathering. He might find himself a bit more comfortable playing cards over a beach party.”

Warren crossed over to the table as Oscar spoke, settling down as the others circled around him. He pulled out his deck of cards, silently shuffling them as he balanced an unlit cigarette precariously between his lips. “Game’s five-card stud. Jokers wild,” he said, the cigarette bouncing as he spoke. Lysette and Sin settled in, flanking Mari. When Warren moved to pull the chips out of his set, Sin held up a hand.

“Oh no, no chips,” she said with a bright smile. “We should make this interesting.” She exchanged glances with Lysette and Mari before slamming her hand down on the table. “This side of the table is barely dressed. We want eye candy.”

Oscar exhaled through his nose, shaking his head as he slid his bowl to the side. “You do, do you?” His attention was pointed directly at Mari. His eyes flicked over to Sin. “Sorry, we got a couple at the table. Don’t you think they’d be a bit uncomfortable?”

Not to mention that Mari and Sin were the only two leaving little to the imagination.

“Nope!” Lysette surprised him by sliding out of her jacket and peeling off her shirt, leaving her covered in only a tight black tanktop. “Eye candy!” And just like that, even with Abellio’s chosen fashion sense, the men were totally overdressed for the occasion. Oscar knew what Sin was getting at. Tackling Mari’s lack of dress to make her feel just a little bit more comfortable.

“Fair enough. Strip poker it is. But do know that when you lose, you’re gonna give us all a dance, Sin. Really want to bet against jumping on that pole?”

“For the girls, all day,” Sin beamed. “Besides, I don’t have to worry about it. There’s no way we’re gonna lose.”