[F01 - F09] <<Katana Skill Acquisition>> The Strength of The Blade

[Alinta 0]

I’m going on a quest…with my boyfriend….

Boyfriend…

It was still so surreal to admit, to have someone in her life like that. It still felt like it was only yesterday (It was only yesterday) where she had made the awkward admission, and an offer to place that label on their relationship. Where she felt like she was going to throw up, awaiting a decision. A sweet date that was akin to a heaven-spun dream, where their lives were woven intricately together. Such an unexpected turn of events… the man had surprised her with his date, Alinta was going to surprise him with something of her own… the woman had so much SP to spare, she had decided to take on the curved sword skill, on top of her own - just so she could undergo this quest with him. Get a better understanding of him. It didn't hurt to have the Katana skill in her back pocket either, just in case... There was something inherently romantic about two ronin, once lost finding companionship in another.

Alinta→ Scar: I’m sitting outside at a cafe by the teleport plaza
Alinta→ Scar: You can take your time. I haven't been here too long.
Alinta→ Scar: Oh! I got a bunch of information for you about the Katana quest!

The woman paused to straighten the pin she had placed in her hair, she had finally settled on her 'questing' gear - the kind of outfit one would always wear. It was similar to what she had worn when she first met him. Along with a few adjustments. She was a little nervous to show him. Alinta took inspiration from several sources and since he had told her he wanted to use a Katana...Alinta wanted her aesthetic to match his.

Alinta sat outside a small cafe, an iced coffee with caramel in front of her, half finished. In front of her sat a cappuccino, a flat white, a cup of tea, a cup of green tea, and an iced caramel coffee…several drinks splayed out across the table. Alinta didn’t know what he liked. She should have asked him first. That would have been the smart thing to do. Instead. She just got a bit of everything from the menu. Surely he’d find something he’d like.

A passing player paused, glancing at Alinta, and giving her an odd look. “What?” Alinta shot back, “Maybe I’m thirsty.” She offered the poor man a wry grin. “Or are you just jealous that my man gets anything he wants?” A pause. “Anything…”  The player, a dirty blonde wearing a green tunic apologized and quickly scurried off. “Hah!”

Alinta turned back to her drink, picking it up and swirling the straw to stir the sweet caramel sauce into the liquid. “My man…” She repeated fondly. A strong sense of warmth resonated within her with that statement.

WC" 468

Alinta Ombre | HP: 560/560 | EN: 74/74 | DMG: 11 | True Tier 3

 

Spoiler

 

"Name: Alinta Ombre
True Tier: 3
Level: 28
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 560/560
EN: 74/74

Stats:
Damage: 11

Equipped Gear:
Weapon/Armor/Trinket: 
  - 
Armor/Trinket: 
  - 
Shield/Armor/Trinket: 
  - 

Combat Mastery:
  - 

Combat Shift:
  - 

Familiar Skill:
  - 

Custom Skill:
  - 

Skills:
  - Curved Sword R1
  - Whip R5

Extra Skills:
  - Survival

Inactive Extra Skills:

Addons:

Mods:

Inactive Mods:

Battle Ready Inventory:

Housing Buffs:

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild Totem:

Wedding Ring:

Crafting Profession:

Gathering Profession:
"                                                                                                                            

                                                                                       

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Alinta

[Scar 0]

Scar→ Alinta: On the way, baby. I'll be the guy running like he's late for the best day of his life.

The message sent, Jack weaved his way through the busy teleport plaza, the buzz of voices and chatter filing the warm air. The sun was shining in the open area, and it was reflecting off the armors, glass, and signage, but his focus was on the little café ahead, the one she had talked about. Each step felt lighter than the last.

Boyfriend.

The word still didn't quite feel real. It carried weight, warmth, and a sense of belonging he hadn't known he needed until she said it. So, now darting through this crowded plaza to meet her, the word meant everything.

He spotted her almost instantly. Even among the noise and chaos of the plaza, she stood out effortlessly. Seated at a small table beneath a ganging lantern, a half-finished iced caramel coffee sat in front of her, surrounded by a parade of drinks, five in total. A cappuccino, a flat white, two teas,and another iced caramel coffee.

Jack stopped mid-step. Then, quietly, he laughed under his breath.

That was so Alinta. Thoughtful, meticulous, and completely adorable in the way she always over-prepared. She didn't know what he liked, so she'd just gotten everything.

When he finally approached, he was still smiling, his tone laced with amusement. "You planning to start a café, or are you just trying to caffeinate me into another world?"

He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head before taking the seat across from her. His eyes lingered on her a moment longer than he meant to, she looked radiant, like she'd walked straight out of his memory from the first day they met, with just enough new touches to make it uniquely her.

"I can't believe you actually did this," he said, gesturing at the table with a surprised smile. "You're ridiculous.. and I love it."

He picked up the cappuccino first, gave it a sniff, and took a sip. "Okay.. not bad. Little fancy for me." Next was the flat white. "Hm. Kind of tastes like the cappuccino's cousin that got a better job."

He set it down and reached for the green tea. "Refreshing. But I'm not responsible for any samurai poses I start doing if this kicks in." Then came the regular tea, "Alright, this one's dangerous. Feels like something I could get addicted to."

Finally, he reached for the iced caramel coffee, the one she'd been drinking. He took a sip, closed his eyes, and nodded once. "Yeah. This one's the winner. Sweet, smooth, and a little dangerous if you have too much. Just like you."

Over the cup, his smile was bright , eyes gleaming with affection.

Pushing his chair back, Jack relaxed and let the moment be with them. It was peaceful, unhurried, like the world had decided to slow down just for the two of them. He didn't care about the chatter around them or the flickering teleport gate across the plaza. All that mattered was the girl sitting in front of him.

"So.." he said, setting the cup down. "You said you found out stuff about the Katana quest?" His tone was curious but soft, more interested in her excitement than the information itself. "You didn't have to do that, you know. But it's.. kind of perfect that you did."

His laughter got warmer and he was more loving than ever when he spoke, "Guess we're really doing this, huh? Two wandering ronins, ready to carve our way through the next floor."

Jack reached out across the table, his fingers grazer hers lightly. "You  always go above and beyond. I swear, you make me want to try harder just to keep up."

For a moment, the world faded into quiet warmth. The sun was shining on her face and he was looking at her with the expression, that shy spark which happens when one is unaware of being watched.

"You look gorgeous, by the way," he murmured. "I know I say that a lot, but it's always true."

* * *

Spoiler

Scar | HP: 140/140 | EN: 20/32 | DMG: 8 | MIT: 4 | ACC: 2

WC: 688

[Alinta 0]

Alinta spat out her drink, coughing when she saw the message he had sent her. Baby? He called her Baby? Alinta kept coughing and had to thump her chest with a closed fist to dislodge milk and cream. It was such a simple thing. Nothing more than a pet name but somehow, Alinta didn't expect that from him. Scar was tall, stoic, handsome. To have him write something like that? It was unexpected. The woman only just managed to catch her breath when he heard him from behind. A scrape of her chair against cobbled ground as she scrambled to get up. "Scar!" Alinta called out to him, turning to wrap her arms around his shoulders and offering him a kiss on his cheek. "Honey~" She'd whisper into his ear as she squeezed him tight before stepping away. Two could play at the pet name game. He'd offer her a kiss on top of her head before sitting across from her.

"I..." She picked up her own drink so she had something to do with her hands, moving the straw around in the liquid. "I didn't know what you wanted. Or what you'd like. I had the col so just...got you a bit of everything." She'd pause to finish off her own drink, and pushed her empty glass to the side. "You can't believe it?" Alinta asked as she slowly began to shuffle her chair toward his, with each push of her body it'd inch closer and closer to Scar. "Why? Can't I treat you? It's not like they'd go bad." Shuffle. Shuffle.  "I can put whatever you don't want in my inventory." Shuffle Shuffle. "So...its not like I did it just for you." (She did) Shuffle, shuffle.  Alinta stopped when there was a 'clink' as the chairs touched. Her leg against his.

Alinta leaned her head on his shoulder, watching in delight as he took the time to try each and everything she had bought him. "That's a black tea, with a splash of milk and one sugar. I didn't want it to be too sweet, since all the other stuff already is pretty sweet." Alinta lifted her head when he picked up the iced caramel. "S-Stop!" She gave him a nudge. "It's too early for you to be this handsome AND this flirtatious. I'm not sure my heart could take it."

As he drank Alinta opened up her menu. Showing him her HUD; filled with  pages and pages of information. "Okay bare with me here okay! So we need to have rank 1 curved sword skill. Then we need to find a Katana Master...I didn't know any players who were one, but there were rumours about some frontliner named Baldur - ah but he's busy so here...there looks like there's one in a volcano on Floor 9...one on Floor 10 - that's a dark place, also one on floor 4 and floor 6. There's some information here on each one, and their styles...I didn't know which one you'd prefer so I just kinda..." Alinta paused. She had been talking quickly. Was it too much?

"I...didn't have to, but...I did." Alinta leaned closer to him, and kissed his temple. "That's what partners do, right? They support each other."

She laughed when  he specifically said two ronins. So he had caught onto her plan, without her even revealing it. Guilty. But not charged. Alinta shifted her weight, moving to pick up the green tea. She didn't really care for the others; but this would be nice. She took a sip from it, enjoying the quiet moment as Scar looked through the information she had provided. A deep inhale as she closed her eyes. This...was nice. Peaceful. It felt right, almost too right and that scared her a little. The sun and its early morning rays provided a subtle and warmth but it was nothing like the roaring fire next to her.

"I'm only as gorgeous as you are handsome, Scar."

WC: 658

[Scar 0]

As he observed her bring her chair closer to him with small movement, one after another. Jack's eyes softened. The warm of her body slightly touching his shoulder made him smile under his breath, a quiet, very intimate, private expression of his amusement and affection. "You really went through all this trouble, didn't you?" he murmured, his voice low and gentle. "You didn't have to, Alinta.. But I can't say I'm not glad you did."

He reached out and brushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger for just a moment. The intimacy of the touch was deliberate, affectionate, and yet it didn't feel like anything extraordinary to him, simply being with her, being able to care for her in a way he hadn't known he needed. "Partners, huh?" he uttered a quiet chuckle, tilting his head slightly. "Yeah.. that's exactly what we are. And you.. you always make me want to do better, to keep up with you."

Alinta's explanation of the Katana Skill Acquistion quest came in a rush, her words tumbling out in an excited flurry. Jack listened with rapt attention, a small and somewhat amused smile was playing on his lips. Her enthusiasm was infectious, her passion for learning and preparing for the quest drawing him in deeper. "I don't mind the information overboard," he said, leaning back a bit backward but his hand was gently resting on hers. "I like seeing you like this, so focused, so passionate. Makes it feel.. real. Makes me feel like I'm part of it, part of you."

He let his thumb lightly rub over the back of her hand, a silent reassurance as he added, "I'll follow your lead, Alinta. Whatever you want to do, whatever path you want to take.. I'll be right beside you. That's what partners are for, isn't it?" His crimson eyes held a warmth that made her words sink in, the affection and admiration in them unmistakable.

When she leaned in to kiss his temple, Jack's lip twitched into a soft, fond smile. "You're too good to me," he murmured, almost to himself, though she would hear it. "Honestly.. I'm just lucky I get to be here with you. Lucky I get to see you like this, so bright and full of life." He let his eyes linger on her for a moment, taking in the small details, the way her hair caught the sunlight, the careful way she had pinned it, the sparkle in her violet eyes as they shifted to meet his.

Jack leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice into a playful whisper. "You know.. If I didn't have to worry about being all heroic and serious on this quest, I might just sit here all day and watch you organize your notes and sip your drinks." A small chuckle, soft but full of affection , came out of his mouth. "Though.." His gaze flicked to the assortment of drinks she had laid out, only half joking, "I might have to take take a break to drink each one of these. You got them for me after all."

Alinta laughed lightly, nudging him as she tried to feign irritation, but Jack only grinned. "Don't pretend you don't love it," he teased, his hand brushing hers again. "I can feel the care in every little thing you did.. From picking the drinks to gathering all this information. Every bit of it.. It's you.. And I love that."

He let a comfortable pause settle over them, letting her words and gentle morning light fill the space. There was a subtle rhythm to their quiet companionship, an intimacy that didn't need grand gestures or overt declarations, it was in the brush of hands, the tilt of heads, the shared laughter over minor jokes. Jack felt it deeply, that sense of completeness, of rightness, simply being near her.

Jack lightly pressed his palm against hers, letting his thumb trace gentle, comforting circles. "You've got so much passion, Alinta.. So much drive and curiosity," he said, tone both gentle and touched. "And I.. I get to see it. I get to be a part of it. That's.. that's not something I take lightly. Not ever."

He leaned back just slightly, letting a playful grin tug at his lips. "You always manage to surprise me," he said softly, shaking his head. "Even when I think I know what to expect.. You find a way to make me laugh, to make me feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be." He paused, his thumb still brushing hers. "And.. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world."

With a slight tilt of his head, he looked deeply into her eyes and a quiet vulnerability was evident in his voice, "I know you said this is just a little gesture, just a bit of support for me.. but for me, it means everything. It means you care, it means.. we're a team. And.. I can't tell you how much that means."

He leaned forward just slightly, letting their shoulders touch once again, enjoying the comfortable weight of proximity. "I'll follow your lead, Alinta," he said softer now, more earnest. "Through every floor, every quest.. and even just through moments like this. Because I don't want to be anywhere else but here, with you."

Jack let out a soft, affectionate sigh, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand one final time before pulling back just enough to give her a playful,teasing grin. "You really do make everything better," he said. "Even a simple morning at a cafe.. feels like an adventure when it's with you."

* * *

WC: 943