[SP][F1] For Those About to Rock

[Aaphi 0]

"Well, i've got it on, and i've... touched myself... everywhere... what now?" 

 

Sporting the NerveGear gaming device, Aaron pleaded his new friend Kaoru to instruct him further, as he was beginning to feel foolish. For Aaron, It was his first time playing video games in quite a while. He had quit playing video games to focus on his band (The Morning Howl) and his shell of an acting career. Since then, he just hadn't botherred. The night before, though, he met Kaoru, the bass guitarist of a popular japanese metal band for which his band was opening. They hit it off like brothers during the events at the after-show party and talked about all the old games they've both played. Of course, kaoru was much more up-to-date on the subject of videogames and wanted to get Aaron involved again. Kaoru asked Aaron to join him in celebrating the release of a game he had previously beta-tested by playing it with him and experiencing the "full dive". That game was Sword Art Online.

 

"Well now, after you've picked out a few things, Hit 'Link Start' and we should be in the game. I'm going to go ahead and start mine. See you in Aincrad buddy!"

 

Still worried and a little hung over from the show the night before and the long morning of camping out for the release, Aaron sighs. "Allright, i'll see you in Finspad."

 

He looked at the name slot for his character. "Aaphi" he uttered silently, "Link start!"

[Aaphi 0]

A bright light and the final waking sensation of going limp lasts for all of a nanosecond before a vivid, lustrous, whimsical place engulf's Aaron as his world becomes Aincrad and he becomes Aaphi. He's stunned. All he can do is gawk at the land around him, the people, the buildings, his own hands! No psychedelic could come close to the balls he was tripping right then and there. Then a familiar voice careens into his catatonic state and breaks it.

 

"OI! Aaron!" Kaoru called as he strutted closer. "Glad you could make it! Beautiful, isn't it? Welcome to what i believe was 4 months of my life. Though, i doubt i'll be playing it that much this time around. First things first, i'm adding you to my party and friends list"

 

"Oh, for sure." Aaphi opened the menue and did as Kaoru did. Though, the name that was entered wasn't Kaoru. "Oh, your name.."

 

"Kuromado" Kaoru said. "I figured my band's name would be a good player name. It was my idea to call us Ni Kuromado in the first place. And you, 'Aaphi'?"

 

"Aaron and Phillips."

 

"Ah... A spear user? Good, i'll need some of that range to back my crazy ass up. I'm going to be up-close and personal with this curved one-hander."

 

Aaphi looked at the spear he had equipped. It wasn't much. he wasn't much, so they sort of fit, he thought. " I have no idea how to use this. I'm good at pool, so i picked a weapon most like a pool stick." he laughed.

 

Kuromado grinned. "Alright then, lets go see if that translates to 'good spear user'."

 

He pushed Aaphi along briskly as they left town to find some trouble.

[Aaphi 0]

Once outside of the city gates, Aaphi could see this place was even more vastly laid out than he had anticipated. Everything was more than he had anticipated. 

 

Kuro scuttled about, determined to find a weak monster to let Aaphi fight. "Come on, come on, i know their around here somewhe- AH-HA!" He pointed in the direction of some large brown pigs feasting on some berries in a small valley. "Boars" he said with a smirk "Lets get this show rollin'."

 

They made their way down the hill and ducked behind one of the farthest bushes. "That one. In the beta, that one with the small black spot, he always strays from the pack and becomes an easy kill on his own. I would kill him and kill him. Sometimes i'd laugh. Sometimes I'd think about his family and how they'll never find out what happened to him... until i lvled up and started killing them all together. then they knew."

 

"Wow." 

 

"What?"

 

"Thats a LIIIiiiiIiiiittle fu**ed up."

 

Kuro leaned closer "How so?"

 

"You don't see how that's fu**ed up?" Aaphi jeered, "Do you know what kind of effect that could have on your brain?"

 

Kuromado laughed, "A tenderizing one." 

[Aaphi 0]

Aaphi went on, "Maybe it is. maybe its toughening us up for a time where we'll have to live like this?"

 

"So like, in some world karma exists, she's pissed at all the greasy dungeon crawlers and we're all getting whats coming to us for mashing down piggies and taking life for granted?" queried Kuro

 

"Sure, maybe."

 

"Yeah, fu** aaall that. Karma can eat it, cause tonight, son, we're killin some boar!"

 

Aaphi laughed "Hell yeah."

 

Just as Kuromado said, the boar with the spot Deviated from the group.

[Aaphi 0]

It migrated to a bush with red berries instead of the blue ones that the others were eating. Kuromado Gave a nod and Aaphi followed as they approached the boar. They made their way quietly enough, 

 

While the boar remained distracted with his berries, Aaphi took his chance to strike. Despite having the element of surprise, however, Aaphi failed to charge his attack and puttered out of control, lancing the ground with his spear.  he pulled it out and shook it off, but as he looked back at the boar, he found it staring right back.

 

It was now very alert to the situation.

 

• Rolled a 3 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 1 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 20 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP: 5/5 misses <<Boar #1>>

<<Boar #1>> HP: 3/3 notices <<Aaphi>>

[Aaphi 0]

A thump signaled the boar's discontent as it stomp and gave a pissed off snort. Kuro watched as the boar's full attention fell on Aaphi like a ton of bricks.

 

"Its gonna retaliate! watch out!" Kuro called to Aaphi as he darted to intervene. He unsheathed his sword, but was too late.

 

"AAAH!" Aaphi cried out as a tusk sank into his side.

 

Kuromado lashed inward cutting the boar from tail to snout across the side. "HUUUUEH!"

 

"Thanks, man. How do you attack, again?"

 

"You have to charge it first, when your blade glows, let it rip. Have another go." Kuro explained. 

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 7 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Boar #1>> HP: 3/3 Hits <<Aaphi>> for 1DMG

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Boar #1>> for 2DMG

[Aaphi 0]

Aaphi braced himself to lunge. He gripped his spear and held fast for a second, then he saw it. Gleaming at the end of his spear, the blade, ready to be driven into something and fulfill it's purpose. He'd have stopped to comment on the phallic imagery of it, but there was a job to be done.

 

"HEEEYAH!" he roared, piercing the boar like it was a tongue in a tattoo parlor. 

 

"Woohoo! Congratulations, you're a pig murdering psychopath like me. Now that we've killed a thing, we can go back to town and buy some stuff. We need more than bread and water. We need potions."

• Rolled a 9 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP: 4/5 Hits <<Boar #1>> for 2DMG

<<Boar #1>> HP: 0/3 - Drops nothing

[Aaphi 0]

Everything seemed fine up until that moment. But a rustling from behind broke the silence that followed. Rustling, out of the red berry bush. They turned to see what it was.

 

It was the bush itself! The leaves and branches curved and shifted to reveal a hidden monster trap. 

 

"What the heck?" Aaphi jumped back from it and into poking range. "Where did that come from?!"

 

"I don't kn-" Kuro drew his blade but was too slow. It was by luck, the swipes of that thorny bush claw caught nothing but air and none of Kuromado. He took the opening it left and hacked away at it's side.

 

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Amboosh #1>> HP:6/6 Misses <<Kuromado>>

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Amboosh #1>> for 2DMG

[Aaphi 0]

It hissed. It recoiled and hissed an angry hiss. Aaphi could put to bed any notion he had about what noises plants make, because apparently, they hiss.

 

"Any time, he's all yours!" Kuromado called to Aaphi, signalling his turn.

 

Aaphi shook off his surprise and sprung to action. He he drew back the spear and rammed it in, hearing a squishy thud from the inside.

 

The Amboosh screeched, adding new sound to Aaphi's growing list. It began lashing out, but not hitting anything.

 

• Rolled a 6 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 5 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 6 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 10 on the d20 (loot) dice.

<<Aaphi>> HP:4/5 Hits <<Amboosh #1>> for 2DMG

<<Amboosh #1>> HP 2/6 Misses <<Aaphi>>

[Aaphi 0]

In the short seconds Kuromado had to think, he observed his opponent. 

 

"Red berries.." he uttered under his breath.

 

In a flash, his attack was over. The gleam coming from the blade in his hand left an image hanging in the air as Kuro slashed through the Amboosh with a furious 4-hit combo. It burst into bits and dropped a little something in it's passing.

 

• Rolled a 10 on the d10 (battle) dice.
• Rolled a 1 on the d10 (mob) dice.
• Rolled a 3 on the d12 (craft) dice.
• Rolled a 19 on the d20 (loot) dice

<<Kuromado>> HP:5/5 Hits <<Amboosh #3>> for 2DMG +2

<<Amboosh #1>> HP:0/7 Drop  Light Shoulder Padding (+1 damage mitigation)

[Aaphi 0]

"Oh hey, thats nifty. you got a new piece of equipment out of that?" Aaphi looked at Kuro's new shoulder pauldrons. "Nice. must feel good to be protected by something.

 

"Oh, its nothing. In my last game, i had all kinds of goodies," Kuro explained, " and i plan on getting them back." he clenched his fists and grinned. This place had better get ready-"

 

-POOF-

Kuro was cut off by a sudden flash of light. Before they both knew it, they weren't in the meadow anymore, they were back in the Town of Beginnings.

 

Aaphi pulled himself together and looked around. Everyone was scattering for answers, so apparently they weren't the only ones surprised to be here. They formed a large crowd in town square. Aaphi was having a hard time concentrating, because nearly everyone was jabbering in japanese and none of it he could understand.

 

"Whats the big idea?" Kuro wondered aloud. He was confused as to how they telleported without using any crystals.

[Aaphi 0]

As if to answer the question, warning signs tiled across the sky, blanketing the city in a red glow. Before anyone could get out a "What now?", what appeared to be blood oozed from the cracks between the signs. 

 

"Okay, forget what i said about the pig, now thats fu**ed up." Aaphi said, watching and being reminded of a David Lynch film.

 

The blood collected in mid air and started congealing into the figure of a giant, floating hooded person who promptly began speaking. Though, Aaphi couldn't understand a word, because it was all Japanese, like much of this game. He had a feeling that was going to be a problem despite having Kuromado there to translate for him. 'Guess i'll be learning the language' he thought, keeping in mind why he was in japan in the first place. The Morning Howl, his band, wasn't taking off in America quite like they planned, but radio polls in Japan were too positive to pass up. Its weird leaving your home country, where you're a nobody, and coming to a different country with a different language and culture to find you've become famous overnight. It's like stepping into Oz or Bizarro World. 

 

The voice had gone on for a bit and sounded as though it were wrapping things up. A lot of people were looking agitated and upset. When Aaphi turned to Kuro he saw fear and anger in his eyes.

[Aaphi 0]

"CH-....CH'KUSOOOOOOAH!" 
 
After cheking his menu screen, Kuromado flew into a rage. He was stomping his feet and shaking a fist angrily at the sky where the large figure had been, and screaming(most likely fairly nasty things) in Japanese. It was plain to see that he was fairly upset. Though Aaphi couldn't possibly know yet how easy it is to upset him, its seemed as though a number of people in the crowd were having the same inflated reaction. Unease slowly settled in Aaphi's stomach and dread slid a finger down his spine. Something about this scenario stank of reality. Whatever it was had gravity, and everyone was being pulled in.

 

"Kuromado?" was all Aaphi had the presence to utter as he grasped for answers in a situation that felt a tad over his head. "Whats wrong, what happened?"

 

Kuro turned from glaring at empty space in the sky and looked at Aaphi like it was the first time he'd seen him. At that point, Aaphi noticed something... his avatar's appearance had changed.

 

Kuromado looked just as he did in real life.

[Aaphi 0]

"W-what?" Aaphi stammered in bewilderment. 

 

"Its bad, man." Kuro answered, finally. Though not currently screaming, he still looked very shaken.

 

"What's bad?"

 

"The game, dude, the games gone bad." Kuro tried to walk Aphi through everything he'd just heard. "Theres no log-out button or anything. I think.... i think this is real."

 

Aaphi stood silent for a moment. 'Stuck' he thought, 'Stuck in this game until its done.'... "That can't... that can't be." 

 

"It is." Kuro interjected, "It is and we have to accept it and move quickly."

 

Aaphi scoffed "It's a little far fetched in my opinion. I think these games have gotten to your head after all; you're starting to believe this stuff."

 

"Hey, fu** you, baka! Open your eyes and look at your menu." Kuro shouted. " There is no logout button, so how do you plan on quitting, eh? We're stuck."

[Aaphi 0]

"Stuck..." It rang in Aaphi's head once again, only this time, out loud. "Stuck.... wait, you know what i used to do if i got stuck in a video game? Like, glitched between a rock and a wall in a poorly designed map."

 

"I don't like where this is going."

 

"I'd die."

 

"I knew i didn't like where this was going." Kuromado grumbled

 

"Seriously." Aaphi stood his ground, " I'd just die and either restart the game or be placed back some time before i got stuck."

 

"But Kayaba said-"

 

"Fu** what Kayaba said!" Aaphi shouted, visibly annoyed. "This is all some big joke and not a very good one."

 

Aaphi and Kuromado stood facing each other for a few moments before kuro spoke up. "Fine. Go. But i'm staying on. I've got monsters to fight, dungeons to raid and loot to collect if i'm going to survive. But fu**ing go die if that's what you want. I won't have the patience to drag a newbie around anyway."

 

"Fine." Aaphi snapped. "We played a good show, had a few drinks and shared some laughs for a night. Thanks for letting me play with you for a bit, but i have a life to get back to." 

 

With that Aaphi was gone. He left the square in search for death. and in a game like this, it was sure to be around every corner.

[Aaphi 0]

Kuromado watched him leave. Even his virtual teeth hurt as they clenched in anger. Good riddance! who needs some pretty boy newb hanging around? Certainly not him; not Kuro. He was fierce at this game in the beta and rarely needed some companion decorating his adventures. 

 

"And who cares if he dies?" Kuro asked out loud as if expecting an answer. Aaphi was just some stupid gaijin he just met, too tall for the blood to reach his brain. A lead singer too. Everyone knows a lead singer that doesn't cause problems is like a woman who doesn't nag.,, or a lead singer who doesn't nag. "Its good he's gone."

 

He grumped around town, looking at shops and other things for a few minutes trying to get what happened earlier out of his head and concentrate on his needs.

 

"They say none of them have come back yet." said a voice from the crowd, catching Kuromado's attention. "A bunch of players took dives off of the edge and said they'd sign back in to tell us it was alright, but none of them came back." His brow furrowed and he walked on.

 

More talk echoed from side to side, but Kuro tried his best to ignore them. He needed to buy some potions and other essentials and be on his way out of town, towards places where goodies lie hidden and baddies stand unfaught. I knew this, but why hadn't he gone yet? What was he doing, stiil meandering?

 

"Oi," A merchant NPC called and flagged him down. " You look like a strong worrior! Could i interest you in a warrior's blade? or armor? Those are nice shoulder pauldrons you have. where did you get them?"

 

Kuro stopped to look at the man. He placed a hand on his shoulder, the sensation of that kill still heavy in his arm. The feeling of pride and joy he felt. The experience he shared with...

 

"My friend." he said. "My friend helped be get these."

 

The NPC was about to regurgitate another automated response, but it was too late. Kuromado was running.

[Aaphi 0]

"AARON!" Kuro shouted, "AARON!"

 

He ran down streets, he climbed up buildings, he asked around. Nobody he talked to had seen him. You could die one of three ways: Monsters, PKing, or environmental means. Of all the possibilities, monsters were most certain to kill, but a closer and quicker way to die is finding a high place to jump from. At a low level, a fall from the top of many of the buildings in the city could kill a player. I searched and searched the city and several rooftops before giving up. 

 

He was on top of one of the city's highest points when looked to the east and saw it. Running along the side of the city was a canyon. It wasn't grand, but deap enough to kill from a nasty fall. He was already mourning his friend, and almost past a point where any hope seemed like it would do nothing but disappoint him if he pursued it, but, despite that, he couldn't stop looking. He had to check every possibility.

 

Then he found him. Kuro had bee walking along a cliff egde that made an edge on the map just outside of the city. when he found Aaphi, he was standing by the edge. looking down the side. "Y- you're alive" Kuro stuttered, relieved to see hw wasn't too late.

[Aaphi 0]

"I've been here for an hour." Aaphi whispered. "I... I just can't do it!" his voice shook. With rage? With fright? it was hard to tell "Its just a game. It's just a game, but why can't i do it? Am i some kind of coward?" 

 

"No." Kuro barked "No, It just means you're not stupid."

 

"And you came back."

 

"And what does that mean"

 

Aaphi laughed, "That you're not heartless."

 

Kuromado crossed his arms and grunted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I came to see if you got your head straight." he said, "and if you had i was gonna give you another shot at being my party member. Don't get it crossed! I'm doing this for you. I played this game for four or 5 months straight so i could show you a few things. Not to mention, you'll need someone around who speaks Japanese. The game may have let you select English for it's layout so you can read, but most of the people we'll be encountering will speak Japanese."

 

Aaphi laughed some more. "I guess i really am helpless." It was good to laugh after all the grave talk of death and being trapped. 

 

Kuro laughed as well. "I'll say."

[Aaphi 0]

They made their way back to the city. Nothing had realy changed. Those who hadn't slapped some sense into themselves were still panicking around town. People squawked about like birds in rattled cages while NPC's peddled wares. This was not the place to be, and they both felt that in one way or another.

 

"We have to get our items and leave." said kuromado "Every second we spend here is a rare item someone else is picking up; quests being taken and dungeons being cleared by- you guessed it- not us."

 

Aaphi sighed, "I never got how competitive these games are. isn't there enough quests and stuff for everybody?"

 

"No. thats exactly the point. The quests, the dungeons, many of the rarer items; You have to get to them first. Even the best spots for grinding are going to be taken and protected by guilds, and if we don't get stronger, we won't be able to do sh** about it.

 

"Ah, and chances for getting stronger and making our predicament more survivable go down." said Aaphi, grasping the concept more and more as the time passed.

 

They came to a stop once they got to the other side of town and looked to the road ahead leading to the next. 

 

"Where do we go from here?" asked Aaphi

 

Kuro looked on and pointed towards the setting sun. "Forward"