[F4][SP]Givin' the Dog a Bone <<Feeding the Enemy>>

[Aaphi 0]

Kuro glared at the scaly insult to nature. He was blown away that Aaphi had gone off and completed a quest without him. And became a beast tamer. He didn't know which one surprised him more. He didn't want to admit it, but a winged snake was pretty metal. He hated snakes, but there wasn't anything lame about what he did.

 

"Alright, fine. So where did you go to find something like that, anyway?" Kuromado asked. "Not much of a nurturing place for the cold blooded."

 

Aaphi didn't know where to start. "First of all, i just went where the gypsy told me." he explained, "i just walked north. Eventually i hit some area where the weather was different; warm. When i finished the quest it all vanished."

 

Kuro thought for a moment. "I've never heard of any warm quests on this floor." he said, "Whatever you found must either be new or some error."

 

Aaphi scratched his head "I don't know about any of that, but it was fun. I almost died, but y'know, fun." 

[Aaphi 0]

"Oh well," Kuro sighed "Theres no fighting it now. THough i'm keeping my eye open while i sleep from now on. Speaking of sleep, lets hit the hay."

 

Aaphi grinned and looked at his new wyrm friend. "The room is paid for for another night. We can stay and be off tomorrow. I'm pretty bushed too."

 

With that they retired to their room at the inn. All three of them.

 

It was an interesting day, to say the least. 

 

I never dreamed a tamer would come along and scoop me up from that prison surrounded by ice.

 

Though, as happy as i am, i can't help but wonder what it is, exactly, i've gotten myself into...

[Aaphi 0]

Aaphi awoke to the tingling of a soft caress. It crept along his body and made him shiver. Its nice to wake up to the touch of someone from time to time. Seeking the comfort of another person's bed was gratifying and reminiscent of the real world. Truely a stroke of genius to alow certain... functions to the game that made life more real. Though he was sure there were religious groups a plenty instantly rallying against VRMMO's just for including it.

 

It took a minute for him to remember that he had went to bed alone.

 

"YEESH!" Aaphi yelped, jumping out of the bed as if it were on fire. He looked down to see his mystery bedmate. "Oh, oh its just you..."

 

It was Riff. The snake was almost 4 feet in length and blue -  well, blue for now. He could change his color and happened to have chosen the light, robin's-egg blue of the bedsheets. Never had Aaphi ever thought he would be relieved to lift up the covers on his bed and find a snake. 

[Aaphi 0]

"See, its creepy, isn't it?" said kuro. sitting up in his bed. 

 

Aaphi crossed his arms "It was just a bad dream." he lied, "I like having Riff around. its not creepy at all. I always thought snakes were cool. I never thought i'd be cool enough to have one, but rock star status earns me a snake i think. Anyway, what are you doing up so early?"

 

"Look, kid, you keep flashin' around this 'rock star' business-" Kuro started in but cut himself off. " Nevermind, I didn't get any sleep because i didn't want to wake up like you with that thing pressed up against me."

 

Oh please, don't flatter yourself, shades.

 

is that a beard on your jaw or do you have a ferret familiar that lives on your face?

 

"that thing":1

That Idiot:0

[Aaphi 0]

"What do you have against Riff?" Aaphi asked

 

Kuro groaned, "Its snakes, man. I hate em. They're weird. They're all..." he waved his arms around "And they bite, and they don't have things."

 

Aaphi cocked his head a bit, clearly unsure of what kuro could mean by.."Things?"

 

"You know! things! Arms, legs, tentacles,. Its them and no things and it creeps me out."

 

"Hey, snakes have a lot of things. They have eyes, a tongue, a head, a tail. And riff has horns, and wings."

 

"Not to mention teeth, cold blood, psychotic temperament, and slimy, scaly - and sometimes flaky - skin." kuro pointed out.

 

And feelings.

 

Don't forget about those feelings. 

 

Yeah, totally here and listening to every word.

 

As i bob my head back and forth between them, i can't help but notice the loud one get a bit anxious when my eyes are on him. 

 

I have decided to do this often.

[Aaphi 0]

"Plus, its a hindrance." Kuro stated. "You don't know what you're doing to yourself game-wise."

 

"I know i'm gonna be a badass serpent tamer and kick monster butt with a giant snake." Said Aaphi, quite 'mater-o-fact'ly.

 

Kuromado  sighed. "Its a strain on your skill points. The familiar isn't a member of the party its a part of your avatar. you have to feed it your own skill points for it to level up. which means you'll level up more slowly. Things you want to put skill points in for you will have to wait. you're putting you're own life on hold for one dependent on yours. Its harder with a familiar in the picture. raising a familiar is a big responsibility."

 

Uh-oh.... He's right...

 

I'll be a burden on my tamer. Its possible he won't be able to handle it. 

 

Afterall.... he did just kinda walk blindly into my quest and did it out of pigheadedness.

 

its not like he planned for it... its not like he planned for me...

 

If thats true... maybe he can get rid of-

 

"I know that." Aaphi declared. 

[Aaphi 0]

"I know all about it. i've been looking at the skills and how much each one costs in points. But i've also been looking at the possible stat increases. Overall, when in the long run, i can still level up those stats eventually, and also have the extra stat bost that comes with having Riff. So i'm better off keeping the scaly beast."

 

Kuro and Riff both stared at Aaphi for a brief, awkward moment. Amazement. He'd actually thought about this. Stat bonuses...

 

"But its not the only reason." he said fiddling a finger under Riff's bottom jaw.

 

Good. 

 

I guess i'm snug, then.

 

The stat boost is somewhat worth the drain on skill points.

 

But, whats the other reason?

 

"Oh well then, OKAY. FINE. I guess you don't have to get rid of it." kuro said "But i'm telling you right now, it stays offa me. theres a line that thing can't cross. and i'm on the other side."

[Aaphi 0]

Yeah, whatever shorty.

 

I go where i want. 

 

Where i want.... where do I want to go? Why would i want to go there?

 

And why would i say i have feelings?

 

I'm just a MoB. i don't have complex code like that. I shouldn't.

 

Whats happened here? why am i having such inquiries?

 

"Alright, alright. Well. if we're all just fine with how things are, we can get moving." said Aaphi equipping himself for the day. "More quests. More things." He got up. "What about the traveler quest. Between the three of us, and maybe a friend, we could pull it off."

 

Kuromado tsk'd. He got up as well and selected his set equipment profile.  "I know you've got your mind on quests, but i suggest we continue mashing random mobs and grinding." he said, leaving the room.

 

Aaphi and Riff followed. "How long?!" Aaphi growled "I I think its time i made a statement."

 

Kuro turned on him, "Oh yeah, and whats that?"

[Aaphi 0]

Aaphi had started to feel like he was accomplishing things. He wanted more of that. He wasn't going to go back to grinding. Grinding sucked. 

 

"I'm going to break from the party to do quests on my own. We can still meet up and do them together, but the next thing i'm doing is a quest. You can grind all you want. To completion, even."

 

Kuro crinkled his nose. "Did you just tell me to go screw off?"

 

"In a very polite way, yeah. i think we can both relate. I'm slowing you down a lot, and you're keeping me from keeping my own pace as well."

 

"Well, then... I... Don't know what to say... I'll call you?"

 

"If you want." Aaphi replied. "I might call you for a hand some times. But its best that we split up and go our own separate ways. Tell each other what we find."

[Aaphi 0]

"Okay then. It was cool playin' with you Aaphi." Said Kuro, still a little dumbstruck. 

 

"See ya, around." Aaphi waved as he walked towards the town teleport gate. 

 

Kuromado called out "Wait!" he said.

 

Aaphi turned to see his friend there with concern in his eyes "What?"

 

"Be careful, okay, man?" kuro pleaded.

 

Aaphi had been a good companion. Someone to talk to. Someone who didn't treat him like an ass. On top of that, he was his responsibility. Kuro was the one who invited him to play this game. Its because of him that this good friend is stuck in this place. He wanted to see to it that he got him out safely. Anything, he thought, if anything happens, it's my fault. And now Aaphi was leaving. He couldn't take care of him anymore. He couldn't watch his every move and warn him of the repercussions. All he could do was watch him go and hope he could handle himself.

 

"Sure, man. You do the same." And like that, he was gone. He and the giant worm coiled around his neck. 

 

Kuro stood there for a moment. like a drifting boat untied from port before the wind picked up...

 

And then the wind picked up.