[PP-F1] New Arrivals & OId Friends

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

While the idea of arriving to SAO alone and being brand new to everything it held wasn't very appealing to most, Hitoko didn't know the feeling of really wishing to work with anyone else. Sure she got along with some friends at school but this was different entirely, there was no escaping back to how things were and this would be her life now.. she'd have to make the best of it. Hitoko relaxed in a crossed legged position upon one of the cities more greener parts, holding a flourishing tree that provided the female with some shade from the sunlight while she watched others walk by, going about their lives with either complete acceptance or a new sense paranoia.

"Honestly.. how am I suppose to get used to this? What was she thinking.. telling me about this game..?" Hitoko asked herself, bringing her legs close against her chest while the red eyes of hers simply lowered down to view her shoes, beginning to sink further into her thoughts.

[Aysa 0]

Sakuro, or rather "Aysa" as she was known within the game, was slowly moving throughout the Starting City of Sword Art Online as she pondered to herself with a deep sigh, her long deep-brown locks of hair cascading down her back and moving along with her head as she shook it from side to side in order to clear herself of the darker thoughts that she had swirling around in her mind now that she knew this game was more than just a game - that now, thanks to a rather insidious turn of events, they were all trapped within and would be supposedly permanently so until someone were to defeat all of the floors of the game.

 

Turning her deep purple hues into the distance, she saw a somewhat familiar face, that of her friend that had joined the game along with her and Takisho on the grounds that it seemed like it would be a fun way for them to be together and spend their free-time, but of course that had went rather sourly. She blinked once as if not believing her eyes for a few moments that it was really her, seeing as she oddly enough had not seen Hitoko since they had Linked into the game. Aysa frowned to herself, feeling a bit guilty for having brought her friend unknowingly into what was now a death trap as she anxiously adjusted the short-sword upon her hip and the currently unarmored gloves upon her hands, finally checking the fastener on her long beige cloak before she could no longer find something to make an excuse to waste time with and finally began approaching her friend, speaking up in a soft tone that held the same guilt she felt inwardly within it as well: "Hey, Hi--Er, Silencer.." She said, not wanting to give away her friend's name since they were in a city full of those who may later be their enemies when it came down to it, as she moved carefully toward the young woman until she was an arm's length away and stood there, looking down at her seemingly distraught friend.

 

Slowly, she knelt down and, with the frown from previously still upon her lips she spoke further in a soft voice: "I never thought that something like this would happen..." She said, in an attempt to apologize for having brought her here, at least in some way or another - as she then waited silently for her to reply, deep purple eyes settling upon the woman to look for any sign of anger or resentment in her expression as she did so.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

Delving further into her mind, Hitoko began a little daydream of her old friends and how she had always assumed that they were just around her due to others liking her and wanting to be with their own friends. She was just one of the others on the side-lines, a fill-in that no one really wanted to be friends with, right? She could even remember now the very friends who had said this game would be a nice idea, something to play together yet where were they now? Where was the two that had promised to work alongside her in the first place? Probably off somewhere racking up experience and sharing loot between the two of them while she just sat here on her ass feeling sorry for herself. 

Her daydream was cut short when Hitoko heard the sound of another person and the voice while familiar also seemed to be directed towards her, even including the name she had chosen to go by throughout SAO. Soon those ruby red orbs rose up and settled onto the long haired girl that approached her, she seemed fairly new but there were aspects about her that left her familiar, so close it was just on her tongue by this point. The girl sure seemed to be acting very... close, did she know this girl from somewhere?

"What do you want..?" Hitoko finally said, it had been about half a week since the beginning of the game where everyone had been gathered together and explained how this 'game' was going to go. Even then, the more experienced members of the game had already set out to get themselves a head-start compared to the rest of the newer ones like Hitoko. Just who was this girl and.. why did she remember her so vividly, her mind was still drowning in the thoughts of stress, swimming inside inner thoughts and the extremity of the situation. Hitoko couldn't exactly think back on it all so she rather decided to let the girl explain herself.

[Aysa 0]

Aysa tilted her head somewhat towards Hitoko as she spoke, inwardly being a bit taken aback by the fact she did not seem to recognize her but soon remembering that this game had a large effect on a lot of people and even she had been too scared to even go anywhere since first finding out about death being in both the real world and in the game in the event that someone was killed here, which made her reluctant to move out of the beginning city without allies at her side, especially when she herself was so inexperienced in these types of things and had only in the past talked about wielding swords and the such and now her very life depended on her ability to wield one for real, which was definitely not a comforting thought.

 

She sighed softly, shaking her head to clear her own thoughts again as she spoke up in the same soft and somewhat saddened tone as before: "It's me . . . " She began, leaning in a bit more so that she could whisper out earshot of any of those would be passing by. "Sakuro? Sakuro Ayugai . . . " She concluded, taking a moment to hopefully have her friend recognize her name a bit before adding. "I saw you and -- I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt or anything.." She further said in a whisper, looking the woman up and down carefully for any sign of injury as she spoke, seeming to be genuinely concerned with her well-being.

 

After performing a cursory inspection, she would open her inventory and take out of the Bread she had stored, offering it to Hitoko as a gesture of kindness mixed with concern. "Are you hungry? . . . You should eat something, if you haven't yet -- We have to keep our strength up here, right . . .?" She explained in a quiet voice, waiting for a reply as she kept her gaze focused upon the other woman's eyes if she allowed it, wanting to show desperately that she was trying to help, trying to look out for her if only in some small way.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

"Ayugai..?" Yes.. Hitoko remembered her now, she was always a rather cheerful but shy person when it came to other classmates, she'd sit off the side of the room with the window, a seat in front of where she herself sat. The slightly older girl seemed to daydream often during class but she wouldn't deny that the girl had a certain charm to her that made talking with her not bothersome or boring like some of the others from their school. They became what some would call friends over the course of their years and while Hitoko didn't care for many of the others, she did form a small bond with Sakuro.

"Well.. I've eaten recently, I started with a bit of Col to get me some necessities but I am running low on rations. What about that other person that you came with here? Where did he go? And how have you been..? I-i mean, it's not like I was worried that you'd have any troubles here.. I'm just.. erm.. curious is all." Hitoko turned her head to the side, trying to appear that she really didn't care or had worried over her friend which in the mix up of all the drama that had occurred throughout the players, it really was hard to focus on anything but yourself. However with Sakuro it was different, while Hitoko may have forgotten her friends appearance during these few days she wasn't completely off of her mind.. Sakuro was.. different, special to Hitoko. Not that she'd ever admit that.

[Aysa 0]

Aysa nodded softly at the reply, taking the bread and storing it once more within her Inventory before then blinking at the question and rubbing the back of her own head idly with one hand in a nervous manner: "I suppose that I have been fine as of late . . . And do you mean Takisho? He's in one of the Inns I think, he said something about finding 'some fresh, vulnerable death-game booty' . . . What-ever that means." She then paused and leaned forward, gently placing a hand upon the other woman's cheek as she looked intently toward her eyes: "Your eyes . . ." She said in a whisper, before then moving back before making the moment too awkward hopefully. "They really look nice..!" She adds in a cheerful tone, offering a bright smile in an attempt to reassure Hitoko as she stood up and offered a hand to the woman in a friendly gesture. "Do you want to come with me to the Inn? You can't just sit out here all day, right..?" She asks, waiting quietly for a response as her beige cloak flowed in the idle breeze of the city as her hair followed suit while her deep purple eyes settled upon the woman with a gentle gaze as her smile softened upon her lips to become warm and gentle in nature.

 

Inwardly, Aysa wondered what it was that Hitoko meant by the tone in which she spoke to her, in-fact she had a faint vibe coming from the woman that she was not telling the full truth to her or at the very least hiding something. Although, she did not want to say anything directly to Hitoko at this moment as she did not want to upset her by bringing it up, so instead she simply remained silent and awaited a reply to her previous question before doing anything further, hoping that she would accept her attempt in helping her, after-all if one wanted to survive in Sword Art Online, they had to stick together.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

"They scare you.. don't they?" She asked, furrowing her brow towards the others kind words. She was very skeptical that the other was being serious with her compliment but the offer to go to the Inn with her was one Hitoko wasn't ready to pass up. Raising onto her feet, the white haired female nodded her head and leaned against her only friend in this entire place. "Honestly..? I could do with some time to relax anyway.. this is all very, hectic." Her eyes narrowed to the ground and her lips curled into a frown with a growl rumbling out from her neck. "If I find the person that did all this I'm going to hurt them so bad with my dagger so far into their body that they will practically beg to let us all out in fear of their own damn death.." She noticed her words and quickly glanced away beside the other, rubbing the back of her head. "I..I'm sorry, I just.. I got carried away with my anger. I didn't scare you, d..did I?" 

[Aysa 0]

Aysa paused for a moment after listening to Hitoko speak, shaking her head at the last comment before she spoke in the same soft voice as before while at the same time placing an arm around the other woman's waist and pulling her closer against her own body as a way to comfort her in a sense: "You're not scary, Hitoko.." She said, still whispering as she had before so that the name was not overheard by any of those that may be able to hear them, while she began moving toward the inn at a slow, walking pace. "I agree, after-all . . . Maybe not exactly like you said it, but the person who did all of this should pay for what they have done -- But until then, We have to stay together and try to stay safe until then." She continued, leaning against Hitoko in return as she spoke in a gentle tone toward her. "I don't think I could bare it if anything happened to those I care about . . ." She said, turning her head too look toward the dark-eyed woman with a concerned gaze as she took her hand slowly off of the woman's side and moved it instead to take her hand with her own in a gesture that attempted to convey that she really did care about the woman and to also show that she was not fearful of her even with the new appearance.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

Ah.. how her name felt nice to hear for once instead of the fake one that she crafted to hide her identity in the hopes of coming to SAO and earning some form of infamy. Though it felt even more close with Sakuro saying it, to hear her friend being there for her in the darkness of this cruel game throughout the mentality that she had felt so utterly alone. Things didn't seem as hopeless anymore and with the arm around her waist, her confidence was raising back up and soon enough she took hold of her friend's hand and smiled. "Shall we then? Lead the way and um.." Her cheeks caught red with her embarrassment under what she was going to say next. "..I'll be right here beside you."

[Aysa 0]

"I'm glad . . ." Aysa began softly toward Hitoko's comment, smiling warmly toward her as well. "I wouldn't trust anyone else to be." She added, before leading the way to the Inn where she had gotten a room for the night and then taking Hitoko into it alongside herself, closing the door with a gentle 'click' as she let out a loud sigh of relief from being in somewhere more comfortable and - supposedly - safer than the outside. "We can relax in here, I've heard that these rooms don't allow people in unless you let them, so we don't have to worry about any nosy people -- Or Taki.." She added at the end, referencing Takisho whom was a known voyeur of sorts and a bit of a pervert in her opinion.

 

Aysa fell silent for a moment then, before gently releasing Hitoko's hand and taking off her boots and then her cloak so that she could relax a bit more properly, sitting on the bed within the room as she looked over toward the woman with a tilt of her head. "So . . . Here we are . . .!" She said, admittedly a bit awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her head while looking toward the other woman with a faint smile, waiting for her to reply or to do something before she said anything further at the moment.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

Hitoko glanced around the Inn when they first entered, walking close beside Sakuro while her red eyes looked upon the patrons attending the Inn's bar. Many of the players in middle age or at the very least legal were indulging in alcoholic drinks that were able to be purchased for a reasonable amount of Col. Hitoko couldn't help but judge them all.. sitting on their asses and wasting valuable time when they could be out there working hard and racing to beat this game. Though that made her quite a hypocrite as she did nothing up until now, how could she not be in the wrong too? Well it didn't matter anymore.. she wasn't going to be like them and waste away in some bar when she could be conquering the floors and making steps into freeing them from this nightmare. 

It was only when Sakuro pulled her through the door and closed it behind them that she really caught her focus back onto the other girl and let her eyes adjust to their temporary room for the evening. It was assumed that this 'Taki' was out philandering about with some people be it men or women.. this game didn't seem to judge as far that went. However now that she had properly adjusted to the room, she listened to the other's awkward words and smiled, letting a chuckle ring free from her lips before striding to the bed of the room and flopping down onto it. "Indeed we are, I suppose we'll be waiting for that weirdo guy friend of yours right? He already sounds like some flirting pig who lets his body think for him." 

Hitoko took a good long glance of the Sakuro and was unable to think that she had a real friend in this messed up hell of a game.. someone she could rely on and actually trust. She'd be loyal to her for sure and seeing as she was kind enough to pay for the room? She was sure to owe her now as well. "Thanks by the way.. for just.. being here with me. It's nice to know that I'm finally not alone, Sakuro."

[Aysa 0]

Aysa nodded softly toward Hitoko's words, offering a gentle smile toward her as well while replying casually: "He's alright, just that he never really had many friends from what he told me he hasn't had many friends and so he goes out of his way to try to prove himself, I guess." She explained, before adding in a softer voice. "And of course you're not alone - I would never let you be alone, what kind of person would I be if I did?" She asked, blinking once as she moved a hand over to brush some strands of hair away from one of Hitoko's eyes. "And Hitoko..? Your eyes are really pretty, is what I wanted to say before.." She said in a whisper, her eyes gazing into the other's intently while she said this as the tips of her fingers idly moved down the side of the woman's cheek in a very gentle fashion as to not alarm her too much or bother her with the motion.

 

Inwardly, Aysa felt her heart skip a few beats as she fell silent after saying the compliment, worried that it may be seen as sudden and out of the blue for her, or as creepy and weird - neither of which was what she wanted. But at the same time she couldn't help with saying things like that, after-all she knew that in this game she might die by the next day and, if that was the case, why not live every day to it's fullest and say what you mean to say rather than what would be purely appropriate or 'right'. In a situation like this, Aysa knew that more than anything it paid to be honest with both yourself and others - and that was exactly what she intended to do.

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

Hitoko smiled and poked the woman's hips to surprise her whilst she was explaining about how Takisho was just misunderstood and didn't have a lot of friends to begin with. While that wasn't surprising seeing as she could believe anyone that would be philandering around in the Inn would be preeeetty desperate. "Well I'm sure he'll come around eventually, that guy sounds like some sick weirdo but if you trust him then I guess I do too.. maybe.. a little.. not really." Hitoko sat up afterwords and leaned herself up against the other's back and leaned her head on Sakuro's shoulder. "We'll kick butt together, so lets make the best of our time here, Sakuro."

[Aysa 0]

Aysa blinked as she felt Hitoko pressing into her back and the head on her shoulder, causing her to feel strangely at-ease as she whispered back a reply: "Of course we will..." She said softly, before adding. "We'll be the perfect team, I know it.." She would then reach up and gently massage the back of the head which was upon her shoulder while saying this, doing so in a manner that attempted to be soothing. She continued with this motion for a few long moments before eventually moving her hand away as to - again - not try to be too invasive or otherwise forward. "What do you want to do..?" She asked somewhat timidly, offering a smile that the woman probably could only see the corners of due to the placement of her head, fidgeting a bit with her own hands anxiously now as she awaited an answer. She asked only because she genuinely was not sure what to do now, it was not like they were going to go outside now, not with the sun about to set and Takisho still mysteriously missing due to his Hidden Quest that he kept reminding Aysa about. It was way too dangerous out there, but what exactly could the two even do in here? 

[Hitoko Ayakabi 0]

Hitoko attempted to think of a solution to their boredom and soon enough she sat up fully and snapped her finger. "Well we could always try and go around the city looking for Taki-butt, why not right? The city is one of the safe-zones, isn't it? Plus we might just find something that we both enjoy along the way! We won't know if we don't explore! Come on Sakuro.. trust me, this could be fun! Buuut.." After her little train of excitement had ended, she lowered back down to lay against Sakuro and roll her eyes. "..we could always stay cooped up in this room waiting for him to finally arrive like some late knight in rusty armor that's ten minutes late with starbucks. Your choice friend-o."