[PP-F1] Contract a Merc (Azazel & Kaz)

[Kazuya 0]

Kaz was bored. He'd just gotten back from the ninth floor and cooled down, but there just seemed like there was nothing to do anymore. It was almost like he was the man in Rip Van Winkle. He had slept so long the he felt completely out of place and had missed something important. 

 

To placate his need to be active, he decided to have lunch at a outdoor cafe. It's quite obvious that the first floor was full of shops and inns. He sat down and ordered a lemonade, one of his favorites drinks since the beta, and kicked back, thinking to himself. 'Oh, what to do? What to do? There isn't much going on around here now that the fields have been farmed to the limit and the dungeons explored. It's almost like player like me have no purpose anymore... Hmmm...' He stared at his glass as the air condensed on it.

 

(Any better ideas for a title? I'm kinda spent since I'm also writing a novel right now.)

[Azrael 0]

Azazel found herself with nothing to do on a day like this. She had wanted to go to her favorite place for her usual activity, but she found a surprise when she reached her destination. On the door was a sign: Closed for Remodeling.

 

“WHHHHAT!†Zaz complained.

 

 Now what the hell was she going to do? She didn’t feel like traversing to another floor at the moment so she decided on the only thing she could do, find someplace else to drink. Anna went in search of this elusive other place to drink her beer, but there wasn’t any other decent drinking establishment open. Apparently, it was too early for beer! Zaz disagreed; it was never too early for beer.

 

Eventually the woman found herself in front of a rather busy outdoor café. “I guess this is better than nothing,†she sighed. Anna tried to find somewhere to sit but the place was packed. She spotted a table with a lone gentleman sitting there and so she approached. “Pardon me, but do you mind if I have a seat? Everywhere else is full,†she said as sweetly as she could and with a wide smile. This typically worked to get the woman what she wanted.

[Kazuya 0]

Kaz looked up at the woman. 'Obviously she's trying to use her charm to get her way, but honestly do I really care? I guess it wouldn't matter to me either way.' He looked around seeing if there was any open tables. Oddly enough, there weren't. 'Wow, this place wasn't this busy when I was here last, but then again, it was been several months.' He snapped out of it, realizing that he was making this woman wait. 

 

"Sure, doesn't really matter to me where you sit. I'm by myself anyways, so it would be a bit selfish to keep this table all to myself, wouldn't it?" He picked up his glass and looked at it, taking a drink after a moment. Setting it down, he looked at the woman. 'She's older than me... Should I be a little weirded out by this older woman singling me out or is this normal in this world? I'm not the only guy alone... Whatever, people usually go for the path of least resistance. She probably just wanted a seat and it's easier to get one at a table with a young, easygoing player than one with a battle-harded, a**hole.' He laugh on the inside as he tried evaluating the woman's actions. It was obvious to him that he did this often. 'Yes! Another piece of the puzzle! I was always this smart!' He smiled noticing that he was probably being rude, by keeping to himself so much. 

 

"Well, I believe I have neglected to introduce myself. I'm Kazuya, but most just call me Kaz. It seems to roll off the tongue better."

[Azrael 0]

The smile faded off Anna’s lips and the woman was about to roll her eyes and walk away, but then the dummy finally spoke and told her to have a seat. She just wanted a place to chill out, not be annoyed by some asshole and he had already tried her patience. It was just a seat, not anything more.  She smiled again and then sat down quietly as she grabbed the menu to see what they had. Of course there wasn’t anything she wanted, and the hardest thing they were serving was iced tea. She wouldn’t have minded tea so long as it was a Long island.  The waitress came around. “I’ll take a lemoncello soda please.†She tossed the girl a few col and then waited for her drink.

 

Anna leaned on the table and looked out at the passing crowds that moved about them. The town was rather busy today and she wondered if there was something special going on today. The man spoke to her introducing himself, but she could care less. She looked at him briefly, “Azazel…†she said giving him her name and then went back to people watching.

[Kazuya 0]

He perked up, like he remembered the name, but was confused. 'Why is that familiar? Do I know her? Better yet, did I know her?' He continued searching through his broken puzzle of a memory. trying to find the name. 'Oh whatever. I can't think of anything, but I know that I have heard that name before.' 

 

He leaned back in his chair again, taking a sip of his drink and ordering a crepe. He had nothing better to do, so he opened his HUB and looked through his friend list and didn't find the name either. At a loss, he simply admitted defeat and resorted to speaking with the ice queen. "Umm... Have I met you before? I mean I know I've heard that name before, but I just can't place it. It's kind of eating at me." Honestly, he didn't expect much from this frozen woman. The waitress came back with his little crepe and he handed over a few Col.

[Azrael 0]

The man across from her seemed to perk up at her name so she turned her attention toward him wondering what he found so interesting. He scrolled his friends list and then closed it, and finally looked at her asking if he knew her. That one was new. She wondered if he was messing with her so she decided to make fun of her back.

 

“Of course we have,†she said pretending to be a bit put off, “And you were much sweeter to me last time. I can’t believe you’ve forgotten about me after all we went through!†She huffed and crossed her arms. She looked at the man and then sighed. Perhaps that was too much?

 

“No,†Azazel smiled and shook her head trying again, “I’m sorry I don’t recall meeting you. It’s possible, but I don’t get blackouts here in Aincrad so I would remember if we had. Do… you think we’ve met before?†She asked him curiously wondering what this was all about.

[Kazuya 0]

He scratched his head trying to figure out what this was. She almost had him for a second, but that she said that they hadn't met. It was obvious that she didn't really know him since her idea of him in his pre-amnesiac state was off. He still had this odd feeling though. He wasn't sure if it was deja vous or what, but he knew that name. 

 

"Well you see, that's the problem. I can't remember anything. I mean anything. My family, my friends, who I was. It's like my mind just deleted itself and left me only what I absolutely needed to survive. It's kind of funny really. You should have seen me when it first happened. It was hilarious. Anyways, we probably haven't met since you don't remember me, but I do know your name for some odd reason. I think it has to do with my past, but who really knows?" He laughed. "I'll also be the first to admit that this must be a little weird. Anyways, You do look familiar. What do you do for a living?"

[Azrael 0]

The man was obviously confused. He told her that his mind had been left a blank slate but for whatever reason her name was the only thing that seemed familiar to him. It made a little sense. “The name… Azazel… it’s Hebrew. It’s the name of a fallen angel. Maybe that’s why you know it.†It was why the woman had chosen the name to begin with; it had dark connotation and power behind it as things named for demons typically do.

 

 â€œIt’s not weird. I mean I guess it’s a little weird that your data was corrupted and you can’t remember anything, but I guess it could just be that you’re repressing your memory yourself because you don’t want to remember what it is you’ve worked hard to forget.  If I look familiar then maybe we have met somewhere at some point. Right now, I’ve no profession, “she explained

[Kazuya 0]

"Oh. A fallen angel. I guess that makes sense. I do know a a lot about mythologies and religions and such, though if I remember correctly, I'm more knowledgeable in physics and how things work basically." He leaned back in his chair again, having put his curiosity to rest for the moment. He looked at his glass and listened to the girl continue. As he listened, he wondered how much work went into this game. Such small details, like the condensation on his glass, were incorporated in it, which gave it a feeling like reality. Physical contact actually felt like it was supposed too, except for pain, which was reduced to nothing for combat reasons. The girl finished and he looked up again.

 

"I think your theory just might be right. It checks out with everything I've been told. Anyways, you're jobless? I guess I shouldn't  be surprised since a lot of people focus only on floor progression, but do you have anything in mind? Blacksmith maybe? Or possibly a performer like me?"