(PP-F1) Nothing To See Here (Sousuke)

[Amira 0]

Manta waited outside her shop for Sousuke to arrive. It had been two days since they'd reunited on the third floor, and theyd been messaging quite often since then. She'd chosen a little café a few blocks from her shop. It was a small café, but it had good food, and better yet it usually wasn't too crowded at dusk, a time around now. She was wearing clothes according to her usual style, blue and white. However, she was wearing more casual clothes than normal, with a plain white collared shirt and a blue skirt. She hadn't done anything with her hair, just letting it flow freely down her back.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke had just finished getting his hair cut back to his old style it was scruffy and wild but was now short and looked much neater than his longer hair did. He was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt which was a dark greyish colour and a pair of plain navy jeans with white sneakers. It wasn't much but it looked good on him and since Manta told him they we going to a restaurant he figured to go with a more casual look. He had a slight stubble giving him a rugged look about him but it wasn't to the point where he looked scruffy. 

He approached Mantas shop with a slight spring in his step to say he was excited was an understatement. It was only a little get together but he couldn't wait to see her. He saw her outside her shop waiting patiently for him and called out to her. As he approached he spoke.

"Hey sorry to keep you waiting, it's great to see you again." He said giving her a gentle hug before releasing her and taking a good look at her. "You look really nice I like the casual look on you." He finished as he gave her a little smile.

[Amira 0]

Manta heard footsteps to her right, and looked over to see Sousuke, practically skipping over to her. She smiled at him. "You didn't keep me waiting. And you look good in casual clothes too." He always seemed to be wearing casual clothes, so she was pretty much saying that he always looked good. She turned to face him fully. "So what have you been up to since our duel?" She asked, not making a move to leave just yet. She wasn't in any hurry, and hoped that they could have a nice walk down to the café. There was no need to rush in her opinion.

[Sousuke 0]

Manta complemented him on his looks and he nodded curtly as he accepted her compliment with a smile when asked about what he had been up to he hadn't really been doing a lot just wandering really waiting for today, although there was that meeting with her friend he had had.

"I saw Your friend Kou earlier actually you know I really can't figure her out though I can't place my finger on it but something seems off." He told her as he began to lead the way down the street at a gentle pace taking her hand in his.

[Amira 0]

Manta smiled. "Their a bit weird, but in a good way." She said, not noticing Sousuke's use of she instead of he. She held onto his hand and they started to walk down the street slowly, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon as they walked towards the café. "The café is only block or two from here." She mentioned as they walked. "I was just thinking that breakfast for dinner might be fun." She said smiling. She didn't really know what she was planning on getting, but pancakes with whipped cream certainly sounded good, but technically pie was a breakfast food as well.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke nodded in agreement he hadn't had breakfast food in a good while in fact all he had eaten was pretty much bread and water since when he was away hardly stopped into town at all and when he did all he grabbed was a few hundred bread and bottles of water to keep him going. The thought of pancakes with syrup made his mouth water.

"Oh I'd love that I havnt eaten real food in so long you wouldn't think I was human." He said as he chuckled a little. 

"Anyway I never asked what we're you doing when I was up on the front lines clearing the way for the guilds?" He asked as casual as possible hoping she didn't scold him for the dangers he had put himself through.

[Amira 0]

Manta looked over at Sousuke, not frowning, but not smiling as she remembered exactly what she'd been doing. Her facial expression was as neutral as it got, the perfect poker face. "I dealt with it all a bit differently. I pushed everyone away and stuck to myself. I got kicked out of my guild and spent my time moping about, not doing much of anything. I guess I started to fill the time just thinking. My opinions about this place reversed almost by themselves. I'm going to clear this game, and im going to take control of my real world life." She spoke quietly and calmly, laying her thoughts bare for him. "And im fine with you being reckless and putting yourself in danger. Just always come back alive, even if it's only for my sake." She spoke, feeling as though she was being a bit selfish.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke frowned as she explained what she'd been through he couldn't help blame himself for what had happened to her even it was only partly his fault he took all the blame.

"I can't help but feel it's my fault you went through that I'm so sorry." He said but he quickly changed his tone as he asked her another question.

"As for the real world I remember saying we should meet up after this and if I promise to stay alive I want you to do the same and I will still find out where your parents are hiding you. I thought for sure they would have pulled the plug by now but I guess I was wrong and I'm glad I was. At least your still here and that's all that matters right now. I'll spend every free second I get by your side." He told her 

[Amira 0]

"It's more my fault than yours." She pulled him closer to her and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. "And yes. When we get back ill find you. I'm 17 now, and with the way the clearing party is going, ill be at least 18 by the time the game is over, so my parents wont be able to stop me." She smiled as he said he would spend every free moment with her. "That's a nice thought, but we both have lives apart from each other. I have my shop too. Sometimes we'll both need a little bit of alone time." She explained. She would love to spend the majority of her time with him, but she understood that everyone needed time to themselves to just chill, because she was a person too. Granted she'd spent enough time by herself in the past months for a year or so.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke grinned and put his arm round her waist holding her close and to make it easier for them to walk without there arms being stuck between them. 

"Yea your right but don't hesitate to message me you know." He said to her giving her a little squeeze. He looked around at the crowds and looked back down to her before continuing.

"I'll be about 20 then when we get out of here cus I'm 19 right now but I do have my own place if you want to spend the night or week or year." He said with a chuckle as they rounded the courner at the end of the street.

[Amira 0]

"I have a savings account, so ill be fine for a while. It might be a bit early to be discussing this. We aren't halfway to beating the game. Still, its nice to know that you don't consider our relationship to only exist in game. That was something I was a bit worried about." She mentioned as they reached the café. It was almost deserted, with only another couple in the back corner. Manta opened the door and walked over to a table that had two chairs, right next to the window. Outside the street lights had come on, casting a cheery orange glow through the window in addition to the lights in the café itself.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke slid one of the chairs out from the table to allow Manta to sit down before taking the seat opposite her and looked around. He saw a candle on the centre of the table. He drew his ever present sword from its sheath on his hip this time and placed the tip of the blade over candle. Next he drew a piece of flint from his pocket and struck the blade with it lighting the candle. He replaced his gear back and smiled at Manta. 

"Hows that." He asked with a trumphent smile.

[Amira 0]

"Pretty impressive. But you'll chip your blade if you do that too much." Manta wasn't a blacksmith, but the red and black sword by his side was one of the most beautiful swords she'd seen in the game yet, and it looked like it had been made masterfully. "I sold my own sword... Im still waiting for my replacement to be forged, but hopefully it will be just as beautiful as yours." She looked out the window momentarily before turning back to Sousuke. "Did you ever use a sword in your training? In real life I mean."

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke thought for a few moments before approaching his answer carefully.

"Back when I was in the desert in helmagistan (made up place) I was captured by the enemy. I was 16 at the time and I'm not proud of what I did to escape but yes I have used a sword I'm the real world it was a longsword they used for their back up weapons up close. I managed to escape my prison and fight my out. That's also where I got the flint idea from. You gotta do what you can to survive behind enemy lines. As for training no I wasn't trained I had to learn on the spot or be killed." He told her as he looked out the window the lights casting a gentle glow over his face.

[Amira 0]

"You've been through a lot." Her story wasn't half as bad as his, and she wanted to comfort him but was unsure how. She reached her hand over across the table and placed her hand over his. Just then the waiter walked over. "And what can I get you two this evening?" He asked politely. Manta looked over the menu that was placed in front of her, giving Sousuke's hand a comforting squeeze before withdrawing it. "I'd like a slice of pumpkin pie, with extra whipped cream... And a pancake tower, with lots of syrup and chocolate chips on top." She said, looking over the menu and choosing some of the tastiest looking things.

[Sousuke 0]

What was the harm in enjoying himself for a change he thought. He was with Manta and everything was looking up again he wasn't going to ruin the mood by talking about his past.

"Pancakes and syrup my good man and make it a large order." He said before looking back to Manta and smiling. 

"Hey just cus I've done some messed up things doesn't mean I'm a bad person everyone has a dark side right?" He said smiling hoping he didn't come off as creepy.

[Amira 0]

"I understand that. I have one, but ive never shown it to anyone. Your past is your past, it's your present and future that's important. You can talk to me about your past any time, or if youd rather not you don't have to. Any time you need someone, ill be there, whether you want to talk about the problem or not. We can sit together in silence if that will make you feel better." She certainly didn't know everything about his past, and she was certain that he had done plenty of terrible things. If anything, that made him even more perfect for her. He was someone she could help, and he could help her in return, just by giving her someone to lean on.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke smiled at her as she spoke and he couldn't help but feel that much closer to her after she said that he decided to open up a little more to her because he trusted her so much and thought she at least deserved to know more about him at least.

"I was recruited to a secret agency at 12 and by 14 I was on the field so you could say I was a child soldier and before you try to ask I'll be honest yes I've killed people but that's war. I never enjoyed it at all in fact it still keeps me awake at night now more than ever, but on the battlefield it's you or them. You have a job to do and you can't do it if your dead. I fought for what I thought was right that is what I was proud of but in the end a friend of mine was taken hostage. She saw things in her mind that would blow yours or our mind and I was told to protect her. Anyway long story short there was a bomb but she was also taken hostage. I was ordered to leave her and defuse the bomb but I ignored a direct order from the commander to go after her. I got her out of there but the bomb went off luckily no one was hurt but I lost my job because of it and here I am." He told her just as their food arrived.

[Amira 0]

Manta was certain that she had heard the majority of what he said before, but a few aspects were new. "You definitely did the right thing. A lot of people join VRMMOs to hide from their real lives. I guess we both joined for fundamentally the same reason." She stopped as the food arrived. The waiter placed a large piece of pumpkin pie in front of her, piled high with whipped cream, as well as a literal tower of pancakes, about 8 high, covered in syrup, more whipped cream, and chocolate chips all over.

"What do you think youll do when we get out of here?" She asked. Every time she mentioned clearing the game, she always said when, never if. It helped give her confidence, and hopefully would have the same effect in others.

[Sousuke 0]

Sousuke looked at his food as it arrived certain that he'd enjoy the pancakes. They smelled great. Before they began to eat though he answered her question.

"I think I'll go visit my brothers grave first I'm sure by now they would have had the funeral for him. After that I will probably get in touch with you and give you my address so you can come visit or I'll come visit you so we can meet up for real. We know what we look like but I imagine I won't be so muscular anymore I'd imagine my body would have lost most of its tone by now with being out of action for so long and I'd certainly need a haircut. I think I'd have to get used to walking around again too so once I'm on my feet I'll do those two things first." He finished as he took a bite of his pancake.