[PP-F12] Red White and Blue II (Calrex)

[Azide 0]

Weaving a hand past his face, Azide stroked gingerly at his temples using the flat of his thumb. Ever since he'd first returned, he'd felt it prodding at him time and time again, until he'd eventually move on shut the persistent sensation out with more permanence. Considering how dull the feeling had been in the past, it hadn't exactly been a difficult task to tune it out completely. Whether his answer of choice had been reading, meditation or old fashioned training, he'd found relief in each. But now, what had once been a low buzzing in his ear had seemingly become amplified to the point of provoking the onset of a migraine.

It had bothered him, the way that so much was changing all around. The Azure Brigade had somehow only grown even more prominent, no doubt in part because of the vacuum left behind by the fall of his old guild. Though he had never brought it up, it had irked him that day- the sight of that emblem which had once floated over the head of Zelrius, hovering over that of an old guildmate, and a former council member at that. It'd crossed his mind for just a second that perhaps Oikawa's absence had been an act of mercy, as he had trouble imagining how he might've reacted upon discovering that two of his most trusted allies had been claimed by Azure. But he'd regretted the sentiment before the thoughts had even left his mind; it was wrong to trivialize Seijuro's disappearance over a subject so petty.

It was natural for people to move on, and sure, he'd come to accept the choices his old comrades had made. It was, after all, well within their rights for Oikawa and Rebekah to jump ship when he had left no indication that he would even return. But that had not been the end of it; that very same day, Calrex had been there as well. The so-called Ultramarine Knight, who he'd once known only passingly, through exploits which had involved mutual acquaintances. Back then, the blue-haired swordsman had been something of a rising talent- somebody on the come up. Even still, Azide had been stronger- and by no small margin. These days, Calrex was looking like one of the strongest men in all of Aincrad- and there was Azide, standing in the wake of his dust. If it hadn't been for the man's good faith and kindness, he supposed it wouldn't have been difficult to resent the strides that the swordsman had made during those long five months.

Azide shook his head and blinked slowly, finding himself faced with an already-seated Calrex. "Sorry, I must've dozed off there for a second," he remarked, as he grabbed a pair of oars behind him. He handed one to the bluenette, before slicing the rope which tethered the boat with a flash of his dagger. Looking back to the other player, in part out of the necessity of their seating arrangement, he was silent for a few moments as he considered the the words more fully. After a time, he spoke, as he pushed off against the stilted pier using the flat of his paddle. "Guys like us, swinging around swords and daggers... it'd be an awful waste of potential, if we hadn't ended up being so crucial in the end," he remarked. Whereas Aincrad seemed to raise some to higher lofts, in others, it played the role of an uncompromising oppressor.

"But as much of an advocate as I am for well-roundedness, I do hope that you plan on teaching that player as much about the game itself as you will about life. All the well-roundedness in the world won't get us through the next eighty-some floors if the guy can't throw a punch or take one in return." Azide could hear the sound of rippling water as the canoe glided across the murky surface, but he was at a loss when it came to actually rowing the vessel itself. For now, he would just have to hope that the boat did not drift too closely into the stilts of the walkway.

Despite the humidity which hung in the air and clung to his skin, Azide's smile was dry as he'd made his quip. But he nodded slowly, the faint curl of his lips retreating back to the shadows as a solemness overtook his face. "Thank you for that," he said, clutching the oar in his hands, as if brandishing a weapon with questionable effectiveness. "I'd like to think that I would have stayed with Square One, if things had played out just a little bit differently. Perhaps then, it would've been Oikawa and Xanatos accompanying me tonight..."

[Calrex 0]

Calrex gave a smile and a nod as he accepted the second oar from Azide, assisting him after the brunette had detached their watercraft from the dock, beginning to set off down the river. It was certainly not something he would usually do when he was off adventuring on his own, so the change of pace and scenery was refreshing. "Yeah, I'm hoping to keep a balance of both. Anyone can with time and experience learn to use their weapon correctly, that is more a question of their survivability. However, I would still prefer to work with a bunch of well-rounded personalities at lower level and a collection of overpowered nutsos that could blow at the drop of a hat."

As the young man sitting across him responded to his last compliment the blue-haired swordsman gave a nod of understanding, "A lot of things could have been different is past events occurred differently than the way they did. If it's one of the few things I regret, it's not being aware of how much pressure being on the frontlines had on Oikawa. I always thought of him as a close friend, so being oblivious to something that should have been so obvious...I guess you could say I'm still kicking myself for it."

"People that have gone into hiding, and people that have been lost on the way. Both things I wish I could have prevented, but I'm still only one man. Lindow, Zeri, Noctis...if only I had been stronger, or had been more aware. I guess even though I might have the highest level of the players, there's still many things I am lacking in. Maybe that's why I still feel like I'm not strong enough to keep Teayre safe."

"I guess at all times we all wonder if we made the right choices to get us to where we are now, but one of the things I've learned is that sometimes events happen because of things out of our control. What really matters is if we...and the people around us are better off because of it. Even though Square One is no longer a guild, I'm sure that those who were a part of it appreciate you giving them a place to call home."

"Some really feel like guilds are the only place that can give that feeling, but it really depends on the person. For me, I don't need a home or family, just people that I can call friends that I know would have my back when times are tough. It was the reason I decided to form the Spectrum Coalition, but with Oikawa's disappearance it seems that the only person who I still feel I can trust with my life is Teayre."

"I guess the question now is where do we all go from here? The obvious answer is upwards in the floors, heh. What I mean is where do all of us, as a community and society, grow from now? Oh right, move a bit to your left, we're kind of close to a rock..."

Since it was dark enough in the evening at this point Calrex activated his <<Reveal>> and <<Night Vision>> skills to help Azide steer the canoe so that they would not encounter any obstacles.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Calrex

[Azide 0]

Nearly fumbling the paddle entirely, he managed to steady his grip on the oar just in time to wedge the blade against a crevice in the side of the rock. With a great heave, he pushed off against the infringing rock and let out a sigh of relief as their course shifted towards the left. He was almost certain that this was not how hardened sailors steered their ships, but the result had been favorable enough all the same. It'd been a crude, desperate method of question efficiency, but at least they'd remained afloat for at least another few minutes. He lifted the oar back into the body of the canoe, and let it rest atop the sides of the vessel, at least until another change in course was necessary. For now, a current seemed to keep them moving, even if it was not exactly the most robust means of transport on its own.

"Just keep doing what you do, and we just might make it out of this thing in one piece," said Azide, with a roll of his shoulders. The constant rocking of their boat was nothing something that bothered him- he'd never really been the sort to experience motion sickness, whether it had been cars, boats, planes or trains. But a certain antsiness came with handing the reigns to the man across from him, so to speak. He was entrusting Calrex with the responsibility of keeping things running smoothly for the entirety of their ride through the flowing canals. What reassured him was the knowledge that the swordsman would be keeping an eye out not just for his company, but also for his own interests; they were, after all, in this boat together.

A shiver was sent down his spine as he something grazed is the top of his head, and as his eyes shot skyward, he realized that the prickles to his scalp had been nothing more than the low-hanging branches of a weeping willow. From the way it reached out across the channel, it looked as if it had been blow aside in its younger years by some heavy wind, only to continue growing undeterred. He hadn't been lying when he'd mentioned to Calrex that the voices had faded from his ears- but that was not to say that the experience had not left feeling more tense by the end of it.

His fingers clasped around the length of the paddle lain out in front of him, as though he were preparing to do a pull up of some sort. "I regret that I wasn't able to see Oikawa before he left," said Azide, as he shifted his grip on the wooden pole. "Although my knowledge from the past six months or so is still full of gaps and holes, I was told that Seijuro made quite a lot of progress while I was away. It was a twist of fate, that I'd turned up just late enough to miss him, but not so late as to make his leaving old news. But you can't blame yourself for not catching the signs. After all, Oikawa had things on his mind that I'm sure even he wasn't aware of," he continued, reminded of a certain collection of episodes which had taken place in the jungles of floor six.

"As for the next step?" he asked. "I'd like to think that we still have room for improvement, as a clearing force. Right now, all that we are is a network of militias. There's no framework for a more coordinated effort, and we all seem content to idolize those who've arbitrarily been deemed the strongest. I think it's safe to say that Aincrad could use more closely linked alliances than it's seen in the past."

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, to say that he made a lot of progress would have been an understatement. I've only gotten to the strength I'm at recently. Before then, if I had to give the title of most powerful player without unique weapons to anyone, it would have been him. Oikawa's armament was a force to be reckoned with. I actually dueled him during the previous season of battles during your absence, with him coming out victorious. If it hadn't been for his unexpected absence, I think it might have been him bearing the title of S&Z strongest player, not Tristan. Of course, that talent was recognized by many others, and up until his departure he served as one of the commandants of the Azure Brigade."

"Oikawa was certainly an amazing individual. I hope he's doing alright on his own. Most of the things I've learned about this game were from him, so to some level I would say that he was my teacher."

Listening attentively Calrex made note of Azide's words while making sure they weren't going off course or into the path of some nearby rocks. "A more coordinated effort, huh? Actually, i'm not sure how much you know of what's happened while you were gone, but I can give you a quick briefing of some of the things I encountered before your return."

Giving a calming breath he began, "During the time you were gone, of course Square One was disbanded for a lack of members. At the same time the Azure Brigade was for a time absent as well. During that time the main active guild were Absolute Pin and Cerulean Silence, the latter I'm sure you're aware of. For me...there appeared to be a certain kind of conflict between the two groups, although if it was from certain individuals or the guilds overall I can't be certain. It was during that time that I decided to return to being a solo player. This may be a game, but it seems that many have brought their real world political games into it, and that I had decided to make none of my business. Now..."

Giving a chance to collect his thoughts he continued, "There's only a handful guilds left active, with Absolute Pin being disbanded as well upon the Brigade's return. Now there's AB, the Crimson Blades, and the Velvet Room as currently the most prominent groups to my knowledge. Save the last, it seems most want to operate under some form of council or military structure. I wonder if these differences in organization might be part of why it's so difficult to form a cohesive coordinated effort to push upwards."

Giving a small sigh he kept an eye out for any other obstacles, "I wonder if what Lindow said might be on the spot, that there are still some working through this game simply for the glory..."

[Azide 0]

Judging from the Calrex's even tone and calm demeanor, he could guess that no sudden obstacles were within their immediate vicinity. With no curveballs to duck or dodge in the immediate future, Azide allowed his grip on the long shaft of the paddle to relax as he straightened himself up in his seat. He wondered if it would be a good idea to inform his company that he was not the best swimmer. Or if perhaps he should be more frank, and clarify that he didn't know how to swim at all. Although he had never tried his luck, there was always the chance that any swimming motions would be automatically detected and assisted by the system- but even then, it seemed unlikely that the inevitable flailing of his arms would be recognized as 'swimming'.

Unable to shake loose his unease just yet, Azide snuck a quick glimpse over his shoulder, but managed to take away nothing of use from the darkness. He said nothing as Calrex spoke of their old friend Oikawa, regaling him with the missing player's various exploits over the months. It was a strange feeling, to regret an absence so deeply, and yet be left unable to truly mourn that person. Nobody liked to grieve- but at least such a process held a discernible end. There was no guarantee in the case of these vanished players; all there was left to do was to hold out on a vague hope that perhaps one day they'd turn up again.

"I don't meant to politicize Oikawa's departure, but I think what you described parallels many of the things we take for granted," he began, his eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly as the gears in his head continued their steady spins. "Tristan's title as Aincrad's strongest man is both flawed and ambiguous- not that I mean to take a shot at the man's competence. But that aside, I'm sure he bears that moniker proudly- regardless of whether or not he would've been capable of defeating Seijuro. And almost blindly, the man's title is both accepted and acknowledged by the masses, with no reference to the asterisk that comes naturally with a win by default." 

He paused to clear his throat, then wrapped his fingers back around the oar in front of him. As he opened his mouth to speak, he drummed lightly against the wooden pole with soft taps of his fingertips, stopping just as the words came to his lips. "Again, I say this not as a jab at Tristan. He could call himself God, if he wished, and I would take no issue. But the same asterisks linger around many of those held above us, only they're not nearly as obvious as the colors that do just the same. Think of all of those who we trust unblinkingly- what exactly is that faith built upon?" Lifting a hand from the oar, he gave an upturn of his palm, as if he were presenting to Calrex a  plump sack of coins. "Is it the number of times that they've managed to luck out with the final hit on a dying boss? The fact that their journeys from the starting town were a bit earlier than ours? Or perhaps it's because they've managed to win contests against people who are no longer even relevant." He shook his head.

"I'll never follow anyone so blindly. But if we'd like to keep our numbers from petering out, somebody's got to step up and lead- not just their own guild, but our efforts as a whole." He wasn't prepared to discuss any candidates for such a role just yet- but he would not be lenient when it came time for the discussion. It would take more than simply being in the right time at the right place to inspire confidence in Azide; he could only hope that his peers would not be so easily impressed.

[Calrex 0]

"Leading the efforts, heh, you're probably right...we don't need just guild leaders, we need someone, or maybe even a group, to assist in coordination and tactics specific to the floor raids. Usually that's given to whomever was the person to first scout the floor, like it was with Takao at this past meeting."

"Titles at this point mean nothing, or shouldn't. Being a conqueror of whatever early floor boss will likely be forgotten or discredited by the time we get even close to the thirtieth floor. Nonetheless, Tristan's capabilities do give him a firm hold as a powerful tank player. He's probably one of the few I would consider to be a member of the coalition."

"Every faith in the players that we fight alongside is, or should be proven by acts, not simply word of mouth. I think I have yet to fully accept the title that Oikawa gave me, the Ultramarine Knight, but I hope that my actions speak louder than whatever words come out of my mouth. I intend to try and get as many people out of this game as possible. Ever I were strong enough I would have simply made everyone take it easy while I did the fighting on my own, but that's simply a pipe dream. The only way we'll make it out is if we all work together."

Giving a small sigh Calrex took a second to gather his thoughts before looking over at Azide, "I've had this idea in my head for quite some time, and when I first implemented it only Teayre and Oikawa were a part of it. But I had decided to form a unofficial group, known as the Spectrum Coalition..."

Swiping on his menu he produced a simple looking kite shield-shaped badge that was deep-sea blue in color, with textures waves on its surface, the Ultramarine Badge. "The meaning of the group was simple: Spectrum comes from the entire array of colors in existence, representing everyone in Aincrad. Coalition is as the name defines, an alliance of various groups working together for a common purpose. Those that bear these badges are those I'm come to trust with my life. It's a physical representation of the feeling that should I ever fall into trouble, I can count on them to always watch my back."

Sending the badge back to his inventory he gave a nod, looking over at the brunette, "I think that there should be something similar between the guilds, heck even the solo players. An alliance to show that even in light of whatever disagreements we have amongst each other, we will always band together when it comes to clearing this game."

[Azide 0]

"Speaking as someone who once made daily use of a council, I can vouch for the merits of a group-based system. Square One existed for only a handful of months, but I'd like to think that it accomplished a respectable amount in the time that it'd been around. Then again, with people like Rebekah and Oikawa at my side, it's not hard to see why we never encountered any of the difficulties that would normally accompany that sort of implementation." He had neglected to mention the council's final member- X, and not because he'd simply forgotten the rambunctious young man. No, X was not the sort of person you simply forgot. But he was not above leaving out a few details, as long as it made for an easier path towards illustrating his point.

Again, he shot a cursory glance behind him, spotting yet another low-hanging branch just in time duck beneath its sweeping range. With that out of the way, he dipped the paddle briefly into the water and gave a handful of strokes to the left of the hull before before retrieving it. As the oar was lifted from the mild current, he watched idly as slick beads rolled across the the smooth face of the whittled blade. As they fell, they left ripples upon the surface- nearly imperceptible in the darkness, but the soft plop of speckled droplets assured him that they were there. For all of its faults, the world was a remarkable one; he wondered what the man Kayaba might be like. He supposed that he should hate the man who had claimed their lives as his own, but a part of him was admittedly intrigued by the enigma of his character; the sort of madman who could create a world such as this was still a genius nonetheless.

Resting the wooden rod against the framework of the canoe, he realized that he had dazed off yet again, and wondered if the other passenger had noticed. Though a lack of sleep was not exactly unfamiliar to him, this was only the latest in a series of late nights. Regardless, he lifted his eyes back to meet the faintly glowing set of Calrex. "Like I was saying, groups can often be a fine idea- and I'm not opposed to council-like organizations in the least. But in the context of leading front-lining efforts? I myself would favor uniting behind a single, trusted, figure. Leadership on this scale has to be sleek and lean- we can't afford to have our momentum slowed to a crawl by a sluggish bureaucracy." He leaned forward in his seat, keeping his weight balanced upon the wooden dowel. "It'd be too much of a hassle to elect people in and out of such a group, in an effort to maintain active representatives. And even if we could manage that in a timely manner, the issue of properly representing solo players would almost assuredly be a divisive one." 

His eyes fell upon the small trinket which Calrex had produced- it was a simple thing, and a familiar shade which glinted as it caught the light. As dark as it was, he recognized the color as the one worn most often by the blue-haired swordsman himself. Before long, the crest disappeared in a flash of light, and he was left staring at nothing. "I think an overarching alliance is definitely the place to start. But it's easy to declare an ally in name- how do you suppose we'd get people to actually believe in them?

[Calrex 0]

"To be honest...that's probably the toughest obstacle in this dilemma. It's not uncommon for people to blindly turn away from facts simply because its inconvenient. With the guild and council systems being in action for so long, I wouldn't be surprised if people preferred to keep things the way they are, simply because it's familiar and comfortable. Trying to get everyone to put their faith in a single person to lead them, especially in a death game like this, seems nigh impossible."

"If what Azide said is true, and should it ever even be tried, it's likely that the populous would simply elect someone that is high level or extremely powerful over any possible leadership qualities a candidate possesses. Sure whomever they elect to lead the frontlines discussions should be of high enough level to be able to actively participate in the raids, but that person would also need to have a right head on their shoulders, not to mention exceptional capacity as a leader."

"You're definitely right in that an excess of delegation slows the process, but so far it seems to be the only thing that anyone has tried and got to work. If we're to try and introduce such an idea to the populous, it could possibly be taken as we had somehow lost it. With the way history has been, unless people are accustomed to working under a single person, the thought could be taken as someone attempting to establish a monarchy or dictatorship, even if we are not."

Ducking to avoid yet another tree branch that had extended over the river Calrex gave a small sigh. From what he knew, Azide's idea would certainly be effective in moving the floor raids faster along, as it would no longer require so much bouncing around between the guild heads. However, the idea of a figurehead leader had just as many flaws as there were benefits. "For one thing, power in any form can corrupt an individual, even if the common saying is that it's merely a tool that amplifies a person's inherent traits."

Deciding to continue the conversation he led further, "In any case, say should we get as far as convincing the players, whom do you think would be a suitable candidate?"

[Azide 0]

He could've argued the finer points with the man- could've pointed out that each person added to the leadership would be yet another variable when so many of their numbers were already an uncertainty. In any machine reliant on so many cogs, it took only one with rust to bring the whole process to a grinding halt; they could not afford to play the game of hoping that those in power would not suddenly go missing, or even simply lose interest. Even in more recent times, time had proven to be the enemy of what had once been the most rapidly growing guild- the Crimson Blades. The eventual lull of the Blades served only as a reminder that even those showing the most exuberance and promise were not immune to the weariness that nipped at their heels. 

In a system like that, a wider leadership would be nothing more than a show- something that they could pat themselves on the back about at the end of the day. But it could never be much more than just that; progress would be too slow, and the logistics would likely prove to be unsustainable. Under the banner of a single figure, decisions could be made quickly- not to mention that should they waver in their commitment, it would take only a fraction of the time and effort to replace them, as opposed to the constant shuffling they'd no doubt experience with a panel.

What's more, Aincrad was not entirely unfamiliar with the idea of unilateral leadership; both Mari and Lessa had led their guilds unflinchingly, with no council or analog of any sort that could challenge their oversight. True, these guilds were not exactly among the most active as of late, but he felt it was fair to say that they'd enjoyed just as much success as the majority of the guilds in this world- which seemed to come and go as often as the day. 

But he held his tongue, because ultimately, Calrex was not wrong. It didn't matter how much thought or consideration that he had put into these ideas; Azide was only one man on his own. The issue was not in his hands, but rather, the hands of all those who he would have to convince. How likely did they seem to welcome the ascension of a top dog amongst their ranks?

A simple nod acknowledged the concerns of his guest as valid. "It's too easy sometimes... to forget that your own thoughts are often a world apart from those of everyone around you. I'll admit, the road towards a more centralized leadership is looking to be a steep one at the moment." He paused, considering his response to the man's final question. Who would be tall enough to fill the shoes of this hypothetical individual? "As much as I'd like to give you an answer on that, I'm at a loss for any specific suggestions. I'm afraid I'll need more time to figure out which of the front-liners I'd be willing to stand behind."

[Calrex 0]

"Yeah, should this new form of leadership be accepted, selecting an individual would certainly be the next big step. Unfortunately, even with all of the people I've met, I can't think of anyone that possesses all of the qualities needed to fill the role. I'm ready and willing to stand alongside many, if not all, of the frontliners, but I'm hesitant to get behind any one particular person."

"A leader is not something that can, or should, be chosen on a whim. Moreso than popularity or reputation, the candidate must fill all of the requirements needed for an actual leader. Sometimes those requirements change with the age, belief, or goals the population needs filled. However, to my knowledge recently most have been selected to push some form of political agenda."

Ducking his head to the side once again Calrex avoided yet another tree branch as the shadowed piece of wood passed inches away from his head. Keeping his eyes peeled there appeared to be no more rough areas on the river for quite some distance as he gave a small sigh of relief. The only occasional nuisance was the cluster of branches that would intermittently hang down towards the lazily moving waters. Some of the tips of the branches gently rested on the water's surface, creating small ripples on the surface.

In fact, the only thing that made this particular body of water a river was the sheer width. The rate the stream was moving was really slow, closer to a creek or brook than a river. Calrex gave a small smirk at the idea before he returned his thoughts back to the conversation, "I guess the most we can do at this point is put the idea out there. I wouldn't go so far as saying we need to sell people on it, but if a majority seems to be on board with it from there we can actually move forward with thinking about potential candidates. Hopefully should it work out we'll be clearing the floors a lot faster than before, although I kind of shudder to think what kind of state our bodies are all in at this point. We probably don't even resemble ourselves in the game right now."

Edited October 29, 2015 by Calrex

[Azide 0]

"I have a strong suspicion that even if we were to convince our colleagues to unite behind a singular leader, a certain golden-haired young man would find himself as the front-runner for that position." He was referring, of course, to the de-facto leader of Aincrad's most renowned guild; it seemed unnecessary to use the name outright, as every credible member of the clearing group was deeply familiar with the exploits of the veteran front-liner. With that kind of mass exposure, alongside a reputation of nigh-invulnerability, the former Blood Buccaneer would no doubt be an obvious candidate as far as the general populace was concerned.

He lifted his hands from the resting oar, before laying his elbows across the length of its pole. Folding his fingers together, the slender digits intertwined, and he fidgeted the pair closest to him as a memory came flickering into the eye of his mind. "Then again, perhaps this young man isn't quite as untouchable as I'd once thought. Not on the battlefield, mind you- his record there is quite good, from what I've been able to find. But I'm referring to the once-unshakable faith which had been given to him from the community itself." Azide gave a tilt of his head, but did not lift his eyes from the man in front of him. "If you'll recall the previous raid meeting, there were definitely a few signs that his armor was cracking. While Mack was quick to offer praise, both Lowenthal and a red-haired girl expressed their dissatisfaction with his capabilities as a leader." He scratched his head, but quickly returned his fingers to their interlaced position as he shifted in his seat. "In any case, Takao was quick to shut things down before it could become a proper fiasco. The way I see it, the events of that day could be seen as either a litmus, or an outlier. But take from that incident what you will."

Azide glanced around, his eyes surveying the shadowed edges of the water. Where were they right now, exactly? It was a mystery to him; although to be fair, even if it were not so dark, the twelfth floor could hardly be considered a very familiar one to him. But for now, he supposed the issue wasn't of any particular concern. For now, he could instead take comfort in the fact that no swarm of mosquitoes had immediately descended upon them the moment they stepped off of dry land. Perhaps they were driven off by the occasional smoke which had been drifting in this very direction. And come to think of it, there was the smell of smoke once again- it seemed awfully prevalent for a few burning torches, and made him cough into his sleeve.

"I suppose the train has already left the station when it comes to the twelfth floor boss raid- meaning that we should aim to present our ideas during the following meeting. It'll be easier to curry favor with the majority if you first raise the idea to those you trust- appearances matter, and it'd be best for our cause to have some support right out the gate when the time comes." A frown came upon his face as Calrex made a passing reference to the state of their physical bodies. He wondered if his parents had bothered to step in when the news had broke- but then again, of course they had. It would be terrible publicity for the Navarres if they hadn't come rushing to the aid of their only son with all of their bundles of money; he wouldn't be surprised if they'd made a donation towards the care of other victims as a gesture of goodwill.

Making every attempt to wipe the downward tug on the far corners of his lips, he met only a partial success, ending up with more of a neutral-looking expression than anything. "Speaking of that red-headed girl, I don't suppose you two are an item?" asked Azide, although his tone was more declarative than interrogative. After all, from what he remembered, the two had opted to share a seat, even when seats had not been in short supply.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Azide

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, I think you're suspicion is fairly validated. He certainly has proven himself, at least combat and tactic-wise, through many of the previous floor boss fights. From what I remember he is one of the seasoned veterans of the raids. However, you're right in that Lowenthal and Teayre both seemed to express some discontent with his actions in the last boss fight. It certainly seems like the boy does have a level of arrogance to go with that high combat ability he possesses."

"I didn't know him before Zelrius became powerful, but if the boost in levels and strength resulted in that inflated ego of his, then I can say I'm not surprised. It can be considered a typical personality progression, since it's common for power to come with pride and arrogance."

Calrex gave a nod as he directed Azide further down the stream. He was surprised that the two were actually still in the confines of the safe zone. Apparently Lazaro had a lot more within its walls than he realized. "Takao may have been the raid head because he was the first to scout the boss room, but he certainly has proven to be competent frontliner and commander. He seemed to keep a firm control of the meeting's topic, even when there seemed to be some aggression presented."

Listening to Azide speak about possibly bringing up their idea at the next boss meeting he gave a nod, "We might as well get the idea out there for the others to know about, that way the thoughts in their heads for them to mull over. The longer we take with bringing it up, it's possible the less likely we can get it to stick."

After he spoke his piece, Calrex's calm demeanor was temporarily broken as Azide inquired about his relationship with Teayre, reminding him that his redheaded fiancee was sitting in his lap for the entirety of the meeting. The memory caused his cheeks to tinge red as he shook his head to regain his composure, "Ahem, I'm actually surprised you're not aware. Teayre and I are actually engaged. We actually met and got to know each other when we went for the first time out into the field zone with Oikawa. Heh, I guess you could say that if I'm referred to as a knight, she's my maiden, excuse the cheesiness."

Edited October 30, 2015 by Calrex

[Azide 0]

Though their paths had crossed but a handful of times, Zelrius was the sort of player whose reputation preceded him; it had been clear from the very start that he was not the sort of guy who would be winning any awards for humility. Even in the handful of times that they had met, he'd neither seen nor heard anything that would make him think otherwise of the Commandant's infamous haughtiness. Even with the ridiculous artifact he wore as a helmet, the young man's cold smirk seemed to always find a way through the crevices of the hydra's skull.

Taking a cue from Calrex, Azide returned his paddle to the quiet waters and compensated the angle of their bow as directed. As an untrained rower, he was positive that the methodology he employed was neither nuanced nor graceful, but it seemed to at least be doing the job. And to his credit, Calrex was doing a fine job in maintaining his faith- they had not crashed even once, despite the blindness of the one doing the steering. There'd been a close call towards the beginning, but after that, it'd all been smooth sailing.

With a rotation of the pole, the paddle's blade position shifted from stubborn resistance to a much more passive relent; the flat of the oar sliced through the water like a wedge, allowing him to led it tread through the stream without significantly altering their direction. "Takao's got a good head on his shoulders," he offered. They had not really had much of an opportunity to familiarize themselves, in spite of the several times they'd teamed up for various quests and the like. Short work had been made of Cerberus, the Iron Guardian, and even the Sea Wyvern- all in part because of the efforts of one of Aincrad's rising stars. "I'd like to see how he handles himself when it's time to face the God of the Swamp."

Guessing that no more further adjustments were necessary in the near future, Azide dragged the paddle back into the boat, before leaning his forearms against its length as if it were a railing. Even in the darkness, he noticed the way the swordsman's face had grown a few shades lighter upon hearing the inquiry. Azide gave a slight tilt of his head as his lips twitched into a grin, and amusement flickered in his eyes like the dancing flames which accompanied many a window sill in the creekside village. "To be honest, I had no idea that you had a lady friend. Of course, I had my suspicions when I noticed how close you two were back at the Himawari Cafe..." he remarked, as he lifted a hand to cradle his chin. "But I hadn't finished putting two and two together until after I caught a glimpse of you guys at the Starlight Cafe." A finger stroked his chin as he gauged the young man's reaction.

"Also, just knight and fair maiden?" he asked. "I'm not going to lie, that's almost too precious."

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, well to be fair that wasn't planned at all, at least on my end."

He put a hand behind his head for a second before returning back to helping guide the boat down the lazy river as he gave a smile, "Well, maiden wouldn't be the best description for her, as she's more than capable of carrying herself in a battle. To my knowledge, she's one of the best katana wielders of the frontliners. I wouldn't be surprised if she's getting as much attention from the guilds as I have in the past. I guess you can say we're both trying to keep each other safe, and as a result are constantly pushing each other to become stronger. I have a feeling if it weren't for her I wouldn't be at the strength I'm at now."

"Well, if she wants to join one or not is her decision. I'm still on the fence about getting back into them. Honestly, if I had the choice I'd probably rather just be an ally to all of the active guilds, being available to assist them should they need some extra strength. But...I can't see a way they could pull that off.

Snapping out of his thoughts he returned back to the subject, speaking in a joking tone, "Since we're on the subject, has there been anyone as of late that seems to have taken interest in you? Oikawa from what I remember was with a player named Kotori for some period of time before his absence, so I would guess that the former guildmaster would have turned some heads."

Sticking his oar into the water he maneuvered the canoe to the side, avoiding what appeared to be a corner in the bank that could have made them run aground. Bringing his oar to the other side the canoe stabilized and brought them back on track.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Calrex

[Azide 0]

There it was again- the unmistakable scent of smoke in the air; his nose twitched as it caught a whiff of a breezed subtlely singed. With a casual turn of his head, Azide peered upriver with a look over his shoulder. But even then, his eyes could not pierce through the night time obscurity, and he doubted that they would pick up on very much even if that were not the case. Though he himself was effectively blinded within the current environment, the same could not be said of Calrex- who at the moment did not seem overly concerned by whatever it was that lay ahead. "But what was it that he said about his skills? That there was a certain limit to their range?" 

Then again, he had spent the better part of this night in a state of near-paranoia. The village was lit by plenty of torches and candles- it was only inevitable that he would pick up on their scent at least on occasion. To even that explanation one better, it was entirely possible that the aroma was concocted entirely by his own brain; the ultramarine knight had made no indication of detecting it thus far- there was no reason to believe that this was not simply a classic case of phantosmia, perhaps triggered by stress or a lack of sleep.

"Just be sure to invite me to the wedding," said Azide, lifting his hands from the makeshift crossbar. He gave a shrug and a smile, before gripping the length of the oar once more. With confirmation of the pair's relationship being a only a recent discovery, the comment was made more in jest than anything- but if there were to be such a ceremony, he wondered who Calrex might choose as his best man. Would it be Oikawa? And more importantly, would Seijuro make his return for such an occasion? Perhaps it was by making noise that they would coax from hiding those who'd slipped out of sight...

He shook his head, clearing his throat as the man followed up with a question of his own. Looking someone beyond the blue-haired man, Azide paused to consider the light-hearted inquiry. As his musing came to a close, his eyes flickered back to life, and he returned them fully to the other player's attention. "Anyone interested in me?" he repeated. His fingers gripped the wooden pole just a little bit harder, before relenting. As he spoke, the digits of his dominant hand drummed repeatedly in lockstep, as if he were rehearsing a particularly interesting arpeggio on his parents' grand piano. "I guess you could say that it wouldn't be out of the question."

[Calrex 0]

"Heh, if an when it happens I'll try to. We've been engaged for quite a while, but then we got preoccupied with some many other things happening that it got put on the back burner. We're going to be hopefully having it soon."

Calrex took note of the action the brunette performed on his oar when he inquired about the young man's love life, deciding that it would best if he dropped the subject, keeping an eye on the river ahead. There certainly didn't seem to be any other major points in the stream to address, as the canoe seemed to orient itself in the right direction almost on its own.

"Oikawa was supposed to be the best man at the wedding, well, at least before his disappearance. Although in all honesty at this point I wouldn't care who came to it, as long as Teayre and I were together that's all that matters. Everything else is just excess."

Giving a small sigh he stirred the boat once again, making small adjustments to perfect the vessel's orientation as he gave a small smile for a second before returning back to his calm outward appearance. "Hey Azide, I've got a question for you. Do you think that people are capable of improving themselves and maturing, to truly learn from the mistakes they've made? I like to think so, but there are times that I think we'll only learn something when it's beneficial to our goals. Anything else that might be just as wholesome ends up being filtered out as unnecessary information. I mean, the idea of we only hear what we want to hear...right?"

 

[Azide 0]

"Sort of funny how that works, isn't it?" asked Azide, as he gazed out over the sides of the boat. It was dark, as usual. But he swore that he could make out even less of the riverside houses now than before; admittedly, the number had been a meager one to begin with, but the sight of those primitive huts was growing increasingly fewer as they continued their course. It seemed as if more and more time was passing by between his occasional sightings of the humble lodgings, although rationally, it seemed important to keep in mind the context of his observations. After all, his data was quite limited due to an inability to see either clearly even a few feet in front of his face, let alone from a distance. It was entirely possible that some of these houses were simply located too far from the river's edge for him to see. But then again, he felt as if it should still be possible to catch the warm glow of fire from those window-bound candles...

If there were something else he could admit, it would probably have to be that he had not avoided Calrex's eyes sheerly out of a desire to look at a bunch of darkness. But even that was not the sort of thing he would admit freely, and so, he continued to stare out into obscurity. "First, things got in the way of life," he started, in reference to the incident which had trapped them all inside this virtual world. "Then, just when we've become accustomed to this newer life, things just keep getting in the way again." He dipped the tip of a finger to the water's surface, letting it trail against the slow-moving current. Two steps forward, and three steps back. Lifting his hand away from the rippled surface, he finally looked back to Calrex. "Honestly, I had no idea that a wedding was actually in the works. But for it's worth, you can bet that I'll be there- and not just for the possible skill points either."

Taking into account the other player's subtle adjustments, Azide did what he could to help guide their canoe safely through the waters, although each stroke felt more like a wild guess due to the lacking visibility of the surrounding area. "The way I see it, people are nothing more than a combination of their nature and their history." A stroke of his oar tilted the bow of their craft slightly too far to the left. "And I think we can both agree that we're a pair of level-headed, upstanding lads." With another stroke, just the opposite happened- he'd overcompensated. "But at the same time, if we were given an adequate push, I think it's safe to say that we could just as easily veer into the deep end." With a final stroke of his paddle, their trajectory was righted to his satisfaction, and he removed the instrument from the water. "So in the same way that we're all just a few misfortunes away from lawlessness, I believe that people are very much capable of bettering themselves. All it takes is a nudge in the right direction."

[Calrex 0]

"Yeah, it is a surprising, yet common occurrence. Nonetheless we do plan to still have it, and you can be sure if we decide to make it public I'll be sure to invite you."

Giving a smile he helped to compensate for Azide's paddle movements, making sure to keep the canoe on track and balanced so that the two didn't capsize or flip the vessel over. Listening attentively he took in the brunette's words, giving a nod of understanding even though he wasn't exactly sure if the young man could see his head movements, "Heh, I like to think that I've got a fairly level head, like you said. But you're right, honestly I don't think that I am completely incapable of harming another person if they were to threaten my loved ones. With the right kind of event, I'm sure that I would have no qualms of going orange."

Adjusting their path once again Calrex gave a nod, "But you're right. I try to think in a realistic sense, seeing the world as a gigantic mass of moral gray, but deep down I think that I want to believe people are trying to do the right thing, even if it is only in their own interests."

"I guess in some ways I'm one of those people that try to see the good in people, rather than the bad. However, it's difficult to beat instinct and cling onto only the negative things that happen in life. It developed for us to survive, making it that much harder, heck sometimes it takes ten good events to cancel out one bad one."

Giving a small sigh he persisted his <<Reveal>> skill as he scanned around, making sure they were still on path, avoiding the edges of the stream to make sure they didn't run aground. He was sure they probably could at any time, but at the moment it wasn't their intention. The night, even though it was nearly pitch black, was still fairly young as the moonlight barely graced them with its presence. It would have made many other players decide to turn in for the night, but to him it was simply a change in scenery. In fact, he had gone out on the third floor at a similar time, encountering the summoners that brought on their outing to fight a random spawning field monster, Ziz.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Calrex

[Azide 0]

Noticing that they'd drifted uncomfortably close to one side of the boardwalk, Azide reached out to push off from the wooden structure using the blade of his paddle. But as the flat of the oar met a tangled wooden mess, he couldn't help but lean over the edge to get a closer look; either his eyes deceived him, or this was no pier at all. Out of a sense of curiosity, he ran the end of his paddle across the gnarled structures which seemed to weave in and out of each other at will. It twisted and turned, showing no concern for achieving any sort of discernible pattern. And if this was not the pier, then just how wide had their little river opened up? He glanced over to the opposite side, but could see absolutely nothing of use- all he could say was that the left bank showed no signs of candle light or otherwise.

He turned to Calrex, who seemed to be nodding at him; it was difficult to tell based on sight alone, but it helped that their conversation provided much-appreciated context. "Blue is probably more of your color, if you ask me," Azide quipped, as he prodded at the matted mass. Whatever this was, it seemed to straighten out somewhat the higher up one travelled. Curiously, he noted that the structure seemed to be obscuring a considerable amount of the moonlit sky above and around it, like some sort of large umbrella. He stared at the shadowed shapes and bunches that hung over them like corporeal clouds. "And as for the issue of good and bad? I'm willing to look past motivations, as long as the actions that accompany them continue to speak for themselves. After all, at the end of the day, I'm not here to play judge or the preacher- I'm just another guy trying to do his part in clearing this castle."

Pausing for a moment, Azide gave the length of the rising structure a firm thwack with the flat of his oar. Feeling the vibrations travel through his very bones, he plopped the pole down across the boat and wrung out his hands and arms. It was definitely quite solid, whatever this was. Again, he peered around. "By any chance, do you think it's possible that we've left Lazaro?"

[Calrex 0]

"Yeah, I'm sure that a good amount of us still try to enforce the moral standards we're accustomed to in the real world, but unfortunately in here some of those need to be adapted for the environment we're in. There's no law enforcement or judicial system, and the economy is not managed by any form of monopoly, oligiopoly, or the like. All we can do is give the help we can and hope that others are doing the same."

Glancing over as where Azide had grazed his paddle his <<Night Vision>> revealed a strange plant structure that was alongside them. It was definitely a creature of some sort, but sine he was unable to find a health bar he figured it was just a part of the environment and deemed it harmless to them. "Heh, well you know what I mean. In any case it's possible we might be outside its borders. We've definitely been floating downstream for a while, and unless we've just been going in circles this whole time, we've definitely departed from the settlement. However...I wonder if there's the chance that being on top of this stream acts as a form of safe zone. I have yet to see any creature in the waters below us, and even if there were they certainly couldn't be of a large enough size fo post a threat."

"Not like that fin I saw in the water when I was first adventuring with Oikawa and Teayre, or the Leviathan that I encountered on the eleventh floor. That thing took away more than a good chunk of my health with that tidal wave it summoned."