(Floor 20-The Sunshine Floor.)
"I love this floor!" Thanas yelled out as he fell back onto a hill just behind the town called Ramos. The town was very simple, open and spacious, a farming town. Fields of flowers, and crops, farm houses.
"This place is so beautiful." Kira agreed.
It had been a few days since they got to floor 20 and it was quickly becoming one of the player's favorite floors, because of its simplicity and openness along with its monsters being pretty good col droppers. Everyone loved being on this floor.
The floors dungeon had been nearly cleared and the boss door was already found, but the Assault Team, as the top clearing guilds and strong solo players were now calling the front lines, had declared they wanted people to take a 2 day break since they had been blasting through the floors for months now without a break.
Not wasting the chance, Kira and Thanas took this time to wander the floor and see its natural beauty and see if they could find more pieces to the champion of justice set that Thanas had started.
Since his fight with the Mimic Thanas had gotten ahold of the greaves for the set. People didn't know what the set was nor did they really care, since apparently these people had never played an RPG before. Apparently neither had Kira.
"So what is so special about this set Thanas?" She asked him as they were walking towards a low hill east of where the town was. She had gotten some new armor since the mimic fight.
Armor that was full plate on all its extremities, she said it wasn't heavy and that she could move very well in it, and she seemed to move with ease in it.
I wonder what her strength level was. Thanas mused in his head before he actually heard what she asked.
"Have you ever played an RPG before?" He leveled with her looking at her with an exasperated look.
"No I really hadn't before but I wanted to try one out so that is why I got SAO." She said matter of factly.
"Well in most RPG's you try to get the strongest armor and weapons that you can so that you wouldn't die all that much or die at all putting lots of things at less of a risk. And sets are among some of the most powerful armors you can get. Even very low level sets can last you through out an entire game." He explained as they sat down to take a break.
"Sets compose of many different part of armor, the armor part usually are not all that special if they are alone, they could easily be replaced for something that is way better or even of the same level as the set piece. But if you get two pieces of a set a secret bonus will start to show itself, then it when you get 4, 6, 8, etc. depending on how many pieces there are, the bonuses will get better and better and when you complete a set, all bonuses will unlock and you now have some of the most badass armor in the game."
Kira took it all in and nodded. "So you are determined to get this set cause of these bonuses, so you can clear the game easier?" She asked him and looked at him tilting her head a little.
"Yes that is basically it. Also I just like to see what some sets look like, and since this one is called champion of justice, it sounds like a very awesome set to have." He said to her, but with a bit of confusion on his face.
"But?" She said
"But when I think champion of justice I think of gold, blues, purples Exuberant colors. Colors that make you think champion or royalty not black, red and silver. This set is a real mystery and I really want to find out what it is, and why a weapon is part of the set. That usually doesn't happen or is very very rare when it comes to RPG's." He rambled on sighing after he was done and laid back looking at the sky, Kira leaning back on her hands and doing the same being quiet.
"Sorry about me rambling. I get like that when I don't understand something or I'm trying to figure it out." He apologized.
"It's okay Thanas, I find it cute when you ramble like that." She tease him.
"Why thank you oh so much Kira." He said while rolling his eyes.
"So do you think there will be another piece of the set here on this floor?" She asked him. Wondering if he thought this entire trip was a waste of time.
"I don't know, last piece I got was from a merchant cause a sap didn't know what he was selling, but I see things differently than most and since this floor is the complete opposite of this sets personality. I just thought we'd give it a shot you know." Shrugging as he stood up then brushed himself off and helped Kira up off the ground.
"So this entire day could have been wasted the…" She pouted at him.
"Well I wouldn't call it wasted, we got to see an extremely beautiful floor." He smiled positively looking at her she gave him a cold stare. "Uhhh or n-not" He shuddered a little, as he cowed back from her.
This of course looked funny to Kira, but she tried to stave off the giggles but couldn't help herself, then burst out into laughs. Making Thanas squint his eyes at her. Which just made her laugh even more at him.
He finally cracked a smile after a few minutes and laughed with her after. Both of them looked up at the sky from where they were standing. Just taking in the day.
"Thanas?" She asked him, her voice was low. Kira looked down at the ground.
"Yeah? What's up Kira?" He said, wondering what was making her act like this.
"Can I ask you about your life in the real world…?" She asked looking away, scared he would be angry at her for asking about something as sensitive as that.
He looked at her and rolled his eyes smiling at her. The silly girl was acting as if he was going to stab her because of her asking this.
"Sure but let's get back to the town and get some lunch I didn't relies the time till just now. Then I answer any questions you have." He told her his smile never wavering.
She smiled brightly at this, she really wanted to get to know more about this man she had been spending all her time with as of late. Since floor 16 they have been inseparable, fighting together in a party and staying in the same hotel.
"But you have to tell me all about your life as well." He pointed at her to emphasize, a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Okay, I'll tell you anything you want to know." She said smiling all the while.
-oo-
(One hour later in Ramos)
They were in his room inside the hotel, both with full stomachs and questions buzzing in their minds. Thanas was seated on his bed and she was next to him twiddling her thumbs kind of nervous about asking him about his life, and slightly scared too.
"So ask away Kira, what's your first question?" He said to her leaning back and stretching out on the bed.
"Well, how about how old are you? You said that you moved here from the states and that you were also a police officer, which means you have to be over 21 right?"
Thanas chuckled a little nervously. "Well I am over 21 but I was a volunteer police officer since I was about 18, I helped the officers in there more community jobs and I sometimes road with them too. I loved being in the force, it gave me a since of pride to be able to protect and serve those people. Even if they never really cared for me or for any of the officers I became friends with." He sighed thinking about the old time.
"When I was about 22 I moved from the US to here in Japan to study its culture people and language. I've been here for 2 years and it has been some of the best years of my life. So as for the real question imp 24. I'll be 25 in about 4 months."
He smiled at her and then he asked. "How old are you Kira?"
"Well I just turned 19 this past month actually."
"WHAT! Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday I would have gotten you something, or threw you a party?"
"No, No, No," She said while she waved her arms and hands in front of her at him. "Its fine Thanas I didn't want you spending any extra col on me. You already help me out with expenses."
He smiled and rolled his eyes at her, a gesture that had more affection in it than scorn.
"Kira, you are one of my closest friend, if not the closest friend I have. I like spoiling my friend when I have the extra money to do so. It's how I can show my affection, getting them things that they really like and enjoy." He moved closer to her and put a hand on hers.
"Come on lets continue the questionnaire." He said to her.
She looked down at his hand on hers then back to his smiling face. 'This man is so kind and gentle' she thought. 'He hardly ever thinks of himself, and always puts others safety before his own. I'm so lucky to have him.' Her thoughts started wandering into the more… intimate side of her mind and she shook her head to quickly dispel those thought.
"Alright next question" Smiling at her he asked her to continue.
"U-u-hhh alright." She said stuttering a little.
For hours they asked each other about the others life, asking about family, girlfriends and boyfriend, what they did in school, what embarrassing things happened to them in all the years of being in school.
They talked about what they wanted to do outside of this game how they both wanted to travel the world and study every culture. Who they missed and who they knew would be by there sides while they tried to beat this death game.
After what seemed like forever they stopped talking, Kira had lain down on him and he had his arm around her both of them stared at the ceiling until he heard her breathing turn deep and slow with sleep. Smiling down he pulled a cover over them both and closed his eyes as well.
'I wonder what will happen between us.' He mused in his head, wondering if things would turn more romantic between them. On a level he hoped it did, but on another, deep inside his mind and heart was the scares of all the people who had left him. He never turned anyone away who wanted to be in his life, but he was always scared they would disappear like all the others before. Shaking his head slightly he put his mind to rest for the night shutting out all thoughts which helped him fall to sleep a few seconds later.
-oo-
It was about 7 in the morning when they both got up. Kira left his room to change out of her cloths and into her battle attire. It may seem weird that she does this since they practically sleep together every day, but she is the kind of girl who doesn't like to be seen changing just the usual.
He smiled as she left and he got ready himself putting on his armor and his few pieces of the set. He had two of the pieces now, which strangely enough also meant he had two friends now. He sighed thinking of the other girl.
He had met the other girl two weeks ago, there friendship wasn't made out of the fires of war, or him coming to the rescue, but more of a normal relationship sort of. As for the armor piece, she had helped him with that.
(Two weeks ago floor 14)
Thanas had decided to head to floor 14 since most of its monsters were flying and were only able to be brought down by thrown weapons, most people really didn't want to try to level up there throwing skill since it would take col to buy the throwing supplies, like knifes, picks, or spears. Whatever you thought would be the easiest.
Most of the stores on floor 14 had these supplies so it was the perfect place to train it and Thanas wanted to make this his secondary skill.
Throwing weapons are hard to train because of the amount of col you have to spend to get the supplies and keep yourself stocked, most people used the small picks that you throw they were cheap but the weakest of all the thrown weapons.
Thanas stood in front of the town store that sold most of its throwing supplies, he had just bought a quiver so that he could hold the throwing spears he was buying. It could hold at least 10 of them, he hung it on himself right at his waist on his back, the opening facing his right side, and it's closed dipping down to where it was hanging at a 30 degree angle. So that it would be easy to grab another spear when he needed it.
The spears weren't all that big, maybe 2 feet in length, there blades made to have as much penetration power as a bolt from a crossbow. It was a simple look for them but he liked simple, anything to flashy and stuff just became too damn unnecessary.
Smiling as he looked himself in a mirror that was near the store, said thanks to the npc store owner who responded with your welcome and please come back anytime. Honestly the system that ran this environment made everything so damn awesome sometimes.
He walked out of the store when and saw this young girl walking to the store he was in, she was lightly armored and covered in a cloak hiding her face and her stature. 'Hmm wonder who she is…' he thought since no one really ever visits this floor on account of the flying monsters being almost impossible to kill without thrown weapons.
She looked up and he was able to tell she was in her teens maybe around 16. She looked at him with the same quizzical look on her face, wondering the same thing about him that he thought of her.
"Who are you?" She asked him bluntly. "And why the hell are you staring at me like that?" She shot at him.
"Well you get right to the point don't you girly?" He said his posture and tone changing to that of a Teenager talking to another one that is already getting on his nerves.
"I don't like unnecessary banter." She said her tone one with a lot of resentment and venom.
"Wow, you really don't like talking to people do you?" He said his tone getting to where hers was very fast.
She stared at him for a long time, the defiance and scorn in her was matched by his. After a few minutes she sighed
"I'm sorry, most of the time when guys stare at me like that its cause they are looking down on me. And I don't take that." She said to him looking him in the eye. But again she sighed and stuck out her hand. "I'm Raven." She told him.
He shook her hand and smirked a little getting a half way decent response from her.
"I'm Thanas nice to meet you, so mind if I ask why you are here. This place is usually abandoned." He asked her going back to his original thoughts.
She let down her hood and opened up her cloak to show him her banderol and knife belt, both almost empty. But had a few knifes in one. But he also took note of her look she was cute in the face, her hair was medium length and dint go past her shoulders, it was a dark purple and was mostly pushed to one side of her head. Her eyes were a sea green which went well with her hair. And her attire was made for stealth and speed, along with concealment, but he could see that she could probably put 3 of those knifes into him before he could get his spear off his back.
"I come here to train my throwing skill and buy myself more knifes. What about you?" asking the same of him.
Thanas shows her his quiver filled with spears, smirking at her. "Same as you except me really don't use knifes. Spears are more my style."
She shook her head and looked him up and down. "You seem like a very weird guy. Except for some reason I seem to like you." She said again being very blunt with her words.
"Hmm you really don't beat around the bush do you? Mind if I ask something of you?" He asked her crossing his arms.
"Sure why not what do you want?"
"Mind showing me a thing or two about throwing? I know that the System helps you in hitting the target but I like being able to do things without using the systems help." He asked her lowering his head a little.
"What makes you think I know anything that can help you out? I use knifes not spears." She challenged him, but he could tell she was considering it she was just giving him a hard time of it.
He looked up and smirked seeing that she was doing the same to him. "Because you seem like someone who could handle herself, and I have also seen you on the front lines before." She was startled by this most of the time on the front lines she made sure to not be seen even when they were doing a boss raid.
"How the hell did you see me?!" She exclaimed completely shocked at what he said.
"Because I am the kind of player who seeks out the unseeable. I don't like when there are too many unknowns. So I look pretty hard and keep my senses sharp." He explained to her. "Also I used to play a lot of shooting games so looking for hidden people like snipers or assassins was a daily chore I was known pretty well for never falling into an ambush, and always was feared by snipers."
"I see then I guess it shouldn't be a surpise then…" She pouted a little becoming a little pissed at herself for being seen.
He saw her expression and tried to make her not be mad at herself.
"But you are one of the best I've seen so far, it took a little while before I had spotted you, usually it takes me less than a few seconds to pinpoint a person's location, it took me more than a few minutes to spot you." He said laughing a little awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck.
She just gave him a cold stare and sighed. "Ill teach you what I know, hell maybe you will become a half way decent thrower if I teach you, but don't get your hopes up" She said as she walked into the store, then came out a few minutes later with her belts full of knifes.
"Come on I know a good place for you to practice." She ordered him.
"Alright I'm coming." He said running to catch up with her. "So before we start any of the throwing part. Anything you can tell me before hand?"
Again she sighed keeping her eyes straight ahead.
"When you are throwing it's almost no different than shooting a gun or firing a cannon, you have to be accurate and have to aim for a place that will make your target not move around much. If they are walking or running or in our case flying, you need to lead the target enough to where they will run into the path of the spear or knife. That is one of the hardest parts of throwing is hitting a moving target." She stopped and turned to him his face attentive and listening to everything she has to say.
"Like I said just like shooting with a gun, just a much slower moving thing than a bullet. Since you are just starting you need to be within a 30 meter range to get a good hit. And since you have fired guns and other things like that you should know those basics. Just instead of a firing mechanism separate from your body, your body is the mechanism. Your arm and back, the action, hand the magazine, eyes the sights, everything on you is part of the gun. But you are more versatile than any gun because a person can change the direction of a thrown object very easy." She explained in great detail to him, he looked at his hands and arms thinking of them as a gun, he could do that. It actually made a lot of sense since she put it into words like that.
He grabbed out a spear and held it like he think he would and primed his arm aiming for a tree. His eyes selecting a spot just in the middle of the tree, and his hand holding the spear tight. The way he must have been standing must have been funny because the scowl on Ravens face was turning up into a smile and he could see her body shaking as she put her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh.
"It can't be that bad can it?" He asked looking down at his stance, it looked right at least.
"You are too ridged. Too tight loosen up and relax your stance, and keep your arm relaxed until you're ready to throw" She walked over to him and changed his position kicking his feet and moving his body also moving his grip on the spear. "You need to hold it at the center of mass so that the spear is perfectly balanced. So that when you throw it, it won't wobble all that much in the air and hit your target right where you want it." Explaining it to him while she moves his body. "Also you might not want to throw it at a tree as it would just get destroyed and you would be a spear out."
"But won't I lose the spears anyway if I hit a monster?" He asked her.
"Well yes and no, you see if you hit a monster in just the right spot your spear will be intact and will be given back to you in the item drop, but if you hit it say in a hard bone like the skull or tail bone, it will be "broken" and will be deemed irretrievable So as long as you don't hit it in any hard bone, you should be fine." She told him smiling a little bit now she slapped his butt and walked away. Making him blush hard and made him fumble a bit before he recovered.
"You are such a strange girl you know that?" He said seeing a couple of flying monsters floating around about 20 meters ahead not really paying attention to the two.
"Yes I know, that's the way I like it. Now you take out one I take out the other." She said and took out a knife flicking it around in her hand completely confident in her abilities.
"Alright, here we go." He set his sights on the one on the left and when he was certain he could hit the target he pulled back his arm then with a powerful throw he let threw the spear, it arced along its path and slammed the creature right behind his shoulder a place where you aim for when your hunting with a rifle. The creature cried out and fell promptly exploding into a thousand polygons when it hit the ground. The second one was hit with two knifes right after his burst into polygons and did the same.
He smiled at raven in triumph and she raised her hand to give him five.
"Nice throw, you aren't half bad. In a couple of years you might even be able to get to my level." She complimented/dissed him. But she smirked at him in a more affection than her words had.
"Thanks raven you are an amazing teacher." He said to her a smile on his face. "Hey can I ask you something else?"
She tilted her head a bit. "Sure what's up?"
"Want to friend me? So If I ever need any advice I can contact you?" He said, using the advice gag to have a reasonable excuse.
"You could just say, 'so that I could see you again sometime'." She said putting her hands on her hips doing a bad imitation of his voice.
Sighing and then laughing a little, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Alright so that I could see you again sometime."
Smiling at him she quickly opened her menu and flicked through it. Then a friend request came up asking him if he wanted to friend her. Which he accepted.
She looked up at the sky and sighed. "It looks like It's time to call it a night." She said.
It had gotten pretty dark since they met up, he looked at the time and it was almost 10 o'clock 'OH SHIT' he thought 'Kira is going to kill me.'
"I need to get going to, it was nice meeting you Raven I hope we can team up together again sometime." He said this as he waved at her and ran off to the teleport gate, so he could get back to floor 18 and the inn that he and Kira were staying at.
Raven looked on at the guy and smiled, he was such a weird guy and she knew that she would miss him, she waved as he ran off. 'I can't wait till we can team up again' she thought to herself as she started walking back to her house. Then she remembered something.
Thanas had just about got to the teleport gate when he heard someone shout his name.
"THANAS!" He heard as he turned around and saw Raven running to him.
He stopped and waited as she ran up panting because she ran so hard.
"I forgot to ask you something it's about those gauntlets you have. I've seen something like them before. At one of the shops that are on this floor. It was the same shop that we both bought our supplies. I was surprised you didn't see it." She told him looking closer at the Gauntlets.
"What? I didn't see anything like these in the store… "He said looking at his gauntlets.
"Yes I know that I saw something like those come on." She said and started running to the store with him on her heels.
'Kira is really going to kill me because of me being out so late without messaging her.' He sighed but continued to follow Raven.
"Here" She said and they entered the shop. And exchanged pleasantries with the NPC owner. Quickly she went through the shop menu and then flicked it over so he could see.
"Champion of Justice greaves." He said aloud not believing what he saw, why the hell were they in a shop like this and how the fuck did he not see them. Quickly he checked the price and they were about 20,000 col. He kind of whistled but bought them quickly, leaving him with about 5,000.
"Those are part of a set I am assuming?" She asked him as he put them on. Checking them out.
"Yep I just don't know what kind of rewards are given. I need 3 pieces to figure that out. This makes two." He looked down at his feet and lower legs, they had the same black red and silver styling as the gauntlets. But the red and silver were hardly noticeable. The greaves went up to just below his knees, and had the same kind of metal that the gauntlets had, thin but strong looking material that wrapped around the entire leg then went down to the ankle and covered the top of the foot and toes, of the boot underneath.
"They fit you I guess both you and it are weird so it fits." She said in a completely serious tone.
This derailed him and he looked at her with an exasperated look on his face.
"You know you could compliment me without the diss."
"Yes but then I wouldn't see the hilarious faces you make." She said to him.
Sighing he straightened up checking the time it was almost 10:30. "Shit! I really have to get going now. I will see you later Raven." Again he ran off and got to the teleport gate waving goodbye to Raven he teleported to floor 18.
Where he was met, at the teleport gate mind you, by a very pissed off and worried Kira.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!" She exploded at him her hands on her hips and her entire body leaning forward making her seem to tower over him with her rage.
He coward back and held up his hands laughing nervously at her trying to think of a good excuse, and like an idiot. He told her the truth.
"Well I was kind of with another girl you see…" He stopped himself way to late and before he knew it he was flying because of a punch from a very pissed off and jealous Kira.
'Shhhhiiiitttttt why do I have to be so stupid sometimes!' he thought just before landing hard against a statue. Head first
A/N: This chapter just came out of the blue, of my mind. If you cant tell I really don't ever plan these things out much. So I can shoot out chapters faster so long as I have the right thinking line. For a few more chapters you will meet other characters that are central to the story, so please have fun and enjoy meeting them. ;)