Sword Apocalypse Online

Chapter 13

"It even has a RAM on the prow?" Aiko said excitedly, the taller swordswoman checking out the finished boat.

"It was an option from the materials we gathered," Asuna noted as they examined their pretty new gondola. It was a larger one, colored in punk and white mostly, and could fit the whole group with some extra room for Kizmel and others, if needed.

"Wonder if we'll have to fight on the rivers?" Yuuki wondered aloud, frowning.

"Probably," Argo noted, "they wouldn't make it an option otherwise."

"Oh, that is gonna SUCK," Lizbeth predicted.

"It'll be fun," Asuna said cheerfully.

"We also need to officially name her," Argo noted as a prompt window popped up. "It's part of the registry process too."

"When Kizmel told us about her sister...," Liz suggested.

"I like it," Aiko agreed, "the Tilnel, then?"

"Yes!" Asuna nodded excitedly.

"Okay, we'll go with that," Argo nodded as she imput the name.

"Thank you, girls, for making an old shipwright useful again," the old man noted as the group finally left.

"Trust me, you'll be busy," Liz noted as they went outside and saw players waiting to start the ship building quest.

"Good luck, boys," Aiko told them cheerfully.

The guy at the head of the line sighed, then hurried in.

"Okay," Liz looked at Argo, "what's next?"

"Do you even bother to read the Argo Guides I do?" Argo complained mildly.

"I do," Asuna noted.

"Brown noser," Aiko teased.

"I do too," Yuuki defended her.

"You know, it's getting late... we should go check in to a hotel," Liz pointed out reasonably. Of course they COULD go out overnight, but it was just that much more dangerous than daylight. And even though they were in a game, you did get tired.

Argo hesitated but nodded, "Yeah, fair." She paused and asked, "Did anyone think to reserve a room, earlier?"

Everyone sort of looked blank. "Well, shit," Aiko sighed.

"WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO US?" Asuna complained as they ended up sharing two rooms. Again.

"Because we're dumbasses who don't plan in advance?" Liz quipped.

"Well, yeah," Asuna conceded.

"Dibs on sleeping with Asuna," Yuuki called.

"I'll take the couch," Aiko agreed. "Argo, Liz, you get the other bed."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Old Shipwright was kept busy, as various parties and guilds cycled through getting materials and making gondolas. It was a bit of a bottleneck on groups exploring the floor, as you NEEDED a ship to get anywhere, and it took a number of hours at least to get the ship built.

By next morning, Klein had managed to reach the front of the wait line.

"This SUCKS," Klein bitched.

"There, there," Harry-One sighed, waiting with his guild leader.

"Could someone hold my place in line? Please?" the redhead behind them asked plaintively. No one took her up on it. "Jerks," she muttered.

Klein noted her name was Rosalia, from the name by her cursor, and was using a halberd. She was good looking, but... something about her bothered him.

"She's good looking, but..." Harry-One nodded.

The lined moved again, and soon the two men got into the cabin and started the Shipwright's quest to build a ship.

Elsewhere in line, Heathcliff watched the goings on with amusement. He had realized this would be an issue... but not quite how bad of one. Ooops.

"Did you hear about Asuna's Harem?" several players were gossiping.

"They're not CALLING it that?" another asked.

"I would TOTALLY join," a third sighed.

"Dream on, my friend," another said.

"I want Aiko to step on me," a mousy woman sighed.

"Well, whatever works for you," the first dude noted.

'I'm VERY glad I locked off sexual options,' Heathcliff thought to himself.

"Hey, Heathcliff," a familiar voice came from nearby.

"Hello, Agil," Heathcliff recognized the big man. "Your tank guild is building a boat too?" he checked.

"Yup. Are you doing it solo?" Agil asked.

"Alas, yes," Heathcliff admitted. He wanted to build a reputation, before establishing his guild. He wanted the best of the best, after all.

"If you want to help gather materials, we'll assist you too," Agil offered.

"Thank you," Heathcliff nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lux had been one of the early ones getting a gondola built, and was now out working with a smaller guild, Golden Apple, that was allied with the Dragon Knights.

(Lind and Thinker were encouraging cooperation between the guilds, and so far it was working. Everyone pretty much expected them to start competing seriously EVENTUALLY, but for now, they were getting along...)

"Whoo hoo!" Griselda cheered as the boat raced down the river.

"Easy, dear," Grimlock chided, but she ignored him.

"Let her have her fun," Schmitt noted, the fighter sitting just behind him.

"Have we thank you yet for this?" Yolko asked Lux cheerfully.

"Yes, but you can do it again," Lux joked.

Grimlock grunted unpleasantly, but was still ignored.

"So what's the plan?" Caynz addressed the team leader, Griselda.

"We're continuing the Shipwright's quest," Griselda reminded them.

"Yeah, we have to follow this gondola, out of town," Lux agreed. The 'in town' gondaliers were up to SOMETHING, and part of this was to find out what.

"So it's part of the Elf War quest?" Grimlock asked. "We sided with the Light Elves."

"Me too," Lux admitted. "Dark Elves are creepy."

(On another part of the floor, Kizmel sneezed. As NPCs aren't supposed to DO that, she was very confused.)

They followed the ship to a underwater dungeon, and quietly followed them in. Keeping out of sight they saw them trading SOMETHING to a band of evil elves, though it was hard to tell what was in the crates.

"Quest log says we're done," Grimlock noted.

Caynz frowned, but he WAS right.

"Okay, back to town," Griselda agreed, even though they COULD have explored a bit more.

As they left Lux decided she did NOT like the feeling she got off of Grimlock.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next morning, Asuna noted the Shipwright's Quest on the log did not read as completed. "Huh?" she blinked.

"Interesting. Go check with him, again?" Argo suggested.

Like Golden Apple they got the 'follow that gondola' order, and also explored the secret dungeon. Unlike the other guild, they explored further.

"Let's check out those crates," Yuuki suggested.

"Okay, WHY are they empty?" Liz asked, blinking.

"Ok, that is.. weird," Aiko agreed.

"Was this in the Beta?" Asuna checked with Argo.

"No," Argo shook her head.

"Maybe ask Kizmel once we contact her again?" Asuna suggested, just as two Dark Elves were passing by. Everyone shut up, as the man and woman talked.

"... and we'll be ready by the twenty seventh?"

"If those fools from the city continue delivering."

They moved off before anything else could be overheard.

'That's just in a week or so!' Asuna thought grimly.

To be continued...

Notes: I'm assuming every canon side character is running around at this point. Hence minor appearances. Might or might not use a few in bigger parts...