"Marome? What's in Marome?" The pair had just passed through the rotating brick wall that led into the alley of Urbus proper. Jemza looked over at him as they walked side by side. He hadn't received any notification of a new quest being started so when she said their next destination would be a town a few kilometers southeast of Urbus he was confused.
"It's a small town. Might even be smaller than Horunka to be honest, but Rose had a lead there. A man named Kurt Wagner was seen there not long ago. I didn't press her for all the details, but Kurt was the one who sold Rose and her husband out. It started everything that led to his death."
"Sold them out to whom, and for what?" Jayce asked and Jemza could only shrug in response.
"Like I said, I didn't press her for information. This is sensitive and I didn't want to hurt her more by reliving old nightmares." He couldn't fault her on that one. After reliving that night when his own mother and sister died he wouldn't have put Rose through it either.
"We still haven't done any looking into that guy who tried to kill us. Are you alright to leave Urbus?" Jayce hadn't forgotten about the main reason they had remained in Urbus.
"I'm fine, yes. I know you want to track him down for what he did. I know your motivation behind that is because I almost died. I'm grateful for that, but right now I am really focused on helping Rose." Her voice was more calm and steady than he'd heard from her before. It wasn't his place to ask, but it seemed like there was personal stake in this for Jemza as well. It was possible that this was similar to the Anneal Blade quest and how it touched close to home for Jayce. Perhaps something Rose had said hit her the same way.
"Ok, sounds good." Jemza smiled and opened her menu tapping a few buttons. A notification appeared in Jayce's view indicating that a new step to the quest had been added. He looked over at her in surprise.
"How'd you do that? So, this is a continuation of the quest line."
"I got it while Rose and I were talking. There was a button to share it with anyone who was in the group. I don't think this is part of the normal Thieves Guild quests. I can't be certain, but I think we somehow unlocked a unique quest line that branched off from the standard." The two exited the alley onto the busy street of Urbus. NPC's and players walked along the road heading to wherever they desired.
"So, we might be the only people to experience this?" Jayce asked her with a slight bit of excitement.
"I don't know how, but yeah I think so. Might be because of how she and I argued. Then again, it also could be that we finished the first quest together as a couple. Not sure how the game would know that, but if it can detect subtle differences in our speech patterns and mannerisms then maybe it knew. What do you think?" Jemza turned towards him only to find a stupid grin plastered on his face.
"So...we're a couple?" She rolled her eyes in response punching him in the shoulder.
"Shut up and stay on task." A small laugh made its way out of her mouth at the end of her sentence.
"I am! This is important to know. If we're a couple then I need to remember things like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and your birthday. We never actually made anything official."
"If I said yes would you get back to the matter at hand?" She was being coy like usual.
"Absolutely."
"Fine, then we're a couple." Jayce laughed and shook his head after hearing her response.
"That didn't sound like you meant it at all!" He clamped his mouth shut as she spun on him. In the middle of the busy Urbus street she pressed herself against him while grabbing the collar of his shirt in both hands.
"Rose also said she's aware of the deep magics that seem to prohibit physical contact between two people. That must be how the game NPC's refer to the <<Anti-Harassment System>>. She said she might be able to help, so if you really want to know just how much I meant what I said then you'd be wise to shut up and stay focused." She stepped back before spinning forward and walking once more.
"O...ok I'm focused!" He jogged a few steps until he was walking beside her once more.
"Good, she said Kurt might still be in Marome. It's the only lead she had, and most likely the last one. We have to find this guy and make him talk." Jayce nodded in understanding.
"Jemza, I don't have a problem with this, but I feel I should make it clear what's going on. Helping Rose sounds like we will be tracking down her husband's killers. Interrogating people for information and slowly unraveling the story of her past. What do you think will happen to these people as we find them and get our answers?" These types of quests were familiar to him. He had performed them many times in other games and they were always his favorite. Jemza, however, might not have the stomach for it. She might not even know what she agreed to.
"Not sure what you're asking." Jayce reached out and grabbed her hand gently, pulling her to a stop. He looked around to make sure no one was too close to them.
"Rose will want revenge. I would to so I have no problem with that, but we aren't just sneaking into some mansion to steal documents this time. If we find this man in Marome, he won't just talk willingly. We will have to put him to the blade and make him talk. Once he does he can't be left alive to inform his friends about us.
I noticed it in the tavern today. The Thieves Guild isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't just some fantasy quest line of hunting monsters and getting treasure. These people's stories are full of pain, sadness, and death. We are going to be part of that now and I'm worried if you can handle being what we will need to be." Jemza looked down at their hands clasped together and then back up into his eyes.
"What will we need to be?"
"Assassins." It took a few moments for him to answer, but it was the truth. They would hunt the people who wronged Rose and kill them. In other games Jayce had hunted other players so the concept wasn't foreign. It was exciting and thrilling, but it also didn't cater to everyone.
"I want to be more like Rose. I want to be more like you too. Facing your pasts and becoming stronger for it. I don't want to run anymore so teach me. You said you made your character based off an assassin in a book you liked right? Teach me to be an assassin too and we'll do this together. All the way until the end with no regrets." He expected to see some fear or hesitation in her eyes, but it wasn't there. At that moment Jayce realized what his goal was in SAO. He could never compete with the brave few soldiering through the dungeon to clear the floors. They were fighting to save everyone from this prison, and in comparison Jayce's focus seemed so miniscule. All he cared about now was getting this girl out alive.
"Yeah, I can do that. From now on we stay committed to this, not just for Rose, but for ourselves too. No matter the risk." Jemza smiled and looked over her shoulder towards the direction that would lead out the southern side of Urbus.
"This is it then. Everything until now was just the beginning. We start our adventure here and now...together. We don't look back, not anymore." She moved so that she was beside him still holding his hand.
"Right, I can't think of anything more exciting to start our story." He agreed squeezing her hand.
"Oi! Miss White and the Alchemist!" Their combined agility scores shouldn't have been high enough to warrant the speed that their hands separated. Both their eyes widened in shock at the sound of the voice calling from behind them.
"Our stories beginning. It sucks." Jayce mumbled to which Jemza could only nod.
"I know you two can hear me! Gotcha!" Argo leapt between them throwing her arms around their shoulders.
"Hey Argo." Jemza managed to sound happy to see the rat beside her. Jayce on the other hand continued to sulk.
"Finished the guide for this floor. How's that little secret I told you about going?" Argo's mouth opened in her usual toothy grin when she was overly proud of herself.
"Actually, it's going great we're about to head to Marome for the next part. The guild leader had some personal things she wanted our help with." Argo's hands slipped off their shoulders and her grin vanished just as quick.
"Guild leader? She doesn't provide any quests until a few more floors higher and even then it's just a few errands." Jemza and Jayce looked at each other in confusion. Rose had greeted them herself from the very beginning. Whatever Argo had anticipated for the Thieves Guild was wrong.
"The guild leader is the only person who has given us quests so far. First one was to steal a document from an estate on the edge of town." Jayce explained it to the brown hooded girl, but the whole time her brown curls shook back in forth in denial.
"No, no, no, that's not right at all. A lower level guild member sends you to steal documents. A few other people who have found the place all confirmed that. You're saying the guild master herself sent you?" Argo's eyes looked ready to jump out of their sockets. Jemza opened her mouth to respond, but Jayce quickly slapped his hand over it to silence her.
"You want to know? A thousand col." Argo's mouth opened as she stared at him incredulously.
"I thought we were friends Alchemist. Even after we bonded together alone in your room the day the portal opened. You said our love was a boundless ocean that spanned the world many times over!" Jemza held her breath so she wouldn't laugh. Jayce leaned down towards the smirking rat and placed his hands on her cheeks. Her grin quickly looked nervous and not as confident.
"You're right, I forgot about that. 500 col then because of our boundless love for one another." Argo took a moment realizing her attempts had failed and shook her head. She reached up and patted him on the cheek.
"You win this round. I shouldn't have underestimated you." He released her face as she sighed sadly.
"You're sure about how the quests should work?" Jayce asked and her hood bobbed up and down.
"Yes, you two must have triggered something else. Will you tell me about it? I would of course give you full credit for your findings." Argo looked between the pair hoping they would agree to her request.
"Give us a little time to see what comes next. We aren't far enough to give you much and we don't fully understand how it happened either. We'll let you know everything as we learn." Jemza answered for them both and it seemed to appease Argo for now.
"Thank you Miss White, I rely on informants like you to survive. I always knew you both would make fine employees." The grin was once more on full display as the pair stared into her hood.
"Employees?" Jayce asked far more sarcastically than necessary, but it seemed appropriate given the circumstance.
"That's right! You both are officially hired as my informants in the Thieves Guild! Don't thank me now just wait until you take advantage of the benefits, the opportunities, the free health care!" Argo's arms went wide as she wrapped them around the duo once more.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Jayce cried hanging his head.
"Don't fret. As official employees of Argo the Rat's information brokering services you are entitled to heavy discounts. I of course will combine these with our close friendship discount." Jemza couldn't hold back her laughter any longer listening to Argo happily discuss the business arrangements. Jayce continued to lament having anything to do with Argo.
"I'd like to resign please!" He felt Argo lean closer towards him as he complained.
"How bout a freebie on the house? Wanna know what Miss White's measurements are?" A dramatic wink from Argo finished her offer and Jemza's laughter died out instantly.
"Hey! That's not funny, you don't have that info!" Jemza looked far more nervous than she should if she was confident Argo didn't know.
"Is that so? 36..." Jemza pulled Argo violently wrapping her arms around the hood.
"Argo stop!" Jayce could only watch as Jemza dragged her away, the rat continuing to try and speak through her covered mouth. Both her arms flailed wildly as the two fought against one another. He looked up at the sky sighing deeply.
"Worst adventure ever."