The solid thumps of Fenrir's galloping was suddenly accompanied by Skoll's distinctive panting as she ran alongside him. Sinon and I both bounced upon the backs of our furry steeds as we traveled swiftly across the wide open plains before the Great World Tree. As the two of us rode alongside each other, Skoll began to pull ahead and Fenrir instantly noticed. He let out a faint snarl and started to run faster, barely catching up to Skoll as she glanced over at him. Sinon giggled and Fenrir visibly exhaled from his nose. I peeked over at Sinon with a smile when Fenrir suddenly gained more forward velocity. In a barely discernible lead, Fenrir slowly pulled ahead and Skoll quickly growled over at him.
"Race you to Yggdrasil city!" Sinon leaned down and gripped Skoll's fur as they abruptly sped up.
"Come on, buddy. They're not getting away from us." I knelt down and briefly kicked my heels against his sides.
Fenrir let out a fierce bark and focused as he brought himself closer to the ground. Fenrir made haste just behind the girls and his ears folded down from the intense flowing winds. We rapidly made our way over to the foot of the Great World Tree and slowed our wolves to a trot as we entered the city's limits. Passing NPCs and other players were waving happily at us to which Sinon let out a faint giggle.
"It's so good to see everyone thriving again after everything that's happened." Sinon smiled as she peeked over at me with those gorgeous oceanic eyes.
"No doubt. Normally, people wouldn't bat an eye at us unless we were with our wolves. It's a welcome change." I nodded to my wife with a sure smirk as the two of us dismounted our steeds.
"Alright, first stop. I gotta go in here for a second so you stay out here and watch the dogs. Oh, and don't lose them." Sinon pointed at me with a wink as she entered the shop behind her.
"Wouldn't dream of it." I chuckled and looked over to Skoll and Fenrir who were both sitting obediently before me.
I smiled up at the beasts and went to scratch their chins simultaneously. Before my hands could caress their fur, the giant wolves instantly turned their heads away and looked over to watch something intently.
"Huh? What's the matter, bud? Something wrong?" I snapped my fingers up near Fenrir's ear but it suddenly waved me away.
I stepped back and looked up at the two captivated creatures as someone's footsteps began to get louder. I was about to turn to look over when I was unexpectedly tackled to the ground. My chest hit the pavement and I rubbed the pain away as a weight established itself on my back.
"K, you big dumb idiot!" A squeaky voice suddenly yelled.
I peeked over my shoulder and immediately spotted a familiar pink side ponytail.
"Oh. Hey, Kureha." I placed my palms on the ground at my sides and pushed myself to my feet.
The weight on my back didn't disappear however but instead the grip strength had tightened. I looked back again to see Kureha unintentionally still clinging onto me.
"What the- Ugh." Kureha scoffed and got off me to put her hands on her hips.
I turned around to face her as she scrunched her nose angrily at me.
"You total jerk! I came all the way to this game specifically for you and you can't even be bothered to show me around? When I brought you to GGO those years ago and I didn't leave you stranded on your own!" Kureha fumed.
I innocently rubbed the back of my head and let out a faint nervous laugh as I realized my mistake.
"I demand a tour, right now! You can make up for your everything you did wrong as we go!" Kureha quickly grabbed my wrist.
"What? Now?! But I-"
"No buts! You're gonna show me this whole world!" She pulled me along, leading me off as I struggled to keep up with her.
Cat Sith, Sharp, Ice Queen: Sinon
I exited the store and heard the sound of furthering footsteps as our two dogs looked over at whoever was leaving. I followed their gaze to just barely catch a glimpse of K and Kureha as they left the city together. I let out a sigh and shook my head as I thought to myself.
"Great. Well, I guess it's just us then." I smiled up at the furry creatures and held my hands out to them, petting both of their heads simultaneously as they leaned in.
Spriggan King, Master, Crystal Swordsman: K
"K? How do I fly?" Kureha eagerly asked.
"Woah, woah. You haven't even explored the intricacies of the factions or weapon wielding yet and you want to spread your wings already? I don't know, Kureha. I remember you not giving me that same luxury." I smirked and raised an eyebrow at her as I crossed my arms confidently.
"Haha. Alright, alright. I should at least learn to use a blade or two, seeing as I'm just starting out in this sort of game. What would you suggest?" Kureha looked to me for guidance but she put me on the spot.
"Well, why don't we start you off with a sword? It could be long, short, skinny or thick and I'm sure you'll find a design you'd take a liking to." I assured her.
"Really? That sounds so... hmm... But what if I wanted wield more than just a sword?" She looked up at me with curious blue eyes.
"Then you may absolutely do so with proper practice. Let's stick with one weapon for now tho, shall we?" I opened my inventory and summoned a simple sword, catching its hilt to hand it to Kureha.
It's base was a clean bronze and its blade was a shining silver. It resembled swords such as the ones gladiators would use in their fights to the death. Kureha looked upon it in wonder before promptly swing it around to get a feel for it.
"It's light!" She spun the blade around herself.
"For slashing enemies at gratuitous speeds. It gives you quite the reach advantage as well." I pointed out.
"No doubt. This could surely keep the enemies at bay." Kureha stepped to the side for a stabbing motion as she fully extended her arm.
A smile cracked along her face and she gained the confidence to try a few fierce combos. She swung the sword around and spun but lost her balance which made her fall flat on her butt.
"Well, that's definitely not your weapon. Perhaps something smaller or more well distributed. Why don't we go check out a shop?" I suggested.
"S-sure! Yeah. I'd like that actually." Kureha reluctantly got to her feet and took my side as we traversed the bright outer city streets.
The two of us looked around the lively roads as they were scattered with purposeful players and NPCs alike. The bustling crowds began to walk by us when Kureha stopped suddenly.
"Woah!! What about this one??" She rushed up to an open kiosk made of thin cloth and dark oak wood.
Her wondering gaze fell upon a long staff of pure gold which seemed to be highlighted by bits of brass along its handle. As my vision followed its unique design, my eyes were caught by a sharp pink crystal blade that was vibrant with polished colour. The weapon was a beautiful sight to behold indeed, but I saw no reason to use such a large restrictive staff.
"This? But this is like a spear. It's much too long and not necessarily beginner material. Shouldn't you try something with more mobility?" I turned to her.
"Not a chance! I see pink, I gotta have it! How much is it?" Kureha hastily turned to the clerk and asked.
"Four hundred thousand." He spoke.
"Four hundred thousand credits?!?! But, I don't even nearly have that much..." Kureha hung her head slowly.
"Beginner pricing is over here. I'm sure we could find something that suits your needs." The clerk hoped to still get a sale.
I saw Kureha's head reluctantly turn to the cheaper weapons as she let out a faint defeated sigh. The sound of many moving footsteps filled the air as I looked to her saddened hunched posture. I couldn't bare to see my beloved childhood friend like this so I took a confident breath in and looked to the clerk with a smile.
"I'll buy it." I told him.
"Really?! I mean... Yeah! Of course you'll buy it for me! You still owe me for being such a terrible tour guide!" Kureha got cocky.
"Or we could not and we'll just leave you with a crappy sword." I shrugged at her with a smirk.
"Okay fine, you win." Kureha chuckled as she raised her hands innocently.
I opened my inventory and began to type in the exact amount of credits I would need.
"...K? This really means a lot to me, you know... having you by my side again." Kureha looked over at the weapon to turn her gaze shyly away from me.
"Huh?" I froze and turned my head to her.
"It's just... Spending time with you has been hard since you went pro in GGO. I felt like ever since you started getting good, I was starting to get left behind. And when I saw you were logging in less and less, I thought I had lost you for good. I know it sounds stupid, but I missed having you around." Kureha continued.
I just tilted my head, puzzled by her sudden confession.
"B-but, don't take that the wrong way! It's not like I want to be with you or anything!" Kureha went back to her expressive self.
I just smiled and confirmed the purchase with a press.
"It's alright, Kureha. I didn't forget about you at all." I assured her.
"You didn't?" She was intrigued.
"Nope! You were my inspiration to push forward in those days. I wouldn't have learned how to persevere if it weren't for your help." I happily told her.
"That... that's so sweet of you to say, K..." She blushed and looked away, remembering back to the old memories as I was.
"And it'll be even more sweet to teach you how to fight." I went into my inventory and summoned the freshly bought item.
I caught the gracious staff in my hands and held it out to her with confidence.
"You are more than capable of greatness too, Kureha. You just need to unlock it." I insisted she take it.
Kureha took the staff in her hands and her eyes began to sparkle as she stared up at the bright Rose Quartz crystal.
"It's so... beautiful. I love it! Thank you so much, K! You really are the greatest friend I could ever ask for." She giggled and closed her eyes with a blush.
"Alright, Pinkie. Let's get to work." I chuckled and began leading us away.
"Wha- My name is not Pinkie!" Kureha yelled and chased after me.
Thru the streets we went on our way towards the outskirts as Kureha clumsily carried her spear.
"Why don't you just put it on your back? Like me." I pointed as I kept ahead of her.
"Woah! Your sword is made completely of crystal!" She changed the subject but I don't think it was deliberate.
"Did you even hear what I said? Put your lance on your back so you can walk around freely with both hands." I instructed her.
"My... lance?" She tilted her head at me.
"Yeah. Your lance. Now put it on your back." I urged her as others passing were almost hit by it.
"I like that actually. I think I'll call it... The Pink Rose Lance!" She exclaimed and held it out in front of her.
"How about just Pink Rose, hmm?" I took it out of her hands and walked it behind her.
I angled it slightly and put the centre of the stick against her back, watching as a glowing pink seal quickly swirled until it lightly popped out of existence. I lifted my other hand up to check if it was sturdy and simultaneously took Kureha's side.
"Thanks again for buying it for me. I would have probably had to start with some low tier loot before I could have acquired something like this." She smiled at me.
"Don't mention it. I've got plenty of credits to spend." I waved it away.
"Oh yeah? You some kind of rich guy millionaire or something now too?" She shrugged in disbelief.
"I'm not exactly supposed to disclose that information, but... Between you and me, you're statement wasn't entirely inaccurate." I quickly whispered in her ear.
"No way! You're kidding!! How much are we talking?? Two? Three? Four? Five mil?" Kureha looked at me like some kind of sugar daddy.
"Shhh!!! If people get word they'll drain me dry." I put my finger over her mouth quickly and adjusted my fur pelt as I began to lead the way again.
"So, what are we going to fight? Scorpions? Cleric beasts?? Timberwolves???" Kureha just pulled any creatures name out of the air.
"I don't think you want to fight any of those difficult monsters. We'll find a goblin outpost or something. That will get you some good first experience." I advised.
"Awesome! Come on, Pink Rose! Let's get our grind on!" Kureha excitedly ran ahead and I laughed with a head shake.
I took a step to follow after her but something else had caught my eye. I snapped to attention and barely saw the glimpse of a familiar looking purple haired girl thru the crowds of many other players. My gaze met an orchid and the second I laid eyes on it, a memory hit me like a truck. I saw flashes of my lost first love Crysta from the forgotten days of Sword Art Online. First we were laughing and clinking glasses together as we took shots with Hayden, Tony, Booker and Clyde. Then, I saw her back facing me as she looked out to the sunset on Aincrad's horizon. I remembered us fighting side by side together against the clubbed ogre floor 21 boss. Most of all, I recalled our chat away from the original group when she was feeling shy. I could never forget her reaction as she shyly smiled at my sentiment. The last image that replayed in my head, was Crysta's unconscious face as she slowly fell down from hitting against the wall. Her purple hair flowed delicately and a final breath exited her mouth before she violently exploded into shards. My emotions began to flare and I was suddenly sucked back to reality. The girl had disappeared and I was left looking thru the churning masses of walking players and NPCs. I lost her again and in my state of uncertainty, I felt an empty void fill my heart. The rage and the sadness began to swirl within me, creating a concoction of utter helplessness. I slowly looked down at my hand as I was reminded of a piece of myself that was missing.
"K? Everything alright?" Kureha came back.
I looked to her quickly and peeked back at the masses once more, seeing that my apparent vision was all but a lie.
"I'm fine. Let's just go." I walked ahead of her as I clenched my fist.