The lubricious act was definitely shocking, at least initially. But come to think of it, it was a pretty normal thing to do where they were that moment. Eyes glued to the actions, the shock was later on subdued by her own prurient desires. Who would not if one would see someone pleasuring himself because of her which could be a way of his to make her feel beautiful, or seeing the size of his manhood which stood as if inviting the woman to take a taste of it? Oh, how Anabelle wanted to make him stop talking by taking in his 'possession' deep down her throat, refusing to stop the repetitive action of bobbing her head, sliding her pressed lips and siphoning his strength in every movement that varied speed, until he grabs a lump of her hair. By then, her tongue would romance its length and girth as her hand would travel to parts of him only she could reach that moment. But no. Instead of allowing the impulse to fully realize the meeting of her needs as a woman to take over her, Anabelle turned her head away in a display of respect to the man before him, even if he demanded her to look at him. She concentrated on his words, which were like arrows shot through her heart. He was right. Even if she considered this game her reality, the truth was they were still in their own places, alone, and suffering every day from the miseries life brought them. He was right; there was no need to socialize with anyone in here because, at the end of the day, they were still the same lonely people screaming in pain or for help. These comrades in the virtual reality game would soon leave to mind their own business, either leveling up their masteries or gathering as much gold as they could. What help could inspecting a name or asking for one's name would do, if they would all leave afterwards, if there was no connection between them to begin with.Or if the other party refuse to make connections, because this was all an illusion, and therefore the connection it would make is nothing but an illusion. Anabelle bowed her head down in embarrassment; she should not have asked the question. She should have just kept her mouth shut. She should have just did what she has always done, and that is to steer herself away from peopl--- "...I NEED A FRIEND!" What is this change of perspective, of ideas and points being driven at? Anabelle's heterochromatic eyes widened, now they were gazing at the man sitting before her. Both of them desired for the same thing. Both of them crippled by their lives. In that instant, Anabelle thought it would be best to heed the young man's desire. She opened her palm menu, and sent him a friend request, ignoring all the reasons he brought up earlier, thinking that maybe the long narrative earlier was nothing but a test, or a means to hide his true feelings, until now that he could not take it any longer and let it all out. "Here, I am Anabelle Zhang," she said, "in the real world, you can call me Christianna Lee. I play this game, because there is no reality left for me. I am nabbed of my life and my freedom to move. Here in Terrasphere, I can move freely, I can be the old me. Even if you say this fun is an illusion made up of codes and binaries, but for me, this is the only place where I can smile. I think it is but fair for you to know those things since you said a lot about yourself." Water gliding off her arm, she extended her hand for a handshake. "In the real world we may be alone, but it helps if here we aren't, I think. I am not as bright as you, but that is what I want to believe, that virtual can be as good as reality. We can try... see if it would work out... we can be friends, Yuichi Ichinose. I will be your friend. Oh, I'm sorry if I inspected you earlier, that is why I know your IGN. Please forgive me."
The Felin’s extended hand hovered over Yuichi as if praying over him, his deep brown eyes staring at the gesture with unbelief. Everything felt surreal to him, as if he was merely a bystander watching himself in the moment as it happened; commenting incredulously at how things progressed so far in such a short time. The beast-kin introduced herself as Annabelle Lee, but added a detail of her real life, calling herself Christianna Lee; an act of trust Yuichi could not – and still could not – fathom as having been done so quickly and easily. He was stunned for the first time in his life, not out of fear, but of his own hesitation to accept the grace given to him by whatever gods that be. It was too good to be true. Of course, it is too good; nothing in his life ever went at planned before, and he saw no reason for things to start changing now. This was all just a dream. But if this was a dream, it must be a nice one, like that day as president of the University Student Council… A Few Years Ago… Takeo wandered through the near-deserted hallways of Tokyo University with only the occasional student or two passing by to give a complimentary hello to their president. He finally managed to reach the council room – a traditional wooden sliding door that lead into a small room which was barely the size of half an entire classroom. The October sunset illuminated the polished wooden floorboards and touched the cheap mahogany table that was witness to all the deliberations of the five-member Student Council since time immemorial while the shelves were lined up with row upon row of classic books and novels which, as he could only surmise, were left to rot until he decided to clean them up and introduce its browned pages to the outside world once more. The student’s gaze immediately went to the small wooden table in the far-right corner of the room as soon as he entered his miniature kingdom of peace and smiled as the fresh scent of lemon grass wafted up his nostrils. He thanked his fellow council members for their ever-present consideration at their president’s stoic routines, those four other people who knew that Takeo Kazuhara was more than just a the prim and proper student-paragon everyone expected him to be outside of his small refuge from perfect grades and astronomical expectations. To those four, he was just simple old Takeo, the guy who would crack dirty jokes in his sleep inside the office from time to time; who had a crush on one of the members until he found out that she had a boyfriend; and who thought that Akane Fujiyoshi was a dead-knocker; and that Takeo Kazuhara was just like everyone else: a simple, normal student. If only he had them back when he was a child, then maybe things might have been different. Without wasting the precious heat from the ceramic teapot, the young man poured himself a cup of Lemongrass Tea and sat down on the same chair he used day in and day out since he first came into office as the youngest Student Council President all those months ago. He smiled and took a sip of the slice of heaven brewed by angels, stopping only to let out a soft sigh of contentment that seemed to wash away all his disappointment from before. The window caught his reflection that was illuminated by the setting sun, a handsome visage of a young man whom his female colleagues referred to as one who possessed both a classical and erudite appeal, wrapped in an elegant booby-trapped box and sprayed on with poisoned cologne. He did not know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult, but either way, they were right. His appearance had always been a problem as far as he could remember, but he knew he did not have a choice and chose to accept the cursed handsomeness that was given to him by whatever gods that may be. “It matters not how straight the gate nor how charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate; the captain of my soul.” “Beautiful words from William Earnest Henley, if I do say so myself,” spoke a female voice with an elegant soprano tone that made Takeo stand up with a start which caused piping-hot tea to spill all over the white polo shirt of his chosen attire that day. Instantly, the young man found none other than— Back to the Present… “—AKANE!” Yuichi blurted out as he shot up and met Annabelle’s extended sign of friendship with his own. His face might not have said it out loud, but it was obvious that from his reddened cheeks that he was embarrassed that he had shouted out another’s name. Hopefully the beast-kin did not take the act as an insult, but he explained the act just to be sure in order to prevent small misunderstandings from blowing out of proportion. “Oh… ahh… sorry about that. Akane is my… personal secretary from work. You remind me of her, I think, since she was nice enough to… introduce herself to me without the usual fanfare associated with my name,” clarified the pretty-boy. “My name… is something you could probably find out for yourself. I do not doubt you could dig me up as easily as looking through my in-game handle. After all, it is all over the newspapers and online medical supplies websites. If not, then it should – a few of New York’s hospitals are going to get a major tech upgrade from us as a goodwill contract of sorts, along with an experimental medical procedure yet to be unveiled. You probably would never believe it though…”
Initially, Anabelle was confused about the sudden blurting out of a woman's name. It was evident on the expression painted on her visage. But, as their hands met, she trusted him when he served an explanation which she promptly and without an iota of doubt accepted. She was in no position to question it anyway. Despite the fact the blushing of his countenance spoke of something else, she reposed her trust on him and his words. However, it was just saddening that despite her full disclosure of her personal circumstance, the Human seemed not to give out his name too easily, even if he just masturbated in front of her minutes ago. Though with what he said, he seemed to be a quite a popular fellow in highly sophisticated yet a stressful environment. Christianna could tell it by how he described where she could find his name. Only a few people were that big in the society whose photographs were in the papers if not every day, aside from criminals, their victims, and publicity-hogging politicians. After the handshake, she retracted her hand. "Sadly, I have no idea of what you were talking about. It has been weeks since I have been in a... what you can call a confinement in my house." She looked around, bitterly, before continuing, "this has been my reality, as I said before. I have not been watching TV or reading papers. I haven't even gone out of my house because of the extreme gossiping of my neighbors and bullying from other beautiful and fully-abled women, aside from the fact that my wounds could still be fresh. So I apologize, I do not really know what company or who is the man behind this company having a deal with the hospitals in the West. If you do not intend to give out your name, that is fine. I just thought it would be nice to know each other since we're friends. Even after what happened earlier, you know, the ---- " Anabelle shaped her right hand into an O and shook it up and down a couple of times before stopping and finally, smiling, as bright and warm as the sun in the real world, "it'll be nice to know you." Other than the sound of the waters, there was silence. She wanted to hear out what Yuichi has to say. ------ In the dark room where Christianna lay down, a smile was held on her visage, and it was right before her mother and her older brother. The elderly lady, this time, was confused. Her daughter, who was just crying earlier, has now a beam on her lips. The odd fact was, since the incident that took the young brunette's limbs, she never smiled like that. Those who were in the room felt it was genuine, and it struck their hearts with warmth and glee. "Ji-Yeon is smiling," Christianna's mother stated the obvious, denominating her daughter by her Korean name. "Have you seen it, Ha Jin? Ji-Yeon is smiling again." She wondered what was happening in the game, and desired she could see it as well. Whoever or whatever made her to such gesture was someone good for her condition, and to her mind, should remain in her life. The man nodded, but after some time, the warmth he felt became an excruciating pain in the heart. He could not accept the fact that something made of binaries and codes could draw such sincere smile from her, while he and the others tried their best to do everything within their power to draw from her the same, but failed. He sighed deeply, and just took a slice of apple in a bowl set on the side drawer before her bed and bit it. ----- Suddenly, an odd sound echoed Monokage. Not afar the pool, light danced in a single space forming a circle, until it disappeared to show that a naked burly man just teleported in Monokage. His skin was tan. He had grayish hair, with his sideburns thick and long enough to reach his trimmed beard. He was one of those who were coveting for the lady Felin outside, licking his lips upon seeing her luscious body. He soaked in the waters, like anyone else would do in the baths, but then found his corner and drew out his weapon, stroking it slowly but his actions indeed disturbed the waters. "Oh do not mind me, just do your thing. Come on, show me what you two got. I'll just be quiet in my corner, that is if you don't mind sharing your sex goddess with me."
Yuichi sighed upon seeing Annabelle doing the motions to simulate what he just did before in order to explain his point. He was annoyed and embarrassed at the same time, but his stony face failed to convey his real feelings since he was not used to openly expressing his emotions for all the world to see. “Could you… please stop doing that, Annie?” he asked in a slightly commanding tone while his eyes averted away from what Yuichi saw as an act of outright humiliation. He shook his head lightly, trying to shrug his irritation off as something of a training period for this ‘friendship’, for the lack of a better word. Nevertheless, the young man would have his chance to show his emotions then with the arrival of an unwelcome newcomer who brazenly waltzed into the waters and began prurient acts Yuichi himself would rather leave to memory. The man looked like an uncouth barbarian, a full head taller than Yuichi or Annabelle, with facial features that immediately pegged him as an unbridled pervert. Detestable as he may be, what was more apparent than his prurient intentions was his body build – he must have outweighed Yuichi by a considerable margin with those great slabs of tanned muscle that radiated with the pungent musk of an alpha male, sheathing his big-boned frame. His baritone voice boomed with a mocking tone of command, nearly fooling the pretty-boy into thinking that they he had a choice on the matter at hand. He had, of that he was sure, although he just wondered what the other might do should he decide to exercise it. In a complete reversal of roles from before, it was Yuichi now who pulled the Felin’s naked body closer to him; his embrace an iron curtain that protected the beast-kin’s dignity even as they pressed naked against each other. “Have some respect, you imbecile,” he chastised in a stony tone that held no semblance of the vicious sarcasm of the burly intruder’s. “This is a hot spring, not a Turkish bath house. The only raging homosexual I can see here is you.” Razor-edged words of retort came out of the avatar’s mouth as smoothly as any of his contemporaneous speeches; a personal skill he had developed from heated board room meetings and insufferable experiences from holier-than-thou rivals whom he often jousted with in a tit-for-tat display of intellectual one-upsmanship. Seasoned in the arts of scathing remarks that hurt more than any punch or kick, Takeo knew how to deconstruct his opponents and use their openings against them. Sure he might get a few licks in from the other, but wounds caused by swords heal faster than those from words. “And please,” he continued, “put that toy away; you might hurt someone with that toothpick. The effect of too much steroids, or maybe, you are just into big-bodied character models with less-than-impressive endowments. Equivalent exchange, after all; more muscles up top means less down below – and it shows. Or not. I can barely see through the mist.” Despite his outwardly aggressive mockery of the rude newcomer, in truth, Yuichi tried his best to discreetly inch his way out of Monokage with the naked Felin in tow. Each step nearer to the exit was a godsend, and should they succeed, he would not doubt that the perverted player-character would not find it so easy to display his desires in front of an entire tavern full of people. While it was true that Yuichi was unbound by normal moral codes, he doubted that the man was as brazen as he was with TerraSphere’s unwritten rules of society. He was a normal human – that was what Yuichi was betting on. If not, it would be an awkward sight to deal with a horny naked muscleman raging out for having been denied his direct source of lust at that point. “Just follow my lead, please,” whispered Yuichi. “Do not think anything of this act as something beyond trying to prevent ourselves from being unnecessarily killed. Just do as I say, and with luck, we might get out of this unscathed.” Meanwhile, as the two were trying to renege from a potentially dangerous situation, an unexpected development had occurred. Ignored and unaccounted for in the time Yuichi had focused on Annabelle, the spectral whale merrily did its own thing and swam around the general vicinity of its owner. It bellowed and clicked, then blew its blowhole without a care until its artificial intelligence detected movement from its master and proceeded to do what it was programmed to – follow. Unfortunately, its position in the hot spring area was directly behind the large intruder; and upon its quick dash, shot forth through the mist and straight towards Yuichi and Annabelle. That was not the problem though; the headache came from the fact that, in doing so, it made as though the burly pervert had just ejaculated a whale. Coupled with Yuichi’s previous insults, there was little chance the man would shrug the act off as accidental which, ironically, it was. Murphy's Law had come into play...
'Annie', this was what Yuichi called Annabelle despite the fact it was the first time for them to know each other. For the man, it might be a trivial matter, perhaps a way to refer to her without bothering himself to go through the task of uttering another syllable, but for the Felin it had a deeper meaning. For her, it was a symbol of reposing trust and an expression of a desire to deepen and strengthen the tie of friendship they forced to knot upon themselves. It left a warm, fuzzy feeling deep in her chest that elicited a smile on her visage --- a genuine smile that, as noted by her mother and brother back in the real world, has left her for a long time. Anabelle hoped that this interaction would not be one of those which dissipates once the character logs out. She was willing to shed her anonymity for the sake of bonds, this one in particular, in order to aid herself to move on with her life and to 'cure' whatever that made her aloof of people. However, the smile was stolen by the sudden appearance of the burly man with raging hormones. His perverted desires could be gleaned on his glossy eyes, which was staring right through the woman despite the mist covering her physique --- it was as if he could see through it. Coveting the young lady with cat ears, he gently handled and stroked the evident sign of his machismo and started to fantasize of owning the lady, not until Yuichi snatched her away from his sight and wrapped her in his embrace to cover up their bodies. His body was warm, as the avatar was a real human. The embrace was tight as if the man was telling her indirectly that everything would be alright. That she was safe in his arms. Anabelle wanted to relish in that idea, if only reality was not too harsh for making anyone easily notice the reality of the situation. The pretty boy spewed insults after insults, something which was unlikely of his outward appearance. They were like daggers stabbing through the flesh of the brawny fellow that he stood from his position and gnarled. Clenched fists, he roared, "Who do you call a homosexual? And toothpick? Please, your mom's dick is larger than yours!" His words were not as refined as Yuichi's, nor as well-thought which said a lot about his intellectual capacities and his lack in the art of bickering. "Hah, but that's all you can do. You're just pretending to be strong and brave enough to protect your girl because this is not a PK zone. But don't worry, I will fix that!" He opened his palm menu and gave it a few taps before suddenly, the spectral whale came out of nowhere and distracted him. It further made him noticed that the insults were made so his attention would be swayed away to the fact that they were inching towards the exit. "WHAT THE HELL? ARE YOU REALLY PUSHING MY ---- Oh look at that...." Anabelle Zhang wants to duel with you. Do you accept? <Yes> <No> While she was embracing Yuichi and heard how the situation was worsened by the insults threw upon the stranger, Anabelle made a quick move and sent a duel request against the stranger. "Look at that, your girl wants to duel with me. She wants some pounding from a real man! Hahahaha!" The catgirl tightened her embrace and drew her lips on Yuichi's ear to whisper, "I'm sorry but I can't let you deal with the situation on your own. I am thankful that you protected me, but you just logged in here in Terrasphere, a fresh character you are with masteries down at beginner level, whereas I have a week of experience. I am not belittling you, but I cannot just let him duel you with at that state. Besides, it's me whom he wants. You've been in trouble ever since we bumped into each other... so run when you can, okay?" Her soft lips landed on his cheek, planting a firm kiss, a sign of gratitude. A couple of seconds passed before she let it go and continued, "Thank you Yuichi. It's a pleasure meeting you. I earnestly thank you for trying to save me." Then, she loosened her hold of her savior so she could be his deliverer. OOC: Hidden Body combat - Trained Geomancy - Novice Hunting - Beginner
Annabelle’s gesture that was supposed to elicit some kind of gratitude and acknowledgement fell dead upon Yuichi’s cheeks, his heart dropping at the thought of someone else sacrificing themselves for him so easily, and worse, in a situation he himself had created. Never in the young man’s life did he ever been so ashamed of himself and angry at another for taking the initiative to risk safety for him, especially when he specifically told Annabelle to just follow his lead – that frustrated him the most. They were already so close to escape, but for some reason or another, she chose to do an unnecessary act which now put her in a precarious situation. It did not matter how she justified it; to Yuichi, her act was completely uncalled for and only worsened what was otherwise a manageable situation. In the moment in time where he had come to know Annabelle, he had never pegged the Felin to have a martyrdom complex when they first met, but now that the stakes were relatively high, he could see how selfish – or what Yuichi could gleam as selfishness – the beast-kin was. It felt strange to see the person whom he could loosely call a friend waltzing towards whatever it was that fate had in store for her. It was not painful, but it surely was annoying, as the virtual avatar itself expressed by shivering out of sheer frustration. Yuchi’s fists balled tight and dug into his palm, his fingers becoming raw from the friction of being constricted so much. The feeling of powerlessness tore at him from the inside. As the Felin walked away from him into the waiting opponent who had less than pure intentions in conducting the fight, Yuichi just stood by and accepted the logic presented to him. It was true – regardless of how he personally felt about the entire situation, the reality of the matter was that he was too weak to actually be able to do anything about it. He barely had an understanding on the basic concepts of the game itself, and even then, what he had only stemmed from a porous reading of the game guide he had forced upon himself just so he could summon his spectral whale companion – useless bits of information that helped little in the current situation at hand. It pained hi— —“That is it…” The eureka moment came like a jolt of lightning; Pain – that was the answer. He had read it somewhere while scouring the voluminous game guide; there was an option in the game where one could switch the degrees of pain a player could feel during gaming sessions. The first option was the default one, where the amount of pain was mitigated by eighty percent for those players who would rather have a realistic game experience without the realistic sensation of pain, fatigue, and hunger. Then there was the second option, the one aptly named ‘Realistic’ where players would be able to feel pain on a genuinely life-like degree, allowing them to literally experience everything TerraSphere had to offer. As to why anyone with a sane mind would even want to imbue such an option into their in-game experience, there was a small incentive for those daring few who do – they would earn Mastery Points at a stacked rate, effectively doubling any points earned in exchange. That was what Yuichi was banking on. Before Annabelle would walk away farther from his reach, Yuichi reached out to her and once again put her in an embrace not only to prevent her from walking on to what he could imagine as an inevitable duel between two stacked-deck fighters, but also to force her to listen to what he had to say before anything else happened. “Last as long as you can,” he commanded, his voice now stern and cold from knowing the consequences of what he was planning to do. “Last for thirty minutes or more. I am begging you, last that long – that would be all the time I would need.” With those words, Yuichi let go of Annabelle and ran out of Monokage to execute his plan. There was no time to lose; every second counted. This is… what friends do. That’s what she said. Back at the Bar… Patrons of all races and ages turned their heads when a fiery young Yuichi came thundering in with the most audacious of requests. They blinked and they hung their mouths agape, some even choked on their ale upon hearing the incredible suggestion the pretty-boy had offered. He did not look like he was joking either, as evidenced by the fire of determination burning within his deep brown eyes. He could not blame them though – $50.00 in real world money for each person who would successfully beat him up in a duel? And a first come-first served no less? It was like he was just asking for a beating. Yuichi, a newbie, was taunting every single person there – some of whom probably leagues above him – to pummel him into the ground. He even bought several gold-worth of stamina and health drinks just to facilitate that unusual request. “Come on then,” the pretty-boy goaded again, “just beat me up and see yourselves fifty dollars richer! Single, multiple, party – whatever! Just hurry up; this offer is just open for the next thirty minutes!”
Thirty minutes was all Yuichi was asking for. The embrace and the words uttered implied that after the said time he would come back for her. The realization made the Felin frown. That was not what this sacrifice was for. She wanted Yuichi to escape and never come back, and just let fate decide when their paths cross again whatever the outcome of this duel may be. She wanted him to be safe as he was just new to Terrasphere and, well, was it not that friends keep each other from harm? Before Anabelle could raise a protest, it was too late. The brown-haired pretty boy was already out of sight, and ---- The duel was declined. Surprised, the Felin once again pushed the same buttons to send the duel invite as the refusal might be some kind of an error, like due to inaction for a certain time frame. But, no. It was quickly declined by the burly stranger. "Now, now, dear," his baritone voice resonated Monokage. He trudged the waters, each splashing noise brought a shiver down Anabelle's spine. "Your scared boyfriend left you alone. Now, it is just you and me. No need for us to fight..." Her knees were shaking. Regret clouded her head --- she should have just followed Yuichi's command. Maybe if she did so both of them were outside Monokage, or Yuichi could have declined his own fight request. Maybe they were two here and not just her trapped in this miserable place with a guy with raging libido. Despite this, she managed to inch farther away from the incoming inflamed man with spear ready to tear down the flesh of its prey. Once more, but now in panic and teary-eyed, Anabelle sent another duel request which was instantly denied. "I am not here to hurt you, darling, but to pleasure you~" The lady turned away from him and ran towards the exit, but only to find it futile as in a snap he was already there. He grabbed Anabelle's wrist. Free hand immediately shot up to slap him but he was able to catch it. Trapped. He firmly gripped her and slammed her against a nearby wall. He drew his face near her neck glistening with water and sweat, the distance made Anabelle want to throw up due to the strength of the undesirable scent of his musk. Tongue slithered along her neck, giving the stranger a taste of her sweetness, but in turn made the woman shrill. "LET ME GO!" demanded the catgirl. "LET ME GO PLEASE!" "Just when I have you already by myself?" the burly man retorted as he bit her neck. Anabelle cried in pain as she squirmed. His lips let go of her flesh as he continued, his breath brushing her skin. "No~". At that moment, Anabelle was bathed with kisses along her collar bone, before switching to finally finding its way to the pink center of one of the twin hills that was once just reserved to the still inexistent man whom she would offer herself to. He licked and suckled them alternately as an excited but greedy child would to lollipops. Anabelle screamed in disgust, fear and repulsion.
Yuichi Ichinose10 HP MAX HP5 EN MAX EN The thick, irony taste of blood filled Yuichi’s mouth and coated his cheeks as he leaned onto the bar heaving bellows that strained his bruised and beaten chest. His entire body did not fare any better though, with wounds and injuries that would rival that acquired by any victim of a serious car accident. Thirty minutes was not much time in terms of length, but when put under situations of extreme stress and duress, the ticking of the clock could not come any faster. That was certainly the case with the brown-haired martial artist who had just completed another round robin of fights – too much to count at that point – that left him reeling in pain to the point of tears. He grit his teeth and bore it for now, eschewing the pain to expend the last portion of his energy to drink the green liquid that had saved him time and again from the brink of death. The shaking body of the weak brown-haired youth hid an inner strength that pounded in his chest. He had already been through a lot, and by his own status counter he viewed off-hand while waiting for his strength to get back up again. So far, Yuichi had been engaged in official Duels ninety-seven times, with some lasting as quickly as a few seconds to the longest one – a full minute – under constant bombardment from all sides. His party duels count was staggeringly high for a new player, with thirty-six for 1v5 Duels – the highest Duel handicap allowed – and 61 1v2 Duels, with each participant counting as a single instance of Dueling. Takeo had noted all the names of those who accepted in the interim, and promised he would send the agreed upon amount within the day. Then again, he wondered how such people could have taken his word at face value so easily and simply assumed that money was less important to them as relieving stress. He just had to count on that for as long as he could. Besides, based on his personal display, he was already near his goal despite the hellish amounts of pain that he had endured within the last few minutes. Just a little more, he motivated himself, turning once more to face a waiting crowd as new Duel requests were given once again – this time to a bunch of new arrivals who had just heard by word of mouth of the deal and knew that it was too good an opportunity to pass up. “Alright then, one more time.” 1v2 Duel… Yuichi Ichinose100 HP MAX HP100 EN MAX EN Yuichi grunted and pushed through the last batch of pleasantries before he would fold up his offer, his world-weary gaze one too tired to even make a simple gesture beyond sending a Duel request that was readily accepted. The last two challengers looked no more than a few hours old after creation, yet their fiery miens told him all he needed to know about human greed. Yuichi stared at the other player-characters, his brow lowered as he made a quick assessment of each with the little time he had before the fists and the swords started flying. The two character models in front of him were fresh-faced young, as if they would be more at home reading poetry at a country manor than in some hut on the beach of a bandit-infested town; completely opposite to the harder, sturdier brand of sell-swords and fortune-seekers that occupied every square inch of the health center, nor any of the thick-necked bruisers like the lump of meat he had left Annabelle to deal with for the time being. It reminded him of why he was doing this, but the reason for going so far for a total stranger – that was what he wanted to know even more. They had just met, but something about the player behind the Felin made him see her as a comrade of sorts – someone so similarly distressed with the handicap they had in the real world. Yuichi left it at that for the time being, for now, the two newcomers came at him with swords drawn and bloodlust in their eyes. Yuichi sighed and swept his feet to the side, the pummeling he had received already granting him enhanced reflexes and speed to the point where he had come far in the short span of time he had to buttress his meager stats. His mind floated, yet his purpose was clear, as his body remembered and learned from every yank and stab; every punch and kick it had to endure for Yuichi. The feeling was exhilarating, but the martial artist was too bogged down to appreciate it – he simply wanted to maximize the remaining time he had to score in some bonus points than the one he already had. When the first swing came at him, the fighter extended his already-parted feet and slid forward with a crouch, expertly fumbling the two who had rushed him. Then, using the momentum he had built up, he directed his body counterclockwise to spin one of his attackers around before he hit the floor, twisting his hand in the process and breaking it with a well-timed twist of his wrist. Practiced in not letting opportunity slip by, the handsome brawler instantly lunged for the remaining assailant as soon as he incapacitated the other’s sword-hand, moving to the downed swordsman to step onto his back twice before bounding up to deliver his full weight down on the latter’s head with an axe-kick to the neck. Too weary to notice his swift routing of the new challengers, it was only when the system informed him of a victory that he was forced out of his trance-like state. His eyes widened in amazement – the first and second Duel he had won out of a hundred – to the point where he needed to pinch his cheeks just to believe it. It was only once he had ascertained the veracity of the congratulatory message did the martial artist declare his offer closed before rushing back to the bath house to return like he had promised. Inside Monokage… A man possessed came through the warp portal with a solid and steady gait, his eyes steely and hardened from what he had to go through in the last half-hour. Gone was the aura of a neophyte he had before, and what came back was that of a monster who was baying for blood. His grit teeth and knife-like slits bore the mark of a demon who had awakened – the first signs of life from a long-dormant sense of self that not even Takeo knew of. This was not just an avatar walking now, but in more than one sense, the very embodiment of a man’s determination combined to create an existence that transcended virtual and reality all at the same time— —and he would make that clear when he kicked open the door to Monokage to take back what rightfully belonged to him. “SCREW THE TAXPAYER, I HAVE HELL TO PAY!!!”
Deafening cries echoed Monokage, one that had persisted for a while already but remained unheeded. Resonated was not only the noise, but the hopelessness, pain and anguish... of anger towards two people, one being herself. Only the walls of the bath house knew of how the woman pleaded for mercy, for her chastity to be spared, 'anything but that', however everything fell on deaf ears as the spear he wielded pierced through her flesh and all other orifices to secure his victory in this carnal duel. Only the waters witnessed how much she struggled but in vain. Not even the violent act of biting body parts or scratching one's face worked. It only made the stranger more heated. And now, there she was. Behind the curtain of mist revealed the source of the wailing, a blonde woman coated in a mix of different fluids curled on the stony ground while embracing herself. She wailed for the flower that was forcefully plucked and brazenly shattered by the advocate of darkness. The once pristine white flag symbolizing purity was soaked in blood and torn to pieces. She was left alone now that the man was satisfied of getting the spoils of war. She was left alone to suffer by herself. Lying down, Anabelle weakly raised her right hand to wipe away the tears from her visage, and then opened the palm menu. She was ready to give it up... give Terrasphere up by logging out and give up on life itself. She had contemplated how to end it when out of the blue the doors of Monokage shot open. A familiar baritone voice mixed with the sniffling that echoed the place. It was Yuichi Ichinose. The act he did to open the door drove the mist away, making her see him from beside the pool. The once heterochromatic gaze that was filled with life and light was nothing but emptiness and pain and they befell upon Yuichi. "Y...you came back..." she whispered, forcing herself to stand up. Her knees were shaking. Blood was dripping down between her legs. There were bite marks on clavicle, blotches on her stomach area, hand prints on her wrists and neck. She sobbed as she ambled forward, shaking hands reaching for the brown-haired pretty boy who seemed to faced hell as well. Once she was near him she fell on her knees, it was up to the man if he shall catch her or let her. "You came back!" she cried. "Carlson... His name is Carlson... He left a while ago..." Then she bursted to more tears that made her next words more incomprehensible. "He raped me... He forced me... I tried to save myself... But he is physically stronger than me... He forced me... I don't know what to do now... Even in Terrasphere.... they rendered me broken... In real life and here... I'm useless... Broken... how am I to live now...." It was only then she noticed his bruises. She placed her warm hand on his cheek and asked, "w-what happened to you? Why are you with all those wounds? Why didn't you just run away and not come back?" Even if her hands were shaking, she brought out her wooden rod and went through the list of spells she has. In exchange of her own 40 MP, even if it weakened her further, Anabelle healed Yuichi. Both of them covered with blue light as the spell took effect.
Yuichi’s warm, calloused hands caught Annabelle’s naked body and held it close to him despite the sheer amount of unmentionable liquid which coated her physique. It was the only thing he could do at that point since the young man had no words he could think of that could even begin to express the alien feelings of regret and guilt he felt throb deep inside his chest. Thoughts of possibilities flooded his head, thinking of what he could have done better so that he could have prevented the horrible tragedy from coming to pass. However, such painful musings came too little, too late, and what was left for him to do now was to pick up the pieces as best as he could. The young man did nothing but hold the Felin for as long as she cried, although he himself could not even begin to fathom the horrible feeling she was fighting through every tear drop that traced her beautiful visage. He could not take the pain away nor did he even try to pretend that he could – none of his learnings or knowledge could have helped anyway. What use was talking about formulas and economic theories to a person who could never get back something that was stolen from her? What could any honeyed phrase quell to the despair she felt in the deepest recesses of her soul? Nothing mattered now – all that was, is, and would be had been destroyed in the short span of time he was gone. No magical spell would ever heal what had been damaged, and nothing would ever be the same again. But still, life goes on. Sometime Later... After an undetermined amount of time had passed, Yuichi finally spoke after he exercised the simple courtesy of waiting for Annabelle to cry out her pain until it wet the long sleeves of his shirt. His voice was steely and arctic as usual, but despite that mechanical tone, the slight tremble in his voice expressed everything he wanted to say even if the speaker himself had no idea what they were. “He will pay. That I swear.” The phrase was simple, yet every uttered syllable was charged with the righteous fury of a man who had been offended beyond words. It was the tone of pure and unadulterated hatred, not only for himself, but also, of his own powerlessness to prevent the heinous actions of one single person against someone whom he considered a friend, or something close to it. He did not know what friendship entailed at that point, yet somewhere in his rage, he felt that it was only natural to avenge what had been done by whatever means necessary. Even as a child Takeo had been taught that justice meant fair play and equality, but even if he was never schooled in the way of retribution, human nature itself needed no scholar to teach him how to plan for revenge. Despite a strong desire for revenge having been lit in his heart, Yuichi still had the sensibilities to place Annabelle’s needs above his own; in the meantime, at least. He was someone whom she considered her friend – whatever the empty word meant to someone like her – and it was imperative for the prince of tactlessness to, now more than ever, exercise the proper tact in the hopes that it would help comfort the grieving victim of sexual violence. Thus, with almost a loving tenderness in his hands, he lifted the Felin up and went into the water waiting hot water so he could begin washing away the disgusting effects of the crime. Yuichi began with Annabelle’s legs, firmly yet softly, as he used his hands to slowly massage the tension away as best as he could manage given his numerous experience in having relaxation massages in real life. He stayed silent all the while, hoping that the beast-kin would not interpret his actions as pining of sexual interaction since that was the farthest thing from his mind at that point in time. The same hope was likewise depended upon when he moved to her back and chest, taking extra care to massage the hot water into the Felin’s skin and her prodigious breasts, before moving down the to the arch of her back and upward to the base of her neck. In the short span of time he began, the simple Felin had become like a goddess being attended to by a faithful servant of her flock, venerated and adored in the silence of his duty. Every action expressed reverence and respect, yet in an unintentional way, it was a confession of his own sins – to put himself below her, begging for forgiveness for not being able to save her when she needed him the most. “I can only do this much,” Yuichi spoke almost mutely. “I can… only wipe away… the dirt. But.. you are not dirty… and if anyone says otherwise… I will beat them up… because… I think that is what friends do…” A short sigh came afterwards. “I do not know how this friendship thing works… but… if it means being there for someone… and helping them get through tough times… I think I can manage that. It is the least I could do… after…” A bead of water trickled down his face. Whether or not it was from the steam that filled the air, the water that soaked him to the bone, or from his own bitterness towards his own powerlessness, was something up for debate, for not even Yuichi knew where it came from. Only that it was justified.
Time stood still for Anabelle, who was plagued with the memories of the past and the questions of the present. Torn in the middle of flashbacks, what ifs and whys, while it did stop her from crying, the maiden was pushed to numbness. Not even the soothing warmth of the pool waters nor the caring touch of the man could bring her back to senses. She was forced by her mind to recall, in Yuichi's every touch, every second of molestation done against her... how the hulking man grabbed her long hair and squeezed her neck as she attempted to squirm and adjust herself for her to be able to keep the gates of heaven away from him, how he punched and threw her around when she spat at his face once asked if she liked how thick the forceful key was, and of how her delicate body was mushed and squeezed in a way only an animal engrossed in copulation could do. Cacophonous noise took over her auditory senses, but she could detect from them which ones were from the man who laughed at her misery and called her in many deregatory names, and hers who pleaded for her liberty and cried out to the high heavens in hopes she would be heard by the said man or anyone, for anyone to save her. The illusory voices, if one would call it that way as none of them really existed at that moment, drowned Yuichi's own words. Lost in trance, her azure and golden orbs fixated at a point past the other person in the room, while all of these happen to her senses, Anabelle was also caught in the web of questions in her head. She asked herself what wrong did she do to deserve such a fate? In the real world, the truck driver who ran over her causing her to become a double amputee was never caught. In this make-believe reality where she was whole, she was made broken by another stranger, and the same would never be placed in incarceration or its equivalent. She would not be avenged, or so she thought. The beast-kin could not comprehend why of all people, such misfortune befell on her. She also questioned her personal beliefs: "If there was really a God, why did He allow this to happen to me? Where was He when I was begging to be saved?"; and her worth: "what now? This filthy me would never be accepted and loved anymore. I would be laughed at... at looked down... stepped on... filthy me... What should I keep myself alive?" The silence between the two lasted for minutes. Unconsciously, Anabelle allowed Yuichi to cleanse her body tainted with various bodily fluids, but she was just not with him that moment. That was, until he touched the base of her neck. The Felin flinched, thinking she was going to be choked once again, and hurriedly pushed her body away from the Human boy. The manner of moving her arms and legs to keep a distance from the brown-haired man disturbed the waters. She cried, but tears were not falling from her puffy eyes anymore. She embraced herself, and curled in a corner of the pool, shaking her head. "Please, spare me. 부탁이에요 (butagiyeyo / Please, I beg you), don't do this to me. I'll do anything but please don't 'hurt' me." She drew her fingers to her lips and anxiously bit her nails until they bled. "부탁이에요. 부탁이에요. 부탁이에요. Sir, 부탁이에요. My friend Yuichi has to see me 'whole' ... please..." Anabelle frantically shook her head. "부탁이에요." Then, she stopped. "I'm dirty. Yuichi should see me clean. I don't want to worry him." Anabelle took a scoop of water using her hands and rubbed it against the reddening mark on her neck while sniffing and sobbing. "부탁이에요. 부탁이에요. 부탁이에요. "
Eyes widened at the pitiful sight of the once proud Felin, shivering from sheer terror of what she thought he was going to do before desperately cleaning off illusory taints crafted by the traumatic experience she endured. She scrubbed herself like a woman possessed until her sun-kissed skin grew red from the intensity of her actions, even if Yuichi could already see streaks of crimson follow her hands with every motion. She mumbled incomprehensible English all the while, her thick Korean accent finally showing the full range with every soul-crushing utterance. Takeo himself was not a linguist nor did he invest any time learning any additional language beyond English, Mandarin, and German, he did not need to – the tone in her voice already told him everything he needed to know. Yuichi slowly rose to his feet with an expression of calm fury that spoke volumes of the damage the tragedy had dealt to the young man. Gone from his face was any kind of emotion – complete and barren – save for a hint of hatred paradoxically expressed in a small, but genuine smile of utter contempt for himself and his shortcomings. Seeing Annabelle destroyed a portion of him and made him lose hope of whatever social project he had planned for himself in TerraSphere. What had been supposed to be a tool to allow him to empathize with others has now become a medium by which he would exercise his wrath – a corruption of Yuichi’s original plan, but in its own way, an effective one. A surreal feeling washed over Yuichi’s virtual body as if resonating with its player’s own, the thumping in his chest slowly becoming less vibrant and more controlled – mechanical – and calm as if taking on the traits of a predator out on a hunt. Emotions both familiar and alien likewise transformed to fit this new paradigm by which the avatar looked at his world, as eyes that were once confused became filled with dreadful purpose while reflecting a scene of abject horror its gaze would never hope to see again. The fighter wanted to come forward and comfort the Felin in her time of utmost need, but he knew that whatever he did from that point on would be hopeless. She had been shattered beyond repair, and as cruel as it might sound at that point, the best way to help her was to actually leave her alone for the time being. “If that is how it is, then I shall see you later, Annie…” The thought of leaving Annabelle again pained him, but he bit his lip and committed to the idea; after all, she was in her own world where nothing he could do would reach. She needed to calm down and deal with her issues by herself, and he knew it. All the young man could do was to stand by and ensure that she would be safe when she left Monokage – at least, with that aspect of her slow road to recovery, he knew what to do. Rather, it was the only thing he could do— —and so, he would do it. Back at the Bar... His body is made out of an unlimited number of blades… Mind clear and unafraid, Yuichi warped out into the middle of the health center with a cold and stony gaze complimented by an eerily peaceful half-smile. It had already been a few hours since that time, but the martial artist still felt the lack of emotion as if it had just happened only moments ago. He cared neither for safety or death – nothing mattered anymore, except for one thing: revenge. Everything else in this game was just secondary, from the experience to the tool for self-improvement; not when Takeo knew that a maniac was running around beyond the reach of justice. Now more than ever, Yuichi needed Takeo’s single-minded ruthlessness to succeed, despite the irony of the fact that it was now the player who would teach the avatar how to deal with society than the other way around. Craning his head to the right, he saw some vaguely familiar faces sitting in the corner; one of those who eyed Annabelle with lust from before. Neither of them were Carlson since the monster’s image was burned into Yuichi’s memory like a mental scar, but they would do nicely for an opening act – a sacrifice to the now-awakened predator who baying for blood of the man who wronged the person Yuichi loosely considered important – more than the rest, anyway. Flipping open his user’s tab, he swiped and typed in a few details to send each of those who were in the vicinity for a Duel request. They looked at it incredulously, jesting upon themselves that Yuichi was once again looking for another round of pain and anguish. They were half-right; Yuichi did, indeed, ache for violence and pain – theirs; and he would be damned if he would be denied the opportunity to apply his new martial knowledge against proper targets. He did not care if they were unrelated to Carlson nor if they knew him personally. What mattered was that he would see them bleed, and with their battered bodies, carve out a name for his own. A nightmare.
Useless. Worthless. Troublesome. Three words that echoed in Anabelle's head, along with the discordant laughter from men only she could hear. It was what she thought best described the broken her: useless, as she could not escape this heavy feeling that paralyzed her. Worthless as what she had been guarding for a long time was forcibly taken from her, her worth as a woman diminished. Troublesome, as she had caused this pain upon herself. It was her fault because she existed. The fierce rubbing of her skin to remove stains that blotched her entirety, or so what she could see, turned into violent scratching since her nails dug deeper into her flesh. From the streaks of burning red in her sun-kissed skin came pearls of crimson. Her wounds cried the red tears the same time those from her eyes rolled down her cheeks, one after another. Heavy was her chest, like the skies that turned gray at that time. The wind was cold, but it stung; it etched in her heart how much she was alone that time (she was oblivious of the fact that Yuichi already left Monokage, the same way she was oblivious that he arrived as for a moment she thought he was a different person. Her brain was playing tricks on her. She shooed away, without her knowing, the only person who could have comforted and understood her. It was saddening how the Felin was too self-absorbed that moment). The rumble of thunder echoed. Anabelle crouched in her corner. Her hands enveloped herself as she sobbed a little more, mourning for the she who died minutes ago. Then, as raindrops slowly graced the earth, the Felin was lulled to silence. Nothing could be heard from her, even her breathing. One could only hear the 'pit' and 'pat' of rain. Motionless she was as her eyes were fixated on a certain spot adjacent to her, the exact location where she died. Her mind, from being loud and rowdy, turned blank. ---- An hour elapsed before Anabelle blinked. The whole roofless Monokage was wet from the rain that has just stopped. The clouds were still heavy-looking and gray, though. The Felin sniffed as she looked around. Heaving a sigh, the young woman forced to pick herself up and dragged herself out of the waters as she sniffled. It was only then she noticed one thing... She was alone. Every hair in her body rose upon the realization, the fear that Carlson would come back for her festered her mind. Hurriedly, she opened her palm menu and went through her friends list to find no one was there. F*ck, she thought. How could she forget to send a friend request? Thus, with his name memorized, she searched for it and sent a friend request, along with an immediate message: Mail I'm sorry. Please come back. I... I need you. From: @Anabelle Zhang "Please.... please reply...I need to hear from you those words again..."
Yuichi glared at the spot where he came to know Carlson sat in, his bruised and cut fingers dripping with crimson lifeblood, both his own and from those he had challenged into a four-way battle. “That went easier than I originally thought,” said the brawler in an expended tone in-between huffs, a shrill of hysteria hanging after his words as if being elated with the damage he had brought upon those he challenged. He had finally managed to grasp the basic tenet he needed to adhere to in order to exact merciless revenge against Anabelle’s assaulter, as evidenced by the clear display of bestial strength the brown-haired pretty-boy had clung to for strength. Before him were three corpses, all lying face down in a pool of their own blood; their once light-colored skins now deathly pale and veiny from the brutality of Yuichi’s newfound fighting style. One person had his throat ripped out, with pieces of meat and gristle still hanging in thin threads off the gaping hole in his throat that – from the jagged cuts that tore through the flesh – was done by teeth. Another had his neck twisted in a full circle, the thick neck muscles strained to the limit, visibly elongating the victim’s neck, as if the assailant had actually tried to rip the man’s head off his shoulders with brute strength alone. The final victim suffered the most out of all of them present, his stomach violently ripped open from the belly button, with the cadaver’s innards splayed out in a mess and stomped on to further desecrate the corpse. While Yuichi had originally kept to his word upon winning the duel, the awakened beast inside of him wanted retribution from those whom Carlson had interacted with. Fortunately, almost miraculously, the game system itself seemed to support his road of vengeance as even Yuichi was surprised that he could kill Carlson and his entourage without incurring any penalties, much like how one hunted for Player-Killers. He surmised the reason for it having been something of a hidden game mechanic as the programmers, contrary to his earlier assessment, actually expected that sexual freedom within the game would also allow for some degree of sexual assault to be committed. From what he could tell, it was not like an open bounty like how it was with Player-Killers, but something darker – to preserve the victim’s privacy and to prevent the offender or anyone he had significant contact with from knowing. Again, this was just Yuichi’s own assessment; if he was wrong, he would not mind breaking a few rules and bend a few morals. After all, what was death in the game but a temporary affliction. As long as he did not push his assumed boundaries too far, he would be acting within his prerogative to execute vengeance on behalf of someone who was registered in his mind as a ‘friend’. While the fighter recovered from the shock of his constant fighting, his heads-up-display informed him of an incoming message from Anabelle. Upon opening it, he read the contents which, while short and simple, contained a plethora of hard emptions that drowned the pretty-boy in guilt at his own helplessness. He knew that he was the reason why the Felin had become like that, and had he only stayed there by her side, then maybe the incident with Carlson could have never done the sickening deed towards the beast-kin. The thought further added fuel to the flame, but now, the raging hot red had become an ice-cold blue – the hotter rage powering hate-filled fists into action. “I guess I should clean myself off,” he muttered to himself, ignoring the carnage he had wrought upon the bar with as much attention as a child would to the insects it had killed with overwhelming force. He asked the bartender to warp him back to the hot spring just as Anabelle wanted, but he doubted that she would have wanted to see him in such a state as he was now. Yuichi did not care anyway; nothing else mattered at that point but Conrad Carlson. The fighter warped in like a blood-soaked apparition fresh from his own murder. Blood and bruises anointed his skin, marring his face with grime and gore. His stance that had once held a regal mien now lurched forward slightly as if trying to alleviate the strain from his legs which, too, were battered and bruised. He had survived a three-way melee of his own design, but despite his physical victory, Yuichi felt like he lost something important in the process. Still, a win was a win; and winning was all that mattered. “Sorry, but you might want to talk to me some other time. I need to... clean up,” mumbled the young man upon seeing the female Felin, the expression on his face a lazy half-smile that contradicted the violence Yuichi had clothed himself in. He was like a demon with an angelic face – a promise of bloody death embodied in a beatific smile of false salvation. [Exit]
Words from a particular person were all that were needed to crumble down the silence that enveloped Monokage; his baritone voice was enough to shatter the panic and anxiety that shielded the cat lady from any actions, thoughts or sensations that could lighten up her heart. The heeded prayer was revealed right in front of Anabelle as she turned to meet the one who spoke. The very image of the brown-haired salvation soaked in unholy blood and grime of retribution somehow caused even a slight relief to the Felin... albeit she was unaware that the crimson smears were from the crimes he committed just outside this den in search for justice. It seemed that it did not matter for her. From her eyes, one could not find her adjudging him or questioning why his hands were full of lifeblood but only the solace brought by his presence. All that was important to her that moment was he finally arrived. Sluggish tiny steps turned into a sprint, water splashed onto the rocks that lined beside the pool as she mindlessly reached for him whom her heart and mind tagged as the way to deliverance. And, without a care if his sins would stain her pristine skin, her bare physique pressed against his as her arms enveloped him into a warm and tight embrace. "You're back!" exclaimed her, resting her chin on his shoulder. For the first time after the ordeal with Conrad Carlson, a beam could be seen on her countenance, something akin to a silver lining on low, gloomy and dark skies. She lightly shook her head, peeled herself off him and allowed her dual-colored orbs to pierce through his blank ones. "It's alright," her voice was soft but trembling. She paused for a while, let her hand traveled from his shoulder to his cheek to take off the specks of crimson fluid which soiled his seraphic countenance. "It doesn't matter... please... Don't leave me all alone again." The plead was sealed by pulling him closer to her once again and wrapping him into another embrace which was tighter than the first to drive home her point. And with it, with blood on their skins, the weight of the world and the many iniquities hereon out would be shared by two. [Thread End]
