SAO Living and surviving

[Caits]

Shakuntala, or Suki, had been so excited to get, and play Sword art online, especially after working hard, saving money, and waiting in line for longer then she cared to remember, that she had just dived straight into the game. She had got a free guidebook, and began to train, to acquaint herself with the game and look towards gaining the skills needed to work well in this game.


When it was revealed that this was a death game, initially, she was distraught. But she had enough sense to head to the next town, finding an Inn to stay in for the night, and resting. She rose early, and she began to make her way to the boss's labyrinth, undertaking quests and defeating monsters. Right up until she got stuck in a dungeon. She had stopped for a minute to rest, and drink a health potion, when she was set upon by five dire wolves and three goblins.


She realised she was in a bind quite quickly. There was no way she was going to get out of this by herself. She was fast, and quick to attack, but there were eight enemies. she could probably kill four, but the other four would take her down.


"Help" She called, as she blocked an attack, and attacked herself, spinning about and tucking, rolling out the way, and stabbing a wolf three times, causing it to shatter and disappear. One down. Seven to go. Suki was fighting for her life, and she was losing.

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack was down in this very dungeon doing his usual level grinding with his sword and arrows. Every since this death game started he actually thought this was just another obstacle in life. Then when he got done with a few goblins and wolves he began to head out.


Then he heard the cry for help. He actually debated just leaving them and continued walking. He didn't know them, but he couldn't just let some one die. He then sighed and equipped his bow and began to sprint in the direction of the cry for help.


When he arrived on the scene he sighed and and notched an arrow and sent it flying killing one wolf. He then equipped his sword and rushed the group. Luckily for him he was a beta tester so he knew their move sets and pattern. Then as he was fighting he said," You should go back now rookie."

 

[Caits]

Suki narrowed her eyes, "I'm not a rookie. I just got overwhelmed, walking arrogance" She said, turning away, "I killed four. You killed four. So I'm not a rookie." She said, and turned away, deciding not to thank him for helping, but then her better nature got a hold of her, "But thank you" She continued in the dungeon, drinking another health potion, and looking about warily, keeping her rapier at the ready.


she went about 3 metres, before she sighed and turned around. and faced the guy that had saved her. "Really, thank you. I'm sorry for my attitude. I would have been dead if you hadn't helped me. I'm Shakuntala, but you can call me Suki" She said, and smiled slightly, trying to be nice.


She looked about, keeping her attention on what was around them, ready to pounce at a moments notice, just in case something tried to sneak up on her again. She bit her lip and waited for the guys reaction, brushing back her hair out of her eyes.

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack just we rested his broadsword on his shoulder and waited and counted down from three as she turned away from him. He didn't mind the attitude he just thought it was funny. He then smiled softly as she turned around and faced him. He then chuckled a bit and sheathed his sword and turned around.


He then waved without looking back and said, " Your welcome suki." He then began to walk forward and after a bit he stopped and pulled out a transport crystal and said," Going it alone in a dungeon is dangerous. Try join a guild or a party first." He then tossed his transport crystal over his head to her.


Then as he walked away he said," Try not to die. I hate to waste a transport crystal." He then chuckled and kept walking like he didn't have a care in the world. He wasn't at all upset, even if this was a death game he treated it like every day life since it began.

 

[Caits]

Suki blinked, looking down at the teleport crystal "I already have one. And I haven't finished in this dungeon" she said, looking up. "If going it alone is so dangerous, then why are you d-" she didn't finish her sentence, seeing something moving in the shadows. It seemed too small for a dire werewolf, too four legged for a goblin, and it definetely wasn't a frenzy boar.


And it didn't look like the guy had seen it. She was moving before she even thought on it. Her agility stat was perhaps the only thing that had kept her alive so far, and she was in front of the guy, facing the creature, her rapier in hand. The creature stepped out the shadows, and seemed to have a quizzical look on it's face. It differently wasn't a dire wolf. But it was in that family. Not seemed that it was more dog then wolf, and it bared it's teeth at Suki, sniffing the air.


It seemed to want something from her. Curious, Suki knelt, and let it sniff her hand. It did so, and she smiled. She opened her inventory, and took out some meat, offering it to the creature. The creature are it up quickly, then sat in it's haunches, it's tail wagging fast, and tongue lolling.


Suki laughed "well, aren't you friendly" she said, blinking and looking up as she got a message


congratulations! You have earned the status beast tamer!


She looked up at the guy that had saved her. "Not bad for a rookie, huh?"

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack knew what was in his the shadows thanks to his tracking skill which doubled as a hunting skill. He then petted the dog and said," Well in my option beast tamer isn't the coolest of classes, but hey do what your natural at." He then patted her shoulder.


Then as he walked past her he said," My names Jack by the way, and keep the teleport crystal you never know when you may need it later." He then re-equipped his bow and stopped and debated for a second before putting a hand in his pocket and said," I'll let you in on a little secret."


He then turned around and grinned a bit and said," The reason I am a solo player is because I was one of the beta testers." He then chuckled and said," I'll see you around suki. Try not to get yourself killed Ok?" He then notched and arrow in his bow and head off down the hall towards taking out a few monsters, and by the time he reached the exit he had leveled up to level 6.

 

[Caits]

Suki just smiled, "beast tamer is the best" she said, rising from her crouch, smiling at the wolf-dog creature. "You need a name" she said to it thoughtfully, before turning to Jack, but he was already go.


She smiled again, and equipped her hiding skill. She was pretty high, at least for the first floor, in her hiding abilities and she was thrilled to see that it worked for her wolf-dog as well. Cooper. That was his name. Cooper. She followed Jack out. Suki herself was nearly level five, and would have kept fighting as well, but she was low on health potions. By following Jack out, she didn't have to fight.


When he reached the exit, she deactivated her hiding skill and said "everyone thinks beta testers are so great, and yet, if they were, they wouldn't just be putting information into the guidebook. They would already be further then is normal players. And yet, here you are, virtually the same as me. Perhaps just a little bit more skilled." She said shrugging "people blame the betas too. But I don't. I mean, a beta test is to find flaws, right? So it stands to reason that they changed the game a bit since you were a tester. You're not going to get everything right, but you are still knowledgable. It's still not a reason to be a jerk and go solo. You could be an assets to someone"

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack could tell she was following after about two minutes he was very proud of his high detective skill. Then when he heard her speak from behind him he chuckled and said," I'm not a jerk and by the way you are right by the way about beta test." he then shouldered his bow and leaned on the wall next to the exit and grinned a bit.


He then said," well i would have been more use if this was a beta, but a beta test is to make sure everything works, but things change from a beta test to a the actual game and i have encountered monsters where their move set and attack patterns have changed. You could call this game balancing since we beta testers would have the advantage."


He then stood up right and said," Well it seems like you need help or something, because i am trying to figure out why you would follow me all the way here and not even help me when I was fighting." he then chuckled and said," Well you can tell me on the way back to the nearest town." he then chuckled and walked through the exit. 
(Bump)

 

[Caits]

Suki was comforted by the presence of Cooper leaning against her. It thrilled her that she could take beasts. When she had first entered the game, she was desperate to figure out how to become a tamer. She didn't know why Cooper had chose her, but she wasn't going to question it.


"And yet people still think that you betas are at an advantage and while that may be so, you are just a little bit more knowledgable and that's it" she said shrugging,


"Why I would follow you? Because I was alone. Why i did help? Because I have two health potions left. And I wanted to train my hiding skill some more" she said with amusement, as she walked with him. "Beside, you gotta have friends right?"

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack shrugged and said," I do IRL, but none of them wanted to get SAO or even try the nerve gear. So I guess I am just going to have to make some friends here in the virtual world." He then chuckled and looked at cooper and said," Well I guess you have someone to help you when your fighting."


He then said," I remember in the beta test that the highest level beast gamers could tame dragons. Well I assume that would be your goal." He then decided to change to his dagger, he hadn't really used it that much. So it's level was kinda low.


He then felt himself grow a bit hungry and they were getting close to the town so he looked at Suki and asked," Want to join me for lunch. It's my treat and I might as well start making some friends here." He then smiled warmly at her and put his hands behind his head as he walked.

 

[Caits]

Suki smiled and looked down at Cooper. "I've always wanted a dog" she said, "but my mother would never let me get one. I love animals" she said, looking up "Cooper can help me if he wants, but I don't want him getting hurt. dragons? Really? Awesome!" She was excited about that and tried to imagine flying on the back of a dragon.


It was an excited thought.


"Food sounds just about perfect. And I'm too polite to knock back a guy paying for my food so thanks" she smiled and laughed, heading to an inn she saw as they entered the town,Cooper trotting along happily behind her "I was home schooled, so I don't really have many friends irl"

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack chuckled and said," Home schooled huh? Well I was for a bit but then decided to actually go to high school. Way more interesting." He then chuckled and brought up his menu and scrolled from the list of players and realized as he was looking for suki that a lot of the players names have been crossed out.


" Probably the dead ones." He thought to himself. Then when he found Suki he sent her a friend request and the text box popped up in front of her. He then smiled and said," Well consider me your first friend in this death game." He then chuckled.


When he found the restaurant he looked in and saw some guilds starting to be formed and smiled. He was in a guild or two in the beta, and they helped bring in loot and items, but it just didn't feel the same as finding them on his own which was thrilling. He then sat down and said," Order what you like."

 

[Caits]

"My mother is a bit possible of me" she said "I'm going to college this year..:well. If we get out of this world. I was looking forward to it" she said, sitting down "I think she was afraid if get hurt or something would happen to me" she said shrugging


When Jack sent her a friend request she accepted it, looking at what wasavailable to have, and ordered something. She also ordered some meat for Cooper, not wanting him to grow hungry and also wanting to keep it for him later just in case.


She looked about. There seemed to be guilds forming, and Suki was a bit skeptical about them. She thought they were good, but wondered if they would be beneficial "were you in a guild in the beta test?" She asked looking to Jack, curious wanting to learn what the beta was like

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack ordered and chuckled a bit at her question and said," One or two and even that I didn't stay in them long though. I mean it's easier to get money and items from joining a guild and having a business with the guild also makes a good profit, but I found that I enjoyed the winnings more as a solo player."


Their food then arrived and he began to eat and looked over at Suki and said," Well besides guilds their our other beneficial methods. Like if you join a party everyone splits the loot equally and the one who gets the last hit bonus keeps the items. Also, when you get married in here you and your spouse had this thing called shared storage where you each share your items in an inventory you two share."


He then took a sip of his drink and paused for a bit before saying," I hope this information will help you out a bit when you develop your play style more. This game is really more complicated as you dive further and further down into it. The trick is to take it one step at a time."

 

[Caits]

Suki listened as Jack talked, filing it all away, and processing it. Suki just turned 19, and found that the prospect of marriage, even in game, a bit frightening. When she got married, she wanted it to mean something, wanted it to be with someone she loved and cared about, yes, even in game. She looked down at her food, blushing slightly.


"A guild just seems like a good way of tying yourself to others wishes, and suddenly you aren't independent, you are doing what the guild wishes and not what's beneficial to you" she said, starting to eat, giving Cooper some food. "I want to survive this game. I want to love it. I want to do what's best for me, and do whatever I can to help defeat this game" she said


When she finished her food, she checked her inventory. Suki had undertaken a guest called secrets of the medicine forest, and had received an Annael blade when she had completed it. She had finally sold it yesterday-it was useless to her, given that she fought with a rapier and not a one handed sword, and thus she had a good supply of money.


"I need to get some new gear and health potions" she said with a sigh

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack grinned and couldn't help, but think that maybe she was a bit was him." He then chuckled and ate as she checked her inventory and noticed her blushing a bit and chuckled. Then when he heard her say she need new gear he grinned and looked at her before saying," You know I could get you a better deal. I have upgraded my bargaining skill."


He then chuckled and said," I am more useful than for fighting." He then grinned and pushed his plate away when he was finished and just decided to check his inventory and chuckled as he realized he has some extra armor and weapons he didn't need. He then wondered why he thought of this, but he wondered," Would she need this stuff.


He then said," Hey would any of this stuff be useful to you." He then selected the weapons and armor he didn't need and selected the option to give it to her making a box pop up asking what items she accepted. In this stuff of which was about ten throwing knives.

 

[Caits]

Suki looked up at him as he offered to get her a better deal on new gear, and she smiled and nodded "I'd appreciate that" she said, "it's always good to have a bargain, even when you have good savings. I just sold an Annael blade for 25,000 col" she said.


She chuckled at the comment about being more useful then just for fighting. "I know. You're good for food to" she sent him a wicked grin, and leaned back, petting Cooper when he leaned his front paws on her knees. She watched him checked his own inventory, content to just rest for a time. It was nice, just sitting there, talking and scratching a wolf-dog behind the ears.


She blinked when he offered her some gear, studying it quickly when he offered some to her, choosing the throwing knives and some of the light weight armor, "thank you! Can I give you anything for these?" She asked, not wanting to just take things, and seem like a burden. She looked for what she could give him, but aside from potions she had very little she could offer

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack shook his head and smiled a bit and said," I really don't need all that much so just keep what you got. Besides, most of your stuff is probably useless for leveling up my skills, but thanks anyway. He then closed his menu and paid for the food and got up saying," I hope you enjoyed the meal. Maybe next time you can treat me to one." he chuckled and turned away from her towards the exit and said," Well I guess I will see you around. Its late i need to go rent a room. See Ya." he then began to leave

 

[Caits]

Suki nodded, "alright, see you later" she said, looking down to Cooper. She smiled, and rose, to go hunt up an room for herself. Which was not easy, apparently. By the time she got to the inns, there were no rooms avaliable.


She blinked, wondering what to do. She sighed heavily. Unsure what to do, she headed to the market area, buying some more health potions as well as supplies to make her own potions, she also splurged and brought a health crystal. She dressed in some of the new light weight armor from Jack, brought some supplies for Cooper, and then found an inn.


She couldn't get a room, but she settled down by the fire with Cooper, and stared into the fire. She stroked Cooper until he fell asleep, sighing softly, and unconcerned, she began to sing softly under her breath, comforting herself

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack had found an inn across town and enjoyed the room nicely and after a bit he decided to go relax by the fire and he chuckled to himself as he saw who was bundled up by the fire. He then looked at her and chuckled a bit and went over and petted cooper who seemed to like him just as much as Suki.


Then when he saw that she was asleep he decided her would do this one last thing for her. He then picked her up bridal style and took her up to the room he rented and laid her down on the bed and pulled the covers up under her chin as Cooper jumped up and curled into her side. He had to admit they looked so cute together. He then locked the doors and windows to make sure no thief came in. He then sat in the chair and eventually fell asleep.

 

[Caits]

Suki stirred as Jack picked her up but didn't wake, Cooper following along happily as if he didn't have a care in the world, his tongue lolling out and he jumped up the stairs, clearly clumsy walking up them, but did so with no drama.


She curled slightly around Cooper, but still didn't wake. She woke early, blinking at the bright light of the day, and rubbed her eyes. She frowned, wondering how she had gotten into a bed. A quick look around showed her Jack, in a chair, and she blinked. Then she smiled softly, and stretched, rising, careful of Cooper. She went to the window, careful not to make a sound.


She looked out the window, her hair down, and just watched what was going on. She smiled slightly. This might be a death game, but it had so much beauty in it. She leaned against the window, and sighed softly, and not for the first time, she wondered how her mother was doing.

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack woke up looking at the ceiling and then after getting the crick out of his neck he looked around and first saw cooper and smiled before seeing Suki. He then chuckled and stood up to stretch a bit and grinned as he said," You really need to figure out how to help yourself, rookie." He then smiled and opened the window and sat on the sill.


Jack then looked across the city which was already buzzing with excitement. He then looked at Suki and said," It seems like we ran into each other again huh. Just glad you weren't in peril this time." He then chuckled and petted cooper.


He then looked back out at the town and said," I guess I is a good thing I hadn't left for college yet. Who knows how long it would have been till someone found me." He then chuckled and asked," So what are you planning on doing for day two of this death game.

 

[Caits]

Suki rolled her eyes "it's not my fault there were no rooms avaliable" she said "I must have tried four different inns. Even the church was full" she said, not looking away from the window yet, hit shifted as he opened the window, "I was quite fine near the fire. But thank you" she said, shrugging, and gave him a smile.


She petted Cooper seeming thoughtful. The town was busy, which probably stood to reason with close to 10,000 people trapped in this game. She chuckled and said "no, I wasn't. Unless the fire went out of control" she said with a smile, turning away from the window and stretching slightly.


"Surviving mostly" she replied softly "Finding an area to train, or a quest to do" she said "I don't know. Surviving was on my mind yesterday. I don't really know what to do. I feel like if I stop, I'll break down"

 

[Flash100yarddash]

Jack just chuckled and listened to her and said," Well even in this world I would say it would just be like living in the real world. We live and do just about whatever we could have done in the real world." He then grinned and stepped in the side room to change into his gear with his sword equipped. He then sat down and said," While your surviving, I will try and live." He then grinned as cooper sat by his chair and he petted him and rubbed behind his ear. He then wondered what he should do today.

 

[Caits]

Suki sighed, and sat on the bed, Cooper jumping up and resting his head in her lap. "That's the thing" She said softly, her voice pained. "I didn't really live in the real world. I ate, slept, did my school work and read. That's it" She said looking away. "All I have ever done is survive" She looked down as Cooper licked her hand. "Do you know, I had to fight my mother to let me get this game? You now the first thing she will say to me when we get out of this? I told you that game would be dangerous."


She closed her eyes, and said softly, "I'm not even sure I want to finish this game" She shrugged and looked up. "This is more of a life then I have had" She petted Cooper, and looked away from Jack once more, feeling like she had said too much, feeling like she had overstepped some boundry, just feeling stupid.