Progressive Factor II: Lacrimosa Of A Reaper

A Cursed Questline, Part Two

Kirito

The second town on the sixth floor is named Suribus. It resembles southern European-style towns and is entirely void of puzzles. An enormous river runs through the middle of the town, reminding the gang of Rovia. But there aren't any gondolas traveling the waterway. Plenty of bridges, though, in which the party of five find themselves.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" says Jaymes as he stares down at the dark river, the surfacing reflecting the lanterns lit around town. "Can't say I spent much time here in the beta besides the old guy's other home, so to slow down and see this place as it is..."

"You're sounding like an old warrior," Mito jokes. "But you do have a point. Thankfully there aren't any annoying puzzles here or anywhere else on the floor beside the typical ones in dungeons."

"That's great," Koharu says with relief.

Kirito smirks and gestures his head to the town. "Though if you want some to go, they sell 'em in the gift shops."

"I don't," Asuna declares. "More importantly, let's get something to eat. What's good in Suribus?"

"Hmm. Let me think..." Despite his previous knowledge of Aincrad's delicacies, Kirito did not spend much time in the beta seeking out the best places to eat. With the time he had, he spent it on questing and leveling, and if he did "get full," his sister and mom would scold him. For help, he looks to Mito and Jaymes, but they're of no use either, with equally blank stares.

"It's a wrap bake."

"Guaaaaah!" Kirito spins around, covering Asuna in protection as a voice sounds out behind Jaymes. It was the crimson swordsman who yelped. He also turns, drawing his sword and swinging down on whoever spoke. Of course, the system protects the victim, so his sword bounces off an invisible barrier.

The person Jaymes turned his blade on is a small woman in a brown cape leaning against the stone wall of the bridge. Her face is hidden behind a hood and yellow curls, but her identity is easily identifiable by her country accent and whiskered cheeks. She glances at Jaymes and dramatically pouts with a hand to her heart. "What's this? What'd I do to earn this kind of reaction from you, Kii-boy and Jay-man? That hurts. You could have killed me, and what would you do about that?"

"A-Argo... Y-you idiot!"

"S-sorry...We're kind of on edge right now. It's Sneak Attack Caution Week, let's call it..."

Koharu pushes her partner aside and embraces the informant. "Hi, Argo! Sorry about Jaymes."

"Good evening, Argo! I didn't see you in Stachion-of course, you must've been over here already."

"Evenin', Ko, A-chan, and you too, Mito. Well, I'd like ta get my first strategy guide out by tomorrow, but it looks like most of the front-runners are already moving from the main town here to Suribus."

"Of course they would. I don't know about Lind, but I can imagine Kibaou blowing his fumes trying to solve those puzzles."

"Hee-hee-hee! Bingo. And the monsters aren't too tough around these parts...so while I hate ta be the bearer of bad news, just about all the rooms in Suribus are booked. Only the expensive suites are available."

Kirito and Asuna glance at each other. While this might not be news to Jaymes and Koharu, who rent rooms together anyway, for Kirito and Asuna, that is a potential problem. Asuna's idea is fine with Kirito, but now there are two other conundrums; Argo's tip about the rooms comes off as suspicious, for she'd sell any info she finds sellable. The second is Mito, who learned that all single rooms might be taken. That means she'll want to room with Asuna, possibly, and that is a downhill slope.