Sword Art Online: Eclipse

Oneshot Special: Lisbeth's Birthday

"I think you have the wrong idea," the player said. She stumbled back into a table which knocked around some of the items on display.

A flash of pink hair swayed in front of the confused customer. The fiery young woman was dressed almost deceivingly like a waitress hiding her grimy occupation as a blacksmith. Her freckled spotted cheeks were hot embers glowing with anger towards her guest.

"I'll have you know this is my best work!" She exclaimed with boastful hands placed forcefully on her hips, "If you don't like the spear, then take your money, and get the hell out of my shop!"

"Look, miss, you must have misread me! I simply stated that finding «Sparking Armament Stone»s from the «Floor Thirty-Five» boss would be great for making the «Integral Series» weapon!" The girl was now edging around the table as if moving slowly would not provoke the infuriated blacksmith in front of her.

"You don't think I know that?" The weapon-maker shot her hand out and grasped the cloth of the player's shirt, "Do you know how much of grind those stones are? Besides, this spear here is just as good as any «Integral Series» weapon!"

Frightened the girl's eyes darted back and forth as if questioning whether or not to speak her mind, "But, it can't be upgraded as much. Right?"

The shopkeeper shoved her customer back with all of her strength, which slammed her against the entrance to the player shop. Shaking, the girl fumbled for the handle and swung open the door. She revealed another player with two ponytails held by twin red ring baubles.

"Run!" The girl warned the new player, before she darted out of the shop, leaving the door wide open.

The approaching customer stepped in casually and cocked an eyebrow at the fuming blacksmith, "Run, Liz?" Her voice was high but filled with a judgemental tone.

"Mm-umm-hurgg," Lisbeth strummed together a string of grunts as she cooled herself off. The small girl took note of the spear that was tilted in Lisbeth's grip.

"Liz, you gotta learn how to take constructive criticism," she sighed then placed her elbows down on a nearby display table and opened her inventory.

"I can take criticism!" Liz shouted, then in a weakly restrained voice, "She was just had bad taste and a lack of good judgment."

"Isn't that redundant?"

"Isn't that redundant?" Liz mimicked, clearly steamed by her friend's unhelpful comments. She reracked the loose spear in hands before returning to the player's side.

"Oh, well that was," the girl mused at the conversation. Then a bag swirled in front of her as she closed her inventory, "Here are those «Darkened Armament Stones» you wanted from the «Floor Sixty» boss." She let loose a shudder, "You better buy me lunch and dinner," she remarked, "that thing was scary."

"You think everything is scary Silica," Lisbeth rolled her eyes, "how was the dagger I gave you?"

"Really good, thanks," She replied and tossed the bag to Lisbeth who fumbled with it before she caught it, "But really, we have to work on your peoples skills Liz because you are scaring away customers. I think that was the fifth one in three weeks."

"We can't all be adorable little girls Silica," Liz huffed.

Silica frowned and shot Lisbeth a glare, "I am thirteen," she said with wavering confidence.

Suddenly, a smile flickered across Lisbeth's face. She placed a hand on her chest and looked at Silica with a playful glance, "Well today is my birthday, and I turn seventeen."

Silica sat bolt upright, "Today is your birthday?!"

"Yup," Lisbeth said, enjoying the positive attention.

"Why did you tell me? I would have gotten you something!"

"You did," Liz shook the bag Silica had given her, "and it's such a lovely gift."

Silica frowned, "You wanted a couple of stones from a boss drop?"

"Yes ma'am," she gave her friend an exaggerated cute face, "Thank you."

"But why? Don't you want anything else?" She glanced over to the back of the shop where Lisbeth kept her forge, "You are such a workaholic."

"I am not!" Liz protested, "I just like making stuff. It's kinda grown on me after all this time."

"Making stuff," Silica quoted as she started waving her hands to match her speech, "isn't there anything else you want to do?"

Lisbeth thought for a moment, the bag sinking into the open palms of her hands, "Mmmm, not really. I don't know what it is, but I just really like how it feels to craft something so meaningful and useful to someone, you know?"

Silica gave her friend a concerned, but supportive shoulder touch, "Not really."

Lisbeth titled her head and sighed, "I didn't think you would, I guess it is hard to explain. But in all seriousness, once we get out of SAO I can't think of what I want to do anymore."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's just, if I am not doing this," Lisbeth gestured to her shop, "then what else can I do?"

Silica shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with the uncertainty, "Well if you keep chasing off your customers you won't even have that job here."

Liz nodded reluctantly and started to inspect around her shop for anything out of place, "I guess you are right, I could work on that."

"Well, are you hungry?" Silica asked with an exasperated exhale, "Cause I won't let my birthday gift be just some pebbles an ugly stone statue dropped." Then she grimaced in realization, "I guess I am paying for dinner then."

"Silica, I would love that, you are officially my second favorite thing about this game."

Silica's bright baubles flashed red as she gave Liz the evil eye.

"But I can easily arrange you to be the first," Lisbeth laughed as she dimmed the lights in her shop. She slipped her arm through Silica's, despite the height difference, as the two girls set off into town. With Lisbeth's favorite person in hand and her joy for her craft overwhelming her, she easily forgot the game she was in could kill her.