//------------------------------// // Episode 7 - Rock Candy // Story: EQG: Sword Art Online - Aincrad // by Mindrop //------------------------------// Floor 2 December 11 Bladescape was sick of the oxes, officially known as Trembling Ox or Trembling Cow. They were relentless and their targeting zone was further than Bladescape thought. They had been pounding away at them; in the savannas and in the canyons of the northern plateaus. There were other creatures, but the oxes were the most numerous and worse than the others by quite a bit. Bladescape was in the south of the floor, partied up with Backbreaker, Astro, Thunderborne, Knightstar, and AFCK. They had traveled south because AFCK had insisted they did. Pinkie Sense was their only reason for being out so far. They had packed high durability food and water, and they had to rest in the field because there were no safe zones. Which meant a constant vigil, always.The fighting was intense at times. “Fun is above!” AFCK exclaimed. She somehow still had energy. “The highest mountain brings the highest fun!” “Of course,” Backbreaker groaned. “I guess up it is.” They climbed up, AFCK leading the way. It was very steep terrain. It took them two hours to scale the near cliffs. Bladescape was a taking up the rear and behind by a decent bit. “HUT!” AFCK screamed with excitement. Backbreaker pulled Bladescape up over the top. They were near the summit. Further out there was a single hut. AFCK was already halfway bounced there. She didn’t stop bouncing. “NPC!” AFCK exclaimed when she got inside. “I SMELL A QUEST! I ACCEPTED A QUEST!” Bladescape never even got to see the inside of the hut as the NPC led them out and around back. It was a giant boulder. Bladescape was trying to catch up still and missed the exact details. “I ACCEPT!” AFCK exclaimed. “Pinkie!” Bladescape shouted. She was frustrated and she decided to focus AFCK by using her real name. “Focus! What did you accept?” “I get to break that big rock!” AFCK said with a jump. “With my fist!” Bladescape shook her head to clear it. “Um, you haven’t even punched a single enemy in here. Doesn’t this sound like a better task for BB?” “Or me?” Thunderborne scoffed, ticked off she had been left out for strongest player once again. “No sillies! Of course you can’t. Its a nearly unbreakable rock after all.” Before she could continue explaining, the NPC painted whiskers on AFCK’s face. “FACE PAINT!” AFCK said, jumping up and down with pure enjoyment. “Pinkie!” Bladescape yelled, interrupting her mid jump. “Focus. What makes you think you can break that rock?” “Because, don’t you remember what PPTS said?” “PPTS?” “Duh silly! Pony Princess Twilight Sparkle!” “No Pinkie, we don’t,” Thunderborne groaned dramatically. “And now you have those whiskers on your face until you do break it.” “So? How is that bad?” AFCK asked. “I don’t see a downside to any of that.” “Focus,” Bladescape said, chuckling. “We came all the way out here to follow your Pinkie Sense. And now you have face paint on. And you are supposed to break that rock with your fist?” “Well, PPTS said that PPP grew up on a rock farm! Rock farm! A farm for rocks! How cute? I didn’t even know rocks could have babies but I guess they can. Wait, its a farm, so they grow rocks? AJ what do rock seeds look like?” “Pinkie,” Bladescape sighed, as they lost AFCK. “Rocks don’t…never mind. What does any of that have to do with this quest. That’s another dimension, not Virtual Reality. It’s not the same thing. Not even close.” “But,” AFCK said drawing it out. “If PPP can do it, so can I! Its a game after all, silly! Plus, we didn’t come all this way just for face paint! Well, you didn’t, I always do! I never pass up free face paint. Face paint is fun!” “Is that permanent?” Bladescape asked the others. “Yep,” Thunderborne nodded. “Until she breaks that rock, its stuck on her face. Although, it's not the oddest thing she has ever had painted on her face.” Bladescape dropped onto the ground, groaning. “Then we now have a mouse in our group. Permanently.” “No, silly!” AFCK giggled. “Watch!” AFCK bounced over to the rock, drew her hand back. “ROCK PUNCH!” AFCK couldn’t scream she was in so much pain. She dropped to the ground. Knightstar dashed over and waved her shield to try and give her some air. “ROUND TWO!” AFCK suddenly declared. She jumped up and stood in front of the rock. “RARITY POWER POSE! POWER STRIKE!” AFCK’s fist stopped at the rock. “Owe,” She squeaked. “Come on, AFCK,” Backbreaker said. “Let’s pack it in for now. We can figure this out later. Its not like you will hate wearing the face paint.” “One more chance,” AFCK whined. AFCK faced off against the rock. She was as animated as ever despite how serious she was. “Okay rock! You, me, throw down! Do you have taffy? I can’t find any taffy here. Stop hiding the taffy. Give me that taffy!” AFCK raised her fist by her head as she slid into a position to give it the best cross she could. “ROCK CANDY SMASH!” AFCK scream as her fist glowed in sparkles. The punch rocketed forward in a glorious explosion of colors. It connected with the rock with a loud bang. AFCK kept her fist there, despite nothing happening. “It didn’t hurt,” AFCK smiled as she looked over her shoulder. “But I guess we will have to come back. HEY! My fist is stuck? I can’t move. Like, at all.” “Lets all pull her off of it y’all,” Backbreaker said walking over to AFCK. They all stacked on AFCK. It took them a good ten seconds before they ripped her off the rock with a pop. “Awe,” AFCK whined. “I so wanted it to-” CRACK! “Rock Candy!!!” AFCK exclaimed, clamoring up to her feet and stumbling to the split rock. It immediately turned to a whine. “There’s no candy in this rock! Why did I break it? What was the point?” AFCK broke down crying. “I WANT CANDY. I HAVEN’T GONE THIS LONG WITHOUT CANDY EVER. OR SUGAR. REAL SUGAR. I’VE GOT CANDY WITHDRAWAL.” “Well done!” The NPC exclaimed. “We got incoming,” Backbreaker warned, louder than what the NPC was saying. “Two Trembling Oxes.” “I WANT CANDY!” AFCK said jumping up, furious. “I CALL LEFTY! I’M GOING TO GIVE IT THE ROCK CANDY SMASH!” Bladescape and Thunderborne scrambled after AFCK. Astro and Knightstar set up behind the stalwart Backbreaker. They didn’t catch up to AFCK as her fist lit up in sparkles. “ROCK CANDY SMASH!” The ox took the blow to the head and was blasted into polygons. AFCK was frozen in the punch’s follow up position well after the polygons had dissipated. “Umm, I can’t move,” AFCK said. “Why can’t I move?” “That would be the delay after using a Sword Skill,” Bladescape reminded her. “The higher the difficulty, the rating, or higher number combo, the more of a delay. Which leaves you open to counter attacks. And you are definitely frozen.” Bladescape tapped the frozen AFCK on the forehead. “Powerful attack, horrible side effect.” AFCK finally softened up and began to bounce around screaming with delight that she was free, and warm. They headed back to the others. They had systematically destroyed the Trembling Ox. “Its a long trip back,” Backbreaker said. “But uh, what did you get from breaking that rock?” “Umm,” AFCK said pulling up her menu. “He said it was a skill. Um, oh! Here it is!” AFCK pulled a classic Pinkie Pie and rotated her menu around to face the others. Menus were protected from wandering eyes by their proximity and inability to be read through the other side. You had to purposefully poke over someone’s shoulder to read one. A usually noticeable act. AFCK’s menu had already been seen following her around when other’s would have automatically closed, but this was new. Apparently, some things even Virtual Reality couldn’t break. “It’s already plugged in!” AFCK explained. “I got a new skill! It says, Martial Arts. Cool! And a new slot!” “Why is it pink?” Knightstar asked. “That’s not a normal color for these menus. Not even close. Try switching it.” “Okay!” AFCK said leaning over her menu. “That’s funny. It won’t let me click it.” “So, its locked in,” Knightstar said, thinking. “Interesting. We are not due for our next skill to unlock until Level 12. I wonder if you will get a new skill then.” “Come on,” Bladescape said. “Unless Thunderborne or Backbreaker want whiskers until they can break that rock, we should get moving. We need to get back to the others. Its going to be a tough fight.” “I am not touching that rock,” Backbreaker laughed. “That rock will break my back. I may be strong y’all, but not that strong.” Thunderborne snorted and grinned. “I may be stronger than BB, but I’m not that dumb. I got better things to do than punch rocks.” “Then we should be helping to clear the Second Floor Labyrinth,” Bladescape said. “It won’t be much longer until we find that boss room.” Bladescape (SS): Lvl 11– Two-Handed Sword – Search – Weapon Defense Knightstar (TS): Lvl 11 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Equipment Appraisal Thunderborne (RBD): Lvl 11 – Rapier – Sprint – Agility Backbreaker (AJ): Lvl 11 – Shield – One-Handed War Hammer – Extended Weight Carry AFCK (PP): Lvl 11 – One-Handed Axe – Parry – Cooking – Weapon Defense – Martial Arts Diemond (R): Lvl 11 – Shield – Mace – Tailoring Doombunny (FS): Lvl 11 – One-Handed Dagger – First Aid – Hide Astro (PS): Lvl 11 – Two-Handed Spear - Purchase Negotiation – Armor Pierce Kiefer: Lvl 9 – One-Handed Curved Blade – Parry – One-Handed Weapon Creation Lessa: Lvl 9 – One-Handed Sword – Shield – Light Metal Armor Joltron: Lvl 9 – One handed Axe – Shield – Light Metal Armor