Survive the Swordland - [IC]

[Sora1297]

Mercanor nearly gave Alex a dirty look for telling him to head over and talk to the new girl but he knew he was right, in a sense. However, it seemed weird... Almost like a trap that tried desperately to draw others in from their own lives and possibly end them... Something sinister was afoot with this girl. Suddenly, he felt a warm and gentle feeling on his arm that surprised him, but felt very nice and supportive. He turned to see Lena standing beside him, offering him a weak smile as she offered the slight note of relief. Mercanor smiled and gently patted her back in a way that almost said 'thank you for your concern, but I'm okay' and nodded silently as he drinked from his mug again. When Lena had gotten up and walked over to them, then took a seat next to him, he felt like a complete asshole for what he did earlier. Looking back, he was affected hugely by the near-death-experience, but he had no right to take his frustration out on his friends, let alone the girl in his group who almost burst into scared tears when the announcement was made.

Gently, he moved an arm to her back and patted it softy as he noticed some tears beginning to swell her eyes and offered her a supportive smile. "Hey, don't worry Lena... We're here and we're safe, that's what matters... Um.. Also, sorry about what happened earlier... I really shouldn't have done that... You know, walked out and said those things.. I guess I was just a bit scared, but then again, who isn't? But don't worry... Its not gonna happen again.." he said softy and comfortingly, remembering his vow to keep his friends close and help them as best he could through this troubling event. Mercanor flashed her another quick smile, looking at her kindly, before he turned to look at the girl and took a deep breath. "Hey um, yeah I'll take care of that... I'll be right back, okay? Order another drink if you want, I recently came into some Col, so its on me." he said with a small chuckle to Lena as he slowly walked over to the table where the girl sat, against his better judgement, and coughed into his fist, gently shaking the girl. "Hey, uh... Are you alright? I'm Mercanor... What's your name?" he asked kindly, knowing that he was now contributing more moral support to others then he was himself.

However, as he spoke, his mind drifted off to things he would never have expected them to dwell upon and he chuckled slightly as the thoughts and images flew past in his mind, taking note of their overall message. I'll look into that stuff later... Right now, these guys need me and I need them.. ALL, of them..

[Animal]

Lily stopped her crying and wiped away the fake tears from her face then silently lifted her head up looking straight at Mercanor. It seems none of them know who I really am...perfect... She thought as she tried to smile at him "My name is Lily..." She mumbled with a frown on her face still pulling off the deeply troubled girl look. "A friend of mine died along the way here..." She said wiping her eyes again. "It's just all so sudden, we just wanted to have fun...we didn't know what we were doing..." She whimpered looking straight at Mercanor now with wide eyes.

It was all part of her plan to get someone to feel some sympathy for her, but Lily was aware that Mercanor was wary of her considering it took someone long enough to approach her. Deep down her inner demon wanted to bite their heads off...but she stayed cool for now.

[Sara Boo]

Lena nodded silently as Merc made his say towards the stranger at the other side of the room. As Merc began to speak with her - of which Lena could only catch bits from this distance - she noticed the slightest twitch at the corner of the girl's mouth, one so small it must have been past the girl's control. It was evidence of a hidden smile, one she didn't want to show. Lena frowned. Of course, perhaps the girl was just happy to have someone go and show concern. That was probably it. At a time like this, with every player striving for survival, it was no time to start trying to point fingers. The girl was obviously distraught, and she would need support.

Unable to hear a good portion of the conversation, Lena turned to the other newcomer, the girl that had already approached, and smiled. With their dwindling numbers, Lena was grateful for the extra company. "Sorry I didn't really introduce myself. It's nice to meet you, Winter."

[Sora1297]

Merc noticed her frown and tried to be supportive, but came off as very awkward. He gently patted her back, being slightly cautious as to not weird her out, before he pat her back supportively. "Its okay.. I-We, lost somebody on the way here too.. At least, I HOPE we didn't lose them... She was a good friend and teammate, but she went out alone and I'm pretty sure she..." he stopped himself as he began to think. No, I can't be like that. Aegis is alive, I know she is... he thought as he took a deep breath and fought back tears thinking about his M.I.A companion.

He smiled at her supportively and said "Hey, why don't you come join us? C'mon, no need to be shy..." he said, gently pulling her to her feet before he walked towards the group. "Alex, this girl needs some fine drunken company, make it happen!!" he said with a smile, patting her back hard before he walked over to a window table, grabbing Lena by the shirt slightly as he dragged her there. "Come on, I'll buy you a drink.. I honestly need to talk to somebody I know who's totally sober" he said before he grabbed another two mugs. They finally got to a booth at the window and he sat on the opposite side, before he slid one over to Lena, raising it slightly in a toast. He drank deeply from it before he set it down and looked at her, obviously holding back some sort of conflict deep within himself. "Rough day, huh?" he asked as he drank.

[Animal]

Lily's eyebrow twitched noticing Merc was trying his best to be supportive, but honestly it was annoying her with his constant patting. She listened in what he had to say about his friend he supposedly lost at the moment and just as she was about to give a response to Winter, she was unexpectedly dragged over to the other table. "I'm...Eh?..." She let out feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sudden change of pace now.


She was pushed forward a little from Merc's rough pat this time as she looked back giving him a glare noticing he already left now. Her attention went over towards Alex pouting a bit wondering how he was going to make it up for that idiotic friend of his. She sat down quietly having one leg over another and her arms crossed still glaring at Alex now using him as a lightning rod for Merc.

[Lennon79]

Alex had given Merc his best sadistic grin as the other player headed off to talk to the lone girl. That’s right laddie, pay your penance. He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, watching Merc awkwardly try to cheer her up. Some part of him was quite happy to see him in a difficult spot; he knew it was petty, but it felt good to have a bit of payback for the worry Merc had put them through. When he brought the girl back to their table however... ‘Drunken company eh… Well sod it, being drunk is my current speciality.’ He gave his teammate a Look, implying that words would be shared at some point, but for the moment he poured a second tankard of moonshine and passed it to the girl. ‘Top’o the morning to you lass. As my fine associate, Merco has suggested, I am pretty wasted.’ His friendly grin turned a little leery. ‘And I insist that you join me in inebriation.’ At any other time he might have been more gentle but at the moment, drunk and mentally fatigued as he was, Alex just wanted to share what joviality (and alcohol) he had.

[Sara Boo]

Lena was admittedly rather amused at Merc's failing attempts to comfort the girl, but more so she felt guilty that he seemed so uncomfortably stuck. Even the girl, who had been so distraught just a moment ago, seemed distracted by poor Merc's attempts. Apparently unable to take much more of his odd predicament, the boy quickly ushered the girl over to their table - much to her chagrin, it seemed. The girl took to glaring at Alex - which didn't sit well with her - but Lena had little chance to smooth the situation as Merc took her by the sleeve and led her off.

Lena settled into the seat, puzzled as to why he had brought her along. Sure, she was sober (to some degree - she had been drinking at a slower pace, but it was alcohol nonetheless), but something else seemed to be on his mind. Taking one last glance at the table - wondering if the girl had outright murdered Alex yet - she settled into her seat, admittedly glad to have the time with Merc after his disappearance earlier. She gratefully accepted his drink, and raised it to his toast, before taking a small swig of the cool liquid. As she lowered her glass and looked to Merc, she could see shadows cast by his worried expression. She leaned forward slightly, ignoring his question. "Hey, are you alright? Did she say something to you? Did you get hurt while you were gone?" The question was rather irrelevant, as his health bar was still in a decent state. Injuries no longer counted here. But it was still the only way to convey her worry at the moment.