quest, women [ MARTH ]

[attr="class","pricklebear1"]The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up as to keep them from getting wet. Knelt over at the waist, his fingers running through gravel and water in search of a single shiny object. He had already done this quest once before and wasn't exactly fond of it then as he was now. A sigh escaped him as he stood up to alleviate the pain in his back before bending down again. It was another average day in Aincrad. Though, one thing was different and that was the presence of his uncle. Marth hadn't been aware that he was in the game until the other approached him and even then it was a mild shock. But at least his uncle was here rather than being accused for his absence in the real world. The teen expected a few choice words but was instead taken on a quest to find a girl's locket with his uncle in tow.

This was nice, for lack of a better term. Just hanging out with his uncle.

Until he asked the dreaded question.

"Could I just pretend that girls don't exist," he sighed. "It would probably be a lot easier than the reality."

A certain blond came to mind and his shoulders slacked. Since their meeting, he couldn't get her out of his mind, and it wasn't for good reasons. What she said stuck with him and made him rethink a few things in particular.

"Do you know anyone in the game by the name of Prince?"




goryo

[attr="class","pricklebear1"]If there was one thing that his mother warned him about, it was deception.

Marth had become rather impervious to the effects of silence and the space between conversations. Though, there were times where he slipped up and admitted to things or said things to fill the silence. But when in the presence of his uncle it became a game to see how long either side could remain quiet. He continued sifting through soil and water until the other man piped up. Standing up, Marth looked back at him and then at the space in front of him. He didn't want to give away what he was feeling or make it too obvious that he was curious about the blond-haired fighter. She had been plaguing his thoughts for quite some time and to his delight dismay being free of her wasn't an option.

"Do you know if she's doing alright lately?"

He knelt down and started sifting through again. Keeping his voice light and airy as to hopefully not give anything away. He could only hope.

"I've just been a little worried about her, y'know. Since she's my age and seems kind of emotionally fragile."

Well, he could just tell himself that was the only reason. If he kept repeating it then there was a chance that he'd believe it eventually.



goryo

[attr="class","pricklebear1"]Alarm shot throughout Marth’s body but he resisted the urge to tense up against his uncle’s statement. Of course, he had to give something away especially when he was trying so hard not to. His uncle knew him well so it may have been a lot easier to see through him more so than anyone else. But he was more concerned with the reasoning behind his words rather than him finding out what his possible intentions were.

“Even if I wanted to do that,” Marth said. “Why shouldn’t I?”

Was there something about Prince that his uncle knew which he didn’t?

Obviously, she couldn’t be anything too bad. His family were practically the worst individuals in society that he could think of but they were also his most trusted allies. Even if his uncle wasn’t exactly clear in his words or intentions, he was at least looking out for his best interest. That is what Marth wanted to believe.

His mother’s words were ringing in his head and he pushed it aside in favor of concentrating on the mission.

“Check under some of the rocks."


goryo

[attr="class","pricklebear1"]Marth could have laughed at how serious Goryo sounded. Prince wasn't anything to be scared of at first glance and he didn't know much about her. Well, in hindsight, he could have laughed at him. It was true that chasing after momentary affection based on something that was so fleeting couldn't give anything in the end. Marth knew that. He had seen it too many times in the faces of his peers or adults that he'd observe. Bounding from one partner to the other without any acknowledgement of the chaos that they left in their wake. It was messy and disorganized. Something that he didn't want to be apart of at all.

Turning his eyes away from his uncle, he frowned slightly.

She was the first girl that he met in the game who was around his age. The emotions that she showed and the things that she said swept him up in a flurry of feelings that he wasn't exactly sure on how to navigate through. It had been quick and he found himself falling even going out of character.

Puppy love.

His mother said that he'd feel it at some point and he had. Time and time again. But logic won over adulation and left him in a state of confusion.

Why do I like her anyway?

Glancing over at Goryo, he noticed something glimmering in the water.

"Hey uncle, look right there."

He pointed underneath another smooth rock which was a bit larger than the first that the man toppled over.


goryo

[attr="class","pricklebear1"]If there was one thing that Marth was thankful for, it was that his uncle didn't press on a subject after it had died down. He wasn't sure of what he felt for her but it couldn't be anything serious. Love came in different forms but some were fleeting. The more logic that he poured onto the situaton the less prominent the feeling was. Prince was amazing in her own way or at least for fighting even when she was afraid but he didn't know who she was as a person. And there was a chance that she felt the same towards him in that regard. Shoving the thoughts aside, Marth grinned and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Great! Let's go turn it in."

Turning without waiting for an agreement, the younger player climbed out of the creek and started his trek back into town. He was silent for the most part during their walk to the NPC. And once his gaze fell to the younger girl, she brightened up immensely at the sight of the locket. Marth smiled a little and lowered his arms.

Still hard to believe that they're just made out of data.

His thoughts trailed back to dangerous waters. If his feelings were so quick to diminish then any relationship inside of this world would be —. He silenced his thoughts and looked back at his uncle after the quest details came up signaling that it came to an end.

"Not exactly sure why you think she's trouble," he said. "But I'll be careful."



goryo