Here Kitty Kitty (open/quest)

It's almost more frightening than the reality of the game itself how easily she's getting used to the idea of living in SAO.

Lying back on an empty bench outside, Suzume watches the clouds swell up in swathes of white and grey by with dull eyes, stray thoughts drifting through her mind alongside the wandering breeze. Just like every other time she's stopped to think since the revelation, introspection inevitably leads back to Aincrad, SAO, what is now her life, and of course, the possibility of death lurking just under this beautifully animated facade. She'd panicked when the announcement had first come, yes, but now, only mere days later, that panic has long dulled into resignation of her fate. As long as she doesn't start or participate in any fight, she might actually survive this ordeal. Hopefully.

Hm. With rather morbid humour, Suzume wonders if, should she die, would it be from the game itself? Or would it be from her parents deciding that she's not worth the life support needed. Maybe she'll drop dead any moment now. Maybe these are her last few moments.

Overhead, the sky darkens as clouds begin to gather in a carpet of thick angry grey, a storm broiling in the cauldron of heaven. A gloomy day to match her gloomy mood. Lovely.

In the midst of her delightfully uplifting ruminations, Suzume's ears prick up at the soft sound of a cat's meow. She sits up. Despite what her name might suggest, Suzume actually very much loves cats, and if there is one around her right now, well. Never let it be said that she doesn't look out for strays, especially with the weather that looms before them.

The cat, it turns out, is not a stray. Curled up in the embrace of a young girl, contentment plastered all over its cute furry face, Suzume can't help but feel a little disappointed that she won't get to play with the feline. It's more than just disappointment though, she realises with a start. The heavy, cold feeling twining its way around her heart is an amalgamation of fear, jealousy, desire, sadness, but most of all, it's just crushing loneliness. Despite being an introvert, despite having mostly ignored everyone and everything for the past few days, despite her withdrawal into herself, once confronted with the image of a young girl content with her cat regardless of the deadly situation they're in, Suzume... aches.

"It's going to rain soon." The words spill out her mouth without her conscious decision, quiet enough that they can barely be heard above the rustle of leaves, and for a moment, she doesn't even realise she's spoken. Red creeps into her cheeks once she does register her words however; Suzume fervently wishes that the game had some sort of vanishing feature so that she could teleport away from her social ineptness. Unfortunately, there's no simple solution as such, and she has to plough on ahead in all her awkward glory. "You should... probably head inside. If you don't want to get wet."

She should probably shut up before she makes the situation worse. Stranger danger, and all. Surely the girl has been taught all about what to do if a stranger approaches without warning. The cat was decidedly not worth all this.

...see, this is why Suzume spent the last few days avoiding people.

deltra of gangnam style