More Than Pixels (Kiurial & Lunaris)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Kiurial on 11-09-2016, 17:12:52</h2>
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				Title: <strong>More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>11-09-2016, 17:12:52</strong>
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				It was quickly approaching midday, and Caelan could hear the rain beating down outside of his apartment.&nbsp; Releasing a quiet sigh, he gracelessly flopped down atop the soft, plush mattress he'd spent so much of his time on lately.&nbsp; Arms spread out at his sides, eyes cast upward toward the high, vaulted ceiling.&nbsp; With the poor weather condition, he didn't really feel like doing much of anything.&nbsp; Several of his inventions required his attention, just waiting to be improved, or in some cases, completed.&nbsp; Sometimes he could swear he heard them calling out to him from the other room.&nbsp; His passion for building things certainly hadn't faded, not by a longshot, but as of late he'd been having difficulties maintaining focus long enough to get any real work done.<br><br>With any luck the rain would stop shortly, and he'd be struck by the irresistible urge to go exploring.&nbsp; His best ideas often came to him when he was off in another world, living vicariously through one of any number of avatars he'd created for use in Augmented or Virtual Reality applications and simulations.&nbsp; It wasn't uncommon for such things to spur him into creativity.&nbsp; But such things were always better with a friend.&nbsp; One friend, in particular.&nbsp; He hadn't heard from her in some time, come to think of it.&nbsp; Knowing her, she was enjoying her new-found freedom, out exploring the world she had long been hidden away from.&nbsp; There was something he'd wanted to show her, but he couldn't quite remember what it was.&nbsp; His mind had already left the station on another train of thought.<br><br>He drew in a long, deep breath as his eyes closed, and he settled in atop the cool silk sheets that topped the mattress.&nbsp; His head moved to rest upon his favorite pillow, the strange material sinking in to cradle his skull.&nbsp; Lids lifted slowly as eyes peered up, lines of code beginning to scroll across his cybernetic implant.&nbsp; The lights slowly lowered until they faded completely.&nbsp; The bed beneath him began to lift ever so slightly to tilt toward the opposite wall.&nbsp; A quiet hum could be heard above him as his bedroom was flooded with a faint white light.&nbsp; The far side of the angled ceiling revealed its true purpose, one of his favorite features of the apartment, as it transformed into a massive screen, spanning the entire room from one wall to the other.<br><br>While there were any number of ways to immerse oneself, he still preferred to do it while looking at a large screen such as the one he'd built.&nbsp; Even if it would have been simpler, and much more cost effective, to simply use his ocular implant as a projector, or even close his eyes and still see everything clearly.&nbsp; More code flashed across his implant's screen as several applications opened up across the ceiling.&nbsp; Two snapped to the top and bottom corners on the far right, while the third snapped to the left side and spanned roughly two thirds of the available area.&nbsp; Caelan could hear a strange music in his head as a game started in the larger window.&nbsp; A wide selection of the different avatars appeared, his eyes flicking left and right to scroll through them.&nbsp; Deciding on one of his personal favorites, the game began.&nbsp; This particular avatar was a large man, roughly six and a half feet tall, and built like a tank.&nbsp; Broad shoulders, long legs, large, powerful muscles.&nbsp; It was no wonder that this one specialized in melee combat.<br><br>Caelan swore loudly as he received an immediate, and very rude greeting.&nbsp; A gloved fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling back and slamming into the ground.&nbsp; Both his and the avatar's lips began to spread into a wide grin.&nbsp; Whoever it was has no clue what they were getting into.&nbsp; Though one quick glance in the direction of the attack had him starting to believe that they were very well aware of exactly what they were doing.&nbsp; They being his attacker...and his seven friends.&nbsp; As the avatar climbed to his feet, Caelan's eyes closed, switching the video feed to his ocular implant.&nbsp; Due to the circuits connecting it to his brain, he could still see it clearly and instantly, with zero latency to slow him down.&nbsp; He could do nearly anything his mind could come up with, in true real time.<br><br>"I guess this means you guys..."&nbsp; He trailed off, eyes shifting between the members of the group.&nbsp; "...and ladies...heard about the bounty, huh?"&nbsp; In this particular game, Caelan was one of the most sought-after characters.&nbsp; It seems he'd managed to anger some very powerful, very wealthy people, resulting in a sizeable bounty being placed on his head.&nbsp; "Samira.&nbsp; So good to see you again.&nbsp; Maybe you'll have better luck this time, eh?"&nbsp; The avatar of a young woman with bright red hair sneered at him, hurling a ball of flame in his direction.&nbsp; After tumbling out of the way he rose to one knee and chuckled.&nbsp; "You're so hot when you're angry at me."&nbsp; One of the other two females giggled at the bad joke, causing one of her friends to elbow her in the side.&nbsp; Her expression once again turned serious.&nbsp; "Well.&nbsp; Who drew the short straw?&nbsp; What are you waiting for?"<br><br>Three of his attackers began to advance.&nbsp; One looked like a boxer, inching closer with fists raised while sizing up an opponent.&nbsp; The other two began to circle around him to try to get in his blind spot.&nbsp; Of the other five, one drew a large, razor-sharp sword from its sheath, and another pulled a warhammer from behind her back.&nbsp; Two others were spellcasters, one specializing in fire magic and the other in ice.&nbsp; This left the last member, the one that struck him as he logged in, to pull two combat knives from behind his back.&nbsp; "Oh.&nbsp; I see how it is.&nbsp; Let's make this quick.&nbsp; I've got places to be.&nbsp; People to sell swords to."&nbsp; With that, he pulled a large, katana-like sword from a sheathe on his back.&nbsp; The very sword that started this whole nonsense.&nbsp; Needless to say, the owner really, really wanted it back.&nbsp; Not only was it a powerful weapon, but its power, and value, increased with each player slain by it.<br><br>The battle raged on for what seemed like forever, with Caelan giving as good as he got.&nbsp; In most cases, giving much more than he got.&nbsp; In the first few minutes, the sword's appetite had been quenched three times.&nbsp; The girl that giggled at his bad joke was the first to fall.&nbsp; It was a shame, really.&nbsp; She was pretty cute, and through his dealings with her in the past he knew she was a sweet girl.&nbsp; Apparently Samira thought so too.&nbsp; The man that had landed the punch to begin the night was the second to fall victim, and the third was the ice mage.&nbsp; It was a short while later when the swordswoman fell to the ground, her body severed at the waist.&nbsp; Caelan had been stabbed multiple times by that point, and had a nasty wound from getting whacked in the head with a hammer.&nbsp; It wasn't long before the person that delivered that blow crumpled to the ground as well.<br><br>Suddenly he received an alert that he'd gotten a new message.&nbsp; He could hear Emraeal's voice in his mind, asking if he would be online for very long.&nbsp; He'd always loved the sound of her voice, even moreso now that her health had begun to improve.&nbsp; It always brought a smile to his lips, and in this case, caused him to pause just long enough for his avatar to be pierced very near to the heart with a dagger.&nbsp; "Hey, Em...YOUSONOFABITCH!&nbsp; I'm going to tear your head off and make you my puppet!&nbsp; Sorry.&nbsp; That was directed at the ASSHOLE here inquiring about the bounty on my head.&nbsp; Things are kind of crazy here at the moment.&nbsp; But yeah, I should be online for quite a while."&nbsp; Again he heard her, this time asking if he would be willing to wait for her.&nbsp; There was a quiet chuckle just as another body tumbled to the ground.&nbsp; "For you?&nbsp; I'd wait all night.&nbsp; I'm afraid the party's already started, but if you hurry you might get here in time to help clean up."&nbsp; That second message was delivered as offline communication.&nbsp; Why would she ask him to wait for her to get there, only to log off immediately?<br><br>The war continued until only Caelan and Samira remained, but the victor would be decided soon enough.&nbsp; At least, that was the plan.&nbsp; The two were rather odd in one-on-one combat against one another.&nbsp; Exchanging pleasantries, making jokes, even casually flirting while trying to kill each other.&nbsp; Just as he was about to strike the killing blow, he heard a knock at the door that distracted him, and almost cost him the battle.&nbsp; His brow furrowed in confusion.&nbsp; A courier was supposed to drop by to pick up some important research notes, but it wasn't even noon yet.&nbsp; She wasn't supposed to be there until some time in the evening.&nbsp; He had to end this quickly.&nbsp; Calling a time-out wasn't likely to work when so much money was at stake.&nbsp; The blade in his hand lowered just enough so that they both knew he couldn't cleanly strike before she could react.&nbsp; The woman's eyes widened as he went into a speech, going into great detail about the things he'd like to do to her sexually.&nbsp; She always got so flustered when he talked dirty to her, and this time was no different.&nbsp; Her eyes went wide, and he could see the muscles tensing up in the areas her skimpy armor didn't cover.&nbsp; Her lips curled into a little smirk and she opened her mouth to speak, but soon found herself silenced as her legs were swept from under her.&nbsp; A split second later she found his blade at her throat, dripping with the blood of her friends, and he honestly couldn't tell whether she looked more terrified or aroused.&nbsp; "As much as I love having you down on your back, I've got to cut this short.&nbsp; There's an important visitor at my door."<br><br>With the last attacker slain, Caelan logged out of the game.&nbsp; Looting could wait until after he'd met with the courier, and told her exactly how he felt about his instructions being ignored.&nbsp; He opened his eyes and slowly sat up on the edge of the bed as the lights came back on.&nbsp; Another knock at the door as he rose to his feet and stepped out into the hall.&nbsp; Soon he was at the door, slowly opening it to peer out at the untimely visitor.&nbsp; An eyebrow perked in question, as if silently awaiting an explanation for the change in schedule...and the change in personnel.
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 00:39:33</strong>
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				(http://spgm.b1.jcink.com/uploads/spgm//Mechanist_Apartment_Building.jpg)<br><br>It was a good thing that Emraeal only decided to reach out to him *after* she was done figuring out what she wanted to wear. Clothes were strewn all over her apartment as if someone had decided to set off a bomb in her wardrobe. She was finally satisfied...but she also felt a little guilty as her little hovering robotic helper floated here and there to fold and place everything back where it should have been. She stopped the friendly machine with a gentle touch, then leaned to place a kiss on the top of its head. “You really are my hero, you know?” <br><br>“Oh, it’s no trouble, Miss Selenis!” the AI hummed as it displayed a smile on its LED face. “You clearly wish to look your very best for your date.”<br><br>“What?” She looked horrified at the suggestion, even if she blushed. “It’s not a date!”<br><br>“Did I say ‘date’? Oh… A slip of the circuits, I suppose!” <br><br>Emraeal squinted at the bot, “Uh-huh.” before pointing an accusing finger at it. “I’m wise to your games.”<br><br>“Oh? Well there’s a first time for everything, I suppose!”<br><br><div class="floatleft">(http://spgm.b1.jcink.com/uploads/spgm//Fae_Hero_Emraeal.jpg)</div>Her glare at the machine was answered with another LED happy face and she could only shake her head as she’d brought that on herself when she asked for her assistant's personality to be set to ‘smartass’. She couldn’t hide that she cherished the machine though, and the slightest bit of a fond smile slipped up the corners of her lips as it went back to work. She personally didn’t understand why so many people wanted their assistants to be completely docile and loved that her machine buddy had a wicked sense of humor…and a tendency to hit home with its comments.<br><br>Sure. It wasn’t a date, but she took over an hour just to pick out her outfit and accessories. And that was before she decided to fuss with her hair. She and Caelan may have always identified as close friends before but today would be the first time he’d get to see her in person. She wanted him to not only be impressed, but enthralled. She knew that a bit of it came from the fact that her avatars tended to be breathtakingly gorgeous or ridiculously handsome. More than that, she always made them *tall*. She shook her head as she thought about it and imagined herself at his door only for him to not look down, think no one was there, and close his door in her face. She felt the urge to put on thick-soled boots for a few more inches, but no. She’d been through that already and she hated anything with heels or soles that were too thick. Besides, this would be about letting him meet her actual self.<br><br>The Faetecher bid her assistant adieu and tried to distract herself with music through her ear clips as she made her way to the hyperloop and boarded. The scenery between her place and Caelan’s flashed by in a near-instant and she found herself lamenting that she didn’t have more time to stall…er, appreciate the path. A deep breath and into his building. Another and the elevator to his floor. A third and she knocked on the door to his apartment…and again. Wait. Why was she knocking? She should just use her AR device to pop up and tell him to answer his door.<br><br>She’d just closed her eyes and touched her finger to her temple to start that up when his door swished open partially and she was met with the sight of…his chest? She slowly blinked at that, then lifted her gaze upward to see his face and offer a sheepish, hopeful smile on glossed lips, a faint blush coloring her mocha cheeks. Okay, maybe she was overdressed, after all. Her metallic AR headband, ear clips, droplet earrings, and metal choker glittered with her movements in the light of the hallway. “Caelan?”<br><br>This girl certainly did not match her avatars, though whether or not that would be a pleasant change to him remained to be seen. For one, she was barely four inches above five feet in height. Instead of a strong warrior or voluptuous seducer, she had the body of a figure skater or dancer. Her dress -a white, form-fitting throwback to vintage styles of centuries past- wrapped around her lean arms, nearly swallowed her small hands in its sleeves, and left her petite shoulders bare. Her pert bosoms pushed against sleek fabric in the front and gave way to a toned tummy and slim waist that suddenly flared out into generously rounded hips and powerful, shapely legs clad in another throwback item…black, thigh-high suede boots with artful buckles. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 00:40:44</strong>
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				If indeed Emraeal had intended for their first meeting to be some sort of date, the sight that greeted her as the door slid open may have come as a bit of a disappointment.&nbsp; Clearly he hadn't expected for her, or anyone else for that matter, to pay him a visit so early.&nbsp; At least he'd had the good sense to take a shower when he woke up that morning.&nbsp; Thick reddish-brown hair stood atop his head, looking fairly neat and well taken care of, considering it was often seen as a chaotic mess.&nbsp; His face was clean and smooth, as he'd recently rid himself of several days worth of stubble that had accumulated during his time spent locked away perfecting one of his creations.<br><br>A pair of black shorts hung loosely about his waist, held in place by a hastily tied knot in the front.&nbsp; The smooth fabric just dusted the top of his muscular calves as he took his first step away from the door.&nbsp; One may note that his right bicep was roughly half again as large as the left.&nbsp; He often made alterations to the muscles in his artificial arm when working on machinery, to give himself a little extra strength.&nbsp; He hadn't thought to re-adjust it to match its natural counterpart.&nbsp; A snug fitting tank top rested over his torso, teasing at the outline of a flat abdomen.&nbsp; He considered his chest to be less than impressive, but far from his worst feature, especially if it was the first place a person's eyes met with.&nbsp; While the life of a Mechanist left little time for true physical conditioning, the nature of his work meant he often got quite the workout.&nbsp; He was certainly a well-built man.<br><br>Caelan towered over the poor girl, standing over a half foot taller.&nbsp; It might have made his somewhat disgusted expression seem slightly more intimidating.&nbsp; From the brief glimpse he'd taken at her before turning away, he'd noted that she was quite attractive.&nbsp; Then again, that was no surprise.&nbsp; The courier service often employed beautiful women to pick up and deliver items of interest from their clients.&nbsp; The way her cheeks flushed with color upon laying eyes on him led him to believe that she felt bad enough about her employer's mix-up.&nbsp; Berating her for getting things wrong would have only made her feel worse, so he chose to forego the verbal ass-chewing this time.<br><br>Stopping dead in his tracks when he heard the sound of her voice, eyes widened in surprise.&nbsp; "Emraeal..."&nbsp; A breathy whisper carried her name, just barely loud enough to be heard.&nbsp; She was no courier at all, but rather the woman he'd waited several years to meet.&nbsp; He quickly spun on his heel to face her once more, greeting her with a smile so large that it almost made his jaw sore.&nbsp; His heart began to race as his eyes met hers briefly.&nbsp; This was something he had not been prepared for.&nbsp; He had half a mind to fuss at her for not being more clear with her message, but he was far too pleased that she was there.&nbsp; There, in his home, right before his eyes for the first time.<br><br>"I thought...", he started, only to find himself momentarily speechless as his gaze began to wander.&nbsp; "You look...", he started again, only to find himself yet again at a loss for words.&nbsp; Luckily for him, his mind worked quickly to keep him from looking even more of a fool. "...gorgeous."&nbsp; After having taken the time to thoroughly look her over, his eyes lifted to meet hers once again, his right brow perked shortly.&nbsp; "And short."&nbsp; Teasing her about her height was always fun for him.&nbsp; She was so cute when she got angry about it, and her reactions often led to to even more enjoyment for the both of them.&nbsp; Though he was still roughly ten feet away from her, his arms opened as if to welcome her into them.&nbsp; "While I'm thrilled to see you, you should have told me this was a date!&nbsp; I'd have preferred to be able to dress for the occasion, rather than letting you see me looking like a slob for our first meeting.&nbsp; Might even have cleaned the place up a little."
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 05:04:46</strong>
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				Emraeal looked somewhere between puzzled and annoyed when he turned to walk away, but that look softened when he realized who she was and turned to face her. When he tried to speak once, she quirked her brow and gave him a half-smirk and gaze filled with her trademark sass. The second time he tried to utter something, she slightly tilted her head and tried to read his next words, her face full of curiosity. And when the word '<em>gorgeous</em>' left his lips, she gave him a bright, fond smile and giggled. “I’m glad you think so.” The smile dropped and she gave him a faux-threatening look. “You’d better.”<br><br>But then when he followed up by calling her short, her eyes widened and her lips parted in momentary shock before she huffed and glared at him. “You ass!” She stormed up to him and threw a hard swat at his arm. Her anger -if it was even truly that- diffused as quickly as it sparked up and her scowl was already starting to crack into a faint smile as she murmured, “Jerk…” When she threw her arms around him, her fake rage quickly dwindled and she soon fell into tenderly snuggling against him with a content smile. “I missed you…” She started to sway against him. "And now I'm meeting you." <br><br>The Faetecher pulled away enough to gaze into his differently-colored eyes and give him a soft smile. "Hello."
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 05:33:45</strong>
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				Ah, that sassy look.&nbsp; He had grown to love it when her avatars adopted that expression, but seeing it on her, in the flesh?&nbsp; He enjoyed it that much more.&nbsp; There was a lot he needed to learn about her.&nbsp; Just how much similarity there was between her and those groupings of pixels.&nbsp; Something told him that she was exactly like them in more ways than not.&nbsp; A little grin flashed across his lips when she smiled at him, only growing in size when he heard her giggle.&nbsp; Just one of many cute sounds he often caused her to make.&nbsp; He held his hands up defensively for a brief moment when she threatened him, considering and quickly dismissing the idea of posing the question of 'Or else what?'.<br><br>Caelan's eyes lit up in silent mirth when she huffed at his joke.&nbsp; He had often wondered what she looked like in person when teased about her height.&nbsp; A hearty laugh came quickly in response when she called him an ass.&nbsp; Her retaliatory swat had him gasping in mock shock, lifting a hand to rub at the spot she'd hit.&nbsp; "Rude!"&nbsp; He'd have to admit that her snuggling into him was a bit of a surprise, but one that was more than welcome.&nbsp; A warm smile spread across his lips as a strong arm slipped around her waist to hold her closer.&nbsp; His free hand lifted slowly, fingers affectionately stroking through her hair.&nbsp; Eyes slowly closed, only briefly, reopening when she mentioned meeting him.&nbsp; "I missed you too, Em.&nbsp; I thought of...think of...you all the time.&nbsp; Wondering how you're doing.&nbsp; What you're doing."&nbsp; He began to sway along with her, his hold around her waist tightening to squeeze her momentarily.<br><br>Looking down to her, he continued to stroke his fingers through her hair, occasionally teasing at the tip of her ear with the very tip of a digit.&nbsp; He gazed back down to her, willing to swear to the fact that his heart skipped at least one beat.&nbsp; Mirroring her smile, his fingers slid free from her hair, arm releasing her from its grasp.&nbsp; Open palms slid slowly downward along her sides until he took held her hips in a firm grasp and lifted her from the floor.&nbsp; Raising her to eye level he tugged her closer to him, leaning in to rest his forehead against her own.&nbsp; "Hi there."
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 07:13:27</strong>
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				Emraeal’s eyes widened slightly when she felt his arm around her. That was new and a definite first. Given how frail she was throughout most of her life people would always treat her like she was made of fragile glass when they touched her. Granted, they weren’t exactly far off back then but now? She was pretty sure she wouldn’t get hurt by someone actually, truly holding her. <br><br>She’d closed her eyes as he began to speak and just settled for giving him a gentle squeeze then relaxing against him. By the time he was done, though, she’d begun looking up at him once more. Her words came soft and soothing. “That’s a lot of wondering. But now you know…” She adopted the accent of Pre-Impact Russians for a brief moment and gave him another squeeze. “That I’m strong like bull!” Or at least stronger than her frame and medical history would have suggested anyway. The physical therapy and constant exercise clearly paid off. <br><br>Her lips parted and her gaze slightly narrowed when his fingers teased the tip of her ear. Her voice came out a whisper as her blush returned. “You know what that does to Fae, right?” His hand moved before she could playfully smack it away and she was shocked a moment later when his hands fell to her rounded hips and she was lifted. “Hey!” <br><br>When he pulled her closer, she narrowed her eyes at him and mumbled, “Now you’re just showing off.” A brief, sweet smile crossed her lips before she added. “Okay. You can put me down now! We’ve got things to do!”
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				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 07:51:29</strong>
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				Treating Emmy like she was some fragile little creature was something Caelan had always made a point <em>not</em> to do.&nbsp; He knew that she got far too much of that.&nbsp; She'd always seemed to appreciate the fact that he treated her like a normal person.&nbsp; One that wasn't frail and injured, trapped away in a hospital for far too long.&nbsp; And now, with her standing right there, he wanted to give her a small taste of the contact she'd gone so long without.&nbsp; Not to mention that it felt good to be able to hold her, to feel her for the first time.<br><br>He couldn't help but smile at the squeeze she gave him.&nbsp; She was right.&nbsp; It had been a lot of wondering.&nbsp; Hoping.&nbsp; She had been on his mind far more than she could understand.&nbsp; More than he was prepared to admit.&nbsp; Her impression had him laughing softly as his head slowly shook.&nbsp; "I wouldn't want to mess with a bull too much.&nbsp; Might end up flat on my back and scrambling to escape!&nbsp; I've got a lot of teasing and tormenting to answer for already."&nbsp; It was impressive, how well she had recovered.&nbsp; She was remarkably strong for someone that had endured what she had.&nbsp; Then again, it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise to him.<br><br>Eyes lowered to her full lips for a brief moment as they parted before looking up in time to see her eyes narrow.&nbsp; He loved to tease her, no matter the circumstances.&nbsp; With the ability to do it in person, it was now too good an opportunity to pass up.&nbsp; He feigned a look of confusion when she whispered, and suppressed the urge to grin when her cheeks flushed that lovely shade of crimson.&nbsp; His voice lowered, words spoken upon a whisper as he replied.&nbsp; "No...what does that do to Fae?"&nbsp; Tilting his head slightly, he could only smirk at her reaction to being lifted with such relative ease.<br><br>"No, not showing off.&nbsp; Well...okay, maybe a little."&nbsp; He chuckled quietly, flashing her a warm, happy smile.&nbsp; "Put you down?"&nbsp; He asked, adopting a mock tone of disappointment as his smile faded.&nbsp; "I see how it is.&nbsp; You just don't want me to hold you."&nbsp; Reluctantly he lowered her back to the floor, fingers slowly splaying along her shapely hips as his hands remained there, unwilling to let her go completely.&nbsp; "What is it that's so important you can't let your dear friend hold you for a moment longer?&nbsp; Just what plans are floating around in that pretty little head of yours for this date?"&nbsp; Again he teased her, though the more he thought about it, the more it truly did seem like that was her goal.&nbsp; She had gotten all dressed up for him, obviously going to great lengths to look her best for their first meeting.&nbsp; Was it that simple?&nbsp; Leaving a good first impression?<br><br>Behind her, the door slid shut, the lock engaging with a loud click.&nbsp; The timer had run out, determining that it had been left open for too long.&nbsp; A safety mechanism in case he ever neglected to shut it completely upon leaving.&nbsp; He gasped dramatically, lips parting, eyes widening.&nbsp; "Uh oh.&nbsp; Now you're in trouble.&nbsp; Trapped here with me, all alone.&nbsp; What have you gotten yourself into, young lady?"&nbsp; Reaching to gently grasp her by the wrists, he began to walk backward and further into the apartment, toward a small area that served as the living room.&nbsp; Given that he didn't spend much time in it, it was very sparsely decorated.&nbsp; The walls had schematics pinned to them, taking the places where most people may put artwork or fancy hangings.&nbsp; A couch rested in the center, soft and fluffy, upholstered with a fabric nearly identical in color to the eyes he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from.&nbsp; At either side was a small table, bare of any furnishings.&nbsp; Another, larger table rested in front of it, lower to the ground, but still equally bare.&nbsp; "Come.&nbsp; Deeper into my lair."&nbsp; An evil grin spread across his lips, the tone of his voice growing deeper and more ominous.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 09:49:51</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal’s response to her friend’s whisper was another glare and swat to his arm. “Ass.” She rolled her eyes when he joked about her not wanting to be held, though she looked down and quirked her eyebrows at the fact that his hands still remained on her hips. It seemed to her that he couldn’t get enough of them and that thought put a devilish smirk on her lips for the briefest of moments before she shimmied to get free of him. “Geroff!”<br><br>She was midway in turning towards the door when she heard that word again… '<em>Date</em>'. Em spun again to focus on him. “What? I never said anything about a date! What the f---“ She bit her tongue at the colorful language that threatened to escape her, but the renewed blush on her cheeks said much about her feelings. “Shutup!”<br><br>She glanced back when the door shut itself and locked, then looked to him and rolled her eyes dramatically. “Ugh. You’re so weird.” When her wrists were taken and he started walking her further into his apartment, she began to look very puzzled. “What are you doing?” She then suddenly broke free of him and rushed over to one of his schematics, her curiosity in full swing. “Wait! Is this your work? Can I analyze it?” The evil lair comment drew a “What?” from her before she said, “No! I’m not going any further into your apartment because that’s not why I’m here. Don’t you think I’ve had enough of small rooms? Do you think I dressed like this to veg out and run VR on your couch?” <br><br>Wait. Her last words. He could take them to mean… “Shutup!” she threw out quickly before he could make another ‘date’ comment. “I just want to go out with you.” She closed her eyes and chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. Why did she keep messing up at words? Another “Shutup…” came from her, though this time she was failing at fighting back a smile that threatened to accompany her blush. “Look. Just get ready. I want to do things. You owe me milkshakes and you always said you wanted to show me around Elysium when I got better. So… here we are.”<br><br>She looked for something harmless to throw at him before she settled on just words. “Now stop being lazy and put something on! I’ll be right here.” That said, she turned to look at his schematics once more. If he was still looking, he might have caught that her hips weren’t the only ample curves she sported. Her voluptuous bum lifted her dress more in the back than even her hips would have suggested. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 10:57:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Glaring right back at her teasingly, he made a dramatic expression of pain when she swatted him.&nbsp; "Owww.&nbsp; Cut it out, will you?&nbsp; I didn't let you in so you could beat me up!&nbsp; But the fact that I'm an ass should have been obvious by now.&nbsp; If not, you must not have been paying much attention."&nbsp; She was right.&nbsp; He couldn't get enough.&nbsp; The touch of her, the feel of her, even the sight of her.&nbsp; He'd waited for so long to discover what she was like.&nbsp; The initial shock still hadn't worn off, and it was as if he was afraid that she'd disappear to go explore the world she'd been hidden away from for so long, leaving him behind.&nbsp; A foolish thought, but it still lingered in the back of his mind.&nbsp; He barely managed to catch sight of that little smirk of hers.&nbsp; One of many reactions he'd been hoping for...<br><br>When she told him to get off, his hands withdrew by little more than an inch.&nbsp; Just enough to allow her the freedom to start turning away.&nbsp; When she nearly let that curse slip free, his head tilted as he shot her a look of shock.&nbsp; "Naughty girl.&nbsp; Better be careful what you say, hmm?"&nbsp; And again she wore that pretty shade of red, taking everything he had in him not to tease her about it.&nbsp; He'd already struck a nerve.&nbsp; Best not to push her further on that particular subject for a while.&nbsp; Not that there was much of a need anymore.&nbsp; Her reaction spoke volumes, telling him everything he needed to know.<br><br>"Yes, I'm weird."&nbsp; He nodded slowly, gently guiding her toward the living room.&nbsp; "But I've always been weird.&nbsp; You must not mind too much, or you wouldn't be here, right?"&nbsp; His head lowered in defeat when she pulled herself from his grasp, and he released a quiet sigh.&nbsp; Turning to see her examining some of his work, his eyes widened for a brief moment as eyes flickered between the papers tacked to the wall, most of which were different bits of medical technology, save for a few that were simply cosmetic implants.&nbsp; Far as he knew, there was nothing incriminating for her to see.&nbsp; As long as she stayed out of his workshop, anyway.&nbsp; Several of the things behind that closed door were not meant for her eyes.&nbsp; "Sure.&nbsp; Feel free to check it out.&nbsp; Maybe you can help me figure out how to improve a few things."<br><br>"Em.&nbsp; Relax.&nbsp; I figured you'd be more comfortable in here for a few minutes while I get dressed.&nbsp; Didn't really think you'd appreciate being dragged into my bedroom, where you'd have to pretend not to watch me stripping down."&nbsp; He chuckled, briefly glancing toward her as he teased.&nbsp; Indeed, he could have taken her words to mean several things.&nbsp; While his mind had begun to wander, he knew what she meant.&nbsp; However, it was a good thing that she told him to shut up when she did, or he may have gone against his own decision to let that particular topic of discussion rest.&nbsp; But she wasn't making it easy for him.&nbsp; "I know, Em...I want to go out with you too."&nbsp; His voice lowered slightly as he watched her, his tone one of sincerity.&nbsp; "Show you around, show you a good time.&nbsp; You deserve that.&nbsp; You can't really fault me for wanting to spend a few minutes alone with you first, can you?"<br><br>Throwing his arms up in surrender, he began to slowly back away.&nbsp; "Alright!&nbsp; I'm going!"&nbsp; Being a man, especially one that had grown to care so much for her over the past few years, he couldn't resist keeping his eyes on her even as she turned away.&nbsp; Watching her as she looked in fascination at his work, finally able to see some of the things he had been telling her about.&nbsp; While she looked, so too did he, his curiosity getting the better of him.&nbsp; Drawing in a slow, deep breath, his eyes scanned over her form as he continued to back away towards his room.&nbsp; She really had chosen the perfect outfit, especially if her intent was to make him realize that she was a woman.&nbsp; A beautiful woman, at that.&nbsp; More than pixels on a screen.&nbsp; A smile spread across his lips as he admired the outline of her backside beneath the dress.&nbsp; Maybe gorgeous had been an understatement.<br><br>After finally retreating to his room, Caelan closed the door and leaned back against it for a brief moment.&nbsp; He thought back on what he knew for certain.&nbsp; She wanted to see him, to spend time with him.&nbsp; She wanted to know him outside of the virtual world.&nbsp; Easily flustered when he even hinted at it being a date, something more romantic than two friends simply going out for a walk or sightseeing.&nbsp; The way she dressed certainly hinted that she at least hoped for it.&nbsp; Clearly she wanted to look her best for him.&nbsp; To impress him, to be noticed by him.&nbsp; Well, that was a big old mission accomplished there.<br><br>After another deep breath, he quickly strode toward the large closet in the corner of the room.&nbsp; Deciding to take a page out of her playbook, he began to look through his selection of Pre-Impact clothes.&nbsp; Something nice.&nbsp; Classy, but not too flashy.&nbsp; Not having the luxury of too much time, he chose fairly quickly.&nbsp; After disrobing hastily, he slid into a pair of black slacks that fit him fairly snugly.&nbsp; A brown belt was threaded through the loops and fastened into place loosely.&nbsp; A black tank top, similar to the one he'd just shed, aside from being just a bit tighter.&nbsp; If she was going to draw attention to her finer assets, why shouldn't he?&nbsp; She's already accused him of being a showoff.&nbsp; To accentuate his flat stomach and toned chest wasn't going too far over the top.&nbsp; Next came a solid black dress shirt, the buttons left unfastened, tails left untucked.&nbsp; Knowing her, there would be a lot of moving around, and he'd be able to move more freely that way.&nbsp; Lastly, a pair of thick-soled black boots.&nbsp; Emraeal may protest the slight addition to his height, but he found them to be comfortable.&nbsp; After one quick look in the full-length mirror on the back of the door, he decided that he was at least moderately pleased with his appearance.&nbsp; No more than five minutes after disappearing from her presence, his bedroom door slid open.&nbsp; Caelan peeked around the corner and into the living room, taking a moment to compose himself before stepping out fully.&nbsp; "Tadaa."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 20:16:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				By the time Caelan had finished dressing and presented himself, Emraeal was gone. Not in the physical sense but rather in the sense of her being in Focus Mode and more computer than person. Her irises held a tell-tale turquoise glow as numerous lines of code and numbers scrolled through them. Her Augmented Reality Overlay was active and holographic duplicates of his other wall-bound schematics were displayed at her side as she ran her fingers over them and the one in front of her. Several seconds passed before she lowered her head and said, “Saving. One moment.”<br><br>The glow in her eyes and AR Overlay faded a pair of seconds later and she looked to him as if waking up out of a trance. A smile came to her before words could and she took a moment to drink in the sight of him. A faint chuckle left her lips soon after. “You went Classic, too. You’re a messy dresser. But it’s a good messy. Like you’re trying to look good for a date but expect a gunfight.” The memories from before her AR trance came back to her and she smiled. “So what do you want to show me first? A place where we can talk alone that isn’t indoors? Or we could get milkshakes and go for a stroll.” <em>Did I just say stroll?</em> She shook her head at her own thoughts, “Actually… I’ma shut up.” then pointed at him. “You have to surprise me.” She shifted on her hips, crossed her arms, and sassed him with a stare filled with her fiery attitude.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 20:54:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He would have to admit that he was rather surprised to find her so engrossed in his work.&nbsp; At best, he'd thought maybe she would give them a quick glance.&nbsp; But to see her copying them, saving them for later?&nbsp; Either she was very intrigued by what he'd done, or she really did want to help him.&nbsp; There was always the possibility that she planned to steal his ideas, but that thought was quickly dismissed with a chuckle.&nbsp; She wouldn't do that to him, and he knew it.&nbsp; Slowly he made his way closer, approaching her from behind.<br><br>When Emraeal finally turned, he was little more than a foot away from her.&nbsp; A little smile spread across his lips as he reached out to cup her cheek in his palm, delicately stroking with his thumb as he looked into her eyes.&nbsp; When she critiqued his clothing his hand lowered once again.&nbsp; A brow perked, a fake pout replacing his once happy smile.&nbsp; "Gee, you try to impress a lady, and this is what you get."&nbsp; His head slowly shook, the smile beginning to return.&nbsp; "I don't look good in white, okay?&nbsp; I'm so pale, I'd be practically invisible.&nbsp; And I don't have a very large wardrobe as it is, let alone a wide selection of classic clothing."&nbsp; Once he'd finished speaking, it finally dawned on him that she'd used the 'd' word again.&nbsp; Were they openly admitting it now?<br><br>He quickly discarded the thought to respond to the comment about gunfights.&nbsp; He'd been in more than one lately, and it usually wasn't his fault.&nbsp; Rather than telling her and making her worry, he thought it best to keep that a secret from her.&nbsp; "Ah, so the truth comes out.&nbsp; A quiet, secluded place where we can be alone...a romantic walk...&nbsp; So this <em>is</em> a date."&nbsp; He stared back at her, a warm smile forming as he took a moment to adore that attitude of hers.&nbsp; There was a brief pause, just long enough for her to react, and her mind to search for words other than 'shuttup.'&nbsp; Before giving her the opportunity to reply, he continued, searching her eyes.&nbsp; "And I'm perfectly fine with that."<br><br>A hand extended in offering as he flashed her a little smirk.&nbsp; Though he was being sincere, he was offering her an out.&nbsp; The opportunity to dismiss it as teasing if the prospect of an actual date with him made her uncomfortable.&nbsp; Fingers curled back to his palm before extending again, silently calling for her to take his hand.&nbsp; Several lines of code began to fill the lens of his artificial eye, and the lock on the door disengaged before it began to slide open.&nbsp; The more he thought about it, the less of an actual idea he had on where to take her.&nbsp; Maybe if he'd had more time to come up with a plan for the day, things would have been simpler.&nbsp; Again taking a page out of her book, his voice adopted the tone of a mid-1900s Pre-Impact gangster.&nbsp; "C'mon, sweetheart.&nbsp; Let's blow this joint."&nbsp; Even he had to chuckle at himself for that one.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 22:00:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal rolled her eyes to the side when he claimed that wearing white would make him invisible. “Yeeeeaaah. I don’t know what that’s like.” She reached up to fiddle with the collar of his dress shirt as he spoke on having a limited wardrobe. “You could always fix that, you know. You’re usually stylish in VR. Why don’t you take that same approach to actual life?” The Faetecher didn’t want to destroy her friend’s ego so she changed paths. “And you look fine. It’s me who’s overdressed. How were you supposed to know I’d be coming here looking like a starlet?”<br><br>She glared and pouted her lips at him when he said the D-word again but his follow-up made her blink and tilt her head. She searched his eyes for a long moment before she asked. “Wait…you are?” The blush came back. “I mean, if that’s what you <em>want</em>, we could try it.” She looked down at his hand to consider for a moment before she gently lay her hand atop his and answered his silly mobster accent with that of a dame from the same era. “Let’s do that, yeah!”<br><br>There was no hiding her smile now. If she loved anything, it was venturing into the unknown. Even better when it was with someone dear to her!<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>12-09-2016, 22:40:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan frowned slightly at her response.&nbsp; "Well, I see you.&nbsp; Finally.&nbsp; And i'd like to keep seeing you, so don't you dare run off without me, or I'll have to hunt you down."&nbsp; His eyes narrowed playfully, right before he grinned.&nbsp; When she reached to his collar his chin lifted slightly to offer her more room.&nbsp; "Yeah, I suppose I could.&nbsp; Guess I just haven't had the desire to go out and shop for clothes.&nbsp; I can't let you show me up, can I?"&nbsp; He leaned back slightly at the mention of her being overdressed, examining her appearance with a look of appraisal.&nbsp; His head nodded once as he met her gaze again.&nbsp; "I wouldn't say you look overdressed.&nbsp; I'd say you look perfect.&nbsp; Certainly got my attention."&nbsp; As if that wasn't already obvious.&nbsp; He'd barely been able to take his eyes off of her, and he wasn't exactly being stealthy about it.&nbsp; Maybe he wanted her to know.<br><br>There it was.&nbsp; The little glare he'd been expecting.&nbsp; Like she just knew she was being teased again.&nbsp; But he certainly surprised her, that was for sure.&nbsp; "Yeah, Emraeal.&nbsp; I am.&nbsp; We've known each other for how long now?&nbsp; Spent how much time together? We've practically been joined at the hip.&nbsp; It doesn't have to be anything serious.&nbsp; Let's just go out, shoe each other a good time, and see where things lead us.&nbsp; See if we can tolerate each other in person."&nbsp; He teased, taking her small hand into his much larger one and interlacing fingers.&nbsp; After flashing her a little grin after her impersonation, he started to lead her out of the apartment, the door closing and locking behind them.&nbsp; Only a short elevator ride to the ground floor, and out of the building they went.&nbsp; It wasn't far to the hyperloop, which was a blessing, seeing as the air had gained a noticeable chill since the rain died down.<br><br>Suddenly a milkshake didn't seem wise, but he wanted to take her for one anyway.&nbsp; There was a small, cozy place just a few streets away.&nbsp; From there they'd be able to look out at all the people passing by, or shopping a little further up the street.&nbsp; The nearby park was also visible, or at least a very small portion of it.&nbsp; It was usually good for some people-watching while trying to kill some time.&nbsp; Once they'd exited from the hyperloop, he gave Em's hand a playful tug to lure her closer to him.&nbsp; "There's a good place just up here.&nbsp; We can sit down and relax for a little while we...or, I...figure out what to do next."<br><br>"So...milkshakes.&nbsp; What's your favorite?"&nbsp; Caelan looked toward the shop, now roughly half a block away.&nbsp; A brief glance at the sign above the door triggered an AR overlay of the menu.&nbsp; Based on his past purchases, the white chocolate mocha milkshake was recommended for him, which he quickly agreed with.&nbsp; Once Emraeal told him what she wanted, ordering and paying was instantaneous.&nbsp; They often had the orders made and ready to go by the time a person entered, allowing them to grab it and find a seat, or take it to go.&nbsp; He often wondered how people even had the time to get anything productive done before the dreams of old science fiction became reality.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>13-09-2016, 06:12:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once they were outside, Emraeal shivered at the chilled air. Her eyes then gave off that telltale glow once more as she lapsed into a minor mana technique. Her right hand was surrounded in a rotating ring of glowing data for a brief moment before it dissipated and her hand was left in a warm, golden glow. She pressed her hand against her own chest, then reached for Caelan’s. Afterwards, the air around them took on warmth, as if the sun was shining right on them. She grinned at him afterwards and wiggled her fingers at Caelan. “That’s right. Not just in games. I can convert mana out here, too.”<br><br>She gave him a faint smile in response to his question after their hyperloop ride. “We can sit and give you a few minutes to chart out our trip, Captain.” She leaned in and reached up to slip a pair of fingers into his undershirt to reel him in as he did her with a seductive grin on her lips and sultry tone in her voice. “Besides. You did want me all to yourself, didn’t you?” That was followed by her beaming a silly smile at him as she let go and followed his gaze to the shop in question. After focusing on her AR display for a moment, she grinned and nearly jumped up in excitement. “Ooooohh… Irish Crème and Mint with Vanilla. That. So much that! I love custom shakes!”<br><br>“Thanks for spotting me.” She said with a soft smile before she asked. “Where are we sitting?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>13-09-2016, 07:07:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan gave his companion's hand a gentle squeeze when he saw her shiver, silently cursing himself for not having the foresight to bring along a jacket.&nbsp; Of course, his neglect soon ceased to matter.&nbsp; A smile spread cross his lips as his head turned to watch her reveal a skill that he had not known she possessed.&nbsp; Eyes widened slightly as if impressed by the ability, only to slowly slip shut when her hand pressed to his chest.&nbsp; He couldn't help but wonder if she could feel his heart beginning to race faster.&nbsp; When he looked to her again, he laughed softly and stuck his tongue out at her.&nbsp; "And you call me a showoff.&nbsp; But thank you for helping to warm me up on a cold night."&nbsp; His eyes flashed with mischief, a devious little grin flashing and fading away in an instant.&nbsp; "What other tricks do you have up your excessively long sleeve, I wonder?"<br><br>"I already have a few ideas.&nbsp; But a little time to perfect the plan couldn't hurt."&nbsp; He was just about to say something else when he felt her fingers sliding along his bare skin.&nbsp; Her touch caused his muscles to tighten noticeably.&nbsp; But it was what happened next that truly got to him.&nbsp; The tone with which she spoke, the look that appeared across full lips had his chest fluttering during a deep exhalation.&nbsp; He looked to her briefly, his expression a mixture of shock and excitement before he looked away and took a moment to compose himself.&nbsp; If she wanted to continue teasing him, he wasn't afraid to step it up even further.&nbsp; As soon as she's told him what she wanted and he'd placed the order, his fingers slowly slid free from hers.&nbsp; A strong arm looped around her waist, large palm pressing to her hip to tug her closer to his side.&nbsp; His head dipped lower and turned toward her, lips positioned just beside her ear as he answered her seductive taunt in a low, husky tone.&nbsp; "Keep teasing me like that and you might find out just how badly."&nbsp; His tongue extended between parted lips, giving one long, languid lick to the tip of her ear.<br><br>"You didn't think I'd make you pay on the first date, did you?"&nbsp; He teased, fingers lightly curling against her hip before releasing her.&nbsp; "By the window, perhaps?&nbsp; I thought you might want to be able to look around while we're here."&nbsp; His head turned away from her briefly as his eyes scanned over the various treats that sat out waiting to be claimed.&nbsp; Once the digital signatures shown on his display matched the one he'd received when placing the order, he picked up their shakes and turned back to her.&nbsp; "Lead on, my Queen.&nbsp; Your humble servant awaits."&nbsp; He teased, flashing her a toothy grin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 00:03:32</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal’s eyes widened and she let out a faint squeak as she was suddenly pulled in. His whispers sent a delightful shiver down her spine, but the lick prompted her to tilt her head away from him. “Hey! Down boy!” Though her cheeks were flustered, she reached up to dry her ear with her hand. “Subtlety is not your strong suit.” She looked up at him. “There’s an order to these things.” She paused and looked off to the side as if considering something. “Sometimes.” <br><br>The Faetecher appeared somewhat relieved when he let her go, though the comment about him paying on the first ‘date’ sparked a roll of her eyes. Why did she hate that word so much, anyway? Why was she giving it so much weight? She’d thought nothing of it in VR and was actually what one would call a serial dater, amongst other things. Maybe because it’d been so long since she enjoyed anything outside of the VR that every new experience carried more weight? She shook her head to file that away and went back on topic. “Anyway. It’s more fun if I have to work for it… If you keep me in suspense. Because right now? It’s so blatantly obvious that you want me.” She gave him a smoky-eyed stare and confident smirk that harkened back to those VR days she spent flirting with just about anyone she thought was attractive in some way. “Why do I need to play the game if I’ve already won?” <br><br>But then her face lit up as she realized something and her whole demeanor seemed to change in an instant. “Yeah. By the window is fine.” She became a bit distant as she led them to their seats, then parked with a furrowed brow. “I think I just figured out something, Caelan. Why ‘dating’ outside of VR makes me so nervous.” She paused to lean in and take a sip of her shake, then let out a purr of contentment at the taste. “That’s it…” A shake of her head brought her back. “Ahem. Right. I liked the chase but hated the consequence. Because those people would inevitably want to see me in person, in the ICU. Where I was frail and weak and… Well, I needed help with everything. I’m not in that place anymore…but I don’t think my mind has left that room. Not completely. This is new. This is outside. This is real. And I wanna savor it.” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 01:36:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The way she reacted to being held and whispered to had him shivering with delight.&nbsp; But when she started to pull away from him, it became clear that he had overstepped his bounds.&nbsp; Lips curled into a small frown, his eyes studying hers carefully when she looked up to him.&nbsp; His hand fell away from her side, now second guessing even that much.&nbsp; She was right, though.&nbsp; Subtlety had never been something he'd bothered to master.&nbsp; Perhaps it was time for him to consider a few things, as well.&nbsp; For instance, why he was being such a fool.<br><br>What was he doing?&nbsp; He'd been given this great opportunity to get closer to his best friend, and it seemed like he was doing everything he could to make her uncomfortable.&nbsp; He had to keep in mind that he couldn't do everything that he'd normally do in VR.&nbsp; Things were different now.&nbsp; Things were...real.&nbsp; If he wanted it to stay that way, he had to play things smart.&nbsp; He flashed her a small smile as he met her stare with one of his own.&nbsp; He'd always loved that look.&nbsp; The confidence, the belief that she could do anything.&nbsp; Have anything.&nbsp; Broad shoulders shrugged, his head slowly shaking.&nbsp; "Want you?" He scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully.&nbsp; "Not hardly.&nbsp; I think it's you that wants me."&nbsp; Nodding sagely, he continued to look down to her, unable to hide the little hint of a smirk playing across his lips.<br><br>Caelan followed Emraeal to the table and claimed the empty seat beside her, shifting slightly so that he could view both her and what was going on outside.&nbsp; "Yeah?" A brow perked in question, sipping from his shake during the moment of silence.&nbsp; It was good.&nbsp; Even better than he remembered from his last visit.&nbsp; His expression softened as he listened to her.&nbsp; He supposed it made sense.&nbsp; Most that had been in her position likely would have felt the same.&nbsp; His lips parted as if to speak, only to close again while his brow furrowed in thought.&nbsp; A few seconds passed before he shook his head and started again.&nbsp; "I can't really think of a proper way to respond to that.&nbsp; So I'll simply say that I think I understand, and I'm very happy you chose me to be the one to savor it with you."<br><br>Taking another drink of his milkshake, he took several seconds to enjoy the flavor before swallowing it slowly.&nbsp; "Look...I'm sorry.&nbsp; For all the teasing, I mean.&nbsp; I don't even know if it was just be being overzealous, or just trying to make up for lost time, or what.&nbsp; I guess it just doesn't feel like it's really the first time we've met in person.&nbsp; What I'm trying to say is...I feel comfortable with you.&nbsp; Comfortable, but awkward.&nbsp; But you probably already figured that last part out already.&nbsp; This is going to take a bit of time to get used to.&nbsp; For both of us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 02:52:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal took another sip of her shake before she replied. “I didn’t put a lot of thought into this, to be honest. I just woke up this morning, realized that I’ve been functioning without health issues for months, and decided to stop living in fear that I would. And without that fear, I needed to do something gutsy…” She paused to indulge in more creamy goodness. “It’s funny because I’ve actually enlisted. I’ve done patrols and a few missions already and I’ve excelled in my combat training since I started. The doctors make me out to be some kind of Faetecher posterchild for recovery.” Her eyes began to glow as she brought up a holographic display and placed it on their table. <br><br>The video displayed a slightly younger Emraeal within an advanced training zone. She looked nervous but fit and ready for battle as she was clad in a lightly-armored white and green bodysuit with her usual metallic hairband and ear clips. Her breaths were slow and steady as a countdown began. With two seconds left, she thrust her left hand forward and a globe of blue energy flashed around her for an instant. At zero, a heavily-armored ballistic turret was teleported in through an AR system. As it spun to target her, she wasted no time in extending her left hand again, only this time it glowed red and a mana canon descended in front of her to amplify and fire off two palm-sized fireballs before she clutched her right hand and focused to fire off a torso-sized flaming comet. <br><br>All of those projectiles battered their mark and left significant dents in the turrets armor, but a click let her know that it wasn’t over. It fired an explosive artillery shell at her position, but she'd already somersaulted high into the air and reached for the black staff at her back. As she drew it the weapon, its outer coating cracked to reveal a vibrating blade within. By the time she landed on her feet, this blade was charged with a powerful, violently crackling surge of electricity. She dashed forward as if she’d become lightning itself, slashing through a massive chunk of the machine's armor plating in an instant and shorting it with electricity. She then plunged the blade through the new gap in its plating and focused to send even more electric energy in and overload its core. <br><br>She pulled her blade free and casually walked away as the machine broke down, then exploded. Four more automated turrets were teleported in and she made short work of them as well through a combination of charged melee strikes and an onslaught of ice, lightning, and fire mana techniques. The only damage she’d sustained in the process was to the shield globe she’d summoned to absorb initial impacts. Behind a massive hole in it, she smiled as she caught her breath, completely unharmed.<br><br>Emraeal closed the video and smiled up at her friend. “I’m classified as a Manatecher and Field Agent now…but even after pulling off things like that, I had this fear that one day, it could all just go wrong. That the implants would fail, or I’d become sick in some new way and fall apart all over again. But I haven’t. It’s strange and scary and everything I’ve always wanted, but I don’t know how to let go of being afraid of being in hospitals. But today I woke up and thought, ‘even if I do become sick again, it’ll be completely worth it if I allow myself to just <em>live</em> for a day. No fear. No worries.’ And you know what?” She gave Caelan a smile. “As soon as I came to that, I just had to find you.” She lifted her hand to wave at him and give him a silly grin. “Hi.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 03:43:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan listened to her closely, eyes focused on her face as he idly drank from his milkshake.&nbsp; He was overjoyed to hear that she hadn't had any health issues.&nbsp; That meant that the implants were working perfectly.&nbsp; Or so he assumed.&nbsp; It was hard to tell without examining them, and her as well.&nbsp; But all thought of her physical condition departed from his mind in an instant when she spoke of enlisting.&nbsp; Eyes flew wide open as he coughed once, taking a moment to process what she'd just told him.&nbsp; All he could do was stare blankly at her while a flood of emotions surged through him.&nbsp; Shock was the obvious first, followed quickly by fear, worry, confusion.&nbsp; Even a small bit of anger that he couldn't quite explain.&nbsp; It took a moment before he began to feel a sense of pride, and happiness that she was able to do something like that.&nbsp; <br><br>Just as he was about to selfishly ask why she hadn't told him sooner, he fell silent to watch the video.&nbsp; What he saw was something that he hadn't expected from her.&nbsp; Hadn't known she was capable of.&nbsp; She moved with grace and confidence, and a fair amount of skill.&nbsp; Watching her in battle made it appear as if she had been doing it forever, a seasoned veteran.&nbsp; Dispatching her virtual targets looked effortless for her.&nbsp; Drawing in a slow, deep breath as the video ended, his head turned toward her.&nbsp; He gazed into her eyes and smiled warmly, reaching out to rest a hand on her bare shoulder.<br><br>"I'm proud of you, Em.&nbsp; I knew you could kick ass in VR, but...I had no clue you could do something like this."&nbsp; His smile grew in size, hand relocating to cup her cheek. "Your implants aren't going to fail.&nbsp; They're build to withstand anything you can throw at them..."&nbsp; Voice trailing off, his nostrils flared.&nbsp; He swallowed slowly, glad to have caught himself.&nbsp; "Nobody makes that stuff just so it can fall apart, right?&nbsp; They make it to last.&nbsp; Just have faith, okay?&nbsp; No more fear.&nbsp; Not about this.&nbsp; Where's the strong, confident girl I remember?"<br><br>He chuckled quietly, returning her wave with his free hand as the other slipped away from her cheek.&nbsp; "Well hello, yourself.&nbsp; I couldn't be happier that you found me."&nbsp; Caelan lifted his milkshake and sucked on the straw, only to be greeted by the familiar sound of emptiness.&nbsp; He glared at the glass with a look of annoyance before setting it back down.&nbsp; "You're not going to get sick or fall apart.&nbsp; You're not allowed, okay?"&nbsp; A little grin flashed across his lips.&nbsp; "If you get into a tough spot and start to get worried, just will yourself through it.&nbsp; Think 'If I don't make it out of here, I'll never get to see that awesome guy Caelan again!'"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 04:46:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal’s smile in response to his reaction almost hurt her own cheeks. She blinked when his hand went to her cheek and she met his eyes as she listened to his reassurances. The look in her gaze suggested that she didn’t entirely believe it yet but when he asked where her strength and confidence went off to, she chuckled softly. “I think I’m still transferring her into the real world.”<br><br>She nodded at his next words and worked on finishing the rest of her shake to catch up with him until his last comment prompted her to roll her eyes. “You’re such a dork.” She let out a soft, icy breath. “If I start to falter out there or fall apart, you’re going to have to be the one to yell at me. I don’t let too many others attempt that.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 05:01:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was so good to see her smile like that.&nbsp; A part of him had thought she might react to his words with doubt or disbelief, but if she did, she didn't voice those thoughts.&nbsp; Somehow, he often had a strange way of setting her at ease.&nbsp; A very important skill for a best friend to have.&nbsp; "Get her here soon, okay?&nbsp; You know how impatient I can be."<br><br>He rolled his eyes back at her, more dramatically as he reached out to brush his finger over the outside of her empty glass.&nbsp; Bringing it to his lips and licking at the droplets that had slid down from the rim, he hummed quietly in approval.&nbsp; His still sticky finger pointed at her in accusation.&nbsp; "You keep calling me these names, and yet you're still here.&nbsp; That must mean you like me just the way I am!"&nbsp; The finger slowly lowered as he nodded his head.&nbsp; "I know you want to do well.&nbsp; This seems important to you.&nbsp; That makes it important to me, too.&nbsp; If I can help you, I'll do it.&nbsp; Even if that means I have to act like your superior.&nbsp; Now drop and give me twenty!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 06:23:29</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Again she rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me what to do." She jutted a thumb at herself with a look of faux-outrage. "I'm my own boss, understand?!"<br><br>Emraeal pointed at him accusingly when he went for her glass. "Thief! Stealing the last drops of my shake. So honorless..." She squinted at him and shook her head in fake disgust. At his taunting about her still wanting him around she crossed her arms and huffed as she looked away. "I admit nothing."<br><br>She briefly dropped the act to give him a tender smile before he yelled at her to give him twenty. "Not in this dress, sir! I have too much bum for that to work." She squinted at him. "Or is that your intent?" She shook her head. "You dirty old man." <br><br>That too was dispelled with a smile as she stood up. "So. What's next on our agenda, Red?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 06:45:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Grinning at her, his brow furrowed in thought for a moment.&nbsp; "But if you are your own boss, and I yell at you, does that mean I'm yelling at my boss?&nbsp; If so, what are the consequences for that?&nbsp; I won't get fired, will I?"<br><br>"And no shame, either.&nbsp; I'm eyeing the little bit trickling down the other side right now.&nbsp; Think you can beat me to it?"&nbsp; He cracked a smile when she turned away from him.&nbsp; "Maybe not, but I don't hear you denying it either.&nbsp; It's a good thing you're not on trial.&nbsp; You're not very good at this."<br><br>She certainly wasn't joking.&nbsp; Emraeal had a wonderful backside, from what he had been able to gather.&nbsp; He tried his best to look innocent, but quickly gave that up.&nbsp; The mere thought was almost enough to make him laugh.&nbsp; "Alright!&nbsp; You caught me!&nbsp; Can't blame a guy for trying though, can you?"&nbsp; He stuck his tongue out at her childishly before offering a smile.&nbsp; "I'm about as old as you are tall.&nbsp; Not very!"&nbsp; <br><br>Caelan slid off of his stool as she rose to her feet.&nbsp; He made sure to stay within range of retaliation for his comment.&nbsp; "I thought we'd go for a walk through the park next.&nbsp; There are a few nice little spots to relax, maybe see a little of the wildlife if we're lucky.&nbsp; We can browse some of the nearby shops while we walk.&nbsp; You never know what you might find here."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 18:54:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“Yes. Yes I can blame you. I’m blaming you right now. Do you feel the blame?” Emraeal replied while staring at him and speaking in a deadpan tone. Of course, once he took a shot at her height, an all-too familiar glare painted her features. “You suck.”<br><br>“Enough relaxing. I’ve had to do that for years!” She chirped before settling down. “I’m fine with strolling through the park, though. But afterwards, you have to take me somewhere with a view. Or an AR arcade!” Her face brightened before her expression shifted and her eyes narrowed. “I uh…went to one the other day. There was this smug jerk…” She turned her gaze on Caelan. “I want revenge.” But then she brightened again. “And to dance, too! Have you ever tried one of those old AR rhythm games? They’re actually pretty fun! And a heck of a work out, too.”<br><br>A competitive grin flashed across her lips. "Think you could keep up?" She pointed to him. "I'm challenging you to a dance-off!" 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>14-09-2016, 23:37:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A cute little pout began to form as his friend stared and teasingly blamed him.&nbsp; At least, it was meant to be cute.&nbsp; He quickly broke into a grin when she glared at him once again.&nbsp; Then his jaw dropped slightly, brows lofting as he laughed.&nbsp; Many different replies flew through his mind, but he was quick to remember the outcome of his earlier boldness.&nbsp; Instead he extended his arm toward her, index finger pointing accusingly and resting a mere fraction of an inch from her nose.&nbsp; "You!&nbsp; You are the one who sucks!&nbsp; But me?&nbsp; I'm awesome."<br><br>Smiling at her warmly as she spoke, he began to think.&nbsp; A place with a view...&nbsp; There were a number of those nearby, he knew.&nbsp; But before he could decide on one, she said the magic words.&nbsp; His eyes lit up when she mentioned an AR arcade, his grin growing so big that it was slightly uncomfortable to maintain.&nbsp; Luckily he didn't have to for long, as the mention of a 'smug jerk' caused a disgusted look to wash over his features.&nbsp; "Do I get to take a crack at him, or are you calling dibs?"&nbsp; Just as he was about to continue, Emraeal said something that gave him pause.&nbsp; Dancing?&nbsp; In that dress?&nbsp; She'd refused to do push-ups not moments earlier, yet there she was challenging him to a bit of friendly competition.&nbsp; Caelan was familiar with the games, and used to be quite good at them.&nbsp; Besides, he couldn't dare back down from a challenge.&nbsp; Not from her.<br><br>"Oh, I think I can manage."&nbsp; He returned her grin, adding in a quiet laugh.&nbsp; "But you might regret it.&nbsp; Is this just for bragging rights, or would you like to place a wager on it?"&nbsp; His gaze intensified as if daring her to name her stakes.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>15-09-2016, 03:25:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				If Emraeal could have rolled her eyes out of her head, it would have happened when Caelan pointed and taunted. On the arcade nemesis she mentioned, his asking to get a shot at him prompted a shrug from the Field Agent. “If he’s there, I wouldn’t try to stop you. He’s scary good, though…but just, his face." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I want to win just to do something about his smug face. Doesn’t matter if that win comes from you or I.” <br><br>“Yeah. In this dress. At least no one will be able to look directly up my ass if I’m just dancing.” His words lit a fire in her gaze as she answered. “Oh you think <em>I’ll</em> regret it?” Another Pre-Impact accent left her lips. "Don't you know I'm <em>loco</em>?" She stepped up to him then threw her hands out to her sides as she tilted her head in a classic ‘Come at me’ stance. “<strong>Fight me.</strong>" When she stepped back, her facial expression and body language dared him to follow as she fell on that accent once more. "I'm not afraid of some stakes! I eat those for breakfast!" <br><br>No one would need to tell her how corny she was for that last one. Her facade was already cracking into a silly smile. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>15-09-2016, 04:08:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan would have to admit that her reaction was not what he had anticipated.&nbsp; Rather than indifference, he'd imagined she's have refused to allow him to get revenge on her behalf, instead relegating him to the role of cheerleader.&nbsp; "Scary?&nbsp; You haven't seen scary yet.&nbsp; Besides, I can't just sit idly by while someone else picks on you.&nbsp; That's my job."&nbsp; He smiled warmly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.&nbsp; There was a possibility he a bit nervous, but it was likely to soon pass.&nbsp; It usually did.&nbsp; "What's the game?&nbsp; What could you possibly have allowed yourself to be beaten at?"<br><br>He laughed softly at her comment, resisting the urge to make one of his own in turn.&nbsp; Brows furrowed slightly when she took on yet another accent, and his eyes got a certain mischievous gleam.&nbsp; It was a shame they were in public, or he'd have tackled to the ground and tried to pin her.&nbsp; Still, it remained a possibility.&nbsp; They were the only two patrons in the shop.&nbsp; Oh, this was one piece of bait he couldn't resist.&nbsp; He closed the distance between them with one long stride, coming to rest almost uncomfortably close to her.&nbsp; His left shoulder dipped, while his right arm lifted to point a single long digit in her face.&nbsp; It was clear that he was amused, and wouldn't back down.&nbsp; He did his best impression of the same accent as his stare intensified.&nbsp; <br><br>"You don't know who you're messing with, <em>chica</em>.&nbsp; I run these streets."&nbsp; At the mention of eating stakes for breakfast, his eyes rolled, and his head turned to the side for a moment while he fought the urge to laugh.&nbsp; Once he regained his composure he turned back to her.&nbsp; His upper body leaned back slightly, gaze slowly travelling down and back up the length of her form before re-establishing eye contact.&nbsp; Again he worked to draw her ire, flashing a toothy grin.&nbsp; "I had a short stack bigger than you for breakfast this morning.&nbsp; Pancakes...with syrup, and butter."&nbsp; Open palms slapped his chest before arms extended at his sides.&nbsp; His head tilted to the side, lowering to move closer to hers.&nbsp; "Do somethin'."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>15-09-2016, 11:16:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Another exaggerated eyeroll was Emraeal’s response to Caelan claiming he ran the streets, but before she could shoot that down, another height joke happened. “Always with the short jokes! I’m gonna dance the fuck outta you for that.” She narrowed her eyes and spoke in the grimmest tone she could muster. “Make peace with your gods.”<br><br>She started backing up and pantomimed that she would be watching him before she turned and started walking towards their destination. She guessed that he already knew where the place was, being an avid gamer and all, but she decided to lapse into her AR for a moment to send him the navigation path. Once that was done, she matched her pace with his and turned her gaze up at him. “I wouldn’t say he was picking on me. He just kind of…he’s really smart and a huge shit talker. I’ve had him on the ropes a few times but he always pulls some trick out of his butt to steal a win in the last second. I saved the replay of our last match. We can stop if you want to watch it.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>16-09-2016, 00:31:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You know...if you keep rolling your eyes like that, they're going to pop right out of your head!&nbsp; Then what will you do?"&nbsp; He scolded her teasingly.&nbsp; "Hey.&nbsp; It's not my fault you keep setting me up to make them.&nbsp; Besides, they seem to be effective."&nbsp; Caelan couldn't help but grin as she swore her revenge.&nbsp; "Dance the fuck out of me, huh?&nbsp; I look forward to seeing you try."<br><br>He took one step toward Emraeal when she began to back away, eyes narrowed.&nbsp; A clenched fist slammed threateningly into an open palm before beginning to follow her, moving quickly to catch up to where he could walk by her side.&nbsp; He quietly chuckled when the navigation path popped up.&nbsp; "Are you trying to hint at something?"&nbsp; An elbow gently nudged her in the side as he turned to meet her gaze.&nbsp; "Hey.&nbsp; Let me think he was picking on you, okay?&nbsp; That'll me make more determined to wipe the floor with him.&nbsp; And if I don't?"&nbsp; He paused momentarily, brow furrowing.&nbsp; "Well...if I don't completely obliterate him, we can both hate him together, right?"&nbsp; The mention of a replay caused him to stop dead in his tracks, his body turning to face her.&nbsp; "I'd love to see it.&nbsp; It might help me to get an idea on how he fights.&nbsp; And...I kind of like seeing you in action!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>16-09-2016, 05:29:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Roll my eyes out of my head..." She echoed as she pulled up the replay of her last battle with her nemesis. "That sounds like a threat someone's grandpa would give. Way to be old. And really. You just keep falling on short jokes because you've got nothing else." She flashed him a bright smile. "I'm too cute for anything else to work!"<br><br><em>The Faetecher stopped and outstretched her hand to command her AR to project a holographic screen in front of them. In it, was the battle in question. Emraeal explained that she decided to go with a famed, powersuit-using bounty hunter while her opponent went with a short robot in blue with an arm-cannon. When the battle began, her opponent immediately displayed his skill with a combination of throws, plasma blasts, and a variety of strange weapons. Emraeal retaliated with a nearly incomprehensible blitz of over a dozen fast and powerful attacks that sent him through a nearby building. Unfortunately, her opponent swiftly learned how to counter her relentless onslaught and began using her own momentum and the environment against her.<br><br>A lopsided start became an even battle as both gave as good as they got and destroyed several floors of the building along the way. They bombarded each other with weapon blasts, bombs, fearsome kicks, punches and slams, and advanced weaponry until they crashed onto the bottom floor and Emraeal fired off a charged blast in haste. Her opponent dodged by a hair and the burst hit the building's reactor then triggered a volatile reaction that threatened to suck them both into a meltdown. However, her opponent used the environment once more and seized the opportunity to blast her off her feet and directly into the reactor's core to end her in a cinematic fashion as he made his getaway.</em><br><br>All Emraeal could do when the replay ended was turn and give Caelan a sheepish smile and shrug. "He's pretty clever. I can understand if that was a bit unnerving. He picks up on people's styles really fast and he seems to know every zone like the back of his hand."<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>16-09-2016, 23:46:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan gave his friend a deadpan stare as she teased him, then stuck his tongue out briefly.&nbsp; "I've got plenty else, believe me.&nbsp; But you are right, I suppose.&nbsp; You're just too cute for any other insult to work."&nbsp; At that, he couldn't help but crack a smile.&nbsp; His gaze shifted to watch the hologram presenting the replay of her failed battle against an opponent he didn't even know.&nbsp; The person behind the other character mattered a great deal.&nbsp; Everyone had their different strategies and techniques, and often varied between controlled avatars.&nbsp; Maybe he'd get lucky and the guy would make the same selection.&nbsp; If not, at least the video would give him some idea as to the strengths and weaknesses of Emraeal's nemesis.<br><br>Immediately he began to record the battle, intending to watch it several times before they reached the arcade.&nbsp; It was something he often did before battling someone.&nbsp; Not that he didn't already have a massive advantage in that the other fighter didn't even know he was coming, but every little bit helped tip the scales further in his favor.&nbsp; Looking like an idiot and getting his butt handed to him were among his chief concerns.&nbsp; He sure talked a big game, but he believed that he could back it up.&nbsp; The last thing he wanted was to fail in front of his best friend.<br><br>He chuckled and slowly shook his head, turning once more to look at Emraeal once the replay had concluded.&nbsp; "You're not half bad."&nbsp; A little grin spread across his lips as as the recording began to play again on his private display.&nbsp; "Yeah, I see that.&nbsp; I used to be really good at this game.&nbsp; Even though I haven't played it in a few months, I think I can manage to put up a good fight.&nbsp; How did you two get into it, anyway?&nbsp; Have you seen this guy around before?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>17-09-2016, 06:57:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal quirked an eyebrow at what she assumed was supposed to be some kind of compliment. “Not half bad? You call those sick combos not half bad? You know…when we’re done crushing him, you’re next.” She paused and pursed her lips as she reconsidered. “Well. Then again, I’ve already vowed to destroy you on the dance floor. We’ll see who’s ‘not half bad’ after that.” <br><br>Old habits die hard. She may have been new to life as a healthy Fae woman in the real world but whenever it came to AR or VR, she had confidence in spades. She lived in that space for well over a decade and used it to perform what was impossible for her to do while she was in her formerly fragile state. There was a part of her that felt a heady rush whenever she beat her competition or reached the upper heights of her virtual capabilities…especially in dangerous situations or in matches well fought. Her taunts were often just as much to warn opponents as they were to fire them up and make them fight her with everything they had. Of course, that was easy to do in these sorts of games, where losing only resulted in a drop in rankings or rising again a short distance away. The real world was different, however.<br><br>“My attitude’s gonna get me killed one day, isn’t it?” She asked him after a moment’s thought before she gave him a soft smile. “You know this is all in good fun, right?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>18-09-2016, 21:37:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The urge to laugh was strong when his friend seemed to take a playful offense at his comment.&nbsp; While he did manage to hold it in, the same could not be said when she told him that he was next.&nbsp; It wasn't because he didn't think she could, but rather because of the humor of the situation.&nbsp; "Oh, I see how it is.&nbsp; I'm offering to help you get your sweet, sweet revenge on this guy, and you're already threatening to take me down afterward?&nbsp; No 'I appreciate you', or 'Thanks for having my back', just straight to 'You're next!'."&nbsp; Caelan's head turned toward Em, flashing her a little grin.&nbsp; He tried to make it obvious that he was teasing, and it really didn't bother him.<br><br>Her confidence was something that he'd always admired.&nbsp; It didn't matter what the situation, or the odds against her, she was always convinced that she had things well under control.&nbsp; There was nothing too impossible for her to accomplish.&nbsp; That attitude had been infectious, starting to rub off on him very quickly after he'd started to hang out with her.&nbsp; The two had met each other at what had proven to be the perfect time in their lives, and they complemented one another beautifully.&nbsp; Still, he'd always wished that he could have met her sooner.<br><br>"Killed?&nbsp; Not as long as I'm around.&nbsp; I wouldn't let that happen.&nbsp; But you might want to be careful...never know who you might rub the wrong way.&nbsp; Besides, I've got make sure I can still rough you up from time to time, myself."&nbsp; Emraeal could have said or done just about anything to just about anyone, and he'd still run to her side to support her however she needed.&nbsp; He smiled back to her, nodding his head slowly.&nbsp; He knew she was right, of course, but gaming had always been something he was serious and passionate about.&nbsp; It certainly wasn't a 'life or death' thing, even if it did seem like it at times, but he had grown quite fond of the prestige, the recognition, the mixture of fame and infamy that came with being near the top.&nbsp; "Yeah, I know it is.&nbsp; But it's a whole lot more fun when you win, isn't it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 03:25:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“Isn’t that how it normally works?” Em replied with a sweet smile. “Victory over high-ranking players always paints a bulleye on one’s back. Never win a trophy and expect to keep if forever.” She gave him a devilish smirk. “You know. Like a certain sword… Still getting chased by your fan club?”<br><br>“Oh, I plan on rubbing plenty of women the <em>right</em> way, now that I can.” Emraeal replied, a dangerous glint in her eyes as she wiggled her fingers. “I’ve had plenty of practice.” But then her face flashed red as she realized she’d just admitted to some of her other activities in Virtual Spaces. She looked up at him and gave him a sheepish grin. “Too late to say I’ve been training to be a masseuse?”<br><br>As they continued on, the tell-tale neon lights of their destination could be seen on the next block. “It’s gonna be really awkward if he’s not even there.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 03:56:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan sighed and nodded slowly, flashing a devious grin of his own.&nbsp; "Inevitably, everyone's overtaken by someone better.&nbsp; Or at least, better in that moment.&nbsp; But I like having that target on my back.&nbsp; It fills me with joy knowing that so many people have to stare at my butt, knowing they'll never be able to catch me.&nbsp; But the ones that do..."&nbsp; His grin grew in size, and he gave her a little wink.&nbsp; "Let's just say that revenge can be the sweetest taste you'll ever savor.&nbsp; If you can manage to take one of those trophies from me, maybe I'll show you what I mean."&nbsp; Bursting into laughter when the sword was brought up, he nodded knowingly.&nbsp; "I've made all sorts of friends since that incident.&nbsp; But I get the feeling they're all just trying to use me for something.&nbsp; And the offers I've gotten...any one of them would be enough to hire you on as my personal assistant for the rest of our lives."&nbsp; Another little smirk as he looked down to her, wondering how she's respond to that.<br><br>Both eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the mention of rubbing women.&nbsp; He could feel his pulse racing as all manner of thoughts flitted through his mind.&nbsp; His stare grew more intense as the color began to flood her cheeks, and he nervously chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment.&nbsp; He'd known all about her fondness for the fairer sex, as well as several of her experiences with them.&nbsp; "I'd say it's much too late, yeah..."&nbsp; His voice trailed off, and a smile began to creep across his lips.&nbsp; There seemed to be a little twinkle in his eye as he continued.&nbsp; "...given the fact that I've witnessed more than a couple of your 'practice sessions'."&nbsp; There had been times where he had followed her in the virtual world, either planning to ambush her in a mock attack, or was just trying to sneak up on her to scare her.&nbsp; And other occasions where he'd just happened upon her at random while exploring.&nbsp; "I must say, I'm a bit jealous.&nbsp; You're quite good at what you do."<br><br>As the arcade came into view, he could feel himself growing antsy.&nbsp; The video she'd shown him had him itching for a good fight, and if it wasn't the smug man from her encounter, the duty to sate his hunger would fall to someone else.&nbsp; Likely Emraeal, unless someone else happened to be there.&nbsp; In this case, he would prefer it to be someone he didn't have an attachment to.&nbsp; "He'll be there...&nbsp; And if he's not, I'm sure we can find a few ways to lure him out."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 07:13:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				(http://spgm.b1.jcink.com/uploads/spgm//Mechanist_Arcade.jpg)<br><br>“You’re saying this to me as if I don’t know that already.” Emraeal commented dryly in response to his words on winning and revenge. “If I didn’t know how sweet revenge tasted, do you think I’d be chasing that guy right now?” She gave him an incredulous look. “Personal assistant?! Pfft. Who’s to say it wouldn’t be better if I had you as <em>my</em> minion?” She brought her hand up to her lips as she threw back her head and gave her best impression of a haughty, villainous laugh. “That boy. Soon, he’ll be thankful for the privilege to kiss my boot.” She paused and looked lost in her own thoughts for a minute. “Suddenly I feel an intense desire to purchase a riding crop.”<br><br>“You did <em>what</em>?!” Em exclaimed in shock. “What the hell do you mean I’m quite good at what I do?!” If her blush was apparent before, it was glowing now. “How would you even know that? I don’t give details!” Her eyes narrowed on him. “Have you been talking to my exes?” But then her eyes widened. “No. Wait. You said <em>witnessed</em>… When?! How?!” Her frantic questions easily closed the distance to the arcade and she stepped inside without even paying attention. His little revelation was a far more pressing matter in her eyes. “You’ve got some explaining to do!”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 07:55:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan tried to keep a straight face as he spoke.&nbsp; "I don't know.&nbsp; It's been so long since I've heard one of your revenge stories that I'm beginning to wonder if you forgot what it's like."&nbsp; Eyes rolled at the thought of being her minion.&nbsp; "Yeah, like that would happen.&nbsp; You couldn't afford me, unless you threw in some benefits I just couldn't refuse.&nbsp; Even then, I don't know that you'd be able to keep me under control.&nbsp; And that laugh of yours could definitely use some work!"&nbsp; Thoughts of Emraeal as some sort of evil dominatrix passed through his mind, disappearing at the mention of a riding crop, which sent a shiver down his spine.&nbsp; "Maybe I'll let you borrow one of mine."<br><br>His entire body tensed up when Em reacted to his confession.&nbsp; Perhaps he should have kept that knowledge to himself.&nbsp; He looked to meet her gaze, opening his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by another question.&nbsp; Okay, she was a lot more concerned about this than he'd thought.&nbsp; It was time for some damage control.&nbsp; As the two entered the arcade and began to wander around, he took a moment to plead his case.&nbsp; "Even if you had given me details, they wouldn't have done you justice."&nbsp; Teeth bit gently into his tongue to shut himself up.&nbsp; <em>Not helping, Caelan.&nbsp; Not helping.</em>&nbsp; <br><br>"Okay, to be fair, it turns out that several of your exes are also my exes.&nbsp; I actually keep in contact with a few of them, so I knew about your...activities...before I ever saw one.&nbsp; But...ahh...you know how I like to sneak up on you sometimes, to make sure you're paying attention?&nbsp; Well, a couple of those occasions lead me to find you with another girl.&nbsp; Another time, you weren't responding to my messages.&nbsp; Thinking that you either had to run off, or just weren't paying attention, I tracked you down to make sure nobody came to attack you while you were gone, and saw another of your 'massages'.&nbsp; Then this other time, I was just wandering around an exploring when I heard a woman moaning.&nbsp; Imagine my surprise when I saw you lying naked in the grass..."&nbsp; Broad shoulders shrugged, and he chuckled quietly.&nbsp; "It wasn't like I was stalking you or anything.&nbsp; I mean, I didn't follow you hoping to find you having sex, but it happened."&nbsp; A brief pause before he continued.&nbsp; "Quite a few times."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 17:09:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal’s gaze narrowed and filled with suspicion as he started explaining and put his foot in his mouth more than once. By the time he was finished, she wasn’t <em>as</em> upset, but she was still visibly uncomfortable with the information. “In the future, how’s about you just let me deal with the consequences when I’m away from my interface? And maybe cut it out with the sneaking around? You might not mean to be weird, but how would you have felt if this happened in reverse?” She gave him a mildly disturbed look. “And you’ve never seen me naked, thank goodness. Just my avatars, which is still weird but forgivable. I really don’t need this getting any creepier than it already is. And on top of that, my exes are talking about me? The hell are they saying?”<br><br>She shook her head to try to keep from thinking on it too much. “Ugh. Let’s just find our target and stomp him a new one. I could really use the distraction now.” The search didn’t take very long. It was just a matter of finding a crowd in the Battle AR section of the arcade and an obnoxious, green-haired youth in the center of it.<br><br>(http://spgm.b1.jcink.com/uploads/spgm//Mechanist_Gamer.jpg)<br><br>“I don’t even have to sit up for this one!” Came from the smug lips someone who looked to be barely past twenty and dressed like a sloppy teenager. “Oh, come on! At least give me a warm-up! I’ve got a tournament tomorrow, man!”<br><br>The scowl on Emraeal’s face said it before she could even form words. “And that would be him…” 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>19-09-2016, 20:48:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Face to face interaction was obviously not Caelan's strong suit.&nbsp; Years of living mostly as a recluse, trying to keep most of his meetings in the virtual world, had eroded the little filter that people often had between their brain and their mouth.&nbsp; How was it that he could be so calm and calculative in virtual reality, but such a bumbling idiot in real life?&nbsp; Once he'd started talking, and she realized what he had said, he knew that he couldn't stop.&nbsp; Never before had he lied to her, and he wasn't about to start.&nbsp; Even though it took him slipping up for it to happen, shouldn't he get at least a tiny amount of credit for giving her the full story, instead of trying to explain it away?&nbsp; <br><br>As usual, he'd hoped for the best.&nbsp; Thought that maybe, somehow she might have at least felt a little flattered.&nbsp; Then again, not everyone was just like him.&nbsp; His head nodded in agreement as he maintained eye contact while she scolded him.&nbsp; It wasn't until she asked him how he would have felt that he finally said something, albeit in a quieter voice than usual.&nbsp; "Honestly, I'd have found it kind of hot.&nbsp; I'm...a bit of an exhibitionist.&nbsp; But from now on, I won't come looking for you.&nbsp; If you want privacy, you've got it."&nbsp; His shoulders shrugged when she asked what they were saying about her, his head slowly turning away.&nbsp; He was starting to feel like a pretty big scumbag by that time, even though it had never been his intention to see her like that.&nbsp; Even if he couldn't bring himself to look away from her when it happened.&nbsp; "I've only heard about you from two girls.&nbsp; They didn't mention you by name, by I figured it out through their description of you.&nbsp; Just that you were beautiful, and it was amazing, and they hoped to bump into you again some time."<br><br>Caelan just nodded when Emraeal spoke of needing a distraction.&nbsp; Heaven forbid he open his mouth again so soon.&nbsp; He could tell that he'd made her more than a little uncomfortable.&nbsp; Perhaps even a bit hurt, too.&nbsp; He was extremely thankful when they eventually stumbled upon the man that fit her description to the letter.&nbsp; Had the target not been present, he thought Em would have loved the chance to wipe the floor with him after what had just happened.<br><br>Glancing over to Emraeal, he muttered, "I hate him already."&nbsp; This kid was already starting to get on his nerves.&nbsp; Caelan offered the stereotypical greeting that might be expected from someone that was about to deliver a beatdown.&nbsp; Fingers curled and relaxed several times before each knuckle was cracked loudly.&nbsp; His head lowered, rolling slowly from side to side until it popped, as well.&nbsp; He was even more determined than ever to completely obliterate this guy.&nbsp; A number of people had already recognized Caelan since he entered the arcade, and were beginning to gather around.&nbsp; Messages were streaming across the news feed on his display, announcing what was about to go down in case anyone nearby wanted to come watch.&nbsp; Apparently this kid was a pretty big deal.<br><br>"Sit.&nbsp; Stand.&nbsp; Curl up in bed.&nbsp; Makes no difference to me.&nbsp; Just don't waste my time.&nbsp; Someone far more important than you has been waiting very patiently to dance with me, and I'd like to get to it."&nbsp; His personal display began to flood with line after line of code as he logged himself into the game and registered himself to battle.&nbsp; Even after going on a hiatus for a couple of months, he was still near the top of the second-highest tier on the leaderboards.&nbsp; His opponent was lodged squarely in the middle of the highest.&nbsp; A devilish grin spread across his lips as he looked through the match history and past opponents of his new rival.&nbsp; It appeared that one more loss in ranked play would bump him out of eligibility for the tournament he seemed so worried about.<br><br>"You seem pretty confident over there.&nbsp; What do you say we make this a bit more interesting?"&nbsp; Caelan paused briefly to buy a little time as his display split into multiple windows, playing each of the other man's past twelve matches simultaneously.&nbsp; "How about a ranked match?&nbsp; You win, you go up a few spots and have an easier time tomorrow.&nbsp; I win...and you sit at home watching me fight in your place."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>20-09-2016, 00:37:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The Kid was too busy laying a beatdown on another opponent to give his full attention to the sound of cracking knuckles behind him. It was hard to tell whether his dramatic eyeroll was at his current competition who just left himself wide open to a finisher or at the bravado of his newest challenger. It wasn’t until the massive AR display flashed with K.O. and his most recent victim flew into the ‘glass’ of the screen with a loud crack and slid down that he actually looked up at the guy challenging him. “Who the hell are you supposed to be?” He pulled the nano joint from his lips and squinted to get a good look at the tall dude and look over his gaming stats through his AR. “Wait.” When he saw a familiar face next to him, he let out an obnoxious laugh. “You got your <em>boyfriend</em> on me? I pinned you as better than that. You almost won the other day and now you’re stooping to--“<br><br>“He’s not my boyfriend, you ass!” She shouted at him with equal parts frustration and annoyance.<br><br>“Whoa. Whoa. Chill. Relax.” He held up his hands disarmingly and waved them in hopes of calming her down. “Made an honest mistake. The whole boyfriend thing happens to me a lot lately. Even my ex-boyfriend got his new boyfriend on me. I had to let him win that one.” He shook his head. “It was getting too weird.”<br><br>“HEY!”<br><br>“Oh, you’re here…” He looked uneasy when he recognized said person’s voice in the crowd. “Ah… Heh. Hi. I was just. Y’know… mediating.”<br><br>“FUCK YOU, MAN! I WANT A REMATCH.”<br><br>“You really don’t.” He shook his head slowly. “Just…don’t.”<br><br>While the Kid and the disgruntled boyfriend had their exchange, Emraeal looked up at Caelan. “You sure you don’t wanna get a warm up before you jump right in on this? Looks like he’s been here all day and he’s got a streak going.”<br><br>The Kid hopped up and dusted off his jeans. “She’s got a point, dude. The stats say you’ve been off the scene for over a month. Maybe you should get in a practice round or somethin’. You do that first and our bet is on. After all that shit you just talked, I want our match to be a good one. It’d be real sad if I mopped the floor with you…” He smirked at Emraeal. “In front of your dream girl.”<br><br>Emraeal narrowed her gaze and her lips set into a line at that last remark. <br><br>“Why aren’t you in the tournament, anyway? You’re pretty good.”<br><br>She looked puzzled and surprised at his question before she gave him an uncertain shrug. “I just do it for the fun?”<br><br>“You should do it for the money.” He paused as he noted her pointed ears. “And the fun. I know how you Fae are.”<br><br>She gave him an astonished stare at that while someone in the crowd yelled, “That’s racist!”<br><br>“What? No! What the fuck?! I’m an asshole, not a racist! Get correct!” He shook his head at that random outburst before focusing on Emraeal again. “Anyways. I know why you're here. You had fun last time. You wanna go again, don't you?”<br><br>While she knew he meant a rematch, the way he suggestively bit his lip and grinned at her made her shake her head and sigh, even as a faint blush flashed on her cheeks. “Ugh. You’re an idiot.”<br><br>He caught it and decided to use it as ammo on her red-haired friend. The Kid threw a smirk his way and confidently stated, “Yo’. Imma’ beat you and steal your girl."<br><br>“What?” The incredulous expression on her face added two extra-colorful words to that before she rubbed her temples. “Oh my god. You’re all crazy.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>20-09-2016, 02:45:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Caelan winced slightly as he caught the last seconds of the battle, giving a brief glance to the fallen challenger.&nbsp; What a stupid move.&nbsp; His eyes slowly scanned over The Kid to size him up, at least as best he could at the moment.&nbsp; There was scarcely a chance for him to answer the question of who he was before the guy started talking again.&nbsp; And then, that laugh.&nbsp; The laugh that made him cringe, just listening to it.&nbsp; A brow perked when he was referred to as Emraeal's boyfriend.&nbsp; A thought he briefly pondered, causing him to miss his chance to deny it.&nbsp; Not that he needed to, since Em obviously had the situation well under control.&nbsp; It really was easy to get under her skin.&nbsp; He took a step to the side when The Kid tried to smooth things over with her.&nbsp; Just in case, he didn't want to be standing between the two of them for a while.<br><br>There were so many things he wanted to say, but was too hesitant to.&nbsp; The last thing he needed was to piss Emraeal off even further by fighting her battles for her.&nbsp; She was perfectly capable of defending herself in the whole situation.&nbsp; There really wasn't a need for him to step in.&nbsp; It wasn't until she spoke to him that he snapped out of his thoughts and turned to face her.&nbsp; He had to think about it for a moment, but eventually he nodded his head in agreement.&nbsp; But before he could voice his thoughts, the pretty boy decided to chime in, as expected.&nbsp; Eyes rolled yet again as he turned to look to the Kid, who finally decided rise to his feet.&nbsp; "Don't interrupt grown-ups when they're having a conversation.&nbsp; It's rude.&nbsp; Didn't your mother teach you any manners?"&nbsp; After wiping away the little grin that formed at the mention of Emmy being his 'dream girl', he turned back to her.&nbsp; "Yeah, I guess I might as well.&nbsp; Suppose it couldn't hurt."&nbsp; Brows furrowed in thought for a second before he continued.&nbsp; "How about you, Em?&nbsp; The chance to beat the snot out of me might help us both right about now.&nbsp; I know you'd put up a good fight.&nbsp; Even better after all this."<br><br>His inquisitive gaze remained focused on her, even as she spoke to the Kid.&nbsp; At least, until that comment about the Fae.&nbsp; Caelan's head whipped around to stare at the Kid like he was stupid, which he really did appear to be.&nbsp; "I dunno.&nbsp; Seemed pretty racist to me.&nbsp; You might want to consider apologizing before you have a mob on your hands.&nbsp; Personally, I couldn't care less if they messed up that pretty face of yours, but I'd rather it not happen before the match."&nbsp; The Kid's next words caused muscles to tense, and nostrils to flare.&nbsp; His gaze shifted between the two of them, and he began to grow confused.&nbsp; Wait...was there more to this whole thing than a lost battle, and the smug prick that beat her?&nbsp; No...that couldn't be.&nbsp; This guy was just trying to get deeper under her skin, so to speak.&nbsp; And it looked like it was working.<br><br>"First of all, I think she's made it clear that she's not my girl.&nbsp; I'm not quite that smooth.&nbsp; Secondly, she doesn't really seem to like you too much, so good luck with that plan.&nbsp; Maybe if you weren't such a raging prick, you'd have someone here to cheer for you, instead of having a whole room of people that just want to see you put in your place.&nbsp; Third...in your little plan, you've got to get through me first.&nbsp; And you haven't done that yet.&nbsp; Go walk around for a few minutes.&nbsp; Get something to eat.&nbsp; Go to the bathroom.&nbsp; I'll be with you shortly."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>20-09-2016, 07:09:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A lopsided smile formed on The Kid’s face at the comments about grown-ups and manners. He didn’t quite know how to respond to that taunt and the surprising silence afterward indicated that parents weren’t really an easy topic for him. When Caelan hopped the bandwagon on accusing him of being a racist however, the taunts resumed immediately. “I think if she wanted an apology, she would have asked for or demanded one, you arrogant shit. Stop acting like you run this show. Nobody knows you. Nobody cares about you. You think you can just jump out of your MMO pajama suit and go toe to toe with me? Also: newsflash, everyone hates the guy that always wins. I’d play nice but there’s money at stake. Gotta keep the skills sharp to pay the bills.”<br><br>Caelan’s words about their Fae company drew a dangerous grin. <em>Got him.</em> The Kid managed to get in his head and now that he saw red, he’d be easy to bait during the match. “Pretty sure I’m not your therapist, dude. What’re you explaining your whole damn life with her to me for? Why are you explaining <em>her</em> life to me? Just shut the hell up and get your warm up in so I can beat your ass. Who the hell talks this much shit before the fight even starts?”<br><br>“Caelan does…” Emraeal murmured sheepishly. She couldn’t deny his tendency to do just that in nearly every game…especially since he’d won a certain sword. She gave him an apologetic shrug before stepping in front of the massive gaming display and moving her hands along the glowing interfaces. “He usually lives up to it, though.” <br><br>Her enthusiasm for the fights seemed to have left her as she mulled over the character selections but at the very least, the challenge could distract the men from their ego-war before it got any worse.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kiurial</strong> on <strong>21-09-2016, 02:28:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A wide grin sprouted into existence when The Kid resumed his taunting.&nbsp; Calling <em>him</em> an arrogant shit?&nbsp; Well, Caelan supposed that was true, but this guy had no room to talk.&nbsp; While it may have been true that many didn't care about him anymore since his hiatus, at least in terms of that particular game, there was a time when he had many fans.&nbsp; Fans that didn't hate him because he usually won.&nbsp; He knew how to play the crowd, and generally only resorted to heavy trash-talking in instances such as the one he found himself a part of now.&nbsp; Where his opponent was notorious for it.<br><br>Deciding to remain silent for the time being, he simply smiled at The Kid while the tirade continued.&nbsp; At least, until his face briefly went blank when Emraeal spoke up.&nbsp; His head turned toward her, brow lofted as if he couldn't believe she just said that.&nbsp; It wasn't but a few seconds later before his shoulders shrugged, and his head nodded as if to say 'Alright, yeah.&nbsp; You got me.'&nbsp; He moved to take his place at the side of his warm-up partner, looking to the display before turning his head to glance in The Kid's direction.&nbsp; Just as Emraeal said that he usually lived up to his pre-game hype, he winked at the man waiting for him to prepare.<br><br>Fighting while he was all worked up was something that Caelan tried to avoid.&nbsp; While it could not be escaped entirely, there were ways he had found to calm himself before a match that held any significance.&nbsp; His head lowered, shoulders lifting and pressing back slightly.&nbsp; Eyes slowly closed as he took a series of slow, deep breaths through his nose while considering his options.&nbsp; Roughly twenty seconds passed before his head lifted again.&nbsp; Once he refocused his attention on the display, he took a step forward and lifted his hands to manipulate the interface.&nbsp; Characters began to scroll across his half of the enormous display screen above them until he came to rest on a young, silver-haired girl that appeared to be wearing a maid's uniform.&nbsp; After locking in his selection, he glanced to Emraeal's part of the screen to discover her choice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: More Than Pixels (Kiurial &amp; Lunaris)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lunaris</strong> on <strong>23-09-2016, 02:38:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Emraeal had already made her selection and so her character remained a mystery until they found themselves on a Pre-Impact city street. Her choice was so bizarre, so insane that even the introduction to the fight was violent as a two-story tour bus flew right at Caelan’s character before he directed her to stop time. It didn’t matter though. A blonde, lean, muscular man clad in black and yellow literally punched through the bus to get to her, though she moved quickly enough for his hand to go through the concrete instead. It appeared he could control time as well and that was just one of many surprising abilities. A snap of the fingers and a doppelganger of him dressed in armor appeared and seized the girl to throw her into the bus. The blonde then hopped onto the vehicle and punched it several dozens of times in mere seconds before stomping it and causing it to explode.<br><br>She surprisingly survived with only intense anger as a response. The official fight began with her surprising him with a volley of thrown magical knives and personal stabs. The Kid looked impressed by the combo and nodded in approval before he exclaimed “Shit!” as Emraeal returned the favor with one of her insane offensive assaults. Character and doppleganger took turns smashing into the girl with a blindingly fast flurry of fast and powerful punches, kicks, and slams before both characters appeared in front and behind her and smashed her in the face with a vicious double haymaker.<br><br>The Kid was in the middle of cringing and actually feeling sorry for Caelan when his character managed to use a narrow window of recovery to dodge Emraeal’s follow up. Instead of connecting with her, Em’s choice found himself pierced by a cluster of thrown knives then slashed and kicked up and down the street in a return volley that prompted the Kid to murmur, “Daaaamn…” and some random person in the crowd to suddenly exclaim, “They both got curly moustaches!”<br><br>Lucky for Em’s character, the doppleganger intercepted one of the girl’s attacks and the balance was turned yet again. Though she put up a magical barrier to block an impossibly fast barrage of punches, it eventually shattered under the assault and the rest of the match was a toss-up as both characters used their control over time to prolong the fight and inflict even more outrageous damage on each other. It all seemingly ended when Em’s character attempted to crush the girl with a massive steam roller and punch it until it exploded. Only…she was never there. Trickery with time threw everything off. While he was punching a vehicle into oblivion with the belief that she was trapped under it, she was conjuring up countless blades. <br><br>When he realized that she wasn’t even there, he was rewarded with a thrown knife plunging right into his throat. Time began to flow again and so did the dozens of knives she threw at him while he was punching a steamroller. He was impaled by every one of them in the span of a second and left a crumpled, bloody, heap on the ground.<br><br>Emraeal and most of the spectators stared at the screen in shock as Caelan was named the winner. “Well… Damn.” Em stated as she pushed her hair away from her eyes and stepped away from the machine. The close fight won the crowd for Caelan and even the Kid applauded his display.<br><br>Of course, they were still due a match of their own, so it was time to settle it. “That was a hell of a comeback. When Em gets started there’s almost no stopping her. I could still see a few rusty moments, though so I’ll tell you what. Best two of three?” 
			</dd>
		</dl>
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