An Englishman in Castle Aincrad

Floor 3 - Chapter 1 - In the Fog of War

December 6th, 2022 - Floor 3 Teleport Gate, Aincrad

The third floor was, in Kirito's words, a forest full of mist. To anyone else, this would've been annoying... to Jet, this just reminded him of childhood holidays in Snowdonia, and hiding out in the woods to avoid his sisters. A trick that rarely ever worked, mind you.

''As you can see, Floor 3 is forest themed. Just... watch out for the trees.'' - The instant they'd walked out of the staircase, the misty atmosphere had descended on them, and rendered everything that wasn't a centimetre in front of their faces nigh on invisible. Luckily for Koharu and Jet, no one had noticed that the pair were now holding hands, to avoid getting separated in the fog.

''Why, they're trees, it isn't like they'll just come to life and-WATCH IT!'' - Whatever it was, Asuna had just screamed, so it was either very important... or completely inconsequential. - ''You two! Hands where I can see them!'' - Inconsequential, and not to mention, nonsensical considering the fog, it was then.

''Wasn't me!'' - Kirito answered more than a little bit too quickly...

''Ain't me, mine are on my sword, and Koharu's hand.''

''JET!'' - If it weren't for the pea soup they were calling fog, Jet would've seen his partner furiously blushing.

''Then whose... Oh. Oh no.'' - Asuna gulped at the realisation that the hand she felt, didn't feel much like a hand at all...

''What were you about to say about the trees, Kirito...'' - The exact same realisation came across the remaining three members of the group like a wave, making landfall...

''They're, well...''

''Alive?'' - Koharu questioned.

''Currently grabbing hold of the princess over there.'' - Jet stated.

''Both.'' - Kirito sighed - ''Asuna, stay still!'' - The trio raced into action, blades at the ready.

''I don't think that'll be a problem...'' - It hadn't escaped any of their attention's that the usual yelling had been replaced by almost calm terror.

A short fight... well, pruning later, and the no longer screaming princess had been freed from the disturbingly grabby trees. Whilst Asuna carried on, pretending as if nothing had happened, the others made sure to keep their eyes on their surroundings. No one particularly wanted a tree branch wrapped around their unmentionables, if they could at all help it...

''Kirito, there's something over there...'' - And with that, Asuna disappeared into the fog again...

''Jet, Koharu, we'll meet up later if we get split off in the fog...'' - And with that, Kirito disappeared into the fog too...

''Roger tha- they've gone, haven't they?'' - Jet looked into the mist, and saw absolutely nothing. This was the type of fog that you could've knit, or it would've been if his old nan was around, she always thought like that... Jet, on the other hand, just wanted out of the mist before-

''Argo, we know you're there...'' - Jet quickly did a double take, as the familiar cloak of a headache waiting to happen approached...

''Awww, I always enjoyed sneaking up on ya... ya both had the best reactions!'' - The headache continued.

''So, whaddya want, Argo...''

''I've got a quest for ya both...''

''Let me guess, someone got lost?''

''It's a story quest, one that carries on for the next few floors. You and Kii-boy'll probably give it a go, wouldn't out it past ya to run into each other! But... long as you keep me up to date on all th' happenings, this one's on the house!'' - A life lesson that had been instilled in Jet years ago, was to never trust freebies... and one instilled in him over the past month was to never trust Argo when it came to money... the two of them together? If Jet could've turned and ran, he would've.