[centre][color=136119][h2]Pyotr[/h2][/color][/centre]

Sure enough, her blunt entrée hadn't much endeared Pyotr to the strangers. Despite this, the guy didn't seem put off by it and instead provided some... reasonably good excuses. She still held the belief that they hadn't paid any attention to each other before, but didn't push the point; they both seemed to be reasonable people, but in a world where ganking equated murder it wasn't worth taking risks. The guy clearly knew his shit, but something about his attitude just seemed a bit... cold. Clinical. As though he were still treating this as just a game. Beta tester perhaps, or just trying to rationalise things? Didn't matter, the suspicious eyes from the girl made it clear that Pyotr wouldn't be welcome in the group. Understandable, she supposed. No one wanted to be second guessed by an outsider. [color=136119][b]'So... you're telling me that SAO doesn't share XP in parties? Not even quest credit? Then what's the point in partying up at all?'[/b][/color] Once again playing solo was looking more and more tempting. The point about being paralysed was fair, but any idiot dumb enough to get into that situation simply hadn't the brains to plan properly; who would want someone like [i]that[/i] guarding their backs anyway?

The sensation of mental disconnect slowly grew as they explained themselves and, to their credit and her private relief, didn't attack her. They lacked a certain... efficiency that Pyotr prized in others as much as in herself. Not a character flaw in most cases, but she suspected that they were the sort that would rush forward to sacrifice themselves if a friend was in danger and that was [i]hella[/i] dangerous. She spoke slowly, trying to talk in a way that wouldn't come off as hostile. It didn't help that her voice had picked up a gravelly accent from all the Russian. [color=136119][b]'Your father wasn't wrong...'[/b][/color] [i]Not right either; you should be suspecting fucking everyone.[/i] [color=136119][b]'... and I appreciate the subtle sarcasm. Sarcasm is best humour, teh best lolz. I'm Pyotr. Um... Right then. I apologise for being a bitch, but y'know. Can't help speaking my mind, even if it comes out a jumble of shit.'[/b][/color] It occurred to her that neither of them had really swore. Confirmation then that they were [i]nice people[/i] aka the sort that got conned and taken advantage of. [color=136119][b]'But I am a bitch. Or ass, your pick. Call me what you like.'[/b][/color] She lapsed into awkward silence again, unsure of where she was going with this. It wasn't as though she wanted to join a party and even if she did, Pyotr would much prefer to be in the company of other self-serving cynical fucks rather than [i]nice people,[/i] but her options weren't great at the moment. [color=136119][b]'Uh... I take it you guys wouldn't want a bitch on the team, even temporarily..?'[/b][/color] Not the best way to broach the subject, but Pyotr had never pretended to be a great orator. She had considered trying to explain herself a little, but what was there to say? Two days into the game and the best she had achieved was hitting the stack limit on the <<Drunk>> status effect...