A Meal After a Menace

Haru is in good spirits. He probably woke up that way. Maybe one of the two moons is in a weird position in the cosmos or he got a good fortune told. Maybe none of this is true and its all a lie! Either way, the beneficiaries of the good mood is good company. Some of the party makes it back to Dun Loireag to get a bite to eat at the Isekai Ryokan. The human holds the door open politely. "Of the things I expected back there," he tells them, "it was not that. That is the charm of an Adventure. You don't really know what is going to happen. Once you do it is a bit more like Enchanting work. Follows a pattern."

Himari Saito had been drinking from her gourd on the way back from the adventure, and it's possible that whatever was in it, isn't water. Her face is getting red, and she's starting to giggle over small things that she's finding funny.

"I'm going to eat all the food!" she happily declares with a bit of a slur as she slips past the human that holds the door open. "I-I don't know if I like adventuring. That was pretty scary! At least the money is better than hanging around memorials." She leans up against the wall next to the door and waits for the Haru and Yeowang.

Yeowang looks critically at Haru as he admits to not having expected what we faced. "Those are common monsters in the vicninity of Triffids," she explains to him, deadpan. "Anything that can feed on a triffid is going to be dangerous." She's been triffid hunting before, and fought a huge bunbun before, so it's simply a confirmation of how this world works. She will enter through the held door, murmuring "Thank you," to Haru as she passes.

To Himari Saito, she shrugs about it being scary. "There wasn't much danger to us as players," she explains. "The risk of failing was there, that was a challenging task. But not enough to put us in actual mortal danger. You will know when that happens. But it's quite rare. Things like Waves are at that danger level."

"Ok lightweight," Haru says with an equally light laugh, "lets get you to a table." He puts her arm around her and motions to the wait staff that they will table a table in the tatami seating area. "I didn't exactly read up on Triffids before picking it up. Also, I didn't realize you were an expert on our little plant like friends. It would have been nice to see them. I'll have to keep an eye on the Hunter's Guild to see if they have more migration work." The staff motions them to their seating. Haru walks with Himari to the seat before he neatly sits. Something Yeowang likely picked up on before is that little etiquette mannerisms in Haru's character are formal. Muscle memory. How one sits. One one eats. Very similar to the strict corporate world. "Next time, we check out memorials," he adds on in, "it has me quite curious." He orders some finger food for the table and a rye whiskey for himself. Its been a shift from his usual stout or sake.

"We might not have been in mortal danger, but that cookie I ate was in mortal danger of doing something else," Himari cheerfully replies to Yeowang, completely with a bright smile. "And my plan for the waves is to bravely hide!" She gives a nod of her head.

She blinks as she looks up towards Haru. "Pfft. Lightweight? I had to start early to give the both of you a chance to keep up."

She has no objection as she's guided through the table in the tatami area. She politely sits, and even takes off the leaf that she wears on her head, just to be polite. Her own order is cheap but rather strong wine. "Memorials? Sure. Though they're just memorials."

Yeowang nods slowly as Haru explains that he went in without doing any research. "I've hunted triffids before," she explains. "Bunbuns like that are fairly common." Perhaps not the most reassuring news. As to being a triffid expert, she shrugs. "If we saw them, we would not have seen the bun. The buns track them much more easily than players can." She will sit down at the table, as formal as Haru, though the manners are a trifle different. Her corporate manners are Korean rather than Japanese. She orders hot tea and nothing more, though she still has the cookies from earlier. She doesn't seem too interested, though.

She arches a brow to Himari Saito as she mentions hiding during a wave, and she sighs. "You should at least attend, and see what we're facing. There is generally an avenue to retreat safely, the only people who die are foolhardy people like Merek, who will stay in a fight well past when others have backed down. Haru, you remember the Tenth Wave, yes? -That- was a closely run thing. It just occured to me that the Palace Landers hounded us quite closely so we couldn't chim back what had happened. But if anyone had fallen, they'd have reappeared in their home Temple and given the alarm immediately. I suppose they realized they hadn't struck us as hard as they thought they would?"

Yeowang amends, "Immediately after the 24-hour recovery period. But that would have been substantially sooner than we wound up being able to chim back."

Haru snacks on some edamame as he considers what he will order for a dish. In the end sashimi and soy sauce win out. "I find what people find interesting as interesting. Just the other day I spent a good hour at the Ouph Cathedral just Appraising things in there to get a better read on some of the nuances. The world has all sorts of little easter eggs and lore tucked away like some puzzle game." He raises his whiskey to Himari, "To catching up," the human grins, taking and savoring his sips of the beverage. Sip.

"Ah Merek. Merek of the 'No, Merek!' tribe. I wonder what he is up to right now," the Artificer ponders. His thinking face is pointed in Himari's direction. It wanders. He will have to chim Merek later to find out. The mention of the tenth is what causes him to slip back into the present conversation. "I do. That is a pretty high bar on the terms of 'close'. We get to come back to life, but the idea of losing our memories isn't a pleasant one. There are things I'd rather forget, sure, but others I treasure."

There is a grave moment where Haru considers something. The Ash Wight. "Not all risks are of mortal peril. That Ash Wight did a number on people's minds. I know it did on mine." He takes a fresh sip of his whiskey. "Everyone has different risk and comfort thresholds, though, Yeo. Seeing plenty of that with New World Alliance coordination. I think its getting better, but honestly it is hard to tell. Establishing telemetry and metrics to something like an Adventurer's Alliance of three different guilds is shaky at best. Most didn't sign up for any sort of commitment or cohesion. More a hangout of potential friendos."

Himari Saito looks back towards Yeowang when she replies to her. She takes a big sip from the glass of wine that is delivered and makes a face. She might be regretting the first sip of the cheaper option, but soon finishes the rest. "See, if I hide, then I can help people who didn't hide after the fighting is finished!" she remarks. She tilts her hea curiously to the side at the mention of Merek and purses her lips as she looks between her companions. "So don't be like Merek."

She then raises up her now empty glass to Haru and nods her head. "Catching up! Or something." Another drink is soon ordered, and she leans back a little. "What does getting drunk actually feel like?" she asks. "I mean, not here, but where we're from?" she asks both of them in all seriousness.

Yeowang sips her tea, sighs at his description of Merek, which is kinder than she'd give. Though she will say, "He hasn't found a new way to endanger himself since we learned that death does have consequences. I don't know if that's wisdom or lack of opprtunity. It seems that since the Palace Landers attacked, Scale has at least put off their Tower climbing to aid the defense of Yamato."

She nods at not wanting to lose memories, and says, "I'd like to keep -all- my memories, even the poignant ones." She doesn't really have anything -sad- per se, either through a carefully managed life or a positive outlook. She never faced the Ash Wight, though, so she can't comment on that, but as to people having different threshholds, she says, "I came here to meet my boyfriend, who couldn't leave Korea while I was in Japan in school. I didn't sign up for /any/ of this nonsense. But you don't see me shirking the job. It's going to take everyone pulling their weight to get us out of this crisis." She eyes Himari Saito, and says, "Up to their level of skill, naturally. No one's expecting you to run endgame content on your own. But we'd appreciate everyone pitching in."

She looks confused at whether Himari Saito is saying she'd hide from an event, or heal through an event. But she nods vegemently at not being like Merek. As to getting drunk, she shrugs, having no idea. She's abstinent, and was abstinent in RL.

Haru was far from. He raises his whiskey to Yeowang's comment on everyone doing what they could, "To your boyfriend, then, Yeo," is his toast. A sip of his whiskey. Letting it sit on his tongue. Drinking it. Not until the flavor is left does he grab some of the sliced fish with his chopsticks.

It is a curious topic. Haru has never thought to put it into words. "Its hard to say, Himari. I'm assuming you've never had the pleasure," a grin and an elbow to her side to nudge, "it happens in stages. So drunk, like 'drunk drunk' is a lot like spinning around very fast so your body is unstable, only it stays that way. Your skin is hot. Your mind is, well, rather unchained. That makes some people huggy, angry, sad, or all the above. Most bad ideas that are just whims because notionally fantastic ideas. And if you are at that level, you get to wake up with the kind of headache that is like you got hit with a clue by four inside your skull." He sips his whiskey again. "College had plenty of that going on. You know, back in the Old World."

Himari Saito squirms and changes how she's sitting again, this time on her behind. She makes a little face as she's nudged in the side and then shakes her head. "I've only ever got drunk after the Apoc," she admits. "When I got old enough, and my manager said it would be bad for publicity. So I never did. But all of my ideas are great ideas!"

She eagerly accepts her next drink when it arrives, though it seems that she's now moved onto rum. She considers Yeowang and what she said. "I guess you're right about things. About fighting that is," she says defeatedly. "It's only because of Haru that I went adventuring today." She then frowns and moves to lean forward to lean on the table. "Yeo-chan, I hope you find him if he's here!"

She then pauses and looks at them both. "Wait, you're both in college?"

Yeowang nods as Haru toasts her boyfriend, and she will toast with her tea. Haru explaining drunkenness matches her own observations, particularly about college having plenty of that going on. "It's true." But she nods at her having come out at Haru's prompting, and says, "Well, then. I hope you will take away that that is about as hard as adventuring ever gets, barring floor bosses and Waves." She smiles at finding him, and says, "Well, he would have been on the Palace Land's server, but I have no idea whether he never logged on, which is possible, he has a number of obligations that could have kept him out. But if he logged in, he could be Crowned now, or in hiding, or PK'd until he was eliminated completely. He's not the type that would put up with the Palace Landers, though he's ... just a beginner at martial arts." Of course skill at fighting is controlled and limted by the game, something she finds wildly frustratring.

But she nods about being in college. "Tokyo U," she explains. Because of course someone like her would have gotten in there with no trouble.

Erufu has been here for a while, she's been eating and finally got on to a few drinks. Sadly no matter what world she's in? Erufu is a lightweight. Thankfully she's not an easy drunk but she's had enough. She sees the trio chilling out and she just does the first thing that comes into her head. Haru would find in short order he has an elf clinging to him for a moment, then followed by Ywoang and Himari. "You should buck we're going to get through this! The Palace Landers will be stopped!."

She also seems very confused about the idea of an old world. Yes even drunk she stays in character. What kind of life did she have before that she would push it so deep down?

Haru nods to Yeo at the university name, "Todai. University of Tokyo. Bit of a family requirement on my end." He is on the other side of the fence, a generational that had that destination picked out years ahead of time for him. "I was studying information security under the science divisions. Name aside, I found online groups with Tokyo Tech more willing to take risks in their literature. Probably felt like they had something to prove." He puts a finger on his whiskey glass, holding it there. "The major virus outbreaks made it very lucrative to understand how to attack and defend digital landscapes." The finger lifts. "And I appreciate the irony of living in one now." The human draws the whiskey to his lips and takes a fresh sip. Enough of that. "Short of the last scenario, there is plenty of hope if he logged in. Find 'em. Uncrown 'em if thats the case. Bring him home." Saving Private Ryan style. "First Shibuya, then Seeker's Landing. Then more opportunities to make that happen."

But thats work talk. His one blue eye drifts to Himari. "And you?" Haru asks, "when not singing and doing fun idol-y stuff, where did you go to school?" One might say that Haru has great composure. Thats because through most of the conversation he has an elf hanging off him before Elf moves on like a physical contact predator. "Thats right, Erufu, we will stop them. If even half of the Alliance attends, we have the numbers and Wake pledged she would commit her forces no string attached for a brighter future." Those were not her /exact/ words. Wake was mightily pissed. But help is needed and shall arrive!

"Oh... yeah, different servers. I forgot about those," Himari Saito admits. "Well, then I hope that he never logged in, and if he did, he's still safe and resisting, Ye-Chan!" She gives a soft sniff and continues to frown for a few more moments, then takes a sip from the glass of rum.

She looks surprised by the taste, and it might be possible that she's been drinking cheaper items and not the more expensive stuff. She also manages to keep her drink without spilling a drop when she's clung to by Erufu. "Eru-chan!" she offers in a sing song voice as she offers a hug in return. "With an Elf, we can't be stopped!" she says in agreement. "I don't know if that's true, but I hope it is."

She then blinks and peers between Haru and Yeowang. She goes silent and her face turns bright red when Haru asks her a question about her schooling. "I shouldn't say, because others have had trouble in the past. But we can't do anything." She takes another drink and then glances away, before uttering under her breath. "Tokyo Metropolitan... High School. My parents wanted me to go Tokyo U after graduating."

Yeowang gahs as Erufu is suddenly clinging to her. If it was her old sparring friends in high school, a punch in the ribs would stop the squeezing, though in fact neither of the two who were closest to her were very cuddly in any event, so that sort of thing never came up. She simply bears up stiff and uncomfortable until Erufu finds a more cuddly target.

She nods slowly as Haru explains his affiliation. "Business," she gives as her own major, because of course. Though in truth she had more of her business skill from RL working with her father's company than the school could have taught her in the time she was there.

When Haru mentions there's hope of finding him if he logged in, she admits, "I am unsure whether he did or didn't. He tended to get sidetracked, and as I said, he had many obligations." She smiles to Himari and nods, "I also hope he didn't manage to log in. Though I miss him." But she's entirely used to putting personal issues aside, it seems. She arches a brow at Himari wanting to get into Tokyo U after graduation, and says, "I hope you were accepted, at least."

Erufu pumps her first "We'll cut them down like Goblins! Wait Goblins with this war whose doing the monster popularion culls the smaller villiages..."

She pauses and seems inten to try to cling to Himari for the moment.

"So some imporant place of learning I would assume? Good to work your mind as well as your sword arm. I just wish I could get someone to go on a 'proper' adventure..."

"I did, but in the end it would have been up to my agency where I went, and who ever they had deals with," Himari Saito admits with a wrinkle of her nose. She gives a soft laugh, and smiles softly to herself. "I-I shouldn't say this, but I'm free here." Another laugh, this time louder, and she leans up against the drunk Elf.

"I had an adventure earlier. It was Haru-kun, Ye-Chan, Maid-chan and.... And." She trails off as she tries to remember names. "Ye-Chan... Ye-Chan who was the other one with us? I forgot already!" She puffs her cheeks out and tries her best to remember.

Yeowang peers at Erufu and finds herself compelled to ask, "What would you consider a proper adventure?" She smirks as Himari Saito loses track of names, and says, "That was Fukaziroh who was with us, and yes," she agrees, "That was quite a tough challenge." She hrms to Himari Saito about agencies and asks, "So, you were ... a professional of some other sort, before coming to the game?" Who else has an agency?

Erufu says "Exploring a ruin finding lost trasure, finding a vista you could never forget. Not just always goblin slaying. It has to be done but someone needs to take a break... at least once. I worry about him..." She fiths and leans into Himari for a moment she seems okay with this!

Himari Saito blinks as she looks over towards Yeowang again, and nods her head. "I guess you could call me a professional," she comments as her slurring gets worse. She offers a half-lidded look and nods. "So yeah, I was. I'm getting kind of sleepy, and I don't think... I don't know what to think."

She pauses and then looks towards her leaning companion Erufu. "Ooo! Let's go look for treasure! Treasure on a vista!"

Yeowang nods slowly as Erufu mentions exploring ruins and sightseeing. "They're not something that often come up, though there were some quite senic views in the mountains in the Palace Lands." But 'always goblins' means she's talking about that one Lander adventurer that she used to hang with all the time. "It does seem like a limited focus," she admits of Goblin Slayer's obsession. "It's unfortunate that we can't convince him that the Palace Landers are allied with goblins. I'm sure they'd be sent packing tomorrow if he was after them."

She smirks as Himari Saito gets the urge to go look for treasure right now, and she says to Erufu, "I think I'd better get her a room here, so she can dream about finding treasure. I'll get one for myself, it was good seeing you again." And she will pull Himari to her feet, taking Himari's left hand in her own, pulling it across her shouldera, and lifting her easily. She's tall for a woman and quite athletic, so the drunk carry ought to be easily done.

She will get her to a room and set her on the bed, pulling the covers up over her, then get a room of her own.

Erufu says "It is getting late though that's a great idea!" The elf looks pretty sleepy but she is paying attention to Yeowang for a moment. "Your a good woman Yeowang..." The elf yawns again and falls asleep where she is..

A few drunken blinks are offered up to Yeowang as the taller woman stands, though Himari Saito remains where she is and watches the woman curiously. "Ye-chan," she whines. "I'm-I'm not that drunk!" She gives a surprised cry when she's pulled to her feet, and her arm is place over Yeowang's shoulder. She does struggle and squirm, before realising that she's actually drunker than she thought and she has to remain on tippy toes to remain standing beside the taller woman.

A wave is offered to Erufu, as well as a bright smile. "Night Elf-chan!" she offers in a slurring sing-song voice as she's lead away. She also doesn't resist being put into bed, and is sound asleep before the covers are pulle up.