Shibuya's Best Cafe: The Remake

Haru has finally caught up with the paperwork for the New World Alliance that involved extremely boring orders for labor, materials, finances, political requests, and all manner of 'I isekai'd into another world to become the worlds best office worker'. He is over it. The hard work is done for now. After sleeping in a few extra hours and taking a nice, long soak in the Shibuya Onsen, he makes his way over to Pela's Cafe. The man with the monocle is more relaxed, sending some chims out for invites to have a cup of tea or coffee, and finding a table with hands raising his hands up in a stretch. "Let there be relaxation to the maximation."

When you wanted a full meal and maybe a drink or two, there was the Green Dragon Inn. But when you wanted some good coffee, a light snack and some social relaxing, the Pelapuff Cafe was the perfect choice.

"I am sooooo glad we've got this place back." Shiruba sighs happily as she walked in. With most of the official Alliance work done for the time being she's been busy getting her museum back in order. But Haru's chim seemed like a perfect time for a break, so here she is. The wolfgirl plops down at the table Haru has already claimed. "Have I told you how much I appreciate having you and Yeowang to handle all the paperwork and financial stuff?"

Yeowang is here at the cafe, having hung around Shibuya after the retaking for several reasons. Training she'd been in the middle of, though now completed, to check on the game preserve, and of course to make sure the Palace Landers didn't try to do a 180 and come back, thinking we'd stomped them and left. She, too, has been working on administrative tasks, though she approaches them with a different perspective than Haru. Analyzing the source of the requirement will tell you more about what information is needed then the actual request for information.

These processes were put in place by gamers rather than beaurocrats, so they have a certain gamerly bias, tend to assume more game knowledge than she has in a lot of cases, and sometimes are wildly misleading. She has been sorting things out so that they ask for what they need, and say what they do. This has taken considerable time and effort. She's also managed the moneybags, though it's as much managing supplies as actual cash. Rather than likening her position to a clerk, she takes on the mindset of a manager and seems quite accustomed to this role.

She smiles to Shiruba as she enters the cafe just in time to catch Shiruba's comment, and says, "I'm glad to help. It seems gamers don't like or deal with paperwork by choice, but it's quite useful to analyze what you're doing and what you have, so you can find out what you need for the future."

     In the wake of retaking Shibuya, things had begun to slowly return to normal. Stores reopening after picking up the pieces, and even some of the braver people of the land returning. When it comes to Pelapuff Cafe, that returned person of the land was actually Yura, while Shabiru and Hana were a bit more nervous of a possible counterattack. In the cleaning and restocking, Yura had proved a cornerstone to the quieter and shyer Pela, helping her secure decent deals on foods and drinks, as well as providing the fact she had a brewing skill while Pela did not to help get at least some semblance of decent drinks back up and running until Shabiru returned.
     Which is why that maximum relaxation was accompanied by a nice cup of tea, coffee, or other semi basic drink. Pela herself was even helping some with the drinks, though she could mostly only handle the things that you didn't need the brewing skill to create, she could at least do things that required minimal preparation. At present, however, Pela was nowhere to be seen, likely in the back baking.

     And it was Yura that walked up to the group's table, one hand resting on her hip almost impatiently while the other holds a paper to write down orders. "Welcome to Pelapuff cafe. Gimme your orders and I'll make sure you get them." She says, her tone that usual slightly bratty, rough tone that people who visited the cafe knew and some loved. Bratty, but still pretty kind when you get past a rough exterior.

Haru is relaxed into his chair. He still has excellent posture even in his 'slumping' state. Its more like a 'one hand on the table, one hand draped' that looks urbanite over a board room look. The silver haired Artificer smiles to Shiruba. "You have, but feed me more praise. My ego is a carnivorous thing that requires to be fed consistantly with validation." Honestly that might not be a joke. "It needed to be done. After we are rested we march on Mac Anu next. When we leave it will be necessary to have direction provided for those that stay here. People are not mind readers, they need to know what the other person wants or expects. Notably there is no one to then manage those expectations, but," he motions to Yeowang and her comment, "these are gamers. Not salarymen and women."

He tilts his head back, closing his one visible blue eye. In this light its a reminder on how stupidly perfect Haru's face is. Like a doll. The idea of /this/ guy being a fighter in a war is about as likely as a lumberjack being an astronaught. It could happen. If they find Moon Trees. "And for the record, Shiruba, it does frustrate me that yourself, Riza, and Giga take such an aloof and distant approach to leadership." The hand on the table raises up, "but in my heart I realize that it takes all kinds of people and we are only doing what we are able and willing to do for the health of the organization and its people. People have to want to be here, be able to chase their own personal dreams. You embody that. Without that there would be no people to direct, supply, or count on for large projects." The hand lowers, "So thank you for your service as well. You've been doing it for a long time. A test of endurance." Its his own version of praise: Analytical and shitty.

"I come from six generations of company men," he explains, "executive level. While I did not log onto ETO way back when to return to that life, a tiger can't deny its stripes, and we are at war. Its not a time to squabble about preference when lives are at stake. I owe at least that much in social responsibility."

A thankful distraction in Yura (catte?) form, "I'll take a cup of coffee, black. House blend or surprise me. Culinary adventure."

"Yeah, I know." Shiruba doesn't even try to couner that analysis because it's accurate, and not unfair. "I'm better with tactics in the field, or nose deep in lore looking for helpful information, than I am at being a strategic or administrative leader." Her floofy tail curls around the legs of her chair as she leans back in it. "But it's where I feel I'm best situated. I wouldn't ask anyone to face hardships I wouldn't myself, so by example is the best way to go. And like I said before, knowing I have people like you two to rely on, even when we don't see everything eye to eye, makes doing that easier."

She looks up with a smile. "Hello Yura, it's good to see you back!" The 'brat' attitude gives her a nice contrast to the more mild Pela, so it's not a bad thing. "I'll take the usual for coffee, and..." She pauses, glancing towards the counter. "I don't know, whatever you girls have had to time to bake since reclaiming the town. I just need something sweet to relax with." It's Shiruba. Being picky about food is not something she is, because any non-menu food is good food.

Yeowang will order tea from Yura. She doesn't care for the brash attutude, in her world, servants are respectful, but this is not her world, or even her cafe, and the attitude isn't /too/ bad. "Indeed," she replies to Haru, "And they are not paid to do what they do. We can only expect so much, even when it benefits the group." That annoys her, a little, but it is what it is, and she deals with it.

She smirks as Haru claims a business pedigree, but nods. "Your efforts in organizing things have borne fruit," she agrees, and sighs about the overall leadership lacking decisiveness. "As you say, they are gamers, not managers," she points out, nodding as Shiruba makes the admission herself. "We need generals as well as organizers, and the skillsets are quite different."

     "Coffee, black as your soul, got it." Yura responds to Haru, noting that on her paper. Not that there were a huge amount of coffea offerings, but the level of roasting and such were some things that people could control to some level. People other than those at the Pelapuff Cafe, which just purchases the coffea because of lack of knowledge or skill in how to do said processing. "'Sup, Shiruba. The other two'll come later. They're still worried about getting pulled into the war. I basically had to beat Pela into submission to let me come back." She's not lying. Though it was more a verbal beating than physical beating. "Right. Medium roast coffea with cream, sugar and some sweets. The boss is making some pastries right now, I'll see if they're done."
     "Just tea? Alright. Anything on the side? We haven't gotten too many options back in stock yet, but we have a couple of decent herbal offerings still." Yura asks as she makes her way back behind the counter to start boiling some water and setting up a few of the somewhat rudimentary filters. Someone would probably have to make some better ones later, it would make for better coffee. But that wasn't something on Yura's mind right now.

"We sit in Pela's cafe, talking with a weight off of our shoulders, drinking," Haru raises his cup up to Yura in thanks, "coffee." Sip. He resists making a face. "Lightly. Roasted. Coffee." A quirk, "My soul has gone from inky darkness to lightly roasted." An eye squints at the waitress and who knows what the other eye is doing as it is behind a monocle. "I could get used to this. Good job," he says. Is it a good job? IS IT? Is it symbolism reflecting the growth of a person who is learning to lightening the *bleep* up?! Unknown, he turns back to Shiruba and Yeowang. "We sit here today so all the work paid off," he sips, letting the coffee sit on his tongue for a while. "Plant enough seeds and something will grow. The investment return here is high risk but the cost to invest is low. Its just a matter of asking people. I could take Wake's approach to get to know each person but it does not scale nor is that my way of doing things." He sets his coffee back down. "I don't have the bandwidth for it. Only a few close people that I can trust and rely on are those I am able to connect to." He taps the table once. "So doing the planning, the organizing, the informing? Like you, Shiruba, its where I feel I belong in a leadership chain. I need a different kind of distance, myself."

Change the topic. "I do wonder if Shirin has returned for a new Crown. If he had kept it off, I imagine we would have seen him by now. There wouldn't be many places for him to turn. It'll be something to factor in during Uncrowning the Kuni at Mac Anu."

"And I'd rather we work where we work best than try to be people we're not." Pause. Considers the situation they're in as a whole. And then shrugs. "We're not, now, at least..." She huffs softly. "I think I messed that anology up but... anyways." Slightly complicated in her content with being Shiruba now, even with the complications that have come along with the isekia-ing and the invaders and whatnot. "I use to work part-time in a coffee shop like this, in the other life. Became a haven for gamers to gather with their portables in the Internet Dark Ages."

Then Haru brings up Shirin, and she nods a bit. "From what I've seen of and heard of him, unfortunately, he may of been one of those loyal regardless. At least to the woman he obsesses over... But that we CAN do it will hopefully shake them up some, knowing their grip isn't as iron clad as they thought."

Yeowang says to Yura, "Yes, please. Just tea for me." She shakes her head about things on the side. She knows pretty much exactly how supplies are, of course, and she also supplies some of the meat drops that do come in, but she's already eaten this morning, so she's good to go.

She has no idea about Haru lightening up. She's not sure what heavy or light are, truthfully, though she would likely be characterized as heavy, herself, nodding to Haru about our work so far paying off. She nods about asking people, though she says, "I am not used to speaking to people who have a choice. That requires more of the politician and less of the manager." As far as Wake's style, she admits, "Wake's had some sort of religious epiphany. She is no longer who she was. I am not sure emulating her style is possible without some sort of special involvement."

At the mention of Shirin, she can only shrug. "It depends which he values more, his position or his liberty. But we should be alert for turncoat Palace Landers who support the Palace Lands even uncrowned." She agrees with Shiruba about our discovery shaking them up. "They will be less willing to send their Crowned against us, if we can undo their bond." She eyes Shiruba and says, "I cannot picture you waiting tables." Not after seeing her fight, anyhow.

     Was that a smirk in response to Haru's resisting making a face? No, no, it couldn't have. Yura is a perfect, refined, and kind maid. She would /never/ smirk at a small amount of mischief performed. She does, however, produce a darker roast (As in medium roast) coffea for Haru shortly afterwards. "Something with a little bite for after." Or instead of. She's not going to judge. Outwardly. Talk of leadership is listened to but not responded to. Sure, she'd pass information along to Pela probably if any of it was actually important, but really it was largely none of her business and she mostly only actively listened in when outsiders were there.
     For Shiruba, Yura brings a cup of coffee, but no sweets! ... ... Because Yura isn't the one bringing the sweets. It's Pela, coming out with a plate of steaming hot pastries that look like... pancakes! However the smell is slightly off. The simpler cousin to Taiyaki: Dorayaki. Pela sets it in the middle of the table with a small, slightly tired smile. She'd clearly been running around gathering all the things, even if Yura had been extremely valuable help in such. Possibly a bit delirious when she comments towards Shiruba, "Sweets for the sweet ojou-sama." She dips into a curtsy, before meandering back into the back. More baking to do!

     And some tea for Yeowang, set in front of her. A nice simple green tea. Delicious, but nothing particularly special. Yura does actually give a bit of an apologetic look. "This is, unfortunately, the best we have right now as we work on resupplying and until our drink specialist feels safe enough to return, our more fancy drinks are, regrettably, out of our reach right now because Pela and I lack the proper training for them, and while my character may be a brat, I would not dare serve anyone the lethal kind of drink that would happen if I attempted to make you a higher quality drink." Yura dips into a polite curtsy. "Please let me know if there is anything else any of you need." She straightens up, and goes back over behind the bar to start cleaning up after the drink making.

"He may be," Haru agrees with Shiruba. The steam from his coffee hits his purple monocle. It shows that it is indeed a lens of some sort. The amethyst is so thick it could have been a fancy eyepatch. "I have no regrets. Even if he is a slave to his obsession, he deserves the ability to chose. Everyone does. To not give the option because of the probability of a less-than-good outcome is the death of hope." Sip. "And I have very selfish reasons to not allow that to happen. So I will take accountability for the dogs of war that are unleashed and I have zero intention of doing it to the point of being a martyr. We come back to life, but there are things I do not wish to forget." Back to Shirin. Haru doesn't aim to stay talking about himself long without moving the topic elsewhere. "Shirin," he looks to Yeowang, "I don't know what he values most. In truth I only know him to what was important in terms of the war. People are more than that. All I did was give the pen back to him to pen his own story, not have it penned by others. Now I wait to see what he writes." A bit of a smile there. The manufactured smile the young man tends to wear.

On the topic of waiting tables, Haru tells Shiruba, "You know, I was considering that, too. Back when I was crafting getting money was hard for me. People ask me why I joined Silver Swords over, say, Grandeur, if I was such a merchant and the answer is pretty simple when you think about it: Access to materials. Plus I got to see a lot of the world and its an inspiration for my craft. One day, after the war, I'd like to go back to that. Of course, who you are at the end of the journey isnt the same as the person you are when you start it. So who knows." He laughs, "I oddly can picture Shiruba waiting tables. I'd struggle seeing you waiting tables, Yeo. Slamming down a timer for orders. Telling the cooking staff what to do. Balancing the books." He grins, taking a sip of his coffee again. Now a different cup of coffee! Dark and Light. When he sips the darker one he says, "Ah, this is better. Like the endless abyss of my soul. A star ocean devoid of sky diamonds only left to wrap me in a velvet void that pens my actions like an ink of deception and meaningless smile." Smile.

"I am glad people have reason to rejoice," Haru admits, "losing both Seeker's Landing and Shibuya made me wonder if people really cared about the things they built or if it was a whim and discarded. It is unacceptable to doubt publically, but people seemed more interested in chasing undead, gnolls, weird moods, or a personal agenda. With the vision of the Alliance, the thing that binds our ideals, being about protecting our 'home', having so little care about our 'home' was dissonant to me."

"You gave him back his own choice, if nothing else. If he decides to go back into the fold, that's on him." Really all that can be said on the matter. Shiruba smiles when Yura returns with their various drinks, pleased to see her own preference remembered. But commenting on that is stalled by Pela herself making an appearance with the Dorayaki. "Oh my, that smells wonderful Pela, thank you~. And we understand, Yura. I can't really fault them for feeling cautious."

Shiruba pauses to take a nice long comforting drink of coffee. "What I think, Haru, is that it shook people up to the point that they turned back to things they were familiar with. Questing, crafting, trying to find a normality again. People were still adjusting to how long we've been here. Others trained harder, preparing for the time we would be ready to fight back. Everyone copes differently..." She peers down into the coffee cup for a moment, "and no matter how hard we wanted to an immeadiate retaliation wasn't possible."

The wolfgirl promptly sets in on the sweets before this turns too mopey. Mmmmm, she's missed Pela's fare.

Yeowang accepts her tea, sips, nods. "It's fine," she says. Tea has been known in Yamato for some time, and is fairly ubiquitous, so that there is /some/ kind of tea is not surprising. If it is not the super-fancy blend of tea some might think appropriate for her, she does not complain. While it'd be a lie to say her tastes are simple or plain, the ordeal of the first few months here, with saltines and water, was a paradigm shift for her. But she's nothing if not stiff-necked, and if she employs a chef on occasion to make her meals, that's an expense most would consider worthwhile.

She shrugs to Haru about Shirin. "We shall see what we see," she agrees, but shifts topics as well. "But I am worried that we are planning an assault on Mac Anu before the Kunie situation is resolved."

As to her waiting tables, it's likely Haru's vision of her driving the restaurant like a machine -is- how that situation would wind up.

As far as the Alliance lacking determination, she says to Haru and Shiruba, "I think we cared, but felt powerless to aid or help in any way. I attempted to scout for what little good that did, but I think there was not simply anything being done /in plain sight to the Alliance-at-large/ that we could involve ourselves in, so we made do with what we normally did and trusted our behind-the-scenes leadership to make things happen. Which in this case /was/ done. It speaks poorly of our transparency, but our conversation here and now speaks to its effectiveness. I would much prefer to have been more directly involved, myself," she agrees.

She nods to Shiruba about Shirin. "We gave him a choice, now he will choose."

"Turning your back on what matters to you does not sit well with me, even when standing up against it is difficult," Haru says as he puts a finger on the rim of the coffee cup. He runs around the rim of it. "I respect the fact that it is everyone's choice and the choice is what matters. It is what this war is really about. However. It is difficult for me to trust in people who seek comfort when things get challenging over resolving themselves to solve the problem. Running away does not solve it. Accepting it as a new norm is..." Vile. The finger taps the edge of the cup. Too far down the rabbit hole. He pulls back. "But it is as you say, everyone is different. They cope in different ways. It does not mean those ways give me a reason to respect or trust them. You are your actions, your debt, your character." He sips up on his coffee cup. "Just as well, many answered the call in this campaign to recapture Shibuya and have many opportunities to help restore and elevate her. The door is open. Walking through it. Thats on them, on our organization, too. There is always something you can do. Always. We can do better." Yes, he is very hard on others. High standards.

Another topic. One away from Mt.Judgemore, population: Haru. "Mac Anu. Yes, well there I think our assault is really about finding the Kunie and Uncrowning them. The Guardians will help with the rest at that point. Which means I'll be on the move." Given he isn't the only one who can do this, he lets the other(s) decide if and when to release that sensitive information. "Our intel is light, but it always appears to be. I'd prefer not to wing it, but we seem to find out 'the moment of' and react. Its a skill. Fortunately one Adventurers have well trained. Is it preferred? No. My family build empires out of generations of planning, action, and expansion. To pin decades of work on decimals of minutes? Not my comfort zone." He sips his coffee, "But we don't do things because its comfortable. We do them because they need to be *bleep* ing done."

"I agree on not running away from problems," Shiruba replies as she looks up from working on her food. "But I also get that people sometimes need their own time and their own way to deal with things. We've never backed down, just waited for the oppritunities we could utilize. Considering how many have come to our support with Shibuya, and now looking towards Mac Anu, I don't think it was misplaced to respect their space." She gives a nod towards the counter were Pela and Yura have been working with just the two of them. "We just keep moving forward as we can."

Yeowang can only shrug as Haru waxes self-righteous. "It's not so much about methods of coping. The /problem/ is that those who attempted to take action and those who pursued outside objectives both contributed equally to the outcome," she says with a regretful sigh. "In other words, it felt like nothing we as players did helped. I certainly feel like my contributions had no effect, nor did any of the contributions I was aware of. I assume the Alliance's Leadership, who generally does what they do without telling /us/ in any event, made things happen."

"In fact, some of those outside projects have been quite helpful in other regards. The culling of the gnoll problem and getting to the root of that was quite significant, and happened in parallel. That will help out the lower level adventurers' survivability substantially when it gets resolved finally." She nods to Shiruba, who was instrumental on that.

"Agree to disagree. With both of you," Haru says flatly. He recalls what it was like during the Flash of Death and Pluto's kiss. The same attitude that left people in a worse spot. 'Waiting for their moment to help?' No. The way was paved. Fair weather fans.

The Artificer sips on his coffee before putting it back down on the table. Two cups, technically. Only the darker roast is being sipped on now. Half way gone.

"And I appreciate you having and voicing your opinions rather than agreeing simply because I'm a leadership figure," Shiruba replies, genuinely. Attention shifts for a few moments to her coffee, and drinking the majority of what remains. "I know I'm not the greatest of leader material. Honestly even I am not entirely sure how I got picked for it. But it's the role I was given to help our Guilds and Alliance and I will continue to make my best effort to live up to it. Which is in part possibly mostly because I have the friends to support me."

Yeowang knows almost nothing about Pluto's Kiss or Flash of Death. They were business impediments that required a bunch of management effort, most of which she was only peripherally aware of. She was not allowed much input into company activities at the age of 7. Five years later, she was doing some very minor management, but her brother had been born by then, so she was no longer heir presumptive to the company. Pretty much all of what she did in either case was done offline and the orders relayed through others. She's a bit frustrated that Haru's avoiding addressing her concern at all, but shrugs, and says to Shiruba, "I will continue to support you as long as you like. I feel much more appreciated for my efforts here, it's true. I would like to move forward with as much visibility behind the scenes as we can get, so we all know what the score it."

Haru has a good understanding of where Yeo and Shiruba sit on the matter. Nothing he says will change that and he doesn't want it to change. It isn't something they can agree on. "When the war is over, I make no promises," the Artificer says in contrast to Yeowang's statement. He takes a sip of his coffee cup. "Thats just the thing, really. You were assigned it, Shiruba. Just like we are all 'assigned' to live in Elder Tales. Just like your frustration in not getting to influence the outcomes, Yeowang." His coffee has gone cold. He sips it anyway. "No one picked their path. They were assigned it. An organization that doesn't include the choice of its people will degrade, no matter how much transparency. All you'll see is how transparent people are acting in their own interests and wondering if they ever align to a singular vision or strategy." The Artificer reclines in his chair, head looking up at the ceiling, "If this was the Old World, we would have already fragmented to more focused smaller groups or more powerful large ones. So when the war is over I'll be doing the same as everyone else and picking my own personal goals to pursue. Right now it is bringing an end to the war and restoring the most good into the world."

His head lazily turns towards Yeowang, "In financial terms, I have a debt to repay. This isn't anything more than paying down a toxic loan. It isn't because of some misguided ideal of justice. There is no justice," he looks to Shiruba, "just playing the cards you are delt. Over and over. I got a few good cards in this game, thats all. And both of you did too. Don't forget that both of you helped pave the way /for the attack/ with your skills. All I brought to the table was an idea and a strategy. I bring dozens of those. Maybe one or two end up actually panning out. Diverse investments. Same as the post here in Shibuya. So after the war? We will see."

Shiruba tilts her head a little while finishing her food. Haru was not an easy piece to figure out sometimes. But she could get the general gist of where he's coming from. "That... is probably why. This isn't the Old World. Most people don't want it to be the Old World... but instead of that, we need to make it Our World. Our home, for however long we are here. And protect it." She picks up the coffee cup, but only gets a small remaining sip from it. Sighs softly. Wonders how Haru is drinking his getting cold. Then again, Gwen did say iced coffee was a thing, so...

Shiruba sets the cup down. "But you are right on how we've lacked a central focus. We will have to do something about that. Can't just keep reacting to threats as they come up. I know I've focused on the Demonic Gnoll thing more than I probably should considering the War... but I don't want it to turn into another Undead Army. Another problem that managed to slip through the cracks until it was too big to ignore."

Yeowang is still trying to work out where Haru is coming from. As far as picking her path, maybe she feels she has more influence than she does, or hasn't accepted the true powerlessness? "I was not /assigned/ to live in Elder Tales. I chose to join the game, to log on. The game has somehow been spun off as an independent process without the players still connected, just copies of each player. This is why dying loses a bit of our past, and why things seem so much more real - we no longer have our real-life brains hooked up so we can see the inconsistencies. We've been spun off as a solo game for some weirdo, like Tri-Edge, so he can have a game full of pseudo-realistic people who will do a bit more than undirected Landers." Yeowang's theory of why we're here. "But having chosen to log on, and realizing my condition, I choose what to do with my time here, it is not chosen for me." She arches a brow at Haru with a debt to repay. She will not pry, he can share if he likes.

She says to Shiruba, "The pronlem is, there isn't an end goal to the game, the way most of NWA thinks. No one wants to go home, just to keep living day to day in the simple life of ETO. It's hard to spin that into any sort of long-term objective."

"Then go ahead and log out, Yeowang," Haru dismisses her outburst on perception of agency. "Until then, no. As uncomfortable a fact as it is, it is a fact you are not here by choice. You've merely accepted that fact as part of your life. You chose to accept your prison. It doesnt make it any less of a prison someone put you in. Why do you think some of the Crowned chose to be Crowned? Just a different prison they 'accepted'."

The silver haired man straightens up. A little more Water magic to cool his drink. He sips it, rolling some fire to get it at just the right temperature. "A leader's actions are more than their own. They set priorities. Direction. By pulling away from the war in favor of the gnolls it sends a message: This is more important, lets focus on this. Even if you didn't intend to. Even if Gig didn't intend to with his conflict with Scale." He makes it clear how much of a mess the leadership is in New World Alliance. "When we were in Fort Ouph going over the old documents, thats what that was. Finding our roots. Our purpose. As far as I can tell, we gave up on it as an organization and adopted a 'devil may care' attitude to cope." A hand gestures, "And to be frank, thats fine. There needs to be places for people to go that don't want to give a *bleep* and still hang out. Do things. Have the option to get involved. Thats NWA." This world's version of Honesty from Log Horizon. Oh god, Honesty even had a Haruharu. World/End.

He sips his coffee. "Yeowang has the right of it. Carpe Diem may be a great way to live your life, but a pretty poor way to lead any organization. Without clear objectives and vision? We are just a bunch of randos with a guild tag. Not exactly inspiring stuff."

Shiruba stares at her empty cup for a few moments in thought. Then sighs softly. "I think you're both right. And we probably can't change that attitude. Instead we'll have to figure out how to make use of it." She gives a light shake of her head. "But that is a matter that won't be solved in one sitting over a cup of coffee. Though it is so nice to have Pela's baking readily at hand again, even if the full menu of options isn't available. Everything in due time." Her nose wrinkles a little at the mention of what Giganpor did, but leaves it at that. Not a matter that needs to be dragged back up entirely right now. "For now we have Shibuya to get back into order, and prepare for dealing with Mac Anu. We're not going to be able to just catch some of their big threats away from the main city like we did."

Yeowang smirks to Haru, clarifies, "I chose to /come/ here. You are right, none of us can log out. But I think if you think the game is escapable, you should probably work with Scale rather than us." As to side projects, she says, "You have a pretty poor view of our players if you think they can't manage multiple parallel objectives." Which is, she doesn't add, probably correct in a /couple/ cases. She left /that/ Guild for a reason.

She nods about our next objective being Mac Anu, but she still wants to nail down the directionless issue, which bothers her also. "I think perhaps we should have an Ideas board, and people can chime in whether they think the idea is worthwhile or not, and can post new ideas. The idea with the most positive votes will be done, and when that's complete, we can move to the next most positive project."

     "...Some of us have nothing to go back to, even if we think the game is escapable, and possibly don't want to hinder people from escaping." Comes the soft voice of Pela as she steps out from the back, another platter of sweets in hand, some nice little cookies with jam in the center of them, not as elegant as someone with a more artistic hand might be able to create, but still cute nonetheless. She moves over to set the platter down on the center of the table, as Yura follows after her with refills for the various drinks, as well as some milk to go along with the cookies, and glasses if people want them. "...But those of us like that are perhaps outliers."

"Are they taking applicants," Haru jokes about joining Scale. He meets the 'use a lot of Fire' requirement. "I do," he tells Yeowang flatly, "poor, but accurate. I've been keeping tabs on the actual data of engagement. An average player persona gives up when there isn't immediate gratification and latches on to the next thing they can. So if the thing they move to gets momentium, the original objective is wasted. Excellent at switching tasks, not great at multiple ones. If that sounds pretentious, I can cite examples, but I really shouldn't need to." He finishes his coffee, the black one, and sets it down. "They are gamers, after all. Plus I don't think highly of most people and thats really a me issue I acknowledge. The fact I'm loosening up around you two speaks volumes of how highly I view you." Aka Haru being an ass is your reward, congrats!

"I am all for both of you catching up to what I've been suggesting. Weekly chims are too frequent and, honestly, just using our alliance and guild chims produces plenty of good. Thats where ideas really get talked about. Voting. I don't know. Are we a democracy? Would people get involved with that? See my 'low faith assessment' from earlier. Someone has to sift the ideas out and put them up, then keep the interest there with people who have the attention span of fruit flies."

There is a turn of his head to Pela as Haru nods once. He grabs a sweet, being a jerk with a sweet tooth, and says, "Thanks Pela. And thats where I stand as well. Giving people a choice goes beyond Uncrowning, it means if you want to leave you can. I do love this world and the people in it. I have a pretty messed up way of showing it, but," he crunches into a cookie, "its not any less true. If I get frustrated it is because I can see it being more than it is and disappointment turns to frustration. Again," crunch, "a me problem. So maybe opening a little shop next to Pela's Cafe and selling accessories is the way I'll go. Hells, Christmas is right around the corner. You know how many ornament requests I get this time of year? Presents in the form of rings and earrings?" And so on and so forth. Oddly enough, no requests for crowns or tiaras this year.

"I miss my brother," Shiruba remarks as she looks up and holds the cup for Yura to refill. "My parents... no ill will, but I am glad to not be under their constant scrutiny and pressure anymore." Once it is filled she takes a much needed sip from it. "Some people have reasons to want to get back out. I just wish there was more options for them to pursue than the Tower, and ever Floor Boss they beat is another problem we have to contend with." Shiruba also helps herself to the newest presentation of snacks. "You're too kind Pela, thank you."

She takes a bite out of a cookie. "Haru, if you or your associate get the oppritunity to Uncrown more of their higher ranks, it's an oppritunity to take. Give them back the right to choose for themselves. Even if some of them go back as Shirin likely has, it's of their own choice. And maybe just knowing there is a choice out there will.... I don't know, it's an abstract concept but maybe it'll help? At some point." She sighs. "I already lost the thread I was on I think." So another sip of coffee. Then a chuckle. "Give it a year or so, and more people learning I can woodcarve. I'll probably have as much work as you do then."

Yeowang will take a refill on her tea, which is getting low, and she says to Pela, "I think not as far out as you may suspect. I am told a number of players are in various states of disability which make them unable to enjoy the real world. I completely understand why they would not want to leave, and not want to risk losing a good thing /here/ by taking undue risks. I have no death wish, myself, but I think my level of risk assessment is more aggressive than many."

"I'm sure Prophylaxis would accept your application, Haru," she says, and smirks at his assessment of our players. She doesn't disagree, rather, she says, "Nevertheless, they are what we have and we must deal with them." As far as voting on ideas, she says, "It -would- tell us which ideas were most favored by the Alliance, and it does not preclude projects organized by leadership from being completed." As to some of our players having the attention span of fruit flies, she says nothing because she has a few ideas of who meet that characteristic.

She has a brief mental image of Shiruba carving wooden Crowns for people, and grins.

She goes on, though, "Here's my first propsal, then: a real road from here to Fort Ouph."

     "...I do feel most of the crowned should be uncrowned so that they have the option of being re-crowned if they want. ...At present they don't have much of a choice in the matter." Pela murmurs as Yura goes back over to put the hot beverages away again. "...A little accessory shop wouldn't be unwelcome. We could possibly go into joint enchanting as well to create extra useful accessories as well. Good stat bonuses." She gives a small nod at that. NOt that she really felt like she fit in MOST of this conversation, but the 'if you think you can escape you should join Scale' argument always upset her a little when she heard it.
     "...You're welcome, Shiruba." Pela gives a small smile towards the woman, her ears perking slightly at mention of woodworking. "...I will have to get with you. ...There's some furniture and other woodworks that would be very helpful that I could do with having made." She gives a small nod. "...Nothing particularly overly complicated, it shouldn't require a fae mood or anything, but I would kind of like more hidden spaces to hide things should we be invaded again by anyone. Possibly even a hidden safe room."
     "...I have looked into the road from here to Fort Ouph in the past. ...It is possible, but would require a lot of effort to remove the more high level monster nests on the way. It would require a heavy and concerted effort not unlike the situation with the Colosseum or the Gnoll issue." Pela murmurs softly. "...Because my main focus has been improving things for travel and the lives of the various people of the land to increase our relationship with them in this area, when I'm not focusing on my own projects. Such as my next project...which is to improve usage of cheese and provide more products and sources of good food for the people of the land, but will also assist in variety of diet for adventurers as well."

"My brother and father can kindly die in a fire," Haru says as he takes up another cookie. "Uta has been more of a sister to me than any family member I have ever had. I worry about my mother from time to time, but she is not in the Old World, either." A tap on the table as he shares, "People don't all take kindly to mental illness especially after the Flash of Death." A deep breath and an exhale. "So I supposed New World Alliance is stuck with me for a while longer. There is more here for me than back out there." The grand irony is that out there he has more wealth that even makes sense to have. Yet being in ETO is the better option.

"Its not that I don't like making accessories for profit, but its not why I got into Accessory Crafting. It is in the name, accessories. You dont need a ring to Adventure. You need a sword, from Weapon Forging, and armor, from Armor Forging. It is something small and personal. It requires to capture a moment, a place, or a person and personify it in a small object that can be with them no matter what occasion. The right occasion. It is something to help force me to see people, the world, the moment. Not exactly a secret I get lost in idealistic pomp and ponitification or manic silliness from time to time."

On the topic of the guild and the people, "I agree. Its the cards that are delt. It includes 'the people you have'. Honestly it isn't even that outlandish on how you organize that type of group. It just requires multiple people to pull it off. Step 1: Regular Engagement. And by that I mean daily, habitual, engagement. Chims. Social Events. Whatever. It doesnt need to be big. Step 2: Content. Ideas for people to do and get involved in. It can be provided by others, voted by others, or curated for and to others. Step 3: Follow Through. Taking ideas to actions with events that capture the intent of the idea. Step 4: Celebration. Reinforcing how all of this is fantastic and we should do more, which cycles back into Step 1 for eternity." He crunches into a cookie. "Some people are good with different parts of that process, but it works. I'll bundle it up and put it in with my Scale resume."

A moment of pause is given regarding the unCrowning strategy, "Honestly, Shiruba, I was planning on going after Middray for removing his Crown. High profile targets are my objective. It gives people hope. It also, and I have to be clear on this, puts a big target on my face. I've been training my sweet pasty white *bleep* off to be prepared when assassins come for me. Because if I was Queen Laughsalot, I'd be wanting to kill or kidnap me." A tap of his finger on the table, "It has already happened once in the Palace Lands. There was someone who could remove Crowns. Our unCrowned friends had they removed at a point, if you recall. The person that did it isn't around anymore, if you also recall. Because its a smart move of a dictator."

At this point he gladly takes a refill of his dark coffee. Yas. Dark. Like the twenty-something year old angst and righteousness that fills his dramatic heart. "Anyway, it will give hope to those Crowned. It will cause dissention. Or it could galvanize them. Thats really not in anyone's control. What is in our control is to set the events in motion, which we did with Shirin and will at Mac Anu when I take that Crown off of the Kunie's head and restore order." He makes grabby hands to an imaginary head in front of him. He nods to Pela about the thought on being crowned. "Oh! Pela. We should really grab a drink with Allie, she is a Farmer. Between the Enchanted Glassworks project, our Enchanting power, and Earth related powers I bet there would be some quality yields. I can always use a hand making some rings for gathering boosts. It is usually the raw materials that make that a challenge."

A road to Ouph. Haru thinks about this one, "Curtana is a good builder. He is helping out with Shibuya restoration. That goes back to setting priorities. Of course Goldenblade likely could also help there, but, selfishly I'd like to see some more things that NWA does as a team to feel good about." Because Haru does care. Harucare(tm).

"Well, even if it's just to float ideas out there and see what perks interest. It would help with some of that transparency issue we were talking about. There are things that -need- to be done, of course, and it's not like we're going to foot every major decision to, as you both repeatedly have pointed out, a group of gamers rather than an organized operation." She chuffs softly, muttering about how much she's had to 'grow up' in the last year under her breath, but then moves past it. "I don't want to put matters like the Gnolls completely off to the side... But we need to keep our focus on the main matter with Mac Anu, and finding other ways we can delineate the enemy's presence in the area. Like finding the Kunie, somehow. We can't properly siege the city until the Guardians can be kept back under our control."

Wolven ears perk, and Shiruba nods eagerly to Pela. "I would be glad to help. While it certainly aids in maintaining my archery equipment much the reason I learned the skill was to be able to help more with projects like that! ... instead of just hording supplies and cash flow." Which she will still do, because it's a Cait Sith mercantile thing, but it's still helping. "Furniture I can do." She cups a hand to her chin. "And hiding spots would just be like concealing cabinets inside a wall."

She smirks a little at the beginning of Haru's comment. "Gwen's family have been better parents to me than my own were... Granted, it wasn't out of malice. It was out of wanting me to be what THEY want instead of myself. And my father got a little kooky about technology as a whole after the various viruses." Most of which were before her time, but she's heard it repeatedly. "Unlike my brother, who instead got into computer sciences to be one of the people trying to find ways of preventing it from happening on such destructive scales again." Then she nods about the crowns and who to do so. "Yes, getting more of their higher tier Adventurers uncrowned. There has to be more out there like Tian and Co that didn't WANT to be crowned. Or regret it, even if they can't fight it." She partially rises from her seat to reach over and pat her hand atop Haru's arm. "You're right that it will make you a target. But you also have more than enough of us that will be willing to protect you against whatever they try."

With that she snatchs some more cookies and sits back down. "Repairing and upgrading that road would be a good place to start. As well as ensuring our port is safe to use after our unwanted guests left. Both for ourselves and to strengthen our ties with other nations... And yeah. While it's been good to get help from other organizations when we can, we need to do more for ourselves. Show we really are self-sufficient, even if we tend to be the ragtag bunch of misfits Alliance."

Yeowang nods about the possibility of a road from Ouph to Shibuya. "I scouted the route once upon a time also," she says. "You're right, it'd be a very major undertaking. But I think it would give us a positive net result. And as we've said, a thing to do. Many players are happy with a nice treadmill for them to run along."

Haru gets a sympathetic look. Her own father and brother were quite good people. "My little brother would /love/ ETO. He was very into computer games." She agrees about keeping Shibuya and NWA projects in-house, and also assures Haru, "We will fight to defend you. I think your actual danger level is minimal at the moment. The Palace Landers are disorganized just at the moment. And 'yes' about us working the road on our own. It should be a thing that is ours, not something someone made for us. We will derive much greater pride from that."

She arches a brow to Shiruba, "We're the ragtag misfits alliance? I was given to beleive that we were a social elite Alliance?"

"It turns out Im a good duelist," Haru says to all the protection offers, "I handed it to Shirin in the duel at Shibuya when he showed up. So, not helpless, but I am an Artificer. Enchanter and Summoner. Two on one I am in trouble or with some of the godly powers their heros cook up. Getting Middray off the board would be helpful. He has Feng Huang with him." One fire birb user to another. There is a nod on actual risk, "I feel safe currently. Where it will get questionable is after we remove the Palace Landers from Yamato. When we go over the sea to retake Seeker's Landing. They have the advantage there."

"I am working on a Uruk signet for Gilgamesh to help foster diplomatic relations. Kita did a flag, so there is already a design to work off of. Then there is getting a new material for us to use, Nox Glass, an enchanted Glass. But these are solo projects. As Pela mentioned earlier it is the ones working together that have the most use." He considers for a moment, "A Shibuya project that spans many hands and talents would be a good idea. A statue to the Blind One, perhaps? An incentive development loan for new storefronts?"

He shakes his head to Yeowang, "No the social elites are Olympus. Grandeur, maybe, but Silver Swords and Moon Tree? Combat Guild and Anti-PK guild. Pretty non-elite compared to all of Scale or two thirds of Olympus. Only Crescent Moon isn't elite there. Yes, by comparison we are the charity Alliance which leads to rag-taggery."

Shiruba tilts her head at Yeowang's questioning look. "Did I use the expression wrong? We're diverse, not always good at expressing what we want, but when the time comes we band together and get things done... we just need to be more proactive about it." Followed by a small laugh. "Besides, we don't have Baroness Wake, who can pretty much out-social elite anyone else." She waggles a finger to Haru. "And Eas has their own anthem. So something to help solidify Uruk's identity as a nation is a good idea I say." A pause to drink more of her coffee. "I think the road would make for that sort of project. People to work, people to craft tools and supplies, people to get and manage resources, people to make sure monsters or enemy spies don't interfer."

After finishing her coffee Shiruba sets the mug down and scoots up from her seat. "It was nice having a moment to just sit and chat and enjoy some coffee and snacks, but I've still got things to do. Thankfully they didn't do much to the museum. The Library was probably rummaged through but we took out everything that could be dangerous for the enemy to know as a precaution beforehand. And it seems like they used the Reserve without overhunting it, so that's good. They mostly just held on to the place to deny Adventurers from having it, it seems."

Yeowang was with Grandeur when she originally signed up with NWA, that may have been why she was thinking of social alites. But ... "I am not sure that a Guild with Merek in it can be considered socially elite. They certainly weren't doing any of the interacting with Lander nobility that I expected when I joined." Which is part of why she shifted her flag to Silver Sword.

She nods to Haru about being a good duelist, and says, "That's very fortunate for you. I was not ready for tournaments for /years/ after I started martial arts." Which may be why she hasn't been involved in any PVP in the game.

She shrugs to Shiruba, and says, "I think the advertising and the actual have diverged somewhat since the start of the game. But yes," she agrees, "They appear to have found Shibuya useful and a good place to be, so kept it how it was. We may want to get with Uta to check our book inventory against her master list, if no one can turn up our librarian?"

"If Estelle hasn't already buried herself inside." Shiruba shrugs a bit. "Still, not bad to ask Uta to help getting a master list." She grabs one of the remaining cookies. Because it's Shiruba. Food is still her thing, even if it is easier to get properly prepared and tasting food these days.