Naval Gazing

A nurse's cap with silvery framing, making it part-tiara. Uta's headgear is likely to be accepted at face value within the Palace Lands.

Wearing fake crowns is a must when infiltrating the kingdoms of this continent, as is following Tian's tips on the latest trends -- after some time, the fake crowns become too recognizable, and it's a game of cat and mouse.

Uta is walking by, using Heartsong as a simple walking staff. A walking staff with a metal tip, in the shape of a snake coiling upwards and, at the top, enclosing an enchangted gem in the shape of an anatomically correct heart, but a walking staff nonetheless.

The rhythmic tap-tap-tap on the ground comes to a halt, and, after looking around, Uta stops to sit on a rock. Staff resting in her lap, parallel to the ground, she props her chin up with one hand, gaze lost in the distance, towards the peak in the skyline that is the majestic city of Naval Monte.

There wasn't all that much different about Luna, not really when you got down to it. Her clothes remained pretty but preferring utility over aesthetic, there was hardly a light colour to be seen, nor any billowing fabrics. The clothing of someone who has been working for the last few days, even not quite managing to remove a telltale splinter of wood from her hair. The array topped off with a silvery tiara that wrapped around her left ear, offcenter as always apparently believing it gave a more believable air. The silvery metal wrapping around into a more suitable hat, bearing a wide brim to keep off the sun.

After so long here, she was truly starting to take it a bit easier, blending in by way of simple appearing to belong, relaxed and letting out a yawn as she approached the shores. It certainly looked like there wasn't too much on her mind currently, even as she raised a hand towards Uta, and gave a small bow. "Good to see you again, I take it your last exploits went well?" Apparently practicing the more formal presentation, though the wide grin on her face really didn't sell the fact. Nor her making the least elegant show of simply plopping onto a nearby stone, taking in the sea breeze.

    Okay so, conformity. Fuka hates having to do it, and wearing a hat just because everyone expects it of you is one of those things that seriously rubs her the wrong way and she'll spend hours grumbling about the need to do so. At the same time though, hanging about in these lands in unconquered territory, to not wear some form of head covering would be to put everyone at risk, and Fuka's personal preferences give way when it comes to the well-being of everyone. If it's not just a requirement to fit in, she's mostly okay with it. Mostly.

    That's not to say she's wearing a crown. No, Fuka's gone full silly mode and is wearing a full cowl that completely covers her head, making it impossible to tell if she's got a crown or hat on underneath. For that matter it's impossible to tell her race, save for the presence of her wings. Or her identity really, though she'll surely give that away the moment she opens her mouth. So yeah, not like it's any sort of disguise.

    She came in with the most recent arrival of supplies from Yamato. Tools, weapons, and perhaps tellingly some high-quality preserved foods for the morale of troops that would otherwise have to eat nothing but forage, beans, grains, or other traveling rations. Not a lot, all considered, but a nice boost and a reminder of those things worth fighting for. Freedom, that is, not just food.

    Not exactly sneaking, Fuka comes up behind Uta and speaks in a voice creaky with the intent of symbolizing wisdom. Nonetheless, it's pretty recognizable as Fuka, considering she uses the old-wise-woman voice often enough. "We have come a long way. And we have such a long way to go. Young lady, I've been watching you, and I expect you'll go even farther..." she pauses, and *doesn't* add 'probably because you got lost'. She thinks it though, and she's grinning to herself somewhere under her cowl.

Uta turns to look at the approaching Lunaris. A blink or two as she takes in the full figure, splinter included. Also hat. Hats are important. A nod of approval acknowledges this. "I think so, yes," Uta trails off, lost in thought. "As soon as I remember what my last exploits were..." She taps her lips a few times before looking up and away.

Enter the Mysterious Sylph. A few casual swishes of her menu, and Uta beams, "Oh, hi Fuka!" Then, hunching her shoulders slightly and fiddling with her fingers, she adds, "Sorry for inspecting, I suppose it's not really polite, but... you know. The Palace Lands. Better check the name of who's trying to sneak up on you with a cowl on."

She turns towars Lunairs again and... and...

Uta's eyes defocus. She's got one of her moments of complete stillness, then she shakes her head. "Sorry, sorry, uh... where was I? Oh, right! What about you? Have your last exploits gone well?" She turns to glance back Fukaziroh for one moment, then immediately back to Lunaris it is. "And who's the Sylph with the cowl? Friend of yours?"

"That's the problem with exploits, they're like fish, always slipping out of your hands after being caught. They hate nothing more than staying around to be gloated about," Lunaris commiserates as she dusts off the ground next to her, obviously to stop herself getting dirty. Still even she didn't seem in any great rush to try and remember anything important. It was more just like a nice day off to settle, preen and remove annoying splinters from her roughwearing leggings. Very important stuff. Critical, even.

The Cait Sith jumps at the new voice, falling backwards onto the ground with a flump to try and get a better look, very barely recognising the voice or the image and having to do her best with a squint. "Ah the wisdom of the youth-elders? You know, I never see many old adventurers around, landers, sure, but adventurers seem to have an almost constant youth. What miraculous fortune." She let out a satisfied humf and stretched out, deciding this was a far better position, really. Lounging was always good, then blinks as they're identified by Uta, "Oh! Right. And Identifying isn't that impolite. Probably?"

"Sure enough. The ranch is well underway, getting the chance to study monsters and watch the world break. All fascinating things. And only a mildly scary sponsor to boot. It's always the foxes you have to worry about. Especially the ones that vanish in explosions." Another blink, a glance back to Fuka, then a soft laugh, "Sure, this is Lady Margarine. I'm sure she's pleased to make your aquaintance."

    Fuka grins under her cowl, elaborately handwaving away Uta's apology. "Have I *ever* cared about polite?" she asks dismissively. Of course she's generally fairly polite, or at least nice. She observes the social necessities when there's good reason, and ignores them when there isn't. Like, say, a strange sylph creeping on you. Er, creeping *up* on you that is!

    She grins at Luna, then carries on in her more normal Fuka voice. "There's a couple of old folks, or at least parents. The Pantdragons, Asunee, Prof, Elly... okay don't tell her I said that!" she smirks insincerely. "Also Paula is pretty old, though yeah none of them really look it. Except maybe Prof, he looks like a seedy old guy for sure!"

    It wouldn't be too surprising if Luna's confused by Fuka's using nicknames, but oh well. It's not exactly super important. This is just banter, and the idea of banter is more important than the contents! She laughs at Uta's confusion, assuming it to be just Uta joking around at being scatterbrained. Or maybe it's just Uta being Uta! Fuka's laughter isn't meant unkindly at least. She pulls back her cowl, revealing familiar mischevious features. "Lady Margarine, that's me!" she claims, then blinks abruptly. "Waaait, I'm okay with being yellow but shouldn't I be more butter than margarine? You know, delicious and authentic?" she complains.

"Likewise," Uta agrees with Fukaziroh. "I cannot believe you are not butter." After a moment of silence, she adds, "But if you want to use that codename, I am all for it. I mean, if Elly got to be called Baroness Wake, I don't see why you cannot be Lady Margarine, Or Lady Migraine. Actually, I do have a potion against that. So maybe it's not a good idea, you don't want me to counter your disguise."

Uta keeps staring, lost in thought. Her inder finger taps her lips, repeatedly, until she concedes defeat: she hangs her head and shakes it. "No, I cannot remember what my latest exploits were." A sigh, before she perks up again, "See, I've been completely occupied trying to figure out more about the things people found out while investigating Naval Monte. And guess what? I think I'm making progress!" She flicks her menu open, swishes her fingers around, and jabs what looks like thin air to the other players, due to Adventurer menus being visible only to the user. Her staff is shimmered out of existence, replaced by a leather-bound notebook, which she begins to flick through "For one, some text cross-references really nicely. I should be in a position to compile something to share with people before long!"

And then she looks up. "Oh, sorry, I might be boring you with all these discussions about Lore. I... tend to be carried away." Back to flicking through her notebook she does. "Studying monsters, huh? Maybe we can compare notes. Been doing something like that myself. Science. Like caffeinating slimes or exploding them. Asking the important questions."

"Now I miss butter. This is why you were called Lady Margarine, so you don't inflict contagious butter-frenzy on others by your mere presence. I'd kill for some good fresh bread right now.." Luna replies, accented by a grumbling of her stomach that manages to earn a groan, truly tragic circumstances, behind enemy lines and nary a bread to be found! At least in her reachable proximity. "Truly a travesty. I'm going to have to build some facilities for the ranch.."

Staring back up at the endless blue sky before her eyes flicked back to the pair, drawing in the list of odd nicknames and giving a pretty blank look at them all, and gives a slight shrug of her shoulders, "I was meaning physical age over here. Not mental, that's anyone's guess really! Don't think I know anyone's, I'd bet, hmm.. It'd be rude to be guessing.." Giving a grumble to that idea and striking it from her mind as she tries to push back up off the ground, "What are we looking at here anyway? I just came to stretch my legs, building has had me working overtime something awful."

The Cait Sith waves their hand at the idea of being bored by something, trying to focus back on the distance. "Hardly bored. Though at a loss of what we're talking about. And sure! I know a fair bit about monsters, I just want to unravel something about them that annoys me. N-not planning on just exploding them all though! More just trying to understand them."

    "I'm never bored watching friends being interested in something." Fuka claims. "And I love lore. Looking forward to the results! And if you need someone to bounce ideas off, I'm your woman!" she says with apparent pleasure at the prospect.

    "Oh hey speaking of experimenting." Fuka notes, vibrating in excitement. "Pela and I did a little collaborating. Well, I say collaborating, but she did all the hard stuff! I just, you know, went around and convinced people the finished product was worth paying a ton of gil for. And provided the enchantments. But ANYWAYS! It's done, and next time we're in Shibuya together you're both invited to enjoy it with me at the Pelapuff Cafe, where it's now a regular menu item! You know, in between exploding monsters and stuff."

"Oh, don't worry, they're made for exploding. Exploding slimes. It's their name. It's what they do. They live near volcanos. And since the only option in Yamato was Ezzo, that means that they had to be captured here in the Palace Lands. Fuka was there!"

Uta gestures off to a side. "Over there, see? Volcano. Magnificent vista. You could see the house of random people living in Naval Monte from over there! Mostly because you could see Naval Monte." A short pause. "Or Clustania, if you want to use the old name it had when it was created by the Alv."

After some time spent in contemplation of the Great Mysteries in the Distance, Uta beams at Fuka; not only she straightens her back in excitement, her wings perk up and flutter. Uta would probably be terrible at poker. "Sure! I'd love to taste some finished product! I'm curious as to what it tastes like!" She looks up and away, scratching her cheek. "Note to self, look for 'finished product' on the menu- Wait."

She returns to her notebook, and scribbles down the note among her Lore entries, in her usual maniacally precise handwriting.

Addressing both fellow Adventurers, she continues, "I would like to know what criterion is used to assign a 'random' avatar to people." By the way she says it, she doesn't seem quite convinced about its stochasticity. "But yes, working on Naval Monte Lore here." She turns to the page, and following with her fingeers, she quotes, "Once a private project of a scientifically minded Alv to reach beyond the Cursed Wave, the project was abandoned in favor of a more succesful one. Now, it is the home of the Rosenheim Kingdom, and serves as an inpenetrable fortress, guided by its Queen and the Inheritor To Clustania."

Her finger jumps to the opposite page. "Project Soleil might be this new project. We now have to figure out who this Alv was..."

"I honestly wasn't worried about the safety of the slimes. I'm pretty much okay if a slime does happen to explode, who knows what slimes really want. Maybe exploding is just a means to get it," Lunaris replied as she let out a yawn, the sarcasm playful, but it was true enough. She certainly didn't see slimes as anything more than monsters anyways. Even if she did get collecting cute things to pet. Though her eyes travel towards the vista and she lets out a soft whistle, "So that's what all the fuss on the comms was about? Still don't know what the cursed wave was, but let me guess. A sudden attack of hyper-evolved monsters with such quantity they're like an all-consuming wave? Project Soleil? So Project Sun.. Guess that makes sense."

Those thoughts quickly trail off at the mention of food, ear suddenly twitching onto that, "W-what's this? Please tell me it isn't something amazing. I'm gonna be stuck here for months at least! Kallmore's food is alright but there's hardly anything newww!" Grumbles and folds her arms as she rests them against her knees, "Plus.. Totally just missed it with Tian. Still need to get them a present.." The mention of Pelapuff Cafe certainly bringing back some memories of the encounter.

Oh! Lore! Luna jolts back to that, focus was a hard enough thing to come across, as always, but always seemed to come full-circle. "Okay, so a fortress made to defend against awful monsters. And by the way you're talking, it's more than just bricks and mortar? Else Golden would've built one for us already. What makes Clustania so special? And by the way you're talking, are we expecting another wave to happen?"

    "Isn't something amazing?" Fuka repeats, scandalized. "Isn't something amazing? It's TOTALLY amazing!" she claims, vibrating in excitement. "Sweet, delicious ice cream! Totally worth dropping everything for!" she shrugs. "Or, I guess, I could try to get some for myself and ship it over in a chill cabin. And share it with you." she adds, as if shipping ice cream over the ocean is no big deal. "Or I could see some to Tian, I suppose?" she adds with a certain playful amusement. "Now Tian is a definite hottie. They could use some ice cream, I guess. So it WAS you they were winking at, during that fight? Thought so! And here you are, fleeing across the ocean to escape... Ah, romance is such sweet sorrow. It's a good thing there's ice cream now! Such a shame it's REALLY expensive anywhere that isn't Shibuya..."

    As if she hadn't just sent poor Luna's heart through about a dozen different sensations, mostly panic, Fuka looks at Uta with interest. "Going to be hard figuring out what the random avatars are, since no one can generate characters now." she observes. "Can only look at past actions and try to fit the curve or something. Y'know I hear you're pretty much guaranteed to get a random avatar you're happy with. I know I did, or at least I thought it was hilarious to be a tiny sylph. Not quite so funny when it was my life, not just a game, but I'm still happy with the choice." Fuka admits. "Wouldn't be surprised if there was some brain scanning going on there. And that kind of makes a lot of sense with some other stuff I've heard too. But ... eh, enough of that! How about this Cluckania? Do you think it's as impenetrable as they say? Like how the random avatar probably isn't?" she blathers.

"The slime survives the explosion, it just looks stunned," Uta reassures.

"I don't know -for sure- what the Cursed Wave was, but if you remember the mosaic we found in Camp Wrath, it involved those strange creatures some people hypothesize to be the Scrapped Princesses, and that wall of darkness being fought by the Spriggans, Were Fang, and Cait Sith. I am starting to suspect that a new Wave -already- happened: it might be the Black Wave that struck us during the Apocalypse."

"There were talks of -engines- in Clustania. Of 'reaching past the grasp' of the Cursed Wave. In addition to it being a flying fortress, I suspect it was supposed to -move-. Shield -and- Evasion. Primarily the latter, perhaps." Her eyebrows shoot up. "Brick and mortar? You should have seen the -sewers- when we could visit it. If the ones in the root cities in Yamato look advanced, these look downright -futuristic-."

"I wouldn't say 'happy' is the right word, no," Uta states, serious, with a vague rotational movement of her limp hand. "Perhaps more like... something you're likely to pick, regardless of whether or not you're -happy- with it. Perhaps it's more like 'what you need' or 'what you ask for' rather than 'what you like' or 'what makes you happy'. It's complicated," Uta continues. "For instance. Right now, I want ice cream. But would ice cream make me happy?", she asks. Even leaving a pause to leat that sink in.

Or, rather, attempting to and failing. "...actually, yes. Yes it would," she interrupts herself.

Lunaris lets out a groan as she hears the mythical treat, hand at her belly and utterly, completely, jealous. Worst thing, stuck here and without icecream! That was just a tease. "You invented ice-cream while I'm stuck over here! That is such a betrayal of your alliance-mate. Honestly!" A playful tone to her voice but she still totally felt betrayed, honest. Though the talk about Tian manages to make the fox go ever so slightly red herself, enough to notice if you looked, but subtle. "Hardly tried to escape, they come over here to help out, you know. Send them over with some, that'd.. Ah, I still owe them, nevermind.." She had definitely gotten better at playing things down, side-eying her bag as she thought.

"Ah, so we're in this because we want a technological marvel, rather than the world ending horrifically. Probably. You know what, that's awesome! I could do with something not so sinister and evil!" That did brighten the fox into humming softly as they watched the volcano, "Yeah, I'm not surprised anymore after what we saw under Mac Anu. Futuristic, prehistoric, this world is a mash, especially when anyone mentions the Alv. Or Kunies. I really feel like little would surprise me anymore." A soft chuckle leaves her at that one and she nods in agreement, "I had thought Were Fangs as recent 'creations', must be older than I thought. But first, got to help Merek with Cosmospheres. I think? He's hard to guage."

    "Mmmm, yeah." Fuka says vaguely. "Sure, ice cream makes everyone happy. Until there's no more ice cream at least! Maybe I can arrange for some to come over with, you know, someone already planning to travel here. All they'd need is a portable chill compartment, maybe something the size of a small crate that they can stick in their inventory, take out once a day or so to refresh the air mana. You know, assuming they're either sylph or cait sith." Fuka muses. "You know, or trained with air magic. Know anyone who might be up for it that regularly makes the trip?" Fuka asks, observing Luna with a playful smirk. "I accept payment in good food, lore, and backrubs. And of course no charge for friends!" she adds.

    Fuka sighs however, having heard ... well, a few things. "Merek... Merek... oh yeah! He said he's been working with you on finding some stuff out, Uta. And what he said made me realize what this world really is. Er, probably. Not sure my thoughts on this will make anyone super happy or anything, but for me at least it makes things a little clearer and it doesn't change my mind about anything important. So... uh, guess up to you if you want to hear what you helped me decide I guess!"

"What we want is whoever is ruling that city to stop murdering and mind-controlling Adventurers," Uta replies to Lunaris, somber. "I get the impression that Clustania did not work for its initially intended purpose, and now it's just... a city. Kind of a ship that didn't turn out to be seaworthy so it's stuck on land and used as a sort of apartment complex." Uta rubs her eyes. "Yes, it's a mishmash. And, sadly, we're mostly stuck with the ancient side while others get to be indistinguishable from sufficiently advanced technology."

"Hm? How old did you think they were?" Silence. "Merek... and... Cosmospheres? This... this does not bode well."

"I'm all for it!", Uta exclaims, jolting to stand, a movement which launches the notebook that was resting on her laps into the Great Forwards, which in turn causes a panicked Uta to hurl herself to catch the flying book; soon it's a scramble between the notebook wanting to be free and experience the thrill of speed versus the Nurse which is trying to maintain the status quo.

"Finding out the nature of this world is my current main concern! As you know, it's a massive deal for me, holding back chocies and decisions!"

"Yep, that's the entire point of me being here, definite point of contention. I like people being alive, they don't. Just can't see eye-to-eye. Pixel-to-pixel?" The Cait Sith snorts, then lets out a long breath, actually shifting back to seriousness for now. Some conversations were just too dour to stay joking around. "Non-functioning, or non-permitting? We talk about the Alv and their technology like it was beyond ours. Don't know about you, but I'd heavily restrict who could use my fortress. I don't want anyone just taking it on walkabouts. At any rate.. Do we know how that city chooses it's rulers? Guessing not like Kallamore."

Fuka's point gets a particular chuckle from Lunaris, who leans back to eye them, "You bring us ice-cream, I'll give you more than just good food. If you're coming up, just chim and I'll sort something out. Bonus if you ever bully Tian into coming with. Or somehow convince Haru to help me make a mask or two." The mentions of Merek just make her scratch her cheek thoughtfully, "Never met him myself, properly. But I get the feeling everyone thinks he's going to explode something or other. Then again, not sure who else would agree to try and mind read a chicken."

An audible squeak as Uta launches upwards, watching the notebook fly and shifting her arm to try and protect herself from the explosive force, "W-well nature of the world's what interests me as well! Haven't you ever.. Though it strange that Landers are fully actualised people, a-and yet monsters are super single dimensional? It's weird. I wonder what the intelligent ones are like.."

    "Why Luna are you flirting with me? What would Tian think!" Fuka asks, though it's probably pretty obvious she's not serious about the question. She shrugs though, looking a little saddened, and therefore actually somewhat more serious. "I doubt I can convince Haru of anything really. We used to date, and he lost interest in ... well, me." she says. "Went on to collaborate with Tian though, and do all kinds of good things for New World. So..." she pauses and sighs. It's not like she could fault him for the decision, or for that matter that she disagrees. She can only assume their dating was a mistake all along, which isn't something that exactly surprises her. There's a rather strong reason why she was so flustered when he first asked her out. No doubt Uta remembers some of that, though she might not understand the context. And it's only because Uta's here that Fuka admits any of this at all. Luna's nice, but ... well, Uta's *involved*. "I'll see if I can bully Tian though. She... er, I mean, they seem pretty nice. And cool. And kind of hot!" Fuka says, grinning once again, her slight melancholy seemingly gone once more.

    After a moment of shifty-eyed consideration that may well go unnoticed due to her cowl, Fuka decides to change the subject. Or perhaps it's not changing the subject so much as her inner train of thought jumps the tracks. This is a metaphor that both simultaneously goes far beyond anything reasonable and yet perfectly describes at least something of Fuka's mind. "Merek is ... kind of reckless. But it's the good kind of reckless. His heart's in the right place, I think, I just question where his head is at any given time. Aaaaaanyways, my speculation, based on what he reported Uta saying. I think I know, now, that we are very definitely in a computer game. Or rather, a simulation. This isn't some other world, it's a living game on some massive supercomputer somewhere, and we're ... digital copies? Something like that. Probably some experiment in digital intelligence or simulation or something crazy like that. Not that it matters. I'm not just going to lie back and say nothing matters just because this is a game. I mean, gaming is important too! Kind of."

"You make an excellent point Lunaris. How is the chain of power and permissions handled? It seems like the Kunie are in charge of administration, but... they further seem to follow what the rulers of the Kingdoms tell them."

On the subject of masks, "Do you want to wear a mask like Tian, Luna?"

At the question about who else would mind-read a chicken, Uta looks down and off to a side, and, hands behind her back, mumbles, "...I would...."

She perks up again at the subject of Lander intelligence. "Oh, yes, there is plenty of variety. Remind me to find some paper our colleague Bob provided- wait, uh... you are aware of the Loosely Organized Open Network of Students, right? You sould like you could make an interesting member."

"...That sounds like Merek alright, yup," Uta confirms to Fuka.

Uta looks down and scratches her head, "Yah, sorry for that time," she mumbles towards Fuka. "My relationship advice may... ah... not have been the best, considering the circumstances."

"Wait, Luna and Tian...", Uta trails off.

Silence

And switching subjects again. "Us living inside a computer system is a distinct possibility. But in that case, I would argue that we might not -merely- living inside a computer system." She looks up and away, tapping her lips. "So many past events in Lore line up, accounting for the 50:1 time ratio, with massive real world events. Take the Prelude to Song. Lines up neatly with the Flash of Death." She turns to Fuka. "If we're existing as agents inside a computer, whatever we do might seriously influence the outside world."

"That said, given that hypothesis, we might not be copies. I have been wondering if we have been mind-uploaded to this reality, so we are the only copy of us in existence." She shakes her head. "But that's just speculations."

"So, how would you two feel about this, if it were to be confirmed?"

Lunaris flashes a playful smile at Fuka's comment, stretching her arm out towards the distant horizon, "Still amazes me I can even.." Pause, the Cait Sith gives her head a shake, hair going everywhere and yet the crown remains. Though the talk about Haru does quiet her. "I can't imagine anyone telling Haru what to do, honestly. Not like me and him get along well, either." The Cait Sith knew she couldn't really lend any support there, nor was Fuka asking for it. So she takes the point about Tian and grins again, enough to show her fangs, "Yeah! Bully them over! Love seeing them. A-and no, I don't want a mask per-se, but.. They got me a gift and I need something in return!"

Now was the time to flump back properly and just relax, everything was getting philosophical and so it was rest time. "Ah, I vaguely remember it from a year ago. I can throw crazy theories your way! Well, from what I understand, Kunie's set the rules of who's applicable to be in charge, but don't hold individual biases. That makes sense, but it makes everything a game, exploits, loopholes and all. You just need to play, and you can win without bloodshed. Kallamore is made in that essence, so.." Her head tilts further back, ears folding slightly, "I imagine their Kunie will accept a bet.."

The revalation on how the world may be barely makes her flinch however, the most nonchalant look over and she laughs, "Ever heard of the simulation theory? If humanity can create a simulation, then it's almost certain the otherworld is also a simulation? Really, it doesn't matter to me. I'm staying here either way." She rubs her eyes, before adding, "I'll do what I can to help people out if they want it though. Choice is precious."

    Fuka frowns at Uta's reaction. It wasn't expected, nor something she was even trying to get at. "I don't regret it you know." she says, somewhat sternly. She doesn't want Uta thinking she disliked the advice or wouldn't seek Uta's opinions in the future. Far from it! "I do wonder sometimes if we'd still be friends now if we hadn't... but things happened, and here we are! I'm just a better friend than a girlfriend, and I'm pretty okay with that." she grins.

    As far as Fuka's concerned, that's really all that needs to be said. And she might not have said as much if it weren't for her believing Uta was getting the wrong idea! Fuka believes there's something weird about herself, and yet it's okay because she doesn't feel a real need to change. To improve herself, sure. She always wants improvement. But not change. Change is for those who don't like where they currently are.

    And speaking of where they currently are, Fuka grins at Uta's follow-up. "Luna's probably right about the simulation thingy. And yes Songbird, that's exactly why I think it's a simulation! I don't know if necessarily we're affecting the outside world from here though. I think it could well be the other way around still. That THIS world's been running for a while now before Adventurers were introduced, and the bugs and viruses from Earth are causing problems here. Like okay, the Flash of Death happened and corrupted the simulation, so there's the Prelude to Song. And now we have a bunch of things like glitched bosses which, frankly, you'll never convince me are natural. Nah, that all sounds like proof we're all in a massive computer system."

    As to being a copy versus being mind-uploaded, Fuka's considered that too. If they're literally the only copy that's a bit of a distressing thing really. She's comforted by the belief that Miyu's out there keeping Karen company. That Miyu is, in fact, a separate entity to Fuka. But that'd require outside knowledge, and she's content with the belief unless she is given strong reason to reconsider it.

    When asked about how she feels about this set of beliefs, Fuka shrugs expressively. "This is life." she states philosophically. "I'm not going to start doing different things just because it's a computer game instead of an alien dimension, right? I'm going to keep doing what I do. And learning as much as I can too, because it's all important!" she nods firmly, blathering on. "It's like the philosopher The Horse said. 'I stink, therefore I am!'" the sylph boldly claims. Then she returns to the creaky fake old voice of wisdom from before. "That is to say, I know I'm real because others respond to me." she explains. "So it doesn't matter if I'm Virtual, because I know I'm actually Real!"

    Yeah, she punned. Fuka's like that. Even deep in philosophy, she's gotta be herself.

"Oooooh. Gifts." And then, she shakes her head. "I don't know that much about the Kunie, myself, sadly. And I've heard of the simulation theory."

Uta seems reassured by Fuka's words.

"Or it goes both ways," Uta suggests, on the relationship between viruses and this world. "And no, I don't believe glitched bosses to be natural. -Something- did that to them."

The Horse Philosopher gets a snort-laughter from Uta. "Horse Philosophers. That's, like, the second part of Gulliver's Travels. Condensed."

Lunaris didn't really know all that much about relationships, and certainly didn't want to stick her nose in, so she quietly atched as they talked. Almost like trying to actually learn a thing or two, trying to approach it from a point of logic. Much as she tried to avoid being obvious about the whole thing, eyes always trying to look past and away. On the other hand she doesn't talk about the past, either. "Simulation or not, it's all the same. We're fighting for lives, and death is still a loss. Life has meaning and the world turns endlessly. You can feel the sun on your face and the sadness of what's lost. A world we can make better, or worse. A world with perhaps an uncaring god, we don't know. But sure enough, the glitch and threats are bad for all of us, I want to find out more about that.. What evolution does, and how monsters become intelligent. Because, perhaps we can change it." It was a wistful thought, and important to her either way. "I don't even like controlling monsters, and that's like.. My main skillset. How dumb is that?"

Kunie's though, that made her sit up straighter, and she nodded. "They're a key here, designed likely to be uncaring intermediaries. I doubt they have empathy or morality, but.. They're a weak point here, they have their own rules, and I wanna see if we can mess with them. It's that or replacing the rulers.." The thought cut in twain by a laugh at Fuka's comment, giving them a little nod of appreciation. "Yeah, that! Glitches, glitches are important. We need to know what the purpose of this simulation is. We should assume.. Probably.. One person made it, and some second.. Actor or company wants to break it, right?"

    Fuka's an armchair philosopher at best and not particularly good at deep meaningful thought. She's not a complete fool however, and considers it a good thing to make a friend laugh. That's a solid philosophy right there in a nutshell. "I'm not sure what it means that the graphics and resolution and the sensations are so much more real here than they were in the game." she muses. "Is this a better simulation? Or are we just... you know, edited to feel it's more real? And if so, does it really matter?" She nods to Luna. "To us, this is real. Feeling buns on your face and loss and all that." she grins wolfishly.

    "I get what you're saying on the Kunie. I've met two and liked them, but ... uh, not sure I'd mess with them. That's kind of a Merek-level thing to me. But learning more about them? Yeah, I wouldn't mind making that a LOON project. Or studying glitches. Or Alv relics. I like enchanting, it's a challenge and it's useful and all, but the limits of Enchantment means it's kind of a dead end. I'm hoping to figure out some stuff beyond that. Something more ... fun. Damental."

Uta turns to Fuka. "I think I mentioned what we've discovered about relic-making, right?", and then to the fox: "Speaking of studying. Lunaris, are you aware of our little Loosely Organized Open Network of Students?" She looks away and mumbles, "We need a better acronym..."

"Pretty much, we research everything Lore. Our main task was cracking the Alv Language, but we've kinda expanded into trying to study everything, according to people's interests. Alv language is still a major focus tho'."

Pause. "So, anyway, you want in? You agree to those terms?"

Uta gestures to Fuka, "Pretty much, we agree to share everything we discover, without hoarding or hiding from others."

It's while Fuka talks that Lunaris' browfurrows in thought, she was right, sensations and feelings were exactly like they had experienced before, near enough. That actually seemed very odd when she considered it, almost a bit too expected. Her ear twiched as she eyed back to land, only letting out a chortle at Fuka's comment. "I don't shove bread on my face, thank you. Just in it!" A meaning perhaps, left sailing far over the Cait Sith's head, unimpeded by understanding. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss!

"Oh yeah, the one Kunie I've met was cool. I didn't mean mess with like.. Do anything wrong. They're still sentient beings, and run on rules. Rules mean there's.. Wiggle room!" Nod. Much nod. Definitely how it worked. "Ooh, studying relics would be interesting. They're odd items."

Stretching out, starting to get fidgety the fox listens about Uta's beliefs about LOONS, at first looking almost giddy, then pausing, her head canting to the side slightly. "Agree to share everything? Even say.. The self destruct button of this world? I.. Really like the idea, but when the world's potentially fragile, how'd we deal with that? A lot of what I, and both of you, probably look into is pretty dangerous!"