Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?

Of new beginnings and people who didn't get enough sleep.

Uta
Alne - Main Square

    The sun hasn't risen yet, but the sky is already filled with the clear, pale blue. Birds can be heard chirping, the chilly morning breeze swishes around the alleys and ruffles the foliage of the trees that are planted at regular intervals along the streets. Landers seem to mostly go about their business, except to occasionally stop and glance at the adventurers that seem to be sleeping everywhere this morning: prone on benches, belly-up on low walls, a leg extended horizontally and the other knee bent to form a triangle, forearm over their eyes while their other arm dangles; sprawled on the sidewalk, cuddled together on doorsteps, resting against doorframes... it looks like the aftermath of some catastrophe, and as far as most are concerned, that is exacly what it is. A few of them start to stir and mumble, while others are emerging from side streets, muttering and chattering in a very low tone. Nobody is screaming, nobody is yelling. Everyone is keeping it low, as if the city itself was hung over and any undue noise might cause unbearable pain.
Misa Takayama
Alne - Main Square


    Misa can be seen walking into the town square from the direction of the tower. In her hand at her side is her scythe, the blade folded inward against the shaft. It's hard to tell, but there might be a look of tiredness on Misa's face.

    Around Misa is a group of people, about a dozen of them. Their faces are much easier to read: They're worn out. They begin to peel off, waving and saying goodbye as they head off to find somewhere to sleep.

    Though Misa herself is not heading off just yet. She swipes her finger through the air, summoning her menu and unequipping her weapon. Feeling the weight suddenly vanish from her hand, Misa looks at said hand briefly...

    Misa lets out a quiet tired sigh.
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

She hadn't expected, to wake up... where she was. She'd expected the softness of home. But not, the scent of wood and grass and the sounds of people filled her ears. But she'd awoken in a bed not her own. And not in a pleasant way. Elrune pulled herself onto the street. The gray hues of the town turning to colors.

Chilly but not poaintfully so. She leaned against the door frame. She could feel the cool stone of the door post beneath her feet. Too real.. this was too real. The dark skinned woman, with moon-white hair peered out into the street looking left and right.
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

Huddled with many others is also the fennecen Cait Sith, having herself foudn a spot to curl up against one of the trees on the place. The big ears start to wriggle at the sounds of discussions starting, then they perk up. A short time later, with a big yawn, Emiko stretches and cleans up her cloth from the bark and dirt it has collected in the night, shivering some of the cool temperatures that had crept into her bones. "I hope I didn't catch some illness..." she mutters as she looks around, searching for the bag she had used to have before remembering that it was gone just as all the other few items she had gathered in the last weeks. "Ok, where were we again... Eh... let's see... menu.... arg, still gone..." she uttered as she tried to get the menu open, then shook her head, looking for who was starting to gather.
Xander
Alne - Main Square

    One such adventurer was a raven black scaled, Salamander who was once one of the top-tier raiders, now level 1. Level 1 with everything /gone/. He loggged in after his nap, he went to listen to the ocean to try to /sleep/ better, then that /SOUND/.

The thought of it, everything that happened, it didn't bring him rest, he couldn't rest. All he could think about now was that sound and ... Them.

    There Xander was, there that former raider was, in that alley next to the bar. His hands were shaking as he reached up to his head, as if trying to pull anything off that couldn't be pulled off. His teeth grit tightly, those sharp draconic canines on full display.

His eyes open, but they seemed so... dead. His body shook for a moment before he shook his head several times. This was NOT happening again. It was not the same. It was /NOT/ the same. No one died. No one has died yet. "Get it together!" He yelled at himself, as he forced himself up to his feet, kicking a bottle to the side as he did.

    His fiery gold eyes looked down to the bottle, before his hand slide over his face and he started to laugh a little. It felt so real, the ground felt so real. Not simulated. He slid his foot across the surface, just letting his exposed toes on his low lever gear have that contact. It was-- grounding. To /feel/ that again. To feel ground again. It was enough to get his mind off other things.

It was enough for him to lower his hand and look at the slowly coming morning and the people starting to wake up or those moving around. This gave Xander a pause, a watchful eye as he observed so many others. Others who could be suffering, scared, alone. "... This is far worse..." He says softly to himself. "... get it together." He says to himself once more as he inhales the cool air, closing his eyes as he does.

With a slow exhale, he goes to step out from the alley, looking at the faces around him. Trying to decide if he recognized /any/ of them. His heavy scaled lizard tail flicked gently, he gave it no mind for now. He walked carefully, slowly. A strange smile creeped on his face with each step; To walk again; But his smile slid back down to concern as he continued to observe.

    So many lives stuck here.

    He walked over to the fountain and scooped up the water, not only to splash his own face, but to clean the grim off it a bit, before resting his hands on the stone edge of the fountain. "... need water... and food." he said softly to himself. "... and coin. Treat this like a survival in enemy territory.." He continued in that soft tone, before washing his face again and running his clawed fingers through his hair.

    As for his clothing, it was basic. Leather pants with shin guards, leather opened toed shoes. Metal bracers, with wrapped palm hands, and just a single chest plate over a leather tunic. Yep. Lowbie stuff.
Uta
Alne - Main Square

    A rustle of leaves, a creaking of wood, and the unmistakeable thump of a spriggan impacting against a cobblestone floor after falling from a tree: these are the sounds that announce Uta's departure from her makeshift accomodation for the night and her abrupt arrival on foor 0, devastated adventurers and shattered dreams. "...pretty bad accomodation, but I have had worse and had to pay for it. Two out of five stars." she mumbles in her half asleep state. "Recommended only if on a tight budget and everything else was taken alread-" Her mumbling is interrupted by some sort of round, red, hard fruit with no exact equivalent in real life smacking her directly on the head. "...ouch! What in the- Oh. Free breakfast," she says, as she, still lying down, reaches for the fruit and takes a bite. "...not bad, actually. Bump it up to three out of five stars."
Nevarri
Alne - Main Square


There was a niggling doubt, and also a looming fear buried in Nevvari's head when she finally crashed for the night. That perhaps she'd actually fallen asleep with the game on after logging in for the expansion, and that this was all one crazy dream involving pretty boys accusing each other of trappinjg the entirity of the playerbase in Elder Tales Online.

A crazy dream where she could see again. As she fell asleep in the grass in the town square, her eyes fluttered closed in exhaustion. It was an exhausting night.

Then her eyes fluttered back open, sunlight blinding her rather than the failings of her own eyes. She finds herself sitting up, and rubbing her eyes awake.

"Am I awake..? It's not a dream..? It's really real..." She can't help herself as her lips curl, and her eyes well up in tears again.
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Stepping out in to the street,Elrune watched other awakening. "This is..." she exhaled speaking softly,She continued to walk making a note of 'her' house before hearing someone else mumble. "I think its pretty real. I mean I expected to make up in my apartment, and I woke up in a house. Furnished... and food inthe larder." she said softly.
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

"If this is a dream, it is a really bad one." The Cait Sith closing in on Elrune brushes over her ears, shivering once more as those ears feel so different than the day before. Before the wave.

"Seems like... we are stuck here though. Which is... bad. I mean, there are... uh... there's things we need to do elsewhere, right?"
Nureha
Alne - Main Square

A door opens from one of the empty houses facing the square and a young woman steps out. Her long black hair is tied back, clothed in a loose grey blouse and skirt with a dark grey robe thrown over her shoulders.

She brushes down her clothes before stepping outside, looking around at the square. Her eyes rest on Elrune for a moment. then on Uta.

She walks over to Uta, saying with a bright smile. "You wouldn't happen to have another one of those, would you?" she gestures to the unrecognizable fruit analog. "I was thinking about gathering a bunch of them and passing them out. To.." she gestures around. "Greet the neighbors, I suppose."

She extends a hand to help Uta to her feet if she wishes.
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Pausing at the question, Elrune shrugs. She does notice the fruit finally and raises an eyebrow. "What is that?" she questions. At Nureha's wording she nods. "I guess its a good a time as any. Food, friends...fun... I guess this isn't fun. But I needed another f-word..."
Xander
Alne - Main Square

    Xander could hear the others wake up, one questioning if it was real and realizing no longer a dream. Another confirming that. His eyes turned back to his reflection in the water, before his jaw shifted slightly at his own thoughts.

There was a ton of voices now, thankfully the sight of food got his attention. One girl he didn't know, the other was Uta. He /did/ know her. Given the fact she didn't fall over after eating that fruit or have-- "... That is a horrible thought." He stops himself, before making his own way over.

He was careful where he stepped, before calling over to her, "Uta!" Then waving her down with his hand, though he does give Nureha a very quick once over, before his attention falls on Uta. "You alright?" Sounding a bit like an older brother at this point.
Nevarri
Alne - Main Square


Nevarri takes a breathe as she looks around, watching the other adventurers, players just like her, moseying about, trying to get their bearings, trying to figure out what comes next. The red-heard salamander takes a breath and rubs her eyes dry, before pushing herself up to her feet. "I guess... No sense crying over the little miracles." At that point she can feel her stomach rumbling, and it's loud enough probably for anyone in the area to hear it, maybe. "Eheh... I guess I'd better eat something first."

As she ponders, she raises a hand to flick through the menu to her inventory, and groans, "Great, all my food is gone too..." Before she stops at an odd listing, "Glasses of Orth..." with her free hand she plucks the glasses from her face and takes a glance over it. "Look like plain old glasses... But that's an interesting item description... I guess I'll add it to my Glamour..." Before putting it back onto her face.
Misa Takayama
Alne - Main Square


    Glancing around at the mass of Adventurers still mostly unmoving, Misa can practically feel the sullen atmosphere of the situation. This is not good... If things continue this way, it's going to be even more difficult to actually accomplish anything here. They're already fighting against unknown circumstances with very little information.

    Misa frowns just a little. She walks towards the center of the square... Takes a deep breath...

    "FREEDOM!"

    Misa shouts the world as loud as she can manage. As the attention is drawn her way, Misa looks around firmly at those faces and continues, "Freedom from the preconceived notions of society. Freedom from the limitations of social status. Freedom from persecution for your beliefs, your interests, your desires, you very identity. Freedom to have fun! Isn't that why we play games? To experience that which we cannot out there."

    "Well now you have that. More than ever before. And what do you do with it?" Misa looks between more of the people, disappointment showing on her face as she says, "Look at yourselves. You call yourself gamers..." She spins and points towards Aincrad Tower looming behind her, "Members of my guild and I just spent eight hours in there, making what progress we could. Because that's why we're here! The fact that we're now trapped changes nothing... No. Actually it does. It just gives us more reason to make use of our freedom! To fight. To explore. To learn. To plan. To work towards a common goal, together. And to have fun while doing so."

    Misa slows down a little. Closing her eyes for several moments, before finally finishing, "If you want to miss out on that. Then be my guest. You probably wouldn't be able to help. You're all level one after all..."

    Her peace said, Misa makes her way over to a bench and sits down on it, bringing her status window up and staring at it intently.
Uta
Alne - Main Square

Uta mumbles, "Fruit?", but it's not clear if she replied that to Nureha or Elrune. Her eyes focus on the friendly offer of a hand on Nureha's behalf. "Oh, thanks," she says, accepting the hand and being pulled to her feet. Like probably many of the adventurers, she shows lack of balance and coordination. Still haven't gotten used to those limbs, it seems. Or, perhaps, the wings. There's a very high chance her player didn't have those huge protrusions in real life. "...uhm... er...", stutters Uta, consciousness fighting a valiant but losing battle to take full hold of her brain. "...I think it came from up there?", she says, pointing up at the tree she fell down from.

    She turns as Xander calls out to her, carefully, still not fully in control of the way her muscles or weight works. "...Xander? Is that you?", she asks. "Oh goodness, finally someone who can help!" She turns back to Nureha, "We're saved! This guy is a level 99 and one of the best raiders! I'm sure he'll get us out of this mess in no time!"

    And then there's Misa's speech, which Uta follows with occasional winces. She's not in the mood for loud sounds.

When Misa is done, she raises a finger, timidly, her shoulders hunched, and whimpers "...actually, I do not call myself a gamer...", quietly, so quietly that anyone not immediately close to her might or might not have heard her.
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Sighing softly at Misa's little speech, Elrune tries to smile. "Honestly, this is a way to start a new year." she stated. "But I consider myself a gamer, amoung many other things. Let's just introduce ourselves." she tries to be kind. "I am Elrune."
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

Having been ignored pretty much, the yell from somewhere over the place instantly gets the fennecen Cait Sith to turn towards Misa, eying her yelling about how the situation was some sort of improvement to her and what she all doesn't seem to concearn about anymore. Which was like... the actual first life they had had before?!

"I am sorry to disrupt your bubble, but maybe not everybody that is trapped here would agree to be called a gamer. Sure, everybody here is an adventurer of some sort, but it's not like we all are playing games. And especially now it seems like what you call freedom also follows rules. I mean.. you do feel hungry too, don't you? I am Emiko."
Nureha
Alne - Main Square

Nureha flinches as Misa gives her grand speech as if the woman had walked up to her and slapped her across the face. Her shoulders tense before her body language smooths out, she reaches up to rub the ring across her right hand and grows calmer. She gives Uta a kind smile and turns towards Xander. "A pleasure to meet such a distuinguished champion." she inclines her head, keeping an eye on Uta to put out a helping hand just in case she needed in.

"And you don't have to be. I think.. what the lady is trying to say.. is that we can be what we want to be. Today." she looks up, then picks up a handful of apples, taking a bite of one absently as she gestures for them to take a seat on a bench nearby. "Today, I am just going to enjoy this beautiful morning."
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Elrune smiles a little wider. "An Adventurer, I'd agree with that term. I mean we all came here to... enjoy our time, in this world. Does it have a name, the world I mean..." she asked softly, looking around, though at the mention of food her stomach gurgled. "I know the house I am in has food in the pantry." she motions. "If you're hungry." she flexed her fingers. Everything felt-real, solid and she almost had to remind herself that she awakened here this morning, but the longer she spoke to these people the more it sank in a little bit. Following Nureha to the bench. "Yeah, I think that's a good start, enjoying the sunrise, the dawn of a new day."
Nevarri
Alne - Main Square


Nevarri blinks a little as someone has decided to do a bit of soapboxing, and sighs a little, before making her way over to see what the heck is going on. Stretching a little as she walks, the red haired Salamander wanders over, casually accepting fruit offered by Nureha in passing, and takes a few moments to really squint at it. "Better than nothing right now..."

The explorer pockets her fruit for the moment and raises a hand up and calls out, "I don't know about you, but... As much as it's scary to be trapped in the game, why are we in that much of a rush to get out?" She gestures around, "We've got a brand new world to get familiar with, there's no need to climb that tower THAT quickly."
Xander
Alne - Main Square


    Misa makes her grand speech and it only causes Xander to slowly glance over to her with his eyes alone. There was slowly narrowing of his eyes and whatever was going on in his head, it was followed by a low draconic growl.

Thankfully one, Emiko was pointing out some of his own thoughts and two, there was Uta. Uta was like a kid in his mind, at least for now, and he sighed when she brought up his level, along with career in the game. "Was. Was max level and /was/ a top tier raider."

His tail twitches and he at last gives it look. "... This is going to take some time to get use too..." Then he looks at Uta and Nureha once more. "I can't blame you on the enjoying beautiful morning part." He does take one of those fruits and looks it over, using it as a test of strength and a chance to get use to the claws on his hands.

    "However, the s-situation," pauses, chuckles a little to himself, then ahems, "The situation requires some thinking. Something has gone /very/ wrong... and unlike her," His thumb jabs back at Misa. "I am not in full agreement. With out a tactical plan, it would be a mission failure very quickly. The game has /changed/. We are hungry, I am feeling my legs fully for once, and if anyone charges in full tilt, they could get themselves killed... Or worse, others killed."

"We really need to know the world we are dealing with, the rules in play, and use those to an advantage to take apart the system and figure out what went wrong." Xander then goes to see if he can use his claw to cut the fruit, "After all, only an idiot charges in without a plan." His eyes then look to Uta, "... And you going to be alright, Uta?"

That is when Nevarri joins in and seems to share a similar thought, but he doesn't add to much to what she has to say. He is of two minds it seems.
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

The fennecen carefully eyes the female Salamander, eyes wandering over the redhead before she stretches her spine through. "Don't you have family and friends... overseas?" she asks, taking a moment to think of the word overseas as a stand in for the first life. "While you might not feel like leaving back there, you might worry them!"

Turning some to face the other Salamander, the one that was named Xander, she eyes him up just as carefully. "Even with a plan and the change... I don't think we should refer to it as a game. Sleeping against a tree felt too real to be just a 'game'."
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Listening to the others talk, she raised eyebrow. But at Emiko's comment she nods. "THat's why I asked what its ETO's world called, because its our world now, right? I mean... we're in this town, it's devoid of people.." she tapped her chin.
Nureha
Alne - Main Square

"I have an idea." Nureha doesn't raise her voice but her clear enunciation is easy to hear, at least for those around her and the little bench she has perched on. "Why don't we take a walk? I confess that I'm not very familiar with this place and I assume the same for a lot of us." she smiles at Xander.

"And you are quite right about needing a plan, but you shouldn't besmirch those who have chosen for themselves what they will do." she gestures to Emiko as she stands up from the bench, brushing back her long hair. "It's reasonably safe. We have our defenders.." she points to Xander. " And our explorers.." and she points to Nevarri. "And we might get to know eachother a little better."

"Oh." She says to Elrune. " I may be able to answer that. This is Alne. The City of Ash. A little to the west is Carmina Gadelica. The Town of Beginnings. And this world? This server is called Yamato, which is the focus of the Japanese server at least."
Uta
Alne - Main Square

Uta replies to Xander, "I never charge without a plan, in fact, I never charge period, so... I think so?" There is some blinking. "I am sorry for your loss, by the way. Was that the... uh... shockwave of darkness coming from over there?", she says, gesturing vaguely in the general direction of the Ezzo empire. "I've heard about it form other players. Given how I had messed up my starting equipment early on, the reset actually improved my own situation and-" A blink. "Oh, wait, you mean if I am going to be alright... for things /other/ than charging?" She inhales, sucks both of her lips in, as if trying to pick the right words, and then-

    Uta turns towards Emiko, "I know, /right/? The realism of this whole thing is /ridiculous/! Sure, there are inexplicable oddities and quirks that need be addressed, but otherwise..." To Nureha, she replies, "Oh, in that case... uh. Cool. Being whatever we want to be. Is it going to involve work, or do we get it for free? My reaction to that is going to be different depending on the circumstances." To Elrune: "Hungry? I think I-" Her stomach growls loudly, so loudly it causes her to grimace. "...it would be impolite to pass an invitation to breakfast, I suppose, right?" And finally, to Misa, "What about the people who depend on us, uhm, 'out there'? I think we have responsibilities towards them, right? Regardless of whether people like it or not, here, we cannot escape from our duties." Back to Nureha. "Yamato, huh?"
Misa Takayama
Alne - Main Square


    Misa can probably hear what some of the others are saying in response to her little outburst. But she doesn't show much reaction to them if she does. She does quietly mutter to herself, "Damnit, what is he doing... This isn't my area of expertise."

    Misa closes her eyes as she muses to herself, "We can probably increase the team separation by twenty five metres. Posting sentries on the outer wings will make for better detection of adds. The two row system is working for now. But a rear echelon may be needed in more difficult zones to handle respawns. Or alternatively we advance faster... Too risky."

    It's Uta's words that finally grab Misa's attention proper. She stops her analysis, looking in Uta's direction. Misa stands, slowly walking over to Uta. Misa's expression has a hit of concern to it as she replies, "Of course. That's why we have to do everything we can." Misa's eyes lose a little focus, "There's too much that we risk to lose if we don't."
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

"Yamato is not just the name for this... slice but Yamato has been the name of one battleship, a corvette and a yacht, a painting style, a clan, a province, 13 towns, one river, 3 meteorites, the people of premodern japan and a precursor state of what we know as Nippon, starting in the Area we know as Nara today." Emiko almost lectures, sighing a little. "Shikata ga nai, not that it matters really. I mean, this isn't the mythical state of Emperor Ninigi and his descendants."

"But whatever the plan might be in the end, we need to sort sme things out first. Shelter and food sound like they belong to the top of the agenda, yes. And escape should be after those, as I don't feasably see a way to do that before we have secured the survival of... how many are here... hundreds? thousands?"
Xander
Alne - Main Square

    "It is still a game." Xander says looking over to Emiko, "There is still code, even if we can't see it. However, it has somehow overridden something that is preventing disconnection our head-gear and somehow has amplified the sensory systems."

Xander then takes a piece of the fruit and chews on it. "... Even if this is really good." he says with a hint of a lisp, then just chops on another piece looking annoyed that he is actually enjoying it.

    There was a long silence, as he chewed the fruit. A low rumble of dislike for the growing situation. That so many people seem /accepting/ of this fate. It was causing him to get angry and it was all over his face, even as Nureha brought up going for a walk, even if he was not in full agreement.

Once he finishes eating and listening to everyone, he flicks the core seed off into the grass. "Yeah. Walk. Lets do that." He reached to his side as if going for something, like a handle, but then pulled his hand away as he moved his leg with care, as if reconfirming something to himself.

    His attention does turn over to Emiko, "Possibly Thousands." He looks over to Misa who seems to now thinking things over, then nods to her, "... And that. I can agree with." He looks then to Uta, "Uta, I am going for a walk with her," he motions to Nureha, "Stay here in the town limits, alright? I am sure the guards will still protect folks." Then as he goes to follow Nureha he says softly, "... I hope."
Nureha
Alne - Main Square

Nureha drifts in place, the cheerful black haired cait-sith interposing herself inbetween Uta and Misa Takayama without noticing that she's done so. She looks at Emiko and inclines her head in approval. "I suggest those who are not going to immediately assault the tower move think about making their way to The Town of Beginnings. There is much more likely to be a friendly presence there, unless it has become a ghost town like Alne." She smiles at Misa. "..And I can respect doing everything one can." she says as they approach. "..Everyone has their reason for being here. That Reason is all the more important now."

She bows to Uta and Nevarri, locking eyes with Misa and inclining her head respectfully. "Any who wish to come along are welcome, though I doubt there will be much in the way of excitement. Of course.." she smiles. "..That's what we all though yesterday, wasn't it?"

Nureha drifts along the street, seeming to be in no particular hurry as they walk across the square.
Uta
Alne - Main Square

Uta assumes a dubious expression at Misa's response. "I suppose...", she replies, and goes pensive. She seems to be really chewing on those words. Until, that is, Emiko starts speaking. Positively enthralled at her explanation, Uta eventually moves her finger to push glasses that are not really there, as some sort of automatic, unconscious gesture, and adds, "Well, that is true, but to be fair, it is a well established natrative convention to draw on iconic historical names for fantasy settings. And not just in Japan, all over the world. Tolkien's 'The Shire' is clearly inspired by historical divisions, C.S. Lewis's 'Narnia' was named for a town in central Italy, and the more people do it, the bigger the pool of references with the same name to draw from becomes, not to mention it sort of becomes kind of an expected topos for genre aficionados. Let us be real here, this story is as old as man, and it is unlikely to change anythime soo-" She snaps out of it when Xander starts speaking. "...I hope as well. And I'm certainly not going anywhere! Except the library. Might hop there. I am kind of wondering about the local offering..." Nureha, however, snaps her back to reality. "...honestly? I no longer know what to think."
Nevarri
Alne - Main Square



Nevarri squints and pushes her glasses up on her face and causing them to glint, before looking back up and pointing at Misa, "So what if we clear the Tower? What happens then? The Logout button magically unshatters? The big man in the sky comes up and gives us all a prize? I'm sorry, but it can't be that easy."

    She looks to Uta and Emiko, folding her arms across her chest, her blue scales contrasting with her red attire, "I know there are people in the real world that are worried about us, but if this is a problem with the programming, then none of us are getting out any sooner if we beat the tower."

    She takes a breath and shakes her head, "Some of us don't have much to look forward to going back to the real world... Some of us are burdens to our loved ones in the real world, whether it's because of our own failings or through things beyond our control. Those of us who don't have any prospects to look foreward to... We have a second, better chance here that we CAN make for ourselves. A new life in a New world!"
Misa Takayama
Alne - Main Square


    Misa looks between Xander, Uta and then Nureha. She considers the provided offer for a moment, then shakes her head, "Thank you, but no. I'm afraid I have to report to my guild leader and then get some sleep." The wear seems to finally be creeping up on Misa as she rubs her eyes, "It's been a long night..." But in her opinion, worth it. The last thing she wanted to do after that update 'event' was to lie around on the grass somewhere, unable to sleep.

    Misa nods to those head off for a walk, as well as those that are staying, "Have a pleasant morning, everyone." She turns, beginning to head off to find an inn. At least now she can afford one of the more expensive ones, which will probably have some free rooms with a nice bed... Misa wonders what it's like to sleep in this world.
Elrune
Alne - Main Square

Listening to the chatter, Elrune finally speaks up. "Who knows." she said softly. "But you're right,--- we may have people we want to see in the real world and its not possible, right now. I am concerned." she sighs. "But for now we need to survive, so we can get home."
Xander
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

    Following Nureha, Xander remains fairly quiet till they come up to the bridge, he almost stops on it seeming to look back toward the tower.

His brows furrow, before he looks back to Nureha, "I don't think I ever got your name." He extends his hand, there was a pause, a debate, before he simply says, "Xander."
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

Emiko follows Xander with the eyes as he leaves for that walk with the one she never caught the name of, shrugging after a moment. "In any way, to feed such many people... it takes about that many people to do the farming as there are in a town without large machinery. And that would need some sort of economy... oh god, I see us all dying of hunger before the winter..."

"Maybe they find a way to solve the problem serverside, and they rescue us from outside, but we'll need to survive till then. Even if we don't get that Twilight K-item."
Nureha
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

Nureha stands on the bridge looking out at the overworld. Her back remains set against the city of ash and the tower until Xander speaks. She turns, brushing her hand as she rubs them together and straightens her shoulders, taking his hand delicately.

"Nureha. It seems I should thank you for looking out for that younger player." Her smile becomes strained briefly. "Not many are as fortunate, especially when there are other things on many minds." She gestures to the tower, and around to the surroundings vaguely with a hand.
Xander
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

    "Comes natural... and maybe with training." Xander admits to Nureha's compliment as he gives her hand a firm shake. "Served in the army. Part of the Cyber Command division. Mostly focused on cyber warfare." He says rather plainly, as if forcing his emotions to stay in check.

"She just joined the game before the expansion dropped. She.. didn't even understand her hud. So, I worry. There are others probably like her, never experienced this game, joined... and now trapped." He crosses his arms over his chest. He doesn't go further into those thoughts but he does add, "There are those who will need help till a solution can be figured out."
Nevarri
Alne - Main Square


    Nevarri watches as the cluster of people begin to disperse, before sighing and mumbles, "It's okay... They'll figure it out eventually." Before pulling her fruit from her pocket and strolling away, taking a moment to bite into it.

"... Mm... Not bad..."
Uta
Alne - Main Square

Uta approaches the Caith Sith. "Congratulations for your cultural references, by the way. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Uta."
Nureha
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

Nureha looks out at the bridge, then begins to walk across it as they talk. "And what would you suggest be done about those like Uta? I can see you have a few thoughts and ideas about the situation." She stops part way across, looking down into the water.

"And even before this happened, it was difficult for many to navigate the chaos. Now, even more so."
Emiko
Alne - Main Square

Emiko nods, bowing a little in return to Uta. "I think... Xander was it? He mentioned your name, so it's ok."
Xander
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

    "For now, attempt to create a temporary shelter and create a general head count. Those that are able to fight or know the system, can be given tasks that best suit them. In having tasks, they can find usefulness and helps keep their mind off the problems." Xander explains as he looks out over the water, before moving to follow Nureha.

He jogs in place for a moment, testing his legs again, before inhaling deeply. ".. Secondly, for those like Uta who are to new, probably create a training regimen of some kind. Teach them the system in a safe, controlled manner, before moving them to a less controlled system." Xander makes a few hand gestures as he explains this. "Everyone needs to pull their weight eventually in some form to assure survival."

    The Salamander then goes to step up next to Nureha at this point, his tail moves ever so slightly as he walks. "However, that is a perfect concept of a functioning system and something will, as it always does, go fubar."
Nureha
Overworld - 3 - 0 - 0

"Ah. Yes." she raises a hand and laughs softly. "This situation itself may be seen to be so. But from chaos comes opportunity. How would you protect such a system?" She walks beside him as she makes her way across the bridge to the west, tail flicking side to side.

"I have heard some troubling things. The Towns may not be as safe as they were before the expansion, and I have little reason to trust Alne itself as a fallback position. It's said that good soldiers deal with tactics" her smile grows a little wider. "But great ones deal, as you have, with logistics."
Xander
Overworld - 2 - 0 - 0

    Xander doesn't give Nureha a reply. His brows furrow though and his jaw clenches a little, yet he has no response, he opens his mouth to say something, but closes it. Obvious he was in disagreement to Nureha's possible compliment, but yet nothing.

"That woman back there, the one trying to cheer up the crowd." He says softly, seeming to change subject. "I think she is in the guild I'm in, and probably the same Alliance." As they cross off the bridge on to the grass path, he continues to walk along with her. "Sounds like they have some plan in motion and I'll need to get caught up on what exactly /is/ going on..."

Then mutters softly, "or at least hope there /is/ a plan in motion."
Nureha
Overworld - 2 - 0 - 0

Nureha reads his expression and looks away, as if embarrassed or shy. "There certainly seemed to be a drive to her actions." she gives him a comforting smile. "But if there is not a plan in the works then there certainly is no reason why they wouldn't listen to yours. After all, they will need all the help they can get going forwards as they are."

She moves out into the overworld past the bridge, slowly turning in a circle to take in their surroundings. "This may also be a good opportunity to see how much the system has changed. Do you know if quests still operate, or were they and the Hunter's Guild also caught in the backlash of last night's events?"
Xander
Overworld - 2 - 0 - 0

    Xander doesn't pick up on her look away, luckily for her, he does though ponder over what she has to say, tapping his chin as they walk.

The Salamander looks over to her, "It is possible once we get to the starter town we could see if any of the npcs have quests available... Might be our best really and be sure that at least the starting area is safe."

With that in mind, he picks up his pace a bit. "Come on!"
Nureha
Overworld - 2 - 0 - 0

"Lead the way."

Nureha follows behind the salamander soldier, eyes glittering as he picks up the pace and an odd little smile on her face.