Planning Session in the Ruins

Welcome back to Aine. Assuming you ever left.

Kaleido left. Kaleido's made several trips by now between Aine and the nearby town of Carmina Gadelica - most notably leaving Aine this morning and returning about an hour ago.

For the most part, they've been trying to level up, and helping with the Ezzo issue - but they've also spent a lot of time preparing for what they've vaguely been calling 'the future'. Every waking hour has been spent, as well as some unwaking hours when they really should have gone to sleep.

It's going to be all worth it for this.

Flyers - handwritten ones on scrap paper - have been posted everywhere Kaleido can get to.

<Come to Alne tuesday night if you'd like to seize the future of this world's economy in your own grasp. There will be food and drinks provided. - Kaleido>

And indeed, here in Aine, in a spare abandoned restaurant near the foot of the tower, Kaleido's set up shop - such as it is. There's no front door, and it's missing part of a wall, but it's one of the more-intact places that haven't already been taken over by other adventurers.

There's tables and chairs, even! They don't match, looking like they're from half a dozen different original sets - and one of the 'chairs' looks like a bar stool that's had its legs hastily cut down to fit for the table - but altogether Kaleido's managed to get enough of a place together here to have dinner.

Kaleido themselves is waiting up at the head of the room, waiting patiently for people to filter in. They bounce on their feet slightly, eager to get things started.

Among those that file in to Kaleido's improvised place is Emiko. Looking around over the assorted tables and chairs, she chuckles a little, but then bows to the host. "I see you have some base for an inn, but I bet once people start to make economy happen, you'll get yourself a full matching set?"

    Kyo Kirin (known by a number of phonetically related names) has not spent much time in Aincrad, either before or after the apocalyptic event of a few days ago. Specifically, she's been spending a lot of time recently hunting goblins, for Reasons(tm). The hunting has afforded her a bit of money for things like inns, but she's barely used it--not that most could tell. Pretending that she's not tired is a well-trained skill.

    Red eyes give the place a once-over before Kaleido gets a second glance, then a thin smile that does betray a hint of that exhaustion behind it, and a nod. "There's a lot of free real estate right now, right? Though..." Another look around, then, "You'd still have to 'buy' it to stop people from wandering off the chairs, right?" She shrugs. "So, what *is* the idea?" The words sound hurrying, but her tone doesn't.

It's felt like a very long time. He had expected to already be out shortly after the apocalypse, but that never happened. Still here, still dealing with being separated from those he cared about. It was hard. He start to level up and research what he could, and try to help coordinate a few of the efforts ongoing in the area. It was frustrating though, he wanted to do more.

Zorin saw all the flyers, or the attempts at flyers with the current resources at hand. It was close enough and could be combined with a bit of level grinding, seemed like as good a plan as any. Hopefully the food didn't taste like crackers..

Wandering in he nodded and called out to Kaleido, "We meet again! Glad to see some proactive projects."

He looks around and opts to lean against one of the walls. "(I wonder what kind of bird brain scheme it will be this time?)" Though curiosity was written on his face.

Proteus isn't specifically interested in economic dominance, but after what's happened lately, she certainly has no intention of turning down the potential for some free food and drink. Socialization is optional. She's had entirely too much enforced socialization lately.

This is probably whe she sweeps into the building, the hood over her head and drab newbie cloak sweeping behind her as she sits down near Kyo. "Good to see you again." She says shortly. "At least this area seems less hellish than the last I've been to."

If nothing else, of course, there is the matter of the proposal, but the Imp figures that will come on its own time.

"It's apropos that you mention the economy, my dear," says Kaleido to Emiko as people wander in and takes seats (or don't take seats, your choice). "The economy..."

"... is not going to 'just happen', or if it is then any sort of organic growth will be slow and uncontrolled, and we cannot countenance either, can we? Not if we want to go back home at any reasonable hour."

"But. Talk of that can wait for at least a little bit. As I had promised..."

With a flourish, they bring up their UI with practiced motions, and summon several items out of their inventory. Plates, placemats, skins of milk and water, and finally a serving platter piled high with fruit and vegetables.

"Food! Food and drink that at least tastes like food and drink! You cannot imagine my relief when I bit into an apple and found that it still tastes like an apple, even if everything else tastes and textures like soggy rice cakes."

The were fang goes around the room, making sure everyone gets some. "Also before we get to business - very soon, very shortly - I am curious how all of you are getting on here in these first few days. Any stories to share?"

Emiko nods, chuckling a little. "Well, economy happens when peope need goods that others have, and at the moment little to no goods are around that people have to trade in, but for the occasional sack of coinage from hunting beasts."

With a chuckle she takes a seat as the food is placed on the menu, gesturing to others to try some as she picks up a storage apple. "I would have called it hardtack but sure, soggy rice cake is what the cooked food tastes like."

After helping himself to a plate he walks over to pick out of few choice fruits and vegetables. Something that tasted real, delightful! He nods to Kaleido with appreciation. With plate in one hand he returns to the near wall to watch the proceedings. When there is a pause he speaks up.

"A group of us did some investigation and asked around for anyone that may be able to gives us some additional clues. We found one technician which had the Dive Gear hardware in his lab and was actively testing it." He gives a short sigh, "We learned some interesting facts, but unfortunately no easy escape or way to communicate with the outside."

He pauses for a moment, looking around at the faces before continuing, "We were able to learn though that it is likely the hardware of the Dive Gear is capable of using 100% of the users brain, and is mainly limited by firmware and software. This obviously has some pretty significant consequences and may explain the realism of the game."

"We are still trying to investigate further, but so far we've hit walls. There is some speculation that more information may be higher up in the tower." He gestures in the direction of mentioned structure.

Its been a rough well, its been rough since the incident.

Karoshi wasn't precisely in bad shape back in the real world, but getting used to the sort of things that happen outside of the city limits was still something else..

Battling against animals is a rather intense experience, but apparently it's the key to gaining 'Experience Points' which are valuable in some way for well..figuring out how to get up that tower and get out of this madhouse.

He makes his way in as the others are already apparently having a discussion..

He eyes the group, and then the food.. His experience with the food is that its fairly tasteless, and he missed the bit about apples, fruit and ingredients.

"Getting higher in that tower should be our objective. It's the only real option we've been presented with for returning to Japan."

He sighs, "I'm sorry, I've been dealing with badgers, squirrels and giant creepy insects.. My manners seem to have been wounded. Furukawa Transportation, Executive Assistant, Shiro Watanabe."

He looks around the decrepit area and frowns, "We're discussing economics, according to the flyer? I'm assuming to fund expeditions and acquire resources "in game" for us to get up the tower? Do we hire an army or something? Build an elevator?"

    Kyo lights up a little after hearing her name. "Proteus! You made it out on the boats, then." Realizing this must not have happened /just/ now, she adds, "Oh, I must have fallen asleep, for a while." She would have heard the chimlink, otherwise. Probably. "Hey, so, how was it? It sounded bad, right? Pretty bad."

    There's food. Allegedly. Kyo goes to take some, and bites into something ripe and red. "...tastes like fruit. Huh, it really tastes like fruit."

    After Zorin mentions the dive gear, she adds, "Octoman said it could access all areas of your brain, right? Then that means it could read all your memories, couldn't it?" She has to say this in-between munching. "Ahh, why can't we have fruit juice, even though we have fruit? There's juice *in* the fruit."

Responding to Kyo with a nod Zorin frowns as he replies, "Yes, it was Ogata Musuhara from Piffle Princess which is a subsidiary to CCcorp. Additionally, we can assume that with the Dive Gear being able to access 100% of the brain it may be able to access memories. We don't know with certainty, but it seems like a logical possibility." After having responded he nods that he is done and continues to munch on his food

"... One hundred percent..."

Kaleido files this away for later.

"The tower seems to hold the solutions - or at least answers, at least some of them. Getting up there is going to require getting a lot of people a lot more power..."

Kaleido doesn't mention the bugged monster on floor 10. Best not to dwell on that till it becomes a problem.

"... Going to need high powered gear, heck, going to need low powered gear too, if there's going to be people who are slow to level up... we'll want to rebuild the town here as a base camp, we'll want some base comforts if we don't all want to be sleeping outside or in ruins..."

They nod to Karoshi. "Yeah. He knows what I'm talking about, right?"

"... So everyone has a few things they do to get resources and funds, I've noticed - they run out and do quests to try to get resources from that, or just grind on monsters, or just wander. Or they go and do whatever their gathering profession is - mining, farming, hunting..."

"... It's all fairly disorganized, isn't it? When someone mines ore, they either need to sell it to the landers, or hang onto it and hope they find some blacksmith who needs that type of ore, and then negotiate a price with them. It's all slow, takes time away from actually generating wealth, it's got an opportunity cost in terms of skill-ups and..."

"... Ah, I should introduce myself. Kaneda Rira, certified accountant." Kaleido takes a dramatic one armed bow. "I'm no dedicated student of the economy, but balancing the books kept the lights on and the fridge stocked and the 10 em-bit flowing. So I know a thing or two."

"The economy did used to 'just happen'." Proteus supplies from her seat to one side. As the food is provided, she sweeps over and acquires an apple, taking a bite out of it as she washes it down with some milk. "The economy existed before we even came here, the core markets set by the vendors and NPCs. They created the core expectations of what we are supposed to be able to buy and sell and for how much. Beyond that it was all up to us. Are you saying that we're not even able to buy things from the shops anymore?"

There is a little smirk under that hood at the mention of stories to share, but before Proteus says anything, there is a glance over towards Zorin. "You managed to find someone else in here who was willing to share that information with you? I guess NDAs are no longer a thing. The problem is, how are you going to access the hardware from inside the system? Trying a firmware patch on a live connection seems dangerous when it's accessing your brain... And 100 percent of it too. This is... concerning." She shakes her head. "Why would that information be in the Tower, though?"

A pause. "... And so you all are unable to log out either, then." A little sigh. "So much for that hope. And no sign of rollbacks or restoration of our lost materials and abilities either." She turns and sits back in the chair, leaning back idly. Her gaze moves to Shiro, or rather, Karoshi. "Why is going through the tower supposed to bring people back to Japan? Are we supposed to complete some kind of raid content in order to end the event and get our logout ability back?"

She nods to Kyo, then. "Nureha managed to send a couple boats to pick some of us up off the coast. There's still many others waiting outside the barrier... But they're safe. For now." A pause. "It was bad." The tone is haunted, the little smile under that hood waning. "Worse than anything I have ever seen."

Kaleido continues with their proposal. "Rebuilding our gear and resources is a good idea, no matter what goal we want to put them towards. If we're stuck in here, making the place more comfortable while we get whatever we want done is a solid plan." A pause. "So you want to create a merchant's guild? A central group that handles wholesaling materials and resource distribution?"

There is rumble as a large dust cloud is kicked up outside the resturant, therought the section lacking a door. A large and rather disheveld looking human barges in one hand clutching a crinkled flyer.

"I hear tell of food and money?" his voice is a rumble from deep in a chest as he heaves his breath. "I hate to interupt, but I'm horrable with directions and this is, the third building I've tried." he say with an almost bashful look to his face.

"For gear we need materials. Which we also need to fix up the town. The ruins only provide so much shelter, especially with the cold time of the year being around."

"Though, I am animal trainer. I mean, surely I could try to get some people their companions and steeds back, but yes, there is only so much one can do alone. We should organize the trade guilds again you seem to say? I mean, that would help organize the flow of resources and that some people actually make the stuff others need."

Karoshi nods towards Kaleido, especially with the introduction. "That's been a problem, yes. I have no clue on how to deal with this.. this madhouse in a productive fashion. I barely ever played this game."

He looks upwards, as if thinking about the tower and more importantly Japan, "..learning how to operate things mechanically, and how things work here is ideal.. Also, uh.."

He scratches the back of his head, "What precisely is a 'lander?' I've heard other people using the term."

He looks at Proteus, "I tried to pull my helmet off, and I even tried to 'walk' away from my computer terminal. Neither worked. I used to just hard crash the game when I wanted to leave since I never figured out the log-out function. I imagine its somewhere in the menu."

He looks at Emiko, "Companions? Steeds?!"

He rubs the bridge of his nose..

"This keeps getting worse. Still. If we're going to build any form of economic structure, we have to figure out /something/ to do to maintain property and ownership. We don't want to gather resources, just to have someone come along and "hank" us and take what we've gathered and then fritter it away on whatever it is the NEETs blow money on in these games."

    Kyo gets enough food together that it'll take her awhile to get through it, and a god variety thereof, before actually sitting down. She scarfs it. The taste of sugar is wonderful. The lack of cooked meat is unfortunate. The lack of soda or even juice, likewise, but at least plants bring their own juice. It tastes all the better for being the first she's had in days, simple as this gatherer side of the hunter-gatherer-style feast is.

    "Landers are People of the Land," she says to Karoshi. "NPCs, you know? NPCs." She shakes her head. "Octoman said something about the new gear cutting off all outside senses, to make it more realistic. Although... although, it does still feel too realistic, doesn't it? Maybe if it's in your memories, you just *think* it's..." she lapses into muttering, before breaking back out again.

    "So, what is the big idea? A market board? A management team? An agency? What are you asking people to do?"

Kaleido slides Taggart a plate with fruit and vegetables on it. "Here, these actually taste like food."

"Landers - people of the land. NPC's- um, you might not know that either. Computer characters who look like people?"

"So..." Kaleido pauses to +inspect Proteus. "... Proteus, I'm glad you asked. Should we make a merchant's guild?"

Pause for dramatic effect, and...

"No!"

And suddenly the bird has jumped up onto the table at the head of the room, addressing everyone from a high perch. "And I'm gonna tell you why - because everyone else who's smart like we are is going to see this organizational problem coming and go run off to do that. We need to think bigger."

"We need to be the ones these merchants come to and pay us for our services - as will the independent crafters and gatherers and who knows who else."

"A merchanting *network*, connecting people who have stuff with people who need stuff - or just buying and then instantly reselling, knowing both the buyers and sellers ahead of time."

Kaleido gestures dramatically again. "Picture it! Some random miner in Carmina snags a load of obsidian in the morning, comes to us - we have a buyer for it in Fort Ouph before lunchtime. Some high-end raider dumps their extra loot on us for silvers, we turn around and offload it to needy scrubs for golds before the ink is even dry on the sale receipt!"

"And how, how-"

Kaleido brings their cupped hand up to where their ear would be if they weren't transformed, as if listening for something faint. "How, you say, how Kaleido do we pull this miracle of mercantile off? This killing in shillings? This offer of proffered coffers?"

"Some of us has lost their rides or or pets in that event. You know, not everybody battles themselves, some do have animal or monster compannions to deal with such. Summoners, but also Druids and knights. Oh right! Introductions are in order, yes! I'm Emiko." She talks more to Karoshi, but it's loud enough for others to hear.

As she listens to Kaleido she nods. "Well, there surely are some organisation issues to be overcome, but it's not like there should not be old foundations to build on. Were there no manufacturer's guilds before?"

There is a shake of her head. "You really are a newbie, aren't you? Why didn't you bother spending even a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the menus? Regardless, the banks still work. Just deposit your stuff into them if you want it to be kept relatively safe. No one is going to risk trying to deal with the guards." There is a little grimace from under that hood as Karoshi begins misusing slang and talking smack about the people who tend to play these games.

She turns her attention to Kyo. "If you are in an illusion that is so well-made that you can't tell the difference between it and reality, who is to say which is the illusion and which is the reality?" She asks Kyo. "At this point, this is the kind of place we're stuck with dealing with whether we like it or not. So let's make the best of it."

Kaleido then one-ups her idea. There is a pause, a surprised start at the exuberance of the Peko-person. "Wha!?" She says, listening to the proposal. "... So you want to be... the logistics network. Connecting buyers and sellers." There is a pause. "That is a pretty good idea. But yeah, how exactly do you plan to corner the market on the information and availability needed to make this work? You're going to need a lot to make this work on a scale that is going to make you the money you want."

Karoshi crosses his arms, and taps his chin, "A network of organized individuals.. Like a cartel, or a zaibatsu.. More efficient, and more useful then going to the local market or.. The computer controlled characters? I always sort of assumed everyone I saw had a human behind them.. Most of my experience with this game was killing animals, grinding in the legal halls or the like.. I kind of assumed that the scribes and the like I used the ombudsman skills for were..well, like me, salarymen who weren't into the sillier parts of the game but still wanted to help their coworkers."

He looks at Proteus, "Efficiencies can help with that. If our tradesmen have what they need for raw materials, then they can produce faster, produce more items, or higher quality items.. If our secondary sales then have what they need, they too gain efficiencies. And if the collectors and warriors have higher quality equipment, it improves harvesting."

He looks at Kaleido, "The intention however has to be on escaping this world. This is not our world. Japan is our world. We have work we have to return to, responsibilities. However, I am concerned that based on what I heard on the night we all were trapped in this hellhole that some of these other people may attempt to prevent any plan that keeps them from living out their lives of pathetic escapism."

He then allows himself to reply to the other comment from Proteus, "..at the time, it was a silly game. I didn't see any reason why an adult should become overly interested in such a past-time. It was akin to learning how to play darts at a bar with your coworkers, you learn just enough to get by. You do not want to become an otaku, its unseemly."

Grabbing an apple from the offered plate, Taggart munches on the rather sweet tasting fruit as the others talk. "Not to mention the scale of capital you'll need to even get such an endevour off the ground. This would be far from a cheap thing to set up." He gulps down the remains with a rather pleased shudder and takes a swig from a mug from his belt.

"It's an ambioutis vision, I'll give you that." glancing around at the assemlbed group he nods his head "Taggart Wallace by the way."

    "Yes, yes, that is what I'm asking." Kyo agrees with Kaleido's final moment. She'd cross her arms in a huff, but there's still food to eat, and eating while huffing is too difficult, especially if you refuse to talk with your mouth full, for reasons of dignity. That aside, she'd absolutely welcome a sugar coma after this.

    "There might still be a difference," she says to Proteus, "but we won't know until someone 'outside' does something. But..." A momentary vacant look, "...I hope not." Then, visibly rousing herself back up, "We have to do the best we can in here, whether there's a risk of us losing it all again or not. We won't do any better for ourselves by treating things like they don't matter, right?"

    She gives Karoshi a look. 'Grinding in the legal halls'? Wow, what a weirdo. Her ear flicks. His following words make it hard to just pass that off with an 'everyone has their own playstyle.'

    "Okay, so, a trade network. What you want to set up is a way for people to pass a lot of information, and their stuff, across the islands. Chimlinks handle a lot of that, but people would still have to put in all the time, and keep putting in the time, to make it work. As soon as someone stopped, you'd get a gap in your network." She doesn't explicitly ask 'what's in it for them?'

"Yeah, the logistics network, essentially. Connecting everything. And the 'how' is also our biggest asset..."

Kaleido gestures at themselves. "Moi."

"I've got the social skills to bring people in - *and* the bookkeeping smarts to not do something stupid like spend all of our round two seed money on a mansion..."

"... Heck, I know how to work a paper ledger, I had to learn in college, whereas I guarantee your average MMO-playing adventurer doesn't know how to do their taxes without a computer program."

"..." Their momentum is momentarily thrown off. "Do we need to pay taxes here? Might need to do something about that if we do - anyway, though."

"I have the vision. I have the drive - I *assure* you, I am driven to get this going and get us down the path towards getting back home. And the worst case scenario, if this can't get us home? It can make us *rich*. You can live comfortably - in a *house*, not camped out on the ground or in a crowded inn."

"All I need, from you, ladies and gentlemen..."

The were fang on the table gestures. "Is a little investment. Just enough to get things started."

They spent all of the money they've gained so far on the food for this meeting, so Kaleido is *really* hoping this goes well.

"A little investment - enough to get some proper bookkeeping gear, and to grease a few palms to get a few people in the right places to serve as my price-checking eyes and ears. The agents of the network. Not even *much* greasing, your lay adventurer will jump at the opportunity to earn a few bronzes by just checking the market boards each day."

"If nothing else - if nothing else in my pitch has moved you or convinced you..."

Kaleido hops back down off the table.

"... Consider it an investment of a favor."

There is a low sigh from the Imp as Karoshi begins talking his thing. "So not only are you a newbie, but you're an ass. Way to start your interactions with a new community, salaryman. Your computer system must love the abuse you put it through regularly though your ignorance." Proteus snarks back. "This isn't your world anymore. And if you want to succeed, you better learn how the rules work, just like you needed to back in that place you're not a part of anymore. Maybe then you would learn where you are in danger and where you aren't, for one."

She gestures. "What use is it to have your pretensions? You have no idea how long you are going to be here. Putting in the bare minimum to exist means you are going to be weak. It means you are going to fail. And do you know what happens when you fail?"

Proteus leans forward, that smile growing once more under that hood, bright like a knife. "It means you die. You will die over, and over, and over again. You will feel the pain of failure. And for what? So you can go back to your meaningless cubicle and live a meaningless life around meaningless people. How do you know you haven't been replaced already, salaryman? You're just a cog in the machine."

She leans back in her chair, relaxing as she takes another bite of the apple. "Do as you please, Karoshi. But stuff that attitude of yours in the trash." There is a little chuckle. "What an appropriate name."

The Imp nods to Kyo. "You're right. It matters. Everything here matters, because this is all the world we can touch now. We have to take it seriously. We have to learn the rules of this world. All of them."

Kaleido proposes, of course, that they become the essential hub of said logistics network. "Do you think you have the time to dedicate to that kind of work?" She asks... And then there is the rest of it. "You want an investment so you can get started, huh?" Proteus thinks, considering the situation. She tilts her head left, then right, then left, musing. "You know what? You talk a good game. I will buy in." She decides, and stands. With a flourish, a large bag of gold is produced. "I like your pitch, Kaleido. I'll partner with you and give you what assistance I can."

That bag is set down, clattering, before Kaleido on the table. A strong initial statement.

"At the moment... we are trapped here together. So we need to work together. And this network is possibly the best start at that we have. It's more of a sufggestion than I have heard so far. I am not one to want to die here, not even once, so we better make sure we are equipped, and if a little investment can ensure that... why not?"

Emiko taps the air as she opens her inventroy, then pulls out a bag of coins to toss onto the pile. "I buy a share, but dare you if you run off with it."

Taggart looks around at the table, a sheepish grin begins to paint his face as he speak. "Generaly speaking, getting in on the ground floor of any new company is a good thing." He face's Kaleido dead in the eye, "And I'd be inclinded to foork over me cash to y' if I had the mean."

"I be strapped for cash at tis moment, so my share will have wait. My appolagise."

    Kyo finally finishes her food, or at least as much of it as she's physically (virtually?) capable of eating at this moment. /Now/ she crosses her arms, though she still doesn't huff. "Ehhhh? A favor? But what do you plan on giving back to your investors for this? It means putting in even more work slicing through goblins, you know. You're a professional, right? A money pro, is it? So what kind of returns are you putting out?"

Karoshi looks at the imp, and nods slowly, "Yes. You're absolutely right. Learning how this..place..operates is integral to surmounting it. Attempting to gather that information is difficult."

At the other words, he smiles.. "Ah, so the much spoken of 'respawn,' does happen. That is good. A pain of failure means nothing. Determination is a foundation of Japanese society. Fall seven times, get up eight. This world is not the real one. Death here apparently is not the end, supposedly. And if I have been replaced, so be it, I will just need to find another company to work for, another place to go. But I will not allow laziness and escapism to masquerade behind excuses while we're trapped in this place."

At the clattering coins he frowns, "I sadly have no monetary resources. And as the tiny blue lady says, I lack knowledge on the ins and outs of how this place operates. Still, I wish to support you, and when I have found some means of doing so. I will."

He then looks at the Imp again, "Do you know where I can go to learn how to better fulfill my duties in this new environment? I am apparently some sort of sword wielder. Something German. If we are to fight through that tower, if /I/ am to fight through that tower, I must make myself an asset and not a liability."

The bag of gold gets swept up dramatically, disappearing into Kaleido's inventory - and then just as dramatically, it is replaced with a blank book and a quill pen.

"Credit the liabilities, debit the assets - just like I'm back in accounting 101 - and write a receipt -"

Part of the page is ripped off, and handed to Proteus. "Here you go, thank you for your investment..."

The process gets repeated - with increasing flair - for everyone who invests.

"If you're short on cash, don't worry - I didn't come here expecting to find people who somehow stumbled upon a treasure trove in their first 48 hours. Just do what you can to get by, and remember your good friend Kaleido when you have more to invest~"

"I mean, as far as your return... money, first of all? I'm aiming to make a lot of it - which is getting reinvested in other things, but repaying my stakeholders is a priority."

"Thirty percent ROI, two months? I'd like to garner some long term support, keep peoples' skin in the game, but if you want some hard numbers... thirty percent, two months, or a favor."

After witnessing the others show their support and some consideration Zorin also gestures and pulls out a bag of coin from his inventory. Walking over to set it down he comments, "I can see a lot of benefit in an information network beyond the financial."

He places the bag of coin down by the others and returns to his place. Then as an afterthought he says, "I suppose we should all make sure we all friend each other so we are able to stay in contact easily as we start this project." Then nodding he says, "I look forward to getting out of here, but for now we need to situate ourselves in a good place to act from."

He turns to Karoshi, "I'm Ryusei Ito, a Plant Manager with JY Electrical. I would be willing to help give you a few pointers. I'm actually a bit of a gamer myself, so I'm well versed in how things work?. Well, at least I was before everything changed." He shrugs, "Regardless, we need to help each other out right now."

    "Thirty percent, two months. In two months..." Kyo thinks about that. It'll mean a lot if they make it to two months. "Okay, okay. But..."

    She spreads her hands. "I don't have anything to spare. Maybe in awhile. I've got lots more goblins, and then more goblins, and also more goblins to get through. Maybe after that. I'll keep in touch, okay?"

    She looks over toward Karoshi. Something diplomatic. Hm. "Well, if you want to learn, that's never a bad thing." That'll do. "You probably want to do something like trying out your sword on a training dummy, then joining with a party out on the field. That's the usual way, if you're playing it safe."

Karoshi hmms and nods..

"I would very much appreciate that," he says to Zorin. He smiles, and seems more comfortable with the real names. It makes this feel..normal. Like he's trapped with normal people. Normal employed people!

Networking! That's what this entire meeting was really about, an opportunity for networking.. And he mentally chides himself for letting the apocalypse and a world with the lingering threat of comatose death damage his professionalism and cause him to actually react naturally in mixed company.

He then looks at Kyo, and nods, "Yes, I believe that perhaps this 'grouping' to 'do a run' may be useful. In my experience, you learn by doing, and then by doing it more. A strong work ethic is a foundation of Japanese society."

He hmms and nods, "It appears that this 'game' has now become our work, our occupation. Our means of escape. And therefore it is indeed now worthy to learn how it operates, so that we may excel and return to Japan!"

"Again, that's fine, maybe you will have some spare cash eventually - or you'll be around when I need another round of investors..."

"... I mean, if this works out, I'll want to expand it."

Kaleido has a big beaky grin.

"Get the economy going, get the tower climb going... and we all go home."

"I'd bee down for some gratuitous violence against, the geen wee...." taking a second look at the assembled cast of characters here. "....monsters, only good gobs a deaden." Taking a deep breath and standing from his seat Taggart bows to the assembled players.

"Jack Dawson from Loguhling Construction, I can work from foundation to roof. I've worked in Japan for the past six or so years."