Elder Tales, Abridged

It's getting late, which means the lands outside of the towns are, of course, getting a bit more dangerous and, absent the light pollution of a modern city, the dark seems all that much darker but for the guiding light of the moons above.

Jazz doesn't seem deterred from setting out, however. Indeed, she's moving across the bridge at a casual gait, a rucksack slung over her shoulder. Seems like she's got an intent to go *somewhere*.

Of course, she's assuredly not the only adventurer eager to set off on some kind of, you know... adventure.

    An Undine sets out, alone across the bridge in the moonlight. You can almost hear the sad music playing. "Nyo, don't go! We'll miss you!" Mizuki bounds along the railing of the bridge, then comes to a stop alongside Jazz.

    "...But seriously, you're setting out alone at night, after what happened last time? Aren't you worried? What if you have to face the gnoll rotwalker or Haggar solo?"

Night is a dangerous place.

But not that dangerous. Not this close to the town, even if that town happens to be Alne. It doesn't matter, really, since this is a place that Plant Duck (Proteus refuses to use the Welsh) is planning to move into anyway.

"It's dangerous to go alone." The legendary line is spoken by a cloaked Imp sitting on the side of the bridge. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a sword to proffer to Jazu, but Proteus does seem to be mildly amused at the sight before her judging from the wide grin under the deep shadows of her hood. "Do you have something in mind or are you simply testing your luck?" She asks. "Either is fine. I'm simply curious."

Of course, that's when a catgirl arrives. Proteus looks over at the arriving Mizuki and she frowns. "She's with you?" Proteus asks Jazu. Of course, she answers her own question a moment later with some Inspecting. "Mmm. No. So why do you care, catgirl?"

Reika was in the town square when she saw some shadows curry out of town. It's mostly just curiosity that made her follow, she couldn't sleep yet and there wasn't really anything to do.

Being sthealty like a ninja can be useful for things like this, she follows a few paces behind, checking who it is, and what they are doing... hopefully avoiding troubles for herself, and just assuring that others don't meet anything weird on the way either.

    Wynfei was in town after doing a whole lot of nothing for the day. He'd been just exploring and just getting to know the lay of the land, so in ways he was working and in others just out and about. He'e been spending a lot of time here in Alne so he knows it's not the best time to be out at night, but even he's tempted fate a few times already.

    Hearing voices, some familiar he moves about until he find those it belonged to. "Hey Proteus." he waves to the woman. He walks over to where she and Mizuki are, "Hows it going?" he asks as he looks around to see who else is here.

First, Mizuki is after her. Jazz stops dead in her tracks when she hears that voice. Shje slaps a hand to her face.

"I'll be fine, Mizuki -- really. What's the worst that can happen? I get to take a nap?" She sounds wry about the whole thing, but her rather twee voice makes it difficult to take her serious in any way. Then there's Proteus.

And Proeteus delivers... /that/ line.

She turns and /stares/ at her, like the imp had just farted loudly in church which, come to think of it, seems like something an actual imp would do.

"You /had/ to go there," she answers.

"... I was just going to find a nice hilltop and try to learn about the fidelity of the stars."

    Mizuki's fur bristles at Proteus. There's that girl who said she was only good ad being a cat. "Friends don't let friends get cut to pieces by gnolls!" Suddenly, a few more words pop into her head, and she spits them at Proteus. "But maybe you wouldn't know anything about that."

    She turns to Jazz again from her perch on the railing. "Dude, she was gone for 24 hours! What if you have a nightmare and can't wake up? Also just 'cuz you come back doesn't mean getting chopped up is gonna be /pleasant/."

    Concern turns to a smile, though. "I didn't know you knew astronomy, though! That's really cool, it could teach us some important stuff about this world!"

"Of course I go there." Proteus replies, seemingly immune to the irritation on Jazu's face. "Have some respect for the classics." There is a pause, however, as Jazu explains what's she's up to. "... The fidelity of the stars." She looks up. "... I see. You want to find out if they've changed since the Black Wave. Or in the process of changing. Hmm... I didn't really think about this aspect."

She trails off for a moment, pondering this visibly, when Wynfei shows up. "Oh! Hi." She looks over to the martial artist and gives a little wave, the little smile widening perceptibly. "What's up Wynfei. I'm doing fine... But I just got word there's been a PK inside Alne. Be careful." Her tone grows more grim at that, and she sighs. "Nothing ever comes easy."

Her reverie is interrupted by the catgirl, to whom Proteus slowly swivels her head. The tail behind her lashes back and forth slowly, perhaps ironically much like a cat's. "I wasn't aware cats had friends, just people they leeched off of." Proteus responds with a sweet, cheerful voice. "I don't think you are someone who can make judgements about who can have friends and who can't."

Reika makes her presence known subtly at that point, especially when talking about death. From her perch in a nearby tree, leaning her back against the trunk, her voice rings out quietly "There's nothing pleasant about death, even if you respawn, trust me. Maybe it sounds like it removes the danger when it's not a finality, but I'd rather not have to experience that again." She shivers, arms across her chest.

    Wynfei quirks a brow up at Proteus, though hearing Jaz and Mizuki arguing over someone not waking up or something. He shakes his head and walks over to Proteus, "Oh really?" he asks as he looks around the area they are all in. "I wonder how that happened?" he asks. He sighs, "Nothing is ever easy, this is our new life now, we need to get a handle on it." he states. He looks over to Reika as she appears, "Ninjacat, was'up!" he calls to her. Waving her over to him and Proteus.

"...mmn," muses Jazz, "something like that." Then Proteus continues and she lets out a sigh. "Ah," she says, "So it's like that." Then to Mizuki, she just shakes her head, as if to say 'don't bother'.

"I'm not an astronomer. Neither were the ancients. I have a spyglass which can act as a rudimentary telescope. I want to see how in depth the star field actually is and, if Eratosthenes can figure out the circumference of the earth 2000 years ago, maybe I can learn something interesting too." Then Reika is speaking up, "Oh, hey. You're the Girl Who Died," she says, perhaps recognizing from her local legend already.

Reika makewould prefer not to be be remembered by that single fact, but it's still something that happened. And she spreads the word so others avoid it if they can. She would prefer being recognized as an idol, but that's something in progress right now, there's been other distractions.

She jumps off the tree, landing almost feather-light on the ground below it, she apparently got used to the limits of this world. "Hey Wynfei, Proteus, Mizuki." She doesn't know of Jazu as much though, not having crossed her as many times "I don't think watching the stars is a bad idea though, if anything could try to find a clue on where we are." If they were teleported, then there might be similar star formations to earth. But that's still a stretch since it could just be a 100% made up game.

"I simply followed because I was curious what you were all doing this late though, don't let me stop you." Not like she's going to interfere with this.

    (Sam voice)                                                    (Mizuki voice)
    Why are we having this argument?                                            
                                                                    I don't know!
    We're mature adults, not children. We                                        
    should talk this out.                                                        
                                             Has that ever worked for us before?!
    Well, no...                                                                  
                                                               There you go then!
    Okay I know how things looked last                                          
    night but my life is not actually an                                        
    anime, this girl isn't my rival or                                          
    something she's just another person                                          
    with her own internal motivations and                                        
    if we just ask                          You know what will happen! You try to
                                             apply logic to social situations and
                                              you'll flub it somehow! You'll look
                                              the fool in front of one of the few
                                              friends you have! Maybe she'll take
                                                pity on you and fight your social
                                           battles for you because you can't, but
                                               is that really what you want? Pity
                                                                      friendship?
    So what do we do?!                                                          
                                             Just roll with it, eventually you'll
                                                  go through some tense situation
                                                together and then you'll make up!

    Mizuki gives Proteus a confused look, then stares into the space between them, then glares. She growls a bit, then turns to Jazz, smiling. "You're right, there's still plenty we can figure out! And if you make a star chart we can share it with others, too!"

    She also looks to Reika, "How've you been? And uh... are you okay with the moniker of 'Girl who Died' or should we try to change it to something more positive before it sticks? 'Girl who was Reborn'? Maybe just 'Girl Who Lived'? Eh, that's a bit Harry Potter Mary Sue, isn't it..." She taps her chin thoughtfully.

"A lot of people are wondering how that happened." Proteus replies. "And you're right, Wynfei. All we can do is adapt and overcome. We'll figure this out. If you happen to catch any information on the Alne PK, forward the information to Haseo."

Jazu gets a little arch of a brow from under the hood at that response. "It's like what?" Proteus asks, curious. "Either way, learning more about the world is always a good plan. I lack such a useful tool for the moment, so maybe you could share your findings when you're done? I'm very interesting to learn what you discover."

Reika's arrival suddenly seems to register to Proteus. "Girl who- Oh, right. Her." She looks to Reika and waves. "Nice to see you alive and well. Not the best reputation to begin with, but ah, it's just another step for you to overcome on your way to success, hmm?" She chuckles. "Don't worry. If you put in enough honest effort to know and understand the world you have to operate within, you will find success in time." There is a shrug, then. "As for me... Organizing things." She flicks a hand, her menus opening up and flicking for a moment before she dismisses them with a wave. "I work better in the quiet."

She looks back to Mizuki, waiting to see if the catgirl takes it farther... And she chooses not to. Proteus inclines her head, and also drops it, not following up with any more pointed commentary. "A star chart /is/ a good idea." She says, agreeing with Mizuki on something. "I am sure it will become relevant eventually."

Jazuhanzu declines to answer Proteus question about whatq 'like that' means. Instead, she just sort of nods along with the conversation, seemingly a bit uncomfortable with so many people being around on her planned excursion. She raises her hands and rubs her face, her expression twisting with discomfort, but because it's her expression, it winds up just looking like she's pouting cutely instead. She's cursed.

"Yeah, maybe all of that." She shoulders her coat, letting it hang closed over her maid's dress.

"Basic navigational tools are gonna have tobe used. We don't exactly have minimaps anymore." She glacnes down towads her hands, absently, then turns to Reika. "Sorry you had to go through that. I'm sure it sucked." And then Wynfei is noted. Again. "Oh, hello again," she offer.

Reika shrugs "It's not the best title, but it's a fact." There hasn't been THAT many deaths yet to make it feel that this is a normal thing, like a normal game would likely. "I'm... a little out of sorts about my idol's work and PR right now..." Who can blame her though, the focus about saving the Ezzo people faded, lots of people are a little lost as to what to do next.

Reika stretches her arms overhead "Well, I'm about ready to sleep, a little walk helped, so don't let me slow you down. Just be careful hm, I meant what I said about death, don't start thinking there's no danger because of it." Of course noone knows of the actual consequences of it yet, but even Reika wouldn't know what she lost from it. How would you know what you forgot about after all?

    Hearing Reika be called the 'Girl who died.' causes Wynfei to look at Jaz and Mizuki, "Reika does have a name, not the moniker of the girl who died." he says to the two as the looks towards them. He doesn't look upset but just stating a fact.

    He looks over to Proteus as she speaks and nods his head. He rolls his shoulders a little and he listens to Mizuki as she speadk further. "I'm sorry about that." he says to her.

    He looks to the group. "We will, we just have to understand this is our new way of life for now." he tells her. "THough I need to get going, I've been wandering all over the place, I will look into the PK here in Alne, see what I can turn up." he smiles.

    Hmm, Jazz looks nervous about something. Mizuki will have to ask about that when there aren't so many people around. She nods simply at Reika's agknowledgement of her title.

    "Basic navigational tools... like maps?" She looks around. "Huh, I guess people who didn't do much driving might not have used maps much, huh..."

The cute little pout on Jazu's face gets a little larger smile from the Imp. "Maps are important." Proetus agrees. "Make your map of the heavens. Maybe I will trade you a map of the earth in exchange." She says. "It would only be fair, hmm?"

She waves nonchalantly at Reika. "At this point, building yourself up here would get you much more than any random PR or idol work might. We're going to be here for years, at least in my estimation, and audiences are fickle. Invest in something that lasts... But yes. Sleep well."

Wynfei bids them farewell as well, and Proteus waves to him. "Indeed. Good luck in your work, Wynfei. Keep safe, all right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't know it," says Jazz, of not knowing Reika's name. "Nice to meet you, Reika," she offers. She puts her hand to the back of her head, still seeming discomfited. The tendrils attached to head have their tips curl inwards, hugging close t o her neck admist her lengthy hair.

"And what's this about another killing?" She asks, cautiously, having finally caught on to this fact that something actually happened. She then glances towards Proteus when the Imp addresses the Undine.

"... we can compare maps later," she utters, seemingly a little discomfited still, but finding a comparing of maps at least acceptable to her eye. Mizuki gets a nod, though, but adds, "And navigating by the stars, finding a functional compass, whether we can HAVE a functional compass and whether or not there's a magnetic field to base one off. I'd expect so, even if it won't make 'sense'. THe game didn't have compasses outside the minimap because why would we need one? There may not be a realized magnetic field, but there's probably a northg star." She looks up to the sky and its twinned moons. "So that's why I was gonna find a hill to *not* die on."

"Testing magnetism will be simple enough. All one needs is a bit of copper and iron and some electricity, assuming physics are still accurate." Proteus says. "Try what you know first, then expand from there, hmm? And when you can't find the answers, think outside the box... If you are allowed to do so, of course. The limits of the system have not been found as of yet." A little smile at that.

Though the subject turns back to the PKing. "Someone was PKed in Alne last morning." Proteus says, her tail lashing irritably. "An insignia was left there that indicates the culprit is, as they rumor goes... Tri-Edge." There is a pause. "So I suppose that answers 'who'. The speed might mean that whoever it is wasn't affected by the Black Wave the way everyone else was. Be cautious. It would be quite unpleasant to be at that kind of a level disadvantage."

    "Who's Tri-Edge?" Mizuki turns to Proteus and puts her hands on her hips. "Are there newspapers and noone told me or something?"

    Wisteria comes clacking along, her zeta snapping lightly against her tabi clad feet. "Can't you just have a blacksmith cold forge some iron needles and use that?" she asks with a tip of her head on hearing the talk about magnets. "I mean... it's one of the concerns with blade forging, hammering too cold and ruining your edge by introducing the alignment of a weak magnet." the little albino woman licks her lower lip "I mean.. or does it not work here?" she hasn't gotten to the blacksmiths yet to work on armor and weapons.

"No clue, but it's probably full of Edgelords," remarks Jazz. She listens to Proteus words, lighting crackling briefly at her fingertips. "I thought about employing the water-and-cork-with-a-needle-through-it or whatever it is. I don't have my history books to check anymore and I don't have a BBS to ask on either right here." She wrinkles her nose (also cutely)) before looking rather pained by the story of the PK.

"Knew it'd only be a matter of time before people got on their bullshit."

"Tri-Edge is something of an urban legend." Proteus admits. "A serial killer of a PK who leaves a calling card behind. Haseo has been chasing them for a long time for reasons probably related..."

Wisteria arrives then and adds an interesting point which causes Proteus to perk. "Oh? That's an interesting little fact I didn't know before. Thank you." She says, smiling to Wisteria and nodding. "Welcome to our little... congregation?" She looks around and shrugs again. "As for that, I am not sure if it still works like that here. This world is incredibly realistic in some ways... And completely unrealistic in others. It's hard to tell which is which, especially after the Black Wave. Some of the rules... changed."

But she does look back to Jazu and nods. "Only a matter of time indeed. People continue to be people, for good or for ill, and if we don't find a way to establish control it's going to simply be anarchy."

    Couldn't they forge cold iron? "I honestly don't know. I guess we have to rediscover the laws of physics..."

    Sam thinks back to the college class where he learned the more advanced stuff about how magnetic fields work. He can picture the lecture hall... dammit.

    It's unclear whether her ears and tail continue to droop from disappointment in forgetting college material, or news of the PK. "Man, escaping the bullshit of the outside world was like, the main silver lining to being in here. Why's someone have to ruin it?"

    Her ears turn to Proteus to listen to the exposition. "Oh. So they're a PKer with a gimmick, and they're keeping it up NOW? Ugh... Are we gonna need police? Jails?"

    Wisteria puts her hand on her sword hilt "PK here?" she grumbles "We need to be working to get things sorted and get out..." she grumbles and squeezes the hilt tightly. "If we have to spend our time policing then that takes away from getting us home." she looks agitated but hey she isn't a giant fluffy bunny so at least no tells with wiggling nose, floppy ears, or twitchy tail.

"Is it really ruining it though?" Proteus replies, spreading her hands. The tail sweeps out, wagging badk and forth like a finger. "Consider this: This was intended to be a world where we could get away from the problems of... 'reality'. The problems of how the world we lived in worked. A world with new rules, new cultures, new situations to deal with."

There is a pause, then. "So what kind of world do you want to construct, Mizuki? How should it be organized? We're going to be here for the foreseeable future, aren't we? The Landers have their own control, their own organization, but not everyone is going to adhere to that now, are they? Many will. It will create a sort of central environment for people to live and work in, but others will do as they wish."

She gestures to the nearby ghost city. "So... police? We have them... in many places. But not everywhere. The guards do that job to one degree or another. Jails? Maybe. Do we have them? Do they even function? The guards, I believe, mostly settle for executing people, don't they?"

She folds her hands, and then leans back a little, looking between those present. "Why do you want to go home? Can you even do that?" She asks. "And how do you plan to make that happen?"

For her part, Jazz just sort of stares at Proteus like she's gone and done the impossible already and grown a second head. "Some good points, I suppose. There's a lot we're going to havqe to deal with, but all of that is dependent on whether we're really stuck here or not -- but as the Norwegians says, 'better wary before than quick after, eh?" She shrugs her shoulders, briefly. A glance to Mizuki. She peers at her, tentacle tips twitchiong, and then Wisteria is just eyed before she looks away. Werefangs are weird!

    The albino girl is swiftly a larger, fluffier, albino bunbun woman. It isn't most intimidating change a WereFang has ever made but it's still a reflex of sorts. "Why do I want to go home? I have family? I have friends? I have competition commitments!" she shuffles side to side and growls out "I have A LIFE!" her long ears are upright and twitching, turning, swiveling to track danger. "We will tackle the tower. I will scour every dungeon, run every quest, poke behind every book, exploit every glitch, until I... wake... up... back... home." she says her eyes blazing with zanshin, her hands on her katana and her lips pulled back in something of a grimace that shows the ragged sharklike razor teeth of the caerbannog.

"Ooooh. I like that saying." Proteus replies to Jazu. "Yes. Be wary now, prepare and know what we're dealing with, then we can handle it in the most effective manner possible."

The werefang transforms, but Proteus doesn't bother staring at the change. It's important enough, but what does gawking gain? "You have family? Friends? Commitments? How long do you think they will all be there for you? The world outside is not standing still. They have to move on eventually."

There is a shake of her head then. "It's always about the Tower, is it? What proof do you have that is the path out? And at that... Do you even have the capability of scaling it? Have you ever heard of the Debauchery Tea Party?" She smiles. The razor smile under that hood is equally sharp, though perhaps more human than the animalistic grimace before her. "One of the finest raid groups in the world... And even they could not proceed past Floor 10. How many more floors are beyond? How much harder is it going to be? Are you sure you aren't being provided false hope for the sadistic amusements of some mysterious being?"

    What kind of world do you want to construct, Sam?

Long Ago...
    Sam sits at a table, a somewhat pudgy white man in glasses. Across from him sits a man with a mountain-man beard, and around the table sit others. The DM with the beard reviews the campaign pitch laid out by email beforehand -- a miserable world of endless rain, ruled by undead; The few free people are in a hidden village, protected by magic, but with barely enough resources to care for themselves, let alone any refugees the PCs might bring from elsewhere.

    Sam pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Infinite bacon." The GM blinks. "What?" Sam explains: "According to the crafting rules, for only 500 gp per spell level, we can craft a resetting magic trap. The spell 'restore corpse' will turn a skeleton into a corpse suitable for animation as a zombie."

    "Yeah but it'd be rotting--" "Purify food and drink specifically says it not only removes poison, but also that it makes rotten food fresh. These two spells, together, turn a skeleton into a whole pig ready for re-slaughtering. The trap can reset infinite times."

    "As for feeding the groups we'll send out, once we have more advanced adventurers working under us... we'll teach them psionics. Minor creation is a mid-level spell for magic-users, but for psionics-users it's first-level. It can make plant matter. It'll only last a few hours at low caster level, but as long as they eat and begin to digest it, they can make plenty of food..."

...
    Sam sits at another table, with another group of friends. "So I looked at the number of followers the Leadership feat grants me, and worked out several optimal builds at each level. Our army will be vastly more effective than even a larger one of normal troops. Combined with the power of the mages' guild, we should be able to conquer the city so they'll stop interfering in our plans..."

A table at a gaming store.
    The GM grins. "You see the undead horde closing in." He dumps an entire bag full of gaming stones on the table, easily a hundred or more. Sam grins back. Another player at the table pipes up, "Nothing members of the Well-Tuned Murder Engine can't handle!" They make move after move, and they clear that battlemap over the next few turns.

The same table as earlier, another campaign.
    "So with the kingdom-building rules, we need to maximize these numbers. If we do these things in this order..."

Another gaming store
    Another player starts to take their turn, but Sam points at the map. "Remember, you can use the crenellations for a +2 cover bonus. Actually, since we're low level and you don't have multiple attacks? You may as well fire then drop prone so you'll be in total cover. You can stand as a move, fire, then drop prone each round so the enemies can't possibly shoot back."

    During a break, the GM pulls Sam aside. "Dude, this is a public game for beginners. I dunno what your normal GM does to you but can't you lay off and have fun?"

The same table as before, a slightly different group of friends.
    "So I looked through the gear and genetic modification lists, and I think once we establish a base of operations it would be most efficient to train an army to these specifications, and then we can snowball and conquer this planet." "Y'know, maybe we want to focus on our characters beating up troublemakers and monsters?" "Oh. I... er... I was just trying to help..."

Sitting in front of his computer, with a couple of RPG books open for reference.
    "Come on Sam... you've got to complete this plan for the game on Sunday." He looks at the clock. It's after midnight. He should have gotten this done earlier, but he was goofing off.

    And it hits him.

    Is this... work? Is he goofing off to AVOID planning?

    Is... is this even fun anymore?

Now
    What kind of world do you want to construct, Mizuki?

    I MADE THIS CHARACTER TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THAT!

    How many floors can you clear? Do you even KNOW it's the way out? How do you know holographic sky man isn't just toying with you?!

    Words fail her. Mizuki holds her hands to the sides of her head and screams.

    "AAAAAH!"

    "What're..." she stammers, "What're, what're YOU gonna do that's so much better, huh? You think you're so high and mighty, you have ALL the answers!" She points at Proteus. "You just wanna put people down and feel superior, but YOU don't know how to fix this world either! We're not counting on the tower, we're looking for other ways too!" She starts screaming, "I don't have to HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW! There are OTHER PEOPLE! We're gonna WORK TOGETHER! FRIENDSHIP! TEAMWORK!"

    She points again. "You... you... your bickering and self-importance, what's it gonna solve?! You don't even know! You... you...!" She stammers incoherently.

    Wisteria growls again squeezing her grip on her katana "And what proof do you have that it won't?" she says and shakes her head "Besides you didn't listen or didn't hear. Just because the tower is being climbed, I'm not hanging my mempo on it." she flicks one long ear. "We are stuck in a game, games have limits, games have rules, and in places those rules break." she says "And I will turn over every grain of sand if I have to, in order to find the one that has the glitch I need in it." She nods her head to Miz "That's right Mizuki-chi, we'll find it if we have to pull the world apart to get there." she puts one white clawed hand on the feline Were Fang's shoulder. Standing in solidarity with her.

The reaction from Mizuki to Proteus causes Jazz to take a step back from them, giving them a slightly alarmed look.

"Mizuki, stop letting them get your goat. They're 'just asking questions', after all," she squints at her.

"None of us know anything about how we're going to get out of here. I have my doubts about that answer being something we can find in a *game* world, but none of us can really know anything right now." She moves closer to Mizuki again, aiming to place a hand on their arm.

"Come on. Let's go."

'What're, what're YOU gonna do that's so much better, huh?'

"What I'm going to do?" Proteus tilts her head, her smile vanishing for a moment. "I'm going to do what I can. I never said I had all the answers. I simply have... let's call it 'my belief'. My belief that if I learn how this world works, I will be able to do something to shape my world around me. You're right. I don't know how to fix this world."

There is a pause. "Yet." She says, meaningfully. "I never demanded that you would have all the answers. I am simply asking you questions and providing potential alternatives. You are going to likely be here at least for several years. Plan for that."

She is screamed at. Proteus simply... sits there. Letting Mizuki scream at her. She sits, seemingly relaxed in the face of the hysteria. "You are confused. You are angry. I understand. I am not your enemy, Mizuki. At least... Not unless you want me to be." She shrugs. "You can leave! I don't care. I don't foresee myself stopping you. For now. There are a couple reasons that might comeup that might change my mind, but lacking more solid information, I have no reason to do more than simply challenge your preconceptions."

She chuckles. "Besides... You keep presuming I am alone. Do you think I don't have allies who believe the same as I do?"

Wisteria then brings her own arguments to bear. "I have no proof it won't." Proteus says this directly and simply, shrugging. "Then again, proving a negative is basically impossible, isn't it? What proof do you have that jumping off this bridge won't return you to your home?" She gestures off the side to the water below. "If a magical voice told you that, would you do it?"

But then she lights up, gesturing. "Yes! You're precisely right. Games do have rules. Worlds have rules. And those rules can be bent or broken if you know them well enough. You get it! The simple difference is... You will use this knowledge to escape."

She gestures to herself. "I am going to use it to make this world better than anything else you could ever want. A world where you can be anything you want to be. A world you can live the life you want. A world where you can flourish." A pause, and an intent look.

"A world that will stop taking everything from you for no reason."

    The caerbannog snorts. "Ooh yah? A world that won't take away my best friend, my family, my plans to be the best kendoka? That kind of fair world? The kind where I put on DIVE gear so I could spend a fun new years with a friend too far away to see, and instead ended up stuck somewhere that everything I eat tastes like crackers, where I can't get home again? That kind of fair world? Where I can be anything I want? I.. Want.. To.. Be.. HOME!"

    Great. Now she looks like a spaz, and Proteus gets to play the calm, reasonable one. Tears start to well up in her eyes. How could he let this happen? She started it, being mean for no reason... it's not fair...

    But Jazz and Wisteria... have her back? Even though they've known eachother for such a short time...

    She starts to move to leave with Jazz. But through the tears she can still hear:

    am going to use it to make this world better than anything else you could ever want. A world where you can be anything you want to be. A world you can live the life you want. A world where you can flourish. A world that will stop taking everything from you for no reason.

    Mizuki blinks away some of the tears. Damn, she's out-me-ing /me/. /Am/ I only good for being a cat now?

    She looks at Wisteria as the caerbannog presents her counter-argument, then looks to Proteus for her response, wordlessly.

"Mmm." Proteus hums, thinking about Wisteria's counterargument. Her tail swishes back and forth like a metronome. "That's a good thing to consider. What ABOUT your best friend and your family? I wonder if they might not be interested in becoming part of this world too. Something for everyone, perhaps? We're working on the food problem. I'm sure we'll find a way to crack the mystery eventually, because believe me, that annoys me just as much as it annoys you and I can only put up with foraged fruits and vegetables for so long."

She sighs, spreading her hands and shrugging. "But that's the hand we're dealt at the moment, isn't it? Without knowing the rules, without the power that comes with knowledge, that's all you can do. Play with that hand. But like I said... Go home. I don't mind. I don't want you to be here if you don't want to be..."

There is a pause. "With one exception. Be careful as you search for a way to leave. Tread on my dreams, and those like me at your own peril." For now, Mizuki and Jazu are left alone. No need to address them at this point.

Jazuhanzu's attempt to get Mizuki to depart is aborted by the fact that she plainly wanted to see Proteus' answer to that question. She lets out a breath. The answers do cause her to squint a little at the imp before she shakes her head and turns to go. She has stars to gaze at before it gets much later.

    Wisteria nods her head "And don't trample on mine... if you block the way home because of some dream that this can be some better world." she says "And my zanshin will shift from getting home, to making sure you can't enjoy your new Utopia."

    Mizuki looks back and forth. This seems to be a stalemate, though. Will these dreams even come into conflict? If they do, who will win? We're sure not gonna find out /today/.

    Emotionally tired, she hangs her head to walk away with Jazz.

"I just said I won't stand in your way unless you leaving ruins our ability to stay here and reshape the world. How much more clear can I get?" Proteus says, an edge of exasperation in her tone. "What makes your dream any better than mine?" She shrugs. "Is there anything else you want, or are we done here?"

    Wist shakes her head "No, I just wanted to be clear. I won't stop you staying unless you stop me leaving. We do not need to be opposed to each other, but I wanted you to know that if your maybe or if turns into yes you are opposed to me... then I will equally pivot." she says relaxing her grip on her katana "Every question you've asked I can ask back, because we are mirrors... we both want our lives... and that makes this serious should we come to crossed purpose as well as crossed goals." she bows to Proteus "I wish you all the joy this world can give you, and I wish to simply be returned to the life that was stolen from me."

The clash between Proteus and Wist definitely gives the Undine a brief pause, but she relents and resumes heading forward.

"Don't let her get to you," is all she says to Mizuki, no doubt speaking of the Imp in question.

With that, she falls silent, with intent to find that hilltop.

Quickly.

"Then I guess all we can hope for is that our dreams aren't mutually exclusive." Proteus replies, her voice still edged with irritation. "But I will point out that it's far more likely that yours will be the one that ruins everything far more than mine. I can survive without you just fine. Have you considered that you lot leaving might end up with the rest of us being killed?" Proteus asks. "After all, if there is proof we CAN leave but we DON'T, we turn into parasites instead of victims, don't we?"

    She leans in then. "And what do people do to parasites? The stakes might be higher than you know. Think ahead before you choose your path."

    Mizuki stops. She turns around. She still kind of sounds like a wreck but she gets the words out. "W-would you base your paradise on lies, then?" She sniffles and wipes her eyes and nose off on her jacket. "If... if that truth is found, would you try to hide it, even though you'd know... you'd know you were really a parasite? Because it'd be... because it'd be 'better' to keep everyone else happy and... and ignorant?"

    The caerbannog shakes her head "And how long does the company or government pay to take care of us? How long until my parents have crippled their lives with bills keeping a body alive in some vague hope that I manage to make my way out? And what of me? What kind of parasite do I become if I stop TRYING to leave? Just leaving my parents to care for me while I chase your Utopia?" she asks in a softer voice, much closer to tears than growls. The razor fanged bun with her sword and her magic, and the heart of a girl just out of highschool who was one small step out into a bigger world before it was snatched from her grasp.

And then Mizuki is talking again and it's all Jazz can do to not facepalm.

Smack!

Oh, wait. SHe did facepalm. Her tentacles are up int the air in a gesture of irritable frustration, tips twitching in th air.

"Mizuki," she starts, then she stops and thinks better of it with a sigh.

"You think the world we lived in wasn't based on lies?" Proteus shoots back. "The lie that if you work hard you'll get ahead? The lie that you have the ability to choose your life? The lie that you are anything more than another mindless cog in another mindless machine to do more than consume, work, and reproduce where, when, and how you are told to?" Now, Proteus is the one starting to sound angry, her voice edged like a blade as she slides off of the bridge railing and stands, her cloak flaring around her dramatically.

"We have no way to communicate with the outside world, Mizuki. How exactly are we supposed to plead our case? Without that communication, how are we going to convince them otherwise? No, they'll make the decisions they /want/ to make if they can get away with it."

Wisteria supplies her next argument, and Proteus turns. "And you bring up the precise issue. How long do they pay?" A pause. "Long enough that the price of unplugging you is less than the political cost of doing so. Don't think that the calculus where companies and governments are concerned is any less. Is you escaping worth the lives of everyone who doesn't? Think carefully, homesick hare. As for your family, I am sure that they have offloaded the costs of maintaining our bodies in the real world to the corporation or government by now. It would have been immediately declared a disaster. The pressure would be high enough to do so. Therefore, that is not a problem you will need to concern yourself with."

    Huh. Mizuki was really expecting either a 'No. If it came to that, I wouldn't' or 'Yes. Everyone who survives will get to live in happiness, so I'll bear the burden of protecting their ignorance and happiness.'

    Instead she gets a diatribe about the unfairness of the world. Sam can't help but think of his parents, who work so hard they don't have TIME to play games like this, while he got paid decent money for knowing shit about computers. And his less-fortunate friends stuck working long hours in non-climate-controlled rooms.

    Mizuki hangs her head for a moment. But then she lifts it again. "That's right. The outside world is based on lies. When you build your new world... do better. Maybe we'll never get out of here. And then... at least we'll have a life free of all that bullshit you just called out. Good for you. And if we do get out of here... maybe if we've seen that a better world is /possible/... we'll... we'll know how to... we'll work on how to build it out there, as well."

    Growls showing her razor teeth. "You said it, we can't communicate. How do YOU know that there is any help for our families? How do YOU know the cost they pay? What about the emotional cost? HUH?" she says tears slipping from her crimson eyes to streak her snowy fur. "Maybe you don't have anyone YOU love, maybe no one loves or misses you. I miss my family, I miss my friend, and they'll miss me. You ask me to think of the people who want to stay out of fear that my escape is your doom, and in the same breath you ask me to punish my family, punish myself, and just wait for death to take me when they decide that they can afford to kill us all?" she snarls through her tears, her breathing just this side of weeping.

    "You hint that I am selfish to want my life back, what of you? What kind of monster asks a girl just stepping into the world to throw it away and accept the lie of this world because it's easier for YOU if I do? Well to hell with that. I AM going home, I WILL break free of this prison, and when I get home... I will tell them that those who don't wake up need to be protected. Need to be provided for." she says "I will save you from your own greed. If we can't talk to the outside world, can YOU make the argument that I should be let out to someone? Maybe the great sky man? Think he'll let me out just because you ask? Well I've got a better shot at keeping YOU alive from out there than you do of giving me my life back from in here."

"Good grief," utters Jazz as the conversation continues to spin and revolve around Proteus, between Mizuki and Wisteria. The bun is eyed, briefly. Jazz had had her hand on Mizuki, but she lets go. "I really need to get out there," she tells Mizuki, "so I'm going to go."

This is, apparently, a topic of conversation she is Done With, herself, and has no plans to involve herself further for whatever reason. In fact, her look of discomfort is only increasing and so she's definitely on her way again, with or without the Cat-Girl.

Mizuki asks her to do better. There is a long exhalation from the Imp as she nods in agreement. "I would like to do better. If we can, we will." She says. "I don't want a world built on lies..." She sighs. "Look, maybe we've gotten out on the wrong foot, Mizuki. Just... Think about it, will you? Maybe you might find that we have more in common than you think. I'll see if I can find that proof you're looking for. And when I do, I'll show you."

Meanwhile, Wisteria comes in with an elbow drop off the top rope in the circled square of verbal clashes of ideals, and Proteus has no choice but to try to meet it head on. She turns towards the murderbunny and squares off, her shoulders straight, tailtip poised. "I am basing my assessment based on my understanding of the world I lived in. The world I was forced to learn in order to get ahead. To do my best. To live the life that was chosen for me." Proteus' voice is cold, unmoved by the tears displayed. "In the meantime, you could very well kill all of us for the sake of your family. You see the problem, correct? Are you going to kill us for your happiness? What is that, but selfishness? And yet, I have told you I would not stand in your way. Because I believe there is a chance for something better. For everyone to get what they want. This is a fear I have, but I am not collapsing to it. Why can you not do the same?"

She turns away, spreading her arms. "What kind of monster asks a girl who had come here to leave the lie of the world they lived in behind that they have to give it up because it makes it easier for THEM if she does? Do you see how that question works?" Proteus asks. But Wisteria gives her those assurances, and the Imp looks back over her shoulder. "You know... I /believe/ you. I truly do." She says. "You will make those impassioned pleas. Will they listen to you?" She hums. "... I wonder..."

But she shakes her head. "You call me greedy. I simply call this... necessary. How can we trust Landers to know or care what we need? But I will happily take your case to the magical sky man." She smiles. "Maybe at the same time as we cast them down and take their place. Then I'll let you out /myself/. Happily. I told you... I don't /want/ you to be here if you don't want to be. What's the point? I don't want to torment people. We're at the beginning of a new dawn. Anything is possible. Don't be so closed-minded." She taps the side of her head. "You have so much to live for."

    Jazz leaves.

                                                Now you're driving a friend away,
                                                                    and for what?
    The truth is important! It has to be!                                        
    We don't get to... I'm not even worthy                                      
    to /pretend/ to be a hero if I can't                                        
    stand up for that much!                                                      
                                              You're doing it again! This is some
                                                random chick, do you really think
                                            you're talking to someone who's going
                                             to reshape the world?! You're taking
                                               things too seriously again! Making
                                             yourself and your friends miserable!
                                                                                
    But it might be real...                                   What are the odds?!

    ...

    Mizuki approaches Wisteria and gently grips her upper arm. "Hey. We're... it's early days yet. We're all pretty... stressed. And there's a serial PKer loose in town and monsters everywhere that want to kill us. Let's not make enemies and fight eachother until we're sure we have to... We'll all do our best to work for that better future. Whether in here or we can escape. We don't even know what's possible yet."

    Is openly crying, tears running down her face and matting her fur. "You say don't be close minded, and you won't stop me, while blackmailing me with the deaths of what, hundreds, more? I don't want any of you hurt, I don't want anyone hurt, and what does staying here do for me? It hurts me, it crushes me, it hurts my family." she licks her lips. The bunny shrinking down to a crying albino young woman. "You tell me to live for something... I live to get back... to get back I have to live in here while I fight to get out... fighting is what I know... it's what I do... it's what I'm good at." she says. "My Zanshin will be seen when I take my DIVE gear off... stand up... and MAKE them let you stay. On my honor as a Kendoka, on my word... this is not over until I see each and every one of you safe, here or there... which ever you choose. Safe and happy." she says taking a shuddering breath. "I will get home, and I will see you all safe." The last words barely escape as a whisper of an oath.

"And yet you're going to go anyway. Is it really blackmail if you never intended to stop?" Proteus stays, still standing there over the woman, looking down at her. "Do you think I want to hurt you? I told you, torment isn't my thing." There is a sigh... And she steps forward. A hand raises, and...

Settles on Wisteria's shoulder. "I told you. I believe you. I believe every word you speak." She squeezes that shoulder, comfortingly. "Then here is what I will do. Because I believe you." There is a pause. "If I find a way for you to escape... If I gain that power, or find a way for you to leave without harming us all... I will let you leave. I will give you the chance to live those words and prove your honor."

She then turns away, and lets go. "I've laid down my weapon, because you have done the same. I can respect that. So let's end this with peace, for a change, shall we?" At that, she begins walking away.

    Wisteria turns and buries her face against Mizuki's shoulder and breaks down sobbing. So much for zanshin in this battle of words and emotions, she faces tori keshi and can't be made to care enough to stop sobbing into her (Possibly only) friend's fur.

    Well. This has sure been... something.

    Sam is not sure if they narrowly avoided a years-long blood rivalry that will change the future... or just two, y'know, regular people taking themselves too seriously and starting some passive-agressive rivalry because interpersonal bullshit like that is what actually happens in real life and this isn't an anime, Sam.

    But what if it is though?!

    Sam is too emotionally tired to even begin to try and figure that out. He's just... relieved that things seem to sort of be defusing.

    But there's one last thing he has to know. Even running on empty like this.

    'Maybe we got off on the wrong foot', she said.

    Mizuki looks at Proteus walking away. "...Why the cat dig, the other day?"

    Also oh shit a teenage girl is crying into his shoulder what do. Too tired to really process it... The catgirl just tries to pat Wisteria's head and back soothingly.

Proteus stops at the question and looks back over her shoulder to Mizuki. "... Do you want to be a cat?" Proteus answers the question with a question."

    Mizuki blinks. "...I'm sorry, after all that I can't really think straight about the question. It's been... convenient. Maybe it helps me distance myself from this extremely stressful situation, I dunno. I mean I don't wanna not be a /person/, obviously. Why'd you have to be mean about it?"

Proteus shrugs. "If you want to be a cat, what I said wasn't really mean now, was it?" She replies. "If you don't want to be a cat, perhaps stop acting like one. Being a cat doesn't mean you're not a person. As if I have room to talk about such considering the native opinion towards many of my friends." She gestures with her tail. "No more than I am a demon. At least, not through my choice of race."

    "Geeze." Mizuki replies, on the edge of exasperation. "Give me some time to work through my shit. Maybe I'll be a cat AND a person then, I don't freaking know! I've been busy with helping Ezzo or surviving, not thinking about what I wanna be! ...Sorry for getting snippy at you earlier. It... felt like you were trying to hurt my feelings. And just thinking someone wants to hurt me for no reason... hurts."

    She keeps giving Wis hopefully-comforting pats.

    Wisteria cries into Mizuki's shoulder and neck, clinging to the small feline were fang. Her hands balled into fists holding onto her jacket.

"How long have you been here, again?" Proteus asks. "You seem like an early-adopter type."

    Mizuki sighs. "On this server? As this character? Since a few days before the apocalypse." She starts to elaborate, then cuts herself off: "Wait, why do you get to just answer every question with a question?"

    She realizes she didn't actually ask a question. "Sorry. I... I played the game before. ...Why?"

"A few days, huh? Well, I guess you haven't had time to adjust then. Or maybe you just like being a cat. It doesn't really matter, I suppose. In the end, you are who you choose to be. That's one of the nice things about this world, isn't it? You don't get that in the 'real world'." There is a significant amount of scorn in that latter phrase... But Proteus shakes her head. "I would have been less forgiving if you had been playing a catgirl since launch." Proteus continues to converse as if Wisteria isn't bawling her eyes out and probably soaking Mizuki's clothing. "Just keep in mind we all have our... stuff to work through. And not all of it is as straightforward as whether you're going to continue meowing in the middle of your dialogue or not."

At that, Proteus finally leaves, having not answered a question with a question for a change.

    Mizuki looks back at Proteus. "...It's not what I would've chosen if I'd known this was going to happen. I'm trying to make the best of it."

    Beat.

    "...Good luck with... whatever your 'stuff' is. We all got stuff, yeah. Some straightforward, some not."

    And thus she's left alone with a crying bunny. She just kind of keeps petting her head and stroking her ears.

    Once Proteus is out of earshot, she speaks. "There there. Um... Just... cry as long as you need to."

    She's only holding on by a few threads herself. Eventually she goes for a hug to see if that helps.