Deus Ex Machina: Schachmatt

A recent storm has finally sailed over, and people are expecting a chance to meet with the curious being that is 'Uber Cluster Zwei Null Sieben Peh Err Vier Acht Neun Teh Neun'. Or Spatjahr, as Jazuhanzu has dubbed her since.

As the longboats settle on the beach, it's still a long walk to get to her though. Some people may already be present. Uta chasing some native slimes perhaps, or someone investigating the old nature of this island and what used to be here. The trek towards the hill up near the north-western corner of the island takes a good two hours, if not more, and isn't an easy one. A harsh dirt path, mostly overgrown, is the best thing they can access.

As usual, the higher up they get, the easier it is to see the enormous craters that pocket this island itself. And when they get to the top, amidst the ruined old Yamato-like town with the winding overgrown dirt road, and the small ruins of a shrine at the back, they can spot the small cave 'under' the Shrine. Those who would sometimes travel here, would have seen the Machine charging here, with those wires on her aimed at the ground, exuding their light.

But she isn't in the cave this time. Instead, she is coming down to meet them in town, using what looks like a large piece of wood to help her walk. What with one of her legs entirely missing. Her broken face looks at those approaching, not recognizing some of them, but recognizing others.

"Remember, stay calm and don't do anything that looks aggressive. No sudden moves, and keep joking to a minimum, she doesn't 'process' abstract humor well."

Shiruba pauses in the short briefing and looks directly at a certain someone. "So for Goddesses' sake, make sure that goddamn sword behaves."

With that said the lupin cait sith turns and makes her way through the ruins to were Spatjahr has been resting to recharge, only to be a bit surprised to find that Spatjarh has fashioned herself a crutch to come meet them. "Oh.. Hello!" She recovers swiftly, stopping and bowing in greeting to the mechatan. "We have come to check on your progress in recovering." When she stands again the Golau Chwilio device is noticable where it's strapped to her arm. She's been getting quite a bit of use out of it, and wanted it to be visible she appreciates the replacement she'd gotten for the relic she gave the robot girl to try and repair herself.

Don't worry, Kotono doesn't look aggressive at all. She's usually got a friendly look on her face.

Normally she'd be running around like the little ninja she likes to think of herself as, but given the situation at hand here, she moves in a more slow, deliberate manner. "Gotta keep a positive appearance and don't look hostile," She says to herself as she holsters her blades. When she arrives, she too bows and says, "Greetings. Like Shiruba here said, we're here to check up on you." Her tone is a slight bit serious but there's still a smile on her face.

    Merek walks along with Uta, and nods a bit to the woman, while he takes a moment to nod along to Shiruba, "I'll keep that in mind." A look to the place, then the woman that's coming by while he wears that dark attire, the scarf pulled up to the features while he takes a drink from the flask with him.

Goldenblade has arrived with the others, shipping her oar in the longboat and hopping ashore. She's only heard a little about what's going on here, or rather, she's heard nothing other than that an interesting thing is happening. So, she's invited herself along, and heads up the beach.

By the time two hours have passed, she's less enthusiastic, though still curious. The craters, first, and then Spatjahr, broken face, missing leg, the walking staff. She takes Shiruba's warning seriously. Her hands are empty, her body language is neutral, tinged with concern for whatever happened to leave Spatjahr like this. Goldenblade's not speaking for now, just listening to see what's going on.

So it's time to meet the subject of one of her more interesting works namely a leg. This was new and it had been likely generations for her family since someone made a prosthetic limb of any sort. So she was more than a little excited her tail is swishing as she keeps with the rest of the group. She will fall in, other than her wagging tail? She is behaving herself as she enters she's got the item ready to give the subject of her creation her new leg.

Having been on the island already, it's perhaps a bit sudden when Estelle wanders out of a side-street in the broken town, falling in with the others on the way to meet the Machina. Her tails swish and curl behind her, ears perked in keen interest. There are no visible weapons on her, of course, given her Class, and she honestly has no intent to cause trouble.

It's also equally inobvious how she knew to be here at precisely this moment, but.

"Good evening, everyone. I hope the stars have watched over you on your trip here, and that - for those of you I know - you've been well since last we met." Her silver gaze travels over the group, taking in those familiar and not, and her smile is briefly puzzled at a certain absence. But she shakes it off after a moment, and merely follows along.

"Greetings, Ancient One." is the tack she takes on things, reaching down to tug at her dress and send a slow curtsy Spatjahr's way, her head bowing low. "It is an honor to meet you."

The longboats distract Uta from her chasing rat slimes on the beach.

Her attention is captivated by the approaching vessels for a good twenty seconds, after which her gaze turns to the beach.

And she stares there. She'll keep staring there at beach, overgrowth, runis... whatever is there. Which is probably nothing interesting, but she'll still stare at this nothing interesting for... well, until someone will actively come to snap her out of it: it appears that not even slimes zipping past right next to her are going to do the trick.

Until Shiruba addresses the team as the Machina approaches. /That/ seems to do the trick, and the first thing Uta does is... well, she seems to study her next move, somehow. A slightly pained expression flashes on her face, followed by a smile of resignation. The last part is but a fleeting moment, a few seconds at most. It's likely that a lot of people might miss it.

She then closes her eyes and engages in what be some breathing exercises.

A few exercises later, she opens her eyes again, with a more focused expression, and moves on to "Operation Look as Non-Threatening as You Manage To." Wings retract, point at the ground, a bit like a dog's tail between its legs, posture hunches over imperceptibly, direct eye contact is avoided.

Taking advantage of her being closer to the back of the group than the front, and with movements as slow as they can get while still looking normal and casual, she pulls up her menu, to attempt a medical-grade inspection of Spahtjahr, ready to abort at any sign of displeasure from the Machina. "Meine Grüße, Frau Spajahr. Es ist mir ein Vergnügen, ihnen endlich kennenzulernen," she will greet with a polite bow.. Unless the translation software decides to fix it, her German has a Japanese accent strong enough to give away that the speaker is a foreigner, but not so bad to make it hard to understand.

    Giganpor makes his way with the group, going in his usual outfit besides the armor. He was doing his best to be nonthreatening and casual. He made sure to switch once he was in what he considered a no-spawn zone. Or hopefully. He had his weapon on his back, just in case. No sense in not being ready. And his mood was depicted as nervous by the cloak, a deep green color that probably just helps the mood lighting.

    A glance is given towards Merek before he looks to Shiruba. "This is your show, Shiruba. It is still interesting on this one." He notes. Otherwise, he hangs back for the moment.

The small 'dish' near Spatjahr's head, emiting a constant radial light, shifts a bit as Shiruba approaches. "Unit Shiruba." She remarks, recognizing them. Her gaze travels to the Golau Chwilio on her, and then back to Shiruba. "The device is still operational." She notes, before adding, "No repairs have been committed to this unit. Repair status remains at Funf percent Integrity."

The 'girl' looking Machina covered in various rags to keep her body quite decent, looks around at the others. Her full unit name appears over her head, along with the typical Monster Icons, the 'i' that seems out of place, and the ten health bars, of which only the last one is left, quite deep into the red. At Uta's attempt to check her medically, she gets... well, nothing. She lacks the right skill. Pharmacy doesn't seem to be the appropiate one here.

That said, her Difficulty is still marked as Black to those curious enough, though she appears to have no intentions to engage with the party.

With some new faces showing up, she takes a moment to go over them.

Her broken side of her face, showing a 'camera' like device in place of an eye, focuses in on Merek and Goldenblade at the same time. "Monkey. Goal: Eradicate the world. Power level... insignificant."

Spatjahr's head moves.

"Spriggan. Allied to the monkeys... power level, insignificant." To Kotono. Then, a moment as she considers Miho. "Salamander." Pause. "Ally to Gnome, enemy to Sylph and Flügel. This one's power level, insignificant."

Estelle approaches. "Cait Sith Ausführung Zwei... power level, insignificant." Pause. "It is impolite to talk about someone's age." She raises her hand, showing what looks like a weapon for a moment, powering it up, a laser starting to build, no doubt sizable enough to wipe out the entire party... before she shows this awful awkward smile and says. "It is a joke." Before she lowers her hand again, converting it back. "Ha ha." She tries. It does not translate well.

"The child said that your kind likes jokes. It is meant to break the ice." Spatjahr explains, no doubt met with worried and confused expressions.

As Uta then begins to speak, everyone else... would hear their native language. Japanese, for most of those present, as Uta tries to tie together the sentence. "Spriggan. Ally to Monkeys. Power level... insigniciant. You do not know me." She simply answers her.

Then, to Giganpor: "Were Fang Ausführung Zwei... power level, insignificant."

    Mizuki is quiet until spoken too, lost in thought about what it all means, the way the world is becoming realer to her, and whether Spatjahr could possibly help them get /out/ of here... Last time she was in beach clothes part of the way, but she just sticks to her ninja outfit this time.

    She smiles when she sees Spatjahr coming out to meet them -- it seems like a positive social gesture, after all -- and waves! but lets others talk first. Especially Uta, who knows german, surprisingly! Well, maybe not that surprisingly. She's a liturature geek, she may well have learned languages just to read books in the ones they were originally written in...

    She smiles again when Spatjahr makes a crack about the impoliteness of talking about age. Good, the robot is learning to talk like a person!

    She's not sure what to SAY yet, though...

Ally to monkeys? Power insignificant?

Kotono winces a little at this, but then she realizes that this is just how Spatjahr handles things. She bites her lower lip but tries to maintain a smile as she stands still, not wanting to risk causing any trouble. As she thinks about the words it said, it starts to make sense. "Well, we are related to monkeys, and I suppose my power level would be insignificant," She whispers to herself. "Can't let it get to me."

    "I don't think that the humans want to take on the whole world," Merek notes, while he nods a bit to Spahtjahr. He then takes a moment to make sure that the weapon will be secured while he begins to watch the weapon power, then lifts up that brow. "Interesting. Nice to meet you, I am Merek." He then takes a look to Uta, "We will find you a slime maybe while we're about."

Goldenblade is a bit chagrinned to be told her power level is insignificant, but it's not like she can argue. She's also not sure her goal is to eradicate the world. It's certainly not a personal goal. But it's probably some human's goal, to her race's discredit. As far as being monkeys, humans haven't been monkeys for millions of years, she also doesn't protest. It doesn't seem like the best time. Though the other races being called by familiar names implies to her that humans are evolving faster than the other races. In this world, anyhow. What that means, she cannot guess.

She also wonders about the camera eye. She's not super technical, but maybe she could repair it? Well, with the right tools and parts. But since it mentions repairs rather than healing, she'll do an inspect, herself, and see if maybe she could ... repair it?

Technically it's Jazu's show, but she's probably occupied with making the final preperations with her own special present. So for the time being Shiruba is handling things. "It is good to see you again." She pats the device with her other hand. "It is, yes, and has been quite useful, thank you." Oh, there she goes with the 'insignificant' analysis again... though from her point of view, she's probably not wrong. Considering even in her horrible state she was still able to put craters in the beach.

Then she takes a step back, tail frizzling as Spat activates what looks like a weapon... and then makes it a joke. Exhales, and then manages a small laugh. "A joke. Good one." At least the robo-girl tried.

"Yes, well, I didn't expect so many people to come along." Shiruba rubs the back of her head with one hand for a moment. "But a lot of them did help with... well... wanting to help you." She's not entirely sure where she's going with this and doing it off the cuff.

She does glance over her shoulder at Miho and Giganpor though. "You guys did bring it, right?" Though they might not be able to install it until Jazu tries to befriend her, so she's not sure if she should bring it up yet or not.

The vixen has risen from her curtsy by the time the Machina is scanning them all. Her body language is open, eager, silver eyes tracing up and down Spatjahr's form as she moves, watching how that dish shifts, the way the 'girl' carries herself. Inspect's details are noted, and tucked away in her memory, but, for now she just... watches. Taking in the threat assessments, as they pass along the others.

Her ears perk more when it comes to her turn, of course, not that she expects anything more than 'insignificant' like the others. The followup, though, has her blinking, as divergent as it is from the others'. And then her tails go a bit stiff, a squeak leaving her throat, as that hand translates into a cannon and aims right for her. Her mouth opens, ready for a Wave Arte she knows won't save her...

... and then it powers, down, and she just stands there, heart racing, at the awkward smile and laughter. She shakes herself out, tails still a little frazzled, and bows her head to the Machina again. "It certainly broke the ice, yes." Perhaps not the best way, but it looks like an attempt is being made, and should probably be encouraged... and so she just stands by, letting Shiruba take charge for now.

Though, something else tickles at her mind about how Spatjahr is referring to the humans in the group. She gives a low, thoughtful hum.

    Giganpor whistles a bit. "Black in name. Hm... beyond the red, if I remember right. If she wanted to then we wouldn't stand a chance even with what we've accomplished so far." The cannon comes up and he moves to the front, preparing to defend the party. Then the admission that it's a joke has him looking at the big Machina uneasily before nodding.

    He seems to consider, looking to Shiruba, "We did." A look is given towards Spatjahr. And Giganpor sighs before he looks at the others, then up at it again.

    He steps forward, "Do you wish to go by Spatjahr while we are here? Your name is a bit long for us to say. We are friends of Shiruba and Jazuhanzu. They asked us to make a working leg for you, and we pretty much succeeded. If you wish, we can help you place and attach it as much as we can."

    Giganpor pauses a little, then asks, "What do you mean by insignificant, if you do not mind? It sounds as if you are reading information based on the levels of skill and power we can muster."

Miho looks to the woman she'll inspect her and just stares for half a second she sees that con level, what could have messed her up that hard. She'll pause for a moment.

"I am Miho Mithirlscale and I am a blacksmith I was commissioned by Jazz to make you a new leg. I admit It will be inferior to what your specs are but it should be enough you can walk and balance right. At least that's the hope."

She'll note to Spatjahr and after the shock of the joke wears off. The raid boss is trying for humour even if failed that's honestly promising to her.

"We can attempt the fitting whenever you are ready."

She looks over to Giganpor for a moment.

"That's level will wipe several full raids in terms of power."

She notes. she will pull the leg out of her invenory and present it to Spatjahr to inspect.

    Don't think humans want to take on the whole world? "I mean, we did kinda dominate the world so much we can even make fake ones to escape to now..." Mizuki asides to Merek.

    To Giganpor's tactical assessment she observes, "She made those craters."

"She made those craters fighting a -Leviathan-," Shiruba adds for emphasis. Just to help give people a gauge of just how 'out of their level' that Black rating really is.

Uta, eyes kept lowered, replies, "You are correct. I do not know you.." Simple. Factual. Even something as simple as 'getting to know you' seems to be taken in an ultra-literal manner.

Uta's eyes begin to widen at Merek's mention of slimes, but she's quick to bite her lower lip and slowly close her eyes (she /almost/ shook her head there, but managed to stop in time. No sudden movemetns) "Merek..." Her voice is soft and clam, but firm. "...and everyone else while we're at it... /please/ don't mention slimes. I'm trying to stay focused here. It's taking everything I've got."

She keeps mostly silent, and lets other do the talking, but she seems to mouth something as the discussion proceeds. She's probably raking her brain trying to decypher the meaning of some words, "Ausfuehrung" and "Fluegel" above them. The first word seems to perk her interest, while the second, well, you know that "I've got it on the tip of my tongue, yet it escapes me?" That.

The question of 'What is... 'Human'?' had been asked by Spatjahr the last time they were here. So when Merek comments that the humans don't want to take on the whole world, she simply corrects him; "The Monkeys wish to Eradicate the World." This is clearly a fact.

"Yes. It was a good one." Spatjahr declares in agreement with Shiruba. Confirmation bias is the best bias. That's confirmation bias!

"The redesignation of Spatjahr is acceptable. It is more efficient in this method of communication." The Machina then acknowledges to Giganpor, before she continues to address him.

"Your technology is unable to create a proper working leg fitting my body." She declares firmly, adding to that. "You are not Flügel, nor Kunie, nor Chim Chim, nor Machina." She rattles that off like a list. She then touches her broken looking eye, and notes; "My sensors indicate you are of no significant threat to me. End of report."

Looking between him and Miho then, she does add; "But if you have fabricated a Gerät that will fit me, then you may approach and attempt to give me such a temporary item." There isn't a tone of 'appreciation' in her voice, but her body seems to relax a little. It's this tiny, almost unnoticable change in mannerism, but it's there.

Or perhaps they are just too significant for her to think they'd threaten her if approached. Spatjahr doesn't know what is going through Uta's mind when she tries to translate things. So she ignores her statement.

Overhearing some folk talking quieter, she notes; "The Leviathans would barely notice you as they crushed your tiny bodies." The Machina addresses.

She then kneels down onto a piece of wood sticking out from a broken building, and sits on it, revealing her broken doll-like remainder of a leg. She grabs it by the side and simply seems to 'unplug' it from its mount, and looks to the others.

    Merek nods a bit to Uta, "Of course," he notes, while he then takes a look to Spatjahr. "Alright, if you say that it is so, it is so." There's a look to the people that will be presenting that leg. He takes a little flask of coffea, which he takes a drink from, "This place is beautiful," he notes.

Humans wanting to destroy the world? Could they not be the first crop of adventures who were pulled here for reals? Could this mean the world itself will turn upon those who try to /exit/ it? Not that she wishes to leave herself she'll take a moment with the leg nod once to Spatjahr.

"Why did the Monkeys want to destroy the world? Do you know their reason?"

She asks as she'll set about pulling out a few other tools and do her best to get the leg to fit. Hopefully, it will be enough to allow Spatjahr some level of mobility.

This is getting a bit awkward for Kotono. She keeps a friendly look on her face and tries to keep a positive demeanor on her body, but deep down inside she's starting to feel like she's really out of place here. She lets the others do the talking for the time being, since she doesn't want to risk making any mistakes.

Goldenblade thought briefly about making repairs on Spatjahr, since she'd mentioned them, but Goldenblade has no clue how to even start on something like fixing the camera, much less the rest of her. Even working on a monster seems ... like a bad plan. Well, not much she can do in that regard, so she'll continue to listen, and maybe there will be some other opportunity to contribute?

Then again, it looks like Miho has got at least some of the repairs covered. Interesting. And apparently not as awful an idea as she'd first imagined if someone else thought about it. She'll have to ask someone later what a Flugel is or the others. Gamers have a language all their own. She seems amused as Spatjahr corrects Merek. Who's she to argue with someone that Inspects as black? Anyhow, maybe escaping from the game -does- count as destroying the world? That's something that a lot of players would probably get behind.

    Giganpor nods, moving forward as she pulls out the bad leg it seems. He seems to consider, "May I take a look at the broken leg, Spatjahr? I wish to see if we can make a better one with the materials that we know of."

    A shake of his head, then he comments to Miho, "I think she means humans. In that case, I can agree from our old world. If the same problem is here... well, I understand it. It makes sense. This wasn't a friendly world even before it became what it is now. There's enough war and violence in the lore to really make you wonder."

    Giganpor looks over at Spatjahr, considering it seems. "Is there anything else that you require? I would rather you be an ally if the leviathans come back. Perhaps one day we will be strong enough to aide you, too. Oh, my uh... designation is Giganpor."

Shiruba nods, and steps back a bit to give the two smiths room to work. An ear perks when Spatjahr mentions 'Chim Chim' though. That's the thing that Uta was looking for. Is that enough to confirm that they actually do, or did, exist? ... Maybe not, but it is encouragement to continue the investigation to find out for sure.

She's willing to allow Miho and Giganpor to work though, so that's good. Hopefully this will pan out decently. Spatjahr may be some kind of ancient war machine, but Shiruba still felt bad seeing her hobble around on that wooden stick for support. "We are aware it won't be 'up to specifications' of your calibre, Spatjahr," she adds after a moment of thought. "But even a prostetic you can stand on and walk with is better than a non-functional limb, right?"

    Getting told how weak they are is kind of a broken record at this point, but Mizuki doesn't have more to say. She sure wishes she could try Appraising that leg but doubts Spatjahr will let her touch it. And should probably wait for Spatjarh to be in a good mood with the new prosthesis before she asks for help...

Uta, still not making eye contact, but barely glancing up in the middle of her sentence, simply says, "My designation is Uta." She leaves what she considers a pause sufficient to mark the end of a sentence, and begin a different one. She manages to keep her expression sufficiently relaxed, but unusually so for her, but a smile creeps in at the mention of Chim Chims, yes. Fluegel... Kunie... she makes a mental note to research those later. "...is there such a thing as Cait Sith Ausfuehrung Eins? What are they like? In which ways do they differ from Ausfuehrung Zwei?" Even if she does not remember /exactly/ the meaning of Ausfuehrung, that copy-and-paste kind of sentence building should get the job done.

"The Monkeys with to Eradicate the World in order to stop the War that has been raging on here in the Yamato region for the past 900 years. Error." There's a spark there. "Recalculating... Minus Fourteenhundred Years. Error." A pause. "By my calculations, they succeeded in Eradicating the World." Spatjahr answers Miho. "However, no confirmation has passed. The Hive has rejected my requests to confirm." Her eye whirrs as she speaks on the matter. She then looks down, as Miho gets to fitting the leg. Thanks to Jazuhanzu taking measurements, things actually click quite well!

At Giganpor's attempt to retrieve the broken remains however, the Machina halts her. "Do not attempt to retrieve my Gerät. Its Ownership is mine." A pause. "Designating, Giganpor. Your alliance is not convenient to me. I will only bring harm if you wish to Use me as a weapon against the Leviathans."

When Miho finally clicks the leg into place, the Machina notes; "Unknown material. It appears to be an unknown composite. Please designate this Composite so it can be added to my Database." Database. Database.

She then slowly rises, her arm coming out, wobbling. Until she stands on it. "Recalibrating gyroscope. This device is of sufficient structural integrity that it can carry me." It makes her look that much more doll like however.

There's this long pregnant pause, before she finally adds. "Thank you. Your service is appreciated."

"Cait Sith Ausfuehrung Eins are Cait Sith Ausfuehrung Eins. They are entirely like Cait Sith Ausfuehrung Zwei, except in their Ursprüngliche Versammlung." Spatjahr answers Uta.

"... Hmmm." comes the fox's soft tones, as she takes in the latest torrent of answers and implications. Though one of her ears twitches, at the talk of Chims, and her gaze tracks over to Uta before it slides back again. She spends a few moments considering various lines of inquiry, potential questions. Even as she lets the others ask theirs.

The talk of her 'designation' by the Machina does pique her interest more than the others, though, and she adds a soft "My designation is Estelle." in the wake of its answer. "And I have a question of my own. Do you have records of a being known as the Accursed Monkey? Not a particularly cursed one, but one who was called such."

Shiruba looks up as Spat asks about the material. She's assuming she means the alloy that Kaydon provided to help make the structure resiliant but light. "I believe it was called Damascus Steel." Well Kaydon refers to his weapon made of it as a Damascus Blade, so that's probably it. Or close to it. Close enough.

The non-translating bits of what the robo-girl say is making her head hurt a little. Why are they not translating?

To Estelle's question, Spatjahr answers; "I have record of the Leader of the Monkeys, the Accursed Monkey. Query results True." The Machina then looks towards Shiruba, and nods. "Registering, Damascus Steel." Pause. "Registered."

    "It makes me a bit curious if she knows anything about Demiurge and my sword, although probably not," Merek notes then to Uta, while he takes a drink of that coffea. He then takes a little pack from the inventory, while he offers that to Spatjahr. "It's coffea, if you like. I don't know if you drink." Then it's back to looking at the place, "It's a nice island."

Goldenblade gives Spatjahr a puzzled look as she seems having trouble remembering her history. And if something happened minus fourteen hundred years ago, does, that mean it's in the future? Or wait, the world's already been eradicated? Well, that's a relief. It's not bad for an eradicated world. As to the Leader of the Monkeys? She would have answered Davy Jones, but her kids watched that as children. She's not sure that anyone here would understand.

Miho lsiten nad pauses. "How would ending a war destroy the world? If they destroyed it you wouldn't be here. Either way the material used is known as Damascus Steel. It's from the world the Adventurer's came from and is rather old ... An adventure by the name of Kaydon figured out how to produce it here."

She grins a bit and stands back seeing the leg is working right.

"Good it seemt to be working. It's been a long time since anyone in my family had to do something like this. We been smiths for a very long time."

    Giganpor raises his hands up in a non-hostile surrender gesture. "I do not mean to take it, I simply wish to look at it. I understand that it is yours, and I am not one to take another's property."

    A considering look is given before he comments, "What Hive are you talking about? And I do not wish to make you a weapon against the leviathans unless you choose to be one. So far, and I do not know anyone else's thoughts here, but I regard you as a living, breathing person as much as we are. Your manner of speaking is different, but otherwise... well, far as I see it you're just like us so far. You eat, you speak, you communicate, and you just showed a bit of anger at me for possibly wanting to steal something."

Uta's look turns to downright terrified as Merek mentions the sword around Spahtjahr, but relaxes again once it turns out he doesn't do anything insane. She does not miss the glances turned her way at the mention of Chim chims. She thinks long and hard, and once she's done, with her usual calm tone, she asks, "Question one: what behaviour would be safest for us if we were to interact with Chim Chims?" She inserts her estimated 'end of sentence' pause again, and once that is taken care of, she continues. "Other questions: You sound to me like a very precise being, who picks her words her words very carefully. You keep saying /eradicating/, specifically, not /destroying/ or /taking on/. Is the distinction between destruction and eradication important? If so, how is eradication different from destruction?"

At Giganpor's retreat, Spatjahr remarks; "No analysis. It is my property." Clearly, she's more concerned about intellectual property rights than Disney. "Please do not attempt to touch it." She adds, moving it out of line of sight and under her clothing after picking it up - managing to figure out how to bend the knee on the prosthetic she is wearing with an intuitive button at the side of the hip.

She then gives Giganpor a bored look as she adds; "I do not eat. I am not like you. I do not require what my sensors are indicating to be 'platitudes'."

"Hive Cluster." She then answers Giganpor as she asks about what Hive she is talking about. Just a definition, rather than some other more useful detail.

To Uta then, "Do not Engage the Chim Chims." That is all. The woman then continues to note; "Eradicating. End of the World. The world is... was... will be... already destroyed." Spatjahr remarks, that last bit clearly in confusion.

    See? No touchie the leg. Uta solves a mystery though when her asking the question reveals that Ausfuehrung means... model. So Spatjahr has been calling a lot of things 'version 2' or something like that. But it's left unclear what the difference from version 1 is... hopefully Uta can translate.

    It seems it's question time now... and the subject of using her as a weapon has already come up. No point in beating around the bush... Well, maybe a little more.

    "Some of us are trapped here... and we've been told that one way to get home is by defeating all the challenges in the floating castle Aincrad. Do you know anything about Aincrad?" She'll point to it, if it's visible in the sky from here.

    Giganpor gives a small shrug, "Alright. And... it is not exactly that you are like us." He says towards her.

    "What I meant was, that you exist and are having a conversation with us." He says, rubbing the back of his head, "Um... what is the Hive Cluster, if you do not mind my asking? It sounds as if there are more of you somewhere?"

    He makes sure to keep away from the broken leg. And makes very sure that everyone else is, too. Especially Merek from the looks.

"I see." her tone is soft again, her tails flicking and curling in the excitement she's otherwise keeping contained. Her ears tilt this way and that, and her tongue plays along her teeth. "So it might actually be displacement on the temporal axis. How interesting." She crosses her arms, fingers drumming against her biceps. "Do you have records... of his assault on the Great Visitor's Fortress?"

She doesn't care that she seems to be pulling facts from thin air, in front of the others. Her gaze isn't even focused on the Machina she's talking to, staring off into the distance. "And would you be willing to discuss that event, in private, if so? I wouldn't want to take up too much of the others' time."

    Miyako -had- intended to arrive early and join the rest after poking around in the ruins for a bit. But there was just -so- much of interest to see. So many things. She spent the last hour taking rubbings of inscriptions on a single wall, carefully preserving them - wouldn't want even the gentle pressure of charcoal and paper to damage them, after all. Finally finishing it, she checks the time on her menu and grimaces.

    . o O ( They're probably already at work... why didn't you just wait with Ko-chan? Then you could've done this /after/ and not gotten separated from them. )

    Ah well. Nothing to be done about it now. She carefully tucks the rubbings away in her inventory and jogs on towards where she expects the crowd to be - carefully making sure to stay in the open, visible and not in any way trying to hide, just in case someone gets nervous about someone 'sneaking up' on them. (When 'someone' has the firepower to take on a Leviathan, it is only wise to be /extremely polite/. She's already messed up by being late.)

    She approaches the group, waving a greeting, but otherwise saying nothing at first, not wanting to interrupt anyone. She'll have to catch up on what she's missed with someone later.

    "... When did the world end?" Merek asks then of Spatjahr. While he seems to think about it, he does take a moment to drink from that flask, when she doesn't take the drink. He does look to Giganpor, while one might get the feeling that he's tired of looks that are given to him. He glances from that man to Shiruba, then to Uta. "I'm going to find something useful to do. No answers, and it's clear I'm not wanted around." He does offer a nod along to the machine, "Nice to meet you," he adds. "Apologies, people."

Shiruba looks from Spatjahr, to Estelle, to Spatjahr, and back again. Then rubs her forehead for a moment. "I don't understand what either of you are saying at the moment." The wolfgirl sighs and shakes her head a bit. Shrugs lightly at Giganpor. "I did warn you about things being taken literal," is all she can really offer.

Goldenblade might have guessed that a robot doesn't eat. At least it doesn't eat trite statements? Or was she commenting on Giganpor's attempts at making friends? She looks back and forth as the others ask Spatjahr questions about Aincrad, though, and will pay attention to the answers. Or ... but speculation at this point is wildly premature, and she will just hang back, be inoffensive, and stay quiet. She takes a look around the area while the others chat.

Miyako might be late, but she gets a silent greeting from Kotono, who sneaks over to give her a quick hug and smile at her. She then leans into whisper, "Honestly, I'm glad you're here. I'm a little uneasy about this whole thing." Her smile starts to fade.

"I do not know Aincrad." She simply answers Mizuki, before turning towards where the massive pillar sticks out. Even at this distance, it is impossible to miss that shape at the center of the Aincrad Island. "It stands in an important place, at the center of Laylines. But it should not be there... should not have been there."

At Giganpor's inquiry, she simply answers; "The Hive Cluster is the Hive Cluster. More information is not permitted to be shared at your Friend Level."

She then turns back to Estelle, "The assault on the Fortress of Artosh was in session, before my displacement." She answers her. "I was not present during the assault. I do not have further details. You would need to find a Monkey who was present during it. Or ask one of the Travelers."

Miyako gets a small acknowledgement of her presence, but that is all.

"According to my calculations, the World ended 500 years ago... Error... 900 years from now... Error." She answers.

    Giganpor huhs, "And how do we uh... upgrade the friend level?"

    He frowns, looking thoughtful, "What can you tell us on the Travelers? I mean, it sounds a bit like we are like them, but at the same time some of us have encountered people from yet another world than the one we came from."

    He pauses, then looks curious, "Uh... you do know some of us are not native to this world, I hope?"

Goldenblade hrms as Spatjahr adds further confusion to already confusing issues. Information that's there and not available to us may as well not be there, though that begs the question, and she voices it aloud, or she would, but Giganpor beats her to it. So she remains quiet a while longer. She's so confused now, someone will have to explain this to her later in small words.

    Merek does take a moment away from walking away when he notices the question was answered. "A war waged for 900 Years, Minus 1400, 500 Years Ago, 900 Years from the date," he then thinks about it. He begins to try using his cryptography skill while he writes on a paper to think on it. The man nods a little bit, "Well, if the Soul Mirror," he then takes a moment to think on it, "When did original adventurers arrive in the world." A look then to Spatjahr, he might as well ask, "Do you know anything about the Shadow Eclipse?" he asks.

Uta watches Spahtjahr with interest during her last words. "...for once, I am not the most confused in the group? That feels..." She shifts in place. "Unsettling."

She turns towards Estelle, surprised. "...The /what/? We... I think we might need to talk about that. In private. Later."

Uta turns back to Spahtjahr, tilts her head, furrows her brow a little. "...what is the designation of the language you're currently speaking?" She turns to Merek. "...Merek, don't be silly. You can stay here, just... don't do anything threatening, okay?" At the mention of Travelers, Uta turns to listen to Spahtjahr. "Travelers...", she mutters, quietly, to herself, head kept down so that it's clear she's not addressing anyone in particular. "I've heard them mentioned during my research on the legal requirements for starting the Royal Society for the Study and Appreciation of Gelatinous Creatures... something about Alne being promised to them." Anyone in the vicinity might or might not hear this. As she is about to ask about the Travelers, Giganpor cuts in first, and asks what is probably a more pertinent question, so she just lets him take care of this.

Shiruba reachs over to nudge Giganpor's arm when he askes about the friend level. "That's the other thing Jazu was working on," she explains. He can probably figure out what she's talking about from that.

Laylines under a tower... That's not suppose to be there? What does that mean?

"Sensors indicate you are similar to Landers." She answers Giganpor, before adding onto that; "Either way, you are similar enough to be referred as Imanity." She seems to be ignoring Giganpor's request on how to upgrade the Friend Level. It seems like the kind of thing you don't answer when someone asks you; 'How can I be your friend?'

"The Original Adventurers arrived on this world...." There's a spark on an element near her head. "Database record is faulty. Unknown. Please refer to your peoples' history books." She answers.

"Query - Shadow Eclipse. Results: Null. Such an item was not found in Orth. As such, my database has no entry on any significant items by that name."

"I am currently speaking the Yamato language." Spatjahr answers Uta. "The Babylon Signal is currently stable." She then adds. She adds, for Uta's sake; "I am not aware of Entry: Alne."

    Miyako quietly returns Kotono's hug, arms sliding briefly around the other Spriggan. "Don't worry," she whispers, then turns her full attention to Spatjahr and the conversation. She keeps one arm around Kotono, however, and leans companionably close.

    . o O ( Leylines... hmm. Perhaps being exploited to keep the tower afloat? )

    "Please excuse the interruption, but if the Tower Aincrad is 'not supposed to be there'... then could you tell us what is supposed to be there, please?"

Miho says "But we're here right now if it's destroyed how are we..." Miho is looking very confused at the moment.

    Giganpor looks thoughtful, humming. "Leylines... I've heard that term... what show used that?" The Were Fang muses to himself, then shakes his head.

    "Right... well, I'm out of questions here. And..." He frowns.

    A thought comes to him it seems. "Wait... Babylon Signal... oh.... OH." He looks to the others, "Remember when we had that panic about not understanding each other like months back? I think I heard it was like late night or early morning?"

    He looks to Spatjahr, "I'm guessing damaging that signal would be bad. Really bad. Are you able to somehow check and see if it was attacked or somehow messed with in the last half a year?"

    "Wait, Imanity? What's that?" Mizuki considers this and other questions. "A center of leylines...?" But she's not enough of a mage to be sure what that implies. "So... honestly, at first I thought your internal clock must be glitching out, but I'm starting to wonder... How, exactly, are you telling the time? Does the Hive tell it to you even though they won't sync? Or do you detect it another way, like the positions of the stars or something?"

    Mizuki continues, pulling at the thread like a cat, "What were the circumstances of the last thing you remember in the other time? Do you have any reason to believe something weird would happen to time or the universe? Oh right, you said the world was ending... how was the world going to end, exactly? And... you keep saying things are wrong in this time, like Aincrad shouldn't be here if we are when you think we are. So what's right? How do you know you're in the same world, at the indicated time?"

    Mizuki blinks. "Also, did you say 'Orth'?" She looks to the others. "Have any other sources called the planet that?"

Goldenblade is wildly puzzled by the Spatjahr, more things she'll have to ask about later. She should have guessed the friend level thing would not be directly answerable, but she instead inquires, speaking up for the first time, "Are there any tasks we can do for you?" Because that's how you build up influence with people. Doing favors. Entirely unrelated to rep-grinding.

    "We are not the first Adventurers to arrive," Merek then notes, "The Soul Mirror, the device meant to be brought in at the End of the World was stolen, and was left from them. There's even a whole resting place that is laid for Adventurers from another world, it comes together, in a weird way... I could attempt to fix you, although I don't know if that would work, would you permit it?" he asks of the machine. Then he thinks, "Wait... That would mean that the world, it... We're." The man nods a bit. "That's not a thought I would like to consider." He nods a bit to Mizuki, "... We not be inside a game. We might really be here... This is possibly Earth. In another time."

    "What." Mizuki's ears splay as she looks at Merek. "So you're saying 900 years from now, someone destroys the world and remakes it as a videogame... retroactively?" She rubs her fingers against her forehead. "Even if that made any sense, why are WE here then?"

Spatjahr's head tilts as Miyako asks what is /supposed/ to be at that location. "Nothing anymore." She simply answers her. "Nothing but a crater."

Then, to Giganpor; "The Babylon Signal experienced a temporary outage a few months ago." Proceeding by mentioning the exact time and duration of the 'outage'. "No further information available." Her eyes seem to glow during that statement, as if doing some kind of lookup.

"My internal clock has kept running since the last signal with the Hive Cluster synchronization." Spatjahr answers Mizuki, as she begins to move around a bit, trying out the leg properly. Stepping up and down the path, and aiming herself for places with small rocks so she can ensure her gyro-stabilizer is working.

"The Accursed Monkey's plan was to use us and get a response from the Great Traveler, and use Org. Null Null Null Null: Stalemartyr. Goal: To eradicate al Travelers."

A pause. "Current sychronization is Error." She simply answers Mizuki's final inquiry on time. She doesn't respond to the inquiry about Orth at this time.

She looks to Merek. "You are unable to fix me. You lack the ability." As for Mizuki's comment about videogames? No answer. Doesn't seem like she even heard her.

For a moment, it seems like the vixen might be ignoring Uta. She's still staring into the distance, thoughts churning. But eventually she tips her head towards her.... acquaintance?, acknowledging the point.

... but Estelle's gaze sharpens again, focusing on Spatjahr like a laser as the Great Visitor's Fortress is given a proper Name. Something she can chase after - Artosh. The talk of the assault being in progress, however, makes her nod again, and start musing aloud; "Yes. Temporal displacement. Fascinating. This must be a divergent timeline of sorts, then, from your native one - something to do with Aincrad and the Eclipse, it seems..." What could cause such a thing, then?

And there's talk of Travelers, too. But her question is pre-empted by Giganpor, and she has spoken to him about her search for them - so she just tips her head to him, for now, and listens to the answer. Even if she can't help but wince at how blunt he is, about their external origins. But that question seems to lead to not, the focus being on their similarity to Landers.

"... Leylines are a concept that was at least popularized by real-world occultists in Europe, but there are similar concepts in other cultures, such as Dragon Lines. They're natural routes of power that move through the land, carrying the lifeblood of the world or supernatural energy. Sometimes they're the same thing. The idea here likely being that the Tower is either drawing upon such energies, or being used to manipulate them." This is your latest bout of Trivia Fox.

Uta turns to Merek. "W... what? Come again? How can this be Earth?! I mean... the positions of the stars are the same, sure, I'll give you that, one point in your favor, but... like, for instance, the planet is about half the size. Where would the rest of the planet have gone? And besides, there are two moons instead of-"

She hangs there, in shock, finger pointed at the sky. "...no. No, that'd be too weird."

She tugs on her jacket, attempting to compose herself, trembling. "...uh... what is the source of the Babylon Signal?"

Goldenblade gets no answer. Not even a negative response? Well, that's another complaint about the programmers here. She grumbles in her head about programmers not understanding how the real world works. Well, none of the whiz-kids at work knew about bricklaying, so it's probably not a surprise. She continues to listen in, in case there's anything that she can understand. Nothing so far, but she continues to hope.

Miho thinks for a moment "Then we dodged armageedon but what made us so speical to save in the first place..." Miho seems lost in thought at the moment and thinks if we're in the future then there's a few things to check out. Miho has a few ideas. "Could we repair you if we found the right materials or even say a dungeon from your era which might contain the right things to fix you?"

    Mizuki sighs as Spatjhar answers the wrong question. "I get that it happened five hundred years ago for /you/, but where are you getting this nine hundred number from??" But then a different bombshell is dropped. "Someone was going to destroy the world... to eliminate all travelers??"

    She scratches her head. "Maybe the end of the world doesn't have to do with why we're here, now, then, since if their goal was to create a world without travelers they obviously failed..."

    She thinks about this for a moment though. "But are we the SAME travelers as the last timeline...? Spatjahr, do you know anything about the world the travelers came from, in your time?"

    Giganpor looks considerate, then frowns. "Travelers." He looks a bit troubled.

    "If..." He takes a breath, then he looks to the others before he looks again at Spatjahr. "... I wish to inquire something."

    Giganpor rubs the back of his head, looking like he's not sure where to go with it. "From your words, Travelers have been here before. The problem is, we are technically Travelers ourselves of sorts. And... we have encountered those that wish to destroy this world. Do you know if the past Travelers left some means to go to another world? Or to somehow defend this one from such?"

    Giganpor looks uncertain about his line of questioning, but well... the Waves of Calamity are something. And with his encounter with L'Arc and Theresea in mind on the whole other world bit.

After a few comments on the Chimlink Shiruba lets out a soft sigh of relief. It's not that she doesn't appreciate the offer to try and help, but she's serious that they don't know enough and it would risk undoing the 'upgrade friendship level' they're trying to establish here.

    "An alternate timeline, even a dimension," Merek then notes to Giganpor while he speaks with the woman, "The Soul Mirror, it was meant to be used in defense of the world," he muses, then he nods to Spatjahr, "It looks like the theory of mine is possibly right," he notes. "Anyway, Indieglut Lugh. The place where... The ones Lost when their entire worlds were taken away. Does that mean anything to you, Spatjahr?" he asks.

"The source of the Babylon Signal is Babylon." Spatjarh answers Miho in an all-together bland manner. But then, there are no real emotions highs or lows when she speaks most of the time. She remains very even-spoken. "You lack the ability to repair me." She'd already listed the beings with the ability to repair her.

Though the question remains, is that a good idea?

"You are not Travelers." She points out to Mizuki. "The Machina were created after the arrival of the Travelers, with a few exceptions. The Hive Cluster has no records on their origin. Their existance is a Geheimnis to us."

"The Travelers are here permanently. They are your keepers, until this World is Ended. It is estimated at a 76.3214 percent certainty that they would move on."

She then looks to Merek. "Attempts to recode me will be met with Lethal Force." A simple, to the point, singular statement, as she leans back through her legs and points her arm at him. The thing converts over into a laser tipped weapon. Except this time, she doesn't remove it. She is waiting for an acknowledgement from him.

She doesn't answer his questions, even if they may be good ones with an interesting answer at that point.

    "I already said that I wouldn't," Merek then notes to Spatjarh, "I figured if you heard my initial question you would know I acquised to having no intention," he then adds.

    Miyako has been listening attentively, because many of the things being mentioned are things she hasn't heard about before. But things have definitely gone past the point where she can just stand by.

    "Merek," she snaps, stepping away from Kotono. "Apologize. Properly."

    Mizuki considers. "Oh. Might we know the Travelers by any other names? And what do you call... us, then?"

Sometimes the best messages are the silent ones. Kotono looks at Miyako before folding her arms and glaring at Merek, giving a nod as if to affirm Miyako's words.

    Giganpor sighs, face palming. And moves to the side. He even makes sure he's not in a party with Merek, too! He does comment towards Spatjahr, "If you do attack him, can you make sure to wreck the sword? We've been trying to find ways to get rid of the thing and he's pretty much stuck with it."

    Then a thoughtful look comes to him. "Okay... I'll ask it. Is there a way to identify who is a Traveler? Actually... um..." He thinks back, looking thoughtful before pulling out a pencil and some parchment, "Excuse me a moment."

    He moves off to one side and starts to draw, trying to remember what symbols he saw way back on the last Wave and on L'Arc and Theresea. What were those?

    "I apologize as well, though I wouldn't do it without permission. I acknowledge you," Merek then notes to Spatjahr. The man looks to Giganpor, lifting his brow at the comment. He understood everyone else's, though that one just makes the man stare. "I'm just trying to figure everything out so all of you will stop staring at me, warning me, and doing everything you can to remind me everyday about this weapon. Watching me whenever you can." It seems like the commentary about the sword being involved with talk of killing him has finally upset the mage.

Spatjahr lowers her weapon and disengages. Chimlink seems to restore. "Confirmation acknowledged." She notes, before addressing Mizuki. "Landers?" She simply suggests. "Heroes... they are of your type." The Machina adds.

She then turns back to Giganpor as the arm shifts back into... well... being an arm. At the symbols, she just kind of stares in confusion. "A Traveler is a Traveler. Pray you do not meet them. Their feud is the reason the World was Destroyed."

As tension escalates, Uta's breath (and heart rate in case Spahtjahr can monitor that) accelerates. She slowly reaches inside her jacket (slowly, no sudden movements), and extracts... a ball. A crudely sewn ball, its outer surface made of fabric. Lopsided and lumpy, about the size of its brethern used to play tennis, she holds it in her hand for a moment and... squeezes it. Releases it. Squeezes it again, in an attempt to reduce stress.

She narrows her eyes, opens them again, narrows them... and her look of focus begins to fade.

"I... I... I think..." She frowns in concentration. "I think I have left a slime in the oven? There is a strange smell, I hope it's not burnt. I haven't built the toaster based on elemental magic I was discussing with Yuuki at the tournament, yet, and I'm already burning toast slimes. I'm a terrible iman being." She gives her head a single shake. "Oh no. I'm... I'm losing..."

Her eyes are squeezed hard again. "Sorry... I need to go..." She exclaims. "Frau Spahtjahr, es war mir ein Vergnugen." (Mrs. Spahtjahr, it was a pleasure). "Ich hoffe, dass..." (I hope that...) Uta's head swims, and she blinks a couple of times. Hard. "...hoffe...das..." She rubs her eyes and shakes her head again. "...I hope we will meet again soon. Sorry, I really need to get those slimes out of the magic toaster before the Dark elemental influence burns them..." and that said, she'll attempt to leave the area. Unless something dramatic happens to stop her.

    Miyako bites her lip as she watches the confrontation, and - finally - manages to relax as Spatjahr stands down. "Would you be able to give us a better definition of a Traveler, please?"

    She blinks and looks over at Uta, but doesn't say anything. . o O ( Toast... slimes? No, never mind. )

    "We want to at least know what to run away very fast from," she adds finally.

    When Uta excuses herself, Mizuki moves to stop her for a quick question. "What did she say the difference between version 1 and version 2 Cait Sith was?"

Spatjahr looks to Uta as she speak; "A pleasure." She quietly notes. "Pray you remain of the IMAN designation." The Machina adds to that, before looking to Miyako. "A great Storm in the Skies." She answers Miyako simply.

    Merek then looks to Uta, and nods a bit. "Uta, you can find a few slimes you wanted to when you mentioned it, I will look as well when we finish, I will bring you a few." Then he takes a look to everyone, "I apologize, I should have actually chosen my words better. I am just... Worried about the implications of what tihs whole thing means, if my theory will be right."
    The man looks to Spahtjahr, "Anyway, apologies. I would like to know about Indieglut Lugh, if you know anything about it, and would like to answer. If not, that's alright."

Miho makes note of the term Traveler and wonders about it, thoughg as things go on? The idea that it's a game has never been a strong idea in her mind. It's even weaker now the more she hears from Spatjahr. "Lugh huh? Sigh Merek someone will need to watch your back if you try this..." Is she offering to help him? She may very well be.

    A great storm in the sky... well. That fits /one/ thing Miyako has seen all too closely. "Like a great rift in the sky, with monsters and such falling from it?"

    She's realllly hoping the answer is 'no', but not expecting it to.

    Giganpor finally comes back, looking thoughtful, "I'm pretty sure this is the symbols we saw when we uh... inspected them, as we call it. It's kinda how we can see your name and stuff. Here's an example, like when I look at one of them I see this on the top."

    He's written out simply 'name' and put the typical symbols on everyone beside it. Player symbols. Then below that made an I, a Castle, and a Wing sign followed by 'L'Arc Sickle' beside that.

    "A month or so ago, when the skies turned red and some other stuff, we had an encounter with two individuals who's names looked like that, but with these symbols. Is that what you are talking about as far as the Travelers?" Giganpor asks, making sure to hold the parchment so she can see it all.

Uta stares at Mizuki for a few seconds, then shakes her head. "Sorry, I'm..." Head shake and blinking again. "...my German is a bit rusty, but... Urspruenglich means 'original', that much I remember. Versammlung... I don't really remember that one, but I can at least break it down as 'ver-', which is a bit of a general suffix with various possible meanings, a bit of a tricky general one, but most of the time has to do with things either changing, or going away, or a general sense of 'wrongness', or possibly a superposition of all three..." A sigh. "...but it's not an exact science. It could be none at all. So much for people who claim that German is an exact science." Another frown of concentration. "And 'Sammlung' would be, well... 'collection'. A coin or a stamp collection, for instance. A gathering of many things together."

By the time the confrontation happens, Estelle has... slunk off to the side, out of the way of potential canon firing. Just listening, watching, contemplating. There's little she can do to defuse things, after all, though she only relaxes once the weapon is put away. There's a slow sigh, then, even if she can sympathize with Merek's reaction to some of the looks from the other - though she doesn't have too much experience with the cursed blade, yet. She just notes new terms, rearranging puzzle pieces with each one.

Still. "... Take care, Uta. We'll talk later; you know how to reach me. I hope you find your center, and that the Stars watch over your path until you do."

    Mizuki listens. "Different in their... originating wrongcollection... or change-collection... or something. The sets of species they're made from? Same process, but maybe the first one didn't use humans, or they tried it with Monsters...? Or maybe to fuse two player races?" She shrugs. "Thanks, though. It's more information than we had before. I hope your um, slime is okay."

Uta nods gravely at Spahtjahr. "I will. I have seen people lose the designation. I desire not to suffer their same fate." She doesn't say it out loud, but a thought crosses her mind. A stubbornly literal machine asks her to... /pray/? Is she being metaphorical for a change? Or... could this be something more?

"...do you have any recommendation about whom I should pray to?", is what Uta eventually asks as the result of her reasoning.

Uta bows to Estelle. "Yes, Estelle. I am sure the stars will watch over our discussions. Consider yourself lucky, for if what Merek said earlier is true, you might be one of the few people who have managed to carry over something very precious to them from their previous existence."

And finally, Merek. "Merek, I am not sure what- wait, slimes?" There they go. Her eyes grow a few sizes. "Sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimes..." Forgetting everything, she forsakes the extremel level of countenance she had uncharacteristically managed until a while ago, and runs down the hill skipping like a little kid, "Sliiiiiiiiimes!", occasionally taking the shortcut of throwing herself off cliffs and feather falling, if possible.

"Similar to that. But no monsters fall from them." Spatjahr answers Miyako. Then, to Merek, "I am not familiar with Indieglut Lugh." Simple as that.

She then shakes her head as Giganpor asks about the Waves, and answers him; "No. I do not know anything about that. Or this person." She motions her hand. "That is not a Traveler. Not one I recognize."

To Uta, she does not answer on the matter of prayer. She simply continues to speak to the others. There's only so much she can process at the same time. "I believe it is becoming time to halt this conversation. Unless there is anything incredibly pressing."

    Giganpor nods, then bows towards Spatjahr. "Thank you for your time, Spatjahr. If you need assistance, please let us know somehow. We will come to attempt aide at least."

    He turns to take his leave from the cave. Probably a lot to think on, and a dead end perhaps so far for him.

The vixen gives a curtsy in return to Uta's bow. "As long as there is a firmament, even an unfamiliar one, I will find my way; no matter how I ended up beneath it. That I retain that passion, and how precious it is to me, under that theory? It is a blessing in one way, but it would still mean I've lost much. What use is Polaris to guide one home, if there's no home to be guided towards?"

And that is all she says on that, because Uta loses her focuses and runs off to de-stress in what is definitely a nervous breakdown. There's a soft chant under her breath before Estelle extends a hand towards the fleeing Spriggan, giving her a Damage Reduction buff to help with any... accidents, in her lapse of mind.

But then she turns back to their technical-host, and gives a curtsy as the conversation's end is called. "It was an honor to meet you, Spatjahr, and I sincerely and deeply thank you for everything you have shared with us this day. Some of the implications and suppositions it brings to light are terrifying, but they are things we must face all the same."

    Merek nods a bit to the woman, "You be well, and all, Spatjahr." With that, Merek would nod along to people, then waves, "I would like to keep you and people comnpany eventually, if possible." Then he's on the way to assist with slimes.

The truth is, Jazz has been here. She's been here a while. She's had a small cloth sack under her arm the whole time, one which has rattled form time to time as she's observed, listend to the questions and answers that have been given so far. Most of them have made her eyebrows rise higher and higher, made her look increasingly discomfited, maybe even a touch confused.

Still, now that there's a lapse and people have had thier chance to get their introductions in and ask a few questions, the Undine is approqaching. She reaches into the sack to produce a carefully carved piece of checkered wood, black and white painted squares.

"I believe you requested this for Friend Level One," she offers to Spatjahr. She prroduces one of the pieces from within, a carved chess pawn, by the symbol atop its head, shaped to look like one of the sahuagin.

.. Wait how long has Jazu been here? Guess all the questions and answers that were more confusing than answers and worrying about people trying to do things before they should had Shiruba so worried she didn't notice until the Undine stepped forward with her present. "Oooh, you were just waiting for dramatic timing." And breaks in the conversation.

    Mizuki tries to track the other conversation as she chats with Uta. She'd wondered if that I-word had to do with the symbol... and was going to ask about the mysterious appearances during the waves, if they were 'travelers'. "It almost sounds like the Travelers might be gods of some sort. It's because of them the people from that other world have to fight us, right?" That wasn't really directed at Spatjahr.

    It sounds like she wants a break soon, though, so... Mizuki turns to face the construct, and bows. "You said Aincrad shouldn't be here. I don't want to 'use you as a weapon'" well, okay, she was basically thinking on those terms when she saw Spatjahr the first time, but NPCs being people is starting to sink in on a more unconscious level now. "but I wonder if you would ever be willing to help us get through it. Perhaps it would reveal some answers about what's going on, or put you in touch with more who can share information, or something... Whatever you would want in return, the Scale Emblem Alliance might be able to offer considerable resources towards obtaining it."

    The question asks, she lifts her face to watch Spatjahr's.

Spatjahr has no idea how to answer Mizuki. So she doesn't. And on the request for help going through Aincrad, she refuses; "No." Is her firm answer on that. Instead, her attention seems drawn by Jazuhanzu, as she brings forward a chess board. At this, she stops pacing and sits down on that piece of wood she'd sat on before, and settles in properly.

"You have nothing you can give me." She answers Mizuki simply, while motioning for Jazuhanzu to approach. It seems that right now, her attention is on her, and the pieces she is producing. Watching them, carefully analyzing them.

Goldenblade watches in surprise as Jazuhanzu slips out of the background to ... is that the friend-making gift thing she'd asked about earlier? Well, maybe that's a quest only one person can do? Or Jazu has cleared some other hurdles to access the quest. That makes a bit more sense to her, though it's frustrating. Unsure of what to do or how she can help, she continues to watch and listen.

"... Hey, Jazz." The fox didn't pick up on the undine's presence for... awhile. Too much roiling around in her head, too many tangents for research she's prioritizing and considering. But she turns now to her fellow stargazer, a warm smile on her lips. "I'm glad you could make it after all." She was the one who invited Estelle along, after all.

Still, she turns her gaze to the gift, and the Machina's reaction to it. Taking in the slow study of the pieces, and only realizing what it is after a few of them. She's only played Chess once or twice, after all.

    Miyako can actually manage a smile, now, as she sees Jazz show up and present her gift. At least /something/ is going right today. Without anything to say, she steps back to Kotono's side and watches.

    Merek does look to Mizuki and to Jazz before he follows Uta, then he nods. "That looks well made," he notes. The man thinks about it, "If the world was truly... If this is the place we call home, then we must do all we can to protect it." What would normally be smoked in kiseru, well it looks like he put it into a cigarette which he begins to make a light upon.

Since Spatjahr doesn't move to take it when she reaches her, Jazz simply sets the chess board down in front of her. She starts setting up the pieces, carved in a relatively high amount of detail. Upon one side, when she is done, sit the monst ers. The Leviathin serving as the King and Queen, while goblins, sahuagin, and other threats make up the rest of thosse pieces. Upon the othr side sit the various Lander races, united in purpose, to oppose those that threaten them.

"I believe we may have identified the location of the crystal you talked about" continues Jazz as she sets up the pieces "We're developing a plan to retrieve it."

Shiruba stands back with the other cait sith, giving space for the board and pieces to be set up. She nods to Estelle. "When we first met Spatjahr and Jazu tried to friend her, she said 'Friend Level' required a gift or game of some kind," Shiruba explains to the fox. "Jazu decided chess, a game inspired by strategic combat, would be a fitting offering."

    Mizuki is disappointed, but it's not like she was sure Spatjahr would be willing to help. She nods once and stands again, turning to watch Jazz.

Feeling a sense of relief having been a bit feeling like she overestimated things is what happens when Miyako steps back next to Kotono. She gives a slight smile to her close friend.

Spatjahr watches the pieces being set out one at a time, picking up some of the Lander ones, and looking at them. "The detail on these approaches the intense precision of Flügel artisans." She proposes. She then looks at the paint on another one. "I was not aware any more Moonlight Artisans remained in Yamato." The Machina then adds, seemingly curious about this matter.

She then puts the piece back down and looks to Jazuhanzu. "Defeat me in chess to complete ascension to Friend Level Eins." The Machina then proposes to her.

She then proceeds to nod her head. "Good. It will be good for a Waystone Crystal to return to the shrine."

"It looks like both, in this case." The fox jokes to Shiruba, ears flicking at the declaration of what friendship would require. "I think I'll take my own path in trying, though. I wonder how it will work out?" She doesn't seem too worried about the prospect, her tails curling lazily behind her. Even as she watches to see if they play chess now, or wait for later. "... do you know if Jazz played chess, Before?"

"What do you know about 'Moonlight Artisans'?" asks Jazz, sitting up straighter, her eyes going a little wider at that. The phrasology is one she's familiar with, after all.

But then, apparently, she has to *defeat* Spatjahr at chess to complete this. She lets out a sigh. "At least I am not being asked to play a friendly game of thermo-nuclear-war," she mutters, then she raises her gaze back up towards Spatjahr. "Of course I'll play you. It seems like you've probably wanted to play for a while during your long vigil. This is what friends do, win or lose." She glances down towards the board with curiousity. "We might as well inaugurate it, anyway. That one quarter of chess club might do well."

When she speaks of the crystal, Jazz continues, "I'm not going to lie, it's in bad spot right now. Minioins of the leviathins have captured it. I am given to understand that it has properties that keep them at bay, which makes me wonder why their minions haven't destroyed it -- unless they can't? Since you've taken the lander's there, why don't you play them?" She lays a finger on a goblin-pawn as she talks with the machine. Those who've spoken to her get a glance over her shoulder, acknowledgment and nothing more for the moment.

    Giganpor was about to go, then he pauses. "Moonlight? Hey, wait..." He frowns.

    "Does Moonlight Armorsmith mean anything to you? I mean, it's some sort of title or something it seems like. I got a choice to be one after I helped Miho make some swords over a few months." He asks Spatjahr.

    Yep, Giganpor's coming back at that one.

Miho had taken a step back and her tail has gone straight up for a moment. "I had the same happen to me save it was for being a Moonlight Weapon smith!" She notes it seem Miho too is getting back in on this as well.

Goldenblade watches, puzzled, at the mention of Moonlight things, and chess games. "What's all this moonlight business?" she wonders, whispering to Giganpor as she stands behind him. She's played chess before, but not in years. Many years. Probably too many to make it worthwhile offering advice. But the bit about crafters has her intrigued, and she's a crafter ... or did you have to be one outside the game for this to happen? She has no idea.

"A Moonlight Artisan. It's not something I know much about. But the old Flügel resonated with the world enough that their brush strokes and chisels moved with the perfection of moonlight. So it is said." By whom, who knows. She then looks up at Jazuhanzu. "That is inevitable, that the Leviathans would keep it. So it can not be used against them." The Machina notes, though why they haven't destroyed it, she doesn't know.

"Let us play." She declares then, ignoring further questions, and begins by moving one of the Knights instead of one of the pawns. An unusual move.

The wolfgirl's ears perk up at the conversation about 'Moonlight Artisans'. "Gwen got something like that after finishing her Tapestry, too... In fact I would bet Kaydon does too after reinventing the alloy that was used in your leg and his sword." Shiruba pauses, scratching the side of her head with one hand. "But why is it Moonlight, anyways. What does that have to do with the moon anywa--" Which Spatjahr just explained. "-- Ooooh. Okay." She quiets down as the two start playing, as she's not so sure if Jazu knows how to play chess.

    Giganpor looks thoughtful, then looks at Miho, "... you thinking what I am? Make better quality objects to complete that thing? But... doesn't make sense for others who got the mood and stuff."

    The Were-Fang is looking very, very thoughtful on that one.

Goldenblade hrms about the Moonlight Artisan thing, but looks blank about Leviathans. That sounds bad, right enough. She ehs as SHiruba mentions other crafters that had done things. But somehow nothing like that had happened to her. She'll have to ask about it, afterward. She helped Kaydon with his steel-making project, maybe she can ask him, too? Chess, she doesn't know much about. Not many bricklayers play chess, alas.

Estelle has... no experience, yet, with the Moonlight Artisans and the moods that lead up to them. So she just flicks her tails, ears tilting in a show of curiosity at the current topic. Even as she watches the game, studying the moves the two make - plotting things out based on what she remembers of how the pieces act. "I think they called this the Game of Kings? Though I understand it has been romanticized a fair deal..."

    Miyako nods, "Rather more than it deserves," she answers Estelle. "But it is one of the oldest and most-regarded games in the worlds." She smiles a little as she watches the game. Under some circumstances she might call advice, but this is not one of them. She doesn't want to disturb Jazz.

    "You ever see any of this Moonlight title stuff, Ko-chan?" she whispers to the Spriggan beside her.

Shaking her head, Kotono replies, "Afraid I haven't, Miyako." She blushes a little at the affectionate title in this situation, but doesn't let it bother her either. "I wish I had, but I suppose there's time to learn."

    Giganpor turns towards Kotono and Miyako, "It's actually related to the odd moods some of us have been getting when we do big projects. Like seriously big ones."

    Well, he is a Were-Fang. Might as well put those ears to use.

    Miyako ahhs softly, nodding. "Well, I've got a big project of my own, you might've heard. Maybe something'll come up for me."

    Giganpor frowns, looking at Miyako, "I don't wish those moods on anyone. You become obsessed with it. Completely, utterly obsessed. It becomes harder to do anything for any length of time as you go. The moods are not to be taken lightly no matter who or what you are."

    Giganpor glares at Miyako, "Don't make light of them. Ever. Some of us almost screwed up because of them. It's not even remotely fun to be under one, nor is it pleasant. If my friends didn't happen to make sure we did eat, sleep, and take breaks, we would have worked ourselves to literal death and had to start over. Again. And again."

Jazz observes the move made by Spatjahr. She tilts her head, hair falling in front of her eyes. She swipes the annoying strandsa from in front of her face. She dare not leave them like that. Too anime.

She moves a pawn thereafter. She's taking her time and fully consideirng her moves. The machine has time, and thus, so does she.

Besides, she doesn't have a computer for a brain.

... given how hesistant she is, this is probably not going to go well....

The first game of chess is over before it began. Within a decent amount of moves, "Schachmatt." Comes from Spatjahr. She then resets the game with quick hand motions, and offers another try. She seems to be tuning out everyone else, and it /almost/ looks like she might be having fun with this.

It'll take Jazuhanzu some time before she has what it takes to beat Spatjahr at chess. But at least the first steps have been taken.

Goldenblade ehs to Estelle, and says, "I thought Horseracing was the Game of Kings?" But a few sports have been called that over the years. She hrms to Giganpor, and guesses, "I suppose I haven't done anything sufficiently large, then." Or sufficiently significant? She's curious now, and ... is she missing out on some part of the game? She'll have to work this out. She peers critically at Ginagpor, but nods seriously. "Point taken," she says. "Hopefully we've all got each other's backs enough to cover for that sort of thing?"

She watches the chess game curiously, but can't really comment. She's having to learn one game already, trying to figure out this chess minigame would probably break her remaining brain cell.

WIth her tongue sticking out between her teeth in concentration, Jazz is totally devoted to the *next* game, seeming utterly unmoved by having lost her first one. Seems that the Doll has attention. Even then, she still looks a little less focused on it than one ought to be. Yes, it will definitely take some time.

"They have many games, Kings." There's a shake of the vixen's head, but Estelle keeps her thoughts on the chess game and how it went to herself. Instead, she gives herself a full-body shake, tails lashing behind her. "... I think I'll go prepare for the night." She says aloud, giving another curtsy in Spatjahr's direction, and nodding towards everyone else in turn. "I've got a lot to think on, plans to rework and research to revisit. Names and places to hunt."

She turns, and starts off the way she came, when she met up with the group at the start - still looking a bit distracted, as she goes.

    Miyako watches for a few minutes longer after Estelle leaves, then murmurs to Kotono, "Think we should leave her to the game? Or stick around and provide moral support?" She's OK either way, but some time to examine the inscriptions she was copying might be nice.

Looking around, Kotono thinks for a moment before looking to Miyako. "Let's just let them be. Best if they do their own thing themselves." She runs a hand through her hair. "I'm thinking I could use something to eat and then a rest."