Grim Moon(IC)

[Old Tanokiana]

"You've such a way with words, Red. If you're gonna give us the silent treatment, you can do it behind us, but that's up to you." He stood up and walked back to Acer's table. "Righty-o Acer, how's your leg doing? Let's head for your little NPC pal you've been talking about. Can you walk by yourself or must I carry you again?" He pulled out some GP from his trusty bag and placed it onto the table.

[Canis Rex]

"I'm good now, thanks." Acer replied, testing out the newly regrown limb by placing some weight on it and walking around. Seemed to be good as new, like it was never lost.
"She lives at the edge of the village, not far off."
She heads for the door as a sign they were moving out, turning the opposite direction from the market they had met at. As promised it took only a small number of minutes for them to reach a dwelling on the outskirts of town. The wooden cottage was large for a single family and had a small garden in the back where various fruits and root vegetables could be seen growing from the tilled soil. Stables off to the side held large, four-legged, horse-like beasts with mouths that split and opened much further than their real life counterparts to reveal thick spikes of teeth. They seemed friendly though, neighing when Acer waved at them.
The concerned girl knocks on the cottage door and a few moments of nervously held breath later it is opened by a smiling Mira.
"H-Hey." Acer tests the waters.
"You're here!" The blacksmith exclaims, launching into a hug that Acer was slowly but happily able to return. She gives a thumbs up to KT to say that things were normal so far as Mira pulls away with a curious glance behind the player.
"Looks like you brought company. New friend of yours?"
"Yep." Acer nods. "KT, this is Mira. Mira, this is KT."
"Pleasure to meet you, KT." Mira extends a hand to him. "Any friend of Acer's is welcome in our home. I run the blacksmith shop in town if you ever need your weapons or armor fixed up."

[Old Tanokiana]

"Huh... Curious." KT grabs Mira's hand and gives it a firm shake, looking at her from head to toe. "Pleasure to meet you," He said, unenthusiastically, "I don't necessarily have anything in need of repair other than my hat, and that would be assuming I had money left over from when I used it all on buying Acer food to regrow her leg." It took a few moments before it clicked in his head that "Wait a minute, I wasn't supposed to say that, wasn't I? Uh... You don't happen to be a milliner by any chance?" He tries, and fails, to derail the topic away from the mentioned leg.

[Canis Rex]

"I, um... could... what?!" Mira's gaze darted between the players, a sigh escaping Acer. She had no idea how prepared NPCs were for this feature of the game.
"We were out in the Slime Fields and I got hurt pretty bad. KT bought some stuff to heal me."
"An entire limb though..." Mira still seemed to have trouble. "I have heard other warriors speak of such things but it is difficult to truly grasp. Perhaps all of you are touched by the old magic of the land. It was thought extinct save for a very few scraps of sigils."
"Yeah, th-that's probably it." Acer hoped her friend could truly believe that explanation. She did not want to risk some glitch that may harm the NPC because of conflict between gameplay and lore.
"If you're completely fine then..." Mira trailed off, turning aside to invite them in. "I was just setting the table if you wish to join us for dinner. And KT, I am no professional but if your hat is in need of maintenance I could sew it to the best of my ability."

[American Pere Housh]

Izumi sees KT and Acer walk out with a saddened expression on her face thinking, I have been poor friend lately. I seriously need to make it up them. She walks out with thoughtful expression and wonders around aimlessly deep in thought. Over the next several hours, Izumi wonders around town before sitting on a bench across the road from where Acer and KT are at but she didn't know they were in there. She gazes at the sky thinking if she would survive and beat Grim Moon because she longed to see her family again. Izumi closed her eyes and a single tear slid down her cheek while softly and slowly sing a Japanese lullaby called Edo, "Nen, nen korori yo, Okorori yo.
Bōya wa yoi koda, Nenneshina~

Bōya no omori wa, Doko e itta?
Ano yama koete, sato e itta.

Sato no miyagē ni, nani morōta
Denden taiko ni, shō no fue." She began singing another lullaby that both her grandmother and mom sang to her as a young child," Mori mo iyagaru, Bon kara saki-nya
Yuki mo chiratsuku-shi, Ko mo naku-shi

Bon ga kita-tote, Nani ureshi-karo
Katabira wa nashi, Obi wa nashi

Kono ko you naku, Mori wo ba ijiru
Mori mo ichi-nichi, Yaseru-yara."
The songs could be heard from outside by Acer and KT.

[Old Tanokiana]

"If you're completely fine then..." Mira trailed off, turning aside to invite them in. "I was just setting the table if you wish to join us for dinner. And KT, I am no professional but if your hat is in need of maintenance I could sew it to the best of my ability."

"I mean... I don't mind joining if you don't mind, Mira. Acer, do you mind?" KT grabs his hat from his head, pretty torn and chewed. "Here, I wouldn't really mind if you just stitched it together, just be careful with it, it holds sentimental value to me. I'm sure you'd understand." He hands Mira the hat, still has a little slime on it. Eugh

Suddenly, a rather somber song can be heard from the background. KT looks over his shoulder and sees Big Red. "What a surprise" he thought. "Hey! Big Red! You comin' over or what?" He shouted at her, Motioning her to come over. "Maybe got something broken in need of fixing?"

[American Pere Housh]

"If you're completely fine then..." Mira trailed off, turning aside to invite them in. "I was just setting the table if you wish to join us for dinner. And KT, I am no professional but if your hat is in need of maintenance I could sew it to the best of my ability."

"I mean... I don't mind joining if you don't mind, Mira. Acer, do you mind?" KT grabs his hat from his head, pretty torn and chewed. "Here, I wouldn't really mind if you just stitched it together, just be careful with it, it holds sentimental value to me. I'm sure you'd understand." He hands Mira the hat, still has a little slime on it. Eugh

Suddenly, a rather somber song can be heard from the background. KT looks over his shoulder and sees Big Red. "What a surprise" he thought. "Hey! Big Red! You comin' over or what?" He shouted at her, Motioning her to come over. "Maybe got something broken in need of fixing?"

Izumi opens her eyes and looks at KT with a sad look. She stands up walks over to him, "No I'm fine KT. I was singing some lullabies that my grandmother and mom sang to me because I really miss my family especially my daughter who would be 5 this year. I apologize for not helping with the slimes earlier and I would do anything within reason to make it up to you guys."

Izumi pulls a guitar and begins singing a song she learned while visiting family in Tokyo in a soft and beautiful voice ,
"Fukai fukai mori no oku ni ima mo kitto
Okizari ni shita kokoro kakushiteru yo
Sagasu hodo no chikara mo naku tsukarehateta
Hitobito wa eien no yami ni kieru

Chisai mama nara kitto ima demo mieta ka na

Bokutachi wa ikiru hodo ni
Nakushiteku sukoshi zutsu
Itsuwari ya uso o matoni
Tachisukumu koe mo naku

Aoi aoi sora no iro mo kizukanai mama
Sugiteyuku mainichi ga kawatteyuku
Tsukurareta wakugumi o koe ima o ikite
Sabitsuita kokoro mata ugokidasu yo

Toki no rizumu o shireba mo ichido toberu darou

Bokutachi wa samayoi nagara
Ikite yuku doko made mo
Shinjiteru hikari motome
Arukidasu kimi to ima

Bokutachi wa ikiru hodo ni
Nakushiteku sukoshi zutsu
Itsuwari ya uso o matoni
Tachisukumu koe mo naku

Bokutachi wa samayoi nagara
Ikite yuku doko made mo
Furikaeru
Michi wo tozashi
Aruiteku eien ni
Tachisukumu koe mo naku
Ikite yuku eien ni."

[Old Tanokiana]

"Stop pulling random shit out of your ass! You wanna make up? Get over here and say hi to the nice lady!"

[Canis Rex]

Acer chuckled nervously as Mira looked wonderingly back and forth among the trio several times, holding the hat she had been handed gingerly, both because it apparently had sentimental value as well as because she wasn't keen on being in contact with monster fluids.
"We're uh, still getting used to each other. The one singing is Izumi." Acer offers. "Sorry to dump this on you all at once."
Mira eventually manages to reply with a shake of her head and a smile.
"It's alright, I understand. Besides, with three guests perhaps we'll actually eat all the food without having leftovers. I'm happy to see you making friends as well. They're both welcome."
Acer enthusiastically nods and looks to Izumi.
"Mira said you can join too. I'm actually curious to hear about everyone's family. We don't know hardly anything about each other and I never thought there were many players old enough to have children. You might like hers, she has two daughters just a little older than yours."

[American Pere Housh]

Acer chuckled nervously as Mira looked wonderingly back and forth among the trio several times, holding the hat she had been handed gingerly, both because it apparently had sentimental value as well as because she wasn't keen on being in contact with monster fluids.
"We're uh, still getting used to each other. The one singing is Izumi." Acer offers. "Sorry to dump this on you all at once."
Mira eventually manages to reply with a shake of her head and a smile.
"It's alright, I understand. Besides, with three guests perhaps we'll actually eat all the food without having leftovers. I'm happy to see you making friends as well. They're both welcome."
Acer enthusiastically nods and looks to Izumi.
"Mira said you can join too. I'm actually curious to hear about everyone's family. We don't know hardly anything about each other and I never thought there were many players old enough to have children. You might like hers, she has two daughters just a little older than yours."

Izumi smiled at Acer then walks over to where Mira and Acer is standing, "I'm 25 years old in the real world and my daughter's name is Hiriko though I won't reveal my real identity until I can trust you more. I was wondering if we all get out of this game alive then I suggest we get together."

[Old Tanokiana]

KT elbows Big Red and whispers: "Mira doesn't know she's a video game character, don't ruin her innocence, who knows what'll happen, so stop calling it "the real world"."
*Ahem* "Sorry about that. Right, since we're all warming up to each other, I'll open up a little, that hat I have was one of the first things I ever received from a quest. Yeah that's all I'm sharing til we get to the table and let the host tell me and Red about herself." He gives a large toothless grin to Mira. "Now may we come in, fine lady?"

[Canis Rex]

"It's...quite alright." Mira nods, turning and leading them into the home. "Nars, Lina, Tamonchi, Acer is here! And she brought friends! Can you set three extra places at the table?"
"On it, dear!" A man's voice called back.
Acer chuckles and gives her own story as they walk.
"I'm eighteen and a middle sibling of three. Older sister loves to tease me, younger brother is a pest, but we love-whoa!" The player has to catch herself from falling upon being tackled by two small children.
"Acer!" The pair yell, both girls being lifted up. They seemed to be twins, certainly taking most of their appearance from their mother. Same dark hair and nearly identical faces. Their noses were distinctly different though, likely from their father.
"Lina, Tamonchi!" Acer coddled them. "You both keep growing so much! I brought a present for you. But wait until after dinner, okay?"
"We can do that!" One of the girls replies, possibly revealing the only way to tell the pair apart in a missing front tooth. They both seem to notice Acer isn't alone at the same time and the one still with all her teeth speaks up.
"Who are you? Did Acer get more friends? You better not be replacing us! You're our favorite! We should be your favorites too!"
"Of course you are, I'd never replace you two." Acer promises as they make it to the kitchen where a lean brunette man is finishing setting plates and chairs. Mira pats him on the back as she finds a place to sit KT's hat for the moment and he nods to their guests.
"Feel free to sit where you like."

[Old Tanokiana]

"Well, since we're all buds now, I'm a middle sibling in a litter of 4, last I recall I was 21? My sister is the sweetest, older brother has a bit of a twisted humour, and my little brother is the closest to me." KT steps back as the twins zoom by.

"Quite a pair, you've got your hands on." KT grabs a chair and sits by the farthest end of the table. "Cute ones too. You know, I've had the blessing of having kids too, until... Well until I had to leave for work in the big cities, I never heard from them since... Yeah, seems about right. Ever since then I've been selling random junk to strangers near the marketplace and Veilheim. Say... How'd you two meet anyway?"

He asked, looking at Mira and Acer. Curious about relationships formed between NPCs and Players in the current cycles. The dangers of this damn game has caused an artificial Malthusian crisis; not enough new players to fill the space left by dead ones, or so it seemed to him.

[American Pere Housh]

Izumi watched as the others interacted with this family with amusement and an unnoticeable hint of sadness. She spoke up herself, "I'm the oldest of my siblings with myself at 25, my oldest sister Kuroka at 22, my oldest brother Izuka at 18, my youngest sister Ryuka at 16 and my youngest brother Haku at 14." She watched as the twins ran around playing.


Izumi took a seat in one of the chairs at the table before continuing speaking, "I also have a daughter of my own named Himiko though I left with my parents in a city far far away from here. As to what brought me here, well I'm here to slay some monsters and make some friends. Would you guys like to hear some music from my homeland?"

[Canis Rex]

"We actually met because Mira was doing something for someone else, right?" Acer replied as the twins and parents settled in to eat as well, Mira nodding along.
"A client, one of your warriors, had given me his weapon to improve. During the process an opportunity appeared. I could endow the weapon with an effect if I had appropriate materials. I wanted to surprise the warrior with something even better than he expected and so looked for them on my own at first. They were, unfortunately, much more expensive to buy than to claim from monsters. And I nor my husband are fighters."
"Apparently I came in at just the right time needing some equipment upgrades because she asked if I could collect them for her." Acer continues. "She offered a free upgrade so I said yes. It went well and so we started a partnership of it. One mission though..." The girl's eyes drift down and her fingers tighten around the cutlery in her hands. "There was an encampment I could get a lot of materials from. It was an alliance of orcs, goblins, and trolls under some hybrid creature of them. They were...keeping...humans. Us."
The two were fortunately sat close enough together for Mira to reach across the table and pat Acer's hand, the obviously stressed player setting her knife and fork down to continue.
"Slaves." She eventually murmurs out. "I don't want to go into more detail than that. I collected what I needed to and made it back. But as soon as we exchanged items and Rivs, I broke down, right in the shop. It was the second month we had been here and I just couldn't handle a place like that existing. Mira hugged me, picked me up, and made me delicious pastries that we ate while she let me vent everything that was going through my head. She really pulled me up from rock bottom."
A sincere smile from the npc showed her happiness in her decision and she ended up being the one to address Izumi.
"We would love some music. None of us can truly play, though Lina is learning-" The child with the missing tooth beams with pride. "-and you warriors have brought some very interesting bits of your culture, so many of us here are curious."

[American Pere Housh]

"We actually met because Mira was doing something for someone else, right?" Acer replied as the twins and parents settled in to eat as well, Mira nodding along.
"A client, one of your warriors, had given me his weapon to improve. During the process an opportunity appeared. I could endow the weapon with an effect if I had appropriate materials. I wanted to surprise the warrior with something even better than he expected and so looked for them on my own at first. They were, unfortunately, much more expensive to buy than to claim from monsters. And I nor my husband are fighters."
"Apparently I came in at just the right time needing some equipment upgrades because she asked if I could collect them for her." Acer continues. "She offered a free upgrade so I said yes. It went well and so we started a partnership of it. One mission though..." The girl's eyes drift down and her fingers tighten around the cutlery in her hands. "There was an encampment I could get a lot of materials from. It was an alliance of orcs, goblins, and trolls under some hybrid creature of them. They were...keeping...humans. Us."
The two were fortunately sat close enough together for Mira to reach across the table and pat Acer's hand, the obviously stressed player setting her knife and fork down to continue.
"Slaves." She eventually murmurs out. "I don't want to go into more detail than that. I collected what I needed to and made it back. But as soon as we exchanged items and Rivs, I broke down, right in the shop. It was the second month we had been here and I just couldn't handle a place like that existing. Mira hugged me, picked me up, and made me delicious pastries that we ate while she let me vent everything that was going through my head. She really pulled me up from rock bottom."
A sincere smile from the npc showed her happiness in her decision and she ended up being the one to address Izumi.
"We would love some music. None of us can truly play, though Lina is learning-" The child with the missing tooth beams with pride. "-and you warriors have brought some very interesting bits of your culture, so many of us here are curious."

She withdrew her guitar from her storage and began playing,

"Zankoku na tenshi no you ni
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare...

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo,
Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete
Hohoenderu Anata
Sotto Fureru mono
Motomeru koto ni muchuu de,
Unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou
Sono senaka ni wa
Haruka mirai mezasu tame no
Hane ga aru koto...

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de
Omoide wo uragiru nara
Kono sora wo daite kagayaku
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare

Zutto nemutteru watashi no ai no yurikago
Anata dake ga yume no shisha ni
Yobareru asa ga kuru
Hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru
Sekai jū no toki wo tomete
Tojikometai kedo...

Moshi mo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara,
Watashi wa, sou, jiyū wo shiru
Tame no Baiburu

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze
Kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru
Dakishimeta inochi no katachi
Sono yume ni mezameta toki
Dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare

Hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru
Megami nante narenai mama
Watashi wa ikiru...

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze
Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Hotobashiru atsui patosu de
Omoide wo uragiru nara
Kono sora wo daite kagayaku
Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare."

[Old Tanokiana]

KT lets out a groan of discomfort. Best to keep to himself that he probably contributed to slavery being in that decrepid guild. And Big Red is Japanese! Oh lovely... Our heroic bunch of morons is fully assembled to take on the twisted world that is this videogame. I am boned KT thought to himself.

Suddenly, a memory flashes before him, his life in the real world, hearing his father crying, when all he could do was listen. He couldn't talk back, this cursed game. His hands clench into fists, he swallows his spit in an attempt to keep himself composed.

"One day, Acer, mark my fu..." He reminds himself that there are children. *ahem* "... Mark my words, we'll kill the Guardians who enslave us all. Murder the bastard that started all of this. Enslaving fellow man in his twisted humour, we'll have the last laugh, I swear on the blood that flows through me." KT grabs a cup, fills with water himself, and drinks it to regain his composure.

"Hey, Red... What did you say this song was called? Sounds uh... Awfully familiar... Is it... Evangelion? Wait... Have you been singing anime songs this whole time?"

[American Pere Housh]

KT lets out a groan of discomfort. Best to keep to himself that he probably contributed to slavery being in that decrepid guild. And Big Red is Japanese! Oh lovely... Our heroic bunch of morons is fully assembled to take on the twisted world that is this videogame. I am boned KT thought to himself.

Suddenly, a memory flashes before him, his life in the real world, hearing his father crying, when all he could do was listen. He couldn't talk back, this cursed game. His hands clench into fists, he swallows his spit in an attempt to keep himself composed.

"One day, Acer, mark my fu..." He reminds himself that there are children. *ahem* "... Mark my words, we'll kill the Guardians who enslave us all. Murder the bastard that started all of this. Enslaving fellow man in his twisted humour, we'll have the last laugh, I swear on the blood that flows through me." KT grabs a cup, fills with water himself, and drinks it to regain his composure.

"Hey, Red... What did you say this song was called? Sounds uh... Awfully familiar... Is it... Evangelion? Wait... Have you been singing anime songs this whole time?"

Izumi looked at KT with a smile while whispering to him, "No, the first two were lullabies my grandmother and mom sang to me growing up. The other one was a Jpop song and the last one was from Neon Genesis Evangelion. I'm basically what my people call an otaku or a weeb as you understand it."

[Canis Rex]

"Really?" Acer's eyes lit up, eager for a happier topic than their being stuck here or the one responsible. "I love Evangelion! Well, kind of. I thought it was depressing but I was studying bioengineering before we came here and love mecha so the EVAs were always amazing to me."
Mira giggled, shaking her head with a smile. She might not could understand many of the references, but it was good to see her friend cheered up.
"Heeey." Tamonchi suddenly gripped Acer's sleeve in her small fingers. "You aren't going to leave us for the stuff where you came from forever, right? You have to be able to come back and bring more friends."
"Tam, I doubt that's something any of them could know." Nars attempted to explain.
"Ehh..." The question did indeed leave Acer at a loss. She had no answer for the little girl. Any control of the game's fate had always seemed out of her hands, something to be accomplished by better players or whatever authorities descended on Flare Tech once it was all over.
But...
"KT. Izumi." The player looked to her comrades. "Remember how whoever beats the Crowned Corpse gets-" She struggled for a word that would make sense for the world without bring up the topic of a game again. "-control? The power to control Grim Moon. How extensive do you think that might be?"

[American Pere Housh]

"Really?" Acer's eyes lit up, eager for a happier topic than their being stuck here or the one responsible. "I love Evangelion! Well, kind of. I thought it was depressing but I was studying bioengineering before we came here and love mecha so the EVAs were always amazing to me."
Mira giggled, shaking her head with a smile. She might not could understand many of the references, but it was good to see her friend cheered up.
"Heeey." Tamonchi suddenly gripped Acer's sleeve in her small fingers. "You aren't going to leave us for the stuff where you came from forever, right? You have to be able to come back and bring more friends."
"Tam, I doubt that's something any of them could know." Nars attempted to explain.
"Ehh..." The question did indeed leave Acer at a loss. She had no answer for the little girl. Any control of the game's fate had always seemed out of her hands, something to be accomplished by better players or whatever authorities descended on Flare Tech once it was all over.
But...
"KT. Izumi." The player looked to her comrades. "Remember how whoever beats the Crowned Corpse gets-" She struggled for a word that would make sense for the world without bring up the topic of a game again. "-control? The power to control Grim Moon. How extensive do you think that might be?"

Izumi thought for a second before answering, "Well Acer, I would make sure none of this gets destroyed if I were to get control of all this." She spread her arms then walked to the door before looking at Acer and KT, "Can I talk to the two of you for a minute in private? Its about you know what."

[Old Tanokiana]

"KT. Izumi." The player looked to her comrades. "Remember how whoever beats the Crowned Corpse gets-" She struggled for a word that would make sense for the world without bring up the topic of a game again. "-control? The power to control Grim Moon. How extensive do you think that might be?"

KT shrugged, for all he knew, he could probably rise the dead as the victor over the Crowned Corpse. "Probably some mumbo jumbo prophecy mentioning the second coming of that hog filth or whatever." Frankly, he couldn't care less what it can do or what powers it would grant him. Just get me outta here!

Izumi thought for a second before answering, "Well Acer, I would make sure none of this gets destroyed if I were to get control of all this." She spread her arms then walked to the door before looking at Acer and KT, "Can I talk to the two of you for a minute in private? Its about you know what."

"No I don't know what, my memory isn't the greatest. But nontheless, if you'll excuse us, Lady Mira?" He got up and crossed his arms. "Where to and what's up?"

[Canis Rex]

Acer nodded and stood from her seat, giving a nod to Mira.
"Sorry about this."
Mira waves off the concern with a shake of her head.
"It's fine, we understand. It would give everyone peace of mind for that monster to be defeated. It hasn't actually done anything so far as anyone remembers but if the rumors of its power are true then we could do nothing to stop it if it did."
"We're not going to let anything happen to you all." Acer assured. She may not have been the strongest player but she had faith in the big guild leaders and knew she would continue to improve. She had to do her part.
"I know you won't." Mira smiled as Acer went along with her companions.
"What's on your mind?"

[American Pere Housh]

Acer nodded and stood from her seat, giving a nod to Mira.
"Sorry about this."
Mira waves off the concern with a shake of her head.
"It's fine, we understand. It would give everyone peace of mind for that monster to be defeated. It hasn't actually done anything so far as anyone remembers but if the rumors of its power are true then we could do nothing to stop it if it did."
"We're not going to let anything happen to you all." Acer assured. She may not have been the strongest player but she had faith in the big guild leaders and knew she would continue to improve. She had to do her part.
"I know you won't." Mira smiled as Acer went along with her companions.
"What's on your mind?"

Izumi and her friends walked to a spot out of hearing distance of Mira and her family then Izumi turned to KT and Acer, "Guys, we have to beat this game as quickly as possible because I miss my family especially my daughter. If I beat this game, I will make sure the Server to Grim Moon is never erased as I don't wish for Acer to lose her friend Mira plus I would like continue exploring Grim Moon without the risk of actually dying."

[Canis Rex]

"I really want to." Acer nods in agreement. "But how can we? Even the big four leaders don't think their ready. And I'm worried we may be the only thing keeping the game alive. Once someone kills the Crowned Corpse and gets us out the authorities might tear the whole thing apart." She begins pacing, hands worrying over one another, the stress clearly sinking in for the player. "I mean maybe the new admin can move the data around somewhere else where it's safe, maybe the police or government or whoever will respect our wishes if we don't want it tore down. I just don't know. And that's not counting what Tobitaba wants. He has to be up to something. He isn't in here with us and us being trapped is the only thing keeping him from being arrested. He has to know that. So why start it in the first place?"
The girl suddenly stops and sighs.
"I really don't want to lose them. I love my family in the real world but I love these people as if they were my family. They aren't the only ones either. There's a spiky dog in Firelight Compass that lets me feed it cake. A super cute girl in Lycara that I have got to quit being such a chicken around and just talk to her. A nice old man in Necropolis has these zombies that juggle and do tricks. And-and-and-crap this is why I don't think about this stuff I end up needing a hug from Mira." She curls her arms around herself as a substitute, though it doesn't seem to help much.
"Do...do you have a plan?"

[Old Tanokiana]

KT lets out a sigh, patting Acer's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down.

"Hey, we worry about that when we get there. I'm no optimist, but this technology is too important, imagine: servers dedicated for military training, well, minus the perma death. This entire game is too complex for the governments to shut down completely on how valuable of an asset it could be! So, they'll most likely, and I pray, they'll keep this game up and running, Mira, her family, that little dog, the zombies and the old man will all hopefully stay, not knowing any of this happened."

He inhales, that was one go. Now he's gonna feel horrible if he's wrong, which he usually was. His face didn't show that of course, he gave Acer and Red a comforting smile.

"We worry about it when we get there. We all miss our real lives, and I'm sure you're hurting to see your kids again, just hold on a little more."

He heads back to the dining table with an expressionless face, before snapping.

"Right! Where were we?"