Alex's Room, Le Chevalier

Shutting the door behind me, I'm not that much earlier to get back home, in the end. Maybe an hour's difference, if that. I'm pretty much dead on my feet from the low-quality cocktail of drugs, cheap nutrient solute and low-grade VR capsule. I badly need a place and capsule of my own.

Yawning, I shrug off my backpack, buoyed by the knowledge that my efforts up to this point are so very close to paying off. Granted, I still have a lot of work to do over the coming days, weeks and even years to make something of it, but I'm not really interested in burdening myself with what-ifs for a decade in advance.

In the short-term, however, I've still got to get the Guild off the ground. The achievement doesn't mean much if I fail to capitalise on it, and I'm still a little tight on cash. I'm back over the 50 Stone Gold baseline for registration, at 54 Stone Gold roughly, after selling the Carcasses, but that only leaves 4 Stone Gold in reserve which isn't enough to pick my teeth with. The Marketplace Day Permit itself costs 5 Stone Gold, so I'm going to need a little something extra from somewhere if I want to get my Appraisal scheme running before Trom recovers from his treatment at the hands of the jailers and returns to work. It's still a necessity in order for the general quality of the local players to rise to a point worth exploiting in the near-future.

The sooner I get their equipment unlocked, the better. My lead is fairly secure by now, so I don't need to be stingy.

On that subject, I should contact Olrica for the report she owes me on Miner's Nightmare. Might also be able to hear about what Rambling Rose are up to at present - From what I hear they're farming contribution points, but an inside-source might let slip something extra.

I rub my tired eyes, not really feeling up to a conversation after the nagging to take a break Sherry gave me on the way out of the internet cafe. I appreciate the concern for what it is, but it just adds to my stress and fatigue.

Fishing through my backpack, I retrieve the convenience store chicken caesar wrap and energy drink that'll be my dinner tonight, my phone and my Pane. Stuffing one half of the overly-chilled wrap in my mouth with little thought to table manners or graceful etiquette, I pull off my jacket, swill the food down with some saccharine fluid and start a phone call to Olrica. Odds are she's available, even if it is pretty late.

After several dials, she picks up, "Yoo, Silver, Hadrian's favourite person in the whole wide world~"

I roll my eyes, "I take it he's throwing a fit again."

"Yep. He's regretting our jailbreak adventure pretty hard right now," Olrica candidly reveals, "Anyway, what's up? You sound pretty out of it."

"Long hours with cheap VR facilities," I sigh, "I'm calling to get today's report on what's happening with Miner's Nightmare. I heard DDA has set up a toll system from Wolf Hunt, charging entry into the mineshaft."

"Yep, and the big boys of the Alliance are set up there - all the three major teams, Godly Dark, Ill Fate, and Knives of Erebus," Olrica affirms, "They've got orders to capture you on sight and beat you like a loot pinata. Same for your team."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I'm not planning on going back to Liggit Mine any time soon," If I need anything, like Terrorstone, I can just get it off of some other team. There's nothing of value for us there, besides The Pool of Desire, which I'm still not sold on trying to tame. If anything, I'd do it just to keep someone else from laying claim to it and then ignore it.

"Wouldn't recommend it, but hey, if you do, let me know and I'll bring some popcorn to watch the show," Olrica chuckles lightly, "As for progress, a group called Ultra Comboat figured out your strat for Trophytaker and spread it around for a price before DDA stepped in to extort a bunch of it. It's pretty common knowledge now."

"Good, I was worried I might have to start throwing out some hints," I muse.

"Why's that?" Olrica asks curiously.

"I can't very well squeeze juice out of an unripened apple. At this point, it's more beneficial to me for people to start clearing the dungeon," I explain casually, "Speaking of which, is Rambling Rose still running it?"

"Nah, we've been handling the Event with some other teams," Olrica admits, "Boss's orders."

"So I heard, then you don't need any more equipment Identified?" I probe.

"Nope, too bad for you," the assassin snickers, "Why, you manage to lose all your money?"

"My financial situation is none of your business," I rebuke her calmly, "Just on the lookout for potential profit."

"Nah, if it's bad enough, one of the Officers will prob'ly contact you," Olrica guesses, "Otherwise, Hadrian's too far up his own ass to give you any more money unless he has absolutely no alternative."

"Understandable," he's an ambitious cretin, to be sure. I doubt he appreciates being in any way inferior to someone else.

"So, what exactly were you doing in Ujax Forest, by the by?" Olrica fishes.

"Hunting," I reply simply, "But I assume you knew that already."

"I mean, yeah, but c'mon, you start an Event that puts the entire city on lockdown and you go gambolling through yon woods? Seriously?" Olrica doesn't believe it.

"That's really it," I half-shrug, "From what I hear, the Event isn't worthwhile."

"Figured you'd at least want to get some contribution points," Olrica doesn't appear to want to let the matter go, suspecting a grander scheme.

"Not worth the effort," I deny, "I'd rather farm in Ujax Forest than sit on the barricade. The gains just don't compare."

"If you say so. That everything?"

"Have you made a decision about whether you're accompanying us to the confrontation with Arevas yet?"

She huffs, "I dunno man. If it's an instance then, no. Otherwise, I guess I'll just hang back and watch you have at it. Not about to stick my neck out for you, y'know?"

"Alright," I let it be, "While we're on the subject, is there anything else you can recall from the memories you Inherited that might be useful?"

"Nada," Olrica denies flatly, "Told you everything already."

"Had to ask," sighing, I take a swig from my bottle, "Just as a heads up, we'll likely be confronting him in the next three days."

"Mhm. Anything else? I've got paella cooking," Olrica feigns disinterest.

"Who would you say has the most equipment drops from Miner's Nightmare and spare cash?" I query.

"Besides DDA affiliates?" she clicks her tongue while she thinks, "Holy Spring Orchard and Sober Morning."

Hm. Convenient, "Alright. Who are Holy Spring Orchard?"

"Fans of yours," Olrica chuckles, "They've been farming the Vacantsoul Foreman like it's going out of style and selling drops off."

"Just the Vacantsoul Foreman?" I quirk a brow. Strange.

"Yep, looking to build up a stockpile and sell full sets like you did with the Beginner's Bronze, I figure," she speculates, "If they can get it all appraised they'll make bank."

Not a terrible idea, all things considered. If my ability to Identify equipment was public knowledge, perhaps they'd have contacted me already.

"Any idea who I should talk to about setting up a deal?" I inquire.

"Try the guy that's always talking about you on the forum, Jayeon Adam. No, Adan," she corrects herself, "Anyway, bye, food's ready."

She hangs up immediately. I can't help but feel like she has an allergy to farewells.

Shoving the other half of the wrap down my throat and binning the container, I change out of my clothes and start browsing through the forums for this Jayeon fellow. After confirming his ID I send a message with a business proposal over to him and consider doing the same for Sober Morning before deciding otherwise. I can probably get plenty from Holy Spring Orchard alone for now - enough to keep the lights on. I'll also save throwing out the strategy guide for Miner's Nightmare for after the Event is over. No need to split their attention.

Checking in with my peers in the Town of Forgiveness, nothing of note has really happened besides a few more people completing The First Step. It's becoming a relatively hot topic amongst what's left of the community, which I estimate to be no more than 50,000 regular players in aggregate. Meteo City alone is probably no more than 2000 people. What motivates them all to continue playing, I'm not entirely sure, but it's not my place to question it.

All in all, the situation is fairly peaceful if you ignore the clan wars at Taladi's Waystation.

---

 

Winfrey

Matthews Manor, Florida

"Hey, Jinx," I grin at the tired bartender on the other side of the video call, "How's tricks?"

"Boring as hell," the blonde grumps, "Why couldn't you sign me on as carrying luggage?"

"Not getting stopped at customs and immigration to explain why I'm toting around a french woman like a handbag," I laugh, "You know what the US is like for that shit. I'd be lucky to get away with a cavity search and a light prison sentence. Also, Henry would never forgive me for kidnapping you."

"When you're right you're right. I've been stuck in Paris for a year, mon chérie, I'm losing my mind," Jinx gripes,  "I don't mind being locked up so long as I can have a change of scenery. I swear, if I have to serve another godfuckingdamn Manhattan to some womanising tourist looking to test out his middle school french on me, I'm going to stab them."

"That sounds drastic," I snicker, "You got any good stories on that?"

"None I haven't told you already," she huffs, "My day off can't come soon enough."

"Mm. I spoke to Alex, and he's on board with playing 'Tour Guide' again, but he's...not in great shape at the moment from what Sherry and Henry tell me," Sherry likened him to a ghoul from how pale he's gotten.

"Hen mentioned something about a customer taking it a little too far," Jinx muses, "Him?"

"Yeah," I nod, shifting a little to remove a knot of clumped up duvet from under my thigh, "He's been running himself ragged to get this Guild set up. Honestly, not doing too much better myself, but I've got better equipment than he does and basically no travel time."

"I wasn't going to mention it, but you do look a little worse than usual," she reluctantly agrees, "Your Capsule needs updating, mon chérie. It was cutting edge a couple of years ago, now it's just...meh."

"It's not the Capsule that's the issue really, it's the rest of it. I'm waiting on an order of more modern dive enablers and nutrient solutes, since the ones I'm using are pushing the limits of their BBD," I cough, a little embarrassed.

"BB-? Oh, you're using expiring dive enablers? Isn't that dangerous?" Jinx leans in, concerned.

"Y-yeah, I know I shouldn't but delivery takes like, two weeks because of the waiting list," I sigh, "So it should be turning up any day now, hopefully."

"You're playing with fire, Win," Jinx warns, "Is Astral Reckoning really that big a deal?"

"It's...growing on me," I confess, "Still far from loving it, but in following Alex around, we've managed to avoid most of the janky bullshit that everyone else is struggling with and make some good progress. Maybe that makes me biased, but it is what it is."

"Well, I'll have to judge for myself," she smiles, "I've been looking for a new game anyway. I've tapped out VA's content already, it's time to move on to greener pastures."

"Well, we went somewhere I think you'll adore today," I brag, "Though I could do without the smell."

"Say no more," Jinx's expression hardens, "Just point me in the right direction when I log in."

"It's too high level for a fresh player," I inform her, "Alex mentioned taking you and Henry with us when we go hunting with a different team who've explored the area."

"I'm not interested in retreading ground, led around by a leash," She pouts, "I'll have to pass."

"It's the most efficient experience farm you'll have," I entice her, "We're not going all over the place, just to kill monsters. You can explore the rest to your heart's content after with less risk."

She considers it, twisting her lips in consternation, pragmatism and wanderlust warring for supremacy. Defeated, she sighs, "Very well, I shall graciously accept your offer of assistance in levelling up."

I wink, "Oh me, oh my, how I suffer with the burden of a free powerlevelling session~"

Jinx flips me off, "Swivel on it, Win."

With a hearty chuckle, I rub my stiff shoulder, "You decided what you're going to play as?"

"Scout, naturellement," Jinx picks at a short, glossy blue nail, "As for species? Undecided."

"And of course, Henry will be playing a Hedge Mage, won't he?" I smile knowingly.

"Mhm. It's his thing, after all," Jinx smiles back, laughing, "The man has the grace of an elephant with any weapon larger and weightier than a tennis racket."

"He still plays?" I thought he quit last year.

"Once in a while, but not as much as before," she shrugs, "He's too busy for it."

"Shame," I murmur, "Well, hopefully this VR date will be fun for both of you."

"That, I can agree with," Jinx nods, a door clatters open and shut, "Speak of the devil. Sorry to cut this short, but..."

"No, no, it's fine," I give her a thumbs-up, then jab it off-screen, "Go get'em, girl. Tell him I said hi."

"See you soon," Jinx waves.

I wave back, "Byee!"

The call ends. Flopping back, a melancholic smile forms on my lips, "I miss Paris and the gang..."