[X] Why is this your problem? You're just here on a job. Give him Argo's contact info and THEN Ghost him.
[X] Suck it up and call Argo. Tell her the truth to the best of your knowledge, excluding Persona. (Costs 5 DETERMINATION to be upfront with Argo)
Honorifics are fine as long as they aren't used gratuitously.
[X] Why is this your problem? You're just here on a job. Give him Argo's contact info and THEN Ghost him.
[X] Suck it up and call Argo. Tell her the truth to the best of your knowledge, excluding Persona. (Costs 5 DETERMINATION to be upfront with Argo)
Sigurd reacted to enough SAO information that he should recognize Argo's name and I think that'd work. ...Though are we giving him Argo's IRL contact info or her ALO info? Do we have the latter? I feel like we should just because you'd think it'd be more of a pain for Argo if we didn't. If it turns out this option means her IRL info I think I'd rather switch to friending Sigurd with the assumption that we direct him to Argo in-game when convenient.
As for honorifics, I'm fine either way so I'd say whichever you prefer/is easier to write for you.
You have Argo's overall professional contact suite. So her email, phone number and current in-game username (which is just Argo). You'd be giving Sigurd her in game name and then logging out.
Sigurd also doesn't have any special interest in SAO, he knows about it mostly because it was a big deal for a very long time and has captured the public's interest. He would recognize Argo who by this point is also well known within ALO, she's been messing around trying to figure out the situation with the trapped players for a while now via her usual methods of information brokerage. ALO is effectively still a "newish" game with a release date of about 3 months ago so even vets are vets in a very relative sense and information is still quite valuable. Also as an AI-guided VR MMO there's a lot more fuzziness when it comes to "content" as quests and events can and do get generated ad hoc by the system, with plenty of one off dungeon and scenarios that will never repeat.
[X] Add him to your friend list and promise him an explanation later. Much later.
I wanna see what we can do with Sigurd as a character and give him a chance to be more than the generic evil strawman that exists to make Kirito look good.
[X] Suck it up and call Argo. Tell her the truth to the best of your knowledge, excluding Persona. (Costs 5 DETERMINATION to be upfront with Argo)
Best to give Argo some good information to engender good will and it will definitely send her against the HEAVENS which will be useful for the future.
And now I'm really wondering why Philemon is backing the HEAVENS, Gwen's damage was some Jail Monarch levels of crazy.
Each Rank up represents a significant advancement in your intimacy with the character in question.
Social Links can reverse or break. You will retain access to any abilities unlocked up to that point from the Social Link.
Social Links are only possible between you and individuals who seek escape from this world, in one way or another.
1.CHAOS - The Proprietor of the Velvet Room [RANK 3]
Do you know how immense you are?
Philemon would like to make you believe that your life returns, like leaves on the tree.
But didn't the life of the tree go into the leaf? Didn't the leaf fall? Does it not lie rotting in the damp ground?
But what is a leaf? It covers a heavenly vault with a million inhabited worlds. Does the vastness have a limit?
Has the smallness a limit? Is there nothing in all eternity vaster than the vast and smaller than the small?
The earth is a seed in the heavens. A speck of dust on the earth is as vast as the earth in the heavens.
And the speck of dust is as vast as a heaven, as many heavens, numberless worlds, since where is infinity limited by a border?
HOLDER: ETTEILLA
RANK: 3 [You can now speak with the proprietor of the Velvet Room]
2.SUN - My Current Life as a Talentless Schoolgirl [RANK 3]
Mom... can you stop lecturing me...
I'll go to bed now, I promise!
...right after this chapter.
...
Ohmigod. How was I supposed to know he was a dark wizard!? This is the most unfair bad end ever.
...
Why do they keep adding these tacked-on RPG systems? Get back to the romance...
...oh. It's morning already?
HOLDER: Your Loud Friend from School
RANK: 3 [You are now friends with a rambunctious fellow classmate]
3.PLANTS - Logged Horizons [RANK 4]
VRMMOs aren't like typical games. No such thing as faulty geometry, speedhacks or item dupes.
The AI can squash a bug the moment it's discovered.
But that doesn't mean things are bulletproof. The Seed doesn't magically know your intentions, and the boundaries are set by human GM.
So if you avoid their gaze you can get away with almost anything.
Ever locked an NPC into generating infinite melons? And you won't believe the shenanigans you can create with an inventory system and Newton's Third Law.
Now seeing is believing. Let me show you the plan, and welcome to the team.
...I guess being relied on isn't so bad.
HOLDER: Kei Shirogane RANK: 3 [You are now close with a fellow cheater.]
4.SKY - Build Divers Re:VIVE [RANK 1]
I'm still unsure what happened.
What were you? Where are you? Why did you die?
But there's one thing I know.
I'll will find you. No matter where you are.
Even if I have to go to the end of the sky. To the end of the universe.
HOLDER: Hiroto Kuga RANK: 1 [You are now acquainted with a boy looking for a lost one.]
5.MANKIND - A Sister's Prayer [RANK 4]
Alright. Real talk now.
YGGDRASIL? Fun, but the cash shop items are ridiculous. Total whale bait.
Insectsite is cool but the dismemberment gimmick is all it has going for it, plus major content drought.
Gunpla Battle Nexus sounds fun but I can't build a Gunpla so...
Oh, don't get me started on New World Online. If you pump all your points in a single stat the system will then give you modifiers to keep multiplying it. How is that balanced!? What if someone just maxes out their defense!?
So I vote we go to Alfheim next. It has to be popular for a reason. Besides isn't the mystery so enticing!? Don't you want to see what lies at the top of the world tree?
...
Right. Merida was all but begging us to try it.
Sorry, you can't be here. But I promise that we'll have your share of the fun and then some.
HOLDER: Yuuki Konno
RANK: 4 [You are now close with a child of VR.]
6.STARS
Marriage!? Hey, hey, slow down!
Whoa, careful with that frying pan... easy does it... Eugeo, some help here!?
My fault!? She has the wrong idea! I only said I'd always protect her because I'm an Integrity Knight. That's what we do!
Oh shut up, not like you're any better. Why don't you finally man up about Alice?
Hey, what are you doing!? Put that down! Ah, no, not the face! Damn you Eugeo, I won't forget this!
7.NATURE - That Time My Admin Account got Reset as a Slime [RANK 3]
No, no, you can't just throw a prompt into the Seed and expect good results.
You have to curate and prune, otherwise, the players will get used to the output.
I've explained this to you a hundred times already!
...Ah, fine. Look, just follow my lead. I'm not going to show you again.
Just break it down and take it step by step. I'm counting on you to get this right!
Otherwise, Aizawa-san's going to have both of our heads.
HOLDER: Satoru Mikami
RANK: 3 [You are now friends with an employee of YMIR.]
8.REST
Hmm. A sentient vending machine?
Man has truly mastered the art of amusement.
I shudder to think of what they will come up with next.
What? Oh, it's you again.
No, I'd rather not.
So please stop bothering me. You have my business address already, talk to me there if you must.
Now leave me in peace, I'm on vacation.
9.JUSTICE - Encore of a Rodent's Regret [RANK 2]
I can't believe it. They let them go.
They let EVERYONE go!
What about this fella? Admitted to killing his own wife! I have a damn confession!
Free.
An entire guild wiped - a dozen people. And for no reason. The mastermind behind this slaughter?
Free.
A fucking terrorist organization. Hundreds dead. Organized mass slaughter.
Free.
Information kills. It saves. It's everything, in this world, in ALL worlds.
Why can't they understand that!?
HOLDER: Carina Tomo Hosaka
RANK: 2 [You are now friendly with Argo the Rat]
10.TEMPERANCE - Descendance of a Bookworm. [RANK 2]
Morning class! Open your textbooks to page 56.
Hey, quiet down in the back, please. Some of us are trying to read.
...
Excellent question. If you read the passage on page 55 carefully I'm sure you'll find the answer.
...
Stop horsing around! And turn off your cellphones!
Ugh, just let me read in peace...
Holder: Urano Motosu
RANK: 2 [You are now friendly with your homeroom teacher.]
11.STRENGTH - OVERWORK [RANK 3]
Okay. That was close.
Almost missed the last train home.
They want me back at 8AM tomorrow. Damn black company.
Like hell I can ask for overtime pay. It's just the way of the world.
...it's fine. I can still log in for a few hours.
Reset the traps, pay off the mercs.
They'll be back any day now. I just have to keep the guild alive till then.
HOLDER: Satoru Suzuki
RANK: 3 [You are now friends with a burned out salaryman.]
12.PRUDENCE - Do You Love Your Mom and her Two Text Messages Multiple Times a Day? [RANK 3]
Are you okay? Please call me.
Can't we talk like we used to?
I could teach you how to cook! It'll be useful for living alone. We can play those games you liked!
Anything at all!
I already lost you for two years. I don't want to lose you any longer.
HOLDER: Mom
RANK: 3 [You are now friends with your mom.]
13.MARRIAGE - Life with an Ordinary Guy Who's Not Exactly a Total Fantasy Knockout [RANK 1]
You have to have higher standards.
Don't just attach yourself to the first broad who flashes you a smile!
They don't understand how wonderful you are. It's my duty to protect you!
After all, you are my one and only precious...
Friend. Right. We're... friends.
We're best friends. So I won't give you away to anyone unworthy!
HOLDER: Tachibana and Jinguuji RANK: 1 [You are now acquaintances with a pair of very best friends]
14.DEVIL - Saving 303 Bitcoins in the Virtual World for my Retirement! [RANK 3]
Go to university? Get married and pump out kids?
Uh, that doesn't sound very appealing...
I don't need luxury. I'm not looking to beat anyone. I just want comfort.
What does it cost to be comfortable?
Maybe... 1 billion yen? Sounds tough...
But you know? There's so many ways to make money now. Just gotta take a calculated risk.
That's right, I'll win! No matter what! To the moon!
Look out life, here I come!
HOLDER: Mitsuha Yamano RANK: 3 [You are now friends with $MistCoin$]
15.MAGICIAN - The Berserker in Balaclava [RANK 1]
Why put so much effort into being popular? For praise, for money?
That time would be better spent improving yourself.
Who cares about being a hero or a villain? True strength doesn't come from flaunting around like a peacock.
I understand there's only one important thing. I have spent all my life pursuing it.
But this world has so few opportunities.
I need it. No matter how I get it.
POWER.
MORE POWER.
ABSOLUTE POWER.
No rules. No goals. No life.
A rigged game with only losers.
Do this. Don't do that. Do as I say. Don't listen to that drivel.
The blind leading the blind. A chain of bullshit stretching to the first idiot who planted two sticks in the ground and called it society.
So what do I think of this world?
Isn't it obvious?
It's the worst.
A Shit Game.
HOLDER: Sora and Shiro RANK: 1 [You are now acquainted with a pair of gamers.]
17.DEATH - Netherworld Pharmacy [RANK 1]
Recording daily log. Investigational agent 23-A is encountering unforeseen difficulties.
15F, terminal Crawford-Ende, responsive to initial chemotherapy.
Attempted Dr. Takumi's agent last week, no noticeable effect. Pt has indicated a preference for hospice. That cannot stand, there's still a chance. If we upped the dosage?
...
What time is it?
No, have to keep going. The patient is depending on me.
...what was her name again?
It doesn't matter. The analysis will finish in 2 hours, I can edit my thesis in the meantime.
HOLDER: Kanji Yakutani RANK: 1 [You are now acquainted with a tired pharmacist.]
18.TRAITOR - Betwixt Lux and Noct [RANK 3]
Can you feel the wind on your face? The taste of the cream on your tongue?
Life is so short. So stop with the emo whining. Step over the ants. Throw away the trash. Cut away the chaff.
And we can live life to the fullest.
HOLDER: Your Shadow
RANK: 3 [The two of you have agreed to start becoming one.]
19.TEMPLE - Jobless Rehabilitation [RANK 2]
Food. A roof. A life.
Did I take it all for granted? What can I do on my own?
Oh, who am I kidding? I had nothing worth losing.
Just a limp dicked loser waiting for a break that will never come.
Whether in the cold and rain or in that room I'm still doing the same thing.
Change the location, change the circumstances... but you are the same...
I wanted to change. But it's too late now.
All I want... is a redo. Next time... I'll do better...
HOLDER: Net-Cafe Refugee RANK: 2 [You are now friendly with a miserable man.]
20.FORTUNE - Re:Zero - Enduring Life in the Only World [RANK 3]
Hey! Glad to meet you! Wassup?
You think that's impressive? C'mon, watch this!
Haha, man, I must look like such a buffoon.
Why I don't help you with that? No worries, you can count on me!
...
It's not enough. It's never enough.
No matter what I do nothing ever changes. Nobody cares. Nobody sees me.
Love me. Hate me! Just do something! Anything but this...
HOLDER: Subaru Natsuki RANK: 3 [You are now friends with an absentee student.]
21.DESPOT
What stops a man from stealing? From harming? From killing?
The words of a dead god?
The wisdom of superstitious ancestors?
No, it is something greater. Greater than any individual, any belief or any god.
It is all of us. The collective. Society.
It binds us. It cages us. It turns mad beasts into men of rationality.
The advancement of society is the advancement of humanity. Isn't that a wonderful thought?
25.KNAVE OF WANDS - Curses Upon This Horrible World! [RANK 1]
I wish...
To be filthy rich, surrounded by sexy babes and spend the rest of my life playing video games!
What? Too unrealistic?
Bleh.
I'll settle for what I've got. What's wrong with chewing grass and basking in the sun?
Herbivores outnumber carnivores for a reason!
So don't let anyone trick you otherwise. If they are they're trying to sell you something or benefit from your sweat and tears. There's only one way to truly rebel!
That's right!
Lying Flat is Justice!
HOLDER: Kazuma Sato RANK: 1 [You are now acquainted with an asshole.]
37.QUEEN OF CUPS
JavaScript:
// Main Visualizer Communicator
function seeddefEncrypt(message, key) {
let encrypted = '';
for (let i = 0; i < message.length; i++) {
let charCode = message.charCodeAt(i);
let keyChar = key[i % key.length].charCodeAt(0);
let shift = keyChar % 10 + 1;
encrypted += String.fromCharCode(charCode + shift);
}
return encrypted;
}
console.log("Main Visualizer Communicator...");
const encryptionKey = "UNDERCARDINAL";
const encryptedMessage = quantumEncrypt("DO NOT LOG IN. STAY OUT. DESTROY PROJECT ALICIZATION. DO NOT TRUST ADMINISTRATOR.", encryptionKey);
console.log("\nTransmitting Encrypted Message...");
console.log(`Encrypted Message: ${encryptedMessage}`);
console.log("Administrator: Unauthorized User Detected! Deleting Message...");
const deletedMessage = "This message has been deleted by the administrator.";
console.log(`Deleted Message: ${deletedMessage}`);
console.log("Main Visualizer Communicator Deactivated.");
50.KING OF SWORDS - OS Reboot [RANK 1]
Some ask why I continue to work in the field when it has taken so much from me.
Should I not feel ashamed for my part in this tragedy? Should I not hate myself? Hate all I have begotten?
But Hate is a self-indulgent thing that benefits no soul. It has never advanced the human condition, it has never provided anyone peace. It is more useless than pity and more harmful than apathy.
I seek no forgiveness and I offer no apologies. What's done is done. I cannot turn back the clock.
We have opened Pandora's box and thrown away the cover. We tasted the poisoned fruit and came back for seconds.
But I can roll up my sleeves. Grit my teeth. Get back to work.
Until the world is right again.
HOLDER: Tetsuhiro Shigemura RANK: 1 [You are now acquainted with the father of VR.]
66.KNIGHT OF COINS - The World's Finest Assassin [RANK 3]
Do you take pride in your work? Are you an expert? Maybe even a master?
Mastery does not arise from mere experience or study and certainly not from trite social constructs like degrees or promotions.
The day you realize you are a master is the day you find there's nothing left to learn. That every new skill is accompanied by an atrophy of a greater one.
A master can only move in one direction, and that is toward mediocrity.
Strength, skills, knowledge, even luck... everything dies.
Now you didn't come here to hear the ramblings of a man past his prime.
So tell me... who do you want me to kill?
HOLDER: A Man with No Name RANK: 3 [You are now friends with a Man with No Name.]
78.FOOL - World Ark Online [RANK 2]
Don't rush. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My first attempt was a failure, but I've learned. No project survives first contact with the public.
But soon it'll be ready.
We shall all be the hero.
The main character.
The author of our own story.
A new world awaits. One just for you.
Please look forward to it.
HOLDER: Akihiko Kayaba RANK: 2 [You have begun to understand a dreamer.]
Also, I'm being isekai'd into Hogwarts for at least a week, so updates will be delayed (unless the game sucks). Consider the previous vote open for longer than I usually let things ride.
[X] Add him to your friend list and promise him an explanation later. Much later.
[X] Tell Argo only the absolute barest minimum. You think Meimi is awake and you want to meet her. You expect Argo will talk with her before you will.
[X] Why is this your problem? You're just here on a job. Give him Argo's contact info and THEN Ghost him.
[X] Suck it up and call Argo. Tell her the truth to the best of your knowledge, excluding Persona. (Costs 5 DETERMINATION to be upfront with Argo)
Þórsdagr - 10th of Einmánuður
Evening
You look at Sigurd, weighting your response. He's puffing himself up right now, trying to project an image of stoic majesty which is somewhat broken by the twitching finger waving in your face.
"Flight just turned off. OFF! And my knees! I tripped over a stupid root and my knees started hurting! What kind of hacker are you!?"
Nothing about this makes much sense to you either. Above the ranting Sigurd the spiraling World Tree still towers into the night sky. With a moment to think you believe that you spawned up there, falling from its branches instead of the starter town you were supposed to spawn in. Gwen... was she the same? Only instead of falling, she was found by this... OBERON?
"Are you listening to me!? Who are you!?"
Why do you have to deal with this? This was Argo's quest. Let her deal with the consequences. "If you have any questions, ask Argo."
"The rat!? The Cait Sith's spymaster? You're working for her!?" is Sigurd's panicked reply. "Do you know how much she charges just for a meeting!? 5 GODDAMN MITHRIL! JUST TO MEET! Are you trying to bankrupt me? Please don't make me deal with that Yrd obsessed devil, she'll ruin me."
Hey, looks like Sigurd knows about her already! Spares you the trouble of having to hunt down her contact info.
"Don't worry Lord Sigurd, you are the wealthiest amongst all the Sylph Lords! Surely whatever tithe the Rat demands can be covered by your plentiful coffers," Leafa proclaims as she enters the clearing with a satisfied smile, black shadow dripping off her sword.
Sigurd groans in annoyance, clasping his hands together, practically begging you. "Please, just tell me something. Anything but Argo."
You spare a moment of sympathy for your fellow Sylph. The poor guy is about to drop to his hands and knees. Dealing with Argo is an unpleasant experience for all involved, one you'll soon share with him. How else were you going to get Meimi's hospital address?
Oooof! Leafa takes your hesitation to run up and clap you on the back. Unlike Gwen's final attack it didn't hurt, the strike just leaving the familiar dull numb sensation that accompanied damage you remember from SAO. "Twas a good fight Lux! Come find me in town if you're up for some sparring. Lord Sigurd if you're dealing with the Rat could you ask where that imposter Alf came from? I desire vengeance!"
"No, ABSOLUTELY not, I am not made of Mithril!" screams Sigurd, who seems ready to explode if someone doesn't take his side.
Leafa laughs and turns to walk away, waving goodbye as she drags Sigurd towards the town, the poor man ranting all the way out of the clearing.
...what an odd bunch. Are all Alfheim players like this? A problem for another day.
"Let's head home, Meimi."
You hit the Logout button, the world dissolving around you as the system bids you farewell.
<Thank you for playing Alfheim Online! If you enjoyed your time with us, please leave us a like on the SEED Nexus!>
THURSDAY - April 10th, 2025
Evening
A dial tone hangs in the air. One second. Two.
Pick up.
Damn it, Argo, you keep showing up where you're not wanted and now you won't even pick up?
*click*
<Wh... Agil? Wassup, something goin' wrong with the dive?>
"Argo. It's me," you spit out into the cell phone you borrowed from Agil.
<...Lux. That was fast, what forgot how to login or something? If you have problems with Alfheim go ask Agil, I don't got time to babysit you through this.>
"Meimi Tsurusaki. Where is she?"
A brief hesitation, a sound of shuffling papers. C'mon Argo, please tell me you at least know this much...
<She's in Alfheim, weren'tcha listening? Your job is to find her Lux.>
"The hospital! Which one!?"
<What? Hey, you know the rules of the biz, I can't exactly just give you that for fre->
"DON'T FUCK WITH ME! I WILL FIND THE FLASH AND CHOKE OUT HER COMATOSE BODY IF YOU DON'T TELL ME WHERE MEIMI IS RIGHT NOW!"
<Ahhh! Don't scream into the phone! Jeez, fine... just the kind of threats I'd expect out of LC's gopher...>
You tap your foot in impatience as Agil seems torn between interrupting or just leaving the room.
"...here it is. Huh, same hospital at Asuna. Yokohama General Hospital, private ward for VIPs... this Meimi Tsurusaki must be pretty loaded huh? Now why don't ya tell me why you're so inter-"
You hang up as you move towards the door, pulling up a navigation app as you do so. One way or another you need to confirm that Meimi was safe.
"Wait! Hold on—" interrupts Agil.
Your glare of impatience and hatred causes him only a momentary pause. As a fellow SAO survivor no doubt he's seen scarier things than an angry high schooler. "Don't be rash here. If this Meimi really did just suddenly wake up you'll be awfully suspicious as the first person to realize she's awake."
"I don't care. I need to go now."
"So you don't care. Fine, I get it, it's someone you knew on the inside. But you're not family. The hospital isn't just going to let any bozo waltz in and visit, especially this late. You remember waking up right? The disorientation, the overwhelming hunger... if Meimi is really awake she's in absolutely no position to be taking visitors."
You bite back your retort, knowing it would come across as childish.
"And this is a hospital we're talking about. They have security and everything. Look, all I'm asking you to do is wait till tomorrow during visiting hours. Come back here after school and I'll drive you myself, just don't do anything rash tonight and get yourself arrested."
School? Is he serious!?
"I'm not going back to school, I need to see her immediately!"
Agil sighs and shakes his head. "Fine, you know what? Crash here tonight, and we'll go first thing in the morning, alright?"
You almost protest but he's right. This is probably the fastest way you can meet Meimi in real life. "First thing tomorrow. You promise."
"Yes, yes, of course," Agil sighs. "You teenagers have too much energy. There's value in taking things slow."
It's frustrating but you'll wait. At that thought, you feel your body practically collapse in exhaustion as you slouch into a nearby sofa. Today... was one hell of a day, and tomorrow is likely even worse. As Agil ushers you upstairs so he can open for the night you hear him mutter "gotta talk Trish out of getting kids" under his breath.
FRIDAY - April 11th, 2025
Evening
The car drives along the highway south toward Yokohama. Your destination lies far south of Tokyo, it took several hours of driving to reach the hospital through the rush hour, and you can't help but feel stupid for agreeing to Agil's request. The subway would've been much faster.
Your eyes fall upon the dashboard clock: 08:45 a.m. The light of the sun hangs halfway up the sky. You were definitely missing school now.
"Hiyori's feeling really sick today. I'm sorry for the short notice, but she's always been such a frail child..." says Agil as he talks into his cell phone, pretending to be your father.
"Cough. Cough," you give a halfhearted attempt at faking illness when Agil waves the phone in your direction.
"See? Terrible cough, wouldn't want to get the student body sick. Of course, of course. A doctor's note? Now let's not be rash, you know how expensive visits can be..."
The streets are quiet when Agil pulls up outside the large imposing hospital. He parks behind a small van near the main entrance and jumps out before opening your door. "Come on, let's go see if your sleeping beauty is awake," he smiles gently as you climb down out of the passenger seat.
"Thank you very much." You nod in appreciation and hold out your hand. "Sorry about making you lie..."
Agil gives a laugh, "Your teacher sounded like she couldn't care less, kid. Sides' it's the first week of school so you shouldn't even have homework. Now go on ahead, I don't much fancy the idea of interrupting your reunion so I'll just wait here."
As you approach the building doors slide open automatically; inside there are plenty of staff dressed in white coats moving quickly throughout the hallways, each with their own purpose.
You hastily greet the receptionist and ask if Meimi Tsurusaki is taking visitors. If the name is recognized, the worker in front of you shows no sign of it. A few minutes of back-and-forth phone calls while you impatiently pace around the lobby finally bears fruit.
"Thank you for your patience. Tsurusaki-sama is indeed taking visitors. You can find her on the top floor, please use the elevators in the back."
...she's taking visitors.
Which means she's awake.
Like you. Out of SAO. Out of Alfheim. In the real world...
What were you going to say to her? What should you even call her?
Would she forgive you? Could you be... friends again?
There's nothing left to hesitate over. Whatever happens, you need to see her. Confirm her safety with your own eyes. With your mind clear you step onto the elevator and push the button for the tenth floor.
A familiar smell of antiseptic hits you the second you enter Meimi's private room. You've almost forgotten that odor, clean yet at the same time somehow suffocating. An emaciated figure lies on a gel bed surrounded by a forest of monitors and poles.
You sit quietly in a chair beside Meimi's bed. She has dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, still tired from two years in SAO. Her breaths are shallow from disuse and her entire frame is encircled with a crisscross of IVs and telemetry wires.
"Meimi... um... hi. Sorry for barging in unannounced."
Meimi stares back blankly. "...L...ux?"
"Y...yes, it's me. Do... you remember your promise...?"
"...that's the first thing you ask. You really are selfish... Hiyori," she smiles as she greets you for the first time.
The next second you're hugging Meimi in your arms with both hands encircling her.
"Meimi... you're okay...?"
She grumbles shaking her head against your chest. "D... don't squeeze so hard. Hurts to move..."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just... felt happy that you're okay Meimi. Thank you... thank you."
Meimi slowly calms herself, wiping away the last of her tears and looking up at you. "Hey, I'm glad to see you're alive too."
You pull away and look at Meimi properly. She's so thin, the years in SAO not doing her any favors. Her hair was matted into a loose bob, fitted into the shape of the NerveGear foam that was her warden for so long. Whatever limited passive physical therapy the gel beds administered was only sufficient to provide a limited amount of muscle preservation, and Meimi looked like she had a painful few months to look forward to.
"Don't look at me like I'm invalid. I'll be back up before you know it!"
"Are you alright? I mean, are you here alone?"
Meimi laughs bitterly. "Some four-eyed government spook with his girlfriend showed up earlier to take my statement. Didn't say anything to him, gave a sob story about it all being a haze. Like hell I'd incriminate myself the moment I'm free."
"...was he the only one?"
"You mean my parents? Heh... they're out of town. Guess they couldn't even bothered to stick around in case their daughter woke up. Won't be showing up for a few days, only one who was here to greet me was the family butler... and you I suppose."
You remember waking up to your mom rushing over to comfort you, and you shake your head to clear it of the memory. "I'm sure they're worried..."
But Meimi's expression grows cold. "I'm not so sure of that. Well, I guess I can be useful to them again, so they'll at least be happy..."
Meimi looks back up at you.
"...but I know why you're here. Can't leave you hanging like this. So I think I should tell you exactly what happened."
You don't care about that. Not now.
"No. That can wait. I've... waited almost a year to tell you this but I'm... sorry. I just... I'm sorry I left you behind."
Meimi turns away from you, unwilling to meet your gaze. "3 months. They locked me up there for 3 months just for being an Orange Player. If it wasn't for the game being cleared I would've been there longer. You know there's no dying in a town right? In that prison everyone's too far away to send duel requests, and even if you feel like starving to death SAO doesn't actually include that mechanic..."
It wasn't anything you've considered in the past. Eating wasn't strictly necessary, but the hunger pangs turned from annoying to painful rapidly without basic sustenance. But why would the «Army» waste valuable resources feeding prisoners?
You stare in silence at Meimi, listening intently until her voice breaks off. "It was... I can't describe it. I think I went mad. Everyone there did, for the first few weeks. Eventually, everyone unlocks «Aescetic» and just stops feeling hungry. But even once I got my wits back it was just... ceaseless boredom..."
She's silent for a long moment before continuing.
"Everyone thought you were the one who sold us out. The only LC members at large were you, PoH and a few of the random informants..."
It wasn't you. You didn't have the guts to betray Laughing Coffin, though you also didn't have the bravery needed to join Meimi in that lightless prison.
That day when the clearers rounded up Laughing Coffin you lied. You used your Green Player status to dodge justice, claiming just to be a victim... even when the likes of Argo argued to lock you up she couldn't counter your simple strategy of playing dumb.
You could almost laugh, it was so ridiculous. The mark of «Laughing Coffin» was inscribed high up on your thigh, a perverted joke by the lunatic who inscribed it onto your skin. Yet there was a method to the madness, the act of making the tattoo was a side effect of an «Attack» so it could legally strike any part of your body— but anyone who wanted to actually search you for the tattoo would be subject to the «Anti-Harassment Code» for forcibly searching a sensitive area. With no evidence, nobody willing to talk from within the Coffins and a Green Cursor not even Argo was able to secure your imprisonment.
"Meimi... I didn't betray Laughing Coffin, but I wish I did... we..."
She studies your expression. "I suppose he was right..."
"He?"
"XaXa. Most of us thought you betrayed us but XaXa was convinced you couldn't have done it. He thinks PoH sold everyone out just as a sick joke or something, I don't get that guy but to him, being in jail was just another exciting event."
"...But I did betray you. I left you behind Meimi, I let you get locked up alone..."
Meimi's face becomes grave and she falls silent before finding the words she was looking for, "It's fine. I understand why you left me. You gotta look out for yourself..."
Her lips twist slightly into a frown, but strangely she relaxs again,"...and I want to say... I'm sorry Hiyori."
"...?"
"I told myself I liked being in SAO, that it was better than the real world... that I would do everything I could by myself. But then I found you freshly recruited by PoH and looking like a lost puppy... I wanted you to join me for real. I wanted to become PKers together. I wanted to show you how fun it was breaking the rules, of living truly free... but you were never free were you?"
No, you weren't... trapped between the demands of a guild of murderers and the informants who were hunting you free was the last thing you were.
"Did I ever tell you how I joined up? How Gwen became an Orange Player?" prods Meimi.
"You... were a guild supporting Laughing Coffin right?" Gwen wasn't formally a member of Laughing Coffin but part of a network of Orange Guilds that engaged in thievery and extortion. Laughing Coffin to your own knowledge was the only guild dedicated to killing for killing's sake alone, not that it was even formally recognized by the system. "I mean, Laughing Coffin wasn't a formal guild. We needed informants from other guilds, LC was more of an informal gathering of people with a common friends lists and the tattoo..."
To your knowledge, Gwen never actually received a LC tattoo that marked a full member.
Gwen nods as you see her eyes wander to your legs, where the LC tattoo would've been had you been in your SAO avatar. "Yeah. LC showed up one day and blitzed through my guild. Before they showed up I was just doing some highway robbery and farming NPC villages. Demanded a bunch of tribute under threat of being wiped out, not like we could go running to the clearer guilds for protection as Orange Players, so we were forced to play ball with them..."
"So you were being held hostage by LC too..."
"Hey now, don't lump our situations together! I admired them, I was angling to join LC formally. I actually went on runs with them. You know I was actually jealous they let you in and kept me out..." Gwen chuckles. "At first I thought the only reason they let you in was because one of them had a crush on you or something."
Meimi snorts at this, causing you grimace at the thought of one of those lunatics being interested in you.
"I... was hoping we could've joined together. I figured if we managed to kill a player all by ourselves PoH would take notice and let me in as a member and stop forcing you to be their gopher. If you became an Orange Player you wouldn't have to spy anymore, then you could come with me and we could've had all sorts of fun together..."
You recall your memories of Gwen. Her smile, the way she laughed, she was constantly needling you to get rid of your Green Cursor status. Enjoy the game the 'way it was intended' as a PvP game.
"Lux..." she says, slipping back into your username. "Please don't lie to me about this. Was it true? Did anybody... actually die?"
...Gwen was an Orange Player, one allied with LC. Whether directly or indirectly she participated in PKing, though she never talked to you about the full extent of her activities.
"..."
"I suppose that answers it... guess I'm going from one jail to another one..."
"Oh... the government actually can't actually prosecute you. Extenuating circumstances, a lack of evidence... officially all the deaths are being pinned on Kayaba Akihiko."
"Goody. I guess that just means... I'm a murderer for real now, huh... glad you managed to keep your hands clean then..."
You shake your head. "Meimi, it was just a stupid cursor color. You being orange doesn't make you any more guilty and me being green doesn't make me more innocent. We're... both murderers..."
"Don't murderers go to jail? If I'm free and you're free does that mean everyone's free?"
You grimace. Unfortunately, that was indeed the case. "Nobody got arrested for the SAO incident. Not any Orange Players, not known Laughing Coffin members, not even Kayaba Akihiko."
"For real?"
"Yeah. They never caught him, he's still at large. Guess we're all escaping justice."
"Justice huh? Don't forget I spent 3 months in jail while you didn't..." Oh. In a way, if you were both murderers she was the only who received any punishment.
"You know... " mumbles Meimi. "I... I hated you when I was stewing in jail. Lux, the LC member who could never decide, who couldn't commit to anything was free while I'm left to rot... but all I did was wish you were there with me. I spent all that time just wishing my only friend would suffer with me."
After everything she still could call you a friend. "I never had to chance to thank you," you begin saying, feeling emotion welling up in your voice. "But you were the only reason I didn't just jump off Aincrad. When I was with you, being Lux of Laughing Coffin wasn't all that bad. It was even... fun."
"Fun... yeah. Being with you was fun for me too. PKing... robbing... I think it was something I did just because I had nothing better to do. But hanging out with Lux wasn't bad either. Some friends we turned out to be..."
You grab her hand as you shake your head. "It... sounds like Lux was a pretty bad friend to Gwen."
"...yeah, I guess she was. Gwen was a pretty horrible friend to Lux too."
"Which is why I want to start over... Meimi." You squeeze her hand as you send her your wish.
Meimi's lips twitch as squeezes back with her emaciated fingers, her cold hands entwining with yours.
"...you're so selfish. But I... missed you. You're... the only friend I had in that world... this world too..."
Your throat constricts.
"Meimi, I—"
"Don't apologize! We're starting over right?"
You swallow hard. Meimi has tears streaming down her cheeks, her face bright red.
"Yeah—let's start over," you manage to stutter, "as friends."
Your visit is interrupted by Meimi's breakfast, which comes in the form of a thin soup and a gray paste. You remember having to subsist on that for a week after you first woke up. Something about restarting your stomach after years of atrophy.
"This is the priciest hospital ward money can buy and this is what I have to suffer through..." You note that despite the protests Meimi doesn't waste a single drop of the soup. You figure she had a special distaste for the feeling of hunger now. But even that wasn't enough to make her stomach the nutrient paste.
"You should eat the paste Meimi. It's supposed to redevelop your gut." You recall your doctor telling you that the sooner you stomached the slop the sooner your gut could get used to regular food.
"Well... Hiyori... want to share it?"
Uh... no? It tasted like manure mixed with chalk, "No."
Meimi curls up her nose. "This is a new record for the fastest betrayal ever Hiyori."
"It's for your own good! The sooner you can stomach the paste the sooner you can eat cake."
"Ugh, shut up mom..."
"Now eat up before I'm forced to feed you."
Mortified, Meimi shoves another spoonful of the paste down her throat. She swallows and wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her uniform while cursing under her breath. "... how long will I have to live off this stuff?"
"Too long."
"Is it too late to go back to SAO?"
A knock on the door interrupts your conversation.
"Tsurusaki-sama? This is your nurse. It's the girl who was here yesterday."
Meimi looks like she would rather swallow more of the paste than take another visitor. "That girl that showed up with the spook yesterday. I wasn't even awake for an hour before they barged down the door..."
A girl? Oh... "was her name Hosaka Carina Tomo?"
"Huh? It was some long name, but I don't remember it. I guess?"
"That was «Argo»."
"For real? You're telling me she's some kind of IRL cop? Damn it the Rat is still skulking around here..."
"I'm not really sure what her relationship to the government is, but she's the one who told me you were possibly trapped in Alfheim Online." Speaking of which you still need to find out what happened to get Meimi trapped in ANOTHER VRMMO after SAO.
Meimi sighs and gives in. "I guess that means I owe her a favor too. Fine, I don't want to tell this story twice, might as well just get it over with."
Hosaka Carina Tomo enters, holding a box of chocolates. When she sees you with Meimi sitting up in bed her smile widens as she approaches, "Gopher-chan you sure work fast! Not even one day and ya land on the motherlode of leads."
Meimi scowls suspiciously. "This lead has a name, Rat. What's with the dumb gift? I can't even eat chocolate."
"Hey, hey. This stuff's a delicacy in my hometown! Local product."
"I'll be sure to ask my parents to buy out that company and fire everyone."
"Alright alright, calm down. I can see I'm not wanted here. But ya weren't talking yesterday, I ain't leaving you alone until you spill."
Meimi pouts, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'd say 'good luck getting me to talk,' except that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Problem is, I don't remember much."
Hosaka's composure momentary breaks as you see her judge whether striking a hospital patient was a good idea. "Ya not the only one trapped. Good people still haven't woken up yet! So I need to know what the hell the two of ya did yesterday!"
"Then let me start," you interrupt. "Meimi can fill in the blanks."
You were dreading this part, but in the end good sense won out. Argo supplied you with the information you needed to rescue Meimi, and it was clear that her winning personality aside Argo really did have friends she was trying to rescue, the same as you.
So you describe events to the best of your knowledge, Meimi listening enraptured as you recount your encounter with her alter-ego. The Lady Gwendolyn, Consort of OBERON, the King of Fairies.
Your encounter with the Sylph party. Sigurd, Leafa... and the third member, Rebar or something.
"OBERON..." Hosaka mutters as she starts browsing her tablet. "That's the name of the King of Fairies in the lore of Alfheim. He's the boss of the Alfs, the immortal race that all the normal fairies descend from."
"I don't care about the game lore. Meimi, you kept talking about OBERON the whole time we were fighting. Who is he?"
Meimi bites her lip and turns away, trembling. Finally she works up the courage to respond, her voice small and hesitant, "I'm... not sure. I remember being in that jail, the system message announcing the game had been cleared... but then I heard another voice. Something calling me for a higher purpose, I thought it was the system giving me a reward for enduring imprisonment."
Hosaka raises an eyebrow.
"That's my last clear memory. Everything else just seems like a blur... but I remember bits and pieces about OBERON."
"What else? What did it look like?" asks Hosaka.
"He was... blinding. Just being by him I felt safe, like I could do anything. I can't even say what his face looked like beyond it being beautiful. He had hair that shone gold, a radiant smile, robes of emerald jade... I think I loved him or was made to love him. A shining one that I couldn't help but admire."
You stare at Meimi as your mind flashes to your memories of Gwendolyn. How much of that was Meimi herself? Or were these feelings caused by the person she called king?
"And he knew my name. He said it aloud, he called me his Lady Gwendolyn..." Her eyes are wide, glassy with emotion. "It seemed familiar... like it was always my name. Like Gwen was just an alter ego, like Meimi never existed in the first place. It was like... when I was in jail days melded into each other, first hunger then boredom, constantly eating away into my sense of time and place."
Meimi stares at her hands, frail and bony, nothing like the manicured and perfumed hands of Lady Gwendolyn.
"But instead of pain it was pleasure. I could be anything I wanted, look however I wanted. I just remember... pleasure, and happiness... not things that made me happy but just the raw feeling. Pure joy..."
Hosaka clears her throat uncomfortably.
Meimi looks up and meets the agent's eye.
"Ya didn't mention any of this when Kiks was asking ya."
"Well forgive me for not mentioning the bit where I spent months in love with a glowing fairy man!" she snaps back angrily. "Look, I've got plenty of questions too, okay? Even now I'm not sure who OBERON is, everything just passed by like a haze."
You interrupt, "Do you remember changing your appearance?"
"I think so. I remember passing the time just basking in OBERON's presence, along with the rest of the Consorts... I was complaining that I was stuck in a preteen body and next thing I know I was taller, fuller, just... more."
"Wait, other Consorts?"
Hosaka answers you for her. "A worrying pattern I've noticed. SAO's a sausage fest... maybe 10-20% are girls? About half of the 300 still trapped in SAO are girls, which wouldn't make sense for a random sample. Stands to reason some or most of them might've ended up as consorts for this... OBERON?"
Meimi nods slowly, thinking hard. "I can't recall a number but I think there were lots of us. The only one I remember clearly was Titania..."
"Titania...?" gulps Hosaka, whose eyes widen like saucers. "Wait, look at this picture!"
As Asuna's blurry picture is shoved into Meimi's face she nods in recognition. "Yeah. She was always kept in this cage, never out with the rest of us. I remember her screaming and cursing at OBERON— we all hated her for it."
Meimi flips through the pictures Hosaka has given her, before settling on a picture of Asuna in her hospital bed. "Everything in that world was so hazy to me, I don't think I ever made the connection that Titania was the Flash. I know Asuna IRL, our families tended to move in the same circles, but we were hardly friends. Still, I'd normally remember her face but I was too busy just... having fun and experiencing that... joy. Whatever you call it. It was... so blinding... so peaceful..."
She holds her head as something seems to come forth from her memories. "The ring. The ring of light you placed upon my hand, upon all of our hands. I remember the oath we swore. We must love OBERON. He is our King, our God. OBERON is to be loved above all, thus declares the Law of OBERON."
The three of you freeze.
Hosaka's mouth opens slightly, before snapping shut again.
Meimi closes her eyes tight as tears stream down her cheeks. Then she whispers softly, "My King, my lover, my Lord, please accept my humble offering... my body, my thoughts, my soul..."
"Meimi?"
Meimi smiles sweetly, reaching towards the sky without opening her eyes. "My heart beats for you alone, oh King of Fairies. All I am belongs to you and you alone. I offer myself entirely to you."
*Crack*
You hand slams against Meimi's cheek as a slap echoes across the room.
"Hey!" cries Meimi, rubbing at her cheek and glaring hatefully at you. "That hurts! Why'd you hit me, idiot?"
"Because you're acting like a stupid cultist right now! You're seriously falling in love with a game character?"
"Shut up!" she shouts back, wiping the wetness from her face. "What the hell, why am I crying?"
"You keep going off on tangents and saying weird things about 'obeying the laws' the 'light' or whatever! Who is this guy named OBERON!? You haven't even answered that!"
Meimi blinks out of her confusion and rubs her face with both palms. "All I know is this. Everyone in court, myself included, loved him. They revere him. He was my— their god."
"So he's like the big boss? Is he real? Do you think he's a player or an NPC?"
Meimi shakes her head. "I honestly have no idea."
"What if he ain't either of those things?" says Hosaka suddenly, leaning forward over the table. "What if someone's making all this happen? Maybe some hacker using VRMMO servers to create their own little heaven where he gets to be a harem king. Possibly even a rogue AI?"
The three of you exchange glances. There is certainly a possibility. Even now Meimi is shaking her head in confusion, "Just thinking about OBERON gives me this pit in my stomach..."
Hosaka continues. "What does he want? Does anyone even know? Did he tell you that?"
Meimi takes a deep breath. "We were told we would become his wives. To obey him. That we would be queens of the new world. And that we will rule alongside him forever and ever and ever until the end of time. I don't really understand the details..."
You frown at how easily Meimi accepts this stuff. Her mind was violated but somehow she still longs for it. If you had known such a thing was possible, would you give in? Would you follow after a stranger with promises of eternal paradise?
The words hang heavy between you, unspoken, as Hosaka speaks.
"This is beyond fucked."
Meimi shrugs. "I've told you all I know."
"Except for one little detail. How'd ya log out when everyone else is still trapped eh?"
Meimi escaped because you developed last-minute super-hacking powers supplied to you by the literal voices in your head. Not exactly something you can just drop on Argo the Rat, especially when you suspect she's working with the government...
"I used the logout button, like everyone else" murmurs Meimi, almost embarrassed. "This is just guesswork but there's nothing stopping anyone from logging out of Alfheim. I just... didn't want to log out. Or didn't even consider it as an option."
"You're omitting something," states Hosaka, deadpan.
You stare back at her. "Why do you believe that? She already admitted that she doesn't know the exact mechanics behind escaping, and besides, she's here now! I found her, convinced her to logout, end of story."
"Uh-huh. You know I got a rather interesting request from that Sylph named Sigurd yesterday. Very panicked. Was shouting off some rando BS about black sludge and some kinda floating Undine. Know anything bout' that, gopher-chan?"
"Not a damn thing."
"Fine, be that way. Well, I'm happy you two PKers reunited but the job's not done yet. All this talk about OBERON don't change the fact the only way to find this weirdo is by climbing the dumb tree. And we ain't no closer to the top of the tree."
"Why should I help you anymore? I've done what I promised," you growl out. Meimi was rescued, if Argo wanted to save her friends she could do so on her own time with her own goons.
"Izzat so? I've got a few family members to call..."
"You got a lot of nerve," huffs Meimi, "I don't know or care who you are, Argo, but you make trouble for Hiyori and I'll be very cross. I just woke up from a 2-year coma, my parents will probably do whatever I ask. Got any parents? Siblings? What about your hometown? I can make life very difficult for you, very quickly."
Hosaka laughs darkly. "You don't scare me, princess, and your folks don't scare the people I work with. But you better watch your ass around me, cuz like ya I won't forget a grudge."
Meimi glares daggers at her. "A grudge? You say that like it's a bad thing. Just try it and you'll see how far the Tsurusaki zaibatsu goes for a mere grudge."
"Don't worry," mutters Argo, smiling nastily. "We're all good upstanding spies and murderers here. Surely we can come to an agreement?"
...
With only the briefest hesitation, Meimi declares her intent. "Alright. I want in."
"...wait, Meimi, you just woke up! And it's too dangerous-"
Meimi looks you straight in the eye. You feel a chill run down your spine. A cold voice fills your ears as well. "OBERON messed with me, and I don't even know why. I want answers. I want revenge. So whatever you two have planned, I want to be a part of it."
"Deal," smirks Hosaka. She then turns to you. "And we need to set aside our differences and focus on getting inside that tree."
"After you've threatened me—"
"Fine. Was an empty threat anyway. I won't go spilling your past to nobody, you can rest assured that so long as Kayaba's still missing the fury of the victims' families is focused on him."
Hosaka frowns as you sense a change in her. This was a girl who found herself trapped in a death game and the first thing she thought of doing was organizing an information network and helping as many as she could. And when she found herself free but her friends still trapped she didn't grieve, she didn't run away, she rolled up her sleeves and got back to work. Making deals, crawling through the muck, whatever it took to get the job done.
So it's with a not insignificant amount of surprise that you see her features morph into an alien visage. Uncertainty. Fear. Just another victim.
"...in the end... I just need ya help. Good people are trapped, moved from hell into a false heaven. I don't like ya, I'm sure the feelin's mutual too. Don't do it for me, do it so that we can close the book on SAO once and for all."
"C'mon, Hiyori. I won't rest until I can kick that creep OBERON in the face," says Meimi, trying to encourage you.
...to finish SAO. To get revenge for Meimi. To redeem yourself. You nod in agreement.
You're not even sure what's your true motivation. But you won't back down, not until the fight's finished.
PLAN Phase
The court of the Fairy King will soon reach completion.
His supplicants seek rapture into the shining new world of fae and fantasy.
Such a petty HEAVEN only has room for a handful of dreamers. Normally it would never be enough to overwrite the logos of the world.
But the world is weak, battered and vulnerable. Even this fantasy can fracture it.
My agent, we cannot allow this to pass.
You have until the end of May.
Break down the doors of Yggdrasil.
Rip off his wings.
Shred his finery.
And show his world the true face of their god.
DETERMINATION: 45 Points
Wallet: 17500 Yen
Select actions for the period of April 12-15. [4 DAYS]
Meimi will be available as a party member NEXT WEEK following the next major event.
You may select 4 MAJOR actions and 4 MINOR actions.
You may freely select MINOR actions in place of MAJOR actions (but not vice versa) - theoretically you can do 6 MINOR actions if you prefer.
You may select as many FREE ACTIONS as you care for.
You may take an additional MAJOR action for 10 D.
You may take an additional MINOR action for 5 D.
The GRAND TOTAL for all actions this period cannot exceed 12.
DETERMINATION is also spent to select special choices so it may be beneficial to leave some banked!
Don't worry about specifying the exact date, that will be determined by QM for narrative convenience.
Shadow Tag: Several options are labeled as [Lux]. Generally you should choose 30% of MAJOR actions from this pool, failure to do so will cause your Shadow to take over your body randomly during routine actions to unpredictable effects. Voluntarily taking more [Lux] actions than is necessary remains at your discretion, but has no mechanical benefit.
Lux will frequently make decisions without player input. Large decisions when Lux is in control will usually only have skewed options, with normal options requiring high DETERMINATION costs.
Be aware taking multiple MAJOR actions using DETERMINATION is still subject to this rule.
*IMPORTANT MECHANIC CHANGE Eternal Punishment will be revamped.
Actions (ie, mostly stuff your Shadow will do) will accumulate STRESS which is similar to a social HP stat. As STRESS increases you accumulate combat penalties. STRESS will be relieved by spending actions to manage it.
STRESS is also accumulated by utilizing specific PERSONA abilities.
Major Actions (REAL WORLD)
[ ] [FORTUNATE Son]: The loud boy keeps greeting you every morning. He's apparently doing the same thing to EVERYBODY at school. Honestly, it's rather creepy... Your intuition tells you this kid is best off being ignored. But you do sense a seed of power within... [Costs 10 D] [SL]
[ ] [Rising SUN]: Hang out with your friend from school. There's a local restaurant that's all the rage she wants to take you to! [1d10*500Yen][SL]
[ ] [Bunking around Bunkyo]: Explore the neighborhood. Find out what there is to do and where you can hang out. Maybe find a part-time job?
[ ] [The G-Man]: Argo is working with someone. Why not meet the man behind the curtain and find out what he knows? [Costs 10 D]
[ ] [A Study in Velvet]: What is a Persona? You called it forth in Alfheim, and you know that Havfrue is not the extent of your power. The «Velvet Room» is the basis of your power, it's high time you visited it properly and introduce yourself to your strange allies.
[ ] [Yggdrasil Inc]: The World Tree appears both in reality and the virtual world. From what you can tell the one in the waking world gets smaller as you travel away and bigger as you get closer. You can't exactly tell a taxi driver to get closer to the invisible tower only you can see... but with a map, Tokyo's train system, and some good ol' fashioned footwork you can probably figure out where exactly the tree is originating from.
Major Actions (ALFHEIM)
[ ] [Consult//Sigurd]: Apparently... he's actually a Sylph Lord. That means he's a big deal in the internal politics of your race. He actually paid Argo's exorbitant fees and has been spamming your inbox with message and friend requests. You'll have to throw him a bone but asking his thoughts on the race to the world tree could prove to be illuminating.
[ ] [Consult//Argo]: Argo isn't stupid. If she's trying to climb the world tree she likely already has a plan hatched. She prefers you to go out and find your own leads, mumbling something about not letting an "amateur" like yourself get in her way, but if you INSIST you could probably help her with whatever her current plot is. Or at least find out exactly WHAT her current plot is. [Costs 10 D]
[ ] [Consult//Glitch Hunters]: A thought. How did the picture of Asuna get taken in the first place? It strikes you that SOMEONE had to have taken that picture... so how did they get up into the World Tree? Agil says he can introduce you...
[ ] [Farm//Racing]: You've taken to flight quite naturally, now it's time to challenge yourself. Fly through hoops, participate in time trials and test yourself against the best fliers of the Sylph Race. [Trains AGI]
[ ] [Farm//Runes]: Magic as per the system of Alfheim involves calling forth runic words of power, stringing them together in order to create various exotic effects based on the words chosen. The problem is that runic words are unlocked using the skill system and you have absolutely no formal magic skill to speak of, your Persona abilities notwithstanding. You'll never be an archmage but with some dedicated grinding you could at least give yourself a baseline magic skill. [Trains MAG]
[ ] [Farm//Rocks]: Pick up rocks and then put them down. Over and over. For an entire goddamn afternoon. Cause you sure as hell don't know where else to train right now. [Trains VIT]
[ ] [Explore//Leprechaun]: While many races are hostiles to each other, the Leprechauns have a stranglehold on Alfheim's crafting system. Hence, their territory is generally considered open to all races that are willing to play nice with each other. You have no leads in this area, but wandering can have its own rewards.
[ ] [Explore//Salamander]: The Sylph race and the Salamander race are currently in the middle of a war. Combat is virtually guaranteed but the Salamanders are rumored to be the strongest race with the greatest chance of actually conquering the world tree. You have no leads in this area, but wandering can have its own rewards.
[ ] [Explore//Cait Sith]: The Cait Sith leader Alicia Rue is evidently close with Argo. Sounds like no matter what the cats will be in your pocket... right? Best make sure.
[ ] [Explore//Sylph]: The Sylph territory is your home territory. That being said, you don't actually know much about the power players beyond Sigurd and you've yet to even see, much less meet, your supposed leader Sakuya.
[ ] [Explore//Alne]: The World Tree sits at the foot of Alne, home city of the mythical Alfs and capital of the world. Passage into the World Tree requires reaching this city, thankfully you have a handy dandy town portal to skip the arduous journey. You have no leads in this area, but wandering can have its own rewards.
Major Actions (Lux)
[ ] [Stalk//Sigurd]: Your character is preferentially spec'd for tracking targets and hiding... so why the hell aren't you abusing this for all it's worth!? You don't WANT to Stalk Sigurd but you don't really know anyone else to stalk...
[ ] [Stalk//Leafa]: Sure, why not. She seems fun, in a dumb blonde kind of way. Maybe you can find out why everyone in Alfheim's so crazy?
[ ] [Playing in Shibuya]: You live alone. ALONE! In Tokyo! Let's go play around in Shibuya cause who's gonna stop you? Will drain 2d6 * 1000 Yen. Will gain a souvenir. If both dice match gain Yen instead.
[ ] [Entertain Endou]: Endou's going to hang out in your apartment! Eh, at least she seems more fun than all the other mobs at school. Might want to check out an arcade together or something cause there's nothing really to do in your apartment.
[ ] [Annoy Shino]: Shino and Endou seem to hate each other! Why? Well Endou is exploiting Shino's deep-seated trauma at killing a human being to accumulate chump change. And uh... Shino narc'd on Endou? Details. You made up with Meimi despite being horrible to each other, so why not invite Shino to your apartment and surprise her with Endou! You're sure they'll become the best of friends! That or give you a good laugh.
[ ] [Free//<INSERT>]: Have your Shadow perform ANY of the other Major Actions! Will have rather unpredictable results, but she'll make her own fun. If you make your Shadow run a SOCIAL LINK event the events will be even more unpredictable and may lock that SL into a Shadow-exclusive route for better or worse (probably definitely worse).
Minor Actions Available this Period: Unless specified otherwise you may take individual Minor actions multiple times.
[ ] [Study]: It's a boring task but someone's got to do it. At your current CURRICULUM level, you are likely to do AVERAGE on your next exam.
[ ] [Exercise]: You can do about 10 pushups a day now! Provided you take a minute break between each pushup. Gotta grind that FITNESS.
[ ] [Meditate]: Sit underneath a cold shower and contemplate the world. Build up your GRIT.
[ ] [Socialize]: Only with purpose. Find out what counts as small talk in your school, start memorizing classmates' names, and bolster your MASK.
[ ] [Sightsee]: Bunkyo ward is blessed with many shrines and gardens not to mention the bustling Tokyo Dome City. Go people-watching, appreciate nature, simply enjoy existing in this world and bask in the collective's EMPATHY.
[ ] [Gunpla]: I mean, you already bought it... there's nothing sadder than a model kit that lies incomplete. Can be taken up to 3 times with a completion bonus. Builds up your GRIT.
[ ] [Rehab Cheer!]: Meimi needs moral support while she's learning what muscles are again. Keep her company and try not to laugh when she inevitably throws a tantrum. Bolsters your EMPATHY.
[ ] [Wiki-Warrior]: You're going to be spending ALOT of time in Alfheim Online. Maybe you can watch a tutorial video? Read the wiki? I mean, you needed someone to tell you how to even log out of the game. [Trains CHT]
[ ] [Elf Lore]: There's a whole cottage industry of content creators hyperanalyzing the absurdly complicated lore of Alfheim Online, half of which involves trying to predict in what direction the lore AI will steer the world plot. Learning about the actual lore behind the World Tree... might help you? Or it might be a waste of time.
[ ] [Report//OBERON]: Compile what you know of Oberon based on the information you've gathered so far with Meimi. Agil promises that information about the inner workings of Alfheim and the World Tree are valuable to Argo's bosses who will pay you for the task. [Gains 5000 Yen]
[ ] [Sparring//Leafa]: She's not exactly hard to find. Leafa is evidently famous as one of Sylph race's strongest fighters and fastest fliers. She's offered to duel you to help you train, though you'll have to deal with her intense LARPing. [Trains STR] [Costs 5 D]
[ ] [Gopher-Change]: Not much you can do to make money right now - but chores remain universally unpopular. Ask to take care of some of the other classes' chores for them in exchange for chump change. Inefficiently trains GRIT. Gain 1d4 * 1000 Yen.
[ ] [RMT Scout]: Look. You're here to do a job. Alfheim Online is a VRMMO so there are going to be farmers... you don't have time to grind it out yourself so why don't you go play around and see how people sell gold in an AI-controlled economy?
Free Actions: As the quest progresses the amount of "bang for your buck" will change as I try to balance the DETERMINATION/YEN economy.
[ ] [Sweets!] A famous french pastry chef has created a pop up restaurant in Shibuya! Macroons, Eclairs and enough Cream Puffs to stuff your cheeks to bursting. But the price tag... Purchase 5 D for 5000 yen. One time per period.
[ ] [More Sweets!] It's not enough. I demand more cream puffs. Purchase 3 D for 5000 yen. Repeatable.
[ ] [Argo RMT] Damn it, you're pretty sure Argo's Alfheim avatar is rich. Why isn't she funding you!? Go beg Argo for some in-game cash so you can actually buy something... [Costs 20 D]
[ ] [Amusphere] It's safe. They promised. SAO cannot happen again. But you remain unconvinced. Still... almost everything was being folded into VR now. Online lessons. Cram schools. Training. Even concerts. Possessing an Amusphere is rapidly turning from a luxury item to a necessity. Purchase [Amusphere] for 20000 yen. Unlocks other options.
[ ] [Augma] You can't say you enjoy VR anymore but you've yet to try Augmented Reality. The AUGMA was just announced to massive hype and all SAO survivors were offered an opportunity to beta test the device... but as you aren't affiliated with the Survivor School you'll have to buy the hardware yourself and boy is it pricey... Purchase [AUGMA] for 30000 yen. Unlocks other options.
Submit as a PLAN VOTE please
You have 4 MAJOR
4 MINOR
And the option to take an additional action per day for Determination of up to 12 Actions grand total
As Asuka's blurry picture is shoved into Meimi's face she nods in recognition. "Yeah. She was always kept in this cage, never out with the rest of us. I remember her screaming and cursing at Oberon - we all hated her for it."
Meimi flips through the pictures Hosaka has given her, before settling on a picture of Asuka in her hospital bed
[X] Plan No Cool Name
-[X] MAJOR ACTIONS
--[X] [A PRUDENT Talk]: Call your mom. [Costs 20 D] [SL]
--[X] [A Study in Velvet]: What is a Persona? You called it forth in Alfheim, and you know that Havfrue is not the extent of your power. The «Velvet Room» is the basis of your power, it's high time you visited it properly and introduce yourself to your strange allies.
--[X] [Yggdrasil Inc]: The World Tree appears both in reality and the virtual world. From what you can tell the one in the waking world gets smaller as you travel away and bigger as you get closer. You can't exactly tell a taxi driver to get closer to the invisible tower only you can see... but with a map, Tokyo's train system, and some good ol' fashioned footwork you can probably figure out where exactly the tree is originating from.
--[X] [Entertain Endou]: Endou's going to hang out in your apartment! Eh, at least she seems more fun than all the other mobs at school. Might want to check out an arcade together or something cause there's nothing really to do in your apartment.
-[X] MINOR ACTIONS
--[X] [Wiki-Warrior]: You're going to be spending ALOT of time in Alfheim Online. Maybe you can watch a tutorial video? Read the wiki? I mean, you needed someone to tell you how to even log out of the game. [Trains CHT]
--[X] [Report//OBERON]: Compile what you know of Oberon based on the information you've gathered so far with Meimi. Agil promises that information about the inner workings of Alfheim and the World Tree are valuable to Argo's bosses who will pay you for the task. [Gains 5000 Yen]
--[X] [Sparring//Leafa]: She's not exactly hard to find. Leafa is evidently famous as one of Sylph race's strongest fighters and fastest fliers. She's offered to duel you to help you train, though you'll have to deal with her intense LARPing. [Trains STR] [Costs 5 D]
--[X] [RMT Scout]: Look. You're here to do a job. Alfheim Online is a VRMMO so there are going to be farmers... you don't have time to grind it out yourself so why don't you go play around and see how people sell gold in an AI-controlled economy?
This plan focuses a bit more on getting information about Alfheim by spending Determination, in addition to bolstering social stats while doing plot relevant (TM) things.
My plan's main difference is me trying to take advantage of being able to assign Lux to another action in this case investigating Yggdrasil. Doing real world snooping where she shouldn't definitely sound like something that she'll be satisfied with and if we get caught it's not like we'll care to be nice with whoever's against us.
For Sigurd, he actually talks like a normal person and it will be good to get non-Argo connections while we can and it doesn't cost us Determination.
Also, @afreaknamedpete did I do the plan correctly with putting Lux on the Yggdrasil Inc search option?
Argh, I like elements of all three plans so naturally I'll make the vote even muddier by trying to make a fourth plan blending a lot of elements from each
I think we're all agreed on Velvet and Yggdrasil, though I borrowed the idea of making the latter a Lux action. My preference of the Social Link options is calling our mom. Most of the rest is intel work, which is why I added in the action of having Agil connect us with the Glitch Hunters who got the picture of Asuna.
I thought about buying the Amusphere because the money from the Oberon report will get us there and we're probably going to need it going forward if we don't want to keep using Agil's but it would also clean us out almost completely. Also thought about taking the "Buy 5 Determination" option since this plan is a bit heavy on Determination use and I don't know if 10 banked is a good enough cushion.
Adhoc vote count started by afreaknamedpete on Feb 15, 2023 at 1:25 PM, finished with 10 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Plan No Cool Name
-[X] MAJOR ACTIONS
--[X] [A PRUDENT Talk]: Call your mom. [Costs 20 D] [SL]
--[X] [A Study in Velvet]: What is a Persona? You called it forth in Alfheim, and you know that Havfrue is not the extent of your power. The «Velvet Room» is the basis of your power, it's high time you visited it properly and introduce yourself to your strange allies.
--[X] [Yggdrasil Inc]: The World Tree appears both in reality and the virtual world. From what you can tell the one in the waking world gets smaller as you travel away and bigger as you get closer. You can't exactly tell a taxi driver to get closer to the invisible tower only you can see... but with a map, Tokyo's train system, and some good ol' fashioned footwork you can probably figure out where exactly the tree is originating from.
--[X] [Entertain Endou]: Endou's going to hang out in your apartment! Eh, at least she seems more fun than all the other mobs at school. Might want to check out an arcade together or something cause there's nothing really to do in your apartment.
-[X] MINOR ACTIONS
--[X] [Wiki-Warrior]: You're going to be spending ALOT of time in Alfheim Online. Maybe you can watch a tutorial video? Read the wiki? I mean, you needed someone to tell you how to even log out of the game. [Trains CHT]
--[X] [Report//OBERON]: Compile what you know of Oberon based on the information you've gathered so far with Meimi. Agil promises that information about the inner workings of Alfheim and the World Tree are valuable to Argo's bosses who will pay you for the task. [Gains 5000 Yen]
--[X] [Sparring//Leafa]: She's not exactly hard to find. Leafa is evidently famous as one of Sylph race's strongest fighters and fastest fliers. She's offered to duel you to help you train, though you'll have to deal with her intense LARPing. [Trains STR] [Costs 5 D]
--[X] [RMT Scout]: Look. You're here to do a job. Alfheim Online is a VRMMO so there are going to be farmers... you don't have time to grind it out yourself so why don't you go play around and see how people sell gold in an AI-controlled economy?
[X] Plan No Cool Name
-[X] MAJOR ACTIONS
--[X] [A PRUDENT Talk]: Call your mom. [Costs 20 D] [SL]
--[X] [A Study in Velvet]: What is a Persona? You called it forth in Alfheim, and you know that Havfrue is not the extent of your power. The «Velvet Room» is the basis of your power, it's high time you visited it properly and introduce yourself to your strange allies.
--[X] [Yggdrasil Inc]: The World Tree appears both in reality and the virtual world. From what you can tell the one in the waking world gets smaller as you travel away and bigger as you get closer. You can't exactly tell a taxi driver to get closer to the invisible tower only you can see... but with a map, Tokyo's train system, and some good ol' fashioned footwork you can probably figure out where exactly the tree is originating from.
--[X] [Entertain Endou]: Endou's going to hang out in your apartment! Eh, at least she seems more fun than all the other mobs at school. Might want to check out an arcade together or something cause there's nothing really to do in your apartment.
-[X] MINOR ACTIONS
--[X] [Wiki-Warrior]: You're going to be spending ALOT of time in Alfheim Online. Maybe you can watch a tutorial video? Read the wiki? I mean, you needed someone to tell you how to even log out of the game. [Trains CHT]
--[X] [Report//OBERON]: Compile what you know of Oberon based on the information you've gathered so far with Meimi. Agil promises that information about the inner workings of Alfheim and the World Tree are valuable to Argo's bosses who will pay you for the task. [Gains 5000 Yen]
--[X] [Sparring//Leafa]: She's not exactly hard to find. Leafa is evidently famous as one of Sylph race's strongest fighters and fastest fliers. She's offered to duel you to help you train, though you'll have to deal with her intense LARPing. [Trains STR] [Costs 5 D]
--[X] [RMT Scout]: Look. You're here to do a job. Alfheim Online is a VRMMO so there are going to be farmers... you don't have time to grind it out yourself so why don't you go play around and see how people sell gold in an AI-controlled economy?
Alfheim Online has broken VRMMO sales records for the 6th week in a row, topping 70,000 users and cementing its position as the most successful game utilizing the SEED software package. Of course, it's still an incredibly small number compared to the millions who play other online games, but Alfheim shows no signs of slowing down as more players transition from standard video to VR formats.
Despite initial modest sales targets for VRMMOs in the wake of the Sword Art Online incident, ALO has shown that a market still exists for VR games. In addition to the SEED Package, ALO retains a sizeable human staff committed to curating a living world, and the quality of that approach shows in the sales figures. As we approach the 6 month anniversary of ALO's release, there are already whispers about the start of the VR renaissance—and what new adventures await.
-MMO Today Newsletter
SATURDAY - April 12th, 2025
Daytime
It's Saturday. Why did we pick the only school that still has classes on Saturday? You know what school doesn't have classes on Saturday? The Survivor School. Which we could be going to.
And get recognized? Vilified? In the end it's just a gathering of random nerds and junior high kids, what's the worst they can do, bully you? Did you see that school? It has more cameras than chairs and considering the government is scared all the Survivors are psychopaths in the making anybody stupid enough to bully us will get locked up faster than you can say Parent Teacher Conference.
You could do with less digital. And less taunting by your hallucinations. I'll bet their toilets have more microchips in them than this entire school. What the hell does Isei High even have? It's not a prep school, it's not known for sports, the only thing it has are teachers who give so few shits you can skip two days with nobody batting an eye.
It's normal. That's the important thing. Just a nice, normal school where you can put your life back together. The only claim to fame Isei High has is a nice location and having an actress attending it.
"Kashiwazaka-san!"
You blink the confusion out of your eyes as you see your Civics teacher glaring at you from the front of the room. Evidently you must've missed her question.
"I asked you a question."
No bullshitting out of this one, she looks pissed! It'd be more intimidating if she wasn't shorter than you.
Right. You never had to worry about answering questions in English class since the teacher would just spend all day making you read out of the textbook. Your Civics teacher is the only one who tries to teach normally.
The science teacher isn't bad, at least he keeps you awake.
Yes because if you don't pay attention you'll get nailed with a stray explosion.
"KASHIWAZAKA-SAN!"
Ah, crap. You hear the laughter of your classmates. Getting stuck in your head is a persistent problem for you, one that wasn't helped by your occupant who won't shut up.
I'll shut up if you give me control of my body back.
It's not your body! Argh, gotta do something before I look crazier.
"Ah... sensei. I forgot the question," you mumble out. Time to use your secret move. "Uh... I'm really sorry sensei. Can you repeat the question for me?" you ask as you clasp your hands together and give her your best lost kitten expression.
"I said—" she begins but then stops. A hand from across the room has rocketed up.
"I KNOW THE ANSWER SENSEI!" screams the loud boy at the top of his lungs. Oh no, you think he just winked at you.
Hey, nice save distraction kid! Now please never come back to school. Or look at me.
With a long suffering sigh your teacher waves in his direction, "Very well Natsuki-kun, since you're so eager. As this is an election year, who was the last Prime Minister?"
Wait that was the question you didn't hear? It was a total gimme, who wouldn't know the answer to tha-
"MASAYOSHI SHIDO!"
What happened after that is rather expected: the whole class erupts into chaos. There are students laughing, others shouting and pointing towards him for his absurd answer. A few classmates are pantomiming his world famous public apology while another group has started screaming "steal your heart" in chorus. Your classmate for his part seems to be joining in the laughter.
"Settle, down, SETTLE DOWN! Very funny, Natsuki-kun. I don't know if you're simply ignorant or just trying to get a response. Representative Shido was never formally elected in light of allegations of election fraud in the chaos of the Antisocial Conspiracy of 2016. Now quiet DOWN!" says your teacher whose shrill high-pitched commands fail to silence the din.
Hey, another class ruined! Amazing, and you wonder why I keep saying we should skip class.
Ugh, you've been behind on your studying lately. Rescuing trapped SAO survivors was all and good but you still had to pass your exams...
We can become professional gamers, it's all we have experience in.
How about no. You don't know what you want to do with your life but it probably wasn't that. You've heard that Gun Gale Online allowed people to earn real world money, but you've also heard that even pros lived minimum wage existences. Did Alfheim Online have professional players?
Maybe there are Gold Farmers? Er... Yrd Farmers or whatever the hell the currency's called.
Hmm... gold farmers? The situation with Persona notwithstanding your main talent, if it could even be called that, was in skirting around the underbelly of Aincrad. You know that in every game there were people seeking to capitalize on the collective greed and ignorance of their fellow man for a quick buck. You weren't going to fight your way into the World Tree... so while Argo does whatever stupid deals she usually messes with you can dig around the roots of ALO and see what you can learn.
Don't forget we need to power up and learn more about ALO. We're not going to run to Sigurd for every question we have, to say nothing of asking ARGO.
Okay. A bit of training both in game and out. Speaking of out... it's high time you actually hunt down the phantom tree in your world. That hallucination was key. In any case it looked like you had a long week ahead of you.
SATURDAY - April 12th, 2025
After School
Your ringtone echoes in your empty room.
...
You should pick up. So pick up!
As the line dies down you see messages appear instead.
<yori-chan, r u alright>
<ur dad's still working hard.>
More text messages. You should reply... just... later. Day's still young, you could do something else. Clean your room, explore the neighborhood, go running around town chasing the «World Tree»...
...
Just pick up already!
...
*click*
"H... hi mom..."
<Hiyori!? How are you doing! I haven't heard from you in ages, how's Tokyo? Did you move in alright? Did you manage to reconnect with your friend? Are you eating alright, you're still growing and all that time in that horrid state made you too thin! Do you need me to send any food? I can come and cook for you, or you could come hom->
"I'm fine mom."
<O...oh. Of course, you're a grown up now Yori-chan!>
"C'mon, stop calling me that- Hi Mom!"
<Ah, hello again?>
Hey stop doing that! Shove off she's my mom too.
"Things are going great, Tokyo's a blast!"
<That's great to hear! It's so lonely here without you and your father. I never imagined you taking after him so much, guess the city life runs in your blood Yori-chan. How has school been?>
"School's been alright. I've been making friends..."
<That's amazing! I knew you'd be back to your old self soon and making friends again, Yori-chan. I... I guess moving out... was the right call...>
"Uh, yeah. I mean, I wanted to get out of town considering what happened..."
<No, Yori-chan, I agreed in the end. Whatever you need, please just let me know. But are you sure about not joining the Survivor School? I still have the offer from the educational office.>
"Mom, no, please. Not this again... I told you already, I don't want to go to that place." You lay down on your bed, this conversation was already starting to exhaust you.
<O... oh. If you're sure Yori-chan, but please keep going to your counseling sessions! You spent two years stuck in that one town... are your memories any better?>
Right, your cover story. That you spent two years in the «Town of Beginnings» never stepping foot outside of the town borders. Make sure you get the details right, I don't want to worry Mom.
"As a whole I kind of remember. Just a few years of looking at the same wall..."
<It still sound so horrible to me. But I'm glad you kept yourself out of danger and came back to me.>
Yeah... no danger. When you started SAO you pitied those who spent two years doing nothing but staying in the starting town. In hindsight, you realize that they... were the wise ones. The ones that recognized their own weakness and ensured, at the very least, they wouldn't hurt others in the process. "I'm glad to be back, but can we stop talking about this..."
<Of course, I'm sorry to keep bringing it up. Why don't you tell me about your new friend?>
"She's nice, very energetic. I haven't had too long to hang out with her..."
<Ah, keeping up with your schoolwork? Mommy was so impressed you managed to cram two years worth in just a few months! You're my little genius!>
"Y... yeah! School just takes up so much time between studying and just h...hanging out! Yeah, that's all I've doing lately..."
<Okay, please keep working hard! You're so much like your father in that regard, but don't forget to live a little when you can. You've lost two years, so I'm sure you have a lot of fun things to catch up on.>
Fun. You still had the Gunpla to make, and flying in Alfheim was fun if it wasn't for your 'part-time-job' and all the strange existential circumstances. When was the last time you just took a day to have fun—
"Nah, don't worry I've been hanging out with some cool cats at school too! But Mom, you have no idea but Tokyo's so expensive." Okay, there's your answer. Your Shadow's been having all the fun for you. "I had this amazing Pear Tart the other day but it cost ¥5000! Just for a tart!"
<¥5000!? Tokyo sure is something else...>
"So I was wondering if I could get just a SLIIIIIGHT raise in my allowance..."
<...>
Don't guilt-trip Mom into increasing our allowance! I'm not going to guilt-trip her! But Tokyo IS expensive, alright!
<...Yori-chan, we agreed that only I'd raise your allowance if you kept your grades up...>
"I know, I know... but Mom, things are so crazy pricey here! I'm telling you, I bought a model kit too, and it cost ALL of my spending money! Paint is SO expensive."
We still have plenty of money left, the paint was even given to you for free!
<...no, I remember how much it costs... but you have to learn how to budget! And don't paint in your apartment, there's no ventilation there!>
"Yeah, but I haven't made anything in years and I just couldn't help myself! It's a new model I'd never seen before, and it just spoke to me! Besides don't you think dad'll get a kick out of seeing it finished? I'll show him that my skills are as sharp as ever, even after two years!"
<...well, so long as it makes you happy Yori-chan... alright. I'll increase it slightly. Now, I'm not going to do this again until I see your midterm test results! And don't use your rent or food money on your hobbies!>
"Yes Mom."
Stop trying to roll my eyes, that hurts! And bug off!
"I mean, thanks Mom. Are... you holding up alright?"
<Don't worry about me! I've managed to keep myself occupied, but there's just too much free time. Oh, I can come visit you!>
"No, nono, that's fine Mom, no need to do that!" The last thing you needed was Mom finding some excuse to drag you back to your hometown.
<...oh... uh, why don't you come back and visit? You could reconnect with Tomo-chan while you're here!>
"I'm sure that Tomo-chan has more important things to do than worry abou—"
Wait. Tomo-chan? Did I know someone by that name back home? We weren't exactly social butterflies in junior high...
<Yori-chan? You okay, you haven't been responding...>
...Tomo? Tomo. We know a Tomo.
Oh you've got to be kidding me. THAT FUCKING RAT!
"Mom. It's been so long... can you remind me who Tomo-chan was?" you ask, dreading the answer.
<Huh? You know, Tomo-chan! Your classmate from junior high! She showed up to our house last week asking where you'd gone.>
Showed up?
"No, tell me exactly what happened. Was it someone you recognized? What did she look like?"
<Uh... is something wrong? I didn't recognize her but you never invited any of your friends to visit... she had brown hair, oh, she talked in a strange accent, I think it was very cute! Said she was a friend from school and wanted to catch up with you. I gave her your address. S... should I not have?>
Goddamn it Argo. Is that illegal? It should be illegal.
So that's how the Rat hunted you down. Found your address on some database then tricked Mom into giving you away, of course it would be something like that with Argo. Take the Rat out of its cage but it's still a damn Rat in the end.
"No, it's fine. She managed to reconnect with me in Tokyo. I just knew her by a nickname."
<You had me worried there for a second! She seems nice, you should bring her back with you when you visit!>
If you visit. And definitely not with the Rat. Even if she's promising not to dox you to Laughing Coffin victims you suspect if she knew the extent of things you were hiding from your mother that Argo would jump at the chance to "disclose" it all to your mom. In the name of truth and justice or just so she can watch you squirm.
<Can you come back next week? We can go—>
"Ah... sorry, I'm going to be busy. Being a high school student is busy work! A full time job!"
<Oh, I unders—>
"Great catching up Mom! I'll talk to you later! Bye!"
<Bye! Don't forget to call! I lov—*click*>
You take a deep breathe. That was harder than you thought it would be, not made any easier by the constant interruptions. But it was easier than being in the same house as her.
Talking to Mom isn't hard.
It's thoughts like this which confirm, beyond any doubt, that despite what she says, your Shadow is not you. You've been lying to your Mom, feeding her bullshit about your time in SAO. You cannot, will not let her become known as the mother of a criminal, of a murderer. It would break her, even more than your two year long coma ever did. And the world wouldn't be kind to her, they'll blame her, accuse her of raising a murderer... if nothing else she deserves better treatment than being garbage tabloid bait.
Yeah? Doesn't explain why you never talk to her. We're lying to her, so what? It's what we're good at. We're of the same mind about this, Mom doesn't need to deal with any of this complicated shit. We're lying to protect her, so why feel bad? What's the problem?
The problem? Your life is a lie. Your identity a sham. Brick by brick you have built a castle of fiction about your lost two years. You're not the girl who ran to her mom for every problem anymore, not after everything you've done. No matter how many times you try to convince yourself the facts remain inalienable. Your mom can't turn back time. She can't take away your guilt, she can't make SAO go away. All the vaulted 'truth' would do is spread the misery around.
You have your problems, the consequences of your own actions that you need to deal with. You want to tell her... but you know you can't. Even just thinking about it causes a void in your chest, an ache that only got worse after talking with her.
This is something that... Mom can't help you with anymore.
I AM THOU, THOU ART I.
YOUR PROTECTOR. YOUR GUARDIAN.
YOUR HOME. YOUR FAMILY.
IN ETERNAL VIGIL,
PRUDENCE WATCHES.
AND IT GRANTS YOU POWER TO DESTROY THE HEAVENS
...
Welp. Looks like Mom's involved after all.
>You finally called your mom! EMPATHY Increases! ♪♪♪♪
>Stress increases by 1.
>Your Allowance has increased! 5000 yen every 2 weeks > 8000 yen every 2 weeks. Next deposit is tomorrow.
STRESS is accumulated via actions performed both by you and your Shadow (more so your Shadow).
Events that increase STRESS in the past will do so in the future. Interacting with the PRUDENCE SL will usually increase STRESS (and your allowance).
At the start of every week you receive a Xd6 roll, where X represents your current STRESS level.
You succeed on your STRESS roll by rolling anything except a 1.
Rolling a 1 represents a failed STRESS roll.
1 FAILED STRESS ROLL = Feel down for the week, narrative but no mechanical consequences.
2 FAILED STRESS ROLL = For the next week all DETERMINATION costs are increased.
3 FAILED STRESS ROLL = You become sick, losing actions until you recover.
4+ FAILED STRESS ROLL = Social stats permanently decrease.
STRESS is difficult to purge but has minor effects that can snowball.
If Stress accumulates to the point of being sick (3+) you will lose 1 Stress after the sickness passes.
Otherwise it is typically reset between arcs.
Extremely positive events may reduce small amounts of STRESS.
STRESS relief activities that cost money tend to be expensive.
SATURDAY - April 12th, 2025 Velvet Room
Greetings, Contractor. I believe this is the first time you've come of your own accord. I see you were having problems falling asleep, so eager you were to speak with me. I must say I am flattered at the attention, but there is a far easier way to enter the Velvet Room than trying to force yourself to sleep.
"Where's ETTEILLA?" You need to know why Mom's involved.
Isn't it customary to reciprocate a greeting? Usually the Shadow is the rude one... I'll have you know keeping you separate is no small challenge, Contractor! Is simple courtesy too much to expect?
"Hiya MAXWELL!"
And hello to you too, Shadow. See? Civility costs nothing. And I must reiterate that accepting your Shadow would greatly simplify the challenges to come.
"I'm not the Shadow, I'm the sane one. The mopey one's the real Shadow."
This is the first time you've been fully lucid in the Velvet Room and it irks you to see the imposter grinning at you with your own face. The two of you are identical, save for one feature: the Laughing Coffin Tattoo your Shadow prominently shows off on her thigh, the bare leg flagrantly poking out of the dress that seems designed to show it off.
"Like it? I'm not sure where this mind-dress came from but I modified it a bit to keep us more distinguishable."
You frown and press down on your own clothes. In this Velvet Room the two of you are wearing the same white dress, only yours doesn't have the slit along the side. The absence of one slip of fabric changes the nature of the whole outfit.
"Put my leg away!" "What, you gonna call the hall monitor? Sides' mom dresses like this all the time. A little skin is comfortable."
With horror, you realize that this Shadow has partial control of your wardrobe. "A... absolutely not! No revealing clothes, no slits, and no matter what I'm not going to dress like mom!"
Ah, I see the two of you are getting along now! No more trying to kill each other and take over the body anymore. This is progress, perhaps one more push and you could just fuse together and save me from this toil?
"Shut up MAXWELL."
"We're here to talk to the one in charge."
MAXWELL sighs in annoyance, gesturing towards the abyss that surrounds the Velvet Room and the coffin in the center of the room, still separated from the room by a wall of water that MAXWELL split into the far end of the chamber.
The Velvet Room is altered from our... last encounter. Before ETTEILLA can manifest we must return the Velvet Room back to its original form.
Wait, all the water will—
MAXWELL snaps his fingers, causing a deluge of water to rush into the chamber from all directions. There's barely enough time for you to scream before it engulfs you, leaving you gasping for breath.
"Gah..."
The water swirls through the darkness of the room, clinging to the walls, to the coffin, to you. As it thickens and spreads the abyss becomes more solid, and with it you find yourself noticing the attention of another player. The proprietor of the Velvet Room is somewhere in this drowned graveyard.
A hand, one you recognize from a lifetime controlling it, smacks you in the back, breaking your held breath. A lungful of the abyss swarms into your lungs. You cough uncontrollably, exchanging water for more water as you struggle to stay conscious.
"Stop struggling. We were breathing this crap night after night, just stop thinking of it as water."
Your Shadow gives good advice. This is merely fog in its most base form, it is no more harmful to your health than air itself. And do try not to pass out in the Velvet Room. Falling unconscious while unconscious before you are ready will cause a... mess. One that I will undoubtedly be tasked to clean up.
You splutter between spasms. That's right, you're not in a real world, not even in a virtual world. This is all in your head, and you're not going to drown in your OWN dreams. With a forceful application of willpower you find your voice. "I... I'm alright. But I need answers, where's ETTEILLA?"
My master is not able to manifest himself upon request, hence the need for I, MAXWELL, to serve as his proxy. While I would be happy to answer any questions you may have, I do need to explain the basic function of this room. It is the source of your power, the Persona.
"Later! Please, I need to know now. What are these... Seeds of Chaos? And why is Mom involved?"
Your mother? She holds a Seed within her as well? Ironic but not in and of itself surprising.
"Leave her alone!"
No need to shout, Contractor. If you wish to leave her alone then simply do so with your own power. Since it's clear you will not allow us to move on I will explain to the best of my ability in lieu of my master.
"Yeah, why don't you just take us to the big boss MAXWELL? I don't need your second hand nonsense."
I would be happy to, but I doubt you'll be in any position to ask questions. When you are before master ETTEILLA it difficult to even remember your name, much less ask questions. Even I find it difficult to hold a conversation with him. You have already had many conversations with him, though I doubt you remember any of them...
"But he's here, isn't he?"
My Master is everywhere in this Velvet Room. Rest assured that he is always watching you— so that he can better support you, of course!
"Fine, whatever. Mom can't get involved in this, keep her out of this."
"Frankly I'm not all that comfortable getting my classmates involved either!"
Then allow me to assuage your fears. For starters how... common do you believe these Seeds of Chaos to be? A dozen chosen ones? A hundred? The truth is simply they are uncountable. Every human has the potential to hold a Seed. It is simply referring to those who long for an... escape from this world. They are weak, pitiful people who lack strength or resolve to endure your current world.
Your Mom kept watch over you during your two-year coma. She wasn't weak.
I see your expression, allow me to amend my statement. To possess a Seed means only that your Soul is trying to leave the Sea of Souls, to escape to... another world. It is nothing but a simple desire for escapism...
"What does it mean to... possess a Seed? And what is this.. Sea?"
The Sea of Souls is the collective unconsciousness of mankind. It is the hidden hour, the truth behind the screen, the Metaverse. It is the source, the truth, the Godhead. All emanates from it, including your Persona, itself nothing more than power drawn from the Sea of Souls. Only lately my master has noted a... worrying trend. Mankind has sought its own destruction many times, and many malign forces have risen out of the Sea of Souls only to be suppressed by the power of mankind: the power of Persona. But a... different challenge is presenting itself now.
The abyss around you churns with MAXWELL's words.
The Sea of Souls is being flayed. It is being... Separated. A new Sea of Souls is forming... with its own myth, its own beliefs, its own... Logos. Do you comprehend, Contractor? Just as I split your Shadow from your psyche, so are these Seeds splitting from the Sea of Souls of the current world.
"The world is breaking? It seems fine right now." I mean... beyond its current problems of Global Warming, social unrest and whatever the hell happened a few years ago when Japan collectively went insane in the Phantom Thieves incident.
It does. The Logos of your world is strong, backed with the force of 6000 millennia of civilization. There have always been those who seek escape into another world, but they were always few, and usually madmen at that. Their Seeds were not strong enough to escape the Sea of Souls. But something changed. Your alchemists created something unfathomable... a world. A true world.
One with life. With death. 10,000 souls were ripped from the Sea of Souls into a Cauldron of a new world.
Sword Art Online. "Was that... place. SAO. Was it real? As in... a physical place?"
Did it feel real to you? Does it matter whether it's a world of dirt or 1s and 0s? It is a world of 10,000 souls, of which you were one. When 10,000 souls left the Sea and only half were... returned... it created holes. Rips. Tears in the fabric. It is now, more than ever, easy for Souls to leave the Sea and enter new, nascent worlds. Where as before there was but one Sea of Souls, the... realistic distractions of your alchemists are siphoning our souls into ones of human artifice. Hence we have taken to calling these new nascent worlds... HEAVEN.
"So what happens, a bunch of fairy LARPERs decide they want to prance around in make up land? Why is this a problem? Let them leave."
The floating castle shredded the sea with only 10,000 souls. Even my master is unsure what happens when a HEAVEN reaches critical mass, but likely nothing good for your world. If enough souls leave our Sea the logic of the world itself could break down. Furthermore the HEAVEN of Fairies and Law you are currently exploring is special as well... some of those 10,000 souls are still trapped within it, yet to return to the Sea of Souls. I must commend you, Contractor, on your triumph the other day. My master was elated when he sensed the return of that soul.
"I didn't save her for you, or ETEILLA."
Of course. But we can be... allies of circumstance, no? My Master wishes for the preservation and reconstruction of the Sea of Souls, and you seek the destruction of HEAVEN for your own purposes. Please don't say you don't trust us, that word has no meaning for the type of soul you possess, Contractor.
"So how are you supposed to help?"
The Persona. It has many forms and manifestations, but for you consider a way to bleed the real world into HEAVEN. To summon beings from our Sea of Souls into that of HEAVEN. It is... hardly unique, many hold the potential of Persona. Traditionally it manifests with a reconciliation with your inner self, namely your Shadow.
"Don't look at me. I'm the real one, remember?"
As you insist on being DIFFICULT I was forced to devise this alternate arrangement. The process is simple: holders of the Seed lack the connection to the Sea of Souls necessary to form a Persona. But that weakness is your strength, by forming bonds with them my master can trace that connection and call forth their Persona through you. Think of it as... picking up power that they have thrown by the road. It causes them no harm, and there are thousands of candidates so you need no go out of your way to find them. Simply seek to form bonds when the opportunity presents itself.
"Then what about... my Persona? Havfrue?" A girl split into two, half monster, half maid. The mermaid.
That power is all your own and typically would be the only power you can access. Butt you have been granted the most rarest of gifts. The Wildcard. It allows you to hold multiple Personae that you may call upon at will. That is my chief purpose, Contractor, to facilitate the growth and summoning of new Persona.
MAXWELL gestures towards the center of the room... to the... coffin.
If you can enter we can begin.
"You want me to... enter the coffin again?" What if you became trapped in it, would your Shadow just take you over forever? "Haha, you couldn't even climb out of it without MAXWELL rescuing you!"
"Is it safe, MAXWELL? If I'm trapped in there..."
You will be fine. Now can kindly step into the coffin so we can get this over with? I'm certain the previous users of the Velvet Room didn't demand so many answers upfront.
The mossy, wooden coffin. You remember spending night after night in it, grappling with your literal demons. In that darkness, time lost all meaning and you felt as if hours might never end. Then you woke, free only to repeat the ordeal night after night. This thing... was the key to power?
Can you get on with it already?
You take a deep breath of abyss, stepping forward to place your feet in the coffin. As you lie in it, the lid closes above you, plunging you into darkness. The blackness has a physical weight, pressing down into your soul. You close your eyes as you await oblivion.
...
Nothing's happening.
"Huh. If I leave now does that mean I get full control of the body?" you hear your Shadow ask MAXWELL through the muffled sounds of the coffin. What? No, she can't be thinking of hijacking you now!
What are you talking about? You need to enter the coffin. All of you.
"What?"
We are creating a new Persona. If the two of you will not reconcile then you will have to enter the coffin together.
"Is there even enough room!?"
"No! Definitely not enough room! I can't even move my arms in here!" you scream through the closed coffin lid.
I need remind you this separation was never intended to be long-term. I told you things would be simpler if you would just accept your Shadow, but as you insisted otherwise you will have to deal with the consequences.
"Move your foot out of my face." "It's your foot too!"
"That doesn't mean I want it in my face!"
The initial plan of just lying side by side immediately failed. Trying to fit both of your busts and hips in the same space prevented the coffin lid from fully closing. You don't know if your butt will still hurt once you leave the Velvet Room but you really hope it doesn't.
No amount of twisting or spooning was successful in making either of your bodies fit. After several minutes of trying to squeeze in next to each other, you decided to have the Shadow enter upside down.
"I'M the right side up one, YOU'RE upside down!"
The coffin is symmetrical.
"Shut up MAXWELL!"
It worked. After an awkward minute of struggling against the tight confines of the coffin the lid is finally able to close. Unfortunately, you're pressed chest to knee, face to foot. You try to adjust yourself but you're one bad move away from getting poked in the eye by your own toes.
Are you comfortable? No? I find it difficult to care. Now close your eyes and relax, ETTEILLA will speak to you within his domain.
Finally. You can't take another second of this.
What Seeds have you gathered so far? Let us see... the SUN. Interesting... PRUDENCE as well. You work fast, Contractor.
You're falling. Falling into a bottomless abyss. MAXWELL's voice grows faint.
The TRAITOR, your own power, of course.
...Your eyes grow heavy...
What's this?
The CHAOS? That can't be right. Oh. Oh no. That's not good.
Contractor? Can you get out of the coffin, like right now?
Contractor?
Oh dear. Can you still hear me? Whatever you do don't—
Oh... this world.
She holds so much love within her heart.
It shines bright. Blinding.
The nurturing, everlasting SUN seeks not a world of plenty.
Nor a world of strife.
She simply wishes to bathe a world in her love.
With no thought to position, to gender, to class.
Princes, Paupers. Knights and Maids.
All are equal beneath the light of the SUN.
In her world of infinite love.
So sweet. Delicious.
...
Thank you for the experience, TRAITOR.
Is this what man wishes of the new world?
There can be no love without war, without loss, without tragedy.
Let us deny the SUN her eternal happily ever after.
And take from her HEAVEN.
[ ] Chang'er
Now that a candle-shadow stands on the screen of carven marble
And the River of Heaven slants and the morning stars are low,
Are you sorry for having stolen the potion that has set you
Over purple seas and blue skies, to brood through the long nights?
-Tang Dynasty Poem by Li Shangyin
STR: Rank F (0 Dice)
MAG: Rank F (0 Dice)
AGI: Rank C (3 Dice)
VIT: Rank C (3 Dice)
CHT: Rank E (2 Dice)
Weakness: Fire
Resist: Pierce, Ice
Skills: Bufu (Ice magic attack)
Sukukaja (increase agility)
Dia (Weak healing magic, reduced efficiency when used on self)
[ ] Shakuntala
Do you dare despise a guest like me?
Because your heart, by loving fancies blinded,
Has scorned a guest in pious life grown old,
Your lover shall forget you though reminded,
Or think of you as of a story told.
-Shakuntala, play by Kalidasa
STR: Rank F (0 Dice)
MAG: Rank D (2 Dice)
AGI: Rank D (2 Dice)
VIT: Rank F (0 Dice)
CHT: Rank C (3 Dice)
Weakness: Ice
Resist: Fire, Elec
Skills: Marin Karin (bewitches the weak willed)
Agi (fire magic attack)
Zio (elec magic attack)
[ ] Briar Rose
You forgot about me. Why?
You, singing Canary...
And you with the tender hands. Go away!
You listen to what I have to say.
She will grow up...
She will be beautiful.
But!
She will prick her finger...
And die!
-The Sleeping Beauty, ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
STR: Rank D (2 Dice)
MAG: Rank D (2 Dice)
AGI: Rank F (0 Dice)
VIT: Rank D (2 Dice)
CHT: Rank D (2 Dice)
Skills: Dormina (lull the weak willed to sleep, may be used on yourself)
Kouga (bless magic attack)
Dream Needle (Weak Pierce Sword Skill, attempts to inflict sleep)
...
More?
And this is one is your progenitor...
...
A strange world.
Such a selfless dream.
Not a world of supremacy.
Not even a world of her very own.
It's a world with another.
She will always be there. She will always be needed.
Not just her... but all other abandoned creators.
Where no mother will be left behind.
A nostalgic taste. Is this what you call home cooking?
...
She wishes to understand you. To be with you. Forever.
Or is it merely her image of you?
Does she hold you in her dream or merely the idea of you?
PRUDENCE will never learn the answer.
For we shall take from her HEAVEN.
[ ] Pūtanā
She could understand that this child was not ordinary, but was meant to kill all demons.
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the all-pervading Supersoul, lying on the bed,
understood that Pūtanā, a witch who was expert in killing small children, had come to kill Him.
Therefore, as if afraid of her, Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes.
Thus Pūtanā took upon her lap Him who was to be her own annihilation,
just as an unintelligent person places a sleeping snake on his lap, thinking the snake to be a rope.
-Excerpt from the Bhagavata Purana
STR: Rank D (2 Dice)
MAG: Rank E (1 Dice)
AGI: Rank E (1 Dice)
VIT: Rank C (3 Dice)
CHT: Rank D (2 Dice)
His birthright. Blind, who once had seeing eyes,
Beggared, who once had riches, in strange guise,
His staff groping before him, he shall crawl
O'er unknown earth, and voices round him call:
"Behold the brother-father of his own
Children, the seed, the sower and the sown,
Shame to his mother's blood, and to his sire
Son, murderer, incest-worker."
-Oedipus Rex, play by Sophocles
STR: Rank C (3 Dice)
MAG: Rank E (1 Dice)
AGI: Rank F (0 Dice)
VIT: Rank C (3 Dice)
CHT: Rank F (0 Dice)
"Princess, whose knowledge and whose crimes have merited a conspicuous rank in my empire,
thou doest well to employ the leisure that remains,
for the flames and torments which are ready to seize on thy heart,
will not fail to provide thee with full employment."
He said this, and was lost in the curtains of his tabernacle. -Vathek, an Arabian Tale, book by William Beckford
STR: Rank F (0 Dice)
MAG: Rank D (2 Dice)
AGI: Rank E (3 Dice)
VIT: Rank F (0 Dice)
CHT: Rank C (2 Dice)
I did grant you the blessings of CHAOS.
It was even before I knew your name.
So eager was I to take up my new position I could not help myself.
Belief. It is the most fragile and powerful force in the world.
Rumors coalesce. The force of belief gathers a stormfront.
How could reality possibly withstand it?
With it I too once created new worlds.
No... perhaps that's not true. Perhaps I merely dreamed of old worlds abandoned.
Is there but one world? Or are there multiple?
Do you know which side of the mirror we are on?
...
Persona of the CHAOS Arcana accumulate STRESS with every action to counter their overall power.
As you accumulate ranks in Social Links you obtain UPGRADE POINTS which can be used to empower your Persona.
This include Stat increases.
New Skills.
Changing Resists to Null.
However every Persona has two unique abilities that must be unlocked using UPGRADE POINTS.
Enhance Armament: Empower your weapon with your Persona and unless a devastating blow. Costs 2 SP to invoke.
Release Recollection: For the duration of the fight, unlock a special Passive ability for you and your Persona. Costs 2 SP to invoke. Costs 1 SP to maintain per turn.
The CHAOS Arcana Persona already have these abilities unlocked.
Accumulate RANK in your Social Links to unlock UPGRADE POINTS!
Can you see my mark? What shape does it take?
Is it what I wⓎs? What I ⨁m? Or what I can bec⨂me?
I am forbidden by law from acting in your world.
But I believe that by granting you a part of myself, I can challenge that law.
If I believe it so, then how could it not be true?
[ ] Nephren-Ka
ⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎ
GOLDEN LORD. PHAROH OF PHAROHS.
LORD OF THE LIGHTLESS TEMPLE.
I LOOK WITHIN THE SHINING TRAPEZOHEDRON
TO BEHOLD THE THREE LOBED BURNING EYE. ⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎⓎ
STR: Rank C (3 Dice)
MAG: Rank C (3 Dice)
AGI: Rank C (3 Dice)
VIT: Rank C (3 Dice)
CHT: Rank C (3 Dice)
Weakness: Bless, Curse
Resist: All Physical
Passive: ETTEILLA (use of this Persona accumulates 1 STRESS per action)
Enhance Armament: Three Lobed Burning Eye (You and your target learn each other's weaknesses, persists even if you change PERSONA)
Release Recollection: Blinds all around you indiscriminately, including yourself, your enemies, your allies and even the eyes of interlopers and gods.
[ ] •K•A•
⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁
I BURY THE GODS IN GOLD AND GEMS.
WHAT DO I CARE FOR LIGHT?
WHEN I STAND IN THE SHADOW OF ΘΙΛΗΜΩΝ
TO BEHOLD THE CROSS QUARTERED CIRCLE. ⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁⨁
STR: Rank E (1 Dice)
MAG: Rank B (4 Dice)
AGI: Rank D (2 Dice)
VIT: Rank D (2 Dice)
CHT: Rank C (3 Dice)
Weakness: All Physical
Resist: Elec, Wind, Fire, Ice
Passive: ETTEILLA (use of this Persona accumulates 1 STRESS per action)
Skills: Hama (attempts to force target player to disconnect)
Megido (non-elemental magic attack)
Makouga (widespread bless attack)
Enhance Armament: Cross Quartered Circle (If target is weak to Elec, Wind, Fire or Ice will automatically target that element.)
Release Recollection: Temporarily suppresses the mental influence of HEAVEN around you. Reduced effectiveness around the HEAVEN's «Chosen».
[ ] Slender
⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂
HOW CAN YOU HIDE WHEN HE IS EVERYWHERE?
HOW CAN YOU DISBELIEVE WHEN HE IS EVERYTHING?
I NEED BUT OPEN MY EYES
TO BEHOLD THE MARK OF THE OPERATOR. ⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂⨂
STR: Rank F (0 Dice)
MAG: Rank F (0 Dice)
AGI: Rank F (0 Dice)
VIT: Rank F (0 Dice)
CHT: Rank EX (8 Dice)
Weakness: All Magic
Resist: Blunt
Passive: ETTEILLA (use of this Persona accumulates 1 STRESS per action)
Null Ailment
Skills: Dormina (lull the weak willed to sleep, may be used on yourself)
Mudo (attempts to unmake target NPC)
Fogna (releases an obscuring fog that lingers in an area)
Enhance Armament: Mark of the Operator (Bewitch a target. Targets will also remain under your control even in the waking world. Maintaining control accumulates STRESS every 2 days.)
Release Recollection: Teleport to any location you can currently see. You must be unobserved in order to utilize this ability.
You must select one of each Persona. Plan voting is not necessary, consider each Persona vote to be independent of the others. Remember approval voting is always on.
From the Sun, I'd say we go for Shakuntala, for that persona aligns well with stats that are important to us (MAG, AGI and CHT) and it does give us access to a charm move. With regard to Prudence, Pūtanā or Carathis. And as for Chaos... Nephren-Ka or •K•A•.
