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*The day started much as the others. Erik awoke and wondered how they were going to deal with the Creator. They'd done two times now, and he was encouraged to form more bonds ahead of the upcoming encounter. Sure, they were making leaps and strides on that front, a number of bonds with the children being fully realized. But a concern in the back of his mind still lingered. They couldn't, or at least the shouldn't, take too long, for risk of the grand plan the Creator's Shadow coming to be. Potentially of equal importance was not rushing headlong into battle unprepared. Especially with at least one unknown factor present where there wasn't one during the first two battles. For the moment though, he yawned, still a mutated rat, still heavily blimped from last night. Still wanting to do it all over again.*
Erik: *sighs* I might just have to see how big Gill can get. *grumbles* I need my head in the game, not focused on feasting and feeding, not when we've bonded with most for whom that is an interest.. *a low growl sounds from below* Well, breakfast can't hurt. I'll decide who to hang out with later... and maybe ask Gill about expending some of this energy. *With that, he left for the courtyard, where the aftereffects of the feast of last night were still being felt and witnessed. Most of his friends and allies, save for perhaps those who were residents of the world, were overblown, heavily fattened and still recovering from food comas. Shadow Lyle would likely see an uptake in potion sales, or some potions lifted from his stock. He saw Merk, who appeared to in a similar mindset to him, if only slightly more carefree in his appearance. The doughy dragon was impatient and seemed ready to leap in and assist those preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Upon seeing Erik however, he came over for a conversation.*
Merk: Good morning! You slept well I take it?
Erik: Well enough. I'm still wondering when we should send the Calling Card.
Merk: *nods* I think it was agreed we'd take the day, see how far we can get with some of the children. From there, we'll meet with the Vassals, assess the Creator's state, and discuss what our next step should be.
Erik: *looks slightly more calm* There is still the matter of Chesh.
Merk: Of course, and we'll assist Jera and the others on that front where we're able to, if only to make sure he doesn't offer surprise assistance to the Shadow during the fight. *thinks a moment* Regarding that, the Skyscraper may be our best lead so far, given trying to track him may prove a challenge even with the monitoring equipment we found. We know he visits our next target at the very least.
Erik: *nods* You're still going out today?
Merk: That was the agreement. You know about Tech Lyle and Light Elly. Half Wil... may prove a challenge. *shrugs* Now that I saw that, they may all prove to be a challenge. Still, you've done good to follow your instincts so far. Then there's Merc Gill. You could help him out, maybe teach him the finer points of subtlety while bringing down the corrupt.
Erik: So far being the operative term...*sighs* You're doing well also. I was still working with the Merc Group. It might be wise if we can see about visiting one of the groups in the Skyscraper. That would at least give us a plausible reason for going there. *thinks a moment* The Lit Group might be ideal. We could potentially stay out of the way of the Light and Shadow Groups' game, on that front at least.
Merk: Ok, so that's the day planned. *smiles* Shall we go and speak to the others.
Erik: *nods* Of course.
*With the conversation concluded, they went to do just that.*

Around the property, there was Merc Gill the pirate captain making full use of breakfast just to eat before he returned to his ship. And just as Erik predicted, in a way, Shadow Lyle had put up a sign that claimed the price for weight loss potions were now 300,000 gold each, while a couple imps from Lit Gill were stealing them from behind his back. Speaking of the Demonlord of Gluttony, Lit Gill remained as enormous as an oversized castle, watching over everyone in the property as an overfed Megidramon.
Reverse Gill: Good morning, master Erik, master Merchios.
This Guilmon was standing by the door, all dressed up in blue as a butler. He even held a silver tray in his hands, with two plates full of prime steak, still steaming and fresh.
Reverse Gill: Light Elly is still asleep in her room, while Blank had awoken earlier at dawn for their sign-in bonus for an online game. Half Wil has yet to arrive, but Feral Wil could begin bonding with you two at any time.

*While the price did encourage a bit of thievery, a few did cobble together the funds to pay for a potion, perhaps to ensure Shadow Lyle could procure more ingredients for their efforts. Of course Erik could hardly not look at Lit Gill with a bit of a glint in his eyes. Reversed Gill's arrival did put him somewhat on edge, although he was curious what dynamic they might have now that he was bonded with two of the other Gills, both bearing quite a visible connection to the Reversed member. Merk was more accepting of the meal.*
Erik: I see. I'll pay her a visit later on if she's awake. Doing so before may prove...hazardous. Feral Wil...I know little about him. Regarding Arcanas and bonding I mean. *Generally he seemed open to the idea.* Is there any update regarding the Creator or Chesh? *accepts the steak*

Reverse Gill: *bows* There has been a few minor updates. Chesh has been sighted installing cameras across multiple streets where heavy traffic is known to occur. The Creator has been...Silently wiling away the time in his room. However, he does seem to grow ever more bored. He may visit the world before long. As for Feral Wil. *opens his book with a free hand* He is of the Hanged Man Arcana, the 12th card. This card is often used to represent helplessness, the inability to act or affect change in one's surroundings. It's reverse could mean an apathy to one's situation, or to try and enforce change, even in vain or in self-harm.
Half Wil: *walks in* I see everyone is having breakfast.
Feral Wil: *walks in* Food! I smell food!
Light Elly: *yawns and walks in* Smelled food in my room...Can't sleep. Need something to keep the smell out.

Erik: *nods* If I had to guess, he might be trying to set up a new surveillance system because his original safe house was compromised. The Creator's status does concern me...so far it does seem like we need to act tomorrow and set matters in motion, depending on how long the Calling Card will take to trigger what we need to do.
Merk: Regarding Feral Wil...so far it doesn't seem like he's exhibiting signs of the reverse...then again, we haven't interacted with him a great deal... *can't help but think of Half Wil as well. He nudges Erik when the trio walk in* Your turn, I'll maybe see about investigating Feral Wil before I go.
Erik: *nods before approaching Light Elly* Might I ask how you propose to do that? I can help gather materials if you'd like.
Merk: *meanwhile moves to approach Feral Wil, smiling* You smell correctly! We're preparing the usual selection of breakfast goods, plump sausages and crispy bacon included!

Light Elly: *looks at Erik* ...Hmmm...No idea. I might find something. You can come with, if you really want. *already starts wandering towards the chefs*
Feral Wil: Really? *tail wags* Gimme! Gimme gimme gimme! *jumps about excitedly*

Erik: *sweat drops, following* Err, well, would an air freshener help? Perhaps a specially designed one. It could mitigate the food smell and replace it with lavender for sleep or...well I imagine you could get it to produce a range of scents depending on what you want.
Merk: Alright, alright, hehe. Let's go get some breakfast then. *heads in the direction of the kitchen to collect the aforementioned meats.*

Almost immediately, Light Elly looked at Erik hopefully with large eyes, expecting him to pull something out of thin air. Feral Wil, on the other hand, starts barking at Merk excitedly, running around him and even pushing his back to make him go faster.
Reverse Gill: *is happily going through his book* Hmm...Tower...Moon...Death...
Merc Gill: *burps loudly* That hit the spot! So guys, who wants to go a round?
Lit Gill: Why not another round of meats? I'm sure you could all stand a few more pants sizes.
Tech Drake: *opens a window* Could you guys keep it down? We're watching a cutscene.

Erik: *clears his throat* Well, let's go and speak with Kyrice. *while he didn't know all the finer points of how to make such a device, the dragon likely did. *
Merk: *seems happy, chuckling lightly as he gathers up some of the meaty foods to give to Feral Wil*
Dormal: *rolls his eyes* I mean, I guess you'll find a few willing volunteers here.
Pawan: Indeed. *smiles warmly.*
Cai: Ooooh oh, did you want to go another round Lit Gill? It's nice and bright today! *bounces around with his usual, yet surprising agility*
Terrence: Please no.
Dax: Please yes!

Light Elly quietly followed behind Erik, while a hint screen popped up.
Hint: The Empress will initiate bonding once at least 2 demands are met. 1/2 demands met.
Feral Wil was all too happy to snatch up any meat that Merk was handing over to him, right out of his hand. Another hint screen popped up for him.
Hint: The Hanged Man will initiate bonding on a hunt in the Exploration Zone.
Merc Gill: Yeah! Come on, I can kick your ass!
Lit Gill: *tilts his head and sweatdrops* L-like I just said, a different kind of "round", bro. Oh, and yes! Today is a great day for incessant gluttony!
Reverse Gill: *clears his throat* Gill, while you do enjoy fattening everyone, I highly suggest that you give it a rest today. Several adventuring parties are headed this way on a misunderstanding that there's a demon invasion event happening.
Lit Gill: What!? What makes them think that?
Half Wil: *sips some tea* Mmm...Well, this is just a hunch, but maybe it has to do with all that miasma you bathed this whole area in yesterday.

Erik: *notices the hint screen, nodding slightly as he wondered if he could complete this task. They soon found Kyrice who tilted his head at their request*
Kyrice: That's doable actually. I might have some spare parts to make something that could draw in the air and filter it. That would eliminate any scents present. From there, if you had any essential oils, the air could be made to smell... well, like anything you wish potentially.
Erik: That's good to know. I could speak with Jaden about procuring the essential oils. *looks to Light Elly* Will Lavender be acceptable? There might be other calming scents we can try. *And of course, this was for her, so it was only natural to make sure she was included in the process.*
Merk: *chuckles warmly before taking note of the hint. He looked to ponder for a moment before speaking* Hey Wil, would you like to go hunting later? I'm headed out to the city today, but I see no reason why I can't travel to the Exploration Zone as well. *Granted, he still looked...quite rotund. However, he might still have a hunting trick or two to show.*
Cai: Hehe, and you know the kind of round we mean right?
Dax: Yes, the one where we have to feed you whilst you're unconscious.
Terrence: *sweat drops* I would have to agree with Reversed Gill, and not just for the sake of several of our poor stomachs.
Cai:...Soooo if he doesn't use his miasma or demon powers, can we feed him?
Terrence: Cai.
Volu: Oh come now, that seems a fair condition.
Pawan: *chuckles* Perhaps those of us seeking a brawl should head to the dojo before another feast starts.
Dormal: *shrugs* Not that I want a fight. I'd just rather not get stuck in the middle of a pair of stuffed guts again.

When Erik turned to look, Light Elly had already wandered towards the gardens...And began hacking up as many herbs she could find before bringing it over to Shadow Lyle.
Light Elly: Oil, please.
Shadow Lyle: ...You want me to refine this stuff into oil? Heh, only if you pay me.
Without another word, Elly started heading to the shrines of the local deities.
Shadow Lyle: *alarmed* Hey! I-I wasn't serious! They're gonna think I sent you to steal their offerings! HEY!
Feral Wil: *ears perk up* Hmm! Yes! Yes yes yes!
Lit Gill: But getting stuck between two bellies feels amazing! Especially when they're still growing.
Merc Gill: Well what are we waiting for!? Let's spar in the dojo, then!
Half Wil: Um, before that, maybe help us clear up a misunderstanding first?
He points to what looked like an adventuring party of a dozen fighters heading towards the house.
Lit Gill: *brings a hand over his eyes* ...Is that Luke? Hey, someone wake up Akira, I think Luke is coming.

Erik: *sweat drops as he turns to go and follow Elly while Kyrice focuses on building the device in question* Err, you DO know that Jaden might do this for free Elly?... Or Lyle now apparently. *he wanted to facepalm, though it was probably hard to predict this would happen....hard, not impossible.*
Merk: Ok! I suppose we could head out now if you wanted.
Dormal: *rolls his eyes*
Terrence: Ah, well, we probably should sort this out first.
Pawan: *nods* Agreed.
Oscar: I'll go get Akira. *leaves*
*Those gathered to help see to the adventurers that were coming.*

Light Elly: Hmm? Yeah, I know that.
Shadow Lyle: *rubs his face* All this for an air freshener...
Feral Wil: *hops around Merk* Yeah yeah! Let's go!
Merc Akira: *is doing morning stretches in his bedroom* What is going on out there...?
As the adventuring party meet up with the Atherusians, it looked like they were a prepared raid party planning to take on a powerful monster. Tanks, healers, damage dealers, and Merc Luke seemed to be leading them.
Merc Luke: *nods to Terrence* Morning. We've detected worrying amounts of demonic activity in this area. But... *looks at Lit Gill* I see it was just one of my idiot brothers making a mess.
Lit Gill: *sweatdrops* Heheheheh...
Merc Gill: *sees the party* Oh no, not you!
Merc Luke: *sees Merc Gill* GILL!
The two walk up to each other, tension rising in the air. When they meet, they both deliver a swift punch into each other's faces, the pair barely flinching at all.
Merc Gill: Damn it, Luke! Where is it!? Why haven't you made one yet!?
Merc Luke: I refuse to make one with your face on it. Now come home right now, or I'll make you!
Merc Gill: Not until I have a bounty and wanted poster! I'm a real pirate!
Merc Luke: No you are not! You're my brother, and you're coming home, that is final!
hint screen: The Star, symbolizing reaching towards a dream, wishes to attain notoriety. The Hierophant refuses. Forming an unbreakable bond will require both Arcana finding a desirable result.

Erik: *sighs* Indeed... well, shall we go and refine the oil then? I mean, since there's no reason for gold at the moment.
Merk: Ok, ok, let's get going.
*The pair were doing their respective tasks before the commotion between the two Merc Group members commenced.*
Oscar: Ah, it was recommended that you be informed that your brother Luke is here.
Terrence: Indeed. I... can't deny our own chef's role in this, but I can assure you it's far from hazardous.
Cai: Eheh....
Merk: *approaches the pair as he's already on his way out* Err, what's going on here? *barely had time to read the hint, much less figure out how to help the two of them*

Light Elly: *nods eagerly* Hopefully someplace less noisy. *turns towards the two Merc Group members*
Feral Wil: *pauses as he watches the scene unfold*
Merc Akira: Luke is here!? *dashes out of the room*
Both Luke and Gill turn to Merk, then back at each other for a second, then they plead their case.
Merc Luke: Gill here is in a long rebellious phase and ran out of his home to play pirate on the seas. I've been trying to get him to come back home, but he refuses every time! Not to mention having to clean up all the messes he and his friends make.
Merc Gill: Nuh-uh! I'm a real pirate! A criminal! Not just another Guilmon in another Group of the Creator's kids! But Luke won't accept that. My entire crew has a bounty on their heads, but I do the most damage, and he still refuses to put one on mine!
Half Wil: Oh boy. I hope they don't wreck something again. *sips tea*
Merc Akira: *comes out* Luke! *approaches the party*
Merc Luke: Oh, Akira, you're here too. And how's life outside the Guild hall treating you?
Merc Akira: Pretty great, actually. *turns to the raid party* Hey guys! Stephen, how's your brother doing?
Shark: Eating like a pig as usual.
Merc Akira: Randy, you've been hitting the gym recently?
Armadillo: *flexes a thick bicep* How'd you know?
Merc Akira: And Irvine? You're out in the field? You're usually playing tactician back at the Guild hall. Or preparing for an eating competition.
Sangheili alien: *blushes* Demon invasions don't happen every day, ya know.
It looked like Akira was familiar with most of the adventuring party, while Luke and Gill continued to send angry glares at each other.

Erik: Right. The gardens should be quieter. *they head over, and true to his word, Jaden is willing to fill the request.*
Jaden: Yes, you might want to come to me first with requests like this. Or see Novari first if you're going over to Shadow Lyle.
Erik: Or me.... but I see why you'd suggest her frist. *She did have a way of dealing with Shadow Lyle's pricing methods. In any case, they soon had the oil for the air freshener*
Merk: Ok.... where did this come from, if I may ask? *looks to both the Merc Group members before settling on Luke* I can understand your concern, as it likely stems from wanting to protect your family, hence why you'd likely hold back from issuing a wanted poster on him. *looks to Gill* But you...I'm still trying to understand you. Why piracy and criminal behavior, when there are other means of gaining notoriety? I mean, being the mercenary who stands for the oppressed is fairly noteworthy, and from the stories we heard from your crew, that sounds at least partially like what you're doing. *granted there also appeared to be an element of selfishness to Gill's goals if he only sought a bounty on his head... then again, he did care for his crew, didn't he?*

Light Elly: *stares at Jaden* ...Your fur could make for pillow stuffing... *didn't appear to be listening* ...And Novari's scales could be used for bedsheets. *no, she was hearing a different conversation altogether*
Merc Luke: *sigh* This whole pirate business began a long time ago. He said something about standing out.
Merc Gill: *shrugs* I'm a pirate. I don't care about rules. Do I need any other reason?

*Jaden cleared his throat while Erik finally face palmed*
Erik: Just... don't literally tear them off their backs. Please.
Jaden: Err, we could talk of alternatives though. Or come to an arrangement. *appears to try and be helpful to the pair, though is equally curious about just how the conversation turned in this direction.* Still, you should be able to finish up the air freshener with this.
Merk: *ponders a moment* I see... I mean, if it's about standing out, caring about the plights no one else seems to and doing something about them, by definition is standing out from what others would do. *pauses* You do care about your crew don't you? About what's happened to them? Not just about being someone who doesn't care about the rules and wants to cause the most damage?

Light Elly: ...Ooohh...Like using a brush instead of shaving? I used to do that back in my other cell, but I forgot to bring my hair brush, so I just use clawed gloves now. I wonder if there's a scale equivalent of that... *turns to look at Erik* ...Is the air freshener ready yet?
Merc Luke: *nods* Agreed. Which is something we already do back at the Guild.
Merc Gill: *sticks his tongue out at Luke before turning back to Merk* Of course I care about them. They're my friends! That's why I'm helping them achieve their dreams too!
Feral Wil: *starts pawing Merk's side* Hunting trip? We're still going, right?

Erik: *appears to perk up slightly*...You did, did you? *It appeared he had an idea, one that Jaden caught onto* Oh err, yes. Kyrice should be done and we just needed the oil so that it would replace the removed scent. *begins leading the way back to Kyrice after thanking Jaden.*
Merk: *nods as he thinks* We're still doing that Wil, just give me a moment. *he did wonder if he could convince Luke to stick around and discuss the matter with Erikon, still he had one line of inquiry to ask.* Well, if that's the case...I mean, if achieving those dreams requires at least a careful observation of rules rather than outright obeying or dismissing them or...I suppose what I'm trying to ask is why its so important that this be how you achieve notoriety when it might eventually be detrimental to your crew, if not now in the future as you help them.

Light Elly looked at Erik expectantly as she followed after him.
Merc Luke: Yeah. He does have a valid point.
Merc Gill: *shrug* Well, my crew gets to have a bounty, so they're already being hunted down. While those are up, I don't think we can really negotiate anything.
Merc Luke: ...Are you implying that you want their bounties taken down?
Merc Gill: No! To us pirates, bounties are a symbol of how strong and tough we are! They're like trophies we can show off to other pirates to tell them not to mess with us!
Merc Akira: I can see the logic in that. And, for example if this place is a part of their territory, that means other criminals would be too scared to try and raid the place.
Merc Luke: *facepalms* Then what are you implying? Have their bounties raised?
Merc Gill: *smiles wide* Oooh! Can you do that? That'd make them really happy!
Merc Luke: I WASN'T BEING SERIOUS!
???: Not to mention our captain isn't very good at being subtle.
The pirate crew has entered the property and casually approached Merc Gill.
adventurer: *leans close* Hey, aren't they wanted criminals?
Merc Luke: Shh, shush it.
naga pirate: *chuckles* Indeed. You could say we're in a parley right now.

*While they were walking, Erik caught the pleading look of Merk. A sigh escaped his maw as he continued on, perhaps hoping Merk could at least stall them until he got there. Kyrice meanwhile had designed a rather sleek rectangular combination of air purifier and freshener.*
Erik: Well then. *observes it* This came out rather well.
Kyrice: Indeed. I tried to leave room for visual improvements, but the base model should blend in nicely with most decors. As for sound, it should be no louder than the average fan on the highest setting. I doubt you'll need to go that high however, unless the source of any odors is in the room and particularly horrid. *true to his word, it seemed more designed to be out of the way of other design elements rather that complimenting them, to perform its function in the background.*
Erik: *nods before looking to Elly* Shall we go and install it then?
Merk: *sweat drops, wondering if Luke had made their talks more challenging* I mean, I can see the logic as well. Making a name as a hardened criminal will either bring challengers or keep them at bay. Equally, as you just pointed out though, it can make other tasks more difficult. *looks to Gill, then at the approaching crew members*
While we're on the subject however, and now that you all are here as well, what is it you all want? Higher bounties or no bounties? I will confess I don't know what all of your goals are, and understanding them a bit more will help assess how effective this approach will be to achieving them. *seems interested in seeing if the crew's interests and Gill's are actually in sync at the moment. It seemed a potential means of communicating to Gill.*

Light Elly: *looks at the device excitedly and nods her head eagerly as she proceeds to follow Erik back to her room*
Half Wil: Hmm. *quietly gets up and also follows Erik*
Merc Gill and Luke look towards the pirate crew as, one by one, they share what their goals are.
Brack: To be the greatest sword master.
Merc Gill: But aren't you kinda short since you're a fennec fox?
Brack: You shut up about that!
Simon: Well I aspire to be a brave warrior of the sea!
Merc Luke: *raises an eyebrow* Is that why you've got a roach on your shoulder?
Simon: GAAAAHHH! Getitoffgetitoffgetitoffgetitoff!!! *runs in circles while Merc Gill laughs jovially*
Darro: *rolls eyes* Well...I wanna be a chef on par with Fetish Gill.
Mentah: Oh, me next? Well! Other than becoming super rich, I'd really like to be able to make a nautical chart of all the oceans in the Fused World. The water doesn't get as much attention as it deserves.
Barn: ...Oh! Me too? Um, I'm just a Barioth, though.
Merc Gill: Come on, you're a part of the crew too!
Barn: Well...I'd like to become the world's best doctor and find a cure for every disease there is.
Ryugami: I'd like to meet with my water spirit friend one last time before I pass on! Having only half a face makes eating a little hard.
adventurer: *leans closely* So, is he an undead?
Merc Luke: *sigh* No, he's not undead. According to his file, his body rotted for too long before he could repossess it.
Ryugami: My forest home is like a maze, ya know! Like these intestines. *points at his exposed small intestine*
Alwen: *crosses his arms* As for me, my dream is to build the perfect boat. A real moving water fortress, one that can withstand any storm or wave the ocean will throw at it. My current prototype is the boat we're using now. And with how rough these guys fight, it's the perfect way to see how well it stands up!
naga pirate: ...Before I share mine, however, I have only one question I'd like to ask. *looks pointedly at Luke* Have you, by chance, heard of this particular mission issued by the local government. A village of scholars home to a network of criminal rings. And the extermination would be for the good of the world. The only survivor is a 5-year old boy with a bounty of 500,000 gold, dead or alive.
Merc Luke: ... *nods* I see that this is the criminal group you've been hiding in this entire time, Rodah...
Rodah: ...I was only 5 years old when I saw everyone I loved killed by government officials. I was hunted every day for the crime of being born in that village. All because of the slim possibility I might have the evidence of the government's corruption. That is my goal. To reclaim that evidence and expose it to everyone.
Merc Luke: And you had to do everything to survive, while your bounty skyrocketed to 130 million.
Rodah: Yes, that was the amount last I checked, isn't it?
Alwen: Grrr. I still don't understand that! You gave Rodah 130 million, but I get 94 million!?
Mentah: Speak for yourself! Having a bounty makes my thievery harder, but I have to live with a 66 million bounty.
Ryugami: Honestly, you guys got off lucky. People think I'm weak like an actual skeleton, so I only have a bounty of 83 million.
Simon: W-well! I'm also good at tinkering with things. So what if I'm not as strong as you guys, 200 million isn't anything to scoff at.
Brack: Really? You mostly got away with that by lying a lot, though. I earned my 320 million.
Darro: ... *looks dejected* Well, since I'm the crew's chef, people think I'm just as violent as our captain. Sure I'm a strong fighter, but 330 million is pushing it.
Barn: *looks on the verge of crying* ...E-everyone thinks I'm just the pet Monstie, be-because I'm a Barioth...S-so, they gave me a bounty of 100...J-just 100 gold! It's an insult...
Merc Luke: *is massaging his temples* ...Gill, your crew adds up to over a billion gold...How are you people able to cause so much damage...And not even on purpose half the time!?

Erik: *arrives at Elly's room and prepares to set it up, being sure to listen and see where Elly wanted it placed. Upon activation, with a low hum and the sound out a fan spinning on low, the odor was neutralized and replaced with the scent of the oil.* Huh, it looks like he added settings for how strong you want the scent to be. I'd guess it affects how quickly the oil is consumed, but also it might be good if you don't want to be overwhelmed by the scent.
Merk: *listens to all of their goals, one by one* Well, size doesn't really matter for sword fighting. A smaller size usually implies agility and swift counters in place of more powerful blows.
Pawan: An astute assessment.
Merk: *chuckles* Well, it sounds like you need only work on your bravery. You're already a warrior of the sea from the sound of it.
Dormal: No kidding. Roaches? Really? *cocks his head*
Merk: *appears to bristle slightly when he hears Rodah's story.*... I see.
Dormal: Well, depending on those guys' influence, I imagine emphasizing this guy's role in whatever happens and the need for a high bounty to be the cause for that amount.
*Then the group started bickering about their bounty amounts. Merk meanwhile sighed*
Merk:...From the sound of it, having a bounty might hinder some of your goals, while for others it would either have no effect or be somewhat positive. And if I had to guess Luke, it might be that Gill is the one pushing for the loudest, most destructive approach. For the others, as they have harsh backstories with enemies that might wish to see them jailed or dead... well, as Dormal brought up, seeing to it that their role in the crime was highlighted would likely serve that end. In the chaos and confusion, casting blame would be rather easy.
Dormal: *shrugs* Wouldn't put it past them to make stuff up also. Exploit whatever story will work for how much it will work for. *looks back to the group of pirates* To what your goals are though, have you considered asking others for help? *eyes Rodah* You for example seem like you could benefit more from the help of thieves rather than pirates. I already know the rules likely benefit those that have wronged you, but being wanted and tracked might make the search for answers more challenging. For the rest of you... some seem like you seek the knowledge of masters *looks to Brack, Barn and Darro* There are individuals here who can help in each of your pursuits. Medics, chefs and sword masters. And of course, we are only one avenue for them. *looks to the rest of them* There are also craftsmen and... well, there are those that wouldn't mind helping in the search for a lost friend.
Dormal: Yeah, gonna say that's pretty hard with authorities coming after you.
Merk: I suppose I come back to my earlier question: do you want higher bounties or for them to be removed? *he could see where Gill's approach would help some of them. But not all of them.*

Light Elly was hopping with excitement as the smell of fried foods dissipated. She quickly hopped into bed without another word and simply went to sleep.
Half Wil: You two are having fun up here.
The pirates listen to the advice given to them by the Atherusians. Rodah proceeds to let out a dry laugh.
Rodah: Almost everyone I've met tried to sell me out. I was almost sure Gill would too, until he proved himself by storming the whole place.
Mentah: Uuuggghh, don't remind me of that major disaster. It's how I ended up with a bounty too, and I try to stay out of the spotlight.
Darro: But it would be nice to have some folks around to share their knowledge. I can't afford to let anyone get sick on the sea.
Merc Gill: Nuh-uh! All your food is yummy!
Barn: Well I demand a higher bounty! I am an equal member of the crew, dammit!
Brack: For what it's worth, we don't really care about your bounty.
Ryugami: Yeah, we're friends! We're all friends here!
Merc Luke: *clears his throat* And, there's just one problem. What about all of the property damage, the violent behavior, theft, and overall misdemeanors your entire crew has conducted? We can't exactly turn a blind eye on those.
Simon: ...Ah, those were someone else.
Brack: Why should we care about those?
Alwen: We're pirates! We live outside the law.
Mentah: Plus, all the people we fight deserve to have their butts handed to them.
Merc Luke: Look, I can excuse fighting other pirates, but not nobles and government officials before you can present evidence of their crimes!
Rodah: And that's why I trust my friends much more than you people.
adventurer: You're calling us untrustworthy? We go on missions to help people!
Rodah: Did I stutter?
Mentah: Like you helped my village while it was held hostage for 10 years?
Barn: Or my kingdom when that selfish bastard decided to hoard all the doctors for himself and let the people slowly die?
Merc Gill: Face it, Luke. The adventurer's guild only acts when there's a reward at the end, and the missions are only issued when it goes through a process, which takes time. It's better to be a criminal than a bystander.
Luke grits his teeth in anger as he and Gill stare each other down.

Erik: *chuckles lightly before blinking as he noticed Half Wil was there* Oh, err... well, I figured I'd come and make sure the filter freshener was set up. Plus you know... tasks and such. *clears his throat* Did you need something? Father... ehem, Merchios seemed like he was in a bit of distress.
Merk: *sweat drops* Ah... I see. *well he couldn't exactly say that wouldn't be a problem with thieves*... And I see further. *seems helpless and shrinks away as the situation deteriorates*
Dormal: *sighs exasperatedly, shaking his head*
Pawan: He's... not doing too great. Maybe you should step in? You look like you have something to say.
Dormal: *shrugs, getting between the crew and adventurers, Luke and Gill* You know, I'm starting to see the appeal of the Phantom Thieves. They seem more in the middle ground between the two of you. *eyes Luke* Not sitting idly by under process *eyes Gill* not bringing the entire complex down for attention. You're trying to tell me there's zero middle ground between the two of you *eyes both groups* No one willing to take up the suggestion of quieter thievery? Of actively taking up these claims of corruption? Of finding proof and not destroying the safe, the building the safe is in, AND the surrounding structures as well? Tch, you're playing right into the hands of those idiots by arguing over who's got the better way of dealing with them. *looks at both groups* 'Cause guess what? Every crime gives them more reason to call for your heads, more means and power to demand hunters. And doing nothing gives them more opportunities to hide away what they did, more time to find places to put in the strings. So yeah, being lawless seems like you'll eventually hurt yourselves as much as being law bound. *shrugs* But hey, I'm a mercenary who had a fairly flexible view of rules and who gives them. Take it with a grain of salt if you want. *there seemed to be an almost sarcastic or uninterested tone to the gryphon's speech as he attempted to cut a path through both their arguments, but with hidden notes of aggression. The keen eyed and aware might notice the shadow of a three legged bird circling his shadow. It was enough to make Merk clench his teeth and wonder if he was going to set off a powder keg or actually get them to see reason*

Half Wil: *giggles as he walks to a window* Yeah, I followed you up to let you know that Merk seemed to have bitten off more than he could chew. But, I think one of your friends managed to help him out a little.
Back at the courtyard, both sides look at Dormal after he gave his view of the argument. And then Rodah started to chuckle.
Rodah: I like this one. He doesn't hold back.
Brack: To be honest, we let some of the crew do the thinking while we just go around kicking ass.
Mentah: See, this is why you guys give me such a headache. I can't look around the place when you're in the middle of wrecking the whole thing!
Stephen: And to be honest, most of us have seen Lyle going on Luke's back before.
Merc Akira: *shrugs* Sometimes we send a few people ahead of time, before the mission becomes official.
Merc Luke: Aren't those just scouts to ascertain the difficulty?
Irvine: Yes, but under orders from Wil, he tells the scouts to do what is thought to be appropriate at the time, depending on the situation. Sooo...
Merc Luke: *starts rubbing his face* Then...That means you've been interfering with the missions before they even become official...
Irvine: Not all of them, of course. But the ones that concern high nobility and royalty and the like...Well, the scouts just want the "full context" so to speak.
Merc Gill: Hahahahaha! They've totally been duping you, Luke!
Darro: *smacks Gill in the head* You're no better, Gill. I can remember a handful of times we've had to convince you not to charge in without a plan.
Ryugami: *tilts his head* But to his credit, Gill does stick to some of the plans when it's super serious...
Barn: Yeah, and he seems happy enough when he's wearing a disguise.

Erik: Oh? *walks over to the window* No kidding? Dormal? I didn't think he could give a speech, much less defuse a situation. He's normally quite doom and gloom... *sighs* I guess "I didn't know that" pretty much sums up my relationship with most everyone.
Dormal: *shrugs* I've seen war. Sold my sword to a couple lords. Loyalty though? *pauses* None of them lived long enough to earn that. And my crew and I prized our freedom. I don't mind calling a strategy stupid when it is. *pauses before glancing at Merk* That's a story for another time. Think you can take it from here? This isn't my task.
Merk: *blinks before nodding and looking more determined* I agree with what Dormal has said, and it does appear that there is some middle ground for both of you. *looks to Luke* He put it quite succinctly. Do nothing because of the rules seems to have enabled corrupt nobles to cover their tracks and find other means of keeping you in the dark about what they've done, all while they take the opportunity to place more blame upon them and serve their own ends. Why create a mission when there's no apparent reason to? Or rather, when the reason has been neatly obscured? *looks to Gill* And it would seem some of your crew is in agreement with him as well: the blunt approach, while applicable in some situations, should hardly be the default approach. Not caring about any rules provides freedom in some areas while placing restrictions in others. That's...pretty much why I found it hard to be in favor of either of you. However, perhaps there is room for improvement on both sides? You both want the same thing I believe. Would doing things faster and cleaner not be overall more beneficial than by lengthy procedure or by unrestrained force?... Or I suppose minimally restrained force. *He didn't want to discount the efforts of Gill's crew, after all*

Merc Luke: *folds his arms* I concede to that point.
Merc Gill: *pouts* Yeah, sure, whatever.
Both the Hierophant and Star cards appear above them for a bit before disappearing.
Merc Akira: Great! We're getting along!
Merc Luke: Now if you'll excuse me, I have to punish a demon right now.
Lit Gill: *is happily fattening up one of the adventurers* And as you can see, being a ball of blubber isn't so bad. Good defense, great insulation to natural elements-
Luke proceeds to toss a flask of holy water at Gill's face, causing a burning sound as he yells in pain. He then proceeds to instruct to the adventuring party that they'll be leaving now, and they roll their immobilized member away.
Merc Gill: *tail swishing* ... *quietly waits until they're gone* ...Great! Now let's party!
Mentah: Come on! We have other things to do, Gill!
Barn: Oh yeah, I do wanna purchase some herbs since my stock is running low.
Darro: And get some new ingredients for lunch and dinner later.
Feral Wil: *paws Merk's side again* Hunt?

Merk: *smiles warmly, happy to have helped. Then he saw Merc Luke head over to Lit Gill, stifling a chuckle. Not at the Guilmon's fate of course. The gathering of those around him.*
Dax: Hehehe, you might want to stick with your current followers Gill. Or at least don't pitch joining the cult of blubber while Luke is around.
Orin: *cheering* Cult of Blubber! Cult of Blubber!
Dormal: *sighs* And with that, I'm heading for the dojo before they start again.
Terrence: Agreed.
Merk: *nods to Feral Wil* Absolutely. That sounds very nice. *starts to leave before turning to the crew* Ah, and I did mean it. If you'd like help achieving your goals, feel free to ask around. I realize trust is hard to build, but we do have resources, and...well, we're a mixed group of individuals. *With that, he left with Feral Wil to go hunting*
Erik: *smiles* Anyway, I probably shouldn't talk about myself. Is there anything I can help you with Wil?

Lit Gill: *looks at Orin for a bit before he joins the chanting* Cult of Blubber! Cult of Blubber!
Merc Akira: Um, didn't that sting, though?
Lit Gill: At first, now it's just mildly tingly.
The pirate crew disperse among the Atherusians, either mingling or picking up some things that were on sale which they needed. With Mentah haggling for the lowest prices, of course. And he quickly grows angry when he spots Merc Gill toss a bag of gold to Cai simply to order more food.
Half Wil: Hmm. Me? Well... *starts heading down to the living room* I dunno if you can really help me out, Erik.

*Soon enough, the chefs were making food for their god, kicking off what was likely to be another expansive day for Lit Gill. At least this time many who were outside made a quick escape for the indoors... quick being a relative term. Ardor stuck around, perhaps because the mood was so high. The pirate crew meanwhile would find the Atherusians to be a mixed group of individuals as Merk had described. There was the obnoxious Xantusia, the humble Auburn, the edgy Rufus, the kind-hearted and hopeful Kyrice, the courageous coward Nafer, the wild and capricious Vance, and many many more. Some sympathized with the crew, either having gone through similar circumstances themselves, having a general dislike of nobles, or a mix of the two. Those who sold items were willing to haggle with Mentah, leaving room for negotiations. And Cai, naturally, was ready and willing to provide Merc Gill with food.
Erik: Well, we can talk about it at least. I'll better know my abilities to assist you then. *follows him down to the living room.*

Half Wil: Hmmm...Well. *sits on a couch, seeing a stream of people taking refuge indoors* I suppose it's that I don't feel like I belong. I can't help but feel that way, what with the origins of my Group, but also because of our ability. You know how the Feral Group can talk to animals, the Shadow Group can open portals, and all that. The Half Group can separate themselves from whatever's going on. Take their Cult of Blubber for instance. If I wanted, I can just stand around, and no one would even notice I'm there. I would...Just be an outsider looking in... *watches Merc Gill getting berated while his crew get advice and supplies*

Erik: *notices the stream of people as well.* Hm... I can see why your origins and ability would make you think that. *ponders a moment, perhaps trying to best assess how to approach this* For being a supposed outsider, you do appear to care a great deal for the world and what happens to it, arguably more so than a casual observer at least. Even in your ability, while it allows you to separate yourself from what is going on, it apparently can allow others to as well. Granted, I'm not sure if you were able to help us because we, like you to an extent, aren't from here, but you helped the gods out of a potentially awkward situation while Phantom hunting if memory serves. *thinks a moment more* I suppose it also indicates what you could do hypothetically, but don't.

Half Wil: Hmm. You have a point. *the Fortune card appears briefly* But isn't it only natural to care about the world? *pauses a bit* ...Huh. I guess I do consider this place my home...

Erik: To an extent perhaps. You said it best though: you have a way to be an outsider looking in but... well, you come inside for both the enjoyment, but also for the upkeep such as in this instance.

Half Wil: *exhales slowly* ...You've got a way with words, don't you?
It almost sounded like he was being sarcastic. Almost. Whether he was or wasn't, he just smiles at Erik.
Half Wil: Anyway, while we wait for the Cult of Blubber outside to burn themselves out, I've got some select concert DVDs we can watch! Three whole hours of songs that sold out within days when the Show Group performed them live!
Reverse Gill: *ahem* Pardon the intrusion. But, I had forgotten to present you with a piece of information. It doesn't currently pertain to the situation at hand, but you did befriend the one whom I am closest to. *presents a video tape to Erik, labeled "Reverse Gill's Birthday"*

Meanwhile, in a vast field, Feral Wil was happily running around and barking. He then went up to Merk and started barking at him for a bit before stopping.
Feral Wil: Oh, wait. You don't understand what I just said, did you? Heheheh. Well, I can definitely go hunt without singing, but it wouldn't exactly be fair if we can't even communicate with each other.

Erik: Hehe, you could say that I suppose. Talking out matters is preferable to fighting... when avoiding contact altogether isn't an option. *sighs before chuckling lightly. He kind of wanted to join the cult... but there would likely be time for that after some time with Wil.* That sounds good. *tilts his head as Reversed Gill came in with a new tape* Huh, well I'll admit, you're definitely curious... *he knew little of Reversed Gill outside of what encounters they had. He looked to Half Wil* Is it ok if we watch this first?

Merk: *happily watches Feral Wil run around and bark. It never occurred to him he might be saying something.* Ah. Err, no. I mean, if it makes you feel good to sing, don't let me stop you. *rubs the back of his head* Incidentally, did you have a preferred hunting style. Normally I'm for stalking and ambush tactics. *...And normally he was less rotund.*

Half Wil: ... *cough* You're free to watch that first. But, just a warning. None of their births are particularly happy stories.
Reverse Gill simply stands to the side like a proper servant.

Feral Wil: Heheheh. That sounds like a good hunting tactic. Oh, but when I said singing, I meant communicating. *looks out across the field* ...Lots of civilized races learned to use vocal communication, but we speak directly to the soul. That's how we can speak and understand animals. *begins trotting off* You could learn to do it too if you have some skill with spirit magic.

Erik: Ah... well, that's to be expected I suppose. *thinks a moment* It might be best to watch this and then the more humorous material. *besides he was interested in finding out more about the members. Hearing the Reversed Group's side in some way may have been inevitable. So, he played the tape*

Merk: Oh I see. *ponders* I suppose the dragons of old may have communicated in such a manner. Verbal communication mainly came with increased contact with other races. I myself never really practiced spirit magic, though I suppose I could try to learn.

The tape begins by showing Gill happily cooking in a kitchen, except it didn't look to be any familiar one. He seemed all too happy to feed anyone that came into the building, and not only that, he was apparently by himself as he did so. The scene changes to Gill staring in an alleyway as people were throwing away half-eaten food. It changes again to show Gill talking to a few people before being pushed down. The tape then shows Gill crying in his room while the rest of his siblings were around him, and he was in the fetal position as he scratched his left arm. What was most disturbing is that the only sound the tape played was a soft constant moan of static.
Half Wil: *looks around the living room to check if anyone else was seeing the tape with them*

Feral Wil: Heheheh, I'm fine with teaching you if you'd like! But maybe you'd be better off getting advice from your friends who know about elemental magic. Spirit magic isn't exactly so different from it.
The pair come upon a pond, where several ducks were swimming on. Wil is already getting into pouncing position as he hid amongst the tall reeds.

Erik: Hm.... *so far, it seemed consistent with what he knew of Gill. Perhaps he shared his feelings about food being tossed.* Is that how... *he paid particular attention to the arm Gill was scratching*
*For the most part there were one or two individuals milling about. Nor seemed drawn in by the discussion of watching the Show Group*
Nor: Hm? And this is...the past I take it.
*Kelvin lingered in the room as well.*

Merk: *smiles* That would be nice. *he pondered if Jiro used spirit magic to channel the power of his region's gods. And he supposed what he did in the past was...akin to it. Nevertheless, with prey in sight, he stepped carefully to the side of the pond. He was a large presence, yes, but he endeavored not to disturb the foliage, the twigs. Even the grass was bent carefully so as not to create rustling. The shadows seemed to shift near a few of the ducks as he tried to communicate his marks to Wil*

The tape continues with Gill by himself in bed, continuing to scratch himself in the arm until he bled pixels and data. Then he looks up and sees another Guilmon standing in front of him with slits for pupils. The static clears up enough to make out the conversation.
Reverse Gill: Those who don't cherish what they have waste it.
Gill: They...don't know what generosity is. Mistaken for entitlement.
Reverse Gill: Blessings are only cherished once taken away. You have given enough. Let me take.
The tape continues with Reverse Gill eating and gorging on food. Lots of food. A lot. But he doesn't gain weight.

Feral Wil keeps his eyes on the ducks, his eyes pulling into slits as he prepares. Then, pounce! He sinks his claws into one of the ducks Merk didn't aim for.

Erik: Oof. *grimaces, getting flash backs of Fetish Gill, wondering if he was perhaps the one most impacted by these viewpoints. He couldn’t help but eye Reversed Gill when he’s gorging on the screen. He did wonder what prevented him from joining the other Gills in their weighty interests at least. Not wanting to serve food others he could understand, for the rational was clearly displayed but… well, the answer to what Erik wondered was becoming more apparent.*

*As Wil pouced, so too did Merk. Another duck was snatched by the shadows and dragged to shore. And as the others presumably flew from the ruckus, a shadowy shot caused feathers to fly as another duck fell back into the water. It seemed he mixed a synchronized takedown with Wil with more traditional duck hunting strategies for maximum results.*

The tape simply showed Reverse Gill eating and eating. At first, it was all sorts of food. And then it was various vegetables and fruits. Then, it was grass and dirt. It looked like he was eating the ground itself. The tape switches scenes to show crowds in what looked to be in a restless riot as entire stores were devoid of all food. Then at night, Reverse Gill would come back and devour any method they tried to get more. Farmlands became craters, roads were destroyed, the people grew restless and hungry. It all culminated to a starved city, where withered husks that used to be people barely clung to life. Reverse Gill walks into a dusty restaurant, holding a bag full of fresh bread. And proceeds to slowly eat it in front of the few people still alive.

A few ducks fly away, while the ones the pair targeted are taken down. Feral Wil licks his lips as he proceeds to tear into his meal.

*What first appeared to Erik to be desperation on the part of Reversed Gill soon proved to be otherwise. He was... disturbed to say the least. And the spectating pair appeared to verbalize his thoughts, whether he knew it or not.*
Nor: A bit of a harsh punishment, no?
Kelvin: Well, you don't know what you have until it's taken? I presume that's the lesson here.
Nor: Only a necromancer can teach a corpse. And even he prefers a swift death to a prolonged one.
Kelvin: Only because that makes for a swift addition to his army. *shrugs* Don't mistake my observation for approval, if you would.
Nor:...

Merk: *chuckles heartily, bagging the ducks with the inttention of presenting them to Wil later. For now, he waited for his hunting partner to finish.*

The tape cuts to Gill in a different restaurant, presumably starting over. He bakes some scones and brings it to the front, where he sees some people outside throwing half-eaten bread away. His eyes pull into slits as he stares at them.
Reverse Gill: *speaks to Erik* I am the gluttonous one, who will devour everything beloved until all that is left is a wasteland.
The tape cuts out to static before ending. Half Wil takes it out and looks at everyone present.
Half Wil: ...So, anyone wanna join the cult outside?

Once Feral Wil is done eating, he cleans off the blood and feathers before looking at Merk.
Feral Wil: ... *blinks* Ah, must speak Otherkin. Um, what's your favorite hunting prey? I'm still hungry.

Erik:...I see. *clears his throat* I honestly wouldn't mind joining. *looks to Half Wil* However, did you still wish to watch some other videos.
Nor: Indeed. I'd heard the Show Group might be played.
Kelvin: Eh, and I'm quite happy to let Lit Gill and the others have their fun.

Merk: *chuckles before thinking* Well, I did a great deal of deer hunting back in the day. Made off with the occasional cow, but I definitely stuck to the creatures of the forest and plains.

Half Wil: *sweatdrop* Um...Yeah, sure. I could use a palate cleanser.
He proceeds to put in a DVD collection of the Show Group's various concerts and performances.
Reverse Gill: I'll go see to the Vassals. *leaves*

Feral Wil: Heheheh. We should definitely get started on teaching you how to Sing if we're gonna go out hunting again. First, close your eyes. Can you envision the four common elements of nature? Fire, wind, water, earth. Here's the key to speaking like us. Don't listen with your ears, listen with your soul. Can you hear these four voices, singing together in melody? They are all around us. And even within us. The Onesong sings its melody to all Kin. Even Otherkin may hear it, if they learn to quiet themselves and listen.

Erik: Agreed *sits down to watch with Wil and the others, still processing what happened with Reversed Gill. Half Wil wasn't wrong; this was a pleasant change to the previous video*

Merk: *nods* Alright. *closes his eyes and tries to follow Wil's instructions, aided by his previous interactions with the elements. He paused to concentrate hard on listening to the elements, as Wil said, with his soul rather than his ears.*

After a little while, Merk could hear it. Water running along the pond, lapping the shores. The air flowing freely around him. The earth ever shifting slowly beneath him. Fire crackling deep within him.
Feral Wil: You're doing it. I can see you learning, gaining understanding. Open your eyes. Can you see mine?
When Merk opens his eyes, he could just faintly see colors forming sigils and shapes around Wil. Red, green, blue, grey, forming barely-visible formations around his head.
Feral Wil: *without talking* ...Ca...ear...e?

Merk: *takes a moment to look around, taking in the elemental sights before he gradually heard Wil communicating with him.* Barely... but you're definitely legible. *It wouldn't do for sending messages in secret at the moment, but at least it was a start.*

Feral Wil: *his tail wags* You can hear my Song! Wonderful. Now, let's go and-
A small herd of deer can be heard nearby. Wil stares at them as an older buck with large beautiful antlers looks at them warily before lowering his head at them.
Feral Wil: Heh, he senses us as Otherkin, and warns us to leave, lest we join him in a Dance of Destruction. Oh, it means a fight in your terms.

Merk: *nods with a smile before tilting his head as he takes note of the buck as well* Well, I mean, if we're still hunting and he wants to fight, I see no reason why not see how we fair against him. *that said, he appeared ready for a fight*

Feral Wil: *smiles at the deer, faint spirit lines appearing around him*
The deer responds by charging at them, with Wil avoiding it before biting down on its side. It bleats loudly and tries to buck him off.

Merk: *merely side steps in the direction opposite Wil, relying on the deer's forward momentum. He took the opportunity to claw at the exposed flank as he did, hopefully causing some fairly deep wounds.*

The deer looks very hurt, struggling for a bit before collapsing from its injuries. Wil looked up at the herd, only to find that they're already gone.
Feral Wil: Let's eat! *proceeds to devour the meat*

Meanwhile, Half Wil was humming to himself as they listened to the 5th love song on the DVD collection. By the time it ends, he pops the disc out and looks over to Erik.
Half Wil: You have any song requests?
Hint: Your Social Links also know how to sing.

Merk: *grins victoriously and chuckles before sweat dropping.* Shouldn’t we save some for the rest of your group? *tilts his head. He had saved some of the ducks of course, and he supposed keeping Wil fed was important.*

Erik: *seemed relatively unimpressed by some of the songs, though he tried to hide it. Nor was he captivated, though tried to hide it as well.* Hm? Ah, err… *well this put him in an awkward position. He wasn’t sure what to request… and he really hoped that hint didn’t mean he had to sing.*
Kelvin: Hm. Does the show group do anything Renaissance or Medieval? It might be a pleasant trip down memory lane. Maybe invoke a ballad or two from back home?
Erik: Y-yes, I suppose. *tries to think of how to approach the hint*

Feral Wil doesn't appear to be listening as he gulps down large chunks of meat until the deer carcass was little more than bone, hide and scraps.
Feral Wil: *licks his lips* They can find their own food. *begins walking away to somewhere*

Half Wil: Renaissance or Medieval...Oh! I think I've got one from Tech Elly and Akira. *rifles through his disc collection*
Tech Drake: Someone called?
Tech Elly: If the cult outside does this everyday, this house is gonna be a new landmark.
Half Wil: Got it! *inserts a disc*

Music video: *Displays the title "Death Should Not Haven Taken Thee" as an 8-bit tune begins to play, showing a throne room with Tech Akira as a guard and Tech Elly as the king*
Tech Elly: *stands up* Oh! How could they all die? Really a shame!
both: 3, 2, 1, Ooh! *music begins in earnest, the video showing a spanning kingdom before focusing back at the throne room*
Tech Akira: King!
Tech Elly: What now?
Tech Akira: Help!
Tech Elly: Now what do you want?
Tech Akira: They! They took the princess and won't give her back.
Tech Elly: Hero should?
Tech Akira: Not exist.
Tech Elly: Hmm, got it! No need to fear! You be the hero!
both: Set up let down!

Tech Elly: *showing a treasure chest* Jimmy the lock for a brand new stock of any old item to get you going.
*showing a party of warriors* Party on up to get you pumped and fight!
Tech Akira: Please tell me you're just kidding, right?
Tech Elly: *showing some villagers* Fine, if ever you're in trouble, talk to the peasants, okay?
*showing a big monster* And with a smash, go beat that boss down.
Tech Akira: Wait, what now?

Tech Elly: *grinning widely* Boast it! And toast it! And raise all your glasses! Cause they all know that I rule all the masses!
Tech Akira: *looking worried* And I'll just be here doing everything for their sake. Thinking again, the bigger they are, the harder they're overthrown.
Tech Elly: One-up! And one-up! And throw all your hands up! Party it up just to watch them all bow down!
Tech Akira: Hold up a second, didn't hear this at assignment. My paid vacations are-
Tech Elly: *to a crying Akira* DELETED! DELETED!

Tech Elly: *giving thumbs ups* So now we're waiting with the bating of the breathing for the beating of the beastly ol' ultimate boss!

Tech Elly: *in a field surrounded by an army* Say that we're fighting for a cause because I demand! Say that we're fighting to keep peace over the land!
Looking on, fighting from the furthest point in the rear, calling your stats out like you're blind or just can't hear!
Tech Akira: *is by himself in battle* Fighting for you, and maybe fighting for the peasants too, take a sec to see how hard we fight so you can rule.
*is now getting beaten up* They're falling one by one around me, and I'm flashing red. I knew my levels just weren't high enough yet...

both: *the music takes a somber tone and shows the words "Game Over"* Sorry, but your party was, wiped out completely, now you're dead.
O God in heaven, why? Amen... *the video goes into an instrumental break, turning upbeat again as it shows the fields, back into the kingdom, then back to the throne room*

Merk: *sweat drops further* Ah, I see. *wonders if this might be a sign relating to his Arcana. Then again, he imagined they were all capable hunters. In any case, he continued to follow Feral Wil.*

Erik: *chuckles lightly* I wouldn't be surprised if that was already the case.
*As they watched the show, the trio seemed impressed enough. Nor had his usual entertained-yet-muted look on his face. Kelvin seemed interested in the modern yet medieval spin. And Erikon... well he was interested, thinking back on the chess game between Lyle and Blank oddly enough. Akira's line certainly seemed to evoke what fate befell Lyle that day...*

Feral Wil: *walks over to a hill and sits down, which overlooks a large forested area* ... *begins spirit talking again*
After a little while, Merk could catch snippets of Feral Wil's mutterings to himself.
Feral Wil: Sing to me...the great earth. Of you...ing to m...
After a while, a large tarot card depicting a man hung upside down by his foot is shown.
Message: Thou art I, and I am thou.
Thou hast attained a new vow.
The power of the 12th Arcana, the Hanged Man, the power of perspective and acceptance, is now yours.
Feral Wil: *speaks normally* This is wonderful, Merk. Honestly, I was a bit worried at first. That you would only make discordant noise to the Onesong. But you seem to be handling things well. *eyes widen and hackles raise as he looks at one direction, a thin trial of smoke rising into the air* ...Grrrrr, those Otherkin that dare bring the Grey world into this land...

The music video continues, with Half Wil muttering along to the song.
Tech Elly: Oh! How could they all die? Really a shame! But I guess I'll give you another try.
"If at first you don't succeed!"
Tech Akira: But my king!
Tech Elly: Don't like the name?
Tech Akira: No, this is insane.
Tech Elly: Ehh? Dead people don't have any right to COMPLAAAAAIN!

Tech Akira: *shows a chest* All we got in our castle's stock is really fine to keep us going.
*shows some warriors* Partying guys with crazy high levels!
Tech Elly: Oh wow, that's pretty awesome, right?
Tech Akira: *shows the king* But then again, I stress this one single thing that's ruling as we're dueling.
Nicely put- oh screw it. They're a...Huge moron.

Tech Elly: *backdrop changes to a battlefield* This I get now. People just like fighting battles. And this is just a thought.
Tech Akira: OK?
Tech Elly: Say we need to work to better work together?
Tech Akira: Is this "The Game of Life" all again!?

Tech Elly: *shows a status window* To reach the next level, you should probably get, Experience Points. With 1000, you're set.
But maybe a backbone wouldn't hurt you to find. Don't you falter this time. This is it now, OK?

Tech Akira: *casting elemental magic* Telissa, Boroso, Zanshi, Paronte! All of those magicians used to go your way.
Tech Elly: Calm and quietly, I'm always smiling down at thee. But politely bragging away, I give my scepter a wave.
Tech Akira: *producing gas* Holit! And Holit! And Holit! And- Hold it! It's always this spell, and it's spelling out "stupid"!
Tech Elly: *With ZZZs* It puts the mighty king into a mighty deep sleep. And just who d'you think you are? This better not be a coup!

Tech Akira: *his hands up* Hey, I'm no hero, and I think I should add. Wanting a hero played right, you should just play it yourself!

Tech Elly: *in a field in front of her army* Say that we're fighting for a cause because I demand! Say that we're fighting to keep peace over the land!
Moving on, fighting from the furthest point in the front, seeing approval ratings rocketing from one! (Wait, what the?)
Tech Akira: *watching Elly get beaten up* Fighting for views and always fighting for the money too. Take a sec to think about what this king really rules.
They're falling one by one around me, and you're red as flames. How could they all be dying?
both: Really a shaaaaaAAAAAME!

*back at the castle*
both: Say that we're fighting for a cause because I demand! Say that we're fighting so your smile always stands!
Sliding by, we're always trying harder not to die. Scraping up what info on the evil we can find.
Tech Akira: *is bandaged* And so today I stay here guarding, like I always do, awaiting one good hero, strong enough and true.
Tech Elly: *is bandaged* I know you're thinking that I'm hiding on the throne again. But in the end, I know I'm too weak to win...

The music video ends from there.

Merk: *grins happily, as they appeared to be making progress. He did wonder briefly what he was saying, trying to fill in the blanks as he said.* Ah, well I'm happy that I was able to pick it up rather easily. Hm? *looks forward as well tilting his head. He wanted to ask what that all meant... but it was a fairly simply inference: Trespassers were setting fires where they didn't belong.*

Erik: *chuckles slightly as he watches the conclusion of the video* Somehow, I could see that coming. Still, that was pretty good.

Feral Wil growled in annoyance before huffing. He turned around and started to leave for the house once more.

Tech Elly: Thanks.
Tech Drake: It was a bit of a commentary on video games where seemingly the NPCs never seem to do anything to help the player.
Half Wil: *packs up the discs* Anyway, the cult outside seems to have burned themselves out, so I'll see you guys later. *heads out the door*
Outside, Lit Gill was no longer eating and just playing with anyone immobile like giant dolls.
Lit Gill: Haaa. My subjects, entertain your god!
Half Wil: *whistles a bit as he passes by everyone undetected and heads out the gates*

Merk: Err *looks to the smoke before looking back at Wil visibly confused. Perhaps they were going to get help? Regardless, he followed behind Wil towards the house*

Erik: I see. Those would appear to be niche cases, given that most offer beneficial items for seemingly benign or simple tasks, the more complex ones coming later in the storyline.
Nor: Indeed.
Kelvin: Okay. I see how he gets it *eying Erik with a smile* but you?
Erik: Err, I understand my knowledge of games is still minimal. This is just based on what I’ve heard…
Kelvin: Right. *bids farewell to Half Wil along with Erik before chuckling* You know, if you wanted to go and reignite the cult’s fervor. Or at least blow off some steam. *True enough, the chefs seemed to be taking a breather, though still willing to make food. Ardor seemed ready to provide them energy. The feasters though?… Well, for some they were too stuffed to care about being treated as dolls.*
Erik: Eh… I’d like that but… I mean we did say we’d help out Tech Lyle… and this seems like something that could spiral.
Kelvin: *sighs* Alright, but remember to look after yourself as well. You shouldn’t go into the final battle wound up.

Feral Wil and Merk return to see Lit Gill trying to balance two people on top of each other, belly to belly.
Lit Gill: Maybe this would work better if one was much fatter than the other.
Feral Wil: Hey we're home.
Lit Gill: *sees Wil and Merk* Oh hey! Uh... *sniffs Wil* You smell frustrated about something.
Feral Wil: ...Eh, I just saw signs of some Otherkin intruding on the territory.
Lit Gill: Otherkin, as in...Inhabitants? Ya know they're probably just building a new village there, right? Settling down and all?
Feral Wil: Well why can't they build it somewhere else? *emits frustration through his spirit lines as he walks to the house*
Lit Gill: *calls out after him* Cuz is probably just moody right now.
Tech Drake: *having returned to their room and opened a window* Two bowls of shio ramen, extra green onions.
Tech Elly: And a chocolate lava cake.
Tech Lyle: *steps out of the house, whistling* If anyone needs me, I'm heading to the mines.

*There were quiet moans from the pair. The others acknowledged Merk and Wil's return, where Merk received more details from Lit Gill*
Merk: Ah... I see. *tilts head* Err, couldn't he talk to the villagers? I mean, try and work something out?
*The chefs were willing to fulfill the pair's order while Erik sighed briefly, thinking a moment before beginning to follow Tech Lyle into the mine.*

Lit Gill: *looks over at Merk* Hmm? Well...That's kinda impossible to do, because...Wil takes environmentalism very seriously. He talks about the Grey world a lot, which we've kinda figured out to be a zone that's been polluted and killed off nature. He's been to a few zones like that, and pretty much had to evacuate the wild animals that used to live there.

Meanwhile, Tech Lyle headed towards the mines, pausing at the entrance as he opened his inventory screen and pulled out a miner's cap and a pickax. He turned to look at Erik with a grin.
Tech Lyle: I wanna make some copper wires, and if possible get some gold or other metals that we could use.

Merk:... Ah.
Jaden: Well, talking it out might become necessary at some point. That annoyance you noted could very well underlie more serious actions.
Merk: *looks unsure*

Erik: *nods with a small smile* I see, because they are conductive, yes? Well, there should be some ore in the mine.

Reverse Gill: *cough* Feral Wil, the Hanged Man. Refers to one who feels helpless in their situation, unable to change the drastic situation around them. Upright, it could mean maturity, learning to cope with the changes in one's life and see it in a different light. Reversed, to struggle in vain as they try to keep everything the same, only to suffer the consequences of such actions. *gives Merk a look* In the words of my brother Wolfy. "There are two types of people in this world. Those who will serve me, and those who will perish." And he is closest to the Hanged Man.

Tech Lyle: *nods with Erik* Yup, ore in the mine. And did you know that water is wet and the floor is made of floor? *laughs to himself as he heads in to look for a vein to dig up*

Merk: I.... see. So, he might be going down a Reversed path currently. At least, based on Jaden's concerns?
Jaden: *shrugs* I don't condone that which would lead to these... Grey Zones. It reminds me too much of Arkensteim back home. But it would be advisable to at least ascertain whether these individuals are taking actions that would lead to this. At least you might be able to better discuss the matter with Feral Wil should it come up.
Merk:...And if it should be that these villagers are a threat?
Jaden: *sighs* Change is good. Sometimes. But not when it brings about lasting suffering. *looks around* I think we've seen the extent to which self-harm can be a problem.

Erik: Har har. Technically the floor is made of whatever material you happen to be standing on. *still, he was happy Lyle was in a good mood at least, and meant the comment in good faith. He kept his eye out for copper or particularly, though he also watched for carbon or some other insulator with similar qualities. Perhaps he was looking a few steps forward in the process*

Lit Gill: ...Let's see. *tries balancing two bloated individuals on top of each other again*

Tech Lyle: *simply treks along down the mine shaft* This is a pretty nice spot for a mine to appear, and in the same Zone as your house, too. That means ya don't have to worry about relocating it when the map gets shuffled around. *stops at a random wall* Welp! This is as good a place as any to start digging. *lifts the pickax and starts chipping away at the wall*

Merk: *sighs with a smile toward Lit Gill* Well, that's one event done at least. I should probably be heading out to the city. Perhaps I'll check in on Show Drake *Merc Luke had paid them a visit after all.*

Erik: *appears to survey the walls as well, looking for signs of ore.* Well, as I understand it, your father placed it here for Marcell to utilize. Based on how you describe it, it is indeed a fortuitous gift. *ponders if Lyle's tactic was sound. Nevertheless, he examined the walls, for signs of ore and began digging where he saw fit.*

Tech Lyle just grins as he continues his dig, taking out chunk after chunk of rock from the wall before examining the pieces.
Tech Lyle: Hmm...I wonder if any of this could be used somehow...Ah well. *proceeds to stuff the rocks into his inventory before he continues digging*

Erik: *ponders about it briefly* Well, depending on what other projects you may be considering, those rocks may contain elements that will help in that effort. *He knew precious metals weren't the only thing of importance when it came to scientific endeavors... or forging in some cases.*

Tech Lyle: Heheh. That's kind of the idea. Depending on use, nothing is really a "waste". *continues to dig for a while* Ya know, Erik. There's something that's been bothering me from work. Ya ever...Feel unsure about what you're doing? Don't get me wrong, I still wanna make a lightbulb from scratch. But, ya ever wonder what to do after?

Erik: *nods* I agree with that sentiment. *takes a moment to consider what Tech Lyle asked* Reasonably often. I like being certain what I’m doing is the right course of action. *Of course, few things were certain.* With regard to what to do next, I normally evaluate what I did and decide where my focus should be set next based on that…. Granted, up until coming here that has mainly consisted of where to hunt or where to camp for the night, though I imagine a similar line of reasoning could be used here. In your case, you might select another technology you wish to develop a firmer understanding of by building it from scratch.

Tech Lyle: *continues to dig* Hmm. I suppose you have a point about that. *digs up a chunk of silver* ... *puts it away before heading to the entrance* I suppose I haven't really thought of what to do after making a lightbulb, which is why I've been procrastinating lately. Ah well...

In the city, people have been going about their day, same as usual. But there have been more and more open conversations about the Creator. Not only that, but some have begun discussing the need, or lack thereof, to even keep his Vassals around.

Back at the house, Veximeer had gone back up to the living room.
Veximeer: *looks out the window towards the chefs in charge* Hey guys, it's almost lunch time. Could you bring something in for me and the snake?

Erik: *tilts head as Tech Lyle unearths the silver. He looks to think for a moment.* Well...have you thought about a radio perhaps? A lightbulb strikes me as a basic application of electrical current through varying resistance in a sealed environment. The logical next step might be to examine other transformations of energy, potentially at least.

*Merk was traversing the streets, idly listening to the conversations, and quietly growing concerned. They were making progress... but could they really put off dealing with the God of Control much longer? Still, they had the day, and he was there. He may as well continue to where the Show Group was.*

*The chefs look to Veximeer and nod*
Baruk: Do you guys have a preference? *stifles a burp* I mean, outside of moderation, eheheh.

Tech Lyle: Hmm. Perhaps...I could make a cellphone. *continues on back to the house*

The Show Group, currently, were taking a quick lunch at a local cafe. Seems that they were all smiles when Merk spotted them.
Show Drake: *giggles* And that's when he walked in as the punchline was delivered.

Veximeer: No, not in particular.

Erik: *nods* That sounds like a good next project.

Merk: *chuckles lightly as he approaches, though he pauses and observes them further, perhaps making sure that they weren't busy with their discussion.*

*The chefs looked between each other before nodding amongst themselves*
Cai: Alright, we can work with that.
*In a few moments, they created some basic dishes. A beef plate, some noodles, a platter of sushi, and a few mochi treats for dessert. Compared to their earlier antics, this did appear to be a more moderate meal.*

Tech Lyle mumbles to himself on the way back.
Tech Lyle: Hmm. Maybe find a sulfur spring, there's plenty of uses for those. Heheheh...

Show Drake: Oh, Merk! Hey, over here! *waves a hand*
The Show Group spot Merk and wave him over, even making room at their table.

Veximeer: Thanks, guys. *carefully balanced all the food on him* I know Monohebi is kind of our enemy, but at least he can't do anything right now. *takes the food back underground*

Erik: *nods along with Tech Lyle on some of what he talked about, seeming to have at least some knowledge of chemistry and technology*

Merk: Ah, hello there. *smiles as he approaches them.* How are you all today?

*The chefs nod and see Veximeer back into the basement.*
Orin: Eh... that's kind of generous.
Dax: Well, he's not actively trying to harm us... but he's not technically helping us.
Baruk: Kind of don't want to advocate for the whole "If you're not with us, you're against us" school of thought... but he's kind of not helping us if he keeps being secretive. I mean, take him at his word that he doesn't know what Chesh is going to do if you want, but it seems like he's still hiding something.

Tech Lyle and Erik return to the house with no problems, in time for lunch.
Lit Gill: Dang it. *is still trying to balance two blobbed guys on top of each other* They keep rolling off!
Tech Lyle: Kind of because their bodies are spherical in shape? The center of balance is off and they tumble down.
Lit Gill: What about snowmen?
Tech Lyle: Snow isn't one big solid, even when you compact it. When you press one ball on top of the other, the snow conforms to make a solid base.
Lit Gill: *is thinking* ...Then I should take three subjects as the base, and one on top to form a pyramid...
Jun and Jureus wave over to Erik.

Show Wil: Mm, pretty alright. Not bad, but not good either.
Show Gill: There have been less people around because everyone just keeps talking up dad. It's getting creepy, like a cult.
Show Drake: Aaand how about things on your end? I've been trying to get into performing more. But, heheh...I'm rusty.
Show Akira: If you wanted to be on stage, you just had to ask!

Erik: *nods in agreement* They're likely so stuffed that they're acting more like orbs than flexible spheres. Maybe balloons. *Still, it seems like Lit Gill was on the right track. He saw Jun and Jureus waving to him. He looked to Lyle* Alright, did you need any other help? *perhaps he was checking if Lyle wanted him to try hammering the materials into wires*

Merk: *tilts head* Oh? *hears their problem and looks a tad deflated* I see... well, we'll hopefully be sorting that out soon. Things are going well enough. It was my turn to come into the city, so I thought I'd come and see how you were doing and if you needed any help. *Or to hang out... he was kind of forgetting what friends typically did.*

Tech Lyle: *waves Erik off* Not unless you know how to blow glass.
Lit Gill: *is already trying to make a pyramid of fatties*

Show Drake: *the Sun appears for a second* Hmm...Well! I do need help with my acting. Specifically, to help sharpen it. It's been a while.
Show Gill: Hey, how about some improv exercises?
Show Elly: Yeah! That'd be really fun!
Show Drake: *sweatdrop* ...What? Just me?
Show Wil: You and Merk, of course!
Show Drake: What, do a little skit? I'd need a minute to prepare!
Show Luke: You said you wanted to perform again, it involves having no script to go on.
Show Wil: Indeed, old chap. *holds an imaginary cup of tea with his pinkie out* What's a bit of improv between friends, eh? Why, if I knew what the game would do when I was on the hunt, the very sport would be an utter bore!
Show Drake: *blush* ...What do you think, Merk?

Erik: *sweat drops as he did have some idea of how to blow glass... at least when it came to the heating part. Nevertheless, he bid Tech Lyle farewell before approaching the Vassals to see what they wanted.*

Merk: *tilts his head as he didn't really know how to help Drake. Then Wil sort of volunteered him for a bit of acting. Something that was... a bit different than stealthily avoiding gazes.* I err... well I really have no experience here... still I could try if it will help. *nods*

Jun: Erik. We got an update from the Confidants.
Jureus: Chesh is putting up more cameras around town. Not only that, he's taunting us. He waved to one of the cameras that caught him.

Show Drake: Really? That's great! So-
Show Wil: Robotics, GO!
Show Drake: *jumps* U-uh...So, I built a robot the other day. I've programmed it to answer all my emails.
Show Wil: Secret Agents, GO!
Show Drake: Y-yeah! And it's doing very well, no need to... *mimes taking off his shoe and using it like a phone* Yes, commander? Now? Give me ten minutes. *puts it back on his foot* And what say you, fellow scientist? *looks at Merk*

Erik: *listens before grumbling* Part of me wants to get on with helping the Creator... the other part is concerned Chesh is planning something. *Indeed, apart from the Creator's state of mind, they had to be concerned about Chesh's role, or lack thereof, in the coming battle*

Merk: *ponders briefly how to even talk about robots.* I-is that so? *next thing he knew, they were talking about... secret agent stuff. He blanked briefly before calming himself down* Erm, I agree. We need a more stable compound for the refraction cloak. Too much motion and the illusion will be broken.

Jun: *nods* Needless to say, he must be pretty confident about what will happen.
Jureus: But for now, though enjoy the time we have. *nods to Erik* How about hanging out with someone from our team?
Merc Akira: *walks over* Hey guys. You have any food that's safe to eat and in a reasonable portion size? Lit Gill's getting hungry again, and the cult is responding.
The Megidramon was cheering the chefs on as another food storm is being cooked up just for him.

Show Drake: Agreed. We need more-
Show Wil: *claps his hands* Video games, GO!
Show Drake: Uh. M-more romance, in...In our plotline! The world saving is fine, but we need more tension, more drama! *looks at Wil warily, but he just smiles back*
Show Akira: Hahahaha!
Show Gill: Good show!
Show Drake: Are we done? *smiles a little at Merk*

Erik: *sighs, looking troubled. Although, he does nod at the prospect of meeting someone from their team. He turns his attention to Merc Akira.* Hm? Oh sure, I think I can help with that. *creates a balanced meal for Merc Akira. It had meats, a few non-green veggies, rice, all evenly portioned. Erik did chuckle lightly as he saw an effort of some to walk and waddle away now that the food storm was picking up again.*

Merk: *blinks as he's once more thrust out of his area of expertise.* Erm, that is an effective solution. We will need the final product to stand out amongst several others of a similar genre. A well-written romance subplot could do just that.

Merc Akira: Oooh. *he grabs the food and quickly ducks into the house, as Lit Gill began to devour the storm of fattening foods with great speed. He was already much larger than the house, and still he continued to grow.
Jun: Well, it's not such a bad idea, since we don't have to deal with the Dark Hour or the Midnight Channel anymore. *cough* Gill.
Reverse Gill: *appears almost instantly and opens his book* ...On Jun's team, you need to strengthen your bond with Feral Wil, and you could possibly establish a new bond with the Moon known as Fetish Akira. For Jureus' team, you need to strengthen your bond with Show Drake, and you could possibly establish new bonds with the Empress Form Elly and the Tower Dark Lyle. Lastly, on Veximeer's team, you need to strengthen your bonds with Merc Akira and Tech Lyle, and you could possibly establish a new bond with the Death Literature Luke.
He closes his book with a loud thud.
Reverse Gill: That is, disregarding other children with the same Arcana and the ones you must find yourself in town.
Jureus: *thinks a bit* Oh yeah. You didn't mention Merc Luke there.

Show Wil: Hahahaha! You two are wonderful to watch!
Show Drake: *breathes out a sigh of relief* So I take it you liked it?
Show Wil: Liked what?
Show Drake: Our...Routine?
Show Wil: *tuts his finger* Step one to being a good performer, Drake. Be proud of your performance.
Show Drake: *rubs his neck* ...Well, thanks for helping me out, Merk.

Erik: *smiles watching him go. And the chefs seemed too into overdrive, combined with Ardor's influence to create all matter of ultra-filling, nutrient-packed, fattening foods. The idea of forging a bond with another Fetish member seemed appealing, though it was wrong to presume he'd be able to blow off some fattening steam with all the group* Well, Merk is in the city, so I presume he's with Show Drake right now... we already worked with Merc Luke and Merc Gill to... some extent. I don't know if it was fully positive or detrimental *he did know they stopped them fighting for the moment* Ah, that reminds me, I need to speak with Drax and Shadow Wil about something, though Shadow Lyle might be as effective.

Merk: *blushes lightly* Ah, well. I'm glad it worked out. I'd say you're better with spontaneous changes than me. *which was probably essential for stage performance*

Jureus: I think Shadow Wil would be all too happy to help you.
Reverse Gill: He is of the Justice, of which you've forged a true bond with already. *gestures to Lit Gill*
Lit Gill: *seems to sense when he's being talked about and looks over at Erik* If you need someone to say a good word about ya, Erik, just say so!
Shadow Lyle: *yawning at his stall while Tech Elly steals one of his Weight Loss potions* ...Dammit, why's business so slow today? You guys are all giant fatasses! Give me money for my potions! *gestures to his 100,000 gold price tag*
Light Elly: *appears behind Erik and tugs on his wings* Erik, I want a new blanket.
Jun: *sweatdrop* Ah, right. Our "captive" princess is here too.
Reverse Gill: *nods* The Empress.
Jureus: *notices something* Wait. Both Light Elly and Form Elly are Empresses?
Reverse Gill: Indeed.

Show Drake: Heheheheh! Thanks for the compliment!
Show Elly: Anyway. Merk, you were a little slow to respond. You gotta work on your witty banter!
Show Luke: Not to mention Drake was the first to respond to each topic.
Show Gill: But good job playing off of him, though!
With that, the group settles down to order some desserts and get refills for their drinks.

Erik: Really? *appears curious about what Shadow Wil's idea of justice is. Though, he does appear happy Lit Gil is willing to support him*
Terrence: *grumbles* Must you charge so much?
Gakoi: *eats a single roll of sushi. He belches before filling out like a balloon and expanding outward with new blubber*
Terrence:...Don't answer that, but consider a reduction if you wish prices to improve sales.
Erik: *flinches slightly, though it's mostly from surprise.* Ah, well we can do that *nods before returning his attention to the Vassals* That's good, I wanted to discuss what happens to... well "prisoner" belongings. Drax would also be a decent source on dragon grooming. *he wondered if they could see where he was going with this.*

Merk: *rubs the back of his head* Eheh, well I don't have as much stage experience as you all. *still with the event done, he wonders if it was time to bid them farewell and move on*

Light Elly: *tugs on Erik's wing again* Erik, I need you.
Jureus: *sweatdrop* ...Well, their belongings generally stay in storage when not in use.
Jun: *thinks a little* ...Hmm. *starts looking around for Drax*
Jureus: Hey, wait up! *follows after him*
Reverse Gill: ... *bows to Erik before walking away*
Light Elly: *keeps tugging on his wing* ...Erik.

It looked like the Show Group were simply enjoying the cafe treats while Chesh is seen in the background for a second before teleporting away.

Erik: *nods, thinking for a brief moment before watching the pair go. He nodded to Reversed Gill as well before turning his attention to Light Elly.* Alright, so a new blanket. Did you have a preference for what materials we should look for?
*Meanwhile Drax appeared to be taking a breather from being a cult member, sitting off to the side to spectate the other chef's handiwork for a period.*

Merk: *smiles, deciding to bid the Show Group farewell for the moment. He caught a glimpse of Chesh, and wondered what he was doing. He shook his head figuring he couldn't let it distract him. For the moment he was hungry, and in the city. Thus he figured a stop by the Restaurant on the way home was in order.*

Light Elly: *simply shook his head* No. What do you recommend?
Jun and Jureus approach Drax.
Jun: Hey, do you know how to get dragon scales in a safe and gentle manner?
Jureus: *nudges his head towards Erik and Light Elly*

At the Restaurant, the Fetish Group was happily serving their customers as usual.

Erik: Hmmm, well that would depend on what your looking for I imagine. If you'd like something breathable, silk might be preferred. Although if you wanted something for warmth or weight...*he looked to ponder the matter as he tried to narrow down what type of blanket Elly wanted.*
Drax: Eh? *looks at them both* You mean dragon grooming? *thinks a moment before nodding* It wouldn't be too different from brushing fur or feathers. What you use would need to be coarse though. Shedding dragon scales are ready to fall off, but do still require a small tug in some instances. *glances at where Novari is* I did overhear Erik and Elly talking the other day, and I was thinking about passing some schematics to Marcell. As you might imagine, she hasn't seen many spa days so she might be a good source of scales while also appreciating the treatment.

Merk: *arrives with a smile, looking around at the Fetish Group members. Though he figured he'd check in on Fetish Gill and Luke, he would be on the lookout for any of the other children he might hang out with. He was also looking to see how busy the restaurant was, perhaps gauging how much he'd splurge.*

Light Elly: *simply looks at Erik with expressionless eyes* ...So, you're like me. *suddenly reaches for Erik's hand* You're a seeker of good sleep too, aren't you?
Jun and Jureus thank Drax before heading to look for Novari.

Right now, the Fetish Group members were all present and accounted for, whether it was cooking or waiting on the customers. Fetish Gill and Luke, both of whom were in the kitchen, were quite noticeably all smiles as they worked on several dishes at once. A look around the Restaurant itself showed a pretty average clientele amount today. With some noticeable people of interest.
Lit Drake: *flips a page* So, how's the mushroom pizza?
Space Akira: *eating two slices stacked atop of each other* It's delish!
Light Luke: Akira, could you please slow down? No one's gonna steal your food.

Erik: Er, well I don't mind getting good sleep when I can. It's not always possible. *in a strange way, coming here resulted in the best sleep he'd had in a few ages.*
*Novari meanwhile was resting in the courtyard, away from the other chefs. Drax meanwhile went to find Marcell and perhaps work on the grooming tool.*

Merk: *is happy to see the two Fetish Group members smiling, more so to see they were busy. He took note of some of the other group members, pondering briefly it he should sit with them. In the end, he thought he might intrude, so he looked for a table for one to be seated.*

Jureus: *walks up to Novari* Novari, we need your scales.
Jun: *looks at Jureus weirdly as he joins his side* As materials.
Jureus: That's what I said.
Light Elly: *her grip on Erik's hand tightens* For some reason, everyone gets antsy when I need their help to attain a night's rest. But you were willing to help me, even when I wasn't sure of what was missing. Let's search for the perfect sleep together.
Message: Thou art I, and I am thou.
Thou hast attained a new vow.
The power of the 3th Arcana, the Empress, the power of nurturing and beauty, is now yours.
Light Elly: *pauses* ...All I know is everyone gets all panicky when I collect materials from them. All I'm asking is some simple things like fur, scales and cloth.

Fetish Akira: *in a butler's outfit* Welcome home, master! You may be seated right here. *leads Merk to a single booth* Once you're ready to order, this servant shall be by your side. *bows once more and waits on the other tables*

Novari: *gives Jun a weird look* Excuse me? *looks between the two before pondering* Well, they shed regularly. I just haven’t kept them *looks to think about something* I have thought about getting groomed, given I’ve heard the evils of scale buildup from a few kobolds. But… *glances towards where Erik was* I’ve had… other priorities.
Erik: *blinks as he wasn’t expecting this. He took a moment before nodding.* I can do that. I’ll admit my knowledge of materials is limited, and there are other reasons to check if you already have an idea of what you’re seeking. With regard to everyone getting panicked, I would guess they think you’re a bit…heavy-handed in your approach sometimes. And I suppose my effort has been to introduce you to individuals who are more willing to help out and provide materials. And it would seem these tactics weren’t always the default? *looks to her* I mean, you implied as much with the mention of your old brush. *Truly, Light Elly might not have preferred taking the materials with such force. The use of such tools at least indicates the use of gentler methods.*

Merk: Oh, thank you. *nods as he follows Fetish Akira before sitting down in the booth. He pondered what to order as he got out some spare change… which constituted enough to fill a large pouch of gold. Upon realization, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever eaten there, only having meals around the house. And of course, he wanted to make sure they were kept busy and well paid… of course that was a lesser worry now. But… how much should he order now?*

Jun: *shrug* Dragon scales could be useful. For element-resistant armor that's lighter than metal equipment.
Jureus: It's a possible avenue, at the very least.
Light Elly: *tilts her head* Well, I use things like brushes after I realized it would take a while for Shadow Drake to revive everyone from death. It's faster overall when it comes to collecting what I need.
Tech Drake: *leans out the window* Sounds like they're using the world's Game System for that.

It looked like the tables had menus to peruse over. And if not, the front door had extra menus for the workers to hand out. Needless to say, the menu was very extensive and affordable, along with the option for literally any food to have a bonus fetish-inducing effect.
Fetish Elly: Table for three, dear sirs?
Chesh: Yes, thank you, Elly!
A glance to the front door showed Chesh having come in, flanked by a rhino and a crow who stayed by his side. Elly leads them to a table in the middle of the restaurant, with Chesh's seat directly facing Merk's booth. Though it doesn't look like they've noticed him as Elly hands them menus to look over. The noise of the other customers makes their conversation difficult to hear.

Novari: Fair enough. If you create a means of retrieivng scales without ripping them off, she can have them. And I won't feel the need to strangle her.
Erik:.... Ah. Well... that would... perhaps somewhat feed the whole heavy-handed narrative. *sweat drops* Still, you would be open to other gentle methods, so long as you get the materials you need?

Merk: *looks over the menu, pondering what to get for himself. Honestly everything looked good, and he couldn't help but look at the fetish foods. Then again, he might want to wait and have fun once he returned home. His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Chesh and two others arrive and sit down. He had half a mind to confront him, but better judgment told him not too. He tried to keep a low profile, even going as far as to attempt listening in, only to find it difficult if not impossible. He didn't know why they came here... and it seemed like he wouldn't find out by listening at least.*

Light Elly: *nods her head* Sure.

At the moment, it looked like Chesh and his two companions were just here for a simple meal. Their conversation could be heard a little more clearly when other customers left.
Chesh: ...ve fun. The...
Rhino: ...others...game?
Crow: ...But what...scape?
Chesh: No need to...

Erik: *nods in turn* Ok, that's a start. *getting her to care about others might come with time. He knew it wasn’t something that could be forced.* Now then on the subject of your new blanket, do you know what qualities you were looking for? Like, are you too hot or cold when you sleep?

Merk: *is thankful to be able to listen more, though he still didn’t understand what was being discussed. He tried to note down what he could, so hopefully the others might make better sense of it.*

Light Elly: Mmm...Heavy. Too heavy. I want something I can make a cocoon with.

Fetish Elly came back to take their orders. As she leaves, Chesh looks at Merk's booth and they lock eyes for a second. He smiles in response.
Chesh: Merk! I didn't realize you were eating here! Come, join us, won't you?

Erik: *Looked to ponder it* Hm, perhaps silk or a similar material would work well as a base.

Merk: Ah. *looks unsure about this. However, he couldn't exactly run away and this could be an opportunity for more information. So he got up to join the three of them.*

Light Elly just looks at Erik, as if expecting him to pull the new blanket out of thin air.
Jun: Well, we got Novari to agree to give us scales.
Jureus: We just need a way to get it off without hurting.
Light Elly: ... *pulls out the cat claws*
Jureus: I said without hurting!
Light Elly: ...How about a spa?

Chesh and his companions smiled as Merk sat down at their table. Fetish Akira did come around eventually to take his order.
Chesh: I'm so glad to see you! It's been a while, and you seem to be doing well. I was just going around the place to visit some people who help me out on occasion.

Erik: *sweat drops as he can't exactly do that. And he face palms at Elly's initial inclination.... then she suggested something else. And he couldn't help but look to the two Vassals with shock and surprise.* I, err, t-that might actually work, yes. We could go ask her. *Perhaps he was reading to much into what this might mean... but it was a start if Elly was actively suggesting more pleasant options.*

Merk: *still didn't trust any of them. Although... he supposed being in a public space run by one of the Groups, and two of their friends no less, might've afforded some protection. He kept his order basic, a few pizza slices and soda* I... see. They help you? In what way might I ask? *Truly, it seemed that Chesh was one to help other chaotic forces. He wouldn't put him above seeking help... but who would be able help him? And to what end?*

Jun: Yeah, that could work.
Jureus: Where'd you get the idea?
Light Elly: When I couldn't sleep, I'd get Wil and Akira to give me a full spa treatment. Mani-pedis, feather styling, mud bath, massage, all that stuff. After that, I always notice some of my worn-down feathers were on the floor.
Jureus: *nods* probably from getting a scrub massage.
Light Elly: *eyes light up* Dragon claw comb! *starts pulling on Erik's paw* It's been so long since I've had a spa treatment!
Jun: Oh boy.

Chesh: *smiles* Why, they help me sow Despair in the public. These two are my followers, a part of Ultimate Despair.
Rhino: *nods* Yep. I lived an absolutely boring life years ago as a regular salaryman, until I met Chesh. He showed me the true glory of Despair, and I sacrificed my siblings to him as thanks.
Crow: Same here. I was a new college graduate when I found Chesh. I fell in love with him, and decided to dedicate my life in service to him. I've taken part in a couple riots in his name, and wiped out some towns with them.
All three individuals smiled at Merk like a friend, but their eyes held a twisting darkness similar to the one found in Monohebi's eyes.
Chesh: And how have you been doing, Merk? Enjoying life as someone still clinging to Hope? You've only got a few days left until the cage is locked forever, ya know!

Erik: Ah, err. I was... actually going to surprise you with that if I'm honest. I had plans to talk to Drax about plans for it, as well as potentially retrieving the brush you left behind. *nods* A spa day could be good... *Of course he knew nothing about how to search for a spa. And he shot a pleading glance to the Vassals, wanting to help out Light Elly, as well as Novari potentially, though not knowing where to look.* I'll admit, I don't really know of any spas....

Merk:....Ah. *Regrets hoping it was something more general. He mostly just nodded along, waiting for this meeting to be over.* Err, I've been well. Just getting to know the kids and such. *He didn't even want to attempt trying to convince Chesh he was wrong: it seemed a waste of energy... especially considering he might continue elaborating.*

Light Elly: *looks disappointed, the Empress card turning upside down in the Reversed position* ...Oh. Really?
Jun: Er...Well, about that spa...
Jureus: We...Could...Set up our own?
Light Elly: *the card turns right side up again* Really? A home spa? *looks at Erik expectantly* I'd love that. But first, I need a blanket. *begins to yank on Erik's arm repeatedly*

Chesh: Ah, right. Those Groups are still doing their best. *looks at Gill and Luke* I can already tell you and Erik have had an effect. *turns to his subordinates* By the way, that reminds me. How is that hippo coming along?
Crow: He is indeed loyal to you. Just as he promised, he hasn't eaten anything for two days so far.
Chesh: *chuckles as he takes a bite of spaghetti* Mmm, looks like that chef apprenticeship isn't doing him any favors, huh?
Rhino: Lucky! So few get to experience the Despair of starvation!
Chesh: Patience. Just as there are many seeds of Hope, there are many forms of Despair. You can indulge in the others while you still have the chance.
The three of them dug into their food. At a glance, it seemed like any normal friend group chatting away. To Merk, who could hear them quite clearly, they were enjoying talking about the pain Chesh's followers have inflicted on others, and even on themselves. All in the name of Despair.

Erik: *doesn't have the heart to shoot down the idea* Sure. I'm... sure we can set up something. *He was also sure everyone could learn how to conduct spa treatments in a short amount of time.* Err, oh right, uh. We can go and see what materials we can use for it. I'm sure some of the exploration groups have come across... something. *he looked to the Vassals* Uh, c-could I ask you to speak with... M-Moris, yes Moris, about the... previous matter. *Sure, if anyone would know about spa set up, it would likely be the pampered dragon, right?*

Merk: *just seems to stare in bewilderment. He couldn't understand it. Maybe that's why he fought so far against it. He idly ate his food.* Hm, if you mean we helped them see how to solve their problems then... *he had words he wanted to say, but elected to hold back* well, we just did what comes naturally to us then.

Jun and Jureus quickly ran over to where Moris is.
Jun: Moris! We need your expertise.
Jureus: Set up a fully functional spa. Erik's hide is on the line from the princess with a single-minded obsession for sleeping!
Jun: We mean scented candles, mud baths, whatever else you do in spas!

Chesh: *smiles and nods to Merk* Of course, thanks for that. I can tell Crey is much happier when his kids are happy. And of course, the higher one's Hope soars, the more bitter the Despair when it falls, so double thanks!
It didn't take long for their meal to finish. They pay their share and leave the building, with the Fetish Group eying them for a few seconds.

Moris: *just stares at the two of them before laughing* A spa? Here? Gentlemen, I don’t agree with Elly’s assessment of the house, but you’ve honestly just touched upon a few of the elements we’re lacking here for any sort of passable spa. Ambience, jetted tubs, masseurs, pedicurists, the list goes on.
Grendal:…So we’ll make a bootleg spa.
Moris: A-excuse me- a bootleg spa?! Are you absolutely sure you're a noble?
Grendal: Yeah, stop making it out like it’s some grand spectacle that can’t be replicated anywhere.
Moris: Oh yes, because trained hands are quite plentiful.
Grendal: Pfft, well let’s focus on the other stuff then. Can you handle the ambiwhatever and mud baths?
Moris: *grumbles*… I suppose I can make something work.
Grendal: Great, glad you’re on board. *looks to the Vassals* As for talent… uh… either of you know how to give a massage?
Moris: Oh for the love-
Grendal: Alright alright! At the minimum Rik and Drax might know about dragon care. And… well Nor seemed like he might be into massaging and stuff like that.
Moris:…The hired muscle? Really?
Grendal: Don’t you got atmiance to set up? *grumbles*
*Moris rolled his eyes, leaving to set up the more material spa elements.*
Grendal: Now then, we can scout out talent for the staff if you guys want. It’s been awhile since I got pampered, but I think I can help out.
*Meanwhile Erik appeared to make steady headway with the blanket, sourcing fine silk for the base and Sihka’s hair for the material. The silk was light and flexible, offering a gentler feel, while the hairs once woven in or used as stuffing would offer a minor heating element. Plus the color would fit the design he was planning.*

Merk: *rolls his eyes watching them leave.* I wonder, is that why he doesn’t mind us winning, or is it because he likes experiencing the Despair of losing? *Was it both? He didn’t know. Was he overheard? He didn’t care. He was just glad they were gone. He finished up his meal and began counting up the payment for it, plus a tip.*

Jun and Jureus glance back at Light Elly, who just stays quiet while occasionally giving Erik's arm a sharp tug of impatience.
Jun: Just do whatever you can, Grendal.
Jureus: Hopefully the princess will see fit to pay everyone somehow.
Jun: You think she's actually gonna give everyone a pay?
Jureus: I dunno, but it's probably better than her alternative to collecting "natural" materials.

Fetish Akira: Keep the tip, we don't do that here.
Either way, the Fetish Group seemed happy to have Merk eat there.

Erik: *is trying his best at least. He did want to see what Elly could come up with, given she was the crafter. Still, he did a bit of sewing and needle work to construct a blanket for Light Elly.
Grendal: Eh, I get the feeling we'll settle for her just not collecting the materials... forcibly at least. I think we would like some fur brushing and scale care *shrugs*
*Still, the search for staff proved somewhat fruitful. Nor apparently, and surprisingly, had some experience as a masseur, Drax had some experience with nail and talon care and Sasharu had a bit of knowledge in mane care. Slowly but surely the spa appeared to be coming together.*

Merk: Ah, alright. *Takes back some of the money.* Well, I suppose I'll be going then. *Admittedly, part of him did feel like staying now that Chesh was gone. However, he had eaten, and he should probably be getting back to the house.*

---

The afternoon had come and gone, and the house seemed much busier than it was before. Because before, groups of Erik's friends would go out to hunt and gather, or train in the dojo. But now, it looked like they were constructing a new section on the property itself.
Light Elly: Nooo. Erik, what are you doing? *points at his needlework* If you do it like that, you're gonna have irregular stitches. It needs to be smooth. And use a blanket stitch for the edges, not a running stitch, or it'll fray easily. You know what? Give me that. *snatches the materials from Erik and does it herself, at a faster and more elegant pace*

Erik: *seems all too happy to hand over the work to Light Elly, caressing his hands and holding them as if hiding something.* Hah... well I hope the materials are to your liking at least... *sighs*

By the time Elly finishes, she looks at the blanket with wide, joyful eyes. Then she spins around and proceeds to wrap herself in a blanket burrito and fall on the ground.
Light Elly: *smiling* So soooft...ZzzzZZZ...
Merk reaches the house by this time, only to see Lit Gill idling on the side as everyone tried to build a make-shift spa.

Erik: *watches the display with a mild chuckle, expressing slight concern when she falls over.* Are you… asleep? She’s asleep. *sweat drops before smiling as well* Alright, we’ll save the spa day for tomorrow. It should be done by then. *lifts her up gently with intent to return her to her room. He did shush anyone they came across, figuring it was best that she stayed asleep. That included a bewildered Merk as he walked past.*
Merk: Er… did I miss something?
Grendal: *checking some of the implements and tools that would be used, courtesy of Marcell.* Oh y’know, you two need to bond with the kids, but it kind of became a household event, hehe.
Merk: I… see? Ehem, do you know where the Vassals are? I have news to report.

Jun and Jureus were at the fire pit with Reverse Gill, talking about something.
Space Wil: It looks like everyone's working pretty hard.
Lit Gill: I know, right?
Merc Akira: I wonder what the property's gonna look like when there's a spa installed!
Tech Drake: It better not get in the way of our game audio.
Tech Elly: If it does, we're getting Erik to have you guys turn it down.
Shadow Lyle: Somehow I doubt that'll be the case.
Tech Lyle: Agreed.

Merk: *goes over to inform them of what transpired with his meeting with Chesh. Meanwhile the others were hard at work, putting the spa together.*
Erik: *carefully sets Elly in her bed once they arrive.*

Jureus: ...Seems like he's having fun with his lackeys.
Jun: Good for him.
Jureus: This means we still have to watch out for his Despair groupies.
Jun: ...When is dinner gonna be served? The sun's starting to set already.

Merk: *sighs* I'm somewhat concerned about what he said about the cage being shut. Does he know something we don't about when this shadow is going to attack? *And more importantly, did that mean they needed to move forward with their plans. He glanced towards the chefs, some of whom had left the "cult" to prepare food for dinner. It looked to be normal food as well. Perhaps they'd worked out their energy for the moment.*

With dinner preparations underway, the Creator's children helped out where they could, or simply waited. It didn't take long, thankfully, as the chefs basically had plenty of practice making large amounts of food in a short period of time. Lit Gill, however, seemed a little concerned as Reverse Gill approached his side and started talking to him.
Lit Gill: ...Ah, I suppose this would get in the way. *begins storing all of his mass into his digivice*

Merk: *looks a tad bit disappointed as he sees Lit Gill storing his fat. A look to Erik revealed he had similar feelings perhaps. Still the pair found themselves approaching him, relaying their respective days to each other once they were close enough.*
Merk: A spa? Really? *pauses before shrugging* I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea generally.
Erik: *nods* Perhaps. And please, don't go out alone again. I do trust you but... the wise course of action would seem to be to travel in groups with Chesh about, never mind what the Creator's doing to the populace.
Merk: *blinks before smirking* Alright, you make a fair point.
Erik:...and I suppose you can go out again tomorrow, seeing as Chesh may have ruined your appetite. And you didn't really get a chance to speak with Fetish Akira, not that you knew about it.
Merk: Hehehe, so bring a friend and a lot of gold basically?
Erik: Well...yes, I suppose.

As dinner is served and everyone began to eat, Lit Gill starts to giggle.
Lit Gill: Hey, if you guys are as fat as our flab cult members, maybe I could be the masseuse and roll you around like bread dough.
Tech Drake: No.
Reverse Gill: *clears his throat* Everyone, I have a message from my siblings. It would seem the populace has begun to worship the Creator in a rather fanatical sense. The God of Control's reach is already seeping into everyone, faster than previously calculated. It may be time to initiate the plan.
Jun: ... *turns to Erik and Merk* Should we tell Vex about it now?

Orin: Ooooh~ *seems enamored by the idea*
Nor: I believe the masseuse duties are mine for the moment.
Moris: I still question how you would know how to do that... but at the very least, the spa itself should be ready by tomorrow. *shrugs*
*Then they all heard the news from Reverse Gill*
Drake: Well... could kind of see this coming.
Erik: *considers it briefly* It would seem we have few other options.
Gerold: I agree. I've heard the reports. The populace thinks the Creator can do it all by himself. At this point, though I don't wish to think it, they may take more active measures to ensure he is the only deity here.
Merk: It may be for the best as well. If what Chesh said can be believed, and view that with as much skepticism as you see fit, whatever the God of Control's plan is, it is coming in the next few days. We could take him by surprise if we act now potenitally.
Jera:...On the subject of Chesh, I have a proposition. However, I would like to discuss it away from unseen eyes, as well as with the one below. *The basement seemed the one place not at risk of being compromised by Chesh. The group seemed in agreement though; it was time to act.*

Jureus: Hmm. We'll talk to Vex that we're making the final plans.
Jun: And also, maybe get some ear plugs for Monohebi while we're at it.
They grab some extra food and head down to the basement, where Veximeer and Monohebi were.
Lit Gill: ...Can I have cake?
The mood felt stiff with tension. The God of Control's plans were closing in, and everyone seemed ready to put a stop to it, as soon as possible. But dinner was still enjoyable with the Creator's children having their last bit of fun.

Erik: Agreed. *they leave with the Vassals, while Gill suddenly gets a cake spawned in front of him*
Orin:... Do you think we'll be able to throw a party if they win?
Dax: When they win, Orin.
Gerold: I suppose it's important to stay positive...
Takumo: It is. That god wants us to worry and fret. Focusing on the goal is probably the best way to counter that.

In the basement rec room, Veximeer was sitting quietly and meditating while Monohebi remained tied up on a couch humming to himself. The Vassals and Erik's group enter with the pair looking up at them. Jun and Jureus handed the food out to them.
Monohebi: Oh wow. A visit from Erik and Merk. I feel so blessed!
Jun: Stop it. *begins feeding the snake*
Veximeer: Did something happen?
Jureus: No, but things are getting more hectic out there. It may be time for you to send the calling card. But first. *nods to Jun*
Jun proceeds to carry Monohebi into a closed room and turns on a movie in there before walking out.
Jun: ...Why have we never used this rec room before? They have surround sound speakers and a popcorn machine in there.
Veximeer: Because the Creator forgot he made this?

Erik: *rolls his eyes slightly* I would have to agree with Veximeer. It wouldn't surprise me if there were other hidden features in the house.
Jera: More to the point, we're here to go over the battle plan... well they're here for that. My connection to said plan is concern with how Chesh plans to factor himself in.

Veximeer: Right. Well, first we send the calling card, inform the Creator that we're going to steal his heart.
Jun: And then you infiltrate his Palace and just...Do it?
Veximeer: Except, this is a lot trickier. His Palace is the Fused World itself. He's grown a distorted view of the world, thanks to the manipulations of the God of Control. But if we're lucky, it's possible that it's not as distorted as the other places we've been to.
Jureus: Oh yeah. You said that when you visited Merc Luke's Palace, the Guild hall turned into a big prison fortress.
Jun: Then...How does the Creator view the world?
Veximeer: That's the thing. It's been too risky to even enter the Metaverse after I was declared dead. Eyes are everywhere. But I have some possible theories. Maybe he sees the place as a giant toy box?
Jun: Or, maybe a wasteland, and he's keeping the last remnants of life alive by being his oh-so powerful self?
Jureus: Wait. The point is that you have to steal the Treasure the Creator is keeping, the core of the distorted viewpoint he has, his Palace's heart. Where and what would it be?
Veximeer: ... *scratches his head* Beats me, I'm no psychologist.
Jun: To make matters worse, is Chesh even going to interfere? It may just be a big ruse to make us slip from being too anxious to focus.

*The group nodded in agreement with the basics of the plan.*
Erikon: If I had to guess, a broken world.
Merk: That's... vague.
Erikon: Well, if you take into account how some of the citizens view the Creator, it would seem they view him as the one individual who can fix all of their problems. All of societies' ills and corruption. Only he can bring order to the chaos.
Jera:...
Merk: Well, that's an idea for what the Metaverse is. What about where the treasure is?
Erik:... Possibly the skyscraper. Chesh frequents that place, and he was seen conversing with the God of Control there on one of the tapes if I recall correctly. And given the Group presence there, it is difficult to gain access, at least in this realm. So, it has the security and numerous floors it could be on. *looks to Veximeer* At the minimum, it might be a good idea to see what that building turns into in the Metaverse if we haven't already.
Jera: As for Chesh, I'd argue one of the best strategies is to ensure he doesn't interfere.
Erik: Well... you're not wrong, but how do you propose we do that.
Jera: Simple. He desires despair. We supply him with a source.
Erik: How... the crystals.
Jera: *nods* This is one of the reasons I could not discuss this in the courtyard. This place is safer from unseen eyes and ears. I could draw him somewhere and keep him away from you during the final confrontation.
Erik: *gives an exasperated sigh* That's... an idea. And it likely would only work once if so.
Merk: I'm guessing you mean if we go to the wrong place searching for the Treasure, we won't get another shot at a distraction ploy? *to which Erik nodded*
Erik: Moreover, you're suggesting that you go and face off against Chesh alone? I'd like to think I know you well enough not to do this without some sort of plan, but this is going up against an opponent of unknown power, one whose reaction to being tricked and, if possible, trapped is equally unknown.
Jera: I did not say I would face him alone. *looks to Jun and Jureus* I realize I'm asking a great deal, and that being watched while I do this would likely be preferred. I... cannot help but feel I may have assisted Chesh in whatever his end goals are. Thus I feel the need to make this right and ensure those goals aren't to interfere with Veximeer.

The three Vassals look at each other and nod.
Veximeer: We need to end this before it becomes irreversible.
Jun: Jera. If you end up in a situation where Chesh may take your life, just run. We can handle it from there.
Jureus: Yeah. If we're gonna distract him, we just have to make sure we're a big enough threat that he can't just simply turn tail.
Jun: Erik, Merk. You and Vex should definitely go to the Skyscraper. I think that would be the place where the Creator would keep a treasure.
Veximeer: Alright, so our plan's settled then. We doing this tomorrow? I can contact my team and have them come in the morning.

Jera: *nods slowly*
Erik: I... agree.
Jera: If the plan works, I should hopefully be able to trap him with a ward, if only briefly. It will take time to prepare however. I may need to speak with the Space Group as well.
Erik: *nods to Veximeer* It seems like we have preparations to make, so tomorrow would probably be best.

With a plan of action in place, they proceed out of the basement to get ready. Tomorrow's a big day.

*Jera approached a few of the others about joining him for a risky endeavor. He got a few takers, and he elected to inform some of the deities about at least part of what he intended to do tomorrow as well. For the most part, with dinner concluded and only a few aesthetics remaining for the spa, the Outsiders gradually began to turn in for the night.*

It was a big day tomorrow. They were going to finally pull off their biggest heist. The Phantom Thieves will steal the heart of a God.
Monohebi: And who's Hope will triumph in the end? I can't wait!

-end chapter