A light-hearted intermediate chapter ...that *will* be referenced on occasion in the future - but you can come back here if you need to be reminded (I do, frequently). Hope you've enjoyed this small introductory arc. The characters get more real after this. Plant Hwayden is up next. Enjoy!

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Purrcy's To Do List:

I) Spay/neuter experiments
- A) Learn to perform the surgeries (allow natural healing to make sure, assuming magic healing will bring the organs back)
- B) Test permanency without tag for baseline (hoping this is sufficient, not expecting it)
- C) Test with tag (Repeat until successful)
- D) If C is successful, test after resurrection with magic healing to see if undoes
- E) If D is successful repeat on me
- F) Schedule time with Nyanta
... 1) cry
... 2) apologize for having to kill him needlessly so many times
... 3) ask him what he wants me to give him in return for his willingness to help

II) Plague Master
- A) Lock him into a mirror shield 'box' to lock him out of the computer system. (Completed)
- B) Rewrite the character description of the Plague Master to make it so he can't be a Programmer any more.
... 1) Lock out the Hacker and Technician sub-classes
... 2) Step the Class upgrade back one from Programmer to Bard (can it be set to Person of the Land?)
... 3) Lock out the Programmer and the Engineer Classes
... 4) Set 'training mode' level to 75 and make it permanent status to lock him down in strength
... 5) Set a wrapper on any name he is going to give himself to add "[Plague]"
- C) Take apart his code for the virus
... 1) How did it cause the exhaustion?
... 2) How did it cause the heat to come on?
... 3) Was it completely artificial or is it still something that can happen? (Is 'real' a required end-point?)
... 4) How did he make it contagious?
... 5) How can we make the antivirus general enough a Programmer doesn't have to be the one to cast it? (What level, too?)
... 6) Where did it originate? Where else needs the antidote?
... 7) Can other creatures or People of the Land get it?

III) Take Nyanta out of the city on my next rounds and teach him to use his body
- A) Basic survival
... 1) Start him just outside of town with no weapons, clothing, etc.
... 2) He has to make it to me. Wait for him at the end.
... 3) Take a different route, making him go on one with more enemies to get his practice in.
... 4) If he's about to die he is to use Call of Home and start at the beginning again until he gets it and makes it to me.
... 5) Get meals cooked and packed before going. Nyanta can't have any until he gets to me. He has to survive for real.
(Should only take him about a week, lucky bastard.)

- B) Medical calls - introduce him to the monsters and to train him in the other uses of his natural abilities.
(FireAnts should teach him pretty well...)

- A'B') Alternately, give him a goal location then go on healing trips while he practices getting there. When he arrives at goal location, he is to use the calling card to call me to let me know he's finally made it.
(Saves time...I'll miss him...if I don't forget.)

- C) Information gathering
... 1) Ask questions and start to get monsters to seek out other Caretakers from each region to test them and deliver personal invitations to speak with me. (Can I Summon beasts from other regions and interrogate them?)
... 2) Visit the beast-half villages with Nyanta to gather initial data as to their suitability as training grounds or places to take and leave the beast-half Adventurers who won't chose to be sufficiently human and responsible.

IV) Start setting up the world network
- A) Start a search engine to find other Caretakers and 'Shiroes'
... 1) Train neural network on Japan Archipelago (should only find me and Shiroe)
...,... i) Basic beginning - titles, but don't assume it
...,... ii) Look for spells cast that help others, particularly on an area scale
...,... iii) Scan chats for comments on people who aren't understood but might be the player in the background
...,...,... a) Sort out those that match but have destructive spells or acts into a nemesis list
...,...,... b) Weight heavy those that have constructive spells or acts and put into an ally list
...,... iv) ...
... 2) Test the neural network on China and on the US
... 3) Run the network on each region in succession in increasing concentric rings around the Japan Archipelago
- B) Start a silent sneaker net that is both code and uses the monsters (see III.C.) to feel out the list we were given.
- C) Compare the two lists and confirm the list given is ligit before direct contact is made.
- D) Set up the underground using ally list
- E) Get the gates working (Note: make sure rules are set before the gates work)
- F) Set up a World Round Table Council

V) Find out how we got to this world
- A) Find the bastard who initiated the Plague of Life
... 1) Trace back the connection of the Plague Master to it's source
... 2) Set a tracer/flare and the bard frequency (could be one and the same)
... 3) Walk the computer(s) until I find them
...,... i) Pull back data in thin indiscernible threads to understand:
...,...,... a) who they are
...,...,... b) why they have done this
...,...,... c) how to get to them
...,...,... d) what their weaknesses and strengths are
...,...,... e) who our ally is
...,... ii) Look for info on the Observers and Overwritten at the same time.
...,... iii) Figure out how to leave traces for other Hackers/Programmers to find
...,...,... a) DNA in the fingerprint
...,...,... b) Run any contacts or feelers through the nn (IV.A.1.)
...,...,...,... i) 'Good' into ally list
...,...,...,... ii) 'Excellent' hackers into partner list (mark those who will be nemeses)
- B) Find out what happens if the People of the Land destroy all the Cathedrals, or even any one of them. Where do the souls of the Adventurers go? Another Adventurer city or stay on the moon server?

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Shiroe's To Do List:

1) Figure out what to tell the council about the plague and what the future holds for Adventurers of the beast folk
- a) Mitigate the war that will come from the People of the Land if Adventurers start having children (don't mention that part yet)
- b) Present a plan for training the half-beasts to stay at or return to human levels of restraint
- c) Send out a delegation to the half-beast villages to determine suitability for training or for relocation of those who can't be properly self-restrained (Is there a possibility they don't exist any more? Check the Li-Gan meeting notes)
- d) Find out what happens if the People of the Land destroy all the Cathedrals, or even one of them.
- e) Oh, yes...how to deal with the Wolf Pack, sigh.

2) Figure out what to tell the council about the existence of pseudocode mages. (Pseudomages will surely become a derogatory for them since it is technology, not magic, to the purists. Do we need to handle that?)
- a) Prevent a mass run on people becoming one lest the world end quickly and destructively.
- b) Can Purrcy write a limiter into the system, and then also a check-and-balance that tracks them and their general tendencies so they can be watched - if they need to be, that is...
- c) What is the criteria that allows a Hacker to become a Programmer? Is it just leveling up? Is it learning a certain set of skills? Is it having a certain personality and drive? Is it (horrors) random?
- d) If the increase in Hackers and Programmers can be controlled, can they be put to work on the gates and fairy rings as a sufficient diversion?
- e) How long will it take for the numbers to settle down to a stable level?

3) "Natural" magic will be discovered soon by the researchers and training warriors, even if I don't announce it
- a) How long to keep silent or wait until the researchers announce it?
- b) How to prevent that from pushing them too fast to becoming "real" before we are prepared to handle both the training of the half-beasts and the reaction of the PotL to procreating Adventurers.

4) ...and how to handle telling everyone that there are changes not planned but happening anyway
- a) 99 and 100 are not the cap any more. - probably the easiest thing to tell them, actually, all considered.
- b) Other types of magic are available (e.g. transformation magic) and only limited by the general limitations we all know (could be combined with the release of the knowledge of pseudocode mages down-playing it some) and...is technomagic the same as pseudocode magic...?
(Purrcy! Why do you keep slipping little new things in that I don't catch until later?! Slow down a little!)

5) How to tell them that the limits imposed have been broken
- a) Boxes in boxes is the simplest form to see but...
- b) Can have more than one sub-class
- c) Sub-classes within sub-classes
- d) Do we really have to tell them that people can have more than one Class and that Classes of Classes exist? That makes the stomach get ulcers.

6) Continue to find a way home (if possible a two-way doorway)
- a) Ask Purrcy how she thinks it might happen
- b) Get in contact with Observer(s)
- c) Get the gates working (can the Hackers be used for that also, along with the technomages(?! - see added note 4b) )

7) Set up a World Wide Round Table
- a) Set reasonable world law to bring peace to all Adventurers.
- b) Create a synergy of knowledge to help us get home faster.
- c) Be a place where like minded people can bring concerns of world import (like the possibility of the procreation of Adventurers and the subsequent destruction of the Cathedrals when the People of the Land find out) and find solutions that can be used over the whole world, thus finding peace of mind and lessening of stress and increased companionship/camaraderie

8) Protect Purrcy
- a) Find out why there are Superusers who want Purrcy very much alive and with me.
- b) Why was Westlande part of the group that wanted her to put the virus into Akiba? Was it only to get me in trouble? Were they behind the whole thing then? (then where does the fingerprint in the Plague Master's plague point to? perhaps them instead?)
- c) Train her up in weapons to get her HP higher
- d) Train her to be a fully integrated guild member instead of just a solo player
- e) Get her to be a kitten on the desk when we talk so I can watch her be cute
(oh, wait...that shouldn't have gone on the written list...)

9) Write a language translation scroll? or send out the guilds? to start teaching the international transplants that came without the translator functioning how to read and write Japanese (another easy thing to turn over to the Round Table)

10) Umm...just what did Purrcy mean by I keep leaving 'open boundaries' that were becoming problems? Is it just the scroll spells, or something else?

11) Training the guild in the new skills
- a) Somehow keep Akatsuki from learning a thousand Mysteries before we're ready to have the world move forward...maybe send her with Purrcy and Nyanta...ah...well, maybe not. (*blush*) *sigh* Except it would be nice to have her that strong. I'm going to need it...likely very soon now that Purrcy has "Log Horizon" under her name in the database.

Note: Make sure Purrcy sets the color coded tracers as permanent spells for each member of Log Horizon before she leaves so we can all defend ourselves at least somewhat.

- b) Tetora's training - make sure it's well set up before Purrcy and Nyanta leave. Can she keep training in absentia?
- c) The younger set will work on sub-skills like crazy for a while...good distractions and training for them in general.
- d) What will Naotsugu do? might be nothing, might be wait for orders, might be something completely unexpected (!) ...hmmm...sneaky suspicion it will be a lot of dates with Marie... Maybe I should come up with something to have on hand to keep him busy just in case.
(*sigh* Now I wish we had alcohol...or cigarettes...never mind that I've never successfully touched either yet.)
- e) Start my own physical training, run through all the stats I want to have better and make a plan for how to get them up using "natural" skill level increases. What's a "natural" half-alv and how can I position myself where I need to be?
- f) I'm a communications mage...wow...that puts me at being able to not have to use the towers to reach across the globe then? Hmm...that's exciting...where can I go with that?

12) Be a proper boyfriend to Akatsuki
- a) hold hands
- b) kisses
- c) dates
- d) normal life sitting together quietly

(...)

13) Eat lots of tikki masala and curry before Purrcy and Nyanta leave...have them make lots of leftovers to store in boxes in my "food" slot...

14) ...which means - don't forget to organize stuff into boxes (like when will there ever be time for that?)
- a) order boxes (assign to Akatsuki)
- b) use personal organization outline to mark boxes (assign to Minori)
- c) practice natural output of items and placement into boxes (me)
- d) put boxes into boxes into slots (me) and bags (Minori and Akatsuki)
- e) repeat for the guild supplies (guild)
(Sigh...let's see...only 14? That's not too bad...I guess. *slump* ...Oh, and)
- f) can we use boxes in boxes in a 'refrigerator' so we can last for the three months the only real cooks in the guild will be gone? (Roderick/Akaneya)
(...is that dinner I smell? I think I'll go check... Oh wait um...)

15) What else has Purrcy created and sold to the guilds that they are paying her for? I probably want to buy some of them, too. Maybe they'll give me free samples so I can know what she's been up to...as her guildmaster that should be okay to ask for, right?
(...I wonder if they'll make me pay in "time with Purrcy"...sigh.)

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Nyanta's goals:

1) Keep Purrcy calm.
2) Keep children happy.
3) Learn to transform front paws back into hands.
4) Keep an eye on Shiroe-ichi. He's going to put too much on his plate again. Make sure there's plenty of tea on hand.
5) Enjoy the sun and the porch...with Purrcy as much as possible so someone knows where she is at all times.

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Akatsuki's goals:

1) As many dates, opportunities to hold hands, and sit with Shiroe as possible. Try not to count the number of kisses in a day so I don't get depressed.
2) Practice becoming a 'natural' ninja...don't let on my goal is to become the First with One Thousand Mysteries.

(Why didn't I put down 'protect Shiroe', you ask? Because that's what I do, not a goal.)

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Marielle's Jotted Notes:

1) Wheedle more dates with Naotsugu away from Log Horizon guild hall. (Would he be allowed to bring Purrcy?)
2) Talk to Henrietta about what do to about the fact that I love Naotsugu and don't want to live apart from him much longer...that's getting hard.
3) Find a new hiding place from Henrietta.
4) Find out where I can get my own werecat...and maybe two so Henrietta can have one too.

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As added to Soujirou's list by his secretary-of-the-day:

* Find out from Log Horizon if Nazuna is fixed up now or if we all still need to worry...

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Rieze's Mental-Rant-List:

(Why the hell does Shiroe keep finding random outliers? Why, how, and what do we do about wiretaps? What's the method to keep all the half-beasts happy so the guild can continue to function smoothly? We need something we can do ourselves in case Log Horizon goes down.

...And how did Nyanta become a superwarrior - untouchable even? What's been going on over there? I thought all that happened was a felinoid got treed by the Wolf Pack. This is a lot of high level stuff for that kind of thing. While he's at it can he wave his wand and bring Crusty back? I'd like to hand all this back over to the scoundrel even though he hates it. It's past time he picked it back up. At the very least, the Machiavelli could tell us what the plans are, if he's not going to share the intel.

At least he left us with an interesting toy to play with. I wonder why we can't hear anything he says? And he's bound with ropes we can't see either - convenient mostly, but... I guess I'd better call Shiroe back and ask if he has to be or if it will wear off. ...No hurry.)

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Akaneya's Running To Do's:

... 42) Find time to wheedle Purrcy out of Log Horizon when she learns to understand Japanese so I can learn how and where she's finding this stuff.

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Woodstock:

- Find out when Akaneya's going to wheedle Purrcy out of Log Horizon so I can just show up and visit, too.

(Numbers? What numbers? I gave up on numbers a long time ago. Once you get over 120 it gets too depressing.)

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Shiroe sighed as he opened the door to his office/bedroom. It had been a long day and they still hadn't gotten around to figuring out the plans for what was next, nor had there been time to question Purrcy all day. Somehow it felt a little disappointing. They had managed to get in the debriefing of the previous night in the mid-afternoon, then dinner, etc., and now it was evening. He closed the door behind him and pulled his glasses off to clean them, beginning the walk to his desk so ingrained in his system now he didn't even have look where he was going. He put his glasses back on and looked up at his desk and froze.

"Purrcy?" She was sitting comfortably on top of his desk - in kitten form, in the middle of his desk in the middle of his papers for the day. He suddenly went from wondering how and when she had entered his room to remembering what was on top and blushed. Moving quickly he went around the desk to make sure. "Really? You've snuck into my room just to read my scribblings?"

"No. Because we haven't had time to talk today, and I know how curious you are. You didn't really ask any questions yesterday. Yesterday you were just trying to understand the tool you'd picked up on the first floor so you could properly fight the second-floor mini-boss." She patted the paper she was sitting on with one small front paw. "Shall we address some of the simpler one's right off?"

Shiroe sighed and sat down in his chair at the desk. "You really aren't a professor? You very much remind me of one."

"You're welcome to consider it so if it helps you, but no. I'll be picking your brain when you're done picking mine, I'm sure."

Shiroe looked at her. She looked back until she slowly blinked. "Yes, technomages are different than pseudocode mages, but those are my names. I haven't a clue what the world is calling them. On Earth you are a trained technomage who knows how to dabble in pseudocode magic. Already a number of the crafter guilds have technomages who are slowly building up their levels and skills. You can address all of the new magics at once by focusing on that one and casually mentioning psuedocode magic under the radar and it won't stick for now. It should bring those who have them and are afraid to say anything out into the open so they can be used properly...and the guilds will be able to strengthen their members who have them. They're needed as defense against those who'll attack in the future with the new magics."

"When I set Tetora's training schedule, he can work on it and then get classes going for the rest of the Hackers, even if he's only a few weeks ahead - you know, like being the T.A." Shiroe nodded. "The rest I can't help. They'll have to keep working it on their own, but if you can come up with a way to explain the natural learning method, they'll have an easier time of it. ...I'm afraid I'm going to leave that bundle of worms in your lap." She shrugged a little kitten shrug. "After all, you won't let me speak to any of them anyway, except in my pidgin Japanese...and I don't really want to."

"You don't address what to do about the fact that a new creature has been found that doesn't exist, either. You're likely to get asked." She looked at him, but he didn't answer. He didn't have one yet...and she was sitting on his list. "When you write your scrolls, please pay attention to boundary conditions and make sure you've not allowed for outlying effects if a pseudocode mage - or worse yet the Superuser - gets their hands on the text before the spell goes off."

Shiroe narrowed his eyes at her. "What did you do, Purrcy?"

"Change it so that all the people in town who couldn't understand Japanese now can. I would have made it a world-wide general translation program except the paper and ink wouldn't hold that much magic. ...So I've already fixed that for you, though there are likely still minor repercussions that will need Round Table hands on it, so I would still send them out to re-poll the creepers. Please use it as a lesson in how much more dangerous the world has become. If one gets hold of your World-class texts and spells and modifies them we could be in trouble."

Shiroe sat irritated for just a moment, then sighed. "Yes, Sensei." The whiskers on one side of her nose twitched.

"I recommend you don't tell them yet the limits have been broken, or about natural magic. Let those ride one more turn, one more level of the dungeon. If they start to learn it on their own then it will come out and the other guildmasters will likely bring it up in the council. That might be the better way, and give you time to wrap your own brain around what you want to do. Like you, I want to go visit the villages first...but, you say they might not exist?"

Shiroe motioned, "Can I have the list, please?" She rose and moved off of it. He picked it up, then looked at her. She was sitting up on her haunches looking at him calmly. He reached over and pet her head, finding his palm exactly cupped it. He rubbed his hand back and forth a few times, the ran it down her back. "You are very soft," he said. She licked his hand once, a tiny rough sandpapery feel, rather the opposite of the feel of her fur. He took his hand back and she lay down again, tucking her front feet under her. He picked up his pen. It was his turn: "Okay, let's actually start with... ...Purrcy, you're not supposed to write comments on my list! ...Though, thank you for already making the tracers permanent for everybody. ..."