## 2018:05:25:00:00 - Real Life: Dasomov's Apartment, Saratov, Russia

Guessing that everyone was enjoying the game, Dasomov had gradually become accustomed to the quasi-radio silence in the chatroom this evening. It therefore felt like a sonic boom to Dasomov when the chatroom was suddenly bursting with dialogue. Five minutes after the shockwave, Dasomov was still trying to get a grip on the chaos so they could have a productive conversation.

Doslad: "HOLD ON EVERYONE, HOLD ON! I CAN ONLY TALK TO YOU ONE AT A TIME!"

Kellei: "Me first!"

Jyos: "This is really exciting news!"

Xil-Sta: "Checkmate on our stalking friend!"

Fusota-ri: "We found a key to power!"

Zontna: "Not everyone at once!"

Kellei: "We ran into an admin from the former game!"

A number of others pitched in.

Doslad: "I SAID HOLD ON!"

Doslad: "Everyone, STOP TALKING!"

Herding cats would have been easier, but they didn't speak Russian, and there was something intrinsically lazy - or perhaps more akin to programmers - and therefore more appealing to Dasomov about typing his commands and having them obeyed to the letter. When the stream of comments finally died down, Dasomov had his choice of news provider.

Doslad: "Xil-Sta, report."

Xil-Sta: "Mission accomplished! The ship has been sunk."

Doslad: "Good."

Xil-Sta: "I lost my avatar, though, and q5corbo lost his."

Doslad: "I see."

Xil-Sta: "So whenever we get them back, it'll be when we get Mikmik back as well."

Doslad: "Yes."

Doslad: "Jyos?"

Jyos: "We found Aura."

Dasomov stared at his screen in silence for a roadtrip minute. Aura? The legendary AI? What's she doing in this world? Oh, hm, I guess she is technically part of The World.

q5corbo: "The super AI? WAY COOL!"

A number of others congratulated Jyos, Fusota-ri, and Tovia (Taha) on their discovery, though the last of them wasn't there to receive it.

Dasomov leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, looked at the wall above his monitor - his favorite visual target when he began contemplating deeply. The news of Aura put a new spin on their situation. Could she help them bring back Mikmik? Could she give them the secrets of The World? Would she even cooperate? What if she become a pest, a troublemaker, or worse - a chaotic freak who would force their game to shut down?

Jyos: " Doslad - There's more. Do you want to hear it yet?"

Doslad: "Give me a second."

The information delivery bees buzzed through Dasomov's brain, creating an ruckus that could not be silenced nor meaning found in its business. Dasomov shook his head. It was getting late; he was tired and knew it. And that last beer wasn't making anything clearer, even with the leftover slaw he ate to balance things out in his stomach.

Doslad: " Jyos - I know you're excited about the info you want to give me, but I need to ask your opinion on a certain mystery."

Jyos: "I don't know if I'm as good at solving mysteries as I thought I was."

Doslad: "What's the matter? Your confidence shaken somehow?"

Jyos: "Yeah..."

Doslad: "Don't worry about it. Just give me an opinion, and let me do the deciding as to whether on not it's good. You've already have plenty of good ideas before; that's why I've asked you. You're a good detective. Take that to heart."

The rising of Evan's spirit at Dasomov's words rivaled a rocket. Even Dasomov was surprised at his words of praise.

Jyos: "Thanks so much."

Doslad: "You're welcome."

Jyos: "What did you need solved?"

Doslad: "Xil-Sta said the stalker, whom we knew was or should have been Noro301, was interested in the usual things gamers are interested in."

Jyos: "So he's a game addict. But he's good at faking his identity because he got access to Tovia at the hospital."

Doslad: "Correct."

Jyos: "Wait, if he's good at faking his identity, then shouldn't we expect he's good at lying about his interests?"

Doslad: "True. I don't know. I'm tired and can't think straight because me head hurts."

Jyos: "Are there any other details?"

Xil-Sta: "Let me take over the Q&A."

Doslad: "Go ahead."

Xil-Sta: "He was really interested in monsters, particularly the ones that were the smartest, like those that learned your fighting moves and could talk back to you."

There was a pause.

Fusota-ri: "It's very simple, and Jyos and I concur. He wants Aura."

Fusota-ri's comment resounded like a gong in Carnegie Hall. At once, rumors began to circulate with the sticking power of magical molasses held firmly in their originator's minds until each spell of release came from Fusota-ri's text.

Fusota-ri: "In Japan, The World was extremely popular, and the internet came to depend on it. Aura become intricately connected with the internet, and when she disappeared recently, the internet crashed. If one gains control of Aura, and this game becomes very popular in your country, then one could control the entire internet through her. Theoretically."

Fusota-ri: "Moreover, we found her in child form. She is being cared for by Morganna. Morganna appears to be good in our game. And powerful."

Jyos: "I'm skeptical as to whether or not she is good, but she didn't do anything bad to us. Her concern is in finding someone whose memories she can use to teach Aura."

Jyos: "So we offered Mikmik."

Doslad: "I wish you would have consulted me first. I'd rather not make deals we can't keep. I'm especially not fond of enslaving anyone on our team to this maddening system, as I've already made clear."

Jyos: "Indeed you have. But don't worry. We told her she has to save him first, and then he'll only be needed up until Aura is finished. Which, I'm not sure how long that would take, but it sounds like there's an ending point at least."

Doslad: "Ok. Good."

Doslad: "Kellei, what's up?"

Jyos: "There's more."

Doslad: " Jyos - Really? o_O We'll wait on that."

Kellei: "My party and I ran into that mysterious user."

Xil-Sta: "Did Doslad just use an emoticon?"

q5corbo: "I o_O that too!"

Doslad: "You did? Who is it?"

Kellei: "It's an admin from CC Corp."

Doslad: "What?"

Jyos: "This game is becoming awfully popular around the world for not being published."

Brofin: "Word just in: My party and I were ambushed by some crazy green-haired guy."

Kellei: "You too?"

Brofin: "And get this:"

Doslad: "Brofin, we're in the middle of a sane dialogue."

Brofin: "He called in Mobashem!"

Xil-Sta: "Whoa! There really is a guy from CC Corp here!"

Kellei: " Brofin - You stole my thunder."

Doslad: " Brofin - I was implying you needed to wait, but that is interesting news."

Brofin: "Wait! You got ambushed too, Kellei?"

Kellei: "Not quite, although the appearance of Mobashem took us all by surprise. I didn't know it could leave Dun Loireag."

Doslad: "Thanks for the info, Kellei."

Doslad: " Zontna - Are you still online?"

Zontna: "Yeah, hanging in there."

Doslad: "Good. Block the CC Corp guy's IP address after I boot him."

Zontna: "Will do."

Doslad: "My mistake for letting him stick around."

Jyos: "At least we learned more about Mobashem."

Dasomov briefly minimized the chat window and pulled up his terminal with the appropriate commands awaiting his confirmation. He gave that confirmation by a light smack on the Enter key matching the strike speed of a garden spider. Then he resumed presiding over the chat room chaos.

Doslad: " Jyos - What else did you have?"

Jyos: "We spoke with Morganna about Mobashem, and she told us it wasn't in the ancient lore of The World."

Doslad: "Is that referring to game story or something?"

Jyos: "She said it referred to information found in three places: the Akashic Records, the Field of Mourning, and the Memorial of Twilight."

Fusota-ri: "Field of Eternal Mourning, to be correct."

Jyos: "Yes."

Doslad: "Interesting."

Doslad: "What is this Memorial of Twilight?"

Jyos: "I don't know, but she gave us keywords to access a number of fields, including the one containing the Memorial."

q5corbo: "Sounds like you'll find the story of The World when you get there."

Xil-Sta: "Sounds like I'm out of a job."

Jyos: "Speaking of which, Xil-Sta, I'd like to talk about that game story job."

Xil-Sta: "Huh?"

Doslad: "Not now, Jyos."

Doslad: "Jyos: Go tell Taha that it's safe for her to get back on chat."

Jyos: "Ok."

Doslad: "And tomorrow, figure out where those keywords actually lead. We may need them to find the real truth about this game."

Jyos: "Aye aye, captain!"

Doslad: "Until then, we're done for tonight."

With that, Dasomov was content to allow the ensuing commentary flood the chat box. He closed the chat window, shut of his monitor, and breathed a sigh of exhaustion. Tomorrow would be an especially busy day, he predicted. Picking up his cell phone and checking the clock made him feel even more weary: It was tomorrow, about 1:25 in the morning.