Private Delight at the Erudite

[Cleo Looker]

That was definitely true, she wasn't the kind of person to be motivated solely by a pay cheque. She did everything that she did because she believed in it and knew that it was the right thing to do. Even if she wasn't getting paid to play and investigate Terrasphere from the inside, there was a good chance that eventually, she'd have logged in to try to save and protect as many of the players as was possible. The lack of progress in figuring things out was pretty frustrating, though she'd just have to keep figuring out ways to learn new things about the game.

Well I don't necessarily mind if it takes years. I've come to be quite happy here and now I have one more reason to stick around.

It really was a strange twist of fate, to have made a friend like Akemi so easily and quickly. Well, maybe easily wasn't the best term for it, considering how they'd met and everything. Still, eventually she'd have to let slip that she worked for the VRSA, especially if she kept getting closer with Mizuki.

That could come later though.

Probably, yes. I'm not going to pretend that some of the stuff people do in the game isn't illegal. Though in the same manner, I guess I'd also need to be arrested for it all.

Cheesecake took priority though and it seemed that Akemi was enjoying it too, much to Sarah's appreciation. It was nice to share something with a friend and have them like it as well.

I try not to order food here too much, but when I do I always feel like I'm cheating on my diet and workout regime just a little bit, yeah. I'd say the taste is worth a bit of extra effort keeping in shape, though.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

I'm glad you've gotten more comfortable. I just hope that your assignment comes to a conclusion that we can all be satisfied with. (She hesitated for a moment.) Even if that also depends on what your superiors want.

Akemi fell silent for several seconds, which appeared to be good timing since Sarah wasn't saying anything either. She only spoke up again after Sarah had pointed out the illegal behaviour inside the game, at which point she rested one elbow on the table and placed her chin on her palm.

Well, we're all guilty of something, even if you've got an exemption because it's part of your assignment. But for the specific actions people take... Is there any state which could claim jurisdiction?

Terrasphere itself functioned as a separate world with its own countries and laws. But even if they went with the opinion that Earth's laws still applied, they'd need to find the servers and the developers before they could determine which jurisdiction it fell under.

On a more immediately engaging topic, Akemi could only heartily agree with Sarah. The cheesecake was really good, and even if it meant that she'd have to spend some more time working out to compensate for it she'd consider that an acceptable payment for being able to enjoy such a treat from time to time.

A diet is only a means to attain the desired figure. If you compensate for the treats you give yourself there's no cheating involved. (She wasn't hurrying, but she definitely wasn't wasting any time enjoying the cheesecake either.) The problem is that if I made a habit of eating here I wouldn't be able to compensate enough.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Yeah that it...a bit of an issue. I'm not entirely sure I have much of a course for effecting how all of this will play out in the end, considering the typical stance against Terrasphere and VR games in general at the moment. Terrasphere really did a lot of damage to the reputation of the industry in its entirety, to the point that not many developers are willing to make software for that kind of hardware. For as long as people remember this whole incident and nobody has been brought to justice.

Realistically, she couldn't forsee a future in which Terrasphere was allowed to remain online, even with as many people as possible advocating for it, but there was a tiny chance that she was wrong. After all, gun death was a serious problem and yet there were still people that, successfully, campaigned and lobbied against having restrictions imposed on gun ownership and manufacturing.

As for states claiming juristiction, Sarah shrugged.

I think trials would be done based off of the accused's home state? I'm not sure how it'd be done exactly, though.

Talking about law and punishment wasn't exactly a great topic for a friendly gathering. Or a date. Sarah honestly wasn't sure which one of those this counted as. Talking about cheesecake was, though!

Well you could always work out with me and see if that improves your gains at all? I wouldn't mind having somebody else to do my fitness regime with.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

That's true. I work for a tech company, so while video gaming isn't our focus, I know a bit more than average about that industry. (She let out a small sigh.) The concerns regarding virtual reality are perfectly understandable and reasonable, it's just a shame that things have turned out the way they have. Instead of the possibility for people to visit other worlds and play out their dreams everything is regulated to the point of ruining the point of the technology, and nobody is willing to invest in it. (She looked into the distance for a moment.) Which, unfortunately, makes the pull of Terrasphere only stronger, as it's the only way for people to experience the wonders that the technology was supposed to provide.

When all was said and done Akemi couldn't bring forth any rational arguments to support Terrasphere. She knew it was bad news, and the best she could do was somewhat defensively state that by this point people knew what they were signing up for. But in truth, the fact that Terrasphere could kill you or otherwise cause irreparable damage just wasn't acceptable. It was just a real shame, and as it turned out her emotional self didn't accept the rational position.

Fortunately, there were more pleasant things to talk about. Akemi smiled as Sarah suggested that the two of them started working out together as a way to compensate for the minor sin of enjoying sweet food. She took another bite from her cheesecake and swallowed it before answering.

That's not a bad idea, although we'd have to schedule it in advance. Find a place to work out that's close to both of our apartments so neither of us has to spend too much time commuting. Having a fitness partner would certainly make staying in shape more enjoyable. (She smiled.) Although I suspect that it'd take a little while before I could endure your regime.

Sarah may not look like a tower of muscles (in fact, she was a combination of good shape and delicious curves), but Akemi still assumed that between the two of them the police officer would be undergoing the harsher regime for the sake of her job, especially since she knew that Sarah got very passionate about anything she set her mind to.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

I absolutely agree, yes. The industry was on route to finally recover after the first major incident, then Terrasphere came along and essentially delivered the VR industry its final deathblow. And it's a shame because the medium has such potential that won't be reached because developing software for it is so hard and strictly monitored and regulated now. So many VR games disregard the sense of touch entirely now, as far as I've been led to understand.

Continuing to talk about this was going to leave both of them miserable, though. Despite what many people probably thought, Cleo genuinely wanted people to be able to enjoy an experience like Terrasphere safely. She'd had some particularly amazing moments, though she'd also had some bad moments, like the fight against the broodmother and her frantic scramble to help get those cannons fixed.

Yes, moving the conversation to working out together was probably the safest thing and the best bet for keeping their date friendly and happy. Sarah smiled, nodding as Akemi seemed amicable to it.

Scheduling it shouldn't be too hard, I can probably work around your schedule given my current assignment and all. And you don't have to worry about immediately matching my regime. It can be something that you work towards.

Sarah smirked through a mouthful of cheesecake, grinning once she'd swallowed it.

What do you wear when you work out? Are you a tracksuit person? Or maybe you're a sports bra and yoga pants kind of woman, like me? The clothes can make a pretty big difference, you know.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

While Akemi might at first have thought that Sarah would be happy if Terrasphere was shut down she knew better now. She nodded along as her dear friend explained her position, one which aligned closely with Akemi's even if her own opinion was somewhat compromised due to how much she just really wanted to experience the world of Terrasphere, even if it came with a price.

Liability always plays a big role in the decisions a company makes, and there's nothing keeping companies from being held liable if their VR game causes harm to a player so they play it as safe as possible.

Akemi's job was market analysis, and while it wasn't her job to check whether there were any legal issues with the products and services her company wanted to sell it wasn't strange for a legal consultation to get involved.

Depending on how the public thinks about the issue the regulations could be loosened in the future, but for the moment it's effectively a dead market.

If Sarah was willing to plan her schedule around working out with Akemi that would make everything a lot easier. Akemi still had a solid work schedule, but as long as Sarah's job boiled down to exploring Terrasphere and finding clues which could help the VRSA try to tackle the issue she had a lot more flexibility in her schedule.

That's a good idea. And I'll do my best to catch up so I won't slow you down too much. Wouldn't want your regime to suffer because of me. (She raised an eyebrow as Sarah inquired after her choice of outfit, then smirked.) You've already seen something similar in Terrasphere, although I think she wears it better than I do.

A reference to that training session they'd undergone together, where their friendship had deepened considerably and even taken a more intimate turn, even if nothing was official yet. Akemi's smirk widened a little: here on Earth she had little issue with being confident enough to consider such encounters amusing rather than embarrassing.

So you came to this date wearing your workout clothes?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

That just made sense though, at the end of the day. After all, on top of any damages a company would sustain to their finances by going through legal proceedings and being fined in the event of a disaster, the damage to a company's reputation could destroy or damage any further attempts at business. Something on the level of Terrasphere would, under normal circumstances, cause damage to a company such that it seriously affected their bottom line. At least a few people would lose their job. At worst, the company would be completely shut down.

Of course, Terrasphere was far from normal.

As for the workout outfit thing, Sarah giggled and grinned slightly.

Well, I don't know, I'd have to see you in the same thing before I could make an official decision. You're both very charming to look at, though~

She chuckled, before looking down at herself and then nodding at Akemi's question, though she did wave a hand as if she was trying to dispel any thoughts that Akemi might have been having.

I haven't actually been for a workout today, so I'm totally spring fresh. It was either this or a suit and I didn't want to overdress for the first date.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi took another bite from her cheesecake even as Sarah decided to answer her slightly teasing remark with a compliment. She carefully chewed the cheesecake, swallowed it, and then grinned back.

That sounds fair to me. I imagine that it shouldn't take too long before you have an opportunity to cast your judgement though. (She let her eyes shift down from Sarah's face to the part of the woman's body that was visible above the table.) I appreciate the compliment though. I'd say the same, but the two of you look practically identically so there's not much point to judging you separately. However, I can confidently say that you're as much a treat to the eyes as this cheesecake is a treat to my tastebuds.

She nodded as Sarah explained that she hadn't worked out today or anything like that. The thought that Sarah had actually been worried about overdressing made her smile.

Hmmm... I'm happy to hear that you're comfortable enough with me that you're more concerned about overdressing, rather than worrying about being too casual with me. It does look very good on you. (She glanced down at herself for a moment.) It seems I dressed a lot more conservatively in comparison.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Sarah could feel her cheeks heating up some at Akemi's compliment, shuddering lightly. Oh no. That wasn't exactly a good thing. This was supposed to be a friendly outing, she didn't want to ruin things by introducing too much flirting to the mix. Then again, they were a lot racier and more forward with one another in Terrasphere, so wasn't in fine to do the same here? She was pretty sure that neither of them had any expectations of plans for the other.

Thanks Akemi. I uh, I had hoped that you'd be pleasantly surprised when you saw me in real life.

Though given the reaction most people had to her in game, she really should have suspected that Akemi would find her attractive, but to be honest, her mind had been completely occupied with that kiss and making sure that she could enjoy today and that Akemi could have fun too.

You're dressed perfectly fine, I think. And well, I think you're giving me a little too much credit. I just wanted to make sure that the day wasn't awkward for you at all.

She placed her spoon on her now empty plate, humming in appreciation as the final taste of the cheesecake settled on her tongue.

It's nice to just chill out and hang out, though.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

It seemed like Akemi's words had hit their mark, as the beautiful officer actually started blushing. Akemi herself had managed to suppress her won blush when Sarah had complimented her, but she had to admit that it had made her heart beat a little bit faster when her companion had declared that both selves were attractive.

I'd say you succeeded. It's quite common for someone to make their virtual self more attractive than their physical self, but here I was, realising that you're exactly who you said you are. (She shook her head.) It was quite the surprise. Of course, I imagine that to some extent you felt the same?

Sure, Akemi was several years older than Mizuki and wasn't a caenis, but other than that Akemi had been faithful to what she'd looked like as an adolescent when she created Mizuki over five years ago. And with modern healthcare, it wasn't like those extra years meant much.

It's the thought that counts. And it's nice to get to know you a little better. Even if I spend most of my free time in Terrasphere, it's nice to spend time with you here on Earth.

She'd been eating a little bit slower than Sarah, but it didn't take much longer for her to also take the final bite from her cheesecake.

Especially with such delicious treats to accompany it. Good company makes the food taste even better, doesn't it?

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Sarah couldn't help but chuckle at that particular question. Gosh, it would be embarrassing to reveal how her thoughts were when she'd first laid eyes on Akemi, but well, she supposed that honesty was probably the best foundation for any friendship to be built upon. It certainly wasn't worth lying to Akemi just to try and salvage some kind of reputation.

Well, for the longest while I was terrified that some teenage boy would come up and sit opposite me, but when you showed up I was very pleasantly surprised. It was a real "Wow, the waitress brought somebody really beautiful to come and see me" moment. It was almost like she'd ripped you out of Terrasphere, aged you up a little and took off your ears and tail.

She smiled, blushing still as she averted her gaze, glancing more at the table for a moment, until she managed to look up at Akemi and show her that smile.

You're certainly right. It tastes a lot better with you here than it does when I come here by myself, that's for sure.

Cheesecakes defeated, Sarah grinned lightly, examining Akemi. It was incredible how similar she was to Mizuki. Though she couldn't quite see the woman's exact build through her clothes.

You know, if we put one of those wolf ear headbands on you and managed to get a fake tail, it'd be almost impossible to tell unless you took your clothes off.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi blinked as Sarah admitted that she'd been afraid that her friend would turn out to be a teenager, but then let out a brief laugh at the thought.

That certainly would have made things a bit more awkward! I'm glad both of us turned out to be honest enough about ourselves. (She grinned.) But I'll admit that it's not an unreasonable concern to have, given the demographics for MMORPGs.[/color]

She did blush a little bit as Sarah also took the opportunity to call her beautiful, but then she grimaced slightly and one hand went up to where she'd have ears if she was in Terrasphere.

Truthfully... I would've preferred it if I could keep the ears and the tail.

It was embarrassing to admit it, but she decided to be honest about it nonetheless. Being a caenis seemed to suit her better than being a human, although it could of course also just be because it felt more exciting.

Hmmm... (She coughed at the suggestion of fake ears and a tail.) I guess it would make me look similar, but it wouldn't really be the same. (She pushed her empty plate to the middle of the table so she could rest her arms in front of her.) It's interesting, but somehow the thought of faking it is more embarrassing than if they were real.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Well at the very least, Akemi understood why she'd been so worried about that. Indeed, aside from a few exceptions, the typical demographics for an MMO weren't exactly the most comforting thing for a woman to face off with. She chuckled at the thought though, nodding along. She was also glad that both of them were deciding to just be genuine and honest with each other.

Yeah, it would've been more than a little awkward to sit here talking to a teenage boy that I'd thought was a grown woman online. I'm sure more than a few people have dealt with that before, though.

Hearing that Akemi would have preferred to keep her ears and tail wasn't much of a surprise though. After getting to know the woman as a Caenis, she'd come to realize that Akemi probably felt something of a deep kinship with wolves.

Maybe a stuffed wolf toy would make a good gift?

Fair enough. It's not like I'm exactly looking to run around in a skintight suit or toss around sticks everywhere. Though if I could grow a bit more, like in my Evoke form, that'd be great.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

No doubt that it's something that has happened more than a few times. That said, I personally have no experience with such things: this is my first time meeting someone from Terrasphere on Earth. (Her gaze became distant for a moment.) Although not the first time I learned about someone's Earth identity.

That was a rather unpleasant memory since it was a consequence of someone becoming locked inside of the game. Better to not dwell on that for too long.

She chuckled as Sarah suggested dressing as she did in the game.

Well, I wouldn't mind seeing you dress like Cleo, but I agree that here on Earth it might attract some unwanted attention. (She smiled.) Personally I don't think you're lacking in anything.

Her mismatched eyes went down to their empty plates, then back up to Sarah. The cheesecake had certainly been delicious, but...

Shall we order something to drink?

Sarah might already have had a cup of coffee, but Akemi could use something to wet her throat.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Oh yeah, I'm certain that it's happened to quite a few unlucky people in the future. It's so easy to be somebody else online that people forget that they have to be themselves when they meet in person. Or worse still, they just don't care and want people to be disappointed when people they were close to turn out to not be the person they thought they were.

Though she noticed Akemi's distant gaze for a moment, causing Sarah's face to soften with concern as she looked at the woman, trying to make sure that she was alright. She had no clue why this was bringing up anything bad, but given what had been said, she could guess that maybe Akemi had looked into one of her friends in Terrasphere who had been UI-locked and killed?

Though then she blushed when Akemi mentioned that she didn't find Sarah to be lacking in anything, swallowing her nervousness and jumping on the chance to have a change of topic and pace before she did something stupid or said anything.

Uh sure. I'm thinking I could go with a banana and strawberry smoothie, personally.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi shook her head and inhaled deeply before moving on. What had happened to Kaede was horrific, but there was no point in dwelling on it. The best she could do was try to help her friend from here on onwards, and even then a date wasn't the right time to think too much about that.

The fact that your virtual self can be different from your real self is a blessing and a curse. As for those who seek to hurt others... (Akemi closed her eyes and shrugged.) Better to not waste too many thoughts on them. Although you must deal with them more frequently than I, for which you have my sympathies.

Many crimes were committed due to circumstances, but as a police officer, Sarah would undoubtedly also have experience with those who simply couldn't keep themselves from misbehaving.

Such people won't care what others think about them, or won't show it openly. Which makes the dangers of Terrasphere a mixed blessing: I certainly wouldn't wish death on someone for merely being infuriating, but a troll's act of not caring about anything is quickly disrupted once faced with tangible consequences.

It might not be the best idea to voice support for violent retaliation toward trolls, but Akemi trusted Sarah enough that she felt safe at least saying it. It wasn't like she was openly encouraging everyone to attack trolls, after all.

She nodded as Sarah replied positively to the suggestion of some drinks, getting out of her seat.

I'll go order something for the both of us then. I'll be right back.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

Well I don't really have to deal with it all that often, in all honesty. It's not exactly a punishable crime, so long as no money or anything of any value has been extorted from somebody under false pretenses. Or, y'know, in situations where it's all a little more predatory than is acceptable, which are honestly not exactly the kind of thing I really want to talk about in pleasant company like yourself.

She did agree that Terrasphere was a mixed blessing, though really it would have been nice if somebody looking to do a little online trolling didn't have to risk death in order to get their kicks. It was certainly not a punishment that fit the crime, not that many punishments did fit the crimes they were designed to punish nowadays.

That was when Akemi got up to order their drinks. Sarah nodded, flashing the woman a soft smile and waving.

Don't take too long!

And she watched as Akemi left, her eyes wandering just a little bit.

Respectfully of course...

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

On the way to the counter, Akemi thought about what Sarah had said. It was true that trolling, while often quite despicable, wasn't considered illegal. While one could argue in favour of making it illegal, it was a tricky piece of social interaction where applying legal repercussions could result in some unwanted consequences.

But Sarah also was correct when she said that it was better not to go too deeply into those topics while in pleasant company. There was a time and a place to argue politics and legal systems, and a date wasn't one of them. Akemi would order a banana and strawberry smoothie for Sarah, and after some short consideration decided that she might as well join Sarah in enjoying the opportunity. Ordering a blueberry smoothie for herself she waited for the drinks to be made before paying for them and taking them back to the table.

She didn't want to spill the drinks, but she also didn't want to keep Sarah waiting too long. Settling for a brisk pace it wouldn't take long before Akemi was back at the table, smiling at Sarah and placing the banana and strawberry smoothie in front of her friend before sitting down opposite from her with her own blueberry smoothie in her hand.

Sorry for the wait, they're apparently not used to someone ordering blueberry smoothies. (She tapped the rim of her glass with a nail as she said it.) But for a more pleasant topic, now that you've been exploring Terrasphere for a while have you met any interesting people?

While Akemi did know quite a few veterans, or at least knew them by name, she was curious to hear more about Sarah's escapades.

@Cleo Looker

 

[Cleo Looker]

All she could really do was watch Akemi leave, her eyes following the woman until her path took her out of Sarah's sight, since she'd sat in a booth that didn't quite have vision of the counter, or many other places for that matter. She enjoyed the privacy and the ability to see outside of the store, rather than directly inside of it. It was always interesting to watch the pedestrians passing by, trying to guess what they were talking about on the phone, or where they'd come from and where they were going next, based off of nothing but context clues. Things like that kept her mind sharp.

Eventually, though, a smile lit up her face as she saw Akemi return with a smoothie for her and a different, apparently blueberry based smoothie, clearly ordered for Akemi herself. Sarah wrapped a hand around the glass her smoothie had come in, immediately raising it to her lips to take an eager sip and sighing at the sweet, fruity flavor from it.

No worries about the wait, really. It's not like I'm going anywhere.

She smiled warmly, humming at the question of if she'd met any interesting people. There were a few.

There's quite a lot of people that classify as interesting, I guess. Like the faerin guy doing basically the same job as me, or Harveste, who I told you about. I met some cowboy woman who was a really accurate shooter, named Madison too.

@Ueno Mizuki

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Akemi chuckled as Sarah pointed out that it wasn't like she was just going to disappear into thin air.

I guess you're right. Still, I wouldn't want to be impolite.

The smoothie was really quite tasty, the tall woman taking a sip and enjoying the sweet flavour. Sarah seemed all too happy to talk a bit about the people she'd met in Terrasphere, so she could enjoy a drink while listening to her friend's explanation with open interest. She nodded as Sarah mentioned Harveste, then raised an eyebrow when the officer talked about Madison as well.

I do remember Harveste yes, even if I've not met her personally yet. As for Madison, I do know her. I met her before the shutdown. (She took another sip from her smoothie, savouring the taste before continuing.) From what I remember she has changed a lot since then. Back in the day, she was something of a mix between a necromancer and a druid. I even helped her figure out how to change shape when that was still an aspect of Nature Magic. It's interesting to think about how she now has completely abandoned that theme and become a gunslinger instead.

She fell silent for several seconds. She'd never been close to Madison, but it had been fun to help her develop her shapeshifting abilities. But it wasn't surprising that after four years Madison wanted to do something different: there seemed to be quite a few people who saw this as an opportunity to completely switch things up.

When you say that a faerin guy is doing the same thing as you, do you mean in a professional capacity or is he just volunteering?

@Cleo Looker