"That went on for like a half-hour, I swear to God." Cyprian laughed as Arashi returned to him.

"Hey!" He whined. "Hahaue taught me to never interrupt a lady when she's ranting about her children!"

[Hahaue; Mother]

"You really are Asian." Cyprian shook his head. "Okay, so whatcha got? Anything good?"

He leaned over to look at the other boy's quest pamphlet.

"Just the normal... collect 15 plants, kill 20 weirdly named monsters, get 30 gem stones from a kind of owl... what an owl has a gemstone for is beyond me."

"If you near the desert region, it makes more sense that the cat-demons have gems." Cyprian offered. "But you're not ready for those."

"Well, it says to get them from owls," Arashi admitted, tilting his head. "Well... it says its their 'hearts, which have been frozen so long that they've turned into gems'... that's quite impossible."

A shadow passed over them and the two looked up to see a giant bird-like creature that appeared to be skeletal with phantom wings glided above the plaza.

"...Yeah, it's impossible." Cy murmured.

"What is that?" Arashi gasped, looking amazed at the sight. "I don't remember reading about that on the forums!"

"That's a moderator platform." Cyprian sighed. "They're just moving around."

"That's so cool!"

As Cy looked, Arashi was already rushing off. He flew into one of the buildings and came out a few moments later from an upper window, before climbing into the roof to get a better look - as agile as an elf might be.

Cy frowned before he sighed and activated his Levitate ability to get to the roof. The giant, bird-skeleton thing was passing lazily by the building Arashi was watching from and he could see the Mods overlooking the city- some discussing amongst themselves.

The boy looked like a kid who was in a candy store for the first time - a look of pure astonishment on his face.

He jumped in surprise as one swooped close and the person on it laughed, before waving to them.

It was smaller than the big one that the Mods were on and Arashi now noticed there were a few of the smaller ones floating around the Moderator Platform like a aerial guard.

He took a seat and wrapped his arms around his legs, smiling softly and watching them for a moment, before glancing over at Cy and laughing. "I'm sorry! My father used to say he couldn't take me anywhere because I'd spend hours just watching the stupidest things."

"It's fine, you're not the first and won't be the last." Cyprian sighed before frowning at the Mods. "They look really serious about something."

Blinking, Arashi looked up and frowned. "They do... what are they looking at?"

He got up and moved to the edge of the roof, peering in the direction that the GMs were looking.

"Hey!" The ebony-haired teen gasped. "That boss is hanging out in this town! Look!"

"What!?" Cyprian hurried over.

Arashi was peering down as a form was moving along the pathway, all of the players watching carefully.

"Hello." The tanned, redhead said brightly- waving as he passed players. "Aww, the newbies are so little...cute."

"Wow," Arashi breathed - even more in awe now. "I wonder who does his voice acting-!"

He grabbed the edge of the building and hopped down, but landed wrong and wound up flopping onto his behind, losing 25 health points along with it.

"Arashi!" Cyprian scolded.

Arashi groaned and winced a little- was it supposed to hurt? Wait, no...that was just in his head...right? Then suddenly he felt a warm rush was air and his hit points maxed out again.

"There." The redhead nodded before walking on.

Arashi's eyes went wide as he stared at the NPC, who was still walking along.

Had it just... healed him!?

"Oh wow, a shop!" The Boss smiled and moved over to the counter. "Hello~ Your responses are limited, right?"

Cyprian floated down beside Arashi and helped him up.

"Don't go near him." He warned.

"Why not?" Arashi asked, frowning. "Its just a program..."

"They certainly are not!" The shop NPC huffed, placing her hands on her hips.

The Boss laughed and tapped the counter.

"I could give you more if you like...maybe get you out from behind this counter...would you like to make weapons instead of selling potions?" He asked excitedly.

"Potions are my life!" She informed, still huffing. "I spent my entire life researching them with my sisters, who sell them in all of the towns to the people protecting our world!"

"But it's all you ever do, you never wanna adventure for yourself?" He asked in response.

"All of the people out there need our help to defeat the creatures that torment this world!" She went on.

"Why is he talking to that NPC?" Arashi inquired, moving closer.

"Because he is one?" Cyprian offered- taking Arashi's arm and stopping him.

"But that means they'll hurt me." The Boss blinked. "Do you want them to hurt me?"

"The monsters must be defeated!" She went on, pumping a fist in the air.

Arashi frowned and turned to look at Cy, before turning and jumping as he spotted Ukeru moving through the crowd.

"Pin," Ukeru addressed the NPC, taking his arm and gently pulling him from the NPC. "What have I said about harrassing shop keepers?"

"She's being dumb, she has these stupid limited responses that aren't letting her see that we're the same thing!" The Boss- Pin -snapped.

"I know," Ukeru informed, before lowering his voice "But you remember what happened the last time you tried to change a shop keepers code, right?"

"I'm getting better at it." Pin replied.

"And there are a bunch of GMs and admins floating above our heads that are just waiting for you to do it again so they have a reason to erase you from the update!" Ukeru hissed.

"They can't." Pin smirked before he whispered. "I jammed their admin abilities and I made a backup file."

"What's Ukeru doing?" Cyprian frowned.

"And why can the NPC hear him if he's speaking in guild chat?" Arashi asked, trying to move closer again.

"Pin, you give them their powers back right now!" Ukeru scolded.

"Why do you think they're all worried?" Pin laughed.

"He's linked up directly with Ukeru's chatline." Cy informed. "That idiot."

"He's talking to the NPC like they're friends," Arashi whispered.

"Quit being a douche," Ukeru groaned, smacking Pin on the arm. "Give them back their powers or... or I'll mute my chat and stop talking to you!"

"Aww...then I'll use my admin powers to just open it back up." Pin winked.

"We gotta get them apart." Cyprian nodded. "You got a teleport ready?

"What?" Arashi asked, frowning at Cy. "What's going on?"

"Pin..." Ukeru sighed, before giving this sad kicked puppy look that Cy could only remember him ever giving one other person - someone who was long gone. "Please...?"